Page 42 - Football

EPL: Inspired by world champion badge, Man City really to beat Everton 3-1

Trailing 1-0 to Everton at halftime, Manchester City didn't much look like the newly crowned Club World Cup champion despite the new golden FIFA badge on the front of the players' shirts. But Pep Guardiola had a simple message to his players at the break. The manager (told us) at halftime to just keep believing, we haven't got this badge for no reason, City midfielder Phil Foden said. "In the second half, yeah, wow, I think we blew them away with the way we played. Foden started the comeback by equalizing in the 53rd minute, before Julian Alvarez's penalty and a late goal by Bernardo Silva secured a 3-1 win at Everton to put the defending champions back into the Premier League's top four. That's why we're the world champions. The best team in the world, Guardiola said with a smile in a post-game interview on Amazon Prime. Now I'm going to remind them every day. We have a standard to keep. The trip to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup was perhaps a bit of a distraction and allow

AFC Cup: Odisha FC to face ASEAN Zone champions in Inter Zone semis

Indian Super League side Odisha FC has been pitted against a yet to be determined ASEAN Zone champions in the Inter Zone semi-final of the ongoing AFC Cup during a draw ceremony here on Thursday. Odisha FC had emerged victorious in the AFC Cup South Zone, having beaten Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh in their final Group D encounter earlier this month. Four teams -- Central Coast Mariners FC (Australia), Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia), Macarthur FC (Australia) and Sabah FC (Malaysia) -- are vying for the ASEAN Zone champions honour. The ASEAN Zone final will take place on February 22 and the winner will face Odisha FC in the Inter Zone semi-final, which will be a double-leg affair. The opening leg will take place on March 6 or 7 at the home of the ASEAN Zone champions, followed by the return leg at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on March 13 or 14. The winner of the Inter Zone semi-final will take on either FC Abdysh-Ata Kant (Kyrgyz Republic) or Futuro FC (Chinese Taipei), the

Despair then delight at Old Trafford; Utd beat Villa in 1st game after deal

Welcome to Manchester United, Jim Ratcliffe. In the space of 90 minutes, and in front of soon-to-be director Dave Brailsford, Old Trafford witnessed the best and worst of Erik ten Hag's team. Two days after confirmation that British billionaire Ratcliffe will buy a stake of up to 25% in the club, United trailed by two goals inside 26 minutes against Aston Villa and was booed by the home crowd on Tuesday. Ten Hag's players then produced a spectacular second-half comeback to win 3-2 and spark celebrations rarely seen at its famed stadium during a troubled season so far. We said Keep going. Believe it, in ourselves.' That is what I demand from the team," Ten Hag said afterward. "We said it before the game and during halftime, Keep believing and we will win this game.' Going into the game on the back of a run of four matches in all competitions without a win or a goal, United took to the field for the first time since Ratcliffe, one of Britain's richest people, secured an agreement wor

Liverpool star Salah shares pain of grieving families amid Israel-Hamas war

Liverpool soccer star Mohamed Salah says he shares the pain of grieving families at Christmas amid the Israel-Hamas war. The Egypt international posted a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: Christmas is a time when families get together and celebrate. With the brutal war going on in the Middle East, especially the death and destruction in Gaza, this year we get to Christmas with very heavy hearts and we share the pain of those families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones. Please do not forget them and do not get used to their suffering. Merry Christmas. Egypt has floated an ambitious plan to end the war.

Football Yearender 2023: Top 10 transfers from Ronaldo to Messi and Neymar

From Saudi clubs poaching Europe's biggest stars to English clubs running after freak strikers, here's how the football transfer market operated in 2023

UK billionaire Jim Ratcliffe acquires 25% stake in Manchester United

More than a year after it was put up for sale, Manchester United said Sunday that British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe had agreed to buy a minority stake in the storied Premier League club. Ratcliffe, who owns petrochemicals giant INEOS and is one of Britain's richest people, has bought a stake of "up to 25 per cent" of the 20-time league champions and will invest USD 300 million in its Old Trafford stadium. As part of the deal, United said Ratcliffe would take responsibility for the club's soccer operations. Ratcliffe, who was born in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, had originally bid to buy American owners, the Glazers', majority share of around 69%. "As a local boy and a lifelong supporter of the club, I am very pleased that we have been able to agree a deal with the Manchester United Board that delegates us management responsibility of the football operations of the club," Ratcliffe said. "Whilst the commercial success of the club has ensured there have always been available fund

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe takes stake in Manchester United

The club said $200 million of Ratcliffe's planned investment would be paid on closing of the deal, and a further $100 million by the end of 2024

Man City confirmed as world's best club in 2023 after winning fifth trophy

Pep Guardiola is happy to call Manchester City the best in the world this year, but an all-time great team? That debate must wait for years if not decades. Right now, I don't know, Guardiola said after City cruised to its first Club World Cup title by easily beating Fluminense 4-0 on Friday, lifting a fifth domestic and international trophy in 2023. Guardiola is the first coach to win the FIFA club title with three different teams and compared City's status to the great Barcelona side he led to be champion of Spain, Europe and the world in 2011. If people talk about the team 25 or 30 years later it means you're a really good team, he said. Today is nice. We have been the best team in the world. Judgment on this Man City era also must wait for the outcome of an English Premier League investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing at the club for almost a decade through 2018. A hearing is expected late next year to examine 115 charges leveled against the club for conduct during th

Real Madrid, Barcelona still alone in fight for Super League despite ruling

Real Madrid and Barcelona are struggling to find allies in their fight to revive the Super League project. The Spanish powerhouses were quick to claim victory and praise the decision by the European Union's top court on Thursday to rule against the attempt by UEFA and FIFA to block plans for the breakaway competition. But as the hours passed, there were no signs that they would get anybody else to join their crusade despite the favorable ruling. Madrid and Barcelona faced an uphill battle trying to convincing other clubs to get back on board, but they were not likely to give up anytime soon. Allow me to tell the European clubs that we are at the dawn of a new era that will allow us to work freely, on the basis of constructive dialogue, without threats, without acting against anything or anyone, and with the aim of innovating and modernizing football in order to continue sustaining the fans' passions, Madrid president Florentino Prez said in a statement. The Super League deal would

FIFA's 32-team World Cup for clubs could change the face of football

A 32-team World Cup for clubs is FIFA's big play to change the face of soccer. If successful, it could follow the English Premier League and Champions League as one of the most popular and lucrative sports competitions in the world, generating billions of euros (dollars). Conversely, it could spark a backlash from players and coaches, who already complain about the congested match calendar. "I am not against new competitions, I am against the lack of time to recover year by year. This should change, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they aim to win the last Club World Cup before it is radically rebooted. World players' union FIFPRO went further after FIFA announced the dates of the first edition of the expanded tournament, which will be hosted by the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025. The extreme mental and physical pressures at the pinnacle of the game is the principal concern of players with multiple club and national

Champions League round of 16 draw: City play Copenhagen, Arsenal face Porto

Following a thrilling couple of months of group-stage action, the focus now shifts to the knockout rounds where 16 teams will fight it out to win the ultimate crown

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to play Japan's Vissel Kobe in pre-season tour

The pre-season tour for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami keeps growing, with the team revealing Friday that a stop in Japan has now been added to the schedule. Inter Miami will face Japanese league champion Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium on February 7. That will be the fourth match of a tour that includes games in Saudi Arabia including one pitting Messi against longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo on January 29 and February 1, and a game against a team of pro players from Hong Kong on February 4. Among those on the Vissel Kobe roster: Andrs Iniesta, who once teamed up with Messi and fellow Inter Miami players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at Barcelona. Iniesta also was teammates with Busquets when Spain won the 2010 World Cup. Inter Miami now has five preseason matches announced; there are four on the Saudi Arabia-Hong Kong-Japan trip and another in El Salvador on January 19. The team will begin preseason training in early January and the Major League Soccer regular season i

AIFF president Chaubey proposes pan-India inter-university football League

All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey proposed a pan-India inter-university football league for the development of the sport across the country. Chaubey pointed out that in advanced sporting countries like the United States, the Olympic and World Championships medal winners "are basically products of University Sports". An inter-university football league on a home-and-away basis would serve more than one purpose. Apart from spreading the game, it would help in the growth of infrastructure, students' involvement and their growth in professional life, Chaubey said during the Flagship Summit Digii100 here on Thursday. Majority of these athletes (Olympic and World Championships medal winners), from whichever sporting discipline they are, hone their skills on the pitches of universities," he said in an AIFF release. "For the opportunities they receive, they turn into world-class sporting personalities; all because of their regular exposure and exploits during th

Turkish soccer team president gets permanent ban for punching referee

The former president of a Turkish soccer team who punched a referee on the field moments after a game has been permanently banned by the Turkish Football Federation. The federation late on Thursday said that it banned Faruk Koca, who has resigned as president of MKE Ankaragucu, for punching referee Halil Umut Meler on Monday night. Meler, who was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday with a small fracture near his eye, was attacked shortly after the final whistle of a 1-1 draw between Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor in Turkey's top league. Koca was arrested for causing injury to a public official, and two other people face charges for kicking the referee. The federation had initially suspended all league games in response to the incident before announcing that matches will resume next Tuesday in Turkey, which has been selected to co-host the 2032 European Championship with Italy. Koca's resignation was announced on Ankaragucu's website. The federation also said Ankaragucu has

EPL have its first female referee, Rebecca Welch to officiate on Dec 23

Rebecca Welch will become the first female referee in the Premier League when she takes charge of the match between Fulham and Burnley on Dec. 23, the competition said Thursday. Welch has already worked as the fourth official in the Premier League, for the match between Fulham and Manchester United on Nov. 4, and she was the first woman to referee matches in the second-tier Championship and FA Cup. Welch has been a referee since 2010, initially balancing the role with her job in the National Health Service before becoming a full-time match official. Other countries have been using female referees for years. In Germany, Bibiana Steinhaus was the first woman to referee a Bundesliga game, in 2017. Steinhaus is married to Howard Webb, who is the current chief refereeing officer of the top refereeing body in England. French referee Stphanie Frappart became the first woman to take charge of a men's World Cup game when she handled Germany vs. Costa Rica in November last year, having ...

Set of 6 Messi World Cup shirts sells for $7.8 mn at auction in New York

Six jerseys worn by soccer superstar Lionel Messi during Argentina's winning run at last year's World Cup sold for USD 7.8 million, the auction house Sotheby's announced. The final price for the shirts, each worn during the first half of one of Argentina's games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, is the highest price for an item of sports memorabilia this year, Sotheby's said. Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in the World Cup final, winning its third World Cup. The victory, in which Messi scored two of Argentina's three goals, represented a crowning moment for one of the sport's greatest-ever players. These historic shirts are not only a tangible reminder of one of the most important moments in the history of sports, but are principally connected to the pinnacle moment in the career of the most decorated football player in history, Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of modern collectibles, said in a statement. The shirts were on display at Sotheby's Ne

Champions League 2023-24: England flop, Spain surge; Copenhagen surprises

So much for the English taking over European soccer. The final Champions League group stage in its current format ended with representation from the supposedly all-powerful Premier League cut in half as Manchester United and Newcastle United failed to advance to the knockout stage and were even knocked out of European competition altogether. Instead, there was a Spanish resurgence, a decent showing from the German contingent, and a couple of nice surprises making their way into the round of 16 in the form of Copenhagen and PSV Eindhoven. This was the last year of the 32-team, eight-pool group stage, with the Union of European Football Associations pivoting next season to a single 36-team league that will see clubs play eight games up from the current six. The top eight teams will advance automatically to the round of 16 knockout bracket and Nos. 9 to 24 in the standings go into a playoff round to decide the other eight qualifiers. So, what have we learned ahead of the round of 1

Super Cup to adhere to AFC's 6 overseas players' rule in upcoming season

The Kalinga Super Cup will follow the AFC's six foreign players rule, the All India Football Federation announced on Thursday. The 16 participating teams can register up to six foreign players in the starting line-up with one from Asia. This is in accordance with the AFC club competitions regulations. "This decision has been taken in view of the fact that winners of the Kalinga Super Cup will qualify for the AFC Champions League 2 2024-25," the AIFF stated. The Indian Super League follows a 3+1 rule -- three non-Asian and one Asian player in the starting XI, even as the top-tier league allows to register six foreign players. The 12 ISL clubs have gained direct entry, while the I-League franchises will play the qualifiers to determine the remaining four teams. The teams are divided into four groups with the top-four making the semi-finals. The tournament will take place across two venues in Odisha from January 9-28. Tournament draw is slated on Monday.

Turkey suspends all league games after club president punches referee

The Turkish Football Federation has suspended all league games in the country after a club president punched the referee in the face at the end of a top-flight match. MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca attacked referee Halil Umut Meler on the pitch late Monday after the final whistle, following a 1-1 draw in a Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor. The referee, who fell to the ground, was also kicked in a melee that occurred after fans also invaded the pitch after Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer. The federation announced it suspended all league games indefinitely after an emergency meeting was held to discuss the violence. Meler was hospitalized with a slight fracture near his eye but was not in a serious condition. He was expected to be discharged on Wednesday. Koca, who was considered to be at risk of a heart attack, was also hospitalized overnight. He was ordered arrested pending trial on charges of injuring a public official after questioning by prosecutors, Justice

"Still room for a few more...": Ronaldo after scoring 50 goals in 2023

Portuguese footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo continued his remarkable goal-scoring record and reached the milestone of 50 goals in 2023 during Al Nassr's King's Cup match against Al Shabab