Holders Real Madrid were sensationally knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday after being thrashed 4-1 at home by an outstanding Ajax Amsterdam who overturned a first-leg deficit to reach the quarter-finals 5-3 on aggregate.

The humiliating defeat completed a miserable week for Real, who have monopolised the competition since 2016 and are now left with nothing to fight for this season after back-to-back defeats to Barcelona had knocked them out of the Copa del Rey and effectively ended their La Liga title hopes.

Coach Santiago Solari may yet cling to his job until the end of the season but surely stands no chance of remaining for the next campaign after overseeing an almighty collapse to an exciting yet largely inexperienced Ajax side.

Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech fired the Dutch side into a shock seventh-minute lead after a lay off from the outstanding Dusan Tadic, who also provided the pass for David Neres to double the Dutch side's advantage in the 18th.

Madrid, who were missing inspirational captain Sergio Ramos through suspension and hit the woodwork twice in the first half, came out stronger after the interval but were dealt a fatal blow when Serbia international Tadic crowned his sensational display by hammering into the top corner in the 62nd minute.

Substitute Marco Asensio gave Madrid a glimmer of hope by striking back but it was quickly extinguished by a breathtaking free kick from Lasse Schone, condemning Real to a fourth consecutive home defeat in all competitions.

Things got worse for the hosts, who had won the last three Champions League titles in a row, when Nacho was sent off in stoppage time for two bookings.

"I think I have never felt this awful, I do not know how to explain it," Real defender Dani Carvajal said.

"This week everything has gone against us. Tonight we cannot look for excuses. We have to show our faces and not hide, our season has been a piece of shit."

Ajax, who have won the trophy four times, most recently in 1995, reached the last eight of Europe's top competition for the first time since 2003.

“We knew that it was possible to get a result here. We always believed that if we could play our own game we could cause them problems," said Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt.

Rotten fortune

Thirteen-times winners Madrid, who have lifted the trophy in four of the last five years, and had reached at least the semi-finals for the last eight seasons, suffered their earliest elimination since 2010.

It was their joint heaviest ever home defeat in Europe, having also lost by three goals to CSKA Moscow in the group stage in December.

Madrid endured rotten fortune throughout the game, losing Lucas Vazquez and livewire Brazilian teenager Vinicius Junior to injury in the first half.

The night could have gone very differently had Madrid defender Raphael Varane headed under the crossbar instead of against it in the fifth minute, moments before Ziyech scored.

Ajax had Madrid on the ropes after the second goal and should have further increased their advantage, as Neres chipped wide when clean through against Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois.

The Belgian made some more impressive saves throughout the game but was powerless to stop Tadic's thunderbolt and was caught out by Schone's free kick, which looked to be a cross but went straight in, deepening Real's shame.

Real substitute Gareth Bale also endured a harrowing evening, striking the post in the first half and appearing to injure his ankle late on, yet he was forced to remain on the pitch in pain as Solari had used all three substitutes.

Holders Real Madrid were sensationally knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday after being thrashed 4-1 at home by an outstanding Ajax Amsterdam who overturned a first-leg deficit to reach the quarter-finals 5-3 on aggregate.

Holders Real Madrid were sensationally knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday after being thrashed 4-1 at home by an outstanding Ajax Amsterdam who overturned a first-leg deficit to reach the quarter-finals 5-3 on aggregate. The humiliating defeat completed a miserable week for Real, who have monopolised the competition since 2016 and are now left with nothing to fight for this season after back-to-back defeats to Barcelona had knocked them out of the Copa del Rey and effectively ended their La Liga title hopes. Coach Santiago Solari may yet cling to his job until the end of the season but surely stands no chance of remaining for the next campaign after overseeing an almighty collapse to an exciting yet largely inexperienced Ajax side. Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech fired the Dutch side into a shock seventh-minute lead after a lay off from the outstanding Dusan Tadic, who also provided the pass for David Neres to double the Dutch side's advantage in the 18th. Madrid, who were missing inspirational captain Sergio Ramos through suspension and hit the woodwork twice in the first half, came out stronger after the interval but were dealt a fatal blow when Serbia international Tadic crowned his sensational display by hammering into the top corner in the 62nd minute. Substitute Marco Asensio gave Madrid a glimmer of hope by striking back but it was quickly extinguished by a breathtaking free kick from Lasse Schone, condemning Real to a fourth consecutive home defeat in all competitions. Things got worse for the hosts, who had won the last three Champions League titles in a row, when Nacho was sent off in stoppage time for two bookings. "I think I have never felt this awful, I do not know how to explain it," Real defender Dani Carvajal said. "This week everything has gone against us. Tonight we cannot look for excuses. We have to show our faces and not hide, our season has been a piece of shit." Ajax, who have won the trophy four times, most recently in 1995, reached the last eight of Europe's top competition for the first time since 2003. “We knew that it was possible to get a result here. We always believed that if we could play our own game we could cause them problems," said Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt. Rotten fortune Thirteen-times winners Madrid, who have lifted the trophy in four of the last five years, and had reached at least the semi-finals for the last eight seasons, suffered their earliest elimination since 2010. It was their joint heaviest ever home defeat in Europe, having also lost by three goals to CSKA Moscow in the group stage in December. Madrid endured rotten fortune throughout the game, losing Lucas Vazquez and livewire Brazilian teenager Vinicius Junior to injury in the first half. The night could have gone very differently had Madrid defender Raphael Varane headed under the crossbar instead of against it in the fifth minute, moments before Ziyech scored. Ajax had Madrid on the ropes after the second goal and should have further increased their advantage, as Neres chipped wide when clean through against Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian made some more impressive saves throughout the game but was powerless to stop Tadic's thunderbolt and was caught out by Schone's free kick, which looked to be a cross but went straight in, deepening Real's shame. Real substitute Gareth Bale also endured a harrowing evening, striking the post in the first half and appearing to injure his ankle late on, yet he was forced to remain on the pitch in pain as Solari had used all three substitutes.

Champions League: Title holders Real Madrid knocked out by Ajax

Jurgen Klopp has buried the hatchet of his old Bundesliga rivalry with Bayern Munich but wants Liverpool to show they are Champions League contenders by beating the German giants when the sides meet in the first leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday.

Bayern have won the Bundesliga for the past six years since Klopp's Dortmund claimed back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012.

Dortmund also lost the Champions League final to Bayern in 2013 and the rivalry between the two was intensified as Bayern picked off some of Klopp's best players in Mario Goetze, Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski.

"It's nothing, not a little bit personal," said Klopp on Monday. "There were never any negative things with Bayern but when we played them or when they bought our players how could I be happy and say 'Great, good idea I'll bring him in my car.'&nbsp;

"That was not nice for us at Dortmund but it's part of the business. In these moments I was not happy, but it is long ago."

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Join us LIVE with the boss, ahead of our clash with <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBayernEN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBayernEN</a>. 
 
Klopp gives the latest team news and updates as <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChampionsLeague</a> football returns to Anfield. 🙌 
 
▶️ Enjoy more on <a href="https://twitter.com/LFCTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LFCTV</a> GO: <a href="https://t.co/BxfzKkm3b4">https://t.co/BxfzKkm3b4</a> <a href="https://t.co/mWtv04CR89">https://t.co/mWtv04CR89</a>
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1097466415882399744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Despite reaching four semi-finals and a quarter-final since 2013, Bayern have not added to their five European Cup wins since Arjen Robben's late winner at Wembley six years ago.

Liverpool also came close to adding to their five European crowns last season when losing out to Real Madrid in the final, but Klopp believes the fact his side are even considered contenders for the title now is a sure sign of progress since he was hired in 2015.

"The best thing of all the things we did so far since we are together is that we are a real competitor again. That is of course not enough, but it is a big step," added Klopp.

"Being not only part of the competition but people thinking we can beat Bayern, that's a big thing. The story so far is a nice one but not finished yet."

Liverpool have had 10 days to prepare for Bayern's visit, but despite the lay-off Klopp still has defensive problems to resolve.

Virgil van Dijk is suspended, Joe Gomez is sidelined with a lower leg fracture and Dejan Lovren faces a race against time to recover from a hamstring injury, so Joel Matip and Fabinho are expected to form a make-shift centre-back pairing.

However, Klopp is hoping the power of Anfield's famous atmosphere on a European night will give his side the extra helping hand they need to take a lead to Germany in three weeks' time.

"In Germany a lot of people talk now about the atmosphere at Anfield. There was a lot of talk that we are maybe the most emotional club in world football," added Klopp.

"Emotion in my opinion is a very positive thing, so let's show that tomorrow night."

Jurgen Klopp has buried the hatchet of his old Bundesliga rivalry with Bayern Munich but wants Liverpool to show they are Champions League contenders by beating the German giants when the sides meet in the first leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp has buried the hatchet of his old Bundesliga rivalry with Bayern Munich but wants Liverpool to show they are Champions League contenders by beating the German giants when the sides meet in the first leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday. Bayern have won the Bundesliga for the past six years since Klopp's Dortmund claimed back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. Dortmund also lost the Champions League final to Bayern in 2013 and the rivalry between the two was intensified as Bayern picked off some of Klopp's best players in Mario Goetze, Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski. "It's nothing, not a little bit personal," said Klopp on Monday. "There were never any negative things with Bayern but when we played them or when they bought our players how could I be happy and say 'Great, good idea I'll bring him in my car.' "That was not nice for us at Dortmund but it's part of the business. In these moments I was not happy, but it is long ago." Join us LIVE with the boss, ahead of our clash with @FCBayernEN. Klopp gives the latest team news and updates as @ChampionsLeague football returns to Anfield. 🙌 ▶️ Enjoy more on @LFCTV GO: https://t.co/BxfzKkm3b4 https://t.co/mWtv04CR89 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 18, 2019 × Despite reaching four semi-finals and a quarter-final since 2013, Bayern have not added to their five European Cup wins since Arjen Robben's late winner at Wembley six years ago. Liverpool also came close to adding to their five European crowns last season when losing out to Real Madrid in the final, but Klopp believes the fact his side are even considered contenders for the title now is a sure sign of progress since he was hired in 2015. "The best thing of all the things we did so far since we are together is that we are a real competitor again. That is of course not enough, but it is a big step," added Klopp. "Being not only part of the competition but people thinking we can beat Bayern, that's a big thing. The story so far is a nice one but not finished yet." Liverpool have had 10 days to prepare for Bayern's visit, but despite the lay-off Klopp still has defensive problems to resolve. Virgil van Dijk is suspended, Joe Gomez is sidelined with a lower leg fracture and Dejan Lovren faces a race against time to recover from a hamstring injury, so Joel Matip and Fabinho are expected to form a make-shift centre-back pairing. However, Klopp is hoping the power of Anfield's famous atmosphere on a European night will give his side the extra helping hand they need to take a lead to Germany in three weeks' time. "In Germany a lot of people talk now about the atmosphere at Anfield. There was a lot of talk that we are maybe the most emotional club in world football," added Klopp. "Emotion in my opinion is a very positive thing, so let's show that tomorrow night."

'Nothing personal' in beating Bayern for Jurgen Klopp

Google has released the list of most searched topics of the year and in sports, football topped the chart as FIFA World Cup 2018 was the most searched sport-related topic.&nbsp;

There were moments which were praised by fans and spectators worldwide and are worth mentioning as we summarise the year 2018.&nbsp;

Apart from the football world cup, the club games too grabbed eyeballs, especially for the bicycle kicks.&nbsp;

Without delaying it further, here we are comparing the two popular goals which made headlines. &nbsp;

1. Cristiano Ronaldo's overhead bicycle kick for his previous club Real Madrid against current club Juventus, which was also voted UEFA's goal of the season.&nbsp;

2. Gareth Bale's jaw-dropping reverse kick for Real Madrid against Premier League Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final.&nbsp;

Out of these two, guess which goal was searched most in the year. Well, the answer is Cristiano's stunning goal when he scored with a sensational overhead bicycle kick and stunned Juve's then goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.&nbsp;
<img alt="Top five related queries." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3c4a9de3-d5a2-43bc-8117-600b6cac471c" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ana.PNG" />
Here are the stats generated by Google:&nbsp;

Worldwide, the topic was searched most in Nigeria.
<img alt="Interest by region (worldwide)." data-caption="&lt;strong&gt;Interest by region (worldwide).&lt;/strong&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5ba3444a-eb4b-4779-836c-165bc9a6252e" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/sports.jpg" />
In India, the topic was searched most in Kerala, followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu.
<img alt="Interest in the topic by sub-region (India)." data-caption="&lt;strong&gt;Interest in the topic by sub-region (India).&lt;/strong&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b22b49f2-b9f8-43a0-a092-91e6524ebdd9" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/kick2.PNG" />
Relive Cristiano's goal one more time, watch here.

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Thanks to everyone who voted for me. Will never forget that moment, specially the reaction of the fans in the stadium. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEFA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEFA</a> Goal of the Season <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpecialMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpecialMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/9teapgD9MW">pic.twitter.com/9teapgD9MW</a>
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/1034419930517647361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Also, watch Gareth Bale's goal.&nbsp;

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⚽😲🔝 <a href="https://twitter.com/GarethBale11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GarethBale11</a>, WHAT. A. GOAL!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHAMP13NS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHAMP13NS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HalaMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HalaMadrid</a> <a href="https://t.co/1dciApRNyR">pic.twitter.com/1dciApRNyR</a>
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) <a href="https://twitter.com/realmadriden/status/1000666121085865984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Ronaldo said it was "the best goal" of his career and it helped Real to a 3-0 win on the night and moved them a step closer to an eventual quarter-final victory over Juve.&nbsp;

Google has released the list of most searched topics of the year and in sports, football topped the chart as FIFA World Cup 2018 was the most searched sport-related topic.

Google has released the list of most searched topics of the year and in sports, football topped the chart as FIFA World Cup 2018 was the most searched sport-related topic. There were moments which were praised by fans and spectators worldwide and are worth mentioning as we summarise the year 2018. Apart from the football world cup, the club games too grabbed eyeballs, especially for the bicycle kicks. Without delaying it further, here we are comparing the two popular goals which made headlines. 1. Cristiano Ronaldo's overhead bicycle kick for his previous club Real Madrid against current club Juventus, which was also voted UEFA's goal of the season. 2. Gareth Bale's jaw-dropping reverse kick for Real Madrid against Premier League Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final. Out of these two, guess which goal was searched most in the year. Well, the answer is Cristiano's stunning goal when he scored with a sensational overhead bicycle kick and stunned Juve's then goalkeeper Gigi Buffon. Here are the stats generated by Google: Worldwide, the topic was searched most in Nigeria. In India, the topic was searched most in Kerala, followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu. Relive Cristiano's goal one more time, watch here. Thanks to everyone who voted for me. Will never forget that moment, specially the reaction of the fans in the stadium. #UEFA Goal of the Season #SpecialMoment pic.twitter.com/9teapgD9MW — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) August 28, 2018 × Also, watch Gareth Bale's goal. ⚽😲🔝 @GarethBale11, WHAT. A. GOAL!!!#CHAMP13NS | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/1dciApRNyR — Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 27, 2018 × Ronaldo said it was "the best goal" of his career and it helped Real to a 3-0 win on the night and moved them a step closer to an eventual quarter-final victory over Juve.

Gareth Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo: Whose bicycle-kick was searched most in 2018?

European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

At their meeting in Dublin, UEFA's Executive Committee finalised plans to introduce the event, with the working title 'UEL2' and featuring 32 teams in the group stage, in the 2021 to 2024 competition cycle.

The Europa League group stage, meanwhile, will be reduced from 48 teams to 32.

UEFA said that the Champions League would remain unaltered, meaning that the four top-ranked leagues -- currently Spain, England, Germany and Italy -- would each keep four guaranteed places in the group stage.

"No changes will be made to the format and access list of the UEFA Champions League," said UEFA.

The umbrella organisation representing Europe's domestic leagues had asked UEFA to reduce the number of places guaranteed to teams from the top leagues, reversing changes made for the current cycle.

UEFA said the new setup would ensure that at least 34 countries would be represented in the group stages of UEFA club competitions, compared to today's total of 26.

"The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said.

"There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association."

The format will see eight groups of four teams, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Like the Europa League, matches will be played on Thursdays.

As with the established competitions, there will also be four rounds of qualifying matches played in July and August.

An additional knockout round will be played before the round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams in the groups of the Europa League, which will run concurrently.

Similarly, the teams finishing second in the Europa League groups will play in a knockout round against teams ranked third in the Champions League groups for a place in the Europa League round of 16.

The seventh-placed teams in Europe's four top-ranked leagues will qualify directly for the final qualifying round of the new competition.

Teams entering the early qualifying rounds of the new competition will be mainly those finishing second, third and fourth in Europe's smaller leagues.

Teams eliminated in the Europa League qualifiers will also drop down to the new competition.

The new competition will feature 141 matches over 15 match weeks, exactly like the Europa League. The winners of the new competition will be entitled to participate in the Europa League in the following season.

European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021. At their meeting in Dublin, UEFA's Executive Committee finalised plans to introduce the event, with the working title 'UEL2' and featuring 32 teams in the group stage, in the 2021 to 2024 competition cycle. The Europa League group stage, meanwhile, will be reduced from 48 teams to 32. UEFA said that the Champions League would remain unaltered, meaning that the four top-ranked leagues -- currently Spain, England, Germany and Italy -- would each keep four guaranteed places in the group stage. "No changes will be made to the format and access list of the UEFA Champions League," said UEFA. The umbrella organisation representing Europe's domestic leagues had asked UEFA to reduce the number of places guaranteed to teams from the top leagues, reversing changes made for the current cycle. UEFA said the new setup would ensure that at least 34 countries would be represented in the group stages of UEFA club competitions, compared to today's total of 26. "The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said. "There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association." The format will see eight groups of four teams, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Like the Europa League, matches will be played on Thursdays. As with the established competitions, there will also be four rounds of qualifying matches played in July and August. An additional knockout round will be played before the round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams in the groups of the Europa League, which will run concurrently. Similarly, the teams finishing second in the Europa League groups will play in a knockout round against teams ranked third in the Champions League groups for a place in the Europa League round of 16. The seventh-placed teams in Europe's four top-ranked leagues will qualify directly for the final qualifying round of the new competition. Teams entering the early qualifying rounds of the new competition will be mainly those finishing second, third and fourth in Europe's smaller leagues. Teams eliminated in the Europa League qualifiers will also drop down to the new competition. The new competition will feature 141 matches over 15 match weeks, exactly like the Europa League. The winners of the new competition will be entitled to participate in the Europa League in the following season.

UEFA approves new European club competition from 2021

There will be no breakaway European Super League, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Andrea Agnelli, the chairman of the influential European Club Association has told the BBC.

Instead, their joint plans for the future of European football from 2024 onwards will see a revised football schedule which will possibly involve less domestic football and more European competition.

German news magazine Der Spiegel claimed to have documents which showed Europe's biggest clubs planning for a Super League from 2021.&nbsp;

"The Super League will not happen. It is in a way a fiction now or a dream," Ceferin told the BBC.

Agnelli, whose body represents over 200 leading teams, said the clubs and UEFA are "united" in their views on how the game should progress over the coming years.

"I can confirm we have never seen, never discussed, never been involved in the creation of this document (about a Super League)," said Agnelli, who is also chairman of Juventus one of the clubs reportedly due to be a founding member of the Super League.

"We are fully engaged with Uefa in shaping the game going forward."

Ceferin -- who is due to be re-elected to his post unopposed next February -- and Agnelli says discussions are taking place about how to change the format of European club football's premier competition, the Champions League.

This is being done in order to obtain a more financially attractive broadcasting deal.

"We have some ideas," said Ceferin. "All I can say is that any Super League is out of the question.

"Participation stays. And everybody will have an opportunity to compete in every European competition," added the 51-year-old Slovenian lawyer.

Ceferin said a planned third European competition with 32 teams will be appreciated by European clubs.

It is not the first time there have been three European club competitions as prior to it being reduced to the Champions League and Europa League -- formerly the UEFA Cup -- there was the Cup Winners Cup.

The new competition is due to be voted in at a UEFA meeting in Dublin in early December.

"It will be our duty to safeguard the great heritages of European football but on the other side I think we are very well aware that we have to safeguard markets, we have to think about upcoming markets," said Ceferin.

"Fans can rest assured that if we put our hands to making a new product it's because we want to make sure that fans across Europe engage."

There will be no breakaway European Super League, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Andrea Agnelli, the chairman of the influential European Club Association has told the BBC.

There will be no breakaway European Super League, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Andrea Agnelli, the chairman of the influential European Club Association has told the BBC. Instead, their joint plans for the future of European football from 2024 onwards will see a revised football schedule which will possibly involve less domestic football and more European competition. German news magazine Der Spiegel claimed to have documents which showed Europe's biggest clubs planning for a Super League from 2021. "The Super League will not happen. It is in a way a fiction now or a dream," Ceferin told the BBC. Agnelli, whose body represents over 200 leading teams, said the clubs and UEFA are "united" in their views on how the game should progress over the coming years. "I can confirm we have never seen, never discussed, never been involved in the creation of this document (about a Super League)," said Agnelli, who is also chairman of Juventus one of the clubs reportedly due to be a founding member of the Super League. "We are fully engaged with Uefa in shaping the game going forward." Ceferin -- who is due to be re-elected to his post unopposed next February -- and Agnelli says discussions are taking place about how to change the format of European club football's premier competition, the Champions League. This is being done in order to obtain a more financially attractive broadcasting deal. "We have some ideas," said Ceferin. "All I can say is that any Super League is out of the question. "Participation stays. And everybody will have an opportunity to compete in every European competition," added the 51-year-old Slovenian lawyer. Ceferin said a planned third European competition with 32 teams will be appreciated by European clubs. It is not the first time there have been three European club competitions as prior to it being reduced to the Champions League and Europa League -- formerly the UEFA Cup -- there was the Cup Winners Cup. The new competition is due to be voted in at a UEFA meeting in Dublin in early December. "It will be our duty to safeguard the great heritages of European football but on the other side I think we are very well aware that we have to safeguard markets, we have to think about upcoming markets," said Ceferin. "Fans can rest assured that if we put our hands to making a new product it's because we want to make sure that fans across Europe engage."

There will be no Super League, says UEFA chief

Paris Saint-Germain has challenged UEFA in court after a club finance panel reopened its investigation into the French champion, and can assess transfer deals for superstar forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Monday the appeal case is confidential at the request of PSG and UEFA and gave no further details.

Qatar-owned PSG has long been a target of UEFA rules designed to curb so-called financial doping by wealthy backers of clubs which qualify for the Champions League or Europa League.

The Financial Fair Play program requires clubs to approach break-even on soccer-related business, such as player trading and wages, and also assesses the fair market value of sponsorship deals.

PSG forfeited 20 million euros (USD 22.8 million) of Champions League prize money in a 2014 settlement. Then, Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City got the same deal from UEFA in signature cases from the first round of FFP sanctions.

Details of tough 2014 negotiations between both clubs and UEFA's then-leaders were revealed at the weekend by European media. Published emails included legal threats by the clubs trying to prevent possible bans from the Champions League worth tens of millions of euros per season.

In April 2017, UEFA released PSG and Man City from their settlement deals for complying with three years of stricter monitoring.

PSG then spent heavily in that offseason, breaking soccer's transfer record to buy Neymar from Barcelona for 222 million euros (USD 253 million). A loan deal was agreed with Monaco for Mbappe that became a 180 million euros (USD 205 million) purchase this year.

UEFA opened an investigation soon after the Mbappe loan, and warned PSG in June this year to raise cash quickly from player sales to balance its 2017-18 accounts. UEFA also said some sponsor deals, including from Qatar, were overvalued.

Still, investigators for UEFA's Club Financial Control Body closed their scrutiny of PSG's accounts for the year through June 2017 before the Neymar signing.

The UEFA panel's judging chamber reviewed the decision and in September sent the case back for a "deeper investigation." It is that move which PSG is challenging at CAS.

The sports court's judges must first decide if it is admissible to appeal a procedural step rather than a final ruling.

Joining PSG in a similar situation, Galatasaray was also placed under further investigation by the UEFA panel last month. It is unclear if the Turkish club has appealed to CAS.&nbsp;

Paris Saint-Germain has challenged UEFA in court after a club finance panel reopened its investigation into the French champion, and can assess transfer deals for superstar forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Paris Saint-Germain has challenged UEFA in court after a club finance panel reopened its investigation into the French champion, and can assess transfer deals for superstar forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Monday the appeal case is confidential at the request of PSG and UEFA and gave no further details. Qatar-owned PSG has long been a target of UEFA rules designed to curb so-called financial doping by wealthy backers of clubs which qualify for the Champions League or Europa League. The Financial Fair Play program requires clubs to approach break-even on soccer-related business, such as player trading and wages, and also assesses the fair market value of sponsorship deals. PSG forfeited 20 million euros (USD 22.8 million) of Champions League prize money in a 2014 settlement. Then, Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City got the same deal from UEFA in signature cases from the first round of FFP sanctions. Details of tough 2014 negotiations between both clubs and UEFA's then-leaders were revealed at the weekend by European media. Published emails included legal threats by the clubs trying to prevent possible bans from the Champions League worth tens of millions of euros per season. In April 2017, UEFA released PSG and Man City from their settlement deals for complying with three years of stricter monitoring. PSG then spent heavily in that offseason, breaking soccer's transfer record to buy Neymar from Barcelona for 222 million euros (USD 253 million). A loan deal was agreed with Monaco for Mbappe that became a 180 million euros (USD 205 million) purchase this year. UEFA opened an investigation soon after the Mbappe loan, and warned PSG in June this year to raise cash quickly from player sales to balance its 2017-18 accounts. UEFA also said some sponsor deals, including from Qatar, were overvalued. Still, investigators for UEFA's Club Financial Control Body closed their scrutiny of PSG's accounts for the year through June 2017 before the Neymar signing. The UEFA panel's judging chamber reviewed the decision and in September sent the case back for a "deeper investigation." It is that move which PSG is challenging at CAS. The sports court's judges must first decide if it is admissible to appeal a procedural step rather than a final ruling. Joining PSG in a similar situation, Galatasaray was also placed under further investigation by the UEFA panel last month. It is unclear if the Turkish club has appealed to CAS.

Paris Saint-Germain challenges UEFA in court

Joachim Loew is facing the biggest crisis of his 12-year tenure as Germany's head coach after their embarrassing 3-0 defeat away to the Netherlands.&nbsp;

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk gave the Dutch a first-half lead before late goals by Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum capped a golden night for the Oranje at Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena.

These are dark days for the Germans in the wake of their dismal World Cup display when they crashed out after finishing bottom of their group.

They are now bottom of Nations League Group One and Loew must avoid defeat against world champions France in Paris on Tuesday, knowing his future will be debated at home.&nbsp;

"Yes, I understand that there is a debate and we have to deal with it," Loew told broadcaster ZDF.

"In the next two days, I will focus entirely on preparing the team before the match in Paris against France, and not on the debates in public, although these debates are normal, very normal."

"We have to show character against France and win the return match against the Dutch or we are going down.

"We had good chances, but couldn't put them away, which would have been good for confidence. It's bad that we fell apart at the end," he added.

After ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack said he was "surprised" Loew kept his job after their woeful World Cup display, the Dutch defeat ramps up the pressure.

Once again, Loew trusted his senior players to deliver a win, but his Bayern Munich axis of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller failed to deliver.

Both Muller and his second-half replacement, Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane, squandered clear chances either side of he break.&nbsp;

Hummels admitted the team can expect a backlash from the German public after the defeat.

"We'll get it in the neck now, but we have no one to blame but ourselves," said Hummels.

"We lost 3-0, even though we actually had to win the game. "We had a lot of bad luck, but it's not down to any one player."

Germany have now conceded goals in their last 19 internationals.

"We made too little of our chances, although we could have gone ahead early on," said goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer. "At the end, we were too open and made mistakes."

Neuer put the blame firmly on the players: "Before the game, every player signalled to the coach that they were ready to play."

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos said the Germans lost their structure after falling behind.

"The structure was missing after the first 30 minutes, but it's hard heading home without having scored," said Kroos.

"You need a reward for the good work you do and that's not happened. "We have to keep going, we have the next chance on Tuesday and concentrate on the good things we did."

The Dutch were delighted with their first win over the Germans for 16 years.

"Sometimes you need a bit of luck, but we deserved the win, fought for every inch and defended well," said Dutch coach Ronaldo Koeman. "It's an unbelievable result, especially as the Germans weren't that bad.

"It's 16 years since we beat Germany and we are on the right way with a talented, young team."

Joachim Loew is facing the biggest crisis of his 12-year tenure as Germany's head coach after their embarrassing 3-0 defeat away to the Netherlands. Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk gave the Dutch a first-half lead before late goals by Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum capped a golden night for the Oranje at Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena.

Joachim Loew is facing the biggest crisis of his 12-year tenure as Germany's head coach after their embarrassing 3-0 defeat away to the Netherlands. Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk gave the Dutch a first-half lead before late goals by Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum capped a golden night for the Oranje at Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena. These are dark days for the Germans in the wake of their dismal World Cup display when they crashed out after finishing bottom of their group. They are now bottom of Nations League Group One and Loew must avoid defeat against world champions France in Paris on Tuesday, knowing his future will be debated at home. "Yes, I understand that there is a debate and we have to deal with it," Loew told broadcaster ZDF. "In the next two days, I will focus entirely on preparing the team before the match in Paris against France, and not on the debates in public, although these debates are normal, very normal." "We have to show character against France and win the return match against the Dutch or we are going down. "We had good chances, but couldn't put them away, which would have been good for confidence. It's bad that we fell apart at the end," he added. After ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack said he was "surprised" Loew kept his job after their woeful World Cup display, the Dutch defeat ramps up the pressure. Once again, Loew trusted his senior players to deliver a win, but his Bayern Munich axis of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller failed to deliver. Both Muller and his second-half replacement, Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane, squandered clear chances either side of he break. Hummels admitted the team can expect a backlash from the German public after the defeat. "We'll get it in the neck now, but we have no one to blame but ourselves," said Hummels. "We lost 3-0, even though we actually had to win the game. "We had a lot of bad luck, but it's not down to any one player." Germany have now conceded goals in their last 19 internationals. "We made too little of our chances, although we could have gone ahead early on," said goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer. "At the end, we were too open and made mistakes." Neuer put the blame firmly on the players: "Before the game, every player signalled to the coach that they were ready to play." Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos said the Germans lost their structure after falling behind. "The structure was missing after the first 30 minutes, but it's hard heading home without having scored," said Kroos. "You need a reward for the good work you do and that's not happened. "We have to keep going, we have the next chance on Tuesday and concentrate on the good things we did." The Dutch were delighted with their first win over the Germans for 16 years. "Sometimes you need a bit of luck, but we deserved the win, fought for every inch and defended well," said Dutch coach Ronaldo Koeman. "It's an unbelievable result, especially as the Germans weren't that bad. "It's 16 years since we beat Germany and we are on the right way with a talented, young team."

UEFA Nations League: Netherlands beat Germany for first time in 16 years

The 55 national teams currently participating in the inaugural UEFA Nations League will see a 50 per cent increase in solidarity fees paid to them, European football's governing body UEFA has said.

The 12 strongest teams based on UEFA rankings - divided into four groups of three in League A - will each receive 2.25 million euros ($2.6 million) in solidarity fees, an increase of 750,000 euros from the amount announced in March.&nbsp;

Each group winner in League A will be given an additional 2.25 million euros as a bonus, up from 1.5 million euros.

"The decision to increase the solidarity and bonus payments was taken by the UEFA executive committee and was made possible by UEFA's solid financial situation," UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA added the financial boost was also due to their earnings from Euro 2016 that were set aside for future investment.

League A group winners will compete for the UEFA Nations League trophy in June 2019 and the champions stand to gain 6 million euros in solidarity fees - taking the maximum they could earn from the tournament to 10.5 million euros.

The event, created to replace friendly internationals that were unpopular with clubs, players and fans as they interrupted league action, largely got the thumbs up after the first batch of matches in September.

The 55 national teams currently participating in the inaugural UEFA Nations League will see a 50 per cent increase in solidarity fees paid to them, European football's governing body UEFA has said.

The 55 national teams currently participating in the inaugural UEFA Nations League will see a 50 per cent increase in solidarity fees paid to them, European football's governing body UEFA has said. The 12 strongest teams based on UEFA rankings - divided into four groups of three in League A - will each receive 2.25 million euros ($2.6 million) in solidarity fees, an increase of 750,000 euros from the amount announced in March. Each group winner in League A will be given an additional 2.25 million euros as a bonus, up from 1.5 million euros. "The decision to increase the solidarity and bonus payments was taken by the UEFA executive committee and was made possible by UEFA's solid financial situation," UEFA said in a statement. UEFA added the financial boost was also due to their earnings from Euro 2016 that were set aside for future investment. League A group winners will compete for the UEFA Nations League trophy in June 2019 and the champions stand to gain 6 million euros in solidarity fees - taking the maximum they could earn from the tournament to 10.5 million euros. The event, created to replace friendly internationals that were unpopular with clubs, players and fans as they interrupted league action, largely got the thumbs up after the first batch of matches in September.

Football: UEFA to pay countries more for Nations League participation

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League group-stage match with Barcelona at Wembley, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Saturday.

Alli, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier this month, missed the 2-0 victory at Huddersfield, and Pochettino said there was no chance of the England international facing the Spanish side.

The midfielder suffered the injury during England's Nations League defeat to Spain earlier this month and missed the matches with Liverpool and Inter Milan.

Although he was back again as a substitute against Brighton last weekend and scored in the League Cup against Watford on Wednesday, he has suffered an aggravation of the injury.

Pochettino said it was too early to evaluate the injuries to Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele, who were both substituted at half-time in the win at the John Smith's Stadium.

"It is not clear if they are muscle (injuries) or knocks," said the Spurs manager, who used the injuries to emphasise his unhappiness at criticism of his squad rotation.

"The season is a massive challenge for everyone. A lot of teams have the same problem. The players are not machines. We want to push and push and push them -- it is not easy.

"No-one helps, all want that in every single game play the same players," he added, highlighting the criticism he received for resting players.

But the Spurs manager said muscle injuries were a risk facing a number of teams.

"I think the teams that had players involved in the World Cup are going to have this kind of problems," he added.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League group-stage match with Barcelona at Wembley, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Saturday.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League group-stage match with Barcelona at Wembley, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Saturday. Alli, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier this month, missed the 2-0 victory at Huddersfield, and Pochettino said there was no chance of the England international facing the Spanish side. The midfielder suffered the injury during England's Nations League defeat to Spain earlier this month and missed the matches with Liverpool and Inter Milan. Although he was back again as a substitute against Brighton last weekend and scored in the League Cup against Watford on Wednesday, he has suffered an aggravation of the injury. Pochettino said it was too early to evaluate the injuries to Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele, who were both substituted at half-time in the win at the John Smith's Stadium. "It is not clear if they are muscle (injuries) or knocks," said the Spurs manager, who used the injuries to emphasise his unhappiness at criticism of his squad rotation. "The season is a massive challenge for everyone. A lot of teams have the same problem. The players are not machines. We want to push and push and push them -- it is not easy. "No-one helps, all want that in every single game play the same players," he added, highlighting the criticism he received for resting players. But the Spurs manager said muscle injuries were a risk facing a number of teams. "I think the teams that had players involved in the World Cup are going to have this kind of problems," he added.

Dele Alli ruled out of Tottenham's Barcelona clash

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