Lionel Messi says there can be “no doubts” Karim Benzema will be a worthy Ballon d’Or winner after the Real Madrid star cemented his frontrunner status with Champions League glory. The France international is the favourite to succeed Messi as the next recipient of the game’s most prestigious individual...
champions league
UEFA announced on Monday it was opening an “independent report” into the security chaos before the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris. European football’s governing body said the report would “examine decision making, responsibility and behaviours of all entities involved...
Karim Benzema admitted he had done all he could with Real Madrid this season to make himself favourite for the Ballon d’Or after helping the Spanish giants beat Liverpool 1-0 in Saturday’s Champions League final in Paris. Benzema did not score in the final at the Stade de France...
Arsenal have missed out on a Champions League spot despite mauling Everton on the final day of the Premier League. More to follow…
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin says “unprecedented sanctions” against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine were a necessity. Ceferin told Wednesday’s UEFA Congress in Vienna that this was because “the tradition of sporting neutrality is no longer tenable in 2022 in the situation of war.” He said however that football...
UEFA is set to scrap its coefficient plan and from 2024 will award two Champions League places to countries whose clubs collectively performed best in Europe the previous campaign. An agreement has been reached in Vienna between UEFA and the European Club Association on access to the new-look competition....
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have already achieved their aims by being contenders in every competition, insisting he was not brought to the Etihad Stadium to win the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City’s wait for European football’s top club prize will go on after they lost 6-5 on aggregate...
Arsenal maintained their two-point lead over Tottenham in the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League. They were 2-1 winners at West Ham to move back above Spurs, who earlier beat Leicester 3-1 thanks to a Son Heung-min double. Arsenal’s centre-backs got the job done to keep the...
Arsenal took control of the battle to finish in the Premier League top four with a 3-1 win over Manchester United to all but end the Red Devils’ hopes of Champions League football next season. Nuno Tavares, Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka struck for Mikel Arteta’s men to move...
Villarreal dumped Bayern Munich out of the Champions League on Tuesday, Samuel Chukwueze’s 88th-minute strike at the Allianz Arena giving the Spaniards a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their quarter-final tie that took them through 2-1 on aggregate. Robert Lewandowski had put Bayern ahead on the night...
Villarreal inflicted a shock 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday as Arnaut Danjuma’s strike boosted the Spanish team’s hopes of causing a huge upset in the Champions League quarter-finals. Danjuma diverted in Dani Parejo’s shot in the eighth minute at La Ceramica to seal a surprise win, with...
Karim Benzema’s hat-trick fired Real Madrid to a stunning 3-1 win against Chelsea that put the Champions League holders on the brink of elimination after a dramatic quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. Benzema produced a masterclass at Stamford Bridge as the France striker netted twice in the first half...
Thibaut Courtois said “the adventure continues” as he spoke about his desire to win the Champions League with Real Madrid FC ahead of a reunion with former club Chelsea FC. Los Blancos travel to Stamford Bridge for the first leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday, a repeat of last...
Paris Saint-Germain were beaten 3-0 at Monaco on Sunday after a Wissam Ben Yedder double strike, as Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were both booked in a feisty Ligue 1 encounter. PSG remain 15 points clear of second-placed Marseille at the top of Ligue 1 after the fourth league defeat...
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said on Saturday “the doors are open” to Lionel Messi. Xavi was speaking in a press conference ahead of the Clasico on Sunday when Barca face La Liga leaders Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Messi has endured a disappointing season at Paris Saint-Germain although...
Arsenal took another big step towards ending a five-year exile from the Champions League as Bukayo Saka’s strike beat Aston Villa 1-0 to open up a four-point lead in fourth in the Premier League. The Gunners could even increase that gap with a game in hand over fifth-placed Manchester...
Atletico Madrid drove the final nail in the coffin of a miserable season for Manchester United as Renan Lodi’s header sent the Spanish champions into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford to progress 2-1 on aggregate. The Brazilian full-back headed in unmarked at the...
Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Manchester City reopened a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League by brushing aside Manchester United 4-1 at the Etihad on Sunday. Defeat for United opened up a 22-point gap between the clubs and is another blow to...
Russia’s Roman Abramovich has announced he will sell English football club Chelsea in the wake of his country’s invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich, who could face British government sanctions, has owned the club since 2003 and has won every title on offer with them. These include five Premier Leagues, two...
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane scored twice each as Liverpool crushed Leeds United 6-0 on Wednesday to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to three points. City’s surprise home loss to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend ignited hopes of another exhilarating title race if Liverpool won...