Football/Soccer 3h Briefing
×Managerial Accountability
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick espn.com said he takes responsibility for the team's spate of injuries after losing Frenkie de Jong, Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde to hamstring problems during the last week. The Spanish champions are grappling with mounting fitness concerns as they chase multiple trophies this season.
Spurs' Turmoil
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty bbc.com examines who - or what - is to blame for Spurs' crisis as they fight to avoid relegation. Tottenham's relegation fears intensified with their 3-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace on Thursday night as a miserable season teeters towards full-blown disaster. Jamie O'Hara skysports.com has called for Spurs to sack Igor Tudor, as he believes the club will be relegated based on the evidence of their performance against Crystal Palace.
Transfer Market Moves
Tottenham bbc.com are interested in appointing Dougie Freedman as the club's new sporting director. The former Crystal Palace midfielder currently serves as sporting director at Nottingham Forest, where he's helped build a competitive squad on a modest budget.
German Football Crisis
Wolfsburg espn.com have enjoyed playing in the Bundesliga for nearly three decades, but as they currently sit in the relegation zone, that streak could be over at the end of the season. The club from Lower Saxony faces the prospect of dropping to Germany's second tier for the first time since 1997.
Women's International Football
Denise O'Sullivan bbc.com is ruled out of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands in Utrecht on Saturday. Meanwhile, England manager Sarina Wiegman bbc.com says it is "very important" her team are patient if goals do not come quickly in their 2027 Women's World Cup qualifier against Iceland on Saturday. BBC Sport bbc.com asks fans to choose who Wiegman should name in her line-up to play Iceland on Saturday.
FA Cup Drama
Daniel Farke bbc.com led Norwich to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 2020 and now his old team are hoping to do so again by knocking out his current club Leeds United. The German manager faces a sentimental return to Carrow Road where he spent four years as Norwich boss.
Disciplinary Issues
UEFA espn.com have fined Real Madrid and ordered a suspended partial closure of the Bernabéu after a supporter inside the ground was filmed appearing to make a Nazi salute. The Spanish giants must also pay €12,000 for the incident that occurred during their Champions League match against Red Bull Salzburg.
Legal Matters
Harry Maguire's lawyers skysports.com are adamant that the Manchester United defender does not have a criminal record and he has complete freedom to travel - despite him being convicted in a Greek court. The England international was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery following an incident on Mykonos in 2020.