Football

Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, two Spanish football powerhouses, are set to clash in a crucial La Liga match on Saturday, with Champions League qualification on the line. Atletico, currently fourth in the standings, holds a three-point advantage over fifth-placed Athletic.Diego Simeone's Atletico have endured a turbulent season, suffering a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals and a disappointing loss to Alaves in La Liga. The pressure is mounting on Simeone's team to deliver a strong performance against Athletic.Ernesto Valverde's Athletic, on the other hand, have been in impressive form this season, particularly against Atletico. They have defeated Simeone's side on all three occasions they have met, scoring six goals and conceding none.In December, Athletic outplayed Atletico 2-0 at San Mames, prompting Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak to criticize his team's performance. "You can't win titles like this, you can't win leagues... Bilbao were a lot better than us," Oblak said.The teams met again in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, with Atletico losing 1-0 at home. Athletic dominated the second leg, securing a 3-0 victory.Despite their recent struggles, Atletico remain a formidable opponent. They have a strong squad and a proven track record of success under Simeone. However, Athletic will be confident of securing a victory, knowing that it would give them a significant boost in their quest for Champions League qualification.The match promises to be a high-intensity affair, with both teams desperate for a positive result. Atletico will be eager to bounce back from their recent setbacks, while Athletic will be determined to continue their impressive run against Simeone's side.

RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, two of the Bundesliga's most bitter rivals, face off on Saturday with Champions League qualification on the line. Leipzig holds a slim two-point advantage over Dortmund, with only the top four teams guaranteed a spot in Europe's premier club competition.The rivalry between the two clubs has been intense since Leipzig's promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. Dortmund fans have accused Leipzig of being a "plastic club" due to its ownership by energy drink giant Red Bull. The animosity reached a peak in Leipzig's first match in Dortmund, where the Yellow Wall displayed a banner calling the newcomers "the shame of the league."Despite the rivalry, both Leipzig and Dortmund have established themselves as Bayern Munich's closest challengers in recent years. Since Leipzig's promotion, only once has neither team finished second behind Bayern.This season, Bayer Leverkusen has emerged as a surprise title contender, but Leipzig and Dortmund remain in the hunt for a top-four finish. Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has been in impressive form, scoring in each of his past three matches."I always look at each game like it's my last," Sesko said. "But in this situation, you know what you're playing for. For me, it's not even pressure, it's more motivation."Leverkusen, already crowned Bundesliga champions, will look to maintain their unbeaten record when they host Stuttgart on Saturday. Xabi Alonso's side needs just four more games to become the first team to go through a Bundesliga season without losing.Bayern Munich, meanwhile, will seek revenge against Eintracht Frankfurt, who inflicted a humiliating 5-1 defeat on the Bavarians in December. The loss exposed the cracks in Bayern's squad under outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea's season has taken a further blow with the news that midfielder Enzo Fernandez will miss the remainder of the campaign due to a groin injury. The 23-year-old Argentine underwent surgery on Thursday and will now begin a period of rehabilitation.Fernandez has been struggling with a hernia for several weeks and was unable to make an impact in Chelsea's 5-0 thrashing at Arsenal on Tuesday. The injury is a major setback for Chelsea, who have been hit by a wave of injuries this season.At times, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has had as many as 12 players unavailable, with his team languishing in ninth place as a result of their fitness and form issues. Their thrashing against Arsenal followed Saturday's 1-0 FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester City at Wembley as the pressure mounts on Pochettino.Fernandez, signed from Benfica for a club-record fee of 107 million pounds ($133 million) in January 2023, has made 28 league appearances this term, scoring three goals. His absence will be a major blow to Chelsea's hopes of finishing in the top four and securing Champions League qualification."Enzo Fernandez has today undergone successful surgery on a groin issue and will now begin a period of rehabilitation, sidelining him for the remainder of Chelsea's 2023/24 season," a club statement said."The 23-year-old midfielder will work with the club's medical department on his rehabilitation at Cobham."Fernandez's injury is the latest in a long line of setbacks for Chelsea this season. N'Golo Kante, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, and Christian Pulisic have all missed significant periods of time through injury.With just six league games remaining, Chelsea's hopes of a top-four finish are hanging by a thread. They are currently nine points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.

Manchester City's relentless pursuit of a fourth consecutive Premier League title continues as they prepare to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The champions have closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just one point, with a game in hand.City's attacking prowess was on full display in their 4-0 demolition of Brighton, with Phil Foden issuing a warning to their rivals. "In the first half, it was frightening the way we attacked," said Foden. Kevin De Bruyne added, "I trust my team obviously, all respect to Arsenal and Liverpool because they are amazing."Arsenal face a stern test of their title credentials in the north London derby against Tottenham. A win for the Gunners would keep City at bay, while a loss could open the door for Guardiola's men to seize the initiative.Meanwhile, Aston Villa have a golden opportunity to cement their grip on fourth place when they host Chelsea. A win for Unai Emery's side would take them within touching distance of a first European Cup campaign since 1982-83.At the other end of the table, Sheffield United are on the brink of relegation. With just three league victories, Chris Wilder's team is 10 points from safety with four games left. Their crumbling defense has conceded a staggering 92 goals in 34 league games, surpassing Derby's previous record.

Manchester City's title hopes received a major boost as they cruised to a 4-0 victory over Brighton in the English Premier League. The win puts City within two points of league leaders Arsenal, who have played one game more.City's dominance was evident from the outset, but Brighton held firm for the first 17 minutes. However, Kevin De Bruyne broke the deadlock with a stunning header, followed by a controversial free-kick from Phil Foden. Foden added another goal before the break, capitalizing on a Brighton error.In the second half, City continued to press, and Julian Alvarez scored the fourth goal in the 62nd minute. Brighton had a penalty appeal turned down in the 70th minute, but City held on for a comfortable victory.The win was a timely reminder of City's quality and their determination to retain the Premier League title. Arsenal's lead at the top is now under threat, and Liverpool's title hopes appear to be fading after their defeat to Everton.City's victory was particularly impressive given their recent struggles in the Champions League. They were eliminated in the semi-finals by Real Madrid, and their form in the Premier League had been inconsistent. However, they showed their class against Brighton, and they will be confident of challenging Arsenal for the title.

Jurgen Klopp's hopes of a triumphant farewell at Liverpool were shattered as Everton dealt a crushing blow to their Premier League title aspirations with a 2-0 victory at Goodison Park. The defeat leaves Liverpool three points adrift of league leaders Arsenal and one ahead of defending champions Manchester City, who have two games in hand.Klopp had emphasized the need for perfection to secure his second title at Anfield, but this setback marks the latest in a series of disappointments for his team, who have now lost two of their last three league matches. The result, however, provides a lifeline for Everton in their battle against relegation, moving them eight points clear of the drop zone.Everton's high-octane performance from the outset overwhelmed Liverpool, who struggled to contain their opponents. The Toffees dominated the opening half hour, winning 75% of all duels. Their pressure paid off in the 27th minute when Jarrad Branthwaite's shot squirmed through Alisson's hands and into the net.Despite a VAR check, the goal stood, leaving Liverpool reeling. Luis Diaz had a chance to equalize before the break, but Jordan Pickford denied him from close range. Liverpool emerged with more intent in the second half, but failed to seriously test Pickford before conceding a second goal.Dwight McNeil's deep corner found Dominic Calvert-Lewin unmarked at the far post, and the striker headed home to double Everton's lead. Liverpool came close to pulling one back through Diaz, but his effort struck the post.Klopp expressed his disappointment after the match, acknowledging that his team had failed to meet expectations. "I can only apologize for today to the people. We should have done better and we didn't and that's why we lost," he said.The defeat marks a bitter end to Klopp's Merseyside derby record, having won nine of the past 16 encounters before Wednesday's match. It could also be his last visit to Goodison Park as an opposition manager, as he prepares to step down at the end of the season.

In a dramatic turn of events, Mumbai City FC stunned FC Goa with a remarkable 3-2 victory in the first leg of the Indian Super League (ISL) semi-final on Wednesday. The match, played in the humid conditions of Goa, saw Mumbai City trailing for most of the game before unleashing a late onslaught in injury time.FC Goa took the lead in the 16th minute through Boris Thangjam, who capitalized on a defensive error by Mehtab Singh. The home team continued to dominate possession and stifled Mumbai City's attacking options. In the 56th minute, Brandon Fernandes extended Goa's lead with a stunning long-range strike, seemingly putting the game beyond Mumbai City's reach.However, Mumbai City refused to give up. In the 90th minute, Lallianzuala Chhangte reduced the deficit with a well-timed run and finish, assisted by Jayesh Rane. Just a minute later, Vikram Partap Singh equalized for Mumbai City, taking advantage of a spilled save by FC Goa goalkeeper Dheeraj Moirangthem.As the game entered stoppage time, Mumbai City continued to press for the winner. In the sixth minute of added time, Chhangte completed his brace, slipping between two FC Goa defenders to score the decisive goal, again assisted by Rane.The victory was a testament to Mumbai City's resilience and the impact of substitute Rane, who made a significant contribution after coming on in the 64th minute. FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez expressed his disappointment with his team's late collapse, stating, "This is why we didn't win the league. If you don't show character, you don't win."Chhangte's performance was particularly impressive, as he now has 15 goal contributions (9 goals and 6 assists) this season, the most among Indians and sixth overall. His late goals have proven crucial for Mumbai City in their quest for the ISL title.

Leicester City took a giant step towards securing an immediate return to the Premier League with a resounding 5-0 victory over Southampton on Tuesday. Abdul Fatawu's hat-trick, along with goals from Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy, propelled the Foxes to the brink of promotion.Leicester, who were relegated from the top flight last season, have been in impressive form throughout the Championship campaign. However, a recent dip in results had raised concerns about their ability to maintain their promotion push.But Brendan Rodgers' side responded in emphatic fashion against Southampton, who had been in contention for automatic promotion themselves. Fatawu opened the scoring in the 25th minute, racing onto Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's pass and slotting home.Ndidi doubled Leicester's lead just after the hour mark, heading in from close range. Fatawu then secured the points with a stunning individual effort, cutting inside from the right and unleashing an unstoppable shot across Alex McCarthy.Vardy, who has been in excellent form this season, showed his class with a clinical finish to make it 4-0. Fatawu completed his hat-trick nine minutes from time, assisted by Vardy.The victory moves Leicester four points clear of Leeds United with two games remaining. A win in either of their remaining fixtures against Preston North End or Blackburn Rovers will guarantee their return to the Premier League.For Southampton, the defeat ends their hopes of automatic promotion. They now face a battle to secure a playoff spot and maintain their hopes of reaching the top flight.

Juventus secured a berth in the Italian Cup final despite a 2-1 defeat in the second leg of their semi-final against Lazio. The Turin giants advanced with a 3-2 aggregate victory, thanks to Arkadiusz Milik's late strike.Nursing a 2-0 first-leg advantage, Juventus found themselves trailing 2-0 on the night after Valentin Castellanos' brace. The Argentinian forward headed Lazio in front with a thunderous header from a corner and doubled their lead with a low shot into the bottom corner shortly after the restart.Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri responded by bringing on forwards Timothy Weah and Milik, and the double change paid immediate dividends. Weah's cross found Milik, who prodded home with his first touch on 83 minutes to settle Juve's nerves.The Turin side will now face either Atalanta or Fiorentina in the May 15 final, with the Florence outfit leading 1-0 before Wednesday's return leg."We suffered against a good side, so we're happy to be in the final," said Milik. "We know we have to play better in the final, and we know we can play better."Juventus are bidding to win the Coppa Italia for the 15th time and despite only two wins in 12 matches are third in Serie A."The great satisfaction here is to have reached this final, it will boost us for the end of the league where we still need a few points to qualify for the Champions League," said a relieved Allegri.