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Villa Must Avoid Newcastle’s Fall from Top Four Fate, Boss Emery Says

Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Aston Villa - London Stadium, London, Britain - August 17, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Aston Villa - London Stadium, London, Britain - August 17, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts. (Reuters)
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Villa Must Avoid Newcastle’s Fall from Top Four Fate, Boss Emery Says

Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Aston Villa - London Stadium, London, Britain - August 17, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Aston Villa - London Stadium, London, Britain - August 17, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts. (Reuters)

Aston Villa must learn from Newcastle United's past struggles after their Champions League qualification and focus on closing the gap at the top of the Premier League standings, manager Unai Emery said ahead of Saturday's home game against Arsenal.

Villa started their league season with a 2-1 victory at West Ham United last weekend. They finished fourth last season, which means they will compete in the Champions League this year.

Newcastle secured a top-four finish two seasons ago, but the next year Eddie Howe´s squad slipped to seventh place and missed out on European competition, as Manchester United´s FA Cup victory secured the final European spot.

"Last year Newcastle were playing in the Champions League, two years ago they were in the top four, but they didn’t get it last year for different reasons," the Spaniard told reporters.

"We want to avoid some circumstances that could lead us the same way like Newcastle or other teams in the past."

The increased number of matches could impact Villa's performance in this campaign, and Emery said Villa aim to secure a European berth again this season.

"This is our challenge, to keep the same structure and idea, being strong to be a contender ourselves to be in the top seven, top five or top four," the Villa manager added.

"Because our objective of course is to be in Europe regularly, consistently, and if we are in the Champions League we can achieve our dreams again."

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Pressure Is on Real Madrid Coach Xabi Alonso Ahead of Champions League Match Against Man City 

Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso in action during a training session at Valdebebas sports city in Madrid, Spain, 09 December 2025. (EPA)
Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso in action during a training session at Valdebebas sports city in Madrid, Spain, 09 December 2025. (EPA)
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Pressure Is on Real Madrid Coach Xabi Alonso Ahead of Champions League Match Against Man City 

Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso in action during a training session at Valdebebas sports city in Madrid, Spain, 09 December 2025. (EPA)
Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso in action during a training session at Valdebebas sports city in Madrid, Spain, 09 December 2025. (EPA)

The pressure is mounting on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match with Manchester City.

Madrid has won just two of its last seven in all competitions including a 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo over the weekend.

Ahead of the City match, Alonso had to contend with reports in the Spanish media that he had lost control of the locker room.

“This is a team, and we all stand together,” he said. “In soccer, you can change perspective quickly, and we’re at that point.”

Doubts over Kylian Mbappé's availability added to Alonso's concerns. The France striker trained separately to the rest of the team on Tuesday, having reportedly had issues with his left leg.

City manager Pep Guardiola sympathized with Alonso, who he coached as a player at Bayern Munich.

“Barcelona and Real Madrid are the toughest clubs to be manager of because of the environment,” he said. “It’s a difficult place but he knows it — it’s the reality of being here."

Other games on Wednesday include defending champion Paris Saint-Germain at Athletic Bilbao, Arsenal at Club Brugge and Italian champion Napoli at Benfica.

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Chelsea’s Maresca Rues ‘Easy Goals’ Conceded in Loss to Atalanta 

Chelsea's coach Enzo Maresca leaves the pitch after losing the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Atalanta BC and Chelsea FC, in Bergamo, Italy, 09 December 2025. (EPA)
Chelsea's coach Enzo Maresca leaves the pitch after losing the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Atalanta BC and Chelsea FC, in Bergamo, Italy, 09 December 2025. (EPA)
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Chelsea’s Maresca Rues ‘Easy Goals’ Conceded in Loss to Atalanta 

Chelsea's coach Enzo Maresca leaves the pitch after losing the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Atalanta BC and Chelsea FC, in Bergamo, Italy, 09 December 2025. (EPA)
Chelsea's coach Enzo Maresca leaves the pitch after losing the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Atalanta BC and Chelsea FC, in Bergamo, Italy, 09 December 2025. (EPA)

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was disappointed by how his side conceded two second-half goals to throw away their lead and slump to a 2-1 Champions League defeat at Atalanta on Tuesday.

Joao Pedro broke the deadlock for Chelsea after 25 minutes, but Serie A side Atalanta returned with far more intent after the break and overturned the deficit through goals from Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere.

Maresca said his side should have taken the chances they had to add to their first-half lead.

"After we conceded the 1-1 (goal), we lost a little bit of control of the game, and then we conceded the second one," he told reporters.

"I think both goals, we can avoid both of them. They're quite easy goals."

The win put Atalanta near the top of the Champions League table, putting them in the mix for direct qualification for the round of 16 with 13 points, while Chelsea have 10.

If the Premier League club do not win their remaining games against Cypriot side Pafos and Italy's Napoli, they will likely finish outside the top eight and be forced to play a two-legged playoff match.

"Probably with two wins, probably with 16 points, you can be in the top eight," the Italian manager added.

"Not sure about that, but now the focus has to be the next game. And then the next one, for sure. If we want to try to finish top eight, we need to win both.

"Otherwise, we try to play the playoff and then go to the next round."

Chelsea next host Everton in a league match on Saturday.

Sports

Specter of Salah Still Hangs Over Liverpool Despite Win Over Inter 

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot gestures after the Champions League, league phase, soccer match between Inter Milan and Liverpool in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Dec.9, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot gestures after the Champions League, league phase, soccer match between Inter Milan and Liverpool in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Dec.9, 2025. (AP)
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Specter of Salah Still Hangs Over Liverpool Despite Win Over Inter 

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot gestures after the Champions League, league phase, soccer match between Inter Milan and Liverpool in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Dec.9, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot gestures after the Champions League, league phase, soccer match between Inter Milan and Liverpool in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Dec.9, 2025. (AP)

The shadow of Mohamed Salah's bust-up with Liverpool hung over the team as they faced Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday and the Egyptian forward's situation looks a long way from being resolved after they eked out a narrow 1-0 win.

Salah was left out of Tuesday's squad by coach Arne Slot after his withering comments on Saturday, when he accused the club of throwing him under the bus having been left on the bench during a 3-3 Premier League draw with Leeds United.

When asked ahead of Tuesday's game if Salah had played his last game for the club, Slot said he had "no clue".

With the travelling fans singing the coach's name after the final whistle against Inter, Slot took a slightly more conciliatory line towards Salah, suggesting that the player may have spoken in the heat of the moment after the disappointing draw with Leeds.

Yet he also suggested the responsibility may rest with Salah to repair the damage.

"You concede, and then a lot of things are being said. Normally, that affects players as well, because he's been so influential for the club and the players, so it's never nice when something happens to their team-mates," Slot said.

"Everyone makes mistakes in life, but does the player know he's made a mistake? Should the initiative (to make things right) come from him or me? That's another question," he added.

Liverpool have one more Premier League game against Brighton & Hove Albion before Salah departs to play with Egypt in the African Cup of Nations on Dec. 15.

Salah is the third-highest scorer in Liverpool's history behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt with 250 goals in all competitions and defender Andy Robertson said he hoped the Egyptian's time at the club was not over.

"That'll be up to other people. It's not up to me, but I love playing with Mo Salah, and I hope to continue to play with him," the 31-year-old said.

Crowned Premier League champions under Slot last season with Salah contributing 34 goals and 18 assists in 52 games across all competitions, Liverpool have struggled to find their best form so far this term, but Tuesday's win might give them some breathing-room.

"We know we're in not the best moment, we know the results haven't been good enough, we know the performances haven't been good enough. So it's important that this club is in the Champions League, and then when you are you have to compete in it," Robertson said.

"The supporters expect us to go far in it (the Champions League), so we need to up our performances to get through and then to hopefully build momentum, so it was a huge result for all of us."