Marcus Rashford was left out of Barcelona’s starting XI against Getafe on Sunday after arriving two minutes late to the team’s morning check-in, according to ESPN. The 27-year-old forward had been expected to start following his midweek brace against Newcastle United in the Champions League, but coach Hansi Flick’s strict punctuality rule saw him relegated to the bench. Rashford arrived at 9:32 a.m. for a scheduled 9:30 a.m. report time, with the squad due to meet before an 11 a.m. activation session. Flick has a zero-tolerance policy on lateness, with several players having previously been dropped for similar infractions. Raphinha was benched just last weekend against Valencia for arriving late, while Jules Kounde and former goalkeeper Inaki Pena have also fallen foul of the rule. Rashford entered at halftime and made an impact, assisting Dani Olmo’s goal in the 3-0 victory after Ferran Torres netted a first-half brace. The England international, on loan from Manchester United, is beginning to settle in at Barcelona. After failing to produce in his first four games, he has now contributed two goals and two assists in his last three appearances. Barcelona will return to action on Thursday with a La Liga trip to Real Oviedo, aiming to extend their unbeaten start to the season. Source: Tribuna.com

Bournemouth midfielder Justin Kluivert has entered the Guinness World Records. On November 30, 2024, in a match against Wolverhampton (4:2), the 26-year-old Dutchman scored three penalties. This is the most penalties scored by a single player in a Premier League match. Recall that Justin’s father, Patrick Kluivert, became the youngest player to score in a Champions League final at 18 years and 327 days, when he scored the only goal in the 1995 final for Ajax against Milan – 1:0. This season, Kluivert has played 5 matches for his club but has not yet registered any goal contributions. Source: Tribuna.com

Manchester City played their opening Champions League clash with Napoli on Thursday evening, while Arsenal had played theirs against Athletic Club on Tuesday. After the 1-1 draw between the sides on Sunday, Bernardo Silva vented about the fixture scheduling, which left a 50-hour disparity in recovery time between Arsenal and Man City ahead of the clash. “I am saying this because we didn’t lose. If we lost, I wouldn’t say this,” he said after the game. “But the reality is we cannot come to one of the most important games in the season with such a disadvantage, in terms of rest. “It is not fair to play one of these games like this. It is just not right. They had five days, and we had two and a half days. In one of the most important games, this cannot happen. “I wasn’t feeling in a perfect condition to play like this, and people who have not played at the highest level don’t know how it feels to play a game like this. “They don’t listen to us. It is what it is. We would like to change something. But it never changes. It does not really matter, but for the fans, for the respect of the clubs, and for the fairness of the competition, I don’t think what happened today was good.” Source: Tribuna.com

Juventus icons Pavel Nedved and Andrea Agnelli, along with other former executives, are facing the prospect of lengthy prison sentences over the ongoing capital gains scandal, according to reports. The Prisma investigation, launched in 2021, has examined Juventus’ financial dealings, including alleged fictitious capital gains and false corporate disclosures. former president Agnelli, vice president Nedved, Fabio Paratici, Cesare Gabasio, Stefano Cerrato, and Maurizio Arrivabene all requested plea bargains earlier this year. The terms include suspended sentences: Agnelli for one year and eight months, Nedved for one year and two months, and Paratici for one year and six months. Gabasio and Cerrato face lesser terms, while Arrivabene seeks acquittal. The ruling is expected soon from the Rome court, though there may be a short delay. Acceptance of the plea bargains could close one of Serie A’s biggest scandals and allow figures like Agnelli to eventually return to football. Juventus were already hit with a 10-point deduction in 2023 and barred from European competition. The final decision could mark the end of a turbulent chapter in the club’s history. Source: Tribuna.com

Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona could be set for a historic night at the Ballon d’Or Gala in Paris, with both Lamine Yamal and Vicky Lopez tipped as frontrunners for the Kopa Trophy. Yamal, 18, is the reigning winner of the men’s award, which crowns the best U21 player in the world. The winger is again among the ten nominees this year and is seen as the clear favorite to retain the prize. His name would join a strong Barcelona tradition in the award, after Pedri (2021) and Gavi (2022) also lifted it. In the women’s category, introduced for the first time this year, Vicky Lopez, 19, is one of five candidates. The midfielder stands out as the leading contender to win the inaugural edition, competing against Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid), Michelle Agyemang (Arsenal), Wieke Kaptein (Chelsea), and Claudia Martinez Obando (Olimpia de Asuncion). The Kopa Trophy, created in 2018 and voted on by former Ballon d’Or winners, could thus deliver Barcelona a double triumph if both Yamal and Lopez prevail. Source: tribuna.com

Andre Onana’s time at Manchester United appears to be drawing to a close, with reports suggesting the goalkeeper is unlikely to return to Old Trafford after his loan spell in Turkey. Fabrizio Romano has revealed that both the club and the player view his United chapter as ‘almost closed’, with little expectation of him continuing beyond this season. “Man United and Andre Onana himself see his United chapter as almost closed. It’s very difficult to imagine Onana staying at United beyond this season. The feeling today is that it’s over,” Romano said on his YouTube channel. The 29-year-old is currently on loan at Trabzonspor for the 2025–26 campaign, though the deal does not include an option to buy. His move came after losing the starting role at Old Trafford to Altay Bayındır, while the summer arrival of Belgian keeper Senne Lammens further pushed him down the pecking order. Source: tribuna

Ruben Amorim has delivered a timely fitness boost for Manchester United ahead of their matchweek five clash against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday. United head into the clash on the back of a humbling 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby a result that underlined what has been their poorest start to a league season in 30 years. With just one victory so far, snatched late on against newly-promoted Burnley before the international break, the Red Devils sit 14th in the Premier League with four points from a possible 12. Amorim, however, will be encouraged by the return of key players. Both Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount, sidelined since matchweek three against Burnley, are expected to be back in the squad for Saturday’s showdown with Chelsea. That leaves just two senior absentees for United, Lisandro Martinez, who is still recovering from a serious knee injury, and Diogo Dalot, whose muscular issue keeps him unavailable. ‘(Diogo) Dalot is out. Mason is in the squad, and Cunha is in the squad. Licha (Lisandro Martinez) is still out,’ Amorim told reporters in his pre-match press conference as he provided an update on the condition of his squad. Cunha had limped off during the opening half of the Burnley fixture before the international break, while Mount was withdrawn at half-time in the same match and consequently sat out the trip to the Etihad Stadium. The new campaign has barely passed the one-month mark, yet United’s record already makes grim reading. Two defeats in their opening four league outings have been compounded by a humiliating EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town. Their only win so far came at Old Trafford against Burnley, where a stoppage-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes salvaged a 3-2 win despite their superiority throughout the contest. Since Amorim’s appointment on Matchday 12 of last season, no current Premier League side has returned worse figures just 31 points collected from 31 fixtures, with a negative goal difference of 13 underlining the scale of the club’s struggles. With a whole week of preparation, the Portuguese manager will be eager to extend his side’s unbeaten run against Chelsea to 13 games knowing that a defeat could trigger the infamous ‘club statement’ which has already marked the exit of five of United’s last six managers. Source: footballtalk

Benfica have appointed Jose Mourinho as their manager on a deal until the summer of 2027. Mourinho, 62, succeeds Bruno Lage, who was sacked after the shock Champions League defeat against Qarabag on Tuesday. The former Chelsea boss returns to management less than a month after being dismissed by Fenerbahce following a Champions League play-offs defeat by his new club Benfica. Mourinho began his managerial career with Benfica in 2000 but took charge of only 10 games and left following a dispute with the club president. “The promise is very clear – I will live for Benfica, for my mission,” said Mourinho. “I’m not the important thing – Benfica is important.” His new deal at Benfica includes an option for the club and Mourinho to decide not to continue for another season up to 10 days after the end of the 2025-26 campaign. Lage was sacked despite losing just one game across all competitions this season and Mourinho inherits a side that sit sixth in the Primeira Liga, five points adrift of leaders Porto, but with a game in hand. His first game back at the Lisbon-based club is on Saturday at 18:00 BST when they travel to 17th-placed AVS. The Portuguese, who famously gave himself the moniker ‘the special one’ in 2004, returns to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Champions League on 30 September. Source: bbc

In an electrifying start to their Champions League campaign, Marcus Rashford showcased his exceptional talent by scoring twice to lead FC Barcelona to a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Thursday night. The match marked Rashford’s first appearance in the famous Barcelona colours, and he wasted no time in making his mark. The England international opened the scoring with a powerful header in the 23rd minute, connecting perfectly with a cross from the left flank. His precise positioning and aerial prowess left Newcastle’s defence scrambling, setting the tone for an impressive performance. Rashford’s second goal came shortly after the half-time break, as he produced a dazzling individual effort. Receiving the ball just outside the box, he elegantly weaved through the Newcastle defense before unleashing a stunning strike that found the back of the net, sending the travelling Barcelona fans into raptures. Marcus Rashford ranked first or joint first for Barcelona for shots (6), touches in the opposition box (10), dribbles (5) and possession won (6) tonight – he was the first Barca player to produce those numbers in a Champions League match since Lionel Messi back in 2015. Barcelona, the reigning La Liga champions, displayed their dominance throughout the match, controlling possession and creating numerous chances. Newcastle, while spirited in their approach, struggled to convert opportunities into goals, with Barcelona’s defence holding firm. The victory not only marks a strong start for Barcelona in the prestigious tournament but also highlights Rashford’s rapid adaptation to his new surroundings. Following the match, he expressed his delight at contributing to the team’s success, stating, “It’s a great feeling to score and help the team win. We’re off to a strong start in the Champions League, and I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.” As the group stage progresses, Barcelona will be keen to build on this momentum, with their next challenge set to be a home fixture against a formidable opponent. Meanwhile, Newcastle will look to regroup and find their footing as they seek to bounce back from this setback. Source: leadership, optajoe

Goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku saw City get our 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign off to a flying start as Pep Guardiola’s side overcame 10-man Napoli 2-0 at the Etihad. Antonio Conte’s Italian champions had been reduced to 10 men early in the first half after skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo was shown a red card by referee Félix Zwayer for a foul on Erling Haaland after a VAR check. Kevin De Bruyne’s emotional return to the Etihad was then cut short on 26 minutes. Though the visitors defended stubbornly, City made our numerical advantage when that man Haaland – who else – broke the deadlock with a brilliant 56th minute header to become the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the Champions League. It meant the Norwegian had reached the half century in just 49 games, easily overtaking previous record holder Ruud van Nistelrooy who reached it in 62. City then deservedly doubled our advantage thanks to a superb solo effort from Jeremy Doku, the strike rounding off a fine display from the Belgian winger to ensure our European campaign hit the ground running. Erling has now amassed 50 goals in 49 Champions League appearances with Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and more latterly City. It saw him become just the tenth player to reach 50 goals and now the fastest to achieve that feat with Ruud van Nistelrooy the previous fastest to reach the half century from 62 matches. Source: yahoosports