Category sport-news

After Chelsea’s superstar scored a stunning solo Champions League goal against Barcelona, Enzo Maresca downed comparisons to Lionel Messi on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old Brazilian won their third game of the competition’s five matches against Lamine Yamal, the London club winning with a dominant win over the teenage prodigies.

Ten minutes after half-time, Estevao received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and launching it into Joan Garcia’s net’s roof.

Just months into his debut at Stamford Bridge, the winger scored his 10th goal of the season for the club and country.

Jules Kounde’s own goal and substitute Liam Delap’s late strike gave Chelsea the lead.

Estevao captivates Chelsea’s 10-Man Barcelona Fold with his stunning performance.

Late in the second half, when captain Ronald Araujo was shown a second yellow card, the Spanish side was reduced to 10 men.

When asked if Estevao’s strike resembled Messi’s of the Argentine great, Chelsea boss Maresca responded that it was a strike that the forward had scored for Palmeiras before the Club World Cup in July.

Maresca tried to relieve his young player’s workload, and he quickly became a favorite among fans, claiming he needed to “relax” and enjoy his game.

If you start talking about Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, you might as well say, “Him, Lamine, they are so young, at age 18, and I think it’s too much pressure for young boys to like them.”

Eighteen, they must enjoy and be content when they arrive at the training facility. But I believe it’s too much for them when you start to compare them to Messi or Ronaldo.

Estevao praised the “best moment” of his career thus far, calling it “the best moment” of his career on Tuesday as he was serenaded by Chelsea’s supporters.

He told Amazon Prime, “I don’t really have any words to sum up how I’m feeling right now.” The night was truly perfect. I’m just thankful for everything that has happened to me, God.

He continued, “I felt such a connection with the fans from the moment I arrived here.”

“I’m just so happy that I can win their hearts and make them happy,” she said. I want to keep them content and help them get more goals.

Despite his incredible form, Maresca claimed that playing Estevao would not put him under additional pressure.

He said, “Tonight, we decided to play with Estevao,” which is probably the most challenging game of the season.

“I don’t allow players to play minutes because I’m not a manager,” he said. The game plan alone determines the first eleven, not the last eleven.

In the opening game of Day 1, COAS Shooters earned a stunning 26-26 draw against defending men’s champions Tojemarine Handball Club in the headline match of Day 1. The 2025 Ardova Handball Premier League Phase 2 kicked off spectacularly on Tuesday at the Rowe Park Sports Centre in Yaba, Lagos.

In a tense, end-to-end battle that kept fans on their toes, Tojemarine, the champions of last season, were forced to dig deep against second-placed COAS Shooters in an intense, end-to-end encounter that lived up to expectations.

Safety Shooters, the league’s leaders, won the match 25-15 over Osun United in other men’s matches, continuing their impressive run.

Niger United recovered from a slow start to defeat Lagos Seasiders 28-21 while Rima Strikers defeated Benue Buffaloes 36-16. De Defenders’ 34–27 victory over Correction Boys was another impressive performance.

Safety Babes, the reigning champions in the women’s division, led the way with a dominant 40-27 victory over Rivers Queens to begin their quest for a fifth straight league title.

READ MORE: Guardiola Gamble’s backfires as Man City’s fall to Leverkusen

In a tense thriller, Imo Grasshoppers defeated Rima Queens 28-27, while Omo Ogiefo Academy won the game’s surprise with a 26-24 victory over Plateau Peacocks. Defender Babes defeated Ekiti Queens 35-26 to win the game.

Ardova Handball Premier League 2025
Results for Day 1 (Men)

Safety Shooters from Osun United 25 to 15
Rima Strikers 16-36 by Benue Buffaloes
Niger United 21-28 Seasiders
De Defenders 34-27 Correction Boys
Tojemarine Shooters 26-26 COAS

With a stunning solo Champions League goal against Lamine Yamal, Chelsea defeated 10-man Barcelona 3-0 on Tuesday in a close encounter with Estevao.

In the run-up to the game at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca urged his players to ignore the comparisons, with the two 18-year-olds receiving the most attention.

Ten minutes after half-time, Estevao received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and launching it into Joan Garcia’s net’s roof.

In his first season at Chelsea, the winger scored 10 goals overall for both clubs and communities.

In the 73rd minute, substitute Liam Delap sidefooted home from close range to put Barcelona, who were already 1-0 up and down to 10 men, on top of the standings.

READ MORE: Guardiola Gamble’s backfires as Man City’s fall to Leverkusen

Delap’s goal was initially for offside, but VAR overruled the on-field officials.

Chelsea, a two-time European champion, were just rewarded for their superiority from the beginning against a pitiful Barcelona side.

The action had already slowed down.

In the fourth minute, Enzo Fernandez bundled the ball into the net only to have Wesley Fofana’s handball cause the goal to be ruled out.

When Robert Sanchez was the only one to beat, Ferran Torres skewed wide to the left and scored in the opposite direction two minutes later, it appeared certain to score at the other end.

  Upped the tempo

Then the pace was raised once more before Chelsea resumed play.

Fernandez once more had the ball in the net, but this time it was for offside, and Pedro Neto blazed over the bar just as the ball was being blocked.

However, following a short-corner routine, the home side’s pressure finally paid off in the 27th minute.

Barcelona eventually broke up the game, with Jules Kounde sending the ball home for an own goal as Barcelona eventually fought back.

Ronald Araujo, the Barcelona captain, was sent off for a second time just before half-time for a poor challenge on Marc Cucurella.

While Barcelona, a five-time champions league champion, provided little in the second half despite Chelsea’s continued intensity and were well rewarded with the goals from Estevao and Delap.

After Estevao scored late in the game, the Stamford Bridge fans mocked the ineffective Yamal and made fun of him.

After two years away, Maresca’s men, who are now back in the Champions League, have now won three of their first five games to give themselves a fighting chance to finish in the top eight.

That would automatically grant the last 16 automatic qualification.

The Premier League side is also gaining steam ahead of Sunday’s home game against leaders Arsenal, which is second.

In the Champions League on Tuesday, Pep Guardiola’s selection choice flopped as Manchester City fell to Bayer Leverkusen with a shock 2-0 defeat.

Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Gianluigi Donnarumma were all cut out of the starting lineup, despite Guardiola’s surprise resting of the majority of his stars at the Etihad Stadium.

Leverkusen capitalized on Guardiola’s understudy’s poor performance in the first half when Alex Grimaldo gave the Germans the lead before Patrik Schick netted after the break to stoke unsatisfaction from City fans at the final whistle.

City were defeated at home in the Champions League prior to the knockout stages for the first time in 24 games dating back in 2018.

After falling to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday with a score of 2-1, City suffered a second straight defeat.

This season, City are now seven points clear of Arsenal’s leaders after losing four of their matches in the Premier League.

Guardiola’s team’s first Champions League defeat in five games should not have helped them advance to the last 16, but they will have learned from the fact that Guardiola’s reserves aren’t quite as formidable as he would have liked.

Guardiola’s 100th Champions League game as City boss was a weary squib, in stark contrast to the previous 99, which included 62 victories and the club’s first European crown in 2023.

After the contentious defeat at Newcastle, Guardiola claimed that he was “embarrassed and ashamed” after the cameraman’s on-screen altercation.

After this shoddy surrender, his players should be punished in the same way.

For the previous three games, Guardiola had chosen the same lineup, but with ten changes, that unusually consistent selection policy was voided.

Guardiola’s decision may have been influenced by the fact that City will play two games per week for the majority of December, including a trip to Real Madrid for their upcoming Champions League game.

  City flaws

When the defender took Oscar Bobb’s pass from a half-cleared corner and fired a close-range effort that was forced to tip over Mark Flekken, it almost gave City the lead after five minutes.

However, City lacked a killer instinct and paid for a poor piece of defending in the 23rd minute despite having the upper hand.

Grimaldo finished with a flourish as he lashed a low drive past James Trafford from 12 yards, but Malik Tillman and Christian Kofane had more time and space to play.

Guardiola appeared particularly irritated by Abdukodir Khusanov’s leaden-footed attempt to close down Grimaldo before the goal, who rubbed his head in frustration on the touchline.

City had lost to City for the first time this season in the Champions League, and the result was unfavorable.

Omar Marmoush struggled to make up for Haaland, but Bobb nearly won the match with a deflected cross that Flekken blocked with his leg.

On the eve of half-time, Tijjani Reijnders should have brought City level, but after bursting into the area, he fired straight at Flekken.

At the interval, Guardiola sent Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, and Nico O’Reilly on.

A long-range strike that tested Flekken threatened an immediate impact from O’Reilly.

However, in the 54th minute, City’s weaknesses in their revamped defense were once more exposed.

Schick stubbed his way across the culpable Ake and curled an inswinging cross into the far corner.

After Marmoush’s valiant appeal for a penalty, Guardiola finally introduced Haaland after Marmoush failed to convert a good chance to reduce the deficit.

However, after missing a number of important chances in Newcastle, Haaland again drew a blank and fluffed his lines with a poor finishing that gave Flekken the opportunity to save when he should have.

Xabi Alonso, the coach of Real Madrid, said on Tuesday that he must be aware of the media’s rumors about his future while in charge.

Los Blancos have lost all three of their previous three games, with reports that some players are unsatisfied with Alonso’s management.

Alonso, who played for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2014, said he was inspired by some of his former coaches, including Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.

Alonso said in a press conference ahead of his team’s Champions League clash against Olympiacos on Wednesday that it is “demanding.” “I’m not the first coach to have to deal with these kinds of situations,” he added.

“I think a lot about how Carlo or Mou handled it as coaches under whom I was playing.” Because these are not recent events, (Manuel) Pellegrini did this in his day.

READ MORE: Real Madrid Loses Points In Rayo Draw.

We are not happy with the last few games, but you have to know how to live with it and have the drive and self-criticism required as well.

Madrid finished seventh in the league phase table the previous week, but Liverpool did it at Anfield in their final European game.

They won Alonso’s first Clasico in La Liga against Barcelona in October, but they lost to Rayo Vallecano and Elche in their previous two matches.

Despite their recent form, Madrid is just one point ahead of Barcelona, the champions of last season.

Alonso took over from Ancelotti in the summer, despite the Basque coach’ apparent lack of team unity.

Vinicius Junior expressed his frustration with Alonso’s choice of him over Barcelona, while Fede Valverde objected to the coach’s frequent use of him at right-back.

Alonso said, “I have had to live with a lot of great players and big personalities who are demanding, knowledgeable, and always seek the best.”

They react in these ways, but they are normal, which makes them successful.

When Paris Saint-Germain take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Wednesday, BALLON d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele might make his most recent comeback since a season-long injury thrash.

On the eve of the game in the French capital, coach Luis Enrique declared to reporters, “We will see tomorrow, but if he has no problems, then he will be in the squad.”

Dembele, 28, recently won the Ballon d’Or for his outstanding performances last year, but due to various health issues, he has only started five games for PSG this campaign.

His previous appearance was in the reigning European champions’ 2-1 home loss to Bayern Munich three weeks ago, when he only played 25 minutes before suffering a calf problem.

Also read: Dembele Set For PSG Return After Six Weeks Out,

With Ousmane, it will be even more careful than usual when a player recovers from injury, according to Luis Enrique.

Prior to the meeting with Spurs, PSG, who won their first three appearances in the elite club competition in Europe this year before losing to Bayern, are without star duo Desire Doue and African footballer of the year Achraf Hakimi.

Spurs are a point further back in 10th place overall, while the Parisians are fifth overall in the 36-team standings. The top eight at the end of the league stage advance to the last 16, with the top 16 teams joining them in a play-off round.

The clubs will meet for the second time this season; they previously squared off in the UEFA Super Cup in August when PSG rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 before winning on penalties.