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LONDON — Chelsea kept their season alive by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to progress to the quarterfinals of the Champions League 2-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz, with a twice-taken penalty, got the goals as the Blues relieved the pressure on manager Graham Potter.

The Englishman’s job was on the line after a season that has so far failed to deliver any return on a world-record injection of over £500 million ($600 million) in one season on new signings.

Chelsea had won just three of their previous 16 matches to fall to 10th in the Premier League and bow out early of both domestic cups.

But some of their expensive collection of stars showed up in time to remain in the hunt for a third European Cup.

“There was a fantastic feeling in the dressing room. We have been through a tough period and this competition means a lot for us,” said Potter.

“We wanted to progress and get into the last eight and it sets us up for the next few weeks.”

Dortmund arrived in England on the back of a 10-game winning run in all competitions.

But the visitors posed barely any attacking threat in the first half bar a Marco Reus free-kick that Kepa Arrizabalaga did brilliantly to palm to safety.

“We have to say, over the course of two games, Chelsea deserve to go through,” said Dortmund boss Edin Terzic.

“Both legs were very tight games. In this type of games inches and moments decide if you are going to the next round or not.”

Chances came and went frequently at the other end. Havertz smashed a volley off the inside of the post and then finally found the net via the underside of the bar only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside against Sterling earlier in the move.

The worst miss was to come as Kalidou Koulibaly miscued with an open goal from Ben Chilwell’s free-kick and Felix’s follow-up effort was blocked on the line.

Potter was uncharacteristically animated on the touchline as he constantly whipped the crowd up to keep pushing his side forward.

“There is a lot of emotion in the end,” added Potter. “It was tense in the end but the boys played fantastic.

“I am delighted for them to get the win and great for everyone here.”

The home fans finally had something to celebrate three minutes before half-time.

Sterling comes good

Sterling’s first attempt was another one to forget as he swiped and missed Chilwell’s low cross, but the England international composed himself to dribble past Reus and fire high into the net.

“I had a little mis-kick with the first touch but it landed perfectly and allowed us to build on that for our performance,” said Sterling.

That was just Chelsea’s third goal in the last eight games.

Havertz’s penalty early in the second half meant Potter’s men scored more than once for the first time since December 27, but the German international needed two spot-kicks to make his mark.

Marius Wolf was penalised for handling Chilwell’s cross after a VAR review.

Havertz’s first penalty came back off the post, but VAR came to Chelsea’s rescue once more as Dortmund were further punished for encroaching.

There was no second reprieve as Havertz coolly slotted the ball the same way, this time finding the corner of the net.

Chelsea’s spending spree may have ruled them out of the running for Jude Bellingham with the Dortmund midfielder expected to have his choice of Europe’s top clubs this summer.

But on his return to England, Bellingham missed Dortmund’s best chance to take the tie to extra-time when he side-footed wide from close range.

PARIS — Kylian Mbappe heads to Munich fresh from a record-breaking weekend with Paris Saint-Germain and determined to lead the French giants past Bayern and into the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

PSG trail 1-0 from the first leg of the heavyweight last-16 tie, after injury reduced Mbappe to a cameo appearance off the bench in that match last month.

Yet the 24-year-old France superstar did enough in his short time on the pitch then — including having a goal disallowed for a marginal offside — to make it clear that he can swing the tie the Parisians’ way.

Since that game, the Ligue 1 leaders have recovered from a worrying slump in form to claim three straight domestic wins, scoring 11 goals in the process.

Mbappe has netted five of them, including one in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Nantes that saw him overtake Edinson Cavani and become PSG’s all-time top scorer, five and a half years after signing from Monaco in 2017.

The player who in December became the first to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final since Geoff Hurst in 1966, boasts the remarkable record of 201 goals from 247 games in a PSG shirt.

‘Leave a mark’

“Every player plays to leave a mark and so that his name goes down in football history, to not be forgotten. I think with this record that people will remember me here,” Mbappe said after being awarded a trophy by PSG in a lavish on-field presentation before an adoring crowd.

Mbappe has 30 goals in 30 games for his club this season and has a strong claim to be the best player in the world right now, even if Lionel Messi recently pipped him to win The Best FIFA men’s player award.

Messi, with 18 goals himself for PSG this season, is mainly there to serve Mbappe in Christophe Galtier’s side, for whom the absence of Neymar due to injury in Munich — and for several more months — may not matter.

Going out of the Champions League in the first knockout round for what would be the fifth time in seven seasons really would matter for PSG and their Qatari owners, however.

They lost to Bayern in Lisbon in their only appearance to date in the final, in 2020, but one of the defining performances of Mbappe’s time with PSG so far came in Munich the following year.

It was a snowy night in April 2021 when Mbappe netted twice in a 3-2 quarterfinal first-leg win over Bayern in an empty Allianz Arena.

He opened the scoring as Paris went 2-0 up. Bayern pulled themselves back level only for Mbappe to score a superb winner, shaping to curl one towards the far corner only to smash his shot past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at his near post.

“My mind is already on Wednesday’s match. We are going to Munich with the clear aim of qualifying,” Mbappe said on Saturday before playing down suggestions a PSG exit would precipitate his departure from the club.

“I don’t think this match will have an impact. If I linked my future to the Champions League, without wishing to show a lack of respect to the club, I would have left a long time ago.

“I am here and I am very happy to be here. I am not thinking about anything other than making PSG successful.”

Defensive problems

PSG may need Mbappe’s goals more than ever in Bavaria because coach Galtier does not have his defensive problems to seek.

His side have looked their best this season when playing with three centre-backs, but the coach’s options in that sector have been limited by the loss of Presnel Kimpembe for the rest of the campaign with an achilles injury.

Captain Marquinhos came off at the weekend with a rib injury, while Nordi Mukiele was also forced off.

The former, whose mobility is so important to a defence also featuring an ageing Sergio Ramos, is expected to play even if not fully fit.

Mukiele’s presence would be useful too, although Achraf Hakimi may return at right-back less than a week after being charged with rape.

PSG have said they are supporting the Moroccan while the case is investigated, and the legal proceedings do not stop the player from leaving France.

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Durant produced a 37-point masterpiece as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks while Steph Curry’s return from injury was not enough to prevent Golden State falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA on Sunday.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks made it nine straight wins with a thrilling victory in double overtime against the second-placed Boston Celtics.

A packed slate of NBA games featured two heavyweight fixtures in the Western Conference, with Durant going up against former Brooklyn teammate Kyrie Irving as the Suns travelled to Dallas, where they claimed a nail-biting 130-126 victory.

In Los Angeles, Curry’s return was a further boost to the in-form Warriors but it was the Lakers who claimed a precious 113-105 win to keep their playoff hopes on track.

Phoenix’s clash with Dallas lived up to the hype, with 13 lead changes in a contest that went down to the wire.

Durant, traded to Phoenix in a blockbuster move from the Nets last month, delivered a signature clutch performance to guide the Suns to victory.

The 34-year-old scored the go-ahead basket with less than 12 seconds remaining before adding two late free throws to ice the game.

Durant received support from Devin Booker, who added 36 points, 10 assists and five rebounds, while Chris Paul added 11 points.

“We dug down deep,” Durant said. “Just tried to do my best and finish the shot. Guys were moving the ball all night — it was a good win.”

Durant said he had not been distracted by playing against former Nets teammate Irving.

“I’ve played more of my career against him than with him so it didn’t feel any different,” Durant said. “We just want to keep building.”

Dallas star Luka Doncic finished with 34 points, with Irving contributing 30 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. adding 21 off the bench.

Tempers flared in the dying seconds with Doncic and Booker going nose-to-nose after the Slovenian squandered a relatively straightforward chance to tie the game with six seconds remaining. 

Doncic confronted Booker after the Phoenix star appeared to taunt the Dallas talisman, triggering a confrontation between players from both teams.

“It’s a competitive game. It’s all good,” Doncic said of his spat with Booker. 

“Next time, just don’t wait until there’s three seconds left to talk.”

Booker laughed off the verbal dust-up.

“It was just two competitors going at it,” he said afterwards. “I’ve no problem with Luka on or off the court — but when we’re competing, we’re competing.”

Phoenix improved to 36-29 to stay in fourth spot in the West while Dallas fell to 33-32. The Mavs are in seventh, just outside the automatic postseason places.

In Los Angeles, Anthony Davis once again came up big for the Lakers in the absence of the injured LeBron James to help secure victory over the Warriors.

Davis finished with 39 points, eight rebounds and six assists as six Lakers players finished in double figures.

The Lakers sprinted into a 20-point lead in the first quarter and then held off a second-half rally from the NBA champions.

The returning Curry led the Golden State scoring with 27 points while Klay Thompson added 22. 

The Warriors fell to 34-31 with the loss and are fifth in the Western Conference. The Lakers improved to 31-34, and are just outside the play-in places.

The Knicks were without star point guard Jalen Brunson for the trip to Boston but his replacement Immanuel Quickley put up a career-high 38 points in a 131-129 win after double overtime.

The Knicks went on a 21-2 run at the end of the third and into the fourth quarter but Boston, who trailed by seven with 1:25 left in the game, were able to take the contest into overtime.

With the last play of the game, Al Horford had a chance to win it for Boston but his three-point attempt from the corner bounced out off the rim.

Jayson Tatum top-scored for Boston with 40 points while RJ Barrett had 29 points and Julius Randle scored 30 for the on-fire Knicks.

Eastern Conference leaders the Milwaukee Bucks bounced back from their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, beating the Washington Wizards 117-111.

Giannis Antetokounmpo claimed his fourth triple double of the campaign with 23 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds.

MADRID — Atletico Madrid crushed Sevilla 6-1 on Saturday to move third in La Liga as Diego Simeone celebrated setting a new milestone as coach.

Memphis Depay struck twice for the hosts, with Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco adding to the lead, and Alvaro Morata adding a brace in a rout which affirmed Atletico’s vast improvement in 2023.

Argentine coach Simeone overtook the late Luis Aragones as the coach in charge of Atletico for the most games, with this his 613rd at the helm of the Rojiblancos after taking charge in 2011.

Simeone has helped Atletico win La Liga twice and the Copa del Rey once, establishing them as a team capable of battling with giants Real Madrid and Barcelona for domestic honours, as well as two Europa Leagues.

His team have misfired this season, suffering a group stage exit in Europe and not joining the title race, but after the World Cup they have found their groove.

Having trailed Real Sociedad since November, they capitalised on the Basque side’s draw on Friday against Cadiz to go a point above them and claim third place.

“I asked two things from them, to play with passion and with heart, they have the talent [already],” Simeone told reporters.

“I am calm, I am in the place I love, I like seeing this team lift itself up in the difficult moments.”

Griezmann sprinted over to celebrate his goal with Simeone on the touchline and said he had hoped for a performance of this calibre.

“What is an important day for him, is an important day for me,” Griezmann told Movistar.

“I really wanted this game to be magical for him and the fans, because we deserve it.

“Since the World Cup we’ve been in an incredible dynamic, [and may it] continue like this.”

The thrashing left Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla 16th, a point above the relegation zone, and they could be sucked into it on Sunday.

“We played very badly,” Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna told Movistar.

“It goes beyond all limits. We played very badly and that’s why we’ve been beaten.”

Simeone handed Depay his first start since his January switch from Barcelona, and the Dutchman took full advantage.

Griezmann threaded a pass through for the forward, who slotted between Yassine Bounou’s legs to open the scoring after 23 minutes. 

Depay hit his second three minutes later, driving a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box to double Atletico’s lead.

Sevilla pulled one back before half-time out of the blue through Youssef En-Nesyri from close range.

Raining goals

Griezmann restored Atletico’s cushion early in the second half with a spectacular long-range strike, his 150th goal for the club, with Carrasco soon adding another.

Ivan Rakitic hit the post with a penalty after Pape Gueye was fouled and Atletico made him pay by quickly finding the fifth, with Morata netting at the second attempt after a fine move with Griezmann heavily involved again.

Gueye was harshly sent off for a second yellow card to make Sevilla’s evening even worse, before Morata netted in stoppage time.

There are mounting rumours this may prove to be Simeone’s last season at Atletico, but if it is, the coach is determined to go out on a high, at least in terms of performances if not silverware.

Simeone’s contract expires in June 2024 and with the team improving again, he may also decide to see it out.

“Obviously you can’t imagine an Atletico Madrid without ‘Cholo’. If I’m not wrong he’s been at the club for 11 years,” said Atletico midfielder Koke. 

“When he came, he brought a clear idea and change of mentality, he united everyone and he gave the club the stability it needed.”

Earlier Saturday Villarreal climbed to sixth with a 2-0 victory at Almeria thanks to goals from Gerard Moreno and Jose Luis Morales, both set up by the electric Samu Chukwueze.

Bottom of the table Elche picked up only their second win of the season as they beat Mallorca 1-0, but remain 12 points from safety.

Getafe earned an entertaining 3-2 triumph over Girona to provisionally rise to 15th, with Turkish striker Enes Unal netting a brace.

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom — Manchester United fans are on the crest of a wave after ending a six-year wait to win a trophy and remain in the hunt for three more in a remarkable first season under Erik ten Hag.

Sitting third in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s clash with Liverpool, the Red Devils are into the FA Cup quarterfinals and last 16 of the Europa League on the back of one defeat in 22 games.

There could be even more reason to celebrate in the coming months should the United supporters finally get their wish with the departure of unpopular American owners, the Glazer family.

Yet doubts over whether the Glazers will sell their controlling stake in the club, despite inviting bids for the 20-time English champions, cast a shadow over a potentially bright future.

Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe made bids before a soft deadline for buyers to make their interest known on February 17.

But both are reported to be short of the Glazers’ £6 billion ($7.2 billion, 6.8 billion euros) asking price for a club their father Malcolm Glazer bought for £790 million in 2005.

Rumoured tension even among the Glazer camp adds an extra layer of uncertainty.

Joel and Avram Glazer, the club’s executive co-chairmen, are reportedly less willing to part with the English giants than their four other siblings.

Avram Glazer was at Wembley last weekend to see United lift their first silverware since 2017 by beating Newcastle 2-0 in the League Cup final.

‘Glazers out’

But the return of success on the field has not quelled the fury directed towards United’s owners by the fans.

Chants of “We want Glazers out” echoed around Wembley during the League Cup final and in the victory over Barcelona at Old Trafford in a heavyweight Europa League tie late last month.

The family, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, have been unpopular since day one as their takeover saddled the club with huge debts.

The Glazers have overseen the steady decline of a club that used to be English football’s dominant force on and off the pitch.

United have not won a Premier League title since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Old Trafford is in need of redevelopment and even United’s commercial power is beginning to feel the strain from a decade in the doldrums.

For the first time in the Premier League era, Liverpool’s revenue of £594 million was greater than United’s £583 million last season.

The two clubs clash at Anfield this weekend, with both uncertain about when their owners will sell up.

Liverpool owner John Henry has ruled out a full sale of the club despite seeking fresh investment.

Henry’s Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have far more credit in the bank with supporters than the Glazers.

In the 13 years since FSG rescued Liverpool from the brink of administration, the Reds have been restored to the top of the English and European game — winning the 2019 Champions League and lifting the club’s first Premier League crown for 30 years in 2020.

But patience is even wearing thin among the Liverpool fanbase over a lack of spending in the transfer market after a season of decline.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are sixth in the Premier League, 21 points adrift of leaders Arsenal, and were humiliated 5-2 on home soil by Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

“It is a summer where we have to be in the market definitely,” said Klopp last week as Liverpool aim to get back on their perch next season.

Make the right signings and FSG will be forgiven. By contrast, the acrimony between United fans and the Glazers is embedded in the fabric of the club.

If they choose not to sell, the bubble of euphoria around Old Trafford could well burst.

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Durant shook off pre-game jitters to score 23 points in his Phoenix Suns debut, helping his new team to a 105-91 victory in Charlotte that halted the Hornets’ five-game NBA winning streak.

Durant was acquired from Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade three weeks ago but was sidelined until Wednesday with a sprained knee ligament.

As Durant announced his arrival in the Western Conference, back in the East the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics continued to jockey for dominance.

The Bucks beat the Orlando Magic 139-117, their 16th straight victory which keeps them half a game ahead of the Celtics atop the conference.

The Celtics, with 41 points from a resurgent Jayson Tatum, beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-113 in Boston.

Durant was efficient playing restricted minutes, scoring 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in less than 27 minutes on the floor.

He added six rebounds, a pair of assists and a couple of blocked shots, complementing new teammate Devin Booker’s 37 points.

“I’ve played in almost a thousand basketball games, but today I was nervous,” admitted Durant, who scored his first points as a Sun with a silky layup less than two minutes into the contest.

“But once the ball was tipped my teammates were incredible in making me feel comfortable and I just tried to go out there and play my game.”

Phoenix are in fourth place in the West, 10 games behind conference leaders Denver and three behind the third-placed Sacramento Kings.

Even as he continues to return to full fitness, Durant showed what an asset he can be as they try to climb the table.

Durant scored 12 points in the first half as the Suns took a 16-point lead.

The Hornets, whose rising star LaMelo Ball had season-ending surgery on a broken ankle earlier Wednesday, had trimmed the deficit to six points going into the final quarter.

Durant started the period and helped the Suns pull away.

“Man, I missed the game,” Durant said. “I’m glad my knee’s back right, I’m glad I’m on the road to playing more and more minutes each game.

“I’m looking forward to what we can build from this.”

In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points to lead the Bucks, who knocked down 26 three-pointers.

Milwaukee’s winning streak is their longest since they won 18 straight in the 2019-20 season, and it’s the longest in the league since the Suns won 18 in a row last season.

In Boston, the Celtics turned the tables on a Cavs team that beat them twice in overtime early this season.

Tatum, who was ejected late in Boston’s loss to the Knicks in New York on Monday, bounced back to notch his ninth 40-point game of the season.

“Got off to a good start and just kept staying aggressive,” said Tatum, who added that it “just felt good to get back home.

“All-Star break, Indiana, it’s been two weeks since I slept in my own bed.”

Knicks keep rolling

Al Horford added 23 points and Jaylen Brown scored 16 for the Celtics, who withstood a 44-point outburst from Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell, who soldiered through an apparent right thigh injury suffered early in the third quarter.

Elsewhere, the Knicks won their seventh straight, trouncing Brooklyn 142-118 at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson scored 30 of his 39 points in the first half for the Knicks, who seized control with a 47-point first quarter and sailed home.

Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points and James Harden added 23 as the 76ers beat the Heat 119-96 in Miami, despite the late scratch of star centre Joel Embiid with a sore left foot.

The injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers — with LeBron James sidelined by a foot injury and Anthony Davis held out to manage the stress reaction in his right foot — beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-117.

New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram scored 40 points and teammate CJ McCollum added 24 against his former team as the Pelicans beat the Trail Blazers 121-110 in Portland.

Damian Lillard scored 41 for the Blazers, who were up by one going into the fourth but were out-scored 31-19 in the final period.

BARCELONA — A wounded Barcelona face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Thursday hunting for a Clasico win to make coach Xavi Hernandez’s gamble at a critical moment of the season pay off.

Despite missing injured duo Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Xavi rested other important players in the 1-0 defeat by Almeria on Sunday, prioritising the Clasico cup clash and spurning the chance to stretch their league lead to 10 points on Madrid.

Adding to Barca’s unease ahead of the Clasico, top scorer Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring strain and is set to miss out, although Ansu Fati is poised to return.

Delivering what Xavi described as the “worst performance of the season” at Almeria, Barcelona suffered their second consecutive defeat after they were knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A third defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu could send the team into a spiral, with their seven-point La Liga lead strong but not unassailable.

The Catalans visit the Santiago Bernabeu a day after Osasuna welcome Athletic Bilbao to El Sadar in the other Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

“We have to change our mindset if we want to win the league and the cup,” warned Xavi after El Bilal Toure’s goal inflicted only their second Liga defeat of the season.

“We have no excuse, we didn’t show the desire to play, intensity, that is what worries me the most.

“You can slip up, but you have to show passion and desire and in the first half we lacked that.”

Anything other than a good result in the capital will raise further questions about the coach’s decision to rest Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde against Almeria.

Instant results

Xavi has said if his team win La Liga but not the Copa del Rey it would still count as a good season, with the Spanish Super Cup already in the bag.

However, losing this double-header against their arch-rivals would allow further doubts about the project to creep in, fuelling Xavi’s detractors after spending big last summer.

Barcelona brought in several players, including striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich as well as Kounde and Raphinha, and the outlay they made and the financial manoeuvring they did to get the transfers through demands instant results.

Real Madrid saw their disappointing derby draw against Atletico on Saturday transformed into a better result by Barcelona’s stumble.

With one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after an emphatic 5-2 win over Liverpool at Anfield, Carlo Ancelotti’s side can turn their attention to getting revenge after their Spanish Super Cup humbling.

Barcelona ran out emphatic 3-1 winners in Saudi Arabia in January as they won the first trophy of the Xavi era.

On that day, the Catalans, desperate to end their silverware drought, seemed far more up for the fight than Madrid but the Copa del Rey is a different story.

The last time Madrid lifted the trophy was a 3-1 win over Barcelona in the 2014 final at Mestalla, when Gareth Bale scored a magnificent solo goal.

Los Blancos are without injured trio David Alaba, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy.

“Now the Cup is the most important thing because it’s the next game and we are very close to a title,” said Carlo Ancelotti after Madrid’s derby draw.

“We’re 270 minutes away from winning a title.”