sports

A first Champions League final in 20 years is within touching distance, but a difficult tie is not over yet Mikel Arteta can be forgiven for never missing the chance to remind everyone that these are unprecedented times for Arsenal. As his side prepares to face Atlético Madrid in the decisive act of their second successive Champions League semi-final, it is easy to forget that they have only reac…

The Japanese wrecking ball known as the Monster takes center stage at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, facing unbeaten rival Junto Nakatani in a matchup for the ages Naoya Inoue made it to the pinnacle of his sport with a destructive upward surge through boxing’s weight classes not seen since Manny Pacquiao’s prime. And he has made it clear he plans to stay there in the final run-up to his toughest te…

Eddie Howe is under pressure, Rayan needs protection at Bournemouth and John Stones returns to Everton with City Premier League top scorers: latest standings The equation is simple. If Leeds beat relegated – and now managerless - Burnley at Elland Road on Friday they will reach 43 points and be extremely unlikely to meet the same fate as their opponents. Daniel Farke’s losing FA Cup semi-finalist…

PSG 5-4 Bayern, arguably the wildest match in Champions League history, has sparked a debate about football’s finest dramas – here are six to savour It’s hard not to start with the most recent World Cup final , which for entertainment is surely the finest in the tournament’s 96-year history. Two protagonists, each the heartbeat of their sides, stole the show: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, the f…

Champions League semi-final first leg was described as ‘pure madness’ and ‘football in its finest essence’ French media were in thrall to a victory hailed as a milestone performance, calling Paris Saint-Germain’s 100th win in the Champions League as “one of the finest” in the club’s history. Bayern Munich will be hoping for a repeat of their goal bonanza when they host the holders in the semi-fin…

Has there ever been a game of football quite like this? On a luminous, thrilling, slightly crazed night at the Parc des Princes Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich produced something that felt like a different category of human activity altogether. There were nine goals in Paris, the most ever in a Champions League semi-final first leg, the end result a largely arbitrary 5-4 lead for PSG ahead …

World No 1’s winning streak up to 20 after 6-2, 7-5 win Rafael Jodar’s latest win finished at 1am on Monday Jannik Sinner suggested the Madrid Open organisers should reconsider their tournament scheduling to avoid late-night finishes like the one Rafael Jodar experienced in the third round on Sunday. In a rare 11am local start on Tuesday, Sinner moved past British 19th seed Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-…

A calamitous defence error from the goalkeeper Christiane Endler helped defending champions Arsenal to come from behind against OL Lyonnes and ensure they take a narrow lead into next week’s Champions League semi-final second leg in France. Jule Brand had giving the visiting team, the record eight-time winners of this competition, a first-half lead in front of 26,758 fans at the Emirates Stadium.…

Athlete who collapsed on track in 2024 ready for London Warner-Judd admits hitting ‘rock bottom’ after seizure There are sporting comebacks. And then there is Jessica Warner-Judd’s remarkable return from a focal seizure during the 10,000m at the European Championships in 2024. Those of us in Rome that night watched Judd wander distressingly across the track with 600m to go before collapsing and b…

The places up for grabs in Uefa’s competitions next season are a moveable feast, leaving plenty of intrigue right up to the final day With the end of the season approaching, it’s time again to try to get your head around the ever more complex rules that determine whether your club may qualify for Europe. But there will definitely be eight English teams playing continental football next season, an…

Men’s tournament could follow Women’s World Cup method New format would likely come in after Euro 2028 An adapted version of the Nations League format is front runner among several options being considered for a revamp of the men’s European Championship qualifiers, which face an overhaul likely to be implemented after Euro 2028. The Guardian understands the plans were presented to Uefa’s national…

Club’s chair to fly in from Riyadh to question manager Board to also debate possible transfer of Anthony Gordon Eddie Howe will discuss Newcastle’s declining form with the club’s Saudi Arabian majority owners when a high-powered contingent from Riyadh flies into the north for a scheduled board meeting next week. The delegation, led by Newcastle’s chair, Yasir al-Rumayyan, from the Kingdom’s Publi…

The Canadian side have the league’s best record, the best defender, a global superstar, and a ‘for sale’ sign in the window When the Vancouver Whitecaps went up for sale, the club was already bruised and bloodied. It was December 2024, and Vancouver had just limped to an eighth-place finish in the MLS Western Conference, which cost beloved coach Vanni Sartini his job. Facing the uncertainty of ne…

It is 45 years since the Women’s Professional Basketball League played its final game. But it laid the foundation for the stars of today Sign up for our WNBA 30 newsletter It was the night before the 1980 Women’s Professional Basketball League draft in New York City and the Dallas Diamonds had the No 1 pick. But the team’s top brass was split. Coach Greg Williams wanted to take the 6ft 5in Danish…

Scotland’s tournament was overshadowed by off-field uncertainty but, says former international Beth Blacklock, the future is looking brighter “There were players who were definitely struggling,” says the former Scotland international Beth Blacklock of the contract uncertainty that surrounded the squad before their run to the 2025 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals . In pre-World Cup camps talks were …

The manager, set to depart after this season, transformed the Cherries into a legitimate talent factory and one of the Premier League’s most entertaining sides The walls of the Emirates could hardly contain Andoni Iraola’s beaming grin. As he crossed the touchline last Saturday after Bournemouth’s 2-1 win , his stride wasn’t one of rushing disbelief. He applauded the away support in between tousl…

A breathless, consistently thrilling game ended with Bayern Munich booking a semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain but that tie will be hard pushed to eclipse what happened here. Real Madrid were ahead three times through Arda Guler, twice, and Kylian Mbappé; they were pegged back by Aleksandar Pavlovic, Harry Kane and, at the death, Luis Díaz and in the end had only themselves to blame. Michael…

Mascherano coached one full season with Messi in Miami Inter Miami have been off to a slow start in 2026 Javier Mascherano has stunningly stepped down as Inter Miami’s manager, just months after leading the team to their first MLS title. In the club’s announcement of the move, Mascherano said he was leaving for “personal reasons,” though later on the announcement specifies that his coaching staff…

The registry, which lists individuals banned for misconduct, is the first phase in what is planned to be a mandatory requirement for Canadian sports organizations Canada has launched a national registry of individuals who have been banned or suspended from sport for misconduct that includes criminal convictions for sexual assault, sexual maltreatment of minors and grooming. The Canadian Safe Spor…

Holders may have more style but Bath showed in their arm wrestle with Saints they can go the distance with anybody Last week Northampton’s director of rugby, Phil Dowson, made an interesting comparison between boxing and rugby. He suggested there was a decent chance his side’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Bath would prove good viewing because of the clubs’ contrasting philosophies around h…