Neves played his part in a CL classic [Getty Images]
Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 Bayern Munich
Tuesday evening saw one of the greatest matches in the history of European football, as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich produced a 9-goal thriller in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in France.
In a clash many ahead of kick-off deemed suitable for the final, the current holders will take a slender lead to the Allianz Arena in Bavaria next week after a pulsating encounter. Match reports across the world are eulogising over the football played in the French capital, with local paper L’Équipe leading with ‘Total football’ as their headline.
The goals were nicely distributed, with five coming in the first half– a record for a Champions League semi-final opening 45 minutes – followed by four more after the re-start. The momentum of play shifted several times, as Bayern took a 1-0 lead before trailing 2-1 and later trailing PSG 5-2 on the night, but a late fightback from the Germans leaves the tie delicately poised at the halfway stage.
Neves shines among game’s elite
The match was lit up by many of the continent’s finest players getting on the scoresheet, including Harry Kane, former Porto star Luis Diaz and Michael Olise for Bayern, while Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia each bagged a brace for the Parisians.
In amongst the senior stars finding the net was Portugal’s 21-year-old sensation João Neves. The former Benfica midfielder the goal which put PSG 2-1 up on 33 minutes, finding space in the box to nod in Dembélé’s corner for his 7th goal of the campaign. The haul matches Neves’ tally from last term, meaning he is one goal away from setting a new season best goals return.
Fellow Seleção starts Vitinha and Nuno Mendes were also in Luis Enrique’s PSG side, with Vitinha unsurprisingly racking up the highest number of passes across his team in what was a frantic encounter. Indeed, after the match, the Spanish boss told reporters: “I’ve never experienced a game with this intensity, with this desire to win. I think all the fans, regardless of who they support, were happy to see this kind of spectacle. Both teams and all the players deserve congratulation.”
Gonçalo Ramos was an unused substitute on the PSG bench, while an injury sustained last weekend kept Raphaël Guerreiro out of contention for Bayern. Experienced campaigner Guerreiro, who has confirmed he will leave Bayern on a free transfer this summer, is also expected to miss the return leg with a hamstring issue.
Palhinha's goal was crucial for Spurs [Getty Images]
The final stages of the Premier League season look set to be the most memorable in years. While Arsenal and Manchester City compete in an intense tussle for the title, which could be settled on goal difference if each win their remaining games, there is similar intrigue surrounding the relegation places, where Portuguese involvement is strong.
Palhinha the hero
Arguably the most eye-catching story at the bottom is Tottenham Hotspur’s bid to avoid dropping out of the top flight for the first time in almost half a century. Spurs were last relegated in 1977, spending the following season in the second tier before being immediately promoted, but a repeat of such an occurrence was deemed unthinkable until recent weeks.
An incredible slump in form saw Roberto De Zerbi’s side head to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday having not won a league match since December. Manager Thomas Frank was sacked in February, with his replacement Igor Tudor lasting just seven matches before meeting the same fate and being replaced by De Zerbi last month.
The dismal run of results has seen Spurs slip down to 18th place and the relegation zone, rendering the Wolves match a ‘must win’ at Molineux. With less than ten minutes remaining, the travelling Spurs fans surely feared the worst as the clock ticked with the score goalless, but substitute João Palhinha’s close-range finish on 82 minutes earned a 1-0 victory and ended their winless run.
“It means much more than three points, this victory, the goal,” Palhinha told Spurs’ media after the match. “The celebration was a little bit more with the fans because we’re all together. They deserve this victory after such a long time, it’s been a really tough time to be at the club.
“We probably did more to win games in other matches than we did today. But football is like that. We need to focus on the reality that we are right now and on the main goal now which is staying in the Premier League. This win was overdue because I think we deserved to win games in the past, but it’s much more than three points today. It gives us an extra boost.
“I hope one win can change everything. We have four finals and it doesn’t matter if we play well, we are in the position where we just need to win games. That’s the reality.”
Forest send message with crushing win over Sunderland
The three points for Spurs were all the more important due to the performances of their direct relegation rivals. The three teams directly above Spurs – Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham – have all been picking up positive results of late, with their form dragging Spurs into the bottom three.
Vítor Pereira, who so impressively adapted at Wolves midway through last season to save them from relegation, is having a similar impact in his role at Nottingham Forest, following his appointment in February. The Reds, who are also in the Europa League semi-finals, sent out a message of intent on Friday night with sensational 5-0 victory at Sunderland.
The result made it three wins from the last four matches for Forest, who before that held high-flying Aston Villa and Manchester City to draws. The flurry of positive showings has seen Pereira’s side move up to 16th place and open a five-point gap between themselves and Spurs in the drop zone.
Sit back and enjoy all five goals from a memorable evening in the North East. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/MA4eAcQv0X
“It’s a good feeling,” Pereira said after the astonishing win over Sunderland. “We’re eight games unbeaten now, and it’s important to keep this mentality.
“They had the belief and the spirit in themselves, and they know they can score goals and be an aggressive team, and we did everything to win.
“The results we are getting mean that we are creating something consistent. We are competing in every game for results, which is the spirit I want to see in my team until the last game.”
West Ham also continue to rack up points under their Portuguese boss Nuno Espírito Santo. While not as convincing as Forest, the Hammers beat Everton 2-1 in the capital on Saturday thanks to an injury-time winner by substitute Callum Wilson, which made it seven points from their last three matches in the Premier League.
Of particular significance to Nuno is the team’s regular ability to respond to setbacks. The winner against Everton came after the visitors had stunned the London Stadium by equalising in the 88th minute through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but Nuno’s men quickly recovered from the disappointment to find a dramatic clinching goal.
“One of the positive things we achieved, especially at home, is that we don’t give up,” Nuno said after the final whistle. “Conceding was a huge blow for us, but the next moment was to react and Jarrod [Bowen] showed us the way and put the ball in the right place [for Wilson] at the right moment.
“What a way to suffer in the end! But I think all of us deserve this moment, especially our fans. But I’m speaking too much, I want to pass this message: we have two more games here. And I really hope our fans understand the need and do what they did today. It’s going to be huge for us.
“During the game, the fans give us extra. We hear the noise. We cannot thank them enough and I insist we have two more games at London Stadium and we know the energy we have here. We know how important the home factor is in the Premier League.”
Moreira and Endrick were sensational in Paris [Getty Images]
Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Lyon
Paulo Fonseca’s Olympique Lyonnais gave their hopes of a top three place in France a huge boost on Sunday with victory over champions Paris Saint-Germain in the capital.
The match had high Portuguese involvement, with Fonseca’s young prodigy and ex-Sporting forward Afonso Moreira on the scoresheet and shining for the victors, while PSG gave a runout to the normally dependable Seleção striker Gonçalo Ramos, who missed a penalty and struggled to have an influence at the Parc des Princes.
Moreira, Endrick too hot to handle
The damage was done by Lyon inside the first 20 minutes, with Fonseca’s men making a strong start from the first whistle against a host side which had been rotated by Luis Enrique. Youthful front pairing Moreira and teenager Endrick – on loan from Real Madrid – were deployed as a split strike force in Fonseca’s 4-3-1-2 system and wreaked havoc on the PSG defence for much of the match.
First Moreira found Endrick to allow the Brazilian space to crash a left-footed finish in off the post to put Lyon ahead in the 6th minute, after which the duo continued to carve open their opponents with their dynamism. Both Moreira and Endrick showed remarkable pace, touch and awareness to make the normally composed European champions look ragged in defence.
The second came in the 18th minute and was a counter-attack goal of wonderful devastation. Lyon cleared a corner to the midway point of their half, where Endrick held off the attention of his marker to send a long ball down the centre of the pitch for Moreira to chase, which the 21-year-old did with immaculate control and composure before finishing into the bottom corner.
PSG, who were without Nuno Mendes and rested João Neves to the bench, had Vitinha in midfield and Ramos leading the line. Naturally the champions fought back and dominated possession for the remainder of the match, but failed to make a breakthrough until substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia produced a stunning consolation in stoppage time.
Crucial to that failure to recover was a missed penalty by Gonçalo Ramos, which came in the 33rd minute after Lucas Hernandez was tripped by Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Ramos stepped up but struck his penalty only slightly left of centre, giving Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif an easy save to make.
“This keeps us in the running” for the CL places - Fonseca
Fonseca was praised for his tactical gameplan in the French press after the match, particularly the way his disciplined midfield three in the 4-3-1-2 system denied the PSG attackers space to cut inside, as well as the deployment of Endrick and Moreira on such a big stage to provide the threat in attack.
“Before the match, we talked about the defensive work we needed to do this week,” Fonseca told journalists, after maintaining 3rd spot and the final Champions League place. “We prepared for what the team did tonight. We know how to play against Paris, who are the best team in the world, because we know we won’t have the ball, so we have to be organized and know what to do when we do. We needed to get forward very quickly with Afonso (Moreira) and Endrick, which we managed to do.
“I think we played a very interesting match. Tactically and defensively, it was magnificent, almost perfect. The players played with enjoyment and discipline, and that’s why we won today.
“We worked hard as a team and saw some excellent counter-attacking moves. In my opinion, we faced the best team in Europe. The team deserved this victory; they showed a lot of courage.
“This match a turning point? We’ll only know at the end. We have four finals and we’ll see at the end. We have a tough schedule, but we know we’ll be there. This victory keeps us in the running. This season has been very difficult, even today we had a lot of key players missing. It’s fantastic for us to be third after everything we’ve been through.”
Contrasting reviews for Moreira, Ramos
Moreira was given the Man of the Match award, likely a fraction ahead of teammate Endrick, perhaps partly due to the Portuguese completing the full ninety minutes despite his many sprints. French publication L’Equipe, famous for their strict ratings, issued Moreira 8 out of 10 for his performance.
On the other end of the scale was Ramos, who was marked 2 out of 10 by the paper. Indeed, one headline from L’Equipe read: “Ramos floundered, Moreira shone” while noting that “PSG’s usual substitutes failed to impress, particularly Ramos.” Vitinha was replaced (39’) as a precaution ahead of next weeks’ CL semi-final clash with Bayern Munich following a minor knock sustained ahead of Moreira’s goal, and therefore was not rated.
“We knew what we had to do to win this match,” Moreira said after the game. “We had to be efficient and put in the effort to win back possession. Well done to the staff and all the players for this victory.
“We have a great mentality, we’re like a family. The coach didn’t tell me anything special, just to be myself and help the team. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
The fight for 3rd place in Ligue 1 and the final spot in the Champions League is remarkably tight. Lyon are locked on 54 points along with 4th place Lille, with Rennes (53 points), Marseille (52 points) and Monaco (50 points) still in contention with four matches remaining. PSG’s one-point lead over Lens at the top with a game in-hand means Luis Enrique’s side remain firm favourites to retain their crown.
Guardiola embraces Bernardo after Arsenal win [Getty Images]
Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal
The Premier League title race took a significant turn on Sunday afternoon as Manchester City defeated league leaders Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, ensuring the battle to become English champions will be closely-contested during the final weeks of the season.
Goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, either side of Kai Havertz’s equaliser, saw the hosts come out winners from a tense match in Manchester, after which City cut the Gunners’ lead at the top to just three points with one game in-hand, which they will play against Burnley on Wednesday.
Bernardo Silva played the full 90 minutes in midfield alongside Rodri and was voted Man of the Match by Sky Sports for a typically complete display. The Seleção man was assured on the ball as always, racking up a 90% pass completion rate, but it was equally the tactical assurance and defensive coverage which caught the eye of analysists who joined in eulogising Bernardo’s performance.
Speaking after the match, City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that his usual tendency to bestow praise upon the Portuguese now renders him close to tears, given Bernardo’s recent public confirmation that he will leave City at the end of his contract this summer and continue his career elsewhere.
“Bernardo? Gratitude. If I talk a lot I will cry,” Guardiola said. “[I’d like to say] thank you so much on behalf of this club for what you have done. He proves that football starts here [the mind] to the feet. That guy is not the fastest, but he knows exactly in every single moment what is required.
“Always he is committed and never injured. Last season defined him: when others were not there always he was there, the first to suffer.
“His mentality is important. Always he sees the positive things in life. That’s why his life will be happy with his wife and his kids, it will be so happy because he’s positive. When you have life in that spirit..
“He deserves the biggest recognition. When you write legend, you have to write it in capital letters. Because he has been. Not just today, every single game in nine years.
“No chance that these years together would have been so special without him. A special player. Wherever he will go, the team will be so lucky to have him.”
It's been emotional - Bernardo
For his part, Bernardo was typically modest, preferring to keep the focus on City’s objective for the remainder of the season. The Blues, who also started Matheus Nunes in the victory, face six more league encounters in the knowledge that should both they and Arsenal win their remaining matches, the title will be decided on goal difference.
“Yeah very big [win],” said Bernardo after the final whistle.
“It puts us in a position that if we win the game in hand we’re on the same points.
“If you look two weeks ago this didn’t look very likely. A tough game, a good game and we’re happy that we can be on the same points.
“It’s a long season. A lot of small details didn’t go our way earlier this season. Unlucky plays that we had, we missed a lot of chances and today things went our way. I’m really happy.
“I made the decision [to leave] a long time ago so all season it’s been emotional for me because I knew my decision.
“I just want to finish on a good end with trophies and I’m doing my best for this club until the end.”
Bernardo is leaving Man City after nine years [Getty Images]
Portugal international Bernardo Silva will be one of the most in-demand players during this summer’s transfer window, after confirming he will leave Manchester City as a free agent at the end of his contract.
Bernardo will bring an end to a nine-year spell with City at the end of the season, at which point the 31-year-old will have a wide range of options to choose from in continuing his career. For many Benfica fans, the prospect of a return to Estádio da Luz is an exciting possibility, particularly given Bernardo’s regular declarations that he wishes to play for his boyhood club while still in his prime.
Paulo Silva, his father, was quoted after Bernardo’s last City contract extension in 2023 as saying a return to Benfica was “a strong possibility” but how realistic is an emotional homecoming to Lisbon this summer?
Bernardo’s recent quotes on the subject leave plenty of room for varying interpretations. “I always joke that if Manchester City were a little further south in Europe, I would stay until they forcibly kicked me out,” he stated last month, going on to suggest that he always struggled to adapt off the field in Manchester.
“I’m not saying I don’t like it, but culturally it’s not 100 percent what I ideally wanted. At times, I don’t feel as happy as I’d like. Before being with my wife, I spent a period alone in Manchester where I didn’t feel very good about myself. I thought a lot about leaving, not because I didn’t like the club – which I love – but because of other aspects of my life.
“If Manchester City were in Lisbon, I would stay until I was 40.”
Pep pays tribute
The closing line could be enough to excite Benfica fans, but while a move to another English club, or indeed perhaps a Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain, could potentially be ruled out along similar cultural grounds, there are expected to be plenty of major clubs vying to beat Benfica to Bernardo’s signature.
Barcelona hold long-term interest, while Juventus are credited as one of the frontrunners in the chase for arguably the most high-profile free agent of the close season. Other Italian clubs could offer a lifestyle option more closely aligned with Bernardo’s preference, while Turkish giants Fenerbahçe and Saudi Arabia’s elite are believed to have made contact of late.
For Pep Guardiola, the void will be significant. The City boss has regularly expressed his adoration for Bernardo, claiming the Portugal man is one of the best players he has worked with. Indeed, Guardiola playfully scalded Bernardo recently for keeping him in the dark over his future plans, before announcing the departure on social media on Thursday.
“It was an incredible signing,” Guardiola said recently. “I love this club and I would love for him to stay and finish his career here, but I don’t know. I’m very angry with Bernardo because a month ago I jokingly told him: 'if you make a decision, I have to be the first to know'. He still hasn’t told me anything, so I don’t know what’s going on.
“He’s very good in every aspect. He plays a lot of games. We’ve been together for nine years and he hasn’t had any injuries. He can play in different positions, he’s very intelligent and he reads every moment that the action and the game demand.”
Bernardo’s full statement, penned as a letter to City fans on Thursday, read as follows:
“Cityzens,
When I arrived 9 years ago, I was following a dream of a little boy, wanting to succeed in life, wanting to achieve great things. This city and this club gave me much more than that, much more than I ever hoped for. What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart. The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the Four In A Row and much more… It wasn’t that bad 😉
In a few months it’s time to say goodbye to the city where not only we won so much as a football club, but also where I started my marriage and my family. From the bottom of my heart, Ines and Carlota, thank you!
To the fans, your unconditional support throughout the years is something that I will never forget. My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys could feel proud and well represented on the pitch. I hope you felt that every single game. I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life. Keep supporting this young team and I’m pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new fantastic memories in the future.
To the club, Pep, the staff and all my teammates these 9 years, thank you for all the memories and for letting me be a part of this journey for so long. The atmosphere we created every day in the training ground made me feel at home and a part of a big family. Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us.
Love you all, Bernardo.
Many prominent figures responded to the post, with Manchester United captain and Seleção teammate Bruno Fernandes describing Bernardo as a "true legend of the English League," while City’s star striker Erling Haaland was glowing in his praise of a man who undoubtedly leaves as a club legend.
“If you ask me what he’s really good at, it’s a little difficult to explain,” Haaland told Sky Sports. “The way he controls the game, his intelligence… he’s probably the most intelligent player I’ve ever played with.
“When we talk about his career at City, the last nine years have been crazy. He’s won six Premier League titles and the Champions League. Look how important he was for us during the treble, when he scored against Bayern or when he scored two goals against Real Madrid. It’s hard to find words because he’s been such an important figure for this club over the last nine years. And he’s also shaped the club with how he’s been on and off the pitch.”
Typical of his relentless availability, Bernardo has featured in every one of City’s 31 league matches this campaign – an aspect of his make-up which will only draw him more suitors. Appropriately for the most decorated Portuguese to play in Britain, Bernardo this season overtook Luís Boa Morte as the Luso player with the higest number of appearances in English league football.
Bernardo has won a total of 19 trophies during his time with City – a number which could yet be rounded to 20 next month as City aim to snatch the Premier League from current leaders Arsenal. The two teams meet on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium, with City trailing by six points with a game in-hand, meaning a victory for Bernardo’s men would prompt the closest of title run-ins.
Forest send message with crushing win over Sunderland 
West Ham snatch late winner 
