Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will go down as two of the very best managers, with their rivalry hailed as "incredible" by Albert Riera.
Guardiola's Manchester City lead the way by a point in the Premier League after their draw with Klopp's Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
It was a repeat of the scoreline from the reverse fixture earlier this season, and is the first time since 2012-13 that they have shared two draws in one league campaign.
A topsy turvy match saw Diogo Jota hit back for Liverpool after Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring, with Sadio Mane cancelling out Gabriel Jesus' strike.
The teams will meet again in the FA Cup semi-finals and Riera, who played for both clubs, is fascinated by the rivalry and the skills of both managers.
"If I ask you what you consider playing well, one coach will answer one way and another in another way," Riera told Stats Perform.
"One may say that if he wins, he plays well. Another will tell you to start from behind and reach the striker without the opponent touching the ball, but if you lose, that is not valid either.
"This is the beauty of football, if there was a system that guarantees us to win, we would all play the same.
"They are obviously two of the best and [two of] those who motivate you. I like to see how they work."
He added: "For the spectators and those of us who watch it from the outside, it's incredible to be able to see a game like this.
"I think we all know the way City play, wanting to defend with possession of the ball and even against an aggressive team like Liverpool who want to get the ball back, but this time it cost them, because City want it at all costs.
"On the other hand, Liverpool's transitions are spectacular. You can't see many teams where the two full-backs reach the attack, that's something very difficult to see."
Riera also believes that, with City and Liverpool acting as the driving forces in recent seasons, the Premier League is the most intense competition in world football.
"At the rhythm level, the Premier League is unmatched with other leagues," Riera continued. "In England, the 90 or 95 minutes that the game lasts is [played] at full speed.
"Obviously Liverpool and Manchester City are at an impressive level, and it is difficult to see that Brentford or Burnley can beat them. But I have the memory that anyone can beat anyone [in the Premier League] because they are not afraid, and they go out on the field to attack.
"This is the most beautiful [league]."
Liverpool are now winless in five league matches against City (three draws, two defeats), but are bidding to reach a first FA Cup final since 2012 when they go head-to-head again on Saturday.
Kane Williamson's steady 57 helped Sunrisers Hyderabad claim their second Indian Premier League win in succession as they overcame Gujarat Titans by eight wickets.
The New Zealand captain anchored Hyderabad's chase brilliantly until he finally fell at the start of the 17th over to Hardik Pandya, yet the damage had already been done.
Hyderabad, chasing 163, were 129 by the time they lost their captain, though they did take their time in getting across the line – Nicholas Pooran (34 not out) and Aiden Markram (8 not out) sealing victory with five balls to spare.
Titans skipper Pandya scored an unbeaten half-century, yet Abhinav Manohar (35) was the only one of his team-mates to get above 20.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-37) and Thangarasu Natarajan (2-34) were the pick of Hyderabad's bowlers as the Titans were restricted to 162-7 from their 20 overs.
Unlike Pandya, Williamson was ably supported by Abhishek Sharma, whose 42 included six boundaries before he fell to Rashid Khan (1-28).
Rahul Tripathi (17) retired hurt, but Pooran's knock came from 18 balls as the wicketkeeper ensured his captain's work would not be fruitless.
Williamson delivers first blow to the Titans
Williamson's composure was crucial to the Sunrisers getting a second straight eight-wicket win, with his haul including six boundaries, four of which cleared the rope. Indeed, he brought up his half-century with a scoop from compatriot Lockie Ferguson.
The Titans had enjoyed a winning start to their inaugural IPL season, the only team to have managed three consecutive victories, but that run was ended in comprehensive fashion.
Khan just short of IPL milestone
With his dismissal of Sharma, Khan is now on 99 wickets in the IPL. While his landmark did not come on Monday, he will surely reach triple figures soon enough.
The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Frank Vogel after they missed out on the NBA playoffs.
Vogel stated that he had not been told he would lose his job after the Lakers ended a poor season with a 146-141 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
The 48-year-old was relieved of his duties by the 17-time NBA champions on Monday, though, almost three years after he was appointed.
Vogel guided the Lakers to the NBA title in his first season in charge two years ago, but they were beaten by the Phoenix Suns in the opening round of the playoffs in 2021.
The Lakers endured a 2021-22 season to forget, finishing 11th in the Western Conference with a 33-49 record, and Vogel has paid the price.
The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Frank Vogel after they missed out on the NBA playoffs.
Vogel stated that he had not been told he would lose his job after the Lakers ended a poor season with a 146-141 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
The 48-year-old was relieved of his duties by the 17-time NBA champions on Monday, though, almost three years after he was appointed.
Vogel guided the Lakers to the NBA title in his first season in charge two years ago, but they were beaten by the Phoenix Suns in the opening round of the playoffs in 2021.
The Lakers endured a 2021-22 season to forget, finishing 11th in the Western Conference with a 33-49 record, and Vogel has paid the price.
Lakers vice-president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said: "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Frank both on and off the court.
"Frank is a great coach and a good man. We will forever be grateful to him for his work in guiding us to the 2019-20 NBA championship.
"This is an incredibly difficult decision to make, but one we feel is necessary at this point. All of us here wish Frank and his wonderful family all the best for the future."
England great James Anderson is "still trying to make sense" of being dropped for the West Indies tour and is disappointed with the manner in which he was informed.
Lancashire bowler Anderson was omitted by England as they opted for a new-look squad, led by interim coach Paul Collingwood, to the Caribbean for a three-Test series in March.
Fellow seamer Stuart Broad was also left out as Joe Root's tourists, without the pair that have 1,177 Test wickets between them, fell to a 1-0 series defeat against Kraigg Brathwaite's hosts.
Anderson, who is England's leading Test wicket-taker in history with 640 dismissals, remains confused by the decision, citing a lack of contact and feedback as his main issue.
"It's a bit strange because I am still centrally contracted but have not had too much feedback from them [England] so I have just been trying to work with the guys here at Lancashire," he said.
"I'm still trying to make sense of it [being dropped] and I've just put it to one side. It was completely out of my control. I've got to focus on what I can control and that is bowling as well as I possibly can.
"Firstly, that's here at Lancashire this next two months and take as many wickets as I can."
Chris Silverwood was dismissed in the wake of a 4-0 Ashes thrashing and the ECB are in search of a permanent coaching appointment, along with a new managing director.
Anderson understands England are going through a difficult period, but explained he expected more than a "five-minute call" from interim director Andrew Strauss.
"I would have loved a sit-down face-to-face. I would have loved more than a five-minute phone call," he continued.
"It is difficult because there is no one in those key positions [at England]. I would expect to hear something more once those positions are filled. There's no one in those positions permanently so I am assuming that is why I have not heard anything from them.
"It is what it is. Something like this for me is quite a big deal because it came out of the blue and I still feel like I am bowling well. I'm still in the top ten in the world rankings.
"I still feel like I am doing a job for the team. So I feel like I've got a lot to offer, not just on the field but off it, and I've really enjoyed working with the other bowlers that are coming through."
Anderson has not been permitted by England to play in Lancashire's first County Championship match against Kent, which starts on Thursday, due to his central contract.
However, the 39-year-old will be allowed to feature in the second red-ball fixture with Gloucestershire as he looks to again prove his worth to England ahead of their next Test series with New Zealand, which begins in June.
That meeting with Kane Williamson's tourists remains Anderson's sole aim for now.
"If I think of the build-up to a Test series, I want to be in as good a form as possible going into that series," he said.
"For me, the best way of doing that is performing for Lancashire, trying to win games of cricket, and hopefully will lead to a call-up."
The Premier League title is firmly in the control of Manchester City, according to former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey who cannot see the leaders relinquishing their grasp.
Pep Guardiola's reigning champions played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with fellow title contenders Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium last Sunday, leaving City just a point ahead of the Reds.
Both teams still have Champions League quarter-final second legs to contend with on Wednesday, while the pair will again meet in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Once those cup competitions are out the way, the focus will turn back to the Premier League, where City and Liverpool have seven games left to play each.
Guardiola acknowledged that his side must win every one of those league fixtures to defend their top-flight crown, and Heskey believes City will be lifting the title once more come the end of the season.
"It's a tough one, isn't it? I looked at Liverpool's run and I think it's a bit more difficult than Man City's," Heskey, who played for Liverpool between 2000 and 2004, told Stats Perform.
"You never know with Man City. I always say for Man City they are a team that can really blast teams out the water, six, seven-nil, but they've got a one-nil loss in them.
"They very rarely, even though they got to draw yesterday, they very rarely draw. But I don't see them losing another game, if I'm honest, in the league, at least anyway.
"So I see it as City's to throw away to be honest with you. I would have said if Liverpool had won that game, I would have said 60-40 in Liverpool's favour to be honest.
"But now, because they drew the game, one less game now. I think it's City's to throw away and I can't see them losing any games."
Guardiola also conceded City may have offered Liverpool a chance after they failed to capitalise on their dominance in what was billed as the title decider.
Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus struck either side of Diogo Jota's equaliser as Jurgen Klopp's side headed into half-time trailing in the league for the first time this season.
But Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane linked up just 46 seconds after the interval, with the latter restoring parity as he delivered a priceless equaliser to keep Liverpool's title and quadruple hopes alive.
Heskey suggested the result will favour Klopp's Reds, given the resilience they had to show to fight to stay in the game for large parts.
"One hundred per cent, but you've got to ride your luck at times," he added when asked if Liverpool would be happier with the result. "You've got to be able to take them opportunities and big clubs manage to ride their luck at times, but their finishing at times is exceptional.
"So they rode their luck at times and stayed in the game. And once you stay in the game and when you've got firepower like Mane, Salah and Jota, and [Luis] Diaz and [Roberto] Firmino to come on later, you've always in with a chance.
"At times, you've got to have that fight and that grit to know that you've got to bite down in five minutes because they're going to be all over you. And if anyone can be all over you, Man City can, because they're relentless in the way they attack.
"But once you start fighting down and you start getting into the game yourself, I thought they'd done fantastic, especially the second half was brilliant.
"I think Liverpool controlled a large part of that. It was fantastic to see them actually show that resilience and get through like sticky periods during the game."
The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed multi-year contract extensions with head coach Chris Finch and his staff.
Finch's Timberwolves fell to a 124-120 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday to conclude their regular season with a commendable 46-36 record in the Western Conference.
Minnesota finished seventh in the West to secure home-court advantage in the NBA Play-In tournament, in which they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
The Timberwolves will be boosted by the confirmation of the extension for Finch, who is in his first full season in charge after being appointed in February 2021 following the firing of Ryan Saunders.
A former assistant coach in Houston, Denver, New Orleans, and Toronto, Finch expressed his delight at having the chance to build on this impressive campaign.
"I am thankful to [majority owner] Glen [Taylor], Becky and the entire ownership group for their ongoing support and commitment," he said.
"It's been a season that all of us, including our fans can be proud of and I'm grateful that my staff will continue to lead us forward."
The Timberwolves ownership group added: "Chris has done a tremendous job creating stability and consistency for this franchise and building a winning mentality.
"We look forward to supporting him throughout the years while he continues achieving the goals he and his staff have set out for the team."
Finch has overseen 62 wins with the Timberwolves, the fourth-most in the team's history, while the 52-year-old guided Minnesota to 20 road wins in the 2021-22 campaign for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
The Timberwolves also lead the NBA this season in points-per-game (115.9) for the first time in the franchise's history, along with a league-leading 1,211 three-pointers and 1,339 turnovers forced.
Atletico Madrid will be forced to close a section of their stadium when they host Manchester City due to the "discriminatory behaviour" of their supporters.
City secured a 1-0 advantage in the Champions League quarter-final first leg last Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium.
Supporters of the Spanish club were caught on camera performing alleged Nazi salutes during that game and UEFA subsequently charged the LaLiga champions with discriminatory behaviour and throwing of objects last Friday.
European football's governing body has since ordered Atletico to close part of the Wanda Metropolitano, so at least 5,000 fewer supporters will be able to attend the game against Pep Guariola's side.
UEFA has also ordered Atleti to implement a #NoToRacism banner when they clash with City on Wednesday.
Atletico were previously ordered by UEFA to close part of their stadium in the 2018-19 Champions League campaign, after a racist banner was unfurled during the 2018 Europa League final in Lyon.
A 15-year-old Russian karting driver's contract will be terminated by his team after he appeared to make a Nazi salute as he stood on the podium on Sunday.
Artem Severiukhin won his race in the first round of the FIA Karting European Championship at the Kartodromo Internacional do Algarve.
The teenager, representing Italy rather than his country of birth due to sanctions imposed on Russian athletes following the invasion of Ukraine, made the gesture and laughed as he was on the podium in Portimao.
An investigation has been launched by the FIA following what the governing body described as "unacceptable conduct."
Ward Racing, Severiukhin's team, on Monday stated that the youngster will no longer drive for them.
The Privately owned Swedish team said they were "deeply in shame" over Severiukhin's actions, which they condemned in the "strongest possible terms."
Ward Racing also condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stated that Severiukhin's action did not represent the views and values of the team.
Casemiro has urged Real Madrid fans to stop targeting Gareth Bale as "when you whistle a player like that, you're whistling the history of this club".
Bale was whistled at by Los Blancos supporters when he came on as a substitute in a 2-0 LaLiga win over Getafe at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
The forward has only played five games for the leaders in the Spanish top flight this season and Madrid fans were not impressed when he declared himself unfit for a Clasico hammering against Barcelona last month, before inspiring Wales to a World Cup play-off win over Austria four days later.
Bale has won the Champions League four times and LaLiga twice since arriving in the Spanish capital nine years ago, but his relationship with Madrid fans has soured.
The 32-year-old, who is set to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, did not do himself any favours when he held a flag with the words 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order' after helping his country qualify for Euro 2020.
Yet Madrid midfielder Casemiro has called on supporters to lay off Bale ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Chelsea on Tuesday.
The Brazil international said: "When you whistle one player, you whistle all of us. Football is about opinions, everyone has theirs, but I don't agree when a player on my team is whistled. We're all on the same side, we have to support him."
He added: "I didn't like the whistles the other day for Bale. He's a historic player for this club. He's scored a lot of important goals for this club.
"When you whistle a player like that, you're whistling the history of this club. I didn't like it. I think the fans have to support us."
Madrid will start the clash against holders Chelsea with a 3-1 lead but Casemiro says they must not think it is job done.
He said: "We have to go in to it with the idea that it's going to be a very difficult game. We had our best 90 minutes of the season in the first leg, but we can't be complacent, especially given the coach's words about them.
"I'd like to ask the fans to get behind us because it'll be difficult as we're up against the champions and we respect them. We have to give our all along with the fans because it'll be very, very difficult."
Casemiro added: "When talking about Real Madrid, we always talk about winning everything. Everyone wanted to win a title at the start of the season, to be in the knockout stages like this and 12 points clear in LaLiga. We're working hard, but we've still got the hardest part to come."
Real Madrid should not be ashamed to be reliant upon talisman Karim Benzema, according to Los Blancos head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
France international Benzema has helped Madrid to the LaLiga summit, 12 points clear of Barcelona, who have played a game less.
The former Lyon striker also propelled the LaLiga giants into the ascendancy with his hat-trick in a 3-1 win against Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.
Indeed, he became the first player to score a treble against the Blues in European competition as he joined Cristiano Ronaldo, Luiz Adriano and Lionel Messi as the fourth player to manage consecutive hat-tricks in the Champions League following his heroics in the last 16 against Paris Saint-Germain.
Only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (46) has found the net more times in Europe's top-five leagues in all competitions than Benzema, who has 37 goals to his name in as many appearances.
Ancelotti heaped praise on his star forward as he fielded questions over whether potential transfer target Erling Haaland would be put off Madrid by Benzema's exploits.
"What a question... I'm sorry, I can't answer," he said.
"But I can say that Benzema is a modern centre-forward, in the past the number nine would get into the area and finish off whatever was going on there.
"Karim is what modern football demands in a striker, shooting, playing, defensive work, not giving away balls... It's the perfect representation of what a centre forward should be today".
Benzema and Vinicius Junior have formed a formidable partnership this campaign, with the duo combining for a competition-leading five goals in the Champions League.
Ancelotti referenced the likes of Los Blancos greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale as he pointed towards his new pairing as the stars of the show this season.
"The season says that there are two strikers who have stood out a lot, Vinicius and Benzema," he added.
"In the past we had Cristiano, Bale... To say that we are dependent on Benzema is the truth, there is no need to hide it. I am very happy to be dependent on Benzema".
Benzema has netted 11 times in the Champions League this campaign, the most by a Frenchman in Europe's premier club competition and as many as he had scored in the previous two editions combined.
He will look to add to that tally at home to Chelsea on Tuesday as Ancelotti aims to qualify for an eighth Champions League semi-final – the joint-most of any coach in history, along with Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
Dean Elgar says South Africa are in a "very special place" after they hammered Bangladesh at St George's Park to seal a 2-0 Test series whitewash.
The Proteas ripped through the tourists once again early on day four in Port Elizabeth, bowling them out for only 80 to win by a mammoth 332 runs.
Keshav Maharaj took 7-32 in the second innings of the first Test as the Tigers folded to a shambolic 53 all out at Kingsmead and the spinner was also their chief tormentor on Monday.
The left-armer took 7-40 after making 80 with the bat, richly deserving both the man of the match and player of the series awards as he reached the 150 Test wickets landmark.
South Africa are second behind Australia in the World Test Championship table, having beaten India 2-1 and drawn 1-1 with New Zealand before hammering Bangladesh.
With a Test series in England on the horizon, Proteas captain Elgar believes his side are making great strides.
He said: "Everything comes with a challenge. I like challenges, which is why I am still playing Test cricket at nearly 35.
"I still feel I've got a lot of good years left and maybe even my best years left in me. If was younger, I might not have enjoyed it as much. This is still a massive privilege.
"I've enjoyed it so far. The last year has been testing off the field, but I've got an amazing core of players around me that understand me as a character, as a player and a person and the nature of cricket I want to play going forward. Slowly, everyone has bought into it. We are in a very special place."
The opening batter added: "We've had an extremely successful summer, not just as a Test side but as a cricketing nation.
"I think we are on the right path, doing things in the correct way. I am extremely proud of the Test summer we've had and the depth we've shown with regards to our selection pool. I am extremely proud of the group of players that we fielded."
Julian Nagelsmann has promised that Bayern Munich "will not play badly against the same opponent twice" ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Villarreal.
Bayern welcome Villarreal to the Allianz Arena trailing 1-0 from last week's first leg.
The Bundesliga leaders are looking to avoid being eliminated in the quarter-finals in consecutive seasons. Prior to last term, when they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, Bayern had only been eliminated in one of their last nine quarter-final ties in the competition, against Real Madrid in 2016-17.
Villarreal coach Unai Emery said after the first leg that he regretted his side not being able to make the most of further opportunities to extend their advantage.
It was the first time Bayern have failed to score in a Champions League since Liverpool in February 2019, and Nagelsmann insisted the poor display will not be replicated on Tuesday.
"We played a bad game and they played their best game," Nagelsmann told a news conference.
"This will not happen again, to play badly against the same opponent twice.
"We delivered in the past and it should be like that. We have to, we must, we want to. It is normal when you win so many titles and have such success for so many years that you maybe need this pressure sometimes to get the maximum out.
"Maybe it will be a sparkling game from our side. We must turn up our complete intensity level. We did not take the last steps, the last metres in the first leg. We have to play more uncomfortable football."
Bayern actually finished the first leg with a higher expected goals (xG) of 1.6 in comparison to Villarreal's 1.5, though that will have been helped by a higher quantity of attempts (22 to 12).
Nagelsmann added: "We made many mistakes. They made one to keep us alive. They could have scored more goals but we are still alive and we should show it on the pitch."
Bayern are aiming to progress from a Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg for the first time since the 2014-15 quarter-finals, while the defeat was their 20th against a Spanish team in European competition, their most against sides from a specific nation.
Lewis Hamilton remains staunch in his stance against the FIA's jewellery ban, with the seven-time world champion insisting "you should be able to be who you are".
New race director Niels Wittich, who replaced Michael Masi at the start of the season, informed Formula One drivers that the ruling on accessories would be reinforced before the Australian Grand Prix.
Wittich suggested "body piercing or metal neck chains" were forbidden, with checks to be undertaken before races, but Hamilton still competed on Sunday with piercings in both ears and a nose stud.
The 37-year-old could, in theory, be penalised both financially and in terms of points for breaking the sporting code, with F1's race director insisting the rules were to prevent injury for the driver.
However, Hamilton – who finished fourth in Melbourne, one place behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell – does not intend on removing his jewellery.
"I don't have any plans on removing them," he said. "I feel they are personal things. You should be able to be who you are. There's stuff that I can't move.
"I literally can't take these out [gesturing to piercings on his right ear]. They're literally welded on so I'd have to get them chopped off or something. So they'll be staying.
"It's been the rule forever. Since I've been here it's been the rule, so there's nothing new. I'm just going to come with more jewellery next week."
The jewellery ban has been in place since 2004, but Wittich made a special effort to stress the rule was back into strong consideration in his pre-race notes in Melbourne.
While Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the work of the new race director thus far, he questioned whether Wittich needed to pick a problem with what he sees as a minute issue.
"How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn't put a single foot wrong," Wolff said, as reported by PA Media.
"But is that [jewellery ban] a battle he needs to have at this stage? However, if it turns out to be the biggest unfortunate misstep of a race director, I would take it a thousand times over."
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