Thursday, May 21Thursday, May 21Premier League Title Race and Manchester City Manchester City closed the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to two points after a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace, with both teams having played 36 games. Phil Foden was instrumental in the win, which kept City’s title hopes alive. Pep Guardiola fielded a rotated squad, resting key players like Erling Haaland and Jérémy Doku, citing fixture congestion—including an upcoming FA Cup final against Chelsea and a league match at Bournemouth. Guardiola emphasized the need for his team to improve regardless of refereeing decisions, referencing past VAR controversies .
PSG’s Ligue 1 Title Win Paris Saint-Germain secured their fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title and 14th overall after a 2-0 victory at Lens. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the 29th minute, with Ibrahim Mbaye adding a stoppage-time goal to seal the win. PSG finished on 76 points, nine ahead of second-placed Lens, ensuring the title with one game remaining .
Scottish Premiership Playoff Implications The Scottish Premiership title race intensified as Hearts and Celtic remained locked in a tight battle. Hearts defeated Falkirk 3-0, but their hopes of clinching the title on the same night were dashed when Celtic secured a dramatic 3-2 comeback win at Motherwell, thanks to a controversial 96th-minute VAR-awarded penalty converted by Kelechi Iheanacho. The result left Hearts one point ahead of Celtic with one game to play, setting up a decisive final-day showdown at Celtic Park. Hearts manager Derek McInnes criticized the late penalty decision as "disgusting," while the club now faces the challenge of breaking a 66-year title drought against a dominant Celtic side .
Ligue 1: PSG crowned French champions after win at Lens Paris Saint-Germain officially secured the 14th French league title in their history after a 2-0 win away at Lens. The Parisians were pushed hard by their closest rivals but made the difference through goals from Kvaratskhelia (29) and Mbaye in extra time (90+3). The result seals a fifth consecutive league title for the Paris club with one game still remaining.
france24 · 7 days ago
Disgusting: Hearts see off Falkirk but McInnes fumes as late Celtic penalty tilts title race Hearts players and supporters had this much in common; they did not have a clue how to act or react. For eight minutes, with this game already at an end, the scene promised to be a euphoric one. Hearts, having swept Falkirk aside, were staring at the prospect of travelling to Celtic Park on Saturday needing only to avoid a three-goal defeat to win the league.A twist lay in store. Deep in stoppage time at Motherwell, the controversial awarding of a penalty to Celtic and subsequent conversion materially altered the Hearts position. The whiff of cordite has been added to the mix. Derek McInnes, the Hearts manager, was so enraged by the Celtic call as to label it disgusting. He added: I heard there was a 96th-minute penalty. I didnt need to ask who for. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Man City beat Palace to close gap with Arsenal to 2, with two games to play Manchester City overcome Crystal Palace 3-0 to cut Arsenals Premier League lead to two points as season finale looms.
aljazeera · 7 days ago
European football: Kvaratskhelia powers PSG to Ligue 1 title at Lens Georgian opens the scoring as PSG beat rivals 2-0Inter victorious over Lazio in Coppa Italia finalParis Saint-Germain secured a fifth successive Ligue 1 title by beating their nearest challengers, Lens, 2-0 in their penultimate match of the league season on Wednesday.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored after 29 minutes and the substitute Ibrahim Mbaye grabbed a stoppage-time goal to put PSG on 76 points, out of the reach of Lens, who are assured of second place on 67 points. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Hearts 3-0 Falkirk, Motherwell 2-3 Celtic: Scottish Premiership – as it happened Hearts beat Falkirk while a controversial VAR-assisted penalty decision deep into stoppage time helped Celtic match them at Motherwell2 mins: And another one! Hearts are a bit of a mess at the moment, and Schwolow spills, or doesnt even attempt to catch, two crosses in about 15 seconds before the ball is booted behind.2 mins: Falkirk have started on the front foot, and Broggio has won his side a corner. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Iheanachos late VAR penalty hands Celtic a dramatic comeback victory at Motherwell Kelechi Iheanacho scored a penalty winner nine minutes into stoppage time after a video review, boosting Celtics Premiership defence thanks to a comeback win at Motherwell as the most dramatic title race in decades took another sensational twist.Iheanacho slotted in a spot-kick after the former Hearts midfielder Sam Nicholson was penalised for handball after jumping to head the ball away. The ball appeared to hit his raised hand right in front of his head. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Hearts see off Falkirk but Celtics late show sets up final-day title showdown Last summer, had anyone carrying a magic lamp offered supporters of Hearts the prospect of claiming a point on the final day of the season to win Scotlands Premiership the response would have been emphatic. Hearts have not been champions since 1960. Old Firm dominance of has lasted four decades. Breaking both moulds had been portrayed as fanciful.Being placed in that exact scenario will give palpitations to those in maroon between now and Saturday. Hearts will travel to Celtic Park with their fate in their own hands but in opposition to a dominant club, for whom domestic success comes as second nature. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Foden inspires Manchester Citys win against Crystal Palace to close gap at top No Erling Haaland, no Rayan Cherki and no Jérémy Doku from the start. The result: a canter to victory against Crystal Palace that takes Manchester City back to within two points of Arsenal with each having played 36 games.The good news for Pep Guardiola is that a much-changed team did the business, with Phil Foden once again displaying the magic that can make him a force. The poorer tidings are that Arsenal host Burnley on Monday and the chances of them dropping points to the relegated visitors appear slim to say the least. By then City may be FA Cup holders or losing finalists on Saturday to Chelsea at Wembley. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
![Manchester City 3-0 Crystal Palace: Premier League – live reaction ⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off at the Etihad⚽ Scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail MichaelWow! Pep leaving his three best attackers on the bench! writes Justin Kavanagh. Hes definitely choosing tails in that title coin-flip tonight.Pep Guardiola explains his team selection to Sky Sports:There is a risk in making changes but the manager is here to take the risk. We have to take it. People may not believe me but I trust my players. In three days we have to travel to London, its always a long trip, while Chelsea do not have to travel. Then we immediately have to travel to Bournemouth [for next Tuesdays game], one of the top-form teams, so everyone has to play these three games. The Premier League is so complicated. If those games were five or six days later, maybe the situation would have been different. Continue reading...](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/409582296a8f3fe5ed4f95fc6f43b57536371373/193_0_2472_1977/master/2472.jpg?width=140&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=14fb9cd833f613d381ef62409e868e77)
Manchester City 3-0 Crystal Palace: Premier League – live reaction ⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off at the Etihad⚽ Scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail MichaelWow! Pep leaving his three best attackers on the bench! writes Justin Kavanagh. Hes definitely choosing tails in that title coin-flip tonight.Pep Guardiola explains his team selection to Sky Sports:There is a risk in making changes but the manager is here to take the risk. We have to take it. People may not believe me but I trust my players. In three days we have to travel to London, its always a long trip, while Chelsea do not have to travel. Then we immediately have to travel to Bournemouth [for next Tuesdays game], one of the top-form teams, so everyone has to play these three games. The Premier League is so complicated. If those games were five or six days later, maybe the situation would have been different. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Dinamo Beats Rijeka to Win SuperSport Croatian Cup Dinamo Zagreb won the SuperSport Croatian Cup with a 2–0 victory against Rijeka at Opus Arena in Osijek, with both goals scored by Luka Stojković. Mario Kovačevićs side completed a domestic double this season after already winning the league title. It marks Dinamos 18th Croatian Cup triumph since Croatian independence. The final was overshadowed before ... Read more The post Dinamo Beats Rijeka to Win SuperSport Croatian Cup appeared first on Total Croatia.
total croatia news · 7 days ago
![Manchester City v Crystal Palace: Premier League – live ⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off at the Etihad⚽ Scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail MichaelHeres what Pep Guardiola had to say before tonights match.We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didnt do their jobs they should do, even the VAR. When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR.I never trust anything since I arrived [at City] a long time ago. Always I learned you have do it better – be in a position to do it better because [if not] you blame yourself with what you have to do, because [VAR] is a flip of a coin. You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us. Continue reading...](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2800572a6e9328aa466d70c63c56619950d2370c/646_0_3213_2571/master/3213.jpg?width=140&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=4b77da7ade39070144e0062216a035b1)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace: Premier League – live ⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off at the Etihad⚽ Scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail MichaelHeres what Pep Guardiola had to say before tonights match.We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didnt do their jobs they should do, even the VAR. When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR.I never trust anything since I arrived [at City] a long time ago. Always I learned you have do it better – be in a position to do it better because [if not] you blame yourself with what you have to do, because [VAR] is a flip of a coin. You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago
Hearts v Falkirk, Motherwell v Celtic: Scottish Premiership – live ⚽ Updates on a crucial night in the Scottish Premiership⚽ Live scores | Table | Read Football Daily | Mail SimonHello world! Well, arent these extraordinary times? So gripping has the Scottish Premiership title race become, not even the Guardian can ignore it! And tonight it might even be decided: league leaders Hearts host Falkirk while Celtic, just one point behind with two to play and coming into the game on the back of five successive league wins, head to Motherwell. Victory for one and defeat to the other (so long as the one doing the winning is Hearts) and it will be over.As youre likely to know by now, if it isnt settled tonight itll be decided when the top two face each other on Saturday. Rangers meanwhile host Hibernian tonight: Hibs, currently fifth, could still overtake Motherwell in fourth or be overtaken by Falkirk in sixth, but Rangers will come third whatever they do in their last two matches.Ive just assumed Celtic are going to win their game, Ive had it in my head that were going to the last game and Im prepared for that. Listen, theres no easy games for anybody, nothings straightforward. Motherwell are a more than capable team. They were fully committed against us and Im sure thatll be the same again against Celtic.We have been trying to hold off a couple of heavyweights for a long time now. Weve managed to see off Rangers and weve got to try and see off Celtic over the next two games. I think the facts show were coping brilliantly. Weve already broken a club record in terms of points tally and weve got a Champions League qualifier already secured, but obviously we want to try and go one better now and win the league.It is a sign of shifting attitudes that the fact Hearts could claim the Scottish Premiership title on Wednesday was somewhat lost in analysis of the weekends events. Given Celtics form such a scenario is an unlikely one, but that it exists at all is remarkable: a Hearts win at home to Falkirk, coupled with defeat for Celtic at Motherwell, means the Edinburgh club will become champions for the first time since 1960.Its nice to be able to hear Hearts could win the league at Tynecastle, says their manager, Derek McInnes. I dont know how many people have been able to say that in their lifetime. The likelihood is we are going to have to win two games or certainly pick up four points. In a quirk of history, both of Hearts titles in the 20th century were secured at St Mirrens former Love Street ground. Continue reading...
theguardian · 7 days ago