Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest in a crucial Europa League semi-final second leg on Thursday that pundit Paul Merson believes feels like the tournament’s true final.
Nottingham Forest hold a narrow 1-0 advantage following the initial encounter at the City Ground.
A second-half penalty from Chris Wood gave Vitor Pereira’s side the edge in this tightly contested tie.
The East Midlands club are now just 90 minutes away from reaching their first European final in 46 years.
Champions League qualification at stake
The ultimate victor will travel to Istanbul on May 20 to face either Braga, who hold a 2-1 aggregate lead, or Freiburg.
With both potential opponents viewed as beatable, securing the trophy and a subsequent Champions League spot is a massive incentive.
“This game feels like the cup final for me. It has the feeling of winner takes all with either Braga or Freiburg to come.”
The former Arsenal midfielder noted that lifting the trophy provides an essential alternative route into Europe’s elite competition.
Worrying form for the hosts
Villa enter the crucial fixture having suffered three consecutive defeats across all competitions.
Despite resting key players during their recent domestic loss to Tottenham Hotspur, they missed a vital opportunity to consolidate their top-four league status.
The Claret and Blue outfit still face daunting Premier League fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City before the season concludes.
“They still have a chance to wrap things up with the game against Burnley, but mess that game up and then it might get a bit tricky for Villa.”
A monumental opportunity for Forest
While the hosts have alternative domestic avenues to Champions League qualification, the visitors rely entirely on European success.
Merson originally expected Villa to dominate the two-legged affair after witnessing their comprehensive league victory over the same opposition weeks prior.
However, a resilient defensive display in the first leg has completely shifted the momentum toward the two-time European Cup winners.
Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez has reached an agreement to leave Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal at the end of the season, less than a year after his £46m departure from Liverpool.
The 26-year-old departed Anfield last August following a largely frustrating spell on Merseyside.
Despite a promising start in the Middle East, the former Benfica forward has not played competitive club football since February.
Saudi squad limit forces exit
His omission from the team was triggered by the January arrival of French striker Karim Benzema.
Saudi Pro League regulations restrict teams to registering a maximum of eight foreign players born before 2003 within their 25-man squads.
As a result, the South American was removed from the active roster to accommodate the new signing.
He has reportedly remained professional throughout the ordeal, continuing to train daily despite his lack of involvement.
Search for consistent minutes
A desire for regular first-team football is the primary driving force behind this impending summer departure.
The lack of match action recently cost the forward his starting spot in Uruguay’s international friendlies during the March break.
During his brief active stint in the Saudi Pro League, he managed a respectable return of six goals and four assists in 16 appearances.
Both Chelsea and Juventus are now reportedly monitoring the situation ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Struggles to replicate early promise
The impending move marks another turbulent chapter in a career that has struggled to match the heights of a 34-goal season in Portugal.
That prolific form convinced Liverpool to commit up to £85m for his services in the summer of 2022.
However, an inconsistent tenure in England yielded 40 goals across 143 appearances, alongside regular questions over his work rate.
Any potential return to European football will likely require a significant reduction from his current reported wages of £400,000 per week.
FIFA has extended Gianluca Prestianni’s UEFA ban for discriminatory conduct globally, meaning the Argentina winger could miss the start of the World Cup.
The world football governing body approved a request to apply the original suspension across all international and club competitions.
The punishment stems from a Champions League knockout play-off tie in Lisbon on 17 February, where Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior alleged he was subjected to racial abuse.
However, UEFA formally recorded the offence as homophobic abuse when issuing their initial disciplinary statement.
World Cup impact for Argentina
The global extension means the former Vélez Sarsfield prospect will be ineligible for his national team’s opening Group J fixtures against Algeria and Austria, should he be selected.
The 20-year-old currently holds a single senior cap for the reigning world champions but featured in their most recent squad for a March friendly against Zambia.
Domestic club matches in Portugal remain completely unaffected by the international ruling.
Suspended sentence details
While the headline sanction spans six matches, three of those are suspended for a two-year probationary period.
The Benfica attacker has also already served one match as a provisional suspension during the initial investigation.
Consequently, the South American will only be forced to sit out two immediate competitive international or European club fixtures.
If the talented wide player is ultimately omitted from Lionel Scaloni’s tournament squad, the active suspension will simply carry over to UEFA competitions next season.
A United States diplomatic envoy is pressing FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at the 2026 World Cup, claiming the backing of Donald Trump.
Paolo Zampolli, the US special representative for global partnerships, continues to campaign for the unprecedented switch ahead of the tournament in North America.
The Italian-American official believes there are significant doubts over whether the Iranian national team will actually participate.
Despite global football’s governing body insisting that the Middle Eastern nation will be present, Zampolli argues the current contingency regulations are flawed.
Lobbying the FIFA president
The 56-year-old revealed he has directly contacted Gianni Infantino regarding the geopolitical matter.
“With Trump’s support, I contacted Infantino because FIFA regulations are flawed in the replacement of a team that doesn’t show up,” Zampolli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The four-time world champions currently stand as the highest-ranked nation to have failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament.
“If Iran didn’t participate in the World Cup, Italy would meet the right requirements,” he added.
Political tensions and Italian reluctance
Infantino has repeatedly maintained that the Asian qualifiers will take their rightful place at the upcoming competition.
However, the US diplomat questioned the reliability of those assurances and raised security concerns about the travelling supporters.
“The crux of the matter is understanding what the Iranians are thinking, and it’s very hard to trust them,” Zampolli stated.
Back in Europe, the radical proposal has been met with widespread skepticism among the Italian public and government officials.
Italian sports minister Andrea Abodi recently dismissed the backdoor entry route as entirely impossible.
The Azzurri famously missed out on consecutive global tournaments following disastrous qualification campaigns for both the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Despite the domestic resistance to qualifying by default, the American envoy remains convinced his homeland would embrace the opportunity once the first ball is kicked.
Arsenal have reached their first Champions League final in 20 years and sit five points clear in the Premier League as manager Mikel Arteta targets a historic double.
The north London club secured their place in European football’s showpiece event following a hard-fought semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid.
They now stand four wins away from securing both the domestic title and European glory in what would be an unprecedented achievement for the team.
The current crop of players have the opportunity to eclipse the legendary Arsene Wenger, who never managed to lift Europe’s premier club trophy during his illustrious reign.
Exorcising the ghosts of Paris
The Gunners last appeared in a Champions League final back in 2006, suffering a heartbreaking late defeat against Barcelona in the French capital.
Even the celebrated Invincibles side of 2004 failed to conquer the continent, leaving a glaring omission on the club’s otherwise stellar honours list.
Domestically, the current league leaders are aiming to end a 22-year wait for the Premier League crown.
A recent dominant display against Fulham proved they still possess the attacking flair required to sustain a challenge on multiple fronts.
An unbeaten run to the final
The journey to the ultimate stage has been flawless, with the English giants remaining unbeaten throughout the current European campaign.
After topping the league phase, they successfully navigated past continental heavyweights including Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
The recent two-legged triumph over the Spanish opposition demonstrated a newfound resilience and tactical discipline instilled by their manager.
While the semi-final tie was not always a visually stunning affair, the gritty performance highlighted a crucial evolution in the squad’s mentality.
Arteta on the brink of history
The immense pressure of a title race had previously shown on the 42-year-old head coach, with questions raised during a challenging period just weeks ago.
However, the joyous scenes following the semi-final success suggest a camp brimming with renewed belief and confidence.
The former midfield captain operates with a starkly different managerial style to his French predecessor, demanding rigorous control and intense tactical adherence.
That meticulous approach now has this modern squad on the verge of writing the greatest chapter in their rich club folklore.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will join German broadcaster MagentaTV as a pundit for the 2026 World Cup, reuniting with his ex-Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels.
The 57-year-old takes on the television role in his homeland alongside his ongoing commitments as Red Bull’s Head of Global Football.
The North American tournament will see the celebrated coach analyse matches alongside recently retired centre-back Hummels and Germany veteran Thomas Muller.
A shift in perspective
Hummels was a cornerstone of the Dortmund side that secured consecutive Bundesliga titles under their charismatic manager in 2011 and 2012.
The defender called time on his playing career last year following a solitary campaign in Italy with Roma.
Transitioning from manager and player to broadcast colleagues is a dynamic the former Anfield boss admits is taking some adjustment.
“Another former player of mine will be a co-pundit of mine, Mats Hummels, Thomas Muller as well, but Mats Hummels was my former player.”
“So, all of a sudden, things changed the perspective.”
Familiar faces on the global stage
The Stuttgart-born tactician will be keeping a close eye on several familiar faces during the showpiece event in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“So many [of my] former players are part of the World Cup, which is really, really nice. And to see how time flies.”
Among the notable clashes, Scotland’s group-stage encounter with Brazil will see his former Anfield stalwarts Andy Robertson and Alisson face off.
The Champions League-winning manager also highlighted Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and reigning world champion Alexis Mac Allister as players he looks forward to watching.
This broadcasting stint represents the latest footballing chapter for the two-time Fifa Men’s Coach of the Year since bidding an emotional farewell to Merseyside.
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder remain the overwhelming favourites to retain the Larry O’Brien Trophy as the NBA conference semifinals get under way following a turbulent opening round.
Eight teams remain in the hunt for the 2026 championship after a dramatic first round featuring massive upsets, key injuries and three decisive game sevens.
Leading the pack are the reigning champions, who hold a commanding 48.8% probability of securing consecutive titles according to analytics.
Mark Daigneault’s squad swept the Phoenix Suns and already hold an early series advantage over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
Armed with formidable depth, home-court advantage and the likely two-time Most Valuable Player, the top seeds appear perfectly positioned to repeat their recent glory.
Thunder boast tactical versatility
The Oklahoma City roster boasts remarkable tactical flexibility for the gruelling postseason run.
The presence of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein allows them to dominate inside with significant size.
Conversely, they can deploy a menacing fleet of guards to wreak havoc in transition and suffocate opposition offences.
Their head coach has also proven consistently fearless when experimenting with lineups throughout high-pressure playoff series.
Spurs present the biggest threat
The most significant obstacle to a repeat championship could reside just down Interstate 35.
The San Antonio Spurs claimed four victories from five meetings against the Thunder during the regular season.
Propelled by 7ft 4in sensation Victor Wembanyama, the young franchise dispatched the Portland Trail Blazers in five games during the opening round.
The French phenomenon recovered from a mid-series concussion to average an astonishing four blocks per game.
Minnesota disrupts the bracket
However, the potential of a heavyweight Western Conference finals clash took a minor hit on Monday night.
A short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves shocked the basketball world by stealing Game 1 from San Antonio.
Relying on a suffocating defence that previously stifled the Denver Nuggets, the Timberwolves restricted their opponents to just 28% shooting from beyond the arc.
Despite this early setback and an emerging reliance on Stephon Castle’s perimeter shooting, expectations remain incredibly high for the developing Texas roster.
Liverpool’s preparations for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea have been disrupted after Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Alisson were notably absent from team training.
The Reds face a demanding test this weekend, but their squad depth appears to be severely stretched following Wednesday’s session.
Alongside the prominent attacking duo, first-choice goalkeeper Alisson and fellow shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili also missed out on group activities.
Injury concerns mount for the Reds
Further compounding the selection headache, playmaker Florian Wirtz and central defender Ibrahima Konate were forced to work away from the rest of the squad.
The pair was spotted undertaking individualised fitness routines rather than participating in full-contact drills with their teammates.
These high-profile absences raise significant questions about the starting XI available to face the London club in just three days.
Crucial Premier League encounter awaits
The Egyptian forward has long been the cornerstone of the Merseyside club’s attack, while the Swedish international has added immense firepower to the frontline.
Losing both dynamic goalscorers simultaneously would represent a major tactical blow ahead of such a high-stakes domestic fixture.
Meanwhile, the simultaneous unavailability of the Brazilian veteran and the Georgian international leaves an unexpected void between the posts.
Supporters will be anxiously awaiting further medical updates from the club hierarchy before the weekend’s pivotal encounter gets underway.