Category: Football

Vinicius Junior struck twice as Real Madrid shaded Atletico Madrid 3-2 in a thrilling derby clash on Sunday to stay on leaders Barcelona’s tail at the top of La Liga.

After the Catalan giants edged Rayo Vallecano 1-0 earlier on, Madrid ensured the gap to the champions stayed at four points by beating Diego Simeone’s side at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ademola Lookman put Atletico ahead in the first half, but Vinicius and Federico Valverde’s strikes gave the hosts the lead soon after the interval.

Nahuel Molina equalised for Atletico, fourth, with a spectacular effort from distance, but Vinicius netted again to claim the three points for Los Blancos.

Valverde was sent off for hacking Alex Baena in the final stages, but his side held on to win in Alvaro Arbeloa’s first derby clash with Atletico since taking over in January.

After ousting Manchester City in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, victory against Atletico completed a successful week for Arbeloa and his team.

A pulsating clash began with chances for both sides, with Valverde hitting the post after bursting in behind the Atletico defence.

At the other end, Andriy Lunin, playing in place of the injured Thibaut Courtois, fumbled Marcos Llorente’s drive but recovered quickly to grab the loose ball.

Vinicius came close to putting Madrid ahead, but Giuliano Simeone blocked twice in quick succession in his own six-yard box from the forward.

Atletico took the lead after 33 minutes with a slick team move, Giuliano Simeone backheeling the ball to Lookman, who slotted home.

Real Madrid netted two quickfire goals early in the second half as Atletico imploded.

Brahim Diaz showed fleet footwork in the area, and the unbalanced David Hancko felled the Morocco international.

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Vinicius tucked home from the spot in the 52nd minute, sending Juan Musso the wrong way.

Three minutes later, and Los Blancos were ahead, with Valverde charging down Jose Gimenez’s attempted pass and then firing past Musso with the outside of his boot.

Atletico pulled level with a brilliant Molina effort, rifled into the top corner from outside the box.

However, Madrid reclaimed the lead through Vinicius once more after Trent Alexander-Arnold fed him, and the Brazilian curled home.

It was Vinicius’s 10th goal in his last 11 matches across all competitions, with the forward in superb form.

Julian Alvarez almost levelled once more for Atletico, but his effort from the edge of the box crashed back off Lunin’s upright.

Arbeloa sent on Jude Bellingham as a substitute for his first appearance since February 1 after a hamstring injury, along with French superstar Kylian Mbappe.

Neither had much of an influence as Madrid were forced to defend after Valverde’s foul on Baena brought him a red card.

Madrid protested that it was not severe enough of an offence to merit a dismissal, but to no avail.

In 2023, Baena, then at Villarreal, accused Valverde of punching him after a game.

“It’s hard to understand…” said Arbeloa of Valverde’s red card. “But (afterwards) there were 15 minutes of teamwork, solidarity, defending well, and it didn’t end up being a problem.”

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Midfielder Idrissa Gueye said his Senegal side deserved to be the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions, but he was ready to “hand back the medals” to Morocco if it eases tensions between the two countries.

Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in extra-time in the January final in Rabat, but CAF punished them last week for their 15-minute walk-off during the match, overturning the result and awarding a 3-0 win and the title to hosts Morocco.

“I personally commit to collecting the medals and maybe giving them back to Morocco if that can ease tensions between the two countries,” Gueye told Canal+ on Saturday after his Everton side’s 3-0 win over Chelsea in the Premier League.

“It’s just ridiculous… a football match is won on the pitch, that’s what we did in Morocco.

“We did what we had to do on the pitch, we won that match.

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“We deserve to be African champions. We are the African champions as far as we’re concerned. Titles are won on the pitch, not in offices.”

Idrissa Gueye, who captained Senegal in the AFCON final in place of the suspended Kalidou Koulibaly, took issue, however, with his federation’s decision to appeal CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“If it were up to me, I would have told the federation not to appeal,” he said.

The continent’s showpiece football final on January 18 descended into chaos when Senegal players walked off in protest after the hosts were awarded a controversial penalty late in second-half stoppage time.

Play resumed after a quarter of an hour of confusion and tension, with Senegal supporters throwing objects and trying to invade the pitch.

Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed his penalty before Senegal went on to win with a goal from Pape Gueye in extra-time.

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Danny Welbeck scored twice as Brighton beat Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to deal a major blow to the Reds’ push for a Champions League spot next season.

Arne Slot’s men came into the match on the sunny south coast in buoyant mood after hammering Galatasaray 4-0 in midweek to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

But a goal in each half from the evergreen Welbeck gave the home team a fourth win in five Premier League matches, keeping alive their own hopes of European football next season.

Liverpool were missing both goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Mohamed Salah at the Amex Stadium.

And they suffered a further injury blow early in the game when top scorer Hugo Ekitike hobbled off with an apparent dead leg after a firm challenge from former Liverpool stalwart James Milner.

The champions found themselves behind when Welbeck scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season in the 14th minute, nodding home from close range after Diego Gomez headed a cross-field pass back across goal.

That made the 35-year-old former Manchester United and Arsenal forward the top English goalscorer in the league this season.

Liverpool found some rhythm after falling behind, and Alexis Mac Allister went close to an equaliser in the 22nd minute, but Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen got down smartly low to his left to claw the ball away.

However, the visitors were level in the 30th minute after some clever opportunism from left-back Milos Kerkez, capitalising on an error from Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, who paid the price for heading a high ball back to his goalkeeper without looking behind him.

Hungary defender Kerkez nipped in and produced a composed finish, flicking the ball over the stranded Verbruggen.

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Brighton started the second half brightly and were back in front in the 56th minute, with Welbeck again on the scoresheet.

Yankuba Minteh’s pinpoint cross was played into Welbeck’s path by Jack Hinshelwood, and he finished confidently, with the goal confirmed following a VAR check.

Welbeck, who made his Premier League debut for United in 2008, is enjoying his highest-scoring season in the league.

Slot threw on teenager Rio Ngumoha, Andy Robertson, and Federico Chiesa in a desperate search for an equaliser, but it was Brighton who remained the more threatening team.

Defeat leaves Liverpool fifth in the Premier League, two points behind Aston Villa and one ahead of Chelsea, with the top five almost certain to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The club’s Premier League title defence collapsed earlier in the season, but they remain alive in the Champions League and face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals early next month.

Liverpool’s Brazilian international goalkeeper Alisson posted on social media that he would be “out of action for a while”.

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Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal team to “bring it home” as he prepares for Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester City, desperate to shed the Gunners’ tag as nearly men.

Arsenal are on course for an unprecedented quadruple, nine points clear of second-placed City in the Premier League and with favourable quarter-final draws in the Champions League and FA Cup.

But without a trophy for six years and after three consecutive second-placed finishes in the Premier League, Arteta acknowledged his side must prove they can get over the line.

“When it comes to the crucial moments and when it comes to the moment to attack a trophy and take it and bring it home, that’s when you need your big players to step up and make the difference,” he said at his pre-match press conference.

The Spaniard said the Wembley final would be one of the “defining moments” of Arsenal’s season, expressing his confidence that his side can triumph.

“At the end of the day, it is about whether you win the trophy or not,” he added. “That is the most important thing once you get to the final.

“But in order to be there you have to do a lot of things. There are a lot of things the team has done so far, but we need to prove that point, that’s clear, and it has to be done on the pitch.”

Arteta has transformed Arsenal’s fortunes since leaving his job as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at City to take charge at the Emirates in 2019.

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But he has won just one major trophy during his reign — leading his team to FA Cup glory in 2020 at an empty Wembley during coronavirus restrictions.

Guardiola said in his own pre-match press conference his relationship with Arteta had changed over time, but played down talk of any friction now they are title rivals.

The Arsenal boss said he is forever grateful for the opportunity he had to learn alongside Guardiola early in his coaching career.

“The fact we are never together and can never spend time together is important in our relationship, but it is not the most important,” said Arteta.

“How I feel about him and the time we had together and what he did for me, the inspiration he’s been… that is never going to change.”

Arteta hopes captain Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber will be fit enough for Wembley after missing the 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in midweek due to injury.

And he refused to confirm who would start in goal.

Guardiola said James Trafford will keep his place for City instead of number one Gianluigi Donnarumma after starting all his side’s domestic cup games this season.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has been Arsenal’s goalkeeper in domestic cup competitions, but plays second fiddle to David Raya in the Premier League and Champions League.

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Injured Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Portugal squad to play pre-World Cup friendlies against tournament co-hosts Mexico and the United States later this month.

The 41-year-old has not played for his Saudi club Al-Nassr since the end of February but Portugal coach Roberto Martinez insisted that Ronaldo’s participation at what would be a record sixth World Cup was “not at risk”.

“It’s a minor injury,” Martinez said at a press conference, adding that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could be back “within one or two weeks”.

“Everything Cristiano has done physically during this season shows that he’s going through an excellent spell and that there are no physical problems.

“At the World Cup, the centre-forward position will be for Cristiano Ronaldo and Goncalo Ramos. We are looking for a third striker with a different profile.”

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Portugal will face Mexico on Saturday, March 28, in Mexico City, and the United States three days later in Atlanta.

“This is the last chance to experiment, because it’s the final training camp before the World Cup squad is named,” said Martinez.

At the World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, Portugal have been drawn in Group K with Colombia and Uzbekistan.

The other team in this group will come from a play-off that could see New Caledonia, Jamaica, or the Democratic Republic of Congo qualify.

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Mohamed Salah will miss Liverpool’s trip to Brighton on Saturday with a muscle injury — a major blow for manager Arne Slot as he hunts a Champions League place next season.

The Egypt forward was forced off at Anfield on Wednesday after scoring in Liverpool’s 4-0 victory against Galatasary, which sealed their place in the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League.

In-form Mohamed Salah, 33, has scored in three of his past four starts after an uncharacteristic lean spell.

“It’s unusual,” Slot said at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “As a result of that I think you can expect the outcome. So, (he’s) not available for tomorrow.”

Slot gave no timeframe for Salah’s recovery.

“The good thing for Liverpool and for us is that we go to an international break,” he said. “The bad thing for Egypt is that he can’t go there.

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“We are hoping also with what Mo has shown in the past that he can recover faster than other players might in similar situations because he takes such good care of his body. History has shown that he can be earlier back than some others.

“But it’s only two weeks until we go again so let’s hope in that period of time he can be back.”

Salah, who is rarely absent through injury, is firmly back in the fold at Anfield after a dramatic fallout with Slot earlier in the season, when he was dropped for several games.

Despite his recent good form, the Egypt forward has scored just five Premier League goals this season, compared with 29 in Liverpool’s title-winning campaign in 2024/25.

Slot, whose team dropped valuable points in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham last week, admitted his side were not sharp enough in attack.

“We’re struggling to score goals,” said the Dutchman. “Not that we don’t score them, but with all the chances we create, it’s unbelievable that we don’t score, especially looking at the quality we have up front and throughout the whole team.”

Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League, two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, with the top five teams almost certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Slot’s men face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals on April 4 and will meet defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight of the Champions League.

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Michael Carrick has told his Manchester United side to ready themselves for an awkward encounter away to Bournemouth on Friday as they look to maintain their challenge for a Champions League place.

The Red Devils have enjoyed a resurgence since former United and England midfielder Carrick was appointed caretaker boss in January until the end of the season.

United are now third in the Premier League ahead of their trip to south coast side Bournemouth after recovering from their first loss under Carrick, away to Newcastle, by beating top-four rivals Aston Villa 3-1 on Sunday.

Bournemouth, however, are 10th in the table and have made life difficult for United in recent seasons, with December’s remarkable 4-4 draw at Old Trafford extending their recent unbeaten run in this fixture.

Cherries boss Andoni Iraola, tipped as a possible permanent manager of the Red Devils has not lost in five previous matches against United.

But such has been the club’s revival under Carrick, appointed after former United team-mate Darren Fletcher’s two-game spell in temporary charge following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, that the Old Trafford hierarchy may well stick with the 44-year-old come the end of the current campaign.

“It’s a tough game,” Carrick said of Bournemouth, undefeated in their last 10 matches in the Premier League.

“It’s a tough place to go. They’re on a really good run of form, so, yeah, a difficult game,” he also told a pre-match press conference on Thursday.

“We’re obviously going down there, we’ve had a good run and the boys are in good shape but, yeah, always a difficult game. Always has been and probably always will be.

“We know that, they’re a really good team, well coached, really well coached, and good energy. We know we’ll be in for a game down there on Friday.”

United have won just two of their last seven away matches following a last-gasp 2-1 loss at Newcastle.

But Carrick said: “Whether it’s home or away, it’s not something we kind of look at too much. It’s the next game, really.”

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He added: “It’s been nice to be able to win at home and put that in place, and to go and play at Old Trafford with a real feeling of confidence and looking forward to the game and for the supporters to feel that as well and leaving with a good feeling.”

Matthijs de Ligt, Patrick Dorgu and Lisandro Martinez remain sidelined for Friday’s match, but the latter is expected to be available when United return to action against Leeds on April 13.

The international break, lack of European fixtures and an early FA Cup exit mean United have an unusually long, 24-day, wait for a game after the Bournemouth match.

“You’ve got to be really flexible, you know, to come off the back of it in good shape,” Carrick said.

“The boys will have a break, in some way, but we’re definitely mindful of it for sure and it’s a little bit unique in some ways, having the week after the internationals to prepare for the next game.”

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Harry Kane scored in each half as Bayern Munich thumped Atalanta 4-1 at home in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, winning 10-2 on aggregate to book a quarter-final date with Real Madrid.

Captaining Bayern in the Champions League for the first time, Kane converted a penalty with 25 minutes played and added another goal early in the second half, bringing his career Champions League tally to 50 in 66 games.

Lennart Karl and Luis Diaz also got on the scoresheet for the hosts as Bayern again steamrolled the visitors, who picked up a late consolation through Lazar Samardzic.

“I think whenever you have a lead like we did, sometimes it’s easy to be a little bit complacent,” Kane, who missed the first leg with an injury, told DAZN.

“But we said before the game that we want to win in the same style that we did in the first leg. It’s sometimes harder to get up for a game like this, but we were there from minute one to minute 95.”

Bayern last faced Real in the semi-finals of the 2023-24 competition, crashing out to two Joselu goals in the dying minutes. Bayern have not beaten the Spanish giants since the 2011-12 semi-finals.

Few doubted Bayern would progress after their dominant 6-1 win in Bergamo — no team has ever overturned a five-goal deficit — but the Bundesliga leaders were forced to pick a weaker side on Wednesday due to injuries and suspensions.

With Jamal Musiala, Manuel Neuer and Alphonso Davies injured, Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise suspended, Bayern received some rare good news from the medical department when goalkeeper Jonas Urbig overcame a concussion and was cleared to play.

Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino was realistic, saying pre-match his charges were playing for the pride of Italian football as the only Serie A team left in the competition.

The visitors were energetic early, but their resistance was broken midway through the first half when VAR found Giorgio Scalvini had handled the ball from close range, bringing Kane to the spot.

The England captain’s first effort was saved, but he was given another chance as visiting ‘keeper Marco Sportiello had both feet off his line.

Kane obliged, driving a low shot into the corner for his 15th successful penalty in all competitions this season.

Urbig was called into action just before half-time, acrobatically saving a Mario Pasalic attempt to keep Bayern in front at the break.

Starting for the first time since last month, Kane looked sharp and doubled Bayern’s lead with 55 minutes gone, shrugging off the attention of four Atalanta defenders and blasting into the top corner on the turn.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said he “could not explain” Kane’s brilliant strike, gushing: “I’m so happy when he scores the simple goals, but when he does that, it’s unique.

“He’s come back fresh, and you can see how important he is for us.”

With Atalanta suddenly shaky, Bayern marched up the field and struck again, Diaz threading a pass for Karl to fire across the face of the goal and into the corner.

The teenage Bayern forward, tipped by German media for a maiden international call-up on Thursday, repaid Diaz with 20 minutes left, cutting a high pass over the Atalanta defence to the Colombian, who chipped Sportiello to score.

Like they did in Bergamo, Atalanta got a late consolation when Samardzic headed home from close range with five minutes left.

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Argentine superstar Lionel Messi bagged the 900th goal of his glittering career on Wednesday, but could not prevent Inter Miami from crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on away goals after a 1-1 draw with Nashville.

Messi, 38, scored his milestone goal after just seven minutes to put Miami 1-0 up in the second leg of their last-16 clash in the regional club competition.

But Nashville’s Cristian Espinoza lashed in a 74th-minute equaliser to make it 1-1 on aggregate, and after holding Miami at bay for the remainder of the game, the visitors from Tennessee advanced to the quarter-finals on the away goals rule.

Miami’s exit was a bittersweet ending to what had promised to be a night of celebration after Messi’s early opener in what was the club’s final game at their Chase Stadium home in Fort Lauderdale.

Messi’s strike took the Argentine’s tally to 81 goals for the MLS champions following his move to Florida in 2023.

The eight-time Ballon D’Or winner previously scored 672 goals for Spanish giants Barcelona, 32 for France’s Paris Saint-Germain, and a further 115 international goals for Argentina.

Goal number 900 came some 21 years after Messi’s first goal in senior football, when he scored for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over Albacete in 2005 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old.

Messi, widely regarded as the greatest player in football history, still has some way to go before he catches his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old Portuguese superstar who is on 965 career goals.

Speaking ahead of Messi’s 900th goal, Miami manager and former Argentina and Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano described the star’s goals total as “insane.”

“I’ve been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the goals he’s scored, much closer than you all, and that’s a privilege,” Mascherano said.

“The number we’re talking about (900) is insane, and that’s why Leo is a one of a kind.”

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Wednesday’s match carried added significance for Inter Miami, marking a farewell to the team’s Chase Stadium.

The venue has served as Inter Miami’s home since the club entered Major League Soccer in 2020. The team will move into a new purpose-built 26,700-seat facility next month.

Messi is strongly expected to play in his sixth World Cup later this year, when Argentina defend their title in the 48-team tournament being staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Argentine star has already extended his Inter Miami contract through to the end of the 2028 season.

Messi’s prolific goal-scoring has been a hallmark of his career. His 672 goals for Barcelona came in just 778 games — an average of 0.86 per game — helping the Catalan club win 35 trophies before departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

In France, he scored 32 goals in 75 matches, winning three trophies, including two league titles.

In Miami, his 81 goals have come in just 96 appearances, helping the team win the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2025 MLS Cup.

His 115 international goals have come in 196 matches, including two in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.

Messi’s goals tally leaves him second only to Ronaldo, according to most recognised statistical records.

Brazilian legend Pele is often said to have scored more than 1,000 goals, but those numbers have been the subject of debate. Most statisticians put Pele’s total for Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos at 762.

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Kyle Walker announced his retirement from international football on Tuesday after winning 96 caps for England and featuring at five major tournaments.

The 36-year-old was part of the sides that reached the European Championship final in 2021 and 2024.

But the former Manchester City defender has been a shadow of his former self since joining Burnley this season, making selection for the upcoming World Cup unlikely.

“I am sad to be making this decision, but I’m also very proud of what I’ve achieved with England,” said Walker, whose last appearance for his country came in a friendly against Senegal in 2025.

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“To represent my country at five major tournaments, to get to the finals that we’ve reached and to be surrounded by this England team, especially the players and the managers that I’ve had the privilege of working under, has been a great honour.

“But today is the time that comes to an end. It’s good for me to have a little bit of closure to my career on the international stage.”

Walker is the 10th most capped England men’s player of all time.

The English Football Association said a tribute will be made to his international career at a fixture after the World Cup.

“I know all England fans will join me in congratulating Kyle on an incredible international career,” said England manager Thomas Tuchel.

“I was always aware that he was one of England’s greats who fully embraced the highest honour of representing his country.

“An international career spanning 14 years and five major tournament is testament to Kyle’s dedication.”

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