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Champions League draw to include 14 former winners as PSV Eindhoven beat Rangers in playoffs

PSV Eindhoven's Dutch forward Luuk de Jong (C) heads the ball to score his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League play-off football match between PSV Eindhoven and Rangers FC at The Phillips stadium in Eindhoven on Wednesday. (AFP)
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Updated 31 August 2023
AP
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Champions League draw to include 14 former winners as PSV Eindhoven beat Rangers in playoffs

  • PSV’s single European title means winners of 48 of the 68 editions of Europe’s most prized club title will enter the draw
  • They include record 14-time champions Real Madrid and defending champions Manchester City, who won their first title in June
Updated 31 August 2023
AP

MONACO: There will be 14 winners of the Champions League, or the old European Cup, in the 32-team group stage draw Thursday after PSV Eindhoven advanced in the qualifying playoffs.

PSV, the European champions in 1988, beat Rangers 5-1 in their playoff second leg Wednesday to complete a 7-3 aggregate score.

Royal Antwerp had not played in the competition since 1957 yet also sealed their place in the draw by winning 2-1 at AEK Athens. The champion of Belgium advanced 3-1 on aggregate.

Copenhagen completed the lineup with a 1-1 draw at home to competition debutant Rakow Częstochowa having already won 1-0 in Poland.

PSV’s single European title means winners of 48 of the 68 editions of Europe’s most prized club title will enter the draw. They include record 14-time champions Real Madrid and defending champions Manchester City, who won their first title in June.

FINAL FORMAT

This Champions League is the 20th and last in the familiar format of eight round robin groups of four teams each, sending the top two into a 16-team knockout bracket.

Next year the Champions League expands to 36 teams, playing eight games instead of six, ranked in a single standings. The top eight will advance direct to the round of 16. Teams ranked No. 9 through 24 go into a knockout playoffs round to decide the other eight places in the last-16.

The final edition in the established format starts Sept. 19 and group-stage games finish Dec. 13. The knockout stage starts in February and reaches the final at Wembley Stadium in London on June 1.

PRIZE MONEY

UEFA has €2 billion ($2.2 billion) prize money for the rest of the competition. Each of the 32 gets a basic €15.64 million ($17.1 million) plus shares of a €600 million ($656 million) fund distributed according to clubs’ historic record in UEFA competitions.

Top-ranked Real Madrid’s share will be about €36.4 million ($40 million) and about €1.14 million ($1.25 million) to the lowest-ranked team, Lens, which have not played in European soccer for 16 years.

UEFA also will pay teams €2.8 million ($3.1 million) per win and €930,000 ($1 million) per draw in the group stage, escalating payments for advancing through each knockout round, plus a share of the TV money paid by rights holders in their home country.

Real Madrid were the highest earnesr with €133 million ($145 million) from UEFA when they won the 2022 title — the last figures published by UEFA. Moldovan champion Sheriff’s €23.7 million s ($26 million) was the lowest UEFA payout that season.

NOMADIC SHAKHTAR

Shakhtar Donetsk have had several adopted home cities in Ukraine and abroad since losing access to their stadium in 2014 because of Russian-backed conflict and then war in the Donbas region.

Last season Shakhtar used Legia Warsaw’s stadium in Poland for their three “home” games in the group stage.

Shakhtar will now play in Hamburg at the Volksparkstadion that is one of Germany’s host venues for the 2024 European Championship. The club said last week it already sold 30,000 ticket packages.

Russian clubs, including champions Zenit St. Petersburg, are banned for the second straight season.

MULTI-CLUB OWNERSHIP

UEFA has had rules for more than 20 years limiting owners from having decisive influence over two or more clubs which can meet in the same European competition. They were designed to protect the integrity of games on the field.

Still, the trend toward multi-club ownership projects has intensified since a UEFA ruling in 2017 let Leipzig and Salzburg both enter the Champions League despite sharing deep ties to the Red Bull brand. The two clubs are in separate draw pots Thursday and can meet in the group stage.

Paris Saint-Germain can be drawn in the same group as Braga despite taking a 22 percent ownership stake in the Portuguese club last year.

CLUB WORLD CUP

The 32 teams also are playing for entry to — and more prize money from – the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup in June 2025 hosted by the United States.

Europe will send 12 teams to that 32-team lineup including the past three Champions League title holders — Man City, Real Madrid and Chelsea — plus the winner of this edition.

Other places should go to teams with the best overall record in the four Champions League seasons from 2020-24.

That’s good for consistent performers Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica. Not so much for clubs which missed qualification in at least one recent season, like Manchester United, Arsenal and now Juventus.

Draw Seedings

Pot 1: Manchester City (England), Sevilla (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), Bayern Munich (Germany), Napoli (Italy), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Benfica (Portugal), Feyenoord (Netherlands).

Pot 2: Real Madrid (Spain), Manchester United (England), Inter Milan (Italy), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Leipzig (Germany), Porto (Portugal), Arsenal (England).

Pot 3: Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Salzburg (Austria), AC Milan (Italy), Braga (Portugal), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Lazio (Italy), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia), Copenhagen (Denmark).

Pot 4: Young Boys (Switzerland), Real Sociedad (Spain), Galatasaray (Turkiye), Celtic (Scotland), Newcastle (England), Union Berlin (Germany), Royal Antwerp (Belgium), Lens (France).

Topics: PSV Eindhoven Rangers Champions League playoff

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Dembele hits double as PSG win ahead of Liverpool return

Updated 09 March 2025
AFP
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Dembele hits double as PSG win ahead of Liverpool return

  • Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos had PSG 2-0 up in Brittany before Lilian Brassier pulled one back for Rennes
  • Dembele netted twice in stoppage time to seal the victory for the visitors
Updated 09 March 2025
AFP

PARIS: Ousmane Dembele scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool by winning 4-1 away to Rennes in Ligue 1 with a much-changed team on Saturday.
Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos had PSG 2-0 up in Brittany before Lilian Brassier pulled one back for Rennes, but Dembele netted twice in stoppage time to seal the victory for the visitors.
The result allowed the Ligue 1 leaders to maintain their unbeaten record in domestic competition this season.
The Parisians are now a huge 16 points clear at the top before closest challengers Marseille play at home to Lens later.
Luis Enrique’s side were ultimately comfortable winners despite the coach making eight changes to his starting line-up in between the two legs of the Liverpool tie, with the return at Anfield coming up on Tuesday.
“We are in perfect condition to go and take on Liverpool. We have nothing to lose and we will give everything to try to qualify,” for the quarter-finals, said Luis Enrique.
“It was difficult but we put in a serious performance and it gives us lots of hope before going to Liverpool,” the Spaniard added of his team’s display.
Barcola, Joao Neves and Willian Pacho were the only players to keep their places for PSG against Rennes following the 1-0 home loss to Liverpool in the first leg last Wednesday.
Dembele was among the regular starters to be rested at kick-off, but he came off the bench just after the hour mark and the France forward’s double strike moves him onto 20 league goals for the campaign.
The player who began his career at Rennes has now scored 28 times in all competitions this season, including 23 goals in 18 appearances since mid-December.
Rennes came into the game on a run of four wins in five outings to climb up into mid-table after Habib Beye replaced Jorge Sampaoli as coach at the end of January.
However, PSG went in front at Roazhon Park on 27 minutes as Desire Doue, another former Rennes player, quickly took a free-kick just inside the home half and released Barcola to run through and score his 18th goal of the season.
Teenage forward Mohamed Kader Meite almost equalized for Rennes before the break, heading off the crossbar from Adrien Truffert’s cross.
Barcola then turned provider as PSG doubled their lead five minutes after half-time, squaring for Ramos — one of those brought into the starting line-up — to net his 13th this season in all competitions.
Center-back Brassier pulled one back for Rennes shortly after, heading in from close range after a corner had been flicked on.
However, Luis Enrique then sent on the cavalry, with Dembele, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi all coming off the bench for the latter stages.
PSG made sure of the points as Hakimi ran through on goal before unselfishly squaring for Dembele to make it 3-1 in the first minute of stoppage time at the end of the game.
Dembele then fired in his second and PSG’s fourth goal from the edge of the area in the 94th minute.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Lille were 1-0 winners at home to Montpellier in a game that fell in between the two legs of their Champions League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund.
Jonathan David scored the only goal of the game early in the second half, the Canadian netting his 14th of the campaign in Ligue 1.
Lille are fifth in the table, behind Monaco in fourth on goal difference.
They entertain Dortmund on Wednesday after drawing 1-1 in the first leg in Germany.

Topics: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Ligue 1 Ousmane Dembele Stade Rennais

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Barcelona game is postponed after a member of their medical staff dies

Updated 08 March 2025
AP
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Barcelona game is postponed after a member of their medical staff dies

  • Fans were informed of the decision minutes before the game was scheduled to kick off
Updated 08 March 2025
AP

BARCELONA: Barcelona’s home game against Osasuna has been postponed after the death of a member of Barcelona’s medical staff, the Spanish club said.
Fans were informed of the decision minutes before the game was scheduled to kick off Saturday night in Barcelona at Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.


Barcelona lead La Liga by one point over Atletico Madrid.
The Osasuna game will be rescheduled.
The match was canceled due to the death of the FC Barcelona’s team doctor Carlos Minarro Garcia.

Topics: Barcelona Osasuna La Liga

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‘Captain America’ to the rescue as Pulisic scores 2 goals in Milan’s 3-2 win at Lecce

Updated 08 March 2025
AP
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‘Captain America’ to the rescue as Pulisic scores 2 goals in Milan’s 3-2 win at Lecce

  • Pulisic first earned and converted a penalty to level the score at 2-2 after Lecce had been leading 2-0
  • The result saw Milan inch up to eighth in the Italian league
Updated 08 March 2025
AP

MILAN: Christian Pulisic was the hero for AC Milan on Saturday with his two goals helping the Rossoneri end a three-match losing streak in Serie A.
Pulisic first earned and converted a penalty to level the score at 2-2 after Lecce had been leading 2-0. The United States international — who is nicknamed “Captain America” — then scored the late winner in a 3-2 victory at Lecce.
The result saw Milan inch up to eighth in the Italian league. Lecce remained three points above the relegation zone.
City rival Inter Milan were playing bottom club Monza later Saturday and looking to move four points clear at the top of the table.
Milan were in deep crisis as they had also been knocked out of the Champions League by Feyenoord before their miserable run at home. They thought they had got off to the perfect start at Lecce as Santiago Giménez had the ball in the back of the net after just 47 seconds but it was ruled out for offside.
Instead it was Lecce that took the early lead, within seven minutes, with a stunning Nikola Krstovic curler from 20 yards.
It was Lecce’s first goal in 367 minutes, having failed to find the back of the net in their previous four matches.
Milan had more celebrations cut short in the 15th minute when Matteo Gabbia volleyed home Theo Hernández’s free kick but it was again ruled out for offside.
Both teams also hit the woodwork before Krstovic doubled his and Lecce’s tally in the 59th, sweeping a low cross into the bottom left corner.
However, Milan turned things round in the space of five minutes.
João Félix’s effort was probably going wide but went in off Lecce defender Antonino Gallo for an own-goal and then Pulisic leveled in the 73rd with a powerful spot kick down the middle after being tripped by Federico Baschirotto.
The turn-around was complete nine minutes from time. Rafael Leão floated in a free kick from the left for Pulisic to volley in at the back post.
Fight against relegation
A last-gasp penalty saw Venezia snatch a third successive draw, holding Cesc Fabregas’ Como 1-1.
Venezia remained 19th in the 20-team league, five points from safety.
Parma inched two points above the relegation zone after two Mateo Pellegrino goals saw them twice fight back to draw 2-2 against Torino.

Topics: Seria A AC Milan Christian Pulisic Lecce

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Forest beat Man City in a top four showdown

Updated 08 March 2025
AFP
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Forest beat Man City in a top four showdown

  • City have been reduced to battling for a place in next season’s Champions League after a dismal campaign
  • Even that usually routine target is far from assured for Guardiola’s men following their ninth league defeat this term
Updated 08 March 2025
AFP

NOTTINGHAM, United Kingdom: Nottingham Forest dealt a major blow to Manchester City’s bid to qualify for the Champions League as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late winner sealed a 1-0 victory in the top four shoot-out on Saturday.
City have been reduced to battling for a place in next season’s Champions League after a dismal campaign.
Even that usually routine target is far from assured for Guardiola’s men following their ninth league defeat this term.
With six titles in the past seven seasons, City have rarely had to worry about their place in the Premier League’s top four in the Pep Guardiola era.
Yet they left the City Ground looking anxiously over their shoulders after a first league loss to Forest since 1997.
Fifth-placed Chelsea, just one point adrift of City, will go above the champions if they beat lowly Leicester on Sunday.
Finishing fifth could still be enough for City to reach Europe’s elite club competition depend on the results of the English clubs who remain in continental competitions this term.
For City to achieve that modest goal, they will have to significantly improve on the latest limp display in a turbulent season.
Third-placed Forest are four points clear of City thanks to only their third win in their last eight league games.
Enjoying a fairytale season just a year after battling relegation, the former European champions are closing on a berth in the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.
After Forest’s former defender Stuart Pearce was rushed to hospital having been taken ill on a flight this week, his old club displayed a big screen message reading ‘Get Well Soon Stuart’, after three minutes of the Premier League game, recognizing Pearce’s old shirt number three.
Forest were able to draw on the ultra-aggressive Pearce’s trademark fire and brimstone in a stirring finale that followed a tepid first half.
Nico Gonzalez fired just wide from 25 yards as City tried in vain to seize the initiative in a nervous start from both teams.
The unseasonably sunny weather by the banks of the River Trent gave a soporific feel to what should have been a high-tempo clash with so much at stake.
City went close when Josko Gvardiol picked out Phil Foden, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Nicolas Dominguez, before Bernardo Silva wastefully fired over with Erling Haaland unmarked and waiting for a pass that never came.
Jeremy Doku’s strike forced Forest keeper Matz Sels into action for the first time.
But a woeful effort from Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White finished closer to the corner flag than the goal, an ugly misfire in keeping with the scrappy fare.
Anthony Elanga crossed to the far post where Dominguez’s volley finally forced Ederson to make a save soon after the interval.
Guardiola sent on Omar Marmoush, Kevin De Bruyne, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic in a bid to spark City into life.
The changes didn’t have the desired effect as Forest found late momentum.
Ederson made a fine save, turning Hudson-Odoi’s curler onto the post.
De Bruyne’s free-kick was saved by Sels, but Hudson-Odoi stole the points as the City Ground erupted in the 83rd minute.
Gibbs-White conjured an inch-perfect pass to Hudson-Odoi and the forward cut inside before drilling a superb strike past Ederson’s weak attempted save at the near post.

Topics: Man City Nottingham Forest English Premier League (EPL)

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Brighton boss Hurzeler targets ‘new peaks’ in Premier League

Updated 07 March 2025
AFP
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Brighton boss Hurzeler targets ‘new peaks’ in Premier League

  • Brighton’s extra-time FA Cup victory at Newcastle last weekend was a fifth straight win in all competitions
  • Hurzeler has enjoyed an impressive first campaign at the club, who host Fulham on Saturday
Updated 07 March 2025
AFP

LONDON: Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has urged his side to “climb new peaks” as they seek to move into the Premier League’s top six.
The soaring Seagulls have been on an impressive run since being hammered 7-0 at Nottingham Forest on Feb. 1.
Brighton’s extra-time FA Cup victory at Newcastle last weekend was a fifth straight win in all competitions for the south coast side.
Hurzeler — at 32 the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history — has enjoyed an impressive first campaign at the club, who host Fulham on Saturday.
Marco Silva’s Fulham are ninth in the table, one place below Brighton as the race for European places hots up.
Hurzeler, two years younger than Brighton forward Danny Welbeck, has challenged his team to aim high.
The club’s best-ever Premier League finish was sixth, in the 2022/23 season, earning qualification for the Europa League.
“It is very important we focus on our journey and that we really believe in it,” Hurzeler said on Friday.
“Yesterday, I received a picture from a mountain. In a mountain you always have new peaks, new peaks you have to climb. That is the goal for us, we have to climb new peaks.”
He added: “Fulham will be a big, big challenge. They have played an unbelievable season, they play very compact as a team and have individual quality.”
Hurzeler said Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma would be available, having been forced off with cramp at Newcastle.

Topics: Brighton & Hove Albion Fabian Hurzeler English Premier League (EPL)

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