European Super Football

Bayern Munich 1 - 2 Inter Milan Inter Milan secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena. Author - Matt F Stadium - Allianz Arena The German side dominated the early stages, with England captain Harry Kane striking the post in the first half. However, it was Inter who broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. Marcus Thuram displayed exceptional skill to flick the ball into the path of Lautaro Martínez, who finished emphatically into the roof of the net with the outside of his boot. Bayern responded in the 85th minute through veteran forward Thomas Müller, who announced last week that he will leave the club this summer after a 25-year association. Müller converted from close range following a low cross from Konrad Laimer. Inter had the final say just three minutes later. A swift counter-attack culminated in Carlos Augusto delivering a precise cross, which substitute Davide Frattesi turned in from close ra...

Napoli 2 - 1 AC Milan Napoli kept their Serie A title hopes alive with a hard-fought victory over AC Milan, staying within three points of league leaders Inter. Author - Jack L Stadium - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona Napoli took control early on against AC Milan, with first-half goals from Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku leaving the Rossoneri with too much to do. Milan had a golden chance to claw their way back when Santiago Gimenez won a penalty, but the substitute failed to convert, meaning Luka Jovic’s late strike was nothing more than a consolation. As the full-time whistle blew, you could sense the relief amongst the Napoli fans and players. This was an important win for them.  READ MORE: Can Napoli win the title? The defeat leaves Milan stuck in ninth place, now nine points adrift of fourth. Their hopes of Champions League football are all but over, with only a looming Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter offering a shot at redemption. A closer look at what happened ...

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...

From Crystal Palace to AC Milan? AC Milan are weighing up a summer move for Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell as they brace themselves for the potential departure of Theo Hernandez. Author - Jack L Playing for Palace in 2023 Mitchell, who has earned two caps for England, has been a mainstay in Palace’s defence this season, starting all 28 of their Premier League matches. His consistency and defensive reliability have reportedly caught the eye of Milan’s hierarchy, who are beginning to prepare for life without Hernandez. The Rossoneri are widely expected to part ways with Hernandez this summer, with both Real Madrid and Manchester City expressing strong interest in the French international. While Milan have opened talks with Hernandez over extending his contract, which runs until 2026, negotiations have reached an impasse, making a transfer increasingly likely. Should Hernandez depart, Milan manager Sergio Conceicao is understood to have identified signing a new left-back as...

 AC Milan 1 - 1 Feyenoord (Feyenoord won 2-1 on aggregate) AC Milan’s Champions League campaign came to a crushing end as they were held to a draw by Feyenoord in the second leg of their knockout play-off at the San Siro. Author - Jack L Stadium - San Siro The Rossoneri had the perfect start, overturning their 1-0 first-leg deficit within just 36 seconds. Santiago Giménez, facing his former club, scored the fastest goal of this season’s Champions League, reigniting Milan’s hopes of progression. However, their chances took a major hit when Theo Hernández was sent off in the 51st minute after picking up a second yellow card. Feyenoord capitalised on their numerical advantage, with substitute Julián Carranza heading in the decisive goal in the 73rd minute, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Dutch side. The last-16 draw on Friday will determine whether Feyenoord will face Inter Milan or Arsenal next month. Champions League: 2024/2025 More news from Feyenoord can be found here ...

Club Brugge 2 - 1 Atalanta  Gustaf Nilsson won and converted a controversial late penalty as Club Brugge edged past Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League knockout play-off. Author - Peter Grainger Stadium - Jan Breydelstadion The Belgian champions started brightly and got their reward when teenage winger Chemsdine Talbi pounced on a loose pass before setting up Ferran Jutgla, who fired a right-footed shot into the top left corner after 15 minutes. Atalanta hit back just before half-time, with Croatia international Mario Pasalic nodding in Davide Zappacosta’s cross from the left. However, deep into stoppage time, Swedish defender Isak Hien was penalised for holding off his fellow countryman Nilsson with his arm. After a VAR check, Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler upheld his decision to award the penalty. A fascinating encounter in Belgium. eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com youtu.be/ciZwuAcTHgA?... [image or embed] — European Super Football ( @superfootball.bsky.soc...

Sporting 1 - 1 Bologna Sporting CP scraped through to the Champions League knockout stages with a 1-1 draw at home against Bologna, who had already been eliminated. Author - Peter Grainger The Portuguese league leaders had endured a tough run in Europe, losing three consecutive matches after winning three of their first four. All three defeats came following the departure of manager Rúben Amorim to Manchester United. Bologna nearly took an early lead when Sam Beukema’s header struck the bar from a corner. However, they didn’t have to wait long, as Tommaso Pobega turned in Beukema’s flicked header to put the Italian side in front. Click here to discover more Champions League news and stories from European Super Football . Sporting pressed for an equaliser in the second half and eventually found one when Conrad Harder slotted home João Simões’ cut-back from close range. With results elsewhere going in their favour, a draw was enough to see Sporting through to the play-off round, wher...

AC Milan 1 - 0 Girona Rafael Leão's first-half strike secured AC Milan a vital win over Girona, moving the Italian side closer to automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16. Stadium - San Siro Author - Jack L The Portuguese forward expertly controlled Ismaël Bennacer's precise through ball, weaved his way into the box, and unleashed a thunderous shot into the top corner – the only goal of the match. Girona thought they had equalised just before the hour mark when Bryan Gil fired in a stunning effort from the edge of the area, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Leão had a chance to double his tally in the 65th minute, but his curling effort drifted wide of Paulo Gazzaniga’s post. Milan now sit sixth in the table with 15 points, occupying one of the eight automatic qualification spots for the knockout stage. They face Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia next week. Meanwhile, Girona remain on three points and are out of contention for the play-off stage. A closer look ...

Napoli 2 - 0 Hellas Verona Napoli extended their lead at the top of Serie A to four points with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hellas Verona. Author - Sean M The 2023 champions got off to a flying start in the fifth minute when Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s effort struck the post, ricocheted off Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò, and ended up in the back of the net. Their dominance was sealed in the 61st minute when ex-Fulham midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa unleashed an unstoppable strike to secure Napoli’s fifth consecutive league win. Napoli are four points clear of Inter Milan who have two games in hand.  A closer look at what happened Napoli strengthened their grip at the top of the Serie A table with a 2-0 win over Verona, courtesy of a fortunate deflection off Giovanni Di Lorenzo and a spectacular long-range strike from André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. However, the victory was not without its frustrations, as Napoli missed several clear-cut chances. The match came amid a turbule...

Juventus 2 - 0 Manchester City Manchester City’s struggles continued as they suffered a potentially damaging defeat to Juventus, leaving their Champions League knockout stage hopes hanging by a thread. Author - Macca Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie sealed a crucial win for the Italian side, bolstering their chances of progressing automatically as one of the top eight teams in the league phase. For City, however, it marked yet another setback in a torrid run of form, with just one win from their last 10 games in all competitions and a seventh defeat during this miserable spell. The result leaves City languishing in 22nd place in the Champions League standings, with only two group games remaining. They face Paris Saint-Germain away on 22 January and host Club Brugge a week later. The top eight teams secure automatic progression, while those finishing between ninth and 24th must navigate a two-legged play-off. City remain just one point above PSG in 25th...

Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 2 Roma Veteran defender Mats Hummels rescued a dramatic late equaliser for Claudio Ranieri's Roma, denying Tottenham victory in a tense Europa League clash. The 35-year-old German, featuring in his first European match since July's Champions League final, endured a rollercoaster evening. He conceded an early penaltyjust five minutes in, bringing down Pape Matar Sarr after reacting slowly to a loose ball in the box. However in stoppage time, Hummels redeemed himself, slotting home Angelino's pinpoint cross to salvage a point for Roma. Author - Greg S Tottenham had been the dominant force for much of the game. Son Heung-min converted the penalty Hummels gave away, while Brennan Johnson added a superb first-time finish following Dejan Kulusevski's cutback. Earlier, defender Evan N'Dicka had drawn Roma level , and Stephan El Shaarawy thought he’d scored with a stunning volley, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. Despite their control, Spur...

Juventus 0 - 4 Arsenal Arsenal continued their impressive form under interim manager Renee Slegers, securing a victory over Juventus in the Women's Champions League. Author - Olivia T Goals from Frida Maanum, Stina Blackstenius, Mariona Caldentey, and Caitlin Foord extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to five matches since Slegers stepped in following Jonas Eidevall’s resignation. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as Juventus frequently challenged Arsenal’s defence and posed a threat on the counter-attack. However, the Gunners consistently looked the more likely side to score and were finally rewarded for their attacking determination just before half-time, when Maanum finished off a well-worked passing move from close range. Click here for Women's Football news and stories Substitute Blackstenius doubled the lead with a brilliant solo effort, driving into the box after a pass from Caldentey and beating Pauline Peyraud-Magnin at her near post. Spanish forward Caldentey then mad...

Inter Milan 1 - 0 Arsenal Arsenal's unbeaten run in this season’s Champions League came to a frustrating end at the San Siro, as a contentious first-half penalty handed Inter Milan a narrow victory. Author - DJ Just before half-time, Inter were awarded a penalty when Mikel Merino was judged to have handled the ball following a flick-on from Mehdi Taremi. While there seemed little Merino could do to avoid it, VAR upheld the decision, and Hakan Calhanoglu confidently slotted the penalty down the middle. This marked Arsenal’s first goal conceded in Europe this season , yet they had ample time to respond. They came close in the second half, with Gabriel’s header from a corner cleared off the line by Denzel Dumfries. Arsenal kept the pressure on, with Inter’s keeper, Yann Sommer, making an outstanding one-handed save to deny Kai Havertz’s curling effort. Havertz nearly found the net again, only to have his shot expertly blocked by Yann Bisseck. Despite their dominance in the second ...

Atalanta 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic secured a valuable Champions League point with a resilient defensive performance, holding last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football This result marked a notable shift in fortunes for Celtic, who had previously lost all seven of their matches in Italy in this competition. Despite facing relentless pressure from the hosts, the Scottish champions stood firm, taking a crucial step towards progressing to the knockout stages. Kasper Schmeichel played a pivotal role with several impressive saves, while Atalanta squandered several clear chances. Celtic’s defensive discipline proved key in denying the Serie A side, who grew increasingly frustrated as the match developed.  After two challenging away fixtures, Celtic now have the advantage of back-to-back home games against RB Leipzig and Club Brugge, with four points already secured.  Celtic’s Champions League campaign has been ...

AC Milan 3 - 1 Club Brugge Tijjani Reijnders netted two impressive second-half goals as AC Milan overcame a shaky start to defeat a 10-man Club Brugge. Author - Katrine Jonnson  The Belgian side began brightly, with Christos Tzolis nearly putting them ahead, only for a superb save by Mike Maignan to deny him. Milan, needing a victory after defeats against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, took the lead when former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic's   inswinging corner flew directly into the net. Referee Felix Zwayer showed a red card to Raphael Onyedika for a high tackle on Reijnders following a VAR review, leaving Brugge with what eventually proved to be a significant disadvantage. Despite the setback, Brugge managed to level the score with a well-crafted goal. Substitute Kyriani Sabbe finished off a slick team move, slotting the ball into the far corner. At 19, Sabbe became only the fourth teenager to score against Milan in the Champions League. Champions League: 2024/20...

Empoli 0 - 1 Napoli Napoli held on to their spot at the top of Serie A with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.  Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football The match was settled by a late penalty from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as the visitors found it tough to break down a resilient Empoli side. Empoli, unbeaten going into this fixture, started brightly and created several early chances. Sebastiano Esposito tested former Empoli goalkeeper Elia Caprile with a fierce volley, while Giuseppe Pezzella also forced a save from the Napoli shot-stopper. Napoli, without key players Stanislav Lobotka and Alex Meret, handed Billy Gilmour his first Serie A start alongside Scott McTominay. The visitors had chances of their own, with Alessandro Buongiorno’s header cleared off the line and Esposito’s low shot smartly saved by Caprile. The decisive moment came late on, when substitute Giovanni Simeone made an impact, winning a penalty after Tino Anjorin fouled Matteo...

Napoli 5 - 0 Palermo Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay netted his first goal for Napoli as his new team cruised to a 5-0 victory over Palermo in the second round of the Coppa Italia. The 27-year-old joined Napoli for £25.7m from Manchester United in late August, having spent his entire career with the Red Devils, where he started at a football school aged just five. McTominay made his Napoli debut in a 4-0 win at Cagliari, coming off the bench, and earned his first start in a goalless draw against Juventus on Saturday. On Thursday, he was named among the substitutes for the match against second-tier Palermo, but made an immediate impact after coming on by scoring Napoli’s fifth goal. He struck a first-time shot from 12 yards out following a pullback from Romelu Lukaku. A closer look at what happened Cyril Ngonge had already put Napoli in control with two goals in the first 12 minutes, while Juan Jesus added a third just before the break. Palermo’s hopes were further dashed when A...

Atalanta 0 - 0 Arsenal David Raya pulled off a stunning double save from the penalty spot as Arsenal played out a draw against Atalanta in their Champions League opener. The Spaniard dived low to his right to deny Mateo Retegui’s penalty, then somehow scrambled across his goal to keep out the striker’s follow-up header right on the line. It was the only moment of excitement and quality in an otherwise forgettable match in Bergamo. Clear chances were hard to come by, with Raya not needing to make any other saves beyond that dramatic two-second sequence. Arsenal, on the other hand, didn’t manage a single shot between the 18th and 75th minute. Like their opponents, their only two shots on target came as part of a double save. Atalanta's keeper, Marco Carnesecchi, tipped away Bukayo Saka’s free-kick and then blocked Thomas Partey’s close-range follow-up. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) It looked as though the game might slip away from Arsenal when Thoma...

Manchester City 0 - 0 Inter Milan Manchester City were held to a goalless draw by a determined Inter side, as the Premier League champions experienced a frustrating start to their Champions League campaign. Despite City controlling possession, Inter posed a real threat on the counter-attack, managing 10 shots in the first half – the most City have faced under Pep Guardiola in a home Champions League match, and more than they’ve conceded in any Premier League game. City's chances were limited, with Phil Foden’s effort on his return the closest they came, while Ilkay Gundogan missed two promising headers. It was far from a vintage performance from Guardiola’s men. On the other hand, Inter’s manager, Simone Inzaghi, will likely be frustrated by his team’s inability to capitalise on their counter-attacking opportunities. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) A closer look at what happened in Manchester and the wider context of the result The extended format...