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Champions League storylines: Arsenal win it all, PSG repeat, or Barca rebound?

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Champions League storylines: Arsenal win it all, PSG repeat, or Barca rebound?


The Champions League returns this week and some of the world’s biggest clubs are attempting to dethrone reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain by lifting the European Cup in Budapest, Hungary, next May. Six Premier League teams, Spain‘s heavyweights of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich will all back themselves to topple PSG, while Italian champions Napoli could be a dangerous outsider.

Matchday one — spread over three days — has thrown up some box office clashes including Bayern Munich against Chelsea, Newcastle at home to Barcelona and City against Napoli. So as club football’s most glamorous and prestigious competition resumes (sorry, FIFA Club World Cup fans), who are the players and clubs to watch out for, and where are the best storylines?

Can PSG go back-to-back and win it again?

The French giants won their first-ever Champions League last season in style, with Luis Enrique’s team recording a record 5-0 victory in the final against Inter Milan in Munich.

The Ligue 1 champions overcame four Premier League teams — Man City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal — on their way to the final, and their run to glory saw Ousmane Dembélé put himself in pole position to win the Ballon d’Or, with the winner set to be announced in Paris on Sept. 22. Désiré Doué, Vitinha, João Neves, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi also had outstanding seasons for Enrique’s team and their Champions League success sparked a debate about whether they could now have a period of dominance similar to those of Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent years.

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So, could they do it? PSG are largely unchanged from last season, although Gianluigi Donnarumma‘s move to Man City following the signing of Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier means a significant change of personnel. With a world-class coach and so many players at the top of their game, PSG are the team to beat and they have what it takes to go all the way again.

Is this Arsenal’s time?

With PSG ending their wait to become European champions last season, Arsenal are now arguably the biggest club who are still without a first Champions League title.

Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta said after last season’s semifinal exit against PSG that his team were the best in the competition, despite the defeat, and Arsenal have strengthened significantly during the summer. The addition of Viktor Gyökeres, Martín Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and others means there are no more excuses now for Arsenal and Arteta in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Arteta’s side start their campaign away to Athletic Club on Tuesday, which is a chance to make an instant statement that this can finally be their year. They have the quality and the depth, as well as the motivation of going so close last year; expect them to mount a serious challenge.

Can Napoli end Italy‘s long wait for glory?

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Marcotti: Højlund a ‘better version’ at Napoli than Man United

Gab Marcotti reacts to Rasmus Højlund’s debut goal for Napoli after joining on loan from Manchester United.

Only Spain (20) and England (15) have won more European Cups / Champions Leagues than Italy’s 12, but Serie A has not been able to lay claim to the European champions since Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich in the 2010 final.

Inter and Juventus have both lost twice in the final that 2010 success and although the two clubs are once again in the Champions League this season, Italy’s best chance of providing a winner is likely to come from Napoli. Antonio Conte’s team won the Scudetto last season, inspired by the goals of Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay, and they added the experience of Kevin De Bruyne — a Champions League winner with Manchester City in 2023 — during the summer.

Napoli’s matchday one clash with City at the Etihad will give us an early insight into their prospects of challenging to win the competition, but they have the firepower and the experience to go all the way and end Italy’s lengthy wait for success.

Can anyone stop Barcelona?

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Flick fumes at Spain’s use of Yamal after injury setback for Barcelona

Hansi Flick speaks about Lamine Yamal’s injury after returning from international duty with Spain.

If attacking threat was the key to winning the Champions League, Barcelona would be the clear favorites this time around. Hansi Flick’s team has the prodigious talent of Lamine Yamal, the seasoned goalscoring experience of Robert Lewandowski and the tricky pace of Raphinha, who topped the goals (13) and assists (8) charts in last season’s competition.

With Marcus Rashford, Ferran Torres and Swedish teenager Roony Bardghji also in his squad, Flick arguably has more potential goal- scorers than any other team. But as last season’s 7-6 aggregate semifinal defeat against Inter showed, it is Barcelona’s weakness at the back that gives opponents hope.

Only Slovan Bratislava, Salzburg and Feyenoord conceded more than the 24 goals that Barcelona let in last season — champions PSG conceded only 15 goals. But with the pain of last season likely to focus Barcelona minds, combined with the return to Camp Nou after two seasons at Montjuic, Barca have the squad to win the Champions League for the first time since 2015.

Will Alonso, Slot or Kompany strike for the new coaching generation?

If you want to win a Champions League, it usually helps to have a coach who has won it before or already reached a final.

The past four Champions Leagues have been won by coaches who had already lifted the ultimate prize: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid, 2022, 2024), Pep Guardiola (Man City, 2023) and Luis Enrique (PSG, 2025). And when Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea, 2021) and Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool, 2019) lifted their first European Cup, both had already suffered defeats in previous finals.

Hansi Flick, with Bayern in 2020, is the only first-time winner with no previous experience of a final since Zinedine Zidane guiding Real to the first of three successive titles in 2016. Enrique and Guardiola will both expect to go deep in this season’s competition with PSG and City respectively, but could a new coach break the mold and go all the way without previous final experience this year?

Xabi Alonso at Real and Liverpool’s Arne Slot could both tick that box, while Bayern Munich will expect Vincent Kompany to take the Bundesliga champions all the way. Antonio Conte (Napoli), Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) and Enzo Maresca (Chelsea) will all harbor hopes of success too, meaning the old guard may have to make way for a new name this season.

Who has the best chances from England’s “big six” participants?

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Nicol doesn’t care if Mohamed Salah is just a goal scorer

Steve Nicol defends Mohamed Salah from criticisms of his overall play after scoring a last-minute penalty to Liverpool’s win over Burnley.

The Premier League is over-represented in this season’s competition due to the success of its clubs taking its maximum allocation of four slots to six due to Tottenham winning the Europa League and England topping UEFA’s co-efficient table. Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and Newcastle make up England’s six-pack, but despite the strength of the Premier League, it hasn’t provided a Champions League finalist for the past two seasons.

With such a heavyweight contingent this time around, it seems inevitable that at least one English club will make it to the final, and we could even see an all-English final for the first time since Chelsea beat City in Porto in 2021.

Six-time Champions League winners Liverpool are England’s strongest contender and their pedigree in the competition makes them a formidable prospect, but Arsenal are strong and Chelsea have developed a knack of winning major trophies. City seem to be in a period of transition, but they still have Pep Guardiola and the goals of Erling Haaland, and Spurs now know what it takes win silverware after last season’s Europa League success.

With Newcastle also in the mix, it projects to a Premier League-heavy competition when we reach the knockout stages in 2026.

Who are the dangerous outsiders?

It’s been a while since a team from outside Europe’s major leagues won the Champions League — Jose Mourinho’s Porto in 2004 were the last to do so — and it is tough to envisage that changing this season. The best hope of a shock is one of the less-fancied teams from England, Germany, Spain, Italy or France going far in the competition and maybe even reaching the final.

Monaco could be worth a watch with both Paul Pogba and Ansu Fati attempting to reignite their careers with the Ligue 1 side, while Eintracht Frankfurt have shown an incredible ability to find new players to replace departed stars. Can they do it again after the exits of Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike this year?

Villarreal have twice reached the semifinals, losing to Arsenal in 2006 and Liverpool in 2022, while Athletic Club went close in last season’s Europa League before being knocked out by Manchester United. Club Brugge were a surprise package in last season’s competition, while Olympiacos ended Greece’s wait for a European trophy by winning the Conference League in 2024.

If any of the above can reach the final, it would be a major surprise.

Don’t forget the fairytale stories

The Champions League is rarely about the minnows. It is the competition that is dominated by — and won by — the world’s biggest and richest clubs. But every season throws up a shock and a team that has reached the League Stage the hard way by ploughing through the qualifying rounds.

Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol pulled off a massive shock by beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the Santiago Bernabeu in Sept 2021, while Rubin Kazan (Barcelona 2009), Young Boys (Man United, 2021) and Maccabi Haifa (Juventus, 2022) have also delivered major upsets in the early stages of the Champions League. Pafos FC (Cyprus), Qarabag FK (Azerbaijan), Bodo / Glimt (Norway) and Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) have all made it to the League Stage and their ambition will be to claim at least one victory despite being rank outsiders.

Keep an eye on Bayern Munich’s trip to Pafos this week and Kairat’s home game against Real Madrid on matchday two as potential upsets.



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Two Man United flops steal show for new clubs

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Two Man United flops steal show for new clubs


Two Manchester United flops delivered reminders of their qualities throughout Europe at the weekend.

Winger Antony and goalkeeper André Onana were stars of the show at the weekend.

Brazilian winger Antony scored two goals for Spanish club Real Betis in their 3-0 win against Mallorca in LaLiga.

Antony first cut inside from the right wing and played a sharp one-two before firing a low left-footed shot home from outside the box.

For his second goal, he again cut inside from the right onto his stronger foot and curled a strike into the far corner.

Antony found his best form hard to come by with United, who signed him for £81 million ($107m).

After just nine goals for United, he has already matched that tally with Betis who he originally joined on loan in January, before helping them to the UEFA Conference League final.

His move has since become a permanent deal. Goalkeeper Onana, another big-money arrival who struggled to find his best form in England, turned in a similarly eye-catching display in Turkey at the weekend.

Onana helped Trabzonspor salvage a goalless draw in the Istanbul derby against Galatasaray.

Galatasaray had six shots on target but were thwarted by Onana, who made a late stop to earn a point for his new club.

The Cameroon goalkeeper is on loan away from Man United but sources told ESPN he has no clause for Trabzonspor to make the move permanent, so he could feature at Old Trafford again.

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Not every former United struggler was able to light up their new league, though.

Rasmus Hojlund was substituted by Napoli in their goalless draw against Como. He has previously scored twice in Serie A since joining Napoli on loan.

Jadon Sancho came off the bench for Aston Villa who were beaten at Liverpool.



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Sources: QB Daniels dislocated elbow in loss

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Sources: QB Daniels dislocated elbow in loss


LANDOVER, Md. — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow during the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, sources told ESPN.

He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis and help determine a recovery timeline. Daniels is expected to be sidelined indefinitely, but it is uncertain whether his season is over, according to sources.

Daniels was hurt with 7 minutes, 39 seconds remaining — and Washington trailing 38-7 — when he scrambled to his right and was sacked at the Seattle 4-yard line by Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas. Daniels’ left elbow was bent back on the tackle, and he was visibly in pain.

“I’m gutted by it,” said Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who did not offer an update on the severity of Daniels’ injury after the game, saying only that it was his left elbow.

The remaining fans at Northwest Stadium gasped when they saw Daniels go down in pain, followed mostly by silence as they watched him be tended to by the medical staff.

Multiple teammates took a knee, some near Daniels. Eventually, most of his teammates surrounded him as a cart was sent. But Daniels instead walked to the locker room with a black air cast on his left, non-throwing elbow.

“Gut-wrenching,” right guard Sam Cosmi said. “You could just hear the air [come] out of everybody in the stadium. Not a good feeling to see that for sure. It really sucks.

“I put my head down and prayed for him. You don’t want to see that. … That’s our guy. It sucks.”

It’s the latest blow in a season gone awry for Washington (3-6). The Commanders have been hit hard by injuries, with multiple starters already on injured reserve: running back Austin Ekeler, defensive ends Deatrich Wise Jr. and Dorance Armstrong, safety Will Harris and receiver Noah Brown. Receiver Terry McLaurin did not play Sunday and has now missed five games because of a quad injury.

But Daniels represents hope for Washington’s present and future. A year ago, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft led the Commanders to a 12-5 record and the franchise’s first appearance in the NFC Championship Game since the 1991 season.

However, his encore has proved bumpy because of injuries to himself and others. It’s the third injury this season for Daniels and appears to be the most serious. He missed two games because of a sprained knee and one because of a hamstring injury, with Marcus Mariota replacing him.

“Just distraught,” tight end Zach Ertz said. “I care about Jayden the person much more than the player. The player is phenomenal, one of the best players in the league. He meant so much to me, to see him down like that in pain is tough. Football is a tough sport, a physical sport. To see injuries like that is difficult.”

Daniels had become a team leader, a player teammates gravitated toward.

“JD is one of them ones,” linebacker Frankie Luvu said. “He’s a special kid, and to see him go down like that, it’s scary. He’s a true dog, and I’m going every Sunday with him.”

According to ESPN Research, Daniels was pressured on a career-high 51% of his dropbacks Sunday night, including 61% in the second half. He was hit 14 times, according to TruMedia, the second most he had been hit this season. In Week 2, Daniels was hit 17 times against Green Bay, with one of those hits to his knee resulting in a sprain and two-week absence.

Despite the pressure and Washington trailing by 31 points Sunday night, Quinn said he did not consider taking Daniels out of the game.

Quinn said Daniels suffered the injury during a play that is usually a handoff or a throw to the flat. Daniels didn’t hand off to running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., but nobody was open in the flat and there was instant pressure.

“You don’t want to think that way where an injury could take place,” Quinn said. “It wasn’t a designed read or play to that spot. If we run it 50 times, it’s either a handoff or throw 50 times. So, yeah, it’s a bummer, man.”

Daniels completed 16 of 22 passes for 153 yards and 1 interception before exiting. He also ran for 51 yards and one touchdown.

Mariota will start in place of Daniels when the Commanders host the Detroit Lions next Sunday. Mariota said he and the other quarterbacks checked on Daniels in the trainer’s room after the game.

“Football is a violent game, something we understand going into it, but that being said, it still hurts,” Mariota said. “We all talked about it afterward, just being there for him. Making sure he feels supported and know he’s not doing this alone is important for us.

“He’s always in good spirits. He’s an incredible person in that sense.”



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Transfer rumors, news: Kane considering shock Barcelona move

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Transfer rumors, news: Kane considering shock Barcelona move


Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is considering a shock move to Barcelona, while Liverpool are keeping tabs on recent Fulham signing Kevin after his impressive start to the season. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

Transfers home page | Men’s grades | Women’s grades

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TRENDING RUMORS

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is considering a shock move to Barcelona next summer, Sport has revealed. The England international is arguably in the form of his life this season, having scored 22 goals in just 15 appearances to date. However, a €65 million release clause in his Bayern contract will be activated at the end of the campaign — potentially opening the door to a transfer away from the club. Nevertheless, Sport also claims that Kane, 32, won’t make a firm decision over his future anytime soon.

Liverpool are keeping tabs on recent Fulham signing Kevin after his impressive start to the season, says Football Insider. The Reds recently sent their chief scout to watch the 22-year-old forward, who arrived at Craven Cottage this summer from Shakhtar Donetsk in a £34.6 million deal. And while the Brazil U-20 international is yet to score for Fulham, he has impressed of late with his dribbling ability and chance creation.

Manchester United are continuing to look at Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January transfer window, TEAMtalk reports. Semenyo, 25, has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, with nine goal involvements in his 10 matches. As such, United continue to track his development ahead of a potential future £60 million move. Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is also “fast emerging as a key target” in 2026 at around £70 million.

Paris Saint-Germain are among the admirers of Dayot Upamecano as the Bayern Munich defender’s contractual stand-off continues, Fabrizio Romano reports. While the Bundesliga champions wish to retain the 27-year-old, as things stand he’ll be free to leave the club next summer when his contract expires. A host of other European clubs are also said to be monitoring his situation at Bayern, with Chelsea and Liverpool recently linked. Bayern’s director of sport Max Eberl, meanwhile, has not given up on the idea of Upamecano extending his deal, recently stating: “We should be able to make it happen.”

EXPERT TAKE

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Moreno: Marcus Rashford has exceeded expectations at Barcelona

Ale Moreno has been impressed by Marcus Rashford’s resurgence since joining Barcelona on loan.

OTHER RUMORS

– Manchester United and Tottenham have Everton center-back Jarrad Branthwaite on their radars at around £70m. (Caught Offside)

– United are also keen to bring in former Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window (Ekrem Konur)

– Chelsea want to extend Moisés Caicedo‘s contract, having tentatively opened negotiations with the midfielder back in August. (Fabrizio Romano)

– FC Porto are willing to listen to offers to sign Spain forward Samu Aghehowa in the region of €80m, below his €100m release clause. A reported target of Chelsea and Tottenham, the 21-year-old has a contract until June 2029. (Estadio Deportivo)

– Tottenham and Atletico Madrid are battling to sign River Plate center back Lautaro Rivero, 22, who has a €100m release clause. (La Razon)

– Barcelona face competition from Arsenal for the signature of French wonderkid Laciné Megnan-Pavé. Montpellier are keen to retain the 15-year-old and are planning on offering him a three-year contract when he turns 16. (Sport)

Neymar could end up reuniting with Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, with his Santos contract about to run out. (Ekrem Konur)

Richarlison is open to leaving Tottenham Hotspur if the right offer arrives, with Flamengo, Everton and Orlando City among his suitors. (Ekrem Konur)

– Wolverhampton Wanderers have shortlisted Middlesbrough’s Rob Edwards and former boss Gary O’Neil in their search for a replacement for Vítor Pereira. (Sky Sports News)

– Fiorentina are “getting closer” to sacking manager Stefano Pioli and are already sounding out potential replacements. (Nicolo Schira)

– Athletic Club have shortlisted three coaches as possible replacements for Ernesto Valverde, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola among them. (La Razon)

– Former Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi could be the next Genoa manager, replacing the sacked Patrick Vieira. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– Senior Southampton players would welcome the return of Russell Martin as manager, following Will Still‘s dismissal over the weekend. (TalkSPORT)



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