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Tag: UCL

  • UCL Final: Real Madrid to battle Borussia Dortmund in Wembley showdown tonight

    UCL Final: Real Madrid to battle Borussia Dortmund in Wembley showdown tonight

    The final of this season’s UEFA Champions League will be played tonight with La Liga Champions, Real Madrid  slugging it out with a prominent team from the German Bundesliga Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in England.

    UCL  serial winners, Real Madrid are looking to win it for a record-extending 15th time in their history while Dortmund are looking to caress the trophy for the  second time in the club’s history.

    Madrid have made it to the final 6 times in the last 11 years and that is unprecedented.

    However, many didn’t give Dortmund a chance to get to the finals this season but the die schwarzelben have proved bookmakers wrong by defeating other favourites on their way to reach the final.

    The Bundesliga upstarts are looking to win it for only the second time.

    If the hype and mystery of Madrid must be believed, then there is no need for the game. Just give them the trophy in Spain.

    But it would be a big mistake to dismiss Dortmund so easily after surprising many to reach the final 11 years after losing to Madrid.

    Madrid, who clinched their 33rd league title this season, have reached the 70th European showpiece with an unbeaten record in the competition.

    Dortmund are also in fine form and second only to Madrid in the competition this season with only one defeat in their last 11 European matches.

    So, this will be quite an intriguing clash in London – the same venue Dortmund lost the 2013 final to rivals Bayern Munich.

    Although Real Madrid have been seen as  the hotter of the two sides and the team who could possibly win the title but the two previous Europa competitions final  won by Atalanta of Italy and Olympiacos of Greece where they defeated Bayer Leverkusen and Florentina respectively have given some pundits a headache and pushed them to give Dortmund a surprising victory against the favourite tonight at Wembley.

     

  • Madrid vs Dortmund: Ferdinand predicts outcome of tonight’s UCL final

    Madrid vs Dortmund: Ferdinand predicts outcome of tonight’s UCL final

    Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has predicted the possible outcome of tonight’s Champions League final between Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund.

    Los Blancos will be hoping to clinch their 15th UCL title while Dortmund have made it to the final for the second time in their history.

    Ferdinand has tipped Madrid to win based on their experience ut says he would love to see the German side win tonight at Wembley.

    Ferdinand, speaking on TNT Sports, also predicted a 2-0 victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s men

    The Champions League final will be played at Wembley this year. It is the same venue where Dortmund lost against Bayern Munich in 2013.

  • UCL: Real Madrid coach, Ancelotti reveals goalie for final against Dortmund at Wembley

    UCL: Real Madrid coach, Ancelotti reveals goalie for final against Dortmund at Wembley

    Carlo Ancelotti the Real Madrid manager has confirmed that Thibaut Courtois will start against Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s Champions League final.

    This put an end to a debate on who will start between Courtois and Andriy Lunin on Saturday.

    “Thibaut Courtois will start tomorrow. Lunin will be on the bench,” Ancelotti told reporters today.

    Courtois has been out for most of the season with ACL and meniscus injuries, but is now fit and available for selection.

    However, Ancelotti had started Lunin for the semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich.

    Lunin is also suffering from the flu but will be on the bench.

  • UCL: Obi Mikel tips Dortmund to beat Real Madrid

    UCL: Obi Mikel tips Dortmund to beat Real Madrid

    Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has tipped Borussia Dortmund to beat Real Madrid in next month’s Champions League final.

    The two clubside will slug it out on June , for the biggest prize in club football.

    Mikel Obi, who won the trophy with Chelsea, has told TribalFootball that Dortmund deserve to win more than Real Madrid.

    To be honest, I really hope that Borussia Dortmund will win the UCL final. They deserve it more than Real Madrid.

    “When you see that players like Kroos, Nacho, Carvajal and Modric won 5 trophies of the UCL it is a bit unfair, because these players are not even close to being the best in their positions.

    “This shows that trophies can be misleading. I can name 10 players in the same positions that are better than these footballers,” Mikel Obi said.

  • UCL: Center referee caught on camera crying after Dortmund defeated PSG in France

    UCL: Center referee caught on camera crying after Dortmund defeated PSG in France

    Shortly after blowing the final whistle in the semi-final clash between Paris Saint Germain and Borussia Dortmund, referee Daniele Orsato was caught on camera crying.

    It would be recalled that Mats Hummels’ header in the second half sealed a 1-0 win on the night and a 2-0 aggregate victory for the Bundesliga side.

    Orsato, who became a FIFA referee in 2010, was called upon to make some very tough decisions.

    He awarded a free kick and not a penalty to PSG after Hummels appeared to bring down Dembele millimetres before the edge of the home side’s penalty box.

    However, there were emotional scenes after the game, as that would be the last time Orsato, 48, would take charge of a Champions League match.

    The Italian official is set to retire after Euro 2024.

    Journalist Henry Winter, writing on X, said: “Italian ref Daniele Orsato showing how to run a game. Supported by VAR rather than governed by it. Strong, applied advantage, and decisive (rightly, quickly changed pen to fk. And Mbappe one prob 50-50). Respected by players.”

  • UCL: Joselu grabs dying minute brace as Real Madrid beat Bayern 2-1, set up Dortmund final

    UCL: Joselu grabs dying minute brace as Real Madrid beat Bayern 2-1, set up Dortmund final

    Real Madrid football club of Spain have qualified for the final of this season’s UEFA Champions League after defeating German side, Bayern Munich   4-3 on aggregate.

    The Galaticos came back from a goal down to snatch victory late in the game to grab the final ticket at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    The game was delicately poised at 2-2 after the first leg at the Allianz Arena.

    However, Substitute Joselu  struck twice in the dying minutes of the clash at the Bernabeu to seal their place in the final.

    Carlo Ancelotti’s men will be looking to win the competition for an incredible 15th time at Wembley on June 1.

  • PSG fire blanks as Hummels powers Borussia Dortmund into UCL final

    PSG fire blanks as Hummels powers Borussia Dortmund into UCL final

    Borussia Dortmund will play the Champions League final for the first time in 11 years after they defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in France on Tuesday.

    PSG hit the woodwork four times, while Dortmund needed only Mats Hummels’ header in the 50th minute to seal their spot in the final at London’s Wembley on June 1.

    The German side won the first leg 1-0 last week.

    Wembley hosted Dortmund when they played their most recent Champions League final in 2013.

    Back then, they were defeated 2-1 by Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

    Hummels was part of the squad who had to settle for second place 11 years ago, as well as forward Marco Reus.

    Reus said last week that he will leave Dortmund at the end of the season after more than 21 years of service.

    The German clubs could have rematch of their 2013 final if Bayern overcome Real Madrid in Spain on Wednesday after a 2-2 draw in the first leg.

    Overall, this is the third time Dortmund would play in the Champions League final.

    Though the 2013 game didn’t go their way, they won the trophy in 1997.

    Tuesday’s loss meant another champion’s league misery for Kylian Mbappe, who had the sight of goal for the first time in the seventh minute of the match.

    He, however, did not hit his volley the way he would have liked as the ball went straight to Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

    The guests had the best chance of the first half in a counter-attack after Nico Scholotterback cleared a dangerous cross.

    Dortmund looked set to get the opener when Karim Adeyemi burst away from two markers, but keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma stretched his hand to make a big save.

    PSG could have levelled the tie shortly after the break as Gonçalo Ramos flicked Mbappe’s cross up in the air and the ball fell to Warren Zaïre-Emery, who hit the post from close range.

    But Dortmund found a quick response to put down PSG’s initial spark in the second half and were on target in the 50th.

    Julian Brandt’s corner came in from the left and Hummels got away from Lucas Beraldo to head the ball in.

    PSG were again denied by the post in the 61st after Nuno Mendes had a go from long range.

    Dortmund, meanwhile, thought they had a second when Hummels scored in the 77th, but he was offside.

    To complete their dreadful evening, the Paris team hit the woodwork two more times – Mbappe in the 86th and Vitinha in the 88th minute.

  • UCL: Bayern’s Harry Kane smashes Champions League record

    UCL: Bayern’s Harry Kane smashes Champions League record

    England and Bayern Munich forward, Harry Kane on Tuesday broke a UEFA Champions League record after scoring a goal in his side’s semi-final first leg 2-2 draw with Real Madrid.

    Kane scored from the spot to put Bayern up 2-1 as both teams eventually drew 2-2 at the Allianz Arena.

    During the encounter, Kane held his nerve to convert from 12 yards, taking his incredible tally to 43 goals in 43 games for Bayern Munich in all competitions in his phenomenal debut season.

    However, Kane’s goal against Madrid meant the England captain broke the record for the most goal contributions (11) by an English player in a single Champions League campaign after eight goals and three assists in the competition this season.

    The former Tottenham Hotspur star has now surpassed the likes of Steven Gerrard (10) and David Beckham (10).

    Kane will now hope to lead Bayern to victory when they face Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the return leg next week.

  • UCL: Vini Jnr grabs brace as Real Madrid force Bayern Munchen to a 2-2 draw at Alianz Arena

    UCL: Vini Jnr grabs brace as Real Madrid force Bayern Munchen to a 2-2 draw at Alianz Arena

    Brazil forward, Vinicius Junior grabbed a brace as Real Madrid came from behind to share the spoils in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Bayern Munich at Alianz Arena.

    Vini Jnr latched on to a through pass from teammate after beating  an onrushing defender with pace before a shot past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the opener, before the South Korean fouled Rodrygo in the box and Vinicius put away the resulting penalty.

     German player, Leroy Sane wriggled past a Real Madrid defender and sent a thunderous shot that beat goalie Andriy Lunin early in the second half.

    Few minutes later, Jamal Musiala was tripped by Lucas Vazquez in the box and Harry Kane stepped up to convert the resultant penalty for Bayern second goal of the night.

     Bayern dominated possesion in the first half but failed to take advantage  before Vinicius was played in behind by a clever Toni Kroos through ball.

    Having had six shots and over 60% possession in the first 20 minutes – the best of the chances falling to Sane and Kane – Bayern were behind against the run of play.

    The reverse fixture will be played at Real Madrid’s home ground Santiago Bernabeu next week.

  • UCL: Manchester City’s Bernado Silva reveals what happened to him after penalty miss against Real Madrid

    UCL: Manchester City’s Bernado Silva reveals what happened to him after penalty miss against Real Madrid

    Bernado Silva, Manchester City midfielder, has opened up on what happened to him after he missed a penalty against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final.

    Silva missed a penalty that missed their kick as Madrid won 4-3 at the Etihad in midweek.

    But Silva bounced back by scoring a late  winner against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.

    in the 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.

    He, however, bounced back by scoring the winner in the 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.

    “It was a frustrating night for me [on Wednesday],” Silva said.

    “[And a] frustrating week for me personally, for the whole team, because we wanted to go after another historic season and we can still go for it, but it was a big disappointment to get knocked out of the Champions League.

    “First night, I didn’t sleep much, second night, you sleep a bit better, the third night you sleep almost the whole night, but it is what it is.”