When Como beat Hellas Verona in May to clinch a top-four finish ahead of illustrious Serie A rivals AC Milan and Juventus, the clock was already ticking on a summer project that had more to do with what's around the pitch than what happens on it.

Como have added the likes of Moise Kean, Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sanchez and former loanee Alvaro Morata to their playing ranks but UEFA stadium requirements meant that a lightning renovations turnaround would be required to ensure that their Champions League home matches could be played at home.

Manager Cesc Fabregas will lead Como out for their first-ever match in Europe's premier club competition on Thursday. Thanks to an impressive effort off the pitch, he will do so at Stadio Sinigaglia.

Como's Champions League matches would have been moved to Sassuolo

Como get their league phase campaign underway against RB Leipzig and will also face Manchester United, AEK Athens and back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain at home.

At the end of last season, their ground was not compliant with Champions League requirements and extensive work has been carried out over the last three months. Without the upgrades, Como would have played those four matches 200km away at the home of Sassuolo.

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"To meet UEFA requirements, renovation work on the stadium has been completed, including the construction of a new stand and the enhancement of infrastructure, security systems and operational facilities," Como said in a statement in advance of Leipzig's visit and the start of the league phase.

"Sinigaglia has been the home of Como 1907 for almost a century. Its role in the city and in the life of the club makes the opportunity to play these matches here particularly special.

"Como 1907 would like to thank everyone who helped make this possible, as well as our fans for their patience and constant support throughout the entire process."

Como's stadium has achieved UEFA Category 4 status as a result of the work. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the renovations included a near-miraculous rebuild of the Curva Ovest, upgraded floodlights, improvements to the media facilities, better toilets and enhanced security systems.

"The pitch was also completely relaid, widened by an additional two metres, and re-turfed with a new-generation hybrid grass, a specific request from Fabregas to facilitate ball possession," reports Giulio Saetta.

Como have been on a tear under the ownership of the Indonesian tobacco giants Djarum Group, which took over in 2019.

The Lariani, recently promoted back to the third tier, spent two seasons in Serie C and three in Serie B before securing promotion to the top tier in 2023/24.

Djarum appointed Fabregas, a former player and interim head coach at the club, to take them into Serie A. They've finished tenth and fourth in the last two seasons and are showing few signs of slowing down.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi gathered the few points needed to keep the team in the Premier League after he was appointed near the end of last season, but 2026/27 has got off to a miserable start.

Spurs are winless and goalless after their first three Premier League matches. Losses against Brentford and Newcastle United preceded a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

After spending a reported £313 million on new signings in the summer transfer window, albeit offset by some big sales, it's been an alarming return to the kind of results that put Spurs in relegation trouble last season.

Mykhailo Mudryk's training ground injury gives Spurs a problem

The North London club made a number of eye-catching acquisitions over the summer but one of the most surprising moves of all was a season-long loan deal for Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk.

De Zerbi has long been an advocate of the Ukraine international, a player he tipped for a Ballon d'Or-worthy future when they were together at Shakhtar Donetsk. He certainly saw the best of Mudryk, who was genuinely exciting in the Champions League group stage in 2021/22.

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The 25-year-old signed for Chelsea in January 2023 but struggled to live up to the expectations set by the previous season, and there was worse to come.

Mudryk was provisionally banned in December 2024 after failing a drugs test. Eventually, he was formally issued with a four-year ban that would have seen him out of action until the end of 2028. He appealed, and the charge was dropped in July.

The Forest match was Mudryk's first competitive appearance for nearly two years. Clearly, there's an element of risk that comes with that – De Zerbi and Spurs absorbed that risk from Chelsea and now find themselves paying an injured player.

Mudryk could miss the next two months after sustaining an ankle injury in training this week.

"The 25-year-old is understood to have sustained the injury on Monday and is currently believed to be in protective boot," reports BBC Sport.

"The injury coincides with a three-week international break and a return in October is considered a realistic prospect."

Mudryk's injury leaves Spurs paying for a player who is missing not only for a couple of months but at a time when he needed to be working his way back to match fitness and getting up to speed with De Zerbi's methods as he aims to turn Spurs around.

It's one of the most important seasons of Mudryk's career, too. His injury is a bitter blow at a crucial juncture.

Dreaming a Premier League dream is a noble aim for players succeeding in the academies of its clubs, but simply carving out a career in the game is difficult enough in its own right.

In that context, taking a step back to line up a step forward is standard procedure in the actuality of a good football career.

Developing players capable of standing out in the Championship and pushing towards the top division is just another way for Premier League-level academies to prove their mettle. Whether or not there’s any prospect of players reaching the first team, managing their progress is part of the academy job.

Six goal contributions in six Championship appearances

In June, West Bromwich Albion signed 20-year-old attacking midfielder Jimmy-Jay Morgan from Chelsea.

Born in the ‘P’ part of the sprawling BCP conurbation that comprises Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Morgan joined Chelsea at the age of eight but spent six years in the middle of his junior football back on the south coast at Southampton before returning to Surrey.

As Chelsea plotted his future away from Stamford Bridge, he was loaned to Gillingham in League Two in January 2025 and again to League One side Peterborough United for the majority of last season.

He scored at a rate better than once every three matches in the third tier. He’s been even more dangerous in his first month or so in the second, where he is in the early weeks of a four-year contract with the West Midlands club.

Morgan was fortunate to be on the pitch on the night Albion went top of the Championship with a remarkable 1-0 win at Derby County. The young forward kicked out at Watford’s Albert Eames in the previous match but was on hand do a different side of his job after his team went down to 10 men in the first half at Pride Park.

He’s out-scoring his xG and making chances for his teammates, and Morgan’s early-season numbers make for encouraging reading. After six second-tier games, he has three goals and three assists. He’s Albion’s leader on both measures.

It’s easy to see where the productivity comes from. Morgan focuses on doing the right things and being in the right places when he can’t be directly involved. If he sees a run, he runs it. He’s not shy about demanding the ball either.

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Albion’s goal at Pride Park came out of nowhere. Callum Styles carried the ball outside the left flank of the Derby box and was fouled.

It was in the back of the net in the blink of an eye, and it was Morgan who took up the baton to fire a pass in for Aune Heggebo to prod home.

But with Albion a man down and Heggebo withdrawn at the break, Morgan had to show the effects of the toughening up provided by the bottom two tiers over the past 18 months.

The England Under-20 international played up front on his own in the second half, a thankless task at the best of times.

In his first interview with West Brom’s media team, Morgan acknowledged that his time at Gillingham and Peterborough had taught him how to be robust and relentless, characteristics that overtook goals and assists when debutant Brayann Pereira was sent off after 34 minutes.

‘Just keep using your body, be stronger’

Morgan’s performance might have gone unheralded at the front of a rearguard action but the three free kicks he won while protecting the ball earned him the adulation of the travelling Baggies in the corner.

While the former Chelsea player’s ability to lead the line in difficult circumstances is surely a product of his practised robustness, Morgan’s manager is keen that his more recent work is recognised too.

“I think it’s the work he’s done in pre-season as well, and the confidence he’s getting from his performances,” Albion boss James Morrison tells FourFourTwo.

“We said at half time, he’s going to have to try to buy fouls by really using his body. We said, ‘Just keep using your body. Be stronger.’

“I felt like with [Morgan] up there, with his trickery, we might get ourselves up the pitch.”

The new signing certainly made his presence felt. In the first six games with his new club, Morgan is not only making Albion’s recruitment look good, but Chelsea’s decisions about his development too.

At 20, he has both a strong academy background and progress through the divisions already under his belt. That he’s taken the Championship in stride bodes well.

Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola started for the first time in the Reds' 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Barcola was on the pitch for all three goals as Liverpool came back from a goal down to win their opening match in the league phase of this season's Champions League.

After an hour, the France international received treatment and had to be substituted. He was replaced by fellow new signing Victor Munoz as part of a double change, and Andoni Iraola's men went on to bank the three points.

Is Bradley Barcola available to play against Fulham?

Liverpool return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, when former Reds man Alvaro Arbeloa takes his Fulham team to Anfield in search of their first points of the season.

Asked about Barcola's status after the comeback victory over Atleti on Wednesday, Iraola shared the prognosis with reporters.

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"It is just cramp, there is no injury," confirmed the new Reds boss.

"With Bradley, it's about building his physical condition. We don't really know - or we didn't know until now, probably - how much he can play because he hasn't had any minutes in pre-season for PSG.

"He played 30 the other day [and] today we had some question marks, how many minutes he can give us and probably now we know."

Left-back Milos Kerkez was also substituted at the end of the Champions League opener. Iraola revealed that he was also suffering from cramp.

"I think I always want to do subs because of this, because you've given everything, you don't have any more, perfect," he said.

Liverpool now have a better understanding of Barcola's levels of match fitness but both he and Kerkez are expected to be available to play a part in Saturday's Premier League fixture against Fulham.

The Merseyside team are one of eight yet to be beaten in the Premier League in the first three games of the season. They beat Ipswich Town at Portman Road in their last league outing after back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

Fulham have lost all three, including a pair of 3-2 losses against Chelsea and Crystal Palace. They led twice in their last match against the Eagles.

As recently as 2019, the lakeside club were playing in Serie D. Tonight, they make their debut in Europe's leading club competition at home to RB Leipzig.

Led by Cesc Fabregas, Como were underdogs when they entered Serie A in 2024 – Dennis Wise had been CEO, but left that summer.

With a population of 84,000, the city is home to the rich and famous, its picturesque location beside Lake Como drawing people from further afield. The football club was bought by Indonesia's Hartono family (net worth: more than £30bn) seven years ago.

A who's who

Thierry Henry invested in 2022, before Fabregas did the same, as he ended his playing days with the club in Serie B. The Spaniard stepped up as gaffer, guiding them into the top tier and to 10th in their first campaign, before a remarkable fourth-place finish last season.

Pepe Reina and Raphael Varane joined after promotion, with Alvaro Morata following last summer, but progress has been less about established stars and more about smart recruitment, such as young Argentine playmaker Nico Paz from Real Madrid, and Greek top scorer Anastasios Douvikas from Celta Vigo.

After such a fine job in his first stint as a manager, Fabregas has inevitably been linked with jobs elsewhere, but turned down Inter a year ago.

Como overtook Milan on the final day of last season to claim a top-four spot, making this the first time since the Champions League's rebrand that the competition will contain neither the Rossoneri nor Juventus.

There were doubts whether the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia would met UEFA requirements, and Como might have needed to play in Sassuolo (120 miles away) or Udine (200 miles). However, the club pulled off a 90-day construction miracle to achieve Category 4 approval following a rapid redevelopment.

Shakhtar Donetsk, who also entered the league stage, won't play at home for obvious reasons. They held talks about using Brentford's ground, with a fallback option in Germany, but have opted to play at Stamford Bridge.

Several shock champions started the summer in qualifying – Mjallby, from a fishing village of just 800 people, won their inaugural Swedish title, while FC Thun became Swiss kings for the first time. Levski Sofia ended the 14-year Bulgarian winning streak of Ludogorets, whose name is an anagram of ‘good result' – no longer quite so fitting. They fell short of the world record of 15 titles in a row, held by Vanuatu club Tafea.

None of the clubs mentioned above made the league phase proper, but Como are there.

A great manager can make a player. A team of great players can make a manager. Relationships are key in football and pairing the right player and manager is a powerful way to succeed. This FourFourTwo quiz will put you through your paces to find out how much you know about who managed who.

More importantly, we want to know who didn't manage who. It's a simple set-up. We'll name a player. You tell us which of the four listed managers never had the pleasure of their presence in the dressing room.

There are 10 players in all and we're giving you a punchy time limit of 4 minutes to pick the odd one out from the names associated, or not, with those players.

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Lastly, can you name every team in the top two divisions of women's football in England and every top flight team in men's football in England since 1945?

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“He’s the reason”, Tottenham Hotspur fans once sang about Rodrigo Bentancur. In the 2021/22 season, particularly once Antonio Conte took over from Nuno Espirito Santo, the Uruguayan was instrumental in the middle of the park.

He forged a fine partnership with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and looked a world beater in north London. There was even an argument to be made that he was their most important player. Spurs wouldn’t have secured a Champions League finish without Bentancur in the side.

Disaster, though, struck in February 2023. Bentancur suffered an ACL injury at Leicester City. In the years since, Bentancur wasn’t the same player. A succession of spells on the sidelines owing to knee, ankle and hamstring issues hardly helped the Uruguay international.

Too safe

Nor did the Thomas Frank Reign of Pain. At one stage last season, the Dane’s favoured midfield pairing was Bentancur and Joao Palhinha at the base in the 4-2-3-1 formation. The axis of evil was resoundingly criticised, particularly at home when the north London side were accused of being too safe.

So, when Spurs spent £185m to bring Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Newcastle United and West Ham United, respectively, many felt Bentancur would be deemed surplus to requirements. At that point, the idea was that both Tonali and Fernandes would forge the deep-lying pairing in Roberto De Zerbi’s preferred 4-2-3-1 setup.

Yet, three games into the new Premier League season, Bentancur has started twice. He replaced Lucas Bergvall at the break in last month’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford, the Swede having struggled in the opening 45 minutes. He ranks fifth for total league minutes (225) at Spurs.

Admittedly, results haven’t gone in the club’s favour. They have collected just one point from meetings with the Bees, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, and are one of three teams yet to score a league goal in England’s top tier this season.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Forest, though, was a step in the right direction. Spurs looked more threatening going forward, and could have gone ahead in the first half had Omar Marmoush hit the target when one-on-one with Matz Sels.

What caught the eye, however, was Bentancur’s standout performance. The former Juventus midfielder was arguably Spurs’ best player at the City Ground, putting in the necessary nitty-gritty display that helped Spurs claim a first point of the season. They were far tougher to break down than they were in back-to-back defeats to Brentford and Newcastle.

Indeed, Bentancur made nine clearances, two interceptions and one tackle in the Midlands. He managed five ball recoveries, won six duels and four aerial duels. While Spurs splashed the cash to improve the squad in the off-season following their relegation scrap, it’s the 2022 £18m addition that continues to shine in a key area.

Conte identified Bentancur as a vital player when he took charge back in 2021, and De Zerbi has done similar following his appointment back in April. In time, De Zerbi may plump for a pairing of Tonali and Fernandes to help take Spurs forward. For the foreseeable future, however, Bentancur needs to be a starter at the base of the midfield.

Forget the £185m pairing, it’s Bentancur who De Zerbi should be building his midfield around. There’s a reason, after all, that Spurs were happy to - briefly - entertain bids for Lucas Bergvall and willing to sanction Pape Sarr’s Juventus switch. When it came to Bentancur, however, there was no chance he’d be shown the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium exit.

And with the welcome of a battling Everton side looming, De Zerbi needs to continue with Bentancur in a key position. The Toffees thrive in midfield duels and winning second balls, meaning Spurs have a battle on their hands against David Moyes’ men this weekend.

Saturday’s Forest stalemate proved that Bentancur is more than up for the challenge. It also showed just why De Zerbi will look to the experienced figurehead in the middle of the park in his first full campaign in the capital. Spurs are a far more cohesive unit when Bentancur starts. Despite the shiney new toys, he’ll start in midfield, and deservedly so.

Today's FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz will find out whether you have elite football trivia chops and quick fingers. 10 questions. 90 seconds. Let's go.

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We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

The 45-year-old revealed on Rio Ferdinand Presents: The Debrief that he was recommended to watch Kylian Mbappe at youth level. Despite Giggs being impressed, Manchester United’s scouting team were reportedly not sold on the Frenchman.

The former Wales international told Ferdinand he was in the south of France in 2015, when a man named ‘Lionel’ approached him to discuss Mbappe.

Giggs explained that the man had been following him, but listened to his suggestion for Manchester United to keep tabs on the Frenchman.

Giggs reveals how Manchester United were alerted to Mbappe and why they rejected him

Giggs explained that ‘Lionel’ asked for his email address, to send additional details regarding Mbappe after his initial recommendation for the then-Monaco youth team player.

He claimed that while initially hesitant, ‘Lionel’ followed through on his promise, and sent the Welshman an email with information on Mbappe.

“We got to go to a few youth games [where he played] with Monaco. We saw him and went ‘Wow’ - he looked exceptional, obviously,” revealed the ex-Manchester United man.

Giggs, who was coaching at Manchester United in 2015, then advised the scouting team to watch Mbappe in action.

“We told the scouting team, [so] someone went to watch him in Paris,” explained the Welshman. “It was actually Monaco versus PSG.

“Later, the guy [who went] told me, ‘Yeah, they weren’t too sure about him.’” Giggs said. The 45-year-old then revealed additional recommendations from ‘Lionel’ in the years since.

“The same guy, in 2018, I went through my phone and he’s telling me about a player, U-14s but he’s playing with the Under-17s: Rayan Cherki,” the Welshman said, leaving Ferdinand stunned.

“Next message: ‘There’s a player at Saint-Etienne, [William] Saliba, I think he’d be a good player at Manchester United,” continued Giggs.

The 45-year-old clarified that suggestions from ‘Lionel’ weren’t always “superstars” and that he had recommended other players below the calibre of Mbappe, Cherki and Saliba.

Head to the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel now to watch the full interview.

Sadio Mane was a great player. The phrasing here is deliberate — a world in which the Senegalese winger, little more than the Robin to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Batman in the Saudi Pro League, makes it to the Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist… is not a serious world.

Sure, Mane won the Africa Cup of Nations in January of this year. Well, he did, until Senegal’s trophy was seized and re-distributed to Morocco in a court ruling, months after the fact. Regardless, is that enough?

Does the Ballon d'Or really expect us to believe that an underwhelming World Cup, a 10-goal Saudi Pro League season, and a phantom AFCON victory, is enough for fans to accept his place, in 2026 no less, among the world’s top 30 players?

Ballon d'Or, how is Sadio Mane in your 30-player shortlist?!

Sure, Mane won AFCON's Player of the Tournament — that wasn’t taken from him. Well, he did, with two pea-roller assists in a Round of 16 clash versus Sudan (gifted to him by glorious efforts from Papa Gueye and Ibrahim Mbaye) and one brilliant strike against Egypt in the semi-final.

His claim to making the Ballon d’Or’s 30-man shortlist begins and ends there. The 34-year-old was named Player of the Tournament not because his play was undeniable, but because he is Sadio Mane.

It must be stressed, there are other players present in the Ballon D’or 30-player shortlist whose places are near equally undeserved. For example, Julian Quinones and Dayot Upemecano stand out as two such individuals that should be nowhere near France Football’s award.

But there’s something in Mane’s inclusion that feels particularly egregious: it speaks directly to the nonsensical criteria that is used to determine which players are nominated for, or even win, the award. For starters, what is the Ballon d’Or’s obsession with international trophies?

Why is it that international tournament winners— in this case, Mane with AFCON — are automatically more deserving of a place on the 30-man shortlist, or a higher finish in France Football’s rankings, than players who excelled at club level?

That was made clear in 2018, when Lionel Messi, with 48 goal involvements, and Mohamed Salah, with 60 contributions, finished fifth and sixth in France Football’s list respectively.

That was the year that Luka Modric somehow left with the Ballon d'Or in his clutches… because he’d received the Golden Ball in a World Cup tournament. Oh, and Antoine Griezmann managed to bag third.

‘Trophy logic’ is wildly inconsistent — as some of Messi’s staunchest critics have pointed out, he won the 2019 Ballon d’Or with nothing but a LaLiga title to his name, yet his solitary World Cup trophy, and a Ligue 1 title that PSG nearly always win, was enough to supersede a treble-winning Erling Haaland’s claim in 2023.

The same pattern reared its ugly head when Rodri took home the 2024 award, propelled, very clearly, by Spain’s European Championship victory — denying a treble-winning Vinicius Junior.

A year later? Winning the treble was now enough for PSG’s Ousmane Dembele. He departed with the award, despite Salah and Raphinha clearly having stronger individual seasons, and winning their respective leagues, in tougher conditions.

Salah broke the Premier League record for goal involvements, and won the most-competitive top-flight title in Europe, without a single team-mate of his making France Football’s 30-man shortlist.

Raphinha racked up a staggering 21 Champions League goal contributions in just 14 games, and contributed to three goals versus Inter Milan, while his team shipped seven goals in a 7-6 aggregate defeat.

Elsewhere, Dembele played merely 1,736 Ligue 1 minutes — the equivalent of just 19 games.

For a so-called individual award, it seems that a player’s individual season is actually accounted for last, club-level trophies in second, and international silverware in first. That is farcical.

Mane is the latest beneficiary of such silly criteria. A mediocre club-level season with Al-Nassr, bagging just 10 goals en-route to Saudi Pro League victory, an average World Cup in which Senegal embarrassingly fell to an historic Belgium comeback, all superseded by an AFCON trophy... that was later taken away from him.

And hey, at least he stood on the pitch against Morocco and begged his Senegalese team-mates to return after they stormed off. That gave him ‘fair play’ points, right, France Football?

Watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid for free as the Reds begin their Champions League 2026/27 campaign against the Spanish giants for the second successive season. FourFourTwo has all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

UEFA's supercomputer pitted these clubs against each other in gameweek one this time last year, with the Reds edging out Atleti 3-2 courtesy of Virgil van Dijk's stoppage-time winner.

There is a new man in the home dugout at Anfield this time, though, with Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola set to take charge of his first game in this competition.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid in the Champions League online, on TV, and from anywhere, including for free.

Can I watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid for free?

Yes. Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid will be broadcast live on free-to-air RTÉ 2 and on RTÉ Player in Ireland, with English commentary.

Abroad? You need a VPN to access your free Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid. The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1, with kick-off at 8pm BST.

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How to watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid in the US

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Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid: Preview

Liverpool fans could be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu ahead of their Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid, but few will be complaining if this season's instalment is as thrilling as the previous edition.

That night, the Reds raced into a 2-0 lead inside six minutes before Marcos Llorente's double looked to have snatched a draw for Atleti, only for Virgil van Dijk to head home a stoppage-time winner.

It was also the evening in which Alexander Isak made his Liverpool debut and the striker will be raring to go here, having scored both goals in last Friday's 2-0 win at Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

This summer's mega-money signing was Bradley Barcola, who could be in line for his first start after making his Reds bow off the bench at Portman Road. Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola will be extra keen to make a winning start in the league phase, as he manages in a Champions League game for the first time.

SEE ALSO How to watch Champions League football

One big-money move that didn't happen this summer involved Atletico forward Julian Alvarez, who was heavily linked with both Arsenal and Barcelona during the transfer window but remains in the Spanish capital.

The former Manchester City star came off the bench in Saturday's 3-0 defeat by Athletic Bilbao in La Liga - the club's first game since the window closed - and manager Diego Simeone may be considering handing him a start at Anfield.

Other familiar faces in the Atleti squad include former Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero, who could make his full debut, and veteran skipper Koke. The 34-year-old will become the 28th player to reach 150 appearances in UEFA club competitions if he features against Liverpool.

The loss in Bilbao ended a strong start to the campaign for Simeone's men, who took seven points from their first three games and are aiming to better last season's run to the Champions League semi-finals.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Liverpool 2-2 Atletico Madrid

Both teams have been good at scoring goals but not so good at keeping them out so far this season, which could make for an entertaining contest.

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Watch Chelsea vs Leeds United in the Carabao Cup third round as former Bundesliga bosses meet in England for the first time. FourFourTwo bring you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Chelsea dropped points for the first time this season when they lost at Arsenal on Sunday. After Xabi Alonso's first defeat, the Blues will be eager to ensure safe passage to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

Premier League rivals Leeds United head for Stamford Bridge knowing that a continuation of their unbeaten start would take them into the round of 16 of a competition they haven't won since 1968.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Chelsea vs Leeds United in the Carabao Cup third round online and from anywhere.

Watch Chelsea vs Leeds United from anywhere

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How to watch Chelsea vs Leeds United in the UK

Chelsea vs Leeds United will be live on Sky Sports, with coverage on Sky Sports Main Event.

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How to watch Chelsea vs Leeds United in Australia

beIN SPORTS is the home of the Carabao Cup in Australia and will broadcast Chelsea vs Leeds United.

The third-round clash will be live on beIN SPORTS 3 and the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform. Kick-off is at 5:00am AEST on Thursday.

SEE ALSO How to watch Carabao Cup 2026/27: TV Guide, Free Streams & Fixtures — Round 3

Match Preview

Leeds cruised into the third round courtesy of a second round win at Nottingham Forest, with both Dan James and James Justin still ending the night with fewer goals than first names.

Chelsea were handed a home tie against League One side Luton Town and they too won 2-0. Danny Welbeck grabbed his first Chelsea goal in the process to help set up an enticing encounter with the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds have won once and drawn twice in the Premier League this season. After playing three of their four matches across two competitions away from home, manager Daniel Farke can take encouragement that they can be a robust proposition on the road.

The last time they won at Stamford Bridge was in December 1999, when a Stephen McPhail double either side of Frank Leboeuf's red card bolstered their interests at the top of the Premier League table.

League Cup history is weighted very much in favour of Chelsea. They won at Elland Road in 2001 and 2012, and drew there before winning a replay in 1969-70. They met again in the FA Cup final that season.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Chelsea 2-1 Leeds United

Chelsea couldn't overcome the Premier League champions but their depth should give them an advantage in the EFL Cup.

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Lionel Messi is set to expand his football ownership portfolio, with the 39-year-old having agreed to buy Spanish second-division side Eldense.

The Argentine also acquired fifth-division club UE Cornella shortly before the 2026 World Cup. Now, Messi is set to purchase a 100% stake in Eldense - which will see him clash with Cristiano Ronaldo.

There is not expected to be a conflict of interest between both Messi's teams, with Eldense and LaLiga2 separated from Cornella by three divisions. However, Eldense will face off against a Ronaldo-owned club.

Messi and Ronaldo-owned clubs to battle in LaLiga2

Messi’s Portuguese rival recently acquired a 25% stake in fellow Spanish second-division side Almeria - a Saudi-owned club that Ronaldo was able to partially opt into.

In early August, the 41-year-old watched as Almeria beat his current team Al-Nassr 2-0 in a pre-season friendly. Soon, he’ll watch them take on Eldense.

With the announcement of Almeria’s new ownership, Ronaldo said: "It has been a long-held ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch.

"UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth,” he concluded. His side are currently placed 12th in the LaLiga2 table.

Eldense are in the drop zone, having taken just two points from their opening four matches. To begin the Spanish second-division season, Messi’s new club travelled to Almeria, and lost 3-0.

Should the Argentine successfully purchase Eldense, his side will face off against Ronaldo’s club in match-week 37 of the LaLiga2 season, on May 2, 2027.

That game will be played on Eldense’s turf, and could mark the first official face-off between Messi and Ronaldo-owned clubs.

The Argentine’s portfolio extends beyond Europe, having formed Deportivo LSM with former Barcelona and current Inter Milan team-mate Luis Suarez.

The club competes in Uruguay’s fourth-tier, and is currently third in the Serie B 2026 table, with 18 points from nine matches.

Should Ronaldo hang up his boots in 2027, his rivalry with Messi could still continue for many years.

Watch Napoli vs Arsenal for free as the Gunners begin their latest quest to win Europe's top club competition for the first time, in their opening game of the Champions League 2026/27. FourFourTwo has all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Mikel Arteta's men were a penalty shoot-out away from lifting the trophy for the first time last season, only for Paris Saint-Germain to triumph on spot-kicks in Budapest.

They have been handed a tough opening fixture of the league phase this term, with Napoli's Stadio Diego Armando Maradona expected to be as hostile as ever.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Napoli vs Arsenal in the Champions League online, on TV, and from anywhere, including for free.

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Napoli vs Arsenal: Preview

Despite boasting one of the great cathedrals of European football in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Napoli's Champions League record is decidedly average.

The Partenopei have only once progressed as far as the quarter-finals, so will feel they are due a run to the latter stages of the competition.

The chances of that happening this season appear unlikely after an underwhelming start to the Serie A campaign in which Max Allegri's side have claimed just three points from three matches, including losing 3-2 to Inter Milan on Saturday despite going 2-0 up.

Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay is sidelined for this league phase opener while he undergoes a minor heart operation, but Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne - who has enjoyed plenty of success against Arsenal down the years - is likely to feature.

SEE ALSO How to watch Champions League 2026/27

The Gunners arrive in Naples as one of the favourites to win the competition, having reached the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final in successive seasons under Mikel Arteta.

The Arsenal manager has built a squad capable of challenging both domestically and abroad, so there is no reason why they cannot repeat last term's run to the final - and even go one better.

Arteta's men have started the Premier League season in ominous form and fought back from 1-0 down to beat Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday, extending their perfect start to the campaign.

Ezri Konsa made his full debut against the Blues and the England international is likely to continue at centre back here, particularly if Cristhian Mosquera remains sidelined by the muscle issue that saw him miss the game at the weekend.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Napoli 0-2 Arsenal

The Gunners are a well-oiled machine right now, with a miserly defence and the attacking quality to hurt Napoli.

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Liam Gallagher had a good 2025. At the end of it, he rewarded himself with a big purchase – a 12,000 sq ft country house near Cirencester.

Eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, five reception rooms, a tennis court, a swimming pool and a detached two-bedroom cottage (in case any siblings wish to stay), all set in approximately 5.39 acres of stunning Cotswold countryside.

It also has a famous former owner. Tony Adams bought it in 2002, reportedly for half the 2025 sale price.

"Liam's lovely, and Debbie's great"

The thought of Adams, 66 caps for England, 672 appearances for Arsenal, four top-flight league winners’ medals, three FA Cup Final wins, two League Cup Final wins, showing off his seven bathrooms to a British rock icon is a curious one.

"Liam’s lovely”, explained Adams to FourFourTwo “and Debbie’s great," referring to the singer's partner, Debbie Gwyther. "She’s an Arsenal fan. Stevenage girl. Her sister Katie as well. They’re great Arsenal fans."

It made for a handy ice-breaker when Adams proudly showed them some exterior decor he had installed at the property near the front door. A pair of cannons, mirroring the ones stationed outside the Emirates Stadium.

Unfortunately, it sparked a disagreement between his prospective buyers. "Liam went, ‘They’ve got to go,’" Adams grins. "But Debbie said, ‘No, they’re staying here.’" There was only one problem: "I said, ‘They’re not staying,’" Adams continues. "They were coming with me!"

Adams' reason for selling the property was so he and his wife could move back to London, where his wife is returning to university to study for a Master's in early modern history.

Oasis summer 2025 reunion tour meant the Gallagher brothers' every move was shared in the media, and Liam’s relocation to the countryside was no exception. The tiny village where the property is situated has a population of roughly 500, but Liam took to his X account to reassure any neighbours who might’ve been nervous that a former hell-raising rock star was moving into their quiet part of the world.

"To all the BEAUTIFUL people from the Cotswolds, I come in peace. You won’t even know I’m there. I’m not like all those divvy celebrities who like to show off. I’m LOFI" he tweeted.

This summer he tweeted again, saying that his new neighbours were "absolutely incredible" and that "they have not stopped baking me cakes and scones."

The high-profile sale led to an amusing encounter for Adams at a recent event. "I was at a do recently," he smiles. "We’d been talking for an hour and 10 minutes about Arsenal and addiction, and all this serious stuff. Then this 12-year-old lad comes up to me and says, ‘Oh… you sold your house to Liam Gallagher,’ and I thought, ‘Is that what I’m known for now?!’” He laughs at the idea that, for one young fan, that property deal is his defining achievement.

Ironically, Adams greatest achievement probably isn’t his medals and England caps, or doubling his money in a property deal with the frontman of Britain's biggest rock and roll band.

This year marks 30 years since he quit alcohol. He wrote a best-selling book called ‘Addiction’ about overcoming his struggles and used proceeds to set up the charity Sporting Chance in 2000 to support current and former athletes battling mental health and addiction issues.

More than a quarter of a century later, the charity continues to provide specialist treatment for sportsmen and women. What began as one footballer’s recovery has become a support network for thousands of others.

Read our in-depth interview with Tony Adams in issue 396 of FourFourTwo magazine, on sale September 24th. Adams’ new book ‘1996: Reflections on the Year that Changed My Life’ is available now

The Champions League is now underway, with all 36 league-phase teams set to play in an exclusive European match-week.

Manchester United will host Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK in their Champions League debut on Thursday, with five other games set to be played, in the absence of Europa and Conference League football.

And for travelling supporters hoping to see their club appear in the 2027 Champions League final, the confirmed venue, in Spain, will surely be welcome news.

2027 Champions League final to be held at Estadio Metropolitano

Two teams will ultimately make it from the league phase to the 2027 Champions League Final, which will be held in Madrid at the Estadio Metropolitano.

The sides will face off on June 5, 2027, with last season's finalists PSG and Arsenal both hoping to make it back.

Luis Enrique's men, who lifted the Champions League trophy for the second time in two years, are gunning for an historic European three-peat this time out.

And Arsenal, who lost on penalties to PSG after lifting the Premier League trophy weeks earlier, will hope to break their Champions League curse this term, having never won the competition.

That match took place in Hungary, at the Puskas Arena. The year prior, PSG travelled to Munich to lift their first-ever Champions League trophy, at the Allianz Arena.

Hungary also bid to host the 2027 Final, but were appointed to host the 2026 clash, instead.

Additionally, Italy were in the running for 2027 during the first bidding process, but the San Siro was later deemed unable to host the event due to refurbishment works in Milan.

During the second bidding process, Spain emerged as victor, but were rivalled by a potential host nation that European supporters would likely deem less accessible.

That was Azerbaijan, whose league champions will make their debut competition appearance this term, bidding to host at the Olympic Stadium in Baku.

Ultimately, the Estadio Metropolitano prevailed, with the final's Spanish venue confirmed in September 2025.

A pattern has developed during Michael Carrick's early tenure as permanent Manchester United boss, and he must address it.

Every time Bruno Fernandes shapes to send a curling delivery into the box from the half-space, and every time Bryan Mbeumo cuts inside to send a dangerous ball towards the back post, the pattern becomes impossible to ignore.

Man United are built to attack from wide areas, but lack the aerial profile inside the 18-yard box to capitalise on it.

Manchester United need to make tactical tweak three games into the season

Data gleaned from Gradient Sports paints an interesting picture of Man United’s opening games.

Carrick’s side currently rank first in the Premier League for total inswinging crosses attempted (39) - 10 more than the next-highest team - and second overall in total crosses (84). Individually, Bruno Fernandes leads the division for inswingers attempted, while summer addition Bryan Mbeumo ranks third.

The intent is clear: Man United are overloading the flanks and using their playmakers to deliver high-value, whipped service into the penalty area.

Despite dominating the delivery metrics, Man United rank only fifth for their cross completion rate. The quality of the service from Fernandes and Mbeumo is rarely the issue - rather, it is the lack of a complementary target profile inside the box when the ball arrives.

Matheus Cunha has spent much of the early campaign leading the line, but the Brazilian's natural game does not suit an aerial bombardment. Cunha is fundamentally a 'nine-and-a-half' - a fluid, technician who thrives when dropping deep to link play, driving at defenders from tight pockets, and unleashing shots from distance.

Asking him to engage in physical battles against Premier League centre-halves on whipped inswinging crosses doesn't quite get the best out of his strongest attributes.

When crosses flood the box, Cunha is occasionally out of position or outmatched in aerial duels, leaving the team's creative output feeling unrewarded.

The remedy for Carrick is sitting on the bench: Benjamin Sesko.

Unlike Cunha, Sesko provides the exact physical profile needed to transform Man United's crossing volume into goals. The Slovenian international offers physicality and height and box presence.

At 6ft 5in, Sesko gives Man United a genuine aerial presence capable of winning contested headers against deep defensive blocks. He is a player who will instinctively attack the landing zones of inswinging deliveries, too.

If Fernandes and Mbeumo continue to cross with such frequency, adding Sesko to the starting XI is a requirement.

The ex-Wales international revealed on Rio Ferdinand Presents: The Debrief that he attempted to convince Elliot Anderson to join Manchester United, and got “in trouble.”

The former Nottingham Forest midfielder joined Manchester City rather than the Red Devils, in a £116 million deal that was initially rumoured to have broken the British transfer record.

Ryan Giggs, a 13-time Premier League winner with Manchester United, confessed that Anderson was not receptive to his attempted persuasion, and told him: “Will you just let me play golf, please?”

Giggs reveals Anderson’s frustrated response to talks of Manchester United transfer

The 45-year-old revealed that he met Anderson just days prior to the England international travelling to North America, in a period when he was “probably the most-talked about Premier League player.”

While the pair played golf in separate parties, Giggs seized the opportunity, attempting to persuade Anderson to join Man United.

Ferdinand confessed to the Welshman that he also attempts to “sell the club” to certain players he meets, stating: “The club’s the best. That’s what I do when I see [desirable] players, I don’t care.”

Giggs revealed that his efforts were shut down after “four or five holes,” with Anderson soon growing frustrated by the attempts.

“[I saw him] a few days before he went to the World Cup. I peppered him. He didn’t know how to take it at first, and then he relaxed a little bit,” claimed the 45-year-old.

“For the first four or five holes, we were literally crossing. And at the end of it, he went, ‘Will you just let me - leave me alone. Will you just let me play my golf, please?’ You’re in trouble,” continued Giggs.

The pair then shared their thoughts on deals that rise to the financial heights of Anderson to Manchester City, with Ferdinand claiming “you’ve got to try all sorts” to see such approaches succeed.

“You’ve got to try all sorts to get these deals over. It’s mad, though. Obviously, the price tag was crazy,” said the Englishman.

“It’s just like astronomical money,” affirmed Ferdinand, to which Giggs agreed. The former Manchester United centre-back then invoked the club’s financial situation, and its link to Anderson.

“Manchester United haven’t got the budget to pay for that,” confirmed Ferdinand, plainly. The pair then agreed that Anderson is a good player, despite his decision to join their Manchester rivals.

Head to the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel to watch the full interview.

This season's League Cup Third Round fixtures are taking place a week apart due to English clubs' participation in European competition.

This means the likes of Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Newcastle and Bradford have all already progressed to the competition’s Fourth Round.

The draw for the Fourth Round will take place shortly after the final Third Round fixture scheduled to be played next week.

Carabao Cup draw: Fourth Round details

Manchester United will face off against Brighton on September 16 at 8pm BST, with the draw then expected to take place at around 10:20pm BST.

It remains possible that this clash will see Carlos Baleba make his Red Devils debut. If the Cameroonian is absent, he would be expected to appear in the club’s next Premier League match, versus Fulham.

Everton host Wolves in a rescheduled showdown that was initially set to take place on Wednesday, September 9, meanwhile Sheffield United travel to Fleetwood, and newly-promoted Coventry City are hosts to fellow top-flight side Aston Villa.

The draw will be made live to watch on Sky Sports, with ex-Liverpool and Everton men Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young picking the teams out.

A day prior to the draw, on September 15, a further five Carabao Cup matches will be played, including Liverpool versus Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, with Andrew Robertson likely to appear back on Merseyside.

West Ham supporters will witness the return of what was recently a Premier League derby, as they welcome Fulham at the London Stadium.

Arsenal, who were defeated in last year’s Carabao Cup Final by Manchester City, will visit Ipswich Town, and Peterborough United will host Barnsley.

Lastly, Reading will welcome Brentford, meaning that all but three Carabao Cup Third Round clashes will have been decided by 10pm BST next Wednesday evening, with Coventry-Villa and Man United-Brighton scheduled to kick-off at 8pm, and the possibility of penalties to follow.

The final Third Round match, between Manchester City and Norwich, will take place on Thursday, September 17, after the draw.

Fourth Round matches are scheduled to take place in the week commencing October 26, then w/c December 14 for Fifth Round clashes.

Nineteen-year-old Kendry Paez is back in London after a loan period with River Plate, which the Argentinian club terminated.

Now, Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Paez will not play a role in Chelsea’s first-team plans this season, after the Blues failed to secure another loan in England for the Ecuadorian.

Paez played just 469 minutes for River Plate in 2026, recording two goal contributions. He last featured for the club in late May, in what was a 13-minute cameo.

Alonso on plans for Paez at Chelsea

When questioned whether Paez would play a role in Chelsea’s first-team before January, the Spaniard quickly rejected the idea.

Alonso said: “No, no. He is not part of the plans. At the moment, he is not part of the first team squad,” according to a report from The Athletic.

The 19-year-old was expected to depart on loan again for the 2026/27 season, but Chelsea were unable to finalise a deal prior to the British transfer window closing.

Judging by Alonso’s comments, it appears that Paez will be prioritised for a loan move, but one that sees him remain in England, in January.

The Ecuadorian has not played for the club since the Blues signed him in July 2025, in a deal worth over £17 million.

Since then, he has played for both River Plate and Ligue 1 side Strasbourg on loan. With the latter club, he appeared 20 times, for a combined 711 minutes, scoring one goal.

Recently, the 19-year-old received minutes in Ecuador’s Round of 32 loss versus Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. He did not feature during all three group stage matches.

Alonso’s intention to keep Paez separate from the Blues’ first-team has arrived at a time when both Moises Caicedo and Premier League veteran Jordan Henderson are out injured.

The Spaniard refuses to rush Paez’s fellow Ecuadorian back into action, despite having resumed training with Chelsea, while Henderson remains sidelined with an injury he sustained in North America.

Alonso’s men return to action in the Carabao Cup, as they take on Leeds United this evening at 8pm BST.

Can you rattle your way through 10 football trivia questions in just 90 seconds? Prove it. Here's the latest FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. Let's kick off with a big one that will really test your memory. Can you name every player ever to have scored a Premier League hat-trick?

Got into the hundreds on that one? You'll breeze through these three. We have 15 questions each on the Premier League in the 2016-17 season, the 2006-07 season and the 1996-97 season.

Staying in England's top flight, we want to know whether you can name the first goalscorer in every single Premier League season and whether you can arrange these players in order of their Premier League appearances from most to least.

If you're a women's football expert, this will be a tap-in for you. Can you list out every team currently competing in the WSL or WSL2, the top two divisions of the women's game in England?

Last but not least, we've got just the perfect quiz for football history buffs. Can you name every club to have played in England's top flight, either the First Division or the Premier League, since 1945?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

The Den is a magnificent place to watch football. I imagine it’s a great venue to play at, too.

It’s a Guy Ritchie-directed, late ‘90s, flat-roof pub football club, soundtracked by Ocean Colour Scene’s ‘The Riverboat Song’.

Nowhere else in English football are you likely to hear, “Lino, you’re a c***” sung in unison during the first half…from the ‘Family Stand’.

Millwall is one of the last truly great places to watch proper football

At very few grounds in English football do you walk through the crowds before kick-off and wonder, “Is everyone here in the same WhatsApp group called ‘What we’re wearing to the game’?”

The chant of ‘MILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL’, if you can call it a chant or better still, a rebel yell, is an assault on the eardrums, despite there being less than 20,000 in the building.

There’s an old-style, decommissioned London bus painted royal blue that stands outside. It serves Spitfire ale. They have a centre-half of six feet six who plays exactly as you’d imagine. Even the commercial partners are proper working man’s sponsors: Selhurst Timber and Builder’s Merchants, Masons Scaffolding - corrr, I've got splinters just thinking about them. Canary Wharf is visible above the Dockers Stand, and they f***ing love a tackle.

I’m not at The Den every week, but I’ll bet the bloke who sits adjacent to the press box and shouts, “They are f***ing pony”, with the same frequency as the London Bridge to South Bermondsey service, is a regular, and local.

Plenty of teams - Leeds, Everton and Newcastle among them - might claim they run Millwall close in their Millwall-ness, but it’s exactly what the Premier League is missing, to its detriment.

I know what you’re thinking, 'Surely the EFL Family Club of the Year 2017 is a touch more welcoming than it was back in the old days?' Of course, that would be the correct assumption. Nothing is like the old days, but unlike other grounds, and some of Millwall’s closest rivals, ahem, they at least retain some of the horribleness.

In an age where football has become increasingly polished and corporate-ified, it’s redeeming to visit a stadium where it all feels authentic. Going in a box at The Den would feel wrong, and a waste of money. Paying more to miss out on the full experience? No, thanks.

Even the press room, with its low ceiling, a discarded mannequin torso and worn Wetherspoons-like carpet, stippled with 'MFC' worked into the fabric, is like something out of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s ‘The Office’.

The Lions came close to promotion last season, defeated in the Championship play-offs by eventual winners Hull City. They’ve lost star man Femi Azeez and were soundly beaten 5-1 by Southampton earlier this season, so this term might not go as well as last.

However, with six teams now making up the play-offs, and Millwall giving a near full-strength Newcastle side a good go in the Carabao Cup, there’s every chance.

Some things immediately transport you back to childhood. Football in the garden. Old replica shirts, parents licking a tissue and rubbing your face, and now for Gen Z: the rip of a foil Match Attax packet.

First launched in 2006, Match Attax quickly became part of football culture for kids across the UK. Cards were swapped in playgrounds, showed off on the bus home and, inevitably, traded for something that seemed like a brilliant deal at the time.

Two decades later, Match Attax is still bringing that same feeling to a new generation of fans.

Got, Got, NEED!

For lifelong collectors, the appeal is about more than completing a checklist. The cards become snapshots of football moments, favourite players and childhood memories. For Jack Whyte, known online as GBW, one of Match Attax’s best-known collectors, it started at home.

“I remember coming home from school and seeing packs of Match Attax waiting for me on the dining room table. I’d get so excited ripping into them with my mum and dad, and chasing the OG 101 Steven Gerrard card.”

“As a QPR fan, one card that’s always stuck with me is the Charlie Austin Hat-Trick Hero from the 2014/15 Extra collection. That’s what makes Match Attax so special for me, there are cards that bring you straight back to a particular moment or memory.”

Another collector, Dan, remembers trying to collect Frank Lampard cards each season. “I’m a Chelsea fan so I was always swapping to get Chelsea cards in general, but Frank was and probably still is my favourite player. I’d always be on the lookout for his cards - it’s just got that extra special emotion attached when it’s your favourite player. I’ve still got plenty packed away in my old Match Attax binder, they might be worth a few quid now!”

This week sees the launch of the new 20th Anniversary Edition Match Attax collection, packed full of the best players from Europe’s top leagues. “Looking at this season’s new collection, I’d be chasing the rare ‘Whoosh Messi’ FC Barcelona card, says GBW. “It looks unbelievable, and he’s the greatest of all time, so that’s definitely the one I’d want to pull.”

While the nostalgia remains, Match Attax 2026/27 is designed to give a new generation plenty of reasons to start collecting. It introduces a new rarity system for the first time, with cards ranging from Rare and Super Rare through to Mega Rare, Ultra Rare, Hyper Rare and the ultimate “Mystical” cards.

The collection also brings back the iconic “100 Club” - something of a collector favourite - but this time with a twist, as previous 100 Club players were put to a vote, giving collectors the chance to choose which legends they wanted to see return for the 20th anniversary collection, marking the All-Time 100 Club. Names include Maldini, Messi, Ronaldo, Henry and more.

Twenty years on, the playground may look a little different. But the ritual remains remarkably familiar: get a packet, rip it open, see what you’ve got and, perhaps, wonder: “What can I trade this for?”

Somewhere out there, there’s probably another kid opening a packet and finding a card they’ll still remember 20 years from now.

The furore over FIFA's attempt to sell off the World Cup had only just died down when VAR controversies reared their ugly head in the opening weeks of the Premier League season. The demise of PSR appeared to offer temporary relief, yet those minded to celebrate its sudden obsolescence should be wary, EPL executives included. Its replacement abbreviation, SCR, threatens to gravely damage what made England's top tier so successful in the first place.

Some explanations are in order. Last November, Premier League clubs voted to change the financial rules that govern their transfer dealings. Out went Profit and Sustainability, which allowed adjusted losses of a maximum of £105m over a three-year period. In came Squad Cost Ratio, which permits clubs to spend up to 85% of their football-related revenue on squad costs, namely transfers, wages and agent fees.

There is something faintly depressing about the extent to which modern-day football fans have to be clued up on accountancy terms to make sense of their club’s ins and outs, but at least we now all know the definition of amortisation. Besides, football cannot be a free-for-all. Competitive sport relies on, if not a level playing field, then at least a semblance of parity. Allowing clubs to spend whatever they like would be a recipe for disaster, especially in the era of state ownership.

'A fudge so considerable it would have delighted Willy Wonka'

PSR was far from perfect. The bigger clubs were already able to splash more cash than the smaller ones because of their larger established revenues. This frustrated many, particularly ambitious outfits striving to break the glass ceiling like Aston Villa and Newcastle.

The regulations incentivised the sale of academy products, whose departures could go down in the books as pure profit. A loophole that allowed clubs to count non-football income in their earnings was cynically and predictably exploited. Most egregious was Chelsea’s sale of two hotels to a sister company controlled by their owners, a fudge so considerable it would have delighted Willy Wonka.

Yet SCR is a step in the wrong direction. That aforementioned loophole has been closed, but the issue of youth-team graduates remains unresolved. More worryingly, middle-ranking sides face a tighter financial squeeze.

PSR’s fixed £105m figure at least acted as a form of equalisation, imposing the same loss ceiling on all established Premier League clubs regardless of revenue. Under SCR, financial headroom is tied only to revenue, giving the elite clubs greater scope to splash the cash. The closed shop has had a padlock bolted on for good measure.

That is not all. SCR operates on a seasonal basis, as opposed to PSR’s three-year assessment period. This means that a Brighton or a Crystal Palace has less scope to keep a team together for a couple of campaigns before selling off assets in the third season to bring its cumulative losses under the £105m limit. Ambition is circumscribed before it has had the chance to bear fruit.

True, the 85% ratio is not a hard-and-fast limit. The Premier League terms it a ‘green threshold’, in contrast to a ‘red threshold’ that comprises the 85% plus a multi-year rolling allowance of 30%. A points penalty is reserved only for those who exceed the red threshold; breaching the green one is punishable by a fine. But that additional allowance is available to the richest teams too, so it only serves to strengthen their relative advantage.

The SCR problem is particularly acute for clubs that have qualified for Europe, who must simultaneously meet UEFA’s stricter ratio of 70%. Bournemouth, Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Brighton, who will soon begin their continental campaigns, face greater constraints than those who missed out on the Europa League or Conference League.

It is telling that three of that quartet voted against SCR, along with Brentford, Fulham and Leeds. These upstarts realised the new regulations would be detrimental to their prospects going forward. The Premier League’s marketing department might soon need to rethink its “anyone can beat anyone” mantra.

Even under PSR, we would not have seen a repeat of Leicester’s 2015/16 title triumph, an achievement that did not merely upset the apple cart but sent it hurtling down the hill. Yet the likes of Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth have shown in recent years that through smart recruitment, astute management and a long-term vision, it is possible to not only survive but to thrive in the Premier League, sometimes outperforming the established powers in the process.

The advent of SCR makes that harder. For a league that has long prided itself on its competitiveness, it is a dangerous development.

One of the great joys of going to the football is the very buildings where the matches take place. These cathedrals of sport are rich in history and often beautiful in their own right, but how much do you know about them? This FourFourTwo quiz will find out.

We're keeping it (mostly...) in England for this one, so it's all about the stadiums of the present and past in the Premier League, Football League and maybe even a little bit lower.

There are 20 questions in total and we're giving you 8 minutes to answer them. Remember to let us know your score below.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has a vast collection of football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. Let's begin by asking you to name the first goalscorer in every Premier League season from 1992-93 to 2026-27 and every player to have scored one or more of the Premier League's 405 hat-tricks.

Keeping it in the Premier League era, how about tackling 15 questions each about the Premier League in 2016-17, in 2006-07, and 1996-97?

We also want you to arrange these players in order based on their total numbers of appearances in the Premier League and sort these club teams by the numbers of domestic league titles they've won.

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 67 features clues on shirt sponsors, EFL counties, and relegations. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

The 60-year-old offered his verdict on Manchester United’s £70 million man, surmising that Baleba will require a lengthy adjustment period under Michael Carrick.

Sheringham stated that the Cameroonian will have to reckon with a newfound pressure at Manchester United, having never played previously for a club of the Red Devils’ stature.

The 22-year-old arrived from Brighton as a replacement for the club’s recently departed veteran midfielder Casemiro, and is anticipated to make his Manchester United debut in the coming weeks.

‘I’m not sold on Carlos Baleba, we’ve not seen him play at a club with the pressure of Manchester United’

Carrick revealed last week that Baleba’s debut is anticipated within 10-14 days — making his first match for the Red Devils likely to be either a Premier League or Carabao Cup fixture.

His last competitive game came against Manchester United in matchweek 38 of the Premier League season, in which Brighton lost 3-0. Last term, he made 31 top-flight appearances for the Seagulls.

Sheringham expects Baleba’s settling-in period to be the inverse of that experienced by another midfield signing for the Red Devils — Youri Tielemans.

The ex-Aston Villa man has started all three of Manchester United’s fixtures to open the season, with his stand-out performance arriving versus Ipswich in the club’s 5-2 home win.

Sheringham confessed: “I’m not sold on Carlos Baleba — we’ve not seen him play at a club with the pressure of Man Utd yet, so it’ll take six months or so before we can get a real idea.

“When you bring in two or three signings, they’re expected to be playing. With someone like Tielemans, everyone talks highly of him and you expect him to go straight into the side, which has been the case.”

Sheringham introduced England international Kobbie Mainoo into the discussion, as a possible foil for the Cameroonian.

Despite the former Brighton man’s considerable price tag, Sheringham believes that he could “have to bide his time” until an opportunity arrives, with Mainoo likely to serve as a roadblock in Baleba’s attempts to break into the side.

“Someone like Baleba, with Kobbie Mainoo playing, [he] might have to bide his time. When that chance does come, they’ve got to grab it with both hands,” he said.

Sheringham also discussed the ‘huge’ pressure faced by former player, now permanent manager, Carrick in the coming seasons at Manchester United.

The Red Devils return to Premier League action — after their Thursday showdown in the Champions League versus Sabah FK — in the Manchester derby on Sunday, at Old Trafford.

This interview was conducted by BetVictor Online Casino.

How much credit does the new head coach deserve? Some, that much is clear, but Newcastle have rode their luck at times on this admittedly brief unbeaten run.

The Toon Army are by no means the finished article under their newly-installed German head coach, but are at least playing with personality in fits and starts, and getting results, both of which had eluded them long before the 2025/26 season came to a crescendo.

Perhaps it is this summer’s injection of young blood that has fans eyeing an extension of that undefeated streak next Monday. Or, perhaps it is the absence of key figures who once set the standard but had, for want of a better phrase, checked out towards the end of last season no longer poisoning the well.

Newcastle progress to Fourth Round of Carabao Cup with Millwall victory

Whatever the reason, Newcastle - and Jaissle - have benefited. With matches against newly-promoted duo Hull City and Coventry City in their next three, only after a difficult trip to face Leeds United at Elland Road, supporters could be forgiven for pondering when this side might next taste defeat.

It must be said, Newcastle have not steamrollered teams since the 2026/27 campaign began only three weeks ago. Liverpool arrived at St. James’ Park on the opening weekend, and despite looking a shadow of their usual selves, left with a point. AFC Bournemouth also made their way out of Tyneside with a share of the spoils, albeit having led 2-0.

The Newcastle rearguard is anything but watertight, conceding twice against the Reds, Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion in the previous round of the Carabao Cup.

In a move that reflected an encouraging start to the season and possibly his growing importance in the dressing room, Yoane Wissa was handed the captain’s armband at The Den as Newcastle met Millwall in the Third Round.

Jaissle boldly selected the DR Congo striker as the man to lead his team ahead of veterans Fabian Schar and Jacob Murphy, who have been with the club eight and nine years, respectively. A small decision, given the relative importance of the match, but a significant one indicative of the club’s transitional period all the same.

Eight minutes into the game, it was the skipper sprinting back as Millwall smelled a counter-attacking opportunity, with Wissa eventually winning a free-kick and possession of the ball. It is an altogether different version of the £55 million player Newcastle signed merely 372 days ago, alert, engaged and dialled in, but he was largely ineffectual and spared further exertion with his substitution on 62 minutes.

Joe Willock could’ve departed late in the window, much like £70m Nick Woltemade, but now finds himself playing in a front two of sorts, alongside Wissa, in lieu of the German forward. While it's difficult ascertaining anything of note about new-look Newcastle at this early stage, Jaissle at least knows how he wants to play and the personnel it requires.

In each of Newcastle’s three league matches so far this term, the Magpies have created fewer chances and shooting opportunities than their opponents. Only against Championship side West Brom, whom they conceded 1.46 to in Expected Goals (xG) and two actual goals, did Newcastle have the lion’s share of the game.

It was a similar story to the previous round at The Den with the Magpies deserved winners, but their second tier hosts were not roundly beaten.

Much like Newcastle’s summer business, there’s still plenty to come out in the wash.

Teams in transition usually don’t play with the consistency of a settled side and despite Newcastle’s unbeaten start to the season, they are functioning exactly like that. Swaggering one minute, unconvincing the next. Maybe this is all symptomatic of a team searching for an identity, and leaders, and star quality, all of which departed over the summer.

Deep into the second half, Newcastle had goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek’s upright to thank, after Tairyk Arconte came within a whisker of opening the scoring, and then Willock. The Londoner swept in Lewis Hall's cross for his second of the season following what was Newcastle’s only well-worked move since the break down the left.

With a goal cushion, Jaissle’s men played with confidence again, almost as if they had rediscovered it instantaneously, finding an energy reserve of pure adrenaline within them.

Newcastle made it out of the Lions’ Den without too many scrapes. They were not put through the ringer or kicked from pillar to post. They will go to Leeds and face a sterner test next Monday but remain five unbeaten, which they could not say at any stage last season.

Only after 87 minutes did Jaissle’s terrace chant to the tune of Baccara’s ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ receive its first airing of the night. It rang out until the referee’s whistle seven minutes later. And then some more.

If nothing else of real substance could be gleaned from this game, nowhere in English football this week, or perhaps this season, will the contrast in dugout dress code be as juxtaposed as Jaissle and his opposite number Alex Neil.

This new version of Newcastle United is everything and nothing all at once, but you can’t argue with an unbeaten start. Carrying that momentum for as long as they can will be crucial, for as long as they’re finding out who and what they are.

The Champions League kicks off this evening, in an exclusive match-week that will also see games played on Thursday.

Players making their debut appearance in the competition, including substitutes, will wear a one-off patch given to them by UEFA.

The ‘debut patch’ is valid only for each player’s first-ever Champions League appearance. As to where the patches go post-game, it appears that football has been taking notes from the NBA.

‘Debut patches’ in the Champions League to be turned into trading cards

After each patch-wearing player’s debut, it will be retrieved and turned into a unique trading card. These items are anticipated to sell for staggering sums of money.

The move is akin to NBA debut patches and rookie trading cards being sold for exorbitant fees, in the event of players becoming sporting legends.

Cooper Flagg, who delivered a Rookie of the Year-worthy NBA season in his breakout campaign for the Dallas Mavericks, recently saw his debut patch go to auction. It is anticipated to sell for over $1 million.

One of LeBron James’ rookie trading cards, signed by the NBA legend, is believed to be worth around $10 million, with the now-Philadelphia 76er becoming, arguably, the sport’s all-time greatest.

In the Champions League, plenty of high-profile players are expected to make their competition debuts, and will wear the tournament’s debut patches.

At Manchester United, both Bryan Mbeumo, expected to appear in the Red Devils’ opening match versus Sabah FK on Thursday, and Carlos Baleba will make their Champions League debuts.

For the latter, Michael Carrick revealed last week that his debut is set to arrive in 10-14 days. He is due to appear initially in either a Premier League or Carabao Cup clash, then a Champions League game later in the league phase.

The move also follows patches being introduced at the 2026 World Cup, as part of a licensing deal with trading card and stickers company Fanatics.

Global stars such as Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal (and Dan Burn) wore debut patches that were later turned into high-value collectables.

Previous edition Golden Boot, Glove and Ball winners were also given special patches in North America.

Watch Porto vs Manchester City for free as Enzo Maresca's men visit the Portuguese champions in their opening league phase game of the Champions League 2026/27. FourFourTwo has all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

City will aim to replicate their domestic form on the European stage after winning their opening three Premier League matches under Maresca.

Porto also have a flawless record in the league, taking 15 points from their first five games, but this should be the toughest test of the season to date for Francesco Farioli's side.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Porto vs Manchester City online, on TV, and from anywhere, including for free.

Can I watch Porto vs Manchester City for free?

There is a way for UK-based fans to watch Porto vs Manchester City for free. The Champions League fixture is being broadcast live on Prime Video which has a 30-day free trial for new customers, allowing them to stream the game at no cost.

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Watch Porto vs Manchester City from anywhere

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How to watch Porto vs Manchester City in the UK

As mentioned above, Porto vs Manchester City is live on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. Kick-off is at 8:00pm BST.

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How to watch Porto vs Manchester City in the US

US viewers can watch Porto vs Manchester City on Paramount+, with kick-off at 3pm ET.

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How to watch Porto vs Manchester City in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Porto vs Manchester City on Stan Sport.

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Porto vs Manchester City: Preview

Porto are back in the Champions League for the first time since 2023/24 after storming to the Portuguese title last season, winning 28 of their 34 games.

The two-time European champions proved unstoppable in their first campaign under former Ajax manager Francesco Farioli and they have started 2026/27 in the same vein, scoring 11 goals and conceding just once in five league matches.

Porto's last game in this competition was a penalty shoot-out defeat by Arsenal in the last 16 in March 2024, while their run in last season's Europa League was ended by Nottingham Forest in the quarter-finals, so they may not be thrilled to face Premier League opponents first up in the league phase.

Farioli's squad includes several players who will be familiar to fans of English football, including former Southampton and Aston Villa centre back Jan Bednarek, ex-Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior and former Norwich City forward Borja Sainz. Meanwhile, midfielder Seko Fofana could face his former club having spent time at Manchester City as a youngster, although he did not make a competitive first-team appearance.

SEE ALSO Should I use a VPN to watch football?

The bad news for Porto is that Erling Haaland appears to have hit form just in time for City's trip to Portugal, with the Norway striker scoring the only goal in Saturday's 1-0 win over Coventry City to take his tally to three in the last two games.

The former Borussia Dortmund man has played every minute in the Premier League so far this season so it will be interesting to see if that continues in Europe, particularly as manager Enzo Maresca will surely have one eye on Sunday's derby against Manchester United.

There are also doubts over the fitness of Nico O'Reilly, who pulled out of the warm-up before the clash with Coventry after sustaining a back injury. Enzo Fernandez was drafted in and the £125m signing from Chelsea impressed on debut, as did fellow new boy Iliman Ndiaye.

Fernandez's display means that Ayyoub Bouaddi may have to wait a little longer for his first City start, after making two appearances as a substitute following his £86m move from Lille.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Porto 1-3 Manchester City

Porto are rightly full of confidence, but City should be too strong.

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Liverpool have agreed a deal with Turkish Airlines that will see the travel company become principal sponsor of the Reds' iconic shirts for the next five seasons.

Turkish Airlines will be emblazoned across the Anfield club's men's and women's shirts between June 2027 and June 2032 as part of a £300 million sponsorship agreement.

It has been described as the most lucrative in Premier League history and sees Liverpool surge to the top of the Premier League's front-of-shirt sponsorship earnings table. How does this new deal compare to Liverpool's Premier League peers, though?

Liverpool's new shirt sponsorship deal is worth £60m per season

At £60m per season, Liverpool's new partnership brings them alongside Manchester United’s league-topping agreement with Snapdragon. The extra £10m per year over their current £50m arrangement with Standard Chartered represents a 20% revenue jump alone.

While Manchester City (Etihad) and Arsenal (Emirates) record overall commercial packages in similar or higher ranges, those figures bundle stadium naming rights and training facility branding into their totals. Liverpool’s £60m Turkish Airlines annual income is exclusively from matchday kit exposure, keeping things like Anfield’s naming rights untouched and available for separate monetisation, if the club so wish to explore that as a potential avenue.

The financial scale becomes clear when comparing the upgrade to mid-table Premier League figures.

The £10m increase per season that Liverpool have secured in this single negotiation matches the entire front-of-shirt sponsorship income of established Premier League clubs such as Fulham and Everton who, according to reports, were bringing in £10m each from their betting partner shirt sponsors last season.

Such deals only serve to underscore the widening economic divide within English football as mid-table sides like Crystal Palace (£6.5m) and Brighton (£6m) earn roughly a tenth of Liverpool’s incoming fee, whereas clubs like Ipswich Town (£3.5m–£4m) would require up to 15 years of kit sponsorship to match what the Reds will earn in a single season.

Premier League clubs are no longer permitted to advertise gambling companies on the front of their shirts after collectively voting to ban such sponsorships to mitigate growing concerns over gambling harm and public health. The league has taken measures to reduce exposure to impressionable audiences, particularly children and young supporters.

The self-imposed ban, which has taken full effect for the 2026/27 season, aims to break the strong association between football kit identity and betting culture. Although, gambling brands are still permitted on shirt sleeves, advertising hoardings and on screen by broadcast partners.

The 60-year-old has revealed that he anticipates Manchester United fans to be unhappy with anything less than major silverware success under Carrick.

The Red Devils made impressive strides last term under their former player, now permanent manager, ascending from 15th-position in 2024/25, to third in the Premier League standings.

That finish enabled Manchester United’s return to the Champions League — they will play Sabah FK on Thursday evening — but Sheringham believes that expectations will not be tempered this term.

‘It’ll be interesting to see how long his hair stays nice, dark and flowing’ — Sheringham on pressure faced by Carrick

The Red Devils are currently positioned 11th in the Premier League table, having taken a loss, draw and win from their opening three matches.

Their campaign began with a 2-0 defeat on the road at Hull, which they followed up with a 5-2 Old Trafford victory against Ipswich Town. Last weekend, they fell to an Everton equaliser in added time.

Sheringham, who once won the treble with Manchester United, believes that Carrick will soon be under significant pressure by the Red Devils faithful, with expectations of major silverware.

“The pressure is huge at Manchester United,” he confessed. “The expectation may not be there right this minute, but within the football club and among the supporters over the years, they won't be happy with fourth, third, or second.

“Within the club and around it, the pressure is huge, [even] without outside interest playing the part of saying Manchester United are not good enough.

“Anyone within Manchester United who has been involved with Manchester United knows the pressure of what it's like to play for Manchester United. Everywhere you go, people want to beat you. And Michael knows that, he's been a player,” he continued.

Sheringham expressed optimism for the club’s future under Carrick, but admitted that he anticipates the pressure will take a significant toll on the 45-year-old.

“It'll be interesting how long his hair stays nice and dark and flowing on the touch line. That pressure brings the grey hairs or the baldness at some stage for these managers,” said Sheringham.

“And all of sudden you look and go, blimey. He's got old, and that's what that pressure does. [That’s] being involved in football in general, but Man United even more so.

“But Michael knows that. I love his character. I wish him well and I think he will come good,” concluded the 60-year-old.

This interview was conducted by BetVictor Online Casino.

Watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan for free as two of Europe's biggest clubs meet at the Bernabeu in their opening league phase fixture in the Champions League 2026/27. FourFourTwo has all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Both teams have a rich history in the continent's premier club competition, with Los Blancos lifting the trophy 15 times and the Nerazzurri boasting three titles, most recently under current Madrid boss Jose Mourinho in 2010.

One of these two clubs has reached the final in four of the past five seasons and both will expect to reach the latter stages of the competition once again.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan in the Champions League online, on TV, and from anywhere, including for free.

Can I watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan for free?

Yes. Real Madrid vs Inter Milan will be broadcast live on free-to-air Virgin Media Two in Ireland, complete with English commentary, with live streaming available via Virgin Media Play.

Abroad? You need a VPN to access your free Real Madrid vs Inter Milan stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan from anywhere

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How to watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports 5, with kick-off at 8pm BST.

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How to watch Real Madrid vs Inter Milan in the US

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Real Madrid vs Inter Milan: Match Preview

No team is linked to the Champions League as indelibly as Real Madrid, but Los Blancos' quest to add a 16th continental crown to their heaving trophy cabinet has an extra layer of intrigue this season.

Jose Mourinho is back in charge of the Spanish giants and will be particularly desperate for glory in this competition, having fallen short during his previous spell between 2010 and 2013.

'The Special One' earned his first move to Madrid off the back of winning the Treble with Inter Milan in 2010, which included lifting the Champions League at the Bernabeu after beating Bayern Munich 2-0.

Mourinho's second spell suffered its first on-pitch setback on Friday night as Los Blancos lost 1-0 at Real Betis in La Liga, and he must navigate a selection headache in midfield for this league phase opener, with Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga suspended. Aurelien Tchouameni and Thiago Pitarch could return from injury, though.

SEE ALSO How to watch Champions League 2026/27

Inter have had one day fewer to prepare for this clash than Madrid, but they may well be high on adrenaline after fighting back from 2-0 down to beat Napoli 3-2 in a Serie A thriller at the San Siro on Saturday.

As is often the case, talismanic captain Lautaro Martinez was key to that comeback victory with two goals - including the stoppage-time winner - and the Argentina forward will surely be vital again here.

Inter have made the perfect start to their Serie A title defence, winning their opening three games of the campaign, and manager Cristian Chivu will be eyeing Champions League success after claiming a league and cup double last term.

The Nerazzurri have been losing finalists in two of the past four seasons, so they have plenty of players who know what it takes to win big games in this competition.

Team News

🇪🇸 Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Konaté, Dumfries, Huijsen; Trent, Fede Valverde, Bellingham, Brahim Díaz, Cucurella; Vinicius, Mbappé

🇮🇹 Inter XI: Josep Martínez; Bisseck, Pavard, Bastoni; Diouf, Çalhanoglu, Barella, Jones, Carlos Augusto; Lautaro, Thuram

FourFourTwo's prediction

Real Madrid 2-1 Inter Milan

This is set up to be a fascinating contest and home advantage may just swing it in Madrid's favour.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Como president has decided to relinquish the board of directors' VIP seating area and hand the tickets over to the club's oldest and most devoted supporters for the fixture.

When the Italian side welcome their German opponents to the newly redeveloped Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Thursday evening, the executive box will not be occupied by corporate dignitaries or billionaire owners.

Instead, Suwarso and key board members have surrendered their seats to lifelong fans born in 1950 or earlier, honouring those who stood by the club through its lowest ebb and non-league football long before their fairytale rise to Europe's elite.

Como president announces new seating plan for Champions League opener

Since 2019, Como have been owned by the Indonesian conglomerate Djarum Group.

Recognised as the wealthiest owners in Italian football, the family appointed Suwarso as president to oversee operations, building a corporate structure that has been supremely successful in recent years.

Suwarso posted a message on his official social media channels which read: "The stadium is completely sold out. With reduced capacity and a limited number of tickets available, unfortunately, we cannot accommodate everyone who would have liked to be there.

"However, several club directors and I have decided to give up our seats for this match. We want them to be allocated to the fans who have waited the longest: supporters born in 1950 or earlier, who have followed Como through every division and every era.

"If you know a long-time Como fan born in 1950 or earlier who deserves to be at the stadium on Thursday, write to us at Community@comofootball.com.

"We will be honoured to give them our seat."

Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas is head coach and holds a minority stake alongside high-profile investors which reportedly includes Thierry Henry and former defender Raphael Varane, who sits on the board.

Reborn in Serie D following bankruptcy in 2017, Como steadily climbed the Italian league pyramid after their 2019 takeover, earning promotion back to Serie A in 2024 following a 21-year absence.

Under Fabregas, Como punched above their weight in Italian football last term by finishing in the top four to secure automatic qualification for the Champions League.

Thursday's match represents uncharted territory for the club. Prior to this campaign, Como had never competed in a major UEFA tournament, with their sole international experience dating back to the 1980/81 Mitropa Cup.

Now, fans who endured fourth-tier obscurity will watch from the finest seats in the house as Como do battle at Europe's top table.

No European fixtures beyond those played in the Champions League are scheduled for this match-week, and games will feature a minute’s silence prior to kick-off.

As relayed by Henry Winter, the silence, in remembrance of the lives lost after a series of devastating flash floods in Nepal will be accompanied by banners reading: "You are not alone, Nepal."

On September 7, Nepal held a national day of mourning for those who had died in the floods. It is estimated that at least 1355 people were killed, with more than 5000 still missing.

Champions League to feature minute’s silence for Nepal

Candlelit vigils were held on Monday evening, as rescue teams continued in their efforts to locate survivors.

The floods are believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse. It has now been two weeks since the disaster, with Monday marking the final day of the traditional 13-day Hindu mourning period.

The news arrives after Premier League and EFL fixtures this weekend were confirmed to not feature a minute’s silence for the victims of 9/11.

67 British people died as a result of the terror attacks on the United States of America, back on September 11, 2001.

Conversely, the Champions League matches this week will commemorate those that lost their lives across the Nepal-Tibet border region.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed: "The entire European football family will stand together before this week's matches to express our deepest condolences and our support to the people of Nepal.

“We wish them strength and resilience as they continue to recover from this tragedy and its aftermath,” he concluded.

The minute’s silences and raised banners are intended to help sustain international awareness for Nepal, aiding in the location of missing flood survivors.

Last Saturday, a 64-year-old Nepali woman was recovered alive by rescuers from her buried house in the Nuwakot district, more than 10 days after it had been submerged.

In Nepal, at least 5000 missing are people, while over 500 are unaccounted for in Tibet. All 36 teams, in 18 Champions League matches, will play this week, with a minute’s silence observed in each clash.

Manchester United appear keen to boast the country's best youth talent once again, with the Red Devils on the brink of completing a triple signing from their two biggest rivals.

The club is reportedly putting the finishing touches on an agreement for Liverpool's 16-year-old attacker Isaac Konde, in addition to signing Manchester City pair David Eze and Karim Cassim, according to the BBC.

Konde, 16, made six appearances for Liverpool’s Under-18 squad last term and is said to be known for his speed and ball control. It is expected he will be integrated into Darren Fletcher’s Under-18 setup upon arrival.

Man United poach three players from Liverpool and Manchester City

Across town, Man United's pursuit of City duo Eze and Cassim is reportedly close to reaching a conclusion.

Both 16-year-olds are nominally central midfielders and have been on their soon-to-be employer's radar for some time, as per the BBC's Simon Stone.

The club are clearly making a concerted effort to steal away top-rated talent from Premier League rivals having previously secured striker Chido Obi and defender Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.

In both cases, the ex-Gunners quickly made their first-team debuts with Heaven now considered a senior option under Michael Carrick.

Man United have historically been regarded as a club with rich academy history and a consistent pathway to first-team opportunities.

The revered 'Class of 92' are the preeminent example of this with several members of that FA Youth Cup-winning side going on to play central roles under Sir Alex Ferguson in the decades that followed.

Manchester United retain one of the most remarkable records in world sport, having had at least one homegrown academy graduate included in every single first-team matchday squad for over 88 years.

Everton were in turmoil before Ainsley Maitland-Niles' 96th-minute equaliser against Manchester United last weekend. And to some extent, they still are - but all is not lost.

The Toffees are unbeaten in their opening three matches of the new Premier League season, with five points on the board, so the players are holding up their side of the bargain. At board level, though, it has been well-documented over the past couple of weeks that all is not well. Defeat at home to Man United would've seen a return of the phenomenon widely regarded as the 'Goodison boo' upon the final whistle.

A week prior, supporters had protested against the potential sale of academy graduate Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest which prompted a £40 million U-turn by the club's decision-makers. Then, fans could only watch as Everton jettisoned £100m worth of attacking talent on transfer deadline day, replacing them with nothing.

Silver lining to Everton's disastrous deadline day

It's understandable, then, that Evertonians are keen to hang their hats on Armstrong and his potential. And while many may assume he is the young player with the highest ceiling at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, FourFourTwo beg to differ.

Everton's signing of Chelsea academy star Tyrique George could prove to be some of the best business the club have done in recent years, because the 20-year-old has hit the ground running this season, despite the external noise surrounding the club's failings off the pitch.

The left-sided winger impressed against Man United, finding the net with a great effort to level the scoreline late in the game. It was his first Premier League goal for the club.

But it is not George's goalscoring that will, in our opinion, make him a dark horse for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Courtesy of Gradient Sports data, George is the Premier League's best ball-carrier so far this season. Admittedly, the campaign is merely three weeks old but the signs are promising.

George is performing well above average in various areas, including passing, shooting and winning duels, but it is his ball-carrying which really lights up the database.

So far this season, George has completed seven of his nine attempted dribbles, beating his man with regularity during the early knockings of the campaign. This aspect of his game is especially reminiscent of an Everton teammate's breakthrough at Aston Villa: Jack Grealish.

Grealish was - and to some extent, still is - an elite level ball-carrier. Both are capable of transporting play upfield, tens of yards at a time with the ball at their feet. For clubs who are likely to find themselves in mid-table and below, alleviating opposition pressure by taking the ball far away from their own goal is a useful skill to have, not to mention leveraging it to good effect in an attacking sense in the final third.

George is going to be tasked with doing the former an awful lot this season, not least because Everton's first-team squad only has 18 senior members. Opportunities are going to be forthcoming for the ex-Chelsea youngster and on early season evidence, he's ready to grasp them with both hands.

Everton have left themselves with one recognised striker in David Moyes' group, Thierno Barry, who is the type of striker who requires service from out wide, and runners. As he has shown in recent weeks, George can offer the latter from the left-hand side, and Brennan Johnson is more than capable of doing that on the opposite flank. It relies on all three remaining fit, but gives things a decidedly rosier outlook than when the window slammed shut last week.

Chances for George to break through at Chelsea were always going to be few and far between, despite the cameo role he played at Stamford Bridge before joining the Toffees. The Blues will be looking to challenge for the Premier League title this season, albeit as an outside bet, and the £116m signing of Morgan Rogers guarantees Chelsea a greater likelihood of success than if they were to give George equal importance in the squad.

If George can add tangible end product as well, as he demonstrated against Man United, then there is every chance due to the level of exposure, working alongside Grealish and the style Everton are likely to play, that George will be someone we're all talking about very highly come the end of the season.

On Thursday night, six Champions League matches will be played, on an evening traditionally known for hosting Europa League action.

On their return to Europe, Manchester United welcome Sabah FK — the champions of Azerbaijan, making their Champions League debut — this Thursday.

The Red Devils, accustomed in recent years to hearing the Europa League anthem on Thursday, will instead hear the Champions League composition, but why?

Why are Champions League sides playing on a Thursday?

The tournament is not hosting matches on Thursday to accommodate scheduling issues for league phases teams. Simply, the Champions League has been given its own week to shine.

With the Europa and Conference League tournaments yet to commence, the Champions League has been cleared to set up showdowns on Thursday.

This is a one-off, exclusive week - going forward, the Champions League will only schedule games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

These exclusive weeks, in which one of the European competitions is freed from the shackles of its tournament peers’ scheduling, have been implemented since 2024/25.

Each year since, the Champions, Europa and Conference League competitions have received a single week that allows their tournament to take centre stage.

Last term, it was also staged for the Champions League during the tournament’s opening match-week. Dates for the Europa and Conference League competitions’ exclusive weeks have not yet been revealed.

Outside of Old Trafford, five additional games will be played this Thursday. Last year's semi-finalists Bayern Munich host Bodo/Glimt, while Como welcome RB Leipzig.

Eredivisie champions PSV take on Shakhtar Donetsk, Slavia Prague face Lens, and Super Lig contenders Fenerbahce - who knocked out Lyon during qualification, and caused a chain of events leading to Malick Fofana’s Premier League transfer - play Roma.

League phase teams stand to benefit from a lengthy list of incentives that increases the higher they finish in the Champions League table, with the tournament getting underway this Tuesday evening.

The Champions League returns this week, with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa all playing in their opening tournament fixtures on Tuesday evening.

Across each team’s next eight matches in the tournament, they will fight for a position in the Top 8, and Top 24, of the league phase table; 12 teams of the 36 are guaranteed to exit the competition.

Positions one to eight are guaranteed progression to the Champions League Round of 16, while positions nine to 24 enter the play-off round, but what additional incentives are there?

Why should Champions League sides play for higher league phase finishes, not just knock-out qualification?

Teams finishing in the Top 8 will enjoy two fewer games of football than sides in positions nine to 24 — guaranteed Round of 16 qualification bypasses the play-off round, rewarding the league phase’s strongest-performing clubs with an additional period of rest.

All 36 clubs will earn a guaranteed participation fee of around €18.5 million: this is the lowest sum of money that any Champions League club present in the league phase can earn.

That total is subject to rise dramatically, depending on the results achieved by those competing. Every win in the league phase earns clubs an estimated €2 million, while a draw gives back €750,000.

Therefore, a league phase team that takes eight wins from eight in the Champions League will receive an additional €16 million, bringing their total, before bonuses, up to €34.5 million.

As the first of two bonuses, clubs positioned between first and eighth will receive a further €2 million for their league phase finish, while teams placed ninth to 16th will earn €1 million.

There is also a ranking bonus pool of around €183 million, which is split into 666 shares. The highest-placed league phase club receives 36 shares, which totals nearly €10 million.

These shares decrease by one for each descending position: the side in second receives 35 shares, the team in third, 34, etc.

Should a side manage to take eight victories from eight in the league phase, and finish first in the table, they would stand to earn an estimated €46.5 million.

Additionally, those figures were collected using financial data from the 2025-26 Champions League tournament — rewards stand to rise, as they have done every season, this time out.

Each club’s position in the table also determines the ‘quality’ of their knock-out opposition, and gives the highest-ranked teams home advantage in later rounds.

In places nine to 24, each side faces the table’s inversely-positioned club. Ninth will face 24th in the play-off round, 10th will face 23rd, 11th will face 22nd, etc.

The Champions League’s finest, those placed first to fourth, are rewarded with slightly easier knock-out routes, by carrying home advantages.

Teams in first and second will play their home leg first in every knock-out round until the final, while teams in third and fourth will receive home advantage for their Round of 16 and quarter-final ties.

Clubs competing in this season’s Champions League, which gets underway tonight, stand to benefit from all of the above benefits, should they rank highest among their international peers.

Lost in the noise that buzzes around Chelsea and Xabi Alonso is an obstacle that, to surmount, will require a radical rewriting of the Premier League tactical playbook. Alonso wants to challenge for honours using that so gauche, so ungodly formation: the dreaded three at the back.

If you want to know what English football thinks of a 3-4-3 just ask Ruben Amorim’s ghost, which still haunts the Premier League and looms much larger than Antonio Conte and the back three that won Chelsea the title in 2016/17.

Alonso must know this, which is why we ought to look upon his maverick moment on Sunday – a central midfield of right-backs – and see it as classic misdirection, drawing our attention towards personnel and away from the kind of systems scrutiny that killed Amorim dead.

3-4-3 = five-on-two

The 3-4-3’s fatal flaw is a two-man midfield. In theory, this is offset by having two attacking midfielders in front (making a box: a four-on-three against the opponent’s midfield) and/or having a centre-back step up to join the midfielders. The reality, as Arsenal showed on Sunday, is often quite different.

Mikel Arteta worked the formation from two angles. Riccardo Calafiori drifted into the middle from left-back and Kai Havertz dropped off the front, giving Arsenal an overwhelming five-on-two advantage in the middle that cut through Chelsea many times before eventually leading directly to the winning goal

It happened a lot, in both the first and second, and there was nothing Chelsea could do to close the spaces, as we see here ahead of Arsenal’s first goal, following a period of dominant possession in central areas:

The good news is that Chelsea were competitive and won’t face a game as tough as that again. The bad news is that Arsenal’s template – drop bodies into the middle; surround the misplaced right-backs – is there for everyone else to copy, which hints at a fundamental problem beginning to take hold.

It is intimately connected to the very nature of the 3-4-3 that Chelsea sit 19th in the Premier League table for possession, their scarcely believable 36.3% almost half that of league-leaders Manchester City (71.9%).

Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen averaged 62.1% in their 2023/24 peak, so whatever game-state caveats you put forward, Chelsea’s numbers are not intentional. They are instead reflective of an emerging problem that sleight-of-hand tricks will only cover up for so long.

Of course, better midfield options would help. Conte had N’Golo Kante – essentially two players in one – to cover up the two-man problem. Losing Enzo Fernandez and failing to replace him is a blow; there is no denying that.

But Conte also won the league at a very different time. Back in 2017, just before Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp reinvigorated English football, the Premier League was a tactical desert. Players wafted about in 4-4-2s. Emphasis was placed on winning 50-50s and dominating your individual battles. Systemic pressing, orchestrated transitions, positional play: these were completely alien concepts.

There is currently no evidence that in the modern tactical landscape a 3-4-3 formation can succeed at the top of the Premier League. That is the mountain facing Alonso. If Gusto and James is the dynamic duo upon which he must depend, he will be climbing it with one hand behind his back.

Isak embodies the best (and worst) of Iraola’s chaos-ball

Andoni Iraola’s football is fine-tuned to a fault, so intricate that even a microscopic flaw triggers a meltdown like a grain of sand in a microchip. It produces chaotic heavy-metal football, slow starts while players learn the methods, and, unfortunately for you, painfully-detailed tactical analysis threads like this one.

But the devil really is in the detail, and so we must.

First, the positives. Liverpool’s best chances in their 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town - including both goals - resulted from a combination of Iraola’s high press and his vertical football, which is a significant departure from last season:

The opener came from a high turnover following a classic Iraola man-to-man press, then the second saw Alexander Isak make a darting run, throw his arms up in disgust when he wasn’t hit early, then make a second run found by Cody Gakpo.

Direct runners, getting the ball forward as quickly as possible, and rushing up to press: it’s great when it works. Carnage when it doesn’t.

Isak had been restless from the off, and the first time we saw him throw his arms up was when a press went wrong:

Incredibly, within 10 seconds of the screen grab above, Liverpool have a three-on-three in the Ipswich half. That’s what comes of chaotic football and a not-yet-polished press: a wide-open game that springs from one end to the other in no time at all.

Isak was brilliant in the final third, yet his performance showed the best and the worst of Iraola’s tactics. A more assured side than Ipswich would have punished Liverpool’s press.

Tielemans is the totem of a growing Carrick problem

Youri Tielemans is the unwitting yet inevitable symbol of Manchester United, the totem at whose feet the Man U industrial complex will throw all charges.

He is tailor-made for it: loosely Casemiro-shaped, plonked into the sinkhole that is the Manchester United midfield, and possessing lopsided traits (elegance on the ball, leggy off it) that were hidden by Unai Emery’s coaching but re-revealed by the absence of grand ideas at Old Trafford.

It wasn’t Tielemans’ fault that Everton players kept getting space on the edge of the box to shoot, a pattern that eventually told when Ainsley Maitland-Niles picked his spot in injury time, presumably having practised the shot in his head while sat on the bench watching teammates fluff their lines.

No, it’s Michael Carrick’s deep-lying 4-4-2 - and the improvisational nature of the United press - that was at fault. Nor was Tielemans to blame for failing to find line-splitting passes, instead dallying in possession, unsure of where the next pass ought to go.

Again, that’s on the coaching; on Carrick’s inability to create the choreographed possession patterns that characterise the world’s best coaches, from Emery to Arteta. At Villa, Tielemans knew exactly where his teammates would be, taking the decision-making out of the equation, whereas at Manchester United he must waste time thinking and analysing in the moment, as in this example, when he spent a remarkable 13 seconds on the ball, hesitating endlessly in search of an option.

The shape in that third image (bearing in mind Manchester United have had the ball for well over 30 seconds) is wildly disordered, the spaces vast.

When paired with Carrick’s low block and lack of pressing (United fall into a safe 4-4-2 very quickly), it creates slow football defined by individual moments. Whether that offers enough complexity for the modern Premier League, particularly when combined with exhausting midweek Champions League football, is the big question hovering over their season.

The Champions League is the pinnacle of European club football. Rebranded in 1992, the competition that was the European Cup has evolved over the last 35 years, shifting formats and gradually expanding because that's what football's governing bodies do. UEFA have made this FourFourTwo quiz next to impossible.

The Champions League has welcomed many clubs since 1992. So, so, so many clubs. You'll be grateful for the huge amount of overlap because we want you to name every one of them.

In all, a massive 1,068 teams have qualified for the Champions League 'proper', by which we mean the league phase, group stage, first group stage or first round – the first bit after the glitzy draw. The time limit is 30 minutes and it's for your own good. Let us know how far you get.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has a huge bank of football quizzes and they're all courtesy of Kwizly. If have another half an hour to spare and fancy taking on another colossal challenge, you can try to name every player ever to have scored a Premier League hat-trick.

We also want to find out whether you can name the first goalscorer of every Premier League season from 1992-93 all the way to 2026-27. You've forgotten this season's already, haven't you?

Last but not least, can you name every team in the top two divisions of women's football in England and every top flight team in men's football in England since 1945?

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As more clubs in the Premier League and Championship have moved from their historic homes into shiny new grounds, the impressive potential of stadium naming rights has made its way into the English game.

Renaming Highbury or Goodison Park would have been beyond the pale, not to mention a futile exercise in terms of what the supporters of Arsenal or Everton would have called them.

But nobody refers the Emirates Stadium as Ashburton Grove or the Hill Dickinson Stadium as Bramley-Moore Dock, and why would they? That's not what they're called.

Are Spurs limiting their transfer clout without a stadium sponsor?

Tottenham Hotspur have been in their new ground since 2019 and its name has been the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ever since. For supporters of a certain sensibility, it's been a breath of fresh air in a game where revenue is king.

That's not to say Spurs are commercially reluctant – they're anything but. Nevertheless, not referring in everyday chatter to the AIA Stadium or similar is a small relief for traditionalists.

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Premier League clubs are increasingly governed by the need to balance their football spending against their revenue, especially those playing regularly in Europe.

UEFA's squad cost ratio (SCR) regulations have been adopted, tweaked and repackaged in the Premier League as the successor to its risible Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The simple version is that SCR "limits Premier League clubs’ on-pitch spending to 85% of their football-related revenue and net profit/loss from player sales." The even simpler version is that clubs who want to spend money also need to make money.

Spurs are no exception, yet the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium remains resolutely unsponsored. Given the varied and constant use of the ground, whose ability to host concerts and other sporting events was central to its development, the door remains open to a windfall.

"We are in a highly competitive industry alongside a number of clubs with similar ambitions, and we will only look to partner with the most-respected, renowned brands that align to our club values and can bring something to our fan experience," a Spurs spokesperson told BBC Sport.

Clearly, the financial benefit of any such deal will be paramount when Spurs do sign over their stadium naming rights.

What that number might look like is unknown, but estimates in the region of £20 million per season several years ago now feel very much out of date, especially when the club in question is holding out for the big bucks.

Everton are bringing in a reported £10 million per season for the naming rights to the striking new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Arsenal's latest renewal of their Emirates deal, which extends far beyond the stadium alone, is understood to be worth £70 million a year.

Take out the shirt sponsorship and split the difference, and the potential value of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium naming rights comes into view. Build in the London factor, the sheer heft of the place as a venue and Spurs' willingness to wait for a suitable deal, and a figure around the £40 million should be achievable.

Fancy showing off your trivia talents? It's time for a brand new FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz! Can you answer 10 football questions in just 90 seconds?

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has tons more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. Let's go big and start in style. Can you name every player ever to have scored a Premier League hat-trick?

If you breeze into the high scores on that one, these will be meat and drink. We have 15 questions each on the Premier League in the 2016-17 season, the 2006-07 season and the 1996-97 season.

Staying in England's top division, we want you to name the first goalscorer in every single Premier League season and try to arrange these players in order of their Premier League appearances from most to least.

How well do you know your women's football? Here's a great way to find out. Can you list out every team currently competing in the WSL or WSL2, the top two divisions of the women's game in England?

Last but not least, we've got just the quiz for you if you just like listing football teams. Can you name every club to have played in England's top flight, either the First Division or the Premier League, since 1945?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Newcastle United found themselves in a hole against Bournemouth when they met in the Premier League last weekend.

Marcus Tavernier's early strike and a bizarre own goal from Malick Thiaw put the Cherries 2-0 up at St James' Park but Newcastle responded immediately with a Harvey Barnes pearler. Eventually, Jacob Ramsey added a second to salvage a point.

Anecdotally, it was one of those days when it feels as if the supporters deserve a slice of the credit. Noise and colour, colour and noise. The twelfth man might not show up in the numbers but every football fan knows its potential.

Will the Lions' roar be diminished this season?

It's a feeling, really. Most of us have to imagine it but it's hard to believe that the ferocious encouragement of thousands wouldn't have an effect. How could it not?

Even in the precise and professional world of Premier League football, atmosphere matters. Players might not be unduly intimidated even by the great cauldrons of the game nowadays, but the sense of uplift for the other side must be intoxicating.

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It's difficult to say what might theoretically happen when it's taken away or drastically reduced, but elsewhere in the Premier League there is a practical example about to get underway.

Aston Villa have already played in front of the building site that was the North Stand just weeks ago, but losing 1-0 at home to Arsenal doesn't tell anyone anything about anything.

On Saturday, Villa welcome Nottingham Forest to a three-sided Villa Park. The North Stand is being redeveloped without getting pulled down in its entirety. It will be closed for the duration of 2026/27 as Villa increase the ground's capacity ahead of the European Championship in 2028.

After another poor start, Villa need the backing of their diminished crowd. The visit of Forest will serve as a very unfair comparison with the second leg of last season's Europa League, when eventual winners Villa were swept to a second-leg win on a wave of roars.

The situation is different, certainly, but there was little expectation that Villa would get anything from the visit of Arsenal and that is not the case when Forest return.

Without the North Stand, Villa will need to get to grips with a strange environment that can only truly materialise when a football crowd feel like they're needed.

Villa's fans will get behind Emery's team against Forest and the Holte End will play its part as much as ever.

Not having a stand full of Villa supporters at the other end, bouncing back the noise and exchanging pleasantries with the away supporters who also used to occupy the very same seats before they were shunted around the corner flag into the Witton Lane Stand, will look and sound and feel unusual.

Over the coming months, the fans who make up Villa's limited capacity will have their work cut out for them. Every now and again, teams need the boost Newcastle got from their supporters against Bournemouth.

That one big nudge over the line can count for a lot. It can be worth a point where there were none. It can be worth three points where there was one.

As the songs of the Holte End echo back from the hollow around which the new-look and expanded North Stand shell is being built, overcoming the sheer weirdness of it all might well prove to be to Villa's tangible detriment.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has opened up on his summer departure to Juventus, as well as admitting the dressing room was 'not aligned' last season.

The 29-year-old Italian spent three seasons in North London after making the switch from Empoli in 2023. During his spell with the club, Vicario established himself as Tottenham's No. 1, making 81 appearances across all competitions.

However, his general level of consistency could not shield the team from a dismal 2025/26 campaign. Tottenham endured one of the most damaging seasons in their recent history, finishing 17th in the Premier League and narrowly escaping relegation to the Championship.

Vicario: 'Spurs dressing room was not aligned last season'

As part of an extensive summer overhaul aimed at resetting the culture, Vicario was allowed to return to Serie A by head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who had chosen not to field the goalkeeper during the final stretch of the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking to Sky Italia, the goalkeeper has expressed his gratitude towards De Zerbi, revealing that the manager acted with transparency when the opportunity to join Juventus materialised.

“I thank him, I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus,” Vicario said. “With me he was a real person, direct and above all a man of his word. He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind, he supported me and I will always be grateful to him.”

While Vicario held no grudges against De Zerbi, his comments regarding the wider team environment shed light on the deeper issues that undermined Tottenham’s league campaign.

Whispers of squad divisions, cliques, and conflicting agendas had lingered throughout their fight for survival, and the goalkeeper's reflection effectively confirms that key figures inside the building were pulling in opposite directions.

Acknowledging the dysfunction without going into detail, Vicario admitted: “There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now.”

Vicario’s departure was symbolic of a broader summer clear-out under De Zerbi, who actively dismantled a squad that proved unfit for purpose last term. As Vicario embarks on a fresh chapter in Turin, Tottenham face a significant rebuilding task, particularly after their start to the new league season, sitting third from bottom in the Premier League after three matches.

Burnley signed Jamie Vardy on Sunday, taking the former Leicester City striker off the free agent market after his spell in Italy with Cremonese.

The Clarets need Vardy to give them a lift. Months after relegation from the Premier League, Burnley are bottom of the Championship and winless after five matches. It's not going much better for Leicester in the division below.

Vardy and Leicester reached the heights together, winning the Premier League in 2015/16. The Foxes were in the Premier League as recently as 2024/25 and their precipitous slide shows no sign of slowing down.

What's happening at Leicester?

Last August, FourFourTwo visited the King Power Stadium to watch Leicester's first game back in the Championship and their first since Vardy's departure. His shadow was everywhere.

Leicester's opponents that day were Sheffield Wednesday, at the time the very definition of a crisis club. The away supporters took to the concourse early in the game by way of a protest against the club's owner.

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Leicester going down to League One with them wasn't in the script. Wednesday are top of the third tier now. Leicester have won one game and sit in 17th in the embryonic league table.

This is a football club touched by tragedy. The losses of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, Eric Swaffer and Izabela Lechowicz nine years ago have unavoidably affected the one-time Premier League winners. In Vichai's case, the direct impact over time has to be acknowledged.

Leicester have spent questionably in terms of quantity and quality in the subsequent years. Last season, with the Foxes heading for the drop for a second consecutive season, chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha blamed himself.

Long-term, a lack of sustainability and dalliances with the fringes of financial regulations tend to catch up with clubs. Those that stay at it on the pitch can weather it. Those that mirror their off-field decisions with footballing calamity are likely to find themselves in more than a spot of bother.

The buck for Leicester's decline stops in the boardroom but it's the more mundane, more immediate decisions that transform theory into application on a Saturday afternoon.

So numerous are Leicester's failings in recent years that it's necessary to draw one's own conclusions about where this path, the path that led them to the bottom of League One's middle, began.

Leicester were promoted to the Premier League in 2023/24 after they won the Championship. Enzo Maresca was their manager. Vardy scored 20 goals in all competitions.

Maresca left for Chelsea that June and Leicester have had five permanent managers since: Steve Cooper, a hero at rivals Nottingham Forest; Ruud van Nistelrooy, snubbed by Coventry City; Marti Cifuentes, who lasted six months in the Championship; Gary Rowett, who didn't even get that far and also managed relegated Oxford United; and Russell Martin, an extraordinary risk given his recent record.

Martin is the man tasked with getting Leicester back on the straight and narrow, at least on the pitch, but the same old story is playing out.

Leicester have won once this season. Martin's last league win before that was with Rangers. The last before that was with Southampton. Meanwhile, Leicester have the most possession by miles in League One and only two teams take more shots per goal scorer.

In Saturday's 4-0 loss at home against Oxford United, Leicester had 63 percent of the ball and fewer shots on target than the opposition. Their xG barely scraped above one goal.

The Foxes are at yet another pivotal point. Without getting things right on the pitch, the bigger problems will start to bite harder than ever. The decisions that are made above the manager carry more weight when the manager and players aren't capable of making their own merry way regardless.

According to reports this weekend, there are two familiar decisions for Srivaddhanaprabha to make. The first now seems unavoidable. The second could make or break a football club.

Kane's comments follow what was an intense summer at the 2026 World Cup with England, where the Three Lions were knocked out in the semi-final by Argentina.

The Bayern Munich striker believes his dedication to recovery and physical conditioning will allow him to emulate the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modric by extending his career at the highest level deep into his late 30s.

Having spent the summer leading the line in North America, Kane has reflected on how his personal perspective towards longevity has transformed as his career has progressed.

Harry Kane: 'I still want to be at the top level in my late 30s'

The 33-year-old says he feels more energised than ever to maintain his standing among Europe's elite goalscorers, using modern footballing legends as inspiration.

"I’ve said before that [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo they were just still getting better into their 30s and into their mid 30s," Kane explained during an interview with ex-Bayern midfielder and TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves. "I think I'm at that peak right now. I feel physically in a great place, mentally."

The England talisman stresses that entering his 30s has brought a newfound perspective on the finite nature of his professional career, prompting him to savour each and every milestone while paying closer attention to his body.

"I think at this stage you just try and cherish these moments," Kane added. "The moment I'm in right now, I feel so good - I'll say how can I just sustain this and just make sure that this lasts forever. As we know it, it won't - but when I see players like Messi and Ronaldo and Luka Modric and these players playing until late 30s or Ronaldo's in his 40s now, Luka is in his 40s, it gives me the motivation to be able to do that."

Central to Kane’s durability and goalscoring output is his commitment to off-pitch preparation. Far from relying strictly on natural talent, the Bayern frontman has detailed the work required behind closed doors to ensure he is fit for selection week in week out.

"I do a lot of work behind the scenes on recovery, on being fit, on making sure I'm available every game and I think that's a big aspect of scoring this amount of goals," Kane said, having bagged 73 times across all competitions last season. "I'll probably say the last six, seven years have been a big part of my career - I think as you get to kind of late 20s, you start to realise this career isn’t going to last forever."

Kane maintains that constant physical readiness is one of his main duties for both club and country, allowing him to stay sharp in front of goal and execute the roles asked of him on the pitch.

"I think availability is a really important thing for any team, any coach, and I try to make sure I'm there for my team and that allows me then to perform to the level where I do and score the goals that I score."

Bayern Munich are gunning for Champions League glory this season, and hope to be fired to victory by Kane's goals.

'The Breakdown: Harry Kane' premieres on TNT Sports 2 from 17:15 BST on Tuesday, September 8 and will be available on-demand via HBO Max

Arsenal conceded a goal on Sunday. Yes, you read that correctly.

After keeping out Coventry City and Aston Villa, the Premier League champions were breached by Chelsea in the second minute of their London derby.

The location of Morgan Rogers' volley was as significant as the fact that it beat Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

Arsenal's stifling defensive excellence is the stuff of champions

Rogers was inside the 'D' when the ball dropped to him after the Gunners failed to clear the ball from a set piece, the only shot from a sensible distance that Chelsea managed from within the width of the six-yard box.

It's not easy to score against a goalkeeper of Raya's quality from wider angles. Pedro Neto found some space on the right but hit the post with his shot. Estevao's shot produced the best save of the match. There was very little wrong with either beyond the degree of difficulty they had in the first place.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Arsenal limited the Blues to a total xG of 0.39, five shots on target and zero big chances. Villa's shot map was similar; Mikel Arteta's team are smothering opponents and already reaping the rewards.

Their defensive sturdiness is a compelling cause for optimism at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal are on the hunt for their first back-to-back titles since the 1930s.

Coventry and Villa were straightforward enough early-season opponents for various reasons but Chelsea, and indeed Community Shield quarry Manchester City, are regarded as potential title challengers.

The champions conceded just 27 goals in the Premier League in 2025/26, the fewest in the division. They gave up 89 shots on target; nobody else averaged less than three per game.

The lowest percentage of shots against that hit the target last term? Arsenal. That's a matter of chance quality and Raya is the best failsafe in the league.

They're at it again in 2026/27. Arsenal's opponents have mustered two shots on target per match and the Gunners are already benefiting from a willingness to force low-percentage efforts and trust Raya to tidy them up.

Ezri Konsa has joined Gabriel in standing guard in the middle, with William Saliba to return from injury at a later date. Their core mission is to anchor Arsenal's central defences, to keep down the quality of the shots faced by their goalkeeper.

Declan Rice's role out of possession shouldn't be overlooked either, not least because Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori – Arsenal's first scorer in Sunday's win over Chelsea – continue to combine their own defensive duties with the attacking burden of inverted full-backs.

In FourFourTwo's opinion, Arsenal are giving themselves a strong foundation from which to mount a title defence.

If they can maintain anything like last season's consistency in limiting big chances, there will be every chance they can still call themselves the Premier League champions this time next year.

Reports in Germany indicate Michael Olise is set to sign a massive new contract at Bayern Munich that will completely price Liverpool out of a move.

After breaking through the youth ranks and making his professional debut at Reading in the Championship, Olise earned himself a move to Crystal Palace. At Selhurst Park, his performances and creative output in the Premier League caught the attention of Europe’s elite.

Since arriving in Germany, Olise has taken his game to another level, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous attackers in world football, reportedly drawing the gaze of Liverpool's recruitment department.

Liverpool to look elsewhere after Michael Olise development

However, a return to English football now looks increasingly unlikely.

According to recent reports, Bayern are preparing to hand Olise a lucrative contract extension, one that includes an eye-watering release clause designed to deter potential suitors.

Historically, the Bavarian giants prided themselves on a refusal to include release clauses in player contracts, ensuring they held all the cards over any potential departures.

However, the shifting landscape of modern football has forced a change at boardroom level. Much like the agreement recently struck for Jamal Musiala, buyout clauses are becoming the new normal in Munich.

For Olise, Bayern are reportedly planning to insert an exit clause ranging anywhere from €150 million to €250 million (£126m–£211m), according to journalist Christian Falk.

Such an astronomical figure represents an insurmountable hurdle, even for a team like Liverpool. Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club operates with a strict financial model.

While they are certainly capable of making statement signings - evidenced by their recent captures of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola, all for in excees of £100m - obliterating their transfer record for Olise doesn't align with their financial reality.

Liverpool’s financial situation in the wake of recent arrivals dictates that they must be efficient with their remaining budget, finding value in the market rather than triggering world-record release clauses.

For many fans, the ex-Palace man would have been the dream acquisition but with Barcola now in the building, the requirement for a player of Olise's calibre has somewhat lessened.

Furthermore, the numbers required to pry him away from Germany are no longer viable given the Frenchman looks set to commit his prime years to Bayern, too.

Birmingham City owners have wanted to move the club to a new stadium since before any of their current team, unbeaten after five league matches this season, were born.

Tom Wagner is the latest, and the closest yet to putting concrete plans in place. Birmingham’s American owner suffered a stroke in February and Sunday’s Championship match against Wolverhampton Wanderers was the first he’s watched in person since.

Warmly welcomed back, Wagner saw something he already knew: Birmingham might need a new home to fulfil their long-term ambitions but they’re going to lose a lot when they finally say goodbye to the old one.

Birmingham have drawn their first three home fixtures

The Blues finished in the top 10 last season, a good way off promotion in the end, but eighth would be enough for a play-off place for the first time this season and then it’s anyone’s game. Sometimes it really isn’t about the journey.

It took Birmingham 10 matches to reach a third home draw last season and they won six of the others in their first year back in the Championship under Chris Davies. This season, they’ve drawn three out of three at St Andrew’s.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

In 2025-26, Birmingham were in the best four teams at home in the Championship and in the bottom four away. For a club with goals, the obvious objective is to keep the home form strong and capitalise on away improvements to climb the table.

One can be the differentiator, but only if the other remains the foundation.

Davies will still expect both of those outcomes to happen – football seasons don’t develop overnight – but the first home win of 2026-27 is yet to materialise.

Consecutive draws with Southampton and Wolves suggest a deeper truth. Birmingham couldn’t translate them into wins but they put in two positive performances to bag a couple of points against teams who’d back themselves to finish above Blues in April.

This West Midlands derby was every inch the Championship slobberknocker, brimming with chaotic end-to-end football that somehow culminated in Birmingham centre-back Phil Neumann stomping upfield late in the day to create a chance his manager felt should have been turned into a winner.

Davies praised Wolves’ attacking midfielder Fer Lopez after the game. The Spaniard knocked in the first goal of a pulsating 2-2 draw after Tomoki Iwata’s header went astray in the middle of the pitch.

Wolves were almost aggressively confident in possession after they got their noses in front but Birmingham earned their foothold, raised the tempo and dragged the visitors into a derby.

Jay Stansfield controlled a perfect pass from Patrick Roberts – Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto said with his arm, Stansfield insisted not – and thrashed in a tremendous equaliser.

Blues’ home wait goes on – it won’t go on for long

What followed was a Ladislav Krejci header from a corner that put Wolves back in front and one of the great own goals to make it 2-2.

Peixoto defended Jackson Tchatchoua to the hilt after the fact and did the same for Adam Armstrong, whose late miss would in another era have been guaranteed the next spot in a Danny Baker Christmas VHS.

Birmingham had their chances too, notably a header wide from captain Christoph Klarer, and both bosses were left to count the cost of what they considered two points dropped.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Davies won’t have to wait much longer to revel in three points at St Andrew’s.

Birmingham have the same fire at home as last season. The stadium feels the same when the Blues have their tails up and visiting teams still know they’re in for a game. It hasn’t yielded a win yet but it’ll come.

Replicating home wins away will go a long way in the short-term. Maintaining the formidable aura of St Andrew’s once it’s gone will be much more fruitful.

If the main reason is that Odegaard is free of the injuries that saw him miss 30 games last season for Arsenal and Norway, there can be no doubt that the No. 8 has a more determined mindset now. He seizes games more now.

At 27, Odegaard has come of age as a heavyweight footballer. He arrived at the top of the table with Arsenal in May and now at the top table with the world’s elite players.

For lovers of historical echoes there are reminders of the blossoming of Dennis Bergkamp’s talent in 1998. Arsenal had just narrowly won an FA Cup fourth-round tie at Middlesbrough in the January. Bergkamp was already on the coach outside the Riverside when Tony Adams strode down the aisle. Arsenal’s forthright captain stared at this supreme technician who adorned games but never imposed himself fully.

Martin Odegaard is having his Dennis Bergkamp moment at Arsenal

Adams challenged Bergkamp. “You’ve been two and a half years, Dennis,” he said. “Isn’t it time you won something? It would be a shame not to with your ability.” Suitably challenged, Bergkamp responded. He helped Arsenal to the Double, himself to Footballer of the Year honours and the Dutch to the semi-finals of the World Cup with that sumptuous strike against Argentina in Marseille.

There was no similar lightning strike of realisation in Odegaard’s career, no decisive home truths from a team-mate. But the change is still seismic. It’s a transformation that Odegaard has undergone under his own direction. Escaping the inhibiting clutches of knee and shoulder injuries has helped. The main change is psychological. He’s toughened up.

Odegaard is hurting opponents more now. When Ezri Konsa overwhelmed Morgan Rogers in a robust challenge, Odegaard responded quickest to the loose ball. He’s more decisive now, more progressive. Rather than circulating the ball, Odegaard went for the jugular, launching the move that climaxed with his well-timed run into the box, and emphatic finish.

So far this season, Odegaard has now beaten Chelsea’s Emi Martinez and Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who share the last three Yashin Trophies as world’s best keeper in Ballon d’Or voting. (Odegaard has also scored past Coventry City’s highly-regarded Carl Rushworth).

That goal against Martinez showed the level of understanding in Arsenal’s attack. Their new left-winger, Christos Tzolis, has quickly learned Odegaard’s movement and now twice picked him out for goals. Odegaard also benefits from Kai Havertz’s vision, notably in that dummy to ensure Tzolis’ cross reached him. The Norwegian’s connection on the right with Bukayo Saka (and Ben White) is well-established.

Odegaard’s influence is now felt all over. He’s taking more risks in his possession. Playing safe less. He found Havertz, Saka and Martin Zubimendi in quick succession during one period of particular control in the second half.

He’s pressing more assiduously, again helped by that superior fitness. He’s more robust physically and mentally, shrugging off a foul from Reece James.

As Gary Neville pointed out during Sky Sports' coverage, Odegaard needs more goals and assists. He has 37 of each in 179 Premier League appearances. Odegaard was legitimately criticised last season. Arsenal were more reliant on Declan Rice to drive them to the title in May. Odegaard still contributed, making six assists but scoring only once in 24 games. He’s graced seasons before, delivering impressive numbers, notably 15 goals and seven assists in 37 appearances in 2022/23. But never threatened being Footballer of the Year. He must surely look at Bruno Fernandes, see the numbers he generates, and realise the levels.

Being captain of the champions has changed many people’s view of him. It must have changed his view of himself. Nobody can say he’s not elite now. The summer helped, too. Odegaard’s performances against Ivory Coast and Brazil were immense, dragging Norway through some difficult moments in those knockout games (before losing to England).

There are elements to improve. He didn’t challenge Jorrel Hato strongly enough in the lead-up to Rogers’ goal. But his transformation is undeniable. Odegaard’s contract expires in two years and there will inevitably now be talk of an extension. On this form, he’s worth it.