Kylian Mbappé continues to impress
In the Madrid dailies, we are talking about Kylian Mbappé this Friday. The Frenchman continues to impress in the Champions League with nine goals in five games, and could reach 27 goals if Real Madrid go to the final, to break CR7’s record. With 66 goals in the competition, he is only five goals away from equaling Raúl and is closing in on the historic top 5. Against Olympiakos, he became the fourth Madrid player to score four goals in a European match, including a hat-trick in just 6 minutes and 42 seconds. His contribution represents 55% of Madrid’s goals this season and profoundly influences the team’s play. Mbappé thus confirms his key role and his stratospheric impact on the European scene.
The FC Barcelona locker room supports Ronald Araujo
In Spain, FC Barcelona is still marked by the heavy defeat at Chelsea this week in the Champions League, and Ronald Araujo, sent off before half-time, was very affected. But upon returning to training, the entire locker room mobilized to support him, aware of his role as leader and emotional pillar. The Barça captain, usually the one who helps others in difficult times, this time was supported by the group, including his coach, Hansi Flick. Determined, the Uruguayan central defender quickly wants to prove that he can return to his best level. For the Blaugrana squad, despite his mistake, Ronald Araujo remains the essential defensive profile in this type of big matches.
It’s panic in Liverpool
Liverpool are going through a very difficult period with nine defeats in their last 12 games, and Arne Slot is under pressure after the setbacks at Anfield against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven. Despite criticism from fans, Slot retains the support of Fenway Sports Group, which favors stability and wants to give him time to turn things around. The club’s history shows that FSG can be patient, but remains demanding, like with Jürgen Klopp or Alex Cora in Boston. Slot must now reverse the trend quickly, especially with the big summer spending and the threat of missing the Champions League. Management keeps the faith, but room for maneuver is limited and drastic decisions will follow if results do not improve. For his part, Curtis Jones summed up Liverpool’s situation without filter: the team lacks strength, speed and physical aggression, and it shows on the pitch. Stars like Salah, Wirtz and Isak struggle to keep pace and cover each other, which was costly against PSV Eindhoven. Even with decent individual statistics, Liverpool showed crucial flaws in decisive moments.
