Daily Briefing

Today’s back pages: Bayern Munich and Gnabry cause a ‘power Serge’ at Stamford Bridge

A round-up of the sport headlines from UK newspapers on 26 February

by The Week team

26 Feb 2020

Super Serge

The remarkable exploits of Serge Gnabry dominates the back pages with The Guardian’s “power Serge” headline encapsulating the gushing praise for the brilliant Bayern Munich marksman.

‘Poor and outclassed’: Lampard reacts as Chelsea are crushed by Bayern Munich

Having scored four goals in their 7-2 win against Tottenham in October, the 24-year-old added two more against Chelsea as the Germans ran out 3-0 winners in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Stamford Bridge.

“Serge and destroy” is splashed across the back of the Daily Mirror with the paper claiming that Bayern’s victory “all but knocks out Chelsea” from the competition. The Sun’s “Smash ’N Gnab 2” headline is a nod to Gnabry’s feats against Tottenham.

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Murray sidelined?

The Guardian, The Times and the Daily Mirror have some worrying news about Andy Murray, who is struggling to be fit for this summer.

“Fear” is the word used by the Mirror and The Times, both of whom claim that the 32-year-old British tennis star may be required to go under the surgeon’s knife once more.

According to the Times, the three-time grand-slam champion “will discover in the next few weeks whether he requires more surgery on his right hip that could rule him out of Wimbledon this summer”.

The Guardian says that Murray, who has not played since November, is still eager to carry on playing at the top level but the paper quotes the Scot saying: “I have become quite pessimistic about time frames.”

Stokes honoured

The Daily Mirror carries a photograph on its back page of England cricket star Ben Stokes receiving his OBE from the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace.

Jos Buttler was also there to collect an MBE from Prince William in recognition of what England achieved last year in winning the Cricket World Cup for the first time.

According to the Mirror, “Big Ben” declared: “This gong is for the whole team.”

The decoration caps a remarkable transformation for the 28-year-old Stokes, who two years ago was cleared of affray in a high-profile court case after a brawl in Bristol.