WAYNE ROONEY set a cheeky new record just three seconds into his debut as an Amazon Prime Video pundit.
The Manchester United legend was at the Etihad for City’s Champions League play-off with Real Madrid.
And after just THREE SECONDS the grinning ex-striker announced it was: “A stadium I’ve scored a lot of goals in…”
CHAMPIONS League action is back with the knockout phase play-offs.
16 teams are gearing up to compete against each other, looking to join the eight teams that have already advanced to the last 16.
Manchester City and Celtic are among those who are playing this week and will be aiming to progress to the next stage – they’re up against current holders of the competition, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively.
This will be the fourth year in a row that City have faced off against Real in the knockout stage of the competition – and they will know they need nothing short of a perfect display across both legs to get passed the 15-time winners of the competition.
In the previous three meetings of these two footballing giants, City have only got past Los Blancos once and that was the year they went all the way to pick up their first Champions League title.
Similarly, Real Madrid have beat City twice in the last three years, and they picked up the trophy on both occasions, so fans will know they are in for a hell of a tie over the next week!
Just like any other knockout stage in the Champions League round, there will indeed be two legs.
The first legs of these play-off fixtures will take place on the 11th and 12th February, with the second legs the following week on the 18th and 19th February.
The eight winning teams will join the eight teams that have already qualified in the last 16.
The full draw for the play-off round is as follows:
The teams through to the round of 16 are:
MANCHESTER CITY host European heavyweights Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium for the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off.
Pep Guardiola‘s men clinched a playoff round place with a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge in their final league phase match.
The result was their only victory in their previous five European matches, losing to PSG, Juventus and Sporting CP in their poor run of form.
Real Madrid picked up their form in the competition towards the end of their campaign.
They have won three of their last five Champions League matches after a poor start saw them lose three consecutive games to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool.
Wednesday’s match will be the fourth time Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti’s sides have met in the knockouts of the competition in as many years.
Madrid have the slight edge over City, running out 2-1 winners across the last three ties.
This season’s Champions League sees a new broadcaster enter the UK scene.
Amazon Prime Video is showing the top Tuesday match in the iconic European competition each week at no additional cost to Prime members.
Should you not currently hold a subscription, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial, which will give you access to all the benefits of being a Prime member, including access to watch Man City vs Real Madrid.
Alternative, SunSport will blog all the action as it happens.
Brest host PSG in the earlier kick off on Tuesday. The all-French tie begins at 5.45pm GMT in the first of four matches on the day
Juventus face PSV Eindhoven at 8pm GMT while Borussia Dortmund meet Portuguese league leaders Sporting CP at the same time on Tuesday.
There are four more fixtures in the Champions League this week which will all be played on Wednesday, February 12.
Club Brugge host Serie A dark horses Atalanta in the early kick off at 5.45pm GMT.
Wednesday’s 8pm GMT matches see Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich travel to Celtic Park to face the Scottish giants.
Meanwhile, Feyenoord face AC Milan and AS Monaco go up against Benfica.
NEWCASTLE coach Jason Tindall found a bizarre way to have a ‘pop’ at Aston Villa amid a mass tunnel brawl.
The FA have revealed incredible inside details as they confirmed big fines for both clubs following the flare-up on Boxing Day.
Jhon Duran saw red for a foul on Fabian Schar before Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Joelinton sealed a 3-0 Newcastle win at St James’ Park.
An independent Regulatory Commission have now broken down the events – revealing a surprising throwback to a 1980s’ pop duo from Tindall.
The 47-year-old’s antics loomed large in the reports received by the commission
Referee Anthony Taylor explained he sent off Tindall for aggressive behaviour.
Taylor said fourth official Leigh Doughty informed him of a half-time bust-up “caused by Victor Manas (Aston Villa head of analysis)”
Manas was “shouting aggressively” leading to an “aggressive verbal altercation”.
Taylor added: “This caused a further confrontation to take place of approx 20 players and staff. I was also advised that Mr Tindall had to be prevented from becoming involved further.”
But it was what came near the end of the match that stood out – with the ex-Bournemouth defender said to have escalated the matter by winding up Villa… with a WHAM! hoodie.
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Villa’s club secretary Sharon Barnhurst emailed the commission to say Tindall “shushed” their manager Unai Emery three or four times in the first half, leading to Manas intervening in a heated exchange during the interval.
Trouble exploded again before the final whistle.
The Telegraph report that Barnhurst submitted: “Mr Tindall on the 85th minute reappeared within the tunnel wearing a WHAM! jumper, joking around with other members of Newcastle United’s staff. “
Tindall was then said to have stayed in the tunnel area until full-time before being “involved in a tense exchange of words” with a Villa coach.
Both clubs admitted improper conduct.
The Commission fined Villa £30,000 and Newcastle £20k, as well as warning them both about their behaviour.
Manas landed a two-match ground ban and £4k fine – but Tindall was cleared.
An FA spokesman said: “The Regulatory Commission found the charge against Jason Tindall to be not proven, and he will face no further action.”
PRINCE Harry’s former hairdresser is begging the royal to follow in Prince William’s footsteps and to ”let it go” and shave his head.
Sam McKnight MBE, who worked with the late Princess Diana, took to Instagram to urge the 40-year-old to learn from his big brother and go for the chop.
The hairdresser, whose clients include A-listers such as Lady Gaga and Kate Moss, said he remembered Prince Harry from his younger years when the prince had ”thick healthy crowning glories, just like mum”.
Sam wrote: ”It’s time Harry! Many moons ago, when you and your brother were young boys, you both had the most magnificent, thick healthy crowning glories, just like mum.
”Many an afternoon was spent with me thinning and shaping the topiary!
”However, just like myself, the lush hedging is no more, a mere wisp or two of its former self.”
The hair guru went on in the brutal post and urged the California-based dad-of-two to make a drastic change that would make him appear younger than his years.
”All is not lost, however, a good short clip at the barbers (like your big brother has done recently) would look sharp and clean, and take years off that handsome face.”
According to Sam, who was awarded an MBE in 2023 for his services to the fashion and beauty industries, Prince Harry should also consider getting a hair transplant if he wants to keep his signature ginger mane.
The hairdresser wrote: ”If I were your age I’d go for a transplant, so much more natural these days, unlike the plug plants of yore.
”And no need for a quick EasyJet trip to Turkey, you’re in California where they have the best!
”So Harry, from one baldy to another, it’s time. As they say in Disneyland, “Let It Go”.
”Sent from your old hairdresser, Sam, with love, a wink and a smile,” he joked in the caption.
The 40-year-old, like his brother William and dad King Charles, has struggled with hair loss.
One expert, Dr Asim Shahmalak from Manchester’s Crown Clinic, claimed that his bald patch has almost doubled since he married Meghan Markle in 2018.
Harry always loved mocking his brother for his hair loss, once quipping: “I think he definitely is brainier than I am, but we established that at school, along with his baldness.”
HAIR pro Samantha Cusick has revealed everything you need to know about hair loss.
Why Does Hair Loss Happen?
Hair loss can be influenced by so many factors, from genetics and hormone changes to lifestyle choices.
Stress, diet, and even hair care habits can all impact hair strength.
It’s perfectly normal to lose some hair each day, but sometimes the body can shed more than usual, responding to things like hormonal shifts or even life stressors.
Why It Happens More This Time of Year
Have you ever noticed your hair seems to shed more in autumn? That’s seasonal shedding!
During summer, we hold onto extra hair to protect our scalp from the sun.
As the weather cools, it’s like our body recalibrates and lets go of those extra strands.
Dry, cooler air can also make hair more brittle, making it easier to lose a little extra volume during these months.
Hacks and Affordable Buys to Treat Hair loss
The great news? You don’t need to spend a fortune on pricey treatments to support your hair.
Try daily scalp massages—they’re so simple but really help boost blood flow to the follicles.
Castor oil is another fantastic, budget-friendly option that’s rich in nutrients to strengthen your strands.
Adding a bit more protein to your diet and a biotin supplement can also work wonders for overall hair health.
Products to Avoid
Steer clear of products with high levels of alcohol, sulphates, and parabens – they can be drying and damage hair over time.
Heat styling and chemical treatments can also cause breakage, so try to use them sparingly.
Instead, look for gentle, hydrating formulas to support your scalp and keep hair healthier through the seasons.
Following his balding head, the royal was even spotted undergoing a thickening treatment at the prestigious Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic in London’s Mayfair in 2020.
At the time, a source said: “Harry’s visit caused a real stir.”
“This company is so prestigious. It’s one of the best places in the world. It’s got a whole range of different treatment plans.”
“The richest, most famous and well-connected use it. The meeting with Harry went well.
“It would be very expensive. It’s the place to go in London and it’s right in the heart of Mayfair.”
Nearly seven million Brits experience baldness or hair loss – and even A-list celebs like Wayne Rooney, Gordon Ramsay and David Beckham are rumoured to have had treatment to combat their thinning thatches.
The NHS states that hair loss is “not usually anything to be worried about”, and can be triggered by factors such as stress, after an illness, weight loss or iron deficiency.”
In mid-life men most hair loss is hormonal and not linked to these conditions.
Harry cruelly called his brother William’s hair loss “alarming” in his controversial autobiography Spare – but Wills seemingly embraced his baldness by forking out £180 for a No1 buzz cut back in 2018.
SERGIO AGUERO has made an incredibly bold prediction for Manchester City’s clash with Real Madrid.
The two titans face off tonight in the Champions League play-off round after struggling through the league phase.
Manchester City have been out of sorts for most of the season while their Spanish opponents are leading LaLiga.
The two are going head to head in a two-legged fixture in order to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
The first leg of the tie is being played at the Etihad and Aguero, 36, believes his former side can not lose.
The retired striker is so confident that he jokingly offered to dismember himself if he was wrong.
Speaking on the Som I Serem FCB Podcast, he said: “Real Madrid can not beat Man City.
“If they beat City, I will cut off my testicles.”
Aguero has more disdain for Real Madrid than the general City legend, having also played for Barcelona during his career.
He joined the Catalonian side in 2021 but only played four league games before being forced into retirement for medical issues.
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Man City manager Pep Guardiola has also spoken about the clash against Real Madrid.
He has declared that his players are good enough of getting a result against the 15-time winners.
said: “We are where we are, and I know perfectly but the team has something special and hopefully we can prove it.
“I will not deny how I trust with the players who gave us that incredible decade, winning a lot of things and playing a high standard, I know what we are capable of.
“To be honest it is always better to have a second leg at home in case you have extra time with your people.
“We play the second game away because we were not good in the group stage – when you finish 22nd you cannot ask for any favours.
Meanwhile, Aguero is gearing up for an intensive boot camp in motorsport.
He is set to compete in Formula E‘s new Evo Sessions and will come up against the likes of Brooklyn Beckham.
