football

Carlo Ancelotti says Xabi Alonso has “all the doors open” for a move to a big club, with speculation building that the former Real Madrid midfielder is set to replace the Italian coach at the helm of the Spanish powerhouse.

Ancelotti gave his routine pre-game news conference on Saturday, a day after Alonso announced he was leaving Bayer Leverkusen.

He praised the work of Alonso, who has been widely linked to an eventual move back to Madrid after leading the German club to the Bundesliga title last season.

“I read that Xabi is leaving Bayer Leverkusen, where he did a fantastic job,” Ancelotti said before Sunday’s trip to Barcelona. “He has all the doors open because he has shown that he is one of the best coaches in the world.”

Ancelotti again refused to speak about his future, especially before a decisive Clasico in LaLiga. Madrid trail Barcelona by four points and need to win to keep alive their chances of winning a trophy this campaign.

But he did speak movingly about what Madrid means — and will mean — for the most successful manager in European football.

For Ancelotti, his relationship with the club he has spent six seasons at in two stints is an everlasting “honeymoon”.

“The honeymoon with this club never ends, it continues forever,” he said. “I think that Real Madrid, like Milan before, are the teams that stay with me, given the time I have spent here. At the beginning, there is passion, and when that fades, other feelings emerge, a sense of tender care. My honeymoon with Real Madrid will last for as long as I live.”

The 65-year-old coach is under contract through the next campaign but is widely expected to leave after an underwhelming season in which the team played worse despite adding Kylian Mbappe to its squad.

Brazil have been courting Ancelotti for over a year, and it appears talks are still ongoing with the veteran manager.

Real Madrid must play ‘complete’ game at Barcelona

With only four games remaining of the LaLiga season, only a win will realistically keep Real’s hopes of retaining the title, and for Ancelotti, they will need to get everything right to have a chance on Sunday.

“In this type of game, you have to do things well. Barcelona are used to keeping the opponent in their own area, but no team is perfect,” he said.

“It’s a game where there’s a lot at stake, and to win, you have to manage everything well, defend well, attack well. We have to play a complete game.”

With so much at stake against their great rivals, Ancelotti will have little trouble getting his players fired up.

“It’s not difficult to motivate the players because it’s the type of match for which the players already come out motivated and with a lot of confidence,” he said.

“Playing with Barcelona is special. It will be the last ‘El Clasico’ of the season because Barca are not in the Club World Cup.”

Who’s scoring in #ELCLÁSICO? 🤍 pic.twitter.com/Tgx1X8cVuA

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) May 8, 2025

Barcelona focused despite Champions League woe

Barcelona’s players have discussed last week’s Champions League elimination and are ready to put their disappointment behind them against rivals Real Madrid, manager Hansi Flick said in his news conference on Saturday.

Barca suffered a 4-3 Champions League semifinal defeat by Inter Milan on Tuesday.

A home win on Sunday would move Flick’s side one victory away from their 28th Spanish league title.

“We’re doing well. After the defeat in Milan, everyone knows it’s not easy … but we’re doing things right. We’ve talked about what we want to do in these two weeks,” Flick told reporters.

“There are four more games to go. El Clasico is important, we have to show how well we can play. We have to show confidence. The players are doing very well … We’ve been talking about what they are thinking, what they are feeling.

“We had to talk about it as a group. Everyone knows that in a Clasico, you have to give 100 percent. You have to be active, intense, dominant. Real Madrid is a very good team, and we need the fans.”

El Clasico – the low down

Translated as “The Classic” in English, El Clasico is the name given to any football match between rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The special matchup between these football sides was born out of a more-than-a-century-old political-historical dimension between an increasingly distinct Catalan national identity, with FC Barcelona representing Catalonia, pitched against the centralised power structures of Spain’s capital city, Madrid, and by extension, its most famous football club, Real Madrid.

The first match between the two Spanish mega clubs was played on May 13, 1902.

In total, 260 matches have been played. Real Madrid lead in head-to-head results with 105 wins to Barcelona’s 103, with 52 draws.

Last five LaLiga matches

Barcelona: W-W-W-W-D (most recent fixture first)

May 3, 2025 – Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona
April 22, 2025 – Barcelona 1-0 Mallorca
April 19, 2025 – Barcelona 4-3 Celta Vigo
April 12, 2025 – Leganes 0-1 Barcelona
April 5, 2025 – Barcelona 1-1 Real Betis

Real Madrid: W-W-W-W-L (most recent fixture first)

May 04, 2025 – Real Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo
April 23, 2025 – Getafe 0-1 Real Madrid
April 20, 2025 – Real Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club
April 13, 2025 – Alaves 0-1 Real Madrid
April 5, 2025 – Real Madrid 1-2 Valencia

Who: Liverpool vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
Where: Anfield, Liverpool, United Kingdom
When: Sunday at 4:30pm local time (15:30 GMT)

Follow Al Jazeera Sport‘s live text and photo commentary stream.

Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions in front of their fans two weeks ago when Arne Slot’s side thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-1.

Now they face an Arsenal side wounded by not only their third consecutive second-place finish in the English top-flight but also their elimination from the Champions League on Tuesday.

Manager Mikel Arteta has come out fighting with regards to what the Gunners need to do to take the next step in their hunt for silverware – and that starts with their visit to face the Reds.

What has Arteta said ahead of the game?

Arteta has urged Arsenal to use the frustration of having to give champions Liverpool a guard of honour on Sunday as fuel to win the Premier League title next season after admitting they have gone “backwards” this term.

“Something has to drive you, motivate you, and pain for this is a good one to use when you really want to do something. It’s the right thing to do, usually as a motivation for next season,” Arteta said of Arsenal’s guard of honour for the champions.

“They’ve been the best team, they’ve been the most consistent, and what Slot and the coaching staff have done has been fascinating, it’s been really good.

“They fully deserve it, and that’s the sport. If somebody is better, you have to accept it and try to reach that level.”

What happened to Arsenal’s Champions League hopes?

The Gunners were beaten 2-1 by Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday to end their bid to win the tournament for the first time.

It was a painful loss for Arsenal, who created a host of chances in the early stages of the second leg but could not find a way past inspired PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

When did Arsenal last win the Premier League?

After finishing as runners-up to Manchester City for the previous two seasons, the north Londoners remain without a title since 2004.

What is Liverpool’s take on the game?

Liverpool are in cruise control in the Premier League with a 15-point gap to Arsenal in second.

The Gunners themselves are only six points from slipping out of the Champions League qualification positions.

Mathematically, the Gunners could finish as low as seventh, which would also mean they finish outside the Europa League qualification spots.

“Both teams look forward to playing this game. Difficult to predict,” Reds boss Slot said when asked what kind of game he expects.

“There is a little bit at stake for Arsenal, as I presume they would rather finish second than third or fourth. Difficult to predict if it will be edgy, but it is a game to look forward to.”

A month to remember ❤️

Alexis Mac Allister is April’s @EASPORTSFC Player of the Month 💪 #PLAwards pic.twitter.com/32PsArRp6D

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 9, 2025

What was the result in the reverse fixture?

The sides shared a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium in October.

Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino twice gave the Gunners the lead, with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah coming up with the equalisers.

How can Arsenal bridge the gap?

Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker in the January transfer window was a big blow in a season marred by long injury absences for Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka at various stages.

“In January, it was clear or not? I made a very clear statement, and the statement continues the same. I want the best team, the best players. If we have three goal scorers over 25, bring them in, we’re going to be a much better team, yes,” Arteta said.

“We are there, we are providing the numbers that win you titles. We have to be a little bit luckier, but still do better to make sure that nobody has a season better than you.”

Head-to-head

Arsenal have not won at Anfield since 2012 – a match that Arteta played in for the Gunners.

The north Londoners are, however, on a five-match unbeaten run against the Reds, winning two of those.

Liverpool team news

Right-back Conor Bradley will start the match, as revealed by Slot in his pre-match news conference. Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has announced he will leave the club this summer, is set to be named among the subs as a result.

Joe Gomez is the only other major absentee for the Reds.

Arsenal team news

Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kai Havertz all remain sidelined for the Gunners.

However, midfielder Jorginho has returned to the match day squad following an injury.

Iraq replaces Jesus Casas as head coach with former Australia boss Graham Arnold ahead of crunch World Cup qualifiers.

Former Australia manager Graham Arnold has been confirmed as the new head coach of Iraq by the country’s football federation ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers against South Korea and Jordan.

Arnold’s appointment was announced on social media by the Iraq Football Association, which published photographs of the 61-year-old being welcomed in Baghdad by officials from the national body.

“We are delighted to announce Graham Arnold as the new head coach of the Iraq national team,” the federation said in a post on Instagram. “Welcome to the Lions of Mesopotamia!”

Arnold replaces Jesus Casas at the helm after the Spaniard’s departure in the wake of a 2-1 loss to Palestine in March during the third round of Asia’s qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

That result left the Iraqis in third place in the standings in Group B, four points adrift of leaders South Korea and one behind the Jordanians.

Welcome to Baghdad ✔️

Our new Australian head coach Graham Arnold has arrived in the Iraqi capital! 🛬 pic.twitter.com/AH1IybroHv

— Iraq National Team (@IraqNT_EN) May 9, 2025

The top two finishers in each of Asia’s three qualifying groups advance automatically to the World Cup, while the teams in third and fourth place progress to another round of preliminaries.

Arnold’s first game in charge will be in Basra on June 5 against the South Koreans before he takes his new team to Amman to face Jordan five days later. Iraq are attempting to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

The appointment sees Arnold return to international management more than seven months after standing down as Australia’s head coach.

Arnold, who led the Australians to the knockout rounds of the 2022 World Cup during a six-year spell in charge, quit after an uninspired start to the current phase of qualifying when his side lost to Bahrain and drew with Indonesia in September.

He was replaced by Tony Popovic, the former Western Sydney Wanderers coach who has taken the Socceroos to second place in Group C of Asia’s qualifiers ahead of games against already qualified Japan and Saudi Arabia in June.

Who: Barcelona vs Real Madrid
What: Spanish Copa del Rey
Where: Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain
When: Sunday at 4:15pm local time (14:15 GMT)

Follow Al Jazeera Sport’s live text and photo commentary stream.

LaLiga leaders Barcelona will look to extend their lead over second-placed Real Madrid to seven points when the teams meet in the Spanish top flight on Sunday.

With only four games to play of the domestic season in Spain, victory for Barca would put one hand on the title that Real won last season.

It would also cap a season of dominance for the Catalan club over their fierce rivals.

Al Jazeera looks through all the talking points and news before the final El Clasico of the season.

What has happened to Real’s Champions League and LaLiga defence?

Real Madrid’s season appeared disastrous a few weeks ago, but if Carlo Ancelotti’s side can finally beat rivals Barcelona in Sunday’s Clasico, their title defence will be resuscitated.

A victory for Real would narrow the gap to one point with three games to play.

Madrid were left licking their wounds after a Champions League quarterfinal thrashing by Arsenal, and coach Ancelotti is poised to depart at the end of the season, but it could yet be with a major trophy in his hands.

What happened to Barcelona’s quadruple hopes?

Barcelona’s European dream ended at the hands of Inter Milan on Tuesday, no doubt brightening spirits in the Spanish capital.

With Barcelona’s quadruple dream crushed by Inter, should Madrid defend their title, they could even classify their season as a success.

What have Barcelona won this season?

The Catalans have already secured the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, both of which they won by beating Real Madrid in the final.

What happened in the last El Clasico in LaLiga?

Barcelona were 4-0 winners at Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the LaLiga season in October.

Robert Lewandowski put the visitors two up early in the second half at Santiago Bernabeu. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha completed the scoring.

Combined with the two cup victories, Barcelona have netted 12 goals across the three games so far.

Barca have conceded only four, with Hansi Flick’s side outplaying Madrid on each occasion.

This FRONT 3… 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TFsqju069J

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) May 9, 2025

What has Ancelotti said before the match?

“We will have a great opportunity, we have to prepare well – it’s an almost decisive match,” said Ancelotti.

Reflecting on the Copa del Rey final, which went to extra time, Ancelotti added, “The last match was competitive, we were very close to winning and I don’t think we have to invent a lot of new things [tactically],” said Ancelotti.

“We have to try and play a serious game, and we will do so with all the confidence in the world.

“Despite all our problems, the fact we are here and we can fight in this match is something beautiful.”

Will Ancelotti give Guler another go?

Last weekend against Celta Vigo Ancelotti also afforded Turkish 20-year-old Arda Guler a rare start, and he impressed in midfield, providing impetus which the retired Toni Kroos gave last season, as Madrid won a LaLiga and Champions League double.

Guler also impressed as a substitute in the Copa final and Ancelotti may start him at the Olympic stadium this weekend.

“At Madrid, you have to suck it up on the bench before you become an indisputable start in this team – Arda has the profile of a player who could be a starter at Madrid,” said Ancelotti.

“He sucked it up on the bench, he didn’t get annoyed and he has evolved … he’s not the same Guler from last September.”

What has Flick said before the match?

A home defeat on Sunday would not be the death knell for their title bid but would ramp up the pressure on Flick’s young, relatively inexperienced charges.

“[We] have to go on, we have five days to prepare and we want to win it,” said the German coach after the loss in Milan in one of the all-time classic Champions League semifinals.

“[This defeat] must wake up the hunger to win the title, this is important for me.”

What are Barcelona’s remaining fixtures?

Barcelona make the short trip to cross-city rivals Espanyol on Thursday before entertaining Villareal next Sunday in their final home fixture of the campaign.

The season finale sees Barca head to Bilbao on May 25, to face Athletic Club, who were knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United on Thursday.

What are Real Madrid’s remaining fixtures?

Real entertain Mallorca on Wednesday before travelling to Seville next Sunday.

Their final game of the season is home to Real Sociedad.

Barcelona team news

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is absent with a hamstring injury on Thursday.

Striker Robert Lewandowski returned to the bench against Inter following a leg injury.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will be challenged for a starting place by first-choice keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is back after a long injury layoff.

Predicted Barcelona XI: Szczesny; Eric, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; Pedri, de Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski

Real Madrid team news

Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao have been ruled out for the remainder of the season and have been joined on the sidelines by, Eduardo Camavinga, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy and David Alaba.

Brazilian forward Rodrygo, however, is set to return from illness.

Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, Garcia; Valverde, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he is excited to face his “professional dad” after Manuel Pellegrini-managed Real Betis qualified for the Conference League final.

Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored as Chelsea won 1-0 on the night against Djurgarden and 5-1 on aggregate while Spanish club Betis needed extra time to beat Fiorentina 4-3 on aggregate over both legs.

The results have led to Maresca facing a manager he has both played under and worked alongside having been a member of Pellegrini’s squad at Malaga before later becoming his assistant at West Ham.

Maresca admitted he was late for the press conference because he was watching Betis win in extra time and said of the result: “I’m happy to face Betis, especially because of Manuel Pellegrini. He is like my professional dad. So we’ll be very happy.

“I had him four years, two as a player and two I was his coach, assistant coach. So I know exactly how he thinks about players, but the most important thing is that he’s honest, he’s a good person, he always tries to be honest with the player.

“And I try, personally, I try to learn a lot about his way.”

Maresca also enjoyed the most successful part of his playing career at Betis’s fierce rivals Sevilla, winning two Europa League trophies and a Super Cup, so expects to face crowd taunts.

“I played four years for Sevilla, that is a big derby against Betis,” he said. “We also won the derby 1-0, and I scored a goal. I know that they don’t like me, they don’t love me.

“I met my wife in Seville, she’s from Seville. My first son born in Seville. I played for Seville, but no doubt that I want to win the final.”

Chelsea will want to finish the job in Wroclaw, Poland on 28 May, three days after the Premier League season finishes.

Maresca continued: “For me personally, it’s very important, especially because we can give the chance to this club and these fans to be the first club in Europe to win all the competitions [having previously won the Champions League and Europa League].

“The Conference League is a starting point to build a winner mentality, and then to try to win more things and more titles.”

Mason Mount scores twice as Manchester United come from behind to win 4-1 against Athletic in their semifinal.

Manchester United produced a dramatic late comeback to beat Athletic Club 4-1 in the Europa League and complete an emphatic 7-1 aggregate semifinal victory, setting up a mouthwatering showpiece against Tottenham.

Fireworks crackled and red smoke filled an expectant Old Trafford on Thursday following an impressive 3-0 win against 10-man Athletic in northern Spain last week.

But the air of excitement was tinged by the knowledge that Ruben Amorim’s United have shown a startling ability to implode during a horrendous Premier League season.

Perhaps, little to anyone’s surprise, Amorim’s United, much like most of the club’s teams that preceded him, had to do it the hard way. Trailing with 18 minutes to play, the substitutes were thrown on – including Mason Mount, who produced two brilliant goals to illuminate the Theatre of Dreams and turn the game on the night.

Amorim reverted to the team that started in the first leg, making eight changes following Sunday’s 4-3 defeat against Brentford.

Dani Vivian was suspended after his red card last week, and coach Ernesto Valverde was also hamstrung by the absence of brothers Nico and Inaki Williams, as well as top-scorer Oihan Sancet.

Mikel Jauregizar silenced the home fans and gave the visitors hope on the night with a stunning strike in the 31st minute.

For long periods of the match, the visitors looked more dangerous, and the game needed substitute Mount to settle the home supporters’ nerves with his 72nd-minute strike.

The match totally changed complexion as Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund and Mount again scored.

It means United have kept alive their hopes of eking something out of a terrible season.

Winning Europe’s second-tier club trophy crucially guarantees a place in the Champions League, which would boost United’s chances of attracting top talent as Amorim attempts a monumental rebuild.

United were heavy favourites to complete the job on home turf, but injury-hit Athletic nursed a grievance after defender Vivian was sent off in Spain.

They enjoyed the bulk of the early possession but struggled to fashion clear-cut chances and looked nervous when the visitors attacked.

Athletic midfielder Alex Berenguer had a good early opportunity after the home side failed to clear, but his curling shot sailed over the bar as he aimed for the top corner.

The midfielder created another chance after a surging run midway through the half, but fired wide of Andre Onana’s post from just outside the area.

United feel the nerves in Manchester

But the visitors broke the deadlock in sensational style after half an hour to give themselves hope when Jauregizar picked his spot from outside the box and curled past Onana.

The goal came after some sloppy work from United’s defence. Harry Maguire played a ball across the box and Alvaro Djalo smashed a shot against Leny Yoro.

The ball fell to Jauregizar, who could not have hit the ball more sweetly.

United struggled for attacking rhythm but should have been level shortly before half-time.

The stadium held its breath as Alejandro Garnacho was put through by the lively Patrick Dorgu, but his attempted dink over the goalkeeper went wide.

United offered little going forward in the early stages of the second half as Athletic made the running, forcing United to hack clear on multiple occasions.

Both teams made a triple change just after the hour mark. Shortly afterwards, Unai Gomez headed the ball across the goal and it bounced just wide of the post.

Injury-hit Mount has been a peripheral figure in his two seasons at Old Trafford, but produced a fine finish, swivelling and curling the ball into the far corner for his first.

Casemiro scored a second with his head from a Bruno Fernandes cross as United’s earlier nerves were completely forgotten.

Hojlund poked home in the 85th minute before Mount scored an outrageous second from near the halfway line after Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala came out of his box and made a poor clearance.

United will face Tottenham in the final in Bilbao on May 21.

Napoli want to sign Kevin De Bruyne, Italian side also monitoring Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford eyeing move to Barcelona.

Napoli want to sign 33-year-old Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer when his Manchester City contract expires this summer. (Times – subscription required), external

De Bruyne is keen to stay in Europe, and Aston Villa are understood to be among a host of clubs keeping tabs on his situation. (i paper) , external

Napoli are also monitoring Manchester City’s 29-year-old England midfielder Jack Grealish. (Sun), external

Manchester United’s England forward Marcus Rashford, 27, who is on loan at Aston Villa, is eyeing a move to Barcelona this summer. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong has a £29.7m release clause in his contract, providing a major boost to Liverpool who are keen on the 24-year-old Netherlands international. (Talksport), external

Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City have all made contact to sign Brazil winger Rodrygo, 24, from Real Madrid. (Tbrfootball) , external

Crystal Palace are confident of signing 25-year-old English midfielder Joe Willock from Newcastle this summer. (Chronicle Live), external

Borussia Dortmund have joined the race for Sunderland’s 19-year-old English midfielder Jobe Bellingham, who has also been scouted by Manchester United. (Talksport), external

Aston Villa do not want to lose £90m-rated England midfielder Morgan Rogers, who is attracting the interest of Chelsea, but the 22-year-old would be open to a move if the opportunity presented itself. (Teamtalk), external

Al Hilal are showing serious interest in Liverpool’s 25-year-old Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez and 28-year-old Colombia winger Luis Diaz. (Caught Offside), external

Chelsea want to sign Dutch striker Emanuel Emegha from Strasbourg, with Newcastle also showing interest in the 22-year-old. (Foot Mercato – in French), external

West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are two of the clubs looking at a potential summer transfer for 24-year-old Genoa and Denmark defensive midfielder Morten Frendrup. (Football Transfers) , external

Manchester City want to sign 21-year-old Flamengo and Brazil right-back Wesley. (Gianlucadimarzio – in Italian) , external

Newcastle’s 25-year-old Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali remains Juventus’ prime midfield target this summer. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

The crushing loss drops Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr down to fourth in the Saudi league ladder, 11 points behind Al-Ittihad in the title race.

Houssem Aouar scored a last-minute goal to help Al-Ittihad complete a comeback and secure a 3-2 win over Al-Nassr, taking them a step closer to clinching the Saudi Pro League title.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring on Wednesday for the home side after three minutes with a low strike.

The Senegal international then assisted Ayman Yahya to make it 2-0 for Al-Nassr in the 37th minute. The goal stood following a VAR review, even though the ball had touched Mane’s hand in the build-up.

Al-Ittihad were the better side after the interval and Karim Benzema reduced the deficit with a header in the 49th minute.

Laurent Blanc’s side equalised after a counterattack, finished off by N’Golo Kante, who slotted the ball into Al-Nassr’s net.

Algeria international Aouar scored the game-winner for Al-Ittihad in added time from close range following a cross by Moussa Diaby.

Al-Ittihad, who can clinch the domestic double after reaching the King Cup final, extended their lead to 71 points, six ahead of Al-Hilal, with four games remaining.

For Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, now fourth with 60 points, the loss was a setback to their hopes of reaching the AFC Champions League elite next season, with only two teams qualifying from the league after Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia won the continental title last Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal 2-1 at home to take their Champions League semifinal 3-1 on aggregate.

Paris Saint-Germain weathered one attack after another and showed remarkable adaptability to hold off and defeat an inspired Arsenal 2-1 to reach the Champions League final.

Deprived of the ball possession they so often enjoy, PSG looked in trouble early on but found the right answers to hurt the Gunners in the match on Wednesday.

They relied on counter-attacking football and an excellent Gianluigi Donnarumma to prevail, advancing 3-1 on aggregate.

“The feedback straightaway from their bench is that we were much better than them,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports after the game.

“When you look at the two games, the best player on the pitch has been their goalkeeper. He has made a difference for them in the tie.

“We were much closer than the results showed. I am very proud of the players, the way we handled the pressure, and after 20 minutes, it should have been 3-0.

“We are not there, and that has to hurt.”

PSG reached the final of Europe’s elite tournament for the second time in five years. They will take on Inter Milan on May 31 after the three-time champion defeated Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in one of the greatest semifinals in the competition’s history.

PSG had lost to Borussia Dortmund at this stage last year and was beaten by Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.

PSG broke the deadlock in the 27th minute from a set piece after the Arsenal defence cleared a free kick towards the edge of the area. The ball bounced back into the path of Fabian Ruiz, who smashed a stunning half-volley into the back of the net.

Achraf Hakimi curled in a precise finish in the 72nd minute to make it 2-0 on the night, before Bukayo Saka pulled one back for the Gunners.

The England forward then spurned an open goal minutes later and, with it, the last real chance for a comeback to truly be mounted.

PSG had earlier missed the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot when Ferreira Vitinha had his kick saved by David Raya.

The kick itself was somewhat controversial in that VAR (video assistant referee) called back play when Myles Lewis-Skelly’s hand was innocuously clipped by Hakimi’s shot.

“Over the two legs, we could have scored three or four more goals,” Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports.

“Sometimes, you have to lose a few to win, you have to overcome some of these setbacks to grow as a player and a team.

“We are growing as a team, but we need to keep pushing and believing. This is why we play. There will be setbacks on the way.

“PSG have gone through, but this isn’t going to define us. We’ll be back and we’ll get our players back and will be a much stronger outfit.”

Inter Milan take their Champions League semifinal in record-equalling 7-6 aggregate score against Barcelona at San Siro.

Inter Milan substitute Davide Frattesi struck an extra-time winner to send his side into the Champions League final following a barnstorming 4-3 victory over Barcelona after Francesco Acerbi had rescued them from the brink of elimination with a stunning equaliser deep in added time.

Frattesi’s goal and a string of stunning saves by goalkeeper Yann Sommer secured Inter a rip-roaring and record-equalling 7-6 aggregate victory in a semifinal for the ages, which finished with the Italian side reaching the Munich final.  They will later this month face either Paris St Germain or Arsenal, who meet on Wednesday.

It was a tale of two halves as Inter dominated the first 45 minutes and opened a two-goal lead thanks to a Lautaro Martinez goal on the counter in the 21st minute, before Hakan Calhanoglu extended the lead with a penalty right before the break.

However, Barca woke up in the second half with Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo netting within six minutes to level the scoring and, even though Sommer worked his magic to help keep the hosts alive, the Catalans thought they had scored the winner through Raphinha who struck from close range in the 87th minute.

But as Inter made a desperate run for an equaliser, Denzel Dumfries found 37-year-old Acerbi inside the box, who fired a first-time effort into the net to score his first European goal in his 20th season and take the game to extra time.

In the 99th minute, Marcus Thuram made a brilliant run from the right and played the ball into the area for Frattesi, who set himself up before neatly guiding a curling shot into the bottom corner to send the delighted home fans into raptures.

Sommer made two world-class saves from teenager Lamine Yamal to secure the hard-fought win for Inter, who will bid to claim their fourth Champions League title and their first in 15 years after losing to Manchester City in the final two years ago.

“I’m lucky to have finished the game. I screamed so much that I saw everything black,” Frattesi told Sky Sport.

“I have to thank the physiotherapists because, in recent days, I was not well, I dedicate the victory to them. It’s incredible, I don’t know what to say. Tonight, the incredible happened.”

Barcelona, who were chasing a treble after winning the Copa del Rey by beating Real Madrid in extra-time, will now have to focus on LaLiga, where on Sunday, they host their old rivals who are in second place and trail them by four points.

“Football has been very cruel to us,” Barca defender Eric Garcia told Movistar Plus. “We were down 2-0 again, and the character this team showed was remarkable.

“We are a team full of young players and this has been a great year. We still have the [Spanish] league to play for.”

The previous standalone record score for a semifinal was Liverpool’s 7-6 aggregate win against Roma during the 2017-2018 season.

Bruno Fernandes attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, Harvey Elliott wanted by several Premier League clubs, and Arsenal renew interest in Mohammed Kudus.

Al-Hilal are preparing a bid for Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, but the Red Devils have no plans to sell the 30-year-old Portugal midfielder. (Mail), external

Newcastle are monitoring 29-year-old Bayer Leverkusen and Germany defender Jonathan Tah, who will leave the club when his contract expires in the summer. (Sun), external

Liverpool’s English midfielder Harvey Elliott, 22, is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs, including Wolves. (Talksport), external

Real Madrid are not planning to make a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi as they do not think they need the Spain international, who has a release clause of €60m (£51m). (OK Diario – in Spanish), external

Italy midfielder Jorginho, 33, is in advanced talks with Brazilian club Flamengo about joining on a free transfer when his deal at Arsenal expires at the end of the season. (Mail), external

Arsenal are considering another move for Paris St-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, 24, after failing to strike a deal for the South Korea international in January. (Sun), external

Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz, 22, is set to snub interest from Manchester City and Real Madrid to join Bayern Munich. (Bild – in German), external

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko’s release clause is more than €80m (£68m) but clubs will be able to sign him for less if a suitable offer for the 21-year-old Slovenia international is made. (Sky Sports Germany), external

West Ham and Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus, 24, is the subject of fresh interest from Arsenal. (Talksport), external

Federico Chiesa, 27, could be on his way out of Liverpool this summer with AC Milan and Napoli interested in the Italy winger. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external

Manchester United added Torino’s 28-year-old Serbia goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to their summer transfer shortlist. (Givemesport), external

Who: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Arsenal
What: UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg
Where: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
When: Wednesday at 9pm (19:00 GMT)

Follow Al Jazeera Sport’s live text and photo commentary stream.

PSG and Arsenal continue their quest to win a maiden UEFA Champions League title when they clash in the second leg of their semifinal in Paris.

PSG’s away victory over the Gunners in the opening leg at Emirates Stadium on April 29 has the Parisians firming up as the favourites to progress to the final.

The Gunners face the daunting – but not impossible – task on Wednesday of needing to beat the French champions on the road if they want to reach the Champions League final for just the second time in their history.

Here is all to know before the semifinal decider between two of Europe’s most talented football clubs:

What happened in the opening leg?

PSG took a big step towards reaching the final when Ousmane Dembele’s early goal sealed a 1-0 win at Arsenal in a tense first leg of the semifinal.

Dembele fired home off the post in the fourth minute as PSG dominated the opening stages, and manager Luis Enrique’s side held firm to take a precious advantage back to the French capital.

When did Arsenal and PSG last reach a UEFA Champions League final?

Neither side have won Europe’s premier football competition, but both have lost a final.

PSG made their only final appearance in the 2019-2020 season, losing to German side Bayern Munich 1-0 at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.

Arsenal’s participation in a UEFA Champions League final was 19 long years ago for Gunners fans, and they lost to Barcelona 2-1 in the 2005-2006 season at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France.

Team news: PSG

Star striker Dembele, who limped off with a minor hamstring strain after scoring the game winner against Arsenal in the first leg in London, has been passed fit to play in the return leg, Enrique said on Tuesday.

Dembele, 27, is PSG’s top scorer this season with 33 goals in all competitions.

PSG’s regular squad is otherwise injury-free with Desire Doue tipped to re-enter the attacking winger role at the expense of France international Bradley Barcola.

Team news: Arsenal

Key midfielder Thomas Partey returns to the side after sitting out the first leg against PSG with a suspension, restoring manager Mikel Arteta’s preferred midfield trio with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

Jurrien Timber is questionable for this match as he continues to battle back to full fitness after a knee injury. But in some good news for the club, the Dutch defender was seen training with the Gunners squad on Tuesday shortly before they departed for France.

Sidelined stars Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori and Jorginho are all likely to play before the end of the Premier League season, but none of them is in contention for Champions League selection unless Arsenal make it to the final at the end of May.

Gabriel, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all out until next season.

Possible lineups:

Arsenal possible XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Merino, Martinelli

PSG possible XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Joao Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Doue

Head-to-head:

The teams have played on six prior occasions across all competitions:

• Arsenal wins: 3
• PSG wins: 1
• Draws: 2

What the managers had to say:

Arsenal’s Arteta: “If you want to be in the Champions League final, you have to do something special. We’re going to have to do something special in Paris to be there.”

PSG’s Enrique: “We’re bound to suffer because our opponents don’t have a favourable result. We need to match our performance as closely as possible in the first leg to win the return leg and stay true to our ideas.”

When and where is the 2025 UEFA Champions League final?

The winner of this semifinal heads to Germany on May 31 for the Champions League final.

European football’s largest annual showpiece will be played at the 75,000-capacity Allianz Arena in Munich.

Who: Inter Milan vs Barcelona
What: UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg
Where: San Siro stadium, Milan, Italy
When: Tuesday at 9pm (19:00 GMT)

Follow Al Jazeera Sport’s live text and photo commentary stream.

Five-time UEFA Champions League winners Barcelona travel to northern Italy to play three-time title holders Inter Milan in a tantalising second and deciding leg of their semifinal on Tuesday night.

The Catalan Giants remain on track for a rare treble – LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles – but walked away from the opening leg of their Champions League semifinal at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium with just a draw against Inter, leaving them with it all to do on the road in Milan.

Inter, who are bidding to make a second Champions League final in three seasons, will like their chances of getting past the flamboyant LaLiga leaders on home soil. But the Nerazzurri were far from their best on Saturday, forging a slender 1-0 home win against 15th-placed Verona in a domestic Serie A league fixture at the San Siro.

Here is all to know before the semifinal decider between two of Europe’s football superclubs:

What happened in the semifinal’s first leg?

Barcelona twice battled back to share a compelling 3-3 draw at home against Inter Milan on April 30.

The Italian side raced to a two-goal lead with superb strikes from Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries before the unstoppable Lamine Yamal pulled Barca back into it with a sublime solo effort.

Ferran Torres levelled for the five-time champions, and although Inter nosed ahead through Dumfries again, a Yann Sommer own goal left the tie on a knife-edge heading into the second leg.

Why is everyone talking about Yamal?

Playing his 100th game at just 17 years and 291 days old, Yamal became the youngest player to score in a UEFA Champions League semifinal against Inter on Wednesday, eclipsing the record set by Kylian Mbappe, who was 18 when he achieved the feat in 2017.

Inter manager Simone Inzaghi said talents like the Barcelona teenager come around only once in a half-century.

“He’s the kind of talent who is born every 50 years, I had never seen him live, and he really impressed me today,” the Inter coach said after Yamal helped Barcelona rally in the action-packed first leg.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick described his attacking winger as “a genius” after the match.

Before the first leg, Yamal himself was forced to dismiss comparisons to the great Lionel Messi, who played the same position at Barcelona.

“I don’t compare myself to him because I don’t compare myself to anyone – and much less with Messi,” Yamal told reporters.

“So I don’t think the comparison makes sense – with Messi even less. I’m going to enjoy myself, and be myself.”

Yamal said he thought the Argentinian forward was the greatest player of all time.

“I admire him obviously as the best player in history, but I don’t compare myself to him,” he reiterated.

Team news: Barcelona

Barcelona starting defender Jules Kounde is set to miss the Champions League semifinal second leg clash with Inter after he was diagnosed with a hamstring injury on Thursday.

Unexpectedly, Flick may be able to call on star striker Robert Lewandowski, who is ahead of schedule on what was expected to be a three-week recovery period from a leg injury. Lewandowski was included in the squad on Monday after being sidelined for about two weeks.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is tipped to start against Inter despite first-choice keeper Marc-Andre ter Steg’s return to the first XI in a LaLiga fixture at the weekend after a long injury layoff.

Team news: Inter Milan

Inter head into their second leg showdown at the San Siro with the availability of top scorer Lautaro Martinez highly questionable after the Argentina star suffered a leg injury against Barcelona last Wednesday. Inzaghi will have Mehdi Taremi or Marko Arnautovic on standby to replace Martinez in the starting lineup. 

But confidence is growing in the Inter camp that Martinez will play, according to Italian media reports on Monday. Lautaro himself posted a cryptic message on Instagram: a photo of him doing exercises in the gym, captioned with emojis of an hourglass and a battery.

In a separate positive development for Inter, key defender Benjamin Pavard, who missed the first leg of the semifinal against Barca, is set to return to the starting XI, according to reporting from the Italian media outlet Gazzetta.it.

Star midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is available for selection after sitting out Inter’s 1-0 victory over Verona with a suspension.

Possible starting lineups:

Barcelona possible XI: Szczesny; Eric, Araujo, Cubarsi, Inigo; de Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Ferran

Inter Milan possible XI: Sommer; Acerbi, Pavard, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Arnautovic, Thuram

Head-to-head:

The teams have played on 13 prior occasions:

• Barcelona wins: 6
• Inter Milan wins: 2
• Draws: 5

What the managers had to say:

Hansi Flick, Barcelona manager: “[In the second leg] Inter can’t just defend. They have to try and score too. It’s the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League and the four best teams in Europe are there. We play with style and confidence, and we know what we can do. We have 90 minutes next week, and hopefully that’s enough to get to the final. That’s our goal, and we will fight for it.”

Simone Inzaghi, Inter Milan manager: “We saw a fantastic match [in the first leg] and we knew that semifinals are difficult. We could even have won. I really liked the impact that our subs had. Our fans know that we’ve been giving our utmost in difficult times and we know that Tuesday will be a ‘final’.”

When did Barcelona and Inter Milan last win the UEFA Champions League?

Barcelona most recently won in 2015 while Inter Milan last tasted victory in 2010.

When and where is the 2025 UEFA Champions League final?

The winner of this semifinal heads to Germany on May 31 for the Champions League final.

European football’s largest annual showpiece will be played at the 75,000-capacity Allianz Arena in Munich.

Manchester United name Alejandro Garnacho’s asking price, two Premier League clubs are chasing Nicolas Pepe, and Leroy Sane’s Bayern Munich future is in doubt.

Manchester United have told Chelsea they will have to pay £65m to sign 20-year-old Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho this summer. (Star), external

Everton and Wolves are interested in signing former Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe, with the 29-year-old Ivory Coast international out of contract at Villarreal in the summer. (Foot Mercato – in French), external

Germany winger Leroy Sane, 29, has changed his agent, which has put a question mark over his future at Bayern Munich and the contract extension that was close to being agreed. (Sky Sports Germany) , external

Liverpool are set to spend big in the summer with the Reds in the market for a new left-back, centre-back and striker. (Talksport), external

Chelsea are set to hold talks with Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo, 23, over a new contract this summer as reward for his impressive performances this season. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Outgoing Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is poised to sign a six-year contract with Real Madrid which will take effect from 1 July. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Alexander-Arnold, 26, rejected the offer of a significant pay rise to remain with Liverpool beyond the end of this season. (ESPN), external

Southampton and England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, 26, is wanted by Manchester United and West Ham. (Mirror), external

Fulham manager Marco Silva and Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo are among the candidates being considered by Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. (Talksport), external

Aston Villa are keeping tabs on Real Madrid and Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, 26, as Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, 32, continues to be linked with a summer exit. (Birmingham Mail), external

After a 20-year association with the famous English side, Alexander-Arnold will exit the club at the end of the season in search of a new challenge.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has announced he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after 20 years at the club, with the England right back widely expected to join Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold, who has just clinched a second Premier League title with Liverpool, did not mention his next destination when confirming his departure from Anfield on his social media accounts on Monday.

He said it was “easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life”.

“This club has been my whole life – my whole world – for 20 years,” the 26-year-old Alexander-Arnold wrote. “From the academy right through until now, the support and love I have felt from everyone inside and outside of the club will stay with me forever. I will forever be in debt to you all.

“But, I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge, taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally. I’ve given my all every single day I’ve been at this club, and I hope you feel like I’ve given back to you during my time here.”

While Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have recently signed new two-year deals with Liverpool, there was lingering uncertainty over the future of Alexander-Arnold, who was also out of contract at the end of this season.

“I know many of you have wondered why or been frustrated that I haven’t spoken about this yet,” he wrote, “but it was always my intention to keep my full focus on the team’s best interests, which was securing [league title] No. 20.”

Alexander-Arnold has won every major honour with the Merseyside club, including the Premier League in 2020 and again this year, as well as the Champions League in 2019.

He was key to revolutionising the role of a right back, with Alexander-Arnold having been Liverpool’s most creative player at times with his marauding runs down the right and his ability to come infield and pick out passes to the team’s attackers.

“From the bottom of my heart, I thank everybody – my coaches, my managers, my teammates, the staff and our incredible supporters – for the last 20 years,” Alexander-Arnold wrote.

“I’ve been blessed enough to live out my dreams here and I will never, ever take for granted the special moments I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived through with you all. My love for this club will never die.”

If he does go to Madrid, it would be on a free transfer, and he would follow in the footsteps of the likes of Steve McManaman, Michael Owen and Xabi Alonso in swapping Anfield for the Santiago Bernabeu. That would mean him joining his England teammate Jude Bellingham in Madrid.

Liverpool clinched the Premier League title on 27 April with a 5-1 win over Tottenham at Anfield.

The top five teams are guaranteed qualification for the league phase of the Champions League – with Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid on 8 April making certain that England will be one of the two associations with the highest Uefa coefficients for 2024-25, and clinching a fifth place in addition to the usual four.

There are also places in the league phase reserved for the winners of this season’s Champions League and Europa League, regardless of their domestic league positions.

The sixth-placed Premier League team will qualify for the league phase of the Europa League, along with the FA Cup winners. If the FA Cup winners have already qualified for the Champions League, that Europa place reverts to the league.

Newcastle United‘s victory in the Carabao Cup final means that at worst they will qualify for the Conference League play-off round. But if they qualify for Europe by their league position, that Conference League spot will revert to the league.

If Chelsea win the Conference League but fail to reach the Champions League, they will qualify for the league phase of the Europa League.

The bottom three teams are relegated to the Championship. Southampton became the earliest team to be relegated (in terms of games) in Premier League history when they lost 3-1 at Tottenham on 6 April. They were joined by Leicester City on 20 April after their 1-0 defeat by Liverpool, and Ipswich Town on 26 April after a 3-0 loss at Newcastle.

Madrid see off late comeback by Celta to stay within four points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, whom they visit in next weekend’s El Clasico.

Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Real Madrid held off Celta Vigo with a thrilling 3-2 win to stay within sight of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, whom they face next weekend.

After the Catalans scraped a comeback win at Valladolid on Saturday, Madrid survived a late Celta fightback a day later to maintain the four-point gap ahead of next Sunday’s Clasico.

Defending champions Madrid, in second place, were left clinging on at the Santiago Bernabeu against a Celta side seventh and hoping to qualify for European football next season.

Madrid’s Champions League defence crumbled and Los Blancos were also beaten in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona last week, but Los Blancos are still hopeful of overhauling Hansi Flick’s side in LaLiga.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side came into the game with a spate of defensive injuries, but after riding out an early wave of Celta chances, took control, with 20-year-old Turkish Arda Guler pulling the strings.

With Rodrygo out with illness, the youngster started in his stead and took full advantage.

Guler directed a spectacular overhead effort wide of goal in the opening stages, showing his ambition has no limits.

Former Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso headed just over and then forced a fine save from Thibaut Courtois, as Celta threatened.

Aurelien Tchouameni headed over when well-placed at the other end, as Madrid stifled the visitors.

Madrid opened the scoring through Guler after 33 minutes, when the playmaker cleverly worked some space in the box and then brilliantly curled a strike past the reach of Vicente Guaita.

Mbappe doubled Madrid’s lead after 39 minutes at the sharp end of a rapid breakaway.

Courtois saved well from Borja Iglesias and immediately Madrid thrust forward, with Bellingham setting Mbappe free down the right.

The French superstar ruthlessly lashed past Guaita from just inside the area.

Just three minutes into the second half, Mbappe struck again for his 24th league goal of the season, putting him one behind the top scorer, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.

Guler was the creator, playing in the striker with a perfectly-weighted ball, and Mbappe finished low with a stroke of his left boot.

It seemed the game was won for Madrid, but Javier Rodriguez pulled Celta back into it with a finish from close range after a corner.

Lucas Vazquez blocked Pablo Duran’s backheeled effort on the line, but Rodriguez was on hand to pounce.

Iago Aspas’s introduction off the bench for the Galicians immediately gave them more attacking impetus, and he produced a superb pass for Williot Swedberg to slot a second past Courtois.

The Belgian goalkeeper had his heart in his mouth a few minutes later as Duran’s shot slipped out of his hands and could have squirmed across the line behind him if it had not slowed to a stop on the grass. But Real were able to see off the late pressure to ensure the win.

If Madrid had dropped points, it would have allowed Barcelona to lift the title next weekend with a Clasico victory.

Lionel Messi scores his first goal in five matches as Miami end their three-game losing streak across all competitions.

Lionel Messi was on target as Inter Miami bounced back from their CONCACAF Champions Cup exit, beating the New York Red Bulls 4-1 at Chase Stadium in Florida.

Miami had lost their last three games, including a 5-1 aggregate defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Champions Cup semifinals, but they got a much-needed morale boost with a comfortable Major League Soccer (MLS) home victory on Saturday.

Fafa Picault opened the scoring in the ninth minute, powerfully striking the ball into the back of the net after Luis Suarez had flicked on a cross from Marcelo Weigandt.

Fullback Weigandt doubled the advantage for Miami in the 30th minute when his diving header was parried by Carlos Coronel, and the Argentinian followed in to scoop the ball home.

The goal was initially flagged for offside, but after a VAR review, the referee ruled it should stand.

Suarez made it 3-0 nine minutes later, firing home at the second attempt after his initial shot had been blocked, but the Red Bulls pulled a goal back before the break.

An Omar Valencia corner deep to the back post was looped over Oscar Ustari and into the far corner to give the visitors some hope for the second half.

Miami stayed on top, however, and Messi extended their advantage in the 67th minute, playing a one-two with Telasco Segovia and holding off Noah Eile before beating Coronel with a left-foot finish.

The goal ended a run of four matches without Messi being on the scoresheet, and the win moved Miami up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Elsewhere, former Saint-Etienne midfielder Dylan Chambost opened his account in MLS with the first goal in the Columbus Crew’s 4-2 win over Charlotte.

The Crew lead the East on 24 points, two ahead of the Philadelphia Union, who continued their excellent season with a 2-1 win at Montreal with Danish striker Mikael Uhre grabbing an 84th-minute winner.

DC United beat the Colorado Rapids 2-1 with goals from Christian Benteke and a volley from Japanese midfielder Hosei Kijima.