The final of this season’s UEFA Champions League holds today, an all-English final for only the third time in the competition’s history, with Manchester City facing Chelsea, says a report by Total Football Analysis.
It notes that this is the first time City have made it to the final of the Champions League, while it will be Pep Guardiola’s third final, having won both his previous finals with Barcelona, incidentally against Manchester United both times.
Chelsea, on the other hand, make their third appearance at this stage, having won the competition quite memorably in 2012, with Thomas Tuchel becoming the first manager ever to reach the final of the Champions League in consecutive seasons with two different teams, having been on the losing side with Paris Saint-Germain last season.
In his entire managerial career, Man City manager Pep Guardiola has lost more matches against Chelsea in all competitions than any other club (seven). He has lost his last two games against the Blues, only losing three in a row against Real Madrid (2012-14) and Liverpool (2018).
Chelsea have won their last two matches against Manchester City in all competitions, both coming since Thomas Tuchel took over at the club. They last won three in a row against Manchester City between 2005 and 2009, when they won eight in a row.
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne admits the fear of losing will play a big role in the mentality of all the players in Saturday’s Champions League final against Chelsea.
It is 51 years since Manchester City last played in a major European final – beating Górnik Zabrze 2-1 in the 1970 Cup Winners’ Cup final – breaking the record for the longest gap between finals for a team, with Sporting CP going 41 years between the 1964 Cup Winners’ Cup final and 2005 UEFA Cup final.
Manchester City have won 11 UEFA Champions League matches this season and victory in this match would see them equal the all-time record of 12 by Real Madrid in 2001-02, although the Spaniards played 17 matches that campaign, compared to City’s 13 this season.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola explains the difficulties of leaving players out of the starting line-up for Saturday’s Champions League final against Chelsea.
Guardiola says having to leave out players from his starting line-up is a task he would not wish on anyone.
Given the strength in depth of his squad, top internationals such as Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, England’s Raheem Sterling and Spain defender Aymeric Laporte could begin the game on the bench, as could club-record goalscorer Sergio Aguero.
Asked at the pre-match news conference what it was like to have to break his selection news to the players, Guardiola said, “Terrible. It’s absolutely disaster, don’t be a manager in your life.”
The Spaniard said there were no words that he could conjure up to ease the pain for the players concerned.
He says, “I don’t have any nice words but my advice is stay with the team as there are five or six subs and life gives you another chance.
“Work harder and maybe next time you’ll be there. I feel incredibly sorry for them but I have to be honest, I know them and I make a selection to win the game, no alternative.”
Tuchel: It’s not me versus Pep
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel says their Champions League final opponents Manchester City are the ‘strongest team in the world’.
Chelsea have beaten City twice since Thomas Tuchel took charge of the London club in January, winning in the FA Cup semi-final and then in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.
But the German is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his team against the Premier League champions in Porto.
Werner is one Chelsea player that can ‘hurt’ Man City in UCL final, says Joe Cole
Joe Cole believes Timo Werner will be one of the first names on Chelsea’s team sheet in Saturday’s Champions League final against Manchester City.
Since taking over from Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel has introduced a lot of changes into this Chelsea side; formation, regulars.
But the team essentially still plays possession-based football under both managers.
In fact, they averaged the third-highest possession (58.6 percent — via Whoscored) in the Premier League this season.
At the Estadio do Dragao, however, they are going to face Manchester City — a team that averaged the highest possession in the league (60.8 percent).
Obviously, Chelsea would not want to let Manchester City dominate the possession and play into their hands.
But competing for possession will not be the only way to “hurt” the Premier League champions, according to Cole.
“Pep [Guardiola’s] players play a certain way and if you can get players in behind them, you are going to get space at some point in the game,” the former Blues winger told the Sunday World.
“Timo Werner will probably start, as he is a player who can hurt them. And I don’t think he is playing for his future at Chelsea in this game.
“We see great players come to this country, and they take some time to settle down.
“It’s been difficult for everyone this season, but there have been some great signs from him in the last few weeks.
“He affects the game and I think he’s going to be a good player for Chelsea and some time to improve.”
A lot of people seem to share Cole’s view about Werner’s potentially being the biggest threat to Manchester City’s Champions League hopes.
In Friday’s press conference, Cesar Azpilicueta said the Germany international can “make the difference” in the final.
And earlier, Guardiola highlighted Werner’s counter-attacking threat as one of the reasons Chelsea are “difficult” to play against.
It was very evident that Manchester City defenders had a hard time dealing with Werner’s pace in their two losses against Chelsea — in which the striker made two decisive assists.
-The Chelsea Chronicle
Barcelona beat Atletico to set up cup final against Real Madrid
It will be the eighth time there has been an El Clasico in the Spanish Cup final, with the nation’s two most successful club sides set to meet on 26 April in Seville.
Ferran Torres’ first-half effort proved decisive for Barcelona at Metropolitano Stadium, with the Spain forward poking the ball past Argentine goalkeeper Juan Musso after Lamine Yamal’s superb pass had split the home defence.
It was no more than the visitors deserved, with 17-year-old Yamal a constant source of danger and Raphinha also twice threatening to extend Barca’s lead.
Unlike the thrilling first-leg tie in February, when Diego Simeone’s side twice scored late on in a dramatic 4-4 draw, this was a tighter and more tense affair without the grandstand finish from Atletico.
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The hosts did have opportunities.
Substitute Alexander Sorloth elected to shoot instead of squaring the ball to Antoine Griezmann for a tap-in, while the Norway forward was also ruled offside after rattling in what he thought was an equaliser.
However, in truth, Atletico were second best to Hansi Flick’s side for long periods, with the record 31-time winners always appearing relatively comfortable as they extended their unbeaten run to 21 games across all competitions.
The Catalan club remain the only side in Europe’s top-five leagues yet to lose in 2025 and remain on course for a potential quadruple.
Barca, who have already won the Spanish Super Cup this term, lead the La Liga table by three points from Real Madrid.
They also host Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on 9 April (20:00 BST).
Meanwhile, the final against Carlo Ancelotti’s team in Seville will come just over two weeks before a potentially pivotal fixture between the clubs in the Spanish top flight.
Wike congratulates Okpebholo on tribunal victory
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has congratulated Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo on his victory at the tribunal.
The Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting on Wednesday, affirmed Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of Edo.
A three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, against the election outcome.
The petition challenged the result of the governorship election held on Sept. 21, 2024 but was struck out by the tribunal for lack of merit.
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Reacting, Wike, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, urged the governor to remain focused on delivering good governance.
He advised Okpebholo not to be distracted but to remain dedicated to serving the people of Edo.
Wike described the tribunal’s ruling as a confirmation of the mandate freely given to Okpebholo by Edo voters.
The minister expressed confidence in the governor’s ability to bring relief and development to the state.
“This victory belongs to the people of Edo who elected, as their governor, Okpebholo.
“I believe in him, and with the way he has started, his government will positively impact Edo and its people,” he added.
(NAN)
Teacher arrested in Osun for allegedly molesting 7-year-old pupil
22-year-old male school teacher, Rufai Akorede, has been arrested in Ilesa, Osun State, by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for allegedly molesting a seven-year-old female pupil.
The NSCDC stated that Akorede is accused of “thrusting his manhood” into the child’s mouth in a classroom after school.
Following a report, the Osun NSCDC Commandant, Igbalawole Sotiyo, ordered an immediate investigation, which revealed the alleged molestation began in 2024, according to a statement signed by the state command’s public relations officer, Kehinde Adeleke.
According to NSCDC, in his confessional statement, Akorede admitted to the crime, explaining that after school hours, he instructed the victim to close the windows in the classroom before assaulting her.
“The second incident happened on March 20, 2025, after school hours. It was only the teacher and the girl who were in the class, and he pressed her buttocks,” Adeleke said.
Akorede was arraigned before the Magistrate Court in Ilesa, Osun State, on March 26, 2025, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in the correctional centre. The trial has been adjourned.
In a separate case, 20-year-old Tiamiyu Samuel was arrested for allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl in Gbongan, Osun State.
Adeleke, the NSCDC spokesperson, stated that Samuel had known the victim for three years and, after she rejected his advances, forcibly dragged her into his room on March 23, 2025, with the help of an accomplice.
The suspect allegedly threatened the victim with a cutlass before assaulting her, causing the victim to bleed. He then threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
“The accomplice is currently at large but will be apprehended to face the consequences of his actions. The suspect admitted committing the offence and a medical report confirms that the victim’s hymen was broken,” Adeleke said.
The NSCDC has assured the public that once the investigation is concluded, the suspect will be charged in court.
The Osun NSCDC urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and safeguard their children from such predatory individuals. The Commandant also warned that those engaging in such heinous acts will face severe consequences
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