As the Premier League action heats up this weekend, all eyes are on the Europa League and Champions League draw. In the Europa League, Manchester United will face Real Sociedad and Tottenham will take on AZ Alkmaar, while Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce will go up against Rangers. Meanwhile, in the Champions League, Liverpool could potentially face Aston Villa in the quarter-finals, who will first have to get past Club Brugge. Arsenal also has an exciting match-up against PSV Eindhoven in the last 16, with the possibility of facing Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarters. Stay updated on all the action with #bbcfootball or through WhatsApp or text for UK viewers.
Real Madrid in the Draw for the UEFA Europa League and Champions League
With the Premier League on hold this weekend, attention turns to the UEFA Europa League and Champions League draws. Real Madrid, one of the most successful clubs in both competitions, will be in the mix for both.
Europa League
In the Europa League, Real Madrid will take on Real Sociedad in the Round of 16. The first leg will be played at the Bernabeu Stadium on March 12, with the second leg to be played at the Anoeta Stadium on March 19.
Manchester United, another English club, will also be in action in the Europa League. They will face AZ Alkmaar in the Round of 16, with the first leg to be played at Old Trafford on March 12, and the second leg to be played at the AFAS Stadion on March 19.
Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce will also be in the Round of 16 of the Europa League, where they will face Rangers. The first leg will be played at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on March 12, with the second leg to be played at Ibrox Stadium on March 19.
Champions League
In the Champions League, Liverpool could face Manchester City in the quarter-finals. However, City will first have to get past Sporting CP in the Round of 16. Arsenal will also be in action in the Champions League, where they will face PSV Eindhoven in the Round of 16. The first leg will be played at the Emirates Stadium on March 11, with the second leg to be played at the Philips Stadion on March 17.
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In a thrilling match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Mumbai Indians came out on top with a four-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. RCB captain Smriti Mandhana and opener Danne Wyatt-Hodge fell early, but Ellyse Perry's impressive knock of 81 runs helped RCB post a challenging score of 167/7. However, Mumbai's Amanjot Kaur's unbeaten 34 runs and a crucial partnership with captain Harmnapreet Kaur led the team to victory in the final over, with 16-year-old G Kamilini hitting the winning four. The win keeps Mumbai Indians at the top of the league table while RCB faces another loss in their home game.
Led by the explosive batting of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Mumbai Indians secure a commanding five-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League. Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 57 off 39 balls, along with contributions from Amelia Kerr and Sajeevan Sajana, helped chase down the target of 121 with ease. Earlier, MI's bowlers, led by Hayley Matthews, put on a clinical display to restrict GG to just 120 runs. This win puts MI on the board in the 2025 WPL and showcases their strong all-round performance.
French superstar Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a dominant 3-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League, securing a spot in the last 16 for the 15-time record winners. With this win, Mbappe not only fulfilled his dream of playing for Real Madrid but also cemented his place as one of the world's best strikers with a total of 28 goals this season. On the other hand, the defeat marks a disappointing early exit for Pep Guardiola's side, who have struggled to find their form this campaign.
The search for a new head coach at Rangers is heating up, as the San Francisco 49ers look to take over the club. One name that has emerged as a potential candidate is former Borussia Dortmund coach, Marco Rose. With a proven track record at Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, where he led his teams to league titles and impressive performances in Europe, Rose could be a perfect fit for the high-octane style and focus on youth that Rangers are looking for in a successor to Philippe Clement.
After a turbulent first half of the season, Barcelona has managed to reclaim their spot at the top of La Liga standings. Their recent victory over Rayo Vallecano, coupled with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid's recent struggles, has allowed Barcelona to climb back to first place. With their coach's strategic changes and a well-deserved winter break, Barcelona is determined to maintain their lead and secure the title.
Dortmund will be hoping to turn their fortunes around when they face Union Berlin at home this Saturday. After a disappointing 2-0 loss to VfL Bochum in their last league match, Dortmund sits in 11th place in the Bundesliga standings. However, under new coach Niko Kovac, they have shown some signs of improvement, with a recent 0-0 draw against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League. But with only two wins in their last seven Bundesliga games, Dortmund will need to step up their game if they want to secure a favorable result against Union Berlin.
In a heartbreaking end to their Champions League campaign, Celtic fell just short of reaching the last 16 after a valiant effort against Bayern Munich. Despite a heroic display from the Scottish side, former Premier League striker Alan Shearer believes their lack of a clinical striker ultimately cost them a spot in the next round. With chances aplenty, it was a cruel ending for Celtic who showed great promise against the German giants.
After a solid start with opener Tony de Zorzi, South Africa lost their footing against a formidable Afghanistan team led by Hashmatullah Shahidi. With a recent winning streak of eight out of ten ODIs, Afghanistan enter this match as the favorites, while South Africa looks to bounce back after a string of six consecutive ODI losses. Both teams boast strong squads including key players like Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram from South Africa and Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rashid Khan from Afghanistan. With a close match predicted, it's a must-watch for cricket fans.