₦airaland Forum

treesun:
https://dailytrust.com/breaking-2024-budget-will-be-extended-to-june-2025-akpabio/

Budget of $30⁹(billion). Waoh!!!!!

Bannedlargejr:
Nah broski FIFA awards is subordinate to the balon d’or in footballers eyes.

Bhuahahahahaha! Do you mean FIFA is subordinate to UEFA?

Chinonye2022:
confused fans lol 😁 when messi was winning it u said it has lost credibility

Because it was merged together then but now separated. FIFA award remains the ultimate. The same way FIFA world cup is bigger than Europe cup.

JohnBullMySon:
Vini jr is FIFA the best men’s player 2024

Meaning, he is the best player in the world.

Goke7:
Really? That inter Milan lineup of those days? haba fear God o. Napoli was only a big threat in the days of Maradona. I followed serie A well in the late nineties and early 2000s Napoli was not on our lips like Juve, Milan, Sampdoria and co.

We have forgotten how difficult it started becoming for Nigerian players to be signed by the big clubs in Europe.

Inter Milan last won a trophy in Seria A in the 90s before they smelled trophy in 2004.

Maybe you have forgotten.

zicky:
He could have.... 🤔 But he didn't.
See Martins even when he was introduced last nite as Nigeria, I just laff, say who make this one Nigeria legend. Same thing people will say about Boniface in years to come if he do not improve.

Because he was deliberately kicked out of the national team despite his form at Laliga and MLS.

Nigeria's Legend!!!!? I don't think so. Perhaps, Inter Milan, Newcastle, Birmingham city legend.

Goke7:
You’re very right including victor Moses but yaya toure was just too much in that era.

Salah with his crazy form now might just be the challenge for Lookman now. Mourinho some months ago said Salah and osihmen are African’s current best, he may have to update his info now with Lookman, such is life o!

Mourinho already knew Lookman when he was Roma coach.

Infact, he requested the scout to get him but the scout doubted Lookman's ability hence the decision not to buy him.

Goke7:
Boniface sin is national team performance and I I get that like you said he still has some time hoping he makes use of it but professional wise he’s had an outstanding career. Oba goal on the other hand got us no where in the national team if we are being honest too.

Without one legged Obagoal, we for no go smell World cup in South Africa. He came on despite limping and he got us the goal that qualified us to the world cup.

Blame the National team coach that kept benching for some players. Although, Yakubu na baba ooo.

Nevertheless, Martins has 2 bronze medals in AFON.

He could have won in 2013 when he was at his peak but late Stephen Keshi with his bias selection dropped him from the team.

Goke7:
Una go explain tire, what you folks are not observing is that the current crop of Nigerian players are taking clubs that are not in the elite category of European clubs to the highest levels of accomplishments e.g. osihmen with Napoli, Ademola with Atalanta, boniface with leverkusen, even an Aina with notts is currently 4th in the epl can you beat that? It tells you the impact of these guys in teams with no big players but still pushing them to the summit of the game. And that’s the outcome we are seeing with these awards. No sentiments it’s what it is.

Inter Milan was not different from Napoli, Atalanta, Nottingham forest and Leverkusun when Martins won the Seria A with Inter Milan.

Even Martins won League cup with lowly
Birmingham City

So, don't be confused. So, give honor ro whom honour is due.

Goke7:
Story! That Boniface has 3 trophies already and was europa cup top scorer for 2022-23 season

Martins won 8 trophies including UEFA intertoto competition across top European leagues. Are you aware?

Let us not talk about his exploit in MLS and China where Messi dey use collect Ballon'dOr. This is reality not story.

Goke7:
Omo so we were in the wilderness for twenty four good years. Later some folks will come and tell us the likes of Obafemi martins(who I like o) are far better than the current crop of players we are now having. aah we don try no be small

Martins won CAF promising young player of the year twice. We know injury regressed his career

Ibime:
All Tuchel signings were flops back to back. Don't forget Lukaku and Aubameyang

The fact they flopped in Chelsea don't change the fact they were top players as at the time they were bought.

Impressive achievements.

Meliforme:
The solution to our midfield lies in the W.I.N triumvirate.

W ilfred Ndidi.
I wobi Alex.
N wakali Kelechi.

I have done the study.

Stop deceiving yourself with that Nwakali Kelechi you are mentioning up and down.

Dude needs to prove himself before getting call up.

I could remember many monikers here argued a player must be playing in top league and be performing before he can get a call into the national team but surprisingly they are using double standard to promote Nwakali.

viccy12:
11

I read this post before I check the handle and I wasn't wrong...smh

Wetin do you head? Are okay?

TheSuperNerd:
Osimhen, Ekong, Onyeka, Nwabali were huge performers at the Afcon for Nigeria. Top 5 alongside Lookman.

It is a throw up between the man who made our attack possible in the Ultra defensive counter attacking approach we employed because he was the perfect focal point AND the man who masterminded the defensive organisation of Jpes' defensive Masterplan.

On one hand is Osimhen and on another it is Ekong. Simple.

Ekong, Nwabali and Lookman were the top 3 performers at AFCON. Followed by the rest. Even Sinom self perfomed. Osimhen performed but kept missing chances. He wasn't top 5 to be candid.

Where do we place Aina, Bassey and Seyi? In short, all of them performed but Ekong, Nwabali and Lookman were outstanding.

It's normal to have divergent views in a democratic country.

There was kidnapping 4 months ago along the same road. Just few meters away from the checkpoint. Unfortunately, military men were at that meter but did nothing.

Gringrory has spoken.

We will get there one by one.

Nice one

They are more than this.

Pa

Banks are buying cheap from CBN then sell to BDS for gain. The reason they will tell you dey don't have dollars.

Dollar must be digitized in Nigeria. Nobody should be allowed walking within Nigeria with dollars. If you have, you must show your airplane ticket going out of Nigeria in 4 days time. If not get them arrested.

Good job.

Why not among best player?

Wawu!!! Good initiative.

Game changer but that Ndume just dey make noise.

Kudos

Andrewbaba44. See your club scared of might Chelsea.

When you think about rivalries in football, Barcelona and Real Madrid immediately come to mind.

But according to football's greatest Lionel Messi, there’s one Premier League club that stirs up even more tension among Barcelona players: Chelsea FC.

Yes, the same Chelsea that has locked horns with Barça in some of the most dramatic Champions League clashes in history.

“There are players here who hate Chelsea more than Real Madrid,” Messi revealed in a surprisingly honest interview.

“I never thought I’d hear myself say that. I also never thought I’d experience something more intense than Boca vs River Plate or Brazil vs Argentina—but this rivalry is different.

"We’d rather face Arsenal, Manchester United, or any other English team than step onto the pitch with Chelsea.”

So, what makes Chelsea such a thorn in Barcelona’s side? Let’s dive into the history.

Where It All Began

The tension between these two clubs started brewing in the early 2000s. Things really heated up during the 2006 Champions League Round of 16 when Messi became the victim of a reckless challenge by Chelsea defender Asier Del Horno.

The tackle was so brutal that Del Horno was sent off immediately, and Messi narrowly escaped a serious knee injury.

That year, Barcelona had the last laugh. They eliminated Chelsea and went on to lift the Champions League trophy, beating Arsenal in the final with memorable goals from Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti.

But this was only the beginning of a rivalry that would grow fiercer with time.

Chelsea’s Revenge

Fast forward to 2012, and the tables had turned. In one of the most dramatic semi-finals in Champions League history, Chelsea knocked Barcelona out with a heroic performance at Camp Nou.

Despite being reduced to 10 men and under relentless pressure, Chelsea managed to secure a 2-2 draw, advancing 3-2 on aggregate.

Fernando Torres’ iconic late goal sealed the deal, and Chelsea went on to win their first-ever Champions League title.

“The semi-final loss to Chelsea is one of my biggest regrets in a Barcelona shirt,” Leo Messi admitted.
"It’s a game I’ll never forget, and I think we could have won another Champions League that year.”

Messi vs Chelsea: A Tough Nut to Crack

When it comes to Messi’s personal record against Chelsea, it’s not as dominant as you might expect.

Over the course of 10 matches, he managed just 3 goals—remarkably low for someone who terrorized defenses across Europe.

In fact, it wasn’t until the 2017-18 season that Messi finally scored his first goal against the Blues during a Round of 16 clash. He followed it up with two more goals in the second leg to inspire Barcelona through to quarter-final.

Chelsea’s defensive tactics, especially under managers like José Mourinho and Roberto Di Matteo, often frustrated Messi and Barcelona’s attacking style. It’s no wonder GOAT grew to view these encounters as some of the toughest of his career.


The Champions League Rivalry: Barcelona vs Chelsea

Few matchups in European football have been as dramatic as Barcelona vs Chelsea. Here’s a quick look at their head-to-head record in the Champions League:

2000 Quarter-finals: Barcelona triumphed 6-4 on aggregate, coming back from a first-leg loss.

2005 Round of 16: Chelsea edged Barça 5-4 on aggregate in a controversial tie.

2006 Round of 16: Barcelona knocked out Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate and went on to win the Champions League trophy.

2009 Semi-finals: Barcelona advanced on away goals (1-1 aggregate), thanks to Andrés Iniesta’s legendary last-minute strike at Stamford Bridge.

2012 Semi-finals: Chelsea stunned Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate, en route to their maiden Champions League title.

2018 Round of 16: Barcelona got their revenge, winning 4-1 on aggregate with Messi playing a starring role.

These matches have been filled with controversy, unforgettable goals, and high-stakes drama, which would forever cement this rivalry as one of the fiercest in the Champions League era.

Messi’s Reflection

When Messi left Barcelona in 2021, he spoke openly about his regrets and what might have been.

“I would have liked to win another Champions League,” he said. “We had so many opportunities, but teams like Chelsea and Liverpool stopped us. Those semi-finals with Pep [Guardiola] were especially painful.”

While Real Madrid remains Barcelona’s eternal rival, it’s clear that Chelsea holds a unique place in the minds of players like Messi.

The battles between these two clubs were not just games—they were wars that left an indelible mark on football history.

For Lionel Messi and many of his former teammates, the Blues were more than just opponents—they were their ultimate challenge.


More Messi & Barça articles at: upbarca.com

It is not a collection of small ethnic groups. Nigeria has big ethnic groups with at least 50m population. How can that be small?