RIYADH: Lautaro Martinez shot Inter Milan to a third straight Italian Super Cup after netting in the final moments of Monday’s 1-0 win over furious Napoli in Riyadh.
Argentina striker Martinez swept home Benjamin Pavard’s low cross in the first minute of stoppage time at Al-Awwal Park, seeing off Napoli who played the final half-hour with 10 men after Giovanni Simeone was sent off for two bookable offenses.
The 26-year-old’s winner was his 21st goal in all competitions this season for Inter, who lost their Serie A lead to Juventus while in Saudi Arabia for the four-team tournament.
And he whipped his shirt off in celebration after drawing level with Christian Vieri at ninth place in Inter’s all-time goalscoring charts, with 123 strikes since arriving in 2018.
“The emotion took over and I couldn’t think,” Martinez told Mediaset.
“It was a unique moment, I scored my 100th goal in the Italian Cup Final and my 123rd goal in the Super Cup, allowing me to match a legend like Christian Vieri.”
This year’s edition was the first to be played in four-team format, but failed to capture the imagination of the Saudi public.
Organizers were also embarrassed by a portion of the crowd, reportedly the locals and not traveling Italians, whistling the quickly-arranged minute’s silence for deceased former Italy striker Gigi Riva before the start of the second half.
Riva, who died on Monday evening, is Italy’s top scorer with 35 goals in 42 appearances and shot Cagliari to their only league title in 1970.
Martinez’s goal gave Inter coach Simone Inzaghi a record-breaking fifth Super Cup win in his career after winning it for the third successive year.
Inzaghi overtakes Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi, two icons of Italian coaching, for Super Cup wins.
The 47-year-old also won it twice while managing Lazio, in 2017 and 2019.
His victory made Inter the second team to complete the hat-trick after local rivals AC Milan’s string of three victories between 1992 and 1994.
Inter captain Martinez and the rest of the team took the trophy to the stands where a group fans had traveled from Italy, handing it to supporters as they cheered in victory.
However Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri played no part in the trophy ceremony as he was livid at the sending off of striker Simeone, who is deputising for Victor Osimhen while he represents Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Simeone was dismissed by Gianluca Rocchi in the 60th minute after stepping on Francesco Acerbi’s foot moments after picking up his first booking for clattering into Hakan Calhanoglu.
Mazzarri screamed “disgrace, disgrace” at officials before storming off down the tunnel and refusing to speak to media.
“The poor quality of referees this season... is there for all to see. I sat with Rocchi before the game and wondered what huge embarrassment he would have to deal with next,” said Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Simeone will be suspended for Sunday’s trip to Lazio, with the Italian champions sat in ninth place in Serie A.
Martinez fires Inter to Italian Super Cup glory
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Martinez fires Inter to Italian Super Cup glory
- Martinez’s goal gave Inter coach Simone Inzaghi a record-breaking fifth Super Cup win in his career after winning it for the third successive year
Argentine court declares a mistrial in the case over the death of soccer star Maradona
- The whiplash decision comes after one of the three judges overseeing the trial stepped down
- The judges turned the clock back on all proceedings
BUENOS AIRES: An Argentine court on Thursday declared a mistrial in the case of seven health professionals accused of negligence in the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona, the latest dramatic twist in a trial that has captivated the nation and the soccer world for more than two months.
The whiplash decision comes after one of the three judges overseeing the trial stepped down over criticism surrounding her participation in a forthcoming documentary about the case.
Her withdrawal compelled the court to either appoint a new judge in her place or to retry the entire case from scratch.
On Thursday, the judges decided the latter, effectively turning the clock back on all proceedings in the case that accuses Maradona’s medical team of failing to provide adequate care for the soccer star in his final days.
Bayern sign Germany defender Tah until 2029
- “I want to take on responsibility here and work hard every day so that we’re successful as a team,” Tah said
- “In Jonathan Tah we’ve acquired a player with international experience and quality,” said sporting director Christoph Freund
MUNICH: Bayern Munich have signed German international defender Jonathan Tah on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga champions announced on Thursday.
The 29-year-old has signed a four-year deal which will keep him in Munich until 2029.
“I’m very happy to be at Bayern. I want to take on responsibility here and work hard every day so that we’re successful as a team and win lots of trophies together,” Tah said in the club statement.
Tah spent a decade at Leverkusen, winning an unbeaten league and cup double in 2023-24. He told Leverkusen he would not be extending his contract beyond 2025 and was given a big farewell at his last home game in May.
Bayern were linked with signing Tah in the summer of 2024 with one year remaining on his contract, but the Bavarians refused to meet Leverkusen’s asking price.
Bayern needed to sign a center-back after Eric Dier departed for Ligue 1 side Monaco at the end of the season.
“In Jonathan Tah we’ve acquired a player with international experience and quality, who won’t need much time to establish himself in our defense,” said sporting director Christoph Freund.
“He’ll be a good and important addition for us with his technical qualities as well as his manner and the way he leads.”
The Hamburg-born defender, who was also linked with a move to Barcelona where he would have joined former Germany coach Hansi Flick, has played 35 games for the national team since making his debut in 2016.
Tah has since established himself at the heart of the Germany defense. He has started all but one of the international games for which he was available since September 2023.
He is a member of Julian Nagelsmann’s squad to play in the Nations League finals next month.
The hosts face Portugal in the semifinals in Munich on June 4 with the winner taking on either
France or Spain in the final at the Bayern home ground three days later.
Bayern also tried to sign Tah’s club teammate Florian Wirtz but the midfielder now appears likely to move to Liverpool after Leverkusen admitted this week that there is “concrete interest” from the Premier League winners.
Amorim tells Man Utd players they cannot ‘hide’
- “It’s a moment that is hard for us and we want to finish the season,” Amorim said
- “But at the same time we want to give something to the fans”
HONG KONG: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said Thursday that his players cannot “hide” after a dismal season hit a fresh low when they were booed off following a friendly defeat in Malaysia.
United finished 15th in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy, then immediately jetted out Sunday for lucrative friendlies in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.
But if his squad were hoping for some respite in Asia, they did not get it, suffering a 1-0 defeat to a Southeast Asian XI in the Malaysian capital on Wednesday.
United’s players trudged off with boos ringing in their ears and now face Hong Kong’s representative team in another friendly on Friday.
“We’ve had the season that we had and it’s not easy to face the fans around the world, so it’s a moment that is hard for us and we want to finish the season,” Amorim said of the tour at the end of a long and poor campaign.
“But at the same time we want to give something to the fans. We are traveling, we don’t have time to adapt, we don’t have so much time to have contact with the fans and give everything they deserve.
“But it’s clear that we cannot hide... if there is one thing that is really important in this club, it’s that we need to face our fans in this moment and give something to our fans around the world.”
Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag during the season but failed to spark an improvement in performances, said his side of first-teamers and youngsters was “not really focused” in Wednesday’s loss.
“Everybody can feel it. But I understand the fans (booing), I understand the players and you also understand that we want to give something to the fans, but it’s hard in this moment,” he said.
The 40-year-old Portuguese said he had learned that being Manchester United manager meant being “more than a coach.”
“You have to improve as a person, you have to improve as a leader. Sometimes after the games you see I am frustrated, I am trying to control that.
“When you have results, you can manage everything so much easier,” he added.
Heavy rain lashed the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium on the eve of the game and Amorim will be desperate not to have any fresh injuries to finish off the campaign.
“The weather looks like Manchester so we feel at home,” Amorim joked.
“If we are professional and we focus on the game it is the best way to protect our players from injuries,” he added.
Manchester United stretch loyalty of ‘numbed’ Chinese fans to the limit
- Manchester United once claimed to have more than 100 million followers in China
- But like supporters of the club everywhere their loyalty is being put severely to the test
HONG KONG: Yan Gang speaks for many Manchester United fans when he says: “We’ve been numbed by performances over the past few seasons.”
Manchester United once claimed to have more than 100 million followers in China, Yan among them, but like supporters of the club everywhere their loyalty is being put severely to the test.
As an illustration of United’s fall from grace in China and beyond, tickets for Friday’s friendly at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium against the city’s representative team were still available on Thursday afternoon.
Tickets also appeared on resale websites with their prices slashed 50 percent.
United were beaten 1-0 in Malaysia by a Southeast Asian XI on Wednesday and booed off, a fresh low in a dismal season for Ruben Amorim’s bedraggled men.
“Every season ends with the same old story with no sign of recovery,” said Yan, a supporter for 23 years and organizer of a United fans’ association in Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong in mainland China.
Amorim’s side left for Asia on Sunday, hours after concluding their worst season since 1974, to play friendlies in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.
The Old Trafford club made no attempt to hide the motivation for flying across the world straight after a draining and demoralizing campaign that saw them come 15th in the Premier League and fail to lift a trophy.
“Tour fixtures drive significant additional revenue which help make the club stronger, allowing us to keep investing in success on the pitch,” chief executive Omar Berrada said.
This week’s Asia visit will generate about $10 million (£7.8m) for United, the BBC reported.
China has the world’s second-biggest economy and second-biggest population, making it a vital market.
United’s finances are under scrutiny with co-owner Jim Ratcliffe implementing steep cuts since buying a minority stake just over a year ago.
The club recently announced a further 200 redundancies were planned after 250 jobs were cut last year.
Ratcliffe claimed in March that the Red Devils would have “run out of money at Christmas” otherwise.
From Kuala Lumpur, where it was 32 Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) at kickoff on Wednesday, it is a four-hour flight to a similarly sticky Hong Kong.
July friendlies in the city between Tottenham and Arsenal, and Liverpool and AC Milan, sold out within hours of going on general sale.
No such luck for United for their exhibition match with the Hong Kong team, and with a day until kickoff they face the ignominy of playing in front of empty seats.
The 39-year-old fan Yan said that the United supporters club in Shenzhen has about 2,000 members.
That number has hardly grown in the past few years, he said.
Older fans make up the vast majority of members.
“I can’t think of any words we can use to attract new fans because the team has a bad record and no standout stars to recruit younger fans,” said Yan.
He Zhiyi, a United fan for more than a decade, is flying to Hong Kong from the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu.
She had hoped to see the squad parade the Europa League trophy, but Amorim’s side lost 1-0 to Tottenham in the final.
With it went United’s hopes of sneaking into the Champions League, which would have brought badly needed revenue, prestige and pulling power.
“The team is all over the place – players, coaches and management are not moving in one direction,” said the 32-year-old He, a football content creator and author.
“It feels like the team is killing the enthusiasm of the fans, as if the romance can’t be sustained anymore.”
Zhang Chongqian, also from Chengdu, said United’s “spirit and traditions” have been lost.
“In recent years, our fans (in China) gradually stopped watching Manchester United or even football,” the 38-year-old lifelong supporter said.
Zhang will not join those fans abandoning his side, even after the poorest season in the club’s recent history.
“Manchester United have been experiencing a period of sinking,” he said.
“But there are still so many fans who will never give up on them.”
Chelsea roar back to beat Real Betis in UEFA Conference League final
WROCLAW: Chelsea roared back to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final in Wroclaw on Wednesday, becoming the first club to claim all four major European trophies.
Manuel Pellegrini’s enterprising Betis caught the favorites cold in Poland through an early goal from Abde Ezzalzouli but Enzo Maresca’s team were a changed side in the second half.
Two goals in five minutes changed the complexion of the game, with man-of-the-match Cole Palmer creating both openings for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson.
Substitute Jadon Sancho made the game safe in the 83rd minute, finishing from an tight angle and Moises Caicedo added gloss to the scoreline.
It means Chelsea become the first club to win the full set of Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup.
It is also the first silverware for the club since Todd Boehly’s consortium took over from former owner Roman Abramovich in 2022, following an era of unprecedented success for the club.
After a bright start from both sides, Betis broke the deadlock in the ninth minute through Ezzalzouli, who scored the goal against Fiorentina that took his side to the final.
Malo Gusto lost the ball in midfield and Betis surged forward. Captain Isco produced a clever pass to find Ezzalzouli on the edge of the box and the Moroccan drilled a left-footed shot across Filip Jorgensen.
Minutes later Marc Bartra tried his luck from distance as Betis pressed for a second, but this time Jorgensen was equal to the task, producing a flying save.
Urged on by their massed ranks of fans at Wroclaw stadium, Betis went close again when Johnny Cardoso’s shot from inside the box was deflected behind by Benoit Badiashile, with Chelsea clinging on.
The Premier League side were enjoying the bulk of possession but struggling to create meaningful chances, with Betis defending well and Isco, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, pulling the strings.
As half-time approached Betis goalkeeper Adrian raced off his line to deny Enzo Fernandez but Chelsea went in at half-time goalless.
Maresca brought on Chelsea captain Reece James for the struggling Gusto at the break.
The Betis boss was forced a change when goalscorer Ezzalzouli was forced off, with Jesus Rodriguez coming on to replace him.
Chelsea were level in the 65th minute following a fine move down the right after Cole Palmer produced a fine cross to pick out Fernandez.
The midfielder got between two defenders to head the ball down and past Adrian.
Suddenly Chelsea’s tails were up and the fans behind the goal were in full voice.
In the 70th minute Palmer produced some magic on the edge of the box before producing a delightful cross which hit Jackson’s chest and went in.
Jackson should have scored a second goal but a heavy touch allowed Adrian to gather.
But Sancho made it 3-1 when he combined with fellow substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Caicedo added a fourth.
Victory for Chelsea breaks an astonishing cycle of wins for Spanish teams.
Taking into account World Cups, European Championships, Champions League and the UEFA Cup/Europa League, of the previous 27 men’s finals involving Spanish teams, all 27 had had Spanish winners.
Four Spanish club sides had been defeated in that time, but in all cases by fellow La Liga sides.
Earlier, the center of Wroclaw was packed with fans from both clubs, with green-and-white clad Betis fans outnumbering their English rivals.
Poland’s interior minister said police made 28 arrests after supporters clashed in the city’s market square.
