Champions League news

GOAL Exclusive: The American midfielder discusses adversity, gratitude, and why this year’s challenges have prepared him to fight for a World Cup spot.

Pep Guardiola can breathe a sigh of relief after Manchester City lynchpin Rodri avoided a playing suspension for his scathing assessment of match officials. The FA confirmed on Monday that an independent Regulatory Commission has sanctioned Rodri for the media comments he made following a controversial 2-2 draw with Tottenham on February 1. While the Ballon d'Or winner has been slapped with a heavy £80,000 fine, he remains available for selection as City continue their hunt for silverware.

Liverpool's Champions League ambitions have been rocked by the news that Alisson will miss the first leg of their last-16 clash against Galatasaray. The Brazilian shot-stopper, who is still widely considered to be one of the world's top goalkeepers, was a notable absentee as the Reds confirmed their 21-man travelling squad for the daunting trip to Istanbul.

Liverpool's preparations for their crucial Champions League clash against Galatasaray took a bizarre turn on Monday morning. While the focus was on who was present at the AXA Training Centre, former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood was left baffled at video footage of a training routine involving some of the club's biggest stars - a clip that was eventually deleted by Sky Sports.

Real Madrid have been handed a major boost ahead of their titanic Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester City, as Kylian Mbappe was spotted back on the grass at Valdebebas. The France international has been away in Paris undergoing conservative treatment on a knee injury, but his return to the club's training base signals a potential turning point for manager Alvaro Arbeloa.

Bayern Munich have received a massive fitness boost ahead of their crucial Champions League knockout stage encounter against Atalanta. Harry Kane, who has been sidelined with a calf issue, was spotted back on the grass on Monday as the German giants completed their final preparations. The 32-year-old striker took part in the full session with the rest of the squad, moving freely and showing no ill effects of the knock that kept him out of domestic action recently.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has delivered a stinging assessment of Xavi Hernandez’s tenure, suggesting the legendary midfielder lacked the winning touch that successor Hansi Flick has already brought to Catalunya. Following an explosive interview where Xavi blamed the hierarchy for various failures, Laporta used a presidential debate to set the record straight on why he opted for a change in the dugout.

Tottenham are hurtling towards disaster. They could be relegated from the Premier League, and at this point of this season from hell, their best hope of staying up may simply be that football can change very quickly. There are still several key players to return from injury for the run-in, but that may prove too little, too late, particularly with the vibes in an almost irreversible tailspin.

Arsenal will be “annoyed” at failing to win the Champions League, GOAL has been told, but that does not mean that the Gunners will “smash up” Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of this season’s competition. Former ‘Invincibles’ squad member Jeremie Aliadiere has warned Mikel Arteta’s side against complacency after being handed a supposedly favourable European draw in 2026.

Barcelona talisman Robert Lewandowski has lifted the lid on the drastic lifestyle changes that have allowed him to remain one of the world's most feared strikers at the age of 37. The Polish international, who has scored close to 400 league goals across Europe’s top-five divisions, revealed that he had to cut out sweet treats and specific food groups to maintain his physical edge.

Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney has claimed that a Wrexham match he recently attended was the finest spectacle he has witnessed since hanging up his boots. While the football world was gripped by Inter's extraordinary 7-6 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals last year, Rooney suggested that the atmosphere and drama surrounding the Welsh club's FA Cup defeat to Chelsea topped the lot.

Micah Richards has warned Arsenal that 'you haven't won anything yet' despite their dominant form, though he still considers Mikel Arteta’s side the primary candidates to lift the Champions League trophy. The Gunners are currently chasing silverware on multiple fronts, leading the Premier League while preparing for a definitive European knockout run, but Richards believes a reality check is necessary before the red ribbons are ordered at the Emirates.

Eddie Howe has turned up the heat ahead of Newcastle United's monumental Champions League last-16 first leg against Barcelona, describing it as the "biggest game in the club’s history". Following a disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, the Magpies boss is determined to ensure his squad does not dwell on domestic setbacks with the eyes of the footballing world turning to St. James' Park on Tuesday.

Xavier Vilajoana made headlines during his failed bid to become Barcelona's new president by claiming to have already made "some contact" with Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane over a move to Camp Nou. In reality, though, the most interesting topic the industrial engineer raised while on the campaign trail centered around another Englishman in Marcus Rashford.