swedish hero ibrahimovic is back in the national side, at the age of 39.elcome to sportsday. we start the programme at the cheltenham festival. one of the blue riband events of the jump racing season, but with a difference this year. no famous cheltenham roar with the festival taking place behind closed doors. and what a day of racing the crowds would have enjoyed, as our senior sports news correspondent laura scott can tell us. laura. the sun was shining all afternoon _ laura. the sun was shining all afternoon at _ laura. the sun was shining all afternoon at cheltenham - laura. the sun was shining all afternoon at cheltenham andl laura. the sun was shining all. afternoon at cheltenham and you laura. the sun was shining all- afternoon at cheltenham and you get the sense that with the performances we have seen on the track and the weather, it would been one of those days the fans really would have savoured but they are not here, the festival being held behind closed doors for the first time in its history perhaps in sharp contrast to date one of last years

and zlatan ibrahimovic has trained with sweden's national team for the first time since coming out of and former manchester united striker last featured for his country in 2016. sweden face georgia in a world cup qualifier on thursday. the focus may be on tokyo and the delayed summer olympics this year, but we are only 11 months away from the start of the winter games in beijing. great britain has had a fantastic return from the last two, bringing back ten medals from sochi and pyongchang, and kirsty muir is looking to do her bit next february. the 16—year—old hasjust won herfirst world cup medal, slopestyle silver in aspen over the weekend, and i spoke to her earlier. i was really happy to come away with a world cup metal. going into the competition, i didn't have any expectations. i was having so much fun in america, skiing. ijust went in, had a great time, and came out witha in, had a great time, and came out with a metal. so i was really happy with a metal. so i was really happy with how i skied to. with a metal. so i was really happy with howl skied to.— with howl skied to. going

the italian's minus the injured zlatan ibrahimovic saw united go in front at old trafford through a wellthe club. but in the second minute of stoppage time the visitors picked up a vital away goal, the second leg will be at the san siro next thursday. a goal in each half from harry kane was enough for tottenham to secure a 2—0 win at home to dinamo zagreb, his first a gift. the england skipper grabbing a second with 20 minutes remaining to hand jose mourinho's side a cushion for the second leg in croatia. arsenal let slip an advantage but two goals in the final quarter of an hour including this mohammad elneny thunderbolt secured a 3—1 win over 0lympiacos in greece. rangers had to come from behind to earn a draw at slavia prague. nicolai stanciu smashed home the opening goal for the czech side with just six minutes gone. it took half an hour for the new scottish champions to draw level through filip helander picking up an away goal ahead of the return leg at ibrox. manchester city have joined chelsea in the quarter finals of the women's champions league after thrashing fiorentina 5—0, fo

zlatan ibrahimovic is calling his return to international football for the first time in five years,the return of the god two that 39-year-old stryker place for milan and has been included in sweden's squad for two upcoming world cup qualifiers. he scored 62 goals for 116 games in sweden. if he plays, he will become the national team's oldest player -- as well as a god. . after a short break, i will be back to take you through the day. . stick around. we will be right back. >> it is 9:00 p.m. in paris. these are the headlines. europe's medicines watchdog says it will release the findings into reports of severe side effects from the astrazeneca vaccine. that report will, later this week. for decades is the start of the syrian conflict we take you to meet some of the millions of people who have been displaced and who have started over in a new country. an archaeologist and israel discovered dozens of fragments of biblical text in a cave. they are thought to be 2000 years old. ♪

at 39—years—old zlatan ibrahimovic has been called up to the swedish national team, five years after2 goals in 116 for his country before quitting after the team's exit from euro 2016 at the group stage. but his form for ac milan in italy moved opened the door for his return, the striker responding to the news from the swedish fa on social media by saying the return of the god. england's women will play two friendies next month, to be shown live on bbc four. they'll face the world's third—ranked side france in caen on the 9th, before taking on canada four days later at stoke city's bet365 stadium. the lionesses have played only once in the past 12 months a 6—0 win over northern ireland, in hege riise's first match in charge. badminton player gabby adcock has been forced to miss the up—coming all—england championships because she's suffering from long covid. she fell ill at christmas but described the effects as "horrendous". she and her husband chris have won two commonweath gold and european championship titles and they're missing what is a big event in the build—up to the tokyo oly

zlatan ibrahimovic was the player finding that goodbye is the hardest thing to do at times, as he recountedtry since 2016 and returns for the upcoming world cup qualifiers. the second stage of the volta a catalunya heads out later in an individual time trial. andreas kron, the young dane, surprised the field by claiming his first senior win on monday ahead of the likes of chris froome and richard carapaz. kron was part of a small group of riders who broke away from the peloton with around ten kilometres to go in the stage in the mountains above calella, and managed to pip his rivals in the final sprint across the line. the lotto—soudal rider is four seconds ahead of lewis sanchez in the general classification. you can get all the latest on our website of course, but from me, and the rest of the team, that is your sports news for now. let's ta ke let's take you back to the 60s, and the beach boys singing about surfing usa, but they would never imagine how one surfer has taken the sport to another level. we report on california surfing with a twist. looking for a new hobby over lockdown? well

the italians, minus the injured zlatan ibrahimovic, saw united go in front at old trafford through anute of stoppage time, the visitors picked up a vital away goal. the second leg will be at the san siro next thursday. of course we know we have to travel down there and score a goal and win the game so, or score two and draw so of course it makes it more difficult, always when you conceded home you never happy when you do. of course one minute before full—time it is also a disappointing time but we have to take that on the chin. and just travel down there next week and go for it. two late goals including a mohamed elneny thunderbolt from outside the box gave arsenal a 3—1win over 0lympiacos, while tottenham saw harry kane score both in their 2—0 home win over dinamo zagreb. manchester city are through to the quarter—finals of the women's champions league after thrashing fiorentina 5—0 for an 8—0 aggregate victory. england striker ellen white, who was captain for the game, struck twice in the first half in italy. caroline weir added one from the penalty spot and sam mewis scored twice

the italians, minus the injured zlatan ibrahimovic, saw united go in front at old trafford through a from harry kane was enough for tottenham to secure a 2—0 win at home to dinamo zagreb, his first a gift. the england skipper grabbing a second with 20 minutes remaining to hand jose mourinho's side a cushion for the second leg in croatia. arsenal let slip an advantage, but two goals in the final quarter of an hour, including this mohammad elneny thunderbolt, secured a 3—1 win over olympiacos in greece. rangers had to come from behind to earn a draw at slavia prague. nicolai stanciu smashed home the opening goal for the czech side with just six minutes gone. it took half an hour for the new scottish champions to draw level, though. filip helander picking up an away goal ahead of the return leg at ibrox. manchester city have joined chelsea in the quarterfinals of the women's champions league after thrashing fiorentina 5—0, for an 8—0 aggregate victory. england striker ellen white, who was captain for the game, struck twice in the first half in italy. caroline weir added one from the pen

the italian's minus the injured zlatan ibrahimovic saw united go in front at old trafford through a wellstoppage time the visitors picked up a vital away goal, the second leg will be at the san siro next thursday. rangers had to come from behind to earn a draw at slavia prague. nicolai stan—choo smashed home the opening goal for the czech side with just six minutes gone. it took half an hour for the new scottish champions to draw level through filip helander picking up a vital away goal ahead of the return leg at ibrox. four matches currently taking place. tottenham v dinamo zagreb. all the latest via the bbc sport website and on the app. manchester city have joined chelsea in the quarter finals of the women's champions league after thrashing fiorentina 5—0, for an 8—0 aggregate victory. england striker ellen white, who was captain for the game, struck twice in the first half in italy. caroline weir added one from the penalty spot and sam mewis scored twice in the second half to complete the win. the draws for the quarter and semifinals will be held in switzerland tomorrow. former master

at 39 years old, zlatan ibrahimovic is returning to the swedish manchester united women are set to playb. casey stoney�*s side will take advantage of a gap in the schedule at old trafford with the match moved from the leigh sports village. stoney called it a fantastic opportunity to showcase the women's game and a special moment in the history of her team. england pot segment and will play to friendly�*s next month to be shown live on bbc four, they will be against france before taking on canada four days later. the lionesses have played only once in the past 12 months, a 6—0 win over northern ireland with their new manager's first match in charge. we'll have more for you in sportsday at half past six. plenty more to come at half past six. thank you very much indeed. the vaccine at... several countries have suspended the roll—out of the job because of a small number of cases of blood clots which were reported after it was administered. the ema says it has seen no evidence that the vaccine does cause blood clots but it's experts are still reviewing the vaccine and their findings will be

at 39 years old, zlatan ibrahimovic has been called up to the swedish national team five years afteres and they�*re missing what is a big event in the build—up to the tokyo olympics. the bottom line is, i wasn�*t and am not ready to compete yet, and i don�*tjust want to not ready to compete yet, and i don�*t just want to step not ready to compete yet, and i don�*tjust want to step on court when i and not conditioned to win, and that is what i want, going into and that is what i want, going into a tournament, knowing that i can win. you just have to be patient with this virus. but i am just really grateful that i feel my health is definitely on the way up. british number one dan evans has been knocked out in the second round of the dubai championships. he lost in three sets to rising star aslan karatsev. evans is ranked 28th in the world, that�*s 14 places higher than the russian, who was a surprise semi—finalist at last month�*s australian open. that�*s all the sport for now. i�*ll have more for you in the next hour. exactly a year ago today, the pandemic forced theatres to bring dow

you know, another international star, ibrahimovic, looking at his background, you would be surprisedg out because this is the same soccer star who years ago talked about how much he loved muhammad ali and in the past, he's talked about what it meant for his family when his parents immigrated to sweden and the racism that they faced there being that they were bosnian and croatian. so i didn't understand why he thought that this criticism was appropriate when he himself had faced a lot of struggles and challenges and grew up in a way that there are some commonalities between him and lebron james. but lebron continues, much like a lot of black athletes in the tradition of speaking out, he continues to, unfortunately, invite a lot of criticism, not that it's his fault, but people generally have a problem, as we have seen throughout our american history, of when black athletes begin to speak up for themselves, speak out against their conditions and the conditions that are faced by their people. people don't want to hear it because of where it's coming from because these are issues that th