Tag: UEFA

UCL: UEFA okays Burna Boy to perform live at the Finals on June 10

Nigeria’s hit maker and GRAMMY Award-winning and multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and producer, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulupopularly known as Burna Boy, has been given the nod by UEFA to perform at the Champions League Final Kick-Off Show in Istanbul, Turkey in June.

The African giant is expected to bring his musical talents and signature soulful vibes of afrobeat’s to Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on June 10.

Burna is expected to serenade football loving fans live at the stadium and millions that will stay glued to their TV set minutes before the final is played.

The news was announced on the Twitter page of the UEFA Champions League, accompanied by a video from Burna Boy.

“Hello everyone, this is Burna Boy and I’ve got some big news,” the Grammy Award winner said in the video.

“I’ll be performing at the UEFA Champions League final kick-off show by Pepsi. Come on, let’s go!”

The Champions League is currently in the quarter-final stage, with eight teams set to compete for the right to be called European champions.

These are AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Benfica, and defending champions Real Madrid.

In February, Burna Boy, Grammy Award-winning singer and Oscar-nominated singer and producer Tems and Rema headlined the 2023 NBA All-Star Game halftime show.

March 18, 2023
Victor Osimhen constitutes UEFA Champions League Team Of The Week

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, has been included in both the UEFA Champions League Team of the Week and the Team of round 16 first-leg.

Osimhen continued his impressive scoring form for Napoli after getting on the score sheet in their 2-0 win away to 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday, February 21.

He took his tally for the season to 20 in 24 games in all competitions for the Serie A leaders.

The team of the week was announced by the football facts and statistics website whoscored.com on their Twitter handle.

Osimhen alongside three of his Napoli teammates and Real Madrid’s quarter, Karim Benzema, Eder Militao, Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric, all made the Team of the Week.

While for the Team of the first-leg round of 16, Osimhen was included with the same Madrid players and also three of his Napoli teammates.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Osimhen is being linked with moves to Chelsea and Manchester United this summer.

Born in Nigeria, Osimhen began his senior career in Germany at VfL Wolfsburg in 2017. Following a season and a half at the club, he moved to Belgian side Charleroi on loan in 2018–19, before moving to France at Lille.

In 2020, Osimhen transferred to Serie A club Napoli for a club-record fee of €70 million. He won the Serie A Best Young Player award in the 2021–22 season.

Osimhen won the Golden Boot award at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which Nigeria won. He made his senior international debut in June 2017 and played at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

He is currently the ninth all-time highest goalscorer of the Nigeria national team.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Osimhen started his career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy, based in Lagos, Nigeria.

In January 2016, after being noticed for his performances at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Osimhen committed to a pre-contract with VfL Wolfsburg, stipulating that he would officially join the club in January 2017

February 24, 2023
US pick Nigerian to coach Under-16 team

The U.S. Soccer Federation has appointed US-based Nigerian tactician, Michael Nsien, as the new head coach of the country’s U-16 Men’s youth national football team on a 3-year deal.

Nsien, with over 23 years of experience as a player and coach for clubs in the United States, becomes the first Nigerian to take the reign of the U.S. U-16 Men’s youth national team.

Nsien, born in Oklahoma of Nigerian roots, holds all the UEFA Pro Coaching licenses and is seen by his peers in the U.S. as a “trailblazer” for black coaches in a sector with very few black coaches.
I feel really good about getting this role and opportunity as a first-generation Nigerian American, it is really important to me that we show that my family name and the people of Nigeria are exposed and represented in a positive way not just in the U.S. but across the world.

November 16, 2022
FULL DRAW: Barca paired against Man U for Europa League last 16 spot

FC Barcelona will face Manchester United in the 2022/2023 Europa League play-offs for a chance to reach the last 16.

The Spanish side were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and were only third in their group after a disappointing campaign.

Manchester United, meanwhile, were second in their Europa League group, behind Real Sociedad.

Juventus, another giant coming from the UEFA Champions League ranks, will face Nantes following the draw on Monday.

German sides Union Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen will face Ajax and AS Monaco respectively.

Other match-ups include Sporting Lisbon versus Midtjylland, Shakhtar Donetsk versus Rennes, Sevilla versus PSV Eindhoven and Red Bull Salzburg v AS Roma.

The first leg matches of the ties are scheduled for Feb. 16, with the second leg matches a week later on Feb. 23.

The Europa League knockout round play-offs were introduced last season.

The eight runners-up from the competition’s group stage face the third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.

The winners of the ties advance to the round of 16, joining the eight Europa League group winners.

November 7, 2022
Europa League: Barcelona to face Manchester United for a place in round of 16

The rivalry between Catalan giants Barcelona and English Premier League side Manchester United will continue in the UEFA Europa league.

Both teams will face each other for a slot in the Europa League round of 16

United’s failure to win Group E has pitted them against a team relegated to the competition from the Champions League and Barcelona finished third behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

Barcelona v United.

Juventus v Nantes.

Sporting v Midtjylland.

Shakhtar Donetsk v Rennes.

Ajax v Union Berlin.

Bayer Leverkusen v Monaco.

Sevilla v PSV.

Salzburg v Roma.

November 7, 2022
UEFA Champions League Draws: Liverpool, Real Madrid slug it out again

There is going to be a repeat of last season’s final in the round of 16 as Liverpool were drawn against Champions Real Madrid, while on-form Serie A side Napoli will trade tackles with last year’s Europa winner Eintracht: Frankfurt of Germany.

Teams from the same countries cannot face each other, and clubs cannot face opponents they met during the group stage.

Group winners got seeded, while the runners-up were unseeded.

Ties will be played over two legs, with seeded teams at home in the second leg.

The first legs are scheduled for 14/15/21/22 February, with the second legs on 7/8/14/15 March.

UEFA Draws Below

Liverpool vs Real Madrid

Inter Milan vs Porto

Dortmund Vs Chelsea

Manchester City vs Leipzig

Club Brugge vs Benfica

PSG vs Bayern

AC Milan vs Tottenham Hotspurs

Frankfurt vs Napoli

November 7, 2022
UEFA introduces Women’s Nations League

UEFA has announced the introduction of the women’s Nations League among the countries of Europe.

UEFA announced on Thursday in Nyon that the tournament for women will begin next year,

The competition, which will link into qualification for the European Championship and the World Cup, will start in autumn 2023, it said.

In the usual practice with the men, countries will be divided into leagues based on their ranking, with promotion and relegation between the leagues.

UEFA confirmed there would be three tiers with teams playing in groups of three or four within those tiers.

“I said this summer that we will continue to invest in women’s football, and we are,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said.

“Off the back of a historic UEFA Women’s Euro, it is now time to further develop women’s national team football.

“We have built an open, competitive and continuous system in which every match will matter, a true reflection of the European sports model.

“I am convinced that this format will help all European national associations and keep the dream of qualifying for a major international tournament alive.”

Proposals for a revamp of the women’s national team competitions, including the introduction of a Nations League, were presented to member-associations by a working group in Frankfurt last month.

This had happened ahead of the qualifying draw for the men’s Euro in 2024.

The new formats were officially ratified by UEFA’s ruling executive committee on Wednesday.

The men’s Nations League was first played in 2018, with the idea that it would provide more meaningful and competitive matches to replace international friendlies.

Portugal won the first edition in 2019.

November 4, 2022
UEFA Champions League: How the round of 16 draws will be made

For the November 7 Champions League round of 16 draws, UEFA has made it clear that teams from the same country will not face each other in the round of 16, it could happen as from the quarter-finals of the competition.

Teams that finished first in their groups will face teams that emerged runners-up from other groups.

The unseeded teams for the round of 16 draws are Liverpool, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund because they finished second in their groups.

Chelsea face the prospect of facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 following the conclusion of the group stage fixtures on Wednesday.

The Blues finished top of Group E after beating Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Graham Potter’s side could face PSG in the last-16 after the French Ligue 1 champions finished runner-up in Group H.

Liverpool could be drawn with any of Bayern, Real Madrid, Porto, Benfica in the round of 16.

PSG appeared to be on course to finish top of their group, but Benfica’s 6-1 win away to Maccabi Haifa means that Christophe Galtier’s side have been forced to settle for the runners-up spot.

Also, PSG could also face Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League last-16 draw after a dramatic late twist on Wednesday evening as both Premier League clubs finished top in their respective Groups.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid finished top of Group F and joined the likes of Bayern Munich, Napoli and FC Porto in the seeded pot for the draw.

The Los Blancos could meet the likes of Liverpool, Club Bruges, Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, while Tottenham could face Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, Inter Milan plus Group E, F and H runners-up.

The UEFA Champions League will resume in February 2023.

All the 16 teams that qualified

Liverpool,

Porto,

Club Brugge,

AC Milan,

Real Madrid,

RB Leipzig,

Manchester City,

Borussia Dortmund,

Benfica,

PSG

Bayern Munich,

Inter Milan,

Tottenham,

Napoli,

Eintracht Frankfurt,

Chelsea,

November 3, 2022
Europa League: Arsenal qualify for knockout stage with games to spare

Arsenal secured their spot in the Europa League knockout stage with two games to spare after beating PSV Eindhoven 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.

After struggling to make their dominance count for much of the encounter, midfielder Granit Xhaka smashed a first-time shot home in the 71st minute to make it four wins from four games for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal are now guaranteed to finish in the top two of Group A and are five points clear of second-place PSV ahead of the return fixture in Eindhoven in a week’s time.

A draw in that match will be enough for Arsenal to clinch top spot in the group and go straight into the competition’s last 16.

Teams that finish second in their group will face a playoff against a side that drops out of the Champions League.

Thursday’s match had been originally scheduled for Sept. 15 but was postponed due to a lack of available police in London during a period of national mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

But the delay did nothing to halt the momentum of an Arsenal team that have made a sensational start to the season to top the English Premier League table.

Arsenal were in the ascendency for much of the first half, though failed to seriously trouble the PSV goal.

Gabriel Jesus, looking for his first Europa League goal, was lively but dragged an effort wide from 20 yards and then just failed to get his head on the end of a Gabriel flick-on from a corner.

Jesus was again heavily involved at the start of the second half, first creating a half-chance for himself before teeing up Bukayo Saka for the clearest opening yet for the hosts.

Jesus sent Saka clean through on goal with an inch-perfect through ball but the England winger’s tame effort was denied by the feet of PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

But the momentum was only heading one way and it was no surprise when an Arsenal goal finally arrived with 19 minutes remaining.

Takehiro Tomiyasu delivered the assist with a chipped cut back from the right and Xhaka, evidently full of confidence, swept the ball in on his weaker right foot.

Even after falling behind, PSV, managed by former great Arsenal rival and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, failed to seriously test United States goalkeeper Matt Turner in the Arsenal goal.

October 21, 2022
RAPE: Manchester United forward, Mason Greenwood arrested over contact with alleged victim

Manchester United forward, Mason Greenwood, has been arrested on suspicion of contacting the alleged victim.

The 21-year-old Manchester United striker and forward, who was initially granted bail after his arrest on suspicion of rape, assault, and making threats to kill, has been arrested again on suspicion of breaching his bail conditions.

Greenwood, who has not played for Manchester United since January, was arrested on Saturday morning, after being accused of breaching the conditions of his bail by contacting the alleged victim.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Greater Manchester Police are aware of an allegation regarding a 21-year-old man breaching his bail conditions and an arrest has been made on Saturday 15 October 2022. Inquiries are ongoing at this time.”

Greenwood was released on bail on February 2 and has been awaiting his fate ever since. The Bradford-born forward joined the club’s youth academy at the age of six and was just 17 when he made his first-team debut.

He was originally due to answer his bail on April 30 but the decision was pushed back after a court hearing in June.

Though he’s suspended by Manchester United, he still receives his £75,000-a-week salary pending the outcome of any criminal proceedings.

Greenwood has been removed from FIFA 22 and dropped by sponsors Nike in the wake of the allegations.

TheNewsGuru.com confirmed that Greenwood will not feature in the game. All merchandise bearing his name has been axed from the official Manchester United site and teammates have unfollowed him on Instagram.

With the rape case against him still not settled, his promising domestic and international career remains in jeopardy.

Coming through the youth system, Greenwood scored in a UEFA Europa League match against Astana in September 2019, to become the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in European competition at the age of 17 years, 353 days.

His senior international debut for England came in September 2020, in a UEFA Nations League game against Iceland.

In January 2022, Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of raping and assaulting a woman, and a few days later on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill. Since then, Greenwood has not trained with, or appeared for, either his club or his national team.

October 15, 2022