NEWCASTLE: Kieran Trippier thinks Newcastle United will be competing for every trophy in the next few years — and he is hoping to keep playing until he is 40 to get a taste of it.
Trippier will lead the Magpies out at Wembley on Sunday as they take on his boyhood club Manchester United in the final of the Carabao Cup.
The England defender only signed on the dotted line for Newcastle 13 months ago — and few would have thought the transformation in fortunes would be so stark. Trippier arrived at St. James’ Park with the club fighting relegation. They now head into this weekend’s capital showpiece with eyes on the Champions League and the club’s first meaningful silverware since 1969.
“If you look back to last January, the progress we have made, we have earned the right to be in this position that we’re in today,” said the 32-year-old.
“The way that we have performed this season, we have tried to compete with all the top teams and we want to be where the top four are with Man United, Man City. That’s where Newcastle want to be. We have earned the right to be in the position that we are in.”
While this is the end of one particular journey — in the Carabao, a competition Newcastle have never won — it is far from the finish of the club’s rise, according to Trippier.
“I certainly believe this club will be fighting for every trophy possible and I’m not just saying that,” he said.
“A year down the line, we’re in a cup final. That’s a great stepping stone for us as a club to move forward,” Trippier added. “If I’m not here and they are playing Champions League football, I’ll be absolutely delighted that I’ve managed to help in some way to get them into the position that they will hopefully be in. I certainly believe they could be fighting for everything in a couple of years’ time. They have got the perfect manager in charge. He’s unbelievable. The owners are fantastic. I just hope that they do because Newcastle is a massive club.”
Trippier only recently penned a new one-year extension to his Magpies’ deal — but he hopes it will not be his last.
When asked about the longevity of his own career, he said: “You look at Tom Brady and Ryan Giggs. I played with a great pro, Michael Duff, when I was at Burnley. This is what I love. This is what I was born to do.”
Trippier says he will not stop playing until someone tells him to, and he hopes that will be many years from now, and at Newcastle.
“There’s nowhere else I would rather be. I love it here,” he said. “I have got a great relationship with everybody, from my teammates right to the top. I want to help the club and, hopefully, I will retire here in many years.”
Trippier believes he has the fitness levels necessary to play until his late 30s and has had a good injury record since returning from a broken foot last year.
“I have had a great injury record and I feel really good. I will do everything right, recover right, prepare right as I always have done. Hopefully, you will see me when I’m 40. You never know, do you? You’ve seen stranger things happen.”
The Trippier family will in some respects have divided loyalties at the weekend, with the Newcastle skipper coming for Red Devils stock, although he hopes his father puts his Old Trafford passions aside for one weekend at least.
“Me, of course. Well, I hope so,” said Trippier, when asked whom his father will be supporting this weekend.
“It’s a proud moment for all my family even though they are Reds. They will be supporting me. Hopefully, we can give a good account of ourselves for the club and bring the trophy back to Newcastle,” he said.
While he is proud to captain the team, Trippier says the club’s fortunes come first.
“If I’m captain or not, I’m still representing myself in the same way for the club but, of course, I would be proud to lead the lads out and hopefully it’s very positive by the end of the game.”
One of the biggest challenges facing the Magpies is Marcus Rashford, arguably the most in-form striker in the whole of top-level world football.
Rashford, of course, is no stranger to Trippier; they train and play regularly with each other for England.
“I know Marcus very well. I’m actually really happy for him because I’ve always known how unbelievable he is and he’s certainly hit some form,” said Trippier.
“But it’s not about one individual. You’ve got (Bruno) Fernandes, Casemiro, Luke Shaw, who’s been unbelievable this season as well. We can’t be too focused on them. Obviously, we need to review them, of course, but we need to focus on how we can hurt them. We want to go into that final to win. That’s our only priority.”
Kieran Trippier eyes Wembley glory and a long career at Newcastle
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Kieran Trippier eyes Wembley glory and a long career at Newcastle
- The Magpies take on Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday
- The club captain believes Newcastle will be challenging on all fronts in the coming years
Benzema strikes again as Al-Ittihad go level with Al-Hilal
- Jeddah giants have 43 points after 16 games
- Benzema made no mistake three minutes into added time
JEDDAH: In-form Karim Benzema fired Al-Ittihad to a 2-1 win over Al-Shabab on Wednesday that puts the hosts back level with Al-Hilal at the top of the Saudi Pro League.
The Jeddah giants have 43 points after 16 games, behind Al-Hilal, who defeated Al-Wehda 4-1 on Tuesday, on goal difference. Al-Qadsia are nine points behind in third.
It was a hard-fought win against the visitors from the capital. Al-Ittihad thought they had taken the lead just before the half-hour but Hassan Kadesh’s goal was disallowed for offside.
Fans at King Abdullah Sports City were soon celebrating for real. Benzema had his close-range effort bounce off the goalkeeper but Abdulrahman Al-Oboud was on hand to bundle the ball into the net.
Three minutes into added time, Benzema made no mistake. Hamed Al-Ghamdi had possession on the right side of the area and the oncoming French striker demanded and received the pass, to sweep a first-time shot inside the far post.
It was a fine strike and Benzema’s 12th league goal of the season, to put him level in second place in the scoring rankings along with Aleksandar Mitrovic and just one behind Cristiano Ronaldo. With six assists to his name, the former Real Madrid man already has more goal contributions in his second season in Saudi Arabia, which is one game away from the halfway stage, than he managed in the entirety of his first campaign.
Coach Laurent Blanc was furious two minutes later, however, as the nine-time champions lost concentration with half-time approaching. Daniel Podence had space on the left and the Portuguese star’s low cross found Haroune Camara, who had got in front of his marker inside the six-yard box to reduce the arrears.
The second half saw the Tigers have more of the ball and the chances, but Al-Shabab, with former Ittihad star Abderrazak Hamdallah — who received a warm welcome from fans — leading the line, always carried an air of danger. They were not able to get the all-important equalizer as the hosts took the points to make them level at the top of the league.
Amorim after his shocking claim about Man United: ‘I won’t promise I won’t do it again’
- “If you want, I can be delusional and say different things,” Amorim said
- Amorim’s shocking comment came after a 3-1 home loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday
MANCHESTER: Ruben Amorim has acknowledged he might have made a mistake when he went public in describing his team as “the worst, maybe, in the history of Manchester United.”
Just don’t expect him to hold back his opinions going forward.
“If you want, I can be delusional and say different things,” Amorim said Wednesday at his first news conference since his remark that captured headlines and widespread attention.
“I say it as I saw it. I said it to the players and I said to you,” he told reporters. “I think it’s a good thing to be honest. If you want me to say different things — you saw one thing, I saw one thing — I can start to do that. It’s easier for me. But what I’m seeing, they know. If you are in the stadium, you can understand. Let’s face it and work on it.”
Amorim’s shocking comment came after a 3-1 home loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday.
It was a fourth loss in United’s last five home games in the league, and a seventh defeat in 15 games in all competitions since Amorim took charge in November as the replacement for Erik ten Hag.
United, the record 20-time English champion, are 13th in the 20-team Premier League and closer to the relegation zone than the European qualification spots after 22 of 38 games.
Amorim denied that he was shifting blame toward his players. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach said: “I am (most) responsible for the performances and the results.
“I am a young guy and sometimes I make a mistake. This time I needed to talk. Maybe it was a mistake and I get more nervous and go to the (media) conference really nervous, and then you say things you shouldn’t say … I won’t promise I won’t do it again but I will try to improve.”
Amorim was speaking ahead of United’s Europa League game against Scottish rival Rangers at Old Trafford on Thursday. He said his players were “more nervous” and “anxious” playing at home and that was making it harder for the team to pick up results.
“If you have a little inexperience when you fall into this type of context, it’s hard to go up — especially when you are in a massive club,” Amorim said.
“That was my only point in saying it after that loss. The way I do it? Maybe not but it is what it is. I am like that all the time.”
Struggling Dortmund sack coach Sahin after four-game losing run in 2025
- “Borussia Dortmund have released head coach Nuri Sahin with immediate effect,” said the club
- Dortmund said current Under-19 coach Mike Tullberg would be in charge
BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund have fired coach Nuri Sahin, the German soccer club said on Wednesday, after Tuesday’s shock 2-1 loss to Bologna in the Champions League that stretched their losing run to four games across all competitions.
“Borussia Dortmund have released head coach Nuri Sahin with immediate effect following an internal analysis of recent sporting developments,” said the club in a statement.
The Ruhr valley club, last year’s Champions League finalists, conceded two goals in two minutes in the second half against the Italians after taking a 15th minute lead.
They have also lost all three league matches in 2025, dropping down to 10th place in the Bundesliga and putting their participation next season in Europe’s premier club competition at risk.
“After four defeats in a row and only one win from the last nine games ... we have unfortunately lost faith in being able to achieve our sporting goals in the current constellation,” Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken said in the statement.
“This decision also hurts me personally, but it was no longer avoidable after the game in Bologna.”
Dortmund said current Under-19 coach Mike Tullberg would be in charge for their league game against Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Sahin, 36, leaves the club just a little over half a year after being appointed to replace Edin Terzic as the new coach.
The German-born former Türkiye international was a former youth and senior player at the club. He became an assistant coach at Dortmund in 2024 after a two-year coaching spell at Türkiye’s Antalyaspor. He had signed a contract to 2027.
Alvarez sends Atletico past Leverkusen late as both sides see red
- The last-gasp victory sends Atletico third in the Champions League table, with the top eight sides all avoiding an extra knockout round
MADRID: Julian Alvarez scored a second-half brace as a 10-man Atletico Madrid came from a goal down to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at home on Tuesday, and take a major step toward a top-eight finish.
Barrios was sent off for a nasty, studs-up challenge after 23 minutes and Leverkusen took advantage as Piero Hincapie put the visitors ahead in first-half stoppage time.
Buoyed on by a fiery 70,000-strong home crowd, Atletico lifted in the second, Alvarez finishing off a length-of-the-field counter to equalize after 52 minutes.
Goalscorer Hincapie picked up a second yellow with 14 minutes remaining and Atletico smelt blood, Alvarez taking advantage of some sloppy Leverkusen defending to score in the 90th minute.
“Things looked bleak,” Alvarez said after the match, adding “but by playing our game and staying humble, we got the equalizer.
“Then with 10 against 10, we saw the chance to win.”
The last-gasp victory sends Atletico third in the Champions League table, with the top eight sides all avoiding an extra knockout round.
The win means Atletico have already secured last 16 qualification and who travel to Red Bull Salzburg in their final match.
“These are three very important points and they show us to keep believing in what we do,” Alvarez said.
German champions Leverkusen, who host lowly Sparta Prague next week, finish the night in sixth.
“We didn’t close out the game maturely enough,” Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah lamented to DAZN, saying Atletico lured his side into a “fight.”
“The stadium pushed them and lifted them high... To lose a difficult away game like that, it hurts extremely badly.”
Both sides came into the match in red-hot form. Leverkusen had chalked up 12 straight victories in all competitions while Atletico had 15 wins in a row before Saturday’s surprise La Liga loss at lowly Leganes.
Pre-match, both coaches lavished praise on each other.
Atletico’s Diego Simeone, who coached his side against Alonso when the Leverkusen boss was playing at Real and Bayern, lauded his opposite number for turning side into an “extraordinary team.”
Alonso, who missed Real’s 2014 Champions League final win over Atletico with suspension, praised Simeone’s “intense and perfect relationship” with his club.
On the pitch however there was no love lost, with the referee handing out four yellow cards and a red in the first half.
Leverkusen were in control before referee Davide Massa changed Barrios’ yellow to red after a VAR intervention with 23 minutes gone.
The man advantage supercharged the Germans, who pinned Atletico inside their own area
Leverkusen broke through in first-half stoppage time, Nordi Mukiele lofting a cross for Hincapie to head past Atletico goalie Jan Oblak.
In the second-half, the early control evaporated as both sides played end-to-end, with Atletico using the chaos to equalize.
With Leverkusen on the attack, Antoine Griezmann punted a long pass goalwards, Alvarez forced Tah into a poor clearance, before regathering and guiding a shot into the bottom right.
Leverkusen lost goalscorer Hincapie to a second yellow in the final 15 minutes, prompting Atletico to push higher.
With the visitors failing to deal with a bouncing cross, Alvarez collected the ball and rounded the keeper before converting from a tight angle to snatch a famous comeback victory for the undermanned hosts.
Liverpool’s magnificent seven secures Champions League progress
- Liverpool will welcome direct progress to the last 16, without the need for a play-off round, with the Premier League leaders still involved in four competitions
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool maintained their perfect Champions League record to guarantee a top-two finish in the league phase and automatic last-16 qualification with a 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield on Tuesday.
Harvey Elliott’s deflected strike secured a seventh consecutive Champions League victory for Arne Slot’s men after Jonathan David canceled out Mohamed Salah’s opener.
Liverpool remain three points clear of Barcelona, who came from 4-2 down to beat Benfica 5-4.
Lille’s first defeat in 22 games in all competitions leaves the French side 11th.
Liverpool will welcome direct progress to the last 16, without the need for a play-off round, with the Premier League leaders still involved in four competitions.
Slot took the chance to rotate with the Reds already all but assured of progress to the next round.
Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez, fresh from his match-winning contribution, came in from the side that beat Brentford 2-0 on Saturday to open up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Lille arrived on Merseyside full of confidence with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid among the notable scalps on their long unbeaten run.
The visitors were far from overawed early on as they started impressively without ever seriously threatening Alisson Becker’s goal.
Liverpool had struggled to get going until one defense-splitting pass from Jones freed Salah to gallop clear and coolly slot in his 50th European goal for the club on 34 minutes.
Jones had to be replaced at half-time in an injury concern for Slot, who also took the chance to rest Ryan Gravenberch for the second 45 minutes as Elliot and Alexis Mac Allister were introduced.
Lille’s task looked to be an impossible one when Aissa Mandi was sent off for a second bookable offense for chopping down Luis Diaz.
Yet, within three minutes, Liverpool’s club-record European run without conceding was brought to an end.
David swept home the rebound after Hakon Arnar Haraldsson’s effort had been blocked by Kostas Tsimikas.
Liverpool had not conceded for one minute shy of 10 hours since Christian Pulisic struck for AC Milan inside the first three minutes of their opening Champions League game of the season.
Yet, not for the first time this season, Liverpool’s strength in depth made the difference with another winner from a substitute.
There was an element of fortune about this one as Elliott’s strike from the edge of the area took a huge deflection off Ngal’ayel Mukau to wrongfoot Lucas Chevalier.
The Lille ‘keeper denied Federico Chiesa a third in stoppage time, before Nunez was flagged offside as he swept in the rebound.
