Marcus Edwards scored on his first Burnley start as the Championship promotion chasers crushed Sh...

Marcus Edwards scored on his first Burnley start as the Championship promotion chasers crushed Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 on Friday.Scott Parker's side shattered Wednesday's resistance when on-loan Sporting Lisbon winger Edwards struck just before half-time at Turf Moor.Burnley took advantage of that crucial breakthrough with second-half goals from Josh Brownhill, Connor Roberts and Manuel Benson.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>With leaders Leeds hosting second-placed Sheffield United on Monday, the third-placed Clarets moved within two points of the automatic promotion places.Wednesday, hoping to push for a play-off place, missed several chances to stop Burnley extending their impressive run of 12 games and over 1,000 minutes without conceding in the second tier.Burnley, unbeaten in 21 league games, have matched the Championship record of 25 clean-sheets in a season, set by QPR in the 2010-11 campaign.In Friday's other game, George Earthy netted a 10-minute brace as Bristol City came from behind to move into the play-off places with a 2-1 win against Middlesbrough at Ashton Gate.West Ham loanee Earthy, a 63rd-minute replacement for Anis Mehmeti, fired in from Cam Pring's 72nd minute cross and then tapped home the rebound after Scott Twine's 82nd-minute free-kick came back off the crossbar.Middlesbrough had taken the lead when Tommy Conway scored against his old club after 37 minutes, heading home after Max O'Leary had parried Kelechi Iheanacho's shot into his path.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Marcus Edwards of Burnley celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Burnley FC and Sheffield Wednesday FC at Turf Moor on February 21, 2025 in Burnley, England.

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Burnley crush Sheffield Wednesday to bolster promotion push

Leicester's bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League hit a historic low as Brentford cruis...

Leicester's bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League hit a historic low as Brentford cruised to a 4-0 win at the King Power Stadium on Friday.Ruud van Nistelrooy's side would have moved out of the relegation zone with a victory, but instead they remain two points from safety.Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard all scored for Brentford in a wretched first half for second-bottom Leicester.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Fabio Carvalho netted in the closing stages and the Foxes were booed off after a 10th defeat in their last 11 league games that added to the pressure on the under-fire Van Nistelrooy.Underlining the depth of their struggles, Leicester made unwanted history as the first ever team in the English top-flight to lose six successive home games without scoring in any of them."You have to acknowledge it's a huge step back. There was hope after recent performances, the beginning of the game was hopeful with three chances," Van Nistelrooy said."After the bright start we were never in the game again and at half-time the game was done. Everyone is going home gutted with the loss and disappointed with the levels we showed."With just 12 games left to avoid relegation, Leicester are in severe danger of an immediate return to the Championship.Enzo Maresca quit to take charge of Chelsea after masterminding Leicester's promotion last season and the club's Thai owners have failed to find an adequate replacement for the Italian.Steve Cooper was sacked after just five months in charge and former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy has fared no better.Leicester have won just four of their 26 league games this season, with Van Nistelrooy contributing only two of those victories in 15 matches.<h3>In disarray</h3>"We know we gave the other teams above us and below us a chance to gain points and momentum," Van Nistelrooy said. "Then it can become really difficult really quickly if we don't start picking up points."Van Nistelrooy was waiting to officially take charge of Leicester when they were thrashed at Brentford while he watched from the stands in November.If he could be forgiven for the result on that occasion, there were no excuses for the Dutchman this time.Wissa's 13th goal this season put 10th-placed Brentford ahead at the climax of an eye-catching raid in the 17th minute.Kevin Schade's back-heel reached Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the area and he clipped a perfect pass towards Wissa, whose close-range strike bounced awkwardly past wrong-footed Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen.Brentford's quality on the counter was too much for Van Nistelrooy's men to handle.In the 27th minute, Mbeumo took Damsgaard's pass on the right flank, cut into the area and curled a superb shot into the far corner for his 15th goal this term.Leicester were in disarray and Norgaard effectively ended the contest after just 32 minutes.Mbeumo whipped a free-kick into the six-yard box and Leicester were too slow to respond as Norgaard rose to thump his header past Hermansen.That was the signal for hundreds of disgruntled Leicester fans to head for the exits.Those that stayed saw Kristoffer Ajer's effort cannon off the post as Brentford pushed for a fourth.Thomas Frank's side rubbed salt into Leicester's gaping wounds in the 89th minute when Carvalho slotted home from Mbeumo's pass.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City applauds the fans at full-time following the team's defeat in the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Brentford FC at The King Power Stadium on February 21, 2025 in Leicester, England.

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Leicester hit historic low in Brentford rout

Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca was substituted by his angry coach Kosta Runjaic after causing a ro...

Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca was substituted by his angry coach Kosta Runjaic after causing a row with his teammates over the penalty he took and scored in Friday's 1-0 win at Lecce.Italy international Lucca scored his 10th league goal of the season for mid-table Udinese in the 32nd minute, but disobeyed team orders by snatching the ball and stopping designated taker Florian Thauvin from having a go from the spot.Lucca had to fight off his teammates in order to take the penalty, angering Runjaic even though it ended up winning his team the match.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Moments later German coach Runjaic replaced Lucca, whose goal gave Udinese their third win in four games, with Iker Bravo.

LECCE, ITALY - FEBRUARY 21: Lorenzo Lucca of Udinese, Oumar Solet of Udinese, Hassane Kamara of Udinese and Florian Thauvin of Udinese reacts during the Serie A match between Lecce and Udinese at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2025 in Lecce, Italy.

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Udinese's Lucca subbed for fighting teammates to take winning penalty

The former head of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales, who was found guilty of kissin...

The former head of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales, who was found guilty of kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent, has failed in his appeal against his suspension from football, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Friday.Rubiales was banned from all football-related activity for three years in the wake of the kiss on Hermoso as she went up to collect her Women's World Cup winner's medal in Sydney in 2023.On Thursday, a court in Madrid found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault over the kiss and fined him 10,800 euros ($11,300), but cleared him of coercion for having allegedly pressured Hermoso to downplay the incident.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>CAS said in a statement that it was dismissing the appeal because Rubiales' behaviour "constituted multiple and serious violations of the FIFA Disciplinary Code... and (it) saw no reason to consider the sanction to be disproportionate".Rubiales will therefore remain banned from football until October 2026.He announced following Thursday's verdict in the trial that he is appealing. Hermoso is also lodging an appeal.

Former president of the Spanish football federation Luis Rubiales leaves the court of San Fernando de Henares, east of Madrid, on February 14, 2025, on the last day of his trial for sexual assault. The trial of former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales for the kiss he imposed on player Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 World Cup final concluded today and is now awaiting a verdict, which could arrive in the coming weeks.

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Court of Arbitration for Sport rejects Rubiales' appeal against ban

Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer has a broken right thumb, the club announced on Thursday, with...

Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer has a broken right thumb, the club announced on Thursday, without saying how long the player would be out or when he suffered the injury."Yann Sommer underwent medical tests this morning at the Istituto Humanitas di Rozzano which revealed a fracture to his right thumb," the reigning Serie A champions said on their website. "The necessary therapy will be decided in the coming days."Inter are second in the table two points behind Napoli.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Italian media reported that the 36-year-old Swiss goalkeeper would be unavailable for Saturday's match against Genoa and could miss the top-of-the-table clash with leaders Napoli on March 2.Inter's backup keeper is Spaniard Josep Martinez, who arrived last summer from Genoa and has played one match, keeping a clean sheet as Inter beat Udinese 2-0 in the Italian Cup in December.

TURIN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 16: Yann Sommer of FC Internazionale reacts during the Serie A match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at on February 16, 2025 in Turin, Italy.

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Inter 'keeper Sommer out indefinitely with broken thumb

Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven battled into the last 16 of the Champions League Wednesday, after a...

Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven battled into the last 16 of the Champions League Wednesday, after a pulsating 3-1 extra-time win over Juventus gave them a 4-3 aggregate play-off victory.Centre-back Ryan Flamingo seized on some poor Juventus defending to poke the ball home in the first period of extra time, sending PSV through to face either Arsenal or Inter Milan."Everyone gave it their all today," said PSV captain and talismanic striker Luuk de Jong.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We had our backs up against the wall but we kept pushing and we deserved to make it 3-1. So that was great, just fantastic," added the 34-year-old.Roared on by a boisterous crowd at the Philips Stadion, the hosts started the brighter, pressing the Juventus defence, dominating possession, and winning 50-50 balls.But the first half ended goalless, PSV unable to turn possession into opportunity and Juventus happy to sit on their 2-1 lead from the first leg in Turin.Needing a goal to stay in the tie, the home side attacked the second half with more urgency, and with 53 minutes on the clock, PSV were back in the tie with a magnificent goal.Winger Noa Lang beat two Juventus defenders and delivered a pinpoint pass to veteran Croatian attacker Ivan Perisic, who controlled the ball brilliantly and drilled an unstoppable shot into the corner."That's the type of player I am. I like it when there are a lot of guys in front of me, when I'm double-covered a bit," said man-of-the-match Lang."I like that better than one-on-one. That may sound strange, but I like the bigger challenge."<h3>'Unforgettable evening'</h3>PSV were well on top, Lang curling a shot just past the post and De Jong seeing his header cleared off the line.But against the run of play, the Serie A side took back the aggregate lead via a fantastic strike from Timothy Weah, who blazed a low shot past Walter Benitez from outside the penalty area.PSV continued to press hard and the pressure eventually told as Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari seized on a goalmouth scramble to smash the ball into the top corner.With the score at 3-3 on aggregate, the Dutch champions had several agonising chances to wrap the match up in the last five minutes, Lang in particular denied by an outstretched foot from goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.Saibari fluffed a chance to take the lead in the second minute of extra time, scuffing his shot at Di Gregorio when clean through on goal.But then the hosts took the lead, as Flamingo pounced on some goalmouth confusion in the Juventus defence to poke the ball home from point-blank range."You just have to be there. I used to be a striker, so I have a nose for it," joked Flamingo, who now has three Champions League goals to his name. The onus was now on Juventus to attack and Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic was unlucky to see his effort rebound off the post.The PSV faithful endured a nailbiting second period of extra time, but saw their defence hold firm to cap a memorable night in Eindhoven.The defeat sealed a miserable play-off phase for Italian clubs after AC Milan were sent packing by Feyenoord and Atalanta lost to Club Brugge."It was a really great atmosphere today. Every moment was great. It was an unforgettable evening," said match-winner Flamingo.

EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - FEBRUARY 19: Ryan Flamingo of PSV celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between PSV and Juventus at PSV Stadion on February 19, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

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PSV beat Juventus in extra time to reach UCL last 16

Paris Saint-Germain can look forward to a showdown with either Liverpool or Barcelona in the last...

Paris Saint-Germain can look forward to a showdown with either Liverpool or Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League after mercilessly crushing French rivals Brest 7-0 on Wednesday to win their play-off round tie 10-0 on aggregate.PSG were always overwhelming favourites to beat Brest and effectively killed off the tie with a 3-0 win in Brittany in the first leg last week.There were seven different goal-scorers in the return at the Parc des Princes, with Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu netting for the home side.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It is PSG's record winning margin in a European game and the first time they have scored seven in the Champions League since they trounced Celtic 7-1 in November 2017."To score seven goals against Brest is not easy," recent signing Kvaratskhelia told broadcaster Canal Plus.PSG scored just three goals in their first five Champions League matches this season, but have found the net 21 times in five outings since then.Their dominant display here came despite Ousmane Dembele failing to add to the 18 goals he had netted in his previous 12 appearances for Luis Enrique's side.Kvaratskhelia fired a warning to PSG's future opponents, insisting the French champions believe they can now go all the way in the Champions League."I think we are showing that winning everything is possible," he said. "We come into every game to win and of course that is our goal and our dream. We will put everything into that."It was an agonising way for Brest to end their first-ever European campaign, after they made it to the knockout stages following a historic third-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.<h3>'Shameful'</h3>Being drawn against PSG was an anti-climax for Brest. They have not beaten the Parisians in 40 years and have now lost 19 of the last 20 meetings of the clubs."It's tough. We knew it was mission impossible but we wanted to show character and honour, and go out with our heads held high, but we were very disappointing," Brest midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou told Canal Plus."It is pretty shameful to go out this way. To lose 7-0 is too much. Yes Paris are a great team and I hope they go all the way, but to lose 7-0 is unacceptable."Brest did almost take the lead early on as a Mathias Pereira Lage shot was blocked in front of the line by Marquinhos, before PSG struck in the 20th minute.Barcola, on the left, controlled a Fabian Ruiz ball over the top before beating goalkeeper Gregoire Coudert at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.Kvaratskhelia made it 2-0 six minutes before the break, turning in his second goal for his new club after Barcola had flicked on a low Joao Neves cross.Neves smashed a shot against the crossbar in first-half stoppage time and Lees-Melou then hit the post for Brest early in the second half.However, a lovely strike from the edge of the area by Vitinha made it 3-0 just before the hour mark, and Ramos then produced a delightful piece of skill to tee up fellow substitute Doue for the fourth.Achraf Hakimi set up Mendes to tap in the fifth midway through the second half and Ramos made it six from close range on 76 minutes with his ninth goal of the campaign.Abdallah Sima had a goal for Brest disallowed for offside before Kvaratskhelia teed up 18-year-old Mayulu to round out the scoring on 86 minutes.PSG will find out the identity of their next opponents when the draw for the remainder of the competition is made on Friday.

PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 19: Senny Mayulu of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates scoring his team's seventh goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Stade Brestois 29 at Parc des Princes on February 19, 2025 in Paris, France.

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PSG win 10-0 on aggregate to set up UCL clash with Liverpool or Barca

Real Madrid swept Manchester City aside to qualify for the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday ...

Real Madrid swept Manchester City aside to qualify for the Champions League last 16 on WednesdayKylian Mbappe struck twice in the first half before completing his hat-trick on the hour at the Santiago Bernabeu as the European champions won the return leg of the playoff tie 3-1 to complete a 6-3 aggregate victory."I said it (before), I didn't come to Real Madrid to play badly," Mbappe told Movistar.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Making my dream come true is one thing, but I want to play well here, mark an era and make history at Real Madrid."Carlo Ancelotti's side will face either city rivals Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, coached by former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso, in the last 16, for which the draw will made on Friday."The best team won, they deserve to be there and we don't," said City boss Pep Guardiola.After two late goals last week swung the balance considerably in Madrid's favour, City suffered another blow before kick-off in Spain with Erling Haaland only considered fit enough to start on the bench.Mbappe padded Madrid's advantage with a fourth-minute lob, squeezing in between Ruben Dias and John Stones as he latched onto Raul Asencio's long ball and lifted his effort over City goalkeeper Ederson.The France striker rounded off a flowing team move with a sharp finish for Madrid's second of the game, completing his hat-trick with a crisp left-footed shot from the edge of the area. Nico Gonzalez netted a consolation in stoppage time for City after Omar Marmoush's powerful free-kick came back off the crossbar.The lone real disappointment on the night for Madrid was a yellow card for Jude Bellingham that will rule the England midfielder out of the first leg of the last 16.For City, the focus will switch to simply securing a place in next season's Champions League after a disastrous domestic campaign for a team that won the last four Premier League titles. "It's been our worst year ... we've been an incredible team and this year, for many reasons, we have lost that consistency," said Guardiola.

MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 19: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid celebrates 3-0 during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid v Manchester City at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 19, 2025 in Madrid Spain

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Mbappe's hat-trick sinks Man City as Madrid cruise into UCL round of 16

Borussia Dortmund cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League after a goalless draw with Spo...

Borussia Dortmund cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League after a goalless draw with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday sealed a 3-0 aggregate victory.Serhou Guirassy missed a second-half penalty, but it mattered for nothing in the end as last season's finalists were rarely troubled by Sporting and coasted through.Dortmund's reward is a last-16 game against Aston Villa or Lille.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It was always a tough ask for this young Sporting side ravaged by injury to overturn the damage done in last week's first leg, when Guirassy, Pascal Gross and Karim Adeyemi all scored.Dortmund dominated much of the return leg on a freezing night in Germany, with Marcel Sabitzer coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a rasping drive from distance that Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva did well to palm around his post.After the break, Dortmund got the chance to put the tie to bed from the spot when Silva was adjudged to have brought down Adeyemi in the box after Nico Schlotterbeck's long pass split the visitors' defence.But Guirassy's well-hit penalty was saved superbly by the Portuguese goalkeeper low to his right, denying the Guinean striker an 11th Champions League goal in 10 games this season.Gio Reyna came off the bench and almost made an immediate impact against the Portuguese league leaders, hitting the post, but this was a night when Dortmund created little and Sporting even less, with the visitors failing to register a single shot on target.Ultimately, Sporting lacked the ambition to turn around the tie, allowing Niko Kovac's side to progress on the back of a relatively easy night's work.

DORTMUND, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 19: Conrad Harder of Sporting CP battles for possession with Emre Can of Borussia Dortmund during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Clube de Portugal at BVB Stadion Dortmund on February 19, 2025 in Dortmund, Germany.

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Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate

Bayern Munich secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 94th-minute strik...

Bayern Munich secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 94th-minute strike by Alphonso Davies on Tuesday to secure a 1-1 draw on the night and a 3-2 aggregate win. Bayern will face either their fellow German rivals Bayer Leverkusen or Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in the last 16.Celtic had led 1-0 since the 63rd minute and the Scottish side had been on the verge of taking the German giants to extra time and pulling off their first ever win in Germany. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But with Harry Kane off injured and time running out, Davies stepped up as Bayern's saviour, tapping in after Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel had kept out Leon Goretzka's header. Bayern went into this game 2-1 up from last week's first leg at Celtic Park and seeking to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions. Bayern dominated possession in the first half but Celtic were more dangerous with at least three clear-cut chances to score before the break.Former Bayern Munich second-team player, Nicolas Kuehn, beat Manuel Neuer but Raphael Guerreiro cleared off the line. Moments later, Alistair Johnston flashed a dangerous ball across the Bayern goal. With Neuer stranded the ball flew just beyond Daizen Maeda. Then Maeda missed a golden opportunity to put Celtic ahead. When Dayot Upamecano was forced into a stray pass, Kuehn led the surge forward and fed Maeda, who blazed over with Kuehn and Jota in support. Bayern dominated the ball on a freezing night but suffered with a lack of quality in attack. Serge Gnabry was wasteful while Kane sometimes cut an isolated figure, starved of service. The England captain's best chance saw him rattling the bar with a snapshot after Josip Stanisic picked him out from the right. That would be Kane's final action. The striker was withdrawn at half time, feeling the effects of an injury picked up against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Bayern upped the pressure after the break and fashioned a clear chance when Goretzka went clean through. Schmeichel, however, made a crucial stop to keep Celtic in the game.Soon after, Celtic were in front. Maeda seized on a loose pass by Stanisic and helped it on toward Kuehn. Kim Min-jae reached the ball first but could not clear and Kuehn was able to take a touch and find the bottom corner. It was a goal that shocked the Allianz Arena and threatened Bayern's record of 20 European home games unbeaten. Celtic were delivering on coach Brendan Rodgers' pre-match battle cry to show bravery. Bayern sought an equaliser but Vincent Kompany's side were reduced to long-range shots, with Schmeichel pulling off saves from Joshua Kimmich, Michael Olise and substitute Leroy Sane. Celtic were moments away from inflicting Bayern's first defeat by a Scottish team and taking the tie into extra-time but the game had a sting in the tail. Olise delivered a pinpoint cross that was met by Goretzka. Schmeichel saved but Davies scrambled the rebound home off his shin to send Bayern through to the last 16.

MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 18: Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

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Davies' last-second goal helps Bayern avoid UCL upset vs. Celtic

Benfica snatched a nailbiting 3-3 draw against Monaco on Tuesday to reach the Champions League la...

Benfica snatched a nailbiting 3-3 draw against Monaco on Tuesday to reach the Champions League last 16 with a 4-3 aggregate victory in the play-off round.Monaco twice led on the night and came close to forcing extra-time but Orkun Kokcu's 84th minute equaliser helped Benfica scrape through in Lisbon, with Barcelona or Liverpool awaiting in the next round.Kerem Akturkoglu put the hosts ahead against the run of play, with Takumi Minamino levelling for Monaco after 32 minutes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Eliesse Ben Seghir fired the visitors ahead but Vangelis Pavlidis struck from the spot to keep the score tied on the night.French youngster George Ilenikhena netted in the 81st minute for Monaco but Kokcu prodded home to send Benfica through."It was a tough night, we knew Monaco would put pressure on us from the start and we felt it, we didn't play our best game," Kokcu told SportTV."Still, we're happy to have progressed to the last 16, I'm happy to have contributed to the result."Monaco hammered Nantes 7-1 on Saturday in the French top flight, sharpening their pencils ahead of their crucial exam at the Estadio da Luz.Both sides were without key players through injuy and suspension, with Benfica missing Angel Di Maria among others, while Monaco started with just one recognised midfielder.Wingers Maghnes Akliouche and Ben Seghir played more centrally than usual and both shone in Lisbon, despite ending up on the losing side.Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin made a good save to deny Monaco's Krepin Diatta early on, as the Ligue 1 side looked to get back on level terms in the tie and had the better of the first half.However it was the hosts who took the lead after superb work by Benfica striker Pavlidis.The Greek attacker, who netted a hat-trick against Barcelona in the group stage, turned provider on this occasion and, after darting into the area, crossed to the back post for Akturkoglu to turn home.Swiss international Breel Embolo almost levelled for Monaco but his header hit the post, although the visitors netted less than a minute later.Embolo did well to hold off veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, allowing former Liverpool attacker Minamino room for a shot and he drilled home at the near post.Monaco should have taken the lead just before half-time but Embolo fired a glorious chance high over the crossbar after the impressive Akliouche surged through the middle and teed him up.<h3>'A lot of fight'</h3>Ben Seghir forced Trubin into a fine save early in the second half, before pulling Monaco level at 2-2 on aggregate after 51 minutes.The Moroccan winger produced a deadly accurate first-time finish inside the near post after Akliouche cut the ball back to him from the right.Bruno Lage's side struggled to find a foothold in the match but Thilo Kehrer handed the hosts a lifeline when he went to clear the ball but arrived late and kicked Fredrik Aursnes in the box.Pavlidis, who netted the only goal of the first leg, powered home from the spot for his seventh of the tournament.Ilenikhena put Monaco back ahead on the night mere seconds after coming on from the bench, with Trubin unable to keep his low rifled effort out despite getting a hand to it.Adi Hutter's side could not hold on for more than three minutes, with Alvaro Carreras firing in a dangerous cross which Benfica midfielder Kokcu flicked home.Benfica were awarded another penalty in stoppage time when Diatta seemed to bring down Samuel Dahl, but the referee changed his mind after a VAR review."What made the difference today was 100 percent the team's spirit, with a lot of fight," said Dahl."The game had its ups and downs, they attacked, we attacked... in the end, we scored three goals."We also conceded three, but we advanced, which was the main objective."

Benfica's Turkish midfielder #10 Orkun Kokcu (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring their third goal during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off second leg football match between SL Benfica and AS Monaco at Luz stadium in Lisbon on February 18, 2025.

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Benfica hold off Monaco in thriller to reach Champions League last 16

Feyenoord reached the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday after taking advantage of Theo H...

Feyenoord reached the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday after taking advantage of Theo Hernandez's damaging sending off to draw 1-1 at AC Milan and go through 2-1 on aggregate.Julian Carranza thumped home the winning header in the 73rd minute at a frigid San Siro, sending around 5,000 away fans wild at the same ground where Feyenoord won the old European Cup in 1970.Argentine attacker Carranza, who told reporters he was too sick with fever to start the match, cancelled out Santiago Gimenez's first-minute opener for the seven-time European champions Milan and sent the Dutch through to meet either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the next round.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The only sour note for Feyenoord was right-back Givairo Read being sent off after the final whistle as tempers flared on the touchline between both sets of players."The 25 minutes that I played, or 30, I was not feeling great and I think everyone could see it, because after every single sprint there was coughing," said Carranza."It's the most important goal I've ever scored so I'm really happy for that."Carranza struck for Feyenoord shortly after coming on as substitute as the away side pushed to reach the next round following Hernandez's red card five minutes after half-time.Already on a booking for a needless foul on Anis Hadj-Moussa just before half-time, Hernandez was ruled by referee Szymon Marciniak to have dived in the penalty box when under pressure from Read.<h3>Hernandez horror show</h3>The France full-back, who went close to putting Milan ahead in the 23rd minute when he crashed a close-range effort off the post, was dismissed, leaving Milan on the back foot after having dominated up to that point.Hernandez's sending off and Carranza's tie-winning header ruined what looked to be Gimenez's night when he nodded home the opener against his old team after just 36 seconds.Mexico forward Gimenez, who transferred to Milan from Feyenoord during the winter transfer window, pushed the ball home from practically on the line after Malick Thiaw did brilliantly to keep in Christian Pulisic's cross."Yes, today Theo was sent off but that could happen to anyone. That's football," said Gimenez to Sky."We all have great respect for Theo and we ask that he is supported because he always gives everything for Milan and is one of the best full-backs in the world"Now we can't look back, we have to look forward. We're still in the (Italian) cup and have work to do in the league so all we can do is keep our heads down and work hard."The 23-year-old Gimenez has already scored three times for Milan since signing from Feyenoord but his sixth goal in the Champions League this season was also his last.Milan coach Sergio Conceicao was quick to deflect blame away from Hernandez."You can talk about whether Theo was touched or not but we need to be stronger emotionally and mentally," said Conceicao."This elimination is down to me, not Theo or anyone else. I'm the one who's responsible. Theo has gven a lot to Milan."Milan are by no means assured of a spot in next year's tournament as they sit seventh in Serie A, five points off the top four with a game in hand.And their season has been greatly compromised by the dismal way they lost the first leg in Rotterdam and Hernandez's poor discipline which led to Tuesday's painful elimination.

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Theo Hernandez of AC Milan is shown a red card after receiving a second yellow during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between AC Milan and Feyenoord at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 18, 2025 in Milan, Italy.

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Feyenoord advance to UCL last 16 as red card dooms Milan

Leeds took a huge step towards a return to the Premier League after Pascal Struijk's dramatic 95t...

Leeds took a huge step towards a return to the Premier League after Pascal Struijk's dramatic 95th-minute winner defeated Championship promotion rivals Sunderland 2-1 at Elland Road on Monday.Dutch defender Struijk was the unlikely hero with both Leeds goals despite only playing the final 20 minutes as a substitute.Wilson Isidor had fired Sunderland in front with his 12th goal of the season before half-time.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But the Black Cats' chances of automatic promotion are beginning to fade as Leeds and Sheffield United pull away at the top of the table.Struijk began the fightback when he headed in fellow substitute Joe Rothwell's enticing free-kick on 78 minutes.The same duo combined for the winner as another dangerous cross from Rothwell left the centre-back with an easy finish to head into an unguarded net with the final act of the game.The winning goal sparked wild scenes of celebration among the capacity 38,000 crowd as one of English football's sleeping giants edge closer to a return to the top flight.Leeds move two points ahead of Sheffield United but crucially seven clear of third-placed Burnley and 10 of Sunderland in fourth with 13 games remaining.

Leeds United's Pascal Struijk (centre) celebrates with team-mates after the Sky Bet Championship match at Elland Road, Leeds. Picture date: Monday February 17, 2025.

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Leeds close in on Premier League return thanks to 95th-minute winner

Real Valladolid parted ways with Argentine coach Diego Cocca on Monday after a painful two-months...

Real Valladolid parted ways with Argentine coach Diego Cocca on Monday after a painful two-months at the helm of the club owned by the Brazil great Ronaldo Nazario.Cocca oversaw six defeats and a single win after taking over from Paulo Pezzolano, himself sacked in December after winning promotion from the second tier but then securing just two wins in 15 games.Following Sunday's 4-0 home defeat to Sevilla, Ronaldo's club have just 15 points from 24 top flight games with 14 more matches left to close an eight point gap and escape the drop.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 48-year-old Ronaldo is planning to sell his 51 percent share in the club and is a candidate to take over as head of the Brazilian football confederation.

MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 07: Diego Cocca, Head Coach of Real Valladolid CF, looks on prior to the LaLiga match between Rayo Vallecano and Real Valladolid CF at Estadio de Vallecas on February 07, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.

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Ronaldo's rock-bottom Valladolid sack coach Diego Cocca

Juventus stopped Inter Milan from replacing Napoli at the top of Serie A on Sunday by beating the...

Juventus stopped Inter Milan from replacing Napoli at the top of Serie A on Sunday by beating their fierce rivals 1-0 and moving into Italy's Champions League positions.Francisco Conceicao made sure that Napoli would stay two points ahead of Inter by crashing in the winning goal 16 minutes before the end of an entertaining contest in Turin.Portugal attacker Conceicao netted his fourth goal of the season in all competitions after brilliant work from Randal Kolo Muani to give Juve a third straight league win.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Juve are in fourth place, ahead on goal difference from Lazio, who had done wasteful Inter a favour by holding Napoli to a 2-2 draw in Rome on Saturday.But Napoli stay at the summit, with Antonio Conte's team and Inter facing off in Naples in a fortnight, a match which could well be key to the destination of the Scudetto.Juve now turn their attention to Wednesday's return leg of their Champions League playoff with PSV Eindhoven, with Thiago Motta's side leading the tie 2-1 following the first leg in Turin.

TURIN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 16: Francisco Conceicao of Juventus celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with teammate Randal Kolo Muani during the Serie A match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Juventus Stadium on February 16, 2025 in Turin, Italy.

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Juventus deny Inter top spot in Serie A with huge Derby d'Italia win

Nice climbed back into the Ligue 1 top three with a 3-1 win at struggling Le Havre on Sunday afte...

Nice climbed back into the Ligue 1 top three with a 3-1 win at struggling Le Havre on Sunday after Lyon continued their European push by thrashing last-placed Montpellier.Nice quickly seized control in Le Havre through a 16th minute goal by Gaetan Laborde and an own goal from Etienne Youte Kinkoue two minutes later.Yassine Kechta replied for the hosts after 28 minute. Nice fullback Melvin Bard received his second yellow card in the final minute, but substitute Sofiane Diop sealed the win for the visitors with a goal deep into added time.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Nice regained the final guaranteed Champions League slot on goal difference from Monaco, who had hammered Nantes 7-1 the night before.Lyon moved up to fifth as they took revenge for a home defeat earlier in the season with a 4-1 win at Montpellier. Georges Mikautadze gave the visitors a third-minute lead. Tanguy Coulibaly levelled before the break. Lyon dominated the second half and struck through Ernest Nuamah, Corentin Tolisso, and Alexandre Lacazette, with his 15th career goal against Montpellier.Next up Lyon host league leaders Paris Saint-Germain"We'll be playing against the best team in the French league. We're going to prepare our strategy well, knowing that we've made good progress,' said Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca.Strasbourg rose to seventh as they won 2-0 at Lens. The hosts were reduced to 10 men when fullback Deiver Machado was sent off in the 72nd minute. The visitors exploited their advantage with an 81st minute goal by Dilane Bakwa and a second, in the 96th minute, by Emmanuel Emegha.Farid El Melali scored the only goal as Angers won 1-0 at Reims.On Saturday, Fabian Ruiz scored the only goal as PSG edged out Toulouse 1-0 to stay 10 points clear at the top of the table from Marseille, who thrashed Saint-Etienne 5-1 earlier.

Nice's French midfielder #10 Sofiane Diop celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the French L1 football match between Le Havre AC and OGC Nice at The Stade Oceane in Le Havre, north-western France, on February 16, 2025.

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Ligue 1 roundup: Nice down lowly Le Havre, Lyon thrash Montpellier

Goals from Hugo Larsson, Tuta and Can Uzun lifted Eintracht Frankfurt to a comfortable 3-1 Bundes...

Goals from Hugo Larsson, Tuta and Can Uzun lifted Eintracht Frankfurt to a comfortable 3-1 Bundesliga home victory over Holstein Kiel on Sunday, tightening their grip on third spot. Larsson put Frankfurt in front from a Nathaniel Brown cross after 18 minutes and Tuta took advantage of a failed Kiel clearance to double the lead on the 37-minute mark. Hugo Ekitike won a penalty shortly before halftime, but was unable to convert it, with Kiel 'keeper Thomas Daehne guessing right to keep out the Frenchman's shot. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Uzun put the match beyond doubt 15 minutes into the second half when he pressed Kiel into an error, before slotting home. Kiel's Finn Porath scored in the 73rd minute, tapping in a rebound after having two shots saved by Kevin Trapp.Ekitike's frustrating day continued when he had an excellent late solo goal struck off for offside. Bochum's 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday means Kiel finish the weekend in last place, eight points from safety. The victory sent Frankfurt five points clear of fourth-placed RB Leipzig with 22 games of a 34-game season played. The Eagles are on track to qualify for the Champions League for just the second time in their history, with their first appearance coming courtesy of winning the Europa League in 2022. "Right now, things look pretty nice in the table but what matters more is how things look on the 34th matchday," Trapp told DAZN. With a trip to Bayern next week, followed by hosting Leverkusen, Frankfurt face the Bundesliga's top two in the coming fortnight. "The next two weeks we've got the two top teams ahead of us. In Munich you know how hard it is -- you almost need a perfect day, but we won't hide," added Trapp."After that we've got the defending German champions -- and we won't be hiding for that one either, we know our qualities." Hoffenheim took a major step away from the relegation zone, winning 3-1 away at Werder Bremen. The win, Hoffenheim's first in a month, came thanks to goals from Anton Stach, Tom Bischof and Gift Orban. Hoffenheim now sit seven points clear of Heidenheim, who occupy the relegation playoff spot. Heidenheim host Mainz in Sunday's final match.

16 February 2025, Hesse, Frankfurt/Main: Soccer: Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt - Holstein Kiel, Matchday 22, Deutsche Bank Park. Frankfurt's Hugo Larsson (2nd from left) celebrates after his goal for 1:0 with Hugo Ekitiké (l), Nathaniel Brown (r) and Arthur Theate. Photo: Arne Dedert/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL German Football League and the DFB German Football Association, it is prohibited to utilize or have utilized photographs taken in the stadium and/or of the match in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series.

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Frankfurt cruise past Holstein Kiel to tighten grip on 3rd place

Tottenham won the battle of the Premier League's underachievers 1-0 on Sunday to inflict another ...

Tottenham won the battle of the Premier League's underachievers 1-0 on Sunday to inflict another dismal result on Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.James Maddison scored the only goal on 13 minutes as Spurs moved above United in the table into 12th thanks to a third win over the Red Devils this season.Victory eased the pressure on under-fire Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou after exiting both domestic cup competitions this month to go with their lowly league position.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>United now find themselves down in 15th but do enjoy a 12-point cushion over the bottom three."The place in the table is my worry, I am not worried about me," said Amorim, who has won just four of 14 Premier League games since taking charge in November."I hate to lose. That feeling is the worst. The rest I am not thinking about."I understand my situation, my job, I am confident in my work and I just want to win games."Tottenham's first home league win since November came amid a spirit of revolt among their support.Before kick-off and after the match, Spurs fans again vented their frustration towards owners ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy."24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy - time for change," read a huge banner as a sizeable contingent of the home crowd joined a protest calling for Levy to go.However, the mood for Postecoglou was lifted even before kick-off as he was able to welcome back a host of first-team regulars who have been sidelined by injury.<h3>'Quality players' return</h3>Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made his first appearance since November. Maddison returned to the starting line-up, while Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert were on the bench."They are quality players. We've had it pretty tough the last two-and-a-half months," said Postecoglou. "It was important for us to win and gain some traction."I certainly feel there is still a massive opportunity for us in this back half of the season, and hopefully today is the start of that."United have their own injury troubles, with Amad Diallo joining Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines for the rest of the season and Kobbie Mainoo ruled out for a month.Amorim had to name eight teenagers among his nine substitutes, forcing Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to start together up front after both were overlooked for United's last league game - a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.Hojlund had the first chance when he fired too close to Vicario before the Italian flew to his left to deny Alejandro Garnacho.Instead, Spurs got the opener when Andre Onana could only parry Lucas Bergvall's shot into the path of Maddison, who tapped into an empty net for his 10th goal of the season.United should have been at least level by half-time as Garnacho blazed over a glorious opportunity with just Vicario to beat after being picked out by Bruno Fernandes.Vicario continued to frustrate Garnacho with another fine save after the break.Zirkzee wasted a huge chance to equalise 20 minutes from time when the Dutch international headed Noussair Mazraoui's cross wide with the goal gaping.But United's inability to put the ball in the net comes as little surprise.Only the bottom three plus Everton have scored fewer than United's 28 goals in 25 league games this season.At the other end, Onana kept the visitors in the game by parrying Dejan Kulusevski's powerful effort.But even Spurs' makeshift backline could not be breached by Amorim's men to allow Postecoglou to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammate Djed Spence during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Manchester United FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 16, 2025 in London, England.

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Spurs beat Man United for 3rd time this season in battle of EPL strugglers

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expects Amad Diallo to miss the rest of the season with an...

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expects Amad Diallo to miss the rest of the season with ankle ligament damage.Diallo suffered the injury in training and Amorim confirmed before Sunday's Premier League game at Tottenham that the Ivory Coast winger is likely to be sidelined until next term.Asked if Diallo would be out for the rest of the season, Amorim told Sky Sports: "I think so."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 22-year-old has been one of the few bright points in a campaign to forget at Old Trafford, scoring six goals in his last 14 appearances in all competitions.Diallo's long-term absence is a major blow to Amorim, who revealed ahead of the trip to north London that Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer had picked up injuries in addition to Diallo's setback.Christian Eriksen and Leny Yoro are also suffering from illness, while Lisandro Martinez recently sustained a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury."Amad was alone, Ugarte was a kick," Amorim added. "Toby and Kobbie they felt something during training."It is what it is but we have the kids, they have the opportunity to be on the bench and they are ready to play."It's a really hard season and we have to deal with that and we are doing that."Asked if he felt like the world was against him, Amorim said: "I don't see it like that, sometimes things happen and there are seasons that everything happens at the same time."I know that Amad, if you follow all the big situations, the creation of danger in the opposite box, Amad was always there. "Maybe we'll find new ways to create situations. Maybe we will find good things in this difficult moment."

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 2: Amad Diallo of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Crystal Palace FC at Old Trafford on February 2, 2025 in Manchester, England.

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Amorim expects Diallo to miss rest of Man United's season

Arne Slot hailed Liverpool's fighting spirit as the "fatigued" Premier League leaders survived a ...

Arne Slot hailed Liverpool's fighting spirit as the "fatigued" Premier League leaders survived a tense 2-1 win against Wolves on Sunday.Slot's side moved seven points clear of second-placed Arsenal thanks to Luis Diaz's early opener and a Mohamed Salah penalty before the interval at Anfield.It wasn't easy for Liverpool despite that strong start as fourth-bottom Wolves hit back impressively.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Matheus Cunha's blast reduced the deficit and Liverpool had to hold on in the closing stages before they could celebrate a first win in three games in all competitions.Indebted to Alisson Becker for some crucial saves, Liverpool boss Slot said: "This one is big. We needed to fight and we needed Alisson. "Wolves took a lot of risks. In a season where you want to achieve something, you need to have wins like this as well."It's never the game-plan never to create anything at all. They got better and better, we got worse and worse. "We had to show a different mentality and got it over the line. If this is what it takes to win a game then I'm happy the players could do that again."Slot admitted Liverpool were running on fumes at times after Wednesday's emotionally draining 2-2 draw at Merseyside rivals Everton, which featured a stoppage-time equaliser for the Toffees, and last weekend's embarrassing FA Cup exit at second tier Plymouth."Fatigue comes from running a lot and a bit of mental fatigue a lot. We were mentally tested today. We thought we'd scored a third and then a penalty for the third but both were correct from the referee," he said."Maybe it did lead to us being a bit tired. I did see for the first time this season that players were more tired than they have been."If you want to achieve something it is not only about bringing the ball out from the back or Mo scoring goals, it is also about defending."<h3>'You can never breathe'</h3>Liverpool's ability to grind out a fourth win in their last five league matches kept Arsenal at bay in the title race.Chasing a record-equalling 20th English title and their first since 2020, Liverpool are 13 games away from the trophy.They face significant clashes with Aston Villa, Manchester City and Newcastle in their next three league games.And Slot knows Arsenal -- who have finished runners-up for the last two seasons -- will do everything they can to take the race to a dramatic conclusion."If you look at the last few seasons it has mostly been a battle between two teams. As things stand now it mostly looks like between us and Arsenal," he said."You can never breathe in this competition. I saw Arsenal's 15-game unbeaten run and the gap has always been the same so that shows that we do."If you want to compete for something special then you have to win a lot of games in this league."Slot was able to sit on the bench against Wolves despite being charged with abusive behaviour towards the match officials after being sent off at the end of the stormy Merseyside derby.The Dutchman could eventually face a suspension and he said: "It is an ongoing process, it is not smart to talk about it. "We've seen the comments from the referee and now we can say our part. It's down to a panel to decide if I get a ban."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Anfield on February 16, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

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Slot salutes Liverpool's spirit in tricky Wolves win: 'This one is big'

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