The UEFA Champions League first qualifying round restarts with Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto “Pico” Lopes unable to play. Multiple outlets report that Lopes is missing from Shamrock Rovers’ involvement because of his recent World Cup run with Cape Verde. Lopes returns to Dublin on Monday after participating in Cape Verde’s run at the tournament, where the team pushes defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi to a 3–2 defeat in the round of 32 in Miami Gardens. The reports place Lopes’s unavailability in the context of the first qualifying round matches played Tuesday. In one noted result, a 41-year-old defender, Nano of Lincoln Red Imps, scores the first goal of the season in Gibraltar. Beyond Lopes and the early-scoring example, the articles focus on the restart of Champions League action and the impact of players’ international commitments on club match availability.
Champions League qualifying resumes with Cape Verde World Cup star Pico Lopes unavailable
The UEFA Champions League first qualifying round restarts with Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto “Pico” Lopes unable to play. Multiple outlets report that Lopes is missing from Shamrock Rovers’ involve...
- Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto “Pico” Lopes is unable to play in the Champions League restart.
- Lopes’s absence is attributed to his World Cup involvement with Cape Verde.
- Cape Verde’s World Cup run includes a 3–2 defeat of defending champions Argentina, featuring Lionel Messi.
- Nano, a 41-year-old left back for Lincoln Red Imps, scores the first goal of the Champions League season in Gibraltar.
- Champions League first qualifying round matches are played Tuesday during the restart.
The Champions League has restarted with Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto "Pico" Lopes unable to play.
2 hours agoFar from the World Cup spotlight, the Champions League has restarted with Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes unable to play because of his memorable tournament run with Cape Verde. In 10 games played Tuesday in the Champions League first qualifying round, the first goal of the season was scored in Gibraltar by a player even older than Cristiano Ronaldo — 41-year-old Nano, the left back for Lincoln Red Imps. Lopes returned to Dublin on Monday three days after Cape Verde thrilled the World Cup by pushing defending champion Argentina and Lionel Messi to the limit in a 3-2 loss in the round of 32 at Miami Gardens.
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