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Barcelona’s defence under fire… and Simeone prepares the knockout blow

Neuer, Mbappé and defensive mistakes… how did Bayern impose their word at the Royal’s fortress?

England's qualifying campaign for the 2027 Women's World Cup is officially underway. The Lionesses started it with a 6-1 win over Ukraine on Tuesday and will continue their quest to secure a place in Brazil when hosting Iceland on Saturday. As runners-up in 2023, few would not expect Sarina Wiegman's side to achieve as much, but who the manager will choose to represent the European champions in South America is a little less certain.

France has a new cycling star. Paul Seixas is just 19 years old and is already capturing the imagination of the French public. Even Tadej Pogacar is full of praise for him.

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

Chelsea FC paid BVB a large sum of money for Jamie Gittens in the summer. So far, however, it has been anything but a wise investment. The Blues splashed out on the young forward, hoping his raw pace and promise would translate into goals and growth. Yet, after several opportunities to impress, the return on investment remains negligible. Fans and analysts alike are asking whether the club’s scouts accurately gauged his readiness for the Premier League. At this stage, the transfer looks more like a gamble than a shrewd acquisition, though time may yet prove the doubters wrong.

Next week, at Wembley Stadium, the two best national teams in European women's football will meet once more as England, winners of the last two European Championship titles, welcome Spain, the reigning world champions. It'll be their sixth competitive encounter in less than four years and it again brings with it huge stakes as the two bid for the one automatic qualification spot from their group for next summer's World Cup. That England could be without their captain, Leah Williamson, then, is a huge blow.

On January 9 of last year, the always-reliable David Ornstein reported that Liverpool were closely monitoring Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's situation at Napoli and might make a mid-season move for the winger were he to become available before the close of the winter transfer window. Nobody was in the least bit surprised by the news, given the Premier League club's longstanding interest in Georgian.

Real Madrid were made to rue missed opportunities despite being outplayed by Bayern Munich as they suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. Vinicius Jr missed chances in buckets, but after Kylian Mbappe did pull a goal back, Madrid will certainly still feel they are in with a shot of advancing to the semis.

Arsenal will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Sporting CP after prevailing in Lisbon on Tuesday. Kai Havertz came off the bench to score in the last minute of a match that was seriously lacking in quality right until the final knockings, and the Gunners now have one foot in the last four.

Bayern Munich secured a narrow lead in their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid as goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane secured a 2-1 first-leg win for the Bundesliga leaders in the Spanish capital. Vincent Kompany's side were well worth their victory despite Kylian Mbappe pulling one back for the hosts, with the tie very much up for grabs heading into the return fixture.

It has been a chaotic week for USMNT stars in Europe, with big results and serious injuries capping off an unwelcome return to club football

The forward will miss out on this summer's big event, but this is far from the first setback he's had to come back from

Under Vincent Kompany, a host of homegrown players have been promoted to the first team this season. While this was something of a rarity in the recent past, it has cost FC Bayern Munich a number of established top players of today. A misguided decision in the transfer market even drove away a current DFB star.

The Korean is struggling to score goals, but new manager Marc Dos Santos' more expansive system has unlocked his star man's creative abilities

Kylian under pressure

Behind-the-scenes action!

A battle of nerves

When Barcelona travelled to take on Atletico Madrid on Saturday, they did so in the knowledge that securing victory would be a giant step towards defending their title in La Liga. Real Madrid had lost at Mallorca earlier in the day, meaning a seven-point gap could potentially be opened up on Los Blancos at the summit.

It was one of those passes that only Trent Alexander-Arnold could play. Liverpool had struggled to break down Tottenham in December 2024, Spurs holding strong for 23 minutes despite waves of pressure. And then, Alexander-Arnold delivered the killer ball. He drifted in from the right wing, created the ideal angle, and whipped a cross in between two centre-backs, right onto Luis Diaz's head.

The hour is drawing near!

This is Legacy, GOAL’s feature and podcast series tracking the countdown to the 2026 World Cup. Each week, we explore the stories and the spirit behind the nations that define the world’s game. This week, we focus on Egypt, travelling across nine decades of footballing triumphs, heartbreaks, miracles, and rebirth; from silent years that tested a nation’s patience, to the unforgettable return in 1990, and the rise of a boy from Nagrig who carried a continent’s dreams on his shoulders: Mohamed Salah.

The Portuguese legend is back on top once again

A fiery clash between the stars of yesterday and tomorrow

Ahead of the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, Tom Bischof received special praise from manager Vincent Kompany. He also brought back fond memories for Joshua Kimmich.

Khadija Shaw's early strike helped Manchester City set up a blockbuster FA Cup semi-final clash with Chelsea, as the Women's Super League leaders defeated second-tier table-toppers Birmingham 1-0 on Monday evening. The Cityzens had never lost to lower-tier opposition in the competition and while their in-form hosts gave a good account of themselves, when Shaw broke the deadlock after just eight minutes, that record rarely looked in danger of changing.

From Lionel Messi's Inter Miami having their homecoming spoiled to Julian Hall leading the way for the Red Bulls, MLS delivered another compelling weekend of football