Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 5:53 AM ET
Champions League Drama
Manchester City's Champions League hopes suffered a devastating blow espn.com as they fell 3-0 to Real Madrid in the first leg, with Jeremy Doku warning the tie is "not over" despite the deficit. The result capped a disastrous week for English clubs, with no team securing a first-leg advantage skysports.com after Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to PSG and Liverpool's loss to AC Milan. Chelsea winger Pedro Neto now faces Uefa disciplinary proceedings bbc.com after pushing over a ball boy during their 2-1 defeat to PSG. Meanwhile, Aston Villa's Europa League campaign continued smoothly bbc.com as Unai Emery's side defeated Lille 2-1, making him the fastest Villa manager to reach 100 victories.
Premier League Title Race
Arsenal's title challenge gained momentum bbc.com with a 2-0 victory over Brentford, moving them three points clear of Liverpool. The Gunners' fixture difficulty eases bbc.com in the run-in compared to Manchester City, who face a tougher schedule including clashes with Chelsea and Aston Villa. Tottenham's form has raised relegation fears bbc.com, prompting the club to extend their season ticket renewal deadline as interim manager Igor Tudor's tactics come under scrutiny bbc.com. Burnley's Scott Parker admitted their season "could be seen as a failure" with relegation looking likely, though he insists on focusing on the "bigger picture."
Women's Football
Manchester United face Chelsea in the Women's League Cup final bbc.com on Sunday, seeking to overcome their nemesis after recent final defeats. The Red Devils' preparations have been boosted by the return of Wales star Harry Wilson bbc.com, who confirmed his fitness for upcoming World Cup play-offs. In the NWSL, Gotham FC made a major signing espn.com bringing Chelsea's Guro Reiten to the American league just two days before their season opener.
Transfer Market Buzz
Manchester City and Barcelona held talks over Erling Haaland bbc.com, while United scouted West Ham's Mateus Fernandes bbc.com. Newcastle targeted Monaco's Lamine Camara bbc.com as they look to strengthen their midfield. In managerial news, Spurs considered Sean Dyche skysports.com as a potential replacement for Igor Tudor, while former United defender Rio Ferdinand backed Michael Carrick for the permanent job, with Owen saying he "can't believe people are questioning" the decision.
Scottish Football
Celtic defended their fans skysports.com after Ibrox clashes during the Scottish Cup quarter-final, while Rangers condemned the disorder. Hearts manager Derek McInnes expects more "twists and turns" in the title race, with Celtic and Rangers locked in a tight battle. Sweden coach Graham Potter extended his contract to 2030 bbc.com as the country targets World Cup qualification via play-offs.
Tennis Updates
Jack Draper's Indian Wells title defence ended controversially skysports.com when he was ruled to have caused a hindrance to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals. The British No 1's defeat sets up semi-final clashes skysports.com between Aryna Sabalenka and Linda Noskova, plus Elena Rybakina against Elina Svitolina.
Golf News
The Players Championship saw a five-way tie for the lead skysports.com after the opening round, with Sepp Straka and Sahith Theegala among those sharing the top spot. Rory McIlroy made a sluggish start skysports.com in his title defence at TPC Sawgrass, while Collin Morikawa withdrew after one hole skysports.com due to a back injury. Scottie Scheffler explained his driver U-turn skysports.com after frustration with inconsistency in the opening round.
Emerging Talent
Ajay Tavares' remarkable rise from Norfolk to La Masia bbc.com has seen the 16-year-old earn comparisons to England's most promising young talents. Meanwhile, FPL managers targeted Brentford, Liverpool and Fulham stars bbc.com for gameweek, with the popular wildcard period offering opportunities for short-term gains.
International Football
England's leadership faced questions skysports.com after an on-field dispute against Italy, though Maro Itoje insisted there's "no crack" in the squad. Wales named an unchanged side for their Six Nations finale against Italy, with Steve Tandy challenging his players to "go up another level." France forward Oscar Jegou will miss the England decider after receiving a four-week suspension for eye-gouging.
Boxing and Combat Sports
Moses Itauma looks set to challenge for a world heavyweight title skysports.com in 2026, while Anthony Joshua's promoter hinted at a potential undisputed clash with Tyson Fury later this year. In MMA, Conor McGregor's return fight against Michael Chandler was confirmed for July bbc.co.uk at Croke Park in Dublin.
Other Sports
Mondo Duplantis added another centimetre to his world record skysports.com clearing 6.31 metres in Sweden. In motorsport, F1 Academy's Palmowski claimed pole position skysports.com for the season-opener in Shanghai. Emma Raducanu will sit out Billie Jean King Cup duty skysports.com for Great Britain again in their qualifier against Australia next month.
Managerial Changes
Stephen Constantine returned to coach Rwanda bbc.com on a two-year contract, while the ECB lifted their ban on England players doing media interviews skysports.com for county fixtures. Manchester City's Phil Foden continued to puzzle pundits bbc.com with his recent loss of form, starting only four of the club's past 12 games.
Financial and Administrative
Former Atletico Madrid forward David Villa joined the club's new-look board espn.com after Apollo Sports Capital completed its majority acquisition. The Hundred's men's auction saw James Coles fetch the highest price skysports.com as London Spirit paid £390,000 for the 21-year-old Sussex all-rounder.