Manuel Neuer back in Bayern Munich training

The powerful European Club Association hailed the latest setback to the European Super League as a clear rejection of the plans of a self-interested few .

UEFA and FIFA would be acting lawfully by freezing out the proposed competition and its teams, the European Union Court of Justice advocate general Athanasios Rantos said on Thursday.

Formally announcing his non-binding opinion in Luxembourg, ahead of a judgement expected in the new year, Rantos was responding to a request by a Madrid court for a ruling on whether FIFA and UEFA would have the right to take action in accordance with competition law and fundamental freedoms.

European Super League (ESLC) officials have argued such actions should be regarded as anti-competitive and incompatible with EU competition …

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham will see his expansion franchise play away to Los Angeles FC in their inaugural MLS fixture.

The match at Banc of California Stadium is scheduled for March 1, 2020, after MLS announced the opening round of fixtures for the new season.

LAFC won the Supporters Shield in 2019 but were beaten in the playoffs by eventual MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders.

The fixture takes Inter chief Beckham back to Los Angeles, where he made 98 regular-season appearances for LA Galaxy, scoring 40 times and winning two MLS Cups.

Worldwide Debut. vs.
March 1, 2020

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF)

While the full schedule is still to be revealed, it was previously confirmed Inter s home debut would come against…

Dani Alves regrets turning down the chance to play under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

The Brazil international opted to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 after leaving Juventus following a one-year spell in Italy.

He looks back fondly at his fine spell with PSG that led to six trophies including two Ligue 1 titles.

But Alves, who won two of his three Champions League crowns under Guardiola at Barcelona, now looks back and wishes he had taken a chance to work with the Catalan coach once more.

Alves, 38, told SporTV: I regret not going to Manchester City to work with Guardiola again.

When you are with people like him [Guardiola], who always finds a way out, it adds a lot to you. My regret was not having gone to work with him again.

B…

The final elite football game of the 2019-20 season in England will take place on Friday. Not a final, but a last-16 game in the Champions League. In August. Next season will start before the month is out.

In many respects, the new normal has become just that. Only when its component parts are listed does it sound completely bizarre. Manchester City versus Real Madrid will be staged without any of the normal razzamatazz and roars expected on such an occasion.

The big moments are the ones that linger from such defining evenings but, as all match-going fans know, it is – as Pep Guardiola might put it – the small details that contribute to the magic. Unchanging routines, familiar faces and a sense of community, within which new features quickly become part of the match…

This strangest of seasons has yielded a Champions League semi-final line-up of a kind not seen since 1991.

RB Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon and Bayern Munich will compete for a spot in the final. Two from France, two from Germany, with the prospect of a one-nation showdown for the trophy.

This is the first time in 29 years that no teams from England, Spain or Italy have reached this stage of the competition, which at that time was still called the European Cup.

The world looked very different back then, for our four semi-finalists and beyond

 Skills showcase! 
We had 8 star-studded quarter-finalists no shortage of entertainment

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague)

RB LEIPZIG

They didn t exist in 1991. In fact,…

Diego Simeone hopes Antoine Griezmann will stay with Atletico Madrid on a long-term basis after the France international helped Los Colchoneros make a positive start in LaLiga.

Griezmann came off the bench to score Atletico s third goal in a dominant opening-day win at Getafe on Monday, with Joao Felix recording three assists and Alvaro Morata scoring twice in a 3-0 triumph.

The 2018 World Cup winner is 12 months into a two-year loan spell in the Spanish capital, having endured a largely unhappy period with Barcelona between 2019 and 2021.

Reports suggest Atletico have an obligation to buy Griezmann should he hit a minimum number of appearances in LaLiga this season, and Simeone is keen to keep the 31-year-old.

We talked about it in the Getafe post-game.…

Diego Simeone insisted Atletico Madrid had produced one of their best displays this season in Wednesday s goalless Champions League draw with Club Brugge.

Atleti recorded 21 shots to Brugge s five as they dominated at the Civitas Metropolitano, but their poor European form continued as they failed to make the breakthrough.

The result ensured Brugge will progress to the Champions League s knockout stages for the first time in their history, but Atletico s chances of joining them are in doubt after taking just four points from four games in Group B.

Atleti have now failed to score in five of their last six Champions League matches, including each of their last three, but Simeone refused to criticise their performance.

We had important situations, well gene…

Alvaro Morata wants to end Juventus long wait for Champions League glory after completing a dream return to Turin.

The Spain striker is back with Juve on an initial one-year loan deal from Atletico Madrid, with the Serie A club having an option to buy Morata for €45million or spend a further €10m to loan him for a second campaign.

Morata previously spent two years with Juventus between 2014 and 2016, scoring 27 goals in 93 appearances before returning to Real Madrid and helping them to win the 2016-17 Champions League, when they beat the Bianconeri in the final.

Achieving European success with Juventus who last won the Champions League in 1996 is one of Morata s main goals.

Juve took a punt on me when I was younger and coming back was a dream of…

Juventus and Manchester City have opened talks regarding the proposed transfer of Kalvin Phillips in January, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Juventus expressed an interest in the former Leeds United midfielder last month, and last week they were contacted by City who wanted to know if the interest stood. It apparently does, but there is some way still to go before an agreement between the two clubs is reached.

Juventus have so far offered to take Phillips on loan for the rest of the season with an option to make the deal permanent in the summer. City, however, want to make the purchase at the end of the season mandatory.

Phillips has no place in Pep Guardiola s plans and he is believed to be open to the idea of going to Juventus, who need to reinforce their midfi…

Mikel Arteta insisted Bukayo Saka will take Arsenal s next penalty, despite the England international failing from 12 yards in last weekend s 2-2 draw with West Ham United.

Saka, who had been successful from both his previous spot-kicks this season, shot wide at the London Stadium, with his miss proving costly as the title-chasing Gunners surrendered a 2-0 lead.

It was the 21-year-old s first failed attempt from 12 yards since Italy s Gianluigi Donnarumma infamously denied him in the Euro 2020 final 21 months earlier.

Nevertheless, Arteta was full of praise for Saka, who he is confident can use the setback to his advantage during the title run-in, which resumes against bottom side Southampton on Friday.

He loves responsibility, but he puts a lot on his s…