Enzo Fernández was on the scoresheet as Chelsea FC drew 2–2 at home against AFC Bournemouth on Matchday 19 of the Premier League.
The Argentine midfielder found the net after receiving an assist from Alejandro Garnacho, completing a move that ended with a precise finish inside the box.
For Bournemouth, Argentine center back Marcos Senesi was named in the starting lineup and completed the match in defense, continuing his regular role in the Premier League side.
With this result, Chelsea reached 30 points and sit fifth in the league standings. Bournemouth remain 15th with 23 points after 19 matches.
River Plate, AS Roma and Olympique Lyon are all interested in Argentine winger Benjamín Domínguez, per reports. The 22-year-old, who currently plays for Bologna, has re-emerged as an option as River look for attacking options ahead of the 2026 season.
River’s board, led by Stefano Di Carlo, is searching for a winger at the request of head coach Marcelo Gallardo. While Santino Andino from Godoy Cruz remains the main target, negotiations have become difficult after a change in the player’s representation and a push for a move to Europe. Because of this situation, River have started to explore other alternatives.
Domínguez is not a new name for River. The club showed interest in him during his time at Gimnasia, but a deal did not move forward in 2024 due to financial demands. His current situation in Italy has reopened the door for a possible transfer.
Although Domínguez was called up to the Argentina national team by Lionel Scaloni earlier this year, he has struggled for playing time at Bologna. His lack of regular minutes has limited his continuity, which could make a move possible in the coming months.
River will face competition from Roma and Lyon, both of whom are also following the player’s situation. The Argentine club hopes to resolve the winger position before the start of 2026 so the coaching staff can plan the preseason with clarity. Any deal will likely depend on Domínguez’s desire to leave Europe in search of more consistent playing time.
Nicolás Otamendi scored for Benfica in a 2–2 draw away to Sporting Braga in the Primeira Liga. The Argentine center back opened the scoring in the 29th minute at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, rising inside the box to head home from a free kick delivery by Georgiy Sudakov and give his team the early lead.
The match later finished level, with the result leaving Benfica in third place in the standings with 36 points after 16 rounds. Leaders Porto (43 points) and second-placed Sporting Lisboa (38) could extend their advantage at the top by the end of the round. Sporting Braga remain fifth with 26 points, behind Gil Vicente, who have 27 despite a recent winless run.
Approaching his 38th birthday, Otamendi continues to be a regular contributor for Benfica. The World Cup winner with Argentina in Qatar 2022 has recorded four goals and four assists in 33 appearances across all competitions this season, including the Club World Cup. Since joining the club in 2020, the former Vélez, Porto, Atlético Mineiro, Valencia and Manchester City defender has surpassed 250 appearances and lifted four trophies, establishing himself as one of the leaders of the squad.
Otamendi is also the captain and a key figure for Benfica under head coach José Mourinho, who recently addressed speculation about the defender’s future amid reports linking him with Barcelona. “I have a great relationship with him. We haven’t spoken about any possible departure and there is nothing to worry about,” Mourinho said.
The coach has repeatedly highlighted Otamendi’s experience and influence. “He is a world champion and has a lot of experience,” Mourinho noted, adding: “One thing is real age and another is what we see on the pitch, even in training. There are 20-year-old players who are already veterans, and players of 38 or 40 who are young. Nico is young.” Mourinho has also expressed his desire for Otamendi to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the current season.
Lautaro Martínez scored the winning goal as Inter defeated Atalanta 1–0 away from home to reclaim the top spot in the Serie A standings. The match was played at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo and was part of Matchday 16 of the 2025–26 Italian league season.
The Argentine forward started the match and found the net late in the game, extending his strong run of form in domestic competition. Martínez has now scored five goals in his last four Serie A appearances and leads the league’s scoring chart.
The decisive moment came 25 minutes from the end following a costly mistake by defender Berat Djimsiti. Substitute Pio Esposito intercepted the play and provided the assist for Martínez, who finished calmly to secure the victory. With that goal, the Inter captain reached nine goals in the league this season, moving one clear of Christian Pulisic of AC Milan.
The win lifted Inter to 36 points, allowing them to return to first place in the Serie A table, one point ahead of Milan. Atalanta, meanwhile, remain on 22 points in 11th position and missed an opportunity to close the gap to the European qualification places.
Franco Mastantuono has been named in the IFFHS Men’s Youth World Team, the ideal XI selected by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics and composed of players under 20 years old. The list was released as part of the organization’s annual recognitions highlighting the most outstanding young talents in world football.
The selected team includes French goalkeeper Guillaume Restes of Toulouse FC. The defense is made up of England’s Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal FC, alongside Spaniards Pau Cubarsí of FC Barcelona and Dean Huijsen, who is linked to AFC Bournemouth and Real Madrid.
Mastantuono was chosen in midfield together with Warren Zaïre-Emery from Paris Saint-Germain, Kenan Yildiz of Juventus FC, and Arda Güler of Real Madrid. The attacking trio is formed by Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, Désiré Doué of PSG, and Estêvão, currently associated with Palmeiras and Chelsea FC.
Mastantuono’s immediate future is currently tied to Real Madrid. Reports in Spain indicate that several European clubs, including SSC Napoli, explored the possibility of a loan move. Real Madrid declined any approach without the need for a formal offer, reaffirming its stance on the player’s importance.
The club views Mastantuono as a key element in its long-term planning. The investment made last summer, reported to exceed €60 million, reflected that confidence and allowed Madrid to move ahead of competitors such as Paris Saint-Germain. His development at River Plate played a major role in that decision, following his emergence as one of the most closely monitored young players in South America.
After arriving in Europe, Mastantuono made an immediate impact. He needed only two league matches to earn a place in the starting lineup under Xabi Alonso and soon after became the second-youngest player to debut for Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. His first league goal came against Levante UD, a strike that made him the fourth-youngest scorer in Real Madrid’s La Liga history at 18 years and 40 days.
On November 3, Mastantuono suffered a pubalgia injury that forced him to pause his progress and begin a carefully managed recovery process. Since then, his appearances have been limited, with the focus placed on long-term fitness rather than short-term returns. Despite the setback, his objective of establishing himself at Real Madrid remains unchanged.
Mastantuono already holds a national-team record, having become the youngest Argentine to make his debut in an official match. If he features in Argentina’s opening World Cup game, he would surpass the mark previously held by Lionel Messi by 20 days.
His inclusion in the IFFHS Youth World Team stands in contrast to the senior Men’s World XI, where for the first time since 2017 no Argentine player was selected. That streak had remained intact until last year, when Emiliano Martínez represented Argentina.
