Barcelona held at Valencia for third game without a win. Sevilla fire coach Diego Alonso

Valencia's Spanish midfielder #06 Hugo Guillamon and Barcelona's Portuguese forward Joao Felix during their Spanish league football match at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on Dec. 16, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 17 December 2023
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Barcelona held at Valencia for third game without a win. Sevilla fire coach Diego Alonso

  • Barcelona’s stalemate at Mestalla Stadium means surprise leader Girona are six points ahead of third-placed Barcelona before they host Alaves on Monday
  • Since Alonso arrived in October, Sevilla did not win in eight league games and lost all four of their Champions League matches, finishing bottom of their group

BARCELONA, Spain: Barcelona and Atletico Madrid stumbled in the Spanish league title race on Saturday, while Sevilla said enough is enough of coach Diego Alonso.

Barcelona’s 1-1 draw at Valencia makes it three straight games across all competitions without a win as Xavi Hernandez’s team struggle to find the form that won it the domestic title last season.

Atletico fared even worse and was fortunate to lose only 2-0 at an Athletic Bilbao who closed on the top-four spots with their convincing victory.

Barcelona’s stalemate at Mestalla Stadium means surprise leader Girona are six points ahead of third-placed Barcelona before they host Alaves on Monday. Real Madrid are four points clear of Barcelona before hosting Villarreal on Sunday. Atletico, despite their loss, are also just one point behind Barcelona with an extra game to play.

Missed chance

Joao Felix put Barcelona ahead in the 55th minute. He had to only tap in a cross by Raphinha after Frenkie de Jong played the Brazil forward clear with a precise lobbed pass with the tip of his boot.

Barcelona wasted chances to get a second goal before midfielder Hugo Guillamon pulled Valencia level in the 70th by scoring from the edge of the box after the visitors failed to clear a cross.

Coach Xavi Hernandez called the game “a final” after losing to Girona last weekend and then falling at Antwerp midweek in the Champions League — despite already qualifying for the knockout rounds.

“Any result other than taking the three points here is a blow for us,” Barcelona midfielder Pedri González said. “We played better than we did against Girona but not good enough. It is clear that we are not in a good moment. That happens over the course of a season but we need to pull out of this now.”

Atletico lose

Spain winger Nico Williams starred in Bilbao’s win over Atletico by scoring his team’s second goal after he hit the post and earned a penalty that was missed by Oihan Sancet.

After Gorka Guruzeta’s 51st-minute opener at San Mames Stadium, Williams appeared to be well marked by defenders Mario Hermoso and Axel Witsel when he executed a quick cut back and lashed the ball in from a tight angle in the 64th.

“This is our fortress,” Nico Williams said about San Mames, where Bilbao has only one loss in nine games. “Just go forward game by game and hope we can reach European competitions (next season).”

Jon Rahm, whose signing for the Saudi-funded LIV tour stunned the golf world, took an honorary kickoff wearing a red-and-white scarf for the home side. Rahm’s birthplace is near Bilbao in the northern Basque Country region.

Alonso out

Sevilla fired Alonso after the team hit a new low with a 3-0 loss at home to Getafe.

Since Alonso arrived in October, Sevilla did not win in eight league games and lost all four of their Champions League matches, finishing bottom of their group. They are only two wins since Alonso replaced Jose Mendilibar, who led Sevilla to the Europa League title last season, have come against lower-division rivals in the Copa del Rey.

Sevilla are in 16th place but level on points with Celta Vigo and Cadiz, which is in the drop zone in 18th.

Getafe striker Borja Mayoral converted a penalty for his 10th goal of the season, second most to Jude Bellingham’s 12 for Real Madrid.

First home win

Rafa Benitez earned some relief after his Celta won its first home game by edging Granada 1-0 to exit the relegation zone.

The match was the first for Celta since Marian Mouriño became the first woman to preside over the club, and the only woman to lead a top-flight club in Spain.


Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

Updated 14 November 2024
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Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

  • Dorival Junior: The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides
  • After losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches

SAO PAOLO: The “world order” of football is shifting, Brazil’s coach Dorival Junior said ahead of a World Cup qualifier Thursday against Venezuela.

“I don’t think we’ll have an easy game. Forget Venezuela, Bolivia recently. Right now the world order is changing a lot,” Dorival said on Wednesday in the Brazilian city of Belem where the team were training.

While pressure has been alleviated by Brazil beating Chile (2-1) and Peru (4-0) in the October doubleheader, the 62-year-old coach warned they, like Argentina, had to recognize they earlier lost ground to previously easier opponents.

“South American football has grown a lot overall. If you look at the majority of the national lineups, you see players playing in teams all over the world, which wasn’t the case until recently,” he said.

“The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides. This is levelling things a lot and making the matches tighter contests.”

Brazil are still being forged under his watch, meaning their performance will “fluctuate” while that is being worked out, he said.

But Dorival said they were heading toward becoming a “safe,” “strong” and balanced team.

After a bad start in the qualifiers, losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches. The top six South American teams directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil sit six points behind current leaders Argentina.

Venezuela rank eighth in the table.

“We’re not in a totally favorable situation, we’re coming from behind... (but) we’re gaining a greater sense of greater structure in the team,” Dorival said.

After Friday’s game against Venezuela, Brazil are to play Uruguay next Tuesday.


Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

Updated 14 November 2024
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Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

PARIS: Lyon beat Roma 3-0 to maintain their 100 percent record in Group A of the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, while Wolfsburg thrashed Galatasaray to pick up their first points.
In Group B, Chelsea came from behind against Celtic to preserve their perfect record and Real Madrid put seven past Twente.
Record eight-time winners Lyon traveled to the Italian capital with both sides level at the top of the group on two wins apiece.
Melchie Dumornay’s first-half brace put the French side firmly in control, her second coming three minutes before the interval via an audacious chip from inside the center circle.
Vanessa Gilles poked in from close range in the 52nd minute to rubber-stamp an authoritative performance by Joe Montemurro’s side.
Wolfsburg, the 2013 and 2014 Champions League winners, started their latest campaign with back-to-back defeats against Lyon and Roma — leaving them third in Group A with no goals scored and in real danger of elimination.
Their 5-0 win in Istanbul keeps them third place, three points behind Roma in second.
“We want to get out of the group by working hard and doing our best for the (three) remaining matches,” said Wolfsburg forward Rebecka Blomqvist.
“We are in a very tough group. But we also have the power to achieve this.”
Defender Joelle Wedemeyer’s 24th-minute header from a corner gave the Germans the lead. Blomqvist tapped in on 63 minutes to double the advantage.
The Swedish striker stroked home a third for the team with 13 minutes remaining and then rounded off her hat-trick six minutes into added time.
Vivien Endemann smashed home a fifth for Wolfsburg in the 97th minute.
“We are very happy with the result,” added Blomqvist. “I am proud to show my best out on the pitch. It’s great to contribute to the team.”
A third successive defeat in three outings leaves the Turks bottom of the table with just one goal scored and 14 conceded.
At Parkhead, Chelsea moved to nine points with a 2-1 victory over winless Celtic.
The hosts took a surprise lead with just over 20 minutes gone when Murphy Agnew raced through and lifted a finish past goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
It took the English champions only six minutes to respond, first through Maika Hamano in the 28th minute and then Ashley Lawrence tucked home a rebound four minutes later.
Chelsea were unable to kill off the match in the second half but succeeded nonetheless in holding Celtic at arm’s length to see out a narrow victory, despite Aggie Beever-Jones picking up a second yellow card deep in injury time.
Real Madrid strolled past Dutch side Twente with a 7-0 win in Spain.
Signe Bruun opened the scoring in the third minute, before center-half Maria Mendez nodded in her first goal in European football 13 minutes later.
Naomie Feller guided in a third on 50 minutes and Caroline Weir soon after curled an unstoppable free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.
Mendez then doubled her tally in the competition with a second header from a corner three minutes after the hour, before Oihane Hernandez and Carla Camacho completed the rout.
The Spaniards sit second in the group with six points.


Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

Updated 13 November 2024
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Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

  • The Bayern Munich forward said it was a “shame” that so many players had withdrawn
  • “It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit”

LONDON: Harry Kane says he is disappointed by the high number of withdrawals from the England squad this week, insisting the national team must come first.
The Euro 2024 runners-up head to Greece for Thursday’s must-win Nations League match before a Wembley meeting with Ireland on Sunday.
But interim boss Lee Carsley’s final camp, before the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as the new manager, has been hit by an eye-watering eight pull-outs.
The situation has frustrated Kane, who will lead the side out at the Olympic Stadium in Athens knowing key players are absent for a match they must win to stand a chance of automatic promotion.
Asked if there was one thing former manager Gareth Southgate put in place that senior players need to ensure is not lost, the striker told ITV: “I think the joy to play for England. I think he brought that back.
“I think every camp people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and, yeah, that’s the most important thing.
“I think England comes before anything. England comes before club.”
The Bayern Munich forward said it was a “shame” that so many players had withdrawn.
“It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit,” he said.
“I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think England comes before anything, any club situation.”
Eight players withdrew from Carsley’s initial 26-man squad for the Nations League double-header including Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
Jarrad Branthwaite was among five players brought into the squad but the Everton center-back is a major doubt, having been unable to train with the group so far.


South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges

Updated 13 November 2024
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South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges

  • Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court
  • He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board

JOHANNESBURG: South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged Wednesday with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police said.
Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.
“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his personal gain,” a police statement said.
He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board, the statement added.
Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously. He denied the allegations.
He was arrested “following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” police said.
Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022.
He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.
The court released the three on bail.


Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot

Updated 13 November 2024
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Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot

  • Al-Ghamdi and Al-Sahafi, on loan from Ittihad, are part of Herve Renard’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Australia
  • Al-Sahafi scored twice in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September and netted another brace against Club Brugge before the international break

LONDON: While scanning Herve Renard’s first squad list since his return as boss of the Saudi national team, three names stand out immediately. Twenty-four of the 27 players play their club football in the Kingdom; the exceptions are Saud Abdulhamid, who is at Roma, and Faisal Al-Ghamdi and Marwan Al-Sahafi, both currently on loan at Belgian side Beerschot.

Saudi players plying their trade in Europe are not the norm; only a handful have previously made the switch from the Kingdom. And even they — from Sami Al-Jaber at Wolves to Salem Al-Dawsari at Villarreal — only featured sparingly before returning to their homeland.

But at Beerschot, 23-year-old Al-Ghamdi and 20-year-old Al-Sahafi have been thrust immediately into first-team action and have produced influential performances for the team, which is fighting to stay in the Belgian Pro League.

“It was not difficult to make the switch for us,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News in an exclusive interview from Beerschot’s training ground. “We had goals and dreams of reaching the highest levels in Europe.

“Some things are definitely different from playing in Saudi — like the environment and climate — but we’ve adapted to these differences quite well, and things are going smoothly. It has been a good experience for both of us. Really, we benefited a lot. Every time you move to a different place you learn new things and develop yourself naturally.”

He added: “In terms of the future we hope to get more results, we want to reach higher levels in Europe and develop our skills.”

While both players, who are on loan from Al-Ittihad for the 2024-25 season, have quickly settled into life in Belgium, it is Al-Sahafi who has made the biggest impact so far.

After scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September, he netted another brace ahead of this week’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The winger’s double salvo helped Beerschot fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge, who are playing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

“Against Anderlecht, we had the resolve to win and God blessed me with the two goals,” Al-Sahafi said. “It was superb, and an amazing feeling throughout the game. It was one of my best performances by far and I will remember this for a long, long time. [I think] we’ve acclimated to the different situation well and it wasn’t difficult even though there are not many players from the Kingdom who have played in Europe.”

For Al-Ghamdi, too, seeing Al-Sahafi among Beerschot’s goal scorers has been special.

“I’m extremely proud of him and it is a joy seeing him score,” Al-Ghamdi said. “I have very high hopes for him and I hope we will both [continue] to have better performances in the future, with more goals and more wins.”

The Saudi duo’s coach at Beerschot is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. He became a cult hero during his six years at Anfield, aided by scoring a match-winning hat-trick against Manchester United in 2011. With 104 caps for the Netherlands under his belt, Kuyt’s experiences as a player have helped him transition into an effective coach.

“He’s a little bit before our time but we do remember watching clips and videos of him in his career,” Al-Ghamdi said. “As a coach we try to benefit as much as possible from having him, he’s a great influence both on and off the pitch, well-rounded. He’s responsive with the players, he is engaging as a person, very warm. He gets close to the players and offers his best advice — whether in training, in matches, or even off the pitch.”

Al-Sahafi has also felt the benefit of Kuyt’s guidance: “He’s close to us and really tries to facilitate the best conditions and prepare us before the game. He takes care of us and he has a big personality and character — on and off the pitch. He is very impactful.”

At international level, too, Al-Sahafi and Al-Ghamdi are set to play under a hugely popular coach. Herve Renard returned to coach the Green Falcons last month, replacing Roberto Mancini.

It was under Renard that Al-Ghamdi made his international debut against Yemen in January 2023 and, after struggling for game time while Mancini was at the helm, the midfielder is optimistic about the future of the national team.

“He is a huge coach and we had very good results with him,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We are so happy to have him back and we hope to get amazing results with him. Inshallah, we will qualify for the World Cup with him, that is our primary objective.”

Al-Sahafi’s international bow only came in June this year, and he was handed his first start for the Green Falcons in last month’s 0-0 draw with Bahrain in Jeddah — a game that proved to be Mancini’s last.

“This will be my first experience with the new coach and I want to prove myself,” Al-Sahafi told Arab News. “I believe there is a clear reason why he chose me and I want to make him proud. Our goal is to reach the World Cup.”

So by the time the 2026 tournament begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada, could there be more Saudi players making their mark in European football?

“There have definitely been many players in the Saudi national camp who have asked us about playing in Europe,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We explained what has happened and how we have developed. We told them it has been exciting and they were quite curious.”

Al-Sahafi also hopes to convince some of his Green Falcons’ teammates to join the duo in testing themselves on a different continent and in a different football culture.

“A lot of people outside and within the Saudi national team have asked me questions and I told them it has been a tremendously valuable experience. And very fun too,” he said.

“I hope this time in Belgium helps us develop to be the best players for the Kingdom and to improve. We want to give the best we have to offer for Saudi Arabia and I hope soon we will see many players go abroad to improve themselves further.”