Jermaine Pennant, the 43-year-old former Arsenal and Liverpool winger, suffered severe leg injuries in a dog attack, requiring over 50 stitches.

He recounted the terrifying experience on social media and in an interview

The incident occurred in a North London park when Pennant was walking his American Akita, “Kim,” off-leash. A German Shepherd suddenly charged and attacked his dog. Pennant intervened to protect Kim and was then attacked by the German Shepherd, knocked to the ground, and bitten on his right leg for at least five seconds.

In a critical moment, his own Akita, Kim, stepped forward and drove off the attacker. Kim sustained only a minor bite wound on its leg but was covered in the other dog’s blood. After they were safe, Kim stayed by Pennant’s side until help arrived. Pennant reflected that if his beloved dog had been smaller, his own outcome would have been unimaginable, crediting Kim with saving his life.

Pennant sustained four bite wounds on his right leg and took an Uber to the hospital for treatment. The veteran winger played in both the Premier League and La Liga during his career. In addition to Arsenal and Liverpool, he also played for Birmingham City, Portsmouth, and Stoke City, and represented Villarreal in La Liga.

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has detailed the exact tactical blueprint he deployed to dismantle Barcelona’s high defensive line and secure a vital El Clásico victory.

The Portuguese tactician guided his side to a monumental win at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, fundamentally altering the trajectory of the 2026/27 LALIGA title race.

The result ended Hansi Flick’s perfect start to the domestic campaign with Barcelona. Crucially, the victory slashed the Catalan club’s lead at the summit of the table to a mere three points, dragging Real Madrid firmly back into championship contention.

The triumph also extended Real Madrid’s formidable run of form, marking their fifth consecutive victory across all competitions.

Speaking to the media following the intense rivalry clash, Mourinho offered a rare, transparent glimpse into his strategic preparation.

He explained that instructing traditional forwards to run in behind Barcelona’s aggressive defensive line is a flawed concept, noting that Barcelona’s defenders are meticulously drilled to catch attacking players offside in those scenarios.

Furthermore, any through balls that do bypass the trap are easily swept up by Barcelona’s proactive goalkeeper, Joan Garcia.

Mourinho therefore devised a system relying on late, surging runs from his central midfielders to shatter the opposition’s shape.

The midfield solution
“I told Camavinga that Tchouaméni will stay low and protect the defence, and you will attack SPACE,” Mourinho revealed.

“It’s difficult for any attackers to attack space against Barcelona; the only solution is to do it with your midfielders.”

“When your attackers do it, Barca’s defence is prepared and coached for that, and your attackers end up being offside, or the pass ends up being cut by Joan Garcia,” he elaborated.

By anchoring Aurélien Tchouaméni deep, Mourinho granted Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham the tactical license to exploit the vacuum behind the Barcelona defence.

“The solution is to use midfielders like Camavinga and Bellingham to break that line, and it worked,” Mourinho concluded triumphantly.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso conceded that his team fell well below expectations following a disappointing 2-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Despite forging several clear-cut openings, the Blues were repeatedly thwarted by Spurs goalkeeper Antonín Kinský. The game slipped away from the hosts in the second half when an own goal from goalkeeper Mike Penders put Tottenham ahead, followed quickly by a second yellow card for Cole Palmer. Mathys Tel capped off the afternoon with a late second goal to condemn Chelsea to defeat.

Reflecting on a display that paled in comparison to recent victories over Bournemouth and Everton, Alonso insisted that responsibility lies across the entire squad.

“We all take the blame for the result and for the performance,” Alonso stated post-match. “Today we were not at our best. I felt that in the second half, the game was even and could have gone either way. Once we conceded that first goal, and then with the red card, it was difficult.”

“In the second half, it was tight, with some half-chances for them and half-chances for us. It was about taking a moment, and once we conceded the first goal, it conceded everything,” he added. “Then, when we wanted to have a reaction, we got the red card. Then it went the other way.”

The Spaniard emphasized that his side must use the setback as a learning opportunity moving forward: “We can do better. It’s one to reflect on after this big game against a good opponent. And as for the performance, it’s one we must improve.”