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.
Manager Álvaro Arbeloa’s decision has reportedly upset Real Madrid fans ahead of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.
Toni Kroos refuses to write off his former club, Real Madrid, in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, despite the 1-2 first-leg defeat.
