by tyler | May 9, 2023 | CNN, football
Real Madrid and Manchester City face each other in a highly-anticipated Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, pitting the defending champion against a team on a sensational run of form.
It is a rematch of last year’s semifinal in which Madrid overturned a first-leg defeat and late second-leg deficit before triumphing against Liverpool in the final.
However, City will likely be a tougher opponent this time around – a team which is unbeaten in all competitions since February having recently leapfrogged Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
Erling Haaland has broken record after record since arriving at the club last year and has scored 12 Champions League goals this season – four more than anyone else in the competition.
The Norwegian, who has 51 goals to his name this season, has been central to City’s push to become the second English team after Manchester United in 1999 to win a domestic treble: the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup all in the same season.
“I am a fan of Real Madrid usually. It will be a difficult game against City because City is, at the moment, the best team in Europe,” former Madrid manager Fabio Capello told CNN Sport on Monday.
“I hope [current manager] Carlo Ancelotti will find something different.”
Ancelotti has no shortage of attacking talent at his disposal with Vinícius Jr, Karim Benzema and Rodrygo – who scored twice as Madrid won the Copa del Rey on Saturday and scored two late goals in the second leg of last year’s tie against City – providing the most goals for the club in the Champions League this season.
Despite trailing rival Barcelona by 14 points in La Liga, Los Blancos have proven that they can raise their level when required in Europe with comfortable knockout victories against Liverpool and Chelsea.
Ancelotti admitted on Monday that City is a “more complete team” compared to last year, particularly with Haaland on the pitch.
“We’re not setting out just to stop Haaland, but to stop a team that seems unstoppable,” Ancelotti told reporters. “I think we have a chance to have an even, competitive game and that we can win.”
Madrid has the home advantage for Tuesday’s game, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The return leg at the Etihad Stadium takes place on May 17.
by tyler | May 5, 2023 | CNN, football
Lionel Messi apologized to Paris Saint-Germain and his teammates on Friday after taking an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia and missing training earlier in the week.
“I wanted to make this video after everything that’s been happening,” Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain said in an Instagram story. “First of all, I want to apologize to my teammates and the club.
“I sincerely thought we would have a free day after the match [against Lorient], as had happened in previous weeks.”
Messi was suspended by PSG for two weeks after leaving France to attend promotional events following its 3-1 defeat to Lorient at the Parc de Princes on Sunday.
The 35-year-old’s trip to Saudi Arabia meant he missed the team’s Monday training.
“I’d already had this trip planned, which I’d canceled previously, and this one I couldn’t cancel,” the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner continued. “To repeat, I want to apologize for what I did and I await what the club decides.”
Along with undated pictures of Messi relaxing with his family in the Gulf state, Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, tweeted Monday: “I am happy to welcome #Messi and his family to Saudi to enjoy the magical tourist destinations and authentic experiences.
“We welcome visitors from all around the world to experience a unique trip to Saudi Arabia and its hospitality.”
Messi himself posted a promotion for Saudi tourism on his Instagram six days ago: “Who thought Saudi has so much green? I love to explore its unexpected wonders whenever I can. #visitsaudi.”
In his scheduled press conference on Friday, PSG head coach Christophe Galtier called for greater openness among his squad of players in order to achieve their season’s goal.
“We need to be united, to talk to each other, to avoid letting things go unsaid and to speak freely so that everyone can express themselves with a bit more freedom and so that everyone can perform with one aim: to be crowned champions at the end of the season,” Galtier said.
PSG faces Troyes and Ajaccio over the next two weeks.
Messi’s contract with the French capital’s premier football club expires on June 30, and his trip to Saudi Arabia comes amid multiple reports that the 35-year-old won’t stay at the Parisian club.
by tyler | May 4, 2023 | CNN, football
Napoli won its first Serie A title in 33 years after coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Udinese at the Dacia Arena, Udine, on Thursday.
The league title is the club’s first since 1990, when the late Diego Maradona – after whom the team’s home stadium is named – inspired it to the Scudetto.
It’s only the third time Napoli has won Serie A and the club’s success sparked jubilant celebrations among the players and also in the southern Italian city, many of whom had congregated outside the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Sandi Lovric’s shot gave Udinese a first-half lead, but Napoli forward Victor Osimhen made it 1-1 early in the second half, guiding the ball home after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s shot was saved following a corner.
Osimhen, who is Serie A’s leading goalscorer this season, has been key to Napoli’s success and this was his 22nd league goal of the campaign.
The 24-year-old Nigerian scored his goal in front of the traveling Napoli fans, who celebrated the equalizer deliriously.
More to follow.
by tyler | May 3, 2023 | CNN, football
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest paid athlete in the world, with a move to Al-Nassr nearly doubling his salary, according to Forbes.
Ronaldo joined the Saudi Arabian club in January after leaving Manchester United last year and, despite rumors suggesting he’s already looking to move on, the five-time Champions League winner has reaped the financial benefits of his decision.
According to Forbes, Ronaldo has an estimated $75 million playing salary and has cashed in on a number of marketing opportunities.
Forbes estimates the 38-year-old has earned $136 million from both on-field and off-field revenue in the past year, a total boosted by his move to the Middle East.
Ronaldo tops the athlete rich list for the first time since 2017 and sits just ahead of fierce rival Lionel Messi in second.
According to Forbes, the Argentine earned $130 million last year with his Paris-Saint Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé just behind on $120 million.
The three soccer superstars are followed closely by NBA legend LeBron James in fourth, with a revenue of $119.5 million, with Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez completing the top five with an income of $110 million.
Golfers Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson occupy sixth and seventh place, highlighting the impact of the new LIV Golf series.
Both have lost sponsors since joining the controversial Saudi-backed breakaway group but have more than made up for it in prize money.
Johnson secured the inaugural LIV Golf individual championship last year and, according to Forbes, finished the season with a tour-best prize money of $35.6 million.
The American wasn’t even in the top 50 highest-paid athletes in 2022 but has now jumped up to sixth.
Steph Curry, Roger Federer and Kevin Durant complete this year’s top 10, consisting entirely of men, which is calculated between May 1, 2022, and May 1, 2023.
Forbes’ estimates are based on prize money, salaries and bonuses as well as estimations of sponsorship deals and other off-field revenue streams.
“Skyrocketing league media rights agreements and growing off-field opportunities have already sent athletes’ pay soaring in recent years, but Middle Eastern money is pouring oil on the fire,” Forbes wrote.
“In all, the world’s ten highest-paid athletes collected an estimated $1.11 billion before taxes and agents’ fees over the last 12 months, up 12% from last year’s $990 million and 5% from the record of $1.06 billion set in 2018.”
by tyler | May 2, 2023 | CNN, football
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are celebrating in style after both Wrexham’s men’s and women’s teams secured promotion in their respective leagues this season.
The Hollywood co-owners joined the teams for their open-top bus parade through the streets of the city Tuesday.
The pair waved at supporters from one of the three buses filled with players and staff members which rolled passed thousands of adoring fans.
Both Reynolds and McElhenney were at the famous Racecourse Ground to watch the men’s team secure promotion from the National League, English soccer’s fifth tier, with victory against Boreham Wood on April 23.
They have since reaffirmed their dedication to helping the team climb up English soccer’s pyramid.
The parade is also celebrating the women’s team which won promotion to the Adran Premier division this season.
“This town,” the club tweeted earlier Tuesday, alongside a video of fans cheering as the buses started the parade.
When Reynolds and McElhenney took ownership of the club in February 2021, few could have imagined the impact the pair would make.
Tuesday appeared to be yet another chapter in the fairytale story.
by tyler | May 1, 2023 | CNN, football
Two stoppage-time goals, including a dramatic winner from substitute Diogo Jota, saw Liverpool’s 4-3 victory against Tottenham Hotspur come to a frenetic conclusion – so much so that manager Jürgen Klopp injured himself while celebrating.
Richarlison’s late header, which followed goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min, appeared to have secured a crucial draw for Tottenham, who had trailed 3-0 after 15 minutes.
But Jota pounced on Lucas Moura’s mis-hit pass just 99 seconds later to restore Liverpool’s advantage, a moment Klopp celebrated by sprinting over to the fourth official before clutching his hamstring in pain.
“I’m not sure if it’s the hamstring, it could be the abductor as well but it’s painful, I got punished,” Klopp, who was yellow carded after the incident, told BBC Sport.
“I turned around for the celebration which was unnecessary because the fourth official did nothing wrong the whole time. I didn’t say anything bad … The muscle gave up in that moment.”
A week after Tottenham leaked five goals inside the first 21 minutes against Newcastle, Sunday’s game seemed to be heading in the same direction as Liverpool dominated the opening stages.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s brilliant cross was turned in by Curtis Jones at the back post to give Liverpool the lead after three minutes, then Cody Gakpo set up Luis Díaz moments later to make it 2-0.
Cristian Romero’s foul on Gakpo sent Tottenham into further disarray as Mo Salah thumped a penalty high into the net, but Harry Kane’s goal five minutes before halftime offered the away side a glimmer of hope.
Romero and Son both hit the post in the second half before the pair combined on 77 minutes and Son’s 10th league goal of the season made it 3-2.
Having come from 2-0 down to secure a draw against Manchester United earlier in the week, Tottenham was looking to produce another comeback when Richarlison’s header bounced over Alisson.
Jota’s calm finish from Moura’s stray pass, however, ensured Liverpool had the final say and moved two points ahead of Spurs in the Premier League table.
For interim manager Ryan Mason, who took charge of Tottenham following the loss against Newcastle, the manner of the team’s latest defeat made it all the more painful – particularly as he felt Jota should have been sent off for a high challenge on Oliver Skipp.
“[It’s] probably one of the clearest red cards I’ve seen … I have to be careful what I say but ultimately that’s an impossible one to miss,” Mason told Sky Sports.
“When you talk about endangering an opponent, to draw blood from a stud when Skipp’s head is pretty much five-and-a-half feet in the air – it just baffles me. That type of decision is maybe the difference between winning the game or not.”
Mason wasn’t the only manager to feel aggrieved about the officiating. Klopp complained about a foul awarded in the buildup to Tottenham’s third goal and told Sky Sports he didn’t know “what this man [referee Paul Tierney] has with us.”
Refereeing standards body PGMOL later issued a statement saying it has “fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture” and “can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout, including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager.
“We strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper,” the statement added.
In a late push to finish in the top four and secure a place in next season’s Championships League, Liverpool is seven points behind Manchester United having played one game more than its rival.
The Reds next face Fulham on Wednesday, while Tottenham, now without a win in four Premier League games, plays Crystal Palace on Saturday.
