UEFA has confirmed a minute's silence will be held at each of this week's European ties as a mark of respect for the victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Over 33,000 people are confirmed to have died after high-magnitude earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria last Monday, and the United Nations' aid agency on the ground says that toll is likely to double.

Turkey has said over a million people in the country are using temporary shelters after the tremors, while over five million people are estimated to have been made homeless in Syria.

Ahead of this week's knockout-stage matches in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, UEFA has confirmed the details of tributes to show support for those affected.

A minute's silence will be observed before every fixture across UEFA's club competitions this week, while a commemorative banner featuring the message, 'We are together with you', will be displayed in Turkish and Arabic.

A statement released by European football's governing body on Monday also confirmed black armbands could be worn at the discretion of teams and referees.

Last week, UEFA confirmed it would donate €150,000 to the Turkish Football Federation and an additional €50,000 to the Bonyan Organization and Tiafi, both assisting in disaster relief.

Trabzonspor are the only Turkish club in action in UEFA's competitions this week, hosting Basel in the first leg of their Europa Conference League knockout round play-off tie.

Istanbul Basaksehir and Sivasspor advanced to the last 16 of that competition as group winners, while Fenerbahce are into the same round in the Europa League.

Hatayspor and Gaziantep, two clubs based in the region effected by the earthquake, have withdrawn from the Turkish Super Lig.

Former Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton winger Christian Atsu, who plays for Hatayspor, is still missing.

Luis Diaz is determined to help Liverpool turn their miserable season around when he returns from a knee injury.

However, the winger is unsure whether he will be ready for the Reds' Champions League tie with Real Madrid. 

Diaz missed Liverpool's last 10 games prior to the World Cup after sustaining the issue in October's 3-2 defeat at Arsenal, and he suffered a setback upon his return to training in December.

Liverpool have endured a dreadful run in his absence, failing to win a Premier League game in 2023 (D1 L3) to leave them well adrift of a top-four place.

Reports had suggested Diaz could feature in the second leg of Liverpool's last-16 tie against Champions League holders Madrid next month, but the Colombia international is unable to put a timeframe on his comeback. 

"The frustration is big, of course, but I try to put into my head that it could happen to anyone and it is now done," he said in an interview with The Telegraph.

"An injury like this could happen to any player, to the best player. I put it in my head that I could go through this injury and just need to recover and work hard to come back when I'm 100 per cent.

"The mentality is the most important because you are not playing and that is the thing you want to do. If you have a good mentality, you can improve.

"I'm already out on the pitch making recovery but as you can understand with an injury on the knee, the recovery is day by day so I cannot tell you in which match I'll be back.

"I'm trying to be back as soon as possible. The desire is big to be back playing when 100 per cent ready to help the team."

Only once in the Premier League era have Liverpool started a calendar year with a longer winless run than 2023's four games (five in 2017), but Diaz hopes his return can provide a spark for Jurgen Klopp's under-performing side, who host struggling Everton in the Merseyside derby on Monday.

"I want to be back and after that I know there are a lot of matches before the end of the season and I just want to help the team with my football," he said.

"It is important to be back, but it is not only me. The idea is to be back and help the team with all my friends and team-mates. I want to be back to make a good second part of the season."

Graham Potter has acknowledged the need for Chelsea to snap out of their frustrating run of form quickly, saying: "long-term doesn't exist in this job".

Potter has come under pressure amid a difficult period for the big-spending Blues, who recorded three successive Premier League draws for the first time since 2012 after Saturday's 1-1 stalemate with West Ham.

Chelsea have won just one of their eight games across all competitions since the turn of the year (D4 L3), and the Champions League now represents their only chance of avoiding a trophyless season.

With a trip to Borussia Dortmund for the first leg of an enticing last-16 tie on the horizon, Potter is aware of the need for things to change at Stamford Bridge.

"You can't talk about the long-term because that doesn't exist in this job," he told reporters. 

"You have to acknowledge there's a long-term but there's a short-term and medium-term that is challenging for us in terms of results.

"The experienced players know what we've been through. You're talking about some top professionals who know football. 

"While people on the outside may have an opinion on things, these guys have been around and know the challenges we've faced.

"They know the situation the club has been in and what's happened. So then it's about helping them get through it, the inevitable frustration because they want to win. We all do and the supporters do. That's where it's been challenging."

Chelsea's two previous Champions League titles were delivered during campaigns which saw them struggle in the Premier League, and while Potter is excited by the start of the knockout stages, he is taking things game by game.

"In a knockout competition, anything can happen, that's the thing," he said. "It's two games. I don't think it's valuable for us to look past Dortmund.

"We have the capability to beat Dortmund but they are also a strong side with the capability to get a result as well. We have to understand that, go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.

"[This squad] has won the Champions League. They've experienced it. They'll want to fight for the game, that's for sure, and that's exciting for us."

Despite Chelsea's domestic struggles, Potter is unbeaten in his five Champions League games at the helm, winning the last four.

Victory in Dortmund on Wednesday would therefore make Potter the first English coach to win five successive matches in the competition. 

Christophe Galtier is "really worried" about Paris Saint-Germain's prospects when they face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.

With Lionel Messi joining Kylian Mbappe on the sidelines due to injury, PSG slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the latter's old club Monaco on Saturday.

It marked PSG's third defeat from their last seven Ligue 1 matches.

Galtier placed Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos on the bench, while he confirmed a virus had struck the camp, with Fabian Ruiz also absent.

Bundesliga champions Bayern, 3-0 winners over Bochum on Saturday, head to the Parc des Princes for the first leg of a Champions League last-16 tie next week, and Galtier is concerned.

"There was a lack of intensity. It is the current state of the team. I can't hide behind that," he said in a press conference.

"The state of the team is like this. It is strange but true. It is bizarre to say that as a PSG manager, but it is the current reality.

"I am worried about the match on Tuesday night. If I wasn't that'd be something serious. We'll see if some of those that couldn't start the match will be able to play on Tuesday. 

"We have a very weakened team and we're worried. In this period, you have to stay clear-headed. I understand the fan's anger. There is anger."

The anger Galtier referred to was apparent as Presnel Kimpembe pleaded with supporters through a megaphone following the defeat at Monaco.

And any hopes of Mbappe returning in time to face Bayern look slim.

"I don't think Mbappe will play," Galtier said. "There are other matches and we're taking no risk with him.

"We hope he'll recover well. Hopefully, [Marco] Verratti, Messi and others on the bench can play the match."

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann demanded a much improved performance from his side in their Champions League last-16 first leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

The Bundesliga leaders stretched their unbeaten league run to 13 games on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Bochum thanks to goals from Thomas Muller, Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry.

Nagelsmann was less than impressed with his side's display, though, and challenged his players to improve dramatically for the mouth-watering clash in Paris.

"We're not in the flow," he told Sky Sport.

"I think if we had played at full throttle, which is fun, and if we moved properly and brought a little enthusiasm onto the field, then I think in the first six minutes we should have led by two or three goals to nil.

"We had huge chances. But that's a bit like the three games we drew, we lacked the finishing. Overall, it wasn't a good game from either team.

"In the end, we didn't show enough life, and we don't have a super flow now.

"We have to put in an outstanding game in Paris, even if [Kylian] Mbappe might be out, because they're just a world-class team.

"If we play like that on Tuesday, it won't be enough to go through."

Muller's goal came in his 428th league outing for Bayern, which took him clear of Gerd Muller as the outfield player with the most Bundesliga appearances for the club.

Only goalkeepers Sepp Maier (473) and Oliver Kahn (429) now stand between him and the outright club record.

The 33-year-old's match ended at half-time when he was replaced by Alphonso Davies, but Nagelsmann said his withdrawal was precautionary.

"He indicated on the way in that he had a bit of a calf problem," the Bayern boss explained.

"I hope he doesn't have anything. It's nothing bad; it was more of a precautionary measure. It was just too much risk for me that he had anything there."

Milan coach Stefano Pioli believes Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Tottenham arrives at the ideal time for his team, saying Friday's win over Torino helped to "cleanse our spirit".

Scudetto holders Milan halted a five-game winless run in Serie A with the 1-0 victory, as Olivier Giroud scored the only goal of a tight contest at San Siro.

The result lifted the Rossoneri from sixth to third in the Italian top flight ahead of Saturday's fixtures, but they must swiftly turn their attention to Europe in the coming days.

Milan will play their first match in the Champions League knockout stages since 2014 when they welcome Antonio Conte's Spurs to Italy for the first leg of their last-16 tussle.

Asked whether that game comes at a good time for Milan after their confidence-boosting victory, Pioli said: "Yes. The Champions League is what we wanted and deserved. 

"From the round of 16 onwards, anyone would have been a very difficult and competitive opponent, especially the English teams. 

"We'll be there, it will be a difficult match. I know Tottenham well because I know Conte and they deservedly won against [Manchester] City [last week]. 

"It comes at the right time, this victory will cleanse our heads and our spirit a little. We will be ready to play a match to the best of our ability. 

"I can only congratulate our fans, it was a difficult period for them. The fact that they continue to support us can only help us. 

"On Tuesday there will be an audience with great opportunities, and we want to live up to the fans and the Champions League."

The last meeting between Milan and Spurs came at the same stage of the competition in the 2010-11 campaign, when the London club triumphed 1-0 on aggregate via a Peter Crouch goal.

Meanwhile, Tottenham's former Juventus and Inter boss Conte has won eight of his last nine games against Milan (L1), and Pioli knows the Rossoneri will have to step things up.

"We have to do much better, raise the level of the game," he said. "Tottenham are a very strong team, but there is satisfaction. The team worked a lot during the match and that's the most important thing."

UEFA has confirmed a donation of €200,000 to humanitarian causes in the wake of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

In addition, the governing body will hold a moment of silence before all of its club competition matches next week.

The two countries were struck on February 6 by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake with multiple severe aftershocks, with more than 22,000 people known to have died.

In a statement, UEFA confirmed a donation of €150,000 to the Turkish Football Federation and an additional €50,000 to the Bonyan Organization and Tiafi, both assisting in disaster relief.

"UEFA is making this initial donation to help the immediate humanitarian response to this horrendous tragedy," said federation president Aleksander Ceferin on Friday.

"I also want to thank our member associations for their quick and compassionate reaction and support offered to those affected by this terrible event."

The Champions League Final is set to be held at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium in June, with UEFA exploring further fund-raising activities around the event.

The Premier League further confirmed an offer of help to humanitarian aid organisations following the disaster.

"We are devastated by the tragic impact of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria," read a statement.

"We are supporting the Disasters Emergency Committee's Turkey-Syria Appeal to deliver aid directly to those in need. Black armbands will be worn in tribute this weekend."

Christian Atsu, who played in the Premier League for Newcastle United, is missing following the tremors.

Hatayspor, Atsu's club, were told the winger had been rescued and was in hospital, but officials were unable to locate the player as concern remains.

UEFA has confirmed a donation of €200,000 to humanitarian causes in the wake of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

In addition, the governing body will hold a moment of silence before all of its club competition matches next week.

The two countries were struck on February 6 by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake with multiple severe aftershocks, with more than 22,000 people known to have died.

In a statement, UEFA confirmed a donation of €150,000 to the Turkish Football Federation and an additional €50,000 to the Bonyan Organization and Tiafi, both assisting in disaster relief.

"UEFA is making this initial donation to help the immediate humanitarian response to this horrendous tragedy," said federation president Aleksander Ceferin on Friday.

"I also want to thank our member associations for their quick and compassionate reaction and support offered to those affected by this terrible event."

The Champions League Final is set to be held at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium in June, with UEFA exploring further fund-raising activities around the event.

The Premier League further confirmed an offer of help to humanitarian aid organisations following the disaster.

"We are devastated by the tragic impact of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria," read a statement.

"We are supporting the Disasters Emergency Committee's Turkey-Syria Appeal to deliver aid directly to those in need. Black armbands will be worn in tribute this weekend."

Christian Atsu, who played in the Premier League for Newcastle United, is missing following the tremors.

Hatayspor, Atsu's club, were told the winger had been rescued and was in hospital, but officials were unable to locate the player as concern remains.

Julian Nagelsmann is backing Manuel Neuer to get back to his "outstanding" best as the Bayern Munich coach looks to move on from the recent controversy surrounding the goalkeeper.

Neuer attracted criticism from the club's hierarchy following an interview with The Athletic, in which he said the dismissal of close friend and goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic was "a blow – when I was already down on the ground".

Bayern captain Neuer is out for the season after breaking his leg during a skiing trip shortly after the World Cup, and his comments led to speculation regarding his future. 

Germany great Lothar Matthaus called for Neuer to be stripped of the captaincy, while some have suggested January arrival Yann Sommer may replace him as Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper.

Nagelsmann, however, considers the matter closed and is focused on helping Neuer in his recovery.

"Everything I discuss with players stays internal. Manu's job is to get fit again. My job is to support him," he said at a press conference to preview Saturday's meeting with Bochum.

"I ask you to let it rest. It's important that the topic is buried soon. Everyone knows that healing the body is also closely related to the thoughts in your head. 

"Manu is currently the captain of this team, you will see everything else. I am certain that Manu will be an outstanding goalkeeper again."

Bayern are looking to extend a 12-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga when they face Bochum, having inflicted two 7-0 routs on the strugglers in the teams' last three meetings.  

The German champions then take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, but Nagelsmann is taking things one game at a time. 

"We have to get the game against Paris out of our heads because we have to keep our rhythm," he said. 

"We haven't had that much flow in the last few weeks. Everything we do on Saturday can also have an impact on Tuesday's game."

PSG have claimed Kylian Mbappe is likely to miss the teams' first meeting after suffering a hamstring injury, while fellow attacking star Lionel Messi will sit out their Ligue 1 trip to Monaco on Saturday with a similar problem.  

Nagelsmann accused PSG of "playing poker" regarding Mbappe's availability last week, and the Bayern boss defended those comments on Friday. 

"Paris are better with those two [Mbappe and Messi] than without. It's the same with us when two top players are out," he said.

"I've read a lot about my attack, which wasn't one. If a player is 'out' and then he plays, everyone says: 'What kind of idiot is Nagelsmann? He let himself be blinded'.

"My answer was just that I prepare like Mbappe is going to play, the same goes for Messi, I prepare the team as if they will both play, because they have other good players who can fill that position."

Lionel Messi will be absent when Paris Saint-Germain face Monaco on Saturday, but coach Christophe Galtier says he will return for next week's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Messi joined Neymar in a two-pronged PSG attack for Wednesday's surprise Coupe de France defeat to rivals Marseille, with Kylian Mbappe missing as a result of a hamstring issue.

After PSG announced that injury could rule Mbappe out of the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern, reports suggested Messi was also doubtful after sustaining a similar problem.  

However, Galtier eased fears Messi could miss Tuesday's meeting with the Bundesliga giants on Friday, although the World Cup winner is set to sit out PSG's Ligue 1 trip to Monaco.

"Leo has felt muscle fatigue, he will resume training on Monday. He is not uncertain for Bayern," Galtier said at his pre-match press conference. 

"We know the importance of Leo to our game. With his absence, we will have to play in a different way to have a more solid, more compact team structure, to use each other. 

"Obviously, going to Monaco without Leo is always annoying."

Messi's tally of 29 goal contributions this season (15 goals, 14 assists) is only bettered by three players from Europe's top five leagues, with Manchester City's Erling Haaland (34) leading PSG team-mates Neymar (32) and Mbappe (31).

PSG's reporting of Mbappe's injury has been met with scepticism in Munich, with Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann saying the French club are "playing poker" regarding his availability.

Asked whether he would be prepared to risk Mbappe on Tuesday, Galtier said: "The player's health comes first. I will be very vigilant about the player's health, especially as the season is long.

"Regarding Kylian, the communication has been made. We spoke of a three-week period of unavailability. Kylian is undergoing treatment."

PSG have endured an underwhelming start to 2023, failing to keep a clean sheet in their past four Ligue 1 games and losing two away matches in the league since the turn of the year, only one fewer than they did in the entirety of 2022.

Galtier's men are the only Ligue 1 side yet to win 1,000 duels in the competition this season (998), and he believes they need to be more aggressive to turn their form around.

"The players were very affected in the locker room after the [Marseille] match and yesterday," he said. "You have to avoid long speeches but also show them what did not work.

"When there is so much disappointment, it is useless to get angry. You have to keep a very cool head.

"We are going to have a series against intense teams who impose duels. We will have to respond. 

"At the moment, we are not finding this aggressiveness. The players have to make a big effort on the mental aspects to win a lot more duels in the middle."

Argentina's World Cup-winning boss Lionel Scaloni and Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti are among the finalists for The Best FIFA Men's Coach Award 2022.

The duo are listed alongside perennial candidate Pep Guardiola of Manchester City in the final three, with the latter named as a finalist for the third time.

Scaloni, who finished fourth last year, took La Albiceleste to victory at Qatar 2022 and is recognised for his efforts in helping to seal a first World Cup triumph since 1986.

Ancelotti is feted for his work with Madrid, after winning a continental double and becoming the first manager to win all five major European league titles.

Guardiola guided City to another Premier League triumph, though he fell short in the Champions League once again and saw his team's main rival Liverpool nab the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

The Spaniard will be looking to go one better than his previous two appearances as a finalist in the voting, having finished second in 2019 and third in 2021.

Among those included in the final three for The Best FIFA Women's Coach Award, England boss Sarina Wiegman picks up a sixth consecutive nod in the category.

The Lionesses manager, a two-time winner of the prize, led the team to a maiden major honour triumph at Euro 2022, securing victory against Germany on home soil.

She is joined by Brazil boss Pia Sundhage – the Swede having claimed Copa America Femenina glory – and Lyon's Sonia Bompastor, who won the treble with the French side.

The winners of The Best FIFA Football Awards will be announced on February 27.

 

Fraser Forster can be a "perfect" replacement for Hugo Lloris during his absence with a knee injury, believes Tottenham assistant Cristian Stellini.

The former France international suffered the blow in his side's win over Manchester City and is facing six to eight weeks on the sidelines.

With manager Antonio Conte returning to work following his recovery from surgery, assistant Stellini will hand back over a squad lacking its first-choice goalkeeper.

But in ex-England shot stopper Forster, the Italian feels his compatriot will have an ideal understudy raring to go between the posts.

"We are all disappointed about Hugo" he said. "But I like Fraser. His behaviour this season has been perfect.

"He trained so hard and in this he also pushed Hugo to train hard.

"We mustn't forget that we have men before we have players and I like Fraser.

"Physically he's perfect for the Premier League and the style we have. He can also use both feet and it will be interesting to see him for the next few weeks."

Lloris has started 27 of Spurs' 31 games this season, while also featuring six times for France in their run to the World Cup final, where they lost to Argentina.

The ex-Lyon keeper, who is now into his 11th season with Tottenham, called time on his international career last month.

He has made four errors leading to a goal in all competitions this season, which is more than any other goalkeeper from clubs across Europe's top five leagues.

Academy players Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman are the other two goalkeepers available to Conte.

Spurs have at least nine games to play before the end of March, including a two-legged Champions League last-16 tie with Milan.

World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez faces competition from Thibaut Courtois and Yassine Bounou to land The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper Award.

Five goalkeepers were originally nominated for the award, which recognises the most outstanding goalkeeping performance in men's football during the period between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022, when Martinez helped Argentina win the World Cup for a third time.

Brazil's Premier League duo Alisson and Ederson missed out on the final shortlist following a vote held among the coaches and captains of international teams, as well as journalists and fans.

Martinez's immense contribution to Argentina's World Cup final win against France put him among the frontrunners for the prize, which will be handed out at a FIFA award ceremony in Paris later this month.

The 30-year-old made a crucial save to deny Randal Kolo Muani an extra-time winner in an epic 3-3 draw, before keeping Kingsley Coman's spot-kick out as Argentina won a penalty shoot-out.

Bounou also impressed in Qatar, helping Morocco become the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals and matching Martinez's tournament-high tally of three clean sheets.

Courtois, meanwhile, made his biggest impact in the club game, helping Real Madrid win a Champions League and LaLiga double last term.

The Belgium international made 59 saves and kept five clean sheets during Los Blancos' successful Champions League run, recording an impressive save percentage of 80.56 per cent across his 13 appearances as they captured their 14th European crown.

Courtois made nine saves in the final as Madrid saw off Liverpool 1-0 in Paris.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis insists the Scudetto frontrunners do not have to sell rumoured Manchester United and Chelsea target Victor Osimhen.

Nigeria international Osimhen is reportedly a target for the Premier League pair, as well as other big names across Europe, after starring for Serie A leaders Napoli this season.

The 24-year-old has 17 goals this campaign – the joint-sixth most of any player across Europe's top five leagues – and has assisted a further three goals in his 21 appearances.

While interest in Osimhen will only intensify between now and the transfer window reopening in advance of next season, De Laurentiis has made it clear Napoli are not looking to cash in.

"Victor is not for sale," he told German outlet Bild. "Our players are in high demand, but we are not forced to sell anybody. We don't have any debts."

Osimhen scored another brace in Sunday's 3-0 win over Spezia as Napoli opened up a 13-point lead over closest challengers Inter at the top of Serie A.

He now has 53 goals in 95 league games across his past four seasons for Lille and Napoli – only Erling Haaland (87 in 87) has needed fewer games to reach the 50-goal mark.

Napoli will hope their in-form striker can make the difference when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the first leg taking place in two weeks' time.

Eintracht are competing in the knockout stage of the competition for the first time, but De Laurentiis says Napoli will not be taking the Bundesliga title challengers lightly.

"In the beginning, the feeling was of a non-difficult draw, but it's not exactly like this," he said of Eintracht, who beat Barcelona in the Europa League quarter-finals last season.

"It's not a coincidence they are in the race for the Bundesliga. We should not think we are a better team. Barca did it last season and we should not make the same mistake."

Napoli have won their past two away games against German sides in European competition, beating Wolfsburg 4-1 in April 2015 and RB Leipzig 2-0 in February 2018.

Neymar has returned to full training with Paris Saint-Germain in a big boost for the French giants ahead of three big matches across the next week.

The Brazil international has not featured in PSG's past two games – league wins over Montpellier and Toulouse – due to suffering from muscular fatigue.

However, Neymar is now in contention to return for Wednesday's Classique against Marseille at Stade Velodrome in the last 16 of the Coupe de France.

Ligue 1 leaders PSG then face fourth-placed Monaco in the league on Saturday, before hosting Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next week.

PSG posted an image of Neymar in training on Monday, while fellow recent injury absentee Sergio Ramos was also present.

Kylian Mbappe is expected to miss at least the first leg of that showdown with Bayern, however, with the prolific forward still nursing a thigh injury.

Prior to his short lay-off, Neymar – who celebrated his 31st birthday on Sunday – had scored 17 goals and assisted 14 more in 25 appearances this season.

Those 31 goal involvements put Neymar level with team-mate Mbappe and behind only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (34) among players from Europe's top five leagues.

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