The 18-year-old Brazilian, who netted three goals against Galatasaray, has been compared to his compatriot but he is already making a name for himself.

Photo by Getty Images

Four minutes!

That’s all it took for the 18-year-old Rodrygo to become the youngest Brazilian ever to score in the Champions League.

Seven minutes!

That’s all it took for him to become the youngest player in Champions League history to score twice in the same game.

By the end of the 90 minutes, he had become the second-youngest to ever hit a hat-trick in the tournament.

Truly staggering statistics yet perhaps we should be surprised that it has taken him this long to take the game’s premier club tournament by storm. This, after all, is not a kid renowned for hanging about.

He made his professional debut for Santos in November 2017 at just 16. The following year, he wrapped up his transfer to Real Madrid inside 20 minutes.

The agreed 12-month wait before actually moving to Spain clearly made Rodrygo even more impatient. And the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the start of the season must have only intensified his determination to make a positive first impression on the Madrid faithful.

He achieved that goal with a fine solo strike – just 93 seconds into his Liga debut (Only Brazil legend Ronaldo had ever done it quicker).

There was no goal on his Champions League bow. Rodrygo did, however, thoroughly vindicate Zinedine Zidane’s bold decision to start him up front against Galatasaray in Istanbul two weeks ago with a staggeringly confident performance in such a hostile environment.

Rodrygo’s inclusion had even come as a surprise to the player himself but he took it all in his stride and enthused afterwards, “Boy, I enjoyed that!”

He enjoyed the return fixture even more, though.

There were just four minutes gone in Wednesday’s clash at the Bernabeu when Marcelo whipped over a deep and deliberate cross the back post.

Rodrygo controlled instantaneously, nimbly stepped inside on to his left foot – sending a bamboozled Mario Lemina tumbling to the turf in the process – before stunning the ball into the bottom corner of the Galatasaray goal.

The celebration was as jarringly controlled as the finish. Once again, he made it look like he has already been doing this kind of thing for years – because he has been doing this kind of thing for years.

The venue doesn’t seem to make any difference; nothing seems to faze him.

When previously asked what he would offer Madrid, he simply stated, “I’m a fast striker: I score and I dribble.”

He can also use his head, though, as he illustrated just three minutes after opening his Champions League account.

Marcelo was the provider once more. This time, though, Rodrygo met his compatriot’s cross with a deftly and expertly angled header into the bottom right corner.

Again, no over-the-top celebrations. History made? No big deal. Just thanks to Marcelo for the cross – again.

Remarkably, he could have netted the fastest ever hat-trick in the Champions League when Madrid were awarded a penalty in the 14th minute for a trip on Toni Kroos on the edge of the Galatasaray area.

However, Sergio Ramos is nothing if not football’s biggest spoilsport and it was the captain who converted from the spot to put the home side three goals to the good.

Rodrygo was not to be denied the match ball, though, completing his perfect hat-trick in the dying seconds of a resounding 6-0 win by poking home a return pass from Karim Benzema, whom the youngster had set up for Madrid’s fourth just before the break.

Given his Santos background, sleight frame and prodigious attacking talent, Rodrygo has obviously been compared to Neymar on several occasions.

It was even put to him upon his arrival in the Spanish capital that he might become ‘The Neymar of Madrid’.

Rodrygo calmly replied, “There is only one Neymar; there won’t be another.

“I would just like to be the Rodrygo of Real Madrid.”

He might just get his wish. He’s already making history – and quite the name for himself.

Source – Goal.com

The former Arsenal manager has spoken of his admiration of the German giants, fuelling speculation he could be set to take charge at Allianz Arena.

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Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out a move to Bayern Munich amid reports the Frenchman could be set to take charge at the Bundesliga giants.

The former Arsenal boss is rumoured to be the leading contender to succeed Niko Kovac at Allianz Arena after Ralf Rangnick ruled himself out of the running.

The 70-year-old has been without a managerial job since leaving the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2018 and has always insisted he wanted to return to full-time management if the right position came along.

Speaking about reports linking him with a move to Bavaria, Wenger, who also confirmed he speaks fluent German, told beIN Sports: “I’d never refuse to talk to Bayern Munich, because I know the people who have led the club for 30 years and I was nearly going to Bayern a long, long time ago. That’s all I can say.”

When pressed further on whether he would like to work at Bayern, Wenger added: “At the moment I haven’t talked to them at all, I don’t know if I will.

“I just want to do what I like now. I have not decided yet if I will go back on the pitch or not. I’m quite happy what I am doing but I miss the pitch as well, so it’s a difficult decision for me at the moment.

“I will make that decision in the coming days or in the coming week.”

When asked about what impressed him most about Bayern Munich and German football in general, Wenger said: “What I admire, and you have to give that to the Germans, is they always try to take responsibility to play.

“Bayern is always a team who take possession and are not scared to have the ball, take the game to the opponents and dominate the game.

“Historically they have always done that. They have a history as a club who wants to play positive football.”

Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Massimiliano Allegri have also been linked with the role over the past few days while Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel has publicly ruled himself out of the running.

Source – Goal.com

Australia’s women’s football team, the Matildas, have struck a historic deal which will see them earn equal pay and entitlements on many key measures.

The deal is “a commitment that is blind to gender”, a players’ union says/Getty Images

Football Federation Australia (FFA) said it means the top male and female players will be on the same pay scale.

But the men are likely to keep earning more due to the greater prize money typically on offer at their matches.

The Matildas are currently ranked 8th in the world while Australia’s men’s team, the Socceroos, come in 44th.

“This is a massive step taken to close the gender pay gap between the Socceroos and the Matildas,” said FFA chief executive David Gallop.

Professional Footballers Australia, a union which represent both teams, said it was a “a commitment that is blind to gender”.

Under the deal, both sides will receive the same cut of commercial revenue – such as advertising – and players will be valued equally.

Top female players will also see a significant boost to their salary – now A$100,000 (£53,000; $69,000).

The Matildas will also receive identical training conditions and other entitlements – such as business class air travel – which are currently afforded to the Socceroos.

Erling Haaland made Champions League history as Salzburg earned a 1-1 Champions League draw away at Napoli on Tuesday.

Erling Haaland made history with his goal for Salzburg against Napoli. Getty Images

Napoli gave another erratic performance as they hit the woodwork twice, wasted a hatful of chances and looked shaky at the back.

Haaland continued his prolific season by putting the Austrian champions ahead from a penalty.

The goal was his seventh of the competition and the 19-year-old now has the most of any teenager in a single Champions League season, beating the previous record of six held jointly by Raul and Kylian Mbappe.

Hirving Lozano equalised with a superb strike one minute before half-time but, despite carving out more openings in the second half, Carlo Ancelotti’s side missed their chance to book a knockout-stage place with two games to spare.

Napoli, who had 30 shots on goal but only three on target, dropped to second in the group with eight points, one below Liverpool, while Salzburg are third with four despite being the group’s topscorers with 12 goals.

Both sides missed early chances before Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly gave away a penalty with a clumsy tackle on Hwang Hee-chan and 19-year-old Norwegian Haaland continued his remarkable scoring run from the spot in the 11th minute.

Napoli, winless in four games, continue to misfire in attack.

Jose Callejon saw a header bounce off the far post and Lorenzo Insigne twice swept the ball over from similar positions near the edge of the penalty area as he failed to keep his composure.

Napoli finally levelled with their 16th attempt on goal. Insigne slipped the ball inside to Lozano who was surrounded by Salzburg defenders but the Mexican still managed to score with a snooker-like shot from the edge of the area which found a tiny gap between Carlos Coronel and his near post.

The pressure continued in the second half as Lozano flashed a shot over the bar and there was a lucky escape for Coronel when Insigne caught him napping with a 30-metre lob which struck the crossbar, hit the goalkeeper’s head and went out for a corner.

Insigne sent another effort wide after a clearance was sent straight to his feet and Fernando Llorente headed wide from a corner, leaving Ancelotti with plenty to ponder.

Source – ESPN

This group game turned in one jaw-dropping second-half moment with Chelsea taking control but Ajax bravely saw off the late challenge from the hosts.

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Crash, bang, wallop. One of the all-time great Champions League games was played out in the first-ever Stamford Bridge meeting between Chelsea and Ajax.It was 4-4 on the night in Group H, leaving plenty yet to be decided, but that doesn’t even tell half the story.

A minute of self-destruction from Ajax midway through the second half turned the tide with Daley Blind lunging on Tammy Abraham and being issued a second yellow card.

Not only that, but in the next moment Joel Veltman’s handball in the box meant that he would give away a penalty during Chelsea’s advantage stemming from the Blind foul.

Ajax’s players then exploded in front of referee Gianluca Rocchi leading to another red card for the already-booked Veltman.

Jorginho scored the penalty to make it 3-4 on the night and Reece James would go onto equalise from a corner after Kurt Zouma headed it against Andre Onana’s crossbar.

That minute of chaos added to what was already shaping up to be a classic with six goals scored as two young sides showed both frailty and magic.

It was built upon brilliance from both Quincy Promes and Hakim Ziyech, who had helped Ajax build an incredible 4-1 lead.

The opening goal was a brilliant set-piece that lured Tammy Abraham into an own goal off Promes’s delivery. The Dutch forward then went on to head in Ziyech’s wonderful looping cross.

Ziyech then put over a stunning freekick that found the net via the post and Kepa Arrizabalaga’s face, yet another goal that could be attributed to mistakes for both the goalkeeper and Marcos Alonso.

Jorginho had earlier equalised earlier from the spot, the fact that the defensive midfielder spent most of the game on a hat-trick gives an insight into one of the craziest nights in Champions League history.

Captain Cesar Azpilicueta’s goal to make it 2-4 didn’t have the feel of the goal that could feature in one of the all time great comebacks, particularly as he was one of many Chelsea defenders struggling to contain Ajax.

But Reece James’s late goal meant Chelsea’s unlikely comeback would be complete, one of the unlikliest in the history of the competition.

Unpicking what the match means for either side more broadly is hard. This was football played for pure joy, as if they were kids playing five-a-side in a cage.

Neither side ended the match with any sense of structure as Lampard threw caution to the wind and Ajax had to learn to play with nine men. Learn they did, and they created several chances to go 5-4 up into the bargain.

Chelsea, inevitably, looked more likely and Ajax’s tormentor from two weeks ago came onto the pitch late on, Michy Batshuayi on for a defensive midfielder in Mateo Kovacic. His two shots were inches wide from killing Ajax.

Azpilicueta did indeed appear to make it 5-4 but VAR ruled it out for handball in the box from Abraham. Both Lampard and Azpilicueta have spoke of their issues with VAR in the past, while it only served to add to the madness on the night.

“Today it was a mad one. There aren’t many I can compare it with in my day,” Lampard said at Stamford Bridge. “We had 4-4s with Liverpool, but the red cards and VAR, it is a new animal and getting used to it.

“I’m not the only manager mentioning it every week, every manager is at the moment. I can’t give you a dissection of those today because firstly I need to watch it back with a calm head and see them. Secondly when you are on the sidelines it is hard to grasp straight away.

“I am delighted. Take VAR out of it. I have to look at the spirit and character was something that I loved and the fans loved. We need to tighten up for sure, but with that spirit we can go places.”

Remarkably, a point each seems unfair for each side, whose exploits on the night left much of Europe on the edge of their seats. The splitting of the points means that Group H is very tight going into the last two games.

Chelsea may well be disappointed not to win in the context of the two red cards for the opposition and, as Valencia won 4-1 against Lille, all is equal at the top of the standings with two games to go.

Tonight is Bonfire Night in England; a night when fireworks explode for entertainment across the country but the best and biggest ones were seen at Stamford Bridge.

Source – Goal.com

The Blaugrana’s performances are concerning the French tactician, who believes their superstar is too often asked to shoulder the burden.

Photo by Getty Images

Barcelona rely too heavily on Lionel Messi and are playing ‘like a team in crisis’, according to former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

The Liga title-holders struggled to a 0-0 Champions League draw against Czech side Slavia Prague at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night, having lost 3-1 to Levante in the league on the weekend.

Wenger believes that despite leading their two main competitions, Barca aren’t gelling together as a team and were just waiting for their superstar Messi to create a moment of brilliance.

“They’re top of the league, they’re top of their group, and they play like a team in crisis,” Wenger on beIN SPORTS in his role as a pundit.

“Their game is too slow. There is no dynamic in the last 30 metres, it’s too individual.

“Every time they lose the ball, it looks like they will concede a goal on the counter attack because they cannot deal with pace against the opponent… the team lacks dynamic, lacks energy, lacks confidence.

“Today it looks like they play and they wait for Messi to do something, but the basic strengths of the team play is a bit gone.

“And you think, when will Messi get the ball to do something? And before, the music, the basic music, was the fantastic team play, making it difficult to catch the ball, and then on top of that came Messi.”

Blaugrana coach Ernesto Valverde is currently under pressure to retain his job because of the inconsistencies in the team’s performances this season.

Wenger stopped short of completely blaming Valverde for Barca’s current struggles, instead suggesting that the issues may come from higher up in the club’s hierarchy.

“At the end it’s always the coach who is guilty, he’s not always responsible,” Wenger said. “There’s a difference between being guilty and responsible, you know?

“We said Valverde does not make the decision on who comes in. He has to do the best with what he has.

“So what we speak about raises many questions: who has the final word when you buy a player? Secondly, is this really the player that the team needs?”

The Catalans lead La Liga on goal difference from Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, and will be hoping to extend their advantage when they host Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Source – Goal.com

England midfielder Adam Lallana, 31, is a target for clubs in China and Major League Soccer, with his Liverpool contract running out this summer. (Telegraph)

Unai Emery has been given a month to save his job as Arsenal manager. (Mirror)

The Gunners are distancing themselves from a possible move for former Manchester United and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. (ESPN)

Assistant manager Freddie Ljungberg is ready to step in as caretaker manager if Emery is sacked by the Emirates Stadium club. (Independent)

Former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, previously linked with Arsenal, is the favourite to take over at Bayern Munich following the departure of Niko Kovac. (Bild, via Football Italia)

RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick has also been strongly tipped for the Bayern vacancy – with Mourinho another candidate. (London Evening Standard)

Red Bull Salzburg are yet to receive an offer for 19-year-old Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland, who has been linked with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. (Mirror)

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is keen on signing Arsenal’s 20-year-old French defender, who is on loan at Saint-Etienne.(Express)

Barcelona’s 21-year-old Spanish midfielder Carles Alena – a target for Tottenham Hotspur – is likely to be allowed to leave the La Liga club on loan in January. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish)

Roma are set for further meetings with Manchester United over a permanent deal for England defender Chris Smalling – who is on loan at the Serie A side this season – and are ready to offer 10m euros (£8.6m) for the 29-year-old. (Calciomercato)

Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder David Silva, 33, is expected to miss Sunday’s potentially crucial Premier League trip to leaders Liverpool because of a muscle injury. (Mirror)

Paris St-Germain’s France forward Kylian Mbappe, will play for Real Madrid one day, according to Vadim Vasilyev, president of the 20-year-old’s former club Monaco. (Mail)

Real’s unsettled Wales forward Gareth Bale, 30, and Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez, 28, did not train with the first team on Sunday. (Marca)

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has confirmed there is a clause in his contract allowing him to move to Barcelona, where he played from 1989 to 1995, but only after Euro 2020. (Goal.com)

Source – BBC News

The Football Association has found no evidence Manchester City made a banned payment to former player Jadon Sancho’s agent when the England winger was 14.

Jadon Sancho left Manchester City in 2017

German magazine Der Spiegel claimed City paid Emeka Obasi £200,000 when they signed Sancho, now at Borussia Dortmund, from Watford in March 2015.

Young players cannot be represented by an agent until the year they turn 16.

The FA opened an investigation in February but it has now concluded there is no evidence to back up the claims.

The governing body reserves the right to reopen the investigation if new information becomes available.

The Premier League champions paid an initial £66,000 in compensation to Watford to sign Sancho.

Having never made a first-team appearance for City, he moved to German side Dortmund for £8m in August 2017.

The 19-year-old was one of the star players in the Bundesliga last season and has made 10 international appearances for England.

Source – BBC News

The Croatian’s position at the club has been deemed untenable following a 5-1 demolition at the hands of his previous side on Saturday.

Photo by Getty Images

Niko Kovac has been sacked as manager of Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga champions have confirmed.

The 48-year-old Croatian took over at the club from Jupp Heynckes in the summer of 2018 and won a league and cup double in his first season, but Bayern have struggled to hit their best form this campaign.

They were humiliated 5-1 by Kovac’s previous side, Eintracht Frankfurt, on Saturday, a result which proved the final straw for the club’s hierarchy.

It now remains to be seen who will replace Kovac. While assistant manager Hansi Flick will take charge for the upcoming games with Olympiacos and Borussia Dortmund, the international break which follows will give the club time to consider a long-term appointment.

A number of high-profile names including Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri have been linked, with the likes of Erik ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick and Mark van Bommel also likely to enter into the conversation.

In a statement on the club’s official website, Kovac himself said: “I think this is the right decision for the club at the moment. The results, and also the way we last played, made me come to that decision. My brother Robert and I thank Bayern for the last one-and-a-half years.

“During this time, our team has won the championship, the DFB Cup and the Supercup. It was a good time. I wish the club and the team all the best.”

Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “The performance of our team in recent weeks and the results have shown us that there was need for action.

“Uli Hoeness, Hasan Salihamidzic and I had an open and serious conversation with Niko on this basis on Sunday with the consensual result that Niko is no longer coach of Bayern.

“We all regret this development. I would like to thank Niko Kovac on behalf of FC Bayern for his work, especially for winning the double this past season.”

Speculation had already grown around Kovac’s future over the weekend as Sunday’s training session, which had been scheduled to be open to the public, was made private at short notice.

Source – Goal.com

The Brescia forward almost walked off the pitch before being convinced to finish the game, and scoring a stunning goal.

Brescia striker Mario Balotelli says those who deny he was racially abused during Sunday’s Serie A match at Hellas Verona are not “real men”.

Balotelli kicked the ball angrily towards Verona supporters early in the second half after hearing abuse , before threatening to walk off the pitch.

The referee brought play to a halt before following protocol, with a statement read out to the crowd in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Balotelli was persuaded to stay on and see out the game by team-mates and Verona players, with the former Manchester City and Inter Milan striker going on to score a stunning late goal in Brescia’s 2-1 defeat at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.

Speaking after the game, Verona’s head coach Ivan Juric and president Maurizio Setti claimed they heard no abuse directed at Balotelli. , with the former stating: “I’m not afraid to say it: today, there was nothing, no racist booing.”

Alongside a video showing his reaction to the abuse and his goal on Instagram, Balotelli wrote: “Thanks to all the colleagues on and off the field for the solidarity expressed toward me and all of the messages received from fans. A heartfelt thanks. You’ve shown yourself to be real men, not like those who deny the evidence.”

Balotelli also reposted a video taken by a fan of him being abused, and the Italy international wrote: “To the ‘people’ in this end who made the monkey noises: shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you in front of your children, wives, parents, relatives, friends and acquaintances…shame.”

Verona’s chairman Maurizio Setti also denied hearing any racist abuse during the game.

“I confirm that we have heard nothing,” Setti said. “Verona fans are passionate but they’re not racists.

“When there are cases of racism we are the first to condemn them but it is wrong to generalise, speaking of racist chants and fans. Maybe two or three people among 20,000 fans might have said something.

“Those two or three people, if there are, we are ready to find them and punish them because I strongly condemn any such incident. I met Balotelli and I apologised if someone said something to him.”

The result leaves Brescia in the relegation zone, with the club announcing after the game they had sacked head coach Eugenio Corini.

Source – Goal.com