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Mikel Arteta's side were blown away by first half goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew at Selhurst Park. Unable to muster a revival after the break, Arsenal's second defeat in their last three league games was sealed by Wilfried Zaha's late penalty.

Arsenal had gone into the weekend in fourth place, but Tottenham's 5-1 win against Newcastle on Sunday piled pressure on the Gunners and their response could not have been any less convincing. The battle to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top four finish is heating up and Arsenal are in danger of wilting. They sit in fifth place, behind Tottenham on goal difference having played a game less than their north London rivals. West Ham and Manchester United, both three points behind Arsenal, will also fancy their chances after a result that blew the top four battle wide open.

It was an especially painful result for Arsenal fans given the presence in the Palace dug-out of Eagles boss Patrick Vieira, a Gunners legend after his trophy-filled playing career with the club. How they could have done with the kind of tenacious performance that was Vieira's hallmark in midfield during Arsenal's glory days.

Vieira comfortably out-witted Arteta, who was voted the Premier League's manager of the month for March after masterminding his side's climb into contention for a top four berth. Those Champions League ambitions don't look so believable now.

Arsenal in disarray
Palace took the lead in the 16th minute after Ben White needlessly fouled Zaha. Conor Gallagher swung his free-kick towards the far post, where Joachim Andersen headed it back across for Mateta to nod home from six yards for his sixth goal this term.

If that was a sloppy goal to concede, there was worse to come for Arteta eight minutes later. Andersen's long pass should have been easy for the Arsenal rearguard, but Gabriel made a hash of his attempt to intercept, completely missing the ball as Ayew eluded the dozing Nuno Tavares to score with a composed finish from the edge of the area. The Ghana forward's second goal this season left Arteta scratching his head in disbelief.

Without Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney due to a knee injury, Arsenal's defence was in disarray and Zaha swept through to tee up Mateta for a chance that Aaron Ramsdale saved at full stretch. Arsenal didn't manage an effort on target until the final seconds of the half and even the Gabriel's tame header was straight at Vicente Guaita.

Out-fought and out-played in the first half, Arsenal needed an immediate response after the break but Bukayo Saka's penalty appeal was waved away after he was bundled over by Cheikhou Kouyate. Although there was more urgency about Arsenal in the second half, they still lacked a cutting edge. Emile Smith Rowe shot straight at Guaita with the goal at his mercy before Martin Odegaard fired wastefully wide from Saka's cross.

Arsenal were punished for their profligacy in the 74th minute as Zaha's raid prompted Odegaard to concede a penalty as he clipped the forward's ankle. Zaha dusted himself down and converted the spot-kick with ease, sending Ramsdale the wrong way to leave Arsenal's top four bid in the balance.

Premier League leaders City will host a potential title decider against second placed Liverpool on Sunday before the fierce rivals clash again in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on April 16.

However, the impact of the Champions League quarter-finals could have a big impact on who claims the domestic trophies.

Liverpool on paper have the better draw in the last eight as they take on Benfica, while City face a gruelling two legs against Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp declared the Premier League as "the most important" prize up for grabs for his team, who have already lifted the League Cup this season.

But that cannot be the case for City as they aim to end the club's long wait for Champions League glory.

Anything other than a convincing win when Atletico visit the Etihad on Tuesday will give Guardiola a difficult balancing act on his team selection for the title showdown against Liverpool.

"The next Premier League game we will play against Liverpool. We know they are going to win almost all the games - hopefully not the next one - but we will try to do the same," Guardiola said after City beat Burnley on Saturday to reestablish their one-point lead over Liverpool.

"When you arrive in May challenging to lift the title it means you have had an incredible season. Being here is because we work a lot and we have done that every single season."

- 'Insane levels' -

Liverpool are happy just to be in this position after finding themselves 14 points adrift of City at one point in January.

A 10-game winning run has reeled in the English champions, setting up another titanic fight between the sides, reminiscent of their record-breaking battle in 2018/19.

City emerged winners on that occasion by a single point despite Liverpool amassing 97 points, the fourth highest points tally in English top-flight history for a 38-game season.

The other two were also registered during an era marked by the excellence of Guardiola and Klopp's sides.

City hold the record for the 100 points they recorded in 2017/18, while Liverpool responded in 2019/20 to end their 30-year wait to win the league with 99 points.

"In the last few years we've pushed each other on insane levels," added Klopp.

This year, history will be marked in the number of trophies won.

United's feat of winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup is the only time that particular treble has been won by an English side.

"The next Premier League game obviously is a big one, we do not hide from that. It's all good," said Klopp.

"We are not favourite in one of the competitions we are in, but who cares? We will give it a try."

With City and Liverpool on different sides of the Champions League draw, there is also the possibility for them to meet again in the final in Paris on May 28.

Thiago Alcantara played under Guardiola at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but the Liverpool midfielder believes the next two months could surpass everything he has experienced so far in a trophy-filled career.

"It looks like a World Cup where every game is a final. With that we are in a one-mission mood," Thiago said.

"The other day I was talking with some friends about it. I never had, in the years that I have been involved in football, a month so exciting like this with such important matches every three days. It will be amazing."

Barca missed a string of chances against a dogged Sevilla at Camp Nou before the 19-year-old Pedri settled the contest with a moment of magic, dancing his way into space on the edge of the area before firing into the corner. Victory continues Barcelona's recent surge as they backed up their 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid before the international break with a convincing win against the team who have been Madrid's chief title challengers all season.

Madrid edged past Celta Vigo on Saturday to calm suggestions their Clasico nightmare could even prompt a late collapse and let Barca back into the race. A 12-point advantage means that is surely impossible now but Barcelona are in the driving seat to finish second, which would be a remarkable achievement for a team that only a few months ago had serious concerns about missing out on the top four. When Xavi took over in November, they lay ninth.

The last time the Catalans were second in La Liga after a complete round of fixtures was May 10 last year, three matches before the end of last season. Ousmane Dembele delivered another excellent to display to enhance the growing the sense that the Frenchman might yet stay in the summer, even if the club remain pessimistic. Pedri, though, was the star of the show, a stunning performance in midfield rounded off with a masterful goal that will only further the reputation of one of the world's most exciting young talents.

Sevilla, meanwhile, continue to fizzle, have drawn seven out of their previous nine games before this defeat made it two wins from 10. Add the surprise exit in the Europa League at the hands of West Ham and Julen Lopetegui's side are in danger of enduring a miserable end to what looked a promising season.

Barcelona were the more assertive team in the first half but it was only in the last 10 minutes that Sevilla were made to feel uncomfortable as a flurry of chances went begging. A sumptuous Pedri pass released Dembele out on the right but his attempted cut-back was intercepted. Then Pedri picked out Dembele again, this time with a clipped cross into the area and while Dembele nodded smartly across the six-yard box, neither Ferran Torres nor Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could convert.

Louis van Gaal has announced he is receiving treatment for prostate cancer.

Speaking on Dutch TV show Humberto, the Netherlands head coach said he had been battling the disease for some time and has undergone 25 rounds of radiation treatment.

Van Gaal, 70, oversaw two international friendlies with the Netherlands last month, with his team beating Denmark 4-2 and drawing 1-1 with Germany.

The former Manchester United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Ajax boss said he kept his diagnosis hidden from his players, and revealed he was snuck into hospital to undergo private treatment during the international break.

Van Gaal told presenter Humberto Tan he had wanted his players, who have qualified for the World Cup, to stay focused on their task in hand.

"You don't die from prostate cancer, at least not in 90 per cent of the cases," he said.

"It is usually other underlying diseases that kill you. But I had a pretty aggressive form, got irradiated 25 times. Then you have a lot of management to do in order to go through life.

"I did have preferential treatment in the hospital. I was allowed in through the back door when I went to an appointment and was immediately pushed into another room. I have been treated wonderfully.

"You will of course tell your friends and relatives about it. The fact that nothing has come out yet also says something about my environment. That's great."

Great news for Man Utd as Bruno Fernandes has penned a new deal at the club, Man Utd have announced. The 27 year-old's contract was until 2025, but he has now signed an improved contract until June 2026, with the option to extend it for a further 12 months.

The midfielder has been terrific for Man Utd since he joined the club in January 2020 scoring 49 goals and giving 42 assists in 117 appearances. This season, he has scored nine times, all of them in the league, and assisted 14 times in 34 appearances. The Portuguese has also been shining for his national team and he netted a brace in the 2-0 victory over North Macedonia on Tuesday which secured their place at the World Cup.

"From the moment that I joined Manchester United, I have had a special relationship with the club and our amazing fans. I grew up watching this team, dreaming of getting the chance to play here one day. That dream is now a reality and an honour," Bruno Fernandes told the club's website after penning a new deal.

"Even after two years, it still feels amazing to step out at Old Trafford, to hear the fans sing my song and to score in front of the Stretford End. It is a true privilege to wear this shirt and to fight for our incredible club.

Fernandes also made it clear that he has a lot more to give for the club, such as winning some silverware: “There is so much more that I want to achieve here, and I know that is the same for the rest of the squad and staff. More than anything, we want to give the fans the success that they deserve. We have shared some great moments over the last years, but the best is yet to come from myself and this team.”

Football director John Murtough also highlighted the importance of keeping hold of the Portuguese: “Everyone is well aware of Bruno’s importance to Manchester United. His goals and assists record is phenomenal and he has performed remarkably consistently since he joined the club. Bruno’s work-rate, dedication and fantastic attitude are exactly what we want from a Manchester United player," he said.

Man Utd's next match is at home to Leicester City on Saturday at 18:30 CET and the Old Trafford crowd will likely give Bruno Fernandes a terrific reception after committing to the club for at least the next four years.

Fabrizio Romano is a reliable source on transfer market matters and joined the 'Jijantes' programme for a day to comment on Barcelona's current affairs. He spoke, in passing, about one of his big market targets, Erling Haaland, who seems closer to Madrid now and who would have no problem sharing a dressing room with Kylian Mbappe.

"I can tell you 100 per cent that playing alongside Kylian Mbappe is not a problem for Erling Haaland. Haaland is unbelievable, he is thinking about everything. He won't decide for the money. He preferred Salzburg to Juve and Borussia to United. The project will be vital. Madrid are close financially to City and Barca would be out of the race if Haaland was looking for money. I think this is going to be Haaland month," he said.

"I think April will be Haaland month. I think we will know his final decision in April. For Haaland, signing for Madrid doesn't depend on Mbappe joining, but there's also Benzema, Vinicius, Rodrygo...," continued Romano, who also addressed Gavi's renewal with Barca, which he understands is tied up.

"With Gavi, it's a question of time. Barca are very busy, but they have everything ready," he specified. On the subject of Ousmane Dembele and his renewal, he said: "With Dembele, anything can happen. The player's feeling in Barcelona is fantastic. Raphinha is very advanced, but Leeds have not received any offer from Barca.

"Let me be very clear that FIFA has not proposed a biennial World Cup," Infantino said on the stage at the organisation's congress in Doha on the eve of the draw for this year's tournament.

Despite that, Infantino has pushed the project in recent months along with Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager who is now FIFA's head of global development.

Infantino claimed at a virtual global summit to discuss the topic last December that playing the World Cup more regularly would offer enormous financial benefits for member federations.

Then, FIFA promised an extra $19 million every four years for each national federation, based on feasibility studies projecting major revenue increases.

Yet Infantino had to put off holding a vote on the subject due to vociferous opposition from all sides.

It had initially been thought the subject would feature prominently at Thursday's congress in the Qatari capital, but the agenda was instead dominated by the fall-out from Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well as the build-up to the World Cup.

"Let's get the process clear here - the last FIFA Congress asked the FIFA administration... to start a feasibility study into holding the World Cup every two years," Infantino added.

"The FIFA administration under the leadership of Arsene Wenger did exactly that.

"FIFA did not propose anything, but came to the conclusion that it is feasible, that it would have some repercussions and impact."

He added: "We found it would be feasible and even positive for a big part of the world, but there is of course also big opposition to it and that is where the discussion has to start."

The project has been lambasted by almost all sides, with UEFA and South American governing body CONMEBOL uniting in their opposition and even moving towards organising a transatlantic Nations League after 2024.

The European Club Association as well as leagues and players have voiced their disapproval too.

The Confederation of African Football did give its backing, but even the International Olympic Committee expressed concerns about more frequent World Cups drawing attention away from other sports.

However, Infantino later indicated that there was still some hope of eventually reviving the project.

"We are looking at all options. We will take the time it takes with the utmost understanding of all positions," he said.

Teams in the English top flight were allowed to make five changes for the final stages of the 2019/20 season due to fixture congestion caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, unlike other major leagues and European competitions, the rule then reverted to three substitutions per side due to fears that extra changes gave an advantage to the bigger clubs with deeper squads.

"From next season, clubs will be permitted to use five substitutions, to be made on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time," the Premier League said in a statement.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola were outspoken critics of the previous refusal to adopt the change given the demands placed upon players by the English game.

"All around the world there is five substitutions. Here we believe we are a special league with just three players, we don't protect the players," Guardiola said last season.

Klopp even accused Premier League CEO Richard Masters of a "lack of leadership" over the matter, saying: "It's not an advantage, it's a necessity."

Antony is having a fantastic season at Ajax and this has caught the attention of many of Europe's best. Among them are Manchester United and the club could have a trick up their sleeve to tempt him to Old Trafford.

After Ralf Ragnick steps down from his role this summer, United could replace him with Ten Hag. In fact, the Ajax manager has already met with the Red Devils.

According to 'The Telegraph', if Ten Hag were to take the reigns at United, he will try to take Antony with him.

This season, Antony has scored 12 goals and made 10 assists. Ten Hag knows better than anyone else just how well the player can perform and if he takes over at United, he will no doubt want to convince Antony to go with him.

Currently, not much is known about Ten Hag's arrival to United. According to the most recent information, the manager is frustrated as he has not yet received a firm offer from the Red Devils.

Moussa Sissoko, Dembele's agent was the one to deny Barcelona the last time they tried to renew the 'Mosquito's' contract. He will be the one to ultimately decide Dembele's future. The French winger's destiny is in Sissoko's hands.

According to 'Mundo Deportivo', the most recent information from the saga suggests that Barca made contact with Moussa Sissoko about Dembele's renewal as they wanted to give their view on the situation. Club sources have told the Catalan press that they would be happy to keep Dembele at the club and see him in a Barca shirt next season, but they do not want to lift a finger in the matter.

Barcelona deny calling Dembele or his agent. However, the 'azulgrana' will be all ears should their be movement from the winger's side, but they will not be the ones to pick up the phone and offer anything else in the matter.

According to 'Mundo Deportivo', the conversations on his renewal could pick back up but only if Dembele's agent makes his move and accepts what Barca already offered to the Frenchman to stay at the club. If this does not occur, there will be no future for Dembele at the Camp Nou.

In whatever case, Barca do not have what they want. Doubt remains in the club's mind over whether Dembele will sign for another club, or if he will continue to fight for the Barca badge.

Christian Pulisic scored a hat-trick as the United States thrashed Panama 5-1 on Sunday to all but secure their place at the 2022 World Cup.

While still not officially assured of a spot in Qatar, only an implausible six-goal midweek defeat to Costa Rica would prevent Gregg Berhalter's side from returning to the tournament after missing out four years ago.

Costa Rica's 2-1 win in El Salvador earlier in the day meant USA were unable to join Canada in making absolutely sure of their qualification, though they went about their business professionally in Orlando.

Pulisic opened the scoring in the 17th minute from the spot after Anibal Godoy was penalised for grappling with Walker Zimmerman, and soon after it was 2-0 as Paul Arriola headed in Antonee Robinson's delivery.

Jesus Ferreira made it 3-0 just before the half-hour mark with a close-range finish and Pulisic ensured they went into the break four up thanks to his second penalty of the day – Godoy was again the guilty party, fouling Miles Robinson.

Pulisic completed his hat-trick in style with 65 minutes played, producing a lovely touch to turn and then convert, though a late Godoy consolation prevented Zack Steffen keeping a clean sheet.

USA need only a point on Wednesday to ensure they are in Friday's World Cup draw, though in reality they could lose 5-0 to fourth-placed Costa Rica and still qualify due to their superior goal difference.

FINAL:

USA 5 - 1 PAN.

Mexico have all but secured qualification for the World Cup after a 1-0 away win over Honduras on Sunday.

Fourth-placed Costa Rica's 2-1 win in El Salvador earlier in the day meant Mexico could not immediately join Canada in sealing their spot in Qatar, but victory on the road means El Tri are on the brink.

With the top three CONCACAF sides gaining automatic qualification, third-placed Mexico sit three points clear of Costa Rica and have a four-goal advantage, meaning only a defeat at home to El Salvador on Wednesday and a significant goal swing will put Tata Martino's men in trouble.

Mexico had 70 per cent possession in the first half against Honduras but failed to create any clear-cut opportunities.

They upped the intensity after half-time, with Hector Herrera, Jesus Corona and Hirving Lozano all creating chances in the first 10 minutes.

Edson Alvarez eventually found the breakthrough in the 70th minute, heading in from Herrera's corner.

With Costa Rica playing second-placed USA in their final qualifying game, even a draw against El Salvador will see Mexico through to their eighth consecutive World Cup.

The 2021/22 season started in uncertain circumstances for Ronald Koeman. Joan Laporta had recently been voted as Barcelona's next president and opted to give the Dutchman his vote of confidence. This was despite the previous season not being as successful as he would have liked.

Speaking with 'Mundo Deportivo', Laporta explained the conversation he had with Koeman in the summer about his doubts in the manager.

"At the end of the season, I thought about changing the manager but we had just won the Copa, which was amazing, and we were in a fragile economic situation. I spoke with Koeman. He asked me if he was my coach and I said no. I told him: "Don't make me answer that right now because I have my doubts. We have won the Copa but I don't like the way we play. The system's changed. I want to understand why because we don't have the right players for it. Let me reflect for 15 days and then I'll answer your question", he revealed.

The season began and a series of bad results ended up in Xavi being brought in to replace Koeman. "It wasn't the best thing to change manager. Koeman had a contract in effect and we had given him the opportunity. But due to circumstances, also with a lot of injuries, it wasn't going well. The squad was lacking in terms of the mentality, motivation... We had conversations with Xavi and I asked him if he was ready", he recalled.

The end of this story is now well known. "I asked Xavi if he would be able to come because he was in Qatar and had a contract in effect with Al-Sadd. He said yes and then Mateu Alemany and Rafa Yuste sorted everything out", he said.

Laporta believes that he always did everything in the right manner, despite the doubts he had in sticking with Koeman beyond the 2020/21 season. "I don't regret anything, I did everything in Barca's interest. I've said it many times. I only regret the things I do in bad conscience. I always try to do the best for the club. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong. That's life", he expressed.

The president prefers not to speculate how things would have gone if he had stuck with Koeman this season. "I don't know, analysing that is more complicated because we've had the January window. We've been able to bring in players who've made a difference. Before, we didn't have them... Maybe if I had done this before, things would have been better but I'm not sure", he finished.

"In the coming days, our player, Eden Hazard, will undergo surgery to remove the plate in his right fibula," the Spanish club said in a brief statement.

The 31-year-old, who has not been called up by Belgium during the international break, has suffered a series of injuries over the past two years. He underwent surgery in the United States in March 2020 having fractured his right ankle in late 2019.

Hazard joined Real from Chelsea in 2019, winning the La Liga title in his first season in Spain. The former Lille player has played 65 times for Real, scoring six goals.

Hazard made 352 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 110 goals over seven years. He won two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues, the FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Gareth Bale is a far from popular figure in Spain. He is disliked by many Real Madrid supporters given his constant injuries in recent times and the media have never been particularly friendly with him.

The latest controversy started last Sunday when the Welshman missed Real Madrid's 0-4 loss to Barcelona in La Liga as he had a back injury. That was already looked at with suspicion by some, but the fact he was fit to play for Wales just four days later and net a brace against Austria, has infuriated the Spanish media.

After being called "a parasite who is sucking euros out of Real Madrid" by 'Marca', the same newspaper said the 'recovered' Bale netted a brace against the Austrians, clearly questioning the veracity of his previous injury. 'AS' also wrote "Shame on him" or "Enough" and used a play on words with his name to make the joke.

After Wales' victory over Austria, he called the Spanish media "disgusting" and said that it was "a waste of time" replying to them." Less than 24 hours later, Bale took to Twitter to hit back at the criticism and also warned media outlets of the role they play on influencing public opinion. He also claimed they should be more as unfair and fierce criticism can lead to some individuals going "over the edge."

Gareth Bale called Marca's comments "slanderous, derogatory and speculative". "Who is holding these journalists and the news outlets that allow them to write articles like this, accountable? Fortunately I have developed a thick skin... but that doesn't mean articles like these don't cause damage and upset personally and professionally to those at the receiving end of these malicious stories," he wrote.

"The media expect superhuman performances from professional athletes." Bale then goes to claim sportsmen are "torn to shreds" instead of supported if they fail and that they end up "encouraging anger and disappointment in their fans... Negative media attention could easily send an already stressed athlete over the edge," he continued.

Bale goes on to hope journalism ethics are better enforced in the future before concluding with a "We all know who the real Parasite is!", an obvious dig at 'Marca' and the other media outlets who are excessively critical of him.

Despite making many valid points, it is highly unlikely to go down well with the Spanish media in what look set to be Bale's final few months in Spain.

Real Madrid continue to hunt Mbappe. Many people believe he will be in a Real Madrid shirt next season, but nothing yet is official. The only certainty at the moment is that the forward is contracted at PSG until 30th June.

Although his continuity at the club is complicated, PSG want to fight until the last moment to keep him. 'Le Parisien' has reported that the club want to seduce him by fulfilling one of his requests. If he stays at the Parc de Princes, he wants to take back control of his image rights.

When Mbappe moved from Monaco to Paris, the club took over the majority of his image rights. Now, according to the cited source, he could regain them.

For example, Leo Messi is the person in charge of his own image rights. Should Mabppe say yes to staying at the club, he would be like Messi in terms of the image rights and therefore pocket a further boost to his wages.

The drama concerning Mbappe's future is far from over. While PSG fight for their star to renew, Real are attempting to mesmerize him with the big project at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid are trying their utmost to secure his signature and are even considering pairing him with Haaland in their attack.

Despite PSG's best efforts to keep him in Paris, the fact of the matter is that Mbappe seems tired of the current situation at the club. "I'm very fed up...", said the player recently to Paul Pogba whilst on international duty.

Marcos Alonso has a great opportunity to win the confidence of Luis Enrique. The left-back was not chosen last November, however he does find himself in the Spain squad this March.

Alonso plays an important role at Chelsea and Luis Enrique recognises this. "Any player always has to give their all to be called up to the national side at any moment. Now more than ever with the World Cup on the horizon. I always try to give my best and to continue improving so that I can make the national team", explained the man from Madrid to 'AS'.

"Every player dreams of playing in the World Cup. When you're little and you like football, and you see the national team, you want to be in it. It's my goal to play in the World Cup and I hope I'll make it happen", he added.

Alonso also spoke about Chelsea's current situation in terms of the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich by the UK government due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine: "Nothing much has happened currently. There's been a lot of talk, it looks like they're going to have to sell the club. We can't control this, what will be will be. We've won all of our last six matches. We hope that things sort themselves out off the pitch as soon as possible".

Despite all of this, the Spanish left-back assured that the change at the club will not affect the work on the pitch: "I believe it will sort itself out soon and the club will be sold. We are not very aware of that stuff as players and the day to day life at the club hasn't changed at all".

"Madrid? At this stage there aren't any favourites"
Another topic that the player touched on was the upcoming Champions League tie with Real Madrid. "I knew before the knock-out rounds that Madrid were a very dangerous team. No matter how good PSG were for the majority of that tie, Madrid were always a threat. It's always complicated when playing against Madrid, especially in the Champions League. At this stage there aren't any favourites", he commented.

"We've already demonstrated what we're capable of last year. This is a new year, another moment and we will try to give everything to be in the semi-finals", he added.

Finally, the Spanish player admitted that he would like to play in La Liga. "I would love to. I have wanted to play here in Spain all my life, but circumstances have meant I haven't be able to do this. Right now, I'm focused on this season and what I need to do, I'll do", he concluded.

The match was billed as a test of Barca's progress under Xavi Hernandez and they passed with flying colours, a humiliation of their fiercest rivals suggesting they are primed to challenge again for La Liga next season.

And while the result might have little bearing on the title race this term, a defeat of this magnitude, at home, and against Barcelona, will cause serious reverberations at Real Madrid.

Questions will be asked about Carlo Ancelotti's future, with Madrid outplayed tactically and technically by Xavi's Barca, who were faster, slicker and, perhaps most worryingly, could easily have won by more.

Madrid were admittedly without the injured Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy while there could have been a degree of complacency, given they kicked off nine points clear at the top of the table after Sevilla were held to a goalless draw by Real Sociedad.

But none of that will excuse a loss as dramatic as this one, the only relief now that a resurgent Barcelona are still 12 points behind, albeit with a game in hand.

When Barca were beaten by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup in January, the Catalans were criticised for celebrating the manner of their narrow defeat.

"We are getting closer," said Gerard Pique.

After five consecutive losses to Madrid, a win of any kind was the next step for Barca but a hammering like this could be transformative, delivering a huge boost to confidence, vindication of Xavi's project and optimism for next season all in one fell swoop.

Eder Militao clattered Pedri in the opening minute and that was about as close as Real Madrid got to him all game. Fede Valverde had an early shot tipped wide but Barcelona settled and by the 23rd minute, their fans up in the top corner were cheering every pass.

Soon, the chances started coming as Ferran Torres pulled back for Aubameyang but he scuffed straight at Thibaut Courtois, who then had to palm wide a curling effort from Ousmane Dembele.

Pedri scooped a delightful ball through for Torres, only for the sliding Casemiro to block but Barca's dominance was growing and in the 29th minute they scored, Dembele racing round the outside of Nacho Fernandez and crossing for Aubameyang to head in.

Vinicius Junior might have changed the game if he had converted after being sent through but a heavy touch allowed Marc-Andre ter Stegen to save.

Instead, Barcelona doubled their lead when Ronald Araujo headed in from a corner before half-time and after it, the humiliation began. Within seconds of the restart, Torres was clear and while he shot wide, another chance came a minute later.

David Alaba and Militao both committed themselves to sliding tackles and both missed, Aubameyang executing a superb flicked pass to Torres, who this time made no mistake.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said in no uncertain terms that he feels Reece James is not physically ready to go away on international duty.

James, 22, has had a rough run with injuries after tearing his hamstring against Brighton late in December, briefly returning in the first week of March before getting sidelined once again.

The impressive full-back is having a great season, with five goals and six assists from 17 Premier League appearances.

England manager Gareth Southgate turned heads when he named James in the squad for upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast, but Tuchel was firm when asked for his thoughts.

"[Technical and Performance Adviser] Petr Cech will have this chat because, of course, the recommendation is that [James] does not go [on international duty]," he said following Chelsea's 2-0 FA Cup win against Middlesbrough.

"He is still in individual training, otherwise, we would have brought him to Lille and we would have brought him here for sure. There is no doubt about it.

"He is still in individual training, he needs one more week of rehabilitation and I think we can provide this much better – it is not the job of the national team to do this."

Chelsea will next play Brentford on April 2, before hosting Real Madrid in the Champions League a few days later.

The last 16 of the Champions League 2021-22 are now history. Chelsea and Villarreal were the last to seal their place in the quarter-finals for which Bayern Munich had already qualified. Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Benfica and Atletico Madrid.

Before we look back at how they managed to see off their Round of 16 rivals, let's remember that the draw for the penultimate round of the continent's premier club competition will be made on Friday 18th March at the House of European Football in Nyon.

Bayern Munich (Germany)
Bayern Munich eliminated Salzburg 8-2 on aggregate. The Austrians surprised in the first leg and took a 1-1 draw to Germany that allowed them to dream, but the Bavarian roller was fulminating in the second leg. Lewandowski's hat trick after 23 minutes made it all but certain.Liverpool (England)
Liverpool eliminated Inter 2-1 on aggregate. The Reds had a tough time in the first leg, but came away with a valuable 2-0 second-half win that paved the way to the quarter-finals. Lautaro Martinez provided the excitement at Anfield, but, in the end, Klopp's side made it count.

New York merchant bank Raine Group has set a Friday deadline for bids, with Roman Abramovich's trophy-filled 19-year tenure as owner of the Stamford Bridge club coming to a close.

"The Ricketts family, owners of (Major League Baseball team) the Chicago Cubs, can confirm they will be leading an investment group that will make a formal bid for Chelsea Football Club this Friday," according to a widely reported statement.

"As long-time operators of an iconic professional sports team, the Ricketts family and their partners understand the importance of investing for success on the pitch, while respecting the traditions of the club, the fans and the community."

The Ricketts family bought the Cubs in 2009 and celebrated a World Series in 2016, ending a 108-year wait.

Russian billionaire Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The British government imposed sanctions on Abramovich last week, describing him as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

Chelsea's assets have been frozen but they are allowed to operate under a special licence, with the government taking oversight of the potential sale.

Abramovich cannot profit from the sale of Chelsea but had pledged to write off the club's £1.5 billion debt and divert all proceeds to a charitable foundation, before the sanctions came into effect.

A number of other parties are understood to be interested in buying the European champions, including a consortium led by US businessman Todd Boehly, a part owner of MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers, and Swiss billionaire Hansjoerg Wyss.

The 30-year-old, who has been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, has been selected to play in Denmark's friendlies against the Netherlands on March 26 in Amsterdam and against Serbia on March 29 in Copenhagen, the association said.

Eriksen made his club comeback this month for English Premier League side Brentford.

The Dane suffered a cardiac arrest in Denmark's opening game of the European Championships against Finland in Copenhagen on June 12.

He had to be resuscitated on the pitch, lying unconscious for several minutes as the stunned crowd and millions of television viewers around the world watched on in horror.

Eriksen spent several days in hospital and had the pacemaker implanted to regulate his heartbeat.

"He's in good shape. I've followed him closely. I was recently in London to see him and evaluate him. I saw him in practice and during a match and physically he's very, very sharp", Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand told reporters.

"There are always things that can be improved, that's normal, but he's playing at a very high level", he added.

Eriksen terminated his contract with Inter Milan by mutual consent in December as Italian league rules bar players with pacemakers, contrary to the Premier League.

Throughout his career, he has played 109 caps and scored 36 goals for the Danish squad, which has qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Defeat means there is now a 22-point gap between the clubs and is another blow to United's chances of just qualifying for the Champions League next season. The Red Devils now trail Arsenal by a point in fourth, who also have three games in hand. At the top of the table, Liverpool also have a game in hand to reduce City's advantage to three points. But Pep Guardiola's men responded to the pressure applied by the Reds' seven-game winning run in the league by bouncing back from two sub-par performances against Tottenham and Everton.

Just as in their meeting at Old Trafford earlier in the season, there was a gulf in class between the sides as City secured just a second league double over their local rivals since an Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008 swung the balance of power in Manchester. United were without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani in attack, but it was defenders Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw, missing due to positive cases of coronavirus, whose presence was most keenly missed.

The visitors were breached by City's first sustained attack as Bernardo Silva's low cross found De Bruyne completely unmarked to sweep home from just inside the box. Despite their dominance over United when it comes to finishing higher in the table in recent years, City had only won one of the last seven derbies at the Etihad.

United have consistently had joy on the counter-attack in that run and the pace of Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga caused problems once more. Sancho left City as a 17-year-old to make his name at Borussia Dortmund after growing tired of waiting for a pathway into the first team. The England international took time to find his feet at United after returning to the Premier League for huge £73 million fee. But Sancho has been one of the few successes of Ralf Rangnick's interim spell in charge and produced a stunning finish into the far corner on 22 minutes.

United captain Harry Maguire had to cope with more reports this week of members of his own team questioning whether he is of the required standard to lead the team. More criticism is sure to come Maguire's way as he was wrong-footed twice for City's second. Phil Foden looped the ball over Lindelof and when he was denied by a brilliant save from David de Gea, the loose ball finally found its way to De Bruyne to smash home.

Rangnick's men then had to sustain a period of pressure just to get to half-time still in the game. Foden fired wide from a perfect De Bruyne pass before more De Gea heroics prevented Riyad Mahrez finding the bottom corner. The one way traffic continued after the break and only another day this season when De Gea was United's best performer prevented an even more embarrassing rout. The Spaniard held onto De Bruyne's fierce free-kick before Mahrez blazed over from the edge of the area.

But United did not learn their lesson as the Algerian was left unmarked at the edge of the box when he was picked out by De Bruyne's corner and connected sweetly to find the far corner. De Gea was forced into further saves from Mahrez and Joao Cancelo. But even he could not stop Mahrez's powerful effort to rub salt into United wounds in stoppage time after VAR ruled the City winger was not offside.

It is the first time Barcelona and Atletico have both been in La Liga's Champions League qualification spots since August.

Atletico have struggled for solidity and consistency since winning the title last season while Barca are still recovering from a financial crisis and the departure of Lionel Messi.

Yet both teams will be growing in confidence that they can now achieve their minimum objective, which is to avoid missing out on the Champions League next season and the further financial damage that would cause.

Barca are now third, level on points with Atletico in fourth, but having played a game fewer. They might both fancy their chances of finishing second, with stuttering Sevilla only seven points in front.

Atletico's win over Betis was particularly significant given Betis started the day in third and have looked the mostly likely candidates to upset the established top four.

Felix, who was again preferred to Luis Suarez, has four goals in his last four games.

"Everyone needs time. We ask everything from Joao and he is doing it," Diego Simeone said.

Barcelona, meanwhile, had to come from behind at the Martinez Valero after Fidel capitalised on a Pedri error, only for Barca to come storming back thanks to two substitutes.

Ferran Torres diverted in from close range on the hour before Memphis Depay scored an 84th-minute penalty after the striker had drawn Elche's Antonio Barragan into a handball.

"It seemed we were going to lose a game we did not deserve to lose," said Barca coach Xavi Hernandez. "We deserved to win by more than one goal."

Victory continues an impressive run of form for Xavi's side, who have not lost in the league since December and came into this game on the back of scoring four times in three consecutive games for the first time since 2017.

Elche were tiring, Barca pushing for a winner and in the 82nd minute they got their chance as Depay wriggled around Barragan, the ball popped up and Barragan instinctively lifted his arm to meet it. Depay swept the penalty into the top corner.

Atletico were ahead after 75 seconds in Seville as Jan Oblak's punt downfield was flicked onto Angel Correa, who took advantage of some lethargic Betis defending to cross to Felix, the striker given an easy finish.

Betis levelled in the fifth minute of injury-time at the end of the first half after Hector Herrera was robbed of the ball under pressure from Youssouf Sabaly and Cristian Tello guided the loose ball brilliantly into the corner.

Felix struck again on the hour when Marcos Llorente raced in behind and picked out the Portuguese with a cut-back before Thomas Lemar added a third with 10 minutes left, sidefooting in after an electric Antoine Griezmann run down the right to secure victory.

Elsewhere, Liverpool will seek to make it seven league wins in seven against high-flying West Ham, one of only two sides to beat the Reds this season.

Arsenal could take advantage of visits to the top two for the Hammers and United by moving into fourth with games in hand to come when they travel to Watford.

AFP Sport takes a look at some of the key talking points ahead of the weekend action.

Can City end United Etihad jinx?

Even though they are now indisputably the top dogs in Manchester, City have had real problems beating United on their own turf in recent years.

The Premier League champions have won just one of their past seven home games in all competitions against United -- in sharp contrast to their impressive record at Old Trafford.

Both teams need the three points on Sunday, with leaders City seeking to keep Jurgen Klopp's charging Liverpool at arm's length and United's top-four hopes looking shaky.

The fourth-placed Reds are just two points ahead of West Ham and Arsenal as they seek to secure Champions League qualification for next season, while the Gunners have three games in hand.

City, who tend to dominate possession, have been caught out in recent years by United's pace on the break and Pep Guardiola will be wary of the threat posed by players such as Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.

United have lost just one league game since interim manager Ralf Rangnick took charge in December but this is by far his toughest task yet.

Leonardo is one of the people who is most in the media at PSG. This Thursday, an interview the sporting director gave to 'L'Equipe' came to light and he made some interesting comments.

"It's a question of sentiment. French players, when they start, have the aim of playing abroad. It's not a coincidence that the majority of the players who won the World Cup in 1998 were playing abroad. When France won it again in 2018, Kylian was the only one in the XI to be playing in Ligue 1. Pogba and Griezmann have never played in Ligue 1. Zidane's career was mainly abroad rather than in France. But, at that moment, there wasn't a club of a size of PSG. We aren't a selling club. Now, I think Kylian is thinking things well. The feeling we had in the stadium on Saturday was magnificent. Something is being created, not only for him. I'm not trying to sound cheesy, but other clubs don't have ultras like that. It could be a big problem," he comented.

However, he said that the offer of 50 million euros a year plus a 100 million transfer bonus has never existed: "This isn't true. No concrete offer has been made. There's an important element: I think the last thing we will put in this contract will be money. We want to give Mbappe the best conditions so that he becomes the best possible player.

"Mbappe at the centre of the project? It's a sentiment, as a result of an accumulation of small things. It depends on us to understand him and know what he needs in each moment. When you join a team with maybe the best player in history (Messi), Neymar and him, you can say: who is the first, second, etcetera? But there's a harmony, a respect btween them and that also is constructed," he continued.

Then, he had to reply to the question which is more important, whether to renew Mbappe or knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League. It's difficult to think about just one thing. When we see where we are, you can't forget where we've come from. You have to remember that we've just been through a difficult pandemic. Afterwards, not sleeping at night is normal for me. When that stops happening, it will be finished because it's a job which involves enthusiasm. That's my motivation," he answered.

Lastly, he wanted to add that he does not think money is the main thing and that there is still a chance of renewing Mbappe: "There are chances, but I can't say it. While he has not been sold, we're going to try everything. It's not to do with that. Kylian is so valuable that I think he's relaxed about that. It's secondary. I think that money isn't an issue."

Thomas Tuchel's side took to the Kenilworth Road pitch for the fifth round tie with their heads still spinning from Abramovich's bombshell announcement. The Russian billionaire has decided to sell Chelsea amid fears he could be sanctioned by the British government amid his country's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich, who is alleged to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, will give the net proceeds from the sale to victims of the Ukraine war. After his massive investment helped Chelsea win 19 major trophies in his 19-year reign, Abramovich admitted it had been "incredibly difficult" to give up the keys to Chelsea.

Fittingly, it was Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku who completed Chelsea's escape act on the day the Abramovich era entered its final chapter. Chelsea twice trailed against second-tier Luton before Lukaku bagged the winner in the closing stages to spare their blushes. Abramovich sanctioned the club record £97 million deal that brought Lukaku from Inter Milan last year in the final blockbuster transfer of his reign.

Asked about the sale, Tuchel admitted he hoped nothing would change in terms of the day to day running of the club. "We heard the rumours. We are not living on an island. Of course we have team meetings and the guys spoke about it," he said in his post-match BBC interview. "It is big news. Let's wait and see. I think every decision he takes is the right decision. It is his decision, it's his club. Hopefully it will not mean too much in the short term and nothing much will change. We will try to cancel the noise and stay focused, which is not always easy. We showed we can do that."

It was a much-needed victory for Chelsea after their agonising penalty shoot-out defeat in the League Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday. But it was Abramovich's seismic decision to sell up that hogged the attention at tiny Kenilworth Road. Chelsea's travelling fans sang Abramovich's name when news of the impending sale filtered through before kick-off.

Chants of 'we've won it all' prompted an acerbic response from Luton supporters who sang 'you bought it all' in reponse to the millions invested by Abramovich in star signings. Chelsea conceded a shock goal in the second minute as Reece Burke rose above Malang Sarr to glance his header past Kepa Arrizabalaga. Tuchel's side hit back in the 27th minute when Saul Niguez scored for the first time since his August loan move from Atletico Madrid. The much-maligned Spanish midfielder drilled a composed finish from the edge of the area after Timo Werner started an incisive counter-attack.

Sarr was at fault again in the 40th minute when he tried in vain to play offside and Harry Cornick sprinted onto Carlos Mendes Gomes' pass to net Luton's second goal. Out of sorts for much of the second half, Chelsea snatched an equaliser in the 68th minute when Werner controlled Ruben Loftus-Cheek's superb high pass and slotted home for his first goal in eight games. Lukaku has yet to repay much of that mammoth fee but he bagged his 11th goal of the season as he stretched to tap in Werner's cross in the 78th minute.

Southampton eased into the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win against West Ham at St Mary's. Romain Perraud produced a moment of magic to break the deadlock in the 31st minute as the French defender blasted a 25-yard drive into the top corner. West Ham equalised through Michail Antonio on the hour as the striker poked home after Willy Caballero dropped a corner.

James Ward-Prowse restored Southampton's lead with a 69th minute penalty after Craig Dawson fouled Armando Broja, who wrapped up the victory with a stoppage-time strike.

Roman Abramovich wants to sell Chelsea. The Russian tycoon, controversially linked with Vladimir Putin, has said that his decision to sell the club is "the best decision for everyone".

"The sale of the Club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club", wrote Abramovich in an open letter published by Chelsea.

He explained that he still remains head of the club at present, and has given instructions to his team "to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated".

"The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery", he added.

"I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart", he concluded.

Wyss, 86, who founded the medical device manufacturing firm Synthes, told the Swiss newspaper Blick that he and three others had been sounded out on Tuesday.

But Wyss wants Abramovich to lower his asking price for the English Premier League side.

Abramovich revealed Saturday that he plans to place his ownership of the Blues into the "stewardship and care" of the Chelsea Foundation's trustees.

Abramovich has not been named on a growing British sanctions list targeting Russian banks, businesses and pro-Kremlin tycoons in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been pressed on why Abramovich has not been cited, given his familiarity with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Abramovich is among Putin's closest advisers and friends," Wyss told Blick.

"Like all the other oligarchs, he is panicked. Abramovich is currently trying to sell all his villas in England. He also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly. Along with three other people, I received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea from Abramovich.

"I have to wait four or five days. Abramovich is asking too much right now. Chelsea owes him £2 billion ($2.7 billion, 2.4 billion euros). But Chelsea has no money. This means that those who buy Chelsea must compensate Abramovich.

"We do not yet know the exact sale price. I can very well imagine myself joining Chelsea with partners. First I have to look carefully at the conditions.

"I certainly wouldn't do such a thing alone. If I buy Chelsea, it will be with a consortium of six to seven investors."

Johnson was asked in Warsaw on Tuesday why Abramovich has not been personally sanctioned by Britain, as several UK lawmakers have demanded.

In response, Johnson did not mention the Chelsea owner, but said Britain would be "tightening the economic noose" further around the Russian regime.

In parliament on Tuesday, opposition Labour lawmaker Chris Bryant said Abramovich seemed "terrified of being sanctioned, which is why he's already going to sell his home".

Wyss praised the West's "excellent approach" in imposing sanctions on Russian interests.

"The fact that the Russian oligarchs are targeted by the Americans and Europeans is absolutely essential, because they may have an influence on Putin," he told Blick.

Just a few weeks on, the future for Abramovich and the London club he has owned since 2003 is unclear as Russia wages war on Ukraine.

Abramovich's attempt to take some heat off the European champions by handing "stewardship and care" of the club to trustees of the Chelsea Foundation has been met with cynicism and confusion.

The 55-year-old, whose fortune is worth $13.6 billion according to the latest data from Forbes magazine, remains the owner and reportedly has no intention yet to sell his stake.

Tuchel meanwhile confirmed after Sunday's League Cup final defeat by Liverpool that the day-to-day running of the club would not be affected with director Marina Granovskaia and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech still in position.

'The Telegraph' and 'BBC' reported some unease among the Chelsea Foundation trustees at the legal implications and reputational damage they could suffer by taking on the role.

Abramovich has not been named on a growing British sanctions list targeting Russian banks, businesses and pro-Kremlin billionaires.

But British Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran used parliamentary privilege last week to name Abramovich as one of 35 "key enablers" to President Vladimir Putin who should be sanctioned personally by the UK.

Should such reprisals be forthcoming, it remains unclear where Chelsea would stand.

"In a legal context stewardship means no more than the job of supervising or taking care of something, in other words the job of 'caretaker'," said sports lawyer Stephen Taylor Heath.

"Should the government decree that Abramovich should not be in control of the club, the Premier League would immediately have to analyse whether ownership of the club has in fact been transferred to the trust."

The latest accounts from Chelsea's parent company Fordstam Ltd showed the soft loans from Abramovich to the club have now exceeded £1.5 billion.

Chelsea have profited from two decades of unprecedented success as a result.

The Blues had one league title in their history prior to a takeover that started the wave of major foreign investment in English football and helped hyperinflate the cost of transfer fees and wages.

The Russian Football Union (RFU) has responded to the ban of Russian teams by FIFA and UEFA, saying it "categorically disagrees with" and could yet challenge the decision.

The two governing bodies have suspended Russian teams from club and international competitions until further notice, denying them entry to the 2022 World Cup and Women's Euro 2022.

Spartak Moscow will be removed from the Europa League, where they had been set to face RB Leipzig in the last 16.

The sanctions were imposed on Russia on Monday following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last week.

A subsequent statement from the RFU suggested it could investigate avenues for an appeal "in accordance with international sports law".

It read: "The Russian Football Union categorically disagrees with the decision of FIFA and UEFA to suspend all Russian teams from participating in international matches for an indefinite period.

"We believe that this decision is contrary to the norms and principles of international competitions, as well as to the sporting spirit.

"It is obviously discriminatory in nature and harms a huge number of athletes, coaches, employees of clubs and national teams, and most importantly, millions of Russian and foreign fans, whose interests international sports organisations should primarily protect.

"Such actions divide the world sports community, which has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual respect and independence from politics.

"We reserve the right to challenge the decision of FIFA and UEFA in accordance with international sports law."

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