Sports
Galatasaray close in on UCL last 8 as Liverpool chase redemption
Galatasaray step into Anfield with a narrow lead, but a performance in Istanbul that suggested far more than a one-goal advantage.
The Turkish champions hold a 1-0 aggregate edge over Liverpool heading into Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg, a reward for a composed and tactically sharp display that exposed both the strengths and recurring flaws of their English opponents.
Mario Lemina’s early header, guided in after Victor Osimhen won the first contact from a corner, proved decisive on the night and underlined a persistent issue for Liverpool, who have struggled to defend set pieces all season.
That opening goal shaped everything. Galatasaray settled into a compact mid-block, closing central lanes and forcing Liverpool wide, where crosses were dealt with efficiently.
The hosts did not dominate possession, but they controlled the game’s tempo.
Osimhen’s disallowed goal hinted at further danger, while Liverpool’s own effort, ruled out for handball, summed up a frustrating evening where their attacking quality lacked precision in decisive moments.
It was not an isolated success. Galatasaray have now beaten Liverpool four straight times across competitions, including another 1-0 win earlier in the league phase, and have kept clean sheets in the last three meetings.
Yet the challenge ahead remains steep. They have never won at Anfield and have managed just one victory in England, a reminder of the scale of the task despite their current advantage.
Their path to this stage has already carried the hallmarks of a side comfortable with adversity.
Finishing 20th in the league phase, Galatasaray needed a playoff to survive and delivered one of the round’s most dramatic ties, eliminating Juventus 7-5 on aggregate after extra time.
That resilience has carried into recent weeks, with five consecutive domestic wins, including a controlled 3-0 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir that extended their lead at the top of the Süper Lig.
Okan Buruk is expected to trust the same structure that has brought stability. A 4-2-3-1 system built on discipline and transitions, with Lemina and Lucas Torreira shielding the defense and initiating quick breaks.
The absence of suspended center-back Davinson Sanchez forces a reshuffle, but the broader defensive approach will remain intact: stay compact, limit space between lines, and strike quickly when possession turns over.
Everything in attack flows through Osimhen. His seven Champions League goals this season place him among Europe’s most productive forwards, and his physical presence alone alters defensive plans.
Around him, Barış Alper Yılmaz and Noa Lang provide pace and directness, while the midfield looks to release them early into space left behind by Liverpool’s aggressive positioning.
Liverpool, however, present a different challenge at home. Anfield has long been one of Europe’s most demanding venues, and their record reflects it, with 15 wins from their last 19 UEFA matches there.
The expectation is a fast start, driven by intensity and crowd energy, as Arne Slot’s side look to overturn the deficit before Galatasaray can settle.
Mohamed Salah remains the central threat, chasing his 50th Champions League goal, while Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai offer creativity between the lines.
Szoboszlai, in particular, has been Liverpool’s most reliable scorer in Europe this season. Hugo Ekitike is expected to lead the line, supported by overlapping full-backs and a midfield tasked with sustaining pressure.
Yet questions linger over consistency. Liverpool have won only three of their last six matches in all competitions and recently dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham, a result that reflected a broader issue: control without clinical finishing. Against a disciplined Galatasaray defense that has already shut them out twice this season, that inefficiency could prove costly again.
The equation is clear. Liverpool must win by two goals to progress in normal time. A 1-0 victory forces extra time. Any Galatasaray goal shifts the balance heavily in favor of the visitors, who would then demand at least three from the hosts.
Brazil’s World Cup preparations were disrupted on Wednesday after Neymar missed the national team’s first training session to undergo medical tests, casting fresh uncertainty over his place in the squad.
The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed the 34-year-old forward, who is recovering from a right calf injury, did not take part in the closed-door session at the team’s Granja Comary base and was instead sent to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests.
In a statement, the CBF said no further details would be released until the national team’s medical staff complete their assessment.
Neymar’s absence quickly dominated discussion on the second day of Brazil’s training camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Brazil are scheduled to hold three more sessions at Granja Comary before Sunday’s friendly against Panama at the Maracana.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is already without three players for that match. Defenders Gabriel Magalhães and Marquinhos, along with forward Gabriel Martinelli, are involved in Saturday’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar’s recall last week generated widespread excitement after he had not featured in Ancelotti’s plans during the Italian coach’s year in charge.
Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, Neymar has not played for his country since 2023. His return came amid scrutiny over his fitness and form following years of injury problems and an underwhelming spell back at Santos.
The timing could hardly be more delicate. After facing Panama, Brazil meet Egypt in Cleveland in their final friendly before opening their World Cup campaign against African champions Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey. Brazil and Morocco are drawn in Group C alongside Haiti and Scotland.
In an interview with Reuters in early May, Ancelotti made clear that reputation alone would not secure Neymar’s place.
He said Neymar would receive no special treatment and that his selection would be based strictly on fitness and form, not sentiment.
For now, Brazil wait for the medical verdict and on whether their most recognizable name will be fit to take center stage next month.
The Champions League trophy is up for grabs in Saturday’s final in Budapest, but for Paris Saint-Germain and Luis Enrique, the stakes go far beyond silverware.
Facing Arsenal, the defending champions and their serial-winning Spanish coach have a chance to strengthen their case as one of the defining teams of this era.
“I arrived at the club thinking, ‘My objective is to make history,’ and we have indeed made history,” Luis Enrique said. “We want to keep writing the story because we believe there’s still more there for us to achieve.”
PSG is already part of the conversation about the best sides of the Champions League era, yet only results on nights like this tend to settle such debates.
Victory at the Estadio Metropolitano in Budapest would make PSG only the second team to retain the trophy since the competition was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992.
For years, even the game’s most dominant sides have failed to repeat the feat.
Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona won two titles in three years. AC Milan and Juventus each reached three consecutive finals in the 1990s but won only one apiece. Ajax and Manchester United both saw title defenses end in final defeats.
Real Madrid, the most successful club in European football, eventually broke the pattern with three straight titles from 2016-18. What once seemed out of reach would now become a realistic target for PSG with victory on Saturday.
Luis Enrique would join Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane as a three-time Champions League winner, though his focus remains collective success rather than personal milestones.
Having previously won the Champions League with Barcelona, he has built a PSG side that has set the standard in Europe over the past two seasons. It blends attacking quality with intensity and pressing energy, a high-risk style that prioritizes control through aggression.
At its best, PSG looks unstoppable, with last year’s 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the final standing as one of the most dominant performances in the competition’s history.
With a squad averaging under 24 years old, the prospect of sustained success is clear.
Desire Doue, the two-goal scorer in last year’s final, is 20, while midfielder Joao Neves is 21.
PSG’s performances, including a 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the semifinals, underline its quality, but history suggests dominance must be proven with repeated titles.
For many, Guardiola’s Barcelona side featuring Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta remains the benchmark of the modern era.
Others point to Luis Enrique’s Barcelona team of 2015, powered by Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, as even more complete.
Statistically, no side matches Real Madrid’s dominance under Zinedine Zidane, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, which delivered three consecutive titles. Over five years, Madrid won the competition four times.
PSG remains far behind Madrid’s 15 European crowns, having lifted the trophy for the first time last year. But it can still make a case as the defining team of its era.
Backed by Qatari investment, PSG spent heavily for years in pursuit of European glory, bringing in Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The breakthrough only came after a shift toward a more balanced, team-first approach, even while retaining elite talent. Messi, Neymar and eventually Mbappe departed, while a younger core emerged, including Doue, Neves and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Ousmane Dembele, once inconsistent at Barcelona, has re-emerged in Paris as a central figure.
A semifinal run in Luis Enrique’s first season was followed by last year’s title and a chance to go back-to-back.
“I’d say there was more pressure last season because everyone was like, ‘This is it, we can’t lose this time,’” Luis Enrique said. “This time around, there is pressure because we believe we deserve it.”
While PSG pursues history, Arsenal is aiming to claim its first Champions League title.
The Premier League side reached the final after topping the league phase with a perfect record.
Mikel Arteta’s team lost to PSG in last year’s semifinals.
“It’s two teams that are exceptional in the way they function, how they adapt and the intensity they play with,” Arteta said. “We’re going to have to be at our best to win it.”
Haiti’s first World Cup appearance since 1974 has become a powerful moment of national pride, but for Emile, a Haitian living in Ohio, it is overshadowed by fear tied to US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
“Singing my country’s national anthem in a stadium in front of the whole world is a historic moment that no one would want to miss,” the truck driver in his 40s, who requested anonymity, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“But at the same time, I think twice. I don’t want to be arrested by ICE,” he added, referring to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency responsible for detaining and deporting undocumented migrants.
“My lawyer advised me not to fly so I don’t get caught at the airport,” he said.
His concerns echo those of many in immigrant communities who have watched Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across multiple US cities, often carried out by heavily armed and masked officers.
Outrage peaked when ICE officers shot and killed two American demonstrators in Minneapolis.
“Now, people are making sure they are aware of what they are doing, and they don’t feel safe,” Monica Sarmiento of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights told AFP.
“They are afraid. We have seen very aggressive tactics from ICE that have gone after not only undocumented communities but also people with protected status.”
Sarmiento said 70% of those arrested, detained and deported have no criminal record.
“Many of them have been here for decades, paying taxes for decades,” she added, condemning what she called “a fearful and hostile environment across the country, not only for the World Cup but every single day.”
Seventy-eight of the 104 World Cup matches will be held in the United States, which is co-hosting the June 11 to July 19 tournament with Canada and Mexico.
The possibility of ICE activity around US matches has sparked concerns within the US Hispanic community, which makes up about 20% of the US population and is concentrated in California, Texas and Florida, with significant representation in cities such as Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas and New York.
The Haitian community, estimated at about 850,000 people in 2024, is also largely concentrated in Miami and New York.
The Trump administration has sought to end temporary protected status for which Emile and others are eligible. It shields them from deportation to their home country, one of the poorest in the world and one still grappling with political instability, economic crisis and gang violence.
Serious rights violations
Fears have been fueled by reports, including one from Human Rights Watch, which said an asylum-seeker who attended the Club World Cup final last year in New Jersey with his children was arrested by ICE and deported to his country of origin.
Some rights organizations also fear ICE will target foreign tourists around stadiums and in the numerous fan zones where supporters are expected to gather.
More than 120 US civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, issued a travel advisory in April warning of the risk of serious rights violations for fans, players, journalists and other visitors.
The signatories said travelers to the United States could face denial of entry, arrest, detention and deportation, racial profiling, and “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and even death while in ICE detention or custody.”
ICE, one of several agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, has long been involved in security operations at major sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
“International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about,” a DHS spokesperson told AFP.
“What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether they are in the US illegally.”
World football’s governing body, FIFA, responding to a question from AFP, said it “is committed to respecting all internationally recognized human rights and strives to promote the protection of these rights.”
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup nearing kickoff, FIFA has confirmed the full list of Team Base Camps that will anchor national squads across the United States, Mexico and Canada during the tournament’s expanded 48-team edition.
The month-long competition, running June 11 to July 19, 2026, will feature 104 matches across 16 host cities in what is set to be the largest World Cup in history.
Each team will operate from a designated base camp, a central hub for training, recovery and tactical preparation between group-stage fixtures and beyond.
Türkiye settle in Arizona
Türkiye’s Crescent-Stars will be based at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona, a 275-acre multi-sport complex designed to meet elite international standards.
The facility offers multiple high-quality pitches, recovery infrastructure and controlled training environments, giving Türkiye a stable base in the U.S. Southwest.
The squad is expected to arrive around June 7, with a planned community engagement event scheduled for June 8.
Placed in Group D alongside the United States men’s national soccer team, Paraguay and Australia, Türkiye faces a demanding group spread across venues in the United States and Canada, requiring calculated travel between matches and return sessions in Arizona.
Base camp strategy
The allocation of camps reflects both competitive and logistical planning.
Most teams opted to stay within the United States, while seven selected Mexico, including Colombia, Iran, South Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Tunisia and Uruguay.
Canada will host only Canada and Panama.
The choices were driven by training quality, travel efficiency, climate conditions and proximity to match venues, all factors that can shape recovery and performance across a compressed tournament schedule.
Why base camps matter
In modern World Cup planning, base camps function as more than training grounds.
They shape daily rhythm, recovery cycles and match readiness.
Access to elite pitches, medical facilities and manageable travel routes can influence performance just as much as tactics on the pitch.
For Türkiye, the Mesa setup offers a controlled environment with strong regional connectivity, allowing movement to West Coast, Midwest and Canadian venues without losing a consistent training home.
Lionel Messi’s latest injury scare has added another layer of tension to Argentina’s World Cup buildup, with Inter Miami confirming the captain is dealing with fatigue-related discomfort in his left hamstring less than three weeks before the defending champions open preparations for the 2026 tournament.
The MLS club announced Monday that medical examinations revealed “an overload associated with muscle fatigue” in Messi’s left hamstring, easing fears of a serious tear but immediately shifting attention toward Argentina’s title defense in North America.
Messi, now 38 and preparing for what is expected to be his sixth and final World Cup, was forced off in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami’s wild 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday after clutching the back of his left leg following a free kick.
The Argentine star walked off without assistance and headed straight down the tunnel after signaling to the bench that he could not continue.
Inter Miami later described the issue as muscle fatigue rather than structural damage, with the club adding that his return “will depend on his clinical and functional progress.”
The timing could hardly be more delicate.
Argentina’s pre-World Cup camp is only days away, with Lionel Scaloni’s side preparing to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022.
The Albiceleste are scheduled to play Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in Texas before facing Iceland three days later in Alabama, the final tuneups before the tournament begins across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Messi’s condition is now likely to dominate Argentina’s preparations, even if early signs point toward cautious optimism rather than panic.
The injury surfaced during one of the most chaotic MLS matches of the season.
Inter Miami and Philadelphia combined for 10 goals, including a record-setting eight-goal first half, as Luis Suárez and Philadelphia striker Milan Iloski both scored hat tricks in a game that turned increasingly frantic under heavy rain in the second half.
Messi had already provided two assists before discomfort began to show late in the match. Cameras caught him repeatedly reaching toward his left hamstring around the 70th minute before he requested a substitution.
While Miami did not link the issue to a specific incident, the slippery conditions and Messi’s demanding workload in recent weeks have intensified concerns over fatigue management for aging stars ahead of the expanded 48-team World Cup.
The concern is heightened because hamstring problems have lingered around Messi in recent seasons. He also dealt with similar muscular issues during Inter Miami’s preseason earlier this year, forcing the club to carefully manage his minutes.
Still, the diagnosis offered relief compared with the worst-case scenarios feared immediately after his exit.
Fatigue-related overloads are generally considered less severe than strains or tears, with recovery often measured in days rather than months. Argentina and Inter Miami are both expected to take a conservative approach, prioritizing the bigger picture over short-term availability.
Even so, Messi’s situation has become part of a growing injury cloud hanging over many of soccer’s biggest names heading into the World Cup.
Spain sensation Lamine Yamal recently missed the closing weeks of Barcelona’s season with a muscle injury but is expected to recover in time for the tournament.
France captain Kylian Mbappe and Egypt star Mohamed Salah have both returned from injury scares of their own.
Others have not been as fortunate.
France forward Hugo Ekitike is expected to miss the tournament with a serious Achilles injury, while Brazil have already lost Eder Militao and Rodrygo to long-term setbacks. Germany’s Serge Gnabry has also been ruled out after suffering an adductor injury.
Several other nations are anxiously awaiting updates on key players, including Argentina defender Cristian Romero, Canada fullback Alphonso Davies and Morocco star Achraf Hakimi.
The growing injury list has reignited criticism of soccer’s relentless calendar, particularly after the recent expansion of both the Champions League and Club World Cup formats.
Mikel Arteta recently described the strain on elite players as “an accident waiting to happen,” a warning that now feels increasingly relevant as clubs and national teams scramble to protect their stars before the sport’s biggest tournament.
For Argentina, however, everything still revolves around Messi.
He remains the emotional heartbeat of the team that ended the nation’s 36-year wait for a World Cup title in Qatar, and his pursuit of a second consecutive crown could cement one of the greatest international careers in soccer history.
Argentina open their Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City before facing Austria and Jordan in Arlington, Texas.
With the expanded format offering more matches and a longer tournament path, managing Messi’s workload may prove just as important as his brilliance on the field.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City era came to a deeply emotional close on Sunday, ending a 10-year reign that reshaped English football as his side fell 2-1 to Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
The result barely registered in a night defined by farewell and reflection. Guardiola stood on the touchline visibly emotional, at times wiping away tears as the reality of his final match in charge set in. Around him, City’s decade of success seemed to weigh heavily on every moment, every substitution, every chant from the stands.
“I never could have imagined the amount of love I’ve found,” he said from the center of the pitch, addressing supporters who filled the stadium that has defined his modern legacy. “It is an incredible honor, a tremendous honor to be your manager and to be here for 10 years.”
The emotion had been building well before full time. When Bernardo Silva and John Stones, two of his most trusted figures, were withdrawn in the second half, both received prolonged ovations and guards of honor from teammates and staff. Guardiola watched on, visibly moved, as another layer of his long-standing core stepped away from the stage with him.
Then came the moment the stadium turned fully toward its manager.
“This is the man who changed everything,” the announcer said as Guardiola stepped out in khakis and a cream T-shirt, greeted by a wall of noise. The Etihad rose as one, chants of “10 more years” echoing across the stands. Guardiola acknowledged it with a small smile and a shake of the head, a gesture that carried both gratitude and finality.
On Friday, he had already confirmed what had long been building beneath the surface. After 17 major trophies, countless records and a sustained era of dominance, he said the cycle had reached its natural end.
“I will not miss it for a while,” he said Sunday, speaking with a quiet clarity. “I feel deeply it is the right decision.”
His departure closes one of the most dominant managerial spells in modern football. Since arriving in 2016, Guardiola guided City to six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League crown in 2023, completing a treble that season with the FA Cup and league title. It placed City alongside the elite of European football and cemented Guardiola’s reputation as one of the defining coaches of his generation.
Beyond the trophies, his teams redefined standards in England. City became the first side to reach 100 points in a Premier League season, the first to win four consecutive league titles, and among the few to complete a domestic treble in the modern era. Even in his final campaign, he added further silverware with the League Cup and FA Cup, underlining the consistency of his tenure.
Supporters who lived through the transformation struggled to compress its meaning.
“He means everything to me and this club,” said Fred Taylor, 82, a long-time City fan. “I can’t think of another manager that’s done what he’s done in 10 years.”
For others, Guardiola’s presence became part of personal history as much as football history.
“It’s hard to describe,” said Richard Wilbourn. “You feel like you know him even though you don’t. What he’s done for this club is unreal.”
Amid the emotion, Guardiola also looked ahead briefly, offering a message for whoever follows him into one of football’s most demanding roles. He said he would reach out to his successor to help ease the transition.
“Be yourself. Be free with your ideas and work a lot. Everything will be fine,” he said.
Former Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca is widely regarded as the frontrunner to take over, with an announcement expected soon, though City have not confirmed a replacement.
City has already honored Guardiola’s influence by naming its newly developed north stand after him, while he is set to continue in a global ambassadorial role.
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