DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund are world soccer’s finishing school no longer.
A club renowned for readying talented youngsters like Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland for the big stage are now on that stage itself, facing Real Madrid — and Bellingham — in the Champions League final Saturday.
This Dortmund team are different, though. They are built around older players making the most of second chances after career setbacks.
“We have our own story,” coach Edin Terzic said Wednesday. “We have the story of ups and downs of the last years. We are one of the teams that is selling players by the end of the season. We are a team that builds up to compete every year, but now we are there, and we are facing teams that are built to win the Champions League.”
And then there’s Jadon Sancho.
The former England national team forward has revived his career since rejoining Dortmund on loan in January from Manchester United, where he hadn’t played since August amid a rift with manager Erik ten Hag.
The final at Wembley will be the last game of Sancho’s loan, but Dortmund hope they will also start fresh talks on keeping him.
“We are so proud, we are so happy that he’s in our team at the moment and I can see his smile every day, I can see his performance on the pitch every day,” sporting director Sebastian Kehl said.
“So, I think he will be very important for us on Saturday. He will show the world that Jadon Sancho is really back.”
Kehl said Dortmund plan “discussions” about the 24-year-old Sancho’s future, but only after Saturday’s game. “He’s still under contract with Man United, so nobody knows what’s going on there,” Kehl added. “We’re going to have discussions, but after the final.”
Sancho isn’t the only Dortmund player who has been rejected elsewhere. Defender Mats Hummels and midfielder Emre Can were both left out of the German national team squad for their home European Championship, and Sancho wasn’t picked for England.
The Champions League gives them the chance to show they remain competitive at the top level — and maybe even earn a dramatic recall for Euro 2024.
The 30-year-old Can suggested he and Sancho could be inspired by that rejection when they play against Madrid.
“He’s not happy about it, of course. Me also, I’m not in the German squad, I’m not happy about it,” Can said. “Of course, it gives you maybe the extra motivation to show the coaches in national teams that we deserve to be there. That’s what we will try on Saturday.”
Only two Dortmund players made the Germany squad for Euro 2024, including striker Niclas Füllkrug, who spent much of his career in the second division before finally breaking through at 29 with Werder Bremen and making his national team debut in 2022.
Forward Sébastien Haller is in the Champions League final less than two years on from a diagnosis of testicular cancer which left him needing chemotherapy and surgery before he returned to action with Dortmund. He’s seeking his second trophy of the season after scoring the winning goal in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast in February.
Dortmund do have some promising young players, but winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and striker Youssoufa Moukoko, both 19-year-olds, have typically been on the bench in the Champions League this season and 21-year-old American Gio Reyna was loaned out to Nottingham Forest.
There isn’t an obvious successor to Bellingham, who was sold for up to 130 million euros ($139 million at the time) to Madrid last year, or Haaland, who earlier moved to Manchester City for 60 million euros ($63 million at the time) and won the Champions League last year.
Sporting director Kehl himself has unfinished business in the Champions League. Dortmund are in the final for the first time since 2013, when they lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich, also at Wembley. Kehl, then a midfielder, was on the bench in that game.
Dortmund are coming off their worst Bundesliga season in nine years with a fifth-place finish, but have shown in the Champions League that their grizzled, battle-scarred squad can peak in crucial games. There’s been a healthy dose of luck, too, after Dortmund survived Paris Saint-Germain repeatedly hitting the post and crossbar in the semifinals.
A year after dropping the Bundesliga title in the final minutes of the season, Dortmund are aiming to end this campaign on a triumph.
“There is one more game left and it’s the biggest game in European club competition,” Terzic said. “This is waiting for us, and we have to show that we are ready to go for it.”
Dortmund head into Champions League final with an older, tougher team instead of young talents
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Dortmund head into Champions League final with an older, tougher team instead of young talents
- This Dortmund team are different, though. They are built around older players making the most of second chances after career setbacks
- “We have our own story,” coach Edin Terzic said
Vinicius and Bonmati named FIFA Best players of the year
- The award comes two months after 24-year-old Vinicius was second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real electing to snub the ceremony when they found out beforehand that Manchester City midfielder Rodri was set to win the trophy
- The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best women’s player award for the second year running, adding to the two Ballon d’Or trophies she already boasts
DOHA: Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior won the FIFA Best men’s player of the year award at a ceremony in Doha on Tuesday, while Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati picked up the women’s prize for the second time.
The award comes two months after 24-year-old Vinicius was second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real electing to snub the ceremony when they found out beforehand that Manchester City midfielder Rodri was set to win the trophy.
But the Brazilian was this time on hand to collect the prize in person as he is in Qatar with his club ahead of their Intercontinental Cup final clash with Mexico’s Pachuca on Wednesday.
“Thank you very much. I don’t know where to start. It was impossible to think of getting here. I grew up in a world of poverty, of organized crime. It’s for all the children who grow up in that world. I thank everyone who voted for me,” Vinicius said on stage.
“(Thank you) To my family, to the club, to my teammates, to Carletto (Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti), who always helps me.
“To everyone who helped make my dream come true. I hope to be at Madrid for many years, because it is the best club in the world. To Flamengo (his first club in Brazil). To my teammates in my national team. And to my country, which always supports me in my work.”
Vinicius succeeds Lionel Messi as the FIFA Best men’s player after the Argentinian scooped up the last two editions of the award.
The live wire forward scored 24 goals and laid on 11 assists in 39 matches across all competitions as he led Real to a La Liga and Champions League double last season.
Having already wrapped up his third La Liga title in May, Vinicius secured the second Champions League trophy of his career as Real beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on June 1.
Vinicius was on the scoresheet at Wembley with a pinpoint finish inside the final 10 minutes to make the game safe for his team.
If Vinicius at times played second fiddle to clubmate Jude Bellingham in La Liga, he was undoubtedly the main man for Madrid in Europe once the going got serious.
He was the top scorer for the Champions League winners with six goals in the competition, including the strike in the final and a brace in Madrid’s 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the semifinals.
He also scored a hat trick in a 4-1 victory in the final of the Supercopa against arch-rivals Barcelona in January.
But it was not all plain sailing last season for Vinicius as he endured a disappointing Copa America with the Brazilian national team over the summer.
He scored two goals in a group-stage win against Paraguay, but his side ultimately crashed out on penalties to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best women’s player award for the second year running, adding to the two Ballon d’Or trophies she already boasts.
“I’m grateful, I’m proud to receive this award,” Bonmati said via video link from Barcelona’s Olympic stadium.
Last term, Bonmati led Barcelona to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claimed the Nations League with her national team.
She won every trophy available to her in club football in 2023/24 — the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana and a second successive Women’s Champions League.
Bonmati scored a goal and put in a player-of-the-match performance as Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0 in the final of the Champions League to claim their third title in four seasons.
Manchester United’s Argentine forward Alejandro Garnacho won the Puskas award for the best goal of the year for his spectacular bicycle kick against Everton in the Premier League.
Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals
- Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup
- Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria
MILAN: Holders Juventus progressed to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup with a 4-0 win at home to Cagliari on Tuesday.
Dusan Vlahovic slotted home a first half opener, before Teun Koopmeiners wrapped up the last-16 tie for the 15-time winners with a sensational free kick from distance.
Francisco Conceicao and Nico Gonzalez netted late to underline an emphatic performance by the Old Lady.
“It was a good performance,” Juve coach Thiago Motta told Canale 5.
“These lads are going through a tough situation in the right way, giving their all in every training session,” he added of his players who have endured a stop-start domestic campaign as they sit sixth in the league table.
Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup.
Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria.
Reigning Scudetto champions Inter Milan complete the round of 16 when they host Udinese on Thursday.
In Turin, Vlahovic put the home side in front one minute before half-time when he swivelled smartly on a pass to feet from Kenan Yildiz and rolled the ball into the far corner.
Summer signing Koopmeiners then notched up his second goal for Juve with an unstoppable left-footed free-kick from 25 meters out in the 53rd minute.
Vlahovic had the ball in the net twice more for Juve as they pressed forward in search of a third, but was on both occasions denied by the assistant’s flag for offside.
Conceicao eventually made it three on 80 minutes with a whipped finish after cutting in from the right flank and Gonzalez chipped home a fourth with one minute remaining.
Chelsea, Lyon top Women’s Champions League groups with perfect records
- The wins meant Chelsea and Lyon became the third and fourth sides in the history of the competition to register a perfect set of results in the group stage
MADRID: Catarina Macario scored two penalties in the space of five second-half minutes to lead Chelsea to a 2-1 comeback over Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League on Tuesday and confirm their status as group winners.
Eight-time winners Lyon edged Wolfsburg 1-0 thanks to a late Danielle van de Donk goal to complete their perfect record in Group A.
The wins meant Chelsea and Lyon became the third and fourth sides in the history of the competition to register a perfect set of results in the group stage.
Introduced at half-time in Madrid with her side trailing to Caroline Weir’s early opener for the hosts, 25-year-old Macario showed composure to convert twice from 12 yards and send Chelsea six points clear of their opponents on the last matchday of Group B.
“We were not very happy with our performance in the first half,” said Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor.
“We all sat down together at half-time and told ourselves that we had nothing to lose. We have a strong mentality, and that’s important to win games.”
Weir’s dinked finish in the seventh minute had Real going through to the quarter-finals as group winners on overall goal difference.
But Macario flipped the pool on its head by levelling six minutes after coming onto the pitch and then completing the comeback on 56 minutes.
“Macario is a world-class player, she changed the game. She showed a lot of confidence by scoring those two penalties,” said Bompastor.
Real captain Olga Carmona — the scorer of the winning goal in the 2023 World Cup final for Spain against England — was the player who offered the English champions their way back into the tie.
She felled Macario to concede the first spot-kick, before later being penalized for a handball in the box.
The result means Chelsea have now won their last nine group games in the Champions League, going back to last season.
In the pool’s other match, Dutch side Twente condemned Celtic to a sixth defeat in six outings as they won 3-0 in Enschede.
Lyon were already assured of top spot in their group but still laid down a statement before the quarter-finals by beating Wolfsburg to ensure they finished nine points ahead of the second-placed Germans.
Dutch midfielder Van de Donk made it a perfect tournament so far for the French side with a flicked finish nine minutes from the full-time whistle.
Roma finished level on points with Wolfsburg by beating Galatasaray 3-0 in the Italian capital, but were already eliminated before kick-off due to their worse head-to-head record.
Inter stun Lazio 6-0 to remind rivals of their title aspirations in Serie A
- Lazio started the game without regular defender Alessio Romagnoli and Samuel Gigot replaced center half Matias Gila midway through the first half
- The result meant Inter were alone in third place, three points behind leaders Atalanta and one behind Napoli with a game in hand
ROME: Inter Milan scored four times in a 12-minute spell either side of halftime and added another couple late on to rout Lazio 6-0 in a lopsided contest of Serie A title contenders on Monday.
Lazio were unbeaten at home in Serie A and they matched Inter for most of the first half in front of their own fans at the Stadio Olimpico.
However, four minutes from halftime Hakan Çalhanoglu put Inter ahead from the penalty spot and Federico Dimarco doubled the lead seconds before the break when he volleyed home a cross from Denzel Dumfries.
Lazio started the game without regular defender Alessio Romagnoli and Samuel Gigot replaced center half Matias Gila midway through the first half.
When Gigot was forced off at halftime coach Marco Baroni was forced to reshuffle his back four again but the lack of experienced heads in the center of defense was evident from the restart.
Nicolo Barella made it 3-0 six minutes into the second half with a sumptuous 30-meter volley and Dumfries rose above everyone to head home the fourth two minutes later.
Carlos Augusto showed some nice footwork in the box to make it 5-0 in the 77th minute and Marcus Thuram got his 11th goal of the season in the final minute to heap on the misery for the home side.
The result meant Inter were alone in third place, three points behind leaders Atalanta and one behind Napoli with a game in hand.
Lazio remained fifth.
How Saudi Arabia’s World Cup will reverberate across Asian football
- The 2034 edition will the third time that football’s global showpiece will be held by Asia, after Japan-Korea 2002 and Qatar 2022
AUSTRALIA: As the party continues across Saudi Arabia after last week’s historic awarding of the FIFA World Cup 2034 to the Kingdom, the win is also being felt across the wider Asian Football Confederation.
The event in 2034 will mark just the third time football’s global showpiece will be held on Asian shores, after Japan-Korea 2002 and Qatar 2022, and will again focus the world’s attention on the best that Asian football has to offer.
The AFC’s president, Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, was the first to congratulate the new hosts. “This is a momentous occasion for Saudi Arabia, the AFC, and the whole of Asia,” he said.
“Saudi Arabia’s successful bid is a testament to the Kingdom’s vision, commitment, and passion for football. We have full confidence in their ability to host an extraordinary FIFA World Cup that will leave a lasting legacy for the sport in Asia and beyond.
“The AFC is committed to working closely with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and FIFA to ensure the successful delivery of the FIFA World Cup 2034. Together, we will create an unforgettable experience for football fans around the globe.
“This historic achievement marks a new chapter for Asian football. With Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034, we are confident that Asia will continue to play a leading role on the global stage.”
Rhysh Roshan Rai, a former Singapore footballer and now commentator, having covered some of Asian football’s biggest moments, including the AFC Asian Cup, AFC Champions League and Asian Qualifiers, is excited about the possible developmental benefits for the region.
“Asia is huge and diverse, so it’s hard to speak for everyone, but I’m sure it’s exciting for fans in that part of the continent,” he told Arab News.
“Being given the opportunity to host a massive event like that. They’re big football fans in Saudi Arabia and very passionate about the game.
“Speaking for myself, as a fan of Asian football, I’m looking forward to it and hopefully it’ll be something that can benefit the game in Asia.”
These comments are echoed by Dejan Damjanovic, the all-time leading scorer in the AFC Champions League.
The 43-year-old, who retired from football last year after a glittering 25-year career, is best known for his time in Korea with FC Seoul.
He holds the record for the most goals in the AFC Champions League with 42, five more than Korea’s Lee Dong-gook and 10 more than Saudi Arabia’s Nasser Al-Shamrani.
“I think it’s going to be amazing,” said Damjanovic, who enjoyed a six-month loan spell with Al-Ahli in 2006.
“Everyone knows how much Saudi invested in the last couple of years and how much they will invest in the coming years. I am sure they will make it an unbelievable World Cup.
“I think this is going to be (an) amazing promotion of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East in general.”
It may only have been six months that Damjanovic spent in Saudi Arabia, at a different time in the Kingdom’s football development, but it clearly left an impact on him and the fans.
“I was just on loan there, and now when I look back I am really sorry that I didn’t stay longer,” he said.
“When I came back in 2013 (for the AFC Champions League quarterfinal) after six or seven years, still the fans welcomed me really nicely and the game was unbelievable.
“It’s really nice memories, and when I am with friends I am always speaking about (it). It’s really nice to have so many nice memories from ACL.”
Meanwhile, Roshan Rai was in the Kingdom in October to commentate on Saudi Arabia’s 0-0 draw with Bahrain, in what proved to be the last game of the Roberto Mancini era.
Having experienced firsthand the passion of the Saudi fans, not to mention the hospitality of the locals, the 39-year-old was left in no doubt about Saudi Arabia’s capacity to host the world’s biggest sporting event.
“They will be great hosts,” he said. “They’ve already been moving towards opening up the country for a while now and hosting big sporting and other events.
“They have the infrastructure in place and certainly have the resources to build on and improve on anything required to ensure that they can be the best host possible.
“From my own experiences there, the people have been warm, friendly and welcoming. I believe that will be the case as well once the World Cup comes around.”
He also spoke about the impact of hosting the World Cup. “Obviously in a football sense there are benefits … businesswise and so on there will be benefits.
“But from a human perspective there will also be a benefit to this. People might sometimes perceive things about certain places around the world. Stereotypes help us make sense of our world so it’s normal but it helps to challenge those stereotypes at times.
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel across the continent and world and have met with people from different cultures and backgrounds. There are many things in common that we have and also differences to celebrate, respect, discuss.
“There will be analysis and coverage of this event for a long time to come and that will put things under the spotlight and on the table for discussion, to work on things that need to be worked on by all parties.
“There is no perfect place on this planet, but an open mind and a willingness to learn about each other will go a long way towards our development as a species.”
