European Super Football

Sporting 0 - 1 Arsenal  Kai Havertz struck in stoppage time to give Arsenal a slender advantage over Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final Author | DJ Stadium | Estádio José Alvalade Introduced after the interval, Havertz reacted quickest late on to guide the ball beyond Rui Silva and hand the Premier League leaders a narrow lead ahead of the return at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal arrived under scrutiny following successive defeats, their first such run of the season, and there were early signs of unease when Maxi Araújo rattled the crossbar after being released by an incisive pass from Ousmane Diomande. Watch | Highlights from Arsenal’s official YouTube account Despite controlling possession for long spells in the opening half, Arsenal struggled to fashion clear openings. Their best chance came in unusual fashion as Noni Madueke struck the bar directly from a corner. Sporting remained dangerous on the break They went close again when Araújo surged forward ...

Southampton 2 - 1 Arsenal  Arsenal’s hopes of a domestic double were ended by a late goal from Shea Charles Author | DJ Stadium | St. Mary's Stadium The defeat marked Arsenal’s first match since their EFL Cup final loss to Manchester City and followed an international break in which 11 of their players withdrew from national duty through injury. Despite that disruption, Mikel Arteta was able to name a strong side featuring Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes, with the visitors intent on regaining momentum. Yet for all Arsenal’s control of possession, it was Southampton who fashioned the clearer chances. Their direct approach, looking to play quickly in behind the defence, unsettled Arsenal throughout and extended a 14-match unbeaten run for the Championship promotion hopefuls. The breakthrough arrived in the 35th minute. White misjudged the flight of a delivery from James Bree, allowing Ross Stewart to bring the ball under control and dispatch a composed f...

Arsenal 0 - 2 Manchester City Manchester City brought an emphatic end to Arsenal’s pursuit of a historic quadruple with a deserved Carabao Cup final victory. Authors | Macca and DJ Stadium | Wembley Nico O’Reilly struck twice in the space of four second-half minutes as Pep Guardiola’s side asserted their authority over the Premier League leaders with a performance of real control and incision. It proved a bruising afternoon for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, whose decision to persist with Kepa Arrizabalaga in this competition, ahead of first-choice David Raya, unravelled at a crucial moment. Kepa presented City with the opening goal just past the hour, spilling what should have been a routine cross from Rayan Cherki and allowing O’Reilly to capitalise with a stooping header. Watch | View from the stands at Wembley. Video uploaded from Shorts LM O’Reilly added a second soon after, arriving unmarked at the far post to meet Matheus Nunes’ delivery with another firm header, prompting Guardiola...

Arsenal 2 - 0 Bayer Leverkusen (Arsenal won 3-1 on aggregate) It was a relatively straightforward night for Arsenal as their quadruple dreams stay alive. Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium Goals from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice guided Arsenal to a comfortable win over Bayer Leverkusen, as the Gunners booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals. They will face Sporting in the last eight after the Portuguese side produced a remarkable turnaround, overturning a three-goal deficit to score five against Bodo/Glimt. Arsenal began the tie level on aggregate with the German side, following Kai Havertz’s late penalty in last week’s 1-1 draw, and ensured Leverkusen never settled during a dominant first half. Gabriel twice threatened from Arsenal’s trademark corners, but Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich produced a pair of fine saves to keep the score level. He was left with no chance for the opening goal, however, as Eze controlled the ball on the edge of the area, turned s...

Where did all go wrong? Two draws and four defeats for Premier League sides in the Champions League Author | Josh T Real Madrid’s ruthless dismissal of Manchester City summed up a chastening 24 hours for the Premier League, with its claim to be the world’s strongest league placed under uncomfortable scrutiny. City now face a daunting task to keep their Champions League hopes alive after suffering a similar, though less chaotic, fate to Tottenham, who were beaten 5-2 by Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital a day earlier. Federico Valverde’s superb first-half hat-trick has left Real firmly in command of the tie, the Spanish champions carrying a 3-0 lead into the second leg of this last-16 encounter. The result capped a sobering run of outcomes for England’s leading clubs, all of whom now have work to do to preserve their involvement in Europe’s premier competition. The ok, the bad and the ugly for other sides Chelsea also unravelled after the interval, slipping to the same scoreline as...

Arsenal 1 - 0 Chelsea (Arsenal won 4-2 on aggregate) Arsenal moved to within one game of their first major trophy since 2020 Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium Holding a 3-2 advantage from the first leg, Mikel Arteta’s side were made to wait until the seventh minute of added time to confirm their progress on a nervy night at the Emirates Stadium. Kai Havertz, introduced from the bench, delivered the decisive moment, rounding Robert Sánchez before calmly rolling the ball into an empty net. Arsenal, who sit top of the Premier League and remain alive in three cup competitions, will meet either Manchester City or Newcastle at Wembley next month. The sense of occasion was unmistakable, even if the contest itself was often tight and attritional. How Arsenal and Arteta booked a trip down Wembley Way The hosts began on the front foot but found space hard to come by against a Chelsea side set up in a back five, with clear chances at a premium before the interval. Liam Rosenior attempted t...

Club Brugge 0 - 3 Arsenal Noni Madueke struck twice as Arsenal swept past Club Brugge to preserve their perfect Champions League record. Author | DJ Stadium | Jan Breydelstadion Mikel Arteta made five changes after the defeat at Aston Villa and it was one of those introduced who made the early difference. Madueke drifted past a defender before unleashing a fierce effort from 20 yards that clipped the underside of the bar on its way in. Club Brugge threatened briefly before half-time as Christos Tzolis and Aleksandar Stankovic forced sharp stops from David Raya, but Arsenal reached the interval with their lead intact. Madueke added his second just after the restart, heading in Martin Zubimendi's precise delivery, before Gabriel Martinelli curled in a fine third midway through the half to seal a comfortable evening. There were further reasons for encouragement Gabriel Jesus returned after 342 days out with an ACL injury and 16-year-old Marli Salmon was handed a senior debut. Jesus ca...

Arsenal 3 - 1 Bayern Munich A fantastic week for Mikel Arteta and his platers continued as Arsenal beat Bayern Munich in what was a fascinating clash in North London Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium Arsenal asserted control from the outset and moved ahead in the 22nd minute, Jurrien Timber rising to meet Bukayo Saka's corner for the side's tenth goal from such a set piece this season, more than any other team across Europe's major leagues. Bayern settled after falling behind and levelled 10 minutes later, Joshua Kimmich sweeping a crossfield pass to Serge Gnabry, who squared the ball for 17-year-old Lennart Karl to finish from close range against his former club. It was the first goal Arsenal had conceded in the competition this season, though it did little to slow their progress as they marched to a fifth straight win. England winger Madueke restored the lead, guiding in substitute Riccardo Calafiori's fierce low cross, before the Gunners sealed the result. N...

Can Arsenal’s defence lead them to glory? Their formidable defensive run finally came to an end at the Stadium of Light after 812 minutes without conceding.  Author |  DJ The newly promoted side were the side to pierce their resistance, finding the net twice and showing the rest of the league what had seemed impossible over the past eight matches in all competitions. That  2-2 draw may have applied slight pressure to Arsenal’s title ambitions, yet their position at the top remains underpinned by a defence that has been close to flawless. Their eight successive clean sheets matched a club record set in 1903, a reminder of how rare such consistency is across generations. It also mirrored the achievements of Preston in 1889 and Liverpool in 1920, who each put together similar streaks of shutouts. As Mikel Arteta’s side prepare to welcome Tottenham on Sunday, confidence is growing that a first league title since the Invincibles season could be within reach. They have con...

Slavia Prague 0 - 3 Arsenal Mikel Merino struck twice as Arsenal eased past Slavia Prague, extending their winning streak to eight matches in all competitions. Author | DJ Stadium | Fortuna Arena This was also an eighth consecutive clean sheet, equalling a club record that has stood since 1903 and spanned two separate seasons. Closer analysis of what hardened Merino led the line in place of the injured Viktor Gyokeres and, much like when he filled in for Kai Havertz last season, showcased his adaptability by providing both a focal point and a decisive impact. Arsenal broke the deadlock on 32 minutes after VAR intervened to penalise Lukas Provod for handball when Gabriel flicked on a corner. Bukayo Saka made no mistake from the spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way with a confident finish into the bottom corner. READ MORE  |   Champions League news and stories from this season Though Mikel Arteta’s side were far from fluent before the interval and survived an early sca...

Arsenal 4 - 0 Atlético Madrid Arsenal scored four times in a dazzling 14-minute spell to sweep aside Atletico Madrid  Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium The home side began with intent, as Eberechi Eze’s deflected shot clipped the crossbar, while Julian Alvarez almost punished David Raya from long range after the goalkeeper ventured out of position. For much of the first half, the contest was tight and tactical, with few clear chances at either end. Gabriel Magalhaes broke the deadlock on 57 minutes, rising to head in Declan Rice’s precise free-kick and spark a remarkable surge. Gabriel Martinelli added a second with a curling finish after a driving run from Myles Lewis-Skelly, before Viktor Gyokeres bundled home to end his seven-game goal drought. The Swedish striker struck again moments later, turning in Gabriel’s knockdown from another Arsenal corner. The result leaves Mikel Arteta’s team with three wins from three and still yet to concede in this season’s competition, a c...

It has been a successful week in Europe for three sides in the WSL Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all picked up three points in the Champions League Author |  Josh T Let's have a closer look at how they all performed. Chelsea 4 - 0 Paris FC Chelsea produced a dominant display to claim a convincing victory, with four different players on the scoresheet in a commanding performance from the Women’s Super League champions. Sonia Bompastor’s side were gifted the opening goal when Sjoeke Nusken was fouled in the box following a VAR review, allowing Sandy Baltimore to calmly slot home from the penalty spot. Paris struggled to settle after the early setback, and Chelsea capitalised on their uncertainty. Erin Cuthbert won possession in midfield and fed winger Thompson, whose precise cross found Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to head past Mylène Chavas, doubling the Blues’ advantage. The hosts’ control and tempo left Paris chasing shadows for much of the half. Barely 90 seconds afte...

The league phase of the Women's Champions League has begun... There were mixed fortunes for the English sides, including a defeat for last year's winner. Author | Josh T The action started at Meadow Park as Arsenal hosted Lyon.. A bad start for Arsenal in the defence of their crown Melchie Dumornay punished Arsenal’s defensive errors with two quick goals as Lyon overcame the reigning Champions League holders in the opening round of the league phase. Renee Slegers made five changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Manchester City in the Women’s Super League, but the alterations failed to have the intended impact. Arsenal had started brightly and were rewarded when Alessia Russo put them ahead. However, their attempts to play out from the back repeatedly invited pressure, allowing Lyon, eight-time winners of the competition, to seize control. Once in front, the French champions dominated possession, leaving Arsenal to rely on long balls towards Russo in a frustrated search for ...

There were wins for Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea Horrendous weather conditions across the country didn't disrupt any of the action. Author |  Josh D Pictures from around the grounds The main talking points A rare home defeat for Leeds United Mohammed Kudus scored one and created another as Tottenham ended Leeds United’s year-long unbeaten home run in the league. Daniel Farke’s side had not lost on their own turf since early September 2024, when Burnley won there in the Championship. But Kudus was the difference on a sodden afternoon in Yorkshire, guiding Spurs back to winning ways after two draws in four days. Mathys Tel opened the scoring with his first goal of the season, latching on to Kudus’s through ball before unleashing a superb 20-yard strike that took a slight deflection off Pascal Struijk to wrongfoot goalkeeper Karl Darlow. As the rain began to fall heavily, Kudus restored Tottenham’s lead with a fine finish from the edge of the box, his low...

Arsenal 2 - 0 Olympiacos Gabriel Martinelli struck early to set Arsenal on their way to a second successive Champions League victory as they overcame Olympiacos. Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium The Brazilian forward, who had a goal and an assist in the win over Athletic Club on matchday one, was again decisive. When Viktor Gyökeres bulldozed through the home defence only to see his shot pushed onto the post by Konstantinos Tzolakis, Martinelli reacted quickest to turn in the rebound. Bukayo Saka, introduced from the bench, added the second in stoppage time with a low effort that squirmed through the legs of the goalkeeper to confirm the result.  They are now well and track to qualify directly for the last-16 of the competition which will be a huge bonus for Arteta as they look to compete on multiple fronts this season. A closer look at what happened Pre match atmosphere Mikel Arteta, who made six changes from the side that edged Newcastle on Sunday, was able to rotate he...

Athletic Club 0 - 2 Arsenal Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came off the bench to deliver the goals as Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign with victory over Athletic Club. Author | DJ Stadium | San Mames Martinelli needed just 36 seconds to make his mark, racing through to score after being set up by Trossard midway through the second half. The Brazilian then turned provider, beating his man before laying the ball back for Trossard to tuck in a second with four minutes to play. It was far from straightforward for Mikel Arteta’s side. Athletic, returning to the competition for the first time since 2014-15, flew out of the blocks backed by a raucous San Mamés crowd. Alejandro Berenguer was a persistent threat and the hosts had Arsenal penned in for long spells of the first half. The Gunners did create the clearest chance before the interval, Viktor Gyökeres heading wide from close range, but overall struggled to assert themselves. Gyökeres later finished the match...

Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been in action Managers are beginning to settle on tactical systems, finalising their squads and forming judgments on the fringe and academy players that might be ready to make the step up. Author |  Josh D Yokohama F. Marinos 1 - 3 Liverpool | Report by Super Local Sports News Florian Wirtz opened his Liverpool account as Arne Slot’s side rounded off their pre-season tour of Asia with a 3-1 victory over Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan.# Vissel Kobe 1 - 3 Barcelona Barcelona defeated Vissel Kobe 3-1, thanks to late goals from new signing Roony Bardghji and young player Pedro Fernández. Marcus Rashford also made his debut as a Barcelona player in the friendly match in Japan. Hamburger SV 0 - 4 Lyon After a promising start from the home side, Lyon showed their class and clinical edge to race into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Fofana, Maitland-Niles and Mikautadze. A fourth goal was then added by Moreira. Arsen...

A busy summer for Arsenal continues Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea in a deal worth an initial £48.5m Author | DJ The England international has agreed a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium. The 23-year-old winger was part of Chelsea’s squad at the Club World Cup in the United States but left the camp before their 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final to complete his move to north London. Another chapter in an interesting career  Madueke joined Chelsea from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for £30m and made 92 appearances for the club, scoring 20 goals. He played a key role in helping them win the Europa Conference League last season. The winger came through the youth systems at Crystal Palace and Tottenham before moving to the Netherlands, where he spent four and a half years and lifted the KNVB Cup with PSV. He made his senior England debut in August 2024 and assisted Harry Kane’s winner in a 1–0 World Cup qualifying win over And...

PSG 2 - 1 Arsenal (PSG won 3-1 on aggregate) Arsenal’s hopes of reaching a first Champions League final since 2006 came to an end in Paris Author - DJ Stadium - Parc des Princes Mikel Arteta’s side arrived needing to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg, but once again ran into the formidable presence of Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper, outstanding in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium, delivered another superb performance with a series of saves that kept Arsenal at bay during a frenetic opening spell. Donnarumma was alert to block Gabriel Martinelli's close-range effort, then produced an even more impressive stop to push away a low, driven shot from Martin Ødegaard as the visitors looked to strike early. Against the run of play, PSG took the lead on the night after 27 minutes. Fabian Ruiz collected a loose clearance from Thomas Partey and unleashed a speculative effort from 20 yards that deflected past David Raya and into the net. READ MORE: Rea...

Arsenal 1 - 2 Bournemouth Arsenal’s bid to gather momentum ahead of their crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain was dealt a serious blow Author -  DJ Stadium -  Emirates Stadium Bournemouth staged a superb second-half comeback to claim a famous win at the Emirates and bolster their own European aspirations. A closer look at more lost points for Arsenal Mikel Arteta opted against rotating his starting XI, naming a full-strength side despite the looming trip to Paris on Wednesday, where Arsenal must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to reach their first Champions League final since 2006. But despite that show of intent, his side were left reeling after a spirited Bournemouth performance turned the afternoon on its head. It had all started according to plan for the hosts, with Declan Rice marking his 100th appearance for the club in style, rounding Kepa Arrizabalaga to give Arsenal a deserved lead midway through the first half. Yet Bournemo...