by tyler | Apr 12, 2023 | CNN, football
Another game, another goal and yet another record for Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian superstar found the target yet again on Tuesday as Manchester City beat Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland, who volleyed home his team’s third of the night, now has 45 goals in all competitions this season – the most ever by a Premier League player in history.
It’s yet another chapter in the 22-year-old’s astonishing debut season at City, which currently sees him top scorer in both the Premier League and Champions League.
However, despite his record-breaking achievement, Haaland’s goal was overshadowed by his teammate Rodri’s opener.
It was a remarkable strike from the Spaniard who raised the roof with a left-footed strike from distance which raced past Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the 27th minute.
It set the tone for the rest of the evening, with City humbling its visitor and all but ending the tie bar a miraculous comeback in the second leg.
City boss Pep Guardiola, who spent three years as Bayern manager, was more cautious about getting carried away.
“Here, we have our chances. Here in this stadium, we are something special this season. When we have the momentum, we are clinical.”
Tuesday’s win was a major statement from City which looks serious about winning its first ever Champions League title this season.
A game against the German champion was seen to be its biggest test of the campaign, but the host made it look all too easy.
After Rodri’s screamer, City upped the tempo in the second half and doubled its lead when the on-form Bernardo Silva – off a Haaland pass – directed his header into the roof of the net in the 70th minute.
Bayern defenders, notably Dayot Upamecano, looked devoid of confidence in the second half and gave City multiple chances to add to its lead.
Eventually, as he so often does, Haaland put the icing on the cake after he was left free to direct home a brilliant headed pass from John Stones.
“We got brutally punished for not a lot,” Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel told BT Sport after the game.
“It’s a huge mountain. We need to understand and swallow this kind of defeat.”
Elsewhere, Inter Milan beat Benfica 2-0 in Tuesday’s other Champions League quarterfinal first leg – Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku getting the goals.
On Wednesday, defending champion Real Madrid hosts Chelsea and Napoli faces AC Milan in the remaining matches of the round.
by tyler | Apr 11, 2023 | CNN, football
Villarreal player Álex Baena says he and his family have received death threats after he was involved in a confrontation with a Real Madrid player, who allegedly “assaulted” him after Saturday’s match.
It has been widely reported that the Madrid player in question is Federico Valverde. According to a Villarreal statement, the alleged fracas took place as Baena made his way to the team bus after a dramatic 3-2 victory over Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Villarreal said on Sunday that Baena had filed a report to the police, but the club’s statement didn’t mention Valverde by name.
CNN has reached out to Real Madrid, Valverde, Villarreal, Baena, the Madrid prosecutor and LaLiga for comment.
Multiple reports claimed the incident was sparked by comments Baena allegedly made about Valverde’s partner’s pregnancy, something the Villarreal player denies.
“Last Saturday I was assaulted by a colleague of this profession after the match against Real Madrid ended,” Baena said in a statement posted on Instagram.
“After the event, some statements allegedly made by his entourage came to light, in which it was said that I wished harm on a family member. Since then, and it couldn’t be otherwise, no evidence has been published to prove the acts which are attributed to me.
“The damage being done to my family is irreparable and unjustifiable: threats, insults and even private messages wishing my family death. Yesterday, I reported the case to the police. We will let justice run its course.”
In a thread posted to Twitter on Monday, Valverde’s partner Mina Bonino said the couple were told in February they had lost the baby, but found out later that the pregnancy was healthy.
“Imagine all of that only to ‘overcome’ it and be told that you’re taking advantage of this misfortune,” Bonino wrote.
“We never incite violence at any moment. I’m sorry that threats have been received, which I also receive, but it is out of my hands.”
In his statement, Baena said “there are lies that hurt more than punches.”
Villarreal said in a statement on Sunday that it “rejects any act of violence and firmly believes in the player’s version of events and will support him throughout this process.”
by tyler | Apr 4, 2023 | CNN, football
Tickets for Arsenal’s final game of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers are being touted on resale website StubHub for extortionate prices.
The Gunners are on course to win a first Premier League title in 19 years and some people, it seems, are taking advantage of fans’ desperation to see the team hoist the trophy in person at the Emirates Stadium on May 28.
At the time of writing, the cheapest tickets on StubHub are going for $1,175, while others are being touted for an eye-watering $65,000. The most expensive ticket – situated in the section where the Wolves fans would sit – is listed at $330,000. Seller details are not available on the website.
Akhil Vyas, a board member of the Arsenal Supporters Trust, says it remains “frustrating and disappointing” to see third-party websites reselling Arsenal tickets.
“But there is more to this than meets the eye,” he tells CNN. “If any fans are selling their own ticket, despite having sympathy during this cost of living crisis, it’s illegal and they shouldn’t be doing it.”
In the Premier League, tickets are meant to be resold through the club to other members or fans on waiting lists.
“If you are looking to buy tickets for matches in the Premier League you should buy them directly from Premier League Clubs,” the Premier League says on its website.
“A ‘ticket tout’ (also known as a ‘scalper’) sells match tickets without authorisation, often at vastly inflated prices.
“Touts no longer just sell tickets outside the stadium, they also sell them (and aid unauthorised sales by others) on websites and online marketplaces.”
With some of the resale website being overseas, Vyas says it’s “hard to know” if they actually have the tickets or if “they plan to source them” once somebody has paid.
“We had a member of the trust buy one, and fly from the USA only to have his ticket refunded a few days before the game,” Vyas says. “Of course, he has spent hundreds on the flight and hotels for which he couldn’t get a refund.
“Our advice is always to avoid third-party sites – you just can’t trust them.”
CNN has reached out to Arsenal and StubHub for comment, but is yet to hear back.
On its website, however, StubHub says “every order is 100% guaranteed” and fans can “buy and sell tickets with 100% confidence”
SubHub adds: “Your tickets will arrive in time for the event, be valid for entry and exactly what you purchased. If any of these things don’t happen, we’ll find you comparable or better tickets or offer you a refund or credit for a future order.”
Arsenal says it is “dedicated to stamping out ticket touting and the unauthorised re-sale of match tickets.”
Arsenal currently sits eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the league – though City has a game in hand – with fans now dreaming of the club lifting a first Premier League trophy since 2004.
If purchasing directly through the Arsenal website, the most expensive ticket for the game – designated as a Category B fixture – would be £75.50 ($93.40).
Vyas says it’s “very unfair” that regular match-going fans are being priced out by third-party sellers.
“All tickets that are not owned by season ticket holders should go to members and the club has worked hard on the ticket exchange and transfer process so tickets remain with fans,” he says.
The issue of third-party resale websites is enforced by individual clubs, which can cancel tickets, suspend memberships and even issue stadium bans to supporters they identify with unauthorized sales.
As well as providing guidance on how to safely purchase tickets, the Premier League has also compiled an extensive list of popular third-party websites fans should avoid, with StubHub included.
This season, Vyas says Arsenal has worked with the Supporters’ Trust to try and tackle the issue of illegal ticket resales.
“Via recommendations from the Trust, the club has appointed an expert external task force to tackle bots and touting which is very good to see,” he said. “They have blocked IP addresses when suspicious and have banned 2K memberships this season when caught touting.
“We understand they have people internally investigating, so fans who have genuinely done nothing wrong can appeal, but those who are found guilty of touting are banned.
“It isn’t an overnight fix but the club are serious about this and we’ve spent hours and hours discussing plans with them and providing them with suggestions and a sounding board. They are serious about tackling this.”
by tyler | Mar 30, 2023 | CNN, football
Former US Women’s National Team (USWNT) star Ashlyn Harris says she hopes that FIFA will allow players to wear the ‘OneLove’ armbands at the Women’s World Cup later this year.
The men’s captains of seven European nations had been due to wear the armbands – which feature the outline of a heart striped in different colors – in their opening matches of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
However, just hours before England captain Harry Kane was scheduled to wear the armband against Iran, FIFA said any player wearing the armbands would receive a yellow card, putting them in danger of being sent off or banned from a later game in the tournament.
“I just think that we have to move forward and we have to be in a place where all are welcome, not just a group of people are welcome,” Harris, a two-time Women’s World Cup winner, told CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies.
“This is about self-expression, this is about showing up and being authentically you and being accepted for it.
“For me, FIFA can claim all they want that it’s a universal sport that speaks one language – your actions speak louder than your words and it’s about time to make actionable steps where groups of people feel seen and heard and safe.”
In a statement sent to CNN, a FIFA spokesperson said that “no decision has been taken in relation to armbands” at the Women’s World Cup.
“FIFA remains committed to ongoing dialogue with players and member associations,” global football’s governing body added.
FIFA has already been forced to backtrack once this year, deciding to cancel its decision to have Visit Saudi, the official Saudi Arabia tourism authority, as an official sponsor of the Women’s World Cup after a huge backlash from players and governing bodies.
Harris says that by banning the ‘OneLove’ armband, FIFA is showing the LGBTQ community “that we don’t have a place, that we don’t belong, that there is something wrong with it.”
“And I don’t stand for that,” Harris said. “I know the women will absolutely not stand for that. That will create a mess.
“When you’re talking about women in football, who a large majority identify in the queer community, especially at this point, especially in the U.S., so much of the queer community is under attack. I don’t see that going down well with the U.S. Women’s National Team and across other countries.
“So my hope is FIFA stops just talking the talk and actually making actionable steps to create a safe space for all of people, not just a group.”
by tyler | Mar 28, 2023 | CNN, football
Police are investigating after Rangers assistant coach Craig McPherson appeared to headbutt Celtic Women’s head coach Fran Alonso at the end of the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) match between the two fierce rivals, which resulted in a 1-1 draw on Monday.
Video of the incident shows McPherson approaching Alonso from behind after the final whistle and knocking him in the head.
Players and coaching staff had to pull McPherson away from Alonso, who had been shaking hands with players after the game.
Without naming those involved, Police Scotland said it had launched a probe into the events at the stadium.
Celtic and Rangers are two of the biggest rivals in world soccer and tensions often boil over when the two clubs meet.
“You can see there that somebody pushed me from behind,” Alonso told Sky Sports after the game, watching a replay of the incident.
“I never talked to him the whole game, so he’s obviously disappointed to concede a goal in the last minute. I totally get it, but I don’t know. I was called ‘a little rat’ but I don’t know why.”
Video clips of the incident have been widely shared on social media.
A spokesperson for Celtic told CNN that it was “a hugely concerning incident, falling well below any acceptable standard.”
Celtic added: “We understand the matter is now being investigated and it will be up to all relevant authorities to take any appropriate action.”
Rangers manager Malky Thomson said he hadn’t witnessed the incident and told Sky Sports he wouldn’t comment, adding, “If that is the case, there will be an investigation into it and we will obviously look at it.”
CNN reached out to Rangers for comment but did not receive a response.
The SWPL told CNN it was aware of the incident but said it would “not make any further comment” while the investigation is ongoing.
by tyler | Mar 28, 2023 | CNN, football
Manchester United and Wrexham announced they will be facing each other in a friendly later this year – with the help of a surprising sporting crossover.
Appearing together on a video call, Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney phoned legendary United manager Alex Ferguson to discuss the match, which will take place at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium on July 25.
Wrexham has risen to relative fame in the United States since Reynolds and McElhenney bought the Welsh club in November 2020, with the story of their takeover and first season in charge told in the hit documentary ‘Welcome to Wrexham.’
“I can’t believe we’re about to talk with the Sir Alex Ferguson,” McElhenney says. “Arguably the greatest football manager ever. He’s won 13 Premier League titles.”
“I know, I’m super nervous,” Reynolds replies. “I hear he is a master intimidator.”
The video call ends without a word from Ferguson, who stares blankly down the camera as Reynolds and McElhenney chatter nervously.
“That was terrifying,” McElhenney says.
“I told you, master intimidator. He lives right up here,” Reynolds responds, pointing to his own head.
When asked how the call went with Reynolds and McElhenney, Ferguson replies: “They were on mute. I never heard a thing.”
The friendly will be part of United’s preseason tour, the first time in five years the club has been to the US, while it will be the first time Wrexham has played in the States in the club’s history.
“The match against Manchester United is sure to be a memorable occasion,” Wrexham manager Phi Parkinson said in a statement.
“We enjoy welcoming supporters from the US to the Racecourse Ground, and we’re looking forward to being able to play in front of some of these new fans on American soil in the summer.”
