The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UEFA

  • Guardiola not listed among UEFA ‘greatest’ coaches

    Guardiola not listed among UEFA ‘greatest’ coaches

    Europe football’s governing body, UEFA, has published its list of greatest coaches in the history of the game, including Jose Mourinho but leaving out Pep Guardiola.

    The Manchester United manager found himself on the illustrious shortlist after his success in charge of Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid, Goal reports.

    The self-dubbed “Special One”  led Porto to an unlikely Champions League triumph in 2004, before winning a trio of Premier League titles with Chelsea across two separate spells.

    Mourinho lifted his second Champions League trophy in charge of Inter, before clinching a La Liga title at Madrid.

    However, ex-Barcelona coach Guardiola has not been included despite his success at Camp Nou.

    The current Manchester City boss initiated a wave of success when he first took over at Barcelona, leading the club to three La Liga titles and winning the Champions League twice.

    Guardiola then moved to Bayern Munich and clinched three Bundesliga titles, though his achievements have not landed him among UEFA’s final consideration.

    Mourinho joined Manchester United legend, Sir Alex Ferguson, on the list.

    The Scot led the Old Trafford side for 28 years and won the Premier League a remarkable 13 times along with two Champions League titles.

    Rinus Michels, widely acknowledged as the inventor of “Total Football” in charge of Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands during the 1970s and FIFA’s Coach of the Century, is listed alongside Helenio Herrera, who utilised Catenaccio to great effect at Inter.

    Johan Cruyff, who built on Michels’ legacy at the same teams, is joined by author of the original underdog story, Brian Clough.

    Clough was recognised for leading unfancied Nottingham Forest to consecutive European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980.

    Vicente del Bosque was included for his success at Real Madrid and then Spain – whom he led to its first World Cup triumph in 2010 and then a successful defence of the European championship crown in 2012.

    Bayern Munich icon, Udo Lattek, Valeri Lobanovskiy and AC Milan hero, Arrigo Sacchi, completed the list.

  • UEFA: Wednesday’s fixtures

    Monaco vs CSKA Moskva

    Tottenham Hotspur vs Bayern

    Leverkusen Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting CP

    Legia Warszawa vs Real Madrid

    København vs Leicester

    City Porto vs Club Brugge

    Sevilla vs Dinamo

    Zagreb Juventus vs Olympique Lyonnais

  • UEFA Champions League Updates

    UEFA Champions League Updates

    GOAL! Ludogorets 2-3 ARSENAL – Mesut Ozil (88 mins)

    WONDERFUL FROM OZIL AND ARSENAL HAVE SURELY WON IT! Elneny clips the ball over the top and the German is clean through. He dinks the ball over the onrushing Borjan, glides past two covering defenders and slots into an empty net! 

    GOAL! Borussia Monchengladbach 1-1 CELTIC – Moussa Dembele (76 mins, pen)
    Dembele sends the Gladbach goalkeeper the wrong way to level the scores. We’re in for a treat in Germany.

    GOAL! PSV Eindhoven 1-2 BAYERN MUNICH – Robert Lewandowski
    Bayern’s brilliant marksman has fired them ahead with a close-range finish from a David Alaba cross

    GOAL: Manchester City 3-1 Barcelona (Gundogan 74 mins)
    Aguero dispossesses Messi atop the area before springing De Bruyne. He returns a pass for the Argentine, who sprays it out wide for Navas. The Spaniard’s cross isn’t turned it, but it falls so kindly for Gundogan who finishes easily from eight yards with Ter Stegen stranded.

    GOAL: Manchester City 2-1 Barcelona (De Bruyne 51 mins)

    DE BRUYNE WITH A STUNNER! Sensational movement behind that free-kick from the Belgian who gives City their first lead of the night! Outstanding hit from him, but Ter Stegen will be kicking himself. It was far from unstoppable.

    GOAL! Ludogorets 2-2 ARSENAL – Olivier Giroud (41 mins)

    Arsenal have been pushing for an equaliser and they finally have it thanks to Olivier Giroud who heads home a Ramsey cross.

    GOAL! PSV Eindhoven 1-1 BAYERN MUNICH – Robert Lewandowski
    Andres Guardado is adjudged to have handled the ball, giving Bayern a lifeline from the spot.
    Robert Lewandowski steps up and coolly slots into the bottom right-hand corner – sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

    GOAL: Manchester 1-1 Barcelona (Gundogan 39 mins)
    Barcelona right back Roberto tries to be too clever atthe back and Aguero latches onto his loose ball on the edge of Barca’s box.
    The Argentina star quickly sprays the ball to Sterling whose first-touch ball into the box is tapped home by Gundogan.

    UEFA Champions League
    FT Beşiktaş 1 – 1 Napoli
    HT Ludogorets 2 – 2 Arsenal
    HT Basel 0 – 1 PSG
    HT Benfica 1 – 0 Dynamo Kyiv
    HT Borussia M’glabach 1 – 0 Celtic
    HT Manchester City 1 – 1 Barcelona
    HT Atlético Madrid 1 – 1 Rostov
    HT PSV 1 – 1 Bayern München

  • Slovenia’s Ceferin elected new UEFA president

    Slovenia’s Ceferin elected new UEFA president

    Aleksander Ceferin has been elected as the new president of the European football’s governing body, UEFA.

    Ceferin, head of the Football Association of Slovenia, polled 42 votes at UEFA’s congress in Athens, 29 more than Dutchman Michael van Praag, the BBC reports.

    The 48-year-old succeeds former France international Michel Platini, who resigned after being banned from all football activity last year.

    Ceferin will take on the remainder of Platini’s term of office, until 2019.

    “It is a great honour, but also a great responsibility,” the BBC quoted the Slovenian as saying after his emergence as UEFA chief.

    “It means a lot to me. My small and beautiful Slovenia is very proud of it, and I hope that one day you will also be proud of me.”

    Ceferin has a background in law and has been president of the Slovenian FA since 2011.

    England’s Football Association last week declared its support for Van Praag, who – unlike Ceferin – is a member of the UEFA’s executive committee.

    The Scottish Football Association said it would vote for the Slovenian.

    Van Praag said: “Aleksander and I have the same goal. We want a different UEFA, we want a better UEFA. But he wanted to do it his way and I wanted to do it my way.”

  • Arsenal vs Barca: Can the Gunners stop the Spanish aristocrats?

    Arsenal vs Barca: Can the Gunners stop the Spanish aristocrats?

          

    Ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League Round of 16 tie between Spanish giants Barcelona and English Premier League (EPL) side Arsenal, below are some highlights of previous encounters between the two sides.

    In 2006, Barcelona defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the final of UEFA Champions League played at the Stade de Saint Denis, Paris, France, courtesy of two late goals by Samuel Eto’o and Brazilian Belletti.

    It was Barcelona’s fifth appearance in the final, having won the competition once in 1992, and lost the other three finals.

    Meanwhile, Arsenal was appearing in the final for the first time and in doing so became the first club from London to feature in the final.

    That victory was Barcelona’s second victory in UEFA Champions League, 14 years after the Catalans first won the tournament in 1992.

    On March 31, 2010, Arsenal held Barcelona to a 2 – 2 draw in the round of 16 tie played at the Emirates Stadium in London.

    Cesc Fàbregas’s late penalty sealed an unlikely recovery as the English side recovered from two goals down play 2-2 with the defending champions.

    In the return leg played on April 6, 2010 at the Spanish side’s Nou Camp cauldron, Barcelona trashed Arsenal  4-1 to progress to the quarter final on 6 – 3 aggregate.

    Argentina’s super star, Lionel Messi, scored all Barcelona’s goal on that night.

    The two sides met again at the same stage 11 months later, precisely on February 16, 2011 and Arsenal defeated Barcelona 2 – 1 in the first leg played in London.

    Barcelona trashed Arsenal 3-1 in the second leg played two weeks later at Nou Camp and qualified for the quarter final on 4-3 aggregate.

    Going by records of previous meetings between both sides, the odds are firmly staked against the English side in Tuesday’s encounter.

    Will the Arsene Wenger managed Londoners shock soccer pundits by stopping the Spanish juggernauts in their stride?

    The match will kick off at 8.45pm on Tonight.

    Barca vs. Arsenal: Can the Gunners stop the Spanish aristocrats?
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  • FIFA: Platini  appeals 8-year ban

    FIFA: Platini  appeals 8-year ban

    UEFA President Michel Platini, appeared on Monday at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich to appeal against an eight-year ban from football.

    Platini and outgoing FIFA President, Joseph Blatter were banned in a ruling by the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee on December 21, over ethics breaches concerning a “disloyal payment” of 2 million dollars made to Platini in 2011.

    Platini said as he arrived at FIFA headquarters that he was not there to fight for his future, rather he was there to fight against injustice.

    “If I had anything to reproach myself, I would be in Siberia to hide in shame,” he said.

    Former France playing star Platini, 60, has denied any wrongdoing and also intends to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

    The hearings come just over a week before FIFA was due to elect a new president in Zurich on February 26.

    Platini had intended to run for the FIFA presidency, but withdrew his candidacy last month following the ban.

    Blatter and Platini are ruled to have breached FIFA articles relating to offering and accepting gifts, a conflict of interest, loyalty and general rules of conduct.

    The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee said in its December ruling that Blatter and Platini “did not show commitment to an ethical attitude.”

    It said both failed to respect all applicable laws and regulations as well as FIFA’s regulatory framework and demonstrated an abusive execution of their positions within FIFA.

    The committee said in addition to his ban, Platini should pay 81,100 dollars fine.

    A FIFA official said on condition of anonymity that Blatter’s appeal against his eight-year ban is due to be held by the FIFA appeals committee on Tuesday.

    He said it is thought the FIFA appeals committee could also make a ruling this week.

  • UEFA Champions League: Doctor’s report delays Iheanacho

    UEFA Champions League: Doctor’s report delays Iheanacho

    Nigeria youngster Kelechi Iheanacho will have to wait till the deadline date for submission of list for UEFA Champions League knockout stage to know his fate.

    Manchester City are looking at replacing injured Samir Nasri with Iheanacho, but the manager, Manuel Pallegrini, said he will wait on doctor’s report over Samir Nasri’s injury situation to decide on the Nigeria starlet.

    Nasri has been sidelined with thigh muscle and tendon injury which required several stitches in October, but he is expected to be back before March.

    “I have not decided yet but we are thinking about that,” Pellegrini said.

    “We are going to have the report of the doctor one day before we must send the new list of the Champions League and then we will decide.”

    City must submit their squad list to UEFA by February 2.

    They face Dynamo Kiev of Ukraine in the last 16 with the first leg in the Ukrainian capital on February 24.

  • FIFA bans Blatter, Platini

    FIFA bans Blatter, Platini

    FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini have been provisionally banned from all football activities for 90 days by the organisation’s Ethics Committee.

    In further sanctions, FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, had been suspended for 90 days, while South Korean former FIFA Vice-President, Chung Mong Joon, had also been banned for six years by the Committee’s adjudicatory chamber.

    A statement said the duration of the bans may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days, which would cover the FIFA extraordinary congress to elect a successor to Blatter in Zurich on Feb. 26.

    Report says Platini and Chung are two of the three candidates so far standing for election, while the other is Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan.

    The Ethics Committee said the bans were with immediate effect “and cover all football activities on a national and international level.

    “This will include the draw in Paris on Dec. 12 for Euro 2016, a showcase for UEFA pesident Platini,’’ the Ethics Committee said.

  • Why Oliseh chose Belgian assistant

    Why Oliseh chose Belgian assistant

    Considering the decision of the newly announced head coach of the Nigerian national football team, Super Eagles, some interesting facts are playing out on why Oliseh may be most comfortable to work with Jean Francois Losciuto from Belgium as his assistant.

    Oliseh And AssistantThe assistant, Losciuto is a Belgian who has coached several African teams, who is based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

    Besides being assistant to Sunday Oliseh while at Verviétois in Belgium where the new former Super Eagles captain was head coach, he was the coach of Rwandan club, Rayon Sport FC which he left for ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso in 2014.

    The new Super Eagles assistant coach also holds a UEFA coaching license like his boss, Sunday Oliseh.

    Sunday Oliseh and the Belgian met in Liege, his hometown where Oliseh started his international footballing career.

  • UEFA final match delights MasterCard sponsored player mascots

    After being named winners of the MasterCard Goal Celebration Contest, two football-loving children from Nigeria were part of a MasterCard Priceless Experience penultimate weekend as official player mascots for the UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin at the Olympia Stadion.

    The two winners – Abba Ahmed and Jordan Ubah –walked through the tunnel and onto the pitch, escorting star players from FC Barcelona and Juventus.

    The player mascots, according to MasterCard in a statement, also experienced the buzz and excitement of the pre-match build up, which included access to the tunnel, a practice run out and collection of their official match day uniform.

    The Vice President and Area Business Head, MasterCard, West Africa, Omokehinde Ojomuyide, who selected the two finalists, said the player mascots enjoyed an absolutely priceless experience on the pitch during the final.

    The contest saw parents, teachers and football coaches share videos of their children and students performing a goal celebration on social media to stand a chance to win a MasterCard Priceless Experience, which also included the all-expense paid trip with their families to watch the UEFA Champions League Final.

    The panel of judges consisting of former international footballer Nwankwo Kanu, Tunji Adeyinka, Managing Director, Connect Marketing and Ojomuyide, selected the two finalists from hundreds of entries.

    When notifying these two children that they had won the contest, MasterCard created two Priceless Surprises to make the experience even more special.

    Ahmed’s Priceless Surprise included being invited to attend a movie with his family. The movie was interrupted by a video message from Kanu, who pronounced Ahmed one of the contest’s winners. Kanu then walked into the movie theatre and presented Ahmed with his player escort jersey, after which they performed a goal celebration.