Football/Soccer 3h Briefing
×Premier League & European News
Wayne Rooney espn.com has urged Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to ignore "very unfair" criticism of the Premier League leaders' playing style. Meanwhile, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson espn.com has not travelled to Istanbul for the Champions League last-16 first leg against Galatasaray after sustaining a problem in training. In other European news, Milan's derby win espn.com over Inter has opened a little bit of a title race again in Italy - at least for now.
Player Spotlight
Chelsea's João Pedro espn.com has hailed his "special" first season at Stamford Bridge after firing himself into contention to lead the line for Brazil at this summer's World Cup. The Brazilian forward's breakthrough campaign has put him in the frame for international duty at the highest level.
Disciplinary & Safety Issues
Manchester City midfielder Rodri skysports.com has escaped a ban for hitting out at officials following his side's 2-2 draw at Tottenham last month. In Scotland, Police Scotland skysports.com would not currently support another big away allocation for the next Old Firm fixture following trouble at Ibrox on Sunday.
Cup Competitions
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson bbc.com says Wayne Rooney's praise for his team's FA Cup display against Chelsea is an "incredible tribute" for the club. Elsewhere, Arsenal also messed around in the FA Cup and nearly found out, while Aberdeen bbc.com face questions after the holders were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by second-tier Dunfermline Athletic.
International & Domestic Leagues
The 2026 T20 World Cup concluded with a thumping 96-run win for tournament hosts India over New Zealand, but which players have made the ICC's Team of the Tournament skysports.com? In MLS, Vancouver Whitecaps espn.com are absolutely purring after three games, establishing themselves as the early-season team to beat according to the latest power rankings.
South American Football
A mass brawl in Brazil overshadowed Cruzeiro's 1-0 win espn.com over Atlético-MG in Sunday's Mineiro Championship final, with 23 red cards issued seconds before the final whistle. The violent scenes have sparked debate about discipline in Brazilian football.