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Champions League news

Olise

Henry explains why 'people don't understand' Olise

France legend Thierry Henry has offered a fascinating insight into the unique talent of Michael Olise, claiming the winger operates on a mental plane that many struggle to comprehend. The Bayern Munich star was in inspired form during his team's 2-1 win against Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie, once again proving why he is considered one of Europe's elite attackers.

FBL-EUR-C1-ATLETICO MADRID-PRESSER

Diego Simeone remains undecided about two starting positions as he fine-tunes his lineup ahead of Saturday’s pivotal clash with Barcelona at the Camp Nou. The Argentine coach is kn

The Rojiblancos star is not 100% fit, according to the club’s medical team. This means he has not yet regained full match sharpness, despite making progress in his recovery. The player’s absence will force the coaching staff to rethink their starting XI for Sunday’s crucial clash, and fans will be hoping the No. 10 returns to peak condition as soon as possible. In the meantime, the squad’s depth will be tested, with several young talents ready to step in and seize their opportunity.

Atletico de Madrid v FC Barcelona - LaLiga EA Sports

Barcelona and Atlético: a battle of the numbers… Who will come out on top in the Champions League? When two Spanish heavyweights lock horns in the knockouts, every statistic, trend

In football, as in life, the numbers never lie—yet they rarely tell the full story. Stats can showcase a striker’s goals, a midfielder’s assists, or a defender’s tackles, but they cannot capture the intangibles that define the modern game: the subtle weight of leadership, the spark of creativity, the grit that keeps a player on his feet after a bruising challenge. Coaches poring over match reports know this instinctively; so do supporters who have watched a seemingly dominant side succumb to a more disciplined, organised unit. Take, for example, the oft-cited metric of possession. A team may control the ball for 70 percent of the match, but if that possession is sterile, confined to safe lateral passes, it means little. What matters is what happens in the final third—the areas where chances are created and goals are scored. Here, expected goals (xG) offers a clearer picture, assigning a probability to each attempt based on distance, angle, and shot type. Even so, xG struggles to accoun

Real Madrid CF v FC Bayern München - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg

A startling statistic lays bare Real Madrid’s struggles against Bayern Munich, underscoring a pattern that fans and analysts alike cannot ignore. Across recent meetings, the Spanis

The statistics leave little room for doubt: Real Madrid has consistently struggled against Bayern Munich in recent meetings. Across a variety of competitions, the Spanish giants have posted a disappointing win rate, conceded more goals than they have scored, and often looked second best on the big stage. These cold, hard numbers tell a story of persistent difficulty, underlining the Bavarians’ ability to exploit Madrid’s defensive frailties and midfield limitations. While individual matches can be swayed by luck or refereeing decisions, the broader pattern is clear—Bayern has developed a winning formula that exposes Real’s weaknesses time and again. Until the Merengues find a tactical antidote, the data suggests that any future showdown could follow the same script.

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Diaz insists leaving Liverpool for Bayern was 'right choice'

Luis Diaz has expressed his absolute conviction in his decision to swap Liverpool for Bayern Munich last summer following a match-winning performance at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Colombian forward opened the scoring as the Bundesliga leaders secured a 2-1 first-leg advantage over Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final tie, taking his remarkable season tally to 41 goal involvements.

Vinicius Junior

Van der Vaart tears into 'horrible' Vinicius

Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has launched a stinging attack on Vinicius Junior, labelling the Brazilian winger's behaviour on the pitch as "horrible". The Dutchman did not hold back after watching the forward's antics during a high-stakes Champions League clash against Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu.

FC Bayern

Why Real Madrid were ‘at the mercy’ of Bayern Munich In a commanding display of collective precision and clinical finishing, Bayern Munich left Real Madrid chasing shadows and expo

The “Bestia Negra” is back. That ominous nickname, meaning “Black Beast”, has long haunted Bayern Munich’s opponents, and after the first leg of this Champions League quarter-final it feels very much alive. Yet the return of this psychological bogeyman is only part of the problem for the Bavarians’ rivals. Bayern’s underlying form is equally alarming. Prior to this match, they had won five consecutive league games, outscoring their opponents 17–3 in the process. Their attack, spearheaded by a fit-again Harry Kane and supported by the creative brilliance of Jamal Musiala, is now operating at full throttle. Defenders who once feared only Robert Lewandowski now face a whole team of clinical finishers. Then there is the tactical flexibility provided by Thomas Tuchel. The coach has rotated his midfield diamond with a 4–3–3, keeping opponents guessing while maintaining intense pressing and ball circulation. This adaptability was on display in the first leg, when Bayern recovered from an earl

FBL-EUR-C1-REAL MADRID-BAYERN MUNICH

Real 'gifted' two goals to Bayern as Rudiger bemoans missed chances

Antonio Rudiger has hit out at Real Madrid’s uncharacteristic defensive sloppiness after the Spanish giants suffered a 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Germany international expressed his frustration at the manner in which the goals were conceded, suggesting that individual errors handed a significant advantage to the visitors.

Real Madrid CF v FC Bayern München - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg

Mbappe joins CR7, Messi & Van Nistelrooy in elite UCL club

Kylian Mbappe joined the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Ruud van Nistelrooy in an elite Champions League club after scoring in Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. The Frenchman brought up his 14th goal in Europe for the 2025-26 campaign to give Real hope of a comeback in the second leg at Allianz Arena.

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PL secures fifth UCL spot again after Arsenal's win at Sporting

The Premier League has officially guaranteed a minimum of five entrants for next season’s Champions League following a decisive set of European results. Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Sporting CP provided the final coefficient points required to ensure England finishes amongst UEFA's top two performing nations for the second year running.

Tah-Mbappe

Arbeloa rages after Tah tackle leaves Mbappe with nasty gash in leg

Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa was left fuming after seeing his star forward Kylian Mbappe subjected to a late challenge during Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg clash with Bayern Munich. The Spanish coach insisted that Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah should have been sent off for a studs-up tackle that left the Frenchman with a visible gash on his leg.

Frequently asked questions

Al-Hilal are the most successful Saudi Pro League side ever, having won an astonishing 19 league titles. Their first-ever league title came at the end of the 1976-77 campaign. Currently, they are also the defending champions, having gone all the way in the 2023-24 season.

Currently, there are 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League. In the first season ever, which took place in 1976-77, there were just eight teams. The number increased to 10 in the following season. Ahead of the 1981-82, Saudi Premier League and Saudi First Division merged to form one single league for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process. However, from the 1984-85 season, the number teams reverted to 12.

Legendary Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Deayea holds the record for most appearances in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Deayea played for Al-Taee and Al-Hilal and managed 406 appearances inthe league.

Majed Abdullah, also known as the Arabian Pele, is the league's all-time leading topscorer with 189 goals in 194 league games, all of them coming with Al-Nassr in a 21-year span. He is Al-Nassr's record goalscorer, with 259 goals in just 266 games.

Former Syrian midfielder Jehad Al-Hussain has registered the most assists in Saudi Pro League history, setting up 50 goals for his teammates in 208 games.

Former Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to ever feature in Saudi Pro League. El Hadary was 45 years and 81 days old when he featured for Al-Taawoun in April 2018.

Teenage sensation Talal Haji, who plays for Al-Ittihad, is the youngest player to ever play in Saudi Pro League. Haji achieved this feat at the age of 16 years and five days when he came on as a substitute for Romarinho in Al-Ittihad's 2-1 win over Al-Fateh in September 2023.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino, N'Golo Kante, Sadio Mane, Yassine Bounou, Nacho, Aymeric Laporte, and Fabinho are among the most famous players to have played in the Saudi Pro League.

Steven Gerrard, Laurent Blanc, and Stefano Pioli are some of Saudi Pro League's most prominent managers in history.

The King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, which is home to Al-Shabab and Al-Riyadh, is the biggest stadium in Saudi Pro League. It has a capacity of 68,752.

Neymar is the most expensive player in Saudi Pro League history, costing a whopping £77.6 million when Al-Hilal bought him from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.