Leverkusen edge København in first-leg thriller

FC København 2-3 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Roger Schmidt's men came from 2-1 down inside 13 minutes, Son Heung-Min scoring the winning goal at the end of a frantic first half.Bayer 04 Leverkusen are in the box seat to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage after a topsy-turvy 3-2 play-off first-leg victory away to FC København.

Stefan Kiessling struck five times inside an hour as Leverkusen started their season with a 6-0 German cup victory at SV Alemannia Waldalgesheim on Friday, and he continued his rich vein of form with the opener after five minutes. Giulio Donati slipped in Hakan Çalhanoğlu down the right flank and his low cross was expertly diverted inside the far post by Kiessling.

The goal was in keeping with FCK's form at the Parken Stadium – they came into the game with back-to-back league reverses at home – but their response was a stark contrast to their recent disappointments. Remarkably, Ståle Solbakken's men were in front within eight minutes with Mathias Jørgensen central to the turnaround.

Thomas Delaney set a captain's example with a deflected drive that Bernd Leno tipped wide but from Pierre Bengtsson's resulting corner, Jørgensen towered above the visiting defence to plant a header in the far corner. Then a free-kick into the area was helped back across goal by Jørgensen and Daniel Amartey nodded in.

Sebastian Boenisch curled wide before Karim Bellarabi swept in the equaliser from their next opening after a speculative long ball had bounced into his path off the back of Per Nilsson. Roger Schmidt's charges completed a transformation of their own before the break as Çalhanoğlu's through ball found Son Heung-Min and he converted via the far post.

The contest remained wide open after the interval with Stephan Andersen making outstanding saves to deny Çalhanoğlu and Son. The hosts were barely keeping their heads above water from a string of Leverkusen counterattacks with the FCK No1 rushing from his goal to block from Bellarabi as he raced through. Surprisingly no more goals materialised, leaving the Danish team still with a chance of progress.

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Deulofeu and Banega add to Sevilla influx

"Sevilla were always my first option," said Gerard Deulofeu after joining on loan from FC Barcelona while Éver Banega has also signed to be reunited with coach Unai Emery.

"The players who have come in will certainly help us become a stronger outfit," said Sevilla FC president José Castro as the club unveiled their latest signings Gerard Deulofeu and Éver Banega.Forward Deulofeu, a winner of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship with Spain in 2011 and 2012, arrives on a season's loan from FC Barcelona, having spent the 2013/14 campaign in the Premier League with Everton FC. Midfielder Banega joins on a permanent deal from Valencia CF, with the transfer fee undisclosed.

"I'm happy to be here," said the 20-year-old Deulofeu on linking up with the UEFA Europa League holders. "[Barcelona manager] Luis Enrique said I wouldn't get a lot of playing time, and Sevilla were always my first option.

"I think it's an important year and I'm not thinking about anything else," added Deulofeu, who made his senior Spain debut against Bolivia in May. "I want to enjoy it, to learn at this great club and help them achieve their objectives."

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Éver Banega joined Valencia in 2008 from Boca Juniors

The 26-year-old Banega, an Olympic gold medallist with Argentina in 2008, is reunited with Sevilla coach Unai Emery, with whom the playmaker worked between 2009 and 2012 at Valencia. He spent the first half of this year back in Argentina with CA Newell's Old Boys, having made the last of his 136 Liga outings for the Mestalla side.

"If we didn't have a good relationship, I wouldn't be here," Banega said. "My relationship with him was terrific and I cannot wait to be at the coach's disposal."

The pair's recruitment means that eight new players have reinforced Sevilla, with Aleix Vidal, Iago Aspas, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Hélder Barbosa, Alejandro Arribas and Denis Suárez all preceding them. Sevilla await the outcome of the UEFA Europa League group stage draw to learn who their opposition will be as they seek to defend the title won in Turin in May.

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Barcelona working on a move for Alex Song

Barcelona have opened the door for Alex Song to make a move away from the club before the summer transfer window closes.

The Cameroon international has fallen out of favour at the Nou Camp under new coach Luis Enrique.

Alex Song: Deemed surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp

A return to the Premier League has been mooted for a man who represented Arsenal for six years prior to heading for Catalunya.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a loan approach, and Barca have admitted that they are prepared to speak with interested parties.

Sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said: "We will see if we can find a way out in the remaining days of the market."

Barcelona have also taken the opportunity to point out that Luis Suarez was their top target this summer after agreeing to part with Alexis Sanchez.

Zubizarreta added on a man who cost £75million: "He can play from both sides of the attack and is used to the high demands and pressures.

"[He was] the first choice. So we set out to see what his situation was."

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Benítez praises Napoli reaction against Athletic

Rafael Benítez praised SSC Napoli's "passion and commitment" against Athletic Club, with Spanish counterpart Ernesto Valverde also upbeat after their 1-1 draw.

It's a difficult game to analyse because we started really well. The first minute we had a few chances but when they scored a goal, we had to react. I thought the reaction of the team was really good. We showed quality, passion and commitment until the end. We had three or four good chances and it could have been even better for us.

For next week we just carry on with the same preparation, preparing the team physically, technically and tactically and also, in this case, to manage the atmosphere and mentality because we know that we have to score. I think they will also try to push forward to score: they cannot go there in front of their fans and just sit down watching the game.

We have good players in attack but we have seen that they are compact, they play narrowly and they press well so I don't see a very open game. I can see with a team like them that they will try to push and to score because the fans will be pushing them anyway. We will try to control and we will try to score because we have to win.

Ernesto Valverde, Athletic coach
Qualification is still in the balance, but this is a good result. We have scored here in Naples, and it means Napoli are obliged to score at San Mamés. We played with huge personality, at times dominating a big team who have a lot of players with plenty of Champions League experience.

It took an amazing goal from the fantastic Gonzalo Higuaín to hold us. The fact that we ended a game well against great champions makes me think that we prepared very well and that Athletic are a great club.

I do not know if we're favourites now; I really don't care. What is important is the result we got here. But it must not change our style of play – we play in Bilbao like it is 0-0.

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Arsenal hold firm to frustrate Beşiktaş

Demba Ba so nearly gave Beşiktaş the most remarkable of starts, chancing his arm straight from kick-off and forcing Wojciech Szczęsny to turn onto the crossbar inside four seconds. The Gunners keeper was in more routine action after nine minutes, parrying a left-footed volley from Ba, who, on his first start for the Istanbul club, had struck a hat-trick against Feyenoord in the third qualifying round.

Summer acquisition Alexis Sánchez then came to the fore, using his pace to threaten on the counterattack and teeing up Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla but neither was able to test Tolga Zengin. Ba finished the opening period as he had started it, but this time shot just wide with only Szczęsny to beat having intercepted Calum Chambers' pass before skipping past Laurent Koscielny.

Demba Ba on 'instinctive' shot

Arsenal's French international centre-back was again turned inside out soon after the break, Olcay Şahan on this occasion the man to create space only to miss the target. Though Cazorla tested Zengin with a low free-kick in the closing quarter, Arsenal were soon on the back foot when Aaron Ramsey was shown a second yellow card.

However, Arsène Wenger's team so nearly took a potentially decisive advantage against the odds in the closing stages, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain curling a shot against the woodwork via Zengin's fingertips. The return leg is in north London next Wednesday.

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Champions City begin with win

Manuel Pellegrini's side were rarely troubled by the hosts and took the lead when Silva tucked in following a brilliant backheel by Edin Dzeko.

Substitute Aguero added a second in stoppage time when he poked in after his initial shot was saved by Tim Krul.Dzeko had a shot blocked by Krul, who also stopped Samir Nasri's drive.

That was the sum total of City's best chances during a match in which they did not have to be at their best and their keeper Joe Hart - preferred to summer recruit Willy Caballero - was rarely tested.

Pellegrini was confident enough to leave influential striker Aguero on the bench and for £32m signing Eliaquim Mangala to remain in Manchester.

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City got on top of Newcastle from the whistle, with Yaya Toure, the often maligned Martin Demichelis and another newcomer Fernando first to the second ball in dangerous areas without over-exerting themselves.

In attack, Silva, who did not show his true form at the World Cup, was back to his brilliant best while Montenegro's Stevan Jovetic, frustrated by niggly injuries in his first season, was exceptional in his role as roving midfielder.

The 24-year-old played the role of quarterback in the opening moments, producing a delightful lofted pass for Dzeko who could only strike his effort at Krul, who read the situation.

The Netherlands keeper, who played a starring role in the World Cup quarter-finals, was also called into action soon after when he dived to his right to prevent Nasri's piledriver from bursting the net.

Match facts
Newcastle have won just once in the last six seasons in their opening match	Silva's last four goals for Man City have all come away from home
Aguero has scored 18 and assisted six goals in his last 24 league appearances.	No defending Premier League champions have ever lost their opening game of the following season

Containment seemed to be the Magpies' primary focus, although £12m midfield signing Remy Cabella was a willing outlet on his debut. Against a potent City side that defensive tactic rarely bears fruit, and seven minutes before the break the final line of defence was breached.

On this occasion, Toure found Dzeko in the area with a long pass and he then took two Newcastle defenders out with a backheel for Silva to stroke home.

Pellegrini's side had gone into the match having beaten Newcastle in their previous nine league meetings.However, late in the game that run looked like it would come to an end when substitute striker Ayoze Perez, who replaced ineffective fellow newcomer Emmanuel Riviere, was found in the area.

He jinked inside and fired in a shot that took a vital deflection off Fernando to take it past the post.

That was the best of two good opportunities for the Magpies, with full-back Paul Dummett heading over earlier when Hart misjudged a delivery into the area.

Newcastle lacked a cutting edge but, with promising attacking midfielder Siem de Jong waiting in the wings, manager Alan Pardew stressed afterwards he was happy with his options.

Magpies fans probably wish they could afford someone like Aguero, who dealt the final blow after coming on late to calmly slot in City's second, after his initial angled strike was saved.

Tributes were paid to Newcastle fans John Alder and Liam Sweeney who died in the Malaysia Airlines tragedy

Alan Pardew (left) had yet to get the better of City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini coming into the match

Both sets of players and the St James' crowd pay tribute to Newcastle fans John Alder and Liam Sweeney before kick-off

David Silva also scored against Newcastle on the opening day of last season

World cup finalist Sergio Aguero - rested at the start of the match - showed his sharp instincts for the goal

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Daniel Sturridge says Liverpool are stronger without Luis Suarez

The Reds required a 79th-minute winner by Sturridge to overcome a determined Southampton side 2-1 at Anfield.

Asked if Liverpool are a better team following the departure of Suarez, Sturridge said: "I think so, with the players we've brought in.

"No disrespect - he's a great player and will be missed - but we move on."Uruguay forward Suarez, who moved to Barcelona for £75m , scored 31 times in 33 top-flight appearances as the Reds finished runners-up last season.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers revealed that the 27-year-old sent him a text on the morning of the Southampton game wishing him and the team good luck.

"His heart will always be with Liverpool," added Rodgers.

Liverpool have signed eight players since the end of last season at a cost of £101m, with one of those - striker Divock Origi - loaned back to Lille.

Three of those new additions - Javier Manquillo, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert - featured against Southampton, the latter coming on as a substitute against his former club.

Rodgers, who is hoping to further strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes in two weeks, admitted his side are "by no means the finished article" but believes they can mount another title challenge without Suarez.

"Our ambitions have to be bigger than one player," added Rodgers. "We're bigger than any one player, I still think we need a striker so we'll search through until the end of the window for that.

"I don't think anyone has given us hope of getting in the top four. We loved the challenge last season and that is what we look to recreate."

Meanwhile, Southampton boss Ronald Koeman also believes his side is stronger despite a summer of upheaval.

The Saints lost manager Mauricio Pochettino as well as a host of key players including Lambert, Adam Lallana and Lovren to Liverpool.

"The rumours were that we would be worse than last season, but I don't agree with that," Koeman, speaking to BBC Sport, said.

"The performance was very good and it gives the boys a lot of confidence.

"We need one or two players more, a winger. The club is working hard."

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