For the first time since 2005, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo will be involved in the Champions League quarter-finals.  

While Barcelona s exit to last season s runners-up Paris Saint-Germain was perhaps not too much of a surprise, few saw Juventus coming out on the wrong end of an upset against Porto in the last 16.  

So, could we be witnessing a changing of the guard in the competition? Is it a case of out with the old, in with the new? 

While Messi and Ronaldo have dominated in Europe through the years, a collection of some of the most promising talents in the world game have the chance to take centre stage now.

Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)

Even by his own prolific standards, Haaland has been in…

World Cup winners Argentina have returned to the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time in six years.

Lionel Scaloni s side – who captured their third world title with a thrilling final win against France in Qatar last year – won friendlies against Panama and Curacao in the March international break.

Captain Lionel Messi brought up two milestones in those fixtures, netting his 800th career goal in a 2-0 victory over Panama before reaching 100 international goals as he scored a hat-trick in a 7-0 rout of Curacao.

Argentina last topped the rankings in 2017, but the Albiceleste dropped as low as 12th the following year after an underwhelming campaign at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Argentina replace rivals Brazil at the summit after the Selec…

Gareth Bale s late header took Wales to within one win of UEFA Euro 2016 qualification as Chris Coleman s side saw off Cyprus 1-0 in Nicosia.

Wales were frustrated throughout by resolute defending but Bale was on hand to head home the 82nd-minute winner on Thursday moving Chris Colemen s men closer to their first major tournament since 1958.

Bale s header a sublime effort from Jazz Richards superb delivery was the Real Madrid star s sixth goal in seven matches in qualifying as Wales stayed three points clear of Belgium in Group B.

Manchester City s latest big-money signing Kevin De Bruyne impressed for Belgium, who came from behind to beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1.

After Marouane Fellaini had cancelled out Edin Dzeko s early opener, De Bruyne gave Belgium t…

Pep Guardiola does not believe Wednesday s clash with Arsenal will decide the outcome of the Premier League title race but wants Manchester City to take destiny into their own hands.

City, who have booked their place in the last four of the Champions League and the FA Cup final, will move within two points of Arsenal, with two games in hand, should they beat the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal have drawn their last three league games, while City have won 11 of their previous 12 outings across all competitions.

Asked if there was a reason behind City s menacing form, Guardiola told reporters: When, early in the season, we lost games, people said it was physicality, that it was not good – that is, bulls***.

Many things are involved in a game. We k…

The Football League will be re-named the English Football League ahead for the 2016-17 season.

The move comes as part of a comprehensive corporate and competition re-branding announced by the league on Thursday.

An abbreviated league title of EFL will be used throughout everyday promotion and publicity efforts, with the initials also featuring on a new logo comprised of 72 balls in three groups of 24 to represent each team taking part in English football s second, third and fourth tiers.

The logo will be the fourth used by the league in its 127-year history and each club in the Championship, League One and League Two is to be presented with its own bespoke version in its playing colours.

Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey said: The new EFL nam…

Inter kept alive their Serie A title hopes with a 1-0 Derby d Italia win over Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

Simone Inzaghi s side were second best in the first half, yet they went ahead moments before the interval courtesy of Hakan Calhanoglu s twice-taken penalty.

Juve huffed and puffed in the second half but they were unable to find the leveller that would have stretched their unbeaten run in the Italian top flight to 17 games.

The result meant Inter remain in third, three points behind leaders Milan, while Massimiliano Allegri s Juve stay in fourth, seven points behind the Rossoneri having played a game more.

2008/09 Inter have remained unbeaten in both the seasonal Serie A meetings against Juventus for the first time since the 2008/…

Son Heung-min was forced off with a worrying-looking head injury in Tottenham s Champions League match with Marseille.

A 23rd-minute aerial collision between Son and Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba led to a lengthy break in play.

In visible pain, Son was eventually helped off the field by Spurs medical team as he struggled to walk.

The incident will spark fears for both Tottenham and South Korea, with Son s national team due to open their World Cup campaign against Uruguay in just 23 days.

Whether South Korea s star man will be fit for that match on November 24 remains to be seen, as they look to make it out of the World Cup group stage for the first time since the 2010 edition in South Africa.

Spurs will be in action three more times before th…

Germany are not used to World Cup failures and do not intend to reflect on their Russia 2018 experience as they prepare to begin their 2022 campaign against Japan.

Die Mannschaft are four-time world champions and have reached at least the semi-finals at four of the five tournaments since the start of this century – more than any other nation over this period.

But the exception came four years ago as Germany – then the holders – exited in the group stage, losing to Mexico and South Korea.

It was the first time since 1950, when Germany were last absent from the World Cup, that they had failed to progress beyond the first round.

Defender Niklas Sule s only finals appearance to date was in the 2-0 reverse against South Korea, and it is not an experience…

Martin O Neill has agreed a new contract with the Republic of Ireland and will remain manager until after their Euro 2020 campaign.

O Neill started the job in 2013 and led Ireland to Euro 2016, where they were defeated 2-1 by eventual finalists France in the first knockout round.

The 65-year-old had previously made no secret of his desire to renew and said earlier on Thursday in a media conference that both sides were eager to find an agreement.

O Neill s renewal secures his immediate future despite Ireland sitting in a potentially precarious position in World Cup qualifying, positioned in third place in Group D behind Serbia and Wales with two matches to go.

Defeat at home to rock-bottom Moldova on Friday could end their qualification hopes should Wales…

Prediction: Aberdeen to win 2-1

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St Johnstone and Aberdeen will lock horns with each other in the Scottish Premiership next week. The match between Craig Levein’s side and Jimmy Thelin’s team will be at McDiarmid Park and is scheduled to kick off at 8 pm UK time next Monday.

St Johnstone

St Johnstone are a modest club in Scotland who do not tend to compete for the Scottish Premiership title or even for a place in Europe. The Saints, who were founded back in 1884, finished 10th in the Scottish Premiership table last season. They will be happy with a similar sort of position, but, of course, as with all clubs, they will be keen on doing better this time around.

The Saints have been quite busy in the summer transfer windo…