Tag: 2023 UEFA Champions League

  • UCL: Real Madrid advance to semi-finals with 2-0 win over Chelsea

    UCL: Real Madrid advance to semi-finals with 2-0 win over Chelsea

    Real Madrid advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League after a 2-0 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday, securing a 4-0 aggregate win in the quarter-finals.

    Rodrygo’s two goals in the second half ensured there would be no chance of a Blues comeback at Stamford Bridge.

    Chelsea started the game with a determined approach, coming close to scoring in the 11th minute when N’Golo Kante narrowly missed a volley. However, Real Madrid also had their chances, with Rodrygo striking the post midway through the first half after being played into the box.

    Luka Modric also had a chance to score just after the half-hour mark, but his powerful shot was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

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    Chelsea’s best opportunity came just after the restart when Kante’s strike off Conor Gallagher’s header was blocked at close range. However, Rodrygo’s first goal in the 58th minute took the wind out of Chelsea’s sails and made it difficult for them to mount a comeback. He smashed home Vinicius Junior’s square return ball to put Real Madrid ahead.

    Rodrygo’s second goal in the 80th minute, from Federico Valverde’s cut-back, sealed the victory for Real Madrid and ensured an easy ride to the finish line.

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    Chelsea was unable to convert their chances, which ultimately left the door open for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to secure a comfortable passage to the last four.

    Although Chelsea showed an energetic improvement in their performance in the previous game at Santiago Bernabeu, their inability to convert their chances proved costly. Meanwhile, Real Madrid did not rest on their laurels and continued to push forward throughout the game.

    Real Madrid’s victory keeps their Champions League title defence alive and sets them up for a semi-final showdown against either Liverpool or Porto.

    Chelsea, on the other hand, will now turn their attention to securing a European spot in the Premier League.

  • UCL: Milan edge Napoli 1-0 to take advantage in quarter-final first leg

    UCL: Milan edge Napoli 1-0 to take advantage in quarter-final first leg

    AC Milan defeated Napoli 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, thanks to a goal from Ismael Bennacer.

    The Algerian midfielder scored the lone goal of the game, giving the Rossoneri a slender lead going into the second leg in Naples next Tuesday.

    Napoli, who were thrashed 4-0 by Milan just over a week ago in Serie A, came out looking to make amends for that defeat. They started the match brightly and created a number of opportunities, but were ultimately unable to find the back of the net.

    Milan, meanwhile, were content to absorb the pressure and hit their opponents on the counter-attack. And it was on one such counter-attack that they scored the game’s only goal.

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    Just five minutes before half-time, Bennacer received a pass from Brahim Diaz, took a touch to control the ball, and then unleashed a left-footed shot that flew past the outstretched arms of Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret and into the back of the net.

    Napoli continued to push forward after the break, but were unable to find an equalizer despite some good chances. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan made a number of key saves to keep the visitors at bay, including a spectacular stop to deny Eljif Elmas.

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    Napoli’s hopes of mounting a comeback were dealt a blow in the 74th minute when midfielder Frank Anguissa was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in quick succession. With Napoli reduced to ten men, Milan were able to see out the remainder of the game and secure the victory.

    Milan will now head to Naples next week looking to protect their slender lead and book a place in the semi-finals. Napoli, on the other hand, will need to find a way to score at least one goal without injured star striker Victor Osimhen, who missed the first leg through injury.

    Milan coach Stefano Pioli will be pleased with his team’s performance but will know that the tie is far from over.

    “It was a good performance from the team,” he said after the match.

    “We played with intelligence and discipline, and we got the win. But we know that there is still a long way to go in this tie, and we will need to be at our best in Naples if we are to progress to the next round.

  • UCL: Benzema, Asensio secure victory for Real Madrid over 10-man Chelsea

    UCL: Benzema, Asensio secure victory for Real Madrid over 10-man Chelsea

    Real Madrid produced a clinical display at Santiago Bernabeu as they beat 10-man Chelsea 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

    The Spanish giants took an early lead through Karim Benzema’s first-half tap-in before Marco Asensio doubled their advantage with just over 15 minutes left to play.

    The visitors’ misery was compounded by Ben Chilwell’s straight red card for tugging down Rodrygo in-between, which left Frank Lampard’s side with a mountain to climb for the return leg at Stamford Bridge.

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    Thibaut Courtois denied Joao Felix on the break and Benzema forced a close-range stop from Kepa Arrizabalaga at the other end inside the first 15 minutes. However, Benzema was in the right place at the right time after 21 minutes, capitalizing on a parry by Kepa when Vinicius Junior’s shot came into his path.

    Madrid had chances to extend their lead before the break, with David Alaba’s header almost sneaking in five minutes before half-time. Chelsea’s hopes of a comeback after the break felt slim even before Kalidou Koulibaly was forced to hobble off, and Chilwell’s dismissal only worsened matters.

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    Asensio then sealed the victory for Madrid, scoring in the 74th minute after sweeping home a cut-back delivery to cap another fine European performance from the Spanish side.

    While Real Madrid will be happy with the result, they will also be aware that the battle is far from over. Carlo Ancelotti, former Chelsea manager, and current Real Madrid coach, knows better than most the unpredictability of football, especially in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

    Nevertheless, the holders will head to London with a healthy advantage and the possibility of booking their place in the final four. Chelsea, on the other hand, will need to produce a miracle performance to overturn the deficit in front of their own fans.

    The return leg at Stamford Bridge will be a fascinating encounter, with both sides fighting for a place in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition.

  • UCL: Barella, Lukaku score as Inter take control in quarter-final first leg against Benfica

    UCL: Barella, Lukaku score as Inter take control in quarter-final first leg against Benfica

    Inter Milan took a step closer to the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday.

    The game played at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, was a tense and cagey affair, with clear-cut chances at a premium for both sides.

    Benfica started the game brightly, dominating possession and pressing to take the lead on their home soil. They almost found the breakthrough when Rafa Silva pounced on a loose header from Federico Dimarco and saw his shot denied by Andre Onana. Inter, meanwhile, struggled to get a foothold in the game, managing just two touches in Benfica’s box in the first half.

    The hosts continued to press in the second half, but it was Inter who struck first with their first shot on target in the 51st minute. Alessandro Bastoni’s cross picked out Nicolo Barella at the back post, and the midfielder’s delightful header found the bottom corner to put the Italian side ahead.

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    Benfica responded well, with Rafa seeing a shot blocked and a subsequent goalmouth scramble nearly resulting in an equaliser. But it was Inter who had the better of the chances, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan coming close to doubling their lead after being played in by Joaquin Correa. Mkhitaryan’s shot from a tight angle was well saved by Odisseas Vlachodimos.

    Inter had to wait until late in the game to seal the victory, with substitute Romelu Lukaku scoring from the penalty spot in the 87th minute.

    Joao Mario was adjudged to have handled Denzel Dumfries’ cross, and Lukaku made no mistake with his spot-kick, lashing the ball home to give Inter a 2-0 lead.

    The win puts Simone Inzaghi’s side in a commanding position heading into the second leg at San Siro next Wednesday. Despite Benfica’s best efforts, they were ultimately undone by Inter’s clinical finishing, with Barella and Lukaku providing the decisive moments of quality.

    For Inter, it was a welcome return to form after a recent dip in domestic form. The Italian champions have struggled in Serie A in recent weeks, slipping to third in the table, but they looked solid and composed in Lisbon, and will be confident of securing a place in the last four of Europe’s premier club competition.

  • UCL: Haaland sets record as Man City rout Bayern Munich 3-0

    UCL: Haaland sets record as Man City rout Bayern Munich 3-0

    In an intense clash at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, Manchester City took a huge stride towards the Champions League semi-finals with a resounding 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.

    The game marked Pep Guardiola’s first time facing Bayern since his departure from Germany, and he comfortably outsmarted his old rival Thomas Tuchel, who had led Chelsea to victory over City in the 2021 final.

    City took the lead after 27 minutes thanks to Rodri’s spectacular first Champions League goal. The midfielder eluded Jamal Musiala’s pressure by cutting onto his left foot from 25 yards out and curling a high shot past Yann Sommer. After that, City went in pursuit of a swift second and came close several times before Bernardo Silva eventually doubled their lead.

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    As the pressure ramped up on the Bayern goal heading into the final 20 minutes, Erling Haaland scored his 45th goal of the season, an outright record for a Premier League player.

    Guardiola and City have let slip leads in the past against weaker opposition than Bayern, but on this occasion, they were rampant by full-time, and they head into the return match with full command of the tie. The victory was a huge statement of intent from the Premier League leaders, who are now strong favorites to reach the last four.

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    Bayern, on the other hand, will be ruing their missed opportunities, particularly in the second half when they came close to scoring several times.

    Leroy Sane led the charge for the visitors, but his shot wide before half-time was followed by three on-target efforts following the restart, with the best of them drawing a low save from Ederson. However, the mix-ups in the Bayern back line only increased in number as the game wore on, and they were unable to prevent City from adding to their lead.

    Despite some impressive saves from Sommer and Julian Alvarez, Haaland’s goal from a John Stones knockdown left Bayern with an almighty task in the second leg.

    The Bundesliga giants will need to produce something special to turn the tie around and avoid a second consecutive quarterfinal exit.

  • UCL: Napoli striker Victor Osimhen set to miss Milan clash due to injury

    UCL: Napoli striker Victor Osimhen set to miss Milan clash due to injury

    Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, will miss the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Milan due to injury according to reports from Italy

    According to La Republicca, Napoli President, Aurelio De Laurentiis, confirmed that Osimhen “is not in a position to play.”

    ADL was holidaying on the isle of Ischia, where he encountered a number of Napoli fans who asked for updates on the recovery of their side’s star striker.

    He stated, “Victor is not in a position to play, unfortunately. We hope to have him back for the return fixture at the Maradona on April 18.”

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    Osimhen picked up an injury to his left adductor while representing the Super Eagles of Nigeria in March, and the club had been targeting Wednesday’s match for his potential return.

    In his absence, Giovanni Simeone and Giacomo Raspadori are expected to lead the attack against Milan.

    Napoli will be hoping to get a positive result away from home in the first leg, especially as Milan beat them 4-0 in Serie A just a few weeks ago.

    The second leg will be played at the Maradona on April 18, where Napoli will be hoping to have Osimhen back to lead their attack.

  • UCL: Alisson slams Liverpool teammates following Champions League exit

    UCL: Alisson slams Liverpool teammates following Champions League exit

    Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has criticized his teammates’ lack of attitude in their second-leg defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

    Despite Alisson making a string of fantastic saves throughout the game, including a notable one to tip a long-range effort from Eduardo Camavinga onto the crossbar, the Reds lost 1-0 thanks to a Karim Benzema goal.

    Alisson stated in an interview with TNT Sports that he was proud of his efforts at the Bernabeu and disappointed with his teammates.

    He emphasized that he wore the Liverpool shirt and was going to play against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, so he had to give his best. Speaking as a team, he stated that they had much more to do and every moment had its reason, with injuries being one of them.

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    “I’m wearing the Liverpool shirt, I’m going to play against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. The least I have to do is give my best. So that’s my thought, I believe I did my best, I leave here with a clear head. And now speaking as a team, we have much more to do. And this season of ups and downs, every moment had its reason.

    Although they wouldn’t use it as an excuse, injuries had hurt them, and they only had one player left out, so that was no longer an excuse. They had a fantastic game against United, but soon after, an inexplicable game against Bournemouth. Against Real Madrid, they didn’t play enough to tie the game, and a lot was lacking on their part, he added.

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    “We had injuries, I think we don’t like to talk about it in football. We’re not going to use it as an excuse, but the injuries certainly hurt us. Now we only have one player left out, so that’s no longer an excuse. It’s been like this for over a month now.

    “We had a fantastic, incredible game against United. Soon after, an inexplicable game against Bournemouth. And against Real Madrid, it’s not that we played badly, but we didn’t play enough to tie the game. There was a lack of attitude, a lot was lacking on our part.”

    Liverpool went into the game at Santiago Bernabeu with a massive deficit having lost the first leg 5-2 at Anfield, and they didn’t come remotely close to overcoming it. Despite Alisson’s impressive performance, Liverpool’s lack of attacking prowess contributed to their defeat.

    The loss against Real Madrid will be a big disappointment for Liverpool, who have had an up-and-down season with several injuries to key players. However, they cannot use this as an excuse, and they will need to regroup and come back stronger in the next game.

    Alisson’s comments highlight the importance of attitude and determination in achieving success, and Liverpool will need to show these qualities if they want to turn their season around.

  • Liverpool fail to overcome 5-2 Real Madrid deficit, crash out of Champions League

    Liverpool fail to overcome 5-2 Real Madrid deficit, crash out of Champions League

    Real Madrid advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    The defending champions secured a commanding 5-2 win in the first leg of the last-16 tie, leaving Liverpool with a daunting task in the second leg.

    While Liverpool’s defence, led by goalkeeper Alisson, put up a strong performance, the team struggled to generate the same level of attack that had troubled Madrid in the first leg.

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    In a largely goalless first half, both Alisson and Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made impressive saves to keep their respective teams in the game.

    Madrid continued to create chances in the second half, with Federico Valverde and Karim Benzema both missing opportunities to score. Eventually, Benzema found the back of the net in the 78th minute after a miscue by Vinicius Junior left him with an open goal.

    The win secured a 6-2 aggregate triumph for Madrid, who will now look ahead to the quarter-finals of their favourite competition. For Liverpool, the defeat marks the end of their European campaign this season.

  • Osimhen shines as Napoli secure historic Champions League quarter-final spot

    Osimhen shines as Napoli secure historic Champions League quarter-final spot

    Victor Osimhen led Napoli to a historic victory on Wednesday as they advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time.

    The Serie A leaders secured a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, thanks to a double from the Nigerian striker and a penalty from Piotr Zielinski.

    Despite clashes between supporters overshadowing the tie, Napoli produced a dominant performance to seal a resounding 5-0 aggregate victory against the Europa League holders. Osimhen, who has been in superb form this season, scored either side of half-time to secure Napoli’s historic victory.

    The 23-year-old striker has been a key player for Luciano Spalletti’s side this season, scoring 13 goals in all competitions. He has established himself as one of the best young strikers in Europe, and his talismanic display on Wednesday only confirmed his status as a top-class player.

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    Napoli made a typically fast start to the game, with Matteo Politano testing Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp in the first minute. The visitors, however, put up a strong resistance and kept Napoli at bay for much of the first half.

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    But they were unable to stop Osimhen from scoring just before half-time, as he hung in the air to head Politano’s cross into the top-right corner after a fine pass from Stanislav Lobotka. The Nigerian striker then needed just eight minutes after the restart to grab his brace, stretching to divert Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s low cross home from inside the six-yard box.

    Trapp made several crucial saves to keep Eintracht in the game, but he was unable to prevent Zielinski from making it 3-0 from the penalty spot after the midfielder was clumsily tripped by Djibril Sow.

    After swatting last season’s Europa League winners aside, Napoli will now be seen as a team to avoid when they join fellow Italian giants Milan and Inter in Friday’s last-eight draw. The quarter-finals of the Champions League are set to be a highly competitive affair, with some of the best teams in Europe still in the running.

    Overall, Napoli’s victory over Eintracht Frankfurt was a memorable moment in the club’s history, and one that will be remembered by fans for years to come.

    With Osimhen leading the way, the Serie A leaders will be hoping to go even further in the competition and compete for the ultimate prize in European football.

  • UCL: Inter Milan advance to quarter-finals following 0-0 draw with Porto

    UCL: Inter Milan advance to quarter-finals following 0-0 draw with Porto

    Inter Milan has advanced to their first Champions League quarter-final in over a decade with a hard-earned goalless draw against Porto at Estadio do Dragao, securing a 1-0 aggregate victory.

    The Nerazzurri won the first leg 1-0 at San Siro three weeks ago and defended their lead to secure their first last-eight appearance in Europe’s premier club competition since the 2010-11 season.

    In the second leg, Porto almost leveled the tie in spectacular fashion after three minutes, but Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana made a stunning save to deny Mateus Uribe’s 30-yard effort. At the other end, Diogo Costa made a smart save to keep out Edin Dzeko’s quickfire counter-attack.

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    Porto increased the pressure towards the end of the first half, but Federico Dimarco’s timely intervention and Eustaquio’s near miss meant Inter kept a clean sheet.

    The second half provided few clear opportunities for either side, with Uribe and Barella off-target with their long-range strikes.

    Despite controlling possession, Porto could not find a way past Inter’s defence, and Denzel Dumfries’ clearance off the line, as well as Mehdi Taremi and Grujic’s strikes that hit the woodwork, was not enough to save them.

    Porto’s Pepe was sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time, and Inter held on for a historic quarter-final spot.