Platense claim first Argentine Apertura title after 1-0 win over Huracan
In a tense match at the packed Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Huracan dominated the early stages.
Agustin Urzi drove them forward in the first half, while Eric Ramirez came closest to scoring with a header from a Matko Miljevic cross.
Platense, who surprised many by sneaking into the knockout stages with a sixth-place finish in Group B, broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark. Mainero's long-range shot, capitalising on a rebound after Huracan goalkeeper Hernan Galindez failed to hold onto the ball, ultimately secured the win.
The victory is Platense's first major trophy since their promotion to the top flight in 2021.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
'Hard day for us' - Portugal's tribute to Jota at Euro 2025
"Of course, if we had the possibility to change everything, we would change everything for sure. But this is a hard day for us."Portugal boss Francisco Neto joined in the tributes to Diogo Jota as thousands of fans also paid their respects during the team's Euro 2025 opener against forward Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, both died early on Thursday morning when the Lamborghini car they were travelling in crashed in the Spanish province of an emotional evening, a heartfelt rendition of Portugal's national anthem was followed by an impeccably observed minute's silence before kick-off, during which a black-and-white image of Jota was displayed on the big stadium screens in Bern."It was a really tough day to play football, because this life is much more than a game, much more than football," said Portugal forward Jessica Silva."Of course everyone is sad. It's heavy, my heart is heavy - much more important things than playing a game."Portugal fans held up placards with messages paying tribute to the player who is also being mourned in Liverpool, while both sets of players wore black having relentless support from their fans throughout the 90 minutes, Portugal fell to a 5-0 defeat in Bern as world champions and tournament favourites Spain began their pursuit for a first European in his post-match news conference, coach Neto, who appeared to hold back tears during the minute's silence, described Jota as a devoted supporter of the women's side."Diogo followed our team because he loved the county," said Neto, who explained he first met Jota while coaching at under-19 level."Diogo always, when I talked to him, always knew the result. He followed the team, some players and this is the culture we have in Portugal."Today is a really, really sad day because two of us lost our lives. So young. It is not a good day." 'Thank you for everything, Diogo' Before the game, Portugal winger Silva posted a tribute on social media, saying: "Diogo wasn't just a great player. He was one of the good ones – loyal, thoughtful, humble."Football is poorer without him, and so are we."After the game, she added: "I knew Diogo and he was a really kind person - much more than a player, much more than a star, he was a guy always paying attention, always ready to give a word for the team and well, it's sad."After the final whistle, the Portugal players lined up together to hold a banner to mark Joto's death. Its message - "Thank you for everything Diogo Jota, rest in peace" - was reflected by the sombre feeling in the made his senior debut for Portugal in 2019 and went on to score 14 goals in 49 internationals, being a member of two squads that won Nations League titles - the second of those victories came only last month."As a person he was very humble, very kind and he liked us and was always watching us and rooting for us. He meant a lot to us and it's very sad," Portugal forward Diana Silva added."He's one of us, so I think the team is feeling the moment quite a bit." 'I couldn't stop crying' News of the tragic deaths overshadowed the build-up to Portugal's tournament trying to soak up the atmosphere in Bern's fan zone, Portugal supporters struggled to process the fan Melanie, who had tickets for the game, fought back tears as she said: "I can't explain it, but as soon as I heard it I started crying."He's one of us of course, but the question is he was so young, he had three kids, he just got married."I'm so sorry. You just start thinking, you really have to enjoy your life because in three seconds, everything can end."Jota recently married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children. He posted pictures on social media of the ceremony, which took place on 22 a Portugal fan who shared his name with the player, said the news "hurts a lot", adding: "He was really important, he was the new generation, the golden generation of Portugal. We will miss him."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Virgil van Dijk makes pledge to Diogo Jota's family in touching tribute after his team-mate of half a decade died - and says his 'heart is breaking'
Virgil van Dijk has promised to always be available for Diogo Jota 's family after the forward's tragic death. The Liverpool captain released a moving statement saying he was 'absolutely devastated and in total disbelief' to lose his team-mate of five years. Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 26, died in the early hours of Thursday morning after the Lamborghini they were driving in careened off a road in northern Spain after a tyre blew out. The Portuguese star had been travelling to Santander to catch a ferry back to England ahead of pre-season, having been advised not to fly following lung surgery. His death, which cast clouds of sorrow over the footballing world, came just two weeks after he married his girlfriend and mother of their three kids Rute Cardoso in Porto, his home city. Van Dijk wrote on Instagram: 'Man, I can't believe it, I don't wanna believe it. Absolutely devastated and in total disbelief. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Virgil (@virgilvandijk) Virgil van Dijk has penned a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota after his team-mate's death 'What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man. 'You meant so much to all of us and you always will! For your family to lose two sons, a husband and a father is just unimaginable. So cruel and unfair. 'My heart is breaking for all of your beautiful family, for Rute and for your kids. I promise you that in these difficult times and beyond we will always be there for your family. 'A champion forever, number 20 forever. It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it. 'We will miss you beyond words and never forget you. Your legacy will live on, we will make sure of it! 'Rest in perfect peace Diogo & Andre.' Van Dijk was one of Jota's most frequent team-mates throughout his career - they played together 130 times for Liverpool. They first linked up in 2020 after Jota signed from Wolves and went on to experience the highs and lows of elite football together. There were immense highs: a Premier League triumph, FA Cup glory, two Carabao Cups lifted. And the pair also had to endure defeat in the 2022 Champions League final to Real Madrid - an experience which only strengthened their bond. Like Van Dijk, the football world was left in disbelief when the news broke that Jota and his brother Andre had passed away. The brothers were driving eastward along an isolated stretch of highway, about an hour west of Zamora, when the accident took place. Their Lamborghini came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames at around 12.35am, also igniting the surrounding vegetation. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved. Police say they don't yet know who was driving. Spanish government official Ángel Blanco said the siblings died at the scene. Liverpool are due to start pre-season training on Monday, so Jota was heading back to the UK on a road trip with his brother. Doctors reportedly advised the Liverpool star not to catch a plane after a recent operation, so he was getting a boat instead. A Brittany Ferries service from Santander to Plymouth left at 4pm on Thursday, arriving in Devon at 11.15am on Friday. Lines can be seen on the road today where the Lamborghini overtook a car and then straight into the crash barriers CNN Portugal's sports editor Rui Loura said today live on air: 'The surgery he had was lung surgery and he had been advised against flying following this. 'He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross by ferry and reach the UK that way and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother.' Another Portuguese journalist, Victor Pinto told the country's CMTV channel: 'Diogo sometimes chose to travel by road because he had some pulmonary discomfort, nothing serious, and as we know, there is a ferry boat that connects the south of England to Spain'. Tributes poured in for a talented star who has been widely remembered for his humility, humour, and care for his family. One of the most moving came from Andy Robertson, who wrote: 'The ones I'm thinking about most right now are the family. Their loss is too much to bear. I'm so sorry that they have lost two such precious souls – Diogo and Andre. 'For the team and the Club, we'll try to cope with this together… however long that takes. For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy. 'I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It's the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real. 'Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun. He was the most British foreign player I've ever met. We used to joke he was really Irish… I'd try to claim him as Scottish, obviously. I even called him Diogo MacJota. We'd watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing. Going to Cheltenham this season was a highlight - one of the best we had. The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family. 'I can't believe we're saying goodbye. It's too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better. Love you, Diogo.'
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Estevao Willian: Can ‘best since Neymar' knock out his new club Chelsea?
Chelsea have recruited plenty of promising young players since their takeover by BlueCo, the consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, in 2022. So much so that it feels like an orderly queue of talented teenagers forms annually outside Stamford Bridge. This summer, Kendry Páez, 18, arrived from Ecuador after a pre-agreement in 2023. Mike Penders, the 19-year-old former Genk goalkeeper, has joined too. In the future, there is Geovany Quenda, 18, of Sporting Lisbon, reportedly full back Denner, 17, of Corinthians, and the Kazakh wonderkid Dastan Satpaev, 16, all to arrive in 2026. All hold much promise for the future, but none are seen as quite the sure bet that is Estêvão Willian, the 18-year-old Palmeiras star who will, by a twist of fate and a specific agreement in his transfer, face his new employers Chelsea in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday (2am). His star is no secret. 'One day he will be voted the best player in the world,' Leila Pereira, the president of Palmeiras, told The Athletic this year. 'He's a spectacular kid and he's going to shine in Europe.' 'He's not matured physically yet and that's what amazes everyone and makes them think that he will reach a much higher level,' said João Paulo Sampaio, the head of the club's academy. Palmeiras, of course, have a vested interest in building up his profile. But the view that he is an exceptional player is not held in isolation. It is almost unanimous. 'All of us who work with football consider Estêvão to be the best Brazilian player after Neymar,' one Brazilian agent, who works with the country's leading clubs, told The Times. 'Better than Vini Jr, and anyone else who came after Neymar.' Agents, sporting directors and scouts, particularly in South America, all concur about his ability. Of the talent Chelsea have accumulated in recent seasons within their policy of finding the world's brightest prospects, Estêvão stands above the rest. 'An amazing player, the next after Neymar, but with a much better mentality,' explains another Brazilian agent. 'Professional, easy going, humble. He has the potential to be one of the top three in the world.' He has been tracked by all and sundry in Europe. 'He's en route to be an important player in the football world over the next decade,' says Mário Branco, the former sporting director at Fenerbahce, who worked with Estêvão's head coach, Abel Ferreira, at Greek side PAOK. 'He has won matches on his own for Palmeiras.' So who is this kid with the world at his feet? Estêvão has been nicknamed 'little Messi', but it is a nickname he does not like. He is a left-footed wide player who likes to cut in from the right, but is comfortable in a central role. His mastery of the ball is his alchemy; a puppeteer's close control mixed with speed and agility, and then composure to match in the final third. His future has been mapped out from a very young age. When eight, his family — his younger sister, mother and father — left their lives behind to follow him to the city of Belo Horizonte, the home of Cruzeiro, a seven-hour drive away. He became the youngest player to be sponsored by Nike, at the age of ten. Four years later, he was picked up by Palmeiras and made his senior debut within two years. He was part of a talented generation to emerge at the club, including striker Endrick, now at Real Madrid, defender Vitor Reis, now at Manchester City, and Luis Guilherme, at West Ham United. His upbringing kept him grounded; his father was a church pastor in Franca, while his mother worked in a shoe factory. He is known to be shy, with the dream to follow Neymar and play for the Selecao; which he accomplished last season against Ecuador in September. Last season, in 2024, he scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in 31 games, helping his team finish second behind Botafogo. Ferreira, the highly rated head coach who built his reputation initially in Sporting Lisbon's academy and has since won two Copa Libertadores titles with Palmeiras, has been instrumental in his development. 'He knows what he needs to do tomorrow,' Ferreira said on Thursday. 'I hope he gives his best for the owners of Chelsea, they look at him with potential and all the quality he has. It will be an opportunity for him to show how good he is. We will expect his best, the maximum in attack and defence and maybe he will score a goal to give a goodbye for our fans. We helped him to grow as a man and a professional. It could be a moment to give him a goodbye with one amazing game.' Signing Estêvão feels like a coup for Chelsea, who he will join once Palmeiras are eliminated. They agreed the transfer in May 2024, worth an initial £29million and potentially £15million more in add-ons, after a concerted push, which also coincided with an expansion of their overseas network in South America. Part of that saw the appointments of scouts Alysson Marins, in July 2023, who previously led Corinthians scouting department, as well as Carlos Eduardo Arissa Vargas in February 2024, who was previously Monaco's eyes and ears in South America. But it was mainly convincing the player of their project that ensured they beat the world's biggest clubs to his signature. 'A lot of people are asking me why we chose Chelsea, but they don't understand how much Chelsea wanted me, and how much belief they have in my potential,' Estêvão told the Players' Tribune. 'Those people don't know about the project they presented to us. To a young player, these things matter a lot, and I know we've made the right decision to go to London.' Estêvão spoke of his anxiety about joining Chelsea during the past month. The step is a huge one in his career. The Premier League can be an unforgiving environment and European football will be a change. It is also a physical league and some in top-flight recruitment highlight that as his biggest hurdle. 'Premier League clubs are chasing the best athletes around,' says one. 'The challenge will be finding a way to cope. But for me he's an incredible talent. By far the best of anyone at his age.' 'It will be a challenge for him how he adapts to the more structured and tactically rigid football in Europe,' says Branco. 'As we could see that sometimes in big games in Brazil, and also with the Club World Cup, he struggled to bring his A-Game, possibly due to greater physicality, or eventually more organised defensive blocks.' Before this summer, Chelsea had signed nine players directly from South America since 2000, with Oscar only truly the most successful. Bucking that trend will not be easy. He'll need time to settle. Cole Palmer is among the Chelsea players to have already reached out to him ahead of his arrival. He will have conflicted loyalties on Saturday, in the most unusual circumstances. Yet most in the game have little doubt that Estêvão's future will find a way to success. Amid all the rough diamonds, he might be Chelsea's brightest find yet. Palmeiras v Chelsea
