Latest news with #ex-RealMadrid
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Gareth Bale and Arne Slot on same page in Premier League title prediction
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and ex-Real Madrid star Gareth Bale have both made similar predictions about the upward trajectory that Chelsea are on under Enzo Maresca Chelsea should be considered genuine contenders for the Premier League title in the upcoming season after winning the Club World Cup. The Blues beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final to bank £97million in prize money and send a message to their rivals, with Gareth Bale among those to sing their praises. Cole Palmer scored twice and set up new signing Joao Pedro to score the other in a stunning first half blitz of the Champions League winners. Enzo Maresca's side finished fourth in the Premier League last season before winning the Conference League and Club World Cup. They have bolstered their attack with the signings of Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian this summer. And, after finishing the 2024/25 campaign strongly by winning 13 of their final 15 matches and lifting two trophies, they need to be taken seriously, according to former Tottenham and Real Madrid star Bale. 'I do not think they are far away at all,' Bale said on DAZN after their success in New Jersey. 'Last season, they got to around Christmas, and everyone was talking about them being contenders. Obviously, they are a young team, and they kind of fell off, but I think they will learn a lot from that. 'They have shown character as a team to come back and win the Conference League, and now win this. I think confidence will be booming and they will have that self-belief now.' His opinion is shared by Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who spoke about their potential after his side were beaten 3-1 by Chelsea in May. "I expected them to be a threat this season because at Anfield they were better than us,' Slot admitted. 'They were so close to us. It was a complete surprise to me that we are now 19 points clear of them or something like that. "I didn't feel that at all when we played them. That tells you how well we did, probably, if a team like this with so much quality, and also not only in the first XI, but in the complete squad, that we are able to be 19 points ahead of them is a big compliment for our players." Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has put Chelsea's Premier League rivals on notice. Asked whether they can win either the Premier League or Champions League in 2025/26, Colwill replied: "Yeah, definitely.' He added: "I said at the start of this tournament that our plan is to win it and people looked at me as if I was crazy. So I'm going to say the exact same thing now going into the Premier League and Champions League. "This is the biggest trophy I've ever won. I think the Club World Cup will be bigger than the Champions League and we were the first team to win it. "It was a statement victory and, in the future, if we keep winning trophies then everyone will give us the love that we deserve. But we'll only know that in the future. I think we're ready and we'll see next season."
Economic Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Economic Times
Botafogo defeats Vasco da Gama 2-0 in Série A showdown
Live Events Botafogo's second-half dominance Match statistics and league implications (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Botafogo claimed a decisive 2-0 victory against Vasco da Gama in a Série A clash on Saturday, July 12. The match, held at Arena BRB Mané Garrincha, saw Botafogo's strategic attacking play overcome Vasco's possession-heavy confirmed lineups featured a consistent Vasco XI and a Botafogo side with new key additions. Vasco da Gama, managed by Fernando Diniz, retained the same starting lineup from their previous win, deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation. The team's tactical setup included Léo Jardim in goal; a backline of Paulo Henrique, João Victor, Lucas Freitas, and Lucas Piton; midfielders Hugo Moura, Tchê Tchê, and Philippe Coutinho; and a forward trio of Nuno Moreira, Rayan, and Pablo read: Flamengo defeats São Paulo with dominant performance, maintains lead in Brazilian Serie A Botafogo, under Cláudio Caçapa with Davide Ancelotti assisting, opted for a 4-3-3 formation. The team's lineup included recent signings and a strong midfield presence. The starting XI was John in goal; defenders Vitinho, Kaio Fernando, Alexander Barboza, and Alex Telles; a midfield of Grégore, Marlon Freitas, and either Artur or Álvaro Montoro; and a forward line of Jefferson Savarino, Arthur Cabral, and possibly Joaquín Correa or Santiago Rodrí first half was a tense affair, with both teams battling for control. The initial stages saw two yellow cards issued: Alexander Barboza of Botafogo received one in the 4th minute, and Lucas Freitas of Vasco da Gama was booked in the 42nd minute. A notable VAR review in the 33rd minute checked for a potential Botafogo penalty but upheld the original "no penalty" decision. The teams went into halftime with the score tied at broke the deadlock early in the second half. Following a yellow card for Botafogo's Álvaro Montoro in the 46th minute, Arthur Cabral, a striker (#98), scored in the 48th minute to give his side a 1-0 lead. The match saw a series of substitutions as both managers sought to influence the game. Vasco da Gama made early changes, with Mateus Carvalho replacing Lucas Freitas, and later, Alex Teixeira came on for Philippe Coutinho. Botafogo also made strategic adjustments, including a critical substitution in the 75th minute when goal-scorer Arthur Cabral was replaced by Nathan read: Brazil football coach, ex-Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti sentenced to one-year jail term. Here's why The substitution paid immediate dividends. In the 78th minute, Nathan Fernandes, assisted by M. Freitas, found the back of the net, extending Botafogo's lead to 2-0. The goal cemented Botafogo's control of the match. The remainder of the game featured additional substitutions from both sides, including Benjamin Garré receiving a yellow card for Vasco in the 86th final statistics highlighted Botafogo's offensive efficiency. While Vasco da Gama had more possession (66 per cent) and passes (665), Botafogo created more significant chances, leading in both total shots (21 to 11) and shots on target (6 to 5). Botafogo committed more fouls (14 to 12), and both teams received two yellow cards each.
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Gareth Bale in fresh Cardiff City takeover claim as new 'more than fair offer' made
Gareth Bale in fresh Cardiff City takeover claim as new 'more than fair offer' made The former Real Madrid and Wales superstar is part of a consortium keen to take control of the Bluebirds Gareth Bale (Image: FOS Today/ ) Gareth Bale has said his consortium has tabled a new offer to take over Cardiff City which he believes is "more than fair". The former Wales captain and ex-Real Madrid and Tottenham superstar has made his desire to takeover his hometown club clear for some time now, last month revealing in an interview with Sky Sports that he was keen to engage with Cardiff over a potential deal. Bale's consortium made their interest known by issuing an official letter of intent to Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan. Several news reports then followed, suggesting a bid of around £40m had been tabled, although last week multiple club sources denied that. But it's a story which simply won't go away and Bale has once again put his desire to take over the League One club front and centre with a series of interviews with US outlets on Thursday evening. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community Speaking to FOS Today, Bale said he believes a "more than fair offer" has been put forward and he awaits a response from the club. "It's exciting news. We have a brand-new offer on the table, which has recently gone in," he said. Article continues below 'We think it's a great offer. One we think is very fair, if not more than fair, and it's something we hope the current owners will take seriously. "We'd love them to accept so we can take full control so we can get on with what we want to do and create Cardiff into a club we know it can be." Speaking later to ESPN, he said the situation was now "out of our hands". "We are interested in trying to take over Cardiff. We have actually put in a great new offer that we hope we can get feedback (from)," he said. "We think it's a very good offer for where the club is at. "It's kind of out of our hands now and we are looking forward to seeing what develops with that. "Things are exciting and I'm looking forward to what the future holds." Bale's consortium is not the only party to have registered interest in the club, which suffered relegation from the Championship back in May. Other well-funded parties also believe there is an opportunity to be had. Cardiff have not responded publicly to the repeated comments made by Bale over the last month. Tan, however, has always maintained the stance that "everything is for sale except family". But in a post-relegation statement he appeared to reaffirm his commitment to getting Cardiff back into the second tier. "To lose our place in the Championship is upsetting," he said in April. "The important thing is that we regain it at the earliest opportunity and I would like to take this chance to tell you that I am committed to getting us back." Article continues below It certainly looks like a story which is set to continue rolling in the coming weeks and months. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
The National
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
Boss admits defeat on ex-Rangers star Ianis Hagi after talks
The Romanian international is a free agent after leaving Rangers this summer and is still on the look out for a new club. Hagi's former international boss at Romania, Iordanescu, is now in charge of the Polish club and Legia made an approach to sign the son of ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona icon Gheorghe Hagi. Read more: But he's admitted they can't meet Hagi's demands. Iordanescu said: "I spoke with Ianis. I know he is in a lot of talks with many clubs. "I can't say anything specific except that I think it will take him some time to make a decision and we have to move on. "In addition, it is no secret that the salary he is used to and the expectations he has are a bit higher than the club can afford at the moment."
The Herald Scotland
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Boss admits defeat on ex-Rangers star Ianis Hagi after talks
Hagi's former international boss at Romania, Iordanescu, is now in charge of the Polish club and Legia made an approach to sign the son of ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona icon Gheorghe Hagi. Read more: But he's admitted they can't meet Hagi's demands. Iordanescu said: "I spoke with Ianis. I know he is in a lot of talks with many clubs. "I can't say anything specific except that I think it will take him some time to make a decision and we have to move on. "In addition, it is no secret that the salary he is used to and the expectations he has are a bit higher than the club can afford at the moment."
