WOLVERHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM (AFP) – Leeds staged a dramatic fightback from two goals down to beat 10-man Wolves 3-2 as Luke Ayling’s last-gasp strike improved their prospects of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

Jesse Marsch’s side were in deep trouble when Jonny and Francisco Trincao netted to put Wolves in control by half-time at Molineux.

But Wolves striker Raul Jimenez was sent off for crunching into Leeds keeper Illan Meslier early in the second half.

Leeds made the most of that lucky break as Jack Harrison and Rodrigo netted to draw them level before Ayling won it in stoppage-time.

It was a second successive late victory for Leeds who are now seven points clear of the relegation zone, with third bottom Watford holding a game in hand.

The Yorkshire club aren’t safe yet, but former Leipzig boss Marsch has given them hope since replacing Marcelo Bielsa in February.

They showed their fighting spirit not only in the comeback but also after losing four players in injuries.

Wolves suffered a major setback themselves early on when midfielder Ruben Neves was forced off.

But Leeds were bitten by the injury bug moments later as Patrick Bamford went down, ending just his fourth appearance since September.

There was worse to come for Leeds as Wolves took the lead in the 26th minute as Jonny met Trincao’s cross with a clinical finish from 12 yards.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Leeds also saw Diego Llorente limp off injured, with team-mate Mateusz Klich forced from the game with a concussion before half-time.

Wolves scented blood and Bruno Lage’s team struck again 11 minutes into first half stoppage-time.

They caught Leeds out with a quick free-kick and Daniel Podence cut his pass back to Trincao, who drove a low strike past Meslier from the edge of the area. Leeds sustained yet another serious injury in the 53rd minute when Meslier sprinted out of his area to challenge Jimenez, causing a collision that left both players writing in agony.

Meslier was unable to continue, with Leeds allowed a fourth substitute due to the concussion rule.

But Jimenez followed Meslier down the tunnel after being dismissed for his aggressive tackle in what proved the game’s turning point.

Leeds made the most of their numerical superiority to reduce the deficit in the 64th minute.

Ayling hit the post and then saw his follow-up cleared off the line by Conor Coady, but Harrison pounced on the rebound to slot home.

Wolves’ defence was creaking and just three minutes later Rodrigo made them pay, the forward poking in the equaliser after Dan James hit the woodwork.

Leeds completed their astonishing comeback in stoppage-time when Wolves failed to clear a free-kick and Ayling lashed in to spark wild celebrations.

MADRID (AFP) – Real Madrid will be underdogs in the Champions League quarter-finals and Barcelona will not be there at all, the draw on Friday setting the context for a Clasico of two giants desperately seeking a return to the elite.

Despite their momentous comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, Madrid are still rated fifth favourites in the Champions League this season and were widely considered a good draw for Chelsea, who outplayed them to reach the final last year.

Barca, meanwhile, had to wait another hour to find out their fate in the Europa League, where their chief threats are no longer the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester City but Leipzig, Atalanta and West Ham.

Certainly, Barcelona’s decline has been far more severe but Real Madrid have deteriorated too, a series of underwhelming transfer windows and cautious coaching appointments contributing to an iconic team being allowed to grow old and increasingly stale.

And yet both head to the Santiago Bernabeu today (Monday 4am, Brunei time) with hope that a new era may be about to begin.

For Madrid, the greatest optimism comes from the expected arrival of Kylian Mbappe who, in one move, would fast-track them from one generation to the next, the kind of statement signing that could define the club for a decade and force the rest of the team to catch up.

Questions still linger about how Madrid replace the likes of Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos and there is a debate around Carlo Ancelotti. A more progressive coach might be better placed to compete with the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Barcelona have already taken that bold step by hiring Xavi Hernandez, a risky but needed appointment that has so far paid off.

If Madrid’s enthusiasm is rooted in a super-star signing, Barca’s stems from a forward-thinking coach overseeing the emergence of a hugely exciting crop of youngsters.

Pedri, Ansu Fati, Gavi, Nico Gonzalez and Ronald Araujo could form an impressive core for years to come, with recent performances giving Barca belief they can land a statement victory over Madrid this weekend, at least psychologically, given it will have little bearing on the title race.

A win would also lend evidence to the theory Barcelona are ready to challenge in La Liga next season, even if Europe’s most powerful clubs might still be further off. The reason for that is Barca’s financial woes are far from over.

In fact, La Liga’s latest spending restrictions published last Monday had the Catalans’ limit reduced from EUR98 million (USD107 million) to -EUR144 million (-USD159 million), which puts into perspective suggestions from the club’s president Joan Laporta that they might sign Erling Haaland.

Real Madrid’s limit, in stark contrast, was EUR739 million (USD818 million) and they believe they can sign both Mbappe and Haaland this summer.

It was perhaps no coincidence then that Barcelona swiftly announced a deal to make Spotify their main sponsor from, which it is believed will earn them almost EUR300 million over the next four years.

Negotiations also continue with CVC, the capital investment fund that has struck a 50-year agreement with La Liga for eight per cent of television income in exchange for an injection of just under EUR2 billion.

Barca are trying to arrange their own bespoke deal that would see them take EUR300 million and, crucially, be able to register the cash as income instead of debt.

There is also the club’s wage bill, which stood at 103 per cent of income back in August.

Laporta said last month the club has shed EUR159 million from player salaries but that process will have to carry on this summer.