Ralf Rangnick’s reputation took a hit at Man United, yet he’s changing the story at Euro 2024

Ralf Rangnick’s reputation took a hit at Man United, yet he’s changing the story at Euro 2024
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick before their Euro 2024 — Group D match against Netherlands at Berlin Olympiastadion, Berlin, on Jun. 25, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 27 June 2024
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Ralf Rangnick’s reputation took a hit at Man United, yet he’s changing the story at Euro 2024

Ralf Rangnick’s reputation took a hit at Man United, yet he’s changing the story at Euro 2024
  • Ralf Rangnick is rewriting his legacy at Euro 2024 with his Austria team emerging as one of the surprise packages of the tournament
  • Topping a group that included France and the Netherlands, the Austrians have announced themselves as contenders for the European Championship

DUESSELDORF, Germany: Cristiano Ronaldo said he’d never heard of him and Manchester United fans have few fond memories of his short-lived spell as manager of the Premier League club.
But Ralf Rangnick is rewriting his legacy at Euro 2024 with his Austria team emerging as one of the surprise packages of the tournament.
Topping a group that included France and the Netherlands, the Austrians have announced themselves as contenders for the European Championship and advanced to knockout phase on the opposite side of the draw to Spain, Germany, France and Portugal.
Not bad for a coach whose previously solid reputation took a hit after an unsuccessful six months as interim manager of United through 2021-22, which included a run of just three wins from his last 14 games and heavy losses to Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.
“This guy is not even a coach,” Ronaldo said in his explosive interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022. “If you are not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United?”
While Rangnick’s previous job had been head of sports and development at Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, his coaching credentials had been long-established in Germany, where he earned the nickname the “Professor”.
So effective was Rangnick’s brand of soccer — dubbed “gegenpressing” (counter pressing) — that it was widely-regarded as having influenced a generation of German coaches including Jurgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel.
“He had a huge influence on all of us at this time,” Tuchel has said, having played under Rangnick earlier in his career.
Rangnick’s success has largely been with smaller clubs, winning promotions with Hannover, Hoffenheim and Leipzig.
Perhaps it is no surprise then that he is excelling with an Austrian team which wasn’t considered among the favorites leading up to the Euros. But the signs of his impact were clear during the qualifiers as Austria booked their place at the Euros as runner-up and one point behind No. 3-ranked Belgium.
“You can see a clear development since the coach joined the team,” midfielder Marcel Sabitzer said.
Bayern Munich clearly shared that opinion when targeting him as a successor to Tuchel at the end of the season. Rangnick opted to stay on at Austria and has only enhanced his reputation at the Euros.
While his team suffered defeat to France in their opening game, the 1-0 loss was only curtesy of an own goal. Austria then recovered to beat Poland 3-1 and the Netherlands 3-2. That’s earned Rangnick’s side a meeting with Türkiye in the round of 16 on July 2.
“It’s incredible to finish top of the group that was the hardest possible based on UEFA coefficients,” Rangnick said. “We started with an unlucky own goal against France, dealt with all the pressure put on us to win against Poland, and then to end as group winners is something very special.”
As well as his coaching career, Rangnick also has a reputation for his work as an executive, having identified numerous emerging players and coaches during his time as sporting director of Leipzig.
United had planned to keep him on as a consultant at the end of his spell as interim manager and tap into his soccer expertise.
It would have been fascinating to see what sort of an impact he would have had at the 20-time English league champion after saying the team needed an “open heart operation” and as many as 10 new players.
Ultimately plans for the consultancy role were scrapped after Rangnick accepted the Austria job in ‘22.
He hasn’t looked back since.


Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG

Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG
Updated 33 min 25 sec ago
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Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG

Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG
  • Inter have played in six Champions League/European Cup finals to date
  • The Parisians are designated as the home team in the final

MILAN: Inter Milan will dress for the occasion by wearing their third, golden yellow kit in Saturday’s Champions League final when they face Paris St. Germain in Munich in the first official meeting between the sides.

Inter have played in six Champions League/European Cup finals to date, the first in 1964, and have never used their third kit in the showpiece match so far.

Since the Parisians are designated as the home team in the final, they will wear their first-choice kit — navy blue shorts and shirts with a white and red stripe in the center — so Inter cannot play in their classic black and blue striped jerseys.

The Italians, however, did not opt for their second strip -white shirts with blue details — choosing to wear the third kit instead, a golden yellow shirt with black details and black shorts.

There may be superstition involved as Simone Inzaghi’s side won both of their games in Europe’s elite club competition when playing in yellow this term, January’s 1-0 win at Sparta Prague and a 2-0 last-16 first-leg victory at Feyenoord in March.

Their only defeat in this season’s Champions League, meanwhile, came at Bayer Leverkusen when they wore white shirts in December.


Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season

Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season
Updated 50 min 23 sec ago
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Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season

Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season
  • Al-Ahli fans came in second with 354,019 attendees
  • This year’s champions had their fans passing the half-a-million attendance mark

RIYADH: Al-Ittihad supporters have emerged as the most dedicated fans throughout the Roshn Saudi League 2024/2025 season with a total number of 594,326 attendees.

Al-Ahli fans came in second with 354,019 attendees, according to official data released on Wednesday via Saudi Pro League’s Arabic handle on X.

This year’s champions, Al-Ittihad, were the only club where fans passed the half-a-million attendance mark, out of a total number of 2.5 million supporters who attended the whole RSL.

Meanwhile, Al-Hilal secured third place with 302,028 attendees while Al-Nassr ranked fourth with a total of 277,821attendees.

In a notable rise, newly promoted Al-Qadsiah, returning from the Yelo League (First Division), claimed fifth spot with 168,331 fans.

Rounding out the list were Al-Fateh in sixth, followed by Al-Ettifaq, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun, Damac, Al-Khaleej, Al-Raed, Al-Wehda, Al-Kholood, Al-Orobah, Al-Riyadh, Al-Okhdood and Al-Fayha.


Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss

Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss
Updated 28 May 2025
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Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss

Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss
  • Turan, 38, has signed a contract until 2027
  • “I’m proud to have joined Shakhtar,” Turan said

ISTANBUL: Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk have announced former Turkiye midfielder Arda Turan as their new head coach, replacing Marino Pusic.

Turan, 38, has signed a contract until 2027 after taking unfancied Eyupspor to a sixth-place finish in the Turkish top flight.

Next season, 15-time Ukrainian champions Shakhtar will feature in the Europa League first qualifying round having won the domestic cup earlier this month.


“I’m proud to have joined Shakhtar — a great club with a rich history and great traditions,” Turan said in a Shakhtar statement.

“We are deeply motivated to win trophies — both in Ukraine and in European competitions.”

Shakhtar were forced to leave their home ground, the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, after Russian-backed separatists seized control of the region in 2014.

Their home league games take place in the western city of Lviv.

They held their Champions League games this term in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Turan retired from playing in 2022 after spells with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray. He also won 100 caps for his country.


Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi team up to launch a football club in Uruguay

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi team up to launch a football club in Uruguay
Updated 28 May 2025
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Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi team up to launch a football club in Uruguay

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi team up to launch a football club in Uruguay
  • Suarez announced on Tuesday he has founded a professional soccer team in his native Uruguay
  • The team formerly known as Deportivo LS will now be called LSM

MONTEVIDEO: Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi have been partners on the pitch for several years. Now they’re teaming up off it as businessmen.

Suarez announced on Tuesday he has founded a professional football team in his native Uruguay, and he is bringing his Inter Miami teammate along on the project.

Suarez, the all-time scoring leader of Uruguay’s national team, explained in a video posted on his social media accounts that the team formerly known as Deportivo LS will now be called LSM and will start playing professional football in the Uruguay’s fourth division.

“Deportivo LS are a family dream that began in 2018. We have grown a lot with more than 3,000 members,” Suarez said. “I want to offer Uruguayan football, the place I love and where I grew up as a child, opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”

The 38-year-old Suarez retired from international football last September, played with Messi at Barcelona for six seasons, and they’ve been teammates the past two years with Inter Miami.

“I’m proud and happy that you chose me, so I hope to contribute everything I can to continue growing and, above all, to be by your side in this,” said Messi, who was sitting alongside Suarez in the video.

It’s still unclear what Messi’s role will be in the project, although local media reported that he will be a partner. It was also reported that Alvaro Recoba, a former player for the Uruguay national team and Inter Milan, will be the team’s coach.

The announcement also launched the club’s Instagram account, which had over 40,000 followers two hours after its creation.

Suárez and his family opened an 20-acre sports complex in 2018 in Ciudad de la Costa on the outskirts of Montevideo. It has numerous activities for more than 3,000 members.

The club have a synthetic turf stadium with a capacity for 1,400 spectators, among other fields.


Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’

Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’
Updated 27 May 2025
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Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’

Chelsea’s Maresca says Conference League ‘best competition in the world’
  • “Probably the most complicated thing this season about the Conference (League) has been to convince the players that for us it was the best competition in the world,” Maresca said
  • “And the reason why was because it was the competition that we were in“

WROCLAW, Poland: Enzo Maresca said he had to convince his Chelsea players this season that the UEFA Conference League was the “best competition in the world” as he prepares his men to face Real Betis in Wednesday’s final.

The Premier League club are seeking to end their campaign with a flourish in Wroclaw after securing a Champions League spot for next season.

If they beat Betis in Poland, Chelsea would become the first club to win all four major UEFA tournaments, having previously won the Champions League, Europa League and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup.

Maresca, in his first season as manager at Stamford Bridge, said had been forced to stress the importance of Europe’s third-tier club competition to his players.

“Probably the most complicated thing this season about the Conference (League) has been to convince the players that for us it was the best competition in the world,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“And the reason why was because it was the competition that we were in.”

Chelsea are two-time European champions but have not won silverware since lifting the Champions League in 2021.

“We cannot play Champions League if we are at the Conference (League), or we cannot play Europa (League). We are in the Conference, so for us it was the most important competition, and we need to try to win that.

“If we are able to win, I think it’s a good thing, especially because we continue to build a winning mentality.”

Chelsea have reached the final in eye-catching style, scoring a competition-record 38 goals so far and winning 11 of their 12 matches.

Maresca rounded on his critics after his youthful side secured fourth spot in the Premier League on Sunday with a 1-0 win at the City Ground, even using an expletive.

His team were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool in mid-December before stumbling badly, but results picked up again toward the end of the campaign.

On Tuesday he described Sunday’s eruption as an “outburst” in the heat of the moment.

“From our point of view, they (critics) were not talking in the right way,” he said.

“And the reason why is because, yes, we are young, yes, we are the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League, but at the same time, they are men.

“So I also used what critics had said to say, ‘Guys, today (Sunday) is a chance that we can say that we are not young, we are mature enough, we can compete and we can do the right things’.”

The former Leicester boss said sealing a Champions League place for next season had been a huge relief.

“We feel much better,” he said. “I said a few times during the season that for me it was already a good season for different reasons.

“It can become a very good season if we finish top four, top five and if we are able to win the final tomorrow.

“The first target is there. We achieved that last Sunday and hopefully we can achieve tomorrow the second one.”