UEFA Champions League
LIVE: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: RB LEIPZIG 2-1 ATLETICO MADRID
It’s all over! Leipzig are in the semifinals for the first time in their history!!!!
It’s 2 minutes beyond the added time.
Yellow card – Gimenez
We’re over the allotted 5 minutes of added time, but still we play on… free kick to Leipzig, and surely that’s it?
90+5 min: Atletico Madrid are throwing men forward now, but they’re running out of time. There’s a Leipzig man down complaining of cramp
FIVE MINUTES ADDED TIME:
GOAL! RB Leipzig 2-1 Atletico Madrid (Adams)
88 min: It’s a great flick around the corner from Sabitzer for Angelino, who finds substitute Adams in the middle. He takes a long range shot, and it takes an awful deflection to go past Oblak and into the goal!
GOAL! RB Leipzig 2-1 Atletico Madrid (Adams)
88 min: It’s a great flick around the corner from Sabitzer for Angelino, who finds substitute Adams in the middle. He takes a long range shot, and it takes an awful deflection to go past Oblak and into the goal!
GOAL!!!!!!OAL! RB Leipzig 2-1 Atletico Madrid (Adams)
Atletico Madrid have scored in each of their last 19 games in all competitions – last enjoying a longer scoring run in 2012 (24 games).82 mins
SUBSTITUTIONS
RB Leipzig 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Goalscorer Dani Olmo is off and is replaced by Patrik Schick and Christopher Nkunku comes off for Amadou Haidara.
João Félix has scored four goals in his three European quarter-final appearances, having hit a hat-trick for Benfica against Eintracht Frankfurt in last season’s UEFA Europa League first leg.That spot kick made it six goals from six penalties for him in senior football – the last three in UEFA club competition.
81mins:
Under 10 minutes to go
Remember, there are no second legs. This one’s going to extra time if the teams can’t be separated in the next 9 minutes
78MIN: Substitution: Adams (in) – Laimer (out) (Leipzig).
77 min: Leipzig now have to come again, as it looks like Atletico are content to sit back again
Subs: Atletico: Morata comes on for Costa
Leipzig: Adams comes on for Laimer
PENALTY KICK!!!
PENALTY TO ATLETICO MADRID
It’s that man Joao Felix! He plays a one-two with Costa and he’s into the box, brought down around the penalty spot just before he takes a shot
63 min: Felix wins a free kick for his side
Yellow card – Lodi
61 min: Lodi knocks the ball past his man in the box and he goes down!
No contact whatsoever, and he’s given a yellow card for diving
58 mins
SUBSTITUTION
RB Leipzig 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone twists after just 13 minutes of the second half played.
Hector Herrera is off and £113m Joao Felix joins the attack.
58 mins
SUBSTITUTION
RB Leipzig 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone twists after just 13 minutes of the second half played.
Hector Herrera is off and £113m Joao Felix joins the attack.
Gooooal!
Olmo (Leipzig) scores!
GOAL! RB Leipzig 1-0 Atletico Madrid (Olmo)
51 min: Finally! They work it well, and Olmo finds some space in the box to guide a header straight past Oblak, who can’t get near it with his outstretched hand
2nd Half KICK-OFF
RB Leipzig 0-0 Atletico Madrid
We are back under way in Lisbon.
Post update
45+2 mins
Half Time
Post update
RB Leipzig 0-0 Atletico Madrid
RB free-kick though.
41 mins: RB Leipzig 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Marcos Llorente rolls his way towards the advertising hoardings after an excellent tackle by Dayot Upamecano. He’s OK despite giving the appearance his career was over.
Atletico have a corner but it’s cleared.
39 mins
Post update
RB Leipzig 0-0 Atletico Madrid
As if by magic, the blood has disappeared from the head of Marcel Halstenberg while Stefan Savic has a big bandage wrapped around his head.
We continue.
39 mins
RB Leipzig 0-0 Atletico Madrid
As if by magic, the blood has disappeared from the head of Marcel Halstenberg while Stefan Savic has a big bandage wrapped around his head.
We continue.
Ouch! That looked like it hurt and Savić is bleeding heavily. That kind of full-blooded commitment is exactly what Simeone demands from his players.
35mins: Medical attention:
Savic and Halstenberg are down after they come together at speed, their heads knocking together. The ref stops the match so they can be checked out
Savic looks the worst out of the two, and Felipe is warming up just in case
28 min: Diego Simeone is waving his imaginary yellow card as one of his men is once again brought down unfairly. The referee has kept his cards in his pocket so far though
26 min: RB Leipzig are able to swing a cross in though, and it’s a very good one, aimed at the tall defenders who had come forward right into that corridor of uncertainty, but Atleti get it clear
MATCH SO FAR RB LEIPZIG 0-0 ATLETICO MADRID
· Atlético face Leipzig in #UCL quarter-final
· Simeone’s side force 2 saves from Gulácsi
· Bright opening from Nagelsmann’s men
· Winners face Paris in semi-finals
21 mins ;RB Leipzig 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Crucial clearance by German defender Marcel Halstenberg from Yannick Carrasco’s free-kick to the far post – Marcos Llorente was lurking behind the RB man.
Atletico are right back in this match after RB’s earlier good spell.
19 min: Another free kick for Atletico Madrid in a decent position. Their players have been getting free in the box so far thanks to zonal marking.
Carrasco teases one in, and Saul is waiting for it before Halstenberg gets it clear
19 min: Another free kick for Atletico Madrid in a decent position.
15 min: The VAR check is taking a while, and in the meantime Leipzig are on the attack down the middle. It’s switched out to the left side, but the cross is headed away by Savic.
No penalty, by the way, after a three minute check
12 min: Lovely work from Carrasco and Lodi down the left, and the shot fizzes in towards Gulacsi’s near post, who parries it away for a corner.
Saul Niguez gets in a little tangle with the keeper and goes down in the box looking for a penalty, VAR are checking
4mins: Halstenberg (Leipzig) misses the target.
Giménez heads the corner clear and, from a second cross from the left, the ball falls to Halstenberg, who volleys a decent opportunity well over the far angle of Oblak’s goal from inside the penalty area on the right. This has been a positive start from Leipzig, looking confident and energetic.
2mins: Diego Costa (Atlético) is flagged for offside.
Atletico kicked off.
Leipzig make seven changes from last outing. Atlético bring in four from last match. German side make quarter-finals debut. Winners face Paris in semi-finals
KICK-OFF: The match is under way.
A minute’s silence will be observed before kick-off to honour all victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.
TEAMS ARRIVE ON THE PITCH
RB Leipzig are out onto the pitch first, followed by Atletico Madrid separately making their way onto the pitch to promote social distancing
COVID -19 PROTOCOLS
There are a lot of rules in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the Champions League knockout stages.
Portugal is playing host to the rest of the competition, and two-legged ties are a thing of the past.
Each squad has been allocated a hotel and training area that is separate from the rest of the teams, and you need permission to leave.
There’s rigorous testing in place, and if you can’t field a squad of 13 healthy players, you automatically lose 3-0.
Each club has been allocated 210 bottles of water to use per day, and warm-ups cannot be done inside penalty areas in order to protect the pitch.
Action continues tonight in the UEFA Champions League as german side, RB Leipzig face La Liga side, Atletico Madrid.
It is the third match of the quarterfinal series. Both teams coincidentally overcame Premiership sides, Tottenham and Liverpool.
Diego Simeone ‘s Atletico Madrid will be hoping to make another final having seen Real Madrid exit in the last round, as their rivals caused them heartache in the 2014 and 2016 finals.
RB Leipzig finished third in the Bundesliga will be hoping to continue their impressive form without Timo Werner who helped them to this stage, now that he has signed for Chelsea.
RB LEIPZIG
Starting XI: Gulacsi, Angelino, Upamecano, Sabitzer, Poulsen, Klostermann, Nkunku, Halsternberg, Olmo, Laimer, Kampl
Subs: Mvogo, Tschauner, Orban, Haigara, Forsberg, Adams, Lookman, Schick, Mukiele, Novoa, Borkowski, Wosz
ATLETICO MADRID
Starting XI: Oblak, Lodi, Gimenez, Savic, Trippier, Carrasco, Saul, Koke, Herrera, Llorente, Costa
Subs: Adan, Arias, Felipe, Hermoso, Sanchez, Thomas, Lemar, Vitolo, Toni Moya, Joao Felix, Morata, Saponjic
Tickets for the men’s Champions League final in Budapest will start at 70 euros ($80) with a lottery deciding the allocation for the general public, UEFA said on Monday.
The final will be on May 30 at Puskas Arena in the Hungarian capital.
Fans will also be able to attend the women’s Champions League final at Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadium on May 23 for as little as 20 euros, with tickets on sale from Monday for all UEFA club competition finals.
The pricing structure stands in contrast to major international tournaments such as the World Cup and the European Championship, where ticket prices are typically far higher and have drawn criticism from supporters.
Applications are open through UEFA’s ticket portal, with sales for the Champions League final closing on March 19.
Tickets will then be allocated through a lottery once the rather than sold through first-come, first-served sales or dynamic pricing models increasingly used at major sporting events.
UEFA said the majority of tickets for the four finals will go to supporters of the participating teams and the general public, with more than 40 percent of capacity for the Champions League final reserved for fans in the two lowest price categories.
Prices for the Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20 start at 40 euros, while the Conference League final in Leipzig on May 27 begins at 25 euros.
-Reuters
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Atletico Madrid tore Tottenham Hotspur apart in a stunning first-half blitz on Tuesday, powering to a 5-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie and leaving the Premier League side with a mountain to climb in London.
The visitors’ 22-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky endured a night to forget on his first appearance since October and only his third of the season.
Two costly errors from the Czech helped Atletico race into a commanding lead, and he was substituted in the 17th minute by manager Igor Tudor immediately after Atletico’s third goal.
Marcos Llorente struck after six minutes when Kinsky slipped while playing the ball out, and Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead in the 14th when Micky van de Ven also lost his footing.
A minute later, Julian Alvarez walked in the third after Kinsky miscued a clearance, the earliest a team has gone three goals up in a Champions League knockout match.
After Kinsky was replaced by Guglielmo Vicario, Atletico added a fourth when Robin Le Normand’s header crossed the line following a rebound from Griezmann’s free kick. Tottenham defender Pedro Porro reduced the deficit after 26 minutes.
Alvarez then raced from his own half to score the hosts’ fifth goal in the 55th before Dominic Solanke punished an error by Atletico keeper Jan Oblak, which gifted Spurs a second goal.
“We’re very happy with the win and the three-goal lead, but there are still 90 minutes left to play on their home turf,” Alvarez told Movistar Plus.
“We know what this competition is like. Every detail counts, it’s not going to be easy, but we want to be in the quarter-finals.”
ATLETICO SEIZE CONTROL
Diego Simeone’s Atletico side needed barely a quarter of an hour at the Metropolitano stadium to seize control, scoring three times in nine chaotic minutes as Premier League strugglers Spurs unravelled spectacularly.
The rout began in the sixth minute when Kinsky slipped onto his backside while attempting to play out from the back, gifting possession to Alvarez. The Argentine squared for Llorente, who steered a tidy finish just inside the left post.
Eight minutes later, defender Van de Ven also lost his footing trying to control a routine pass, leaving Griezmann free to burst into the area and drill a low shot past Kinsky.
A minute later, Kinsky completely fluffed a first-time clearance from a back-pass, allowing Alvarez to stroll the ball into an unguarded net.
Atletico’s three goals marked the earliest a team has gone three ahead in a Champions League knockout match, and the damage was far from complete.
Tudor reacted by sending on regular keeper Vicario, but the Italian had little time to settle.
In the 22nd minute, he pushed out a Griezmann free kick only as far as Le Normand, whose close-range header was initially clawed away before the referee, alerted by goal-line technology, awarded Atletico their fourth goal.
TOTTENHAM TRY TO RESPOND
To their credit, Spurs responded swiftly. Porro surged down the right in the 26th minute, collected a lateral pass from Richarlison and fired past Oblak to reduce the arrears.
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero then struck the post with a header from a corner before halftime as the visitors sought another lifeline, while Griezmann sliced wide from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Any hope of a sustained Spurs comeback was extinguished 10 minutes after the break. With the away side committed forward, Atletico broke at speed from a defensive corner.
Griezmann’s delightful touch released Alvarez from inside his own half and the forward sprinted clear before sliding a low finish beyond Vicario for his second and Atletico’s fifth.
There was still time for another twist.
In the 76th minute Oblak miscontrolled the ball while attempting to play out from the back, presenting halftime substitute Solanke with possession and the striker rifled home to give Spurs the faintest glimmer of hope.
Yet the evening belonged emphatically to Atletico, who carry a three-goal advantage into next week’s return leg in London after a display that punished every Tottenham misstep.
-Reuters
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UEFA Champions League
Heineken Brings “Fans Have More Friends” Campaign to Nigeria for Champions League Round of 16
As the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League gets underway, Heineken is bringing fans together in Nigeria through its global “Fans Have More Friends” campaign.
The initiative will see premium match-viewing experiences hosted in Lagos at select venues, including GreenHouse on Olu Holloway Road, Ikoyi, and Hunger Games on Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, during match days on Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to organisers, the events are designed to offer more than just live football coverage. Fans attending the viewing parties will enjoy live music performances, interactive “predict and win” games, branded merchandise giveaways and a steady supply of Heineken throughout the night.
The programme aims to transform match nights into full entertainment experiences that blend football, music and social interaction among supporters.
Every goal comes with excitement!
Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries Plc, said the campaign reflects the deep connection between football and social life in Nigeria.
“In Nigeria, Champions League nights are about connection,” Shadeko said. “Friends come together, strangers become friends, and everyone shares the same emotions from kick-off to the final whistle. Through Heineken’s ‘Fans Have More Friends’ platform, we are celebrating that spirit of togetherness.”
While the festivities unfold off the pitch, attention will also turn to the action across Europe as the knockout stage produces several high-profile encounters.
Among the headline ties is the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC, while Newcastle United face FC Barcelona. Elsewhere, Galatasaray SK will meet Liverpool FC, and Atlético Madrid will battle Tottenham Hotspur.
Heineken rewards a loyal fan in ‘Predict and Win’ contest at one of the viewing experiences on a match night
Another standout fixture pits Real Madrid against Manchester City, a contest many fans consider worthy of a final. Bayern Munich will take on Atalanta BC, Bayer Leverkusen face Arsenal FC, while Sporting CP meet Bodø/Glimt.
Nigerian fans will also have a strong interest in the tournament through local stars playing key roles for their clubs. Victor Osimhen is expected to lead the attack for Galatasaray against Liverpool, while Ademola Lookman will aim to shine for Atlético Madrid in their tie against Tottenham.
Across Lagos and other Nigerian cities, Champions League match nights have become social gatherings where supporters of different clubs watch together, debate tactics and celebrate goals.
Shadeko said Heineken’s campaign is designed to capture and amplify that shared passion.
“Fandom has a unique way of bringing people closer,” she said. “When you watch a big match with others, the experience becomes bigger and more memorable. That is what we are creating with these match-day experiences.”
As the Champions League anthem echoes across Europe and the Round of 16 drama begins, fans in Nigeria will gather once again to share the excitement, with Heineken adding its own flavour to the match-night experience
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