Football / News / Sports

Champions League draw: Liverpool face Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs. PSG

Defending champions Real Madrid will face Liverpool in the Champions League round-of-16, a repeat of last season’s final, while Paris Saint-Germain will play against Bayern Munich.

Madrid are seeking to win a 15th European title in June’s final in Istanbul, having claimed a 1-0 win over Liverpool in last year’s final in Paris. Madrid also beat Jurgen Klopp’s side in the 2018 final in Kyiv.

“It’s a repeat of the last final, they’re two historic teams. It will be an electric, fascinating tie for the fans,” Madrid director Emilio Butragueno said.

“We’re the champions, and we want to defend our title, while being aware of the opponent we face. We’ll do everything we can to be in the quarterfinal draw.”

Meanwhile, PSG, who finished second in Group H, remain on the hunt for their first Champions League title and will have to go through familiar foes to do so, having last met Bayern in the 2020 final where they suffered a 1-0 defeat.

Elsewhere, Chelsea drew Borussia Dortmund, meaning forward Christian Pulisic will return to face his former club for the first time since leaving for Stamford Bridge in 2019.

Manchester City eased their way to top Group G were rewarded with a draw against RB Leipzig, while Tottenham Hotspur face AC Milan.

The round-of-16 first legs will take place on Feb. 14-15 and Feb. 21-22, with the second legs due to be held on March 7-8 and March.

The final is scheduled for June 10 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.

Champions League Round of 16 draw:

RB Leipzig vs. Manchester City

Club Brugge vs. Benfica

Liverpool vs. Real Madrid

AC Milan vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Napoli

Borussia Dortmund vs. Chelsea

Inter Milan vs. Porto

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich…

Football / News / Sports

Napoli hit six past Ajax in record defeat for Eredivisie club

Giacomo Raspadori netted twice as Napoli came from behind to deliver a masterclass and score a runaway 6-1 win at 10-man Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Captain Giovanni di Lorenzo, Piotr Zielinski, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and substitute Giovanni Simeone added the other goals for the Italian league leaders, after Mohammed Kudus had given the hosts the lead inside the opening 10 minutes.

Napoli, who might have scored more such was their dominance, have a 100% record at the halfway point in Group A, leaving Ajax with three points from their opening three games and in stark danger of missing out on next year’s knockout stages after their biggest defeat in European football.

Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder had warned on the eve of the game about the attacking threat that Napoli posed but, even then, would not have expected his team to be so thoroughly outsmarted.

Ajax, who had lost at Liverpool in their previous group game, went ahead in the ninth minute when Kenneth Taylor’s goal-bound shot hit teammate Kudus on the shin and deflected into the corner of the net.

It proved the only highlight for the packed house at the Amsterdam Arena as Napoli did not take long to work their way into the game, pressing Ajax into mistakes, cutting them apart with swift attacking moves and finishing with aplomb.

Raspadori equalized in the 18th minute with a diving header at the back post at the end of Mathias Olivera’s cross from the right.

A simple corner routine saw Kvaratskhelia, who produced another performance to emphasize his growing reputation in European football, deliver a cross for Di Lorenzo to power home a header for a second goal.

Napoli extended their lead on the stroke of half-time with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa driving forward from his own half before setting up Zielinski to finish.

Two minutes after the break, Zambo Anguissa then stole possession as Ajax were caught trying to pass their way out of defense and set up Raspadori for his second goal.

Kvaratskhelia made it 5-1 …

Football / Sports

Calhanoglu secures crucial Champions League win over Barcelona

Inter Milan secured a timely Champions League win at the San Siro as Hakan Calhanoglu’s fine strike eased the hosts over the line to a 1-0 win against Group C rivals Barcelona.

Both sides created chances in a busy opening in Milan, with Joaquin Correa seeing a penalty call rejected by VAR, before Calhanoglu stepped up to power the home side in front just before the interval.

Barcelona did look to react after the restart, with Ousmane Dembele posing a constant threat on the counter attack, and Pedri’s equaliser chalked off by VAR.

However, it is Inter who gain a crucial advantage in the group, as they look to overpower Barcelona, in the race for second place, behind Bayern Munich.

Gritty Inter dig in for Inzaghi

Inzaghi came into the game under real pressure, after picking up just eight points in Serie A this season, and three in the Champions League.

Reports from Italy have questioned his long term future at the San Siro but his players produced a battling performance for their manager.

Next week’s trip to the Camp Nou is likely to decide second place in Group C and Inter travel to Catalonia with a key advantage.

Calhanoglu’s superb winner will grab the headlines on the night, but Andre Onana’s crucial stops, and the defensive marshalling of Milan Skriniar, kept Barcelona at bay, to give the former Italian international some breathing space.

Lewandowski’s off-night blunts Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski has been sensational in his first few months as a Barcelona player with 12 goals across all competitions ahead of this tie.

His excellent goal secured a 1-0 win at Mallorca last weekend but he struggled to get into the flow of the contest against a well drilled Inter back line.

Skriniar did brilliantly to restrict him in their one-on-one battles with Dembele providing the visitors main outlet.

Xavi stuck with him in the closing stages, but he was unable to steer home a late chance, from Dembele’s set piece, on a rare blank for the Polish international.

Inter Milan

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Football / Sports

Champions League group stage draw: Tough tests for Liverpool and Man City as Bayern and Barcelona meet again

The group stage draw threw up some stellar ties, with Bayern in a group with Barcelona and Inter, while Liverpool and Manchester City were given tough starts to their campaigns.

Liverpool and Manchester City face challenging autumns while Bayern will look to continue their recent dominance over Barcelona in a mouth-watering section that also includes Inter after the draw for the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage was made in Istanbul, Türkiye on Thursday.

Champions League group stage draw

Group A: Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers
Group B: Porto, Atlético, Leverkusen, Club Brugge
Group C: Bayern, Barcelona, Inter, Viktoria Plzeň
Group D: Frankfurt, Tottenham, Sporting CP, Marseille
Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, Salzburg, Dinamo
Group F: Real Madrid, Leipzig, Shakhtar, Celtic
Group G: Man. City, Sevilla, Dortmund, Copenhagen
Group H: Paris, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa

Teams were divided into four pots based on their UEFA club coefficients. One team from each of the pots was then drawn into the eight groups, A–H. There were a few caveats: no team could play a club from their own association, and sides from the same association were paired to ensure they play on different nights.

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Football / Sports

Thibaut Courtois’ clutch saves cement Real Madrid’s UCL winning pedigree

Real Madrid might not be leaving the French capital with Kylian Mbappe in their luggage but they are taking a 14th UEFA Champions League trophy home with them after a 1-0 win over Liverpool at Stade de France on Saturday.

Vinicius Junior scored the only goal of the game on the hour mark, but the Saint-Denis spectacle was unfortunately marred by the chaotic scenes of supporters unable to enter the venue in time for kickoff with questions already being asked by the Reds.

As finals go, it was far from pretty and the atmosphere was deflated further once it became clear that there were major issues going on in and around the stadium and it was an opportunistic Real who came out on top thanks to a Thibaut Courtois masterclass between the sticks. Karim Benzema had a first-half strike disallowed for offside after a VAR check but Vinicius’ effort from a Federico Valverde assist just before the hour was Los Blancos’ only shot on target over the 90 minutes as the Spanish giants somehow kept Liverpool at bay.

Jurgen Klopp’s men created plenty with nearly double figures in terms of efforts on target, but they found Courtois in inspired form and the Belgium international once again showed his value for Carlo Ancelotti’s side as he earned his UCL crown.

“Back in England, I do not get enough respect,” said Courtois after the final whistle. “So, well, I showed it today. I wanted to put some respect on my name there.”

Courtois’ nine saves on the night were the most on record since 2003-04 by any keeper in a single Champions League final, according to Opta. Liverpool won the xG battle 2.14 to 0.88 but came away empty-handed due to Courtois’ heroics.

Whether or not Real’s is a valid approach long-term given their ageing squad and inability to truly dominate opponents remains to be seen, but their failure to land Mbappe means that any planned summer rebuild will need to be reconsidered.

Based on this performance, the French superstar would not …

Football / Sports

Real Madrid mounts stunning comeback to beat Manchester City and reach Champions League final

Real Madrid battled back from the brink of elimination to overcome Manchester City and book its place in the Champions League final.

For the third knockout tie in a row, Real looked down and out. Though this is a team that has become accustomed to improbable heroics, even by its own absurd standards Wednesday’s late, late show to secure a 3-1 victory over City was cutting it fine.
With City leading 4-3 from the first leg, Riyad Mahrez’s second-half goal had seemingly booked his team passage through to the final in Paris.
However, two goals either side of the 90-minute mark from substitute Rodrygo turned the game on its head and sent the match to extra time.
In truth, it then felt as though there was going to be only one winner.
Just three minutes into extra time, Karim Benzema — who had been rather anonymous all game by his own high standards — was fouled by Ruben Dias inside the box and made no mistake dispatching the penalty. That goal secured Real’s 6-5 aggregate victory.
No matter how deep of a hole Real seems to find itself in, the magic inside the Bernabeu always seems to pull the team out.
For three successive rounds, Carlo Ancelotti’s side has been on the verge of elimination. Now, somehow, it finds itself with a chance to win a record-extending 14th title when it takes on Liverpool in Paris’ Stade de France on May 28.
It will be the fifth time Ancelotti has reached the Champions League final as a manager, the only man to have ever achieved that feat.
“A por la 14,” read the writing on the back of Real’s celebratory shirts. “Let’s go for number 14.”

Real down, but now out

It took less than eight minutes for tempers to flare for the first time, as Luka Modric and Aymeric Laporte both received yellow cards for their part in a scuffle that was sparked by Casemiro’s poor tackle on Kevin De Bruyne.
Casemiro, as he so often inexplicably manages to
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Football / Sports

Reds reach 10th European Cup final

Liverpool played as poorly as they’ve played in months for 45 minutes and it still didn’t matter as the Reds scored three second-half goals to advance to their 10th European Cup Final with a 3-2 second-leg win over Villarreal on Tuesday that gave Jurgen Klopp’s men a 5-2 aggregate victory.

First-half goals from Boulaye Dia and ex-Arsenal man Francis Coquelin had it level at the break, but Liverpool scored for the 28th time in 31 games and then scored again… and again.

Fabinho, Luis Diaz, and Sadio Mane led the three-goal final 45 minutes and Villarreal rarely showed a threat after the Reds got the score line back to 3-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool will meet either Manchester City or Real Madrid in the final on May 28 in France. Man City leads Real Madrid by a goal heading into Wednesday’s second leg.

Villarreal vs Liverpool

Villarreal 2, Liverpool 3 (Liverpool wins 5-2 on aggregate)

Scorers: Dia (3′), Coquelin (41′), Fabinho (62′), Diaz (62′), Mane (74′)

Shot attempts: Villarreal 5, Liverpool 15

Shots on goal: Villarreal 2, Liverpool 5

Possession: Villarreal 44, Liverpool 56

Three things we learned from Villarreal vs Liverpool

1. Can’t stop scoring: This has a double meaning, in that Villarreal’s two goals at the break meant they’d still need at least one more to complete the upset and, well, Liverpool simply cannot stop scoring. The only times the Reds have been kept off a scoreboard in 2022 were in games that did not cost them anything but further effort: The 1-0 second-leg against Inter Milan in the Round of 16, which obviously wasn’t detrimental to the club’s goal of reaching the European Cup Final, a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in League Cup semifinal first leg, and the 0-0 with Chelsea in the League Cup Final that saw the Reds triumph in penalties. All told: Since a 1-0 loss to Leicester City on Dec. 28, Liverpool has scored in 28 of 31 matches.

2. What Villarreal did right: Unai Emery’s men didn’t exactly like the first half on …

Football / Sports

Liverpool vs Villarreal final score: Klopp’s men have total control

Liverpool bossed Villarreal in every area and will bring a 2-0 lead to Spain after controlling a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.

Pervis Estupinan’s deflection of a Jordan Henderson cross went down as an own goal and Mohamed Salah set up a Sadio Mane goal as the Reds beat the Yellow Submarine by holding a 19-2 shots advantage and 74 percent of the ball.

The second leg is Tuesday in Spain, which will come after both teams play league matches early Saturday morning.

Liverpool vs Villarreal final score, stats

Liverpool 2, Villarreal 0

Scorers: Estupinan (o.g. 53′), Mane (55′)

Shot attempts: Liverpool 19, Villarreal 1

Shots on goal: Liverpool 5, Villarreal 0

Possession: Liverpool 74, Villarreal 26

Three things we learned from Liverpool vs Villarreal

1. Almost complete victory: The only thing that would’ve made this match better for Liverpool — and we’re being picky — is a third goal. The Reds have left the door closed but not locked heading to Spain next week, though Villarreal could be suitably dispirited by its defensive display yielding almost nothing on the counter. Liverpool was so good all the way across the back aside from one bad pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold that led to Villarreal’s most dangerous counter. There’s no reason not to anticipate a berth in the final.

2. Alexander-Arnold shines: One of several players to collect more than 100 touches on the day, Trent Alexander-Arnold managed the figure in less than 90 minutes as Jurgen Klopp rested some players for the weekend’s trip to Newcastle. Alexander-Arnold had four key passes and would’ve had an assist had Andy Robertson managed to stay onside for what could’ve been 3-0 to the hosts. Alexander-Arnold was also credited with four tackles on the day.

3. Emery back to the drawing board: Well, Unai Emery simply cannot play it this conservative in the second leg if he wants any hopes of shocking the Reds. Unfortunately, that could lead to Liverpool just pounding away at the hosts in Spain, but Emery

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Football / Sports

Man City vs Real Madrid final score: PL leaders win 7-goal thriller

Kevin De Bruyne had a goal and an assist and Manchester City thrice led by multiple goals in a 4-3 defeat of Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

City opened up a 2-0 lead and Real Madrid never made it level over 90 minutes as Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva all joined De Bruyne on the score sheet.

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior scored on either side of halftime to bring the score to 2-1 and 3-2, but Carlo Ancelotti’s Real can be thankful to be down only two goals as City ran all over Madrid in the first half.

The second leg comes Tuesday at the Bernabeu, as City looks to return to the European Cup final for a second-successive year and Real looks to keep alive its hopes of a record 14th title.

Man City vs Real Madrid final score, stats

Man City 4, Real Madrid 3

Scorers: De Bruyne (2′), Jesus (11′), Benzema (33′), Foden (53′), Vinicius (55′), Bernardo Silva (74′), Benzema (pen. 82′)

Shot attempts: Man City 16, Real Madrid 11

Shots on goal: Man City 6, Real Madrid 5

Possession: Man City 60, Real Madrid 40

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Football / Sports

Real Madrid lead Chelsea

Well… let’s just say few would’ve predicted that Wednesday afternoon of UEFA Champions League.

Karim Benzema can definitely do it on a rainy night in London, as the French center forward recorded a hat trick as Real Madrid feasted on Chelsea errors and benefited from poor Blues finishing in a 3-1 win.

Benzema bosses Blues backs, Chelsea wasteful in attack

This is not how Thomas Tuchel drew it up.

Karim Benzema scored a pair of first-half goals and completed his hat trick in the second half as Real Madrid rode a 2-1 first-half lead and will take a 3-1 advantage back to Madrid.

This wasn’t the case of supreme domination from La Liga’s leaders, as Chelsea out-attempted Real by more than double but learned what Europe’s seen on a weekly basis: Benzema’s as dominant as any forward In the world right now and that includes names like Mbappe and Kane.

Huge errors from Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Edouard Mendy will live in Chelsea fans’ minds deep into the night, but Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech missed huge chances off the bench on a day the European champions will want to forget as quickly as possible.

The Blues will be grateful that away goals don’t matter this season, but toppling Real by two goals at the Bernabeu will be a major ask next week.

Chelsea vs Real Madrid final score, stats

Chelsea 1, Real Madrid 3

Scorers: Benzema (21′, 24′, 46′), Havertz (40′)

Shot attempts: Chelsea 20, Real Madrid 8

Shots on goal: Chelsea 5, Real Madrid 5

Possession: Chelsea 57, Real Madrid 43…