Barcelona lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad on Sunday, suffering their second league defeat of the season. Robert Lewandowski had an early goal controversially disallowed for offside, sparking debate. Sheraldo Becker’s 33rd-minute strike secured the win for Sociedad, who held firm against a Barcelona side missing young star Lamine Yamal. Despite bringing on Dani Olmo in the second half, Barcelona struggled to create chances and failed to score for the first time this season.
Arsenal’s title hopes faded as Pedro Neto’s stunning equalizer earned Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal ahead with a clever finish in the 60th minute, briefly disrupting Chelsea’s energetic play. However, Neto’s 25-yard rocket brought the hosts level, lifting Chelsea to third and leaving Arsenal winless in three matches. Cole Palmer, fit after a knee scare, nearly scored early on, while Neto created Chelsea’s best first-half chances, including a missed header by Malo Gusto. A disallowed Kai Havertz goal added drama before Neto’s late strike sealed the draw.
Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has been included in Germany's squad for the first time, following coach Julian Nagelsmann's announcement of the Nations League roster on Thursday. Ortega, 32, will join Stuttgart’s Alexander Nuebel and Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann as goalkeepers in the 23-man squad.
Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen of Barcelona, remains sidelined due to a serious knee injury, which has opened the door for Ortega’s call-up.
Additionally, Borussia Dortmund midfielders Julian Brandt and Felix Nmecha have been recalled to the squad. Brandt has not featured for Germany since November 2023, while Nmecha earned his only cap under former coach Hansi Flick in March 2023.
Germany is set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina at home in Freiburg on November 16 before traveling to Budapest to take on Hungary three days later. The team has already secured qualification for the Nations League quarterfinals with three wins and a draw.
“We aim to top our group and secure a win in front of our fans in Freiburg,” Nagelsmann stated on Thursday.
Several players are missing from the squad due to injuries, including West Ham’s Niclas Fuellkrug, Stuttgart’s Jamie Leweling, Bayern Munich’s Aleksander Pavlovic, and winger Leroy Sane, among others. Nagelsmann acknowledged the challenges posed by these absences but remained confident in the strength of his squad.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old midfielder Paul Wanner, who is currently on loan at Heidenheim from Bayern Munich, declined the call-up to remain with Germany’s U-21 team. Wanner is still deciding whether to represent Austria or Germany at the senior level.
Al-Hilal are reportedly considering ending Neymar’s contract early due to his ongoing injury struggles, as per Saudi outlet Action Ma3 Waleed. Since joining the club in the summer of 2023 for a hefty €90 million fee, the Brazilian star has faced a string of injuries that have kept him sidelined for much of his time in Saudi Arabia.
Neymar recently made his long-awaited return from an ACL injury, taking the field against UAE’s Al-Ain on October 21. Unfortunately, his comeback was short-lived; just days later, he suffered another injury after only 30 minutes on the pitch during an AFC Champions League victory over Esteghlal.
This latest setback has led Al-Hilal to consider terminating Neymar’s two-year contract in January, cutting short his time with the club. Speculation has already started about Neymar’s next move, with rumors linking him to a possible reunion with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in the MLS.
READ ASLO: Neymar Faces Two-Week Training Setback, Says Coach
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