GM football fans. It’s Monday, Apr. 21 - World Cup human rights investigation, the UWCL semi-final first leg, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

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KEY FIXTURES

Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Nottingham Forest, 20:00 / 15:00. Tottenham have won each of their last three home league games against Forest, having won just one of the previous 11 against them prior. However, Forest have lost just two of their last 35 league games played on Easter Monday. See all the Premier League results here.

Results…

• Premier League: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea | Ipswich 0-4 Arsenal (Report) | Man Utd 0-1 Wolves | Leicester 0-1 Liverpool (Report) (Table)

• La Liga: Real Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club | Barca 4-3 Celta Vigo | Las Palmas 1-0 Atletico (Table)

• Serie A: Bologna 1-0 Inter (Report) | Empoli 2-2 Venezia | AC Milan - Atalanta (Table)

• Bundesliga: Heidenheim 0-4 Bayern (Report) | Dortmund 3-2 M’gladbach | St. Pauli 1-1 B Leverkusen (Table)

• MLS results (More)

TOP TALKING POINTS

World Cup Investigation

Saudi Arabia's minister of sport has said that an investigation has been launched into the death of a migrant worker during the construction of a stadium for the 2034 World Cup. Reports of a worker, from Pakistan, falling from an upper level of a construction site surfaced in March.

That same month, Amnesty International said that Fifa made a “reckless decision” to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, citing severe and widespread human rights violations. The tournament will feature 11 stadiums that have not been built yet—including one in a city that has yet to be built. See images of planned stadiums here.

What’s more, Saudi Arabia would be ready and willing to host a 64-team World Cup if Fifa accepts the proposal to expand the tournament from 48. The proposal has been opposed by other continental confederations.

UWCL First-Legs Over

The Women’s Champions League semi-final first legs have concluded. Barcelona Femeni (4-1 vs Chelsea) and Lyon Women (2-1 vs Arsenal) will have the advantage going into this weekend’s second legs.

Barcelona’s Claudia Pina starred against Chelsea with two goals and an assist—see the highlights here (US readers). Their home form in the UWCL this season has been dominant: four wins in four, 25 goals scored, and just one conceded.

Lyon, the record eight-time UWCL champions, stunned the 40,000 fans at the Emirates with an 82nd-minute winner—see the highlights here (US readers). Still unbeaten in their domestic league, Joe Montemurro’s side have kept a tournament-best six clean sheets and conceded the fewest goals (three) in this season’s UWCL.

Quadruple Gains Momentum

Barcelona maintain their lead at the top of the La Liga with a 4-3 home win over Celta Vigo, sealed by a 90+8-minute penalty from Raphina. See highlights here (read report here).

Hansi Flick’s side remain in contention for a quadruple, having already secured the Spanish Super Cup in January. They are given a 91.7% chance of winning the league, will face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on April 26, and take on Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final on April 30. However, striker Robert Lewandowski suffered a hamstring injury and the 36-year-old could be out for three weeks.

In related news, La Liga will join the Premier League in having five teams in the Champions League next season. For each campaign, two leagues receive a European Performance Spot (EPS), which was introduced last season as part of a revamp to the expanded 36-team competition.

POLL

ON THE BALL

Europe

> Leicester City have been relegated from the Premier League with five matchdays of the season remaining; Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are now mathematically safe (More) | Manchester City captain Kevin de Bruyne says he was surprised not to be offered a new contract by the club, describing it as a business-driven move (More)

> Following Bayern Munich’s 4-0 win over Heidenheim, Harry Kane has now scored 60 goals in 60 games in the Bundesliga (More); See the Bundesliga table (More)

> Inter Milan have lost their three-point lead at the top of the Serie A after Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini scored a bicycle-kick in the 90+4th-minute to make it 1-0 (Highlights) | Inter are level on points with Napoli with five matches remaining (Table)

> Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain continued their quest to become the only team in the French top flight to remain unbeaten throughout a season with a 2-1 home win over Le Havre (More) | SM Caen, the club Kylian Mbappe owns, has been relegated to the French third tier for the first time in their history (More)

> Celtic scored four goals in 12 first-half minutes against St Johnstone to set up a Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen; St Johnstone 0-5 Celtic (More)

Americas

> Inter Miami are the sole remaining unbeaten side in MLS after Saturday's 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew (More); The Crew saw 60,614 fans attend the match, to set a new club attendance record (More) | Charlotte lead the Eastern Conference and Vancouver lead the Western Conference (See Standings)

> NWSL’s Orlando Pride have lost their first game of the season in a 1-0 loss to visiting Washington Spirit (More) | After Matchday 5, KC Current lead the table by three points and remain the only undefeated side in the competition–and set a league record with nine straight regular season wins (More)

> Neymar could be out of action for four to six weeks after picking up a left thigh injury (More/translated)

> Boca Juniors have extended their Group A lead in the Argentine Primera Division Apertura tournament with a 2-0 win over Estudiantes (More)

Rest of the World

> Both African Champions League semi-final first-leg ties ended goalless, giving Egyptian clubs Al Ahly and Pyramids an advantage for next weekend’s return matches (More)

> Melbourne City went undefeated in the Women’s A-League throughout the whole season; after the final round, the fixtures are now locked in for the Finals Series (More)

> Steve Holland, former assistant to Gareth Southgate, has been sacked after just four months from Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos (More)

ROUTERS’ VOICE

Friday’s Poll: ​​Would Jurgen Klopp be a good fit for Real Madrid’s style and expectations?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👏 Absolutely... (53.3%)

🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅‍♂️ Nope... (43.5%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other… (3.2%)

Your punditry takes:

• 👏 S.E: “Klopp has had success everywhere he has coached. He can make Madrid even better than the current form they are showing now.”

• 🙅‍♂️ M.H: “I'm a Liverpool fan, so this is just a nightmare scenario to imagine. Klopp is always the giant killer, not the giant. He's more Atletico than Real, for sure.”

• 🙅‍♂️ M.G: “Madrid's upper management could never be 'hands off' enough to allow Klopp to work his magic. He'd get canned before he had a chance.”

• ✍️ K.M: “I never thought Ancelloti would step down, but if anyone can get the most out of TAA on a new team of standout players, Jurgen can. Also, can reunite with Pep Ljinders. Would be a very potent combo of great players and Rock & Roll style counterattack.”

EXTRA TIME

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Matchday mascot spots can cost £1800.

GAME FACE ON

Who Am I… 

• At age 16, I began my senior career at HFC Haarlem.

• In 1985, I joined AC Milan from PSV for a then-record fee of £6m.

• I won the Ballon d’Or in 1987.

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

Premier League

• Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest (20:00)

La Liga

• Girona vs Real Betis (20:00)

Serie A

• Torino vs Udinese (11:30)

• Cagliari vs Fiorentina (14:00)

• Genoa vs Lazio (17:00)

• Parma vs Juventus (19:45)

*All time in UK. ET -5. CDT -6. PDT -8. MDT -7. CET +1.

Answer

Ruud Gullit. Player profile here.