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Kylian Mbappe Reflects on Underwhelming La Liga Debut as Real Madrid Draws with Mallorca
Kylian Mbappe Reflects on Underwhelming La Liga Debut as Real Madrid Draws with Mallorca….Continue Reading….
Kylian Mbappe admitted that his La Liga debut for Real Madrid did not go as planned, labeling the 1-1 draw against Mallorca as “not a good result.” Despite the buzz surrounding his move to the Spanish giants, the French superstar struggled to make an impact in his first league match on Sunday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Mbappe had set high expectations following his impressive start with Real Madrid, where he scored in the UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta. However, in the La Liga opener, he found it difficult to find his rhythm. While there has been much talk about Mbappe potentially scoring 50 goals this season, his performance against Mallorca fell short of those lofty ambitions.
Rodrygo was the only Real Madrid player to score, but both Mbappe and Vinicius Junior frequently found themselves operating too closely together on the left side, limiting their effectiveness.
Mbappe, still in the process of adapting to Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical system, recognized the challenges of blending into Real Madrid’s star-studded attack. After the match, he took to Instagram to share his thoughts and reassure fans of his commitment to improving.
“Not a good result. Heads up and already focused on the next one. Hala Madrid,” Mbappe wrote in his Instagram story.
Nigerian football stars Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen and Christian Nwachukwu are set to feature in UEFA Champions League fixtures as the league phase continues on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 21.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Lookman’s Atletico Madrid will travel to Germany to face Stuttgart on Tuesday, while Nwachukwu’s Sabah FK are scheduled to host Borussia Dortmund. Osimhen and Galatasaray will take on French side Lille on Wednesday, with LASK forward Moses Usor a doubt for his team’s away clash against Sporting CP.
Atletico Madrid will meet Stuttgart at the MHPArena, with kick-off set for 8pm Nigerian time. Diego Simeone’s men will be eager to bounce back from their 2-1 loss to Liverpool in their opening league-phase fixture. However, they head into the encounter in impressive form, having won their last six matches across all competitions.
Lookman found the net in Atletico’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United last week. The Nigerian forward has also recorded two goal contributions in 11 appearances for the Spanish club this season.
Stuttgart, meanwhile, have made a strong start to their Champions League campaign, securing victories over Viking and Slovan Bratislava. They defeated Viking 3-1 before recording a 3-0 win against Slovan Bratislava. Despite their European form, they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Hamburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Nwachukwu’s Sabah FK will welcome Borussia Dortmund to Baku, with the match scheduled to begin at 5:45pm Nigerian time. The Azerbaijani side will be looking to build on their historic 2-0 victory over Slavia Prague last week, which secured their first win in the competition.
Sabah have been particularly impressive at home, winning all five of their Champions League matches, including qualifying-round fixtures. Dortmund, on the other hand, have struggled for consistency, going three games without a victory around the international break.
The 20-year-old Nwachukwu joined Sabah from Sheffield United in August and was part of the squad that defeated Slavia Prague. He also featured in the club’s 4-0 league victory over Gabala on Saturday.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Slavia Prague will travel to Turkey to face Fenerbahce at 5:45pm Nigerian time. The Czech club have several Nigerian players in their squad, including Mubarak Suleiman, Emmanuel Ayaosi, Moses David and Samuel Isifie.
Both teams will be seeking their first victory in the league phase. Slavia have suffered defeats against Lens and Sabah, while Fenerbahce opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Roma before enduring a heavy 6-0 loss to Aston Villa.
On Wednesday, Osimhen’s Galatasaray will travel to France to face Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. The encounter is scheduled to kick off at 5:45pm Nigerian time.
Both sides are under pressure after losing their opening two Champions League matches. Galatasaray suffered a 3-1 defeat to Sporting CP before losing 4-1 at home to Barcelona, despite taking the lead in both encounters.
Lille have also endured a difficult start to their European campaign, losing their first two fixtures. They were held to a 1-1 draw by Brest in Ligue 1 over the weekend.
Osimhen played the entire match in Galatasaray’s 1-0 victory over Gençlerbirliği on Saturday, with a late own goal proving decisive.
Meanwhile, LASK will travel to Portugal on Wednesday for their meeting with Sporting CP. Usor remains doubtful after missing his side’s match against Liverpool last week.
His compatriot, Samuel Adeniran, could lead the attack after scoring in LASK’s convincing 4-0 victory over Austria Lustenau on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension and fined €255 by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) following his departure from Portugal’s national team camp in September.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The 41-year-old forward reportedly left the squad after being an unused substitute in the match against Norway and subsequently learning that he would not be included in the starting lineup against Denmark on October 1.
Ronaldo later issued a lengthy statement defending his decision, accusing Portugal coach Jorge Jesus of going back on his word on two occasions and describing the situation as an “absolute breach of trust”.
However, the suspension is not expected to affect his participation in Portugal’s upcoming fixtures, as the ban took effect on the day of the Denmark encounter. The Al-Nassr captain has already served 19 days of the suspension.
Portugal are scheduled to face Denmark again in the Nations League on November 14 before travelling to Wales three days later.
In explaining its decision, the FPF disciplinary committee said it took several factors into consideration, including Ronaldo’s remorse, his contributions to football and his achievements throughout his career.
The committee also disclosed that the veteran forward submitted his curriculum vitae, highlighting his awards and professional accomplishments, as part of his defence during the disciplinary proceedings.
Ronaldo reportedly accepted responsibility for leaving the national team camp and apologised to his teammates and supporters. He also acknowledged that disciplinary action against him was justified.
Meanwhile, Jesus has denied reaching any agreement with the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward but maintained that a return to the national team remains possible.
FPF president Pedro Proença has also expressed the federation’s willingness to welcome the Portugal captain back once the disciplinary issue has been resolved.
Speaking to Portuguese publication Record, Proença reportedly described the federation’s position as a “strong desire” to see Ronaldo return to the national team.
Despite the controversy, Ronaldo remains Portugal’s all-time leading male international goalscorer and appearance holder, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner played a pivotal role in Portugal’s triumph at Euro 2016 and the country’s two UEFA Nations League title victories.
Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in December 2022 on a reported annual salary of £177 million before signing a contract extension in 2025.
Bayern Munich will be without one of their key attacking stars when they welcome Arsenal for a high-profile UEFA Champions League encounter on Wednesday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
French winger Michael Olise is suspended for the fixture after receiving two yellow cards within a minute during Bayern’s 3-3 draw against Viking last week.
The former Crystal Palace player was initially booked for a foul before being shown a red card for throwing the ball at Viking captain Zlatko Tripic following a verbal confrontation. The dismissal marked the first red card of Olise’s professional career.
His absence represents a significant setback for Bayern, considering his impressive performances since the beginning of the season.
Olise, who was born in London and spent part of his youth development at Arsenal’s academy, has registered nine goals and five assists in 10 appearances across all competitions.
His outstanding form has also strengthened his reputation as one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or following an impressive campaign last season.
Bayern’s attacking concerns have been heightened by Jamal Musiala’s struggles with injury and illness, while Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl are yet to find their best form. Consequently, Olise and England captain Harry Kane have shouldered much of the responsibility in the final third.
Kane has also enjoyed a productive start to the campaign, recording nine goals and six assists in 10 appearances.
The England international demonstrated his importance during Bayern’s encounter with Viking last week, scoring twice and providing an assist as the German side recovered from a two-goal deficit to secure a 3-3 draw.
Following Bayern’s emphatic 6-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Saturday, Kane acknowledged that losing Olise would be a major blow but insisted that other members of the squad must rise to the occasion.
“Missing one of your biggest players, you’re going to feel it for sure, but that’s where other people have to step up and show they can take their opportunity,” Kane said.
He added that the team had consistently emphasised the importance of squad depth and ensuring every player was prepared to make an impact when called upon.
“We talk about the squad a lot, we talk about being ready for your moment and whoever plays will have to be ready,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Bayern will be hoping that Colombian forward Luis Diaz can build on his impressive display against Leipzig ahead of the Arsenal encounter.
Diaz scored a hat-trick and supplied another goal during the 6-1 victory, producing one of his most outstanding performances since joining Bayern from Liverpool in 2025.
The 29-year-old had experienced difficulties making the desired impact earlier in the season, but his performance against Leipzig provided Bayern with renewed confidence in their attacking options.
Wednesday’s showdown will also revive Kane’s rivalry with Arsenal, despite his departure from north London in 2023. The striker previously spent several years at Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal’s fierce local rivals, before moving to Germany.
Bayern and Arsenal last met in the Champions League quarter-finals during the 2023/2024 campaign, with the German side progressing on aggregate. However, Arsenal defeated Bayern 3-1 during the league phase of last season’s competition.
Kane disclosed that he had not exchanged many messages with Arsenal players ahead of Wednesday’s encounter, citing the demanding football schedule.
He explained that they had discussed the upcoming fixture during a previous international break but had been too occupied with their respective clubs to maintain regular conversations.
The German giants enter the match on the back of their commanding victory over Leipzig, which further underlined their strength in domestic football.
However, Arsenal are expected to pose a formidable challenge, having won 10 of their 11 matches across all competitions this season.
The Gunners are also determined to make a strong impression in Europe after their Champions League campaign last season ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Kane described the upcoming encounter as an opportunity for Bayern to assess themselves against one of the continent’s strongest sides, expressing confidence that the atmosphere at their home ground would make the occasion special.
“It’s a big game and we’re playing against one of the best teams in Europe, you have to always enjoy these occasions,” he said.
“We’re testing ourselves against one of the best, we’re here at home, the energy, the fans, it’s going to be a special night.”
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