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After the Brazilians secured their path to the knockout rounds of the CAF Champions League, some of their players began receiving rave reviews for their performances. This turnaround followed a period of sharp criticism directed at the squad and coach Miguel Cardoso when the team struggled both domestically and on the continent. They were facing the real threat of being dumped out of the continental competition.

Harry Kane is thinking about Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga goal record, with the Bayern Munich striker admitting that “anything is possible”. Prolific Polish frontman Lewandowski once found the target on 41 occasions across a single Bundesliga campaign. Nobody has been able to raise that bar, but 2025-26 could see Kane could claim another entry in the history books.

Real Madrid have issued an injury update on star striker Kylian Mbappe ahead of their meeting with Benfica on Tuesday night. The Spanish giants play the Portuguese side in their Champions League playoff clash as the two sides vie to secure a spot in the last-16 of Europe's elite club competition. The fixture sees the sides meet just weeks after Benfica's dramatic 4-2 win over Los Blancos in the group phase.

In order to make the former Mamelodi Sundowns star an effective player, a position where he can express himself fully has been identified. Initially, the playmaker was deployed as the main man behind the strikers, but recently there has been stiff competition for that slot. In the games against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila and Marumo Gallants, he played in a different position and not as a playmaker.

Eberechi Eze bounced back from his midweek nightmare at Brentford to help Arsenal set a new FA Cup record as they thumped Wigan 4-0 to cruise into the fifth round. Eze, whose form has been the subject of much scrutiny having been hauled off at half-time by Mikel Arteta during Thursday night's 1-1 draw at the Gtech Stadium, produced two superb early assists as the Gunners became the first Premier League side in history to score four times in the opening 30 minutes of an FA Cup tie.

Yan Diomande has responded to claims that Liverpool are his 'dream club' with the Reds and Bavarian giants Bayern Munich among the teams linked with a move for the Ivorian. The teenage winger has established himself as one of the most exciting wide prospects in Europe and there are a number of elite teams keeping tabs on the RB Leipzig star.

Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a bad loser, former Manchester United and Portugal team-mate Nani has revealed, with the all-time great breaking down in tears if things did not go his way. CR7 has spent his record-shattering career chasing perfection, with any stumbles endured when heading down that path leading to an outpouring of emotion.

Aymeric Laporte admits that “everyone is afraid” of Spain international team-mate Lamine Yamal, with the Barcelona wonderkid having rivals running scared. At just 18 years of age, the teen sensation continues to see his stock soar. He has earned another comparison to Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi, with their dribbling ability considered to occupy a similar talent pool.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including more McKennie magic

Real Madrid are 'lucky' to have Trent Alexander-Arnold, at least that's according to head coach Alvaro Arbeloa. Alexander-Arnold moved to the Spanish giants last summer on a free transfer, a transfer that irked Liverpool fans. However, the right-back has endured an indifferent start to life in Madrid, with injuries limiting the England's international's impact.

After engaging in the Nedbank Cup campaign, teams turned their focus to the Premier Soccer League campaign. Orlando Pirates widened the gap at the top with a win over Marumo Gallants, while Babina Noko's result affected Amakhosi and Mamelodi Sundowns, who were focused on their respective CAF campaigns. At the other end of the table, the relegation battle is heating up.

Ruben Dias would be advised to stick to his day job, with Maya Jama sharing some of the Manchester City defender’s attempts at artwork. The Love Island presenter, who has been filming in South Africa, got to spend Valentine’s Day with her Portuguese partner. They headed out for a romantic meal, with that dining experience including opportunities to put their drawing skills to the test.

Jude Bellingham treated his girlfriend, Ashlyn Castro, to a trip to the Bernabeu on Valentine's Day. The pair were spotted in the VIP section as Bellingham watched his Real Madrid team-mates ease to a 4-1 in over Real Sociedad on Saturday evening. The England international is currently sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury in the 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano earlier this month.

It was Amakhosi's maiden participation in the group stage of this continental inter-club competition after successfully navigating through the preliminary round. But they came so close to getting a ticket to the quarter-finals and in the end were unable. The Naturena outfit needed just a draw to reach the knockouts, but a defeat to the White Knight saw Al Masry beat them to the ticket courtesy of a superior goal difference.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has explained why he is more Cristiano Ronaldo than Lionel Messi, with the NBA superstar adding his voice to the long-running GOAT debate. The Milwaukee Bucks talisman is hoping to form part of those discussions in basketball circles and sees himself being cut from similar sporting cloth to Portuguese icon CR7 - while being a huge admirer of magical Argentina international Messi.

The Soweto giants have been knocked out of continental competition and will now shift their full attention to domestic duties. Their exit means only one tournament remains to fight for this season after falling short in three major trophy bids. With continental ambitions over, the focus turns to salvaging pride and success on the local front.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has broken his silence on the future of “good friend” Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian superstar continuing to see a move away from Anfield speculated. Interest from the Saudi Pro League refuses to go away, heading towards the summer transfer window, but those on Merseyside are hoping to see a talismanic presence stay put.

The Buccaneers' bid to win the title received a massive boost after their closest rivals suffered a defeat. On the other hand, the Glamour Boys' dream of defending it was hit with a blow after yet another defeat. With the title race campaign gaining momentum, the Sea Robbers enjoy a five-point advantage as rivals sweat trying to catch up.

Eden Hazard has opened up on some of the 'really bad' clashes with Jose Mourinho during their time together at Chelsea. The Belgian winger moved to Stamford Bridge in 2012 and established himself as a fan favourite during his seven years at Stamford Bridge before he went on to sign for La Liga giants Real Madrid in 2019 having won the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League with the Blues.

England and Scotland games at the 2026 World Cup are under threat, with Gillette Stadium in Foxborough yet to be granted the license required to stage FIFA fixtures. The iconic venue on the outskirts of Boston, which is home to the New England Patriots franchise in NFL circles, is due to host seven matches at this summer’s global showpiece.

Manchester United earned their seventh straight victory in all competitions as they came from behind to beat London City Lionesses 2-1 in the Women's Super League. A stunning Jess Park equaliser and a late Millie Turner winner on her return from injury secured the three points after Nikita Parris had given the newly-promoted visitors the lead, as the Red Devils stay second in the division with the hard-fought victory.

Lauren James' brilliance helped Chelsea boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Women's Champions League in an important 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, the Blues securing all three points at a time when plenty of negative noise has swirled around the club. Disappointing results led to questions being asked of head coach Sonia Bompator and her future, while the departure of head of women's football Paul Green this week caused a real stir. But the players did all they could do on Sunday, seeing off a revitalised Liverpool side thanks to goals from James and Sjoeke Nusken.

Patrice Evra has been reflecting on his time at Manchester United, admitting that youngsters of today would consider boot cleaning to be a form of “slavery”. In his era at Old Trafford, the opportunity to make sure that Cristiano Ronaldo graced the field with sparkling footwear was a “reward”. Times have changed quickly, with CR7 now in charge of organising his own scrubbing.

Players from Amakhosi have found it increasingly difficult to break into the national team setup in recent years. Not a single player from the Soweto giants featured in the South Africa squad for the last two AFCON editions, underlining the widening gap between the club and their PSL rivals, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, who dominate Hugo Broos' side. That absence has raised concerns that performance standards at Amakhosi may have dipped compared to previous eras.

Over the years, the buying and selling of club statuses has often been viewed as disruptive to the South African league, whether through a decline in competitiveness or bitter disputes that follow. Lately, the Dube Birds and Bahlabane Ba Ntwa have taken centre stage in the latest chapter of that ongoing debate.

Bruno Guimaraes will spend an extended period on the sidelines with injury and could miss many as eight to ten weeks out of action in a huge blow for Newcastle United. The Magpies skipper suffered a hamstring injury during Tuesday's 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League after recovering from a separate ankle issue, and is now set to spend at least two months out of action in a hammer blow.

The South African tactician made an emotional return to the country to face his former side, a club that gave him a platform to become a top coach and a team he won a number of titles with. His mission to South Africa was a high-stakes encounter against Masandawana in search of at least a draw that was enough to send his team to the knockout phase. However, his former side was too strong for the Algerian outfit, who eventually crashed out of the continental competition.

Lionesses star Ella Toone is "probably" going to miss Manchester United's League Cup final clash with Chelsea next month, Red Devils boss Marc Skinner has admitted. The England international has not played since December because of a hip issue and it is unlikely that she is going to recover in time for the showpiece event, meaning she is all-but-ruled out of the Lionesses first camp of 2026, too.

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the appointment of their fourth permanent manager in the 2025-26 campaign. Premier League history has been made there, with Vitor Pereira taking over at the City Ground. He follows in the immediate footsteps of Sean Dyche, with Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou having previously been relieved of their duties on Trentside.