Man United Are Falling Apart On and Off the Pitch: 1:4 in Como, Captain Against Coach and a Burgled Mansion

Como humiliate Man United, and the captain points at the coaching staff

Manchester United lost 1:4 to Como in the Champions League and now count seven games in a row without a win in all competitions. Instead of self-criticism, captain Bruno Fernandes, substituted in the 67th minute, shifted the blame onto the coaching staff: the decision not to press man to man and to leave space behind the defence, he says, was theirs. Michael Carrick hit back without naming him: whatever system you play, if you don't run forward and back, you won't win. Jamie Carragher called the captain's move a disgrace. And while Bruno was playing in Italy, according to British media, three masked men broke into his 4 million pound mansion in Cheshire and made off with jewellery in about five minutes - police are still looking for them. Bournemouth come on Sunday, and the question is how much longer Carrick will last on the bench.

Arsenal take a point in Munich, but may have lost Saka

Arsenal came away with 2:2 at Bayern in the "Allianz Arena", but the price may be higher than the point. Bukayo Saka lasted only 10 minutes before going down with a sharp pain in his quadriceps, and Mikel Arteta didn't hide his concern: "A player who has to come off with real sharp pain is never good news." The irony is that his replacement Eberechi Eze opened the scoring straight away. Bayern turned the game around through Alphonso Davies and a Harry Kane penalty, and Declan Rice equalised in the 82nd minute. Saka has four goals in 11 games this season and two seasons of hamstring and Achilles problems behind him. Arsenal are seventh in the Champions League and on course for direct qualification - but for how long without their most important player?

Scaloni stays until 2030, Argentina learns to live without Messi

Lionel Scaloni has agreed with the Argentine Football Association to stay on as head coach until the end of the 2030 World Cup, according to Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo. His contract was due to expire in December 2026, and after the lost World Cup final against Spain many thought he would ask for a break. The numbers explain why nobody wanted to let him go: 105 matches, 81 wins, 14 draws and only 10 defeats, plus the 2022 World Cup, two Copa Américas and the Finalissima. Now the harder task awaits him - Argentina without Messi, who has retired from the national team. Scaloni won everything with the best player of his era; now he has to show he can do it without him.

Sarri takes Elmas off, Atalanta sink at the death

Elif Elmas was once again a starter under Maurizio Sarri and played until the 81st minute, when he was replaced by Jonathan Rowe. Up to then Atalanta were holding a draw in Amsterdam, but then they conceded twice and lost 0:2 to Ajax: Tolu Arokodare scored in the 87th minute and Abdellah Ouazane in stoppage time. It's not Elmas's fault, but Sarri's timing turned out badly. Sebastián Herrera had a better night: the Macedonian international was among the best players in Borac Banja Luka's 2:0 win over Finland's KuPS, with a rating of 8.2 and Borac's first win in the Conference League.

Gashtarov's unlucky own goal at the "Marakana"

Young Macedonian international Matej Gashtarov had a night every footballer would want to forget. In the 29th minute, trying to clear a cross, he put the ball into his own net and Copenhagen went ahead away at Crvena Zvezda. The Belgrade side quickly turned it around through Timi Max Elšnik in the 34th and Vasilije Kostov in the 41st minute, but Maer Karizo equalised in the 70th for a final 2:2. Zvezda won their first point in the Conference League and played out the finish a man down after Stefan Gudelj was sent off. For Gashtarov this is a lesson, not a verdict - a career isn't measured by one night.