ETA begins receiving 2025 tax returns, announces expanded support measures    Gold slips at start of 2026 as thin liquidity triggers profit-taking: Gold Bullion    Port Said health facilities record 362,662 medical services throughout 2025    Madbouly inspects Luxor healthcare facilities as Universal Insurance expands in Upper Egypt    Cairo conducts intensive contacts to halt Yemen fighting as government forces seize key port    Banque Misr posts EGP 68.35bn in net profits during M9 2025    Nuclear shields and new recruits: France braces for a Europe without Washington    US military hits Caracas as Trump says President Maduro taken into custody    Gold prices in Egypt end 2025's final session lower    From Niche to National Asset: Inside the Egyptian Golf Federation's Institutional Rebirth    Egyptian pound edges lower against dollar in Wednesday's early trade    Oil to end 2025 with sharp losses    5th-century BC industrial hub, Roman burials discovered in Egypt's West Delta    Egyptian-Italian team uncovers ancient workshops, Roman cemetery in Western Nile Delta    Egypt to cover private healthcare costs under universal insurance scheme, says PM at New Giza University Hospital opening    Egypt completes restoration of 43 historical agreements, 13 maps for Foreign Ministry archive    Egypt, Viatris sign MoU to expand presidential mental health initiative    Egypt sends medical convoy, supplies to Sudan to support healthcare sector    Egypt's PM reviews rollout of second phase of universal health insurance scheme    Egypt sends 15th urgent aid convoy to Gaza in cooperation with Catholic Relief Services    Al-Sisi: Egypt seeks binding Nile agreement with Ethiopia    Egyptian-built dam in Tanzania is model for Nile cooperation, says Foreign Minister    Al-Sisi affirms support for Sudan's sovereignty and calls for accountability over conflict crimes    Egypt flags red lines, urges Sudan unity, civilian protection    Egypt unveils restored colossal statues of King Amenhotep III at Luxor mortuary temple    Egyptian Golf Federation appoints Stuart Clayton as technical director    4th Egyptian Women Summit kicks off with focus on STEM, AI    UNESCO adds Egyptian Koshari to intangible cultural heritage list    Egypt recovers two ancient artefacts from Belgium    Egypt, Saudi nuclear authorities sign MoU to boost cooperation on nuclear safety    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Sharing the spotlight
Marawan Elshafei Published in Ahram Online on 04 - 08 - 2020

The Egyptian Premier League will restart today, Thursday, after a five-month suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak. But despite the long break, it might not get the attention it deserves because the world's most prestigious football club championship will return just a day later.
The UEFA Champions League makes a triumphant return to action this week after the last ball was kicked on 11 March because of the pandemic.
The second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 resumes on 7 August, Friday night, with Manchester City taking on Real Madrid while Juventus play host to Lyon.
Madrid will travel to Manchester for their tie which hangs in the balance after a thrilling reverse fixture at Santiago Bernabeu. Zinedine Zidane's men took the lead through Isco, only for late Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne goals to give City a famous 2-1 victory in the Spanish capital.
In Italy, Juventus must overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Olympique Lyonnais.
The new formats for the Champions League and Europa League sees UEFA wanting to get them all wrapped up and ready for the new tournaments in the not-too-distant future.
Champions League last-16 (Cairo local time):
Friday 7 August, 8pm
Juventus vs Lyon (agg 0-1)
Manchester City vs Real Madrid (agg 2-1)
Saturday 8 August, 8pm
Barcelona vs Napoli (agg 1-1)
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea (agg 3-0)
Four teams have already booked their place in the last eight: PSG, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig.
The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the Champions League will be played in Lisbon, Portugal.
They will all be single, knockout matches.
The Champions League quarter-finals:
Wednesday 12 August: Atalanta vs Paris St-Germain
Thursday 13 August: RB Leipzig vs Atletico Madrid
Friday 14 August: Napoli or Barcelona vs Chelsea or Bayern Munich
Saturday 15 August: Real Madrid or Manchester City vs Lyon or Juventus
Meanwhile, the Europa League will have its last-16 second legs completed on 5 and 6 August, with any ties yet to play their first leg completing the tie in one, single, knockout game.
Europa League last-16:
Wednesday 5 August:
Copenhagen vs Istanbul Basaksehir (agg 0-1)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Wolfsburg (agg 2-1)
Inter Milan vs Getafe – one-legged tie (Schalke, Germany)
Man Utd vs LASK (agg 5-0)
Thursday 6 August
Bayer Leverkusen vs Rangers (agg 3-1)
Sevilla vs Roma – one-legged tie (Duisburg, Germany)
Basel vs Eintracht Frankfurt (agg 3-0)
Wolves vs Olympiakos (agg 1-1)
The vast majority of football fans, analysts and journalists believe that a new club will be crowned European champions this year.
As for Egyptians, although they are well known to be die-hard fans of Real Madrid and/or Barcelona, many support Juventus and Manchester City because they admire their players and managers.
*A version of this article appears in print in the 6 August, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Clic here to read the story from its source.