While You Were Asleep: Liverpool stay in hunt for Champions League spot, Empoli seal top-flight in Serie A, Marcelo Bielsa to coach Uruguay

For Liverpool, a seventh straight victory in an impressive end-of-season rally secured at least a spot in the Europa League and moved the fifth-placed team a point behind both Newcastle and Manchester United in the race for the final two Champions League qualification positions, behind Manchester City and Arsenal.

“I don’t think it’s likely but if they slip, we have to be there,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. “Will they slip? I don’t know. Will we win both games? I don’t know.”

Leicester are in next-to-last place and two points from safety with two games remaining. They are at third-placed Newcastle, for one of the most daunting away games in the league, and at home to West Ham.

Leicester has won just one of its last 14 league games and has conceded eight goals in its last two, after the 5-3 loss at Fulham last week.

Empoli stay alive

Empoli scored late to draw at Sampdoria 1-1 in Serie A on Monday and virtually seal another season in the top-flight.

Substitute Roberto Piccoli found the target three minutes into stoppage time.

Alessandro Zanoli put Sampdoria ahead in the 34th after being set up Fabio Quagliarella.

Empoli moved nine points above the drop zone with three matches to play.

Sampdoria, which was already assured of being relegated, remained in last place.

Biesla to coach Uruguay

Marcelo Bielsa was confirmed as the new Uruguay coach on Monday to the end of the 2026 World Cup. Uruguay went out of the group stage at the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Bielsa’s first matches are likely in June, when Uruguay is scheduled to play friendlies against Nicaragua and Cuba. South American World Cup qualifying will begin in September.

Bielsa coached Argentina from 1998-2004. His team was eliminated at the group stage of the 2002 World Cup and won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He left the job for personal reasons.

Bielsa also coached Chile from 2007-11.

He’s also had spells at Españyol, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille. He has been out of a job since February 2022 when he was fired by Leeds.