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UEFA Champions League

DISAPPOINTED NEYMAR IS HEART-BROKEN

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Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar  broke down in tears on the pitch after his side lost the Champions League final to Bayern Munich on Sunday night. 

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Kingsley Coman’s second-half header separated the two teams at the Lisbon showpiece, leaving the Brazilian winger without a European trophy this season. 

Neymar was left heartbroken by the defeat, as he was looking to claim his first Champions League title since leaving Barcelona, who he won the competition with in 2015. 

And PSG’s main man was left crushed by the inability to drive his team to victory in Lisbon and had to be consoled by victorious defender, Nigerian-born  David Alaba at the full-time whistle. 

Bayern manager Hansi Flick also came over to commiserate a weepy Neymar, who was also in tears when he went up to collect his runners-up medal after the match.  

Neymar tried to get his team back into the game following Bayern’s opener – the attacker fired a snapshot wide from the edge of the area in his only real chance of the match.

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Speaking after the game, Neymar tweeted: ‘Losing is part of the sport, we try everything, we fight until the end. Thank you for the support and affection of each one of you and CONGRATULATIONS to BAYER’

After seeing the Brazilian star in floods of tears after the game, social media users compounded Neymar’s misery further by taunting him on Twitter. 

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The 27-year-old took himself to the side of the pitch where the tears continued to flow

One fan said: ‘Neymar in tears at the end. He should have tried passing to his team mates. Dreadful performance’

Other supporters criticised the Brazilian for his performance in the final with Bayern Munich, with some claiming that the winger did not turn up for the occasion.

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The weepy Brazilian had to be consoled on the pitch by Bayern defender David Alaba

A fan tweeted: ‘Neymar got to be the most overrated player in the world right now. Totally anonymous.’ 

Another supporter said: ‘Neymar crying, tears of joy in my eyes.’

Meanwhile, one fan claimed: ‘Idk why neymar is crying.. next time play properly’ 

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One fan claimed: ‘Neymar is so overrated…. A big game and he went missing it’s all well and good doing a few tricks but the game is about more than a step over.’ 

Another said: ‘Missing : Brazilian footballer. Answers to the name of Neymar.’ 

This is not the first time the Brazilian winger has been reduced to tears in a match. 

Neymar was heartbroken when he was ruled out of the 2014 World Cup semi-final due to an injury he picked up in the last-eight win over Colombia.

The player was so devastated that Brazil’s players held up a shirt for the player before the semi-final against Germany, which the Selecao dramatically lost 7-

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Last year, Neymar was injured ahead of the 2019 Copa America tournament due to an ankle injury sustained in a 2-0 pre-tournament friendly win over Qatar.

He was seen in floods of tears on the side of the pitch while medical staff were treating his injury.

  • Daily Mail

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

David strikes as Lille end Real’s long unbeaten run

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Champions League - Lille v Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 2, 2024 Lille's Jonathan David scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-times European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.

Jonathan David converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.

The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition.

Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.

“On the penalty, I try to focus, to keep calm to take a good shot but I’m confident when it comes to taking penalties,” David said. “It has not sunk in yet but it’s a memorable night.”

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Real keeper Andriy Lunin said his team had lacked their usual aggression.

“It’s difficult to analyse right after. (We lacked) aggression, creativity, in the end, what we always have,” he said.

“To fight a bit more. In the second half we showed more desire, but in the first half we were worse, that’s obvious. We want to win because we know what colours we’re playing in. But that’s OK. Courage, keep working and prepare for the next game.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side started with Kylian Mbappe, who joined from Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain in June, on the bench after the France captain picked up a muscle injury last week.

Real’s Vinicius Jr. had the first chance with a low shot in the sixth minute as the visitors controlled the pace and the second came when Endrick’s close-range attempt was blocked by Lucas Chevalier.

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Lille went close to opening the scoring after 26 minutes when Andriy Lunin made a spectacular double save to deny David, first from the forward’s header, then by tipping away the Canadian’s follow-up shot.

Their relentless pressure paid off in stoppage time when Eduardo Camavinga handled Edon Zhegrova’s free kick.

A VAR review ensued and David confidently converted the resulting penalty.

The hosts continued to apply pressure in the second half, refusing to sit back and wait as Real enjoyed possession, cutting off the supply to England midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Ancelotti sent Mbappe and Luka Modric on to replace Endrick and Eder Militao and Lille survived a late Real onslaught to hang on for the victory.

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Ancelotti makes no excuses after Real’s shock defeat at Lille

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Champions League - Lille v Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 2, 2024 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti before the match REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Defending champions Real Madrid failed to show the best version of themselves in a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat at Lille on Wednesday and must accept the criticism that comes their way, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.

Lille pressed relentlessly and took the win courtesy of a Jonathan David penalty in first-half stoppage time to hand Ancelotti’s team their first defeat in all competitions since January.

Real Madrid – record 15-times Champions League winners – have three points after two matches following their opening win over VfB Stuttgart.

“Everything was pretty bad. We did badly with the ball, although the team was quite compact in the first half, it was difficult for us to recover the ball, it was difficult for us to make transitions,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“We tried to be a little more aggressive, but it was difficult for us. So… We have to look at things with a cool head, not throw everything away. But obviously we have to improve.

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“I am very sincere. The criticism for today’s game is fair, correct and we have to accept it because it is like that. We have not shown a good version in this game.”

Ancelotti said Lille “deserved” to win despite Real’s improved showing in the second half of the match.

“It was difficult for us to get into the game at the level of intensity, at the level of duels, at the level of clarity of play,” the Italian added.

“Obviously, the game could have been tied because we had opportunities at the end, but it wasn’t deserved.

“So we have to learn, as it happened the last time we lost a game, learn from what we have to improve, which is quite clear. I think it’s not very complicated.”

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Real, who are second in the LaLiga standings with 18 points, next host third-placed Villarreal on Saturday.

-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Lookman shines as Atalanta outclass Shakhtar

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Champions League - Shakhtar Donetsk v Atalanta - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany - October 2, 2024 Atalanta's Ademola Lookman in action with Shakhtar Donetsk's Alaa Ghram REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw

Ademola Lookman scored one goal and was heavily involved in the other two to drive Atalanta to a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday as the Italians outclassed their Ukrainian opponents in Gelsenkirchen.

Atalanta have four points from two games, having held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in their opening match, and Shakhtar remained on one point, after they played out a scoreless draw in the first game against Italian side Bologna.

Atalanta went ahead in the 21st minute when Lookman curled a cross into the area which found Berat Djimsiti in front of goal and he controlled the ball before poking it past the keeper.

Atalanta doubled the lead a minute before the break when Sead Kolasinac squared a pass to Lookman in the middle of the area and the Nigerian struck a first-time shot through the legs of his marker Marlon Gomes into the bottom corner of the net.

The game was all but over as a contest three minutes into the second half after Lookman played the ball out wide to Davide Zappacosta and his cross into the six-yard box was headed home by Raoul Bellanova.

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At 3-0, Lookman, who also hit the crossbar in the first half, was taken off with over half an hour to play, his work done for the night and the tie ended with the same scoreline as the last time the sides met in the Champions League in 2019.

-Reuters

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