Champions League updates from the 8pm BST kick-offLive scoreboard | And feel free to mail Barry your thoughts Those teams: Mikel Arteta makes two changes to the team that beat Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, opting to freshen up the left side of his team. Gabriel Martinelli coming in for Gabriel Jesus on the wing, while Jakub Kiwior is in for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back. Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sane come in to the Bayern Munich side that lost at Heidenheim at the weekend, while Kingsley Coman, Noussair Mazraoui and Aleksandar Pavlovic, who also that game take their places on the bench. Eric Dier and Matthijs de Ligt are in for Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-Jae in the heart of Bayern’s defence. Continue reading...

Forward who stunned City in 2022 believes feeling is mutualRodrygo explains why he turned down Liverpool transfer The Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has described Manchester City as the world’s best team and admitted he and his teammates did not want to face them in the Champions League quarter-finals. But the Brazilian also claimed before Tuesday’s first leg at the Bernabéu that City were keen to avoid playing Madrid. The clubs meet for a third successive season, City having won last year’s semi-final to avenge Madrid’s dramatic triumph at the same stage in 2022, when Rodrygo scored twice in stoppage time to pave the way for Karim Benzema’s extra-time winner. Continue reading...

While France and England are among the favourites, Austria could spring a surprise This was not a vintage window for Didier Deschamps’ side with a home defeat against Germany followed up by a shaky 3-2 win against Chile in Marseille. The captain, Kylian Mbappé, had a difficult few days and the absence of Antoine Griezmann, who missed his first France games for seven years because of injury, was clearly felt. There were positives, however, with the 18-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery having a good game against Germany and Randal Kolo Muani scoring and assisting against Chile. Deschamps made nine changes for the second game with William Saliba getting a rare start in Marseille, even though the coach had said beforehand that the Arsenal player “does things he doesn’t like”. Still the team to beat. Marcus Christenson Continue reading...

Thigh injury setback rules out midfielder for rest of campaignHe has not played since December debut after £53m move Roméo Lavia, who has played only 32 minutes of competitive football since joining Chelsea for £53m last summer, has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a thigh injury. The update on the Belgium midfielder is the latest in a long line of worrying developments for Mauricio Pochettino, who has had to cope without a number of key players at various points of a testing campaign. Reece James, Chelsea’s captain, has not played since December and Christopher Nkunku, Lesley Ugochukwu, Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana are also in the treatment room. Continue reading...

Griezmann’s world record of playing in 84 straight internationals ended on Saturday. France need him back soon By Eric Devin for Get French Football News Moving on in sport is never easy, even if the process is made easier by having the world’s best player at your disposal. France have an impressive recent record in international tournaments, having reached the finals in three of the last four, but their best performances – their elimination of Germany in 2016, their shackling of Belgium and Uruguay in 2018 – have been driven by canny midfielders who are full of running and self-sacrifice. A hallmark of Didier Deschamps’ style, this was best exemplified by the leather-lunged Blaise Matuidi and N’Golo Kanté, but even Paul Pogba turned in workmanlike displays in the centre of the park. With Pogba banned, Matuidi retired and Kanté having swanned off to Saudi Arabia, his form undone by injuries, they require a succession plan. Continue reading...

He says patience Arsenal have shown with Arteta has been ‘nice’Ratcliffe reveals new stadium could have 100,000 capacity Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said Manchester United will not be trying to land superstar signings such as Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappé. The Ineos chairman has taken control of footballing operations at United after his minority shareholding purchase and wants to turn them back into the force they once were. However, he believes spending big on marquee signings is not the way to prosper. Continue reading...

Kylian Mbappe scores hat-trick as Paris St-Germain thrash Montpellier in Ligue 1.