UEFA Champions League
Merciless Bayern bash Barca 3-0
Goals by Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard earned Bayern Munich a 3-0 win at already-eliminated Barcelona on Wednesday as the German giants clinched a spot in the Champions League round of 16 as group winners.
Bayern top Group C on 15 points, five ahead of Inter Milan who also reached the knockout stage after a 4-0 win against Viktoria Plzen earlier on Wednesday, a result that eliminated Barcelona in the group stage for the second year in a row.
With Barcelona having nothing riding on their game, it did not take long for Bayern to open the scoring through Mane 10 minutes into the first half after receiving a brilliant long pass from Serge Gnabry.
Mane beat Spanish defender Hector Bellerin in a 50-metre race and scored with a tidy finish.
Bayern doubled their lead in similar fashion 21 minutes later, catching the Barca defence sleeping and out of position.
Joshua Kimmich passed to Gnabry who, from the edge of the box, set up Choupo-Moting to score his sixth goal in the Champions League this season.
Barca thought they had a penalty after a clash between Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt and Polish striker Robert Lewandowski but the referee, after a VAR check, ruled that there had been no foul.
Bayern took their foot off the gas after the break and had a Gnabry goal ruled out for offside in the 56th minute.
Pavard scored the third goal in the very last play of the game, with a close-range strike from a corner.
“The way we won gives us a lot of energy. I don’t think Barca were expecting us to be so bold. But you have to do that when you play against Barcelona,” Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann told DAZN.
“We scored two lovely goals and added a third at the end. We defended with so much passion. The team made a statement tonight.”
Barcelona looked stale and went the full 90 minutes without a single strike on target.
“We have to face our new reality, today we didn’t even have the level to compete,” Barca manager Xavi told Movistar Plus.
“I believe today the psychological side weighed on us, going into the game knowing that we were already out.
“We started the season with very high expectations but ended up in a very complicated group and didn’t manage to be at the necessary level to compete with them. It’s a huge disappointment.”
Since winning the Champions League title for the last time in 2015, Barca have reached the semi-finals only once, in 2019. They lost 8-2 to Bayern in the 2020 quarter-finals, were knocked out in the round of 16 by PSG in 2021, and failed to make it past the group stage in the last two editions.
Last year, Barca’s exit at the group stage came after the departure of Lionel Messi to Paris St Germain and the financial crisis that led to the resignation of the entire club board.
This season, however, following the big-money signings of Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde, a better outcome had been expected.
They have won only one of their five games in the group so far and will go into the second-tier Europa League after ending up third in the group for the second year in a row.
-Reuters
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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