More stories

  • in

    Harry Kane MISSES Bayern Munich training ahead of winner-takes-all Champions League clash with Celtic

    HARRY KANE didn’t train with Bayern Munich ahead of the Champions League clash with Celtic.And wily boss Vincent Kompany refused to rule his star striker in or out of the Euro decider – in a deliberate attempt to blindside Brendan Rodgers.Harry Kane is a doubt ahead of the visit of Celtic to Bayern Munich in the Champions LeagueCredit: GettyThe England captain suffered an injury to his face in the weekend’s draw with Bayer LeverkusenCredit: GettyKane hit Bayern’s second goal in last week’s first leg at ParkheadCredit: GettyKane suffered a blow to the face in the top-of-the-table weekend Bundesliga head-to-head with rivals Bayer Leverkusen.And the England skipper was nowhere to be seen in Monday’s training session – fuelling speculation he could be ruled out of the Champions League crunch.Kompany was quizzed on his 29-goal hitman’s fitness at his press conference – but refused to say whether Kane would be in line-up at the Allianz Arena.He said: “It’s nothing bad for Harry, but we have very little time to recover. “Sometimes you need an extra day, but we’ll see how Harry feels tomorrow morning. “I assume it’s nothing bad.”I have blurred the lines on the question to throw up a SMOKE BOMB!”We’ll see tomorrow.”Most read in Champions LeagueKompany insists he expects a DANGEROUS Celtic side to turn up at the Allianz ArenA.He added: “How will Celtic approach the game?Awkward moment Martin O’Neill calls out Brendan Rodgers over 2019 Celtic exit to Leicester “That is a good question which you will need to ask my colleague, Brendan Rodgers. “Many things can happen in a game. “From my side, we prepare for everything, if they sit back or press, but it is all the things in between that can decide a game as well. “We just want to be mentally ready to do what we have done so often at home in winning games.”The second half of the tie has still to be played and the parameters haven’t changed, it is a team which is really dangerous going forward.”But for us it is a home game and we will make that work to our advantage.”We won at Celtic Park, which doesn’t happen that often for visiting teams. “It was a good experience for our team and against Leverkusen we wanted to win and it is the same tomorrow. Vincent Kompany urged Bayern fans to dream of the Champions League final, which is in Munich in MayCredit: Reuters”I don’t have thoughts about ‘what happens if we don’t reach it’. “The focus is on can we reach our best performance and can we show our mentality to win this game. “The best case is that you have both but sometimes for one reason or another you have a game where you just win a game. “But it is always about being the best we can be.”Are we under more pressure? “What I would say is that it’s the same for us in every game as it is for Celtic in every game back home.”The expectation for Celtic back home is that they have to win every game.”The emphasis is on them making the difference and it’s the same for us.”That’s not a very different situation for us.”It’s every week like this.”The Champions League final is in Munich in May and Kompany added: “I would just say that from the very beginning we have expressed that it was important for our fans to dream.”But that doesn’t change our mission tomorrow.”And our mission tomorrow is to win the game – or do the necessary to qualify. “Then hopefully I will be standing here again for the next press conference and saying the same again.”The dream and the job have to align.”And my job is to focus on the game tomorrow.”Tomorrow will be an important game for us and the whole club. “We are very strong at home. “I have seen a lot of Celtic’s games – they have done very well in the Champions League so far and can always be dangerous.”It’s a good opportunity to do something well again in these six days, which have been very busy. READ MORE SUN STORIES”When the results are right, you have that little bit of extra strength, and that should help us tomorrow.”Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

  • in

    Arsenal slapped with huge fine following Myles Lewis-Skelly red card incident that was later overturned

    ARSENAL have been hit with a £65,000 fine after “failing to ensure players did not behave in an improper way” in the wake of Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card against Wolves last month.The Gunners were left furious when Myles Lewis-Skelly received a straight red card at Molineux for a cynical foul on Matt Doherty on January 25.Arsenal players were left furious when Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent offCredit: PALewis-Skelly was shown a red card for a cynical foul on Matt DohertyCredit: PAAt least eight players subsequently surrounded referee Michael Oliver to appeal the decision just before half-time.And they were charged for the incident five days later.Now, over three weeks on from the match, the Gunners have received their punishment.A statement from the FA read: “An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a £65,000 fine on Arsenal in relation to the Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday 25 January.Read More in Football”It was alleged that Arsenal failed to ensure their players did not behave in an improper way around the 43rd minute, and the club subsequently admitted to this charge.”The FA revealed that Oliver’s incident report was used as evidence when deciding on the punishment.Oliver wrote: “Following the 43rd minute dismissal, a number ofArsenal players surrounded myself to protest at the decision.”Video clips of the incident were also used in the process.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSIn addition, Arsenal admitted to the charge with a reply form accompanied by a letter.The Gunners “accepted that a number of players spoke to the referee in the aftermath” of Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal.Mikel Arteta ‘absolutely fuming’ after controversial Myles Lewis-Skelly red cardThey also claimed “the wrongful nature of the dismissal explains why the AFC players justifiably wanted to speak to the referee.”Furthermore, the letter from Arsenal insisted that players were “understandably emotional” but “not aggressive” and “did not behave in a way which was offensive, violent, threatening, abusive, indecent, insulting or provocative” towards Oliver.Mikel Arteta was left “fuming” as a result of the red card despite the 1-0 win over Wolves.The controversial decision was swiftly overturned just three days after the match following an appeal.Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal was deemed to be “wrongful” and his three-game suspension was rescinded.Mikel Arteta was furious with the officials after the matchCredit: PA More

  • in

    Earthquake strikes Lisbon during Champions League press conference and leaves whole room shaking

    LISBON was struck by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake just moments before a Benfica press conference took place on Monday.Head coach Bruno Lage was about to address the media in preparation for his team’s Champions League play-off second leg against Monaco when the earthquake hit.The moment an earthquake hit Benfica’s press conference room was caught on cameraHead coach Bruno Lage addressed the media as normal after the earthquakeCredit: EPABefore he took to his chair, the whole room started to shake.The moment was caught on camera by CNN Portugal just moments prior to the start of the conference.Once the commotion had subsided, Lage spoke to the media as planned.Discussing his experience of the earthquake, he said: “If I tell you what I said to my assistant Lemos…read more in football”We were climbing the stairs when we heard a noise. I mentioned that we needed to fix the glass door in front of us.”It was only after I got here that I realised what had actually happened.”Benfica go into Wednesday’s match against Monaco with a 1-0 advantage.Vangelis Pavlidis scored the decisive goal in the first leg at Stade Louis II last week.Most read in Champions LeagueShould they beat Monaco on aggregate, Benfica will face either Liverpool or Barcelona in the last-16 of the Champions League.The earthquake struck Portugal at around 1:24pm local time on Monday afternoon.Champions League draw sees Man City to face Real Madrid in blockbuster knockout phase Its epicentre was recorded around 14 kilometres from Seixal, in the district of Setúbal, and was felt in several places in Greater Lisbon.The shockwaves were felt at maximum intensity in the municipalities of Almada and Sesimbra. More

  • in

    Bayern Munich vs Celtic: Get £40 in free bets to spend on football with BetMGM

    BAYERN MUNICH have a 2-1 lead to build on when Celtic visit the Allianz Arena for the Champions League second leg on Tuesday.And bookmakers BetMGM are offering brand new customers a cool £40 in free bets when you register an account and stake a tenner on the play-off showdown.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim..BetMGM £40 welcome bonusVisit the BetMGM website HERE*Select SPORTS OFFER on the websiteRegister a new account – No Promo Code necessaryOpt in for this promotion by depositing and placing at least £10 on football at odds of Evens or greaterOnce that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free betsBayern Munich vs Celtic: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here*Not got a BetMGM account? No problem!This offer is just for you, and it’s incredibly easy to claim!Simply register a new account, deposit and stake a minimum of £10 on football at odds of Evens (1/1) or greater. This must be done within seven days of opening your account with the bookmaker.Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free bets!*BetMGM. New customers only. 7 days to place a qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1x £10 Free Bet on Football, 1x £10 Free Bet on Horse Racing, 2 x £10 Free Bet Builders. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – www.gambleaware.orgFor help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. More

  • in

    Bayern Munich vs Celtic prediction: Free betting tips, odds and Champions League preview for second leg

    BAYERN MUNICH have a 2-1 lead over Celtic heading into their Champions League play-off second leg on Tuesday.So SunSport have enlisted the help of their betting experts to preview the European showdown and select the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereNew sign-up offersSunSport exclusivesBayern Munich vs Celtic previewDefeat at Parkhead makes the task of progression to the round of 16 almost impossible for Celtic.Even victory might not have been enough last week, given Bayern’s ability to blow sides away at home.The Hoops defended well for the majority of the night before conceding to a stunning Michael Olise strike on the stroke of half time. A lapse in concentration allowed Harry Kane to add a second just minutes into the second half.The tie has been just about kept alive by Daizen Maeda’s goal with 10 minutes to go.Brendan Rodgers might want to take notice of Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, who held Bayern to a goalless draw on Saturday and restricted them to NO shots of any description in the first half for the first time in decades and not a single shot on target in 90 minutes for only the second league match in 20 years.Might it be the perfect time to play them? Time will tell. Celts registered 21 efforts at goal beating Dundee United 3-0 at Celtic Park on Saturday, while being able to rest a couple of their key players in the process.William Hill make them 28/1 to progress and Bayern 1/100. So fair to say them progressing is quite a stretch.First scorer and correct score predictionsCorrect score: 4-1 at 11/1 with Betfred – HEREFirst scorer: Michael Olise 13/2 with talkSPORT BET – HEREBayern Munich vs Celtic latest oddsBayern Munich at 2/13 with William Hill – CLAIM HEREOdds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.How to claim..William Hill £60 welcome bonusVisit the William Hill website HERE*Register an account using the Promo Code: T60Once your account is registered, click ‘opt in’ on the ‘Vegas Promotion’ pageDeposit a minimum of £10 in your main account to receive a £20 Vegas Bonus for use on Selected GamesThen place a bet with a minimum stake of £10 at odds of 1/2 or greater on any football marketOnce that’s settled, your account will be credited with £40 in free betsWilliam Hill: Claim £60 welcome bonus – click here*Bayern Munich vs Celtic predictions and tipsBlow away earlyThis tie could be put to bed early doors, with Bayern having the ability to blow Celtic away in the first half.They HAVE to respond to the poor attacking showing from Saturday and actually had five shots – with two on target – in the opening 45 minutes last Wednesday.Celtic will be trying to keep the tie alive in the early exchanges but that might prove tough.Ol or nothingMichael Olise scored the opening goal in the first leg and is one of the standouts to perform here.That was his first goal since mid-January but can be the attacking force down their right.Michael Olise shot on target in each half at 23/10 – CLAIM HERE*William Hill. 18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply.*Betfred. New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.*BetMGM. New customers only. 7 days to place a qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1x £10 Free Bet on Football, 1x £10 Free Bet on Horse Racing, 2 x £10 Free Bet Builders. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply.*talkSPORT BET. 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly*Tote. New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org. Full T&Cs apply.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – www.gambleaware.orgFor help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. More

  • in

    I helped build F1 car driver tragically died in – I wasn’t prepared for that and it broke me, says Drive to Survive star

    F1 ENGINEER Calum Nicholas says he was left “broken” by the death of Jules Bianchi after his Japanese Grand Prix crash.The Red Bull engineer worked with the French F1 driver at Marussia as a mechanic back in 2011 – his first job in the paddock. Calum Nicholas has helped Max Verstappen win the last four drivers’ championships at Red BullCredit: GettyNicholas worked at Marussia with Jules Bianchi at the time of his Japanese Grand Prix crash in 2014Credit: PA:Press AssociationDuring the 2014 Japanese GP, Bianchi lost control of his Marussia and clashed with a recovery vehicle.The weather conditions in Japan at the time were treacherous and delayed the race from getting underway.Following the collision, Bianchi suffered a diffuse axonal injury which is caused by severe damage to the head.Bianchi spent nine months in a coma before tragically passing away in 2015.READ MORE F1He was the first F1 driver to die from injuries that occurred during a Grand Prix since Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna.Safety in the sport has come on leaps and bounds since then, with the introduction of the halo and clearer communication when a recovery vehicle is used. That hasn’t helped Nicholas shake Bianchi’s death from his memory though.Nicholas collected the wreckage of the car from the FIA garage and broke down in tears.Most read in MotorsportIn his book, Life in the Pitlane, he writes: “I was not in any way prepared, at the age of 24, to have been responsible for building a car that somebody later died in.“Regardless of the cause of the crash not being a mechanical fault, the guilt of having been one of the mechanics responsible for that car broke me for a little while.”’I’m not myself, please forgive me’ – Shaken F1 legend Eddie Jordan, 76, apologises live on radio after cancer treatmentSince leaving Marussia at the end of that season Nicholas has become a familiar face on Netflix’s hit show Drive to Survive as a key engineer in Max Verstappen’s pit crew.As part of the Red Bull driver’s team, Nicholas has helped propel Verstappen to four straight F1 world titles.The Brit has also worked with Lewis Hamilton on the Hamilton Comission, a research project into diversity in motorsport conducted by the seven-time world champion. Nicholas was a part of the Marussia team when Bianchi crashedCredit: Getty More

  • in

    ‘Both teams have the same problem’ says Arsene Wenger as Arsenal legend tears into old rivals Tottenham and Man Utd

    ARSENE WENGER has urged Manchester United and Tottenham fans to brace themselves amid a turbulent period for both sides.The two clubs have endured a torrid time in the Premier League this season.Arsene Wenger has claimed Man Utd and Tottenham both need a complete rebuildCredit: SplashTottenham clinched a 1-0 win over United on SundayCredit: GettyIt left the Red Devils 15th in the Premier League tableCredit: ReutersBoth sit in the bottom half of the table, with Spurs in 12th as a result of their 1-0 win over United on Sunday.Meanwhile, the Red Devils are struggling down in 15th – just two points above West Ham.Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left shocked at the state of the two clubs after the matchHe even suggested that both needed to be completely rebuilt in order to see any improvement.Read More in FootballWenger told beIN Sports: “You will not find many happy fans on either side.”When you say it’s a very important game, I would say that it’s not a very important game for the table because they are out of everything. “It’s important for pride and to find peace with your fans because both teams cost over a billion pounds.”Both teams have the same problem: to find good players to rebuild their team.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”The whole team has to be rebuilt at Tottenham and at Man United as well – that will not be easy for either side.”Man Utd have accumulated the highest net spend in the Premier League over the last six years with £810million.Gary Neville says he’s seen ‘nothing’ from Man Utd under Ruben Amorim Meanwhile, Tottenham have the third-highest with £576m.But despite the astronomical numbers, United have only won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup during that time while Spurs remain trophy-less.Man Utd ratings v SpursMANCHESTER UNITED slipped to a 12th defeat in the Premier League with Rasmus Hojlund coming under fire again.Here’s how SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the Manchester United players against an underachieving Spurs side – who are now three places above them in 12th – in North London.Andre Onana – 3United can’t do anything with him between the sticks. Can’t be trusted to collect anything.His opposite number Vicario showed him a thing or two after returning for the first time since Spurs thrashed Man City in November.At fault for the first goal when he palmed out a relatively weak bouncing shot into Maddison’s path in the 13th minute.Noussair Mazraoui – 5An OK performance. Clever link-up play with Zirkzee but couldn’t get hold of Spence down the left-hand side.Pulled out an excellent cross for the Dutchman’s headed chance late-on.Matthijs de Ligt – 6His clearance stopped an obvious 2-0 before the half-an-hour mark.Harry Maguire – 5A mixed bag. Long ball over the top for Hojlund’s chance in opening 10 minutes and went on a few attacking runs himself in the first half.Did well to stop Dejan Kulusevski from having a go at the edge of the box. But bizarrely stopped in his tracks when a cross came flying into Son later on.Diogo Dalot – 6A difficult afternoon for the Portugal international as Son and Djed Spence left him for dead a few times.Hesitated when asked to shoot from five yards to make it 1-0 but helped Onana out with some clearances too.Patrick Dorgu – 4A Prem debut to forget. He was almost invisible from the left-hand side. And lacked quality when asked to get involved more in the second half.Was stupidly caught offside with Bruno Fernandes offloading a stunning cross pitch pass and booked late-on.Casemiro – 5Looked every bit a player that hasn’t played Premier League football for two months. Unsurprisingly booked for a late one on Son.Bizarrely dropped to the turf asking for a free-kick when nobody touched him. Was forced to play 89 minutes with eight teenagers on the bench. A difficult afternoon, indeed.Bruno Fernandes – 5Interceptions and breaking up play is not a part of the captain’s game. An uncharacteristically poor cross left United open on the counter.Did get back to stop Son from having a shot at Onana on the hour mark and started ticking in attack in the final 20 minutes.Alejandro Garnacho – 4Looked shaky and cut a frustrated figure after blazing over an absolute SITTER from 10 yards to level the scores.A bit of a shocker and looked a completely different player to the one who got United into the fifth-round of the FA Cup last week.Woke up a bit in the second half as Vicario kept him at bay with several superb stops. But the 20-year-old is clearly better off the bench.Joshua Zirkzee – 6The best of a desperately poor front three. There’s a street player in there and he’s great with his touches at times.But curled wide from 23 yards, stuck a header wide in the 70th minute and kicked an air shot in the final five minutes.Rasmus Hojlund – 3Is Hojlund the worst No 9 in United’s recent history?The young Dane, who was unlucky to have a chance saved by Vicario, was second best in every loose ball and kept losing possession.He was even caught offside after a pass from an Onana goal-kick in the first half – how often do you see that happen? More

  • in

    Disgraceful moment vicious brawl breaks out between non-league footballer and OWN supporters as investigation launched

    THIS is the shocking moment a brawl erupted between non-league players and their own fans.In a video that has gone viral on social media, Minehead AFC stars trudge off the pitch after losing 2-1 at home to Stockwood Green in the Somerset County Football League.A brawl broke out as the players headed into the dressing roomOne player was attacked by an angry mobThe hosts had just conceded a late goal and were carrying equipment back to the dressing rooms when they were confronted by a group of their own fans.Words appeared to be exchanged before a fight suddenly kicked off.After initial pushes, punches were then thrown before one player was left grappling with five supporters while another headed inside holding corner flags.They continued to leather him with blows as more fans swarmed the scene.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe player eventually wriggled away and headed into the changing rooms.Those involved in the scrap were held back by others before the door was rapidly closed to stop the angry mob getting inside.A man then shouted through the glass: “You stay away. You stay away.”Minehead’s goalkeeper then appeared and seemingly tried to calm the situation.Most read in FootballThe non-league club released a statement on social media that read: “We are fully aware and disappointed by the incident that happened at the club yesterday afternoon.”This is being investigated and the relevant authorities are involved.Watch under-10s footie match descend into CHAOS as parents storm pitch in brawl ‘after bust up between lads’”As this is an active investigation, no further comments will be made from us during this time.”Avon and Somerset Police are also aware of the fight but have refused to comment further. More