Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has thrown his support behind teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha, insisting the youngster would take a Champions League start against Paris Saint-Germain "in his stride". The 17-year-old has again become the talk of Merseyside after a record-breaking performance against Fulham over the weekend.
Kylian Mbappe has been left nursing a significant facial injury following Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Girona in La Liga. The French superstar was forced to undergo a minor medical procedure to repair a deep gash after a physical encounter left him bloodied and bruised at the Bernabeu. WARNING: Graphic content.
Diego Simeone has staunchly defended his decision to field the youngest starting XI of his tenure after Atletico Madrid fell to a narrow La Liga defeat against Sevilla. With a season-defining Champions League quarter-final second leg against Barcelona looming, the Argentine tactician opted for ten changes to his side at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
Despite being the focal point of the Bayern Munich attack all season, Harry Kane was restricted to a spectator's role during Bayern Munich's five-goal demolition of St Pauli. After playing the full 90 minutes in the 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg victory over Real Madrid earlier in the week, the 32-year-old was granted a break by his manager to ensure he remains at peak fitness for the season's defining fixtures.
