Barca’s exit ensured it will be the first time since 2005 that neither Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the Champions League quarter-finals after Juventus were also knocked out in the last 16, on Tuesday.
* Second-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane eased Liverpool into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 2-0 win over RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena on Wednesday, to complete a 4-0 aggregate victory. Both legs of the last-16 tie were played in the Hungarian capital due to Germany's COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
* The European Tour has ruled out staging some events in the United States this year, Chief Executive Keith Pelley said. Events are scheduled to take place in Spain and Portugal next month, followed by tournaments in France, England and Denmark in May.
* Roger Federer admitted he felt tired at times as he returned from 14 months out to beat Dan Evans at the Qatar Open on Wednesday but will not be changing his post-match routine. The 39-year-old Swiss, who had not played since losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals since when he has had two knee operations, produced some vintage tennis to win 7-6(8) 3-6 7-5.
* Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his long-term project at the north London club will explode into life once football returns to normality after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic recedes. The Spaniard led Arsenal to the FA Cup last season but the team have failed to kick on and are 10th in the Premier League this campaign.
* Argentine tennis player Juan Martin Del Potro has not fully recovered from a series of knee injuries but the former US Open champion told reporters on Wednesday he is targeting this year's Tokyo Olympics for a fresh comeback.
* Michael Cuisance struck late to give Olympique de Marseille a 1-0 home win against Stade Rennais in coach Jorge Sampaoli's first game in charge in Ligue 1 on Wednesday. Cuisance headed home with two minutes remaining to earn Marseille their second win in their last 12 league games, three days after they were knocked out of the French Cup by amateurs Canet en Roussillon.
* Leaders Manchester City showed that their weekend derby loss was a blip as Kevin de Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice in a 5-2 win over Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday. City's 21-match winning streak in all competitions was rudely interrupted by a 2-0 defeat by Manchester United but normal service was quickly resumed at the Etihad Stadium as they opened up a 14-point gap at the top. City have 68 points from 29 games with Manchester United on 54 from one game fewer.
* Atletico Madrid took another step towards the La Liga title after coming from behind to secure a 2-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday and move six points clear of Barcelona and eight ahead of Real Madrid. The victory moved them on to 62 points from 26 games.
* International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Wednesday won an unopposed second term that will keep him in the post until 2025, following a vote on the first day of a virtual IOC session. Bach received 93 of the 94 eligible votes cast in an online process.
* Vuelta a Espana champion Primoz Roglic claimed the overall leader's yellow jersey in the Paris-Nice by winning the fourth stage, a 188-km hilly ride between Chalon-sur-Saone and Chiroubles on Wednesday. Thursday's fifth stage takes the peloton over 200 kilometres from Vienne to Bollene.
* Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho will be managing his 1,000th match later this season and the Portuguese said on Wednesday there was no better way to mark the milestone than by winning a trophy for the Premier League club. Spurs last won a trophy in 2008 when they lifted the League Cup and the north London club are in the final once again this season while they are also in contention in the Europa League.
* Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been ruled out of their Europa League last-16 first leg match against AC Milan with an ankle injury while striker Edinson Cavani is a doubt, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Wednesday. United have a number of players missing due to injuries with midfielder Paul Pogba still sidelined with a thigh issue while Donny van de Beek and Juan Mata are also unavailable.
* Ferrari unveiled their new Formula One car on Wednesday as the sport's most successful team vowed to turn a page and power back from their worst season in 40 years. The SF21, an evolution of last year's SF1000 but with a completely new engine and changed front wing and nose, showed off a slightly revised livery with a touch of green and two shades of red in a nod to past glories.
* Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has been appointed as the club's Technical Director in a major revamp of the Premier League side's football operations, it was announced on Wednesday.
* Manchester City will play Borussia Moenchengladbach in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Budapest, after the game was shifted to a neutral venue, UEFA said on Wednesday. The match is the latest to be affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions in Europe and will now be held on March 16 at the Puskas Arena, UEFA added.
