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Marcelo announced his retirement from football after a successful career with 30 titles, including 5 Champions League trophies with Real Madrid and a Copa Libertadores with Fluminense. Marcelo’s Farewell In a video posted on social media, the now former full-back reflected on his football journey, highlighting his time at Real Madrid, where he became a household name. He spent 16 seasons defending the club’s colors and won an impressive 25 titles, including five Champions League trophies. He also spoke about the pride of representing his country, Brazil, in international competitions, mentioning the Olympic medals he won in 2008 (bronze) and 2012 (silver), as well as the Confederations Cup in 2013. He concluded the reflection on his career with his return to the club that saw him grow, Fluminense, with whom he won the club’s first Copa Libertadores in 2023 and the Recopa Sudamericana in 2024. Thus, one of the best attacking full-backs in recent years says goodbye to professional football at the age of 36. However, in his farewell video, Marcelo made it clear that he still has much to offer to football, so it would not be surprising to see him remain involved in the sport in a different role. It is worth noting that since the end of last year, Marcelo had been away from the pitch due to a conflict with his coach at Fluminense. While his retirement is understandable at his age, the announcement still came as a surprise. Cover photo: X (@ChampionsLeague)

Newcastle United eliminated Arsenal from the Carabao Cup with a dominant 4-0 aggregate victory, securing their place in the final. Arsenal struggled throughout the semifinal series, failing to challenge Eddie Howe’s side. Newcastle now awaits the winner of Liverpool vs. Tottenham. How Newcastle Secured the Victory At St. James’ Park, Newcastle took control from the opening whistle. Just four minutes in, Alexander Isak found the net, but his goal was ruled offside. Arsenal attempted to respond with a few half-chances, but in the 19th minute, Newcastle struck first. After an Arsenal attack that hit the post, Anthony Gordon started a counterattack, brilliantly controlling the ball before setting up Isak. The Swedish forward’s shot hit the post, but Jacob Murphy was perfectly positioned to tap in the 1-0 goal. Despite Arsenal’s desperate attempts to break Newcastle’s defense, the Magpies held firm, sitting deeper with their 3-0 aggregate lead. Second-Half Dominance Newcastle capitalized on Arsenal’s frustration early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, the Gunners made a costly defensive error. David Raya attempted to play out from the back but under pressure, Arsenal lost possession. Fabian Schär’s sliding challenge forced a turnover, setting up Gordon, who easily slotted home past a misplaced Raya to make it 2-0 on the night. From there, Newcastle managed the game expertly, while Arsenal’s late efforts lacked creativity and conviction. Newcastle Awaits Their Final Opponent With the 4-0 aggregate win, Newcastle advances to the Carabao Cup Final and now awaits the winner between Liverpool and Tottenham. The Spurs currently lead 1-0 on aggregate, setting up an intriguing second-leg showdown.

Santiago Giménez made his AC Milan debut in the Coppa Italia and provided an assist for João Félix in a 3-1 victory against Roma, as the new signings made an immediate impact. Milan Took the Lead Without Santi in the Starting XI The Mexican striker started the match on the bench, waiting for his moment to step onto the pitch for one of Europe’s biggest clubs. The first 45 minutes were dominated by AC Milan, as they imposed their style at San Siro. In the 16th minute, Tammy Abraham opened the scoring with a powerful header from a well-placed cross by Theo Hernández. Roma responded with intense attacking play, forcing Mike Maignan to make key saves. However, in the 42nd minute, Theo Hernández launched a driving run from midfield, taking advantage of a misplaced tackle by Mats Hummels before setting up Abraham, who finished calmly to make it 2-0 before halftime. Milan’s New Signings Made the Difference Roma managed to pull one back in the 54th minute through Artem Dovbyk, making it 2-1. At minute 58, both Santiago Giménez and João Félix entered the game, and just 14 minutes later, the duo combined to seal the match. In the 72nd minute, Giménez received the ball in the attacking third, took a few controlled touches, and delivered a perfect through ball to João Félix, who chipped the goalkeeper with great finesse to make it 3-1. It was a memorable debut for Santi Giménez, who impressed Milan fans with his creativity and vision, hinting at a bright future in Serie A.

Today, the second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal between Newcastle and Arsenal takes place. The Gunners must win by two goals to level the series. The winner will face the victor of tomorrow’s Liverpool vs. Tottenham match. The semifinals of the English EFL Cup, also known as the Carabao Cup, continue today with a thrilling second-leg clash between Newcastle and Arsenal. Both teams are enjoying strong form in the Premier League, and expectations are high for an exciting match. Arsenal Must Rise to the Challenge The match, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (Mexico City time), sees Arsenal in a must-win situation. The Gunners need at least a two-goal victory to push the series into extra time and potentially a penalty shootout, as Newcastle secured a 2-0 win in the first leg. The Magpies will aim to protect their lead from the first leg and, if possible, extend it to put their opponents in an even tougher spot. A single goal from Newcastle would force Arsenal to score at least three to level the aggregate, as the Carabao Cup no longer applies the away goals rule. The Winner Awaits Liverpool or Tottenham Once this semifinal is decided, the focus will shift to tomorrow’s match, where Liverpool and Tottenham will battle for the second spot in the final. Spurs hold a narrow 1-0 advantage heading into the decisive fixture.