BERLIN: A Christopher Nkunku-inspired RB Leipzig won their second straight German Cup title on Saturday, beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in Berlin.
A year after scoring a second-half goal which sent the 2022 final to penalties, Nkunku broke the deadlock after 71 minutes, his low shot taking a deflection and into the goal against the run of play.
A shellshocked Frankfurt, who had the better of the second half looked to equalize but Leipzig scored again, Dominik Szoboszlai sweeping in an Nkunku pass on the counter.
After featuring in four of the past five German Cup finals, Leipzig’s second title in two years firmly establishes themselves alongside Borussia Dortmund as challengers to Bayern Munich’s throne.
“When you win something like this, then you just have to celebrate — and that’s what we’ll do,” Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer told Germany’s ZDF network.
Frankfurt captain Sebastian Rode said Nkunku’s goal was the turning point, telling ZDF “we just didn’t have the power in behind” after the strike.
The victory spoiled Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner’s farewell, with the Austrian leaving the club at the end of the season, one year after taking them to the Europa League title.
Despite the victory, the immediate future is uncertain for Leipzig, who could lose several stars including Nkunku, Szoboszlai and Laimer in the summer.
Sporting director Max Eberl confirmed a possible exit for Nkunku, telling German TV “it could be” the France striker’s last match for Leipzig.
Pre-game, the match had been billed as a clash of conflicting ideologies in German football.
In one corner, nouveau riche Leipzig, playing in just their 14th season, against the tradition of Frankfurt, one of only four clubs remaining from the first Bundesliga season in 1963-64 guaranteed to play in next year’s top division.
The Frankfurt stadium announcer played into the conflict just before kickoff, saying “tradition can’t be bought,” a direct jab at the Red Bull-owned Leipzig.
Unbeaten in their last 11 cup games, Leipzig burst out of the blocks, Werner latching onto a Dominik Szoboszlai pass just four minutes in before blasting straight at the ‘keeper.
Leipzig dominated possession but Frankfurt caused problems on the counter, France striker Kolo Muani probing a defense missing the commanding presence of the suspended Josko Gvardiol.
The best chance of the first half fell to Nkunku in the shadows of halftime, the France striker cannoning the ball into the side netting past the outstretched fingers of Frankfurt goalie Kevin Trapp.
Fresh from extending his deal in Frankfurt by one year until 2026 on Friday, 2014 World Cup winner Goetze grabbed control of the game early in the second stanza.
The veteran of four German Cup final wins, two with Dortmund and two with Bayern, put Kolo Muani through on goal with a perfect threaded path before forcing a desperate close range save from Janis Blaswich.
With a Frankfurt opener looking likely, Leipzig scored against the run of play, Nkunku’s shot from the edge of the box taking a sharp deflection of defender Evan Ndicka and into the net.
Frankfurt made multiple changes pushing for an equalizer but Leipzig scored again, Szoboszlai hammering in after a sweeping counterattack with five minutes remaining to seal the win.
Nkunku helps Leipzig defend German Cup title
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Nkunku helps Leipzig defend German Cup title
- A year after scoring a second-half goal which sent the 2022 final to penalties, Nkunku broke the deadlock after 71 minutes
- "When you win something like this, then you just have to celebrate -- and that's what we'll do," Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer told Germany's ZDF network
Mbappe, Griezmann absent from initial France Olympic team list
- Olympic football competition begins on July 24 and runs to August 9
- France in a group alongside the United States, New Zealand and Guinea
PARIS: Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann were on Monday left off the preliminary list of 25 players called up by hosts France for the Olympic Games football tournament.
Both players had indicated their desire to participate in the Paris Games, but their Spanish clubs — Real Madrid where Mbappe, 25, is set to play next season and Atletico for 33-year-old Griezmann — have said they will not release them.
World Cup-winning forward and France captain Mbappe will lead France at Euro 2024 which runs from June 14 to July 14 in Germany.
“I have to give a fairly realistic list, even if I know that it is virtual,” said France Olympic football coach Thierry Henry, before adding that he was “still hoping” to be able to call upon Mbappe during the Olympic tournament.
“Everything is open for everyone, but we must give a list so that everyone can prepare. But we are not closing the door to anyone.”
A preliminary list of names
— French Team (@FrenchTeam) June 3, 2024
Here are the players called up by Thierry Henry to prepare for the Olympic Games #BleuCollectif pic.twitter.com/dw6wlH7Tg1
Paris Saint-Germain duo Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola and Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette were named in the preliminary list.
“It’s a pre-list for preparation, it can evolve and, in my opinion, it will evolve,” continued Henry, with the final deadline on July 3.
A source close to PSG had indicated that the French Ligue 1 champions had refused to release Zaire-Emery, 18, and 21-year-old Barcola, who have also been called up for Euro 2024 in Germany.
Former France and Arsenal forward Henry only retained two players over 23 years, despite being entitled to three, opting for 33-year-old Lacazette, whom he described as “a player of quality, a leader of men,” and Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
France will begin training on June 16 with friendly matches against Paraguay on July 4 in Bayonne, the Dominican Republic on July 11 and Japan on July 17 in Toulon.
The Olympic football competition begins on July 24 and runs to August 9, with France in a group alongside the United States, New Zealand and Guinea.
France squad:
Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Obed Nkambadio (Paris FC), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse), Robin Risser (Dijon)
Defenders: Bafode Diakite (Lille), Maxime Esteve (Burnley), Bradley Locko (Brest), Castello Lukeba (Leipzig), Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg), Adrien Truffert (Rennes), Leny Yoro (Lille)
Midfielders: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Joris Chotard (Montpellier), Desire Doue (Rennes), Manu Kone (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Enzo Millot (Stuttgart), Khephren Thuram (Nice), Lesley Ugochukwu (Chelsea), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Arnaud Kalimuendo (Rennes), Alexandra Lacazette (Lyon), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Michael Olize (Crystal Palace), Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
The King Cup: From Saudi Arabia to the world
JEDDAH: The image of Cristiano Ronaldo weeping after Al-Nassr’s penalty shootout loss to Al-Hilal in Friday’s King Cup final will live long in the memory — and not just for Saudi football fans.
After a 1-1 draw in a match that saw three red cards, newly crowned Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal defeated Riyadh rival Al-Nassr 5-4 on penalties to claim the Kingdom’s most beloved cup competition.
Around the world, Ronaldo’s tears went viral. Never before had the King Cup been the focus of a global audience to this extent.
But long before the arrival of Ronaldo and the influx of foreign superstars over the last year, the competition had been steeped in history. The late King Saud bin Abdulaziz established the King Cup in 1957, and the national tournament quickly became a testament to the nation’s intense passion for football.
Al-Wehda, from Makkah, won the first edition of the King Cup in 1957, and the following decades would witness fierce competition between some of Saudi Arabia’s most successful clubs such as Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad.
Al-Ittihad from Jeddah and the capital’s Al-Hilal have faced each other the most times in the final of the King Cup, creating one of the fiercest rivalries in the competition’s history. Currently, Al-Ahli hold the record with 13 titles, while Al-Hilal follow closely with 11 wins following Friday’s dramatic final against Al-Nassr.
As Saudi football began to establish itself on the international front, the King Cup quickly became a symbol of national pride and the country’s most prestigious football tournament.
The early years of the competition were marked by the development of fierce rivalries and delivered finals that captivated a rapidly increasing number of fans.
An iconic final in King Cup history occurred in 1982 between two of the country’s biggest sides, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, who played before the late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz. The encounter ended in a 3-1 win for Al-Hilal, a nail-biter that for every Saudi football fan who witnessed it remains one of the most memorable finals in the tournament’s history.
The King Cup was not contested between 1990 and 2007. When it returned in 2008, it had undergone a significant restructuring by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, which saw only the Saudi league’s top six participate. The competition returned to its original format in 2014.
Fast forward to recent years, the King Cup aura continues to captivate the nation. During the COVID-19-interrupted year of 2020, the national tournament was held amid the challenges of the global pandemic, and the final between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal took place under strict health protocols at the King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh. Al-Hilal emerged victorious by a scoreline of 2-1.
The King Cup was designed to unite the nation and promote athletic excellence beyond the statistics and silverware. In recent years, the competition has played a crucial role in showcasing the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to promote cultural and sporting events as well as position the Kingdom as a growing hub for international sports.
Each year adds a new page to an ongoing story of embracing modernization while honoring tradition and attracting top-tier talent, with fervent fans from across the nation.
As the final whistle blows on each edition, the King Cup leaves behind unforgettable memories for Saudi fans, and thanks to Saudi Arabia’s cultural and sporting evolution in recent times, increasingly for a global audience as well.
Turkish football club Fenerbahce announces Jose Mourinho as coach to end 10-year wait for league title
- Mourinho arrives at the storied Istanbul club one week after it was edged yet again for the Turkish league title by its eternal rival Galatasaray
- Mourinho should lift the profile and status of a club that never won a European title and will enter the Champions League in the early qualifying rounds in July
ISTANBUL: Former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho was unveiled as the new coach of Fenerbahce on Sunday, tasked with winning the club a first league title since 2014 after six runner-up finishes.
“I promise you that from this moment I belong to your family,” Mourinho told thousands of fans at Sukru Saracoglu stadium. He triggered huge cheers by picking up the Fenerbahce jersey and saying “This shirt is my skin.”
Mourinho arrives at the storied Istanbul club one week after it was edged yet again for the Turkish league title by its eternal rival Galatasaray who have now won it five times in the past 10 years.
Fenerbahce, whose fans include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, missed out in the title race despite a points tally of 99 and losing only one league game all season.
After days of strong indications Mourinho was to take charge, Fenerbahce announced in a social media post early Sunday that the Portuguese manager was to attend a ceremony at their stadium.
Mourinho was later photographed getting off an airplane that Fenerbahce posted with the simple message “THE SPECIAL ONE” — a description he gave himself on arriving at Chelsea 20 years ago, leaving Porto as a new Champions League winner.
Now aged 61, Mourinho should lift the profile and status of a club that never won a European title and will enter the Champions League in the early qualifying rounds in July.
Mourinho has won Champions Leagues with Porto and Inter Milan, the Europa League — or its predecessor the UEFA Cup — with Porto and Manchester United, and a Europa Conference League with Roma two years ago.
He has coached teams to win eight domestic league titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.
It’s his first job since he left Roma in January after two and a half years marked by the Europa Conference League title in 2022 and a series of disputes with referees.
The Portuguese has not worked outside of the top five European leagues since 2004, when he left Porto after winning the Champions League and joined Chelsea, who were on the rise under then-owner Roman Abramovich.
Since then he has also coached Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham in a career filled with trophies and off-field controversy.
It would surprise few people if Mourinho and Fenerbahce is a combustible mix in a fiercely passionate football city.
Fenerbahce clashed with Turkish football authorities last season, including by taking its team off the field during a Turkish Super Cup game in protest.
Kylian Mbappe signs with Real Madrid for upcoming season
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe has signed every document completing his transfer to the LaLiga club Real Madrid next season, according to noted Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano on X.
The French striker made his decision in February to leave Paris Saint-Germain after seven years of playing for them. His contract was set to expire this summer making him a free agent.
Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid, HERE WE GO! Every document has been signed, sealed and completed.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 2, 2024
Real Madrid, set to announce Mbappé as new signing next week after winning the Champions League.
Mbappé made his decision in February; he can now be considered new Real player. pic.twitter.com/MMqEp1C0pK
Mbappe’s stint with Paris Saint-Germain has won him six Ligue 1 titles, three French Cups, two League Cups and a record five Player of the Year awards.
Real Madrid celebrated a record-extending 15th Champions League title on Saturday after defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.
Madrid’s latest triumph came without a recognized striker after club icon Karim Benzema departed last year. The gap was filled by English midfielder Jude Bellingham, but by next season Ancelotti will have more fire power to call upon.
Mbappe is the name most wanted by Madrid fans after a decade-long pursuit of the man many believe to be the heir to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the world’s greatest player.
Champions League final: Real Madrid seals 15th European Cup after 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund
- Victory sealed a record-extending fifth Champions League title for coach Carlo Ancelotti, his third with Madrid
LONDON: Vinicius Junior scored and sealed a record-extending 15th European Cup for Real Madrid after a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the final on Saturday.
The Brazil forward doubled Madrid’s lead in the 83rd minute at Wembley Stadium, nine minutes after Dani Carvajal headed the Spanish giant in front.
Victory sealed a record-extending fifth Champions League title for coach Carlo Ancelotti, his third with Madrid.
Meanwhile Carvajal, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Nacho have won European club soccer’s biggest prize on six occasions to equal the benchmark set by Madrid icon Paco Gento.
Dortmund paid the price for not making the most of its first half dominance when Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pulled off a series of saves and Niclas Fullkrug hit the post.
Madrid took full advantage after the break.
Carvajal met Kroos’ corner at the near post in the 74th to power a header past Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel.
Jude Bellingham nearly doubled the lead moments later, but then turned provider when slipping in Vinicius. With just Kobel to beat, the forward fired his shot into the far corner and raced off in celebration.
Rock star Lenny Kravitz got the crowd going before kickoff with a pre-game show that included fireworks and some of his biggest hits like “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”
It was Vinicius who was dancing after his goal effectively killed off Dortmund’s hopes of pulling off one of the biggest Champions League upsets in recent memory.
For a long time, the German side looked capable of halting Madrid after dominating the chances in the first half.
Coach Edin Terzic tactically outmaneuvered Ancelotti in every department, with Madrid’s stars subdued.
Only a combination of Courtois and the frame of the goal kept the scores level at the break after the keeper twice kept Karim Adeyemi from scoring and then watched as Fullkrug’s sliding effort came back off the post.
The break clearly helped Madrid and it slowly took control in the second half.
Carvajal’s goal came straight from the training ground, with the defender heading over from one corner before eventually converting, while Vinicius put the game beyond doubt.
