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Silva will leave Manchester City after winning the Champions League and six Premier League titles during his nine-year spell.

Manchester City ‌‌captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club ⁠⁠at the ⁠⁠end of the season, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has confirmed.

“Every good story comes to an end,” Lijnders told reporters after City’s 4-0 FA ‌‌Cup quarterfinal victory over Liverpool on Sunday.

“I hope he enjoys the last months – there are only six weeks left – and has a good farewell. He deserves all that attention.”

The 31-year-old Portugal international, who has ⁠⁠won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during nine years at the Etihad ⁠⁠Stadium, will depart as a free agent when his contract expires after the campaign concludes.

Pep Guardiola, who was serving a touchline suspension during the match, has previously described Silva ⁠⁠as “irreplaceable”.

Silva joined City from AS Monaco ⁠⁠in 2017 for a reported fee of about $57.35m and has since made 450 appearances for the club.

Known ⁠⁠for his tactical versatility, superb technique and tireless work rate, the midfielder has ⁠⁠been a cornerstone of City’s ⁠⁠side under Guardiola.

After winning the League Cup last month, City remain in contention for a domestic treble as the 2025-26 campaign enters ‌‌its final weeks, despite trailing Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points.

The Manchester club have a game ‌‌in ‌‌hand and eight matches remaining to bridge the deficit.

Silva will become the second major player to leave the top four Premier League clubs this season, joining Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah, who confirmed he will exit the defending champions in May.

The 33-year-old Egypt international confirmed the news via a video message on his social media accounts last month.

“Unfortunately, the day has come. This is ‌‌the first part of my farewell,” Salah said. “I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.”

Signed from AS Roma in 2017, Salah established himself as one ⁠⁠of the best players in the club’s ⁠⁠history, helping Liverpool to two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups, as ‌‌well as an FA Community Shield.

He has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances, making him the club’s all-time third ‌‌highest ‌‌goal scorer, during which he won the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions.

During a trip to Damascus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the two countries agreed to work together to provide ‘more security and opportunities for development for our societies’.

The leaders of Ukraine and Syria have pledged greater security cooperation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Kyiv offers its military expertise to governments across the Middle East region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Zelenskyy held talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Sunday, in his first trip to the Syrian capital since former leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted in 2024.

Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that the leaders agreed to work together to provide “more security and opportunities for development for our societies”.

“There is a great interest in exchanging military and security experience,” he said.

Since the war began on February 28, Iran and its allied groups have attacked US and Israeli targets, as well as targets in Gulf countries, using a range of missiles and drones.

Ukraine, which has developed expertise in countering drone attacks in its more than four-year war with Russia, has offered its country’s expertise during Zelenskyy’s visits to countries in the region, and has sent teams to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

During his visit to the Gulf states last week, Zelenskyy signed long-term military cooperation deals with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Syria is not known to have any air defences capable of dealing with Iranian drones or missiles.

Zelenskyy also told al-Sharaa that Kyiv was a reliable grain supplier and said the two leaders “discussed joint opportunities to strengthen food security across the region”,

According to Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry on X, the country’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, also met Zelenskyy in Damascus on Sunday, as well as his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani and Ukraine’s Andrii Sybiha.

The meeting with foreign ministers came a day after Zelenskyy visited Turkiye, met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed on “new steps” in security cooperation, and discussed joint gas infrastructure projects and gasfield developments.

The activists were protesting the alleged use of the RAF base as a departure point for US aircraft involved in the US-Israel war on Iran.

British police have arrested seven people on suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action at a protest near a Royal Air Force (RAF) air base in eastern England used by United States forces.

The five men and two women arrested at a peace encampment just outside the Lakenheath airbase had gathered with other activists on Sunday to protest the alleged use of the base as a departure point for US aircraft involved in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The Lakenheath Alliance for Peace, which organised the protest, said the seven had been arrested wearing clothing with the message: “We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action.”

Police said the protesters had been arrested “on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government banned Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organisation last year, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support the group.

In February, a court ruled the ban was “disproportionate” and interfered with the right to free speech. But the government has appealed, and the ban remains in effect in the meantime.

More than 2,700 people have been arrested and hundreds charged over rallies in support of the group, according to protest organisers Defend Our Juries.

Police said in a statement on the latest arrests that they had a duty to enforce the law “as it currently stands, not as it might be in the future”.

Two protesters were also arrested on Saturday at Lakenheath and charged with obstructing public thoroughfares, police said.

US President Donald Trump has railed against Starmer for what he calls insufficient support in the US-Israel war on Iran, straining the countries’ longtime alliance.

The United Kingdom has authorised the US to use British military bases to carry out “defensive” operations against Iran and protect the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil passes in peacetime.

The rise is largely symbolic as some key members are unable to raise ​production amid the US-Israel war on Iran.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has agreed to increase oil output quotas by 206,000 barrels per day for May, a rise that is largely symbolic as some of its key members are unable to raise production due to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The war has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz – the world’s most important oil route – since the end of ⁠February and cut exports from OPEC+ members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Iraq.

In a statement on Sunday, eight members of OPEC+, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman, agreed to increase May quotas during a virtual meeting.

“The countries will continue to closely monitor and assess market conditions, and in their continuous efforts to support market stability,” the statement read.

“The eight countries also expressed concern regarding attacks on energy infrastructure, noting that restoring damaged energy assets to full capacity is both costly and takes a long time, thereby affecting overall supply availability,” it added.

While the quota increase represents less than two percent of the supply disrupted by the closure of the strait, OPEC+ sources told the Reuters news agency that the pledge had signalled readiness to raise output once the waterway reopens.

Crude prices have surged to a four-year high amid the war, close to $120 a barrel, leading to higher prices for transport fuels.

On Thursday, JPMorgan said oil prices could spike above $150, an all-time high, if oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain disrupted into mid-May.

May’s increase is the same as the eight members had agreed on for April at their last meeting on March 1. But amid the war, oil supply disruption on record is estimated to have removed as much as 12 to 15 million bpd or up to 15 percent of global supply.

With the strait still closed, Iran has allowed some countries in the region to use the waterway.

Iran has said Iraq was exempt from any transit restrictions through the strait, with shipping data on Sunday showing a tanker loaded with Iraqi crude passing through the waterway.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that deputy foreign minister-level talks were being held with Iran to discuss ⁠⁠options to ensure the smooth transit of vessels through the Strait ‌‌of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump threatened to escalate attacks and target Iranian civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Monday.

In a trip that included visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to discuss tensions brought about by the US-Israeli war on Iran, Italian PM Meloni emphasized the importance of the Gulf to Italian and European national security.

Economist James Meadway says US President Donald Trump offers threats but no clear plan to end the crisis, leaving markets unsettled as disruption from the Strait of Hormuz closure spreads beyond Asia and into Europe.

Yamal’s unhappiness at the end of the match against Atletico Madrid was over missed scoring opportunities, Flick says.

Lamine Yamal’s apparent anger at the end of Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid stemmed from his inability to score a goal during the crucial La Liga fixture and was not linked to any off-field incidents, says the Catalan club’s manager, Hansi Flick.

The Spanish forward was visibly unhappy in the closing moments of the closely fought match in Madrid and did not celebrate with teammates when Robert Lewandowski scored the winner in the 87th minute on Saturday.

“He was a little bit angry,” La Liga leaders’ head coach, Flick, told reporters after the match.

The 18-year-old hit the post with a dinked effort after Fermin Lopez laid the ball off to him during the first half in a tense battle on the pitch.

A few minutes earlier, Yamal displayed great control, skill and vision to receive a ball in his own half, nutmeg an Atletico player and provide an open pass for Lopez in front of goal, but the 22-year-old failed to convert it into a goal.

“He [Yamal] gave it his all but was unlucky when it came to scoring or providing the final pass,” the German coach said.

“In the end, everything is fine.

“Of course, he has emotion. This was the game, with emotion, but he’s in the dressing room, and everything is good.”

Lewandowski’s dramatic late winner was celebrated by the Barcelona players on the pitch and bench, but Yamal looked subdued as he trudged on the pitch by himself.

Once the referee blew the full-time whistle, Yamal walked past Flick, who tried to placate his star player, and the two exchanged a few words before the forward headed back towards the dressing room.

Flick said Yamal’s reaction, or lack of it, was not “because of how he played, he played good”, and elaborated on his star player’s exasperation. “At the moment, he does not have this fortune that he scores the goals, but it can come back.”

Yamal has been at the centre of an Islamophobia controversy in Spanish football after he slammed anti-Muslim chants during his national team’s friendly match against Egypt in Barcelona on Tuesday.

At the ⁠⁠RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol, Spanish supporters chanted “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during the ⁠⁠World Cup warm-up match, which ended in a goalless draw.

It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.

Yamal is a Muslim player whose father moved from Morocco to Spain. He issued a damning statement on Instagram in the wake of the controversy.

“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard,” he posted on Instagram in the aftermath of the match.

“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me, but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.”

Yamal and Barcelona will return to action against the same opposition on Tuesday, as they host the fourth-ranked Spanish team in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Camp Nou.

The fixture will provide another opportunity for the young player to add to his goal tally of 19 this season. He has scored 14 goals in La Liga and five in European competition.

“We have three days now to prepare for the next match,” Flick said when asked about the upcoming fixture.

“It’s a very important one, and he [Yamal] will be in a better mood than after the game.”

Former WBC champion comes out on top in the closely-contested fight against his British opponent in London.

Former world champion Deontay Wilder sent Derek Chisora into retirement by edging their engaging yet chaotic heavyweight fight in London, United Kingdom.

The boxers, aged 40 and 42 respectively, threw hopeful knockout punches and barely jabbed. Both slipped and fell to the canvas frequently during the bout at the O2 Arena on Saturday.

Wilder got the only knockdown in the eighth round, sending Chisora through the ropes, but the American was deducted a point in the same round for pushing. Chisora was rattled, but Wilder did not press his advantage.

Wilder dominated the early rounds, and Chisora rallied late. The judges were split in their scoring: Wilder received scores of 115-111 and 115-113, and the third picked Chisora by 115-112.

Wilder said the fight was fun and suggested he didn’t want to knock out Chisora.

“Tonight, I looked out for him. I want him to live for his kids,” he told broadcaster DAZN. “It’s time for us to take care of each other.”

Chisora said in the build-up that the fight was to be his last, but the Londoner was reluctant to confirm it afterwards.

“I’m going to go home with the boss lady and see,” he told DAZN. “I’m going to go home and drop the kids, do the school run.”

It was the 50th fight for both in the professional ranks.

Wilder improved his record to 45-4-1. The WBC titleholder from 2015 to 2020 came to London having lost four of his last six fights.

Chisora’s record since 2007, when he turned pro a year before Wilder, dropped to 36-14. He lost his only two title shots against Vitali Klitschko in 2012 and Tyson Fury in 2022.

While Center Parcs is a great family choice, it’s certainly not the cheapest. So, could a short journey to Europe actually save you money? We compared the price of a break in the school holidays at the two holiday parks

Center Parcs may be famous for its massive swimming pools, endless family activities, and beautiful lodges, but it’s also notorious for being a bit expensive, especially once you hit the school holidays.

Despite its prices, the five Center Parcs in the UK and one in Ireland has no trouble attracting families. But if you’re on a budget, you might be wondering if it’s possible to enjoy the Center Parcs experience without the premium prices.

One option that many families with school-aged kids will be looking at is staying in a European Center Parcs.

Although it is run by a different company, there are 28 Center Parcs holiday parks across Europe, and they can be found on the Belgian and Dutch coast, deep in Germany’s forests, and even close to Disneyland Paris, so there are lots of locations to choose from.

While accommodation prices are lower than those at Center Parcs in the UK, I was curious whether, once travel costs were included, it would still be a cheaper option.

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Which is cheaper?

Firstly, I looked at a short break in May half-term week, from Monday, May 25, for four nights. I priced this up as a family of four with two school-aged children and looked for the cheapest options.

In the UK, the cheapest park seemed to be Whinfell Forest, Cumbria, and the least expensive accommodation was a two-bedroom Woodland Lodge, which comes with a dishwasher, private patio, and pretty much everything you need for a family staycation.

This came in at £1,349 and the price includes entry to the famous subtropical swimming pool, adventure playgrounds, and cycle routes.

It does sting a little that the same break a week before is £599, showing just how dramatically the price differences can be for the school holidays.

Onto France, and for a short break, most parents would likely opt for somewhere without too long a journey. Center Parcs Les Bois-Francs is about two hours from Le Havre ferry port or three-and-a-half hours from Calais. For the same four nights in a Premium Cottage, the price is €440 (about £380), for about the same grade of accommodation as the UK.

Of course, you then also have your travel costs. A ferry from Dover to Calais can be found on those dates for four plus a car at £164, if you don’t mind driving in France. Fuel costs can vary a lot, especially with the current global situation, but a quick calculation shows the journey to and from Calais in my car would cost about £70 in fuel.

This puts the cost of a Center Parcs break in France for four at £614, including accommodation and travel, nearly half the cost of the UK. If you don’t live near the south coast, then your travel times could vary, but if you’re close to a ferry port and enjoy the adventure of exploring a new country, it could be a fun break.

Next, I looked at a longer break in the six-week holidays, which are notoriously expensive wherever you go. I wanted to see how a seven-night break would compare in Center Parcs UK versus Europe on these premium dates.

I chose breaks starting Friday, August 7, in the middle of the summer holidays, and again looked at prices for a family of four. A Woodland Lodge in Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire, is priced at £2,378 for a week.

But would the cost of a European break be any less painful on your pocket?

One of the cheaper European options for this week is Le Lac d’Ailette in the Picardy region of France. This pretty lakeside park is big on indoor and outdoor water activities, and being at the heart of the Champagne region means adults can enjoy stocking up on bottles to take home.

A Comfort Cottage is €1872 for the week (about £1,634) plus the cost of fuel to and from Calais, which is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. A return ferry from Dover to Calais on these dates comes in at about £241 for four people in a standard car, so again, it’s cheaper than the UK option, but involves a longer journey.

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In conclusion

While my basic calculations show that a Center Parcs holiday in Europe could be cheaper, it’s worth also bearing in mind the additional costs of travel abroad such as passports. And for families short on time and annual leave, the UK parks are likely a better option simply because it’s a shorter drive.

Food in supermarkets also tends to be more expensive in France than the UK, apart from the wine, although you can often eat out more affordably thanks to prix fixe menus.

However, if you’re a Center Parcs fan and fancy a change, or don’t mind the extra time spent on a ferry and in the car, you might want to consider trying one of the parks on the continent for your next break.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Barcelona move seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of Spanish football’s La Liga after beating Atletico 2-1.

Robert Lewandowski shouldered home a dramatic late winner for Barcelona as they edged Atletico Madrid 2-1 to move seven points clear at the top of La Liga after Real Madrid slipped up.

Second-placed Real were beaten 2-1 at Mallorca earlier on Saturday, and Barca capitalised at the Metropolitano stadium to take a big step towards defending the league title.

Marcus Rashford pulled Barca level after Giuliano Simeone opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half.

Atletico midfielder Nico Gonzalez was sent off just before the break, and his team dug deep with 10 men to try and avoid defeat, which they almost managed.

Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski had other ideas and used his shoulder to deflect home a rebound from point-blank range after 87 minutes.

With little left to play for in La Liga, Atletico coach Diego Simeone rotated heavily, with Wednesday’s visit to Camp Nou in mind.

His Barca counterpart, Hansi Flick, opted for Dani Olmo as a false nine to rest Lewandowski, while starting Rashford in place of the injured Raphinha on the left wing.

The England international, on loan from Manchester United, tested Juan Musso early on with a free-kick, which the goalkeeper fielded comfortably.

At the other end, Antoine Griezmann, playing for Atletico for the first time since announcing his departure at the end of the season to MLS side Orlando City, was profligate.

The forward skipped into the box and cleverly nutmegged Gerard Martin, but his shot was too close to Barca stopper Joan Garcia to trouble the new Spain international.

Fermin Lopez was similarly wasteful at the other end, unable to find Rashford, who had a clear sight of goal, and prodding wide himself when Lamine Yamal sent him scuttling through with a sensational pass.

Barca’s 18-year-old star Yamal hit the post with a dinked effort after Lopez laid the ball off to him as the game flowed from end to end.

Atletico took the lead in the 39th minute through Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son, bursting in behind Barca’s high defensive line onto Clement Lenglet’s pass and slamming past Garcia.

The visitors pulled level just three minutes later, Rashford exchanging passes with Olmo and drilling past Musso on only his third league start since January.

Atletico were reduced to 10 men just before half-time, when Gonzalez scythed down Yamal on the edge of the box as he ran towards goal.

Barcelona defender Martin was dismissed early in the second half as he thumped the ball away, but then clattered Thiago Almada with a high foot. However, after a VAR review, the red card was revoked, much to Atletico’s fury.

Barca substitute Ferran Torres, without a goal since January, was twice thwarted by Musso as the visitors probed for a winner but struggled to make their numerical advantage count.

Eventually, their winner came when Joao Cancelo cut his way into the penalty area, and his cross-shot was pushed out by Musso, only for wily striker Lewandowski to knock it home with his shoulder.

Prime Minister Meloni is the first EU and NATO country leader to visit the region since the war began.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha to discuss the energy crisis due to the ongoing United States and Israeli war on Iran.

Meloni met the Qatari leader on Saturday in Doha, the second stop on a regional tour that began in Saudi Arabia the previous day and continues with a visit to the United Arab Emirates.

The leaders “tackled energy issues … and discussed possible measures to mitigate the shocks suffered”, according to a statement from her office.

Meloni told the Qatari leader that Rome was ready to “contribute to the rehabilitation of Qatari energy infrastructure, which is essential to energy security on a global scale”, the statement added.

Italy is highly dependent on energy imports and is concerned about rising energy prices that have resulted from Iran’s effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which some 20 percent of global oil and liquified natural gas transits.

The Qatari emir’s office said in a statement that both sides had “stressed the need to work towards de-escalation”.

“And prioritise political dialogue and diplomacy as the best way to contain the current crisis in the Middle East and its repercussions on energy and supply chains, and to safeguard energy security in the region,” the statement said.

“They also reviewed bilateral cooperation between the two countries and ways to support and develop it in various fields, particularly in the economy and energy,” it added.

Since the beginning of the war at the end of February, Iran has targeted US and Israeli targets in the region, in addition to targeting Gulf countries, including Qatar.

Iran has targeted Qatar’s energy installations, including a missile strike on Ras Laffan Industrial City, the country’s main gas facility, that caused “significant damage”. Doha says the attacks will affect its natural gas export capacity.

An Italian government source told the AFP news agency that Meloni’s trip to the Gulf aimed to “strengthen relations with these countries and repeat Italy’s support against Iranian attacks”.

The source added that the region was a “crucial source of oil and gas for Italy” and that Meloni is the first leader of a European Union or NATO country to travel to the region since the war broke out.

After meeting the Qatari emir, Meloni travelled to the United Arab Emirates, where she was received by President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Metropolitan police said the three men were charged with arson ‘being reckless as to whether life would be endangered’. 

Two British nationals and one UK-Pakistani national have been remanded in custody after they appeared in a court charged with arson in relation to four ambulances owned by a Jewish charity in London that were torched.

The March 23 attack in Golders Green, an area of North London with a large Jewish community, destroyed four ambulances belonging to the volunteer organisation Hatzola.

Two of the suspects were identified by police on Saturday as British nationals, Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19. The third suspect, a 17-year-old UK-Pakistani dual national, cannnot be named for legal reasons.

According to a statement by the Metropolitan Police, the three suspects, who had been arrested at different locations in East London on Wednesday, were charged with arson and “being reckless as to whether life would be endangered”.

The suspects did not enter a plea in a 45-minute appearance at the Westminster Magistrates Court.

The court heard that British police also arrested a fourth person in connection with the arson attack.

‘Deeply shocking’

The ambulances that were set on fire were run by Hatzola, a volunteer organisation which provides free medical transportation and emergency response primarily for the Orthodox Jewish community.

According to the London Fire Brigade, the explosions from cylinders on the vehicles had shattered nearby windows, but no one was injured.

Since the fire, the police have promised to increase security around Jewish community sites across the capital.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack”.

The police have said they are treating the incident as an anti-Semitic hate crime. So far, the incident has not been declared a “terror offence”, but counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation.

The three defendants are set to appear at London’s Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, on April 24.

The Iran-aligned Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) group claimed responsibility for the attack. It has also previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Erling Haaland treble and goal by Antoine Semenyo gives City 4-0 win, as Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah misses a penalty.

Erling Haaland hit a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 4-0 to reach the FA Cup semifinals and increase the pressure on Reds boss Arne Slot.

Haaland netted twice late in the first half of the quarterfinal at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and completed his treble after the interval following an Antoine Semenyo strike.

With Liverpool trailing by four, Mohamed Salah had a penalty saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford to compound a miserable afternoon for the under-fire Slot.

Liverpool’s tame surrender was a bitter blow to Slot, who had to endure chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from gloating City fans.

They head to Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday with Slot desperately needing a victory over the holders to keep the critics at bay.

Slot’s team, who have just two wins in their last seven matches in all competitions, are fifth in the Premier League and far from certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

It is a remarkable decline for Slot, who just 12 months ago was on the brink of leading Liverpool to their record-equalling 20th English title.

City’s ruthless performance took them into the FA Cup semifinals for an eighth successive season.

Liverpool made a bright start but Hugo Ekitike fired just wide from the edge of the area before Salah wasted a golden opportunity in the 14th minute, dragging his shot wide from just six yards out.

Ekitike lashed wastefully wide with a snap-shot from nine metres [10 yards] out as Liverpool paid the price for failing to make the pressure count.

Fresh from scoring twice in City’s recent League Cup final victory over Arsenal, Nico O’Reilly was key to City’s 39th-minute opener.

Matheus Nunes picked out O’Reilly in the Liverpool area and as he twisted away from Virgil van Dijk, the defender’s clumsy trip conceded a penalty that Haaland converted in clinical fashion.

Haaland had scored just once in his previous six games in all competitions. But the prolific Norway striker is never far from a hot streak and he doubled City’s advantage on the stroke of half-time.

Rayan Cherki found Semenyo’s run and he lofted a pin-point cross towards Haaland, who made a perfectly-timed run in front of Ibrahima Konate to glance a superb header past Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool were in disarray and Semenyo landed the knockout blow five minutes after the interval.

Cherki’s pass sent Semenyo sprinting in behind the flat-footed Van Dijk to clip a deft finish over Mamardashvili.

Haaland completed the 28th treble of his career in the 57th minute, drilling home via the underside of the bar after O’Reilly teed him up 11 metres [12 yards] from goal.

On a prolonged farewell tour after announcing he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, Salah produced the latest in a long line of lacklustre performances.

The Egyptian’s struggles were encapsulated by his second-half penalty miss after Nunes fouled Ekitike.

Haaland, meanwhile, praised his teammates for recovering from a difficult opening period to take charge of the game.

“Honestly, in the first half, we struggled a bit, but after 30 minutes, we kept going, and in the end, it was an amazing game at home,” Haaland told broadcaster TNT Sport.

“Another Wembley trip for us, it’s amazing and important.”

Asked if it was City’s best performance this season, he replied: “I think so. Between 30 and 60 minutes, it was one of the better ones.”

Later on Saturday, Chelsea host third tier strugglers Port Vale and Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Championship side Southampton.

West Ham meet Leeds at the London Stadium in the last quarterfinal on Sunday.

Russian air attacks on northeast Ukraine over the past 24 hours have killed at least four people and injured 11 others, according to Oleh Syniehubov, Kharkiv’s regional governor.

Syniehubov said on Saturday that the attacks targeted the city of Kharkiv and 11 other towns and villages.

Also in northeastern Ukraine, at least 11 people, including a child, were injured after a Russian drone struck a building in the region of Sumy in an overnight attack.

“Attack drones struck a 16-storey building and a private residential area [in the region of Sumy]. Residents of the burning high-rise were promptly evacuated … The fire has been extinguished,” the State Emergency Service of Ukraine’s press office said in a statement.

“Law enforcement officers are documenting the aftermath of the shelling, recording the damage and gathering evidence of war crimes,” reported Russia’s Interfax news agency.

The Ukrainian Air Force said that the defence forces had “shot down or neutralised” 260 of 286 Russian drones fired towards the “north, south, east and centre of the country” in overnight attacks.

It added that 11 drones “were recorded striking 10 locations” with debris from the downed drones found at “six locations”.

Meanwhile in Russia, at least one person was killed and four others injured in drone and missile attacks in its southern Rostov region, according to its governor.

The overnight attack took place in the port city of Taganrog, Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar said on Telegram.

Slyusar said that the injured people – three of whom were Russians and one foreign national – were in “critical condition”.

A missile also struck a “commercial facility”, said Slyusar, causing a fire to break out on the premises. People were evacuated and the fire was brought under control, he said.

Separately, falling drone debris hit a foreign-flagged cargo vessel in the Sea of Azov, causing a fire, while air defences destroyed drones over Taganrog Bay and other districts, said Slyusar, who did not specify the origin of the attacks.

The Sea of Azov, an economic lifeline connecting Russia and Ukraine, acts as a key shipping route for industrial cargo.

Stalled diplomacy

Diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine that started in February 2022 continue to stall.

The United States, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of high-level, trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi and Switzerland’s Geneva this year in a bid to negotiate an end to the war.

A fourth round of talks due to take place last month was postponed due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with no progress on the vital question of territory in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had proposed an Easter truce, which Russia’s foreign ministry had rejected, dismissing it as a “PR stunt”.

As its price for peace, Russia is insisting that Ukraine cede the fifth of the eastern area of Donbas that it has been unable to conquer during four years of war, with Zelenskyy refusing to countenance the prospect, which in any case goes against the country’s constitution.

Kyiv believes it can keep defending its remaining “fortress belt” of industrial towns and cities in the Donbas for years, citing the glacial pace of Russia’s front-line advances since 2023 as its soldiers run into a defensive wall of Ukrainian drones.

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary as City host Liverpool for FA Cup showdown at the Etihad Stadium.

European Parliament member Rima Hassan says she’s facing “genuine judicial and political harassment” for her political opinions. She was detained in France on suspicion of “apology for terrorism”.

Who: Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona
What: Spanish football’s La Liga
Where: Metropolitano Stadium
When: Saturday, April 5, at 9pm (19:00 GMT).
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Barcelona winger Raphinha’s untimely injury heaps further pressure on teenage star Lamine Yamal ahead of the club’s triple-header against Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish champions visit Atletico on Saturday as they bid to maintain or even extend their lead at the top of La Liga, before two further games against Diego Simeone’s team in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Barca have already faced Atletico three times this season, beating them in La Liga in December but falling in the Copa del Rey semifinal over two legs.

Without Raphinha, out with a hamstring injury until May, the onus will be on 18-year-old winger Yamal to provide the magic Barca need to proceed on two fronts in the approaching, inevitably intense battles with Atletico.

Yamal played for Spain this week in a goalless draw against Egypt in Cornella at Espanyol’s stadium, which was notable for Islamophobic chanting from the home supporters that the teenager, a Muslim, condemned.

“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist,” wrote Yamal on social media.

Yamal has shown maturity beyond his years since bursting onto the scene as a 15-year-old, including starring for Spain as they won Euro 2024 and blossoming further still as Barca claimed a domestic treble last season.

The youngster, often compared to another graduate from Barca’s La Masia youth academy, Lionel Messi, seems to save his best performances for the biggest occasions.

Yamal netted six times for Barca in his last seven matches across all competitions, and the Catalan giants will hope he can continue that form into the final phase of the season.

He admitted in February that he has not been happy this season, in part due to a long-running groin injury, but lately feels better.

“I have that desire to smile on the pitch that I haven’t had for a long time, and I’m very happy, now I’m happy playing,” said Yamal after scoring the first hat-trick of his career, against Villarreal.

In recent weeks, Barca have been dependent on the forward in attack and goalkeeper Joan Garcia at the other end.

Strikers Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have struggled for consistent form, while Marcus Rashford has fallen somewhat out of favour.

Raphinha’s injury opens the door for the England international, on loan from Manchester United, to start on the left again.

Yamal’s pressing and off-the-ball work is an excellent example for Rashford, who despite his strong contribution in terms of assists, sometimes lacks the relentless energy and focus Hansi Flick wants from his forwards.

Simeone’s Atletico, fourth by a distance from fifth-place Real Betis, have little to play for in the league but will want to build momentum before Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg at Camp Nou.

The La Liga showdown is a preview of the series in the Champions League quarterfinals between the Spanish clubs.

It will be the first of three games between Barcelona and Atletico in 10 days. The Spanish rivals will face each other five times in less than two months. They also met in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey in February and March, when Atletico advanced to the final 4-3 on aggregate.

The Champions League games will be on Wednesday in Barcelona and on April 14 in Madrid. Barcelona is looking to make it to the Champions League semifinals for the second season in a row, and Atletico is seeking to get back to the last four for the first time since 2017.

Stat attack – Barcelona

25.3 – The average age of the Barca squad is the youngest in the league: 25.3.

What happened the last time Atletico Madrid faced Barcelona?

Barcelona were 3-0 winners in the last meeting between the sides, the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal in March.

The first leg, however, was won 4-0 by Atletico.

What happened in the last La Liga meeting?

Barcelona were 3-1 winners in the reverse fixture in the league earlier this season.

What happened in the corresponding fixture last season?

Barcelona were 4-2 winners in the La Liga fixture at Atletico, despite the home side taking a two-goal lead.

Robert Lewandowski began the Barca comeback with his side’s first goal, which came in the 72nd minute.

Head-to-head

This will be the 252nd meeting between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, with Atletico winning 80 times and Barca claiming the spoils in 114 of the meetings.

Atletico Madrid team news

Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso are both suspended for the match.
Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo Mendoza have thigh and ankle injuries, respectively, and will also miss out.

Barcelona team news

As well as Raphinha, Barca are also likely to be without Frenkie de Jong at the weekend, but Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde may be able to return after injury.

It was ​not ⁠immediately clear how the vessel, which Marine Traffic tracking data shows is sailing south along the coast of Oman, secured safe passage.

A container ship belonging to French shipping giant CMA CGM has crossed ⁠⁠through the Strait of Hormuz, the first such passage by a Western vessel since Iran effectively closed the waterway, the Marine Traffic vessel website shows.

The Malta-flagged Kribi, owned by CMA CGM, crossed the Strait on April 2 and is the first French-owned vessel to ‌‌make it through the channel since the US-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28.

It was not ⁠⁠immediately clear how the vessel, which the data shows is sailing south along the coast of Oman, secured safe passage.

There was no immediate comment from CMA CGM.

However, LSEG ⁠⁠shipping data showed the vessel on Thursday changed its destination to “Owner France”, ⁠⁠signalling to Iranian authorities the nationality ⁠⁠of its owner, before crossing the strait’s Iranian territorial waters.

The ship had originally been bound for Pointe-Noire in the Republic of ‌‌the Congo.

Only about 150 vessels, including tankers and container ships, have transited the strait since March 1, according to data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Most were linked to Iran and countries including China, India and Pakistan.

Beijing expressed “gratitude” on Tuesday after three of its ships passed through the strait, including two container ships on Monday belonging to state-owned shipping giant Cosco.

Energy crisis

Until the war led to the effective blocking of the Strait, it was the route for about a fifth of global oil and ⁠⁠liquefied natural gas supplies. As a result, fuel prices have skyrocketed worldwide.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump insisted that petrol prices would fall quickly once the war concluded, but offered no solution for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he invited sceptical US allies to do it themselves. He insisted that the war would be worth it.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday it would ⁠⁠be unrealistic to launch a military operation to open the strait, and ⁠⁠that only diplomatic efforts would work.

Macron has worked with European and other ⁠⁠allies to build a coalition to guarantee free passage through the strait once hostilities have stopped.

Meanwhile, writing in the US journal Foreign Affairs, Iran’s former top diplomat said that Tehran should make a deal with the United States to end the war by offering to curb its nuclear programme and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief.

Tehran could “declare victory and make a deal that both ends this conflict and prevents the next one,” wrote Mohammad Javad Zarif, foreign minister from 2013 to 2021.

The United States and Israel have carried out multiple attacks on medical facilities in the course of their war on Iran.

On Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appealed to international health organisations to respond to attacks on medical facilities in Iran, including the Pasteur Institute in capital Tehran, a key centre that Iranian officials said had been targeted that day.

At least 2,076 people have been killed and 26,500 have been wounded in Iran since the US and Israel first launched strikes on the country on February 28.

Here is a closer look at how the US and Israel have hit healthcare facilities in Iran.

What has the Iranian president said about attacks on healthcare?

On Thursday, Pezeshkian wrote in an X post: “What message does attacking hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and the Pasteur Institute as a medical research center in Iran convey?”

The Iranian president, 71, a heart surgeon by profession, continued: “As a specialist physician, I urge WHO [the World Health Organization], the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and physicians worldwide to respond to this crime against humanity.”

What is the Pasteur Institute, which has been targeted?

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei wrote in an X post: “The American-Israeli aggressors have attacked the Pasteur Institute of Iran – the oldest and most prestigious research and public health centre in Iran and the entire Middle East, founded in 1920 through an agreement between the Pasteur Institute of Paris and the Iranian government.”

Baghaei deemed the attack “heartbreaking, cruel, despicable, and utterly outrageous”.

He did not specify whether there were casualties from the attack.

The institute was founded more than 100 years ago in collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Paris, an internationally renowned centre for biomedical research, which itself was founded in 1887.

The institute in Iran conducts research on infectious diseases, produces vaccines and biological products and provides advanced diagnostics.

The centre has played a central role in fighting endemic diseases such as smallpox and cholera. It also supports Iran’s national immunisation programme by developing and producing vaccines and related biologicals – including those used against diseases such as tetanus, hepatitis B and measles.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, wrote in an X post on Friday that two departments of the Pasteur Institute of Iran have also been working closely with the WHO.

“The conflict in Iran, and the region, is impacting the delivery of health services and the safety of health workers, patients, and civilians present at health facilities,” Ghebreyesus wrote.

Which other healthcare facilities have been hit in Iran?

“Since 1 March, WHO has verified over 20 attacks on health care in Iran, resulting in at least nine deaths, including that of an infectious diseases health worker and a member of the Iranian Red Crescent Society,” Ghebreyesus wrote in his X post.

Some of the facilities hit include:

Red Crescent warehouse

On Friday morning, a drone strike hit a Red Crescent relief warehouse in Iran’s Bushehr province.

While no casualties were reported, the attack destroyed two relief containers, two buses and emergency vehicles, Fars news agency reported.

Tofigh Daru

On March 31, Israeli-US strikes hit one of Iran’s largest pharmaceutical companies in Tehran, the Iranian government said in a post on X.

The company was later identified as Tofigh Daru Research and Engineering Company, which is owned by the Social Security Investment Company, a state-run holding firm. On LinkedIn, Tofigh Daru states that it develops and produces active pharmaceutical ingredients “in the anticancer, narcotics, cardiovascular to immunomodulatory segments”.

No confirmed casualty numbers were reported from that strike.

Delaram Sina Psychiatric Hospital

This newly constructed hospital in Tehran was significantly damaged during an attack on the capital on March 29, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

About 30 patients were in the hospital at the time of the strike late on Monday, the hospital’s director told IRNA. No specific casualty figures for the hospital have been reported.

Ali Hospital

The hospital in Andimeshk in Iran’s Khuzestan province sustained damage from an explosion on March 21, according to the Mehr and Fars news agencies.

In his post on Friday, Ghebreyesus confirmed this attack and said the facility had been forced to evacuate staff and cease services.

Reports about the attack do not mention casualties at the hospital.

Gandhi Hospital

On March 2, Gandhi Hospital in Tehran was damaged during attacks on a television communications tower nearby.

No confirmed casualty figures were reported for the hospital itself.

What does international law say about attacks on healthcare?

International humanitarian law states that health establishments and units, including hospitals, should not be attacked, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

These protections also apply to the sick and wounded, to medical staff and to means of transport such as ambulances.

In 2016, the United Nations Security Council resolution 2286 was adopted unanimously. This condemns attacks on healthcare and calls on nations to respect international law.

However, last year record attacks on healthcare during armed conflict were recorded, according to the WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA).

The SSA said that in armed conflicts worldwide, 1,348 attacks on medical facilities resulted in the killing of 1,981 people. The majority of these deaths were in Sudan, where 1,620 people were killed, followed by Myanmar, where 148 people were killed.

This was a sharp uptick from 2024, when 944 patients and medical personnel were killed in armed conflict.

Where else has Israel targeted medical staff and facilities?

Lebanon

Besides Iran, Israeli attacks have also targeted healthcare facilities in Lebanon.

A month into its latest bombardment of Lebanon, Israel has killed 53 medical workers, destroyed 87 ambulances or medical centres, and forced the closure of five hospitals, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

“Israeli strikes and blanket evacuation orders are cutting people off from care and shrinking the space for health services to function,” Luna Hammad, the Lebanon medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), told Al Jazeera, adding that MSF has seen “a documented pattern of attacks affecting healthcare”.

Gaza

Throughout its genocidal war in Gaza, Israel has also attacked healthcare facilities in the Palestinian enclave.

In October 2023, hundreds of people sheltering in the car park of Gaza’s al-Ahli Hospital were killed in an Israeli attack, according to Palestinian health officials.

Israel attributed the explosion at the facility to a misfired rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an allegation denied by the armed group.

In March 2024, the Israeli military said it killed 90 people in its raid on al-Shifa Hospital during a siege, as displaced Palestinians sheltering in the facility described long detentions and abuse.

In December 2024, the Israeli army arrested Dr Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, after refusing to follow orders to abandon one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza. His arrest came a day after the military killed approximately 20 Palestinians and apprehended about 240 in a raid inside the hospital, which was one of the “largest operations” conducted in the territory until that time.

In March 2025, Israeli forces reportedly shot dead 15 Palestinian medics for the Palestine Red Crescent Society and inside clearly identifiable PRCS ambulances, during a rescue mission in Rafah’s Tal as-Sultan neighbourhood.

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal speaks out against Islamophobic chants during Spain’s match with Egypt.

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa says Spain is a tolerant country and not racist despite Islamophobic chanting during a national team match this week.

Sections of the crowd at Spain’s friendly against Egypt on Tuesday sang, “Whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim,” at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium in Cornella.

Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, criticised those chanting as “ignorant and racist”.

Arbeloa defended Spain on Friday while insisting racist attitudes should be eliminated.

“I think Spain is not a racist country. If it was, we would have a problem every weekend at all of the stadiums,” the Spaniard told reporters.

“I keep thinking we have to eradicate any racist attitude at stadiums and in society. … Spain as a country has to keep fighting to get rid of these attitudes.

“[However,] I think we’re a great country, very tolerant, and with these kinds of situations, we shouldn’t generalise.”

Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr has been racially abused at several stadiums across the country in high-profile incidents in recent years.

In January 2023, Atletico Madrid fans hung an effigy of the Brazilian forward from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground.

Four months later, Vinicius squared off with fans abusing him at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium in an incident that gained him worldwide support in his battle against racism.

In 2025, five Real Valladolid fans who racially abused Vinicius in a 2022 match, were found guilty of committing a hate crime – the first such ruling in Spain regarding insults at a football stadium.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised teenager Yamal for making a “great statement” by condemning those responsible for the abuse.

“We stand for inclusion. … It’s frustrating that a small number of idiots don’t understand this,” Flick said.

“We all want to be respected. It doesn’t matter about your colour, your religion, your region. It’s time to change these thoughts.”

Atletico coach Diego Simeone said the problem was related to a lack of respect in the world.

“It’s a social problem on a world level, not about Spain or Argentina or Brazil or anywhere,” the coach said.

“Respect that was lost many years ago – respect for parents, schoolteachers, police, club directors, coaches, presidents – … today it’s been lost. and we don’t have it.”

Catalonia’s regional police said they were investigating the chants, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the incident “unacceptable”.

“We cannot allow an uncivil minority to tarnish the reality of Spain, a diverse and tolerant country,” he said.

The Azzurri’s failure to reach a third consecutive World Cup continues to send shockwaves through Italian football.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso has left his role “by mutual consent”, three days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

The Italian football federation announced the news in a statement on Friday, thanking Gattuso “for the dedication and passion” during his nine months in charge.

Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

“With a heavy ‌heart, having failed to achieve the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my time in charge of the national team to be over,” Gattuso said in a statement.

“The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset in football, which is why it is right to facilitate future technical assessments with immediate effect.

“It has been an honour to lead the ⁠national team, and to do so with a group ⁠of lads who have shown commitment and loyalty to the shirt.”

Gattuso was appointed in June on a one-year contract, replacing Luciano Spalletti who was sacked following Italy’s 3-0 defeat by Norway ⁠in their opening group game, although he remained in place for the 2-0 win over Moldova the next ⁠day.

Italy won their next five group games under ⁠Gattuso, but given Norway’s far superior goal difference, they were resigned to another World Cup playoff before the final group game, which Norway won 4-1 at the San Siro.

Italy had lost at ‌the playoff stage for the last two World Cups to Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, but looked on course to make it this time after a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland ‌in ‌the semifinal, before it all fell apart in Bosnia.

Gattuso’s 10-man team let slip a 1-0 lead and crumbled in the penalty shootout.

His departure comes a day after Italy’s football federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned, along with Gianluigi Buffon, who was the national team’s delegation chief.

Pope Leo washed the feet of 12 priests in a Holy Thursday ritual, using the moment to urge Catholics to stand with the oppressed. His remarks come after he criticised the Trump administration on the Iran war and called for an end to the fighting.