Arsenal, Chelsea Aim to avoid FA Cup upsets

 Chelsea's Joao Pedro, center, celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro, center, celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP)
TT

Arsenal, Chelsea Aim to avoid FA Cup upsets

 Chelsea's Joao Pedro, center, celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro, center, celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP)

Arsenal head to Mansfield and Chelsea face Wrexham in the FA Cup fifth round, with the Premier League clubs aiming to avoid embarrassing giant-killings, while Liverpool bid to avenge a painful defeat at Wolves.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's fifth round action:

Wrexham get taste of big time

Owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, Wrexham are no strangers to star power these days, but the Championship club will get a taste of what they hope their future looks like when Chelsea visit the Racecourse Ground on Saturday.

Wrexham are fighting to win promotion to the Premier League to cap an incredible rise since Reynolds and Mac bought the team in 2020.

Currently sixth in the second tier, Wrexham are aiming to make it four successive promotions this term, which would ensure the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City are among the glamourous visitors to the modest north Wales town next season.

With that lofty goal in mind, Phil Parkinson's side can measure themselves against elite opposition in the shape of eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea.

Wrexham have already beaten Nottingham Forest in the third round this season.

And Parkinson hopes they can rekindle the spirit that inspired the club, then in the fourth tier, to a famous FA Cup win over Arsenal in 1992.

"I think you've got to go into every game believing and if not, you may as well not turn up," Parkinson said.

"We've got to go in with belief but also an understanding of the underdog mentality and what boxes we've got to tick to make it as difficult as possible for Chelsea."

Mansfield

Mansfield boss Nigel Clough has a rich heritage as the son of one of football's most iconic managers, but FA Cup success has been elusive for his family.

Clough's father Brian led Derby and Nottingham Forest to one English title each and won the European Cup twice with the latter, but was never able to get his hands on the FA Cup.

The closest he came was a 1991 final defeat against Tottenham when his son Nigel was in the Forest attack.

Clough senior died in 2004, but Nigel has kept searching for FA Cup glory and the 59-year-old has a chance to spring a stunning upset when Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Field Mill on Saturday.

Clough has guided Mansfield to the FA Cup last 16 for the first time in 51 years after beating Burnley in the fourth round.

Currently 16th in the third tier, it would be an even more remarkable achievement to knock out Arsenal.

"We actually drew them in the Youth Cup here earlier on this season and they won 4-0. There were two or three players playing that night that would cause us problems in our first team, such is the quality that they have," Clough said.

Liverpool must bite back at Wolves

Branded "slow and predictable" by furious captain Virgil van Dijk after their shock 2-1 loss at Wolves in the Premier League on Tuesday, Liverpool return to Molineux on Friday looking to set the record straight.

Arne Slot's side produced one of their worst performances in a dismal campaign as bottom-of-the-table Wolves snatched only their third league win this season thanks to Andre's late strike.

Despite spending £450 million ($599 million) on new signings in the close-season, Liverpool have mounted a woeful title defense, leaving the FA Cup and the Champions League as their last chances for silverware.

Languishing in sixth place, the Reds have been hampered by injuries and the under-fire Slot said: "It's the model that we don't have 25 players over here.

"Then it hurts even more if you have three or four long-term injuries at the moment."



Tirante Topples Top Seed Shelton to Reach Houston ATP Semi-finals

Argentina's Thiago Tirante is through to the semi-finals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston after an upset win over top-seeded American Ben Shelton. Kenneth Richmond / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Argentina's Thiago Tirante is through to the semi-finals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston after an upset win over top-seeded American Ben Shelton. Kenneth Richmond / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
TT

Tirante Topples Top Seed Shelton to Reach Houston ATP Semi-finals

Argentina's Thiago Tirante is through to the semi-finals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston after an upset win over top-seeded American Ben Shelton. Kenneth Richmond / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Argentina's Thiago Tirante is through to the semi-finals of the ATP clay court tournament in Houston after an upset win over top-seeded American Ben Shelton. Kenneth Richmond / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Thiago Tirante stunned top-seeded Ben Shelton 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-4 on Friday to book a semi-final showdown with friend and fellow Argentine Roman Burruchaga at the ATP clay court tournament in Houston, Texas.

Tirante, ranked 83rd in the world, notched his second career win over a top-10 player as he sent the ninth-ranked Shelton packing to reach the second ATP semi-final of his career.

"I knew that Ben was a very difficult player, a great player, so I had to take more risks at some times of the match," said Tirante, who fended off a break point early in the third set and broke Shelton for a 5-4 lead before serving it out with a comfortable hold.

"I did sometimes good, I did sometimes bad, but that's the key. (I had to stay) mentally strong all the time and try to break the serve -- he serves amazing."

Burruchaga, ranked 77th, upset third-seeded American Learner Tien, ranked 22nd in the world, 7-5, 6-4 to reach his first career semi-final.

The son of former soccer player Jorge Burruchaga, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, the 24-year-old had already knocked out another member of the world top 40 on Thursday, 33rd-ranked local favorite Brandon Nakashima.

Second-seeded American Frances Tiafoe saved a match point in the third set tiebreaker to reach the semi-finals with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Australian Alexei Popyrin.

Tiafoe will face fourth-seeded Tommy Paul in an All-American semi after Paul beat Argentina's sixth-seeded Tomas Etcheverry 6-4, 6-2.


Saudi Crown Prince Meets FIFA President

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Crown Prince Meets FIFA President

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Jeddah on Friday to review areas of mutual sports cooperation and explore promising opportunities for further development, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Saudi Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal and President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal attended the meeting.


Gattuso Out as Italy’s Coach After Team Failed to Qualify for World Cup

Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso greets supporters after winning the playoff FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification semifinal football match between Italy and North Ireland at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, on March 26, 2026. (AFP)
Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso greets supporters after winning the playoff FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification semifinal football match between Italy and North Ireland at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, on March 26, 2026. (AFP)
TT

Gattuso Out as Italy’s Coach After Team Failed to Qualify for World Cup

Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso greets supporters after winning the playoff FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification semifinal football match between Italy and North Ireland at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, on March 26, 2026. (AFP)
Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso greets supporters after winning the playoff FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification semifinal football match between Italy and North Ireland at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, on March 26, 2026. (AFP)

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso left his role by mutual consent on Friday, three days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

The Italian football federation announced the news in a statement thanking Gattuso "for the dedication and passion" during his nine months in charge.

Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

"With pain in my heart, not having achieved the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my experience on the national team bench to be over," Gattuso said.

Gattuso’s departure comes a day after Italy’s football federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned along with Gianluigi Buffon, who was the national team’s delegation chief.

The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

Gattuso took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.

Spalletti had also overseen a disappointing European Championship campaign in 2024, when titleholder Italy was knocked out in the round of 16 by Switzerland.

"I would like to thank Gattuso once again," Gravina said. "Because, in addition to being a special person, as a coach he has offered a valuable contribution, managing to bring enthusiasm back to the national team in just a few months.

"He has conveyed great pride in the national team jersey to the players and to the whole country."

Under Gattuso, Italy went on a six-match winning streak before another loss to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.

Gattuso had been given a contract until the end of this summer’s World Cup, with an automatic renewal until 2028 if Italy returned to football’s biggest stage.

"The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset that exists in soccer, which is why it is right to immediately facilitate future coaching staff decisions," Gattuso said.

"It was an honor to be able to lead the national team and do so also with a group of boys who have shown commitment and attachment to the shirt. The biggest thanks go to the fans, to all the Italians who have never failed to show their love and support for the national team in recent months."

Among those being mentioned to replace Gattuso are Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team. He left that role in October 2024 and is currently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar.

Inzaghi steered Inter Milan to the Serie A title in 2024 and now manages Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Conte coached Italy at the 2016 European Championship and is currently at Napoli.

Allegri is coach at AC Milan.

Italy will play two friendly matches in June but is unlikely to have a new coach by then, given that the election for a new FIGC president won't take place until June 22.