Argentina teammates Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul were not included in Javier Mascherano’s matchday squad for Inter Miami’s road clash with Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Neither player is injured, and both were reportedly rested ahead of Miami’s second-leg meeting with Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
In Leverkusen, nine Bayern players managed to secure a point. Afterwards, all the attention turned to the referee. Criticism came even from the very top of the FCB hierarchy.
U.S. international Josh Sargent made his long-awaited Toronto FC debut on Saturday, coming off the bench in the 70th minute for Robin Fraser’s side. The 26-year-old was welcomed with a loud roar from the BMO Field crowd and nearly made an immediate impact, but Toronto had to settle for a 1-1 draw after Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s late equalizer.
FC Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on matchday 26 of the Bundesliga was marred by a number of controversial decisions by referee Christian Dingert, who disallowed two of Munich’s goals and sent off Luis Diaz for an alleged dive. He says he would not make that decision again.
FC Bayern picked up a point in a heated match in Leverkusen. Two controversial incidents in particular caused a great deal of frustration for the record champions.
Harry Kane has been forced to settle for a place on the bench for the second consecutive match. Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany has opted to stick with Nicolas Jackson for the high-stakes Bundesliga showdown against Bayer Leverkusen.
Real Madrid continue to face a selection headache ahead of their La Liga clash with Elche as several superstars remain sidelined. Manager Alvaro Arbeloa has been forced to dig deep into the academy ranks to patch up a depleted matchday squad ahead of the meeting with Manchester City on Tuesday.
Premier League fans face an unusual Saturday schedule as both Arsenal vs Everton and Chelsea vs Newcastle occupy the 17:30 GMT slot. The two matches were held in the afternoon due to European competition commitments.
Marseille supporters staged a 45-minute silence during their clash with Auxerre to protest a "season of humiliations". The usual cauldron of noise at the Stade Velodrome was replaced by jeers as the home faithful vented their frustration.
Ivan Toney was at the heart of a heated post-match scuffle following Al-Ahli’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Brendan Rodgers’ Al-Qadsiah. Despite the England striker scoring his 25th league goal of the season, the hosts' sensational second-half comeback sparked a tense atmosphere that boiled over as the final whistle blew.
Paris Saint-Germain asserted their dominance on the European stage with a commanding 5-2 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie. In a night filled with attacking flair, Bradley Barcola stood out as the catalyst, opening the scoring and setting the tone for a rampant Parisian side that left the Premier League giants reeling.
