Now THIS is March Madness

FUL 0 CRY 3

Crystal Palace cruised past Fulham in the Joachim Anderson Derby, led by a goal and an assist from Eberechi Eze, who also scored for England over the break. Ismaila Sarr and Eddie Nketiah netted for Palace as well; the latter has now scored in three of the last four.

More good news for Palace: Jean Philippe-Mateta was back in the XI after the horrific injury he sustained in the last round. Tucked-in shirt and a mask? The aura is insatiable.

BRI 0 NOT 0 (Forest advances on penalties)

The match we billed as the most enticing of the weekend lived up to the hype in every way but on the scoresheet. Though neither side lacked passion or energy, both failed to find the back of the net through 120 minutes of open play.

Ryan Yates, a boyhood Tree—a footballing Groot, if you will—dispatched the decisive penalty for Forest in the shootout, sending the away end into delirium. Third place in the league and in the FA Cup semifinals? Dreamland, come to life.

PRE 0 AVL 3

No David over Goliath triumph here, unless you count Marcus Rashford as David and Manchester United as Goliath. In that case, David is laying the smackdown like prime Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson.

Rashford opened the scoring from a Lucas Digne cross and added a goal from the spot five minutes later. Really, Ruben Amorim? There was no room for this man? But, but, but he wasn’t trying hard enough in training. And you couldn’t fix it? Managing difficult footballers is not just part of the job description. It’s arguably the first line!

Anyway, Jacob Ramsey iced the tie for Villa in the 71st minute.

BOU 1 MCI 2

Operation ABC (Anybody But City) is off to a torrid start, as Bournemouth surrendered a lead for the fourth straight match. Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush notched goals for City to erase Evanilson’s 21st-minute opener. Outside of that Evanilson goal, the Cherries were toothless and City dominant.

Nico O’Reilly assisted both goals for the visitors, drawing a sigh of relief from City supporters who nearly watched him pack his bags for Stamford Bridge in January. Fortunately (for them), there will be no Cole Palmer redux.

The win comes at a cost for City, as Haaland sustained an ankle injury that will sideline him until the season's waning moments.

Now this is March Madness. Our Final Four is set: Palace, Forest, Villa, and City. What would you call that? Two 8 seeds, a 3 seed, and a 1 seed?

I know what we call it: the magic of the cup.

Join us in the ceremonial passing of the neutral supporter’s allegiance from Bournemouth to Forest, who will try to dispatch City for the second time in as many months.

🔴⚪ Despite a rapturous Cesar Azpilicueta volley to open the scoring, Atlético’s title aspirations are cooked after a 1-1 draw against Espanyol. The March gauntlet of rivalry matches proved too intense for any mortal, and Simeone’s side ultimately succumbed to the fatigue, emotional and physical.

P.S. Cesar Azpilicueta, there’s a name you don’t hear too often these days. This was his first goal for Atléti.

⚪⚪ Leganes fought valiantly at the Bernabéu, battling back to take a 2-1 lead after Kylian Mbappé’s 32nd-minute penalty. But the lead was short-lived, as Jude Bellingham equalized shortly after half-time, and Mbappé scored from a free kick to confirm the expected outcome. It’s the second brace in as many games for Mbappé, who now has 22 La Liga goals in 27 matches.

Remember when we thought (hoped) he might be a bad fit in Madrid? Ah, memories.

🟡🟡 Villareal sealed three vital points in the battle for Europe, with goals from Ayoze Perez and Thierno Barry. Perez’s 12 league goals are almost half as many as his former side Leicester have managed in the Premier League all season.

🔝 No rest, no problem for Barcelona. A brace from Robert Lewandowski and a goal from Ferran Torres sent Barca racing back to a three-point advantage atop the table. Both Lewandowski and Torres have scored in three straight La Liga matches, and Lewangoalski sits atop the league scoring charts at 25.

🟢⚪ Betis snatched victory over crosstown rivals Sevilla in El Gran Derbi. Johnny Cardoso canceled Ruben Vargas’s opener with a piercing volley on a late arrival into the box.

MLS legend Cucho Hernandez scored the winner in first-half stoppage time. After a slow start to life in Spain, he’s now netted in two straight.

📈 Valencia secured crucial breathing room in the relegation fight thanks to a Diego Lopez strike. They’re now four points clear, but a visit to the Bernabéu awaits.

5⃣ A breathtaking volley from Ricardo Orsolini sealed a fifth straight win for Bologna, who remain in the driver’s seat for the last Champions League place. No Thiago Motta is notta problem for the Rossoblù.

⚪⚫ A mazy run and finish from Kenan Yildiz secured three dearly needed points for Juventus under new coach Igor Tudor after the club told Thiago Motta to Thia-Go elsewhere.

🎅🏻 AS Roma have won three straight Serie A matches by a score of 1-0, proving stout in defense under Claudio Ranieri. This time, it was an 80th-minute winner from Artem Dovbyk propelling Roma to a 14th consecutive match unbeaten in the league. Here’s your weekly reminder that the last time they tasted Serie A defeat was the same weekend you put up your Christmas tree.

⛽ It took just a solo goal from Moise Kean to further derail Atalanta’s Scudetto chase. Atalanta—seemingly out of gas and out of ideas—failed to register a shot on goal.

🔵⚫ Early goals from Marko Arnautovic and Davide Frattesi assured the league leaders' safe passage early. Oumar Solet glided out of defense, through midfield, and onto the scoresheet with a lovely strike to make things interesting late for Udinese.

🔵⚪ Porous defense from Milan allowed Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku to register an early 2-0 advantage for the home side. With a chance to reignite the clash in the 69th minute, Santiago Gimenez slapped a feeble penalty effort easily saved by Meret. Pulisic has missed once in double-digit tries in his career; why are we overcomplicating this?

Luka Jovic pulled a goal back in the 84th minute, but it would be purely consolation.

🔴⚫ Bochum gave Leverkusen a worthy fight for 60 minutes on Friday evening before Victor Boniface extinguished their fantasies. Amine Adli secured the points with a goal on the counter in the 87th minute.

🔝 If Bayern felt pressure, they didn’t show it Saturday. Harry Kane opened the scoring and Leroy Sané notched a second-half brace in a win that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests. St. Pauli pulled one back in second-half stoppage time.

📈 We said Gladbach’s fixture with Leipzig was a must-win, and win they did thanks to a 56th-minute Alassane Plea goal. The victory was exquisitely timed, as European rivals Freiburg and Mainz also dropped points. Suddenly, Gladbach have leapt from 7th to 5th, just two points outside of fourth.

Bet they’re Glad to be Bach. If you stop reading there, we understand.

😮‍💨 A Marvin Pieringer penalty allowed Heidenheim to snare three essential points in the relegation battle. The win pulled them out of the bottom two and into the playoff spot.

🥉 Frankfurt returned to third place with a 70th-minute Mario Gotze goal on the rebound against ten-man Stuttgart. Has a knack for important goals, that Mario, huh?

🟡⚫ A brace from Maximilian Beier drove Dortmund past Mainz in the Jurgen Klopp Derby. Mainz managed just two shots on target, one of which was Paul Nebel’s 76th-minute goal. It’s a costly wobble from Mainz after a prolific run of form; can they right the ship against league-bottom Holstein Kiel next weekend?

🔚 French Chelsea ended Lyon’s five-match winning streak with goals from Andrey Santos, Dilane Bakwa, Emanuel Emegha, and Samuel Amo-Ameyaw. Corentin Tolisso added a goal for Lyon, bringing his goalscoring return to a solid 8 in all competitions.

📉 Reims upset Marseille to boot them from their long-held second-place perch. Marseille have now lost three straight in Ligue 1.

🥇 PSG dispatched Saint-Etienne with expected ease, fueled by a brace from Désiré Doué. They’re 21 points clear at the top with 7 to play; a 13th consecutive title is an inevitability, but can they do it in invincible fashion?

📈 Monaco won a pivotal Cote d’Azur Derby thanks to goals from Mika Biereth and Breel Embolo. The win sees them leapfrog not only Nice but Marseille as well. Biereth now boasts 12 goals in 10 Ligue 1 matches.

🇪🇺 Lille reignited its Champions League chase, with a 19th-minute goal from Matias Fernandez-Pardo proving the difference against Lens. They’re level on points with Nice in a crowded contest for European places.

⚪🟡 In a recurring pattern, Leeds again surrendered their Championship lead when they surrendered a 96th-minute leveler to Swansea’s Zan Vipotnik, just ten minutes after Wilfried Gnonto thought he had scored a dramatic winner. Both Sheffield United and Burnley won (the latter on a devastating Zian Flemming free kick), so the table now stands as follows:

1. Sheffield United - 83 Points (+27 GD)

2. Leeds United - 81 Points (+51 GD)

3. Burnley - 81 Points (+42 GD)

🦩 Lionel Messi needed just two minutes to score the decisive goal against Philadelphia, subbing on in the 55th minute and netting in the 57th.

Evander scored a stunner of a free kick for Cincinnati and record-signing Kévin Denkey notched the winner from the spot in second-half stoppage time.

🇳🇱 First-place Ajax visited second-place PSV and left with all three points thanks to goals from Davy Klaassen and Bertrand Traore. They’re now nine points clear at the top. Start warming up those legs, Hendo.

🇹🇷 Besiktas triumphed over Galatasaray 2-1 in an Istanbul Derby with goals from Rafa Silva and Gedson Fernandes. Galatasaray’s lead atop the table is six points, though second-place Fenerbahce (4-2 winners on Friday) have a game in hand.

🇲🇽 América rolled to a 3-0 victory over Tigrés behind a Brian Rodriguez brace to preserve their three-point lead atop the Liga MX table. The hits keep coming for Leon, who slid to third place after a 2-1 defeat to Pumas.

🇧🇷 Palmeiras and Botafogo played to a 0-0 stalemate to open Brazilian Serie A play, while Corinthians also drew 1-1 in the aftermath of their Campeonato Paulista victory.

The Premier League returns with a slate of midweek fixtures to help us glide toward the weekend like Mo Salah through opposing defenses. Like a hot knife through butter. Like Southampton’s opposition through Southampton.

LIV vs. EVE

Just weeks after James Tarkowski sent Goodison Park into a delirious frenzy with his late equalizer, Everton heads across town to Anfield for the season’s second Merseyside Derby. Liverpool will no doubt want to set the record straight—and strengthen their grip on the title. But can they put consecutive heartbreaks against PSG and Newcastle behind them?

BRI vs. AVL

Aston Villa enter this contest as winners of five straight, replacing their opposition as one of the league's hottest sides. Both clubs are legitimate contenders for Champions League places, particularly with 5th place in play. Villa’s loanees have scored four of their last six goals; are we due for more Marco and Marcus magic?

🇪🇸 Copa Del Rey Semifinal Second Leg

Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad (3:30 PM TUE, RMA lead 1-0)

Madrid and Mbappé have found form, and that’s a scary prospect for a Real Sociedad side that needs to overturn a 1-0 deficit on the road. Not that we don’t believe in Mikel Oyarzabal, but book a spot in the finals for Los Blancos.

Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona (3:30 PM WED, 4-4 Agg)

These two sides will try to follow up their 4-4 first-leg thriller with a worthy sequel on Wednesday. This time, Atletico plays host, but they’ll still be licking their wounds from Barca’s 4-2 comeback victory in La Liga. Does more heartbreak await? We’re not sure how much more they can take.

🇮🇹 Coppa Italia Semifinal First Leg

Empoli vs. Bologna (3:00 PM TUE)

Bologna’s scorching form makes them favorites over Empoli, even on the road. But let’s be honest: this isn’t the semifinal most fans will be eyeing.

Milan vs. Inter (3:00 PM WED)

A cup Derby della Madonnina! This will be the 28th Milan Derby contested in Coppa Italia history, with nine Inter wins, ten Milan wins, and eight draws to date. On form, Inter look likely to erase that Milan advantage on Wednesday, but you never know in a cup tie.

We look forward to seeing who besides Christian Pulisic takes the ball in the event of a penalty. Mike Maignan perhaps? Zlatan out of the stands? Conceição himself?

🇩🇪 DFB Pokal Semifinals

Bielefeld vs. Leverkusen (2:45 PM TUE)

Third-tier Arminia Bielefeld’s storybook journey through the German Cup field continues against Bundesliga giant Leverkusen on Tuesday. They’ll be an underdog of the highest order, but that didn’t stop them against Bremen, Freiburg, and Union Berlin. March Madness was all chalk; it’s time we see a seismic upset.

Stuttgart vs. RB Leipzig (2:45 PM WED)

Leipzig’s 1-0 defeat to Gladbach cost Marco Rose his job, and they’ll seek their place in the German Cup final under his replacement Zsolt Low. In a domestic campaign to forget for Stuttgart, a cup trophy could be a prized consolation.

🇫🇷 Coupe de France

Dunkerque vs. PSG (3:10 PM TUE), Cannes vs. Reims (3:00 PM WED)

You think Bielefeld’s underdog story is inspiring? Fourth-tier Cannes plays Reims on Wednesday for a chance to appear in the Coupe de France final. It’s telling that they face more favorable odds to win than second-tier Dunkerque against the juggernaut that is PSG. 

Cannes you smell an upset brewing?

🇺🇸 CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarterfinals

LAFC vs. Inter Miami (11:30 PM WED)

LAFC welcomes Messi and Co. in CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal action. The Los Angeles club have struggled in the MLS season’s early stages, missing the inviting French forehead of Olivier Giroud to injury. Might he make his return, both to action and to form, late Wednesday night?

💸 After FIFA booted Leon from the Club World Cup, rumors suggest LAFC and América may contest a one-game playoff for the vacant spot. It’s not enough to supplant the Championship Promotion Playoff Final as the richest game in sports, but it would be worth a pretty penny.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇪🇸 On Friday, we noted Qatar Investment Group were nearing agreement to purchase Malaga, but the tides have shifted and now it’s Fenway Sports Group reportedly kicking the tires. Is this the start of a Malaga to Anfield pipeline? Imagine walking that newly trodden path from sunny obscurity to the raw and rainy spotlight.