Football

Napoli secured their first victory under Antonio Conte with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Bologna, while Roma suffered a shocking 2-1 home defeat to Empoli.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who recently became a father, played a pivotal role in Napoli's victory. The Georgian star scored the second goal with 15 minutes remaining, ensuring the three points for his team. However, his most impressive moment came in stoppage time of the first half when he delivered a delightful pass over the Bologna defense to Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who opened the scoring.Di Lorenzo, who faced criticism after his performances at Euro 2024, redeemed himself with his goal. Substitute Giovanni Simeone added to Napoli's tally in added time, converting a low cross from David Neres.In contrast, Roma's struggles continued as they lost to Empoli at home for the first time in their history. Emmanuel Gyasi and Lorenzo Colombo scored for Empoli, while Eldor Shomurodov's late goal proved to be a mere consolation for Roma.Paulo Dybala, who recently saw his move to Al Qadsiah collapse, was unable to inspire Roma to victory. The team was booed off the pitch for their lackluster performance, which saw them fall two goals behind against a relegation-threatened side.Meanwhile, Che Adams emulated Denis Law by scoring the decisive goal in Torino's 2-1 win over Atalanta. The Scottish striker netted his first goal for Torino since joining as a free agent last month, tapping home the hosts' second four minutes after half-time.Adams' goal and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic's penalty save in stoppage time secured Torino's second victory in two matches. The win came after thousands of fans protested outside the stadium, demanding the sale of the club's owner.Fiorentina were held to a goalless draw by Venezia in the day's other early kick-off.

Juventus has made a significant addition to their squad with the signing of Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez from Fiorentina. The deal, worth a potential 38 million euros ($42.5 million), is part of the Turin giants' ongoing revamp under new coach Thiago Motta.Gonzalez joins Juventus on a season-long loan for eight million euros, with an obligation to buy for 25 million euros plus bonuses of five million euros. The bonuses are contingent upon the achievement of certain sporting objectives, which Juventus believes are highly likely to be met.The 26-year-old has been a key player for Fiorentina over the past three years, helping them reach the final of the Europa Conference League twice and the Italian Cup once. He has also earned 39 caps for Argentina, scoring five goals and playing a role in their recent Copa America and Finalissima triumphs.Gonzalez is expected to make his Juventus debut next weekend against Roma. By then, the club is also likely to have completed the signing of Francisco Conceicao from Porto on a one-season loan.Juventus has been active in the transfer market this summer, bringing in Douglas Luiz and Khepren Thuram. They are also pursuing Atalanta's star midfielder Teun Koopmeiners.The addition of Gonzalez, a versatile and experienced winger, will provide Juventus with much-needed depth and quality in attack. He is expected to play a key role in Motta's plans as the club looks to challenge for major honors this season.

Arne Slot's Liverpool debut at Anfield was a resounding success, with the Reds securing a 2-0 victory over Brentford. The win propelled Liverpool to the top of the Premier League standings, alongside Manchester City, Arsenal, and Brighton, as the only teams with maximum points after two games.Slot's tactical approach, expected to be more possession-oriented than Jurgen Klopp's, was evident in flashes during the first half. However, Liverpool's opening goal was a classic Klopp-style counterattack. Diogo Jota's perfectly timed pass found Luis Diaz, who raced through on goal and fired into the top corner.Brentford, despite missing Ivan Toney, posed a threat in the second half. Nathan Collins' header forced a brilliant save from Alisson Becker, while Vitaly Janelt and Mark Flekken also made crucial interventions to deny Liverpool.However, the Reds' attacking prowess proved too much for Brentford. Mohamed Salah, assisted by Diaz, timed his run perfectly to remain onside and dink the ball over Flekken, sealing the victory.Slot praised his team's performance, acknowledging that they still have much to prove against top-six opposition. He also noted that Brentford's energy levels waned in the second half, allowing Liverpool to exploit the gaps.The crowd serenaded Slot with chants of his name, a testament to the positive early impression he has made. Despite concerns about the lack of new signings, Liverpool appear well-positioned to challenge Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title.

Real Madrid's La Liga campaign got off to a winning start with a 3-0 victory over Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. Kylian Mbappe made his home debut for the Spanish champions but failed to find the net.Madrid struggled to create chances in the first half, but they broke the deadlock after the break through Fede Valverde's deflected free-kick. Substitute Brahim Diaz doubled the lead with a lobbed finish in the 88th minute, and debutant Endrick added a third in stoppage time.Mbappe, who joined Madrid on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, had a quiet game. He had a few chances to score, but he was denied by Valladolid goalkeeper Karl Hein.Despite Mbappe's lack of goals, Madrid were comfortable winners. They dominated possession and created several chances. They will be hoping that Mbappe can find his scoring boots soon, but for now, they will be happy with the three points.Valladolid, meanwhile, were unlucky not to get something from the game. They defended well for long periods, but they were eventually undone by Madrid's quality. They will be hoping to bounce back when they host Real Betis next weekend.

Harry Kane's heroics propelled Bayern Munich to a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Wolfsburg in Vincent Kompany's Bundesliga debut as manager.Bayern took an early lead through Jamal Musiala, but Wolfsburg stunned the visitors with two goals from Lovro Majer in the second half. The Croatian midfielder capitalized on defensive errors to put Wolfsburg in front.However, Kane's presence proved pivotal for Bayern. His header forced an own goal from Wolfsburg's Jakub Kaminski, leveling the score. The England captain then set up Serge Gnabry for the winning goal in the 82nd minute.Despite the victory, Bayern's performance was far from perfect. "We got punished a little in the second half," Kane admitted. "We're still implementing the coach's ideas."Joshua Kimmich echoed Kane's sentiments, acknowledging that Bayern "lost control of the game due to many mistakes." However, he praised the team's resilience in coming back from behind.Wolfsburg's resurgence in the second half was impressive, but they were unable to hold on to their lead. The defeat extended their winless streak against Bayern to 21 matches.In other Bundesliga action, promoted St Pauli hosted Heidenheim in the final match of the round.

The Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season is set to kick off with a thrilling clash between Shield winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Cup winners Mumbai City FC on September 13 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. This blockbuster encounter will be a rematch of last season's final.The ISL has announced the fixtures for the first 84 matches of the season, which will run until the end of the year. The opening weekend will also feature Chennaiyin FC traveling to Odisha FC, while Bengaluru FC will take on East Bengal FC in the first double-header of the season on September 14. Kerala Blasters FC will host Punjab FC the following day at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.Hyderabad FC will begin their campaign with an away fixture at Bengaluru FC on September 19, subject to their clearance of the AIFF Club Licensing. This season of the ISL will witness the addition of I-League champions Mohammedan Sporting Club, who will kick-start their campaign against NorthEast United FC at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on September 16.With the entry of Mohammedan Sporting, the ISL will now feature the three most storied football clubs from Kolkata: Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal FC, and Mohammedan Sporting Club. This will result in six high-intensity Kolkata derbies throughout the season. The first two Kolkata derbies are scheduled for October: Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Mohammedan FC on October 5 and East Bengal FC vs Mohun Bagan Super Giant on October 19.Mohun Bagan Super Giant won the ISL League Shield in the 2023-24 season, while Mumbai City FC emerged victorious in the ISL final after a knockout round. The upcoming season promises to be equally exciting, with 13 teams competing for the coveted trophy.

Bayern Munich's legendary goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, has expressed his intention to continue playing beyond the current season, despite his recent retirement from international football. Neuer's contract with Bayern expires at the end of the campaign, but he remains committed to the club and is eager to extend his stay.In an interview with German sports magazine Kicker, Neuer stated, "I'm not going into this season with the idea of saying goodbye afterwards... If we successfully complete the season with the new coaching team and with new momentum, that means I'll be having fun. And if it's fun, I'll definitely carry on."The 38-year-old goalkeeper announced his retirement from the German national team earlier this week, citing his desire to focus on his club career. Neuer believes he can still perform at the highest level and is determined to help Bayern achieve success in the upcoming season."Of course there's a bit of sadness with the decision, but at the same time there's a lot of relief," said Neuer, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany.Discussions regarding a contract extension with Bayern are yet to take place, but Neuer is confident that an agreement will be reached in due time. "The time will come," he said.Alexander Nuebel, who is currently on loan at Stuttgart, is seen as the potential successor to Neuer at Bayern. However, Neuer remains the undisputed number one goalkeeper for the Bavarian giants and is determined to maintain his position.Neuer joined Bayern from Schalke in 2011 and has since become one of the most successful goalkeepers in the club's history. He has won 11 Bundesliga titles, two Champions League titles, and numerous other trophies with Bayern.The Allianz Arena, Bayern's home stadium, will host the final of this season's Champions League, providing Neuer with an opportunity to add another major trophy to his impressive collection.Neuer's decision to continue playing beyond this season is a testament to his unwavering passion for the game and his commitment to Bayern Munich. The German goalkeeper remains one of the best in the world and will be a key figure for Bayern in their pursuit of domestic and European glory.

Robert Lewandowski's clinical finish in the 75th minute secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Barcelona over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Saturday. The Polish striker, despite missing several earlier chances, remained composed to slot home the winner and earn Barcelona their second consecutive league win under new coach Hansi Flick.Barcelona took the lead in the first half through a deflected effort from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. However, Athletic Bilbao equalized from the penalty spot before halftime, with Oihan Sancet converting after Pau Cubarsi's clumsy foul on Alejandro Berenguer.Lewandowski had a frustrating first half, hitting the woodwork twice. But he made amends in the second half, firing home from close range after Raphinha's cross was parried into his path.Barcelona dominated possession and created numerous chances throughout the match. Pedri, making his first start after injury, impressed in midfield alongside Yamal. Raphinha also played a key role, providing the assist for Lewandowski's winner.Athletic Bilbao, despite their spirited performance, were unable to find an equalizer. They remain with just one point from their first two matches.Flick praised Lewandowski's resilience and Barcelona's overall performance. "Especially in the first half, he could have scored one or two goals... but in the end, this is a goal getter, a striker, who scores goals," Flick said. "The second goal was the winner, three points, perfect."Despite the absence of new signing Dani Olmo due to Barcelona's financial difficulties, Flick remains optimistic about his team's prospects. "These are things we have to accept because we cannot change it," he said. "We knew when we signed for Barca (the financial situation) is not easy, (so I) don't think about that. Today we wanted three points and we got it."

Arsenal's title aspirations received a significant boost as they secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park. The Gunners, who narrowly missed out on the Premier League crown last season, displayed resilience and determination to overcome a stubborn Villa side.Leandro Trossard, a recent acquisition from Brighton, proved to be the catalyst for Arsenal's triumph. Introduced as a substitute in the second half, Trossard made an immediate impact, scoring with his first touch just 10 minutes after entering the fray. His composed finish from close range broke the deadlock and gave Arsenal the impetus they needed.Thomas Partey sealed the victory in the 77th minute with a low strike that found its way past Emiliano Martinez, the Villa goalkeeper who had an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration. Martinez's error allowed Partey's shot to trickle through his legs, handing Arsenal a crucial three points.Arsenal's victory was particularly satisfying given their disappointing results against Villa last season. The Gunners lost both encounters, including a costly defeat in the closing weeks of the campaign that dealt a blow to their title hopes.Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, praised his team's character and ability to adapt to Villa's defensive approach. "We had to change momentum," Arteta said. "We had a 10-minute gap when we didn't get the rhythm and they were on top. They had the big chance and David Raya made an unbelievable save. It was the magic moment of the game."Unai Emery, the Villa manager, acknowledged his team's shortcomings but remained optimistic about their prospects. "We had our chance to score and had even better chances than them," Emery said. "If we score one goal then maybe we win the match. There's still work to do. I accept the result because we are doing our way and trying to improve. The players will stay calm."Arsenal's victory moves them to the top of the Premier League table, while Villa remains in 13th place. The Gunners will face Fulham in their next match, while Villa will travel to Crystal Palace.