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After 40 years, it appears a chapter of the Minnesota Twins' history is set to close.

The Pohlad family is exploring the sale of the team, according to a Thursday morning report from Phil Miller of . Per Miller and other reporters, the Pohlads have retained Allen & Company—an investment bank—to that end.

"Our family reached a decision this summer to explore selling the Twins," executive chair Joe Pohlad announced Thursday via Miller.

Minnesota has been in the family since 1984, when financier Carl Pohlad purchased the team from Calvin Griffith for a quaint $44 million; the franchise had been in the Griffith family since 1920, when Clark Griffith bought a controlling interest in the Washington Senators.

The Twins have won two World Series titles under the Pohlads' stewardship, beating the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 and the Atlanta Braves in 1991. They also survived rumblings of contraction in the early 2000s, ultimately becoming one of that decade's most successful clubs.

Minnesota—valued by at a little under $1.5 billion in March—went 82-80 and missed the playoffs in 2024.

Harry Kane has aimed a dig at Union Berlin following Bayern Munich's 2-2 draw in the capital on Saturday. Bayern had been expected to make it 10 wins from 10 in Berlin at the weekend but were forced to share the spoils at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Kane bagged a late equaliser against the Iron Ones and appeared to criticise the hosts at full time over the use of long balls.

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  Kane's late equaliser rescues a point

  Union Berlin went ahead midway through the first half through centre-back Danilho Doekhi. Parity was restored shortly before the break, however, as Luis Diaz bagged a goal of the season contender, finding the far corner past Frederik Rønnow from an incredibly tight angle.

  Doekhi netted his and Union Berlin's second in the 83rd minute, which the home side felt was enough to secure victory against the defending Bundesliga champions. However, Kane popped up with the equaliser in second half injury time to maintain Bayern's unbeaten start to the season.

  The England captain, though, aimed a thinly veiled dig at Union Berlin at full time, in a clash the striker concedes was a 'tough game'. The capital side may sit 10th in the Bundesliga but have lost just one of their opening six home league games this season.

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• 'It was a tough game'

  After the game, Kane was asked about the match itself, to which he replied: "It was a tough game. We expected a battle and a lot of long balls. Many decisions and small fouls went against us today.

  "It wasn't our best game, but we stayed focused and managed to equalise. That's football, there are games like today where things go against you. We'll take the point"

  Despite the stalemate at Union Berlin, Bayern still have a nigh-on unassailable lead at the top of the Bundesliga. Indeed, Vincent Kompany's side are six points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig, who lost 3-1 at Hoffenheim, following Saturday's early action.

  Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen eased to a 6-0 win over table footers Heidenheim, while Borussia Dortmund were held to a draw with Hamburg having conceded a 97th minute equaliser. 

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  Kane gunning for the Torjägerkanone

  Kane's late header, meanwhile, was his 13th league goal of the season as the former Tottenham man looks to fire Bayern to back-to-back Bundesliga trophies. Kane has now scored at least seven more goals than any other player in the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign as he looks to land a third successive 'Torjägerkanone'.

  The goal ended something of a mini-drought for Kane, who'd failed to score in his last two league appearances with Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen. Ahead of Saturday's draw, the 32-year-old had scored just two goals in four matches, both of which came in a 4-1 DFB-Pokal win at FC Koln.

  Kane made history earlier this season having become the fastest player to reach 100 goals with a club in one of Europe's top five leagues, reaching the milestone in just 104 appearances. Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland had both previously shared the record, having reached a century of goals in 105 outings.

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• Bayern face testing UCL tie later this month

  Bayern will have hoped to have headed into the international break on a high this weekend as they return to league duties in two weeks' time with the welcome of Freiburg. FC Hollywood need to get back to winning ways after the domestic hiatus as they face a testing Champions League clash with Premier League leaders Arsenal later this month.

  Bayern have won all four European games this season having beaten Chelsea, Pafos, Club Brugge and PSG to maintain a 100% start to the league phase of Europe's elite club competition. Arsenal, too, have won their opening four Champions League matches and are, along with Inter, the only three teams to boast a 100% record so far.

  Saturday's draw will have been a blow for Union Berlin, who are now winless in three following the 2-2 stalemate. Union have now won only one of their last six league games, that a 2-1 win over Gladbach last month.

It doesn’t often occur in the Premier League, but Manchester City – even with Erling Haaland leading the line – drew a blank away at Aston Villa on Sunday.

In the end, a fiercely hit effort by Matty Cash in the first half would be the difference between the two sides, as the Citizens fell to their first league defeat since coming unstuck away at Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of August.

Tijjani Reijnders, in particular, struggled at Villa Park, with the number four’s early fall from grace at City a concerning tale to keep tabs on.

Why Reijnders was disappointing against Aston Villa

When the Dutchman has been given the freedom to express himself further up the pitch, he has been a joy to watch; however, with a goal confidently put away on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, even seeing statistician Statman Dave herald him as being “De Bruyne’s heir.”

However, the ex-AC Milan man wasn’t played in a De Bruyne-style position against Unai Emery’s hosts, with Reijnders not looking so comfortable as an anchor figure for Guardiola’s side on their travels, who are still presumably reeling that Rodri remains in and out of the Etihad treatment room.

While Reijnders did trudge off at the end of the 1-0 loss with just two passes not reaching their intended target, the 27-year-old did noticeably find it tricky to battle away for his losing side, with an alarming zero duels won from seven attempted.

Moreover, the £46.5m summer purchase also failed to win a single tackle, with Amadou Onana for the hosts – in stark contrast – winning a combined tally of two tackles and six duels, as Reijnders routinely lost every 50/50 and scuffle that came his way.

With Nico Gonzalez also out injured, it remains to be seen what option Guardiola will go with in the games to come in the defensive midfield spot on the pitch, with Reijnders clearly not cut out for the demands of the position long-term.

He isn’t alone, though, in being worried about his first-team spot moving forward, with this “wasteful” attacker – as he was branded by journalist Amos Murphy – also in some bother about his immediate future in the Spaniard’s main XI.

The 5/10 City star who must be dropped

Watching back over the highlights from Villa Park, it’s clear that City could have nicked at least a point on another day if they had packed their shooting boots and weren’t so “toothless”, as they were branded by journalist David Mooney at the full-time whistle.

Indeed, Haaland uncharacteristically fluffed a one-on-one opportunity directly after Cash’s sweetly struck opener, with Savinho also falling victim to some poor finishing himself, when two chances in quick succession in the second 45 minutes passed him by.

His overall play in attacking positions, away from spurning some big chances, also makes for some pretty grim reading, with Savinho only managing to make 15 accurate passes when in the opposition’s half of the pitch, leading to him giving away possession a mammoth 18 times.

On top of that, the lacklustre Brazilian could only muster up one successful dribble from his 84-minute stint in the West Midlands, alongside further failing to complete a single accurate cross to try and pick out the likes of Haaland, who can strike fear into any defenders he’s coming up against at a moment’s notice.

Savinho will surely now sense that his starting spot is on thin ice, with only one assist next to his name from his four Premier League starts this season, not exactly the most glowing track record.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski would hand out a low 5/10 rating to the 21-year-old, subsequently, who stated that Savinho was ‘largely poor’ when attempting to unlock Villa, away from a promising effort here and there on Emiliano Martinez’s well-guarded net.

Cutting a forlorn figure at the close of the slim 1-0 defeat, Guardiola will have many a selection issue to address ahead of City facing off against AFC Bournemouth at the beginning of November, with both Reijnders and Savinho potentially removed from his starting lineup for the test of the Cherries.

Man City "interested" in title-winning 39 y/o manager to succeed Guardiola

Would he be the ideal successor at the Etihad?

By
Henry Jackson

Oct 25, 2025

The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't resting on their laurels after beating the New York Yankees in the World Series, especially when it comes to bolstering the pitching staff. After adding Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to the rotation, and Tanner Scott to the bullpen, the Dodgers have added another talented pitcher: veteran righty reliever Kirby Yates.

A week after his upcoming deal was first reported, Yates has reached a one-year deal with Los Angeles, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. He'll be paid $13 million with a potential $1 million bonus if he reached 55 appearances, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Yates, 37, enters his second stint with one of the league's L.A. teams, after playing for the Angels in 2017. He began his MLB career in 2014 with the Tampa Bay Rays, before stints with the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and, most recently, the Texas Rangers. He made his second All-Star appearance in '24 with the Rangers , posting a career-best 1.17 ERA in 61 appearances, with 33 saves.

Yates was an All-Star and led the MLB in saves (41) with the Padres in '19.

Some of the most expensive players in European football just so happen to be some of the youngest. The next generation is officially breaking through, scrambling to take football’s crown in the Premier League, La Liga and across Europe.

CIES have ranked the most valuable teenagers in world football, and some of them also feature in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings, with Lamine Yamal next in line to become football royalty. The Barcelona winger finished second behind Ousmane Dembele in the last edition and is highly-tipped to take his crown in 2026.

But he’s not entirely alone in that battle. CIES’ list also includes four Premier League talents, and as English football continues to attract some of the world’s best players, there’s no denying that it could produce its best generation yet.

10

Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham): €68m

At just 19 years old, Lucas Bergvall is already an important member of Thomas Frank’s squad at Tottenham Hotspur. One of four Premier League players in the top 10, the Swede is valued at as much as €68m. The only way is up for the midfielder and that value, too. Whether that development ends in North London is the big question.

Bergvall has the talent to reach the highest heights in the Premier League – something that has not historically arrived at Spurs. Having already had a taste of trophies when winning the Europa League last season, the teenager will be one to watch in the coming years.

9

Endrick Felipe (Real Madrid): €73.2m

Although Endrick has endured a tough time under Xabi Alonso and is likely to head out on loan in the January transfer window, he remains one of the most impressive teenagers in European football. The Brazilian arrived in Spain for as much as €72m in 2022 and has since maintained that value in the last two years.

Now 19 years old, he simply needs the game time that he won’t be getting any time soon at Real Madrid. Whether that means a move to the Premier League or elsewhere remains to be seen. The likes of West Ham United and Manchester United have already been mentioned as reported suitors in what would be quite the move this winter.

8

Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP): €80.2m

Geovany Quenda’s place on this list comes as no surprise. The impressive winger is already reportedly on his way to Chelsea next summer after the Blues agreed a deal worth a combined £62.4m (€71m) to sign both him and teammate Dario Essugo in advance. Those at Stamford Bridge have made a reputation for sweeping up young players in recent years and Quenda will be next to arrive.

Chelsea should be glad that they got in when they did. According to CIES, the 18-year-old is now valued at as much as €80.2m on his own, let alone with Essugo. Set to combine with the likes of Cole Palmer and others next season, Enzo Maresca will be hoping to see a teenage star realise his potential in full at Stamford Bridge.

7

Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal): €84.2m

An England international and mainstay in the Arsenal squad, it feels absurd that Myles Lewis-Skelly is still just 19 years old. The Gunners’ famous Hale End academy has produced yet another gem and one of the most valued teenagers in European football. Although, it’s difficult to imagine the left-back being anywhere but in North London.

It’s a scary thought that the best is yet to come from Lewis-Skelly, who is already valued at as much as €84.2m by CIES and is set to play a crucial part in Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions.

6

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal): €88.1m

Speaking of Hale End graduates, Ethan Nwaneri has been valued at a staggering €88.1m by CIES – making him the sixth most-valued teenager in European football.

Like Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old’s inclusion is no real surprise. The impressive attacker hasn’t been without his injury issues at times, but if any onlooker wants to discover his talent in full, then it’s worth watching his stunning goal against Manchester City last season.

That fact that Nwaneri burst onto the scene just a few years after Bukayo Saka emerged proves just how stacked Arsenal’s academy is with the next generation of stars.

5

Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG): €92.1m

Breaking into a side as dominant as PSG’s is no easy task, but Warren Zaire-Emery featured in 13 of their 15 Champions League games last season as they secured European glory as part of a historic treble.

At 19 years old, the Frenchman is only likely to play a larger part as the years tick by, taking his place alongside the likes of Joao Neves in Luis Enrique’s midfield.

Meanwhile, if anyone wants to take the midfielder off PSG’s hands, then it could cost them as much as €92.1m. Having graduated from the French side’s academy to become one of their most promising stars, his future looks almost certain to lie at the home of the European champions.

4

Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid): €102.4m

Into three figures, Real Madrid’s Franco Mastuono is worth as much as €102.4m, according to CIES. The talented 18-year-old only arrived at Madrid in the summer in a deal worth around €45m, but is already looking like an excellent signing for the future. Unlike Endrick, he’s been thrown straight into Alonso’s plans and has even earned a number of starts at his new club.

One of the best teenagers that European football has to offer, Real Madrid have undeniably landed another gem at what should prove to be a bargain price in years to come.

3

Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona): €112.7m

The first and only defender on this list, Pau Cubarsi already plays a crucial part in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side. It speaks volumes that the 18-year-old is often selected over the more experienced Ronald Araujo and that’s reflected in CIES’ €112.7m valuation.

Whilst the La Masia academy has produced some great attacking talents over the years, they’ll be relieved to have unearthed such an impressive defensive gem and someone who should be at the heart of their backline for years to come.

2

Estevao Willian (Chelsea): €118.1m

In years to come, many supporters around European football are going to be wondering how exactly Chelsea won the race for Estevao Willian. Whilst the likes of Florian Wirtz and Xavi Simons have struggled to adjust to life in the Premier League, the Blues’ 18-year-old Brazilian has thrived in the face of endless opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

Although those in West London have missed with a number of young signings, they’ve undoubtedly hit the mark by signing Estevao. Their teenager is destined for greatness and is already valued at €118.1m.

1

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona): €349.6m

It was always going to be him, wasn’t it? Yamal isn’t just the most valued teenager in European football, but he’s one of the most valued players in the world. He is next in line for football’s throne. This generation’s answer to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – that’s the level that Barcelona have produced once again.

Even with that pressure on his shoulders, the Spaniard has continued to thrive – becoming the main man at Barcelona in just a couple of years. Still just 18 years old but already outrageously talented, CIES value Yamal at as much as €349.6m – more than double the amount they valued second-place Estevao.

Conor Gallagher arrived at Atletico Madrid as one of the club’s most expensive midfield signings, a high-energy Premier League standout expected to thrive under Diego Simeone. But a year later, the England international has opened up about his frustration over limited minutes, his fading World Cup hopes, and growing links to a January move to Manchester United, admitting he is “not satisfied” with his current situation.

• Gallagher's promising move now shadowed by uncertainty

  When Atletico secured Gallagher from Chelsea in the summer of 2024, it felt like the beginning of a long and productive chapter for both player and club. Gallagher had just come off several standout seasons in England, rising through Chelsea’s academy, shining during his loan spell at Crystal Palace, and completing 136 Premier League appearances filled with intensity, pressing, and late bursts into the box. His €40 million (£35m/$46m) transfer fee reflected not only his reputation but also Atletico’s confidence that he could become a central figure in Simeone’s midfield.

  He wasted no time making an impression in Spain. Gallagher became the first Englishman in 101 years to score for Atletico, immediately displaying the tenacity, forward drive, and tireless work rate that had earned him admiration in England. His early performances suggested he was tailor-made for Simeone’s relentless style, often finishing matches completely exhausted after covering ground in every phase of play.

  Yet as the season progressed, the momentum stalled. Gallagher’s role became inconsistent, and minutes gradually slipped away. By early 2025, he had logged only 339 league minutes and completed just one full match since September. With established figures like Koke, Pablo Barrios, and Alex Baena fitting Simeone’s tactical structure more precisely, Gallagher found himself more frequently rotated, often used for energy rather than entrusted with a regular starting place. What began as a career-defining move slowly transformed into a frustrating waiting game.

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  Gallagher breaks his silence: "I'm not satisfied"

  The growing speculation about his future eventually reached Gallagher, who chose to address it openly. In recent weeks, he has been strongly linked with United, who are considering him as a January reinforcement should he become available. His honesty regarding his current role made clear that he is wrestling with mixed emotions.

  “I’m not satisfied. I don’t think anyone will be if they don’t play as much as they would like, but I will continue to work very hard to, whenever I have the opportunity, help the team and hopefully more opportunities will come to be a starter,” he said in an interview with AS, acknowledging his frustration with the lack of consistent minutes.

  At the same time, Gallagher rejected the idea that he is searching for a way out. He spoke with genuine appreciation for Atletico and a strong desire to succeed in Spain. “I’m very happy here. My goal is to win titles with Atleti and I want to have a bigger role in the team. And, as I said, I’m going to continue working to the maximum to play more minutes and be able to help the team.”

  Gallagher remains committed, ambitious, and respectful of Simeone’s decisions, but he cannot ignore the impact his restricted playing time is having, not only on his club career but also on his international prospects.

• The World Cup clock is ticking and time is running out

  For Gallagher, the consequences of limited playing time extend well beyond Madrid. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, he knows that irregular minutes could jeopardise his place in England’s squad. His opportunities have already shrunk in recent international windows, and he recognises the significance of the challenge ahead.

  “That’s one of my goals. I have spoken to Thomas Tuchel and he has told me what he needs from me and what I have to do to return to the team. And it seems that, right now, it’s very difficult for me to get to that point. But, as I said before, I will continue to do my best to get more minutes and, hopefully, return to the national team,” he admitted. His response underscored both his desire to represent England and his awareness of the reality he faces: national-team football requires rhythm, consistency, and trust—conditions that have been hard for him to find in Simeone’s structured system.

  The competition around him at Atletico is relentless. Koke’s leadership, Baena’s creativity, and Barrios’ defensive discipline align seamlessly with Atletico’s tactical identity. Gallagher’s high-energy, box-to-box profile remains valuable, but Simeone’s preference for positional control and experience has kept him on the periphery. As links with the Red Devils grow louder, the midfielder faces a difficult crossroads. 

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  The road ahead for Gallagher

  Gallagher’s situation now enters a decisive period as Atletico approach January with a player who is fully committed but undeniably underused. He respects Simeone, speaks with admiration for the club, and genuinely wants to win trophies in Madrid. But ambition alone cannot replace the minutes he needs, and the coming weeks will force Atletico to confront a critical question: is Gallagher a long-term piece of the project, or is the timing right to let him pursue a more prominent role elsewhere?

  From Gallagher’s perspective, his approach remains professional and patient. He has not demanded an exit and continues to push for more responsibility in training. Yet he is fully aware that his career cannot afford another prolonged period on the margins.

  The next chapter will depend on how Simeone sees him fitting into a midfield. If Gallagher’s opportunities grow, he will stay and fight for his place. If not, the January window may offer a path toward the minutes he needs and the international future he continues to chase.

The Milwaukee Brewers established two franchise records during Sunday's game vs. the Athletics, both of which having to do with stolen bases.

Brewers players stole six bases in the first inning alone, which is now the most bases stolen in a single inning in team history. It started with Bryce Turang stealing second base after the first out of the inning. After Christian Yelich was walked, him and Turang successfully pulled off a double steal to reach second and third.

That wasn't the only double steal of the inning, either. A couple batters later, William Contreras and Rhys Hoskins completed another one. After they both made it home, Sal Frelick stole another base to make the inning total six. The Brewers scored four runs thanks to some of those stolen bases.

The Brewers didn't stop stealing bases after the first inning. Turang stole another base in the second inning, followed by Frelick in the third. Caleb Durbin stole his first base of the game in the fourth inning, pushing the Brewers' grand total to nine stolen bases, which is now the most Milwaukee's ever had in a single game in franchise history.

The A's finally stopped the Brewers from stealing a base in the fifth inning when catcher Shea Langeliers threw Frelick out at second. We'll see how many stolen bases the Brewers end up with on Sunday.

Chelsea kept their unbeaten November form going in both the Premier League and Champions League with a straightforward 2-0 victory away at Burnley on Saturday lunchtime.

Pedro Neto picked up his sixth goal contribution of the league season when handing the travelling Blues the 1-0 lead, before Enzo Fernandez made sure of all three points late on when he gobbled up a chance on the 88th minute that was all Marc Guiu’s making from off the bench.

Away from the goalscorers mentioned, Andrey Santos also stood out in the midfield ranks, with Enzo Maresca no doubt ready to select the 21-year-old more often, off the back of such an assured showing at Turf Moor.

Santos' performance in numbers

The number 17 was thrown into the starting XI in Lancashire, with Moises Caicedo rested back in Premier League action, after lining up for Ecuador deep into the international break.

Thankfully, Caicedo’s absence wasn’t felt whatsoever, as Santos’ individual showing was described as “outstanding” at the full-time whistle by former Stamford Bridge great Joe Cole.

Indeed, the 21-year-old came into the side and looked right at home in Caicedo’s midfield anchor role, winning seven duels and two tackles to really boost the Blues centrally when Burnley attempted to work openings.

On top of that, Santos looked assured and comfortable on the ball, too, without ever really looking flashy with 34 passes accurately registered.

While Maresca will take plenty away from Santos’ polished showing, with one Chelsea content creator stating that he was “everywhere”, he did need the likes of Neto to come up trumps with a moment of quality in attack to seal the win, away from the Brazilian, allowing the visitors to tick.

While Santos has previously showcased an eye for goal and demonstrated his qualities as a box-crashing 8, he’s not the only Blues star evoking memories of Stamford Bridge royalty in Frank Lampard.

Chelsea star could be Maresca's Lampard

Come the end of his illustrious Premier League career, Lampard would bag 177 top-flight goals, with the former Blues captain having a great habit of sneaking into the box and finishing off chances expertly.

Romelu Lukaku would even hail Lampard as an “unbelievable” finisher of chances when reminiscing about his brief time in the Chelsea first team alongside the modern great.

In the here and now, the aforementioned Fernandez also has a similarly impactful knack to be able to finish off chances, with Guiu playing a late pass into a dangerous space up against Burnley, knowing that his captain could be there to kill the game off.

After all, that’s amazingly Fernandez’s fourth Premier League goal of the season already, meaning the World Cup-winning star is now Chelsea’s joint-top goalscorer in league action for the season with Neto, which is an accolade Lampard would regularly claim during his celebrated stay in West London.

Yet, there is far more to both the Argentine’s game and Lampard’s game away from scoring big goals, with pundit Micah Richards going out of his way to hail the £107 man as having “everything” in his locker now to be a “leader” at Chelsea earlier in the season.

The table above very much backs up Richards’ assessment of Fernandez being a complete midfield talent worthy of wearing Chelsea’s club armband, with an energy present in his game that matches that of Santos, with 3.9 ball recoveries averaged and 3.9 duels won per game this season in league action.

However, it is his ability to fashion chances galore and score plentiful goals that really does make that comparison to Lampard even stronger, with Fernandez beating the likes of Cole Palmer to the top prize when it comes to most goal contributions tallied up for the Blues over the last year, as the 24-year-old now sits on a weighty 21 goal contributions, next to the Englishman’s 15.

Fernandez also has a taste for silverware now, too, having lifted the Club World Cup in the summer, as he strives to lift Premier League titles like those before him, with Santos also wanting to mature into a consistent first-team star next to him.

Enzo Maresca now driving Chelsea move for "incredible" £79m Premier League star

The Italian is looking to sign a new defender, who is viewed as an ideal fit for his system.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 23, 2025

A ridiculous four-goal showing from Kylian Mbappe led an otherwise shaky Real Madrid to a 4-3 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The Frenchman continued his outrageous run of form, while Vinicius Jr eased tensions after a week of controversy by grabbing an assist to carry Los Blancos to a much-needed European victory against a dogged opponent.

It was a miserable start for Los Blancos. They struggled to create in the early stages, and Olympiacos capitalised. Their opening goal was a wonderful thing, as Chiquinho crashed home from 20 yards after a fine team move. 

But the Madrid response was absurd, as their French superstar netted a seven-minute hat-trick. Mbappe scored his first after 22 minutes, running onto a ridiculous trivela pass from Vinicius and finishing through the keeper's legs. He added a second with a fine header, and a third with a simple run in behind the defence and pass into the bottom corner. 

And then they started to pile on. Vinicius might have made it four after 30 minutes – a much-needed moment after a week of controversy. But his fine effort was ruled out for an offside in the build-up. Olympiacos offered a response in the second half, though. A simple cross floated between Madrid's centre-backs was all they needed when Mehdi Taremi rose to nod into the bottom corner. The Greeks almost had another soon after, but reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin produced an impressive stop.

Mbappe gave Los Blancos daylight, though. Vinicius, in truth, did most of the work, with a lovely winding run down the left. Mbappe only had to convert his cut-back. Olympiacos showed some fight. They bagged a much-deserved third after applying plenty of pressure, and peppered the Madrid goal in the latter stages. However, Los Blancos held on to secure all three points. 

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andriy Lunin (7/10):

  Could do nothing about the excellent opening goal, and was pretty helpless for the other two, as well. Made some important saves in between. 

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):

  A very 'Trent' performance. Pinged a few passes that few other footballers can even see, but was also truly woeful in his one-on-ones. 

  Raul Asencio (6/10):

  Lost his man to allow Olympiacos to grab a second, and was a bit erratic at times.

  Alvaro Carreras (5/10):

  Doesn't quite look comfortable at centre-back, in truth. Made a couple of mistakes, and didn't connect with the midfield too well. 

  Ferland Mendy (6/10):

  A return after injury, and a game in which he struggled. Could have closed down the cross before the Olympiacos second.

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  Midfield

  Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):

  Missing on the Olympiacos opener, when he really should have been shielding in front of the back four. But was otherwise solid, winning his tackles and moving the ball.

  Eduardo Camavinga (7/10):

  Full of energy in midfield, and played some key link-up passes, too. Removed at the half in what was likely a planned sub. 

  Arda Guler (7/10):

  Assisted the second Madrid goal, created a few chances, and was useful on the ball. A solid hour.

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  Attack

  Federico Valverde (7/10):

  Ran a lot and offered an attacking outlet, but was mostly moving to open up space for others. A typically selfless showing. 

  Kylian Mbappe (10/10):

  Scored twice in the space of two minutes to bring Madrid back into it. Added another three minutes later and added a fourth in the second half. He's in ridiculous form.

  Vinicius Jr (9/10):

  Looked to rebound after a week in which he told Madrid he won't pen a new contract. Assisted Mbappe's first with a sublime pass. Set up the Frenchman's fourth, too. A fine showing to answer the critics.

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  Subs & Manager

  Dani Ceballos (6/10):

  Brought on for midfield control, which he didn't really offer much of.

  Jude Bellingham (6/10):

  Ran around, carried the ball effectively, linked up play, but lacked a bit of end product. 

  Brahim Diaz (6/10):

  A puzzling introduction, especially with Asencio taken off. On the ball here and there but not particularly involved. 

  Fran Garcia (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Xabi Alonso (7/10):

  Needed a lift after being criticised of late. Got his win, even if Madrid are incredibly unreliable. Will take the three points, but concerns remain.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has struggled defensively of late, committing as many as five errors over the team's last 15 games.

Riley ranks fifth in MLB with seven errors on the season, and, amid a tumultuous stretch at the hot corner, Braves manager Brian Snitker has come to his defense.

Following Atlanta's 5–3 loss vs. the San Diego Padres on Sunday, during which Riley committed yet another defensive mishap, Snitker addressed the third baseman's recent woes at third base. Snitker seemed to suggest that the field conditions at Truist Park have been lacking, and that part of the reason for Riley's surge in defensive mishaps was the grounds crew.

"I don't think it's all on him if you want to know the truth," Snitker told reporters, via MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

On the play in question, Riley misplayed a ground ball at third base, allowing Luis Arraez to reach base safely. Arraez was plated a couple of batters later courtesy of a two-run shot from Gavin Sheets.

As Bowman pointed out, four of Riley's five errors over the last 15 games have occurred at home. Snitker seemed more willing to deflect the blame onto the Truist Park grounds crew rather than hold his player accountable for his poor spell on defense.

The 2025 season has not gone to plan for the Braves, who sit at 25-27 on the year following Sunday's loss.