Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is hoping the security breach which left him in danger at Elland Road could help prevent a future “tragedy” on a football pitch.

The 45-year-old was confronted in his technical area by an angry spectator during Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw at Leeds, and a man has since been banned from the stadium for life and charge with assault.

Howe, who revealed he had been contacted by League Managers’ Association chief executive Richard Bevan in the wake of the incident, said: “The concern for me is the future.

“That incident has gone, it’s done as far as I’m concerned, but the only part of that incident that’s left is the ‘What ifs?’ for the future.

“I just hope that that incident itself can then help the authorities and whoever is concerned with the security and safety of the players and staff, that if it does make a little change or (encourage) someone to think how we can improve things, then it will have been a really worthwhile episode because I’d hate to see a tragedy on a football pitch that could have been avoided.”

If Saturday’s events highlighted matters off the pitch, Howe swiftly shifted his attention to what happens on it as he prepared for Thursday night’s hugely significant showdown with in-form Brighton at St James’ Park.

The Seagulls will arrive on Tyneside still basking in the acclaim they received in the wake of their dismantling of title hopefuls Arsenal on Sunday, with both they and Liverpool chasing hard in a bid to deny the Magpies and Manchester United a top-four finish.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said ahead of Monday night’s 3-0 win at Leicester that the clubs currently sitting behind top two Manchester City and the Gunners would be happier if they were not being hunted down, although Howe is not feeling any pressure.

He said: “I don’t feel like we’re being hunted. I don’t feel that emotion. It’s us against ourselves, really. That’s how I see it. It’s us trying to be the best we can be.

“I’ve not focused on any other team all season. In my experience, I knew Liverpool were never far away because they are a top team and they are capable of going on runs of wins. They are very similar to Manchester City where they can win a group of games without blinking. They have got that experience.

“For us, we can’t look at it or compare ourselves to Liverpool. We just have to look at us.”

Liverpool, who have two games remaining, are still a point behind Newcastle and United, who have three left to play, while Brighton are eight points adrift with four to go, and the Magpies know victory in their last two home games – against the Seagulls and then Leicester on Monday evening – would secure Champions League qualification.

Asked if he would have taken that back in August, Howe, who has a doubt over wide man Jacob Murphy and will once again be without midfielder Sean Longstaff, replied: “’Snapped your arm off’ is the phrase that I’d use.”

Sheffield Wednesday have condemned racist abuse suffered by chairman Dejphon Chansiri in the wake of the club’s Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final defeat at Peterborough last Friday.

Wednesday have already issued an immediate ban against the person who racially abused manager Darren Moore following the 4-0 loss at London Road and have insisted they will do the same again following this incident.

They said in a statement: “Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore was subject to a disgraceful racist comment on a social media platform this week following the Owls’ game at Peterborough on Friday evening.

“It has since come to light that a similar appalling racist post was made in the direction of our chairman Dejphon Chansiri.

“This incident is also in the hands of the authorities and the individual responsible will be subject to the same consequences.

“We are fully conversant with the emotions stirred by football and the immediacy of social media platforms.

“However, when comments cross the line of moral decency and indeed the law, this will not be tolerated.

“We stand together with our chairman, manager and society as one in condemning all forms of discrimination and will continue taking every step possible to stamp out this wholly unacceptable behaviour.”

The Owls, whose 96 points in the regular League One campaign was a club record but only good enough to see them finish third, will try to salvage their promotion hopes in Thursday’s second leg at Hillsborough.

Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci has announced that he will retire at the end of next season.

Defender Bonucci has just turned 36 with one year left on his Juventus contract.

“When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era – a way of defending Italian style,” Bonucci said on Juventus’ YouTube channel.

The 120-times capped Bonucci was part of Italy’s Euro 2020-winning team and is a nine-time Serie A champion – claiming eight titles at Juventus and one at AC Milan, where he spent the 2017-18 season.

He made his 500th Juventus appearance against Sevilla in the Europa League last week.

Bonucci, recognised as one of football’s great defenders, was part of the famous Juventus backline that included Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon as the Bianconeri won eight titles between the 2011-12 and 2019-20 seasons.

“It’s a source of pride to be up there with the greatest,” Bonucci said.

“I hope lots of future defenders – just as we had with (Franco) Baresi, (Alessandro) Nesta, (Paolo) Maldini, (Fabio) Cannavaro will see us four as idols.

“It would mean we have achieved a lot and given the game a lot.”

Chelsea will back up their FA Cup success with more glory in the Women's Super League.

That is the view of their former goalkeeper and three-time WSL winner Carly Telford, as the top-flight season reaches a thrilling conclusion.

Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 in front of a world-record crowd for a domestic women's match of 77,390 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, winning the FA Cup for a third straight season.

A record-extending sixth WSL crown is also in their sights, with United also serving as their main rivals in that competition.

United lead the WSL table by one point, but Chelsea have three games left to play this term, as opposed to the Red Devils' two.

The Blues are away to West Ham on Wednesday, with potentially decisive matches against Arsenal and Reading to follow.

"Yeah, I think it will be Chelsea," Telford told Stats Perform when asked who would edge the dramatic title race.

"I just think it comes down to a huge weekend because you have got the United v City derby, and then you have got the Arsenal v Chelsea derby as well. 

"It could go either way at the minute, but I think the good thing is Chelsea have kind of kicked on and have shown that in the past couple of weeks. 

"They have really shone and a lot of teams have started struggling a little bit. 

"Again, it comes to this time of year and you can't write off Chelsea as they have done it so consistently. 

"I think United might drop points next week in the derby, if I'm honest, though they have just been one of those teams that seem to be grinding out results. You can't break them off. 

"But yeah, I'm going Chelsea."

Following their FA Cup win, Chelsea boss Emma Hayes dedicated her side's triumph to supporters after a year in which she felt the wider club has "suffered".

Former England keeper Telford retired in March, having left Chelsea for the second time in January 2022.

Harry Kane would not want to risk tarnishing his Tottenham legacy by leaving the club in the summer, according to former Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov.

After another turbulent campaign at Tottenham which will end without silverware, England captain Kane has been strongly linked with a big-money move to Manchester United.

Berbatov helped Spurs lift the League Cup in February 2008, which remains the club’s last trophy, before making the switch from White Hart Lane to Old Trafford just over six months later.

Kane is set to enter the final year of his Spurs contract during the summer, but recently spoke of his determination to restore a strong culture at the club, which is now on a third manager of the season.

Berbatov, who went on to win the Premier League twice with United, can empathise with Kane’s dilemma, but believes the 29-year-old’s heart remains very much at Tottenham where he is now the record goalscorer.

“I can understand and can relate to his situation. I feel for him, but at the same time I think he is going to stay at Spurs,” Berbatov told the PA news agency.

“His legacy now is so great that he cannot force himself to tarnish it – when you say Spurs, it is Harry Kane and when you say Harry Kane, it is Spurs.

“They are connected forever because he is the leading goalscorer of the team, of the country (England national team) and probably is going to break Alan Shearer’s record for most goals in the Premier League as well.

“So it is down to him to know what is important for him – (for) his legacy with Spurs, which is unbelievable now.

“(As for) personal records, it is important also to win something before he is finished playing football. It is up to him to decide.”

Former Bulgaria striker Berbatov, speaking on behalf of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, added: “At one point, Spurs are probably going to win something and produce more consistency.

“Every season they have that intent, that this is going to be the defining season, but so far, it didn’t work.

“At one point, I am sure it is going to work, but when is that going to be? I don’t know.”

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has also come in for criticism in the wake of a campaign which saw the departures of head coach Antonio Conte and then Cristian Stellini, with Ryan Mason eventually stepping in until the end of the season.

Berbatov believes there has to be a sense of collective responsibility from the training ground to the board room.

“Again they are not at the place that they wanted to be in the start of the season. It is nothing new and everybody connected with Spurs knows it,” said Berbatov, who scored 46 goals over a two-year spell with Tottenham.

“Every season Spurs start with a big expectation based on everything they have in their disposal – a great stadium, the great facility to train, great players as well.

“But while the season is progressing, even if they start strong, then they are declining and that inconsistency kicks in and they start to suffer from it.”

Berbatov added: “It is a shared responsibility – probably 40 per cent the manager, 40 per cent the players and 20 per cent goes to the owners, the people running the club, because it has been a long time since winning a trophy like when I was there.

“At one point Spurs reached the Champions League final and they had a great run with (Mauricio) Pochettino.

“But most of the time that disappointment is there because (after) starting on a strong foot, then slowly and surely they continue to drop down (the table) and don’t achieve what they have wanted to achieve at the end of the season.”

While Tottenham may be well out of the running for a top-four finish, they could yet still qualify for Europe again via one of the other UEFA competitions.

Berbatov, 42, hopes another of his old clubs Bayer Leverkusen can go on to reach this season’s Europa League final – if they can get past Roma, now managed by former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.

“They have another leg, another obstacle in the case of (Jose) Mourinho and his (Roma) team, but I think they can manage to do it,” said Berbatov. “With me being at the final to watch in person, I would like to see them there.”

:: Dimitar Berbatov featured in Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s 2022/23 UEFA Europa League campaign content, Mission Masterclass. You can view episode two in full on UEFA’s official YouTube channel

Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney say they will not get bored at Wrexham as they build a “sustainable business” at the newly-promoted club.

Wrexham ended a 15-year absence from the English Football League last month as the two actors’ investment in the Welsh club paid handsome dividends.

The pair took over the club from the Wrexham Supporters Trust in February 2021 and have invested heavily on infrastructure and strengthening manager Phil Parkinson’s squad since, with some reports suggesting an outlay of over £10million.

“I find it fascinating there are people who assume this could ever be boring in any stretch of the imagination,” said McElhenney, speaking on the Fearless in Devotion podcast.

“The things we have done and felt in the last two-and-a-half years just don’t exist in our worlds – or any world that I can think of.

“So getting bored would never be on the list of things that would happen.

“But I also think about any cynicism or criticism that we might get, that is simply by nature just not creative in any way or helpful in any way, is generally just a reflection of how someone is feeling about themselves or something they may have gone through in their life.”

Reynolds has made it clear that he wants to take Wrexham to the Premier League and admitted that his involvement in football has become an “addiction”.

He said: “We don’t pretend it’s just salad days ahead. It’s a journey.

“It’s making sure that no matter what we do as stewards of this club we are avoiding stasis or backtracking at all cost.

“That can sometimes happen, at least from when I’ve observed other clubs, you can get in this cycle where you’re just keeping your head above water.

“So we always want to be on that inexorable march forward, not just as a club but as a community, and Rob and I love Wrexham about as much as two human beings could love anything on this planet.”

Wrexham are expected to strengthen again this summer in order to make a League Two promotion challenge next season.

Reynolds and McElhenney insist they were serious over their failed bid to lure former Real Madrid and Wales star Gareth Bale out of retirement to play for Wrexham, but are adamant they will not be “writing cheques to keep the business of the club afloat”.

McElhenney said: “From the beginning we’ve been talking about what our short-term strategy is and what our long-term strategy is because we’ve always said we want to build a sustainable business.

“We look at the entire club as a massive investment – an investment in the club, town and future.

“And neither one of us wants to put ourselves or the club in a position where any one of us are just writing cheques to keep the business of the club afloat.

“Everything we’ve done since we’ve come in is to ensure no matter who comes in – and hopefully it’s us for the rest of our lives – we are building a sustainable business. Whatever that might mean in the future, who’s to say?”

Deadpool star Reynolds said he was contemplating Wrexham’s future within hours of them capturing the National League title.

Reynolds said: “Almost the next day I was so excited to dig in to what’s next for the club, which I’m proud to say and deeply regretful to say because I should have enjoyed that moment, which I did.

“But I’m so excited to repeat that feeling as much as possible and just grow, grow, grow as big as we can possibly get and continue to deliver.

“The great moments we’ve had so far do not exist without the bad. That’s football.

“It’s a heart-breaking sport and I’m addicted to it now and you have to have both.”

What the papers say

Bayern Munich are willing to offload Sadio Mane this summer after only one season at the club according to The Times. The 31-year-old forward has struggled for game time since his £28 million move from Liverpool last summer. He was fined last month after a dressing-room fight with team-mate Leroy Sane following the Champions League quarter-final defeat by Manchester City.

Meanwhile Feyenoord are preparing to offer their manager Arne Slo a “bumper” new contract in a bid to hang onto the 44-year-old amid interest from Tottenham, the Daily Mail says. The paper adds that the Dutch club have opened talks with Slot over a new contract understood to be worth over £2.5million a season.

Elsewhere, Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen are in advanced talks over the €15million (£13m) sale of midfielder Granit Xhaka, according to the Evening Standard. The 30-year-old was due to have one year left on his contract this summer.

And the Mail writes that Brighton are in the lead for the race for Liverpool midfielder James Milner. The 37-year-old is leaving Anfield at the end of this season and there are a number of offers on the table.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Harry Kane: Foot Mercato reports Paris St-Germain football adviser Luis Campos has met the 29-year-old Tottenham striker’s representatives about the possibility of signing him.

Kylian Mbappe: Sky Sports says Real Madrid want to sign the 24-year-old striker from PSG this summer.

Lautaro Martinez sealed Inter Milan’s passage into the Champions League final after tapping into the spirit of Argentina’s World Cup triumph.

Either Manchester City or Real Madrid, who meet on Wednesday, await in Istanbul on June 10 after Inter completed a 3-0 aggregate win over AC Milan at the San Siro.

Argentina striker Martinez struck the only goal of a scrappy second leg and was the most dangerous player on the pitch as Inter stayed in the chase for their fourth European crown.

“We did a great job in both matches. The key was the group,” Martinez told Sky Italia.

“I had a similar experience at the World Cup – if you are united, you get to play these very important matches in the best possible way.

“Every time I take the pitch I try to give my best in order to help my team-mates. We knew we had this opportunity to reach the Champions League final and today we completed our job.”

AC Milan started with urgency as they looked to overturn the 2-0 deficit from the first leg and had Brahim Diaz converted an early chance they might have turned the tie on its head.

But they soon ran out ideas and once Rafael Leao had pulled a shot across the face of goal just before half-time, they failed to threaten again.

“The players gave their all in both legs. Inter deserved to win and we congratulate them,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli told Sky Sports.

Sheikh Jassim has submitted an improved bid in his attempt to buy Manchester United from the Glazer family, the PA news agency understands.

Both Sheikh Jassim, the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank and the son of a former Qatari prime minister, and his rival Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted what had been expected to be their third and final bids for the club last month.

But amid growing confidence in the Ratcliffe camp, Sheikh Jassim has increased the value of his offer, which as before is for 100 per cent of the club, will clear all debt and includes a separate fund directed solely at the club and community.

Officials and staff inside Old Trafford are eager for clarity over the takeover situation, which began in November when United announced that the board was exploring “strategic alternatives” to enhance the club’s growth, with a full sale one option being considered.

Sheikh Jassim was the first prospective owner to publicly confirm a bid during the first round back in February and was soon joined by Ratcliffe, the Manchester-born owner of INEOS.

The first quarter of the year was initially recognised as a key time in a process that has rumbled on and threatened to overshadow United’s push for a Champions League qualification place.

February’s soft deadline was followed by a second deadline in March for those that progressed, with Raine Group, brought in to oversee the sale, then asking interested parties for their third and final bid on April 28.

United fans have made clear their desire for a full buy-out from the Glazers, who have been unpopular since their leveraged takeover of the club in 2005.

Steven MacLean is confident he has enough big characters to help lead St Johnstone to cinch Premiership safety.

The Perth side are ninth in the table, just three points clear of Ross County who occupy the relegation play-off place.

Defeat away to 10th-placed Kilmarnock this weekend could see Saints slip to second bottom, but interim manager MacLean is buoyed by the make-up of his squad as he bids to push them over the line to safety.

“I look at my dressing-room and I see Liam Gordon, Andy Considine, Cammy MacPherson, Ryan McGowan, Graham Carey and Stevie May, good experienced pros who know what it’s about,” he said.

“They know when the chips are down and they’ll roll their sleeves up. They’ll run the dressing-room. I know I’ve got players in there who are going to come out fighting and that’s what we need.

“We’ve got other players as well but those ones I’ve just mentioned know what it’s all about, so I’m confident about going to Kilmarnock. We want to get this done as soon as possible so we’ll be going to win the game.”

Saints have won just one of their last nine matches, but MacLean – who has overseen three games since the sacking of Callum Davidson last month – is maintaining a positive mindset.

“You say it like that (one win in nine), I’ll say it’s one defeat in three so morale’s fine,” he said. “The dressing-room’s good, I’m good, we’re positive.

“We’re positive people and we’re going to Kilmarnock to get three points. We’re in the driving seat. We’re ahead of Ross County, Kilmarnock and Dundee United so it’s about what we do.

“We can control our performance and then hopefully results will follow.”

Real Madrid shrugged off a delay at the airport to arrive at the Etihad Stadium in relaxed mood ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City.

The European champions had to wait for more than half an hour in the arrivals hall at Manchester Airport on Tuesday after their team bus was unable to collect them on time.

Yet Carlo Ancelotti’s squad were soon transported to the stadium where they trained ahead of Wednesday’s clash, which will begin on a knife edge after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Bernabeu last week.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti said at his pre-match press conference: “I am very calm, full of hope, full of faith.

“Tomorrow – game day – that’s when the worries come in and you think things through, whether (Erling) Haaland will score or (Kevin) De Bruyne will hurt you.

“But I try to put it out of my mind. It is all about managing thoughts.

“We are very happy to be here, we are feeling good. It is a usual event for us to be in a semi-final.

“It’s 11 years out of 13 in the semi-finals. That’s not easy. We enjoy it while we can.”

City may have the home advantage but, as 14-time European champions and the current holders, Real certainly have experience of delivering in such encounters.

Ancelotti, who has won the competition twice as Real boss and twice with AC Milan, said: “It’s special for Real Madrid because of the history we have in the tournament.

“In the 1950s it became important for the fans and players. It’s everything you work for. It’s something special to try to win European trophies, especially the European Cup.

“It’s been important for them throughout their history. It is a club that has a special power to stay alive.”

Ancelotti has a full squad available with Eduardo Camavinga having overcome a knock and Eder Militao back from suspension.

The first leg was evenly matched with City dominating possession for large spells but Real repeatedly threatening on the counter-attack.

Ancelotti said: “I don’t think it will be so different.

“There may be some adjustment from both sides. There are things we can improve but I think they think that too.

“These are the best two teams in Europe and I’m predicting an exciting game like the first leg.”

Veteran midfielder Luka Modric is relishing the encounter.

The Croatia international said: “We have good feelings and are eager to get going. I can’t wait.

“These games are like finals. It is massive. You have to enjoy every minute.”

Hibernian manager Lee Johnson is relishing a blockbuster finale to the season as his team bid to secure a European place.

The Easter Road side finish their campaign with back-to-back home games against the cinch Premiership’s top two of Rangers and Celtic followed by an Edinburgh derby away to Hearts on the final day.

The stakes are high for Johnson’s team, who are currently fifth in the table, a point behind the Jambos and three ahead of St Mirren.

A fifth-placed finish will be enough to earn a crack at Europe next term as long as Celtic beat Championship side Inverness in the Scottish Cup final next month, while fourth will guarantee a place in continental competition regardless.

“We’re very excited, it’s a great three games,” Johnson told Sky Sports. “We’ve got Rangers at home on the Sunday, Celtic at home on the Wednesday and Hearts away on the Saturday, so it doesn’t get bigger than that for us.

“We’re in good form, the boys are playing well and feeling confident, so we have to maximise the points on offer, but they’re tough games.”

Hibs are buoyed by a four-game unbeaten run ahead of their visit from Rangers this Sunday and Johnson is heartened by the way his team performed in their goalless draw away to Aberdeen last weekend.

“We were outstanding on Saturday,” he said. “Aberdeen are on a great run but the boys absolutely implemented the game plan to perfection apart from that elusive goal.

“We hit the woodwork four times, missed a penalty and dominated between the boxes. It was really good from us but we need to maintain that standard and performance level.

“We were disappointed we couldn’t take the three as that would put us in with a shout of fighting for third but we will keep fighting. It’s important for us we continue to improve because it’s a relatively new project.”

Bournemouth have completed the permanent signing of on-loan Sassuolo midfielder Hamed Traore.

The Ivory Coast international initially joined on a six-month deal from the Serie A side on the last day of the January transfer window, with a five-year deal to be triggered if certain conditions were met.

The 23-year-old has played only three times in the Premier League as Gary O’Neil’s side have secured survival, with injury having kept him out of contention for the last month.

He has signed a deal to keep him at the Vitality Stadium until 2028, having played 140 times in Italy’s top flight for Sassuolo and Empoli.

Traore told the club website: “Everyone has been really welcoming with me. Everything is good here and I’m just happy to be here.

“I’ve had a couple of injuries so I’m looking forward to next season, but right now I’m working hard and hope to come back before the end and help the team.”

Chief executive Neill Blake added: “We’ve been really impressed by Hamed since his arrival in January, and we’re delighted to have him with us for the long term.

“He’s shown he’s already capable of performing well at the top level, and we’re excited to see him develop even further.

“The permanent signing of Hamed is another mark of our ambition for the coming years, building on this season’s success to compete once again in the Premier League.”

Bournemouth’s place in the top flight for next season was confirmed at the weekend despite their 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes insists she has no time to monitor the Women’s Super League table, despite a scenario that could see her side seal a fourth straight title on Sunday.

The second-placed Blues, fresh from lifting their third consecutive FA Cup, are one point behind Manchester United, but have a game in hand on the league leaders, who have just two remaining in their campaign.

That means victory against West Ham on Tuesday and Arsenal on Sunday would be enough for Chelsea should United fail to beat Manchester City on the penultimate day of the season.

Hayes was adamant she is unaware of how invested her players might be in potential permutations, saying:  “I promise you I’ve got so much to do I’m not privy to some of their ridiculous conversations, thank goodness.

“They don’t want me being part of them anyway. We’re all football fans too, but I know the dressing room and, as far as we’re concerned, we’re in control of what we want to do and that’s I think all we focus on.

“I didn’t even realise we could go top if we won tomorrow until someone told me yesterday, so you’re asking the wrong person here about all of those things. I don’t pay attention to them because your head gets away with you, so I’ve learned now I never look at them.”

West Ham are still in search of a first league win in 2023.

Manager Paul Konchesky said: “It’s a tough time, for me, it’s a tough time for them and as a whole group at the club. We know we’re going through a tough time, but there are games where we have been really close to winning and we haven’t won. It even looks worse when we haven’t picked up points.

“We haven’t been out of any game, we’ve been in most games we’ve played and it just hasn’t turned the corner for us.”

Arsenal are fighting to retain their place in the Champions League for another season after selling out the Emirates Stadium for their semi-final against Wolfsburg earlier this month.

With three European spots available, Jonas Eidevall will hope to put some distance between his third-placed side and Manchester City below them when the Gunners travel to Everton.

Arsenal are level on 44 points with City but have played one game fewer and also have a better goal difference.

Eidevall anticipates Tuesday’s opponents will be ready to bounce back from their thumping 7-0 defeat to defending champions Chelsea last time out.

He said: “I always expect our opponents to be fully motivated. I expect us to be fully motivated as well, so my expectations are never different from that. I don’t want to draw too much conclusion on that result last week.

“There were performances in that game that were good from Everton, and there were performances that were not so good, like in any football game you play, so we just need to prepare our way playing the game.”

Everton manager Brian Sorensen assuaged fears that City loanee and England international Jess Park could be ruled out of World Cup consideration with the same shoulder injury that has forced her to miss the remainder of the domestic campaign.

He said: “No, it’s a six-week injury and it was three weeks ago now. She should be ready to go on the pitch when we play the last game against City, I think that’s the time schedule. That’s the latest I’ve heard. She’s back at City, she’s in their hands. But last I spoke to her, it shouldn’t affect (it), so let’s cross our fingers for that.”

The sixth-placed Toffees are assured of another top-flight season but, with 27 points, are well out of European contention.

Manchester City and Real Madrid meet again on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some talking points ahead of the decisive encounter at the Etihad Stadium.

Evenly-matched sides

The tie is evenly poised after last week’s 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu. City proved they can dominate in terms of possession but Real were sharp on the counter. Home advantage favours City but Real’s pedigree and history, with 14 European titles to their name, often comes to the fore. These aspects could cancel each other out, leaving neither side with a distinct edge over the other. The outcome is in the balance and could go either way.

Potent attacking forces

Both sides will need to be wary of each other’s attacking weapons. For City the partnership between the prolific Erling Haaland and the irrepressible Kevin De Bruyne is key. When the pair are in tune – and they often are – few can handle them. With the likes of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva adding to the supply lines, there is little opportunity to switch off when playing them. Yet Real boast a fearsome front line themselves in Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and the exciting young Brazilian talents of Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior.

Tactical planning

For the start of the game at least, City would appear to have little reason to deviate from the approach which served them well last week. They played patiently and the chances eventually came. With the talent they have on the field, they should be confident enough to take their opportunities. Yet there were options on the bench last week which could make a difference if Real continue to frustrate. Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez have all shone at different times this season and could give the hosts extra thrust. Real may also stick to the same tactic of soaking up pressure and looking to counter quickly. They even have Eder Militao back from suspension to bolster the rearguard.

Past meetings

City have played down the revenge aspect of the encounter, but last year’s loss to Real at the same stage did hurt, and they would undoubtedly love to get them back. However, this time the second leg is at home, where they have already proved they can overcome the Spanish giants. They beat them 4-3 in the semi-final first leg last year and 2-1 in the 2020 quarter-finals.

Managerial head-to-head

The game will be settled on the pitch but there is no doubting that the managers are big factors in the occasion. Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti are two of the most experienced and successful in the game. Guardiola won the Champions League twice with Barcelona but has continually fallen short with City – the 2021 final being the closest he has come – with suggestions he has often ‘overthought’ things tactically after surprise losses to the likes of Monaco, Tottenham and Lyon. Ancelotti has won the competition four times, twice each with AC Milan and Real Madrid.