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Pep Guardiola was left furious after Manchester City were denied victory in Monaco as a controversial late penalty decision cost his side two Champions League points. The Catalan tactician refused to comment directly on the incident but took a swipe at 'Spanish referees' following another night of refereeing drama in Europe, which resulted in Eric Dier scoring a late penalty equaliser.

• Man City held to draw in controversial circumstances

  Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Monaco after conceding a late penalty in dramatic fashion. Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano awarded the spot-kick following a VAR review after Nico Gonzalez was judged to have made high contact with Dier inside the box. The decision sparked chaos on the sidelines, with red cards shown as tensions boiled over between both benches.

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  Guardiola takes sly dig at 'Spanish referees'

  Guardiola made his frustration clear after the final whistle, refusing to discuss the referee but hinting at his displeasure. “Nothing to say to Spanish referees,” he said. “We played a really good game. Of course, we were close but at the end we could not defend the free-kick well and we conceded the penalty. In football you have to win with the result. If you analyse the game there were many things that were good. Step by step we will be better but we had many chances and many players played really good. We conceded almost nothing.”

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  Haaland left furious after brace leads to a draw

  The result extends City’s wait for an away win in Europe, their last coming exactly one year ago. Guardiola’s men dominated for large spells and twice struck the crossbar but were undone by one contentious call. Haaland's brace was left with just one point to show for it, and the Norwegian striker left the pitch in fury after the full-time whistle.

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• Man City look to fight back in the PL

  Manchester City will look to bounce back when they return to Premier League action this weekend as they face Brentford. Guardiola’s side remain unbeaten in Europe but have now dropped to eighth on the Champions League table. The focus will shift toward rediscovering composure and ensuring refereeing drama does not derail their Champions League campaign.

With just two days until the transfer window slams shut, Manchester City have reportedly set their sights on an alternative option to Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

Latest on Man City's transfer targets

Man City’s transfer window began with a flourish but has slowly petered out. Now, with deadline day approaching, there’s still a number of dominoes that must fall in order for them to get their main targets. One of those targets is of course Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper has already said goodbye to fans in France, but those at the Etihad are yet to get their deal done.

As things stand, City are still waiting on Ederson’s exit before they push ahead and secure Donnarumma. There’s no denying that time is running out for that move to happen, however, and Pep Guardiola could yet miss out.

Donnarumma isn’t the only top star to be linked with a move to Man City, either. Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has also been on their radar this summer as he looks for a route out of the Bernabeu.

Just like Donnarumma, however, the Brazilian’s move likely relies on whether the Citizens sell one of their own first. For some time, it looked as though that could be Savinho, who didn’t feature in City’s first two Premier League games, but Tottenham Hotspur have since turned towards other targets.

New Silva: Man City plot shock move to sign £65m England international

Man City would be pulling off a huge shock with this move

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 29, 2025

A better option than Rodrygo may yet also emerge. Reports are now suggesting that those at the Etihad have set their sights on an alternative superstar option for Guardiola.

Man City eyeing Olise

As reported by BILD’s Christian Falk, Man City are now eyeing a move to sign Michael Olise from Bayern Munich alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League rivals, Liverpool. The Frenchman has starred since swapping Crystal Palace for the Bundesliga champions, who are not currently willing to sell their star man.

The interest of the Citizens is certainly interesting, despite Bayern’s reported stance. Guardiola has struggled to find a winger as effective as Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane were during City’s peak under the Spaniard, but it hasn’t been for the want of trying. Jeremie Doku, Savinho, Grealish and others have all tried and failed to truly grab the same headlines. Olise, however, could be the man that Guardiola has been searching for.

Compared to Rodrygo, there’s a clear standout. Olise is on another level to the Real Madrid man, but Guardiola will already be well aware of the quality that the winger has in abundance.

Described as “unique” by former Man City man Owen Hargreaves last season, it wasn’t so long ago that Olise was silencing the Etihad with a last-minute penalty to salvage a draw for Crystal Palace.

Tottenham Hotspur have held a fresh round of talks over a deal for a “brilliant” star, and they are now ready to submit a huge bid, with chiefs “hoping for a twist” as we enter the final week of the transfer window.

Tottenham pushing to sign forward before transfer deadline

Thomas Frank has made a fantastic start to life as Tottenham boss, winning his opening two Premier League games, and the most recent victory was undoubtedly the most impressive, with his side extending their fantastic record against Manchester City.

Spurs ran out 2-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium, with Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha getting on the scoresheet, while Richarlison grabbed an assist, with the Brazilian following up a brilliant performance against Burnley on the opening day, during which he bagged a brace.

The Lilywhites’ attacking quality has been on full display in their first two matches, but they are evidently a little light on options, given that Wilson Odobert, who the north Londoners are willing to sell, has featured in both Premier League games thus far.

As such, it is vital that Daniel Levy brings in another winger before the rapidly approaching deadline, and according to a report from TEAMtalk, a huge bid for Man City’s Savinho is now ready, with Tottenham prepared to pay over £69.2m for the Brazilian.

Levy now launches Tottenham move to sign "sensational" £30m Eze alternative

Daniel Levy has now personally stepped up his interest in an attacking midfielder.

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By
Dominic Lund

Aug 24, 2025

Spurs have held a fresh round of talks over a deal for the winger, but City have been reluctant to sanction a departure, which means many club chiefs now believe that a deal will not be possible.

However, according to reporter Rudy Galetti on X, the north Londoners are still attentive to the situation, and are “hoping for a late twist”.

Savinho could be "brilliant" signing for Tottenham

A fee of over £69m would be a huge outlay for the Brazil international, but he could kick on at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where he would be more likely to receive more game time, given the lack of depth at Frank’s disposal.

The starlet made a fantastic start to life in the Premier League last season, picking up 11 goal contributions in 29 outings, and Pep Guardiola described the City forward as “brilliant” back in May.

Savinho still needs to improve some aspects of his game, with Guardiola admitting the youngster struggles in “final positions”, which is evidenced by the fact he scored just one Premier League goal last season, but the City ace clearly has a lot of potential.

Paul Pogba’s much-awaited return to football is finally getting close. Ahead Monaco's Champions League clash against Manchester City, manager Adi Hutter has revealed the midfielder could make his debut for the club after the international break. It has been over two years since the Frenchman last played a senior match.

• Pogba nearing return to football after two years

  The Frenchman last played in September 2023 for Juventus before being hit with a doping ban. His suspension was cut from four years to 18 months in October 2024, and after leaving Juventus later that year, he signed for Monaco on a free transfer in the summer. The 32-year-old has been training regularly with his teammates since July, but has not yet been considered match fit. The Ligue 1 club had mapped out a three-month programme when he joined in June, aiming for a return in early October, but it appears he will have to wait a bit longer for his first game back.

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  Pogba’s possible debut date revealed

  Speaking before Monaco’s Champions League game against City, Hutter revealed that the Frenchman could possibly make his debut after the international break. 

  “We maybe expected him to be in the squad against Nice, but we may need to wait until Angers…. we hope that, after the international break, he can play,” said the Monaco manager.  

  Earlier, the Austrian coach had made it clear he would not rush the Frenchman back, emphasising that he wants to ease him in properly.

• A chance for redemption for World Cup winner

  The 2018 World Cup winner’s career has been hit hard by controversies. His highly publicised and strained relationship with then-United manager Jose Mourinho put him in the wrong spotlight early on in his career. Off the pitch, Pogba was dragged into many controversies, the latest was his four-year doping ban in 2023 after testing positive for testosterone, a punishment later reduced to 18 months on appeal. Now, at Monaco, Pogba has a rare chance to turn the page.

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  What's next for Monaco?

  Monaco are fourth in Ligue 1 with four wins and two losses, but suffered a 4-1 defeat to Club Brugge in their Champions League opener. With injuries to captain Denis Zakaria and Ansu Fati, Pogba’s return after the break could be a major boost for Hutter’s side. 

  He is expected to miss Sunday's game against Nice, but the October 18 clash against Angers could see him back on the field.

Adrien Rabiot has branded Serie A’s plan to stage AC Milan’s league clash with Como in Australia as “completely crazy” and “truly absurd.” UEFA has “reluctantly” approved the move amid global regulatory loopholes, but the Frenchman slammed the idea of flying across continents for domestic matches, calling it “beyond reason.”

• Rabiot voicing reservation on playing in Australia

  The French international Rabiot has openly criticised Serie A’s unprecedented plan to hold AC Milan’s fixture against Como in Perth, Australia. The star midfielder, who joined Milan this summer, called the proposal “completely crazy” and expressing disbelief that two Italian teams will play a domestic league game nearly 14,000 kilometres away from home. UEFA “reluctantly” granted approval to both Serie A and La Liga to stage league matches abroad, despite labelling the move “regrettable.” The governing body said the decision was made “on an exceptional basis amid regulatory gaps at global level” and “should not set a precedent.”

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  'Absurd' – Rabiot slams the decision

  Speaking to , Rabiot said he was “surprised” to learn of Milan’s February clash against Como taking place in Australia, questioning the logic behind the move. 

  “I was surprised when I learned that AC Milan and I will be playing a Serie A match against Como… in Australia! It’s completely crazy,” he said. “These are financial agreements to give visibility to the league, things that are beyond us. There’s a lot of talk about schedules and player health, but this all seems truly absurd. It’s crazy to travel so many miles for a match between two Italian teams in Australia. We have to adapt, as always.”

• UEFA's reluctant approval

  UEFA has approved the Italian and Spanish domestic leagues’ requests to stage matches abroad but made it clear that it does not endorse the concept. President Aleksander Ceferin described the move as “regrettable” and warned that “league matches should be played on home soil.” The decision was granted due to what UEFA called “regulatory gaps at global level,” paving the way for FIFA to issue final authorisation.
  If confirmed, Milan’s match with Como in Perth would mark the first time a regular-season European league fixture is played outside the continent. Similarly, Spain’s La Liga hopes to stage Villarreal’s game against Barcelona in Miami this December

  The landmark move to take Serie A abroad now awaits FIFA’s final clearance, which could set a new precedent for domestic leagues across Europe. While Serie A argues that hosting games overseas will “introduce new audiences to the excellence of Italian football,” fan groups in Italy have criticised the decision as "spineless nonsense." UEFA, meanwhile, continues to maintain that its approval was purely procedural. If the Perth fixture goes ahead in February, it will be closely watched as a test case for future global expansions. 

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  From Marseille to Milan

  Rabiot also discussed his departure from Marseille, admitting that his exit still feels like a betrayal. 

  “I wanted to focus solely on football, on my first weeks at this new club and in this new life; it was important. Generally, I’m not one to express myself much off the pitch, but at that moment it was really time to focus, to restart with my mind completely on football,” he said.
  The midfielder, who was sold after a locker-room altercation with former teammate Jonathan Rowe, is now enjoying a fresh chapter at AC Milan. “It’s incredible to have experienced all this,” Rabiot added. “I hope to achieve great things at Milan, to win titles, at a historic and legendary club.”

  While, Milan’s domestic calendar remains packed, with some key Serie A and Champions League fixtures before the proposed Australian trip, and Rabiot’s remarks have already reignited the debate on player welfare and football’s global commercialisation.

Manchester United made an approach to sign a “brilliant” player, but they were too late, with bitter rivals Liverpool winning the race for his signature.

Man Utd's summer signings under question after poor start

Despite a 3-2 victory over Burnley last time out offering some respite, Man United have undoubtedly made a poor start to the new campaign, having infamously been knocked out of the EFL Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town at the second-round stage.

As such, there are some justified concerns about some of the Red Devils’ summer acquisitions, not least Benjamin Sesko, who is yet to make his mark, having mainly been utlised as a substitute, and failed to open his goal-scoring account.

However, Sesko believes he will soon find his feet once he adjusts to the Premier League, recently saying: “The level of the matches is certainly much higher, the players and teammates are also at a higher level,”

“After all, English football is at the highest level in the world of football.

“But I am very much looking forward to the coming period, also because I am getting better and faster in every training session, and I am also progressing in my football mentality every day.”

Man Utd now plan to smash transfer record for £100m "powerhouse" in 2026

United are gearing up to make a huge bid for one of their prime targets next year.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 3, 2025

The jury is still out on the Slovenian, but it has recently been revealed that Man United could’ve signed a different striker, who has made a flying start to life in the Premier League.

Indeed, according to a report from The Athletic, Man United made a late approach to sign Hugo Ekitike before his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool, but the wheels were already in motion for a move to Anfield.

As such, United’s bitter rivals ultimately came out on top in the race for Ekitike’s signature, and he has since gone on to impress for Arne Slot’s side, although there are signs the Slovenia international could soon be capable of making a similar impact.

How Sesko's goal-scoring record compares to Ekitike's

The Frenchman, who is widely reported to earn £200k-a-week, has scored three goals in his first four games for Liverpool, with Jamie Carragher lauding the 23-year-old for the “brilliant” start he’s made to life in England.

However, Sesko actually had a slightly better goals-per-game record in the Bundesliga during his time with RB Leipzig, averaging 0.42, compared to 0.40 from Liverpool’s summer signing.

Carragher and Roy Keane also agreed that it is “too early to tell” whether Sesko will be a success, given that he is yet to be given a proper run of games, so he should not be judged properly until after the international break.

Liverpool scored their customary last-minute goal on Wednesday evening, with Virgil van Dijk smashing a header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner past Jan Oblak to make it 3-2.

And so Liverpool’s Champions League campaign is up and running. Atletico Madrid did well to scrape back from two goals down, with Marcos Llorente yet again a scourge on Anfield’s vociferous fans.

But this time, Diego Simeone’s strategems did not come up trumps, with Arne Slot’s Reds mastering the art of late pressure, applying vicious intensity on their opponents to reel away the victors when just moments before it looked like the spoils would be shared.

Three times already this season, the Merseysiders have squandered a two-goal lead, and that’s a big concern. However, there’s so much to like about this squad, who seem ready to challenge across multiple fronts while defending their Premier League title too.

A host of new signings have been made, but in recent days, it has been the veteran superstars, skipper Van Dijk and talisman Mohamed Salah, who have stepped up to keep the Slot machine pushing forward.

Liverpool's veterans keep on going

It was crucial that Liverpool tied Salah and Van Dijk down to contract extensions at the backend of the 2024/25 campaign. With a hectic summer of spending anticipated, calming forces would be needed to welcome and integrate the newbies.

And they are leading by example. The 34-year-old Van Dijk has been indomitable throughout the opening weeks of the term, while Salah retains his potency, even if his all-round performances have left something to be desired so far.

But not against Los Colchoneros. The Egyptian King, 33, turned back the clock with a bouncing display, assisting and scoring inside six minutes. Alexander Isak was making his debut for the Reds after his record-breaking move from Newcastle United, but it was Salah, so often Salah, who took the plaudits, reminding everyone that he is still the Reds’ go-to man in the final third.

These long-serving heroes have entered the final years of their joint Liverpool journey, and they will soon pass the torch.

Liverpool still plan to invest in an elite centre-back in the coming markets, but the frontline is all but secure, with two players in particular suggesting they can become talismanic figures themselves, playing with an air of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard’s one-time connection against Atletico in the Champions League.

Slot's own Suarez & Gerrard

We’ve already mentioned him, but Isak arrives at Liverpool with the opportunity to cement himself as a modern great. Anfield’s bosses forked out quite the pretty penny for his signature, and they expect to be repaid in a sea of goals.

Described as an “absolute nightmare” for defenders by Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer, Isak established himself as one of the best centre-forwards in Europe across his three years with Newcastle, and a new chapter on Merseyside promises the opportunity to take that one step further and rival Erling Haaland and Harry Kane as the very best in the business.

Isak is not just a deadly goalscorer but a dynamic and intelligent player. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 16% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Signs of this were seen under the bright Anfield lights on Wednesday, with Florian Wirtz putting in his best performance in a Liverpool shirt and showing off some delightful link-up play with the new number nine. The Athletic’s James Pearce noted he “played with a swagger” and that “his link up with Isak certainly bodes well”.

Against Atletico, Wirtz had seven touches in the penalty area, created five chances and two big chances, the most for each metric of any player on the field (data courtesy of Squawka).

There’s a budding connection there with Isak, for sure, and it very much could lead the pair toward something similar to that of Gerrard and Suarez in the past.

Before Suarez, there was Fernando Torres. Gerrard played with some fantastic forwards across his illustrious Liverpool career, but the Urugayan might just have been the pick of the bunch, remarking in 2012 that Suarez was the best player he had lined up with.

Eight times did Stevie G serve Suarez a goal, but that number could be dwarfed by Wirtz in providing Isak, so mighty is Liverpool’s project. They are expected to play many games together, Isak and Wirtz, and in a team that is comfortably among the best, the most dangerous in Europe.

Suarez was one of the best strikers in the world during his time at Liverpool. In 2013/14, he scored 31 goals and provided 13 assists in the Premier League, backed by Liverpool’s legendary No. 8, who commanded the midfield and fought tirelessly to open clear lanes toward the danger area, pinging aerial passes and threading through balls through to the maverick in the box.

Xabi Alonso shaped Wirtz into the player he is today at Bayer Leverkusen, and he noted that the attacking midfielder “is a genius”.

Even though the German has endured something of a slow start to life in England, yet to score or assist across five matches in the Premier League and one in Europe, the signs of a world-class player are there to see, and the 22-year-old has the full backing of his manager, having two key passes per game in the Premier League and looked likely and tenacious in the build-up.

With Isak, proven and deadly in the Premier League, now part of the team, Wirtz will expect to hit fluent form sooner rather than later, and fans will eagerly await Sunday’s Merseyside derby, Everton coming to Anfield at noon. One analyst has already remarked that the record signings’ “link-up looks terrifying”.

Just as with Gerrard and Suarez once upon a time, Liverpool now have two new sensations in the attacking third, and they might have what it takes to create a partnership for the ages, one akin to that of before, but this time giving rise to a trophy-laden period in Liverpool’s rich history.

Not Salah or Van Dijk: Liverpool star is now "one of the best in the world"

Liverpool left it late once more to collect a Champions League victory at Anfield over Atletico Madrid.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 18, 2025

MLS Decision Day lived up to expectations as teams learned their playoff fates and Messi sent a warning with a hat-trick

For about 120 seconds, it seemed as if the Colorado Rapids were on their way to the MLS postseason. Denver native Darren Yapi scored an 88th-minute goal to put them up 2-1 against LAFC, and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park erupted – with good reason.

Their Rocky Mountain rivals, Real Salt Lake, were unexpectedly trading goals with St. Louis City SC – a team that finished 13th. All Colorado had to do was hold firm. But their luck ran out in the 90th minute, when Andrew Moran and LAFC hit the Rapids on the break for a deflating equalizer. Despite a late push, the match ended 2-2 – and with it, Colorado’s season.

The cheers in Commerce City turned to boos.

That’s the magic of Decision Day. Up until midnight on the East Coast, teams in the West were fighting for playoff positions. In the Eastern Conference, Lionel Messi emphatically sealed his first MLS Golden Boot with a three-goal night against Nashville SC, while San Diego FC climbed back atop the Western Conference after edging Vancouver in their season-long duel.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from the 2025 MLS Decision Day.

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  WINNER: Lionel Messi

  Messi scored his first hat-trick of the 2025 campaign on the final day of the regular season to finish with 29 goals. His closest contenders for the Golden Boot – Nashville's Sam Surridge and LAFC's Denis Bouanga – each notched two hat-tricks this year. 

  It was Messi's best performance of a remarkable season, and secured another first for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner: the league's Golden Boot. Last season. Messi led the league in goals per 90 minutes at 1.08, but due to an injury at the Copa America final, he was limited to just 19 MLS appearances. He still managed 20 goals, but D.C. United's Christian Benteke finished with three more. 

  Picking up his first Golden Boot in MLS could mean more history awaits the 38-year-old. He is also tied at the top of the league for assists at 19, pointing to an all-but-certain second MVP award. Miami manager Javier Mascherano is convinced.

  "The reality is that Leo has been exceptional, as he usually is," he said. "I think if anyone had doubts about his regular season, he has cleared them all. He will surely be awarded the MVP."

  Messi would be the first player in the league's 30-year history to win MVP in back-to-back seasons. 

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• LOSERS: Paxten Aaronson and Zack Steffen

  The Rapids will rue letting a late lead slip against LAFC, especially since RSL dropping points meant they would have secured a play-in spot against the Portland Timbers. But the reality is they shouldn't have gotten to this position in the first place. 

  Colorado sat in seventh place on Aug. 17, just four days before they announced their blockbuster signing of Paxten Aaronson. Since that point, the team won only one game, and that's with Aaronson putting up decent numbers. More concerningly is that this rut wasn't the result of an entirely brutal schedule.

  The team dropped six points to Sporting Kansas City and the LA Galaxy, two opponents who were well out of the playoff picture. Aaronson and Steffen both played well on Saturday, with the former scoring and the latter making an impressive seven saves. Yet with the loss, the two USMNT hopefuls won't play in a club game until next February.

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  WINNER: San Diego FC

  Kudos to San Diego FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps for going back and forth in an entertaining race in the Western Conference. In the end, it was San Diego who held firm in their final game of their expansion season, demolishing another playoff team, Portland, 4-0. Much of the credit has to go to Anders Dreyer. 

  The Dane didn't garner the hype Hirving "Chucky" Lozano did on his arrival in MLS this season, but he's been more impactful. Dreyer finished the season with 19 goals and 19 assists. In any other year, including Messi's MVP campaign, Dreyer likely walks away with the MVP. And on Saturday, he was at it again, scoring a brace along with an assist to power the team's win. 

  San Diego are arguably MLS's most intriguing team heading into the playoffs. They topped MLS's most competitive conference in their inaugural season. In theory, they should be playing with house money at this stage, but with the top seed, this could be an unprecedented postseason for Mickey Varas' team.

  Outside of Bob Bradley's upstart Chicago Fire in 1998, there hasn't been another expansion club to win MLS Cup. San Diego could change that this season. 

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  LOSER: Wilfried Zaha

  This has been a roller coaster season for Charlotte FC's Wilfried Zaha, who has impressed in flashes but also created several controversial headlines off of it. 

  Zaha finished the campaign with 10 goals and 10 assists, but won't look back fondly on his final regular season match. Zaha, who scored the opener in a 2-0 win over Philly, got into the face of a Union player and made contact. He was booked for his second yellow of night – thus a red card. 

  Charlotte fought hard the entire campaign to secure a home seed in the playoffs. Now, they have to contend against a NYCFC side who have been in good form without their best player for the opening game of a three-match series.

Vinicius Junior's petulant reaction to be taken off during Real Madrid's 2-1 win over fierce rivals Barcelona on Sunday reportedly didn't go unnoticed by his colleagues. The Brazilian winger made straight for the dressing room when Xabi Alonso wanted to swap him with Rodrygo, briefly refusing to watch the remaining minutes of the match because he was too angry to sit on the bench.

• Vini Jr angers team-mates

  According to Barcelona-based , Real Madrid players and executives were not impressed by what happened when Vinicius left the pitch. Venting his fury after being removed with 72 minutes played, Vinicius allegedly pointed out that he has often started and not finished games this season.

  "Always me," he is believed to have said, before adding that it would be better for everyone if he wasn't left to stew on his feelings. "I'm leaving the team, it's better if I leave, I'm leaving," the player said, before taking off back inside. Eventually, he returned and was involved in the furious post-match confrontations centred around Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.

  Although he eventually returned to the bench for the final stages, and was then involved in the post-match brawl that ensued when Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois both angrily confronted Lamine Yamal, the fact that he left the area at all caused an issue.

  In the eyes of his colleagues it was "bad" and "wrong" for that to be his reaction to being substituted. Some club officials are claimed to believe Alonso made the wrong call withdrawing the 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up when he did, but still cannot abide by what followed and are "very upset" over his reaction. That image is not what the club wants to project. Ultimately, the possibility is raised that Real Madrid are "seriously considering" sanctions.

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  Alonso plays down Vini Jr's behaviour

  Publicly, Alonso has done his best to frame what happened as unproblematic, and born out of a professional desire to be on the pitch at all times.

  "The only thing Vinicius was missing was a goal," he told reporters. "It's true that he came off the pitch when he was feeling best and I could have waited a bit to replace him, but I understood that we needed fresh players to maintain control. Vinicius wanted to stay on because he was feeling good.

  "Franco [Mastantuono] wanted to carry on playing too. He said to me, 'Are you taking me off?' And I said, 'Yes'. Something similar happened with Vini. He wasn't very happy, but neither was Franco. It happens to everyone, but I'm very happy with Vinicius's performance. The schedule is demanding and we have to keep going."

• Incident could mark Vini Jr's Real Madrid future

  MD's report adds the possibility that it all points to something much more significant. Vinicius is thought to have verbally agreed a new contract in principle with Real Madrid beyond his current deal that is due to expire in 2027, but it crucially remains unsigned. During negotiations, the player is said to have been asking for more money than the club is willing to offer, standing firm on their overall salary structure.

  The plan for Vinicius is to wait and see, even to the point of not ruling out a free transfer in just under two years' time. That isn't something Real Madrid would not be willing to entertain – as it stands, he's valued at a monstrous €150 million (£131m/$175m), per . If it got to the summer of 2026 and still no signature is on the paperwork, Los Blancos would have to put him up for sale to ensure that a fee comes in. Whether being punished for his behaviour in El Clasico would make Vinicius less inclined to sign the proposed contract on the table remains to be seen.

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  Vini Jr left needing to prove himself

  Even though he is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world, Vinicius has reached a point where he needs to prove himself over the next few months. If the Brazilian was a credible contender for the Ballon d'Or off the back of 2023-24, he failed to reach those same standards last season and is still falling short of his previous best in the early weeks of 2025-26. Through 10 La Liga appearances, he has nine combined goals and assists, but they were squeezed into only six games and therefore he is lacking consistency. In the Champions League, meanwhile, he's still waiting for a goal involvement this season.

  Alonso has shown his preference for rotation, trying to keep players fresher to win across multiple competitions. But if someone like Rodrygo has been more accepting of that, getting his head down and carrying on even if frustrated on the inside, Vinicius is having a harder time with it.

  The worrying thing for the player himself is that Luis Enrique has proven at Paris Saint-Germain that great success can be had by dispensing with big egos and building a squad more focused on the collective than individuals.

Going head-to-head with Premier League rivals Chelsea, Newcastle United are now reportedly racing to sign a Champions League captain for Eddie Howe.

Howe calls for "aggression" against Arsenal

Although Newcastle have endured a slow start to their Premier League campaign, Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal represents the perfect opportunity for the Magpies to truly get going. Howe’s side have had the Gunners’ number in the past and there’s no doubt that St James’ Park will be rocking after the manager called for “aggression” from his players.

With Anthony Gordon back in contention, it will be interesting to see whether Nick Woltemade is once again forced to come from the bench or if he’ll get the chance to impress for the first time alongside the former Everton winger.

Speaking about the towering forward, Howe recently told reporters: “We don’t play with a ten, so I see him as a nine. But a nine who plays differently to others we’ve had. You can’t compare Nick to Callum Wilson, two totally different profiles. Both can be effective.

“It’s about utilising strengths and teammates understanding how Nick plays. He showed creative flair and link play against Bradford – really impressed with him.”

Of course, what could help get the best out of Newcastle’s big-money signing is a trip back into the transfer market. And that could see the Magpies swoop in ahead of Chelsea to sign a Champions League captain.

Newcastle join Manuel Locatelli race

As reported by Caught Offside, Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Manuel Locatelli from Juventus alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea. The Italian giants are naturally reluctant to sell their captain, but accept that an offer in the region of €40m (£35m) is likely to leave them with little choice next year.

Newcastle’s starting midfield is one of the strongest that the Premier League has to offer, but the quality beyond that may be a slight concern for those at St James’ Park. The addition of Locatelli would solve that problem.

Dubbed an “intelligent passer” by analyst Ben Mattinson last year, it’s clear to see how Locatelli would thrive alongside Guimaraes. The two midfield controllers could unlock a new approach entirely for Howe, whose side has struggled to break down low blocks in the current campaign.

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With 294 progressive passes to his name last season, Locatelli would be an excellent addition to Newcastle’s midfield. Whether the Magpies can lure the Juventus captain away from Turin remains to be seen, however.