Champions League Archives - Page 4 of 4

Away Day in Munich: Your Ultimate Guide to the 2025 Champions League Final at Allianz Arena

The 2025 Champions League Final is set to take place at Munich’s iconic Allianz Arena, home to FC Bayern Munich and a modern marvel of European football. This guide covers everything you need to know about experiencing an away day in Munich—from where to eat, drink, and stay to the cultural highlights, how to get around, and tips for making the most of this special event. Getting to Allianz Arena The Allianz Arena sits on the northern edge of Munich, about 10 km from the city centre, and is well connected by Munich’s efficient public transport. – By U-Bahn (Metro): Take Line U6 towards *Garching-Forschungszentrum*, getting off at *Fröttmaning*. From there, it’s a 10-15 minute walk to the stadium entrance. – By Car: The Allianz Arena has its own parking spaces, but be aware that on game days, the area can get extremely crowded, so public transport is usually the better option. – By Bike: Munich is a bike-friendly city with dedicated lanes, and there’s bike parking at the stadium. This can be a fun way to arrive if the weather’s good! Where to Stay With thousands of fans flocking to Munich for the final, hotels are likely to fill up fast, so book early! Here are a few suggestions for all types of travellers: – Hotel Bayerischer Hof – This luxurious hotel in central Munich offers top-class amenities and is known for its rooftop bar with city views. Ideal for those looking to make the most of their stay. – Holiday Inn Munich – City Centre – A comfortable, mid-range option just a short metro ride from Allianz Arena and close to central attractions. – Meininger Hotel Munich City Center – A budget-friendly, hostel-style option that’s popular with travellers. It’s near Munich’s main train station, with easy access to U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines. Where to Eat Munich is known for hearty Bavarian cuisine and beer gardens, so take some time to sample the local flavours: – Hofbräuhaus – This historic beer hall is an absolute must for first-time visitors. Enjoy Bavarian dishes like Weißwurst (white sausage), pretzels, and a cold stein of Munich’s finest beer. – Augustiner-Keller – One of the oldest beer gardens in Munich, Augustiner-Keller is perfect for an outdoor meal, with classic Bavarian food and a lively atmosphere. – Viktualienmarkt – Located near Marienplatz, this famous open-air market is ideal for a quick pre-match snack. Try local treats like leberkäse (Bavarian meatloaf) and freshly made juices or pastries. Food Costs: Expect to pay around €15-€25 for a meal at traditional spots and beer gardens. Higher-end restaurants range from €40-€60 per person, depending on what you order. Where to Drink Munich is practically the world capital of beer, so whether you’re a fan of lagers, pilsners, or traditional Bavarian brews, you’re in for a treat: – Paulaner Bräuhaus – A traditional brewery offering both beer and hearty Bavarian food. A good spot for groups looking to meet fellow fans. – Giesinger Bräu – For craft beer lovers, this brewery offers a great selection beyond the usual German lagers, with a cosy atmosphere and friendly service. – Die Goldene Bar – Located in the Haus der Kunst museum, this chic bar is perfect for fans looking for a more sophisticated vibe pre- or post-match. Cost of Drinks: Beer typically ranges from €4-€6 for a half-litre. For a night out, budgeting €20-€30 should cover a couple of rounds. What to Do Before the Match Munich is packed with cultural sites and activities, so here are a few must-dos to add to your trip: – Marienplatz & Glockenspiel – The heart of Munich’s historic centre, Marienplatz is where you’ll find the famous Glockenspiel. Stop here for a photo, then explore the surrounding shops and cafes. – English Garden – If you have time, take a stroll through the English Garden, one of Europe’s largest city parks. The beer gardens here are scenic and ideal for pre-match relaxation. – Deutsches Museum – For fans of history and technology, the Deutsches Museum is a fascinating stop with exhibits covering aviation, engineering, and more. What to Expect at Allianz Arena The Allianz Arena is famed for its distinctive, colour-changing exterior, which lights up in the home team’s colours on match days. For the Champions League Final, expect a sea of blue lights and an electric atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium. – Before Kickoff: Arrive early to soak up the atmosphere. There will likely be fan zones set up near the stadium entrance with live music, merchandise stands, and food stalls. – Inside the Stadium: Allianz Arena’s design allows for superb views from all seats, so you won’t miss a moment. Bayern Munich fans are known for their passionate yet welcoming spirit, so expect plenty of chants, especially during the Champions League anthem. – Fan Etiquette: German fans are passionate but respectful. If you’re supporting a visiting team, join in the fun but be mindful not to interrupt any chants or ceremonies. Budget Tips for a One-Day or Weekend Trip Munich isn’t the cheapest city in Germany, but with a bit of planning, you can enjoy an incredible football trip on a budget. One-Day Budget (€100-€150) – Meals – €30-€40 for a traditional Bavarian lunch or dinner and some street food – Transport – €8 for an all-day Munich travel pass (valid on U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses, and trams) – Stadium Ticket – €70-€150 depending on seating for the Champions League Final – Drinks – €20 for a couple of beers or a drink at a local bar Weekend Budget (€300-€400) – Accommodation – €80-€150 per night for a mid-range hotel (book early for Champions League rates) – Meals – €60-€100 for traditional dining and beer garden visits – Cultural Activities – €30-€40 for museum or attraction tickets – Transport – €20 for a weekend Munich travel pass Dos and Don’ts in Munich DO: – Take time to try local delicacies like brezen (pretzels), bratwurst, and apfelstrudel. – Respect the local culture in

May 2, 2025

Stalemate in Zagreb for the Hoops

Dinamo and Celtic settled for a draw in Zagreb, which sees them both stay in the play-off places. Before the match, Dinamo were one point behind Celtic in the table. Both sides knew that victory would give them a strong likelihood of making the play-offs at the end of the European league campaign. The two teams defended well and battled hard in a game that brandished many yellow cards, particularly in the first half. The game lacked clear-cut chances and the draw was a fair result. The home side came into the match with a serious injury crisis and were missing key players. However, their rising star, Martin Baturina, 21, hailed as the next Luka Modric, looked to deliver something special in the middle of the park. The only significant but unsurprising change for the Glasgow visitors was the selection of Paulo Bernardo over their record signing Arne Engels in midfield alongside Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate. First half: Celtic started well in the first half, with the home side playing like the away team. The Hoops did well in keeping possession, although they could count themselves lucky not going down to 10 men early on following a dangerous tackle by Greg Taylor. It maybe lacked the intensity and force required to see red but they’ve been given. The visitors’ first chance of the game came from an incisive pass from Kuhn into McGregor on the edge of the area. It led to a free kick after the referee blew for handball when a Zagreb player blocked the captain’s pass. Bernardo took the ball and fired directly over the bar. Maybe it was too close to the goal to get it up and over the tall Zagreb wall. The next big moment of the game came when Nicolas Kuhn had some space on the right, inside the box, delivering a cross that a well-spread keeper, Danijel Zagorac, met and deflected behind for a corner. Following the attack, Sandro Kulenovic fell into Alistair Johnson, fouling him. After some complaints from Marko Rog, the referee decided to put both players into the book. Just before the half concluded, Zagreb capitalised on a Celtic mistake. Kulenovic fired a shot wide of the post after a cross was delivered in. A warning shot to Celtic that they needed to stay focused. Then, it was Celtic’s turn for some last-minute pressure, pushing forward when Maeda delivered a cross into the box for Bernardo, whose first touch let him down. After the play, Hatate managed to get on the ball after a quick Celtic counter-press on the edge of the area, and many fans would have been urging him to shoot, yet he got caught in two minds and played a powerful pass to his right that went to no one. Second half: At the beginning of the second half, Tony Ralston was subbed on for right-back Johnston after he felt the effects of the tackle in the first half. Bernardo won the ball down the right with a sliding tackle that fell into the substitute’s path. Ralston played an early ball down the right to Kuhn who managed to get past his marker inside the box and cut inside onto his left. His curling effort was deflected behind for a corner. The Croatian side was next to apply some pressure following some turnovers, with Celtic losing the ball too easily. Pjaca received the ball onto his right foot, striking at goal, only for Auston Trusty to block the shot. Straight after, Taylor had a major miscue by slicing at the ball, which saw the ball fall to Baturina outside the area. He launched tame strike that Kasper Schmeichel saved comfortably. The game began to open, and now it was Celtic’s turn. Bernardo played a short corner, and after a brief passing exchange, Kuhn slid a ball down the right into Bernardo’s path, who crossed to the front post, where Kyogo struck the ball into the keeper. It rebounded back into Cameron Carter-Vicker’s path, who, leaning back too much, shot high and wide. Next, it was up the other end, with Baturina getting a shot off over the bar. The home side, having started the second half the much stronger of the two sides, gave encouragement for the fans who were now in full voice. Unsurprisingly, Rodgers acted early following this spell of pressure by making two changes in the midfield, with McCowan and Engels coming onto the pitch for Hatate and Bernardo. A few minutes after coming on, McCowan received the ball from a surging run from McGregor in the middle of the park before unleashing a strike on target with Zagorac claiming comfortably. With ten minutes to go, Mbuku slid the ball down the right for the hosts into their right-back Ristovski, who lofted the ball into the box to Pjaca. He headed towards the goal, where a concentrated Schmeichel tipped it over the bar. In the concluding moments, Celtic gained attacking momentum and showed a moment of quality with their last chance of the game. Forrest penetrated the host’s defence with a terrific pass down the left of the box to an onrushing Engels, who whipped a ball across the box to Idah. The Zagreb defender managed to stick out a leg and clear the ball away from the Irishman. What a crucial and excellent interception. The game ended in a draw, which is a fair result, given both teams’ chances. In their remaining European ties, Zagreb have two challenging games against Milan and Arsenal. Celtic know that a result at home to Young Boys will likely secure them qualification to the next stage of the Champions League. Celtic also have a League Cup final to look forward to against their Old Firm rivals, Rangers, at the weekend. Teams: D. Zagreb: Zagorac, Bernauer, Kacavenda, Baturina (Hoxha, 83′), Kulenovic, Pierre-Gabriel, Pjaca (Stojkovic, 83′), Ristovski, Theophile-Catherine, Rog, Spikic (Mbuku, 73′). Subs: Filipovic, Nevistic, Torrente, Cordoba, Bakovic, Zebic, Cutuk, Pavic, Jakirovic Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston (Ralston,

December 10, 2024

Dinamo Zagreb vs Celtic: What to expect?

Celtic have the opportunity to make to a push for the automatic places when they travel to a troubled Dinamo Zagreb this evening, the first meeting since the sides met in the group stages ten years ago. The Glasgow side recovered well from their 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Dortmund to earn themselves five points against some strong opposition in Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge, taking their total tally to eight. Sitting only two points off the top eight, Brendan Rodgers will know that a win in a Croatia will at least give the side a much needed buffer for the play-off spot. Hosts Dinamo Zagreb find themselves in a similar predicament, sat just one point behind Celtic in the standings. The club which has been graced by the likes of Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovavic and once Celtic goalscoring machine Mark Viduka, will likely see this fixture as their best chance at three points before facing Arsenal and AC Milan. Celtic will hope for a more positive result than their last visit to Zagreb in 2014 when Marko Pjaca, who is expected to feature tonight, grabbed a hat-trick on route to a 4-3 victory for the Croatians. No home comforts for Celtic Be it in the East End or on the road, Celtic have steamrolled their way to the top of the table and look set to retain the title before the New Year. Europe however, is a different kettle of fish and the stats don’t paint a promising picture ahead of tonight’s clash. Winless away from home, Celtic have missed the impact the atmosphere has on shrinking opponents but their own style of play too. Possession at home in their European campaign is an impressive 61% but drops to 41% away from Glasgow. Meanwhile their xG for goes from 1.65 to 0.8 whilst xG again rises from 0.94 to 2.53. It is hardly a new problem for Celtic, who managed just one win in six games from their two previous group stages. Like the constantly flashing symbols on my car’s dashboard, statistics don’t always tell the whole truth, but they do offer a warning that should be heeded for those who want to ensure safety on the road. Out of sorts but not out yet It has not been plain sailing for the Croatian’s this season. Despite capturing the last seven league titles, Dinamo sit third in the league with just one win from their last seven games. Worse still, they suffered a humiliating 9-2 defeat at the hands of Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich in their opening game of the group stage. However bouncing back to earn a draw with Monaco before grabbing six points away to RB Salzburg and Slovan Bratislava shows they are no slouches. Conversely to Celtic, their struggles have been for the most part at home this season, having not won a game at the Stadio Maksimir since September. Celtic will know themselves from the Dortmund fallout, underestimate teams in this competition at your peril.

December 10, 2024

Celtic welcome giant killers Brugge in Champions League tie

Champions League: Celtic v Club Brugge Belgian side Club Brugge travel to Glasgow take on a Celtic team in red hot form. The hosts remain kings of Scotland, yet to a lose a game domestically and swatting closest rivals Aberdeen 6-0 in the League Cup. More impressive yet, is their marked improvement on the continental stage. Dominating an RB Leipzig side packed with some Europe’s most sought after talent was the statement win Brendan Rodgers’ had been asking for following their setback in Dortmund. Brugge similarly suffered at the hands of last year’s finalists before taking six points from a possible nine, including an impressive victory over Aston Villa. Sitting second in the Belgian Pro League, they are not quite steamrolling opposition in the same way Celtic have but a 7-0 win against Sint-Truiden at the weekend was perfect preparation for game sure to be see plenty of goals. Hosts must capitalise on home form By the reaction of the Leipzig players at full-time, it looked as though they couldn’t wait to get the first flight out of Glasgow. A sentiment no doubt shared by Slovan who were thumped 5-1 in their opening game of the campaign at Celtic Park. Always a step ahead of their opponents with quick combinations and looking as though they would not be troubled by adding an extra half hour onto the game, Nicolas Kuhn was the picked of the bunch as Celtic played the kind of football Rodgers’ knew was possible following their thumping in Dortmund. The manager will want to show that there is much more to come from his side both home and away. With only one point on the road so far as trips to Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa await, the East End side will need to take full advantage of home crowd if they are to give themselves every chance of progressing. Despite only one loss in four Celtic remain caught between two poles. Sitting only three points above the bottom tier isn’t much of a buffer, whilst a three goal margin could propel them into the automatic places. There are no easy games in the Champions League but perform tonight and the club could be on track to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 2013. Visitors no shrinking violets The hosts received a fair amount of acclaim for their Leipzig scalp but Club Brugge have an arguably more impressive one of their own after muzzling Aston Villa in a 1-0 victory. Tyrone Mings’ calamity stole headlines but the Belgians kept one the Premier League’s best sides goalless in a performance that deserved more than being a mere sideshow in the post-match analysis. Doing so with a squad in constant flux is not mean feat either. Brugge are side packed with young technical talent, the likes Hugo Vetlesen and Christos Tzolis sure to find a home among Europe’s elite soon. The developing crop are supported by veterans Simon Mignolet and a name familiar to Celtic fans in Dedryck Boyata, who spent four seasons at the club. Granted, they are missing the goalscoring threat of Igor Thiago, whose £30 million move to Brentford left big boots to fill but Tzolis’ four goals against Sint-Truden at the weekend makes him a fairly promising contender. With Sporting CP, Juventus and Manchester City still to come, Brugge will see tonight as their best opportunity to add one more scalp to their collection.

November 27, 2024