Author: Opalim Lifted

Bayer Leverkusen secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a routine victory over Sparta Prague at the BayArena. Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz opened the scoring for Xabi Alonso’s side just after the half-hour mark, driving a low effort into the bottom left corner after being picked out by Jeremie Frimpong. Former Southampton winger Nathan Tella added the second from close range for the hosts, after Alex Grimaldo’s free-kick was only parried out by visiting goalkeeper Peter Vindahl. The result leaves the German champions on 16 points and sixth overall in the 36-team league phase. Leverkusen…

Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick helped Paris St-Germain, PSG into the Champions League play-offs as they defeated Stuttgart, a result that eliminated the Germans. PSG, runners-up in 2020 and semi-finalists last season, would have been in danger of being knocked out themselves if they had lost this match. But Luis Enrique’s side only needed six minutes before they took control. Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor needlessly conceded a corner and it was flicked on by Desire Doue with Bradley Barcola bravely heading into the net. Chris Fuhrich had an effort superbly saved by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the French side immediately counter-attacking…

Barcelona missed the chance to finish top of the league phase of the Champions League as they drew with Atalanta, who dropped into the play-off round. With a much-changed Liverpool losing 3-2 to PSV Eindhoven, already-qualified Barca would have taken top spot with a victory. After a goalless first half, Lamine Yamal converted from Raphinha’s cross from the left to put Barca ahead two minutes into the second half, only for a great strike from Ederson to pull the Italians level. Ronald Araujo’s diving header restored Barca’s lead in the 72nd minute, but Atalanta again fought back with Mario Pasalic…

A much-changed Liverpool finished top of the Champions League group phase despite losing their 100% winning record after defeat to PSV Eindhoven in a five-goal thriller. The Reds, who had won their opening seven matches, led twice in the Netherlands before conceding twice at the end of the first half in their eighth and final game. But Barcelona’s failure to beat Atalanta meant Arne Slot’s team finished top on 21 points, two ahead of their nearest rivals. In an action-packed first half, Cody Gakpo put the Reds ahead from the penalty spot in his home city against his former club…

Man City survived a huge scare as they scraped into the Champions League play-offs with victory over Club Brugge at Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions knew only victory would suffice to avoid the abject embarrassment of slipping out of the top 24 places in the tournament’s new format. And they were left facing that grim prospect after Raphael Onyedika gave Club Brugge a shock lead as he turned in Ferran Jutgla’s cross just before half-time. City needed a response with tension mounting, duly providing it against a Belgian side who showed enough to fully deserve their place in…

Arsenal scored two goals in four first-half minutes as they came from behind to beat Girona to qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League. The Gunners were all-but through to the last 16 of the competition going into the match but build up to the game was dominated with talk about their approach for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. Girona looked like they were about to pull off a shock result when they took the lead in the 28th minute. Neto, making his Arsenal debut in goal in place of the injured David Raya, raced out of his…

A fire engulfed a merchandise stand outside Etihad Stadium as fans gathered two hours before Man City’s Champions League home game against Club Brugge on Wednesday. The fire started in the kiosk near the stadium’s main entrance just before 18:00 GMT as fans gathered for a presentation of the club’s January signings on a stage. The event was halted and the area evacuated by stewards and security staff before the fire service arrived and quickly extinguished the blaze near the entrance to the Colin Bell West Stand. Man City posted on X at 7.11pm that the match would kick-off at…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called its first witness in the trial of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, who is facing a 16-count money laundering charge. The witness, Fabian Nwaora, a real estate businessman, testified before the court in Abuja on Wednesday after Maryann Anenih, the presiding judge, overruled an objection from Bello and his co-defendants seeking to delay proceedings. Nwaora, who owns EFAB Properties, told the court that his company sold a property in Maitama, Abuja, to a man named Shehu Bello for ₦550 million in 2020. He said that in 2023, Shehu returned…

Lewis Hamilton has crashed his Ferrari during the team’s pre-season testing programme in Spain. The seven-time champion was unhurt after losing control of the team’s 2023 car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday. Ferrari declined to comment on the incident, which happened on Hamilton’s second day of running at the Spanish track, where he is sharing the car with team-mate Charles Leclerc. The incident happened as Ferrari seek to embed seven-time champion into the team as effectively as possible before the start of the season at the Australian Grand Prix on 14-16 March. Ferrari regard the crash as nothing…

French police arrested 17 Feyenoord fans while 64 were turned away at the border after the Dutch club’s fans were banned from travelling to Lille for their Champions League clash on Wednesday. The French Council of State in Paris rejected the appeal by Feyenoord and their supporters group, FSV de Feijenoorder, and upheld the ban imposed by the French Interior Ministry due to the risk of violence between supporters and law enforcement. “64 people claiming to be Feyenoord Rotterdam supporters have been refused entry into France and 17 people have been arrested, resulting in the same number being held in…