Summary

  1. How will the Women's Champions League semi-final pan out?published at 12:26 Greenwich Mean Time

    Let's have a look at how the semi-final stage could pan out, now that the semi-final draw has also taken place.

    • Wolfsburg/Barcelona v Man City/Chelsea
    • Real Madrid/Arsenal v Bayern Munich/Lyon
  2. get involved

    Get Involved - Big wins over siblingspublished at 12:21 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    Christmas Crunch! Love that. Anyone else's sibling rivalries get so intense that showdowns earned their own title?

  3. get involved

    Get Involved - Big wins over siblingspublished at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    My younger brother and I played golf every Christmas Day morning for a number of years. I won the inaugural Christmas Crunch before losing the next five! I was kind of relieved when we stopped doing it.

    James, Colchester

  4. Man City to play Chelsea in Women's Champions League quarter-finalpublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time
    Breaking

    The draw has just taken place, with Manchester City and Chelsea drawn against each other.

    Here are the four quarter-finals ties the Women's Champions League:

    • Real Madrid v Arsenal
    • Manchester City v Chelsea
    • Wolfsburg v Barcelona
    • Bayern Munich v Lyon
  5. Coming up: Women's Champions League drawpublished at 12:14 Greenwich Mean Time

    • The Women's Champions League draw will begin shortly.
    • The WSL sides in the quarter-final draw are Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City
    • Chelsea and Arsenal could Man City in the quarter-finals. The London club are seeded winners, so are unable to face each other until the semi-finals.
    • Teams who have faced each other in the same groups in the group stage cannot face each other in the quarter-final.
    • The first leg of the quarter-finals is 18/19 March and the second leg 26/27 March.
    • The current holders are Barcelona, who beat Lyon 2-0 in last year's final.
    Barcelona win the women's Champions League in 2024Image source, Getty Images
  6. Manchester City's Champions League squad changespublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time

    Manchester City have included new signings Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush in their Champions League squad.

    Full-backs Kyle Walker and Josh Wilson-Esbrand have dropped off List A following loan moves to AC Milan and Stoke City respectively.

    January signing Vitor Reis is not in the squad, with only three squad additions permitted prior to Thursday night's deadline.

    In: Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush

    Out: Kyle Walker, Josh Wilson-Esbrand

  7. Postpublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time

    Manchester City midfielder Rodri was ruled out for the rest of the season in September after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

    The loss of the Spanish midfielder coincided with Manchester City's dismal run of form.

    But he is IN the City squad. Could he make it back in time to help City push for silverware at the end of the season?

    RodriImage source, Getty Images
  8. Rodri included in Man City Champions League squadpublished at 12:02 Greenwich Mean Time
    Breaking

    Manchester City have just confirmed their Champions League squad for the rest of the season, as all clubs had to before yesterday's deadline.

    The headline news is that injured midfielder Rodri has been included.

    January signings Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez are all also in.

  9. Recap: Top news conference lines so farpublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time

    If you're just joining us and worrying what FA Cup news conferences you've missed, fear not because we've got you covered.

    We have already heard from Liverpool boss Arne Slot, Newcastle's Eddie Howe, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, Chelsea's Enzo Maresca and Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou, with plenty more to come as we head into this afternoon.

    The top lines from this morning so far:

  10. Amorim feels he has support from Man Utd boardpublished at 11:56 Greenwich Mean Time

    Man Utd v Leicester (20:00 GMT)

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

    Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has not had an easy transition to life at Old Trafford.

    When he first spoke to United chief executive Omar Berrada, he asked if he could delay his arrival until the summer and was told 'it's now or never'.

    The issues created by Amorim trying to implement a new system, with players largely not used to it, at a time where, initially, there were no free midweeks to work on it, have led to a strange mix of results where victories against Manchester City and Arsenal, plus a creditable draw at Liverpool, have been combined with five home defeats, the latest against Crystal Palace last weekend.

    "It's a little bit harder for me to cope with than the board because the board already know," he said.

    "I explained all the risks. Everything that has happened I explained to the board, and they said the same thing, ‘We need to start now'.

    "We are doing that. But I understand in this moment with a lot of losses, especially at home, the environment is really hard, but I feel the support of the board. I’m not the slightest bit worried about that.

    "It’s just the pain of losing, that is the hardest thing to cope with. You have difficult moments, where it is hard to sleep but even in the good or bad moments, my idea is so clear and I make the same decisions without any other concerns.

    "On the other side, I know we need to survive in this moment, because in football when you don’t win you have problems."

  11. 'Felix never complained'published at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brighton v Chelsea (Sat, 20:00 GMT)

    Chelsea

    One player who departed Stamford Bridge was forward Joao Felix, who secured a loan move to AC Milan.

    On that move, Enzo Maresca said: "Nothing happened. Simply, I said many times, that the players train every day and they want to play all the games.

    "Unfortunately, just 11 play all the games and we decide altogether that that it was a good option to leave.

    "He never complained. He has been very good with us, professional. Just a matter of my decision. The reason why is because we need defensive balance. When you have so many attacking players, sometimes you can concede a transition or a goal and I don't like that."

  12. get involved

    Get Involved - Big wins over siblingspublished at 11:49 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    I was a pretty handy tennis player, but had to hide a lousy backhand with the rest of my game. Cruised to the final of our tennis club cup... my older brother on the other side of the draw struggled through the rounds, then hit everything to my backhand in the final. Proper annihilation. Don't remember winning a game and hit one return into the river!

    J, Cardiff

  13. 'We intended to keep Nkunku'published at 11:47 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brighton v Chelsea (Sat, 20:00 GMT)

    Chelsea

    Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on Christopher Nkunku's role: "Yes, for sure. I spoke already about Christo. Against West Ham, he played more or less half an hour and hopefully from now on, he can get more minutes and help us.

    "Absolutely. I was with the club. Altogether, we were sure before the window closed that Christo was one of the players that we intended to keep.

  14. 'The players who left deserved to leave'published at 11:43 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brighton v Chelsea (Sat, 20:00 GMT)

    Chelsea

    Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca could be without forwards Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu this weekend.

    On whether he has enough attacking cover, Maresca said: "Yes, absolutely.

    "Before the last game we had two strikers. Nico and Marc. Sometimes, we adapt also sometimes with Christopher but in case they are both out, we are going to find different solutions."

  15. get involved

    Get Involved - Big wins over siblingspublished at 11:37 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    On sibling rivalries, I imagine it must have been tough for Venus Williams. Being the 2nd best tennis player in the world, but not even being the best in your family...

    Tom

  16. Postecoglou 'hopeful' players will return in next two weekspublished at 11:33 Greenwich Mean Time

    Aston Villa v Tottenham (Sun, 17:35 GMT)

    Tottenham Hotspur

    Ange Postecoglou came out with a great quote regarding the club's injury situation last week, saying: "Every time I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it's usually been an oncoming train."

    Well, it appears another train hit last night when Richarlison went down clutching his calf.

    Postecoglou says he won't have any injured player back for Sunday's FA Cup tie, but next week could see a welcome return for a few.

    "We’re still hopeful we’ll get two or three back for the Man Utd game, we’ve got two full weeks of training and we should get the majority of these players back with a bit of luck, providing we don’t lose anyone else. I knew this would be a challenging week in terms of personnel," he said.

    On Richarlison: “It’s disappointing for him, he was emotional, he’s worked really hard to get back, it’s another setback we and him have got to deal with."

  17. get involved

    Get Involved - Big wins over siblingspublished at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    I ranked higher than my identical twin brother at a Star Wars trivia challenge hosted by the Belgian Star Wars Fan Club at a 3 day fan convention in Germany.

    Anon

  18. 'It's easy for people to stick their boots in'published at 11:25 Greenwich Mean Time

    Aston Villa v Tottenham (Sun, 17:35 GMT)

    Tottenham Hotspur

    It was a tough night for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.

    And there was no shortage of criticism being aimed at him and his players in the aftermath of the 4-0 loss to Liverpool.

    "I get the pile on at the moment, it’s really easy for people to stick their boots in and question the players but I don’t question," he said.

    "We were disappointed last night didn’t go the way we wanted and we didn’t perform at the levels - but that doesn’t define this group of players in my eyes.

    “We’ll go out there on Sunday and put out more of a performance that reflects where we’re at. I have a great deal of belief in these players and what they’re going through and how they’re dealing with it."

    Ange PostecoglouImage source, Getty Images
  19. Guiu has a 'bad injury' - Marescapublished at 11:21 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brighton v Chelsea (Sat, 20:00 GMT)

    Chelsea

    Some team news to bring you from Chelsea, too.

    Manager Enzo Maresca has updates on forwards Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson: "Marc is unfortunately a bad injury, and Nico is better [than he was]."

    On whether Jackson could face Brighton: "Could be, could also be a risk. We will see but it doesn't look like a long injury."

    On the severity of Guiu's injury: "We are still waiting. It doesn't look like a short injury, it looks like a long injury. Exactly how long, I don't know. Probably weeks/months, yes."

    And on Romeo Lavia's injury: "No, Romeo is still in the process to come back. He's still got a long way to go."

  20. get involved

    Get Involved - Big wins over siblingspublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    Once beat my older brother Tony at tennis on the sea front at Weymouth whilst on holiday during our teen years. He had been mouthing off for weeks before the contest. Not much love lost....

    Nick, Wigan