New-look Champions League produces jeopardy, but giants survive

New-look Champions League produces jeopardy, but giants survive
Barcelona’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski tries to evade Atalanta’s Italian goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi during their UEFA Champions League match at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on Jan. 29, 2025. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 30 January 2025
Follow

New-look Champions League produces jeopardy, but giants survive

New-look Champions League produces jeopardy, but giants survive
  • “It’s nice to have a bit more jeopardy,” Real Madrid’s English superstar Jude Bellingham told UEFA.com
  • European football’s governing body is now beating its chest about the success of the new format

PARIS: European football body UEFA hailed the “more dynamic” new format of the Champions League as a huge success after the first phase concluded on Wednesday while all of the continent’s biggest clubs survived to reach the knockout stage.
“It’s nice to have a bit more jeopardy,” Real Madrid’s English superstar Jude Bellingham told UEFA.com after the reigning champions rounded out the league phase with a 3-0 win against Brest in France.
He was not referring to that particular game, one of 18 played simultaneously on the eighth and last matchday, a frenzied night which saw a total of 64 goals fly in around Europe, including one for Bellingham himself.
It was rather a reference to the fact that the new format — with all 36 clubs playing eight games against eight different opponents — took some getting used to for every club, even the biggest fishes.
Madrid were themselves caught out as they lost three of their first five matches. Manchester City certainly faced jeopardy as the competition’s winners in 2023 needed to win their last game at home to Club Brugge in order to avoid elimination, and found themselves 1-0 down at half-time.
They came back to win 3-1 to avoid humiliation and reach the knockout round play-offs, and Club Brugge also went through.
UEFA introduced this new format to replace the group system which had been in place for two decades, doing so in response to the threat of a breakaway Super League involving a select band of giant clubs.
European football’s governing body is now beating its chest about the success of the new format in “delivering on its promise to reinvigorate” a competition which had gone slightly stale in the group stage.
Only two clubs came into the final matchday having secured direct qualification for the last 16, without having to go through the play-offs.
Only nine had been eliminated, leaving 25 with something to play for in their last game.
It has naturally been hailed by clubs who may have struggled under the previous system, most notably Brest, who finished 18th and have reached the play-offs in their debut European campaign.
“I really like it, and I think tonight the people watching on television and in the stadiums must have really enjoyed it. There was a lot of suspense. It gives a chance to the smaller teams like us,” said Brest coach Eric Roy.
Another French side, Lille, pulled off a remarkable performance to finish seventh and go directly into the last 16, beating Real and Atletico Madrid along the way.
“I have really liked this format. There is room for surprises,” said Lille’s Thomas Meunier.
In contrast, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti has not hidden his displeasure at the increase in the number of games in the league phase, to eight from six in the old format.
“My idea of football is that we must reduce the number of matches to diminish the impact on the players,” Ancelotti said.
One leading player at a leading European club who asked not be identified shared that view, saying the new system might be exciting for fans but that it takes its physical toll.
“I’d prefer less games to be honest,” was that player’s frank assessment.

There will be even less opportunity to rest for those clubs who must now come through a two-legged play-off tie in February to reach the last 16.
But there will be plenty of excitement in the play-offs, the draw for which takes place on Friday.
The way the draw is organized means Real and Bayern Munich each know they will either face Manchester City or Celtic next. AC Milan could play Juventus.
Nevertheless, the new format ultimately produced the same end result.
All of the top eight who progress straight to the last 16 hail from Europe’s five biggest leagues, with three from England, two from Spain, and one each from Italy, Germany and France.
Only six clubs from other countries have reached the play-offs, all of a certain pedigree: former European Cup winners in PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Feyenoord and Celtic, former runners-up in Club Brugge, and Portuguese giants Sporting.
No club from east of Munich has progressed, and the only club who were probably expected to qualify but failed to do so were RB Leipzig, although they were hampered by injuries and had a difficult draw — their opponents amassed more points combined than those of any other team.


Pakistan win toss, bat against India in key Champions Trophy clash

Pakistan win toss, bat against India in key Champions Trophy clash
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Pakistan win toss, bat against India in key Champions Trophy clash

Pakistan win toss, bat against India in key Champions Trophy clash
  • Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat in a blockbuster Champions Trophy clash against India on Sunday as his side looks to stay alive in the tournament

DUBAI: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat in a blockbuster Champions Trophy clash against India on Sunday as his side looks to stay alive in the tournament.
A full house was expected for the eagerly awaited Group A match at the 25,000-capacity Dubai International Stadium, India’s home for the 50-over tournament after they refused to tour Pakistan due to political tensions.
Defending champions Pakistan lost the tournament opener to New Zealand and another defeat will virtually end their chances of making the semifinals.
Imam-ul-Haq comes into the Pakistan side for Fakhar Zaman, who was injured in the opening match and is out of the tournament.
India had a hard-fought win in their first match against Bangladesh and come into the key clash unchanged.
India captain Rohit Sharma said it “doesn’t really matter, they (Pakistan) won the toss, so we’ll bowl first.”
The top two teams from the two groups will make the semifinals.
Teams
India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav.
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
Umpires: Paul Reiffel (AUS), Richard Illingworth (ENG)
TV Umpire: Michael Gough (ENG)
Match Referee: David Boon (AUS)


Indian Hindu fans pray for victory over Pakistan in Champions Trophy clash

Indian Hindu fans pray for victory over Pakistan in Champions Trophy clash
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Indian Hindu fans pray for victory over Pakistan in Champions Trophy clash

Indian Hindu fans pray for victory over Pakistan in Champions Trophy clash
  • Fans offer ‘yajna’ and ‘aarti’ Hindu prayers in Indian cities of Kolkata and Prayagraj on Saturday 
  • India and Pakistan enjoy one of fiercest rivalries in sports due to bitter history, political tensions 

Islamabad: Indian Hindu fans were seen offering special prayers as their national cricket team locks horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in a blockbuster Champions Trophy 2025 clash in Dubai today, Sunday. 

India and Pakistan enjoy one of the fiercest rivalries in sports. The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since 1947 ever since they gained independence from the British, fueling passion and emotion in millions on both sides of the border every time the two teams meet on the cricket field. 

India’s Hindu fans were seen offering special prayers in the eastern Kolkata and northern Prayagraj cities on Saturday for their cricket team’s success against Pakistan. 

“India and Pakistan are going to play against each other, and we have prayed to mother Triveni (confluence of three rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati) and mother Ganga (river Ganga) that tomorrow’s match turns out to be in favor of India,” Hindu devotee Pradeep Pandey told Reuters in Prayagraj on Saturday.

In Prayagraj, on the sidelines of Maha Kumbh Mela (The Great Pitcher Festival), fans and devotees performed ‘Aarti’ (flame ritually waved to deities) at the shore of the Ganges, praying for the Indian cricket team’s win. 

In Kolkata, fans and devotees were seen performing ‘yajna’ (offering to the God in front of a sacred fire) in the name of Goddess Kali.

India, who refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy citing government advice, will be playing all their matches in Dubai. They kicked off their Group A campaign with a comfortable six-wicket victory against Bangladesh earlier this week. Pakistan’s title defense, meanwhile, looks in disarray after their comprehensive defeat to New Zealand.

India have won seven of the eight completed ODIs in the last decade against their rivals they play only in multi-team events because of a strained political relationship between the two countries.

Pakistan are the defending champions of the Champions Trophy tournament. The green shirts, under the leadership of former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, beat India in 2017 in the final by 180 runs to win the tournament. 


 


Doncic dominates as Lakers rout Nuggets, Suns gore Bulls

Doncic dominates as Lakers rout Nuggets, Suns gore Bulls
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Doncic dominates as Lakers rout Nuggets, Suns gore Bulls

Doncic dominates as Lakers rout Nuggets, Suns gore Bulls
  • The Slovenian superstar was the standout performer for the Lakers
  • Doncic finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists

LOS ANGELES, United States: Luka Doncic delivered a dominant 32-point performance as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Denver Nuggets’ nine-game winning streak on Saturday with an impressive 123-100 victory on the road in Colorado.
Doncic, playing only his fourth game for the Lakers since his blockbuster trade from Dallas, was in scintillating form as the Lakers conjured a statement wire-to-wire win over their Western Conference rivals.
The Slovenian superstar was the standout performer on a night when the Lakers saw four players finish with 20 points or more for the first time this season.
Doncic finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while LeBron James backed him with 25 points. Austin Reaves added 23 points and Rui Hachimura 21.
“I’m starting to feel a little bit more like myself — that’s why I was smiling the whole game,” Doncic told ESPN afterward.
“There’s still a lot of room for improvement and this is only my fourth game. Chemistry takes time. But you saw today that things are getting better.”
Doncic had signalled he was in the mood for a stellar performance early in the first quarter, arrowing a couple of superb passes to James and Jaxson Hayes to help the Lakers take an 8-3 lead.
A sublime three-pointer from Doncic put the Lakers into a 31-18 lead as the visitors remained firmly on top.
Doncic finished the first quarter with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists and was soon back into the groove in the second quarter.
A delicate lobbed assist to James for an alley-oop dunk made it 60-52 before Doncic unfurled a 24-foot three-pointer to put the Lakers 11 points up.
The Nuggets closed the deficit to 63-54 at the half, but the Lakers remained in control for much of the third quarter, taking a nine-point advantage into the final frame.
The Lakers continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the fourth, and Doncic put Los Angeles into a 20-point lead at 117-97 with just over four minutes remaining after another Denver turnover to effectively ice the game.
The Lakers improved to 34-21 with the win and remain fifth in the West. The Nuggets fell to 37-20 with the defeat.
In other NBA action on Saturday, the Phoenix Suns halted their four-game losing streak with a 121-117 road victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Devin Booker finished with 29 points while Kevin Durant added 27 and Bradley Beal 25 as Phoenix fought back from an early 13-point deficit to claim a win that lifts them to 27-29 in the Western Conference.
Australian international Josh Giddey led the Bulls’ scorers with 24 points.
Elsewhere, the Philadelphia 76ers problems continued with a seventh straight defeat as they slumped to an agonizing 105-103 home loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
Sixers ace Tyrese Maxey leveled it for Philadelphia with a three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining.
But Nic Claxton’s tip layup at the buzzer snatched victory for Brooklyn, who improved to 21-35 with the win.
Cameron Johnson led Brooklyn’s scorers with 23 points, while Maxey’s 31-point haul went in vain for Philadelphia.
Sixers star Joel Embiid had another frustrating outing, finishing with only 14 points from 4-of-13 shooting and being benched for the fourth quarter.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse defended Embiid’s contribution as he continues to struggle with a niggling knee problem.
“He’s giving us what he can,” Nurse said of Embiid. “He’s not himself, we all know that. He’s not, certainly, the guy that we’re used to seeing play at a super high level.
“But I commend him for giving us what he can.”


Inspired Andreeva, 17, bags Dubai title, makes WTA history

Inspired Andreeva, 17, bags Dubai title, makes WTA history
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Inspired Andreeva, 17, bags Dubai title, makes WTA history

Inspired Andreeva, 17, bags Dubai title, makes WTA history
  • It was a performance that didn’t just earn Andreeva a maiden WTA 1000 trophy, but also secured her top-10 debut with the Russian expected to rise to No. 9 when the new rankings are released on Monday
  • Besides the 1,000 ranking points she received for winning the Dubai crown, Andreeva pocketed $597,000 in prize money, which she says she will hand over to her father

DUBAI: Inspired by LeBron James and Roger Federer, Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva wrapped up a fairytale week in Dubai by becoming the youngest ever WTA 1000 champion with victory over Clara Tauson on Saturday.

After ousting three Grand Slam winners, including second-seeded Iga Swiatek, en route to the final, Andreeva ended Tauson’s own dream run at the tournament with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-1 victory against the Dane.

It was a performance that didn’t just earn Andreeva a maiden WTA 1000 trophy, but also secured her top-10 debut with the Russian expected to rise to No. 9 when the new rankings are released on Monday.

Andreeva admitted she did not feel her best on court during the final, but drew inspiration from interviews she watched of NBA legend James talking about how champions can find ways to win even without their A-game.

“I just told myself, ‘You can either let that negativity come into your head and kill you, or you can choose to be 100 percent mentally and fight for every point and if something doesn’t go your way, well okay fine, you forget about it and you play one point at a time’,” said Andreeva.

“I’ve been listening to a lot of LeBron James interviews, and he said that, ‘It’s easy to be confident and to play good when everything goes your way, but what makes you a champion is when you’re giving your best when you don’t feel great’. So that’s what I tried to do today.”

Andreeva also revealed she has been watching highlights from Roger Federer’s 2017 Australian Open final victory over Rafael Nadal before her matches this week, taking cues from the Swiss great.

“I was watching some highlights. I was like, ‘Damn, how can he play like this? This is something extraordinary’,” she said.

Tauson had been a giant-slayer herself in Dubai, knocking out world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on her way to the biggest final of her career.

The 22-year-old entered the clash with Andreeva leading the tour with 15 match-wins so far this season.

She was looking to add a second title to her tally in 2025, and fourth overall, but Andreeva had other ideas, as she overcame her big-hitting opponent in one hour and 46 minutes of all-court prowess.

In the youngest WTA 1000 final since the category was introduced in 2009, Andreeva played a near-perfect opening-set tiebreak to take the lead after 60 minutes of play.

She upped the ante in the second set, breaking twice for a 5-1 advantage and served out the win at the first time of asking.

On Monday, Andreeva will become the first 17-year-old to be ranked in the top 10 since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007.

During the trophy ceremony, Andreeva congratulated Tauson and thanked her coach Conchita Martinez and her family for their support. The affable teenager then surprised the crowd by paying credit to herself.

“Last but not least, I would like to thank me. I know what I have been dealing with so I want to thank me for always believing in me, I want to thank me for never quitting and always dealing with the pressure,” said Andreeva.

“Today it was not easy but I chose to be there 100 percent, so I thank myself for that.”

Besides the 1,000 ranking points she received for winning the Dubai crown, Andreeva pocketed $597,000 in prize money, which she says she will hand over to her father, given she is still 17 and doesn’t manage her own finances.

The Russian had set a goal for herself before the start of the season to finish the year ranked in the top 10 — a target she has now checked off her list in just the second month of her campaign.

Tauson confessed she ran out of steam at the end of a taxing week, and revealed she had been spending almost three hours each day with the tournament physios to deal with various physical issues.

“I can’t tell you where it doesn’t hurt right now,” said the Dane.


Bivol’s redemption and Saudi triumphs make The Last Crescendo a night to remember

Bivol’s redemption and Saudi triumphs make The Last Crescendo a night to remember
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Bivol’s redemption and Saudi triumphs make The Last Crescendo a night to remember

Bivol’s redemption and Saudi triumphs make The Last Crescendo a night to remember

RIYADH: The Saudi capital was the backdrop for a spectacular night of boxing as The Last Crescendo fight night delivered a number of unforgettable moments that highlighted both established champions and emerging talents.

Headlining was a remarkable upset in the light-heavyweight division, where Dmitry Bivol dethroned Artur Beterbiev to become the undisputed champion. Alongside this historic victory, Joseph Parker made a powerful comeback, dominating Martin Bakole to add further excitement to the star-studded card.

The evening’s main event saw a thrilling reversal of fortune as Bivol avenged his previous loss to Beterbiev. Having fallen short in their first meeting, Bivol made key adjustments and outboxed his opponent in a tactical showdown that went the distance.

Judges scored it 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114 in favor of the Russian, securing his place as the undisputed light-heavyweight champion. The win opens the door for a potential trilogy between the two and boxing fans are already buzzing for the next chapter in their rivalry.

The excitement was evident early on when Saudi fighters Ziyad Al-Maayouf and Mohammed Alakel secured dominant victories, igniting the crowd. Al-Maayouf was impressive in his super lightweight clash with Jonatas de Oliveira, winning by unanimous decision after a disciplined and controlled performance.

Alakel followed up with a strong six-round display against Engel Gomez, maintaining his unbeaten record at 3-0. The victories set the tone for a thrilling evening, and the energy in the arena continued to build throughout the night.

In the co-main event, former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker returned to form with an emphatic second-round TKO over Martin Bakole. Parker’s combination of speed and power overwhelmed his opponent, forcing the referee to step in after a crushing barrage of punches sent Bakole to the canvas. The win was much needed for Parker, signaling his intent to challenge the top names in the heavyweight division once again.

Shakur Stevenson continued to shine in the lightweight division, successfully defending his WBC title against Josh Padley. From the opening bell, Stevenson’s superior skill and speed were on full display, eventually leading to Padley’s corner throwing in the towel after the ninth round. Stevenson remains undefeated with a 20-0 record, solidifying his place as one of the sport’s rising stars.

The middleweight division witnessed a controversial outcome in the bout between Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz. Despite a competitive back-and-forth, the fight ended in a split draw after one judge scored it for Sheeraz, another for Adames, and the third called it even. Adames retained his WBC title as a result, though many felt the decision left more questions than answers.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. continued his climb in the welterweight ranks, successfully defending his WBC interim super welterweight title with a narrow unanimous decision over Israil Madrimov. The fight was a war; both men exchanged powerful shots, but Ortiz’s precision and ability to stay composed in the later rounds allowed him to come out on top. His win kept his perfect record intact, moving him to 23-0.

In the heavyweight ranks, Agit Kabayel extended his unbeaten record to 26-0 with a spectacular sixth-round knockout of Zhilei Zhang. Kabayel’s impressive power was on full display as he dropped Zhang with a brutal body shot that silenced the crowd, confirming his status as a dangerous contender.

Callum Smith added another title to his collection, claiming the vacant WBO light heavyweight belt with a hard-fought majority decision victory over Joshua Buatsi. The bout was a tactical masterpiece, with Smith’s experience and poise in the later rounds giving him the edge and handing Buatsi his first career loss.

The action left the crowd buzzing. With local stars making their mark and world-class fighters delivering thrilling action, The Last Crescendo was a night to live long in the memory.