SEOUL: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Saturday that the Saudi Pro League had “completely changed the market” and he expects more and more high-profile players to move there.
City winger Riyad Mahrez this week became just the latest big name to move to Saudi football, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and numerous others from Europe’s top leagues.
Algerian international Mahrez joined Al-Ahli for a fee understood to be worth up to £30 million ($38.6 million).
Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane on Saturday looked poised to join the exodus.
“The Saudi league completely changed the market,” Guardiola said in Seoul on the eve of City’s friendly with Atletico Madrid.
“A year ago, when Cristiano Ronaldo was the first player, no one could imagine how many top, top quality, extraordinary players were going to play in the Saudi league.
“In the future, it will happen more and more.”
Guardiola said that he had a “special relationship” with Mahrez, even though the attacker fell from favor toward the end of his time at the English and European champions.
“He’s one of the players I’ve seen in my career I enjoyed the most.
“(He was) an important figure for the success we had during the five or six years together.”
Saudi league ‘completely changed the market’: Guardiola
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Saudi league ‘completely changed the market’: Guardiola
- Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane on Saturday looked poised to join the exodus
- “A year ago, when Cristiano Ronaldo was the first player, no one could imagine how many top, top quality, extraordinary players were going to play in the Saudi league,” said Pep
Champions League final: Real Madrid seals 15th European Cup after 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund
- Victory sealed a record-extending fifth Champions League title for coach Carlo Ancelotti, his third with Madrid
LONDON: Vinicius Junior scored and sealed a record-extending 15th European Cup for Real Madrid after a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the final on Saturday.
The Brazil forward doubled Madrid’s lead in the 83rd minute at Wembley Stadium, nine minutes after Dani Carvajal headed the Spanish giant in front.
Victory sealed a record-extending fifth Champions League title for coach Carlo Ancelotti, his third with Madrid.
Meanwhile Carvajal, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Nacho have won European club soccer’s biggest prize on six occasions to equal the benchmark set by Madrid icon Paco Gento.
Dortmund paid the price for not making the most of its first half dominance when Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pulled off a series of saves and Niclas Fullkrug hit the post.
Madrid took full advantage after the break.
Carvajal met Kroos’ corner at the near post in the 74th to power a header past Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel.
Jude Bellingham nearly doubled the lead moments later, but then turned provider when slipping in Vinicius. With just Kobel to beat, the forward fired his shot into the far corner and raced off in celebration.
Rock star Lenny Kravitz got the crowd going before kickoff with a pre-game show that included fireworks and some of his biggest hits like “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”
It was Vinicius who was dancing after his goal effectively killed off Dortmund’s hopes of pulling off one of the biggest Champions League upsets in recent memory.
For a long time, the German side looked capable of halting Madrid after dominating the chances in the first half.
Coach Edin Terzic tactically outmaneuvered Ancelotti in every department, with Madrid’s stars subdued.
Only a combination of Courtois and the frame of the goal kept the scores level at the break after the keeper twice kept Karim Adeyemi from scoring and then watched as Fullkrug’s sliding effort came back off the post.
The break clearly helped Madrid and it slowly took control in the second half.
Carvajal’s goal came straight from the training ground, with the defender heading over from one corner before eventually converting, while Vinicius put the game beyond doubt.
Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank renew partnership
- The official partnership includes the NSB’s sponsorship of the activities and programs of the Saudi Football Federation
- Al-Misehil added that this step opened more prospects for cooperation and partnership with the banking sector
Jeddah: A new three-year partnership deal has been struck between the Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank. The deal will begin from the 2024/25 season and run until 2027.
The renewal of the exclusive and official partnership agreement was signed by President of the Saudi Football Federation Yasser bin Hassan Al-Misehal and Chief Executive Officer of Saudi National Bank Tareq Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan.
The official partnership includes the NSB’s sponsorship of the activities and programs of the Saudi Football Federation, the national teams, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, the Saudi Super Cup and the Saudi Women’s Football League.
Al-Misehil said: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with the SNB and extend our long-term commitment of support for a further three years.
“We look forward to our continued work with the SNB on a range of other important programs within Saudi football.”
Al-Misehil added that this step opened more prospects for cooperation and partnership with the banking sector, especially as the Saudi National Bank was a pioneer in the sector, and the continuation of this partnership would contribute to the development of football in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Al-Sadhan said: “We are all proud to be partners of the nation in its development journey, and the renewal of the bank’s exclusive partnership as an official sponsor of Saudi football confirms the important role that the bank plays in the growth of the sports sector and supporting Saudi football to contribute to achieving excellence at the local and global levels and reaching international ranks in order to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
Dortmund dream of shocking Real Madrid in Champions League final
LONDON: Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic believes “anything is possible” as his side aim to shock Real Madrid in Saturday’s Champions League final at London’s Wembley stadium.
The star-studded Spanish giants are heavy favorites to be crowned European champions for the 15th time, and a sixth in the last 11 seasons, against a Dortmund team that have beaten the odds just to make it to the English capital.
Madrid have lost just twice in 54 games in all competitions this season, storming to the title in La Liga by 10 points and thrashing Barcelona 4-1 to lift the Spanish Super Cup along the way.
However, they have had to once again dig deep to reach what coach Carlo Ancelotti described as the “biggest game of any season” in the Champions League.
Ancelotti’s men withstood a barrage from defending champions Manchester City to win their quarter-final tie on penalties before another legendary late fightback at the Santiago Bernabeu to beat Bayern Munich in the last four.
“We never stop believing, no matter how the circumstances are,” said Luka Modric, who along with Nacho, Dani Carvajal and Toni Kroos, in the final match of his club career, can win the European Cup for a record-equalling sixth time as a player.
“We always believe, keep believing, keep pushing, fighting until the end. In the end, we manage to find a way to beat opponents.
“Many people say there is luck, but when it happens so many times, I think it’s not just luck.”
The career path of Jude Bellingham exemplifies the scale of the task facing Dortmund.
Plucked from English Championship side Birmingham as a teenager, he was molded and developed by the German giants before being picked off by Madrid for a transfer fee in excess of 100 million euros ($109 million) 12 months ago.
Without him, Dortmund struggled domestically this season, finishing fifth in the Bundesliga, 27 points adrift of Bayer Leverkusen.
Yet, Terzic’s men have saved their best for the Champions League stage to reach the final for the third time in the club’s history and first since they lost at Wembley to Bayern Munich 11 years ago.
Dortmund topped the group of death featuring Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle.
PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid were then seen off before a heroic defensive display kept out PSG over two legs in the semifinals.
“They are the favorites but we don’t care, we haven’t been the favorites against Atletico or against PSG,” said Terzic.
“But if we are brave and not here to watch Real Madrid lift the trophy, if we are here to give them a game, then we have a chance.”
In stark contrast to Madrid’s moniker as the kings of the competition, Dortmund’s only previous Champions League success came back in 1997.
Over 100,000 fans of the German giants are estimated to have made the trip to London despite the club being allocated just 30,000 tickets.
Marco Reus is one of only two Dortmund players who were in the side that lost to Bayern at Wembley 11 years ago and is dreaming of the perfect end to his time at the club.
Saturday will be the 429th and final game of Reus’ Dortmund career that could have a fairytale ending.
“I would say there is nothing better than playing your last game in a Champions League final and winning it,” said Reus, who turned 35 on Friday.
“Now the objective is to win the trophy because we cannot imagine how things could be the very next day in Dortmund.”
UEFA will be hoping the focus is on the protagonists on the field come full-time to ensure their decision to return to Wembley for a major final is not questioned.
Three years ago, the final of Euro 2020 was marred by violence as ticketless fans stormed the stadium doors to gain entry.
The English Football Association have invested £5 million ($6 million) into improving safety and infrastructure at Wembley, which is also set to host the Euro 2028 final.
Real Madrid might stands in the way of Dortmund fairytale in Champions League final
- Madrid’s rich Champions League tradition means there are also a number of personal feats at stake on Saturday
- The English Football Association (FA) have invested £5 million ($6 million) into improving safety and infrastructure at Wembley
LONDON: Borussia Dortmund face the acid test after a fairytale run to Saturday’s Champions League final as a star-studded Real Madrid roll into Wembley expecting to be crowned European champions for a 15th time.
No club can come close to the Spanish giants’ success in the competition and they are strong favorites against a Dortmund side that have beaten the odds just to make it to London.
Madrid’s habit of somehow getting over the line when it matters in the Champions League has been exemplified in their run to the final.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men withstood a barrage from defending champions Manchester City to win their quarterfinal tie on penalties before another legendary late fightback at the Santiago Bernabeu to beat Bayern Munich in the last four.
The Spanish champions rightly travel to the English capital with confidence as they look to cap a memorable season.
Madrid have lost just twice in 54 games in all competitions, storming to the title in La Liga by 10 points and thrashing Barcelona 4-1 to lift the Spanish Super Cup along the way.
“I came here because I wanted to win, and to expect it,” said Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, who left Dortmund for the Spanish capital 12 months ago.
“It is a bit greedy almost, but you have to be confident when you’re playing with so many great players.”
Bellingham’s career path shows the scale of the task awaiting Dortmund.
Plucked from English Championship side Birmingham as a teenager, he was molded and developed by the German giants before being picked off by Madrid for a transfer fee in excess of €100 million ($109 million).
Without him, Dortmund struggled domestically this season, finishing fifth in the Bundesliga, 27 points adrift of Bayer Leverkusen.
Yet, Edin Terzic’s men have saved their best for the Champions League stage to reach the final for the third time in the club’s history and first since they lost at Wembley to Bayern Munich 11 years ago.
Dortmund topped the group of death featuring Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle.
PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid were then seen off before a heroic defensive display kept out PSG over two legs in the semifinals.
“They’ve prepared their season around the run in the Champions League,” added Bellingham.
“They’ve played amazingly, the character and mentality they’ve shown in a lot of games. They’ve had a tough run to the final as well and you have to respect that.”
As impressive as keeping out Real-bound Kylian Mbappe was in the last four, Dortmund realize they must go to another level if Madrid are to lose a European final for the first time since 1983.
“Our goal wasn’t to qualify for the final, our goal is to win the Champions League,” said Dortmund fan turned coach Terzic.
“And if you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat the champions. Now the absolute champion in the history of soccer and especially in this competition is waiting for us. The ultimate boss.”
Madrid’s rich Champions League tradition means there are also a number of personal feats at stake on Saturday.
Ancelotti can extend his record as the only coach to win the European Cup four times.
Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, in the final club game of his career, could match Madrid legend Paco Gento as the only player to win the competition six times as a player.
UEFA will be hoping the focus is on the protagonists on the field come full-time to ensure their decision to return to Wembley for a major final is not questioned.
Three years ago, the final of Euro 2020 was marred by violence as ticketless fans stormed the stadium doors to gain entry.
UEFA were also forced to apologize to Liverpool fans for the organization of the 2022 Champions League final in Paris that an independent review found “almost led to disaster.”
The English Football Association (FA) have invested £5 million ($6 million) into improving safety and infrastructure at Wembley, which is also set to host the Euro 2028 final.
“We never foresaw events like that for the Euros final and I’m not sure we will again but we’ve learned lessons and additional measures have been implemented,” said the FA’s director of tournaments and events Chris Bryant.
Paqueta to stay in Brazil squad ahead of Copa America as he fights spot-fixing charges in England
- He was charged with misconduct on May 23 and faces a long ban if found guilty by English soccer authorities
- Paqueta immediately took to social media to deny the charges
RIO DE JANEIRO: Lucas Paqueta can continue to play for Brazil while he fights spot-fixing charges by the English Football Association, his national team said Thursday.
Paqueta, who plays his club soccer for West Ham, is alleged to have deliberately received yellow cards during Premier League matches to influence betting markets.
He was charged with misconduct on May 23 and faces a long ban if found guilty by English soccer authorities.
Paqueta immediately took to social media to deny the charges, vowing to “fight with every breath to clear my name,” but has until Monday to formally respond to the allegations. The English FA has acknowledged that Paqueta may request for an extension before issuing his official response.
In a long statement on Thursday, the Brazilian Football Confederation said it was aware of the allegations and contacted the English FA for information.
Based on the English FA’s responses, confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues Gomes said Paqueta will stay in Brazil’s squad ahead of the Copa America starting June 20 and remains free to play in upcoming friendlies against Mexico and the United States.
