Nottingham Forest have reached the Europa League quarter-finals after overturning a first-leg deficit to defeat Midtjylland 3-0 on penalties following a 2-1 away victory in Denmark.
Nicolas Dominguez and captain Ryan Yates scored in normal time as the Premier League strugglers reversed last week’s 1-0 defeat at the City Ground.
However, a crucial strike from Martin Erlic levelled the aggregate score and sent the dramatic tie into extra time.
The English side held their nerve during the shootout, perfectly converting their spot-kicks while their Danish opponents missed all three attempts.
Vitor Pereira’s team will now face either Stuttgart or Porto in the last eight of the competition.
Forest dominate despite domestic focus
The head coach made several changes to his starting lineup, suggesting a primary focus on top-flight survival rather than European progression.
Despite this heavy rotation, the visitors commanded the early exchanges and consistently threatened Elias Rafn Olafsson’s goal.
Yates was unfortunate to see a powerful effort strike the crossbar, while Philip Billing was forced into a desperate goal-line clearance to keep the hosts level.
Their attacking persistence finally paid off late in the first half when Argentine midfielder Dominguez expertly headed home to level the tie overall.
VAR frustration and shootout composure
The two-time European Cup winners appeared to have secured their passage in normal time when Yates unleashed a fierce rocket to establish a 2-1 aggregate lead.
Erlic’s equaliser for the hosts ensured an additional 30 minutes of tension, testing the stamina of a much-changed visiting squad.
Both Lorenzo Lucca and Yates experienced the frustration of having extra-time goals ruled out for offside.
When the match was ultimately decided from 12 yards, the Nottinghamshire club demonstrated flawless composure to keep their continental adventure alive.
Girona manager Michel has declared his readiness to succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City should the current head coach depart the Etihad Stadium this summer.
The 50-year-old is heavily linked with the impending vacancy at the Premier League champions.
Any potential transition would be smoothed by the structural relationship between the two clubs, as the Spanish side operates under the City Football Group umbrella.
Having taken charge in 2021, the Madrid-born tactician guided his current employers to promotion before securing a historic third-placed finish in La Liga last season.
‘I have the ability to adapt’
Addressing speculation about his future, the overachieving coach confirmed he is open to testing himself in England.
“I am ready, I consider myself ready to coach any team,” he told La Otra Grada.
“I don’t know if they see it the same way,” he added.
“Obviously, it’s not the same environment, but I have the ability to adapt, and I want to try.”
Guardiola prepares for sabbatical
Speculation over a managerial change has intensified following recent admissions from the incumbent City boss regarding his future.
The 53-year-old has one year remaining on his current deal but has repeatedly hinted that his departure from English football is drawing near.
“I know that after this stage with City I’m going to stop, that’s for sure, it’s decided,” the former Barcelona manager recently stated.
“I don’t know how long I’ll stop for, a year, two years, three years, five, ten, fifteen, I don’t know.”
“But I’m going to stop after this stage with City, because I need to stop and focus on myself.”
Ismaila Sarr scored an extra-time winner as Crystal Palace defeated nine-man AEK Larnaca 2-1 in Cyprus to reach the Europa Conference League quarter-finals.
The Senegal international opened the scoring in the 13th minute after Oliver Glasner’s side showed immediate attacking intent.
Enric Saborit powered a header home midway through the second half to erase the visitors’ narrow advantage.
Red cards cost Cypriot hosts
The momentum swung dramatically when Saborit was dismissed for dragging down Sarr just ten minutes after his equalising goal.
With the aggregate score tied following last week’s lacklustre draw at Selhurst Park, the London club pressed hard to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
The lightning-fast attacker finally broke the deadlock from a corner in the ninth minute of added time to secure passage into the last eight.
Fiorentina await advancing Eagles
Sarr nearly completed a sensational hat-trick late on, striking the crossbar twice before the referee blew the final whistle.
The Cypriot First Division outfit finished the gruelling encounter with only nine players following another late dismissal.
Petros Ioannou saw red for a dangerous challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta in the dying moments of the match.
Mateta’s introduction marked the first time the French striker partnered January club-record signing Jorgen Strand Larsen in the Eagles’ attack.
The Premier League side will now face Italian club Fiorentina in a highly anticipated European clash.
British world number 93 Fran Jones has secured her first career WTA 1000 main-draw victory by defeating American legend Venus Williams 7-5 7-5 at the Miami Open.
The 25-year-old overcame a tough start to the year, battling illness and injury, to produce a stunning performance in the humid Florida conditions.
Despite stepping onto the court feeling unwell, the rising star demonstrated remarkable tenacity to outlast the veteran in one hour and 50 minutes.
Childhood hero becomes on-court rival
Jones, who was born with the rare genetic condition ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-cleft syndrome (EEC), has continually defied medical odds throughout her career.
After sealing the hard-fought win, the triumphant Briton bowed at the net before sharing a warm embrace with her opponent.
The recent ASB Classic competitor revealed that the seven-time Grand Slam champion was a major reason she pursued professional sports in the first place.
“I just told her, ‘I say goodnight to you and Serena every night because you’re still on the wall of my childhood bedroom’,” Jones said.
“At five years old my dad took me to Wimbledon to see the Williams sisters play and if it wasn’t for that experience, I really don’t know whether I would have pursued tennis.”
A tactical battle in Florida
The opening set saw both players trade early breaks of serve before settling into a tightly contested rhythm.
Although there is a 20-year age gap between the competitors, they appeared evenly matched during the grueling baseline exchanges.
The 44-year-old American attempted to keep points short with her trademark power, but her younger counterpart remained patient and absorbed the heavy pace.
Capitalising on a late surge of confidence, the British trailblazer fired her first ace to hold for 5-5 before eventually breaking serve to clinch the opening set.
This milestone triumph builds perfectly upon her impressive top-20 victory against Emma Navarro earlier this season.
Ninth seeds TCU survived a thrilling second-half fightback from Ohio State to claim a dramatic 66-64 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville.
The Horned Frogs had established a commanding 15-point advantage by half-time following a dominant perimeter shooting display.
However, a drastic dip in form after the interval allowed the eighth-seeded Buckeyes to claw their way back into the contest.
The Big Ten outfit even snatched a 51-50 lead with just seven minutes remaining on the clock.
Late drama seals progression
Foul trouble for key forward Xavier Edmonds threatened to derail the Texan side’s tournament ambitions.
In his absence, David Punch took control of proceedings, finishing a stellar individual performance with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The imposing forward then delivered a crucial assist in the dying moments, finding a returning Edmonds in the paint.
The standout scorer converted the decisive layup with just four seconds remaining to beat the shot clock and break Buckeyes hearts.
Bruce Thornton could only muster a desperate half-court heave on the final buzzer, sealing Ohio State’s early exit from the competition.
Backing up the pre-match talk
The tense victory successfully validated confident pre-match comments made by the impressive Punch.
He had previously stoked the rivalry by claiming his squad would emerge victorious in nine out of ten meetings between the two colleges.
Edmonds acknowledged the added pressure in the aftermath of the bruising encounter.
“His words were just a little bit misconstrued and a little twisted.”
“Still, we saw it, and we felt like we had to stand on it.”
Big 12 physicality prevails
The result serves as a significant statement for the Big 12 conference on the national collegiate stage.
The victorious roster felt their rugged defensive system would prove too overwhelming for their Midwestern opponents.
The match-winning hero highlighted the stylistic differences between the prestigious divisions.
“We just felt like them as a Big Ten team, they just haven’t felt or seen a defense like ours.”
“Being in the Big 12, and the different level of physicality and intensity, we just wanted to go out there and show them what Big 12 basketball is about.”
Premier League clubs have unanimously backed a proposal to amend the division’s new spending regulations, granting teams greater flexibility to roll over unused financial allowances.
The forthcoming squad cost ratio rules will restrict clubs to spending a maximum of 85% of their revenue on transfers, player wages and agent fees.
However, following a shareholders meeting on Thursday, teams agreed to a vital amendment originally proposed by Brighton & Hove Albion before Christmas.
Under the revised terms, top-flight sides that spend below their allowance for two consecutive seasons can carry forward up to 10% into a third year without facing disciplinary action.
How the new financial limits operate
These updated financial protocols are officially scheduled to replace the highly scrutinised Profitability and Sustainability regulations for the 2026-27 season.
Breaches of the upcoming framework will carry strict mandatory punishments, including significant financial fines.
Furthermore, any team whose expenditure reaches 115% of their generated revenue will automatically face a severe six-point deduction in the league standings.
Uefa raises competitive balance concerns
The unanimous agreement arrives just days after Uefa officials voiced apprehensions regarding the potential impact of England’s updated financial regulations on the wider European landscape.
European football’s governing body operates a stricter 70% squad cost limit for clubs participating in continental tournaments.
Other continental leagues fear that their domestic clubs might be forced into taking dangerous financial risks simply to compete with the vast purchasing power of English sides.
Despite these external warnings, executives from the English top tier maintain that their newly adopted system guarantees long-term competitive balance.
Contrasting fortunes in European competition
The debate surrounding financial dominance coincides with a surprisingly challenging week for English clubs in elite continental competition.
Only Arsenal and Liverpool successfully secured progression to the Champions League quarter-finals this week.
Meanwhile, highly funded English sides including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester City all suffered heavy eliminations against continental opposition.
Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are listed as questionable for Thursday’s NBA match against the Miami Heat.
The star trio combined for 84 points during Wednesday’s 124-116 victory over the Houston Rockets.
However, the Los Angeles squad arrived in Florida shortly before 04:00 local time, severely limiting their recovery period ahead of the back-to-back fixture.
James is currently managing left foot arthritis, while Doncic has right hip soreness and Reaves is dealing with a right forearm contusion.
Historic milestone on hold
If the four-time NBA champion misses the fixture against his former franchise, his pursuit of Robert Parish’s all-time appearances record will be paused.
The veteran forward sits on 1,610 regular-season games, leaving him just one behind the Hall of Fame center’s landmark tally.
Despite grimacing in pain after knocking his elbow late in the Houston win, the 40-year-old expressed a strong desire to play in the city where he won his first two rings.
The legendary playmaker enjoyed a spectacular offensive night in Texas, shooting 13-of-14 from the floor to tie the most efficient scoring performance of his 22-season career.
Parish endorses record-breaker
Parish has held the outright games played record since April 1996, eventually retiring with 1,611 appearances.
The Boston Celtics icon recently shared his enthusiastic support for the current Lakers talisman eclipsing his long-standing benchmark.
“No player is better deserving to break that Ironman record, that 1,611 games played record, than LeBron. He deserves it, in my opinion.”
Surpassing the appearances milestone will add another remarkable accolade to a resume that already includes the league’s all-time scoring record.
Should the former Miami favourite sit out Thursday’s encounter, his next opportunity to equal the historic mark will arrive against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley has emerged as the front-runner to take over from Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, leaving former Red Bull boss Christian Horner out of the running.
The Silverstone-based outfit are actively searching for a new leader to allow Newey to step back and focus entirely on designing the team’s Formula 1 car.
The legendary designer has reportedly recommended his former Red Bull colleague to owner Lawrence Stroll to take charge of the garage.
Horner, who remains out of the sport six months after his official departure following a 20-year tenure, is not considered a candidate for the vacancy.
A potential Silverstone reunion
Newey and Wheatley spent nearly two decades working together at Red Bull during a period of sustained championship dominance.
Wheatley eventually departed his role as sporting director to join Sauber, the predecessor to the new Audi works team.
Personal reasons are now reputed to be a driving factor in tempting the British executive to return from Switzerland.
If an agreement is reached, the Audi boss would likely need to serve a significant period of gardening leave before switching teams.
Alternative options and past praise
Former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl is also credited with an interest in the Aston Martin role.
Meanwhile, Horner must continue his wait for another motorsport opportunity to crop up.
Despite missing out on the current vacancy, the 50-year-old previously spoke highly of his former sporting director when their professional paths diverged.
Jonathan’s done a great job as initially team manager and then sporting director for us.
He’s been part of the journey over the last 19 years or in our 20th season. We’re very grateful for what he’s done and the effort that he’s put in during that time.
An opportunity like this to become a team principal has come along. So we certainly didn’t look to hold him back in any way, and we wish him the very best of luck for the future.