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    When is Champions League last-16 draw? Date, UK start time, live stream – Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City & Liverpool in hat

    THE Champions League group stages are complete and Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are already thinking ahead.All of the Premier League sides will be in the draw – though Chelsea will be the only unseeded of the four after finishing second in their group.
    Chelsea legend Branislav Ivanovic was at the group stage draw back in SeptemberCredit: Reuters
    What date is the Champions League last 16 draw and what time does it start?
    The Champions League last 16 draw takes place on Monday, December 13.
    Expect the draw to kick off at 11am UK time.
    There could well be some preamble and chats with former Champions League stars who tend to draw the balls out of the pot.
    Is the Champions League last 16 draw on TV and can I live stream it?
    The balls will be drawn live on BT Sport, who are the Champions League broadcasters in the UK.
    Fans can also watch the draw on Uefa.com and YouTube for FREE.
    What dates are the Champions League round of 16 ties being played?
    The eight first legs will be played on February 15, 16, 22 and 23, 2022 with two games on each night.
    Second legs will take place on March 8, 9, 15 and 16, 2022, with two ties again being played each night.
    Which clubs have qualified?
    Winners

    Runners up

    Paris Saint-Germain
    Atletico Madrid
    Sporting
    Inter Milan
    Benfica
    Villarreal
    Chelsea
    RB Salzburg

    Two pots of eight teams will be created from seeded group winners and runners up.
    Teams from the same country cannot face each at this stage.
    Chelsea are among the unseeded teams for the last 16, meaning they could face a tough tie against one of the group winners.
    When are the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final?
    Quarter finals
    First legs – April 5 and 6, 2022
    Second legs – April 12 and 13, 2022
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    Semi-finals
    First legs – April 26 and 27, 2022
    Second legs – May 3 and 4, 2022
    Final – Gazprom Arena, St Petersburg
    May 28, 2022 More

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    Arsenal 0 Barcelona 4: Little reckons heavy home defeat for WSL leaders was an ‘honest slap in the face’

    KIM LITTLE wants Arsenal to bounce back from a 4-0 drubbing dished out by Barcelona at the Emirates.A Fridolina Rolfo rocket was among the strikes that saw the Catalan side outclass and out pass the Gunners.
    Kim Little wants Arsenal to reflect on how they can reach Barcelona’s levelCredit: Getty
    Fridolina Rolfo scored netted a stunning right-footed effort for the visitors close to half-timeCredit: Rex
    The match comes four days after Arsenal – who face Leicester next – fell to a 3-1 FA Cup final loss to Chelsea.
    And it saw Barcelona book their Champions League quarter-final spot ahead of a domestic clash with Real Madrid.
    The Gunners’ captain said: “We’re disappointed to have lost and conceded four goals at home.
    “Barcelona are probably the best team right now and are very hard to play against.
    “There’s a lot of things that were better for us today than in our previous game against them.
    “But there are still a lot of things that weren’t good enough.
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    “And I think we really need to go away from this performance as we did from our last one against Barca and look at what those areas are.
    “These experiences can be really helpful in helping us to see where our level is at and what we need to aim for. It’s a real, honest slap in the face.”
    Jonas Eidevall called for a change in mentality for his players against the best club side in European women’s football.
    However, Spain’s champs had other ideas in the clash watched by a 12,232-strong crowd.
    Barcelona’s men’s team may have flopped in Europe in this term.
    But it is an altogether different story for the women’s side who have won 17 out of 17 games played in Spain and the Champions League.
    The visitors refused to give an inch to their hosts with Vivianne Miedema surprisingly starting the game on the bench.
    They dominated the ball from the early stages enjoying 74 per cent possession in the first half.
    Jenni Hermoso bagged a brace for Barcelona at the EmiratesCredit: Getty
    Among Arsenal’s limited chances on goal was a long-range Jordan Nobbs shot in the ninth minute that flew over the crossbar.
    But the visitors made their dominance tell taking advantage of some stray passes.
    These included Jen Beattie’s under-hit back pass pounced on by Aitana Bonmati who slotted home Barca’s 23rd-minute opener.
    It took another six minutes for the visitors to double their lead with Jenni Hermoso netting from close range following a cross from Rolfo.
    And Rolfo got on the scoresheet herself walloping a right-footed rocket into the top corner on the stroke of half-time.
    The second half saw Eidevall shuffle his deck with Miedema, Lia Walti and Mana Iwabuchi all coming on for Jordan Nobbs, Frida Maanum and Caitlin Foord.
    And Nikita Parris prompted a comfortable save Sandra Panos in the 66th minute.
    Aitana Bonmati took advantage of a poor back pass to net Barcelona’s openerCredit: Getty
    But Barca – who hit the woodwork minute in 52nd minute – went four up with a quarter of an hour of normal time remaining.
    Hermoso sealed her brace by tapping in a low cross to wrap up a 4-0 win for the visitors.
    And the result leaves Arsenal needing a point from their final group stage game to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
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    Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Man Utd and PSG stars’ head to head record as they face Champions League showdown

    IT IS the question that divides football fans across the globe –  who is better: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?They gave El Clasicos a bit of extra spice for nine years and now, they could be set to face off against each other again in the Champions League.
    The last time Messi and Ronaldo met, CR7 scored two penaltiesCredit: GETTY IMAGES
    The pair have met 36 times on the pitch, with Messi having the edge on the head-to-head
    Breakdown of Ronaldo and Messi’s careers
    Due to Manchester United finishing top of their group, and Paris Saint-Germain coming in at second in theirs, Messi and Ronaldo could face off in the Round of 16.
    The greatest managers of the modern era have had their say, fans have had their say and even former team-mates have waded in on the never-ending GOAT debate.
    So SunSport thought we’d look past the trophies and accolades to see how they fared when they were in direct competition.
    The pair know each other well, of course, having gone toe-to-toe in dozens of El Clasico contests down the years.
    Not only would the rivals share the same pitch whenever Real Madrid played against Barcelona, but they would tussle for LaLiga supremacy season after season.
    El Clasico has always been more that just a football match to the clubs’ fans and having the two best players in the world took it to a different dimension.
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    Ronaldo has gone up against Messi 36 times in total during his spells at Manchester United and Real Madrid, Juventus as well as on the international stage.
    The Portuguese legend was ruled out of the first group stage game between Juve and Barcelona due to coronavirus – but made sure to get revenge in the return fixture netting a brace from the penalty spot.
    Messi pipped the former Los Blancos ace by one goals in all of their meetings, finding the back of the net 22 times.
    Ronaldo and Messi have enjoyed a career-long rivalry

    While Ronaldo may have one goal fewer, he holds the record for the scoring in the most consecutive El Clasicos – in six consecutive games in 2012.
    Messi poetically netted his 500th goal for the Catalan giants against Real in a thriller in 2017, which also put Barca top of LaLiga.
    The Argentina ace famously celebrated by whipping off his No10 shirt and holding it aloft to the away support to prove why he is considered to be the greatest footballer of all time.
    Ronaldo later had to have his say too, of course.
    The next time he visited the Nou Camp and scored in the Supercopa de Espana final first leg in August 2017, he mimicked his great frenemy’s celebration by showing his No7 shirt to the crowd.
    In that same clash, Ronaldo’s night hit a sour note when he was shown a second yellow card for diving, which resulted in the forward PUSHING the referee.
    He had already been booked for taking his shirt off after mimicking Messi’s celebration.
    That has been the only red card shown to either hero in the duo’s 36 stand offs with Messi managing to keep his cool and escape with three fewer yellows than his arch-rival.
    Lionel Messi scored a last-minute winner to give Barcelona a 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in April 2017
    Cristiano Ronaldo showed the Nou Camp who was boss in his celebration
    Football is a results business so when it comes to score lines, the Argentine maestro leads the way.
    In the 35 matches, Messi has 16 wins, Ronaldo has 11 and there have been nine draws.
    Ronaldo’s United got the better of Barca in the 2008 Champions League semi-finals with a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp and 1-0 win at Old Trafford.
    Messi and Co got their revenge a year later, winning the 2009 final 2-0 as Messi scored a header.
    That started a run of five consecutive wins for Messi over Ronaldo including a 5-0 Barca win and a 2-1 victory for Argentina over Portugal in an international friendly as both players found the net.
    Arguably their greatest contest came in the 2012-13 LaLiga campaign as both players scored twice in a 2-2 draw in Barcelona.
    Messi played his entire career at Barca up until last summer when his contract expired.
    The Argentine signed for PSG and has five UCL goals in the group stages, but it’s not quite Ronaldo’s six for United.
    Ronaldo might just get the chance to show Messi up after his record-breaking seventh Ballon d’Or win.
    ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford More

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    Van der Vaart threatens to walk out of TV studio after Chelsea flop Werner is compared to ex-Man Utd star Van Persie

    RAFAEL VAN DER VAART threatened to walk out of a Dutch TV studio on Wednesday after comparisons were made between Timo Werner and Robin Van Persie.Werner scored twice for Chelsea as they drew 3-3 against Zenit in the Champions League group stages this week.
    Werner impressed on Wednesday as he scored twice and assisted one goal against ZenitCredit: Getty
    The German striker has been highly criticised for his poor performances since joining the Blues in 2020, but put on a stellar display against the Russian side.
    His second goal in particular got people talking after he carried the ball around Vyacheslav Karavayev before neatly slotting into the bottom corner.
    Those covering the game on Dutch station Ziggo Sport suggested that the finish was similar to the style of legendary former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Van Persie.
    However, a fuming Van Der Vaart warned: “If you compare Werner with Van Persie one more time, I will walk away now.”
    The 38-year-old has been extremely critical of the Chelsea man in the past and has even described him as a ‘blind horse’.
    When speaking about the striker earlier in the year, the former Real Madrid and Tottenham player said: “Timo Werner is super fast, and maybe that is something good to have in an away game when Chelsea are under pressure.
    @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Football.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
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    “But all he does is put his head down and run himself to death.”
    Since retiring from professional football in 2018, Van der Vaart has become one of the most outspoken pundits in European football.
    The former midfielder recently took shots at Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, saying: “I talk about Harry Maguire so much, so I try to avoid him. But he is really s**t. I have said this so often.
    “I think it is unbelievable. He is no top-class defender – and he demonstrates this every week.” More

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    Eidevall demands mentality change from Arsenal in Emirates duel with Barcelona after ‘hurtful’ FA Cup final loss

    JONAS EIDEVALL wants a mentality shift from Arsenal against Barcelona after claiming it was ‘hurtful’ to watch their FA Cup final loss to Chelsea.And the Gunners chief reckons less defending, and more possession could help his side in their clash with Europe’s football queens this evening.
    Jonas Eidevall reckons Arsenal can ‘defend better by defending less’ against Barcelona and having more possessionCredit: Getty
    The WSL leaders will play the Catalan giants for the second time in the Champions League Group stages, just four days after their disappointing 3-1 defeat at Wembley.
    Eidevall, 38, said: “What was really hurtful against Chelsea is that I think if you would have put another jersey on the team and re-watched it, you could never recognise it was Arsenal that was playing the game.
    “We didn’t do the things we do and that normally you would associate with us.
    “And that means that we’re coming off from that game, and we didn’t even try to play the way we wanted to play. And losing like that, that just feels pointless.
    “From a mentality perspective, that is what we need to change going into the Barcelona game.
    “If you don’t try you will never succeed, and it’s about doing that.
    “I’m not going away from any other game this season or any other season not trying.
    @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Champions League.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
    “It starts with that, it has to, and that’s how you build a winning mentality.”
    Arsenal’s duel with Barcelona will take place at the Emirates home of the club’s Prem side with the team facing the Champions League winners at the ground for the first time ever.
    However, the WSL aces will be without the services of Tobin Heath with the USA star currently battling to overcome a muscular problem.
    The LaLiga Women’s champs come into this clash with 12 wins from 12 games in Spain’s top-flight including a 10-1 demolition of Sevilla last month.
    Barcelona have won four of their four of their Champions League group stage gamesCredit: Rex
    And the club have conceded only TWICE in their last 10 matches across all competitions since their 4-1 trouncing of the Gunners at the Johan Cruyff Stadium in October.
    Nevertheless, Eidevall is confident of his side getting a result if they follow their game plan to the letter.
    The Gunners boss added: “Barcelona are very mature as a team in choosing the right tool at the right time. That makes them very difficult to play against.
    “But I believe in our game plan and we learned things from playing against them last time and studying them.
    “It’s the world’s best club team that we’re going to play against. It’s a really exciting challenge.
    A win for Arsenal would see them leapfrog Barcelona to the top of Group C in the contestCredit: Getty
    “We need to have a really good game plan, but we need to be excellent at executing it.
    “We need to defend better and we need to defend less. By defending less, we need to have the ball more.
    “Against Chelsea, we didn’t have any dangerous possession. That’s the thing we need to change
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    Man Utd transfer target Frenkie de Jong urged to quit Barcelona after ‘playing like he has 50kg of potatoes on his back’

    BARCELONA starlet Frenkie De Jong is being encouraged to quit the club, with Dutch legends arguing the Nou Camp is not the right fit for him.The 24-year-old signed for Barcelona in 2019 but has failed to live up to the high expectations that fans put on him.
    De Jong was involved in Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday, which saw them get knocked out of the Champions League for the first time since 2000Credit: Getty
    He has only scored one goal so far this season for Xavi’s side who currently sit 7th in the LaLiga table.
    Former Dutch international footballers Ron Vlaar and Dirk Kuyt have both criticised the former Ajax man and have suggested that he would be best suited elsewhere.
    Speaking on Dutch television channel RTL7, Kuyt said: “Against Bayern he did not look for a moment to see if there was an opportunity to shoot.
    “I would love to see that sequel, because he is and continues to be a fantastic player who simply belongs to the absolute top of Europe.
    “His predisposition is always to change the game again, but he does not look for the position to score.”
    Vlaar agreed and suggested that the midfielder would perform better in a team that isn’t Barcelona: “De Jong now plays football like he has fifty kilos of potatoes on his back.
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    “You know what he can bring but on this team it just doesn’t show.
    “I think he’s totally out of place right now.
    “I think Frenkie would play football differently in a team like Bayern.”
    De Jong has been linked recently with a move to Manchester United as new interim manager Ralph Rangnick plans to sign a number of players in January.
    United reportedly want the 24-year-old for a cut-price of £47million, but Barcelona do not want to sell him for less than £60m as his contract does not run out until 2026.
    He is said to be the ideal replacement for Paul Pogba, whose contract expires next summer. More

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    Chelsea 0 Juventus 0: Emma Hayes issues player safety call after Sam Kerr is cautioned for pitch invader push

    EMMA HAYES wants player safety in the women’s game looked into after a pitch invader disrupted Chelsea’s clash with Juventus.Joe Montemurro steered the Italian aces to a gritty 0-0 draw in the Champions League against his old WSL foe.
    Sam Kerr ended up shoulder barging a pitch invader at KingsmeadowCredit: Prime Media
    Chelsea will be looking for a win against Wolfsburg in their final group stage gameCredit: Getty
    But the match was momentarily paused when a male spectator darted onto the grass at Kingsmeadow with Sam Kerr sending him tumbling to the turf.
    And the Australia ace was cautioned by the ref for shoulder barging the individual who ran on late in the second half and appeared to be attempting to get a selfie with Magda Eriksson.
    Hayes said: “He could have waited until the end to have a photograph if he really wanted one. But jokes aside, we do have to think about player safety.
    “We’ve seen with the growth of the game there is this sense of the players being more in demand.
    “It should serve as a reminder to us all in our stadiums and with our stewards that we’ve got to put player protection first.”
    The scoreless result denied the Blues the win that would have seen them reach the Champions League quarter-finals after five group games played.
    But Hayes is confident her side will be able to get the outcome they need to reach the contest’s next stages after their final group stage game.
    @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Champions League.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
    The Chelsea chief added: “I’m extremely proud of the players playing a game of this magnitude so soon after the FA Cup Final
    “We got a point and we’re in the driving seat going into the last game in the position we want to be in.
    “We know Wolfsburg is a difficult place to go, but we believe in our ability and we’re confident.“
    The Blues flew out of the blocks clocking up 14 first-half shots
    Erin Cuthbert forced Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to tip her fierce right-strike over the bar inside the first minute.
    Moments later Fran Kirby saw her effort smothered by the France stopper.
    One of the best scoring chances fell to Sam Kerr with the forward outmuscling her marker before seeing her 27th minute shot whizz across the goalmouth
    Pauline Peyraud-Magnin pulled off some fine stops to keep Chelsea at bayCredit: Reuters
    And the Australia ace thought she put the hosts ahead early in the second half only to see her goal ruled offside. 
    Juventus had a rare foray forward with Lina Hurtig finding space to unleash a tame shot easily claimed by Ann-Katrin Berger in the 66th minute.
    And Millie Bright blazed a late shot over the bar much to her annoyance.
    Tempers flared late on in the game with Berger getting cautioned after reacting angrily to Barbara Bonansea’s kick on Erin Cuthbert.
    And Kerr went into the book after barging the pitch invader.
    The game finished 0-0 with Chelsea staying top of Group A with 11 points and Juventus third but level on points with Wolfsburg.
    Should Wolfsburg lose to Chelsea and the Serie A leaders beat Servette it would see Juve progress to the competition’s quarters.
    Montemurro said: “We did what we had to do to get the point that we needed and it’s great.
    Joe Montemurro is targeting a win against Servette in Juve’s last Champions League group stage gameCredit: Getty
    “Chelsea are a fantastic team and for them not to be able to score against us shows we’re on the right track
    “I’ve always enjoyed going to Kingsmeadow because you’re going to get a top-quality game.
    “You’re going to get the level of football that I believe women’s football is at.”
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    Man Utd could face horror Champions League last 16 knockout draw including mega-rich PSG and Atletico Madrid

    MANCHESTER UNITED could face a horror Champions League last 16 draw against Atletico Madrid or mega-rich Paris Saint-Germain.The Red Devils won Group F after a 1-1 home draw with Young Boys on Wednesday night and focus has now switched to who they will play next.
    Man Utd could get drawn against some massive teams in the Champions League last 16
    Uefa rules state teams cannot draw clubs from their own country until the quarter-finals.
    Nor can they face sides from their group in the last 16.
    This rules out Villarreal or Atalanta – whichever one qualifies after their match was postponed because of snow on Wednesday.
    And it also means all-Premier League clashes with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are off the cards for now.
    Having come top of their group, Ralf Rangnick’s men are in a pot with the other group winners and can only be drawn against runners up.
    But that doesn’t mean they’ll avoid some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
    @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Football.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
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    PSG came second to Man City in Group A while Atletico came a distant second to Liverpool in Group B.
    Sporting finished behind Dutch champions Ajax in Group C while Inter fell five points short of Real Madrid in Group D.
    Portuguese giants Benfica ended up a whopping ten points behind Bayern Munich in Group E.
    ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford
    But they pipped crisis-hit Barcelona to second spot with ‘p***** off Xavi’ blasting his flops after they dropped into the Europa League.
    Austrian outfit RB Salzburg are the last team the Red Devils could face after they came second between table-toppers Lille and third-placed Sevilla in Group G.
    The draw is being made in Switzerland at 11am UK time on Monday.

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