Vinicius Jr.'s Ballon d'Or memory, why Klopp moved to Red Bull, Flick's quick start

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Hello! Vinicius Junior will wake up with a smile on his face – is he in line for the Ballon d'Or?

⚽ Vini triple seals a real comeback

✍️ Why Klopp signed with Red Bull

📝 Marinakis' 14-page spat

🎾 Footballer becomes professional… in tennis

Vini, Vidi, Vici: The Brazilian scores a stunning hat-trick as winning the Ballon d'Or comes into focus

Borussia Dortmund thought they had revenge. The German side, defeated by Real Madrid in last season's Champions League final, were 2-0 up after 59 minutes of their second leg last night and were on their way to their first ever win at the Bernabeu.

But there is an inevitability for Madrid to bounce back like the tide – and Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr has been their focal point. After Antonio Rüdiger conceded, Vinicius Jr. equalized less than two minutes later before adding two more late on to help secure a remarkable 5-2 victory.

His second goal stood out when he picked up the ball deep in his own half, passed Emre Can before cutting inside and sending the ball into the far corner. We couldn't even fit the whole thing into the clip above. His third goal reminded Emilio Butragueno, a Real Madrid legend, of Pelé.

Vinicius Jr's main rival for the Ballon d'Or, the winner of which will be announced on Monday, is Manchester City's Rodri – but with the midfielder out injured and with a historic penchant for attackers, last night's hat-trick was a reminder of that Talent of the Brazilian. with the trophy apparently destined for Madrid.

He came, he saw, he conquered.

The only bad news for Madrid? Rodrygo was injured in the build-up to Lucas Vazquez's opener and will miss Saturday's Clasico at home to Barcelona in La Liga. Their number 1 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is also out due to groin problems.

Have you been watching, Messi?

This summer was full of Olympic gold medals for the United States; Now the change of season has brought an American “Olimpico” goal.

Christian Pulisic has achieved a feat that even Lionel Messi has never achieved: he scores straight from a corner kick.

With last night's game between AC Milan and Club Brugge goalless after 33 minutes, Pulisic curled a corner towards the near post… and Simon Mignolet positioned himself completely wrong. As the former Liverpool goalkeeper climbed back to the front of his goal, he appeared to be unseen by a group of four players – and the ball went around his other side and into the net.

It wasn't the prettiest, but there's no need to belittle Pulisic, who is in some form – this is his seventh goal in 11 games this season, to go with three assists. Recently we asked if this is the best version of the USMNT playmaker. It could be easy, you know.

Villa at the top of the pile

It is It's been 42 years since Aston Villa won the European Cup – and after three games in their long-awaited return to the competition now known this season as the Champions League, Unai Emery's side are once again at the top. At least for the next few hours.

Yes, it's still early and tonight's games will have an impact on the league lead, but Villa have beaten Young Boys, Bayern Munich and Bologna, all without conceding a goal. Let them dream.

Emery won four Europa League titles in seven years at Sevilla and Villarreal, so he also knows his way through the knockout stages…

News summary

Klopportunity Knocks: Why the former Liverpool boss moved to Red Bull

Jurgen Klopp was expected to take a year-long break to recharge after leaving the job as Liverpool manager in the summer.

However, this month he joined the Red Bull Group as head of football – which from the outside seemed to be the opposite of what he stood for. However, The athleteSimon Hughes tried to find out why the German was so keen to take on the role – and the reasons why have come to light.

In September 2022, when he had less than a month to live, Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz invited Klopp to visit a villa in Austria, and the conversation lasted late into the evening. There was mutual admiration and when Klopp left Liverpool this May he had a good idea of where his future might lie.

According to Helmut Marko, Red Bull's chief motorsport advisor, Klopp's arrival was an open secret. Klopp shares similar views on the style of play with the Red Bull Group clubs – and with his Anfield successor Arne Slot taking on RB Leipzig in the Champions League today and looking to put his own touch on Liverpool, it's going to be an interesting one give alternative. Action.

Explains Barca's quick start to the season

(Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images, Eric Alonso; designed by Dan Goldfarb)

Hansi Flick's summer appointment at FC Barcelona, after the 59-year-old was unhappy with the German national team, was greeted with ambivalence rather than excitement.

But Barcelona started brilliantly and Flick made that ambivalence part of his personality and turned it into an advantage. The media hype surrounding the Camp Nou club can be deafening but Flick, who speaks neither Catalan nor Spanish, has chosen to ignore it calmly.

Last week he visited the home of Barcelona's predecessor Xavi for dinner – it was a peaceful message to a club more accustomed to distrust and factionalism. They play in the Champions League today against Flick's former club, Bayern Munich, and as Pol Ballus writes, this will be a measure of how much Barcelona have grown under their new coach.

🎙️ Is Barcelona as good as it looks? Pol and Dermot Corrigan discuss their credentials in our latest TAFC podcast.

Every cough and every “spit”

Is it a cough or was it spit? That's what the latest legal battle involving Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis boils down to after he was banned for five games for spitting at match officials.

That word is in quotation marks because the Greek shipping magnate vehemently denies that characterization – and responded to the FA's allegations with comical legal jargon in a 14-page document containing 58 elements and 4,486 words.

“He smokes two to three cigars a day,” his testimony begins. “He coughs and/or coughs often. His cough contains mucus.”

The killer line? “He cannot now recall whether saliva left his mouth, but if it did (and he does not deny that it may have been the case for some) then it certainly was not at the referee's feet directed.”

Let's move on quickly, shall we?

All about Athletic FC

(Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Catch a Match (Times ET/UK)

Europa League, league phase

(Both 10:30 a.m./3:30 p.m.)

Galatasaray vs Elfsborg – Paramount+, ViX/TNT Sports; Braga vs Bodo/Glimt – Paramount+, ViX/TNT Sports.

Champions League, league phase

(Kick-off at 2:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.)

Atalanta vs Celtic – Paramount+, Vix/TNT Sports; Brest vs Bayer Leverkusen – Paramount+, Fubo/TNT Sports.

(Every 3:00 p.m./8:00 p.m.)

Atletico Madrid vs Lille – Paramount+, Fubo/TNT Sports; Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich – Paramount+, Fubo/TNT Sports; Benfica vs Feyenoord – Paramount+, ViX/TNT Sports; Manchester City vs Sparta Prague – Paramount+, ViX/TNT Sports; RB Leipzig vs Liverpool – Paramount+, ViX/TNT Sports; Red Bull Salzburg vs Dinamo Zagreb – Paramount+, ViX/TNT Sports; Young Boys vs Inter Milan – TNT Sports.

MLS playoffs, wild card

Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 10:30 p.m./3:30 p.m. – Apple TV.

And finally… some, er, tennis!

(Kevin Santamaria / Tenis al Maximo)

Do retired footballers get bored? Are you missing that competitive advantage? This is certainly true for Diego Forlan.

The former Uruguay and Manchester United striker is set to make his professional tennis debut… at the age of 45.

The ex-striker – who could have turned pro if not on the court – will appear at the Uruguay Open next month.

Always at his best in a strike partnership, Forlan will play doubles alongside Federico Coria at the Challenger Tour event, the second tier of tennis.

And for today's edition: game, set, game. See you in the morning!

(Top photo: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)