Arsenal’s Win over Real Ensures Five Premier League Teams in 2025-26 Champions League 

Football - Champions League - Quarter-final - First Leg - Arsenal v Real Madrid - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - April 8, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their third goal with Martin Odegaard. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Quarter-final - First Leg - Arsenal v Real Madrid - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - April 8, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their third goal with Martin Odegaard. (Reuters)
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Arsenal’s Win over Real Ensures Five Premier League Teams in 2025-26 Champions League 

Football - Champions League - Quarter-final - First Leg - Arsenal v Real Madrid - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - April 8, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their third goal with Martin Odegaard. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Quarter-final - First Leg - Arsenal v Real Madrid - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - April 8, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their third goal with Martin Odegaard. (Reuters)

The Premier League will be guaranteed at least five teams in the 2025-26 Champions League edition following Arsenal's stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday.

The English topflight needed just one win from its clubs in any of the three European competitions to secure one of two extra berths - on top of the four granted to the top four in the table - awarded to the highest-ranked countries in the UEFA coefficient ranking.

In this system, teams earn two points for a win and one for a draw, adding up all the points obtained by each club and dividing by the number of clubs from that league participating in Europe.

England could have up to seven teams in the upcoming Champions League if Aston Villa win this year's edition without qualifying through the Premier League table, and if either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur are crowned in the Europa League.

Italy lead the race for the second additional place, with Spain and Germany trailing behind.

Premier League leaders Liverpool and second-placed Arsenal look set to claim two of the five available berths, while Nottingham Forest hold a strong third position.

Chelsea, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, and 10th-place Bournemouth remain within eight points of each other.



Dortmund Extend Injured Captain Can’s Contract

14 December 2025, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Freiburg im Breisgau: Borussia Dortmund's Emre Can thanks the fans after the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund at Europa-Park Stadium. (dpa)
14 December 2025, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Freiburg im Breisgau: Borussia Dortmund's Emre Can thanks the fans after the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund at Europa-Park Stadium. (dpa)
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Dortmund Extend Injured Captain Can’s Contract

14 December 2025, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Freiburg im Breisgau: Borussia Dortmund's Emre Can thanks the fans after the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund at Europa-Park Stadium. (dpa)
14 December 2025, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Freiburg im Breisgau: Borussia Dortmund's Emre Can thanks the fans after the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund at Europa-Park Stadium. (dpa)

Borussia Dortmund have made good on their promise to support captain Emre Can as he recovers from an ACL injury, extending his deal by one season until 2027 on Saturday.

Can suffered the season-ending knee injury in Dortmund's 3-2 home loss to Bayern Munich in February after slipping on advertising hoardings.

The 32-year-old was expected to move on in the summer, but Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken said the club discussed an extension with Can once the diagnosis became clear.

Calling Can "an absolute role model and a leader," Ricken said in a statement: "We said immediately after his serious injury that we wanted to continue supporting him.

"Now Emre needs to focus entirely on his recovery, and then we'll be delighted when he returns to the pitch."

Can arrived at the club in 2020 from Juventus and is set to become Dortmund's longest-serving current player next season.

"My goal is to get healthy again as quickly as possible, to be back on the pitch with my teammates, and to be successful with the club," Can said.


Wimbledon to Introduce Video Review Technology

The Wimbledon logo on a water feature during the 2021 Wimbledon at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, England, July 3, 2021. (AFP)
The Wimbledon logo on a water feature during the 2021 Wimbledon at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, England, July 3, 2021. (AFP)
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Wimbledon to Introduce Video Review Technology

The Wimbledon logo on a water feature during the 2021 Wimbledon at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, England, July 3, 2021. (AFP)
The Wimbledon logo on a water feature during the 2021 Wimbledon at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, England, July 3, 2021. (AFP)

Wimbledon will introduce ‌video review technology this year that will allow players to challenge judgement calls made by the chair umpire, the Grand Slam's organizers said on Saturday.

Players will not be able to challenge the decisions of the electronic line calling (ELC) system that was introduced at Wimbledon last year, but video reviews ‌will be available ‌to check other scenarios, ‌like ⁠whether a ball ⁠has bounced twice or touched a player's racket or body.

"Players will be allowed to review specific judgement calls made by the chair umpire (such as, for example, ‘not-up’, ‘foul shot’, ‘touch’) either on a point-ending ⁠call, when a player immediately ‌stops play, or ‌immediately after the completion of a point (in the ‌case of hindrance)," the All England ‌Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) said in a statement.

"Players will not be limited in the number of reviews they can request."

The ‌video reviews will be introduced on six show courts, including the ⁠Centre ⁠Court and Court One.

"The technology will be available on Centre Court and Court One throughout the championships and on the other show courts until the conclusion of all singles matches on those courts," the AELTC added.

Visual indicators for the ELC will also be introduced, with scoreboards on all courts displaying "out" and "fault" calls.

This year's Wimbledon starts on June 29.


Alisson Ruled Out of Brazil Squad Due to Injury

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson grabs the ball during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England on March 18, 2026. (AFP)
Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson grabs the ball during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England on March 18, 2026. (AFP)
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Alisson Ruled Out of Brazil Squad Due to Injury

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson grabs the ball during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England on March 18, 2026. (AFP)
Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson grabs the ball during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England on March 18, 2026. (AFP)

Alisson will ‌miss Brazil’s international friendlies against France and Croatia next week after the goalkeeper was ruled out with an injury, the Brazilian Football Federation said on Friday.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti had included Alisson in the squad announced on Thursday, but ‌the Liverpool ‌keeper will be ‌replaced ⁠by Corinthians’ Hugo ⁠Souza, the federation added.

Brazil are scheduled to play France on March 26 and Croatia on March 31 in Boston and Orlando, respectively.

Alisson, 33, will ⁠also sit out Liverpool’s ‌trip to ‌Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, with ‌Giorgi Mamardashvili expected to start ‌in goal, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Alisson has struggled with injuries this season, missing the club’s ‌Champions League last-16 first leg against Galatasaray on March ⁠10, ⁠though he featured in their previous two matches.

He has also missed eight Liverpool matches between October and November due to a hamstring problem.

Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League on 49 points and are pushing for a top-four finish amid stiff competition.