Champions League

ARSENAL returned to the summit of the Premier League at the weekend after they breezed past Brighton.The Gunners 3-0 away victory put them top of the pile, but one former Premier League champion thinks two games could derail their chances of staying there come May.Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League at the weekendCredit: GettyPeter Schmeichel has named the two games that could knock them off their perchCredit: GettyFive-time Premier League winner Peter Schmeichel has named the two fixtures that represent a new challenge for Mikel Arteta’s high flying Arsenal side.Although most people would point out tricky away trips to Spurs and Manchester United as likely stumbling blocks, Schmeichel thinks it’s the Champions League that could trip Arsenal up.The former Red Devil has pointed towards their two quarter-final legs with Bayern Munich as the real test for Arteta and Co to prove they can mix it with the big boys at the top of the table.Speaking to TalkSPORT, he said: “Seven games seems not very much for people who haven’t been in a title race before, it feels like you’re already there.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”But seven games – 21 points – is a long way to go. You have to really focus and concentrate”Everyone is pointing to Arsenal now but they have a few challenges coming up, the first one is Bayern Munich. “It’s one thing playing in the Premier League and getting on a roll but you need to play another way in the Champions League.”So these Bayern games will play a very big part in the title race. They’re not too experienced with this, either. They needed penalties to beat Porto remember.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSPeter Schmeichel won the Premier League five time with Manchester UnitedCredit: AP:Associated Press”You have to keep the momentum in a title race and I look at those Bayern games, if they get through them I think they will win the Premier League.”Arsenal are yet to lose a league game in 2024 winning every Prem clash they have played in bar their 0-0 draw with Manchester City.What happened to Highbury?But they have failed to do the same in Europe with the north Londoners falling to a 1-0 defeat in Portugal in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Porto.Arsenal did manage to level it up with a 1-0 win on home soil in the second leg, but only advanced to the quarter-finals thanks to David Raya’s penalty heroics.Two matches against Bayern Munich represent a new task for Arteta’s side who will have to balance the fixtures with their hectic Premier League schedule.Arsenal welcome the Bavarians to the Emirates Stadium tonight in the first leg of the quarter-final before heading to Germany next week in the hopes of advancing to the semi-final.Should the Gunners make it past Thomas Tuchel’s side then they will have to face the winner of Real Madrid and Manchester City in the next round – another gargantuan task. Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side face a tough challenge to lift the Premier League in MayCredit: Getty More

PEP GUARDIOLA wants his Treble winners to ‘hurt and punish’ Jude Bellingham and Co tomorrow night.But Real Madrid will aim to bring the roof in on the Champions League holders by ramping up the noise in their new-look £1.5billion Bernabeu.Real Madrid want to close the roof for the visit of Mann CityCredit: GettyPep Guardiola will be hoping for a repeat of last season’s semi-finalCredit: GettyThe 14-time European Cup winners have asked Uefa for permission to close the roof for the quarter-final first leg and make the atmosphere as intimidating as possible for Manchester City.However, City boss Guardiola has told his players that simply trying to contain Real is not enough — especially as they walloped them 5-1 on aggregate in last season’s semi-final.He said: “We cannot come here just to control the game. We have to try to hurt them, to punish them.“We have to let them know we are here to score goals. We have to impose our game, show who we are.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“We did it — and if we did it once we can do it again.”Guardiola acknowledges England ace Bellingham has made Madrid a more formidable opponent than the one they thumped last season.He added: “He’s done an incredible season in terms of goals, assists, his presence in the box.“Not just Madrid but with the England national team he’s been brilliant.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“It’s not just his skills — it is what he has done with his brain and mind.”City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri will have the task of trying to keep the Three Lions ace quiet.Top 10 highest paid footballers in the world revealed with no Premier League players making the top fiveFormer Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham, 20, is one of four Madrid players walking a disciplinary tightrope as they are on yellow cards.Rodri, 27, said: “We know him — we’ve faced Dortmund a lot, he is powerful, he has strength.“Madrid play differently. They have more control with him and we have to adapt but I don’t like focusing on one player.”And Rodri has warned Real that City are a more mature team after ending their long wait for a first Champions League trophy last season.He scored the only goal in the final against Inter Milan in June.Rodri added: “It gives you more composure, serenity on the pitch.“We’ve had the experience and we are more mature than when we  first played.“We are the winners and we want to do it again. I am so confident about how we will play.”Uefa will decide this morning whether Madrid will be allowed to close the roof at their revamped 81,000-seater home.It was shut when they beat RB Leipzig in the last 16 and they plan to create a red-hot atmosphere this evening.READ MORE SUN STORIESReal wanted this first leg moved to the Etihad to avoid a potential clash with neighbours Atletico, who host Dortmund tomorrow.They have also asked fans to wear white to help make it as intimidating as possible for Pep’s men.Phillips’ West Ham loan is a disaster… it’s toe-curlingly difficult to watch, says Dave KiddBy Dave Kidd
HE’S had an extraordinary career, Kalvin Phillips.
A Treble-winner and one of only 12 living Englishmen to have started the final of a major international tournament.
A home-town hero at Leeds, where he was the kingpin of Marcelo Bielsa’s buccaneering Championship-winning side and feted as the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’.
England’s Player of the Year in 2021, when the Three Lions reached a final for the first time in more than half a century.
Indeed, Phillips has featured in most of England’s best wins of the last three years — against Germany and Denmark at those Euros, home and away in qualifiers against Italy, against a Belgium side ranked No 1 in the world, the World Cup thrashing of Senegal and in last autumn’s hammering of the Scots.
That record for Gareth Southgate’s side points to a great irony.
If Phillips had stayed put as a Manchester City bench-warmer, he would be going to Germany this summer and quite possibly as a starter.
The mighty man-bun man has been a fine footballer and, at 28, he might become one again.
Phillips is also a good bloke too, much-loved in the England squad and attracting a full house from the entire Leeds staff when the club held a leaving do before his Etihad move in a £45million deal.
But right now Phillips has become unwatchable. Toe-curling, cringeworthy, hide-behind-the-sofa-the-Daleks-are-coming levels of unwatchable.
His loan switch to West Ham, which originally looked sensible for club and player, is an unmitigated disaster.
And it feels as if Phillips is at the centre of a football-wide conspiracy which has deemed that anything which could go wrong, will go wrong. More