UEFA Champions League
Wednesday/ Thursday 6am/ 6.40am. Europa League, Friday from 4.30am.
Europe’s top 32 clubs are lining up for a crack at the Champions League. There are a couple of different teams involved from England, with Leicester City making their debut after their scintillating Premier League triumph and Spurs back in the race for just the third time in 55 years. They join Arsenal and Manchester City in flying the England flag. There are eight groups of four, with the top two advancing to the knockout phase. Defending champions Real Madrid have Dortmund as probably their toughest opponents in Group F. Manchester City have once again not had much luck with the draw and face Barcelona and Celtic in Group C. Leicester start with Club Brugge and also face Porto in Group G. Tottenham, in Group E, have Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco and CSKA Moscow. The Gunners have Paris Saint- Germain as their sternest test in Group A, playing in France on Wednesday morning. The final is in Cardiff on June 3. There’s also Europa League action this week, with Manchester United and Southampton carrying English hopes in this second- tier competition. This final will be played 10 days earlier than the Champions League, on May 24 at the Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden. Midlands v Canterbury 10am; Auckland v Central 10.30am; Capital v Northland noon.
NZ Hockey senior tournament, men/ women, today- Friday, Whangarei.