UEFA Champions League
Victor Osimhen and Mike Maignan go head-to-head as Napoli and AC Milan chase Champions League glory
Victor Osimhen and Mike Maignan will face off for a place in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday when AC Milan travel south to Naples for the decisive second leg of the all-Italian quarter-final.
Nigerian striking sensation Osimhen and France’s new first-choice goalkeeper Maignan arrived at two of Italy’s most storied clubs via Ligue 1 outfit Lille, where they played together for a season.
Osimhen had not played for Napoli since the last international break before making a substitute’s appearance in Saturday’s goal-less draw with Hellas Verona.
That reduced Napoli’s imposing Serie A lead to 14 points.
The 24-year-old played only the final 17 minutes of that frustrating stalemate, but the match came alive once he was on the pitch.
He caused havoc in the Verona defence and came close to snatching the points and his 26th goal of the season in all competitions when he smashed a first-time rocket off the underside of the bar with eight minutes remaining.
Osimhen’s devastating efficiency in front of goal was sorely missed in last week’s 1-0 defeat, which gave Milan a slender advantage to take into Tuesday’s showdown at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
“Osimhen has such a physical presence and speed, you can chuck the ball at him and he’ll hold on to it, use his head or unleash a change of pace,” Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti said on Saturday.
“He has so many different options when he has the ball.”
Napoli wasted a host of chances to get something from the game at a packed and soaking wet San Siro, in which Maignan produced the sort of display which has made him a natural successor to Hugo Lloris as Les Bleus’ goalkeeper.
The 27-year-old’s return between the sticks in late February following five months out injured has given Milan more security at the back, with five clean sheets in their last nine matches in all competitions.
And, knowing he is ready to pull off, at times, astonishing saves when gaps appear at the back, Milan have slowly returned to the more swashbuckling style with which they won the Serie A title last season.
His superb stop in the dying seconds on Wednesday denied Giovanni di Lorenzo from giving Napoli, then down to 10 men following the harsh sending off of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, what would have been a deserved draw.
Former Milan manager Fabio Capello said Maignan was Milan’s best player in the first leg and the seven-time European champions will need him in similar form on Tuesday, if they are to have a chance of winning No. 8.
Maignan and Osimhen only played together for one season at Lille – the 2019-20 campaign – but it was enough to leave an impression on Serie A’s top scorer.
Asked while still at Lille whether it was easy to score penalties against Maignan, Osimhen said: “No! Nearly everyone misses against him. He’s too good!”
–AFP
UEFA Champions League
‘Fans More Friends’- Heineken Takes UEFA Champions League Fever Nationwide with Multi-City Fan Experience
Football fans across Nigeria are set for an electrifying experience as Heineken expands its UEFA Champions League activation campaign nationwide, transforming matchdays into vibrant social spectacles from the quarter-finals all the way to the grand finale.
Building on the success of its Round of 16 events in Lagos, the premium beer brand is now rolling out its immersive “Fans Have More Friends” platform to multiple cities, ensuring that the excitement of Europe’s biggest club competition reaches fans far beyond the commercial hub.
Fans soak in a thrilling moment during the second-round matches at Green House, Ikoyi, Lagos, last month.
The nationwide tour kicks off in Port Harcourt, which will host the quarter-final first-leg viewing parties on April 7 and 8. The energy then shifts to Aba and Owerri for the second-leg fixtures on April 14 and 15.
As the tournament intensifies, the semi-final first legs will light up Abuja and Lagos on April 28 and 29. The return legs will then take the excitement to Lagos again and Benin City on May 5 and 6.
The campaign will reach its crescendo with grand viewing events in Lagos and Abuja for the UEFA Champions League final on May 30.
“Fans Have More Friends” cuts across genders as supporters connect and celebrate during a UEFA Champions League match night at the second-round fixtures in Lagos last month.
Across all host cities, Heineken promises a premium matchday atmosphere, featuring giant viewing screens, live music, interactive “predict and win” games, and exclusive branded merchandise. The experience is designed to go beyond football, blending sport with entertainment in a lively, communal setting.
Fans revel in the electrifying moments of Heineken’s latest activation event.
According to Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries Plc, the expansion reflects the deep-rooted culture of shared football experiences among Nigerian fans.
“The Champions League brings people together across Nigeria, and we have seen how fans connect through the game. With the ‘Fans Have More Friends’ campaign, we are extending that experience to more cities, creating more opportunities for fans to gather, celebrate and enjoy football together,” she said.
With the stakes rising as the competition progresses, Heineken’s activations are designed to mirror the drama on the pitch. Each match viewing becomes a full-scale event, where fans not only watch football but also connect, celebrate, and create lasting memories.
The initiative taps into Nigeria’s strong viewing culture, where fans traditionally gather in centres and lounges to share the highs and lows of the game. By elevating this communal experience, Heineken is reinforcing a simple but powerful idea — football is best enjoyed together.
As the road to the final unfolds, fans in Port Harcourt, Aba, Owerri, Abuja, Lagos, and Benin City can look forward to an unforgettable Champions League journey — one that blends passion, friendship, and the beautiful game into a nationwide celebration.
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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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