Champions League
Almeida’s commands overwhelmed even the best team to enter the OPAP arena
Vangelis Arnautoglou writes about AEK’s new little wonder that seemed to be on the ropes but ended up making an epic qualifier.
Mission accomplished, AEK is where it was meant to be, through a process of wild football beauty and convergence that actually briefly eclipsed the deep sorrow of Michalis’ death and flooded bloodied New Philadelphia with tears of joy. It was a heavy burden for the team that would have put additional strain on the organization had the team not succeeded.
Karma pushes them to the top
Finally good, all good and even in a way a well-intentioned screenplay perversion. In the 1990s, everyone expected AEK’s exit and a missed opportunity to make another step towards Champions League groups. By the 98th minute, a 2-0 deficit had become 2-2 with a last-minute hero and buzzer-beater goalscorer, the man who twice beat Formidable through physical contact at the relevant point in the first leg in Zagreb had been goalkeeper of Dynamo, Livakovic.
This time, Vida used the rebound from Garcia’s missed penalty to defeat his compatriot goalkeeper in added time and send AEK two games before their return to the top flight group stage, five years after their last elimination. Union still have a long way to go, tough opponents like Antwerp, but after yesterday’s game and its end, karma seems to be pushing them to take a place among the top teams in European football.
He doesn’t brake, he doesn’t rest
AEK faced a very well-formed side with footballers who have excellent technical ability and a lot of talent and most importantly have a young player under their goal post who will become one of the best goalkeepers in Epirus. He was also their biggest problem as he seemed almost impossible to beat for 90 minutes until Araujo found a way to play the ball through different bodies and give AEK the kiss of life, leaving them within range to sign up for the fairs to qualify
And the big secret: The company that o Matias Almeida has created does not slow down, does not rest. He only wanted seconds to finish the game but the AEK players didn’t want to catch their breath and calm down, knowing that with the Argentine’s goal they would have another 30 minutes to achieve what they wanted , but tried to remove this condition. They pounded the home of the Croatians who drank sea in the final until the very end, and finally it was through the VAR that penalty and follow-up you all know.
Almeida has a lot to learn, there were moments when AEK, like in the first game, showed defensive inertia, which allowed Dinamo’s very intelligent and well-trained players to create phases for goals, but for many warnings there is no more left plenty of time On the contrary, he is urging on the willingness that the team must show next Tuesday in Antwerp. The journey continues, AEK has already secured participation in the Europa League groups, but wants and can do even more.
Source: Sport 24
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Former coach of Dynamo Kiev Alexander Showkovsky He should have been sacked in August after a poor performance in the Champions League qualifiers.
The blue-whites, who lost twice to Cypriot Paphos in the 3rd round of the European Cup (0:1 and 0:2), were relegated to the Europa League and then promoted to the Conference League.
“I know that Dinamo management believes that a change of coach could and should be made in the summer, after they lost to Paphos in the Champions League qualifiers.
Then an opportunity arose. But the necessary candidate was not available,” the source said.
Due to the lack of alternatives, the president of the Kiev club decided to leave Shovkovsky as head coach, but in November the Ukrainian specialist was nevertheless fired and left Dynamo.
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
We continue to examine the future of Donetsk shakhtar To buy tickets directly to the main stage Champions League 2026/27.
This will be possible if the place reserved for the team that wins the Champions League trophy is redistributed.
All important moments of the match are available in LIVE mode Telegram Sport.ua
Donetsk Miner They are in fourth place with a coefficient of 50.250 among the clubs competing for a possible position at the heart of the Champions League.
In the last European week, the Donetsk club added +2.625 points. This increase was achieved with a 0-0 draw with Croatian Rijeka in the 6th round of the Conference League and a sixth place in the main round final table.
Main rival Greek Olympiacos – 56,500 points remaining. The Miners can regain the 6,250-point lead if they perform well in the spring part of the European Cups.
It is interesting that Shakhtar lost the first place in the UPL (Cherkasy has the same number of points as LNZ – 35 points each), and Olympiacos lost the lead in Greece to the AEK team (36 points against 37). Ukrainian striker Roman Yaremchuk plays for the team of the city of Piraeus.
Positions rangers (59,250), 4th in Scotland and Copenhagen (53.375), placed 5th in Denmark, looks less competitive in the rankings due to its position in the national championships. Leader only in championships Dinamo Zagreb And RB Salzburg (44,000 each) but there is no certainty that the turn will come.
Let us remind you that if the cup holder buys a ticket to the Champions League through the national championship, there will be a vacancy in the main squad in the 2026/27 Champions League. In this case, a balance will arise again and if Shakhtar wins the UPL and is ahead of Olympiacos in the UEFA club rankings (or the Greek club does not become the champion of Greece), it can get a direct ticket to the base of the Champions League.
If the Piraeus team is higher in the rankings and takes advantage of the available space, the Donetsk club will start from the 4th quarter of the Champions League, not the 2nd quarter, in case they win in the UPL.
Candidates for direct tickets to the Champions League 2026/27 main stage
(In case the quota reserved for the Champions League champion becomes vacant)
UEFA Club Rankings 2026
infographics
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
Champions League
Pedri commented on the new format of the Champions League: An unexpected look from a football player
Barcelona midfielder pedri He answered the question about his attitude towards the new format of the Champions League with the general group stage.
“Do I like the new format of the Champions League? I can’t say with 100% certainty which format I like more: this one or the previous one?”
If I have to choose, I will do something new: There were more matches between strong teams in the first stage,” said Pedri, as quoted by Esquire.
Before the 2024/2025 season, the group stage of the Champions League consisted of eight groups of four clubs each. All participants played six matches in their respective foursomes, home and away, against each of the three opponents.
From the 2024/2025 season, a new Champions League format comes into force with a common group stage of 36 clubs; each participant plays eight matches, four away and four at home; The opponents are determined by lot.”
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
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