Kosovar champions KF Drita have forfeited their Champions League preliminary round tie against Northern Irish club Linfield after two players tested positive for Covid-19, UEFA said on Wednesday.
Drita were due to play the tie in the Swiss lakeside town of Nyon on Tuesday but local health authorities ordered the entire squad to be quarantined following the tests.
LISBON — It is arguably the biggest sports event of this COVID-infected year — eight of Europe's top teams in a knockout tournament over 12 days in the Portuguese capital, with the Champions League winner to be crowned at the final on Aug. 23.
But while millions will tune in around the globe, if you walk the streets of Lisbon, you could be forgiven for being unaware that any of this is about to happen.
There are no event welcome signs at the airport and none of the usual associated marketing or football-related advertising.
Atlético Madrid's fears of further disruption to their trip to the Champions League 'Final Eight' tournament in Lisbon have been eased after the rest of the squad tested negative for COVID-19, following two positives the previous day.
The club's morning training session was postponed due to the positive cases and their plans to travel to Lison were put on hold, but the club said in a statement they would have one final session before flying out on Tuesday, a day later than planned.
Julian Nagelsmann is the youngest head coach to take a team to the Champions League quarterfinals but any suggestion he or his RB Leipzig players will be out of their depth against Atletico Madrid should be quickly dismissed.
The 33-year-old will take the German upstarts into new territory on Thursday and admits a meeting with Atletico counterpart Diego Simeone will be a tough proposition.
Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Napoli on Saturday was a throwback to Barça’s more controlled days with Ivan Rakitić deputizing smartly for the suspended Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong going from strength to strength in midfield.
Napoli couldn’t get close to the 23-year-old Dutch maestro, who hardly put a foot wrong while completing 94% of his passes in the attacking third and going three-for-three in take-ons. He also had a would-be assist contemptuously chalked off after the ball grazed Lionel Messi’s upper arm.
There was barely time for the full inquest into Juventus' exit from the Champions League to even begin before the club delivered their own blunt verdict — sacking their coach Maurizio Sarri.
After six months between the first and second legs, Barcelona took care of business against Napoli on Saturday by winning 3-1 (4-2 on aggregate) to clinch a 13th-straight Champions League quarterfinal appearance.
Lionel Messi led Barcelona, of course, shining even with a sea of defenders harassing him throughout the match. The GOAT had the goal of the game after driving through five defenders and clipping one right by Napoli keeper David Ospina. Messi has now scored against 38 different UCL opponents.
Robert Lewandowski struck twice as Bayern Munich cruised past Chelsea 4-1 on Saturday to reach the Champions League quarterfinals with a 7-1 aggregate victory and remain on course for a treble of titles.
The Bavarians, who won the domestic league and cup double, quickly killed off the tie with a ninth-minute Lewandowski penalty, after having won 3-0 in London in the first leg in February.
Serie A champions Juventus stunned Italian football on Saturday by naming World Cup-winning midfielder Andrea Pirlo as manager on a two-year contract even though their former player has no previous experience in the role.
Pirlo, 41, was promoted to the senior job one week after being named coach of Juve's under-23 side, who play in the Italian third tier, and without having taken charge of a match. The decision came hours after the Turin club sacked coach Maurizio Sarri following their Champions League last-16 exit to Lyon on away goals on Friday.
Barcelona’s path to the Champions League quarterfinals looks assured after Lionel Messi put his side up 3-1 on aggregate over Napoli by conjuring a goal from the seat of his pants.
After beating three defenders in Napoli’s area, the chance looked over after Messi lost his balance and was sent tumbling to the floor. However, the 33-year-old brushed the dirt up off his psyche and finished beyond David Ospina while falling over for a second time.
Oh. My. Messi.