Barcelona stayed unbeaten in LALIGA with a 3â€? win over Real Oviedo at the Carlos Tartiere stadium. Oviedo shocked the visitors in the first half when Alberto Reina scored after keeper Joan Garcia misplayed a pass. 

Despite heavy pressure and three key saves by Aarón Escandell, the hosts could not add a second goal. The team struck back after the break. Eric Garcia equalised after Escandell tipped a shot onto the post. Robert Lewandowski then gave the lead with a header from Frenkie de Jong’s cross. In the final moments, Ronald Araujo sealed the win with Marcus Rashford's corner.

On the other hand, Santi Cazorla, 40, made his first LALIGA start for the Asturian club. ‘I'm enjoying but suffering, we are making a massive effort as a team,â€?he stated. The visitors remain second in LALIGA, two points behind Real Madrid, while Oviedo stay in the drop zone with three points from six games.

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The UEFA Champions League is fiercely competitive every year, but the 2025/26 season might be the toughest one to predict. The most talented clubs are looking for a shot at European glory with a Champions League victory.

Before diving into the clubs that could compete, look first into the criteria behind a successful club in Europe.

What makes a club a top contender for the UCL?

Winning the Champions League is one of the most demanding challenges in football. Only clubs with a specific blend of qualities can consistently compete for the trophy. Here are some points to look into:

• Squad depth - When a club has a deep squad filled with talented players, they are favoured to win more matches. Even if important players suffer major injuries, the squad depth could help them since there won’t be a big drop-off from one player to the backup option.
• Elite managerial leadership - A good manager makes the difference, as any tactically astute coach can outwit the best in high-pressure knockout matches. Talented players are always present, but a manager’s tactics could separate one club from the others.
• European experience - Playing well in past Champions League campaigns matters, as they will be better equipped to handle the unique demands of playing during Champions League nights. If they have a good history in Europe, they should be able to play well in the UCL’s 2025/26 season.
• Tactical flexibility - When the club can play any style possible, that could make them one of the favourites, as they can compete against any opponent and their unique styles. Being pragmatic can lead to a successful run for any manager.

The top contenders

Here are the best clubs that could win the 2025/26 Champions League:

Liverpool

The defending champions from the 2024/25 Premier League season, Liverpool, already have one of the best squads in Europe. With the addition of players like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz on club-record fees, they have the top-level talent that can separate them from the rest of the field. 

They have mostly a successful squad, but they still have three members of the squad that won the 2019 Champions League with Mohamed Salah, Alisson, and captain Virgil Van Dijk. The Reds have some of the most talented squads in the world, and it will be difficult to beat them, especially with their firepower in the attack. 

Defensively, they might have some issues, but they could always outgun their opponents. Salah, Isak, and Hugo Ekitike are a fantastic trio, and they should be able to score multiple goals across the competition.

Arsenal

After a superb summer window in 2025, Arsenal have reloaded and are ready to become winners in both their domestic and continental competitions. The same core is still present with star players like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel, and William Saliba.

However, the rest of the squad has been refined, as they are looking to establish themselves as the best defensive side in Europe. Manager Mikel Arteta is a pragmatic coach, so he prefers a defensive style. Despite that focus, he still made improvements to the attack with the additions of Viktor Gyökeres, Ebere Eze, and Noni Madueke. 

In terms of squad depth, Arsenal are near or at the very top of Europe. Arteta has all the tools at his disposal now; all he has to do is lead his team to the promised land. They need to score goals, as their defence can propel them to shut out opponents. However, they must improve their attack to have a chance at winning their first UCL trophy. 

Real Madrid

The club with the record-setting 15 UCL trophies, Real Madrid, is once again one of the favourites. With players like Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr., the club will always be a top contender. They have the firepower to beat any team, as they have also worked on their defence and midfield in the summer of 2025.

They are not as inevitable as the mid-2010s Real Madrid squads, but this club could still win their 16th title. Los Blancos are one of the toughest sides in Europe, and they will continue to play their hearts out until the final whistle is blown. 

Real Madrid are on a redemption journey after being trumped by Arsenal in the 2024/25 season, so they will look to stay and compete. It will be challenging, but anything is possible with Real Madrid, especially with Xabi Alonso at the helm.

Paris Saint-Germain

The current title holders, Paris Saint-Germain, have all the talent to compete with the rest of Europe. Players like Ousmane DembĂ©lĂ© and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are immense threats to any club. The attack is rock-solid, and their defence has been hit a bit with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s exit. 

However, PSG still have the quality and experience to become winners again. They will mostly focus on the UCL to keep their legacies as the titleholders and do it a second time. Luis Enrique has done a great job during his managerial stint in Paris, and he will look to keep adding to his accolades. 

Barcelona

In terms of attack, Barcelona have one of the most powerful in Europe. With players like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski, Barça are tough to go against. Add Marcus Rashford to that, and you have a fantastic attack that could beat any team in the world. 

With Lewandowski and manager Hansi Flick’s experience, they could lead this team to the promised land. They already won in 2020 with Bayern Munich, so they will look to do that again, this time for Barcelona, who have not won since 2015.

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Barcelona crushed Valencia 6-0 in their first home game of the season. FermĂ­n LĂłpez, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski all scored twice as Barça climbed to second in La Liga with 10 points, two behind leaders Real Madrid. Valencia dropped to 15th. 

López opened the scoring in the first half, but it was after the break when Barcelona’s attack took control. Raphinha scored a brace soon after coming on, López added his second, and Lewandowski wrapped up the rout with two close-range strikes.

In Italy, Luka Modrić scored his first goal for AC Milan to seal a 1-0 win over Bologna, though the night was marred by an injury to goalkeeper Mike Maignan and a red card for coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Paris Saint-Germain kept their perfect Ligue 1 start with a 2-0 win over Lens after two goals from Bradley Barcola. The victory gave PSG four wins from four, but it came at a cost as three players left injured ahead of their UEFA Champions League opener.

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Lamine Yamal has cemented himself as one of the world’s best players in 2025. Most people won’t bat an eye for a breakout star, but he is doing this at only 17 years of age. That is a remarkable feat since no one can deny his impact on the game for the Barcelona and Spain national football teams. 

People are looking for reasons why he has reached the pinnacle of the sport. Have a look at his biggest strengths and what he has done to earn this kind of reputation as a fresh-faced teenager.

Yamal plays beyond his age

At only 17, most people will expect a footballer to be brash and eager to prove himself. That often leads to mistakes, given that the player is still immature in the big boysâ€?game of football. That’s not the case with Yamal as he plays with maturity beyond his years. He might be a teenager, but he has the mature mind of a player 10 years older than him.

It is a massive compliment for Yamal since he is the most dangerous player on the pitch for Barça and the Spanish national team. That is extremely rare since most teenagers do not get the minutes he is playing, as he has become irreplaceable for his club and country.

He started playing out of necessity with Barcelona’s injuries, but his talent cannot be denied. Yamal has become a regular for both club and country, which is unique given his age, and he will keep growing into his position for the next decade when he enters his physical prime at 27. 

Yamal takes charge of the games

In his games, Yamal isn’t just making an impact as he’s taking control and making a real difference. Lamine loves to play with flair, which is evident in his dribbling, passing, and the difficult shots he takes. That has made him such a fun player to watch as he always finds ways to make a jaw-dropping play.

People will usually expect that from the superstars, and that is what Yamal is now. He is a superstar who deserves all the credit in the world for working hard in youth football and developing into arguably the best winger in the sport. 

Yamal is arguably football’s greatest-ever teenager

Aside from names like Pelé and Kylian Mbappé, it is hard to find players who can match Yamal. He broke out as a 15-year-old and dominated the UEFA European Championships as a 16-year-old. That is a massive achievement that has not been replicated to the same level, which makes him such a unique player who deserves his plaudits.

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An intense match between Inter Milan and Barcelona ended with the Italians�victory as they avoided elimination from the competition. On aggregate, Inter Milan scored 7-6 against Barcelona, meaning they will advance to the next Champions League round.

Inter was on the verge of losing as the scores had almost settled at 3-2. With only two minutes of stoppage time left, Inter’s Francesco Acerbi defied fate and scored a goal to level the match at 3-3. 

During the first half of extra time, Inter substitute Davide Frattesi scored another goal that gave the Italians the lead. In desperation, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal tried to score twice, but goalkeeper Yann Sommer blocked the attempts—this saved the game from going into penalties. 

This victory will lead to a matchup against the winner of the upcoming Paris Saint-Germain versus Arsenal to be played at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday, 31 May 2025.

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The UEFA Women’s Champions League’s semi-finals are halfway through as Olympique Lyonnais and Barcelona Femení have taken the lead against their English rivals. Lyon won a close match 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal on Saturday, April 19, while Barça won against Chelsea 4-1 on Sunday, April 20.

With these results, Barça and Lyon are nearing a rematch from the 2024 UWCL Final. The Catalan club is gunning for their third straight UWCL title to prove their dominance.

Barça and Lyon were superb in the semi-finals

Barcelona had a great game against Chelsea, as they had three players score, with ClĂ udia Pina scoring a brace and Ewa Pajor and Irene Paredes scoring one goal apiece. Chelsea got a consolation goal to make it 4-1, which leaves the Blues in a tough spot ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge on April 27, 2025.

On the other side, Melchie Dumornay scored the winner in the 82nd minute, as they caught Arsenal’s defence off guard. Mariona Caldentey scored from the penalty spot for Arsenal, but it was not enough because Kadidiatou Diani scored earlier. With these results, Barça and Lyon will likely have a rematch in the Final.

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Barcelona missed a golden chance to pull ahead in La Liga as they drew 1-1 with Real Betis at home on Saturday. The draw keeps Barca at the top of the table with 67 points, just four ahead of rivals Real Madrid, who lost 2-1 to Valencia last April 5.

Barcelona dominates but settles for a draw with Real Betis

Barcelona took the lead early when Gavi scored in the seventh minute, finishing a fine build-up with Ferran Torres. Real Betis fought back, equalising through Natan’s header just 10 minutes later.

Despite dominating possession, Barca failed to convert their chances. Goalkeeper Adrian San Miguel was key for Real Betis, making several crucial saves to deny Barca’s attacks.

With this draw, Real Betis climbed to sixth place with 48 points, while Madrid's defeat means the race for the title is tougher than ever. Coach Carlo Ancelotti noted that his side is under pressure but remains hopeful. 'It is much harder now to fight for the league, but we only have one idea and that is to fight until the end because we still have a chance after this game,�Ancelotti said.

The fight for La Liga heats, with eight rounds left and a major Clasico clash set for May.

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Barcelona made a crazy late comeback to beat Atlético Madrid 4-2. They are now top of La Liga because of the goal difference. Atlético led 2-0 with 20 minutes left. However, Barça scored four times in a wild finish. Ferran Torres scored twice, including a goal in stoppage time, to win the game.

AtlĂ©tico controlled the first half and looked set for a big win. JuliĂĄn Álvarez scored in the 45th minute after a pass from Giuliano Simeone. In the second half, AtlĂ©tico made it 2-0 in the 70th minute. Alexander SĂžrloth scored from close range after a sharp pass from Conor Gallagher. 

Robert Lewandowski acted fast and scored in the 72nd minute. He did a low shot past Jan Oblak after a pass from Iñigo Martínez. Six minutes later, Ferran Torres tied the game with a header from a Raphinha cross.

The game seemed headed for a draw. However, Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead in the 92nd minute and in the 98th minute, Torres scored again after a pass from Pedri to secure the win.

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FC Barcelona plans to extend Raphinha's contract until 2029. The 28-year-old Brazilian winger has become a key player for the team under coach Hansi Flick. His current deal lasts until 2027, but the club wants to keep him longer.

This season, Raphinha shines with 24 goals and 15 assists in just 35 games. He is Barcelona's second-highest goalscorer and a leader in the locker room. 

The new contract will keep him at Barcelona longer and increase his salary starting in 2026. This shows how much the club values what he brings to the team. Raphinha has become one of the most notable players, both on and off the field.

Since joining Leeds United in 2022, Raphinha has adjusted well to his role under Flick’s guidance. He started as a right-winger but now plays regularly on the left side. 

Raphinha's great performance this season puts him on track to beat his fellow Brazilian, Vinicius Jr., at Real Madrid, who also aims for the Ballon d'Or award. With this contract extension, Barcelona wants to keep one of its best players for the future. Fans can look forward to seeing more of Raphinha's skills in the coming years.

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Barcelona beat Sevilla 4-1 on Sunday after recovering from an early equaliser and a second-half red card. The goals from Robert Lewandowski, FermĂ­n LĂłpez, Raphinha, and Eric GarcĂ­a helped secure three important points. 

Lewandowski is the top scorer, but Guirassy is catching up after scoring twice. Raphinha and VinĂ­cius JĂșnior are also close, with others on six goals. For assists, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremie Frimpong, and Raphinha lead with five each.

Barcelona is in third place with 48 points. They are one point behind AtlĂ©tico Madrid and two points behind Real Madrid, who drew 1-1 on Saturday. Lewandowski scored in the 7th minute, but RubĂ©n Vargas quickly tied it for Sevilla a minute later. 

The first half was close. In the 47th minute, LĂłpez came on at halftime and put Barça back in front with a great shot. Raphinha added another goal in the 55th minute with a powerful long shot. 

However, five minutes later, López got a red card for a bad tackle on Djibril Sow. Barça was down to 10 players. Sevilla attacked, but Barcelona’s defence held strong and kept them from scoring.

Even with the pressure, Barcelona secured the win in the 89th minute when García scored with a header. The win keeps Barça in the race for the title as they chase the top teams in Madrid.

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