Champions League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Spurs fans slam Levy but he’s built world-class stadium, hired elite boss and led club to first Champions League final

      by

      SO what has Daniel Levy ever done for Tottenham?Apart from building a world-class stadium and training ground, appointing a world-class manager, reaching a first European Cup final in the club’s history and constructing a squad which boasts a World Cup-winning skipper, a World Cup-winning centre-half, the captain of England, the centre-forward of Brazil..?
      Daniel Levy has been criticised by certain sections of the fanbaseCredit: Dan Weir / MatchDay Images Limited
      As Spurs’ faithful demand Levy and bankroller Joe Lewis ‘get out of their club’ and as Antonio Conte stages one of his ‘woe-is-me’ rants to increase the heat on his chairman, it is worth stating those recent achievements.
      Because it is grossly unfair to depict Tottenham’s ENIC owners as some ruinous Mike Ashley-style regime.
      Conte is a demanding workaholic and a multiple title-winning boss, he is also a professional agitator and an arch blame- deflector — a turbulent manager for any chairman to endure.
      Levy knew that when he appointed him. Spurs were the sixth richest club in the Premier League when Conte took over and now they are the seventh.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Seven English clubs expect Champions League qualification and only four will succeed. Managing Spurs is not an easy gig but Conte also knew that when he accepted the job.
      Meltdowns like that which the Italian staged after Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa, will happen.
      Conte performed a similar rant after defeat at Burnley last February and it had a galvanising effect on Tottenham’s season.
      But for Conte to claim it was a “miracle” for him to guide Spurs into the Champions League and that he will need another miracle to do it again, is nonsense.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Guiding Arsenal to a seven-point lead at the top is bordering on miraculous, getting Spurs to fourth is a good effort, no more than that.
      Conte — a man who claimed Roman Abramovich didn’t spend enough money at Chelsea — has been backed to the hilt by Tottenham’s standards.
      Last summer represented Tottenham’s best transfer window in years as Levy ripped up his own playbook to spend £147.5million on proven class and experience.
      Spurs recruited early and decisively on Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic and Clement Lenglet — this after last January’s excellent signings of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur.
      It is not fashionable to defend Levy — a remote man who cherishes his image as a ball-busting Bond villain.
      But his reign has been a qualified success. Yes, only one League Cup in two decades. But also a club which consistently punches above their weight and have an elite infrastructure to safeguard their future.
      During the early part of Levy’s reign, English football had a roped-off top four of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
      Manchester City wrecked that status quo with vast nation-state financing and Newcastle are now doing the same.
      Yet Levy’s Spurs have achieved regular Champions League football without anything like such spending.
      Conte was content at the start of the season and so, remarkably, was Harry Kane — just a year after demanding a move.
      Antonio Conte gave a passionate speech to the fans after the Villa defeatCredit: Getty
      He was impressed by Conte’s appointment and heartened by a return to the Champions League, where Spurs will face AC Milan next.
      Now, Kane is about to break the club’s all-time scoring record but must be wondering if he will ever win a major trophy.
      Kane looked lost against Villa, dropping into midfield — where he lost possession in the build-up to the second goal.
      Will he want out again next summer?
      He has 18 months left on his contract and Conte has just six months on his.
      Sure, Spurs could do with even more investment — Hugo Lloris is past his best, they are light at full-back and need more creativity in midfield.
      But injuries to players as good as Richarlison, Kulusevski and Bentancur would hinder most teams.
      This squad has not been starved of investment in the last two years — despite the cost of a magnificent new stadium, swiftly followed by the pandemic.
      Sure, any football fan without regard for human rights wants an Arab nation state to own their club.
      But until a Sheikh or an Emir turn up, Levy and Lewis are no bad alternative.
      POTT’S ON HIS TODD
      CHELSEA are reigning Club World Champions but are currently not even the leading team in the postcode of SW6, with Fulham above them in the Premier League table.
      Graham Potter’s side were lucky to draw 1-1 at Nottingham Forest on Sunday and have one win in their last seven league matches.
      There is a belief that, having made the call to poach Potter from Brighton, owner Todd Boehly will back his manager for the long haul.
      We don’t know for sure. It’s just that we haven’t heard of many billionaire American venture capitalists who believe that patience is a virtue.
      PREM DE LA CREME
      ARSENAL have finished the past two seasons in eighth and fifth, Newcastle in 12th and 11th. Yet as they prepare for a face-off tonight, Arsenal might well be champions this season and Newcastle next.
      There should no longer be any debate that the Premier League is the most competitive and unpredictable of all major leagues.
      SAU ABOUT THAT?
      NOW Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for the Saudis, with Lionel Messi already an ambassador for that vile regime, it seems nailed on that celebrity- obsessed Fifa will hand them the 2030 World Cup.
      MATURE UNITED
      WHEN striker Marcus Rashford combined his job as a Manchester United star with the role of social-justice campaigner and unofficial Leader of the Opposition, we wondered how he ever managed to catch up on sleep.
      Now we know.
      When Erik ten Hag dropped his in-form forward but Rashford came off the bench to score the winner at Wolves and admitted his ‘crime’ of missing an alarm call and a team meeting, it felt as if Manchester United were a serious and mature football club.
      And we haven’t said that in years.
      TOO ERLI TO JUDGE
      MANCHESTER CITY have added the greatest goal machine the Premier League have ever seen to a squad which won four of the past five titles, yet have somehow weakened.
      Perhaps striker Erling Haaland, with 27 goals this term, has upset the overall ecosystem of a well-balanced team.
      Or perhaps City allowed too many good players to leave in Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fernandinho.
      Not many teams win the title after making a transfer-market profit the previous summer. City might still do so but it would be no mean feat from here.
      MOYES POSER
      SHOULD West Ham sack David Moyes?
      Not unless they have an excellent manager with a proven Premier League track record — such as Mauricio Pochettino — willing to replace him.
      But would Pochettino, or any elite boss, fancy a relegation scrap at a club whose best player, Declan Rice, wants out, with a horrible stadium and a chippy fanbase?
      West Ham finished sixth then seventh and reached a Europa League semi-final with a very ‘Moyes-ish’ squad full of honest grafters, which was better than the sum of its parts.
      They have added ‘star quality’ in Brazilian playmaker Lucas Paqueta and Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca, yet they have also lost something of what made them so good for the past two seasons.
      Keep Moyes, get a couple of centre-halves fit and West Ham will be safe. Sack him and it becomes a lottery.
      Read More on The Sun
      LUIZ 2.0
      THE frizzy hair and the excellent defensive qualities, combined with an ability to do the utterly ridiculous at any moment.
      After his extraordinary double own goal at Anfield, Leicester’s Wout Faes is ensuring the spirit of David Luiz lives on in the Premier League, Lord love him. More

    • 238 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo ‘has shock transfer clause in Al-Nassr contract allowing him to join Newcastle if they make top four’

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO has a clause in his Al-Nassr contract that means he could move to Newcastle if they qualify for the Champions League, according to incredible reports.The former Manchester United man, 37, joined the Saudi Arabian side last week after failing to secure a deal with a European club.
      Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr last weekCredit: Alamy
      Newcastle are owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment FundCredit: Reuters
      Ronaldo’s high wage demands were not met by any sides currently competing in the Champions League.
      As a result, he ended up taking a staggering £173-million-a-year deal with Al Nassr – penning a contract to play for them until 2025.
      However, his days at Europe’s top table may not be over just yet.
      According to Marca, Ronaldo’s Al Nassr contract has a clause in it which would allow him to join Eddie Howe’s Newcastle on loan if they qualify for the Champions League.
      READ MORE ON CRISTIANO RONALDO
      This is because of the Middle Eastern link – with the North East outfit owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
      Newcastle became the richest club in the world following their £300m takeover in 2021.
      And it means they are now able to afford a player with the star power of Ronaldo.
      But along with the financial incentive, Newcastle may also be able to offer Champions League football given their superb form domestically so far this season.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Howe’s side currently sit third in the Premier League table with 34 points from 17 matches.
      Meanwhile, Ronaldo is keen to maintain his status as the all-time top Champions League scorer.
      The Real Madrid legend has bagged 140 goals in Europe’s elite competition.
      He is currently 11 ahead of long-time rival Lionel Messi – who is still playing in the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain.
      Ronaldo’s second stint at Manchester United came to an abrupt halt at the end of last year following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      He initially quashed any talk of a move to Saudi Arabia, but changed his mind after the World Cup. More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea slammed as ‘soft’ and ‘powderpuff’ as under-fire Potter prepares for nightmare double-header against Man City

      by

      STUTTERING Chelsea face a potentially decisive week with the Blues set to play Manchester City twice.The luck of the draw has left Graham Potter staring at a daunting seven days as he looks to drag the club back on track.
      Only five months into the job and Graham Potter is already coming under some pressureCredit: Getty
      Chelsea’s underperforming team did not impress at Nottingham Forest yesterdayCredit: Getty
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was one of several summer signingsCredit: Reuters
      But things could not be much more difficult – Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness led the criticism after Chelsea’s limp and unconvincing draw at Nottingham Forest.
      “Soft” and “powderpuff” was how they branded yesterday’s showing at the County Ground.
      Sky Sports’ Graeme Souness was dismissive of Potter’s struggling side, saying: “Chelsea couldn’t cope with Forest’s aggression. They were powderpuff.”
      During commentary Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said: “Watching Chelsea, they haven’t done enough.

      “It feels a little bit soft, a bit weak. They haven’t been able to cope when the intensity of the game has gone up.”
      It’s an extraordinary turnaround from 11 months ago when the West London club were the Champions League holders and had just won the Club World Cup.
      But the year rapidly descended into chaos with turmoil at boardroom level and a managerial sacking amid poor results.
      Most alarmingly, Chelsea have fallen flat on the pitch.
      Most read in Football
      Yesterday’s performance was the latest sign that the Blues have yet to find their footing under Potter.
      Goals remain the most pressing issue – Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz are the top scorers with four each so far this season.
      League leaders Arsenal have four players who have hit five or more, while Manchester City have seen lethal Erling Haaland net 21 in record quick time.
      Graham Potter faces arguably the most testing month of his managerial career
      Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the new Chelsea signings facing criticism
      That is one more goal than Chelsea have managed in the league all season.
      This season the Blues have conceded 11.3 shots on their goal on average compared to the 7.6 effort they make on opponents’ goal.
      And they have 11 points fewer points after 16 games than they did at the same stage last season, when Thomas Tuchel’s side topped the league.
      This time Chelsea are 8th, beneath newly-promoted West London rivals Fulham on goal difference, and seven points off the top 4.
      The Blues sat 5th after Tuchel’s final Premier League game against West Ham in September.
      And this is all after the new ownership, led by Todd Boehly, splurged well over £250m on new signings amid questionable business decisions.
      The stats suggest Chelsea are conceding far too many shots on their goal
      New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel in September and quickly recruited Brighton boss Graham PotterCredit: AFP
      Graham Potter is already coming under pressure from fans for the season unravelling.
      But the stats suggest the malaise can be traced back to the beginning of last year.
      The Blues only picked up 57 points across the Premier League in 2022, 22 points fewer than Man City and Liverpool, 15 fewer than Newcastle and 14 fewer than Tottenham.
      The Club World Cup win and a heroic if unsuccessful performance at Real Madrid aside, there was little for fans to shout about.
      Two home defeats to Arsenal across the calendar year plus embarrassing results against the likes of Brentford and Brighton left supporters red-faced.
      Goals have been a persistent issue for Chelsea
      And the off the field issues of Roman Abramovich’s sanctions, Romelu Lukaku’s explosive interview and Tuchel’s dramatic sacking have not helped the mood.
      Consistent injuries to wing-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell have also left Chelsea looking awkward in attack.
      It all means Potter is facing a huge opening week to the new year.
      Lose to Manchester City in the league on Thursday and in the FA Cup on Sunday and a trophyless, mid-table season looms.
      Only an unlikely assault on the Champions League could provide a glimmer of hope for fans.
      Read More on The Sun
      After this week, games against Fulham, Palace and Liverpool will arrive.
      And if results do not start picking up soon, 2023 could prove to be a depressing one for Chelsea supporters.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a huge disappointment since joining
      Kai Havertz played as a striker but spent most of the Forest game in midfield More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans all say the same thing about Arsenal as Scott Parker earns shock move to Champions League side Club Brugge

      by

      SCOTT PARKER is set to make his first-ever Champions League appearance next month and fans are all saying the same thing.The former West Ham and Tottenham midfielder was appointed as the new manager of Club Brugge earlier this week.
      Parker will manage his first Champions League match next month with BruggeCredit: PA
      Arsenal boss Arteta is yet to manage in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      He has replaced Carl Hoefkens, who was sacked on Wednesday after a poor start to the Belgian Pro League season.
      Parker has only ever played or managed club football in England, but he will get his first taste of action on the continent when Brugge take on Genk in the league next week.
      He will then lead the Blue-Blacks into the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 fixture against Benfica.
      The occasion will mark his competition debut as he never made a European appearance as a player.
      Read More on Arsenal
      Fans have been left in shock at the thought, with many highlighting that Parker will be managing in the Champions League before table-topping Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
      One person tweeted: “Scott Parker is gonna be managing in the Champions League before Mikel Arteta!”
      Another added: “Scott Parker is managing in the champions league before Arteta no way.”
      A third said: “If you need any sort of new year motivation then just remember Scott Parker will manage a game in the champions league this year. Anything is possible.”
      Most read in Champions League
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      While a fourth joked: “There’s landing on your feet, and there’s Scott Parker parachuting straight into the knockout stages of the Champions League.”
      Parker was sacked by Bournemouth in August, just four games into the 2022-23 Premier League season.
      His departure came three days after the Cherries lost 9-0 to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. More

    • 225 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Scott Parker lands Champions League gig as sacked Bournemouth boss named new manager of Belgian giants Club Brugge

      by

      SCOTT PARKER has returned to management with Champions League side Club Brugge.The 42-year-old led Bournemouth to Premier League promotion last season.
      Scott Parker has been appointed as Club Brugge’s new managerCredit: PA
      He was sacked by Bournemouth just four games into the current seasonCredit: PA
      However, despite that success, he was sacked by the Cherries just four games into the top-flight campaign after a 9-0 hammering at Liverpool.
      Now he is heading to Belgium to take charge of Brugge.
      Former England midfielder Parker will replace Carl Hoefkens, who was sacked three days ago, in the hot-seat.
      He only took charge in the summer and has led the club to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time in its modern format.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      However, domestically they have struggled this term after they were dumped out of the Belgian Cup and lie fourth in the top-flight.
      Parker has impressed so far in his management career.
      His first job in management was at Fulham in 2019 and he led them to Premier League promotion in 2020 via the play-offs.
      He quit Craven Cottage a year later for Bournemouth, and he guided them to automatic promotion during his first season at the helm.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Parker represented Charlton, Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham, Tottenham and Fulham during his playing days.
      Now he will be tasked with trying to improve Brugge’s fortunes both at home and in Europe for the remainder of this term.
      They face Portuguese giants Benfica in the first-leg of their last-16 Champions League clash on February 15 before the away leg on March 7. More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Ex-Man Utd star Daley Blind has Ajax contract ripped up six months early as World Cup ace targets next club

      by

      DALEY BLIND has had his Ajax contract ripped up six months early after coming to an agreement with the club.The Dutchman, 32, has made 18 appearances for Ajax this season across the Eredivisie and the Champions League.
      Blind has agreed to leave AjaxCredit: Getty
      He was expected to remain in Amsterdam until June 2023, but he will now become a free agent on New Year’s Day.
      An official statement from Ajax read: “Ajax and Daley Blind have terminated their contract.
      “The defender’s contract was set to expire on June 30, 2023 but will now end on December 31, 2022.”
      Chief executive Edwin van der Sar said: “Over the course of the last few days, we reached an agreement with Daley to terminate his contract.
      Read More in Football
      “I hope he can find another club to end his successful career with.
      “Together with Daley, we have decided on a match in the Arena where he can say a proper goodbye to the supporters.”
      Blind re-joined Ajax from Manchester United in July 2018 for a transfer fee of around £14million.
      He has since won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and a Dutch Super Cup.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Royal Antwerp are reportedly interested in signing the defender, but Man Utd fans want to see him return to Old Trafford.
      One person tweeted: “Bring him back to United.”
      Another added: “@ManUtd don’t waste this golden opportunity.”
      While a third said: “The realistic signing EtH will make in the coming days.”
      Blind appeared in each of Holland’s five games during the Qatar World Cup. More

    • 263 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      West Ham will put up ‘big fight’ to stop Declan Rice transfer exit as Chelsea and Man Utd chase £150m-rated midfielder

      by

      DAVID MOYES has vowed West Ham will put up a “big fight” to keep Declan Rice this summer.The Hammers captain raised doubts over his future at the London Stadium during the recent World Cup.
      West Ham boss David Moyes is determined to keep hold of star Declan RiceCredit: Getty
      Rice has ambitions to play in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      Rice, 23, laid out a clear ambition to play in the Champions League and win big trophies, adding that “you only have one career”.
      Manager Moyes has previously slapped a £150MILLION price-tag on Rice and says any potential suitors — who include London rivals Chelsea — will not get an easy ride in trying to sign the midfielder.
      The Scot said: “He wants to win and he wants to play for a really good side, which is going to give him that opportunity to do so.
      “We hope that we can reach the Champions League — it is looking difficult at this moment in time but we are not just going to roll over and let Dec walk out of the building, that is for sure. It is going to be a big fight.”
      READ MORE ON THE PREMIER LEAGUE
      England ace Rice was at Chelsea’s academy until the age of 14 when the Blues released him and he switched to West Ham.
      Moyes added: “I like it because he wants to challenge himself and wants to play in the big games and wants to be a top player. I don’t think you are ever going to hold anyone back from having those ambitions.”
      This time last year the Hammers were challenging for a Champions League place but they return to Premier League action against table-toppers Arsenal today in a very different place.
      Moyes’ men are just one point above the relegation zone and while the former Manchester United manager insists he does not feel under pressure, he knows things need to change.
      Most read in Football
      He said: “We have turned everything upside down to try and see what we can do better and improve.
      “But if we were going to change then it means everything we’ve done for the last two years was wrong.
      “Our attacking work is going to have to score us more goals. Defensively we’ve not been too bad in the main but our attack is where we’ve been falling down.”
      Hitting the back of the net has been West Ham’s biggest issue this season, but Moyes will not have a huge budget to go and add in the January window.
      Moyes has more attacking issues for the trip across London to face Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.
      Both strikers Michail Antonio and  Gianluca Scamacca are doubts, with the Italian rolling his ankle during a friendly against Fulham earlier this month.
      Meanwhile at the back, Kurt Zouma is still recovering from knee surgery while Nayef Aguerd, who himself picked up an injury at the World Cup, only returned to West Ham on Christmas Eve. More

    • 213 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Salt Bae followers slam ‘uncomfortable’ Kylian Mbappe Insta video after ‘fame hungry’ chef’s World Cup pitch invasion

      by

      SALT Bae’s followers have slammed an “uncomfortable” resurfaced Instagram video with Kylian Mbappe. The celebrity chef has found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after storming the pitch after the World Cup final and pestering Lionel Messi for a selfie.
      In a resurfaced video, Salt Bae is seen posing with PSG’s Mbappe at the chef’s Mykonos restaurantCredit: Instagram
      Salt Bae’s followers said Mbappe looked ‘uncomfortable’ in the awkward videoCredit: Instagram
      The Turkish cook and Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – was seen even touch the winning trophy – against strict regulations.
      FIFA was forced to make a humiliating admission that he should never have been on the pitch in the first place.
      But it’s not the first time Salt Bae has rubbed shoulders with top footballers.
      In a resurfaced video, he was seen posing with PSG’s Mbappe at the chef’s Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Mykonos.
      Read more on Salt Bae
      Sitting alongside the steakhouse magnate, Mbappe can be heard saying: “It was a good night.
      “A pleasure to come with my man.”
      Salt Bae replies: “Always.”
      The pair shake hands and Mbappe winks at the camera before Salt Bae gives the footballer a kiss on the cheek.
      Most read in Football
      The chef’s followers said Mbappe appeared “uncomfortable” in the awkward footage from July 2021.
      One said: “Mbappe was uncomfortable as f***!!”
      Another wrote: “Me personally I wouldn’t let that slide.”
      It comes after other resurfaced photos show Salt Bae gatecrashing Real Madrid’s Champions League winning party in 2018.
      After Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League in Kyiv, the chef was seen in video posing with Cristiano Ronaldo.
      He was also spotted with Sergio Ramos with the pair miming the chef’s distinctive salt sprinkling arm action.
      And in a foretaste of what was to come, he even gets his hands on the Champions League trophy.
      The images finish with Madrid defender Marcelo also doing the routine, while Salt Bae gives a thumbs-up to the camera.
      Footage showed the chef pestering the Argentina squad as they celebrated their World Cup glory with their families after the tense shootout.
      In a series of videos posted on his own Instagram, he interrupted the likes of Angel di Maria, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez as they posed with the World Cup, leaving the trio looking awkward.
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      His persistence paid off as he finally got a selfie with the striker hailed the greatest of all time.
      The chef was also seen forcing himself into lineups with other stars as they clutched the famous golden trophy.
      He has now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup.
      Action will be taken against staff who allowed him access after social media footage showed his cringeworthy exchanges with players, who did his best to avoid Salt Bae.
      Fifa is conducting an internal investigation to see how the chef got onto the pitch.
      FIFA boss Gianni Infantino even unfollowed Salt Bae in the wake of his shameful antics.
      The Turkish cook has courted a years-long friendship with Fifa president Infantino.
      Read More on The Sun
      They have been pictured together several times, and the football chief has been gushing in his praise for the flamboyant Instagram star.
      However the bromance seems to be over today after he unfollowed Salt Bae on Instagram. More