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Mahrez Aims to Land First Asian Champions League for Al Ahli

Roberto Firmino points to the sky after scoring Al Ahli's first goal in their Asian Champions League semi-final win against Al Hilal - AFP
Roberto Firmino points to the sky after scoring Al Ahli's first goal in their Asian Champions League semi-final win against Al Hilal - AFP
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Mahrez Aims to Land First Asian Champions League for Al Ahli

Roberto Firmino points to the sky after scoring Al Ahli's first goal in their Asian Champions League semi-final win against Al Hilal - AFP
Roberto Firmino points to the sky after scoring Al Ahli's first goal in their Asian Champions League semi-final win against Al Hilal - AFP

Riyad Mahrez has vowed Al Ahli will "fight for every second" to deliver a first Asian Champions League trophy for the Saudi club, when they contest the final against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.

Al Ahli are competing for a second time in the Champions League era having lost to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai in 2012.

However, they remain unbeaten in this season's competition.

Speaking on Friday at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Mahrez said Al Ahli are aware of the expectations surrounding the club, especially given that they will enjoy a raucous backing at their home stadium, AFP reported.

"Of course, we feel everything around the final," the former Manchester City player said. "You can take the positive of this fervor, all these people behind us.

"The positive is to motivate you to give everything for all these fans who deserve it and never won the Champions League. And we want to achieve something as a team as well with everyone who is working in the club who deserve this.

"That's why we're going to fight for everything, every minute, every second of the game, to lift the trophy."

Mahrez, a Champions League winner in Europe with City in 2023, leads the tournament in assists, with eight, while a goal in the final would draw him level at the top of the scoring charts on 10.

The Algerian is hugely decorated having also won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations with his country.

"This is a trophy, but in another continent, in Asia," Mahrez said. "I've been lucky enough to play in teams that won a lot of trophies with big players, but when you play any trophy, any cup, it's always exciting.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I really want to win a trophy with this team, with this club and, like I said, I will give everything tomorrow."

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Man City's Rodri Keeps Door Open to Real Madrid Move

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
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Man City's Rodri Keeps Door Open to Real Madrid Move

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has kept the door open to a possible move to Real Madrid as he enters the final year of his contract with the Premier League club, saying he cannot turn down the world's top teams and that a return to LaLiga would appeal to him.

The 29-year-old Madrid native began his senior career at Villarreal before signing for Atletico Madrid in 2018. He moved to City a year later ⁠and has since ⁠enjoyed a highly successful spell in England, winning the Champions League once and four Premier League titles among a host of major honors.

"Would I like to play in Spain again, in LaLiga, in Madrid? I'd like to return, yes, obviously," Rodri told Onda Cero's Radioestadio Noche program ahead of ⁠Spain's friendly against Serbia on Friday.

"I have a year left on my contract; there will come a point when we'll have to sit down and talk."

Rodri, who is working his way back to top form after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in 2024, said having played for Atletico would not prevent him from making a move to their city rivals.

Former Atletico players to have made that switch include goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Alvaro Morata.

"There are other players who have gone ⁠down that ⁠path - not straight away, but in time. You can't turn down the best clubs in the world," Rodri added, according to Reuters.

Rodri also played down any suggestion of rivalry with Vinicius Jr after Real boycotted the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, when the City midfielder won the award ahead of the Brazilian winger.

"I think they wanted to pit Vinicius and me against each other, but not at all," Rodri said. "I have great respect for him and for everything he did that year too. In the end, it's other people - third parties - who decide who wins the Ballon d'Or."

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PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain's visit to second-placed Lens, set for April 11, has been postponed to May 13 to allow them more time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said on Thursday.

Strasbourg's visit to Brest, scheduled for April 12, has also been moved to May 13 to help them prepare for ⁠their Europa Conference League ⁠last-eight clashes with Mainz, Reuters quoted the LFP as saying in a statement.

"These decisions are in line with the board of directors’ clear strategic aim of enabling France to retain its fifth place in ⁠the UEFA coefficient rankings, which secures four places in the UEFA Champions League," the LFP said.

PSG, the reigning European champions, host Liverpool three days before the Lens fixture and travel to Anfield for the second leg on April 14.

PSG and Lens are separated by one point in Ligue 1, with ⁠PSG ⁠having a game in hand. Lens had earlier pushed back against PSG's request.

"It seems to us, in fact, that a worrying sentiment is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of certain parties' European imperatives," Lens said in a statement on Monday.

Sports

Asian Cup Draw Postponed

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
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Asian Cup Draw Postponed

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals, which was due to be held in Riyadh on April 11, has been postponed, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Thursday.

Officials have rescheduled the event to a later date "to ensure the undisrupted attendance of all stakeholders at the final draw ceremony," the governing ⁠body said in ⁠a statement.

"The AFC expressed its appreciation to the Local Organizing Committee for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ for their full readiness to host the draw as planned, and it appreciates the understanding and continued cooperation of its Participating Member Associations, fans and stakeholders," the statement added.

Saudi Arabia is due to host the 24-team quadrennial continental championship for the first time with the last remaining round of qualifiers taking place on Tuesday.

Qatar are the defending champions and have already secured their ⁠berth ⁠at the finals alongside four-times winners Japan, plus fellow World Cup qualifiers South Korea, Iran, Jordan, Australia and Uzbekistan.

The AFC announced on Tuesday that the latter stages of the Asian Champions League Elite would go ahead as planned in Jeddah, with matches running from April 13 to 26.