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Mbappé Faces Haaland in Champions League Appetizer for World Cup. Troubled Liverpool Goes to Inter

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe poses with the trophy after scoring four goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid, in in Piraeus port, near Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe poses with the trophy after scoring four goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid, in in Piraeus port, near Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
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Mbappé Faces Haaland in Champions League Appetizer for World Cup. Troubled Liverpool Goes to Inter

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe poses with the trophy after scoring four goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid, in in Piraeus port, near Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe poses with the trophy after scoring four goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid, in in Piraeus port, near Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A Champions League clash between Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland will surely happen in the final one day.

On Wednesday, it is a routine league-phase game when Real Madrid hosts Manchester City and the most feared forwards in soccer cross paths for the third time in the competition since Haaland debuted in 2019.

Also this week, Liverpool brings its season of turmoil to San Siro against Inter Milan on Tuesday, when Bayern Munich hosts Sporting Lisbon. Paris Saint-Germain is at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, The AP news reported.

In the sixth of the eight rounds, league-leading Arsenal can become the first team to reach the 16-point total that last season ensured advancing direct to the round of 16, The AP news reported.

Arsenal is the only team with five straight wins on 15 points and needs to avoid defeat Tuesday at Club Brugge to reach the potential cutoff between eighth and ninth place in January.

Mbappé vs. Haaland Tuesday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium likely won’t be the last time they meet this season.

France will play Norway on June 26 at the New England Patriots’ stadium in Foxborough, Mass., in one of the most anticipated games from the World Cup draw made Friday.

There might also be more in the Champions League given that Real Madrid and Manchester City met in the knockout rounds in each of the past four seasons. They combined to win three titles in that time though Mbappé still seeks his first.

Mbappé vs. Haaland first happened in the round of 16 in February 2020. Newly arrived at Borussia Dortmund, Haaland scored two in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain and revealed his “Zen” goal celebration, sitting down cross-legged as if meditating. Mbappé and PSG won in Paris to advance 3-2 on aggregate score.

Last season, in the knockout playoffs in February, Mbappé scored four times including a hat trick in the second leg as Madrid beat Man City in both games, despite Haaland’s two goals in the first leg.

Mbappé’s four goals at Olympiakos last month lifted him to be top scorer in the Champions League this season. He needs one more to reach 10 in a Champions League season for the first time during his decade in the competition.

Haaland has five so far, and already got into double figures in three Champions League campaigns.

Madrid starts the week in fifth place on 12 points, two ahead of City in ninth in the 36-team standings.

Equally prolific Kane Harry Kane is just as prolific for Bayern Munich this season. He has scored 28 in just 22 games for Bayern plus five in five World Cup qualifiers for England.

Kane has kept pace with Haaland’s goal-a-game ratio in the Champions League and kept Bayern third in the standings, despite losing at Arsenal two weeks ago.

Ahead of Kane and Haaland is six-goal Victor Osimhen, who is fit to return with Galatasaray at Monaco on Tuesday. Both teams are in contention for a top-24 finish and places in the knockout stage starting in February.

Frankfurt fans return Barcelona hosting Eintracht Frankfurt is a repeat of a remarkable show of force by visiting fans four seasons ago — and one the Spanish club has now worked to avoid.

Eintracht’s road to winning the Europa League in 2022 included what looked and sounded like a home game to win 3-2 at Camp Nou in the second leg of the quarterfinals.

About 30,000 German fans were there after most bought tickets from Barcelona fans, who last week were warned by their club not to do that again.

“If the traceability of ticket purchases and their final destination reveals fraudulent behavior, the case will be referred to the disciplinary committee,” Barcelona said last week in a statement.

Barcelona is certainly favored to win this time. The La Liga leader scored five in winning at the weekend while Eintracht was routed 6-0 at Leipzig.

Winter is coming It will be an unusually early Champions League kickoff at 4:30 p.m. Central Europe Time when Kairat Almaty hosts Olympiakos on Tuesday. That is 8:30 p.m. in eastern Kazakhstan where evening temperatures can plummet in December.

UEFA planned well to schedule the game Tuesday instead of Wednesday. Forecast temperature at kickoff is about 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) while it should be -12 C (10 F) at the same time one day later.

Bodo/Glimt’s European season continues at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday after its domestic season finished in Norway being edged for the title by Viking. The Norwegian league avoids the bitter winter and Glimt has two more Champions League games in January, and maybe more in the knockout phase, during the Norwegian offseason.

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Inter Boss Chivu Defends Bastoni After Italy Red Card and Media Scrutiny

Italy's defender #21 Alessandro Bastoni (C, bottom) receives a red card from French referee Clement Turpin during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification final football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026. (AFP)
Italy's defender #21 Alessandro Bastoni (C, bottom) receives a red card from French referee Clement Turpin during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification final football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026. (AFP)
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Inter Boss Chivu Defends Bastoni After Italy Red Card and Media Scrutiny

Italy's defender #21 Alessandro Bastoni (C, bottom) receives a red card from French referee Clement Turpin during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification final football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026. (AFP)
Italy's defender #21 Alessandro Bastoni (C, bottom) receives a red card from French referee Clement Turpin during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification final football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026. (AFP)

Inter Milan boss Cristian Chivu came to the defense of under-fire Alessandro Bastoni on Saturday, praising his center-back's courage and sense of responsibility after Italy's World Cup playoff loss and criticizing the media scrutiny around the club.

Bastoni had already been a target for Italian media and opposition fans since Inter's Valentine's Day win over Juventus, after being accused of diving to get Pierre Kalulu sent off and then celebrating the red card.

The international break did little to ease the pressure. His rash last-man foul in the first half left Italy with 10 men, and they went on to lose the World Cup playoff in ‌Bosnia on penalties.

"In ‌football, what matters is the respect of your teammates. What ‌matters ⁠is your work, ⁠and who you are as a person," Chivu told reporters ahead of Sunday's home game with AS Roma.

"I'm sure he's disappointed about what happened, but at the same time, grateful for the support he received from his national teammates and his teammates here at the club.

"Because he showed his face. Because in a moment of difficulty, he stepped forward with what he had, to represent his country and try to achieve the dream of ⁠all Italians."

Bastoni not only needed to put aside the negative ‌attention, but also missed Inter's most recent game through ‌injury before joining up with Italy.

"Despite the difficulties, despite his physical condition at that moment, ‌he made himself available, and that means a lot to me," Chivu said.

"I understand ‌what it means to spend 10 days on crutches and then step up and take responsibility in such an important match."

Chivu pushed back when asked about the media storm that followed the Juventus game, redirecting the question to the reporters over what he feels are double standards ‌when it comes to Inter.

"I haven't seen the same reaction since, but when it's Inter, when someone claims Inter are favored, ⁠then it becomes ⁠a public flogging," Chivu said.

"But when there are episodes that go against Inter, suddenly no one says anything. That's a question I should be asking you, because you are the ones who should answer it."

PRAISE, NOT BLAME

Inter had five players involved in Italy's loss, and 20-year-old forward Pio Esposito missed the first spot kick in the shootout.

"What mattered to me, and I asked him when I saw him, was whether he had requested to take the penalty," Chivu said.

"His answer was yes, and for me that's enough.

"Taking responsibility at such a young age, knowing full well the importance of the match, is enough for me. Penalties can be missed, and he will miss many in his career. What matters is that he had the courage to step up."

Inter are top of the standings, six points ahead of AC Milan, who are away to third-placed Napoli on Monday.

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Bayern Youngsters Deliver Rousing Comeback Win to Stay on Course for Bundesliga Title

Bayern Munich players including Bayern Munich's German midfielder #20 Tom Bischof and Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz (R) celebrate after the German first division Bundesliga football match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, southern Germany on April 4, 2026. (AFP)
Bayern Munich players including Bayern Munich's German midfielder #20 Tom Bischof and Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz (R) celebrate after the German first division Bundesliga football match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, southern Germany on April 4, 2026. (AFP)
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Bayern Youngsters Deliver Rousing Comeback Win to Stay on Course for Bundesliga Title

Bayern Munich players including Bayern Munich's German midfielder #20 Tom Bischof and Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz (R) celebrate after the German first division Bundesliga football match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, southern Germany on April 4, 2026. (AFP)
Bayern Munich players including Bayern Munich's German midfielder #20 Tom Bischof and Bayern Munich's Colombian forward #14 Luis Diaz (R) celebrate after the German first division Bundesliga football match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, southern Germany on April 4, 2026. (AFP)

Lennart Karl scored in the ninth minute of added time to complete a dramatic comeback 3-2 win for Bayern Munich over Freiburg and keep his team on track for the Bundesliga title on Saturday.

Freiburg was heading for an upset win at 2-0 up in the 81st minute before Bayern's young midfielders changed the game, 20-year-old Tom Bischof scoring twice with low shots from distance and 18-year-old Karl slotting in a low cross from Alphonso Davies to turn the game on its head.

Harry Kane was out with an ankle issue ahead of next week's Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid and Nicolas Jackson was suspended so Serge Gnabry was tasked with leading the Bayern attack but made little headway.

Bayern's defense was at fault for Freiburg's opening goal, giving Johan Manzambi plenty of space to cut in from the left flank and line up a powerful shot past Manuel Neuer.

Back in the team after injury, Neuer made strong saves in the first half but blundered for Freiburg's second, leaping out of his goal to palm a corner straight to Freiburg striker Lucas Höler for an easy second.

Michael Olise missed a huge chance for Bayern but it was Bischof who made the breakthrough, scoring once from outside the area in the 81st, then again in added time as Freiburg was caught out by Bayern's quick corner routine. Davies' assist for Karl's winner marked an encouraging return from a hamstring injury for the Canada left back ahead of the World Cup.

Leverkusen wins thriller

Bayer Leverkusen surged back from 3-1 down to beat Wolfsburg 6-3 in an action-packed game which pushed relegation-threatened Wolfsburg closer to ending its 29-year stay in the top division.

Leverkusen's Spanish wing back Alejandro Grimaldo scored twice to move to 14 goals for the season in all competitions as he competes for a World Cup spot. Patrick Schick, Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Malik Tillman also scored for Leverkusen.

Tapsoba's goal marked redemption after he'd conceded a penalty which allowed Christian Eriksen to score Wolfsburg's third, but the Leverkusen defender wasn't the only one to achieve that feat. Wolfsburg defender Joakim Maehle scored with a low drive in the 31st barely 10 seconds after the kickoff following a penalty conceded for his own foul.

Leverkusen stayed sixth and remained firmly in the Champions League race. Wolfsburg was 17th in the 18-team league and winless since January.

Leipzig boosts CL push

Antonio Nusa and Romulo made the most of Leipzig's few chances in a 2-0 win over Werder Bremen to stay on target for a return to the Champions League in fourth.

Leipzig got another boost as fifth-placed Hoffenheim was upset by Mainz 2-1. Union Berlin and Augsburg drew 1-1 and Franck Honorat's goal rescued a 2-2 draw for Borussia Moenchengladbach against last-placed Heidenheim.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund played third-placed Stuttgart later Saturday.

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Slot Urges Liverpool to Stick Together After FA Cup Rout at Man City

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Quarter Final - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 4, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaks to Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Alexis Mac Allister as they come on as substitutes. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Quarter Final - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 4, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaks to Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Alexis Mac Allister as they come on as substitutes. (Reuters)
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Slot Urges Liverpool to Stick Together After FA Cup Rout at Man City

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Quarter Final - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 4, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaks to Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Alexis Mac Allister as they come on as substitutes. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Quarter Final - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 4, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaks to Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Alexis Mac Allister as they come on as substitutes. (Reuters)

Arne Slot urged his Liverpool flops to stick together after admitting Saturday's dismal 4-0 defeat at Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals summed up their turbulent season.

Slot's side wasted a series of early chances at the Etihad Stadium before capitulating when Erling Haaland bagged City's opener late in the first-half.

Haaland struck again on the stroke of half-time and completed his treble after the break following Antoine Semenyo's goal.

Liverpool's wretched performance, which also included a missed Mohamed Salah penalty when the score was 4-0, increased the pressure on Slot after a miserable campaign.

"It's very disappointing to be out, not only in the manner but also the result and the score. Another big disappointment for us," said Slot, whose team have only two wins in their last seven games.

"The first 35 minutes was the sort of team I would like to see but the 20 minutes after that, we have to defend so much better than we were doing today.

"It's not nice to go in at 2-0 just before half-time, not helpful for your mood especially after the season we have had. That was really hard to take."

In a frank admission of Liverpool's problems, Slot said he was concerned with avoiding an even bigger thrashing ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris Saint-Germain.

"The only good thing was that we didn't concede more. If you want to have a good game on Wednesday, a 4-0 loss is already not helpful but an even bigger loss would be a bigger problem for us to go there," he said.

"I tried to get us back into the game, to make it 4-1 or 4-2 but make sure that it stays at four and that was the main thing I thought about."

The Reds are languishing in fifth place in the Premier League, with their title defense in tatters and their bid to qualify for next season's Champions League far from certain to have a happy ending.

- 'A lot of setbacks' -

Slot was taunted by City fans who chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" and while that might be premature the Dutch coach is under increasing scrutiny.

Liverpool supporters have grown frustrated with their team's limp performances.

The Champions League represents Liverpool's last chance for silverware this season, but they face a daunting task against holders PSG.

Calling for his team to stand up to the pressure against PSG, who knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League last term, Slot said: "We are really looking forward to playing against a very good side again.

"We have had a lot of setbacks and disappointments but that is also part of being a football player and being a human being. You have to stand there when things are not so positive and that's what it is about now.

"Players that have shown so much quality in the past now have a fantastic chance to show that against PSG."

With City boss Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban, his assistant Pep Lijnders took the post-match media duties.

"Pep is really pleased, that is the most important. It's not easy to please him," Lijnders said.

"The first 25 minutes we were too open. Then we started to control the game and created more chances.

"Erling's header was insane. I love when a striker flies and attacks the ball. What a goal."

City's eighth successive FA Cup semi-final appearance keeps them in contention to win the competition for the first time since 2023.

They have already won once at Wembley this season, beating Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup final just before the international break.

"Pep was really happy because it's special if you go eight times to Wembley," Lijnders said.

"It's the part of the season where the business has to be done. The boys feel that."