Antonio Conte agreed to continue coaching Napoli on Thursday, committing his future to the club h...

<p>Antonio Conte agreed to continue coaching Napoli on Thursday, committing his future to the club he led to a fourth Serie A title last week.</p><p>"Full speed ahead. Stronger than before!" Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wrote on <a href="http://x.com/ADeLaurentiis/status/1928181195482804728">X</a>.</p><p>Conte secured a salary increase and guarantees that the defending champions will reinforce their squad this summer, according to transfer insider <a href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1928168132520144985">Fabrizio Romano</a>.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>His deal reportedly remains valid until June 2027.</p><p>Conte wasn't sure whether he'd stay at Napoli as recently as last month.</p><p>"I'm happy in Naples, and I'm working for fans who give me something emotionally. That's very important. But you know that whoever hires me knows that I bring with me expectations," Conte said, according to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3290359" href="https://thescore.com/news/3290359">Agence France-Presse</a>. "People hire me and think, 'You have to finish first or second. Even if you finished 10th the year before, and you have to fight for the title, qualifying for Europe isn't enough.'</p><p>"I can handle all of that, but I'm not stupid if there aren't the resources in place to achieve that."</p><p>News of Napoli's agreement with Conte comes hours after AC Milan convinced Massimiliano Allegri to return to the club for a second stint as manager. Allegri, who replaces Sergio Conceicao, helped the Rossoneri win their 18th Scudetto during the 2010-11 season.</p><p>Allegri reportedly signed a two-year contract worth €5 million per season, with the option to extend for an additional two years.</p><p>Milan moved quickly to hire Allegri as Italian media reports pegged the Tuscan coach as Napoli's backup for Conte.</p><p>Conceicao <a href="https://x.com/acmilan/status/1928174001169346755">officially left</a> Milan on Thursday, less than a week after the club closed the season in eighth place without European qualification. The Portuguese coach arrived in January as Paulo Fonseca's successor and captured the Supercoppa Italiana in his first matches at the helm but was unable to carry his early success into Serie A.</p><p>Juventus were strongly linked with Conte, who coached them to three consecutive championships before departing in 2014. Igor Tudor remains in charge, but it's unclear for how long. One of Conte's former teammates, Tudor led the Bianconeri back to the Champions League with a win over Venezia on the final day of the season and reportedly earned an automatic one-year contract extension. But it remains to be seen if Juventus will head to the Club World Cup next month with a different coach on the bench.</p><p>Gian Piero Gasperini, one of the architects behind Atalanta's impressive rise over the last nine seasons, emerged as a option after questioning his future in Bergamo. Gasperini coached Juventus' youth team in the 1990s after coming through the ranks as a player in the '60s and '70s.</p><p>But the 67-year-old is now in advanced talks to succeed Claudio Ranieri as Roma's next manager, according to <a href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1928066230335709197">Romano</a>. Gasperini and Ranieri are good friends, and Ranieri had already indicated he'd step down and retire from coaching at the end of the season.</p><p>Ranieri steered his hometown club to fifth place after a nightmarish start to the campaign cost managers Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric their jobs. The club's then CEO also resigned as fans protested.</p><p>Conte seems convinced Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis will build a good enough team to compete in both Serie A and the Champions League next year. De Laurentiis already <a href="https://www.dazn.com/en-GB/news/football/he-s-already-bought-a-villa-napoli-president-on-potential-kevin-de-bruyne-move/1vvad3thunsuk11a5lcilrd2d3">confirmed</a> Manchester City midfielder <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/9965" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/9965">Kevin De Bruyne</a> bought property in the area and that he'd likely arrive on a free transfer. Lille forward <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///intfr/players/159817" href="https://thescore.com/intfr/players/159817">Jonathan David</a>, a pending free agent who finished fourth in Ligue 1 scoring with 16 goals, is reportedly under consideration as well.</p><p>De Laurentiis showed last summer he was willing to spend, dropping an estimated €150 million on transfer fees alone.</p><p> </p>

NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 23: Antonio Conte celebrates the Serie A title victory at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 23, 2025 in Naples, Italy.

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Serie A saga ends with Conte staying at Napoli, Allegri back at Milan

Aston Villa filed a complaint with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) on Sunda...

<p>Aston Villa filed a complaint with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) on Sunday to "raise concerns" about the referee who disallowed a goal that could've helped them qualify for the Champions League.</p><p>Villa believe a more experienced official than Thomas Bramall should've been appointed for Sunday's season finale against Manchester United. Bramall refereed 11 Premier League matches this season in addition to 12 in the second-tier Championship, according to <a href="https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/thomas-bramall/profil/schiedsrichter/11934">transfermarkt.com</a>.</p><p>The flash point occurred midway through the second half with the game still goalless and promising to deliver the point Villa needed to finish in the top five. Bramall blew his whistle as Villa midfielder <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/101913" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/101913">Morgan Rogers</a> dislodged the ball from underneath United 'keeper <a href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/163652">Altay Bayindir</a>, negating the goal that followed. The VAR on duty couldn't intervene because the play was blown dead.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Villa said the decision was a "major contributing factor to the club not qualifying for the Champions League" and instead finishing in sixth. Newcastle placed fifth only on goal difference.</p><p>"As per the standards that have been established over the course of the season, a decision to whistle early is clearly inconsistent with current refereeing guidelines," Villa <a href="https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/may/25/club-statement/">said</a> in a statement. "VAR exists to ensure that these types of situations receive the scrutiny they deserve. Unfortunately, the technology was not allowed to serve its purpose."</p><p>The goal would've given 10-man Villa an improbable 1-0 win at Old Trafford. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/49561" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/49561">Emiliano Martinez</a>'s red card for a bodycheck outside the area left his team shorthanded for the entire second half.</p><p>United quickly went the other way and scored through <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/163335" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/163335">Amad Diallo</a>. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/4755" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/4755">Christian Eriksen</a>'s penalty gave United a 2-0 win.</p><p>"I don't think any of us in the dressing room, anyone watching the game, felt like we deserved to win. Man United deserved to win. They were the better team. They were on the front foot (and) missed loads of chances. But the decision is incredible," Villa captain <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/68212" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/68212">John McGinn</a> told <a href="https://x.com/footballontnt/status/1926691237869781180">TNT Sports</a>. "I think everyone, when VAR was implemented, wanted the correct decisions. ... For Thomas to blow his whistle at that point is really tough to handle. I don't think we deserve to win the game, but at that point, you're 1-0 up with 20 (minutes) to go. All you need is a point to get into the Champions League. It's a really costly one."</p><p>Villa manager Unai Emery followed Bramall down the tunnel after the game ended and said the referee told him he made a mistake.</p><p>"He whistled. He needed to have it under his control, waiting for VAR. I believe in VAR. I spoke with the referee and he knows his mistake," Emery said, according to Birmingham Mail correspondent <a href="https://x.com/johntownley11/status/1926704095932411922">John Townley</a>. "I make mistakes, my players and the referees. We have to accept it. I believe in VAR."</p>

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers (right) kicks the ball away from Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before scoring only for the goal to be disallowed by referee Thomas Bramall during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday May 25, 2025.

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Villa lodge complaint over ref who called off goal with UCL on the line

Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle United edged out Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest for th...

<p>Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle United edged out Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest for the Premier League's final three Champions League berths on the last day of the season Sunday.</p><p>Everton's shocking 1-0 win over Newcastle at St. James' Park would've eliminated the Magpies from contention if not for Villa's 2-0 loss to Manchester United. Even in defeat, Newcastle managed to claim fifth place on goal difference.</p><p>Chelsea only had to beat Forest to end their two-year absence from the Champions League, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/183455" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/183455">Levi Colwill</a>'s 50th-minute winner sealed it.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Manchester City posted a straightforward 2-0 victory over Fulham to end an otherwise disappointing season just three points behind Arsenal in a respectable third.</p><p>Villa drop into the Europa League, while Forest settle for Conference League football. Crystal Palace go into the Europa League as FA Cup winners and Tottenham Hotspur enter the Champions League as Europa League holders, giving the Premier League nine teams in Europe.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>#</th>
<th>Club</th>
<th>GD</th>
<th>Pts</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td><strong>Manchester City</strong></td>
<td><strong>+28</strong></td>
<td><strong>71</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td><strong>Chelsea</strong></td>
<td><strong>+21</strong></td>
<td><strong>69</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td><strong>Newcastle United</strong></td>
<td><strong>+21</strong></td>
<td><strong>66</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td>Aston Villa</td>
<td>+7</td>
<td>66</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td>Nottingham Forest</td>
<td>+12</td>
<td>65</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Villa's hopes of qualifying took a massive hit before halftime of their match at Old Trafford when <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/49561" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/49561">Emiliano Martinez</a> was sent off for a bodycheck outside of the area. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/101913" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/101913">Morgan Rogers</a> thought he had given Villa an improbable lead when he dispossessed United 'keeper <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/163652" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/163652">Altay Bayindir</a>, but the referee had blown the whistle and ruled the play dead. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/163335" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/163335">Amad Diallo </a>scored for United seconds later, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/4755" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/4755">Christian Eriksen</a> converted a penalty in his final match for the club.</p><p>Forest were attempting to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since they were defending European Cup champions in 1981 and had been as high as third in the standings. But Chelsea were fighting to end a drought that felt just as long, even if it was only for a fraction of the time. The Blues had failed to finish in the top four in each of the last two seasons despite spending more than £1.2 billion on transfers since Clearlake Capital's takeover in May 2022, and they filtered through four managers in that time.</p><p>Blues boss Enzo Maresca endured plenty of criticism for his conservative tactics, but he managed to close the gap and clinch fourth place with five wins in the club's final six Premier League games.</p><p>Forest can still take solace in achieving their highest Premier League finish since coming in third in 1994-95, a huge improvement on the 17th place they mustered while narrowly avoiding relegation last season.</p>

Chelsea's Argentinian midfielder #08 Enzo Fernandez (L) and Chelsea's English midfielder #11 Noni Madueke celebrate their team's goal during the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on May 25, 2025.

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Chelsea back in UCL after 2 years; Newcastle pip Villa to 5th on final day

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen on Satur...

<p>Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday to succeed Xabi Alonso as manager, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6355721/2025/05/24/ten-hag-leverkusen-manager/">The Athletic's David Ornstein</a>.</p><p>United fired Ten Hag in October after a run of just four wins in 14 matches, but he quickly emerged as a top candidate to replace Alonso when the Spaniard <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3283026" href="https://thescore.com/news/3283026">announced</a> he was leaving Leverkusen earlier this month.</p><p>The club ended the Bundesliga season a distant second to Bayern Munich a year after winning a domestic double with an unbeaten league record.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>With Alonso joining Real Madrid and key starters <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///bund/players/166018" href="https://thescore.com/bund/players/166018">Florian Wirtz</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///bund/players/162728" href="https://thescore.com/bund/players/162728">Jeremie Frimpong</a> reportedly on their way to Liverpool, Ten Hag will find a team in need of rejuvenation.</p><p>The Dutchman coached Bayern's youth side between 2013 and 2015, giving him a firm understanding of German football at the grassroots level. Before his time at United, which yielded two domestic trophies, Ten Hag led Ajax to three consecutive Eredivisie titles and a Champions League semifinal appearance in four-and-a-half seasons.</p>

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United pointing during the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Manchester United FC at London Stadium on October 27, 2024 in London, England.

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Report: Ten Hag agrees to replace Alonso as Leverkusen boss

Ruben Amorim made clear to his Manchester United players Saturday that he's going nowhere, source...

<p>Ruben Amorim made clear to his Manchester United players Saturday that he's going nowhere, sources told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6379494/2025/05/24/manchester-united-ruben-amorim-garnacho-future/">The Athletic's David Ornstein</a>.</p><p>Amorim also told United winger <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/188378" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/188378">Alejandro Garnacho</a> to find a new club, according to Ornstein.</p><p>The Portuguese coach <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3289488" href="https://thescore.com/news/3289488">said</a> after Wednesday's loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final that he'd leave United without compensation if management no longer felt he was the right man to lead the club's rebuild.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"But I will not quit," Amorim added. "I'm really confident in my job. And as you can see, I will not change nothing in the way I do things."</p><p>Garnacho appears to be the collateral damage of Amorim's approach. The Argentinian signed a new contract with United in April 2023 while Erik ten Hag was in charge but was dropped from the squad early in Amorim's reign and questioned his limited role in the Europa League final.</p><p>Napoli reportedly attempted a January move for Garnacho, and while United rejected those advances, they're now likely to listen to offers. The sale of a homegrown player like Garnacho would go down as pure profit and help United meet the Premier League's financial rules ahead of their second straight season without Champions League football.</p><p>Amorim has only won six Premier League games since replacing Ten Hag in November. Even if United win their final match of the season Sunday against Aston Villa, they can only finish as high as 14th place, by far their worst position in any single Premier League campaign.</p><p>They set their previous low last year when Ten Hag's side ended up eighth.</p><p> </p>

Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim (R) shakes hands with Manchester United's Argentinian midfielder #17 Alejandro Garnacho (L) as he leaves the game, substituted during the UEFA Europa league quarter-final final, second leg football match between Manchester United and Lyon at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north west England, on April 17, 2025.

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Report: Amorim informs United players he's staying; Garnacho told to leave

Liverpool are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a club-record deal for Florian Wirtz that would...

<p>Liverpool are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a club-record deal for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///bund/players/166018" href="https://thescore.com/bund/players/166018">Florian Wirtz</a> that would also make him the most expensive German player of all time, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6378005/2025/05/23/florian-wirtz-liverpool-transfer/">The Athletic's David Ornstein</a>.</p><p>Ornstein reported earlier Friday that Bayern Munich had conceded the race for Wirtz as he had already gone house hunting in the northwest of England.</p><p>The fee for Wirtz would reportedly eclipse the €85 million Liverpool spent to acquire <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/162705" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/162705">Darwin Nunez</a> from Benfica in June 2022.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Manchester City were expected to join the race for the 22-year-old but apparently backed off when they learned it would take <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cd62jz99jzno">€300 million in fees and salary</a> to make a deal.</p><p>Liverpool had already agreed to sign Wirtz's teammate, Leverkusen right-back <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///bund/players/162728" href="https://thescore.com/bund/players/162728">Jeremie Frimpong</a>, in a separate €35-million transaction.</p><p>Wirtz would bring a greater guarantee of goals and assists to Anfield than Liverpool's current playmaker, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/93042" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/93042">Dominik Szoboszlai</a>, who's posted a modest return of five goals and six assists in 34 Premier League appearances this term.</p><p>In contrast, Wirtz ended Leverkusen's Bundesliga campaign with 10 goals and 12 assists in 31 matches.</p><p>Liverpool boss Arne Slot didn't welcome any new signings last summer after inheriting the squad Jurgen Klopp helped build but managed to lead the same side to the club's 20th English top-flight title.</p><p>Though Wirtz is a midfielder by trade, he can play anywhere along the front line, promising Slot the flexibility he needs to retool his squad amid talk of Nunez and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/101948" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/101948">Luis Diaz</a> potentially departing this summer.</p><p> </p>

Florian Wirtz of Bayer 04 Leverkusen looks on during the 1.Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany on May 11, 2025.

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Report: Liverpool in talks to sign Wirtz after Bayern bail on Leverkusen star

Dan Ndoye will go down in history as the man who ended Bologna's 51-year major trophy drought.  T...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/166135" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/166135">Dan Ndoye</a> will go down in history as the man who ended Bologna's 51-year major trophy drought.</p><p>The Swiss international's 53rd-minute goal gave Bologna a 1-0 win over AC Milan in Wednesday's Coppa Italia final in Rome, crowning his team's transformation at the end of a season in which they made their Champions League debut.</p><p>Bologna hadn't even reached a major final since they last won the competition in 1974, when they beat Palermo on penalty kicks to raise the trophy. This time, Vincenzo Italiano's side overcame Monza, Atalanta, and surprise package Empoli in the knockout round before shutting out Milan in the final.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Milan's own Coppa Italia drought goes on. The Rossoneri haven't been domestic cup champions since 2003 and have lost each of their past three finals.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Champions Bologna lift the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoppaItaliaFrecciarossa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoppaItaliaFrecciarossa</a>! 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/4xvmZlgzIx">pic.twitter.com/4xvmZlgzIx</a></p>— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) <a href="https://twitter.com/SerieA_EN/status/1922766026757824590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Italiano had also lost the last three finals he coached. The 47-year-old manager dropped back-to-back Conference League title matches with Fiorentina and finished runner-up to Inter Milan in the 2023 Coppa Italia final. But he was lifted high into the Roman air on Wednesday after hatching a plan that muzzled Milan's higher-paid attackers.</p><p>"(Those finals) were three heavy disappointments," Italiano told <a href="https://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/calcio/coppa-italia/italiano-vittoria-meritata-dopo-pesanti-delusioni-prestazione-grandiosa_98164754-202502k.shtml?ver=342000000">Sportmediaset</a>. "I didn't think I would come back and get my revenge, but we succeeded."</p><p>Milan blew a golden opportunity to salvage a disappointing season that is now likely to end without Champions League qualification. They're currently in eighth place in Serie A, four points behind the fourth and final Champions League berth and three points outside of the Europa League and Conference League places.</p><p>Bologna have also struggled down the stretch and blew a lead in Friday's 3-1 loss to Milan in Serie A. But there was no slip-up here. Bologna backpedaled after taking the lead and clogged passing lanes with five and six defenders at the back. Milan couldn't find a breakthrough with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/4042" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/4042">Kyle Walker</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/102327" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/102327">Joao Felix</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/94895" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/94895">Santiago Gimenez</a> on as second-half substitutes.</p><p>Milan's two leading scorers, midfielder <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/162409" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/162409">Tijjani Reijnders</a> and winger <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/60435" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/60435">Christian Pulisic</a>, barely had any impact on the game. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/97234" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/97234">Rafael Leao</a> created one of his team's best chances as early as the fifth minute, dribbling past defenders before squaring to wing-back <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/200552" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/200552">Alex Jimenez</a> and watching as his shot went wide. Jimenez created another later in the first half when he stole possession and crossed for striker <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/68348" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/68348">Luka Jovic</a>, but Bologna goalkeeper <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/20776" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/20776">Lukasz Skorupski</a> saved from point-blank range.</p><p>Bologna controlled the rest of the half and came out of the interval the sharpest of the two sides. Another dangerous attack released star winger <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/68054" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/68054">Riccardo Orsolini</a> into the penalty area, and while Milan's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/67855" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/67855">Theo Hernandez</a> won an important tackle, the rebound landed at Ndoye, who smashed home with defenders closing in on him.</p><p>Milan chased an equalizer but posed little threat outside of hopeful long balls forward. The irony wasn't lost when <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/41597" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/41597">Davide Calabria</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///itaci/players/101329" href="https://thescore.com/itaci/players/101329">Tommaso Pobega</a>, both on loan from Milan, came on for Bologna to close out the game.</p>

ROME, ITALY - MAY 14: Dan Ndoye of Bologna FC celebrate after scoring a goal during the Coppa Italia Final match between AC Milan and Bologna at Stadio Olimpico on May 14, 2025 in Rome, Italy.

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Bologna beat Milan in Coppa Italia final for 1st major title since 1974

The Brazilian national team appointed Carlo Ancelotti as manager on Monday, making the Italian th...

<p>The Brazilian national team <a href="https://x.com/CBF_Futebol/status/1921931900987244704">appointed</a> Carlo Ancelotti as manager on Monday, making the Italian the first foreigner to ever coach the five-time World Cup winner.</p><p>Ancelotti will take charge of Brazil on May 26, a day after Real Madrid's final game of the La Liga season against Real Sociedad, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6335544/2025/05/12/carlo-ancelotti-brazil-real-madrid-exit/">The Athletic's David Ornstein</a>.</p><p>Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso will replace the Italian in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, transfer insider <a href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1921843038642372622">Fabrizio Romano</a> reports.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Madrid had <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3281061" href="https://thescore.com/news/3281061">already agreed</a> to waive the final year of Ancelotti's contract with the club.</p><p>His first match as Selecao boss will be a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador on June 5.</p><p>His second tenure at Madrid is set to end without a major trophy. Sunday's 4-3 loss to Barcelona all but ended their La Liga title defense with three games to go.</p><p>Still, he won an incredible 15 trophies over his two spells, including three Champions League titles.</p><p>Ancelotti will continue coaching Madrid's Brazilian contingent, including <a href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/101248">Vinicius Junior</a>, <a href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/160984">Rodrygo</a>, <a href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/102257">Eder Militao</a>, and <a href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/204112">Endrick</a>. </p><p>Brazilian FA president Ednaldo Rodrigues <a href="https://x.com/CBF_Futebol/status/1921931900987244704">said</a> the hire is a "statement to the world that we are determined to regain the top spot on the podium."</p><p>Vinicius, who finished second to Rodri in Ballon d'Or voting last year, has always wanted Ancelotti to coach the Brazilian national team, <a href="https://www.espn.ph/football/story/_/id/37637951/vinicius-jr-hopes-carlo-ancelotti-coach-real-madrid-brazil">calling him</a> the "best coach in the world" in April 2023.</p><p>He's now tasked with leading Brazil through the final four rounds of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. It's currently fourth in the South American standings, with the top six sides guaranteed qualification. The team in seventh will enter an inter-confederation playoff.</p><p>Previous manager Dorival Junior was fired in March after a 4-1 loss to Argentina.</p><p><strong>CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>MP</th>
<th>GD</th>
<th>Pts</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1. Argentina</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>+18</td>
<td>31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2. Ecuador</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>+8</td>
<td>23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3. Uruguay</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>+7</td>
<td>21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4. Brazil</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>+4</td>
<td>21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5. Paraguay</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>+2</td>
<td>21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6. Colombia</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>+4</td>
<td>20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7. Venezuela</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>-4</td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8. Bolivia</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>-16</td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9. Peru</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>-11</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10. Chile</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>-12</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Alonso emerged as the most likely candidate to succeed Ancelotti as soon as it became clear his predecessor would join Brazil.</p><p>Alonso confirmed Friday that he's leaving Leverkusen, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3283026" href="https://thescore.com/news/3283026">saying</a> the moment was right to announce his departure.</p><p>Bayern Munich officially ended Leverkusen's Bundesliga title defense a week prior.</p><p>Alonso took over Leverkusen in October 2022, when they were near the relegation zone, and guided them to their first league and cup double the following season. They went unbeaten for 43 domestic matches, a 463-day run that ended with a loss to RB Leipzig at the end of August.</p>

MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates with Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach of Real Madrid, after scoring his team's fifth goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 22, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

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Ancelotti unveiled as Brazil manager; Alonso reportedly signs Madrid deal

Barcelona are nearly La Liga champions after scoring four consecutive goals to beat Real Madrid 4...

<p>Barcelona are nearly La Liga champions after scoring four consecutive goals to beat Real Madrid 4-3 in a dramatic El Clasico on Sunday.</p><p>The comeback win gives Barcelona a seven-point lead over Madrid with just three games remaining. </p><p>It also means they'll end the season with victories in all four Clasicos, including in the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana. No other Barcelona or Madrid side has ever done that before, according to <a href="https://x.com/ESPNFC/status/1921601159044669700">ESPN FC</a>.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The Blaugrana will clinch the title if Madrid fail to beat Mallorca on Wednesday. They can also wrap it up with a win over Catalan rivals Espanyol on Thursday.</p><p>Madrid's early 2-0 advantage barely lasted 20 minutes, as goals by <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/101141" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/101141">Eric Garcia</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/193783" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/193783">Lamine Yamal</a> canceled out <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/66967" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/66967">Kylian Mbappe</a>'s brace. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/96238" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/96238">Raphinha</a> bagged a couple more against horrific defending in the final 10 minutes of a wild half at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. </p><p>Mbappe completed the hat-trick in the second half and thought he may have secured Madrid their own comeback with a stoppage-time effort that was immediately ruled out. But the damage was done.</p><p>"We have to defend better," Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3284165" href="https://thescore.com/news/3284165">said</a>. "That is quite evident from today's game. We defended badly and that's that.</p><p>"Mbappe did well ... in an attacking sense the team had clear ideas, but we could have defended better."</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>#</th>
<th>Club</th>
<th>MP</th>
<th>GD</th>
<th>Pts</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>Barcelona</td>
<td>35</td>
<td>+59</td>
<td>82</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td>Real Madrid</td>
<td>35</td>
<td>+35</td>
<td>75</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Mbappe kicked off the goal spree in the fifth minute with a penalty kick. Barcelona goalkeeper <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/1630" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/1630">Wojciech Szczesny</a> clattered into the Frenchman as he broke free in the area, and Mbappe slotted the spot-kick into the bottom left corner.</p><p>A turnover led to Mbappe's second goal in quick succession. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/101248" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/101248">Vinicius Junior</a>'s outside-the-boot pass from the left flank gave Mbappe another breakaway, and he fired past Szczesny.</p><p>Just like that, Barcelona fell into a 2-0 hole for the third time in four matches. They faced the same deficit in both legs of their Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan and ultimately lost the tie 7-6 on aggregate.</p><p>This time was different. Garcia, whose cushioned volley against Inter on Tuesday triggered Barcelona's furious comeback attempt in Milan, headed home in the 19th minute. Then Yamal rifled one of his trademark curlers past <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/9963" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/9963">Thibaut Courtois</a> for his 40th goal involvement of the season.</p><p>Barcelona took the lead in the 34th minute when Raphinha burned <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/49943" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/49943">Lucas Vazquez</a> on a counterattack that followed an unfortunate collision between Mbappe and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/54985" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/54985">Dani Ceballos</a>. Raphinha built a two-goal advantage for the hosts just prior to halftime, helping to win a loose ball in a dangerous area before finishing off another move.</p><p>Madrid had a penalty ruled out and another goal disallowed for offside but finally responded in the 70th minute. Another giveaway in midfield sent Madrid to the races, and Barcelona's high line cost them as Vinicius stole in and set up Mbappe for his hat-trick goal.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785145/cropped_GettyImages-2213975103.jpg?ts=1746984361" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785145/w220xh124_GettyImages-2213975103.jpg?ts=1746984361 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785145/w320xh180_GettyImages-2213975103.jpg?ts=1746984361 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785145/w640xh360_GettyImages-2213975103.jpg?ts=1746984361 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785145/w768xh432_GettyImages-2213975103.jpg?ts=1746984361 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785145/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2213975103.jpg?ts=1746984361 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">JOSEP LAGO / AFP / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>But it did little to tame Barcelona's momentum. Courtois dove to his left to parry away Yamal's dipping shot in the 73rd minute, and Raphinha was inches from the goal when he somehow volleyed a whipping cross well over the crossbar.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///liga/players/98445" href="https://thescore.com/liga/players/98445">Ferran Torres</a> thought he'd won a penalty with seven minutes to go, but referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez declined to penalize Aurelien Tchouameni for a handball in the area. Torres was a yard away from Tchouameni when his shot struck the Frenchman's arm.</p><p>Madrid found life as Mbappe again beat Barcelona's high line in the 91st minute. He thought he put the ball in the back of the net from the ensuing corner kick, but it was again called offside. Minutes later, at the end of a breathless encounter, Barcelona had their fists in the air and one hand firmly on their 28th league title.</p><p>"We've opened up an important gap. It was key to win this game after the Champions League (defeat). The fans have forgotten it and so have we. Let's enjoy this," Yamal said. "It was important to win today to bring the league title closer and it went very well. We're very happy."</p>

(From L) Barcelona's Spanish midfielder #16 Fermin Lopez, Barcelona's Spanish forward #19 Lamine Yamal and Barcelona's Spanish midfielder #06 Pablo Gavi celebrate victory at the end of the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona, on May 11, 2025. Barcelona won 4-3.

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Barcelona just 2 points from La Liga title after winning 7-goal El Clasico

The Premier League's 15th and 16th best teams will battle to save their seasons in the Europa Lea...

<p>The Premier League's 15th and 16th best teams will battle to save their seasons in the Europa League final on May 21.</p><p>Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur scored lopsided aggregate victories over Athletic Bilbao and Bodo/Glimt on Thursday to give themselves a chance of winning silverware at the end of a deflating campaign that £350 million worth of signings has otherwise done little to prevent.</p><p>United manager Ruben Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag in November, famously called his group the "worst" United team in Premier League history, while Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou dealt with scathing criticism as he navigated a severe injury crisis. But the Europa League was always an escape hatch for both managers.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>A win at Bilbao's San Mames not only promises a major trophy - which Tottenham haven't won in 17 years - but a place in next season's Champions League and tens of millions of pounds in additional revenue.</p><p>United and Spurs will wage the sixth all-English final in UEFA competition history and the first since Chelsea beat Manchester City to win the Champions League in 2021.</p><p>United showed particular swagger Thursday at Old Trafford, running away 7-1 on aggregate thanks to a 4-1 home win. All the while, Tottenham shut out Bodo/Glimt 2-0 to ensure a 5-1 aggregate triumph and eliminate the competition's first semifinalist from the Nordic circle.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/205008" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/205008">Mikel Jauregizar</a>'s 31st-minute drive from distance gave Athletic some hope they could overturn their 3-0 first-leg deficit, but it only coaxed an even stronger reaction from the hosts. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/96214" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/96214">Mason Mount</a>, who's missed dozens of games due to injury since joining United from Chelsea in July 2023 for a reported £55 million, scored twice off the bench. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/17430" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/17430">Casemiro</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/187791" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/187791">Rasmus Hojlund</a> also tallied.</p><p>"It's the least we can do for these fans, for all the support they have given us in this tough season," Amorim told <a href="https://x.com/footballontnt/status/1920587653730214003">TNT Sports</a>. "I'm stressed already because of the final. Because if you don't win it, in the end, it (means) nothing. But we're happy to be there, so let's see."</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/34985" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/34985">Dominic Solanke</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/98395" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/98395">Pedro Porro</a> netted in the second half in Norway as Postecoglou inched closer to a trophy in his second season in charge of Tottenham.</p>

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 08: Mason Mount of Manchester United (obscured) celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammate Harry Maguire during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between Manchester United and Athletic Club at Old Trafford on May 08, 2025 in Manchester, England.

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Man United to face Tottenham in season-saving Europa League final

The matchup is set for this season's Champions League final, with Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Ger...

<p><em>The matchup is set for this season's Champions League final, with Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain set to meet at the Allianz Arena. Much can change between now and the kickoff May 31, but it's never too early to get excited about the biggest game on the European club calendar. Here are four questions that'll determine who wins the famous big-eared trophy.</em></p><h3>Will banged-up Inter survive final stretch?</h3><p>Lautaro Martinez had less than a week to recover from a hamstring injury and "<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3281782" href="https://thescore.com/news/3281782">sat at home crying</a>" over the prospect of missing Tuesday's pivotal Champions League semifinal second leg. Somehow, he made it back, scoring the first goal of Inter's whirlwind 4-3 win over Barcelona that sent them to the final.</p><p>He's hardly the only Inter player on the mend. Marcus Thuram is still struggling with a thigh injury that hasn't fully healed and clearly hindered his movement halfway through Tuesday's game. Denzel Dumfries returned last week and had a hand in five of the seven goals Inter scored against Barcelona. Piotr Zielinski, one of Inter's heroic substitutes, only recently recovered from a calf injury, and Benjamin Pavard, who missed the game entirely with an ankle issue, was in civvies as he celebrated Inter's passage to the final.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780940/cropped_GettyImages-2210614213.jpg?ts=1744836653" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780940/w220xh124_GettyImages-2210614213.jpg?ts=1744836653 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780940/w320xh180_GettyImages-2210614213.jpg?ts=1744836653 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780940/w640xh360_GettyImages-2210614213.jpg?ts=1744836653 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780940/w768xh432_GettyImages-2210614213.jpg?ts=1744836653 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780940/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2210614213.jpg?ts=1744836653 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Marco Luzzani / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>This team is banged and bruised and tired. Inter are 55 games deep already and will end up playing at least 62 matches through the FIFA Club World Cup. That's the toll they're paying for going far in every competition available to them. Even players who've remained relatively healthy this season - including standout defender Alessandro Bastoni, who leads the team with 50 appearances - are certain to feel fatigue as Inter chase a Serie A and Champions League double.</p><p>Head coach Simone Inzaghi has done his best to rotate his squad, but he can't afford a drop-off in quality in any of Inter's remaining games. They're trailing Napoli by three points with just three matches to go in the Serie A season and are away for two of them. Inzaghi will have to find a way to keep his starters fresh over the next three weeks, or face the prospect of finishing such a promising season without any silverware.</p><h3>Will Donnarumma play the hero again?</h3><p>Paris Saint-Germain may have folded if Gianluigi Donnarumma hadn't produced two early saves in Wednesday's second leg at the Parc des Princes. Few goalkeepers even have the reach to attempt the strong-arm save that stopped Martin Odegaard's eighth-minute thunderbolt of a shot. But Donnarumma has made a career of such physically improbable last-ditch efforts. It's his thing.</p><p>If Arsenal had gained a 1-0 lead within the first 15 minutes of the game, as PSG did at Emirates Stadium, the tie could've exploded into the kind of heavyweight exchange that brought Inter and Barcelona to their knees. When Bukayo Saka unfurled a curling left-footed shot toward the top left corner, Donnarumma was again there to preserve PSG's aggregate lead. Saka could only shake his head. He was beaten.</p><p>Donnarumma denied Arsenal eight times across two legs and conceded only once. That's some achievement given Thibaut Courtois, who leads all Champions League goalkeepers this season with 51 saves in 12 matches, couldn't stop the Gunners from scoring five goals against him.</p><p>Arsenal may have been missing a true center-forward, neither Leandro Trossard nor midfielder Mikel Merino could muster much of a threat in the absence of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, but they still created more genuine chances than PSG. Arsenal were expected to score 4.79 goals to PSG's 2.95, according to stats provider <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2025/05/psg-vs-arsenal-stats-champions-league-semi-final-opta">Opta Analyst</a>. Donnarumma simply kept most of them out.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774805/cropped_GettyImages-2204617950.jpg?ts=1741782484" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774805/w220xh124_GettyImages-2204617950.jpg?ts=1741782484 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774805/w320xh180_GettyImages-2204617950.jpg?ts=1741782484 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774805/w640xh360_GettyImages-2204617950.jpg?ts=1741782484 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774805/w768xh432_GettyImages-2204617950.jpg?ts=1741782484 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774805/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2204617950.jpg?ts=1741782484 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Alex Pantling - UEFA / UEFA / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>"The goalkeeper won the game for them in both ties," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta <a href="https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/2044858--paris-vs-arsenal/">told</a> reporters.</p><p>Goalkeepers are increasingly the difference in cup competitions, where time is finite and game plans can go quickly out the window. His adversary in the Champions League final, Inter's Yann Sommer, delivered just as incredible of a performance against Barcelona on Tuesday. His fingertip saves on Lamine Yamal gave Inter a lifeline when they were under severe fire.</p><p>But Inter have something that PSG don't. Donnarumma's former goalkeeping coach, Gianluca Spinelli, works for the Nerazzurri and knows all of his former pupil's strengths and weaknesses. Donnarumma told <a href="https://twitter.com/Guillaumemp/status/1920227028994806115">Prime Italia</a> that he still speaks with Spinelli every day. He has significant intel on PSG's Champions League hero and will likely help facilitate plans to expose Donnarumma's trouble collecting aerial balls and playing out from the back.</p><h3>Who will dominate the flanks?</h3><p>Control the midfield, control the match.</p><p>The familiar adage has persisted through tactical revolutions and innovations because it's true. The events that matter most in a match often take place in the center of the field. That'll also be true of the Champions League final, where two distinct but similarly cohesive midfield trios will try to dictate proceedings in Munich.</p><p>But it's out wide, where PSG's flying full-backs will match up against Inter's unwavering wing-backs, that could provide the most intriguing battle.</p><p>Both sets of players look to race forward at every opportunity, and their surging runs into the opposition half are critical elements of the attack for both finalists. Dumfries and Federico Dimarco, along with Carlos Augusto, who frequently replaces the latter after the hour mark of matches, are relied upon <em>heavily</em> by Inzaghi to exploit spaces that open up out wide after Inter have filtered the ball through the middle in their initial buildup phase. Dumfries scored twice and provided three assists in the spectacular semifinal win over Barcelona, including the pass that teed up their season-saving stoppage-time equalizer in the second leg. He was a force of nature against Barca.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783467/cropped_GettyImages-2212801504.jpg?ts=1746101513" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783467/w220xh124_GettyImages-2212801504.jpg?ts=1746101513 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783467/w320xh180_GettyImages-2212801504.jpg?ts=1746101513 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783467/w640xh360_GettyImages-2212801504.jpg?ts=1746101513 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783467/w768xh432_GettyImages-2212801504.jpg?ts=1746101513 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783467/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2212801504.jpg?ts=1746101513 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Giuseppe Bellini / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>On the other side, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes fulfill an eerily similar role for Luis Enrique. It hasn't been uncommon to see them as the farthest players forward during any given attacking sequence, particularly if PSG win possession back and look to strike quickly. They're two of the fastest players in the world, regardless of position; only Erling Haaland has reached a higher top speed in the tournament this season than Hakimi, who was named Man of the Match for his tireless performance Wednesday.</p><p>Hakimi, who delivered the dagger against Arsenal with a sublime finish after floating into the center of the penalty area, leads PSG in assists in the Champions League this season, while Mendes' four goals are second on the team behind only Ousmane Dembele. Together, they have 13 goal contributions. Many forwards don't even put up numbers like this.</p><p>There is, of course, the added layer of Dumfries being the player who replaced Hakimi after Inter sold the Moroccan international to PSG in 2021. Who made out better in that transaction? The definitive answer might just arrive May 31.</p><h3>Which team will manage the moment?</h3><p>Once the opening whistle blows at the Allianz Arena, it is, technically, just another game. But, for better or worse, funny things can happen when the stakes are this high. Players can get tight, overthink, and let the occasion get the better of them, or they can use the added adrenaline to lift them, and their team, to another gear. The intangibles matter.</p><p>Properly managing the moment is half the battle. Just ask Barcelona.</p><p>The commitment to their philosophy and well-defined style of play - ultra-aggressive and on the front foot at all times, situation be damned - is why they were able to fight back from multiple two-goal deficits in the semifinal tie with Inter. And it's also what got them eliminated. Their unyielding approach and high defensive line left them inexplicably undermanned at the back when they should've been slightly more cautious while nursing a one-goal lead in the 93rd minute of the second leg. There was an air of naivete.</p><p>PSG, though similarly constructed with exuberant young players all over the pitch, have proven they can be more measured in their approach. Luis Enrique, a former Barca manager who abides by some of the same principles as Hansi Flick, knows that it's sometimes necessary to take your foot off the gas. He knows his team must "<a href="https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/psg-bound-suffer-against-arsenal-145600116.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe're%20bound%20to%20suffer,stay%20true%20to%20our%20ideas.%E2%80%9D">suffer</a>" to finally win this title for the first time.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780835/cropped_GettyImages-2210462744.jpg?ts=1744805808" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780835/w220xh124_GettyImages-2210462744.jpg?ts=1744805808 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780835/w320xh180_GettyImages-2210462744.jpg?ts=1744805808 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780835/w640xh360_GettyImages-2210462744.jpg?ts=1744805808 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780835/w768xh432_GettyImages-2210462744.jpg?ts=1744805808 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780835/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2210462744.jpg?ts=1744805808 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Carl Recine / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>But Inter, loaded with veterans and returning nearly the entire starting lineup from their narrow loss to Manchester City in the 2023 Champions League final, are the grizzled grand masters of that approach. Even when they were being suffocated in their own half by Barcelona's pressing and possession game, they never panicked. They were under intense pressure, yes, but they were never out of control.</p><p>PSG, arguably the best team in Europe since the calendar flipped to 2025, are capable of tilting the field just like Barca, but they can get rattled when the opposition starts pushing back. Both Aston Villa and Arsenal had them on the ropes in the last two rounds, only for Donnarumma to bail them out when their defensive shape imploded and their poise disappeared.</p><p>When Inter inevitably hold their feet to the fire, can PSG keep their cool? That question will go a long way to determining who hoists the big-eared trophy.</p>

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4 questions that will decide who wins Champions League final

We're at halftime of each Champions League semifinal tie. Here's what we've learned from the firs...

<p><em>We're at halftime of each Champions League semifinal tie. Here's what we've learned from the first legs - and what each team must do to book their ticket to the final in Munich.</em></p><h3>Arsenal vs. Paris Saint-Germain</h3><p><em>PSG lead 1-0 on aggregate</em><br><em>Second leg: May 7 (Parc des Princes)</em></p><p><strong>Key takeaway from 1st leg</strong></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783163/cropped_GettyImages-2212066204.jpg?ts=1745959681" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783163/w220xh124_GettyImages-2212066204.jpg?ts=1745959681 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783163/w320xh180_GettyImages-2212066204.jpg?ts=1745959681 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783163/w640xh360_GettyImages-2212066204.jpg?ts=1745959681 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783163/w768xh432_GettyImages-2212066204.jpg?ts=1745959681 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783163/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2212066204.jpg?ts=1745959681 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Adam Davy - PA Images / PA Images / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Luis Enrique's PSG are unlike any other we've seen in the Qatari era. There's complete buy-in from every player and a wholehearted commitment to pressing the opponent. The most talented players on the field work hard off the ball and attack spaces like their lives depend on it. The team isn't just a collection of individual players anymore. It's a cohesive unit with an identity and selfless streak that previous managers couldn't quite coax out of the many superstars who passed through the doors at the Parc des Princes.</p><p>Ousmane Dembele, who scored the go-ahead goal in the fourth minute Tuesday, only had 30 touches because he was chasing runners all over the field. Desire Doue, a 19-year-old attacking phenom whose snap shot from close range almost delivered the visitors a 2-0 lead, was as active in PSG's half as he was in Arsenal's. Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz got out of tricky spots and motored up and down the field as de facto midfield bodyguards.</p><p>When they have the ball, PSG are so sure of themselves. They often bypassed Arsenal's press like it was child's play, showing complete faith in their ball-playing ability to find solutions in real time. They made 26 passes before Dembele's goal. That's their system at work. For so long, they didn't have much of a system at all.</p><p>Arsenal tried their best to navigate PSG's high-energy attempts to win the ball, but they clearly missed Thomas Partey, the press-resistant midfielder suspended for yellow card accumulation. Partey would've made it much easier for Arsenal to move the ball in a more meaningful direction. They also missed someone like Kai Havertz, the space-invading forward who so often provides an outlet under pressure. While Partey is set to return for next week's second leg, Arsenal won't have Havertz back from injury. It'll be up to midfielder Mikel Merino to shape-shift once again and hold up play a little better than Leandro Trossard could manage up front.</p><p><strong>Biggest question going into 2nd leg</strong></p><p>Can Arsenal find a breakthrough? While they created a couple of clear-cut chances at the Emirates, forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into a pair of stunning diving saves, the Gunners were largely ponderous in the attacking half. Arsenal almost always looked to make the perfect pass before even thinking about pulling the trigger, and it resulted in a lot of the sideways variety. </p><p>Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli lost pace and precision after poking serious holes in PSG's defense in the opening 45 minutes. Trossard, Arsenal's stand-in center-forward, finished the game with just four touches in the penalty area. Arsenal couldn't even get their free-kicks quite right - and that's their bread and butter.</p><p>Credit must go to PSG's backline and midfielder Neves, whose inch-perfect tackles broke up Arsenal's promising plays. But the north London side must also have an answer for its inefficient play and take the game by the scruff of the neck. - <em>Anthony Lopopolo</em></p><h3>Barcelona vs. Inter Milan</h3><p><em>Tied 3-3 on aggregate<br>Second leg: May 6 (San Siro)</em></p><p><strong>Key takeaway from 1st leg</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783397/cropped_GettyImages-2212162593.jpg?ts=1746051887" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783397/w220xh124_GettyImages-2212162593.jpg?ts=1746051887 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783397/w320xh180_GettyImages-2212162593.jpg?ts=1746051887 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783397/w640xh360_GettyImages-2212162593.jpg?ts=1746051887 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783397/w768xh432_GettyImages-2212162593.jpg?ts=1746051887 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783397/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2212162593.jpg?ts=1746051887 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">NurPhoto / NurPhoto / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Styles make fights. The classic boxing idiom is a perfect descriptor for this clash between two teams, and, frankly, two clubs, that are polar opposites in nearly every meaningful way. Barcelona, littered with youth, exuberance, and homegrown talent, went into Wednesday's match with the most potent attack in the tournament. Inter, savvy market operators whose starting lineup was the oldest any side has named for a Champions League semifinal since 2017, arrived in Montjuic with the stingiest backline in the competition. The former wanted to control possession, dictate tempo, and keep the visitors under constant pressure. The latter, meanwhile, wanted to stay compact, absorb that pressure, and then strike like lightning on the counter. </p><p>Both succeeded, and it made for one of the best games of the season so far.</p><p>Inter were ruthlessly efficient, scoring with all three of their shots on target. They used their superior size to pick Barcelona apart from set pieces; the Italian side has now scored 15 goals from corners in all competitions this season. Denzel Dumfries, who netted both of them in Montjuic and set up Marcus Thuram's opener 30 seconds into the contest, torched Barcelona's infamous high defensive line to the point where it was comical, bordering on nonsensical, to see Hansi Flick's team stick with the tactic. Dumfries was enjoying himself so much down the right wing that he was visibly annoyed when he was substituted.</p><p>Barca, who had 66% of the ball and attempted 19 shots, showcased all the slick passing and intricate combinations that have made them one of the most aesthetically pleasing teams in the world to watch. There were gorgeous passages of play where Inter were chasing shadows as Frenkie de Jong and the irrepressible Pedri pulled the strings, turning opposing midfielders inside out and slicing down the middle and into the box despite often facing a wall of 10 defenders. Barca's naivety was exposed by Inter - not falling asleep right from the opening kickoff in the second leg would be a good place to start - but they deserve praise for staying calm and battling from behind against a team that doesn't often squander a lead, let alone two within the same match.</p><p>Much of that credit goes to Lamine Yamal, who's already so absurdly good at 17 that it belies belief. His skill on the ball is bewitching - Federico Dimarco was put through the wringer trying to mark him, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan didn't fare much better when doubling up on the teen phenom. But what's more impressive is the way the youngest player on the pitch took over the game when his team needed him most, single-handedly dragging Barca back into the contest with a brilliant solo goal after Inter took an early 2-0 lead. Yamal probably scared Barca fans half to death when he pulled up in the prematch warmup with an apparent groin issue. Still, he was a constant threat, hitting the crossbar twice. He's now played 100 senior matches for Barcelona, amassing 22 goals and 33 assists in that time. In case a reminder is needed: This isn't normal.</p><p>"Yamal is a phenomenon of the kind born every 50 years," Inter boss Simone Inzaghi <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3278403" href="https://thescore.com/news/3278403">opined</a> after the match. How do you stop a generational talent? That's for him to figure out ahead of the second leg.</p><p><strong>Biggest question going into 2nd leg</strong></p><p>How quickly can the various injured players on either side recover? Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde missed the match for Barcelona, and their absences were certainly felt. Ferran Torres, who continues to start in Lewandowski's absence, scored a goal but spurned at least one other good opportunity. He wasn't able to get into open space - the one area where he's better than Lewandowski - because Inter set up shop sitting so deep.</p><p>Balde's recovery pace was <em>badly</em> missed at left-back, where Gerard Martin kept getting exposed trying to keep up with Dumfries. Inter's tried-and-true tactic isn't overly complex, but it's damn effective. Lautaro Martinez and Thuram combine after a long pass forward - one wins the initial ball, and the other brings a midfielder, often Nicolo Barella, into the play. The ball then quickly gets fired out to the far wing, where Dumfries or Dimarco races forward depending on which side of the field the play originated. That's how Inter kept carving Barcelona open, aided by the inviting high defensive line.</p><p>Balde's possible return could help mitigate that somewhat, though Jules Kounde on the other side is also now a doubt for the return fixture. Martinez's injury status could also play a huge role. The Inter captain left Wednesday's match at halftime with an apparent leg injury, and Inzaghi admitted he's a doubt for the second leg. None of Mehdi Taremi, who replaced him, Marko Arnautovic, or Joaquin Correa can replicate the Argentine's smart combination play with Thuram. If he's unavailable next week, it makes Inter's attack much more one-dimensional. <em>- Gianluca Nesci</em></p>

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Biggest takeaways, questions after 1st leg of Champions League semis

D.C. United are in talks with free-agent midfielder Paul Pogba over a potential deal to bring the...

<p>D.C. United are in talks with free-agent midfielder <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///seri/players/13802" href="https://thescore.com/seri/players/13802">Paul Pogba</a> over a potential deal to bring the World Cup winner to Major League Soccer, a source told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6318316/2025/04/28/paul-pogba-dc-united-mls-next/">The Athletic's Pablo Maurer.</a></p><p>D.C. United have first dibs on Pogba because they own the 32-year-old's discovery rights, according to Maurer.</p><p>Pogba has attended several MLS games - most recently <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3243286" href="https://thescore.com/news/3243286">Los Angeles FC's 1-0 loss to Austin FC</a> in March - since making his last professional appearance in September 2023. He was suspended that year for testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone, a testosterone-enhancing substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list, and handed an initial four-year ban that the Court of Arbitration for Sport later reduced to 18 months.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The former Juventus and Manchester United playmaker said a food supplement a U.S. doctor had prescribed to him tainted his drug test.</p><p>Pogba is now eligible to play and sign for any club. He terminated his contract with Juventus in November, and his doping ban expired in March.</p><p>Pogba has a house in Florida and worked with Lionel Messi's fitness coach to get back into shape. An MLS team is also more likely to provide him with the minutes he needs to prove himself and potentially earn a place in France's squad for the 2026 World Cup.</p><p>He last played for the French national team in a March 2022 friendly against South Africa. He has 91 caps and helped Les Bleus win the World Cup in 2018 in Russia.</p><p>D.C. United are reportedly interested in signing pending free agent Kevin De Bruyne as well. A deal for the Manchester City midfielder would be more difficult to accomplish as United would have to acquire his discovery rights from Inter Miami in a likely costly transaction.</p>

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 15: Paul Pogba and his mother Yeo Pogba attend the "4 Zeros" Premiere at Pathe Palace on October 15, 2024 in Paris, France.

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Report: D.C. United in talks to sign World Cup winner Pogba

Manchester United won a scarcely believable seesaw contest after blowing an initial two-goal lead...

<p>Manchester United won a scarcely believable <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3269726" href="https://thescore.com/news/3269726">seesaw contest</a> after blowing an initial two-goal lead, Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt outlasted Lazio in a nervy shootout, and Tottenham and Athletic Bilbao ground out wins to reach the Europa League semifinals Thursday.</p><p>United's remarkable comeback from a 4-2 deficit at Old Trafford put them on a collision course with Athletic Bilbao, while Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt for a chance to salvage their dismal season with silverware.</p><p>The semifinals begin May 1, with the reverse legs set for May 8 the following week.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Bodo/Glimt are the most surprising of the semifinalists. From a town of just 55,000 people, they're the first side from the Arctic Circle to ever make the final four of a major European competition.</p><p>Lazio ate at Bodo/Glimt's 2-0 first-leg advantage and leveled the tie in the 93rd minute when substitute <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/205733" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/205733">Tijjani Noslin</a> reacted first to a loose ball in the area. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/103315" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/103315">Boulaye Dia</a> gave Lazio a 3-2 aggregate lead halfway through the first half of extra time, but it lasted just nine minutes as <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/60226" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/60226">Andreas Helmersen</a>'s 109th-minute header resorted parity. Bodo/Glimt converted three penalties to Lazio's two and celebrated Norwegian history at the Stadio Olimpico.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781125/cropped_GettyImages-2210791753.jpg?ts=1744928353" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781125/w220xh124_GettyImages-2210791753.jpg?ts=1744928353 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781125/w320xh180_GettyImages-2210791753.jpg?ts=1744928353 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781125/w640xh360_GettyImages-2210791753.jpg?ts=1744928353 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781125/w768xh432_GettyImages-2210791753.jpg?ts=1744928353 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781125/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2210791753.jpg?ts=1744928353 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Image Photo Agency / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>United entered the final 20 minutes of the second half with a 2-0 lead but ended up taking the scenic route as Lyon forced extra time with a pair of late strikes.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/25380" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/25380">Corentin Tolisso</a>'s red card for a seemingly innocuous tangling of legs did little to slow down Lyon, who built a two-goal lead themselves in extra time thanks to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/163296" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/163296">Rayan Cherki</a>'s thunderous strike and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/25387" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/25387">Alexandre Lacazette</a>'s penalty.</p><p>The Ligue 1 side had scored four unanswered goals to seemingly leave United dead and buried. But <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/23312" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/23312">Bruno Fernandes</a>' 114th-minute spot-kick sparked a sensational seven-minute turnaround for United. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/190670" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/190670">Kobbie Mainoo</a> made it 4-4 on the night and 6-6 on aggregate with a composed finish into the bottom corner before <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/13942" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/13942">Harry Maguire</a> separated himself from his marker to head in a sensational winner in the 121st minute.</p><p>Tottenham put in a surprisingly solid defensive effort to shut out Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 and earn a 2-1 aggregate win. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/34985" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/34985">Dominic Solanke</a>'s 43rd-minute penalty was all Spurs needed to reach their first major European semifinal in six years.</p><p>Athletic Bilbao beat Rangers 2-0 to win their sixth straight Europa League home game and give life to their dream of playing the final at their home San Mames stadium. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/170285" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/170285">Nico Williams</a>' 80th-minute goal built on <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///uefa/players/161445" href="https://thescore.com/uefa/players/161445">Oihan Sancet</a>'s 45th-minute penalty to leave an overmatched Rangers side in the dust.</p>

Tottenham Hotspur's Dominic Solanke (centre) celebrates with team-mates after scoring their side's first goal of the game from a penalty during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final, second leg match at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany. Picture date: Thursday April 17, 2025.

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Europa League semifinals set with Man United and Spurs on course for final

Lautaro Martinez scored in a fifth consecutive Champions League match and Benjamin Pavard made hi...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/99740" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/99740">Lautaro Martinez</a> scored in a fifth consecutive Champions League match and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/53109" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/53109">Benjamin Pavard</a> made his former team pay to help Inter hold Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw Wednesday and reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons.</p><p>Thanks to a 4-3 win on aggregate, the Nerazzurri, who lost to Manchester City in the 2022-23 Champions League final, will face Barcelona for a return ticket to the final in Munich.</p><p>Inter and Barcelona are both in contention for continental trebles. The Italians famously beat the Catalans en route to winning their only other treble in 2009-10.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Barcelona will host the first leg April 30 and travel to Milan for the reverse fixture on May 6.</p><p>Bayern took a deserved lead in the 52nd minute when <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/3804" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/3804">Harry Kane</a> arrowed a shot into the bottom left corner. The goal leveled the tie 2-2 on aggregate, temporarily undoing the damage of their 2-1 first-leg home defeat.</p><p>But Inter quickly responded, converting off a pair of corner kicks in the space of three minutes to take a 2-1 lead. Martinez reacted first to a favorable bounce in the 6-yard box, and Pavard headed in his first goal for Inter since joining the club from Bayern in August 2023.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/13610" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/13610">Eric Dier</a> gave Bayern a lifeline in the 76th minute, but his floating header from an acute angle made no difference to the final result.</p><p>"We've had a packed schedule with loads of matches, one after the other, but we don't give up," Martinez told <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3269004" href="https://thescore.com/news/3269004">Amazon Prime</a>. "We have personality and heart and intelligence. We were definitely on the back foot at times today, but we showed again today that we can do great things.</p><p>"We think about winning everything at the start of every season, because if we don't, then we shouldn't play this sport. That's our mentality."</p><p>Bayern were hoping to play for a seventh Champions League title in front of their own fans as they did in the 2011-12 final. The Germans ended up losing that game to Chelsea in a penalty shootout.</p><p>In their quest for a second treble in club history, Inter have a three-point lead atop the Serie A standings and are in the Coppa Italia semifinals.</p><p>Head coach Simone Inzaghi is just the second Inter boss to have reached the Champions League semifinals on more than one occasion with the side. Legendary manager Helenio Herrera, the godfather of the defensive system known as Catenaccio, led Inter to four consecutive semifinal appearances from 1963-67, winning the European Cup in 1965.</p>

MILAN, ITALY - APRIL 16: Benjamin Pavard of FC Internazionale celebrates with Francesco Acerbi and Nicolo Barella after scoring the goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Bayern München at San Siro on April 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy.

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Inter to face Barca with treble in sights after UCL triumph over Bayern

Liverpool are finalizing new two-year contracts for pending free agents Mohamed Salah and Virgil ...

<p>Liverpool are finalizing new two-year contracts for pending free agents <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/17673" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/17673">Mohamed Salah</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/22556" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/22556">Virgil van Dijk</a>, sources told The Athletic's David Ornstein.</p><p>The breakthrough in talks brings much-needed clarity to the contract situations of Liverpool's two most important players. The development also numbs the potential sting of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer to Real Madrid at the end of the season.</p><p>Salah, 32, isn't facing a salary reduction despite initial concerns about his age, according to <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/mo-salah-liverpool-new-contract-extension-7ch23hvpz">The Times' Paul Joyce</a>. The Egyptian has been reportedly seeking a multi-year contract to build on his eight-year stay at Anfield.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Van Dijk said after Liverpool's 3-2 loss to Fulham on Sunday that "progress" was being made toward a new contract.</p><p>"I love the club. I love the fans, and they were there for us again," the Dutch defender <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3260736" href="https://thescore.com/news/3260736">added</a>.</p><p>Speculation over the future of Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold followed Liverpool even as they mounted an unexpected bid for the Premier League title. Head coach Arne Slot maintained throughout the year that he was counting on Salah to stay.</p><p>Salah <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3139372" href="https://thescore.com/news/3139372">expressed frustration</a> in November that he hadn't received an offer from Liverpool, saying he was "more out than in" and that his future wasn't in his hands. Reports continued to link him with a move to one of Saudi Arabia's top clubs, including Al-Hilal, who apparently identified Salah as a replacement for Neymar. Liverpool previously rejected a reported £150-million bid from Al-Hilal in September 2023.</p><p>Salah's stunning form this season has made it difficult for the Reds to consider allowing the Premier League's leading scorer to leave for free. He has 32 goals and 22 assists in all competitions this season and is now set to add to his total of 243 goals since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.</p>

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammate Virgil van Dijk during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on March 08, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

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Report: Salah, Van Dijk close to signing Liverpool extensions

The race for soccer's top individual accolade has never been more open. With Lionel Messi and Cri...

<p><em>The race for soccer's top individual accolade has never been more open. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's duopoly well and truly over - neither was nominated for the Ballon d'Or last year - opportunity beckons. Rodri took full advantage in 2024. Who will do the same this year? Each month until the award is presented in October, we'll publish fresh rankings looking at the top contenders. Here are the 10 leading candidates to win the trophy right now.</em></p><h3>10. Jude Bellingham</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-GQ1jF" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/GQ1jF/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Bellingham ranked third in Ballon d'Or voting last year with 23 goals in his first season with Real Madrid. He's less than halfway to that number with just two months remaining in his sophomore year, but the English midfielder still has an impact on Carlo Ancelotti's side. </p><p>While opponents continue to treat Bellingham as a two-way threat, he's helped shore up a midfield that's sacrificed a bit of its goal-scoring tendencies for more defensive solidity. Bellingham's lost a bit of discipline along the way this season - he was suspended for two La Liga matches for abusive language - but continues to drive the ball forward.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>9. Pedri</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-1KqAK" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/1KqAK/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Attacking players almost always win the Ballon d'Or. A defender hasn't taken home the award since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, and even that took a Herculean, World Cup-winning effort. Scoring goals is simply the easiest way to garner individual acclaim and always has been. But Rodri's triumph last year, and Luka Modric's win in 2018, proved that majestic midfielders can get the recognition they deserve in this category.</p><p>Pedri, arguably the smoothest, most aesthetically pleasing midfielder in the sport right now, has an outside shot at ensuring the Ballon d'Or remains with a Spaniard for another year. Similar to his teammates on this list, the all-around operator could come away with several trophies this season after being central, literally and figuratively, to everything for Barcelona.</p><h3>8. Vinicius Junior</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-lpBe4" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lpBe4/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Vinicius, and everybody associated with Real Madrid, will tell you that the Brazilian winger should already have one Ballon d'Or to his name. They're <em>still</em> rankled by Rodri's win last year. The 24-year-old is once again in the mix, but his path to the coveted golden trophy is more complicated than it was in 2024, thanks largely to the presence of his teammate Kylian Mbappe.</p><p>Nevertheless, Vinicius can't be ruled out. He has 24 goals in all competitions this season and could yet win La Liga, the Champions League, and the Club World Cup in the summer. He'll likely need to either fully outscore Mbappe or deliver a signature goal, as he has in recent Champions League finals, to leapfrog his French teammate in this race.</p><h3>7. Robert Lewandowski</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-N0bTg" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/N0bTg/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Barcelona's veteran striker has already scored 36 goals across all competitions - his highest tally since leaving Bayern Munich in 2021. He'll surely reach 40 with at least 13 matches remaining in the season. Droughts haven't been an issue: La Liga's leading scorer hasn't gone more than three games without a goal. But he's providing more than just offensive production.</p><p>Lewandowski, working again under Hansi Flick, has become the perfect foil in Barcelona's multi-faceted attack, pulling defenders with him as his younger teammates run into space. Flick's game plan could simply involve long balls to Lewandowski, but the 36-year-old, who's been remarkably healthy this season, has been willing to work for the team.</p><h3>6. Harry Kane</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-axEdt" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/axEdt/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Things really could change for Kane this season. He's expected to win his first career title with Bayern Munich, who lead the Bundesliga by six points, and could even eclipse the 44 goals he scored last season. Kane <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/harry-kane-ballon-dor-england-bayern-munich-b2718874.html">admitted</a> the change in "aura" at the club should boost his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or and that he couldn't have possibly won it while going trophyless at Tottenham Hotspur.</p><p>He's also elevated his play in big matches, scoring three of Bayern's five goals in the Champions League last-16 clash against Bayer Leverkusen. Kane's 10 Champions League tallies narrowly trail Raphinha's 11 this season.</p><h3>5. Lamine Yamal</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-1KqAK" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/1KqAK/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>While not as prolific as his rivals, Yamal, who's still only 17, has become a clear reference point for Barcelona's plentiful attack. The Spanish winger is a menace down the right: His 4.2 successful dribbles per game lead La Liga by a wide margin, and no one touches his 11 assists in the top flight. Barcelona are incredibly lucky to have a ready-made replacement for Lionel Messi directly in-house.</p><p>Yamal has missed some time due to injury this season, and his health remains of utmost importance as Barcelona lean ever more on his talent. They need only look at Ansu Fati down the long side of the bench to see the devastating impact injuries can have on a promising career.</p><h3>4. Ousmane Dembele</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-C4mtZ" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/C4mtZ/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Nobody has rocketed into contention quite like Dembele, who, at long last, has put all the pieces together after years of untapped promise. The French winger, embracing the role as PSG's main man after Mbappe's departure, is backing up his blistering pace and spellbinding dribbling with prolific finishing. He has more league goals this season (21) than in his last five years combined and is the current leader in the race for France's Golden Boot.</p><p>PSG are shoo-ins to win Ligue 1 and are heavy favorites for the Coupe de France. They also look like the best team in Europe right now and have a very real shot at finally claiming a Champions League title. Should they accomplish all that, with Dembele leading the charge, the 27-year-old's case for the Ballon d'Or will be hard to ignore.</p><h3>3. Mohamed Salah</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-o6I8O" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/o6I8O/36/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Salah's authoring an all-time great season. With 27 goals and 17 assists through 29 games, he's well on his way to breaking the record for goal involvements in a single Premier League campaign (47). Plus, Liverpool are cruising toward a 20th English top-flight title. Just a few weeks ago, Salah was the overwhelming favorite here.</p><p>However, he's since cooled off, and Liverpool's Champions League exit in the round of 16 seriously dented his chances in a year where the competition will loom large on voting. Liverpool's League Cup final loss didn't help either. What once looked like a potential quadruple-winning season has petered out somewhat, likely taking Salah's Ballon d'Or chances down with it.</p><h3>2. Kylian Mbappe</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-TN0dq" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/TN0dq/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Mbappe has burst into life at Real Madrid, overcoming personal issues that cost him time with the French national team while acclimating himself to his new club. He took the keys to Madrid's attack with a second-leg hat-trick in their 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoff round. He also outperformed teammates Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior in the lead-up to the March international break.</p><p>Mbappe has his pace back - he was missing that final step in the opening months of the season - and is forcing defenders to backpedal as they did when he spearheaded Paris Saint-Germain's attack. If Madrid make another deep Champions League run, Mbappe, who's on 30 goals and counting, could conceivably finish as top scorer in La Liga and Europe.</p><h3>1. Raphinha</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-WE8ZY" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WE8ZY/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="101" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>As evidenced by having three other players on this list, Barcelona's success this season has been a collective effort. But make no mistake, Raphinha is leading the way. The Brazilian, a club captain, has benefitted most from Flick's direct style that emphasizes quick, vertical play.</p><p>Raphinha's creativity and clinical finishing have helped lift Barcelona to the top spot in La Liga, where he has 21 goal involvements. He's been even better in the Champions League, leading the competition with 11 tallies in 10 games. This summer's lack of marquee international events means the Champions League will carry more weight for voters, putting him in a strong position to become the first Barcelona player since Messi to win this award.</p><p><strong>Keep an eye on</strong>:</p><ul>
<li>Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Netherlands)</li>
<li>Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid and Argentina)</li>
<li>Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich and Germany)</li>
</ul>

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And then there were eight. The Champions League field has been whittled down once again after the...

<p><em>And then there were eight. The Champions League field has been whittled down once again after the round of 16 came to an exciting conclusion Wednesday. Below, a collection of theScore's soccer editors review the last-16 action, providing one major takeaway from each of the fixtures.</em></p><h3>Yamal, Raphinha dazzle for Barca</h3><p><em>Barcelona beat Benfica 4-1 on aggregate</em></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774714/cropped_GettyImages-2203979066.jpg?ts=1741723002" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774714/w220xh124_GettyImages-2203979066.jpg?ts=1741723002 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774714/w320xh180_GettyImages-2203979066.jpg?ts=1741723002 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774714/w640xh360_GettyImages-2203979066.jpg?ts=1741723002 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774714/w768xh432_GettyImages-2203979066.jpg?ts=1741723002 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774714/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2203979066.jpg?ts=1741723002 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">JOSEP LAGO / AFP / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Raphinha and Lamine Yamal assisted each other's goals in the 3-1 win over Benfica on Tuesday, once again proving their connection is as smooth as any in European competition. It's not that they simply look for one another but that their sweeping style of play - which leans heavily on dribbling and finding pockets of space - culminates in a cross or pass through the penalty area that lands in their path. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Barcelona could just as easily thump the ball at Robert Lewandowski and hope he converts from range, but head coach Hansi Flick instead asks his talented wingers to make inverted runs into dangerous areas, and they end profiting off each other's trickery. - <em>Anthony Lopopolo</em></p><h3>Steady Inter a serious threat</h3><p><em>Inter Milan beat Feyenoord 4-1 on aggregate</em></p><p>Simone Inzaghi's team is arguably the least glamorous of the title contenders remaining in the Champions League. But Inter might just be the most dangerous. They lack the mystique of Real Madrid, the youthful exuberance of Barcelona, or the slick interconnected passing of PSG. But what they have, in abundance, is veteran experience, solidity, and robustness.</p><p>The Serie A leaders never looked under any threat in their businesslike last-16 dismissal of Feyenoord. They've conceded only two goals in the entire tournament - the best defensive record thus far - and, with Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, have genuine game-breakers up front. A very similar recipe got them within touching distance of the trophy two years ago. It could carry them all the way this time. - <em>Gianluca Nesci</em></p><h3>PSG finally put all the pieces together</h3><p><em>PSG beat Liverpool 4-1 on penalties (1-1 on aggregate)</em></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774752/cropped_GettyImages-2204011929.jpg?ts=1741734209" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774752/w220xh124_GettyImages-2204011929.jpg?ts=1741734209 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774752/w320xh180_GettyImages-2204011929.jpg?ts=1741734209 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774752/w640xh360_GettyImages-2204011929.jpg?ts=1741734209 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774752/w768xh432_GettyImages-2204011929.jpg?ts=1741734209 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774752/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2204011929.jpg?ts=1741734209 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Ousmane Dembele and PSG's forwards - along with a dazzling midfield - get most of the attention, but the French club doesn't reach the quarterfinals without shutting down Liverpool's potent attack over two legs. Liverpool besieged PSG's defense for large portions of Tuesday's second leg after Dembele's early goal brought the visitors level on aggregate. But Liverpool's breakthrough moment never came, and PSG went on to prevail after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a pair of penalties.</p><p>PSG's defensive heroics at Anfield got them to the shootout in the first place. Willian Pacho was a standout performer Tuesday, producing key interceptions, blocks, and clearances. Nuno Mendes also produced critical interventions that were vital in keeping PSG alive in the tournament they're so desperate to win. - <em>Gordon Brunt</em></p><h3>Leverkusen crumble against Bayern</h3><p><em>Bayern Munich beat Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 on aggregate</em></p><p>Leverkusen hadn't lost any of their previous six matches against Bayern Munich. But that was in domestic competition. "The Champions League is a bit more emotional," Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3232457" href="https://thescore.com/news/3232457">pointed out</a> before the teams' last-16 tie. "Emotional control is most important. Five bad minutes, and you're gone."</p><p>Gone they are after losing handily to their German rivals for exactly those reasons. Leverkusen conceded 9 minutes into the first leg and finished the game down to 10 men. Armed with a 3-0 aggregate lead, Bayern struck another two goals while restricting space for Leverkusen to attack. Alonso's side didn't have a shot on target until the 65th minute, by which point the tie was long gone. - <em>Lopopolo</em></p><h3>Guirassy keeps swinging for Dortmund</h3><p><em>Borussia Dortmund beat Lille 3-2 on aggregate</em></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773198/cropped_GettyImages-2198430636.jpg?ts=1741012416" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773198/w220xh124_GettyImages-2198430636.jpg?ts=1741012416 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773198/w320xh180_GettyImages-2198430636.jpg?ts=1741012416 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773198/w640xh360_GettyImages-2198430636.jpg?ts=1741012416 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773198/w768xh432_GettyImages-2198430636.jpg?ts=1741012416 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773198/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2198430636.jpg?ts=1741012416 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">picture alliance / picture alliance / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Serhou Guirassy has been the only constant in Borussia Dortmund's seesaw of a season, and his skillful efforts in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Lille ensured his side's continued progress in the Champions League.</p><p>Just as everything seemed to go wrong - a pair of goal-line clearances and a couple of unbelievable point-blank saves unnerved Dortmund in the first half - Guirassy won the penalty that leveled the tie and assisted the goal that won it. He now has 14 goal involvements in the Champions League, the joint-most by an African player in a single season. Guirassy hasn't gone more than two games without having some material impact on the score line, showing the kind of consistency Dortmund have lacked in a year in which they've reached the Champions League quarterfinals while toiling in 10th place in the Bundesliga. <em>- Lopopolo</em></p><h3>Asensio adds extra element for Villa</h3><p><em>Aston Villa beat Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate</em></p><p>When January transfers work as intended, they provide a critical midseason boost that can ignite a team and push it over the top. Marco Asensio's move to Aston Villa is a prime example. The Spaniard, who arrived in Birmingham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day of the January window, was largely a non-factor in the French capital for the first half of the campaign, scoring two league goals in limited minutes.</p><p>But his quality has never been in doubt, and he's reminding anyone who might have forgotten about that. The 29-year-old scored twice in Wednesday's second-leg win over Club Brugge, bringing his tally to seven goals in eight games since joining Aston Villa. Asensio, a three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, can bring crucial big-game experience to a club that will now feature in its first European Cup quarterfinal in 42 years. Together with manager Unai Emery, another continental expert, Villa have every chance to continue their unlikely run. To do so, they'll need to defeat none other than PSG, the squad that jettisoned Asensio, in the next round. - <em>Nesci</em></p><h3>Arsenal capitalize on rare breather</h3><p><em>Arsenal beat PSV Eindhoven 9-3 on aggregate</em></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773419/cropped_GettyImages-2202729922.jpg?ts=1741124756" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773419/w220xh124_GettyImages-2202729922.jpg?ts=1741124756 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773419/w320xh180_GettyImages-2202729922.jpg?ts=1741124756 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773419/w640xh360_GettyImages-2202729922.jpg?ts=1741124756 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773419/w768xh432_GettyImages-2202729922.jpg?ts=1741124756 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/773419/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2202729922.jpg?ts=1741124756 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">NurPhoto / NurPhoto / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Arsenal's last-16 affair with PSV Eindhoven played out <em>perfectly</em> for Mikel Arteta. With a quarterfinal berth virtually sealed after a ruthless 7-1 first-leg win last week, the Gunners coach jumped at a rare opportunity to rotate his bruised and battered squad Wednesday. Seldom-used loanee Raheem Sterling delivered a solid first-half display in a makeshift attack that also saw left-back Kieran Tierney start on the wing and midfielder Mikel Merino line up as the No. 9 through the middle.</p><p>Arsenal padded their lead to progress with a 9-3 win on aggregate before a difficult quarterfinal test against holders and 15-time winners Real Madrid. But Arsenal's Champions League adventure could get a huge boost by April with Gabriel Martinelli at full strength and Bukayo Saka's expected return. Their Premier League title push is all but over, but don't discount an Arsenal side that could put all their eggs in the Champions League basket. - <em>Brunt</em></p><h3>Real Madrid always find a way</h3><p><em>Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 on penalties (2-2 on aggregate)</em></p><p>As Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid approached penalties, only one team seemed like the clear winner. Not because they dominated or deserved to go through, but because they have always come out on top. Madrid, of course, obliged, beating Atletico in a shootout for the sixth time in six attempts. An unlucky double touch annulled Julian Alvarez's penalty, opening up the win for Madrid and serving up an excruciating reminder of their historical supremacy over Atletico.</p><p>It really felt different when Conor Gallagher leveled the tie on aggregate just a minute into the second leg. Atletico often defended with six at the back but still produced the lion's share of chances, forcing Madrid shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois into seven saves. Even Vinicius Junior missed a penalty, which he had done only twice before in his pro career and never before for Madrid. There wasn't much more Atletico could do. But the Champions League is a funny tournament. Sometimes only the tiniest margins count. And Madrid live in those margins. <em>- Lopopolo</em></p>

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Key thoughts and analysis from Champions League round of 16

Antonio Rudiger's penalty kick squeaked past Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak to seal a drama...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/16577" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/16577">Antonio Rudiger</a>'s penalty kick squeaked past Atletico Madrid goalkeeper <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/14778" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/14778">Jan Oblak</a> to seal a dramatic 4-2 shootout win for Real Madrid in an epic Champions League last-16 encounter between historic city rivals at a raucous Metropolitano on Wednesday.</p><p>It's the fifth time in 11 years that Madrid have eliminated Atletico from the Champions League.</p><p>Los Blancos have won <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCMOTD/status/1899962401149141361">all six of their shootouts</a> against Los Rojiblancos, including in the 2015-16 Champions League final.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Arsenal will be the next team that tries to dethrone the 15-time European champions. The Gunners will host the first leg at the Emirates on April 8.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/182721" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/182721">Julian Alvarez</a> thought he had tied the shootout at 2-2 with a strike into the upper netting, but the VAR canceled out the Argentine's penalty after Madrid's vocal protests, ruling he had touched the ball twice as he slipped on the spot.</p><p>In normal time, a penalty taker who touches the ball twice would end up conceding a free-kick to the opposing team. That doesn't apply in a shootout, and a retake isn't an option.</p><p>Oblak gave Atletico a second wind by turning away <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/49943" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/49943">Lucas Vazquez</a>'s effort, but <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/36960" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/36960">Marcos Llorente</a>'s follow-up for the hosts struck the bar, leaving Rudiger to finish off a wild sequence of events.</p><p>"It hurts. I think we played a great match, but unfortunately we lacked a bit of luck," Oblak <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3240728" href="https://thescore.com/news/3240728">told</a> Movistar. "The truth is that one feels pain. It hurts a lot."</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/160089" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/160089">Conor Gallagher</a>'s opportunistic first-minute opener Wednesday gave Atletico a 1-0 lead that leveled the tie 2-2 on aggregate.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/101248" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/101248">Vinicius Junior</a> wasted a chance to win it before extra time, skying his penalty attempt in the 70th minute.</p><p>Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti took off Vinicius with minutes remaining in extra time, denying him an opportunity to redeem himself in the shootout.</p><p>It didn't matter in the end.</p><p>Madrid took a 2-1 advantage into the second leg thanks to goals from <a href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/160984">Rodrygo</a> and <a href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/86731">Brahim Diaz</a> at the Santiago Bernabeu last Tuesday. Alvarez's stunning away goal gave Atletico an important building block.</p><p>Gallagher was a substitute a week ago but made an instant impact as a starter Wednesday, cleaning up Alvarez's wayward touch with a sweeping finish from close range.</p><p>Atletico's resolute defense held firm until <a href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/66967">Kylian Mbappe</a> raced into space and drew contact from <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///chlg/players/69635" href="https://thescore.com/chlg/players/69635">Clement Lenglet</a> in the penalty area. But Vinicius curled the potential tie-clinching spot-kick high and wide. </p><p>"We came out as if it was already won and in the first move they scored a goal against us, and that messed us up a lot," Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde added.</p><p>"We went to penalties. By the end we were very tired, it was very noticeable, and thank God we won."</p>

MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 12: Players of Real Madrid celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain on March 12, 2025. Real Madrid won through penalty shootouts.

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Real Madrid win wild shootout to eliminate Atletico from UCL once again

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