Anthony Gordon made his Barcelona debut on Sunday afternoon as he starred in his side’s victory against FC Basel.
The Catalan giants cruised to a comfortable victory at St. Jakob-Park. Karim Adeyemi, who signed for the club from Borussia Dortmund this summer, gave the away side the lead in the 34th minute, only for Jean Doucoure to restore parity shortly after.
Hamza Abdelkarim gave the away side the lead once more shortly after half-time, before Lamine Yamal gave them breathing space with nine minutes remaining via the penalty spot.
Kazeem Olaigbe made no mistake when Basel were given a penalty of their own shortly after to set up an interesting finish, but their hopes of a comeback were extinguished as Jesse Bisiwu netted a late brace to ensure Barcelona ran out 5-2 winners.
Barcelona fans Make Feelings Clear About Anthony Gordon
REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
Gordon, who signed for Barcelona in a £69.3 million move from Newcastle United this summer, was named in his side’s starting lineup for the first time against the 21-time Swiss champions.
He found a teammate with one of his two crosses, did not complete his only attempted dribble, lost possession four times and won one of his three ground duels.
A video of Gordon’s performance has gone viral online and, despite not being at his very best, Barcelona fans are very excited about the Englishman and have high hopes for him.
One fan wrote: ‘Trust me… Gordon will be the reason we win two Champions Leagues before the end of this decade,’ while another commented: ‘Could have easily gotten two goals from his play. He is direct and fits in perfectly with the sort of energy Flick wants, the depth, the varying attacking options we now have.’
A third said: ‘Top signing. Hoping he keeps up with this level’, while a fourth stated: ‘He was incredible today, good decision-making. They just couldn’t stop him. He’ll be amazing for us. I just know it.’
A fifth wrote: ‘All it took for Gordon was 45 mins in a friendly match to prove he isn’t just a roadrunner. Heck, the way he was playing, you’d think this is 100th match for Barca, not 1st.’
Hansi Flick Pleased With Barcelona’s Performance
via Reuters
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was complimentary of Basel after the match, saying they gave his side a ‘good test’.
He said, per Goal: “It was a good test for us; Basel played well. It wasn’t easy playing against them. Perhaps in the first half we didn’t play as quickly as we’d have liked, either in terms of positioning or off the ball. That’s what we need to improve on. We’ve got potential, and I’m pleased with the test.”
He added: “The most important thing is how we train, the quality and the intensity, and that’s very good. I can see the standard of the team and that’s what matters most. We’ll analyse this match and also the training sessions. And we’ve got a match this week, so we’ll see.”
Barcelona return to action on Wednesday when they take on Egyptian side Al Ahly. They begin their La Liga campaign on Sunday evening when they travel to Elche.
Rory McIlroy gave his honest verdict on Donald Trump’s golf ability after playing with the incumbent US president at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida.
Trump is a keen golfer, and has mixed it up with some of the biggest stars from all walks of life. Footballers Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney are among the big names, as well as the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Jack Nicklaus from the world of golf. He’s even played a round with Northern Irishman and two-time Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
Given Trump’s long affinity with the sport, there’s no surprise that he has been praised for his ability on the course. McIlroy certainly saw this as he gave his thoughts on how good he actually is after their round together back in 2017.
Rory McIlroy Analyses Donald Trump’s Golf Ability
One of the many things that has become synonymous with Trump throughout his years in the spotlight is his affinity with golf. He owns several courses, and has even brought the passion into the world of politics. He’s been seen playing with other world leaders, while also remaining an owner of several locations.
McIlroy isn’t the only golfing legend to rub shoulders with Trump, as Jack Nicklaus has also talked about playing with him. When asked where Trump ranks compared to other presidents, he said: “Well, the ones I’ve played with, actually Trump is probably the best player.”
Similarly, McIlroy also had plenty of praise for Trump, as he said after their round together: “He probably shot around 80. He’s a decent player for a guy in his 70s.”
It seems evident that all the time on the course has been paying off for the US president, as McIlroy doesn’t talk up everybody’s ability.
Rory McIlroy Criticised For Playing With Donald Trump
Playing with Trump certainly divided opinions, but McIlroy affirmed that the interest in golf was the only thing that brought them together.
He said: “Golf was our common ground, nothing else. I’ve travelled all over the world and have been fortunate enough to befriend people from many different countries, beliefs, and cultures.”
Furthermore, he also responded to some of the political claims sent his way after the event, saying: “To be called a fascist and a bigot by some people because I spent time in someone’s company is just ridiculous.”
Pamela Smith via Imagn Images
In terms of a return to professional golf for the Northern Irishman, he is still dealing with an injury. Since January, McIlroy has been dealing with a stress fracture in his ribs, which occurred during the BMW SA Open.
He is still eyeing a return to competition at the WGC-Mexico Championship, which occurs next week. Mcllroy has also said, however, that he isn’t looking to rush anything, and potentially run the risk of aggravating the problem.
Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal are eyeing a move to sign Chelsea star Pedro Neto this summer, GIVEMESPORT sources understand.
The Blues have seen a major squad transformation this summer with ten new arrivals for new manager Xabi Alonso, with Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Pep Chevarria, Danny Welbeck, Jordan, Henderson, Geovany Quenda, Emmanuel Emegha, and Valentin Barco all joining.
The club are now expected to see players depart before the transfer window closes on September 1st, and a number of their top stars are understood to be attracting interest in the final weeks, including the Portugal international.
As of Monday morning (August 17), GIVEMESPORT understands that Chelsea have not received a formal bid for the winger from Al Hilal or anyone else. The west London club have also now put a £100m valuation on the 26-year-old, with Neto having a contract at Stamford Bridge that runs until 2031.
Neto has been a regular for Chelsea since joining from Wolves in 2024, racking up an impressive 103 appearances over three seasons, scoring 19 times. He is also expected to be part of Alonso’s squad this season should he stay, having featured during pre-season since returning from the World Cup.
‘Pedro Neto brings us so many different qualities that we need,” he said.
“For me, he’s a world-class player, a world-class winger. And what I love about him, as talented as he is and as gifted as he is, what he sacrifices for the team is top.”
Alongside Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Estevao, and Quenda, Chelsea have an abundance of quality options in attack if they keep Neto in the squad, but a major offer could be enough to convince them to do business before the deadline.
Data analysts have crunched the numbers and calculated all 20 Premier League clubs’ chances of winning the title in the 2026/27 season.
The new campaign is now just a few days away. It kicks off on Friday, August 21, when reigning champions Arsenal welcome newly-promoted Coventry City to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners, who demolished Manchester City 3-0 to win the Community Shield, will be hoping they can retain their title.
Leicester City’s miraculous Premier League triumph in the 2015/16 campaign shows that any team in English football can shock the world and lift the trophy against all odds.
Championship playoff winners Hull City have been given a miniscule 0.1% chance, as have Championship winners Coventry City and Sunderland.
The Black Cats have been given such a low chance despite finishing 7th in the 2025/26 campaign and qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
Ipswich Town, who will be managed by Gary O’Neil this season following Kieran McKenna’s departure, have a 0.2% chance. Fulham have a 0.3% chance of becoming English champions for the first time, with Leeds and Crystal Palace (both 0.4%) following.
Nottingham Forest, now managed by Oliver Glasner, have been given a 0.6% chance of glory, the same as Keith Andrews’ Brentford. While nine-time English champions Everton have been given a 0.8% chance of winning the title.
Every Premier League Club’s Chance of Winning the Trophy in 2026/27
Rank
Club
Chance (%)
20
Hull City
0.1
19
Coventry City
0.1
18
Sunderland
0.1
17
Ipswich Town
0.2
16
Fulham
0.3
15
Leeds United
0.4
14
Crystal Palace
0.4
13
Nottingham Forest
0.6
12
Brentford
0.6
11
Everton
0.8
10-1 (
Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
Bournemouth surprised everyone by finishing sixth in 2025/26, which was enough to see them qualify for Europe for the first time in their 127-year history.
Andoni Iraola, the man who masterminded that success, has since left for Liverpool and been replaced by Marco Rose. The Cherries have a 1% chance of taking another major leap forward and becoming champions.
Chelsea, now under the management of Xabi Alonso, have a 2.8 chance of winning the Premier League. They are sandwiched inbetween Newcastle (1.8% chance) and Aston Villa (3.7%).
Manchester United will be looking to end their wait for a Premier League trophy this season. With Michael Carrick at the helm, they arguably have their best chance (5.1%) of doing that in some time.
Liverpool were incredibly disappointing in 2025/26. They were widely expected to retain their title but finished a distant 25 points behind Arsenal in fifth. Iraola’s side have a 7.9% chance of glory this campaign.
City have the second-best chance (23.2%) to lift the trophy, with Arsenal the overwhelming favourites. The Gunners have a whopping 48.1% chance of being crowned Premier League champions once again in May 2027.
Every Premier League Club’s Chance of Winning the Trophy in 2026/27
Metro2 days ago
Politics2 days ago