European Super Football

Germany 3 - 3 Italy (Germany won 5-4 on aggregate) Germany capitalised on a series of Italian mistakes, including a bizarre error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, to book their place in the Nations League semi-finals, despite a spirited late comeback from Italy. Author - James L Stadium - Signal Iduna Park Julian Nagelsmann’s side secured a 2-1 victory in the first leg of the quarter-final at the San Siro in Milan and completed the job at Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park. Donnarumma endured a nightmare evening, first conceding a penalty converted by Germany captain Joshua Kimmich after Tim Kleindienst was fouled by Alessandro Buongiorno. Worse was to follow, as the goalkeeper inexplicably wandered off his line after tipping a Kleindienst header over the bar. Kimmich reacted quickly, whipping in a corner for Jamal Musiala to slot into an empty net. That put Germany 4-1 up on aggregate, and they tightened their grip just before half-time when Italy’s attempts to play ou...

Italy 1 - 2 Germany Germany came from behind to secure their first away victory over Italy in 39 years, during the Nations League quarter-final first leg. Author - Peter Grainger Stadium - San Siro Sandro Tonali helped Newcastle defeat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday and he openeed the scoring with a first-time finish after Jonathan Tah cleared Matteo Politano's cross into his path. Germany responded well, After Leon Goretzka twice went close to an equaliser before the break, half-time substitute Tim Kleindienst headed the visitors level early in the second period from Joshua Kimmich's delivery. Moise Kean came close to opening the scoring with a powerful effort that flew over the bar, while Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann kept out Giacomo Raspadori with an outstretched leg. But with 14 minutes left, Leon Goretzka completed the turnaround, heading in another pinpoint Joshua Kimmich delivery. Germany almost gifted Italy an equaliser when Tim Kleindienst inadv...

Bayern Munich 1 - 1 Celtic (Bayern Munich won 2-1 on aggregate) Celtic’s Champions League journey came to a dramatic and heartbreaking end as Bayern Munich struck deep into stoppage time, sealing a 3-2 aggregate victory and crushing Brendan Rodgers’ side’s hopes of a stunning upset in Germany. Author - Andrew Cheshire Stadium - Allianz Arena Having lost the first leg 2-1 at Parkhead, Celtic knew they needed a big performance—and they delivered. Nicolas Kühn fired them into a shock lead just after the hour mark, pouncing on a defensive error from Kim Min-jae to slot past Manuel Neuer. The Hoops had already squandered several golden chances in the first half, with Kühn, Callum McGregor, and Daizen Maeda (twice) all going close. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane rattled the crossbar before being withdrawn at half-time. Champions League: 2024/2025 More Celtic news and stories Bayern, rattled by Celtic’s intensity, pushed hard for an equaliser. Leon Goretzka nodded wide, Joshua Kimm...

Bayern Munich v Celtic preview Bayern Munich lead 2-1 after what was an entertaining first leg in Glasgow Author - Sean M After edging past Celtic with a 2-1 victory in Glasgow last week, Bayern Munich will be eager to confirm their place in the Champions League last 16 when they host the Scottish champions at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. Will the atmosphere at Bayern Munich match the one at Celtic? Vincent Kompany’s side were forced to defend for long spells in Saturday’s goalless draw with Bayer Leverkusen, though they remain eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. This contest, however, is expected to be a different affair, with Bayern likely to dominate on home turf. Celtic, meanwhile, will be looking to spring a surprise in Munich. Brendan Rodgers’ men head into the fixture with confidence after a commanding 3-0 victory over Dundee United, which extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Remarkably, Celtic are in the knockout rounds for the first tim...

RB Leipzig 2 - 3 Aston Villa Aston Villa edged closer to securing a spot in the Champions League knockout stages with a dramatic late win over winless RB Leipzig, despite being pegged back twice. Author - Alex W Ross Barkley's deflected effort sealed the victory in the dying minutes after goals from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner had cancelled out strikes from John McGinn and Jhon Duran. The Premier League side made a flying start, taking the lead inside three minutes. Ollie Watkins expertly nodded down Matty Cash's cross, setting up McGinn to smash home from close range. Watkins came close to doubling the lead soon after, narrowly missing Lucas Digne's low cross across the box. However, Leipzig capitalised on a rare mistake by Emiliano Martinez. The Villa goalkeeper misjudged a long ball, allowing Openda to pounce and slot into an empty net. Villa thought they had restored their lead just before half-time when Watkins found the net, but the goal was ruled out fo...

Bayern Munich 4 - 2 Heidenheim Bayern Munich maintained their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga with an impressive 4-2 victory over Heidenheim. Author - DJ Jamal Musiala bagged a brace, while Dayot Upamecano and Leon Goretzka also found the net to help Bayern extend their lead at the top of the table to six points. Their nearest rivals, Eintracht Frankfurt, were held to a 2-2 draw by Augsburg, giving Bayern some breathing room. Manager Vincent Kompany had to contend with a depleted squad, missing key players Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Mathys Tel, and Serge Gnabry, while Musiala started on the bench. Despite this, Bayern dominated from the off. Leroy Sané squandered two early chances before Upamecano nodded in from a Joshua Kimmich corner to open the scoring. Bayern enjoyed a staggering 86% possession in the first half, completing 503 passes to Heidenheim's 51, but Alphonso Davies' effort against the post was the only other major chance. Heidenheim, to their credit, refused to ...

Heidenheim 0 - 2 Chelsea Jadon Sancho marked his first start since October 20 by providing assists for both goals, helping Chelsea maintain their perfect record in the Conference League with a victory over Heidenheim in Germany. Author - Lauren W   A closer look at what happened The on-loan player from Manchester United set up Christopher Nkunku for his fifth goal in four group phase games before assisting Mykhailo Mudryk with just four minutes remaining. However, Chelsea relied heavily on goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who made several crucial saves to secure the win against their Bundesliga rivals. With the score still level, the 22-year-old made an impressive one-handed stop to deny 18-year-old Paul Wanner. After Nkunku's opener in the 51st minute, Jorgensen once again came to his team's rescue, saving attempts from both Leo Scienza and Wanner. Chelsea ended the match with ten men after midfielder Cesare Casadei was sent off in the sixth minute of stoppage time for receivin...

Celtic 3 - 1 RB Leipzig Nicolas Kuhn delivered an outstanding performance, inspiring Celtic to come from behind and secure a thrilling third consecutive Champions League home victory at the lively Celtic Park against Germany's RB Leipzig. Author - Sean M > After a dominant six-goal League Cup win over Aberdeen on Saturday and a tough draw away to Atalanta in the previous matchday, expectations were high for this game, despite Leipzig being the top seeds. Celtic very much delivered in what was probably their best performance in a European match for several years.  How the action unfolded - an unbiased reflection of a wonderful night for Celtic fans We burst onto the pitch with real intent, pressing high and applying pressure from the start. In the opening minute, Reo Hatate’s sharp pass to Daizen Maeda set the tone, and Arne Engels' shot—blocked by the Leipzig defence—signalled Celtic’s ambitions. RB Leipzig, struggling to match Celtic’s pace, nearly saw Kuhn break the dea...

Barcelona 4 - 1 Bayern Munich It was a disappointing night for Bayern Munich as Barcelona eased to a comfortable victory in the Champions League league stage. Author - Josh T Stadium - Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Barcelona winger Raphinha was a hero on the night as he delivered an outstanding hat-trick. The Brazilian opened the scoring in under a minute, pouncing on a ball over the top and skilfully rounding goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. England captain Harry Kane levelled the score for Bayern in the 18th minute, volleying in Serge Gnabry’s cross at the back post. However, Barcelona continued to exploit Bayern’s high defensive line. Fermin Lopez broke through, poking the ball past Neuer to set up Robert Lewandowski for Barcelona’s second, 18 minutes later. Just before half-time, Raphinha, wearing the captain’s armband for the night, made it 3-1 with a sublime curling shot from the edge of the box. Soon after the break, he sealed his hat-trick by latching onto another long pass and dr...

Aston Villa 1 - 0 Bayern Munich In an electrifying evening at Villa Park, Jhon Duran once again made a stunning impact off the bench, securing a glorious Champions League victory for Aston Villa over Bayern Munich. The occasion was steeped in history, evoking memories of Villa’s famous 1982 European Cup triumph against the German side in Rotterdam. This time, Duran replicated that iconic scoreline, netting his fifth goal as a substitute this season. Brought on in the 70th minute to replace Ollie Watkins, it took Duran just nine minutes to make his presence felt. Spotting Bayern’s experienced keeper, Manuel Neuer, out of position, he calmly lobbed the ball into the net. A closer look at a sensational night in the Midlands For Villa manager Unai Emery, this was another resounding success. The result builds on Villa's strong start to their Champions League   campaign having beaten Young Boys 3-0 in Switzerland in their opening match. Villa Park, hosting its first Champions Le...

Feyenoord 0 - 4 Bayer Leverkusen  Florian Wirtz shone on his Champions League debut, netting twice as Bayer Leverkusen secured a comfortable win over Feyenoord. The German champions took an early lead five minutes in, with Wirtz calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards out. Xabi Alonso’s adventurous wing-backs linked up beautifully for the second goal, as Jeremie Frimpong delivered a cross that found Alex Grimaldo, who finished easily and without much pressure from the home side's defence. Frimpong, a former Celtic player, then set up 21-year-old German international Wirtz for his second goal, a well-executed volley. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Leverkusen had effectively wrapped up the match before half-time when Edmond Tapsoba's header was deflected into the net by Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther. Despite having fewer attempts on goal than their opponents, the Bundesliga side displayed ruthless efficiency. ...

Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 3 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane received a warm welcome back at his former club Tottenham Hotspur, where fans gave him a standing ovation as Bayern edged out Spurs 3-2 in a pre-season friendly. Returning to his old stomping ground for the first time since leaving for Bayern in a £86.4 million deal last summer, Kane came on as a late substitute. The England captain was met with applause both when he entered the pitch and later, when he took a solo lap of honour after the match. Alongside Eric Dier, who joined Bayern from Tottenham in January, the pair were honoured by Spurs before kick-off, receiving gifts in recognition of their contributions to the club. Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Before the game, Tottenham also introduced their new signings (Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall) to the home crowd. Once the match began, Dejan Kulusevski gave Spurs the lead, but Bayern responded wi...

West Ham have signed Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund for £27m. The 31-year-old, who joined Dortmund from Werder Bremen last summer, scored 15 goals in 46 games in 2023-24 and finished as a Champions League runner-up. This video contains some of his best goals from his time in the Bundesliga.  He also netted twice during hosts Germany's run to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, despite not starting a match. Fullkrug is the fifth signing made by new West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui this summer, following the arrivals of former Wolves captain Max Kilman for £40m, Dutch forward Crysencio Summerville from Leeds for more than £25m, goalkeeper Wes Foderingham from Sheffield United and Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme for £25.5m from Palmeiras. Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Click here for West Ham news and stories Fan reaction Jamie, a West Ham fan, told us: "He should be an excellent signing for West Ham and looks lik...

A successful managerial career is reportedly coming to an end Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp has ruled out the possibility of becoming the England manager and hinted at potentially retiring from management altogether. Klopp during his time as Dortmund manager before he left in the summer of 2015.Photo from  Tim Reckmann | Flickr The German coach departed from Liverpool at the end of last season after nine successful years, during which he won all major trophies and ended the club’s 30-year wait for a Premier League title. Klopp has been linked to the England manager’s position following Gareth Southgate’s decision to step down after Euro 2024. However, the 57-year-old stated he has not received any offers and reiterated his intention to take a break from football. Further reports suggest that Klopp wishes to return to work after his break, though it may not be in a managerial role. The video below displays the announcement that followed Klopp's announc...

It's time to explore the stars of Euro 2024. Who was your favourite player from the tournament? We asked some of our contributors what they thought and examined how their careers might develop over the next few years.  Nico Williams - Spain Athletic Bilbao's talented winger stood out in Spain's 1-0 victory over Italy. He scored a powerful goal in their 4-1 win over Georgia and netted a brilliant finish in the final against England. Throughout the summer, he has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, as they reportedly consider him their top target. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Georgia Georgia's 23-year-old striker Kvaratskhelia made a significant impact for Georgia during Euro 2024, and there are rumours that PSG is interested in signing him. Despite his side losing in the last 16, Kvaratskhelia has gained more admirers. His club Napoli have set a value of £85.2m for him, which might be too high for PSG. There are also reports linking Liverpool to the player. Ho...

Spain 2 - 1 Germany Spain kept their dreams of a fourth European Championship alive with a dramatic 119th-minute goal from Mikel Merino, sending them into the semi-finals and knocking out hosts Germany in a thrilling match at Stuttgart Arena. This eagerly anticipated clash saw a resurgent Germany face off against one of the most exciting teams in Spain. It did not disappoint. From the moment Dani Olmo put Spain ahead six minutes into the second half, the match was a relentless spectacle of aggression, tension, and drama. Olmo side-footed in a cross from 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, who notched his third assist of the Euros, breaking the deadlock in a previously cautious game. Germany nearly responded through substitute Niclas Fullkrug, who hit the post, but they found their equaliser in the final minute of regular time when Florian Wirtz’s powerful shot went in off the post, sending the home fans into raptures. Euro 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Time...

Germany 2 - 0 Denmark Euro 2024 hosts Germany advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating Denmark.  The game at Borussia Dortmund's Westfalenstadion was dramatically interrupted for about 20 minutes towards the end of the first half due to a spectacular storm, with lightning illuminating the sky and hail and heavy rain drenching the pitch. Current scenes in Dortmund. #EURO2024 https://t.co/gJjIQ72CSW pic.twitter.com/ZrhJuu9ukM — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) June 29, 2024 Several crucial video assistant referee (VAR) decisions were to have a huge impact on what happened next. Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck had previously had a header ruled out by VAR, and Denmark saw Joachim Andersen’s goal disallowed in the second half due to Thomas Delaney being marginally offside. Germany celebrated when another VAR decision went in their favour, leading to referee Michael Oliver awarding a penalty for handball against the unfortunate Andersen. You'd have to argue that it p...

Switzerland 1 - 1 Germany Substitute Niclas Füllkrug saved the day for Germany with a late equaliser, ensuring a 1-1 draw with Switzerland and securing the top spot in Group A. Switzerland looked set to progress to the last 16 as group winners after Dan Ndoye's early strike, but Füllkrug's header changed the narrative. The goal ignited celebrations among the German fans behind the goal, as their team preserved their unbeaten record in Euro 2024. For Switzerland, it was a heartbreaking turn of events after they had defended valiantly for over 90 minutes. Nevertheless, they advance to the knockout stages. Murat Yakin's side knew a win would see them surpass Germany, and they almost achieved this feat in Frankfurt, only to succumb to the relentless pressure in stoppage time. Germany had largely frustrated their home supporters with a lacklustre performance, but a late surge of opportunities finally bore fruit. Earlier, Swiss fans were jubilant, celebrating Ndoye’s superb f...

Germany 2 - 0 Hungary Jamal Musiala was on form again as Germany continued their strong start to Euro 2024 with a win over Hungary, securing their spot in the knockout stages in the process. There was a fantastic atmosphere pre match in Stuggart.  The Bayern Munich forward was impressive throughout the match, scoring midway through the first half and nearly netting another with a powerful shot that just missed the post. He received a standing ovation when he was substituted late in the second half. Hungary were unhappy with the opening goal, claiming Ilkay Gundogan fouled defender Willi Orban before setting up Musiala to score . However, a video assistant referee (VAR) review upheld the decision, allowing Musiala and his teammates to celebrate in front of the Hungarian supporters. Hungary thought they had equalised just before half-time, but Roland Sallai’s header from a rebound was ruled offside. Germany extended their lead in the second half when former Manchester City playe...

Let's explore the best reaction to Scotland's thrashing against Germany You can read the European Super Football match report here:   Euro 2024: Germany win opening game  Katie, a Scotland fan, said: "In a match where the Scotland players needed to exceed expectations and be nearly flawless, I must admit I am very disappointed. I felt the keeper could have done better with the first goal; it was somewhat of a gift. But overall, Scotland lacked the bravery I expected. "In the qualifying stage against Spain, we saw that they could play bravely. However, this time, it seemed they had an inferiority complex. All the players were below par, and that is what concerns me. The players need to bounce back, but can they? That performance by Germany took the wind out of our sails." Liam, a Manchester United fan, watched the match as a neutral: "Germany were brilliant in the first 20 minutes. They conceded but it’s a good sign from their perspective that their p...