Cristiano Ronaldo says Juventus need to bring their A game as they begin their quest to reach a first Champions League final in four years.

The Serie A champions progressed as winners of Group G after a 3-0 win over Barcelona at Camp Nou on matchday six.

They begin the knockout phase on Wednesday against Porto, who were the only side to avoid two defeats against Manchester City in Group C.

Porto have failed to beat Juve in five previous European encounters and the Bianconeri are one of only two teams to play the Portuguese giants away at least twice without ever conceding a goal.

Andrea Pirlo s side have won 11 of their previous 13 Champions League matches, including all three away from home this season, but they come into the contest off the back of a 1-…

The UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028 is set to be officially approved later today.

Turkey’s withdrawal to focus on a joint bid with Italy to host Euro 2032 leaves the five-nation bid unopposed to host the tournament in five years’ time, with former Wales forward Gareth Bale adding a sprinkling of stardust to the presentation that will be made to UEFA’s executive committee alongside six youth ambassadors.

It emerged on Monday that England had requested to go through qualification for Euro 2028.

UEFA has reserved two ‘safety net’ host-nation berths should any of the five UK and Ireland bidders not qualify on merit, but the Football Association is understood to have already told UEFA that England are keen to go through qualification.

The FA…

Four-time winners Monterrey will play America in the final of the CONCACAF Champions League after a 4-1 second-leg away win over Cruz Azul sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory in their semi-final.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg in Monterrey, the visitors blew away Cruz Azul in a stunning opening 25 minutes where they opened up a 3-1 lead.

Maximiliano Meza and Orbelin Pineda traded goals within the opening 10 minutes, before Duvan Vergara and Rogelio Funes Mori netted to make it 3-1.

Mexican international Funes Mori added another in the 52nd minute to complete the win for Monterrey, who were last Champions League winners in 2019.

Carlos Rodriguez found Meza unmarked inside the box, dispatching a low finish off the post for a seventh-minute lead and 2-0 advantage…

Harry Kane kept his cool from the penalty spot to give Tottenham a 1-0 win in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against rivals Chelsea.

Spurs surged to a thrilling 3-1 win in the most recent Premier League meeting between the sides but Wembley played host to a more cagey contest on this occasion.

Kepa Arrizabalaga s ill-advised challenge on Kane allowed Tottenham to claim their slender advantage ahead of the return clash, as the England captain converted from 12 yards with typical aplomb.

N Golo Kante hit the post for Chelsea, who controlled large spells of the second-half only to gain little change out of a miserly Spurs backline.

Callum Hudson-Odoi brought a vibrancy to the Chelsea attack and forced Paulo Gazzaniga into a routine save before lif…

If you have the ambition and quality, we count on you and give you the chance to develop. With development, there is also performance. That s why it s a great story for Florian but also for us as a club, Simon Rolfes told Stats Perform.

Bayer Leverkusen had money to splash after Chelsea paid a club-record fee to prise German star Kai Havertz from BayArena at the start of 2020-21. His absence was supposed to leave a glaring hole in North Rhine-Westphalia and prompt a frantic search in the transfer market.

But sporting director Rolfes and Leverkusen had other ideas. Rather than use the money recouped in the blockbuster Havertz transfer, Die Werkself opted to look in their own backyard for a replacement – 18-year-old teenage sensation Florian Wirtz.

Leverkusen s…

Nemanja Matic has vowed Manchester United cannot present youth as an excuse if they fail to challenge for next season s Premier League title.

The Serbian midfielder twice won the English league title while at Chelsea, and he joined United in 2017 with the aim of chasing more silverware.

Yet in three years at Old Trafford, Matic, who turned 32 on Saturday, has yet to capture a trophy with United.

United remain in the hunt to win the Europa League later this month, but the Premier League is their prime target, particularly given it is neighbours Manchester City and fierce rivals Liverpool who have been setting the highest standards.

The Red Devils finished the 2019-20 domestic season strongly under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with young players such as Mason G…

Thomas Tuchel has questioned the attitude of his Paris Saint-Germain side following the 1-1 home draw with Nice.

Neymar s 50th goal for the Ligue 1 champions ultimately proved enough to salvage a point at Parc des Princes on Saturday, with Edinson Cavani missing a late penalty.

It is now just one win in seven games across all competitions for PSG, who had the title wrapped up on April 21, and Nice were unfortunate that Allan Saint-Maximin failed to add to Ignatius Ganago s strike before Neymar restored parity from the spot.

And Tuchel did not hide his frustration at the performance, claiming that PSG treated the match like a friendly.

I have the impression that the second half in Montpellier was better [than this game], Tuchel told Canal+.

We ha…

Jude Bellingham’s electric start to life at Real Madrid continued as he scored in a 2-1 Champions League win at Braga.

The precocious England international scored his 11th goal in 12 games for his new club as Madrid took control of Group C, making it three wins out of three.

Rodrygo put Madrid ahead in the first half before Bellingham doubled the lead on the hour, with Alvaro Djalo getting the Portuguese side back in it.

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden)

Los Blancos had chances to kill the game off but were made to sweat, with victory putting them on the verge of qualification for the knockout stage.

The visitors were under the cosh in the opening exchanges as Braga started well.

But they weathered the storm and took a 16th…

Argentina are on the cusp of World Cup qualification after extending their unbeaten streak to 26 games by edging Uruguay 1-0.

Angel Di Maria was the difference away to rivals Uruguay, his sublime seventh-minute strike lifting second-placed Argentina to victory on Friday.

Argentina – who tied their CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying record after going eight matches unbeaten on the road – are one win away from basically assuring their spot at Qatar 2022 heading into Tuesday s showdown against Brazil.

Lionel Scaloni s Argentina defeated Uruguay 3-0 during last month s international window, after La Celeste failed to make the most of their chances against the Copa America champions.

It was a similar story on home soil in Montevideo, where Uruguay lacked a cutt…

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were on target as Arsenal edged past Newcastle United 2-0 in Saturday s Premier League clash.

Mikel Arteta s side saw their eight-game unbeaten league run end at Liverpool last weekend, while Newcastle, with Eddie Howe in the dugout for the first time, were the only winless team in England s top four tiers after 12 games.

Jonjo Shelvey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both struck the woodwork in the first half at Emirates Stadium before Saka eventually broke the deadlock after 56 minutes.

Substitute Martinelli added a second just 93 seconds after his introduction as Arsenal moved level on points with fourth-placed West Ham, who play Manchester City on Sunday.

Saka poked narrowly wide and Martin Dubravka excellently parrie…