Real Madrid closed out matchday five of La Liga with a 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice against Rayo goalkeeper Emil Audero. The victory moved Real Madrid level on points with Barcelona at the top of the standings.
Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute after Florian Lejeune fouled Alvaro Carreras in the area. Three minutes later, Carreras exchanged passes with Mbappé and finished to double the lead after Lejeune had lost possession under pressure from Vinícius Júnior.
Jude Bellingham made it three before the interval, converting Vinícius Júnior's cut-back after the Brazilian had driven down the left. Real Madrid therefore took a commanding three-goal advantage into half-time, with Mbappé also hitting the post late in the first half.
Rayo Vallecano reduced the deficit in the 51st minute when Sergio Camello scored after a turnover, and the visitors created further openings as they tried to work their way back into the game. Thibaut Courtois made saves during Rayo's improved second-half spell, while Pedro Díaz struck the post.
Mbappé settled the contest in stoppage time, finishing a move created by Arda Güler to make it 4-1 and complete his brace, as detailed in the original match report. The second goal took Mbappé to seven goals in six appearances in all competitions.

#rayo #vallecano

Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 4–1 at the Bernabéu, with Kylian Mbappé delivering two goals and an ****** ist, Álvaro Carreras making an electric start, and Arda Güler producing a spectacular cameo off the bench. The scoreline was convincing, though Rayo's second-half improvement ensured Thibaut Courtois still had plenty of work to do.
Thibaut Courtois — 8
Made six important saves as Rayo grew into the game in the second half. Madrid's attacking output will get most of the attention, but Courtois was still required to intervene regularly and delivered when called upon.
Denzel Dumfries — 7
Defended well on the wing and finished with three tackles. Nearly added a goal with a towering header from an Arda Güler set piece. A solid contribution at both ends.

#half #real #vallecano

Real Madrid returned to winning ways in La Liga with a 4-1 home victory over neighbours Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
José Mourinho would not have been happy with Madrid's second-half display, but they had enough of a cushion thanks to Kylian Mbappé's penalty and goals from Alvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham in the opening period.
Sergio Camello pulled one back early in the second half, and Thibaut Courtois was a busy man for a period, but Mbappé made sure of the points in stoppage time.
Real suffered their first defeat of the campaign last Friday when they were beaten by Real Betis before they saw off Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.
Diego Moreira scored twice in three minutes as AC Milan came from two down to draw 2-2 at Lazio, who dropped points in Serie A for the first time this season.

#second #half

Girona lost 1-2 against Castellón at Montilivi in a match they had under control but let slip away in the final stretch. The Girona team took an early lead but ended up paying a high price for playing with ten men for more than half an hour.
Quique Álvarez's team started with determination and found their reward in the 7th minute. Zamorano capitalized on a rebound from the visiting goalkeeper to score a volley and make it 1-0. Shortly after, however, Bryan Gil had to leave the field due to muscle discomfort, a setback that disrupted the home team's plans.
Girona held off the advances of a Castellón side that gradually gained ground but managed to reach halftime in the lead. In the second half, the match definitively turned when Abel Ruiz received a second yellow card, leaving the team with ten players.
With a numerical advantage, Castellón increasingly dominated Girona, who defended their lead as best they could. However, their resistance crumbled in the final moments. Sienra scored the 1-1 in the 85th minute, and just five minutes later, Álvaro García completed the comeback with the 1-2.
Girona tried until the end but could not find the goal that would have allowed them to salvage at least a point. A painful defeat at Montilivi, after a match that Girona had in their hands but ultimately lost due to being a man down and Castellón's late surge.

#girona #montilivi

If part of the challenge for Andoni Iraola when he took the Liverpool job was mastering the art of winning Premier League games after midweek Champions League dates, he failed his first test. An Anfield afternoon against a side with the wrong sort of 100 percent record ought to have been the ideal introduction to such ******* ignments.
Instead, Fulham got their first point of the season. A Spanish manager with a playing career at right-back had much to savour; but it was Alvaro Arbeloa, not Iraola. A terrific defender under Rafa Benitez, Arbeloa contributed to many a clean sheet in his time at Liverpool. Now Fulham have a first in the Premier League in his reign. Having conceded three goals to left wing-backs against Crystal Palace last week, they conceded none to Liverpool's three £100m men.
Alvaro Arbeloa could celebrate a first point in the Premier League with Fulham (Getty)
"Happy with the point and more happy with the performance," said Arbeloa. "We were more balanced today. We defended so well." He had made the bold decision to give the Austrian centre-back David Affengruber a debut at Anfield. "He proved how good he is," Arbeloa said.
But Iraola's side delivered a disjointed display, failing to touch the heights they reached in their comeback against Atletico Madrid and failing to score for the first time under him. "What was lacking was quite clear. It is the first game we had problems to create chances and score goals," he admitted.

#first #league #point #alvaro

Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano in what should be a manageable game and a decent opportunity for José Mourinho to make some rotations, as he admitted during the pre-match press conference.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Camavinga, Bernardo Silva; Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé.
Rayo Vallecano predicted XI: Cárdenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pedrosa; Valentín, Bouaré; Tsitaishvili, Unai López, Álvaro García; Camello.
Camavinga, Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler will almost certainly feature in the starting lineup after being suspended for Real Madrid's match against Inter. Valverde could get some rest in this one.

#predicted #rayo #vallecano #bernardo

Real Madrid have started the new season in excellent fashion, barring one small blip against Real Betis in La Liga.
Despite creating a truckload of chances against the Andalusian side, Los Blancos were unable to find a way past Alvaro Valles in Betis' goal.
Madrid's bright start to the season has to be attributed to the form of their superstars, including Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
The latter has picked up from where he left off for England at the 2026 World Cup, scoring goals and influencing games for Jose Mourinho's side.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid have opened active negotiations with Jude over a new contract at the club.

#jude #liga

Enzo Maresca faces his first major test since stepping into Pep Guardiola's shoes as City visit United in the Manchester derby on Sunday, while ******* nal aim to extend their flawless start at Sunderland.
Alongside last season's top two, only newly-promoted Hull remain unbeaten but their brilliant start faces an acid test against Xabi Alonso's free-scoring Chelsea.
At the other end of the table, Fulham have yet to register a point under Alvaro Arbeloa ahead of their tough trip to Liverpool.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the weekend's action:
Haaland hungry for more

#enzo

"If you are a Fulham fan, you are worried right now," former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has said after seeing the Cottagers pick up zero points from their first three league games of the season.
He also criticised new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa's "really quite strong words" towards his squad, adding that the Spaniard might have "underestimated" the quality of the English top flight.
"I thought Fulham were quite an attractive team under Marco Silva," Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
"You do wonder whether Arbeloa has come in and underestimated the strength of the Premier League.
"He clearly wants to play in a particularly way, which involves high pressing and front-footed football.

#sutton #underestimated #alvaro

After losing to Real Betis on Friday, Real Madrid are hoping to bounce back when they host Inter Milan in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. Jose Mourinho failed to win European football's premier competition during his first spell in charge, and that failure will drive him to ensure that he achieves this goal second time around.
If they are to claim La Decimosexta come next June, Real Madrid must ensure they finish inside the top eight in the league phase, as this will see them avoid the jeopardy of the play-off round, which they have featured in on the two occasions since the new format premiered. Getting off to a good start against Inter will be crucial, although Mourinho looks set to be without one of his key players for the match.
In the closing stages of the Betis defeat, Marc Cucurella had to be replaced by Alvaro Carreras. Mourinho revealed in his post-match press conference that the full-back suffered with cramps, but it has since been reported that the 2026 World Cup winner is a major doubt to face the Nerazzurri because of this issue, as per MD.
Cucurella will not be out for long, but the idea is that he does not recover in time to face Inter. Mourinho will know that taking any unnecessary risks with one of his key players would be unwise, which is why Carreras is likely to make his return to the starting line-up, having been left out for the matches against Malaga and Betis.
All being well, Real Madrid will be able to manage without Cucurella for the match against Inter. He should be fine to return for the encounter with Rayo Vallecano next weekend, at which point Los Blancos will try to return to winning ways on the domestic scene.

#Inter #mourinho

Hugo Larsson's first appearance for Fulham has already converted the Swedish midfielder's loan move from Eintracht Frankfurt into a permanent transfer. Kicker reports that the purchase obligation contained within the agreement was triggered when Larsson made his Premier League debut during Saturday's 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
The 22-year-old entered in the 79th minute in place of Oscar Bobb, four days after completing his move to west London. As GGFN reported when the transfer was completed, Larsson initially joined Fulham on a season-long loan containing an obligation to buy.
Kicker now reports that the conditions attached to the clause required only a first competitive appearance. Frankfurt are therefore set to receive €22m for the midfielder. Larsson's debut could not prevent Fulham from suffering their third Premier League defeat of the new campaign. Álvaro Arbeloa's side remain without a point after three league fixtures.
Larsson leaves Germany after three years with Eintracht. The Sweden international joined Frankfurt from boyhood club Malmö FF in the summer of 2023 and quickly established himself as an important member of the Bundesliga side's midfield.
He departs having made 119 competitive appearances across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and European competition, scoring ten goals. Larsson remained under contract with Frankfurt through 2029, but both parties ultimately opted for a separation this summer.

#frankfurt #eintracht

Photo by Yamaha Racing.
Andrea Locatelli's 2026 has slid far enough that Yamaha is reshuffling his garage midseason. Starting from the French Round at Magny-Cours, the Pata Maxus Yamaha rider will work with a new crew chief, Emanuele Martinelli, replacing Giulio Nava for the final four rounds of the year, WorldSBK.com confirmed.
Niccolo Canepa, Yamaha Motor Europe's road racing sporting manager, spoke to the WorldSBK world feed during FP1 at Magny-Cours and did not dress up the situation. "On Locatelli's side, the results have been lower than the expectation, we can't hide from that," Canepa said. "We needed a bit of a reset to help him regain his confidence. To reshuffle the people in the garage could be a positive thing."
Andrea Locatelli walks the Magny-Cours track with his new Crew Chief Emanuele Martinelli.
The move comes after a campaign that has fallen well short of what the #55 delivered a year ago. Locatelli sits outside the top 10 in the 2026 standings, a stark drop from the fourth-place finish he managed in 2025, when he battled Alvaro Bautista and Danilo Petrucci for third and finally broke through for his first WorldSBK win in Race 2 at ****** en. This season he has yet to reach the podium at all. His best result is a fifth in Race 2 at Phillip Island, with his only other top-six coming in Race 1 at ****** en. Locatelli faces his first season without a podium in WSBK.

#yamaha #magny #andrea #canepa

Rayo Vallecano and Racing Santander clash this Saturday at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque for round four of the La Liga.
Rayo Vallecano have 1 point to their name this season and occupy 18th position in the table. Last time out, Beñat San José's team slipped to a 5-2 defeat against Barcelona (La Liga 2026/27).
Racing Santander have won 4 points to date and are placed in 10th position. Last time out, José Alberto López 's team triumphed 3-2 against Elche CF (La Liga 2026/27).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Rayo Vallecano winning 2-1.
Rayo Vallecano: Dani Cárdenas, Iván Balliu, Pathé Ciss, Florian Lejeune, Pelayo Fernández, Gnangoro Bouare, Jorge De Frutos, Óscar Valentín, Unai López, Álvaro García, Sergio Camello

#racing #santander #time

Real Madrid have made an encouraging start under Jose Mourinho, but there are already two squad-management questions that could test the Portuguese coach as the season develops.
Los Blancos have won three on the bounce to kick-start their La Liga campaign, and their latest 4-0 victory against Malaga offered a lot of promise.
The Portuguese tactician has set his team up to play some exciting, counter-attacking football, and the forward line in particular has thrived.
Now, according to Alvaro Romero of El Larguero, there are two early concerns emerging for Mourinho's reign.
One concerns the size of Mourinho's squad, while the other centres on Aurelien Tchouameni and where the midfielder fits following Federico Valverde's impressive start to the campaign.

#start #squad #jose

After being a matter of complete silence throughout the summer transfer window, the future of Joan Martinez burst onto the scene on deadline day as it came to light that the player could leave the club.
Out of the blue, word broke out that Valencia were making a sudden push to incorporate the talented Real Madrid defender into their team in what was a rather shocking development.
The sudden news threw the player's future and the club's faith in him into doubt, for many believed it could not be a coincidence that Martinez's name suddenly grew linked to a transfer on deadline day.
Now, as confirmed by Alvaro Esteban in a recent update, Real Madrid remain completely unperturbed by the sudden noise regarding Martinez's future.
Valencia wanted to sign Joan Martinez on deadline day. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)

#real

Real Madrid's deadline day was not as eventful as many expected, and no major arrival was even on the radar for the night.
What did unfold, however, was a chain of youth player sales and windfalls from second-order transfers, all of which helped add coins to the club's coffers.
One such move, which was expected for a long time but finally closed last night, was the departure of Manuel Angel – the former captain of the Castilla side. Fulham have been close to signing him for a few days now, and Alvaro Arbeloa eventually got his player on deadline day.
Taking to his Instagram after finalising his departure from Real Madrid, Manuel Angel penned a heartfelt note to the fans and the club as he moves on to greener pastures.
"After 8 years, the time has come to close a chapter that has left an eternal mark on my life," his letter began.

#angel #night #close

Albeit they've conceded five goals from their opening two Premier League matches, Xabi Alonso seems to have Chelsea back on track after a dodgy 2025/26 campaign as the Blues have opened their season with three wins on the bounce. They beat Fulham 3-2 for their Premier League opener, topped Luton Town 2-0 in the Carabao Cup, and most recently beat Brighton and Hove Albion 4-3 in the league. While the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid manager will certainly be hoping for more solidity in his defense, three straight wins is not a bad start to life in the English top flight at all.
Per statistics provided by OptaJoe, Alonso has become only the fourth manager to have his side open up the season with seven or more goals in his first two Premier League matches, and that's not even counting the scored against Luton Town in the EFL Cup. The other three managers to have done this are Bobby Robson in 1999 with Newcastle United, Michael Laudrup with Swansea City in 2012, and Marcelo Bielsa with Leeds United in 2020. Alonso joins an elite list of managers in a start that's breathed an air of reassurance after there was heavy speculation as to whether or not he made the right decision to join Chelsea in hi post-Real Madrid job search.
After his unprecedented Bundesliga ****** le campaign with Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023/24 season, Alonso was a man in HIGH demand throughout Europe and he was someone who was even on Bayern's radar at the time when it became clear they'd need to replace Thomas Tuchel. The who's who of European giants were all keen to try to line him up as their next manager, but Alonso had made the decision to stay with Leverkusen for the 2024/25 season and then ultimately wound up at Real Madrid to replace Álvaro Arbeloa.
Ironically enough, the pair of Spaniards will not be competing against one another in the Premier League as Arbeloa is currently serving as Fulham manager, though his start to life in England has not gone as swimmingly as it has for Alonso as Fulham lost their opening two league matches of the season, the first of which to Alonso's Chelsea and the second of which to Sunderland.
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#Chelsea #fulham #leverkusen #manager

Fulham have added another defensive option with David Affengruber arriving from Elche CF on a four-year contract.
The 25-year-old Austrian centre-back has signed a deal running until 2030, with Fulham holding an option to extend it for another year. The transfer is reportedly worth close to €10 million.
Affengruber leaves Elche after two seasons with the Spanish club, having joined from Sturm Graz as a free agent in 2024. He quickly established himself as a key figure and played an important role in their rise to La Liga.
His performances also earned international recognition, with the defender making his Austria debut and being included in their squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa had been keen to strengthen his defence and sees Affengruber's pace and reliability as valuable additions to the backline.

#year #spanish

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal both scored twice as Barcelona breezed back to the top of LaLiga with a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano at the Nou Camp.
Winless Rayo gave the hosts a mighty scare when Sergio Camello fired them in front after 12 minutes but Raphinha soon levelled and Yamal put Barca in front with 21 minutes on the clock.
Florian Lejeune's own goal extended the home side's lead early in the second half, and after Camello scored his second, further goals from Raphinha and Yamal preserved their 100% start to the campaign.
Rayo arrived at the Nou Camp without a win in their first two games but they took the game to their illustrious opponents and Camello silenced the home fans when he fired in his early opener after a neat pull-back by Alvaro Garcia.
It was Barcelona's first goal they had conceded this season but they roused themselves immediately.

#yamal

Jose Mourinho has settled on his insurance policy for the season, and it is not about star power. Rather, it is about survival.
According to a report from Defensa Central, the Real Madrid manager has identified a specific group of players, namely, Eduardo Camavinga, Alvaro Carreras, Brahim Diaz and new arrival Yan Diomande, as the players he intends to lean on to keep his squad fresh and competitive across a demanding 2026/27 campaign.
As per the outlet, this is supposed to be a direct response to a problem that has haunted Real Madrid for the best part of two seasons.
It must be remembered that Real Madrid have recorded more than a hundred injuries since 2024, a run of fitness setbacks that has disrupted team continuity and forced coaches into reactive squad management.
Mourinho, by contrast, appears intent on getting ahead of it.

#according

Real Madrid will take on Malaga CF in a little over an hour in Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having started the new campaign with back-to-back wins over RCD Espanyol and Real Sociedad under new manager Jose Mourinho, the Merengues will be eager to maintain their strong start.
With kickoff not far away, Mourinho has announced the Real Madrid starting lineup that will take the field against the newly-promoted La Liga club today at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having fielded the same starting XI for the first two games, the Real Madrid boss has opted to make some changes to the team today.
Three of the changes come in defence, where Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, and Marc Cucurella all start, replacing Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Alvaro Carreras, respectively.

#back #start

Fulham travel to the Stadium of Light on Sunday looking for a first win under new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, having lost the west London derby to Chelsea before beating AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.
Arbeloa expects a stern test against "a European team" who "had a great season last year," but the Cottagers arrive with a strong recent record in this exact fixture, having lost just once in their last five visits.
Tom Cairney remains out following knee surgery, with the club not expecting him back until after the September international break. Luc De Fougerolles is a doubt after being forced off during Thursday's win over Wimbledon, with Arbeloa saying: "It's the same [as last week]. Tom, he is still injured. We will see with Luc, maybe he is not ready for Sunday." The club is hopeful the issue is "nothing serious" but is still ****** sing.
Joachim Andersen is back available having completed the three-match suspension carried over from last season, and is in line to start alongside Calvin Bassey at centre-back if De Fougerolles isn't risked. Gonzalo García, whose two goals in his first two appearances have made an immediate impression, continues to lead the line. Arbeloa said of the Real Madrid signing: "I've known him since he was 17, so I know his winning mentality, ambition and quality."
Fulham possible starting XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Bassey, Andersen, Robinson; Iwobi, Berge; Bobb, King, Palacios; García

#last #fulham #garc

Thiago Pitarch was one of the major positives to emerge from a disappointing last season for Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old La Fabrica midfield prodigy made his first-team debut under Alvaro Arbeloa and soon became a regular starter, even overtaking an established player like Eduardo Camavinga.
Pitarch further enhanced his reputation during the summer, starring for the Spain national team in their U19 European Championship success.
However, the youngster was dealt with a cruel setback when he returned to train under new manager Jose Mourinho as he suffered an injury early into pre-season.
It has been over five weeks since Pitarch has been out of action, and according to journalist Alvaro Esteban, the Real Madrid midfield prospect is making important progress in his recovery.

#pitarch #madrid

Barcelona are closing in on a double sale that could bring the club between €7 million and €8 million before the transfer window shuts, with La Masia talents Alvaro Cortes and Toni Fernandez both preparing to continue their careers away from Catalonia.
According to SPORT, Cortes is set to join Royal Antwerp for a fee of just over €3 million, while Venezia are expected to pay around €4 million for Toni Fernandez.
The deals could be completed as early as this weekend, provided there are no late complications.
Barcelona's focus, though, is not only on generating a transfer fee. Rather, the club wants to retain a degree of control over both players' futures.
The departures of Cortes and Toni Fernandez do not mean Barcelona have completely given up on either academy graduate.

#transfer #alvaro #catalonia

The summer transfer market has been shaken by Álvaro Morata's surprising move to CD Leganés, while the latest sports headlines are dominated by Julián Álvarez's absence from Atlético de Madrid's trip to Seville and FC Barcelona's tactical adjustments in attack.
The Madrid-born striker is behind the summer's biggest move after joining CD Leganés on loan from Como. The deal shakes up the second tier and makes the Spain international Leganés' main ***** et in their bid to return to the top flight.
For his part, Diego Simeone heads into the visit to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán without a recognized centre-forward after Julián Álvarez was confirmed unavailable. The Argentine's absence, prompted by his refusal to train during the final stretch of the transfer window, puts even more focus on the tactical setup the rojiblancos will use in Seville.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Hansi Flick is drawing up attacking alternatives. Faced with the complicated scenario of signing Julián Álvarez, the coaching staff are considering redeploying Raphinha as an out-and-out No. 9, trusting in his movement and finishing to lead the blaugrana attack.
On the international stage, the European draws have handed demanding matchups to Celta de Vigo and Real Sociedad in the Europa League, while Getafe will face more manageable fixtures in the Conference League.

#legan #seville #transfer #international

Today's sports front pages, August 29, are packed with major talking points: Kylian Mbappé is in the Madrid spotlight after his brilliant start, Barça are looking for tactical solutions after the "Flick Spirit," and Julián Álvarez's situation continues to make headlines ahead of the big Sevilla-Atlético clash.
The newspaper AS devotes its front page to Kylian Mbappé under the headline "MBAPPÉ EYES THE BALLON D'OR", highlighting the French forward's ambitions to win the individual award after his hat-trick against Real Sociedad and his performances for Real Madrid.
The big surprise of the transfer market comes from MARCA with its headline "THE SUMMER'S BLOCKBUSTER", announcing the presentation of Álvaro Morata by CD Leganés.
In the Catalan press, MUNDO DEPORTIVO praises the "FLICK SPIRIT", hailing the dynamism and collective pressing of the Blaugrana side despite not having an out-and-out No. 9.
For its part, SPORT goes a step further and states that "RAPHINHA WILL BE THE '9'" as the main alternative in the German coach's system.

#madrid

Bournemouth host Everton at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in their next Premier League match.
AFC Bournemouth will be looking to get their season moving after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the opening game. Marcus Tavernier had given the Cherries the lead at the Etihad, but two late strikes ended their hopes and halted their long unbeaten run. Although they left Manchester without any points, head coach Marco Rose will have taken encouragement from the way his side controlled large parts of the match against the champions.
Bournemouth travel to this fixture with a mostly fit squad, as head coach Marco Rose reported no new injury issues after the City game.
They regain a key midfield option with Ryan Christie returning from suspension. New signing Alvaro Rodriguez has finished his recovery and is available for selection.
Nonetheless, several players remain out long term: Amine Adli is sidelined with a calf problem, Eli Junior Kroupi is nursing a foot injury, Veljko Milosavljevic has a knee issue, and Julian Araujo is still treating a thigh strain.

#bournemouth #rose #coach

After three long months, Premier League football returns to the Stadium of Light on Sunday with the visit of Fulham to Sunderland – and joining us to chat all about his team with us is journalist Jack Kelly! On today's show:
It's been a summer of change at Fulham, so what does Jack make of everything that has gone on?
Like Sunderland, people are writing the Cottagers off and think they might be in a relegation scrap this season – does Jack agree?
What can Sunderland expect from Alvaro Arbeloa and his side?
Does Jack think they'll carry on from last season and take another three points of Régis Le Bris' side?

#three

Alvaro Cortes appears increasingly close to leaving Barcelona, with journalist Gerard Romero identifying Elche as one of the possible destinations for the young defender.
Cortes has decided to bring his time at the club to an end this summer after Barcelona's plans to strengthen the left side of their defence changed his prospects of earning regular opportunities in the first team.
The academy graduate had hoped to remain at the club he has spent his career with and fight for his place in the senior squad.
Instead, Barcelona's decision to search for a specialist left-footed centre-back has altered the sporting picture around him.
His departure is now believed to be only a matter of time, with Elche emerging as one of the options available to him.

#cortes #alvaro #romero

Craven Cottage stages a first-ever competitive meeting between Fulham and AFC Wimbledon on Thursday, with a place in the Carabao Cup third round at stake.
Fulham enter off the back of a narrow 2-3 defeat to Chelsea on the Premier League's opening weekend, Alvaro Arbeloa's first game in charge, while Wimbledon have gone six matches without a win across all competitions and are yet to score in League One this season.
Wimbledon reached this stage only after Callum Maycock's dramatic 97th-minute equaliser forced a penalty shootout against Newport County, which the Dons went on to win. Fulham, whose 146-year history has never produced a major trophy, reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals last season and will see this competition as a realistic route to silverware. Steven Sessegnon, who began his career at Fulham before moving on, could line up for Wimbledon against his former club.
Date: Thursday, 27 August 2026Kick-off: 20:00 BSTVenue: Craven Cottage
Captain Tom Cairney remains sidelined with a knee injury and is not expected back until later in the autumn. Joachim Andersen is available again having served the final match of a three-game suspension against Chelsea, though Arbeloa may still use the tie to rest him. Several substitutes from the Chelsea game, including Ryan Sessegnon, Rodrigo Muniz, Harrison Reed and Shea Charles, are pushing for starts.

#carabao