Ireland Men’s Under-17 qualifies for the Elite Round of the UEFA European Championship

27, October 2022

Ireland Men’s Under-17 qualifies for the Elite Round of the UEFA European Championship 0

The Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-17s have qualified for the Elite Round of the UEFA European Championship qualifiers following a 1-1 draw with Norway in Sarpsborg this evening.

Nickson Okosun’s first-half strike cancelled out Fanuel Temesgen Tewelde’s opener but Ireland can thank Waterford’s Jason Healy who saved a second-half spot kick to keep the game level . That save earned the point required for Ireland to advance to the next stage of the competition and puts them in the draw for the Elite Phase in December.

Ireland went into the game knowing if they avoided defeat they would qualify for the next stage. After soaking up early pressure from the hosts, Norway were eventually able to breach the Irish backline.

Norway pressed Ireland high and forced an error that led to Fanuel Temesgen Tewelde finding the corner with a finish in the 29th minute.

But this sparked Ireland into life and seven minutes later Bohemians’ Okosun was able to take advantage of hesitancy in Norwegian defence and goalkeeper Daniel Sætren and deliver a composed finished from the edge of the area into an empty net.

The teams would go in at half-time all square and it was Norway pushing to regain their lead in early stages of the second half.

But the crucial point in the game came in the 68th minute when the hosts were were awarded a penalty.

Jake Grante was adjudged to have tripped Gustav Nyheim and the spotkick was given. Walle Egeli’s powerful low penalty was superbly saved by Healy who denied the striker down to his left.

Healy then immediately set-up a counter attack led by Cory O’Sullivan but the Norwegian defence were able to snuff out the danger in time to keep the game level.

With Belarus needing a win and a significant swing in goal difference both teams knew they would advance to the next stage and neither goalkeeper faced too much pressure and the game ended 1-1.

Norway: Sætren, Bjurstrøm, Heredia-Randen, Børset, Kvale, El-Abdellaoui (Thorvaldsen, 84), Jatta, Temesgen Tewelde (Nyhammer, 84), Nypan, Kjølstad Nyheim, Walle Egeli

Republic of Ireland: Healy, Babb, Grante, C. O’Sullivan, Mackey, Turley ©, McGrath, Okosun, Orazi (Melia, 83), Mooney (Razi, 70), Akachukwu

Referee: Jan Machálek (Czechia)

UEFA European Under-17 Championship Round One results

Thursday, October 20 | Republic of Ireland MU17 4-0 Armenia MU17

Sunday, October 23 | Republic of Ireland MU17 2-2 Belarus MU17

Wednesday, October 26 | Norway MU17 1-1 Republic of Ireland MU17

Culled from The FAI

Yaoundé’s political spin on the arson attack on St. Mary parish Nchang

27, October 2022

Yaoundé’s political spin on the arson attack on St. Mary parish Nchang 0

The arson attack on St. Mary parish in Nchang Village some few kilometers from Mamfe, the chief town in Manyu Division still shrouded in mystery, has fueled angry reactions among Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora.

The people of Cameroon are entitled to know what happened in Nchang, and the circumstances in which the Roman Catholic clerics were abducted and then released in far away Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The authorities in Yaoundé are legally and morally obliged to probe the matter without fear or favour and douse the raging flames of anger with justice and accountability.

However, it now seems Yaoundé is maintaining a kind of silence of the lamb as fingers are pointing at senior Cameroon government officials for being responsible for the attacks on Roman Catholic clerics in Southern Cameroons.

Cameroon Intelligence Report will make public our findings this weekend in an investigative report: The Kidnapping of priests of the Mamfe Diocese and matters arising!!

Be the first to know!! Stay with the Cameroon Concord News Group

Football: Barca, going, going, gone

27, October 2022

Football: Barca, going, going, gone 0

Barcelona exited the Champions League at the group phase for the second season running on Wednesday, a 3-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich rubbing salt in the wound after their fate was sealed 700 kilometres away.

Inter Milan beat Viktoria Plzen at San Siro before kick-off at Camp Nou, ensuring Barcelona would drop into the Europa League again despite their lavish summer expenditure on Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Raphinha and other players.

With the club 1.3 billion euros ($1.31 billion) in debt at the end of 2021, Barcelona president Joan Laporta pulled “palancas” — levers — all summer long, like a Las Vegas slot machine, until he had cashed out the 865 million euro jackpot he was looking for.

In came those star names, plus a raft of other signings including Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso, as coach Xavi Hernandez and the board revamped their squad, hunting for instant success.

The cost of their deals was 49 percent of their production arm Barca Studios sold to Socios and Orpheus Media, raising 200 million euros, and 25 percent of their La Liga television rights for the next 25 years sold to US investment firm Sixth Street across two deals, for around 665 million euros.

Enthusiasm soared in Catalonia and attendances rose after the disillusionment of last season, with 84,000 at Camp Nou on Wednesday, despite the improbability, and quickly, impossibility, of the Bayern match being anything beyond an exercise to salvage some pride.

Change has come slower than Barcelona hoped for in Europe and their only win in five group stage matches was over Viktoria Plzen. The Czech minnows’ defeat by Inter left Barcelona with the ignominy of being able to watch in the dressing room as their fate was sealed even before they took to the pitch.

“We didn’t compete today, being knocked out before the game affected us,” Xavi said.

“It was a difficult group and everything went against us. It was cruel.”

Swatted with ease

The elimination did not dampen the atmosphere at Camp Nou, which was one of the finest in a long time, in stark contrast to what the supporters were watching on the pitch.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was injured but Barcelona did not manage to trouble his replacement Sven Ulreich even once. Bayern swatted Barcelona with ease, with goals from Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard, and Xavi admitted it.

“It was a beating, a tough blow, a huge disappointment,” said the coach.

“They were a lot better than us. In Munich, we were better, but we weren’t today. It’s not hard for me to say it, Bayern were better in many ways. We were not enough in a footballing sense.”

For all their certainty they now had a squad that could compete in Europe, this curtailed campaign was a reality check.

Xavi admitted earlier in October that if the team did not win anything this season then he would likely be sacked, despite his rich playing history with the club and some improvements since his arrival as coach.

“We have a team that can win titles, that’s what I think,” said Xavi. “(After the Clasico) my phone was filled with messages of support, it was like a family member had died. This is Barca and there are no transition seasons.

“We had half of last season to get things in order. The president said there would be consequences and maybe first of all for me. If we don’t win titles then another coach will come in and try.”

Financially the club could lose around 20 million euros in prize money for failing to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, as they had budgeted for, as well as potential income from ticket sales and broadcasting. That would be offset by any Europa League revenue and not having to pay out some bonuses for European success in players’ contracts.

Still, after the heavy summer expenditure, another humiliating early exit rankles. Despite Lewandowski’s supreme form in La Liga, he failed to net in either match against Bayern, his former side.

For all the spending, it was homegrown left-back Alejandro Balde who shone brightest against the Bavarians, a nod towards the other path that debt-ridden Barcelona could have chosen.

Source:  AFP

World Bank: Currency Depreciations Risk Intensifying Global Food, Energy Crisis

26, October 2022

World Bank: Currency Depreciations Risk Intensifying Global Food, Energy Crisis 0

The shrinking value of the currencies of most developing economies is driving up food and fuel prices in ways that could deepen the food and energy crises that many of them already face, according to the World Bank’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook report.

In U.S. dollar terms, the prices of most commodities have declined from their recent peaks amid concerns of an impending global recession, the report documents. From the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 through the end of last month, the price of Brent crude oil in U.S. dollars fell nearly 6%. Yet, because of currency depreciations, almost 60% of oil-importing emerging-market and developing economies saw an increase in domestic-currency oil prices during this period. Nearly 90% of these economies also saw a larger increase in wheat prices in local-currency terms compared to the rise in U.S. dollars.

Elevated prices of energy commodities that serve as inputs to agricultural production have been driving up food prices. During the first three quarters of 2022, food-price inflation in South Asia averaged more than 20%. Food price inflation in other regions, including Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, averaged between 12 and 15%. East Asia and the Pacific has been the only region with low food-price inflation, partly because of broadly stable prices of rice, the region’s key staple.

“Although many commodity prices have retreated from their peaks, they are still high compared to their average level over the past five years,” said Pablo Saavedra, the World Bank’s Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions. “A further spike in world food prices could prolong the challenges of food insecurity across developing countries. An array of policies is needed to foster supply, facilitate distribution, and support real incomes.”

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, energy prices have been quite volatile but are now expected to decline. After surging by about 60% in 2022, energy prices are projected to decline 11% in 2023. Despite this moderation, energy prices next year will still be 75% above their average over the past five years.

The price of Brent crude oil is expected to average $92 a barrel in 2023—well above the five-year average of $60 a barrel. Both natural gas and coal prices are projected to ease in 2023 from record highs in 2022. However, by 2024, Australian coal and U.S. natural-gas prices are still expected to be double their average over the past five years, while European natural gas prices could be nearly four times higher. Coal production is projected to significantly increase as several major exporters boost output, putting climate-change goals at risk.

“The combination of elevated commodity prices and persistent currency depreciations translates into higher inflation in many countries,” said Ayhan Kose, Director of the World Bank’s Prospects Group and EFI Chief Economist, which produces the Outlook report. “Policymakers in emerging market and developing economies have limited room to manage the most pronounced global inflation cycle in decades. They need to carefully calibrate monetary and fiscal policies, clearly communicate their plans, and get ready for a period of even higher volatility in global financial and commodity markets.”

Agricultural prices are expected to decline 5% next year. Wheat prices in the third quarter of 2022 fell nearly 20% but remain 24% higher than a year ago. The decline in agricultural prices in 2023 reflects a better-than-projected global wheat crop, stable supplies in the rice market, and the resumption of grain exports from Ukraine. Metal prices are projected to decline 15% in 2023, largely because of weaker global growth and concerns about a slowdown in China.

The outlook for commodity prices is subject to many risks. Energy markets face significant supply concerns as worries about the availability of energy during the upcoming winter will intensify in Europe. Higher-than-expected energy prices could feed through to non-energy prices, especially food, prolonging challenges associated with food insecurity. A sharper slowdown in global growth also presents a key risk, especially for crude oil and metals prices.

“The forecast of a decline in agricultural prices is subject to an array of risks,” said John Baffes, Senior Economist in the World Bank’s Prospects Group. “First, export disruptions by Ukraine or Russia could again interrupt global grain supplies. Second, additional increases in energy prices could exert upward pressure on grain and edible oil prices. Third, adverse weather patterns can reduce yields; 2023 is likely to be the third La Niña year in a row, potentially reducing yields of key crops in South America and Southern Africa.”

Concerns about a possible global recession next year have already contributed to a sharp decline in copper and aluminum prices. A Special Focus section of the report examines the drivers of aluminum and copper prices and explores implications for emerging market and developing economies that export these commodities. Prices will likely remain volatile as the energy transition unfolds and demand shifts from fossil fuels to renewables, which will benefit some metal producers. Metal exporters can make the most of the resulting opportunities for growth over the medium term while limiting the impact of price volatility by ensuring they have well-designed fiscal and monetary policy frameworks, the report highlights.

Mamfe Diocese: Bishop Abangalo urges prayers of thanksgiving for release of captives

26, October 2022

Mamfe Diocese: Bishop Abangalo urges prayers of thanksgiving for release of captives 0

The Diocese of Mamfe has directed that prayers of thanksgiving be said for the release on Saturday of nine people who were abducted in September from a local parish.

The nine were released Oct. 22.

“I urge each of you to pray a decade of the rosary in thanksgiving to God for the safe release of our brothers and sisters who were kidnapped,” Bishop Aloysius Fondong Abangalo of Mamfe said in an Oct. 23 statement to the diocese.

“I am sincerely grateful to all those who joined us in this collective effort in praying for the safety and release of our brothers and sisters,” he said, adding: “Words will only do scant justice in expressing my sentiments of gratitude to all those who collaborated with us in the process of negotiating for their safety and release.”

On Sept. 16, unidentified gunmen attacked St. Mary parish in Nchang, in Cameroon’s Southwest Region. Nine people were abducted and buildings on the parish premises, including the church, were burned down.

The attackers kidnapped Father Elias Okorie, Father Barnabas Ashu, Father Cornelius Jingwa, Father Job Francis Nwobegu, Father Emmanuel Asaba, Sister Jacinta C. Udeagha, Nkem Patrick Osang (an assistant catechist), Blanche Bright, and Mme. Kelechukwu.

In his statement announcing their release, Abangalo said: “Permit me to use this opportunity to commend your collective efforts at prayer.”

“I seize this opportunity, once again, to condemn the act of desecrating the church, in the strongest terms possible, and to decry the need for the enhancement of human dignity.”

“Taking away the freedom of our fellow brothers and sisters in order to make money at all cost is inhuman and should be desisted from whoever engages in such,” the Cameroonian bishop said.

“For those who make utterances — categorical or implicit — which fuel such actions, I suppose it is time to rethink your approach and ensure that the dignity of the human person is upheld in every way possible,” he added.

The release of the nine abductees came days after a video emerged on social media showing them asking Abangalo to secure their release.

On Oct. 24 Abangalo announced that a Mass of thanksgiving for the release of the captives was to be said the following day at the cathedral in Mamfe.

The arson attack on St. Mary parish is one of the latest incidents in the context of Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis.

The crisis is rooted in conflict between the English- and French-speaking areas of Cameroon. The area was a German colony in the late 19th century, but the territory was divided into British and French mandates after the German Empire’s defeat in World War I. The mandates were united in an independent Cameroon in 1961.

There is now a separatist movement in the Southwest and Northwest Regions, which were formerly the British Southern Cameroons.

Unrest in Cameroon has been ongoing since 2016, when the country’s Anglophone community began protests to demand the return of federalism.

Secessionist militants in the English-speaking region of Cameroon have also sought violence against government forces and began attacking military troops in 2017.

Source: CNA

Kidnapping for ransom on the rise in French Cameroun

26, October 2022

Kidnapping for ransom on the rise in French Cameroun 0

Since 2013, communities in Cameroon’s Far North Region have suffered attacks from the violent extremist group Boko Haram. The divisions of Mayo-Tsanaga, Mayo-Sava and Logone-et-Chari have been hardest hit. The terror group has also been responsible for several kidnappings, most recently in the Lake Chad communities of Tchika (in August) and Kofia (in September).

But other groups besides Boko Haram are increasingly kidnapping people, according to research by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Association Sembe in the North and Far North regions. Perpetrators include former shepherds and criminal gangs comprising Cameroonians, Nigerians, Nigeriens and Chadians. The kidnappers live in the bushes and mountains along the Cameroon-Nigeria border and team up with local accomplices who act as informants.

The phenomenon has continued for over a decade, with trends worsening in the past four years. One interviewee said: ‘About 60 cases have been recorded, and a lot more go unreported as most families prefer not to raise the alarm when their loved ones are in captivity.’

People are generally reluctant to involve the authorities in finding their relatives. In most cases, they fear their family members will be killed if the government or security forces become involved, so they negotiate privately with the kidnappers. Families also doubt the security forces’ ability or commitment to free their loved ones safely. Vigilantes are sometimes called on to help but lack the appropriate weapons to confront the criminals.

Kidnappings are more frequent in the dry season when communities are accessible. The attacks often occur late at night. Armed groups of about four to 10 attackers storm houses, sometimes firing shots in the air to dissuade residents from resisting. Many victims are taken across the border into Nigeria, Chad and the Central African Republic or kept in Cameroonian hideouts.

The research shows that subdivisions like Bourrha, Hina, Mogode and Mokolo are the most affected in the Far North. In Cameroon’s North Region, the Touboro subdivision is the hardest hit, with over a dozen cases reported from January to October 2022.

The most targeted villages are situated in rural areas with little or no state presence, including police, gendarmerie or military. It takes time for information to reach the security forces when incidents occur.

The ransom amount demanded depends on the status of the victim or their family and ranges from 1 million CFA francs to tens of millions of CFA francs. Male family heads are often the prime targets, but women and children are also taken.

Negotiations take days, sometimes weeks, with gangs upping the pressure and threats to obtain the ransom. They use well-planned tactics to cover their tracks, including regular changes of hideouts in or outside Cameroon. Victims are usually released unharmed once the criminals’ demands are met, but some are injured if their families delay paying the ransom.

In places where Boko Haram’s terror attacks are rife, kidnapping by criminal gangs is almost non-existent. These include Moskota, Tourou, Kolofata, Amchide and Fotokol, among others. However Boko Haram seeks to expand into new areas, as is happening in Nigeria, so communities cannot afford to be complacent.

Efforts have been made to address the problem. On 3 August, the gendarmerie uncovered a gang of male and female kidnappers in Ngong in Cameroon’s North Region after the abduction of a four-year-old girl. In June, gendarmes arrested 10 people responsible for several incidents in Badjengo. In the same month, the Rapid Intervention Battalion secured the release of eight hostages in Touboro. The security forces’ success and restoration of order were credited to their close collaboration with local authorities.

While Boko Haram takes hostages not just for ransom but to use as recruits, suicide bombers, labourers and brides for fighters, economic gain remains the primary motivation for the ongoing kidnappings.

Before Boko Haram, highway robbers terrorised border communities in the North and Far North regions. But the terrorist insurgency has made the areas more volatile. Criminal groups now have access to more sophisticated arms, and some have adopted Boko Haram’s modus operandi. Security forces are more likely to be deployed where Boko Haram attacks are high, leaving other border villages with little or no protection. This makes them fertile ground for criminal gangs.

The increase in kidnapping networks could see Cameroon’s security situation degenerate further. The more money these groups make, the more powerful they become, with the potential for staging further high-profile attacks. The lucrative nature of kidnapping could attract recruits to the gangs and enable them to equip themselves better.

ISS research shows how Boko Haram and bandits team up in Nigeria to carry out criminal activities, including kidnapping. The proximity and coordination between these groups in Cameroon mean the same could happen there.

Kidnappings are causing untold hardship in border communities already suffering from poverty and the effects of climate change. Insecurity has also fractured community life, as villagers have become more suspicious of one another.

More police, gendarmes and military posts are needed across border communities. At the same time, civilians and law enforcement must collaborate to share information and build mutual trust. Authorities need to tap into existing community-centred approaches to enhance vigilance and tracking capabilities. And those accused of abductions must be arrested and prosecuted.

Building the socio-economic resilience of communities is also essential to help them resist the lures of bandit groups.

Culled from ISS Africa

Bundes: Germano-Cameroon Teenager Moukoko included in preliminary World Cup squad

26, October 2022

Bundes: Germano-Cameroon Teenager Moukoko included in preliminary World Cup squad 0

Borussia Dortmund’s 17-year-old forward Youssoufa Moukoko has reportedly been included in Germany’s preliminary squad for the World Cup.

Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira, Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Luca Netz and Werder Bremen forward Niclas Füllkrug — who is joint top scorer in the Bundesliga with eight goals — all made coach Hansi Flick’s preliminary list, German tabloid Bild said on Tuesday.

National team coaches had to submit their selection of up to 55 players before a deadline of Oct. 21 to ensure their eligibility for the tournament, which starts Nov. 20. Any players who don’t make the preliminary selections will not feature in Qatar.

Moukoko has scored four goals and set up three more in 10 Bundesliga appearances so far for Dortmund this season. Khedira, the younger brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira, has started every Bundesliga game for Union and helped the modest club surprisingly lead the table. The 19-year-old Netz is seen as a good prospect for the future.

There have been calls for Flick to include Füllkrug in the final squad as the Bremen striker’s strong physical presence creates opportunities for teammates. The 29-year-old Füllkrug has eight goals and three assists in the Bundesliga so far.

Bild only reported 44 names. It wasn’t clear if Flick had included more. The Germany coach is due to announce his 26-player final squad on Nov. 10 and didn’t want his initial selection published.

Germany has its last World Cup warmup game against Oman on Nov. 16. The four-time champion has been drawn in Group E and plays Japan on Nov. 23, Spain on Nov. 27, and Costa Rica on Dec. 1.

Source: Superstar.the Hindu

Resistance sole way to free Southern Cameroons, defeat enemies of Ambazonia

25, October 2022

Resistance sole way to free Southern Cameroons, defeat enemies of Ambazonia 0

The Vice President of the Ambazonia Interim Government Dabney Yerima says resistance is the sole way to liberate Southern Cameroons and defeat the occupying forces. The Ambazonian front line figure called on all Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora to unite around the Southern Cameroons struggle against occupation.

Dabney Yerima made the remarks in a message to a Southern Cameroons think tank in Scotland on Monday and emphasized the need for unity in line with the ideology of the jailed Southern Cameroons leaders and said the only way to liberate the Federal Republic of Ambazonia from the Biya Francophone regime, defeat the enemies, and restore grandeur is through resistance.

“If there is anything that has greatly delayed our trip to Buea, it stems from divisions,” said Dabney Yerima. The exiled Ambazonia leader furthered that Yaoundé’s power lies in rifts among Southern Cameroonians, Southern Cameroonians should therefore unite, since unity will serve as a firm fortress for the people of Ambazonia and will guarantee progress toward freedom.

He urged the Southern Cameroonians in Ground Zero to boycott and criminalize any activity with the Biya French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé and show respect for religious institutions and clerics.

Vice President Dabney Yerima likewise voiced support for Amba fighters in Ground Zero, who have been dealing with French Cameroun terrorism since 2016.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from the Cameroon Concord News London Bureau

Mamfe: Bishop Abangalo welcomes release of 9 seized at church

25, October 2022

Mamfe: Bishop Abangalo welcomes release of 9 seized at church 0

Nine captives, including five priests and a religious sister, were released in Cameroon Saturday, more than a month after they were kidnapped.

The group’s release on Oct. 22 was confirmed by Bishop Aloysius Fondong Abangalo of Mamfe, reported the Vatican-based news agency Agenzia Fides.

The kidnappers struck on Sept. 16 at St. Mary’s Church in Nchang, in the troubled Southwest Region of Cameroon. They reportedly burned down the church and seized five priests, a religious sister, a male catechist, a female cook, and a 15-year-old girl living with the sisters. The captives were dubbed the “Nchang Nine” by local media.

“I take this opportunity to once again condemn in the strongest possible terms the desecration of the Church and to point out the need to protect human dignity,” Bishop Abangalo said.

“Depriving our brothers and sisters of their freedom to obtain money at any price is inhumane. For those who make statements that fuel such actions, I believe it is time to rethink one’s approach and ensure that the dignity of the human person is defended in every possible way.”

Agenzia Fides said that, although the kidnappers’ identities had not been confirmed, one of the freed captives thanked the Freedom Fighters of Ambazonia in a short video “for having released us without paying any ransom.”

Ambazonia is the name of an unrecognized breakaway state in the English-speaking area of the predominantly Francophone Cameroon.

Agenzia Fides said that the Freedom Fighters of Ambazonia could be a new organization seeking international attention through the kidnapping or “a criminal group hiding behind a political acronym to carry out kidnappings for extortion purposes.”

The Diocese of Mamfe is in the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda, which is overseen by Archbishop Andrew Nkea.

In an Oct. 4 interview with The Pillar, Archbishop Nkea said that the Church had maintained contact with the kidnappers throughout the ordeal.

“They were asking us for money and we don’t have money to give. And even if we had the money, we know that if we start, we’ll never stop. And it’s something we had agreed that we would not do — give money to kidnappers — because then we endanger the lives of all our priests and our Christians,” he said.

Pope Francis appealed for the Nchang Nine’s release during his Angelus address on Sept. 25.

The kidnappers issued a video on Oct. 19 showing the captives pleading for Church leaders to secure their release.

A civil war — known as the Anglophone Crisis or Ambazonia War — has raged since 2017 in Cameroon, pitting separatists against government forces, with Church workers often caught in the middle of the conflict.

Source: Pillar Catholic

Champions League: Xavi’s Barca must show they can compete, even if already eliminated

25, October 2022

Champions League: Xavi’s Barca must show they can compete, even if already eliminated 0

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said on Tuesday his team had to try and beat Bayern Munich this week even if their Champions League fate is already sealed by kick-off.

The Catalans could be eliminated if Inter Milan beat Czech minnows Viktoria Plzen at home before they face Bayern on Wednesday.

“We’ll watch (that game) on television all together in the dressing room,” said Xavi. “Regardless of what happens in Milan, we have to show that we can compete.

“We are extremely motivated to show we can compete with them, we will go out with the same intensity we showed against Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao. We have to match them.”

Barcelona have only won one of their first four Champions League matches and were beaten 2-0 in Munich in September despite putting in a good performance and creating several chances.

The German champions have beaten Barcelona each of the last five times they have faced each other, including 8-2 in Lisbon and two 3-0 wins last season in the group phase.

After heavy summer expenditure, including signing striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern, Barcelona had hoped to be able to demonstrate they could challenge for the Champions League.

Xavi said he would not change the starting line-up to rest key players if Inter won and Barcelona were knocked out.

“I have already decided the team,” he said. “It will only change if there is an injury or problem, it’s not related to what happens in Milan.”

Barcelona were knocked out in the group phase last season and dropped into the Europa League, where they were beaten by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

“If in the end we wind up in the Europa League we will go out to compete like lions and try to win it,” added Xavi.

“I am always positive, but when it’s no longer in your hands, you aren’t so positive, it’s logical, it’s human.”

Source: AFP

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