• EDITORIAL POLICY
  • ABOUT US
Monday, April 12, 2021
PML Daily
  • Home
  • NEWS
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Regional
    • Africa
    • World
  • INVESTIGATIONS
    • National Archives
    • Special Reports
  • OpEd
  • BUSINESS
    • Agriculture
    • Tech
    • Finance
  • FEATURES
    • Health
    • Tours & Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Society
  • COLUMNISTS
    • The Suited Penguin
  • SPORT
  • Jobs
  • Magazines
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • NEWS
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Regional
    • Africa
    • World
  • INVESTIGATIONS
    • National Archives
    • Special Reports
  • OpEd
  • BUSINESS
    • Agriculture
    • Tech
    • Finance
  • FEATURES
    • Health
    • Tours & Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Society
  • COLUMNISTS
    • The Suited Penguin
  • SPORT
  • Jobs
  • Magazines
No Result
View All Result
PML Daily
No Result
View All Result
Home SPORT

ALLAN SSEKAMATTE: Neymar, Haaland under spotlight as Champions League returns

PML DAILY EDITOR | PML Daily Editorial by PML DAILY EDITOR | PML Daily Editorial
April 6, 2021
in SPORT
0 0
140
VIEWS
FacebookWhatsAppTwitter
simbatelecom simbatelecom simbatelecom
Allan Ssekamatte is a columnist with PML Daily (PHOTO/File).

The spotlight falls squarely on Neymar when the world’s most coveted club competition, the Uefa Champions League, resumes Tuesday across Europe. When Paris Saint Germain’s attacking midfield maestro left Barcelona in a money spinning move, it was felt he moved to escape the shadow of Lionel Messi. Local media in his football mad country Brazil hailed the transfer as giving Selecao’s skipper the perfect platform to challenge Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the unofficial title of world’s best footballer. Three years on, Neymar has instead seen the aforesaid superstars continue to dominate the game’s top individual prize, the Ballon D’Or.

Both Messi and Ronaldo won’t be in action in this week’s quarter finals as their respective clubs, Barcelona and Juventus, were knocked out in the round of sixteen by PSG and Porto. Reigning Ballon D’Or winner Robert Lewandowski’s absence through injury has left the focus on Neymar, team mate Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund goal machine Erling Braut Haaland. The Brazilian was inconsolable when PSG fell 0-1 to Lewandowski’s Bayern Munich in last season’s final, so he will view his enforced absence as a good omen in his quest to end the French champions’ tournament duck.

In the race for this year’s Ballon D’Or, there is added pressure on Neymar to lift ‘Big Ears’ as he will just be a curious spectator at next June’s delayed Euro 2020 finals as Mbappe and Haaland make a case for the accolade and unofficial title of heir apparent to Messi and Ronaldo. The Brazilian’s poor record with injuries and indiscipline was laid bare on Saturday when he was sent off as Paris Saint Germain lost 0-1 to French Ligue One title rivals Lille. Any such petulance is certain to be punished by reigning champions Bayern Munich who cemented their position atop the Bundesliga by dismissing second placed RB Leipzig 1-0.

Champions League action gets underway on Tuesday with record 13-time winners Real Madrid hosting Liverpool at the Edtadio Alfredo di Stefano in a repeat of the 2018 final. Spanish commentators are aghast that Los Blancos captain Sergio Ramos is missing the game through injury because without Ramos Real have won only three out of their last ten tournament encounters. Liverpool warmed up for this European epic by disposing of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal 3-0 with minimum fuss. Kop manager Jurgen Klopp was able to call upon a full compliment of attacking players as Diogo Jota, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Bobby Firmino were all involved.

At the Etihad Stadium, focus will be on Haaland, who has been a subject of intense speculation all week following visits to Madrid and Barcelona along with his father Alfie and agent. Though City coach Pep Guardiola has publicly stated that his side won’t be in the market for a replacement for the soon departing Sergio Aguero, Haaland can force him to change his mind if he improves on his mesmeric record of 20 Champions League goals in only 14 outings. Borussia Dortmund start the matchup as overwhelming underdogs against a City outfit that has won 27 out of its last 28 competitive fixtures.

FIXTURES

Real Madrid v Liverpool,
Manchester City v Dortmund,
FC Porto v Chelsea,
Bayern Munich v Paris Saint Germain

Comments

Tags: Tootop

Related Posts

SPORT

Manchester United come from behind to beat Tottenham at a canter with Mason Greenwood scoring and making a goal to leave Spurs six points outside the Champions League places

April 11, 2021
13
UCC Executive Director Eng. Irene Kaggwa (PHOTO/Javira Ssebwami).
NEWS

Telecoms in record 2020 revenue performance, says latest communications market performance report

April 11, 2021
26
President Museveni and Tanzania's President Samia in Kampala (PHOTO/Courtesy).
NEWS

Uganda, Tanzania sign oil pipeline project agreement

April 11, 2021
57
Charles Twine, the spokesperson of Criminal Investigations Directorate (PHOTO/File)
NEWS

Six policemen, four soldiers arrested over sale of ivory

April 11, 2021
61
Gen Caleb Akandwanaho, alias Salim Saleh speaking to the Bishops on Wednesday (PHOTO/Courtesy).
NEWS

Gen Saleh to ERA: Your irregular black supply killing businesses in Northern Uganda

April 11, 2021
91
Equity Group Holdings has a strong track record of designing products suited to the needs of SMEs as well as emerging corporates (PHOTO/Courtesy).
BUSINESS

Equity Group signs USD100 million loan to support SMEs across Eastern and Central Africa

April 11, 2021
68

Advertisement






 

 

About

The PML Daily, published via www.pmldaily.com is a publication of Post Media Ltd, a professional Digital/New Media company in Uganda.

Follow us

KIU

  • EDITORIAL POLICY
  • ABOUT US

© 2021 PMLDAILY.COM.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • NEWS
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Regional
    • Africa
    • World
  • INVESTIGATIONS
    • National Archives
    • Special Reports
  • OpEd
  • BUSINESS
    • Agriculture
    • Tech
    • Finance
  • FEATURES
    • Health
    • Tours & Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Society
  • COLUMNISTS
    • The Suited Penguin
  • SPORT
  • Jobs
  • Magazines

© 2021 PMLDAILY.COM.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In