Manchester City ended their wait for a first Champions League final appearance as two more Riyad Mahrez goals saw off 10-man Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on Tuesday.
Mahrez hit the decisive free-kick in a 2-1 semi-final first-leg victory in Paris and strikes in either half in the return fixture added to that advantage.
Those goals and a dogged defensive effort – after a pre-match hail storm that left a sodden, awkward pitch – were enough to finally take Pep Guardiola s men through to Europe s showpiece match with a 4-1 aggregate triumph.
PSG played their part in another gripping affair, but Kylian Mbappe was only fit enough to make the bench and their frustration resulted in a red card for Angel Di Maria when he kicked out at Fernandinho.
3 PSG are the th…
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The New Saints and Linfield will face each other at Park Hall in Oswestry in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. It is the first leg of the tie and is scheduled to pick off at 7:45pm UK time.
The New Saints
The New Saints have entered the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds courtesy of their triumph in Cymru Premier last season. The Saints are one of the seeded teams in the first qualifying round and will head into the first leg of the tie against Linfield with confidence.
The Welsh club have never made it through to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, but they did end up in the third qualifying round in 2010-11. That is their best ever finish in Europe’…
Ronaldo signing was a mistake – the sooner he leaves the better for Juventus, says ex-president Gigl
Cristiano Ronaldo hinders Juventus attack and needs to be sold by the Italian giants before the transfer window closes, according to former president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli.
Portugal international Ronaldo joined Juve from Real Madrid in a high-profile €100million transfer ahead of the 2018-19 campaign on a lucrative four-year contract.
He is now into the final year of that deal and has been linked with a move away from Turin after requesting to be named among the substitutes against Udinese on Sunday.
Gigli previously questioned why incumbent president Andrea Agnelli sanctioned the signing of Ronaldo and has once again claimed Juve made a big error when bringing in the superstar forward.
I ve always been honest: signing Ronaldo was a mistake, Gigli, wh…
AC Milan have paid tribute to their former owner Silvio Berlusconi, who has died at the age of 86.
The Milan-born former Italian prime minister saved the club from near-bankruptcy when he bought it in 1986 and the Rossoneri went on to lift eight Serie A titles and five European Cups under his presidency.
The controversial businessman later went on to become president of Monza, who earned promotion back to the top flight through the play-offs in 2022, and was still in the role at the time of his death.
Pictures that defined an era History was made
Le foto che hanno fatto la Storia
— AC Milan (@acmilan)
Berlusconi was treated for leukemia earlier this year but was reportedly hospitalised last week and died on Monday morning.
Mil…
Lionel Messi will not be available for Argentina in their upcoming international friendly double-header due to injury.
In a statement posted on their official X page, Argentina confirmed that the forward would not be in the squad after sustaining a “minor” injury to his hamstring.
Messi sustained the injury playing for Inter Miami during their Concacaf Champions Cup clash against Nashville.
El capitán de , Lionel Messi, no podrá estar en la convocatoria para los amistosos en debido a una pequeña lesión en el isquiotibial de la pierna derecha sufrida en el partido de su equipo ante Nashville SC.
— Selección Argentina (@Argentina)
The 36-year-old scored in the 23rd minute of his side’s 3-1 victory over their MLS rivals on Thursday,…
Harry Kane says the bitter pill of Bayern Munich’s doomed Bundesliga title defence and the prospect of a Wembley final is fuelling his desire for Champions League glory.
Former Tottenham star Kane returned to haunt familiar foes Arsenal by converting a first-half penalty in Tuesday evening’s thrilling quarter-final first leg which ended tantalisingly poised at 2-2.
Bayern’s 11-season run as German champions could be over before next week’s return match with the Gunners as unbeaten runaway leaders Bayer Leverkusen sit 16 points clear with only 18 left to play for.
Great performance from back to front. Only half time in the tie. Can’t wait for next week in Munich with our fans and a special atmosphere.
— Harry Kane (@HKane)
England ca…
Lamine Yamal etched his name in history with a record-breaking goal before Dani Olmo fired Spain into the Euro 2024 final with a 2-1 victory over France.
Yamal produced a remarkable long-range equaliser shortly after Randal Kolo Muani s ninth-minute opener in Tuesday s first semi-final in Munich, the 16-year-old becoming the youngest scorer at a major tournament in history.
In-form Olmo then delivered the decisive strike midway through the opening half, manufacturing space inside Les Bleus area before squeezing a low effort home.
Didier Deschamps side had been unconvincing before this last-four meeting, and though they improved in the second half, they were unable to find a leveller as Spain teed up a meeting with either the Netherlands or England.
Spain …
Manuel Pellegrini has backed Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala to win a place in France s Euro 2016 squad.
Mangala became the most expensive defender in Premier League history when he joined City from Porto in August 2014, but a succession of high-profile errors have littered his time at the Etihad Stadium.
However, the 25-year-old was a star performer in the Champions League quarter-final triumph over Paris Saint-Germain and has played with increasing assurance over recent weeks.
This upturn in form is particularly well-timed for Mangala as a failed drugs test for Liverpool s Mamadou Sakho could open up a centre-back vacancy in Didier Deschamps France squad with Euro 2016 on the horizon.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday s Champions League semi-fin…
Ange Postecoglou warned Tottenham he will not settle until the club hits the lofty ambitions targeted in his mind.
Spurs were 3-0 victors over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday, ending their Premier League season with a convincing win to finish fifth in the table.
Postecoglou voiced his frustrations after Tuesday s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City ended their hopes of Champions League football next term.
The Spurs head coach was far more relaxed after his side performed well in Sheffield, with Dejan Kulusevski twice on target, along with a goal for Pedro Porro against the relegated Blades.
Yet Postecoglou insisted his ambitions remain high as the Australian attempts to take Tottenham to the next level.
Contrary to my general demeanour, I ha…
With all eyes from across Europe falling on the San Siro on Sunday night, Inter Milan claimed local bragging rights as they clinched a 1-0 victory against their struggling neighbours.
Continuing on what has been a hugely impressive domestic romp since returning from the World Cup s festive break, the Nerazzurri wrapped up all three points as Lautaro Martinez bagged the winner 10 minutes before the half-time break.
Suffering just a single defeat from any of their last 10 domestic matchups across all formats, Simone Inzaghi s men also pilled more pressure onto an AC Milan squad who are at the heart of a Serie A nightmare.
Lifting this year s Super Cup thanks to a famous 3-0 romp on January 18th, Inter s victory here means that their bitter local rivals have now lo…