Limassol, Cyprus – E be like say we get fresh faces for Champions League dis season o! Pafos FC from Cyprus and Bodo/Glimt wey dey Norway don qualify for di big boys tournament after dem hammer di qualifying rounds. E no be small matter!
First, make we talk about Pafos FC. Dem be small club, only don dey exist for 11 years, but dem don flex dem muscles big time! Last night, dem manage draw 1-1 against Red Star Belgrade, and thanks to dat late equaliser wey Jaja score for 89th minute, dem carry 3-2 overall win! Na wetin we call suspense now!
As dem dey celebrate, dem don join di likes of Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan and Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise for di Champions League debutants party. Pafos FC don also make history as di third Cypriot team wey don reach dis level, after Apoel and Anorthosis Famagusta. Ah, dem go fry suya in Limassol!
Bodo/Glimt no wan carry last for dis gist too. Dem don dey shine like diamond for Norway, and dis season na di first time dem go enter di real Champions League since Rosenborg last appear for 2007/08 season. Dis squad don dey do well, last season dem reach Europa League semi-finals before dem meet dem match with Tottenham. E be like say dem ready take Europe by storm!
Di Norwegians sabi how to play ball, no be joke. Dem ki dem Sturm Graz with 6-2 aggregate, even though dem lose di second leg 2-1. But who care about dat kind small gist? Na di overall win dey matter!
Kairat Almaty sef no be small pickin for di matter. Dem shock Celtic on penalties after two goalless legs, and suddenly, dem don become di second Kazakh team to enter di group stage – after Astana. Na wah! Whoever wan face dem go sabi say dem dey pack their bags for one long journey because dem go trek go Almaty wey dey 3,600 miles away. Hope say dem don carry enough popcorn!
As di draw for di league phase go happen on Thursday for Monaco, everybody dey chop beta rice as dem dey anticipate who dem go face first. Matches go start between September 16 and 18. So, make we all don get our popcorn ready!
Oh, and David Luiz, di former Chelsea and Arsenal man, don join Pafos FC too. E don dey make headlines as dem take am for historical signing wey dem dey call landmark. Na real titan wey sabi football him be o!
So, get ready to catch all di highlights wey go dey happen every Champions League night on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport app. Na wa, dis season go sweet no be small!
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor@nnn.ng
