Pep Guardiola is relishing another clash with Real Madrid after Manchester City were pitted against the Spanish giants for a third successive year.Champions League holders City will take on the competition’s record 14-time winners in the quarter-finals of this season’s competition next month.The two clubs have met in the semi-finals for the past two years, with Real winning in 2022 but

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery said Ollie Watkins’ knee injury sustained in the 4-0 Europa Conference League last-16 win over 10-man Ajax was “not more than a cut”.Watkins, named in England boss Gareth Southgate’s latest squad earlier on Thursday, headed Villa in front in the 25th minute, having already sustained the injury in a challenge with Ajax goalkeeper Diant Ramaj.But t

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah’s relentless drive to score goals will never end.The Egypt international scored in the 6-1 Europa League demolition of Sparta Prague to bring up his 20th goal of the season, becoming the first player in the club’s history to reach that mark in seven successive campaigns.“In seven years together with him, the one problem we nev

Dave Challinor wants Stockport to show more character and resilience despite a second-half fightback earning them a 2-2 draw at Salford.Stockport trailed 2-0 at half-time after goals from Luke Garbutt and Curtis Tilt.But cool finishes from Ibou Touray and Isaac Olaofe in the first 20 minutes of the second half earned the Hatters a point.Challinor said: “I think everybody has character and re

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is targeting qualifying for Europe via the Premier League after his side were knocked out of the Europa League by Roma.The damage was done for Brighton in last week’s 4-0 defeat in Rome and Danny Welbeck’s stunning solo strike on Thursday night – to hand them a 1-0 second-leg win – was not enough to extend their maiden European campaign as

Promotion-chasing Stockport came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at local rivals Salford in Sky Bet League Two.In a true game of two halves, the hosts went in 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Luke Garbutt and Curtis Tilt.Ibou Touray then halved the deficit at the start of the second half before Isaac Olaofe levelled shortly after.Salford drew first blood eight minutes in thanks to Garbutt,

Brighton’s battling 1-0 win at home to Roma was not enough to stop Roberto De Zerbi’s side exiting the Europa League at the last-16 stage.Danny Welbeck’s magnificent first-half strike saw the Seagulls to victory but they fell well short of completing the miracle comeback required to wipe away last week’s 4-0 first leg defeat in Rome, losing 4-1 on aggregate.After playing &l

Mohamed Salah warmed up for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United with a record-breaking goal in Liverpool’s 6-1 Europa League demolition of Sparta Prague at Anfield.Jurgen Klopp’s side were already virtually guaranteed a quarter-final place after their 5-1 first-leg victory but four goals in the opening 13-and-a-half minutes started the rout.They were only the

Ollie Watkins helped fire Aston Villa to a first European quarter-final since 1998 but gave his side and England an injury scare after limping off.Watkins, named in Gareth Southgate’s latest squad earlier on Thursday, headed Villa in front in the first half of a 4-0 Europa Conference League second-leg win over 10-man Ajax which sends them through to the last eight.But the striker limped off

Rangers manager Philippe Clement was proud of his players despite their narrow defeat by Benfica.The Light Blues were in a good position to reach the Europa League quarter-finals following a 2-2 draw in Lisbon last week but they fell just short against the Portuguese champions.Rangers were caught on the counter-attack as Rafa Silva netted the only goal of the second leg in the 66th minute at Ibrox