UEFA Champions League
‘That’s our maximum’, admits Mbappe after latest PSG exit
Kylian Mbappe admitted that Paris Saint-Germain had performed to their “maximum” as they slumped to another early Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
PSG, trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Paris, were beaten 2-0 in the return game at the Allianz Arena to drop out of the competition in the last 16 for the fifth time in seven seasons.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who scored against his former club, and substitute Serge Gnabry sealed the win for Bayern.
“As I said at my first Champions League press conference this season, we were going to do our maximum. That’s our maximum, that’s the truth,” PSG star forward Mbappe told reporters.
“What were PSG missing? Not much when you look at the two squads. They have a great squad, built to win the Champions League.”
The French champions are still waiting for a maiden European Cup title despite the vast amount spent in the transfer market by their Qatari owners.
Christophe Galtier’s men, who could not find a way past Bayern despite having 55 per cent possession of the ball, ended the tie with two 17-year-olds on the pitch in El Chadaille Bitshiabu and Warren Zaire-Emery as they ran out of ideas.
“We’re going to question ourselves and then return to our daily life, the league,” added Mbappe.
“We have to move on… We lost against a great team, trying to win the tournament.”
Mbappe, who wore the captain’s armband after Marquinhos went off injured in the 36th minute, signed a bumper new deal with PSG in 2022.
Despite the team sitting eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1, the Champions League failure will inevitably bring more questions about whether the France star will stay at the Parc des Princes.
“I’m calm,” he said when asked about his future. “The only thing that matters to me is this season, to win the league, and then we’ll see.”
Galtier, meanwhile, bemoaned his team’s defending at Bayern’s opener, which came after Marco Verratti was dispossessed in his own box.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t take the chances we had,” he said.
“Then in the second half we conceded a really stupid goal. At this level you need to be a bit more clear-headed.
“Obviously we were under pressure from Bayern. At that point you need to not be ashamed to play long, to break out of the press. And obviously after an hour when you go behind it becomes very difficult.”
PSG were playing without injured Neymar, who will be undergoing surgery on his injured led by a renowned British specialist, James Calder, at the Aspetar hospital in Qatar.
The Brazilian forward is expected to miss up to four months of action, almost certainly ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Besides scoring the vital goals, Bayern also had Matthijs de Ligt to thank.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann said the Dutch defender “rescued” his side after making a vital goalline clearance in the first half.
With the tie in the balance, de Ligt scrambled Vitinha’s shot to safety after Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer was caught trying to dribble out of his own area.
Nagelsmann was not pleased with Sommer’s risk-taking but chose instead to praise de Ligt’s game-changing intervention.
“Nine out of 10 defenders in the world would have left that because they thought it was already in,” he said.
“It was an unbelievable play. He (de Ligt) loves to defend and hates to concede goals. Mistakes happen, but thankfully we have a defender who rescued us.”
Sommer, who arrived in Munich from Borussia Monchengladbach in January to replace the injured Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, joked that he had a special reward in mind for de Ligt.
“I’ve told him before once or twice that there’ll be a block of Swiss chocolate sitting on his doorstep for his efforts,” he said.
–AFP/Reuters
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was overjoyed as his side reached the Champions League final for the second time in their history on Tuesday, saying there had been a huge positive shift in energy and belief following crucial results over the last week.
A tap-in from captain Bukayo Saka just before halftime and a ninth clean sheet in this season’s competition gave Arsenal a 2-1 aggregate semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid.
They now face either holders Paris St Germain, who knocked them out in last season’s semi-finals, or Bayern Munich in the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30 — a week after they hope to have sealed a first Premier League title for 22 years.
Arteta, who had sprinted onto the pitch at the final whistle to hug his players and then ran to the home fans for a series of oles, said it had been an “incredible night”.
“I cannot be happier, prouder for everybody that is involved in this football club,” Arteta told reporters. “We have all been so aligned on the desire and ambition that we had.”
The victory means Arsenal have also equalled their club record for most wins in a single season, according to Opta. They have now won 41 games across all competitions, matching the 55-year-old record set in the 1970-71 campaign
Arteta said he had never experienced such a raucous build-up and atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium during his time at the Emirates, and that his side now had the bit between their teeth again.
Arsenal’s season appeared to be faltering a few weeks ago but having overcome Atletico and seen Premier League title rivals Manchester City stumble the previous night, the North London side are within touching distance of a first English title since 2004 and potential European glory.
“It’s great. Everybody can feel a shift in energy and belief in everything,” Arteta said.
“Let’s use it in the right way and understand that the margins and the difficulty of what we are trying to achieve is huge, but we have the ability and conviction today, that is for sure.”
Arsenal’s midfield engine, Declan Rice, also said the side had regained their momentum.
“We have kind of turned a corner again. We went through a stage where we weren’t performing at our best. We were a bit sloppy in our play, but we have found a new way to play again,” Rice told Amazon Prime.
“When you have got confidence in football it is everything. I know everyone is focused.”
Rice also underscored the longer-term progression Arsenal have made and the importance of their league game against his former side West Ham United at the weekend.
“We have kept building – we have kept pushing each other. This competition and the Premier League. We have gone full throttle,” Rice said.
“Sunday now is a massive one.”
-Reuters
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Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone spent almost the entire second leg of his side’s Champions League semi-final defeat by Arsenal prowling his technical area, gesticulating at his players and seemingly kicking every ball.
As his hopes of taking the club to the final for the third time in his 15-year reign faded late on in their 1-0 loss at The Emirates, his emotions got the better of him and, not for the first time while wearing a suit, he was booked.
But the 56-year-old Argentine was a model of composure later as he reflected on a 2-1 aggregate defeat for his team, who found resilient Arsenal too tough a nut to crack.
“I feel calm, I feel peace, I think the team gave absolutely everything,” he told reporters. “(Arsenal) took their big chance in the first half and they deserved it.”
Simeone’s side struggled to open up an Arsenal defence that kept a ninth clean sheet in this season’s Champions League, and the Spaniards were left to rue the opportunities they spurned in the second half of the 1-1 draw in Madrid last week.
“In the first leg, we could have won it , but we were not clinical enough,” he said. “We gave it all, and now we have to accept the place that we are in. I’m proud of where we are.”
Simeone was generous in his praise of Arsenal — a team who boast many of the attributes — defensive discipline and an ability to win ugly — once associated with his sides.
“I think (manager) Mikel Arteta has done an incredible job at Arsenal … I’m really pleased for them, they deserve it,” Simeone said.
It proved to be a night of heartbreak for Atletico’s French forward Antoine Griezmann, whose dream of bowing out in a Champions League final before his move to Orlando City in the MLS was shattered.
“He has been an amazing player. We are sad not just for him but for all the fans of Atleti too,” goalkeeper Jan Oblak said. “Everyone was looking for this final, but we didn’t reach it, so it’s a difficult moment.”
-Reuters
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UEFA Champions League
Heineken Elevates Champions League Fever with Exclusive Lagos Viewing Experience
All roads lead to Ilubirin this week as Heineken curates a premium, invitation-only viewing experience for the decisive semi-final second legs of the UEFA Champions League.
Set against Lagos’ iconic waterfront skyline, the event brings together top executives of Nigerian Breweries Plc, captains of industry, cultural influencers and select football fans for what organisers describe as a reimagined matchday experience—where football meets lifestyle, networking and curated entertainment.
Unlike conventional viewing centres, the Ilubirin activation is designed as an immersive social experience.
Guests will enjoy a blend of live football, music, interactive engagements and high-level networking, all in a setting crafted to foster connection and shared passion. It also serves as a build-up to the Champions League final on May 30, offering a glimpse of what promises to be an even grander showcase.
Fans Have More Friends” comes alive as supporters stand united behind their club at the Heineken Watch Party during a UEFA Champions League night.
Speaking ahead of the event, Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries, said the initiative reflects the brand’s commitment to raising the bar as the tournament reaches its climax.
“As the competition gets bigger, the experience also gets better. We have seen how football connects people across different spaces, and for the semi-finals, we are creating a premium environment where those connections can thrive,” she said.
The Lagos gathering follows a successful series of activations in Port Harcourt, Aba, Owerri and Abuja under Heineken’s global “Fans Have More Friends” campaign—each delivering a fusion of football, music and shared fan moments with growing attendance.
Fans soaking in the atmosphere during a vibrant Heineken Watch Party for the UEFA Champions League final in Lagos last season.
On the pitch, the stakes are equally compelling.
Tuesday’s clash sees Arsenal FC host Atlético Madrid after a finely poised 1–1 first-leg draw. Nigerian interest will centre on Ademola Lookman, who could become the first Nigerian since John Obi Mikel in 2012 to reach the Champions League final—though divided loyalties are expected given Arsenal’s strong fan base in Nigeria.
On Wednesday, Bayern Munich face Paris Saint-Germain in another finely balanced encounter after a dramatic 5–4 first-leg result in favour of the French champions.
“These are the moments that define football,” Shadeko added. “Fans may support different teams, but they come together for the experience. That shared energy is what this campaign represents.”
With tension building on the pitch and a carefully curated atmosphere off it, the Ilubirin experience promises more than just football. It offers a convergence of sport, culture and premium hospitality—an evening where every pass, every goal and every shared reaction becomes part of a larger story.
As the road to the Champions League final narrows, Heineken’s Lagos showcase ensures that for its guests, the spectacle will be felt far beyond the screen.
Follow @heinekenng to get more information on how to attend the match viewing experience.
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