Defender Per Mertesacker hopes Arsenal can produce their own "miracle" night in Monte Carlo next month after admitting poor defending looks to have left them on the brink of crashing out of the Champions League against Monaco.

Arsene Wenger smoked to ease the pressure at Monaco.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim expects Colombia striker Radamel Falcao to make his long-awaited comeback from injury at the Emirates Stadium next weekend.

The prospect of Ireland hosting games at a radically reshaped Euro 2020 will be raised tonight in discussions between FAI chief executive John Delaney and Uefa President Michel Platini.

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill revealed his frustration after the Blues were humiliated by Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.

Roberto Di Matteo insists it is vital that Fernando Torres faces serious competition up front this season amid reports Chelsea were still hoping to sign Andre Schurrle before the transfer window closes tonight

Inter Milan 0 Atletico Madrid 2

Barcelona 1 Shakhtar Donetsk 0

It has emerged that Alistair Cragg's withdrawal from the 3000m at Tuesday night's Grand Prix meeting in Monaco was not down to illness - the Irish middle distance star dropped out due to an Achilles injury.

Alistair Cragg's final race before the Beijing Olympics did not go to plan last night as he was forced to pull out of the 3000m at the Monaco Grand Prix meeting.

AC Milan 3 Sevilla 1

Liverpool will make a late decision on the fitness of skipper Steven Gerrard for their European Super Cup clash with CSKA Moscow in Monaco tomorrow.

Monaco 1 Liverpool 0

A BOMB exploded outside Monaco’s main soccer stadium early yesterday.

Claudio Ranieri lived up to his reputation for tinkering by changing half his team for Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final, first leg, in the Stade Louis II in the millionaires’ playground of Monaco.

Claudio Ranieri rates tomorrow night’s Champions League semi-final as the biggest game of his life.

UKRAINIAN Andriy Shevchenko netted twice for European champions AC Milan in a 4-1 win over Sparta Prague last night, moving the Italians into the Champions League quarter-finals after the first leg ended goalless.

Liverpool will attempt to create another little bit of history when they confront Europe’s champion club in the Super Cup amongst the rich and the great in Monte Carlo.

There could be more than one comeback star as Liverpool prepare to inflict another heavy defeat on Finnish no-hopers Haka in the Champions League qualifier tonight.