BIRMINGHAM, England: Call it being inexperienced in the Champions League.
There was confusion before kickoff in the second leg of the quarterfinal between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday when the anthem for the second-tier Europa League competition appeared to be played by mistake as players from both teams lined up.
A minute or so later, the more famous Champions League anthem was finally played at Villa Park — by which the players were almost ready for the kickoff. In the crowd was Prince William, the heir to the throne and a die-hard Villa fan.
This is Villa’s first season in the Champions League. The team previously played in Europe’s top competition in the 1982-83, as reigning champion when it was called the European Cup.
The pre-match error was followed by mistakes on the field as the hosts fell 2-0 behind to PSG by the 27th minute thanks to goals by full backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. PSG had a 3-1 advantage from the first leg.
Europa League anthem played by mistake before Villa-PSG in Champions League
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Europa League anthem played by mistake before Villa-PSG in Champions League
- A minute or so later, the more famous Champions League anthem was finally played
- This is Villa’s first season in the Champions League
Bangladesh replaced by Scotland at T20 World Cup, reports say
- Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead
- Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C
DUBAI: Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup after the South Asian side refused to travel to co-hosts India, media reports said on Saturday citing sources within the sport’s governing International Cricket Council.
The decision follows weeks of uncertainty, during which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) repeatedly insisted it would not play its scheduled matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbors.
Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead, but the governing body rejected the demand, dismissing any security threat to the team.
Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, which features England, Italy, Nepal and West Indies, the BBC reported.
Reuters has contacted the ICC, BCB and Cricket Scotland for comment.
PROTESTS NEAR BANGLADESH HIGH COMMISSION
Last month, hundreds of people protested near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district by a crowd that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
A total of 12 people were arrested in connection with his death.
The incident worsened relations between India and its neighbor, with ties already strained after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have spilled into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with its Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The standoff mirrors previous tensions in South Asian cricket.
For the Champions Trophy last year, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) stuck to its policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbors, who play each other only in ICC events.
Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a ‘hybrid model’ was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
The 20-team World Cup is set to begin on February 7.
