NYON, Switzerland: Real Madrid’s path to another Champions League title will have to go through Chelsea in the quarterfinals for the second straight year.
Friday’s draw takes Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti back to face his former club, which were eliminated by a goal from Karim Benzema in extra time a year ago.
This time, the first leg between the past two Champions League winners will be in Madrid instead of London — on April 11 or 12.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also has a reunion with a former club. The English champions were drawn to face Bayern Munich, which have won all eight of their games in the competition this season and will play the first leg away from home.
Bayern twice kept Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé from scoring in the round of 16. The team will now face the tournament’s leading scorer Erling Haaland, who had five goals on Tuesday in City’s 7-0 rout of Leipzig.
The winner between City and Bayern will go on to play Madrid or Chelsea in the semifinals. That half of the draw includes four of the top-five teams in the UEFA rankings by results in European competitions over the past five years.
The other half of the draw is dominated by Italian clubs with the possibility of a Milan derby in the semifinals.
AC Milan will first face Napoli, the runaway Serie A leader which are making their debut in the quarterfinals of the Champions League or the old European Cup. The first leg is at San Siro.
Inter Milan will play at Benfica in the first leg, returning to the country where it eliminated Porto in the round of 16.
Inter are playing at this stage of the competition for the first time in 12 years, while Milan are ending an 11-year wait. Inter are ranked No. 12 by UEFA and seven-time European champion Milan are down at No. 36.
Six former champions who have combined for 34 titles in the 68-year history of the competition were in the draw. Only Napoli and Man City have yet to be European champions.
The first legs will be played on April 11 and 12. The return games are scheduled for April 18 and 19.
The semifinal matches will be played between May 9-17 and the final is set for June 10 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
In the Europa League quarterfinals, Manchester United will play yet another Spanish club.
Man United, which eliminated Barcelona and Real Betis in the last two rounds, will next face Sevilla — a record six-time champion of the competition.
The winner will face either Juventus or Sporting Lisbon in the semifinals.
The other half of the draw paired Feyenoord and Roma — a rematch of the inaugural Europa Conference League final last year won by the Italian team — and Bayer Leverkusen with Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise.
The Europa League quarterfinals will be played on April 13 and 20, with the semifinals on May 11 and 18 and the final set for May 31 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Madrid gets Chelsea, City to meet Bayern in Champions League
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Madrid gets Chelsea, City to meet Bayern in Champions League
- Friday's draw takes Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti back to face his former club
- The winner between City and Bayern will go on to play Madrid or Chelsea in the semifinals
Champions Ahly drop more points in pursuit of 12th title
- The record 11-time African champions were expected to collect maximum points from the Group D match in Alexandria The result was a major boost for Belouizdad, who conceded an added-time goal to lose away to Medeama of Ghana last weekend
JOHANNESBURG: CAF Champions League title-holders Al Ahly dropped points for the second successive weekend when held 0-0 at home by Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria on Friday.
After an away draw against Young Africans in Tanzania six days ago, the record 11-time African champions were expected to collect maximum points from the Group D match in Alexandria.
But a defiant Belouizdad defense, backed by former Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi, contained an Ahly attack including Mahmoud Kahraba, Hussein el Shahat and South African Percy Tau.
The result was a major boost for Belouizdad, who conceded an added-time goal to lose away to Medeama of Ghana last weekend.
Medeama could not achieve back-to-back home victories, however, as they surrendered the lead in a 1-1 draw against Young Africans in Kumasi.
Jonathan Sowah, recalled after being ruled out of the Belouizdad match by suspension, converted a 27th-minute penalty for group debutants Medeama.
It was his third goal of the African campaign, and Ivorian Pacome Zouzoua also scored for a third time in the Champions League this season by equalising nine minutes later.
Ahly have five points, Medeama and Belouizdad four each and Young Africans two at the halfway stage of the mini-league. Group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals.
On a night when three matches produced only three goals, the best came from Cameroonian Jacques Mbe, which gave Etoile Sahel of Tunisia a 1-0 win over Al Hilal of Sudan in Rades near Tunis.
With just two minutes of regular time remaining, Mbe unleashed a thunderbolt past Ivorian goalkeeper Issa Fofana to earn Etoile their first points in Group C.
Petro Luanda of Angola, who play on Saturday, top the table with six points while Hilal, four-time champions Esperance of Tunisia and Etoile have three each.
Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister
- Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal tells BBC Kingdom has proved itself able to host major events
- Government has invested over $6.26bn in sports since 2021 as part of Vision 2030
LONDON: Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal has talked up the sporting and economic opportunities of the Kingdom hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, saying his country is ready to host the world’s biggest sporting event.
In an interview with the BBC, he raised the prospect of the Kingdom hosting the competition in the summer rather than the winter, noted the importance of sport in a country where the majority of citizens are below the age of 30, and discussed the progress made by the Saudi Pro League.
The government has invested over £5 billion ($6.26 billion) in sports since 2021 as part of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy away from dependence on fossil fuels.
With the FIFA Club World Cup set to begin in the Kingdom next month, Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia is more than ready to host the biggest prize in football.
“We’ve showcased that — we’ve hosted more than 85 global events and we’ve delivered on the highest level,” he said.
“We want to attract the world through sports. Hopefully, by 2034, people will have an extraordinary World Cup.”
Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has hosted high-profile boxing matches, ATP tennis tournaments and Formula 1 racing.
The Public Investment Fund made waves when taking control of Premier League side Newcastle United and setting up the LIV Golf tour.
“Twenty million of our population are below the age of 30, so we need to get them engaged — we are playing our role to develop sports within the world and to be part of the international community,” Prince Abdulaziz said.
He added that lessons would be taken from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in neighboring Qatar, which had to be held in winter to avoid high temperatures.
He said Saudi Arabia is “definitely” looking into whether a summer contest would be feasible.
“Why not see what the possibilities are to do it in the summer? Whether it is summer or winter, it doesn’t matter for us, as long as we make sure that we (deliver) the right atmosphere to host such an event,” he added.
On the subject of the World Cup’s sustainability, Prince Abdulaziz said: “It’s a mandate on us in the Kingdom to make sure that we abide by the international regulations … to make sure that we play our role, to make sure that it’s eco-friendly.”
He addressed the progress of football in the Kingdom, which has taken on global significance since the £750 million influx of big names to the Saudi Pro League earlier this year, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar.
At grassroots, too, football is gaining in popularity, and the Kingdom even sees over 70,000 women and girls regularly taking part in the sport.
“All of our big matches have attracted record numbers so far … We’re broadcasting to 147 countries around the world,” Prince Abdulaziz said.
“When we planned to develop the league we never thought that we would do it with such pace, but to see that is actually refreshing and it actually showcases the importance of this. Our focus is to develop our league to attract the best in the world.”
Steven Gerrard: ‘Extremely nice’ to have Moussa Dembele back for Al-Ettifaq
- French striker makes return in draw with Al-Shabab after 2 months out
- Moussa ‘key to us winning games,’ teammate Jack Hendry says
RIYADH: Al-Ettifaq manager Steven Gerrard said it was “extremely nice” to have Moussa Dembele back in Roshn Saudi League action after his No. 9 made a substitute return following knee surgery.
The former Fulham, Celtic, Atletico Madrid and Lyon striker played the final 20 minutes of the 0-0 draw at Al-Shabab on Thursday night. The game at the new Al-Shabab Club Stadium in Riyadh saw Ettifaq finish with 10 men following Demarai Gray’s red card, while the hosts ended with nine after Ever Banega and Gustavo Cuellar were both dismissed.
While frustrated not to have taken all three points — Dembele nearly made the perfect return with a late header that went over the bar — Gerrard said that having his top scorer back was a boost. Al-Ettifaq have failed to score in five of the eight games since the French striker last played, drawing three and losing two.
“It’s extremely nice to see Moussa Dembele back, extremely nice,” Gerrard said.
“When we get Moussa back up in a better place physically and get more minutes into him then I’m sure we’ll carry more of a threat. Moussa Dembele brings goals and assists. The good thing is we have him back. He’s a goalscorer. We’ve missed that quality.”
The former Rangers manager’s comments on the return of Dembele, who netted seven goals in eight Roshn Saudi League matches before his injury at the beginning of October, were echoed by teammate Jack Hendry.
“It’s very big for us to have him back. He’s a figurehead for us up front,” the defender said.
“He’s going to be the key to us winning games and kind of turning our fortunes in the right direction. Moussa’s a proven goalscorer. I played with him at Celtic and I know what he can bring to a team, so to have a figurehead like him up front is going to be important for us moving forward.”
Dembele said: “We will continue to work hard to improve our finishing.”
Ahead of weekend fixtures, Al-Ettifaq — who next play Al-Taawoun at home on Saturday, Dec. 16 — sit eighth in the league table.
“The game as it progressed was certainly there for the taking,” Gerrard said. “When we had a man advantage, we made a tactical change to take a defender off and bring Moussa on to be more aggressive and more opportunities came. We’re a bit frustrated we haven’t gone and taken the big opportunity to go and win the game.
“We’ll continue to grind until we find our rhythm and confidence in the final third, but we want to challenge individuals and the collective to bring more in the final third.”
Rashford must fight for Man Utd place, says Ten Hag
- “Rashford is an incredible, good player,” Ten Hag said on Friday
- “You can’t do it with 11 players, he can’t play every game”
LONDON: Erik ten Hag says it is up to Marcus Rashford to force his way back into the Manchester United side after he was dropped for the midweek win against Chelsea.
The England international was left out of the starting line-up for the 2-1 win at Old Trafford after a string of disappointing performances, with his attitude questioned after last week’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.
Rashford, 26, scored a career-high 30 times for United last season but has netted just twice in the current campaign.
“Rashford is an incredible, good player,” Ten Hag said on Friday. “You can’t do it with 11 players, he can’t play every game, he’s not in this moment in the form he was last year but I am sure he will get there.
“It is up to them (to get back into the side). The team will always line themselves up and the best players who form the best team will play.”
United face an in-form Bournemouth side at Old Trafford on Saturday, and Ten Hag has plenty to consider in his team selection with a must-win Champions League match against Bayern Munich to follow on Tuesday before they head to Liverpool next week.
“I think they have very good form, Bournemouth,” Ten Hag said.
“It’s a very good side, very well constructed, capable players, again you have to play your best.
“Everyone is killing everyone — you have to be 100 percent ready as a team for that game. That’s our job to do, to get there.”
Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum
- Villa’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Wednesday was the club’s most significant result for years
- John Stones has urged Manchester City to keep their composure amid a worrying slump
LONDON: Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League’s top spot will be under threat from their old boss Unai Emery when the leaders travel to surging Aston Villa on Saturday.
If the Gunners slip up, Liverpool will seize pole position with a win against Crystal Palace, while reeling Manchester City aim to get back on track at Luton.
Here are the three talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:
When Unai Emery arrived at Aston Villa in October 2022, his new team were languishing just three points above the relegation zone.
Now, they sit third in the table ahead of a seismic showdown against leaders Arsenal that would have seemed impossible during the dark days before Emery’s transformative appointment.
Villa’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Wednesday was the club’s most significant result for years, showcasing the impressive work done by Emery to revive a moribund club and infusing his players with belief they can do something special this season.
It is fitting that the latest test of Emery’s revolution comes against Arsenal, who sacked him in 2019 midway through a second troubled season in north London.
City manager Pep Guardiola labelled Villa as title contenders on Wednesday after Emery’s 50th match in charge served to underline his remarkable impact.
“I can come back in my mind and think how we were when we started this process,” Emery said. “We lost against Leicester and Arsenal at home. We couldn’t concede eight goals in two matches like we did.
“It was a key moment when we reacted in a meeting with the players, focusing more our idea and our style, building and being very demanding in it. The players, they reacted very well.”
John Stones has urged Manchester City to keep their composure amid a worrying slump that threatens to derail their bid for a fourth successive title.
City’s winless run extended to four league games on Wednesday as Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory increased the sense of concern surrounding Pep Guardiola’s side.
The treble winners were comprehensively outplayed, leaving Guardiola to admit he needed to “help” his “struggling” team.
Trailing Arsenal by six points, Stones believes City can use the pain of their stumble to stop the rot in a tricky assignment at Luton on Sunday.
The Hatters have already drawn with Liverpool at home and came within seconds of a point against Arsenal, before losing 4-3 on Tuesday.
“We have to use the hurt and the pain that is within us as motivation and fuel to put things right. I think everyone has that desire,” Stones said.
“We’ve been in these positions in previous seasons. I don’t think we or everyone should be hyping about what is going to happen. We have to stay calm as a team.”
As Liverpool head into a crucial period for their title ambitions, Jurgen Klopp’s irritation at a joke about his team’s quick turnaround to play Crystal Palace on Saturday laid bare the German’s desire to keep pace with leaders Arsenal.
The Reds boss branded a television presenter “ignorant” following his side’s 2-0 win at Sheffield United on Wednesday when he mentioned second-placed Liverpool travel to Palace at Klopp’s “favorite kick-off time.”
That was an ill-fated reference to Klopp complaining on previous occasions when Liverpool have been forced to play at 1230 GMT on a Saturday after a Wednesday evening match.
“That’s really brave to make a joke about that,” Klopp grumbled, but he will be reassured to hear Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk’s willingness to take on the challenge of coping with the gruelling schedule.
“Listen, we are in December and there are so many games to come. For us now, it’s a good start to December and we have plenty of big games to come. We should all look forward to it,” he said.
Fixtures
Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)
Aston Villa vs. Arsenal (1730), Brighton vs. Burnley, Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool (1230), Manchester United vs. Bournemouth, Sheffield United vs. Brentford, Wolves vs. Nottingham Forest
Sunday (1400 GMT unless stated)
Everton vs. Chelsea, Fulham vs. West Ham, Luton vs. Manchester City, Tottenham vs. Newcastle (1630)
