UEFA Champions League
CAF Awards hopeful, Lookman and Zaniolo fire Atalanta to 2-0 win over Stuttgart
Second-half goals from Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo earned Atalanta a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday and the Italian side are still yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition.
The opener came in the 51st minute when Ademola Lookman tapped in a cross from Charles De Ketelaere and, with the home side struggling to find a way through, Zaniolo struck the decisive second two minutes from time.
The defeat ended Stuttgart’s impressive home record of not losing a game in any competition for more than a year, while Atalanta continued their excellent form, unbeaten in their last eight matches.
Atalanta moved up to ninth in the standings on eight points, with Stuttgart dropping out of the playoff zone as they slipped to 27th with four points.
“We came here with ambition but from there to winning is a long way off,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Sport.
“These are difficult pitches, Stuttgart had won in Turin against Juventus. It is the way this victory came that gives us confidence. We won with personality.”
The visitors had the bulk of the possession in the opening half but it was Stuttgart who looked the more likely to score, with Anthony Rouault heading over from inside the six-yard box.
Stuttgart’s best chance of the half came right at the end when Chris Fuhrich’s pass set Deniz Undav up for a shot from close range but he hit the side netting.
Atalanta sent De Ketelaere on at the start of the second half and it was his silky skills which led to the breakthrough as he went past two defenders and his ball across the goal gave Lookman the easiest of tap-ins.
Stuttgart, who had beaten Juventus 1-0 in their last Champions League game, could not find a way past the Atalanta defence, and the visitors wrapped up the win near the end.
Substitute Zaniolo pounced on sloppy Stuttgart defending and in a one-on-one with the keeper he coolly slipped the ball past Alexander Nubel.
Atalanta and Inter Milan are the only two sides in the competition who have not conceded a goal after four games, and Gasperini’s side have put themselves in an excellent position at the halfway stage of the league phase.
“In all the games we have played we have shown solidity and we haven’t suffered much,” Gasperini said.
“We were able to have a good defensive phase and we built the points on that.”
-Reuters
Atletico Madrid tore Tottenham Hotspur apart in a stunning first-half blitz on Tuesday, powering to a 5-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie and leaving the Premier League side with a mountain to climb in London.
The visitors’ 22-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky endured a night to forget on his first appearance since October and only his third of the season.
Two costly errors from the Czech helped Atletico race into a commanding lead, and he was substituted in the 17th minute by manager Igor Tudor immediately after Atletico’s third goal.
Marcos Llorente struck after six minutes when Kinsky slipped while playing the ball out, and Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead in the 14th when Micky van de Ven also lost his footing.
A minute later, Julian Alvarez walked in the third after Kinsky miscued a clearance, the earliest a team has gone three goals up in a Champions League knockout match.
After Kinsky was replaced by Guglielmo Vicario, Atletico added a fourth when Robin Le Normand’s header crossed the line following a rebound from Griezmann’s free kick. Tottenham defender Pedro Porro reduced the deficit after 26 minutes.
Alvarez then raced from his own half to score the hosts’ fifth goal in the 55th before Dominic Solanke punished an error by Atletico keeper Jan Oblak, which gifted Spurs a second goal.
“We’re very happy with the win and the three-goal lead, but there are still 90 minutes left to play on their home turf,” Alvarez told Movistar Plus.
“We know what this competition is like. Every detail counts, it’s not going to be easy, but we want to be in the quarter-finals.”
ATLETICO SEIZE CONTROL
Diego Simeone’s Atletico side needed barely a quarter of an hour at the Metropolitano stadium to seize control, scoring three times in nine chaotic minutes as Premier League strugglers Spurs unravelled spectacularly.
The rout began in the sixth minute when Kinsky slipped onto his backside while attempting to play out from the back, gifting possession to Alvarez. The Argentine squared for Llorente, who steered a tidy finish just inside the left post.
Eight minutes later, defender Van de Ven also lost his footing trying to control a routine pass, leaving Griezmann free to burst into the area and drill a low shot past Kinsky.
A minute later, Kinsky completely fluffed a first-time clearance from a back-pass, allowing Alvarez to stroll the ball into an unguarded net.
Atletico’s three goals marked the earliest a team has gone three ahead in a Champions League knockout match, and the damage was far from complete.
Tudor reacted by sending on regular keeper Vicario, but the Italian had little time to settle.
In the 22nd minute, he pushed out a Griezmann free kick only as far as Le Normand, whose close-range header was initially clawed away before the referee, alerted by goal-line technology, awarded Atletico their fourth goal.
TOTTENHAM TRY TO RESPOND
To their credit, Spurs responded swiftly. Porro surged down the right in the 26th minute, collected a lateral pass from Richarlison and fired past Oblak to reduce the arrears.
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero then struck the post with a header from a corner before halftime as the visitors sought another lifeline, while Griezmann sliced wide from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Any hope of a sustained Spurs comeback was extinguished 10 minutes after the break. With the away side committed forward, Atletico broke at speed from a defensive corner.
Griezmann’s delightful touch released Alvarez from inside his own half and the forward sprinted clear before sliding a low finish beyond Vicario for his second and Atletico’s fifth.
There was still time for another twist.
In the 76th minute Oblak miscontrolled the ball while attempting to play out from the back, presenting halftime substitute Solanke with possession and the striker rifled home to give Spurs the faintest glimmer of hope.
Yet the evening belonged emphatically to Atletico, who carry a three-goal advantage into next week’s return leg in London after a display that punished every Tottenham misstep.
-Reuters
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UEFA Champions League
Heineken Brings “Fans Have More Friends” Campaign to Nigeria for Champions League Round of 16
As the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League gets underway, Heineken is bringing fans together in Nigeria through its global “Fans Have More Friends” campaign.
The initiative will see premium match-viewing experiences hosted in Lagos at select venues, including GreenHouse on Olu Holloway Road, Ikoyi, and Hunger Games on Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, during match days on Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to organisers, the events are designed to offer more than just live football coverage. Fans attending the viewing parties will enjoy live music performances, interactive “predict and win” games, branded merchandise giveaways and a steady supply of Heineken throughout the night.
The programme aims to transform match nights into full entertainment experiences that blend football, music and social interaction among supporters.
Every goal comes with excitement!
Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries Plc, said the campaign reflects the deep connection between football and social life in Nigeria.
“In Nigeria, Champions League nights are about connection,” Shadeko said. “Friends come together, strangers become friends, and everyone shares the same emotions from kick-off to the final whistle. Through Heineken’s ‘Fans Have More Friends’ platform, we are celebrating that spirit of togetherness.”
While the festivities unfold off the pitch, attention will also turn to the action across Europe as the knockout stage produces several high-profile encounters.
Among the headline ties is the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC, while Newcastle United face FC Barcelona. Elsewhere, Galatasaray SK will meet Liverpool FC, and Atlético Madrid will battle Tottenham Hotspur.
Heineken rewards a loyal fan in ‘Predict and Win’ contest at one of the viewing experiences on a match night
Another standout fixture pits Real Madrid against Manchester City, a contest many fans consider worthy of a final. Bayern Munich will take on Atalanta BC, Bayer Leverkusen face Arsenal FC, while Sporting CP meet Bodø/Glimt.
Nigerian fans will also have a strong interest in the tournament through local stars playing key roles for their clubs. Victor Osimhen is expected to lead the attack for Galatasaray against Liverpool, while Ademola Lookman will aim to shine for Atlético Madrid in their tie against Tottenham.
Across Lagos and other Nigerian cities, Champions League match nights have become social gatherings where supporters of different clubs watch together, debate tactics and celebrate goals.
Shadeko said Heineken’s campaign is designed to capture and amplify that shared passion.
“Fandom has a unique way of bringing people closer,” she said. “When you watch a big match with others, the experience becomes bigger and more memorable. That is what we are creating with these match-day experiences.”
As the Champions League anthem echoes across Europe and the Round of 16 drama begins, fans in Nigeria will gather once again to share the excitement, with Heineken adding its own flavour to the match-night experience
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UEFA Champions League
Thierry Henry, “Igwe,” Give Victor Osimhen Sweet Pidgin Salute After UCL Heroics
Veteran football legend Thierry Henry, affectionately known by many Nigerian fans as “Igwe”, had social media buzzing after he greeted Nigerian star Victor Osimhen in Nigerian Pidgin English during a post-match interview following Galatasaray’s dramatic passage into the UEFA Champions League last 16.
The Istanbul giants advanced 7–5 on aggregate over Juventus despite losing the second leg 3–2, thanks to Osimhen’s extra-time equaliser and a late winner from Barış Alper Yılmaz.
“Victor, how bodi?” Sparks Joy
In his CBS Sports interview, Henry deliberately used Nigerian Pidgin to greet Osimhen:
“Victor, how bodi?”
The question — loosely meaning “Victor, how are you?” — immediately lit up the stadium and viewers online.
Osimhen, clearly delighted, responded in kind:
“Bodi dey fine!”
(I’m fine!)
The exchange sent Nigerian fans and football supporters around the world into a frenzy on social media, with many praising Henry for embracing local culture and cheering the Super Eagles star in his own tongue.
Osimhen’s Big Night
The 25-year-old, who joined Galatasaray from SSC Napoli in a club-record €75 million move, has continued to shine in Turkey. With nine Super Lig goals so far this season, his knack for rising on big occasions was once again on display in European competition.
After his extra-time strike against Juventus — a goal that turned the tie on its head and ultimately sent Gala through — Osimhen cemented his status as one of African football’s brightest performers on the biggest stages.
Fans Celebrate the Cultural Nod
The playful Pidgin exchange wasn’t just a fun moment — it also highlighted how football continues to connect cultures and nations. Nigerian fans online applauded Henry’s effort to speak their language and celebrated Osimhen’s response as a sign of how far the Nigerian forward has come in his European career.
One fan wrote: “Igwe sabi! That ‘how bodi’ make my day!”
Another added: “Victor dey represent us well for Europe.”
As Galatasaray prepare for the next phase of their European campaign, Osimhen’s star quality remains a major talking point — both for what he does on the pitch and how he continues to light up moments off it.
Source: Post-match interview on CBS Sports and related commentary (https://x.com/i/status/2026812476667449591)
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