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Bayern Munich 1-1 Celtic: Late Bayern goal sees Celtic eliminated
By Sporting Life
Football
Tue February 18, 2025 · 19h ago
Celtic suffered the cruellest of Champions League exits after Alphonso Davies scrambled an equaliser for Bayern Munich in the final minute of stoppage time in the Allianz Arena.

The Scottish champions looked set to take the play-off into extra time after Nicolas Kuhn put them ahead in the second half from the latest in a series of good chances they created.

Bayern belatedly exerted some sustained pressure and it paid off deep into four minutes added on.

Kasper Schmeichel made a good stop from Leon Goretzka’s header but Davies scrambled home from close range as he tackled Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The 1-1 draw sealed a 3-2 aggregate win for Bayern but Celtic left with their heads held high after showing they could match the Bundesliga leaders for long spells.

The scale of their task had been huge. Bayern’s last home defeat in European quarter-finals came against Paris St Germain four years ago and they are unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga all season. Celtic had never won in 14 previous competitive games in Germany.

Brendan Rodgers started with Jota on the wing and Daizen Maeda as centre-forward after the Japan attacker’s first-leg move inside and goal got Celtic back into the tie.

Jeffrey Schlupp was handed a surprise start at left-back and he came under early pressure as Bayern sprayed diagonal balls to Michael Olise. The winger’s cross created the first real chance but Alistair Johnston blocked from Serge Gnabry’s header.

Celtic soon had a chance of their own when Callum McGregor’s aggressive pressing led to him bursting beyond the home defence. The midfielder was on the angle but, with eight goals this season, would have expected to hit the target. Instead he shot wide of the near post.

The chances kept coming as Celtic beat Bayern’s press and created a three-on-three. Jota did brilliantly to set up Kuhn but the former Bayern second-team winger’s shot lacked power and a defender got back to clear off the line.

Celtic kept the pressure on and Reo Hatate’s first-time pass played Arne Engels in behind, but Maeda just could not reach the Belgian’s low cross with the goal gaping.

The Japan attacker had another chance moments later when Kuhn collected a misplaced pass and set him up with Manuel Neuer stranded, but Maeda’s first-time effort cleared the bar from 20 yards.

Bayern settled down and started creating some chances without looking in control. Schmeichel beat away Harry Kane’s deflected effort, Joshua Kimmich shot wide following Olise’s cutback and the England captain missed Bayern’s best first-half chance when he hit the bar from 16 yards after another pass from the right.

It was the former Tottenham striker’s last involvement as he made way for Kingsley Coman at half-time.

Hatate wasted an opportunity to shoot inside the penalty box early in the second half but Schmeichel came to Celtic’s rescue with a trademark one-on-one stop from Goretzka.

Bayern appeared to have more urgency in their pressing and were making most of the running but Celtic capitalised on some slack defending after substitute Adam Idah came deep to collect a forward pass and send the ball forward.

Maeda looked third favourite but beat two defenders to the ball and played in Kuhn, who rode a challenge and calmly slotted past Neuer.

Celtic soon had a chance to further stun the home support when Yang Hyun-jun, on for the injured Kuhn, swung in a cross which Maeda threw himself at. Neuer was well-placed to save the header.

Bayern found a strong response. Goretzka and Leroy Sane were inches wide and Schmeichel reacted well to parry a deflected strike from Kimmich.

Celtic struggled to get out of their own half in the closing stages and the pressure eventually paid off.

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Premier League results and review: Arsenal title hopes hit by defeat to West Ham while Everton draw with Manchester United
By Sporting Life
Football
Sun February 23, 2025 · 2h ago
A review of Saturday's Premier League action as Arsenal's title hopes took a huge blow with a defeat to West Ham.

Premier League results: Saturday February 22
Everton 2-2 Manchester United (Match Stats)
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham (Match Stats)
Bournemouth 0-1 Wolves (Match Stats)
Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace (Match Stats)
Ipswich 1-4 Tottenham (Match Stats)
Southampton 0-4 Brighton (Match Stats)
Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea (Match Stats)

Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
Arsenal missed the chance to cut into Liverpool’s eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League as they slumped to a 1-0 loss at home to West Ham on Saturday.

Liverpool’s draw against Aston Villa in midweek had offered hope to Mikel Arteta’s side but they failed to take advantage on a miserable afternoon at the Emirates Stadium which they finished with 10 men.

Jarrod Bowen scored the only goal of the game as he met Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross from the right wing with a diving header in the final minute of the first half.

Arsenal laboured throughout the second period and their frustration was compounded when youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly lost possession to Mohammed Kudus on halfway and simply hacked him down.

With goalkeeper David Raya well out of his goal, the youngster was sent off for the second time in the space of a month following a VAR review.

Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea
Filip Jorgensen’s late howler in the Chelsea goal handed Aston Villa a Champions League qualification lifeline as they won 2-1 at Villa Park.

The Blues’ goalkeeping problems continued as Jorgensen inexplicably let Marcos Asensio’s saveable shot straight through his grasp in the 89th minute to give Villa a vital three points in the race for the top four.

Unai Emery’s men looked like falling short and drawing a third home game in a week as Asensio’s 57th-minute strike cancelled out Enzo Fernandez’s early opener.

But Jorgensen’s nightmare moment saw Villa earn a win which closes the gap on their opponents to one point, sitting just two behind Manchester City in fourth.


Everton 2-2 Manchester United
Everton and Manchester United played out an eventful 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

The Toffees, enjoying a resurgence under former United manager David Moyes, led 2-0 after dominant first-half display with goals from in-form Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Everton remained in control until United captain Bruno Fernandes pulled one back from a free-kick on 72 minutes and a superb strike from Manuel Ugarte levelled soon after.

Everton were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Ashley Young tangled with Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt but, in a dramatic conclusion, the decision was overturned on review.

Click here for match stats
Bournemouth 0-1 Wolves
Wolves moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over high-flying Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries were reduced to 10 men when Illia Zabarnyi was dismissed after just 31 minutes and Wolves took advantage as in-form Matheus Cunha scored what proved the winner five minutes later.

Click here for match stats
Ipswich 1-4 Tottenham
Ipswich were cut further adrift as they were crushed 4-1 by Tottenham at Portman Road.

Brennan Johnson set Spurs up for victory with a first-half double, both created by the dangerous Son Heung-min.

Omari Hutchinson pulled one back but Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski made the result certain late on.

Click here for match stats
Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Fulham after an own goal from Joachim Andersen and a further strike from Daniel Munoz.


Southampton 0-4 Brighton
Bottom side Southampton were thrashed 4-0 by Brighton, who scored through Joao Pedro, Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood.

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The rejuvenated FA Cup creates a fascinating story for whoever wins it
By Alex Keble
Football
Fri February 28, 2025 · 1h ago
The most telling sign that the FA Cup is enjoying something of a renaissance is that few of us are feeling irritable about a February pause in the Premier League action.

That’s partly because the FA Cup has surprised us all with renewed purpose over the last five years.

When Manchester City beat Watford 6-0 in the 2019 final there were fears English football was becoming a monopoly and the FA Cup had become a secondary competition; little more than a distraction for anyone without a billionaire owner.

Instead, each of the five years since have told a compelling story.

In 2020 Mikel Arteta got his Arsenal tenure going with victory; in 2021 Leicester finished their odyssey at Wembley; in 2022 Liverpool moved through agony in the title race and set themselves up for the Champions League final to follow; in 2023 Man City ticked off part two of the treble; and in 2024 Erik ten Hag saved his job at Manchester United against all odds.

https://m.skybet.com/lp/acq-bet-x-ge...p=SL_ED_RACING
But that isn’t the main reason why we’re actually looking forward to this weekend. Yes, it has been a good few years for the FA Cup, but none of them compare to what’s on offer this season.

For once, the FA Cup fifth round feels truly important. The early elimination of the top two Liverpool and Arsenal has opened up the draw and got fans excited about the prospect of winning a competition that for so long has felt out of their reach.

The 'Big Five' clubs - who have shared pretty much every league title and domestic cup over the last 25 years – have won the FA Cup in all but three seasons this century.

Only Leicester, Portsmouth and Wigan have broken the mould and all three were iconic moments, suggesting, with a bit of luck, we’ll get a fourth in May.

Whatever happens it promises narrative drama. There just isn’t a bad story.

Aston Villa can smell a glorious chance to win the competition for the first time since 1957. For a seven-time winner to wait 67 years for their eighth is a ludicrous quirk of history but with a rejuvenated attack it would be fitting for Unai Emery to be the one to do it.

Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe's Newcastle are also in the Carabao Cup final
It’s pretty much exactly the same story for Newcastle, another huge club with a rich history who haven’t lifted a trophy in a very long time. Villa at least won the League Cup in 1996. Newcastle haven’t had silverware since 1955.

Watching Eddie Howe’s team triumph at Wembley would be quite the story.

Nottingham Forest are losing their grip on the Champions League places but deserve reward for their season and will fancy their chances of a first FA Cup win since 1959.

Bournemouth have been similarly impressive, yet unlike the three sleeping giants already covered, Andoni Iraola’s side have never won a major trophy.

Brighton, Crystal Palace and Fulham also have empty cabinets. Any one of them capping a strong Premier League season by winning the FA Cup would go down in folklore.

Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola could guide Bournemouth to a first ever major trophy
Assuming that going all the way is beyond Ipswich, Wolves or any of the Championship clubs, that just leaves the two least interesting possible winners: Man City and Man Utd.

But the disaster unfolding under Ruben Amorim at United makes the FA Cup particularly important.

There would be a pleasing – and pleasingly ominous – symmetry to Amorim securing his future this May in exactly the same way Ten Hag did.

As for Man City, Pep Guardiola badly needs a boost ahead of a huge summer. To go a season without a trophy for the first time since his debut year in 2016/17 would be crushing, whereas to end a difficult year on a high could change the mood music for the reset.

There isn’t a boring winner among them. Every club in the competition desperately wants to win the FA Cup – and almost every one stands a good shot at doing so.

A break from the Premier League has never felt so refreshing.

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Danny Welbeck scores extra-time winner for Brighton as Newcastle exit FA Cup
By Sporting Life
Football
Sun March 02, 2025 · 16h ago
Danny Welbeck came off the bench to fire Brighton into the FA Cup quarter-finals at Newcastle as Anthony Gordon’s Carabao Cup final dream was shattered by a late red card.

Welbeck, who scored the winner in the Premier League game at St James’ Park in October, struck in extra-time to win it 2-1 on an afternoon when both sides finished with 10 men.

Gordon was sent off for violent conduct with six minutes of a chaotic tie remaining – Tariq Lamptey later suffered the same fate after collecting a second yellow card – and faces a three-match ban which will cost him his place in the team for the clash with Liverpool at Wembley on March 16.

Alexander Isak’s 22nd-minute penalty had given the hosts – who were without full-back Lewis Hall because of an ankle injury which will require a visit to a specialist – a lead which was cancelled out before half-time by former Magpie Yankuba Minteh, and an at times scruffy game remained in the balance until Welbeck’s intervention.


Isak had seen a third-minute header from a tight angle blocked by Adam Webster as both sides started with real intent.

Joelinton, back after a five-game absence, almost played his side into trouble with a blind pass to Kieran Trippier which was picked off by Kaoru Mitoma, but Carlos Baleba’s shot was blocked and the Magpies broke to set up Isak to curl a tame 16th-minute effort into the arms of goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

However, he was far more clinical from the penalty spot with 22 minutes gone, after Minteh – who left the Magpies for the south coast last summer – had felled Tino Livramento with a clumsy challenge. The leading goalscorer thumped the resulting spot-kick high into the top corner to open the scoring.

Verbruggen claimed Gordon’s 28th-minute attempt after Isak and Joelinton had combined on halfway but he was relieved to see Isak’s emphatic 32nd-minute finish ruled out for offside after Harvey Barnes had played him in.

Brighton were back in it a minute before half-time when the Magpies allowed Minteh to touch Lamptey’s throw-in to Joao Pedro and then run on to his return pass before stabbing the ball past the advancing Martin Dubravka, with the help of a sizeable deflection off the covering Trippier.

Dubravka saved from Pedro after Livramento and Dan Burn had dallied and Mitoma blazed high and wide from the resulting corner at the start of the second half, and the early introduction of Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy did little to improve the hosts’ flow.

They were fortune to escape unpunished when Mitoma turned Pervis Estupinan’s 74th-minute cross across goal and substitute Diego Gomez curled over two minutes later, and substitute Brajan Gruda was similarly wasteful 11 minutes from time.

Newcastle’s afternoon took a turn for the worse with six minutes remaining when referee Anthony Taylor sent off Gordon for thrusting a hand into defender Jan Paul van Hecke’s face as the pair tussled for the ball, and Lamptey followed him down the tunnel in stoppage time for a second bookable offence, a foul on Murphy.

Fabian Schar thought he had won it in normal time when he met Guimaraes’ delivery with a firm volley only for a VAR check to rule he was offside, and although Dubravka made a stunning stoppage time save to keep out Gomez’s piledriver, former Sunderland loanee Welbeck struck from fellow substitute Solly March’s through-ball to win it in extra-time.

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PSV 1-7 Arsenal: Gunners fire seven to put one foot in quarter finals
By Sporting Life
Football
Wed March 05, 2025 · 32 min ago
Record-breaking Arsenal all but secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a stunning 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their last-16 clash at the Philips Stadion.

Jurrien Timber opened the scoring after 18 minutes before teenager Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino extended Arsenal’s advantage inside half an hour.

Noa Lang gave PSV hope from the penalty spot only for Martin Odegaard to score 60 seconds after the restart, with Leandro Trossard landing a fifth one minute later.

Odegaard doubled his tally with 17 minutes remaining and Riccardo Calafiori completed the devastating rout, Arsenal’s biggest in a Champions League away fixture, in the closing minutes.


The Gunners, without a recognised striker, have been abject and short of goals in the Premier League as their title chances have evaporated.

However, Mikel Arteta’s men answered Timber’s pre-match call to change the narrative with an electric performance on the European stage – admittedly against a poor PSV side – to put them on a brink of a last-eight match-up against either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.

After Odegaard saw a penalty appeal waved away and Declan Rice had a goal ruled out for offside inside the first dozen minutes, it was PSV who actually came within inches of opening the scoring when David Raya could only get his fingertips to Ivan Perisic’s cross and Ismael Saibari struck the follow-up against the upright.


Less than two minutes later, the visitors had their breakthrough. Myles Lewis-Skelly did well in the middle of the park to find Trossard who played in Rice. A fine swivel and cross from the England man allowed ex-Ajax defender Timber to head Arsenal into the lead at the back post.

PSV had barely got their breath back when Arsenal grabbed their second, one made in the club’s Hale End academy.

Lewis-Skelly’s cross, following a defence-splitting pass from Trossard, was thundered home by Nwaneri as the 17-year-old celebrated joining Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham as only the third Englishman under the age of 18 to start a knockout game in the Champions League.


Arsenal could, and probably should, have been reduced to 10 men as Lewis-Skelly, on a booking and only just back from a one-game ban following his dismissal against West Ham, upended Richard Ledezma in the corner.

Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano declined to reach for a second yellow and moments later, Arteta’s men had their third goal.

On the fifth and final day of the Eindhoven Carnival, it was comical defending from the home defence. PSV failed on multiple occasions to clear the ball, with Ryan Flamingo falling over all on his own, as Merino pounced to sweep home.

The goal stood after a VAR check for offside followed as Calafiori replaced Lewis-Skelly.

The Gunners were momentarily brought back down to earth when PSV were awarded a penalty shortly before the interval after Thomas Partey’s left arm struck Luuk de Jong across the neck.

Lang made no mistake from the spot and De Jong then had the opportunity to reduce Arsenal’s advantage to just one but headed Perisic’s cross over the bar.


Yet the Gunners, who had arrived in the Netherlands with three blanks from their previous four fixtures, had a fourth 61 seconds after the restart. PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez fumbled Nwaneri’s cross and Odegaard was on the scene to fire home.

A minute later it was five as Trossard backheeled the ball through Ledezma’s legs before picking up Calafiori’s return pass and grabbing the goal his impressive performance warranted.


Out came the ‘oles’ from the 1,800 travelling Arsenal supporters and Odegaard was allowed to drive without pressure to the edge of the PSV area before unleashing a shot that Benitez found too hot to handle.


Calafiori then converted Odegaard’s pass with five minutes remaining.

Seventh heaven for Arsenal ahead of next week’s virtual dead-rubber return fixture at the Emirates.

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This Week's Acca strikes again with 8/1 four-fold across the EFL
By Sporting Life
Football
Sun March 09, 2025 · 2h ago
It will be a profitable season for our This Week's Acca team after they struck again with an 8/1 four-fold on Saturday.

Burnley, Sheffield United, Birmingham and Wrexham were all backed to enhanced their automatic promotion prospects and duly delivered in relatively comfortable fashion, none of the four so much as conceding a goal.

Wrexham's 1-0defeat of Rotherham was perhaps the tightest whereas Burnley were away and gone early against struggling Luton, the home side's miserly defence never likely to let an early lead slip as they ran out 4-0 winners.

Sheffield United were full value for their 1-0 victory over Preston while Birmingham created enough chances to win by a wider margin against Lincoln, but in the end relied on a second-half penalty to do so.

This Week's Acca - March 8
Whatever the finer details it takes profit across all editions of This Week's Acca past the £300 mark to a £10 level stake, quite the turnaround since a barren run saw early-season profits all but disappear early in January.

Then, the final edition of that month struck at 15/2, it was followed days later by a bumper 20/1 shot on the first day of February, and another 10/1 midweek accumulator all but secured a winning season.

That is now certain thanks to Saturday's four-fold.

The team were unfortunate to be denied a bonus 50/1 winner earlier in the year by a 91st-minute goal, but this time their additional suggestions, West Brom and Crystal Palace, also did the business.

Those adding them to the advised four-fold enhanced the odds further to around 22/1, both Palace and West Brom also winning 1-0.

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Tom Carnduff's Notebook: Axel Disasi, Tyler Adams, Amine Gouiri
By Tom Carnduff
Football
Mon March 10, 2025 · 17h ago
It'll be interesting to see how the sporting enthusiasts balance this week.

Well we say balance but for many it's a few days to thrive on. You feel like football may take a backseat given the running at Cheltenham yet that's not the case.

As the horse racing world prepares for its biggest week on the calendar, we're given some crucial second leg ties in the Champions League as well as EFL action which could potentially shape the rest of the season.

Of course, we mustn't forget the Europa League and Conference League action on Thursday. The weekend then gives us Arsenal vs Chelsea and the Steel City derby.



The never-ending cycle of football has a particular seven days worth highlighting. It's unmissable action and a test of organisation as much as anything else.

Looking back on the weekend's action, here's a few points which will hopefully be useful for some of those significant matches.

Disasi delights
Axel Disasi put in a superb performance as Aston Villa secured a vital three points in a 1-0 win at Brentford in Saturday's late kick-off.

An interesting point was his performance as a right-back and the effect that had on the various stat lines.

Disasi finished the contest with three tackles but it could have been more given a couple of last-ditch attempts which stopped efforts towards goal from close range.

Axel Disasi blocks a shot
Axel Disasi blocks a shot
It was the second game in a week where he played the right-back role. The Champions League win over Club Brugge delivered one successful tackle and two interceptions in 64 minutes on the pitch.

It's certainly something to keep an eye on when line-ups are announced as most bookmakers are still offering tackles lines priced up as a centre-back.

Webster watch
A quick mention for this as the prices will be massive considering he's a centre-back - especially as Brighton go to Manchester City this weekend.

Adam Webster has created a couple of chances in recent weeks. He had one against Fulham and another against Bournemouth the league game before.

Adam Webster pass map vs Fulham
It's worth noting that he has actually registered an assist this season - that came in the 3-2 win over Wolves in the Carabao Cup. The defender also created a chance against Crawley the round prior.

Add in the chance created against Norwich in the FA Cup and the average is quite interesting this season.

So that's five chances in 11 starts across all competitions. Webster is averaging 0.55 chances per 90 when starting - that is well worth keeping in mind.

Tyler's time
I've had to rewatch Tottenham's clash with Bournemouth on Sunday. I felt ill and fell asleep, being woken up at various points by excited commentary points.

Honestly it might be the future of watching football, let's cut out the dross and pay attention to the good parts. It's like a snoozy Redzone.

Well, it's slightly annoying that this one was actually a good game. Bournemouth were great again and my eye was caught by another solid performance by Tyler Adams in the Cherries' midfield.

The USA international has had injury issues and there's always a worry that he could be sidelined at any point. While they have him fit and available though he'll be contributing.

Tyler Adams tackles made
Sunday's trip to north London was the sixth occasion in 12 starts where he's posted at least five successful tackles. The three fouls he committed were also the third-highest of his campaign.

The odds will factor this in of course and you'll have to settle for higher lines but his track record has shown that he can hit it.

Saturday's late kick-off against Brentford is one to target - the Cherries currently sit sixth for average tackles per Premier League game this season.

Go for Gouiri
I was hoping he'd maybe score or assist at the weekend so I could make the point in this column having made a note of it last week.

But Marseille - and Amine Gouiri - were frustrated by Lens in Saturday's late kick-off. Still, the performance of the forward was encouraging.

Gouiri joined the club from Rennes in the January window and has really hit the ground running. His three goals and three assists across six outings, five of which were starts, led to him being named the Ligue 1 Player of the Month for February.

Amine Gouiri - Goal Involvement at Marseille
The actual goals return is consistent with his underlying performance levels too.

Gouiri's posted 5.26 expected goal involvements (xGI) across those six games. What's really encouraging is that it averages out at 1.03 xGI per 90 basis so far.

The split of the above is 3.54 expected goals (xG) and 1.72 expected assists (xA). There's certainly value in taking him for some form of goal involvement in the weeks to come.

With their next game a 'top of the table' clash at PSG - we say that but they're 16 points behind - the prices on Gouiri may be higher.

ColU-nders
The form of Colchester under the Cowley's has certainly caught the eye in recent weeks.

They extended their unbeaten run to 11 games with a 1-0 victory over Cheltenham at the weekend to move to within four points of the play-off positions.

And if they can sneak into that top seven, they may well be a solid bet for promotion. Why? Because they are tough to beat.

Colchester table
Only Port Vale - who they face on Tuesday and could well meet in those play-offs - have lost fewer games but it's been an issue for Colchester in turning the draws into wins.

No side in the EFL has more draws on their tally than ColU (16). It's no surprise then that loads of their games are low scorers.

Only ten of their 35 league outings this season have gone over 2.5 goals. Each of their last six have seen fewer than three goals in the match.

Of course, the odds will reflect the above stat but it's worth even further consideration at this crucial time of the season where organisation is key.

Pascal can pass
Results have been mixed for Borussia Dortmund following Niko Kovac's arrival in late January but it does seem to be a case of things being better than they were.

That's hardly difficult considering how poor it was before but they are in a stronger position in the Champions League while also somewhat stabilising in the Bundesliga.

The changing role of Pascal Groß has been interesting following that managerial switch.

Pascal Gross chances created
The midfielder has created at least two chances in each of his six league starts under Kovac with a staggering four assists in their 6-0 thrashing of Union Berlin.

Three chances also came in their convincing 3-0 win away at Sporting in the Champions League. While he was creating before, it wasn't at a consistent level like this.

We should see some decent value on an assist in the weeks to come - prices of 5/1 are already available on one in the Wednesday trip to Lille.

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Champions League odds: Barcelona and PSG favoured, Aston Villa and Dortmund outsiders
By Joe Townsend
Football
Thu March 13, 2025 · 2 min ago
Barcelona are now favourites to win a first Champions League for 10 years, with PSG close behind in the betting to win a first in their history.

In a change to previous years, the path to the final has already been drawn, so we already know which clubs are on which side of the draw - hence the clearer gaps in odds.

UEFA
Champions League winner (odds via Sky Bet)
Each way terms: 1/3 for first 2 places

Barcelona - 3/1
PSG - 10/3
Real Madrid - 7/2
Bayern Munich - 5/1
Arsenal - 7/1
Inter Milan - 10/1
Aston Villa - 28/1
Dortmund - 40/1
Odds correct at 1130 GMT (13/3/25)

Who can stop Barca?
Raphinha
Raphinha has been the competition's standout player
Hansi Flick's Barca cruised past Benfica in the round of 16, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal again starring - the former now has 11 goals and five assists in this season's competition, topping the charts for both.

They will now meet rank outsiders Borussia Dortmund, who defied the odds to reach the final at Wembley last season, after the German club edged past French side Lille to reach the quarter-finals.

Dortmund are currently struggling in mid-table in the Bundesliga but have shown signs of life since the appointment of Niko Kovac as manager in early February.

harry kane
The winner of that tie will meet either Bayern Munich, who swatted aside domestic rivals Bayer Leverkusen thanks in no small part to England captain Harry Kane, or Inter Milan, who themselves made light work of Dutch club Feyenoord.

Tougher route for PSG
Marco Asensio
Marco Asensio scored twice against Club Brugge
Aston Villa's reward for emerging from arguably the weakest tie of the last 16 by comfortably seeing off Club Brugge is a meeting with the victors of the strongest.

PSG needed penalties to knock out Liverpool at Anfield after an enthralling two-legged affair, although on balance Luis Enrique's young team deserved to progress.

Emery
While on paper it may look like a lopsided quarter-final meeting between Villa and PSG, the experience of Unai Emery in European competitions having won the Europa League four times and reached the Champions League semi-finals with minnows Villarreal, makes it a tricky tie for a club who in previous years have struggled with the weight of expectation.

PSG celebrate winning on penalties against Liverpool
PSG celebrate beating Liverpool on penalties
Les Parisiens have only once reached the final of the European Cup or Champions League, losing 1-0 to Bayern in 2020 while managed by now-England boss Thomas Tuchel.

There is also the added spice of Emery facing one of his former clubs.


Awaiting whoever emerges from that contest will be either holders and 15-times winners Real Madrid, who won a dramatic shootout against city rivals Atletico in which Julian Alvarez had a penalty disallowed for a double-kick, or Arsenal.

The Gunners had done the hard work in the first leg of their tie against PSV by winning 7-1 in Eindhoven and will now hope that by the time they meet Madrid they have more options in forward areas.

Bukayo Saka
Arsenal's chances could hinge on Bukayo Saka's fitness
Gabriel Martinelli has recently returned to fitness and while Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are out for the season, Mikel Arteta may be able to call upon Bukayo Saka for a tie that will define their season.

When are the Champions League quarter-finals?
The first legs of the Champions League quarter-finals will take place on April 8 and 9, with Arsenal vs Real Madrid and Bayern vs Inter on the Tuesday before PSG welcome Villa and Barcelona host Dortmund on the Wednesday.

The second legs will take place the following week, April 15 and 16, with the ties switching days.

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Are Mikel Arteta's Arsenal going backwards after failed Premier League title challenge?
By Alex Keble
Football
Fri March 14, 2025 · 2d ago
As the lights go out on Arsenal’s title challenge what’s most concerning about a third failure in as many years is that the club appear to be going backwards.

There’s an arc forming - and Arteta’s project looks to be on the downward curve, his sixth year in charge on course to end in Arsenal’s lowest points total since they finished fifth in 2021/22.

Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool after eight-and-a-half years citing exhaustion. By the end of next season Arteta will overtake Rafael Benitez and become the seventh-longest serving manager in Premier League history.

Very few who go on for that long end on a high, nor do they revive their club’s fortunes once the descent has begun.


Arteta has only won one trophy as Arsenal manager and that was five years ago, and while injuries have badly disrupted their title bid this year the problems were stacking up before Bukayo Saka’s injury: dependence on one star player; a lack of backup up front; a midfield that needs Martin Odegaard in form to work; and an over-reliance on set-pieces.

Arsenal’s squad just doesn’t look like one ready to make the final step and lift the title.

Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus, Ben White: there’s a long list of Arsenal players who are a fraction below the standard set by Liverpool and Man City over the last decade.

In fact, consider the squad as a whole and it becomes apparent that Arteta has hugely overachieved already. Falling short of last year’s 89 points isn’t failure. It was remarkable Arsenal got there in the first place with a squad built with less money than City’s or Liverpool’s.

Yet the challenge for Arteta is to somehow reverse the trajectory and get Arsenal even higher than before.

For that, he will need plenty of money, and here’s where there’s better news: reports suggest the club are prepared to back him with another £200 million+ summer spend.

Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak may well be the answer for Arsenal up front
The bulk of that will need to go on Alexander Isak or a number nine of equivalent pedigree, while the remainder is likely to be spent on meeting Martin Zubimendi’s £52 million release clause.

It is plausible that two big-money signings can fix everything and take Arsenal to 90+ points, especially if we consider that Man City are unlikely to shoot straight back to their absolute best and that Slot should regress slightly towards the mean after this year’s runaway success.

But it’s just as likely that Arsenal will simply fail to meet those implausibly high standards again; that the seventh year of Arteta will feel like a slog; and that a couple of injuries will be all it takes to reveal a soft underbelly.

It is extremely rare for Premier League managers to last this long, to get a tune out of a squad for more than half a decade. It’s even rarer that one re-lifts their team after the long sigh of deflation that follows years of near misses.

To win the title with Arsenal was always going to require something extraordinary, and the fact that Arteta has twice come close should not normalise how impressive his tenure has been, nor should it downplay the difficulty of what’s to come.

His task now is perhaps harder than it’s ever been.

[miri-01]

Sack race odds: Ange Postecoglou must see Tottenham's Europa League campaign through to the end
By Alex Keble
Football
Tue March 18, 2025 · 1h ago
It’s never a great sign when a manager starts publicly calling out players for underperforming, but it’s a particularly galling thing to hear from a Premier League head coach so regularly frustrated by journalists criticising his players.

“People can judge me. They can say I've done a bad job, I'm not up to it or whatever. That's fine,” Ange Postecoglou said last month. “What I'm saying is you can't be critical of our players' performances at this time.”

The sheer scale of Tottenham's injury crisis and the resulting fatigue meant criticism of the players was off limits. Until now.

“I just feel Biss can sometimes let the game drift by him,” Postecoglou said after the 2-0 defeat at Fulham on Sunday. “It's fair to say, Biss and a few others are probably lacking a bit of confidence.

“That's affecting him, but we're at the point of the season now where we need guys to get out there and put those things to one side and perform.”



One minute the players are understandably tired, drained by a season under the cosh. The next, they are fair game to be called out publicly. It isn’t a good look, and it’s one of the reasons why there’s been renewed talk this week about Postecoglou’s long-term viability at Spurs.

Then again Postecoglou’s Yves Bissouma comments aren’t necessarily hypocritical. In fact, they might even serve as evidence that now is the right time to be questioning the manager’s future.

Injuries have cleared up. That means criticism – of the players, and of the head coach – is no longer off limits.

If that’s the case, well, the worrying thing for Postecoglou is that his detractors throughout the injury crisis have been proved right.

Tottenham are playing in exactly the same way as they did when the treatment table was piled with bodies. They look passive and confused, as if the manager’s gung-ho instructions have lost all meaning as a disappointing campaign peters out.

But that is not a good enough reason to sack him now.

Tottenham’s season rests entirely on their Europa League campaign, and the theory goes that if Daniel Levy was to bring in a caretaker during the international break then Spurs could get the new-manager boost they need to win that tournament and qualify for the Champions League.

What that analysis misses is that Postecoglou deserves the chance to see through his cup competitions, not out of goodwill or sporting kindness, but because European competition should be viewed as intertwined with the Premier League season rather than running adjacent to it.

Ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou deserves to see the European campaign through to the end
Premier League performances have been worse because Europa League performances have been better. The two affect and infect each other, so to blame the manager for one part while overlooking success in the other part frankly makes no sense.

They must be viewed as a whole - which means Postecoglou must be given the chance to go all the way.

Should Spurs win the Europa League then all will be forgiven and the Premier League campaign would be rightly deemed irrelevant. It goes without saying, to win their first trophy since 2008 while qualifying for the Champions League would be Spurs’ best season this century.

Denying Postecoglou the opportunity to finish what he started wouldn’t just be cruel, it would be rejecting the very process that got them to this point, however wonky or unconventional it might have been.

Levy did something similar to Jose Mourinho, sacked in April 2021 just days before an EFL Cup final against Manchester City. The theory was that a less toxic caretaker would have a better chance of winning that final, but Levy’s calculation overlooked Mourinho’s Machiavellian nature.

The ends always justify the means, and the end was right there, just hours away.

Ryan Mason took charge of the EFL Cup final in 2021
Ryan Mason took charge of the EFL Cup final in 2021
Had Mourinho won that final he would have completed his mission, plain and simple.

That he didn’t even get the chance to lose it shows Levy misunderstood the interconnectedness of a team’s various competitions; bad results in Premier League games aren’t automatically justified by League Cup wins littered around them, but if you go on to win the latter competition, then they absolutely are.

Sacking Mourinho before the ending nullified everything that came before; meant declaring defeat before the results were counted; meant failure that no longer belonged to Mourinho but to Levy.

It would be the same story repeated should Postecoglou go before his Europa League campaign reaches a conclusion one way or the other.

Ange was hired to bring back fun, to entertain, and to make memories, and although things have turned sour over the last seven months lifting the Europa League in May would erase all of the bad stuff.

It would make his tenure an unqualified success: victory on his own terms and on the terms laid out when the job was first offered.

The most likely outcome is Spurs knocked out of Europe, in this round or the next.

But that really isn’t the point. Until it happens, until the future unfolds, judging Postecoglou in March is like judging Spurs during an injury crisis: an incomplete picture, a story half told.