Sports
Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A : où en sont les autres courses au titre européen ?
Les ligues majeures européennes entrent dans leurs dernières semaines, avec des choses serrées au sommet en Allemagne tandis que d’autres titres sont sur le point d’être remportés.
Mais qu’en est-il ailleurs ? BBC Sport examine qui défie quoi.
Allemagne
P | GD | Points | |
1.Bayern Munich | 30 | 48 | 62 |
2.Borussia Dortmund | 30 | 27 | 61 |
3. Union Berlin | 30 | 13 | 56 |
4. Fribourg | 30 | 9 | 56 |
Il y a un leader familier en tête du classement de la Bundesliga, mais c’est toujours très serré.
Le Bayern Munich a remporté les 10 derniers titres de Bundesliga. Pour la première fois en une décennie, ils n’étaient pas en tête avec cinq matchs à jouer.
Mais ils ont pris deux points d’avance dimanche avec une victoire 2-0 sur le Hertha Berlin après que le Borussia Dortmund ait fait match nul 1-1 à Bochum vendredi.
Le Bayern, qui a remplacé l’entraîneur Julian Nagelsmann par Thomas Tuchel en mars, doit battre le Werder Brême, Schalke, le RB Leipzig et Cologne pour remporter 11 championnats allemands consécutifs.
Trois des quatre derniers matchs de Dortmund sont contre des équipes du top 10, mais un seul du Bayern le sont.
L’Union Berlin et Fribourg occupent toutes deux six points d’avance, mais auraient besoin de beaucoup pour dépasser les deux premiers.
Fribourg, RB Leipzig, Stuttgart et Francfort sont les demi-finalistes de la Coupe d’Allemagne, donc aucun doublé n’est probable.
Tuchel n’a remporté que trois de ses huit matchs en tant que patron du Bayern – et ils ont été éliminés de la Coupe d’Allemagne et de la Ligue des champions à cette époque.
“Je pense que tout le monde, y compris Tuchel lui-même, a sous-estimé les problèmes de l’équipe”, a déclaré le journaliste de football allemand Raphael Honigstein.
“Il y a tellement de joueurs hors de forme, il n’y a pas de cohésion, beaucoup des meilleurs joueurs” sur papier “sont l’ombre d’eux-mêmes en ce moment.
“Ils ont perdu tout ce qui fait d’eux le Bayern, en termes de simple présence et de victoire dans les grands matchs. Métaphoriquement, les lederhosen ont été abattus et ils sont très exposés!”
“Le Bayern essaie toujours de prétendre que tout cela est lié au fait que Julien Nagelsmann ne fait pas son travail correctement, mais cela commence à s’épuiser un peu et les gens commencent à regarder vers le haut. Le conseil consultatif espère que le Bayern sauvera d’une manière ou d’une autre sa saison en gagner le titre. Ce n’est pas encore fini et cela pourrait encore devenir moche.”
Italie
P | GD | Points | |
1. Naples | 32 | 46 | 79 |
2. Latium | 32 | 26 | 61 |
C’est juste une question de savoir quand Napoli remportera son premier titre de Serie A depuis 1990, telle est son avance en tête du classement.
Ils n’ont qu’à récolter un point lors de leurs six derniers matchs, à commencer par le déplacement de jeudi à Udinese (19h45 BST).
En fait, l’équipe de Naples pourrait être championne d’ici là, si la Lazio ne bat pas Sassuolo mercredi (20h00)
L’Inter Milan est quatrième mais pourrait encore remporter deux trophées. Ils affronteront l’AC Milan en demi-finale de la Ligue des champions et la Fiorentina en finale de la Coupe d’Italie.
France
P | GD | Points | |
1. Paris Saint-Germain | 33 | 42 | 75 |
2.Marseille | 33 | 29 | 70 |
3. Lentille | 32 | 29 | 66 |
La forme douteuse du Paris St-Germain signifie que la course au titre de Ligue 1 n’est pas encore terminée.
Les champions en titre menaient de 11 points le 11 mars mais ont perdu trois des six matchs suivants pour ne leur laisser que cinq points d’avance sur Marseille avec cinq matchs à jouer.
Lens, qui compte encore quatre points de retard mais avec un match en retard, reçoit Marseille samedi (20h00) dans un match qui pourrait décider si l’un ou l’autre a encore une chance.
Le rodage du PSG devrait être simple sur le papier, avec ses quatre prochains matchs contre des équipes des sept derniers avant de se terminer contre Clermont, qui est huitième.
Quoi qu’il arrive, leur saison a été décevante avec des huitièmes de finale en Ligue des champions et en Coupe de France.
Toulouse a remporté la Coupe de France avec une victoire 5-1 sur Nantes au Stade de France.
Espagne
P | GD | Points | |
1. Barcelone | 32 | 48 | 79 |
2. Réal Madrid | 32 | 39 | 68 |
Barcelone se rapproche d’un premier titre en Liga depuis 2019, et d’un premier sans Lionel Messi depuis 1999.
L’équipe de Xavi doit gagner trois de ses six derniers matchs pour être assurée du titre, tandis que le rodage du Real Madrid est plus difficile et leur objectif ailleurs.
Le Real affrontera Osasuna en finale de la Coupe d’Espagne samedi (21h00), et Manchester City en demi-finale de la Ligue des champions.
Sports
Everton manager Sean Dyche says altercation with defender Nathan Patterson was ‘nothing’
Everton manager Sean Dyche says there was “nothing” in an altercation between himself and defender Nathan Patterson.
Reports suggested Dyche hit Patterson, 22, with a “playful slap” during a warm weather training camp earlier this month, resulting in a heated row.
“I tapped him on the head like an older brother would and he didn’t get the joke. It’s really that simple,” said Dyche, 52.
“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Nothing in it really.”
Scotland international Patterson has played 25 times for Everton this season but his last appearance came in January.
The incident reportedly occurred during the Toffees’ trip to Portugal prior to the international break with defender James Tarkowski having to step in.
Patterson played twice for Scotland during the international break, first against the Netherlands and then Northern Ireland.
Dyche hoping for quick resolution to latest charge
Dyche says he is also hoping for a quick resolution to the club’s latest charge for allegedly breaching the Premier League’s financial rules – and that it “comes to nothing”.
Everton were docked 10 points in November, reduced to six on appeal, for breaking profit and sustainability rules in the three-year period to 2021-22 but received a second charge in January for the three years to 2022-23.
They are currently 16th in the Premier League, four points above Nottingham Forest who were themselves docked four points earlier this month.
“We’re just waiting, really, like we did last time,” Dyche said. “I’m sure everyone’s hoping that it’s fast-tracked slightly, but we’ll have to wait and see.
“I don’t think anyone has concrete proof of how or which way these things will go, particularly after the first one.
“We can only give the information that’s appropriate. I wasn’t there, obviously, but I’m told we’ve given every bit of information that we can give.
“We hope that they see, accordingly, what the club has been trying to do to make sure we’re within the right areas that they need us to be in. So, therefore, we’ll hope that it comes to nothing.”
Sports
Fans warned over German beer strength before Euros
The Foreign Office warns football fans that “stronger” German beer could get them barred from stadiums.
Sports
Man City: Kerstin Casparij charged over alleged offensive gesture to Man Utd fans
Manchester City defender Kerstin Casparij has been charged by the Football Association with making an alleged offensive gesture during the Manchester derby on 23 March.
The Netherlands international’s charge relates to an incident in the 37th minute in City’s 3-1 win at the Etihad.
Jess Park gave City the lead eight minutes before half-time, when Casparij is alleged to have made a gesture towards Manchester United’s away support.
Casparij has until 3 April to respond.
City’s win took them top for 24 hours in the Women’s Super League, before Chelsea’s victory against West Ham restored the Blues’ lead at the top on goal difference.
Sports
Flavio Briatore: Former Formula 1 boss and ex-Queens Park Rangers co-owner has heart surgery
Ex-Renault Formula 1 boss and former Queens Park Rangers co-owner Flavio Briatore has undergone heart surgery to remove a benign tumour.
The Italian, 73, said he has been discharged from hospital in Milan following the operation.
Briatore said on Instagram the surgery had been “perfectly successful”.
“Following a routine check-up I underwent heart surgery because I had a benign mass which was removed with a minimal invasive procedure,” he said.
Businessman Briatore was managing director of Benetton when Michael Schumacher won the F1 drivers championship in 1994 and 1995.
He was also in charge of Renault when Fernando Alonso also took the title in 2005 and 2006 but left amid the ‘Crashgate’ scandal.
He has not held an official position in F1 since but has been present at grands prix in recent years.
The Italian co-owned QPR between 2007 and 2010, having bought into the west-London club alongside Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal.
Sports
Premier League apologises as Tottenham v Nottingham Forest is moved at short notice
The Premier League has apologised after Nottingham Forest’s trip to Tottenham in less than two weeks’ time was brought forward by 24 hours.
The fixture, due to take place on Monday, 8 April, will now be at 18:00 GMT on Sunday, 7 April because of London Underground and train strikes.
The local authority’s Safety Advisory Group deemed the required level of safety for fans was not possible as a result of the action.
The league apologised “unreservedly”.
Tottenham said only one of the six stations that serve the stadium will run as normally on 8 April.
“All tickets will remain valid for the new date – we shall shortly be contacting all ticket holders to outline options if they are no longer able to attend,” they said.
A Premier League statement said: “The change has been made due to matters beyond the League’s control, namely the decision to implement rail and tube strikes on Monday, 8 April and the subsequent reduction in available travel services.
“This has resulted in the local authority’s Safety Advisory Group determining that it is not possible to stage the match with the required levels of safety for attending fans.”
Sports
Friday’s gossip: Dani Olmo, Joselu, Todibo, Marmoush, Lukaku, Raphinha, Bremer
Manchester United have entered the race to sign Spain international Dani Olmo, who has a £52m release clause to leave RB Leipzig this summer. The 25-year-old winger is also interesting Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United representatives have been to Spain to identify potential transfer targets and 34-year-old Spain striker Joselu, who is on loan at Real Madrid from Espanyol, is one of the names on their list. (Relevo – in Spanish)
United will have to pay at least 60m euros (£51.3m) for Brazil international Gleison Bremer, 27, who plays for Juventus, and the Red Devils’ striker Mason Greenwood, 22, could be included in the deal. (Gazetta dello Sport – in Italian)
Manchester City and Newcastle United will rival Manchester United for the signing of Everton and England Under-21 centre-back Jarrad Brathwaite, 21. (Football Transfers)
Italian club Genoa are expecting to receive bids in the summer for 26-year-old Iceland forward Albert Gudmundsson, who has been linked with Tottenham and West Ham. (Fabrizio Romano)
Newcastle United ran the rule over several Brazil players during their friendly against England last week, with Barcelona winger Raphinha, 27, and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, 27, thought to be on their radar. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Manchester United and Tottenham target Jean-Clair Todibo, the 24-year-old France international centre-back, could be available for £40m from Nice this summer. (Talksport)
Crystal Palace want to sign 19-year-old Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera in the summer but face competition for the Spain Under-21 international from Atletico Madrid. (Evening Standard)
Chelsea will replace Todd Boehly as chairman in 2027. (Mail)
There is a strong temptation for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 30, currently on loan at Roma from Chelsea, to move to Saudi Arabia. (Calcio Mercato – in Italian)
Sports
Paris St-Germain 3-0 Hacken (agg 5-1): PSG to face Lyon in Champions League semi-final
Paris St-Germain will face French rivals Lyon in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League after beating Hacken to reach the final four.
PSG were dominant in the second leg, opening the scoring when Tabitha Chawinga fired into the bottom corner.
United States midfielder Korbin Albert extended their lead when she sent a long-range drive past Jennifer Falk.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto then headed home Sakina Karchaoui’s cross to seal victory.
PSG led 2-1 on aggregate going into the second leg and never looked like letting their lead slide.
It took them until the 70th minute to follow up Chawinga’s opener, but they troubled Hacken throughout with Katoto having an earlier header cleared off the line.
Hacken were unable to make any real impression at Parc des Princes as the Swedish side were forced to sit back without the ball.
PSG were beaten on penalties by Lyon in the 2016-17 Champions League final and are currently seven points behind them in Division 1 Feminine.
Sports
Barcelona 3-1 Brann (agg 5-2): Barca set up Champions League semi-final against Chelsea
Holders Barcelona beat Brann to set up a Women’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.
Barcelona won the first leg 2-1 and extended their aggregate lead when Aitana Bonmati hooked an effort past Aurora Mikalsen in the 23rd minute.
They netted again through Fridolina Rolfo, who bundled home when Mikalsen failed to clear a goalmouth scramble.
Tomine Svendheim pulled one back for Brann, but Patri Guijarro scored an 88th-minute tap-in to seal Barca’s win.
With England internationals Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh in their line-up, Barcelona dominated the second leg at Estadi Johan Cruyff as they managed 26 shots to seven from their Norwegian visitors.
Beating Brann sets up a repeat of last year’s semi-final, when Barcelona beat Chelsea 2-1 on aggregate before going on to win the competition.
They will host the first leg in Barcelona on 20-21 April, with the second leg being played at Stamford Bridge on 27-28 April.
The Catalan giants also thrashed Chelsea 4-0 in the 2020-21 final when they won the competition for the first time.
Sports
Leicester City: Willie Kirk sacked after allegation of relationship with player
Leicester City have sacked manager Willie Kirk following an investigation into an allegation he had a relationship with a player.
Kirk, 45, was suspended by the Women’s Super League club earlier this month to “assist with an internal process”.
The Scottish boss has not been on the touchline for the past three games.
“Willie was determined to have breached the team’s code of conduct to a degree that makes his position untenable,” Leicester said in a statement.
Following Kirk’s suspension, assistant manager Jennifer Foster and first-team coach Stephen Kirby took charge for the Women’s FA Cup quarter-final at Liverpool on 9 March.
The Foxes won 2-0 to reach the last four of the competition for the first time.
Leicester have lost the two matches they have played since, being beaten by Tottenham and Brighton in the WSL.
Foster and Kirby will continue to lead the team while Leicester begin the search for a new permanent manager.
Former Everton manager Kirk joined the Women’s Super League club in the summer of 2022, initially as a director of football before succeeding Lydia Bedford as boss that November.
Last season he guided Leicester from the bottom of the WSL to safety and they were seventh in the table this season when he was suspended.
Leicester said the code of conduct which Kirk breached was “established and implemented” before the 2023-24 season.
“The code forms part of the club’s ongoing commitment to professionalising the women’s game since the takeover of LCFC Women in 2020, promoting a performance-led culture among players, coaches and technical staff,” Leicester added.
Their decision, announced on Thursday, comes amid scrutiny of player-coach relationships in women’s football.
In February, former Leicester manager Jonathan Morgan was sacked by Sheffield United after “new information came to light about his conduct” before he joined the club.
Morgan’s former management agency ended their relationship with him and said in a statement it had “learnt new information regarding Jonathan Morgan and a relationship with a player”.
More to follow.
Sports
Xabi Alonso: Bayern Munich chief Uli Hoeness says appointing Spaniard is ‘probably impossible’
Bringing Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich this summer is “probably impossible”, says the club’s honorary president Uli Hoeness.
Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso, 42, is a target of Bayern’s to replace Thomas Tuchel when he leaves in the summer.
The Spaniard has also been strongly linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool but Hoeness says he will likely stay at Leverkusen.
“We’ll have to see if we can do it this year,” he said.
“It will be difficult, if not probably impossible.”
In his second year as a manager, Alonso is on the brink of leading Leverkusen to their first German Bundesliga title.
They are 10 points clear of champions Bayern with eight games remaining and have not lost in all competitions.
As well Liverpool and Bayern, Alonso has also been linked with Real Madrid, another of his former clubs from his playing career.
“[Alonso] is more inclined to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in view of their current successes, because he would not want to leave them behind,” Hoeness said.
“Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to bring him out of there.”