Hello everyone and happy Friday! We`ve just wrapped up the first games of the Champions League and Europa League. I`m Francesco Porzio, and I`m here to recap the week`s events before we look ahead to what`s coming up.
⚽ Key Story: Mohamed Salah Commits to Liverpool
Liverpool fans received fantastic news this morning! The club has announced that Mohamed Salah has signed a new two-year contract. With his previous deal set to end in the summer of 2025, rumors of a contract extension had been circulating and gaining momentum. This situation mirrors that of Virgil van Dijk, who is also expected to sign a new contract soon.
- Salah says: `I`m very excited. We have a fantastic team, and I believe we can win more trophies together and enjoy our football. I`ve had my best years here, and I hope to continue for even longer. I`m very happy to stay and want to tell the fans to keep supporting us. We`ll give our best to win more trophies in the future.`
Salah is recognized as one of the world`s top players and currently ranks third on Liverpool`s all-time scoring chart with 243 goals in 394 appearances. During his time at Liverpool, he has achieved numerous accolades, including three Premier League Golden Boots, two PFA Players` Player of the Year awards, and two FWA Footballer of the Year awards. With Liverpool, Salah has won seven trophies, notably the Premier League title in the 2019-20 season and the UEFA Champions League in 2019, along with several domestic cups since joining from AS Roma in the summer of 2017 for approximately $40 million.
🔗 Europa League Roundup: Disappointing Results for Manchester United and Tottenham
Manchester United and Tottenham both had disappointing Europa League matches, drawing their respective first-leg games on Thursday, highlighting their current struggles. Manchester United drew 2-2 against Lyon in the Europa League quarterfinals, while Tottenham drew 1-1 at home against Eintracht Frankfurt. Both teams now face pressure to win their away matches next week to advance in the tournament.
Manchester United initially conceded a goal to former Atlanta United player Thiago Almada but quickly equalized through Leny Yoro before halftime. Joshua Zirkzee appeared to secure a win for Lyon with a goal in the 88th minute, but a late error by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana allowed Rayan Cherki to equalize in stoppage time. Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim defended Onana`s performance:
- Amorim said: `Throughout the season, I believe I`ve made more mistakes than the players recently. It`s part of football, and mistakes happen, especially when playing many games.`
Tottenham also continued their poor form, drawing at home after conceding an early goal to Eintracht Frankfurt`s Hugo Ekitike. Pedro Porro equalized, ending the game 1-1. The second leg, scheduled for April 17 at Deutsche Bank Park, is crucial and may influence the future of Tottenham manager Ange Postecglou.
- Postecglou commented: `I`m frustrated with the result, but overall, I thought our performance was very good. Conceding early was disappointing, but we responded well, hit the crossbar three times, and on another day, we would have won.`
🔗 More Football News
⏪ Champions League Highlights: There were incredible goals in the Champions League this week, making it hard to choose the top five.
🔍 Champions League Rankings: James Benge has ranked the top eight teams after the first leg of the quarterfinals.
🏆 Road to Semifinals: What do teams need to do to reach the Champions League semifinals? Here are the scenarios for the second leg matches next week.
🦩 Messi`s Future with Inter Miami: It seems likely Lionel Messi will stay with Inter Miami, with his contract expiring this year. Club owner Jorge Mas is confident about reaching an agreement.
