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Inter’s Last Dance? Veteran Squad Faces PSG in UEFA Champions League Final

May 27, 2025, 2:09 pm

Inter Milan’s ageing squad might find themselves in one of their last chances to win the highest football prize in Europe as they readied themselves to meet Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final in Munich.

They are considered underdogs and have surprised many with knockout victories over Bayern Munich and Barcelona. They have shown that experience is still a factor that is important to modern football.

Inter Chases Redemption

The final provides them a chance for some revenge for losing in the 2023 final to Manchester City. Coach Inzaghi admitted the loss still hurts as his team came close to matching the Premier League giants but just fell short. Now the Nerazzurri play yet another global powerhouse, pairing them against PSG as they attempt to collect the title that they could not hoist in some years, and rescue a season that slipped away domestically.

“I think they are well aware (of the occasion). We’ve been close before. Now we are at the last step.” Inzaghi stated before the match. Inter won’t be unfamiliar to the PSG players as most of them have played at the highest level before; however, at the same time, they have the same pressure to win the title challenge, with several of the players nearing the end of their careers.

The players include Yann Sommer (36), now 37, Francesco Acerbi, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (36), alongside a large contingent of players who started above 30.

A Young, Robust PSG

PSG fields a predominantly youthful squad, while Inter’s players rely on discipline, determination, and tactical savvy. Their unexpected success over the last couple of months as part of a long European run, occurring amid a season disrupted by ownership.

While PSG spent over €70 million to recruit Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Inter mostly recruited free agents, like Sommer, and bargain deals like Thuram.

Only one match remains, and Inter’s ageing warriors must give their all as they face PSG on Saturday in Munich.

Son Lifts the Curse — Tottenham Finally Taste Silver After 17 Long Years

May 22, 2025, 1:05 pm

San Mames Stadium sees Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur lift the UEFA Europa League Trophy after remaining without a major trophy for 17 years. In his second season with the club, Ange Postecoglou delivers on his promise of winning a trophy and takes his team to the UEFA Champions League despite their 17th position in the league table.

Rubem Amorim’s Manchester United piles on an already disastrous season, with the club only two places above relegation.

Tottenham’s European trophy collection 🥇

1972 🏆 1984 🏆 2025 🏆#UELfinal pic.twitter.com/y1BpVxIjvz

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 21, 2025

Tottenham Unfolding the Game

The only goal in the game came near the end of the first half from Brennan Johnson as the ball deflected off towards the goal off the shoulder of an unsuspecting Luke Shaw. United went blazing into the second half looking for a goal with added pressure, only to be denied by a superb goal-line clearance by Mickey van de Ven.

Spurs continued to stay back and defend in the second half, managing not to have a single shot on goal. Luke Shaw’s powerful header at the end of stoppage time was also acrobatically saved by Spurs keeper Vicario, which would lead to the final whistle and an important win for the club and Ange.

Son, Star of The Spurs

Following Tottenham’s long wait, captain Son Heung-Min was jubilant after his team’s victory over Manchester United, ultimately lifting the Europa League Cup and ending 17 trophyless seasons for the club. Son, who has been at the club for just under 10 years, expressed joy in saying, “Today is the day the dream came true. Happiest man in the world to be honest.”

Son, who also played in the 2019 Spurs squad that lost the Champions League final 2-1 to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, finally won a trophy for his club and expressed his delight.

Spurs will now prepare for Brighton for the final game of the season, where a win could see them climb up the Premier League table, while Manchester United will host Aston Villa at Old Trafford as the Premier League comes to an end.

Inter Milan Triumphs Over Bayern Munich to Secure Champions League Semifinal Spot

April 17, 2025, 12:56 pm

Ex-Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard scored against his former club to guide Inter Milan to a 2-2 draw with the German side on Wednesday, taking the Nerazzurri through to the Champions League semifinals 4-3 on aggregate. It was Pavard’s first goal for Inter, since the France international signed from Bayern in 2023. “There’s certainly a lot of emotions as it’s my first goal, moreover it’s at San Siro,” said Pavard, who last scored almost exactly two years ago to the day. “So there were a lot of emotions but I had to stay in the match, I couldn’t think of the goal, I had to remain focused.”

Martínez and Pavard Fire Back for Inter Milan

Harry Kane had brought the quarterfinal level at the start of the second half but Inter quickly reversed the game with Lautaro Martínez and Pavard goals on a windy evening in Milan. Eric Dier headed the equalizer on the evening, in the 76th minute, to arrange for a tense finish. Inter will play Barcelona in the semifinals. It defeated the same team in the final four in 2010 en route to Champions League victory and the treble under José Mourinho. Simone Inzaghi’s side are in with a chance to do it again this season.

PSG to Face Arsenal in Other Semifinal

The other semifinal match features Paris Saint-Germain vs. Arsenal, which defeated 2-1 at Real Madrid on Wednesday to qualify 5-1 on aggregate. Inter had shocked Bayern last week, defeating 2-1 to deal the German club its first home loss in the tournament in nearly four years. Bayern manager Vincent Kompany described having “some regrets” over the two matches, with his team failing to score several chances and thereby losing the chance of hoisting the Champions League trophy in their home stadium on May 31.

Vincent Kompany Reflects on Missed Opportunities

“The hard reality is that we’re not going to play the Champions League final at home,” Kompany said. “That’s the hard reality. We can’t change it. The other side is the performance side. We know we did enough to win these two games.” It was a wet and windy night at San Siro and the gusts caused some misplaced passes. The visitors had a few early opportunities, with Pavard charging down an effort by Michael Olise and Alessandro Bastoni timing a sliding tackle to perfection to also deny Olise, who had gone clear on goal. Inter managed to slow things down after the frantic start and began to have opportunities of its own.

Thrilling Action Leads to Goals Galore for Inter Milan and Bayern

Hakan Çalhanoglu came closest in the 33rd minute with one of his signature long-range efforts that whistled past the right-hand upright. There was alarm in the Inter zone soon after and Bayern’s first-leg scorer Thomas Müller had a shot deflected by Matteo Darmian and Leroy Sané had the rebound saved by Yann Sommer. But Bayern broke the deadlock ” and levelled the quarterfinal ” seven minutes into the second half. Inter were unable to clear a cross properly and the ball found its way through to Leon Goretzka, who played Kane in and the England forward steadied himself before shooting past Federico Dimarco and into the far bottom corner.

But Inter equalized just seven minutes later. Lautaro ” Inter’s all-time leading scorer in the competition ” miscontrolled a corner but was quickest to the ball and was able to bundle it into the bottom left corner. The World Cup winner with Argentina jumped onto the advertising hoardings in front of the Inter fans and stretched his arms out. There were even more ecstatic celebrations three minutes later when Pavard headed another corner. The Inter fans were in for a nervy last 14 minutes, though, as Serge Gnabry’s cross picked out Dier on the byline, and his header curiously curled into the far top corner from the closest of angles.

Xavi blasts referee after Barcelona’s 4-1 loss to PSG

April 17, 2024, 4:15 pm

FC Barcelona lost 4-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, their coach, Xavi Hernandez, called the referee a “disaster” and attacked his decision to send defender Ronald Araujo off.

Araujo was given a red card by Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs in the 29th minute of play for a last-man challenge on Bradley Barcola. Xavi claimed that this ended the second leg of the quarterfinal.

Barcelona had a 1-0 lead before the red card, but when they were reduced to 10 men, the game took a dramatic turn. Ousmane Dembele netted a goal and Kylian Mbappe netted two to lead PSG to a 4-1 victory and a 6-4 victory overall on his return to Barcelona.

Xavi expressed frustration and disappointment over the outcome of the match, citing the red card incident as a turning point that impacted the entire game. He emphasized the importance of maintaining an 11 vs. 11 setup, stating that the red card changed the dynamics significantly. Xavi criticized the referee’s decisions, calling them a disaster and expressing his disbelief over the turn of events. He acknowledged his own error in getting sent off for protesting a penalty decision but maintained that the referee’s actions heavily influenced the game’s outcome.

“We are annoyed. The red card marked the tie. We were well organized 11 vs. 11. It completely changed everything. For me, it’s too much to send [Araujo] off there,” Xavi stated as quoted from ESPN.

He also added “The referee was really bad. I told him, he was a disaster. He killed the tie. I don’t like speaking about referees but it has to be said. I don’t understand it. It’s not good going down to 10 players and from that point on it’s another game. For as much as we speak [about the match], the red card marks everything,”.

Barcelona had opportunities to level the aggregate score and even take the lead before the red card incident, but missed chances and bad luck contributed to their downfall. Xavi lamented that the hard work of the entire season was overshadowed by one refereeing decision and expressed regret that the match didn’t play out with both teams having a full complement of players throughout.

A ‘Fantastic Result’ for Manchester City

April 10, 2024, 5:52 pm

Phil Foden, who scored a crucial goal for Manchester City in their 3-3 draw against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, considering it a “fantastic result” for the defending champions.

The match was held at the Santiago Bernabeu, showcasing a clash between two European football powerhouses in an iconic setting. Both teams exhibited high-quality play, resulting in a thrilling and high-scoring encounter.

Despite City initially dominating and taking an early lead, Real Madrid fought back twice from lacking behind to level the game at 3-3.

On the City’s opener the midfielder reflected that “I don’t think it changed the game plan but I believe that sometimes you can score too early,”

Foden after the game said that, “They responded really well and we had to just settle again and play our football. This team’s come a long way now. When we go down we don’t put our heads down and believe in our ability,” Foden after the game, from the club’s official website.

Foden acknowledged that scoring too early didn’t alter their game plan but highlighted the resilience of City’s team in not letting setbacks affect their belief in their abilities. City faced a halftime disadvantage of 2-1 but staged a comeback, with Foden and Josko Gvardiol scoring impressive goals to put City ahead at 2-1.

“We know we can always come back from behind. It’s a great team to be a part of. With the possession we had they got a bit more tired, there was more space for me to come inside and find the pockets,” Foden stated.

Foden emphasized the team’s confidence in their ability to bounce back from behind, attributing their success to maintaining possession and creating fatigue in the opposition, which created space for their attacks.

“As the time went on the game seemed to open up a little bit more and I thought we grew into the game more, especially in the second half. We had a couple of chances and I’m just happy to make the most of one of mine. We can’t dwell on the result, it’s a fantastic result to come here and get a draw,” Foden mentioned.

Looking ahead to the second leg on April 18 at the Etihad Stadium, Foden emphasized the importance of not dwelling on the draw but rather seeing it as a positive result, considering the tough challenge of facing Real Madrid away from home.

Manchester City clinches maiden Champions League glory and historic treble

June 11, 2023, 4:57 pm

Manchester City completed the treble with a spirited 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final on a Saturday night in Istanbul.

In a close game, City overcame Inter thanks to a goal from Rodri in the second half. With the win, Manchester City became only the second English team to complete the treble. The team’s first-ever triple in European football was also made possible by the victory, a goal they had been pursuing ever since Pep Guardiola was hired as the team’s manager.

At Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, where the players fought for tempo the whole game, it was the least Manchester City-like triumph it could muster. Inter Milan, who participated in their first final since winning the 2010 title, had their hopes dashed by Rodri’s flash of brilliance in the 68th minute of the game.

With this victory, they matched their city rivals’ feat from 1999 after defeating Arsenal to win the Premier League trophy and beating Manchester United to win the FA Cup at Wembley. The match between City and Inter was strained and tough. In a close first half, City struggled to exert their typical, dominating style upon the Italians, with Erling Haaland’s best attempt being expertly denied by Andre Onana.

The inspiring Kevin de Bruyne was forced to leave the game after appearing to hurt his hamstring in the second straight Champions League final. After the break, the pattern persisted, but Lautaro Martinez came close for the Italians until Rodri’s precise effort into the corner in the 68th minute gave City the lead. Two minutes later, the Nerazzurri’s Federico Dimarco should have equalised, but his looping header struck the crossbar, and his follow-up was unintentionally blocked by teammate Romelu Lukaku.

With only a few minutes left, Lukaku had a better opportunity. The pass was centred by Robin Gosens, and the striker only needed to outmuscle Ederson. His header was solid, but it missed the corner because of an incredible save by the goalkeeper.

Manchester City ready to take on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final

June 10, 2023, 4:39 pm

Manchester City is ready to take on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on Sunday at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. Ahead of the match, Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, stressed that the team is ready for the finals, according to the official website of Manchester City.

Manchester City already had a successful domestic season. They have won the Premier League title and the FA Cup this season. Now, Pep Guardiola’s side will be looking to complete their treble, having won two titles already.

According to the official website of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola said, “Tomorrow will be the same. I will have a plan. We are ready; I have the feeling the players will give absolutely everything. Go for it”. He further added, “We have to be patient. The most important thing in this type of game is thinking we are 0-0 and thinking we are losing.”
Speaking in a press conference in Turkey ahead of the final match, Pep Guardiola said, “Italian teams are 0-0 and think they are winning. They are not winning; it is 0-0. We have to be stable, get the rhythm, and be stable.”

As per the official website of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola said, “It’s important in the final to have a plan. But finals are one-off games, and if it goes bad, we can put more strikers in.”

“Or maybe we put seven central defenders; I don’t know. There are moments when it will be, guys; there are no tactics here. It’s just a desire we have to go”, said Pep Guardiola. In 2021, Manchester City featured in the final of the UEFA Champions League against Chelsea. Unfortunately, Manchester City was defeated 1-0 by Chelsea in the final.

Speaking on the last final Champions League encounter, Pep Guardiola said, “It’s a different game, two years later, different players.” What we planned two years ago was to play a good game against Chelsea. It did not work. That’s why people say it was wrong.” Manchester City will be hoping to make amends in their second appearance in the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan.

Ancelotti surpasses Ferguson as manager with most UCL matches

May 19, 2023, 4:06 pm

Italian national Carlo Ancelotti surpasses Sir Alex Ferguson as the manager with the most number of matches in the UEFA Champions League. Sir Alex Ferguson, while managing Manchester United, made 190 appearances as a manager in the UEFA Champions League.

Carlo Ancelotti now has 191 games under his belt, thus becoming the manager with the most number of appearances in the UEFA Champions League. Carlo Ancelloti, in the recent encounter against Manchester City in the Semi-Final Leg 2 held at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, overcame the record for the most matches as a manager in the UEFA Champions League. In his record-breaking 191st match, Carlo Ancelotti was handed a defeat by Manchester City. Manchester City triumphed over Real Madrid with a 4-0 win in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League held at the Etihad Stadium. The final aggregate score was 5-1.

He was awarded the world’s best coach for his tenure with Real Madrid in 2013 and AC Milan in 2006.

UEFA Champions League: Ancelotti has won four titles, two with Real Madrid and two with AC Milan.

Serie A: He won the Italian league title with AC Milan back in 2001

Premier League: Carlo Ancelotti won the prestigious premier league title with Chelsea in 2009.

Ligue 1: with Paris-Saint Germain he won the French league title in 2012.

Bundesliga: along with Bayern Munich, Carlo won the German league title in 2016.

La Liga: he clinched the Spanish league title in 2021 with Real Madrid.

FIFA Club World Cup: Carlo Ancelotti has won the thrice as well. Two times with Real Madrid and once with AC Milan.

Guardiola becomes fastest manager to reach 100 UCL wins

May 18, 2023, 5:18 pm

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola became the fastest manager to reach 100 wins in the UEFA Champions League after their 4-0 victory against Real Madrid on Thursday. The Catalan managed to reach the milestone in just 160 matches; he surpassed the previous record holder, Carlo Ancelotti, who took 180 games to hit the three-figure mark.

After registering the 100th victory in his career, Guardiola is now only the third manager to reach the landmark, with Sir Alex Ferguson the first to do it after 184 fixtures. Guardiola has won 47 of his 74 matches with City in the tournament, for a win rate of 64 percent. During this period, Manchester City have scored 174 goals and conceded just 75.

As things stand, only three managers have won more European Cups than Guardiola. The list includes Ancelotti (3), Zinedine Zidane (3), and Bob Paisley (3). Pep has taken one step closer to matching the record as Manchester City sealed their place in the UCL final in Istanbul against Inter Milan.

Bernardo Silva was at his best, scoring a brace (in the 23rd and 37th minutes) in the first half of the match to put the defending champions under pressure. Carlo Ancelotti’s side tried to fight their way back into the match, but a goal by Manuel Akanji (76th minute) and Julian Alvarez’s stoppage-time (91st minute) finish only widened the margin.

Manchester City have faced some strong opposition as they make their way to the finals of the UCL. Earlier in the competition, City faced RB Leipzig in the Round of 16 and Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals; now this City side has defeated another European heavyweight. Next month, Inter will visit Istanbul. The chances of them completing a historic triple on that night are increasing.

Manchester City defeats Real Madrid to reach UEFA Champions League final

May 18, 2023, 4:30 pm

Manchester City stormed into the finals of the UEFA Champions League after thrashing defending champions Real Madrid 4-0 in the second leg of their semifinal match at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

City has set up a title clash with Inter Milan after a 5-1 aggregate win against the Spanish giant. The two sides had previously played out a 1-1 draw at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the first leg of the semifinal. Bernardo Silva was at his best, scoring a brace (in the 23rd and 37th minutes) in the first half of the match to put the defending champions under pressure. Carlo Ancelotti’s side tried to fight their way back into the match, but a goal by Manuel Akanji (76th minute) and Julian Alvarez’s stoppage-time (91st minute) finish only widened the margin.

City are in incredible form, having gone unbeaten for 23 games so far, winning their previous 15 clashes at their home ground. On 10 June, they will be playing their second UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan, hoping to ease the pain of their loss to Chelsea in the summit clash of the 2020–21 edition of the league.

The tie was delicately poised after one fantastic goal each at the Bernabeu last week, and there was excellence wherever you looked. City were attempting to reach the final for the second time in three seasons, but they faced the 14-time European champions. The atmosphere matched the occasion and quality of the teams playing. Pyrotechnics were used as the team bus arrived at the stadium. There were boos during the Champions League anthem, but loud cheers followed in the aftermath as fans were desperate to see Manchester City take down Real Madrid.

Erling Haaland had been kept quiet in the Spanish capital by the tenacious Antonio Rudiger, but Militao’s availability saw the Germany international defender slide to the bench. And the job of keeping the city attacker out was only half done. Within 13 minutes, he would have put City ahead if Thibaut Courtois had not made an unlikely save with his body. Soon after, Haaland was denied again by the Real Madrid goalkeeper’s outstretched arm. Courtois kept him out late on, but he could not keep City out for long.

Pep Guardiola’s side had dominated the early proceedings of the first leg. But there were some warnings from Real Madrid to the city in the first half this time. Vinicius Junior gained space behind Kyle Walker, only for the City defender to recover quickly. Toni Kroos got even closer to scoring with Madrid’s solitary shot of the first 45 minutes, which hit the crossbar. But besides these few moments of brilliance, there was not much control from Ancelott’s side, who were being swamped. The second goal was a more accurate picture of the gap, with Silva nodding in after Ilkay Gundogan’s attempt was blocked.

In the second half, City continued to toy with Madrid, who showed an improvement in their game. Madrid’s strongest moments were isolated and individual efforts, such as David Alaba’s wicked shot, which Ederson tipped over. Manuel Akanji flicked on De Bruyne’s probing free-kick, which deflected into the net off the unfortunate Milito in the 76th minute to triple the lead for City. Alvarez netted the fourth in stoppage time, followed by a loud, thunderous cheer from fans.

‘These games are not only about quality’, Real Madrid boss Ancelotti

May 17, 2023, 5:14 pm

Ahead of his side’s UEFA Champions League semifinal second-leg clash against Manchester City, defending champions Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said that the quality of Manchester City’s players alone would not seal them a place in the final, but they would have to show “personality, character, and mentality” on the pitch.

Manchester City will take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their semifinal match of the UEFA Champions League at Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Both teams are currently equal, having scored a goal each in the first leg at Madrid. Asked if City’s status as one of the best teams in the world or Real’s success in the competition would be more important, the Italian said, as quoted by Sky Sports: “It is difficult to say; the match is unpredictable. Real Madrid and Manchester City are, at this moment, the best teams in Europe. For sure, it will be an exciting game, as it was in the first leg.”

“Also, if you are thinking you are the best team in the world, it does not give you 100 percent certainty you are going to move [to the final] because, as I said, these games are not only a matter of quality. When you reach a semi-final, it is whether you are able to show personality, character, and mentality on the pitch, not only quality,” Ancelotti concluded his point.

Ancelotti, who has won the championship twice with Real Madrid and twice with AC Milan, said: “It is special for Real Madrid because of the history we have in the tournament. In the 1950s, it became important for fans and players. It is everything you work for. It is something special to try to win European trophies, especially the European Cup (the old name for this tournament). It has been important for them throughout their history. It is a club that has a special power to stay alive.”

Ancelotti has a full squad available, with Eduardo Camavinga returning from injury and Eder Militao returning from suspension.

Inter Milan enters first Champions League final since 2010

May 17, 2023, 5:03 pm

Inter Milan defeated AC Milan 1-0 in an all-Italian UEFA Champions League semifinal second-leg clash, storming into their first final at the prestigious competition since 2010 on Tuesday after completing a 3-0 win on aggregate.

Previously, Milan had beaten AC Milan 2-0 in the first leg. Three-time champions Inter will now meet either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the final on 10 June in Istanbul, in their first final appearance since 2010, when they defeated Bayern Munich to win the title.

Lautaro Martinez sealed their advancement in the 74th minute, beating AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan with an angled strike at a noisy San Siro. AC Milan had some bright moments in the first half, with Brahim Diaz and the returning Rafael Leao missing their finest chances, but failed to even manage a shot on target in a one-sided second half as Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to victory.

Inter threatened to blast away AC Milan in the first leg last week, scoring both goals within the first 11 minutes through Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but this time Stefano Pioli’s side looked more dangerous early on. Inter were given a scare when Theo Hernandez fired inches over the bar from long range, and Diaz then squandered a golden opportunity after a great run and cut-back by midfielder Sandro Tonali.

Leao, who had missed the first leg due to a muscular ailment, also went close, sprinting away from Matteo Darmian and sending a low effort just beyond Onana’s left-hand post, but Inter mainly controlled the game in the first half and had chances of their own. Dzeko came closest, with his flicked header from Hakan Calhanoglu’s free kick necessitating a quick reaction save from Maignan, who also denied Nicolo Barella, albeit with the Inter player offside.

AC Milan needed to come up with something extraordinary in the second half if they were to reach their 12th final in their illustrious history, but they came out of the break looking defeated.

Inter kept them at bay with ease, with AC Milan barely appearing as an attacking force, and then, when the opportunity to end the game presented itself, Martinez grabbed it. Inside the box, the Argentina international exchanged passes with substitute Romelu Lukaku before shifting the ball onto his left foot and beating Maignan with a strong finish.

In stoppage time, Lukaku almost got in on the act, forcing a save from Maignan with another well-hit shot, but the Inter fans inside the San Siro had already begun their celebrations with the Champions League final looming.

Inter Milan clinches 2-0 win over AC Milan in Champions League

May 11, 2023, 4:01 pm

Inter Milan defeated AC Milan 2-0 at the San Siro on Wednesday in the first leg of UEFA Champions League Semi-Final.

Inter Milan scored two early goals, giving them an upper hand against their opponents. The first goal was scored by the evergreen striker Edin Dzeko in the eighth minute of the match. Three minutes later Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored the second goal for his side. Edin Dzeko scored a comfortable volley in the right top corner of the net. Midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan sent the AC Milan keeper the wrong way and passed the ball into the net to make the score 2-0.

Inter Milan had a total of 15 shots out of which five were on target. They fell short of possession as they only managed to get 48 per cent of ball possession during the game. They had a total of 350 passes, with a passing accuracy of 77 percent.

AC Milan had a total of 13 shots, but only two were on target. Though throughout the match they controlled the ball as they had a total of 56 per cent possession but they failed to score. They accumulated a total of 470 passes with 83 per cent passing accuracy. AC Milan missed crucial attacking players on their sides. The Portuguese winger Rafael Leao was ruled out of the squad because of an injury. The veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was also not included in the squad due to a knee injury.

After the match, Inter Milan striker Edin Dzeko stated, “It feels very good, especially because it’s a derby. We played away on paper. It’s a great result for us. Sometimes you get into this difficult moment where the ball doesn’t want to go in. Patience and work always pay off. I was calm knowing the goals would come as always. Today is the proof.” The two sides will be facing each other for the 2nd Leg of the Semi-Final on May 17.

‘We can knock anybody out’, AC Milan manager ahead of semis clash against Inter Milan

May 10, 2023, 4:26 pm

Ahead of their breathtaking encounter, AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli has sent a strong message.

Italy’s local rivalry “Derby della Madonnina”—AC Milan vs. Inter Milan—is set to transpire in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on Thursday at the San Siro Stadium. AC Milan have already pulled off some unexpected results as they knocked out Tottenham Hotspur and Serie A champion Napoli to book their place in the UCL semifinals. Poli believes that his team is in possession of the required strength to knock any team out of the tournament.

“We’ve knocked out Tottenham and Napoli; we can knock anybody out. Inter are the favourites for some, but we want to give it a good go. We need to take into account that this tie was played over 180 minutes. We’ve been in great form in the Champions League. Now, we’ll try to take one more step to reach the final; it would be amazing,” Pioli said in the pre-match conference, as quoted by AC Milan.

“It’s a derby. It’s a special game. I like to play in these. I’m proud of this AC Milan team, and I’m highly motivated. I always try to be positive with my teammates. We hope to put in a good performance; everyone will need to give 100%. The details could make the difference.”

The biggest advantage that Milan have over their local rivals will be their home crowd, which will act as the 12th man throughout the match. “We’re expecting the atmosphere at San Siro to be electric. The fans will drive us to give our all from start to finish,” Pioli added.

AC Milan and Inter Milan have produced some of the most thrilling football clashes. The last time they faced each other at UCL was in 2005, when Milan cruised through Inter with a 5-0 aggregate score in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.

Inter have only scored a single goal against their arch-rivals in the UCL. The hosts will be keen to continue their dominant form in their upcoming clash.

Real Madrid and Manchester City’s semis clash ends up all square in first leg

May 10, 2023, 4:18 pm

The UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Leg 1 match between Real Madrid and Manchester City ended all square (1-1) at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City were dominating in the first half as they were having a good run of play against their opponents. But as Real Madrid always do, they counter-attacked City and scored against the run of play. 20-year-old Real Madrid player Eduardo Camavinga passed to Brazilian player Vinicius Junior, who struck the ball from outside of the penalty box. Before Manchester City’s goalkeeper Ederson could react, the ball was already in his net. Real Madrid went 1-0 up at the end of the first half.

In the second half of the match, Manchester City’s midfielder Kevin De Bruyne equalised the score. His goal came in the 67th minute of the match. The Belgian struck the ball from the side of his boot, giving no chance to Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Manchester City had a total of 10 shots, out of which six were on target. They had 56 percent possession of the ball during the game. They accumulated 565 passes with 90 percent passing accuracy.

Real Madrid had a total of 13 shots, of which four were on target. Their possession of the ball during the game was 44 percent. They managed to get 452 passes with an accuracy of 86 percent.

Kevin De Bruyne was named the man of the match. Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, said after the match, “When we were better, they scored. When they were better, we scored,” Guardiola said. “It was a tight game. Bernabeu, a semi-final, is always difficult. We had good moments and sometimes difficult moments with the quality that they have with the ball.”

“It is 1-1. A final next Wednesday with our people. Now we travel to Manchester, and we are going to see what we can do better. When you play these games, it is like a play-off. For the second, you learn a lot from the first. Hopefully, we can learn,” said Pep Guardiola after the match.

Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, said after the match, “It was difficult for us in the first half, but in the second half it was much better. They controlled possession in the first half, but we were in good control defensively, and when we started to play the ball, we created a lot of difficulties. I am satisfied with a good sensation about the game on Wednesday.” Manchester City and Real Madrid will be facing each other again on 18 May at the Etihad Stadium.

Treble in sight for Man City, with only Man United and Real Madrid standing in their way

April 27, 2023, 4:42 pm

In April 1999, Manchester United’s victory against Arsenal in a crucial FA Cup semifinal was a turning point that made Sir Alex Ferguson’s team believe that they could achieve the unprecedented feat of winning the Treble. Similarly, Manchester City’s impressive 4-1 win against Arsenal on Wednesday has given Pep Guardiola’s side the same confidence and belief.

By upsetting Arsenal, who had been in first place in the Premier League standings for 28 matchdays as opposed to City’s four, City has taken complete control of the race for the championship. Despite playing two less games, they are only two points behind the Gunners and are still in second place. If they win both games, they will have a four-point advantage, but because of their considerably better goal differential, they can still finish first with two draws.

The Treble is now within their grasp, as they are only 11 games away from making history and taking away the “unique” status that has so far been enjoyed solely by United as the only English club to have won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in the same season.

United have the chance to halt City’s march and ensure that Old Trafford remains the only English ground to house those three trophies at the same time, by beating their neighbours in the FA Cup final on 3 June. It seems that City’s dominance and form are making the possibility of a Treble more likely, according to the statement. Arsenal had a chance to disrupt City’s progress, but they were unable to do so.

It’s true that Real Madrid are a tough opponent and could be the biggest obstacle in Manchester City’s quest for the treble. However, if City manage to overcome Madrid, they will likely be seen as strong favorites to lift the Champions League trophy in Istanbul, especially considering their impressive form in the competition this season.

However, football is unpredictable and anything can happen on the big stage, so it’s important for City to remain focused and take it one game at a time.

Haaland becomes youngest player to score 35 goals in UEFA Champions League

April 21, 2023, 4:37 pm

Erling Haaland, the prolific goal scorer for Manchester City, has reached another milestone before the Premier League campaign comes to a close. Haaland has now scored 35 goals in the history of the UEFA Champions League at the age of 22.

At the age of 22 years and 272 days, he accomplished this achievement. Haaland edged past the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to register his name in this record. At 23 years and 269 days old, Kylian Mbappe, a French phenomenon, is in second place. Just a few days behind Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi is in third place. In the Champions League, Messi scored 35 goals at the age of 23 and 307 years.

This is not the only record that Haaland has broken in his debut season for Manchester City. Erling Haaland continued to shatter Premier League records against Leicester City, scoring twice in the first half to bring his league total for the year to 32 goals. With his penalty against the Foxes in the 13th minute, Haaland established a new record for goals in a first-ever 38-game Premier League season.

With his 31st goal, the Manchester City striker has one more than Kevin Phillips, who scored 30 goals for Sunderland in 1999-2000. Twelve minutes later, Haaland capitalised on a through-ball from Kevin De Bruyne to score his 32nd goal, tying Mohamed Salah of Liverpool’s record-setting 38-game season.

In preparation for Wednesday’s trip to Bayern Munich for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League, Pep Guardiola substituted Haaland at halftime. It prevented him from breaking Alan Shearer’s Premier League record of five hat-tricks in a single season.

Haaland needs only two more goals to match the overall record of 34 goals in a season and three to break it. The record for most goals in a Premier League season is held by Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer, who scored 34 goals each in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons, which had 42 games per side. The Golden Boot appears to be an afterthought for the Manchester City player this season.