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GM football fans. It’s Tuesday, Nov. 4 - The Champions League Matchday 4 kicks off today, a Premier League agent is under investigation for threatening a player, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURES
Champions League (4 Nov): Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET. PSG have lost just two of their last 41 home Champions League group/league stage matches. However, Bayern’s record against French sides is strong, having won 13 of their last 15 matches against such teams. Liverpool vs. Real Madrid, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET. Liverpool will take confidence in the fact that they’ve won their last 15 European group league phase matches at Anfield, and Madrid have won just two of their last nine matches against English sides. Individually, Mo Salah needs two goals to become the first African player to reach 50 Champions League goals. Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal, 17:45 GMT / 15:00 ET. Tournament favourites Arsenal are unbeaten in their ten matches against Czech opposition, but Slavia have scored in 26 of their last 27 home European games. See every Champions League Matchday 4 fixture here.
Results…
TOP TALKING POINTS
Champions League Returns
Matchday 4 of the Uefa Champions League league phase kicks off on Tuesday, November 4, and runs through Wednesday. See the current standings here.
Tuesday’s headline fixture features Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich, the top two teams in the league phase. Arsenal, level on nine points with both sides, travel to Slavia Prague for the early kick-off. Another standout clash sees Liverpool host Real Madrid — a repeat of the 2018 and 2022 finals — marking Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first return to Anfield since leaving. Elsewhere, Tottenham host Copenhagen, Napoli face Frankfurt, and Sporting travel to Juventus.
On Wednesday, three Premier League clubs are in action: Manchester City host Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle welcome Athletic Club, and Chelsea travel 3,500 miles to Azerbaijan to play Qarabag. Barcelona, who currently sit one place outside the automatic qualification spot, visit Club Brugge.
Explore the key stats from every match here.
Agent Under Investigation
A Premier League football agent is under investigation after allegedly threatening a player with a gun. The 31-year-old, who remains unnamed, was detained last month on suspicion of brandishing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, but has not yet been charged.
The Premier League player, who is reportedly worth around £60m, was walking down a busy London street with a friend when the incident is said to have occurred. Police were called at 11:14 pm on September 6, with the Metropolitan Police having since confirmed that they have launched a full investigation. The agent is also alleged to have blackmailed the footballer’s friend.
In 2015, Fifa deregulated the football agent industry and left the responsibility to national associations. The move to remove the official licensing system, suspected to reduce agents' role and influence, has led to more inexperienced people involved in the industry and an increase in disputes between agents and players. Read more on the good, bad, and ugly of deregulating the agent industry here.
World XI Revealed
Lamine Yamal becomes the youngest-ever player named in the Men’s World 11, breaking Kylian Mbappe’s record from 2018 when he was 19. Lucy Bronze also became the first player to record eight appearances in the Women’s World 11. Over 26,000 professional footballers from 68 countries voted for the 2025 FIFPro World 11, the only award decided by players.
Five Paris Saint-Germain players – including former goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now at Manchester City – feature in this year’s Men’s World 11. As well as Yamal, Barcelona’s Pedri and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham made the list from La Liga. From the Premier League, Virgil van Dijk and Cole Palmer featured in the World 11. See the list here.
England’s Euro-winning side dominates this year’s Women’s World 11 with six inclusions. Plus, for the first time, two African players have been included with Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda and Al Hilal’s Ghizlane Chebbak. The rest of the list is made up of Barcelona’s Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmati, and Alexia Putellas. See the list here.
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POLL
Do the early stages of the Champions League feel high-stakes enough?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Thomas Frank has said that Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence have apologised after ignoring their manager following Spurs’ defeat to Chelsea (More) | Virgil van Dijk has rejected Wayne Rooney’s criticism as lazy saying, “I didn’t hear him last year” (More)
> Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has vowed to help fund medical care for any fan involved in the Huntingdon train attack (More)
> Birmingham City, coming off the back of a 4-0 victory over Portsmouth, will host Millwall, who are unbeaten in their last five league matches (More); see every mid-week Championship fixture (More)
> Former Italian manager Giovanni Galeone has passed away at the age of 84 (More)
Americas
> Columbus Crew avoided elimination from the MLS Cup play-offs with a 4-0 win over Cincinnati to force Game 3 (More); See the MLS Cup play-offs bracket (More)
> The quarter-final round of the NWSL play-offs has been set for the weekend of November 7-9; see the full bracket (More) | Watch the moment Christen Press entered the pitch in her final career match (More)
> USL’s president discusses the impact of hiring the Premier League’s director of football, Tony Scholes (More)
Rest of the World
> The draw for the group phase of this season's African Confederation Cup has taken place; see the group draw (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Is a 12-month ban sufficient for referees who have placed bets?
🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 👍 Yes (13%)
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🙅♂️ Nope (85%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (2%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 S.R: “Since sports betting is one of the largest businesses on the planet and sponsors most major sporting leagues, it is almost impossible to stop betting by players and officials. Creating a structure to allow betting by players and officials is the only way forward.”
🙅♂️ D.J: “Refs must be the most impartial, neutral figure on the pitch. Betting shows a desire for a certain outcome, and their unique position enables them to help ensure that (unfairly) happens. Placing bets undermines trust in these officials and tarnishes the game more broadly, and therefore needs more severe punishments than a ban.”
🙅♂️ C.G: “Referees betting on any sport, much less on games for the sport they officiate, seriously undermines the integrity of the sport. A one-year ban is much too short, especially for the official who bet on over 18,000(!!) games. Speaking as a licensed coach, a former (amateur) player, and a licensed referee.”
EXTRA TIME
Why VAR won't be getting involved in corners.
Meet the 14-year-old playing in Australia’s top-flight.
Latest photos of NYC’s new $780m stadium.
15 European talents to look out for.
The tactics behind Sunderland's impressive start.
The best-dressed footballers in the game.
Why the US might actually need four first divisions. (long read)
Grading the Premier League ‘Big Six’ after MD10.
… and is the EPL a three-way title race? (podcast)
GAME FACE ON
Question: What do the following players have in common?
Jens Lehmann. Didier Drogba. Juan Cuadrado.
Scroll below for the answer.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
In Messi's time, it was a mistake to go to the Spanish league. If you are a goal maker, Messi is better. If you are a striker, Messi is better. If you shoot well, Messi is better. If you dribble well, Messi is also better.
Answer
They’ve all been sent off in a Champions League final.
