So the Italians will rest their star performers on Wednesday to afford Ireland an easy ride to joining them in the knockout stages of Euro 2016? Well, think again.

Claudio Ranieri and his Leicester players should cherish the moment of lifting the Premier League trophy. Because the histories of other modest clubs that surpassed themselves suggest that the fortunes of the odds-beating Foxes could plunge sharply from here.

Paris Saint-Germain 2 Manchester City 2

Chelsea 1 PSG 2 (PSG win 4-2 on aggregate): Zlatan Ibrahimovic exacted revenge on Chelsea in the most satisfying way, scoring the winning goal against them at Stamford Bridge to send Paris St Germain through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Midfielder Yaya Toure’s future at Manchester City appears to be drawing to a close as Inter Milan vice-president Javier Zanetti claimed the Italian giants are close to completing a move for the Ivory Coast star.

Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg

Luis Suarez will head into tonight’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris St Germain admitting he had to leave Liverpool to stand a chance of winning European football’s biggest prize.

Most seasons have a defining moment. In France, it came on Sunday night.

All friendly matches are equal but some are more equal than others, writes David Shonfield.

Paris Saint Germain's Champions League win over Chelsea indicates that sterling work in England no longer converts into strong European currency.

Chelsea 2 Paris St Germain 2 3-3 on aggregate, PSG win on away goals

Paris Saint-Germain believe they can beat Chelsea in the Champions League tomorrow night, writes David Shonfield.

Paris St Germain boss Laurent Blanc will urge his players to keep their composure amid provocation from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in tonight’s Champions League last-16 clash at the Parc des Princes.

Bastia striker Brandao has been handed a six-month ban for his headbutt on Paris St Germain's Thiago Motta, the Ligue de Football Professionnel has announced.

Italy 0 Costa Rica 1

Italy 0 Costa Rica 1

Roy Hodgson thinks Luis Suarez has a lot to prove before he can be considered a truly world class player.

Republic of Ireland 0 Italy 0

Forget Jose Mourinho’s reverse psychology when he writes off Chelsea’s chances of winning the Premier League — this is the Champions League and his message is clear: “We can win.”

Having witnessed some of the finest midfielders in the modern game play this week in the Champions League quarter-finals, it made me think about how the central midfield position has changed over the years.

Bayer Leverkusen 0 Paris St Germain 4

Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a hat-trick to overshadow Gareth Bale’s European bow for Real Madrid as they romped to an emphatic 6-1 win at Galatasaray in Group B last night.

Leonardo has tendered his resignation as sporting director of Paris St Germain and will leave the French champions at the end of August.

Paris St Germain director of football Leonardo insists the club have not made an offer for Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney but said he could not rule out big buys this summer.

Barcelona 1 PSG 1 (Barcelona win on away goals after 3-3 on aggregate)

Lionel Messi has gone from being the first name on Barcelona’s team sheet to the last, as they await a late fitness test ahead of tonight’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Former France international Patrick Vieira believes striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the key to Paris St Germain’s Ligue 1 title tilt this season.

AC Milan have confirmed the signing of Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong on a three-year deal.

Mario Balotelli should accept Italy were beaten by a better side in last night’s Euro 2012 final according to the striker’s coach Cesare Prandelli.

Cesc Fabregas is not going to let jibes about ’boring’ Spain spoil the best day of his life.

Spain 4 Italy 0

Italy striker Mario Balotelli delivered a typically bizarre performance as he addressed the media on the eve of the Euro 2012 quarter-final with England, claiming he was “more of a man than Peter Pan.”

Spain may have wowed the world over the last four years with their stylish passing football, but they would not be defending European, or World Cup, champions without [the interventions of keeper Iker Casillas.

Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon laughed off the prospect of a penalty shootout against England in tomorrow’s European Championship quarter-final.

Giovanni Trapattoni has recalled Kevin Doyle tonight as Republic of Ireland attempt to salvage some pride from their European Championship campaign and knock Italy out of the tournament.

From Spain, all the old worries; from Italy, all the old strengths.

Italy’s cultured midfielder Thiago Motta has travelled the world in a search of beautiful football but when faced by the might of Spain, even he is willing to play ugly if it means success.

Italy midfielder Thiago Motta believes Mario Balotelli will be an influential figure for the Azzurri at Euro 2012.

Italy 0 United States 1

Wesley Sneijder has ruled out a move away from Inter Milan during the current transfer window.

INTER MILAN denied their neighbours AC Milan a place at the top of Serie A and threw their own hat into the ring for the Scudetto in the process with a 1-0 win at the San Siro last night.

Celtic were beaten 2-0 by Inter Milan in an ill-tempered friendly match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.