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Mauricio Pochettino insists Manchester City remain favourites to win the Champions League despite their quarter-final first leg defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as reported by the London Evening Standard.

Spurs ran out 1-0 winners in north London, with Son Heung-Min scoring the only goal of the game.

What’s the word?

Pochettino saw his side outplay City in the first leg of their last-eight clash.

Spurs have not been in a Champions League semi-final since 1962 but now stand on the precipice of qualification to the last four.

If they manage to keep a clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium, Spurs will face either Juventus or Ajax in the semi-finals.

But Pochettino insists that City remain favourites not just in their tie but also for the whole competition overall.

Indeed, City won their last home European tie 7-0, sealing a 10-2 aggregate win over Schalke 04.

Speaking to reporters, quoted by the Standard, Pochettino said: “Still a lot of work to do, Manchester City are the favourites to win the Champions League and it’s going to be tough.

“Completely different in one week, completely different game.

“But to win the first leg, gives us belief and we are going to go there and fight a lot, but it’s a good result for us. For me, Manchester City are still the favourites [in the tie].”

Right to be cautious

Spurs have been in excellent form in Europe this season but they are right to be cautious.

A draw with Barcelona in the group stages was a terrific result but came about after Lionel Messi started the game on the bench, while the 4-0 thumping of Borussia Dortmund in the last round came with the German side on a major downswing in form.

This time around, there is every chance that Spurs can beat City. Guardiola’s men have not quite been in their usual irresistible form either, and they are perhaps as vulnerable as they have ever been to counter-attacks.

Spurs last won at the Etihad in 2016, when Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane scored in a 2-1 victory. Their last visit though, in 2017, ended in a 4-1 defeat.

Pochettino knows both sides of the coin. He is clever to remind the players that they are the underdogs. But stranger things have happened…

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Manchester United fans on Twitter have been busy arguing over what to do with David de Gea, after it was reported that the goalkeeper is looking to double his current wages of £240,000-a-week if he is to sign a new contract, per Daily Telegraph.

The demands appear to be a knock-on effect from Alexis Sanchez’s reported astronomical earnings of £500,000-a-week, as there is seemingly no other reason why the Spanish international would demand such a massive sum of £480,000-a-week – he is definitely one of the most important players in the team, but that figure is just downright ridiculous.

Watch the video below to find out what Jesse Lingard is like off the pitch in the latest Match Of The Bae with Emma Conybeare…

Obviously, the Red Devils would rather not lose the former Atletico Madrid stopper, although a few fans would rather not see the club bow down to his demands.

Having said that, some are keen for the club to just pay him what he’s after, citing the fact that De Gea is one of Europe’s best as a reason to splash out on securing his future.

Let’s see what the clearly divided United fanbase on Twitter have been saying about the situation…

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been commenting on what could potentially be a very bizarre occurrence – two of their ex-players, both of whom were relegated, squaring off in a Champions League final.

Tottenham scraped past Manchester City on Wednesday night in the most dramatic of circumstances.

After Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Son Heung-min all grabbed goals in a frantic 2-2 opening, strikes from Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Fernando Llorente left Spurs in charge of the tie on away goals.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Sterling’s late winner (and hat-trick goal) was then ruled out thanks to VAR, meaning Moussa Sissoko now has Ajax standing between him and a Champions League final.

On the other side of the bracket, Liverpool cruised past Porto with a 6-1 aggregate score, with Georginio Wijnaldum starting in the Reds’ midfield in Portugal.

If the two sides win their respective semi-finals, they will of course square off in Madrid, leaving the two midfielders who were relegated on Tyneside to battle it out for the biggest prize in club football.

Sissoko in particular was extremely poor in his final season with the Magpies, and we’ve compiled some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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According to Takvim, three Italian clubs are interested in signing Leeds United forward Caleb Ekuban in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Ekuban joined Leeds from Chievo in July 2017, with the attacker signing a four-year contract with the Championship club.

The Ghana international only made seven appearances for the Whites during the 2017-18 campaign, however, and was loaned to Trabzonspor in August 2018.

The 25-year-old has scored seven times in all competitions for Trabzonspor this term, and it is thought that the Turkish side have the option to sign him permanently this summer.

However, according to Takvim, three unnamed Italian clubs are also interested in a deal for Ekuban, who has a contract with Leeds until June 2021.

How will this one end?

Well, it is difficult to imagine that Ekuban has a future at Leeds.

There is no question that the striker has shown some good form this season, but the Whites will be planning for a future without the 5 ft 11 ace.

The ideal situation for Leeds would be to sell directly to an Italian club this summer, but it seems that Trabzonspor will take up their permanent option before selling for a profit.

Ekuban has almost become the forgotten man at Elland Road and it does appear that his career with the Yorkshire club has finished before it really started.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have bigger fish to fry at the moment, though, as they battle to secure a top-two finish in the Championship table.

ودع مدافع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي وست بروميتش، أحمد حجازي، جماهير النادي الإنجليزي بعد الرحيل والانتقال إلى صفوف اتحاد جدة في الدوري السعودي.

وانتقل حجازي يوم أمس الأحد، على سبيل الإعارة إلى اتحاد جدة لمدة موسم واحد مع شرط أحقية الشراء في يونيو 2021.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ميرور: أحمد حجازي يفجر أزمة بين مسؤولي وست بروميتش ومدرب الفريق

وغرد المدافع المصري الدولي عبر حسابه الرسمي مودعًا جماهير وست بروميتش على “تويتر”، وكتب: “إلى جماهير وست بروميتش الأعزاء، اود أن أشكركم بعمق على كل الدعم الذي قدمتموه لي خلال السنوات الثلاث الماضية على الرغم من العقبات التي واجهها الفريق”.

وكان حجازي قد انتقل إلى صفوف وست بروميتش ألبيون قبل 3 سنوات من الأهلي بطل الدوري المصري.

To my dear Baggies,
I would like to thank you deeply for all the support you have given me over the past 3 years, through all the ups and downs. pic.twitter.com/02hiN9UDap

— Ahmed hegazi (@Hegazi) October 26, 2020

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Arsenal players are “baffled” by Unai Emery’s tactics, according to a report from the Daily Telegraph.

What’s the word?

The Gunners have slipped to three successive defeats, with their top-four hopes now in serious danger.

Emery’s men lost 3-2 to Crystal Palace at the Emirates and were then beaten 3-1 by Wolves and 3-0 by Leicester City.

They are subsequently fifth, two points behind Chelsea and four behind Tottenham Hotspur, with two games of the season remaining.

And the Telegraph claim that players have been left “baffled” by some of Emery’s team selections, particularly against Palace.

As the Gunners lost to the Eagles, Emery named Mohamed Elneny and Matteo Guendouzi in midfield, with Carl Jenkinson playing at right-back.

He has also backed Shkodran Mustafi in central defence, though the Germany international has made a number of mistakes in recent games.

Back him now

Despite their form, Arsenal are in the semi-finals of the Europa League and remain in with a shout of finishing in the top four.

With the squad at his disposal, the job that Emery has done has been nothing short of exemplary.

And it is about time that his players started realising that instead of questioning him.

At the end of the day, there is only so much that he can do; he picks the team and the tactics, yes, but then he has been forced to watch on as player after player have unleashed numerous calamities on the fans who follow the team up and down the country.

This summer, then, Emery should focus on ripping out the bad apples, of stripping the club of the toxicity that appears to be engulfing it.

Right now, though, Arsene Wenger’s successor needs backing. There are two achievements on the line: finishing in the top four and winning the Europa League.

If players decide against throwing their weight behind the Spaniard, they will do neither, and that will be deserved.

تحدث جيانلوكا زامبروتا، لاعب يوفنتوس وبرشلونة الأسبق، عن مباراة الفريقين التي ستقام على ملعب أليانز، مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات بدوري أبطال أوروبا.

يوفنتوس يستضيف برشلونة في المباراة الثانية لكل فريق بالمجموعة السابقة من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا 2020/2021.

طالع أيضًا.. تشكيل يوفنتوس المتوقع أمام برشلونة اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وقال زامبروتا في تصريحات لصحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “ستكون مباراة رائعة بين الفريقين، لقد كتبوا التاريخ في بلادهم، أتذكر ربع نهائي الأبطال 2003 ونهائي برلين 2015، كان يوفنتوس يتألق أمام برشلونة”.

وأضاف: “في 2003 كنت لاعبًا لـ يوفنتوس، تمكنا من الفوز بهدفين لهدف في كامب نو، بعد الوقت الاضافي، بعدما انتهت نتيجة تورينو 1/1، وذلك كان قبل أن نقصي ريال مدريد ونصل إلى النهائي أمام ميلان في أولد ترافورد”.

وعن غياب رونالدو: “كانت مواجهة ميسي وكريستيانو تضيف الكثير للمباراة، ولكن آمل أن يتعافى رونالدو من فيروس كورونا، لأننا نتحدث عن اثنين من خارج الكوكب، كانا يلعبان دور البطولة في كرة القدم العالمية منذ أكثر من 10 سنوات”.

وأكمل: “بالنسبة لي، أفضل ليونيل ميسي لأنه كان زميلي في برشلونة، وأعرفه جيدًا، وأعرف ما يمكنه المساهمة به، إنه عبقري، ولا أقارنه سوى بـ دييجو مارادونا”.

وواصل: “عندما كنت في برشلونة كان ليو 20 عامًا، كان فتى طيبا ومتواضعا، ومليئا بالموهبة، كان صغيرًا، لكنه كان مع الفريق الأول لفترة طويلة، اليوم أنا محظوظ لأنني أخبر ابني أنني لعبت سويًا مع ليونيل ميسي”.

وعاد للحديث عن المباراة، وتحديدًا أندريا بيرلو: “رؤية بيرلو على مقاعد البدلاء تملأني بالفرح والفخر، إلى جانب كونه صديقًا رائعًا، أنا سعيد جدًا بمغامرته، آمل كمدرب أن يفوز بكل شيء فاز به كلاعب كرة قدم”.

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Tottenham Hotspur could miss out on the signing of Youri Tielemans this summer, with Leicester City trying to tie the Belgium international down to a permanent deal, per the Daily Mirror.

Tielemans is currently on loan at the Foxes from AS Monaco.

What’s the word?

The Mirror claim that manager Brendan Rodgers is desperate to retain the services of Tielemans beyond the summer.

Since his move to England, the 21-year-old has scored two goals and provided four assists in just nine outings for the Foxes.

The report claims that both Spurs and Manchester United are monitoring the youngster’s progress, while Rodgers is wary of letting him slip through his fingers.

A deal would cost £40million and the ex-Liverpool boss wants to tie Tielemans’ future up before another club swoops in to steal him away.

A missed opportunity

Spurs really should have done this deal in January.

The Daily Telegraph claimed at the time that the club were exploring the possibility of a loan move.

Now, he is thriving at Leicester and appears every inch a Premier League player.

With Mousa Dembele gone, Tielemans would be the perfect replacement at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, capable of turning defence to attack with his weaving runs through the middle of the park in vintage Dembele fashion.

Sadly for Mauricio Pochettino and chairman Daniel Levy, it may be too late.

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Coming out of Seven Sisters tube station, it doesn’t take long to see it. That futuristic marble, that sublime golden cockerel. As fans filtered out of the station and made their way down a well-trodden path, the gasps upon glimpsing the stadium were audible. Tottenham Hotspur, finally, are home.

After flinging the doors open last week, with an Under-18 game that saw Spurs defeat Southampton 3-1, this was a far more jovial encounter, a Legends game taking place in a carnival atmosphere.

Seeing the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Rafael van der Vaart and David Ginola all take to the pitch to face an Inter side boasting Javier Zanetti, Juan Sebastian Veron and Dejan Stankovic was slightly surreal, but the supporters basked in a no-lose atmosphere. Spurs lost 5-4 but it didn’t really matter.

The noise in this, the most futuristic stadium in England, really is something else. The South Stand, the largest of its kind in the country, will be rocking when Manchester City come to visit in the Champions League and this Wednesday, when Crystal Palace become the first official visitors in the Premier League.

There have been a number of new stadiums built across the years in the Premier League; the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City, the Emirates for Arsenal. West Ham United, too, moved across the city from Upton Park to the London Stadium after repurposing it for use as a football stadium.

None of those three live up to what Tottenham have done. The stadium is more imposing than those three – all categorised by a lack of noise and genuine passion – with the fans so close to the pitch they can almost touch it. Ripples of noise cascade around the stands and become roars. One can feel the seats vibrate at times.

Saturday was a trip down memory lane for many, remembering the days when Spurs had perhaps the most entertaining flair players in the league. But then, they didn’t quite have the steel to go with it.

Now, with Mauricio Pochettino at the helm, they do, but there are challenges even still. A recent run of poor form has put even Champions League qualification into question.

But with this glorious stadium now built and ready, one feels they are on a precipice, set to break through into a glorious new era.

Of course, there are worries. Fans are concerned that there may not be the money required to furnish the playing squad with the best players after seeing the Gunners struggle for so long.

But it feels as though that has been taken into consideration. The likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli have already signed new contracts and this is a glimpse into what Spurs want to become. They want to become the very best in the world.

As Darren Anderton put it, “who wouldn’t want to play here every week?”

It is a fair question and, while the likes of Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld may leave, one cannot ever fault the board’s ambition again.

No, they haven’t signed a new player since 2018, but the money is saved, surely ready to be spent this summer. New signings will see this stadium, a “landmark”, as Football.London correspondent Alasdair Gold put it, and surely be entranced.

There is pressure, of course, between now and May.

Spurs have to finish in the Champions League qualification places; nobody wants to see them playing Astra Giurgiu on a Thursday night here, and they may well need the financial boost that qualification offers them.

Achieve that, and there’s every chance that Spurs can go from strength to strength.

They have challenged for the title twice under Pochettino; this season, that challenge came at Wembley, a soul-less corporate bowl that actively turned fans off watching their beloved club. It petered out, eventually, with Manchester City and Liverpool setting an almost impossible pace.

But they stayed in contention for so long that Spurs were seen as genuine contenders.

In this new stadium, with the fans behind them from the first game, with new stars and with the backing of the board, next season will be different.

It cannot possibly be worse than this campaign, such have been the fluctuations in form at home. Remember, the final season at White Hart Lane saw Spurs go unbeaten before it was knocked down to make way for this glistening behemoth in the centre of Tottenham.

Perhaps it will prove the catalyst that Spurs have needed for so long, and they will finally break through the glass ceiling and win silverware.

Looking around the place, one has to feel that this stadium deserves it.

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Marcelo Bielsa has been forced to call upon a handful of youth players this season to bolster Leeds United’s squad during times of heavy depletion, but injuries have not paved the way for Ryan Edmondson to break into the squad just yet.

What’s the word, then?

Edmondson has been in prolific form this season, scoring 17 goals in all-competitions for Carlos Corberan’s U23 side.

His form has arrived during the same season in which Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton have featured for the senior squad, and their involvement has raised questions regarding the 17-year-old forward’s future role at the club.

Bielsa has tackled the issue head on this week and emphasised his need for further experience, per Yorkshire Evening Post.

“He’s a very young player,” said Bielsa.

“In this moment in his position players like (Kemar) Roofe, (Patrick) Bamford, Tyler Roberts have played.

“There’s a very important difference, I’m talking about experience, between these three players and Ryan but he has made a very good improvement from the beginning of the season.”

Loan move for Edmondson?

Roofe, Roberts and Bamford are understandably keeping Edmondson in the youth setup.

The 17-year-old forward has played just 35 minutes of senior football in his career so far during two cameos against QPR and Birmingham City.

Considering his age, his goal-scoring return this season and the fact he has already featured at senior level, it’s fair to assume that the exciting teenager is being nurtured for a future first-team role.

However, as Bielsa has alluded to, competition for a starting berth is intense and that could potentially force Edmondson to move on loan in the summer window.

Roberts’ move into a number ten role this season may yet suggest that Edmondson could establish himself as third choice striker, but a loan move could be what’s needed in order to acquire the experience which Bielsa values so highly.