Final eight singles lineup confirmed for WTA Finals in Riyadh

LISBON: Portuguese club Benfica are set to name Jose Mourinho as their manager following the sacking of Bruno Lage in the aftermath of their 3-2 Champions League defeat by Qarabag, Portuguese TV station RTP reported on Wednesday.

Benfica said in a statement on Wednesday they had reached an agreement to part ways with Lage following their shock loss to the Azerbaijani side.

Former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan manager Mourinho left Turkish club Fenerbahce in August, two days after his side crashed out of the Champions League playoffs to Benfica.

Benfica did not immediately respond to an emailed request seeking confirmation of Mourinho’s appointment.

A move to Benfica would bring Mourinho’s remarkable career full circle, with the 62-year-old having begun his managerial career at the club before moving to rivals FC Porto and guiding them to Champions League glory in 2004.

From Porto he moved to Chelsea, famously describing himself as “the Special One” in a press conference to announce his arrival in the Premier League.

He won the Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 in his first spell with Chelsea, before adding a third crown in the 2014-15 season during his second stint at the club.

He joined Inter in 2008 and won the Champions League in 2010 to complete an unprecedented treble with the Serie A side.

The Portuguese coach, who also won trophies at Real Madrid, AS Roma and Manchester United, will be tasked with returning Benfica to the summit of Portuguese football.

The Lisbon-based club have finished second in the last two seasons of the Primeira Liga behind city rivals Sporting CP.

They are sixth with 10 points from four matches and next travel to face AVS Futebol SAD in the league on Saturday.

If appointed, Mourinho would cross paths with two of his former clubs in the Champions League group stage, with Benfica set to face Chelsea on September 30 and Real Madrid in January.

LONDON: Kylian Mbappe converted two penalties and 10-man Real Madrid came back to beat visiting Marseille 2-1 on Tuesday on the opening night of the Champions League.

The victory meant that 15-time champion Madrid became the first team in competition history — since the rebranding in the early 1990s — to reach 200 wins.

And it gave former Madrid playing standout Xabi Alonso a victory in his Champions League debut as the club’s coach.

Timothy Weah put visiting Marseille ahead early on but Mbappe struck back from the penalty spot in the 29th and 81st.

The first penalty came after a foul on Rodrygo and the second for a handball by a defender.

Mbappe now has 50 goals in 64 matches with Madrid.

“We are happy that he keeps scoring goals and has been feeling more and more comfortable,” Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said of the France star. “Our job is to make sure the ball gets to him and that he can have even more scoring opportunities than he is having now.”

Madrid captain Dani Carvajal was sent off in the 72nd for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

Weah — a US international and the son of former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah — was set up by Mason Greenwood, who stripped Madrid’s Arda Guler near midfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Champions League debut for Madrid lasted only five minutes. The England defender was replaced by Carvajal because of an apparent muscle injury.

Spanish police clashed with Marseille fans before the match but the situation was controlled quickly.

An early own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over visiting Villarreal.

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus drew 4-4 in Turin. Juventus substitute Dusan Vlahovic scored one goal in stoppage time and then set up the equalizer for English defender Lloyd Kelly.

Qarabag came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Benfica.

In the second season of the new league-phase format, the top eight teams advance to the round of 16. The next 16 teams enter a two-leg playoff, with eight advancing.

Arsenal subs decisive

Viktor Gyokeres was off target in his Champions League debut for Arsenal.

The London club’s substitutes were decisive, though, in a 2-0 win for the Gunners at Athletic Bilbao.

Gabriel Martinelli scored less than a minute after he came on and Leandro Trossard — who had replaced Gyokeres — doubled the lead 15 minutes later.

Gyokeres — Arsenal’s prized signing who scored six Champions League goals for Sporting Lisbon last season — missed a golden chance shortly after the break. The Sweden international evaded his marker with ease and rose to meet a well-placed free kick from Declan Rice but his header went well wide of the target.

Martinelli and Trossard also provided the assists on each other’s goals.

Union’s memorable debut

Competition newcomer Union Saint-Gilloise made a memorable debut, as the Belgian club won 3-1 across the border at PSV Eindhoven.

The first goal of this season’s competition was a penalty kick converted by Canada international Promise David.

The penalty was awarded when United States international Ricardo Pepi harshly landed his boot into the leg of Union’s English center back Christian Burgess.

Goalkeeper Matej Kovar then went the wrong way on the spot kick in the ninth minute.

Another error by Pepi led to Union’s second before the break, a dribbling exhibition and expert finish by Anouar Ait El Hadj.

Union, which qualified by winning the Belgian league for the first time in 90 years, is one of four clubs making their competition debuts this season. The others are Bodø/Glimt (from Norway), Kairat (Kazakhstan) and Pafos (Cyprus).

Argentine defender Kevin Mac Allister, who is named for Macaulay Culkin’s character in “Home Alone,” made it 3-0 from close range in the 81st.

Ruben van Bommel — the son of former Netherlands standout Mark van Bommel — scored for PSV in the 90th.

PSV had gone unbeaten in its previous 11 group or league matches in UEFA competition.