UEFA Champions League Live: Juventus FC vs Porto: After a head-to-head match, the 10-man Porto advanced to the next round of the UEFA Champions League despite losing 3-2 at Allianz Stadium.After beating Lazio 2 goals, Pirlo made 3 changes to the starting line-up. Leonardo Bonucci entered the defense to replace Bernadcci, Arthur replaced the suspended Danilo, and Cristiano Ronaldo was chosen before Dejan Kulusevski.Porto stuns Juventus: visitors take the initiativeIt took the Portuguese team just 19 minutes to top the lead in the draw. It was Corona who pushed the ball to Marija's right side, who quickly directed it at Taremi.Tarimi protected him from a Demiral who caught him from behind trying to catch the ball, but the referee, after consulting with the VAR, pointed the point in the 17th minute. It was Sergio Oliveira who placed the penalty kick in the lower-left corner to send it. Chase the wrong way in the 19th minute.Juventus vs Porto: Federico Chiesa's magic gives Juventus a tie and the main goalThe teams entered the first half and Juventus lost in the second half. However, it didn't take long in the second half to find the equalizer when Federico Chiesa hit a sudden forehand past Marchesen in the upper right corner.Within his two goals with an advanced goal for the Italian national team. In the grand scheme of things, Juventus equalized in the 63rd minute when Cuadrado moved one meter of space to the right side of the field to direct a dramatic cross to the far post.It was Kiza who got the ball header. The video assistant referee confirmed the Italian player's exit and stopping the goal.Juventus x Porto: The match went into extra timePorto score the equalizerRabiot sarcastically dropped Diaz for a yellow card and took a silly free-kick. It was Sergio Oliveira who completed his brace by finishing a low free-kick under the wall. Szczesny managed to get it but couldn't help himself as Porto scored his second away goal in the 115th minute.Juventus' counterattackIt only took another two minutes for Andrea Pirlo's men to lead the game. They were still losing their equalizing goals, but Adrien Rabiot rose high in the center of the area to header past Marchesen in the upper left corner.Porto fired a possible penalty in the 120th minute, but the VAR referee denied this.FC Porto is advancing in the Champions League quarter-finals.Also Read: FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2020-21
Jorginho missed a penalty when Italy draw 0-0 with Switzerland in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday September 5, a result that meant Roberto Mancini's side equaled the world record for consecutive undefeated international matches in a row. Italy is now undefeated in 36 consecutive games, equaling Brazil's record set between 1993 and 1996. The result could have been more positive if Jorginho had converted from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute after a foul by Domenico Berardi, but the Chelsea midfielder was thwarted by goalkeeper Yan Sommer. Italy had other opportunities to snatch the victory from them, but had to settle for a draw, which means they remain top of qualification Group C on 11 points from five games, four ahead of the second-placed Swiss, who have two matches in hand on the Azzurri.Also Read- Cristiano Ronaldo becomes all-time highest goalscorer in international football with brace against Ireland Mancini's team entered the game after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Bulgaria on Thursday, in their first match becoming European champions two months ago. But the visiting team did much better in the first half in Basel and should have taken the lead through good chances for Berardi and Lorenzo Insigne, both of whom were denied by Sommer. The best chance of the night came seven minutes of the second half after Ricardo Rodriguez trying to atone for being caught in possession, lunged in on Berardi to award a penalty. Jorginho, who missed his spot kick in in Italy's penalty shootout victory over England in the Euro 2020 final, stepped up but put his effort far to close to Sommer, who made an easy save. European champions Italy set a new world record of 36 international matches unbeaten with their draw in Switzerland Congratulations @Azzurri_En pic.twitter.com/VxL9CERn8D— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) September 6, 2021Sommer proved impossible to breach as he denied Insigne again to leave Italy heading home having been frustrated for the second successive qualifier.Also Read- Tokyo Paralympics: Avani Lekhara becomes first Indian woman to win 2 medals at single Games edition
La Liga may be shorn of its biggest name in Lionel Messi who left FC Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain but former Real Madrid player Fernando Morientes feels the Spanish league would not be "weakened" by the exit of the Argentine maestro.Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain's club last month is not the only high-profile exit from La Liga. In the last five seasons, players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Sergio Ramos have left Real Madrid or Barcelona."La Liga throughout its history has lost players, just like any other league... It is nothing new. Cristiano left, Neymar left, Messi and Ramos have also left," Morientes, who is also the La Liga ambassador, said during a virtual media interaction."Footballers will eventually leave, but clubs will stay. La Liga doesn't sell itself through a single player. La Liga is never going to have a problem to sell itself as a competition"."La Liga has done a spectacular job attempting to attract the best players to make it as competitive as always been."Morientes said it's an opportunity for the Spanish clubs to prove themselves at the marquee Champions League.“I would like to see a Spanish final in fact, because there are many people who think that Messi's departure has weakened the league. We have to show that this is not the case.Also Read- Lionel Messi signs two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona"In the last 10-15 years, La Liga teams have always been very competitive in all European competitions. And I'm convinced this coming season the Spanish teams will demonstrate their true potential in this competition," said the former Spanish center-forward.The 45-year-old said it was the responsibility of the clubs to change, adapt and sign great players."La Liga will continue to be a really attractive league that will bring in new players and I'm sure there are great players who will want to play here," said Morientes, who played 183 games for Real Madrid between 1997 and 2005."The Spanish league is strong enough to be attractive to everyone. I am convinced that you in India will continue to follow the league and continue to follow our teams as fans and not just as individual players."On the prospect of 'El Clasico' without Messi and Ronaldo, he said: "Real Madrid and Barcelona at the end of the day are much more than just two players. It's true that both Cristiano and Messi have made history in Spanish football."Obviously we would like to have players of this level. But we must remember that the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona goes back many years, and Messi and Ronaldo are not always at the club." Also Read- Cristiano Ronaldo becomes all-time highest goalscorer in international football with brace against Ireland
Lionel Messi failed to provide Paris St Germain with any sparkle as the Ligue 1 team's potent attacking trio lacked inspiration in a disappointing 1-1 draw at Club Brugge in their Champions League opener on Wednesday.In his debut with the French team, the Argentine forward managed to surpass him, but he was far from his brilliant best next to the disappointing Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who set up Ander Herrera for PSG's first-half opener before being replaced injured after the break.Brugge, who levelled before halftime through Hans Vanaken, were more powerful and had the best chances against a PSG that lacks quality and defensive focus.The result left Paris Saint-Germain and Bruges two points behind Group A leaders Manchester City after the Premier League champions crushed RB Leipzig 6-3."We didn't play a fantastic game but to be fair we did enough to win, we deserved to win," said Herrera."Maybe they had opportunities at the beginning of the second half but I think we controlled the match, we had a lot of chances."Also Read- Lionel Messi surpasses Pele's goalscoring record, leads Argentina to win in World Cup qualifiersBrugge keeper Simon Mignolet disagreed."I didn't have a lot of work, I just pulled a couple of saves. We played as a compact side, it was the right approach," the Belgian said.With Messi, Neymar and Mbappe together on the pitch for the first time, PSG made a confident start but Brugge responded well.FULL-TIME: Club Brugge 1-1 @PSG_English The points are shared on Matchday 1 of the @ChampionsLeague. #UCL | #CLUPSG pic.twitter.com/P3EVbjqQxP— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) September 15, 2021Mbappe broke the left flank and his low cross was met by Herrera, and opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a low shot to score his fourth goal this season-his third goal in the last two games.Messi set up Mbappe, who went close in the 23rd minute with an angled shot that was deflected by Mignolet but PSG were lulled into a false sense of security.Also Read- LaLiga will not be weakened by Lionel Messi's exit, says ex-Real Madrid player Fernando Morientes
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted that his star-studded squad is still under construction, on the eve of hosting Manchester City in their Group A match in Paris on Tuesday.Pochettino remained evasive about who is PSG first-choice goalkeeper and whether Keylor Navas or new signing Gianluigi Donnarumma will start against City.Up front, Pochettino expects Lionel Messi to return in attack as the Argentine shakes off a minor knee injury that sidelined him for two games. Messi's last Champions League goal for Barcelona came against Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes in last season's last-16. He had a penalty saved in that game by Navas.Paris Saint-Germain opened their Champions League campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Club Brugge two weeks ago.Also Read- Virat Kohli to quit RCB captaincy after the end of IPL 2021 season
Lionel Messi scored his first Paris Saint-German goal in the French club's 2-0 win over visiting Manchester City while Luxembourg midfielder Sébastien Thill struck late for Sheriff to stun 13-time champion Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. Messi, who joined PSG on a two-year contract after leaving Barcelona, found the top corner superbly in the second half to add to Idrissa Gueye's early first-half opener and put the capital club top of Group A on four points. Luis Suárez also struck late as his injury-time penalty gave Atlético Madrid a 2-1 win at 10-man AC Milan. Club Brügge and Liverpool also claimed away wins at Leipzig and Porto, respectively.Messi scores maiden goal for PSG After two games, City are third on three points after their first defeat in a group stage game since 2018 ended an 18-match unbeaten run, a point behind PSG and Club Brugge, who won 2-1 at RB Leipzig. Real Madrid slumped to a 2-1 defeat by Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol in the Champions League on Tuesday as the visitors pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history with a stunning 89th-minute strike from Sebastien Thill. Spanish champion Atlético were second best for long periods at Group B rival Milan. Luis Suarez's stoppage-time penalty and Antoine Griezmann's first goal since returning to Atletico Madrid earned the Spanish side a 2-1 victory over 10-man AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday. On the other hand, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both struck twice and Sadio Mane once in a 5-1 drubbing of the Portuguese champions to seize control of Champions' League Group B.Also Read- Messi may return for PSG against Manchester City in UCL
Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi found their groove as they inspired their side to a 3-2 comeback victory at home to RB Leipzig in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday (October 19). Mbappe was the first to score and Messi had the France forward to thank for his second-half double after the Ligue 1 side had fallen 2-1 behind following goals by Andre Silva and Nordi Mukiele either side of the interval. Mbappe who missed a stoppage-time penalty, set up Messi for the equaliser and won the spot kick that the Argentine converted with an ice-cool chip after what had been a lacklustre performance from the club’s new signing. The result left Paris Saint-Germain top of Group A with seven points from three games, one point ahead of Manchester City, who crushed Club Brugge 5-1 away earlier on Tuesday. Leipzig have no points. Before Mbappe and Messi came together as old team mates, PSG often looked out of sorts, incapable of dealing with Leipzig’s high-pressure game. Jesse Marsch's side pushed hard from the outset and after eight minutes, PSG’s Keylor Navas had already made three saves.It was a double-edged sword for the visitors, as it threatened PSG in the break and they opened the scoring after nine minutes. Julian Draxler flicked a Marquinhos long pass into the path of Mbappe, who dummied his marker before firing a low shot past Peter Gulacsi for his first Champions League goal this season. Leipzig did not back down and in the 27th minute Silva’s volley crashed against Navas’s left-hand post. A minute later Silva turned Angelino’s cross in at the far post to give the German side a deserved equaliser. Leipzig were the better team and Christopher Nkunku came close to giving them the advantage three minutes before the break when his low shot went just wide after a series of dribbles. Paris Saint-Germain started the second half well, as Messi finding space between the lines, but it was Leipzig who took the lead in the 57th minute as Mukiele latched onto another Angelino cross at the far post.Messi in the Champions League = #UCL pic.twitter.com/kIbw2BdUiJ— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 19, 2021The hosts continued to suffer but a Tyler Adams back pass was intercepted by Mbappe who sped into the area and fed Messi, with the Argentine tapping the ball into the empty net after Gulacsi parried his shot onto the inside of the post after 67 minutes. It was Mbappe who had set up Messi for PSG’s second goal in their 2-0 victory against Manchester City in the previous round of matches. Seven minutes later, Mbappe was brought down by Mohamed Simakan and Messi converted the resulting penalty in clinical fashion before again pointing to his strike partner, who has set up his three PSG goals so far. PSG received another penalty four minutes into added time after a VAR review for a Josko Gvardiol foul on Achraf Hakimi but Mbappe skied it over the bar, although that did not tarnish a sublime overall performance from the 22-year-old.Also Read- Yuvraj Singh Arrested, Released on Bail Over Casteist Remark on Yuzvendra Chahal
Cristiano Ronaldo headed in an 81st-minute winner as Manchester United came from two goals down to beat Atalanta 3-2 in a pulsating Champions League Group F match at Old Trafford on Wednesday. After a poor performance in the first half, with Atalanta leading 2-0 in at the break, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team turned the game and possibly their season around with a thunderous performance. The pressure was on Solskjaer after Saturday's 4-2 Premier League loss to Leicester Cit and he opted to drop Paul Pogba to the bench but there was little sign of improvement from that switch. Manchester United were disjointed and dispirited in the opening 45 minutes but raised their tempo and the volume from the Stretford End with a relentless push to victory that culminated in the Champions League's record scorer demonstrating his brilliance in front of goal yet again. Mario Pasalic put Atalanta ahead in the 15th minute, turning in Davide Zappacosta's low ball from close range and United, with just one win in their last five games in all competitions, looked drained of belief. It was no great surprise when the Italian team doubled their lead in the 29th minute with Merih Demiral rising at the near post to glance in an angled header from a Teun Koopmeiners corner. Fred and Marcus Rashford missed good chances for United before the break but the home side returned to the game in the 53rd minute. A clever ball from Bruno Fernandes allowed Rashford to cut in from the left and he picked his spot with a shot into the far corner. Scott McTominay struck the post after connecting with Christian Ronaldo cross but although United were pushing for a leveller, the Italians were still a threat and the hosts were thankful to keeper David De Gea for a superb double save to keep out a drive from Duvan Zapata and follow-up from Ruslan Malinovskyi. Cristiano Ronaldo in one word?#UCL pic.twitter.com/APwQcItPuh— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 20, 2021However, the pressure paid off for United when they drew level with Harry Maguire drilling the ball home at the back post after the static Atalanta defence failed to intercept a Fernandes ball across the box. Then came the winner as Luke Shaw whipped in a superb cross from the left and Ronaldo rose superbly, timing his jump and his header perfectly to power the ball past Musso. "I was right behind him. His leap, his timing, it was perfect right in the corner," Maguire said. "We see it day in, day out in training and in the goals he has scored throughout his career. He has come up with a massive goal for us again in the Champions League," he added. "We got the goals we needed and deserved and I think we deserved the win in the end. Yes, we made it difficult but it is a tremendous victory in the end." United leads the group after three games on six points with Atalanta and Villarreal two points behind.Also Read- Australia pacer James Pattinson retires from international cricket
October 2021 was a busy month in international football, with qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, friendlies, and the final rounds of the UEFA Nations League all on the agenda. A total of 160 fixtures were played, the impact of which can be seen on the FIFA Rankings. Though their lead is now under threat, Belgium remains on top despite UEFA Nations League defeats to France (3rd, 1) and Italy (4th, 1). Among the top five, only Les Bleus and Gli Azzurri have improved their positions. India has also moved one spot ahead to the 106th position after the Sunil Chhetri-led side won the SAFF Championship. The Blue Tigers had defeated Nepal in the summit clash. Brazil remains in second place but are breathing down the neck of Belgium, just 12 points behind. England, meanwhile, dropped two places to fifth."A little further down, Spain's (7th, 1) progress at the expense of Portugal (8th, -1) is also noteworthy, as is that of Germany (12th, 2), who leapfrog USA (13th). Uruguay lost most ground among the top 20 by dropping three places to 15th," read an official FIFA statement. It is after that, however, where we find some of the most significant movers on this edition. Morocco (29th, 4), Russia (33rd, 4), Egypt (44th, 4), Saudi Arabia (49th, 7) and South Africa (66th, 7) all made strides on the back of two wins from two this month in Qatar 2022 qualifying. Two nations in the second half of the table fared even better, with New Zealand (111, 10) and Indonesia (165, 10) the joint-biggest movers this month, ahead of Central African Republic (115, 9) and Cambodia (170, 8).Also Read- IPL 2022: Ranveer Singh And Deepika Padukone To Bid For Two New IPL Teams- Reports
Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi has confirmed that he will return to Barcelona with his family once his spell at Paris Saint-Germain ends, and he wants to help the LaLiga club in the role of technical director. The star admitted that he "misses everything" about the Catalan capital where he spent more than two decades. Messi ended a two-decade stay at the cash-strapped Spanish club, where he is their record scorer with 672 goals, in the off-season and messi transfer to psg on a two-year deal. "I don't know if that'll happen when my PSG contract is up. What's almost confirmed and certain is that we'll return to Barcelona to live and our lives will be there," Messi told Spanish outlet SPORT. "That's what my wife and I want. I don't know what'll happen when my PSG contract ends, but we'll go back to live in Barcelona."I've always said I'd love to be able to help the club do well in any way that I can be useful. I'd love to be a technical director at some point. "I don't know if that'll be at Barcelona or if it might work out differently. "If the option is there, I'd love to contribute again in any way that I can because it's the club that I love and I'd love it to keep doing well, growing and remain one of the best in the world." Messi was injured in Paris St Germain's 2-1 win over champion Lille on Friday, but coach Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful he will be available for this week's psg in champions league game at RB Leipzig.Also Read- T20 World Cup: How can India still hope to qualify for the semi final
