Miovski Came Off the Bench to Win It in 90+1, While the Macedonian Cup Lost Ohrid and Shkupi

Miovski came off the bench and in 90+1 showed Rangers what they are missing

Sometimes a footballer's loudest statement is not in an interview but in a single touch. Bojan Miovski came off the bench against St Mirren and in the 90+1st minute won it 1-0 for Rangers with a masterful lob. The Macedonian decided a Scottish league match with a move nobody learns in training. The question now is not whether Miovski can score - all of Scotland knows he can. The question is why a man who decides matches starts them on the bench.

Macedonian Cup: Novaci knocked out Ohrid, Sasa eliminated Shkupi

The last sixteen of the Cup got seven more qualifiers and one genuine upset. Novaci eliminated the ambitious second-division side Ohrid - last season's surprise went out even earlier than last year. Sasa knocked out Shkupi with a 0-1 away win, and Bashkimi were the most convincing of all with 5-0 against Konjari. Bregalnica turned their match against Tetex around for 4-1, Shkendija Arachinovo won 3-1 at Detonit Plachkovica, and Belasica 3-1 in Kochani. Three more ties remain to complete the picture. The Cup is the only competition here where small clubs can still knock somebody off the table - and that is exactly why it is more interesting than half a league season.

PSG, Barcelona and Chelsea: the Champions League began without mercy

The opening round of the Champions League delivered exactly what was expected from the favourites - no mercy at all. PSG tore Slovan apart with six goals, and Ferran Torres delivered a hat-trick. Barcelona saw off Feyenoord with five, Odegaard was once again the decisive man for Arsenal in Naples, and Liverpool and Sporting both turned their matches around - Sporting broke Galatasaray in Lisbon. The wildest of all was in the League Cup at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea came back from a big deficit in a nine-goal match. And then came the funniest part: Luis Enrique, whose side had just scored six, said PSG had had a catastrophic start to the season. When the champion of Europe complains about the start right after scoring six, you know the bar has been set somewhere in the stratosphere.

Mac Allister revealed Liverpool are not offering him a new contract

Alexis Mac Allister publicly admitted he got a message from the club he did not want to hear: Liverpool are not in a position to offer him a new contract. The Argentine has two years left on the deal signed in 2023, and this summer he turned down offers precisely because he wanted to stay. His numbers are not bad - 153 matches, 19 goals and 20 assists, plus a key role in the Premier League title. Then came a weaker season, fifth place, and suddenly the man is expendable. This is modern football in one sentence: the loyalty is paid for by the player, never by the club.

Rooney spares nothing for the United board: 85 million pounds for midfield, and no striker

Wayne Rooney did not bother with diplomacy after the 2-2 with Everton. United spent 85 million pounds on midfield with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, plus up to 70 million for Carlos Baleba - and on the pitch there was no genuine striker. Benjamin Sesko missed pre-season through fitness, so Matheus Cunha, who is not a number nine, had to carry the front line. Rooney says Michael Carrick has been left too few options in key positions, especially at full-back, where Luke Shaw cannot play every match. Sesko later came off the bench and scored with a header, which only underlined the problem. A club spending tens of millions on midfield and then having nobody to put the ball in the net - that is no longer misfortune, that is a choice.