Manchester United, Tottenham, and Chelsea set for European action tonight
All three Premier League clubs will be in action across Europe this evening, each aiming to advance to the next stage of their respective competitions.
Manchester United and Tottenham are set to play the second legs of their Europa League last-16 ties, facing Real Sociedad and AZ Alkmaar, respectively. Meanwhile, Chelsea will take on Copenhagen in the last-16 of the Conference League.
Both United and Spurs are hoping to secure a Champions League spot by winning the Europa League, while Chelsea head into the Conference League as strong favorites to lift the trophy in its fourth edition.
Here are some of the top football headlines from the last 24 hours:
Van Dijk hits out at “liars”
Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool captain, is widely seen as the most likely among the club’s soon-to-be out-of-contract stars to sign a new deal, but he remains tight-lipped about his future. Amid ongoing speculation, Van Dijk has firmly dismissed reports suggesting he has already agreed to stay — calling out the “liars” spreading false claims.
Speaking after Liverpool’s Champions League exit to PSG, the 33-year-old said: “I have no idea [about my future], honestly. Talks aren’t on hold, nothing is on hold. There are still 10 games left, and that’s where my focus is. If there’s news, you’ll hear it. I don’t even know myself what will happen next season. Anyone who says they do know is lying to your face.”
His comments come as fellow stars Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold also face uncertainty over their futures, with Salah no closer to renewing his contract and Alexander-Arnold heavily linked to Real Madrid.
Amorim’s challenge to Manchester United players
Ahead of Manchester United’s decisive second-leg clash with Real Sociedad, head coach Ruben Amorim has urged his players to prove Sir Jim Ratcliffe wrong.
Following Ratcliffe’s recent remarks criticizing some players as “overpaid and not good enough,” Amorim acknowledged that “everyone is underperforming” and emphasized the need to shift public perception.
With United sitting 14th in the Premier League, Amorim, who is set to have Mason Mount back from injury soon, added: “The goal is to change his mind and change the minds of everyone watching.”