Champions League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Harry Kane gets away with David Beckham moment as Bayern Munich ace renews rivalry with ex-Arsenal star

      by

      HARRY KANE escaped a potential red card after a David Beckham-style kick out at Granit Xhaka.Kane’s Bayern Munich hosted Xhaka’s Bayer Leverkusen in an all-German grudge match in the Champions League last-16.Harry Kane and Granit Xhaka clashed after a coming togetherCredit: APKane lashed out at Xhaka with an apparent kickThe striker was fouled by the former Arsenal starThe players had to be separated by their team-matesCredit: AFPThe old North London rivals had a coming together and Tottenham legend Kane did not appreciate being fouled by the former Arsenal star.Xhaka appeared to shove Kane in the back, causing the England captain to fall.Kane lashed out at Xhaka and appeared to throw out his leg while still on the floor – in echoes of ex-Three Lions skipper David Beckham’s infamous World Cup 1998 flick at Argentina’s Diego Simeone.Kane actually miss Xhaka, only for the Swiss midfielder’s foot to land on his outstretched leg.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThat caused Xhaka to fall too – only for the pair to quickly got back to their feet and square up.Team-mates and the referee had to intervene to separate the feud, though neither were booked.Earlier on in the match Kane opened the scoring with a towering header from Michael Olise’s cross.It put his side 1-0 up in the tie against Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen.Most read in Champions LeagueJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSJamal Musiala then made the most of keeper Matej Kovar’s horror error to poke Bayern 2-0 in the second half.Kane then put the match – and possibly the tie – to bed by converting a penalty which he won in the 75th minute.Erling Haaland’s salary is only ninth biggest in football with Chelsea flop Koulibaly earning more than Man City starAhead of the match Bayern fans let off pyrotechnics in a stand behind one of the goals, creating a spectacular but foggy atmosphere.In doing so they will likely incur the wrath of Uefa, who could hit Bayern with a fine.The German giants were given a £33,000 fine for their fans’ use of pyrotechnics in a Champions League match against Copenhagen last season. More

    • 150 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Why aren’t Bayern wearing their red home kit in the Champions League?

      by

      BAYERN’S red home kit is one of the most iconic shirt colours in world football.The German giants have worn all-red since the late 1960s.Bayern have not worn their traditional red in the Champions League this seasonCredit: RexTheir original colours were white and blue but for the last 50-plus years red has become synonymous with the Bundesliga leaders.However, much to the surprise of fans across Europe and the world, Bayern have been BANNED from wearing red in the Champions League this season.They have instead been seen wearing their off-white away kit in home games in 2024-2025.But why?Why are Bayern not wearing red in the Champions League?It was revealed earlier this season that Uefa had banned Bayern from wearing red.It was nothing to do with the colour – but the numbering.German newspaper BILD says that the European football governing body is not happy with the dark numbers used.They state that there is not enough contrast for television viewers between the dark numbers and the red shirt.Most read in Champions LeagueIf they are to wear their red shirts, they would have to adopt white numbering and lettering.However, Bayern have NOT done that in the competition this season.Instead, they have been seen wearing their cream away shirts. More

    • 175 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Inter Milan manager’s gesture backfires horribly after shock intervention in Champions League penalty decision

      by

      SIMONE INZAGHI’S hand gesture backfired after his chosen player MISSED a penalty against Feyenoord in the Champions League.With Inter Milan 2-0 up, goalscorer Marcus Thuram drew a foul in the box after Jeyland Mitchell clipped the back of the Frenchman’s leg in the 63rd minute.Inter Milan boss Inzaghi’s gesture backfired after his chosen player scuffed a penalty against FeyenoordPiotr Zielinski missed out on the chance of putting Inter 3-0 upCredit: ReutersAfter initially waving on, referee Espen Eskas overturned his decision after being sent to the monitor.The camera panned to Inter boss Inzaghi who was holding seven fingers up to his players waiting near the penalty spot.He was indicating he wanted midfielder Piotr Zielinski to take the spot-kick in the first-leg of their last-16 clash.That’s despite talismanic striker Lautaro Martinez still being on the pitch.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd, in a dramatic turn of events, Zielinski’s limp shot was easy kept out by goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther.Inzaghi’s mistimed intervention came about because No.1 penalty taker Hakan Calhanoglu was sitting on the bench.Zielinski had just returned to the starting line up at the expense of former Manchester United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan.Martinez scored his penalty in Argentina’s shootout victory over the Netherlands in the semi-final of the Qatar World Cup in 2022.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSHe was also due to take the fifth spot-kick for Argentina in the final against France, but his country had already claimed a 4-2 win before his turn came.Martinez doubled Inter’s lead in the 50th minute, after Thuram grabbed their opener.Champions League last 16 draw sees Liverpool take on PSG and Arsenal face PSV Zielinski had scored his last two spot-kicks, both in the same game in a 4-4 thriller against Juventus in Serie A in October.Usual penalty taker Halhanoglu has endured a torrid time in 2025 and was benched after coming off injured during Inter’s 1-1 draw against title rivals Napoli. More

    • 150 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      PSG vs Liverpool live stream: How to watch huge Champions League clash

      by

      LIVERPOOL will look to start their Champions League knockout campaign on the right foot as they face PSG away.Arne Slot’s Liverpool topped the group stage, winning seven of eight matches as they cruised into the knockout phase.Salah has three goals and four assists in the Champions League.Credit: GettyOusmane Dembele leads the line for PSG since Mbappe’s departure with 26 goalsCredit: GettyIt was not so straightforward for first-leg hosts PSG, who finished 15th and faced a playoff qualifier to move on.They breezed past Brest in the playoff, winning 10-0 on aggregate over two legs.Both PSG and Liverpool are top of their respective domestic leagues. The Parisians remain unbeaten in Ligue 1 this season and are 13 points clear with 10 matches still to play.Their European form has not been so impressive, with Champions League losses coming against Bayern Munich and Athletico Madrid.Read more FootballLiverpool’s season has been straightforward, with Arne Slot hitting the ground running in his first season as the Reds cruise towards a 20th top-flight title.This will be just the fifth time PSG and Liverpool have faced one another, most recently clashing in the 2018-19 Champions League group stage. Liverpool won the home tie 3-2 before losing 2-1 at Parc de Princes.The second leg will follow next Tuesday, with the victor moving on to face either Club Brugge or Aston Villa.Most read in Champions LeagueHow to watch PSG vs Liverpool and is there a live stream?ALL Champions League games are broadcast LIVE in the UK on TNT and Discovery+.PSG vs Liverpool will be live on TNT Sports 1 It will also be available for streaming on Discovery+.Alternatively, follow along with SunSport’s live blog.PSG vs Liverpool kick-off timePSG vs Liverpool will kick off at 8:00pm GMT.Action from Parc de Princes is available LIVE on TNT Sports 1 or streaming on Discovery+. More

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Ex-Champions League finalists release new video as work restarts on 70,000-seater ‘world’s best stadium’ after 16 years

      by

      VALENCIA have released a video as work finally restarted on their Nou Mestalla stadium after a 16-YEAR hiatus.The club were initially supposed to move into the ground all the way back in 2009.President Kiat Lim has visited Valencia’s Nou Mestalla stadiumCredit: X @valenciacfWork has restarted on the ground after 16 yearsCredit: X @valenciacfThe construction site had become a white elephant in the cityCredit: GettyIt is now expected to become one of the best in the worldCredit: X @valenciacfBut work was halted due to crippling debts of more than £350million.New president Kiat Lim has again given the go-ahead for work to resume on the 70,044 capacity stadium.He visited the construction site for the stadium on Tuesday afternoon.The aim is for the new ground to open in 2027 and become the future home of Valencia – and host games at the 2030 World Cup.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd it is hoped the stadium will help massively increase revenue for the club in the future.Lim was joined by general director Javer Solis and outgoing president Lay Hoon Chan during the tour.The club released a video of the group being shown around the building site that would become the new ground.But it shows that there is still much work to be done.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe shell of the stadium had been left to rot since 2009, with the structure now needing to be secured.There are still no sign of any seats of even a pitch.Work restarts on ‘world’s greatest football stadium’ that had been abandoned for 16 years as £250m revamp is agreedThe capacity will be 70,044Credit: X @valenciacfValencia has taken out a £270m loan to complete its constructionCredit: X @valenciacfThe stadium that was expected to be the “best in the world” will have a new design to the existing Mestalla Stadium.Putgoing Chan boldly proclaimed: “We’re not just building a stadium, we’re building a monument.”The Singaporean, 60, also added that the stadium will act as a “beacon of hope” for the city.The 2001 Champions League finalists are working with the same contractor as they agreed a deal with in 2007.They hope for the new stadium to be ready in time for the 2027-28 season.Around 3,000 VIP seats will be included, and the stadium will be able to host top events by meeting Uefa’s highest criteria.Valencia is said to be taking out a new £270m loan from Goldman Sachs in order to help finance the project.They plan to begin paying back their loan in 2027, across a period of 20-25 years.READ MORE SUN STORIESValencia has so far missed out on being one of 11 host cities for the 2030 World Cup.But tournament chiefs could slip them in at the last minute, should Nou Mestalla be built according to plan this time.The stadium will also be used for events outside of footballCredit: X @valenciacfThere will be 3,000 VIP seatsCredit: X @valenciacf More

    • 213 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      Still got a Booster in the holster? Consider playing one ahead of Gameweek 27 for bumper returns

      by

      HOW many Boosters have you got left in the holster?If the answer is more than zero you might want to consider playing one ahead of Gameweek 27, as long as your team is suitably set up for such a strategy.Dream Team bosses with all three Boosters still to play should probably get a move onCredit: Dream TeamSix teams are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 27, those still active in Europe: Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea.And against the odds, all the English teams will be at home for the second leg of their respective round of 16 ties.GAMEWEEK 27 DOUBLE HEADERS:LIVERPOOL vs Southampton (h) & PSG (h)ARSENAL vs Man Utd (a) & PSV (h)ASTON VILLA vs Brentford (a) & Club Brugge (h)TOTTENHAM vs Bournemouth (h) & AZ Alkmaar (h)MANCHESTER UNITED vs Arsenal (h) & Real Sociedad (h)CHELSEA vs Leicester (h) & Copenhagen (h)Assuming your XI is heavily tailored to these fixtures, activating the Goal Bonus Booster is very much on the table.The prospect of Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) being unleashed upon Saints at Anfield is almost enough on its own to justify such a ploy.REMINDER: Each goal scored by your players is worth NINE points instead of the usual six when Goal Bonus is activated!Salah is due to face Southampton and PSG in Gameweek 27Credit: RexIvan Juric’s side are rooted to the bottom of the table having mustered just nine points in 27 league outings.Most read in FootballSouthampton also have the worst defensive record in the top flight and given Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar leads the Golden Boot race with 25 league goals, Saturday’s fixture has to be considered one of the biggest mismatches of 2024/25.Salah is the Reds’ main man but the likes of Cody Gakpo (£4.6m), Luis Diaz (£3.5m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (£4.6m) will also fancy their chances of adding to their healthy goal tallies in Gameweek 27.PSG represent much tougher opposition but the headline here is that Liverpool have back-to-back home games in the same Gameweek and one of their opponents is Southampton.Palmer might be unleashed upon Leicester and Copenhagen this coming GameweekCredit: GettyCouple this with home double headers for Spurs, Man United and Chelsea and a midfield that contains Dejan Kulusevski (£4.4m), Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m) and Cole Palmer (£5.8m) strongly encourages the Goal Bonus Booster – that trio have scored 35 goals between already this season.More broadly, Gameweek 27 is likely to be the last time the English clubs still active in Europe have a clear advantage on paper.Arsenal and Aston Villa have all but sealed their Champions League last 16 ties having beaten PSV and Club Brugge in their respective first legs on Tuesday night.It’s simply the nature of knockout football that tougher opponents await them in the quarter-finals, when Dream Team points may be harder to come by.Double Gameweeks also get rarer as the campaign progresses.Aston Villa face Brentford and Club Brugge in Gameweek 27Credit: PAIf your team isn’t aligned with the fixture list and your transfer allotment won’t get you there either then it might be wise to hold Goal Bonus for later and activate 12th Man instead.REMINDER: 12th Man allows you to select an additional player from any position free of cost.Use this special ability to select a player who is likely to start two juicy fixtures in Gameweek 27 and you could improve your rank significantly.As for the Max Captain Booster, there are eventualities in which such a tactic would yield hugely beneficial results but the vast majority of engaged gaffers will be sticking the armband on Salah this coming Gameweek.Generally speaking, you want to wait for a Gameweek when the captaincy conversation is an open one to deploy Max Captain, using the Booster as a fail-safe.Liverpool’s double header is expected to yield healthy returnsThe worst case scenario with Max Captain is you decide to activate it only for the most popular skipper to finish among the Gameweek’s top performers, essentially wasting the Booster.The likelihood of this happening in Gameweek 27 is relatively high with Salah due to face both Southampton and PSG at Anfield.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn summary, it’s a good time to play your Goal Bonus Booster if your team is tailored to the Gameweek 27 schedule.If not, consider activating 12th Man to target the European fixtures before they become more difficult to predict.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

    • 175 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      Martin Odegaard and Arsenal stars now tempting options for Gameweek 27 after PSV mauling

      by

      ARSENAL made an emphatic statement against PSV on Tuesday night.The Gunners have one foot firmly in the Champions League quarter-finals having thrashed their Dutch opponents 7-1 in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.Arsenal will already have one eye on the Champions League quarter-finalsCredit: GettyInjuries to several key attackers have reduced Arsenal’s firepower in recent outings but the absence of Bukayo Saka (£6.6m), Kai Havertz (£4.7m), Gabriel Jesus (£3.7m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£4.1m) did not hinder them at all in Eindhoven as six players different players got on the scoresheet.This emphatic performance might be a game-changer in the world of Dream Team.Suddenly, several of Mikel Arteta’s favourites appear to be strong options for Gameweek 27.Arsenal are one of just six teams with two fixtures to fulfil this coming Gameweek and the dismal form of PSV makes their double header a favourable one.The North Londoners will travel to Old Trafford this weekend to face 14th-placed Manchester United before welcoming the Eredivisie side to the Emirates the following Wednesday.With such a comfortable aggregate lead, there’s a chance Arteta will rotate his squad against PSV to some degree but the club’s injury list means his options are limited in that regard.Teenage kicksCredit: GettyEthan Nwaneri (£2.2m) scored one goal and assisted another on Tuesday night for a 13-point return to remind Dream Team managers of his attributes.The 17-year-old averages a goal involvement every 102 minutes this season and the right wing spot is his while Saka is sidelined – the England winger is not due back until April.Most read in FootballMikel Merino (£3.6m) also banked 13 points via a goal and an assist.The Spain international is categorised as a midfielder in Dream Team but has been deployed as a makeshift striker in recent weeks.He hasn’t always looked effective in the role but it’s simply true he’s scored three goals in 278 minutes ever since he came off the bench against Leicester in Gameweek 24.Odegaard banked a cool 21 points against PSVCredit: EPAJurrien Timber (£4.3m), Riccardo Calafiori (£3m) and Leandro Trossard (£4.1m) also took advantage of PSV’s shambolic defending but the big winner on the night was Martin Odegaard (£4.8m).Arsenal’s captain scored two goals of his own before he set up his side’s seventh for a massive 21-point haul – his best performance of the campaign so far.The Norwegian playmaker has not provided as many goal involvements as he did last season but he proved himself capable of capitalising against out-of-form opposition in fine style.And with Man United and PSV to come in Gameweek 27, Dream Team bosses should at least consider Odegaard among the viable transfer options prior to Saturday’s 11am deadline.Defensive assets David Raya (£4.7m), William Saliba (£4.6m) and Gabriel (£4.9m) are the most popular in the squad – all are among the six most selected players in their respective positions – and they remain strong options despite failing to keep a clean sheet in Eindhoven.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

    • 213 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      ‘We’ve not seen that’ – John McGinn debunks Ruben Amorim’s Marcus Rashford claims after Champions League masterclass

      by

      ASTON VILLA captain John McGinn has defended his new team-mate Marcus Rashford from Ruben Amorim’s criticism.Rashford joined Villa on loan in January after struggling for minutes under new Manchester United manager Amorim, making just six appearances following his arrival in November.Rashford impressed again in the Champions League for VillaCredit: GettyRashford and Asensio have made an impression since joining on loan in JanuaryCredit: GettyHis primary complaint was a lack of intensity in Rashford’s training and reluctance to buy into his ideas.The Portuguese said: “I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it.”Since moving to the Midlands, though, Rashford, 27, has been back to his best, impressing in his first appearances for Villa and most recently starring in Tuesday’s 3-1 Champions League win over Club Brugge.McGinn has now revealed how well Rashford and his fellow Villa loanees Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi have settled in behind the scenes.Read more footballHe said: “They’ve been a breath of fresh air.”Three really good guys, obviously come with big reputations but they haven’t shown any ego.”They’re pretty low maintenance, they work hard to get their careers back on track.”Like Rashford, Asensio and Disasi are looking for redemption at Villa after struggling at their respective clubs.Most read in Champions LeagueSpanish international Asensio, 29, never quite kicked on after joining PSG from Real Madrid, but scored a brace for Villa in a 2-1 win over Chelsea shortly after moving.Marcus Rashford says joining Aston Villa from Man Utd was an easy decisionDisasi, 26, struggled to win over Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, falling behind free transfer Tosin Adarabioyo in the pecking order.McGinn continued: “They obviously weren’t playing at their clubs, so what we can give them is a platform to do that and be happy.”All we want in return is for them to be a good team-mate, work hard, do the things we’ve all been doing over the last couple of seasons and show their quality. “They’ve been brilliant.”Villa’s away win over Club Brugge gives them the upper hand going into the second leg at Villa Park, which will take place next Wednesday.McGinn during the win over Club BruggeCredit: GettyDiasi has hit the ground running after his switch from ChelseaCredit: Getty More