With a close 2-1 Champions League last 16 first-leg victory on Tuesday, Real Madrid slipped to within a small margin of city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Rodrygo Goes’ opener gave Atletico the lead, but Julian Alvarez equalized for Atletico with a brahim Diaz strike, making it 15 consecutive victories for the record-holder Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe were kept quiet by Diego Simeone’s Atletico, who lost in the 2014 and 2016 finals to bitter rivals.
READ ALSO: PSV Eindhoven wins Champions League Last-16 First Leg 7-1.
In the final stages of the second leg derby game at home next week, the Rojiblancos appeared to accept their one-goal disadvantage.
In place of the suspended Jude Bellingham, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti chose Morocco international Diaz to play midfield and left-back Fede Valverde.
On March 4, 2025, Real Madrid’s Moroccan forward #21 Brahim Diaz (R) celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate Real Madrid’s French forward #9 Kylian Mbappe in a first-leg football game between Real Madrid CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. (Photo by Thomas COEX/AFP)
The Italian’s side showed more commitment and attitude than they did against Real Betis on Saturday, and the Italian’s men delivered.
After four minutes, Rodrygo pounced by sliding inside Javi Galan to retrieve Valverde’s teasing pass before slinging his left foot past Jan Oblak and into the far post.
The Brazilian winger, who has 25 goals in 61 appearances for Madrid, has consistently excelled on the European stage with his fifth strike of the tournament.
When Galan appeared to hold Rodrygo back in the area, he was denied a penalty, but Rodrygo’s appeals were ignored.
When his fellow-traitor Vinicius surged into the box to score Madrid’s second goal, Jose Gimenez skillfully blocked his shot.
When Samuel Lino put pressure on Atletico, Valverde whipped away Giuliano Simeone’s whipped ball from under his own crossbar.
Real Madrid CF and Club Atletico de Madrid’s Argentine forward #19 Julian Alvarez (C) celebrates after scoring their first goal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff game at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Thomas COEX/AFP)
Alvarez hit a brilliant solo goal into the top corner after dancing away from Eduardo Camavinga in the left corner and curling his shot past Thibaut Courtois.
The former Manchester City striker has scored 10 goals in 14 games this season, which demonstrates why Atletico made him their second-most expensive signing of all-time last summer.
Atletico remained in control for an extended period of time, with Madrid having to struggle to turn the ball back to their rivals.
When Diaz restored Los Blancos’ lead in the 55th minute, it was even more surprising.
Before bursting into the crowd to celebrate, the midfielder quickly left Gimenez on the ground and made room for a tidy low finish.
As Atletico searched for a response and manager Ancelotti introduced 39-year-old midfielder Luka Modric in search of more control, Griezmann fired wide and Gimenez over.
In the final 30 minutes of the match, when Madrid might have won a third, the Croatian delivered exactly that.
Vinicius was waiting for a tap-in when Mbappe’s cut-back from the right was performed, and Oblak saved from Modric in the process.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery described it as “the biggest mistake I have witnessed in my career” when Tyrone Mings allegedly gave Club Brugge a penalty in the Champions League group match in November.
Mings helped Villa advance far beyond the quarter-finals of European football’s most prestigious competition on a night of redemption for the England defender by returning to the scene of his howler.
After Villa’s impressive 3-1 victory at Club Brugge in the last-16 first leg in Belgium, Mings said, “I was more than happy to come back here and play in this stadium again.”
“What we did tonight is very impressive to me. This game was really enjoyable. We were prepared for their [in the league phase] and had some experience playing against them.
“The game turned out exactly as we had anticipated.” Our defensive and attacking play is both impressive and admirable.
Will Villa book a last-eight showdown with Liverpool or Paris St-Germain on March 12 to complete the job in Birmingham?
One thing is certain: Mings appears to be back in action now that the events of four months ago have been completely forgotten.
What transpired in November?
Emiliano Martinez nudged the ball out of the six-yard box before Mings, who believed the goal had not been taken, picked up the ball.
Hans Vanaken, the only goal of the game, stepped up to score the only goal of the game after German referee Tobias Stieler received a penalty for handball.
Mings had a terrible experience with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and was replaced shortly after making his European debut.
After that game, Emery added, “His mistake is completely strange.”
Reuters
Mings was “unbelievable.”
Leon Bailey scored a headed assist for Mings in the third minute to open the scoring for Yate Town and Chippenham Town in non-league football on Tuesday. Mings has come a long way since playing for Yate Town and Chippenham Town in non-league football.
Before Mings managed to get a crucial touch that propelled the ball wide, Brugge skipper Vanaken headed the ball into the back of the net at 1-1.
Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin, who was present for BBC Radio 5 Live, said Tyrone Mings was incredible there.
He prevented a goal by stopping it from going into the post’s interior, and that surely prevented it.
As Villa won their sixth of their first nine Champions League games this season, Mings scored seven clearances, more than anyone else, to give their 1,500 traveling fans a wild ovation at the end.
Emery responded, “The first experience he had here was not good,” when asked about Mings’ performance. But he played incredibly focused, serious, and saved one crucial action, which was a goal, today.
My only objective with the players is to understand the difficulties in football, how we can overcome them, how we can improve, and how to analyze everything thoroughly, and how to try to correct it.
We still have some work to do, they say.
Emery’s side are undoubtedly making up for lost time with Villa in this knockout tie, which was their first since the 1982-83 quarter-finals.
Villa have a fantastic chance to advance to the last eight, but Club Brugge will think they did not deserve to lose 3-1.
Emery is careful, however, to stay focused.
The Spaniard quickly pointed out, “We are not in the quarter-finals.”
There are still 90 more minutes to go. Because I am aware of how challenging it is to play each match, we are prepared in case we need extra time and penalties.
The players, I’m sure, have played similar games before, and we must always respect the opponent.
They did a great job competing against Atalanta (3-1), which they won against very well.
“We need to watch the game once more to understand the challenges we may encounter playing against European teams.”
The Gunners won the Champions League last-16 game 7-1 over a ruthless PSV Eindhoven thanks to the talented teenage duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri on Tuesday.
The struggling Dutch champions, who were condemned to their worst-ever defeat in European football, were playing at a different level than the Premiership side.
READ ALSO: Aston Villa defeats Club Brugge 3-1 to keep their lead in the Champions League game.
Arsenal was initially in charge. A narrow offside prevented Declan Rice’s powerful shot into the PSV net in 11 minutes, but it provided a taste of what was to come.
After a quarter of an hour, PSV should have taken the lead, but Ismael Saibari somehow managed to hit the ball from close range with the goalkeeper already down.
Two minutes later, Arsenal paid the hosts’ blatant behavior. Due to the size of Rice’s space in the PSV box, Jurrien Timber’s flying Dutchman, Jurrien Timber, who had a chance to cross the far post, thanked him for his effort.
Jerdy Schouten (C) reacts at the end of the UEFA Champions eague first leg football match between PSV Eindhoven (NED) and Arsenal (ENG) at the PSV Stadion in Eindhoven on March 4, 2025. (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP)
Following more generous Dutch defense, the Premiership side soon doubled their lead.
The 18-year-old English defender squaring off to fellow teenager Nwaneri, who smashed the cross into the top corner, found himself in acres of space in a dangerous area.
After just over half an hour of play, PSV’s hambolic defense turned into embarrassment.
The defense wasted four chances to get a quick clearance before making a mistaken pass to makeshift striker Mikel Merino, who rolled past Walter Benitez.
Just before half time, PSV won a penalty after Thomas Partey carelessly wrapped his arms around Luuk de Jong’s head, giving the shellshocked fans in the Philips Stadion a glimmer of hope.
Noa Lang, a Dutch international winger, did not make a mistake by smashing the ball into the top corner to give David Raya no chance.
After a first 45 minutes of breathless play, the Dutch champions were 3-1 up at half-time.
After a clumsy challenge on Richard Ledezma, Lewis-Skelly was substituted, presumably fortunate to avoid a second yellow card.
– Record defeat
Ivan Perisic, a Croatian forward, reacts during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 16 game between PSV Eindhoven (NED) and Arsenal FC (ENG) at the PSV Stadion in Eindhoven on March 4, 2025. (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP)
However, Arsenal’s home fans’ only hope was quickly lost as the match’s opening three minutes saw Arsenal score twice.
Nwaneri squared a cross that Benitez could only palm into Martin Odegaard’s path, striking a stunningly down the right.
By this point, Arsenal was having no choice but to play. Leandro Trossard, a Belgium international striker, was found with ease as Riccardo Calafiori eased past the left-hand side of the PSV defense with 49 minutes left.
As PSV capitulated, Odegaard ran unchallenged at the defense before volleying a shot that Benitez parried sluggishly into his own net.
In a 6-0 defeat to Saint-Etienne in the 1980 UEFA Cup, Calafiori added to the misery with a seventh goal in 86 minutes, breaking the previous record for PSV goals conceded in Europe.
The 1987 European Cup winners’ fans departed the stadium well before the final whistle on a sad evening.
After failing to entice buyers, disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards cut the price of his family home by £250, 000.
At the beginning of October, a luxurious six-bedroom pad in a leafy area of London was sold for £4.75 million. However, a listing for the property he shared with his now-divorced wife Vicky Flind and their five children in Dulwich indicates that it is now priced at £4.5 million.
Estate agents Pedder were flooded with prank inquiries via Rightmove, so it has a “discreet listing.” The house has attracted a lot of interest, according to a source. The listing is now being kept in a closed loop to catch the time-wasters, cranks, and voyeurs.
The former BBC star paid £1.85 million to purchase the sprawling property on one of Dulwich’s most desirable streets in 2006. Edwards, 63, is alleged to be living in a flat in Wandsworth, one of the BBC’s top stars, and made a salary of £475,000 before being detained and escaping punishment for child abuse images.
Samir Shah, the chairman of the BBC, claimed yesterday that the company had been unable to pay him his wages. He stated to the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee, “We’ve obviously asked, and we’ve said it many times, but he seems unwilling.” We initially believed he might just do the right thing for a change, but he later made the decision not to.
Really, I think he should have done it, which is quite frustrating. He was still able to do it. It is not appropriate. He knew what he had done and should have given it back to the license fee-payers. The BBC has consulted with a lawyer.
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Who: Barcelona vs. Benfica What: UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg Where: Estadio de Luz, Lisbon, Portugal When: Wednesday, March 5 at 8pm (20:00 GMT)
Follow Al Jazeera Sport’s live text and photo commentary stream.
In the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, Barcelona, who has five victories, travels to Lisbon on Wednesday to face Benfica.
Barca, who haven’t won the competition since 2015, is one of the favorites to win the trophy, who finished second in the group stage.
Benfica has reached the semi-finals on seven occasions, but only once, in 1961 and 1962.
What did Barca do in response to the favorable Champions League result?
Before their last 16 clash with Benfica, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick refuted claims that his team has an “easy” path to the Champions League final.
Borussia Dortmund or Lille will face them in the quarterfinals if the Spanish giants win the tie.
The other half of the draw features Real Madrid, the 15-time record holders, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain. Barcelona, who have a point lead over them, could only face them in a potential final.
Every team deserves to be here at this point, and I think Benfica too, Flick said to reporters on Tuesday. “In this phase, there’s no easy game. We play in a fantastic stadium, which creates a truly unique atmosphere there. “Benfica is a fantastic team.
Their supporters and the team are very hard-working, and it will be very difficult tomorrow.
The journey to Munich, in a UCL image. twitter.com/XxOXoJwUAD
The winner of the tournament would not be determined by who would be the biggest threat to Barca’s chances, and the team would not be.
Always the following match, “. The German coach said, “Benfica is for us the next challenging opponent.”
Talking about these things is not good, they say. We keep our attention on the upcoming and upcoming matches, which is a good way to do this.
The other teams are doing really well, and they always want to win against us, and it always starts at 0-0. You have to give it everything.
Raphinha, center, celebrates scoring his team’s fifth goal against Benfica in the Champions League opener.
What transpired between Barca and Benfica last time?
In a thrilling group-stage comeback, Barcelona defeated Benfica 5-4 in Lisbon.
Vangelis Pavlidis scored a 30-minute hat-trick for Portugal, according to defender Pau Cubarsi, who said his team needed to concentrate more on stopping the Portuguese side.
We had a lot of chances, but it was difficult. Cubarsi, who made his Barcelona debut in January 2024 and has quickly developed into a key figure, said, “We have to try not to concede goals.”
The 18-year-old remarked, “We have to know how to manage games because this is a two-legged tie, and we must give everything.”
Barca should be competing for every title each year. We are the world’s best club, in my opinion. People claim the pathway in the tournament this year, but I don’t believe that.
Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon and Portuguese league leaders Athletic Bilbao are three points clear of Bruno Lage’s Benfica.
What does Benfica think about the Barca test?
Following the nine-goal thriller in the league phase, Benfica manager Bruno Lage warned fans to expect more excitement on Wednesday. His side are second in the Portuguese league.
When they host Barca, Lage predicted that Benfica, who lost their previous meeting to a stoppage-time Raphinha strike, would continue to play football as a franchise and that he anticipates the Spanish giants to do the same.
Because they are two teams that have an eye for attack, Lage said at a press conference on Tuesday, “I can’t predict how many goals will be scored in the game, but I can predict a great game of football.”
“We will go out for the win,” I believe it will be a difficult match. The outcome of the second leg will be more important than the outcome of the first leg, in all likelihood.
We’re going up against a great team, which scores a lot of goals, but we’re also looking at the positive things we’ve done against this opponent, such as how many chances we’ve had and how many times we’ve been in front of the goalkeeper, and how we can get past this tie.
The result of Barcelona’s infamous rip-roaring encounter at Lisbon’s Estadio da Luz, which Barcelona won by two goals, is expected to differ from what Benfica supporters want.
Because they frequently do it, “We will try to find the spaces our rivals offer us,” said Lange. The key to success in Barcelona should be to be able to make the most of the available spaces.
Gavi, a midfielder for Barcelona, is a doubt for Wednesday’s Champions League game.
Gavi, who played for Barcelona in their rousing 5-4 victory over Benfica, was on the bench in both of their previous league games and was ill during a training session.
“We’ll see,” He didn’t train yesterday because he wasn’t feeling so well. We have to wait until he visits the doctor again, according to Flick.
Since recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, the 20-year-old has started 24 games and added two goals and three assists.
News from the Benfica team
Angel Di Maria and Florentino, both of whom are recovering, will miss Wednesday’s game, Lage said, but he had faith in the wings’ replacement, Renato Sanches.
Regardless of who plays, Lage said, “the most crucial thing is for the team to function as a team, as a whole.”
Head-to-head
Surprisingly, the two giants of Europe have only ever met once.
Benfica has only won once, while Barca has won four of those, including the season-ticket victory.
In the old group stage, in 2021, we won by 3-0 at home. The clubs’ last meeting up until this year was a goalless draw at Neu Camp, which was the final game of the season.
The other Benfica victory was the pair’s first meeting, which took place in 1961, when the Portuguese club won the trophy in Bern, Switzerland, with a 3-2 victory.
As a substitute for #SLBFCB! ????#UCL pic. twitter.com/DZ3orNLNZI
A former Nigerian immigration service Comptroller General, David Parradang, was abducted and killed in Abuja, according to reports from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command (FCT).
Parradang was found dead in his hotel room at Area 3 Junction in Abuja, according to a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, who is currently being looked into.
According to the statement, Parradang stayed for one night at the hotel until noon on March 3, 2025, after paying N22, 000.
He received a female guest in his room shortly afterward, whom he instructed the hotel staff to take him there. Around 4 o’clock, according to reports, the woman left the building.
Read more about the Police Commission’s appointment of six DIGs and CPs for Oyo and Enugu.
Parradang was kept in his room all night, according to the police, but a concerned friend, a military officer, found him at around 4 am the following day.
The police claimed that the hotel staff and the police arrived and discovered Parradang lying in a chair and unresponsive.
Authorities from Durumi Police Station immediately raised the alarm and immediately arrived at the scene to search for evidence and record findings.
Since then, his body has been moved to a national hospital for further examination.
