Barcelona coach Xavi has declared he'd like to bring Leo Messi back from PSG. The Argentine forward departed the club last summer and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, as, once his contract expired, Barcelona couldn't afford to offer him a new deal due to their financial issues. "I wish Messi's time was not over, I think he deserves a second chance, a last chance, but that's nex...Full Story »

Barcelona are reportedly prepared to put extra pressure on Frenkie de Jong in order to ensure he moves to Manchester United, according to reports. The Netherlands international doesn't want to leave the Nou Camp for Old Trafford. However, that won't stop his current employers from upping the ante when it comes to getting him out the door. Barcelona signed De Jong from Ajax back in the summer tr...Full Story »

Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland will prove his worth to Manchester City and show his "incredible quality" after the €60 million summer signing was upstaged by Liverpool's Darwin Nunez during a 3-1 Community Shield defeat in Leicester. Haaland, one of the game's most exciting young talents, touched the ball just 14 times in 90 minutes and missed a clear chance to score in stoppage time. ...Full Story »

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was impressed by the impact Darwin Nunez had coming off the bench to turn the Community Shield in his side’s favour against Manchester City.The 23-year-old Uruguay striker, who could become the club’s record signing if all the elements of his £85million summer deal with Benfica come to fruition, was introduced with 30 minutes to go and produced an...Full Story »

Walsall boss Michael Flynn pointed to a “mentality shift” at the club as the catalyst for his side’s 4-0 opening-day mauling of Hartlepool.A debut hat-trick from on-loan striker Danny Johnson, after Brandon Comley’s deflected opener, earned Walsall victory and only a string of saves from Pools keeper Ben Killip kept the score down.Walsall were taken over by American inves...Full Story »

Millwall manager Gary Rowett was delighted with how Charlie Cresswell seized his opportunity after the centre-back’s two goals on his debut helped his new side to a comfortable victory over Stoke.Cresswell has family connections with the Potters, as his father Richard was part of the squad promoted to the Premier League in 2008, but there was no room for sentiment for the Leeds loanee.The ...Full Story »

Liverpool new boy Darwin Nunez struck first blood in the battle of the summer super-signings with an encouraging 30-minute cameo which was capped with the final goal in a 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield.City, last season’s Premier League champions, and Liverpool, the FA and Carabao Cup winners, both paraded their big-money acquisitions at Leicester’s King Power S...Full Story »

Blackburn head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson felt the “togetherness” of his team and supporters was even more important than the result after his reign began with a 1-0 victory over QPR.Tomasson, who previously managed Swedish outfit Malmo to two league titles, enjoyed a winning start thanks to newly-appointed captain Lewis Travis’ spectacular 34th-minute curling strike from 25 yards...Full Story »

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes felt his team more than merited their opening-day 1-1 draw against Dundee United.More than 8,000 crammed into Rugby Park to see Ash Taylor’s late equaliser cancel out Dylan Levitt’s opening goal for the visitors, who had Ian Harkes sent off midway through the second half.This was Kilmarnock’s first game back in the Premiership after winning promoti...Full Story »

Bradford manager Mark Hughes fears Emmanuel Osadebe’s season could be ‘cut short’ after he suffered a suspected broken leg on his debut in a 0-0 draw with Doncaster.Play was stopped for eight minutes before the winger was stretchered off. Doncaster’s Liam Ravenhill was booked for the foul that caused the early injury and was substituted straight away by manager Gary McShe...Full Story »

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna felt his side deserved to win the opening game of the Sky Bet League One season against Bolton at Portman Road.Bolton began the game well and deservedly went ahead through Aaron Morley’s penalty after Leif Davis tripped Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley in the box.Ipswich responded through Lee Evans following a clever low corner from Conor Chaplin, and the hosts we...Full Story »

Colchester boss Wayne Brown heavily criticised referee Martin Woods after his side’s last-gasp defeat to Northampton, describing his performance as “one of the worst I have witnessed”.Sam Hoskins gave Northampton a 27th-minute lead at Sixfields but a contentious penalty, converted by Freddie Sears, levelled things up shortly before half-time.Another debatable spot-kick, this ti...Full Story »

Jubilant Harrogate boss Simon Weaver hailed his new-look team following a thumping 3-0 opening-day victory over Swindon.Weaver included seven summer signings in his starting XI, including on-loan Huddersfield midfielder Matty Daly, who marked his debut with a spectacular strike in between efforts from Alex Pattison and Jack Muldoon.The visitors, meanwhile, saw their impressive record of winning ...Full Story »

Mansfield manager Nigel Clough was frustrated by the way his side performed in their 2-0 loss at Salford on the opening day of the new League Two season.Two first-half strikes put the game firmly in Salford’s favour against last season’s beaten play-off finalists, but Clough believes that both were ‘schoolboy’ goals to concede.“The result was extremely poor; our per...Full Story »

New AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson credited a positive off-season atmosphere at Plough Lane as his side claimed their first league victory since December with a confident 2-0 win over Gillingham.Ethan Chislett’s stunning opener and a second-half header from the outstanding Jack Currie ensured that the Dons triumphed in this fixture between two relegated sides to claim three points f...Full Story »

Darrell Clarke hailed his Port Vale players’ mental strength after they came from behind to beat Fleetwood 2-1 in Sky Bet League One.The Valiants, who came up via the play-offs last term, fell behind to Dan Batty’s sixth-minute goal.However, centre-backs Connor Hall and Nathan Smith combined for an equaliser on the half-hour mark, before Hall netted a minute later to give the hosts a...Full Story »

Swansea boss Russell Martin was not surprised by Harry Darling’s wonder goal which earned a 1-1 draw with Rotherham.Centre-half Darling celebrated his Swans debut with a 25-yard scorcher that found the top corner and cancelled out Chiedozie Ogbene’s early opener.Both sides had chances to win it in the second half, with Michael Obafemi missing an open goal for Swansea while Ogbene and...Full Story »

Crewe manager Alex Morris said his side’s 2-1 victory against Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena was vital in giving the club ‘lift off’ in League Two.Relegated at the end of last season following a miserable campaign in League One, Morris said it was important the club rediscover what it means to win games.Dan Agyei headed them in front after 14 minutes and Lachlan Brook put them...Full Story »

Head coach Shota Arveladze insists new-look Hull remain a work in progress, despite a 2-1 victory at home to Bristol City on the opening day of the season.Jean Michael Seri’s deflected goal in stoppage time sent supporters home optimistic for the future under ambitious new owner Acun Ilicali.But Arveladze said: “We will have more days like these, but there will also be ups and downs....Full Story »

Edinburgh won the battle of the newly-promoted sides with a 2-0 win at Kelty Hearts on the opening day of cinch League One season.John Robertson put the visitors ahead in the 34th minute but they had to wait until stoppage time to secure the points through Ouzy See.Clyde were a goal down inside the first minute through Lee Connelly but hit back to beat Queen of the South 4-1.Oliver McDonald equa...Full Story »