LONDON: Chelsea completed the signing of goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic from Major League Soccer club New England Revolution on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Serbia international signed a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge and will initially be expected to be a backup to summer signing Robert Sanchez.
The clubs did not disclose the transfer fee, but British media reported the deal was worth 14 million pounds ($17.6 million).
“Playing in the Premier League is something I’m really looking forward to doing and I hope to learn many things here at Chelsea. I can’t wait to meet everyone and play at Stamford Bridge,” Petrovic said in a statement.
Petrovic made 22 appearances for New England this season and was named to the MLS All-Star team.
He is the latest newcomer at Stamford Bridge following a spending spree of more than $1 billion over the last 18 months by the club’s American ownership fronted by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Despite that, the club have just one win in their first three games of the season and Mauricio Pochettino said after Friday’s victory over Luton that he still wants to bring in more signings.
“We still need one offensive player more,” Pochettino said. “We’ll see if it’s possible to achieve.”
Chelsea complete signing of Serbia goalkeeper Petrovic from New England Revolution
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Chelsea complete signing of Serbia goalkeeper Petrovic from New England Revolution
- The 23-year-old Serbia international signed a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge
- “Playing in the Premier League is something I’m really looking forward to doing and I hope to learn many things here at Chelsea,” Petrovic said
Spanish judge confirms Rubiales will stand trial for kiss on player after Women’s World Cup final
- The judge in January found sufficient evidence to also believe Rubiales also unsuccessfully pressured Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and published while public outroar grew against him
- A trial date has not been set
MADRID: Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales will stand trial on charges of sexual assault and coercion for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent after last year’s Women’s World Cup final, a Spanish judge confirmed Wednesday.
Judge Francisco de Jorge had ruled in January that Rubiales’ kiss was “unconsented and carried out unilaterally and in a surprising fashion.” Spanish news agency EFE reported that he has confirmed the charges.
Prosecutors seek a prison sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales for the alleged sexual assault and for allegedly trying to coerce Hermoso to publicly support him amid the public backlash following the World Cup decider in Sydney.
The judge also ruled that former Spain coach Jorge Vilda, the sports director of Spain’s men’s team, Albert Luque, and the federation’s former head of marketing, Ruben Rivera, will also stand trial for trying to pressure Hermoso, EFE said.
The judge in January found sufficient evidence to also believe Rubiales also unsuccessfully pressured Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and published while public outroar grew against him.
A trial date has not been set.
FIFA banned Rubiales for three years until after the men’s 2026 World Cup. His ban will expire before the next women’s tournament in 2027. Spain’s sports authority also ruled him unfit to hold a post in sports management for three years.
Joselu inspires Real Madrid comeback with ‘heart’ to beat Bayern, reach Champions League final
- Record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes
- Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1
MADRID: Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback with “heart” against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final on Wednesday with Joselu striking twice in the dying minutes, earning them a 2-1 win to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their “black beast.”
“It’s something magical, there’s no explanation,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, revelling in another electric night in the Spanish capital.
Journeyman striker and back-up option Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid’s history books with his last-gasp brace, giving Europe’s comeback kings another night to remember.
“(The comeback) was with feeling and with heart, as the coach told us — you have to win games with heart,” said Joselu.
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies’ superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Instead Joselu consigned Bayern to a first trophyless season since 2012, his first goal coming after a handling error from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who had superbly kept Madrid at bay until that point.
“(Before that) there were world class saves after world class saves, but that can happen, it’s football,” said Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka but the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Neuer produced a superb double save to stop Madrid nosing in front, tipping the electric Vinicius Junior’s effort on to the post and then saving Rodrygo’s follow-up.
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before England captain Harry Kane’s first flash of danger, but Andriy Lunin pushed his vicious volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies’ cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin’s goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid’s left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonizingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forward again before the hour mark as Madrid ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Canada international Davies cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich’s face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane, still chasing the first trophy of his career, in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Ancelotti, sacked by Bayern in 2017, has kept Madrid’s squad players engaged and committed to the cause all season and it paid dividends at a crucial time.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and substitute Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
“We had one foot in London, we saw ourselves going through to the final,” lamented the goalkeeper.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second-division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.
“There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die,” said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Bayern were left raging at full time after De Ligt netted but play had been stopped beforehand for an offside flag against Noussair Mazraoui.
“I don’t want to say that it’s always the referee’s mistake with Real Madrid, but that made the difference today,” grumbled De Ligt, saying play should have been allowed to continue.
“It’s bitter, completely bitter,” said Tuchel.
Real Madrid rallies late to beat Bayern 2-1 and reach another Champions League final
MADRID: After yet another magical night at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid is back in the Champions League final.
The 14-time European champion pulled off another thrilling comeback on Wednesday, rallying to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 and reach the final for the second time in three seasons.
Like it happened so many times in 2022, Madrid needed some late drama to advance.
Joselu scored in the 88th minute and then in stoppage time as Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate to set up a final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London.
“Well, it has happened again what has happened so many times before,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s inexplicable. Fans who push us on, a fantastic stadium, players who never stop believing — it’s simply something magical.”
Bayern had taken the lead on an Alphonso Davies goal in the 68th — and then deep in stoppage time thought it had equalized but hadn’t because of an offside call that Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel described as “disastrous” and “against the rules.”
Joselu’s first goal was a tap in after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer spilled an easy save. The second was initially called off for offside but was eventually allowed after video review.
“You always dream of being part of moments like this,” the 34-year-old Joselu said. “Not even my best dreams were as good as this.”
It will be Madrid’s record-extending 18th European Cup final, and ninth in the Champions League era, also a record. Madrid beat Liverpool when it last made it to the final in 2022, a season marked by several late comebacks like that one it pulled off on Wednesday.
Madrid at the time pulled off thrilling comebacks at the Bernabeu against Manchester City in the semifinals, Chelsea in the quarterfinals and Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
Six-time European champion Bayern was looking to return to the final for the first time since winning the competition in 2019-20. The loss meant there will be no rematch of the all-German final in 2013, when Bayern beat Dortmund to win its fifth European title.
“It hurts. It’ll take a while to recover, but on the one hand it’s a loss where we left it all out on the pitch,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said. “Of course, it’s tough to accept. It’s part of reality. No regrets.”
Dortmund, the 1997 European champion, eliminated Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on aggregate on Tuesday.
It was a mostly even match but Madrid created the most significant scoring chances. But it had not been able to get past what was a terrific performance by Neuer, who had made a series of difficult saves to keep Bayern in the match.
But the German international faltered in the final minutes, dropping an easy ball after a shot by Vinícius Júnior and allowing Joselu — who came off the bench in the 81st — to equalize from in front of the goal.
“Manu, who had been exceptional in saving us all night, made a mistake he wouldn’t make in another 100 years,” Tuchel said.
Neuer said “anyone who’s ever played football knows how I’m feeling right now.”
“That we’ve been knocked out in the closing stages, having led 1-0 until the 85th minute, it’s extremely bitter,” he said. “We’d taken one step to London, we saw ourselves in the final and now I’m lost for words.”
Joselu, a German-born striker, then gave Madrid the lead a minute into stoppage time after a cross by Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger off the left side.
The linesman initially raised the flag for offside, and it took a few moments before Madrid players and the crowd at the Bernabeu could celebrate the winner.
Bayern loudly complained at the end after a goal by Matthijs de Ligt didn’t count because the referee blew the whistle for offside without letting the play be completed.
De Ligt said the linesman apologized to him, saying he “made a mistake” for raising the flag without letting the play continue.
Davies, who had entered the match in the 27th to replace the injured Serge Gnabry, had given Bayern the lead by beating Rüdiger in a one-on-one situation, cutting back toward the middle of the area before firing a right-footed shot into the far corner past Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
Madrid thought it had equalized a couple of minutes later but the goal was called off after video review because of a foul by defender Nacho Fernández on Joshua Kimmich.
Soccer or football, the world’s most popular sport has its own day for fans to celebrate — May 25
- The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution by consensus with a bang of the gavel by its president, Dennis Francis
- On May 25, the resolution “invites” all nations, UN bodies, international organizations, academia, civil society and the private sector to observe World Football Day
UNITED NATIONS: Soccer fans around the world will now have a day to celebrate the world’s most popular sport every year — May 25.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution Tuesday proclaiming May 25 as World Football Day. The sport is called football outside of the US.
The day marks the 100th anniversary of the first international soccer tournament in history with the representation of all regions which took place on May 25, 1924 during the summer Olympic games held in Paris, according to the resolution.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution by consensus with a bang of the gavel by its president, Dennis Francis, to applause from diplomats in the assembly chamber. It was co-sponsored by more than 160 countries.
Libya’s UN Ambassador Taher El-Sonni, who introduced the resolution, told the assembly, “Football or soccer as others call it is the number one game played and followed around the globe.”
But he stressed that soccer is more than just a game played by all ages on streets, in villages, schools and courtyards for fun and in competitions.
Because of its “unparalleled position” in the world of sports, El-Sonni said, “football serves as a universal language spoken across the globe, cutting across national, cultural and socio-economic barriers.”
He said the game has become “a pivotal platform” championing gender equality and social inclusion, “a common ground where individuals from varying backgrounds converge, promoting mutual understanding, tolerance, respect and solidarity.”
The resolution acknowledges “the global reach of football and its impact in various spheres, including commerce, peace and diplomacy, and recognizing that football creates a space for cooperation.”
It also recognizes “the fundamental role” of soccer’s international governing body, FIFA, and the important role of regional and national soccer federations, as well as relevant associations, in p romoting the game.
The resolution encourages all countries to support soccer and other sports as a tool to promote peace, development and the empowerment of women and girls. And it also encourages countries to adopt policies and programs to promote football and other sports and physical activities.
On May 25, the resolution “invites” all nations, UN bodies, international organizations, academia, civil society and the private sector to observe World Football Day in line with national priorities “and to disseminate the advantages of football for all, including through educational and public awareness-raising activities.”
Hummels stuns Mbappe and PSG to take Dortmund to Champions League final
- Hummels struck five minutes into the second half
- Dortmund will face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the final in London
Paris, May 7, 2024 Agence France Presse: Mats Hummels headed in the only goal as Borussia Dortmund stunned Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League semifinal second leg on Tuesday, winning 1-0 on the night and advancing 2-0 on aggregate to next month’s final at Wembley.
Hummels struck five minutes into the second half at the Parc des Princes and PSG were unable to muster a response, the home side all out of luck as they hit the woodwork four times in total.
Dortmund, who sit fifth in the German Bundesliga, were never expected to go so far and will be underdogs in the June 1 showpiece regardless of whether they face their old rivals Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, who meet on Wednesday.
It will be their first final since 2013 when, remarkably, the match was also played at Wembley and Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund lost to Bayern.
Hummels played in that final and here, 11 years later, he was the hero as Dortmund built on the advantage given to them by Niclas Fuellkrug’s goal in the first leg.
“It’ll take us a bit of time to realize that, but we’re looking forward to it extremely,” Dortmund coach Edin Terzic told broadcaster Amazon Prime of getting to the final.
“We did it somehow, making it to London.”
The story of this semifinal, however, is as much about PSG’s failure in another crunch knockout tie in the competition.
They have still never won the trophy despite all the money invested by their Qatari owners since the 2011 takeover, and there will be no dream send-off for Mbappe.
He will leave when his contract expires after this season and had been hoping to play his last game for the club in the June 1 final.
Instead PSG will be left to reflect on how they failed to get their hands on the biggest trophy of all during Mbappe’s seven years at his hometown team.
“We were not clinical enough. They scored two goals, one from a corner and one from a long ball. We created lots more chances, many more than them, but we didn’t take them,” PSG captain Marquinhos told Canal Plus.
“We got so close and we wanted to get to the final. But we had to win tonight and be more clinical, and we were not.”
PSG’s last two semifinal appearances both came during the pandemic, meaning this was the first time they had hosted a match at this stage of a European competition with fans in 29 years, since losing to AC Milan in 1995.
Luis Enrique’s team had won 2-0 at home against Dortmund in the group stage and were safe in the knowledge that a repeat of that performance would be enough.
The PSG coach made one major selection decision, dropping Bradley Barcola and bringing in Portuguese striker Goncalo Ramos. That meant moving Mbappe from the middle onto the left wing.
Dortmund would have been bracing themselves for an onslaught from kick-off, but that did not transpire.
Mbappe took only seven minutes to produce his first attempt, yet his volley was easily saved by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
The hosts had most of the possession but struggled to get Mbappe into the game, the France captain often looking isolated on the wing.
In fact it was Dortmund who had the best chance of the first half, when Karim Adeyemi led a counterattack before seeing his shot saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
It felt as though the hosts needed to change something or risk going out with a whimper.
They should have been ahead two minutes after the restart, when Ramos touched on a ball driven into the box by Mbappe, but Warren Zaire-Emery contrived to hit the post from close range.
That was to prove crucial as Dortmund struck moments later.
PSG cheaply conceded a corner, and Julian Brandt’s delivery from the Dortmund right was headed in by Hummels.
Ramos swept a shot over on the hour mark before Nuno Mendes became the second PSG player to strike the right-hand post, this time with a powerful shot from distance.
It was starting to look as if it would not be PSG’s night, and Luis Enrique realized he had to act as he sent on Barcola and Marco Asensio for Ramos and Fabian Ruiz, moving Mbappe through the middle.
Dortmund sent on an extra defender in the hulking Niklas Suele and they withstood everything PSG threw at them while also being helped by the frame of the goal.
Kobel turned Mbappe’s shot onto the bar on 86 minutes and Vitinha also rattled the woodwork but Dortmund hung on to book their date in London.
