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Champions League Quarter Finals 1st leg Recap (2025/26)

          Full Results (Quarter Finals 1st leg) Real Madrid 1—2 Bayern  Sporting CP 0—1 Arsenal  Barcelona 0—2 Atletico Madrid PSG 2—0 Liverpool Game of the Matchday Real Madrid 1 –2 Bayern Since the final whistle at the Bernabeu, fans have hailed this tie as a "refreshing" exception from the recent norm. In an era where modern football, particularly in England, is often criticized for being too robotic and over-coached, this match felt like a throwback to the "classic" era, defined by a relentless, end-to-end rhythm. While Bayern appeared to be in the driver's seat, the numbers suggests a much tighter contest. The Bavarians were certainly guilty of wastefulness, with Luis Diaz and Dayot Upamecano spurning massive opportunities, but Real Madrid ensured Manuel Neuer remained the busiest man on the pitch. Bayern finally broke the deadlock and silenced the Madridistas in the 41st minute via Diaz, before Harry Kane doubled the lead just seconds...
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Premier League Matchday 28 Recap (2025/26)

          

Full Results (Matchday 28)

  • Wolves 2–0 Aston Villa

  • Bournemouth 1–1 Sunderland 

  • Burnley 3–4 Brentford

  • Liverpool 5–2 West Ham

  • Newcastle 2–3 Everton 

  • Leeds 0–1 Manchester City

  • Brighton 2–1 Nottingham Forest

  • Fulham 2–1 Tottenham 

  • Manchester United 2–1 Crystal Palace

  • Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea

Game of the Matchday 

Burnley 3–4 Brentford

Turf Moor hosted another contender for the game of the season. This was a seven-goal (almost eight) thriller that felt like two different matches stitched together. Brentford looked out of sight after just 34 minutes, racing into a 3-0 lead thanks to their fantastic attacking line, consisting of Dango Ouattara Mikkel Damsgaard, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago. But Burnley, fighting for their lives in the drop zone, pulled a staggering comeback to level it at 3-3 by the hour mark. With half-an-hour of play still left, this was anyone's game. Zian Flemming had a late goal ruled out by VAR, before Damsgaard popped up in the 93rd minute to once again put the Bees ahead. The drama didn't stop there though, Ashley Barnes put the ball in the net in the 98th minute to send Turf Foor into pandemonium. However, the joy was not the final act as the goal was ruled out after a six-minute VAR check. Clarets hearts broken twice within a span of mere minutes.

Biggest Surprise

Wolves 2–0 Aston Villa

If only Wolves began the season the way they began 2026. Unai Emery's Champions League-chasing Aston Villa side were left stunned in this West Midlands derby. Villa dominated the ball with 61% possession but looked toothless against a resilient Wolves backline that had conceded first in a league-high 22 games this season. Second-half strikes from Joao Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes punished a flat Villa performance that Unai Emery later described as 'abysmal'. With competition for Champions League qualification becoming tighter and tighter, this result must been a dagger to the heart of Villa. It’s a result that keeps Wolves’ faint survival hopes alive while handing the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool a massive boost in the race for the top four.

Best Team Performance

Liverpool 5–2 West Ham

Arne Slot has spent months warning that Liverpool wouldn't make the top four without improving their set-pieces, and his players clearly took that to heart. Against West Ham, the Reds became only the second team in Premier League history to score three goals from corners in the first half of a match. Mikel Arteta must be kicking himself. Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk, and Alexis Mac Allister all directly or indirectly benefited from Dominik Szoboszlai’s pin-point deliveries to put the game to bed before the break. While West Ham threatened a comeback in the second half through Tomas Soucek and Valentin Castellanos, what makes this the matchday's best team display was Liverpool’s sheer efficiency in finishing. When you look at the numbers, there was not much separating both sides with the hosts recording 1.84xG as opposed to the Hammers' 1.86xG. Yet, they finished with five goals, showing their finishing quality. This is what separates the best from the rest.

Player of the Matchday

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Bruno Fernandes was the best player on the pitch by a distance, dragging United back into a game they were surprisingly trailing, considering both teams recent form. He showed composure to level from the penalty spot before providing the cross for Benjamin Sesko’s winning header — his 14th assist of a superb solo campaign. Beyond the goal involvements, Fernandes created six chances and dictated the tempo throughout, surpassing David Beckham’s record for scoring and assisting in the most Premier League games for the club. The Portuguese playmaker now has created 85 chances in the Premier League, the next best being Declan Rice with 53. The gap tells how much of a creative beast Bruno is. He makes things happen.

Honorable mentions - Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford), Rayan Ait Nouri (Manchester City) & Alex Iwobi (Fulham)

Moment of the Matchday

David Raya's full stretch save against Chelsea


Skip to 1:28 to watch Raya's save here

The Moment of the Matchday is one that could very well shape how the season ends for Arsenal. The Gunner’s title charge was seconds away from a massive stumble against Chelsea until David Raya intervened. With the Gunners leading 2-1 and Chelsea down to ten men, substitute Alejandro Garnacho whipped in a curling cross in the 92nd minute that looked destined for the far corner. It was one of those moments where the stadium goes silent, but Raya’s acrobatic, fingertip save pushed the ball wide to preserve the lead. Mikel Arteta admitted his "heart almost stopped" as the ball went towards the net. It was a match-winning intervention from the Spanish keeper, ensuring Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top in one of the most dramatic fashion possible. And while the ball still remains in Manchester City's court, moments like this will do wonders for Arsenal's confidence, after a recent slump in form.

Looking Ahead – Matchday 29 Fixtures (IST Kick-offs)

Wednesday, 4 March (IST)

    • Bournemouth vs Brentford - 1:00 am

    • Everton vs Burnley - 1:00 am

    • Leeds vs Sunderland - 1:00 am

    • Wolves vs Liverpool - 1:45 am

    Thursday, 5 March (IST)

    • Aston Villa vs Chelsea - 1:00 am

    • Brighton vs Arsenal - 1:00 am

    • Fulham vs West Ham - 1:00 am

    • Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest - 1:00 am

    • Newcastle vs Manchester United - 1:45 am

    Friday, 6 March (IST)

    • Tottenham vs Crystal Palace - 1:30 am

    by ShotBlogged


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