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)
The Super Eagles camp in Cairo has grown to 22 players with the arrival of Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu, ahead of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) international friendly match against Egypt.
News reports that Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman and defenders Semi Ajayi and Bright Osayi-Samuel reported to camp earlier on Monday at the Renaissance Hotel, joining a steadily increasing squad.
Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defender Igoh Ogbu and midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi were also among the latest arrivals to bolster the team.
They linked up with early arrivals Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabali, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, who had checked in on Sunday.
Super Eagles Media Officer Promise Efoghe said that 20 players participated in the team’s first training session held on Monday evening.
“Training went smoothly and the players showed good energy and commitment, which is encouraging at this stage of preparations,” Efoghe said.
Efoghe said that Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika and Alebiosu arrived shortly after training, raising the number of players in camp to 22, with six more expected.
He said as part of preparations, the Super Eagles would play a friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.
“The friendly will help the technical crew assess team shape and readiness ahead of the AFCON challenge,” Efoghe said.
Nigeria, three-time champions, and seven-time winners Egypt will clash at 8 p.m. Egypt time (7 p.m. Nigeria time) in the build-up to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.
Efoghe confirmed that the team will depart Cairo for Féz on Thursday aboard a chartered flight to continue final preparations.
Nigeria’s quest for a fourth continental title, following victories in 1980, 1994 and 2013, begins on Dec. 23 against Tanzania, under the theme “NAIJA 4 THE WIN.”
The Eagles will also face Tunisia on Dec. 27 and Uganda on Dec. 30 in Group C, with all matches scheduled for the Complexe Sportif de Féz.
Egypt, the only nation to win AFCON three consecutive times, will battle South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B, with matches holding in Agadir.
As anticipation builds for the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, set to kick off on December 21 in Morocco, the Confederation of African Football has released a list of items prohibited across all tournament stadiums.
According to the guidelines cited on CAF’s website on Monday, the rules are aimed at ensuring fan safety throughout the competition.
Fans attending AFCON 2025 matches in Morocco will be subjected to security screening.
They are advised not to bring prohibited items into stadiums to ensure safety, order and a smooth match-day experience.
Below is the list of items fans are advised to leave at home before entering AFCON stadiums:
Alcoholic beverages, Illegal substances and drugs, Weapons and sharp objects, Fireworks and pyrotechnics, Glass bottles or containers, Flammable materials, Racist, violent or discriminatory banners, Unauthorised political, religious or commercial signs, Drones and animals, Large umbrellas and oversized hats, Professional cameras and recording equipment, Musical instruments and loud horns, Radio-emitting devices (except mobile phones) and Heavy or large bags.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has disclosed that the team are still a work in progress following his expensive overhaul of the squad since last season.
The Spanish tactician made this known after the Citizens thrashed Crystal Palace 3-0 in Sunday’s Premier League game.
In a chat with the club’s website, Guardiola stated that the team are in a better position than last season.
“Many things we have to improve.
Madrid gave me a lot of things, that still we are not ready, not in mentality but in how to approach certain games. They are young some of the players. But 3-0 here is a big statement for us.“When you win in the past, you believe the past was perfect, always brilliant, always the red carpet.
When we won with 100 points, all the things we achieved, we had a lot of games like today. The resilience was part of that.“There are moments that you struggle. Madrid was not the perfect game, but it was a step. We fought unbelievably to achieve that.
“We are in a better position than last season. We are close in the competitions we are in.”
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