When the draw for the Champions League last 16 was made, there were at least a few Uefa figures who winced. That was because they were anticipating reactions like that of Pep Guardiola, who rightly said it was “a little bit weird” that Manchester City and Real Madrid were facing each other for the fifth

The 17 laws of football ought to mean every fixture is refereed in the same way — the same indiscretions leading to the same punishments, no matter where a game is played. There are, however, marked differences in how two of the most-watched competitions in the world are officiated. The Champions League returns tonight for

When Max Allegri was a boy, his grandfather used to take him to the Caprilli horse track in Livorno. A passion for racing has never left him. One day, he fancied placing a bet on a horse called Minnesota. The bookie laughed at him. “Minnesota”, he said, “had as much chance of winning the race

Familiar foes Real Madrid and Manchester City will go toe-to-toe in the Uefa Champions once again this week with the two teams clashing at the Bernabeu on Wednesday. Remarkably, the last-16 first leg in Spain will be the 12th game between the two clubs this decade, the last of which only taking place three months

After a seven-month long journey that pitted the four tiers of English football — the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two — up against each other every four weeks, it comes down to the two best teams right now in English football: Manchester City and Arsenal. The two Premier League Championship contenders are

Barcelona are headed to St James’s Park to take on Newcastle United in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday night. The two clubs already faced off in the league phase back in September, which ended in a narrow 2–1 victory for the Catalans. The three points contributed to Barcelona’s

With key attackers Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes set to miss the game injured and Alvaro Arbeloa’s team in inconsistent form, the Premier League side are firm favourites in the last 16 tie. Man City beat Madrid in the league phase in the Spanish capital and have strengthened since then, with Antoine Semenyo

Tottenham Hotspur will prioritise earning Premier League survival over Champions League progress, says interim manager Igor Tudor. Spurs’ poor domestic form meant Thomas Frank was sacked last month and three defeats in Tudor’s first three games in charge have left them one point above the relegation zone. They have performed far better in Europe, earning

By LEWIS STEELE, FOOTBALL REPORTER Published: 22:03 GMT, 9 March 2026 | Updated: 22:03 GMT, 9 March 2026 Just a walk around Istanbul, past the iconic Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque on the banks of the Bosphorus where Europe meets Asia, is enough to stir the memories for Liverpool fans. It was this bustling and

Lazio pounced on a goalkeeping error to punish on-form Sassuolo in stoppages with Adam Marusic, with a 2-1 victory that takes them into the top 10. The Aquile were fresh off a 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final draw with Atalanta on Wednesday, but lost goalkeeper Ivan Provedel for the season after shoulder surgery, joining Toma Basic,

There’s a quirk of cruelty about sending Tottenham back to the Metropolitano for the first time right now, rekindling glories of their recent past at the time when the really should be buckling down in a fight to escape relegation. As if someone at UEFA has acquired a dark sense of humour. Not seven years

Manchester City’s clash at home to Liverpool headlines this year’s batch of FA Cup quarterfinals. There was always likely to be one blockbuster tie given the proliferation of high profile Premier League clubs left in the hat. City and Liverpool drew the short straw by facing each other. If it is anything like as exciting

Ederson, Giacomo Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere did not train with the rest of the Atalanta squad today and are expected to miss tomorrow’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich, while Giorgio Scalvini is suspended. Atalanta are preparing for the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Bayern Munich. Advertisement It will

Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman have been singing about it in their global hit since 1996: Sooner or later, it’s always “Time to Say Goodbye.” Of course, this also applies to professional footballers. But how hard is it sometimes for the stars to say farewell? “There are still two months before I retire. I don’t

Rabat – Just weeks after controversial scenes in Pamplona that shocked football fans, another incident has unfolded in Spain, this time at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, where police had to intervene during a league game between Getafe and Real Betis. The match had barely begun when tensions escalated in the stands. At around the seventh