Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Premier League & FA Cup
Liverpool espn.com secured a 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers to advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals. The Reds bounced back from their recent defeat to Wolves with goals from Robertson and Salah. Liverpool manager Arne Slot espn.com praised "special" teenager Rio Ngumoha after his impressive performance in the win.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola espn.com hinted at staying for next season, warning the Premier League that his team will reach their full potential. Meanwhile, Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior bbc.com compared striker Joao Pedro to world-class forwards Haaland, Kane and Mbappe.
LaLiga & Bundesliga
Real Madrid espn.com secured a vital 2-1 win at Celta Vigo thanks to Federico Valverde's last-gasp goal. Álvaro Arbeloa called Valverde "everything a Real Madrid player should be" after the midfielder's late winner. UEFA espn.com fined Real Madrid and ordered a partial Bernabéu closure after a fan appeared to make a Nazi salute.
Bayern Munich bbc.com hammered Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 to move 14 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. The win came without Harry Kane as Bayern extended their lead over Dortmund. Paris Saint-Germain espn.com dropped points in the Ligue 1 title race after losing 3-1 at home to Monaco.
Scottish Cup & Lower Leagues
Falkirk skysports.com beat Dundee United 2-1 to reach the Scottish Cup semi-finals, with Barney Stewart scoring the opener. The Bairns will face either Aberdeen or Motherwell in the last four. Catalans Dragons skysports.com edged past Leigh Leopards in Super League action.
USL & International
The USL Championship season opened with a unique protest as Lexington SC and Louisville City FC espn.com players stood motionless for one minute to protest stalled CBA negotiations. Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano espn.com hailed Lionel Messi as 'one of a kind' as the Argentine forward nears 900 career goals.
Other Football News
West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo bbc.com called for clarity on what constitutes a foul at set-pieces, warning current levels of grappling are "almost crazy." Former Premier League winger Jordan Ibe bbc.com pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman and was bailed for trial in July.
Manchester United espn.com defended a 5% increase in ticket prices around Old Trafford next season, insisting it will help their quest to "return to the top of domestic and European football." Tottenham bbc.com target Chris Wilder in their sporting director search as the club faces relegation fears.
Women's Football
Wales manager Rhian Wilkinson bbc.com praised her "finishers" as evidence of increased options for the 2027 Women's World Cup campaign. Republic of Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan bbc.com was ruled out of the World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands.
African Football
The Confederation of African Football confirmed the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations will not take place in Morocco as planned, drawing swift criticism. Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha espn.com said it would be "foolish" to leave the Ligue 1 giants amid reported Real Madrid interest.