United News of Bangladesh

Real Madrid and Manchester City began their Champions League campaigns with victories on Tuesday, with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland leading the way for the European heavyweights. Record 15-time champions Real Madrid defeated Inter Milan 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, while Manchester City, the 2023 champions, secured a 2-0 victory over Porto. Both clubs are expected to challenge defending champions Paris Saint-Germain this season, with Mbappe and Haaland likely to play key roles in their title bids. Mbappe opened the scoring after 14 minutes, taking his Champions League tally to 71 goals and moving level with Real Madrid legend Raul in fifth place on the competition's all-time scoring list. Haaland, meanwhile, scored twice against Porto to take his Champions League total to 59 goals in 59 appearances. Borussia Dortmund edged Villarreal 3-2, while Real Betis defeated Lille by the same score. Aston Villa also won 3-2 against Club Brugge, and AEK Athens beat LASK 1-0. Defending champion PSG will begin its title defense on Wednesday against Slovan Bratislava. Mourinho makes winning return Jose Mourinho marked his return to Champions League management with a victory as Real Madrid coach, despite Inter enjoying 61% possession. Madrid took advantage of two costly first-half mistakes by the Italian side. Inter lost possession deep in its own half, allowing Brahim Diaz to set up Mbappe, who fired a low shot past goalkeeper Josep Martinez. Martinez was again caught out when Federico Valverde pressured him inside the penalty area and poked the ball into an unguarded net. Inter reduced the deficit through Carlos Augusto in the 77th minute, setting up a tense closing period. “There’s so much criticism when a game is boring, but today it was crazy — it could easily have ended 7-6,” Mourinho said. Mourinho won the Champions League with Inter in 2010 and is seeking a third title as a coach. Haaland continues scoring form Haaland maintained his impressive scoring run against Porto, having scored five goals in his previous three matches. The Norwegian striker finally broke the deadlock two minutes after halftime, heading the ball into the net. He added a second in stoppage time with a side-footed finish to secure City's victory. The result also maintained new coach Enzo Maresca's perfect start. “We have to learn. Enzo demands a lot from us and we have to demand a lot from each other,” Haaland said. “We have to win games because at Man City, you have to win trophies.” Villa end poor start Aston Villa put their difficult start to the domestic season behind them with a 3-2 victory over Club Brugge in Belgium. John McGinn scored the opening goal of the Champions League campaign in the 11th minute with a low angled effort. Brugge equalized through Hugo Vetlesen, but Emiliano Buendia and Nicolas Jackson scored before halftime to give Villa a 3-1 lead. Nicolo Tresoldi pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, but Villa held on. The victory ended Villa's winless and goalless start to the 2026-27 season following defeats by Brighton and Arsenal and a goalless draw with newly promoted Hull. Dortmund teenager hospitalized Dortmund teenager Konstantinos Karetsas was taken to hospital after collapsing during his Champions League debut against Villarreal. The German club said the 25-year-old? [Need correction: Karetsas is a teenager] — teenager had to leave the field because of circulatory problems and was sent to hospital for further tests. Serhou Guirassy scored twice for Dortmund and also put the ball into his own net as the German side secured a dramatic victory. Guirassy put Dortmund ahead 2-1 in the 80th minute and converted a penalty five minutes later. Villarreal pulled another goal back through an added-time own goal. Parrott scores again for Betis Ireland international Troy Parrott continued his impressive start at Real Betis by scoring the winner in their 3-2 victory over Lille. Parrott had also scored a late winner against Real Madrid in La Liga on Friday, making his latest goal another decisive contribution for his new club. AEK Athens secured their win over LASK through Razvan Marin's superb first-half free kick.  

FC Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal on Tuesday threw his hat into the ring to be a candidate for the Ballon d'Or award for the best footballer in the world which is given out at the end of October. Speaking to the press ahead of Barcelona's Champions League debut against Feyenoord on Wednesday night, the 19-year-old was asked about his chances of winning the award which is given by France Football magazine, a day after Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe also told the press this was a good year for him to win. Yamal won La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain, but said winning the prestigious award "doesn't depend on me, it depends on you (the press)." "The work we've done with Barcelona and the national team has been incredible. I think I have a very good chance because I've had a great year, but we'll see," he replied when asked about his chances, adding that he didn't "need to campaign for the Ballon d'Or." "I'm proud of what I've done with my team and the national team. I'm not going to beg for anything," commented the forward. Yamal insisted that even though he was considered a 'star' player that didn't mean he could take things easy on the pitch. "If you don't run, any team can beat you. If we want to win, we have to run; if you don't run, you're going to lose," he commented, saying his aim for the team was "to win more titles, and personally, to keep growing and improving." "I'm very young," replied Yamal, who explained he was in the best moment of his short life. "I'm very happy; I'm 19, I just won a World Cup, and I had the vacation of my life. I've never been happier than I am right now," concluded Yamal. 

Lautaro Martínez scored in stoppage time as Inter Milan came from two goals down to beat Napoli 3-2 in Serie A on Saturday, while Jamal Musiala returned to action for Bayern Munich in a goalless draw against Schalke. Martínez's late strike completed a dramatic comeback at San Siro and kept Inter perfect after three league rounds. Napoli appeared to be in control after Matteo Politano and Rasmus Højlund scored early in the second half. Inter responded almost immediately, with Martínez pulling one back three minutes later. Marcus Thuram then levelled in the 82nd minute after earlier hitting the post. Manuel Akanji helped create the winning goal when he recovered a loose ball and played it to Martínez, who finished from close range to send the home fans into celebration. The defeat was Napoli's second in succession under new coach Massimiliano Allegri after it also lost to Como. Inter will next face Real Madrid away in the Champions League on Tuesday. Roma also produced a late comeback, scoring twice in the final minutes to defeat Atalanta 2-1. Éderson put Atalanta ahead before Matías Soulé set up Mario Hermoso for the equaliser in the 90th minute and scored the winner three minutes into stoppage time. Torino beat Fiorentina 2-1 away. Musiala returns for Bayern Musiala came on as a second-half substitute as Bayern were held 0-0 by Schalke, making his first Bundesliga appearance of the season. The Germany international had missed the opening league game after experiencing a neurological problem that caused him to collapse during two preseason matches. Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius produced an impressive display to earn his side a point and prevent Bayern from scoring in a German league match for the first time since February 2025. Newly promoted Elversberg continued its remarkable start to its first Bundesliga campaign by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-3 with a stoppage-time winner from Maurice Krattenmacher. Borussia Dortmund also came from two goals behind to beat Hoffenheim 3-2, with Albian Hajdari scoring an 86th-minute own goal. Leipzig suffered a 3-1 defeat at Werder Bremen, while Bayer Leverkusen coach Carles Martinez secured his first Bundesliga victory with a 4-0 win over Union Berlin. Haaland keeps City perfect Erling Haaland scored his third goal of the season as Manchester City defeated Coventry 1-0 to maintain a perfect start and stay top of the Premier League with nine points from three games. Hull City remained unbeaten in second place after a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. Tottenham earned its first point of the season after a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, while Newcastle remained unbeaten under new coach Matthias Jaissle after Jacob Ramsey's late equaliser secured a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Crystal Palace twice came from behind to beat Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage and claim its first points of the campaign. Brighton drew 1-1 with Leeds, while Brentford and Sunderland also shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Aubameyang strikes again for Deportivo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued his impressive start with Deportivo, scoring in the 88th minute to secure a 3-2 victory at Villarreal. The 37-year-old has now scored four goals in as many matches since joining the promoted side, which remains unbeaten since returning to Spain's top flight. Athletic Bilbao also recorded a convincing victory, beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 after scoring all three goals in the second half. Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet were on target for Athletic, which has won its first two matches under German coach Edin Terzić. Rayo Vallecano defeated Racing Santander 3-2, with Sergio Camello scoring twice. Utrecht match abandoned The Dutch league match between Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles was abandoned after supporters threw fireworks and other objects onto the pitch. The game was stopped in the second half with Go Ahead Eagles leading 3-1. Utrecht condemned the supporters' actions and said it would review video footage and take action against those responsible. Elsewhere in the Eredivisie, PSV Eindhoven beat Ajax 3-1. Lens suffers second straight defeat Lens, last season's Ligue 1 runner-up, suffered its second consecutive defeat after losing 1-0 at home to Lorient. Brest beat Le Havre 2-1, while Nice drew 1-1 with Le Mans.  

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain suffered their first defeats in their domestic leagues on Friday, with Kylian Mbappé missing a stoppage-time penalty as Madrid lost 1-0 to Real Betis and PSG surrendered an early lead in a 2-1 home defeat to Monaco. Madrid had won its opening three La Liga matches but was beaten in Seville in its first loss since Jose Mourinho returned as coach. Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles was the hero, making a crucial save from Mbappé's penalty in injury time after Vinícius Júnior was brought down inside the area. Betis had taken the lead through Irish striker Troy Parrott, who finished after Courtois had made an initial save from a header. Mbappé, who had scored four goals in his previous two matches, endured a difficult night. He also missed an opportunity in the first half after being set up by Vinícius. “We played a great game, and sometimes you lose and you don't know why,” Mourinho said. “We dominated, controlled everything, had lots of attacks and chances.” Madrid will next host Inter Milan in its opening Champions League match on Tuesday. In France, PSG appeared on course for victory after Marquinhos put the home side ahead in the 31st minute. Monaco, however, responded through Flavio Nazinho in the 58th minute and Stanis Idumbo in the 72nd. Monaco moved top of Ligue 1 as the only team to win all three of its opening matches. PSG had drawn its first two league games against Rennes and Lille and also lost the French Super Cup to Lens last month. The defeat came on the same day PSG announced contract extensions for coach Luis Enrique and several players. Enrique will remain at the European champions through 2030, while João Neves, Lucas Beraldo, Senny Mayulu and Willian Pacho signed deals through 2031. Fabian Ruiz extended his contract through 2028. Elsewhere, Liverpool secured its first Premier League victory under coach Andoni Iraola, beating Ipswich 2-0 away. Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes, with Cody Gakpo providing both assists. Liverpool had drawn its first two league games 2-2 against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. New signing Bradley Barcola made his Liverpool debut as a second-half substitute after joining from PSG for a reported £123 million ($166 million). In Italy, Como moved top of Serie A after beating Genoa 4-1, with Assane Diao scoring twice and Nico Paz and Martin Baturina adding the other goals. Cesc Fabregas' Como will make its Champions League debut against Leipzig on Sept. 10. In Germany, Stuttgart defeated Koln 4-1 in the Bundesliga.

Brazilian football star Neymar has suffered another injury setback after being substituted at halftime during Santos’ goalless draw with Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals. The 34-year-old did not return for the second half of Wednesday’s match as Santos crashed out of the competition after losing 3-0 on aggregate. After the match, Neymar criticised the condition of the pitch at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium, saying preparations were carried out too close to the game. “I’d like to congratulate the person in charge of the pitch at Vila Belmiro,” Neymar wrote in a social media post. “Yesterday’s was the worst grass, full of holes because they did aeration a day before the match. Unbelievable!” The latest setback adds to Neymar’s injury troubles this year. He has made just 24 appearances for Santos, having struggled with recurring leg muscle and knee injuries.

Brazil will play Japan and Singapore in a double header of Asian friendlies later this year, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Thursday. The five-time World Cup champion will face Japan on November 14 and Singapore three days later, with both games to be played at the Singapore National Stadium. Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said the games formed part of a rebuilding phase after the team's round-of-16 exit at this year's FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. "Facing Japan and Singapore will allow us to observe the team's performance in different contexts, which is fundamental at the start of this cycle," Ancelotti said in a CBF statement. The CBF previously announced that Brazil would face Australia on September 25 and 29 in Townsville and Brisbane, before confronting India in Kolkata on October 3.  

Harry Kane scored twice as defending champion Bayern Munich comfortably advanced to the second round of the German Cup with a 4-1 victory over second-division Osnabrück on Wednesday. Germany star Jamal Musiala was not included in Bayern's squad as he remained sidelined after collapsing during two preseason matches because of a neurological issue. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said Musiala “might” be available for Saturday's Bundesliga match against promoted Schalke. “But I don't want to put any more pressure on the guy,” Kompany said. Kompany opted against making major changes for the match against the lower-division side, starting star forwards Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise. New signing Ismael Saibari also made his first start since joining Bayern from PSV Eindhoven. Osnabrück took an early lead through a spectacular strike by Robin Meissner, who fired the ball into the top right corner from about 30 meters. Kane and even Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig congratulated Meissner for the goal. Kane equalized shortly afterward before Tom Bischof put Bayern ahead 2-1 in the 24th minute. Bayern had to wait until the 73rd minute for Olise to extend its lead and effectively settle the contest. Kane then completed the scoring from the penalty spot as Bayern began its defense of the German Cup with a comfortable victory.

A proposed move by United States international Folarin Balogun from Monaco to Everton appears to have fallen through after a problem reportedly emerged during his medical examination. The Athletic reported that the transfer was called off on Tuesday, the final day of the Premier League transfer window. Balogun was reportedly at Everton's training ground but did not sign a contract. Everton did not immediately comment on the situation. Earlier reports, including from Britain's Press Association, said Everton had offered around 40 million pounds ($54 million) for the 25-year-old striker. Balogun has two years remaining on his contract with Monaco. He attracted significant attention this summer after scoring three goals for the United States at the World Cup, making him the team's leading scorer in the tournament. He also made headlines after receiving a red card and a one-match suspension during the United States' 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. FIFA later deferred the suspension following intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, allowing Balogun to play in the round of 16. He featured in the United States' 4-1 defeat to Belgium, which ended the team's World Cup campaign on home soil. Trump's intervention led to a formal complaint being filed with FIFA's ethics investigators. Born in New York, Balogun grew up in Britain and came through Arsenal's youth academy. He later played for Middlesbrough before moving to France, where he joined Reims and eventually Monaco. Balogun scored 13 goals in 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

Lionel Messi announced Monday that he is retiring from international soccer after a remarkable two-decade career with Argentina. “It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” the 39-year-old Messi said in a statement posted on Instagram. He said he had always given everything for Argentina, not only during the years when the team won major titles but throughout his entire international career. “I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” Messi said. Messi represented Argentina at a record-tying six World Cups, winning the title in Qatar in 2022. He also guided the team to this year’s World Cup final, where Argentina lost to Spain in extra time in New Jersey. Messi revealed that he had written his retirement message on June 21, two days after the World Cup final, but delayed publishing it because his father was suffering from health problems. Jorge Messi died in his hometown of Rosario on Aug. 8. The retirement will not end Messi’s club career. He will continue playing for Inter Miami, for whom he scored four goals in a 7-1 victory over CF Montreal over the weekend. Messi made his Argentina debut in 2006, but his international career was marked by years of disappointment before he finally lifted the World Cup trophy in 2022. “Thank you for all the love these past 20 years,” Messi said. “I'm going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much. Now I'm going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside.” The Inter Miami captain did not indicate how much longer he plans to continue playing at club level. “I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — along with my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of,” he said. “Experiencing this with you was incredible. I love you all.” Second international retirement Messi’s recent success with Argentina came after a difficult period that had once led him to retire from the national team. In 2016, he announced his retirement after Argentina lost the Copa América final to Chile on penalties, with Messi missing one of Argentina’s spot kicks. He later reversed that decision and continued his career, starring for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. He helped Argentina win the Copa América in 2021 and 2024 before finally securing the World Cup in 2022. Messi has also continued to excel at Inter Miami, winning the Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award in consecutive seasons and remaining one of the league’s most influential players. “He is pure history,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said during the recent World Cup. “History. A legend.”

Real Madrid maintained its perfect record Sunday, cruising past newly promoted Malaga 4-0.   Jude Bellingham scored in the 19th minute for Jose Mourinho's side, before Malaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero conceded an own goal seven minutes later. Kylian Mbappe converted Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross on the half-hour mark and Arda Guler added a stoppage-time fourth as Madrid slowed following three games in eight days. Messi scores four, provides assist as Inter Miami thrash Montreal 7-1 Athletic Club claimed its first win under Edin Terzic, beating host Celta Vigo 2-0 with first-half goals from Alex Berenguer and Robert Navarro. Struggling Valencia fell 3-1 to Deportivo A Coruna, conceding Cesar Tarrega and Mouctar Diakhaby own goals alongside a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang strike. Umar Sadiq scored for Valencia in the 26th minute following a defensive error, while Deportivo's Adril Altimira was sent off in stoppage time. On Saturday, Atletico Madrid beat host Sevilla 3-1 without Julian Alvarez, Levante stunned Real Betis 5-2 and Real Sociedad beat Espanyol 2-1. On Friday, new signing Yassir Zabiri scored a first-half hat-trick as Racing Santander beat Elche 3-2, while Villarreal lost 1-0 to Deportivo Alaves. Monday features Barcelona hosting Rayo Vallecano and Osasuna hosting Getafe.