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Playing under Alonso ‘a dream’ for Leverkusen’s Xhaka

Playing under Alonso ‘a dream’ for Leverkusen’s Xhaka
Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates during their Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen at Weser-Stadion, Bremen on Nov. 25, 2023. (Reuters)
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Updated 25 November 2023
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Playing under Alonso ‘a dream’ for Leverkusen’s Xhaka

Playing under Alonso ‘a dream’ for Leverkusen’s Xhaka
  • The victory reestablished their two-point lead over second-placed Bayern Munich
  • “It’s a dream for me to play under Xabi Alonso, he was a world-class player in the same position as me,” Xhaka told Sky Germany
Updated 25 November 2023
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BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka said on Saturday “it is a dream” to play under Xabi Alonso after a 3-0 win at Werder Bremen helped his team back to the top of the Bundesliga.
The victory — Leverkusen’s 17th in 18 fixtures this season — reestablished their two-point lead over second-placed Bayern Munich.
Xhaka joined Leverkusen in the close-season from Premier League side Arsenal, where he played under Alonso’s childhood friend Mikel Arteta.
“It’s a dream for me to play under Xabi Alonso, he was a world-class player in the same position as me — I played against him myself,” Xhaka told Sky Germany.
“He gives me things that I can take...
“We have a great team, a great coach and a great mentality.
“We work hard daily and you can see the results on the ground.”
Xhaka is one of several summer signings to impress this season, along with Alex Grimaldo, who scored in the win over Bremen, Victor Boniface and Jonas Hofmann.
Leverkusen’s blistering start has some talking of a potential maiden Bundesliga title, but Xhaka was careful not to look too far into the future.
“Nothing is a foregone conclusion. We need to continue to work and see where we end up,” he said.
“In football, anything is possible.
“We must continue to keep our feet on the ground, and we will see what will happen.”

Topics: Bundesliga Xabi Alonso Bayer Leverkusen Werder Bremen Granit Xhaka

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Ten Hag bemoans Man Utd's lack of killer instinct in Palace stalemate

Ten Hag bemoans Man Utd's lack of killer instinct in Palace stalemate
Updated 17 sec ago
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Ten Hag bemoans Man Utd's lack of killer instinct in Palace stalemate

Ten Hag bemoans Man Utd's lack of killer instinct in Palace stalemate
Updated 17 sec ago
AFP

LONDON: Manchester United must be more ruthless said Erik ten Hag after missing a host of chances in a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes hit the bar for the visitors in the first half as United dominated on a ground where they were thrashed 4-0 just four months ago.
But only a stunning double save from Andre Onana after the break denied Palace their first league win of the season.
A point leaves United down in 11th after winning just two of their opening five matches of the new Premier League campaign.
“I’m not content, we should have won,” said Ten Hag. “First half we left them alive, the second half was more balanced.
“We played very good (in the first half), total control of the game, the only thing was in the box and in the box is where the game is decided. We should be more clinical there.”
The humiliation of their last visit to Selhurst Park in May was the nadir of a troubled season for United.
Many wondered whether Ten Hag would even oversee another match but a shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City handed the Dutchman a second chance.
The Red Devils this time arrived in south London on a high after scoring 10 goals in the past week to dispose of Southampton 3-0 and smash Barnsley 7-0 in the League Cup in midweek.
Marcus Rashford had ended a barren run by scoring three times in those two matches, but he was surprisingly dropped to the bench by Ten Hag.
However, the decision to keep Garnacho on the left was inspired as the Argentine tore Palace to shreds early on without applying the final touch.
Former United goalkeeper Dean Henderson kept the Eagles in the game before half-time.
Garnacho did not get enough on his curling effort to beat Henderson with his first big chance before the England stopper denied Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
United knew their luck was not in when the visitors then hit the bar twice in the matter of seconds.
Garnacho sprinted onto Diogo Dalot’s incisive pass to curl off the woodwork before Fernandes’ follow-up effort also clipped the bar.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner reacted with a double substitution at half-time which resulted in a far more competitive second half.
“In the first half we needed a great goalkeeper and fortunately we had one today,” said Glasner.
“In that second half it was more like a Crystal Palace team and that is what we need to be competitive against a team like Manchester United.”
Fernandes was inches away once more with an audacious outside of the boot effort that flew wide after a neat one-two with Joshua Zirkzee.
But only a moment of magic from Onana prevented United from slipping to a third defeat in five league games this season.
The former Ajax ‘keeper got down well to parry Eddie Nketiah’s strike from distance before leaping off the ground to prevent Sarr tapping in the rebound.
“It’s not so important (how I made the double save) because we didn’t win,” said Onana. “Unfortunately we didn’t score. It’s pitiful to go back home with the one point when you deserve to win.”
Palace had another huge chance to snatch all three points when Eberechi Eze side-footed wide with the goal gaping from close range.
A draw leaves Palace down in 16th, but it is United who will be more frustrated with the missed opportunity to gain some momentum with three wins in eight days.

Topics: Manchester United Crystal Palace Erik ten Hag English Premier League (EPL)

Chelsea owners ‘happy’ with win at West Ham amid rift report

Chelsea owners ‘happy’ with win at West Ham amid rift report
Updated 21 September 2024
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Chelsea owners ‘happy’ with win at West Ham amid rift report

Chelsea owners ‘happy’ with win at West Ham amid rift report
Updated 21 September 2024
AFP

London: Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca revealed co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali were “all happy” after they celebrated Saturday’s 3-0 win at West Ham despite reports of a power struggle between the pair.
Boehly and Eghbali are said to have fallen out over a number of issues since their Stamford Bridge takeover in 2022, with reports claiming each wants to buy the other’s stake in the Premier League club.
It has been a turbulent time for Chelsea under Boehly and Eghbali, who have parted company with a host of managers while spending over £1 billion ($1.33 billion) on new signings in an unsuccessful attempt to revive the Blues’ fortunes.
Regardless of their alleged rift, the pair were at the London Stadium to see Nicolas Jackson’s first-half double and a strike from Cole Palmer to give Chelsea their third league win under new boss Maresca.
The Italian said Boehly and Eghbali visited the dressing room after the final whistle to congratulate the players, who have scored 10 goals in their three away league victories this term.
“Not only today, it’s always good when we win games for the owners, especially because they were both here,” Maresca said.
“We can give them some good moments. They were in the changing room, they were all happy.”
Chelsea finished sixth and 12th in the last two seasons and haven’t won the Premier League since 2017.
While Chelsea have shown signs of improvement in the early days of Maresca’s reign, the former Leicester boss warned against being lulled into thinking their problems have all been solved.
“I think we’re on the right path,” he said. “We’re in the right direction, but it’s a long journey.
“We won today and we’re in a good moment, it looks like everything is fine. But not everything is fine. We could attack better, defend better.
“For me, the main target in this moment is to see how we progress as a team and I think we are improving many things, even if today we could manage the game much better.”

Topics: Chelsea West Ham United

Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears

Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears
Updated 20 September 2024
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Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears

Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears
Updated 20 September 2024
AFP

LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has urged players to lead the fight for change in the heated debate over the dangers posed by an increased fixture schedule.
City midfielder Rodri recently suggested players would consider going on strike in a bid to halt the dramatic rise in matches crammed into an already hectic calendar.
With the Champions League first stage now featuring an additional two matches and the expanded Club World Cup at the end of the season, Guardiola’s Premier League champions could play a maximum of 76 matches during the 2024/25 campaign.
Top players also have international fixtures to factor into the gruelling schedule.
Global players’ union FIFPro has said footballers should play a maximum of 50 to 60 games per season, depending on their age.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker joined the row when he said players were not given a voice by the sport’s authorities to express their concerns.
Many leading managers have expressed support for the players’ concerns, with Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany calling for a cap on the number of games a player is allowed to feature in each year.
As the debate intensifies, Guardiola says players have the power to spark change because the sport cannot go on without them.
“I’m pretty sure that if something is going to change, it must come from the players,” he said.
“They are the only ones who can change something about the organization, to take a voice.
“The business can be without managers, sporting directors, media, owners but without players you cannot play. The only ones with the power to do it are them.”
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will, like City, take part in the Club World Cup in the United States at a time when the players would otherwise be resting.
The Italian hinted a strike could be a course of action to tackle the problem.
Asked whether there are too many games in the current calendar, Maresca said: “Yes, no doubt. In terms of games, it’s too much.
“I don’t think we protect players. We can say what we think and for me it’s completely wrong the amount of games that we have.
“The only ones that can do something are the players and we can help them. In the last two weeks some of the players have tried to explain what they think. I think it’s a good starting point.
“Some of them have said (they could strike). I think it could be an idea for them.”

Barca stumble at Monaco after early red card

Barca stumble at Monaco after early red card
Updated 20 September 2024
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Barca stumble at Monaco after early red card

Barca stumble at Monaco after early red card
Updated 20 September 2024
AFP

MONACO: Barcelona fell to a 2-1 defeat at Monaco on Thursday in their Champions League opener, hindered by an early red card shown to Eric Garcia.
Hansi Flick’s side have started the season with a perfect record after five La Liga matches but struggled to find their best level against the Ligue 1 side.
After Garcia was sent off for pulling down Takumi Minamino as he ran through, Maghnes Akliouche fired Monaco ahead.
Starlet Lamine Yamal scored a fine equalizer for Barcelona but George Ilenikhena grabbed the winner for Monaco in the 71st minute.
Five-time winners Barcelona, last crowned European champions in 2015, have struggled in Europe in recent seasons, particularly away from home and were brought crashing down to earth in the French Riviera.
Monaco thrashed Barcelona in a pre-season friendly and had the Catalan giants’ number for much of the clash at the Stade Louis II.
They were significantly aided by Garcia’s dismissal after 11 minutes, for felling former Liverpool midfielder Minamino on the edge of the box.
A careless pass from Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen put Garcia under immediate pressure and he tangled with the Japan international as he tried to stop him running in on goal.
Monaco soon took the lead after 17 minutes when Akliouche worked his way into the box and finished well under little pressure.
With Barcelona at a numerical disadvantage the hosts were on top and Raphinha squandered the visitors’ best openings despite his impressive domestic form of late.
Monaco had kept Spain’s Euro 2024 star Yamal quiet but he burst into life to level before the half-hour mark, cutting in from the right and drilling inside the near post.
The teenage made it look easy to score a goal out of nothing, becoming the second youngest scorer in Champions League history at 17 years and 68 days old.
The record-holder watched on from Barcelona’s bench — Ansu Fati, who netted in 2019 against Inter Milan at 17 years 40 days of age.
Alejandro Balde bundled off target for Barcelona but Monaco came closer, with Breel Embolo firing at Ter Stegen and Wilfried Singo having a goal disallowed for offside.
Monaco took the lead when the dangerous Vanderson played a long ball over the top which substitute Ilenikhena ran on to, with Inigo Martinez in his rearview mirror.
The 18-year-old Nigerian forward hit his shot hard and low and it flew into the net via a hand from Ter Stegen, who might have kept it out.
The German stopper achieved some redemption when he produced a superb save to keep out Folarin Balogun’s ferocious effort.
Monaco were awarded a penalty late on when Balogun tumbled to ground under pressure from Martinez, but the referee changed his decision after a VAR review.
Flick threw on Fati for his first Barcelona appearance since August 2023 in search of an equalizer but it was not forthcoming.

Topics: Barcelona Monaco UEFA Champions League

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Ex-Man United striker Anthony Martial joins AEK Athens

Ex-Man United striker Anthony Martial joins AEK Athens
Updated 19 September 2024
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Ex-Man United striker Anthony Martial joins AEK Athens

Ex-Man United striker Anthony Martial joins AEK Athens
  • Martial will receive $3.9m per year, becoming the most expensive player in the history of the 13-time Greek champions
  • “AEK was a chance for me and I want to give the best of myself to win trophies and bring joy to the fans,” the French player said
Updated 19 September 2024
AFP

ATHENS: Former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has penned a three-year deal with AEK Athens, the Greek first division club announced on Thursday.
Out of contract after nine years with the Premier League club, Martial will receive 3.5 million euros ($3.9m) per year, becoming the most expensive player in the history of the 13-time Greek champions, who are celebrating their centenary this year.
“I’m very happy. AEK was a chance for me and I want to give the best of myself to win trophies and bring joy to the fans,” the French player said.


The 28-year-old former Lyon and Monaco player signed for Man United in 2015, scoring 90 goals in 317 games and winning the Europa League in 2017 and two FA Cup trophies.
But he has never fulfilled his early promise after bursting onto the scene at Monaco as a teenager.
Martial was capped 30 times capped by France with two goals scored but his last selection was in the final of the Nations League in October 2021, though he did not appear from the bench in that match as France beat Spain 2-1.
AEK have also signed former Tottenham Hotspur and Sevilla midfielder Erik Lamela.
They are top of Super League Greece after four matches, but are not playing in European competition this season.

Topics: Anthony Martial Manchester United AEK Athens

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