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      Premier League closes PSR loophole that saw former champions escape points deduction

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      PREM chiefs have moved to close the rules loophole that saw Leicester escape a PSR sanction.League bosses were left furious and embarrassed in September when an appeal board ruled the Prem did not have the right to charge them for losses in excess of the permitted limit of £105m in the three seasons up to 2022-23.Prem bosses have closed a loophole used by Leicester to escape a PSR chargeCredit: GettyRuud van Nistelrooy’s men are on the cusp of an instant return to the ChampionshipCredit: GettyThe Foxes had been facing a six-point deduction this term after returning to the Prem as Championship winners last season.But the panel upheld Leicester’s claim that the Prem could not sanction them when the club had become a member of the EFL following their relegation that season.The appeal board accepted that Leicester were not subject to Prem rules because the club’s accounting period ended on 30 June 2023, “after the point the club had ceased to be a member of the League”.Prem bosses promised to rewrite the rulebook to prevent other relegated clubs taking advantage of similar situations in future.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAnd in a series of changes introduced into the rulebook only on Friday, but which will take immediate effect, League chiefs have now tightened the regulations.That includes ending the flaw that meant new clubs were able to claim the full £35m allowance for their promotion season, rather than have losses for that campaign in the EFL capped at £13m.Crucially, the new Rule E.49 states that relegated clubs “remain bound” by Prem regulations, effectively aligning the top flight with the EFL in enforcing financial rules.Leicester were able to successfully argue their two successive seasons of changed membership meant they were not subject to the regulations of either league.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHowever, the new rules, agreed by the clubs and enacted last week, state that any punishments recommended by an EFL disciplinary panel can now be imposed by the Prem board in the top flight.Leicester are destined for an immediate return to the Championship next season.Leicester fans spotted streaming out just 35 minutes into Newcastle clash as hopeless Foxes hurtle towards relegationRuud van Nistelrooy’s appointment in November has failed to spark the Foxes’ season into life.The ex-Manchester United striker has won just 3 out of 21 games at the King Power. Leicester have earned only four points in total from their last 17 games. After Wolves’ 4-2 win over Tottenham last weekend, the Foxes’ fate could be sealed as early as next week. If they fail to win their next match, at home to leaders Liverpool on April 20, their relegation will be confirmed. More

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      Aston Villa awkwardly play wrong anthem before Champions League quarter-final

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      ASTON VILLA’s DJ dropped an absolute clanger moments before their Champions League clash with PSG – by playing the EUROPA LEAGUE anthem.Both teams lined up to hear the traditional and world-famous anthem moments before the second leg of their quarter-final tie got underway.Aston Villa welcomed Paris Saint-Germain to Villa Park for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-finalCredit: PABut Villa’s DJ played the EUROPA ANTHEM seconds before kick-offCredit: AMZON PRIMEVilla players were left gobsmacked by the errorCredit: AMZON PRIMEBut they and the thousands of fans in attendance at Villa Park were instead treated to the Europa League anthem.Unai Emery’s troops were visibly stunned by the gaffe as the camera went past the starting XI.The Villa Park faithful were equally as flabbergasted and started to boo the error.The astonishing mistake, unsurprisingly, went viral.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLOne footie fan said on X: “Why did they play the Europa League anthem?”Another said: “EUROPA LEAGUE ANTHEM ON UCL NIGHT.”And another said: “The players’ faces say it all.”One remarked: “Someone’s getting sacked in the morning.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSAchraf Hakimi fired the visitors into a 4-1 aggregate lead in the 11th minuteCredit: GETTYAnother chimed in: “How do you f*** up this bad?”Amazon commentator Adrian Clarke said of the gaffe: “The first misstep of the night, someone’s miscued the Champions League anthem. Unai Emery bizarrely claims there’s ‘not a lot of difference’ between losing 2-1 or 3-1 as Aston Villa face uphill battle “Stirring music but not quite what we’ve come to expect to a prelude to games like this.”Villa’s DJ tried to atone for their error by belatedly playing the Champions League anthem. But the damage, however, had already well and truly been done.The anthem mixup was not the start Emery and his charges would’ve liked to the match.It was seemingly a bad omen as Achraf Hakimi struck in the 11th minute to fire the visitors into a 4-1 lead on aggregate.And Nuno Mendes killed off the Villans’ slim hopes of making the final in the 28th minute to send the French side into a 5-1 aggregate lead. More

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      Heartbreak for Prince William & George as Villa lose nail-biting Champions League clash by a goal after valiant battle

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      PRINCE William and George have been left heartbroken after they watched Aston Villa narrowly drop out of the Champions League.The royal pair watched through 90 minutes of ecstasy and turmoil as they saw PSG score twice early on before Unai Emery’s side pulled back three goals.William and George watched a roller coaster of a game between Aston Villa and PSGCredit: .Wills watched on from behind his fingers as PSG took an early leadCredit: RexAn excitable William was up on his feet after Ezri Konsa scored Villa’s third goal on the nightCredit: PAGeorge roared from the stands as Villa managed to take the lead the game in the second halfCredit: .The Prince of Wales cheering on the English side from the stands next to his nervous sonCredit: PAGeorge and Wills were also joined by the Duke and Duchess of Westminster up in the standsCredit: GettyYoung Prince George, 11, donned a half-and-half scarf as he played with his hands nervously pre-game.The Prince of Wales, 42, was also seen with a drink in his hand as he stood in the hospitality box at the packed out stadium. Fans soon took to their seats as the match kicked off but the stadium was quickly left frustrated when PSG scored twice in the first 27 minutes.William held his head in his hands as PSG defender Achraf Hakimi slotted home the first.read more in Aston VillaA second left the hopeful crowd stunned.PSG were leading the tie by four goals at this point and cruising into the semi finals – leaving Unai Emery’s side with a mountain to climb.Despite the daunting scoreline, a big comeback was still on the cards as Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans pulled one back in the 34th minute.A valiant Villa came out for the second half raring to make history.Most read in Champions LeagueThey were inspired by Scottish skipper John McGinn who scored within 10 minutes of the restart.Before towering English centre back Ezri Konsa gave Aston Villa the lead on the night.George donned a half-and-half scarf as Wills held a drink in hand pre-matchCredit: ReutersPrince William and Prince George in the stands at Villa ParkCredit: .PSG’s Achraf Hakimi scored an early goal to leave Aston Villa with a huge scoreline to overcomeCredit: APUnai Emery was left furious after the first two goals went in for PSGCredit: GettyWilliam was seen jumping for joy as the Villa players celebrated with a passionate George roaring on the team.The pair were also joined in the VIP box by the Duke and Duchess of Westminster.Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, 34, and his wife Olivia, 32, were seen cheering on the Villans after recently announcing they are expecting a baby. Aston Villa pushed for an equaliser in the tie for the final 30 minutes but couldn’t find a fourth goal on the night.Despite winning the game 3-2 at Villa Park, they narrowly missed out on the semi-final due to a 5-4 aggregate scoreline for PSG.The Premier League outfit were let down by their first leg performance where they were outclassed in Paris.A Morgan Rogers’ opener was ruled out by three good PSG goals which saw them take firm control of the tie.Proud Villa fans tried their best to play a part in what turned out to be a European classic but they couldn’t push McGinn’s men across the line.The future King of England joined over 40,000 fans in Villa Park this evening – including over 2,000 French supporters. Hopes were still high for a win with Villa on a 17-match unbeaten run at home in all competitions which stretches back to November 2024.William and George also went to the first leg in Paris as they went through a roller coaster of emotions in the game.The Prince of Wales was seen wildly celebrating and hugging his son after Villa’s first-half goal.But later on, the Prince was seen with his head in his hands as the full-time whistle blew at 3-1.William was in the crowd for Villa’s victory over Bayern Munich earlier in the competition and away to Monaco in January.He first fell in love with Aston Villa after being taken to a match by friends as a boy.Read More on The SunThe heir said he was gripped by the “sense of belonging” and the passion of his fellow football fans.Wills also revealed he visits fan forums anonymously online — and moves his kids around when watching at home to bring the team luck.Aston Villa captain John McGinn walking past fans earlier tonightCredit: RexWills was left with his head in his hands after the first leg ended 3-1Prince William also impressed fans with his pre-game punditry in the first leg More

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      Jude Bellingham confidently claims ‘everyone thinks it’s nailed on’ that Real Madrid will win Arsenal tie from 3-0 down

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM has claimed that there is a lot of belief that it is “nailed on” that Real Madrid will beat Arsenal.The Spanish giants face an uphill battle to overturn a 3-0 deficit against the Gunners after a crushing defeat at the Emirates last week.Jude Bellingham has shared his thoughts on the second leg against ArsenalCredit: GettyDeclan Rice stunned Real with two brilliant free-kicks in the 3-0 winCredit: GettyBellingham is hopeful of a stunning turnaround in SpainCredit: GettyMikel Arteta’s side are hopeful of reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years.The North London club would have to produce an astonishing collapse as Real have NEVER come back from this position before.However, England international Bellingham, 21, has insisted that there is plenty of belief that the 15-time European champions can do just that.He said: “Everyone thinks it is nailed on that we will come back.READ MORE ON FOOTBALL“It is a weird environment, but it is a nice feeling. It means there is a lot of trust in the talent. “There is an expectation from around the world that when we get into these kinds of holes, we can come back, even if it is a really tough one. “It is a night made for Real Madrid, and would go down in history, but also something people are familiar with around this part of the world.”Hopefully, we can add another special night.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS“It is something that you want to be a part of, it is something that you want to add to the history of this club. “There is not a lot you can do for Real Madrid in the Champions League that has not already been done.New footage sees raging Jude Bellingham KICK VAR monitor in frustration after Real Madrid’s last-gasp defeatReal Madrid have pulled off historic comebacks in the pastCredit: Alamy“This is an opportunity for us to do something for the first time. That is really important to us.”Arsenal can take comfort in knowing that out of the 11 previous English teams to be in this position, all have advanced to the next round.Real Madrid have shown they are capable of the incredibly improbable in the past.Back in the 2021/22 season, they stunned Manchester City with a 6-5 aggregate victory despite being 4-3 down.They have also produced similar turnarounds against Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.Bellingham has also insisted that a comeback is possible and pointed to Liverpool’s famous win over Barcelona in 2019.He added: “Probably in England it is not as common but it has happened, Liverpool did it a couple of years back [against Barcelona in 2019].“What makes us confident is the quality we have, the history of the club, the fans that will turn up and give everything on the night, the aura of the Bernabeu and these Champions League nights, that is always something. “The more you get to speak to the other lads and you see how confident they are, the more it rubs off on you. They have experienced these kinds of nights before.Read More on The Sun“It is infectious and it makes you a lot more confident, a lot more comfortable with the situation you are in.“If we just increase our level numbers a bit more, we can be in it. We are not stupid but also we are confident in the ability we have.” More

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      Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona (agg 3-5) LIVE: Germans fall short of courageous comeback despite Guirassy hat-trick

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      BORUSSIA DORTUMUND’s bid to make history against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final fell short despite Serhou Guirassy’s poaching masterclass.  The Spanish giants ran rampant at home in the first encounter as they raced into a four-goal advantage. However, marksman Guirassy would be the man to spark a potential comeback as he dispatched with ease from the penalty spot to kick-start the second leg. Four minutes after the interval, Guirassy would bundle in a set-piece to add a second. Chances of a comeback would be halted as a sweeping Catalan counter was fired in by Ramy Bensebaini – into his own net. Nonetheless, Guirassy’s willingness was too much to handle as he was handed his opportunity to complete a perfect hat-track and took it from close range.BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKFollow our live blog below… More

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      Aston Villa vs PSG live stream FREE: How to watch Champions League quarter-final without paying a penny

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      ASTON VILLA host Paris Saint-Germain in a HUGE Champions League quarter-final clash at Villa Park TONIGHT. The Villans have enjoyed a fruitful return back in Europe’s elite club competition.Morgan Rogers opened the scoring but PSG are in firm control of the tieCredit: GettyUnai Emery will need to produce another tactical masterclass for Villa to progressCredit: GettyDesire Doue was one of the stars of the show in the first legCredit: APUnai Emery’s side earned their first quarter-final passage since the 1982-83 season with a top-eight finish in the league phase and a win against Club Brugge in the last-16.However if the dream run is to continue, they’ll have to overturn a two-goal deficit suffered in last week’s first leg.The 3-1 aggregate score fairly reflected the proceedings in Paris as PSG’s blossoming talents shone.READ MORE IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUEOusmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue will be looking to bring sought-after European success to the Qatari-backed project after another title procession in Ligue 1 this season.SunSport can reveal how to watch Aston Villa vs PSG for FREE.When is Aston Villa vs PSG?Aston Villa vs PSG will take place on Tuesday, April 15.Action from the Midlands will kick-off at 8pm BST.Villa Park hosts the second leg of the competition.How to watch Aston Villa vs PSG for FREEThis season Amazon Prime has acquired part of the rights to show the Champions League.That means Prime members can watch the action from Villa Park at NO additional cost to their regular subscription.Action is also available for free to non-members, as you can sign up for a 30-day free trial.Alternatively, follow SunSport’s comprehensive blog.Most read in Champions League More

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      Kylian Mbappe ban confirmed after Real Madrid star’s sickening tackle on Alaves rival

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      REAL MADRID forward Kylian Mbappe has received a one-match suspension for his appalling challenge on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco on Sunday.The 26-year-old saw red for a high tackle on Blanco during Real Madrid’s La Liga clash with Alaves at Mendizorroza.Kylian Mbappe has been banned for this horror tackleCredit: EPAHe was shown a straight red cardCredit: AFPHe didn’t appear to go for the ball and caught his opponent just below the knee as a result.Mbappe was subsequently shown a straight red card which usually leads to a three-game ban.However, the Frenchman’s suspension has been reduced to just one match – despite the severity of the tackle.He will now only be absent for this Sunday’s La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt means he will be available for the two upcoming El Clasico fixtures, the first of which is the Copa del Rey final on April 26.Los Blancos then face Barcelona in the league on May 11.Fans have been left furious with the punishment handed to Mbappe for his “disgusting” tackle – which was likened to the career-ending challenge that Roy Keane committed on Alfie Haaland in 2001.One person commented: “Absolute disgrace.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnother said: “1 game ban is crazy.”A third wrote: “Shameful!”Thierry Henry’s blunt six-word statement to Kylian Mbappe before Arsenal’s incredible win over Real MadridWhile a fourth added: “A 1 match suspension for that challenge is scandalous! Genuinely one of the nastiest fouls I’ve seen in recent years.”Real Madrid went on to win the match against Alaves 1-0 thanks to a 34th-minute goal from Eduardo Camavinga.The Spanish giants face Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.They trail 3-0 going into the match. More

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      ‘Master football first please’ – Man Utd fans lose the plot as club release GOLF RANGE

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      MANCHESTER UNITED fans have lost the plot after the club released a new GOLF RANGE.The Red Devils have woefully underachieved this season and are set for a bottom-half finish in the Premier League.Manchester United have released a new clothing lineCredit: INSTAGRAM @manchesterunitedThe new products are to be worn on a golf courseCredit: INSTAGRAM @manchesterunitedFans were not pleased with the release on social mediaCredit: INSTAGRAM @manchesterunitedThe club’s last hope of success this campaign comes in the Europa League, but they face a tricky battle against Lyon.The Ligue 1 side earned a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the quarter-final in France last week, ahead of the second leg on Thursday.Despite struggles on the pitch, it has not stopped the club from releasing more merchandise.Its latest clothing line has taken inspiration from the Masters golf tournament, which was won by Man United fan Rory McIlroy on Sunday.READ MORE ON FOOTBALThe line includes branded jumpers, jackets and gilets for fans to wear out on the course.A post on Instagram showed off the new items with the likes of Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Diogo Dalot all modelling the clothes.But supporters have not reacted positively to the new products in the comment section.One posted: “Master football first please.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSA second wrote: “The timing of this.”A third commented: “Seriously… commercial club.”Sky Sports remove controversial Monday Night Football post after they are hit by backlash from Man Utd fans Man United fan Rory McIlroy won the Masters on Sunday eveningCredit: GettyA fourth said: “Thought we were a football team.”A fifth joked: “We get worse and worse on the pitch yet somehow we still find the time to advertise golf products.”Another added: “At this point, you might as well sell all the players to golf.”Results on the pitch have not been the only issue for the club this season, which saw manager Erik ten Hag sacked and replaced with Ruben Amorim.The Old Trafford outfit has announced hundreds of job cuts since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe last year.Ratcliffe even admitted in March that the club could have run out of cash before the end of the year without drastic cutbacks.Join SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford More