Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Champions League Drama
Real Madrid bbc.com barely scraped through to the Champions League last 16 despite their 2-1 victory against Benfica. The win was "for everyone who stands against racism" according to midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni bbc.com, though Vinícius Junior's return to form couldn't mask Madrid's sloppy performance espn.com. Warnock questioned their "defensive mentality" after vulnerable defending bbc.com, while Benfica fans booed the Brazilian forward espn.com.
Galatasaray bbc.com scored twice in extra time to eliminate a 10-man Juventus 7-5 on aggregate, despite Locatelli claiming the Italian giants were "on verge of tears" after their exit espn.com. The dramatic match featured Lloyd Kelly's controversial red card bbc.com that left Juventus playing nearly the entire second half with 10 men. Osimhen's strike came close to completing one of the great Champions League comebacks before Gala's extra-time goals espn.com.
PSG espn.com advanced to the last 16 despite a 2-2 draw with 10-man Monaco, with Mamadou Coulibaly's red card proving costly espn.com. Atletico Madrid bbc.com secured their spot thanks to Alexander Sorloth's hat-trick, while Bodo/Glimt bbc.com continued their surprising European run by eliminating Inter Milan. Newcastle bbc.com comfortably progressed with a 3-2 win over Qarabag, and Leverkusen bbc.com advanced after a 0-0 draw with Olympiacos.
European Football
Atalanta bbc.com salvaged Italian national pride after the embarrassment of having no other representatives in the Champions League last. VAR controversy continued as officials handed Atalanta a winning penalty after a bloody foul on Nikola Krstovic espn.com. Martin O'Neill criticized VAR as "debilitating" for referees bbc.com, while Celtic face questions about the technology's suitability in Scotland bbc.co.uk.
Juventus espn.com scored in his third straight match to help Al Nassr return to the top of the Saudi Pro League. Philippe Coutinho is considering a move to MLS or retirement at age 33 espn.com, and Barcelona are reportedly interested in Omar Marmoush as an alternative to Julián Álvarez espn.com.
International & Miscellaneous
Scotland espn.com have received FIFA approval for fans to wear traditional sporrans at this summer's World Cup, while Mexico espn.com, highlighting the ongoing complexities of football amid geopolitical tensions.
Manchester United espn.com. The Old Firm derby looms large as Rangers captain Barry Ferguson expressed confidence of victory over Celtic bbc.com, while Hearts face injury concerns to five key players including defender Stuart Findlay bbc.com.