Inter Miami CF kicked off the South American portion of its 2025 preseason tour with a penalty shootout win against Universitario after the game ended 0-0 in front of a sold out crowd of 80,000 fans at the Estadio Monumental "U" in Lima, Peru.

Manager Javier Mascherano led the team in just his second game as head coach, starting Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez on the attack to indicate a serious approach to the clash.

The Argentine manager debuted new signing Tadeo Allende, giving his star player a 70-plus-minute run before bringing on Robert Taylor in his place.

The two sides fought hard during regular time, with the Herons recording 11 shots and two on goal while enjoying 60 percent possession, but simply couldn't find the back of the net.

With a scoreless draw at the final whistle, the two sides went to the penalty spot to decide the game.

Like the preseason match against Club America in Las Vegas, the draw signaled for automatic penalties without extra time.

While Universitario's Jairo Vélez missed his team's third attempt, Inter Miami nailed all four of its first penalty kicks to earn the lead before Yannick Bright stepped up to strike the final try and seal victory over the Peruvian side.

Messi, Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets didn't take a penalty after being substituted out before the final whistle, but celebrated the victory with the team afterwards.

Miami now boasts a preseason record of two victories, winning both matches on penalties under new manager Mascherano.

The team will now travel to Panama on to face Sporting San Miguelito at Estadio Rommel Fernández on Feb. 2 before concluding the South and Central American portion of the preseason with a game against Olimpia at Olímpico Metropolitano in Honduras.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot backed teenager Amara Nallo to bounce back from his disappointing senior debut in which he was shown a red card just four minutes after entering the pitch.

Substitute Nallo was dismissed for a last man challenge on Johan Bakayoko in Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. Despite the result, Slot's side still topped the league phase table, with nine first-team players having been rested for the trip to Philips Stadion.

Nallo was one of a number of young players to be given an opportunity against the Dutch champions and Slot is confident the 18-year-old will learn plenty of lessons from Wednesday's clash.

"It's cruel, but he'd never played first-team football yet and then to make a debut at Champions League level is probably the hardest way to make a debut," the Liverpool boss said. "I think he misinterpreted the situation and that's immediately a problem at this level or in Premier League.

"It's a big moment for him to learn from and it's cruel. You think 'I'm going to make my debut in the Champions League' and then a few minutes later you go off with a red card. That's always difficult.

"A career isn't always positive, there are also negatives and he has to fight very hard to make sure he plays a second Champions League game. It is not going to be easy, but hopefully he will."

While it was a challenging night for Nallo, 20-year-old James McConnell was among the young players to impress against Peter Bosz's side, and Slot was quick to heap praise on the midfielder after the game.

"At the moment, we have most of our players fit so we will have this discussion tomorrow I think between me and Richard (Hughes) about these players [who could go on loan] but there's definitely one that will not go out on loan: James McConnell.

"I liked him a lot today. Maybe the end result today would be good for him to go and play [elsewhere] but he is a player who hasn't played a lot in the last six or seven months as he was injured for a while. He impressed me a lot today.

"He is competitive in the training sessions we had, he is always very competitive. I'm not surprised [by how he played], but you always wonder how you will react at this level.

"James plays and is competitive. He definitely deserves credit for his performance today."

Asked about the significance of finishing the league phase top of the table, Slot added: "It's definitely a good achievement to end up top of this league. But I said many times it's hard to judge a table after eight games, let alone with the teams playing different opponents. It doesn't tell me much, some have faced easier opponents than others but it's always nice if there's a new format and you end up No. 1.

"But it doesn't give us any assurances for the next round. I see the four teams we can face and especially one of them is definitely one your are hoping not to face if you end up first in a group like this."

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said he does not want Ollie Watkins to leave the club amid interest from Arsenal, but said if Jhon Durán completes his move to Al Nassr then it is "good news" for the club as it shows they are doing the right things in terms of developing players.

Emery was speaking after Aston Villa secured their spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League following a 4-2 win over Celtic. A hat trick from Morgan Rogers and another from Watkins saw Villa take eighth place in the standings, and therefore avoid a playoff.

However, the evening was dominated by talk of Villa's two strikers.

Sources told ESPN just hours before kick-off that Arsenal had a bid rejected for Watkins, while The Athletic reported at the start of the match that Duran was set for a medical with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr ahead of a move in the region of 77 million ($80m).

When asked about Arsenal's interest in Watkins, Emery said: "I don't want [him to leave]. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad. Every player can be in the market in case it's good for the player, club and team, but to get this deal, we have to be very demanding as well. Ollie Watkins is our striker."

Watkins impressed against Celtic, scoring what proved to be the winner in the 60th minute but then missed a penalty a minute later, as he lost his footing and ballooned the effort over the bar.

Despite that setback, he was a frequent threat in front of goal and could've had another couple but for a pair of sensational saves from Kasper Schmeichel.

All the while Duran watched on from the bench. Duran was seen in the tunnel post-match seemingly saying goodbye to some staff and players.

When asked post-match about Duran's future, Emery said: "The club is working, we have to be intelligent and competitive. Of course, we are in the eyes of other strong teams and strong leagues and countries like Saudi Arabia.

"It is something I can feel proud of because we are improving and we are having players interested from other clubs and paying good money for us.

"Our objective here is to keep our structure intelligently, and [maintaining our level] for a long time is the most difficult challenge we have. Sometimes to do that, we have to sell players, but as well, trying to change those players with good players as well, trying to develop the players here and improving ours.

"I don't know exactly until everything is done if Jhon Duran is leaving or not. If he leaves, it's good news for us, because they are paying good money, because it's good for him, because as well, we have developed a young player in two years to get this offer.

"It's not only for the club, but it's for the players, and the team -- these circumstances can be positive. I don't know if he's leaving or not."

When asked if Duran had asked to leave, Emery said: "If he's leaving, it's because he wants to. I told you last week I wanted him here. But what does he want? We are all different people."

Emery added: "My opinion about him, he's a fantastic player, fantastic potential. I was close with him, trying to work with him in his development. They have their goals, ambitions and if he's leaving, it's because he wants to go another way in his career."

Well, what a dramatic final day that was! Manchester City snuck into the playoff round with a come-from-behind win over Club Brugge, Paris Saint-Germain thrashed VfB Stuttgart to keep themselves in the competition, and Liverpool lost at PSV Eindhoven with a second-string team but still finished top of the league phase, thanks to Barcelona's 2-2 home draw with Atalanta.

As the dust settles on a wild night of UEFA Champions League action, ESPN FC writers and reporters take a look at the biggest talking points.

Man City 3-1 Club Brugge: Guardiola & Co. sneak through, but face a playoff gauntlet

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City are into the playoffs, but they had to survive a huge scare. Nothing about this season has filled City fans with confidence and this was another nervous night. Club Brugge were terrific on the break for an hour and took the lead just before half-time.

At that point there were some very worried faces dotted around the Etihad Stadium. It was only when half-time substitute Savinho made it 3-1 with less than 15 minutes to go that the home fans began to take out their phones and look at the table to work out whom they might play next.

The worry for Pep Guardiola is that they still don't look like a team who will get very far. Club Brugge made them look incredibly vulnerable before tiring towards the end. If the Belgians had taken more of their chances, City would be out of Europe. They might be quite soon anyway. Finishing 22nd in the table means they will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the playoff round.

Guardiola can only hope he has players like Rúben Dias and Nathan Aké back from injury by then because, if they continue in the Champions League in the same form, they aren't going to last much longer.

That, though, is a worry for another day. City needed to get over the first hurdle against Club Brugge and they did it. Just. -- Rob Dawson

PSV 3-2 Liverpool: Liverpool secure top spot despite loss

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands -- For weeks, debate has raged over how significant topping the league phase table might prove to be for Liverpool. On the eve of his team's meeting with PSV Eindhoven, however, Arne Slot showed that securing top spot ranked pretty low on his list of priorities, omitting nine first-team players -- including captain Virgil van Dijk and top goal scorer Mohamed Salah -- from the matchday squad.

Despite Wednesday's clash being one of the more inconsequential ones of the evening, it was a highly entertaining first half at Philips Stadium, with PSV twice coming from behind before striker Ricardo Pepi gave them the lead on the stroke of half-time.

While there will be some disappointment that Liverpool were unable to maintain their flawless league phase record in Eindhoven, Slot will likely view it as important minutes in the legs for many of his second string. There were flashes of quality from some of Liverpool's young stars, with 20-year-old midfielder James McConnell particularly catching the eye, while it was heartening to see summer signing Federico Chiesa play 90 minutes for the first time since joining the club from Juventus.

With a tough Premier League assignment away to AFC Bournemouth to come at the weekend, the majority of Slot's main men have been afforded a well-deserved rest, while Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Atalanta means Liverpool top the league anyway. However, as everyone is discovering with this new Champions League format, the result could have major ramifications down the line. PSV won and finished 14th, pushing PSG into 15th and into the route to play Liverpool in the round of 16. Had Liverpool not lost, PSG would have been 14th, and Liverpool would have played Monaco, Brest, Benfica or Feyenoord instead. -- Beth Lindop

Champions League playoff picture becomes clear

Perhaps the biggest development to recommend the new Champions League format -- beyond a dramatic Matchday 8 -- is the prospect of heavyweight playoff matches next month.

The draw takes place on Friday but already we know for certain that Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, pitching two of the pre-tournament favourites into a do-or-die battle to reach the last 16 over two legs on Feb. 11/12 and 18/19.

City were 45 minutes away from going out altogether and the sense of unease which has accompanied their nervy route through the expanded group stage will only continue into the playoffs; no matter their opponent, City, on current form, will start that tie as the underdogs.

Paris Saint-Germain will consider themselves comparatively fortunate as they will play either Ligue 1 rivals Monaco or Brest (there is no country protection from here on).

PSG currently sit 13 points ahead of Monaco and 19 points above Brest in their domestic table. Victory, however, will mean a last-16 meeting with either Liverpool or Barcelona.

AC Milan could face an all-Italian tie against Juventus, with Feyenoord their other possibility. San Siro rivals Internazionale might await in the last-16, but if not, Arsenal will be their opponent.

Perhaps the least attractive quartet of possibilities on paper is the prospect of Sporting CP or Club Brugge facing Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund. However, that foursome feeds into a last-16 tie against either Lille or Aston Villa, both of whom have exceeded expectations to this point and will already feel a quarterfinal appearance is a distinct possibility. -- James Olley

Stuttgart 1-4 PSG: Dembélé shows his class as Luis Enrique's team comes good

STUTTGART, Germany -- Ousmane Dembélé seems to have spent his entire career waiting to realise his potential, but everything that made the Paris Saint-Germain forward such an exciting prospect in his younger days came to the fore while scoring a stunning Champions League hat trick in a crushing 4-1 win against VfB Stuttgart.

Dembélé, 27, was unstoppable for Luis Enrique's team, having also made a match-winning impact as a substitute in the 4-2 win against Manchester City last week.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona forward was too much for Stuttgart with his pace, movement and finishing ability -- his second goal was hit so hard that the netting had to be reattached to the goal before the game could be restarted.

With PSG ditching their previous blueprint of signing superstars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, the club is now turning to the best emerging talent in France to help launch a new era in Paris.

And while there is no doubt that young stars such as Bradley Barcola, who scored PSG's first goal, Désiré Doué and Warren Zaïre-Emery can build a great future for PSG, the experience and quality of Dembélé will also be crucial.

For so long, Dembélé has had to overcome injury and inconsistency to prove he can be the player who once cost Barcelona 148 million when he moved to Camp Nou from Dortmund as a teenager.

Dembélé blows hot and cold, just like his club during this season's Champions League, but PSG are clearly a team that is developing fast. This season might be too soon for them to win the competition, but if PSG can keep the squad together, their future is bright. -- Mark Ogden

Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 AC Milan: 10-man Rossoneri advance, Zagreb's win doesn't matter

And to think, it was all set up so nicely for Milan. Beat Dinamo Zagreb -- a club that had changed managers in December and had played just two games since before Christmas -- and a top-eight spot was assured. Heck, even a draw, depending on results elsewhere, might do the trick.

Instead, the 2-1 defeat means they're headed to the playoffs, where they'll play either Feyenoord or, ahem, Juventus. You don't want to scapegoat Yunus Musah, but getting yourself sent off with your team a goal down in the first half isn't too clever. He felt it was harsh, but you can't put yourself in those positions. Milan might also be aggrieved about Rafael Leão's elbow on Samy Mmaee that wiped out (via VAR) the penalty referee Francois Letexier awarded (which would have put them 2-1 up). They ought to be equally aggrieved about Matteo Gabbia gifting Martin Baturina the opener.

Incidents might have gone against them, but you can't escape the performance, which, once again, wasn't particularly good. New manager Sérgio Conceição was supposed to kick butt and take names -- previous boss Paulo Fonseca, for some reason, was seen as milquetoast -- but he's dealing with many of the same issues as his predecessor. Theo Hernández and Leão are as intermittent as turn signals, whichever partnership plays at the back gives Mike Maignan nightmares, and the guys off the bench (on Wednesday, it was Sami Chukwueze, Noah Okafor and Tammy Abraham) don't move the needle.

As for Dinamo, they exit with the same points as Manchester City. That's not nothing. They'll be cursing the 9-2 defeat to Bayern on Matchday 1 that left them with a putrid goal difference that ultimately condemned them. -- Gab Marcotti

Barcelona 2-2 Atalanta: Hansi Flick's entertainers finish second

BARCELONA, Spain -- Given Barcelona's recent struggles in the Champions League, they would have snapped your hand off if you had offered them second place at the start of the league phase. However, there was an air of disappointment as the competition's great entertainers this season failed to deliver a seventh straight European win.

In many ways, this 2-2 draw was Barça's Champions League campaign in a nutshell: capable of scoring at any moment, but also liable to concede. Lamine Yamal's 10th goal of the campaign was the perfect encapsulation of how good they are on the counter, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski combining to set up the 17-year-old. Ronald Araújo demonstrated they can also score from set plays, taking their goal tally in the competition to 28 -- six more than any other side.

Unfortunately, they also concede more than most, a weakness Atalanta exploited as they twice came from behind. Éderson's goal was a brilliant individual effort, but Mario Pašalić's equaliser was the result of sloppy defending. Barça have now conceded 13 goals in this season's competition, and of the teams left, only Feyenoord, Manchester City and Celtic have leaked more. Entertainment should be guaranteed in their last-16 tie.

Atalanta could yet join them there. They will be disappointed to drop out of the top eight on the final matchday, but they have shown they can clearly match Europe's best. -- Sam Marsden

Aston Villa 4-2 Celtic: Watkins stands out on a busy day of transfer talk

BIRMINGHAM, England -- Even if he hadn't scored the winner, Ollie Watkins was going to be featured prominently in Aston Villa's key Champions League match against Celtic on Wednesday.

In the end, it was his 60th-minute goal that helped Villa to a 4-2 victory and granted them a coveted spot in the top eight of the table, with an automatic path to the knockouts. On any other night, Morgan Rogers' hat trick would dominate the headlines, but Watkins' winner and brilliant performance came just a few hours after Villa rejected a bid from Arsenal for his services.

Beyond that, it was a wild night on the field at Villa Park: Rogers scored twice in the first five minutes to give Villa a 2-0 lead, only for Adam Idah to grab two in a minute to make it 2-2 at the break. It was a lot for Villa to process, and all that amid reports that Jhon Durán was edging closer to joining Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr as well. He remained on the bench, playing up to the cameras at half-time, but it was Watkins in the spotlight as he gave Villa the lead and then ballooned a penalty over the bar a couple of minutes later.

Rogers rounded things off late on, but this was always about securing the win for Villa. Their 4-2 triumph means they finish in the top eight of the standings and avoid the playoffs. That'll offer a welcome respite for a team hit badly by injuries, with Matty Cash limping off on Wednesday night, though this was Watkins and Rogers' match.

At full-time it was eerily quiet as they waited for news from elsewhere. Villa had done what they needed to do, and then after a couple of minutes came confirmation of Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Atalanta. A cheer broke out around Villa Park and Aston Villa, the music blared out, and Watkins and Rogers could plan for the knockout stages of the Champions League. -- Tom Hamilton

Brest 0-3 Real Madrid: Ancelotti's side advance, but still look vulnerable

Real Madrid's night lacked the tension felt elsewhere in Europe. A top-eight finish was always highly unlikely, and with a playoff place assured, all that was left was beating Brest, scoring as many goals as possible, and then seeing what the playoffs would bring.

Madrid's performance at the Stade de Roudourou was typical of the team this season, showcasing their wealth of attacking firepower -- even without the suspended Vinícius Júnior -- but also their somewhat unconvincing all-round game and a flimsy back line. If a team like Brest can force goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into making five saves -- two of them really impressive -- what might a better side, even an out-of-form Manchester City, do in the next round?

One of the positives was Rodrygo, who followed his brace against Salzburg last week with two more against Brest to make it 24 Champions League goals with Madrid. It was another demonstration that Rodrygo feels more comfortable -- and is most dangerous -- on the left, a position usually occupied by Vinícius.

Jude Bellingham scored too, while Kylian Mbappé had six shots without finding the net, but played a key part in Rodrygo's second goal, spinning away from the defender. At the other end, Madrid's defence is still a headache for manager Carlo Ancelotti, with Courtois' save from Kenny Lala was perhaps the moment of the night.

Madrid will go into the playoffs hoping their attacking strength outweighs their defensive weakness with a team that, for all its stars, still raises more questions than answers. -- Alex Kirkland

Lille, the surprise guests in the top 8

A Champions League top eight with the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal and other top European clubs is what you would expect. You could even make a case for Aston Villa. But a name you would not have bet on at the start of the competition is certainly Lille.

Bruno Génésio and his players concluded an almost perfect league phase with the demolition of Feyenoord. Seven goals scored and an unstoppable second half means that Les Dogues will watch the playoff round from their sofas, and deservedly so. They have been outstanding from start to finish. Even with some of their usual superstars (Jonathan David, Benjamin André, Edon Zhegrova and Hakon Arnar Haraldsson) not in the starting XI on Wednesday due to different reasons, they still showed their class.

After beating Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Bologna, and Sturm Graz, drawing with Juve, they added a stellar win against Feyenoord. Only Sporting -- under Ruben Amorim -- on the opening matchday and Liverpool at Anfield have managed to beat them.

Génésio became only the second manager with Jurgen Klopp to beat Jose Mourinho, Guardiola, Ancelotti and Diego Simeone in Europe in the history of the game. They will wait to see what their fate will be for the last-16 round but, for now, they will have a long party to celebrate their great achievement to make it into the top eight, against all odds. -- Julien Laurens

The Las Vegas Raiders are re-signing Patrick Graham to be their defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.

Graham has been with the franchise since 2022, when he was hired by then-coach Josh McDaniels and stayed on as part of Antonio Pierce's staff.

Graham's contract expired at the end of this season, and he interviewed twice for the Jaguars head coaching vacancy before they hired Liam Coen. Graham also interviewed for the Jacksonville defensive coordinator job.

The Raiders on Monday introduced new coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek in a news conference at the team facility that was attended by current players, including defensive end Maxx Crosby and left tackle Kolton Miller.

Carroll said at the time he was beginning to work on his coaching staff and that he would like to return at least some of the coaches "so we can have the benefit of the insights that they bring and the continuity that they can generate for us."

The Raiders finished 25th in scoring defense in 2024 but were beset by long-term injuries to their starters, including Crosby.

Prior to joining Las Vegas, Graham served as defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants.

The Raiders fired Pierce after going 4-13 in his first full season. Pierce was 5-4 as an interim coach in 2023 after replacing McDaniels.

Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn has made the first significant hire for his new coaching staff, agreeing to terms with Steve Wilks to become the defensive coordinator, league sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Wednesday.

Wilks, 55, was out of the NFL for the 2024 season after serving for one campaign as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator. He was fired in February 2024, a few days after the Niners' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

This is a key addition for Glenn, who said Monday at his introductory news conference he wasn't planning to call the defensive plays.

"I want to be the best head coach you can find," said Glenn, the Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2024. "In order for me to do that, I think I need to manage the game."

Glenn was attracted to Wilks, in part, because of his previous head-coaching experience. Wilks coached the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 but was fired after going 3-13. He also was the Carolina Panthers' interim coach in 2022. He can be a sounding board for Glenn, a first-time head coach.

Wilks and Glenn have no previous experience working together.

"I'm looking for the best coach," Glenn said Monday. "That's all I'm looking for. He's going to be compatible. And it doesn't have to be from somebody I had; it can be from across the league. When I go through the interview process, everything is on the table and the best coaches will be here."

Wilks inherits a unit that has finished in the top five in yards allowed for three straight years, but there will be significant turnover in personnel. Ten of the Jets' top 17 snap leaders are eligible for free agency, including cornerback D.J. Reed and middle linebacker Jamien Sherwood.

Wilks will replace Jeff Ulbrich, who served as the coordinator from 2021 to 2024 and was the Jets' interim head coach for the final 12 games of the 2024 season.

Wilks, who has extensive experience coaching the secondary, endured some uneven moments with the 49ers.

A unit that led the NFL in multiple categories in 2022 under DeMeco Ryans -- including fewest points per game allowed (16.3) and defensive expected points added (89.58) -- took a step back the following season.

San Francisco still finished third in points allowed (17.5) in 2023, but the 49ers were ninth in defensive EPA (41.48) and sprung significant leaks against the run in the playoffs.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan explained the decision to fire Wilks by saying, "It just ended up not being the right fit. And it hurt for me to do this, but that's exactly why I had to."

Wilks has 16 seasons of NFL coaching experience, with six different teams. He worked as a defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns in 2019.

Glenn is close to filling out other key positions on his staff, including a potential agreement with Chris Banjo to be his special teams coordinator, a source said. Banjo was the assistant special teams coach for the Denver Broncos in 2023 and 2024.

Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand is in talks with the Jets for their offensive coordinator position, a source said.

Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden has agreed to become New York's offensive line coach, according to reports.

Charlotte Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball will be reevaluated in one week after an MRI exam confirmed a left ankle sprain, the team announced Wednesday.

Ball suffered the injury in Monday night's 112-107 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. After making a 3-pointer off one foot, Ball backpedaled down the court then stepped on L.A. forward Jarred Vanderbilt's foot and fell backward, hitting his head hard on the floor. Ball got up, intentionally fouled to stop the clock then walked directly to the locker room under his own power with a slight limp.

Ball, 23, has had a history of ankle injuries since being drafted by the Hornets with the third pick in 2020. He has missed 158 games during his NBA career due to injury.

Ball has been wearing braces this season to help protect his ankles.

He is averaging a career-best 28.2 points per game, but Ball was not chosen an All-Star starter despite leading all Eastern Conference guards in voting.