Di Champions League quarter-finals don start with two big matches wey dey hold football fans for Naija and worldwide. Liverpool go face Paris Saint-Germain for one repeat of last year knockout stage, while Real Madrid go host Bayern Munich for Spain. Di tension dey high as teams dey fight for semi-final spot.
For Paris, under-fire Liverpool coach Arne Slot talk say im team go bounce back from dia latest setback. Liverpool just collect 4-0 hammering from Manchester City for FA Cup weekend wey just pass. Captain Virgil van Dijk even suggest say di team don give up for dat match. But Slot talk say e good for dia captain to get strong reaction after such game.
Slot team don win just one of dia last five matches and dey fifth for Premier League. Dis one put extra pressure for di tie against di reigning European champions. Di match na repeat of last-16 clash one year ago wey Liverpool lose on penalties at Anfield, even though dem win 1-0 for first leg for France. Slot talk say dem no fit ever take Champions League quarter-final for granted, especially when you face di champions of Europe.
Liverpool welcome back striker Alexander Isak to di squad after injury. Swedish striker Isak fit make im first appearance since im leg fracture against Tottenham Hotspur for December. Slot talk say since Isak finish close to one week of team training, im fit play part, but no to start so quickly.
Slot praise Luis Enrique PSG well-well, say e almost impossible to be better than di team dem were last season. Im talk say for 100m sprint, if you run 9.8 seconds you no fit go to 8.6, you fit maybe go to 9.75. Slot say dem dey at different stage now because dem make big transition for summer, but dem dey try go to dat 9.8 again and maybe even 9.75.
Liverpool German star Florian Wirtz, one of several marquee signings for dis season, insist say im and im teammates still believe for Slot despite di team struggles. Wirtz talk say of course dem dey believe for di manager because dem win di league last season. Im talk say dem don get plenty good games dis season, and dem still get things to play for.
Meanwhile, for Madrid, Real Madrid host Bayern Munich at di Bernabeu for first leg of dia blockbuster Champions League quarter-final clash. Despite indifferent league phase and faltering LaLiga title challenge, Madrid 5-1 aggregate win over Manchester City for last-16 show how destructive dem fit dey in full flow. With dia history for dis competition, di 16-time winners remain dangerous opponents.
Conversely, Bayern dey have superb season. Dem sit nine points clear at di top of Bundesliga and get dia sights set on winning treble. Vincent Kompany side sweep past Atalanta 10-2 on aggregate to reach quarter-final. Star striker Harry Kane dey enjoy di finest season of im club career and dey in starting line-up for German side after picking small knock on international duty last week.
For di match, Bayern get narrow lead after first half. Harry Kane score brilliant finish past Lunin for di 52nd minute after latching onto lay-off from Olise. Di Bernabeu hold im breath as dem see ball rolling towards Kane for space. Bayern dominate ball for much of opening 45 minutes and get more clear-cut openings. Dem fit be 3-0 up if not for Jonathan Tah and Serge Gnabry miss sitters.
Madrid show why dem dey danger on counter, with Mbappe and Vini Jr both threaten and each of di duo go close. Vini Jr go down softly under pressure from Upamecano and want penalty, but referee Michael Oliver say no chance. Di second half dey promise to be enthralling as both teams dey fight for advantage.
For other football news, international friendly between Guatemala and Ecuador go hold at 4 p.m. June 7 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field according to Columbus Crew press release. Di game na tune-up for 2026 World Cup. Ecuador, Group E team for tournament, dey ranked No. 32 for FIFA international men rankings. Dem tie Netherlands 1-1 on March 31 for dia most recent friendly.
Ecuador roster include players from Europe top leagues, including Chelsea defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo from Premier League and PSG defender William Pacho from Ligue 1. Ranked No. 96 for world, Guatemala lose im most recent international friendly 7-0 to Algeria on March 27. Dem never qualify for World Cup before. Columbus Crew backup goalie Nicholas Hagen na member of Guatemalan national team.
Ecuador dey train at OhioHealth Performance Center, di Crew training facility, before World Cup. Crew season-ticket holders go get access to special presale beginning at 10 a.m. April 9. Tickets go dey available to public starting at 10 a.m. Monday, April 13. Di 2026 World Cup set to take place across 16 cities for United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
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