LONDON: The man who helped underpin much of Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp is returning to oversee the restructuring of the English club when the German manager leaves at the end of the season.
Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s former sporting director, will take up the role of “chief executive of football” at Fenway Sports Group — the US-based conglomerate whose portfolio of sports teams includes Liverpool.
His tasks will include hiring a sporting director at Liverpool who will be responsible for identifying a replacement for Klopp, who said in January that he will be stepping down after nearly nine years as manager. Among those linked with the upcoming vacancy is Xabi Alonso, who currently coaches German league leader Bayer Leverkusen and used to play for Liverpool.
Edwards will also oversee FSG’s purchase of another soccer club, he said in a statement published by FSG, which also owns the Boston Red Sox.
Edwards left Liverpool in 2022 after an 11-year association with the team, which included time as sporting director from 2015-22 when he oversaw the signings of Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, and Virgil van Dijk. Klopp, who joined in late 2015, has led Liverpool to the Premier League and Champions League titles in that period, as well as multiple domestic cups.
Edwards has rejected numerous offers to return to soccer after leaving Liverpool and has been doing consultancy work with sports advisory firm Ludonautics. FSG said Edwards will no longer be working for Ludonautics.
FSG President Mike Gordon described Edwards as “one of the most formidable executive talents in world football.”
“He returns to us in a role with greater seniority than he held previously and with a wider remit,” Gordon said. “It was clear when we initially reached out to him that a broader scope would be a key motivating factor for any potential return to the industry. In this regard — and many others — his ambitions matched ours.”
Edwards replaces Gordon as FSG’s day-to-day decision maker on all soccer matters and said one of the biggest factors in agreeing to return was “the commitment to acquire and oversee an additional club, growing this area of their organization.”
“I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary,” Edwards said.
Liverpool’s restructuring in the post-Jurgen Klopp era will be overseen by Michael Edwards
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Liverpool’s restructuring in the post-Jurgen Klopp era will be overseen by Michael Edwards
- Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s former sporting director, will take up the role of “chief executive of football”
- His tasks will include hiring a sporting director at Liverpool
Leicester relegated from the Premier League as Liverpool close in on title
- Liverpool could be crowned champions on Wednesday should Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace
LEICESTER: Leicester City were relegated from the Premier League as Liverpool moved to within one win of the title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory at the King Power.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score the only goal 14 minutes from time as the Reds moved to the brink of a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.
Liverpool could be crowned champions on Wednesday should Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace.
If the Gunners avoid defeat, Arne Slot’s men have the chance to seal the deal when Tottenham visit Anfield next Sunday.
Leicester have not scored a single goal at home since December as nine consecutive defeats at the King Power have taken Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men down.
Alexander-Arnold appears to be coming toward the end of his time at his boyhood club.
The England international is reportedly close to joining Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Unlike Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who have signed new deals in recent weeks to prolong their stay at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold has just weeks to run on his current deal.
“I’ve said all season, I’m not going to speak on my situation,” Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sports.
“But these days like today are always special.
“Scoring goals, playing, winning games, being close to winning titles as well as being in title races. They’re special moments that will be with me forever and I’m glad to be a part of them.”
A Liverpool cruise seemed in store when Mohamed Salah hit both posts with a glorious chance inside the first two minutes.
But after storming clear of the chasing pack in Slot’s early months in charge to build a near unassailable lead, Liverpool have slowed in recent weeks as the finish line approaches.
“Normally we’re a bit better if we create chances that we score goals. Today, it took us a long time, and of course, a great moment for Trent,” said Slot.
Wilfred Ndidi came close to ending Leicester’s barren run with a low strike that came back off the post.
Liverpool struggled to create from open play in what remained of the first half.
Ibrahima Konate came closest to breaking the deadlock when Ndidi hooked clear his goalbound header from a corner.
Leicester did finally have the ball in the net in the second half but Patson Daka had fouled Alisson Becker before Connor Coady headed into an unguarded net.
Slot introduced Alexander-Arnold for the final 20 minutes on his return from a five-week absence due to an ankle injury.
The right-back took just five minutes to score his 23rd and potentially last goal for his boyhood club.
Salah and Diogo Jota somehow contrived to hit the woodwork rather than the net from point-blank range as Leicester struggled to clear a corner.
The loose ball broke to Alexander-Arnold, whose shot went straight through the grasp of Mads Hermansen.
Leicester still had a chance to snatch an unlikely point.
But Facundo Buonanotte’s wasteful finish with just Alisson to beat summed up their season to forget.
Champions of England just nine years ago, the Foxes have found life back in the top-flight far too much of a step up in class after romping to the Championship title last season.
“I think you see among the promoted sides it’s such a mountain to climb to stay in the Premier League,” said Van Nistelrooy, who has won just two of his 20 league games since taking charge in December.
Leicester join Southampton, whose relegation was confirmed with a record seven games to go, in an immediate return to the second tier.
Ipswich, who are 15 points adrift with five games to go, are set to follow as for the second consecutive season all three promoted sides will fail to avoid the drop.
Al-Jazira stun star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli and take ADIB Cup final glory
- A 2-1 win for the underdogs at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium proved worthy of the pre-match hype
AL-AIN: Abdullah Ramadan’s remarkable 40-yard wonder strike and fancy footwork from ex-Fulham winger Neeskens Kebano helped fire underdogs Al-Jazira to a deserved 2-1 ADIB Cup final victory against star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club on Saturday night.
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium was a fitting setting for Saturday’s epic showpiece between two heavyweights of the UAE game. On the day, Sharjah’s serial winner Cosmin Olaroiu was confirmed as new national team head coach, prize midfielder Ramadan shook off an injury-ravaged campaign and generated a jaw-dropping reminder of his mesmerising talents on 18 minutes by blasting in from range.
This slender advantage for Adnoc Pro League’s distant sixth-placed side against the runaway leaders would evaporate five minutes into the second half when prolific Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun followed up his own effort to level. But the momentum of Paulo Sousa’s men was immediately checked on 55 minutes when DR Congo flyer Kebano produced a series of beguiling stepovers and lashed into the bottom corner.
Shabab Al-Ahli continued to predictably boss possession with 62 percent, and attempts on goal (17-9), although theynever truly looked like mounting a comeback to avoid this term’s first domestic defeat. The final whistle handed the spirited Pride of Abu Dhabi their second ADIB Cup crown and just third trophy since the 2017-2018 season off.
Arab News looks at some key talking points from the decider:
A new era for Jazira
The 2024-2025 season has been a time of change for Jazira.
Club legend and record goal scorer Ali Mabkhout made a high-profile summer departure to Al-Nasr, while they began this campaign without a permanent Dutch manager at the helm for the first time since Brazilian Abel Braga’s mistaken summer 2015 return. Bold calls that have not always appeared judicious via mixed fortunes under Morocco’s Hussein Ammouta.
This, however, felt like a fork in the road. Big-name stars stood up tall, France’s World Cup 2018 winning playmaker Nabil Fekir oozed class with every silky touch and ex-Arsenal stalwart Mohamed Elneny battled hard from an unfamiliar centre-back role.
Ammouta’s residual capacity to inspire, as shown with shock 2023 AFC Asian Cup finalists Jordan, was also on display. Heroes emerged across the pitch — including starlets Mamadou Coulibaly, Vinicius Mello, Ravil Tagir and Ilyass Lagrimi.
This could be the start of something very special.
Shabab Al-Ahli continue to stumble at the finishing line
Another big game, another big disappointment for Shabab Al-Ahli.
ADIB Cup final defeat follows elimination in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off round to Qatar’s unexceptional Al-Gharafa and penalty shootout defeat to rivals Sharjah in the AFC Champions League Two quarter-finals.
This campaign could finish with the Adnoc Pro League, President’s Cup, Qatar–UAE Challenge Shield and Emaar Super Cup trophies residing at Rashid Stadium. Yet there is a sense of immense potential being left unfulfilled.
UAE wide men Yahya Al-Ghassani and unused substitute Harib Abdalla could certainly use some more game time, while fellow international Sultan Adil may further freshen up their attack after a lengthy absence.
A monstrous 11-point league gap — albeit with second-placed Sharjah holding a game in hand — gives opportunity for experimentation.
A final worthy of the fanfare
Pre-match ceremonies often feel like duds after kick-off.
This engrossing final, however, most certainly was not.
Early entertainment sparked by traditional dancers allied with booming pyrotechnics before kick-off reached its high point upon the novel sight of sponsors ADIB’s ATM dispensing the match ball. Nobody watching felt short-changed about what followed.
Styles make fights and Jazira’s counter-punching approach took the shine off glittering Shabab Al-Ahli.
Urged on by a strong crowd in Al-Ain, this was a chance for UAE football to show off. It surely did.
PSG beat Le Havre to stay on course for unbeaten Ligue 1 season
- Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for PSG
- PSG had already secured a fourth successive Ligue 1 title before this game
PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain stayed on course to complete the Ligue 1 season without losing a game as the Champions League semifinalists beat struggling Le Havre 2-1 on Saturday.
Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for PSG either side of half-time at the Parc des Princes, as coach Luis Enrique changed almost his entire starting line-up following the midweek European clash with Aston Villa.
PSG had already secured a fourth successive Ligue 1 title before this game, and their 10th consecutive league win leaves them on 77 points with five matches remaining.
No side has ever completed an entire French top-flight campaign unbeaten.
“We knew this game was a potential banana skin for us after a Champions League match which sucked out all our energy and left us feeling tired,” Luis Enrique said.
“All the ingredients were there for this to be a difficult game against a side who were in need of points.”
Achraf Hakimi and Bradley Barcola were the only players to keep their place in the PSG line-up at kick-off, following the 3-2 defeat away to Aston Villa which saw them edge through to the last four of the Champions League and a tie against Arsenal.
Doue gave PSG the lead inside eight minutes, and Ramos made the most of his chance in the starting line-up by making it 2-0 shortly after half-time with his 15th goal this season.
Issa Soumare pulled one back for Le Havre, but the result leaves the Normandy side still in third-bottom spot, the relegation play-off place.
If the title race in France is already over, the fight for European qualification behind PSG is intense, with the next six teams separated by only six points.
Second-placed Monaco drew 0-0 at home to Strasbourg, who are three points behind them in fifth, on a blustery evening in the principality.
Monaco were looking for a seventh successive home win in Ligue 1, but leading scorer Mika Biereth had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call in first-half stoppage time.
They had most of the chances, but Strasbourg had the ball in the net late on too, only for Emanuel Emegha’s effort from close range to also be ruled out for offside.
Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg are now unbeaten in 10 games and remain hopeful of qualifying for the Champions League — a level the Alsace outfit have not played at since the 1979/80 European Cup.
“I have a group of players who believe they can do it, and I believe they can do it as well,” said Englishman Rosenior, whose side are undefeated since early February.
“Nobody said that this team would be able to do this at the start of the season.
“Ten games unbeaten, and the players are disappointed not to win against Nice (a 2-2 draw last week) and now Monaco, which shows how far we have come in a short space of time.”
Marseille have the chance to move back above Monaco into second with a win at home to doomed bottom side Montpellier later.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille are under pressure on a run of five defeats in their last seven matches, a sequence which has left them at risk of missing out on a return to the Champions League.
Lyon, in fourth, go to derby rivals Saint-Etienne on Sunday looking to bounce back from their agonizing Europa League loss to Manchester United on Thursday.
Lille and Nice, who are now sixth and seventh respectively, also play key games in the fight for Europe on Sunday.
The top three qualify automatically for the Champions League, with fourth going into the preliminary rounds.
Fifth place qualifies for the Europa League and sixth for the Conference League, although there will be an extra Europa League place available via the league should PSG beat Reims in the French Cup final next month.
Raphinha leads Barcelona’s thrilling 4-3 comeback over Celta in La Liga
- The Brazil forward deserved being singled out for extra praise from Barcelona’s coach
- He had just led a thrilling 4-3 fightback over Celta Vigo by scoring two late goals
BARCELONA: Hansi Flick ran onto the field on the final whistle and lifted Raphinha off his feet in a bear hug.
The Brazil forward deserved being singled out for extra praise from Barcelona’s coach. He had just led a thrilling 4-3 fightback over Celta Vigo by scoring two late goals including a clutch penalty for an injury-time winner.
Barcelona remained on pace for the Spanish league title as they opened up a seven-point gap over Real Madrid before the defending champion host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
“It was amazing to see at this stage how this team gives everything to never give up,” Flick said. He added that at halftime he told Raphinha he needed him “as a leader” on the field.
Raphinha’s double let him reach 30 goals in all competitions this season, the best of his career.
Lewandowski injury worry ahead of big games
The loss might come at a price, however. Barcelona top scorer Robert Lewandowski asked to be substituted in the final minutes while touching his left thigh.
“We have to wait until tomorrow,” Flick said.
There is no let up for Barcelona with three titles in play.
Barcelona face Mallorca in the league on Tuesday and Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final next weekend. Four days after that they will start their Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan.
Raphinha and Olmo spoil Iglesias treble
It looked like another easy win for Barcelona when Ferran Torres fired the hosts ahead early.
But Celta striker Borja Iglesias started his spectacular three-goal performance just three minutes later, scoring on the break after Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny failed to reach a low cross.
Iglesias stunned the home fans again by scoring twice more in the 59th and 62nd from passes from Celta’s own area that were poorly defended by Barcelona.
Iglesias got his second goal after Frenkie De Jong let a long goal kick that looked harmless bounce past him, apparently thinking a teammate would control it. Instead, Iglesias pounced on the ball and drilled a shot inside the far post. Iglesias made it a hat trick when Barcelona’s defense let him run onto a long ball and dink his shot past Szczesny.
Barcelona looked done but Flick’s side quickly rallied behind Raphinha — with some help from substitutes Olmo and Lamine Yamal.
Raphinha slipped a ball through for Olmo to take Barcelona’s second goal. He then rose up to thump in Yamal’s cross with a powerful header. And with Lewandowski on the bench, Raphinha beat goalkeeper Vincente Guaita from the high-pressure penalty deep in injury time after a video review convinced the referee to penalize a foul by Celta defender Yoel Lago on Olmo.
Celta, which held Barcelona to 2-2 in their other meeting this season, fell into eighth place.
Mallorca moved into seventh after a 0-0 draw with Leganes.
Also, Umar Sadiq struck to help Valencia rally for 1-1 at Rayo Vallecano.
Vibrant Villa crush Newcastle to close in on top five
- Villa returned to Premier League action in emphatic fashion
- Victory lifted Villa three points above Chelsea into sixth place
BIRMINGHAM: Aston Villa thumped top-five rivals Newcastle United 4-1 at Villa Park to keep themselves in the thick of the race for Champions League qualification on Saturday.
Five days after being knocked out of Europe’s top club competition by Paris St. Germain in a thriller, Villa returned to Premier League action in emphatic fashion with the recalled Ollie Watkins opening the scoring inside the first minute.
Fabian Schar equalized for third-placed Newcastle with a header before halftime but Villa blazed clear after the break with Ian Maatsen restoring their lead before a Dan Burn own goal and substitute Amadou Onana’s superb finish sealed the points.
Victory lifted Villa three points above Chelsea into sixth place with 57 points from 33 games, level with Nottingham Forest who play on Monday.
Newcastle have 59 points, one more than fourth-placed Manchester City, in what is turning into a fierce battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The top five in the Premier League will all qualify.
Newcastle had won five successive Premier League games and the League Cup final but were brought crashing back down to earth by a superb Villa side who could have scored far more.
Watkins was twice denied by the woodwork in the first half as the England forward produced a dazzling display having been left out of the starting line-up in recent games.
Unai Emery’s Villa go to Manchester City on Tuesday when victory would send them into the top four.
Newcastle, again with manager Eddie Howe absent as he recovers from pneumonia, were rocked after 33 minutes when Youri Tielemans slid a pass to Watkins whose shot took a big deflection off Schar to wrong-foot goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Watkins thumped a left-footer against the post soon after and then saw a header rebound off the woodwork as Villa buzzed around a listless Newcastle.
The visitors did improve though and when Harvey Barnes sent over a cross, Schar arrived at the back post and his header went in off Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez.
Villa looked the more threatening after the break and took the lead when a surging Maatsen was played in by Watkins and he rifled a shot across Pope and in.
Emery sent on Jacob Ramsey and Onana with little under 20 minutes left and both made an immediate impact.
Ramsey’s low cross was turned in by Burn and then Onana put the icing on the cake with a powerful finish from the edge of the penalty area after incessant Villa pressure.
