Mickels Targets Champions League History Against Man Utd — SkimNews
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- Joy-Lance Mickels, a 32-year-old Rwandan international, is expected to start up front for Azerbaijani side Sabah against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League league phase opener on Thursday (20:00 BST).
- Mickels is set to become the first footballer from Rwanda to play in the Champions League proper; he qualified through his parents and made his international debut for the Wasps in March.
- Sabah, founded just nine years ago, reached the Champions League proper on their debut with Mickels scoring four qualifying goals — including one that sealed a 6-4 aggregate win over Hapoel Be'er Sheva in extra time.
- Mickels scored 19 goals as Sabah won a maiden Azerbaijan Premier League title last season; the club's subsequent Champions League fixtures include home ties against Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona plus a trip to reigning Premier League champions Arsenal.
- Sabah's manager Valdas Dambrauskas used his winnings from an appearance on the Lithuanian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? to forge his coaching career.
- Sabah must stage home Champions League matches at Baku's Olympic Stadium because their Bank Respublika Arena does not meet Uefa regulations.
Why it matters: Mickels becomes the first Rwandan in Champions League proper history on Thursday — a milestone he explicitly frames as an attempt to inspire young Rwandan players. The 9-year-old Azerbaijani club he led to its first league title now face Dortmund, Barcelona, and Arsenal in the league phase, with Mickels saying Sabah will 'make it difficult for everybody to get points' on them.
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