All the big Fantasy Premier League talking points and team news before gameweek 28
This week's deadline is 18:30 BST on Friday
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Heisenberg (Wes Prickett) has seven finishes inside top 30k in overall rankings and best finish of 836th in the world
Who is your captain this week? Can Fernandes rack up the points at home to Crystal Palace?
Premier League team news: Havertz, Dowman & White | De Ligt & Mount | Cucurella | Alcaraz | Doku back in training | Wirtz & Frimpong | Guimaraes & Miley | Lewis Cook
Leeds v Man City (Sat, 17:30 GMT)
And we’re now cutting to Pep Guardiola who has been talking at his customary Premier League pre-match news conference.
We’ll hear from the Manchester City manager on facing Real Madrid yet again in Europe and also team news and his thoughts before taking on Leeds tomorrow.
Click 'Get Involved' to have your say
There is something wrong in the formats of the European competitions if you have to play a team you have already played in the league phase?
Nathan, Hove
That Champions League draw is a travesty. All the decent teams are on the left and Arsenal in theory have an easy run to the final... this format is a joke.
JC, Midlands
What's the point t of getting high in Champions League as it doesn't benefit top finishing teams.. Absolutely disgraceful format..
Ste
Image source, Getty ImagesNottingham Forest and Aston Villa will meet in the semis, if they both get that far.
They've played once this season in the Premier League, which ended in a 3-1 win for Villa back in January.
The two teams are actually due to face each other in the league on April 11, which will be just a few weeks before the Europa League semi-finals take place.
Lille v Aston Villa
Aston Villa have been drawn against French side Lille - two years after they faced each other in a two-legged quarter-final in the Conference League.
You may remember that match for Emi Martinez's penalty shootout antics; with the goalkeeper making the save that saw them reach their first European semi-final since 1982. The aggregate score was 3-3 with both sides winning 2-1 at home before the shootout decided things.
That's as good as it got for Villa though - they ended up losing to Olympiakos in the semis.
Image source, Getty Images
Europa League
Here's the Europa League Round of 16 draw in full:
And here is how the 16 teams can make it to the final to be played in Istanbul on 20 May.
Image source, Uefa Europa LeagueNottingham Forest v Midtjylland
Nottingham Forest will face Midtjylland for the second time this season.
They met in the league phase, with the Danish side winning 3-2 at the City Ground. It was in the short Ange Postecoglou era.
His side had 22 shots in that match but it was another frustrating evening for his side.
Image source, Getty ImagesEuropa League
Lille (France) v Aston Villa (England)
Europa League
The Europa League draw is well under way and we can now confirm who Nottingham Forest will face in their Round of 16 tie.
Nottingham Forest (England) v Midtjylland (Denmark)
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Premier League have pencilled in West Ham's fixture against Manchester City (Saturday, 14 March 12:30 GMT) and Arsenal's game against Everton (Sunday, 15 March 14:00 GMT) on 21 January, however both are now subject to change.
The Premier League advised Uefa that clubs scheduled to play on Sunday, 15 March would not be available to play Champions League fixtures on Tuesday, 17 March.
But Uefa said it was not able to provide any scheduling guarantees ahead of the draw and also confirmed that matches cannot take place on Thursday, 19 March, meaning both fixtures could be changed.
The Premier League aims to confirm broadcast selections six weeks before fixtures take place, but that has been hampered by Uefa and the complication of having six English clubs in the competition.
Champions League
The exact dates for the knockout phase fixtures are yet to be confirmed.
We expect that confirmation to come later today, but here’s how the calendar is shaping up for now.
Last 16: 10-11 and 17-18 March
Quarter-finals: 7-8 and 14-15 April
Semi-finals: 28-29 April and 5-6 May
Final: 30 May
AND, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be speaking shortly. We'll have his reaction to drawing Real Madrid again, before we hear from the likes of Liam Rosenior and Mikel Arteta later.
It's all happening, isn't it?
Europa League
We’ve got two English sides alive and kicking in the Europa League as well.
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will both be in the hat for their Round of 16 draw which is coming up shortly.
There’s also Crystal Palace, who are waiting to discover their opponents in the Conference League last 16, with that draw scheduled for 13:00 GMT.
We’ll bring you updates the moment we know who each club will be facing, so stay tuned.
Here's a reminder of the road to Budapest after the Champions League knockout stage draw.
Click 'Get Involved' to let us know if you’re happy with the draw your team received - and who you think has the easiest path, and the toughest one too.
Galatasaray v Liverpool
Image source, Getty ImagesLiverpool ambassador Ian Rush, speaking to Uefa: "At this stage, every game is difficult. Galatasaray had a good win against Juventus.
"They scored seven goals in two games and I can see there being plenty of goals in the game. I think our advantage is that the second leg is at home. Fantastic atmosphere, and it depends on the result in the first game.
"I think the atmosphere at Anfield is second to none and, hopefully, that will come into act as well.
"You have PSG, Chelsea, Man City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich - that side of the draw is hardest, but if you are going to win it, you have got to beat them all on the way."
Real Madrid v Man City
Manchester City's director of football Hugo Viana speaking to Uefa: "It's a big game for both teams. We played against each other already in the group phase, so it'll be a really nice game to watch. It's like a final, we are happy to go there again.
"It's too soon to speak about the final, we should think game by game. Now we have a strong opener to face."
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No need for a draw, I knew we would be playing Madrid when they finished 9th. Every season we play Madrid, but it’s not fixed.
Ken, Manchester
Galatasaray is a draw I'm happy with for Liverpool, but when you look at the bigger picture with the possibility of facing PSG, Chelsea, Real Madrid or Manchester City, it makes for a grim reading, not given up yet but am very concerned.
Jack, Liverpool fan
Real Madrid v Man City
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City, meanwhile, were handed a last-16 tie against 15-time European champions Real Madrid.
The two teams faced each other already this season, with City winning 2-1 at Santiago Bernabeu, courtesy of goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland.
It’s finely balanced in the head‑to‑head history between City and Real Madrid. Both teams have won five times with five of their meetings ending in draws.
Real Madrid ran out 6-3 aggregate winners in the knockout phase play‑offs last season, while it took penalties to separate them in the 2023-24 quarter‑finals.
City, of course, were comfortable 5-1 winners in the 2022-23 semi‑finals - just a year after they were beaten 6–5 on aggregate at the same stage.
Atletico Madrid v Tottenham
North London derby in the Champions League semi-final, anyone?
Atletico Madrid v Tottenham
Former Tottenham defender Gary Mabbutt, speaking to Uefa: "We're delighted to have a fantastic game against Atletico Madrid, we've only played them once in European competition. It should be exciting and hopefully, anything can happen.
"For the club, this season there has been a lot of frustrations along the way but we're unbeaten at home in this competition. At this stage, anything can happen and every game is winnable.
"I was here this time last year and we were drawn for the Europa League. We got through to the final last year and became champions so who knows."
Paris St-Germain v Chelsea
Chelsea's director of football David Barnard said: "PSG, we've played them quite a few times. They are the reigning champions but people will probably refer to what happened in the summer at the Club World Cup. It'll be tough but it holds no fear for us.
"You can look at the bracket but you can't take things for granted."
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 56 | 21 | 35 | 61 |
| |
| 27 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 56 | 25 | 31 | 56 |
| |
| 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 38 | 30 | 8 | 51 |
| |
| 27 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 48 | 37 | 11 | 48 |
| |
| 27 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 48 | 31 | 17 | 45 |
| |
| 27 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 42 | 35 | 7 | 45 |
| |
| 27 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 40 | 37 | 3 | 40 |
| |
| 27 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 43 | 45 | -2 | 38 |
| |
| 27 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 31 | -2 | 37 |
| |
| 27 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 38 | 41 | -3 | 37 |
| |
| 27 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 38 | 39 | -1 | 36 |
| |
| 27 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 33 | -5 | 36 |
| |
| 27 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 29 | 32 | -3 | 35 |
| |
| 27 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 36 | 34 | 2 | 34 |
| |
| 27 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 37 | 46 | -9 | 31 |
| |
| 27 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 37 | 41 | -4 | 29 |
| |
| 27 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 25 | 39 | -14 | 27 |
| |
| 27 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 32 | 49 | -17 | 25 |
| |
| 27 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 29 | 52 | -23 | 19 |
| |
| 29 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 20 | 51 | -31 | 13 |
|
