Pep in Their Step 🕺

Together with

Good Morning & Good Day,

Inter are through to the UCL final, Man City and Madrid battle it out for the final spot, Sheikh Jassim submits final take it or leave it bid for Man United, Balogun picks USMNT, women’s football is going ham, Brilliant Brighton, and Man City’s tactics have some Pep in their step.

Let’s get on with it.

Table Tops

Fixtures We’re Watching

• Man City v Real Madrid (Prediction & Preview)

• Middlesbrough v Coventry City

• Tigres v Monterrey

Full schedule + where to watch

Starting Lineup

• Can Pep get the better of Carlo? – 5 talking points ahead of City’s semi-final (FM)

• Sheikh Jassim submits final 'take it or leave it' offer for Man United (DM)

• Brentford star Ivan Toney appears in front of disciplinary panel over 262 betting offenses, could face long ban (TS)

• Spirit and Lyon owners form women's soccer org (ESPN)

• Barcelona and Valencia under investigation from tax authorities for €35m swap deal (FE)

• Cardiff suing Nantes for £100m, chairman Mehmet Dalman confirms (DM)

• USL announces women’s pro league to rival NWSL; first 8 markets confirmed (TA)

• Folarin Balogun eligible for USMNT after FIFA approve eligibility change from England (ESPN)

Transfer Rumors

• Harry Kane’s entourage meet with PSG to discuss forward’s potential switch (CO)

• Real Madrid want Bellingham, Mbappe and Davies in 23/24 (SKY)

• USA duo Christian Pulisic and Taylor Booth are wanted by Serie A champions Napoli (DM)

• Aston Villa join the race for £55m Sporting Lisbon star Manuel Ugarte (DM)

• Sources: Leverkusen bid for Arsenal's Xhaka (ESPN)

• Firmino and former teammate Mane among big-name Saudi transfer targets (CO)

• Barcelona agree terms with Alejandro Balde over new deal (FE)

• Brentford are in talks to sign South Korea starlet Kim Ji-Soo (DM)

• Eintracht Frankfurt sign Omar Marmoush on a free transfer from Wolfsburg (GGFN)

• Ibrahim Sangaré has a provisional agreement with PSG (GFFN)

• West Ham looking to sign Southampton player Ward-Prowse this summer (CO)

• Bos move: Melbourne City star sets A-League transfer record (ESPN)

Data Based

• Tuchel at Bayern: Raising the Floor (AFC)

• Why Nottingham Forest's Awoniyi should be considered signing of the season (WS)

• Use Your Head: Why Chances Created From Headers Are More Valuable Than You Think (OA)

Offsides

• People have just remembered that some Arsenal fans paid thousands of pounds for Wolves ticket (TS)

• Espanyol pitch invaders included Barcelona city politician (WST)

• Fiorentina owner taunts Juventus and Chelsea over transfer spending (FI)

• Toulouse sit out striker over row with city official (ESPN)

On The Ball

• How much Pogba cost Juventus per minute this season (FI)

• The huge profits Brighton made off Arsenal and Chelsea with Liverpool and Man United next (TS)

• Leeds’ Radrizzani in ‘race against time’ to buy relegated club, Sampdoria (SW)

• Wage bills and highest earners of Champions League semi-finalists revealed (FI)

• MLS average player salary up 11%; Xherdan Shaqiri highest paid at 41% of Chicago’s spend (TA)

Coaches Box

• Feyenoord to offer Tottenham target Arne Slot a bumper new contract to fend off interest (DM)

• Hodgson on verge of agreeing to stay with Palace for next season (CO)

• Philippe Clement “expects” to leave Monaco at the end of the season (GFFN)

• Spurs executive director wants club to bring in former FA Cup winning manager, Brendan Rodgers (CO)

Throw Ins

• Paramount+ set to release docuseries about UEFA Champions League (WST)

• Inside Pele’s tomb in world’s tallest cemetery where fans can pay respects to icon who was laid to rest in gold coffin (SUN)

• Climate: How green are Premier League clubs in 2023? (BBC)

• What would make managers improve behaviour towards officials? (TA)

Injury Time

• Pep Guardiola says Rodri is fit for Real Madrid clash (FE)

• Man City will be without key defender Ake for Real Madrid clash (FE)

• Milan confirm knee surgery and recovery time for Bennacer (FI)

• Atletico Madrid midfielder Lemar out for final weeks of season (FE)

Rankings

Meme Brace