Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - Real Madrid and Chelsea have drawn 1-1 in their European Champions League semi-final first leg tie in Madrid.

Real's Karim Benzema scored an acrobatic goal to cancel out an earlier strike from Chelsea's Christian Pulisic.

Chelsea made a bright start in heavy rain at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium and deservedly went ahead when U.S. forward Pulisic rounded Thibaut Courtois to score in the 14th minute.

Thirteen times European Cup winners Real looked ragged and short on ideas but pulled level in the 29th with a moment of true class from the talismanic Benzema, who controlled a knockdown on his chest before volleying into the roof of the net.

Chelsea looked the better side in the second half as well but could not break down Real again and then had to withstand some late pressure from the hosts, who visit Stamford Bridge in the second leg on May 5 looking to reach the final for a fifth time in eight years.

Paris Saint Germain and Manchester City meet in the other semi-final first leg tomorrow.

Ko says she'll go to Olympics

New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko says she plans to play the Tokyo Olympics this year.

The LPGA Tour heads to Asia for the next two weeks and Ko, the Olympic silver medalist along with reigning gold medalist Inbee Park of South Korea have both said they'll compete at the Olympics despite Japan's latest COVID-19 surge.

The Olympics golf tournament is scheduled for July 29-Aug. 1 at Kasumigaseki Country Club outside Tokyo.

Ko, who won her first event in three years at the Lotte Championship and enters this week ranked seventh in the world, says she's working on the Olympics going ahead.

"Obviously, there are lots of people who are still very worried but from an athlete's point of view, I just think it's great the Olympics is happening," Park said.

"We've been waiting for it for four years, and it has been five years now."

-Reuters

Kuggeleijn joins RCB

Black Caps bowler Scott Kuggeleijn has been named as Australian Kane Richardson's replacement in the Royal Challengers Bangalore team at the IPL.

Kuggeleijn, who has until now been a reserve player in the League, takes over from Richardson who decided to return home to Australia because of Covid-19 concerns.

He was a member of the Channai Super Kings in 2019.

29 year old Kuggeleijn has played 16 T20 internationals and two ODI's for New Zealand.

It means there are now 10 New Zealanders playing in the IPL.

This morning fellow Black Caps bowler Kyle Jamieson took a wicket as he helped RCB to a one run win over Delhi Capitals to go top of the IPL standings.

Curran avoids ban

The Warriors forward Josh Curran is available to play against North Queensland this weekend after having a careless high tackle charge downgraded.

Curran was hit with a grade-two charge for a shoulder charge on the Raiders' George Jennings, after he was sin-binned on the field for the contact with the head.

The charge meant Curran was facing a two week ban, but he was able to fight the charge and pleaed guilty to a grade one charge and was fined $1455.

It means he can play in Gosford on Sunday.

Jennings was concussed following the incident and has not passed the required concussion protocols meaning he won't be able to play against Cronulla this weekend.

BCCI will look after IPL players

India's cricket board, the BCCI, has told players it will ensure their safe return home once the ongoing Twenty20 tournament is completed, in a charm offensive as the Covid-19 pandemic grips the country.

Australia's Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson and Andrew Tye have cut short their IPL season and gone home, while India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has pulled out as the south Asian nation grapples with skyrocketing case numbers.

In a letter to players, BCCI interim CEO Hemang Amin assured players full support during and after the tournament, which is being played under biosecurity protocols and ends at the end of May.

The New Zealand Cricket Players Association says the ten players playing in the IPL will stay on in the competition with four of them then heading to England for the World Test Championship final in June.

-Reuters

Wimbledon goes to 14 days

The Wimbledon tennis Championships will become a 14-day tournament from 2022, with matches set to be played on Middle Sunday, traditionally a day off at the grasscourt Grand Slam.

The first Sunday of Wimbledon is normally a rest day, on which tournament organisers work to get the courts back into top shape for the latter rounds, resulting in a packed "Manic Monday" schedule.

"Thanks to improved grass court technology and maintenance over the past five years... we are comfortable that we are able to look after the courts, most particularly centre court, without a full day of rest," said AELTC chairman Ian Hewitt said.

Middle Sunday is also known as People's Sunday because, on some occasions in the past, tickets have been made available on general sale on that day when rain delays have resulted in matches being postponed.

-Reuters

Bayern sign Nagelsmann

Bayern Munich has signed RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann to take over from Hansi Flick next season on a five-year contract, bringing to Munich one of Europe's most sought after young managers.

The 33-year-old took the reins at second-placed RB Leipzig in 2019 and led them to the Champions League semi-finals last year. Flick is leaving Bayern at the end of the season of his own free will despite having a contract until 2023.

Nagelsmann's contract at Leipzig ran to 2023 and Bayern reportedly agreed to a payment that could exceed $33 million for his release, making his one of the most expensive club coach signings in Europe.

A lover of high-octane attacking football with aggressive pressing and quick transitions, Nagelsmann, the youngest ever Bundesliga coach when he took over at Hoffenheim five years ago, was long seen as a Bayern target. "Julian Nagelsmann represents a new generation of coaching," said Bayern president Herbert Hainer. "Despite his young age he has already had an impressive track record."

He will, however, have great expectations upon him after Flick won every title available in the 2019-20 season with a six-trophy run.

Flick, who took over in November 2019, may well leave with yet another Bundesliga crown that would extend Bayern's run to nine consecutive titles and further improve his impressive match-to-title ratio.

-Reuters

Big loss for Reds

Liverpool announced a pretax loss of $89 million for the year that ended last May, with the Covid-19 crisis hitting clubs hard in the final quarter in particular, the defending Premier League champions said.

The latest financial results, including a drop in revenue of $83 million to $946 million, follow a pretax profit of $81 million the previous year.

Media revenue dropped $114 million to $390 million due to the Premier League season extending outside of the reporting period, but that was partially offset by a $56 million increase in commercial revenue.

"It does ... begin to demonstrate the initial financial impact of the pandemic and the significant reductions in key revenue streams," Liverpool managing director Andy Hughes said in a statement.

"We were in a solid financial position prior to the pandemic and since this reporting period we have continued to manage our costs effectively and navigate our way through such an unprecedented period."

The club said eight new partnerships announced in the reporting period and an increase in kit sales after their Premier League success resulted in an increase in commercial revenue.

-Reuters