The UEFA Champions League is reaching its most exciting stage, with the second leg matches of the Round of 16 underway. 

While the tournament has introduced a new format this season, the excitement, passion, and surprises remain the same.

And so does Heineken’s commitment to football fans. 

As teams battle for a place in the quarter-finals, Heineken is extending its “Cheers to Hardcore Fans” campaign—celebrating the dedication and love that true supporters bring to the game.  

New format, same Heineken passion

This season’s Champions League has been tougher than ever, starting with intense qualifiers, a challenging league stage, and high-stakes playoff matches. 

Now, after the first-leg games of the Round of 16, the final eight teams will soon be decided.  

Fans have already witnessed big moments—Liverpool’s dominance, Barcelona’s strong form, and the shocking early exit of Manchester City. 

But through every victory and upset, one thing has remained the same: hardcore fans standing by their teams, just like they stand by Heineken on matchdays.  

“Heineken understands what it means to be a real fan,” says, the Portfolio

Manager Alcoholic Drinks at Nigerian Breweries Plc, Maria Shadeko “Whether your team is winning or struggling, true fans never stop believing. That’s why *Cheers to Hardcore Fans* is not just a campaign—it’s a celebration of those who live for football.”  

A new look at Hardcore Fans  

The Cheers to Hardcore Fans campaign challenges old ideas about what it means to be a “hardcore” fan. 

Instead of focusing on aggression or negativity, Heineken is highlighting the love, commitment, and fun traditions that make football so special.  

From the fan who wears the same lucky shirt every game to the one who never misses a match, Heineken is toasting to all kinds of supporters.  

This season, Heineken is also emphasising inclusivity and diversity in football. 

Celebrating fans on and off the field

Through its Fresher Football initiative, Heineken has been working to make football a more welcoming and enjoyable experience. 

The Cheers to Hardcore Fans campaign continues this mission, proving that true fandom is about love for the game, not just trophies.  

“Heineken has always been about bringing fans together,” the Portfolio

Manager Alcoholic Drinks at Nigerian Breweries Plc, Maria Shadeko adds. “Football is more than just the teams—it’s about the people who support them. That’s why this campaign celebrates the fans who make the game great.”  

As the Champions League’s second-leg games decide which teams move forward, Heineken ensures that fans feel just as important as the players. 

From exclusive fan experiences to interactive events and even opportunities to attend the UEFA Champions League Final, Heineken rewards those who truly live for football.  

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Borussia Dortmund fought back to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the second year in a row as second-half goals by Emre Can and Maximilian Beier gave them a deserved 2-1 win at Lille on Wednesday.

Can scored from the penalty spot to cancel out Jonathan David’s early opener before Beier scored the winner as the German side, who won the competition in 1997 and finished runners-up last season, wrapped up a 3-2 aggregate victory.

They will face Barcelona for a place in the semi-finals.

It was a cruel end for Lille, whose hopes of reaching the competition’s quarters for the first time were dashed after a promising campaign in which they had qualified directly for the last 16 from the league phase with notable victories over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Lille got off to a perfect start with David sliding the ball home from Ismaily’s cutback in the fifth minute.

Remy Cabella then skied an attempt over the bar after a fine team move but Dortmund went close to equalising when defender Alexsandro’s desperate block denied Pascal Gross, whose shot had beaten keeper Lucas Chevalier.

The Lille keeper made tremendous back-to-back saves in a packed goalmouth to preserve the home side’s advantage but Dortmund were largely dominant.

Lille regained some form of control and Benjamin Andre’s header went just wide, but Dortmund had the last chance of the opening half through Gross.

The visitors went up a notch after the break and levelled in the 54th minute when Can converted a penalty after Thomas Meunier had fouled Serhou Guirassy.

The visitors had further chances through Karim Adeyemi and Beier, who found the back of the net in the 65th minute with an effort into the top corner after a clever turn.

-Reuters

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Paris St Germain beat Liverpool 4-1 in a penalty shootout to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals after winning a rip-roaring last-16 second-leg match at Anfield 1-0 on Tuesday thanks to a goal from livewire Ousmane Dembele.

After the tie had finished 1-1 on aggregate, PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved spot kicks from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones, while the visitors, who have never won the Champions League, converted all of their efforts.

Ligue 1 leaders PSG will meet either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarters, with Villa taking a 3-1 lead into Wednesday’s second leg.

Dembele stunned the Anfield crowd with his 12th-minute goal against the run of play. Ibrahima Konate slid in to block Bradley Barcola’s effort but pushed the ball away from goalkeeper Alisson in the process, and Dembele needed only to knock it into an empty net.

The goal was the earliest Premier League-leading Liverpool had conceded at Anfield in the Champions League since September 2017 against Sevilla.

Arne Slot’s team played considerably better than a week earlier — when they needed a last-gasp goal from substitute Harvey Elliott after the Parisians had dominated — and Reds talisman Mohamed Salah had a shot blocked on the goal line by Nuno Mendes in the game’s first few minutes.

Donnarumma was forced into making an early diving save to keep out a shot from Konate, but both sides spurned chances in a nervy game that had fans on the edge of their seats.

Six-times European champions Liverpool parked themselves in PSG’s territory for much of the second half of normal time and had a goal from Dominik Szoboszlai chalked off for offside in the build-up early in the second period.

They kept Donnarumma busy in the dying minutes, with the keeper parrying away ball after ball fired into the box, but it was Dembele who unleashed what looked like the winner in extra time before Alisson made a dramatic diving save to push the ball wide with his fingertips.

PSG were rock solid under pressure in the shootout, with Vitinha, Goncalo Ramos, Dembele and Desire Doue all finding the net. Liverpool got off to a good start with Salah slamming his effort home, but Nunez and Jones both had tame efforts comfortably stopped by Donnarumma, with Slot wrapping a disconsolate Nunez in a hug afterwards.

‘RAN OUT OF LUCK’

The Liverpool boss was magnanimous in defeat and even had words of praise for his beaten side.

“I think it was the best game of football I’ve ever been involved in,” he said.

“We ran out of luck maybe after last week. After 90 minutes we played the perfect game except for not scoring.”

History was not on the Parisians’ side on Tuesday, as they became just the fourth of 28 teams to progress after losing the first leg at home in a Champions League knockout tie.

“Both of the teams deserve to go to the next phase,” said PSG boss Luis Enrique.

“They played better than us here, but I think my team at Anfield, in a special stadium showed great personality and character.

“We tried to play our best, but it was difficult as they’re so intense. Both teams deserve to qualify.”

The thousands of travelling fans, many of them shirtless despite the chilly temperature, were not daunted by their team’s odds, as they danced and sang until the final whistle.

Liverpool have little time to rest ahead of Sunday’s League Cup final against Newcastle United.

“It’s part of football,” Reds captain Virgil van Dijk said of Tuesday’s defeat. “I said to the guys, ‘Obviously, you can be disappointed because we’re out of the competition, but chin up and get ready for the next challenge, a beautiful one on the weekend’.”

-Reuters

Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H