Foxes keep their Champions League dreams alive by restricting Atlético Madrid to narrow lead after official awards home side controversial penaltyBruges, Copenhagen, Porto, Seville and now Madrid. Leicester City’s European adventure has already exceeded all expectations but it will need something special under the floodlights at the King Power Stadium next Tuesday if Craig Shakespeare and his players are to extend their journey in the Champions League once more.The damage Atlético Madrid inflicted in the first leg is far from irretrievable as far as Leicester are concerned, yet in many ways they could not be playing catch-up against a worse team given the Spanish club’s fondness for letting opponents come on to them before breaking with alacrity. Related: Antoine Griezmann...
The Frenchman improved on his recent penalty record to keep his team’s hopes of Champions League redemption on track against the English championsAt first it was just a few but very soon everyone joined in, good news travelling fast around the Vicente Calderón, all the way from the Allianz Arena in Munich. The scoreboard was almost as swift: Bayern Munich 1-0 Real Madrid flashed up and this stadium, in its 50th and final year, erupted. The noise, loud from the start, rose a level. Then, moments later, it somehow rose again when Antoine Griezmann put Atlético ahead. They were enjoying this: it had been quite a minute.Their city rivals were trailing 1,500km away while they themselves led. Twice in three...
Barça’s fate was in their own hands, which as it turned out was the worst place it could be against Málaga, despite the draw by La Liga title rivalsBarcelona’s fate was in their own hands, which as it turned out was the worst place it could possibly be. Saturday’s story was the story of the season in Spain: everything changed to stay the same, the table remaining unmoved. Another dead ball, another defender leaping to score, another victory coming for Real Madrid, this time in the city derby – the game the front pages had declared “half the league” only that was not the half of it. Pepe’s header would have been an appropriate way to win their first title...
A 3-1 scoreline was flattering to the losers and a run of four games without a win in all competitions encapsulates a season threatening to end prematurelyThey were enjoying this down by the river, singing along in the spring sunshine. Diego Simeone led them through the chorus of Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You dedicated to Fernando Torres, “The Kid” who is 33 on Monday and who had come on this time unlike the last, finally returning from that head injury, and they swiftly followed by chanting at Cholo too. Related: Lionel Messi scores twice as Barcelona survive early Valencia shock Luis Enrique amused to see journalist fast asleep during his press conference https://t.co/uMo3cI5L6f "I know I can go...
Real Madrid ought to have too much for Napoli, but there are tough challenges ahead for Arsenal, Leicester and Paris Saint-Germain Related: Champions League final: Ronaldo ‘had feeling’ he would score winner Related: Arsenal better set for deep run in Champions League, says Arsène Wenger Related: Juventus 1-3 Barcelona | Champions League final match report Continue reading...