Arsenal and Real Madrid Supporters Clash in Nigeria After Champions League Quarterfinal Tie
- Arsenal defeated Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate to reach their first UEFA Champions League semifinal since 2009
- Post-match violence erupted in Kano State, Nigeria, involving rival fan groups outside a viewing centre
- Authorities and leaders have called for calm and responsible behaviour from football fans afterwards
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Arsenal stunned the football world on Wednesday night after eliminating defending champions Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
With a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg at the Emirates, the Gunners arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu with confidence and composure.
Source: Getty Images
Bukayo Saka, the star of the night, scored a sensational goal in the second half, making up for his earlier missed penalty, Sky Sports reports.
Although Vinicius Jr pulled one back for Madrid after capitalising on a rare mistake from William Saliba, Arsenal stayed focused and ensured they wrapped the victory in style.
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Gabriel Martinelli’s late breakaway goal sealed a famous 2-1 win on the night and 5-1 on aggregate to set up a semifinal clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
This result sent Arsenal to their first Champions League semifinal since 2009 and marked them as a serious contender for the title.
The North London side’s dominance over Madrid, especially at the Santiago Bernabeu, sparked global reactions, particularly from passionate fans in Nigeria.
Tensions boil over in Kano State
The aftermath of the Arsenal vs Real Madrid Champions League match saw tempers flare between fans of both clubs in Kano State, Northern Nigeria, as seen on Instablog.
Reports indicate that violence erupted outside a football viewing centre shortly after the final whistle.
Source: Getty Images
Witnesses claim that heated arguments broke out when Real Madrid fans, visibly frustrated by their team’s humiliating exit, clashed with jubilant Arsenal supporters who taunted their rivals.
What started as verbal exchanges quickly escalated into a physical altercation, with several individuals reportedly sustaining minor injuries.
Though no fatalities were recorded, local authorities have urged residents and football enthusiasts to celebrate peacefully and avoid turning sports rivalries into street violence.
How social media reacted to the violence
Following the unrest, social media was agog with reactions as some fellow football fans could not understand the reason behind the chaos that erupted after the game.
“People day enjoy money una day fight. When would this people have sense,” @BlackUriel01 tweeted.
Another fan called the violence crazy.
“This is cr@zy, but do these European teams know that they have some fanatical followers in Nigeria?” @icycyclone wrote.
Mr Ozor had a different view of the violence that erupted.
“The fooolish people that could not clash with the wicked politicians keeping them in misery,” @MrOzor1 tweeted.
Supercomputer predicts UCL winner
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Arsenal now lead the prediction table with a 28.7% chance of winning the title after eliminating 15-time champions Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate.
But the gap is razor-thin as Inter Milan are close behind at 25.5%, followed by Paris Saint-Germain (24.0%) and Barcelona (21.8%).
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Source: Legit.ng
