Football

Arsenal's dominance in the English Premier League continued as they thrashed Chelsea 5-0 in a one-sided encounter at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners, who are vying for the league title, extended their lead at the top of the table, while Chelsea's hopes of a top-four finish suffered a major setback.Arsenal's relentless attack began early, with Leandro Trossard scoring in the 5th minute after Chelsea's defense failed to contain him. Despite Chelsea's attempts to level the score, Arsenal remained in control, with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard creating numerous chances.Chelsea's defense proved vulnerable throughout the match, allowing Arsenal to score three more goals in quick succession. Ben White scored in the 52nd minute, followed by Kai Havertz in the 57th minute. Saka added another goal in the 62nd minute, and White completed the rout in the 70th minute.Chelsea's attack, led by Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling, failed to make an impact, with only one shot on target throughout the match. Arsenal, on the other hand, had nine shots on target, highlighting their superiority in both attack and defense.The victory sends a clear message to Manchester City and Liverpool, Arsenal's main title rivals, that they are determined to lift the trophy this season. Chelsea, meanwhile, must regroup and focus on securing a Europa League spot.

Roy Krishna, the Fijian striker, has rediscovered his scoring touch in the Indian Super League (ISL) after joining Odisha FC. Despite being 37 years old, Krishna has netted 13 goals this season, his highest tally since winning the ISL in 2019-20.Krishna's resurgence is attributed to Odisha FC coach Sergio Lobera, who has a knack for revitalizing players. The striker's ISL career, which began under Antonio Lopez Habas, has received a second lease on life.In the semi-final first-leg against ATK Mohun Bagan, Krishna scored the winning goal to give Odisha FC a 2-1 victory. The goal came after Manvir Singh's early strike was canceled out by Carlos Delgado.Odisha FC's win was their second over league shield winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant in 2024, after Juan Ferrando was replaced by Habas. The team has remained unbeaten at home this season after 13 games.Krishna's goal was a testament to his determination and skill. He outmuscled Mohun Bagan central defender Hector Yuste to score with the outside of his boot. Krishna also drew a foul from Vishal Kaith in the 14th minute, which would have resulted in a penalty if he had not been marginally offside.Mohun Bagan's Armando Sadiku was sent off in the 67th minute for a reckless challenge on Ahmed Jahouh. Delgado's handball in the 73rd minute restored parity in personnel. However, Odisha FC held on to their lead and will take a 2-1 advantage into the second leg.Mohun Bagan, who recently won the Indian championship, now face a battle for survival in the second leg on Sunday.

Leeds United reignited their hopes of automatic promotion to the Premier League with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Middlesbrough on Monday. The win, courtesy of a brace from Crysencio Summerville, propelled Leeds into second place, one point ahead of Ipswich Town.Leeds' recent struggles, which saw them winless in their previous three Championship matches, threatened to derail their promotion aspirations. However, they responded with a spirited performance at the Riverside Stadium.Middlesbrough drew first blood through Isaiah Jones' early strike, but Leeds rallied with Summerville converting a penalty and Patrick Bamford silencing the home crowd with a goal against his former club. Emmanuel Latte Lath equalized for Boro, but Leeds regained the lead through a controversial goal from Wilfried Gnonto, who was clearly offside.Summerville's stunning curling effort extended Leeds' advantage, but Latte Lath's late header set up a tense finish. Leeds held on for a crucial victory, keeping their promotion hopes alive."As defenders, we'd like to make it a bit easier, but at this stage, it's just a massive win," said Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu. "Still two massive games to go. For us, there is a lot of hard work to go."Leeds' triumph means that even if league leaders Leicester City defeat Southampton on Tuesday, they cannot mathematically secure promotion. The race for automatic promotion remains wide open, with Leeds and Ipswich battling it out for the top two spots.

Ruben Amorim, the 39-year-old Portuguese coach, is poised to follow in the footsteps of Jose Mourinho and become the next coaching sensation in the Premier League. Amorim, who currently manages Sporting Lisbon, has impressed with his tactical acumen and ability to develop young players.Like Mourinho, Amorim has a reputation for being a demanding and ambitious coach. He has described Mourinho as his reference, but acknowledges that Jorge Jesus, his former coach at Benfica, has had a greater influence on his coaching style.Amorim's rise has been meteoric. He began coaching in 2018 at the age of 33 and has since won the Portuguese league title with Sporting. He has also guided the club to the Champions League last 16 and the Portuguese Cup final.Amorim's success has not gone unnoticed. He is now the favorite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, who is expected to leave the club at the end of the season. Other Premier League clubs are also said to be interested in Amorim, who has a huge release clause of 10 million euros.Amorim's coaching philosophy is based on intense pressing and playing with three center-backs. He has a knack for developing young players, as evidenced by the success of players like Pedro Porro, Joao Palhinha, and Matheus Nunes at Sporting.If Amorim does move to the Premier League, he will be expected to make an immediate impact. He will have the resources and the platform to showcase his talents and prove that he is the next coaching superstar.

Inter Milan's triumph in the Derby della Madonnina against AC Milan was a night of unparalleled celebration, securing the Serie A title and etching their name in history. The victory, coupled with the coveted second star on their jersey, marked a milestone for the Nerazzurri, breaking the tie with their city rivals and claiming their 20th Italian league title.Inter's captain, Lautaro Martínez, expressed the significance of the moment, emphasizing the opportunity to seize the title in front of their loyal supporters. Despite the relentless rain, the spirits of the Nerazzurri and their fans soared.Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram found the back of the net for Inter, while Fikayo Tomori's late goal for AC Milan threatened to delay the celebrations. However, Inter's resilience prevailed, securing the win that extended their lead to an insurmountable 17 points over second-placed Milan.The final whistle sparked jubilation, with Lautaro and Federico Dimarco climbing atop the goal frame at San Siro. Flares and fireworks illuminated the stands, and the Inter players erupted in a raucous dance before their adoring fans. A banner unfurled, declaring in Italian, "Repeat it to the Madonnina, who are the champions and who the crybabies."Simone Inzaghi, Inter's coach, expressed his pride in claiming his first league title, a testament to the collective effort of his team. The victory marked a historic night for Inter, aligning the stars for a Serie A triumph, a second star, and a Derby della Madonnina victory at San Siro.

Odisha FC and Mohun Bagan SG, two fierce rivals on the field, will face off in the first leg of the ISL-10 semifinal at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter, as both teams have a history of intense battles and are determined to secure a spot in the final.In the league stage, the two teams played to two draws, highlighting their evenly matched abilities. However, Mohun Bagan SG enters the semifinal as the League Shield champion, having dethroned Mumbai City FC. Odisha FC, on the other hand, earned its semifinal berth with a thrilling comeback win over Kerala Blasters in the knockout match.Odisha FC will be eager to make the most of its home advantage and secure a victory that would give it an edge heading into the second leg at Salt Lake Stadium on April 28. The team will be looking to redeem itself after a disappointing end to the league title race and claim its maiden ISL crown.Odisha FC coach Sergio Lobera recalled his team's impressive performance in the AFC Cup league stage, where it defeated Mohun Bagan 5-2 at their home ground. That victory was a testament to Lobera's side's resilience, especially after suffering a 4-0 defeat in the first meeting at Kalinga Stadium.With the region experiencing extreme heat, weather conditions will play a significant role in the outcome of the match. The team that shows better endurance and adaptability will have a clear advantage.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are on the cusp of securing their 10th French Ligue 1 title in 12 seasons after crushing Lyon 4-1 on Sunday. The victory, which came on the heels of their 4-1 triumph over Barcelona in the Champions League, extended PSG's unbeaten streak in Ligue 1 to 11 games.The Parisians dominated the first half at the Parc des Princes, scoring all four goals before the break. Nemanja Matic's own goal and Lucas Beraldo's header gave PSG an early 2-0 lead within six minutes. Goncalo Ramos then netted twice, either side of an Ernest Nuamah strike for Lyon, to put the game beyond doubt.Despite resting star forward Kylian Mbappe, PSG cruised to victory, showcasing their depth and dominance in the French league. The result leaves them 11 points clear of second-placed Monaco with just five matches remaining."I'm very happy with the result, with the match, and with the week," said PSG coach Luis Enrique. "After the match in Barcelona, you never know how it's going to be, but I think the team was extremely precise and I am very confident and very happy."Lyon, who have enjoyed a remarkable revival under new coach Pierre Sage, remain in contention for European qualification despite the setback. They are a point away from seventh position, which would secure a Europa Conference League berth.In other Ligue 1 action, Monaco moved into second place with a 2-0 win at Brest. Denis Zakaria and Takumi Minamino scored the goals for the principality side, who are now two points above Brest and three ahead of fourth-placed Lille.Lille bounced back from their Europa Conference League exit to Aston Villa by beating Strasbourg 1-0, with Jonathan David scoring the only goal of the game. The Canadian forward has now scored 17 goals in Ligue 1 this season.Marseille needed a stoppage-time goal from Faris Moumbagna to salvage a 2-2 draw at Toulouse. The result leaves them ninth in the table, with their hopes of European qualification fading.Montpellier won 2-1 at Reims, while Metz moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 victory at Le Havre.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has vehemently criticized La Liga for its lack of goal-line technology after his team's 3-2 Clasico defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday. The controversial incident occurred when Lamine Yamal's shot appeared to cross the line, but VAR officials were unable to conclusively prove it.Xavi expressed his outrage, stating, "It's a disgrace. If we want to be the best league in the world, we have to advance in this sense. You have to put in the technology." Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen echoed his coach's sentiments, calling the situation "shameful for football."The absence of goal-line technology has been a contentious issue in La Liga, with many arguing that it is essential for ensuring fair and accurate results. The technology is currently used in other top leagues, including the Premier League, and its implementation in La Liga has been repeatedly called for.Despite the setback, Xavi praised his team's performance, saying, "We competed very well, I think we deserved the three points." However, he acknowledged Real Madrid's impressive season, admitting, "They have had an extraordinary league, they have lost just one game, they've almost wrapped it up."Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his delight with his team's performance, particularly after their victory over Manchester City in the Champions League semi-finals. He said, "I'm very proud, because they were two very demanding games. Now we have to prepare for the final part of the season, but we are very well positioned."The Clasico defeat leaves Barcelona 11 points behind Real Madrid with six matches remaining. The title race appears to be slipping away from the Catalan giants, but Xavi remains optimistic, saying, "We have to keep fighting until the end."

Bayer Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten streak extended to 45 games in all competitions after a dramatic 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund on Sunday. The Bundesliga champions-elect looked set to lose their unblemished record when Niclas Fuellkrug put Dortmund ahead with nine minutes remaining. However, Josip Stanisic's stoppage-time header from a corner salvaged a point for Leverkusen.Leverkusen's resilience has been a hallmark of their season, and they have now scored 14 goals after the 90th minute. Their determination to remain unbeaten is fueled by a desire to become the first team to go through a Bundesliga season without a loss."It's not easy to play when you're already champions, but we challenged ourselves to stay unbeaten this season and that's our goal," said Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka.The draw leaves Dortmund two points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig in the race for the final guaranteed Champions League place. However, Germany's strong performance in European competitions could secure a fifth spot for the Bundesliga.In other Bundesliga action, Mainz drew 1-1 at Freiburg to move out of the relegation zone for the first time since August. Jonathan Burkardt's equalizer canceled out Michael Gregoritsch's early strike, lifting Mainz to 15th place.Werder Bremen took a significant step towards top-flight survival with a 2-1 home win over Stuttgart. Marvin Ducksch scored a brace for Bremen, who moved eight points clear of the relegation play-off spot. Stuttgart's loss was their first since January, but they have already secured at least a Europa League place for next season.