Champions League Archives

Newcastle 1-2 Barcelona: Marcus Rashford Stuns St James’ Park with Champions League Brace

Fola Badmus13 hours ago13 hours ago04 mins

Marcus Rashford reminded Europe of his elite finishing ability with two sensational goals as Barcelona edged past Newcastle United 2-1 in their opening game of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage. On loan from Manchester United, Rashford became the first English player to score for Barcelona in European competition since Gary Lineker in 1989, delivering a match-winning performance that silenced a spirited St James’ Park. Despite being the more aggressive side for much of the match, Newcastle were made to pay for a string of missed opportunities. Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes failed to make the most of several inviting deliveries from Anthony Elanga, while Barcelona were ruthlessly efficient at the other end. Rashford Makes His Mark The breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Jules Kounde whipped in a precise cross from the right, and Rashford rose between two defenders to steer a composed header past Nick Pope. Just nine minutes later, the England international produced a moment of brilliance. Picking up the ball outside the box, Rashford unleashed a powerful dipping strike that clipped the underside of the bar before nestling in the top corner — a goal worthy of the occasion and a clear message to doubters following a mixed final season at Manchester United. England manager Thomas Tuchel was in attendance to witness Rashford’s performance first-hand, no doubt taking note of the forward’s clinical display ahead of next month’s international fixtures. Newcastle Fight Back, But Fall Short To their credit, Newcastle didn’t give up. The Magpies created 19 shots in total and had more efforts on target than the visitors, but their finishing lacked the sharpness shown by Rashford. Their persistence paid off late on when Anthony Gordon, who had been Newcastle’s liveliest attacking outlet all evening, finally found the net in the 88th minute with a composed finish after a slick passing move. But it was too little, too late. Barcelona held firm in the final moments, with Ronald Araújo and Frenkie de Jong standing tall under pressure to help the Spanish giants secure a valuable three points on the road. What It Means The result gives Barcelona their first Champions League away win of the season and puts them in strong early contention in their group, while Newcastle will rue missed chances in what could prove to be a crucial fixture. For Rashford, it was a night to savour — not just for the goals, but for proving that on Europe’s biggest stage, he still has the tools to change a game.

Kane Double Sinks Chelsea as Bayern Start Champions League Campaign in Style

Fola Badmus2 days ago2 days ago02 mins

By Kamal Yalwa: September 17, 2025 MUNICH – Bayern Munich kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign with a commanding 3-1 win over Chelsea at the Allianz Arena, thanks to a brace from Harry Kane and an own goal from Trevoh Chalobah. The result sees Bayern move into the top three of their group, while Chelsea slump to the bottom five across the wider group stage rankings after a disappointing start to their European campaign. The scoring began when a dangerous cross from Michael Olise led to an unfortunate own goal by Chalobah, giving Bayern the early advantage. Kane then doubled the lead with a composed finish before capitalising on a defensive error from Malo Gusto to add a third. Cole Palmer managed to pull one back for Chelsea just minutes after Bayern’s third, offering a brief glimmer of hope. The midfielder thought he had grabbed a second late on, but his goal was ruled out for offside by VAR, sealing Chelsea’s fate. This marks Chelsea’s second consecutive defeat in a Champions League opening match, following their 2022–23 loss to Dinamo Zagreb. Remarkably, it’s as many Matchday 1 defeats as they suffered in their previous 18 Champions League campaigns combined (W11 D5 L2). The loss raises early questions for the London side, who will need a swift response in their next group fixture to avoid falling further behind in an already competitive group. Live commentary from the Allianz Arena was provided by Noah Langford and Patrick Rowe, with reports from Gary Cotterill.

Ademola Lookman in Atalanta Champions League Squad After Failed Inter move

Fola Badmus2 weeks ago2 weeks ago02 mins

Atalanta have named their official squad for this season’s UEFA Champions League, with Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman in La Dea’s list despite a summer of speculation linking the player away from the club. Inter were close to signing Lookman and made a real push to sign the Nigerian attacker but refused to meet Atalanta’s demands for the player, even after he effectively went on strike and removed all mention of the club from his social media profiles. The Nerazzurri were not the only club who wanted to sign Lookman this summer, with reports speculating interest from Turkey and a feeble loan bid from German side Bayern Munich late in the window. So as La Dea look to repair relations with Lookman, they name him in their squad for Europe’s top competition. There is only one notable absence from the squad: injured Dutch left wing-back Mitchel Bakker. Defenders: Ahanor, Bellanova, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac, Kossounou, Scalvini, Zappacosta; Midfielders: Bernasconi, Brescianini, De Roon, Ederson, Musah, Pasalic, Samardzic, Zalewski; Attackers: De Ketelaere, Krstovic, Lookman, Maldini, Scamacca, Sulemana.

Mourinho sacked by Fenerbahce after Champions League exit

Jose Mourinho Sacked by Fenerbahçe Following Champions League Exit

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago02 mins

Fenerbahçe have parted ways with head coach José Mourinho, just over a year after his high-profile arrival in Istanbul, the Turkish club confirmed on Friday. The dismissal comes two days after the team’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League playoff round by Portuguese side Benfica. In an official statement, the club said: “We have parted ways with José Mourinho, who served as head coach of our professional A team since the 2024–2025 season. We thank him for his efforts for our team and wish him success in his future career.” Mourinho, 62, joined Fenerbahçe in June 2024 amid great fanfare, bringing with him a résumé that includes stints at Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Roma. However, his tenure in Turkey fell short of expectations. He guided the Yellow Canaries to a second-place finish in the Süper Lig last season, behind arch-rivals Galatasaray, extending the club’s long-running title drought. His time at the club was also marked by controversy and disciplinary issues. In April, Mourinho made headlines after grabbing the face of Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk in a heated Turkish Cup quarterfinal clash. He also faced a fine for post-match comments criticizing officiating in another fiery derby, with authorities deeming his remarks “contrary to sporting ethics.” Mourinho’s final game in charge was Tuesday’s defeat to Benfica, ending the club’s hopes of returning to the Champions League group stage. The club has not yet announced a successor.

PSG to Face Barca in Champions League, Real Madrid Draw Man City & Liverpool

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago05 mins

Liverpool and Manchester City will both come up against Real Madrid in this season’s Champions League, while title-holders Paris Saint-Germain were handed a tough list of opponents in Thursday’s draw, including Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Xabi Alonso’s Real will play City at home and take on Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield in what will be two of the standout fixtures of the league phase. Arne Slot’s Liverpool, who finished first in the league phase last season only to be eliminated by PSG in the last 16, will also play Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Qarabag of Azerbaijan at home. In addition, they must go to Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Turkish champions Galatasaray. City, who won the Champions League in 2023, will welcome Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Italian champions Napoli and Galatasaray to the Etihad Stadium. As well as Real, they will also visit Villarreal, Monaco and Norwegian newcomers Bodo/Glimt. PSG will entertain Bayern and go to Barcelona, while the French club also have home fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United. Luis Enrique’s team went on to win the Champions League last season but only after struggling amid some difficult games in the league phase, in which they finished 15th. They have no obviously straightforward fixtures this time, as they also face Atalanta at home, as well as Leverkusen, Sporting CP and Athletic Club away. What is the Champions League format?Every team now plays eight games against eight different opponents in the new format of Europe’s elite club competition, which was introduced last season. All 36 clubs are pooled together into one league rather than split into groups. The top eight teams advance to the last 16, while those finishing between ninth and 24th go into the knockout round play-offs. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated. Other fixtures to look out for will include Barcelona visiting both Chelsea and Newcastle, while Arsenal entertain Bayern and Atletico and must also go to Inter Milan and to Bilbao. Tournament newcomers Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan, who ousted Celtic on penalties in the play-off round, will host Real and travel to London to play Arsenal. Minnows Pafos of Cyprus will visit Chelsea and face Bayern at home. UEFA is not expected to announce specific fixture dates until Saturday, but the first round of games will take place across three days from September 16th to 18th. The eighth and final matchday is scheduled for January 28th. This season’s Champions League final will take place in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, on May 30th next year, with UEFA announcing on Thursday that the game will kick off at 18:00 local time rather than the usual 21:00. Who qualified for the Champions League?Below is the full list of 36 teams that qualified for the league phase, arranged in the Pots that were used in the draw: Pot 1: PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona. Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge. Pot 3: Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille. Pot 4: FC Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Qarabag, Athletic Club, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat Almaty.

Arsenal Wins UEFA Women’s Champions League

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago01 mins

Arsenal have won the UEFA Women’s Champions League, beating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Substitute Stina Blackstenius scored the game’s only goal in the 75th minute after a brilliant pass from England’s Beth Mead. Defending champions Barcelona had dominated the game up to that point, both in possession and shots on goal. Arsenal boss Renee Slegers said prior to the game that her team, who many considered the underdogs, wanted “to show bravery”. Barcelona went into the match as favourites to lift the trophy, having won three of the last four competitions. Meanwhile, Arsenal – the only English team to have won the women’s competition – had not lifted the trophy since the 2006-07 season.

Which Premier League teams will qualify for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League?

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago01 mins

How the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League qualifying spots will be decided this season, including what Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win means for the Eagles and other Premier League sides… How eighth can still qualify for Europe and it hinges on Chelsea and Newcastle If Chelsea win the Conference League and then finish seventh and Newcastle finish inside the top six – or Chelsea finish sixth and Newcastle seventh – eighth place in the Premier League will qualify for Europe. Chelsea would enter the Europa League as Conference League winners and Newcastle’s Conference League spot for winning the Carabao Cup would be passed on, with the Magpies going into the Europa League through league position. This would mean the Premier League has 10 teams in Europe. So who could finish eighth?

Arsenal’s Trophy Drought Continues After Champions League Exit: What’s Next for Arteta’s Gunners?

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

Arsenal’s 2024–25 campaign ended in heartbreak as they were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain, losing 3-1 on aggregate. The result extends the Gunners’ trophy drought under Mikel Arteta, who last lifted silverware with the club in the 2020 FA Cup. Despite dominating large parts of the tie, Arsenal were undone by clinical finishing from PSG and a heroic performance from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Arteta, however, praised his team’s effort, stating, “I don’t think there’s been a better team than us in the competition, but we are out.” The exit has reignited debate over Arteta’s future. While critics question the lack of trophies, many supporters point to the club’s steady progress and tactical development under his leadership. Arsenal remain a competitive force in both domestic and European competitions, but are yet to turn their promise into tangible success. With the summer transfer window approaching, Arsenal now face a pivotal moment. Reinforcements, particularly in attack, will be essential if the team hopes to take the final step and finally break their silverware drought. The club’s board appears committed to Arteta’s long-term vision, signaling continued backing for the Spanish manager. As the Gunners look ahead to the 2025–26 season, the challenge is clear: convert potential into trophies and reclaim their place among Europe’s elite.