Other Men

PARIS — Brazil forward Raphinha scored twice to help Barcelona secure a 3-2 win at Paris Saint Germain in a lively Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, earning the Spanish side their first win in the knockout stage in four years.

PSG forward Kylian Mbappe was nowhere to be found in Parc des Princes as five-times European champions Barca managed to neutralize France's captain, who was often frustrated in his attempts up front.

LIVERPOOL — Liverpool reclaimed the Premier league lead in an enthralling title race as Alexis Mac Allister's thunderbolt and a late header by Cody Gakpo secured a nervy 3-1 home victory over bottom club Sheffield United on Thursday.

Mac Allister goal vs Sheffield United

OH MY WORD ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER.

LIVERPOOL ARE BACK IN FRONT! pic.twitter.com/jI1uwoot0v

AS Monaco and United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun got himself on the scoresheet twice during his side’s 5-2 Ligue 1 victory vs. Metz on Saturday.

Balogun’s first goal was scored in bizarre fashion as Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja lived every keeper’s worst nightmare and got caught on the ball. Balogun, who came on a substitute in the 65th minute, did well to force the mistake and was rewarded with a goal.

They don’t come much easier than this.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso ended speculation of a potential move to one of his former clubs Liverpool or Bayern Munich in the close season when the Spaniard said on Friday that he was committed to staying with the Bundesliga leaders.

Alonso, who has a contract with Leverkusen until 2026, has become the talk of Europe and a reported target for top clubs after leading his team through an unbeaten season while challenging for three trophies.

WROCLAW — Ukraine's qualification for the Euro 2024 soccer finals has cheered a country suffering hardship in its conflict with Russia and for a few weeks in June and July the tournament will provide a welcome distraction from the harsh reality of war.

The team came from behind to defeat Iceland 2-1 in their playoff final in neutral Poland on Tuesday and book a fourth successive appearance in the continental finals.

France and AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud is reportedly finalizing a summer transfer to LAFC following Euro 2024 according to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert.

Giroud has been Milan’s top scorer this season finding the back of the net 14 times and adding nine assists. The 39-year-old Frenchman has aged like a fine wine.

His contract with the Italian giants will expire in June and it appears that a move to Major League Soccer is on the horizon.

The iconic Guillermo Ochoa's career in European soccer appears to have come to an end and a club in MLS could be looking to sign the goalkeeper as their main star for the following 2025 season. Hint: the transfer makes a lot of sense.

Guillermo Ochoa linked to new MLS club San Diego FC

PARIS — Hosts France will play the United States to kick off the men's soccer tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics after the two teams were drawn together on Wednesday.

The game will be played in Marseille on July 24, two days before the opening ceremony in Paris. New Zealand and the winner of a playoff between an Asian team and Guinea complete Group A.

USMNT Olympics group

BARCELONA — Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves can be released from jail on a $1.1 million bail while he appeals his rape conviction, after serving about a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence, a Barcelona court ruled on Wednesday.

The conditions for Alves' release include relinquishing both his Brazilian and Spanish passports so he cannot leave Spain as well as an obligation to appear before the court on a weekly basis or whenever summoned.

The court also imposed a restraining order barring Alves from coming within 3,300 feet of the victim.