Football

Bill Connelly, ESPN Staff WriterDec 12, 2024, 12:17 PM ET Close Bill Connelly is a staff writer for ESPN.com. Open Extended Reactions The first few matchdays of the 2024-25 Champions League campaign were a bit strange from a general vibes perspective. We saw plenty of interesting matches and great performances, but with the freshly expanded

Dec 12, 2024, 08:42 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has been ruled out for 10 days with a thigh injury, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The France forward was substituted in the 35th minute of Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Atalanta in the Champions League with a suspected left thigh problem.

Dec 12, 2024, 10:45 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Manchester City have condemned online racist abuse of defender Kyle Walker following their 2-0 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. The 34-year-old shared abusive messages he received via Instagram and called upon the app to clamp down on the amount of racist trolling

Chelsea continued their fine recent form with a 3-1 win over Kazakh side FC Astana despite Enzo Maresca ringing the changes for the Conference League clash. Maresca made 10 changes from the starting XI that beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on Sunday, with Axel Disasi and Pedro Neto the most experienced players to begin the game

Associated Press Dec 12, 2024, 08:23 AM ET Open Extended Reactions After more than a year, Gio Reyna has finally started a game for Borussia Dortmund again. A lot has changed for the team and for the American attacking midfielder, who could be a valuable player for the United States at its home World Cup

Associated Press Dec 12, 2024, 04:29 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Swedish prosecutors on Thursday dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with football star Kylian Mbappé‘s visit to Stockholm in October. ESPN had previously reported that Mbappé’s representatives said the allegations of rape were “totally false” and “a slanderous rumour.” In a

Open Extended Reactions MLS expansion side San Diego FC has traded two draft picks as they chase a “starting center back” and possible Designated Player signing this winter ahead of their 2025 debut. “We’re really excited because we’re using that money to fund a starting center back that’s gonna be a part of this spine

ESPN News Services Dec 11, 2024, 06:04 PM ET Open Extended Reactions United States internationals Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah were a big part of the reason Juventus toppled Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday. The two also made history in the process. Weah played a perfect cross into his USMNT teammate in

ESPN News Services Dec 11, 2024, 08:40 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Bukayo Saka led Arsenal to victory in the Champions League on Wednesday, but was left with some regrets after being denied his first hat trick for his boyhood club by one of his teammates. The England winger had already scored twice against Monaco

Open Extended Reactions Pep Guardiola said he is questioning himself as Manchester City manager after his team’s nightmare run extended to a seventh defeat in 10 games as goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie sealed a 2-0 Champions League victory for Juventus in Turin. City travel to Paris Saint-Germain on matchday seven next month