Holders Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 on penalties to set up a Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal after the all-Spanish tie finished 2-2 on aggregate on Wednesday.
Conor Gallagher struck in the opening minute of the second leg to bring Atletico level overall, but Real won the shootout as Julian Alvarez’s kick was disallowed for touching the ball twice before Marcos Llorente hit the bar.
Arsenal drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday to complete an emphatic 9-3 aggregate win and set up a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
The Gunners demolished the Dutch champions 7-1 in the Netherlands last week, making the second leg at the Emirates a formality.
Arsenal, with seven changes from Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United, were quickly out of the blocks, scoring in the sixth minute through Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Croatian veteran Ivan Perisic pulled PSV level on the night with a thunderous finish past the sprawling David Raya but midfielder Declan Rice headed Arsenal back in front.
PSV, seeking to salvage pride after last week’s humiliation, equalised with 20 minutes to go with a fine goal from Couhaib Driouech.
Arsenal were waiting to find out their opponents after the final whistle because Real Madrid and Atletico were locked at 2-2 on aggregate at the end of normal time.
The Gunners have never won the Champions League and have not won a European trophy since the now-defunct 1994 Cup Winners ‘ Cup.
Mike Arteta’s men, whose Premier League challenge has fizzled out in recent weeks, were quickly in the driving seat in the second leg against PSV.
Raheem Sterling received the ball on the right of the Arsenal attack and found his former Manchester City team-mate Zinchenko, who glided along the 18-yard box before unleashing a superb left-footed shot past Walter Benitez.
Former Tottenham player Perisic levelled in the 18th minute and Raya had to be alert to produce a fingertip save from the lively Driouech moments later.
But the home side were back in front in the 37th minute
Sterling, who has been out of favour under Arteta despite his lack of forward options, charged down the right and produced a teasing cross that Rice headed home.
Raya produced another fine save 10 minutes into the second half, diving full length to his left to keep out an effort from Isaac Babadi.
But PSV were level with 20 minutes to go after Moroccan youth international Driouech, making his first Champions League start, dinked the ball over the onrushing Arsenal goalkeeper.
Egypt has requested the right to host a set of group-stage matches for the 2034 World Cup which will be held in Saudi Arabia, the African country’s football federation president said on Wednesday.
“Saudi Arabia will stand up and organise a historic edition of the World Cup, and we wish our Saudi brothers every success”, Hany Abo Rida said during the 14th CAF extraordinary general assembly in Cairo.
“But at the same time we hope that (FIFA president) Mr. (Gianni) Infantino will grant us, as Africans and Egyptians, the honour of hosting and organising one of the World Cup groups in 2034”.
READ ALSO:  , Pinnick Loses Re-election Into FIFA Council
The tournament will mark the centenary of Egypt being the first African nation to take part in a World Cup, after their appearance in the 1934 edition held in Italy.
As the only candidate, Saudi Arabia was officially designated by the FIFA Congress on December 11 as the host of the 2034 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia will become the third Arab country to host the World Cup, after Qatar in 2022 and Morocco in 2030, when it is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal.
Egyptian officials had previously expressed their desire to host the World Cup in 2034 and also launched an unsuccessful to bid to co-host the 2030 edition alongside Saudi Arabia and Greece.
Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has missed out on a return to the FIFA Council Seat.
Pinnick lost re-election at the extraordinary general assembly held in Cairo on Wednesday, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in attendance.
Africa has seven seats at the FIFA Council, with CAF President Patrice Motsepe who was reelected on Wednesday, guaranteed a seat while a seat is reserved for a woman.
READ ALSO:  , Motsepe Secures Second Term As CAF President
The Nigerian football administrator narrowly lost out in the election, scoring 28 votes, one short of 29 scored by Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania and Djibouti’s Souleymane Waberi.
1- Fouzi Lekja: 49 votes
2- Hani Abou Ridha: 35 votes
3- Djibrilla Hima: 35 votes
4- Ahmed Yahya: 29 votes
5-Souleymane Waberi: 29 votes.
Women slot:
Kanozat Ibrahim: 30 Votes
Amaju Pinnick: 28 votes
Andrew Kamanga: 19 votes
Yacine Diallo: 18 votes
Augustin Senghor: 13 votes
Mathurin de Chacus Pulled out
Pinnick was first elected to the FIFA Council Seat in March 2021 during the 43rd CAF Ordinary General Assembly which was held in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.
He is the third Nigerian to be elected to the FIFA council. Late Etubom Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu were the other persons from the West African nation to have occupied that post.
Motsepe secured a second term, meaning he would serve a second four-year term as CAF boss.
Paul Pogba can return to competition from Tuesday as the former France star’s 18-month doping ban expired — but he needs to find a club.
The player who graced the midfield of Manchester United and Juventus is hoping to put three chaotic years behind him and is searching for a new employer with a view to playing in the 2026 World Cup, with David Beckham’s MLS side Inter Miami among his possible options.
The 91-times capped midfielder suffered through repeated injuries and patchy form that led to his departure from United in 2022. He returned for a second stint at Juventus, where problems continued to dog him.
READ ALSO: Manchester United Announce Plans For New 100, 000-Seat Stadium
A failed drugs test after a game in Italy in August 2023 resulted in a four-year doping ban which was reduced on appeal.
Pogba blamed a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States for the positive test.
Juventus terminated his contract last November, but Pogba “is training at 1, 000 percent, he’s in good spirits, he has received many offers”, a member of his entourage insisted.
His ultimate dream remains next year’s World Cup, but a player who turns 32 this week would first have to convince France coach Didier Deschamps.
Pogba is in regular contact with Deschamps, “one of his advisors for sporting decisions”, according to one of the player’s close friends.
But who could be interested in signing a player whose last match dates back to September 3, 2023 when he lined up Juventus?
In January, Pogba said on social media he had received “proposals, not very interesting stuff”, such as “going to play in Russia, but that’s not the goal”.
A contract, he admitted, “doesn’t depend on me, but on a lot of other things”.
Inter Miami could be a solution.
Pogba lives in Florida and was in the stands for Inter’s first MLS match this season, against New York City on February 23. He is working on his physical condition with the fitness coach of Lionel Messi, the team’s Argentinian superstar.
Pogba has been sharing photos of his intensive training sessions with his 62.7 million Instagram followers, along with fashion shots, his other passion.
French club Marseille are also reported to be interested with football director Medhi Benatia having played alongside Pogba at Juventus.
But Marseille may not want to take the risk of enlisting a player whose form will be uncertain after such a long absence.
Pogba’s personal life has also been through a turbulent period — he was the victim of a kidnapping and extortion case in 2022 for which his brother Mathias and five of his childhood friends received prison terms.
READ ALSO: Paul Pogba’s Brother Sentenced To Year In Prison In Extortion Case
“I can finally turn the page on this extremely painful period”, Pogba said after the trial ended in December last year.
“This conclusion is an opportunity for everyone to focus on the future”.