Chelsea handed last-16 Conference League draw with Copenhagen
Chelsea will face Danish Superliga leaders Copenhagen for a place in the quarter-finals of the Conference League.
Enzo Maresca's side were handed a two-legged last-16 tie against the Danes in Friday's draw in Nyon, the reward for their 100 per cent group-phase record which allowed them to top the table with 18 points.
Copenhagen made it to the knockout stage the hard way, losing the home leg of their play-off against Germany's Heidenheim 2-1 before securing a nail-biting 3-1 extra-time victory in the return to secure their passage.
A thing of beauty 🏆#UECLdraw pic.twitter.com/qTjLcmjyZY
— UEFA Conference League (@Conf_League) February 21, 2025
The sides met in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 with the Blues going through 2-1 on aggregate after Brian Laudrup scored the decisive goal in Denmark.
However, they last went head-to-head in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2011 when Nicolas Anelka's double in the away leg handed the Blues a 2-0 advantage to take to Stamford Bridge, where a 0-0 draw pitched them into last-eight battle, ultimately unsuccessfully, with Manchester United, who would go on to lose to Barcelona in the final at Wembley.
The ties will take place on March 6 and 13.
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San Francisco Chronicle
29 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Club World Cup crowds have wildly fluctuated, from swathes of empty seats to 'hostile' atmospheres
MIAMI (AP) — As kickoff approached it was clear — the fans weren't coming. The Club World Cup, soccer's shiny, new competition, has been billed as the event to breathe new life into the world's most popular sport. It began a week ago in the United States, where sports stadiums of monumental capacity and steep tickets prices awaited the rowdy crowds seen at grounds across the world. 'It's like playing football during lockdown,' observed one fan on social media. For days, world governing body FIFA didn't register the attendance for the game between Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD on its official website. It took until Friday for a figure of 3,412 to be acknowledged on the site, but by rough count, there were less than 1000 fans in the stands as the game got underway. At the other end of the spectrum, more than 80,000 watched Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid at the massive Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. The opening week for the monthlong tournament across the U.S. has seen some wildly fluctuating attendances. The Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD game stands out as the low point so far for FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, who is banking on the Club World Cup becoming one of the most popular and valuable competitions in sport. So sparse was the crowd that the word 'ORLANDO' — spelled out in yellow seats on one of the main stands at Inter&Co Stadium — was almost completely unobstructed. Crowd control stewards stood by the sidelines and monitored vast areas of empty spaces in the 25,500-capacity venue. The home of MLS team Orlando City — among the smallest stadiums chosen to host games for the tournament — was still massively oversized for the match, even with ticket prices falling to $23. A group game between largely unheralded teams from South Africa and South Korea was never likely to be a big seller. And storms, which forced kickoff to be delayed by more than an hour, may have led to no-shows. Still, it was an uncomfortably low turnout and one of three games in the opening week that drew less than 10,000 fans. Not even Chelsea, Messi, MLS can pack Atlanta There were also swathes of empty seats for Chelsea's game against L.A. FC in Atlanta. It was an afternoon kickoff on a weekday, but one of the Premier League's most popular teams vs. an opponent from MLS couldn't manage to fill a third of the 71,000-capacity stadium, with 22,000 fans showing up. 'I think the environment was a bit strange. You know, the stadium was almost empty,' Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said, and even with Lionel Messi in town for the second game in Atlanta — Inter Miami's win against Porto — the crowd was far from capacity at 31,783. Club World Cup ticket prices Uncertainty over ticket sales had been a point of debate in the build up to the tournament, with prices falling dramatically before the opening game between Miami and Al Ahly last Saturday. An impressive crowd of nearly 61,000 watched that game at Hard Rock Stadium, though it is not known how many paid anywhere near the $349 that tickets were being quoted at in December. As of Tuesday, FIFA said 1.5 million tickets had been sold and more than 340,000 fans had attended the first eight games. Infantino proudly proclaimed the Club World Cup was growing into 'the undisputed pinnacle of global club football.' Kane calls Hard Rock Stadium a 'hostile' scene Numbers in Miami have been good — nothing lower than 55,000 and topping out at a near-capacity 63,587 for Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors. Bayern forward Harry Kane described the atmosphere inside a stadium dominated by Boca fans as 'hostile.' Crowds have still come to Miami in a week when the Florida Panthers were playing in the Stanley Cup Final. Boca and Real Madrid fans queued up for hours in sweltering heat after arriving early for games. Largest cup crowd was at the Rose Bowl The biggest crowd of the opening week was 80,619 for PSG vs. Atletico Madrid in L.A. For context, that is just short of the 84,163 who watched the English FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium and well above the 64,327 attendance for the Champions League final — European club soccer's biggest game. World Cup, Champions League comparisons While there was not a sellout game in the opening week, 10 of the first 24 matches have seen crowds in excess of 40,000, for an average of around 36,000. The average for the Champions League last season was just under 46,000, according to soccer data website Transfermarkt, but like-for-like comparisons are difficult, given this is a totally new format bringing club teams from around the world to the U.S. At the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar there was an average attendance of just under 50,000 per game for the opening week. Of the 20 games played over that period, the highest attendance was 88,103 and all but two of those games had crowds in excess of 40,000. Looking ahead to the World Cup Focus on the Club World Cup has been intense for more than one reason. There is still uncertainty over how much of an appetite there is among fans for another elite soccer tournament and it was unknown how many would be prepared to follow their team to the U.S. According to FIFA, the biggest take up of tickets from abroad was from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Perhaps more significant is what this tournament says about the men's World Cup, which is largely being staged in the U.S. next year. The Club World Cup could be seen as a gauge of how America's interest in soccer has grown since last hosting the planet's biggest sporting event in 1994. In that sense, it's not just about statistics, but optics as well. Which is why FIFA will hope to avoid a repeat of the scenes at Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Ulsan HD. ___
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
From attendances to NBA-style walkouts: Club World Cup talking points
Flamengo players celebrate during their victory over Chelsea in Philadelphia on Friday (FRANCK FIFE) The opening week of the first 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in the United States has been played under a political shadow, while South American sides impress and some games struggle to attract fans. AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points at the tournament so far: Advertisement Political shadow FIFA have faced criticism for their increasingly close links to US President Donald Trump and his administration. Ahead of the tournament, UEFA accused FIFA chief Gianni Infantino of prioritising "private political interests" after he turned up late for FIFA's own congress because he met with Trump in the Middle East. Infantino was in the Oval Office again on Wednesday with a delegation from Juventus, as they shared an awkward exchange with Trump as he questioned them on transgender athletes. "It was a bit weird," said Juventus and USA forward Timothy Weah. Advertisement "When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of, like... I just want to play football, man." Meanwhile some fans were worried by reports ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers were providing "security" at Club World Cup stadiums. Plainclothes ICE officers have been targeting what they say are "undocumented" migrants. To this point they do not appear to have apprehended any match-going supporters. European teams not getting it all their own way Europe's leading clubs are the richest in the world and it would be a surprise if the winner of the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup came from a different continent. Advertisement However, the evidence so far is that Europe's representatives are not having it all their own way. Up to Friday, clubs from Europe had won only half of 16 games against opponents from other continents, with South America showing it can more than hold its own. Paris Saint-Germain lost to Botafogo, while Chelsea were blown away by Flamengo. Real Madrid could not get the better of Saudi side Al-Hilal, but Europe sent far more clubs (12) than any other continent and it still looks likely that over half of the teams in the last 16 will be European. Attendances hold up despite empty seats There has been a lot of talk about empty seats, with the low point being the attendance of 3,412 in Orlando for Mamelodi Sundowns against Ulsan HD. Advertisement There were also barely 22,000 at Chelsea's win over Los Angeles FC in Atlanta, leaving around 50,000 empty seats in the stadium in Atlanta. Yet the average attendance over the first seven days at the tournament was 36,135. That is higher than the average in La Liga, Serie A or Ligue 1 over the last season. The games featuring South American teams have seen some incredible atmospheres, especially in Miami for Friday's clash between Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors. "Amazing, amazing," said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany when asked about the crowd, with passionate Boca fans making up the vast majority of the 63,587 attendance. Advertisement "It is one of these things: if you are not here it is sometimes hard to understand, but being here is an experience, a privilege." Waiting for the weather Several matches have been held up because of inclement weather. Common public safety protocols in the US mandate that outdoor sports events are suspended for at least 30 minutes if lightning or thunder is seen or heard in the nearby area. Two matches in Orlando, a regular location for tropical storms, have been suspended, while games in East Rutherford and Cincinnati have also been interrupted. National team coaches preparing for the 2026 World Cup must consider the best way to prepare their players to cope with such delays. Advertisement Climate change has been linked to an increase in frequency and intensity of storms and extreme weather conditions. 'Showbiz' NBA-style walkouts Organisers have jumped on the chance to make each game a show in the style of a traditional American sporting event, including having players come out onto the field one by one as their names are announced, like in the NBA. "Why not bring it to the Premier League," replied Chelsea's Romeo Lavia when asked if it could become a thing in England. "It's a bit of a showbiz thing, isn't it? I quite like it." Not everyone agrees with Lavia. "It's a bit slow. I find it a bit strange. It seems like putting on a show for the sake of it. It seems a bit pointless," said the Porto coach, Martin Anselmi. as-rbs/iwd
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Club World Cup crowds have wildly fluctuated, from swathes of empty seats to ‘hostile' atmospheres
MIAMI (AP) — As kickoff approached it was clear — the fans weren't coming. The Club World Cup, soccer's shiny, new competition, has been billed as the event to breathe new life into the world's most popular sport. It began a week ago in the United States, where sports stadiums of monumental capacity and steep tickets prices awaited the rowdy crowds seen at grounds across the world. But rows and rows of empty seats inside Orlando's Inter&Co Stadium on Tuesday told another story. 'It's like playing football during lockdown,' observed one fan on social media. For days, world governing body FIFA didn't register the attendance for the game between Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD on its official website. It took until Friday for a figure of 3,412 to be acknowledged on the site, but by rough count, there were less than 1000 fans in the stands as the game got underway. At the other end of the spectrum, more than 80,000 watched Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid at the massive Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. The opening week for the monthlong tournament across the U.S. has seen some wildly fluctuating attendances. Orlando attendance is uncomfortably low The Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD game stands out as the low point so far for FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, who is banking on the Club World Cup becoming one of the most popular and valuable competitions in sport. So sparse was the crowd that the word 'ORLANDO' — spelled out in yellow seats on one of the main stands at Inter&Co Stadium — was almost completely unobstructed. Crowd control stewards stood by the sidelines and monitored vast areas of empty spaces in the 25,500-capacity venue. The home of MLS team Orlando City — among the smallest stadiums chosen to host games for the tournament — was still massively oversized for the match, even with ticket prices falling to $23. A group game between largely unheralded teams from South Africa and South Korea was never likely to be a big seller. And storms, which forced kickoff to be delayed by more than an hour, may have led to no-shows. Still, it was an uncomfortably low turnout and one of three games in the opening week that drew less than 10,000 fans. Not even Chelsea, Messi, MLS can pack Atlanta There were also swathes of empty seats for Chelsea's game against L.A. FC in Atlanta. It was an afternoon kickoff on a weekday, but one of the Premier League's most popular teams vs. an opponent from MLS couldn't manage to fill a third of the 71,000-capacity stadium, with 22,000 fans showing up. 'I think the environment was a bit strange. You know, the stadium was almost empty,' Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said, and even with Lionel Messi in town for the second game in Atlanta — Inter Miami's win against Porto — the crowd was far from capacity at 31,783. Club World Cup ticket prices Uncertainty over ticket sales had been a point of debate in the build up to the tournament, with prices falling dramatically before the opening game between Miami and Al Ahly last Saturday. An impressive crowd of nearly 61,000 watched that game at Hard Rock Stadium, though it is not known how many paid anywhere near the $349 that tickets were being quoted at in December. As of Tuesday, FIFA said 1.5 million tickets had been sold and more than 340,000 fans had attended the first eight games. Infantino proudly proclaimed the Club World Cup was growing into 'the undisputed pinnacle of global club football.' Kane calls Hard Rock Stadium a 'hostile' scene Numbers in Miami have been good — nothing lower than 55,000 and topping out at a near-capacity 63,587 for Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors. Bayern forward Harry Kane described the atmosphere inside a stadium dominated by Boca fans as 'hostile.' Crowds have still come to Miami in a week when the Florida Panthers were playing in the Stanley Cup Final. Boca and Real Madrid fans queued up for hours in sweltering heat after arriving early for games. Largest cup crowd was at the Rose Bowl The biggest crowd of the opening week was 80,619 for PSG vs. Atletico Madrid in L.A. For context, that is just short of the 84,163 who watched the English FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium and well above the 64,327 attendance for the Champions League final — European club soccer's biggest game. World Cup, Champions League comparisons While there was not a sellout game in the opening week, 10 of the first 24 matches have seen crowds in excess of 40,000, for an average of around 36,000. The average for the Champions League last season was just under 46,000, according to soccer data website Transfermarkt, but like-for-like comparisons are difficult, given this is a totally new format bringing club teams from around the world to the U.S. At the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar there was an average attendance of just under 50,000 per game for the opening week. Of the 20 games played over that period, the highest attendance was 88,103 and all but two of those games had crowds in excess of 40,000. Looking ahead to the World Cup Focus on the Club World Cup has been intense for more than one reason. There is still uncertainty over how much of an appetite there is among fans for another elite soccer tournament and it was unknown how many would be prepared to follow their team to the U.S. According to FIFA, the biggest take up of tickets from abroad was from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Perhaps more significant is what this tournament says about the men's World Cup, which is largely being staged in the U.S. next year. The Club World Cup could be seen as a gauge of how America's interest in soccer has grown since last hosting the planet's biggest sporting event in 1994. In that sense, it's not just about statistics, but optics as well. Which is why FIFA will hope to avoid a repeat of the scenes at Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Ulsan HD. ___ AP reporters Jackson Castellano in Orlando, Florida, and Allyn Tucker in Atlanta contributed. ___ James Robson is at ___ AP soccer:
