Harry Kane’s claim to the Ballon d’Or rests on a season few players in the modern era can match: 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England in 65 appearances.

If that is not enough for the panel of “experts” announcing the winner at the theatre on Monday night, the award will look more like a circus than a serious measure of footballing excellence. Kane would become the first Englishman to win it since Michael Owen in 2001.

Only Lionel Messi has scored more in a season since 2000, with 82 goals in 2011/12. Cristiano Ronaldo’s best total was 69, a mark Kane surpassed during the World Cup at the age of 32, despite regularly dropping so deep that defenders could scarcely tell whether he was operating as a striker at all.

Kane scored 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern, including 36 in the Bundesliga, 14 in the Champions League, 10 in the DFB Cup and one in the Supercup. His rate of a goal every 66 minutes helped him win the Torjagerkanone for a third successive season and a second European Golden Shoe, finishing nine goals ahead of Erling Haaland.

The team-trophy argument against Kane has also lost much of its force. He began his Bayern career with a 3-0 Supercup defeat by RB Leipzig in 2023, but last season brought the Bundesliga, the Supercup and Bayern’s first DFB Cup for six years the first domestic cup of his career.

For England, Kane scored 12 times in 14 appearances as the Three Lions won every qualifier and finished third at the World Cup, their best tournament result since 1966. Six of his goals came in North America.

The Ballon d’Or period runs from August 2025 to July 2026, meaning Wednesday’s goal and assist against Arsenal do not count. Nor do his eight goals in nine Bundesliga and Champions League matches this season, or six in four games for England, although they suggest last season was no one-off.

The strongest case against Kane concerns team achievement. Bayern lost 6-5 on aggregate to PSG in the Champions League semi-finals, with Kane’s equaliser coming in the 94th minute of the second leg. England lost 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta, Lautaro Martinez scoring from a Messi cross in stoppage time. Spain won the tournament, Rodri was named its best player and Kylian Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals, while Kane finished joint-fifth.

Lamine Yamal, who scored 24 goals and supplied 18 assists, won back-to-back LaLiga titles and a World Cup winner’s medal at 19. He is the obvious rival and will surely win the award one day, perhaps repeatedly. Kylian Mbappe scored 42 for Real Madrid, but Madrid ended the season without a trophy, while France lost the third-place play-off 6-4 to England.

PSG’s European triumph was built on a collective effort involving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele. Kane’s 14 Champions League goals in 13 matches, only one fewer than Mbappe, came largely against stronger opposition than Heidenheim.

Michael Olise was voted Bundesliga player of the season after creating more league goals than anyone. That may complicate Kane’s case, but it also shows Bayern had two of Europe’s finest attackers and one scored 73 times.

If Kane is denied, there is precedent for protest. In 2024, Real Madrid cancelled its trip to Paris after learning Vinicius Junior would not win. England fans and media need not sulk. At the Palladium, if Yamal is announced instead, the response from the stalls is obvious:

“Oh no he didn’t!”

Barcelona trio Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez and Pedri reported for training despite being given an additional day off ahead of their first El Clasico of the 2026/27 campaign.

Real Madrid will visit Catalonia on 25 October, with Barcelona looking to maintain their perfect start to their LaLiga title defence. Hansi Flick’s side have won all nine of their league matches so far this season.

Their overall unbeaten run ended in midweek, however, when they were defeated by PSG away from home in the UEFA Champions League.

Flick had planned for his players to return to training tomorrow after allowing them an extra rest day. The decision came after a demanding run of fixtures since the squad came back from the international break on 8 October.

Yamal, Lopez and Pedri were not required to attend, but all three chose to take part in an additional session at the Ciutat Esportiva as preparations began for the meeting with Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid.

Barcelona’s injured players Jules Kounde, Dani Olmo, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Roony Bardghji also took part in the session. They continued individual recovery programmes as they work towards returning to full fitness.

Olmo has already been ruled out of the Clasico after sustaining an injury during the defeat by PSG in Paris.

Of the remaining injured players, only Kounde has a chance of featuring against Real Madrid. The defender is expected to recover from an ankle sprain in time to be included in at least the matchday squad.

Bayern Munich forward Luis Diaz will be unavailable for the “foreseeable future” after suffering a minor muscle tear in his left hamstring during Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Arsenal.

The Bundesliga club confirmed the injury on Thursday after medical examinations by its staff.

Diaz, 29, entered the match at the Allianz Arena in the 68th minute but was forced to leave the field in stoppage time after sustaining the injury.

“The 29-year-old forward will therefore be sidelined for the time being,” Bayern said in a statement.

The setback comes as Bayern prepare for a demanding period of the season. Diaz has been an important attacking option for the German champions since joining the club.

Bayern and Arsenal shared four goals in their league-phase meeting, with Declan Rice scoring a late equaliser for the visitors to secure a point.

Bayern, who lead the Bundesliga, travel to third-placed Freiburg on Sunday. Freiburg are one point behind the champions after six games.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed Vinicius Junior to recover his form, pointing out that even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have faced criticism during their careers.

Vinicius was visibly disappointed when he was substituted during Real Madrid’s 4-1 UEFA Champions League victory over RB Leipzig. The Brazilian was taken off with 20 minutes remaining and replaced by club-record signing Yan Diomande.

Diomande made an immediate impact, providing the assist for Kylian Mbappe before scoring an outstanding goal himself to open his European account for Los Blancos.

The match came during an uneven start to the 2026/27 campaign for Vinicius. He has scored only once in all competitions so far, having found the net more than 20 times in each of the previous five seasons.

Courtois said the 26-year-old remained capable of returning to his highest level and urged both the team and supporters to help him do so.

“I think he's still looking to find his best form. I'm sure he'll get there with the support of the team and the fans,” Courtois said.

“He played against Leipzig. He created chances, he was dangerous, and in the end, things don't always go your way.”

Vinicius has been a regular presence for Real Madrid over the past nine years, and Courtois stressed that such a demanding run of appearances could also explain why the forward is seeking his rhythm.

“A player who's at his best every season - I only know of two, Cristiano and Messi, who I've seen at their best almost every year, and even they've been criticised at times, two of the greatest in history,” he added.

“Vinicius has played almost every game for nine years, that's why we have to help him find his best form.”

The comments came after a match in which Vinicius was unable to add to his season’s goal tally, while Diomande scored on his European debut for Real Madrid after coming on for the final stages.

Ronald Araujo says it is “too early” to decide whether he will make his move to Liverpool permanent in 2027.

The Uruguay international joined Andoni Iraola’s side on a season-long deal before the 2026/27 campaign after falling down the pecking order under Hansi Flick at Barcelona.

Araujo’s switch to Merseyside has revived a career disrupted by injuries. He has been used at right-back under Iraola, while Jeremy Jacquet has partnered Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk in central defence.

Liverpool are reportedly considering activating the €55M purchase clause included in the original agreement, but the 27-year-old says he is not yet ready to make a decision about his future.

“I think I'm finding what I needed here, which was to play, feel important and show my level,” Araujo said.

“It's too early to talk about other things.

“I'm getting playing time, which is what I wanted, and then we'll see what happens in the future.”

Araujo has featured in all seven of Liverpool’s top-flight matches this season, starting five of them. He has also started all three of the club’s UEFA Champions League games.

David Raya says he would like to play in LaLiga at some point in his career, while stressing that he is currently very happy at Arsenal.

The Spain international has established himself as one of the world’s leading goalkeepers during his three seasons in north London. He initially joined Arsenal on loan from Brentford in 2023.

Raya has won three Premier League Golden Gloves since moving to the club and is Mikel Arteta’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper at Emirates Stadium.

The 31-year-old has been linked tentatively with a possible return to Spain in the future following his country’s victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Raya acknowledged that playing in his homeland is an ambition.

“I’d love to play in LaLiga one day,” he told Marca.

“Right now, I’m very happy at Arsenal, but it’s true I’d love to play in LaLiga one day. It’s a very competitive league.

“I’m Spanish and I’d love to play in Spain, that’s obvious.”

Raya has made 176 Premier League appearances and kept 72 clean sheets. He remains under contract with Arsenal until 2028.

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has committed his long-term future to the Spanish club after seriously considering a summer move to Arsenal.

The 26-year-old’s previous contract was due to expire in 2027, but he has instead agreed a renewal that will keep him at Real Madrid until 2032.

Arsenal contacted Vinicius Junior’s representatives to assess whether he would consider leaving Madrid. The Premier League champions were reportedly prepared to offer him £18.5m per season, which would have made him the highest-paid player at the club.

The approach created a significant decision for the Brazil international, but his decision to extend his stay in the Spanish capital ended Arsenal’s interest.

Vinicius Junior’s agent Michael Yormack said Arsenal had made a serious attempt to sign his client, although he now believes a future move away from Real Madrid is unlikely.

“Arsenal were very involved. They were very aggressive,” Yormack told Sports Boom.

“Vini’s heart is in Madrid, that’s where he’s always wanted to be, and that’s where he hopes to be for the rest of his career. I don't think there was ever a question.”

Yormack acknowledged that the attention from Arsenal had been difficult to ignore, given the scale of the club’s interest.

“Did he ever seriously consider Arsenal? Of course. When a team like Arsenal rolls out the red carpet for you, and makes you feel really wanted, then obviously you have to listen.”

Vinicius Junior joined Real Madrid at a very young age and has since established himself as one of the club’s leading players. Grant Veitch, another of his agents at Roc Nation Sports International, said that familiarity and his status in Madrid played an important part in the decision to stay.

“With Vini, he went to Madrid at a very young age, and I think there’s an element of comfort, wanting to be there and wanting to build something at Real Madrid,” Veitch said.

“There were other opportunities that arose. But I think the level of comfort he has, and already being a star at Real Madrid, it kept him there, and he wanted to stay.”

The new agreement represents a clear commitment from Vinicius Junior to continue his career at Real Madrid, despite Arsenal’s willingness to make him a central part of their plans.

Harry Kane says he is trying not to think about the Ballon d’Or, despite being the bookmakers’ favourite to win the prestigious award after helping Bayern Munich to a 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw on Wednesday.

The winner of the 2026 prize will be announced at a ceremony next Monday evening, although Kane says he knows no more than anyone else about who will claim the trophy.

“I'd love to know (in advance who wins) to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night,” he said on Wednesday.

“But it is their decision, I can't control that. We'll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much.

“I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours flying around and you try to stay away from it.”

The Ballon d’Or is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in world football. It has been presented by football journalists on behalf of French publication France Football since 1956.

Monday’s ceremony will crown the 70th winner, with the award having been presented every year apart from 2020, when it was cancelled because of Covid.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the current holder, while Argentina’s Lionel Messi has won the trophy a record eight times. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed it on five occasions.

Kane is ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal in the bookmakers’ predictions for the 2026 award. Michael Owen, who won in 2001, is the most recent of the four English players to have received the honour.

Yamal has said he “deserves” the prize after scoring 34 goals and providing 28 assists for Barcelona since the beginning of last season. He also scored four times in four wins for Spain during the recent UEFA Nations League window.

Those performances briefly saw Yamal draw level with Kane in the betting. However, the England captain moved back in front after scoring six Nations League goals and adding four more for Bayern Munich.

Since the start of last season, Kane has recorded 71 goals and 14 assists for Bayern Munich, as well as 18 goals and three assists for England.

The 33-year-old has not publicly backed a particular candidate but said he “would be really happy to receive such an award” after what he described as “a great year”.

He acknowledged that the approaching announcement had made it difficult to concentrate entirely on football.

“They want everyone to go, all the big names there and there will be more people watching it if they don't know, so I can understand why,” Kane said.

Organisers first attempted to keep the result completely secret in 2024. Real Madrid boycotted that ceremony after learning through a leak that Vinicius Junior had been beaten by Rodri in the voting.

The Ballon d’Or gala will be held at the London Palladium Theatre from 8pm to 10pm BST on Monday. Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are also outsiders in what is otherwise widely viewed as a contest between Kane and Yamal.

Aston Villa midfielder Johan Manzambi is being monitored by Barcelona and Real Madrid just four months after moving to the Premier League from SC Freiburg.

The 21-year-old Switzerland international joined Aston Villa in July for €60M and signed a contract at Villa Park running until June 2031.

Manzambi has made an immediate impact in England, scoring three goals and providing two assists across all competitions. His performances have established him as a box-to-box midfielder suited to the demands of the Premier League.

Reports from Football Insider indicate that interest from Spain remains at an early stage. Barcelona and Real Madrid are continuing to assess his development rather than making a formal approach at this point.

Manzambi is understood to be content with his progress at Aston Villa and his work under manager Unai Emery. He turned down other offers after the 2026 FIFA World Cup before deciding to move to Villa Park.

The two Spanish clubs are expected to keep monitoring the midfielder’s performances. The situation could be revisited if Aston Villa fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League in 2027.

Manzambi’s estimated transfer value has also increased significantly since his move to the club. After only four months in England, he is now valued at around £75M.

Roger Brugue scored twice as Levante beat 10-man Athletic Club 3-1 at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia to record their first victory over the Basque side in almost eight years.

The result moved Levante above Athletic Club into 11th place in LaLiga, while the visitors fell to 13th after suffering their third defeat of the season. It was also Athletic’s first loss since the end of August.

Athletic had returned to the city only four days after a goalless draw away to Valencia, with Edin Terzic’s side seeking to end a run of three successive draws. They made the brighter start in the rescheduled fixture, but Alex Berenguer was denied by a strong, full-stretch save from Mathew Ryan.

Levante then took control during a chaotic two-minute spell in which Athletic’s defensive errors proved costly.

A low cross was not dealt with inside the penalty area, creating a scramble that allowed Brugue to send a low finish past an unmoving Unai Simon at the near post.

The Levante forward had barely finished celebrating before adding a second. Mikel Jauregizar’s misplaced pass initiated the move, and when Simon could only parry Thiago Fernandez’s powerful effort, Brugue followed up to tap the ball into an unguarded net.

Athletic became the first team to trail Levante at half-time this season, but they were given an opportunity to reduce the deficit after the interval.

Following a lengthy VAR review, Jon Ander Olasagasti was penalised for an accidental kick on Maroan Sannadi inside the box. Berenguer took responsibility from the spot and calmly rolled the penalty home, sending Ryan the wrong way and giving the travelling supporters renewed hope.

That optimism was checked when Aymeric Laporte was shown a red card for a last-man foul on Dani Requena. The decision appeared harsh, with only minimal contact between the players, but Athletic were reduced to 10 men.

Levante took advantage in stoppage time to secure the points. Substitute Karl Etta Eyong reacted quickest to a close-range rebound, removing any remaining doubt and completing the home side’s first win since August 29th.

Brugue was named Flashscore’s Man of the Match after claiming his second brace of the season.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 fixture against Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday could be postponed after police raised concerns about security during continuing unrest across France.

The Paris police prefecture has asked the French Professional Football League (LFP) to rearrange the match, which is scheduled to take place in the French capital, according to French media reports.

L’Equipe reported that the game could instead be played on Monday, although no official decision has yet been announced.

The fixture is one of several major sporting events taking place in the Paris area this weekend, placing additional pressure on security resources.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to play the New Orleans Saints in an NFL regular-season game at the Stade de France on Sunday. The match is expected to require a significant police presence.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday that French authorities would deploy a “massive” security operation for protests planned on Saturday. The announcement followed rioting and looting in Paris and other French cities on October 17.

The unrest, among the most serious France has experienced in years, came after weeks of largely peaceful student protests and broader demonstrations linked to the cost of living and declining public services.

Authorities imposed curfews in parts of several cities on Monday.

Another Ligue 1 match has already been rescheduled because of the security situation. Toulouse’s home game against Troyes, originally due to be played on Saturday, has been moved to Sunday at the request of local authorities, the LFP said on Wednesday.

The PSG-Lyon fixture and the NFL game are both scheduled in the French capital area on Sunday, while the Toulouse-Troyes match is being held elsewhere in the country.

Reuters has contacted Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique Lyonnais, the LFP and the Paris police prefecture for comment.

Real Betis midfielder Facundo Bernal has been suspended for four matches after being sent off during his side’s 5-2 defeat by Barcelona.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) disciplinary committee issued the ban on Wednesday, following the incident in Saturday’s match.

Bernal was shown a red card in the 54th minute, shortly after Betis had pulled level at 2-2. According to the RFEF’s disciplinary report, the 23-year-old grabbed Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal by the neck before headbutting him twice.

The committee judged that Bernal had assaulted Lamine while the ball was out of play. Under the disciplinary code, that offence carries a suspension of between four and 12 matches, with Bernal receiving the minimum punishment.

Lamine had been booked for pushing Bernal before the incident that led to the midfielder’s dismissal. Barcelona then scored three more times, with Lamine providing the assist for Gabriel Jesus’ goal to make it 3-2.

Betis sporting director Manu Fajardo was also punished by the RFEF. He received a two-match suspension and a fine for conduct considered contrary to good sporting order.

Bernal will miss Betis’ LaLiga fixtures against Celta Vigo, Malaga and Elche, as well as the derby against Sevilla on November 22nd.

Betis are fourth in the LaLiga standings with 19 points.

AC Milan have backed supporters’ plans to boycott Sunday’s Serie A match at Udinese, criticising the €65 ($73) price set for tickets in the away section.

The club said the cost placed an unfair financial burden on travelling supporters and warned that excessive pricing could deepen divisions between clubs.

In a statement, AC Milan said high away-ticket prices also risked damaging efforts to raise the profile of Italian football and bring its clubs closer together.

“The global appeal of Italian football depends heavily on the loyalty and passion of supporters of clubs like AC Milan,” the club said.

“Charging those same fans excessive prices for away games is not only unfair, but undermines the unity of the league at a time when Italian football needs to come together to compete against the Premier League and other European leagues.”

AC Milan called on Serie A to consider introducing a league-wide limit on away tickets. It pointed to the Premier League, where the maximum price for visiting supporters is £30 ($40).

The club also warned that it could respond with a reciprocal policy if prices remained high.

Under the proposal, supporters of clubs that charge above-average prices to AC Milan fans could be required to pay more when visiting San Siro, although any such measure would be subject to league regulations.

AC Milan said additional income generated through that approach would be “donated to Fondazione Milan to support charitable initiatives”.

“Italian football cannot grow stronger by treating supporters differently based on the size of their club,” the club added.

The dispute over away-ticket prices has been a long-running concern for Curva Sud, AC Milan’s supporters’ group. The group boycotted the club’s away match at Juventus in 2023 in protest at ticket costs.

Curva Sud repeated its complaints last season about the prices charged for AC Milan’s matches against Juventus. The group also accused Torino of overcharging visiting supporters.

AC Milan’s intervention comes as the club’s supporters prepare to stay away from the match at Udinese in response to the €65 ticket price. The club said the issue affected more than one fixture, arguing that the treatment of travelling fans had implications for the unity and competitiveness of Serie A as a whole.

Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the 2026/27 season after Hansi Flick admitted his side were not fully prepared for their 4-2 loss at Paris Saint-Germain.

The late defeat came against the defending UEFA Champions League powerhouse PSG, ending Barcelona’s perfect start to the campaign just days before their El Clasico meeting with Real Madrid.

Flick’s team had won all nine of their LaLiga matches and two European fixtures before travelling to France. However, two late goals from PSG turned the match in the hosts’ favour and left Barcelona without a victory for the first time this season.

Flick suggested the time available to recover from their previous match, against Sevilla, had affected his players.

“It was a fantastic match from both teams. PSG showed they are better than us. We lost, but we learned. Mistakes happen. But what we've done in recent weeks is fantastic,” he said.

“The players ran a lot and tried to play. What happened after the Sevilla game, with our recovery, it wasn't the best. It's not an excuse, but we have to learn.”

Barcelona now face Real Madrid in an El Clasico clash this weekend, with Flick insisting the result in Paris should be viewed in the context of their strong opening to the season.

The German added: “It's October, and you don't win titles in October; the Champions League is won in June.”

Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the 2026/27 season in a 4-2 loss to defending UEFA Champions League holders PSG, and will now be without Dani Olmo for their meeting with Real Madrid on October 25th.

Olmo sustained an adductor muscle tear during the defeat at the Parc des Princes and is expected to be sidelined for four weeks, Barcelona have confirmed.

The Spain international was forced off after 27 minutes in Paris, with Fermin Lopez coming on as his replacement.

His absence is a significant setback for Hansi Flick’s side ahead of the visit of Jose Mourinho’s team this weekend. Barcelona conceded twice late on against PSG, with Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz scoring to settle the match after the Catalan side had remained in contention.

Olmo will also miss Barcelona’s next two LaLiga fixtures, against Alaves and Atletico Madrid. Those games come either side of a home UEFA Champions League meeting with Aston Villa.

A decision on whether Olmo will recover in time to join Spain for the next international break will be taken in due course.

Rodri is expected to replace him in Barcelona’s starting XI against Real Madrid, having begun the match on the bench at the Parc des Princes.

The injury leaves Barcelona facing a demanding run of fixtures without Olmo, who will be unavailable for the El Clasico clash and the two LaLiga matches that follow it. Andreas Pereira? No. Must not add. We need no weird. Current 200 words. Requirement 400-500 but source insufficient; don't filler. Yet final last sentence repeats. Remove repetition. Need perhaps 250. They explicitly "Do not repeat ... solely meet". Fine. But "defending UEFA Champions League holders" source says kingpins, okay. Does phrase "Rodri is expected" source says "set to replace him", okay. "Barcelona have confirmed" official update. Let's ensure no added "significant". That's evaluative but reasonable, perhaps source injury blow. Fine. Need "Jose Mourinho's team". Good. Direct quote none. Could use subheading genuine change? no need. First paragraph headline followed double newline exactly. Headline itself first paragraph? Requirement headline in very first paragraph followed by double newline. Do that. No note. Also likely "El Clasico" official maybe El Clasico. Good. Need preserve possibility Rodri maybe his Barcelona? Source confusing. We must say "Rodri set to replace him in the starting XI against Los Blancos" without identifying team? likely Barcelona. Keep. "after starting on bench at Parc..." Good.

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Atletico Madrid’s six-match winning run came to an end as they were held to a 1-1 draw by VfB Stuttgart in the UEFA Champions League, with teammate Alex Grimaldo describing Julian Alvarez as the club’s “best player”.

Alvarez brought Atletico level shortly after half-time, scoring his first goal for the club this season. However, Diego Simeone’s side had to withstand the closing 25 minutes with 10 men following Morten Hjulmand’s red card.

The result ended a run of six consecutive victories for Atletico Madrid, who had travelled to Germany in strong form.

Alvarez’s goal comes as he attempts to re-establish himself in Simeone’s plans after being unable to secure a move to Barcelona during the summer.

The Argentinian was at the centre of a dispute between the two LaLiga clubs in August, when Atletico Madrid refused outright to sell him to a direct rival.

Despite that uncertainty, his importance to Simeone’s team was underlined by Grimaldo after the match.

“Julian is our best player. He’s been creating chances for a few games now and he needed that goal,” said Grimaldo.

“Hopefully, it’s the first of many for him this season.”

Toulouse’s Ligue 1 home match against Troyes has been postponed by one day at the request of the local authorities, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) announced on Wednesday.

The fixture had been scheduled for Saturday but will now take place on Sunday, 25 October, at 5:15 PM. The decision follows a period of civil unrest across France, during which thousands of people were arrested and shops were looted or damaged.

The protests were linked to concerns over high prices and declining public services, and were among the worst unrest seen in France for years.

The Haute-Garonne Prefecture introduced an overnight curfew in parts of Toulouse after the protests. That restriction is due to remain in place until Sunday.

In a statement, the LFP said: “At the request of the Haute-Garonne Prefecture and in agreement with the Ligue1+ broadcaster, the Toulouse FC - ESTAC Troyes match ... is moved to Sunday, October 25 at 5:15 PM.”

The match will therefore be played on the final day of the curfew.

On Monday, Olympique de Marseille and Lille also reported that their official club stores had been looted during the unrest.

RB Leipzig’s poor start to the 2026/27 season faces its biggest test at Real Madrid on Wednesday, with another heavy defeat at the Bernabeu potentially bringing Martin Demichelis’ short tenure as manager to an end.

Leipzig have been strong at home but have suffered three defeats from three Bundesliga away matches, including a 6-1 humiliation by FC Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. They also lost 3-1 at Werder Bremen, 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen and 4-1 away to Como in the Champions League.

The club’s sporting board member Marcel Schafer has criticised the players’ attitude, saying they “had not even remotely fought back” during difficult away moments. Senior players David Raum and Nicolas Seiwald have also questioned the team’s lack of intensity and excessive passivity without the ball, which has left them second best in important individual battles.

Home strength, away collapse

Leipzig’s Bundesliga record at home and away shows a stark contrast.

In three home matches, they have won all three, scored 14 goals from 61 attempts and produced an expected goals figure of 11.51. They have created 13 big chances, converting seven, while conceding no goals. Their opponents have managed 42 shots, with an expected goals figure of 3.16.

Away from home, Leipzig have scored only twice from 41 attempts, with an expected goals figure of 3.04. They have created just one big chance and converted it, while conceding 11 goals from 59 shots faced, 29 of them against Bayern.

The team has therefore been much more aggressive in attack at the Red Bull Arena, while allowing opponents considerably more opportunities on its travels.

The central tactical concern is whether Demichelis’ aggressive 4-3-3 pressing structure can work away from home. Analysis suggests the issue is not simply a lack of intensity in the high press, but how that press is organised.

Leipzig’s PPDA (Passes per Defensive Action) stands at 12.7, ranking 11th in the Bundesliga for pressing intensity. That indicates opponents are finding it easier than the league average to play through Leipzig’s structure outside the defensive third.

The 30-year-old defender Lukas Klosterman and captain Raum have faced particular criticism following the Bayern defeat, when the Munich midfield covered almost seven kilometres more than Leipzig’s.

Diomande absence adds to pressure

Leipzig have also struggled to replace Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande, who they will face on Wednesday after his summer transfer for a club-record fee of €125 million.

Diomande scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists in 36 competitive matches last season. In the Bundesliga, his 12 goals and eight assists amounted to 0.76 Goals + assists per 90 minutes.

His influence extended beyond possession. He completed 716 sprints, won 437 tackles/duels and recorded non-penalty expected goals of 11.68, placing him in the 90th percentile among league players.

Without his 180 final-third touches, Leipzig have lost a direct attacking threat capable of counter-attacking quickly and retaining the ball under pressure. His ability to shape counter-pressing structures, reach 36.3 km/h and alter the tempo of close matches has proved impossible to replace with the current squad.

RB Leipzig visit Real Madrid at 21:00 CET.

Bayern Munich could be without manager Vincent Kompany, first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and midfielder Joshua Kimmich for Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Arsenal.

Assistant coach Aaron Danks said on Tuesday that Kompany is recovering from a virus, Neuer has only recently returned from a minor injury and Kimmich missed training for personal reasons.

“Vince has had a virus, and it is important for him to rest,” Danks told a news conference.

“He is at home. We are taking it day by day. He will play his role in the game whether in the Allianz Arena or not.”

Kompany has at times experienced symptoms affecting his legs, but Bayern have not ruled him out of the match. Danks said the manager would remain involved in preparations whether or not he was present at the Allianz Arena.

There is also uncertainty over Neuer’s involvement. The goalkeeper has trained for the past two days after recovering from his injury, although Danks said Bayern had not yet made a decision on whether he would face Arsenal.

Kimmich’s availability is similarly unclear after he was absent from training.

“For Joshua, it is personal reasons. I am not sure what it means for tomorrow,” Danks added.

Bayern will already be without suspended Michael Olise as they attempt to respond to last week’s 3-3 draw with Viking in Norway.

Their preparations have been strengthened by a convincing Bundesliga victory on Saturday, when they defeated RB Leipzig 6-1.

Danks said Bayern’s performance against Arsenal could be determined by fine details and that the team needed to be ready for all possible aspects of the game.

“The key will be decided on small margins,” he said. “We have to be prepared for every aspect of the game.

“We trust the process and the work we have done with the players in the last couple of seasons. We want them to play fearlessly and express themselves.”

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick says Rodri will return to the starting line-up for Sunday’s Clasico against Real Madrid after being rested from the start of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.

Rodri was introduced after an hour in the 4-2 loss in Paris, with Flick explaining that the midfielder had been left out because of his recent workload for club and country.

“Yes, but you know Rodri played a lot of minutes with the national team and also the last games with us,” Flick told reporters after the match.

“I spoke with him this morning and I told him that we made this decision, and Marc Bernal started instead. For me, it was a good solution what we did and hopefully he is fresh on Sunday.”

The decision was also shaped by the importance of the meeting with Real Madrid, in which Barcelona can move nine points clear of their rivals at the top of LaLiga.

Flick said the Clasico had influenced his team selection “a lot”, although Barcelona’s unbeaten start to the season ended in Paris after a late defeat against the defending European champions.

The visitors twice recovered from going behind. Desire Doue gave PSG the lead before Xavi Espart brought Barcelona level, and Lucas Hernandez restored the hosts’ advantage.

Lamine Yamal equalised again in the 79th minute, but Vitinha put PSG back in front two minutes later. Fabian Ruiz then completed the scoring to secure victory for the home side.

Despite the result, Flick said the match had provided valuable lessons for his team, while acknowledging that too many errors in possession had contributed to the defeat.

“I think it was a fantastic game from both teams but we made too many mistakes, especially in possession,” he said.

“But I also saw a lot of good things. For me it was a great test for us and you also saw today what errors we have to improve to make things better.”

Barcelona had maintained a perfect record before the trip to Paris, but Flick insisted the result should be used as an opportunity to improve rather than define the team’s season.

“We have to learn from this game. Today, in October, you cannot win titles. You win the Champions League in June.”