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Manchester City matchwinner Riyad Mahrez claimed PSG "lost their nerve and started to kick us" late in Tuesday's Champions League match. 

Mahrez scored on either side of half-time in the semi-final second leg, with his second goal seeing City pull three goals clear on aggregate and all but seal the tie. 

As the clock ticked down and with the tie out of reach PSG made a series of harsh challenges, with Angel Di Maria sent off for kicking out at Fernandinho.

What was said?

"It was a very good game. We didn't start well again - we didn't have a good first half but we got the goal and we were more comfortable," Mahrez told BT Sport.

"We played well second half and we could have scored more. They lost their nerve and started to kick us and after the red card it was more comfortable."

Mahrez's opener came after a brilliant long ball from Ederson started City's move. On the goal, the Algerian said: "Of course Ederson's long pass was planned. We know he is capable of putting the ball in the other goal and we work it all the time and today it worked."

City chasing a treble

With their 4-1 aggregate victory, City have now reached the first Champions League final in their history. 

Having already clinched the Carabao Cup, Pep Guardiola's men can also win the Premier League title should they defeat Chelsea on Saturday.

With two trophies all but secure, City will be aiming for a treble in the Champions League final when they face either Chelsea or Real Madrid on May 29.

"Everybody has to be solid defensively and that's why we [reached the final]," Mahrez added.

"We didn't concede much and I think that's why we're in the final. It's good. We have another game on Saturday. We need to win to be league champions and then we'll concentrate on the Champions League final."

Further reading

Manchester City became the winningest English team ever in a single Champions League season with Tuesday's semi-final second leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

The 2-0 (4-1 on aggregate) result gave them a record 11 wins in the competition this campaign, and their current run of seven consecutive victories has also bested any other English side.

Manager Pep Guardiola broke his semi-final hoodoo in the process, advancing past the last four for the first time since 2010-11, and his men are now in position to claim a treble having already lifted the Carabao Cup and sitting one win away from the Premier League title.

Who have Manchester City beaten?

Manchester City have not lost in the Champions League this season, with their only dropped points coming in a scoreless draw with Porto during the group stage.

These are the record 11 wins they've tallied in the competition, in chronological order:

Winning in style

After a difficult opening 45 minutes in the first leg, Manchester City dominated PSG in all aspects of the subsequent three halves of the tie.

In fact, they held PSG without a shot on target in the second leg, the first time that has happened to the French giants in the Champions League in at least 17 years.

What's next?

City will face either Chelsea or Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 29.

Further reading

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have met with Reds supporters to discuss a potential reconstitution of the club’s board, as well as the fallout from the failed Super League plot.

Billy Hogan, the Reds’ chief executive, spoke with Spirit of Shankly, the Liverpool supporters’ union, on Tuesday, with the initial consultation described as “positive”. A further meeting is expected to be scheduled in the next week, with Liverpool left to consider four detailed proposals from SOS.

FSG had agreed to consult with supporters as they seek to rebuild trust following the club’s role in the doomed Super League project.

John W Henry, the prinicipal owner, was forced to apologise for that after a series of demonstrations outside Anfield and at the Reds’ Premier League game at Leeds, and there is an acceptance within FSG that steps need to be taken to repair relations with fans.

What has been said?

Spirit of Shankly released a statement on Tuesday evening confirming they had met with Hogan and other Liverpool representatives.

The meeting took place at Anfield and is understood to have lasted a little under two hours, with four members of SOS present.

They confirmed that they had requested a reconstitution of Liverpool’s board which would allow for “effective, elected and accountable fan representation” in relation to issues which impact supporters and the Anfield community. 

“This cannot be token representation,” Spirit of Shankly added, “but one that has the ‘golden share’ or veto on the decision-making process. We believe this is desirable, practical and achievable both in the short and long-term.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Chelsea announced that they would allow “three supporter advisors” to attend board meetings to ensure that “general supporter sentiment is considered as part of the club’s decision-making process.” Crucially, however, these advisors would not have any voting rights - something SOS will fight hard for with Liverpool.

What about the European Super League?

With regards to the fallout from the Super League, which has sparked fan protests across the country, Spirit of Shankly confirmed that they have asked for a commitment from FSG that any costs incurred in the “creation of and withdrawal from” the ESL wil be funded solely by the owners and not by the club.

“We note that the Kroenke family have already made this commitment to Arsenal fans,” they added.

SOS confirmed that “these motions were acknowledged, and received, by LFC. They have taken these away for discussion and will respond formally with a further local meeting expected in the coming days.

“This initial consultation was positive, and both parties agreed there is a need for a new structure leading to meaningful and lasting supporter engagement.”

Further reading

Paris Saint-Germain star Leandro Paredes was the recipient of a foul-mouthed insult from referee Bjorn Kuipers during his side's Champions League defeat to Manchester City, his team-mate Ander Herrera claims. 

A double from Riyad Mahrez sent City into their first-ever final at the expense of PSG, who went down 4-1 on aggregate after failing to score at the Etihad Stadium. 

The final minutes saw tempers boil over, with Angel Di Maria seeing red and players from both sides clashing before Kuipers brought proceedings to a close. 

What was said? 

"The referee said 'f*ck off' to Leandro Paredes, if we say that, we are out for four games," Herrera complained to RMC Sport after the final whistle. 

The ex-Manchester United midfielder was joined by Marco Verratti in alleging misconduct on Kuiper's part. 

"He also told me 'f*ck you' a few times," the Italy international added to RMC Sport. 

"If I say 'f*ck you', I am out for 10 games. Of course I talk a lot with the referee, but I never say 'f*ck you.'"

PSG fall short again

The Ligue 1 giants' quest for a first Champions League title will have to wait another year after once more failing to lift the title in 2020-21. 

PSG, who went down in the final last season to Bayern Munich, have changed their coach five times since being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, but Mauricio Pochettino is now the latest man to fall short in the competition the club most desires. 

“I think we were the best team for 70 minutes. We tried everything, when we attacked, we caused them problems," Herrera added. 

"We can leave here with our heads held high. We're sad but it's not easy to be a finalist and to be in the top four teams this season.

“We must not change what we did today. We played well, attacked well, but it is true that there are things that need to be improved. But it's not easy to be a finalist then in the four best teams."

Verratti added: “Of course there is disappointment, because we believed in it. Until the red card, we were in the game. We created a lot of chances, we played a lot better than them. We conceded a goal on their first attempt.

"We fought until the end, we tried everything. It's like that in football. We have been in the last four the last two years, and it's good. I'm sorry, but we'll try again until we die."

Further reading 

Riyad Mahrez has been praised by football fans following his breath-taking performance against Paris Saint-Germain.

The Algeria international was on target twice as Manchester City defeated the Parisians 2-0 to reach their first-ever Champions League after a 4-1 aggregate result.

Having lost the first leg 2-1 at home, Mauricio Pochettino’s men travelled to England with the ambition of overturning their deficit.

However, that ambition faded into thin air as the 30-year-old scored in each half to send the Ligue giants packing.

Excited with his awe-inspiring display, the world has taken to Twitter to sing Mahrez’s praises.  

The 2020-21 Champions League is coming to a close, and attention is now turning towards the competition final.

Goal brings you all you need to know about when it is, as well as how to watch it live on television in the United Kingdom and United States.

Contents

When is the Champions League 2021 final?

The 2021 Champions League final will be played on Saturday May 29. The match will kick-off at 8pm BST (3pm ET).

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Where is the Champions League 2021 final?

The 2021 Champions League final will be the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Ataturk Olympic Stadium was originally set to host the 2020 final, but due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was instead held at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.

The stadium was the venue for the 2005 Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan, in which the Reds staged one of the most memorable Champions League final comebacks of all-time when they overcame a 3-0 deficit after half-time to ultimately win the game.

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Which teams are in the Champions League 2021 final?

Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Chelsea in the Champions League final.

Pep Guardiola's side defeated Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

The make-up of the 2021 showpiece will be confirmed on May 5, when the last of the semi-final matches is completed.

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How to watch or stream Champions League 2021 final

In the UK, the final will be shown live on BT Sport.

In the U.S., the final will be shown live on CBS All Access, and TUDN Deportes.

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Will fans be allowed to attend Champions League 2021 final?

UEFA has lifted their cap on fans attending stadiums and supporters are allowed to travel to the Champions League final.

On October 1 2020, UEFA announced that they would only allow 30 per cent of spectators to attend games.

They have since reversed their decision, but now the responsibility will lie with the Turkish government on how many fans will be allowed to attend, and what supporters need to provide upon entry into the country – e.g. a negative Covid-19 test, or proof of vaccination.

The 2020 final contested between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern was contested behind closed doors to no fans in Lisbon.

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Glasgow City forward Ode Fulutudilu has been nominated for the Scottish Women's Premier League Player of the Month award for April.

The South Africa international was in superb form for her club in the month under review, following her arrival in January 2020.

Fulutudilu scored six goals, including her back-to-back hat-trick against Forfar Farmington and Motherwell for the Broadwood Stadium outfit.

Scott Booth's side started the month with a 3-0 win against Celtic but she only eventually made her debut with a treble in a 7-0 win at Farmington and followed with a treble against Motherwell.

Her back-to-back treble helped Booth's team reclaim top spot on the Scottish women's top-flight table, with a three-point lead.

She has now been shortlisted for the best player award of the month and will battle Brogan Hay (Rangers), Lauren Perry (Forfar Farmington) and Rebecca Galbraith (Spartans) for the accolade.

So far, the 31-year-old has now scored seven goals in three appearances for the club this season, including the winner in their 3-1 triumph over Spartans the last time out early this month. 

To clinch the prize, fans are expected to select a favourite player from the list of nominations until 5pm on 11 May, with the winner to be announced two days later.

The Banyana striker teamed up with her compatriot Janine Van Wyk at Glasgow City in January 2020 from Finnish champions Swedish Damallsvenskan Vaxjo, on a permanent one-year contract.

Fulutudilu will hope to continue her blistering performances for her club in their next outings as they welcome second-placed Rangers in a top-of-the-table encounter on Sunday, May 9.

Riyad Mahrez has equaled Sadio Mane’s Champions League feat following his goal against Paris Saint-Germain.

The Algeria international became the second player to score in both legs of the tournament’s semi-final tie for an English team.

Liverpool’s Mane was the first Premier League player to achieve this after scoring against AS Roma in both legs of their last four fixture.

Consequently, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds qualified for the final where they bowed 3-1 to eventual champions Real Madrid inside Kyiv’s NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium that year.

The Citizens headed into Tuesday’s clash on the back of 2-1 triumph at the Parc des Princes, with Mauricio Pochettino’s men needing a convincing win to scale through.

Despite a strong start at the Etihad Stadium, it was the hosts who took the lead in the 11th minute courtesy of the former Le Havre and Leicester City star.

It started with a wonderful long pass upfield from goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to pick out Oleksandr Zinchenko down the left and he pulled it back for Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgium international’s shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Marquinhos in the middle, but the defender played it straight to Mahrez who drilled it across goal, past Keylor Navas and into the far bottom corner.

That effort saw the 30-year-old overtake Yacine Brahimi to become Algeria’s top scorer in the history of the Champions League with nine goals.

The goal was a reality check for the visiting French team, albeit, their pouring attacks yielded no goals even with their superior ball possession.

At the end of the first-half, it was Guardiola’s men who took a slim lead into the half-time break.

The winner on aggregate will square up against Chelsea or Real Madrid in the final billed for Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

Kaizer Chiefs' poor form in the PSL continued on Tuesday as they recorded a 2-1 defeat to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday.

It was Amakhosi's third defeat in their last five league matches and they are also winless in their last three games in the competition. 

Furthermore, the narrow defeat slowed down Chiefs' hopes of qualifying for next season's MTN8 as they remained ninth on the league standings.

Football fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the encounter which saw Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom receive a first-half red card and his teammate Siyabonga Ngezana conceding a penalty in stoppage time. 

Read how Twitter reacted to Chiefs' narrow defeat: 

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt believes the red card given to Njabulo Blom was the decisive moment of their clash with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) on Tuesday. 

The Soweto giants succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Vhadau Vha Damani in a PSL match which was played at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

Chiefs were dealt a blow when Njabulo Blom was sent off after receiving a red card in the 38th minute and Amakhosi had to play the entire game with 10 players. 

"Yes, I thought we were well in the game obviously until the red-card but we stayed on the front foot, made changes at half-time to stay on the front foot," Hunt told SuperSport TV. 

"Tried to get something to play towards and we did well, we got the goal and if we had a little bit of care upfront sometimes we could have done better.

"We didn't hold it or gave it away cheaply and obviously we got turned over but we were right in the game, obviously they have to come out with extra numbers, overload us." 

The experienced tactician indicated that his charges lacked match toughness to see the game out as they conceded in stoppage time with Thabo Mnyamane scoring TTM's winning goal. 

"But we did well, the changes were right but then that's pretty much how it has been, you got to have the mentality and the game toughness to see it out but obviously you never know sometimes with what went on," he continued. 

"The first goal was the same mistake [to the Bloemfontein Celtic game], pretty much things you can't understand, that's just down to certain things.

"Yes, but I thought we did well to come back in. We could have had a chance to win at the end but they obviously got the bounce of the ball there."

The 56-year-old feels his side deserved more out of the game and he added that they will have to soldier on with the Soweto giants set to face Swallows FC on April 12. 

"That's part and parcel, you can't complain about that but obviously things drop off, due to...you know? Obviously, we missed Blom with his legs, he could give us legs, he's one player that can get across the field and up the field and down," he continued. 

"But we get to see it out, we deserved more out of the game, same as Saturday, you know, yes, it is what it is. Every game is a fight, every game as you can see you know, every game is the same story, anybody can beat anybody in this league.

"We obviously need to have a big look going forward but we'll soldier on." 

The CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores is up and running once more, with the group stage now underway for 2021.

Thirty two teams from across the South American continent have won passage into the first round proper of the competition, either through automatic qualification or by fighting through Libertadores' preliminary rounds.

Both the Argentine and Brazilian clubs have tasted glory in this tournament and will be desperate to make a claim for one of those spots with a strong performance. 

The CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores group stage can be watched through Fanatiz with a 7-day free trial followed by $7.99 a month . 

The streaming platform offers the option to watch each game.

Copa Libertadores Group Stage: Round Three Fixtures

Group positions as of May 3 in (brackets)

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Group H

What has happened so far in the 2021 Copa Libertadores?

The 2021 Copa Libertadores began less than a month after the 2020 edition came to an end with Palmeiras' narrow victory over Santos in the final, due to delays in its playing caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

On February 23 Uruguay's Liverpool met Catolica of Ecuador in the opening match of the first preliminary phase, officially kicking off the new tournament. 

Watch now with Fanatiz English

By March eight teams remained in the opening stage, hoping to join the 24 sides who had earned qualification automatically for the group stages based on their performances in domestic competition across the continent. 

One of the most stunning results came for Independiente del Valle, who followed up their 2-1 defeat of mighty Gremio in Quito with an identical scoreline in the return leg in Porto Alegre, taking them through to the first round at the Brazilians' expense. 

Colombian duo Atletico Nacional and Junior and beaten 2020 finalists Santos also progressed from the final qualifying phase, eliminating Libertad, Bolivar and San Lorenzo respectively. The beaten four teams thus entered the first group stage in the remodelled Copa Sudamericana.

The first round of group fixtures did not disappoint, with a string of surprising results. 

Santos came unstuck at home to Ecuador's Barcelona while Always Ready, playing the Libertadores for the first time in 54 years, downed Internacional in La Paz. Boca Juniors, meanwhile, fared rather better in the Bolivian capital, beating The Strongest to mark their first win in the city since 1970. 

There was further disappointment for Santos in week two as they went down to Boca, but generally Brazil's contingent has made a strong start to the competition. 

Sao Paulo, Flamengo and Palmeiras all lead their groups with maximum points and Inter - who recovered to beat Deportivo Tachira last week - are also top in Group B, while Fluminense and Atletico Mineiro retain their unbeaten records after two rounds.

Watch the Copa Libertadores live on Fanatiz. Sign up for a free trial now followed by $7.99 a month

Wakiso Giants have made it to the Uganda Cup quarter-finals after drawing 2-2 with Tooro United away at Buhinga Stadium to advance on a 7-3 aggregate score.

Eric Akolo and Oshaba Marvin scored for the hosts with Joshua Lubwama and Viane Ssekajjugo replying for the visitors. 

Having won the first leg 5-1, the Purple Sharks were halfway into the last eight and it explains why they started the game casually. Tooro wanted to prove to a handful of fans that the first leg loss was just out of bad luck, and they showed it by having a strong start.

However, neither of the two teams managed to get a goal in the first half.

A minute after the break, Akol punished the Sharks for a slow start to put a smile on his teammates and technical bench.

The goal was cancelled in the 63rd minute when Lubwama was let loose in the danger zone and he punished the defenders by shooting past the custodian.

It seemed Tooro would win it when Wakiso conceded a penalty with five minutes to go and Oshaba rose for the occasion, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. 

But with seconds to go, Ssekajjugo broke the hearts of the home team's supporters with an equalizer. 

Ugandan Premier League leaders Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) FC crashed out of the annual competition after being held to a goalless draw by Express FC.

The Red Eagles had won 2-1 at the Muteesa II Wankulukuku Stadium in the first leg, and the Tax Collectors needed at least a 1-0 win to make it to the last eight.

The league leaders have, in the past four meetings, failed to defeat Express and coach Sam Ssimbwa was hoping to break the jinx. However, no goal was coming forth and the hosts made it to the last eight.

SC Villa also made it to the next round despite being held to a goalless draw by Onduparaka.

The Jogoo had won the last meeting at the Green Light Stadium by a solitary goal and they jealously guarded their advantage to progress.

The overall winner will represent Uganda in the Caf Confederation Cup next season.

Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Andres Villas-Boas will make his debut in the World Rally Championship after entering the Portugal leg of the competition. 

Villas Boas, 43, has been out of work since February when he parted company with Marseille in stormy circumstances.

And he is taking the opportunity to pursue a different sporting interest, as he prepares to pilot a Citroen C3 in his home nation. 

Andres behind the wheel

Villas Boas has a long-standing affinity with motorsports, especially in their off-road variety. 

In 2018 the Portuguese manager made his debut in the famed Dakar Rally at the wheel of a Toyota Hilux, although that experience ended on a low note. 

He was forced to withdraw in the fourth stage in Peru after sustaining minor back injuries, telling BBC Sport: "Nothing [was] broken, which was the main worry.

"Unfortunately I can't continue but it's part of the Dakar."

Villas Boas went on to participate in a charity rally at the start of 2021, but this will be his first taste of elite competition. 

He will compete in the WRC3 category, the third tier of the championship for privateer cars.

The bigger picture

Jose Mourinho's former assistant at Porto has experienced mixed fortunes since taking on his first job as head coach with Academica at just 32. 

He has lifted titles in both Portugal and Russia, with Porto and Zenit respectively, but struggled to impress during two stints in the Premier League with Chelsea and Tottenham. 

His most recent job in France turned sour at the start of the year when he publicly offered his resignation in a press conference due to a disagreement with the board over the signing of Olivier Ntcham. 

Marseille responded by sacking their coach, with ex-Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli coming in to replace him. 

Further reading 

Tottenham star Harry Kane has picked his 2016 north London derby strike against Arsenal as the best of his first 150 Premier League goals.

Kane reached the 150-goal milestone with a header against West Brom in November 2020, and has since gone on to increase his tally to 164.

For the England international, his curler against the Gunners in a 2-2 draw stands out above all the rest.

What was said?

"We had just scored the equaliser," Kane recalled in an interview with the Premier League's official website. "The crowd were on their feet. The atmosphere was electric. To score that was unbelievable. One of my best goals technically and the moment was really special."

Kane also recalled his first Premier League goal, which came in April 2014 against Sunderland.

"It was my first start against Sunderland at White Hart Lane," he said. "I think it was a Monday night game. I was so excited to start and I remember Christian Eriksen cutting in from the left and whipped a nice ball in. It fell to me and I just poked it in.

"That was a huge moment for me – a dream come true to score in the Premier League."

Records in sight for Kane

Kane is seventh on the Premier League's all-time top scorers list, 11 goals behind Thierry Henry in sixth place. 

The Spurs star could eventually challenge Alan Shearer at the top of that list, with the former Newcastle and Blackburn star tallying 260 goals in the Premier League.

Kane has averaged 24 Premier League goals per season over his past five full seasons. Should he keep up that pace, he would be closing in on Shearer after four more seasons.

With 34 international goals, Kane is also continuing to chase down Wayne Rooney's all-time England record of 53.

Further reading

A group of Manchester United fans have called on supporters to boycott the club’s commercial partners in protest over the Glazer ownership.

A large group of fans protested at Old Trafford and the Lowry Hotel, where the team were based ahead of the Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday, which resulted in the game being called off.

Now, a group have published an open letter to the club’s commercial partners, of which United have 23, asking them to cut their ties with the Glazer family and warning that fans will no longer be using their services and products.

What was said?

A letter addressed to the club’s commercial partners outlined the debt the Glazer ownership had brought to United, and highlighted that the money they pay to the club is not, in their view, going towards investment.

“Your sponsorship money will be used for debt servicing and dividends. Supporting the Glazers does not support the club. It sustains a parasitical relationship,” the letter said.

“The Glazers engorge on commercial revenue, you exploit the fanbase to access global markets, and fans are left desperate as the club weighed down by debt is unable to marshal its own resources to compete where it should. Supporting the Glazers is therefore an attack on Manchester United Football Club.

“To that end, Manchester United fans will boycott your products, seek to tarnish your brands and support your competitors until you terminate your commercial partnership with the Glazer family.

“United fans have sought every possible avenue since the takeover to improve the situation: from peaceful protesting and open letters, to fan-led share purchase initiatives and consortium bids.

“The Glazers have ignored every attempt. Even after promising to ‘rebuild trust with fans’, Joel Glazer declined to participate in a Fans Forum last week. Desperate, we have been left with no other alternative but to attack what the Glazer family are reliant on: commercial revenue and brand reputation.

“Until then, if you are complicit with the Glazers, you are complicit in the attack of Manchester United Football Club as well as the attempted murder of English football.”

Who are Manchester United’s commercial partners?

According to the club’s website, they have 23 commercial partners ranging from Adidas to Cadbury and Remington.

What next?

This letter is just the next step of the fans’ protests as they look to persuade the Glazer family to sell.

Goal understands fans are planning another protest at the ground ahead of the rescheduled Liverpool fixture which seems likely to be played on the weekend of May 15.

Manchester United are working with the Football Association, the Premier League, Greater Manchester Police and local safety authorities to establish what went wrong at Sunday’s protest and how fans managed to access the inside of the stadium.

GMP have said one man has been charged, confirming in a statement: "Michael Anthony James Cusker of Winstanley Road, Manchester has been charged with throwing fireworks in a street, use of threatening behaviour and wilful obstruction of the highway.

"He has been bailed ahead of a court appearance at Manchester Magistrates Court on 25 May 2021."

The club have pledged to issue their own sanctions to anyone they identify as having engaged in violent behaviour or criminal damage. It is understood that does not necessarily mean all of the fans who accessed the pitch.

Futher reading

This week, African Football HQ are celebrating some of the outstanding African performances in the semi-final of the Champions League.

Some of the continent’s biggest stars have written legacy-defining chapters in their careers at this stage of the European Cup, with the likes of John Obi Mikel, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Michael Essien all excelling in the final four.

Samuel Eto’o is a little different, having stolen the show in two Champions League finals.

Indeed, he had already won the title in 2006 and 2009 before Internazionale’s semi-final against Barcelona in 2010, but it still turned out to be one of the most iconic performances of the forward’s career.

Up against Barca, the club who had sold him at the beginning of the season, Eto’o certainly had a point to prove.

He had won the treble under Pep Guardiola, but was still discarded as the Catalan giants recruited Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Internazionale in an attempt to give themselves another dimension going forward.

Eto’o would have the last laugh, as Inter downed Barca in the 2010 semi-final before going on to defeat Bayern Munich in the final.

It would be the striker’s third UCL victory—no African player has more—and he would also win yet another treble at Inter, replicating the success he’d enjoyed the season beforehand with Barcelona.

Known as a lethal goalscorer, Eto’o’s performance in the semi-final was something very different, as the striker adapted to Jose Mourinho’s tactical approach—a strategy that sought to stymie and neutralise Barca—for the greater good of the team.

It was a self-sacrificial display, as the striker put his ego to one side to focus on preventing Guardiola’s side from playing, writing another chapter in his legacy with a disciplined and committed display the kind of which we hadn’t seen from the Central African.

Having won the first leg 3-1 in Italy, Inter would only fall to a 1-0 defeat in Spain, holding their nerve—and demonstrating their mettle—to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

For Ed Dove, it is one of the most memorable African performances in the semi-final of the Champions League, with Eto’o’s modified role against the club who had discarded him representing a fascinating subplot in a genuine UCL classic.