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Liverpool Go Back to Galatasaray Cauldron in Champions League Last 16

Football - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - March 6, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - March 6, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Liverpool Go Back to Galatasaray Cauldron in Champions League Last 16

Football - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - March 6, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - March 6, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)

AFP Sport looks ahead to Tuesday's Champions League last-16, first-leg clashes, as Liverpool go to Istanbul for the second time this season and Newcastle United prepare to host Barcelona again:

- Galatasaray v Liverpool -

Liverpool's Premier League title defense collapsed during a horrific run of results from late September, and they face a battle even to qualify for next season's Champions League. Now Arne Slot's side head back to Istanbul, where they lost 1-0 to Turkish champions Galatasaray during the league phase.

A deep run in the Champions League would be a major boost for Slot, who has come under fire from frustrated fans during Liverpool's slump. Significantly, German playmaker Florian Wirtz made his return from a back injury as a late substitute in Friday's FA Cup win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Slot played down concerns over Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after the World Cup winner limped off.

Galatasaray held off Juventus in the play-off round, after winning 5-2 at home in the first leg and then losing 3-2 after extra time in the return. They lead the Turkish Super Lig and won 1-0 at Istanbul rivals Besiktas on Saturday, with Victor Osimhen scoring the goal -- that was his 18th of the season, with seven coming in Europe.

- Atalanta v Bayern Munich -

Bayern probably deserve to be considered among the leading three or four contenders to win the Champions League, as the German giants chase what would be a seventh title in Europe's elite club competition. Vincent Kompany's team head to Italy with an 11-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga and having won seven of eight games in the Champions League so far.

With the Bundesliga title all but wrapped up, Bayern gave Harry Kane a rest and left Michael Olise on the bench in Friday's 4-1 win against Borussia Moenchengladbach. With 45 goals in 37 games in all competitions this campaign, Kane is in ominous form, reaching his best ever mark in a season by February. In leaving the England captain out for the first time this season, Kompany said Kane had a knock on his calf and would be back to his best in a couple of days.

Atalanta knocked out Borussia Dortmund in the last round and have also beaten Eintracht Frankfurt this season, so will be relishing another test against German opposition. Gianluca Scamacca scored twice as they came from behind to draw 2-2 with Udinese in Serie A on Saturday.

- Atletico Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur -

Tottenham go back to the Metropolitano, where they lost to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final. The current Spurs side is a shadow of Mauricio Pochettino's exciting team, however, and they find themselves in the strange position of still being involved in Europe and locked in a relegation battle in the Premier League at the same time.

A long way off the pace in La Liga, Diego Simeone's Atletico are fully focused on cup goals for the remainder of the season. The Argentine coach led them to the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 but came up short against rivals Real Madrid both times, and Atletico are desperate to win the competition for the first time in their history.

Hosting a crumbling Spurs, they will aim to build a strong first-leg lead and try to capitalize on being in the theoretically weaker side of the draw.

- Newcastle United v Barcelona -

Having already beaten Newcastle 2-1 at St James' Park in the league phase thanks to a Marcus Rashford brace and without teenage star Lamine Yamal, Barcelona will be confident when heading to Tyneside.

Hansi Flick's entertaining side still have their flaws though, particularly the exploitable high defensive line which makes them vulnerable to pace in behind, with Anthony Gordon likely to cause the Catalan giants trouble.

Newcastle have found the going tougher in the Premier League this season after several years of sustained progress under Eddie Howe. They beat Manchester United last week before crumbling in the FA Cup against a Manchester City team that had made 10 changes.

Nick Woltemade started against City after a brief illness while Tino Livramento was on the bench. Howe said Lewis Miley will not be ready to face Barcelona.

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Iran Football Team Pushes Back on Trump Comments, Says ‘No One Can Exclude’ It from the World Cup

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)
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Iran Football Team Pushes Back on Trump Comments, Says ‘No One Can Exclude’ It from the World Cup

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)

Pushing back on US President Donald Trump’s comments, Iran's national soccer team says “no one can exclude” it from playing in the men's World Cup in the United States.

Instead, a post on the team's official Instagram account Thursday suggested maybe the US team should be excluded after Trump indicated that the host country couldn't guarantee the safety of the Iranian players.

Trump wrote in a social media post Thursday that the Iranian team was welcome at the World Cup despite the ongoing war with Iran but that “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

Iran is set to play all three of its World Cup group games in the US, which is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada.

The regional war has put doubt on Iran’s ability to fulfil its World Cup entry, and sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV this week the current circumstances meant it was not possible to play.

But the Iran team’s riposte on Instagram confirmed it still wants to participate, and pointed out that the tournament is run by FIFA — not Trump or the US.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country,” the post said. “Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”

Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.

Trump’s mixed messages on the subject include saying last week “I really don’t care” if Iran plays, then assuring FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House on Tuesday that Iran’s team was welcome.

Iran is a power in Asian football, ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and has qualified for its fourth straight World Cup edition.

Iran’s football federation has planned to use a tournament base camp in Arizona, at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson.

Before the World Cup, Iranian soccer officials are due to attend FIFA's annual congress on April 30 in Vancouver. The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament.

Sports

Bans Will Cost Mourinho 2 Games as Benfica Calls Punishment 'Unfair'

Benfica head coach José Mourinho (L) reacts during the Portuguese First League soccer match against FC Porto at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 08 March 2026. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES
Benfica head coach José Mourinho (L) reacts during the Portuguese First League soccer match against FC Porto at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 08 March 2026. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES
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Bans Will Cost Mourinho 2 Games as Benfica Calls Punishment 'Unfair'

Benfica head coach José Mourinho (L) reacts during the Portuguese First League soccer match against FC Porto at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 08 March 2026. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES
Benfica head coach José Mourinho (L) reacts during the Portuguese First League soccer match against FC Porto at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 08 March 2026. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES

Jose Mourinho is set to miss Benfica’s next two games as punishment for his red card and subsequent confrontation with a Porto assistant coach in last Sunday’s contentious “O Clássico."

The Portuguese soccer federation’s disciplinary council issued two decisions that effectively ban the 63-year-old Benfica manager from the team's next two matches.

Mourinho was handed a one-match ban for his red card late in Sunday's 2-2 draw. He received it for leaving his technical area and kicking a ball toward Porto’s substitutes’ bench in celebration of a goal. Mourinho said he had tried to kick it into the stands.

Mourinho, no stranger to controversy, also received an 11-day suspension for his exchange with Porto assistant coach Lucho Gonzalez, The Associated Press reported.

The one-game ban takes effect for Benfica's game Saturday at Arouca. The 11-day suspension would rule him out of the March 21 match against Vitoria.

Portuguese media noted that the punishments cannot be served concurrently.

Benfica said it will appeal Thursday night's rulings. It called Mourinho’s punishment “unfair and unjustified.”

The disciplinary council noted that Mourinho sparked the clash with Gonzalez by making a gesture with his index finger and thumb and repeatedly saying “you are small.” Gonzalez responded by calling Mourinho, who coached Porto to the Champions League title in 2004, “a traitor.”

Gonzalez received a one-game ban and an eight-day suspension.

Sports

Election Draws Spotlight as Barca Host Sevilla

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal scores his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Newcastle United and Barcelona in Newcastle, England, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal scores his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Newcastle United and Barcelona in Newcastle, England, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP)
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Election Draws Spotlight as Barca Host Sevilla

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal scores his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Newcastle United and Barcelona in Newcastle, England, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal scores his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Newcastle United and Barcelona in Newcastle, England, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP)

Barcelona welcome Sevilla on Sunday aiming to maintain their La Liga lead on Real Madrid, but the stakes are even higher off the field with the club's next president to be named that night.

Club members will vote for one of the two candidates, Joan Laporta or Victor Font, to determine the direction Barca head in the years to come.

Laporta, who resigned from his role as president a few weeks ago to begin his reelection campaign, is firm favorite to stay in charge.

Despite a year-long delay in doing so, Barcelona returned to their Camp Nou home a few months ago and on Sunday, the north stand will be opened for the first time.

The temporary capacity has been raised to nearly 63,000, with the end goal to host 105,000 once the top tier is finally completed.

Sevilla's visit comes in between Champions League last 16 ties against Newcastle, with Barca looking to build on this week's 1-1 away draw.

Having won a domestic treble last season but fallen just short in Europe, reaching the semi-finals, success in that competition is Barca's top objective this season. The Catalan giants have not won the Champions League since 2015.

As he did against Athletic Bilbao last weekend in La Liga, Hansi Flick may be inclined to rotate some of his squad to keep them fresh to face Newcastle, although injuries may limit his options.

One player on the way back is 21-year-old midfielder Gavi, who last played in August before suffering a knee injury. The once Real Betis youth player is hoping to be on the bench to face his former side's rivals.

Flick's team will also be out for revenge after Sevilla inflicted a heavy 4-1 defeat on them in October, their first of the league season.

Matias Almeyda's Sevilla are 14th, not completely safe from danger, and any points on the road at Camp Nou would be a bonus for them. They are unbeaten in five games but four of those have been draws.

Barcelona hold a four-point advantage on Los Blancos in second, which Alvaro Arbeloa's team will try to reduce on Saturday to intensify the title race.

Madrid, after thrashing Manchester City in the Champions League, host an Elche side in free-fall after a good start to the season, now sitting 17th and just one point above the drop zone.

One of the reasons Laporta is likely to retain his position is the performance of Flick's side since the German coach arrived in the summer of 2024.

Whether Barca shine or stumble against Sevilla on Sunday could influence some floating voters at the ballot boxes, with polls closing a few hours after the game.