Manchester United were given a troublesome tie against Club Bruges in the draw for the Champions League playoff round on Friday, although it could have been worse as they avoided Lazio, CSKA Moscow or Monaco.
Borussia Dortmund have started transfer talks with Bayern Munich over attacking midfielder Mario Goetze's possible return to Westfalenstadion, according to a media report. Goetze won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund before joining Bayern in 2013 but failed to secure a starting place in three seasons under coach Pep Guardiola, who has since joined Premier League side Manchester City. The 24-year-old has also been linked in British media with a move to former Dortmund boss Juergen Klopp at Liverpool.
The Champions League group stages took on a less predictable look after Thursday's draw, helped by UEFA's decision to tweak the seeding system.
Since winning 2-1 at home to Wolfsburg in September, United have scored only twice in three Champions League games. In the Premier League the record is five goals in the last six games.
Manchester United ended their one-year Champions League hiatus in emphatic style when Wayne Rooney struck a hat-trick in a 4-0 destruction of Club Bruges that sent the three-times winners through 7-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.
European champions Bayern Munich led the charge into the last 16 of the Champions League when they beat Viktoria Plzen 1-0 to chalk up a record-equalling ninth straight victory in the competition on Tuesday.
Juventus clinched a place in the Champions League knockout stages when a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo assist set up Mario Mandzukic to give them a 1-0 win over Valencia on Tuesday.
AS Roma and Manchester City clash for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku, the subject of criticism from the club's fans, should be "untouchable", his manager Jose Mourinho said.
Bayern Munich carved out a 1-0 win at CSKA Moscow on Tuesday thanks to Thomas Mueller's first-half penalty in the strangely muted atmosphere of a cold, damp and deserted Khimki Arena.
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has eased Real Madrid's injury concerns and could be fit to play in their Champions League match at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, coach Zinedine Zidane said.
Real Madrid failed in their attempt to sign France striker Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint Germain on the final day of the transfer window as Cristiano Ronaldo completed his move from Juventus to Manchester United.
Salzburg forced Lazio into a second-half capitulation as the Italians crashed out in the Europa League quarter-finals after losing 4-1 but Olympique de Marseille staged a thrilling fightback to see off visitors Leipzig 5-2 on Thursday. Arsenal also reached the semi-finals after recovering from a wobble to draw 2-2 at CSKA Moscow and progress 6-3 on aggregate, while favourites Atletico Madrid reached the last four after losing 1-0 at Sporting to go through 2-1 over the two legs.
The 38-year-old defender, who spent his entire club career at Russian clubs, was a key member of Russia's run to the last eight at their home tournament, having played in each of their five matches.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine was condemned by the sporting community on Thursday, with President Vladimir Putin's country losing hosting rights for the UEFA Champions League final while Formula One drivers said it was "wrong" to race there this year.
Russia will still stage the 2018 World Cup finals despite the continuing blight of racism in the country's soccer, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Sunday.
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved an early penalty and James Milner's shot was deflected into his own net by Havard Nordtveit for the English Premier League side's second goal in an end-to-end match.
The Russian Football Union (RFU) said on Tuesday it had ended its contract with national team coach Fabio Capello, three years before the country hosts the 2018 World Cup finals.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic maintained his perfect tournament record and advanced to his fifth China Open final with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Andy Murray on Saturday.
Sevilla coach Vincenzo Montella has suggested that the only way his side will be able to stop Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg will be to tie the Chilean up with a rope.
The world players' union has criticised European soccer's governing body UEFA for failing to enforce its own guidelines on racism following the abuse hurled at ManchesterCity's Yaya Toure in Moscow.
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic crowned a triumphant homecoming with a second-half goal as Paris St Germain crushed Malmo 5-0 on Wednesday to book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination inspector has said the World Cup is a chance for Russia to show how open it is.
Manchester United's 3-2 Champions League defeat at VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday was difficult to understand, said manager Louis van Gaal after they crashed out in the group stage for the first time since 2011.
Pep Guardiola will return to the Nou Camp in the Champions League group stage after his new club Manchester City were drawn against his former Barcelona team on Thursday. The two sides were drawn in Group C alongside Borussia Moenchengladbach and former European champions Celtic in one of the toughest of the eight sections. Spanish coach Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with Barca, faced the Catalans when he was in charge of Bayern Munich two seasons ago and suffered a 5-3 defeat in the semi-finals.
German champions Bayern Munich have completed the transfer of former World Cup winner Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid on a two-year deal as they seek to boost their midfield options following a string of injuries.
Bayern Munich and Barcelona registered easy wins, while Manchester United came from behind to beat CSKA Moscow 2-1 and Chelsea surrendered the top spot after a 1-1 at home against Atletico Madrid.
Edinson Cavani scored early for Paris St Germain but a series of wasted chances came back to haunt them as Ajax Amsterdam equalised late to deny the French a winning start on the road in a 1-1 draw in Champions League Group F on Wednesday.
Victory for the Netherlands in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier in Latvia would have been seen as practically guaranteed after a successful World Cup in Brazil but a faltering qualifying campaign has precipitated a confidence crisis.
Photos from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday
IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be back in the dugout after returning from suspension when City attempt to kick-start their Champions League campaign against a rampant, in-form AS Roma at the Etihad on Tuesday.
Manchester United are almost certain to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League after they beat Benfica 2-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to make it a perfect four wins in Group A.
Wayne Rooney, who has scored more goals than anyone in the Manchester derby, is back after suspension and fit for Sunday's meeting between the city's two biggest clubs at the Etihad Stadium.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
Manchester United's insistence on playing possession football under manager Louis van Gaal means they take far more passes for every shot than any other Premier League team, statistics released on Monday showed.
Manchester United found a home grown solution to their goalscoring problems in the shape of Jesse Lingard as the 22-year-old celebrated his first Premier League start by breaking an Old Trafford stalemate on Saturday.
The 24 sides through from the group phase join the eight third-placed finishers in the Champions League in Monday's draw, including Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam.
Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka scored his first goal for the club as they beat 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0, while Manchester United's 17-year-old Mason Greenwood secured a 1-0 win over FC Astana as the Europa League group stage began on Thursday.
Juan Mata hailed George Best "a genius forever" as an injury-hit Manchester United aim to mark the 10th anniversary of the Northern Irishman's death with a Champions League victory against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances