Champions League Group Six: The Latest Standings, Drama, and Controversy

2023-11-08 22:02:15

City is moving confidently to retain the title…and the competition between the quartet of the “Death” group is heating up.

As everyone expected before the start of the Champions League competitions, that the sixth group would be fiery and volatile. The results following 4 rounds proved that the four teams, Borussia Dortmund of Germany, Paris Saint-Germain of France, Milan of Italy and Newcastle of England, still have the chance to qualify for the final 16, in a short time. In it, Manchester City of England, the defending champion, took confident steps, as it qualified early for the second round with full marks.

The results of the fourth round of Group Six turned the tables, as Milan achieved its first victory 2-1 at the expense of Saint-Germain, and avenged its loss two weeks ago in the first leg in Paris by 3-0, and Dortmund jumped to the lead following renewing its victory over Newcastle 2-0. Dortmund has 7 points, Saint-Germain 6 points, compared to 5 for Milan and 4 for Newcastle.

Milan fans invented a paper currency with a picture of Donnarumma, describing him as a mercenary (AFP)

The next round will be almost decisive, as Milan will host Dortmund on November 28, while Newcastle will visit Saint-Germain.

What increased the heat of the group was the ignition of the competition in the stands as well, and the hero this time was the Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Milan goalkeeper. Donnarumma was fully aware that he would be subjected to a hostile reception from Milan fans upon his return to the San Siro Stadium, but he did not expect it to come to the invention of a coin with his image and the word “mercenary” on it, and calling it “Dollaroma.”

Italian goalkeeper Donnarumma left his childhood team, Milan, in 2021 on a free transfer, following he refused to extend the contract due to his financial demands. He also did not want to leave before the end of his contract, which caused his club to lose millions, which allowed him to play with the first team when he was only 16 years old.

Donnarumma was forced to remove the banknotes himself from his goal, before the start of the confrontation between Saint-Germain and Milan, but his success in cleaning the goal area of ​​the banknotes did not prevent his net from shaking and losing.

Although Saint-Germain advanced with a goal by defender Milan Shkriniar, Portuguese winger Rafael Leao equalized for Milan with a back kick once morest Donnarumma, before veteran French striker Olivier Giroud scored a 2-1 victory for the hosts in the second half.

If Milan fans threw fake bills at Donnarumma, many Borussia Dortmund fans did the same, along with fake gold bars, to protest something else entirely: European Union (UEFA) plans to change and modify the format of the Champions League.

Dortmund fans wrote a banner with the word: “You don’t care regarding sports… You care regarding money.”

The fans added: “It is regarding your desire to have the fan in front of the screen and increase the number of matches that can be broadcast on the screens. The result will be greater revenues from television broadcasting, and thus more money for federations and clubs, at the expense of players, fans and local competitions.”

Donnarumma cleans the stadium of paper money, but does not keep his net clean (A B A) cut out

UEFA wants to increase the number of clubs participating in the Champions League in order to increase its revenues, and it will have to change the format of the continental tournament by establishing groups of one round, and with a complex system compared to the smooth system that is famous for the continental competition and most football competitions around the world. According to UEFA’s announcement of the new format, the group stage will change starting from the 2024-2025 season, and will witness the participation of 36 teams, instead of 32 at the present time, and the competitions will be held with each team playing 8 matches with 8 different teams in one round.

In the seventh group, three days following an ankle injury raised doubts regarding the ability of Norwegian Erling Haaland, Manchester City striker, to participate once morest Swiss Young Boys, the player presented another wonderful performance and scored two goals from a hat-trick on his way to breaking another record.

Haaland has now scored 39 goals in the Champions League in 34 matches, and is preparing to break the record for the fewest number of matches played by a player to reach 40 goals, held by Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy (45 matches).

Although he was Europe’s top scorer last season, Haaland finished behind Argentine Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or for best player.

In response to a question regarding whether the striker is performing this season that qualifies him to win the prestigious international award next year, City coach Josep Guardiola said: “If he succeeds with his teammates in winning titles, there will be a great chance for that.” “If we don’t, he won’t win it.”

City strengthened its lead with the full score (12 points), three points ahead of Leipzig, which in turn ensured its qualification to the final 16 for the second time in a row and the fourth in its history by defeating its host, Serbian Red Star, 2-1.

Haaland’s first goal came from a penalty kick, while Guardiola described his second goal, which came with a missile shot with his left foot from 20 meters, as “amazing.”

The Spanish coach said: “Erling scores goals from inside and outside the area. He has this talent, and this is not the first time he has done so. “It was a wonderful goal.”

Guardiola pointed out, “Haaland got the green light to play following the last training session. He was moving, happy and comfortable, so he participated in the match.” We completed the mission successfully and he will rest until next Sunday. The mission is not over yet. We have to take the lead in the group.”

In a match held at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg (Germany), where Ukrainian Shakhtar Donetsk was playing its home matches due to the Russian invasion of its country, Barcelona needed to achieve its fourth victory in a row in order to guarantee its ticket to the final 16, but Shakhtar surprised it in a match in which it did not perform. Xavi Hernandez’s men are nothing, which made the Ukrainian team deserve the three points thanks to the goal scored by Danilo Secan with a header in the 40th minute.

Xavi said: “We played a bad match. We must admit that. After two years without qualifying for the final 16, we missed the opportunity.”

He continued: “The defeat came at a completely inappropriate time. There are a lot of expectations (surrounding the team). “I believe there was no room for failure, and we failed.”

Xavi’s team’s tally froze at 9 points in the lead, with only a goal difference over its next opponent, Porto II, which in turn beat the last Belgian team, Antwerp (without points), with a goal scored by Brazilian Evanilson (32 from a penalty kick), while Shakhtar’s tally now also stands at 6, reviving its hopes in the tournament. Competition to qualify.

Shakhtar player Sekan celebrates scoring the winning goal once morest Barcelona (AP) cut out

Croatian Marino Bočić, Shakhtar’s coach, praised his team’s victory, describing it as “just the beginning” and an important step forward for Ukrainian football. The Ukrainian team has not been able to play at its home stadium, Donbass Arena, in Donetsk, which is now occupied by Russia, since 2014.

“It’s very beautiful, not just for me,” Bocic said. “But to my players and all the people at the club who worked hard to help me achieve this achievement.”

He added: “Unfortunately, because of the situation in the country, you can call this a home match, but for us it is not, because you have to endure the hardship of traveling and sometimes we need an extra day or two to recover, of course.”

He continued: “It is not that easy… It is also important that Ukrainian football represents the country in Europe as we did.”

Even if Shakhtar fails to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League, finishing third in the group will give them a ticket to the Europa League; Where he can face some of the big names in the old continent, including Liverpool, England, and Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Bočić said in this regard: “If we qualify for the round of 16, it will be a wonderful thing.” If we cannot, then staying in Europe will also be a great achievement. Indeed, it will be an amazing achievement for this club in light of the circumstances it is experiencing.” Georgi Sudakov, who was chosen as the best player in the match, revealed that Bočić whispered in his ear following the match, saying: “Trust me, this is just the beginning.” Barcelona had won the first match between the two teams last month 2-1 at its stadium in the Catalan capital, but this time Bočić’s team defeated the defending Spanish League champions last season, who shot one ball on goal. Shakhtar forced Barcelona’s German international goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, to make many dangerous saves. Milan fans greet Saint-Germain goalkeeper Donnarumma with booing whistles and throw paper coins at him with his picture and the word “mercenary” on them.

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