Football: the main stories of 04.09.2026

Real Madrid have lost their first league match under José Mourinho, and their perfect La Liga start with it: Betis won 1:0 at La Cartuja on Friday, with an Irish substitute settling it and the hosts holding on grimly. Kylian Mbappé had the chance to level from the spot in the closing stages; Valles saved it, and the visitors were refused a retake after VAR looked at Marc Bartra encroaching. Bartra said afterwards that a referee he knows had explained the reading to him: with the foot in the air, the kick does not come back. Mourinho told reporters that Betis "played for the draw and won the lottery"; Manuel Pellegrini answered that his side did not beat Madrid because of the officials.

Paris St-Germain announced that Luis Enrique had extended his contract to 2030, and hours later watched his team lose 1:2 at home to Monaco, who keep a perfect record in Ligue 1; the champions have 1 win in 5 matches this season, over Aston Villa in the Super Cup. Liverpool had the cleaner evening, winning 2:0 at Ipswich through a quick Alexander Isak double, Andoni Iraola's first league win in charge, with Cody Gakpo supplying both. The window is shut, but the club has already agreed a deal for 17-year-old Saint-Étienne striker Djylian N'Guessan in January — one target they did not get was Yankuba Minteh, and Fabian Hurzeler said the winger can still make that move later.

• Arsenal drawn with Barcelona in the league phase of the 2026/27 Women's Champions League.
• London City Lionesses opened the Women's Super League season by delivering on the expectation around them.
• Cesc Fàbregas's Como won 1-4 at Genoa and lead Serie A on 7 points from 9.
• Stuttgart beat Cologne 4:1 in the Bundesliga opener, El Khannouss scoring a solo goal.
• Santos say Neymar will miss 4-8 weeks with a thigh injury.
• Enzo Maresca named Haaland, Donnarumma, Dias and Guéhi as Manchester City's captains.
• No away supporters at Celtic–Rangers fixtures in the Scottish Premiership or Premier Sports Cup this season.
• Jurriën Timber is in line to return for Arsenal on Sunday; Chelsea are waiting on Moisés Caicedo before the same match.
• Saturday's gossip column has Yves Bissouma offered to Chelsea and Arsenal weighing a move for Raphinha.
• Sergei Karasev has been reinstated and appointed to Baltika v Lokomotiv in Kaliningrad on 6 September.
• Zenit host CSKA at the Gazprom Arena tonight in the 7th round.