List of All Articles with Tag 'epgb sports'

The peak that Pep Guardiola has been building this club towards, and a point that European football has long been leading towards. Manchester City have not yet won the Champions League or the treble, but they passed the most difficult challenge in eliminating the defending champions, and did so with a 4-0 victory that went beyond easy. The first half-hour was perhaps Guardiola’s finest spell of football in Europe, and maybe the best ever by an English club on this stage. It will surely be seen as the statement performance should City go and finally lift the trophy in Istanbul, as they reach the stage for the second time. Real Madrid, of all clubs, were humiliated. The entire game has been left trailing in City’s wake. Internazionale are going to need something close to a miracle to beat them, such is City’s level. It is why so many referred to this as the real final. City ended up reaching Istanbul without much of a struggle of all. They have only gone behind in games - in any competition - three times in the last four months. This just never looked like being another of those. From the very start of the game, City came out ferociously determined to ensure they couldn’t possibly have a repeat of last season’s elimination. It was a storm. The manner they came at Madrid, and the way that Thibaut Courtois initially performed miracles of his own to stop them, briefly made it seem like it was going to be another one of those nights. City just came with so much force they utterly blew that away. It instead became one of the club’s great nights. It wasn’t all about that force either, irresistible as it was. The game was ultimately cut open, and effectively decided, by the most remarkable finesse from Kevin De Bruyne. After an opening period where City had looked to pummel Madrid with crosses towards Haaland, the Belgian then played the most divine reverse pass to just put Bernardo Silva into space to drive the ball past Courtois. The goalkeeper this time had no chance. It was the least Bernardo deserved for his performances of late, and he soon had more. Madrid again buckled under the pressure. Bernardo headed home. That was it, after just 37 minutes, but it had felt done long before that. A 76th-minute Eder Militao own goal only added insult to punishment for Madrid, as City played around and through them. Julian Alvarez then wrapped it up to turn a comprehensively convincing victory into a humiliation. It was maybe the defeat that had long been coming for Madrid. It was always going to be City that subjected them to it. The fans were joyously doing the “Poznan” as their players just enjoyed possession in that way Guardiola demands, the very dance a reminder of earlier times when the club had started this journey under this project but still weren’t on stages as grand as another Champions League final. It was joyous. That should also provoke more complicated discussions, that very few people really like to have as they are enjoying shows like this. Any discussion of best-ever English performances in Europe really needs to bring in context like the fact this is an Abu Dhabi state project, that has also become the most lavish sporting project ever seen. It is why this incredible level of superiority was as inevitable as that City goal in the early stages. Even the randomness of cup football can’t withstand it indefinitely. Guardiola has been able to reach a point of perfection, from perfect conditions, and an infrastructure almost built to him. This is brilliantly intelligent planning. It is also obvious, and the sort of thing very few other clubs can afford because they just don’t have the backing over that time. That time also explains modern football. The story of the modern game is really that, around 15 years ago, a group of autocratic states motivated by an acutely regional rivalry looked at football and saw it as powerful new area of expansion. This, similarly driven along by the sport’s embrace of western capitalism, has led to the long-term distortion. Is this good for the sport? No one can deny it’s good to watch, although often at a level that goes beyond sport as a competition. This was certainly an illustration of that. It was never a contest. The European champions were humiliated. New European champions are about to be crowned. That’s all part of the show. It’s also part of wider political ambitions, that do bring in questions about sportswashing and human rights records. There's also the context of those charges brought by the Premier League, and how this return to the Champions League final would also have been the club's return to Europe had the Court of Arbitration for Sport not overturned Uefa's punishment in 2020. None of this should be taken as sympathy for Madrid. They have been one of the most responsible factors in the football landscape looking like it does. The game was for so long disproportionately influenced by their demands. The world they created just got out of their control, and they have now been considerably brutalised by it. City’s rise just continues that process, though. For the last 40 years, football has been increasingly financially staggered and stretched, with the top end getting narrower and narrower. Every few years, fewer clubs can win. State ownership has taken that to new extremes. Guardiola has taken this City to extremes. Another treble now awaits, but this is the most triumphant of all. City aren’t there yet. But, like so much else with the game right now, it feels inevitable. Read More Man City’s greatest Champions League night, Real Madrid need Jude Bellingham and five things we learned Man City vs Real Madrid player ratings as Kyle Walker dominates Vinicius Junior Bernardo Silva’s unique talents lead Man City’s evisceration of Real Madrid Five things we learned as Man City thrash Real Madrid to reach Champions League final Man City vs Real Madrid player ratings as Kyle Walker dominates Vinicius Junior

There was a player whose goals were designed to transform Manchester City into Champions League winners. It wasn’t Bernardo Silva. “Bernardo has never been a top scorer,” shrugged Pep Guardiola in March, after one of his favourite footballers had scored at the Etihad Stadium for the first time since August. He sounded utterly unworried. Silva, as he said then, “is unique”. He was aggressive presser, rhythmic passer, the man who could speed the game up or slow it down, the player he has used as everything from the most unconventional of left-backs to a false nine but who could be relied upon to make everyone else play better. But then, after five goals in 51 games this season, came two in a quarter of an hour. Against Real Madrid. In a Champions League semi-final. Only Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski had scored twice against Real on this stage before, but they are more frequent scorers. Silva had delivered a winner of sorts against Carlo Ancelotti’s side in a similar occasion last year; but that was a first leg, and a 4-3 scoreline was overturned. Not this time. On City’s greatest European night, amid Real’s evisceration at the Etihad, he is the man who powered them to a final where they will be favourites. It can go wrong from here – the abiding lesson of Guardiola’s City in the Champions League is that it always can – but they will never have a better chance. They may never have a better team, either. The half-time statistics – 13 shots to one, 72 per cent possession to 28 – were stark, the final scoreline – 4-0 – still more so. This was Real, after all, perennial kings of Europe. And if there was something studied and strategic about their slow start, the team playing the long game allowing City to attack, if the intention was they may grow into the game after the first 20 minutes, Silva instead scored in the 23rd, and then the 37th. There was something symbolic in his opener, in the identities of the pair Kevin De Bruyne bisected with a wonderful pass. They were the men whose precision was at the heart of Real’s dominance of this competition over the past decade. There was perhaps a yard between Luka Modric and Toni Kroos but De Bruyne threaded the ball between pass masters. Suddenly, Silva was free in the penalty area. He steered his shot past Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian had done his best impression of Superman, with twin saves from Erling Haaland headers, but he was powerless to stop this. Yet if the Norwegian has given City another dimension with his aerial ability, the unexpected element was that the man to score with a bullet header was Silva, all 5ft 8in of him. After Ilkay Gundogan’s shot was blocked by Eder Militao, the ball flew up obligingly for Silva. Good fortune or positional instinct? Whichever, the finish was unerring. Rewind to March and Guardiola had suggested Silva’s contribution could not be judged by statistics. And yet a double meant that, of Silva’s last eight club goals, three had come against Real in Champions League semi-finals. He is the small man for the big stage. Guardiola, as he inferred, rarely judges players on their goal tallies. Perhaps he may deem that Silva’s real masterpiece in this season’s Champions League was his performance against Bayern Munich at the Etihad; it was an example of how to press three players at once which, in turn, shows the selflessness Guardiola loves. There was further evidence of it. Subdued as Real were, Vinicius Junior offered the possibility he could provide the explosive to alter the game. Gundogan was booked for fouling the Brazilian as he threatened to burst clear. But sliding in on him from the other side, in a pincer movement, was Silva. A man for many a job was tasked with helping Kyle Walker patrol Vinicius. If Silva is a central midfielder press ganged into a variety of other roles, he may be the best defensive right winger around. Guardiola has tried many a formation in his time, from the inspired to the overly experimental, but City defended in a conventional 4-4-2 shape, freeing up De Bruyne to raid in support of Haaland. The stamina of Silva and Jack Grealish, the flair players with the lungs of long-distance runners, permitted it. Go back to 2019, to what proved the title decider against Liverpool and Silva ran 13.7km in a tour de force. That willingness to keep on moving may yet bring his departure. There is an almost annual question if he will leave City; Barcelona seems to exert a siren call, though they invariably lack the funds to purchase a player of his class. But Silva has enough of an attachment to City to name his dog after John Stones. The defender’s name echoed around the Etihad after Eder Militao’s own goal put City 3-0 up. Unless, of course, they were paying tribute to Silva’s dog. He could be one exhausted animal because, long after a semi-final was settled, the man still running was Silva. Real Madrid could not keep up with him; perhaps his four-legged friend cannot either. Read More Man City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Result and reaction as brilliant City cruise into Champions League final Man City’s greatest Champions League night, Real Madrid need Jude Bellingham and five things we learned Man City vs Real Madrid player ratings as Kyle Walker dominates Vinicius Junior

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football-related activity with immediate effect for eight months and fined £50,000, the FA has announced. The England international was charged with 262 breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021. The FA withdrew 30 of the breaches, and he admitted to the remaining 232. His sanctions were imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a hearing. Toney can return to training only with his club for the final four months of his suspension, starting from 17 September 2023. Brentford issued a statement, saying: “Brentford FC notes the decision of an independent Regulatory Commission to issue an eight-month ban from all football and football-related activity to Ivan Toney with immediate effect.” The 27-year-old, who has scored 20 goals for Brentford in the Premier League this season was charged with breaking FA rule E8, which refers to players being barred from betting on games or sharing information for betting purposes. Newcastle and England defender Kieran Trippier was handed a 10 week ban in December 2020 for giving information out for others to bet on his transfer to Atletico Madrid from Tottenham. More follows Read More Man City brush aside Everton to close in on title as Brighton stun Arsenal Brentford vs West Ham LIVE: Latest Premier League updates James Milner came to Liverpool and won the lot - an era ends with his departure

Before every home game, Luton Town’s club shop is teeming. The little building perched outside Kenilworth Road is like a temporary prefab classroom and inside it’s cosy: once you’ve bought a shirt or a mug or a woolly hat then you best be on your way to make room for someone else. It is a different world to the extravagance of the Premier League. Tottenham, for example, boast the largest club shop in Europe: half an acre of sheer Spursy-ness, selling everything from Spurs-encrusted party bowls to the Spurs Monopoly board game, complete with a 100-seat auditorium to consume even more Spurs from the comfort of a soft chair. These two clubs seem to exist on different planets, and yet they could well be rivals in the same league next season. Luton have climbed here by consistently punching above their weight. The club’s entire wage budget, around £6m, would buy one Manchester City sub. They are always swimming against the tide and the small but mighty Kenilworth Road is a monument to that – intimate and intense, like a particularly atmospheric cow shed, with 10,000 seats that sound like 50,000 when the linesman fails to spot a foul throw. Luton’s long-awaited move to a new venue at Power Court is still a couple of years away. So should they win promotion – having advanced to the play-off final after victory over Sunderland, this is a distinct possibility – what on earth will the Premier League giants make of a ground where away fans file through an alleyway and up a metal staircase that hangs over neighbouring gardens? “They will think it’s a tip,” smiles Alex, a Luton season-ticket holder in the club shop. He has been coming here since 2005, sitting in the same seat since he was three years old. “But it’s our tip.” *** Despite his reputation as one of the brightest managers in the Football League, Rob Edwards was expecting some hate from Luton fans when he took charge in November. He had only recently left Watford, their bitter rivals, and so when he sat down for his first press conference as the new man in charge of Luton Town, all he could do was try to defuse a potentially volatile situation. “It’s not as if I left Watford a club legend,” he joked. Edwards was referring to the way he was spat back out by Watford after only 11 games, a familiar story for managers who dare work for the trigger-happy Pozzo family. But far from holding a grudge, Luton fans seemed to get a kick out of sticking one to their rivals. “Welcome Rob,” read a banner at his first game away at Middlesbrough, which soothed some anxiety. His first home game at Kenilworth Road, a Boxing Day win over Norwich City, finished with the entire ground singing his name. It would prove to be the first win of many, with only two league defeats for the rest of the campaign meaning Luton finished third in the Championship and got themselves into the play-offs for the second successive season. A club with a tight-knit staff and limited funds have improved their league position every year for eight in a row, climbing from the Conference in 2014 to the upper echelons of the Championship, and now they are within touching distance of the top tier for the first time in 30 years. At the heart of their rise is continuity – midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu has been with the club from non-league – and careful planning. Losing manager Nathan Jones to Southampton was a sudden bruise, but Edwards was already on the radar. Luton had analysed his League Two-winning year in charge of Forest Green Rovers and found it was no fluke – the underlying numbers showed a manager deploying the kind of fast, aggressive football that Luton themselves used to dominate Leagues One and Two. They analysed his 11 games at Watford too, and discovered some good things in the team Edwards was building, despite the quick sacking. Preparation has been key in the transfer market too. Led by club legend Mick Harford, chief scout Phil Chapple and analyst Jay Socik, Luton have made a habit of identifying smart signings from across the Football League and some inspired loans from the Premier League too. Right-back James Bree left the club in January but Luton seamlessly replaced him with Cody Drameh on loan from Leeds, and the addition of Aston Villa’s Marvelous Nakamba has brought solidity in midfield. Buying Carlton Morris from Barnsley last summer was crucial, and he has racked up a career-best 20 league goals. They recruit a specific Luton type: as well as being technically sound and a good character, they have to be athletic, able to withstand a high tempo for 90 minutes and out-run their opposition. After all, this is what Luton are: a club who extract every last drop from whatever they have. No Championship side have won more tackles in the final third than Luton this season, and the result is a team that are often hard and horrible to play against. Edwards has found a balance between a pragmatic approach and a team who can play football too. A direct route to goal is always an option with the power and strength of Morris and the imposing Elijah Adebayo up front, and Luton have found they don’t need to dominate possession to win games. That might be a useful trait in the Premier League. But what really stands out is how Luton are run off the pitch. There is no billionaire benefactor here: the club were saved by their own fans and now they are supporter-owned, and the people in charge – chief executive Gary Sweet, chairman David Wilkinson and majority stakeholder Paul Ballantyne – are deeply invested in its future. As one member of staff told The Independent: “Our owners give a s**t, and that isn’t always the case in football.” *** One staff member, Bill Cole, has worked for Luton for five years and has been visiting Kenilworth Road for 76. He will miss it, but he won’t shed a tear when it’s gone. He reels off more than half a century’s worth of new stadium plans that ended in disappointment, and says Power Court is exactly what the club has been crying out for, for far too long. “I hope they build a metal pillar in front of the press box to remind us of The Kenny,” he smiles. At full-time of a late-April clash against fellow high-flyers Middlesbrough, buoyant Luton fans poured out into the narrow streets that run down the hill to town following a 2-1 victory. It was a crucial moment in ensuring Luton finished third, and Boro fourth to face Coventry. If these two sides are to contest the play-off final – the so-called richest game in football – then perhaps this win has set the tone. Cole has seen it all before, though, and has a warning. “In 1959 we played Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup final,” he remembers. “Two weeks earlier we’d played them here at Kenilworth Road and we stuffed them 4-0. But at Wembley, we never showed up.” But win or lose the play-offs, Luton are unlikely to change too much. They are going in the right direction and their progress is a result not of vast investment but of sound stewardship. Amid the game’s financial bonanza benefitting a few elite clubs, Luton are showing that there is still a place for a little meritocracy in football. Read More Luton Town one game from Premier League after comeback win over Sunderland How to watch Championship play-offs Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving Dimitar Berbatov warns Harry Kane not to ‘tarnish’ Tottenham legacy by leaving I don’t blame English fans for cynicism over US investment – Burnley’s JJ Watt Arsenal and Leverkusen in ‘advanced talks’ over Granit Xhaka deal

Conor McGregor is sitting in a hospital bed, clad in a surgical gown, his face still drained from a weight-cut. “I thought it was over,” he says of his career, before the setting morphs to an Octagon, where McGregor is sitting on the canvas, sporting his fight-night attire, his face twisted in pain. “This is not over!” he hisses at Dustin Poirier. That is how Netflix’s McGregor Forever begins, the second documentary built around the MMA megastar. While 2017 film Notorious covered the Irishman’s rise to becoming the first dual-weight champion in UFC history and his iconic rivalry with Nate Diaz, this new series documents the journeys around his last four fights – three of them defeats – with an episode dedicated to each, loosely speaking. McGregor Forever, directed by Gotham Chopra and produced by Religion Of Sports, starts at the end: in the aftermath of McGregor breaking his leg against Poirier in July 2021. It then veers back to 2018 and the Irishman's bitter rivalry with Khabib Nurmagedomov, onto his 2020 return against Donald Cerrone, his January 2021 duel with Poirier, and finally their ill-fated rematch six months later. Notorious was released shortly after McGregor’s spectacle of a super-fight with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, the backstory of which was absent from that film and eludes this series. And so McGregor Forever begins in earnest in the lead-up to the UFC star’s clash with Khabib, a fascinating and until-now-under-explored spell in McGregor’s career. It is a spell made even more bewitching by the stark contrast between scenes of McGregor playing with his first-born son, partaking in a gender reveal for his daughter, and the venom of his exchanges with Nurmagomedov. An eerie soundtrack only serves to enhance the foreboding feeling throughout. McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, once spoke of his fighter’s ominous attitude ahead of the fight; how McGregor was beating up sparring partners, rather than trying to learn from them, before celebrating by going out and drinking. Indeed, this particular stint of the series validates those revelations, painting a picture of an insecure McGregor, and each second of never-before-seen footage is welcome – even an excruciating scene in which McGregor’s dislocated toes are wrenched back into place, three weeks before the fight; especially shots of a teary-eyed McGregor coming to terms with the defeat, surrounded by teammates in his locker room yet desperately alone. For all the intriguing elements to this phase of McGregor’s career, the fighter himself sees it simply: “I was beat, and that’s that. I was beat where it mattered, end of.” There is a similarly revealing moment in the third episode, after McGregor suffers his first ever knockout loss. “That was just abysmal,” he says, before questioning his team. “How come you boys have nothing... I was shot, my leg was dead, and there wasn’t a rattle at all [from you].” Both scenes follow satisfyingly cinematic framings of the fights themselves, and the other episodes employ the same impactful sound and visual editing. The opening episode closes with McGregor carrying out community service in the series’ only acknowledgement of his various legal issues in recent years. Yet hearing McGregor express his sincere feelings about the experience highlights perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the documentary: Elsewhere, there is a distinct lack of soundbites from McGregor, with old interviews instead laid over much of the fresh footage and undermining the excitement of seeing new clips. Yet the biggest problem is the timing of the series itself. McGregor Forever is sold as the story of the Irishman’s comebacks from numerous setbacks, and of his impending comeback from his broken leg; however, he is yet to come back in the manner that matters most to his fans and to the sport: in the ring, and more ideally with a win. Furthermore, the series does not exactly convince you that such a win is impending. If you had not seen McGregor’s final encounter with Poirier, the last episode of the series would lead you to believe that the Irishman was approaching a redemptive victory, rather than the concerning performance and devastating injury that followed. That McGregor has conquered his recovery from that injury is more than commendable and should not be overlooked. The 34-year-old speaks in this documentary about his desire to keep fighting, how he is and always will be a fighter first and foremost, but we are yet to even see a date announced for his next fight, against Michael Chandler. When it comes to making fights, the number and nature of moving parts can be dizzying, so McGregor’s ongoing, extended absence is not entirely his fault. But fans want a clarity on the situation that this documentary cannot provide. Between this series, his appearances as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, and his constant presence on social media, there is plenty of McGregor content to consume in 2023. There are just not enough McGregor contests. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Conor McGregor shoves Michael Chandler in trailer for The Ultimate Fighter Michael Chandler gives disappointing update on Conor McGregor fight Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron are shaming their male counterparts

The UFC’s ‘BMF’ title will make its return in July, as Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje clash in the main event of UFC 291. Poirier beat Gaethje via TKO in 2018, and the Americans will square off again in Utah, with the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ title on the line. The UFC introduced the belt in 2019 as a prize for the winner of a fight between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, with the latter winning via doctor stoppage. WWE star-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson then wrapped the gold around Masvidal’s waist. The title has not been involved in any fights since then, and Masvidal retired from mixed martial arts last month after a loss to Gilbert Burns. The UFC is now reintroducing the belt, which will be up for grabs when Poirier and Gaethje meet in a lightweight bout on 29 July. After beating Gaethje in 2018, Poirier went on to become interim champion in 2019 before losing to official champion Khabib Nurmagomedov via submission later that year. In 2020, Gaethje similarly claimed the interim title before losing to Nurmagomedov by submission while trying to unify the belts. In Poirier’s last fight, the “Diamond” submitted Michael Chandler in November, a year after Gaethje outpointed “Iron Mike”. Gaethje most recently fought at UFC 286 in March, narrowly outpointing Rafael Fiziev. The winner of Poirier vs Gaethje 2 may emerge as the next challenger for reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who is due to return to the ring in October. In the co-main event of UFC 291, Alex Pereira will take on Jan Blachowicz. The bout marks Pereira’s light-heavyweight debut in his first fight since losing the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya. Meanwhile, Blachowicz is a former light-heavyweight champion. Also, Paulo Costa faces Ikram Aliskerov, while Tony Ferguson goes up against Bobby Green, and Michael Chiesa fights Kevin Holland. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every fight happening this year How world’s best sports interviewer copes when the stars hit back Francis Ngannou explains unprecedented PFL deal and how it will help his opponents

Francis Ngannou has signed a fight deal with the Professional Fighters League, with the mixed martial arts promotion also handing the ex-UFC champion equity in the company. Ngannou, 36, vacated the UFC heavyweight title in January upon deciding to leave the promotion, and his next move has been the subject of intense speculation ever since. On Tuesday (16 May), it was announced that the Cameroonian has signed with the PFL, who will give Ngannou ‘equity’ and ‘leadership roles’ per The New York Times. Ngannou, seen as arguably the greatest knockout artist in UFC history, is set to make his PFL debut in the ‘Super Fight’ division next year, with his aim being to compete in boxing in 2023. “I believe in the PFL’s ‘fighter first’ culture and global vision, including developing the sport in Africa,” Ngannou said on Tuesday. “With that, I am also proud to announce that I will serve as Chairman of PFL Africa, which will be the leading MMA organisation on the continent, providing great African fighters the opportunity to compete on a global platform.” Ngannou’s relationship with the UFC grew fractious in recent years, with the company unwilling to entertain his wishes to box, according to the Cameroonian. Ngannou last fought in January 2022, retaining the UFC heavyweight title against then-interim champion and former teammate Ciryl Gane. The result marked the first decision win of Ngannou’s career, in which his professional record stands at 17-3. Twelve of Ngannou’s wins have come via knockout, with eight of them taking place in Round 1 and three of them occurring inside the first minute. Ngannou won the UFC heavyweight title by knocking out Stipe Miocic in 2021. Miocic, seen by many as the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, previously retained the title against Ngannou by outpointing “The Predator” in 2018. In March, UFC light-heavyweight great Jon Jones won the title vacated by Ngannou. Jones submitted Gane in the first round and is expected to fight Miocic next. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year Jon Jones hints Stipe Miocic fight will be his last in the UFC Jon Jones submits Ciryl Gane in first round to win heavyweight title at UFC 285 When is the next UFC event? UFC schedule 2023: Every fight happening this year UFC London ticket prices as July fights are announced

Confronted by their own ultras, AC Milan have encountered issue after issue in the build-up to Tuesday’s monumental return leg, but one problem is a lot more longstanding. It is also so immediate, since it is precisely the challenge against Internazionale. Milan might be the second most successful club in Champions League history, having played in the very first European Cup season in 1955-56, but that distinguished record has never seen them come back from more than a goal behind from a knock-out first leg. All that grand glory, and nothing to really inspire for this biggest of games against their greatest rivals. That might seem somewhat superficial but the profound potential effect should not be dismissed. You only have to look at last season, and this year's possible final opponent, for the greatest illustration of how it works. Real Madrid are the European champions in large part because their stadium had seen so many great comebacks, fostering this belief within the team as well as an aura around it. Milan have none of that. The only tie that comes close was a 1985-86 Uefa Cup first round against Auxerre but it’s hardly of the same scale, and would almost seem small-time to mention. Stefano Pioli has consequently been unable to inspire his players with any footage of the past. “We only talked about the derby,” the Milan manager said. That’s possibly just as well, because any look to history would mostly show Milan suffering from such comebacks. You don’t even have to go to the extreme of Istanbul, which is of course where this final is set to be held. There was Deportivo La Coruna in 2004 and Barcelona in 2013. Duly, this tie might also be decided by comebacks on the other side, albeit of a different nature. There is the return to prominence of some former Premier League stars, some of them well into their 30s. This entire tie was after all set in motion by Edin Dzeko’s soaring goal for Inter Milan in the opening minutes of the first leg. It may now be shaped by Simone Inzaghi’s use of those players. One of the reasons that Milan were so unprepared for Inter’s onslaught was because it was so difficult to second-guess what Inzaghi might do. One of the strengths of this season - if also, in the league, one of the weaknesses - has been how the coach can alternate his forward line. So it was in the first leg that he initially had the energy of Lauturo Martinez with the calculation of Dzeko. The Inter squad remain in awe of how intelligent the Bosnian is as a player, in that way that occasionally happens with senior pros who go onto a different level as they get older. Part of that has been how he conserves energy and visibly manages himself, though, which is why one of Inzaghi’s main relays up front has been between Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku. There is another comeback of sorts there, though. It could be glimpsed in the Belgian’s livewire introduction to the second half of the first leg. The Inter squad are now talking about Lukaku being back at the level he was when he left Inter in the summer of 2021 in the first place - when he was being hailed as the new “king of Serie A”. One reason is he was discomfited by a difficult adjustment period at Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel, and was then intent on getting 100% ready for the World Cup. That rush probably set him back, as the displays in Qatar showed. Lukaku has really only been back to full fitness since February and that has helped generate “great momentum”. He has the feel back. He has the finishing back, as the weekend’s brace showed. That gives Inzaghi a satisfying sort of dilemma. It is increasingly difficult to leave Lukaku on the bench. He could tear at Pioli’s side. The one caveat to all of this, as well as to the first leg, is that Milan will have a comeback of their own. Rafael Leao will return to the line-up, which makes them a very different proposition. It was so conspicuously what was missing from their display on Wednesday - if also some proper defending at the back. Milan had so much process, but no product. It looked like they couldn’t really hurt Inter. Leao changes that. It should force a change in Inzaghi’s approach. Whether it changes this to the level that it changes Milan’s history remains to be seen. “Those who play football know that the matches are never finished until the end,” Pioli also said. “And we believe in it.” Inter, however, have the reality of that two-goal lead. It’s a lot to come back from. Read More Glorious Milan derby proves football does not need Super League False 9? Edin Dzeko shows the value of an old-fashioned centre-forward AC Milan are back – but not as you remember them Inter vs AC Milan team news and predicted line-ups Is Inter vs AC Milan on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Bundesliga title battle continues as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund ease to wins

AC Milan must fight back from behind with Inter well-placed to advance to the Champions League final. A strong first-half performance saw Simone Inzaghi’s side secure a two-goal advantage in last week’s first leg. Inter will now enjoy the advantage of the support of the bulk of the crowd as well as usage of their San Siro changing room, a privilege denied to them in the “away” leg. A weekend defeat to Spezia also saw Milan lose ground in the race for a top-four finish, leaving Stefano Pioli seeking a swift and significant improvement to try and secure a final place. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Inter vs AC Milan? The second leg of the semi final is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 16 May at their shared San Siro ground in Milan. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the game live on BT Sport 1 with coverage from 7pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via the BT Sport app or online player. Team news Inter were able to rest a number of their first-choice side in the win over Sassuolo, with Lautaro Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglu and Alessandro Bastoni in line to return to Simone Inzaghi’s starting lineup. The manager is expected to name a lineup identical to the one that secured a 2-0 first-leg lead. Stefano Pioli should be boosted by the availability of Rafael Leao after the forward missed last week’s game due to a thigh injury. Junior Messias and Rade Krunic could also be fit to contend for selection. Predicted line-ups Inter XI: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, ÇalhanoÄŸlu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Dzeko, Martínez. Milan XI: Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjær, Theo Hernández; Tonali, Krunić; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Leão; Giroud. Odds Inter win 19/17 Draw 5/2 Milan win 41/14 Prediction A draw is enough to ensure Inter’s progression through to the final. Inter 1-1 Milan (3-1 agg.) Read More Mauricio Pochettino agrees Chelsea terms and plots summer transfers UEFA rebuts claim Istanbul in doubt as Champions League final host after election False 9? Edin Dzeko shows the value of an old-fashioned centre-forward Inter vs AC Milan team news and predicted line-ups Bundesliga title battle continues as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund ease to wins On this day in 2006: Liverpool win thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter are 90 minutes away from the Champions League final after securing a 2-0 advantage against AC Milan. Early goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan leave Inter strongly placed to set up a meeting with either Manchester City or Real Madrid. Milan were short of threat in the first leg, but should be boosted for this encounter by the return of Rafael Leao. The forward has been passed fit to play after recovering from injury and may be required to play a key role if his side are to overturn the deficit. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Inter vs AC Milan? The second leg of the semi final is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 16 May at their shared San Siro ground in Milan. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the game live on BT Sport 1 with coverage from 7pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via the BT Sport app or online player. Team news Inter were able to rest a number of their first choice side in the win over Sassuolo, with Lautaro Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglu and Alessandro Bastoni in line to return to Simone Inzaghi’s starting lineup. The manager is expected to name a lineup identical to the one that secured a 2-0 first leg lead. Stefano Pioli should be boosted by the availability of Rafael Leao after the forward missed last week’s game due to a thigh injury. Junior Messias and Rade Krunic could also be fit to contend for selection. Predicted line-ups Inter XI: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Dzeko, Martínez. Milan XI: Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjær, Theo Hernández; Tonali, Krunić; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Leao; Giroud. Odds Inter win 19/17 Draw 5/2 Milan win 41/14 Prediction A draw is enough to ensure Inter’s progression through to the final. Inter 1-1 Milan (3-1 agg.) Read More False 9? Edin Dzeko shows the value of an old-fashioned centre-forward Mauricio Pochettino agrees Chelsea terms and plots summer transfers UEFA rebuts claim Istanbul in doubt as Champions League final host after election Is Inter vs AC Milan on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Bundesliga title battle continues as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund ease to wins On this day in 2006: Liverpool win thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham

Follow live coverage as Leicester City face Liverpool in the Premier League today. A six-match win streak has lifted the Reds back into contention for a top-four finish despite a largely dismal season, but Jurgen Klopp’s team must continue to win and hope Newcastle or Man United drop more points in their final fixtures. Dean Smith has not yet had the big impact hoped for since he replaced Brendan Rodgers and Leicester are two points from safety with three games to play including this one - though they have a better goal difference than Leeds, Everton and Nottingham Forest, which could yet prove important. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:

KSI has admitted that his win against Joe Fournier on Saturday was ‘tarnished’ by the accidental elbow that caused the knockout. The YouTuber, 29, dropped Fournier in Round 2, leaving the 40-year-old ex-boxer unable to beat the referee’s count. However, replays showed that Fournier had been floored by an accidental elbow, rather than a punch. After the exhibition bout at London’s Wembley Arena, Fournier vowed to officially contest the result, while YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul called for KSI to be disqualified. KSI (real name Olajide Olatunji) has since offered his own thoughts on the matter. “I worked very hard for this fight and had an intense and gruelling camp,” he wrote on social media on Sunday (14 May). “There’s no better feeling than being in that ring and having my hand raised in front of my loyal and amazing fans who I appreciate so much. “Unfortunately the victory, which was inevitable no matter what, is tarnished and I hate that. It sucks! “After landing my overhand he was pretty much out on his feet, and I went for a short right hook as Joe clinched me and fell into me. I landed that hook and my glove made contact but appears to have been followed by unintentional contact with my forearm. “I’m gutted that it’s not as clean a win as I wanted and it feels like it diminishes my hard work with my trainers. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the show and appreciate the support. Sorry to all the fans disappointed with it. No one is more so than me.” Meanwhile, Paul took exception to KSI’s description of events. The American, 26, wrote on Twitter: “Why you lying still? No part of your glove made contact with Joe’s face on that elbow. That was not a hook. That was straight up a right elbow to the jawbone. Good form but wrong sport. “Your whole promotion is sham. Bad look for the sport of boxing. Your ‘commission’ [the Professional Boxing Association] should hold itself to a higher standard. I hope England Boxing starts to oversee this product and makes it safer for everyone.” Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Joe Fournier reacts to ‘disgusting’ KSI knockout Who will KSI fight next after last night’s controversial knockout? Who is KSI? From ‘endearing’ class clown to YouTuber who has changed the face of boxing Tommy Fury brawls with fellow Love Island contestant in KSI vs Fournier crowd KSI and Tommy Fury separated after heated face-off at Misfits boxing fight Joe Fournier reacts to ‘disgusting’ KSI knockout KSI vs Fournier last night: Latest fight updates and results after knockout