Aston Villa are among a host of clubs to be fined by UEFA this week for breaking financial rules, which was confirmed just a few days after NSWE agreed to sell the women’s team in a bid to comply with PSR.
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The new Spurs boss rates him.
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That sale of the women’s side to V Sports “effectively solved the issue” regarding this summer’s PSR trouble (The Athletic), with Villa agreeing a deal right before the footballing financial year deadline on June 30.
However, it didn’t do enough to stave off sanctions from UEFA, who punished Villa for breaking a different set of financial legislations, including the squad cost rule. Unai Emery’s side have reached a settlement with the governing body, accepting a fine of around £17 million over a three-year settlement.
“Breaking: Chelsea, Aston Villa, Barcelona and Lyon are among clubs fined by UEFA’s CFCB First Chamber,” wrote journalist Ben Jacobs on X this week in an extensive update.
“All four did not comply with the football earnings rule which was assessed for the first time in the 2024/25 season. The analysis covered the financial years ending in 2023 and 2024. Clubs have agreed settlements and fines. – Chelsea have agreed to a four-year settlement and a total fine of €80m, of which €20m is unconditional. Villa have agreed to a three-year settlement and a €20m fine, of which €5m is unconditional.
“Barcelona have agreed to a two-year settlement and a €60m fine, of which €15m is unconditional. Olympique Lyonnais have agreed to a four-year settlement and a €50m fine, or which €12.5m is unconditional. The CFCB First Chamber found that Chelsea and Aston Villa also breached the squad cost rule, having reported a squad cost ratio above 80% for 2024. This has resulted in a further €11m fine for Chelsea and a €6m one for Villa. Guaranteed fines are €31m (€20m+€11m) for Chelsea and €11m (€5m+€6m) for Villa.”
Villa consistently find themselves in a battle against spending outside their means, which is distracting them from their quest to become a successful club on the field.
Questions surely need to be asked about whether this creates a bigger gap between Europe’s established elite and the rest of the footballing pyramid, with Emery’s side potentially forced to sell more players over the coming summer, actively weakening themselves, just so they can comply with certain rules.
Aston Villa looking to sell right-back Matty Cash
£100,000-per-week Villa right-back Matty Cash is among those who the club wish to offload in an effort to bring in more funds.
Cash attracted criticism for some of his Villa performances last season, but he was a regular under Emery – playing 38 games in all competitions and starting nearly every match in their run to the Champions League quarter-finals.
As per former Villa scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider, the club are actively looking to sell Cash and potentially bring in a quality replacement – as they believe their Poland international isn’t at the required level.
“Villa are looking to sell Matty Cash this summer,” he said.
“He’s an honest professional, and he’s done well over his time at Villa, but they don’t think he’s good enough for the level they want to play at. They’re still building the side, looking at each position and seeing if they can improve.
“The manager wants to improve at right-back, and they’ll use money from selling Cash to do it.
“It could be a busy summer at Villa because there are a few players being linked with moves away, but he’s one they’ve been looking to move on for a while.”
The 27-year-old has two years remaining on his contract, so it’ll be difficult to raise a significant fee for him at this point, but Villa have been linked with Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingeuza as a potential replacement.
Tottenham have West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus at the very top of their transfer priority list, but he isn’t their only desired target this summer, as the Lilywhites open club-to-club discussions for another target.
Thomas Frank has already welcomed back some key players for his first-ever pre-season at Spurs, with Guglielmo Vicario, Dominic Solanke, Lucas Bergvall, Deki Kulusevski, Djed Spence and Antonin Kinsky all returning to training four days ago as the Lilywhites manager assesses his new squad.
Tottenham in talks over selling "underrated" player with £60m offer made
Spurs are in negotiations.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 8, 2025
Frank has a key issue to deal with in regard to UEFA’s 25-man Champions League squad rule, with their lack of ‘locally trained’ assets to fill an eight-player quota proving problematic.
This could result in Spurs having to register a depleted Champions League squad whilst leaving senior players out, according to The Telegraph, but Frank’s side also need to strengthen as they look to compete on four fronts again next term.
Tottenham are widely reported to be in talks over a deal for Kudus, who is believed to be prioritising a move to N17 above every other potential landing spot (Fabrizio Romano), so terms don’t appear to be the issue here.
Finding a rare agreement with West Ham, 14 years after their last transfer deal, will prove the ultimate challenge.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
West Ham could demand as much as £70 million to let Kudus leave, and they’ve already rejected a £50 million bid from Spurs, so the Hammers won’t be pushovers in negotiations, despite their rumoured need to sell before they can kickstart Graham Potter’s own summer recruitment drive.
Tottenham are not giving up, though, with West Ham insider ExWHUemployee reporting that the east Londoners anticipate an imminent new bid from their rivals.
“We spoke to our top source at the club within the last half hour and asked for an update, and we were told: Spurs, sadly, only bid £50m. We hope other clubs will come in. There are very few clubs that buy players for £50m/£60m and need a RW,” said Ex earlier this week, via West Ham Way.
“West Ham are expecting Spurs to come back with an improved offer in the next day or so and will hope at least one other club will compete.
“Kudus is said to be happy to move to Spurs. He will get Champions League football and has been promised he will be the main man.”
While Kudus is the main target right now, technical director Johan Lange and chairman Daniel Levy are finding time to work on other targets as well.
Tottenham open discussions with Burnley over Maxime Esteve
That is according to French newspaper L’Equipe, who report that Burnley defender Maxime Esteve is back on Spurs’ radar after a failed £21 million January bid.
The 23-year-old was a mainstay for Scott Parker last season and one of the Clarets’ most reliable players as Burnley achieved promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking, and Tottenham are certainly interested.
It is believed that Tottenham have re-opened discussions with Burnley over signing Esteve, and the Lancashire side were demanding around £30 million to sell in the winter.
After a fantastic season, his price tag is unlikely to have dropped since then, so it is reasonable to assume the 6 foot 4 Frenchman could still command a similar fee.
In any case, L’Equipe report that Spurs are trying to find an agreement with Burnley, so this could be one to watch.
“I’ve been really impressed with Maxi,” said Parker about Esteve last season.
“First and foremost he’s a great kid and an unbelievable professional. Just his general aura about him and his humility about the boy and his professionalism, just everything about him is top, top boy and of course you see his quality as well.”
There is never a moment to catch your breath with Chelsea.
One second, the Blues are lifting the Conference League trophy, and the next, they’re making it to the next round of the Club World Cup.
It’s not just on the pitch where the West Londoners seem to work at breakneck speed either, as it’s been a busy summer of transfer business so far, with the likes of Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr already through the door, and links to Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho refusing to go away.
Garnacho
Fortunately, there are other reports suggesting the club are preparing an offer for someone who’d be a far better signing than the Argentine.
Chelsea moving to sign Garnacho upgrade
The first murmurings of a potential transfer to Chelsea for Garnacho appeared just ahead of the winter transfer window this season, but as we know today, those links never amounted to much more than rumour.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Things are a little different this summer, though, as with it now known that the young winger has been told to leave United, the links to Chelsea in recent days feel like they carry a little more weight, especially as some have claimed that contact has been made.
However, it would be fair to say that this is not a move that many supporters want to see happen.
So, fans should be particularly excited about the intensifying links to a far better alternative: Jamie Gittens.
Yes, according to a recent report from talkSPORT, Chelsea have maintained their intense interest in the Borussia Dortmund star this summer, despite seeing a number of offers for him already rejected.
In further good news, the story claims that the West Londoners are in advanced talks and are now preparing a third bid for the player worth around £45m and hope it will be enough to convince the German side to sell.
It’s a lot of money to spend on a youngster, but Gittens looks like he could be something special, and he’d undoubtedly be a better signing than Garnacho.
Why Gittens would be a far better signing than Garnacho
There are a few key reasons why Gittens would be a far better signing for Chelsea to make than Garnacho this summer, and the first stems from their respective output this season.
Appearances
49
58
Minutes
2803′
3568′
Goals
12
11
Assists
5
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.34
0.36
Minutes per Goal Involvements
164.88
169.90′
For his efforts, the United ace was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568, which comes out to a reasonable enough average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes.
However, the Dortmund star has a better minutes-to-goal involvement ratio of 164.88, as in his 49 games for the German giants this year, totalling 2803 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided five assists.
The second reason for signing the Englishman over the Madrid-born star is the fact that his slight advantage regarding their respective output becomes far more significant when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.
While the eight-capped Argentine does do better in a few areas, like progressive passes and carries, he is massively outperformed by the former Manchester City prospect in so many other, arguably more important metrics.
Non-Penalty G+As
0.56
0.33
Progressive Passes
2.13
2.22
Shots
2.58
3.61
Goals per Shot
0.16
0.06
Shots on Target
1.06
1.22
Goals Per Shot on Target
0.39
0.16
Expected Assists
0.20
0.12
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.20
1.05
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.27
0.17
Shot-Creating Actions
3.57
3.63
Goal-Creating Actions
0.45
0.37
Tackles
1.44
1.05
Tackles Won
0.79
0.65
Blocks
0.89
0.77
Interceptions
0.48
0.45
Clearances
0.38
0.37
Successful Take-Ons
3.57
1.31
Carries into the Final Third
2.96
2.93
Carries into the Penalty Area
3.06
3.04
For example, not only does the Reading-born gem score more goals from his shots, but he also creates more opportunities by completing more passes and crosses into the penalty area or being the far more accomplished dribbler.
Moreover, he is an incredibly hard worker, as evidenced by the fact he makes more tackles, blocks, interceptions and clearances than his potential competitor per 90.
Jamie Gittens
Ultimately, while Garnacho is a talented player, he’s simply not as good as Gittens, with the latter outperforming him when it comes to raw output and everything that goes on under the hood as well, which is why Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign the Dortmund star this summer.
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The Hill Dickinson Stadium will begin life in the Premier League by playing host to Brighton & Hove Albion, one week after Everton’s season opener away to newly-promoted Leeds United.
David Moyes deserves all the plaudits for his remarkable work on Merseyside this year, replacing Sean Dyche in January and taking a weary 16th-place outfit, one point above the drop zone, up and up towards 13th, some 23 points above relegated Leicester City.
The shift has been profound, but now Moyes must sustain and indeed advance his progress in a new setting, retaining the magic and feeling that Goodison Park and its crowd instilled through to the pitch.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
So much uncertainty. More than a measure of anxiety. However, tenfold that amount in regard to the excitement of a new age. Of course, Everton need signings to make it happen, with a striker right at the top of the wish list.
Everton chasing new striker
As per Spanish outlet AS, Everton are interested in striking a deal for Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto, although it must be said that Atletico Madrid are also in the race and have actually established contacts with the Brasileiro Serie A side.
Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto
Thankfully, Alberto isn’t the La Liga side’s priority, and if the Toffees put in the groundwork over the coming weeks, they might find themselves stealing ahead.
Valued at €20m (about £17m), Everton are joined by Roma – also owned by the Friedkin Group – in their bid for the Brazilian, as they line up a swoop for the striker.
What Yuri Alberto would bring to Everton
Described as “clinical” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the club could strike gold by winning the race to sign Alberto, who at 24 is finally ready to settle on the European stage and improve a Toffees team looking to progress toward the upper echelon of Premier League football.
Everton like a Brazilian forward, having reaped the rewards of signing Richarlison from Watford way back when, but they have probably missed the 28-year-old’s fiery personality and dynamism after selling him to Tottenham Hotspur for £60m in 2022.
As per FBref, Alberto ranks among the top 10% of forwards during this year’s Serie A season for goals scored per 90, as well as pass completion and aerial duel success rate. His roundedness and dominance as a focal point suggest he could be the man Everton are looking for to front their project.
2025
35
13
1
2024
57
31
7
2023
63
15
9
2022
44
18
6
2021
55
19
4
Alberto knows his way around a finish, make no mistake. The mobile and determined striker would add a bit of flair to Moyes’ side, raising the threat levels in front of goal, moreover.
There’s no doubt that he’d prove an upgrade on the Dominic Calvert-Lewin we’ve come to know over the past couple of years, but maybe he could be the manager’s own version of Richarlison too.
Though Iliman Ndiaye has restored the thrill factor for the Blues, Richarlison’s tenacity and hunger gave Everton something special and distinctive across four consistent seasons, wrapping up his time at the club with 53 goals and 15 assists across 152 appearances.
Once tipped by Carlo Ancelotti to become “one of the top strikers in Europe”, Richarlison’s time at Tottenham has left plenty to be desired.
Still, his Brazilian tenacity has remained a core part of his skill set, and now Alberto could emulate that quality under Moyes’ wing, having been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig to be a “complete forward” with a “powerful, athletic” build.
Richarlison injured for Tottenham
Richarlison, physically imposing, good with his head and endowed with a natural prolificness, might have been linked with a return to Merseyside in recent months, but Everton have entered a new chapter and would instead be better off pursuing a fresh and younger face.
Still, Alberto can become the club’s next version of their South American maverick.
Their best attacker since Lukaku: Everton lead race for £50m star on loan
Everton are in the market for another maverick attacker
Everton have been put through the wringer over the past several years, but the return of David Moyes in January has turned the club back in the right direction.
The Friedkin Group have a daunting task ahead, with so many players out of contract at the end of the month. But it’s also a golden opportunity to redesign the Toffees squad as they step into a new home at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
New CEO Angus Kinnear, who left Leeds United to replace Kevin Thelwell in May, has got his work cut out, but Everton are willing to entrust their senior figures with the big decisions, and understandably so, given Moyes has identified an exciting new option to strengthen the frontline.
Everton make their first move
According to Turkish outlet A Spor, Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz has been approached by Everton as they look to add depth and dynamism to Moyes’ squad.
Yilmaz can play across both attacking flanks and thus would fit the bill as to what the manager hopes to add. It’s understood that the Merseysiders will soon present an opening £16m offer, but that the Istanbul club are holding out for a figure closer to £29m.
With Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom both returning to their parent clubs after difficult loan spells at Goodison Park, this could be a shrewd signing indeed for the Blues.
What Yilmaz would bring to Everton
Everton’s Premier League pedigree has at times felt threatened by the turbulence at the club over recent seasons, by the dysfunction that has led to palpable fears of relegation.
Moyes, though, transformed the club when arriving in January, after 12 years away. Everton finished comfortably in 13th place, and if they can get things right during the off-season, bringing in players such as Yilmaz, they could be headed for a new level of success.
Baris Alper Yilmaz for Galatasaray.
Yilmaz, a silky and talented winger, would certainly ease the burden on Iliman Ndiaye’s shoulders, the Senegalese star hailed by pundit Jamie Redknapp for his “dynamite” qualities after joining from Marseille for £15m last summer.
He could even prove an upgrade on Dwight McNeil, taking his place in the starting line-up as Charly Alcaraz makes the number ten spot his own, especially after notching 20 goal contributions from 48 matches for Gala last season.
That came after a EURO 2024 showdown with the Netherlands, which led Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk to declare his adversary “difficult for every defender”.
The Turk’s constant running and unrelenting intensity suggest he’d be a fantastic addition to the Premier League, potentially even capable of keeping McNeil on the bench.
Everton’s industrious playmaker started the 2023/24 season off with aplomb, but a knee injury ruled him out for the entirety of the midseason. Still, the one-time Burnley talent finished the year with four goals and eight assists from 21 top-flight fixtures, 15 starts.
Matches (starts)
32 (29)
21 (15)
Goals
12
4
Assists
3
8
Touches*
46.9
39.4
Shots (on target)*
2.4 (0.9)
1.2 (0.5)
Pass completion
75%
83%
Big chances created
8
12
Key passes*
1.4
1.8
Dribbles*
1.4
1.1
Ball recoveries*
3.0
3.6
Tackles + interceptions*
1.7
0.9
Duels won*
6.3
2.8
Though McNeil is evidently the more naturally creative player, Everton could add a new dimension to their attacking efforts by bringing Yilmaz in.
Everton, let’s not forget, finished 13th in the chance creation standings last season (63 big chances created) but only scored 42 goals, fewer than all but the three relegated outfits.
Dwight McNeil for Everton
Ultimately, it would serve Moyes well to have both players in the team next season, but Yilmaz’s pace and directness offer shades of Ndiaye, and we’ve seen how well he took to life in the Premier League when signing for Everton.
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The Champions League final is the pinnacle of any football season. With the showpiece finale set to bring the curtain down on another dazzling European campaign, it brings around a chance to look back at some of the best finals from years gone by.
While finals can often be drab affairs – the last four editions have all been decided by a single goal – the Champions League final has been no stranger to some of the most dramatic affairs over the years. Here is Football FanCast’s attempt at ranking the very best finals since the first one in 1956, based on the drama and significance of each match.
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Rank
Final
Year
Milan 3-3 Liverpool
2005
Man Utd 2-1 Bayern Munich
1999
Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea
2008
Benfica 1-4 Man Utd
1968
Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid
2014
Bayern Munich 1-1 Chelsea
2012
Real Madrid 7-3 Frankfurt
1960
Celtic 2-1 Inter
1967
Steaua Bucharest 0-0 Barcelona
1986
Bayern Munich 0-1 Aston Villa
1982
Milan 4-0 Barcelona
1994
Liverpool 1-1 Roma
1984
Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Real Madrid
2002
Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool
2018
Barcelona 3-1 Man Utd
2011
15 Barcelona 3-1 Man Utd (2011) Guardiola's stars beat United in the final again
Barcelona’s class of 2011 are considered one of the greatest club sides of all time, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta bringing Pep Guardiola’s tiki-taka philosophy to life.
The 2011 final, held at Wembley Stadium, pitted the same finalists as in 2009, when Barca overcame United 2-0 in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
First-half goals from Pedro and Wayne Rooney suggested this would be a more even contest, but the second half saw Barcelona’s star men come alive.
Messi put Barcelona back in front shortly after the interval, while David Villa sumptuously curled home to seal the match and the Catalans’ third Champions League triumph in six seasons. The only surprise is that their dominance didn’t exactly endure after this.
14 Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool (2018) Karius clangers and Bale wonder-strike completes Euro hat-trick
While maybe not the most spectacular of matches, this game did provide one of the most spectacular goals in a Champions League final, while also including one of the most bizarre. Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius gifted Karim Benzema the opener in Kyiv by inexplicably rolling the ball into his path before Sadio Mane equalised for the Reds.
Gareth Bale came off the bench to score an incredible overhead kick, before the Welshman finished the job with the help of another Karius mistake. It was a third consecutive Champions League triumph for Real Madrid – a feat that hadn’t been achieved for over 40 years.
Date
26th May 2018
Venue
NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kyiv
Attendance
61,561
Goalscorers
Benzema 51′, Bale 63′, 83′ / Mane 55′
13 Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Real Madrid (2002) Zidane's worldie wins Los Blancos' ninth CL
Another sensational Champions League final goal; another sensational volley and another Madrid victory. This time it was Zinedine Zidane who scored one of the most iconic goals in the competition’s illustrious history, sending a luscious, looping effort into the top-left corner from just inside Leverkusen’s penalty area at Hampden Park. Zidane’s goal on the stroke of half-time proved the winner, with Lucio having cancelled out Raul’s early opener.
Date
15th May 2002
Venue
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance
50,499
Goalscorers
Lucio 14′ / Raul 8′, Zidane 45′
12 Liverpool 1-1 Roma (1984) Reds win on penalties to upset hosts and favourites Roma
It won’t have been often that Liverpool headed into a European Cup final as underdogs, but Joe Fagan’s Reds were up against it as they prepared to take on Roma in their own backyard, in what was just the hosts’ second European final, having won the Fairs Cup in 1961.
Phil Neal put Liverpool ahead before Roberto Pruzzo levelled things up before half-time. The teams could not be separated, leading to a penalty shootout. It is perhaps best known for Bruce Grobbelaar’s ‘spaghetti legs’ antics in goal, with Francesco Graziani blazing his effort over, handing the Reds match point.
Alan Kennedy netted the winning spot-kick, making Liverpool European champions for a fourth time.
Date
30th May 1984
Venue
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance
69,693
Goalscorers
Neal 13′ / Pruzzo 42′
11 Milan 4-0 Barcelona (1994) Johan Cruyff's Barcelona swept aside by brutal Milan display
Miguel Angel Nadal (l) had a tough night against Milan.
Johan Cruyff’s swashbuckling Barcelona side were expected to wipe the floor with a Milan team shorn of several key players, including Marco van Basten and Franco Baresi, due to injury.
Those expectations could have not ended up being further from the truth, with the Rossoneri delivering one of the finest team performances in a single game in the history of the competition to win 4-0 and claim their fifth European crown. Dejan Savicevic’s exquisite lob over a helpless Andoni Zubizarreta was the pick of the goals as Milan ran riot in Athens.
Date
18th May 1994
Venue
Olympic Stadium, Athens
Attendance
70,000
Goalscorers
Massaro 22′, 45′, Savicevic 47′, Desailly 58′
10 Bayern Munich 0-1 Aston Villa (1982) Peter Withe winner upsets odds as Villans reign in Europe
Not very often does the European Cup final pit a David and Goliath together, but that’s what we got in 1982 when an unfancied Aston Villa set up a grand finale against Bayern Munich.
Bayern were three-time European Cup winners and boasted international stars such as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paul Breitner in their starting XI.
In contrast, Villa had somewhat surprisingly won the First Division a year prior, and were forced to substitute their first-choice goalkeeper nine minutes into the final, leaving Nigel Spink – who had one first-team appearance to his name – to make his European debut for a Villa side decidedly lacking in star names.
That did not deter them, and they made the breakthrough midway through the second half through Peter Withe’s strike from Tony Morley’s cross, sparking jubilant scenes on the pitch and in the stands.
Bayern then had a late equaliser ruled out for offside as Tony Barton’s side held on to create history.
9 Steaua Bucharest 0-0 Barcelona (1986) Duckadam saves four in incredible shootout
You’re probably wondering what a goalless draw is doing in a best finals piece. Well, in a great example of not needing goals to have drama and heroics, Steaua Bucharest’s only European Cup triumph can be put down to an unbelievable goalkeeping display from Helmuth Duckadam.
The Romanian saved all four of Barcelona’s spot-kicks to win the European Cup for his team. The shootout itself ended 2-0 in favour of Steaua after a goalless draw, with each of the first four attempts saved before Marius Lacatus finally converted.
Granted, some of the penalties weren’t the best, but there’s no denying the greatness of Duckadam’s exploits.
Date
7th May 1986
Venue
Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville
Attendance
70,000
Goalscorers
None
8 Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid (2014) Real blitz Atletico in extra time to earn La Decima
Real Madrid hammered Atletico Madrid in 2014.
Madrid had to wait 12 long years to claim ‘La Decima’, their tenth top-level European crown. They got the job done in style in 2014, though, beating city rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1.
Diego Godin put Atletico ahead, but Diego Simeone’s stubborn rearguard was not enough. Sergio Ramos sent the game to extra time with a last-minute equaliser, in which Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo scored to complete the rout for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
7 Celtic 2-1 Inter (1967) Lisbon Lions come from behind to become first British champs
Members of Celtic's 1966-67 squad parade the European Cup in 1998.
The famous Celtic side of 1967, dubbed ‘The Lisbon Lions’, triumphed over Inter to become the first British side to win the European Cup.
Celtic went behind through an early penalty, but from then on, it was an onslaught of green and white, with goals from Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers getting the job done. Incredibly, all but two of Celtic’s squad were born within a 10-mile radius of the club’s ground – just one of the reasons that team is still revered today.
Date
25th May 1967
Venue
Estadio Nacional, Lisbon
Attendance
45,000
Goalscorers
Gemmell 63′, Chalmers 84′ / Mazzola 7′ (p)
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ByRobin Mumford May 14, 2025 6 Real Madrid 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt (1960) Ten-goal final hands Madrid fifth European crown on the spin
We’ll level with you: we didn’t watch the 1960 European Cup final. But its significance remains, as does its status as one of the greatest football matches of all time.
High-scoring games weren’t as rare back in the day, with both Real Madrid and Frankfurt reaching the final having put 12 goals past the likes of Jeunesse Esch and Rangers respectively – the latter coming in two brutal semi-final demolitions.
That theme continued into the final, with four-time winners Madrid – who had won every edition of the competition to this point – responding to Frankfurt’s opener by striking six times, while there was still time for Erwin Stein to bag a consolation double either side of Ferenc Puskas’ fourth goal of the final.
Alfredo Di Stefano also netted a hat-trick for Los Blancos as they stretched their historic run in front of well over 100,000 fans at Hampden Park. As the highest-scoring final, it just had to be on this list.
Glasgow Rangers have had their takeover officially confirmed, with Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises taking a 51% stake, and the investment group have put £20m in to begin with.
New sporting director Kevin Thelwell has also officially started his job at Ibrox, having joined from Everton, and he will assist with finding the club’s next head coach to replace Barry Ferguson after his interim spell came to an end.
Despite there still not being any official word on who the next manager is going to be, work will be going on in the background to identify targets to bolster the squad.
The summer transfer window opened for business on Sunday and the Light Blues will be looking at players who have the potential to improve the team ahead of next season.
49ers eyeing first Rangers signing
Cyriel Dessers ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of six goals in his last five matches in the Scottish Premiership, yet his goal burst did not stop him from underperforming against his xG.
The Nigeria international scored 18 goals from 19.73 xG in the Premiership and three goals from 5.3 xG in the Europa League, which shows that he consistently underperformed over the course of the season.
This may be why, according to the print edition of the Daily Mail (2 June, page 69), as relayed by IbroxNews, the 49ers are interested in a deal to sign Jamie Vardy this summer.
The report claims that the Gers are one of a number of clubs to have expressed an interest in signing the former England international on a free transfer, after he confirmed his exit from Leicester City.
Transfer Focus
It remains to be seen, however, whether or not the Foxes legend would be willing to make the move up north to Ibrox to have a crack at Scottish football.
If the 49ers can make Vardy the first signing of the new era in Glasgow, though, then the next Rangers manager could have an upgrade on Dessers on their hands.
Why Jamie Vardy would be an upgrade on Cyriel Dessers
The Leicester icon, who was described as a “living legend” by manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy, may appear to be at the wrong end of his career, at the age of 38, but the striker still plundered nine Premier League goals this season.
Vardy ended his Leicester career with 200 goals in 500 matches, including 145 in 342 games in the Premier League, which shows that he has been prolific throughout his time in England.
The experienced marksman scored 145 goals from 142.02 xG in the top-flight, illustrating how clinical he is in front of goal, whilst finishing chances efficiently has clearly been a problem for Dessers with his xG underperformance.
Appearances
35
xG
17.07
Goals
18
Minutes per goal
99
Big chances missed
16
Assists
2
As you can see in the table above, Vardy played for a Leicester team chasing the title in the 2023/24 Championship season and led them to the trophy with 18 goals from 17.07 xG.
This suggests that, despite his age, the prolific attacker is still at the top of his game as a finisher and has the potential to be a lethal forward option for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership next season.
Vardy also offers a physical presence in the centre-forward position, having won 48% of his ground duels and 48% of his aerial duels in the Premier League this season. Whereas, Dessers only won 34% of his ground battles and 31% of his aerial contests in the Premiership.
This shows that the English star would provide the team with a better outlet in the number nine position, as he is better than the Nigerian lightweight when it comes to duelling with opposition centre-backs.
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Aston Villa will be busy this summer in the transfer market, even if they miss out on Champions League qualification.
As it stands, the club need to win their final game of the campaign and hope for Chelsea, Newcastle United or Man City to suffer a slip-up.
If so, the riches of Europe’s top-tier competition will fill the coffers once again, allowing Unai Emery to sign high-profile players this summer.
Signing a new goalkeeper might be a priority heading into the transfer window, especially with Emiliano Martínez’s future in doubt.
Aston Villa’s search for a new goalkeeper
According to Football Insider, the enigmatic Argentinian is expected to depart Villa Park this summer for a new challenge.
He has been with the club since 2020, turning 33 at the start of the 2025/26 campaign, suggesting Emery is right to cash in now.
As such, this means the club will need a new goalkeeper to take them forward, and according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, it appears as though Lucas Chevalier is the preferred candidate.
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The Midlands side have approached the youngster regarding a potential move to the Premier League, although no transfer fee has been reported as yet.
The 23-year-old has a contract with Lille until 2027, which means now is the ideal time for the French club to sell. Will Villa make their move soon? Especially if Martinez is seeking a quick exit.
Why Aston Villa must sign Lucas Chevalier
Martinez may have made over 200 appearances for Villa, but a few mistakes have crept into his game this season. Indeed, he’s made five errors leading to a shot in the Premier League, as per Sofascore.
His mistake against PSG saw Villa exit the Champions League, while he parried a shot directed straight at him by Bernardo Silva into the Villa net during the recent defeat to Man City.
Metric
Ligue 1
Champions League
Goals conceded
36
13
Clean sheets
11
1
Saves per game
2.8
3.2
Goals conceded per game
1.1
1.3
Touches
36.4
39.7
Signing Chevalier could be an upgrade on the former Arsenal keeper, especially when comparing their domestic statistics this season.
Indeed, the Frenchman has conceded fewer goals than Martinez this term (36 vs 45), while also conceding fewer goals per 90 (1.06 vs 1.29), having a higher save percentage (74.6% vs 67.9%) and keeping more clean sheets (11 vs eight) across their respective domestic seasons.
Add in the fact that the current Lille number one is nine years younger than the Argentinian, making a move for him in the coming weeks could be shrewd business by the club.
Following an excellent 2023/24 campaign for the Ligue 1 side where he made 2.8 saves per game and conceded just 32 goals in 33 games, talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on him, saying Chevalier was “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe.”
If Emery manages to lead Villa into the group stages of the Champions League, it will do his chances of landing Chevalier the world of good.
Lucas Chevalier for LOSC Lille.
He kept a clean sheet against Real Madrid in the competition earlier this season, proving he has what it takes to star at the highest level. Much will depend on the Frenchman’s price tag, but signing Chevalier must be a priority this summer.
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Atletico Madrid could seal quite the double swoop.
Whilst Leeds United lapped up most of the praise in the Championship this season, winning the second-tier title, Scott Parker’s Burnley were more than worthy challengers to the West Yorkshire side’s throne.
After all, Daniel Farke’s side only clinched the title on the final day via goal difference, with the Clarets hoping and praying for a shock Plymouth Argyle victory in Devon, but Parker’s men had to make do with the tag of being runners-up despite also achieving a remarkable haul of 100 points.
Still, there would be celebrations aplenty as the Lancashire side instantly returned to the promised land of the Premier League.
Burnley certainly have their unbelievable defensive record to thank for sealing automatic promotion, with James Trafford a formidable option in between the sticks all season long.
Trafford's standout season in goal for Burnley
Unfortunately for the Turf Moor side, some of their standout performers could still depart for more luxurious pastures this summer, even as the Clarets return to the elite league.
Trafford definitely fits into this category, with rumours circulating that Newcastle United are keen on adding the ex-Manchester City stopper to their roster off the back of his unerring quality in the second tier.
Unbelievably, the Carlisle-born ‘keeper would only concede 16 goals across Burnley’s triumphant 46-game marathon, leading to a jaw-dropping 29 clean sheets being tallied up.
Parker has even gone as far as labelling Trafford as “world class” off the back of such a memorable campaign for his promoted side, but he isn’t the only standout figure in the Clarets camp that is attracting deserved Premier League action.
James Trafford for Burnley.
Indeed, there was a performer who was just as lively, albeit at the complete opposite end of the pitch.
The Burnley "superstar" who is ready for the Premier League
Parker will already be wary about the difficult challenge ahead, considering he has only picked up nine career wins at Premier League level as a manager.
But, he will be slightly less hesitant about diving back into the tricky division if he can keep Josh Brownhill situated at Turf Moor, with the 29-year-old keen to make an impression on the top-flight again after taking the second tier by storm in 2024/25.
Staggeringly, the experienced EFL head managed to bag more goals in Championship action this season than Trafford would ship, with a bumper 18 goals coming his way to help his team soar into the top two spots.
With six assists also next to his name, the midfield “superstar” – as he was previously labelled by one of his former bosses in Lee Johnson – will be raring to go in the top-flight next season with or without his current employers.
The likes of Everton and West Ham United are reportedly taking an interest in the skilful Clarets captain to boost their own options centrally.
Championship
231
41
25
Premier League
111
6
6
League One
67
8
4
After all, even with the table above confirming that Brownhill’s most comfortable location is the Championship, he has shown flashes of his immense quality in the Premier League before even whilst Burnley have struggled, with his 2023/24 output seeing him pick up six of his overall 12 goal contributions.
This is why both the Toffees and the Hammers are presumably keen, but if Parker and Co are serious about staying put in the top-flight for the long-term, losing Brownhill would be a disaster.
The much-loved number 8 does already have two top-flight relegations on his CV, but after such a sensational personal season alongside the strong Trafford, he could be just what the Clarets need moving forward to return back to their former Premier League glory days.
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The Clarets are on their way back to the top-flight.
Celtic are basking in the glory of becoming Scottish Premiership champions and could now have eyes on a bright starlet who has admitted he is dreaming of a move to Parkhead, per reports.
Celtic set to enjoy another productive transfer window
Brendan Rodgers leads his side into battle against Rangers this weekend and will hope they can lay down a marker after claiming their fourth successive league title against Dundee United.
The Irishman will also hope to become the first Celtic manager to deliver three trebles during his tenure in charge if the Bhoys can navigate past Aberdeen in next month’s Scottish Cup final, though it is reasonable to assume he will already have one eye on the summer window.
Celtic managerBrendanRodgerscelebrates with the trophy after winning the League Cup
There is an expectation at Parkhead that some form of squad refresh could take place. New blood is expected, and James Wilson could be on his way to the Hoops after a breakout campaign at Heart of Midlothian.
Kieran Tierney is on his way back to Celtic on a free transfer once his contract at Arsenal comes to an end. AC Ajaccio forward Moussa Soumano could join the Scotland international to bolster Rodgers’ options across the final third.
Champions League league phase involvement isn’t guaranteed for the reigning Scottish champions next campaign, meaning they will need to adopt a laser-focused approach to recruitment amid a swift turnaround between the end of this term and 2025/26.
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However, there is also time for Celtic to look to the future with long-term additions who can develop into stars of the future, and they may now have their next candidate after a surprise transfer admission.
Dylan Leonard admits his dream is to play for Celtic
Speaking to A Leagues, Western United youngster Dylan Leonard has admitted he wants to join Celtic in the future, claiming signing for the Scottish Premiership champions is his ‘ultimate dream’ in football.
He stated: “That’s probably one thing I want to achieve in football is play for Celtic. Win something with Celtic obviously, but that’s definitely the one thing I want to do, the one club I want to play for.”
Enjoying an impressive campaign in his homeland, the 17-year-old has registered a goal and an assist across 24 appearances in the Australian top-flight. Primarily a central defender, Leonard has also come out in 100 duels and made 28 tackles on league duty, illustrating his potential to grow into a solid presence at the back.
Celtic are always on the lookout for talent and the Carlton-born starlet definitely appears to be someone that would fit the bill, but it remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck between all parties.