TIMO WERNER

The first World Cup in the Middle East finally began Sunday night with a flashy opening ceremony and a loss by host Qatar against Ecuador.

Playing as the center forward for Brazil at a World Cup is one of the biggest honors in soccer and Gabriel Jesus knows all about it.

Chelsea and Manchester City didn’t field a recognized striker between them yet still combined for 11 goals in ominous displays by the two title contenders in the Premier League.

Chelsea ensured a turbulent season will end in a Champions League final by making the competition’s most successful team look ordinary.

Manchester City's quadruple dream has been extinguished by Chelsea after losing 1-0 in the semifinals of the FA Cup.

Germany's collapse at the World Cup in Russia the following month meant the final act of Löw's long tenure would be a rebuild. Germany's showing in Russia was its worst World Cup campaign since 1938, and there's been more unwanted history since. Losing to North Macedonia ended a 20-year, 35-game unbeaten run for the national team in World Cup qualifying. AdInjuries have played their part, too, leading Löw to use defensive midfielder Emre Can at left back and right back in successive World Cup qualifiers. Löw has done some useful groundwork for his successor, like persuading 18-year-old Bayern forward Jamal Musiala to choose Germany over England.

Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson stands on the pitch during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021. Leicester moved three points ahead of Liverpool in third after drawing 0-0 with Wolverhampton. AdOn a freezing day across England, Klopp could only figure that the icy conditions were to blame for a blundering performance by goalkeeper Alisson Becker that proved so costly. It was only 35 days earlier that a 3-1 win at Chelsea took City to fifth, four points behind then-leader Liverpool with a game in hand. Jorginho’s 58th-minute penalty clinched the win over the last-place team after Timo Werner was brought down by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

(Peter Powell/Pool via AP)On a day uncertainty reigned in England as the nation prepared to go back into lockdown, the Premier League returned to something resembling normality. Three of the teams expected to contend for the title — Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool — all picked up wins in back-to-back fixtures on Saturday. That’s a goal in three straight games for Jota, an offseason signing who is giving an extra edge to Liverpool’s attack. The latest goal Liverpool let in was avoidable, too, with Joe Gomez heading a clearance straight at Pablo Fornals, who drove a finish into the bottom corner in the 10th minute. A well-controlled 1-0 win at Sheffield United saw City return to the top half of the standings and stay five points behind Liverpool, with a game in hand.

Some talking points ahead of the second round of games in the Champions League:NO RONALDO VS. MESSI? The highly anticipated matchup of Cristiano Ronaldo against Lionel Messi likely won’t happen because Ronaldo has the coronavirus. Alvaro Morata replaced Ronaldo against Dynamo Kyiv last week and scored twice in a 2-0 win. Eden Hazard was added to the Madrid squad and could make his season debut after nursing a muscle injury. Diego Simeone's side was thrashed 4-0 by defending champion Bayern Munich and next hosts Salzburg in Group A on Tuesday.

(AP Photo/Francisco Seco, FILE)DSSELDORF DJesse Marsch came to Europe to make a name both for himself and for every other American soccer coach. Marsch led Salzburg to this seasons Austrian league title, the most significant trophy won by an American coach in Europe. And, you know, I mean, its very sink or swim in Europe.In his first season as coach of Salzburg, Marsch had little trouble staying afloat despite a raft of problems. American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, however, led Stuttgart to promotion in Germany this season. After winning the Austrian title, Marsch says he wants to stay in the moment, rather than making longer-term plans.

Chelsea's Christian Pulisic celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Sunday, June 21, 2020. (Molly Darlington/Pool via AP)BIRMINGHAM Healthy enough to make his first appearance in nearly six months, Christian Pulisic sparked Chelsea to a comeback victory. Olivier Giroud put Chelsea ahead two minutes later in a 2-1 win over Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday that strengthened the Blues' hold on fourth place in the Premier League. Giroud scored for the sixth straight league game against Villa. Unfortunately a little bit of quality and fortune favored them," Villa manager Dean Smith said of Chelsea.

Leipzig's Timo Werner in action with 1.FSV Mainz 05's Moussa Niakhate during a German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and RB Leipzig in Mainz, Germany, Sunday, May 24, 2020. (Kai Pfaffenbach/pool via AP)BERLIN Leipzig seemed to enjoy playing in an empty stadium with no protesters as it routed host Mainz 5-0 to move third in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Leipzig has got used to protests from rival fans due to its support from backer Red Bull. Leipzig players have been regularly whistled at away grounds, and Union Berlin supporters even held a funeral march for soccer before their teams game in Leipzig earlier this season. Leipzig, which beat Mainz 8-0 in front of its own fans earlier this season, took advantage of Borussia Mnchengladbachs 3-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday as it stayed three points behind second-place Borussia Dortmund.