TodayPrice

Author: Chisom OZ

  • No cuts to Afghanistan Cricket Board funding planned by ICC

    No cuts to Afghanistan Cricket Board funding planned by ICC

    The Afghanistan Cricket Board will not see any of its funding from the International Cricket Council cut or diverted to its exiled women’s cricketers.

    An initiative to support the displaced Afghan players was announced by the ICC following its board meeting in Zimbabwe last weekend.

    However, as reported by ESPN Cricinfo,, external cricket’s global governing body will not reduce or siphon off money earmarked for the ACB, even though part of the criteria for full membership of the ICC is to support women’s cricket.

    The ICC will support the Afghan women through a separate funding mechanism, while the ACB will continue to receive a payment believed to be in the region of £13m per year.

    All of that funding will go towards men’s cricket in Afghanistan, with women’s sport outlawed in the country since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

    The ACB is the only full ICC member not to field a women’s team.

    Instead, Afghanistan’s women’s cricketers will be funded by the ICC in conjunction with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

    An Afghanistan Women’s XI played an exhibition match in Melbourne in January and want to be recognised as a refugee team.

    But the ICC is understood to have acknowledged that the prospect of Afghanistan’s women playing official international matches in the near future is a distant one as it would need to be sanctioned by the ACB.

    Afghanistan’s women have been promised a robust high-performance programme offering “advanced coaching, world-class facilities and tailored mentorship” which the ICC hopes will “help them reach their full potential”.

    Afghanistan’s men’s team have retained their Test status, reached the semi-finals of last year’s T20 World Cup and participated in the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

    BBC Sport has approached the ACB for comment.

  • Heat knock out Bulls as Mavs set up Grizzlies tie

    Heat knock out Bulls as Mavs set up Grizzlies tie

    The Miami Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls to progress in the NBA play-in tournament – beating the six-time Championship winners 109-90.

    Tyler Herro scored 38 points as the Heat set up a game against the Atlanta Hawks, with the winner earning the right to take on top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-offs.

    The Heat’s victory came after three regular season defeats by the Bulls.

    “Chicago humbled us this year,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

    “They have a unique style of play, the way they play with that pace, and they score.

    “They had two games where we felt like we were in control of the game both times in the fourth quarter and they came storming back and had some impressive scoring quarters. Our guys really respected how much they could score.”

    Should Miami beat the Hawks, they would achieve a franchise record of reaching the play-offs for a sixth consecutive season.

    Mavs to face Grizzlies

    In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-106 to set-up a play-in tie against the Memphis Grizzlies.

    Klay Thompson scored 23 points – 16 of which came in the second quarter alone – to advance against the Grizzlies.

    The winner of that tie will take on top-seeded Oklahoma City in the opening play-off game.

    NBA acknowledge officiating errors

    The play-in tournament features the teams who finished in seventh to 10th in both Conferences.

    They face off to determine who fills the final two spots in their Conference play-offs.

    Under the play-in format, seventh play eighth – with the winners going straight into the play-offs. The loser gets a second chance against the winners of an eliminator between ninth and 10th.

    The Grizzlies, who finished eighth in the Western Conference, go into the ‘second chance’ game against the Mavericks having lost their first play-in tie, to the seventh-placed Golden State Warriors, in controversial circumstances.

    The Warriors secured their play-off spot following a late flurry against the Grizzlies.

    However, the NBA has since acknowledged officiating errors in the final moments of the match.

    With the Warriors leading 117-116, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report said the Grizzlies should have been awarded the ball with 7.6 seconds left after Stephen Curry got the last contact on an out-of-bounds play.

    It was Curry that then sank two free throws to give the Warriors a 119-116 lead.

  • Wilson to face Lei, O’Sullivan v Carter at World Championship

    Wilson to face Lei, O’Sullivan v Carter at World Championship

    Defending champion Kyren Wilson will play Lei Peifan with Ronnie O’Sullivan set to face Ali Carter in the first round of the World Championship as he bids for a record eighth title in the modern era.

    O’Sullivan, 49, who is yet to confirm if he will participate, has not played competitively since snapping his cue at the Championship League in January.

    His prospective meeting with Carter is a repeat of the 2008 and 2012 finals, which were both won by ‘The Rocket’.

    World number one Judd Trump will take on Zhou Yuelong, while Masters winner Shaun Murphy will play debutant Daniel Wells.

    Four-time world champion Mark Selby will meet qualifier Ben Woollaston, who is appearing in the televised stages of the competition for the first time since 2013.

    John Higgins, who has also won four world crowns, will play Joe O’Connor, while 2024 finalist Jak Jones faces a difficult assignment against former UK champion Zhao Xintong, who is competing as an amateur having served a ban for breaching betting regulations.

    Zhao is one of a record 10 Chinese players to reach this stage of the tournament with Ding Junhui facing another man making his debut in Zak Surety and Si Jiahui, who reached the last four two years ago, playing David Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2024.

    There are a number of other intriguing encounters in the draw, with 2010 champion Neil Robertson facing Chris Wakelin, Mark Allen taking on Fan Zhengyi, and Barry Hawkins playing Hossein Vafaei.

    The tournament begins on Saturday at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, with live coverage across the TodayPriceNG

    First-round draw

    Kyren Wilson v Lei Peifan

    Jak Jones v Zhao Xintong

    Neil Robertson v Chris Wakelin

    Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi

    Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ali Carter

    Zhang Anda v Pang Junxu

    Si Jiahui v David Gilbert

    Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston

    John Higgins v Joe O’Connor

    Xiao Guodong v Matthew Selt

    Barry Hawkins v Hossein Vafaei

    Mark Williams v Wu Yize

    Luca Brecel v Ryan Day

    Ding Junhui v Zak Surety

    Shaun Murphy v Daniel Wells

    Judd Trump v Zhou Yuelong

    Analysis – ‘It’s a horrible draw’ for O’Sullivan

    Mark Selby, four-time world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

    I don’t think either of them [Ronnie O’Sullivan or Ali Carter] will be happy with that draw. It is great Ronnie is in the competition, we’ve not seen him since January. I want him to play and as it stands at the minute it seems like he is playing which is fantastic for the game.

    Carter is one of the toughest qualifiers to get drawn against. It is a horrible draw.

  • Commonwealth Games official’s ‘uncomfortable behaviour’ with volunteer

    Commonwealth Games official’s ‘uncomfortable behaviour’ with volunteer

    A “prominent” Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) official has been found to have breached its ethics code after a claim that they “spent an inordinate amount of time with a volunteer of the opposite sex” at a social event related to CGF business.

    In a decision published on the CGF’s website, the chair of an ethics commission panel states that the unnamed individual admitted allegations that they “failed to act with the highest standards of integrity”.

    The official – referred to only as ‘AB’ – is also said to have accepted acting “in such a way as to give the appearance of impropriety [and] to have the potential to bring the Commonwealth Games into disrepute”.

    As a result, it has been decided that, the reprimanded individual must be accompanied or met by a safeguarding officer, law enforcement official or a senior CGF figure when travelling overseas on CGF business, and undergo training “to further educate [them] in ethical conduct”.

    What’s the background?

    The CGF revealed that in October 2024, a senior CGF figure received a report that ‘AB’ “may not have acted with the appropriate level of ethical conduct whilst performing a CGF related role”.

    An investigation was then conducted by an unnamed London-based lawyer, referred to in the published decision as ‘CD’, who acted as an ethics officer in the case, and charged the official in February.

    Their report “included a summary and analysis of a first-person witness to the alleged unethical conduct”.

    “The report documents that AB, while at a social event related to CGF business, spent an inordinate amount of time with a volunteer of the opposite sex,” the CGF added.

    “The first-person witnesses were uncomfortable with AB’s behaviour…It is clear these witnesses had concerns about the potential to bring the CGF and/or CGF Officials into disrepute, to the extent that they took photographs of AB with the volunteer.”

    The ethics commission chair noted that the official insisted “nothing inappropriate happened at the event”, and “states that they have agreed to the allegations and acceded to the proposed sanction to allow the Ethics Commission to hear the matter with a chair as a single person panel”.

    However, the chair also concluded that “the evidence before me indicates that AB’s actions denigrated the perception of the integrity, of the potential for the appearance of impropriety, and the possibility of bringing the image of the Commonwealth Games into disrepute”.

    The chair added: “The appearance of unethical conduct by a Commonwealth Games Federation official, which raised concerns by others who were present is like the proverb, ‘Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion’. Not only do Commonwealth Games Federation officials need to have integrity; they need to be examples of integrity and ethical conduct and avoid negative scrutiny or attention.”

    ‘Highly inappropriate’

    In an intriguing twist, the panel chair also claimed that the lawyer acted inappropriately by proposing modified sanctions in March after the charges were initially delivered, giving the official “opinions or advice that goes well beyond the Ethics Officer role of providing information”.

    “I have further determined that CD has, in effect, conducted what would be characterised as plea bargaining with AB, after AB had received the Notice of Charge” said the chair. “I find this to be highly inappropriate.

    “CD should not have made any modifications to the charges or the sanctions, as that is in the sole purview of the Ethic Commission at a hearing, and only after a hearing is requested by the covered person.”

    ‘Reputational risk’

    The chair also revealed that they rejected a suggestion by the reprimanded official to not publicly disclose the outcome of the case, stating that “not disclosing the decision could create a reputational risk for the CGF and possibly subject it to allegations of cover up.”

    However, the chair said that they have chosen not to reveal the individual’s identity because based on the investigation, “no harm was done to any person, there does not appear to be any risk of harm towards any person or persons”.

    They also noted that “AB is not the subject of a provisional or sanctioned suspension or expulsion where their identity must be provided in order to ensure compliance; and that the sanctions proposed by CD and accepted by AB are on the less severe end of sanctions spectrum”.

    It is also noted that the decision “shall be posted on the Commonwealth Games Website under the relevant section concerning the Ethics Commission, and shall not be posted on the ‘News’ feed. The decision will be posted for a period of 28 days only”.

    The CGF has declined to comment further on the matter.

  • ‘I’m joining the petition’ – Murphy in England frame?

    ‘I’m joining the petition’ – Murphy in England frame?

    If there is a petition to add Jacob Murphy to the England squad, his Newcastle team-mate Harvey Barnes wants to sign it.

    Winger Murphy scored one goal and assisted another as his side thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 to move up to third in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

    The 30-year-old’s 19 goal involvements this season are as many as in his past three campaigns combined.

    And, over his past five matches, Murphy has netted three goals, four assists and lifted the Carabao Cup.

    On Sunday, England manager Thomas Tuchel was watching as uncapped Murphy tore Manchester United apart.

    Murphy does have a few England youth caps, but so far the man who was born in Wembley, London has never received a senior England call-up.

    “He’s playing unbelievable,” said Newcastle winger Barnes.

    “He’s such a character in the changing room and deserves everything he’s getting. I’m joining the petition [to get him in the England squad].”

    ‘I did mean it, yeah’ – Murphy on opener

    It is quite odd for a player to have a breakthrough season aged 30, but that is exactly what is happening with Murphy, who did not start more than 17 Premier League matches in a single season until this campaign.

    Boyhood Toon fan Murphy joined the club from Norwich in 2017.

    For seven years he was on the fringes of the Newcastle squad, and had been loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday.

    But, this season, he has become a star – and a big reason is down to his connection with Alexander Isak.

    Only Mohamed Salah (18) has more assists than Murphy’s 11 in the Premier League this season.

    Seven of those assists have been for Newcastle striker Isak.

    If he sets him up three more times the pair will break a Premier League record.

    Murphy did not assist Isak on Wednesday night, but it was only because of the Swede’s poor finishing.

    In the first five minutes Murphy twice reached the byeline and put in deliciously dangerous crosses which Isak was unable to turn in.

    It was Murphy who did open the scoring, beating goalkeeper Dean Henderson for power with a shot which some may say suspiciously looked like a cross.

    “I did mean it, yeah,” Murphy told Sky Sports. “When the juice is flowing, you’ve just got to hit it.

    “The defender’s come out so it was going to be hard to get it through him so I thought ‘ah, just shoot here’. Lovely.”

    Murphy’s ball in for Fabian Schar at the end of the first half got the finish it deserved when the Newcastle defender glanced a header into the far corner to make it 4-0.

    Murphy had a goal, an assist and a whole host of other chances created all before half-time.

    It means, of all the English players in the Premier League this season, only Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins have more goal involvements than Murphy.

    Or, put another way, Murphy has a higher combined goals and assists total this term than Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze and Dominic Solanke – who were all in the last England squad.

  • Now or never for Postecoglou to save Spurs’ season – and his job?

    Now or never for Postecoglou to save Spurs’ season – and his job?

    Is it now or never for Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou?

    His side are 15th in the Premier League, out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, and their one hope of a trophy – and final chance at redeeming a disappointing season – is through winning the Europa League.

    Tottenham visit Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday in the quarter-finals having drawn their first leg 1-1 at home.

    Even Postecoglou has admitted he is in the dark over whether he will remain as the club’s head coach beyond the end of the season.

    “No, no idea,” he said on Wednesday. “We have a game tomorrow night, but it’s not something I need to think about. I’ve never thought about those things in terms of what is important.

    “What is important is the game that’s a massive opportunity for this group of players and this football club to get closer to achieving what everyone wants to achieve.”

    So can Tottenham end their 17-year trophy drought? And even if they do, will under-pressure Postecoglou still survive the chop?

    ‘Fans would get back on board with Europa win’

    “It’s Europa League or bust and the competition seems wide open,” former Blackburn and Celtic striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport.

    “It looks winnable for all the teams that are left in it, and that’s why you can’t rule Tottenham out.”

    Tottenham haven’t won a trophy since lifting the League Cup in 2008.

    Postecoglou is in his second season at the club, and in September, he said: “I always win things in my second year.”

    Right now, his record looks to be in serious danger.

    But if you rewind to the start of this campaign, hopes of success under Postecoglou didn’t seem too outlandish.

    The Australian had led Tottenham to a fifth-placed finish last season where, in moments, his side looked brilliant.

    They were five points clear at the top of the league 10 games into the 2023-24 campaign, with Postecoglou named the Premier League’s manager of the month in August, September and October.

    Then, in November, came the injuries and suspensions. Inconsistency surfaced: Tottenham finished the season with five defeats from seven games.

    It was also around this time a smattering of fans started to voice their frustration with Ange-ball and Postecoglou’s lack of tactical plan B.

    Those cries have since got louder, with Spurs set for their worst league campaign since 2003-04, when they finished 14th. They haven’t ended a weekend in the top half of the table since November.

    After needing extra time to beat non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup, they were then knocked out in the fourth round at Aston Villa.

    They reached the EFL Cup semi-finals, where they beat Liverpool in the first leg but crumbled in the Anfield return for a 4-1 aggregate loss.

    The Europa League is now their last chance of salvation. Without the trophy and a place in the Champions League next season, Postecoglou may find it

    “He has his way of playing,” added Sutton. “Last season there was great excitement, this season it hasn’t worked.

    “They have had a lot of injuries, of course. He always had this argument of ‘we’ll be all right once my best players are back’ and people understood that, albeit every team has to cope with injuries, but the fact he has now got them all back and is still losing games, that does not help him.”

    “If he did win the Europa League, the fans would come back on board,” former England midfielder Danny Murphy said. “Ange would get that connection back, because success gives you that wonderful feeling as a whole club.

    “But if they go out of the Europa League with a whimper, I think it’s too big a U-turn for Ange to get the fans back.”

    Opta’s super computer gives Tottenham a 32.5% chance of winning their quarter-final return in Frankfurt.

    Eintracht, third in the Bundesliga table, won the competition three years ago and smashed Eredivisie leaders Ajax 6-2 in the last round of the competition.

    Whoever advances will face either Bodo/Glimt or Lazio for a place in the final.

    ‘You can’t be one-dimensional as a manager anymore’

    It’s no secret Tottenham’s team has been decimated by injuries this season.

    Of the 23 outfielders who have started in the league, only Pedro Porro, Archie Gray, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and January loanee Mathys Tel haven’t been sidelined for at least one match.

    Postecoglou hasn’t been able to pick his best XI once this season.

    The manager’s tactics may be blamed for that, though, as Spurs’ high-pressing style means they lead the league in total sprints and presses in the final third.

    They also lead the league in hamstring injuries, an injury associated with players being overworked.

    Meanwhile, Daniel Levy – chairman since 2001 – has become an increasingly unpopular figure for a perceived lack of investment to strengthen the squad.

    Spurs have won just the one trophy under his watch, the 2008 League Cup, and sold all-time top scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in 2023.

    Five of Tottenham’s past eight signings have been teenagers.

    “I think ultimately the question is should Tottenham be doing much better with the squad that they have got – and the answer is yes,” Murphy told BBC Sport.

    “They have lost too many games and their performances haven’t been good enough. They have conceded too many goals, and been beaten by teams they should not be losing to, with the players they have got.

    “You can’t be one-dimensional as a manager any more. You’ve got to win games differently at different stages of the season, based on the players you have got available, their fatigue levels and the opposition.”

  • Santos’ Neymar leaves pitch in tears after injury

    Santos’ Neymar leaves pitch in tears after injury

    Santos forward Neymar left the field in tears after injuring his leg just 34 minutes into his first start in the Brazilian Serie A Championship this season.

    The 33-year-old, who returned from six weeks out with a thigh injury against Fluminense on Sunday, was handed a start against Atletico-MG on Wednesday.

    The former Barcelona forward was wearing a special number 100 shirt to commemorate his 100th appearances at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium.

    But, after gesturing towards the bench following Alvaro Barreal’s goal to put the home side 2-0 up, Neymar sat on the field to await medical attention.

    It was quickly decided that he could not continue and a clearly-emotional Neymar was taken off the field on a buggy, holding the left-thigh area that had kept him out for the previous six weeks.

    Neymar was consoled by his own team-mates, as well as former Brazil team-mate and Atletico-MG forward Hulk.

    “It’s still too early to give any definitive answer, we don’t have a diagnosis yet,” said Santos coach Cesar Sampaio.

    “Now we really have to pray that it’s not something that will keep him out for a long time.”

    The former Paris St-Germain forward has made eight appearances for Santos and scored three goals since returning to the club from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

    Neymar, Brazil’s record scorer, has not played for the national side since October 2023 – when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament.

    The forward was named in Brazil’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Colombia but was forced to withdraw following injury.

  • Williams ‘would be banned for 20 years’ for doping case like Sinner’s

    Williams ‘would be banned for 20 years’ for doping case like Sinner’s

    Serena Williams says she would have been banned for 20 years and had some of her Grand Slam titles taken away if she had committed the same anti-doping offence as men’s world number one Jannik Sinner.

    Italy’s Sinner, 23, is serving a three-month doping ban after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) over two positive drugs tests last year.

    Former world number one Williams, winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, claimed in 2018 that she was a victim of “discrimination” over the volume of drug tests she was required to carry out.

    An article published by website Deadspin in 2018 revealed that Williams had been tested out of competition by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) on five occasions by June that year – more than twice as many times as other top American players.

    “I love the guy, I love his game. He’s great for the sport. I’ve been put down so much, I don’t want to bring anyone down. Men’s tennis needs him,” the retired Williams said of Sinner in an interview with Time, external.

    “[But] if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me.”

    Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, accepted an immediate three-month ban in February after he twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024.

    Wada had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) seeking a ban of up to two years after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of any fault or negligence last year.

    Williams, 43, joked that a similar case during her own career would have put her “in jail”, adding: “You would have heard about it in another multiverse.”

    ‘I can’t help but think about Sharapova’

    The 23-time Grand Slam champion also expressed sympathy for former rival Maria Sharapova.

    The Russian was banned for 15 months after testing positive for a substance she said she did not realise had been added to the banned list at the start of 2016.

    “Just weirdly and oddly, I can’t help but think about Maria all this time. I can’t help but feel for her,” said Williams.

    Sinner will return in time for the Italian Open on 7 May, before the second Grand Slam of the year – the French Open – begins on 25 May.

    Williams is not alone among current and former players to have raised the issue of perceived preferential treatment in response to Sinner’s case – and also that of women’s player Iga Swiatek, who accepted a one-month suspension last year.

    Former British number one Tim Henman called the agreement “too convenient”, while Australian Nick Kyrgios claimed “fairness in tennis does not exist”, and three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka said he “did not believe in clean sport any more”.

    Such accusations have been disputed by the ITIA, whose chief executive Karen Moorhouse said: “The way we manage cases does not change, irrespective of the profile of the player involved.”

    Sinner’s violation carried a maximum sanction of four years before his defence – that he was inadvertently contaminated with the substance by his physiotherapist – was considered.

    ‘I would gladly give another two years to tennis’

    Williams retired from tennis in 2022 following her final US Open appearance, announcing that she would be “evolving away” from the sport.

    “I miss it a lot, with all my heart,” Williams said.

    “I miss it because I’m healthy. If I couldn’t walk, or if I was so out of it, I wouldn’t miss it as much.”

    But a return remains unlikely as she focuses on other things, including her family after giving birth to her second daughter in 2023, and business pursuits.

    “Hopefully I’ll feel better when I feel like, physically, I’m not able to have wins over some people,” she said.

    “I’ve given my whole life to tennis. And I would gladly give another two years if I had time. But it’s nice to do something different. I’m content.”

  • A fluffed Panenka, controversy & ‘statement win’ for Arsenal

    A fluffed Panenka, controversy & ‘statement win’ for Arsenal

    It was a night Arsenal fans will never forget.

    A dramatic 2-1 win against Real Madrid in a hostile Bernabeu secured the Gunners just a third Champions League semi-final – and a first since 2009 – after an impressive first-leg 3-0 win.

    Bukayo Saka’s saved early Panenka penalty and Kylian Mbappe’s overruled spot-kick ensured the Gunners’ progress wasn’t without incident – but it was ultimately a win that will send a message to the rest of Europe.

    Saka made up for his indiscretion with a second-half opener and, despite William Saliba gifting Vinicius Junior an equaliser soon after, the Gunners never looked in trouble as Paris St-Germain await, with Gabriel Martinelli securing the win late on.

    “One of the best nights in my football career,” said manager Mikel Arteta.

    “We played against a team with the biggest history. It has been an inspiration for all of us on this competition.

    “The history we have in this competition is so short. The third time in our history of what we have just done and we have to build on that.

    “And now we have to continue to do that because I think we have some momentum now.”

    Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, speaking to BBC Sport, said: “Mentally, these Arsenal players are ready for the big time now.

    “What a statement result and performance by Arsenal.”

    ‘Arsenal’s aura is Arteta’

    There were impressive Arsenal performances throughout over the two legs, with Myles Lewis-Skelly defying his 18 years of age and Saka impressing again, but the standout was England midfielder Declan Rice.

    Following on from his two stunning free-kicks in the first leg, Rice was everywhere in Spain, defending resolutely and looking a threat going forward as he dominated Real’s superstars.

    The hosts did not have a shot on target before the 55th minute as Arsenal made a mockery of Real’s star-studded squad and their tag as tournament favourites.

    Not bad for a team without a recognised striker, with injuries to key players like Kai Havertz, Gabriel, and Gabriel Jesus and with makeshift striker Mikel Merino playing as a false nine.

    Arteta’s preparations for the tie were meticulous, including asking advice on the phone from his former Man City boss Pep Guardiola and testing his players in stressful situations in training.

    Arteta, said: “I called him (Guardiola) this morning because I am here thanks to him. As a player and a coach he has been an inspiration to me. I had four amazing years with him, and I will always be grateful to him.”

    “Mikel Arteta has built this Arsenal team from his mind and his connections with each individual talent in that team, and he’s built them to be one mind,” said Walcott.

    “When I say one mind, I mean he’s so serious and some people say he’s too serious, but everyone’s on the same path as him. And that’s why I think their aura is him.

    “That’s the difference about Arsenal, they don’t have the players with the big egos. They’re a team and I think Arteta takes it away from the team. I think its a good thing.”

    A tale of two penalties & Saka’s redemption

    Saka will be one relieved man after passing up the chance to extend Arsenal’s three-goal lead early on – seeing his Panenka penalty clawed away by Thibaut Courtois.

    The Real goalkeeper celebrated with a wild home crowd as Saka was left to ponder his choice of penalty.

    “It can happen,” he said. “I tried something, but it didn’t work. I was confident I was going to score tonight.

    “I learn in every moment. Tonight, I am more focused on enjoying the win and then I will review it properly.”

    While Arteta joked: “I would have liked to slap him. But the player has to make the decision, and he was bold enough to do it.

    “That could have been a turning point emotionally in the game because it gave them a lot of belief. But then the way he handled the situation, and the way he played afterwards was incredible.”

    Former Arsenal defender Matt Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I just can’t believe the selection of penalty here from Bukayo Saka. I am so surprised. It’s such a bad penalty.”

    Walcott added: “This man [Bukayo Saka] typified it from start to finish because he had a night where it could’ve gone the other way for him but, for me, he is such a resilient character in that dressing room.”

    Mbappe had already had a early goal ruled out for offside before Saka’s moment to forget, and the France striker was then involved in a moment of controversy that was to prove key.

    When he went down in the penalty area under the challenge of Rice, it looked as though Real had been handed a route back into the game when referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot.

    A five-minute delay followed before the decision was overturned after a video assistant referee review.

    “He has his arm round the inside of him and Kylian Mbappe has thrown himself to the floor. That is embarrassing,” said Upson.

    Saka, who was involved in a half-time bust-up with injured Real defender Danny Carvajal, then dinked home to give Arsenal the lead on the night and – despite Vinicius’ equaliser – the visitors never looked like losing control.

    The one blot on an otherwise memorable night for Arsenal was a booking for midfielder Thomas Partey, meaning he will miss the first leg of the semi-final.

    Arteta’s tenure has been a ‘rollercoaster’

    It hasn’t been an easy season for Arteta to say the least.

    In his five years at the club, he has helped Arsenal recover from mediocrity to become consistent challengers at the top of the game but – with just the 2020 FA Cup to his name – frustration has been growing in some quarters.

    Having to settle for second place again in the Premier League and going out of the FA Cup has started to test the patience for some supporters – even though other sections say injuries to players – plus the obvious lack of a striker have been a mitigating factor.

    The manner of this victory over Real should help to win over some doubters though as Arteta’s Arsenal again show their new-found big-game mentality.

    Over the past two years, Arsenal are unbeaten against the Premier League’s traditional big six in the league, winning 12 and drawing eight – a remarkable turnaround from an side who had previously performed atrociously against these teams.

    Between 2017 and 2023, Arsenal lost by three or more goals to just Liverpool and Man City nine times in the Premier League alone. But, as shown in their European run this season, this fear has disappeared.

    ‘PSG can beat anyone’

    So can Arsenal beat PSG and make their second Champions League final?

    The Gunners have the second-best defensive record in the competition, conceding just seven goals in 12 matches, while going forward only five teams have scored more.

    Standing in their way though are a youthful, vibrant PSG side, who many are tipping to win their first European crown.

    Julien Laurens, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Over 90 minutes, 120 minutes, I really believe PSG can beat anyone because they have that style of football, the intensity, the energy, the youth, they’ve got so much talent.

    “The two full-backs in Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, I think you can look at the Arsenal full-backs, Inter Milan full-backs, Barcelona, I just think they don’t have better full-backs in Europe right now.

    “And when you’ve got the midfield three that PSG have plus Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue and [Bradley] Barcola and when [goalkeeper Gianluigi] Donnarumma is on his game, then you have a huge chance of course.”

    Arsenal though will take confidence from PSG’s second-half second-leg collapse at Aston Villa on Tuesday night, where Luis Enrique’s young side appeared to crumble against heavy pressure.

    The Gunners also comfortably beat PSG 2-0 in October, although Laurens says the French champions are now a different side.

    He said: “I think Arsenal are so good without the ball, they are so good defensively.

    “I know they’ve conceded goals lately but they’re still so strong and this is kind of more maybe than a team that attack you and play the similar style that PSG play, this is where they could be undone.”

    ‘For us to be here, it’s credit to the manager’

    Arsenal fans outside the Bernabeu on Wednesday night were in a buoyant mood.

    One supporter, Akkani, told BBC Sport: “Arteta’s tenure in general has been a rollercoaster. Now we are in our best moment. Given the context of our season, the adversity we have gone through. The ups and downs. It has been a great season.

    “It’s been the most beneficial season in our recent history. This season more than ever he has had to earn his stripes. He has exceeded all expectations. For us to be here, nobody expected it. For us to be here with this group of players, it’s credit to the manager.”

    Fellow Gunners fan Tyler, added: “I think from day one we had a depleted squad that wasn’t where we should be historically if you look at an Arsenal side.

    “He has done very well to get us to where we are now, everyone reading off the same hymn sheet. It’s exciting. The season hasn’t panned out how we expected.

    “With the tools we have, he has done very well and probably exceeded expectations. It will be a fantastic achievement for us to reach a semi-final and maybe a second final in our history.”

  • Sexton to join Farrell’s Lions backroom team

    Sexton to join Farrell’s Lions backroom team

    Former Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton will join Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions coaching team for this summer’s tour of Australia.

    Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, played on two Lions tours in 2013 and 2017.

    The five-time Six Nations winner has been working with Ireland in a casual coaching capacity since last November’s Autumn Nations Series and will take up a full-time position with the Irish Rugby Football Union from 1 August.

    His new role with the IRFU will involve coaching the senior men’s team, while he will also work with various men’s and women’s age-grade sides.

    “I am hugely excited to continue the next chapter in my coaching journey with the British and Irish Lions and I would like to thank Andy for this incredible opportunity,” said Sexton.

    “It promises to be an exciting tour to Australia and I know from experience the challenges that awaits us.

    “Playing for the Lions was a huge ambition of mine during my playing career and my memories of those Tours to Australia and New Zealand will stay with me forever.”

    The British and Irish Lions will face Argentina in a send-off game in Dublin on 20 June before travelling to Australia.

    The three Tests against the Wallabies will take place on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August.

    ‘His influence cannot be underestimated’

    Sexton, 39, started all three Tests of the Lions’ 2013 series win over Australia and a further two in the drawn series with New Zealand in 2017, but was overlooked for selection in 2021.

    The 2018 world player of the year earned 118 Ireland caps and captained the team to a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand in 2022 and the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2023.

    “I coached Johnny for the very first time during the 2013 tour to Australia and the love that he had for the British and Irish Lions was reflected in how he operated on a daily basis,” said Farrell, who also coached Sexton with Ireland.

    “His influence on that Lions team and that Series win, our only win in the last 24 years, cannot be underestimated.

    “His fight and his dedication as a player is something that he will bring to this Lions Tour and I know that the players will relish his experience and expertise alongside all of our assistant coaches.”

    Last month, Farrell added Richard Wigglesworth, Simon Easterby, John Dalziel, Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty to his coaching ticket.

    Farrell described adding Sexton as a “significant coup”.

    “It was clear from working together during the recent Autumn Nations Series that he has the talent and skillset to add to our coaching team with Ireland and I know how driven he is to add to the Lions, firstly this summer, and then on a full-time basis with Ireland later this year,” added Farrell.

    IRFU performance director David Humphreys said he is “delighted” to have secured Sexton’s services on a long-term basis.

    “I believe that he will play an important role in sharing his coaching insights with male and female players from the Age Grade system right up to the Ireland national teams,” said Humphreys.

    “In formally welcoming Johnny to the IRFU I would also like to congratulate him on his selection with the British & Irish Lions.

    “I have no doubt that the experience gained on this tour will greatly benefit him as he begins his full-time coaching career in the months and years to come.”