Borussia Dortmund's 2-0 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain made amends for last season's disappointing Bundesliga finale, coach Edin Terzic said.

Dortmund showed great composure to reach their third Champions League final and first since 2013 after Mats Hummels' second-half goal earned a 1-0 victory on the night in Paris on Tuesday.

Terzic went to the Dortmund fans after the game and said he felt he had to make up for last season's failure to win the Bundesliga title after slipping up on the very last day.

"Last season, we lost the championship at home on the last matchday. I'm happy that we can now give something back to the fans," Terzic said, remembering how Bayern Munich snatched the Bundesliga title from Dortmund on goal difference.

"[Going to the fans] was a very emotional moment, a beautiful moment. We wished it for last season's last matchday. But today we could pay something back, keep them dreaming and now we'll do everything to bring the trophy back home," he said.

PSG hit the woodwork four times but failed to find the net as Kylian Mbappe, widely expected to leave at the end of the season, was a shadow of his usual brilliant self.

Dortmund will now meet either 14-time European champions Real Madrid or their Bundesliga rivals Bayern in the June 1 showdown at Wembley.

"Before the first game against PSV, we talked for the first time about how short the journey to London could be," Terzic said.

"Back then, many were still puzzled. We've grown with every game and eventually realised that we could be the team that surprises everyone in the end. Now I'm very happy to be in the final with my team."

Dortmund have played a roller-coaster Bundesliga season and sit in fifth place with two games left.

"That plays no role," Terzic said. "In 2013 when Dortmund were in the Champions League final they were 25 points behind in the league and in 1997 when they won it they were also not doing well.

"The season had highs and lows but our season is still not finished."

Mats Hummels sees no reason why Borussia Dortmund cannot go on and win the Champions League following their hard-earned semi-final victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

The Black and Yellow are through to the final of Europe's premier club competition for only the third time after sealing a 2-0 aggregate over the reigning Ligue 1 champions, who struck the woodwork six times across both legs.

After Niclas Fullkrug settled last week's first leg at Signal Iduna Park, Hummels' second-half header was the difference in the return at Parc des Princes, where Edin Terzic's side produced another defensive masterclass as they claimed their sixth clean sheet in this season's competition. 

Dortmund, who lifted the trophy 27 years ago, will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final at Wembley on June 1, and Hummels is confident he and his team-mates can go all the way.

"I've scored far too few Champions League goals in my career, just five," he told DAZN via Uefa.com. "Now is a good time to add to that number.

"Since the second match of the group stage, we've believed that we could prevail in every game - and I don't see why we shouldn't win at Wembley now.

"We remained active today and were able to take so much pace out of the game and atmosphere out of the stadium. That was our recipe for success today."

Hummels was part of the Dortmund side beaten 2-1 by Bayern in their most recent Champions League final appearance in 2013, along with Marco Reus.

The veteran midfielder announced last week that he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, and is thrilled to have one more crack at landing the biggest trophy in European club football. 

"[It is] indescribable," he told DAZN. "After more than 10 years, I am in the final with Borussia again. Ousmane [Dembele] and Achraf [Hakimi] brought a tremendous amount of pace, and we suffered a lot.

"How we won the game, no-one will ask tomorrow. Shots against the post won’t matter tomorrow. What counts is that Borussia Dortmund are in the final again. Nobody expected this. It's just incredible."

Meanwhile Terzic, who saw his side surrender the Bundesliga title on the final day of last season, saluted the strides his players have made as the competition has progressed.

"Before the first game against PSV [in the round of 16], we talked for the first time about how short the journey to London could be," he said. "Back then, many were still puzzled. Last season, we lost the championship at home on the last matchday.

"I'm happy that we can now give something back to the fans. We've grown with every game and eventually realised that we could be the team that surprises everyone in the end. Now, I'm very happy to be in the final with my team."

Marquinhos believes Paris Saint-Germain paid for their profligacy after suffering Champions League semi-final heartbreak against Borussia Dortmund.

Mats Hummels' second-half header from a Julian Brandt corner - the only goal at Parc des Princes - wrapped up a 2-0 aggregate victory for the Bundesliga side, who advanced to their third final and first since 2013.

Meanwhile, PSG's wait to land the elusive European crown goes on, despite a whopping 44 shots across the two legs, while they also struck the woodwork on six occasions - their overall tally of 14 the most recorded by a team during a single campaign.

Indeed, Luis Enrique's side failed to find the net in a home match for the first time since their 0-0 draw with Lorient in their first Ligue 1 match of the season, as their hopes of completing the treble vanished for another year.

"We lacked efficiency," Marquinhos told Canal+. "They scored two goals from corners and a through ball that we had worked on. We had to defend better. These are small details.

"We created chances, a lot more than them. We weren't efficient. They were efficient, they scored two goals and won both matches."

But despite the disappointment, the PSG skipper urged his team-mates to focus on the positives from their run to the semi-finals.

They recovered from a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United to finish second behind Dortmund in Group F, before overturning a 4-2 aggregate deficit to deny Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

"There are a lot of things to take away from this competition," Marquinhos added. "At the beginning of the season, no one believed that we would get this far. We've overcome a lot of obstacles, we shouldn't throw everything away now just because we're eliminated.

"You have to remember that it's a new team, with a new coach. There are some positives to bring back for next season. We wanted to go to Wembley for the fans and our families.

"You have to stay calm after the elimination. It's very hard. We've come very close. We had to win tonight and be more efficient."

Mats Hummels was Borussia Dortmund's hero on Tuesday, as his goal sent the Bundesliga side into the Champions League final.

Hummels' second-half header was the difference as BVB won 1-0 on the night against Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital, and a 2-0 win on aggregate.

The average age of PSG's starting XI was 24 years and 157 days, which was the youngest starting XI to be named in a Champions League semi-final since Arsenal in May 2009.

Yet it was a veteran campaigner in Hummels who was decisive.

His excellent header was the centre-back's first goal in the Champions League for Dortmund since February 2013.

At the age of 35 years and 143 days, Hummels became the third oldest player to score a Champions League semi-final goal, after Ryan Giggs in 2010-11 (37y 148d) and Edin Dzeko last season (37y 54d).

It was only his fifth goal in the competition, and Hummels' first in 42 games, since he netted for Bayern Munich against Ajax in October 2018.

PSG will ultimately rue the fine margins as their Champions League curse continues.

Kylian Mbappe had five shots, but could not wield his usual influence on proceedings, other than when he hit the crossbar - one of four PSG attempts that struck the woodwork.

Indeed, PSG hit the frame of the goal 14 times throughout their campaign. This is the most on record (since 2003-04) by any team in a single season. Six of these came in this tie.

PSG amassed 3.2 expected goals. This was just the fourth Champions League game on record (since 2010-11) in which a team managed at least 3.0 xG but has failed to score.

This is just the second time a team has won both legs of a Champions League semi-final tie by a 1-0 scoreline – Dortmund were also the other occasion, against Manchester United in 1996-97.

Dortmund have now reached the Champions League final for the third time. The last time they did so was also the last time the showpiece was played at Wembley Stadium (2013), when they lost to Bayern, who they could yet meet again this time around.

Borussia Dortmund reached their third Champions League final after Mats Hummels' second-half goal earned a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg, BVB came up with the goods at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday to seal a 2-0 aggregate victory.

Hummels headed home from a corner five minutes into the second half to send the German team, who won the title in 1997, into their first final in Europe's top club competition since 2013.

PSG hit the woodwork four times but failed to find the net as Kylian Mbappe, who is widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season, was a shadow of his usual brilliant self.

Dortmund will meet either 14-time champions Real Madrid or their Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich, who clash at the Bernabeu on Wednesday after a 2-2 draw in the first leg, in the final.

That showpiece match will take place at Wembley on June 1. The last time the final was played in London was back in 2013, when BVB, coached by Jurgen Klopp, lost to Bayern.

Jamaica’s Under-17 men's Head coach Altimont Butler and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Shawn Cooper, took heart from their teams’ performances in the recent two-match friendly series, as they welcomed the early preparations for next year’s World Cup qualifiers.

The teams shared the series one win apiece, as Trinidad and Tobago won the first encounter 1-0, before the Jamaicans replied with a 2-1 victory in the second contest at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence last weekend.

Both Butler and Cooper believe their objectives for this, the early stages of their preparations, were met as both anticipate significant improvements along the way in their build up to the 2025 Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championships, which will serve as the qualifier to that age group’s World Cup in Qatar, also scheduled for next year.

“The objective was to see how we could connect as a group. It wasn’t about the results as we are still trying to learn the characteristics of the players. It was good for me to see them in an international game, and I think we can get it together soon,” Butler said.

Earlier this year, FIFA, announced that the Under-17 World Cup will be expanded from 24 to 48 teams, this Butler said increases their chances of making the final cut for the global showpiece, as he is expecting to unearth some talented overseas-based players to strengthen the team.

“That means more spots for Concacaf, and that gives us even a greater opportunity to qualify for the next World Cup. However, in order to qualify, we have to fix a few things,” he noted.

For Cooper, not losing the series away was a positive in and of itself, as it represents a solid platform on which his young Soca Warriors outfit can build going forward.

“For me, leaving here one-all in the series, I think I am on top. We took the first rubber. They had to come hard to equalise, so we are leaving Jamaica with our heads held high. It is always beneficial in playing Jamaica. This game was played like a proper international game and not like a training game or a friendly. Some of our guys saw what it takes to play at the international level and it is all well for their development,” Copper shared.

“We are hoping to go foreign and see what guys we have that can fill in. We have a number of guys at Inter Miami who played against Olympic Lyon, so we have about three of them. We are looking to broaden our horizons so that when we go back to Trinidad, with the exposure these guys have, it will only do well for us in going forward,” he added.

Thomas Tuchel wants his Bayern Munich side to rediscover their inner child when they take on Real Madrid on Wednesday.

After last week's 2-2 draw in Munich, Bayern will have to beat Madrid in their own back yard if they are to reach the Champions League final at Wembley.

With Bayer Leverkusen ending Bayern's 11-year Bundesliga dominance by securing the league title last month, the six-time European Cup winners have only one trophy left to fight for this season.

Tuchel spent several minutes talking to his players in an empty Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday and said that he told them they needed to find extra motivation within themselves.

"It is important to connect with your own inner child. When we were little we played these games in the garden. So now we are here and that's our chance to make it true," he told reporters.

"I think both teams have to endure defending and suffering when their opponents have the ball. It is extremely difficult to steal the ball from Real Madrid. Both teams are very, very strong in the transition game. It gets very complex. You need luck and precision. Then everything is possible at this stage."

Bayern were undone by Vinicius Junior's double in the first leg, with the Brazil forward scoring either side of efforts from Leroy Sane and Harry Kane.

However, Opta's win predictor has Madrid as 48.5 per cent favourites to claim the victory they need to progress.

Madrid, the record 14-time European champions, have an aura in the competition, but Tuchel said the Spaniards' record holds no fear for his side.

"Bayern are also one of the most successful and dominant clubs in the world and we have an obligation to do our best when we step on the pitch tomorrow," he said.

"You don't talk about myths, that would make it harder for us. It is already one of the toughest stadiums to win but not impossible. We are not here to enjoy the moment."

Bayern reached the Champions League's last four for the first time since winning the competition in 2020, while Madrid last lifted the trophy in 2022 with an amazing run of comeback wins at home to reach the final.

Carlo Ancelotti's team are bidding to win their sixth Champions League title in 10 years, having clinched a record-extending 36th LaLiga crown on Saturday.

The Bavarians, however, have endured a disappointing domestic run and Tuchel will exit at the end of the season.

"Real Madrid are an amazing team but we need to be confident in ourselves and help each other, we can't be stuck or afraid. We need to make something positive from the pressure," Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said.

"Against a team like Real Madrid, it's the little things that matter. Nobody wants to make a mistake because both teams have very good offensive power."

Everton shareholders have urged Farhad Moshiri and the Premier League to make a decision on the future of the club.

The Toffees, who have been hit with two separate points deductions this season due to previous financial discrepancies, secured their Premier League status in April by beating Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Brentford in the space of six days.

However, Everton remain in turmoil off the pitch, with majority shareholder Moshiri wanting out. He is aiming to sell the club to 777 Partners, a Miami-based investment firm that has stakes in several other clubs, including Genoa and Standard Liege.

There is no lack of controversy surrounding 777, though, and their co-founders Josh Wander and Steve Pasko.

It has been close to eight months since Moshiri confirmed his intention to sell his 94.1 per cent stake in Everton to 777, but so far the group has been unable to pass the Premier League's Owners' and Directors test.

While 777 has pumped over £200million into Everton to fund the day-to-day running of the club, it has now the subject of multiple lawsuits.

One of these lawsuits is by Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP and Leadenhall Life Insurance Linked Investments Fund plc, in New York.

Leadenhall claims Pasko and Wander "are operating a giant shell game at best, and an outright Ponzi scheme at worst".

On Tuesday, Everton's shareholders released a statement condemning the situation.

The statement read: "We are the oldest shareholders’ association in the world and are dismayed by the lack of respect being shown to our football club by the largest shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, and the Premier League during what seems a never-ending change of ownership process.

"We have observed with concern and frustration as it became increasingly clear that a fit-for-purpose process cannot possibly take this long as the Premier League continues to demonstrate their inability to regulate.

"In the absence of the Premier League ­making a timely decision we insist that the Everton board, and Farhad Moshiri in particular, stop this ­damaging process now and ­recognise that 777 Partners are not at this time fit-and-proper ­­prospective ­owners of Everton Football Club.

"The ­powers that be are being ­disrespectful to our fellow ­shareholders, our ­fantastic ­worldwide fanbase and football as a whole by continuing to allow this farce to continue. We demand a ­decision and we demand it now."

Everton face Sheffield United on Saturday before rounding out their season with a trip to Arsenal.

Hull City have parted company with head coach Liam Rosenior with immediate effect.

Rosenior departs the MKM Stadium after 18 months in charge of the Tigers, who narrowly missed out on the Championship playoffs this season.

Hull were one point above the relegation zone when the former Derby County assistant succeeded Shota Arveladze in November 2022, but he guided them to safety in 15th place.

Rosenior signed a new three-year deal in December and oversaw just one defeat in Hull’s last seven games of this season, in which they finished seventh and just three points behind sixth-place Norwich City.

"This has been the most difficult decision I have had to make as chairman of this wonderful football club," said chairman and owner Acun Ilicali.

"Since Liam’s arrival, we have enjoyed an open working relationship and progress has undoubtedly been made over the course of his tenure. He will always be a part of this family and I thank him for all his work.

"However, it has become evident that our visions for the future are not aligned, and I feel that now is the time to make a change. I know what this football club can achieve, and we will not stop in the pursuit of that.

"We have worked hard over the last two years to develop our squad. We now have many highly talented players at our disposal, and we will continue to invest and improve our playing personnel to give this club and its fans the success they deserve."

Carlo Ancelotti believes Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich may come too soon for Thibaut Courtois following his recent return from injury.

The Belgium goalkeeper has missed the entire season due to a knee ligament injury, and required a further operation following a setback in March.

Courtois, who has been ruled out of Euro 2024 by Red Devils head coach Domenico Tedesco, made his first appearance of the campaign against Cadiz on Saturday, with the 31-year-old keeping a clean sheet in Madrid's 3-0 victory.

While he has been named in Madrid's matchday squad for the visit of Bayern, with whom they are locked at 2-2 in their gripping last-four tie, Ancelotti hinted he is likely to restore Andriy Lunin between the sticks.

"After such a big injury, you can’t change the plan because of a great performance," the Italian said during his pre-match press conference.

"Courtois needs time now to get to his best. He had a great game, with security and confidence, against Cadiz, but he has to get to his best."

Ancelotti also played down speculation of a rift between Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, after the England team-mates appeared to exchange words as the Bayern striker prepared to take a penalty during last week's first leg.

"Jude is a fantastic guy, he respects everybody, and he has a great relationship with Harry Kane," the Madrid head coach added. "There are no problems."

Thiago Silva will return to his boyhood club Fluminense when he leaves Chelsea at the end of the season, the Blues have announced. 

Silva joined Chelsea from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and has made 152 appearances for the club, helping them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.

The 39-year-old confirmed last month that he would leave upon the expiration of his contract in June, pledging to return "in another role" when his playing days are over.

However, that will not be for some time as the centre-back has agreed a two-year contract with Fluminense, who he first joined as a 14-year-old in 1998.

Initially finding opportunities hard to come by with the Rio de Janeiro giants, he had spells with Pedrabranca, Juventude and Dynamo Moscow before returning to Fluminense – initially on loan – in 2006.

He made his name with the club before joining Milan in a €10million deal in 2009, with that move kickstarting the defender's glittering career in European football.

Silva announced he was returning to Brazil on Instagram, posting an image of himself in a Fluminense shirt alongside the caption: "I'm coming home".

Chelsea said Silva will be allowed to train with Fluminense as soon as the Premier League season is over, before becoming eligible to represent the Brazilian side on July 1.

It was feared Silva may already have played his final game for Chelsea when he suffered a groin injury during their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa last month, but he was named in the starting lineup as they thrashed West Ham 5-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Silva has started 26 Premier League games for Chelsea this campaign, with the Blues conceding an average of 1.6 goals per game with him in their lineup, compared to two goals per match without him. 

Carlo Ancelotti says Real Madrid must play with greater intensity if they are to keep their hopes of a record-extending 15th European title alive, with their Champions League semi-final tie against Bayern Munich in the balance ahead of Wednesday's second leg.

Madrid were crowned champions of LaLiga with four matches to spare on Saturday, beating Cadiz 3-0 before watching their closest rivals Barcelona slip to a 4-2 defeat against Girona.

However, that success has not stopped Ancelotti from being critical of Madrid's performance in last week's first leg against Bayern, a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena.

He has warned his players that they cannot afford another subpar performance if they want to contest the final at Wembley Stadium on June 1.

"We need a match with intensity, with pace... Looking at the first leg, defensively we could have done a lot more," Ancelotti said at Tuesday's pre-match press conference.

Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern's 11-year Bundesliga reign by securing the league crown last month, but Ancelotti says that will only boost Bayern's motivation as they chase a seventh European title.

"We are similar clubs because they have a great history and a lot of success," Ancelotti said. "We have to respect our opponents because they did very well and were better than us in the first leg.

"We are very excited because it could be another magical night for us, but there is no optimism. We are aware of the difficulties that we are going to face."

Defender Dani Carvajal, who has already lifted the Champions League trophy five times with Los Blancos, believes the squad are brimming with confidence after going unbeaten through their last 42 games (excluding extra time).

He joked Ancelotti was "getting more and more fearful" each season but praised his coach's role in keeping the players focused on the task at hand. 

"There is euphoria because we are having a great year," Carvajal said.

"We are all very excited about the European Cup. We know it in the dressing room. In the street the fans congratulate us and give us a lot of encouragement to dream of winning it again.

"We are two games away from winning the Champions League. Ancelotti has kept our eyes open and we have all added up. That's what counts for us to achieve our objectives."

Manchester United are keen to sell Mason Greenwood in the upcoming transfer window and could field interest from Barcelona, according to Getafe president Angel Torres.

Greenwood joined Getafe on a season-long loan deal in September and has scored eight goals and added six assists in 29 appearances in LaLiga in 2023-24.

Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 and was later charged with attempted rape and assault, with all charges against him dropped in February 2023.

United then conducted a six-month internal investigation into his conduct and said they recognised "the difficulties with him recommencing his career" with the club.

In February, speculation that Greenwood could yet return to Old Trafford was heightened when new minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe said a "fresh decision" would be made on his future at the end of the season.

However, Getafe chief Torres claims the Red Devils are now keen to cash in on a player he hopes to keep at the Estadio Coliseum.

"If it depended on the player, his parents and the club, I think he would continue for another year," Torres said of Greenwood in an interview with RadioMARCA on Tuesday.

"Manchester United's idea is to sell if there is a good offer, we will have to wait. I think he will stay."

Reports had suggested both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were considering a move for Greenwood, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract with United.

Torres claims Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco have been in touch about the 22-year-old, adding: "No one from Atleti has asked me about Greenwood. 

"I spoke with [Atleti president] Miguel Angel [Gil Marin], but about other things. The only one who asked me about the player was Joan Laporta.

"I spoke with him and Deco and they asked me what he was like to get a sense of the player, but first they have to sell to buy, this is the problem with Spanish football."

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are set to cross swords in the group stages of this year’s fourth edition of the Concacaf Nations League, as both were drawn in Group B of League A for the 2024/25 campaign which is scheduled to kick off in September.

This year’s Concacaf Nations League will again be contested in a three-league format –Leagues A, B and C –and will see the Confederation’s 41 senior men’s national teams doing battle during the FIFA match windows of September, October, and November 2024. The semi-finals and finals of the tournament, which serves as the qualifiers for next summer’s 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, are scheduled for March 2025.

The teams have been grouped across the respective Leagues based on their results from the 2023/24 staging. The Reggae Boyz and their Soca Warriors counterparts, who contested the business end of the competition for the first time in that campaign, will be hoping to do so again on this occasion.

They are among 12 teams, split in two groups of six teams each to contest League A in a “Swiss style” league system, with each team playing a total of four games (two at home and two away).

Jamaica, last edition’s semi-finalist, and Trinidad and Tobago, who made the quarterfinals, are drawn alongside Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua, and French Guiana, while Group A comprises, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Suriname, and Guyana.

After group stage play in September and October, the first and second-place finishers of each group, will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will join the four top-ranked League A teams, Mexico, United States, Panama, and Canada. The quarterfinals will be played in a home-and-away format, with the winner of each fixture, on aggregate, set to secure a berth in next year’s Finals.

Meanwhile, League B will feature 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams. Each team will play every team in its group twice. The groups were drawn as follows:
 
Group A -El Salvador, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Bonaire

Group B -Curacao, Saint Lucia, Grenada, and Saint Martin
Group C -Haiti, Puerto Rico, Aruba, and St Maarten
Group D -Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominic 
Matches in each group will be played at a centralized venue instead of the previous home-and-away format, to alleviate travel challenges that Member Associations face.

The third best-ranked teams in each group will host the September matches, the second best-ranked teams will host the October matches, and the best-ranked teams will host the decisive November matches.

Over in League C, which consists of nine teams, divided into three groups of three teams, the format takes a similar shape, where each team will play every team in its group twice.

Group A -Barbados, Bahamas, and US Virgin Islands
Group B -Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Anguilla
Group C-Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, and British Virgin Islands

Where centralized venues are concerned, the second highest-ranked teams in each group will host the September matches, and the highest-ranked teams will host the October matches.

Schedule:

Group Stage: September 2-10, October 7-15, and November 11-19, 2024
Quarterfinals: November 11-19, 2024
Semifinals: March 20, 2025
Final and Third Place Match: March 23, 2025

Nottingham Forest have been unsuccessful in their appeal against a four-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

In March, Forest were deducted four points after admitting to breaching the league's financial rules by overspending by £34.5million over a three-year assessment period ending last season.

Everton have also lost eight points to two separate deductions, having been found to have breached the rules in the period culminating in 2022-23 and the period ending last campaign.

Forest's penalty dropped them into the thick of the relegation battle, with the club saying they were "extremely dismayed by the tone and content" of the Premier League's submissions to an independent commission and pledging to appeal.

Forest argued their lack of recent Premier League history placed them at a disadvantage to other clubs and said the sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham, which went through last September after the end of the assessment period, was within the "spirit" of sustainability.

The club's appeal against their penalty was heard on April 24, but an appeal board decided to uphold the punishment, which was itself more lenient than that requested by the Premier League.

In a statement released on Monday, the Premier League said: "The PSR sanction applied to the assessment period ending in season 2022-23 and was appealed by the club on two grounds. 

"The club argued that the independent commission committed an error in not treating its sale of a high-profile player shortly after the assessment period as a mitigating factor, and that it committed a further error in electing not to suspend some or all of the points deduction it imposed. 

"Each of these grounds was rejected by the appeal board, which found the independent commission was entitled to immediately impose the sanction it did. The four-point deduction will therefore remain in place."

It means Forest stay 17th in the table with 29 points, having pulled three clear of 18th-placed Luton Town by beating already-relegated Sheffield United 3-1 on Saturday.

Nuno Espirito Santo's team face Chelsea and Burnley in their final two games of 2023-24, with Luton likely to need at least four points from meetings with West Ham and Fulham to overhaul them.

Burnley, down in 19th, need to win their last two matches – against Tottenham and Forest – to have any chance of avoiding the drop.