Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the goals to give a dominant Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, as the holders seized a clear advantage to take to Anfield for next week's return. Doue's shot in the 11th minute looped over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and in thanks to a big touch off Ryan Gravenberch, and Kvaratskhelia then rounded his compatriot to double PSG's lead 65 minutes into a game they bossed from start to finish. It only remains to be seen whether the reigning European champions -- who had a second-half penalty in their favour overturned after a VAR review -- might regret not scoring more goals against a Liverpool side who lined up with three centre-backs and were run ragged. "I think we had chances to score more. There were many moments where we should score but it is OK," Kvaratskhelia told broadcaster Canal Plus. "I think 2-0 is good but we have to stay focused because we have to play at Anfield. We know that the atmosphere will be amazing so we are already starting to prepare that game." Liverpool's game plan could not stop them slumping to a second emphatic loss in five days, even if the scoreline was not as bad as the 4-0 mauling inflicted by Manchester City in the FA Cup last weekend. It is just one win in six in all competitions for Liverpool, and this was a 16th reverse in total in a difficult campaign. "We were in survival mode for large parts of the game, and maybe also we are in survival mode at this period of the season," said coach Arne Slot. "It is really, really hard against this team -- PSG was the better team, but we didn't give up and that is why we still have a chance in this tie." Slot's team must try to repeat what they did in the last 16, when they overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss away to Galatasaray by winning 4-0 in the return. This will be a far tougher task, however, as the sides clash again next Tuesday on Merseyside, where PSG won 1-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie last season before advancing on penalties. That was a big step on their way to winning the Champions League, and came after they somehow lost 1-0 at the Parc des Princes despite completely dominating. A string of Alisson Becker saves helped Liverpool smash and grab their way to victory a year ago, but the Brazilian was absent here meaning Mamardashvili started in goal. Salah left on bench Mohamed Salah was also left out of the line-up by Slot, instead taking a place on the bench alongside Alexander Isak with the Swede involved again after suffering a leg fracture in December. Hugo Ekitike started up front for Liverpool against the club where he spent 18 months earlier in his career and failed to escape the shadows of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar. Joe Gomez slotted in alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk as a third central defender, as Liverpool set out to press high but spent the night chasing the ball. PSG were well in control before they scored, as Doue collected the ball just outside the box, advanced into the area and tried a shot which struck Gravenberch's boot and took a looping trajectory which left the goalkeeper flummoxed. Mamardashvili did later save from Kvaratskhelia and Doue meaning there was just one goal in a one-sided first half in which PSG had 70 percent possession and Liverpool's only attempt came from Jeremie Frimpong when he was offside. The pattern of the contest did not really change after the break, with Ousmane Dembele blazing over before the second goal arrived. A superb Joao Neves pass released Kvaratskhelia through the inside-left channel, and the Georgian held off Gravenberch before rounding the goalkeeper to tuck in. Liverpool were then rescued by the Spanish referee's decision to change his mind after initially awarding a penalty when Konate brought down Warren Zaire-Emery, while also taking the ball. Small mercies for Slot, who sent on Isak in a quadruple substitution on 78 minutes, but left Salah on the bench. Dembele hit the post late on for PSG, although they are firmly in control after a ninth win in a game against Premier League opposition since the start of 2025. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 April,2026 01:21 PM IST | Paris (France) | AFPJulian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth's goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona in a tense Champions League quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday. The La Liga leaders were on top in the all-Spanish tie at Camp Nou before Pau Cubarsi was sent off for bringing down Atletico's Giuliano Simeone, who was through on goal. Alvarez whipped home the resulting free-kick and Sorloth doubled their advantage with 20 minutes remaining to give Atletico a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals. Diego Simeone's side, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by rivals Real Madrid on both occasions. "We have things to improve and learn from... we're happy for the win but there's a long way to go," Atletico's Antoine Griezmann told Movistar. "We're very far from the semis, we're 90 or more minutes away... we're confident but keeping our feet on the ground." Barca, semi-finalists last season, need to make a huge comeback next Tuesday in Madrid if they are to stand a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2015. Atletico Madrid's Argentine forward Julian Alvarez (R) scores his team's first goal in spite of Barcelona's Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia during the UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg football match between FC Barcelona and Club Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona. Pic/AFP "It will be tough there but if anyone can do it, it's us," Barca defender Ronald Araujo told Movistar. Barca coach Hansi Flick was upset by the use of VAR to punish his side for Cubarsi's red card but not to analyse a potential handball incident against Atletico's Marc Pubill in the second half. The defender touched the ball with his hand after goalkeeper Juan Musso passed it to him, to take the goal kick himself, which Flick said should have been reviewed. "The VAR was very focussed today for Atletico, he's a German guy, so thanks Germany," complained the former German national team boss. "It's for me a clear red card, then it (can) change (things) totally." Diego Simeone said the decision that was made was "common sense". Atletico knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey in the semi-finals in March and this was the second of three meetings between the sides in the space of a fortnight. Barcelona started well with Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, their main threat down the left. On the right flank Atletico tried to suffocate teenage star Lamine Yamal with defensive numbers, allowing Rashford more room. The first chances fell to the England international, who scored against Atletico in La Liga on Saturday, but Musso denied him. At the other end, Alvarez, who has been linked with a switch to Barcelona in recent months, tested Joan Garcia. The busy Rashford, constantly escaping beyond Nahuel Molina, volleyed narrowly wide and then rolled a shot into the bottom corner but it was disallowed for offside in the build-up. Even though the 18-year-old Yamal was up against three Atletico defenders, he produced some superb skill to break free of their shackles, but Robin Le Normand blocked his shot. Veteran Atletico midfielder Koke was fortunate to stay on the pitch after fouls on Dani Olmo, Pedri and Yamal were only punished with a yellow card, to Barca supporters' fury. Pivotal red card Flick's side were controlling the game with Atletico talisman Griezmann quiet against his former team, but a moment of clumsiness from Cubarsi dramatically gave the visitors the upper hand before half-time. The 19-year-old centre-back, chasing Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal to reach a ball in behind Barca's defence from Alvarez, clattered the Atletico coach's son from behind. Although referee Istvan Kovacs only produced a yellow card for Cubarsi, he upgraded it to a red after a VAR review. Worse was to come for Barca, with former Manchester City striker Alvarez whipping the free-kick into the top corner. Barca battled well with 10 men, continuing to create chances for Rashford. Yamal sent the forward through on goal but after rounding Musso he could only hit the side netting, and he had a free-kick tipped over. It was against the run of play again that Atletico snatched their second. Griezmann and Matteo Ruggieri combined and the latter crossed for target man Sorloth, who outmuscled Gerard Martin and fired past the helpless Garcia. Barca tasted defeat at home for the first time since Camp Nou reopened in November 2025 -- and Atletico coach Simeone won at the stadium for the first time in his 14-year career at the helm of the Rojiblancos. It was Atletico's first win at Camp Nou since 2006 and a potential stepping stone towards the trophy they crave most. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 April,2026 01:20 PM IST | Barcelona | AFPPunjab-based football club Minerva Academy’s stellar display at the prestigious Mediterranean International Cup (MIC) in Spain, where they beat Liverpool 6-0 in the last 16 before losing 1-2 to Spain’s UE Figueres, has made European scouts sit up and take note. “Talent scouts from top division clubs in Spain and England have contacted us, asking for the CVs of our players along with additional video clips,” Minerva Academy’s founder-cum-coach Ranjit Bajaj told mid-day over the phone from Chandigarh on Wednesday. Ranjit Bajaj News about Indian football seldom makes for positive reading, but not this time. Thanks to Minerva Academy’s stellar display in the Mediterranean International Cup (MIC) in Spain, where their U-15 side did not just progress out of their group, but also thrashed Liverpool U-15 6-0 in the Round-of-16. Pertinently, Minerva Academy’s impressive run to the quarter-finals of this prestigious competition, where they ultimately succumbed to Spain’s UE Figueres 1-2, has made European scouts sit up and take note. “We have got a lot of interest from foreign scouts and that’s amazing. Top division clubs in Spain and England have contacted us, and they’ve asked us for the CVs of our players along with additional video clips,” Minerva Academy’s founder-cum-coach Ranjit Bajaj told mid-day over the phone from Chandigarh on Wednesday. Captains of Liverpool U-15 (left) and Minerva Academy before their Mediterranean Int’l Cup tie in Spain recently “The scouts are looking at five of our players, in particular. The clubs have said that if they perform at this level in next year’s MIC too, they’ll hand them a pre-contract, because 16 is the minimum age when players can get a deal,” added Bajaj, 47. Reflecting on the tournament, Bajaj said his aim was to demonstrate that Indian players can go head-to-head with the Europeans and come out on top. “We had one simple goal: To show that Indians belong at this level. As long as we get the right training and nutrition from an early age, we can not just compete with the Europeans, but also dominate them. Also, in every game, our opponents were about six-foot tall, whereas we had no boy taller than five-foot-eight inches. Yet, we physically dominated Liverpool,” said Bajaj, whose Minerva Academy boys also won the Gothia Cup (Sweden), Dana Cup (Denmark), and Norway Cup last year. Bajaj’s ultimate aim is to provide Team India top-notch players, who can help the country qualify for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. “These U-15 boys along with their juniors are preparing for the 2034 World Cup and the 2036 Olympics. If we can become a top eight team in Asia, we can qualify for these two tournaments. We’ve been getting results in international events for a few years. This [MIC] was no flash in the pan. This means our processes are right,” concluded Bajaj.
09 April,2026 10:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Ronan CarvalhoReal Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior wrote a loving note to appreciate his girlfriend Virginia Fonseca as she turned 27 on April 6. Vinicius, 25, Instagrammed a series of pictures with Fonseca, a Brazilian influencer and entrepreneur, to his 60 million followers. He captioned the post: “You deserve the best things in this world… Keep being that unique person: a wonderful mother, a top-notch businessman, and a woman who makes no effort to make everyone around her happy.” Vinicius and Fonseca have been dating since October 2025. She is mother to two daughters and a son from Brazilian musician Ze Filipe.
09 April,2026 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentKai Havertz snatched a last-gasp winner as Arsenal bounced back from their domestic distress to steal a 1-0 victory at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. Mikel Arteta's side arrived at the Jose Alvalade Stadium rocked by successive defeats against Manchester City in the League Cup final and Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Once again, the Gunners were below their best but they emerged with the win thanks to David Raya's fine saves and Havertz's clinical finish in stoppage-time. Arsenal will be firm favourites to advance to the semi-finals in the second leg in north London on April 15, but they will have to improve significantly to win the tournament for the first time. Those agonising losses to City and second-tier Southampton marked the first time that Arsenal had been beaten in successive matches this term, with the embarrassing FA Cup defeat just the Gunners' fifth of the season. The after-shocks were still being felt as Arsenal struggled to find any momentum in Lisbon, but not for the first time this season they found a way to win ugly. "We had to be a little bit crisper, faster, more efficient to break them down when they had that block," Arteta said. "We had a goal disallowed and there were two or three occasions where we were close but we lacked that final pass. In the end a magic moment from the finishers win us the game. "It's beautiful and that's the impact you need when you get to this stage of the season. Everybody has to make an impact and they certainly did that tonight." Praising the outstanding Raya, Arteta added: "He had two moments where he made two big saves. "At the moment he's phenomenal and extraordinary since he joined us. We are very lucky to have him." Aiming to finally banish accusations that they are English football's nearly men by winning their first major trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, Arsenal have faced pointed questions about their perceived lack of mental strength. Grinding out the win in Lisbon was a suitable riposte to the critics. Insisting his players were "hungrier than ever", Arteta had urged Arsenal to use the "pain" of their recent defeats as motivation and they rose to the challenge. Sitting nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City, the Premier League leaders are also on course for their first title in 22 years. Playing in the last eight for the first time since 1983, Sporting's 17-game winning run at home made them dangerous opponents for Arsenal. Super subs Injury-hit Arsenal were still without Jurrien Timber, Piero Hincapie, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka, although Declan Rice returned after missing the Southampton game and England's recent friendlies. Raya was also back in goal for Arsenal after missing the previous two games and the Spaniard quickly made his presence felt. Ousmane Diomande's deft pass split the Arsenal defence, sending Maxi Araujo clear for a fierce strike that Raya tipped onto the crossbar at full-stretch. Raya was forced into action again to smother Geny Catamo's low drive from an acute angle inside the penalty area. Unable to establish any attacking rhythm in a cagey half, it took Arsenal 42 minutes to muster a shot on target. Even then Martin Odegaard's blast from the edge of the area was straight at Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva. Arteta's frustration was palpable, but Arsenal did improve after the break. Leandro Trossard dragged his shot wide from 18 yards before Odegaard almost caught out Silva with a free-kick immediately after half-time. Sporting went close to snatching a late goal when Luis Suarez's cross reached Catamo for a flicked header that Raya pushed away. But Arsenal grabbed the winner in stoppage-time via Arteta's substitutes. Gabriel Martinelli played a superb pass over the Sporting defence and Havertz beat the offside trap to slot past Silva from 10 yards as Arteta punched the air in delight. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 April,2026 01:28 PM IST | Lisbon | AFPLuis Diaz and Harry Kane scored the goals that gave dominant Bayern Munich a crucial 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg win away to Real Madrid on Tuesday. Kylian Mbappe's strike 16 minutes from time gave record 15-time winners Real a lifeline at their Bernabeu home in a gripping battle. Vincent Kompany's side, arguably the strongest team in Europe this season, produced a masterclass in the first half and could have been several goals ahead. Instead they had only one from Diaz, which Kane added to after the interval, but French superstar Mbappe's goal kept Alvaro Arbeloa's side in the tie. "It's a shame it wasn't 2-0 at the end to be completely honest," said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who made several good saves in the second half as Madrid ramped up the pressure. "You know how dangerous Real Madrid are, we saw that again today. They had plenty of chances and could've scored more. "First up we're happy about the victory here away from home, but it'll be a tough challenge back in Munich." Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger said that Mbappe's goal had kept the tie open. "For me, the two goals we conceded were gifts, and in the second half we needed more," Rudiger told Movistar. "I think we're alive, everything is open with that goal from Mbappe. I think we had many chances to score goals, but in the end this is how it is." The round's glamour fixture was a European classic -- a record 29th time these heavyweights have faced each other in the competition. Bayern flew out of the blocks and Konrad Laimer's rasping effort narrowly over the bar showed that Kompany's side had come to the Spanish capital to attack. After nine consecutive matches against Madrid without a win, Bayern were determined to put an end to that streak and show why many consider them favourites to lift the trophy this season. Bayern should have taken the lead through defender Dayot Upamecano, who fluffed his lines from point-blank range, after Kane cushioned the ball into his path, allowing Alvaro Carreras to hack the ball off the line. Madrid were largely pinned back as Bayern dominated the ball, but the hosts sought to send through rapid strikers Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on the counter, with Neuer saving from both. Madrid's defensive work was nearly undone by a moment of madness from 18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch, starting in place of Jude Bellingham, whose poor back pass under pressure was straight to Serge Gnabry in front of goal, but goalkeeper Andriy Lunin deflected the German's shot behind. Slick Bayern Bayern toyed at times with Real, who ceded possession far too often, and their opening goal was a slick combination play which caught the hosts on their heels. Gnabry exchanged a one-two with Kane and pushed the ball in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold for the Madrid defender's former Liverpool team-mate Diaz to reach and stroke home past Lunin in the 41st minute. Kane, who was a doubt to start because of an ankle problem, did not seem fully fit but made an even bigger impact less than a minute into the second half. Olise cut the ball back to him on the edge of the box and Kane fizzed a curling effort into the bottom corner to double Bayern's lead. It was his 11th Champions League strike this season, trailing only Mbappe on 14, and his 49th goal across all competitions. Vinicius had a fine chance to pull one back for Real when Upamecano badly underhit a header back to Neuer, but the Brazilian sliced his shot into the side-netting. Neuer made a brilliant save to thwart Mbappe once more and left with the man of the match trophy. With Bellingham on as a substitute, Madrid stepped up a level and eventually found the net with Alexander-Arnold guiding a low cross to the far post where Mbappe beat Neuer, smashing home off the crossbar after 74 minutes. Bayern angrily roared back with Kane volleying wide as they tried to restore their advantage, but instead they take a slender lead back to Bavaria for next Wednesday's second leg. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 April,2026 01:26 PM IST | Madrid | AFPParis Saint-Germain star Vitinha insisted his side remain wary of the threat posed by Champions League quarter-final opponents Liverpool despite the Anfield club coming into the heavyweight tie on the back of a 0-4 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final. “Liverpool are Liverpool, even if they are not in ideal form. They are still a great team,” Vitinha told reporters on Tuesday, the eve of the first leg between the sides at the Parc des Princes. “It will be a great match here, and tomorrow we will need to be at 100 percent. It will be a very difficult game,” he added. The tie is a repeat of the Champions League last-16 encounter between the clubs a year ago, when Liverpool won 1-0 in Paris only for Luis Enrique’s side to claim victory by the same score at Anfield and then go through on penalties. They went on to become European champions for the first time in their history, while Liverpool won the Premier League. However, Arne Slot’s side have struggled to rediscover their best form this season, and come into Wednesday’s showdown having won just one of their last five matches in all competitions. About last year’s meeting between the two sides, Vitinha said: “It was an incredible tie. There was a bit of frustration in the first match. I don’t remember Liverpool having a chance apart from the goal they scored. We played well and yet we lost. I remember saying that by playing like that we could go to Liverpool and win. Fortunately we did that, but that was last year. This is a different year, and a different game,” the Portuguese star added. SixPSG’s current unbeaten streak in the UCL against English opponents OneNo. of times a defending champ has made it to the semis in the last five UCL editions This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 April,2026 09:58 AM IST | Paris | AFPBarcelona manager Hansi Flick backed Marcus Rashford to have an impact when they face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League clash on Wednesday. “With the ball, everyone knows he [Rashford] is fantastic. [Dribbling] one on one he’s doing really good. He’s adapted a lot,” said Flick who will rely on him in the absence of the injured Raphinha. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 April,2026 09:55 AM IST | Barcelona | AgenciesManchester United centre-back Harry Maguire has signed a one-year contract extension with the club, with an option of a further 12 months. The English star was due to be out of contract at the end of the season."Harry represents the mentality and resilience required to perform for Manchester United. He is the ultimate professional who brings invaluable experience and leadership to our young, ambitious squad," director of football Jason Wilcox said.Maguire joined United in 2019 for a then-world record fee for a defender at 97 million dollars. He has made 266 appearances for the club, winning the FA Cup and League Cup in the process.Speaking after his recent contract extension, Maguire expressed his delight and hoped to repay the fans for their constant support throughout his career. The former United skipper had earlier mentioned his dream to retire at Manchester United."Representing Manchester United is the ultimate honour. It is a responsibility that makes me and my family proud every single day. I am delighted to extend my journey at this incredible club to at least eight seasons and continue to play in front of our special supporters to create more amazing moments together." Maguire said. Manchester United are the favourites to qualify for the Champions League Manchester United are the favourites to finish third in the league table behind Manchester City and Arsenal. The 'Red Devils' have recovered from a poor start to the season and have been one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League. As many as the top five teams could qualify for the Champions League next season from the Premier League.United started the season with a string of poor performances, which only worsened in November and December. Eventually, Ruben Amorim was sacked, and Michael Carrick was given the manager's job.Carrick impressed in his early matches, beating City at home and Arsenal away. Under Carrick, United are one of the best teams in the league and have only lost once, away to Newcastle United.United are currently third in the table and with favourable fixtures coming up, will be the favourites to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League. (With AP Input)
07 April,2026 07:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe All India Football Federation (AIFF) condoled the death of former India forward Gilbertson Sangma, who passed away in Guwahati on April 3, 2026. Sangma passed away aged 70. A forward of repute from Assam, Gilbertson Sangma represented India at the international level in 1975, according to the AIFF release. He made his senior national team debut against Indonesia on April 17, 1975, in the Marah Halim Cup in Jakarta. Sangma went on to earn three caps for India, all of which came during the same tournament. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Indian Football (@indianfootball) At the domestic level, Sangma was a consistent performer for Assam in the Santosh Trophy from 1972 to 1980, scoring four goals in the competition during his appearances for the state side. At the club level, he represented Assam Police from 1972 to 1982 and was part of the team that won the Bordoloi Trophy in 1981. Sangma scored the decisive goal in the final against Dempo, sealing the title for his side. The All India Football Federation joins the Indian football fraternity in mourning the loss of Gilbertson Sangma and honours his contributions to the sport. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 April,2026 11:35 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIReal Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Kylian Mbappe joined the club to star in key matches like Tuesday's Champions League clash against German giants Bayern Munich. Arbeloa said Mbappe was a vital part of the team, although questions remain over whether record 15-time winners Madrid can strike the right balance with all their biggest names on the pitch at the same time. French superstar Mbappe, the club's top goalscorer, did not start either game in the last 16 tie against Manchester City which Madrid won impressively, because of a long struggle with a knee sprain. Fit once more, Arbeloa indicated Mbappe was likely to feature along with Vinicius Junior in attack at the Santiago Bernabeu against Bayern in the quarter-final first leg. "I'm delighted to have that kind of problem, to have outstanding players at my disposal and to have a player like Kylian Mbappe, who came to Real Madrid for matches like tomorrow's and for knockout ties like this one," Arbeloa told reporters Monday. Alvaro Arbeloa. Pic/AFP "I'm sure we're going to see Kylian at his best, leading the team the way he's always known how to do, and I have a great deal of confidence in all the players." England international Jude Bellingham is also finding his way back to fitness after injury and Arbeloa said he would keep betting on the squad's stars when they are available. Against City young midfielder Thiago Pitarch and attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz played important roles, but they may get less time on the pitch in the Bayern tie. "It's clear Mbappe has different characteristics and conditions to those Brahim has, so we have to play in a different way, but I'm delighted to have this problem," said Arbeloa. "Just as you mention Bellingham and other great players I have available, for me it's a blessing to be able to count on everyone..." he continued. "Having a player like Mbappe in the team is an extraordinary stroke of luck. I don't know if there's a coach in the world who wouldn't want to have him. "I put myself in the shoes of the defenders who play against Real Madrid and have to face Mbappe, Vinicius, Valverde, Bellingham... I think they're some of the best players on the planet." 'Incredible' connection Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior said he worked well together with Mbappe, despite some believing the fit is not right for Madrid. "People talk a lot... 'Kyli' is here to help us, he's always given us confidence, he scores the goals for us, we have to be connected tomorrow, above all with the fans and all the players," he told reporters. "It's a difficult game where the best players make the difference, and Kyli is one of those. I have an incredible connection with him, not just on the pitch but off it too." Vinicius pledged Madrid will be at their best against Bayern Munich after a poor showing in La Liga on Saturday, when they lost 2-1 against Mallorca, leaving them seven points adrift of leaders Barcelona. "There are days where we are more connected or less connected, and that happened against Mallorca," explained the forward. "We had come from the international break and today, as the coach said, if we're not at 200 percent, we're not going to win games. "I hope we are tomorrow, because it's an important day for us." The winger, who has become a leading figure in the fight against racism, also spoke about the Islamophobic chanting at Spain's friendly against Egypt last week, which Barcelona's teenage star Lamine Yamal criticised. "It's important that Lamine speaks and that can help people," said Vinicius, who claimed he was racially abused by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni in a Champions League match in February, which the Argentine denies. "I'm not saying Spain, Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, especially in Brazil too, in a lot of countries there are racists. "But if we continue this fight together, I think that in the future new players don't have to suffer these things and above all, people in general too." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 April,2026 09:42 AM IST | Madrid | AFPADVERTISEMENT
