Hello and welcome everyone! We are back with UEFA Champions League coverage after a gap of few weeks. Tonight, we'll be covering the thrilling encounters of Benfica versus Barcelona said to be played in Lisbon.

FC Barcelona have been in great firm recently in the Champions League and after winning their first trophy in 2025 they will be confident to take out any team. 

Benfica have struggled a little bit at the tournament so far and will look to start this year on a great note by giving a task challenge to Barcelona.

FC Barcelona are currently placed at number two in the points table while Benfica are at 15th position at the moment. With both teams looking to get a win under their belt we can hope for a trillion match tonight.

So sit back and relax and enjoy the coverage. Don't forget to refrigerate the page after a few minutes to get the latest updates.

Hansi Flick has named the full squad for the Copa del Rey 2025 final against Real Madrid on Saturday. Ter Stegen, their captain, who was injured for more than seven months, has returned to the squad after recovering from his knee injury. 

FC Barcelona had to sign Szczęsny to replace their captain, Ter Stegen. Szczęsny, who was already retired, did a wonderful job for the Catalan club as he lost only one game for them. 

But, with their main captain Ter Stegen returning to the squad, it would be interesting to see who will go under the sticks for Barcelona in a final like this. 

Robert Lewandowski, Alejandro Balde, Marc Bernal and Marc Casadó are injured and will not feature in the final. 

Read Also | 10 Best Football Managers in Europe Right Now

Here is the full FC Barcelona squad for the Copa del Rey 2025 final on Saturday

"It will be a different game to those others this season. The team is coming into the game in form. We are aware of what we can achieve, but we prefer to go game by game," Ronald Araujo said in the press conference. 

"Ferran in the cup, in every game, has shown that he can play as a '9'. He knows how we want to play in this position," Flick told the media, suggesting that Ferran will replace Lewandowski in the final.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid have protested against referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea's statement and opted out of training and the press conference. They are not looking to participate in the final. 

Real Madrid have issued an official statement amid the rumours of boycotting the Copa del Rey 2025 final against FC Barcelona on Saturday after the statements of referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. 

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea was brought to tears in the press conference after Real Madrid released a video highlighting his mistakes from the past. 

Here is the statement made by Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in the press conference. 

“When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a ‘thief’ and comes home crying, it’s totally messed up,” he told reporters.

“What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson.

“This is really messed up... but the day I leave (the job), I want my son to be proud of what his father is, and what refereeing is, it has given us many values," this is what Bengoetxea said. 

🎙️ "Lo que hago es intentar educar a mi hijo para decirle que es honrado, pero que se equivoca como una persona más".

➡️ "Quiero que mi hijo esté orgulloso de lo que es su padre".

🗣️ Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea, árbitro principal.#CopaDelReyMAPFRE | #LaCopaMola🏆 pic.twitter.com/GzxSTCsvl9

— RFEF (@rfef) April 25, 2025

Here is Real Madrid's video highlighting his mistakes -

Real Madrid TV have released a video going after the referee who will oversee the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona (Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea)
pic.twitter.com/utqUrXriyN

— Luis Mazariegos (@luism8989) April 24, 2025

After the statement of Bengoetxea, Real Madrid want the referee for the final to be changed. Although there are no signs of a change in the official stance of the Federation.

Here is the official statement from Real Madrid regarding the issue -

Real Madrid have cancelled their training and press conference as well. But, the Federation is hopeful of completing the final with no issue. 

Madrid became the capital city of sport tonight as the Laureus World Sports Awards celebrated its 25th anniversary by gathering the greatest athletes not only of the past 12 months, but of the 21st Century.

Simone Biles and Rebecca Andrade – friends, rivals and Olympic champions from the world of gymnastics – were both winners here; both sides of Spanish football’s great duopoly were represented on the winners’ podium, as Real Madrid and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal were honoured; and Olympic and Paralympic heroes including Mondo Duplantis, Tom Pidcock and Jijang Yuan added a Laureus to their laurels.

Standing alongside the world’s greatest athletes were leaders from the inspirational Lesotho-based football programme Kick4Life, recipients of the 2025 Laureus Sport for Good Award.

25 years after the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards were held in Monaco in 2000, this special anniversary edition of the greatest show in sports was also a celebration of the growth of Laureus as a unique sporting movement, encompassing the world-famous Awards and the year-round work of Laureus Sport for Good in over 40 countries.

The Awards evening launched a multi-media wave of posts, coverage and broadcast around the world, as athletes, media and bloggers reacted to this year’s winners – each presented with ‘The Laureus’ - the coveted statuette awarded to the winner in each category and the prize the greatest athletes in the world value above all other Awards – voted on by the 69 sporting legends of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

Meetings that only happen at the Laureus World Sports Awards 🤝#Laureus25 | #OnlyAtLaureus pic.twitter.com/I9I2KyulGw

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) April 21, 2025

And this year, the body awarded two additional statuettes, honouring 22-time Grand Slam tennis champion Rafael Nadal and Kelly Slater, an 11-time world champion in surfing.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games were at the heart of the sporting year in 2024, and this year’s list of Laureus winners includes several athletes who added a Laureus to their collection of gold.

It was the fourth time lucky for the greatest pole-vaulter of all time, Mondo Duplantis. He was awarded the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award after being nominated in each of the last three years and is the second track-and-field athlete to win this Award, after four-time winner Usain Bolt.

Still just 25 years old, the Swede shows no signs of loosening his grip over the competition following another historic year. After winning his second World Indoor Championship gold medal in March, Duplantis broke his own world record for a remarkable ninth time in 2024 on the way to gold in Paris, before shattering it again at the Silesia Diamond League meeting the following month. Duplantis received his Award from last year’s winner, Novak Djokovic.

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, Mondo Duplantis: “I am incredibly honoured to have won my first Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award in the sporting capital of Madrid and to have the great Usain Bolt pay tribute to me, who I follow as the second track and field athlete to win this Award.

“The Laureus Awards are the ultimate awards that we athletes want to win. I know because this is the fourth time I have been nominated – and that proves it’s harder to win a Laureus than an Olympic gold medal!

“I’ll never forget receiving this beautiful Laureus from the great Novak Djokovic – I’m following in the footsteps of giants like Novak, Usain, Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi. The list of past winners of this Award is like a history of sporting greatness over the past 25 years.

“The Laureus Awards represent something more than sporting achievement. The fact that they are voted on by the 69 world-class athletes of the Laureus World Sports Academy elevates them to another level. These are athletes who know the dedication and commitment that lies behind sporting successes; they have set the mark that athletes like me strive for. To be recognised by them is truly something special.

“Finally, I must also acknowledge Laureus’ broader mission of using sport as a vehicle for change in the world. The work of Laureus Sport for Good has transformed lives around the world, and – as the Awards celebrate its 25th anniversary – it is important to reflect on the enormous legacy that it has created. It’s a legacy I am proud to be a part of.” 

Simone Biles’ breathtaking displays in the French capital saw her named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year for the fourth time, equalling the record held by tennis great and compatriot Serena Williams – they both also have one Comeback of the Year Award.

Biles called the Paris Games her ‘redemption tour’ after taking a break from the sport, and the most decorated gymnast in history produced a stunning performance, picking up three golds and a silver. One year after winning that Comeback of the Year Award, her redemption is complete.

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, Simone Biles: “I’m so happy to be here in Madrid and to receive my fourth Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award.

“I won this Award for the first time in 2017, and Laureus has been a part of my story since then. And I share their belief that sport has the power to change the world. That might be a little girl watching someone like me on television and deciding she can do it, too. Or it could be the incredible work Laureus Sport for Good has undertaken for the past 25 years, all over the world.

“I’d like to thank the legendary members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, who vote for the winners. It must be an almost impossible job, but their unique personal experiences of sport at the highest level gives them an understanding of what it takes to be the very best. Their generation has inspired us, athletes standing here before you. That is why the Laureus Awards truly are the ‘Athletes Awards’ and I am proud to have added to my ‘Laureus’ collection.”

Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade completed her inspirational return from career-threatening injuries at the Paris Games, and she is this year’s recipient of the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award.

Andrade considered quitting the sport in the wake of a series of soul-crushing injuries, including three anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and agonising rehabilitations. Her long road back to the top was complete when she won gold in the floor competition – a moment memorialised forever by the image of her long-time rival Biles bowing to her as she stood at the top of the podium.

Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award winner, Rebeca Andrade, said: “This beautiful Laureus Statuette represents a huge amount of hard work, of struggle and pain, and also great happiness and one of my most cherished memories – standing on top of the Olympic podium again.

“In the 25-year history of these Awards that have become the ultimate prize for athletes, these stories of resilience have inspired generations of young people. Previous winners of the Comeback of the Year have included some of the greatest athletes of all time, from my fellow Brazilian, Ronaldo, to Simone last year.

“And just as our stories reach every corner of the world, we stand here alongside Laureus Sport for Good as they bring together projects from across the globe which use sport to improve the lives of children and young people.

“Individual sports can be isolating, but Paris showed that camaraderie can exist between competitors, and I was so proud to compete alongside last year’s winner of this Award, Simone Biles. Simone and I are the only two gymnasts to win a Laureus Award, and I hope our stories can inspire anyone who has experienced injuries and setbacks to keep fighting through the many obstacles placed in front of them on the long road to recovery.”

Tom Pidcock is the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year after winning the Olympic mountain bike cross-country title in unforgettable fashion.  

His hopes of defending the title he won in Tokyo appeared all but over after suffering a puncture, but after changing wheels, the British rider staged a stirring fightback to reel in leader and home favourite Victor Koretsky before pulling off a daring late overtake in the trees to win gold against the odds.

Pidcock is the fourth British cyclist to win the Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, following Jamie Bestwick (2014), Rachel Atherton (2017) and Beth Shriver (2022).

🏆 Yuyan Jiang is the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability#Laureus25 pic.twitter.com/7AANKAFYac

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) April 21, 2025

Paralympic swimming superstar Jiang Yuyan collected the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award.

Yuyan was the most decorated athlete at the 2024 Paralympic Games, winning seven para swimming golds from seven events in the pool, matching the feat of Laureus Academy Member Mark Spitz.

The 19-year-old also set two individual world records and was honoured as the flagbearer for the Chinese team at the closing ceremony. She is the seventh Chinese winner of a Laureus after Yao Ming (Breakthrough 2003, Spirit of Sport 2015), Liu Xiang (Breakthrough, 2005), China Olympic Team (Team, 2009), Li Na (Exceptional Achievement, 2015), Xia Boyu (Sporting Moment, 2019) and Eileen Gu (Action, 2023).

🏆 Lamine Yamal is the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year#Laureus25 pic.twitter.com/IvBkTEgvXl

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) April 21, 2025

Teen sensation Lamine Yamal was the recipient of the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award after emerging as one of football’s global superstars.

 As part of the Spain team which won Euro 2024, he became the youngest player to score in the European Championships as well as the youngest to feature in the final and was named Best Young Player of the tournament. He is only the second footballer to win this Award, after Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder who won it last year.

Real Madrid are the Laureus World Team of the Year 🏆#Laureus25 | @realmadrid pic.twitter.com/rNMY2QiUbQ

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) April 21, 2025

Bellingham did not go unrecognised tonight, either. Real Madrid are quite simply a winning machine and were honoured with the Laureus World Team of the Year Award after a season in which they won La Liga for a record 36th time, delivered a 15th UEFA Champions League/European Cup title, and defeated rivals Barcelona 4-1 in the Supercopa de España.

The club continued to sweep aside all before them at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, winning both the UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup, an achievement which saw Carlo Ancelotti become Madrid’s most decorated manager.

For 25 years, the Laureus World Sports Awards have seen the greatest athletes in the world share the stage with Laureus Sport for Good programmes that fulfil the mission defined by the founding patron of Laureus at the first Awards: to use the power of sport to change the world. 

Kick4Life is one of over 300 Laureus Sport for Good projects all over the world making a difference in their communities, and they were presented with this year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award in Madrid. Kick4Life uses football to reach at-risk children in Lesotho, promoting health education, life-skills development, gender rights and employability. The inspirational organisation, which was also nominated for this Award in 2022, has reached more than 250,000 young people since it was founded in 2005.

Nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards are decided by the world’s media, and the winners are voted on by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy – the ultimate sporting jury. This year, the Academy also included two discretionary Awards.

Rafael Nadal received the Laureus Sporting Icon Award after a year in which he announced the end of one of the greatest careers in the history of professional tennis.  A celebratory video package of his career was specially voiced by Morgan Freeman, who included his own tribute to the Spaniard. This year’s Awards expands on Nadal’s ‘Laureus Slam’ – he is the only athlete to have won the Sportsman of the Year Award, the Comeback of the Year, the Breakthrough of the Year and the Laureus Sport for Good Award.

 Rafael Nadal said, “The Laureus World Sports Awards are important to me. Back in 2006, I won the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award in Barcelona, in front of sporting heroes who had inspired millions of people around the world. Then last year, after twice being named Sportsman of the Year and also winning Comeback of the Year, my foundation was honoured to win the Laureus Sport for Good Award, here in Madrid.”

 “My retirement from competitive tennis made 2024 an emotional year for me, where there were some magical moments like the one in Paris, carrying the Olympic torch. Tennis and sports in general have given me so much; my drive has always been to compete and try my best every time I stepped on the court. Competitive tennis has stopped, and it is time to reflect and to appreciate all the support I receive from everyone – my friends and family, my fans, my fellow athletes.

 “A Sporting Icon? I think that is for other people to decide. But I hope that my career has inspired sports fans beyond tennis. I gave it everything I had. As athletes, we have a unique opportunity to use our influence and inspiration to make a positive impact on the world and as I move into my next chapter, I’m going to hold on to the ideals that I share with Laureus and work with them to achieve the most important thing an athlete can do – changing the world through sport.”

 And Kelly Slater, widely considered the greatest surfer of all time, received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award. Slater is a four-time winner of the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award and an 11-time World Surf League champion.

The full list of Winners in the Laureus World Sports Awards 2025

The Champions League was earlier called the European Cup, and it started in 1955, and the first winner was Real Madrid. For the next 5 years, Real Madrid did not let anyone get close to the trophy.

Since then, 23 teams have won the glory, with Manchester City being the most recent one. As we get close to another UEFA Champions League final, we take a look at the Champions League winners list since 1965.

The Champions League winners list since 1955/56 is:

1956 - Real Madrid
1957 - Real Madrid
1958 - Real Madrid
1959 - Real Madrid
1960 - Real Madrid
1961 - Benfica
1962 - Benfica
1963 - AC Milan
1964 - Inter Milan
1965 - Inter Milan
1966 - Real Madrid
1967 - Celtic
1968 - Manchester United
1969- AC Milan
1970- Feyenoord
1971 - Ajax
1972 - Ajax
1973 - Ajax
1974 - Bayern
1975 - Bayern
1976 - Bayern
1977 - Liverpool
1978 - Liverpool
1979 - Nottingham Forest
1980 - Nottingham Forest
1981 - Liverpool
1982 - Aston Villa
1983 - Hamburger SV|
1984 - Liverpool
1985 - Juventus FC
1986 - Steaua București
1987 - FC Porto
1988 - PSV
1989 - AC Milan 
1990 - AC Milan
1991 - Red Star Belgrade
1992 - Barcelona
1993 - Olympique de Marseille
1994 - AC Milan
1995 - Ajax
1996 - Juventus FC
1997 - Borussia Dortmund
1998 - Real Madrid
1999 - Manchester United
2000 - Real Madrid
2001 - Bayern 
2002 - Real Madrid
2003 - AC Milan
2004 - Porto
2005 - Liverpool
2006 - Barcelona
2007 - AC Milan
2008 - Manchester United
2009 - Barcelona
2010 - Inter Milan
2011 - Barcelona
2012 - Chelsea FC
2013 - Bayern Munich
2014 - Real Madrid
2015 - Barcelona
2016 - Real Madrid
2017 - Real Madrid
2018 - Real Madrid
2019 - Liverpool
2020 - Bayern Munich
2021 - Chelsea FC
2022 - Real Madrid
2023 - Manchester City
2024 - Real Madrid

Let's have a look at the teams with the most trophies since 1955/56: 

Real Madrid x 15
AC Milan x 7
Bayern x 6 
Liverpool FC x 6
FC Barcelona x 5
Ajax x 4
Inter x 3
Manchester United x 3
Juventus x 2 
Benfica x 2
Nottingham Forest  x 2
Porto x 2
Chelsea x 3
Celtic x 1
Hamburger SV x 1
Steaua București x 1 
Olympique de Marseille x 1
Borussia Dortmund x 1
Feyenoord x 1
Aston Villa x 1
PSV x 1
Red Star Belgrade x 1
Manchester City x 1

The second-leg matchdays of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final ties have gifted us some memorable UCL nights through four of the best matches this season.

Best performance? ⭐#UCL pic.twitter.com/1aI2lUemcp

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 17, 2025

Aston Villa came back from trailing to beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 at home, whereas Dortmund defeated Barcelona 3-1, but both sides were knocked out on aggregate.

Arsenal kept their UCL unbeaten streak against Real Madrid intact, beating them 2-1 in the second leg, advancing to the semis. Inter Milan also shared the spoils with Bayern Munich in a 2-2 draw, but sealed their passage to the semi-finals.

Read Also | UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Semi-finals: Everything you need to know

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final Second Leg Round Up

Aston Villa 3-2 Paris Saint-Germain (AGG 4-5)

Playing at their home, Villa Park, Aston Villa did not get off to a good start, letting in two goals in 30 minutes, through the PSG full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes.

Paris Saint-Germain dominated the first half, despite ending it at 2–1 as Youri Tielemans pulled one back. The second half, though, was a Villa fairy tale, netting two more goals from McGinn and Konsa and hunting for the third. Marco Asensio, late on the field, promptly made his mark, nearly scoring against his parent club.

A @ChampionsLeague campaign to remember 👏 pic.twitter.com/TcQRFgGk0n

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 16, 2025

Unfortunately, they never did achieve that goal they required, and PSG fired into the semis with a slender lead, but winning 5-4 on aggregate.

Read Also | Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final 2nd leg Highlights | Villa earn a heroic win in a chilling clash; PSG are through to the semis| FT AVL 3-2 PSG (AGG 4-5)

Borussia Dortmund 3-1 FC Barcelona (AGG 3-5)

The Guirassy hat-trick could not keep this mercurial Borussia Dortmund side out. Even though FC Barcelona seemed all at sea, making mistake after mistake that we did not witness in last week's match, they were still able to keep them at bay.

Four teams left. Barça’s one of them. pic.twitter.com/8y623imepZ

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 15, 2025

They did not really begin to play like their own team until Pedri came onto the field in the later stages. Other notable players in this game were De Jong holding in the midfield and Szczesny playing like he’s in his prime. However, a Bensebaini own goal kept Barca on a two-goal cushion to safely guide them through to the semis.

Read Also | Borussia Dortmund vs FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final: Barcelona qualify for the semis after six years despite losing the second leg

Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal (AGG 1-5)

"Remontada," a term that was heard being uttered repeatedly again and again with this Real Madrid team, mostly from Bellingham. However, Arsenal crushed their dream of a magical comeback with a 2-1 victory in the return leg at Bernabeu.

Arsenal performed fantastically, and Arteta is worthy of all the accolades for the display set out away at the Bernabéu. Rice performed masterfully; he was all over the pitch, marking every pass; no one was penetrating him.

Ninety long minutes at the Bernabeu, and we heard you all game long.

Thank you, Gooners ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Oauif8UmBB

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 16, 2025

Bukayo Saka failed to convert an early penalty due to a marvellous save from Courtois. However, he redeemed himself with the opening goal in the 65th minute, but it was canceled out after Vinicius scored the equalizer only two minutes later.

Gabriel Martinelli netted the winner in injury time, leading Arsenal to another win against Real Madrid and keeping their unbeaten record against Los Blancos in the UCL intact.

Read Also | Real Madrid vs Arsenal UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final: Arsenal knock Madrid out to qualify for the semis after 16 years

Inter Milan 2-2 Bayern Munich (AGG 4-3)