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.
Dortmund dream of shocking Real Madrid in Champions League final
https://arab.news/5a764
Dortmund dream of shocking Real Madrid in Champions League final
Amorim earns 1st Premier League win, Chelsea climb to 3rd place
- This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at United as they recovered from a slow start to dispatch lowly Everton
LONDON: Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim earned his first Premier League win with a 4-0 rout of Everton.
Chelsea climbed to third place with a 3-0 win against spluttering Aston Villa.
United were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in his first Premier League game last Sunday, before the Portuguese boss earned his maiden win with United in a 3-2 success against Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford in the Europa League on Thursday.
The 39-year-old, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, has warned United would “suffer for a long period” before they can expect to challenge for the title.
This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at United as they recovered from a slow start to dispatch lowly Everton.
United fans had gathered on the Old Trafford forecourt before kick-off to protest the clubs’ decision to increase ticket prices, displaying a banner with the slogan “Stop Exploiting Loyalty.”
If ninth-placed United are to justify those increases, they need a winning team and Amorim is taking steps in the right direction.
Marcus Rashford had scored the first goal of Amorim’s reign after just two minutes at Ipswich and he was on target again in the 34th minute against Everton.
Rashford’s drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite before flashing into the net.
United struck again seven minutes later as Amorim’s decision to select Zirkzee to lead the attack instead of Rasmus Hojlund.
Branthwaite lost possession to Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes teed up Joshua Zirkzee to convert with ease.
The much-maligned Netherlands striker’s second goal since his close-season move from Bologna ended a 17-game drought dating back to August.
Rashford underlined United’s superiority just 20 seconds after the interval as he applied a cool finish to Diallo’s incisive pass for his seventh goal this season.
Zirkee struck again in the 64th minute with a composed strike from the influential Diallo’s assist after shambolic Everton defending.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games as Villa’s dismal winless streak reached eight matches.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insisted this week that his young team are not title contenders in the first season of his rebuilding job.
But they look capable of at least securing Champions League qualification after a third successive win in the space of eight days moved them level on points with second-placed Arsenal.
The famous Champions League victory over Bayern Munich in October feels like a distant memory for 12th placed Villa, who have won only once in the Premier League since then.
Nicolas Jackson put Chelsea in front after just seven minutes with his eighth goal this season.
The Senegal striker met Marc Cucurella’s cross with a volley from eight yards that beat Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez via the near post.
Villa appealed in vain for a foul by Cucurella on Jaden Philogene in the build-up to the goal.
Enzo Fernandez added to Villa’s frustration in the 36th minute as the midfielder took a clever touch before firing home from 12 yards.
Cole Palmer grabbed his eighth goal this season with a superb finish from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.
Seventh-placed Tottenham’s top four hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fulham.
Brennan Johnson slotted Tottenham into the lead from Timo Werner’s 54th minute pass, but Tom Cairney curled Fulham’s equalizer into the far corner after 67 minutes.
Cairney was sent off with seven minutes left after his foul on Dejan Kulusevski was upgraded from referee Darren Bond’s initial yellow card to a red after VAR intervened.
Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga
- Leroy Sané fired the ball into the Dortmund wall of defenders and Michael Olize sent the loose ball back in for the unmarked Musiala
- It was the first goal Bayern conceded in eight games across all competitions
BERLIN: Jamal Musiala scored late to save Bayern Munich from their first Bundesliga loss of the season with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” on Saturday.
Musiala – Bayern’s best attacking threat after Harry Kane went off with a first-half injury – headed the equalizer in the 85th minute after a Bayern free kick.
Leroy Sané fired the ball into the Dortmund wall of defenders and Michael Olize sent the loose ball back in for the unmarked Musiala.
Jamie Gittens provided the highlight of the first half when he left Konrad Laimer in his wake and raced clear before blasting the ball past Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal in the 27th.
It was the first goal Bayern conceded in eight games across all competitions.
Kane went off with an apparent right hamstring injury shortly afterward.
Bayern mounted unrelenting pressure after the break with the Dortmund defenders increasingly content just to kick the ball away. The visitors kept pushing until Musiala duly scored.
Wirtz to the rescue
Florian Wirtz again made the difference for Bayer Leverkusen in a 2-1 win at Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso initially rested his star player, but sent Wirtz on for the last half-hour with the score 1-1. Wirtz duly whipped in a brilliant cross for Patrik Schick to score the winner with his chest in the 71st minute.
It was the third straight game that Wirtz has set up a goal in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig humiliated
Leipzig, already five games without a win across all competitions, were humiliated 5-1 at home by Wolfsburg, a defeat that left coach Marco Rose in a tenuous position at the energy drink-backed club.
Wolfsburg piled on the pressure with two goals in two minutes by the fifth minute, before Algerian forward Mohammed Amoura got his second in the 16th.
There were whistles from the home fans after the goals, and again at the break after their team failed to muster a response.
It got worse after the break with Joakim Maehle heading Wolfsburg’s fourth.
Leipzig captain Willi Orban urged his teammates to fight when he pulled one back in the 82nd, but Wolfsburg substitute Kevin Behrens had the final say in stoppage time.
Demirović double
Ermedin Demirović equalized twice for Stuttgart to draw at Werder Bremen 2-2, Freiburg won against visiting Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1, and Augsburg defeated last-placed Bochum 1-0 at home.
Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose
- Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday
- A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League
LONDON: Inspired by Bukayo Saka, Arsenal scored five goals in a wild first half at West Ham before settling for a 5-2 win that lifted the team into second place in the English Premier League in its bid to chase down Liverpool.
Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Kai Havertz netted the other goal for Arsenal in its biggest league victory this season.
Since returning from the international break, Arsenal has beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League, Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League and put another five goals past West Ham. The prolific run has coincided with the return to fitness of Odegaard, Arsenal’s playmaker and captain who missed two months with an ankle injury.
Arsenal trimmed the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of the leader’s home match against beleaguered Manchester City on Sunday. Arsenal has been beaten to the title by City in each of the last two seasons but might be wanting Pep Guardiola ‘s team to pull off a victory at Anfield.
Saka, especially, is benefitting from Odegaard’s presence. The England winger already has 10 assists for the campaign — having played 12 of Arsenal’s 13 games — along with five goals.
All of the goals in the match were in the first half. It’s just the fourth time since the Premier League began in 1992 that seven goals were scored in a game before halftime.
Van Nistelrooy’s task
A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League.
Leicester was beaten at Brentford 4-1 on Saturday, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach on Sunday after arriving as the replacement for the fired Steve Cooper.
Kevin Schade scored a hat trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for Brentford, which had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte’s 21st-minute opener.
Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in English soccer with Leicester in 16th place in the 20-team league and just one point above the relegation zone.
“We just had the messages last night (from Van Nistelrooy) when the appointment was made,” said Leicester first-team coach Ben Dawson, who took charge of the team against Brentford. “He wished everyone good luck and the plan is to catch up tomorrow at the training ground.”
Penalty record
Some history was made when Justin Kluivert converted a trio of penalties — in the third, 18th and 74th minutes — for Bournemouth in its 4-2 win at Wolverhampton. That had never been achieved before in a league game.
Kluivert said it was “amazing” to go into the history books but he was almost denied the opportunity.
“I was not completely sure I should allow him to take the third one,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said. “It is difficult I suppose, every time you shoot the first one, you give information to the keeper.”
Evanilson won each of the three penalties converted by Kluivert — and that was also a first in the Premier League.
Double blow
Newcastle lost Sweden striker Alexander Isak to a hip injury midway through the first half and then its lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Daniel Munoz scored the late equalizer to lift Palace out of the bottom three on goal difference.
“It’s an absolutely devastating blow for us,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said of giving up the late goal.
On Isak, Howe added: “It was a contact injury and not a muscle pull, which is good news for us. We hope he will recover quickly.”
Chris Wood smashed a penalty down the middle for his eighth goal of the season to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at home to Ipswich.
Barcelona lose at home for 1st time this season, falling 2-1 to Las Palmas
- Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick
- They have now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win
BARCELONA: Barcelona lost at home for the first time this season when the Spanish league leader were stunned 2-1 by Las Palmas on Saturday.
Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick and were flying high after convincing victories over Real Madrid in the domestic competition and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
They had won all eight home games overall.
But they have now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win. Prior to the loss to Las Palmas, they fell 1-0 at Real Sociedad and drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo.
Madrid, despite their own troubles especially in the Champions League, can now move ahead of Barcelona in the Spanish league. They trail Barcelona by four points with two games more to play.
Sandro Ramirez and Fábio Silva scored for the Canary Islands club on either side of Raphina’s equalizer.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal returned from a right ankle injury that had sidelined with for three weeks as a halftime substitute, but Jasper Cillessen saved his best shot. The Las Palmas goalkeeper also did well to palm a Raphinha free kick over his bar in the final minutes.
Mbappe’s problem is Real Madrid’s problem, says Ancelotti
- “Mbappe’s problem is the problem that we all have. The idea is to try to give our best version, not just of him but myself, other players,” Ancelotti told a news conference
- “It’s not a problem about one player”
MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday superstar striker Kylian Mbappe’s struggles this season are due to his team’s overall lack of consistency.
The French forward missed a penalty as Spanish and European champions Real Madrid lost on Wednesday in the Champions League against Liverpool, their third defeat in five matches in the competition.
Mbappe, who joined in the summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract, was criticized for his performance and has netted just two goals in his last nine games for Madrid.
“Mbappe’s problem is the problem that we all have. The idea is to try to give our best version, not just of him but myself, other players,” Ancelotti told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Getafe.
“It’s not a problem about one player, the problem that we have is one of a team that has not been capable of being consistent. It’s not a problem about one player.
“We have to try and improve that, do everything we can... among other things (Mbappe) is new here and adapting, among other things he’s scored eight goals and has participated in attack, giving assists.
“Yes he can play better, but we can all do better and we will try to.”
Mbappe was not included in the last two France squad lists and has also had off-field issues to deal with during his first months at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“He is absolutely not sunken, he knows he has to improve like we all do... he’s being scrutinized after the Liverpool game because he missed a penalty, like many of my players have,” continued Ancelotti.
The coach said the Liverpool defeat was partly due to losing players through injury, including Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao among others, but that Brazilian winger Rodrygo was fit to face Getafe.
Madrid, second, trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by four points, albeit having played one fewer match.
“I am like Mbappe, I am trying to give my best version,” said Ancelotti.
“Results say that I have not been capable of doing that. I’m not happy... but I’m convinced we will fix it, like we always fix it.”
