IN UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
The duo of Aston Villa stars Skipper John McGinn and Leon Bailey fired the team into the Europa League quarter-finals with a composed victory over Lille.
The Scotland international set up a match against Bologna or Roma in the last eight as Villa won three-nil on aggregate.
Unai Emery, a four-time Europa League winner is a step closer to ending Villa’s 30-year trophy drought, which would also earn the club a return to the Champions League.
Victory comes amid awful Premier League form, with two wins from ten games, which has meant Villa’s place in the top five has come under threat but European success can help inspire a recovery.
Nottingham Forest has secured a Europa League quarter-final place with a penalty shootout win over Danish side Midtjylland following a dramatic last-16 tie.
Cho Gue-Sung and Aral Simsir both struck the same post for Midtjylland in the shootout before Edward Chilufya slipped and also missed, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare and Neco Williams all scored from the spot to send Forest through.
Vitor Pereira’s side now face a quarter-final against either Stuttgart or Porto next month as they put their Premier League struggles behind them to continue their European quest.
Crystal Palace star, Ismaila Sarr has scored twice as the team beat nine-man AEK Larnaca two-one in extra time to move into the quarter-finals of the Conference League.
The Senegal forward opened the scoring in the 13th minute to hand Oliver Glasner’s side the perfect start in Cyprus following their first-leg goalless draw in south London a week ago.
Spanish defender Enric Saborit headed in a 63rd-minute equaliser after the break before being sent-off for a second yellow card ten minutes later, as the hosts took the tie to extra time.
Palace’s victory ensured they gained measure of revenge for their league phase defeat to the Cypriot side at Selhurst Park in October.
Chelsea boss, Liam Rosenior says Enzo Fernandez is fully committed to the club after the Argentina midfielder appeared to cast doubt on his future.
Rosenior said this prior to his side’s game at Everton on Saturday.
Rosenior, who will be without defender Trevoh Chalobah for around six weeks, also said the social media criticism of him passing a note to his players when eight-two down on aggregate against PSG does not bother him.
Interim Tottenham manager, Igor Tudor has been charged with misconduct over his claim that referee Thomas Bramall favoured the home team in Spurs’ two-one Premier League loss at Fulham.
Tudor hit out after his relegation-threatened side was beaten on 1st March, saying Bramall does not understand football.
The Croat had been angered by the Cottagers’ first goal, which he believed happened because of a push by Raul Jimenez on Radu Dragusin before Harry Wilson put the ball into the net.
The Football Association said Tudor allegedly acted in an improper manner during a post-match interview by making comments that imply bias and/or question integrity and/or are personally offensive in relation to a match official.
Spurs and the 47-year-old have until Monday to reply to the charge.
Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard has advised Dominik Szoboszlai to extend his contract and become club captain.
The versatile Hungarian, who has filled in a right-back on multiple occasions this season, was back in his attacking midfield position in the impressive Champions League rout of Galatasaray.
Gerrard told Szoboszla that he was the Reds’ future captain.
The Premier League has announced that the thirty million pounds price cap on away tickets has been extended for a further two seasons.
Clubs voted unanimously to keep the cap until the end of the 2027-28 season at a Premier League shareholders’ meeting.
The decision means it will have been in place for twelve consecutive seasons, having first been introduced in 2016.
The Football Supporters’ Association welcomed the decision with the chair Tom Greatrex saying the extension of the away cap was great news for travelling top-flight fans.
Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland has been announced as an investor in a new global chess tour.
The 25-year-old is backing the Norway Chess organisation, which is set to launch the Total Chess World Championship Tour next year.
Four tournaments will be staged annually in different cities, with a world champion crowned across three disciplines fast classic, rapid and blitz chess.
Speaking to the federation’s website, Haaland said chess was an incredible game and he likened it to football as it sharpens people’s minds.
Europe’s top leagues have been summoned to a meeting with Uefa in the summer to discuss how video assistant referee, VAR, technology is being used.
The summit of referee chiefs from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 will discuss how to reset VAR to its intended interpretation of only intervening in the clearest of errors.
The head of Uefa’s referees Roberto Rosetti called the meeting after saying last month the game must not go in the direction of microscopic VAR interventions.
Rosetti also wants all leagues to speak only one technical language after controversy over the inconsistent application of laws such as handball.
Uefa wants to discuss with leagues how they use VAR, and the thresholds applied.
A number of European clubs have called on Uefa to change the Champions League rules and allow teams from the same country to draw each other in the league phase.
It comes amid concerns that the growing power of the Premier League is having a negative impact on teams from other countries.
Since the new Champions League format was introduced for the 2024-25 season country protection which means no teams from the same league can play each other has remained in place for the eight games that make up the first phase of the competition.
Every team in Fifa’s women’s football tournaments must include at least one female head coach or assistant coach following the introduction of new regulations.
The requirements will come into effect during the under-seventeen and under-twenty Women’s World Cup and Women’s Champions Cup competitions this year.
The decision was made at the Fifa Council, and discussed the long-term strategy of female representation in coaching.
Under the new ruling, at least two staff members on the bench of every team at matches must be female, with one in an assistant coach or head coach role.
The rule applies to all youth and senior tournaments, including clubs and national teams.
Meanwhile, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has underlined the body’s commitment to making sure the World Cup goes ahead as scheduled with all teams taking part amid doubts about Iran’s presence at the tournament.
Infantino said FIFA was looking forward to all teams participating at the World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect.
IN NIGERIA
Former Nigerian international, Moses Kpakor has expressed his disappointment in the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup slated for the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada.
Kpakor, who backed the Nigeria Football Federation’s move to appeal the decision of FIFA, however, said he’s deeply disappointed with the Super Eagles.
Super Eagles star, Semi Ajayi has reckoned Hull City cannot afford to make mistakes when they take on Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.
Ajayi warned Against Complacency
Despite the Owls’ struggles this season, cautions against complacency and urges focus on getting the job done.
The Tigers will host Sheffield Wednesday at the MKM Stadium this weekend, looking to bounce back from the defeat to West Bromwich Albion in their last game.
Wednesday currently occupy bottom spot on the Sky Bet Championship table.
Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen is set for possible surgery after fracturing his arm during the club’s four-nil defeat to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg.
A club statement confirmed that Osimhen’s injury was diagnosed following hospital examinations.
The incident occurred early in the match when Osimhen collided with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté during an aerial duel.
Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala has criticised the Confederation of African Football’s verdict to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco.
Reacting via her official X handle, Oshoala criticized CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title and award it to Morocco.
A Caf executive committee member and former head of the Senegalese Football Federation, Augustin Senghor, says the decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title is abject and they have to denounce it.
Senghor believes that the decision was made after pressure from the Morocco’s federation.
He said Senegal would fight because what happened was happening for the first time in the story of African football, in world football.
Senegalese Football Federation president Abdoulaye Fall confirmed it will appeal against the decision to Cas.
Meanwhile, Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who replaced Walid Regragui this month, said Caf’s decision to award his side the title was well-deserved.
Guinea Football Federation has urged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to review the 1976 AFCON outcome, citing Morocco’s walkout and a recent ruling against Senegal.
The call follows CAF’s decision to overturn the 2025 AFCON result as sanction on Senegal for a walkout, despite winning on the pitch.
CAF stripped Senegal of the 2025 title 58 days after the tournament, declaring hosts Morocco as champions.
Guinea said similar disciplinary standards should apply to historical matches.
FIFA has officially announced the dates for the 2026 FIFA Under-seventeen Women’s World Cup, which Morocco will host.
FIFA announced on its official X account, stating that the tournament will take place from 17th October to 7th November.
This marks the second edition of the expanded 24-team competition to be staged in Morocco, following the hosting of the 2025 tournament in the same country.
The 2026 edition will feature twenty-four teams from six confederations.
The maiden Nigeria Tennis Live, Lagos Secondary Schools Championship, has began, attracting over 100 student players from across Lagos State.
The three-day event, holds at Mainland Tennis Club, National Theatre, Surulere, from Thursday to Saturday, featuring participants from 50 secondary schools.
In early matches, Oluwatishe Ogungbade beat Desmond Sikiru 4-1, 4-2, while Daniel Israel defeated Godwin Fortune 4-1, 4-0.
Tobi Taiye outplayed David Awani 4-1, 4-0, while Oluwajare Farinre beat Enoch Haigim 4-1, 4-1. David Usoh defeated Devin Izaka 4-1, 4-2.
Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) president, Uyi Akpata, has hailed the historic arrival of South Africa and Zimbabwe for the Women’s Invitational WT20i in Lagos.
The tournament began on Thursday with arrival of participants and will run until March 29 at Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval, with the opening match scheduled for Friday.
Akpata, during a media briefing in Lagos, said the first-ever visit by both nations marked a milestone for African cricket growth, reflecting years of strategic development and collaboration.
OTHER LEAGUES
Galatasaray midfielder Noa Lang says his surgery went well after he suffered a serious cut to his thumb during their four-nil Champions League defeat at Anfield.
The 26-year-old collided with the advertising hoardings in the 76th minute of Wednesday’s game and he fell to the floor clutching his thumb after looking at the wound on his right hand.
Lang appeared to be in agony and he was consoled by Liverpool’s Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk as he was attended to by medical staff.
Heart head coach, Derek McInnes is refusing to talk about the fear of regret because he is convinced Heart of Midlothian will have a special end to the season.
Hearts’ one-nil defeat at Kilmarnock last weekend sparked questions about the long-time leaders’ ability to claim the Scottish Premiership despite still being two points clear of Celtic at the top.
McInnes, though, remains confident and hopes the return of key duo Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland ensures Hearts are the team that catches fire between now and the end of the season.
OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis, Plans to almost triple the size of the Wimbledon tennis site have moved a step closer after the High Court ruled the development was not restricted by land-use rules.
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club wants to build thirty-eight new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium by developing a former golf course.
Campaign group Save Wimbledon Park argued a statutory trust existed under the Public Health Act, meaning the land had to be kept as a public space but club lawyers said when AELTC purchased the freehold in 1993, any trust no longer applied.
Save Wimbledon Park said it intended to apply to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal.
In a ruling released on Thursday, Justice Thompsell said the land was never appropriated or dedicated to the use of public recreation and instead was used as a private golf club, adding that the club was unencumbered by any statutory trust.
In Rugby, Centre Meg Jones will take over the England captaincy after Zoe Stratford, who led the Red Roses to Rugby World Cup glory in September, announced she is expecting her first child in September.
Jones was one of England’s star performers in their run to the world title, earning nomination to the shortlist for World Player of the Year.
She won 33 Test caps and was one of Stratford’s vice-captains, along with back row Marlie Packer, for England in 2025.
England’s statement on Jones’ promotion specified she would take over the role for 2026.
In Formula one, Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley has been targeted by Aston Martin to lead their troubled Formula 1 team.
Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll made Wheatley an offer to run the race team under managing technical partner Adrian Newey but no contract has yet been signed.
Wheatley’s existing contract with Audi means it could be some time before he is able to join Aston Martin.
In Cricket, Paul Stirling says it feels like the right time to move into a new chapter after stepping down as Ireland T20 captain.
The 35-year-old batter was appointed white-ball skipper in 2023 and led Ireland at the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka earlier this year, although his tournament was cut short by injury.
Cricket Ireland said Stirling would remain a valued member of the T20 squad and would also continue as captain of the one-day international squad.
Stirling who earlier this year became the first Irish player to reach ten thousand international runs said he made the decision following careful thought and reflection.
TODAY’S FIXTURES
IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Bournemouth vs Manchester United.
IN SPANISH LA LIGA
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad
SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND
ON SATURDAY
Brighton vs Liverpool
Fulham vs Burnley
Everton vs Chelsea
Leeds United vs Brentford
ON SUNDAY
Newcastle United vs Sunderland
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest
===============
IN ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL
Arsenal vs Manchester City
IN SPANISH LA LIGA
ON SATURDAY
Elche vs Mallorca
Espanyol vs Getafe
Levante vs Real Oviedo
Osasuna vs Girona
Sevilla vs Valencia
ON SUNDAY
Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano
Celta Vigo vs Alavés
Athletic Club vs Real Betis
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
IN ITALIAN SERIE A
ON SATURDAY
Parma vs Cremonese
AC Milan vs Torino
Juventus vs Sassuolo
ON SUNDAY
Como vs Pisa
Atalanta vs Hellas Verona
Bologna vs Lazio
Roma vs Lecce
Fiorentina vs Inter Milan
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it’s done right….words from Walt Disney.
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