PARIS: Chelsea duo N’Golo Kante and Jorginho have been shortlisted for the UEFA men’s player of the year prize for the 2020/21 season alongside Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, European football’s governing body announced on Thursday.
The winner will be revealed at a ceremony in Istanbul next Thursday, August 26, when the draw for this season’s Champions League will also take place.
Midfield duo Jorginho and Kante both starred as Chelsea beat De Bruyne’s City 1-0 in the Champions League final in Porto in May. Jorginho then helped Italy win Euro 2020.
The shortlist was selected by a jury composed of the coaches of the 24 national teams who took part in Euro 2020, 80 coaches of the clubs which played in the group stages of last season’s Champions League and Europa League, as well as one journalist from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations.
Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel was shortlisted for the coach prize along with Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to European Championship glory.
The three players on the shortlist for the women’s prize are Jennifer Hermoso, Lieke Martens and Alexia Putellas, all of whom won the Champions League with Barcelona.
Lluis Cortes of the Catalan club was listed for the women’s coach award along with Peter Gerhardsson, who won the Olympic silver medal with Sweden, and Emma Hayes of Chelsea, English Women’s Super League champions and Champions League runners-up.
The women’s awards were voted for by the coaches of clubs who reached the last 16 of the women’s Champions League and coaches of the top 12 women’s national teams, along with a panel of journalists.
Champions League winners Kante, Jorginho shortlisted for UEFA prize
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Champions League winners Kante, Jorginho shortlisted for UEFA prize
- The winner will be revealed at a ceremony in Istanbul next Thursday when the draw for this season's Champions League will also take place
- Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel was shortlisted for the coach prize along with Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Italy’s Roberto Mancini
Fluminense begin Club World Cup with goalless draw against Dortmund
Dortmund struggled to get a foothold in the match with no shots on goal in the first half
NEW JERSEY: Fluminense held Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw in their Group F Club World Cup opener in New Jersey on Tuesday, as the Brazilian side were left to rue missed chances at MetLife Stadium.
Fluminense were firmly in control against the Bundesliga side in the first half but Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel produced a handful of superb saves to frustrate the Brazilian team in front of a crowd mostly in their favor.
After Dortmund struggled to get a foothold in the match with no shots on goal in the first half, Kobel did his part with a remarkable double-save midway through the second half and frantic late efforts from both sides went unrewarded.
Flag-waving Fluminense fans arrived early and cheered wildly as their team applied early pressure, with winger Jhon Arias’s shot toward the top corner saved by Kobel in the 17th minute.
Fluminense midfielder Martinelli missed by inches in the 34th minute and Kobel saved another fine attempt from Arias two minutes later.
Kobel kept out Fluminense striker Everaldo’s powerful shot from outside the box in the 69th minute and leapt to block a follow-up effort from midfielder Nonato moments later.
As scorching heat in the United States prompted concerns about welfare across the tournament, players were treated to overcast skies and mild temperatures in front of a modest crowd of 34,736 in the roughly 82,000 capacity NFL stadium.
Dortmund will next play Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati, while Fluminense will return to MetLife to face Ulsan HD on Saturday.
Atmosphere for Chelsea’s Club World Cup opener a bit strange, says Maresca
- “It was a good match, a good performance,” Maresca told reporters
- “I think the environment was a bit strange. The stadium was almost empty. Not full“
LOS ANGELES: Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said the atmosphere at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was “a bit strange” as his side began their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC in front of swathes of empty seats.
The multi-purpose stadium has a 71,000 capacity but Monday’s group stage match, which kicked-off at 3 p.m., attracted little over 22,000 spectators.
Atlanta is over 2,000 miles (3,220 km) away from Los Angeles, where Major League Soccer club LAFC are based.
“It was a good match, a good performance,” Maresca told reporters. “I think the environment was a bit strange. The stadium was almost empty. Not full.”
The Italian expected more fans to be in attendance when they take on Brazilian side Flamengo at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday.
“We prepared for this game also thinking that the environment was a bit different,” Maresca said.
“But no doubt that the next one will be a nice one because we know that the Brazilian team, they always bring many, many fans. So we will try to be ready for the next one.”
Maresca was asked about what impact he expects from forward Liam Delap, who joined the club for around 30 million pounds from Ipswich Town ($40.73 million) on a six-year deal.
Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu are already options for the number nine shirt at Chelsea but the 22-year-old Englishman wasted no time in showcasing his potential, setting up Enzo Fernandez for their second goal on Monday.
“I am curious to see how Nico reacts (to Delap),” said Maresca. “He competed with Guiu, who is very young, during the season. They are both good number nines.”
Chelsea are level with Flamengo at the top of the group after the Brazilians beat Esperance de Tunis 2-0.
Saudi-owned Field of Gold sparkles on opening day of Royal Ascot
- Colin Keane made light of the pressure of being recently appointed first jockey for the Saudi owners Juddmonte Farms
LONDON: Field of Gold put to bed who is the best three-year-old colt over a mile as the Irish 2000 Guineas winner eased to victory in the St. James’s Palace Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
Colin Keane made light of the pressure of being recently appointed first jockey for the Saudi owners Juddmonte as he surged clear halfway down the straight on the favorite in front of packed stands on a baking hot day.
Keane’s predecessor Kieran Shoemark had lost the job after what was judged, by the father and son training duo John and Thady Gosden, to be a poor ride in finishing second behind Ruling Court in the English 2000 Guineas in May.
This time round Keane made no mistake and had four lengths to spare over French 2000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse with another four lengths back to Ruling Court.
“Good horses make it easy,” said Keane.
“I do not know when three Guineas winners last clashed in this but my word he was good.”
His impressive performance came a few hours after the day’s traditional opening Royal Procession, celebrating its 200th anniversary, with King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the lead carriage.
One of those in the carriages, the Duke of Wellington, was a nod to the first one as his ancestor Napoleon Bonaparte’s nemesis accompanied George IV in 1825.
Green Falcons resume training before facing US in Texas
- Saudi national team are part of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Squad is split into two groups for training
SAN DIEGO: Saudi Arabia’s national football team resumed training in San Diego on Monday ahead of Thursday’s match against the USA in Austin, Texas.
The Green Falcons arrived in Los Angeles last week to take part in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, hosted by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.
Coach Herve Renard divided the squad into two groups. The first was made up of squad members who played in the match against Haiti on Sunday, with training including recovery exercises in the hotel gym. The remaining players took part in a warm-up followed by passing training, games and stretching exercises at the San Diego Performance Center.
An MRI scan revealed that Hassan Kadesh has sustained a hamstring injury. He is currently undergoing treatment under the supervision of medical staff. Teammate Muhannad Al-Saad is also continuing his rehabilitation program.
The Green Falcons leave San Diego on Tuesday afternoon local time to travel to Austin, where they will continue match preparations with a closed training session at St Edward’s University.
Saudi Arabia are riding on a wave of success after their victory against Haiti, when Saleh Al-Shehri’s 21st-minute penalty kick gave his team a 1-0 win in CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A.
Samsonova downs Osaka in Berlin WTA first round
- Samsonova’s victory sets up a last 16 clash with American world number three Jessica Pegula on Wednesday
- Osaka broke her opponent twice in the opening set
BERLIN: Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova came from a set down to beat Naomi Osaka 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the first round of the Berlin Open WTA event on Tuesday.
The world number 20, who won the tournament in 2021, took two hours and 36 minutes to get past the four-time Grand Slam winner.
Samsonova’s victory sets up a last 16 clash with American world number three Jessica Pegula on Wednesday.
Osaka broke her opponent twice in the opening set but Samsonova held her serve in the second before winning a tie break, winning the final four points.
Both exchanged breaks in the final set before the Russian 26-year-old broke a second time, putting her on track for victory.
Osaka’s defeat is the latest setback in the former world number one’s comeback since returning from maternity leave last year.
Osaka was also defeated in the first round of the French Open.
This is the fourth meeting between the two since Osaka returned to the circuit at the beginning of 2024, with the ledger standing at two wins each.
One of the oldest women’s tournaments in the world, the Berlin Open switched from clay to grass courts in 2021 and has since become a popular warm-up event for Wimbledon, which starts at the end of the month.
Later on Tuesday, world number four Qinwen Zheng faces 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
The top four seeds at the tournament, including French Open finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, along with Pegula and Jasmine Paolini, all enter at the last 16 stage on Wednesday.
