Zinedine Zidane’s first home match as France boss ended in a 1-1 draw with Italy after Alessandro Bastoni cancelled out Michael Olise’s spectacular opener and David Upamecano was sent off at the Stade de France.
Kevin De Bruyne scored twice as Belgium beat Turkiye 3-0 in the Nations League, giving the hosts a convincing victory. Romelu Lukaku was also on the scoresheet.
In club football, Aston Villa came from behind to beat Sevilla 3-1, with Alejandro Garnacho and Ross Barkley scoring for Unai Emery’s side in a hard-fought match.
Athletic Club claimed a 1-0 victory away to Real Sociedad, with Sannadi scoring the decisive goal in the Basque Country clash.
Manchester City facing legal and political pressure
Manchester City are facing the prospect of legal action from rival clubs, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham among those preparing to sue. The claims could result in a bill of more than £800m.
Pressure has also increased on Manchester City and Pep Guardiola after calls for Barcelona to be stripped of La Liga titles over alleged referee payments. Guardiola’s former club is also dealing with the fallout from a verdict concerning the Premier League’s investigation.
Guardiola is planning a surprise return to the Etihad to show his support for Manchester City following the guilty verdict.
Manchester City have lodged an appeal against the independent commission’s decision after being found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.
The case has also affected relations between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The outcome of the Premier League investigation is understood to have placed “significant strain” on the diplomatic relationship, with billions of pounds of investment at stake.
Thomas Tuchel said the verdict had become a “big subject” in the England camp, with the squad discussing the situation. He added that he would still select Manchester City players.
Former Manchester United midfielder Fred criticised former manager Erik ten Hag, labelling him “a piece of crap” over the way he managed the squad.
Ferguson reflects on health scare
Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken in detail about his “terrifying” near-fatal brain haemorrhage in 2018 and explained how he learned to speak again.
He also said he was “terrified” about returning to Old Trafford after the haemorrhage.
Elsewhere, Jonathan David described joining Atletico Madrid this summer as a “breath of fresh air”, while Rasmus Hojlund dedicated a goal to his “idol” Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the Portugal forward “will never be forgotten”.
Dani Olmo’s agent revealed the Barcelona player rejected Bayern Munich twice before moving to the Spanish club.
Jamie Vardy has been back in English football with Burnley for a month after ending his year-long spell with Italian club Cremonese. His family’s abrupt return from Italy and his choice of new club have been examined.
Marc Cucurella said Spain’s situation should not be compared with Real Madrid’s, arguing the club is going through a different “process”.
The leading strikers in world football are also assessed, including Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, with the top three regarded as clear choices but their order less obvious.
Fixtures
International Friendly
India v Brazil – 3 October 2026, 14:00 UTC
Cote d’Ivoire v Cameroon – 3 October 2026, 19:00 UTC
Argentina v Burkina Faso – 4 October 2026, 00:00 UTC
UEFA Nations League
Croatia v England – 3 October 2026, 16:00 UTC
Spain v Czech – 3 October 2026, 18:45 UTC
Gulf Cup of Nations
Saudi Arabia v Qatar – 17:55 UTC
