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Tag: Champions League

Chelsea match decade-old clean sheet mark in Champions League win over Rennes

Chelsea’s defensive bounce back continued on Wednesday as the Blues kept yet another clean sheet in their Champions League victory over Rennes.

The Blues cruised to a 3-0 win over the Ligue 1 side, taking them top of the group with seven points from their first three group stage matches.

Once again, Chelsea’s backline held firm with the Blues have bouncing back from early-season criticisms of the team’s defensive shape.

The Blues conceded 11 goals from their first five Premier League matches, with Frank Lampard’s side being questioned for their lapses in defence, but with Wednesday’s win Chelsea have now kept five consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, erasing virtually all of those defensive doubts.

READ ALSO: ‘We lost control and were nervous’ – Pique

Chelsea have now kept five successive clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since 2010. That run, from September to October, came under Carlo Ancelotti in a season that saw the club finish second in the Premier League.

Having also not allowed a goal in consecutive Champions League matches, the Blues have now kept three straight clean sheets in the continental competition for the first time since 2009-10.

Chelsea’s defensive improvements coincide with the arrival of Edouard Mendy, who has allowed just one goal in seven games since joining the club from Rennes.

While Chelsea’s backline has shone, the attack has remained every bit as potent.

After seeing Timo Werner fire a pair of finishes from the penalty spot in the first half, Tammy Abraham added Chelsea’s third with a goal in the 50th minute. With his goal, Abraham became the first player to score in three consecutive Champions League starts for Chelsea since Willian in 2015.

It’s not the only way he Abraham matched Lampard on Wednesday, as Reece James’ assist on the forward’s goal made that occasion the first time two Englishmen have combined for a Champions League goals for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge since March 2012.

That combination included Lampard, who provided an assist to John Terry in a clash with Napoli.

Next up for Chelsea is a match against Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge this weekend before players depart for the international break.

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November 5, 2020
‘We lost control and were nervous’ – Pique

Gerard Pique believes Barcelona were nervous and lost control as they narrowly held on for a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Lionel Messi had handed Ronald Koeman’s side the lead from the penalty spot after just five minutes before Pique doubled Barca’s lead with a header in the 65th minute.

Kyiv proved a dangerous opponent, however, and could have drawn level were it not for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who made six fine saves across the 90 minutes.

Even more impressive was Dynamo’s 18-year-old keeper Ruslan Neshcheret, who made 12 saves that included an incredible diving effort to deny a Messi free-kick.

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Dynamo got a deserved goal in the 75th minute via Viktor Tsygankov to set up an interesting finish, with Pique admitting Barcelona were made to sweat for the victory.

“It went well in the first-half. Then the game went away from us, we lost control and we were nervous. They made things difficult for us. The best thing was the three points,” Pique told Movistar post-match.

“The club is in a process of many changes. I think it was necessary because our form was struggling. Every year we were a little worse. We know it’s not an easy year but we’ll try to compete every game.

“It is normal that we are not favourites in the Champions League after the last few years. All we can do is work. We have young players. The results will end up coming.”

Ter Stegen marked his return from injury with a fine performance between the sticks and though individually impressive, conceded Barcelona as a whole need to work on things.

“For me it was very important to win the match because I was looking forward to coming back and doing what I like the most,” Ter Stegen said. “We ended up suffering quite a bit in the second half. We generated some chances, we have to talk about it and improve.”

On his recent decision to re-sign with Barca, Ter Stegen added: “I have never had any hesitation in renewing with Barca. It was a matter of talking about it and the both of us, the club and me are happy.”

Despite the shaky nature of this recent performance, Koeman’s side have now won all three of their Champions League matches this season to take a commanding lead at the top of Group G.

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November 5, 2020
Liverpool’s Diogo Jota nets hat-trick in Champions League rout

Jota replaced Roberto Firmino in the starting line-up and vindicated his selection with two superb first-half strikes, clipping a shot over the goalkeeper before chesting the ball down and rifling a shot in at the near post.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane added to the goal-fest with brilliant efforts early in the second half, before Jota completed his hat-trick with the visitors’ fifth with just 54 minutes on the clock.

READ ALSO: Rodrygo rekindles Champions League last-16 hopes for Real Madrid

The rout secured Jurgen Klopp’s first victory as a manager on Italian soil and Liverpool’s biggest away win in the Champions League since 2018 as they consolidated top spot and took a giant stride towards the knockout phase ahead of Atalanta’s visit to Anfield in three weeks’ time.

November 4, 2020
Rodrygo rekindles Champions League last-16 hopes for Real Madrid

Real Madrid boosted their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages after a late winner by substitute Rodrygo gave them a 3-2 home victory over Inter Milan in an absorbing Group B clash on Tuesday.

The result left Real, winners of a record 13 titles in Europe’s premier club competition, level on four points with Shakhtar Donetsk, one point behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach and two ahead of bottom-placed Inter.

Real had thrown away a two-goal lead and were flirting with a defeat which would have piled more pressure on manager Zinedine Zidane before their Brazilian duo of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo combined to save the day.

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Chances had gone begging at either end before Karim Benzema gave the home side a 25th-minute lead, rounding goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and slotting home after intercepting a dreadful back pass by Real’s former wing-back Achraf Hakimi.

The hosts seemed to be cruising after 33 minutes when Sergio Ramos headed their second – his 100th goal for the club in all competitions – but Lautaro Martinez pulled one back for Inter two minutes later thanks to a sublime assist by Nicolo Barella.

Real were rattled when Ivan Perisic equalised midway through the second half, threading a shot into the far corner from close range after Martinez headed the ball into the Croatian’s stride.

Inter then missed a pair of gilt-edged chances as Martinez shaved the outside of the post with a shot from the edge of the area and Perisic fired wide, with Real’s defence in tatters.

The Italians were punished for their misses, however, as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, brought into the fray together by Zidane shortly before Inter’s equaliser, carved out the winner from a lightning-fast break.

Vinicius Junior raced clear of his marker down the left flank and squared the ball back to Rodrygo, who beat Handanovic with an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 10 metres.

Inter are now under pressure halfway through the group stage to turn their fortunes around and will hope to have striker Romelu Lukaku back for the reverse fixture on November 25 after the Belgium striker missed the match with a thigh injury.

This was described beforehand as a cup final for both sides – and it didn’t disappoint for drama. Real were bottom heading into this. And in their history, they have never failed to progress from the Champions League group stages.

Zidane’s side had gone four games without a win in the competition, but it appeared they would end that run with relative ease when Ramos doubled the hosts’ lead after 33 minutes. Things are never straightforward these days for Real, however, as they nearly snatched a draw from the jaws of victory.

Inter roared back through Martinez and Perisic to level, but then Real’s two substitutes combined for a rousing winner. For Vinicius, it was a moment of redemption, a week on from being apparently alienated by his team-mate Karim Benzema.

Benzema was caught on camera telling Ferland Mendy not to pass to the Brazilian during the 2-2 draw with Monchengladbach, but it was his assist which enabled Rodrygo to steer home – providing a welcome show of Zidane’s managerial acumen.

November 4, 2020
‘Man City can make extra push to win Champions League’ – Samaras

Manchester City are capable of making the “extra push” required to land a much-coveted Champions League crown, says Georgios Samaras, with Pep Guardiola being backed to deliver more major silverware.

European success has remained elusive for those at the Etihad Stadium.

Big spending has allowed domestic dominance to be enjoyed, with Guardiola overseeing two Premier League title triumphs and four victorious runs through cup competitions.

He was, however, appointed to get City over the line on a continental stage and has been unable to guide them past the quarter-final stage thus far.

Another Champions League quest has been opened in 2020-21 and Samaras believes that added experience among the elite will serve the Blues well as they seek to land the biggest of prizes.

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The former City striker told the club’s official website: “The club is going in the right direction with the players they have brought in over the last few years and under Pep’s leadership.

“The only thing needed is that extra detail to get into the semi-finals and then into the final – but City are learning and every year it is more experience and another lesson.

“Barcelona and Real Madrid know the competition well, whereas City have only been competing for 10 years and are trying to become one of these elite clubs.”

Samaras – who took in 67 appearances for City under Stuart Pearce, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes – added on the progress being made in Manchester: “When I came to City, I stayed three seasons and in that time we had three different coaches and three different boards – it was crazy for the players because they don’t feel comfortable and it is very unsettling.

“Each season I had a new manager, new owner with many new players in an players out.

“There was no philosophy or continuity – now, everything is different and there is a real philosophy and that goes from the ground staff to the owner – a football club is just not about players, it is about everybody, from the head to the toes.

“I never regret one moment of my time with City. I was very happy there and the people were very friendly with me – there were a lot of changes and I was just 20 when I arrived but playing for City lead me to eventually play for Celtic for seven years so those 10 years were great for me, playing in top leagues, Europe and the national team.

“Manchester is a great city and I had a good time there.

“If I were to compare how the club was in 2006 to today, it is completely different, but in a very good way.

“I’m just happy for the people at the club and the City fans because they deserve the best – they had a lot of times when things weren’t so good and now they deserve the time to enjoy these titles and to win many more.

“There are many more titles and things to achieve in the coming years for City and I am absolutely delighted for the fans and the club because, as I say, they deserve it.

City have taken maximum points from two Champions League outings against Porto and Marseille this term and will be back in European action on Tuesday when playing host to Greek giants Olympiakos.

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November 3, 2020
11 Ajax Players Test Positive For Covid-19 Ahead Of UCL Clash

Eleven players of Ajax have tested positive for coronavirus just as the squad were preparing to depart to Denmark to face Frank Onyeka’s FC Midjytlland in Tuesday’s Champions League.

An insider at Ajax described the situation as a “coronavirus bomb” after confirming that between 11 and 15 players could be ruled out of the game after remaining in Amsterdam to undergo further tests.

The outbreak is so widespread that there is a belief that the testing procedure itself may have been compromised and that the readings are not accurate.

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Ajax have contacted UEFA for permission for some players to fly to Denmark tomorrow (Tuesday) just hours before the game, with the likes of captain Dusan Tadic and ex-Everton midfielder Davy Klassen not included in their 17-man squad.

Regulations stipulate that visiting teams must be in the country in which they are playing at least a day before the game.

Those Ajax players who did test negative have been flown out to Scandinavia – but the fear inside the club is that head coach Erik ten Hag will have to name a seriously weakened team.

Any club that fails to fulfil a fixture is automatically handed a 3-0 defeat.

But given the circumstances surrounding the pandemic, Ajax may appeal to have the game postponed.

November 2, 2020
‘It’s tough, really tough’ – Harder than ever for Man City to claim maiden Champions League title, insists Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has claimed this season’s Champions League will be more difficult than ever for Manchester City to win.

City are in their 10th consecutive season in the competition and have never got further than a semi-final appearance in 2015-16 when Manuel Pellegrini was in charge.

Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League as Barcelona head coach, was appointed City manager with a remit to bring European silverware to the club.

Under the Catalan they have consistently reached the knockout phase but have never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage, and ahead of their Group C clash with Olympiacos on Tuesday, Guardiola acknowledged the quest to become European champions seems to become more of a challenge with each passing season.

READ ALSO: Lukaku out of Real Madrid clash with thigh injury

“It’s tough, really tough. There’s many examples to prove what I’m saying,” Guardiola told a media conference on Monday. “There are more games with managers better prepared, more games where they know what they have to do. Teams are better.

“There is more money everywhere not just a few clubs, a lot of clubs have the possibility to spend and buy players, and there are important managers.

“It’s difficult. Last season, Atalanta, look what happened, semi-finals of the Champions League, and the Italian league was incredible. Shakhtar Donetsk, look what happened and now in Real Madrid and a draw against Inter. It ridiculous, this didn’t exist before. It doesn’t matter where you go.

“It’s hard to qualify [for the knockout stage], every time we qualify I say to players ‘congratulations, enjoy that moment’ but it’s the first success of the season, to qualify for the next round.”

Guardiola won his two previous Champions League matches against Olympiacos, emerging victorious 3-0 away and 4-0 at home as Bayern Munich manager in the 2015-16 season.

His City side are unbeaten in their last 13 games in the group stage of the competition, winning five of the six games at the Etihad Stadium.

November 2, 2020
Messi to face Ronaldo in Champions League draw

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will face off for the first time since the latter’s move to Turin from Real Madrid two years ago

Barcelona will face Juventus in the group stage of the Champions League after they were paired together in Group G in the draw, which took place in Geneva on Thursday.

The heavyweight fixture will see Cristiano Ronaldo come up against Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi for the first time since his move to Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018.

The two men, who have shared 11 of the last 12 Ballon d’Or awards between them, enjoyed a historic rivalry in La Liga and will resume hostilities in Europe’s elite competition next month.

Barca and Juve have been joined in Group G by Dynamo Kyiv and Ferencvaros, the Hungarian outfit who beat Celtic en-route to qualifying for the main draw for the first time in their history.

October 1, 2020
Champions League Quarterfinals kicks off as PSG and Atalanta clash in Lisbon

Four months behind schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Champions League has reached the quarter-final stage with Paris Saint-Germain taking on outsiders Atalanta in Lisbon on Wednesday in the first game of the ‘Final Eight’.

A straight knockout final tournament held in one place, akin to a World Cup or European Championship, was the only solution available to UEFA in order to complete its most lucrative club competition, suspended for five months from March until last weekend.

Two-legged quarter-finals and semi-finals have been done away with, and all eight teams have come to Lisbon, where they are following strict health guidelines including regular testing. No spectators are allowed inside stadiums.

PSG will therefore meet Atalanta at an empty Estadio da Luz on Wednesday at 1900 GMT, with the winners advancing to a semi-final against either Atletico Madrid or RB Leipzig, who play on Thursday.

The other quarter-finals are Barcelona against Bayern Munich — the only clubs still in the competition to have won it before — and Manchester City against Lyon.

The final will be on August 23, and UEFA can only hope there is no widespread outbreak of COVID-19 among any of the teams which could threaten the tournament.

European football’s governing body has said that as long as a team has 13 healthy players including a goalkeeper, matches must go ahead, otherwise teams risk forfeiting matches.

There was a scare at the weekend when it was revealed two Atletico players had tested positive, but their squad has travelled to Portugal and their game is set to go ahead.

Before that match, PSG will look to reach the semi-finals for the first time since the Qatari takeover almost a decade ago and they were given a boost on the eve of their match against Atalanta as Kylian Mbappe was declared fit enough to play a part by coach Thomas Tuchel.

“If he trains well on Tuesday evening and nothing extraordinary happens, he will be in the team on Wednesday,” Tuchel said.

Mbappe was left in a race against time to be fit for the start of the ‘Final Eight’ after suffering a sprained ankle in PSG’s French Cup final win over Saint-Etienne on July 24.

‘Extra motivation’
Opponents Atalanta — with an annual wage bill for their entire squad believed to be equivalent to Neymar’s salary for the year at PSG — are in the Champions League for the first time.

The Italians are fresh from finishing third in Serie A and are spurred on by the terrible suffering of their home city of Bergamo at the peak of the pandemic earlier this year.

“There is extra motivation for us after what has happened. We have to represent our city in the best possible way and give the people something to smile about,” said the Atalanta coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, on Tuesday.

The final of this season’s Champions League was initially due to be played in Istanbul in late May before it was postponed and this new format introduced.

Usually such an event would see a huge influx of foreign fans but the atmosphere in Lisbon this time is rather different, even if some supporters have travelled and one study has estimated 16,000 will come in total over the next 10 days.

“The atmosphere is bizarre. The city seems empty and the bars close early,” one Atalanta fan, who plans to watch the match in a bar, told AFP.

Restrictions remain in place in and around Lisbon in an attempt to stop a resurgence of the virus.

Those include limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people and banning alcohol consumption in public, while shops and cafes must close at 8:00pm, the time matches will kick off.

August 12, 2020
BREAKING: Champions League Qualifier Called Off Over COVID-19 Cases

Tuesday’s 2020/21 Champions League preliminary round match between KF Drita and Linfield in Nyon has been postponed after a second player from the Kosovo club tested positive for coronavirus, UEFA announced.

Swiss health authorities took the decision to place Drita’s entire team into quarantine as the player had been in contact with other squad members.

He tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, having initially returned a negative result last week. Another player had contracted the virus on the eve of Drita’s game on Saturday against Inter Escaldes of Andorra.

That player was quarantined at the time along with another team-mate. The whole squad had originally tested negative before arriving in Switzerland.

UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body will decide whether the match can be rescheduled for a later date.

Under the UEFA protocol for European competitions, a team must have 13 healthy players, including a goalkeeper, for a match to go ahead.

August 11, 2020