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UEFA Champions League

Tension all the way as UEFA Champions League Round of 16 enters final week

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Tuesday 14 March

Wednesday 15 March

Crucial matches headline the fixtures as the Round of 16 of the UEFA champions league is in its last lap.

Will it be a mission improbable for Liverpool? For Victor Osimhen’s Napoli, the club is in pursuit of a maiden last-eight berth on Wednesday.

This Tuesday, German side, RB Leipzig will be hoping for an upset at Manchester City’s fortress, the Ethihad Stadiu. In the first leg, both teams played 1-1 draw.

Leipzig coach Marco Rose spoke in glowing terms about his team’s second-half performance in that encounter.

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But will they regret not converting more of their opportunities after half-time? Not since Lyon’s 2-1 victory in September 2018 have City been beaten on home soil in the Champions League, winning 21 of their 23 matches during that spell.

Among those victories was a remarkable 6-3 triumph over Jesse Marsch’s Leipzig in September 2021 – a game in which Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick for the visitors.

The Frenchman is the club’s joint-top scorer in Europe this season but has been ruled out of the second leg due to injury, complicating the task as the Bundesliga side plot a route to the last eight.

In the other big match of the day, Inter Milan are away to Portugal’s FC Porto.

The Portuguese sides have an impressive recent record against Italian opposition in the round of 16, having dispatched both Roma and Juventus at this stage in 2018/19 and 2020/21 respectively.

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As was the case against the Giallorossi four years ago, the Dragons will have to come from behind to eliminate Inter and clinch a quarter-final spot for the third time in five seasons after a 1-0 defeat at Stadio San Siro.

The Nerazzurri overcame Porto in the round of 16 in 2004/05 but were beaten on their last visit to the Estádio do Dragão seven months later, when an own goal from Marco Materazzi and a Benni McCarthy effort earned the Portuguese side a 2-0 group-stage victory.

Part of the Inter side that reached the semi-finals in 2002/03, Sérgio Conceição will be determined to end his former employers’ journey in the competition this term.

On Wednesday, Liverpool will be on Mission Improbable. Stunned as he reflected on Liverpool’s worst-ever European home defeat, a 5-2 loss to Real Madrid in the first leg, Jürgen Klopp reflected:

“I think Carlo [Ancelotti] thinks the tie is over. I think so as well at the moment.” The prospects are certainly not good: no side has ever retrieved a three-goal deficit from the home leg of a Champions League knockout tie (with Manchester United the only team to have come back from a two-goal home defeat).

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Ancelotti, however, is not thinking of the quarter-finals just yet. “Unfortunately, this tie isn’t finished,” Madrid’s Italian coach said. “No way.” His side are unbeaten in seven games against Liverpool (W6 D1), but he must also contend with this season’s top Champions League scorer (eight-goal Mohamed Salah). Meanwhile, some members of the current squad will remember the 2018/19 round of 16 tie against Ajax when the Amsterdam side – trailing 2-1 from the home leg – won 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu to eliminate the holders.

Napoli close to quarter-final first

UEFA Cup winners in 1989, the year before they won their second (and most recent) league title, Napoli’s exceptional season looks set to get slightly better. The runaway Serie A leaders they go into the home leg of their tie against UEFA Europa League winners Frankfurt with a two-goal lead, and with their opponents’ star striker Randal Kolo Muani serving a suspension following a red card in the first leg in Germany.

Having finished top of their Champions League group for only the second time, they need only avoid calamity in the return to reach the last eight of Europe’s top club competition for the first time in their history, having been thwarted in the round of 16 on three previous occasions.

After the first leg, Corriere dello Sport said Napoli were out of this world (their headline: ‘Galattici!’), but coach Luciano Spalletti is eager to keep their feet on terra firma for now. “We need to stay calm, very calm,” he warned. “Our biggest enemy is to think it’s done.”

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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UEFA Champions League

TikTokers spend 27 hours in stadium toilet to watch Champions League final for free

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 Paris St Germain Victory Parade - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - June 1, 2025 Paris St Germain players pose for a picture with the trophy and Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi during the victory celebration REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo 

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.”

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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.

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

How Heineken Scored a Five-Star UEFA Champions League Experience for Nigerian Fans

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Some hardcore fans displaying their loyalty to the winning team PSG at the final watch party by Heineken.

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.

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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.”

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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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UEFA Champions League

PEPSI GOALFEST 2025: Record-Breaking UCL Final, Unforgettable Fan Experience!

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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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