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LaLiga: ‘He’ll Never Change’ – Burley Slams Vinicius Over Alonso Behaviour

Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has criticized Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. for his conduct towards manager Xabi Alonso during last weekend’s El Clásico victory over Barcelona.

Recall that Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.

However, Vinicius displayed unsportsmanlike behaviour towards Alonso after being substituted in the 72nd minute of the encounter. The Brazilian international expressed his frustration with the Real Madrid manager and left the pitch in a huff, though he later returned to the bench.

Burley, however, was not pleased with Vinicius’ attitude towards Alonso, insisting that the player will never change his behaviour.

“It is difficult as a player because sometimes you just cannot see the bigger picture, which is that Real Madrid needed fresh legs,”
Burley told ESPN FC.

“You don’t walk down the tunnel when there is a Clasico still on against your biggest rivals. Yes, he came back out. But Xabi Alonso didn’t look best pleased about his antics and then disappearing down the tunnel.

“This is something he has to work with. I don’t think this player will ever change from this type of behaviour.”

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Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace: Eze fires stunning half-volley against former club in Gunners victory

Eberechi Eze delivered a magical moment against his former club, firing home a stunning half-volley as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace in a tense London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

The goal kept the Gunners in charge of their own fate, as they extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Palace hold firm despite Arsenal pressure

Crystal Palace kept things tight at the back throughout the first half, except for the 39t minute strike from Eze.

Mikel Arteta’s men struggled to convert possession into clear chances for the remaining parts of the game as Palace’s defensive discipline stood firm.

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El Clásico: Real Madrid edge Barcelona in high-intensity clash at Bernabéu

Real Madrid came out on top in a dramatic El Clásico encounter at the Santiago Bernabéu, edging Barcelona 2-1 in a game filled with VAR controversy and end-to-end football.

Mbappé and Bellingham strike, but Barcelona hit back

The match kicked off at a frantic pace, with Real Madrid thought to have taken an early lead through Kylian Mbappé in the 12th minute, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.

Madrid eventually broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Mbappé latched onto Jude Bellingham’s through ball and slotted calmly past Wojciech Szczęsny.

Barcelona responded mintues later, with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Balde combining brilliantly down the left.

Their move set up Fermín López, who drilled home a low finish in the 38th minute to level the score before halftime.

Penalty drama and late pressure

The second half delivered its fair share of controversy when Real Madrid were awarded a penalty after a handball by Eric García.

However, Kylian Mbappé’s spot-kick was superbly saved by Szczęsny to keep Barcelona in the game.

Meanwhile, Hansi Flick’s men buoyed by their possession, stayed composed and continued to press high, denying Madrid the freedom to play through midfield.

Substitute Ronald Araújo made key interventions to keep Mbappé and Rodrygo quiet, while young Lamine Yamal’s energy on the wing troubled Madrid’s backline.

Barcelona pushed hard in the closing stages, with Courtois forced into several saves to keep them alive. Yet, Real Madrid’s resilience held firm as they saw out the win to secure a vital three points in the title race.

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Man United 4-2 Brighton: Mbeumo brace seals third straight win for Amorim’s men

Bryan Mbeumo scored twice as Manchester United edged Brighton in a pulsating six-goal clash to record their third consecutive Premier League win, their first such run since February 2024, moving them up to fourth place in the table.

Matheus Cunha ended his 16-match goal drought to give United an early lead before Casemiro’s deflected strike and Mbeumo’s composed finish made it 3-0 by the hour mark.

The Red Devils looked to be in full control as Brighton struggled to contain their attacking rhythm.

Late scare, late relief

Danny Welbeck ignited Brighton’s fightback with a superb free-kick against his former club, and Charalampos Kostoulas’ stoppage-time header set up a nervous finish.

But Mbeumo stepped up again, smashing home his second goal to settle the contest and seal another vital win for Ruben Amorim side.

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Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland: Talbi’s 93rd-minute winner stuns Blues in title race blow

Chelsea suffered a shocking late collapse as Sunderland snatched all three points with a 93rd-minute winner at Stamford Bridge.

Alejandro Garnacho had given the Blues an early lead just four minutes into the game, setting up what seemed like a routine night for the title contenders.

Sunderland fight back

Sunderland clawed their way back when Wilson Isidor levelled midway through the first half, punishing Chelsea’s complacency and silencing the home crowd.

Late heartbreak for the Blues

As the match looked destined for a draw, Chemsdine Talbi struck deep into stoppage time, calmly slotting home to seal a dramatic victory for the Black Cats and leave Stamford Bridge stunned.

The result delivers a major blow to Chelsea’s title ambitions, as they threw away a golden chance to stay in touch with the league leaders.

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EPL: Iwobi Becomes First Nigerian Player To Make 300 Appearances

Alex Iwobi, the Fulham midfielder, has made history as the first Nigerian footballer to reach 300 appearances in the Premier League.

Iwobi hit the milestone when he featured against Newcastle United at St James Park on Saturday.

The 29-year-old made his debut in the English top-flight against Swansea City in October 2015. At the time, he was on the books of Arsenal.

Iwobi played 100 league games for the Gunners, 123 matches for Everton and 77 now for Fulham.

Across his 299 Premier League outings, Iwobi has contributed 69 goal involvements, comprising 32 goals and 37 assists.

Iwobi is also just the fifth African player to reach the milestone.

The Super Eagles playmaker is only behind Kolo Toure (353), Mohamed Salah (309), Wilfried Zaha (305) and Jordan Ayew (305).

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Osimhen To Battle Salah, Hakimi For 2025 CAF Player Of The Year

The Nigerian star footballer, Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the 2025 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.

The Galatasaray striker won the prestigious award in 2023.

Osimhen will battle nine others players for the individual accolade.

The other nominees are Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Serhou Guirassy, Fiston Mayele, Frank Auguissa and Dennis Bounaga.

Other players in contention for the award are Pape Matar Sarr, Ilman Ndiaye and Ousmanne Lamloui.

Atalanta winger, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, won the award last year.

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UCL: Osimhen shines with double as Galatasaray down Bodø/Glimt

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen continued his blistering form with a standout performance on Wednesday night, scoring twice as Galatasaray cruised to a 3-1 win over Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League.

The Nigerian star, who had earlier during the day been shortlisted for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year award, produced a stunning display that proved his growing reputation as a big-game performer under manager Okan Buruk.

Record-breaking run in Europe

The brace extended Osimhen’s scoring streak to seven consecutive European matches, setting a new club record for Galatasaray.

Over that run, he has scored against Tottenham, AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kyiv, Ajax, Liverpool, and now Bodø/Glimt, taking his tally to nine goals in his last seven European outings.

Leading by example

Before being replaced by Mauro Icardi in the 73rd minute, Osimhen registered seven shots on target, missed five big chances, and was flagged offside twice.

Across all competitions this season, the 26-year-old has now tallied five goals in eight appearances.

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Chelsea’s teenagers make Champions League history in 5-1 rout of Ajax

Chelsea produced a dazzling performance at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, thrashing Ajax  5-1 to claim back-to-back Champions League victories and, in the process, becoming the first team in the competition’s history to have three teenage scorers in a single match.

Teenage trio light up Stamford Bridge

It was a night to remember for the Blues’ academy graduates. Marc Guiu, 19, opened the floodgates, briefly becoming Chelsea’s youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer after finishing clinically moments before Ajax captain Kenneth Taylor was sent off.

However, his record stood for only 33 minutes, as Estevao Willian, 18, converted the third of three first-half penalties to make it 4-1.

Enzo Fernandez and Wout Weghorst had earlier exchanged spot-kicks, while Moises Caicedo added a thunderous long-range strike amid a chaotic opening half.

The record-breaking moment was capped when substitute Tyrique George, introduced at half-time, struck just three minutes after coming on, making him the third teenager on the scoresheet.

Chelsea youth shine as Ajax collapse

Seventeen-year-old midfielder Reggie Walsh also made history, coming off the bench to become the youngest player ever to feature for Chelsea in the Champions League, and the second youngest Englishman in the competition’s history, behind Jack Wilshere.

For Ajax, the night was one to forget. The five-time European champions imploded after Taylor’s reckless red-card challenge, with defensive lapses and repeated fouls compounding their misery.

Despite Weghorst briefly reducing the deficit after a foul by Tosin Adarabioyo, Ajax’s sloppiness continued as Youri Baas conceded yet another penalty, which Estevao confidently dispatched in first-half stoppage time.

Maresca’s men in command

Such was Chelsea’s control that manager Enzo Maresca rotated heavily after the break, resting key players Caicedo, Fernandez, and Adarabioyo, and using all five substitutions by the 65th minute.

The result leaves Ajax bottom of the 36-team Champions League table with three defeats from three, extending their winless run in all competitions to four games.

Chelsea, meanwhile, continue their European resurgence, recording two straight Champions League wins after their opening defeat to Bayern Munich.

The Blues now turn their attention to their next fixture, a trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag.

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UCL: Gyokeres ends goal drought as Arsenal thrash Atletico Madrid 4-0

Viktor Gyokeres rediscovered his scoring touch with a brilliant brace as Arsenal thumped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Gunners delivered a statement performance at the Emirates, dominating from start to finish to maintain their European momentum.

Set-piece strength sets the tone

Arsenal took control early through yet another well-worked set piece. Defender Gabriel Magalhaes powered home a header to open the scoring before Gabriel Martinelli doubled the lead, leaving Atletico’s defence exposed.

Gyokeres back among the goals

After a six-game goal drought, Gyokeres finally broke his silence, striking twice to seal a one-sided victory for the Gunners.

Elsewhere in Europe

Manchester City edged Villarreal 2-0, with Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva on target.

Newcastle United continued their fine European form with a 3-0 win over Benfica, powered by Harvey Barnes’ brace.

Meanwhile, Barcelona ran riot with a 6-1 win over Olympiacos, thanks to Marcus Rashford’s double, while PSG and PSV enjoyed emphatic victories as well, scoring six and seven goals respectively on a night of high-scoring Champions League action.