Ex-Inter and Real Madrid striker Luis Figo has praised the Champions League for continuously throwing up interesting results and underdog stories, according to a report in the European media.
Whilst speaking to the official UEFA channel, the Portuguese former striker was discussing the interesting fact that FC Sheriff has won two games and is top of Inter’s Champions League group despite never playing in the competition before.
“The Champions League is a competition that allows everyone for sporting merit to play for it. It should be like that. The beauty of football.
“The beauty of football proves that small teams can in theory win and beat the favourites.
“This is football and it is the sporting merit for which you can play these great competitions and have the chance to beat the bigger teams and qualify for the next few rounds. It’s fantastic.”
FC Sheriff Tiraspol beat Shakhtar Donetsk at home in Transnistria, an internationally unrecognised territory within Moldova, on the opening night of the tournament.
They then travelled to Madrid where they beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu with a last-minute winner from Sebastian Thill.
Inter have not fared so well. They lost to Real Madrid 1-0 at San Siro on matchday one, and only managed to draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in Kyiv on Tuesday evening.
They are third in the group and must winning if they are to progress.
