On paper, Watford traveled to southeast Wales on Tuesday as overwhelming favorite over Newport County in their third-round League Cup tie. Watford was a Premier League club last season, while Newport County was a middling League Two side. What the Hornets failed to account for though was Newport's penchant for upsetting upper-league opposition in cup competitions.
Between August 12 and 23 in Lisbon, Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain changed the narrative surrounding the club by advancing to the Champions League final and performing admirably against Bayern Munich.
In the space of four days coinciding with the club’s start to the 2020-21 season, you could say that PSG has reverted to an even lesser version of its old self.
Sevilla’s quest for a record-extending sixth Europa League crown continues after LaLiga’s fourth-place finisher defeated Manchester United 2-1 on Sunday. United took an early lead through Bruno Fernandes’ customary penalty, but Sevilla overturned the deficit with goals from the unlikely duo of Suso and Luuk de Jong.
With the millions they have invested in top players and with the most respected coach of his generation in charge, Manchester City should be doing much better than going out of the Champions League in the last eight.
But after their shock 3-1 defeat by Lyon on Saturday that is exactly what City have done in the last three years.
Bournemouth breathed life into its Premier League survival bid on Sunday, coming from a goal down to beat fourth-place Leicester City 4-1 for a first win in 10 games.
Leicester were in command after Jamie Vardy's scrappy first-half goal. But with the relegation trapdoor creaking underneath their feet, Bournemouth turned the match around in stunning fashion with Dominic Solanke scoring twice.
Che Adams scored his first goal for Southampton, a year after joining the club, with a stunning long-range strike as they beat Manchester City 1-0 to condemn Pep Guardiola's side to a third successive away loss in the Premier League.
Adams signed for Saints from Birmingham City for a reported $18.72 million in July, 2019, and had failed to score in his previous 24 league appearances for the team.
Last night in Rome, Napoli captured the Coppa Italia by defeating Juventus on penalties to send Naples into raptures. There are few cities on the planet that are so culturally and socially intertwined with their football club, and a first major honor since 2014 — coupled with the fact that it was achieved against Cristiano Ronaldo and 94-year rival Juve — drew fans out onto the streets to celebrate into the early hours.
Napoli stunned Juventus when they won 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to claim the Coppa Italia on Wednesday and bring their fiery coach Gennaro Gattuso the first major trophy of his coaching career.
Paulo Dybala and Danilo missed Juve's first two efforts in the shootout while Napoli converted all of their attempts to win the trophy for the sixth time while also ending Juve's hopes of winning the treble this season.
It was the first title to be settled in the Italian season which has just restarted after a three-month hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.