⚽ News, previews and discussion before the action starts ⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Bournemouth go second | And mail us Jean-Philippe Mateta has described his first call-up to the senior France squad as “a dream come true” after the Crystal Palace striker was selected by Didier Deschamps for the World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland. The 28-year-old was one of France’s overage players at last year’s Olympics and scored five goals as Thierry Henry’s side won a silver medal. Mateta, who played the first half of Palace’s win over Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday night in Poland, has also represented Les Bleus at various youth levels. Continue reading...

The Crystal Palace juggernaut is showing no signs of letting up. Goals from Daniel Muñoz and the substitute Eddie Nketiah ensured Oliver Glasner’s side marked their first appearance in the main phase of a European competition with a comfortable victory over Dynamo Kyiv despite a late red card for Borna Sosa. It was the perfect reward for the 3,500 supporters who had made the pilgrimage from south London to southern Poland as Palace made it 19 games unbeaten in all competitions to establish a new club record that dates back more than 50 years. Against opponents who have enjoyed plenty of famous European nights in their storied history but are no longer the same force of old due to the ongoing war with Russia, there was only ever going to be one winner as Glasner’s side showed they are well equipped to go all the way to Leipzig despite their inexperience at this level. Continue reading...

BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains why Crystal Palace's Conference League debut is taking in place in Poland

After a magical first 18 months in south London, Austrian manager is looking to conjure up Conference League glory Crystal Palace supporters may have waited a lifetime for this moment but, for Oliver Glasner, it’s business as usual. After winning the FA Cup and Community Shield – the first major silverware in the club’s history – the Austrian manager who arrived in south London 18 months ago promising he was “no David Copperfield” is preparing his next trick: guiding Palace to the Conference League final next May. Having been demoted from the Europa League after Uefa deemed Palace part of a multi-club network, Glasner’s side edged past Fredrikstad in the qualifying round and the road to Leipzig starts for real against Dynamo Kyiv in Poland on Thursday evening. It is a fixture that has been greatly anticipated by 3,500 travelling fans, with an extra 900 tickets quickly snapped up for the match at Lublin Arena, which has hosted the Ukrainian side’s home matches in Europe since Russia’s invasion in 2022. Continue reading...

Hansi Flick’s side come from behind for nervy win Milan go top after 2-1 victory against Napoli Barcelona secured a 2-1 comeback win over Real Sociedad on Sunday that sent them top of the LaLiga standings after they turned the match around with goals from Jules Koundé and Robert Lewandowski either side of half-time. Barcelona’s sixth win in seven matches moved the champions on to 19 points, one point above Real Madrid, as Real Sociedad remained on five points after their fourth loss of the campaign. “It was a team victory. They knew how to play and it was hard work, but we deserved it,” said the Barcelona coach Hansi Flick. Continue reading...

Wales will play their first game in front of a Rodney Parade crowd for six years when they host Poland in a friendly on Tuesday, 28 October.

López, Raphinha and Lewandowski each score twice Ethan Mbappé, Kylian’s brother, scores Lille’s winner Barcelona turned on the style in their first home game of the season on Sunday, with Fermín López, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski each netting twice in a 6-0 thrashing of Valencia. The emphatic victory propelled Barcelona to second place in La Liga on 10 points, two points behind leaders Real Madrid. Valencia slumped to 15th position. López opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a strike from inside the box assisted by Ferran Torres but it was after the break that Barça ran amok. Raphinha made an immediate impact off the bench in the 58th minute, converting a cross from Marcus Rashford with a right-footed volley while López doubled his tally three minutes later with a shot from long-range, before Raphinha completed his double in the 66th minute. Lewandowski, introduced in the 68th minute, wrapped up the rout with two close-range strikes to complete a perfect afternoon for the Catalan side. Continue reading...

Forward spares Ronald Koeman’s blushes with double Goals move him above Van Persie to top of all-time list Memphis Depay set a new scoring record for the Netherlands as his double ensured they survived a scare in beating Lithuania 3-2 away in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday. Two goals for the 31-year-old Depay took his national team tally to 52, going ahead of Robin van Persie’s previous record, and putting the Netherlands top of the Group G standings with 10 points from four games, three ahead of Poland, who are hosting Finland later on Sunday. Continue reading...

Olise also on scoresheet for Les Bleus in Wroclaw Sesko sets up late leveller for Slovenia against Sweden France struck early through Michael Olise and sealed the points with a late Kylian Mbappé breakaway to open their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in Wroclaw, Poland. Mbappé’s 82nd-minute strike, set up by his Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni at the end of a rapid counter attack, took the forward to 51 international goals, drawing him level with Thierry Henry in second place on France’s all-time scoring list behind Olivier Giroud, who has scored 57. Olise gave them the lead after 10 minutes, sliding in a Bradley Barcola pass, and only Ukraine goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s sharp reflexes prevented further damage as he denied Olise a second. Continue reading...

Forest interested in bringing back Poland right-back Leon Bailey joins Roma on season-long loan Nottingham Forest are working on a deal to sign Matty Cash from Aston Villa, five years after the right-back departed from the City Ground. Cash came through the academy at the City Ground and went on to make 141 appearances for his boyhood club before being sold to Villa for £14m in September 2020. Any potential transfer is at an early stage and Forest are yet to make a formal offer for the 28-year-old Poland international, who has two years to run on his current deal. Continue reading...

Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski feature in the Bunesliga's best opening goals of the season.

Robert Lewandowski discusses the time he "said yes" to a Man Utd move, the influence of Jurgen Klopp and why the sky is the limit for Lamine Yamal.

It is not just Germany these days … countries like Italy, Switzerland and Poland are finding their feet in women’s game A documentary is currently being broadcast on German TV. In it, former players talk about how they were prevented from playing football – by the association, their parents and society. Listening to the pioneers of our sport made me realise even more how privileged I had been. I received support from all sides throughout my career. Women have been playing football for generations but, because it was made difficult or even forbidden in many countries, the level of performance struggled to evolve for a long time. That has changed, as the Euros in Switzerland has shown once again. It offers great sport and exciting entertainment. Continue reading...

Despite their group-stage exit, Nina Patalon’s side have made history and changed perceptions back home As Poland were on their way to a historic Euro 2025 win over Denmark the commentator on national TV encouraged people to visit the website of a Polish FA campaign called “Girls’ Team”, which is designed to help young girls find a team to train with. There was such a rush to the website the server broke down. That would have been unthinkable only a few months ago but the Polish team that played in their first Euros, scored their first goal and secured their first win at the tournament have changed the perception of women’s football in the country for ever. “One of the key goals was to leave the best possible impression and to get little girls interested in the sport,” said the coach, Nina Patalon, after the 3-2 win against Denmark. “That was our biggest responsibility at our first Euros.” Continue reading...