Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, stated that he would bet on Kai Havertz’s speedy recovery from a hamstring injury to return before the end of the season.
After having surgery on a foot injury sustained during a warm-weather training camp in Dubai in February, the German international had initially been ruled out of the campaign.
With a famous 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid, Arsenal made the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009 by surviving the losses of Both Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
INCLUDE To reach the Europa League semi-finals, Man Utd defeated Lyon in a thriller.
Havertz’s speculation cooled as rumors that he might face Paris Saint-Germain in the final four.
However, if Arsenal reach the Munich final on May 31, he is expected to be there.
For the semi-finals, please? That is too close, in my opinion, Arteta said.
However, if I have to wager on him being available sooner than expected, I’d say, “Yes.”
Every day, he is pushing everyone in the gym, and I don’t think you can hold him back. ”
Arsenal’s European run has slammed the prospect of their Premier League title challenge slipping away.
For the third straight season, the Gunners are on track to finish second.
With only six games left, they are only 13 points clear of Liverpool.
If Liverpool defeats Leicester and Arsenal defeats Ipswich, which is in trouble, the title could be sealed as early as Sunday.
Arteta is keen to prevent that happening, and the league’s Champions League eligibility for the upcoming season is not yet known.
The Spaniard emphasized the possibility of Liverpool winning the league on Sunday, adding, “We will make sure that we win the game and that doesn’t happen.”
Enzo Maresca, the club’s owner, said he still has the backing of the club despite the growing unease among the Blues’ fans.
The players’ boos that came after Legia Warsaw’s 2-1 quarter-final and second-leg defeat overshadowed their bid for qualification for the Conference League semifinals on Thursday.
Following a five-game winning streak, Chelsea have also fallen to sixth place in the Premier League.
When asked if he felt backed the club’s hierarchy, who have fired three managers at Chelsea in less than three years, Maresca responded, “Absolutely yes, no doubt.”
Havertz Could Make A Champions League Remark:
We have been playing in the Champions League almost the entire season. A semifinal of the European competition is underway. So why do we need to make changes right away? I have no doubts about our actions or our approach.
We faced setbacks like Legia, but for different reasons, I believe this strengthens our position in the future. ”
Reece James, the team’s captain, claimed that Legia’s performance at home to Chelsea had “disrespected” the Conference League following last week’s first leg, winning 3-0 in Poland.
Because of the first result, we tried to play the game the wrong way, I believe he was correct, Maresca said.
He probably is correct in what he said. He sort of introduces us to the changing area. ”
James was earlier criticized for his lack of leadership abilities, and Maresca claimed the England right-back was now acting as a role model.
In an effort to get more from him, I simply targeted this one. And now, the Italian claims, he is also succeeding in leadership.
At least you have to try to build some leaders when you don’t have a leader, he says. Reece is currently performing well. There are two or three players who are putting forth efforts to assist the others. ”
Arne Slot, manager of Liverpool, believes that keeping the squad that is chasing the Premier League title is more important than major acquisitions.
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have both signed new contracts to stay at Anfield, which has improved their plans for the upcoming season.
When his contract expires at the end of the season, Trent Alexander-Arnold is still rumored to be moving to Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Van Dijk anticipated a “big summer” in the Reds’ transfer market before signing his new contract.
Federico Chiesa, who has largely played a peripheral role, was Slot’s only signing during his first year in charge.
The Dutchman is content with his squad, but with 13 points clear of Liverpool’s Premier League leader, the Dutchman is content with it.
Also READ: Man Utd defeats Lyon in a thriller to reach the Europa League semi-finals
Let’s see what the rest of the summer will bring, but it would be strange for me to admit that after a year, we are content with the team we have,” Slot said on Friday.
It might already be a big summer if we can keep that team.
It is also beneficial to have some new energy in and around the place with one or two players, as long as they continue to work together as best as they can, as long as they are performing as best as they can.
When you consider the standard we have and the standard of the season we have had, it isn’t really necessary. ”
If Arsenal loses to Ipswich and Liverpool defeat Leicester, they could win the title as soon as Sunday.
After recovering from ankle injury, Alexander-Arnold is back in contention to play.
Slot praised the right-back’s “incredible” qualities and remained hopeful of keeping the England international.
He demonstrates to me what a great player he is and how diligently he is working to accomplish our goals this season, Slot continued.
He is an incredible full-back, and he has been an incredible full-back for this football team, according to the fans and everyone who has watched football for the past five, six, and seven years.
With a 7-6 aggregate victory in their last-eight tie, Manchester United made an astonishing comeback on Thursday, defeating Lyon 5-4 in extra time.
After being reduced to 10 men on the night, Lyon came from two goals down to equalize and force extra time, before glaringly going 4-2 up.
However, United were level once more thanks to a Bruno Fernandes penalty and a Kobbie Mainoo strike, and Harry Maguire added the winning goal in extra time.
On April 17, 2025, Manchester United’s English midfielder #37 Kobbie Mainoo scores the fourth goal in the UEFA Europa league quarter-final, second leg football game between Manchester United and Lyon at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, north of England. (Photo by Oli SCARFF/AFP)
A first-half Dominic Solanke penalty sent Tottenham to a 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday and into the semi-finals of the Europa League 2-1 on aggregate.
Under fire amid a terrible Premier League campaign and with coach Ange Postecoglou’s job hanging by a thread, Spurs put in the type of controlled performance they have lacked this campaign.
Tottenham Hotspur’s English forward #19 Dominic Solanke (2R) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg football match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Tottenham Hotspur in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on April 17, 2025. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
After Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Spurs’ Mathys Tel traded first-half chances, home goalkeeper Kaua Santos’ nasty collision in the box with James Maddison brought Solanke to the spot.
Without a goal since January, Solanke made no mistake, giving Spurs the lead in front of Frankfurt’s raucous Nordwestkurve.
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The win will prove a stay of execution for Postecoglou, keeping alive Spurs’ chance of reaching the final in Bilbao along with the coach’s oft-maligned guarantee of winning a title in his second season at a club.
Tottenham Hotspur’s players celebrate after the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg football match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Tottenham Hotspur in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on April 17, 2025. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
The loss ends Frankfurt’s hopes of returning to Spain to again lift the Europa League title, having done so three years ago in Seville.
Despite the defeat, Frankfurt sit third in the league and are on track for their best league finish since the mid-1990s.
Postecoglou travelled to Germany knowing only victory would give him hope of staying in the job beyond the season.
With the club on track for their worst league finish in three decades, the Europa League was the final remaining chance for the Australian to make good on his promise of “always” winning trophies in his second season.
Spurs’ suffered a fresh setback came the day before the match, with Son Heung-min ruled out of the trip with a foot injury.
Frankfurt’s French forward #11 Hugo Ekitike (R) reacts after a missed attempt on goal during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg football match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Tottenham Hotspur in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on April 17, 2025. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
With kickoff just minutes away, Frankfurt fans unfurled a 80-metre tall banner of their Eagle mascot cradling the club’s trophies, including the 2022 Europa League, a reminder to the visitors of their recent success.
Just as in the first leg, Frankfurt’s attack was focused on the elegant Hugo Ekitike.
The French striker had a golden chance to put the hosts in front after 16 minutes when through on goal, but the lightning-quick van de Ven got a timely touch on the ball before Ekitike could get a shot away.
Frankfurt were on top but lost midfield veteran Mario Goetze to a hamstring injury soon after and the home side struggled to adjust without their attacking fulcrum.
Mathys Tel, back in Germany for the first time since moving to Spurs from Bayern Munich on loan in winter, forced a fingertip save from a flying Santos with 25 minutes gone.
Santos’ willingness to put his body on the line may have him soon set to take over from club stalwart and captain Kevin Trapp, but his eagerness cost Frankfurt shortly before halftime.
Cristian Romero spun in a looping cross for Maddison but the midfielder was taken out mid-air by Santos before crumpling to the turf, with a penalty awarded on VAR review.
Solanke’s first task was taking the ball from the eager Tel, but after Postecoglou signalled from the bench, the England striker stepped up and converted, scoring his first goal since January.
Santos was shown a yellow but the tackle rattled Maddison, who was subbed off shortly after.
With time running down in the second half, Spurs dropped back allowing Frankfurt possession in dangerous spaces but the hosts were unable to level things up.
Kylian Mbappe’s arrival at Real Madrid was envisioned to expand their Champions League domination, but he was muzzled by Arsenal as Los Blancos crashed out in the quarter-finals, leaving coach Carlo Ancelotti on the brink.
The holders find themselves picking up the pieces after Arsenal surgically dispatched them with a 5-1 aggregate triumph on Wednesday, and now it is Ancelotti who needs a miracle comeback to survive in his post.
The Gunners reached the final four with a 2-1 away win and will face Mbappe’s former side, Paris Saint-Germain, soaring without the French superstar, who left in search of European silverware with the record 15-time winners.
Mbappe limped off with an ankle injury in the final stages against Arsenal, leaving Madrid’s ‘remontada’ ambitions in tatters and his coach under the microscope.
The Italian’s team is deeply flawed this season, a far more fragile outfit than the side which powered to a Champions League and La Liga double last season.
To put the defeat into context, this will be the just the third time in 12 seasons that Madrid have failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Mbappe’s arrival, despite his strong form in 2025 and 33 goals across all competitions, is one of the main factors in Madrid’s downturn, with Ancelotti unable to accommodate him and Vinicius Junior together without destabilising the team.
It is clear Ancelotti has not found the right strategy to use them, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes together in the biggest matches.
“We have to make more collective moves rather than individual ones,” noted goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after the elimination, with Madrid reliant on star power rather than consistently outplaying opponents.
Ancelotti has deployed Mbappe in a centre-forward role but he drifts frequently, and in the past has preferred to play off the left flank — Vinicius’ preferred spot.
Last season Bellingham and Joselu Mato both operated through the middle at times, and although the former is naturally a midfielder, the Englishman’s physicality and presence was a huge boon for Madrid.
Against Arsenal and in the absence of any better ideas to break down Mikel Arteta’s rock-solid defence, Madrid slung balls into the box in search of a target man like Joselu, who left last summer for a Qatar.
“We put in a lot of crosses but this year we don’t have a Joselu, a born centre-forward up there,” observed Courtois.
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‘No problem’
Real Madrid’s French forward #09 Kylian Mbappe talks with Real Madrid’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti as he leaves the pitch during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 24, 2024. (Photo by Javier SORIANO / AFP)
Ancelotti has been frustrated with his side on a regular basis this season, for their lack of “collective commitment” to defending.
The 65-year-old threatened Vinicius with substitution during the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Real Sociedad because the Brazilian was not running enough.
“That warning brought out the best in Vinicius — from then on, he increased the pace and quality,” said the Italian.
Ancelotti has been open about his future, knowing for weeks he may not be kept on for the last year of his contract.
For some time speculation has mounted that Madrid will look for a new coach in the summer, with Jurgen Klopp and Xabi Alonso the favourites.
“It could be that the club decide to change (coach), it could be this year — or the next when my contract expires, there’s no problem,” said Ancelotti on Wednesday.
Madrid’s defeat on Wednesday was their 12th of the season compared to just two in the whole of the 2023-24 campaign.
Toni Kroos’ departure last summer is another factor, with Madrid’s midfield not convincing this year.
The Arsenal post-mortem and any subsequent finding that can be utilised are even more crucial given Madrid still have trophies on the line.
They are four points behind Barcelona in La Liga, firmly in the title race with a Clasico to come in May which could decide the title.
Barcelona have won the previous two derbies, scoring nine goals in total to Madrid’s two.
Madrid also face their arch-rivals in the Copa del Rey final on April 26, and will participate in the Club World Cup this summer, although Ancelotti may not be in charge by that point.
If Mbappe is to end the season with a major trophy and Ancelotti is to go out with the bang his Madrid legacy merits, there is no time to lick their wounds.
