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Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Philippe Auclair and Mark Langdon to review Wednesday night’s Champions League action and to look ahead to the Carabao Cup final. Barcelona hit seven against Newcastle at Camp Nou. The visitors equalised a couple of times but Barça kept scoring and scoring and scoring. Liverpool made easy work of Galatasaray, with Mo Salah – in the second half at least – looking like 2024-25 Mo Salah. Dominik Szoboszlai was brilliant once again. A win for Spurs is a story at the moment, even if this was in vain against Atlético Madrid, while Bayern Munich had another stroll against Atalanta. The panel analyse the quarter-final draw, and then look ahead to the Carabao Cup final. Is this all about the psychology of the title race, or more about winning an actual trophy? Continue reading...

Cunningham to miss time with playoffs nearDetroit star may now fall shy of awards cutoffPistons lead East but face uncertain timelineAll-Star guard Cade Cunningham of the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons has a collapsed lung and is expected to miss at least two weeks and possibly more, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press on Thursday.The exact timeline for a return to play is still unknown, the person said. Continue reading...

‘It’s not come from any place of malicious intent’Manager has spoken to Fernández ‘at length’ about futureLiam Rosenior has revealed that Chelsea have found the mole leaking team news. The starting XI was published by French media before the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain. A week later, it also emerged before kick-off that Wesley Fofana was not in the lineup and that Trevoh Chalobah and Jorrel Hato were at centre-back.“We know [who it is],” Rosenior said. “And it’s not come from any place of malicious intent to me or the team. We know where it’s come from and we’ve dealt with the situation.” Rosenior did not elaborate but it is understood that the information did not come from a player or staff member. Continue reading...

The Herons are out of the Champions Cup after defeat to Nashville. Now it’s back to the same old hits for the clubConcacaf may not have the world’s most hallowed Champions League. The confederation is so aware of that fact that it rebranded the competition as a Champions Cup two years ago.Nonetheless, winning the continental competition is the ultimate aim for MLS’s most ambitious clubs, even though (or perhaps because) only one of its last 25 installments has seen an MLS team crowned as Concacaf’s best. Liga MX continues to dominate the competition, boasting 21 winners since 2001, even as MLS improves. Even Costa Rica’s Liga Promerica has more titles since the turn of the century thanks to back-to-back victories for Alajuelense and Saprissa in the mid-2000s. Continue reading...

Supporters of national side struggle to come to terms with decision to declare Morocco the winner of Africa Cup of Nations Two days after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped Senegal of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and instead declared the host nation, Morocco, champions, Alhassan Hann remains in shock.“We didn’t expect this at all,” the 23-year-old Dakar university student said. “This decision is unjust. Personally, I find it ridiculous. I think it doesn’t give a very good image of African football.” Continue reading...

Only two of the Premier League’s last-16 teams made it to the quarter-finals while European giants are coming into form when it mattersAnother traumatic week for the self-worth of the Premier League, one in which Europe’s big beasts got into their stride. The defending champions, Paris Saint-Germain, put on a devastating display at Chelsea. Bradley Barcola’s goal, their second, was the highlight of a 3-0 win. Barcelona ran out 7-2 winners over Newcastle, having been level at half-time at 2-2, 3-3 on aggregate. Real Madrid continue to be Pep Guardiola’s great tormentors, with Vinícius Júnior getting both goals at Manchester City. His crybaby celebration was aimed at those City supporters who mocked him after Rodri pipped the Brazilian to the Ballon d’Or in 2024. Bayern Munich continue to look irresistible. Harry Kane scored twice, and Lennart Karl’s strike continued his trajectory as German football’s next big thing in a 4-1 win over Atalanta, a mighty 10-2 on aggregate. Continue reading...

‘There are clear similarities to football,’ says NorwegianCompatriot Magnus Carlsen, the world No 1, likely to playErling Haaland has become a significant investor in a new world chess championship tour that is expected to star his fellow Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, the Guardian can reveal.The deal was agreed shortly before Manchester City played at West Ham last Saturday, with Haaland shown on Sky Sports wearing a Norway Chess cap as he entered the London Stadium – without anyone noticing. Continue reading...

All England Club wants 38 new courts and new stadiumCampaign group SWP says it will ‘fight on’Wimbledon has received a major boost to its expansion plans. The All England Club’s proposals to almost triple the size of the current site are not prohibited by restrictions on how the land earmarked for development can be used, a high court judge has ruled.The plans, approved by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in 2024, could mean the construction of 38 tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium on the site of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club, enabling the club to host qualifying matches for the tournament. Continue reading...

After Six Nations, focus is back on clubs with Saracens’ director of rugby saying ‘there’s everything to play for’Remember the Prem? It’s been in hibernation almost as long as your tortoise. The last sighting of England’s elite men’s domestic league was on 24 January but now, finally, it is re-emerging from the shadows of the Six Nations, starting under the Friday night lights at the Rec where second-placed Bath are hosting sixth-placed Saracens.It has certainly felt like a protracted hiatus, even if the lower-profile Prem Cup has taken up some slack. And with only eight regular season rounds remaining every would-be playoff contender has no choice but to hit the ground running. As Bath’s head coach, Johann van Graan, says: “It doesn’t really matter what you’ve done before. It’s about what you do going forward.” Continue reading...

‘There is frustration because last year was amazing’Galatasaray threaten to sue Uefa after Lang injuryVirgil van Dijk has said the connection between Arne Slot’s Liverpool and the Kop remains intact and cited the rout of Galatasaray as evidence of what they can achieve by sticking together.The Liverpool captain took issue with claims that the team’s relationship with supporters had broken down this season and insisted the focus should be on reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2022. Scrutiny intensified after Sunday’s draw against Tottenham, when boos greeted the final whistle at Anfield and Dominik Szoboszlai admitted the team had been affected by the sight of supporters leaving early. Continue reading...