Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Champions League Drama
Real Madrid bbc.com secured their spot in the last 16 with a 2-1 victory over Benfica, described as a "victory for everyone who stands against racism" by midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. The win came amid controversy as Benfica fans loudly booed Real Madrid forward Vinícius Junior at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Meanwhile, Galatasaray espn.com survived a dramatic comeback from 10-man Juventus, scoring twice in extra time to win 7-5 on aggregate and eliminate the Italian side despite Lloyd Kelly's controversial red card.
Atalanta bbc.com emerged as the "darlings of Italian football" after salvaging national pride by qualifying for the knockout stages, ensuring Italy avoided the embarrassment of having no clubs in the Champions League last. Atletico Madrid bbc.com progressed with Alexander Sorloth's hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Club Brugge, making him only the second player in the club's history to achieve this feat in the competition. Bayer Leverkusen bbc.com advanced after a 0-0 draw against Olympiakos, securing a 2-0 aggregate victory following their first-leg win in Greece.
English Football Updates
Manchester United espn.com CEO Omar Berrada has said extensive cost-cutting measures are starting to pay off as the club released their latest financial results. The club's finances are in "much better shape" according to recent reports. Meanwhile, Newcastle bbc.com progressed to the Round of 16 in the Champions League after comfortably beating Qarabag 3-2 (9-3 aggregate) in the knockout phase play-offs.
England bbc.com will host Ukraine in their Women's World Cup qualifier at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in June. In domestic news, Chelsea bbc.com and West Ham were fined £325,000 and £300,000 respectively for a "mass confrontation" between players in their match in January.
Player News and Transfers
Manchester United bbc.com midfielder Jess Park has been in brilliant form since her move in the summer and is ready to show that form for England in upcoming matches. Denis Bouanga espn.com has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with LAFC, securing the high-scoring forward's future with the club.
Philippe Coutinho espn.com is considering the prospect of a move to MLS or retiring from playing at the age of, according to sources. Weston Mc Kennie espn.com is on the verge of signing a new contract with Juventus, sources have told ESPN. Meanwhile, Barcelona espn.com are interested in Omar Marmoush as a potential alternative to Julián Álvarez.
International Football
Scotland espn.com fans have been given the all-clear to wear their sporrans at the team's matches at this summer's World Cup, receiving FIFA's approval on traditional garb. The Republic of Ireland's home Nations League fixture against Israel on 4 October will be played at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, according to the Football Association of Ireland.
FIFA espn.com are monitoring the situation in Mexico but have "full confidence" the country can host World Cup games amid recent unrest and violence. However, US government officials have been warned that there could be "catastrophic" security consequences if cities hosting World Cup matches do not receive funding that has been frozen.
Other Football News
Hearts bbc.com will be without defender Stuart Findlay for six weeks while record signing Eduardo Ageu will miss the rest of the season due to injuries. Rangers bbc.com captain and manager Barry Ferguson believes the Scottish Premiership title race is going to "go to the wire" but is "confident" of Old Firm victory over Celtic on Sunday.
Inter Miami espn.com superstar Lionel Messi has spoken of his regret over not applying himself in his studies when he was young, particularly when learning English. In Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo espn.com scored in his third straight match since returning from a boycott of his team to lead Al Nassr back into first place in the Saudi Pro League with a 5-0 win over bottom-side Al Najma.
Controversies and VAR
Martin O'Neill is of the view VAR is "debilitating" for officials on the pitch as he brands the Scottish FA process for appealing against decisions "worthless". In the Champions League, two red cards, a VAR overturn and a decisive converted penalty with the last kick of the game came after a bloody foul on Atalanta's Nikola Krstovic, highlighting the ongoing debate about VAR's impact on the game.