SOCCER

I UNDERSTAND WHY REAL MADRID APPEALS TO ALEXANDER-ARNOLD I FELT THE SAME TEMPTATION - WAYNE ROONEY TO BBC SPORT

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Wayne Rooney believes that if Trent Alexander-Arnold chooses to join Real Madrid this summer, it would be an understandable decision. At 26 and nearing the end of his contract, Alexander-Arnold faces a pivotal career choice—either committing his future to Liverpool or seizing the opportunity to play for Real, a club that clearly wants him. Rooney argues that while leaving Liverpool for most other clubs might raise questions, Real Madrid is an exception. As the biggest club in the world with a rich history, joining them is a chance few players would turn down.

CHINA'S FOOTBALL DREAM IN SHAMBLES AFTER HISTORIC DEFEAT AND CORRUPTION SCANDAL

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China's ambition to become a global football powerhouse has crumbled spectacularly, and nowhere was that more evident than on a humiliating night in Saitama. The national team suffered its worst-ever World Cup qualifying defeat, a crushing 7-0 loss to Japan that left players visibly dejected.

RASHFORD CARRIES VILLA INTO FA CUP SEMIFINALS

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Aston Villa secured their place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a victory over Preston at Deepdale, thanks to a match-winning performance from Marcus Rashford, who ended a four-month goal drought. After wasting earlier opportunities, the on-loan forward opened the scoring in the 58th minute with a tap-in from Lucas Digne's cutback, before converting a penalty five minutes later to seal the win.

CLINICAL LYON REACH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS WITH CRUSHING WIN OVER BAYERN

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Eight-time winners Olympique Lyonnais put on a ruthless second-half display to defeat Bayern Munich 4-1 in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday, completing a 6-1 aggregate win. Lyon named an unchanged side from last week's 2-0 first leg win in Munich, while Bayern manager Alexander Straus decided to shake things up, making five changes for this match.

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD FORCED TO DECIDE BETWEEN MADRID DREAM AND LIVERPOOL LEGACY

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Trent Alexander-Arnold's proposed move from Liverpool to Real Madrid has split opinion on whether a local hero can leave Merseyside without a lasting stain on his legacy. Alexander-Arnold joined the Reds 20 years ago as a six-year-old and has gone on to win a clean sweep of Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup titles.

FLICK FRUSTRATED AS RAPHINHA AND ARAUJO MISS BARCELONA'S RESCHEDULED LA LIGA CLASH

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Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has expressed his frustration over the unavailability of Raphinha and Ronald Araujo for their rescheduled La Liga match against Osasuna on Thursday. The duo will miss out due to the quick turnaround following the international break.

PREMIER LEAGUE TO INTRODUCE TWO SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOWS

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The Premier League has announced it will have two transfer windows this summer, allowing Manchester City and Chelsea to sign players ahead of the Club World Cup. The window will initially open from 1 June to 10 June before closing for five days, then reopening from 16 June to 1 September. This decision aligns with FIFA's regulations, as the governing body has permitted clubs participating in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup to register new players between 1-10 June and again from 27 June-3 July for the knockout stage.

BRAZIL'S WORLD CUP STRUGGLES: A TEAM IN CRISIS DESPITE QUALIFICATION SECURITY

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Brazil's qualification for the 2026 World Cup is all but certain. With an expanded tournament allowing six South American teams to qualify automatically, they hold a six-point cushion over Venezuela, who recently broke a 10-game winless streak. With four matches remaining, their spot is not in doubt—but that's hardly the issue.