Mbappé praises ‘legend’ Ronaldo and urges France to support Griezmann in ‘tough spell’ at Euro 2024

Mbappé praises ‘legend’ Ronaldo and urges France to support Griezmann in ‘tough spell’ at Euro 2024
This combination file photos made on July 3, 2024, shows, at left France’s forward Kylian Mbappe and, at right, Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal will play against France in Euro 2024 quarter-final at the Volksparkstadion Hamburg on Jul. 5, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 04 July 2024
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Mbappé praises ‘legend’ Ronaldo and urges France to support Griezmann in ‘tough spell’ at Euro 2024

Mbappé praises ‘legend’ Ronaldo and urges France to support Griezmann in ‘tough spell’ at Euro 2024
  • “Everyone knows just how much I admire Cristiano Ronaldo as a player,” Mbappé said
  • “Regardless of what has happened before or what happens after, he will be a footballing legend”

HAMBURG, Germany: Kylian Mbappé described Cristiano Ronaldo as a “footballing legend” and “one of a kind” as the superstars prepare to meet in the European Championship quarterfinals.
For many, the major subplot of the Portugal vs. France match in Hamburg on Friday is the head to head between their captains.
Mbappé has previously called Ronaldo his idol and he spoke in glowing terms about the 39-year-old striker who has said he is playing in his last European Championship.
“Everyone knows just how much I admire Cristiano Ronaldo as a player,” Mbappé said on Thursday in the pre-match news conference. “Over time, I have been lucky to brush shoulders with him, to get to know and have a chat with him. We are still in contact. He is always helping me — he keeps up with what is going on in my life and he gives me tips.
“It’s an honor for me, especially when we think about what he has done for the footballing world. Regardless of what has happened before or what happens after, he will be a footballing legend.”
Mbappé recently signed for Real Madrid, where Ronaldo starred from 2009-18, and now he could bring an end to his rival’s European Championship career.
So, does he see it as a “passing-of-the-baton” occasion?
“No, I think that he is one of kind,” Mbappé said. “There is only one Cristiano Ronaldo, there will only ever be one.
“I am following my own path. My dream of playing at Real Madrid is coming a reality. I hope that I will also be able to mark football but I am not going to write the next chapter of Cristiano Ronaldo’s story. I hope I will be able to be one of a kind at Real Madrid and be completely different.”
Mbappé, who was the top scorer at the 2022 World Cup with eight goals, has netted only once in three games at Euro 2024 — from the penalty spot — as the French struggle to get their attacking game flowing.
Indeed, no France player has scored from open play, the team’s other two goals being own-goals.
Mbappé said he was having to modify his style of play for his country because of the different personnel behind him.
“A forward needs to adapt to all the different situations, to teammates, to different player profiles on the pitch,” he said. “We had different players when I first started — Paul Pogba, for example, in midfield and with him I knew I needed to get my head down and run. I call for the ball and the ball is at my feet.
“Now, it’s different. The idea is about analyzing the type of players you are playing with. With the players we have, maybe we can’t play into space because it isn’t their type of playing style. But if there are spaces, I love eating up those spaces.”
Among those being called out for particular criticism for France’s lack of a cutting edge in attack is Antoine Griezmann, who has played in two positions — central midfield and on the right wing — so far and was even dropped for the group closer against Poland.
Mbappé said Griezmann has “been in the firing line” and deserved better after playing 133 times for France and being a key member of the team that won the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final in 2022.
“It is maybe a tough spell at the moment and it’s a shame we are kicking him while he is down,” Mbappé said. “It doesn’t sit well with me — he is one of the best players in modern French football.”


Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur

Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur
Updated 25 September 2024
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Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur

Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur
  • Bentancur was charged by the Football Association earlier this month with an alleged misconduct breach in relation to a media interview on Uruguayan TV
  • Bentancur apologized to Tottenham captain Son, who said his team-mate had “made a mistake“

LONDON: Son Heung-min said Tottenham team-mate Rodrigo Bentancur “almost cried” when he apologized over an alleged racist remark about the South Korean.
Bentancur was charged by the Football Association earlier this month with an alleged misconduct breach in relation to a media interview on Uruguayan TV.
The former Juventus midfielder had been asked in June by the host of the Canal 10 show for a Spurs player’s shirt, to which he replied: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Bentancur apologized to Tottenham captain Son, who said his team-mate had “made a mistake.”
But because the wording of the charge refers to an “aggravated breach,” he could reportedly be banned for six to 12 domestic matches.
Son, speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League home tie against Qarabag, said he could not say much at the moment because of the “FA process.”
“But I love Rodrigo, I love him. We’ve a lot of good memories, we started playing together when he joined (in January 2022),” he said.
“He knew. He apologized straight afterwards when we had holiday. I was at home. I didn’t even realize what was going on. He sent me a long message and you could feel it was coming from his heart.
“When we came back for pre-season, he felt really sorry and he almost cried when he apologized publicly and personally as well. He felt like he was really sorry. We are all human and all make mistakes and we learn from it.”
Son is one of only two players, along with Ben Davies, left at Tottenham from the squad that reached the Champions League final in 2019.
Defeat in Madrid to Liverpool extended the club’s trophy drought and it now stands at 16 years, but the South Korean forward is determined to end the wait for silverware this season.
“Yeah, it’s a dream. There is no hiding this. That’s what we work for,” Son said.
“Obviously, we are looking for another big competition that everybody wants to win. It’s going to be tough, a tough competition, a lot of games and a lot of traveling, which makes it even harder.”


Mbappe extends scoring streak as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-2 in Spanish league

Mbappe extends scoring streak as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-2 in Spanish league
Updated 25 September 2024
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Mbappe extends scoring streak as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-2 in Spanish league

Mbappe extends scoring streak as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-2 in Spanish league
  • Lucas Vazquez and Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, who extended their unbeaten run in the league to 39 matches
  • Sevilla midfielder Saul Niguez was carried off the field on a stretcher with an apparent leg injury early in the second half of Sevilla’s 2-1 home win over Valladolid

MADRID: Kylian Mbappe extended his scoring streak with his sixth goal in five matches as Real Madrid defeated Alaves 3-2 to move closer to leader Barcelona in the Spanish league on Tuesday.

Mbappe’s seventh goal since joining Madrid was a beauty, with the France forward starting a give-and-go with Jude Bellingham with a heal flick and then picking up the pass inside the area and using a nifty move to clear a defender before finding the net in the 40th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Mbappe asked to be substituted in the 80th because of a muscle ailment, according to Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who said it was not serious.

Lucas Vazquez and Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, who extended their unbeaten run in the league to 39 matches — with 29 wins and 10 draws going back to last season. Alaves made a late charge by scoring with Carlos Benavídez in the 85th and Kike García in the 86th but couldn’t find the equalizer despite chances in the final minutes.

“We played a great match for 80 minutes, but we suffered more than we should have in the end,” Vázquez said.

The victory moved Madrid within one point of league leader Barcelona, who will go for their seventh victory in a row to start the season when they host winless Getafe on Wednesday.

Mbappe now has seven goals in nine matches with Madrid in all competitions. He has five goals in the Spanish league, one behind leading scorer Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona.

The France star who signed as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, also had a goal disallowed for offside in the 22nd. Arda Guler came in for Mbappe in the 80th.

Vazquez had put Madrid ahead one minute into the match with a shot from inside the area after a nice run by Vinicius Junior through the left side of the area. Rodrygo added to the lead after a long run in the 48th.

Ancelotti, in his 300th match with the club, used most of his regular starters and did not immediately rotate his squad despite a congested schedule.

Vazquez started as a right back in place of regular starter Dani Carvajal, who was rested with fitness issues.

Teenage Brazil forward Endrick replaced Rodrygo in the 69th, his earliest appearance off the bench, and a couple of minutes later struck the post from inside the area.

Madrid complained about yellow cards to Vinicius, Federico Valverde and substitute Luka Modric for protesting in a match in which Madrid felt their players were often subjected to tough tackles.

“There is a different standard now and we have to adapt,” Ancelotti said. “We have to stop protesting.”

Alaves, whose players were not shown any cards, complained that a red card should have been given to Endrick after the Brazilian appeared to kick an opponent away from the play.

Madrid’s next match is the city derby against Atletico Madrid at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium.

Sevilla midfielder Saul Niguez was carried off the field on a stretcher with an apparent leg injury early in the second half of Sevilla’s 2-1 home win over Valladolid.

Chidera Ejuke scored the winner in the 85th minute for Sevilla’s second victory in its past three league matches.

Valladolid’s only win this season came in its league opener against Espanyol.

Valencia followed up their first win of the season — 2-0 at Girona — with a 0-0 draw against Osasuna.

Osasuna had won two of its last three matches.


Man City win in League Cup two days after feisty Arsenal match. Nkunku hat trick for Chelsea

Man City win in League Cup two days after feisty Arsenal match. Nkunku hat trick for Chelsea
Updated 25 September 2024
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Man City win in League Cup two days after feisty Arsenal match. Nkunku hat trick for Chelsea

Man City win in League Cup two days after feisty Arsenal match. Nkunku hat trick for Chelsea
  • Villa won 2-1 at third-tier Wycombe and Leicester triumphed 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw at fourth-tier Walsall
  • The last 32 of the competition is being spread over two midweeks to accommodate the expanded Champions League and Europa League

MANCHESTER: Playing just two days after a feisty Premier League match against Arsenal, Manchester City fielded a heavily rotated team and still had too much for second-tier Watford in the English League Cup.

City won 2-1 thanks to first-half goals by Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes at Etihad Stadium as the third round continued Tuesday with fellow top-flight teams Chelsea, Aston Villa and Leicester also advancing.

Chelsea thrashed fourth-division Barrow 5-0, with Christopher Nkunku scoring a hat trick and celebrating by inflating a blue balloon and holding it between his lips. Villa won 2-1 at third-tier Wycombe and Leicester triumphed 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw at fourth-tier Walsall.

The last 32 of the competition is being spread over two midweeks to accommodate the expanded Champions League and Europa League. Manchester United and Tottenham were among those to advance last week, while Liverpool and Arsenal play their games on Wednesday.

City manager Pep Guardiola won the League Cup four straight years with City from 2018, but said he isn’t going to take it seriously this season and will use the matches to give rhythm to some fringe players.

“We are not going to waste energy on this competition, for sure,” he said.

Doku was one of just two Man City players — along with Kyle Walker — to start both the dramatic 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday and against Watford. The Belgium winger put his team ahead in the fifth minute by shooting home from just inside the area after City seized on a misplaced back-pass.

Nunes added the second in 38th with a low, left-footed shot for the Portugal midfielder’s first goal since joining from Wolverhampton in the offseason on 2023.

Tom Ince — the son of former England midfielder Paul Ince — scored for Watford in the 86th.

Chelsea also rotated their lineup, making 11 changes from the team that started the 3-0 win at West Ham on Saturday.

Nkunku scored the opening two goals by the 15th minute and rounded off the scoring in the 75th. In between was an own-goal and a tap-in by Pedro Neto for his first goal for Chelsea.

Colombia forward Jhon Duran continued his brilliant start to the season for Villa by scoring the team’s second goal — from the penalty spot in the 85th — to add to Emi Buendia’s opener in the 55th.

The 20-year-old Duran has netted four times in five league matches so far this season, all off the bench.

Wycombe’s consolation came in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Walsall was unable to complete an upset over Leicester after taking their Premier League opponent to spot kicks at home.

Leicester converted all three of its penalties, while Walsall failed with their first three attempts to bring the shootout to its earliest possible conclusion.


Newcastle pledge thousands to help fourth-tier cup opponents fix storm-damaged pitch

Newcastle pledge thousands to help fourth-tier cup opponents fix storm-damaged pitch
Updated 24 September 2024
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Newcastle pledge thousands to help fourth-tier cup opponents fix storm-damaged pitch

Newcastle pledge thousands to help fourth-tier cup opponents fix storm-damaged pitch
  • Newcastle were due to play Wimbledon in the third round of the competition on Tuesday night

LONDON: Saudi-backed Newcastle United on Tuesday pledged £15,000 ($20,100) to help their Carabao Cup opponents AFC Wimbledon after storms damaged the fourth-tier club’s Plough Lane pitch over the weekend.

Heavy rains have battered the UK since Friday, leading to a waterlogged pitch and significant damage to the playing surface at the south London club, with images of a sinkhole near one of the goalmouths circulating on social media.

Newcastle were due to play Wimbledon in the third round of the competition on Tuesday night but have agreed to reverse the fixture and play the match at their own St. James’ Park stadium on Oct. 1.

“We regret to inform fans that due to extensive overnight flooding of the River Wandle, Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round fixture against Newcastle United has been postponed.”, an AFC Wimbledon statement said.

Graham Stacey, a Wimbledon fan, set up a JustGiving page in an attempt to raise £50,000 to fix the flood damage, a target which had surpassed £75,000 by Tuesday in large part thanks to the Premier League club’s donation.

He told the Press Association he had been absolutely “flabbergasted” at the support the League Two club had received and praised Newcastle’s “incredible” gesture, but said his side would not return the favor on the the pitch, joking the Dons would beat Newcastle next week. 

“They’ve been nothing but supportive. Obviously, we had a big game lined up against them at home that’s now been switched to St. James’ Park, which is a fantastic event,” he said. 

“For the two sides to play at one of the biggest grounds in the country with one of the best supports in the country is going to be a thrill. Even better when we beat them.

“I should apologize because they’ve been so generous, and if we do [win] I’d almost feel bad… but it’s incredibly generous of them.”

James Woodroof, AFC Wimbledon club director, told the BBC on Tuesday that 100,000 liters of water had been pumped out of the stadium.

“I woke up to images from my stadium team. I thought it was artificial intelligence,” he said.

“The entire stadium, the concourse and ground floor, was under water. It was horrendous. The pitch has significant damage.

“We filled four tankers, which house 27,000 liters each – over 100,000 liters.”


Ten Hag says expanded schedules make injuries ‘almost unavoidable’

Ten Hag says expanded schedules make injuries ‘almost unavoidable’
Updated 24 September 2024
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Ten Hag says expanded schedules make injuries ‘almost unavoidable’

Ten Hag says expanded schedules make injuries ‘almost unavoidable’
  • United begin their European campaign at home to Twente on Wednesday in a 36-team Europa League league phase which sees each club play eight matches

MANCHESTER: Erik ten Hag has warned the increasing number of fixtures will leave top players facing an “almost unavoidable” risk of injury, as Manchester United head into their opening game of the new-look Europa League.

Expanded European events and next summer’s extended Club World Cup have led to growing concerns about players’ workloads.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri suggested it was possible players could go on strike in protest at the growing fixture congestion, just days before the Spain star reportedly suffered a season-ending knee injury.

United begin their European campaign at home to Twente on Wednesday in a 36-team Europa League league phase which sees each club play eight matches.

“The format I think we have to take this experience and then judge,” Ten Hag told a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“There are too many games. It’s clear. Too many competitions,” he added.

“For the top players, they are overloaded and this is not good for football.

“In the end of the day it’s maybe good for commercial but there is a limit. It’s almost unavoidable that players get injured because of the overload from so many games.”

Asked what can be done to improve the situation, the Dutchman said: “I think as a club alone you can’t change this. It’s more about the total industry...

“At the end of the day, it’s financial. Also we are professional, so revenues have to come, but we have to balance this out.”

United failed to take their chances in Saturday’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace which left them on just seven points from five Premier League games and outside the top 10.

That stalemate, however, followed a 3-0 win at Southampton and 7-0 League Cup defeat of Barnsley.

“Concerned? We create a lot of chances in the first games of the season,” said Ten Hag. “Last week we scored seven against Barnsley, so we are capable of scoring many goals.”

“But it’s a part of the game we have to be better in, we have to improve and kill more in the box.”

Ten Hag will face Twente, a club where he came through the youth ranks and had three spells as a player before moving into coaching with the Eredivisie side.

“Of all the teams, Twente is the team that I follow the most,” said Ten Hag. “I watch them as a fan, as a supporter, not as an analyst. It’s a different way of watching their games...

“I would have preferred to have played against somebody else. It’s not nice to have to hurt something you love.”