Barcelona defeated Athletic Club 2-0 in La Liga on Thursday, with Raphinha scoring in the 37th minute and Fermin Lopez adding a second in the 82nd. Hansi Flick's team controlled the match despite Unai Simon's saves.
Barcelona scrapped its planned tribute to Spain’s World Cup-winning squad ahead of a La Liga match due to tensions over fans displaying Catalan independence symbols. The decision followed an incident in which police seized an estelada flag from a supporter and used batons against him.
Manchester City and Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, according to the draw. The holders of the European title will meet both English teams in the league phase of the tournament.
UEFA has asked a US federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to a court filing.
Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-1. The French forward reached 101 goal contributions since joining the club from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ferran Torres, the World Cup-winning forward, scored twice on his Paris Saint-Germain debut to salvage a 2-2 draw against Rennes in Ligue 1. The 26-year-old, who completed a reported £42.7m move from Barcelona, became an instant hero with goals in the 71st and 82nd minutes.
Kit Harington has replaced Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's 'Harry Potter' series, according to Deadline and EFE.
Michael Sheen explores the toxic legacy of chemical dumping in Wales in a BBC docuseries, highlighting the ongoing struggle for accountability. The Royal Society of Chemistry highlights the need for regulatory reform.
Former snooker world champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of sexually abusing two children, with incidents occurring between 1993-1996 and 2006-2010, according to The Guardian.
Barcelona secured a 5-0 victory over Elche in their La Liga opener, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each, according to Al Jazeera.
Elche faces Barcelona in the first La Liga match of the 2026/27 season on Aug. 23, with Barcelona as heavy favorites after a dominant previous campaign. According to Sports Illustrated, the match kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Newcastle and Liverpool face off in their Premier League opener, with both teams led by new managers and uncertain form. Matthias Jaissle takes charge of a weakened Newcastle side, while Andoni Iraola steps in for Liverpool amid transfer issues.
Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid began with a 2-1 win over Espanyol, with substitute Carlos Espi scoring in the 90th minute to seal the victory, according to Al Jazeera.
Barcelona are strong favourites to open their La Liga title defence with a win against Elche on Sunday, with a 68% chance of victory according to Opta, as Hansi Flick’s side look to maintain domestic dominance.
Espanyol faces Real Madrid in a key La Liga match on Aug. 22, with Madrid aiming to close an eight-point gap on Barcelona, according to Sports Illustrated.