Firstpost Spodcast Episode 143: Tottenham and Real Madrid take advantage in Champions League, Shannon Gabriel's suspension and more

We start with Champions League news today. Real Madrid needed a late winner from Marco Asensio and VAR's debut in the Champions League to beat a spirited Ajax 2-1 in the first leg of the last-16 on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, defender Jan Vertonghen scored once and set up another goal for Son Heung-min as Tottenham Hotspur thumped Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday to give them the clear edge following the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.

Bundesliga leaders Dortmund, eliminated from the German Cup last week, were nowhere to be seen in the second half, with speedy teenager Jadon Sancho given no space to operate after the break. The return leg is on 5 March.

Paris Saint Germain manager Thomas Tuchel said that the team's forward Angel Di Maria was spurred on by the hostile crowd at Manchester United on Tuesday.

Di Maria played a part in both PSG goals in that 2-0 win. The 30-year-old was booed by fans and had a beer bottle thrown in his direction during the Champions League last 16 contest. Di Maria was United's record signing in 2014 when he was acquired for 59.7 million pounds but had an underwhelming debut season under Louis Van Gaal. That mediocre performance led to the Argentine's transfer to PSG just a year later.

Hockey news now. Former India captain N Mukesh Kumar and his brother are in legal trouble for allegedly obtaining fake Scheduled Caste certificates and securing jobs in Indian Airlines.

Acting on a complaint by a local tahasildar in Hyderabad, an FIR had been registered under the Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) against Kumar and his brother Suresh Kumar, Bowenpally Police Station Inspector D Rajesh told PTI.

Delhi U-23 cricketer Anuj Dedha, who had assaulted former India pacer and Delhi selector Amit Bhandari, was banned for life by the DDCA yesterday.

Dedha was one 50 Delhi probables for the National U-23 one day meet. After being rejected for the state U-23 team, Dedha brought some hired goons and attacked Bhandari, the senior and U-23 selection committee chairman, on Monday during a practice game of the senior team. Bhandari had to be rushed to the hospital with multiple injuries on his forehead, ear and leg. Dedha is currently under police custody.

West Indian bowler Shannon Gabriel has been suspended by the ICC for the first four ODIs of the upcoming five-match series against England. The suspension comes after his total demerit points reached eight within a 24-month period.

His latest indiscretion, a scrap with Joe Root, saw him receive a 75% fine and three demerit points.

Gafur Rakhimov, head of the International Boxing Association or AIBA, said he "understands" the International Olympic Committee's concerns over the troubled AIBA which has led to a freeze on the sport's preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The AIBA president, a prominent Uzbek businessman, blame his predecessor Wu Ching-Kuo for the "extremely serious" situation. Rakhimov said, "The former leadership of AIBA left our organisation in a complete mess, not only financially but also in terms of governance, anti-doping and refereeing." He went on to claim that under his leadership the AIBA had "improved dramatically on all fronts". He said, "IBA members and boxers from around the world should be proud of this… (AIBA) is healthy now and in better shape than ever before."