Author: News Desk

The Champions League knockout play-off begins on Tuesday night, with 16 teams battling to join the already qualified eight sides in the next round. The revamped format has seen the top eight in the group stage head straight into the last 16 of the competition. Meanwhile the sides who finished 9-24 in the group stage now have to scrap it out over two-legged play-offs to join them in the last 16. Three of the four Premier League clubs managed a top eight finish, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa impressing, but Manchester City must face Real Madrid in the play-off.…

Pep not sure unstable City can beat Real The back page of The Times features an image of Erling Haaland ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Real Madrid. Boss Pep Guardiola has admitted he’s not sure if his City team – in their worst season under his reign – can beat Real Madrid. City have struggled in all competitions this year, currently in fifth in the Premier League table and having struggled to qualify for the Champions League.

All blacks sue Ratcliffe’s Ineos The back page of the Daily Telegraph reports New Zealand rugby – dubbed the All Blacks – are suing the co-owners of Man Utd, accusing Jim Ratcliffe’s company Ineos of breaching their lucrative sponsorship deal. City boss Pep Guardiola is featured on the front page ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Madrid. Pep has expressed he’s unsure how his team will play as his season continues to go from bad to worse.

Pep’s City give me nightmares! The Daily Mail’s back page also previews the upcoming City vs Real Madrid match. Madrid boss Ancelotti has said Manchester City are his team’s biggest rival.’ Madrid head to City tonight for the first leg of the Champions League knockout round. Arsenal’s Saka is pictured on the front page as he is back training with the Gunners following a period of injury.

Man City v Real Madrid – Real in our sights The back page of the Daily Mirror picks up on comments from Man City player Ruben Dias ahead of City’s clash with Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout round (first leg at the Etihad). Plymouth – who shockingly knocked out Liverpool in the FA Cup – will face City in the next round.

Retail chiefs warn perfect storm of taxes hitting jobs CITY AM says a heavyweight group of retailers has warned the Treasury that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk in the retail sector due to unsustainable cost hikes this year. It’s the latest in a long string of warnings from the retail sector, which has been vocal about the coming damage to jobs and investment on the British high street.

Job losses will restrain price pressures, says BoE rate-setter The FT says companies will struggle to raise prices this year as consumers are hit by job losses and spending softens, according to a Bank of England rate-setter who argues the central bank should have cut interest rates more aggressively last week.

Starmer set to sidestep EU’s tariff war with US The Times says Britain is not expected to join the EU in responding with retaliatory tariffs. The paper says the government is hoping to negotiate an opt-out from the proposed 25 per cent tariffs, which UK Steel described as ‘devastating for the industry’. The Times also reports a second Labour MP has been suspended in relation to the ‘abusive’ text messages. The paper says Oliver Ryan, MP for Burnley was a member of a chat group with the sacked health minister Andrew Gwynne, who posted antisemitic and sexist remarks.

Ceasefire in peril as Hamas halts hostage releases The Independent lends further coverage of the story on its front page. The paper says Hamas is blaming delays in returning Palestinians to northern Gaza as the reason for a halt in freeing the hostages. The paper says Hamas has accused Israel of not allowing aid into the area – as part of the ceasefire agreement. The farmer’s protest in London is pictured on the front page.

Court signoff in assisted dying bill to be scrapped The Guardian reports MPs are considering scrapping the requirement for a high court judge to decide on assisted dying cases, with an expert panel to scrutinise decisions instead. There are concerns this could be a watering down of the safeguards contained in the legislation. King Charles is pictured with Angela Rayner giving her a tour of a housing project in Cornwall.