Chelsea endured a disappointing return to the Champions League as they succumbed to a Harry Kane double in a 3-1 loss at Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening. The Blues – competing in Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2022-23 – played well for large spells but they could not build on Cole Palmer’s brilliant first-half strike as Vincent Kompany’s men emerged victorious at the Allianz Arena.

Enzo Maresca’s side started the game brightly, creating a few half chances through the marauding Malo Gusto down the right-hand side, but they fell behind when Michael Olise’s low cross was put into his own net by Trevoh Chalobah. And it looked like it was going to be a long evening for Chelsea when Moises Caicedo brought down Bayern star Kane inside the penalty area, with the England international converting the resulting spot-kick in emphatic fashion.

The visitors didn't give up, though, and they reduced the arrears just two minutes later when Palmer – Chelsea's main man once again – curled a beautiful effort past Manuel Neuer. However Maresca's men found it difficult to make inroads in the second half and after Gusto lost possession in a perilous position, Kane then latched onto Serge Gnabry's pass to kill the contest.

Here, GOAL rates the Chelsea players on show at the Allianz Arena…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (7/10):

He couldn't do anything to prevent either goal going in, but made good saves to prevent both Harry Kane and Michael Olise scoring in the second half.

Malo Gusto (6/10):

The right-back registered an assist after playing a brilliant one-two with Cole Palmer in the build up to Chelsea's goal, but lost the ball which led to Bayern's third.

Tosin Adarabioyo (5/10):

He missed the Olise cross that brought about Bayern's opener, taking an air shot as the ball came in, but it was fizzed in low and hard, to be fair.

Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):

Put through his own net as Bayern took the lead, but it was the type of cross which is always tough for defenders to deal with.

Marc Cucurella (5/10):

The Spain international had a difficult evening up against Olise, who got past him on a number of occasions.

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Reece James (6/10):

Lost the ball but then won it again as he launched the counter-attack that led to Palmer's strike.

Moises Caicedo (6/10):

Gave the penalty away with a rash challenge on Kane but went some way to making amends by carrying Chelsea forward for Palmer's goal.

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Cole Palmer (8/10):

Chelsea's brightest spark as usual, he bent a lovely curling effort past Manuel Neuer in the first half. He thought he had a second goal late on, which he took brilliantly, but he was offside.

Enzo Fernandez (6/10):

Operating further forward, the Argentine ace got into a couple of promising positions but was often thwarted at the last moment by Bayern's defence.

Pedro Neto (6/10):

The winger was lively on the counter but whenever he got into a good position, there was rarely anything on, meaning he was left to recycle possession.

Joao Pedro (5/10):

He was beaten by Olise in the lead up to Bayern's opener, while Chelsea's most promising moments fell to other players.

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Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

The wide man replaced Pedro Neto in the second half and made a few good bursts down the left-hand side.

Andrey Santos (6/10):

Replacing captain Reece James, the young midfielder thought he set up a second goal for Palmer, but the forward was narrowly offside.

Estevao (N/A):

A late second-half substitute, he didn't really have enough time to make an impact.

Enzo Maresca (5/10):

Opted to start Malo Gusto at right-back and while the former Lyon man provided an assist, he also contributed heavily to Bayern's third.

Wayne Rooney has revealed how playing a "brilliant" game on PlayStation played a "massive part" in Manchester United's success under Sir Alex Ferguson. Rooney helped United win 10 trophies in the latter stages of the glorious Ferguson era, including five Premier League titles and one Champions League.

• Man Utd players loved SOCOM game

  Rooney was an integral part of the dominant Manchester United side under Ferguson, which established themselves as one of the greatest teams in Premier League history. The legendary forward, who finished his career at Old Trafford as United's record goalscorer, has revealed how playing five-versus-five on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) army game SOCOM contributed to the Red Devils' success. 

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  'Big part of our success was playing on the PSP'

  Speaking on his BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show, the former England international said: "I really believe a big part of our success was playing on the PSP. It got us communicating more – we used to play it on the plane, on the team bus. It would be me, Rio [Ferdinand], Michael Carrick, John O'Shea, Wes Brown. You have to talk, you have to tactically be right, go and revive people when they get killed and it was a massive part of our success – ask any of those players, it was brilliant."

• One United star was left 'annoyed'

  Rooney, however, did admit that one United player was not a fan of the game, as he added: "How you played that game reflected that player, how they play the game. Michael Carrick was a little sneaky calm one, you would be lying down hiding and you'd hear a little grenade bouncing by where he'd thrown it. I was just all in, straight in, frontline of the trenches, get in there.

  "Edwin van der Sar used to get annoyed, because we're on the team bus and there's just shouting on the team bus all over the place where you are telling people where you are. Sometimes if they have got one player left, you communicate, so you flank them, go and get them. Van der Sar used to get annoyed and move, he used to try and get as far away from us as possible!"

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  What next for Ruben Amorim's United?

  Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim is now in charge of United, and guided the team to a much-needed victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday. They will next face Brentford away from home in the Premier League on September 27.

With transfer deadline day less than two weeks away, West Ham United are now reportedly in talks to sign an international star with an illustrious career.

West Ham still need attacking additions

Take Jarrod Bowen out of this West Ham attack and things suddenly look incredibly concerning for Graham Potter’s side. The 28-year-old remains their beacon of hope going forward and arguably their only reliable goalscorer despite spending big last year and in years prior. And that was exposed for all to see against Sunderland. The Hammers were blunt whilst the Black Cats put them to the sword on the opening day to secure a stunning 3-0 victory.

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He’s a wanted man…

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Whilst there’s still an incredibly long way to go in the Premier League campaign, that opening day defeat should have sparked plenty of concerns for everyone involved at the London Stadium, who still desperately need attacking additions before the transfer window slams shut.

Just where West Ham go from that opening day humiliation is the big question. Names such as Jamie Vardy have been mentioned among a number of targets as of late and it’s clear that the Hammers are targeting experience. Alongside the former Leicester City forward, a serial-winning attacker has also emerged as a late option for Potter’s side.

West Ham hold talks to sign Raheem Sterling

According to former Premier League scout Mick Brown, West Ham have now held talks to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea this summer. The experienced England international spent last season on loan without ever truly making his mark and is now back at Stamford Bridge among the players in desperate need of a late move.

Brown told Football Insider: “His agent has been speaking to a few clubs, in England and abroad, and I believe West Ham are one they have spoken to.

“That move would make sense because he’s worked with the manager before and they’ve got that relationship there already. I expect he will look and think he can still get the best out of him.”

At 30 years old, Sterling still arguably has plenty left to offer even after struggling at Arsenal last season. In a West Ham attack which desperately lacks quality, the former Manchester City man could take charge to finally offer Potter another reliable outlet alongside Bowen.

Appearances

659

Goals

194

Assists

151

Whilst his reported £325,000-a-week salary is an undeniable hurdle for West Ham to negotiate their way past, Sterling represents the attacking upgrade that they should push to sign before the deadline arrives.

And just like that, Arsenal are set to get their Premier League campaign underway later today.

Mikel Arteta and his side will be hoping it’s fourth time lucky this season, and they can finally get their hands on the trophy that has been tantalisingly close for some time now.

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While it’s going to require a Herculean effort from the entire squad, the Gunners have put themselves in a good position with their transfer activity this summer.

The likes of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres could be real game-changers for them, and with two weeks until the window slams shut, there is time for Andrea Berta and Co to get a couple more stars through the doors, such as Rodrygo.

However, with the Real Madrid ace now being linked to other teams like Tottenham Hotspur and, most recently, Manchester City, Arsenal might be wise to shift their attention to another winger they’ve been linked with this summer, a winger who has previously been compared to Thierry Henry.

Why Arsenal would want to sign Rodrygo

While they have somewhat slowed down over the last couple of weeks, likely due to the supposed growing interest from other teams, the stories linking Rodrygo with Arsenal were relatively constant earlier in the window, with many suggesting he would be able to leave Spain for a fee of around £78m.

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Now, that is undoubtedly an enormous sum of money for one player, but it’s not hard to see why the Gunners might be willing to spend so much on the Brazilian.

After all, he’s helped Real win two La Liga titles, two Champions League titles and a host of other trophies since moving to the club back in 2019.

On top of that, the 24-year-old has been a pretty reliable source of goals and assists in recent campaigns, scoring 14 of the former and providing 11 of the latter in 54 appearances last season.

Moreover, due to the other superstars in the side, the former Santos gem has been forced to play out of position for much of the last two years, making what he has achieved all the more impressive.

In short, Rodrygo is an effective winger with experience of playing at the very top of the game and winning the biggest prizes in club football.

However, as things stand, it doesn’t look like Arsenal are going to be the one to secure his services, and while that’s not ideal, they could forget all about him by going big for another winger touted for a move to N5 earlier this summer: Rafael Leao.

Why Arsenal should sign Leao

While they have not been as constant as with other targets and players of interest, there have been several stories linking Arsenal with a move for Leao this summer, with the price tending to be around the £77m mark.

Once again, that is a lot of money to spend on one player, but as is the case with Rodrygo, the AC Milan star would be worth every penny, and arguably a better signing than the Brazilian.

For example, despite playing for a team that struggled more than LOSC Lille last season, the former LOSC Lille ace still managed to score 12 goals and provide 13 assists in just 50 appearances.

Appearances

50

54

Goals

12

14

Assists

13

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

In other words, the 26-year-old dynamo averaged a goal involvement every other game, compared to the Real man, who averaged one every 2.16 games.

On top of being a slightly more productive player, the Almada-born “superstar,” as dubbed by writer Theo Mwangi, is also likely to be the more entertaining winger to watch, and the data shows as much.

According to FBref, the Milan man ranks in the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons per 90, whereas the Osasco-born international ranks in the top 20%.

Finally, if you still aren’t convinced that Leao is the man for Arteta and Co, then perhaps the words of his former manager, Stefano Pioli, will help.

It was back in 2022 that the Italian made the bold statement that his star winger “reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry, who started wide then came inside.”

While it might sound like a wild thing to say, given the Frenchman’s legacy in the game, it’s easy to see where he was coming from when you watch his highlights, as the Portuguese monster frequently gets down the left-hand side before cutting in and firing home.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive deal, Arsenal should do what they can to bring Leao to the Emirates this summer, as he could end up being an even better signing than Rodrygo.

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The England international could have a crucial decision to make very soon.

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Sheffield United are pushing for some late arrivals and could now be set to step up talks to bring a talented midfielder to Bramall Lane, according to a report.

Sheffield United turn to Danny Ings to provide firepower

After a dismal start to the EFL Championship campaign, Ruben Selles has turned to experienced forward Danny Ings to ignite his flailing attack after he left West Ham United under freedom of contract at the end of last season.

The 33-year-old has signed a one-year deal at Bramall Lane after impressing during a trial spell, and former Middlesbrough defender Tommy Smith believes he could be an ideal addition to offer an element of variety in the final third.

He stated on 72+: “It’s a decent move for Sheffield United. The one thing that they do need is a bit of experience in the group, I think Danny Ings will bring that.

“The key element for him is keeping himself fit which I believe he has done for the last couple of years, he’s just not had the game time that he probably craves and hopefully he gets that at Sheffield United.”

Manchester City defender Callum Doyle has been floated as a Blades target, albeit their lack of positive in recent times is unlikely to win any favour among a frustrated support.

Sheffield United could land the next Rak-Sakyi with move for "special" ace

Sheffield United could gift Ruben Selles his own Jesurun Rak-Sakyi with this summer move.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 6, 2025

Ultimately, recruitment can be the way out of a poor start by Selles in the dugout, though plenty of clubs will be fighting to sign players on the market between now and Monday’s deadline.

Nevertheless, Sheffield United fans can rejoice at some good news as they close in on a midfield signing that will add much-needed freshness in the engine room.

Sheffield United advancing in pursuit of Alex Matos

According to journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Sheffield United are advancing in negotiations to sign Chelsea midfielder Alex Matos before the deadline passes.

At this stage, it is unclear whether the 20-year-old will be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge on loan or whether his departure could be a permanent one after struggling to break through in West London.

Praised by Mauricio Pochettino for his “potential” while the Argentinian coach was in charge at Chelsea, Matos spent time out on loan at Oxford United last term and made 21 appearances across all competitions.

Versatile by nature, the former U’s man can feature in central midfield, wide on the right or as a number ten, while he has even enjoyed the occasional appearance as a centre-forward during his young career.

Sheffield United can look forward to his industrious presence in the engine room if they can close a deal for the Bedford-born man, who made 29 tackles on Championship duty last term, per Fotmob.

Time is of the essence for the Blades to recruit new faces and Matos could be an intelligent buy to offer a fresh perspective in the middle of the park.

وصلت بعثة فريق نادي نهضة بركان المغربي إلى القاهرة، استعدادًا لخوض مباراة السوبر الإفريقي أمام بيراميدز.

ويستضيف بيراميدز بطل دوري أبطال إفريقيا نظيره نهضة بركان المغربي بطل كأس الكونفدرالية في الثامنة من مساء السبت على استاد الدفاع الجوي بالقاهرة.

طالع.. علي جبر: بيراميدز لا يشبع بطولات.. وسنقاتل لحصد السوبر الإفريقي

وكان في استقبال البعثة لدى وصولها مطار القاهرة، مندوب من نادي بيراميدز لإنهاء الإجراءات والدخول حتى الوصول إلى فندق الإقامة.

ومن المقرر أن يؤدي الفريق المغربي أول تدريباته مساء اليوم بالملعب الفرعي لاستاد الدفاع الجوي، قبل أن يختتم تدريباته غدًا الجمعة على استاد الدفاع الجوي الرئيسي.

Ruben Amorim will be looking anxiously over his shoulder after Eintracht Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmoller revealed his love for Manchester United and made clear his desire to manage the club one day. Toppmoller is building an impressive reputation in the Bundesliga and has earned praise for developing emerging talents such as Hugo Ekitike and Omar Marmoush.

All eyes on under-fire Amorim

Amorim has endured a torrid time at Manchester United, they finished 15th last season, their worst finish in the Premier League era, and they lost the Europa League final to Tottenham in Bilbao. This season has brought more misery, the Red Devils were dumped out of the League Cup by League Two Grimsby and below-par performances have turned the heat up on the Portuguese boss.

AdvertisementAFPThe young German with a big reputation

In his first season, Toppmoller led Eintracht to a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga, securing their return to the Europa League. Last season he guided the team to third place in the Bundesliga, securing Champions League for the first time via the league. And they started Europe's elite competition by demolishing Galatasaray 5-1.

Dino's Topp target

Toppmoller told the Phrasenmaeher podcast: "Basically it's a dream to be at Frankfurt. It's simply a fantastic club. Here, as a teenager, I witnessed for the first time that my father was a Bundesliga coach. That naturally creates an emotional bond with the club. Thinking about abroad, I often played computer games as a child, always with one team – Manchester United. That would definitely nice some day because's it's an extraordinary club. When I was a teenager, Manchester United were along with Real Madrid the biggest club of all."

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Getty Images SportWill Toppmoller leave Frankfurt?

It's unlikely that Toppmoller will leave Eintracht in the immediate future, as he signed a contract extension until 2028 in May. But continued poor form for United could force Amorim out the door and very few have said 'no' to taking the top job at Old Trafford. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Antes mesmo da bola rolar, a torcida do Santos esboçava não admitir uma derrota para o rival Corinthians e ações mais enérgicas eram esperadas. Nesta quarta-feira (21), com o resultado negativo encaminhado, gritos contra o elenco, o técnico Odair Hellmann e o presidente Andres Rueda começaram a ecoar no estádio, junto de bombas e artefatos pirotécnicos que foram arremessados no gramado.

+ Até 70% OFF em produtos do Peixe para os torcedores fanáticos!

Enquanto a situação acontecia, os jogadores do Peixe e Odair esperavam no centro do campo os ânimos se acalmarem. Também hostilizado, Rueda não estava presente no estádio.

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Na parte de fora, antes da confusão se tornar generalizada, alguns torcedores do Santos tentaram invadir a Vila Belmiro, segundo policiais informaram à reportagem do Lance!. No meio disso, os oficiais isolavam as ruas para realizar a condução das torcidas organizadas até a saída.

A situação se espalhou pelas ruas da cidade. Na Rua Antônio Malheiros Júnior, paralela à Vila Belmiro, torcedores do Peixe chegaram a montar uma barricada e tentaram voltar para o estádio. Para retrucar, a polícia chegou com cavalos, viaturas e caminhões da tropa de choque e contra atacaram com balas de borracha, bombas, gás lacrimogêneo e jatos d’água. 

O efeito das bombas invadiu o estádio e os presentes começaram a se queixar do forte ardor ocasionado pela ‘praça de guerra’ na parte externa da Vila Belmiro.

NÃO FOI A PRIMEIRA VEZ

Um acontecimento parecido rolou com o Santos no confronto da Copa do Brasil 2022 diante do próprio Corinthians. Com a eliminação, bombas foram atiradas no gramado e a ação gerou uma punição para o clube de dois jogos sem torcida.

After enduring the summer of all summers at Anfield, Liverpool could still miss out on their top target amid interest from Real Madrid, who beat the Reds to Jude Bellingham back in 2023.

Isak delivers emphatic Liverpool statement

Alexander Isak was made to wait, but eventually he got his move. Arriving on deadline day in a deal worth around £125m, the Swede finally got his wish and will now be looking to go from a player on strike to a player back in action at his very best.

Joining Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo on Arne Slot’s list of attacking options, there’s a strong argument that Liverpool now have the strongest frontline in all of Europe. As such, it came as no surprise that Isak instantly set his sights on creating history in Merseyside.

Without their new star striker, Liverpool have not even got out of first gear but remain the only side in the Premier League with a 100% win record. Slot’s side needed late winners against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and, most recently, Arsenal as their rivals quickly became sick of the sight of the champions before the international break.

Now, those same rivals will be dreading the impact that Isak could make. It must be said, however, that he wasn’t the only top target on deadline day and after Liverpool hesitated, they’ve seemingly allowed Real Madrid to swoop in.

Real Madrid now eyeing Marc Guehi move

As relayed by reports in Spain, Real Madrid have now set their sights on signing Marc Guehi on a free deal when his current contract expires next summer. The defender looked destined for Anfield on deadline day after a deal was agreed and medical completed, before Crystal Palace pulled the plug in ruthless fashion.

Leaving the door for rivals to make their move when his contract expires, Liverpool could suffer an all too familiar hijack at the hands of Real Madrid. Of course, it wasn’t so long ago that the Spanish giants jumped ahead of the Reds to sign Jude Bellingham – who has thrived ever since – and pried Trent Alexander-Arnold away from Anfield this summer.

Isak can do the one thing for Liverpool that Haaland never did at Man City

The Swede could already hand the Reds one key advantage.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025

Liverpool should be desperate to avoid a repeat and secure the arrival of Guehi once and for all, either in January or next summer. Described as “calm and composed” by former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, the Crystal Palace defender looks set to have a big decision to make when the time comes.

Michael Olise is one of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's favourite players ever, with the Bayern Munich sensation paired with club legends Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Luca Toni. Olise has become among the best players in the world since his sensational switch from Crystal Palace to Bavaria in 2024. A phenomenal debut season at the Allianz Arena was rewarded with a Ballon d'Or nomination this year.

• Olise on course to become a Bayern Munich legend

  Since his £52 million (€60m/$70m) move from Crystal Palace to Bayern in the summer of 2024, Olise has quickly established himself as one of the Bundesliga's standout performers. In tough moments, he's become a key player for Bayern, alongside Harry Kane, proving to be a reliable go-to figure in crucial situations. The Frenchman hit double figures for both goals and assists in the Bundesliga as Bayern snatched the domestic throne back from Bayer Leverkusen.

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• Rummenigge pairs Olise with Robben and Ribery

  Speaking to , Rummenigge was asked which players he has liked the most. The iconic former striker said: "The attackers are the salt in the soup, as we say. Especially the wingers, like Ribery, Robben, and now Olise. And the centre-forwards. Even Luca Toni. He wasn't really convinced about coming to Bayern."

• A look at Olise's numbers for Bayern

  The 23-year-old has played 62 games for Die Roten and has already brought up a half-century of direct goal contributions. With 24 goals and 26 assists since his arrival at the Allianz Arena, no other player bar Kane has had as many direct goal involvements from Germany's top-flight across all competitions.

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  A move to Liverpool on the cards?

  Olise's exploits for Bayern have earned him a status as one of the best attackers in the world at the moment. His dominant displays and terrific returns saw him earn a nomination for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. However, despite just arriving over a year ago, question marks over the former Palace winger's future at Sabener Street have started to linger. There have been reports suggesting that Bayern inserted an exit clause in his five-year contract, with the clause becoming active next summer. Liverpool have been heavily linked with Olise, with the Premier League champions reportedly looking at the French star as a potential successor to Mohamed Salah.