After Lamine Yamal stole the Champions League show in Barcelona’s semi-final first leg comeback against Inter in midweek,Barney Ronayconsiders the outrageous talents of the teenager being hailed as a phenomenon that only comes along every 50 years. Promotion to the Premier League is one of Saturday’s key footballing themes, so there’s no better time to consider the impact of parachute payments.Philippe Auclairwrites on why the system benefits the elite when teams such as Burnley and Leeds rejoin top tier within three years.
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Join Rob Smyth and Simon Burnton for the latest news and buildup to Saturday’s football action. Send your thoughts tomatchday.live@theguardian.com
Tanya Aldred provides updates from day two of the latest round of County Championship matches, with Lancashire facing Gloucestershire at Old Trafford and Somerset taking on Essex at Taunton.
Following the gripping final day of the regular season is Rob Smyth, with Burnley and Leeds aiming for the title and 100 points. Join him for the buildup, followed by Ben Fisher’s report from Bristol City v Preston and Paul MacInnes at Coventry v Middlesbrough.
John Brewin will have all the latest as Aston Villa and Fulham, seventh against eighth, chase a place in Europe. Join him for the buildup from 11.30am, followed by Peter Lansley’s report from Villa Park.
Greg Wood covers all the action from Newmarket as the John and Thady Gosden-trained Field Of Gold, who won the Craven Stakes over course and distance earlier this month, heads 11 entries for the 2000 Guineas at 3.35pm.
Simon Burnton keeps the updates flowing as relegated Leicester and Southampton play for pride and Andy Hunter reports on Everton’s revival under David Moyes against another club destined for the Championship, Ipswich.
Can McLaren’s unflappable Australian Oscar Piastri repeat his recent heroics in the shortened format? With his first report from the day’s action on the Miami circuit, our man in Florida, Giles Richards, covers the 100km sprint race.
The Premier League title and relegation places have been decided, but Arsenal – who slipped up against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek – can rubberstamp a Champions League place if they beat Bournemouth and Chelsea lose to champions Liverpool on Sunday. Join Scott Murray for live buildup and match updates, followed by report and analysis from David Hytner and Ed Aarons at the Emirates.
England’s lone Champions Cup hope Northampton travel to Dublin in search of an unlikely upset against Leinster. Saints fell just three points short of victory last season when they met the formidable Irish side at the same stage and to reach their first Champions Cup final since 2011, where they lost out to the Dubliners after an historic comeback, they will need the very best of Fin Smith and Henry Pollock. Luke McLaughlin follows all the tries and big tackles live, followed by Robert Kitson’s match report from the Aviva Stadium.
In the wake of Real Madrid’s Champions League exit and theirCopa del Reyfinal shenanigans after they boycotted the pre-match activities and their demands that the Spanish football federation take action after comments made by the referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in the buildup to the game, our columnist asks: what next for the Spanish grandees?
The F1 spotlight turns back to the the Miami Autodrome with the race for pole. Last year, Lando Norris scored his maiden F1 victory here and McLaren have started this season by taking four wins out of five. However, the English driver trails his teammate Piastri so far this season in the drivers’ standings. Can he outshine the rapid Aussie, let alone Red Bull’s Max Verstappen?Join John Brewin for the cut and thrust of the showdown, then Giles Richards’ report.
Tom Bassam and Emillia Hawkins will pick out the best of Saturday’s action before looking ahead to Sunday’s big matches in the Premier League, Women’s Super League and not forgetting the Old Firm derby at midday. Ewan Murray, our Scottish football correspondent, will join too. Emailmatchday.live@theguardian.comwith your views.
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Join Tanya Aldred for our continued coverage of the latest county cricket games, including Yorkshire v Warwickshire at Headingley.
Duty First is all set for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket after victory at Newbury earlier this month and Greg Wood is primed to cover the second day of the weekend’s action. At 33-1 for the Fred Darling, Duty First defied those odds and prompted owners Victorious Racing to add the Archie Watson-trained daughter of Showcasing to the first fillies’ Classic of the year.
The title won and a domestic treble up for grabs if they beat Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park on 24 May, Celtic are not expected to lower the levels of intensity against their old foes. Oddly, Rangers, 17 points behind the Hoops, have won the past two league derbies before the final Old Firm clash of the season. We’ll be following the cut and thrust live, followed by Ewan Murray’s match report.
Day one of the final at the Crucible and Daniel Harris will follow the action. With persistent speculation about more lucrative offers to stage the showpiece from the likes of Saudi Arabia, or even rebranding the prestige event as a roving spectacular, the 2025 final could be a climax to savour.
Can United pull something from the Premier League hat in the tail end of a most dismal season? Ruben Amorim’s side are set to record their lowest ever Premier League points tally and won’t find much respite in west London, particularly as this fixture comes just days after a pivotal Europa League semi-final first leg at Athletic Bilbao. So expect a host of academy graduates to feature, including 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, Harry Amass and Tyler Fredricson. Join Michael Butler to see if the tyros shine, before John Brewin’s report.
Chelsea have the title but there’s plenty still in the mix with two derbies – Liverpool face Everton plus the Manchester derby at noon – followed by Crystal Palace v Leicester, Tottenham v Chelsea and West Ham v Aston Villa. Join Emillia Hawkins for buildup and live match updates.
The title may be in the Reds’ pocket but Liverpool are unlikely to ease up on the gas against a Chelsea side under pressure to claim a Champions League place. We’ll be following the action live before Jonathan Liew and Barney Ronay provide the very best in sportswriting on the match.
George Russell has taken on the senior role with aplomb since Lewis Hamilton’s departure for Ferrari and it would be wise not to rule him out in Miami. The 27-year-old Mercedes driver may not be able to match the pace of the McLarens but three podiums in the first five races cannot be ignored. Lap-by-lap commentary comes from Beau Dure in the United States.