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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains optimistic about his team's chances despite mounting injury concerns, particularly with star player Bukayo Saka sidelined with an achilles issue.Arteta insists he has 'zero fear' that Arsenal could end the season without silverware, but admits there are significant doubts over Saka's return. Saka has not played since the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City last month and Arteta is uncertain when he will be back.'Hopefully it's going to be a matter of days and not weeks,' Arteta said. 'But he has to see when he's loading more, how he responds to that kind of progression.'Arsenal are also facing doubts over Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and captain Martin Ødegaard for their Champions League match against Sporting. Additionally, Arteta will make a late call on Declan Rice's fitness after the England midfielder missed training on Tuesday.Despite recent setbacks, including a home defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League, Arteta remains positive. 'Fire. I'm on fire. I'm on fire,' he said. 'Nothing else. I'm dreaming so much. I've done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I just see beauty, opportunity, and I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us.'

Luis García, the former Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool player, thought he had left the intense emotions of football behind when he retired in 2016. However, while watching his current club, Johor Darul Ta'zim, celebrate a historic win in Malaysia, he found himself overcome with emotion. "I was always very competitive and once I had left football, I thought I wasn’t going to have those feelings I had before," García says. "I still enjoy football, still play seven-a-side with my friends – every Saturday at 10am, Los Jareños Club de Futbol – but I thought I had lost that and it wasn’t coming back. In fact, I was trying to avoid it; I didn’t want it. So when it happened, it surprised me. I didn’t expect football to give me that again. But there I was, crying."García is now the chief executive of Johor Darul Ta'zim, a Malaysian club that has made history by reaching the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League. He credits the club's success to its strong structure, including coaches, analysis, assistants, fitness staff, and a digital team.The club's owner, Tunku Ismail Idris, the crown prince of Malaysia, has been instrumental in its growth, taking the team to 12 league titles. García says that Idris is "very active, inquisitive" and has a good understanding of the game.García's role as CEO involves implementing the club's vision, finding ways to improve, and liaising with the operations manager. He also travels with the sporting director to scout players and has been involved in school visits and hospital engagements.The team's success has been built on a strong squad, including Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, Koreans, Portuguese, Spaniards, Argentinians, Brazilians, a Colombian, and the former Wolves midfielder Hong Wan. Arif Aiman, a Malaysian player, has been described by García as "the pearl of Malaysia" due to his quick skills, goal-scoring ability, and potential to play in Europe.

UEFA is expected to secure in excess of €1 billion (£870 million) annually from sponsorships linked to its club tournaments starting next season, a surge of over 40% that will lift the governing body’s total commercial income past the €6 billion mark.The commercial joint venture UC3 – jointly owned by UEFA and its clubs – is finalising two flagship agreements: an official payments processor and a technology partner. These contracts will complete a roster of premium global partners and underpin the projected revenue jump.Long‑term sponsorships have already been locked in. AB InBev will serve as UEFA’s official beer partner, committing €230 million per year—far above the €120 million reserve price—while Pepsi will extend its soft‑drink partnership for another six years, also exceeding the reserve threshold. Nike is currently in exclusive talks to replace Adidas as the match‑ball supplier.These sponsorship gains complement a booming TV‑rights market. Rights sales in the UK rose 20% and in Germany 30% last year, with further tenders underway across 21 territories. UEFA now projects annual TV‑rights valuations to top €5 billion, meaning the combined commercial haul will comfortably exceed €6 billion.Relevent Football Partners, the American agency appointed by UC3, has overhauled UEFA’s sales process, creating a new “elevated partners” tier that bundles commercial rights across all three UEFA club competitions. This package offers exposure across 531 matches per season, far surpassing the 189‑match footprint of the Champions League alone.The influx of cash will primarily benefit the elite clubs. UEFA currently allocates 74% of its prize fund and 56% of club‑competition revenue to Champions League participants, with the remainder split between Europa League (17%) and Conference League (9%). Seven clubs already received over €100 million in prize money last season, led by Paris Saint‑Germain’s €144.4 million haul.Such concentration of wealth has reignited debate over revenue distribution. The Union of European Clubs (UEC) has proposed a revised split of 50‑30‑20 among the three competitions, directing a larger share into domestic leagues rather than straight to clubs. However, given the influence of the biggest clubs within UC3, the proposal faces an uphill battle.UEFA and Relevent declined to comment on the negotiations.

Match details: Atletico Madrid will meet Barcelona on Tuesday at 21:00 CET (19:00 GMT) in the Metropolitano Stadium for the Champions League quarter‑final second leg. The fixture decides which side advances to the semi‑finals. After a 2‑0 first‑leg triumph at Camp Nou, Atletico enter the tie as favourites despite trailing Barcelona in the La Liga table. Their advantage stems from goals by Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sörloth, who capitalised on a red card for Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi. Barcelona, the reigning Spanish champions, are desperate to overturn the deficit. They bolstered their domestic campaign with a 4‑1 win over Espanyol, extending their lead over Real Madrid to nine points. Ferran Torres netted a brace, assisted by teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, while Marcus Rashford added the fourth. Atletico’s weekend league performance was less convincing, suffering a 2‑1 loss to Sevilla after heavy rotation by Diego Simeone. The loss left them fourth in La Liga with 57 points, four behind Villarreal. Historical context: The two clubs have met 251 times, with Barcelona winning 115 matches, Atletico 79 and 57 draws. Their recent knockout encounters include Atletico’s victories in the 2014 and 2016 quarter‑finals, both decided over two legs. Team news: Atletico will miss Marc Pubill (suspension) and have Jose Giménez, Pablo Barrios and David Hancko listed as doubtful. Barcelona’s defender Pau Cubarsi is suspended, replaced by Ronald Araujo. Injuries rule out Marc Bernal, Raphinha and Andreas Christensen. Predicted line‑ups: Atletico – Musso; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Llorente, Koke; Simeone, Griezmann, Lookman; Alvarez.Barcelona – Joan Garcia; Koundé, Araujo, Martín, Cancelo; Eric Garcia, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Rashford; Lewandowski. Managerial insights: Simeone stressed the need to stay focused on the objective of advancing, while Barcelona coach Hansi Flick highlighted the quality of his squad and the importance of collective effort. With a slim margin separating the sides, the second leg promises a tactical battle that could see either club secure a coveted place in the Champions League semi‑finals.

Leeds United delivered a seismic upset at Old Trafford, beating Manchester United 2‑0 and moving six points clear of Tottenham in the Premier League table. The victory marked United’s first league loss at the stadium since February 1981, ending a 45‑year unbeaten home run.Michael Carrick recorded his first home defeat as United’s interim manager. The team never found rhythm, a situation worsened when defender Lisandro Martínez was shown a red card in the 56th minute for yanking Dominic Calvert‑Lewin’s ponytail. Martínez now faces a three‑match ban, with United considering an appeal.Noah Okafor proved decisive, netting a brace. His first goal arrived five minutes after the red card when a Jayden Bogle cross was flicked on by Leny Yoro and finished by Okafor. The Swiss striker celebrated with a calm, hands‑folded pose as the crowd chanted “Yorkshire, Yorkshire”. He added a second, long‑range strike later in the half, sealing the win.Leeds dominated the early exchanges, creating several chances through wing‑back Gabriel Gudmundsson and forward Jayden Bogle. United’s response was limited to a consolation header from Casemiro, but they could not threaten Leeds’ lead.The result has major implications: Leeds now sit comfortably in the Champions League race, while United’s relegation worries intensify. A win against Wolves on Saturday could further distance Leeds from the drop zone, especially if Tottenham falters against Brighton.Post‑match, Leeds manager Daniel Farke and his players celebrated exuberantly, kneeling on the pitch and shouting “We are Leeds”. The three points are described as “vital” for the club’s season ambitions.

Marie‑Louise Eta will take the touchline for Union Berlin’s upcoming Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg, becoming the first woman to coach a men’s team in one of Europe’s top‑five leagues. The 34‑year‑old was promoted on an interim basis after the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, who was sacked following a 3‑1 defeat to bottom‑placed Heidenheim.Union sit seven points clear of the relegation‑playoff zone with five games remaining, but a dismal run of two wins in 14 matches has left the club teetering near the drop‑zone. Club officials turned to Eta, citing her continuity and proven tactical acumen, to halt the slide.Eta’s appointment is the latest milestone in a rapid rise through Union’s ranks. In the 2023‑24 season she became the Bundesliga’s first female assistant manager under Nenad Bjelica, and earlier in 2024 she briefly commanded the men’s side, overseeing a win, a draw and a loss while Bjelica served a suspension. Her prior success with Union’s under‑19 men’s squad further cemented her reputation as a forward‑thinking coach.Speaking in a 2023 interview, Eta emphasized that she wants to “convince with quality and substance” rather than rely on tokenism. Former England women’s manager Sarina Wiegman hailed her as a “trailblazer”, noting that such progress reflects football’s broader societal shift toward gender equality.Germany is already seeing more women in senior coaching roles: Sabrina Wittmann leads third‑tier side FC Ingolstadt, while Corinne Diacre previously managed Ligue 2 club Clermont Foot in France. In England, Hannah Dingley made history as caretaker of Forest Green Rovers before moving to Manchester City’s academy.Eta’s current stint with the men’s team is expected to be short‑lived. She has already signed a contract to become head coach of Union Berlin’s women’s side next season, where she will continue to develop talent in the Frauen‑Bundesliga. Nonetheless, her presence on the technical area this weekend offers a powerful visual for aspiring female coaches worldwide.Social media reactions have been mixed. While a minority of users resorted to sexist trolling, Union’s official X account defended Eta vigorously, dubbing her a “football goddess” and firing back at detractors. Eta, a former Champions League winner with Turbine Potsdam, said she draws motivation from messages sent by young women and girls she has inspired.The upcoming match will not only test Union Berlin’s fight against relegation but also serve as a symbolic moment in the ongoing effort to break the “grass ceiling” in professional football.

Liverpool FC is gearing up for a crucial Champions League showdown against Paris Saint-Germain, with manager Arne Slot expressing confidence in his team's ability to turn the tide in their favor. The Reds are facing a daunting task, having lost 2-0 in the first leg at Parc des Princes.Slot emphasized that his team must deliver a great performance to overcome the European champions, stating that while the task is complicated, it is not impossible. He drew on his team's past successes, highlighting that in 36 of their 50 home games under his management, Liverpool has scored two or more goals.The Liverpool head coach is instilling belief in his players, citing examples of their ability to perform at a high level, even against strong opponents. He noted that his team has shown resilience in the face of adversity, such as coming back from 4-0 down against Manchester City in the FA Cup.Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool's midfielder, echoed Slot's sentiments, urging his teammates to go 'all in' from the first minute to the final whistle to knock out PSG. Szoboszlai expressed his desire to secure a win, stating that anything can happen at Anfield in a one-off game.Meanwhile, PSG's manager, Luis Enrique, warned his players not to underestimate Liverpool, cautioning that there could be pitfalls and that the game can change quickly. He emphasized the importance of taking care of details and not allowing Liverpool to benefit from their home crowd and noise.

Only one team has ever overcome a 2-0 defeat at home to go through in the history of the Champions League, but a Barcelona player was involved in a notable exception: Marcus Rashford scored the winner as Manchester United knocked out PSG in the round of 16 in March 2019. However, Atlético Madrid have never lost in 20 knockout stage games at the Metropolitano and their former home at the Vicente Calderón.

England and Spain meet again on Tuesday night in front of more than 70,000 at Wembley in the Women's World Cup 2027 qualifiers. This match comes eight-and-a-half months after they faced off in the Euro 2025 final, which England won.Spain has undergone significant changes since then, with a new head coach, Sonia Bermúdez, and a crop of emerging young players. Despite these changes, they remain unbeaten since the Euros with five wins and a draw in six matches. Bermúdez has already led them to the Nations League title.The visitors have a number of talented young players, including Fiamma Benítez, the 21-year-old Atlético Madrid midfielder, who has made a strong impact with seven goal contributions in the Champions League this season. Another player to watch is Vicky López, the Barcelona winger, who has become a regular starter.England head coach Sarina Wiegman believes that despite the changes, Spain's DNA remains the same: they want to have the ball and play dynamically. Wiegman noted that there might be some tweaks but the principle will be very similar.For England, Leah Williamson is an injury doubt due to a hamstring injury, but she has started training with her international teammates. Keira Walsh is set to win her 100th cap and Wiegman praised her vision and game understanding.England will have to make at least one change from the starting XI that beat Spain in Switzerland, with Ella Toone out injured. Jess Park is likely to start in her place.