UCL: A Nigerian Star Player Set For Chelsea Test As Bayern Host PSG
UCL: A Nigerian star player set for chelsea test as Bayern host PSG. The Porto defender is the only Nigerian player still in contention in the Champions League this season.
The battle for spots in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) semi-final stage continues on Wednesday night with two crunch ties.
In Spain, Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi and his Porto teammates will be up against Chelsea at the Estadio R. Sanchez Pizjuan in the first leg of their quarter-final clash.
The Super Eagles left-back is the only Nigerian player still in contention in the Champions League this season and he played a pivotal role as Porto edged out Serie A champions Juventus in the UCL Round of 16. He will be keen to see Chelsea out in the competition.
Hoping to be the fourth Nigerian after Kanu Nwankwo, Finidi Geroge, and John Mikel Obi to lift the Champions League trophy, Sanusi has scored once in eight appearances in this season’s competition.
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The 23-year–old was rested and was an unused substitute in Porto’s 2-1 win over his former club, Santa Clara, on Saturday. As for Chelsea, they will aim to return to winning ways after their shock loss to West Brom last weekend.
The Blues had been invincible under manager Thomas Tuchel before they capitulated at the weekend against the Baggies.
Head-to-head stats indicate tonight’s tie will be a close one.
Current Form: Porto [W-W-W-L-W]; Chelsea [L-W-W-D-W]
Head-to-head
09/12/15 UCL Chelsea 2 – 0 Porto
29/09/15 UCL Porto 2 – 1 Chelsea
25/11/09 UCL Porto 0 – 1 Chelsea
15/09/09 UCL Chelsea 1 – 0 Porto
06/03/07 UCL Chelsea 2 – 1 Porto
Bayern face PSG in a repeat of last season’s final
Elsewhere, PSG will be hoping for revenge as they take on UCL champions, Bayern Munich, in Wednesday’s other quarter-final tie, in a replay of last season’s final with the Bavarians missing Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry.
The Parisians were beaten by a lone goal in the final of last year’s Champions League. It was the closest the French club have come to winning the top club silverware
It is worthy to note that in the history of matches between both teams, the host team has always won. The exception to this rule was the 1994 match when PSG secured a 1-0 victory in Munich.
Going into the first leg tie, PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino has opted to be cautious even though he suggests his team will be going all out for a win just like they did at Camp Nou.
A Nigerian Star Player
He said: “In the knockout stages you can never rule a team out. We’re playing the champions of Europe and of the world. We respect them, but we have faith in our ability and we’ve come here to win.”
Current Form: Bayern [W-W-W-W-W]; PSG [L-W-W-L-D]
Head-to-head
23/08/20 UCL PSG 0 – 1 Bayern
21/07/18 ICC Bayern 3 – 1 PSG
05/12/17 UCL Bayern 3 – 1 PSG
27/09/17 UCL PSG 3 – 0 Bayern
17/10/00 UCL Bayern 2 – 0 PSG
UCL: A Nigerian Star Player Set For Chelsea Test As Bayern Host PSG, is Zaidu Sanusi truly a star, what is your comment?
