Sports

Champions League Final: Man City, Inter Set For Showdown

Published

3 years ago

June 10, 2023

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Manchester City and Inter Milan clash in Saturday’s Champions League final in Istanbul with the English side, under Pep Guardiola, strongly fancied to win European club football’s biggest prize for the first time.

The match at the 75,000-seat Ataturk Olympic Stadium, kicks off at 10:00 pm (1900 GMT) in the Turkish metropolis and brings the curtain down on a season that has stretched almost into mid-June after the long interruption for the World Cup.

City have spent the last decade chasing this trophy having been transformed following an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008.

Also-rans before Sheikh Mansour arrived, they are now England’s dominant force, fresh from winning a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.

Guardiola, chasing the third Champions League crown of his coaching career, has built a side that is playing arguably the finest football of any team since his great Barcelona of a decade ago.

Now they are through to their second Champions League final in three seasons, two years after losing to Chelsea in Porto, and are hoping to complete a treble after securing the Premier League and FA Cup.

The last English team to win that treble was Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, in 1999.

“We have been good in this competition, but we just need to find a way to win the first one,” said Kevin De Bruyne on Friday.

“If we do it, it would obviously be immense for the players, for the club, and for the fans it would be something amazing.”

City’s rise has been made possible by the investment from the Abu Dhabi United Group, which led to them generating the biggest revenues in world football in 2022 of 731 million euros ($787m).

Question marks surround their success, given City were charged in February by the Premier League with 115 alleged breaches of its financial rules between 2009 and 2018.

In Europe, meanwhile, City were banned for two years from UEFA competitions in February 2020 for “serious financial fair-play breaches”, although that sanction was later overturned.

Irresistible Force

City have become an almost irresistible force. They brushed aside RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the knockout rounds and have lost just once in 27 matches.

The goals of Erling Haaland — 52 in all competitions — have elevated them to another level, along with Guardiola’s decision to turn centre-back John Stones into a midfielder.

Inter, while one of Europe’s grand old names, should not be able to compete with City when you look at their finances.

The Nerazzurri have enormous debts and their income for last year was under half that of City.

However, they emerged from their group ahead of Barcelona before beating Porto, their first victory in a Champions League knockout tie since 2011.

They then saw off Benfica and AC Milan to reach the final. They have won 11 of their last 12 games and recently retained the Coppa Italia.

“We understand what they are as a team,” De Bruyne said.

“They defend incredibly well. We don’t expect it to be an open game. That doesn’t happen a lot in a final anyway.”

Having reached their first Champions League final since lifting the trophy for the third time in their history in 2010, Inter are in to win it.

“We know we have a great opportunity to write a new page in the history of our club,” said coach Simone Inzaghi.

More Ataturk Drama?

Inzaghi has a settled side, with a grizzled three-man defence, a classy midfield, flying wing-backs in Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco, and Lautaro Martinez alongside veteran ex-City striker Edin Dzeko up front.

Both sides should be at full strength, with Kyle Walker set to start for City after missing training earlier this week.

It is Inter’s sixth European Cup final, but just their second in 51 years.

City’s only European trophy to date came in 1970, when they won the Cup Winners’ Cup, beating Poland’s Gornik Zabrze 2-1 in the final.

That match was not shown on British television due to a clash with the FA Cup final replay the same night.

A huge global audience will watch Saturday’s showdown, for which both clubs were officially allocated around 20,000 tickets.

It is the second Champions League final held at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, situated on the European side of the Bosphorus, 25 kilometres from central Istanbul.

Liverpool triumphed here in 2005, recovering from a three-goal deficit against Milan to draw 3-3 before winning on penalties.

AFP

Related Topics:Final Inter Milan MAN City

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FIFA ranks Super Eagles third in Africa, 26th globally

Globally, France has reclaimed the number one spot after wins over Colombia and Brazil, overtaking Spain, which was held to a goalless draw by a ten-man Egypt. Argentina, England, Portugal, and Brazil round out the top six.

Published

6 hours ago

April 1, 2026

OCHEFA

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The world’s football body , FIFA, has ranked Nigeria’s Super Eagles third in Africa (behind Morocco and Senegal), and 26th globally.

In a post on FIFA’s website on Wednesday, the ranking reflects Nigeria’s strong performances in friendlies, including a 2‑1 win over Iran and a 2‑2 draw with Jordan, as well as their showing at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

In the 2025 AFCON tournament, Nigeria won five matches against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Mozambique, and Algeria, drew with Morocco in the semi-finals, and defeated Egypt in the third-place playoff.

Other nations saw minor adjustments in the rankings.

Iran slipped from 20th to 21st following consecutive defeats, while Jordan moved up to 63rd after draws with Nigeria and Costa Rica.

Sports

FirstBank Sponsors Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Football Championship 2026

The tournament will engage secondary schools from all 36 states and the FCT, in a two-stage competition.

Published

10 hours ago

April 1, 2026

OCHEFA

24 Views

FirstBank, through its First@Sports initiative, is sponsoring the maiden edition of the Samuel Okwaraji Under 16 Football Championship.

The competition is a nationwide youth football tournament organised to honour the late Samuel Okwaraji, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated football legends renowned for his patriotism, discipline, and commitment to national service.

The tournament will engage secondary schools from all 36 states and the FCT, in a two-stage competition.

The first stage will feature zonal eliminations across the six geopolitical zones, followed by a national final in Abuja featuring the top 12 qualifying teams.

In a statement , the Managing Director/ CEO of FirstBank, Olusegun Alebiosu, said: “Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians. It brings communities together, inspires discipline, and nurtures talents across the country.

FirstBank is making a deliberate incursion into grassroots football development with this sponsorship, creating an enabling environment for the next generation of Samuel Okwarajis to discover, refine, and maximise their potential, thereby shaping the future of Nigerian football.”

In his remarks, Senator Osita Izunaso, the Chairman of the Championship Organising Committee commended FirstBank for throwing its weight around the championship.

Sports

Sportsville Awards: Olopade Leads NSC Delegation to Honour Dikko with Transformative Impact Award

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2026

Charles Flames

41 Views

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, on Tuesday led a high-powered delegation from the Commission to the prestigious Sportsville Awards in Lagos to honour NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko.

Dikko is set to receive the Transformative Impact Award at the 2026 edition of the Sportsville Special Recognition Awards, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to repositioning Nigerian sports.

The NSC delegation’s presence underscored the Commission’s unity and support for its Chairman, who has been widely praised for driving reforms, fostering inclusivity, and delivering renewed optimism in Nigerian sports administration alongside Olopade.

Former NPFL scribe Salihu Abubakar and other stakeholders have already extended congratulations to Dikko, describing the nomination as well-deserved.

Stakeholders, including Dr. Danladi Bako, have lauded Sportsville as one of the most authentic sports awards in the country, commending the organisers for recognising genuine impact in the sector.

The sixth edition of the Sportsville Awards, which also featured former Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, as a top guest, celebrates excellence and transformative contributions across Nigeria’s sporting ecosystem.

Other nominees include Hon. Itiako Ikpokpo and several prominent figures in sports development.

Hon. Olopade, who himself was recently crowned Sports Administrator of the Year at the New Telegraph Awards, dedicated previous honours to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman Dikko, highlighting the collaborative leadership driving Nigeria’s sports renaissance.

Mallam Shehu Dikko’s leadership at the NSC has been credited with major gains in infrastructure, athlete welfare, and international competitiveness, marking a turning point for Nigerian sports.

The event is expected to draw key stakeholders from the sports industry, government, and private sector as it honours individuals making lasting contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.

Full coverage and reactions from the awards ceremony are anticipated as the night unfolds in Lagos.