The Champions of Europe

The 2020/21 UEFA Champions League has produced some memories and shocking results so far. This season semi-final fixtures pitted two English teams against one Spanish giant and Paris billionaire club.

Real Madrid vs Chelsea

(1st-leg, 27th May & 2nd-leg, May 5th)

Vinicius Jr. vs Christian Pulisic

This interesting tie might be decided by the individual brilliance of this young and brilliant forwards - Vinicius(Real Madrid) or Pulisic(Chelsea).

Vinicius' brace against Liverpool in the 1st-leg of the quarter-final got the Galacticos to this stage curently has 3 goals this season in this competition. For the American star, Pulisic, he is a game changer for the Blues but so far he has just a goal and an assist to show for all his brilliance. 

Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester City

(1st-leg April 28th May & 2nd-leg on May 4th)

Kylian Mbappe vs Raheem Sterling

The French champion have had it good in Europe this season because of the brilliance of Mbappe who has scored 8goals so far, only Dortmund's Haaland has more. So while City's Sterling has just a goal in champions league so far he has on many occasions in the past scored many important goals in big games for the Cityzens.

Both players must bring their A-game to the field to give their teams a chance of qualifying to the final, however you can say Mbappe has got the edge being a losing finalist last season, a position Man City nor Sterling has ever found themselves. 

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

The Champions Battles

The UEFA Champions League is the assembly of winners, where champions trade tackles and use tactics to outmatch each other over two legs of football contest.

This season edition have live up to expectations, with mouthwatering ties and goal galore experienced in almost all games so far.

And the underdog teams are working hard tactically to close the wide gap between them and the big boys, however the difference is just high profile signings cum big stars. 

The quarter-fnals stage kick start with enthusiastic fans ready to cheer their darling team from home due to Covid-19 protocols which has not allowed fans to return into the stadia across Europe. 

Real Madrid vs Liverpool

1st-leg (6th April) & 2nd-leg (14th April)

This is the rematch of 2017/18 final where the Galacticos beat the Reds 3-1 at the Olimpiyskiy stadium in Kiev. 

Both teams have not been convincing in recent games in their local league. It is an opportunity for Liverpool to revenge the loss three seasons ago, but Real Madrid still have the pedigree to qualify.

Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund

1st-leg (6th April) & 2nd-leg (14th April)

This game will be interesting and it is expected to produce more goals because both teams for scoring many goals in games.

On paper, the Cityzens are the favourite but less fancied teams have knocked them out on big occasions in previous seasons which should give Dortmund the needed confidence going into this tie.

Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain 

1st-leg (7th April) & 2nd-leg (13th April)

The Bavarians are the defending champion, but they have a difficult opposition in last season losing finalist PSG.

This tie is a 50-50 game, with both sides boasting of superstars that can be the decider of the ties. Football itself is a game of how well you utilise your chances, so the team who best convert its chances will prevail.

Porto vs Chelsea

1st-leg (7th April) & 2nd-leg (13th April)

The Blues have lost just once in their last 15 games in all competitions under Thomas Tuchel. And the last time the Blues qualified for quarter-final was 2014.

The Portuguese champion are the surprised package among the quarter-finalist after beating Juventus on away goal rules in the last round, so they are giant killers and the Blues must be prepared to do the needful.

These are my semi-finalist predictions - Real Madrid, Chelsea, Man City & PSG to qualify for semifinals.

Due to the unpredictability that football is known for,  this predictions might change.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

The Pinnacle of Football

The UEFA Champions League is the mother of all football competitions in Europe where elite teams across the leagues showcase their football playing artistry in grand style to outmuscle themselves. 

The 2020/21 knock-out stage is set to resume after the boys have been separated from the men in the group phase games which came to conclusion in December 2020.

Round of 16 Matches

RB Leipzig vs Liverpool

(Feb 16 & March 10)

This tie will be interesting as the German side are not a pushover with their last match against Man United in the group phase a testament to how good they are, but the Reds are the favorite to prevail.

Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain

(Feb 16 & March 10)

This mouthwatering tie should be a revenged mission for the Billionaires club in Paris due to their loss against the Blaugrana at the quarter-final stage of 2016/17 season, but overall the Catalans have a better head to head records.

FC Porto vs Juventus 

(Feb 17 & March 9)

The bookies are tipping the Bianconeri to qualify easily because the 2004 champion Porto are not a match for the Old Lady of Turin, but football is like a biscuit it can crack anywhere.

Sevilla vs Borussia Dortmund 

(Feb 17 & March 9)

This tie is a game of 50-50 with both side having an equal chance of qualifying to the next round. But if Erling Haaland is in top form, Dortmund have a better chance. However in their last two previous meeting, Sevilla has a win and a draw.

Lazio vs Bayern Munich

(Feb 23 & March 17)

The defending champions are the favourite but Lazio will give them a run for their money.

The last time Lazio qualified for round of 16 was in the 1999/2000 season. The Bavarian having just completed a sextuplet with their Club World Cup trophy will leave nothing to chance over the two legs.

Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea

(Feb 23 & March 17)

Diego Simeone's Atletico side are famed for their resolute defence and stubborn attitide in games but the Blues are progressing impressively under new manager Tuchel and therfore will make this encounter a thrilling one. During the group stage, the Blues went 355 minutes without conceding a goal.

Both side are tie in head-to-head record with two wins and three draws apiece so the pendulum can swings to either side.

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Manchester City

(Feb 24 & March 16).

Goals come easily for both side because they play without fear and their brand of football is captivating. The Cityzens are poise to go through if they can convert their chances and also the record is on their side.

Atalanta vs Real Madrid 

(Feb 24 & March 16)

The brash newcomer are the dark horse in this tie because they have scored the most goals in two consecutive season in Serie A. However the experience of Real Madrid's manager Zinedine Zidane and his boys should count in their favour and be able to get them through to the next round. 

Let's keep our fingers cross to see the teams that will get to the semis and final of this season champions league showpiece.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

Atletico Madrid's Engine Room

Jan Oblak is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spanish club Atletico Madrid and the Slovenia national team. He was born on 7th January 1993 (age 27 years) in Škofja Loka, Slovenia.

He is considered by several pundits to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. His athleticsm, quick reflexes, outstanding positioning, agility, as well as his reading of the game, composure, shot-stopping abilities and ability to instill a sense of confidence in his team's back-line as garnered him a lot of praises even from opposition fans and managers.

Youth Career

Locan (1998 - 2003)

Olimpija (2003 - 2004)

Olimpija Ljubljana (2005 - 2009).

He signed for Portuguese club Benfica at the age of 17, and was part of the team that won the domestic treble in the 2013/14 season but he made only 16 appearances for the team because he had loan spells at Beira-Mar, Olhanense, Uniao de Leiria and Rio Ave all between 2010 to 2013 while being a player of Benfica.

He joined Atletico Madrid for a fee of 16 million euros in 2014 becoming La liga's most expensive goalkeeper at the time, and he is estimated to worth about 90 million euros presently.

In 2015/16 season he conceded an all time record low of 18 goals in 38 league games.

He has over 250 appearances in all competitions for the Rojiblancos and became the fastest goalkeeper to achieve 100 clean sheets - first non-Spanish goalkeeper to do so - in La Liga history in his 182nd Liga game in June, breaking an almost 50-year old record of Miguel Reina who did the same in 222 league appearances.

National team

He represented Slovenia at various age grade tournaments and made his debut for Slovenia national team in 2012 with 28 appearances till date.

Honours

Primeira Liga (2013/14)

Taca da Liga  (2013/14)

Taca de Portugal (2013/14)

UEFA Europa League runner-up  (2013/14)

Supercopa de Espana (2014)

UEFA Champions League runner-up (2015/16)

UEFA Europa League title (2017/18)

2018 UEFA Super Cup title.

Individual Honours

Primeira Liga Best Goalkeeper award (2013/14)

La Liga Zamora trophy (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19).

La Liga Best Goalkeeper award (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19).

UEFA Champions League squad of the season (2015/16 and 2016/17).

La Liga Team of the season (2015/16 and 2016/17).

Slovenian Footballer of the year (2015, 2016,  2017 and 2018).

He was also nominated for the 2017 and 2018 Ballon d'Or awards.

Will Oblak eventually leave Atletico Madrid or stay with the team is a question that resonates with everyone during any transfer window.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst

The modern football Pele: Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe Lottin is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and the France national team.

He is rated to be one of the best players in the world currently for he is well regarded and known for his clinical finishing, dribbling, strength and explosive speed.

Background

He was born on 20th of December, 1998

(age 21 years). His parent are Wilfred Mbappe and Fayza Mbappe who are both African but settled in France.

The father is a Cameroonian with Nigerian roots, while his mother Fayza Mbappe is an Algerian.

Mbappe is a sensational man whose mastery of skills has taken the trail of the great Brazilian Pele.

He was groomed at AS Bondy where his father managed the club, afterwards he moved to Clairefontaine academy and also had a stint with Chelsea's under 11's team.

However, he eventually settled at AS Monaco where his remarkable career was set in motion.

He was the youngest player to featured for AS Monaco at 16 years of age when he made his debut on the 2nd of December 2015 against Caen.

Astonishingly in his first full season with AS Monaco, he won Ligue 1 title and Coupe de France title in 2016/17 season.

He scored 28 goals and 12 assists in 69 games for AS Monaco.

In the summer of 2017, he became the most expensive teenage player after his loan move to PSG with a mandatory option for a full transfer fee of 180million pounds.

Since he joined PSG, he has scored 102 goals - including 19 in UEFA Champions League - in 141 games

National level

He has been a good addition to the French national team, so far in 34 games he had 13 goals.

He was wonderful at the FIFA World Cup in 2018, as he scored 2 goals and was named the 2018 FIFA World Cup Best Young player and also the 2nd yet teenager to keep a tally of two goals in the world cup amid a goal in the final after Pele had set both records .

Honours 

4 Ligue 1 titles (2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20)

2 Coupe de France (2016/17 and 2019/20)

1 French Cup (2019/20)

2018 FIFA World Cup 

2016 UEFA European Under-19 championship trophy.

3-times Ligue 1 topscorer awards 

2018/19 Ligue 1 player of the year

2018 French Player of the year

The Golden Boy award at 2018 World Cup

2017 Ligue 1 Young player of the year

Can he clinch the Ballon d'Or award in future? 

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

The Chosen One

Ndubuisi Emmanuel Egbo is a Nigerian football manager based in Europe - a goalkeeper during his playing days - and the current manager of Albanian club KF Tirana.

He was born on 25th of July 1973 (age 47) in Aba, Nigeria.

Club Career

The former goalkeeper had stints with Nitel Vasco Enugu (1993), NEPA Lagos (1994 - 1995), Julius Berger (1996 - 1998), El Masry of Egypt (1998 - 2001 and 2004 - 2007), Moroka Swallows of South Africa (2001), Tirana in Albania (2001 - 2004) where he played 157 games, and Bylis Ballsh of Albania (2007 - 2011)

National Team

Egbo represented Nigerian national team in two African Cup of Nations tournaments in 2000 and 2002. He had 12 appearances for the Super Eagles between 1999 - 2002 and scored a lone goal.

Teams managed

Egbo has a Uefa Pro Licence coaching certificate.

He started as Bylis' goalkeeper trainer in 2010, and later became the coach in 2013. He led the team to the Albanian cup quarter-final in 2014 before leaving later in that summer.

He joined KF Tirana as goalkeeper trainer and assistant coach in 2014.

He has managed the team on several occasions on part time basis and whenever a new manager is employed he always serve as an assistant.

However, in 2019 he was appointed as interim manager after the successive sacking of Albanians Ardian Mena and Julian Ahmataj .

He was given a three games ultimatum and his first game in charge was a Derby against rival Partizani a team KF Tirana have not beaten in 6 years but he won 2-1 and also won the other two games to sealed the job permanent.

2019/20 Season Stats

He led the team to an astonishing 16 games unbeaten record.

Egbo is the first ever Nigerian coach to lead an European team to a league title after Tirana were crowned 2019/20 Albanian league champions and also qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

He broke Tirana's 11 years trophy drought which make it a record 25 league titles and overall Albania's most successful club.

Tirana had 69 points, six more than closest rival Kukesi (63 points).

The club was founded in August 1920 and will be celebrating its 100 years anniversary with a title.

Honours (as player)

1 Nigerian Premier League title (Julius Berger in 1996).

1 Egyptian Cup (El masry 1997/98)

At KF Tirana

1 Albanian cup (2001/02).

2 Albanian Supercup (2002 and 2003)

2 Albanian Superliga titles (2002/03 and 2003/04).

National Team

Africa Cup of Nations runners-up (2000).

Africa Cup of Nations Bronze medal (2002).

As Manager.

Bylis

Albanian cup runners-up (2012).

Tirana

Albanian Superliga title (2019/20).

Albanian Cup runners-up (2019/20).

Egbo will have made it a double but it was unfortunate that his team Tirana lost the Albanian cup final to Teuta Durres two goals to nothing.

Egbo's achievement has justified that African coaches are as good as their counterparts from any part of the world if they are given the chance to exploit their tactics.

Can he retain the title next season?

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst

Never Walk Alone: Liverpool FC

Liverpool FC is based in Merseyside, the Reds was founded in 1892, and joined the football league in 1894.

The club's record appearance maker is Ian Callaghan (857 appearances between 1958 to 1978 ) while Ian Rush is the club's all time record goalscorer with 346 goals. 

Liverpool was one of the best teams in Europe with many trophies to prove it, but from 2006 - 2011 and between 2012/13 to 2017/18 seasons the club had a trophy drought. 

They have won a total of seventy(70) trophies namely;

6 European Cup (UEFA Champions League) - 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005 and 2019 more than any other English club.

3 UEFA Cup - 1973, 1976 and 2001.

4 UEFA Super Cup - 1977, 2001, 2005 and 2019.

1 FIFA Club World Cup (2019).

On the home front, they won their first league title in 1900/01, and their 19th league title in 2019/20.

7 FA Cup title - 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001 and 2006.

A record 8 League Cup - 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003 and 2012

15 FA Community Shields

Liverpool Stats this season

With seven games remaining, Liverpool win their first championship since 1990 - it is the earliest any side has ever won the Premier League title. 

Jurgen Klopp's men surpassed the achievements of Man United in 2000/01 and Man City's centurion of 2017/18, both of those teams clinched the league with five games left.

Their lead of 23 points at the top of the table is the largest held by a champion in English top-flight history.

They need 15 points from their last seven games to set a new record points total for a top-flight campaign, and can also become the first team to win every single home game in a single season.

They defeated each and every team in a top-flight league season, first time a champion will do so.

Liverpool have 16 clean sheets so far, scored 70 goals and conceded 21 goals (49 goal difference), and 86 points.

They have won all their home matches at Anfield - 16 wins and just one loss all season in the league.

Congrats to the Jurgen Klopp led side for scaling all hurdles to break the jinx. (kudos)

Can Liverpool defend the title next season is something to ponder on?

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst

Soccer's Most Wanted Teenager

Erling Braut Haaland is a Norwegian professional footballer. The striker was born on the 21st of July 2000 in Leeds, United Kingdom.

Haaland comes from a sporting family. His father, Alf-Inge Haaland was a defender who played for Manchester City and Leeds United during his active days on the pitch, while his mother was a national champion in heptathlon.

Haaland started his career at his hometown club Bryne in 2016, and moved to Molde the next year where he spent two years.

In January 2019, Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg signed him on a five-year contract where he became a blooming light and after several debates on where to go next, he moved on to the German league to join Borussia Dortmund in January 2020 for €20m.

He is recognized for his explosive acceleration and pace, athleticism, strength and precise off the ball movement.

This teenager burst onto the scene after scoring 9 goals in a  single match for Norway during the 2019 U-20 FIFA World Cup against Honduras with the match ending 12-nil.

Since the start of that U-20 World Cup, Haaland has played in 40 games for club and country amassing a total of 50 goals so far.

He maintained better than a goal per game ratio - he had 28 goals in 22 appearances for Salzburg, and he has scored 13 goals in 13 games for Dortmund.

A Spanish magazine recently put him on the cover as "CYBORGOL" - a half-human, half robot soccer machine - because he plays like a force of nature.

In the Bundesliga, Haaland has scored 48% of his shots with no other player in the division having scored more than 40%.

He is third in the Bundesliga in percentage of shots on goal, one of just 4 players to put more than 60% of their shots on target.

Haaland's father scored only 18 goals throughout his entire English career with Man City, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, while Haaland has scored 10 UEFA Champions League goals in his debut season (8 goals for Salzburg and 2 goals for Dortmund).

Is there anyone who can stop him from scoring goals?

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

The Greatest Superstars of all-time

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are arguably the best footballers of this century.

They have scored a combined 704 league goals during the 2010s - the exact same number Arsenal FC scored in the English Premier League this past decade.

They've shattered countless records in the footballing scenery for years, a combined total of 11 Ballon D'or awards between them isn't enough to sum it all up.

The Change of Fortune and Turnaround in the Pensioners history

In July 2003, British businessman Ken Bates sold Chelsea FC to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for 140 million pounds.

Since 2003, Abramovich has spent a whooping 92.9 million pounds on managerial compensations.

The Match that broke the Myth

A Brazilian born Roberto Firmino 99th minute goal broke the jinx for the reds at the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup final in Doha.

For over three decades, South American clubs have been a torn in Liverpool FC flesh when it come to tournament such as this.

In the Intercontinental Cup final that was played in December 1981, Zico led Flamengo side defeated the Liverpool team that had Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish and co, and was managed by Bob Paisley.

Zico was the player with the magic in that team as the game was practically sealed after the Brazilian side raced to a 3-nil upfront within 40 minutes of the first-half.

The reason for flamengo's superiority in the game was their quality, as Nunez scored a brace and Adilio's goal put a gloss on the scoreline. 

Liverpool had refused to participate in the Intercontinental Cup after winning the European titles in 1977 & 1978, worried about the potential brutality on the part of the South Americans.

In 1984 an Argentinian side, Independiente beat Liverpool by a lone goal to win the Intercontinental cup. And in 2005, Sao Paulo defeated the merseyside giant in the newly found FIFA Club World Cup.

Now in 2019, the current European club champion got a win that has so far eluded them for decades. After going through 90 minutes of regular football without a goal on either side against the Copa Libertadores champion Flamengo, their Brazilian import scored in the first-half of extra time to claim the title for them. 

The title win is their third trophy in six months and made them the first English club to hold the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup at the same time.

On  the European scene, Liverpool have won 6 UEFA Champions League titles (1977 ,1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019); with only Real Madrid and AC Milan having won more.

Congratulations to the latest World Champion in club football.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst