Real Madrid recovered from an early scare to beat Benfica 2-1 on Wednesday and secure a 3-1 aggregate victory to reach the Champions League last 16 after a pulsating game at the Bernabeu.

Aurelien Tchouameni and Vinicius Jr struck either side of half-time to cancel out Rafa Silva’s opener and send the record 15-times European champions through, with either Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon awaiting in Friday’s draw.

Benfica, trailing 1-0 from a first leg in Portugal marred by Vinicius accusing Benfica‘s Gianluca Prestianni of directing a racist slur at him, started brightly and sliced through a makeshift-looking Real defence missing Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen, with forward Kylian Mbappe also out due to a knee injury set to sideline him for multiple games.

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho was absent from the touchline after receiving a red card in the first leg for complaining, and Prestianni was not involved after being provisionally suspended by Uefa following the incident with Vinicius in Lisbon.

The visitors went ahead in the 14th minute in chaotic fashion. Thibaut Courtois produced a stunning left-footed save to prevent Raul Asencio turning Pavlidis’s cross into his own net, but the rebound dropped invitingly for Rafa Silva, who controlled the ball inside the six-yard box before firing past the keeper.

Real’s response was swift and slick. Two minutes later Gonzalo linked up smartly with Federico Valverde on the right wing, the Uruguayan cutting the ball back towards the edge of the box where Tchouameni guided a low finish just inside the right post.

With the tie finely poised, the game opened up and Arda Guler thought he had put Real ahead in the 32nd minute, only for VAR to rule the effort out for offside in the build-up.

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Benfica continued to threaten, Richard Rios drawing a superb save from Courtois with a fierce strike in the 38th minute but the home side began to find more rhythm after the break.

Asencio headed narrowly wide from a corner and Trent Alexander-Arnold flashed an angled effort past the post, but Real were almost punished for their profligacy.

On the hour mark, Vinicius was caught as Real attempted to play out from the back, allowing Rafa Silva to unleash a thunderous shot from the edge of the box that crashed against the crossbar.

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The tension lingered until the 80th minute, when Valverde seized on a loose ball in midfield and threaded a precise pass through to Vinicius who timed his run to beat the offside trap, surged into the box and slotted a composed finish into the bottom corner to settle the tie.

“We didn’t start very well, but we remained confident and knew the goals would come eventually,” Tchouameni told Movistar Plus.

“We did things a little better as the match progressed and now we’re going to keep going as we move forward. We need to tweak our defence a little and get into the game better, but we won, and that’s the most important thing.”

Victor Osimhen continued his remarkable UEFA Champions League campaign with his seventh goal of the season as Galatasaray S.K. sealed a commanding 7-5 aggregate victory over Juventus F.C. in their knockout play-off clash.

Holding a 5-2 advantage from the first leg, Galatasaray were made to work at a packed Turk Telekom Arena, where 49,977 fans witnessed a thrilling 5-2 win on the night to complete the job in style.

Although the hosts had built a healthy cushion in the tie, Osimhen once again underlined his importance on Europe’s biggest stage. The Nigerian striker was a constant menace to the Juventus backline from the opening minutes, forcing early saves and stretching the Italian defence with his movement and physical presence.

His decisive contribution — his seventh goal in this season’s Champions League — ensured Galatasaray maintained firm control of the contest and the aggregate scoreline. With that strike, Osimhen moved closer to the club’s single-season Champions League scoring record, further cementing his status as the team’s talisman in Europe.

The match itself was a rollercoaster. Gabriel Sara opened the scoring early on before Teun Koopmeiners struck twice to briefly give Juventus hope. However, Galatasaray responded emphatically in the second half through Noa Lang’s brace, a close-range finish from Davinson Sánchez, and a late effort from Sacha Boey to cap off the victory. Juventus’ challenge was further dented when Juan Cabal was sent off in the 67th minute.

Despite the attacking contributions from across the pitch, the spotlight firmly belonged to Osimhen. His seventh goal of the campaign not only highlighted his clinical form but also proved pivotal in guiding Galatasaray safely into the next round of the competition.

With momentum on their side and their star striker in red-hot form, Galatasaray now look ahead with growing belief as their Champions League journey continues.

Real Madrid’s win against Benfica to reach the Champions League last 16 was a “victory for everyone who stands against racism”, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni says.

Vinicius Jr alleged he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg, in which the Real forward scored the game’s only goal.

Prestianni – who has denied racially abusing the Brazilian – was subsequently handed a one-match ban, meaning he missed Wednesday’s return leg.

Support was shown for Vinicius by the home fans as a banner with the words “no to racism” in Spanish was displayed in the stands before kick-off.

Vinicius was again on the scoresheet, netting Real Madrid’s second goal as the Spanish side came from 1-0 down on the night to win 2-1 and book their place in the next round with a 3-1 aggregate victory.

“I think there are more important things than this match, than football,” said Tchouameni, who scored Real’s first-half equaliser.

“Vinicius keeps his confidence and he keeps focused on what he needs to do.

“I think they made the right decision by not letting the boy [Prestianni] play this match.

“Like I said, there are things more important than football and this is a victory for all of us.”

Real Madrid and England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said Vinicius had been his usual self before the fixture, “very chilled” and “very relaxed”.

“He didn’t need to score to send a message or show his mentality,” said the former Liverpool player.

“He doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone because he’s shown time and time again how good he is.

“He steps up when we need him the most. He knows his quality and what he brings to the team.”

Paris Saint-Germain came from behind and then survived a late scare against 10-man Monaco, drawing 2–2 in the second leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie on Wednesday to reach the last 16 with a 5–4 aggregate victory.

The defending European champions came from two behind to win 3–2 in the principality in last week’s first leg, a game in which Monaco had a man sent off early in the second half.

The scenario this time was similar, with French international Maghnes Akliouche giving Monaco a deserved interval lead on the night to level the scores overall.

However, the visitors had Mamadou Coulibaly sent off on 58 minutes, and that proved the catalyst for PSG to make it 1–1 through Marquinhos before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia seemed to have clinched the aggregate triumph.

Jordan Teze did make it 2–2 in stoppage time, but PSG held on to progress to the next round.

Read morePSG fight back to beat Monaco in Champions League play-off

Luis Enrique’s team will now find out on Friday their potential opponents all the way to the final in Budapest, with Barcelona and Chelsea their possible rivals in the last 16.

Paris beat Barcelona 2–1 away during the league phase in October and have faced the Catalans in five knockout ties since 2013. They played Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup last year, losing 3–0 – their only blip in a remarkable campaign.

PSG were widely expected to get the better of their domestic rivals here – Monaco are currently eighth in Ligue 1, 20 points behind leaders PSG, although they did beat the Parisians in November.

The principality side had not won a Champions League knockout tie since their run to the semi-finals in 2017 with a side featuring a teenage Kylian Mbappé.

Here coach Sébastien Pocognoli set his side up in a 5–3–1–1 formation with Akliouche supporting central striker Folarin Balogun, the US national team star who scored twice last week.

Monaco, with just one victory on their last 10 trips to the Parc des Princes, may have felt the pressure was completely off them, and PSG were missing last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé with a calf injury.

Red card changes game

Having been 2–0 up inside 18 minutes last week, Monaco really should have scored within 10 minutes here, but Coulibaly blazed over from an Akliouche cutback. They then came close again when a Balogun chip had to be tipped over by Matvei Safonov.

Bradley Barcola struck the bar for PSG, but Monaco had been the better team and took a deserved lead just before the half-time whistle.

Safonov could only partially clear a cross into the home box and Monaco kept the pressure on as Caio Henrique returned the ball into the middle and Coulibaly laid it off for Akliouche to slot in.

The tie was now all square once again, but it swung back the way of the defending champions when Coulibaly was sent off just before the hour, leaving his team down to 10 men like in the first leg when Aleksandr Golovin saw red.

Read moreMarseille’s hopes dented as Liverpool wins 3–0 in Champions League clash

Having been booked just a few minutes earlier for a foul on Nuno Mendes, this time he was late into a challenge on Achraf Hakimi and a second yellow was produced by the Romanian referee.

PSG then scored from the resulting free-kick, which was played short to Désiré Doué on the right and his low ball was turned in from close range by Marquinhos.

The momentum was now with PSG, and they took the lead on the night on 66 minutes as Hakimi’s powerful strike was only parried by goalkeeper Philipp Köhn, allowing Kvaratskhelia to convert the loose ball.

Monaco still came within a whisker of forcing extra time – substitute Teze turned in a deflected Simon Adingra centre in stoppage time to make it 2–2 and Wout Faes very nearly scored another.

Instead they go out at the play-off stage for the second season running, while PSG’s dream of retaining their title remains alive.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

The Aaron Rodgers theories for the Minnesota Vikings aren’t quite dead yet. Rodgers claimed last summer that the 2025 campaign would be his last, but through seven weeks of the offseason, he’s up to his old tricks, not clearly articulating his future plans. And according to SI.com‘s Conor Orr, Rodgers will end up with the Vikings, a bold prediction as the offseason heats up.

If the Rodgers chatter persists, the Vikings must balance short-term buzz against protecting McCarthy’s long-term development.

Rodgers basked in the spotlight of the Vikings’ rumor mill in 2025. He hasn’t fully left.

The Vikings’ Quarterback Situation Changes Fast Once Rodgers Enters the Talk

The Vikings have about 25 quarterbacks from free agency and via trade to choose from in 2026.

Orr’s Prediction: Rodgers to MIN

Orr crafted one bold prediction per team for the 2026 offseason, and for the Vikings, it’s Rodgers in the saddle.

He explained, “The Vikings will bring in Aaron Rodgers to ‘compete’ with J.J. McCarthy. While it may be just a hunch, I don’t see Rodgers walking away from the chance to pass Peyton Manning on the NFL’s all-time touchdown list.”

“And I don’t see Kevin O’Connell walking away from the chance to add meaningful depth to his roster. While Rodgers and Zach Wilson ended up not being the developmental bridge the Jets had hoped, McCarthy must realize he’s in a similar sink-or-swim situation and can take copious notes.”

Rodgers’ 2025 Campaign

Rodgers posted 3,322 passing yards for the 2025 Steelers inside a run-happy, low-octane offense. He also delivered a 65.7% completion percentage, 24 passing touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions.

The volume numbers were presentable, though, of course, a substantial step back from his Green Bay Packers heyday. Per efficiency, Rodgers ranked as the league’s 19th-best quarterback, putting up an EPA+CPOE in the neighborhood of veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookie Tyler Shough.

If Rodgers signs with the Vikings, fans will merely have to hope that the New York Jets held Rodgers back in 2024 and the Steelers did the same in 2025 with their “boring” offense.

Steelers general manager Omar Khan said about Rodgers on Tuesday, “We certainly welcome Aaron back. It was a good experience with him and really enjoyed getting to know him. He was great to have around. But the reality is, we’re all looking for that next guy, the next 10-to-15-year guy.”

“Look, we’re all in on this. We all agree that we’re looking for that next franchise guy. We’re all excited to work with Will, but we know that has to be addressed. We’re all looking for the same thing. We’re just not there yet.”

A Friendship with Kevin O’Connell

After the Vikings-Rodgers rumor mill faded last offseason, O’Connell and Rodgers later clarified that they’re friends and that they discussed a possible free-agent contract. Both agreed that the talks never went too far, perhaps because former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wanted nothing to do with the Rodgers circus.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter also said this week about Rodgers to Minnesota, “The belief around the league, and let’s preface it by saying it is Aaron Rodgers, and so there are never any absolutes, and things can change like that. But the belief around the league is that he is supposed to give an answer by mid-March.”

“I think the feeling is that he could be back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If we go back to last year, he wanted to play in Minnesota. That is the interesting one to me, right? I don’t know how Aaron Rodgers feels, I don’t know how the Vikings feel.”

If the Schefter-style comments continue, the Vikings will indeed have back-to-back offseasons with blustery Rodgers fodder.

Schefter added, “And I think the Vikings didn’t want to do it last year because they were being protective of J.J. McCarthy. Do they still feel the same way, or is Aaron Rodgers more in the conversation?”

Stunting McCarthy’s Development? Or Helping It?

Suppose Minnesota takes the plunge with Rodgers. He’d be virtually guaranteed to start. One might ask if that’s good or bad for McCarthy, who enters Year No. 3 as a pro.

In one scenario, the Vikings could plop McCarthy on the bench and ask him to watch and learn behind Rodgers for a year — like Jordan Love in 2020, 2021, and 2022. That plan worked in Green Bay. It’s just there’s very little precedent for a team to veer away from their 1st-Round quarterback after starting him for a season, only for the same team to re-promote him a year or two later.

Conversely, signing Rodgers — or anybody who might grab McCarthy’s job — would likely signal the end for McCarthy with the Vikings as a long-term solution. He’d embark on an adventure like Sam Darnold, Anthony Richardson, or Will Levis — former and notable quarterbacks looking for a second chance.

Rodgers will turn 43 in December.

One of the hottest topics on social media is what the Tennessee Titans will do with the fourth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while general manager Mike Borgonzi didn’t reveal any secrets, he did touch on some of the prospects during his NFL Scouting Combine press availability.

For the most part, Tennessee has often been linked to the three top edge rushers in this class: Reuben Bain, Arvell Reese, and David Bailey, in the majority of mock drafts published by different outlets. So it should be no surprise that when he was asked about the edge position and if the Titans had started dissecting the top prospects as the combine hits high gear.

Malik Willis, the top free-agent quarterback on the market in 2026 (if one assumes the Indianapolis Colts re-sign Daniel Jones), will not be cheap. If the Minnesota Vikings are interested in his services, it will cost at least $30 million per year, says the latest intel from the NFL Combine.

If Willis is suddenly a $30M-a-year bet, Minnesota’s cap plight gets tight in a hurry.

The Vikings don’t have $30 million lying around, so if they want Willis, the salary cap magic must be sophisticated.

Willis’s Market Could Price Him Beyond Minnesota’s Comfort Zone

A miniature Willis bombshell just 12 days before the start of free agency.

Jordan Schultz: Willis to Be a $30M per Year Man

There will be no prove-it discount for Willis if NFL insider Jordan Schultz has it right.

He tweeted Wednesday, “Packers free agent QB Malik Willis is in demand, as expected, and interested teams I’ve spoken to at the Combine in Indianapolis believe him getting at least $30M per year is a foregone conclusion.”

Until the Schultz tweet, recent deals for passers like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield suggested Willis might pull down $20 million to $25 million annually. That forecast has changed.

The Vikings’ Salary Cap Situation

The “legal tampering” phase of free agency begins on March 9th, and the Vikings are over the cap by approximately $43 million. What does that mean? They’ll have to release several players or backload many existing contracts to free up any money at all.

The likelihood of a team over the cap by $43 million, some 12 days before free agency, finding $32 million to spend on a quarterback feels low. We’re talking about a $75 million gap. A team with cap problems isn’t usually in the market to sign the top available quarterback in free agency.

And, not for nothing: if Minnesota wanted to spend around $30 million on a quarterback, it should’ve re-signed Darnold last year.

Daily Norseman‘s Warren Ludford recently floated the idea of restructuring Justin Jefferson’s contract: “Jefferson has a $25 million base salary this season and a contract that runs through 2029 with a void year so converting that base salary to a signing bonus would spread the cap hit over the remaining years of his contract and save the Vikings around $20 million in cap space this year.”

“That’s probably enough to accommodate the signings of free agents such as Jalen Nailor, Eric Wilson, Ryan Wright, Andrew DePaola, Jalen Redmond (EFRA), Bo Richter (EFRA), Ivan Pace Jr. (RFA), and a few others, along with Mac Jones and Anthony Richardson if the Vikings opt to trade for them.”

Willis’s GB Production

Willis started three games for the Green Bay Packers over the last two years, leaving general managers around the sport drooling, according to Schultz’s reporting. In fact, a quarterback with three starts under his belt fetching a $30 million per year contract is wild.

Still, if one translates Willis’s statistics from those three starts to a 17-game sample, a full season would look like this:

• 3,468 Passing Yards
• 34 Total TDs
• 0 INTs
• 6 Fumbles
• 79.6% Comp
• 986 Rushing Yards

Those are Lamar Jackson numbers. Some team will take the risk.

The Frontrunners for Willis

Where will Willis land? A handful of teams may need quarterbacks in March. Here’s the theoretical list:

• Arizona Cardinals
• Cleveland Browns
• Miami Dolphins
• Minnesota Vikings
• New York Jets
• Pittsburgh Steelers

In the court of public opinion, the Dolphins and Jets are considered the frontrunners as of late February. In fact, the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, landed the Dolphins’ head coaching job last month, and then Miami hired an executive from Green Bay’s front office as its general manager.

For the Jets, they have no quarterback solution on the horizon at all, unless they draft Alabama’s Ty Simpson in April and call it good.

Pro Football Network‘s Zachary Johnson noted on Willis’s free agency this week, “The Jets, meanwhile, signed former first-round pick Justin Fields to a two-year contract last spring. He’s entering the final year of his deal, but an uninspiring, injury-plagued campaign left head coach Aaron Glenn wanting more out of his signal-caller. The Cardinals are expected to release Kyler Murray for contractual reasons.”

“The former 1st overall pick is likely to have played his last down in Arizona, and, in the eyes of many, a divorce appears to be on the horizon. As for the Dolphins, the connections with Willis are obvious. Jon Eric-Sullivan was just hired as the team’s next general manager after ascending the ranks in the Packers’ front office over the last two decades.”

NFL franchises have watched in the last three seasons as Baker Mayfield and the aforementioned Darnold have reclaimed their careers. Willis is the next in line, or so goes the theory.

Former Premier League defender Curtis Davies said the decision was an “absolute disgrace”.

“Kelly goes up for a header, he’s gone for the header cleanly. His feet have to land on the ground somewhere,” he added on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Unfortunately, he lands on the player. There needs to be a level of understanding – where is he meant to put his feet? I understand Kelly’s frustration.”

Davies’ sentiments were echoed by football journalist Rory Smith, who called the decision “awful” and a “disgrace”.

Meanwhile, former Tottenham midfielder Andy Reid felt football was “moving closer and closer to being a non-contact sport”.

“There needs to be contact in football and sometimes people do get painful ones. It happens. There’s nothing you can do about that. It’s part of the game,” he said.

According to Uefa rules, any player sent off by the referee – whether that is via two yellows or a straight red – is automatically suspended for the next match in European club competition.

However, in light of Juventus’ exit from the Champions League, Kelly’s suspension will carry over to next season.

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha added: “If I was Kelly I’d be really disappointed, but with how football works, it’s always going to be a red.”

But former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock disagreed.

“I don’t agree with it because it is purely accidental. I understand the yellow card, but not the red,” he said.

The title defence rolls on, but, in sharp contrast to 12 months ago, Paris Saint-Germain really do not feel like a team who are bound for the final. The dynasty might just be on pause for this season at least.

If that seems a curious response to a 2-2 draw that took the holders beyond Monaco then ask yourself this question: how different might this tie have been if the young men from the principality had not contrived to get themselves sent off in the critical moments of both legs? For Aleksandr Golovin in the Stade Louis II read the previously exceptional Mamadou Coulibaly. 

When he careened into Achraf Hakimi in the 58th minute, Monaco were level in the tie and looked slightly more likely to find its seventh goal. Adi Hutter’s side were doing a little with a lot: purposefully breaking out from their lines of five and four without the ball, exploiting the running power of Folarin Balogun out in the channels and getting players up in support of him. They might not have dominated possession — who does against a Luis Enrique team? — but they were getting into the right spots and doing with an energy that their illustrious hosts could not match.

That is a real problem for PSG, who did get the job done quite swiftly after Coulibaly saw red. Desire Doue’s cross from the byline was turned in by Marquinhos, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia pounced on the rebound when Philipp Kohn spilled a long ranger from Achraf Hakimi: these were partly a reward for the final third pressure the hosts applied with their man advantage but no less a reflection of a young opponent who’d had the stuffing knocked out of them by their reduction in numbers. 

There might have been more in this for Monaco than they realised, Jordan Teze ghosting in at the back post to turn in almost unmarked in a fashion not dissimilar to the opener from Magnes Akliouche. On both occasions, PSG had the numbers to comfortably deal with the situation, and none of them seemed willing to take control of the season. 

That could scarcely be a greater contrast from last season, when intensity was the defining trait of this team. Luis Enrique’s men would outrun anyone in Europe, and at this stage, their blend of quality and industry was shining through so clearly against Ligue 1 opposition that you suspected this was a different outfit to the many who had fallen short in the Champions League.

Tonight, you half expected to see one of the old guard ambling around the field out of possession, waiting for the other guys to do the defending and get the ball up to them. It is becoming increasingly clear that PSG relied on Ousmane Dembele for more than just his clutch goals. It is hard to believe that the best pressing Ballon d’Or-level striker of his generation would have allowed Monaco to so easily work their way out of the counter press when PSG frequently gave the ball away in the Monaco half. 

The issue here is that the 13 total starts Dembele has made this season is altogether more normal for him than the run of fitness he found 12 months ago. Good squad planning means having good cover for the players you know are most vulnerable. It’s not entirely clear that a front three of Bradley Barcola, Doue and Kvaratskhelia, with Goncalo Ramos filling in here and there, is that.

Dembele is not the only one who is feeling the burn. Fabian Ruiz was missing tonight; it is hard to find a cornerstone of that championship team who hasn’t missed time. And that’s not a surprise. This was a team coached to hit its peak on May 31, 2025. Then they had to play on for another six weeks and seven games. The Club World Cup exacted a heavy burden. Luis Enrique has tried to mitigate that with rest and rotation, but maybe that explains why so many basic passes were going awry.

When they didn’t, this was still a team that could run rings around better opponents than Monaco. There is something irresistible about PSG’s left winger dragging the opposition out of position to create space for an underlapping Nuno Mendes to fizz in a low cross from the byline. Get Kvaratskhelia going at his man, and it’s good night and good luck. Last season, PSG could manufacture those spots a dozen times a night. Now they are flashes of what once was.

What they are now is not a team that exists at the same level as Arsenal and Bayern Munich, the two clear favorites to win this competition. It might not even be enough to get comprehensively clear of Barcelona or Chelsea, the two teams that they could get in Friday’s draw. At this stage a year ago PSG seemed to have the momentum to push themselves to the heights they had always dreamed of. Now they are back to the crushing realities of what a team looks like when it doesn’t have the energy to match its talent.