₦airaland Forum

Tolexander: Envisaging another 11 mistakes in the match!

Well said my brother. Mourinho should be very careful with his substitutions as this was responsible for last Saturday's loss to Stoke City. They really need to do the needful by getting the maximum point.

My darling team should just beat Celtic. We have lost confidence, seems Neymar is still finding his feet and stepping into the midget's shoes looks like a mirage. A win for Barcelona will in no small measure boost our confidence.

The Scottish champions face Tata Martino's men with only pride left to play for with the Spanish champions needing only a draw to finish ahead of AC Milan at the top of the table. Barcelona host Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday knowing a point would see them crowned Group H winners.

The Spanish champions - who have already qualified for the round of 16 - currently sit two points clear of AC Milan at the top of the pool, although the Italians would move to the summit if they beat Ajax and Barca lose to Neil Lennon's side.

Celtic can no longer qualify for the knockout stages, and the four points that separate them from third-placed Ajax mean their hopes of reaching the Europa League have also disappeared.

And Barca head coach Gerardo Martino will be confident of claiming the necessary draw, with Barca having triumphed 2-1 over Celtic when the sides met at Camp Nou last season.

They also emerged victorious from the reverse fixture earlier in this year's competition, when Cesc Fabregas netted the only goal in a match that saw Scott Brown sent off for the hosts.

Barcelona are yet to drop a point at home in this season's Champions League, while Celtic have lost both of their away fixtures.

However, the Catalans' 20-game unbeaten start to the season in all competitions came to an end in their last European game at Ajax, and they have since lost their first domestic fixture of the campaign against Athletic Bilbao.

Celtic may have nothing to play for continentally, but are unbeaten in 17 Scottish Premiership fixtures and sit seven points clear of closest rivals Inverness at the top of the table.

Goalkeeper Fraser Forster will not welcome the sight of Barca's Alexis Sanchez, who put two goals past the 25-year-old on his England debut against Chile last month.

Speaking of Celtic's three matches against Barcelona over the past two seasons, manager Neil Lennon stressed that he wanted to see his players maintain their high standards.

"We have played very well against them over the three games," he said. "I am just hoping we can continue that and it doesn’t just fade away in the last game."

Lionel Messi (hamstring) and Victor Valdes (calf) are set to miss out for Barcelona, while Daniel Alves (calf) has not played since the 4-1 Liga win at Real Betis on November 10.

Celtic, meanwhile, will be without Beram Kayal (foot), Adam Matthews (collarbone) and Steven Mouyokolo (Achilles), but will welcome Brown and Nir Biton back from suspension. Emilio Izaguirre, however, is set to serve a one-match ban.
Source: Goal.com

kingsmecca: Thanks for this news...I nw knw whr to place my bet. Lolz.

Pool master

Chelsea will win this convincingly not minding their narrow loss to Stoke over the weekend.

Jose Mourinho's men will be hoping to bounce bounce from defeat to Stoke City on Saturday and know that they will be guaranteed top spot with victory against the Romanian side.

Chelsea will bid to seal top spot in Group E when they host Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The 2012 champions were assured of their progression to the knockout stages a fortnight ago, despite losing 1-0 in Basel, but will need to secure three points this week to guarantee first place.

Steaua are already out of the competition and can no longer qualify for the Europa League after failing to record a single victory in their five matches.

Jose Mourinho's men are currently one point clear of Basel at the top, but would drop to second if the two sides end the group level on points owing to their inferior head-to-head record.

And Schalke, who were held to a goalless draw by Steaua last time out, are not yet out of the running. A win for the Bundesliga outfit against the Swiss champions - combined with a Chelsea defeat - would see them emerge as group winners.

Chelsea's last three Premier League games have been high-scoring affairs, producing a total of 16 goals.

The most recent of those was a 3-2 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday and Chelsea have now conceded three or more goals in back-to-back league games for the first time since October 1999.

Chelsea, then, are showing some weakness at the back, and their record of 17 goals conceded in the Premier League this season is already two more than they let in during the whole of Mourinho's first campaign in charge in 2004-05.

Steaua, meanwhile, have gone 11 matches unbeaten in all competitions, but recorded six draws in that run and failed to win a single match in November.

Samuel Eto'o was fit enough to come off the bench at the weekend, but David Luiz (knee) and Oscar (ankle) both missed out and could remain doubtful for Chelsea's final group fixture. Andre Schurrle, who scored both of his side's goals on Saturday, could be missing with a calf problem, and Marco van Ginkel (knee) is a long-term absentee.

The Romanians will be without Alexandru Bourceanu, who is serving a one-game suspension, while Lucian Filip (broken leg) will not feature either.
Goal.com

1million likes if you think Arsenal will beat Napoli

Gunners favourites to make Champions League knockout stages
Arsene Wenger's men go into the game at the top of the group but know that a heavy defeat, coupled with a win for Dortmund, could see them exit the tournament

Napoli need to beat Arsenal by more than two goals on Wednesday if they are to reach the Champions League knockout stages.

Arsene Wenger's men currently sit top of Group F, three points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund and third-placed Napoli, and would secure their place in the last 16 with a draw at the Stadio San Paolo.

A draw would also be enough for Napoli if Dortmund lose at Marseille - who are yet to register a single point in the competition - and Arsenal could yet be eliminated from the competition, despite their strong position going into matchday six.

Should Napoli beat Wenger's side by three goals or more and Dortmund triumph over Marseille, the three sides will be tied on 12 points, meaning goal difference from matches played between the trio will be taken into account and leaving Arsenal at the bottom of the three.

The Premier League leaders recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory over their Serie A opponents in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium on October 1, with Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud netting.

However, Napoli have won both of their home Champions League fixtures this term, beating Dortmund 2-1 and Marseille 3-2.

The Italians have earned a reputation for their strong home form domestically too, having gone 16 Serie A games unbeaten until Parma won 1-0 at the San Paolo on November 23.

Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages 13 seasons in a row, but will need to improve on the 4-0 defeat suffered on their last trip to Italy in this competition when AC Milan beat them in February 2012.

Wenger could do with Jack Wilshere finding his quickfire shooting boots again, after the 21-year-old scored the fastest Champions League goal ever by an Englishman against Marseille on matchday five, finding the net in just 29.56 seconds.

Arsenal's last domestic outing saw them draw 1-1 with Everton on Sunday, and Wenger recently criticised his side's schedule that sees them travel to Manchester City just three days after their visit to Naples.

"It is massively demanding because we have big games and, mentally as well, we want to be at a level to concentrate every time we turn up, with the top level of commitment," the Frenchman said. "That is a big challenge for us."

Bacary Sagna (hamstring) and Lukas Podolski (hamstring) remain doubtful for Arsenal, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) is unlikely to return to action until the new year.

Napoli, meanwhile, are likely to be without Marek Hamsik (foot) and long-term absentees Camilo Zuniga and Giandomenico Mesto (both knee).
Goal.com

To say Mandela granted this interview 6yrs ago and nothing has changed rather it is getting worse simply shows that the country needs divine intervention.Until we begin to ask questions on how we are being governed,how our resources are being channeled and so on,Nigeria and Nigerians are not approaching freedom from her leaders.

Fashola is working and Lagos is progressing. The fact is can Lagos produce another or a better Fashola come 2015? Just wish whoever that will succeed him would do more than him. It is not only a wish but a prayer too.

A programme called Kaakaki on AIT aired early this month, Faggae claimed that ASUU were not responsible for the closure of the Universities. He said the Governing body or Senate whose members were under ASUU decided to close schools. He said if the Senate now decides to open the Schools, there is nothing ASUU could do about this. Now, this latest outburst shows contrary to Faggae submission.

Andyblaze: plz can u be my praivet teacha?

Chairman, your English make me fall from my chair because of laughter oooo. Please, tell me say na fun you dey have and no be say you no sabi because if you no sabi, two things are involved: it is either your teacher for elementary school no sabi at all or you sef dull pass Abdull

I don't take most ethnic bigotry comments seriously on this forum. In fact, it is not the true representation of most ethnic groups in the country. Yes, issues are based on ethnic and religious lines but there are still so many people with unbiased minds. I have been privileged to be helped by so many people. I thank God for their lives and that is why I am always ready to help irrespective of ethnic group and religion.

Getting married isnt the problem but staying married is important.Hope they stay married!!!

dj Skukie: I've knew 4rm d onset dat dere marriage won't last. Good luck 2 dem

I've knew ke

Castos: Mine is IGBO(weed)

You don buy jobGet ready to be blown and torn apart

Castos: Mine is IGBO(weed)

You don buy job!

Eventually Ozil rescues arsenal's blushes!!!

chaircover: May God continue to protect us all.

Hopefully no life was lost

OP next time please cover up car registrations. You dont want someone dying from shock from suddenly seeing the car of a loved one in a serious accident like this, especially as you haven't said that everyone survived.

Well said!

Arsenal seems vulnerable now.Everton just made Arsenal's half their vineyard

Even in death,the great Mandela is still being honoured.What greater honour can be greater than this!I dont think anybody in the whole world can receive such.He is truly great.

I quit watching the channel because of how they report our own story.In fact,Nigeria is the worst hit.They seem not to like Nigeria at all.They see nothing good about Africa.Thats why CNN is slightly higher than them.The OP try wey im complain o,me no get their time at all oo.

bonna4u: Arsenal should win This tie as everton under Martinez is know for playing attacking football. They would come out to play while the gunners will triumph in what they do(playing attacking/attractive football) best.

Lukaku is key to their attacking play. That dude is a beast and could unleash his weaponry at any slightest opportunity.So,the Gunners need to gun him down by neutralizing his threat and arsenal can smile back to Emirate.

Confidence is high,free scoring abilities and winning games with ease has characterized Arsenal's season so far.If Arsenal unleash their arsenals and fire on all cylinders accurately,I don't see Martinez's blues wrecking any havoc.I am happy for arsenal and their fans,this might just be their season.I tell you,it is long overdue.

This is shocking!!!Growing up was when I experienced such.When there was always power and at a point,I wished I'd experience how dark it will be when there is power failure.Alas these days,I have lost count and still counting darkness as a result of PHCN.Maybe this is part of the reason we aint moving forward because we are dark people,experiencing darkness at night and the only source of power at night being PHCN has darkness as its slogan.Nothing good comes out of darkness!

As the years goes bye,leaders from different regions of the country have always given us assumptions/facts on the need why the country needs to break and this isnt any different.I am not for/or against FFK's write-up but I dont think the country needs such provocation write-up at this time.This is a time we need our leaders to be united but if that is too hard for us to achieve as a nation,then we go our separate ways.

Thank God the enormous hatred between Igbos and Yorubas only exist fully on Nairaland.If this show of shame being seen here were to be brought to our daily lives,Nigeria would have longed be renamed.

Pelummy: I don't expect someone with his/her complete senses to buy this t- shirt .................SMH

Oshobaba was in his 'right senses' when he made the statement.I don't see how it is senseless for someone to buy it

Take it or leave it,Mourinho's substitutions killed this game.He got it all wrong!!!Mourinho should be held responsible for the loss.Why sub Schurrle who was a torment for a tired Ba?Eto'o should just admit that his glory days are gone.Mourinho deserves the loss.

Chelsea is badly shocked by that strike