Europe

ZAGREB - Striker Bruno Petković is expected to fill Mario Mandžukić's big boots at Euro 2020 as Croatia aim to reach the last 16 at the June 11-July 11 tournament, coach Zlatko Dalić said as he named his 26-man squad on Monday.

Mandžukić, who scored an extra time winner in a 2-1 victory over England in their 2018 World Cup semifinal, is one of several stalwarts who hung up their international boots after Croatia were beaten by France 4-2 in the final.

BRUSSELS - Belgium’s Axel Witsel was included in the squad for next month’s European Championship with coach Roberto Martínez gambling the influential midfielder will be fit in time for the tournament.

Witsel, 32, had surgery on an Achilles tendon injury suffered with Borussia Dortmund in January and has not played since but has been a key part of Belgium's lineup, winning the last of his 110 caps against England last November.

“Witsel is recovering well and working really hard to be completely fit and is ahead of his recovery schedule," Martínez told reporters on Monday.

Playing in its first UEFA Women’s Champions League Final, Chelsea was embarrassed by Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Sunday evening, 4-0.

Barcelona had advanced to the 2019 final before getting crushed by four first-half goals from Lyon, but the Blaugrana accomplished the same feat against the Blues to capture the club’s first-ever UCL title on the women’s side.

Matchday 37 of Europe’s best title race arrived on Sunday with the added spice of simultaneous kickoffs across Spain. At the Wanda in Madrid, leader Atlético welcomed 11th-place Osasuna. In Bilbao, second-place Real Madrid accepted the challenge of ninth-place Athletic Club. At the Camp Nou, Barcelona said hello to eighth-place Celta Vigo.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker scored in the fifth minute of stoppage-time as Liverpool snatched a 2-1 victory at the death against relegated West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Sunday.

Alisson headed home from a corner to secure what could be a precious three points for Liverpool in their bid to qualify for the Champions League next season.

IN STOPPAGE TIME! ALISSON SCORES THE WINNER! pic.twitter.com/e78RHNlEc0

All the answers for when is Champions League Final 2021 date, time, USA TV channel, streaming options, teams, potential starting lineups and even a prediction. It’s the 66th edition of Europe’s premier club competition, and this year sees Premier League champion Manchester City take on defeated FA Cup finalist Chelsea in the showpiece event.

ISTANBUL - Beşiktaş seized the Turkish Süper Lig title for the 16th time on Saturday with a 2-1 win away to Göztepe, clinching the title on goal difference ahead of their Istanbul rivals Galatasaray in a tense end to the season.

The win lifted Beşiktaş to 84 points, level with Galatasaray who beat Yeni Malatyaspor 3-1. Beşiktaş's goal difference of 45 was one better than their rivals. Third-placed Fenerbahçe ended on 82 points.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has told his players he will leave the LaLiga club at the end of the season, Spanish media reported late on Saturday.

Radio station Onda Cero said Zidane informed the players about his decision before last weekend's 2-2 LaLiga draw at home with Sevilla where Real missed the chance to top the table.

Newspaper Marca said he addressed the team on May 8, a day before that game.

After putting three past RB Leipzig in Bundesliga action last weekend, Borussia Dortmund managed that feat again in the 2021 DFB-Pokal Final on Thursday, except they did it in just 45 rip-roaring minutes at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. 

But just like the league match, Leipzig gave Dortmund everything it could handle in the second half.