Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: April 6, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

European Knockout Football Focus

As the Champions League quarter-finals loom, key clubs are wrestling with form and fitness issues, particularly in England and Germany. Bayern Munich received a major boost as striker Harry Kane practiced Monday and is expected to be available for the highly anticipated first leg against Real Madrid on Tuesday, easing concerns over the "very special" forward's availability Bayern face waiting game on 'very special' Kane. Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is urging calm and perspective ahead of their tie with Sporting Lisbon, stressing the need to channel the pain from recent back-to-back defeats that saw Premier League and FA Cup hopes slip Arsenal's injury crisis gives Arteta selection dilemmas in key week. Despite the recent setbacks, the Gunners received positive news as Declan Rice and Gabriel returned to training ahead of the trip to Lisbon, suggesting a potential injection of experience for the crucial opening match Arsenal's Rice and Gabriel train before Lisbon trip.

FA Cup Semi-Final Draw & Major Upsets

The FA Cup landscape shifted dramatically over the weekend, setting up compelling semi-final clashes. Holders Chelsea powered into the final four after demolishing League One strugglers Port Vale 7-0, with Cole Palmer captaining the side for the first time Chelsea captaincy a 'long time coming'. Chelsea will now host Women's Super League leaders Manchester City in the semis Holders Chelsea beat Spurs to set up Man City semi-final, following City's own dominant performance where Erling Haaland netted his first hat-trick since August 2024 in a 4-0 rout of Liverpool Haaland hits long-awaited Man City hat trick. The other semi-final features Leeds United, who survived a dramatic VAR-influenced penalty shootout against West Ham, setting up a tie against Southampton Chelsea drawn with Leeds in FA Cup semis. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk publicly apologized after the 4-0 loss, stating his team "gave up" against City Van Dijk admits Liverpool 'gave up'.

Championship Promotion & Relegation Battles

The Sky Bet Championship saw significant movement at both ends of the table as the race for promotion intensified. Ipswich Town boosted their immediate return hopes by coming from behind to defeat Birmingham 2-1 at Portman Road, putting pressure on rivals. However, Leicester City remains mired in the relegation zone after only managing a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday, despite Jordan Ayew scoring a late equalizer Leicester battle back at Sheff Wed. Meanwhile, Lincoln City clinched promotion to the Championship for the first time in 65 years with five games to spare following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Reading Lincoln City back in Championship for first time since 1961. Contending for a playoff spot, promotion-chasing Middlesbrough earned a crucial point in a 2-2 away draw with Swansea, thanks to a second-half penalty equalizer from Tommy Conway Middlesbrough fight back to hold Swansea.

Scottish Premiership Title Race Heats Up

The Scottish Premiership delivered further drama upon its return, tightening the contest at the top. Rangers moved top of the table for the first time since February 2024 following a hard-earned 4-2 victory over Dundee United, though manager Danny Rohl insists he will not watch title rivals Rangers go top for first time in two years. Celtic kept pace as Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to score a late winner against Dundee, securing a vital three points for the interim management of Martin O'Neill Celtic interim manager hails team's spirit. Despite the wins, Hearts returned to the summit after drawing at Livingston, leaving manager Steven Naismith to lament dropping what could prove to be essential points in the title reckoning Hearts drop points at bottom side Livingston.

Continental League Leaders Secure Titles

Across Europe, league leaders made definitive statements over the weekend. Inter Milan routed Roma to extend their lead atop Serie A to nine points, while in the Netherlands, PSV Eindhoven were crowned Eredivisie champions for the third consecutive year, achieving the title in record time after Feyenoord failed to win PSV clinch 3rd-straight Eredivisie in record time. In Spain, Barcelona took a significant step toward retaining LaLiga by defeating Atlético Madrid 2-1, capitalizing on Real Madrid’s earlier shock 2-1 stoppage-time defeat away at Mallorca Barcelona edge closer to title with win over Atlético. Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa accepted full blame for the loss in Mallorca Blame for Real Madrid loss 'all mine'.

Boxing and Other Sports Updates

In boxing, Caroline Dubois defeated rival Terri Harper by unanimous decision, dropping her opponent en route to winning the world championship grudge match Dubois defeats Harper to win world championship grudge match, while Ellie Scotney became the UK's youngest undisputed champion following a grueling 10-round battle with Mayelli Flores. Elsewhere, the sporting world is to The Masters, with speculation centering on whether Scottie Scheffler can regain form and if an Englishman can challenge for the title at Augusta National Can Scheffler find form at Augusta. Furthermore, following his victory over Derek Chisora, Deontay Wilder publicly told Anthony Joshua he is ready to set up a blockbuster heavyweight bout Wilder tells AJ 'let's get it on'.