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Luis Suarez has been in full Lionel Messi mode ahead of his proposed move to Inter Miami, with the striker hitting a second-half hat-trick for Gremio.

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• Uruguayan striker starring in Brazil
• Linked with move to MLS
• Will reunite with ex-Barca team-mates

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The veteran Uruguayan frontman continues to ply his club trade in Brazil for now, but the expectation is that he will be heading north to the United States in 2024. Suarez will be allowed to leave his contract at Gremio at the end of the calendar year, freeing him to join former Barcelona team-mate Messi in Florida.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Suarez is showing no sign of slowing down at 36 years of age, with his goal return for 2023 taken to 14 through 28 appearances in a dramatic outing against Botafogo. Gremio had trailed that contest 3-1 heading into the 50th minute, but somehow turned the tie on its head to lead 4-3 just 19 minutes later.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gremio had Suarez to thank for their remarkable reversal in fortune, with the South American superstar producing three composed finishes as he landed himself another match ball in a stunning career.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Gremio are understandably reluctant to part with Suarez, after seeing him become a reliable source of goals for them, but admit that a “miracle” will be required in order to keep the ex-Liverpool star on their books. It is looking increasingly likely that Suarez will soon be reunited with Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in MLS.

The Gunners cruised to dominant victory at Emirates Stadium, with Fabio Vieira and Takehiro Tomiyasu also on the scoresheet for Mikel Arteta's side

Eddie Nketiah scored a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal continued their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a comfortable 5-0 win against Sheffield United at Emirates.

Nketiah, who came back into the starting lineup due to the injury to Gabriel Jesus, broke what had been some stubborn Sheffield United resistance with an excellent turn and finish just before the half hour mark after he was found by Declan Rice.

The frontman then smashed home a second from close range soon after half-time before completing his hat-trick in stunning style when he crashed an unstoppable 25 yard drive into the top corner.

Substitute Fabio Vieira then added a fourth with a penalty before Takehiro Tomiyasu wrapped things up late on, scoring his first ever Arsenal goal as Mikel Arteta's side closed the gap to leaders Spurs to just two points ahead of next weekend's tricky looking trip to Newcastle United.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Looked very assured. Started a couple of dangerous attacks with excellent quick passes out to Martinelli.

  Ben White (7/10):

  Cruised through the game. Didn't get forward on the overlap as much as normal, but didn't really need to.

  William Saliba (8/10):

  Top quality as always. Looked like he was toying with the Sheffield United forwards at times.

  Jakub Kiwior (7/10):

  Played more as a left-back to fill the space left by Zinchenko and did it very well.

  Oleksandr Zinchenko (7/10):

  Looked like a No.10 at times he was playing so far forward. Got into some threatening positions and moved the ball well.

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  Midfield

  Declan Rice (8/10):

  Superb as always. Made Nketiah's opening goal and always looked like the man who could drive Arsenal forwards.

  Emile Smith Rowe (7/10):

  A first league start since May 2022. Was bright and got himself on the ball. Got the assist for Nketiah's third goal.

  Kai Havertz (6/10):

  Another game where he didn't really do anything wrong, but didn't make the type of impact Arsenal would have been hoping for. Neat and tidy, but never really threatened.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (6/10):

  His corner led to the second goal, but other than that he was fairly subdued. Sheffield United did well to keep him largely quiet out on the right of Arsenal's attack.

  Eddie Nketiah (10/10):

  Who needs Gabriel Jesus? What a performance from Nketiah. Three excellent goals having been brought into the side to replace the injured Brazilian. The third was an absolute stunner.

  Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

  A real live wire as always. Looked Arsenal's biggest threat in the first half when Sheffield United were keeping things tight. Unlucky not to score with one shot that drew a fine save from Foderingham.

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  Subs & Manager

  Takehiro Tomiyasu (7/10):

  A really bright cameo from the Japan international. Picked up the pace of the game straight away. Almost set up a goal with one run to the byline and then scored one himself, his first Arsenal goal.

  Leandro Trossard (6/10):

  Such a clever player. Immediately started to cause Sheffield United problems with his clever movement and eye for a pass.

  Reiss Nelson (5/10):

  Couldn't really get into the game having replaced Saka.

  Fabio Vieira (6/10):

  Won the penalty and scored it himself to make it 4-0.

  Mohamed Elneny (N/A):

  Only for injury time.

  Mikel Arteta (8/10):

  Made five changes to the team that won in Seville on Tuesday night and he will be delighted with how things went. Nketiah repaid his faith with three goals and he was also to replace the likes of Saka and White relatively early on. Two of the substitutes he sent on also scored.

Santiago Gimenez has made history by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in an Eredivisie away game at Ajax.

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• Gimenez scored hat-trick
• Feyenoord won 4-0
• Game was rescheduled

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Feyenoord took on Ajax in a rearranged Eredivisie fixture on Wednesday, with the previous fixture being abandoned due to fans throwing fireworks on the pitch, and later storming the Johan Cruyff Arena. Gimenez was superb in the victory, scoring a treble.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Mexico international scored twice before the 20th minute, and added a fourth on the hour mark following a goal from Igor Paixao. Feyenoord's 4-0 win moved them into third in the Eredivisie, while Ajax continue to languish in 14th; they have only won once this season.

  Ajax's troubles have opened the door to Gimenez making history, however, as he has become the first player to score an away hat-trick against the club in the league.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gimenez has been prolific for Feyenoord since arriving in 2022, scoring 32 goals in 52 games for the club. He has also scored four times in 20 caps for Mexico.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Feyenoord are next in action this weekend against Go Ahead Eagles.

With Carlo Ancelotti set to leave the Bernabeu this summer, the Blancos' former midfielder is putting himself in the frame to step into his shoes

A video emerged from Bayer Leverkusen training earlier this month. In the minute-long clip, a disgruntled Xabi Alonso berates his team for failing to meet his expectations in a passing drill. In a moment of frustration, the manager, 41, steps in, and metronomically sprays the ball around the training pitch – all while yelling instructions to the group.

It was a microcosm of how Alonso has handled this Bayer side. Since taking over in October 2022, the Spaniard has been handed near-unchecked power to restructure the club. And he's worked wonders with his authority. In 12 months, Leverkusen have gone from the lower reaches of the table to looking like Bayern Munich's most apparent Bundesliga challengers – with a promising Europa League run in between.

This has all come about for a club experiencing immense turnover. Some stars in the making have left, replaced with well-travelled European stalwarts. Meanwhile, other players have been reinvented, and deployed in more appropriate roles. The result is a dangerous team that will likely only improve – led by a manager who, at this rate, will have a job at a far bigger club next year.

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  Taking over a struggling side

  It was a loss to Bayern Munich that doomed Alonso's predecessor, Gerardo Seoane. The manager had overseen a poor start to the Bundesliga season with Leverkusen, as his side won just one of their first eight games. There was hope that a result against Bayern could rescue things – and perhaps even kickstart an unlikely turnaround. Instead, Leverkusen were battered. Bayern went 1-0 up inside five minutes, and had scored three by half-time. Seoane was let go a week later, and Alonso was announced as the new manager within 24 hours.

  Expectations were admittedly low. Alonso, at that point, had only ever had one managerial job, overseeing Real Sociedad's reserve side as they achieved an unlikely promotion to the second tier of Spanish football. Here was an inexperienced but well-regarded coach, one who wasn't necessarily one expected to be an immediate success for a club with European ambitions.

  But Alonso, who played under the likes of Rafa Benitez, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti during his career as one of Europe's finest midfielders, quickly showed that he was more than up to the task.

  Leverkusen battered struggling Schalke in his first game in charge, putting four past the relegation favourites. Results were mixed for the rest of the calendar year, but wins over Union Berlin and Koln, combined with a 2-2- draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, showed that Leverkusen could certainly play.

  Moussa Diaby, once a bonafide wonderkid who seemed to have lost his way, returned to form, and, along with electric wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, saw Leverkusen become a dangerous team in transition.

  But it was at the other end where Leverkusen's improvements were most apparent. They were bleeding goals under Seoane, conceding over two-per-game before he was sacked. Alonso drove that number down, deploying a three-man defence that saw Leverkusen become far more reliable at the back.

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  A dominant spring

  That was most apparent in a mesmerising second half of the 2022-23 season. After failing to get out of their Champions League group, Alonso's side established themselves as giantkillers both domestically and in European competitions. It started with an unlikely victory over heavily favoured Monaco in the Europa League, Leverkusen advancing on penalties after a thrilling 3-2 second leg win away from home.

  The return from a serious knee injury of highly-rated playmaker Florian Wirtz defined that contest, the No.10, orchestrating things from the middle of the park, scoring a goal and proving crucial in the build up to two others. He had a similar influence a few weeks later, when Leverkusen put four past surging Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

  And although their luck ran out to a predictably dogged Jose Mourinho-led Roma in the semi-finals, Leverkusen showed that, led by Alonso, they could compete in Europe once again.

  Domestically, things were even better. Bayern were in good form when they traveled to Leverkusen in early March. They were only five days removed from knocking Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League, and although Borussia Dortmund were surging in the league, the defending champions appeared to be well in control of the division they had won for nine consecutive years.

  What happened next almost derailed their season, though, as Leverkusen outplayed the Bavarians in the second half, turning in a counter-attacking clinic to deliver a 2-1 victory that was far more convincing than the scoreline suggested.

  “I’ve hardy ever seen something like this”, said then-Bayern Munich sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic. “We got everything wrong and were battered by a team that played on Thursday."

  The result was an arrival of sorts for Leverkusen. It was one thing to impress in Europe, but to beat the Bundesliga champions, for the first time since 2019, suggested that Alonso's Leverkusen were there to stay. They faltered towards the end of the season, failing to win in the month of May. Still, Alonso had taken a relagation-threatened side to a sixth-placed finish — all while implementing a system that was scintillating to watch.

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  Smart tactical adjustments

  Inevitably, the eyes of Europe turned to the team. Last summer was marked by transfer talk and the possibility that Alonso might leave. Tottenham reportedly coveted him for their vacant job, before eventually hiring Ange Postecoglu. Meanwhile, their best player was pinched, with Aston Villa shelling out €60 million (£52m/$64m) for Diaby. Others nearly left, too. Frimpong was linked with Manchester United. Wirtz cropped up as a target for Manchester City. Meanwhile, Liverpool, in need of a centre-back, reportedly made a push for Piero Hincapie.

  Alonso, of course, would stay. So too did Wirtz, Hincapie and Frimpong. But the team undoubtedly needed restructuring. In came Granit Xhaka, Nathaniel Tella, Josip Stanisic and Victor Boniface. Jonas Hofmann and veteran left-back Alex Grimaldo were also added.

  The manager, meanwhile, adjusted his system. Xhaka slotted in alongside Exequiel Palacios in midfield, while Wirtz and Hofmann were deployed as duel-No.10s to counter the loss of Diaby. With width no longer an option from his wide attackers, Alonso opted to have his best offensive players tuck inside and support a single centre-forward.

  Alonso's new 3-4-2-1 system perfectly complemented his squad's strengths, while retaining Leverkusen's defensive solidity and verticality in transition. The result has been three straight wins to start the season, with 11 goals scored.

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  A star striker

  But perhaps the real revelation has been the man they signed to play up front. After starring in Nigeria, Boniface spent the first two years of his European career riddled with injuries. He damaged his ACL twice, and didn't become a regular starter for Bodo/Glimt until 2021. By the end of the 2022-23 season, Boniface had only played 100 top-flight European fixtures, a remarkably low number for a 22-year-old who moved from Nigeria at 18.

  That small sample size did little to take away from his undeniable attacking quality, though. Boniface scored seven and assisted seven for Union Saint-Gilloise last season, enough for Leverkusen to pay €20m for his services. And the investment has paid off thus far.

  Boniface showed promise in pre-season with a lovely half-volleyed goal against West Ham, but since then, he's exploded. The Nigerian has scored four and assisted two in three Bundesliga starts, living up to the lofty expectations that come with leading the line for a side who are now being tipped as title contenders.

  "He's not just a classic striker, not just a bomber – he's complete," Alonso told of his No.9. "We are happy with him, he has scored four goals so far, but we expect more."

Sunderland have confirmed that Chris Maguire will not be offered a new contract by the club this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to a statement posted on the club website, the centre-forward will be released upon the expiry of his current deal at the Stadium of Light next month, as the Black Cats do not wish to retain the 32-year-old’s services ahead of next season.

Potential mistake

After joining Sunderland from Bury FC back in 2018, Maguire went on to make 124 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 28 goals and providing 26 assists along the way.

This season, the Scotland international predominantly found himself starting fixtures on the bench, with only 12 of his total of 34 League One appearances coming from the first whistle.

However, despite this, Maguire nonetheless impressed when given the chance by Johnson, with the striker scoring five goals, registering five assists and creating seven big chances in the league.

The £315k-rated man also popped up with goal contributions at crucial times for the Black Cats this term, such as restoring the lead in a 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, providing the assist for Charlie Wyke’s strike in a 1-0 victory against Swindon Town and scoring a 97th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra.

As such, Lee Johnson’s decision to allow the £4.4k-per-week forward move on to pastures new this summer could easily be argued as being one of his biggest mistakes at the club thus far – with this opinion being something that a number of Sunderland fans appear to agree with.

After the club posted their released list on Twitter, one Sunderland fan claimed that the departure of Maguire is “criminal,” while another simply stated their bafflement at Johnson letting the 32-year-old go.

Indeed, despite getting towards the twilight of his career, the versatile attacker has proven this season that he is still an extremely useful player to have around the place, and it would appear a highly likely scenario that the Scot will not be without a club for all that long – something that could well come back to haunt Johnson if Maguire were to sign for one of their League One promotion rivals.

In other news: Get it done: Johnson must sanction Sunderland swoop for £600k “nightmare” this summer – opinion

The Selecao rely heavily on Neymar, and needed late heroics from elsewhere to pick up three points

Neymar failed to have an impact, but a last-gasp header from Marquinhos saved Brazil as they snatched a 1-0 win after a morbid performance against Peru.

The Selecao had the ball in the net after 15 minutes thanks to an opportunistic finish from Raphinha — but his effort was ruled out due to an offside in the build up. Brazil were left equally frustrated 15 minutes later, when Richarlison nodded home, only to be flagged marginally offside following a lengthy VAR review. They had further chances. Neymar saw an effort saved, while Rodrygo's incisive passing also caused problems.

They were more expansive in the second half, but failed to capitalise from open play, with Neymar's lack of sharpness in the final third a consistent issue. It was a corner that proved the difference, Marquinhos sneaking in at the near post to flick the ball into the back of the net in the 90th minute.

Still, Brazil will need to offer more going forward. They were lucky on Tuesday night, and cannot afford to rely on their main man showing up on a more consistent basis.

GOAL rates Brazil's players from Estadio Nacional de Lima…

• Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (6/10):

  Had little to do other than ping some delightful passes. He will certainly endure busier nights against stronger opposition.

  Danilo (6/10):

  Puzzling that remains a starter at 32 years old. Still has the legs, but wasn't as effective as required on the ball.

  Marquinhos (9/10):

  Peru didn't make it easy for him, but Marquinhos was classy on the ball and rarely troubled in defence. Bagged a dramatic late winner, completing a memorable night.

  Gabriel (7/10):

  Did the physical stuff as required. Solid on a night where he was always unlikely to be troubled.

  Renan Lodi (7/10):

  A marauding presence despite playing in an unfamiliar left-back role. Did enough to suggest he can be an option long term.

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• Midfield

  Bruno Guimaraes (7/10):

  Impressive in a box-to-box role. Won the ball and filled the gaps effectively. Made up for Neymar's lack of interest off the ball.

  Casemiro (6/10):

  Passed well, and was Brazil's most obvious central creative outlet. More effective than he has been for Manchester United, but still looked leggy.

  Neymar (4/10):

  An uncharacteristically poor performance. Neymar was influential against Bolivia last week, but failed to offer much here. Some of his passing was wayward, especially in the final third. Perhaps that's to be expected from a player who had major ankle surgery six months ago.

• Attack

  Raphinha (6/10):

  His constant running — on and off the ball — caused problems. But his final product was mixed. Raphinha will face competition on the wing when Vinicius Jr. returns to the fold, and didn't quite do enough to ensure he deserves a nod when Brazil are at full strength.

  Richarlison (5/10):

  Had the ball in the net thanks to a wonderful headed finish, but was correctly ruled offside. Otherwise didn't do much. Gabriel Jesus, who replaced him after an hour, is probably the more deserving starter.

  Rodrygo (6/10):

  Exciting on the left, where some of his passing was wonderful. His influence faded as the game wore on.

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• Subs & Manager

  Gabriel Jesus (7/10):

  Made a real difference off the bench with his clever hold up play.

  Vanderson (N/A):

  Puzzling that Brazil introduced a defender when they needed a win.

  Joelinton (N/A):

  No real time to make an impact

  Gabriel Martinelli (N/A):

  Lively on the wing, perhaps should have been brought on earlier. Won the corner that led to the winner.

  Raphael Veiga (N/A):

  On the pitch for two minutes.

  Fernando Diniz (5/10):

  Made a curious decision to start Danilo at right-back, but picked an otherwise full strength lineup. Brazil were sloppy and lacking in fluidity. They didn't really deserve the three points, but the manager won't care.

The Reds' sloppy defending meant they could only come away with a 4-4 draw in their latest pre-season friendly

Some good, some very bad. That's probably the best way to view Liverpool's pre-season draw with Greuther Furth. This was the Reds' final 'warm-up' game before tougher meetings against Leicester City and Bayern Munich, and they started off promisingly, with Luis Diaz opening the scoring in sublime fashion midway through the first half.

Jurgen Klopp's 11 changes at the break led to the previously well-structured affair becoming pretty chaotic. Julian Green's equaliser two minutes after the restart set the tone, with Darwin Nunez levelling things up shortly after.

The dangerous Nunez soon doubled his tally, but Liverpool then contrived to orchestrate their own downfall, with a string of defensive errors gifting Greuther Furth a 4-3 lead.

For the final 10-or-so minutes it looked like the Reds were heading for defeat, only for Mohamed Salah to level things up at the death and save his side's blushes. Klopp was all smiles at the end, even taking time for a few selfies with the opposing staff, but certain things he witnessed will have frustrated him.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash in Germany…

• Sky Sports
  

  Reds aren't risking Szoboszlai

  The pre-game excitement for the friendly was tempered slightly by the absence of Dominik Szoboszlai from the squad. Liverpool acted quickly to allay fears of any serious injury, with Klopp explaining: "He rolled his ankle slightly in training, really nothing.

  "Everybody is super-positive about it, himself first. If we would have today a Premier League game or whatever, he could play. So, we don't take a risk and we will see what we will do with the Leicester game after travel [and] stuff like this. But for the Bayern game he will be ready, definitely."

  The £60 million ($77m) arrival from RB Leipzig has been presented as the ideal Kloppian midfielder, the perfect blend of bravery, work rate and creativity. His absence here is not the end of the world, but it is undoubtedly a blow.

  This low-stakes game would have provided the Hungarian with another platform to build up an understanding with his team-mate ahead of the campaign kicking off properly. Klopp will be eager to test him out in the Reds' remaining pre-season fixtures.

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  Sloppy defending

  Liverpool's second-half back four put on a defensive disasterclass. There's no other way to describe it. They surrendered their team's lead within a few minutes of taking the field and things did not get any better from there.

  The second goal was a bit of a horror show for Joel Matip personally, as he fluffed a clearance and allowed Lukas Petkov to fire the ball through the legs of a fuming Adrian. Armindo Sieb then profited from some seriously slack defending, taking all the time in the world to finish off Petkov's cut back from close range.

  The fourth goal was worse. After the ball broke kindly to Sieb, three of Liverpool's four defenders cravenly retreated towards their goal-line, again affording the forward far too much space to score from just outside the box.

  It's understandable they struggled. Changing your entire back four at half-time is rarely a recipe for defensive consistency. Even still, the lack of intensity in their challenges will have done Matip, Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas very few favours as they look to break into the starting line-up this season.

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  Is Ben Doak ready for more football?

  Another pre-season friendly, another encouraging performance from Ben Doak. Still just 17 years old, the Scot was handed a pair of Premier League cameos last season after impressing for Liverpool's Under-21 side. And it could be time for him to take the next step in his development this season.

  Recently, Klopp has been singing his praises, saying: "Ben Doak, still 17, but he is just a joy to watch! With all the little struggles he has with losing the ball here & there, but the bravery, speed and the power is so cool to see."

  It was more of the same here. He carved out the first meaningful opportunity of the game completely off his own back, skipping past two players down the right before firing an effort into the side netting.

  Liverpool's forward line is well stocked with different options, but in the cup competitions the Reds must now be seriously considering handing Doak a start or two. There's also the option of sending him out on loan, and on the evidence of his pre-season performances, there would be no shortage of suitors.

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  Luis Diaz came to play

  After making a roaring start to his Liverpool career, Luis Diaz's first full season at the club was ultimately underwhelming, with a knee injury restricting his involvement. As a result, the Colombian will be laser focussed on making up for lost time this campaign – and this restless energy was definitely present against Greuther Furth.

  Setting up camp on the left wing, Diaz was constantly looking to test his opposite number and had plenty of success. After catching the eye early on with some explosive runs, he opened the scoring inside 22 minutes, showing razor-sharp control to create just enough space for himself in the box before finding the bottom corner.

  The goal was the highlight of a seriously impressive cameo and it suggests that Diaz could be primed to replicate the devastating burst of form that got Liverpool fans so excited at the beginning of last year.

The Blaugrana are set to have a busy summer as they aim to clear space on their wage bill to bring in a number of new – or returning – faces

There really hasn't been much talk of who might leave Barcelona this summer. Instead, all of the attention has been focused on one arrival, with speculation running rife as to whether the Blaugrana can lure Lionel Messi back to Camp Nou.

But that is largely dependent on Barca's financial situation. While they have met La Liga president Javier Tebas' demands and cleared some salary off the books, they still need to raise some cash to address the league's supposed 'financial viability plan' in order to re-sign the club legend. That might mean one or two big-name departures, with Ansu Fati and Raphinha supposedly available for the right price.

Outside of that, there still needs to be the standard slew of outgoings. Barcelona have a few players returning from loans who they will undoubtedly look to move on again. Furthermore, there are some youngsters in the ranks who could benefit from a move away, too.

But who should be sold, who should be loaned out and who should be kept despite rumours linking them with moves away? GOAL breaks it all down…

• FC Barcelona
  

  KEEP: Ansu Fati (Unless a massive offer comes in)

  Barca have reportedly gone back and forth on this one. Chatter suggests that Ansu will be allowed to leave for the right price, while Xavi has been non-committal. However, it may be in the Blaugrana's best interests to keep him around.

  At just 21, with immense potential, the forward can still offer a lot. And he's shown in brief glimpses that he could yet be world-class. It is also likely that potential suitors will be put off by his injury record.

  Ultimately, Barcelona need to raise money, and Ansu might not fetch a worthy return. He's also promising enough to give another shot. If a massive bid comes in, though, letting him go might be worth considering.

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• SELL: Raphinha

  Barcelona have goals to hit, and Raphinha is the most obvious pathway to doing so. The Brazilian has enjoyed a solid first season in La Liga, reaching double-digit goal contributions in all competitions, while finding his feet in a new system.

  Still, the Blaugrana look far better when Ousmane Dembele is on the pitch. Xavi loves the Frenchman, leaving Raphinha as little more than an expensive rotation option. A player of his quality, at a good age, can fetch a handsome fee. Barcelona might not like it, Xavi probably won't, but Raphinha should be allowed to leave.

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  KEEP: Frenkie de Jong

  This is a no-brainer. De Jong has finally found his best form at Barcelona, less than 12 months after being almost certain to leave the club. Somehow, exit rumours have stuck around, with Manchester United supposedly still interested. Tough for them. De Jong should, and will, stay in Camp Nou.

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  SELL: Ferran Torres

  He's been at Barcelona for 18 months, and it's difficult to see what, exactly, Torres brings to the club. He's not necessarily a prolific goalscorer, a consistent provider of assists, or particularly creative presence. That's not great for a player the Blaugrana imprudently dropped €55 million (£46m/$62m) on.

  The good news is Torres is still young, and has shown flashes of the highly-rated player that emerged from Valencia nearly five years ago. But he doesn't fit into this side. Barca would be wise to sell.

The English champions have hit form at the right time and everything is now falling into place for them to lift the European Cup at long last

It's not the first time it's been said, but it feels like the stars are aligning for Manchester City in the Champions League.

After putting seven goals past RB Leipzig in the last 16, they out-thought and out-classed Bayern Munich in last week's quarter-final first leg.

They take a 3-0 lead into Wednesday's second leg at the Allianz Arena, and take a refreshed and rested team to Munich after barely breaking stride to beat Leicester City.

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City fans don't need reminding of all their glorious failures in Europe's top competitions. They have been haunted by their agonising exits to Monaco in 2017, Tottenham in 2019 and Real Madrid last season.

Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, was heavily blamed for his questionable tactics in the shock defeat by Lyon in 2020 and the loss to Chelsea in the 2021 final.

But the Catalan coach is on a roll right now, having reinvented his defence and turned Jack Grealish into a selfless and intelligent player. And in Erling Haaland, he has a superhuman striker leading the line who is breaking every goalscoring record imaginable.

So is this finally City's year in Europe? GOAL breaks down the reasons why it's looking like it will be…

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  Haaland's appetite for Champions League goals

  Any team facing City will be having nightmares about what Haaland might do to them.

  In his last two Champions League matches alone he has six goals. He plundered a joint-record five against RB Leipzig, and would likely have got six or seven had Guardiola not taken him off with half an hour left.

  And he showed he is more than just a flat-track bully by scoring and providing an assist against Bayern, one of the best teams in the world.

  He is in an insatiable mood at the most important stage of the season, scoring 14 goals in his last six appearances and already equalling Mohamed Salah's record of 32 strikes in a 38-game Premier League season.

  And while the pressure of the Champions League can cause some players to shrink, it brings the best out of Haaland.

  "First of all to play in the Champions League, I’m proud to play in it. I love this competition as everyone knows," he said after his goal blitz against Leipzig, admitting he was "blurry in the head" after scoring so many times.

  Guardiola pointed out that scoring goals in the Champions League has not been City's problem in the past, and conceding late on has often been their Achilles heel.

  But they have missed a lot of clear chances in clutch moments. With Haaland having scored 16 goals with his last 21 shots, that is unlikely to be a problem this time around.

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  Guardiola is in his element

  How many other managers could take their two first-choice full-backs out of the team in the middle of the season and reinvent their defence so that they barely notice their absence?

  This is what Guardiola has done with Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker.

  Cancelo had been one of City's most influential players in the two previous two seasons, but the coach suddenly decided he preferred centre-back Nathan Ake at left-back due to his defensive qualities.

  When Cancelo took issue with being left out, Guardiola sent him on loan to Bayern Munich.

  He also decided that Walker was not suited to the new defensive shape of three at the back and two holding midfielders, publicly declaring that the England star "cannot do it".

  It was a telling reminder that Guardiola never lets players get comfortable, no matter who they are.

  He has also publicly questioned Kevin De Bruyne's form and told Haaland to get more involved in the team's play, not to mention keeping the Norwegian happy despite taking him off early in matches.

  And he has not been shy of calling out the entire team, as he did with his bizarre "happy flowers" rant in January after beating Tottenham 4-2.

  Some thought Guardiola was losing his marbles with that tirade, but in fact he was reasserting his authority on the team. In the 17 matches since, City have won 14.

  They are on a roll of 10 consecutive victories in all competitions and chasing down Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

  Guardiola warned his players last week "if we lose, it's over" and is doing an incredible job of keeping them on their toes. That relentlessness could finally lead them to winning the Champions League.

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  Ruben Dias is back to his best

  Haaland may have stolen the headlines again in City's win over Bayern, but the victory really belonged to the defence.

  They limited Thomas Tuchel's side to only one shot in the first half, and although the visitors did test Ederson after the break, it was mostly long-range efforts which the Brazilian comfortably saved.

  Dias was a titanic defensive wall, blocking everything Bayern could throw at his side, while Manuel Akanji and Ake were also outstanding.

  John Stones was exceptional too, switching between forming a double-pivot with Rodri in midfield and covering at right-back.

  It was not just against Bayern that the backline has been impressive, though. City have the best defensive record in the Champions League, conceding only three goals in their nine matches, and they have kept clean sheets in six of their last 10 games in all competitions.

  Late defensive lapses, such as in both legs against Real Madrid in 2022, have cost them dear in the past. But they look so solid now, their defensive shape specifically designed to give them more control at the back.

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  De Bruyne is back in form

  The Belgian appears to have a tempestuous relationship with Guardiola. He has been unquestionably the best player of the Catalan's reign, and the most talented footballer the coach has worked with since Lionel Messi. Earlier this month, De Bruyne became the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League assists.

  And yet Guardiola often seems unhappy with him, calling him out on a number of occasions this season.

  Whatever is going on, this stormy feeling between coach and player seems to be bringing the best out of the playmaker, who has nine goals and a stonking 22 assists this season.

  After a relatively quiet start to the new year by his own high standards, which saw him left out of the starting line up for the defeat at Tottenham, he has come back with a vengeance.

  He played a starring role in the win at Arsenal in February with a goal and an assist, and he is red hot form right now. In his last six matches for City, De Bruyne has six assists and two goals, including particularly dominant performances against Leipzig and Liverpool.

  He has been fuelling Haaland's goal glut and slicing opponents open with runs down both wings and through the middle.

  He is an opposition's nightmare and a team-mates' dream, which makes him an asset in these huge Champions League matches.

It was a clinical display from the visitors as they had a four-goal lead at the break before adding two more late on

Portugal made easy work of Luxembourg as they ran out 6-0 winners in their European Championship qualifying match on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo was at the double in a clinical first-half display for Roberto Martinez's men, while Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva were also among the goals.

The visitors had the victory wrapped up by half-time and although Luxembourg saw more of the ball over the final 45 minutes, there was little they could do to have a chance of getting back in the match.

Rafael Leao made a fantastic impact after coming off the bench as he set up Otavio for the fifth goal in the 77th minute before recovering from a missed penalty by tucking in his team's sixth.

GOAL rates Portugal's players from Stade de Luxembourg…

• Goalkeeper & Defence

  Rui Patricio (6/10):

  After having nothing to do in the first half, he was called into action in the second but was hardly under any great pressure.

  Antonio Silva (7/10):

  Helped Portugal build from the back and carried the ball forward to look for better passing options.

  Ruben Dias (7/10):

  Quiet defensively but reliable on the ball like Silva.

  Danilo Pereira (6/10):

  Had a goal disallowed for offside and made some good defensive blocks in the second half.

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  Midfield

  Diogo Dalot (5/10):

  Not as heavily involved as his team-mates and hardly a direct threat on goal.

  Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

  His well-placed ball to the back post helped create the early goal and his through pass set up Ronaldo's second.

  Joao Palhinha (8/10):

  Made some excellent runs and passes to support the attack. Set up Bernardo Silva's goal with a fine cross.

  Bernardo Silva (8/10):

  Sent a spectacular cross in for Joao Felix to double Portugal's lead before heading in his team's third.

  Nuno Mendes (7/10):

  Did well to meet Fernandes' cross at the back post to nod it down for Ronaldo's simple finish. Got forward a lot as Portugal kept pressure on the hosts.

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  Attack

  Cristiano Ronaldo (8/10):

  Perfectly placed to nudge in the early goal from close range before taking a pass on in his stride and sliding in the fourth. A vintage display from the team's leader.

  Joao Felix (7/10):

  His header left goalkeeper Anthony Moris with no chance and he linked up well with his co-stars.

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  Subs & Manager

  Goncalo Ramos (5/10):

  Replaced Ronaldo after 65 minutes and blocked Ruben Dias' shot to prevent him from scoring.

  Ruben Neves (6/10):

  Took Bernardo Silva's spot in the second half and hit the bar with a free-kick.

  Rafael Leao (8/10):

  On for Bruno Fernandes for the final 15 minutes and set up Otavio with a lovely cross. Had a penalty saved later but recovered with a late goal in a fantastic cameo appearance.

  Otavio (7/10):

  Came on to take Joao Felix's place and was immediately involved with a fine headed goal.

  Diogo Jota (N/A):

  Got a five-minute run out so did not have time to influence the match.

  Roberto Martinez (7/10):

  Put out a strong team that dominated from the beginning but they eased up a bit too much in the second half. His changes proved effective, though, with Rafael Leao looking dangerous, Otavio scoring and Ruben Neves hitting the bar.