The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Real Madrid

  • Bayern replaces Man U ‘as most valuable brand’

    Bayern replaces Man U ‘as most valuable brand’

    Champions League winners Bayern Munich has taken over as the most valuable football brand in the world from Premier League club champions Manchester United.

    The 2013 list compiled by British company Brand Finance values the Bundesliga club at 860 million dollars – 23 million dollars more than United.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, quoting a report from dpa says Real Madrid, valued at 621 million dollars, is ranked third, with fellow Spanish giants, Barcelona fourth, valued at 572 million dollars.

    Five Premier League clubs are in the top 10, with the other five places belonging to two German clubs, two Spanish clubs and AC Milan.

     

  • Beckham quits football

    Beckham quits football

    Former England captain, David Beckham, announced on Thursday that he will retire from professional soccer at the end of the season, Supersport.com reports.

    “I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” the 38-year-old Paris St Germain midfielder said in a statement.

    “I want to thank all my teammates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed.”

    Beckham earned 115 caps for England, a record for an outfield player, and won the Champions League, six Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Manchester United.

    He also won league titles with Real Madrid in Spain, LA Galaxy in the United States and PSG in France.

     

  • Barcelona, Real meet Germans in Champions League semis

    Barcelona, Real meet Germans in Champions League semis

    …Chelsea, Basel to slug it out in Europa Cup

    Barcelona and Real Madrid could meet in the Champions League final at Wembley after being kept apart in the semi-final draw.

    Barcelona drew Bayern Munich, while Real Madrid will play Borussia Dortmund.

    BBC reports that the games will be played on 23 and 24 April, with the return legs on 30 April and 1 May.

    In the Europa League, Chelsea will travel to Switzerland for the first leg of the last-four tie against Basel on 25 April.

    The other game sees Turkish side Fenerbahce face Portuguese opponents Benfica. The return legs in the Europa League will take place on 2 May.

    Chelsea is the only British side left in European competition after reaching the Europa Cup semi final despite a second-leg defeat against Rubin Kazan in Russia.

    Rafael Benitez’s side lost 3-2 but still progressed with a 5-4 aggregate win.

    Tottenham lost on penalties against Basel in Switzerland after drawing 2-2 in each leg, while Newcastle drew 1-1 with Benfica and failed to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit.

    In the Champions League, all-German and all-Spanish semi-finals were ruled out in the draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

     

  • Champions League: PSG draws Barcelona in last eight

    Champions League: PSG draws Barcelona in last eight

    ... Bayern plays Juventus

    Paris Saint-Germain will take on Barcelona in the standout tie of the Champions League quarter-finals, Goal.com reports.

    Barcelona, who won the competition in 2011 and overturned a 2-0 deficit to dump out AC Milan this season, will face the Ligue 1 leaders with the first leg taking place in the French capital.

    The draws at UEFA House in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday also pitched last season’s finalists Bayern Munich against Serie A leaders Juventus in another huge fixture.

    Primera Division champions Real Madrid will meet Turkish giants Galatasaray, while Malaga, who knocked out Porto, takes on German champions Borussia Dortmund.

    The four first legs will take place on March, with the second legs scheduled for April 9 and 10.

    The draw for the semi-finals will be held on April 12, and the tournament concludes at Wembley Stadium on May 25.

    The pairings

    Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund

    Real Madrid vs Galatasaray

    PSG vs Barcelona

    Bayern Munich vs Juventus

     

  • Champions League: Man U draws Real Madrid

    Champions League: Man U draws Real Madrid

    Manchester United has been drawn against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

    The match will see Cristiano Ronaldo return to Old Trafford for the first time since his £80m move from United to Real in June 2009, BBC reports.

    Celtic will play Italian side Juventus, while Arsenal take on last year’s beaten finalists Bayern Munich.

    Barcelona takes on AC Milan, while Borussia Dortmund faces Shakhtar Donetsk.

    Valencia will square up against Paris Saint-Germain and Porto take on Malaga, while Galatasaray will play Schalke.

    But the undoubted tie of the round sees Real take on United for the first time in nine years.

    The sides last met in the 2002-03 quarter final with the Spaniards triumphing 6-5 on aggregate.

     

    The pairings

    Galatasaray vs FC Schalke

    Celtic vs Juventus

    Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

    Shakhtar Donetsk vs Borussia Dortmund

    AC Milan vs Barcelona

    Real Madrid vs Manchester United

    Valencia vs Paris Saint-Germain

    Porto vs Malaga