This week delivered thrilling football across Europe’s top five leagues and beyond. From Copa Libertadores glory to Champions League drama, record-breaking performances to derby controversies, Indian youngsters making historic comeback, the football calendar witnessed captivating narratives. Barcelona strengthened their La Liga position while PSV’s historic Anfield triumph and Mbappé’s four-goal masterclass dominated Champions League headlines.
Indian Football
India U17 defy the odds by beating Iran U17 2-1 to qualify for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026
India U17 scripted a historic 2-1 comeback victory over Iran in Ahmedabad to book their place at the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026. A Gangte penalty and Gunleiba’s winner overturned a first-half deficit, stunning hot favourites Iran and igniting national football hopes. The Indian youngsters displayed remarkable resilience and tactical maturity to overcome Iran’s technical prowess. This qualification marks a significant milestone for Indian youth football development and raises expectations for the continental tournament.
Copa Libertadores
Danilo Header Sees Flamengo Crowned South American Champions for the 4th Time
Flamengo clinched their fourth Copa Libertadores title with a 1-0 victory over Palmeiras at Estadio Monumental in Lima. Defender Danilo’s 67th-minute header from Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s corner proved decisive in a tightly contested final. This historic triumph made Brazil level with Argentina on 25 Copa titles, with Flamengo claiming their first championship since 2022.
UEFA Champions League
The Gunners topple Bavarians to end their Invincible run and leap to the top of the league phase
Arsenal maintained their perfect Champions League record with a dominant 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich, extending their winning streak to five consecutive matches. Jürrien Timber opened the scoring with an early header, before Bayern equalized through Lennart Karl. Second-half substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli secured the three points, propelling Arsenal to the top of the 36-team league phase standings.
Chelsea Humiliates Barcelona at Stamford Bridge Amid Yet Another Araujo Red Card
Chelsea delivered a crushing 3-0 victory over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, with Ronald Araujo’s first-half red card proving catastrophic for the visitors. Jules Kounde’s own goal opened the scoring, followed by goals from Estevao and Liam Delap. Barcelona’s defensive frailties, compounded by Araujo’s rash tackle, left them severely depleted and now facing potential elimination from the top eight.
Anfield Misery Continues as PSV Put 4 Past the Scousers
PSV Eindhoven delivered a shocking 4-1 victory at Anfield, marking Liverpool’s worst Champions League home performance in recent memory. Couhaib Driouech scored twice off the bench, while Ivan Perisic converted a penalty and Guus Til added a third. Despite registering 26 attempts, Liverpool’s finishing was wasteful and their defense exposed in a humiliating defeat.
Mbappe Poker Saves Madrid’s Hope to Finish in Top 8 in a 7 Goal Thriller
Kylian Mbappé recorded a historic performance with four goals as Real Madrid defeated Olympiacos 4-3 in a thrilling encounter in Greece. Mbappé completed the second-fastest hat-trick in Champions League history within six minutes and 42 seconds, then added a fourth to secure crucial three points. Madrid’s comeback from an early deficit showcased their resilience.
Guardiola’s Experiment with the B-team Backfires as Leverkusen Puts 2 Past the Blues
Manchester City suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season, losing 0-2 at home to Bayer Leverkusen in a shock result. Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick scored goals either side of halftime as Guardiola’s wholesale rotation backfired spectacularly. The loss marked City’s first home defeat in European competition since 2018, ending a 23-game unbeaten streak.
Premier League
10-Men Chelsea Fishes Out a Crucial Point Against League Leaders in a Violent London Derby
Chelsea and Arsenal played out a pulsating London derby at Stamford Bridge that ended 1-1 in a physical, tempestuous encounter. Moisés Caicedo’s first-half red card for a VAR-reviewed tackle on Merino left Chelsea undermanned, yet they held firm defensively. Tristian Chalobah gave Chelsea an early second-half lead with a header from a corner, exploiting Arsenal’s weak center-back pairing of Hincapié and Mosquera. Mikel Merino equalized shortly after Chalobah’s opener, heading in from Bukayo Saka’s delivery, securing a share of spoils for the visitors and extending their unbeaten league record.
Foden’s Extra Time Winner snatches City through 2nd half scare against Leeds
Phil Foden delivered a masterclass performance with two crucial goals as Manchester City emerged 3-2 winners over Leeds United in a dramatic encounter at the Etihad. Foden netted after just 59 seconds, then struck again in the 91st minute to secure victory after Leeds had mounted a stunning comeback. Josko Gvardiol’s 25th-minute goal initially secured City’s advantage.
Sunderland strengthen their European Spot claim as they defeat Iraola’s side in a 5 Goal thriller
Sunderland completed a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to defeat Bournemouth 3-2, securing fourth place in the Premier League. Amine Adli and Tyler Adams’ 43-meter strike gave Bournemouth a dream start, but Enzo Le Fée’s penalty and Bertrand Traoré’s equalizer sparked the revival. Brian Brobbey’s substitute header sealed the turnaround with Sunderland’s first-ever 2+ goal deficit comeback.
Man United breaks 4 Match deadlock against The Eagles at Selhurst Park
Manchester United staged a second-half comeback to end Crystal Palace’s 12-game unbeaten home run with a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park. Jean-Philippe Mateta gave Palace the lead from the penalty spot, but Joshua Zirkzee equalized before Mason Mount fired the winner. United’s impressive second-half display marked an important response after their recent struggles.
Alexander Isak ends his goal drought as Liverpool grabs 3 points against 10 man West Ham
Liverpool secured a crucial 2-0 away victory against West Ham, with Alexander Isak finally opening his Premier League account for the club. Isak’s 60th-minute finish, created by Cody Gakpo, provided relief after months of goalless struggle. Gakpo added a second in stoppage time after Lucas Paqueta’s foolish dismissal for dissent, extending Liverpool’s slim chances of salvaging their season.
La Liga
Raphinha’s return sees Blaugarana’s front 3 clicking as they cruise past Alaves to claim Top Spot in the league
Barcelona overcame an early shock to record a 3-1 victory over Alaves, extending their league-leading position. Despite conceding within a minute, Barcelona responded swiftly through Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo’s first-half goals assisted by Raphinha’s precise deliveries. Olmo sealed the victory in added time, moving Barcelona two points clear at the summit before Real Madrid’s Sunday fixture.
Los Blancos choke 5 points lead in 3 Matchdays as Girona hold them to a Draw
Real Madrid dropped crucial points with a third consecutive La Liga draw against struggling Girona, allowing Barcelona to extend their lead at the summit. Azzedine Ounahi’s 45th-minute strike gave the hosts a shock half-time advantage at Estadi Montilivi. Kylian Mbappé restored parity from the penalty spot in the 67th minute after Vinícius Júnior was fouled, but Los Blancos couldn’t find the winner. Madrid’s form collapse leaves them second, one point behind Barcelona, with just one win in their last five competitive matches.
El Gran Derbi suspended for a while amid Crowd Chaos
Real Betis claimed a commanding 2-0 victory over Sevilla in a tumultuous El Gran Derbi, marked by disturbing crowd violence that forced a 15-minute suspension late in proceedings. Pablo Fornals opened the scoring in the 54th minute following Batista Mendy’s defensive error, before Sergi Altimira doubled the lead in the 68th minute with a powerful finish. As tensions boiled over in the dying stages, foreign objects were hurled onto the pitch from the stands, prompting the referee to halt play. Isaac Romero’s straight red card for cynical fouling compounded Sevilla’s misery as Betis secured their second successive derby victory.
Serie A
Fiorentina Winless after sacking Stefano Pioli after their worst start in history
Atalanta defeated the winless Fiorentina 2-0 at the New Balance Arena, extending the Viola’s nightmarish season under interim management after Stefano Pioli’s sacking. Odilon Kossounou’s 41st-minute header from a corner proved crucial, with Ademola Lookman doubling the lead in the 51st minute. Fiorentina’s catastrophic start to the 2025-26 campaign, with zero wins in their opening ten Serie A matches, culminated in Pioli’s dismissal after just four months following an embarrassing 0-1 home defeat to Lecce in early November, leaving the club bottom of the table with just six points.
Napoli clinches crucial 3 points to tie on points with league leaders AC Milan
Napoli moved level with AC Milan at the Serie A summit with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. David Neres proved decisive, starting and finishing a 36th-minute counter-attack after receiving a through ball from Rasmus Hojlund, racing past Roma’s defense to slot past keeper Mile Svilar. Despite Roma dominating possession with 56% of the ball, they managed just two shots on target with an xG of 0.56. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s brilliant 90th-minute reaction save denying Tommaso Baldanzi an equalizer proved crucial in securing Napoli’s third consecutive victory
Bundesliga
Luis Diaz’s extra-time winner grabs 3 points for Bavarians as they extend gap to 8 points
Bayern Munich maintained their commanding Bundesliga lead with a dramatic 3-1 comeback victory over FC St. Pauli at the Allianz Arena. Andreas Hountondji’s early opener silenced the home crowd before Raphael Guerreiro equalized just before halftime. Luis Diaz’s 93rd-minute header and Nicolas Jackson’s late goal sealed the three points, extending Bayern’s advantage to eight points.
Dortmund cruise past Leverkusen in a crucial away fixture to strengthen their claim on a UCL spot
Borussia Dortmund delivered a commanding 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena, leapfrogging their hosts in the Bundesliga table. Aarón Anselmino’s 41st-minute header broke the deadlock after Leverkusen dominated early possession, with Karim Adeyemi doubling the lead in the 65th minute. Christian Kofane’s 83rd-minute finish sparked late drama, but Dortmund held firm to secure three crucial points and strengthen their Champions League qualification ambitions.
Ligue 1
Takumi Minamino’s Second-Half strike secures a shock victory for 10-man Monaco against league leaders
Monaco stunned Paris Saint-Germain with a 1-0 victory at the Stade Louis-II, inflicting just their second Ligue 1 defeat of the season. Takumi Minamino struck decisively in the 68th minute, controlling Aleksandr Golovin’s pass before finishing clinically. Monaco’s impressive holding on with 10 men after Thilo Kehrer’s 80th-minute red card sealed a major upset.
MLS
Messi’s Inter Miami set to face Thomas Muller’s Vancouver Whitecaps in their First Ever MLS Cup Final
Inter Miami advanced to their inaugural MLS Cup final with a commanding 5-1 victory over New York City FC, securing the Eastern Conference championship. Tadeo Allende’s hat-trick powered the Herons forward, with Lionel Messi providing an assist and goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo delivering crucial saves. Miami will host Vancouver Whitecaps on December 6, with the Canadian side securing their spot following a 3-1 Western Conference final victory.
Other Leagues
- Ajax 0-0 FC Groningen: Match abandoned after just 5 Minutes as Ultras ignite fireworks in tribute to deceased fan, scheduled to resume on December 2 behind closed doors.
- Fluminense 6–0 São Paulo : Fluminense produced a historic performance at the Maracanã, dismantling São Paulo with a massive 6-goal shutout.
- PSV Eindhoven 3–0 FC Volendam : PSV continued their domestic dominance with a comfortable home victory to extend their lead at the top of the Dutch table.
- Benfica 2–1 Nacional : Benfica stage a dramatic late comeback with stoppage-time goals from Vangelis Pavlidis and Gianluca Prestianni to secure victory.
- Vasco da Gama 5–1 Internacional : Vasco produce a stunning offensive display to crush high-flying Internacional in Rio de Janeiro.
Transfer Rumours
- Tyrique George from Chelsea is looking for a solution to fix his game time. Crystal Palace is a preferred destination.
- Pep cleared his feelings on wanting Bernardo Silva to stay, amid Benfica President Rui Costa’s continued pursuit of the home-grown veteran.
- Nathan Ake has been shortlisted as a potential replacement for Marc Guehi, who looks to leave in this winter window.
- Turkish giants Galatasaray are looking to make a bid for Ugarte, who looks to get back in shape for the WC 2026.
- The rumours of Diogo Dalot & Ruben Amorim being related are true.
- Celtic are reportedly looking to sign Andy Robertson as a free agent at the end of this season.
- Newcastle & Liverpool are interested in signing Dutch wonderkid Kees Smit.
- Clubs like City, Liverpool, United & even Real Madrid are interested in Elliot Anderson.
- Chelsea have approached Lewis-Skelly for a permanent move.
- Both Villa & Elliot are looking for a solution in this January transfer window.
Up Ahead!!!
As December arrives, European clubs prepare for packed festive fixtures. The Premier League continues its relentless pace with Boxing Day clashes on the horizon, while La Liga’s title race intensifies between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Champions League groups reach crucial stages, with MLS Cup Final drama unfolds as Messi’s Inter Miami prepare for their maiden championship clash against Vancouver Whitecaps on December 7th.
