BRUGGE: Marcus Rashford resumed his Champions League career Tuesday, starting in Aston Villa’s 3-1 win at Club Brugge in the first leg of their last-16 tie. Rashford did not score his first goal with his new team but put on a strong first-half display, making himself available and showing his pace and great technique on the wing. After Leon Bailey put Villa ahead, Rashford had an excellent chance to double Villa’s lead on the break in the 10th minute from a tight angle, but his effort was blocked by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. Rashford was replaced by Marco Asensio in the 64th minute. It was Rashford’s first Champions League match since November 2023, when he was sent off for Manchester United against FC Copenhagen. Rashford joined Villa in February on loan from United, where he had fallen out with manager Ruben Amorim. He had not played for United since Dec. 12 amid Amorim’s concerns about Rashford’s commitment to training. The 27-year-old forward’s loan runs to the end of the season. Rashford has been in great from since his departure from Old Trafford. Although he has yet to score for his new team, he has been influential and set up three goals for Asensio. According to UEFA statistics, Rashford played 33 Champions League games for United, scoring 12 goals. Villa were a league-phase surprise, finishing eighth to set up the round-of-16 matchup against a Club Brugge squad that defeated Villa 1-0 in November and eliminated Atalanta in the playoffs.

Argentina's Fifa World Cup-winning legend Lionel Messi opened up about his regret of not learning English as a student, saying it makes him feel "half-ignorant" while interacting with prominent personalities worldwide.

Round 2 of Season 3 of the Ultimate Golf Challenge promises a dramatic shift in both stage and strategy as the action moves to the championship-renowned Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on February 26, home of the DP World Tour Championship.

The return of Drew Doughty to the Los Angeles Kings lineup ignited fans and teammates alike with a wave of excitement and renewed hope. With their star defenseman back at the helm, the Kings felt like a complete team again, ready to face any challenge. As the 6-foot-1 Canadian participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off against teammate Adrian Kempe, there's potential of him improving his playmaking abilities and returning to the star defenseman form we all know and appreciate.

The Los Angeles Kings increased their forward depth at the NHL Trade Deadline by bringing on Andrei Kuzmenko. Kuzmenko's ability to attack the open ice brings some new energy to the LA offense.

The road to Dubai World Cup night passes through one defining evening at Meydan Racecourse, and this year that spotlight shines brighter than ever on Emirates Super Saturday, the final major meeting of the 2025–2026 Dubai Racing Carnival ahead of the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup fixture on March 28.

MADRID: Barcelona battled back from two goals down to beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 and land an important blow in the Spanish title race on Sunday. Lamine Yamal struck in the 92nd minute and Ferran Torres in the 98th to help take the Catalans back top of the table after Real Madrid beat Villarreal on Saturday to briefly claim pole position. Barcelona have a game in hand on the champions with both sides level on 60 points, while Atletico trail the top two by four after they crumbled at home against Hansi Flick’s side to end a disastrous week following their Champions League elimination. Having twice been caught out late by Atletico this season, this time it was Barcelona’s turn to provide the sting in the tail, extending their unbeaten streak to 18 matches across all competitions. Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth put Atletico ahead before Robert Lewandowski and Torres hit back for Barca, who went on to win in stoppage time. Flick selected Marc Casado in midfield, with Frenkie de Jong not fit enough to be included in the matchday squad. The German had warned his players to stay focussed after they conceded a 96th minute goal in December to surrender the lead at the top of the table to Atletico in a 2-1 home defeat. Barcelona also conceded two late goals in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg to draw 4-4 against Diego Simeone’s side in February. They played within themselves in the first half, overly cautious and conserving energy, failing to create many openings. Teenage winger Yamal created one for himself but fired wide with Jan Oblak’s goal gaping, while Lewandowski directed a header at the Slovenian stopper. At the other end Atletico wanted a penalty when Inigo Martinez pulled back Marcos Llorente in the area but they were not given it. Barcelona’s best chance of the first half came when Pedri played in Lewandowski, who hit the top of the crossbar with a powerful drive. From the resulting goal kick, Atletico found the opener. The hosts worked the ball to Griezmann, who threaded a brilliant pass across the area to Giuliano Simeone, with Alvarez finishing from his cut-back. It provided a moment of joy for the former Manchester City striker who felt deep frustration in midweek when his penalty against Real Madrid was controversially disallowed for a supposed double touch on the ball, as Atletico were eliminated in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. Yamal probed after the break as Barca looked for a way back in and Simeone turned to his bench to freshen up his side, who played 120 draining minutes against Los Blancos. The coach introduced Sorloth and Conor Gallagher and they combined for Atletico’s second goal. Atletico put together another fine team move with Griezmann heavily involved, before Gallagher squared to perennial super-sub Sorloth to net his 11th league goal of the season, despite just nine starts. Barcelona had complaints about a Rodrigo De Paul handball in the build-up dismissed and they turned their anger into an instant response. Martinez drove forward with the ball and slung it into the box for Lewandowski, who controlled well and powered a low finish past Oblak to spark the comeback. Substitute Torres netted the equalizer when Raphinha, on an othewise quiet night in the capital for the Brazilian, crossed from the right. With Atletico shaken, Barcelona took full advantage, with Yamal’s deflected shot from distance sending them ahead in stoppage time. Torres bagged his second late on to round off a win which could prove decisive come the end of the season.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said the relentless criticism aimed at his players has been damaging to their mental health and undermined their efforts at the Twenty20 World Cup, where they were eliminated from the group stage on Wednesday.

Andrey Rublev, the No.5 seed at this week’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, progressed to his fifth semi-final in the city on Thursday night — a benchmark reached by only two other men in the ATP 500 tournament’s 34-year history: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Not bad company to keep.