Chelsea late show deepens Crystal Palace crisis

Chelsea late show deepens Crystal Palace crisis
Chelsea's English midfielder Conor Gallagher shoots to score their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park in south London on Feb. 12, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 13 February 2024
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Chelsea late show deepens Crystal Palace crisis

Chelsea late show deepens Crystal Palace crisis
  • Gallagher fired home his second of the night and Enzo Fernandez added the third in stoppage time to lift Chelsea up to 10th and within two points of seventh
  • Defeat leaves Palace still just five points above the relegation zone in 15th

LONDON: Conor Gallagher struck twice to condemn his former club Crystal Palace to a damaging 3-1 defeat on Monday and keep Chelsea in the hunt for European football next season.

The injury-ravaged Eagles were on course for a huge win in their battle to remain in the Premier League when Jefferson Lerma’s long-range strike opened the scoring.

But Palace have won just three times in 19 games and were undone late on after Gallagher equalized within two minutes of the second half.

Gallagher fired home his second of the night and Enzo Fernandez added the third in stoppage time to lift Chelsea up to 10th and within two points of seventh.

Defeat leaves Palace still just five points above the relegation zone in 15th.

“It was extremely cruel but the game is about goals and unfortunately we made mistakes which led to goals,” said under fire Palace boss Roy Hodgson.

The home side were decimated by key injuries with all three of their star players Eberechi Eze, Michael Olize and Marc Guehi ruled out.

Hodgson and the club’s board are under attack from the fans and banners held up before kick-off took aim at a “weak club culture” and “weak transfer policy.”

But Palace more than held their own for the first 45 minutes thanks to another lacklustre Chelsea performance away from home.

“We started really flat, we didn’t show enough intensity. It was a really tough first 45 minutes,” said Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.

“Second half we started really well, scored the 1-1 and it allowed us to manage the game.”

Pochettino had hailed his side’s 3-1 FA Cup win at Aston Villa last week as his side’s “best performance of the season.”

However, it was back to the drawing board for the Argentine in the first half at Selhurst Park as Chelsea were pedestrian in possession and were punished.

Noni Madueke was easily bullied out of possession on the edge of his own box and the ball fell to Lerma to take aim and fire into the top corner beyond Djordje Petrovic.

It took until first-half stoppage time for Chelsea to even register a shot as Gallagher dragged his effort across goal.

But that was a warning Palace did not heed.

The start to the second half was delayed while referee Michael Oliver sought repairs to his communication device with his assistants and VAR.

And Palace were caught cold on the restart as Gallagher, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Palace in the 2021/22 season, smashed home Malo Gusto’s cross.

Chelsea suffered a setback when Thiago Silva was forced off with a groin injury that is likely to keep him out of the League Cup final against Liverpool later this month.

But they will at least head into a daunting trip to Manchester City on Saturday with some renewed confidence thanks to a late show that snatched all three points.

Palace kept Cole Palmer quiet for most of the night, but he still proved decisive with two assists in stoppage time.

The former City playmaker picked out Gallagher at the edge of the box to fire home his third goal in two games having not scored all season before then.

Palmer then freed Fernandez as Chelsea galloped from one end of the field to the other on the counter-attack and he sat down Daniel Munoz before stroking into the top corner.


How will the World Cup change Saudi Arabia?

How will the World Cup change Saudi Arabia?
Updated 1 min 5 sec ago
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How will the World Cup change Saudi Arabia?

How will the World Cup change Saudi Arabia?
  • As well as the stadiums, Saudi Arabia plans to construct around 230,000 hotel rooms across five host cities to accommodate visiting fans and dignitaries

RIYADH: Preparations are set to begin across Saudi Arabia to ensure a seamless World Cup in 2034 after the Kingdom was officially named host.

So, how will the World Cup, one of the world’s premier sporting events, change Saudi Arabia? As stated in the Kingdom’s bid, games will be played in 15 stadiums, with 11 yet to be built, spread across Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, Abha, and NEOM.

Luckily, the Kingdom has ample time to learn from previous World Cups, as well as the upcoming event: 2026 will be jointly hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, and 2030 jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

Saudi Arabia’s opening game and final will be held in the new 92,760-capacity King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh.

Existing stadiums, including “The Shining Jewel” in Jeddah, will undergo major refurbishment and expansion.

Each stadium must have a capacity of at least 40,000, with quarterfinal and semifinal venues able to accommodate 60,000 spectators. Stadiums for the opening match and the final must have a minimum capacity of 80,000.

As well as the stadiums, Saudi Arabia plans to construct around 230,000 hotel rooms across five host cities to accommodate visiting fans and dignitaries.

Looking at its eastern neighbor Qatar might give some indication of how the major infrastructure projects will leave their mark on Saudi Arabia.

While many of Qatar’s World Cup venues, including the iconic Lusail Stadium, are being used by the Qatar Stars League, others are being repurposed. These include the Al-Bayt Stadium, part of which will be converted into a hotel and shopping center.

Ebraheem Alghafees is one of many Saudis excited about the Kingdom hosting the World Cup. 

Alghafees attended the 2022 tournament in Qatar, and said that it was nothing short of extraordinary. 

“Attending the games was thrilling, and the electrifying atmosphere in the stadiums left an indelible impression on me.”

He told Arab News that Saudi Arabia can “draw several lessons” from previous World Cups.

“First, investing heavily in infrastructure and transportation is crucial for accommodating global audiences.

“Second, creating a cultural narrative that showcases Saudi heritage, while leveraging advanced technologies, can help deliver a memorable experience.

“Lastly, fostering a welcoming environment through hospitality initiatives will ensure that visitors leave with positive impressions of the Kingdom.”

Describing his excitement about Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2034 event, Alghafees said: “It represents a golden opportunity for the Kingdom to showcase its rapid transformation and global aspirations under Vision 2030.

“Hosting such an event will unite people worldwide and position Saudi Arabia as a hub for cultural exchange, innovation, and excellence. It is an honor to see the Kingdom rise to the occasion on such a grand scale.”

Saudi Arabia first held a FIFA event, the World Youth Championship, in 1989. In 1997, there was the Confederations Cup.

But during the past five to 10 years, the number of sporting events and tournaments — not just football — held in the Kingdom has skyrocketed, earning the country a solid reputation as a host.


England and new coach Tuchel land in 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia and Albania

England and new coach Tuchel land in 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia and Albania
Updated 13 December 2024
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England and new coach Tuchel land in 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia and Albania

England and new coach Tuchel land in 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia and Albania
  • “It’s a difficult group, is my first impression,” said Tuchel
  • Europe will send 16 teams to the first 48-team World Cup, being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico

ZURICH: Thomas Tuchel’s first official duty as England coach on Friday was to see his new team drawn in a 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Tuchel starts work in January as the first German coach of the 1966 World Cup winner but was at FIFA headquarters to see the 54 European teams drawn into 12 qualifying groups. Games start in March for some groups, while others will begin in June or September.
“It’s a difficult group, is my first impression,” said Tuchel, who must wait for FIFA to approve the fixture list to see if his England debut will be a qualifying game in March or a warm-up friendly.
Europe will send 16 teams to the first 48-team World Cup, being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 12 group winners next November advance directly and runners-up go to a playoff in March 2026, joined by four more teams who won a Nations League group last month.
England are one of the few top-seeded teams to already know their qualifying opponents. Most groups are still incomplete as eight top-seeded teams will be placed based on the results of their Nations League quarterfinals in March.
The winner of the quarterfinal between European champion Spain and the Netherlands faces a tough Group E with Turkiye, Georgia and Bulgaria.
Spain ended Georgia’s impressive run at their first major tournament, winning 4-1 in the round of 16 at Euro 2024 in Germany.
Georgia coach Willy Sagnol acknowledged “it will be a difficult group,” with Turkiye having lost a Euro 2024 quarterfinal to the Netherlands.
The loser between Spain and the Netherlands be in a five-team group with Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Malta that shapes to be less challenging.
The winner between France and Croatia in March will head Group D with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan. The loser of that Nations League quarterfinal will be in the five-team Group L with the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faeroe Islands and Gibraltar.
For Germany and Italy, the group draw could be an added incentive to win their Nations League meeting and land in Group A.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann acknowledged it would be “a bit easier” to play in a four-team group with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. The loser will face Erling Haaland and Norway in a five-team group that also includes, Israel, Estonia and Moldova. Israel have been unable to host games for security reasons since the Hamas attacks in October last year, and likely will continue playing home games in Hungary.
Russia were excluded from Friday’s draw because their teams are banned from international competitions by FIFA and UEFA since the military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia’s military ally Belarus, which will play in a group with either Portugal or Denmark, plus Greece and Scotland, have been forced to host games in neutral countries because of the war.
One security challenge could arise in England’s group, with Serbia set to host Albania for the first time since the famous “drone game” in 2014 between the Balkan near-neighbors.
A decade ago, the game in Belgrade abandoned after a fan outside the stadium flew a drone over the field with an Albanian nationalist banner, leading to clashes between players and a field invasion by Serbian fans. UEFA awarded Serbia a win by default that was overturned on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ultimately sending Albania to their tournament debut at Euro 2016.
Soccer relations between Serbia and Albania — at federation level, if not among ultras fan groups — are much improved and they are set to be confirmed Monday as co-hosts of the Under-21 Euros in 2027.


Guardiola needs Man City stars to return as crisis mounts

Guardiola needs Man City stars to return as crisis mounts
Updated 13 December 2024
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Guardiola needs Man City stars to return as crisis mounts

Guardiola needs Man City stars to return as crisis mounts
  • Guardiola’s fourth-placed side head into Sunday’s derby against Manchester United reeling after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions
  • A 2-0 defeat at Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday left City in danger of failing to make the last 16

LONDON: Pep Guardiola admits troubled Manchester City will not recapture their peak form until his injury-plagued side are finally whole again.
Guardiola’s fourth-placed side head into Sunday’s derby against Manchester United reeling after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.
A 2-0 defeat at Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday left City in danger of failing to make the last 16, while they are languishing eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
After winning an unprecedented four successive Premier League titles and six in the last seven seasons, City have looked more vulnerable than ever before in the Guardiola era.
The City boss attributes their stunning decline on injuries to key players, mostly notably Spain midfielder Rodri, who won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award earlier this year.
Rodri, who helped Spain win Euro 2024, is not expected back from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee for several months, although he has hinted he could feature at some point this season.
“What I want is my players back. The complete squad we had at the beginning of the season. My regret is that we don’t have these and not needing new ones,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“We have known it from the beginning but Rodri is a Ballon d’Or player. We are playing without the best player in England last season. That is the problem.
“Not one other team plays with a central midfielder who has a Ballon d’Or. It is difficult. The moment he comes back, we will be strong again. We will be a good team.
“Of course, we still have to try and play the same way and to win. Sooner or later we are going to be back.”
With City mired in such a woeful period, the champions have been linked with new signings in the January transfer window.
On the day City announced record Premier League revenues of £715 million ($903 million). Guardiola didn’t rule out the possibility when it was put to him that reinforcements were needed to save their season.
“If we need players then we go to the transfer market but I don’t know who is around,” he said.
“Massive congratulations on the accounts because the club must be sustainable. That doesn’t mean we have big resources to buy whatever we want, especially with how expensive the transfer market is.”
Beating United at the Etihad Stadium this weekend would be a significant boost to Guardiola’s hopes of ending City’s spiral.
The Spaniard, who recently signed a new two-year contract, vowed to solve City’s crisis eventually and claimed he was not feeling under pressure.
“In our jobs we will always do our best and when the best doesn’t happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well. As a manager you are in scrutiny for every step of the team,” he said.
“But I am fine. I have more thoughts at this moment but what I feel right now is the same as what I’ve said for the last few weeks or month.
“We have to shoot more and cut out the mistakes. But we have been in the games.
“We have not been consistent for the 90 minutes but I know the reason why. We just have to keep working and moving forward.”
Adding to Guardiola’s mounting problems, Swiss defender Manuel Akanji has been ruled out of the Manchester derby with a pelvic injury.


PSG and Lyon meet in end-of-year summit in France

PSG and Lyon meet in end-of-year summit in France
Updated 13 December 2024
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PSG and Lyon meet in end-of-year summit in France

PSG and Lyon meet in end-of-year summit in France
  • PSG head into the final round of Ligue 1 games this calendar year unbeaten domestically and with a five-point lead from nearest challengers Marseille and Monaco at the top of the table.
  • They have struggled to convince recently and have been held to draws in their last two domestic outings

PARIS: Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, the two clubs who have taken turns dominating French football so far this century, pits the stuttering reigning champions against opponents who have hit a rich vein of form.
PSG head into the final round of Ligue 1 games this calendar year unbeaten domestically and with a five-point lead from nearest challengers Marseille and Monaco at the top of the table.
However, they have struggled to convince recently and have been held to draws in their last two domestic outings, against Nantes and Auxerre.
At least they breathed life into their faltering Champions League campaign in midweek, a 3-0 win at Red Bull Salzburg calming fears that they might not make the knockout phase of Europe’s elite club competition.
Even then, coach Luis Enrique suggested his team had played better in earlier games against PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid, neither of which they won.
“To be honest we didn’t play better than we did against PSV or Atletico. We were worse, but that’s football,” said the Spaniard.
All is far from rosy at the Parc des Princes, amid recent reports in the French media of a rift growing between the coach and certain players.
Their best performer this season has been young winger Bradley Barcola, who has scored 10 goals, but he has gone off the boil lately and will hope to find form again as he comes up against the club he left last year.
Lyon, who won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles in the first decade of this century, have often been a thorn in PSG’s side even if they have won just one of the last eight meetings of the clubs.
After stumbling in the early weeks of this campaign, they look in superb shape just now, on a run of nine games unbeaten and just one loss in 15 altogether.
They have won their last four matches and scored at least three goals in each of them, including an entertaining 3-2 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday.
That game, in which Rayan Cherki was outstanding, saw Lyon secure a place in the knockout phase play-offs of the Europa League at least.
Domestically, meanwhile, they are currently fifth and would be just six points behind PSG with a victory in the capital. They cannot be written off right now.
The 21-year-old was a transfer target for PSG during the last close season but ended up staying at Lyon where he is now playing the best football of his career.
The gifted winger or attacking midfielder may yet leave Lyon in January due to his current club’s need to raise funds in the transfer market.
That would be a blow for Lyon coach Pierre Sage, who has seen Cherki score two goals and set up three in two games over the last week. Sage feels his player deserves to be in the next France squad.
“I think today Rayan is being watched and is under consideration,” he said of a player who featured sparingly in the France side that won Olympic silver.
“His experience at the Olympics was not very positive but now he has other arguments in his favor and, if he gets a call-up, he will deserve it.”

8 — Brest are enjoying a heroic campaign in the Champions League but have lost eight times in Ligue 1 this season — that is one more defeat than in all of the last campaign.
15 — Also doing well in the Champions League, Lille are unbeaten in 15 games before Saturday’s clash with Marseille.
6 — PSG have lost six times to Lyon in Ligue 1 since the transformative takeover of the club by Qatar in 2011. Only Rennes (7) have recorded more wins against Paris in that time.

Fixtures (times GMT)
Friday
Toulouse v Saint-Etienne (1945)
Saturday
Marseille v Lille (1600), Auxerre v Lens (1800), Reims v Monaco (2000)
Sunday
Montpellier v Nice (1400), Brest v Nantes, Le Havre v Strasbourg, Rennes v Angers (all 1600), Paris Saint-Germain v Lyon (1945)


Manchester City report record revenues, but profits are down

Manchester City report record revenues, but profits are down
Updated 13 December 2024
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Manchester City report record revenues, but profits are down

Manchester City report record revenues, but profits are down
  • City won a record fourth straight Premier League title last year and has been crowned English champion in six of the last seven years

MANCHESTER, England: Manchester City on Friday reported record revenues of $903 million (£715m) for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Revenues were up by $2.78m (£2.2m) on the previous year, but profits were down slightly — $93.2m (£73.8m pounds) compared to $101.5m (£80.4m).
“The club’s three primary income sources — commercial, broadcast and matchday — all remained strong, reflecting the continued differentiation and impact of the club’s multi-decade strategic approach,” City said in a statement.
City was taken over by the ruling family of Abu Dhabi in 2008 and has gone on to dominate English football after spending billions of pounds on some of the world’s best players and hiring Pep Guardiola as manager in 2016.
City won a record fourth straight Premier League title last year and has been crowned English champion in six of the last seven years.
But it is currently struggling on the pitch both domestically and in the Champions League, and City’s financial report comes against the backdrop of a hearing on alleged financial breaches. The four-time defending champion is facing more than 100 charges by the Premier League ranging over a nine-year period when it was trying to establish itself as the biggest force in English football.
City was accused by the league of providing misleading information about its finances from 2009-18. A hearing by an independent commission began in September and a verdict is not expected until next year.
City denies the charges.