NICE: Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said Friday he has “high ambitions” to replicate his success with Leicester City at new club Nice.
The 35-year-old was the mainstay of the most successful period in the English club’s history winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield in his 11-year spell.
“In football, if you have a feeling, you have to go with it,” said the former Leicester captain, who wants to turn the Riviera outfit back into the “top club” who won four Ligue 1 titles, the last in 1959.
“Leicester is a club that I love. The decision to leave family members is difficult,” Schmeichel told a press conference.
“But I am 35 years old. It was time to challenge myself, with the desire to continue to grow as a player and person — a new language, a new experience for my family.
“But the main reason was the fact that Ineos (owners) have very high ambitions for Nice. They want to make it a top club. I see similarities there with when I joined Leicester.”
The son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel joined Leicester from Leeds in 2011 and soon became a fans’ favorite with his 479 appearances the third most in the club’s history.
“My aim is to bring solid foundations, stability,” he continued.
“It’s also to represent the club on and off the pitch in the best way.
“I’m not here to pull out big saves all the time but to consolidate the basics. Then, our strikers will make us win.”
Nice finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season and open their new campaign at Toulouse on Sunday.
Schmeichel has ‘high ambitions’ for new club Nice
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Schmeichel has ‘high ambitions’ for new club Nice
- The 35-year-old was the mainstay of the most successful period in the English club's history winning the Premier League
- "Leicester is a club that I love. The decision to leave family members is difficult," Schmeichel told a press conference
Dubai Basketball with statement win in Paris
- A dominant 99-79 win sealed a strong 3-match stint on the road
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball capped off a demanding three-game road stretch in emphatic fashion, delivering a dominant 99-79 victory over Paris Basketball in Round 24 of the EuroLeague last night. The win marked Dubai’s second victory from three away fixtures across EuroLeague and ABA League play, while also preserving the club’s unbeaten record in the ABA League.
Facing Paris at Adidas Arena, Dubai produced one of its most complete performances of the season. From the opening minutes, the visitors imposed their authority at both ends of the floor, controlling tempo, disrupting Paris offensively, and steadily extending their advantage as the game progressed. The victory improved Dubai Basketball’s EuroLeague record to 11–13.
The Paris result followed a narrow EuroLeague defeat just days earlier in Barcelona, where Dubai pushed one of Europe’s elite sides to the final seconds in a thrilling 91:89 loss at Palau Blaugrana. Despite trailing entering the fourth quarter, Dubai mounted a remarkable comeback to level the game late, showcasing resilience in a hostile environment. McKinley Wright IV delivered a career-high 29 points in that contest, while the game also marked the EuroLeague return of Dzanan Musa following injury.
Dubai’s road trip began on Jan. 17 with a commanding 110-93 win over U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Round 15 of the ABA League. In front of a packed arena, Dubai pulled away late to secure the victory and maintain a perfect league record. Kabengele and Wright led the scoring with 24 points apiece, while Musa made a timely impact in the fourth quarter during his return from a three-month absence.
Across three challenging away fixtures in six days, Dubai Basketball claimed two road victories, remained unbeaten in ABA League competition, and reinforced its ability to compete consistently across multiple fronts, closing the stretch with a statement performance in Paris that highlighted the team’s growing presence on the European stage.
On Jan. 26, the team will take on Serbian side FMP in front of home fans at Coca-Cola Arena as their “invincible” attempt continues with a 13-0 run.
