PSG are no fairy story but a step towards the death of football - it's time to call out their owners' sportswashing and the brutality it hides: OLIVER HOLT
The images that flooded the mind were not of Desire Doue's goals or the brilliance of Ousmane Dembele but of a moment a decade ago when the PSG coach's daughter, Xana, carried a Barcelona flag around the pitch at the Olympiastadion in Berlin after Barca had won the Champions League and her dad planted it in the centre circle for her.
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Metro
a minute ago
- Metro
Jose Mourinho sends warning to Arsenal over Viktor Gyokeres transfer
Jose Mourinho has suggested Viktor Gyokeres could struggle at Arsenal against 'stronger teams and better players' after hitting out at the 'lies' that surrounded one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer. The Gunners are finally set to sign the Sweden international having agreed a deal worth €63.5million (£54.8m), plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons agreed earlier this month. The specific structure of those add-ons delayed proceedings but the move is now firmly back on track with confirmation imminent. Arsenal's need for a centre forward has been well-documented for a number of seasons with belief a prolific finisher up front can finally get them over the line in the Premier League and Champions League. Gyokeres arrives with a ruthless record in front of goal having scored 54 goals in 52 appearances last season. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. While rating the Swede as a 'great player', former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss Mourinho believes he now faces a much sterner test in the Premier League. In a wide-ranging interview with Portugal's Channel 11, Mourinho noted at Sporting, Gyokeres had a team build to play around him under Ruben Amorim and his successor Rui Borges who 'adapted' the team to the striker's needs. 'He's a great player. I have no doubt,' Mourinho said. 'But Sporting had a way of playing very much around him, very adapted. I don't know what Hugo Viana and Ruben [Amorim] initially thought; he's a player with great potential. 'But in England, he'll play against stronger teams, better players. While Gyokeres has only had eyes for Arsenal, the 26-year-old has been strongly linked to a number of clubs. Manchester United have persistently been credited with interest along with Juventus, clubs in Saudi Arabia and even Mourinho's own Fenerbahce. A battle between Sporting, Gyokeres and his agent Hasan Cetinkaya was also fought out in the Portuguese media with the club accused of failing to deliver on transfer promises made last year. More Trending The end result was Gyokeres refusing to return for pre-season training with legal action also threatened during the bitter stand-off. Having watched it unfold from afar, Mourinho hit out a the 'lies' that became part of the transfer story, describing it as a 'war'. 'Unfortunately, of the 3,400 lies that have been told about the transfer market, one of them is that he's going to Fenerbahçe,' Mourinho said. 'Unfortunately… So many lies, so much interest, so many people working for agents, for clubs… It's a war that's not my own.' MORE: Will Arsenal's transfer pursuit of Eberechi Eze spell the end for one Gunners star? MORE: Myles Lewis-Skelly's priceless reaction as Arsenal close in on Viktor Gyokeres transfer MORE: Diogo Jota's wife shares heartbreaking message on one-month anniversary of their wedding
The Independent
a minute ago
- The Independent
England are living a ‘fantasy' at Euro 2025 – now they must get real
As the giddy talk in Geneva inevitably turned to endings, and comparisons with movies, match-winner Chloe Kelly described it as a 'fantasy'. That might well refer to the improbability of England somehow winning despite performing so badly, even though that's obviously not what the forward meant. Sarina Wiegman and her squad naturally don't want to get into such critical discussion right now, and for good reason. There's another historic final appearance to celebrate right now. There's also going to be a lot of analysis to come before Sunday, and a lot of preparation. They're needed. England are right now so much less than the sum of their parts, but have crucial greater qualities. There is a rare resolve there. 'The team never gives up,' Wiegman said. Her hero, Kelly, went further. An old phrase was reworked, which might be even more relevant if it is Germany rather than Spain in Sunday's final. 'You can never write the English off.' That somehow could be said even later against Italy, as the European champions this time left it to the final 90 seconds of stoppage time. Italy manager Andrea Soncin lamented how his team were one minute from the final. They even celebrated Kelly's mis-hit corner just before Michelle Agyemang's equaliser. This isn't an accident, or coincidence. There is an obvious spirit in this group, that is as visible in moments like the entire squad rallying around Jess Carter as it is in late equalisers. One also leads to the other, and there's a multiplying effect. The more crucial late goals you score, the more you think there's always another there. It might even be time to rework another old phrase, that was famously used about Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United. This England don't lose games. They just run out of time. Except, time can catch up with them another way, and it's where there's always another side to late goals. That doesn't refer to the anguish teams like Italy suffer, either. Do it a few times, and they're a sign of resolve. Do it a lot, and they're a sign of weakness. If you keep needing such moments, something is wrong in your team. That does lead to another interpretation of what happened in Geneva on Wednesday, that won't necessarily be popular amid the euphoria of victory. This one possibly wasn't a show of resolve. It was really just a team that had vastly superior individuals to Italy, with that higher quality eventually manifesting. It didn't really matter when. It just would. The gap was too good, reflecting how fortunate they were to face such a limited side in the semi-final. In fact, there's even an argument that the lateness of the game contributed to that, making the ending inevitable in another way. Italy had vastly overperformed to get this far, and just didn't have the experience or nous to see this out. They made some baffling decisions in the latter stages, although that was also because they didn't really have the legs to see it out either. They were naturally exhausted. The injury to star forward Cristiana Girelli only made it worse. All of that could be sensed in some extra-time counter-attacks. Italy would suddenly have an opening to put a runner through, but it was like they didn't want to commit. They were afraid of leaving themselves open, and possibly knew they wouldn't have the legs to get back either. That's what extra-time in such absorbing knockouts does. England have much more experience of such games, even if they were reliant on Agyemang's freshness. Except, in the final, they are not going to be playing a team as limited as Italy. It's a different test, where it instantly becomes much more dangerous to depend on another rescue act. That's where the flaws that warrant so many late goals can eventually catch up with you. It really depends on what wins out, your weaknesses or your spirit – unless you solve the problems in the first place. Wiegman laughed as she said it 'wasn't the plan' to keep going behind in such games, but she needs to get serious about one. While such spirit is immensely valuable in a tournament, tournaments also have a tendency to eventually see you hit your own limits; the point at which you can't go past. Wiegman badly needs to change the limitations of this team, especially given the talents of her players. It is such a bizarre thing. We are talking about one of the great coaches of the women's game, her outstanding quality illustrated by her very record of reaching a fifth consecutive final. And yet in these Euros it is like she just hasn't been able to solve England's core flaws, which is their very starting line-up. The 75th-minute subs have worked so far, and the swell around their introduction can cause further doubts for opposition. That's another side of those late goals. At the same time, superior opposition sides can get wise to that. Kelly is still correct. England have lived a fantasy so far. They just need to get realistic about what next. Maybe the best ending for this is not, actually, another late show.
Daily Record
a minute ago
- Daily Record
10 Rangers glass half full and empty takeaways as Russell Martin claim in media room proves he's an action man
We look beyond the scoreline and take a deeper dive into the talking points from a big European night at Ibrox It was the proverbial game of two halves at Ibrox as the Russell Martin era got off to a winning start. And, depending on their outlook, the Rangers legions can review it in two different ways. There will be those whose glass is always half full and accentuate the positives - starting with the scoreline. Others might have concerns over the opening 45 minutes and the fact Panathinaikos could have been a couple of goals up on another day before the tide turned. The Light Blues have one foot in the Champions League third qualifying round and that can only be a good thing. But Record Sport looks a bit deeper and looks at 10 positives and negatives from the big match. Glass half full A win's a win A win was the most important thing and nothing can be taken granted at Champions League level. So much talk in the build-up was over how Rangers weren't prepared for such a big game at the start of a new era. That showed at times but the result was all that mattered. And if they avoid defeat in Athens then they will guarantee themselves group stage football, a scenario which isn't certain this season and would be catastrophic financially. Curtis isn't (second) half bad The extremely fickle nature of football fans means their opinions can rapidly change - even within a single game. And that was the case for Findlay Curtis. The glass half full brigade will focus on his second half display and in particular his goal which broke the deadlock to send Ibrox wild - and the Light Blues on their way to victory. As well as his goal, the youngster also drew in the foul from Georgios Vagiannidis which saw the visitors reduced to 10 men. Belief in new era A manager can try to implement his style with hours of work on the training field and tactical talks but there is no substitute for results to help players buy into what they are being told. Martin himself admitted that after the game, saying: 'We work on things for a reason and if they're right some of the time, they're right all of the time. For some of our players to feel that tonight and come through it, it'll be incredible for them.' Not your average Joe Djeidi Gassama was the summer recruit who grabbed the headlines with his stunner for Rangers' second goal shortly after coming off the bench but Joe Rothwell, while not grabbing the headlines on the night, looks a shrewd acquisition. He was composed in the middle of the park and quietly dictated he player in the second half - the kind of midfielder the Light Blues have lacked since the days of Steven Davis. Jack is back He would have preferred not to have been so involved but it will have done Jack Butland's confidence no harm at all to have come to the rescue for Rangers on a couple of occasions. He was dropped by Barry Ferguson last season with Liam Kelly taking his place towards the end of last season, leading to doubts over his No. 1 position. Plenty of fans expected - and still might - Martin to bring in a new keeper. But Butland looked back to his old self and in that form is a huge player for Rangers. Glass half empty Heat could still be on in Athens Given Rangers had an extra man advantage for the last half hour then, with a full house behind them, they could have been heading to Greece to enjoy a bit of summer sun with their place in the third qualifying round. A third goal would surely have killed this tie off - and the fact they didn't will give Panathinaikos a slither of hope. Nico Raskin was denied by a superb double save and there were other opportunities but they couldn't get it. That will nag the ultra critical. Curtis is (first) half bad It was a dream come true from Findlay Curtis as commentator Rory Hamilton screamed 'the boy from Balfron' after his opening. He grabbed the headlines and a pat on the back from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. But it can't hide the fact that plenty of punters were screaming for him to be hooked at the break. He had a tough opening 45 minutes but never gave up and got his reward. Defence exposed The aforementioned Jack Butland was called upon to keep Panathinaikos out and had the Greeks been more clinical - Nemanja Maksimovic missed an incredible chance with the goal at his mercy - then Rangers could have found themselves and Ibrox could have been a very different place if they had conceded first. The rearguard will have to tighten up. Left is not right Max Aarons did brilliantly for the second Rangers goal, showing great tenacity to win the ball back in their own corner and start the move. But he did that on his natural right side position - and there's no doubt he didn't look as comfortable on the left. Russell Martin could face a dilemma with Aarons clearly more suited to the right back position occupied by skipper James Tavernier. And, if Aarons isn't the answer at left back it could force the manager to recruit for that position with neither Ridvan Yilmaz or Jefte at the level needed. Dowell redemption arc is shortlived Rangers fans were surprised to say the least at Russell Martin talking up Kieran Dowell during pre-season, even naming the ex Everton and Norwich City man in his leadership group. Few would have believed at the end of last season that he could have been trusted to start a huge Champions League qualifier. But that's exactly what happened as he was named in the XI, however, his performance did little to change those who had already made up their mind on him.
