Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to have knee surgery

Published

2 hours ago

September 23, 2024

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to have knee surgery

Barcelona goalkeeper and captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen is to have knee surgery on Monday after suffering a ruptured patella tendon during Sunday’s La Liga victory against Villarreal.

The Germany international was carried off on a stretcher during the first half after his right knee buckled as he landed while catching the ball.

Barcelona say they will provide a further update after his operation, with no timescale yet put on the 32-year-old’s recovery.

Ter Stegen has made more than 400 appearances for the club since joining from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014.

Hansi Flick’s side beat Villarreal 3-1 to maintain their 100% record in La Liga and move four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table.

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The New Saints to play Europa Conference home games in Shrewsbury

Published

58 mins ago

September 23, 2024

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The New Saints to play Europa Conference home games in Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury’s Croud Meadow Stadium is 22 miles from Saints original village base of Llansantfraid and under 20 miles from Oswestry, where they have played home matches over the English border since the redevelopment of Park Hall in 2007.

In 2003 The New Saints played a Uefa Cup qualifying game against Manchester City at what was then named the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but Harris had already ruled out the possibility of staging this season’s European ties at Cardiff City Stadium.

“Places like Cardiff are three hours away from where we are, so our fans and stakeholders can’t really get there,” Harris had said after beating FK Panevezys in the play-offs to qualify for the group stages.

“It’s got to be somewhere more local.

“Wrexham and Shrewsbury would be most ideal for us, but I’m not sure the Racecourse is available, so it’s our priority to get the games in a stadium that can cater for the games, but also giving the people around us a chance to go and watch.”

Their first match at Croud Meadow will be on Thursday, 24 October (20:00 BST), when they host Astana of Kazakhstan.

Djurgarden, from Sweden, will travel to Shrewsbury on Thursday, 28 November (17:45 GMT) before the visit of Greek team Panathinaikos on Thursday, 12 December (20:00 GMT).

Liam Dooley, Shrewsbury Town chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome The New Saints to the Croud Meadow. A lot of work has been completed behind the scenes on this by both clubs working together and we are really happy to get this over the line.

“It gives us the chance to showcase our stadium around Europe, as well as providing additional revenue for the club, and supporting TNS on their journey.”

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Football

Guardiola: Chasing Perfection

Published

4 hours ago

September 23, 2024

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How and why has Pep Guardiola been able to revolutionise football?

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Football

Listen: What next for Hearts?

Published

5 hours ago

September 23, 2024

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Thomas Duncan, Ryan Stevenson and Simon Donnelly discuss the big Scottish football news

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Football

WSL agrees new £45m sponsorship deal with Barclays

Published

6 hours ago

September 23, 2024

NewsAdmin

WSL agrees new £45m sponsorship deal with Barclays

A new three-year agreement has been reached with Barclays to remain the title sponsor of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship.

The deal is understood to be in the region of £15m a year, including investment and marketing, double the previous arrangement which runs out at the end of this season.

It is the first major contract secured by the WSL’s new takeover company, Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL).

Barclays became the title sponsors in 2019 and the renewal is said to be the biggest deal in women’s domestic football.

There has been a continual increase in viewing figures and attendances across the WSL over the past few years.

WPLL chief executive Nikki Doucet said: “Barclays has been a leading light when it comes to supporting women’s football and they become a founding partner for WPLL as we embark on a transformational journey to grow the game.

“This record multi-year investment demonstrates long-term commitment and is important because it provides positive endorsement and increased support for what we are trying to accomplish.”

Barclays has also extended its partnership with the Premier League, agreeing a new four-year deal.

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Football

Mbappé

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7 hours ago

September 23, 2024

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From Paris suburbs to the pinnacle of football, a look at a once-in-a-generation talent.

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Football

Hungary’s Euro 2024 ambitions and Viktor Orban’s politics

Published

8 hours ago

September 23, 2024

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Hungary's Euro 2024 ambitions and Viktor Orban's politics

His football project has added a new historical layer to Hungary, where communist-era tower blocks, grand Austro-Hungarian buildings, and Ottoman baths betray a tumultuous past.

If the Pancho Arena is closest to his heart, the national stadium in Budapest is the biggest example of his and the government’s adoption of football.

Similar to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena in size and design, but built at three times the cost, it stands on the former site of the rickety, historic Nepstadion.

In an otherwise unremarkable 1-0 friendly win over Estonia there in March 2023, the most dramatic moment came as a single, repeated phrase boomed out of the public address system.

The stadium’s tannoy announcer chanted: “Down with Trianon, down with Trianon.”

The Trianon Treaty was the agreement that reduced Hungary’s size by two-thirds in 1920.

Millions of ethnic Hungarians still reside within pre-Trianon Greater Hungary – the old imperial territory that existed before Austria-Hungary’s defeat in World War One.

The stadium announcer was only following Orban’s lead. Four months before, the prime minister had posted video of himself congratulating winger Balazs Dzsudzsak on his retirement from international duty.

Around Orban’s neck was a scarf featuring an image of Greater Hungary.

Ukraine, invaded by Russia earlier that year, summoned Hungary’s ambassador to explain another apparent claim on its territory. Romania, which took over Transylvania in 1920 and is still home to 1.2 million ethnic Hungarians, voiced “firm disapproval” of Orban’s gesture.

For many Hungary fans though, it tapped into a deep sense of historical injustice.

As the public address system denounced the loss of former Hungarian territories, as war raged over the border in Ukraine where some 200,000 ethnic Hungarians reside, no discernible surprise was visible among the crowd, so blurred have the lines between football and incendiary nationalist politics become in Orban’s Hungary.

“The essence of the football is like the essence of politics,” said Orban, who has been the most prominent pro-Russian voice in the European Union.

“Because the question is not where the ball is now – everybody can see where the ball is now – but the question is where the ball will be…

“If you understand earlier than others what will happen, you can react first and you can win.”

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