Sports
Champions, Europa leagues to end in ‘final eight’ format
This season’s Champions League and Europa League competitions will be completed in August with ‘final eight’ tournaments in Lisbon, Portugal and in cities across Germany.
The Women’s Champions League will also be a knockout tournament, in northern Spain between August 21-30.
Competitions were suspended in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
UEFA also confirmed that all 12 original host cities will stage matches in the delayed Euro 2020 finals.
That competition will now start on June 11, 2021. The outstanding play-off matches will be staged during the international windows starting on October 8 and November 12, respectively.
The Champions League will resume with the second-leg of the remaining last 16 games played on August 7and 8- Manchester City have yet to play their home leg against Real Madrid, Chelsea are away at Bayern Munich, Juventus are home to Lyon and Napoli are at Barcelona. UEFA said it has yet to decide whether to host the matches at the home grounds or at a neutral venue.
The subsequent knockout rounds will be single-leg affairs and will be hosted in Lisbon on August 12-23. The final has been scheduled for August 23 in the Portuguese capital.
Istanbul, originally appointed to stage the 2020 final, will now host the 2021 final.
The Europa League will resume from August 10. The remaining last 16 games will be played on August 5 and 6.
UEFA said: “A decision will be made in due course on whether these matches for which the first leg has already been played will be staged at the home team’s venue or in Germany.
“Inter Milan v Getafe and Sevilla v Roma, whose first leg was also postponed, will be played as a single leg at a venue to be confirmed.”
The Women’s Champions League, where Arsenal and Glasgow City have already reached the last eight, will be held in Bilbao and San Sebastian between August 21 and 30. The final will be in San Sebastian on August 30. –BBC
The management of Asante Kotoko Sporting Club has assured its supporters that steps are being taken to appoint a substantive head coach following the team’s recent poor performances.
In a statement issued by the club’s Communications Director, Sarfo Duku Esq., the board acknowledged concerns raised by fans over the absence of a permanent coach and the team’s current form.
He said the club understands the high expectations that come with representing Asante Kotoko and admitted that recent results have been disappointing.
“The Board is actively working to appoint a competent substantive head coach whose philosophy aligns with the long-term ambitions of the club,” he stated.
Mr. Duku explained that the club is taking its time to ensure the right candidate is selected, adding that management remains committed to restoring the team to its expected standards.
He apologised to supporters for the team’s recent performances and assured them that decisive steps are being taken to improve results.
In the meantime, he called on fans to remain loyal and continue supporting the team in the remaining matches of the season.
Asante Kotoko, one of Ghana’s most successful football clubs, has faced increasing pressure from supporters following a string of poor results in recent games.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Sports journalist, Dan Kwaku Yeboah has expressed mixed reactions to the decision by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to part ways with former Black Stars coach Otto Addo, describing it as correct but poorly timed.
Speaking on the development with ghanaiantimes.com.gh ‘s Edem Mensah-Tsotorme, he explained that although the decision to remove Otto Addo may be justified, the timing could affect the team’s preparation for the upcoming World Cup.
He noted that the newly appointed coach has only a few weeks to work with the team before the tournament begins, making it difficult to make any significant impact.
According to him, the team has just two friendly matches scheduled in May ahead of the competition, leaving a very short period between those games and the start of the World Cup.
He stressed that it would be unrealistic for any coach to fully understand the squad and implement effective strategies within such a limited time.
Dan Kwaku Yeboah urged Ghanaians to manage their expectations, warning that expecting outstanding performance under the circumstances could lead to disappointment.
He added that football can be unpredictable, and while the team could still perform well, fans should remain cautious in their hopes.
The astute sports journalist concluded that if the team performs beyond expectations, it would be a welcome outcome, but supporters should not put too much pressure on the new coach and players.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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