“Barcelona head into this La Liga season with the chance of achieving something special. Winning the Spanish top-flight title for the third year in a row would make Hansi Flick’s team the first to do that since Pep Guardiola’s Barca in 2011. There would be nice symmetry in them doing that against Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid — while they also have unfinished business in the Champions League. The Catalans have made some exciting signings in Rodri, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi. But they still lack a senior centre-forward, with their pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez so far proving fruitless. This is what to expect from the coming season. …”
NYT/ATH
Barcelona 2026-27 season preview: Will Rodri, Gordon and Co help them win three in a row?
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“Over the last couple of seasons, Ryan Gravenberch has been Liverpool’s bellwether player. When the Dutchman has been on form, Liverpool have been on a title-winning level. When Gravenberch has looked tired and struggled to make a positive impact, Liverpool have often been wretched. There’s a chicken-and-egg debate to be had there, but Gravenberch was magnificent in the first half of 2024-25 in 
“After a weekend on which 
“Julian Alvarez was whistled and insulted by Atletico Madrid fans as he made his first appearance for the club since expressing his desire to move away, amid interest from Barcelona and Arsenal. Alvarez’s name was jeered by the Atletico supporters at the Metropolitano when it was read out before their La Liga game against Villarreal, while many gestured and made their feelings clear towards the Argentina striker when he began to warm up around the hour mark. …”
“For an opening-game upset of the season, Hull City’s win at home against 20-time champions Manchester United was rather convincing. They were 2-0 up after 38 minutes and managed the game with control and comfort in the second half to see out a statement victory. Not a bad start for the Championship play-off winners up against last season’s third-place side, especially as they have the least ‘valuable’ squad in the Premier League, 
“THE Premier League may feel as though it has been constantly dominated by Manchester City over the past decade, but there are plenty of leagues that have been far less democratic. Most competitions have one or two clubs that consistently finish in the top places; there is an air of predictability in France, Germany and Spain and there are no surprise teams at the summit in Italy. The Netherlands and Portugal are effectively both run by three teams, while Scotland has almost always been bossed by two clubs from Glasgow. ….”
“There was a period in the early 1990s during Kevin Keegan’s first, electrifying spell as Newcastle United manager when he and assistant Terry McDermott would turn up at St James’ Park at 10.30 on Saturday mornings for 3pm kick-offs. The pair would inspect the pitch, assess the level of watering and chat to the groundsman. St James’ was open then at both ends, vulnerable to the wind and rain blowing down the Tyne Valley. Keegan and McDermott were European Cup winners. Looking around, Keegan said it was ‘more like a bus shelter than a football stadium.’ But, as Keegan’s impact upon Newcastle — the club and the city — rose, the dilapidated ground changed, too. As it shed its old skin, St James’ became a visible focal point on the modern skyline. It still is. …”
“Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement 13 years ago, 
“The camel stops urinating just long enough for the kids to pose for a picture with it. It’s not normal to see a camel outside a football match, but then again, this isn’t a normal football match. It’s Mohamed Salah’s first start and first home game for Trabzonspor, and ahead of a Europa League play-off round qualifying match against Ferencvaros, some have decided to welcome him with a little slice of home. Where has he come from? ‘Egypt!’ the camel’s handler declares with a grin, unconvincingly. …”
“Last season was the greatest Aston Villa have enjoyed since they 
“Friday evening brings the return of the Premier League and, with it, nine more months of twists and turns, quality and controversy, and, for fans of the 20 clubs involved, more ups and downs than a FIFA president’s private jet during a World Cup. Eyes will be focused on the pitch but plenty of attention will be spared for matters off it too, and not only because there’s a summer transfer window with a week and a half left to run. Football’s richest, most-watched league will resume proceedings with its clubs subject to new financial rules, ones set to shape events in the 2026-27 season — and well beyond. Profit and sustainability rules (PSR), first introduced in 2013, are out; squad cost ratio (SCR) rules are in. So too, to less fanfare, are sustainability and systemic resilience (SSR) rules. At a vote by Premier League clubs in November 2025, the shift to an SCR regime was passed — barely. Fourteen clubs, the minimum needed to approve rule changes, voted in favour: Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United were the dissenting six. …”
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish thinks the rules impede aspirational clubs
Julian Alvarez in Atletico Madrid training Julian Alvarez in Atletico Madrid training last week 
Robin Roefs makes a save for Sunderland in a Premier League game Robin Roefs’ form for Sunderland in 2025-26 played a big part in their Premier League survival 
“IN Europe’s established football hierarchy, it is widely acknowledged there are the “big five” leagues and then two or three others aspiring to become part of an elite group. Portugal and the Netherlands are two examples and occasionally, another league comes into view as the place to go. At the moment, Turkish football is making considerable noise and attracting big names who are mostly seeking refuge in the autumn of their careers. It has all been seen before; league officials often believe that sending a signal to the rest of the world is best achieved by luring headline players to their clubs, regardless of their vintage. …”
Referee Jarred Gillett signals for time wasting Referee Jarred Gillett signals for time wasting last season
“As dramatic television scenes go, it is one of the most open, raw and unfiltered you will see this year. … This loud, passionate, somewhat frantic character wildly gesticulates with his flailing arms as he continues to unleash his feelings on the group, with eyes wide and bright. … Where is this scene being filmed? Is the office admin guy having a bit of a breakdown? Nope, it’s just Pep Guardiola at Juventus away. Prime Video’s new four-part docuseries on Guardiola and Manchester City, A Beautiful Obsession, offers an at-times extraordinary glimpse into the final two seasons of the 55-year-old’s Etihad reign. …”
Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland
Through on goal, beating the goalkeeper — a familiar sight for Ismaila Sarr
“The walk to Plaza Errotatxo takes you past the golden sands and turquoise waters where the three boys at the centre of this story began their football education. If you are not familiar with this part of San Sebastian in northern Spain, it is easy to miss the entrance to Antiguoko KE’s headquarters, tucked behind a row of moped bays in the shadow of an eight-storey apartment block. The sign above the wooden door confirms this is the right place. And behind that door, who can blame them for showing off a little? ‘We now have three Antiguoko coaches in the Premier League,’ says Roberto Montiel, one of their long-standing coaches, with a smile to acknowledge how this small area has delivered the managers or head coaches of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea — surely one of the more implausible statistics of modern football or, indeed, any sport. …”
“At a train station pub six miles north east of Birmingham, England, Andy Lyden looks over a patent application he had almost forgotten existed for a concept that later changed football. The West Bromwich Albion supporter and his Aston Villa-supporting friend Dave Evans filed it from Evans’ kitchen table in their hometown of Sutton Coldfield in May 1998. Their system would track players, detect possible offsides and alert referees almost instantly, which they hoped would make football decisions more accurate. While football would not approve goal-line technology until 2012, conduct its first official semi-live video assistant referee (VAR) trial until 2016 or introduce semi-automated offside at a World Cup until 2022, Lyden and Evans had imagined elements of all three. Not only that, but they also warned that frame-by-frame video reviews would slow the sport down, damaging its tempo and atmosphere. …”
“‘From the data we have and the metrics we look at, it suggests that we are the biggest Premier League club in the United States. I believe we’re in a unique position in terms of our pulling power.’ Liverpool’s chief commercial officer Ben Latty is talking to The Athleticabout the impressive foothold they have established in the American market and their grand plans for further expansion. According to audience research company GWI (formerly Global Web Index), Liverpool have 26 million supporters in the U.S. and boast the fastest-growing fanbase of any Premier League club in that country. They have 62 official supporters’ clubs spread across 32 states and 12 international football academies based there. The U.S. is Liverpool’s biggest retail market outside the United Kingdom, accounting for 26 per cent of all international sales. …”
“Former European heavyweights, investment projects and teams from tiny towns will liven up the top tiers. Deportivo La Coruña Absent from La Liga since 2018, Dépor were once part of a Spanish “big four” with Barcelona, Valencia and Real Madrid. The Galicians were title-race disruptors over a sustained period, finishing in the top three on nine occasions between 1993 and 2004 and winning the title in 1999. Had they not come up against José Mourinho’s Porto in the 2004 Champions League semi-finals, they might have been European champions too. Eventually, the established order prevailed and Deportivo slid into mid-table, then fell away completely – dropping into the regional third tier in 2020. … Elversberg Like many recent Bundesliga promotion races, last season pitted sleeping giants against small-town overachievers. Schalke won the second-tier title, escaping a division where they have spent four of their last five campaigns. The runners-up, Elversberg, hail from a Saarland town whose population would fit inside the Veltins Arena four times over. …”
“THE last 16 of the Copa Libertadores kicks-off on August 11 and increasingly, it is difficult to envisage anything other than another win for Brazil later this year. The last time a team from beyond Brazil won the competition was eight years ago when River Plate beat their Buenos Aires neighbours Boca Juniors. Since then, the Libertadores has been dominated by Palmeiras and Flamengo, who between them have featured in five of the last seven finals. In 2025, the two sides met in the final for the second time in five years. In 2026, they could meet again in the final in Montevideo. …”
Dominik Szoboszlai is among the favourites to become Liverpool vice-captain
“The 2026–27 Bundesliga will be the 64th season of the 
“The 2026–27 Eredivisie, also known as VriendenLoterij Eredivisie for sponsorship reasons, will be the 71st season of 
“
“The 2026–27 Premier League will be the 35th season of the 
“How was soccer invented? There are many conflicting beliefs concerning how the sport came to be. Known as football in most of the world, it is undeniable that this is one of the most popular sports today. Let’s explore how soccer was invented and spread over the years. … Regarding how soccer was invented in modern times, the codification of the sport began in the public schools of Britain at the beginning of the 19th century. Within the private school system ‘football’ was a game in which the hands were used during periods of play and grappling allowed, but otherwise, the modern shape of soccer was being formed. …”
“Like everywhere, the world’s smallest island nation has been gripped by football fever for the past six weeks. But once Spain lifted the World Cup trophy on Sunday, almost every trace of football on Nauru stopped. Football is almost non-existent on this Pacific island. Nauru has never fielded a team in an official international match and it has just one – hard sand – pitch. … But things may be slowly changing as a group of volunteers – led by British former academy player Charlie Pomroy – seek to introduce the game to what was once the world’s richest nation per capita but is now heavily reliant on foreign aid and has one of the highest obesity rates in the world. … A social media post from the Nauru Soccer Federation congratulating the new world champions and setting out a dream that ‘one day we hope to be in Spain’s position’ may have been fanciful, but the groundwork is real in what it says is the last country not to have had a senior international side. …”
Lautaro Martinez nods Lionel Messi’s cross into the net to send holders Argentina into the World Cup final
“… But Spain’s World Cup-winning side of 2026 should be considered among the most convincing winners in the history of this competition. In eight games, they only conceded one goal, never trailed at any stage, and controlled matches in midfield without being negative or unambitious. By the end — 
“Perhaps it’s too early, with the shreds of gold tape still fluttering through the New Jersey sky, to make a proper assessment. That will only come when everything has sunk in properly, when memories have had the chance to settle and shape themselves, when the consequences of certain events have become clear. But let’s try anyway to make some sort of assessment of where the World Cup that ended with 
“… 
“… Standing off to one side, his arms tightly folded across his chest, Kylian Mbappe wears a face like thunder. As he paces across the room to join his team-mates’ huddle, they abruptly fall quiet. The clatter of his studs across the floor ruptures the silence. Reaching Dembele, Mbappe puts his hand on his team-mate’s shoulder and says: ‘Good job.’ Then, leaning in and lowering his voice to a menacing whisper, he adds: ‘Never do that again.’ A look of horror flashes across Dembele’s face. The scene — it should be said — is a work of pure fiction. …”
“Football’s greatest prize is up for grabs at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. It is Spain vs Argentina in the World Cup final. Europe’s champions take on their South American counterparts. Lionel Messi, 39, faces 19-year-old Lamine Yamal — perhaps the 
“By late Wednesday afternoon, the roads in Barcelona had begun to empty. I was still an hour from the place where I planned to watch the Argentina-England semifinal, checking the dashboard clock, afraid I would miss the beginning and more afraid that this beginning might be Lionel Messi’s last. On the indoor, air-conditioned field in Atlanta, under a roof closed against the Georgia heat, Messi wasn’t hurrying. The semifinal began as a rock fight: churning legs, desperate tugs, lunging tackles, the ball repeatedly disappearing beneath the urgency of reaching it. England’s younger players pressed and collided and chased. Inside all that motion, Messi walked. …”
“As Cristian Romero readied to receive a pass 10 yards from his goalline, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon sensed a mistake in the making. The center-back’s posture was not ideal after he took a scoot backwards to collect, facing the left sideline as his opponents lustily converged. He would only have half a second to settle a bouncing ball, shift his momentum, and find a passing lane in the rapidly closing seam between the England duo. Easier said than done on most days, but this particular Wednesday was not most days. First touch: ball settled. Second touch: right foot shunting the ball to his left. Third touch: left foot, ball coolly slotted to an awaiting Nahuel Molina. …”
“Four teams remain at this summer’s World Cup, and that means our rankings odyssey is almost over. But not quite yet! With the quarter-finals in the books, it’s time to update our rankings of the top 50 players at the tournament. These are informed by The Athletic’s player ratings model, which provides an objective assessment of each player’s contribution in a match. The list will stay at 50 names and players will not simply vanish as their teams are eliminated in the knockout rounds, though they may well be leapfrogged by others who get more time to show what they can do on the World Cup stage. …”
“Spain defeated France, 2-0, in the World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, first scoring off a penalty kick. The second goal came following a breakdown in France’s defense in the 58th minute. Here’s a 3-D view of Spain’s second goal. …”
“World Cup games mean more. England have only ever played 80 games in the finals, which is to say, not much more than two Premier League seasons in the 76 years since they first entered. Those games draw huge audiences: more than 17 million in the UK watched Saturday’s win over Norway, even though it was after midnight by the time it finished. In most countries, 
“A fresh row over racism towards the 
Ghana’s Inaki Williams celebrates after a scoreless draw against England in the World Cup in Foxborough last month.
“Fifa match officials’ novel use of the term ‘mistaken identity’ reared its head again in sensational circumstances during 
Scissors Kick 