Spanish Defender Sergio Ramos to Resume Career in Mexico

This handout picture released by Monterrey Rayados football club shows new signing Spanish football player Sergio Ramos posing for a picture wearing the team Jersey in Madrid on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Handout / Monterrey Rayados Football Club / AFP)
This handout picture released by Monterrey Rayados football club shows new signing Spanish football player Sergio Ramos posing for a picture wearing the team Jersey in Madrid on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Handout / Monterrey Rayados Football Club / AFP)
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Spanish Defender Sergio Ramos to Resume Career in Mexico

This handout picture released by Monterrey Rayados football club shows new signing Spanish football player Sergio Ramos posing for a picture wearing the team Jersey in Madrid on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Handout / Monterrey Rayados Football Club / AFP)
This handout picture released by Monterrey Rayados football club shows new signing Spanish football player Sergio Ramos posing for a picture wearing the team Jersey in Madrid on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Handout / Monterrey Rayados Football Club / AFP)

Eight months after his last competitive match, Spanish defender Sergio Ramos will resume his illustrious career on another continent.
Ramos, who will turn 39 in March, will play for Monterrey of Liga MX in Mexico where he will have a chance to play in the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The veteran, who won the World Cup in South Africa 2010, has not played an official match since May of last year when he was playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league.
Monterrey, one of the most economically powerful clubs in Mexico, did not reveal the details of the agreement.
“We have been trying to sign him since last summer, but we did not come to terms and we tried again in this new window,” said Monterrey's team president Jose Antonio Noriega. “The team needs him, he has quality, enormous experience, enormous personality and he is an undisputed leader.”
Monterrey, commonly known as Rayados, are one of three Mexican teams that will participate in the first edition of the expanded Club World Cup set to be played in the U.S. next summer. The other two are León and Pachuca.
Ramos also won Euro 2012 with Spain and five Spanish League titles and four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, where he played for 16 seasons.



Fernandez Uncertain over Chelsea Future after Champions League Exit

Chelsea's Argentinian midfielder #08 Enzo Fernandez gives a thumb up at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Stamford Bridge, west London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
Chelsea's Argentinian midfielder #08 Enzo Fernandez gives a thumb up at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Stamford Bridge, west London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
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Fernandez Uncertain over Chelsea Future after Champions League Exit

Chelsea's Argentinian midfielder #08 Enzo Fernandez gives a thumb up at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Stamford Bridge, west London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
Chelsea's Argentinian midfielder #08 Enzo Fernandez gives a thumb up at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Stamford Bridge, west London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)

Enzo Fernandez has suggested he could leave Chelsea at the end of the current season after the London club were knocked out of the Champions League.

Leroy Rosenior's side were beaten 3-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday as the French giants completed an aggregate 8-3 thrashing of the Blues over the two legs of their last-16 tie.

With world club champions Chelsea currently sixth in the Premier League, they may yet fail to qualify for a place among European football's elite next term, AFP reported.

Argentina's Fernandez captained the Blues against PSG on Tuesday in the absence of the injured Reece James.

But the 25-year-old midfielder did little to end speculation he could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge, telling ESPN: "I don't know, there are eight games left and the FA Cup. There's the World Cup and then we'll see."

Fernandez, reflecting on Chelsea's latest loss to PSG, who put the tie to bed with two goals in the first 15 minutes at Stamford Bridge, added: "I think we failed to control the game. In the first leg, we lost focus in the final 15 minutes and conceded three goals, and here it happened at the very start.

"At this level, you can't concede two goals so quickly because of small details.

Ultimately, over the two legs, PSG were the better side and deserve to go through. Since I arrived at Chelsea we have already passed through similar situations and we were able to turn them around.

"Now, our focus must be on winning the FA Cup and achieving our goal of qualifying for next season's Champions League."

Eight-time FA Cup-winners Chelsea face third-tier Port Vale in the quarter-finals on April 4.


Celtic Keeper Schmeichel Fears Shoulder Injury Could End His Career

18 February 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Celtic's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in action during the UEFA Champions League layoff second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Celtic Glasgow at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
18 February 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Celtic's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in action during the UEFA Champions League layoff second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Celtic Glasgow at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
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Celtic Keeper Schmeichel Fears Shoulder Injury Could End His Career

18 February 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Celtic's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in action during the UEFA Champions League layoff second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Celtic Glasgow at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)
18 February 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Celtic's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in action during the UEFA Champions League layoff second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Celtic Glasgow at the Allianz Arena. (dpa)

Kasper Schmeichel has revealed a major shoulder injury could end his career.

The Celtic goalkeeper has been playing through the pain since hurting his left shoulder while appearing for Denmark last year and aggravated the injury against Stuttgart last month.

He has missed the last five matches for Scottish champions Celtic and received a "devastating" diagnosis from a specialist on Monday.

Schmeichel, speaking to CBS Sports Golazo Network, said: "I'm going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder.

"It's a bit of a body blow. I've torn the bicep, torn the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, torn the labrum -- everything's kind of gone. It's looking like 10-12 months of rehab."

The 39-year-old added: "You don't really know how to react to this. I could have potentially played my last ever football game. I've been a footballer since the day I was born. That kind of thought is devastating. It's very, very hard to wrap my head around at the moment."

Schmeichel is the son of goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, a key figure in several of the successful Manchester United teams managed by Alex Ferguson.

Kasper Schmeichel was between the posts when Leicester caused one of the all-time great upsets in English football by winning the English Premier League in 2016 and was the Foxes' keeper when they lifted the FA Cup five years later.

He later played for Nice and Anderlecht before joining Glasgow giants Celtic ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Schmeichel's initial operation is set to take place on Friday and he is determined to salvage his career despite what promises to be a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

"My mind is like, 'OK, I'm going to give it absolutely everything I can to see if I can get back'," he said.

"It would be probably one of the greatest feats of my career if I could get back from an injury like this. I'm going to fight, I'm going to try everything I can."


Champions League: Barcelona, Liverpool Have Work to Do as Bayern Looks to Set Up Madrid Quarterfinal

 Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot attends a press conference at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north-west England on March 17, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match against Galatasaray. (AFP)
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot attends a press conference at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north-west England on March 17, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match against Galatasaray. (AFP)
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Champions League: Barcelona, Liverpool Have Work to Do as Bayern Looks to Set Up Madrid Quarterfinal

 Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot attends a press conference at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north-west England on March 17, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match against Galatasaray. (AFP)
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot attends a press conference at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north-west England on March 17, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match against Galatasaray. (AFP)

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will look to complete a trio of Spanish successes over English rivals in the Champions League 's round of 16 on Wednesday.

A day after Real Madrid ousted Manchester City, Barcelona takes on Newcastle at Camp Nou with the score at 1-1 from last week's first leg after Lamine Yamal's stoppage-time penalty. Barca has won all seven of its home matches in 2026, scoring at least three goals in each.

Atletico is in a better position — 5-2 up on Tottenham — though facing an away match in the second leg.

English hopes may rest with Liverpool, which hosts Galatasaray at Anfield needing to overturn a 1-0 loss from the first match in Istanbul. There is growing pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slot heading into the game.

England had a record six teams in the round of 16 but only Arsenal has so far qualified, with Chelsea joining Man City in getting eliminated on Tuesday.

In Wednesday's other match, Bayern Munich is expected to finish off Atalanta after a 6-1 rout in Italy last week. That would set up a blockbuster quarterfinal matchup with Madrid, the 15-time champion.