Kyle Walker is set to return as holders Manchester City bid to reach the Champions League semi-finals for a fourth successive year against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The England right-back has missed the treble-winners’ last five matches after suffering a hamstring injury on international duty last month.

Walker played a full part in City’s final training session before they host Spanish giants Real in the second leg of their quarter-final tie at the Etihad Stadium, which will begin with the aggregate score 3-3.

Manager Pep Guardiola said: “He’s been training good. I don’t know if from the beginning or from the bench, but I think he will be with us tomorrow.

“It is incredibly good news for many reasons. You know the physicality is massively important and in football it is how you challenge your opponent. Everyone knows the quality Kyle has.”

Walker did not travel to Spain for last week’s pulsating first-leg draw at the Bernabeu Stadium but was an unused substitute for the 5-1 thrashing of Luton on Saturday.

Team-mate Bernardo Silva has welcomed the potential return of the City skipper.

The midfielder said: “He is very important because we know Kyle has controlled some of the best players in the world and always does a phenomenal job when he plays.

“He’s our captain and he’s a player who, in the last few years, has played against players like Vinicius, (Kylian) Mbappe and Neymar and has defended against them like nobody else.”

Jude Bellingham admitted joining Real Madrid last summer was a “no-brainer”.

The England midfielder opted for the Spanish giants amid interest from a host of Europe’s top clubs after three highly-impressive seasons with Borussia Dortmund.

The 20-year-old Birmingham academy product has hardly looked back since, netting 20 times in an outstanding debut campaign at the Bernabeu Stadium that has catapulted him into the game’s elite.

Bellingham, speaking at a press conference ahead of Real’s Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday, said: “I had good chats with loads of clubs – including Dortmund – and my family were great in helping me chew up that information.

“It’s difficult while you are still in the season to take in the information and process it and still have to play at the weekend or in the Champions League.

“I had conversations with other teams but when Madrid came in it was a no-brainer really. The size of the club, the project, the plan going forward, the chance to play with such amazing players.

“I just jumped at it. That’s why I made my decision.”

Bellingham has no doubt his game has developed considerably since joining Real and he puts a lot of that down to the influence of veteran manager Carlo Ancelotti.

He said: “I think the sign of a good manager is when he can make you believe that you’re a bit better than maybe you thought you were before.

“I think he fills me with that confidence every day, in training and in the game. Not only that, but he’s a top person. He makes you feel comfortable.”

Real are locked in a ferocious battle with holders City to advance to the semi-finals after an enthralling 3-3 draw at the Bernabeu last week.

City are now regarded as the favourites due to their home advantage – and the fact they thrashed Real 4-0 at the same venue last season – but Bellingham is taking no notice of predictions.

He said: “That’s just the impression from the outside, the feeling from everyone else.

“I’m not a gambler and I’ve never been to the bookies, so I don’t know about betting favourites and things like that.

“But I do know that we’re a pretty good team ourselves. They’re the treble winners, they’re an amazing team but we’ve got some brilliant players.

“There’s external noise, but internally, we’re confident.”

Blake Griffin has dunked in an NBA game for the last time.

The six-time All-Star announced his retirement on social media on Tuesday after a 14-year pro career.

The first overall pick of the 2009 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, Griffin missed the entire 2009-10 season with a broken patella in his left knee sustained in the preseason.

He made an immediate impact the following year, however, winning the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year Award, the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest and was named to the first of five consecutive All-Star teams while playing for the Clippers.

A three-time All-NBA Second Team selection and a two-time All-NBA Third Team pick, Griffin made his final All-Star Game appearance in 2019, with the Detroit Pistons.

The 35-year-old spent the 2023-24 season out of basketball as a free agent.

Griffin's best season came in 2013-14, when he finished third in MVP voting with averages of 24.1 points per game, 9.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists to help the Clippers capture the Pacific Division title.

In his final NBA season, Griffin averaged career lows of 4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 41 games for the Boston Celtics in 2022-23.

Though injuries slowed him in recent seasons, Griffin, who also played for the Brooklyn Nets, still averaged 19.0 points per game and 8.0 rebounds in 765 career games.

One of basketball's top dunkers, Griffin may be best remembered for winning the Slam Dunk Contest by dunking the ball after jumping over a parked car on the floor at his home-court in Los Angeles.

Jude Bellingham has demanded football’s authorities – particularly in Spain – do more to combat racism but admitted: “I doubt that will happen.”

The England midfielder’s call came after his Real Madrid team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni was racially abused by a Mallorca supporter after scoring last weekend.

It is the latest of a number of incidents in Spanish football, with another Real player in Vinicius Jr having been a regular victim of offensive chanting and gestures.

Bellingham, speaking to media ahead of Real’s Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday, said: “I think in the games where we go away, in La Liga especially, you almost get so used to it that I wasn’t even aware of the (Tchouameni) incident. I think that’s a massive problem in itself.

“More has got to be done, whether it’s the punishment and how you react to it or how you move proactively to (stop) this kind of thing.

“I think it’s a horrible way for a player to prepare for a game, knowing that they’re probably going to get racially abused. It’s disgusting. It shouldn’t happen.

“The people in power need to do more. No-one deserves that kind of thing.

“It’s definitely a call-out for the people who are in charge to take control. I doubt that will happen.

“It’s going to be something that I imagine we will still have to just deal with going into games. You have just got to play your game and hope that the people look after you, and they’re not doing it well enough at the moment.”

Vinicius broke down in tears at a press conference as he discussed his experiences of racism ahead of Brazil’s recent friendly against Spain in Madrid.

Bellingham expressed sympathy for his colleague.

He said: “I think the blame gets shifted more onto him because of maybe his playing style and the way he likes to express himself and I don’t think that’s fair.

“The game would miss players like Vini if he decided to take a break because of this thing. More needs to be done to support these players.”

Rory McIlroy has dismissed a report that he was on the verge of a shock move to LIV Golf.

London financial paper City AM reported at the weekend that McIlroy, who has been among the staunchest critics of the Saudi-funded breakaway, could be about to jump ship in a deal worth USD850million (£680million).

McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty told the Irish Independent the report was “fake news” and the world number two was asked about the claim ahead of this week’s RBC Heritage.

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy said in an interview with Golf Channel which he subsequently posted on his official account on X, formerly Twitter.

“I’ve never been offered a number from LIV and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV.

“I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

“Doesn’t mean that I judge people that went and played over there, I think one of the things that I’ve realised over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves and who are we to judge them for that?

“But personally for me my future is here on the PGA Tour and it’s never been any different.”

Asked if he knew where the rumour had originated, McIlroy said: “No, no idea.

“Jeez, I think over the last two years there’s been so many rumours of guys… and I think the one thing I’ve realised as well is guys need to keep an open mind and I’m sure there’s been players who are still playing on the PGA Tour that have talked to the guys from LIV and had offers and whatever.

“But I have no idea. It’s never even been a conversation for us and it’s one of those things.

“It’s unfortunate we have to deal with it and this is the state that our game’s in but I’m obviously here today, playing this PGA Tour event and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”

Rafael Nadal made a triumphant return to the match court with victory over Flavio Cobolli in the first round of the Barcelona Open.

The 37-year-old was playing just his second tournament in 15 months after suffering another injury problem in his hip muscle at his comeback event in Brisbane in January.

Nadal only committed to playing at the tournament he has won 12 times on Monday but there was not much rust on display as he eased to a 6-2 6-3 victory over 21-year-old Italian Cobolli in his first match on clay since he won his 14th French Open title in 2022.

Nadal received a hero’s welcome as he strode out onto the court that bears his name and, although there were a few loose forehands in the early stages, the former world number one was too solid for Cobolli.

Cobolli understandably looked nervous and contributed to the scoreline with far too many errors, but a big factor in that was the pressure being exerted from the other end of the court.

A blip came when Nadal, who is set to retire at some point this season, played a poor game to drop serve for the first time in the third game of the second set but he had already broken Cobolli and quickly restored his advantage.

There were some vintage forehands from Nadal in the final stages and he clinched victory when Cobolli netted a final backhand, thrusting his fist into the air.

The home favourite faces a real test next, though, when he takes on in-form fourth seed Alex De Minaur.

Meanwhile, second seed Andrey Rublev destroyed his racket at the end of a 6-4 7-6 (6) defeat by Brandon Nakashima that continued his poor run of form.

Kikkuli ensured a notable family line and famous silks returned to the winner’s enclosure by claiming the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes at Newmarket in promising fashion.

The Harry Charlton colt, who is a half-brother of the great Frankel, shed his maiden tag with a gutsy performance during the seven-furlong contest in the green and pink colours of Juddmonte Farms in the hands of Ryan Moore.

He was placed in midfield for much of the race, where Manhattan Mirage flew into a huge lead but quickly weakened, before Moore found a gap for Kikkuli to power through.

Market leader Creative Story threatened to spoil the party by getting his nose in front at one point, but Kikkuli fought back to regain the lead and prevailed by a neck at 5-2, as he built on his encouraging debut last year with his first success.

“It’s wonderful to have him in the yard, but it comes with a little bit of added pressure. It means a lot to the family and a lot to racing,” Charlton told RacingTV about training Frankel’s half-sibling.

“We were hopeful we would see a similar performance to last year with that finish and I think with that final furlong, we saw that strength come through.

“There’s no immediate plan. Ryan said there is something in there but bide your time, he will be even better next year. No grand plans immediately but Ryan was hopeful we will get there one day.”

Ten Bob Tony (7-1) produced a fine one-length success in the bet365 EBF Conditions Stakes to complete a quickfire double for Ed Walker.

The three-year-old contested the lead with Bold Style on the near rail before the challenger moved two lengths clear. Ten Bob Tony then clawed back the advantage with two furlongs to go, as odds-on favourite Boiling Point made headway to try and dispute.

Roger Varian’s colt got to within half a length of the leading pair before jockey Tom Marquand judged the ride perfectly for Ten Bob Tony to finish strongly.

Walker hinted at a tilt at the Qipco 2000 Guineas, where his charge is now priced at 40-1 from 100-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power.

“He just showed a great attitude there, didn’t he?” Walker said. “Tom gave him a perfect ride and got the fractions right, and he hit the line really well.

“I think it has to be (targeting the 2000 Guineas). First horse for a new owner and the dream’s alive – and I think it has to be if he comes out of it well. He loves the track, so why not?”

Walker’s first triumph of the day came through 20-1 shot Hafeet Alain, who literally got his nose in front when it mattered most to land the Mutasaabeq New For 2024 Handicap.

Jockey Saffie Osborne was off the bridle with three furlongs left as Hafeet Alain swooped to the outside and started to gain on the challengers, getting ahead of Majestic inside the final 200 metres.

He battled gamely to move clear but Dutch Decoy was powering home and was a touch unlucky to be beaten by a nose, with Daysofourlives and Theoryofeverything close behind in third and fourth respectively.

“He’s a star,” Walker said of Hafeet Alain. “Last season, he had a great season and he just loves his racing, he is so game. He’s such a game horse, he’s a legend. A real yard favourite.”

Arran ensured Paul and Oliver Cole remained unbeaten with their juveniles so far this season by claiming the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.

The colt – sired by Havana Grey – grabbed the early lead, which he never relinquished.

He held off a late charge from The Actor to win by a neck at 6-1 for the Coles’ second success with two-year-old runners this campaign. Hallasan, who is by multiple Group One winner Pinatubo and went off as market leader, finished in third.

Hugo Palmer got his first winner on the turf this season as Watcha Matey powered to a two-and-a-quarter-length victory in the JRA Handicap.

The three-year-old was prominent throughout the mile contest and did not panic when the aptly-named Crown Estate hit the front three furlongs out in the Royal colours.

However, that runner quickly weakened, leaving Watcha Matey, The Camden Colt and The Ice Phoenix battling for the lead in the closing stages, before the eventual winner kicked on for a convincing triumph.

Tees Spirit (10-1) ran out a good winner under the guidance of Mia Nicholls in the It’s Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap.

The six-year-old, who had placed just once since his last win in August 2022, established an early lead on the far rail and was three lengths clear by the time they hit the halfway mark in the five-furlong race.

He weakened and drifted inside late on, but still crossed the line one and three-quarter lengths ahead of the strong-finishing Navello.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly unlikely to play when the Milwaukee Bucks open the NBA play-offs.

The Bucks expect to be without Antetokounmpo for the start of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN on Tuesday.

The two-time league MVP will continue to go through treatment on his left calf strain, and the team remains hopeful he'll be able to take the court at some point during the series against the sixth-seeded Pacers.

Game 1 tips off Sunday in Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo missed the final three games of the regular season after he strained his left calf in the third quarter of Milwaukee's 104-91 win over the NBA-best Boston Celtics on April 9.

It was a non-contact injury for Antetokounmpo, who was heading up the court when he awkwardly went down grabbing his left calf.

An MRI later confirmed it was a calf strain.

The eight-time All-Star is coming off another outstanding season, ranking second in the NBA in scoring with an average of 30.4 points per game and sixth in rebounding at 11.5 boards per game.

The Bucks lost two of the final three games of the season with Antetokounmpo injured to slip from second place in the Eastern Conference to the third seed.

On the season, the Bucks went 4-5 in games he missed and 45-28 in games he played.

Making matters even more difficult for Milwaukee is the Pacers went 4-1 against the Bucks in the 2023-24 regular season.

Daryl Jacob will not return to action for the end of the jumps season as he continues to recover from a broken collarbone.

The jockey, who is one of the most experienced in the weighing room, fell along with Henry Daly’s Moon Hunter in late March and incurred the injury.

He has since had to sit out as horses owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, to whom he is a retained rider, have gone on to win in his absence.

That absence will last a little longer than initially thought and Jacob will not be able to return to the saddle before the season is out.

He told sportinglife.com: “Because of the nature of the break, and where it is, I need to go back (to the specialist) again in three weeks.

“The injury is healing but is going to take a little longer than I originally hoped.

“I’ve been working hard in the gym to try and get ready but now I need to have a quiet week and then get going again.

“It’s frustrating but I’m going to give it all the time it needs and will be raring to go once I’ve been given the green light.”

Last season’s Cambridgeshire hero Astro King returns to headquarters to contest the bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.

The seven-year-old enjoyed a hugely productive 2023 campaign for Daniel and Claire Kubler, with a nose defeat in the John Smith’s Cup followed by lucrative wins back at York and on the Rowley Mile.

Astro King has since enjoyed winter trips to the Middle East, running with credit in both the Bahrain International Trophy and the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia, and connections are looking forward to seeing him return to competitive action on home soil.

Claire Kubler said: “It’s obviously the same course and distance as the Cambridgeshire and it will be nice to get him back there, he’s in good form.

“It was a big ask to travel abroad, but he ran a great race in Bahrain, he was just a bit unlucky with the draw and got stuck against the rail. There was lots of promise there and we’re looking forward to another good campaign with him this year.

“It will be interesting to see how he runs, I just wonder what the ground will be like. The way it’s drying out, it might just be a bit holding, which is not ideal, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Karl Burke has declared Royal Rhyme to make his first appearance since finishing fifth in last season’s Qipco Champion Stakes, but his participation is far from certain due to the drying ground.

“He’s in good shape, but I’d be a bit worried about the ground and if we’re not happy with it, he’s a possible non-runner,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.

“If it goes on the firm side, he definitely wouldn’t run and really, to be at his best, he wants a bit of soft ground.”

Charlie Appleby and William Buick have teamed up to win the last two renewals of the Earl Of Sefton, with Master Of The Seas and Ottoman Fleet, and the latter returns to headquarters to defend his crown.

The five-year-old has enjoyed a productive winter campaign in Dubai, placing at Group Two and Group One level before failing to fire in the Group Two Singspiel Stakes on his most recent start in February.

“Ottoman Fleet put up a couple of decent runs in Dubai and we gave him a nice break since he disappointed slightly in the Singspiel Stakes,” Appleby said on the Godolphin website.

“He has freshened up again and we know that he runs well at the track. Some ease in the ground won’t do him any harm.”

Other contenders include Roger Varian’s Embesto, who dead-heated for victory in the Group Three Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury last summer, and Sir Michael Stoute’s admirable veteran Regal Reality.

Ryan Moore, who rides Regal Reality, told Betfair: “He has run some good races when fresh in the past and hopefully the ground remains decent for him, though he has winning form with a bit of dig, too.

“As a nine-year-old, he has to give a few years to all of his rivals and he would be vulnerable to an improver like Royal Rhyme, but he has run some very good races on this track, including when a narrow second in the Joel Stakes here in September. He is among the form horses here on that run.”

Paddy Twomey looks set to have no less than three runners in the Irish 1,000 Guineas as his yard is well-stocked with promising fillies.

The unbeaten A Lilac Rolla is the horse most recently seen from the trio, winning the Group Three Priory Belle at Leopardstown ahead of Natalia Lupini’s Kitty Rose when starting her campaign on heavy ground.

That run followed a juvenile season in which she was two from two, winning on debut at Cork and then taking a Curragh contest ahead of subsequent Newtownanner Stud Stakes and Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer.

“I was very happy with how she did it in the Guineas trial the other day at Leopardstown, she had two good runs last year and she backed that up,” Twomey said of the filly.

The trainer now considers the Irish 1,000 Guineas to be the right Classic for the bay and she is likely to head there instead of the English edition at Newmarket.

“I’d say the Irish 1,000 Guineas is the race she’ll go for next, she’s entered there and she’s not entered in Newmarket,” he said.

“She won the other day in spite of the ground I would say, she’s got form last year where she beat Opera Singer on pretty quick ground and then she’s won on heavy ground, so she’s pretty versatile.

“She’s a classy filly and every time she’s started a race, she’s done exactly what we thought she would do.

“The two fillies pulled away the other day and she had every chance to curl up, Natalia’s filly was very good on the day but she put her head down and the two of them passed the line well clear of the field. She was brave to win.”

Joining A Lilac Rolla in the race is likely to be Purple Lily, the winner of a Galway maiden last season and impressive when taking the TRM Equine Nutrition Race by three lengths at Naas on her first start this year.

As she is lightly raced, Twomey would like to take his time and target the Irish 1,000 Guineas, which is three weeks later than the Newmarket contest.

“Purple Lily is an exciting filly, she went to Galway ready to run and was impressive I thought,” he said.

“She did everything back to front and still won, I was keen to run her back this season in a winners’ race as opposed to a Stakes after having just one run as a two-year-old.

“She’s a filly that came from the breeze-ups, she’s a big, strong filly, so I wasn’t in a hurry to give her another run.

“We decided that she’d go to Naas and take on the colts, as I thought she might be fit to do it, and you’d have to be very happy with what she did on the day in the ground against highly-rated colts. She was impressive.

“She will go for an Irish Guineas and not an English Guineas, and she’s a filly that will stay 10 furlongs in time. She’s very exciting.

“I’d like to get another run into her of some description but she could go straight to the Guineas now.”

Finally, there is One Look, another real prospect who commanded a great deal of respect when running away with the Goffs Million by six lengths on her only start as a two-year-old.

Naturally, she was a very warm order when making her debut at three at Cork and she did not disappoint, winning by three lengths on heavy ground over seven furlongs.

She too is on the path to the Irish 1,000 Guineas, with either the Athasi Stakes or the Cornelscourt Stakes the probable port of call along the way.

Twomey said: “One Look won the Goffs Million last year, I didn’t feel like running her again after that. To go to the race in September and to win as impressively as she did, if you give her a month after winning, you were into November and there’s not really anywhere to go.

“I was keen then this year to run her in a winners’ race rather than going straight to a Stakes, she had her one day at the races and she won very impressively, but it all happened quickly and I wanted her to have some more education.

“We took her to Cork ready to run, the ground wasn’t what we’d be looking for but she did what we hoped she’d do. She was the 1-20 favourite and my first runner on the day had been beaten, so I wasn’t feeling great about it! But she went and did it, it was a good educational day out for her.

“My thinking now is that she won’t go to Newmarket, I think she’ll stay in Ireland and either go to the Athasi Stakes or more likely the Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown, with a view to going to the Irish Guineas.

“I feel that I’d like to educate her a bit more along the way, I don’t want to land her into an English Guineas just now. Those are the two races I would run her in if she is going to run before the Irish Guineas and the preference would be the three-year-old only race (Cornelscourt).

“I think she needs faster ground. I know that it wasn’t fast the day she won the Goffs Million but the way she accelerated on that slightly softer ground, I think she’ll get a mile and I think that she’ll get further than a mile, she’s light on her feet and she’s athletic and I think fast ground would be a real plus for her.

“She’s one that I would hope will progress all year, I’m just not in a hurry to rush off to England and give her a grueller. I would like to take the next step with her career in mind.”

Britain’s oldest professional jockey Jimmy Quinn has confirmed his intention to continue riding until the end of the season, having initially planned to announce his retirement at Newmarket on Tuesday.

The 56-year-old has enjoyed multiple big-race victories during a 40-year career, most notably making the most of his light weight when coming in for the ride aboard John Best’s rapid two-year-old Kingsgate Native, who provided him with a first Group One victory in the 2007 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

With the Charlie Hills-trained Bodorgan his only booked ride at this year’s Craven meeting, Quinn felt the time had come to call it a day, but he has now been persuaded to carry on for the rest of the year.

“It (licence) runs out today and word got out on the street pretty quick (regarding the planned retirement),” he told Racing TV.

“I got a few phone calls, positive ones from senior riders and other people riding, and one of them said ‘why are you packing up at the start of the season, why not ride for a bit longer in the summer?’

“I’m going to reapply for my licence again and ride until probably the end of the season on the turf and then say thank you very much.

“I’ve had a lot of support over the years and I’ve had a few good phone calls to say keep going with it. I have no weight issues, I’m pretty fit and ride out every day.

“Even if I get 20 rides between now and then, it’s 20 rides. I enjoy it a lot still, it’s a great job and it keeps you young. It keeps you active and gives you something to aim at every day.”