UEFA Champions League
SPURS ARE LIKE ‘A GUN WITHOUT BULLETS’, LAMENTS MOURINHO
Jose Mourinho has refused to write off Tottenham’s hopes of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals after their 1-0 home defeat by RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, insisting that his team’s spirit will give them a chance of overcoming their selection crisis in attack.
Spurs could be without Son Heung-min and Harry Kane for the rest of the season, leaving them desperately short of options, and they played without any strikers against the Bundesliga outfit.
The visitors dominated the first leg of their last-16 tie from start to finish. But with only a second-half penalty from Timo Werner separating both sides, Mourinho feels his team can mount a comeback when they visit Leipzig for the reverse fixture on March 10.
“1-0 is 1-0,” the Spurs manager said. “It is not 10-0. The result is open. It is as simple as that.
“We wouldn’t be the first team to lose 1-0 at home and to win the tie away. Why shouldn’t we do it?”
While the Portuguese was forced to use Lucas Moura as a makeshift striker and had to throw on a barely fit Erik Lamela, his only attacking player on the bench, he praised his players for coping manfully.
Highlighting his team’s paucity in attack, he said: “This is our situation, it’s like going to a fight with a gun without bullets.
“Lamela, do you know how many training sessions he had with the team? Zero. Direct from injury to 20 minutes of a game in the Champions League.
“Lucas and (Steven) Bergwijn, what you saw in the end were two very tired players.
“The thing that keeps me confident is the spirit, the mentality of my players. We are in a very difficult situation so I am so, so proud of the players. What worries me is this is going to be the situation until the end of the season.
The next match against Leipzig, the one thing I can guarantee is that, even if I don’t know who playing in attack, we are going there to fight.”
Mourinho also sought to play down Dele Alli angrily throwing a water bottle and one of his boots to the turf after being taken off midway through the second half.
“He was angry with his performance, not with me,” he said.
“I took him off and the team improved.”
With Kane and Son out for the second leg, Leipzig will be favourites to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in what is only their second foray into the competition.
However, coach Julian Nagelsmann believes Spurs, even if weakened, are not a team to be taken lightly. He was also slightly disappointed not to have taken a bigger lead to Germany as “we could have won by more”.
Werner, who now has 26 goals in all competitions this term, agreed with his boss, saying: “There’s still a lot to do in Leipzig.
“Tottenham is a good team, they showed last year (by reaching the final) that mentally, they can come back and we have to do the same like today.”
In Milan, debutants Atalanta hammered Valencia 4-1 in the first leg to take a giant step towards the last eight of the competition.
THE GUARDIAN
UEFA Champions League
TikTokers spend 27 hours in stadium toilet to watch Champions League final for free
A pair of Belgian TikTokers say they spent 27 hours in an Allianz Arena toilet last weekend before watching Paris St Germain beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final for free.
Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told VRT News they managed to get into the Munich stadium the day before the match and hid in a toilet cubicle.
After sticking a homemade “Out of Order” sign on the door, the pair waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility.
“We had a backpack with snacks and we played around on our phones to kill time,” Remmerie told the Belgian public broadcaster.
“The lights were on all the time and the sitting position was uncomfortable, so sleeping was almost impossible. That made it physically and mentally difficult.”
Once they heard fans starting to use the toilets on matchday, the pair left their bolthole and made their way past ticket inspectors to join the 86,600 crowd in the stands.
“We looked carefully at which security guard was paying the least attention. While on the phone and with food in our hands, we just walked on, and suddenly we were inside,” Remmerie added.
“PSG won 5-0 and we were also in the supporters’ section of the winning team. It was the most beautiful football match we have ever seen.”
The Allianz Arena and UEFA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Those fans who made their way into the match more conventionally had to pay anywhere from 90 to 950 euros ($100-$1,100) for their tickets.
-Reuters
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UEFA Champions League
How Heineken Scored a Five-Star UEFA Champions League Experience for Nigerian Fans
Indeed, it was an evening where football merged with lifestyle. Nigerian music stars Fido and Wande Coal brought their A-game, performing crowd favourites that had fans singing along and dancing well into the night.
Their live performances added vibrant colour to an already electrifying evening, keeping the energy alive after the final whistle.
Hard core fans cut across gender, as displayed by the ladies during the Heineken Watch Party in at the Lagos Continental Hotel last Saturday
Adding star power to the experience was ex-Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa, who mingled freely with guests, posed for pictures, and shared expert insight on the game, delighting fans with his presence and personal touch.
“This year’s UEFA Champions League final is not just a match—it’s a cultural moment,” said Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries. “We’re blending world-class football with unforgettable lifestyle experiences. Through our activities, we’re celebrating the real hardcore fans—the ones who make the game magical from wherever they are.”
Shadeko added that Heineken’s goal is to ensure Nigerian fans feel seen and celebrated. “They may not be in Munich, but they’re just as important to the spirit of the game. That’s why we go all out—every year—to make this night one to remember.”
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The roar of the crowd, the thrill of every shot, and the ultimate victory! Last Saturday night, Pepsi brought the UEFA Champions League 2025 final to life at the Pepsi GoalFest 2025, where PSG dominated Inter Milan in a stunning 5-0 victory, setting a new record for goals in a final.
The Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos was completely transformed into an electrifying arena, with a dominant wave of the iconic Pepsi blue.
Football fanatics experienced passion like never before. Inside and around the venue, fans engaged in thrilling football-themed games, moved to the beats of electrifying music, and stayed refreshed with Pepsi.
The energy soared as Dj Yk Mule, Mayorkun, and Do2tun delivered show-stopping performances, all powered by Pepsi.
It wasn’t just a game; it was an immersive celebration of football, an unforgettable night where every cheer, every goal, and every moment was refreshed by Pepsi!
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