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UEFA Champions League

SHAKHTAR DRAW PROPELS MANCHESTER CITY TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16

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Manchester City booked their place in the Champions League last 16 for a seventh successive season despite a lacklustre 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were well below their best at the Etihad Stadium, but Ilkay Gundogan’s second half strike put them on course to wrap up first place in Group C with one game to spare.

Although Manor Solomon equalised for Shakhtar, Atalanta’s win over Dinamo Zagreb ensured City can’t be knocked off top spot.

With the group clinched, Guardiola has the bonus of being able to rest players for the trip to Zagreb on December 11. That is especially important as the Zagreb fixture comes between vital Premier League matches against Manchester United and Arsenal.

While City won’t give up their Premier League title without a fight, Liverpool are in such a strong position that Europe could provide Guardiola’s best hope of a major prize this term.

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Guardiola won the Champions League twice as Barcelona boss but the last of those triumphs came in 2011. He hasn’t gone past the quarter-finals with City.

Returning to the knockout stages was a first step toward ending that frustrating streak, but Guardiola will know injury-hit City have plenty of room for improvement.

City made a sloppy start and were almost caught out when a long punt into their half prompted Ederson to rush off his line.

When the City keeper completely missed his attempt to clear, Shakhtar’s Mateus Tete charged into the penalty area, only for Fernandinho to block the shot with a superbly timed last-ditch slide.

Moments later, Ederson made a better dash off his line to clear after another Shakhtar raid threatened to open City up.

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City’s limp opening was at least partially due to the absence of the club’s record goalscorer Sergio Aguero, sidelined for several weeks after injuring a thigh in Saturday’s win over Chelsea.

Gabriel Jesus started in place of Aguero, but the Brazilian, who has scored five goals in eight starts this season, was largely anonymous.

Rodri had City’s first sight of goal, but the midfielder’s shot was too close to Shakhtar keeper Andriy Pyatov.

Ponderous for much of the half, City gradually found some rhythm and Nicolas Otamendi’s header from Angelino’s cross forced an agile save from Pyatov, while Gundogan’s deflected effort looped wide.

City have opened talks with Raheem Sterling about a new long-term contract that would reportedly make the 24-year-old one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

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Sterling’s place among the world’s elite is without question, but this wasn’t the England winger’s best night. He did perk up to create a chance that Jesus was unable to take early in the second half.

City finally conjured a move befitting their ability, cutting through the Shakhtar defence to take the lead in the 56th minute.

Kevin De Bruyne was the catalyst with a swift surge and pass into Jesus in the Shakhtar area. Jesus did well to control and poke the ball across to Gundogan.

The German midfielder took a touch before slotting into the bottom corner from 10 yards. Even that wasn’t enough to paper over the cracks for sluggish City and Shakhtar equalised in the 69th minute.

Tete slipped his pass to the overlapping Dodo and his cut-back from the touchline drew a lethargic response from the City defence, allowing substitute Solomon to fire home from close-range only four minutes after coming on.

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David Silva almost restored City’s lead seconds later, but the substitute’s shot was cleared off the line by Serhiy Kryvtsov.

-AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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UEFA Champions League

TikTokers spend 27 hours in stadium toilet to watch Champions League final for free

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 Paris St Germain Victory Parade - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - June 1, 2025 Paris St Germain players pose for a picture with the trophy and Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi during the victory celebration REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo 

A pair of Belgian TikTokers say they spent 27 hours in an Allianz Arena toilet last weekend before watching Paris St Germain beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final for free.

Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told VRT News they managed to get into the Munich stadium the day before the match and hid in a toilet cubicle.

After sticking a homemade “Out of Order” sign on the door, the pair waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility.

“We had a backpack with snacks and we played around on our phones to kill time,” Remmerie told the Belgian public broadcaster.

“The lights were on all the time and the sitting position was uncomfortable, so sleeping was almost impossible. That made it physically and mentally difficult.”

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Once they heard fans starting to use the toilets on matchday, the pair left their bolthole and made their way past ticket inspectors to join the 86,600 crowd in the stands.

“We looked carefully at which security guard was paying the least attention. While on the phone and with food in our hands, we just walked on, and suddenly we were inside,” Remmerie added.

“PSG won 5-0 and we were also in the supporters’ section of the winning team. It was the most beautiful football match we have ever seen.”

The Allianz Arena and UEFA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Those fans who made their way into the match more conventionally had to pay anywhere from 90 to 950 euros ($100-$1,100) for their tickets.

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

How Heineken Scored a Five-Star UEFA Champions League Experience for Nigerian Fans

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Some hardcore fans displaying their loyalty to the winning team PSG at the final watch party by Heineken.

Indeed, it was an evening where football merged with lifestyle. Nigerian music stars Fido and Wande Coal brought their A-game, performing crowd favourites that had fans singing along and dancing well into the night. 

Their live performances added vibrant colour to an already electrifying evening, keeping the energy alive after the final whistle.

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Hard core fans cut across gender, as displayed by the ladies during the Heineken Watch Party in at the Lagos Continental Hotel last Saturday

Adding star power to the experience was ex-Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa, who mingled freely with guests, posed for pictures, and shared expert insight on the game, delighting fans with his presence and personal touch.

“This year’s UEFA Champions League final is not just a match—it’s a cultural moment,” said Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries. “We’re blending world-class football with unforgettable lifestyle experiences. Through our activities, we’re celebrating the real hardcore fans—the ones who make the game magical from wherever they are.”

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Shadeko added that Heineken’s goal is to ensure Nigerian fans feel seen and celebrated. “They may not be in Munich, but they’re just as important to the spirit of the game. That’s why we go all out—every year—to make this night one to remember.”

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UEFA Champions League

PEPSI GOALFEST 2025: Record-Breaking UCL Final, Unforgettable Fan Experience!

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The roar of the crowd, the thrill of every shot, and the ultimate victory! Last Saturday night, Pepsi brought the UEFA Champions League 2025 final to life at the Pepsi GoalFest 2025, where PSG dominated Inter Milan in a stunning 5-0 victory, setting a new record for goals in a final.

The Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos was completely transformed into an electrifying arena, with a dominant wave of the iconic Pepsi blue.


Football fanatics experienced passion like never before. Inside and around the venue, fans engaged in thrilling football-themed games, moved to the beats of electrifying music, and stayed refreshed with Pepsi.

The energy soared as Dj Yk Mule, Mayorkun, and Do2tun delivered show-stopping performances, all powered by Pepsi.


It wasn’t just a game; it was an immersive celebration of football, an unforgettable night where every cheer, every goal, and every moment was refreshed by Pepsi!

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