SPORTS
Benzema Treble as Real Madrid beat UCL Holders Chelsea, Bayern Munich Lose
Karim Benzema scored back-to-back UEFA Champions League hat-tricks as record winners Real Madrid took a big step towards the semi-finals with a 3-1 victory at title-holders Chelsea on Wednesday.
France striker Benzema headed home twice within three minutes midway through the first half.
He completed his treble seconds after the restart owing to a terrible blunder from goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Benzema had also scored a hat-trick in the previous game Real Madrid won with the same 3-1 scoreline, against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the last 16.
Kai Havertz was on target shortly before half-time for the Blues who eliminated Real Madrid in last year’s semi-finals.
They now face an uphill battle next week at the Bernabéu.
“They’re magic nights, like the other day at the Bernabéu against PSG. Today (Wednesday) we came out to win, to show we’re Real Madrid,” Benzema later said.
There was more joy for Spain as Europa League winners Villarreal beat harmless Bayern Munich 1-0 with the goal from Arnaut Danjuma’s early strike.
It was their next upset bid following a last 16 elimination of Juventus.
The other two first leg games were played on Tuesday, with Liverpool well placed winning 3-1 at Benfica while Manchester City edged Atletico Madrid 1-0.
Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti tested negative just in time to make it to Stamford Bridge after a coronavirus infection at the helm of Real Madrid.
He then saw the unmarked Benzema head the opening goal in the 21st minute off a cross from Vinicius Junior who had hit the top of the bar earlier.
The goal rattled the Blues who had crashed 4-1 at the weekend against Brentford.
Three minutes later, Benzema wrong-footed Mendy by artistically heading Luka Modric’s cross into the far corner.
Havertz revived Chelsea’s hopes in the 40th minute when he headed in Jorginho’s chipped ball over the Real Madrid defence.
But Chelsea’s comeback attept stalled seconds after the restart when Mendy made a mess out of a routine pass to Antonio Rüdiger.
It left Benzema with an easy shot into the empty net for his 11th goal of the competition.
Romelo Lukaku came on only to head wide from a perfect position in the culmination of Chelsea’s woes.
“It is a heavy loss. It was one of the worst first halves that I saw from us here at Stamford Bridge,” Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel later said.
“If we keep playing like this … we will get hammered at Bernabeu.”
In Villarreal, Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies played his first game of the year after heart issues but it was the hosts who drew first blood after eight minutes.
That was when Danjuma fired in a low shot to complete a slick move on the right wing with his sixth goal of the campaign.
Bayern Munich were out of sorts but lucky because Francis Coquelin was ruled offside before his seemingly attempted cross went in.
Also, Gerard Moreno was denied by the left post, and he then missed the empty net from his own half after a mistake from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
“It was a deserved defeat. We weren’t good today. We didn’t defend well and lost too many balls,” Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
Forward Thomas Müller vowed: “We must now prepare for the return leg and hit back.”(dpa/NAN)
By Torough David, Abuja
D’Tigers power forward Chima Moneke has joined Serbian franchise Crvena Zvezda on a two-year deal from Spanish outfit Saskia Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ahead of the new season.
The 29-year-old Nigerian takes his trade to Serbia following his impressive outing for Baskonia where he became one of Euro League’s most sought-after forwards.
He enjoyed a fruitful 2024/25 season with Baskonia in the Euro League, where he averaged 14. 0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, while shooting 64.5 per cent from two-point range and 81.3 per cent from the free-throw line.His average minutes per game stands at 28.2, making an average of 0.
88 steals and 0.27 blocks per game, though his turnover rate was recorded at 1.85 per fixture.Moneke was the subject of interest from other franchises before agreeing to join Zvezda following several rounds of negotiations. He will reportedly earn an annual salary of €1.7m euros per season in the Eastern European country.
Zvezda are currently embarking on an ambitious summer rebuild, with the aim of dominating both in the country and on the continental stage. They recently tied down their Greek head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos to a new two-year deal, which will run until the end of the 2026/27 season.
Moneke has been on a nomadic journey ever since his arrival on the European basketball scene, though his rise has been swift and impressive. He was named MVP of the Basketball Champions League in the 2021/22 season and had a short spell in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in the 2022/23 campaign.
He returned to Europe where he had a short stint with AS Monaco in early 2023, before landing at Baskonia, where he built a reputation as one of the league’s elite players.
 | ReplyReply allForwardAdd reaction |
By Torough David, Abuja
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been charged with drink driving and failing to co-operate with police after a car crash in April.
The 29-year-old was arrested after a grey Mercedes A Class crashed into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire.
Thames Valley Police said he has been charged with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to co-operate with a preliminary test at the roadside.
“The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05 BST on Sunday 27 April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree,” police said in a statement.
Murphy, a four-time champion jockey, is due to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 3 July.
He was charged on 19 June, the day he rode two winners at Royal Ascot.
A British Horseracing Authority statement read: “The BHA is aware of an update issued by Thames Valley Police this afternoon regarding Oisin Murphy.
“We are now seeking to gather as much information as possible in order to consider what, if any, implications there are as a result of this development.”
In October Murphy spoke about how he had been having counselling, saying it had helped him greatly.
He returned from a 14-month suspension in March 2023 having been banned for breaches of Covid-19 rules and twice failing racecourse breath tests for alcohol.
Former Nigerian international Sunday Oliseh has advised Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to play in the Premier League if he wants to remain in the limelight.
The Galatasaray star has been a major transfer target for clubs in Europe and in the Saudi Football League this summer after his impressive display in the Turkish league.
Speaking with, the former Super Eagles head coach described Osimhen as a huge asset to Nigerian football.
“I think he (Osimhen) is a huge asset to Nigerian football. But like every top asset, we all have our shortcomings. We have to be able to find solutions and work around it,” Oliseh told Lagos Talks.
“This is a player that if he wants to continue to be in the limelight, he has to go to the Premier League.
“Nigerians want to see him there. He has been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea for a long time.
“But for him to play that way, for him to become that big, there are many things he has to change.”
Breaking: George Akume remains SGF – Presidency
ShareThe presidency says there has been no change in the status of Senator George Akume, as Secretary to the Government...
SDP State Chairmen Back Gabam’s Suspension
ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja State Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have declared full support for the suspension of...
Benue is Bleeding: The Demand for Justice by Benue Peoples in Diaspora Must be Heard
ShareBy Benue Diaspora Groups Deep in the heart of Nigeria’s North Central geo-political zone, precisely in Benue state, a humanitarian...
Anambra Guber: APC ’ll Deploy Grassroots-based Campaign to Sweep Poll – Ukachukwu
ShareTorough David, Abuja The Anambra All Progressive Congress (APC) said it will deploy a grassroots-based campaign strategy to sweep the...
INEC Resumes CVR in Anambra July 17, Nationwide Aug. 18
Share Torough David, Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume in Anambra...
Diri Campaigns Against Drug Abuse, Trafficking
ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri yesterday, led a campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking...
Nigeria Can Lead Africa’s Economic Growth – CIoD
ShareThe outgoing President, Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD), Alhaji Tijjani Borodo has expressed optimism that Nigeria will likely lead...
WTO DG Commends Nigeria Customs for Strides in Trade Modernization
ShareThe Director-General (D-G), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its remarkable...
Ally of Cameroon President, 92, Quits ‘Broken’ Government to Challenge Him
ShareIssa Tchiroma Bakary – a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya – has quit Cameroon’s government, in...
Crash Kills 29 Pupils Taking Exams after Blast in Central Africa
ShareTorough David, Abuja Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in...
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish