The knockout stages have finally started to deliver, with standout performances from Phil Foden, Antoine Griezmann and Barcelona’s reluctant fullback

Perhaps the quarter-finals are where the Champions League can be counted to catch light. This week’s first legs saw goals aplenty, with a mix of veteran and young guns starring, with each second leg set up for even more excitement.

Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak, Atlético Madrid

Continue reading...

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning , Nicky Bandini , Will Unwin and Sid Lowe after two belting Champions League quarter-finals first legs

Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts , Soundcloud , Audioboom , Mixcloud , Acast and Stitcher , and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter and email .

On the podcast today; Real Madrid and Manchester City scored lots of very good goals in a game that finished 3-3, and the panel debate whether it’s notable that Erling Haaland didn’t get one of them.

Continue reading...

Striker sees parallels between run to the final four years ago and his current club’s European adventure amid domestic woe

Harry Kane emerged from the Emirates with the look of a man who had enjoyed himself. “I think they have a soft respect for me, the Arsenal fans,” he laughed, a glimmer of mischief crossing the striker’s face as he remembered the cacophony that had accompanied his every move upon returning to enemy territory. The jeers were never louder than when he stepped up to the penalty spot, blocking out the noise to roll calmly past David Raya and give Bayern Munich the upper hand.

Bayern felt they had just about departed with it, even though Leandro Trossard’s equaliser set up a titanic rematch in Munich next Wednesday. Kane’s demeanour could be explained by the fact Bayern, a soft touch domestically of late, had shown a resilience that has deserted their Bundesliga campaign. It had clearly encouraged him, suggesting that well-documented dream of a Wembley final for the England captain may not quite be a thing of fantasy after all.

Continue reading...

• Spain to deploy 2,000 officers at Real Madrid v Manchester City
• French interior minister says IS ‘specifically targeted’ stadiums

Police in Madrid and Paris have stepped up security before this week’s Champions League quarter-finals following an apparent threat from Islamic State (IS).

Although Spain’s interior ministry stressed the country’s terror alert remained at level four of five, it said 2,000 officers from the National Police and Guardia Civil forces would be deployed to help municipal police patrol Real Madrid v Manchester City on Tuesday and Atlético Madrid v Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, which will both be played in the capital.

Continue reading...

German champions will find the mood at the Emirates in stark contrast to that for their last Champions League visit in 2017

There was barely a flicker of expectation among Arsenal fans before Bayern Munich’s most recent visit, in March 2017. Among a few hundred, there was active disdain: a march to the Emirates from Avenell Road, where the facade of Highbury’s art deco-fronted east stand remains, that featured banners calling for Arsène Wenger to terminate a long but fading tenure . Within three hours those placards were being brandished inside the ground by the masochistic souls who had stayed to the end of another 5-1 defeat , a third successive shaming by that scoreline against the serial Bundesliga champions. This should have been a meeting of continental powers; instead it was another sheer embarrassment.

On Tuesday the same supporters will bounce into the stands. It is much too soon to state the tables have turned entirely but, for the moment, Arsenal and Bayern have seen their situations flip around. A slick, clinical, tightly drilled machine will face an erratic, porous side filled with gifted but mercurial individuals and helmed by a manager whose time is almost up. The fact Mikel Arteta’s team can claim to be the first of those, and will enter this quarter-final tie as slight favourites, would have appeared unthinkable when Arturo Vidal completed the rout to boos and an emptying of the stadium seven years ago.

Continue reading...

• Bayern Munich manager says striker is ‘very motivated’
• Tuesday’s Champions League opponents are ‘a real team’

Thomas Tuchel said that nothing will hold Harry Kane back when the Bayern Munich striker returns to north London and renews hostilities with Arsenal in the Champions League.

Bayern’s manager, who warned that the Bundesliga champions know how to hurt Mikel Arteta’s side, is not worried about Kane being targeted because of his Tottenham connections during the first leg of Tuesday’s quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium. The England captain scored 14 goals in 19 appearances for Spurs against Arsenal and Tuchel backed him to silence the taunts from the home fans.

Continue reading...

• Florian Wirtz scores only goal for unbeaten Bundesliga leaders
• German champions slump from 2-0 up to lose at Heidenheim

The Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen battled past Union Berlin 1-0 on Saturday to equal a league record unbeaten run of 28 consecutive matches and all but secure their first league title with a 16-point advantage at the top and six matches remaining.

The visitors, who are also through to the German Cup final and face West Ham United next week in their Europa League quarter-final first leg, put Union on the back foot from the start. Despite a string of chances Xabi Alonso’s team had to wait until deep in first-half stoppage time for Florian Wirtz to convert a penalty. Minutes earlier, Union had Robin Gosens sent off after a second booking.

This story will be updated

Continue reading...

• Spanish manager was wanted by Liverpool and Bayern Munich
• ‘I’m still young but I think this is the best decision for my future’

Xabi Alonso will remain manager of Bayer Leverkusen, the Spaniard announced on Friday, ending speculation that he would join one of his former clubs Liverpool or Bayern Munich.

Alonso, who has a contract with Leverkusen until 2026, has become the talk of Europe and a reported target for top clubs after leading his team through an unbeaten season while challenging for three trophies. However after reports emerged on Thursday that he would not be joining Liverpool , Alonso confirmed at a press conference ahead of his side’s meeting with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday that his loyalties lie with the club that appointed him in October 2022.

Continue reading...

• Liverpool had hoped to make him Jürgen Klopp’s successor
• Spaniard set to remain at Leverkusen for another season at least

Liverpool are ready to give up on plans to appoint Xabi Alonso as the club now believe he will stay at Bayer Leverkusen for at least another season.

Alonso looks set to win the Bundesliga with Leverkusen and the understanding is the Spaniard is likely to remain for their Champions League campaign.

Continue reading...