Ligue 1 Big Match Preview: Champions to be welcome Les Champions

Paris St Germain will be looking to wrap up a fourth Ligue 1 title in five years when they welcome defending champions, Monaco on Sunday, 15th of April. The Parisians are currently fourteen points clear at the top and could win the title with five games to spare. They have enjoyed a remarkable season scoring ninety-six goals, the highest in all big European leagues which could be attributed to their addition Neymar, of the most expensive player in the world to their star-studded squad.

In recent meetings between the two sides, PSG has been by far the better side, scoring sixteen goals and conceding just three. Most recently, Unai Emery’s man overcame Leonardo Jardim’s Monaco 3-0 , two weeks ago in the Coupe de la Ligue final. Quite interestingly, Monaco has not lost any of their last five league visits to PSG though they shared the spoils in four of those matches.

As for the team news, Marco Verratti will join Neymar on the sidelines after failing to recover from adductor injury while Julian Draxler and Dani Alves are available for selection after a short injury spell. Kylian Mbappe will again be keen to face his former teammates and with the Ligue 1 title for a second successive season but this time in the Parisian colors.

PSG have been ruthless in Ligue 1 but we have seen them time and time again struggling to make a mark on the UCL tournament.Do you think there is enough competition for them in Ligue 1?

Abroad: Latest instalment of the Salah show, a dozen club accolades

Man of the hour, perhaps the days, months, years and lifetimes is not showing any signs of losing his blistering form. The Egyptian forward struck again on Tuesday night in Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League victory against Manchester City to book a semi-final date with AS Roma on the 22nd of April. Football commentators now believe he has some ice in his veins because of his ever-increasing ice-cold finishes that have always proven decisive to Liverpool’s cause in this campaign. The club, Liverpool FC have awarded him a sixth Player of the Month award for March 2018. Moh Salah scored six goals in five matches in the month including the four he bagged against Watford. In similar fashion, the Premier League also merited him a third Player of the Month Award for March, becoming the first person to win a hat-trick of such awards.

Salah is the leading goal scorer in the Premier League with 29, five goals ahead of closest chaser, Harry Kane. He is on 39 goals for the season and one more goal will make him the first player to reach 40 goals for Liverpool since Ian Rush in 1986-87. Speaking at Melwood after receiving the club award, he is what the Egyptian King had to say.

“Thank you. I’m very happy to win it again, but as I said many times the most important thing is to win the games and to get the points. I always try to score to help the team to get the points.”

— Mohamed Salah

His Manager, Jurgen Klopp, also had something to say on his Premier League Player of the Month hat-trick.

“It’s deserved — it’s not that you think; Wow, how did that happen?. He is an outstanding player and we played a really good season, but he is in all the decisions — in decisive moments, he is involved.”

— Jurgen Klopp

Do you think Salah can lead Liverpool to UCL glory, an outstanding World cup campaign for Egypt and possibly win the Ballon D’or?

PSL Big Match Preview: Boys with Style welcome the Clever Boys

Mamelodi Sundowns could increase the gap between themselves and second-placed Orlando Pirates to six points this Saturday, if they overcome a tricky Bidvest Wits side. With five games left to play, and three points gained will surely move Bafana baStyle closer to a third PSL title in five years. However as the Sundowns gaffer has previously described this period as a “squeaky bum time,” he is not oblivious to the challenge of the reigning champions, the Clever boys. Gavin Hunt’s spent most of the season anchored to the bottom of the log but have since found hit top form; they have lost only one of their last nine PSL matches. Currently occupying tenth position and three points behind Cape Town City in sixth, the Students would be relishing the prospect of finishing in a respectable position.

Both teams are expected to be firing on all cylinders given there are no significant injury concerns heading into the match. In their last time out, Bidvest Wits suffered a 2-0 defeat at home and would be eager to at least get one over the Brazilians and bow out as champions with some pride.

Managers’ Comments

“You know Wits will never allow us to win, let’s be honest. They have their pride, they have integrity. They want to show they can beat us. And Hunty [Wits coach Gavin Hunt] will never want to lose to us.”

— Pitso Mosimane, Mamelodi Sundowns

“We want to finish as high as we can - everyone will have that same thinking. We are not thinking about anything else. The Ajax loss was our first in I’m not sure how many [nine league games]. But after such a bad first round, we have to go like hell still with five games left. We have to try to gett two points a game.”

— Gavin Hunt, Bidvest Wits

Old Trafford expansion put on hold

Manchester United who have had an average season this year are facing a dilemma on how to increase the capacity of their stadium. The club have been contemplating on redeveloping Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and the plans were drawn up about three times in the past 10 years but they are once again put on hold because of logistical reasons. The club are not the first to extend the capacity of their stadium as Tottenham, who are currently renting the Wembley Stadium, have already started construction at the White Hart Lane. Chelsea also will be using Wembley soon when the construction commences at the Stamford Bridge. The problem with Manchester United’s stadium is that it cannot be used while the construction takes place like how Liverpool did in Anfield. This means that they would require to use other facilities aside from their home ground and the only other option in Manchester is the stadium of their rivals. The practically of that is unlikely considering the relationship between the two clubs. That being the case, Manchester United have decided to put that project on hold once more as they look for other alternatives.

Manchester United Managing Director had this to say, “"It would be a multi-season challenge and it isn't certain that there's a way of doing it which doesn't render us homeless."

Old Trafford already has the capacity of up to 80 000 and still want more considering that there is work required to accommodate higher numbers of disabled supporters. It would be interesting to see who United will maneuver this situation if they decide to start working on redeveloping the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.

The week of unexpected comebacks provides another thriller in Salzburg vs Lazio clash

Immobile and Lazio lose to Salzburg in the Europa League

This week proved to be a week of miracle returns as Roma sparked hope in all the teams in hope by coming back from 4-1 down to beat Barcelona 3-0 at home. What an exciting match it was and it caused a ripple effect in the world of football. Every team that was on the losing end in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League felt that they could believe just like Roma and turn around the tie to progress to the next round. Juventus tried it and came close but their dreams were crushed by Ronaldo’s last minute penalty. It did not end there as the Europa League teams were also inspired and CSKA Moscow almost ran away with but eventually went out. The same cannot be said though about RB Salzburg who came back from 4-2 defeat and beat Lazio by 4-1. Here’s how it unfolded. The Austrian side, Salzburg, started the match with an expected high intensity and were hungry for scoring many goals in the match and they nearly scored in just 5 minutes. Ciro Immobile got a chance that he should have buried in the first half which would have given Lazio the advantage when he shot straight at the goalkeeper from close range. There were no goals in the first period before Immobile made amends of his earlier attempt by rocketing a shot on the 55th minute. This seemed like it added fuel to the fire as RB Salzburg scored to level the matters just 85 seconds later when Dabbur danced around the Italian side’s defenders before and his shot was turned in by Stefan Radu. Luis Alberto will probably have a nightmare tonight when he reflects about the game as he missed a 3-on-1 opportunity on the 72nd minute which would have dashed the Austrian side’s hopes. Haidara then took a 30-yard effort that flew past Strakosha which made it 2-1 to Salzburg. Hwang Hee-Chan scored the third from a deflection which meant that both teams were level on aggregate but RB Salzburg had the advantage on away goals rule. They did not want to rely on that as Stefan Lainer made sure that Lazio would go home by scoring the fourth goal which saw Lazio lose 4-1. This means that the Italian club are out of the competition which is disappointing.

So near but yet so far for CSKA Moscow as they are knocked out by Arsenal

Arsenal went into the match with what they thought was a comfortable win after beating CSKA Moscow 4-1 at home. The club did not have Xhaka and Mkhitaryan who have been crucial to their success in the Europa League thus far. Elneny started in midfield with Wilshere and Ramsey and it was the Egyptian who would save Arsenal on the night. The match kicked off and the English side showed they were not interested in attacking because of the way they were playing the sideways passes. The gunners did not invest much into the first half with their closest chance of scoring only came from Lacazette who got his shot blocked for a corner kick. The belief of a win started to grow on the Russian side as the team started to take shots at Petr Cech. The aging goalkeeper eventually conceded a goal in the 39th minute when Chalov tapped into the net after Cech had punched the ball out from a shot and his defenders did not react quick enough. Kristijan Bistrovic’s furious half-volley shot almost made it 2-0 before the break but it sailed just wide. After the break, Moscow scored the second through Nababkin with an almost similar goal to the first. Egyptian midfielder, Mo Elneny, took up the responsibilities of creating chances in a match were Ozil was marked as he played a nice one-two with Welbeck before sliding a beautiful through ball that was coolly finished by the English forward. Danny Welbeck deserved that goal after doing the most of the defender who was marking him on the left flank prior to the goal. Ramsey scored the second for the gunners to make it 2-2 when Elneny again, slid a ball that passed two defenders and was met by the Welshman who chipped the ball over the goalkeeper. Many expected him to pass it to Ozil there who was in a better position to score but who cares now that the ball is in the back of the net. Another African player rescues an English club’s dream of European glory this season. One must wonder how much talent really is in that continent when these big clubs still wait for the African players to save them.

Atletico Madrid played Lisbon in the same competition today and lost the match 1-0. This means that they have gone through with a 2-1 aggregate. Both Atletico Madrid and Arsenal will be hoping to avoid each other in the semifinals. The UEFA Europa League draw will be held on Friday and only then will we find out about the teams that will face each other. Marseille and RB Salzburg are the other teams who have made it to this stage. Good luck at the draw!

Zimbabwe: Mighty Warriors’ salaries in limbo

Zimbabwe Senior women’s soccer team have another battle to fight just after burying the Brave Gladiators of Namibia, 4-0 on aggregate to book a date with neighbors Zambia in the final round of qualifications for the 2018 Ghana Women’s AFCON. The Mighty Warriors are reported to be sitting in at the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) village in Harare, demanding their allowances and winning bonuses. We understand that the players received (USD) $5 each as transport allowance and remaining dues dating back to those accrued in the COSAFA Championships held last year are to be paid in due course. The women have refused to leave the ZIFA Village’s premises until their debt has been settled.

The salaries phenomenon has become a popular but boring melody in the Mighty Warriors’ continental and global exploits. In fact, prior to the Namibia match, the Zimbabwean coach, Kwinji 15, came out to plead for financial support. Catching up with the ZIFA competition and communications manager, Xolisani Gwesela, this is what he had to say pertaining the matter:

“I would like to clarify the issue of $5, it was not their allowances for playing. It transports reimbursements. Across ZIFA we have rates which we use, which even councilors, employees and players are paid, so $5 is the local allowance for Harare-based players.

And, it depends, if you are staying outside Harare (it’s) $15 or more. So $5 is not allowances for their participation in the first round of the Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Yes, we owe them outstanding allowances. Our accounts department is seized with this matter and these amounts will be paid, not in cash, because we all know what is obtaining in our economy, we don’t have cash.

It is going to be directly channeled into their accounts.”

— Xolisani Gwesela, ZIFA Communications and Competitions Manager

PSL South Africa: Pirates hit a roadblock in pursuit of Sundowns

On Wednesday night, the Buccaneers face the challenge of the relegation troubled, SuperSport United, with the match ending in an agonizingly 0-0 draw. It was a chance for the Orlando Pirates to close in on league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who were four points above the Soweto boys at the start of the match. As would be expected, the Trendsetters otherwise known as Matsatsantsha were never going to be pushovers. The match started off brightly for the boys in black and white as Zambian forward, Justin Shonga had his effort going narrowingly wide, moments just after he has struck the woodwork from a free kick.

Still, in the opening half, Mpho Makolo was next in line to try and open the scoring, shooting from 25 yards only for the woodwork to deny him as well. The second half had a different complexion, with no consistent rhythm. The best chance of the half fell to Pirates’ Luvuyo Memela who forced a nice save off goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, tipping the ball just above the post for a corner kick. The 0-0 result means that Pirates are now three points behind Sundowns with four games to play until the end of the season while the Bafana BaStyle has got five.

In other fixtures, Ajax Cape Town boosted their survival chances by overcoming Champions, Bidvest Wits, 1-0.

World Cup Rush: Egyptian fan cycles to Russia

No one is better prepared for the World Cup than a Pharaohs fan who goes by the name Nufal. If anything, Russia 2018 might not actually be ready for the Egyptian. He set up his bike with all the necessary kit including items such as spare parts, extra phones, camping gear and batteries and is already en route to the European country. Nufal’s journey is expected to take 65 days, passing through Jordan, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. He will fly over Syria for security reasons, in light of the ongoing civil war.

Nufal began his journey on Saturday from Tahrir Square and was sent off by friends as well his mother. He hopes that along the way, he will meet hospitable homes who will be happy to have him.

“It’s about the road more than the arrival. If it were just about the World Cup, I would take a plane. It is a great chance for me to see new things.”

— Nufal

Do you know any friends who are as crazy about the world cup as Nufal and ourselves?

Mamelodi Sundowns - The Sky Is The Limit

Sundowns' Brief History

The Sundowns were birthed in 1960 by youngsters in and around Marabastad in Pretoria, South Africa. They joined the Federation of Professional League Soccer in 1967, reaching the finals of the Coca-Cola cup in their debut year which they lost to Berea United. Sundowns were relegated to the lower soccer division in 1980 before Mr. Cool, Zola Mahobe, bought and rescued the club in 1985. The ensuing years were the lavish years when the controversial Mr. Cool invested heavily in the club, seeing them win a few major titles. When Zola was arrested, Standard Bank seized the club which was later acquired by the Krok brothers who steered the club to seven league titles in the post-independence era (1994). Billionaire, Patrice Motsepe bought into the club in 2003 before increasing his stake from 51-100% in 2004, renaming the club to Mamelodi Sundowns  as “a nod to its heritage in Atteridgeville, Eersterus and Laudium and the club’s home in Mamelodi.” His goal became continental glory for the club and appointed Pitso Mosimane as head coach, to steer the boys to success.

Locally, the Mamelodi boys are also known as the Brazilians because of their uniform colors, Ka Bo Yellow (with yellowness), Masandawana or Bafana BaStyle.

Championships and Records

Masandawana are the most successful South African club in the Premier Soccer League era dating back to 1996, having won a record of seven league titles, four Nedbank cups - an equivalent of the English FA Cup, National Football League Championships thrice and most recently, the continental crown (CAF Champions League trophy) and the 2016 CAF Club of The Year Award. Downs are infamous for annihilating Powerlines FC, 24 - 0, yes they won by 24 goals to nothing! It was a Nedbank cup tie in 2012 in which their long-range sniper, Hlompo Kekana found the back of the net seven times together with Zimbabwean striker, Nyasha Mushekwi getting half a dozen of goals as well. They are the only team from South Africa to ever participate in the FIFA Club World Cup though they finished winless in that particular tournament.

“Bafana ba Style”

The club is increasingly cementing their place in the fans’ hearts as the most attractive to watch in the PSL. They were dubbed, Bafana ba Style which literally means, boys with style. Their game is ever becoming more technical, full of flair, precision, and quick short passes -  some locals call it ‘shoe shine and piano.’ In other parts of the world, this would be tiki-taka as is/was the case with the Catalans, Barcelona. Some would highlight that what sets them apart from the rest is their style mixed with purpose, unlike some PSL teams who showboat once in a while but have limited results to show for it. Their thrashing of Powerlines FC may act as evidence to suggest their ruthlessness even in winning positions.

Ubuthu-Botho - Living the Dream

You would be perfectly justified if you say that Ubuthu-Botho is perhaps their mantra. It is an African world-view which literally means humanness or personhood embodying socio-moral significance. The phrase is inscribed on their yellow and blue uniforms and more importantly - they seem to be intentional about living the inscription. Sundowns now have over 300 registered branches of supporters associations in Zambia, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and even abroad

in the Cincinnati, USA.  One of the supporters associations in Atteridgeville, South Africa contributed some money to buy materials and built a shack house for one of their own, on her birthday. They expressed their interest in helping a fellow Masandawana achieve her dreams. A shack house might not necessarily be a big deal some eyes but it was good enough to let tears free flow from the lady’s eyes. That’s how much it meant to her. From time to time, the fans also gather in small communities to enjoy some time together, grilling meat and drinking beverages. Social initiatives by the club include the Miss Mamelodi Sundowns beauty pageant, birthed in 2010 to empower women throughout the country. The coveted beauty pageant has the largest prize in South Africa and prides itself in paralleling with other prestigious awards such as Miss South Africa. They also participate in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup tournament, the biggest schools football tournament with a prize money of over (USD) $250 000. This tournament acts as an avenue for football aspirants to showcase themselves and at times get scouted by professional teams.

The Sky is the Limit

Backed by a strong sense of community, competitive spirit and a billionaire in the form of Patrice Motsepe, there is no telling how far they can go. We have recently seen them establish a football philosophy, acquire foreign players to camp in South Africa, not just fellow Africans but from as far as New Zealand, Uruguay and quite interestingly having the football aspirant/Olympics Champion, Usain Bolt join their ranks for training  - I would guess that global conquest is in their sights and may possibly play a major role in taking African football to the world or bringing the world to Africa. The sky is indeed the limit.

Real Madrid through to the semis

Real Madrid went into the match with a 3-0 advantage inspired by Ronaldo’s brace in the first leg. That was then, Mandzukic came into the match and scored in the 2nd minute just as Salah did last night. Juventus were out for blood in the Bernabeu and were pushing for more. Real Madrid had their fair chances as well even though a couple of them were ruled offside and the rest were saved by Buffon. The Old Ladies seemed to have the perfect recipe for success as they score the second through Mandzukic again. Real Madrid clearly missed a force in Ramos at the back as the defence looked disorganized and failed to deal with their opponents’ play. Zidane made big calls at half time as he replaced Gareth Bale with Vazquez and removed Casemiro for Asensio. Still, Juventus had the upper hand. Navas was forced to make a save from Higuain’s effort from 20 yards after the player took a shot on the half-turn. The match was intense and saw more than 7 yellow cards being flashed by Michael Oliver who was officiating on the night. Douglas Costa then crossed the ball from the right and Navas looked to have saved the ball before it slipped through his hands and it bounced off Matuidi’s knee and into the net. 3-0 it was and Real Madrid were nervous. Zidane made his final call from the bench and replaced Modric with Kovacic in a match that looked to be heading for extra-time. Little did we know that a big decision would be made by Michael Oliver as he pointed to the spot when Vazquez looked to be pushed by Benatia in the box. The game paused for a while as Juventus players took 3 minutes of the time, protesting at the decision which resulted in a red card being flashed at Buffon. So much for the final bow for the player who is rumored to be retiring at the end of this season. Eventually, the big man had to step over it and finish Juventus off. Ronaldo’s penalty hit the back of the net in the top right corner and Szczęsny  (the backup goalkeeper) guessed right but he could not stop the effort. 3-1 it ended and Real Madrid are through to the semifinals. This goal makes it 10 for Ronaldo against Juventus which means that he is the highest goalscorer against a single team in the history of the UEFA Champions League. Lionel Messi is just behind with 9 goals against Arsenal. Do you think Real Madrid deserved to go through?

Panathinaikos players go on strike

Greece has seen some controversy in the past few weeks with the gun incident, the banishment of players and now we hear of a strike from the players in the Greek League. The Athens club, Panathinaikos, have gone on strike over unpaid salaries. The player signs a contract handed to them by the club and expect the club to hold their end of the deal while the players play their skins out on the pitch. The Panathinaikos players had been quiet and had given the benefit of the doubt to the club when they failed to pay December’s installments in 2018. The reasons behind that the decision, we do not know, but the repercussions are what we see as the players started the strike on Monday. Panathinaikos have won the Greek league 20 times and are currently 9th in the league. It is quite shocking why a club with such rich history, refuses to pay their players what is due. This club received a 3 point penalty last week after having failed to pay the debt they owe to former German defender, Jens Wemmer. In this case, they have been forced to respond ahead of time and are expected to pay the players on Thursday. Training will resume as scheduled and the club will play their match against Atromitos who currently sit in 4th place. Should clubs have to wait for extreme measures in order to live up to their deal?

Ian Wright talks about Anthony Martial

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright shares his thoughts on one of Manchester United’s players. Anthony Martial joined Manchester United back in 2015 from Monaco in a deal worth £36m. The player was an instant hit at the Old Trafford as Van Gaal trusted the player to lead the front and the then 19 year old managed to score 11 goals before being shifted to the left of the front three. Martial showed promise of being the go-to-man for the team in the post Ferguson era. Jose Mourinho took over the reigns in 2016 and he had different ideas. Mourinho had faith in other players like the emerging Rashford and Mata. This season, Jese Lingard has moved ahead of Martial in the pecking order and the addition of Alexis Sanchez in the winter transfer window proves that the player is not trusted to lead the attack by the coach. Martial has however, showed that he can deliver even as the centre forward as he scored a couple of goals in the absence of Romelu Lukaku. Wright believes that if United have to let one go between Martial and Rashford, then the Frenchman should be sacrificed. Craig Bellamy backed the former Arsenal legend in saying that he should be doing much more. Martial has the pace and the trickery to beat defenders but is not doing enough when asked to play out wide. Manchester City have done a good job with just as much quality in the front as United but somehow, the Red Devils have failed to make it work. United will not be willing to sell Martial to their rivals so it probably looks like the player would be looking for a move abroad. Do you think United owe Martial a little bit more than he is getting at the moment? Where do you want to see him playing next season? Leave your comments below.

Champions League Quarter-Finals: Juventus vs Real Madrid

• All the second leg games, except for Sevilla vs Bayern, feature teams attempting to turn the first leg defeats around. Juventus will attempt to mount a comeback against arguably one the most potent counterattacking sides in all of Europe. An unfortunate red card for Dybala in this last game means that Juventus will be without their star man, who scored a hattrick at the weekend against Benevento. Madrid meanwhile will look to wrap up this tie after a 1-1 draw in the Madrid derby at the weekend. Zidane rested Isco, Casemiro, Modric and removed Cristiano midway into the second half with an eye on this return leg in Turin. Cristiano scored perhaps the best goal of his career in the last game and has had an incredible return to form in 2018. Bale, however, looks set to return to the bench after starting against Atletico in the Madrid Derby assuming Zidane’s pattern of rotations is anything to go by. Allegri will no doubt create a plan to give his side their best chance, and he will hope Higuain can make the difference against one of his former sides. Juventus will come into this game knowing that they have won the last four two-legged knockout ties when these two teams have met. However, Madrid will feel confident that they have one foot in what could be their eighth successive semi-finals appearance.

Key Match Points

• Cristiano may have had his struggles early on this season, but they never affected his Champions League form. He is the first player to have scored in all six group games, with the 9 goals he contributed, and he scored in both games last round. Scoring in this second leg will continue this impressive streak he is on.
• Sergio Ramos will be suspended for this second leg and it will be interesting to see how Zidane shapes up his starting XI, but Ramos’s leadership and experience will be a big loss for Madrid.
• Madrid’s form in 2018 has coincidentally or not so coincidentally coincided with Cristiano’s return to his magnificent form. The draw at the weekend against Atletico Madrid ended a streak of six consecutive victories in all competitions.
• Dybala is suspended but both Pjanic and Benatia will be available for this second leg. Both players were sorely missed in the first legs if the current aggregate score is anything to go by.
• Juventus will be playing to keep their treble hopes alive. After mounting a comeback against Napoli in Serie A to reassume first place, and booking a spot in the Coppa Italia final against AC Milan, a comeback victory would prolong their hope of winning a treble.

Champions League Quarter-Final Overview: Bayern vs Sevilla

• After a rough start in the first leg, Bayern assumed control of the tie with a 2-1 victory in Seville. They will be fully expecting to advance to the semi-finals but Sevilla have consistently surprised their opponents in this competition this season. A 3-3 draw in Liverpool during the group stage and a dramatic 2-1 victory in Old Trafford last round to knock out Manchester United means that Jupp Heynckes will be fully aware of how dangerous Sevilla can be, especially away from home. Bayern won their sixth consecutive league title at the weekend with a come from behind victory against Augsburg. Meanwhile, Sevilla suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Celta Vigo at the weekend, although Montella played a heavily rotated side. Experience will be an interesting differentiator in this second leg, and although Sevilla will most certainly attempt to mount a comeback, Bayern will look to seal the tie at home. With only one quarterfinal appearance in the last 60 years, in contrast with this being Bayern’s seventh consecutive quarterfinal, Heynckes will have confidence in doing what Mourinho could not do last round. Bayern’s last two home games ended in 6-0 victories. However, with their history against Spanish sides, and Sevilla’s form away from home in this competition, this tie is far from over.

Key Match Points:

• Interestingly enough, Bayern historically has typically struggled against Spanish sides in this competition. Their record is 9 wins to 10 losses, and they were knocked out by Real Madrid at this stage of the competition last season.
• Jupp Heynckes has only ever been involved in 2 other Champions League campaigns and he won both of them. Bayern, like Barcelona, Juventus, and Manchester City, is still playing for a treble and last won one under Heynckes.
• Sevilla has a strong record against German competition, with five wins from nine visits. They will be hoping that a now available Ever Banega can pull the strings for their comeback.
• A rested Lewandowski will look to continue his wonderful season and goal scoring form. He has netted hat tricks in the last two home games for Bayern.

World Cup Rush: El Said joins Finnish side to increase world cup appearance chances

Another Pharaohs striker has joined a Finnish in bid to get some time so they could be available for selection into Hector Cuper’s World Cup squad. Al Ahly forward, Abdallah El-Said has joined Kuopion Palloseura on a two-month loan before his permanent move to Saudi club Al Ahly Jeddah on a two-year deal, come next season.

A Red Devils official, Adly Al Qaie confirmed that the 32-year-old has been allowed to go so as to prove his fitness for World Cup finals commencing on the 14th of June this year. El-Said joins Al Ahly teammate  Amr Gamal who recently left the South African side, Bidvest Wits to complete his loan spell at Helsinki in Finland with the bid to impress for a spot in the Pharaohs World Cup squad.

“Abdallah is a big name and very high-level player, we are happy to have him here. We wish Abdallah good luck and wait for him on the field and believe he will be a key player at the World Cup.”

— KuPS Sporting Director, Konstantin Shipulin

World Cup Rush: Barcelona forward keen represent Morocco

Barcelona forward, Munir El Haddadi, who is currently on loan at Deportivo Alaves has challenged FIFA Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) decision to reject his application to switch nationalities. Munir was a substitute in Spain’s European Championship Qualifier in September 2014 but has now opted to play for The Lions of the Atlas, his parents’ country of origin.

The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has backed Munir’s appeal and will get a ruling by mid-May "in order for the player's sporting nationality to be decided prior to the commencement of the 2018 World Cup".

"Following the hearing, the panel will deliberate and issue a decision in the form of an arbitral award.” - FIFA Cas

The 22-year-old has appeared 32 times for Alaves this season scoring eleven goals and registering six assists in all competitions. He will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to the Moroccan squad who have to battle Spain, Portugal, and Iran in their group B encounters.

Reiss Nelson close to signing new deal

The young Arsenal forward who has been on everyone’s lips since his pre-season match against Benfica, has been handed a couple of first team appearances this season. The player was primarily deployed in the right-wingback position in a make-shift 3-4-3 formation when the manager wanted to rest Bellerin and the Ox before he left for Liverpool. He has made 15 appearances in total and his full debut in the EPL came in the last match between Arsenal and Southampton which was played at the Emirates and he was placed in a more advanced position i.e. right wing. Reiss Nelson is an energetic 18 year old winger who has the confidence of beating any defender he comes against. The player has revealed that the club have decided to reward him with a new contract after his decent performances for Arsenal and he is willing to sign it.

Here’s what he had to say, “It is a big achievement to sign for a big club like Arsenal so I'm just delighted with the contract and hopeful that I can sign it soon.”

The England under 19 player was one of the many names that were anticipated to be handed first team opportunities by Wenger after the club fell back in the top 4 race and the club shifted their focus towards qualifying for the UEFA Champions League through the Europa League.