https://www.scmp.com/rss/322920/feed The Uefa Champions League is an annual continental competition for the top football clubs in Europe. It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in world football and the biggest prize in European football. Introduced in 1992, the competition replaced the European Cup, which had run since 1955. Real Madrid is the most successful club in the competition’s history with 13 titles. Real Madrid were champions for a third successive time in the 2017-18 season, beating Premier League giants Liverpool... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Bloomberg Bloomberg There are no tributes to the conquering heroes at Bodo airport, no banners proclaiming their success hang in the streets outside. But visitors venturing this far north should not let Scandinavian understatement detract from Bodo Glimt’s achievements and the impact on their hometown. The football team from the Norwegian Arctic fishing port have beaten giants Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City already in the Champions League this season. On Wednesday evening, they will host Sporting... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346225/uefa-champions-league-little-bodo-glimt-take-next-step-giant-killing-journey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346225/uefa-champions-league-little-bodo-glimt-take-next-step-giant-killing-journey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Mjallby, a tiny team from a remote fishing village next to the Baltic Sea, won the Swedish league title on Monday for one of the most remarkable achievements in European football. A 2-0 win at IFK Gothenburg ensured Mjallby held an unassailable 11-point lead over second-placed Hammarby with three rounds left in Sweden’s top league, Allsvenskan. The improbable title triumph has been compared to Leicester winning the English Premier League in fairy tale fashion in 2016. It is a first major trophy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329840/mjallby-team-tiny-fishing-village-win-swedish-league-title-shoestring-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329840/mjallby-team-tiny-fishing-village-win-swedish-league-title-shoestring-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:00:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Former English Premier League stars could make the difference in the Asian Champions League, which begins on Monday, with Ivan Toney, Jesse Lingard, Riyad Mahrez and Darwin Nunez all having a chance of winning Asian football’s premier club tournament. Saudi clubs dominated last season, providing three of the semi-finalists before Al-Ahli won the final in front of 60,000 spectators in Jeddah in May. Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are also back and expected to challenge again for the title. Since the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325379/asian-champions-league-ex-english-premier-league-players-set-star-new-season-starts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325379/asian-champions-league-ex-english-premier-league-players-set-star-new-season-starts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 13:00:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Paris Saint-Germain’s path towards defending their Champions League crown will be laid out on Thursday when the draw for the 36-team league phase of Europe’s elite club competition takes place in Monaco. PSG’s thrilling triumph in last season’s final in Munich, when they inflicted a 5-0 hammering on Inter Milan to win the trophy for the first time, came at the end of the first edition of the Champions League under the competition’s new format. The group stage, in place for more than 20 years,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3323415/holders-psg-and-rivals-await-champions-league-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3323415/holders-psg-and-rivals-await-champions-league-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 01:41:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters A pair of Belgian TikTokkers said they spent 27 hours in an Allianz Arena toilet last weekend before watching Paris Saint-Germain beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final for free. Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told VRT News they managed to get into the Munich stadium the day before the match and hid in a toilet cubicle. After sticking a home-made “Out of Order” sign on the door, the pair waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility. “We had a backpack... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3313061/tiktokers-watch-champions-league-final-free-after-27-hours-stadium-toilet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3313061/tiktokers-watch-champions-league-final-free-after-27-hours-stadium-toilet?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Teenage star Desire Doue topped off a dream season by scoring twice in a stunning performance as Paris Saint-Germain comprehensively beat Inter Milan 5-0 in Saturday’s Champions League final. “I don’t have the words. It is a dream come true. It is just magnificent,” Doue told broadcaster Canal Plus in a brief interview as delirious PSG fans invaded the pitch at the Allianz Arena after seeing their team win the trophy for the first time. No player embodies the youthful energy and dynamism of Luis... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3312648/psg-teen-desire-doue-caps-dream-season-starring-champions-league-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3312648/psg-teen-desire-doue-caps-dream-season-starring-champions-league-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two people died and hundreds were arrested in France overnight as football fans celebrated Paris Saint-Germain’s stunning Champions League final victory, the interior ministry said on Sunday. The epicentre of the euphoria was in Paris, which was a theatre of car horns, cheers, singing in the street and fireworks throughout the night following PSG’s 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Munich. The ministry said 491 people were arrested in the capital when crowds converged on the Champs-Elysees avenue... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3312642/two-dead-559-arrested-during-champions-league-final-celebrations-french-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3312642/two-dead-559-arrested-during-champions-league-final-celebrations-french-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 09:07:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters Roberto Firmino said he was proud of making history with his Saudi club and becoming an Asian Champions League winner, six years after lifting the prestigious European equivalent with Liverpool. The 33-year-old Brazilian forward was an important member of Jurgen Klopp’s side who won the Uefa Champions League in 2019. And Firmino was named the AFC Champions League’s MVP after inspiring Al-Ahli to beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 on Saturday as the Jeddah club became Asian champions for the first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3309005/former-liverpool-star-proud-after-making-history-al-ahli-win-asian-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3309005/former-liverpool-star-proud-after-making-history-al-ahli-win-asian-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 05:30:09 +0000 Holders Real Madrid survived a missed penalty from Vinicius Junior in normal time before edging rivals Atletico Madrid 4-2 in a shoot-out for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals. Antonio Rudiger sealed the last-16 victory on Wednesday as goalkeeper Jan Oblak got his hands on the deciding penalty but could not stop it crossing the line, as Real maintained their perfect record against Atletico in six knockout ties and finals in the elite event. Oblak had saved from Lucas Vazquez in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302153/real-madrid-beat-atletico-champions-league-shoot-out-after-bizarre-disallowed-spot-kick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302153/real-madrid-beat-atletico-champions-league-shoot-out-after-bizarre-disallowed-spot-kick?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:33:49 +0000 Paris Saint-Germain beat Liverpool in a penalty shoot-out to join Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday. PSG beat Liverpool 1-0 on the night to level the aggregate score at 1-1. Ousmane Dembele scored 12 minutes into the second-leg match after a blunder by the Liverpool defence. Gianluigi Donnarumma then saved two penalties, and Dembele had the final say as PSG won 4-1 to set up a clash with either Aston Villa or Club Brugge. Barcelona... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302006/psg-stun-liverpool-penalty-shoot-out-golden-shock-cheltenham-woods-miss-masters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302006/psg-stun-liverpool-penalty-shoot-out-golden-shock-cheltenham-woods-miss-masters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 23:30:11 +0000 Harvey Elliot will get the headlines, but Alisson Becker was the hero as Liverpool pulled off the ultimate smash and grab in their Champions League quarter-final against PSG on Wednesday. A late substitute, Elliot scored with his first kick of the game to give Arne Slot’s side a 1-0 win in a match where they had been utterly dominated by their Parisian hosts. And the only reason they head back to Anfield with a slender lead was goalkeeper Alisson. PSG had 27 shots, 10 of which were on target,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3301224/alisson-saves-lucky-liverpool-fifas-us1-billion-incentive-200000-want-run-ny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3301224/alisson-saves-lucky-liverpool-fifas-us1-billion-incentive-200000-want-run-ny?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:30:14 +0000 The Uefa Champions League knockout stages are upon us, with matches on Tuesday and Wednesday, European time. On paper there aren’t too many differences with previous editions, despite the traditional group stage having been replaced by a new league phase. We’re down to 16 teams, with a home-and-away fixture and the winner qualifying for the quarter-finals. And while the format is roughly the same, there are some caveats, as well as plenty of interesting narrative points. One nation For the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300961/5-things-know-uefa-champions-league-last-16-starts-psg-v-liverpool-madrid-derby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300961/5-things-know-uefa-champions-league-last-16-starts-psg-v-liverpool-madrid-derby?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:00:15 +0000 Liverpool will take on Paris Saint-Germain in one of the standout ties in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League after the teams were paired together in Friday’s draw. The Premier League leaders finished first in the 36-team league phase of the competition to qualify directly for this stage, while PSG had to come through a two-legged play-off tie in which they crushed fellow French side Brest 10-0 on aggregate. The first leg will take place at the Parc des Princes in Paris on March 4 or... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3299692/champions-league-last-16-draw-liverpool-v-psg-real-madrid-v-atletico-pick-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3299692/champions-league-last-16-draw-liverpool-v-psg-real-madrid-v-atletico-pick-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:33:56 +0000 Money buys success in football, just look at Real Madrid, a club that has spent decades winning with the best it could splash its billions on. Whether the finances are entirely kosher is another argument entirely, but then football’s bosses have a nasty habit of looking the other way when the giants of the game are throwing their significant weight around. But it’s not always a guarantee of happy nights and celebratory Sundays. Manchester City spent £184.8 million (US$223 million) on players... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3299368/kylian-mbappe-real-deal-citys-us223-million-flops-slot-not-happy-villa-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3299368/kylian-mbappe-real-deal-citys-us223-million-flops-slot-not-happy-villa-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:30:15 +0000 Carlo Ancelotti expects the winners of the Champions League to emerge from the clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City. The two European heavyweights have played in the latter stages of the competition in the past three seasons – with the victor going on to lift the trophy – and they meet again in this year’s play-off round. The first leg takes place at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday and, even despite City’s indifferent form this season, Real boss Ancelotti still regards opposite number Pep... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3298140/ancelloti-says-real-or-city-will-win-champions-league-gender-test-elite-athletes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3298140/ancelloti-says-real-or-city-will-win-champions-league-gender-test-elite-athletes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2025 00:35:38 +0000 Manchester City came from behind against Club Brugge to reach the Champions League knockout phase, where they were safely joined by Paris Saint-Germain as Arsenal qualified directly for the last 16 on Wednesday in the final round of league-phase matches. Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille and Aston Villa also followed Liverpool and Barcelona in securing top-eight finishes to skip the new play-off round. An Liverpool finished top despite an understrength side losing the team’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3296750/man-city-psg-stay-alive-champions-league-us-open-expands-main-draw-mckibbin-joins-liv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3296750/man-city-psg-stay-alive-champions-league-us-open-expands-main-draw-mckibbin-joins-liv?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:30:08 +0000 The final Uefa Champions League match day will see 18 games played simultaneously, with 25 of the 36 teams still fighting for something. It is the debut season for this new league format, which features four extra teams and two guaranteed extra matches. Finishing in the top eight means automatic qualification to the last 16 – where the competition reverts to its traditional knockout format – while teams finishing ninth to 24th go into a play off, and those from 25th to 36th are eliminated. So... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3296674/where-watch-champions-league-group-stage-finale-why-man-city-psg-risk-elimination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3296674/where-watch-champions-league-group-stage-finale-why-man-city-psg-risk-elimination?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jan 2025 05:19:24 +0000 There’s very little chance of getting away from the Champions League at the moment, although Pep Guardiola could be forgiven for wishing he’d rather be anywhere else at the moment. A collapse of almost England cricket proportions leaves Manchester City on the brink of not making the next stage, while Celtic, for all the jokes about Scottish football, are actually into the play-offs. Speaking of England’s cricketers, they have been living up to their 1990s stereotype, while football fans hoping... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3295879/psg-comeback-stuns-manchester-city-norway-clubs-vote-ditch-var-and-india-thrash-england?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3295879/psg-comeback-stuns-manchester-city-norway-clubs-vote-ditch-var-and-india-thrash-england?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:30:13 +0000 Liverpool beat Lille 2-1 on Tuesday to maintain their perfect record in this season’s Champions League and clinch qualification for the last 16, while Barcelona produced a stunning comeback to beat Benfica 5-4 in a classic to secure their own place. The Anfield side are the only team with a maximum 21 points from seven matches in this new, expanded competition and they now know they will skip next month’s play-offs and head straight to the last 16 in March. Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool the lead,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3295720/liverpool-stay-perfect-barcelona-win-9-goal-thriller-and-japans-suzuki-makes-mlb-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3295720/liverpool-stay-perfect-barcelona-win-9-goal-thriller-and-japans-suzuki-makes-mlb-history?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:30:27 +0000 Liverpool versus Manchester United used to be English football’s fiercest rivalry. Sunday’s showdown at Anfield pits two teams going in opposite directions. Liverpool, top of the Premier League and the Champions League, have their sights on equalling United’s record 20 Premier League titles and more. Liverpool have lost to United just once in seven years in the Premier League, and most recently won 3-0 at Old Trafford in September. United are closer to the relegation zone than the top in another... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3293210/english-premier-league-liverpool-v-manchester-united-great-rivalry-thats-now-mismatch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3293210/english-premier-league-liverpool-v-manchester-united-great-rivalry-thats-now-mismatch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:00:13 +0000 The least surprising development of the evening was the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, which really only qualifies as news in that it was officially confirmed that six countries will host the former, and Saudi Arabia the latter. Cue plenty of ridiculous hand-wringing and moralising in the west over a decision Fifa made months ago, and no one in a position to do so did anything to stop. Sport generally long since abandoned any morale high ground it might have once occupied, while... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3290407/saka-powers-arsenal-win-chinas-tang-sets-asian-record-and-how-far-can-city-fall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3290407/saka-powers-arsenal-win-chinas-tang-sets-asian-record-and-how-far-can-city-fall?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Dec 2024 23:30:38 +0000 Does Olympic gold overshadow all other achievements, that’s the decision the Hong Kong public and others with a say in the city’s sports awards will have to make. The battle for top female athlete will come down to Paris fencing champion Vivian Kong Man-wai and double bronze medallist Siobhan Haughey, and it could be that this week’s World Swimming Championships tip the balance in the favour of the latter. Haughey begins her bid to win more titles in Budapest on Wednesday in the heats of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3290233/ex-england-star-missing-feared-dead-liverpool-stay-perfect-city-guardiolas-last-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3290233/ex-england-star-missing-feared-dead-liverpool-stay-perfect-city-guardiolas-last-club?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2024 23:30:10 +0000 I went down a little bit of a hip-hop/American funk rabbit hole this morning – think Skee-Lo, A Tribe Called Quest, and Sly and the Family Stone – all sparked by the news that the Baller League is going international. Some OGs are going to be involved too, with Gary Lineker and Luis Figo among those agreeing to manage teams in the UK and the US. And because nothing new these days is complete without influencers, KSI, IShowSpeed and Chunkz are also involved. See, not just a newsletter, we try and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288270/fragile-city-collapse-arsenals-5-star-display-ogs-take-baller-league-global?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288270/fragile-city-collapse-arsenals-5-star-display-ogs-take-baller-league-global?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 23:37:58 +0000 Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal to make a Champions League statement with a win at Sporting. The Gunners have failed to win – or score – in their past four European matches on the road. A narrow 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out has left Arteta’s side down in 12th place in the new-look Champions League table. And the Spaniard believes a victory in the Portuguese capital, against a Sporting side who, when still managed by Ruben Amorim, thumped Manchester City 4-1 earlier this month, will... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288159/uefa-champions-league-mikel-arteta-urges-arsenal-make-statement-sporting-lisbon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288159/uefa-champions-league-mikel-arteta-urges-arsenal-make-statement-sporting-lisbon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:00:10 +0000 Ruben Amorim insists nothing can be read into Sporting Lisbon’s stunning defeat of Manchester City as he prepares for a “different world” at Manchester United. Amorim enjoyed the perfect send-off from the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday as his Sporting side came from behind to thrash City 4-1 in his final home match before taking charge at Old Trafford next week. The 39-year-old will come up against City again in a Manchester derby in little over a month’s time, but he does not think Sporting’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285462/itll-be-different-world-manchester-united-says-exiting-sporting-boss-ruben-amorim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285462/itll-be-different-world-manchester-united-says-exiting-sporting-boss-ruben-amorim?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 15:00:07 +0000 In an evening where little happened outside elite-level football, the Uefa Champions League truly delivered. It was the first match day of the new format which pitted several heavyweights against each other and it produced shocks, big wins and catapulted two of Europe’s big guns into “crisis mode”. Nevertheless, we’re still scratching our heads to understand what these results actually mean in the long term. Anyway, here’s a round up of all the action, as well as any other major sporting news... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285340/man-city-battered-new-man-utd-boss-cristiano-ronaldo-scores-aryna-sabalenka-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285340/man-city-battered-new-man-utd-boss-cristiano-ronaldo-scores-aryna-sabalenka-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 23:28:07 +0000 Pep Guardiola has dismissed fears top scorer Erling Haaland has suffered an injury scare ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon. The prolific Norwegian striker was filmed clutching his shin after going down in apparent pain during a training session open to members of the media on Monday. Yet manager Guardiola confirmed the 24-year-old was fit and well after the squad arrived in the Portuguese capital later that evening. “He’s fine,” said Guardiola, before adding... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285312/champions-league-manchester-city-boss-pep-guardiola-dismisses-erling-haaland-injury-scare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285312/champions-league-manchester-city-boss-pep-guardiola-dismisses-erling-haaland-injury-scare?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:00:16 +0000 It’s a little early in the Jose Mourinho managerial cycle for the Portuguese boss to be laying the groundwork for a departure, after all he hasn’t been with Fenerbache for two years yet, so maybe Thursday’s antics were just his usual headline grabbing. Tiresome does not even come close at this point, but his team are still in the mix, unlike former side Manchester United, who continue to bumble their way through the season. And whether you have become jaded by all the European football played... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283767/mourinho-sees-red-united-draw-felix-fire-chelsea-messi-paid-more-montreal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283767/mourinho-sees-red-united-draw-felix-fire-chelsea-messi-paid-more-montreal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Oct 2024 23:29:34 +0000 We get used to professional athletes doing extraordinary things, it is what sets them apart from the rest of us mere mortals, even by those standards Erling Haaland is something else. The 24-year-old could arguably be called the best player in the world at the moment, and the Ballon d’Or committee have a tough decision to make ahead of Monday’s ceremony, especially after Wednesday’s sensational effort in the Champions League. Many who saw it live were left speechless, manager Pep Guardiola said... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283597/outrageous-haaland-lights-champions-league-barca-thrash-bayern-liverpool-win-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283597/outrageous-haaland-lights-champions-league-barca-thrash-bayern-liverpool-win-again?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Oct 2024 23:29:59 +0000 It’s wall-to-wall football this week, with Champions League competitions dominating Europe and Asia for the next several days. Real Madrid, Arsenal, Aston Villa, AC Milan and a host of others were in action on Tuesday, while on Wednesday, Liverpool, Manchester City and Barcelona re-enter the fray. In other news, the NBA is eyeing European expansion and Australia’s David Warner is offering to come out of retirement to answer his side’s desperate need for an opener against India. So, this is what... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283446/dortmunds-dose-real-ity-villa-stay-perfect-arsenal-get-lucky-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283446/dortmunds-dose-real-ity-villa-stay-perfect-arsenal-get-lucky-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2024 23:33:14 +0000 Are Arsenal now an established side again in the Uefa Champions League? Comfortably overcoming an underwhelming Paris Saint-Germain side has been the hallmark of challengers in recent seasons – and that’s exactly what Mike Arteta’s side did. Elsewhere, Celtic showed no new format was going to make them change their ways as they continued their tradition of conceding as many goals as possible away from home on the continent. While, away from football, there was a tasty China Open men’s final to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3280733/arsenal-beat-psg-celtic-hammered-champions-league-and-its-sinner-v-alcaraz-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3280733/arsenal-beat-psg-celtic-hammered-champions-league-and-its-sinner-v-alcaraz-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Oct 2024 23:29:08 +0000 If winning is the point of all competitive sport, and surely it has to be, then England need to rethink their approach to international cricket at some point. Another loss to Australia was perhaps the perfect example of the limits of Bazball – or maybe coach Brendon McCullum is just Kevin Keegan (the 1990s Newcastle United manager version) incarnate. Entertaining, but ultimately self-defeating. Still, Arsenal could have done with a little of Keegan’s joie de vivre in Bergamo, and if men chasing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3279213/rayas-heroics-save-arsenal-australia-thrash-england-what-happened-overnight-world-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3279213/rayas-heroics-save-arsenal-australia-thrash-england-what-happened-overnight-world-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 23:30:22 +0000 Slovan Bratislava is a name that always brings a smile, and not only because they were in the first European game I ever covered, a two-legged Europa League qualifying affair against the mighty Cwmbran Town more than 20 years ago. The Slovakia side were in Champions League action again overnight, in one of the games that actually involved goals. After the highs of Tuesday, when there were 28 in six matches, last night we got just 13. Football dominates proceedings once again, but World Athletics... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3279060/city-draw-has-inzaghi-despair-celtic-hit-5-what-happened-overnight-world-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3279060/city-draw-has-inzaghi-despair-celtic-hit-5-what-happened-overnight-world-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 23:30:09 +0000 Anyone wanting to keep up with the world of football in real time overnight would have needed at least five TV screens and multiple other devices just to catch a glimpse of the action. In the Uefa Champions League alone there were 28 goals in just six games, while one match in the English League Cup needed more than 30 penalties before it was decided. Goals galore and a collective nightmare for defenders and goalkeepers alike. Here then, is what happened while you were sleeping. Happy birthday... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3278937/liverpool-beat-milan-kane-scores-4-united-get-7-what-happened-overnight-world-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3278937/liverpool-beat-milan-kane-scores-4-united-get-7-what-happened-overnight-world-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2024 23:30:08 +0000 The Uefa Champions League returns on Tuesday, or early on Wednesday for those of us in Hong Kong, but the 2024-25 competition has a revamped format that is completely different from previous editions. After a big rebranding in 1992, the format had generally been that of a group stage consisting of a total of eight matches per group, with four teams playing home and away, before entering a knockout stage. In 1992-93, it was two groups with the winners meeting in the final, then came a semi-final... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3278697/uefa-champions-league-2024-25-all-you-need-know-about-new-swiss-model-format?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3278697/uefa-champions-league-2024-25-all-you-need-know-about-new-swiss-model-format?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Football is officially the most popular sport in the world, so it’s no surprise that some of the world’s top soccer players are paid millions for showing off their skills and athleticism. However, you don’t necessarily need to be on the field to make big bucks. Coaches and managers, whose team selections and strategies are partially responsible for how the team performs, are also locking in huge salaries. From legendary students of the game and master motivators, to players-turned-coaches, here... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3276403/8-richest-soccer-coaches-world-2024-net-worths-ranked-spains-pep-guardiola-and-portugals-jose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3276403/8-richest-soccer-coaches-world-2024-net-worths-ranked-spains-pep-guardiola-and-portugals-jose?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2024 21:00:08 +0000 There is no shortage of impressive footballer-and-WAG duos in the world, but it takes the cream of the crop to create Posh-and-Becks level of hype. And Laura Celia Valk and Jude Bellingham might just be this season’s top pick. Jude Bellingham is an English footballer who plays for the England National Team and Real Madrid. He recently scored a key penalty kick for England during its quarter-final match against Switzerland in the quadrennial Euro Championship this year. Laura Celia Valk,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3272325/who-jude-bellinghams-girlfriend-meet-laura-celia-valk-dutch-model-who-5-years-older-her?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3272325/who-jude-bellinghams-girlfriend-meet-laura-celia-valk-dutch-model-who-5-years-older-her?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 11:00:19 +0000 European football club Real Madrid recently addressed concerns by the Chinese embassy in Spain over a fan’s “racist insult” towards China. But this begs the question: should diplomats – Chinese or otherwise – react to random acts of racism? Last week, the Chinese embassy in Spain lodged a stern protest against what it called “insulting” remarks against China made by a Real Madrid fan. This happened after a video went viral of a Chinese blogger conducting a post-match interview on the street in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3267301/how-should-diplomats-respond-random-racist-insults-their-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3267301/how-should-diplomats-respond-random-racist-insults-their-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 02:00:11 +0000 Prince William’s first public outing with son George since his wife’s cancer diagnosis? A trip to Birmingham to watch his beloved football team, Aston Villa. To the delight of onlookers, the pair were seen reacting in nearly identical ways to tense moments of the match against Lille, then celebrating with claps and cheers as the final whistle blew to mark a win for Villa. But why exactly does a prince, born and raised in London, support a football team with its home 160 kilometres away in the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3266290/why-prince-william-so-obsessed-aston-villa-football-club-royal-caught-game-his-first-public-outing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3266290/why-prince-william-so-obsessed-aston-villa-football-club-royal-caught-game-his-first-public-outing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jun 2024 10:00:12 +0000 Toni Kroos brought down the curtain on a glorious club career in fitting style as he entered the history books by winning his sixth Champions League on Saturday. Kroos played a key role as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley. The German, along with teammates Dani Carvajal, Nacho and Luka Modric joined Madrid legend Paco Gento as the most decorated players in European Cup history. Real boss Carlo Ancelotti said his door remained open should the 34-year-old have a change of heart... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265042/uefa-champions-league-pass-master-toni-kroos-bows-out-style-tournament-record-holder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265042/uefa-champions-league-pass-master-toni-kroos-bows-out-style-tournament-record-holder?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 02:43:04 +0000 There were two Asian players in this season’s Uefa Champions League semi-finals – but both were on the losing side. South Korea defender Kim Min-jae saw his Bayern Munich side eliminated by Real Madrid in the dying seconds of the second leg, while international teammate Lee Kang-in was part of the Paris Saint-Germain team knocked out by surprise package Borussia Dortmund. It means that, once again, there will be no Asian representation in club football’s biggest match. Since the tournament’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264921/champions-league-final-no-asian-players-real-dortmund-line-ups-continents-wait-second-winner-goes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264921/champions-league-final-no-asian-players-real-dortmund-line-ups-continents-wait-second-winner-goes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 02:00:10 +0000 Players could strike in their bid to cut down on the number of matches they play, England’s Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) have warned Fifa. Football’s world governing body is under growing pressure to address the workload of elite players, with threats of legal action. The PFA wants action to alter the congested football calendar, especially with the expanded 32-team Club World Cup proposed for next summer. An event Thursday in London by the PFA and Fifpro, the international... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264917/fifa-warned-english-european-football-unions-overworked-players-could-strike-threaten-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264917/fifa-warned-english-european-football-unions-overworked-players-could-strike-threaten-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 May 2024 14:00:13 +0000 The best advice Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti can give his players as they prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final is to enjoy the moment, he said on Monday. Heading into his ninth Champions League final – his sixth as a manager and third with Real, who are bidding for a record-extending 15th European crown and sixth in 10 years – the 64-year-old Ancelotti believes his players have the experience to cope with the emotions. “It is a week to enjoy. The challenge, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264301/uefa-champions-league-final-days-final-are-be-enjoyed-real-madrid-manager-carlo-ancelotti-advises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264301/uefa-champions-league-final-days-final-are-be-enjoyed-real-madrid-manager-carlo-ancelotti-advises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 May 2024 14:00:28 +0000 Fifa moved on Wednesday towards ending decades of football tradition by reviewing the rules that currently block domestic league games being played in other countries. Fans are likely to object to their teams’ home matches potentially being moved thousands of kilometres away. The United States and Saudi Arabia are expected to be willing hosts to lure competitive games from top European countries, and Fifa recently agreed to withdraw from an ongoing court case in New York filed by promoter... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262802/fifa-moves-towards-ending-decades-football-tradition-and-letting-league-games-be-staged-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262802/fifa-moves-towards-ending-decades-football-tradition-and-letting-league-games-be-staged-other?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 13:00:19 +0000 The AFC Champions League final sees the two men in the dugouts face off in a rematch of one of the most epic games in club football history. Yokohama Marinos coach Harry Kewell will welcome his Al Ain counterpart Hernan Crespo to Japan on Saturday as they contest the first leg of Asia’s biggest club match, but it is not their first continental showpiece in opposition. The pair met in the European equivalent 19 years ago in Istanbul, when Liverpool and Milan played out the highest-scoring final... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3261996/liverpool-v-milan-champions-league-final-rematch-opponents-2005-kewell-and-crespo-now-rivals-afc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3261996/liverpool-v-milan-champions-league-final-rematch-opponents-2005-kewell-and-crespo-now-rivals-afc?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 May 2024 12:00:31 +0000 Paris Saint-Germain forward Lee Kang-in is aiming to become just the second Asian man to win a Uefa Champions League medal as the South Korea forward prepares for a semi-final against Borussia Dortmund. The newly crowned French champions are heavy favourites to reach the showpiece at Wembley next month at the expense of the German side, which is languishing in fifth place in the Bundesliga. But unlike their opponents, PSG have never won the competition – though they have reached one final, back... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3261065/psgs-lee-kang-aims-become-only-second-asian-uefa-champions-league-winner-could-meet-fellow-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3261065/psgs-lee-kang-aims-become-only-second-asian-uefa-champions-league-winner-could-meet-fellow-south?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2024 10:30:11 +0000 If Harry Kane is to win the Champions League with Bayern Munich and claim a first career trophy, he will have to get past Real Madrid and England teammate Jude Bellingham. Tuesday’s semi-final first leg in the Bavarian capital pits the two England superstars against each other, less than two months out from Euro 2024 kicking off in the same venue. A decade apart in age, the duo have walked hugely different paths so far in their careers, but have become crucially important to their respective... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3260756/uefa-champions-league-england-stars-harry-kane-jude-bellingham-headline-bayern-real-madrid-battle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3260756/uefa-champions-league-england-stars-harry-kane-jude-bellingham-headline-bayern-real-madrid-battle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2024 05:25:10 +0000 Tottenham Hotspur supporters would have had little sympathy for arch-rivals Arsenal after their Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Arsenal – but they may not be laughing so hard come the end of the season. Arsenal’s 3-2 aggregate defeat, combined with holders Manchester City’s penalty shoot-out loss to Real Madrid, did more than just rule out the possibility of an English club appearing in the Wembley showpiece on June 1. Those defeats also gave Germany’s Bundesliga the edge... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3259505/advantage-bundesliga-premier-league-clubs-sweat-extra-champions-league-place-following-bad-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3259505/advantage-bundesliga-premier-league-clubs-sweat-extra-champions-league-place-following-bad-night?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:00:32 +0000 Holders Manchester City will come up against record 14-time winners Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals after being paired together in Friday’s draw, meaning the sides will meet in a third consecutive season in the competition. Arsenal will face Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich, while Paris Saint-Germain meet Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will take on Borussia Dortmund in the other ties. Pep Guardiola’s City will travel to the Spanish capital for the first leg on April 9 or 10, with the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3255609/holders-man-city-face-real-madrid-champions-league-quarter-finals-arsenal-take-harry-kanes-bayern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3255609/holders-man-city-face-real-madrid-champions-league-quarter-finals-arsenal-take-harry-kanes-bayern?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:50:47 +0000 Terry Venables, a former England football player who led the national team to the European Championship semi-finals as a charismatic coach and won trophies at club level with Barcelona and Tottenham, has died. He was 80. The death of Venables was announced on Sunday in a statement by his family to British media, saying he died on Saturday after a long illness. The English Football Association and Tottenham, one of the clubs he coached, were among those sending tributes to Venables. Former... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3242888/terry-venables-former-england-tottenham-and-barcelona-coach-has-died-aged-80?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3242888/terry-venables-former-england-tottenham-and-barcelona-coach-has-died-aged-80?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Nov 2023 23:14:35 +0000