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BREAKING: AC Milan Stun UEFA Champions League Holder Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu

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BREAKING: AC Milan Stun UEFA Champions League Holder Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu—-Champions League holders Real Madrid fell to a 3-1 home defeat by AC Milan on Tuesday in the group stage with striker Kylian Mbappe unable to find the net again.

The 25-year-old France captain has scored once in his last six matches for Madrid across all competitions, including three losses for Los Blancos.

Malick Thiaw headed the Italian side ahead before Vinicius Junior levelled from the penalty spot for the hosts.

Alvaro Morata struck against his former side to restore Milan’s lead before the break and Tijjani Reijnders netted the third to secure Milan’s victory.

Madrid were unable to bounce back strongly from the 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona in late October, their last outing after Saturday’s La Liga match at Valencia was postponed because of devastating floods in the east of Spain.

Players from both sides wore t-shirts before the match reading “We are all Valencia” while in one stand a giant Valencia regional flag was unfurled for a minute’s silence.

Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Champions League twice as a player and then twice as a coach with Milan, only made one change from the Clasico humiliation, bringing in Luka Modric for Eduardo Camavinga.

Madrid may have been keen to set things right in front of their fans at the Santiago Bernabeu but fell behind in the 12th minute.

Thiaw’s near-post header from a corner flew past the helpless Andriy Lunin to earn the Serie A side the lead.

Mike Maignan saved from Mbappe at the other end as Madrid hit back, with Vinicius winning a penalty as he fell under a clumsy tackle from Emerson Royal.

The Brazilian, who finished as runner-up in last week’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris when he had been favourite to win, coolly dispatched it with a cheeky dinked Panenka effort.

Milan regained the lead in the 39th minute through former Madrid striker Morata, who reacted quickly to fire home after Lunin saved from Rafael Leao.

Mbappe, yet to find top form in a Madrid shirt since his move from Paris Saint-Germain and particularly frustrated in the Barcelona defeat, broke in again before half-time but Maignan saved his low effort.

Ancelotti took action at half-time, bringing on Camavinga and Brahim Diaz, and it opened up the second half for an end-to-end affair.

Lunin made a superb flying save from Leao’s header and the Portuguese forward wasted a couple of opportunities on the break.

Leao made amends by teeing up Reijnders at the end of a superb solo run to turn home for Milan’s third after 73 minutes.

Antonio Rudiger smashed home for Madrid after a poor Maignan punch but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside against the defender.

Maignan made a fine late save to deny Diaz and it killed any Madrid hopes of a comeback, like in their previous Champions League outing against Borussia Dortmund.

Madrid have now lost two of their four matches and are in the middle of the table, provisionally 17th, one place above Milan.

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Aston Villa Complete Alejandro Garnacho Signing from Chelsea on Season-Long Loan with Mandatory Buy Clause

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Aston Villa Complete Alejandro Garnacho Signing from Chelsea on Season-Long Loan with Mandatory Buy Clause—-Unai Emery has landed one of his top transfer targets after Aston Villa reached an agreement with Chelsea for Alejandro Garnacho to join on a season-long loan, with a conditional obligation to make the move permanent.

Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Argentina international Alejandro Garnacho on a season-long loan, with a buy clause that will become mandatory if certain conditions are met. The move is expected to be finalized after the 22-year-old completes the remaining formalities following his medical in Birmingham.

The deal represents a significant show of faith from Villa manager Unai Emery, who has long admired Garnacho and had attempted to sign the winger before his move from Manchester United to Chelsea last summer. Emery is understood to have personally pushed for the transfer, believing he can help the Argentine rediscover the form that made him one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents.

Although structured initially as a loan until the end of the 2026-27 season, the agreement includes a conditional obligation to buy. The exact conditions have not been disclosed publicly, but reports indicate they are linked to performance or appearance targets and are widely expected to be met. Garnacho has already agreed personal terms on a four-year contract that will take effect once the permanent transfer is triggered.

Garnacho’s departure comes just one year after Chelsea signed him from Manchester United on a long-term contract. Despite arriving at Stamford Bridge with high expectations, the winger struggled to establish himself as a regular starter, managing only limited league starts as competition for places intensified under new manager Xabi Alonso. Chelsea’s recent club-record £117 million signing of Morgan Rogers further reduced Garnacho’s prospects of regular first-team football, making a move away increasingly likely.

For Aston Villa, the signing is another statement of intent as the club prepares for a campaign that includes UEFA Champions League football. Emery has built a reputation for revitalizing players whose careers have stalled, and Villa believe Garnacho’s pace, direct running and attacking flair can add a new dimension to their frontline. Club officials are confident the Argentine international still possesses the potential to develop into one of the Premier League’s top wingers under Emery’s guidance.

The transfer also continues a busy summer of business between Aston Villa and Chelsea. It follows Chelsea’s acquisition of Morgan Rogers in a British-record £117 million deal, with Garnacho now heading in the opposite direction as both clubs reshape their squads ahead of the new season. While the financial details of the future permanent transfer remain undisclosed, all parties are confident the move will become permanent once the agreed conditions are fulfilled.

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BREAKING: Ferran Torres the Hero as Spain Beat Argentina to Capture 2026 FIFA World Cup

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BREAKING: Ferran Torres the Hero as Spain Beat Argentina to Capture 2026 FIFA World Cup—-Substitute Ferran Torres struck the decisive extra-time winner as Spain edged defending champions Argentina 1-0 to lift their second FIFA World Cup title and complete a historic double as reigning men’s European and world champions.

Spain were crowned 2026 FIFA World Cup champions after defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 following extra time in a tense and tactical final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.

After 90 minutes of relentless intensity failed to separate the two footballing giants, substitute Ferran Torres emerged as Spain’s hero, scoring the only goal of the match in the 106th minute to hand La Roja their second World Cup crown, 16 years after their maiden triumph in South Africa.

Luis de la Fuente’s side controlled much of the contest from the outset, dominating possession and creating the better opportunities against an Argentina team chasing back-to-back World Cup titles. Spain finished the match with 15 attempts on goal and won nine corners, while Lionel Scaloni’s men struggled to impose themselves in attack, failing to register a shot on target for long periods of the encounter.

Spain’s patient approach was finally rewarded early in extra time. Following sustained pressure around Argentina’s penalty area, Ferran Torres collected the ball inside the box before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike beneath the crossbar, leaving goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez with no chance and sending the Spanish supporters into wild celebrations.

Argentina’s task became even more difficult after midfielder Enzo Fernández was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time of normal time, forcing the reigning champions to play the remainder of the contest with ten men. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Argentina fought until the final whistle but were unable to break down Spain’s disciplined defence.

Goalkeeper Unai Simón produced another assured performance behind a well-organised back line marshalled by Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte, while Rodri once again dictated the tempo in midfield. Teenager Lamine Yamal also impressed throughout the tournament, capping a breakthrough World Cup campaign by helping Spain reach the summit of world football.

The victory crowns a remarkable era for Spanish football under Luis de la Fuente. Having already won UEFA Euro 2024 and the UEFA Nations League, Spain now add the FIFA World Cup to their growing list of honours, becoming world champions for the first time since 2010. The triumph also makes Spain the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup titles.

For Argentina, the defeat brought an end to their bid to retain the trophy they lifted in Qatar four years earlier. Lionel Messi and his teammates had reached the final after dramatic victories over England and Switzerland in the knockout rounds, but they were ultimately denied by a composed Spanish side whose consistency and tactical discipline proved decisive on football’s biggest stage.

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