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#UCL #Arteta #urges #Arsenal #play #pure #fire #Sporting #damaging #defeats">UCL 2025-26: Arteta urges Arsenal to play with ‘pure fire’ against Sporting after damaging defeats
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to play with “pure fire” as it looks to bounce back from a series of damaging defeats in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta’s side can reach the semifinals of the competition for a second successive season if it finishes off Sporting at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners go into the quarterfinal second leg with a 1-0 lead after last week’s game in Lisbon.
But that narrow success was Arsenal’s only victory in its last four matches, with three defeats sparking claims Arteta and his team are choking as the pressure mounts at the business end of the season.
“There is no fear. Pure fire. That’s it. Me, the first one. Pure fire. That’s what I want to see on the players, on the people, on myself,” he insisted at his pre-match press conference.
READ | Rice misses training to add to Arsenal injury concerns ahead of Sporting clash
“Fire! I’m on fire. I’m on fire. That’s it. Nothing else. I’m dreaming so much. I’ve done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I’ve done so much and this is beauty.”
Losing the League Cup final against Manchester City and the FA Cup quarterfinal against second-tier Southampton was bad enough.
But a shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday left Arteta facing pointed questions about Arsenal’s character.
Arsenal is just six points ahead of second-placed City, which has a game in hand and hosts the Gunners in a seismic showdown on Sunday.
The north Londoners have finished Premier League runner-up for the past three seasons — twice blowing substantial leads to City in 2023 and 2024.
It has also failed to win a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, which remains the only silverware won by Arteta in over six years in charge.
There is a growing feeling of deja vu among a nervous Arsenal fan-base, but Arteta launched a passionate defence of his squad.
“We are in April, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. Let’s confront it, let’s go for it by really putting absolutely everything into it,” added the Spaniard.
“I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us. And because they deserve it, because it’s been unbelievable. That’s what is driving me every single day. I have zero fear.”
‘Doing something incredible’
Arsenal hasn’t lifted the Premier League since 2004 and has never won the Champions League.
If it makes the Champions League last four this season, it would be the first time it has reached the semifinals of the competition in two consecutive seasons.
Arteta, whose side lost to Paris Saint-Germain in last year’s semifinals, acknowledged the size of the task facing Arsenal as they try to do a Premier League and Champions League double.
“What we are trying to achieve is difficult, is challenging, and is bumpy and it’s supposed to be like this,” he said.
“I said to the players, ‘Guys, we are trying to do something that hasn’t been done in the history of the club in 140 years. So that tells you the difficulty of what you are doing’.
“We have the opportunity tomorrow to go to the semi-finals. We are competing to win the Premier League and we are in a really strong position.
“So the team is doing something incredible because it’s never been done before.”
Published on Apr 14, 2026
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to play with “pure fire” as it looks to bounce back from a series of damaging defeats in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta’s side can reach the semifinals of the competition for a second successive season if it finishes off Sporting at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners go into the quarterfinal second leg with a 1-0 lead after last week’s game in Lisbon.
But that narrow success was Arsenal’s only victory in its last four matches, with three defeats sparking claims Arteta and his team are choking as the pressure mounts at the business end of the season.
“There is no fear. Pure fire. That’s it. Me, the first one. Pure fire. That’s what I want to see on the players, on the people, on myself,” he insisted at his pre-match press conference.
READ | Rice misses training to add to Arsenal injury concerns ahead of Sporting clash
“Fire! I’m on fire. I’m on fire. That’s it. Nothing else. I’m dreaming so much. I’ve done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I’ve done so much and this is beauty.”
Losing the League Cup final against Manchester City and the FA Cup quarterfinal against second-tier Southampton was bad enough.
But a shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday left Arteta facing pointed questions about Arsenal’s character.
Arsenal is just six points ahead of second-placed City, which has a game in hand and hosts the Gunners in a seismic showdown on Sunday.
The north Londoners have finished Premier League runner-up for the past three seasons — twice blowing substantial leads to City in 2023 and 2024.
It has also failed to win a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, which remains the only silverware won by Arteta in over six years in charge.
There is a growing feeling of deja vu among a nervous Arsenal fan-base, but Arteta launched a passionate defence of his squad.
“We are in April, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. Let’s confront it, let’s go for it by really putting absolutely everything into it,” added the Spaniard.
“I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us. And because they deserve it, because it’s been unbelievable. That’s what is driving me every single day. I have zero fear.”
‘Doing something incredible’
Arsenal hasn’t lifted the Premier League since 2004 and has never won the Champions League.
If it makes the Champions League last four this season, it would be the first time it has reached the semifinals of the competition in two consecutive seasons.
Arteta, whose side lost to Paris Saint-Germain in last year’s semifinals, acknowledged the size of the task facing Arsenal as they try to do a Premier League and Champions League double.
“What we are trying to achieve is difficult, is challenging, and is bumpy and it’s supposed to be like this,” he said.
“I said to the players, ‘Guys, we are trying to do something that hasn’t been done in the history of the club in 140 years. So that tells you the difficulty of what you are doing’.
“We have the opportunity tomorrow to go to the semi-finals. We are competing to win the Premier League and we are in a really strong position.
“So the team is doing something incredible because it’s never been done before.”
Published on Apr 14, 2026
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to play with “pure fire” as it looks to bounce…
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#Deadspin #Astros #Rockies #kick #series #searching #reversal #fortune">Deadspin | Astros, Rockies kick off series searching for reversal of fortune
Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images On Monday, the Houston Astros completed a 10-game road trip so nightmarish that a starting pitcher allowing six earned runs over laborious six innings essentially represented a high point.
The Astros dropped the finale of a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games, the longest for the club since 2013. Houston, which will host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series, placed five players on the injured list during the road trip, including three members of its starting rotation.
With ace Hunter Brown and fellow right-handers Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai on the IL, the Astros’ rotation is in flux. Only Mike Burrows, who worked six innings on Monday, and Lance McCullers Jr., who didn’t escape the fifth inning on Saturday, remain in the rotation. Despite being in an early stage of the season, the Astros are in desperate need of a reset.
“This is a road trip that’s one to forget,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to go home and start all over again.”
Left-hander Colton Gordon, recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. Gordon finished 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts) as a rookie last season. He made his big league debut on May 14, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals, but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 4-3 victory after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. In three starts with Sugar Land this season, Gordon is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings.
In his lone career appearance against the Rockies, Gordon allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 6-5 road win on July 1, 2025.
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 8.36 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rockies on Tuesday. He worked a scoreless inning of relief against the San Diego Padres on Saturday in his first appearance out of the bullpen after three turns through the rotation. Lorenzen is in his first season with the Rockies after pitching for the Royals last season and splitting time between Kansas City and the Texas Rangers in 2024. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has pitched for six organizations since 2022.
Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA across seven career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. He earned the win against Houston on April 8 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Rockies’ 9-1 home victory.
The Rockies followed their three-game sweep of the Astros last week by dropping all four games of a weekend series with the San Diego Padres. With their bullpen already taxed after the Padres scored 21 runs in the first three games of the series, the Rockies scratched left-hander Kyle Freeland before the series finale. Valente Bellozo salvaged things by working 4 1/3 innings of relief, but Colorado was looking forward to the off day in Houston on Monday.
“The off day will help big time,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.
According to Schaeffer, left-hander Jose Quintana should be available during the series against the Astros after a recent bullpen session. Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain on March 30.
–Field Level Media
Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images On Monday, the Houston Astros completed a 10-game road trip so nightmarish that a starting pitcher allowing six earned runs over laborious six innings essentially represented a high point.
The Astros dropped the finale of a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games, the longest for the club since 2013. Houston, which will host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series, placed five players on the injured list during the road trip, including three members of its starting rotation.
With ace Hunter Brown and fellow right-handers Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai on the IL, the Astros’ rotation is in flux. Only Mike Burrows, who worked six innings on Monday, and Lance McCullers Jr., who didn’t escape the fifth inning on Saturday, remain in the rotation. Despite being in an early stage of the season, the Astros are in desperate need of a reset.
“This is a road trip that’s one to forget,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to go home and start all over again.”
Left-hander Colton Gordon, recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. Gordon finished 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts) as a rookie last season. He made his big league debut on May 14, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals, but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 4-3 victory after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. In three starts with Sugar Land this season, Gordon is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings.
In his lone career appearance against the Rockies, Gordon allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 6-5 road win on July 1, 2025.
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 8.36 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rockies on Tuesday. He worked a scoreless inning of relief against the San Diego Padres on Saturday in his first appearance out of the bullpen after three turns through the rotation. Lorenzen is in his first season with the Rockies after pitching for the Royals last season and splitting time between Kansas City and the Texas Rangers in 2024. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has pitched for six organizations since 2022.
Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA across seven career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. He earned the win against Houston on April 8 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Rockies’ 9-1 home victory.
The Rockies followed their three-game sweep of the Astros last week by dropping all four games of a weekend series with the San Diego Padres. With their bullpen already taxed after the Padres scored 21 runs in the first three games of the series, the Rockies scratched left-hander Kyle Freeland before the series finale. Valente Bellozo salvaged things by working 4 1/3 innings of relief, but Colorado was looking forward to the off day in Houston on Monday.
“The off day will help big time,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.
According to Schaeffer, left-hander Jose Quintana should be available during the series against the Astros after a recent bullpen session. Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain on March 30.
–Field Level Media
Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images On Monday, the Houston Astros completed a 10-game road trip so nightmarish that a starting pitcher allowing six earned runs over laborious six innings essentially represented a high point.
The Astros dropped the finale of a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games, the longest for the club since 2013. Houston, which will host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series, placed five players on the injured list during the road trip, including three members of its starting rotation.
With ace Hunter Brown and fellow right-handers Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai on the IL, the Astros’ rotation is in flux. Only Mike Burrows, who worked six innings on Monday, and Lance McCullers Jr., who didn’t escape the fifth inning on Saturday, remain in the rotation. Despite being in an early stage of the season, the Astros are in desperate need of a reset.
“This is a road trip that’s one to forget,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to go home and start all over again.”
Left-hander Colton Gordon, recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. Gordon finished 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts) as a rookie last season. He made his big league debut on May 14, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals, but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 4-3 victory after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. In three starts with Sugar Land this season, Gordon is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings.
In his lone career appearance against the Rockies, Gordon allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 6-5 road win on July 1, 2025.
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 8.36 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rockies on Tuesday. He worked a scoreless inning of relief against the San Diego Padres on Saturday in his first appearance out of the bullpen after three turns through the rotation. Lorenzen is in his first season with the Rockies after pitching for the Royals last season and splitting time between Kansas City and the Texas Rangers in 2024. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has pitched for six organizations since 2022.
Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA across seven career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. He earned the win against Houston on April 8 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Rockies’ 9-1 home victory.
The Rockies followed their three-game sweep of the Astros last week by dropping all four games of a weekend series with the San Diego Padres. With their bullpen already taxed after the Padres scored 21 runs in the first three games of the series, the Rockies scratched left-hander Kyle Freeland before the series finale. Valente Bellozo salvaged things by working 4 1/3 innings of relief, but Colorado was looking forward to the off day in Houston on Monday.
“The off day will help big time,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.
According to Schaeffer, left-hander Jose Quintana should be available during the series against the Astros after a recent bullpen session. Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain on March 30.
–Field Level Media
Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single…
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#UCL #Bayern #driving #seat #wounded #Real #Madrid #dangerous #Manuel #Neuer">UCL 2025-26 — Bayern in driving seat but wounded Real Madrid could be dangerous, says Manuel Neuer
Treble-chasing Bayern Munich is in control of its Champions League quarterfinal tie against Real Madrid after a 2-1 first-leg win but the Spanish giant, struggling for form, could prove dangerous with its backs to the wall, Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said on Tuesday.
The Bavarians host Real in the return leg on Wednesday, hoping to book a semifinal spot to go along with their German Cup semifinal place and a 12-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
Real, out of Spain’s Copa del Rey and second in La Liga, nine points behind Barcelona, has only one realistic shot at a trophy.
“Yes, it is a big chance for Real to improve things,” Neuer told a press conference. “It is a really difficult period for a club like Real at the moment. We have experienced it ourselves in the past. When you are with your back to the wall you can move mountains,” Neuer said.
But the Spaniards will be facing a Bayern team in stellar form. On Saturday it set a new Bundesliga all-time goal record, with its 5-0 demolition of St Pauli, to take its season tally to 105 goals with five games still remaining. The previous best mark was 101 goals in the 1971-72 campaign.
“We are in a flow right now. We are still in all competitions and it’s in our own hands,” Neuer said. “We are sitting in the driver’s seat.”
Bayern can potentially secure the league title as early as this weekend if Borussia Dortmund slips up on Saturday against Hoffenheim. It also faces Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup semifinal on April 22.
“We won the first match but there is only one goal difference,” the 40-year-old Neuer said. “We know the fight we have to deliver. But we have that one goal advantage.”
“Our motivation is sky high so the starting point is good but we cannot overestimate it. We have experienced how Real can hit back but we are confident,” he said.
Published on Apr 14, 2026
Treble-chasing Bayern Munich is in control of its Champions League quarterfinal tie against Real Madrid after a 2-1 first-leg win but the Spanish giant, struggling for form, could prove dangerous with its backs to the wall, Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said on Tuesday.
The Bavarians host Real in the return leg on Wednesday, hoping to book a semifinal spot to go along with their German Cup semifinal place and a 12-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
Real, out of Spain’s Copa del Rey and second in La Liga, nine points behind Barcelona, has only one realistic shot at a trophy.
“Yes, it is a big chance for Real to improve things,” Neuer told a press conference. “It is a really difficult period for a club like Real at the moment. We have experienced it ourselves in the past. When you are with your back to the wall you can move mountains,” Neuer said.
But the Spaniards will be facing a Bayern team in stellar form. On Saturday it set a new Bundesliga all-time goal record, with its 5-0 demolition of St Pauli, to take its season tally to 105 goals with five games still remaining. The previous best mark was 101 goals in the 1971-72 campaign.
“We are in a flow right now. We are still in all competitions and it’s in our own hands,” Neuer said. “We are sitting in the driver’s seat.”
Bayern can potentially secure the league title as early as this weekend if Borussia Dortmund slips up on Saturday against Hoffenheim. It also faces Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup semifinal on April 22.
“We won the first match but there is only one goal difference,” the 40-year-old Neuer said. “We know the fight we have to deliver. But we have that one goal advantage.”
“Our motivation is sky high so the starting point is good but we cannot overestimate it. We have experienced how Real can hit back but we are confident,” he said.
Published on Apr 14, 2026
Treble-chasing Bayern Munich is in control of its Champions League quarterfinal tie against Real Madrid…
