Bayern hit nine, Real Madrid and Liverpool triumph as new Champions League kicks off

Bayern Munich's French midfielder Michael Olise (R) celebrates scoring the 5-2 goal with his teammates during the UEFA Champions League football match FC Bayern Munich vs. GNK Dinamo Zagreb in Munich on Sept. 17, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 18 September 2024
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Bayern hit nine, Real Madrid and Liverpool triumph as new Champions League kicks off

  • UEFA, European football’s governing body, introduced the new format to ward off the threat of a breakaway Super League by the biggest clubs
  • Juventus beat PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in Turin, with Kenan Yildiz opening the scoring in some style

AFP PARIS: Bayern Munich became the first team to score nine goals in a game in the modern Champions League as the new format of Europe’s elite club competition kicked off on Tuesday, with title holders Real Madrid and Liverpool also among the winners.

Harry Kane scored four goals, including three penalties, as Vincent Kompany’s Bayern hammered Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 at the Allianz Arena.

Michael Olize scored twice on his Champions League debut, while Raphael Guerreiro, Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka were also on target for the home team in Germany.

Dinamo were 3-0 down at the break but scored twice in two minutes just after half-time to give the hosts a scare, with Bruno Petkovic and Takuya Ogiwara on target. But Bayern then scored six times from the 57th minute onwards.

“An amazing game, a bit of a crazy game,” Kane told broadcaster DAZN.

“It’s the first time I’ve scored three (penalties) in a game. That doesn’t happen at all really.”

Bayern had been the last team to score eight in a Champions League match, when they beat Barcelona 8-2 in the quarter-finals in 2020.

It was a remarkable way to mark the opening night of the brand-new Champions League, with the competition now featuring 36 teams all pooled together in one giant league instead of the old group stage.

Every participant now plays eight games against eight different opponents, with the top eight teams at the end of the league phase advancing automatically to the last 16.

Those finishing from ninth to 24th will go through to a play-off round to decide the remaining sides in the last 16, while the bottom 12 will be eliminated.

UEFA, European football’s governing body, introduced the new format to ward off the threat of a breakaway Super League by the biggest clubs, but it also hopes the changes will breathe new life into the competition.

There was plenty of excitement around the continent on Tuesday, with reigning champions Madrid made to work hard before beating VfB Stuttgart 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Kylian Mbappe marked his first game in the competition with Real by scoring the opening goal just after halftime.

However, Deniz Undav equalized midway through the second half for a Stuttgart side appearing in the Champions League for the first time since 2010.

Real nevertheless emerged victorious as Antonio Rudiger headed them back in front against his old side seven minutes from time, and Brazilian youngster Endrick got the third goal in stoppage time.

“I know I can do more, each game I feel better and now I’m scoring goals, and I’m happy here,” new signing Mbappe told broadcaster Movistar.

“What we know is that the Champions League has changed and it’s important to win quickly to see if we can qualify quickly or not.”

Liverpool marked their return to Europe’s top table by coming from behind to win 3-1 away to seven-time champions AC Milan in Italy.

Christian Pulisic gave Milan an early lead, but Ibrahima Konate equalized and Virgil van Dijk headed the away side in front before the interval. Dominik Szoboszlai then wrapped up the victory for Liverpool at San Siro.

Aston Villa enjoyed a 3-0 win away to Swiss champions Young Boys in Bern in their first ever match in the modern Champions League, 41 years after they last appeared in the old European Cup.

Youri Tielemans and Jacob Ramsey scored in the first half for the 1982 European champions, and Amadou Onana completed their victory late on.

Villa boss Unai Emery wanted his team to take three points as a tribute to the club’s former striker Gary Shaw, a member of their European Cup-winning side who died on Monday aged 63 after being injured in a fall.

“Forty-two years (ago) they achieved winning the Champions League. We want to try and follow what that team achieved,” Emery said.

Elsewhere Juventus beat PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in Turin, with Kenan Yildiz opening the scoring in some style and Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez also netting. Ismael Saibari pulled one back.

Portuguese champions Sporting beat Lille 2-0 at home, with impressive Swedish striker Viktor Gyoekeres on target before a Zeno Debast piledriver. The French side had Angel Gomes sent off.

The action continues on Wednesday, including a rematch of the 2023 final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.


Sports City Stadium in Lebanon springs back to life after years of disuse

Updated 11 sec ago
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Sports City Stadium in Lebanon springs back to life after years of disuse

  • Several leading political figures watch Beirut derby between Premier League football teams Nejmeh and Al-Ansar, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
  • The reopening of the stadium sends ‘message to athletes that your dreams are safe,’ says sports minister

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium sprang back to life on Friday after five years of disuse, as it hosted a Beirut derby match between Lebanese Premier League football teams Nejmeh and Al-Ansar.

Several leading political figures and other officials were among the crowd watching the game, which took place under the patronage of President Joseph Aoun and ended in a 1-1 draw.

One of them was Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who gave the signal to kick off the match at 4.45 p.m. local time. Others included Nora Bayrakdarian, minister of youth and sports; MP Wadah Al-Sadek; MP Nabil Badr, who is is also the president of Al-Ansar; and Hachem Haidar, president of the Lebanese Football Association. Their presence was seen as a clear indication of the new government’s commitment to engagement with and support for sports.

Bayrakdarian said of the renovated stadium, which was severely damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion: “This is a unifying national symbol that has hosted international and national matches, uniting the Lebanese under one banner, far removed from divisions.”

The repair and reopening of the multiuse venue sends a “message to athletes that your dreams are safe, and to young people that you are a priority,” she added.

Ibrahim Zaazaa, a former Nejmeh player and coach, told Arab News: “This is an unprecedented achievement for Lebanese football. I hope such initiatives are applied across all other stadiums. It’s a great step for sports in general and football in particular.”

He thanked sporting and administrative authorities for their hard work to renovate and reopen the stadium at a time “when Lebanese football needs a distinguished renaissance to restore its glitziness and reputation,” in particular “through the most prominent competitors in the history of Lebanese football, Nejmeh and Al-Ansar.”

Abdel Fattah Chehab, a former player for Al-Ansar and the Lebanese national team, said the reopening of the stadium was a “step forward after years of abandonment.”

He called for similar projects to renovate and refurbish all stadiums in the country added: “I am 100 percent sure that such initiatives are important to develop the standard of Lebanese footballers.

“The fact that the two powerhouses (with the biggest fan bases) are the ones playing such an important game in this giant sporting complex following the major overhaul … will benefit football and footballers.”

Toufic Al-Turk, a fan of Nejmeh, said: “It is a great moment to see Beirut’s Sports City Stadium reopen and host the special derby between Nejmeh and Al-Ansar. This brings new energy to Lebanese football and gives a strong push to the whole sporting scene in Lebanon.”

Thousands of supporters of both clubs attended the match. Political chants could be heard coming from a small section of the fans.

In a message posted on social media platform X after the game, Prime Minister Salam said: “It was with great pleasure that I participated in bringing life back to Camille Chamoun Sports City, where sporting activities once again embody the spirit of unity and brotherhood among all.

“Sports are not just competition; they are a bridge that unites people of all affiliations, removing barriers and strengthening bonds of love and peace.”

Sports City Stadium, which has a capacity of 49,500 and is mostly used for football matches, was built in 1957 but completely destroyed during the 1982 invasion by Israel. Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri initiated a project to rebuild it in preparation to host the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. The rebuilt venue also hosted the 1997 Pan Arab Games, the 1999 Arab Athletics Championship and, in April 2017, a Barcelona Legends vs. Real Madrid Legends football match. On Feb. 23 this year it was used for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.


Chicago Bulls legend Toni Kukoc hails ‘phenomenal’ move to bring EuroLeague Final Four to Abu Dhabi 

Updated 17 min 35 sec ago
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Chicago Bulls legend Toni Kukoc hails ‘phenomenal’ move to bring EuroLeague Final Four to Abu Dhabi 

  • Only second time in EuroLeague history the Final Four will be taking place outside of Europe

ABU DHABI: On the 25th anniversary edition of the EuroLeague, the organization is widening its horizons by staging its Final Four in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

This is just the second time in EuroLeague history that the Final Four will be taking place outside of Europe, and given the games in the UAE capital have already sold out, it promises to be an unforgettable showcase of elite basketball.

The fight for European basketball’s ultimate prize tips-off at Etihad Arena on Friday evening, with Fenerbahce taking on defending champions Panathinaikos (7 p.m. local time), before Olympiacos square off with Monaco (10 p.m.).

Three-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP and three-time NBA champion Toni Kukoc is in town promoting the event, and he kicked-off his Friday with a friendly round of golf with UAE pro Ismail Sharif at Yas Acres Golf and Country Club.

Arab News caught up with the Croatian Chicago Bulls legend to discuss the EuroLeague’s debut in Abu Dhabi, his thoughts on the globalization of the game of basketball, and lots more.

Welcome back to Abu Dhabi. What do you think it means for the EuroLeague to take this unprecedented step and stage its Final Four in the Gulf region for the first time?

Like every other sport, you can’t call it European, you can’t mention it as a national thing. Every sport is global, so I think it’s great for the fans and you have fans all over the world. And for them to have a chance to see their favorite guys live and then get to the games and maybe get the chance to talk to them, get autographs and then take pictures, I think it’s awesome. I think it’s something special.

In my days, I was fortunate enough to play all over the world and you don’t actually know how many fans you have around the world until you meet them. And playing for the Bulls for a long time, we had this one wall that they kept letters and pictures from around the world and it would really be amazing to see pictures from like Tibet or somewhere in Africa or somewhere in Russia or Australia being a Bulls fan.

So for them to get the chance to maybe see us play somewhere close to them was phenomenal. And I think it’s the same thing here. I don’t see why would (a) European League be just bound to be played over there if they have a chance to play here.

How do you see this globalization of basketball has impacted the sport?

Talking centuries ago back, you had maybe three or four powerhouses that you knew, they’re going to be in the semifinals and finals of the Olympics, of the World Championships, and things like that. But nowadays, if a national team has a good generation, they have a chance to win Olympics, to play in the finals of the World Championships. Which we saw in Paris last year. (The) France team almost beat (the) US. Serbia almost beat (the) US. So basketball got much closer, much better everywhere.

And I think it’s great for the game of basketball. It’s great for the fans. And it’s just a testament that a lot of guys are going to the NBA and trying to see how good they are.

When I went there, very few of us went there and we didn’t know if we’re going to be good enough to make it. Now people go there with the idea that they can be the MVPs, they can win championships, they can have a main role in their teams. So basketball just got way better.

You went from playing for Benetton Treviso in Italy to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA back in 1993. Was it easy for you to feel like you belonged there when you first arrived in the US?

We talked about that with the Yugoslavian national team, because a bunch of us, five, maybe six of us, got drafted by really good basketball teams.

So we’re talking the teams that were deep in the playoffs, the teams that were winning championships. Dino (Radja) was drafted by the Boston Celtics. Drazen (Petrovic) was drafted by Portland.

Vlade (Divac) was drafted by the (Los Angeles) Lakers. I was drafted by the Bulls. But we knew, because we played a few games against US junior teams during the World Games. So we had a chance to play against ... Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Gary Payton, the guys that became a future of the NBA, All-Stars, Hall-of-Famers. So comparing to our age, we knew that we were good enough. But you never know.

So once, let’s say, we broke that barrier and we went there and started playing for the teams and getting the minutes and getting into starting lineups and all that, we proved that the basketball is played everywhere, that everybody can play in the NBA.

Right now, guys are going over there, they get accepted right away, with the knowledge of how good of a player they are.

When I went to the Bulls, nobody but maybe Jerry Krause and one scout saw me and talked to me and then saw me play. Right now, you had a chance, for Luka Doncic, to see him as a 15-year-old because you can turn on YouTube and see all his games. So the other guys, and they have a better understanding (of) how good these players are. So they give them a chance right away as soon as they get there.

You were on a superstar Bulls team that had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. You played a selfless brand of basketball, and came off the bench to save the day in whichever role was needed on the day. You were extremely successful at that.

When you see now how there are big teams where the central star is European, do you imagine if you were playing now, would you have played a different style of basketball?  

Well, the style did change. I was maybe one of the first ones to do that style of play, the tall guy that can shoot threes, that can play outside. I learned actually to play a post up position in the NBA because my position was occupied by two not bad players, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. So I needed, in order to get my minutes, playing minutes, I had to learn how to play other positions.

But once I did that, it was really easy to implement me in because I can play any of five positions. So it’s perfect for the guys coming from Europe because the basketball is taught that way in Europe, that regardless of your height, you need to learn fundamentals of the game. The shoot, pass, dribble, play inside, outside.

I said that yesterday in some interview, if you can pick a team that you can have a point guard on each position, I would probably have Tony Parker being a point guard playmaker, then Luka Doncic or Drazen Petrovic, for that matter, who is a two-guard playmaker. Maybe myself, maybe Giannis Antetokounmpo playing a point guard three position. Then you have Pau Gasol or Dirk Nowitzki, the guys that can play point guard four position. And obviously, you can have Nikola Jokic or maybe Sabonis that can play a five position point guard. And I don’t know who can beat a team like that.

That’s why I say that the Bulls, at the time, it was my favorite and it still is my favorite offense, the triangle offense, because five guys can go everywhere on a court. They just have to know and be together and be synchronized. But especially when you get Michael, Scottie, Dennis, (Ron) Harper, myself, Steve (Kerr), Luke (Longley), when you have guys that understand and appreciate each other and they know their individual roles in a team, it was a pleasure to play.

No one has gone back-to-back in the NBA for a while now, since the (Golden State) Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and I’m just wondering if you look at the Chicago team you played on, the way you guys were able to dominate year after year; if you put them in today’s game, do you think they could dominate?

It’s hard. I mean, it’s hard because every year you have new young guys coming in. Maybe it’s easier these days to create a team that three guys want to play together, and they demand trades and they say, I just want to go here or I don’t want to go there.

And then, let’s say right now, there’s a chance, for example, that LeBron leaves or stays, but Lakers get Jokic or Antetokounmpo, or both of them. Who’s going to beat that team? I mean, who has a chance to beat that team? Or, for example, Jokic goes to OKC (Oklahoma City Thunder). Who’s going to beat that team?

But at the same time, you have all these young guys, new guys. Again, if you bring Jokic to San Antonio and you put him with Victor Wembanyama, who’s going to beat that team? There are so many options, so many chances. I’m just glad that basketball is on that level, that it’s appreciated, that it’s nice to watch.

The players have been amazing. People were talking about how bad the season is, how the basketball is not really watchable, this and that. But whoever watches this year’s playoffs, has got to be more than happy with the games they saw.

Where do you think Giannis (Antetokounmpo) will end up if he leaves the Bucks?

I hope they all go to the Bulls. I would really, really love all of them to come to the Bulls.

I’m a part of the Bulls. I shouldn’t probably say that because I work for the Bulls, but it would be nice to see great basketball.


All eyes on Saudi Yelo League as promotion playoff drama begins

Updated 23 May 2025
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All eyes on Saudi Yelo League as promotion playoff drama begins

  • With Neom and Al-Najma already sealing their top-flight status via automatic promotion, four other clubs are set to battle for the third and final slot

RIYADH: The inaugural Yelo League playoffs kick off on Friday, bringing fresh excitement to the race for promotion to the Saudi Pro League.

With Neom and Al-Najma already sealing their top-flight status via automatic promotion, four other clubs are set to battle for the third and final slot in this newly introduced post-season format.

Al-Hazm, Al-Adalah, Al-Bukayriyah and Al-Tai have earned their playoff places after finishing third, fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively in the season standings.

Al-Tai stepped in for fourth-placed Al-Jabalain, who were disqualified for failing to meet the Roshn League’s club licensing criteria.

Al-Adalah face Al-Bukayriyah in Al-Ahsa, while Al-Hazm host Al-Tai in Al-Rass.

Both Al-Hazm and Al-Tai are aiming for immediate redemption, hoping to bounce straight back up to the SPL after suffering relegation at the end of the 2023–24 campaign.


Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

Updated 23 May 2025
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Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

  • Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain

LONDON: England manager Thomas Tuchel insists Ivan Toney “deserves” his surprise recall for the forthcoming internationals against Andorra and Senegal.
It is a first call-up for the 29-year-old since he left Brentford to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli last August.
Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.
“Ivan deserves to be with us, I think, and I’m convinced because he scored over 20 goals this season,” Tuchel said.
“He won a major title with the Asian Champions League, in goals and assists made a huge contribution.
“I thought, why not bring him over and let him travel to us? It’s a good occasion now to also test new players, see new players, meet Ivan first and see him in the environment.”
Tuchel has also given a first senior call-up to Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.
The Sierra Leone-born Chalobah has played 32 times for Chelsea this season as they chase Champions League qualification and target victory over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday.
“He played a fantastic second half of the season with Chelsea. He is very, very consistent on a very high level,” Tuchel said.
Manchester City star Phil Foden was left out just days after opening up about his mental health struggles.
Foden, who is struggling with an ankle injury, revealed his mental state has suffered throughout a difficult season for the forward.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was selected despite reports that he needs surgery on a shoulder problem after the Club World Cup.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher are among eight players in the squad who will also be involved in the Club World Cup in the United States.
England face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona on June 7 before a friendly with Senegal in Nottingham three days later.
The Club World Cup starts just five days after England’s second game of the international break.
“I could see the reasons for the players who go to the Club World Cup to maybe leave a bit earlier, to maybe change the squad,” Tuchel said.
“We had a good discussion over if we nominate the squad without Club World Cup players.
“Very quickly we understood that it’s also important for us. It’s only one year to go until the World Cup.
“So why send players away? We want to cherish and worship every day that we have together, and what signal will be sent to the group to send players away?“
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka are back in the international fold after injuries ruled them out of England’s wins over Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers in March.
There was no place again for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, with Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke and West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen also left out.


Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

Updated 23 May 2025
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Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

  • Pedro did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool
  • “With Joao we had a small issue in training,” Huerzeler told reporters

LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion will be without their joint top-scorer Joao Pedro when they visit Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with manager Fabian Huerzeler saying the Brazil striker has been left out due to a “small issue in training.”

Pedro, who equals Danny Welbeck with 10 league goals this season, did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool, with a report by The Athletic later attributing the 23-year-old’s absence to an altercation he had with a teammate during training.

“With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time in all football clubs. We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed,” Huerzeler told reporters on Friday.

“Joao is an incredible football player. He is a match winner for us. That’s why we invested in him. But there are principles, there are values... they are non-negotiable.

“Joao is still a young player, and (there’s) still a lot of potential that he will grow. I’m sure he’ll learn from this and come back stronger next season.”

Pedro last played for Brighton on April 19, when he was sent off for flicking his hand into Brentford defender Nathan Collins’ face during a 4-2 loss, an act which got him a three-match suspension for violent conduct.

With ninth-placed Brentford three points below Brighton, a draw at Spurs will ensure Huerzeler’s men finish eighth, which could earn them a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League provided some other results go their way.