Defensive errors were again a common occurrence in the Arsenal backline, but Fiorentina failed to take advantage.
The all-German Champions League final on Saturday pits traditional powerhouses Bayern Munich against modernists Borussia Dortmund at London's Wembley Stadium with more at stake than Europe's premier club trophy.
German fans have finally got their wish for a more exciting Bundesliga season and the title race will really hot up when leaders Bayern Munich lock horns with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Bayern's shock 2-1 defeat by Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena in midweek means a home victory for second-placed Dortmund at the weekend would lift them within two points of the Bavarians with nine matches to go. Such is the worldwide interest in the top of the table clash, it will be broadcast to 208 countries. "Everyone wanted more suspense in the Bundesliga. Now you have it so all is well," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola told reporters. "We are not perfect. Sometimes you have to lose to understand what you need to do in order to become an even better team." Bayern, who are chasing a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga crown, had an 11-point lead earlier in the season. The defeat by Mainz and a 2-2 draw at Juventus in their Champions League last-16 first leg, after leading 2-0, have raised alarm bells among the supporters. "The results against Juve and Mainz were not good but our performances were," said Guardiola who is leaving at the end of the season to join Manchester City.
Images from the Euro 2024 Group F matches between Georgia and Portugal; Czechia and Turkey in Germany on Wednesday.
Manchester United were mistakenly drawn with Villarreal, even though both teams faced each other in the group stage while the Premier League side's ball was not added to the bowl as a potential opponent for Atletico Madrid.
anchester United are the world's most valuable soccer club for a second consecutive year, according to the annual list published by Forbes on Tuesday.
Coach Pep Guardiola, who will take charge of Bayern Munich next season, was convinced by the overall image of the German club and not lured by cash, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Thursday.
AC Milan's players remained confident of reaching the last four of the Champions League despite drawing 2-2 in the home leg of their quarter-final with Bayern Munich.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to send Real Madrid through to the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-2 extra-time win and 6-3 aggregate success against 10-man Bayern Munich in controversial circumstances on Tuesday.
Barcelona were pitted against Italian champions Juventus in the Champions League quarter-final draw made on Friday to set up a repeat of the 2015 final which the Spanish side won 3-1.
Coach Pep Guardiola was left thrilled after ManchesterCity revived their Champions League bid by beating his old club Barcelona 3-1 in a gloriously open Group C encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
'I never thought I would have such a great career and I hope there are still some more things to be added to those'
Two late goals in two minutes from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez gave European champions Barcelona a dramatic 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of next season, says he is happy at the club amid transfer talks
The first legs of the ties will take place on February 16, with the return match a week later on February 23.
Arjen Robben's Champions League final was a microcosm of his career as the Bayern Munich winger perplexed opponents, left team mates waiting in vain for passes, infuriated fans and produced two match-winning moments.
AS Roma's Daniele De Rossi celebrated his 500th appearance for the club with a goal in their 3-1 win over Empoli at the Olympic Stadium as they moved up to second place in Serie A on Saturday.
Chelsea reached the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 aggregate win against Galatasaray on Tuesday, with Real Madrid joining them in the last eight after thrashing Schalke 04 9-2 over two legs of their last-16 tie.
Chelsea stunned Bayern Munich to win the Champions League for the first time after a penalty shootout in the Allianz Arena after a tension-soaked final had ended 1-1 after extra time on Saturday.
A look at how the Chelsea and Bayern Munich teams compare tactically and where the game might be won or lost ahead of the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola took his season title tally to four when his team clinched the German Cup on Saturday with a win over Borussia Dortmund to silence critics and complete a domestic double in the Spaniard's first season in charge.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is counting on Frenchman Franck Ribery's anger to power them past Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final second leg on Tuesday despite the winger's recent slump in form.
Bayern Munich booked their fifth successive Champions League semi-final spot with a 2-2 draw at Benfica on Wednesday to seal a 3-2 aggregate victory that kept the Germans on course for a treble of titles.
Basel pulled off another huge Champions League upset with a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich, while a stoppage-time goal from Andre Ayew gave Olympique Marseille a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday
Arsenal and Manchester City face monumental tasks when they visit European powerhouses Bayern Munich and Barcelona looking to overturn 2-0 deficits in the second legs of their Champions League last-16 ties.
Lionel Messi scored twice in the second half to help Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League round of 16, first leg match at the Emirates Stadium in London on Tuesday.
Atalanta's Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens scored quickfire second-half goals to give them a comfortable 2-0 win over a toothless Liverpool
Eden Hazard finally scored his first goal for Real Madrid as his side beat second-placed Granada 4-2 in a highly entertaining game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola has cast a doubt on Manchester United's new midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger by saying his former player was never fully fit during the last three seasons.
When Bayern Munich take on Borussia Dortmund in the first all-German Champions League final on Saturday, it will not only be a clash of footballing cultures but also a showdown of two different coaching styles.
For the first time since 1998, the Champions League final will feature two teams who entered the competition as domestic champions, a throwback to the day's of the old European Cup when only a country's title winners were allowed to enter.
Real hold a 2-1 lead after the first leg in Germany last week, however the Frenchman insists the job is nowhere near complete.
City completed the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles, matching Manchester United's feat in 1999 and drawing comparisons with Guardiola's 2008-09 Barcelona team.
Manchester City clinched the Champions League title to seal their treble in a sensational season.
Juergen Klinsmann said on Sunday he had spent a restless night after he and his Bayern Munich team were booed off following a 3-3 draw at home to Bochum. Bayern squandered a two-goal lead in the second half and now sit down in 11th place in the table, seven points behind the leaders.
Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Werder Bremen on Saturday to put them within five points of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich while Borussia Moenchengladbach continued their sensational winning run with a 4-1 demolition of Hertha Berlin.
The last thing Real Madrid wanted was another Champions League semi-final clash against Bayern Munich and on Wednesday they will need to get the better of a familiar foe who very much appears to have their number.
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