UCL: Ronaldo’s Juventus thrash Messi’s Barcelona 3-0 as Man United crash out – Newstrends
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UCL: Ronaldo’s Juventus thrash Messi’s Barcelona 3-0 as Man United crash out

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Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice from the penalty spot as Juventus thrashed Barcelona 3-0 at the Camp Nou in their final match of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage.

This was the first meeting between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi since the former left Real Madrid in 2018. The 35-year-old Portuguese forward came top in the “battle of the greatest” with two penalty kicks converted while Messi’s efforts were frustrated by a combination of saves and blocked shots.

Barcelona had won the reverse fixture 2-0 at Turin but fell behind in the 13th minute when Ronaldo was fouled in the box and the forward dusted himself up to convert the spot-kick.

It was 2-0 after 20 minutes when Weston McKennie brilliantly converted Juan Caudrado’s cross, and Juventus held firm to deny Messi any joy in front of goal despite three shots on target and two blocked shots.

Ronaldo made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute with his second spot-kick awarded by the video assistant referee (VAR) for a handball by Christian Lenglet, a Barcelona defender.

The Portuguese placed his shot into the bottom left corner for his 14th goal in 13 games at the Camp Nou, while he also became the first player in the UCL to score two penalties against Barcelona in the same match.

Juventus’ victory ensured they snatched top spot ahead of Barcelona due to a superior head-to-head record after both teams finished on 15 points.

RB Leipzig eliminates Manchester United

RB Leipzig held firm to win 3-2 against a sleepy Manchester United that only woke up in the second half, eliminating the Red Devils from the continent’s premier football competition and into the Europa League.

Man United failed to advance to the knockout phase of the UCL for the first time since a similar debacle in 2015.

The German Bundesliga side went 3-0 up before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men rallied to score two late goals but could not complete the task in a match they needed not to lose in order to ensure qualification into the UCL knockout phase.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side scored twice in the first 13 minutes for a 2-0 lead, and they extended that lead in the 68th minute after Justin Kluivert pounced on a defensive miscommunication between Harry Maguire and David de Gea.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Man United staged a comeback with 10 minutes left. Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty in the 80th minute while Paul Pogba added a headed goal two minutes later for 3-2.

The 2008 UCL winners tried to snatch a late draw but crashed out at the group stage.

RESULTS

Lazio 2-2 Club Bruges

Zenit St Petersburg 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea   1-1 FK Krasnodar

Rennes 1-3 Sevilla

Barcelona 0-3 Juventus

Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 Ferencvárosi TC

RB Leipzig 3-2 Man Utd

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday night suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly match played in Marrakech, Morocco.

Mali, ranked 19th below the Super Eagles in the FIFA’s latest standings, opened scoring through Atalanta-based striker El Bilal Toure in the first half after Nigeria’s dreadful error resulting from a short goal kick.

Toure could barely believe his luck when defender Chidozie Awaziem tried to play a long square pass under pressure near the edge of the Nigeria box and succeeded only in crossing the ball straight to the Mali striker.

He controlled well on his chest before bundling a finish past goalkeeper Stanely Nwabali.

Nigeria lost Moses Simon to injury when the Nantes star collided with Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa and had to be substituted after appearing to suffer a painful knee injury.

Kamory Doumbia made it 2-0 for Mali with three minutes to normal regulation time.

Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 last Friday in a positive result for interim coach Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

The defeat has left the Super Eagles with a lot of concerns before they resume World Cup qualifying in June.

This was the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Mali. Nigeria have the head-to-head advantage, with six wins and three defeats in those games.

Mali’s most recent previous win over the Super Eagles was a 4-1 friendly victory way back in 1975.

Some key stars missed the friendly match due to injury. They are Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Ola Aina, and Zaidu Sanusi.

Midfielder Frank Onyeka has also withdrawn from the squad.

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Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer €90 million for Napoli star striker, Victor Osimhen, according to Italian newspaper, II Mattino.

Osimhen has a release clause of around €120 million in his contract but Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis could accept a bid below that, according to the publication.

Napoli are prepared to part company with the Nigerian at the end of the season despite the forward signing a new contract last December.

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Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG have been persistently linked with a move for the forward.

Intermediaries are reportedly working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda to sort out his future.

Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2022, has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances for the Partenopei.

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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Finidi George

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

Former World Cup star Finidi George is determined to secure a second consecutive win as he leads the Super Eagles in their clash against Mali today. Appointed as the interim coach for the Nigerian team, George aims to maintain the winning momentum after their recent victory over Ghana.

The encounter between the two West African teams is scheduled at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, where the Super Eagles emerged triumphant in their previous match against arch-rivals Ghana with a 2-1 scoreline.

However, George faces challenges as key players such as defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Frank Onyeka are sidelined due to injuries, adding to the absence of other notable names like Victor Osimhen, William Ekong, and Olaoluwa Aina.

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Despite these setbacks, George remains optimistic about the team’s prospects against Mali. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a winning mentality and expresses confidence in the players’ ability to replicate their performance against Ghana and secure another victory.

Notably, George himself has a history with the Eagles of Mali, having played against them during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria emerged victorious.

In light of the absences and injuries, George may turn to players such as goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins, midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to play prominent roles in the upcoming fixture.

Despite the challenges, Finidi George remains determined to guide the Super Eagles to another triumph as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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