Energized by a change of manager and another opportunistic finish by Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a game to spare on Tuesday.
Another newly appointed coach sill has work to do, though, to get Barcelona into the last 16.
United was led for the first time by Michael Carrick following the weekend firing of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and, just like his predecessor, the interim manager was left to be thankful for a goal by the Champions League’s record scorer.
Ronaldo produced a sublime lobbed finish to put United ahead against Villarreal and a 90th-minute strike by Jadon Sancho — his first goal since joining for $100 million in the offseason — sealed a 2-0 win to secure progress as the winner of Group F. Ronaldo has scored in all five group games so far, and now has a record-extending 140 Champions League goals in his career.
Another English team, defending champion Chelsea, also advanced on the back of a 4-0 win over already-qualified Juventus, which slumped to its heaviest ever loss in the Champions League. With Liverpool also qualified and Manchester City likely to join them, the Premier League will again be well represented in the knockout stage.
Barcelona, now coached by former star midfielder Xavi Hernandez, has advanced from its group every season for almost two decades but a 0-0 draw at home to Benfica means the Spanish club might need to beat Bayern Munich in the final round of games to advance.
All four teams in Group G are separated by three points and could still qualify heading into their last games after wins for Lille and Sevilla over Salzburg and Wolfsburg, respectively.
Ronaldo had already scored two winners and a late equalizer in the Champions League this season before his smartly taken go-ahead goal against Villarreal in the 78th minute, prompted by Fred winning the ball high up the field.
And both Fred and Ronaldo featured in a counterattack that ended with Sancho smashing a shot in off the underside of the crossbar to seal the win.
Carrick made a big call in his first game in charge by dropping playmaker Bruno Fernandes in a bid to set up in a more solid fashion and protect a defense that has been overrun this season. It led to a first clean sheet of the group stage.
More joy was to follow as Atalanta’s wild 3-3 draw at Young Boys meant United cannot be displaced as group leader courtesy of its superior head-to-head record against Villarreal, which is three points back in second place.
Atalanta, which is a point further back, grabbed a point thanks to Luis Muriel’s 87th-minute free kick with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.
It was a bittersweet night for Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel.
The thrashing of Juventus, achieved courtesy of goals by academy graduates Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi as well as a fourth by substitute Timo Werner, was marred by knee injuries to key players N’Golo Kante and Ben Chilwell.
Kante went off in the first half while Chilwell looked in agony as he was helped off the field in the 71st.
Chelsea and Juventus, who are tied on 12 points with a game left to play, both started an American in Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, respectively. They were two of six Americans to start Tuesday, a record in one night of group play.
Zenit St. Petersburg is assured of finishing third and going into the Europa League knockout stage after drawing 1-1 at Malmo, which will end the group stage in last place but at least has a goal to show for its efforts.
Barcelona missed a string of chances at the Camp Nou and stayed two points ahead of Benfica.
If Barca fails to beat Bayern away, Benfica could overtake the Spanish club with a win at home to already-eliminated Dynamo Kyiv. If they finish tied on points, Benfica would advance courtesy of their head-to-head record.
Helping Barca is the fact that Bayern has little to play for — except, maybe, the chance to knock out a historic rival, albeit one that has lost its aura following the departure of Lionel Messi and other big-name players amid financial problems.
Bayern had already qualified for the last 16 before its 2-1 win at Dynamo Kyiv and the result secured the German champions first place in the group.
Robert Lewandowski — with an overhead kick — and Kingsley Coman scored the goals for a threadbare Bayern squad missing nine players, with seven unavailable because either they tested positive for the coronavirus or were unvaccinated and had contact with a positive case.
Lille moved top of its group after Canada striker Jonathan David scored his 12th goal of the season to seal a 1-0 win over Salzburg, which dropped a point back in second.
Sevilla jumped into third place, above Wolfsburg, with a 2-0 victory over the German team thanks to goals by Joan Jordán and Rafa Mir.
In the final games, Wolfsburg hosts Lille and Salzburg is at home to Sevilla.
Man United, Chelsea advance in Champions League; Barcelona made to wait
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Man United, Chelsea advance in Champions League; Barcelona made to wait
- Chelsea and Juventus, who are tied on 12 points with a game left to play
Novak Djokovic beats Alexander Zverev to set up a semifinal showdown with Jannik Sinner
- Djokovic proved too much for No. 3 seed Zverev, a man who’s a decade younger and was last year’s runner-up at Roland-Garros, and set up a semifinal against No. 1 Jannik Sinner
PARIS: A crucial moment arrived more than 2 1/2 hours into Novak Djokovic’s 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 French Open quarterfinal victory over Alexander Zverev. It was the fourth set, and Djokovic led, but Zverev was in possession of a break point and a chance to get back into Wednesday’s match.
They engaged in a 41-stroke exchange, the longest of a buggy and breezy night, and Djokovic came out on top, smacking a forehand winner. He stayed in place afterward, breathing heavily, with hands on hips, scanning the standing ovation from thousands of Court Philippe-Chatrier spectators.
Djokovic might be 38 now. He might have slogged through a pair of three-match losing skids this season and slid to No. 6 in the rankings. What hasn’t changed is Djokovic’s determination or his ability to be his best on big stages — and now he’s two wins from a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic proved too much for No. 3 seed Zverev, a man who’s a decade younger and was last year’s runner-up at Roland-Garros, and set up a semifinal against No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Earlier Wednesday, Sinner continued his overpowering run through the bracket by dismissing Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. Sinner not only hasn’t dropped a set so far, but he has ceded a total of only 36 games through five matches.
So Friday will bring a tantalizing showdown between someone many consider the top player in tennis history, Djokovic, and someone who is at the top of the men’s game at the moment, Sinner. Djokovic and Sinner are tied 4-4 in their head-to-head series, but Sinner has won the last three matchups.
No one has spent more weeks at No. 1 in the rankings than Djokovic. No one has won more major championships or reached more major semifinals than his total that now stands at 51 after becoming the second-oldest man to get that far in Paris.
Sinner, 23, has won three of the past five Grand Slam titles. That includes last year’s US Open and this year’s Australian Open, so his unbeaten streak at majors is now at 19 matches. He’s also won his last 26 sets at those events.
“He’s playing fast. He’s playing smart,” Bublik said. “He’s in another dimension with all the aspects of the game.”
Also an apt description for Djokovic, who repeatedly used drop shots to great effect against Zverev.
As for Sinner, no one other than Carlos Alcaraz has been able to beat him in his last 48 matches, a stretch that dates to last August. Sinner is 46-2 in that span, with both defeats coming against the French Open’s defending champion.
And as it happens, No. 2 Alcaraz is still around. He will meet No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti in Friday’s other semifinal.
There were some distractions in Djokovic vs. Zverev, including a bunch of tiny flying insects that the players kept trying to swat away and a back-and-forth between the chair umpire and some fans in the fourth set.
Needless to say, Djokovic handled it all much better. He also was superior in pretty much every way with the ball in play.
He was broken in the very first game — and then not again.
He broke Zverev four times — no small feat against a guy who had been broken a total of five times in his five previous matches.
And Djokovic’s 29 unforced errors were far fewer than the 44 for Zverev.
It took Djokovic five match points to wrap this one up, and when he did, his face morphed from concentration to as wide a smile as can be.
The last time these two played each other was in the Australian Open semifinals in January, and Djokovic had to quit after one set because of an injured hamstring. The last time Djokovic played at the French Open, 12 months ago, he had to withdraw before the quarterfinals because he tore the meniscus in his right knee and needed surgery.
He sure looks in good shape at the moment.
Al-Hilal name former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi as new coach
RIYADH: Saudi giants Al-Hilal announced on Thursday Simone Inzaghi as their new head coach, filling the role vacated by Jorge Jesus who the club fired last month.
The announcement was made in a video posted to the club’s X account shortly after midnight.
“My name is Simone Inzaghi. And today begins my story with Al-Hilal,” he says at the end of the 40 second clip that shows him doing up his shoes, putting on his watch, and adjusting his tie, while wearing his customary black suit.
Inzaghi’s Inter Milan team suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of PSG in Saturday’s Champions League final, prompting the Italian to step down.
He joined Inter in 2021 and won 141 of the 217 games he lead the team. He was at Serie A rivals Lazio for about 5 years before taking over at Inter.
Al-Hilal parted ways with Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus at the start of May, after leading the Riyadh team to 83 wins in 105 games in his second stint with the club.
The Riyadh club finished second, 8 points behind Al-Ittihad, failing to retain their title as the kings of the Saudi football.
Inzaghi first order of business will be in the US, where Al-Hilal will join the best teams in the world, including the 49-year-old’s former side Inter, to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Al-Hilal are drawn in Group H with Real Madrid, Pachuca, and Salzburg.
Chelsea win race to sign Ipswich striker Delap
LONDON: Chelsea beat off competition from Premier League rivals to sign English striker Liam Delap from Ipswich on Wednesday for a reported fee of £30 million ($41 million)
Delap, 22, scored 12 Premier League goals during his sole season at Portman Road but could not prevent Ipswich making an immediate return to the Championship.
Manchester United and Everton were also reportedly willing to meet the buyout clause in the England under-21 international’s contract.
But Chelsea have won the race for the former Manchester City forward, bolstering their attacking options ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States, starting later this month.
“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” said Delap, who has signed a six-year contract, in a Chelsea statement.
“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”
The Blues finished fourth in the Premier League and will return to the Champions League next season after a two-year absence.
And Enzo Maresca’s men last week beat Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League final to secure a trophy in the Italian manager’s first season in charge.
In mid-December Chelsea were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool before hitting a rocky patch.
They finished the season strongly, securing a top-five spot on the final day of the season but were hamstrung by their lack of a clinical number nine.
Senegal international Nicolas Jackson scored just 10 times in 30 Premier League appearances, while Christopher Nkunku looks set to leave the club after an underwhelming two-year spell.
Delap, the son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, began his career at Manchester City but struggled to break into Pep Guardiola’s star-studded first team.
After loan spells in the second tier with Stoke, Preston and Hull, he was snapped up by Ipswich in a deal worth up to £20 million after they won promotion to the Premier League a year ago.
Delap was one of the few success stories for the Tractor Boys during a difficult season as they were relegated back to the Championship with just 22 points.
Chelsea will face Flamengo, LAFC and ES Tunis in the group stages of the Club World Cup, which gets underway on June 14.
Emmy-winning director R. J. Cutler’s docuseries ‘Esports World Cup: Level Up’ starts June 6
- The 5-part series on Prime Video takes a behind-the-scenes look at the inaugural Esports World Cup, an 8-week, $60m competition in Riyadh in 2024
- ‘What drew me to the EWC was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena,’ Cutler says
RIYADH: “Esports World Cup: Level Up,” a new, five-part documentary series from Emmy-winning director R. J. Cutler begins on Jun. 6 on Prime Video, with new episodes released weekly.
It offers viewers a look behind the scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup that took place in Riyadh in 2024. Described as a defining moment in global electronic sports, with more than $60 million in prize money up for grabs, it ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to land the title of the world’s top esports club.
The makers of the series, which is produced by This Machine, part of Sony Pictures Television, describe it as a rare look inside a global competition that is redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans.
They said Cutler and his team embedded themselves at the eight-week tournament, which was watched by more 500 million fans worldwide, to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and high stakes driving the digital action.
Shot in cinema verite style, with minimal interference from the filmmakers, the series reportedly combines visits to the homes of competitors around the world with on-the-ground coverage of the event. It follows a wide range of participants, from club CEOs attempting to orchestrate million-dollar strategies, to rising stars chasing a life-changing win.
“What drew me to the EWC was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena,” Cutler said.
“‘Level Up’ isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
“Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million but who also expose their humanity in the process.”
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “A win might make the headlines but the real story is the people behind it.
“’Level Up’ dives into the human side of e-sports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level and why it matters. R. J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building.”
Cutler’s previous work includes the 2009 documentary movie “The September Issue,” about American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team as they prepare to publish a particularly significant edition of the magazine, and films about celebrities including Marlon Brando, John Belushi, Billie Eilish, Elton John and Martha Stewart.
Bahrain game ‘crucial’ for Saudi World Cup qualification hopes, says coach Herve Renard
- With 2 games left to play in 3rd round of the qualifiers and the Green Falcons sitting 3rd in Group C, he warns that 6 points are a ‘must’
- The squad’s final preparations are going well, he adds, with a renewed spirit and clear determination among the players to perform well
MANAMA: Saudi Arabia’s match against Bahrain on Thursday is “crucial” to their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, coach Herve Renard said on Wednesday.
The away game will be followed by a showdown with Australia at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Tuesday, as the third round of the qualifiers draws to a close.
The Saudis are sitting third in the six-team Group C, 10 points behind already qualified Japan and trailing Australia by three. The top two in the group qualify automatically for the finals, while those who finish third and fourth will fight it out with four other teams for the last three spots. At this point no outcome is certain for the Green Falcons, who are just four points ahead of bottom-of-the-group China.
Speaking at the prematch press conference in Manama, Renard said the Saudis must take maximum points from their remaining games.
“We have to win the six points in the next two matches,” the Frenchman said. “Knowing the outcome of the Australia-Japan match (on Thursday) in advance gives us an important psychological boost ahead of the Bahrain match, and it may also determine my final message to the players.”
The squad’s final preparations for the game were going well, he added, with a renewed spirit and clear determination among the players to perform at a level worthy of the team, despite the difficult task ahead.
The position they are in reflects the team’s stumbling start to this phase of the qualifiers, Renard said, but everyone is determined to restore balance to the team and win.
