JERUSALEM: The owner of Israel’s Beitar soccer club says he has called off a friendly match with Barcelona over its refusal to hold the event in contested Jerusalem.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 war, annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, and considers the entire city its capital. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and the city’s status is one of the thorniest issues in the decades-long conflict.
Beitar owner Moshe Hogeg said he was forced to cancel the match “with great sadness” because he refused to give in to what he said was a “political” demand.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion expressed support for the decision, saying teams that intend to “boycott” Jerusalem should be barred from Israel altogether.
There was no immediate comment from Barcelona.
Beitar is the only major Israeli soccer club to have never signed an Arab player, and its hard-core fans have a history of racist chants. Hogeg, who purchased the team in 2018, has vowed to combat racism and sideline the club’s anti-Arab fans.
Israeli club calls off match with Barcelona over Jerusalem
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Israeli club calls off match with Barcelona over Jerusalem
- Israel’s Beitar soccer club owner said he was forced to cancel the match “with great sadness”
- Moshe Hogeg refused to give in to what he said was a “political” demand
How the sale of Newcastle United to Saudi Arabia’s PIF transformed the club’s fortunes
- NUFC was purchased by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in October 2021, marking the start of a major turnaround for the club
- Under team captain Eddie Howe, the English football side have avoided relegation and quickly become top Premier League contenders
DUBAI: For the majority of football fans, Jan. 22, 2021, is unlikely to be a date that sticks in their long-term memory. But for supporters of one club in particular, it is one that is laden with significance.
With just 15 minutes left of Newcastle United’s match against Leeds United at Elland Road, the score was 0-0. A miserable Premier League season looked set to continue for Eddie Howe’s team.
Then up stepped Jonjo Shelvey to give Newcastle a priceless 1-0 victory. It is no exaggeration to say that the win instantly changed the complexion of the team’s season and with it the club’s trajectory.
Going into their 21st match of the league season, Newcastle United had found themselves with just one previous win, leaving them stuck in the relegation zone.
After the win at Leeds, however, Newcastle would embark on a run that would see them win five of their next six matches, and nine of the next 13. The team cruised to safety and ended the season in a comfortable 11th place.
Howe had conjured a miracle that barely seemed feasible just a few months earlier when he was tasked with turning around the club’s fortunes following their sale by long-time owner Mike Ashley.
On Sunday, as Howe, his team, and chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan celebrated with delirious fans at Wembley after Newcastle defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final, those memories from just three years earlier must have seemed like a distant bad dream.
Newcastle had won their first major trophy in 55 years, justifying the faith that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) had shown in the club and the city when it finally completed a takeover on Oct. 7, 2021.
PIF, alongside Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners and Reuben Brothers, had been pursuing the club for more than a year. Once the deal with Ashley had been completed, they set about reawakening a sleeping giant — one of England’s and Europe’s biggest clubs.
Newcastle United supporters had had few reasons to celebrate since the mid-1990s when manager Kevin Keegan’s “Entertainers” team had come close to winning the Premier League, only to lose out to Alex Ferguson’s unstoppable Manchester United.
Now, backed by PIF and its chairman Al-Rumayyan in the boardroom, and with Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi initially their public face, this was a club reborn.
The mission was to not only build a successful football team, but to also rejuvenate the local area surrounding St James’ Park in this one-club city.
First up was to hire Howe, a promising young English coach who had performed footballing miracles with Bournemouth FC by taking them from League One to the Premier League.
FASTFACTS
• Newcastle is a one-club city.
• Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup win was their first trophy in 55 years.
• Newcastle have won Four League titles and six FA Cups.
While at the time some supporters had expected a more established European coach, PIF’s decision to give Howe the reins on Nov. 8, 2021, has proved to be inspired.
Next was to assemble and oversee a squad capable of Premier League survival. If and when that was achieved, they would need to go on to challenge the country’s elite clubs at the other end of the table.
Without splurging on superstar names, Howe’s signings were astute. January of 2022 saw the arrival of Kieran Trippier for Atletico Madrid, Chris Wood from Burnley, Matt Targett from Aston Villa, and former Newcastle youth player Dan Burn from Brighton.
But, without a doubt, the jewel in the crown was Bruno Guimaraes from Olympique Lyon. Fans instantly fell in love with their gifted Brazilian midfielder.
Another masterful trick managed by Howe was to rejuvenate players like Joelinton Cassio Apolinario de Lira, Sean Longstaff, and Miguel Almiron, who had stagnated under the reign of previous coach Steve Bruce and owner Ashley.
After relegation was easily avoided with a stunning second half to the 2021-22 Premier League season, the squad was strengthened in the summer transfer window with the signings of goalkeeper Nick Pope from Burney, highly rated Dutch defender Sven Botman from Lille, and the superlative Swedish international Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad.
Newcastle now had a formidable squad that was ready to challenge for trophies and European places. And that is exactly what they did in the 2022-23 season.
At the start of 2023, Howe led the club to its first major cup final since 1998. But, on Feb. 28, the still-developing team found the task of defeating Manchester United a step too far, losing 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.
Despite the cup final defeat, Howe’s first full season as manager ended on a major high as the club finished in fourth place in the Premier League to secure a spot in the following season’s UEFA Champions League.
The following season would prove to be one of consolidation. Despite the signings of Anthony Gordon from Everton, Sandro Tonali from AC Milan, and Harvey Barnes from Leicester City, the team found it hard to balance the challenges of the Premier League and European competition.
A stunning 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain at St James’ Park in October, could not stop Newcastle from exiting the Champions League in the group stages. Their final position of seventh in the Premier League would have disappointed fans hoping for another invite to Europe’s top table.
But that was only a prelude to what will now go down as one of the greatest seasons in Newcastle’s history. There were moments of uncertainty for fans as the team’s Premier League form fluctuated throughout the current campaign. But glory was just around the corner.
A superb two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final win, which saw a 2-0 victory at the Emirates followed by another at St James Park, gave Newcastle another chance to claim its first trophy in generations. This time it would be against Premier League leaders and England’s most successful club, Liverpool.
Sunday, March 16 would prove a golden day for Newcastle. Their fans, who had taken over central London in the two days leading up to the final, were as remarkable in the stands as their heroes were on the pitch.
Goals by the local hero Burn and talisman Guimaraes either side of half time left supporters in dreamland. Despite a late Liverpool goal, Newcastle were not denied a well deserved 2-1 win.
Cue Bruno’s tears, Al-Rumayyan’s joyous celebrations and pure delirium on the Wembley terraces.
It was a victory 55 years in the making, but one achieved almost in a blink of an eye since the dark days of 2021.
Saudi olympic committee vice president attends opening of IOC’s 144th session
- Princess Reema bint Bandar, member of the committee and Saudi ambassador to the US, also attended the event
Vice President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz attended the opening of the 144th session of the International Olympic Committee in Olympia, Greece.
The committee was inaugurated by Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas.
Princess Reema bint Bandar, member of the committee and Saudi ambassador to the US, attended, along with several officials and IOC members.
The session sets the stage for the official proceedings, which takes place from March 19 to March 21 in Costa Navarino.
Barca on track for women’s Champions League semis after thumping Wolfsburg
- Janina Minge pulled one back inside the final 15 minutes for Wolfsburg, before Sydney Schertenleib added a late fourth
- Winners of three of the past four Champions Leagues, Barcelona showed fluency in attack and pinned the Wolves back early
WOLFSBURG, Germany: Defending champions Barcelona are on track for the final four of the women’s Champions League after a dominant 4-1 win in their quarter-final first leg at Wolfsburg on Wednesday.
Unlike the 2023 Champions League final between the same two opponents, won narrowly 3-2 by Barcelona who came from two goals down, Wednesday’s clash was an uneven affair.
A first-half own-goal by Caitlin Dijkstra, followed up by two strikes in quick succession in the second period by Irene Paredes and Salma Paralluelo put the visitors firmly in control.
Janina Minge pulled one back inside the final 15 minutes for Wolfsburg, before Sydney Schertenleib added a late fourth.
Winners of three of the past four Champions Leagues, Barcelona showed fluency in attack and pinned the Wolves back early.
Barcelona’s dominance of the ball finally showed on the scoreboard after 26 minutes when Ewa Pajor, who spent almost a decade at the German club, pressured Dijkstra into conceding an own goal from Aitana Bonmati’s cross.
The visitors were unable to make their dominance count further with just a one-goal lead heading into half-time.
But Barcelona quickly took control of the match, and the tie, with two goals in three minutes just after the interval.
Paredes tapped in from close range after Wolfsburg failed to deal with a Barcelona corner on 50 minutes.
On the 53rd-minute mark, Paralluelo scored on a Barcelona counter, her shot scuffed into her own net by Wolfsburg’s Minge.
Paralluelo looked to have scored again just five minutes later, but was half-a-meter offside when assisted by Pajor.
Minge gave Wolfsburg hope when she headed in unmarked from just near the penalty spot with 79 minutes gone, but Swiss teenager Schertenleib’s fine curling finish with two minutes remaining put Barcelona firmly in control of the tie.
The scope of the loss leaves Wolfsburg needing a mountain to climb next week in Barcelona if they are to move past the Catalans and try and add to their total of two Champions League titles.
Later, Manchester City host English champions Chelsea in Wednesday’s other quarter-final.
The Tour de France is returning to the UK in 2027 with a start from Edinburgh
- It will be the 28th time that the Tour de France starts from a foreign country
- For the Tour de France Femmes, it will be the first time holding stages in Britain, with the start location to be announced later
PARIS: Britain will host the Grand Départ of both the Tour de France and the women’s version of the race in 2027, organizers said Wednesday.
It will be the 28th time that the Tour de France starts from a foreign country, and the first time since 2014 — when the Tour began in the Yorkshire region — that Britain hosts the start of cycling’s biggest race. The 2007 Tour started in London.
For the Tour de France Femmes, it will be the first time holding stages in Britain, with the start location to be announced later.
The men’s and women’s races will take place on different dates.
Full details of the route have yet to be announced but organizers revealed that the men’s Tour de France will begin in Edinburgh, Scotland. There will be stages in England and Wales, too.
When the Tour departed from Yorkshire, the event drew enormous crowds.
“The Tour de France and the UK share a rich history, and I am delighted to bring the Grand Départ to the country in 2027,” said Christian Prudhomme, the Tour de France director. “Britain has always welcomed the Tour with enthusiasm and pride, and this collaboration across England, Scotland, and Wales promises to make the event even more special.”
Three British riders have won the Tour — Bradley Wiggins in 2012, four-time champion Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
Last year’s Grand Depart took place in Florence, Italy, with the 2026 race due to start in Barcelona, Spain.
This year’s race will start from the northern French city of Lille.
It will be the second start of the women’s race outside France following the Grand Départ in the Netherlands in 2024, organizers said.
Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah stars foresee bright future for Saudi game ahead of SAFF Women’s Cup final
- The second competition will take place at Kingdom Arena on Wednesday night
- Manar Fraij, Al-Ahli’s football coach, said that the Saudi league was competing to be one of the best leagues in the Arab world
RIYADH: Ahead of the SAFF Women’s Cup final on Wednesday night, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah coaches and players have spoken to Arab News about their football journeys, and predicted a bright future for the women’s game in the Kingdom.
Taking place on March 19 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, the match will feature two of the top teams in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning women’s football scene.
Manar Fraij, Al-Ahli’s football coach, said that the Saudi league was competing to be one of the best leagues in the Arab world, even at the level of Africa and Asia.
“The presence of players who meet high standards supports the Saudi league and draws more attention to it,” she said. “It has helped Saudi players to interact with experienced players, those who’ve played in the biggest international and global events. All of this benefits the Saudi players, the Saudi league, and the Saudi national team. I expect that in about three years, the Saudi women’s national team will reach a very high level.”
She highlighted the growth of female players in the Kingdom, noting a surge in new players under the age of 15.
“It’s all part of the infrastructure that the Saudi federation is working on in a sequential, excellent manner. Today, the mindset of the Saudi player has changed … Today, I’m seeing professionalism in the game. Saudi Arabia has started to show up on the scene.
“Their commitment beyond training, even off the field, is reflected in their performance, and it’s clear, whether in the achievements of the Saudi national team or the Saudi league. When I see a 19-year-old Saudi player running alongside a 30-year-old professional who’s played in Europe and the Champions League, that’s something truly impressive.”
Fraij said that the Saudi league had become desirable for players internationally, but she emphasized that the Kingdom’s players should be given the opportunity to play.
“We’ve seen this year’s signings — clubs have brought in players of a very high level,” she said. “Of course, it’s good; the more professionals there are, the better. But on the condition that Saudi players still get their chance in the league and in the cup, so that cohesion remains clear, and we keep building the foundation and gaining experience for the Saudi national team.”
Morocco international and Al-Ahli captain, Ibtissam Jraidi, said that the league this year was different to last year, pointing out that there had been major improvement and development.
“Even the efforts from the Saudi Federation to support Saudi girls in achieving their dreams, letting them play matches and play football, have made a difference,” she said. “Honestly, even the Saudi players themselves have improved a lot. I can see it clearly, even among the girls in my team and in other teams as well. They’ve developed so quickly, and that’s really nice and positive. The attention and support from the Saudi Federation are what helped them develop like this.”
The captain, who became the first Arab to score a goal at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, said that she prepares herself by focusing solely on the match.
“I don’t think about anything else so that I can perform at my true level on the field — to help my team and my teammates. My mind is on the match, and specifically on what I need to do on the field, and nothing else.”
Luis Andrade, head coach of Al-Qadsiah, told Arab News that the journey to the final had been built on belief, teamwork and determination.
“We have overcome big challenges to be here, and we are ready to take the next step,” he said. “Our players have shown incredible character throughout this competition, and we aim to make history for the club and our fans.”
Meanwhile, Al-Qadsiah captain Rayanne Machado said that playing in the final was a dream come true for their team.
“We have worked so hard to reach this stage, and we are fully prepared to fight for the title,” she said. “We respect Al-Ahli’s quality, but we believe in ourselves and our ability to bring this trophy home for Al-Qadsiah.”
This is the second SAFF Women’s Cup, which began in October, and saw 16 teams from both the Saudi Women’s Premier League and the Saudi Women’s First Division League competing for glory. A campaign by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, #SeeOurGlory, was launched earlier in the week to celebrate the event and encourage fans to attend the final.
