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LEICESTER STRIKE LATE TO STUN PSV IN EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL

Ricardo Pereira’s dramatic late strike sent gutsy Leicester into the Europa Conference League semi-finals after they stunned PSV.

The defender’s goal with two minutes left completed a brilliant turnaround to seal a 2-1 win on the night in Eindhoven in their quarter-final second leg.

James Maddison had levelled the tie with 13 minutes remaining after Youri Tielemans’ error allowed Eran Zahavi to grab a first-half opener.

The Foxes will face Bodo/Glimt or Roma in the final four having reached the semi-final of a European competition for the first time in their history.

After last week’s 0-0 first-leg draw in Leicester, boss Brendan Rodgers felt PSV would be more open at home and the Foxes found some early joy but were reminded of the hosts’ threat after 14 minutes.

Philipp Max scampered down the left and crossed for the unmarked Mario Gotze to hit a volley which Kasper Schmeichel brilliantly turned over.

It was clear it would be far more open than the first leg and Leicester should have gone ahead two minutes later when Harvey Barnes missed a fine chance.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s pass sent the forward racing towards goal but, with Andre Ramalho for company, he rolled his tame shot a yard wide.

It was to prove costly as, after Schmeichel saved from Joey Veerman, Leicester self-destructed after 27 minutes to gift PSV the lead.

Tielemans’ poor pass fell straight to Gotze and he darted towards the area before feeding Zahavi. The striker found space and drilled an angled drive across Schmeichel into the corner.

Leicester had been sloppy when it counted most, at both ends, but they were more than equal to PSV, with Tielemans’ mistake the only real difference.

The Foxes remained undaunted and could have levelled after 33 minutes when Maddison’s drive hit Ramalho and looped over Yvon Mvogo, only for Jordan Teze to acrobatically clear off the line.

Chances came and went, with Timothy Castagne heading wide and Maddison firing over as the Foxes continued to prove they would find openings.

With 45 minute to save their European hopes, Rodgers sent on Ademola Lookman and Patson Daka for Barnes and Marc Albrighton at the break as he rolled the dice to reach the last four.

PSV, though, initially looked the more likely to add a second, with Veerman’s low drive fizzing wide, Tielemans presenting a chance to Cody Gakpo and Zahavi heading over.

But Leicester spurned their own glorious opening to level just after the hour when Lookman played Daka through and the striker drilled wide from the edge of the area.

Mvogo turned Maddison’s low effort wide soon after and the Foxes survived a huge scare when Ibrahim Sangare, found by Gakpo, held off Castagne but fired over.

Yet Rodgers’ men had been gaining momentum, with Maddison at the heart, and they levelled with 13 minutes left.

Substitute Ayoze Perez battled his way to the byline and showed excellent awareness to pick out Maddison, who swept high past Mvogo from 12 yards.

Tails up, Leicester could sense victory and, after Mvogo denied Perez, they stunned the Philips Stadium with a winner two minutes from time.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall slipped in Lookman and he crossed for Daka, whose shot was parried by Mvogo with the ball running free for Pereira to fire in the rebound and send the Foxes into dreamland.

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BURNLEY SACK MANAGER SEAN DYCHE WITH EIGHT GAMES LEFT

Relegation-threatened Burnley have sacked manager Sean Dyche with eight games left to save their Premier League status.

Dyche, 50, had been the longest-serving manager at any Premier League club having taken charge in October 2012, but was shown the door with his side 18th in the Premier League and four points from safety having won only four matches all season.

A statement said: “Burnley Football Club can confirm the club has parted company with manager Sean Dyche, assistant manager Ian Woan, first-team coach Steve Stone and goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer.”

The surprise decision brings to an end a reign in which Dyche twice gained promotion from the Championship and regularly overachieved on a small budget, including a seventh-placed finish in 2018 which earned a Europa League play-off place.

In September Dyche had signed a new contract, due to run until the summer of 2025. His popularity at Burnley was such that a pub across the road from Turf Moor has been named after him.

Alan Pace’s ALK Capital, who took over the club in December 2020, had indicated that securing Dyche’s future was key to their long-term vision for the club, but they have now dispensed with him in the belief the move can save their season.

Pace said: “Firstly, we would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Sean and his staff for their achievements at the club over the last decade.

“During his time at Turf Moor, Sean has been a credit both on and off the pitch, respected by players, staff, supporters, and the wider football community.

“However, results this season have been disappointing and, while this was an incredibly difficult decision, with eight crucial games of the campaign remaining, we feel a change is needed to give the squad the best possible chance of retaining its Premier League status.”

Burnley breathed life into their survival bid with a comeback 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Everton last week, only to blow any chance of building momentum with a 2-0 loss away to bottom side Norwich days later.

Given that defeat was five days ago, the timing of the announcement a little over 48 hours before Sunday’s match at West Ham comes as a surprise.

Though Dyche’s side have conceded the second fewest goals in the bottom half of the Premier League, they have scored only 25 times in 30 league matches this season.

Summer signing Maxwel Cornet, who missed a glorious chance when Burnley were 1-0 down at Carrow Road, has struggled with fitness at times, while Wout Weghorst, brought in to cover for the unexpected loss of Chris Wood to Newcastle in January, has only one goal in 12 appearances.

In his statement, Pace said that club captain Ben Mee, 32, will form part of the coaching staff for Sunday’s trip to West Ham.

“Under-23s coach Mike Jackson, assisted by academy director Paul Jenkins, Under-23s goalkeeping coach Connor King and club captain Ben Mee have been asked to take charge of the team for Sunday’s game with West Ham United,” Pace said.

“The process of replacing Sean has begun and further announcements will be made to supporters in due course.”

A press conference scheduled to take place on Friday to preview the West Ham match has been cancelled.

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EVERTON AGREE DEAL WITH BUILDERS OVER £500M FIXED FEE TO COMPLETE NEW STADIUM

Everton have agreed a deal with the firm constructing their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock which will see the project completed for a fixed fee of £500million (€602 million).

The PA news agency understands despite spiraling costs for materials and logistics across the globe the club have negotiated an agreement which will see the project delivered for the cost initially touted back in 2018.

It is believed there was a degree of over-estimation in that initial projection four years ago but striking a deal with Laing O’Rourke to deliver the 52,888-capacity stadium for a capped amount means the club can now take the final costing to prospective funders with certainty.

Chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale reiterated owner Farhad Moshiri’s “unwavering” commitment to the ground’s completion despite financial concerns after the club posted losses totalling £372m in the last three years.

Since the project was started the expectation has been Moshiri, who has already invested more than half-a-billion pounds into the club since his purchase in 2016, would provide a large amount, if not all, of the funding.

“This is an important agreement at a crucial time for the club and the stadium project,” Barrett-Baxendale said.

“We are now able to lock in construction costs, while also benefiting from Laing O’Rourke’s economies of scale in what is an ever-fluctuating marketplace.

“Mr Moshiri and the board’s commitment to the project remains unwavering and we’ve been delighted by the progress so far.”

Construction work at the site began in the summer of 2021, with completion expected in the summer of 2024.

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FIRMINO AT THE DOUBLE AS LIVERPOOL REACH SEMI-FINALS DESPITE DRAW

Liverpool eased into a Champions League semi-final against Villarreal as even a sloppy 3-3 draw with Benfica saw them progress 6-4 on aggregate.

On the last two occasions the two teams had met in the last eight of this competition the Reds went on to lift the trophy (1978 and 1984) and there has been little to suggest they cannot make it three this season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have won eight of their 10 matches, scoring 25 goals – drawing a blank in their only defeat to Inter Milan – and conceding just 11.

Holding a 3-1 advantage from the first leg afforded them a considerable cushion and like in the Estadio da Luz last week centre-back Ibrahima Konate opened the scoring with a header.

Roberto Firmino scored twice, his first Champions League goals at Anfield since March 2020, after Goncalo Ramos had equalised in the first half.

A ragged finish saw the visitors’ Roman Yaremchuk and Darwin Nunez score late to dampen the party atmosphere and provide a warning – albeit it to a second-choice defence – that they cannot afford to take lightly the threat of Villarreal, considered the easier draw, who dispatched Bayern Munich to reach the semi-finals.

But ultimately Klopp’s seven changes to the side which drew with Manchester City on Sunday did not prove to be the slight gamble it may have looked on paper as Liverpool equalled Manchester United’s English record of reaching a 12th European Cup semi-final.

Just like last week, Liverpool took the lead through Konate and just like last week they failed to capitalise on a dominant first half which should have put paid to any hopes Benfica had of staging a shock.

Everton posted an early warning with a fizzing shot across Alisson Becker and past the far post from a counter-attack after James Milner, on his first start since March 2, failed to clear the wall with a free-kick.

From that point it was virtually all Liverpool and Diogo Jota’s header, ruled out for a push by the Portugal international, was the portent for things to come.

After Odysseas Vlachodimos saved at the feet of Milner following a sweeping move involving Jordan Henderson, Luis Diaz and Firmino the breakthrough came via a 21st-minute set-piece.

A corner from Kostas Tsimikas, one of the seven changes, was met by Konate who jumped earliest, highest and hung in the air longest to get between former Premier League centre-backs Nicolas Otamendi and Jan Vertonghen and direct a downward header inside the far post.

The visitors’ response saw Nunez’s clever chip on the run beat Alisson only to be chalked off by an offside flag, before a Diaz shot and a Firmino restored the established order.

But just when Liverpool were building up a head of steam an inadvertent rebound from a Milner tackle dropped to Ramos beyond the last line of defence and he coolly beat Alisson in the 32nd minute and even a VAR review for offside could not save the hosts.

Firmino, who so often prefers the extravagant to the straightforward, inexplicably chose to play the percentages and run with the ball with the goalkeeper 30 yards off his line and his square a pass to Diaz was cut out by the recovering Alejandro Grimaldo.

Liverpool gained the much-needed breathing space they needed 11 minutes after the break when Vlachodimos fumbled an overhit through-ball from Naby Keita under pressure from Diaz.

The clearance was hacked only as far as Jota on the left of the penalty area and although he skewed his attempted shot into an open goal Firmino was on hand to turn it in at the far post.

Klopp already had his triple substitution lined up as on came Salah, Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho for Jota, Milner and Henderson.

Firmino kicked off the party – in the stands at least – when he side-footed home at the far post from a Tsimikas free-kick 25 minutes from time only for the mood to be dampened when substitute Yaremchuk and Nunez both beat Alisson, both goals courtesy of VAR confirmation.

There was a brief moment of concern when Alisson had to save low to his right from Nunez but the hosts eventually recovered their composure.

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MANCHESTER CITY KEEP ATLETICO MADRID AT BAY IN ILL-TEMPERED SHOWDOWN

Manchester City survived a bruising encounter with Atletico Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals after a hard-fought goalless draw in the Spanish capital.

Pep Guardiola’s side battled an intimidating atmosphere and a fired-up home side at the Wanda Metropolitano to edge a tense quarter-final courtesy of last week’s equally-draining 1-0 first-leg win.

Atletico finished with 10 men as Felipe – who escaped a booking for a terrible challenge on Phil Foden in the first half – was sent off as home frustrations boiled over in the closing stages.

City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan went close to scoring when he hit the post in the first half but the visitors had to dig deep late on.

Atletico upped the tempo in the closing stages and there were some moments of alarm, not least when Antoine Griezmann shot narrowly wide and Angel Correa tested Ederson in stoppage time.

City withstood great provocation to hold out and book a return to the same city to face Real Madrid in the last four.

A number of players took knocks for their troubles, with Foden needing to be bandaged around the head and Kevin De Bruyne limping off.

The atmosphere was ferocious as Atletico fans did their best to throw City off their game.

Yet after UEFA hit Atletico with a partial stadium closure for this game for discriminatory behaviour by supporters – a sanction suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport – the fans did themselves no favours before the game.

First they vociferously booed the competition’s anthem in protest at UEFA’s attempted punishment and then did similar as City’s players took the knee as a statement against racism.

As the action began, Atletico started positively. Manager Diego Simeone was widely criticised for his defensive, damage-limitation tactics in the first leg but, with an onus to attack this time, they looked to get forward more.

Joao Felix made a good run down the right in the opening minutes and fired across a dangerous ball looking for Renan Lodi in the box but Kyle Walker read the situation.

The hosts soon showed their notorious physical side however as Felipe clattered into Foden from behind as the City midfielder went up for a header.

Foden suffered a cut to the head and needed to be bandaged up but remarkably Felipe was not booked by German referee Daniel Siebert who – for not the only time – was surrounded by protesting Atletico players.

Yet if Felipe was let off on that occasion, there was no escape soon after when he clipped De Bruyne. This time Siebert did brandish the yellow card.

Despite finding Atletico tough to deal with, City did look the stronger side. They controlled possession for large spells and did start to threaten.

Gundogan shot wide and John Stones headed over from a corner before they went close to opening the scoring just before the half-hour.

Walker and Riyad Mahrez combined well on the right before Foden teed up Gundogan to crash a shot against the base of the post. The German’s follow-up header was blocked and Atletico scrambled clear.

City managed to restrict Atletico’s openings and Geoffrey Kondogbia failed to make the most of a chance when his shot was deflected and gathered by Ederson.

Atletico looked to step up the pace in the second half and went close to levelling the tie when Griezmann caught hold of a half-volley from a Felix lay-off that drifted narrowly wide.

Another good move then saw Correa flash an effort just wide of the top corner moments after coming off the bench. Fellow substitute Rodrigo De Paul also volleyed wide.

But time began to run out for the hosts and their frustration became evident as Felipe caught Foden again. A scuffle broke out, heavily involving Stefan Savic and Jack Grealish, which ended with Felipe sent off.

Atletico were not quite finished but City held on with Ederson saving from Correa in the closing seconds.

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Muller stunned as Bayern crash out of Champions League

Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller (L) and Robert Lewandowski react after the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg football match against FC Villarreal in Munich, southern Germany on April 12, 2022. Photo: Jose Jordan/AFP

Thomas Muller says Bayern Munich’s elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Villarreal is “difficult to accept”.

The Bundesliga leaders crashed out in the quarter-finals for the second season running, as Samuel Chukwueze’s late strike at the Allianz Arena snatched a 1-1 draw on the night – and a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Europa League holders.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side, beaten 1-0 in the first leg, dominated the game as they sought a ninth win from 11 Champions League quarter-final ties.

But despite Robert Lewandowski drawing them level early in the second half, Bayern were unable to capitalise on their superiority as they could only find the back of the net once from 23 attempts at goal.

And the Bavarian giants were stunned two minutes from time, when Chukwueze rounded off a devastating counter-attack to send Villarreal through to a first semi-final in this competition in 16 years.

Muller knows Bayern only have themselves to blame for lacking a cutting edge.

“If you take just this game into account, without the first game, we should have gone through convincingly,” he told Amazon Prime.

“It’s difficult to accept this; I don’t know what to say.

“It’s bitter to concede after that performance. With the fans behind us, we pushed, pushed, pushed from the start. We have to do more in front of goal.”

Head coach Nagelsmann said the nature of Bayern’s exit left a sour taste in the mouth.

The head coach added: “The first leg was the key. Today, we did very well. It was one of our best games. But we should have made it 2-0 in the second half.

“It’s all very bitter. We had very little space, there was always a danger of getting hit on the counter, and creating many chances against such a deep defence is hard. 

“If you don’t win and get eliminated, that’s just the way it is.”

Villarreal will do battle with Liverpool or Benfica for a place in the final.

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CHELSEA’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIGHTBACK FALLS SHORT AGAINST REAL MADRID

Karim Benzema’s punishing header crushed Chelsea’s remarkable comeback as Real Madrid lost 3-2 at the Bernabeu Stadium but reached the Champions League semi-finals 5-4 on aggregate.

Ruthless France hit man Benzema produced a carbon-copy of the two headed goals he scored in last week’s quarter-final first-leg at Stamford Bridge, where his hat-trick had Real expecting to stroll into the last four.

Champions League holders Chelsea turned up in Madrid with other ideas however, big ideas in fact, of a memorable and odds-defying comeback in this pulsating second-leg.

The Blues shook off their 3-1 deficit from the first leg and took Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid apart.

Mason Mount, Toni Rudiger and Timo Werner put the Blues 3-0 up and on the very cusp of completing that miracle of Madrid, and that with a Marcos Alonso effort chalked off for handball.

Luka Modric rescued Real though, delivering a sublime raking pass that allowed Rodrygo to race on and volley into the net past a stunned Edouard Mendy.

Chelsea’s fourth stint of extra-time this season duly ensued and after all their efforts and three smart goals, one flick of the head from Benzema brought the Madrid house down.

The 34-year-old turned home Vinicius Junior’s cross with another potent aerial finish to wrestle the Champions League-holders status from Chelsea’s grip.

Benzema now has 38 goals in as many games for Real Madrid in all competitions this season. Such marksmanship invariably yields trophies and Madrid will feel themselves well capable of claiming Champions League title number 14 this year.

Chelsea warmed to their task without delay, with Reece James’ yellow card for a tug on Vinicius the only early concern.

The Blues boasted far more poise and control than in the home leg and duly took the lead when Mount capitalised on a ball falling nicely for him in the area.

Chelsea built steadily in the move for the goal and Mount steered home in style to hand the visitors the perfect start.

Vinicius again threatened on the left but could never cut loose as at Stamford Bridge in a first-half full of frustration for the hosts.

By the time Benzema was booked for an aerial challenge on Thiago Silva, the home supporters’ jeers appeared to have rattled the Madrid men.

Ancelotti’s side seemed jittery and certainly lacking any rhythm or fluency.

Chelsea negotiated pretty much the ideal half from their perspective, taking that 1-0 lead on the night into the interval.

Thomas Tuchel’s side sustained the pressure straight from the restart, with Madrid continuing with their curious ploy of sitting off and allowing Chelsea to dominate the ball.

The hosts’ passivity continued unabated, even after the chance to recalibrate at half-time.

When Rudiger powered home a headed finish from Mount’s corner, the Blues were ahead 2-0 on the night and level in the tie.

Alonso thought he had sent them into dreamland and a 3-0 lead, only for his crisp strike to be chalked off after a VAR review. The Spanish defender was judged to have handled the ball after a ricochet in the area, handing Madrid a major reprieve.

The home side almost took immediate advantage but Benzema struck the bar when he should have scored.

Chelsea kept their cool and set about yet more well-structured attacks and Mateo Kovacic’s fine threaded ball sent Werner through on goal.

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LATE CHUKWUEZE GOAL SENDS VILLARREAL THROUGH TO UCL SEMIS

Samuel Chukwueze snatched a dramatic 88th-minute equaliser to send Villarreal through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Four minutes after coming on as a substitute, Chukwueze swept home a cross by Gerard Moreno to cancel out Robert Lewandowski’s 52nd-minute opener and send the LaLiga side through by virtue of a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.

Villarreal had withstood mounting Bayern pressure in the second half, with Lucas Hernandez and Thomas Muller among those who had a chance to win it before the visitors sealed the deal with extra-time looming.

The hosts had looked listless for much of the first period and it took until just before the half-hour mark for them to muster a shot on target when Jamal Musiala headed straight at Villarreal keeper Geronimo Rulli.

Villarreal were coping comfortably with Bayern’s one-dimensional approaches and looked increasingly confident of clinging onto the hard-fought single-goal advantage they had forged in the first leg.

Lewandowski’s frustrations got the better of him when he was booked for a foul on Raul Albiol in the 33rd minute, then Arnaut Danjuma and Moreno both came close for the visitors.

But it was a different story after the break as Bayern finally got into gear, and Dayot Upamecano should have scored from a clever cut-back by the busy Leroy Sane in the 51st minute.

Lewandowski ended a strong spell of pressure by poking Bayern in front on the night moments later, sparking a spell of pressure that saw Hernandez shoot straight at Rulli, and Muller miss a glorious chance with a close-range header from another Sane cross.

In the midst of the chances, Moreno had served a warning by flashing the ball across the face of the Bayern box on a swift counter-attack, and that danger became a reality four minutes after Chukwueze’s introduction.

The Nigerian kept his cool to fire another Moreno cross past Manuel Neuer and the ‘Yellow Submarine’ saw out the dying moments to secure a famous aggregate win and a place in the last four.

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Sergio Ramos targeting ‘four or five more years’ at the top

Sergio Ramos says he has “four or five more years” left at a high level despite struggling for game time since his move to Paris Saint-German. 

The 36-year-old has endured an injury-hit first campaign in the French capital, playing 392 minutes across his seven appearances in all competitions, just four of which were starts. 

However, the former Real Madrid defender impressed on his return to the line-up in PSG’s 6-1 thrashing of Clermont last time out, as Neymar and Kylian Mbappe each netted hat-tricks and Lionel Messi claimed three assists. 

Ramos completed 99 of his 105 attempted passes – both of which were game highs – during the Ligue 1 leaders’ dominant win. 

The defender now says he believes he can play at the highest level into his forties, insisting he feels back to his physical best. 

“I see myself playing four or five more years at a high level, and then [I’ll have] another experience,” Ramos told Amazon Prime Video in France. 

“Here in Paris, I have two more years [on my contract], I’ll try to make it three, [with] one more, we’ll see.  

“As long as my physique holds up, I think my head is very focused. Now, I’m very well, very happy and eager to play.” 

Ramos’ excellent distribution from the back contributed to PSG completing 93.6 per cent of their passes against Clermont, the highest percentage managed by any Ligue 1 team since Opta began recording such data in the 2006-07 season. 

Meanwhile, Ramos refused to say whether he preferred international football to the club game, having won an incredible 180 caps for Spain during a glittering career that has seen him win one World Cup and two European Championships. 

He never formally retired from international duty despite being left out of Luis Enrique’s squad for Euro 2020 and could yet look to fight his way back into the coach’s plans for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

“It’s a difficult question to answer,” Ramos added. “The feeling of your homeland and your country is always something very big. [The feeling] that your team is to whom you owe yourself, [that] you have to play well in your [club] team to be selected.  

“They are both a unique feeling, I can’t keep [only] one, although with the national team you can aspire to be a world champion.” 

PSG have a 12-point lead over second-placed Marseille in Ligue 1, and Mauricio Pochettino’s team can take a huge step towards securing the French title when they face their nearest rivals on Sunday. 

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Bayern will not replicate poor first-leg display against Villarreal

Julian Nagelsmann has promised that Bayern Munich “will not play badly against the same opponent twice” ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Villarreal.

Bayern welcome Villarreal to the Allianz Arena trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg.

The Bundesliga leaders are looking to avoid being eliminated in the quarter-finals in consecutive seasons. Prior to last term, when they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, Bayern had only been eliminated in one of their last nine quarter-final ties in the competition, against Real Madrid in 2016-17.

Villarreal coach Unai Emery said after the first leg that he regretted his side not being able to make the most of further opportunities to extend their advantage.

It was the first time Bayern have failed to score in a Champions League since Liverpool in February 2019, and Nagelsmann insisted the poor display will not be replicated on Tuesday.

“We played a bad game and they played their best game,” Nagelsmann told a news conference.

“This will not happen again, to play badly against the same opponent twice.

“We delivered in the past and it should be like that. We have to, we must, we want to. It is normal when you win so many titles and have such success for so many years that you maybe need this pressure sometimes to get the maximum out.

“Maybe it will be a sparkling game from our side. We must turn up our complete intensity level. We did not take the last steps, the last metres in the first leg. We have to play more uncomfortable football.”

Bayern actually finished the first leg with a higher expected goals (xG) of 1.6 in comparison to Villarreal’s 1.5, though that will have been helped by a higher quantity of attempts (22 to 12).

Nagelsmann added: “We made many mistakes. They made one to keep us alive. They could have scored more goals but we are still alive and we should show it on the pitch.”

Bayern are aiming to progress from a Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg for the first time since the 2014-15 quarter-finals, while the defeat was their 20th against a Spanish team in European competition, their most against sides from a specific nation.