Every football story we have written, newest first, with our take on what it changes.
Loïs Openda scored 21 Ligue 1 goals for Lens in 2022-23, and on Friday night he left their stadium on crutches. Around the hour mark, after a heavy challenge from Ismaëlo Ganiou, the Lyon striker could not get up and was helped off by the medical staff, in tears according to Tuttosport, as Lyon lost 2-1 for their first league defeat of the season.
Our take If it is long, Juventus lose most
Boca Juniors kept Leandro Paredes on the bench in Córdoba on Friday to save him for Vasco da Gama. He came on in the 55th minute, went off 16 minutes later holding the back of his right thigh, and coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena said he expects his captain to miss Tuesday's Copa Sudamericana semi-final.
Our take The real loss is in Rio, not Tuesday
Julián Álvarez has played 83 minutes of LaLiga football this season, all off the bench, and on Thursday the journalist Rubén Uría reported that he has ended his relationship with Fernando Hidalgo, the agent Atlético blamed for his summer push towards Barcelona. According to Uría, the Argentine "prescinde de los servicios de Hidalgo y pronto tendrá nuevo agente" (is dispensing with Hidalgo's services and will soon have a new agent).
Our take A new agent means a new exit plan
"Nobody knew, but we lived it": José Mourinho has brought the Negreira case into the build-up to his first Clásico since returning to Real Madrid, 16 days before the game at Camp Nou. He told Corriere dello Sport that he coached Madrid during "the important times of Negreira", the years in which Barcelona paid the company of the former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee.
Our take Mourinho is already playing the Clásico
Turkey's football federation has decided to part with Vincenzo Montella, Milliyet reported on Wednesday, after four Nations League defeats in a row. Shakhtar Donetsk coach Arda Turan is the favourite to replace him, and according to journalist Yakup Çınar the federation would let him keep his Shakhtar job.
Our take Shakhtar should say no to a part-time coach
Victor Osimhen took part in Galatasaray training on Wednesday for the first time since injuring his adductor on 4 September, the club doctor said. Galatasaray play Kasımpaşa on Friday and host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Our take Osimhen plays against Barcelona, at least from the bench
Luis de la Fuente promised that no Spain player would play more than 270 minutes in this international window, and Lamine Yamal went back to Barcelona with 281, not counting stoppage time. He was the only player to start all four games, and Barcelona play Getafe on Saturday.
Our take He starts Saturday, rests in Istanbul
Thibaut Courtois has faced 37 shots on target in Real Madrid's first eight games of the season, according to a count by AS, the most in any start since he joined the club in 2018. Real Madrid host Villarreal on Saturday with the busiest goalkeeper they have had in years.
Our take Madrid's problem is 4.6, not Mbappé
Alejandro Hernández Hernández will referee the first Clásico of the season, Barcelona v Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday 25 October, according to Roberto Gómez on Radio Marca. The appointment is not official yet, but if it holds it will be his seventh Clásico, and his record in them already splits the two fan bases.
Our take The whistle won't decide this Clásico
Raphinha trained alone again on Tuesday, and according to Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick’s staff are weighing whether to leave him out of the starting XI against Getafe on Saturday. The Brazilian has scored 12 of Barcelona’s 31 LaLiga goals this season, more than anyone in the league.
Our take Barcelona win, but the 31 goals get tested
Lionel Messi played his 208th and last game for Argentina on Tuesday night and had a hand in every goal of a 3-0 win over Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. He set up Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz, then scored a penalty in the 71st minute for his 126th international goal.
Our take Argentina lose the player who did it alone
Getafe president Ángel Torres told DAZN on Tuesday that Dani Carvajal has passed his medical and that the only thing still missing is an agreement with LaLiga. The former Real Madrid captain, a free agent since 30 June, would join a Getafe side about to start its Conference League campaign.
Our take A leader for Europe, not a 40-game right-back
Erling Haaland was taken off after 67 minutes of Norway’s 2:1 defeat in Porto, limping and signalling to the bench. Norway’s coach says it was a planned change; there is no medical update yet, and Manchester City play at Anfield on Sunday.
Our take Believe the minutes, wait for the scan
Portugal beat Norway 2:1 at the Estádio do Dragão and became the first side to qualify for the 2026-27 Nations League quarter-finals. They did it without Cristiano Ronaldo and finished with ten men.
Our take A winning double, and a new question for the next round
Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s Nations League camp after starting on the bench in the win in Oslo and being told he would not start against Denmark. Jorge Jesus says he will explain the decision after the international break.
Our take Portugal’s attack no longer runs through Ronaldo