Too much pressure?
Ahead of Man United's potentially season-defining night in Spain, Ruben Amorim has spoken about pressure.
The Red Devils boss was asked whether the weight of playing for the club, as well as the weight of the situation, could be too much.
He responded: “No. I think they [the players] are prepared.
"If you see this team, maybe with some problems during the years, they were able to win cups and that was also a pressure.
"Especially the FA Cup is a big thing in our league. They are prepared, every player is an international. The context this season is really complicated in every aspect, so I don’t see that as an issue.
"They are excited to be here, they want to win, they are capable of winning. It could change our summer, it could change the next year, but if we want to improve the club, we should not be focused on this.
"It’s not the most important thing in our club. We have to deal with a lot of things in our club and we’ll be fine, with or without Champions League.”
Pitch complaints
Chelsea are potentially going to have a tough night in the Europa Conference League against Djurgarden.
The Swedish side play on artificial grass and their own players have been complaining about their pitch.
Winger Adam Stahl and striker August Priske have taken aim at the surface, with manager Jani Honkavaara questioning it too.
Due to worries over the passing on the surface, Chelsea’s possession-heavy tactics and building from the back plan could go wrong.
And speaking on the matter, Blues manager Enzo Maresca has admitted: "It's completely different.
"I know that in the last weeks, even some of their players were complaining about the pitch.
"They play every week, so for us it's a different one.
"But there are no excuses, no reasons why we are not going to compete in this game and the second game at all."
'Not on any planet'
Ange Postecoglou has hit back at claims that Spurs winning the Europa League is the same as Man United winning the FA Cup.
The Red Devils won the FA Cup last season, seemingly painting over the cracks of a poor year under Erik ten Hag.
That result saved Ten Hag's job, albeit for a short time, and that brings parallels to Postecoglou at Tottenham.
His side have had an awful year in the Premier League, but success in Europe could well see the campaign end in glory.
Postecoglou said: "I am really strong at the moment on the parallel worlds we are trying to traverse and I have sensed, which is not surprising because this is the way this club is perceived, people are almost trying to diminish it in some respects.
"I have seen some people saying it is the equivalent of Man Utd winning the FA Cup, no. Not on any planet is it equivalent. That is suggesting that maybe we are not worthy of Champions League.
"Things are there that are designed to diminish what is ahead of us, which is an unbelievable opportunity.
"Irrespective of how this season has gone, we have generations of fans who want this more than anything else - to share this with the people that they love, a special moment supporting their football club.
"We could be flying in the league, but it wouldn't make this opportunity any different. The opportunity is the same and I have made that clear to the players."
New Leeds stadium must keep fear factor - Jordan
Simon Jordan is hopeful that Leeds United’s new stadium plans can keep Elland Road as one of the most intimidating arenas in the country.
Earlier this week the club unveiled pictures of plans to increase the stadium’s capacity from 37,645 to 53,000 as part of a modernisation project.
Councillors will now be discussing the pre-application phase of the process ahead of Leeds’ return to the Premier League.
Should the plans go ahead it will be a big upgrade for one of England’s most iconic stadiums, or as Jordan puts it, England’s most intimidating.
The former Crystal Palace owner said: “Having been an owner and gone round most of the stadiums, all of the significant ones in the Premier League and Championship, I always felt that the one that always stood out as the most intimidating atmosphere wise was Leeds.
“I don’t know why, at the time we played them they weren’t in good nick, Dennis Wise was managing them which always has its challenges when Dennis is involved, and they were in a league way below what you think Leeds should be involved in which was League One.
“Yet you still got this feeling… It’s certainly a big, big football club and the nature of that stadium, going to 56,000 with a fanbase that can fill it quite easily and probably has waiting lists.”
Saudi Pro League target three Premier League stars
Emiliano Martinez, Leon Bailey and Darwin Nunez are the targets of another Saudi Pro League swoop as they prepare for a statement summer.
The two Aston Villa players could aid the club’s PSR worries while Nunez, who has become surplus to requirements at Liverpool, could fund a new forward’s incoming.
This season was the first in which the £100million sale of Jack Grealish has not given Villa a boost in relation to PSR calculations.
It is a problem worsened by a wage bill which meant wages as a proportion of turnover hit 91 percent - the highest of any Premier League club.
Ollie Watkins has been linked with a move away but Martinez and Bailey could be the ones to follow in the footsteps of former teammates Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran.
“There is concrete interest from Saudi Arabia in both,” said talkSPORT's Saudi football correspondent Ben Jacobs.
“I’m expecting another big Saudi window much like in summer 2023. They’ll come in waves because there are foreign quotas.”
'I hope to stay'
Harvey Elliott has revealed that he wants to stay at Liverpool this summer, but may have the decision taken out of his hands.
The midfielder is yet to start a game in the Premier League this season and has been limited to just 15 sub appearances.
"Hopefully I am still here to be honest,” Elliott said. "It is the best place to be, the best club to be at and, especially having the fans around us at the moment, I don't think there is a better place to be playing.
“Players go through ups and downs but, at the end of the day, you have to come out fighting and I think it is within myself to make it happen. So hopefully I can stay here for the rest of my career.
"I hope I can push on [next season]. This is my team, I am committed to them and it's just a situation that is always going to have a lot of talk. I just need to think about what is best for my future, my career and, as much as I want it to be here, you never know what is going to happen around the corner.
“If I had it my way, that would be here, I would play each and every game here and stay here for the rest of my career but it all depends on managers, the people above and, as I said, you don't know what could happen. But as far as I am aware, I am here to stay and this is the club I want to be at.”
Winning the Europa League could be pivotal for Man United
Gabby Agbonlahor believes that Tottenham are under more pressure to win the Europa League than Man United, with Ruben Amorim’s side potentially on the way back to the top if they win the tournament.
He told talkSPORT Breakfast: “I think it’s different for Man United than it is for Spurs. He (Amorim) hasn’t had the transfer windows that Ange Postecoglou has had.
“He’s barely brought any players in and he’s not been there for a season yet.
“If Man United do win it then it turns out to be a really good season. I know it’s hard to say that because their Premier League positions are similar but Man United could win the Europa League, be in the Champions League and they’re a massive club so they’d attract big names anyway.
“Before you know it, if you have a good summer of transfers out and transfers in then Man United are on their way back to being in the elite.”
Mbeumo could leave Brentford - Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank has admitted that Brentford could lose Bryan Mbeumo this summer to a big-money offer.
He said: "If the right price — and that’s going to be expensive — is coming, then I’m sure the club will be open to it.
“I’ve said many times: we are a selling club.
"But at the same time we have to reinforce that there are 10 clubs in the world who aren’t selling clubs.”
Asked how he would replace Mbeumo, Frank said: "I lost Neal Maupay, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney as three key strikers that were 25 goals plus.
"Every season we replace the goals with other players so I am confident that we can do it again.”
Lamine Yamal 'better than Lionel Messi'
Lamine Yamal is already better than Lionel Messi was at this age, according to Ronald De Boer.
The 17-year-old lit up the Champions League clash with Inter and is showing that he's on track to rival Messi's achievements in the game.
De Boer told talkSPORT: "I got a message from Henk ten Cate who was the assistant coach at Barcelona under Frank Rijkaard when Messi made his debut against Espanyol and he said that Yamal is further than Messi at this age.
“Messi started really when he was 21 or something so at this age, he’s better than Messi when he was 16, 17 or 18 so that says something.
“For me, the only difference is the consistency. Messi stayed on for 10, 12, 13 years at an unbelievable level – can Yamal do that? Can he keep the hunger? Can he stay fit? Can he keep both feet on the ground?"
Rodri returns
Wow, look who's back for Manchester City...
Rodri is in full training after recovering from his ACL injury that ruled him out of the majority of the season.
The Ballon d'Or winner suffered the serious injury against Arsenal in September and hasn't played a game since.
However, hopes have always been there for a potential return before the end of the campaign ahead of the Club World Cup.
And now, he's back in training with four Premier League games to go, proving he may be fit to feature again this season.
City face Wolves on Friday, but that game will come too soon for Rodri, as Pep Guardiola is sure to be careful with minutes.
He could potentially be in the squad for league games against Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham.
After the Saints clash is the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, so to have Rodri back for that would be a massive boost.
But the chances of any risks being taken so soon after a long-term injury remain slim.
'Concentrate on the now'
Ange Postecoglou has been speaking about the two ends of the scale when it comes to the Premier League and Europa League.
His Spurs side are having a nightmare domestic season, but in Europe, they've managed to reach the semi-finals.
Ahead of their huge tie against Bodo/Glimt, Postecoglou discussed the different feelings on each campaign.
He also referenced concerns over his future at the club, putting that to the back of his mind in the build-up to tomorrow's game.
The Spurs boss said: "I get we are trying to run two parallel things of a really disappointing season in terms of the league.
"But I just don't think we can concentrate on anything other than an unbelievable opportunity we have before us.
"Irrespective of what kind of season you have, how often will you be in this position? History tells you not that often. Even the strongest clubs.
"So any thought of what is going to happen next year or what has happened this year, I just don't think is really of any importance.
"If you ask any Tottenham supporter what is at the forefront of your mind, what is going to happen next year or us trying to get to a final of Europe and the opportunity to win some silverware, I think the answer would be to concentrate on the now and that is what I am doing."
Backing the boss
Tottenham's James Maddison has backed manager Ange Postecoglou whose future seems to lie on Europa League success.
Maddison also labelled the narrative of pressure being on Postecoglou as 'not healthy' and revealed that he and the squad remain hopeful of a 'special season'.
"We are behind the manager 100%," he said. "I think he's a great man.
"We have had a poor season, especially in the league. We've been very good in Europe, but the league season has been unacceptable.
"He's my manager, he's my gaffer and I respect him an awful amount.
"And listen, the narrative [of Postecoglou's position being under threat] is something we players are trying to keep away from because it's not healthy.
"I just know that I come into work everyday and see the lads listening and taking on the messages on how he wants us to play and doing the best for this club and we are in a real good position in Europe, where we can still have a special season under his management.
"I will continue to do that until the day he isn't here. He's my manager and I respect him an awful amount and that will continue."
New sponsor
You may have noticed throughout the season that Chelsea have been playing without a front-of-shirt sponsor.
Well, that's not going to be the case for their final few games.
The Blues have announced that they have partenered with DAMAC Properties who will become their sponsor for the rest of the season.
The first game with the new sponsor will be tomorrow night as Chelsea face Djurgarden in the Europa Conference League.
The club have also revealed that there will be a branded residency being built in Dubai as part of the partnership.
A statement read: "DAMAC Properties has been at the forefront of the Middle East’s luxury real estate market. An ultra-modern development, Chelsea Residences by DAMAC, is being designed and launched in partnership with Chelsea FC in Dubai, slated to be the first-of-its-kind football-themed branded residences.
"The new development will be built with Chelsea Football Club's famous brand woven into the fabric, from its concierge service to its high-performance spaces. It will reflect the very best of Chelsea FC both in terms of high-end style, commitment to excellence and vision for the future.
"To showcase this groundbreaking, global partnership and celebrate the launch of the first-ever Chelsea Football Club branded residences, DAMAC Properties will feature on Chelsea FC men’s and women’s shirts for the remainder of the 24/25 season, with its debut at the UEFA Conference League semi-final fixture against Djurgarden this Thursday."
Spurs blow
Tottenham Hotspur won't have their captain back for their crucial Europa League semi-final tomorrow night.
Heung-min Son was missing from training today as Spurs get ready for the biggest fixture of their season.
As the squad prepared to face Bodo/Glimt in North London, Son didn't join them on the pitch.
He was absent for the quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt and hasn't played since April 10.
Ange Postecoglou has kept up hope that his skipper would be fit for this tie, however, it seems he's not.
The South Korean's foot injury looks to be keeping him out for even longer and his involvement in either leg is in major doubt.
Postecoglou will likely give an update on Son in his pre-match press conference later this afternoon.
'He always gets cooked'
Micah Richards had another rough night on CBS Sports' coverage of the Champions League.
The former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender always seems to get the short straw when being introduced.
And last night was no different, with host Kate Scott giving Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher nice intros.
But after mentioning the Arsenal connection for Henry and of course, Liverpool for Carragher, Scott then took aim at Richards' apparent lack of loyalty.
She said: "Micah Richards, he rides with too many clubs to know what he really feels.
"After having a down on Saturday when Villa lost in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, he bounced back on Sunday when Man City won their semi. Money might buy you an ambassador, but it can't buy you love."
Richards burst out into laughter after the comments while fans on social media had his back.
One fan wrote: "Poor Micah, he always gets cooked."
Another said: "Micah is a good sport , I would’ve fired back naturally as banter."
"Kate is wicked," a third wrote with a laughing emoji.
Stepping back
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has paused his involvement in the club.
His decision comes with Forest preparing for Champions League football next season, as they eye a top-five finish.
Marinakis has suspended his interest in the club to comply with UEFA regulations on multi-club ownership.
The Greek billionaire owns Olympiakos too, and two clubs with the same ownership cannot compete in the same competition.
If Forest and Olympiakos both qualify for the Champions League with Marinakis in charge, one of them would have to pull out.
So Marinakis has stepped back from Forest for now, meaning he will have no control or influence on the club's business next season.
UEFA stipulations say that the decision had to be made by the end of this month to avoid any rule breaches.
Telegraph Sport report that despite Marinakis' decision to pause his involvement, he remains fully committed to Forest.
A welcome sight
Now, here's some good news for Man United fans.
Amad Diallo is back in full training for the first time since the start of February after recovering from his injury.
The winger, who was in fine form before picking up a knock, has been sidelined with ankle ligament damage.
But he's been filmed in training ahead of United's huge clash against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals.
It's still unclear whether he will travel with the Red Devils squad to Spain for the game tomorrow night.
If he is involved though, it would be a major boost for Ruben Amorim as he would get one of his most dangerous attackers back available to feature at a pivotal time.
Centre-back Matthijs De Ligt has also been in training again following a few weeks in the treatment room.
Long-awaited reunion
David De Gea is set to return to Old Trafford this summer.
No, sadly for Man United fans, he's not re-joining the club.
But the goalkeeper will be playing in a friendly against his former side for Fiorentina in August.
United announced this morning that they will take on the Italian side in their final pre-season fixture before the new season.
It means De Gea will make a comeback to Manchester for the first time since his departure in July 2023.
The Spaniard has been superb for Fiorentina this campaign, re-finding his best form after a year without a club.
Honest assessment
Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has given his thoughts on the Gunners' defeat to PSG, identifying their tactical issues.
He also took aim at captain Martin Odegaard for his lack of creativity on the ball when his side are attacking.
"One of the issues Arsenal have is that we don't have enough players that drive forward," Morgan told talkSPORT.
"One of the problems last night tactically was that because Partey wasn't playing, Rice had to fall back and I much prefer Rice in a more forward position, much more aggressive and fueling Martinelli, Saka and the others and he couldn't do that much last night."
He continued: "And Odegaard just isn't playing at the same level as he was last season or the season before.
"He seems to be hesitant when he gets the ball to do something creative, instead he wants to release it quickly, normally sideways.
"I kept shouting: 'Can we please move forward!' because what was interesting about PSG was they got the ball, they moved at pace and they wanted the ball."
On PSG, Morgan added: "I thought the young kid Doue was sensational and the best player on the pitch by a mile was Kvaratskhelia.
"That's one of the best performances I've seen at the Emirates since the stadium was created.
"They played as a team in a way that we never saw when they had all the Galacticos [Messi, Neymar, Mbappe] playing there. They've got a much better team."
"Arsenal have to wake up," he summarised. "It's going to be a cauldron in Paris, but I've got every confidence we can win.
"But we're going to have to look at the level of intensity and ask how much do you want this?"
'It was embarrassing'
talkSPORT's Gabby Agbonlahor has criticised the Arsenal atmosphere at the Emirates for their massive clash against PSG.
Mikel Arteta released a motivational video pre-match to get fans up for the fixture, while a tifo was revealed as the players walked out.
However, the atmosphere and tifo have been heavily criticised online since and Agbonlahor was left wanting more too.
"Arsenal fans...come on," he said on talkSPORT Breakfast.
"You've got your manager giving this big speech, Arsenal fans turn up, the tifo...I don't know what that was.
"That was horrendous. It was like my seven-year-old had done it at school for a project and brought it to the stadium and asked if they could hang it up.
"It was embarrassing. They were quiet. I was sat watching it like come on, this is the semi-final of the Champions League.
"Look at what Liverpool have done at Anfield, what Aston Villa have done against PSG. Do they need a man with a speaker behind the goal saying: 'Sing, sing, sing'?
Not good enough
Jamie O'Hara and Jason Cundy have slammed Arsenal for their performance against Paris Saint-Germain last night.
The Gunners were beaten 1-0 at the Emirates in their huge Champions League semi-final first leg.
They now have to go to France next week with the tough task of coming from behind to turn the tie around.
O'Hara and Cundy assessed Mikel Arteta's side's performance on talkSPORT's Sports Bar after the game.
"Arsenal weren't good enough, they didn't take enough risks with the ball, it was very sideways, sideways, sideways, no one penetrating through the middle," O'Hara said.
Cundy then added: "They looked nervous, Arsenal.
"The opening 15-20 minutes of the game, I don't think they dealt with PSG very well at all.
"PSG were popping it about from back to front."
Cundy continued: "Goals change games and change the way you feel about it and those first few minutes of the game, Arsenal were not in that semi-final.
"They weren't in it and they had to grow into the game.
"But at the end of the game, how Barcola hasn't scored...how it's not 3-0 at the end."
Ban rescinded
Bournemouth striker Evanilson has had the red card that he received against Manchester United rescinded.
The Brazilian was shown a straight red after catching United defender Noussair Mazraoui high up with a sliding tackle.
Replays showed that he may have slipped before tackling, making the challenge seem more reckless, but after a VAR check, he was still sent off.
Bournemouth appealed the decision in the following days and the FA have now overturned the red card.
A statement read: "An independent Regulatory Commission has removed Evanilson's three-match ban following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal."
Evanilson will now be available for Bournemouth's fixtures against Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City.