Sports

UWCL: Barca Start Champions League Defence Hoping To Refine Perfection

Published

2 years ago

November 13, 2023

Women’s Champions League holders Barcelona kick off their trophy defence this week, aiming to become only the fourth team to win the competition in consecutive years

Led by Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmati and two-time winner Alexia Putellas, as well as other World Cup conquering stars, Barcelona are tasked with refining perfection.

Jonatan Giraldez’s side came from two goals behind to beat Wolfsburg in June in Eindhoven, clinching their second Champions League win.

They have reached four of the last five finals, winning twice, and can dream of extending their dominance in Bilbao next May.

Only traditional giants Lyon and Wolfsburg, as well as Sweden’s Umea, have won the Champions League in consecutive years.

Barcelona lifted a treble last season — Spain’s Liga F, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup — but were disqualified from the Copa de la Reina.

Coach Giraldez wants the team to go one better this season and win everything, starting with their opener against Benfica on Tuesday.

“There’s no need to look at where the ceiling is (for this team), but instead to get up every day to work and improve,” he said last week.

“It is very difficult to match and surpass last year’s performance, but we have to work for it.

“We won three of four titles, so there is still room for improvement and we have to work for that.”

Barcelona face familiar opponents in the group, in Swedish champions Rosengard and Portuguese champions Benfica, both of whom were also in their group last season, and German side Eintracht Frankfurt.

“They are team that we know because we played against Benfica and Rosengard last season in the group stage,” said Giraldez in October.

“Eintracht, meanwhile, are a very strong side — I had the chance to watch them live last season against Wolfsburg, before the Champions League final.”

Barcelona’s squad looks as strong as ever, with Salma Paralluelo starting the season in spectacular form.

The Spanish forward, who finished third in the Ballon

d’Or, smashed in four goals against Sevilla earlier in November as she began her campaign to win the trophy currently held by Bonmati.

The playmaker showed supporters the golden ball before the Sevilla match and also paraded it before Barcelona’s men’s team beat Alaves in La Liga on Sunday.

There was no debate over the women’s Ballon d’Or — Bonmati was the outstanding candidate.

– Putellas recovery –

Bonmati’s sublime midfield performances ease pressure on Putellas, who is still looking for her top level after a long-term knee injury.

“The surgeon told me I won’t get cleared to play and (be able to) perform straight away, but that it’s a process,” said Putellas in October.

“They told me a year and a half, and that’s in December.”

Barcelona do not have a clear outstanding option for centre-forward, and Putellas may end up taking on the role as a false nine.

Those three Spanish players are key element’s of Giraldez’s side, but the supporting cast is remarkably strong with explosive winger Caroline Graham Hansen to England duo Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze, and Swedish dynamo Fridolina Rolfo.

Patri Guijarro, who netted twice in the win over Wolfsburg, and Mapi Leon, are two other key pillars, who missed Spain’s World Cup triumph in the fight over improving conditions for the team.

If there is one significant doubt about the Catalans, it is their track record against record eight-time winners Lyon.

The two sides have met four times with Lyon triumphing on every occasion, scoring 10 goals to Barcelona’s three.

The French side beat Barca in the 2022 and 2019 finals, as they won five titles in a row between 2016 and 2020.

Barcelona should fly through the group stage — they scored 15 against Benfica in two games last season, and 10 against Rosengard — and will be keeping a close eye on the French giants after that.

Sports

UCL: Why I Snubbed Move To Real Madrid – Saliba

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

Arsenal defender, William Saliba, has revealed why he turned down a move to Real Madrid.

Saliba recently put pen to paper on a contract extension with the Gunners.

The Frenchman has now claimed he wants to win silverware with the Premier League side, before he can think of leaving the Emirates.

“Of course it’s really tempting when a club like that is interested in you.

“But I wanted to win titles at Arsenal first before thinking about anything else,” Saliba told Telefoot.

Saliba might get his wish this season, as Arsenal look well on course to end their two-decade wait for the league title.

Mikel Arteta’s men are six points clear at the top after 10 matches.

Sports

UCL Matchday 4: Liverpool Host Real Madrid, Bayern Face PSG, Other Fixtures

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League hits its halfway mark on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Matchday 4 arrives with drama scripted across Europe.

Eighteen games, countless storylines, and a stage where heroes, heartbreak, and history are never far apart.

From Anfield to Paris, Turin to Prague — the world’s greatest club competition enters its next act.

These preview details were obtained from the UCL website on Monday.

1. Liverpool vs Real Madrid

A rivalry defined by glory and grief — from Kyiv to Paris to Anfield’s famous nights.

Last season, the Reds finally broke their curse, a 2-0 victory ending an eight-game winless run against Los Blancos. Now, Jürgen Klopp’s men return to Anfield, chasing a 16th straight European home win — an Anfield fortress roaring under the lights.

Mohamed Salah stands on the brink of greatness: two goals from becoming the first African player to reach 50 in the Champions League. Across the pitch, a familiar face wears white now — Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Scouser turned Galáctico, facing the Kop for the first time.

Madrid’s own prodigy, Jude Bellingham, could rewrite history too. At 22 years and 128 days, he’s set to become the youngest ever player to make 50 Champions League appearances — eclipsing Iker Casillas, the symbol of Madrid’s golden past.

It’s not just a match. It’s memory, emotion, and destiny colliding.

2. PSG vs Bayern Munich

Paris have lost just two of their last 41 home Champions League group stage games, and the Parc des Princes is again a fortress. But Bayern are serial conquerors, with 13 wins in their last 15 meetings against French opposition.

All eyes will be on Ousmane Dembélé, who’s lived every twist of this rivalry — scorer, provider, even villain. He faces his old Bundesliga tormentors with something to prove. Meanwhile, Lucas Hernández meets his former teammates after switching red for blue.

At the other end, Harry Kane continues his European rampage — 11 goals in his last ten UCL appearances — while Joshua Kimmich eyes his 100th Champions League match for Bayern, joining legends Müller, Neuer, Lahm, and Kahn in elite company.

It’s a battle of old foes and new ambitions — with the scent of late drama thick in the Paris air.

3. Slavia Praha vs Arsenal

In Prague, memories of 2021 linger — when Arsenal crushed Slavia’s quarter-final dreams with a 4-0 rout.
Four years later, the Czech champions seek payback on home soil.

Slavia have found their scoring rhythm — goals in 26 of their last 27 European home games — but face an Arsenal side in imperious form. The Gunners are unbeaten in ten against Czech clubs, with seven straight UCL league-phase wins.

Gabriel Martinelli has found the net in all three of Arsenal’s group games — and the Brazilian’s fearless energy has made him Mikel Arteta’s symbol of this new Arsenal: vibrant, ruthless, relentless.

History favors the Gunners — but Slavia’s home spirit, under the lights of Eden Arena, makes this more than a formality. It’s redemption, reimagined.

4. Juventus vs Sporting CP
In Turin, it’s about legacy.

Juventus, chasing their 500th European Cup goal — the first Italian team to do so — meet Sporting CP, winless against Italian opposition since 2011.

The Bianconeri have stumbled on the continental stage lately — only two wins in their last 11 European games — and must rediscover their old ruthlessness. Sporting, ever daring, have scored in 19 straight group-stage matches, and will not come quietly.

For both sides, this isn’t just a fixture. It’s a test of belief.

Elsewhere Across Europe on Tuesday:

Tottenham vs Copenhagen
Napoli vs Frankfurt
Atlético Madrid vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Bodø/Glimt vs Monaco
Olympiacos vs PSV Eindhoven
PUNCH Online reports that the remaining games will take place on Wednesday.

Pafos vs Villarreal and Qarabağ vs Chelsea kick off early.
Ajax vs Galatasaray
Club Brugge vs Barcelona
Inter vs Kairat
Man City vs Dortmund
Newcastle vs Athletic Club
Marseille vs Atalanta
Benfica vs Leverkusen. Also reports that only five teams have maintained a perfect start winning all three games from the previous match days.

Sports

Okpebholo Bags SWAN Governor of the Year Award

Published

2 weeks ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

National Leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has named the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the Distinguished Governor of the Year in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.

The award will be formally presented to the governor on Friday, October 31, during SWAN’s 60th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary.

Edo State Chairman of SWAN, Comrade Kehinde Osagiede, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin when he led members of his executive on a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua.

Osagiede said the visit was aimed at officially introducing the Edo SWAN Executive — which assumed office about a year ago — to the commissioner and to strengthen collaboration between the association and the state government.

“Governor Monday Okpebholo was carefully selected for this honour because of his remarkable contributions to sports development in Nigeria within his first year in office.

“We also came to congratulate you, Mr. Commissioner, on your well-deserved appointment, and to inform you, as the spokesperson of the state government, about the forthcoming award to the governor,” he said.

He further assured that the Edo SWAN chapter would continue to collaborate with the state government to promote sports development across the state.

In his response, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, thanked SWAN for the recognition accorded Governor Okpebholo and for its support towards sports promotion in Edo State.

Afegbua, who disclosed that the governor was currently on official duty in Ekiti State, promised to brief him about the honour.

He urged sports journalists in the state to give balanced and positive coverage to the activities of Bendel Insurance Football Club, Edo Queens, and other sporting programmes initiated by the state government.

“The Edo State Government will continue to partner with SWAN to advance sports development in the state,” the commissioner assured.