Chelsea’s Robert Sánchez Snubs Barcelona as CAF Releases AFCON 2025 Referees List With No Nigerian Included
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez has stirred debate after boldly dismissing Barcelona’s chances of winning the UEFA Champions League, insisting instead that the Blues are the favourites for the title.
Sánchez made the remark after Chelsea defeated Barcelona 3-0 on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Estevão, Liam Delap, and a Jules Kounde own goal secured a convincing victory over the LaLiga champions.
Speaking to El Chiringuito TV after the match, the Spanish goalkeeper also heaped praise on teammate Marc Cucurella, who successfully shut down Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
“Barça among the favorites to win the Champions League? No, I see us as favorites,” Sánchez said.
“Cucurella has Lamine Yamal in his pocket.”
Chelsea will meet Barcelona again this weekend—this time in the Premier League—adding spice to an already heated football week.
CAF Releases AFCON 2025 Referee List — No Nigerian Official Selected
In another major football development, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the full list of referees and Video Assistant Referees (VAR) for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), according to TalkTalk Nigeria.
Shockingly, no Nigerian referee was included.
CAF listed 28 centre referees and 14 VAR officials ahead of the tournament hosted by Morocco.
Countries like Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Mauritania each contributed two centre referees, while top VAR officials heading to AFCON include:
Algeria’s Lahlou Benbraham
Egypt’s Mahmoud Ashour
Tunisia’s Haythem Guirat
Morocco’s Hamza El Fariq
Senegal’s Djibril Camara
AFCON 2025 is scheduled to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, with host nation Morocco opening the tournament against Comoros in Rabat.
Opinion: Two Stories, One Message — Football Is Changing Fast
Between Sánchez’s bold comments and CAF’s referee selections, one thing is clear: football narratives are shifting.
Chelsea’s performance against Barcelona wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. A young, hungry team outplayed a European powerhouse, and Sánchez’s confidence mirrors the belief inside the Chelsea camp. Whether the Blues truly are Champions League favourites remains to be seen, but the self-belief is refreshing.
On the African front, Nigeria missing from the AFCON refereeing list raises important questions.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s biggest football nations—on and off the pitch—yet CAF’s selections suggest that Nigerian officiating may not currently meet the continent’s highest standards. It is a wake-up call that investment, training, and development in refereeing must improve if Nigeria wants representation at elite competitions.
Both stories show that reputation no longer guarantees respect—performance does.
Chelsea earned theirs on the pitch. Nigeria must earn theirs in the officiating department.
