Croatia captain and Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric hailed India skipper Sunil Chhetri, who is set to bring curtains to his stellar career with a match against Kuwait here on Thursday, as a legend of the game' while urging his teammates to make his final game unforgettable'. Chhetri will make his final appearance for India on the international stage when he takes the field in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying clash against Kuwait to be played here at the Salt Lake Stadium. In a video message shared by Indian team's coach Igor Stimac, Modric said, Hi Sunil, I just want to say hello and wish you all the best in your last game for the national team. Congratulations on your career, you are a legend of this game and to your teammates, I hope you make his last game special and unforgettable, said Modric, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner. Good luck and win for your captain. All the best and best regards from Croatia, said Modric who finished runner-up in the 2018 World Cup and grabbed the bronze
Real Madrid CF and Kylian Mbappe have reached an agreement whereby he will be a Madrid player for the next five seasons
Real Madrid has won the competition 15 times, including the first ever. The winner of Champions League 2024 final gets 21.5 million dollar
Champions Leagyue 2024 final, Real vs Dortmund LIVE SCORE: Real Madrid eying 15th title, Dortmund 2nd. UCL final live streaming will take place on Sony LIV application and website.
Wembley Stadium has significantly beefed up its security operation for the Champions League final on Saturday, intent on avoiding a repeat of the lawlessness that tarnished the Euro 2020 showpiece. Real Madrid faces Borussia Dortmund at England's national stadium, where three years ago 2,000 ticketless English fans violently stormed past stewards to get inside to watch their men's national team play Italy in the European Championship final. The past two Champions League finals have also been marred by problems. UEFA was primarily blamed for security failures in 2022 in Paris when Liverpool and Madrid fans were held in crushed queues. Last year, fans complained of transportation problems accessing the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, where Manchester City beat Inter Milan. Saturday's final will feature the largest deployment of stewards 2,500 in Wembley Stadium history and follows 5 million pounds ($6.3 million) of security upgrades including new gates and perimeter fencing, improved locks
A so-called European Super League was dealt a fresh blow on Saturday when Italian giant Juventus decided to rejoin the body of clubs opposing the controversial breakaway competition. Juventus had been with Real Madrid and Barcelona in pushing for a new competition that would replace the Champions League. But it will rejoin the European Club Association of 600 teams, which has fought strongly against attempts to create a Super League. They are back. It is great, ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. The club has an amazing history. We are proud they are back to their family. I also call the others to be back." Madrid and Barcelona are now the only two clubs trying to form a proposed Super League, which has already had one failed launch after angry fan protests in 2021. Madrid president Florentino Perez has been determined to push ahead with plans to create a breakaway, despite the majority of Europe's leading clubs rejecting the idea. His position appeared to be strengthened in ...
Carlo Ancelotti is going into his eighth Champions League final, having won all but one of them. He is the most successful coach in the competition thanks to four titles. He also lifted two European trophies as a player. There is no lack of experience for the veteran Italian manager. But there is still plenty of anxiety and fear for Ancelotti ahead of yet another big game. It's the same as it was the first time, the 64-year-old Ancelotti said as Real Madrid entered the final week of preparations ahead of Saturday's final against Borussia Dortmund in London. First there is the joy of being here, then the concerns will come and the fear will come, he said. But before they come we have to enjoy this week and I'm going to enjoy it. The cold sweat will arrive Saturday afternoon, it's normal, I'm already prepared for it. And this team gives me a lot of confidence, I see them focused on the match, they are in Champions (League) mode. Ancelotti won the Champions League with Madrid in 2022
Borussia Dortmund has signed a new sponsorship deal with German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and will display the defense company's logo ahead of facing Real Madrid in the Champions League final. Dortmund said Wednesday the three-year deal with Rheinmetall includes wide-reaching advertising space, marketing rights and event and hospitality arrangements in the stadium and on the club grounds" starting from this week's buildup for the Champions League final Saturday. Rheinmetall is building a new plant in northern Germany to produce around 200,000 artillery shells per year as part of European efforts to increase weapons production against the backdrop of Russia's war in Ukraine. Security and defense are fundamental cornerstones of our democracy. That is why we believe it is the right decision to take a very close look at how we protect these cornerstones, Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said in a statement. Especially today, when we see every day how freedom must be defended in
Vincius Junior was taken off injured in the Champions League quarterfinals second leg between Manchester City and Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Brazil winger appeared to hurt his groin during a race to the ball with City defender Kyle Walker in extra time at Etihad Stadium. He was holding the inside of his thigh and dropped to the ground in pain before being replaced by Lucas Vazquez in the 103rd minute. The game had gone into extra time after it finished 1-1 in regulation. The match was tied 4-4 on aggregate after the first leg ended 3-3 in Madrid last week. Rodrygo fired 14-time champion Madrid ahead in the 12th minute and Kevin De Bruyne leveled for City in the 76th. Real Madrid advanced to the semifinals after winning 4-3 on penalties. Antonio Rudiger struck the decisive spot kick after the game had finished 1-1 through extra time and 4-4 on aggregate.
Three goals in the first 14 minutes. Back-and-forth attacking. Stunning second-half strikes. It was an instant classic between the newest Champions League rivals, with Real Madrid and Manchester City drawing 3-3 in a frantic first leg of the quarterfinals on Tuesday. I imagine the fans enjoyed a game like this, with six goals, City manager Pep Guardiola said. Both teams wanted to attack, doing it in different ways, a bit out of control." Federico Valverde scored a 79th-minute equalizer for Madrid after City had rallied with Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol scoring goals five minutes apart midway through the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Bernardo Silva had put City ahead two minutes into the match, but Madrid rallied with an own-goal by City defender Rben Dias in the 12th and a score by forward Rodrygo in the 14th. We wanted to take at least a small advantage, but in the end we are satisfied because we competed well and gave our best, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Uefa Champions League 2023-24 quarterfinal draw: The first leg of the ties will be played on April 10 and 11 while the reverse leg will be played on April 17 and 18 respectively, according to IST
Real Madrid and Kylian Mbapp may get a second chance to make it work. Less than two years after what seemed to be a done deal fell apart, the Spanish powerhouse and the France star could have another opportunity to join forces. Mbapp reportedly told Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday that he will leave the club at end of the season, opening the way for another run by Madrid to sign one of the world's best soccer players. There could be a bidding war among several clubs to sign the former World Cup winner, but Madrid is widely considered to be in the front seat. Mbapp's arrival would give Madrid one of the top attacks in soccer, with Mbapp joining Jude Bellingham, Vincius Jnior and Rodrygo. It would also give Europe's most successful club a great outlook for the future, as Mbapp would the oldest of the four at just 25 years old. Madrid made a big push to sign Mbapp in 2022, with one of its offers rejected by PSG reportedly reaching 200 million euros ($215 million). Mbapp never hid his
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks because of an ankle injury. Madrid said Sunday that Bellingham was diagnosed with a sprain in his left ankle. The club said his recovery will be monitored, without setting a timetable for his return. The England international is set to miss Tuesday's Champions League round-of-16 match at Leipzig, as well as upcoming Spanish league games. The return match against Leipzig is on March 6. Bellingham asked to be substituted after scoring two goals in Madrid's 4-0 win over Girona in the Spanish league on Saturday, a result that allowed the Spanish powerhouse to open a five-point lead over Girona in the league standings. Bellingham sprained his ankle after it was stepped on by Girona's Pablo Torre early in the second half. The midfielder was briefly treated by team doctors before returning to the field. But after he tapped in an easy second goal in the 55th, Bellingham soon sat down on the turf and .
The Champions League narrative is so often about Manchester City and Real Madrid. The past two champions of Europe were the only teams to sweep through the group stage with six wins. They also are first in action Tuesday when the most prized competition in club soccer resumes in the round of 16. Man City is away to a Copenhagen team playing in the knockout stage for the first time in 13 years and Madrid is at Leipzig for the first leg. The two teams favored to lift the trophy warmed up with comfortable wins Saturday and goals from signature players. Erling Haaland confirmed his return to form after a foot injury with both goals in Man City's 2-0 win over Everton, his first since Nov. 28 when Leipzig was beaten 3-2 in their Champions League group. Haaland has a Premier League-leading 16 goals and Madrid's Jude Bellingham has a La Liga-best 15 after also scoring twice in a 4-0 rout of second-place Girona, which is owned by the same Abu Dhabi group as Man City. But Bellingham has an
Vincius Jnior did his best Cristiano Ronaldo impression in Saudi Arabia, scoring a hat trick and leading Real Madrid to a 4-1 rout of Barcelona and the Spanish Super Cup trophy. Vincius scored his three goals in the first half as Madrid beat Barcelona to lift its first trophy of the season on Sunday. After his first goal, the Brazil forward imitated the trademark celebration of the former Madrid great, with Ronaldo reportedly at the Riyadh stadium. It was for Cris, because he is my idol and now he is playing here, said Vincius, who was named the best player of the final. I'm very happy with myself and with my team. It's not easy to play against Barcelona and to win 4-1 is tough. We played an almost perfect match. Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, which now has 13 Super Cup trophies, one less than the Catalan club. It was Madrid's second Super Cup triumph since the tournament was moved to Saudi Arabia four years ago. Robert Lewandowski scored Barcelona's goal to make it 2-1 in the firs
The football transfer market once again heats up as Mbappe is now free to negotiate with whichever club he wants. Liverpool and Real Madrid are hot on their heels to persuade the Frenchman
Real Madrid has extended Carlo Ancelotti's contract until 2026, seemingly ending Brazil's hopes of hiring him as the new national team coach. Ancelotti had been linked with a move to Brazil for the past several months, with the president of the Brazilian soccer confederation publicly expressing his desire to hire the Italian coach. But Ancelotti had said all along that he would like to remain at Madrid if the club wanted him to stay. His current contract with the Spanish club Madrid was set to expire at the end of this season. Financial details of the new contract were not disclosed. This is Ancelotti's second stint with Madrid. He had previously coached the club from 2013-15, having returned in 2021. Ancelotti has won 10 titles with Madrid, including two Champions Leagues and one Spanish league. The 64-year-old Ancelotti has been linked to Brazil's men's team since Tite stepped down as its coach in December 2022 after a disappointing World Cup. Brazil is currently being coached
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
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
Jude Bellingham keeps delivering for Real Madrid. This time the heroics came in his Champions League debut with the Spanish powerhouse. Bellingham helped extend Madrid's perfect start to the season by scoring a stoppage-time goal in the team's 1-0 win over newcomer Union Berlin in Group C on Wednesday. It was Madrid's sixth consecutive victory, with the other five coming in the Spanish league. The newly signed Bellingham scored his sixth goal in as many matches with Madrid by picking up a loose ball inside the area and firing it into the open net four minutes into stoppage time at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. "I'm not going to lie, I hope I keep on scoring goals in minute 94 or 95. Although it might do my heart, and the club, good to scorer earlier," said the 20-year-old Bellingham, who joined from Borussia Dortmund in the offseason and has been Madrid's hottest player early on. His winner against Getafe in the Spanish league had come five minutes into stoppage time, and against