TOKYO: Pep Guardiola declared Manchester City’s “new generation is coming” after a trio of academy graduates shone in the European champions’ second win of a pre-season tour in Japan against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
James McAtee — who spent last season on loan at Championship side Sheffield United, making 37 appearances and scoring nine times to help the club secure promotion to the Premier League — opened the scoring for City in the 21st minute in Tokyo.
Fellow tyro Oscar Bobb also showed flashes of his quality after coming on as a second-half substitute in the 2-1 victory.
Rico Lewis was the standout performer though, constantly causing Bayern problems going forward and not shying away from his defensive duties in the middle of the park.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Guardiola said 18-year-old Lewis was “so smart, so intelligent.”
“He understands everything and is reliable in many, many things,” he said of the player who made 14 appearances in the Premier League last season.
“We are really, really pleased a player from the academy came up and is playing the way he is playing.”
Guardiola — himself a graduate of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy — expressed his pride at the quality of players City were now producing, declaring “the new generation is coming.”
Guardiola also praised the way in which the academy was benefiting City’s finances, pointing out that “we sell a lot, with a buy-back (clause) normally.”
“So just for the academy in two transfer windows here 80 million pounds ($103.3 million), or 85 millions pounds, is just unbelievable,” he said.
“I’m pretty sure one or some of them maybe in the future will be back here with us. So yeah, really pleased.”
Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel responded to more questions about his club’s pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, saying “I have nothing to hide.”
“I’m looking for a player because we have a lot of injured players, and we have a difficult situation,” Tuchel said.
“However, having said that, we made a lot of opportunities today and in terms of how to build the match I think we did well.”
Aymeric Laporte wrapped up the win for City in the 86th minute after Mathys Tel levelled for Bayern five minutes earlier.
Next up for City is a clash with Atletico Madrid in Seoul on Sunday, before they return to England to take on Arsenal in the Community Shield.
Bayern have one more game in Tokyo against J-League side Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday and then travel to Singapore to take on Liverpool.
Guardiola says City’s ‘new generation is coming’
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Guardiola says City’s ‘new generation is coming’
- Rico Lewis was the standout performer though, constantly causing Bayern problems going forward and not shying away from his defensive duties
- Guardiola said 18-year-old Lewis was "so smart, so intelligent"
Luis Henrique joins Inter Milan ahead of Club World Cup
- According to the Italian press, Inter will pay $26M for the 23-year-old
- Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week
ROME: Brazilian winger Luis Henrique has signed for Inter Milan from Marseille becoming the Italian club’s second signing ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States.
“A new Inter player joins the family, welcome Luis,” this season’s Italian Serie A and Champions League runners-up said on Saturday.
The Brazilian, who arrived in Marseille in 2020, made 108 appearances and scored 11 goals for the French club in all competitions.
He went on loan to Botafogo in 2022, returning to Ligue 1 in January 2024, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in the league last term.
According to the Italian press, Inter will pay 23 million euros ($26 million) for the 23-year-old.
Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week for 14 million euros from Dinamo Zagreb, with the Club World Cup kicking off on June 14 in the United States.
“I am very happy to have signed for such a big club. I think it will be a huge jump in quality in
my career,” said the Brazilian.
“I have known this league very well since a young age.
“There have many important Brazilians that have played here at Inter. I also want to make history here, just like they did.”
He added: “I hope we will make it as far as possible and that we will manage to win this competition that is starting soon.”
The northern Italian giants are also expected to formalize the arrival of Cristian Chivu early next week as the replacement for coach Simone Inzaghi, who left to join Saudi club Al Hilal.
Mbappe ‘not bitter’ about PSG’s Champions League triumph
- PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition
- Mbappe moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals
STUTTGART, Germany: France captain Kylian Mbappe said Saturday he is not bitter Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League the year after his departure for Real Madrid.
“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” Mbappe said in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Nations League third place match against Germany in Stuttgart.
PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition.
“I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me,” said Mbappe.
“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy, I think they deserved it.
“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.
“They’re the best team in Europe.
“I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”
Mbappe has repeated his desire to win Europe’s biggest club competition, but the closest the Paris-born forward got with his boyhood club was losing the final in 2020 to Bayern Munich.
The 26-year-old moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals of the competition to Arsenal in April.
Real failed to win a trophy in the 2024-25 season, their first campaign without silverware in four years.
Cristiano Ronaldo rules himself out of Club World Cup
- Ronaldo came into Nations League in Germany amid swirling doubts about his future at club level
- Says not interested in making a short-term decision which would allow him to play in the competition
MUNICH, Germany: Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he would not play in the upcoming Club World Cup on Saturday, dismissing rumors he was set to transfer to one of the participating clubs.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Nations League final against Spain in Munich, The Portugal captain said suggestions he was set to take part in the newly expanded competition were wide of the mark.
“I will not be at the Club World Cup,” the Portugal veteran said, but added he had “been contacted” by several participating teams.
Ronaldo came into Nations League in Germany amid swirling doubts about his future at club level, with the veteran’s contract at Saudi side Al-Nassr set to expire at the end of June.
In May, the Portuguese posted on social media “the chapter is over” as reports emerged he could switch to another club, potentially Saudi side Al-Hilal, one of the teams who will be at the tournament in the United States in June.
Ronaldo said he was not interested in making a short-term decision which would allow him to play in the competition.
“Some teams reached out to me. Some made sense and others did not, but you can’t try and do everything, you can’t catch every ball.”
The forward said the decision on his future was “almost final.”
Haaland scores again as Norway crushes Italy in World Cup qualifier and Croatia cruises
- Italy was missing some regulars for its first qualifying match, while others failed to impress, including Mateo Retegui, the best Serie A scorer
Erling Haaland scored and Norway humbled Italy 3-0 for the first time in 25 years in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Friday.
Haaland collected a through ball from playmaker Martin Odegaard and rounded goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the box for the third goal three minutes before halftime.
It was his 41st goal in his 42nd match for Norway to the delight of the spectators at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, including King Harald V of Norway.
Haaland also scored when Moldova was beaten 5-0 and Israel 4-2. Norway remained perfect in qualifying after three games in Europe Group I.
Striker Alexander Sorloth received a precise pass from Antonio Nusa then beat Donnarumma with a left foot shot. Nusa, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, was a constant threat to the Italian defense. He left behind two defenders and doubled the advantage with a rising shot from inside the area.
Italy was missing some regulars for its first qualifying match, while others failed to impress, including Mateo Retegui, the best Serie A scorer.
Defenders Alessandro Buongiorno and Mattia Gabbia, defensive midfielder Manuel Locatelli and forward Moise Kean were all injured while key center back Francesco Acerbi, who was meant to mark Haaland, turned down his callup.
Diego Coppola played center back in the three-man defensive line used by coach Luciano Spalletti that was not able to stop Norway.
Norway dominates, Italy in trouble
In the other Group I game, Israel won in Estonia 3-1 for a second win and second place.
The Azzurri are under pressure from the start of their qualifying after failing to reach the last two World Cups.
Winning the group is the only way to ensure direct qualification to next year’s tournament in North America. The second-placed team goes into the playoffs — the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.
A four-time World Cup champion, the only other time Italy didn’t qualify was for the 1958 edition.
Italy hosts Moldova on Monday when Norway will be in action at Estonia.
Croatia cruises, Belgium held
Croatia opened its qualifying with a 7-0 rout of minnow Gibraltar.
Mario Pašalić and Ante Budimir struck twice for Croatia within two minutes to break the deadlock after half an hour. In the second half, substitutes Andrek Kramaric and Franjo Ivanovis scored a couple each and Ivan Perisic piled on.
Croatia was runner-up in the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022.
In the same Group L, Adam Hložek and Patrik Schick each scored as the unbeaten Czech Republic beat Montenegro 2-0 for a third straight win.
Belgium was 1-0 up on a goal by defender Maxim De Cuyper but Ezgjan Alioski salvaged a draw for North Macedonia in a surprise in Group J.
Wales tops the group with seven points from three games after a 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein. North Macedonia was two points behind.
Europe to contribute a third of all teams
Europe will have 16 teams in the expanded 48-team field for the World Cup.
They will come from the winners of the 12 qualifying groups plus four from a playoff of the 12 group runners-up together with four best-ranked group winners in the Nations League that don’t finish first or second in the qualifying.
The group stage of European qualifying runs through November.
Tuchel wants relentless energy in attack from England against Andorra
- England are top of Group K after two games with a perfect record while Andorra are bottom
- Tuchel said England are fully committed to the qualifier where he wants “a win that is never in danger”
BARCELONA: England go into their World Cup qualifier against Andorra as heavy favorites but the players will find it challenging to find the energy to attack relentlessly after a long and gruelling season, coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday.
England are top of Group K after two games with a perfect record while Andorra are bottom with two losses ahead of Saturday’s game in Barcelona.
Tuchel said England are fully committed to the qualifier where he wants “a win that is never in danger” but also said fans should not “over-expect” them to go all guns blazing right from the start of the game.
“It will be on us to get going, it is on us to keep the tempo high, to bring the attacking energy to the pitch and to do this in a relentless way,” Tuchel told reporters.
“I can fully understand that this is not the easiest time of the season for an international break. The players come from a long and tiring season and then again accepting the role to be responsible for the majority of the game can be demanding.
“But at the same time, what I feel from the group is that they are happy to be here. We are quite new together, it is our second camp and I have trust and belief that we will do what is necessary to get the result that we want.”
Tuchel said England have embraced the tag as huge favorites, promising an attacking lineup that will dominate possession while he is not looking to experiment by using this match as an audition for new players.
“The focus will be on the attacking patterns, on our hunger for and the reaction after ball losses, for the counter-pressing,” he added.
“These will be the main topics for tomorrow and this will then guide and demand the tactics.
“My thoughts are not so much whom can we see and what do we try. It’s more about the game plan since two days and who trains well... After a long season, putting players together from which we feel they have a connection and then they can show.”
Tuchel has also done his homework on Andorra, describing the European minnows as a well-drilled and well-organized side in a 5-4-1 formation.
“They don’t allow a huge amount of big chances,” the German coach said.
“So we need a mix between being patient and at the same time speed the game up, bring the speed to the game and try to never lose the focus.”
