Sport

Real Madrid Claim 15th Champions League Crown

By Web News 517

*For Ancelotti, it is fifth win as coach

Real Madrid rode their luck and overcame an outstanding challenge from Borussia Dortmund to win the Champions League at Wembley.

Carlo Ancelotti wrote more history with his fifth win as coach in the competition, while Real claimed the crown for the 15th time in trademark fashion as they survived a torrid first half and several missed opportunities from Dortmund before coming out on top.

Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi missed two first-half chances and striker Niclas Fullkrug hit the post, with recalled Real keeper Thibaut Courtois also providing a formidable barrier.

Real, inevitably, raised the stakes, with Dani Carvajal glancing home a header from a corner 16 minutes from time before Vinicius Jr raced clear on to Jude Bellingham’s pass to add a second nine minutes later.

It crowned a glorious first season at Real for England’s Bellingham, but it was a night of disappointment for compatriot Jadon Sancho, who is on loan to Dortmund from Manchester United.

Real Madrid’s late surge to claim another victory in Europe’s elite tournament carried an air of inevitability as they proved they are a ruthless winning machine when it comes to the Champions League.

As they have done previously in the competition this season, and in seasons before, Real stumbled along in the first half as they were pinned back by the intensity of Borussia Dortmund’s approach.

Real barely put together an attack worthy of the name while hanging on by the skin of their teeth at the other end, with Dortmund creating chances but crucially wasting them.

When that happens, as Liverpool and others have found before them in Champions League finals, there is normally only one outcome.

Match-winner Vinicius Jr was surrounded after the victory

And so it proved as Real, with keeper Courtois fully justifying Ancelotti’s decision to pick him ahead of Andriy Lunin, picked up a head of steam to strike those two late blows to the heart of brave Borussia.

Many will wonder quite how Real Madrid do it when they seem out of sorts so often. But muscle memory kicks in with these great players, as the departing Toni Kroos, Carvajal, Nacho and late substitute Luka Modric claimed Champions League winners’ medals for the sixth time.

As for the peerless Ancelotti, as impassive as ever, he continued his incredible record at the helm of this great club.

It was a quiet night for Bellingam, who missed a big chance before setting up Vinicius Jr for the second. But what a campaign he has had since joining Real from Dortmund.

England will hope this sets up their young superstar perfectly for Euro 2024.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Sport

Barcelona Clinch Women’s Champions League Title

By Web News 614

Barcelona won a second Women’s Champions League title after coming from behind in stunning fashion to beat German giants Wolfsburg.

The Spanish champions trailed 2-0 at half-time before Patri Guijarro’s two-minute brace pulled them level.

Spurred on by their instant response in the second half, Barcelona piled on the pressure and were eventually rewarded.

Fridolina Rolfo got the winner, thumping it into the roof of the net from close range with 20 minutes left.

After losing their crown to Lyon in last year’s final, Barcelona travelled to Eindhoven as favourites against a very strong Wolfsburg side, who were seeking a third European trophy in 10 years.

Wolfsburg got off to the perfect start when competition top scorer Ewa Pajor robbed the ball off England defender Lucy Bronze, returning after knee surgery in April, to drive in the opener.

Germany international Alexandra Popp was then set-up by Pajor with a teasing cross – the striker making no mistake as she headed in Wolfsburg’s second.

Barcelona had lacked fluency and patience in the first half but it was no surprise they bounced back, displaying the quality of football that helped them reach a fourth final in five seasons.

Among Barcelona’s winners was England midfielder Keira Walsh, who picked up her first European title, while Bronze became the first English woman to win the trophy with two different clubs after winning it on three consecutive occasions with former club Lyon between 2018 and 2020.

Bronze creates history as Walsh tastes success

Bronze became a serial winner of this competition while at Lyon, picking up the last of her titles going into this final when they beat Wolfsburg in 2020.

She knew she could create history by winning a fourth crown with a second club but it was a disaster start when she lost possession to Pajor and was punished by her ruthlessness.

It continued to be a tough first half for Bronze. She had her hands full with Pajor and was not able to get forward as much as she liked.

As the game wore on, Barcelona’s quality pulled through with superstars Caroline Graham Hansen and Aitana Bonmati showing individual skill on the right to set-up Guijarro twice in as many minutes.

Walsh was marked out for most of the game and had little impact before she was substituted late on after Maria Caldentey poked it into Rolfo’s path for Barcelona’s third.

But it was an unforgettable evening for the former Manchester City player, winning her first European title in her debut season for Barcelona after leaving childhood club last summer for a world-record transfer fee.

It caps off a stunning year for English duo Bronze and Walsh, who played a key role in the Lionesses’ success at Euro 2022 and add this trophy to the Spanish league title they secured a few weeks ago.

Popp equals record but can’t secure win

It was a pitch packed full of world-class talent, one of those being Germany striker Popp. She did not fail to deliver.

The 32-year-old was chasing a fourth title to add the trophy she won with Duisburg in 2009 and the two she had already won with Wolfsburg.

She scored the opening goal the last time Wolfsburg won the Champions League in 2014 and she was deadly in the box this time around when she headed in Pajor’s teasing cross to make it 2-0.

That goal meant she equalled former Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg’s competition record of scoring in four separate finals.

Against different opposition, that goal may have given Wolfsburg a comfortable cushion at half-time, but Wolfsburg were blown away by Barcelona’s quality after the break.

Such was the strength of their opponent’s depth, they were able to bring on exciting Brazilian forward Geyse and Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, still returning to full fitness following recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

But despite ending up on the losing side, Popp’s form in her 11th season with Wolfsburg has been excellent and she will hope that continues at the World Cup which kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on 20 July.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp

Sport

UCL Defeat Fallout: Chelsea Sack Thomas Tuchel

By Web News 542

Chelsea have sacked manager Thomas Tuchel following Tuesday night’s Champions League defeat by Dinamo Zagreb.

The 49-year-old former Borussia Dortmund and Paris St-Germain boss leaves Stamford Bridge after 20 months.

Owner Todd Boehly has placed Tuchel’s coaching staff in temporary charge until a replacement is found.

A club statement said the owners believe it is “the right time” to bring in a new head coach.

“As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition,” the statement read.

“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the club. Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea’s history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here.”

Tuchel was appointed on 26 January, 2021, replacing Frank Lampard, and guided the club to their second Champions League title just four months later.

He went on to add the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup later that year.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Sport

Real Madrid Wins Champions League

By Web News 541

Liverpool’s bid to claim the Champions League trophy for the seventh time ended in disappointment as Vinicius Jr’s second-half winner gave Real Madrid victory in Paris. Jurgen Klopp’s side ran into a one-man wall of defiance as Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced one of the great individual performances to thwart Liverpool time and again.

Mohamed Salah, seeking revenge for his early departure through injury in the 2018 final against Real, was denied three times by Courtois who was simply unbeatable.

The victory also sees Carlo Ancelotti make history by becoming the first coach to win a fourth Champions League title.

Real were always a threat and the decisive moment came after 59 minutes when Vinicius stole in unmarked at the far post to score.

This was also a final marred by chaotic scenes outside Stade de France with thousands of Liverpool fans, some targeted with pepper spray by French police, unable to get into the stadium, forcing the kick-off to be delayed by more than 30 minutes.

ThisDay/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Sport

Champions League: Liverpool beat Villarreal

By Web News 509

Liverpool are on the brink of a third Champions League final in five seasons after breaking Villarreal’s resistance to win the first leg of their semi-final 2-0 at Anfield on Wednesday.

Two goals in two minutes neutralized Villarreal boss Unai Emery’s defensive game plan as Pervis Estupinan deflected Jordan Henderson’s cross into his own net before Sadio Mane slotted in a second.

The Reds remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple of Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup, barring a huge upset when the sides meet again in southern Spain in six days’ time, Liverpool’s season will finish in Paris on May 28.
The population of Villarreal would fit inside Anfield but the 3,000 travelling support did their best to match the noise of the home support early on.

In stark contrast to the free-flowing thrills of Manchester City’s 4-3 win over Real Madrid in the other semi-final on Tuesday, Emery’s men followed the same tactic that saw them past Juventus and Bayern Munich by retreating behind the ball.

However, the Yellow Submarine could barely lay a glove on Jurgen Klopp’s men as Liverpool just had to bide their time to make their dominance count.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

Sport

Man City Beat Real Madrid in 7 Goals Thriller

By Web News 593

Manchester City will take a slender Champions League semi-final advantage to the Bernabeu after winning a seven-goal first-leg classic against Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium.
City delivered a magnificent display as they peppered Real’s goal for long periods but Carlo Ancelotti’s side kept rising off the canvas to somehow keep themselves in serious contention to reach another final.
Kevin de Bruyne set the tone for a magical night of football with a diving header from Riyad Mahrez’s cross in the second minute and in-form Gabriel Jesus quickly added a second from close range as Real reeled under wave after wave of attacks.
Mahrez enraged manager Pep Guardiola when he hit the side-netting instead of finding the unmarked Phil Foden, who shot inches wide before Karim Benzema, inevitably, gave Real a lifeline by sweeping home Ferland Mendy’s cross after 33 minutes.
The Spanish side escaped again shortly after the break when Mahrez struck the post but City restored their two-goal advantage when an unmarked Foden headed home Fernandinho’s cross in the 53rd minute.
City were pegged back again when Vinicius Junior dummied past Fernandinho and ran from inside his own half to score a superb second for Real.
However, a brilliant use of advantage from referee Istvan Kovacs allowed Bernardo Silva to fire into the top-left corner for City’s fourth.
There was still no let-up and Benzema capped a spectacular game by showing nerves of steel to chip a Panenka penalty past Ederson with eight minutes left following Aymeric Laporte’s handball.
Liverpool face Spanish side Villarreal in this year’s other semi-final, with the first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.
The final will be held at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, 28 May.

BBC

Sport

Bayern Munich Beat PSG to Win Champions League

By Web News 828

Bayern Munich overcame Paris St-Germain in a tightly contested Champions League final in Lisbon to claim the crown for the sixth time.

Kingsley Coman, who started his career at PSG, settled a tense affair with a 59th-minute header at the far post from Joshua Kimmich’s cross to leave the French giants still searching for that elusive Champions League triumph.

It was a night of joy for Bayern coach Hansi Flick, who added the Champions League to the Bundesliga after initially taking over as interim coach from sacked Niko Kovac in November.

In contrast, it was a night of bitter disappointment for PSG’s two attacking superstars Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who failed to produce their best and found themselves frustrated by Bayern keeper and man of the match Manuel Neuer when they had the best of the first-half chances.

Mbappe’s pain increased in the second half when he looked to be tripped by Kimmich in the area, but PSG’s penalty claims were ignored – leaving Bayern to celebrate being crowned champions of Europe once more, becoming the first team to win the trophy by winning every game Champions League game in a single campaign.

BBC Sports

Sport

Bayern Munich Set up UCL Final with PSG, Beat Lyon

By Web News 905

Bayern Munich’s relentless march through this season’s Champions League continued as they brushed aside Lyon to book an 11th appearance in the final of the competition and a showdown with Paris St-Germain.

The German champions have barely had a glove laid on them in Europe this season, with this their 10th straight Champions League win – equalling the record for winning streaks in the competition set by Real Madrid in 2015 and Bayern themselves in 2013 – as part of a 28-game unbeaten run stretching back to December.

And Lyon simply did not have ability or approach over the 90 minutes to buck that trend.

The French side will be left to rue two missed opportunities in the opening quarter, though, with Memphis Depay shooting wide after running clear before Karl Toko Ekambi struck the upright from close range after cutting in from the right.

Moments after the latter effort, Serge Gnabry moved infield and fired a stunning opener for Bayern, who never looked back.

Gnabry also scored the second, with a much simpler finish, following up to tap in after Anthony Lopes had blocked Robert Lewandowski’s scuffed effort from point-blank range.

Ekambi could have made matters interesting had he been able to find a way past Manuel Neuer after being set up by Houssem Aouar, but the chance went begging and Lyon’s belief with it.

Philippe Coutinho saw a finish ruled out for offside before Lewandowski had the final word, scoring for the ninth European game on the bounce with a header – his 15th in the competition this season.

Bayern’s win ends their run of having lost the previous four Champions League semi-finals in which they had appeared. It also keeps them on course for a treble of trophies in Hansi Flick’s stellar debut campaign as coach.

Sunday’s final promises to be a thriller, pitting arguably the best side in world football against one of the planet’s finest forward lines.

BBC Sports

Sport

PSG Cruise into Champions League Final

By Web News 673

Paris St-Germain are through to their first Champions League final courtesy of a deserved victory over RB Leipzig in an entertaining semi-final in Lisbon.

One of Europe’s biggest spenders, but also one of the continent’s most high-profile underachievers on the grandest stage, PSG finally seized their opportunity courtesy of goals from Marquinhos, Angel di Maria and Juan Bernat.

The former, who scored the first of two late goals in a comeback win over Atalanta in the last eight, rose to head home a superbly delivered free-kick from Di Maria.

The Argentine forward then finished well from close range following an audacious flick from Neymar after Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi had relinquished possession with a dire kick.

With the fit-again Kylian Mbappe and Neymar terrorising the Leipzig backline, the French side should have been out of sight before the break, but the latter twice hit the post – from a clipped finish then an opportunist free-kick from range – before side-footing another chance wide at the near post.

Prior to PSG’s second, Yussuf Poulsen had Leipzig’s best chance but fired wide after he was found by a Dani Olmo pull-back.

Bernat sealed the win in the second half with a header that Leipzig felt was offside but was legitimate as the prone Nordi Mukiele, who had slipped in the build-up, was playing the scorer onside.

PSG will find out who they face in Sunday’s final when five-time winners Bayern Munich play Lyon in the other semi-final on Wednesday.

BBC Sports

Sport

Coronavirus: Euro 2020 Postponed Until Next Year

By Web News 778

The tournament, due to be played across Europe in 12 different countries, would be an obvious risk for the spread of coronavirus.

Euro 2020 is being postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Norway’s football association.

In a tweet, the Norwegian FA said: “UEFA has decided that the European Championship is postponed to 2021. It will be played from 11 June to 11 July next year. More information coming.”

UEFA, European football’s governing body, is holding an emergency meeting via a video conference call with its 55 affiliated national football federations and representatives of clubs, leagues and players on Tuesday.

The 24-team tournament, due to be played across Europe in 12 different countries, including England, would be an obvious risk for the spread of coronavirus.

UEFA itself has moved into lockdown because of coronavirus, with only business-critical staff working from its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, from Monday evening onwards.

The move, though unconfirmed, follows the suspension of football in all five of Europe’s top domestic leagues – England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany, along with the Champions League, Europa League and World Cup qualifiers.

The International Olympic Committee is also meeting today.

Culled from Sky News