Arsenal made an emphatic statement before the new season by beating Premier League champions Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield in Cardiff.
The result was the main headline from the past 24 hours, while Manchester City midfielder Rodri is reportedly set to leave the club for Barcelona. Fabrizio Romano said: “Here we go! Rodri set to join Barcelona from Man City”.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard said the victory was important because it reminded everyone of the quality within the Gunners’ squad. Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, admitted his side have “many things to work on” after the heavy defeat.
Barcelona were also in action in pre-season, beating Basel 5-2. Adeyemi and Lamine Yamal scored, while Bisiwu netted twice in the friendly victory.
Real Madrid completed their preparations with a 3-0 win over Schalke. Kylian Mbappe, Dean Huijsen and Espi were on target in the Spanish side’s final friendly, with Jose Mourinho praising the way Madrid are “growing as a team” after they passed their final pre-season test.
There was disappointment for Paris Saint-Germain in the Trophee des Champions, as the Uefa Champions League holders lost 1-0 to 10-man Lens. Florian Thauvin scored the only goal of the match in the first half to secure the trophy for Lens.
Liverpool ended their pre-season programme with a 2-0 victory over Como at Anfield. Cody Gakpo and Jeremy Jacquet scored, with Jacquet described as the standout performer as Liverpool recorded a confidence-boosting win. The match also marked Araujo’s debut for the Reds.
In Major League Soccer, Lionel Messi missed his third consecutive penalty as Inter Miami suffered a 4-1 defeat by Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC on Saturday.
Barcelona are also set to bring Joao Cancelo back to the club. Romano reported: “Here we go! Romano: Joao Cancelo is returning to Barcelona”, adding that an agreement had been completed.
Away from the pitch, a former Swansea City ballboy who was kicked by Chelsea legend Eden Hazard is preparing to sell his vodka empire for £500m. The proposed sale comes 13 years after the incident involving Hazard became widely known.
At Manchester United, Harry Maguire hopes the club will do everything possible to retain Marcus Rashford. Maguire described the England international as a “huge threat”.
Cristiano Ronaldo has again suggested that his playing career could soon come to an end. The forward said this season will “probably” be his last year in football.
Ruben Amorim said facing former club Manchester United had been “special”, but added that he now feels “nothing” for them after beginning work with AC Milan.
Hansi Flick acknowledged that Barcelona could still be “missing something” despite their strong pre-season victory, with the club preparing for the start of their LaLiga campaign.
Manchester United also came in for criticism after their performance against AC Milan. Michael Carrick said there were “no excuses” for the display as United brought their pre-season to a disappointing conclusion on Saturday.
