Hello everyone. We`ve completed the first leg matches of the Champions League and Europa League. I`m Francesco Porzio, and I`m here to recap the highlights and preview what`s coming up.
⚽ The Forward Line
Mo Salah Commits to Liverpool with Two-Year Extension
It`s official! Liverpool supporters received fantastic news this morning as Liverpool announced Mohamed Salah has signed a contract extension with the club. With Salah`s previous contract set to expire in the summer of 2025, rumors of a new agreement intensified recently. A similar situation is unfolding with Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who is also anticipated to sign a new contract soon.
- Salah: `I`m very excited, of course. We currently have a fantastic team, and we`ve had a great team in the past as well. My reason for signing is my belief that we have the opportunity to win more trophies and for me to keep enjoying my football. It`s wonderful, I`ve had my best years here. I`ve been here for eight years, and hopefully, it will become ten. I`m enjoying my life here and my football. I`ve experienced the best years of my career here. To the fans, I want to say I`m very, very happy to stay. I signed because I believe we can achieve many major trophies together. Please continue to support us, and we`ll give our all, hoping to win more trophies in the future.`
Salah is recognized as one of the world`s top players and currently holds the third position on Liverpool`s all-time scoring chart with 243 goals in 394 appearances. During his Anfield tenure, Salah has achieved the Premier League Golden Boot three times, been honored as PFA Players` Player of the Year twice, and received two FWA Footballer of the Year awards. With Liverpool, Salah has won seven trophies, including the Premier League title in the 2019-20 season, the UEFA Champions League in 2019, and several cup titles, including one FA Cup since his arrival from AS Roma in the summer of 2017 for approximately $40 million.
🔗 Midfield Action
Europa League: Manchester United and Tottenham Underperform
Manchester United and Tottenham experienced another disappointing night in the Europa League, both drawing their Thursday matches and highlighting their ongoing struggles. Manchester United drew 2-2 against Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, while Tottenham drew 1-1 at home in London against Eintracht Frankfurt. Both teams now face must-win situations in the return legs next week to avoid elimination from the tournament.
Manchester United initially conceded a goal to former Atlanta United forward Thiago Almada but quickly equalized through Leny Yoro just before halftime. Joshua Zirkzee`s goal in the 88th minute seemed decisive for Lyon, but a late error by former Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana allowed Rayan Cherki to score in stoppage time, leveling the score at 2-2. When questioned about the goalkeeper`s underwhelming performance, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim defended his player:
- Amorim: `If you assess the season, I believe I`ve made more mistakes than the players in recent months. It`s part of the game. Mistakes are inevitable in football, especially when playing frequently.`
Tottenham also continued their poor form, drawing at home in London after conceding an early goal to Eintracht Frankfurt`s striker Hugo Ekitike. Pedro Porro equalized for Tottenham, ending the match 1-1. The second leg, scheduled for April 17 at Deutsche Bank Park, will likely be crucial for the future of their manager, Ange Postecoglou.
- Postecoglou: `I`m a bit frustrated with the result. I felt our overall performance was very strong. Conceding early was disappointing, though it was a well-taken goal by [Ekitike]. We responded well, hit the crossbar three times, and on another day, we would have won the game.`
🔗 Top Headlines
⏪ Champions League Rewind: Midweek Champions League matches featured incredible goals, making ranking the top five extremely challenging.
🔍 Champions League Power Rankings: James Benge has ranked the remaining eight teams following the first leg of the quarterfinals this week.
🏆 Road to Semifinals: What is required to secure a spot in the Champions League semifinals? Here are the scenarios for the second leg matches next week.
🦩 Messi`s Inter Miami Future: Lionel Messi is expected to remain with Inter Miami as his contract nears its end this year. Club co-owner Jorge Mas expressed confidence in reaching a new agreement.
💰 The Final Whistle
💵 Top Picks
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Serie A: Udinese vs. AC Milan
💰 Bet on AC Milan to win against Udinese away (-105): AC Milan needs a victory to stay competitive for a European qualification spot as the season progresses. Their best chance is to win against Udinese on Friday. AC Milan`s recent form includes only two wins in their last five Serie A games, including a home draw against Fiorentina. A win away against Udinese would significantly improve Sergio Conceicao`s team`s chances of finishing in the top eight, especially with Lazio and AS Roma playing each other in the Derby della Capitale on Sunday.
For more betting insights, expert predictions, and the latest betting news, visit CBSSports.com`s betting section.
