LONDON: Manchester United will sack embattled manager Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final against Manchester City regardless of the result at Wembley, it was reported on Friday.
Britain’s The Guardian newspaper said the Premier League club had decided to take the ruthless step after a dismal season.
If Ten Hag’s two-year reign does end following the City clash, his exit would provoke memories of fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford departure.
Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016.
United finished an embarrassing eighth in the Premier League this season — their lowest final position since 1990 — and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage.
Ten Hag has been the subject of intense speculation over his future, months after British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe took a minority stake in the club and assumed control of football operations.
United insist no decision has been made on the Dutchman’s future and say a full review will take place after Saturday’s showpiece against the Premier League champions, who are chasing their second straight league and FA Cup double.
The club have been linked with a list of names including Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, England’s Gareth Southgate and Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, who has previously coached at Old Trafford.
Speaking before the latest report emerged, United goalkeeper Andre Onana said the final was “extra motivation” after an injury-hit season in which many of their star players flopped.
“We lost twice against City already (in the Premier League),” he said. “We know how good they are. Best team at the moment — all of our respect — but we go there to win. A final.”
Onana, who also played under Ten Hag at Ajax, stood up for his manager, describing him as a “good guy, a good coach.”
“Tactically he’s very good and he showed it last season,” said the Cameroon international. “I was not here last season and they got top four.
“This season a lot of things happened. I’m not here to back him. He is big enough to back himself. But he is a really good guy, he is a positive coach and tactically he’s good.
“If he had all his squad it would probably be different. This season is difficult for him, for us, for the club, for the fans.”
Saturday’s match offers United a shot at silverware against their bitter rivals and a route to Europa League qualification.
“It would make things look better,” said Onana, who has had an inconsistent first season at Old Trafford.
“It’s important to end well and winning this game would mean we’re in the Europa League.”
Man Utd to sack Ten Hag even if they win FA Cup: reports
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Man Utd to sack Ten Hag even if they win FA Cup: reports
- Britain’s The Guardian newspaper said the Premier League club had decided to take the ruthless step after a dismal season
- Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016
PSG beat Reims to win French Cup ahead of Champions League final
- PSG have now won the French Cup a record 16 times, including eight times in the last decade
PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for their Champions League final showdown with Inter Milan by winning the French Cup on Saturday as Bradley Barcola scored twice in a comfortable 3-0 win against Reims.
Barcola netted two goals in the space of four minutes early on to quickly extinguish whatever hopes Reims had of causing an upset at the Stade de France, and Achraf Hakimi added another goal before half-time.
It was exactly the kind of smooth preparation coach Luis Enrique would have been hoping for ahead of the season-defining game against Inter in Munich next weekend, when PSG will be hoping to win the Champions League for the first time.
“It was a really great evening. We got the job done quickly and we are pleased with the victory,” Barcola told broadcaster France 2.
“We knew we had to do the job in order to prepare in the best way possible for the (Champions League) final, we did it, and now we can go into the next match full of confidence.”
However, one minor issue to come out of the evening was the late withdrawal from the team of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Georgian winger was replaced in the starting line-up by Desire Doue and returned home early due to a headache, according to a source close to the team.
PSG’s victory, watched by a crowd of over 77,000 at the national stadium, allowed them to complete a clean sweep of the domestic honors for the second time in as many seasons since Luis Enrique became coach in 2023.
They added the French Cup to the Ligue 1 title as well as the Champions Trophy, France’s equivalent of a Super Cup.
PSG have now won the French Cup a record 16 times, including eight times in the last decade. The next most successful club in the history of the competition are Marseille, who won the last of their 10 titles in 1989.
Reims were appearing in their first French Cup final since 1977 and were looking to win the trophy for the third time, with their last success coming during their glory days in the 1950s.
They held PSG to draws twice during the league campaign but any prospect of them winning this time probably ended a week ago.
That was when they slumped into the relegation play-off place on the final night of the Ligue 1 campaign, forcing them into a two-legged tie against second-tier Metz which they must win to remain in the top flight next season.
The first leg of that tie ended in a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, and Reims must now prepare for the decisive return match at home next Thursday.
PSG wasted little time in putting their struggling opponents to the sword as Barcola’s quickfire brace effectively decided the final before the midway point in the first half.
Doue’s through-ball sent Barcola in behind to open the scoring in the 16th minute, and Doue then latched onto a Marquinhos pass before squaring for Barcola to tap in and make it 2-0 on 19 minutes.
The double took Barcola to 21 goals for the season in all competitions, a tally bettered only in the PSG squad by Ousmane Dembele with 33.
They had chances to score again in this one-sided contest before Hakimi made it 3-0 two minutes prior to the interval, arriving at the back post to cushion in a Barcola cross, finishing off a great move.
That was the end of the scoring as Luis Enrique — who gave Matfey Safonov a start in goal ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma — took the chance to ring the changes after the break.
However, Barcola was only a denied a hat-trick by a good save from Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, who also turned a Dembele cross-cum-shot onto the post.
Ruthless Stuttgart beat Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in German Cup final
- Enzo Millot scored twice and Germany forward Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav got the others
- Bielefeld, the third-division champion, were playing in the final for the first time
BERLIN: Stuttgart ruthlessly capitalized on errors in Arminia Bielefeld’s defense to win the German Cup with a 4-2 victory in the final on Saturday.
Enzo Millot scored twice and Germany forward Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav got the others as Stuttgart claimed their fourth German Cup win and the first since 1997.
Bielefeld, the third-division champion, were playing in the final for the first time as only the fourth representative from that division to ever reach German soccer’s end-of-season showpiece.
But there was no fairytale ending for the team’s American captain, Mael Corboz, after he helped the team knock out defending champion Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinals and a host of Bundesliga clubs en route to the final.
Substitute Julian Kania scored a late consolation goal, a minute before Josha Vagnoman’s own goal, to get the Bielefeld fans singing again before the end.
Both sets of supporters displayed huge choreographies before the match in front of 74,000 spectators at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where they repeatedly ignored appeals to stop setting off pyrotechnics.
Arsenal stun Barca to win Champions League with late Blackstenius goal
- Arsenal withstood a flurry of Barca chances before Blackstenius broke the deadlock in the 75th minute
- The Arsenal players stood arm-in-arm in front of their red-clad fans after the final whistle singing along to Queen’s “We are the Champions“
LISBON, : Arsenal forward Stina Blackstenius struck a late winner as the London team shocked holders Barcelona 1-0 on Saturday to claim their second Women’s Champions League title and first in 18 years to the delight of their 5,000 traveling fans.
Arsenal withstood a flurry of Barca chances before Blackstenius broke the deadlock in the 75th minute.
The Sweden international latched onto fellow substitute Beth Mead’s reverse pass in a crowded area and fired a low diagonal shot past goalkeeper Catalina Coll at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Renee Slegers’ Gunners, making their second appearance in the final having won Europe’s top club competition in 2007, held on to win against a Barca side going for a third straight Champions League title.
“Amazing,” Arsenal forward Alessia Russo told TNT Sports through tears. “We had to suffer a lot.
“They’re a top side. We knew coming into this game that we’d have to suffer and there would be moments when we wouldn’t have the ball and we would have to be content and happy with not having the ball knowing our moment would come.
“Our squad just wanted it so badly.”
The Arsenal players stood arm-in-arm in front of their red-clad fans after the final whistle singing along to Queen’s “We are the Champions.”
The win comes against a mighty Barcelona team considered on paper to be the best in the world.
Barca midfielder Aitana Bonmati called the loss “absolutely devastating.”
“I don’t believe it,” the 2023 and ‘24 women’s Ballon d’Or winner told Catalan TV. “I just want to start the game again and do it differently. Personally, this hurts me a lot.”
Barcelona were playing in their sixth final in seven years and had hoisted the trophy in three of the past four campaigns. Saturday’s reverse was just their fourth loss of the season across all competitions.
HUGE UNDERDOGS
Arsenal might have arrived as huge underdogs but had proved in their comeback win over Lyon in the semifinals — they lost 2-1 at home before roaring back with a 4-1 away victory in the second leg — that they were not afraid of that tag.
They almost went ahead in the first half when Frida Maanum sprang free on the right wing and Barca defender Irene Paredes slid to divert her low cross into the net for an apparent own goal. However, a VAR check showed Maanum was offside.
Arsenal’s defense stood strong as Barcelona had 20 attempts to the Gunners’ eight, including two long-range Ona Batlle shots that sailed just over the bar, as well as 12 corners to two.
“We knew it was going to be a game of momentum shifts because we respect Barcelona, we know how good they are on the ball but we also know how good we are,” Slegers told TNT, through a voice hoarse from celebrating.
“So we knew that momentum was going to shift. Maybe other people were thinking something else, but that’s what we believed. In all the phases that happened in the game, the mentality we showed, the resilience we showed, the effectiveness in all our actions, our belief, it was incredible.”
Blackstenius almost struck a couple of minutes before her goal but Coll stuck out a leg to stop her shot from 12 meters.
Leah Williamson, who was outstanding in defense, was a mascot at Arsenal’s 2007 victory over Sweden’s Umea.
“A lot of this team have been together for a long time and to be able to do it on the biggest day, some people had the game of their lives,” she said. “I’m so happy. I’m trying not to swear or cry.”
Mbappe double as Real Madrid wave goodbye to Ancelotti, Modric
- “It has been an honor and a pleasure to coach this club, this team,” Ancelotti told fans
- Modric will play at the Club World Cup for Madrid but this was his final game at the Santiago Bernabeu
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe virtually wrapped up the European Golden Shoe award with a brace as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-0 on Saturday, on an emotional home farewell to Carlo Ancelotti and Luka Modric.
The Italian is leaving to coach the Brazilian national team, drawing a curtain on his second spell at the club where he won a 15 trophies during a total of six years in charge.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to coach this club, this team,” Ancelotti told fans at the end of game. “I want to thank, first of all, my dear president Florentino (Perez). It has been fantastic to coach this group of footballers of extraordinary quality. It has been fantastic to share all these moments with you.”
“I also can’t forget every day I’ve spent here,” he added. “I love you very much.”
Madrid fans displayed banners showing their affection for Ancelotti and Modric and sang both names.
Modric will play at the Club World Cup for Madrid but this was his final game at the Santiago Bernabeu. He was given a guard of honor when he replaced late on.
The Croatian midfielder also returned to the pitch to address fans after the game.
“The moment I never wanted to come has arrived,” he said. “It has been a long journey, but a wonderful one.”
“I have won many trophies, but the biggest one is the love and affection you have given me over all these years. There are no words to thank you for everything you’ve given me over the years. I want to say a phrase that I like a lot: ‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened’.”
He then set out with his family on a lap of honor to end an emotional afternoon for Los Blancos.
It was a profitable one for Mbappe, who scored twice to take the lead in the Golden Shoe standings from Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah could yet claim the prize, if he scores four goals against Crystal Palace on Sunday in the final round of Premier League matches.
Mbappe was denied early on by Unai Marrero and then fired another decent opportunity over.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made a good save from Sergio Gomez, who should have scored as he ran clean through but his effort was tame.
Pablo Marin handled as Arda Guler tried to flick the ball past him and Madrid were awarded a penalty after a VAR review.
Mbappe’s poor penalty was saved by Marrero but the French superstar turned home the rebound for his 30th league goal.
Ancelotti brought on Vinicius Junior after an injury to Brahim Diaz, who picked up a knock as Madrid looked to sign off a disappointing season, without winning a major trophy, in style ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States.
Madrid wide man Lucas Vazquez, out of contract this summer after spending his whole career at the club, bar one season on loan at Espanyol, was given an ovation as he was substituted.
Mbappe netted his second after Vinicius teed him up to move six goals clear of Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski in the battle to be La Liga top scorer.
Many at the Bernabeu were in tears when Modric departed late on, embraced by former Madrid midfield partner Toni Kroos on the touchline.
Madrid finish the season second in La Liga, behind champions Barcelona, who also beat them in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals. The champions face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in their last La Liga game.
Aberdeen end 35-year wait for Scottish Cup by upsetting Celtic in shootout
- Bulgaria goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov starred by saving two penalties in a 4-3 shootout victory
- The triumph also ensured Jimmy Thelin’s first season as Aberdeen boss
GLASGOW: Aberdeen denied Celtic a treble and secured their first Scottish Cup triumph in 35 years after an extra-time final at Hampden Park on Saturday.
Bulgaria goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov starred by saving two penalties in a 4-3 shootout victory after a 1-1 draw.
Mitov saved the first spot kick from Callum McGregor and denied Alistair Johnston while Aberdeen’s players produced a perfect set of penalties.
Celtic goalie Kasper Schmeichel’s 83rd-minute blunder canceled an earlier own goal from Alfie Dorrington. Dorrington’s unfortunate own goal gave Celtic the lead six minutes before the end of a scrappy first half but Schmeichel made a mess of dealing with a cross and gave Aberdeen life in the game.
Celtic hit the woodwork twice but could not find a winner and McGregor was in tears after the shootout prevented Celtic from clinching a sixth treble in nine seasons.
Aberdeen’s fourth Scottish Cup final win over Celtic emulated the 1990 side which beat the Hoops in an epic shootout.
The triumph also ensured Jimmy Thelin’s first season as Aberdeen boss was a major success despite recent disappointments. The Dons matched Celtic in the first 11 games of the league but their form collapsed in spectacular fashion and they ultimately finished fifth after losing their final five matches.
They also conceded 19 goals in five meetings with Celtic and Thelin, who did not have Jamie McGrath or Jeppe Okkers in his squad, lined up with five at the back in a bid to keep things tight.
