Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso dodged questions about taking over at Anfield and insisted he does not return to the city as a tourist.
Alonso was hot favourite for the Liverpool job when Jurgen Klopp announced in January he was leaving, but quickly ruled himself out of the running before guiding Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title.
Asked whether it was ever a serious consideration, the Spaniard, who won the 2005 Champions League during a five-year spell at Anfield, said: “At that time I was focused, I had a big thing with the players and we were really focused on that.”
He has already been linked with a return to another of his former clubs Real Madrid to succeed Carlo Ancelotti, but he refused to speculate on whether coming to Anfield would be a consideration.
“Let’s talk about the game tomorrow, it’s more interesting than my future. Let’s talk about the great players on both sides, that is what is in my head,” he added.
“For us it is a big challenge to come here. Liverpool at the moment is one of the best if not the best in Europe, they are showing that in a very strong Premier League and the Champions League.
“It’s a good squad, good coach. At Anfield, it’s a big challenge. We’re looking forward to it, let’s see what happens.”
Alonso remains a crowd favourite and there is every chance the Kop will sing his name at some point on Tuesday night.
“We will see, I will tell you after the game how I feel. There will be a moment for everything, but the main thing is not me,” he said.
“It’s the players, how we deal with the emotions you have in this stadium, they are in a good moment.”
On his return to Liverpool, he added: “Maybe tomorrow I will take a little walk or a run, but there is no time for tourism.
“I know the city very well, I loved it, but I will focus on the game and only the game.”
Adam Armstrong scored an 85th-minute winner as Southampton beat Everton 1-0 to earn their first Premier League victory of the season.
The left-winger’s late goal helped lift the Saints off the foot of the table on a day where they were also indebted to the heroics of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Everton’s Beto thought he had equalised minutes before the end but, after a lengthy review, the effort was ruled offside as Russell Martin’s promoted side were handed a much-needed boost in their survival bid.
Nottingham Forest’s Ryan Yates (centre) and team-mates celebrate victory after the final whistle in the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham. Picture date: Saturday November 2, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Forest.
Saints’ theme of dominating possession continued as Everton struggled to breach the hosts’ well-organised structure in the early stages, with new boy Mateus Fernandes being the key link between midfield and attack.
The 20-year-old summer signing from Sporting Lisbon floated in between the lines and continuously picked out Armstrong on the right-hand side, but the wideman struggled to get the better of marker Vitalii Mykolenko.
Saints continued to play football which contradicted their 20th-place position at the start of the weekend, with Flynn Downes putting Cameron Archer in behind only for the striker’s effort to narrowly miss the left post, much to the relief of a well-beaten Jordan Pickford.
Everton had been second best, but with the game level they were still very much in the contest. A first-time strike from Idrissa Gueye off a corner routine early in the second half saw Ramsdale’s save awkwardly spin onto the roof of the net as Everton pushed men forward in search of the opener.
The Toffees came close again in the 67th minute. Substitute Jesper Lindstrom wandered onto the left, cut in and delivered a whipped inswinging delivery with his right foot, which was met by the head of Michael Keane in the six-yard box. Miraculously, Ramsdale demonstrated instinctive reflexes to touch the ball onto the post, keeping the scores level.
Ramsdale’s heroics continued as he began to outperform opposite number and England number one Pickford. The former Arsenal man, who made the move to the south coast for a reported £18 million in the summer, made another incredible stop, this time tipping Lindstrom’s free-kick over the bar.
Beto hit the bar for Everton after 84 minutes and, typical of the end-to-end affair, Saints surged down the other end to take the lead.
Yukinari Sugawara was unleashed down the right and a simple ball into the middle saw Armstrong jink inside and bury his first-time effort into the bottom left-hand corner.
Beto thought he had salvaged a point with a finish late on, but VAR saved Saints as they won an important and deserved three points.
Jose Mourinho cheekily said he is looking to add a fourth Premier League medal to his glittering cabinet if Manchester City are stripped of their titles and rivals Manchester United are awarded the Premier League trophy for the 2017-18 season.
Mourinho, who won three titles with Chelsea, guided United to a second-place finish behind City in that campaign, 19 points behind Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking side.
City, who have won the English title a record four times in succession, were referred to an independent commission in February 2023, with the various charges dating from 2009 to 2018. They have always denied any wrongdoing.
Should City be found guilty of some or all of the charges, they could face penalties or huge fines, points deductions, being stripped of their titles or even be demoted from the top flight.
“We won the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league,” Fenerbahce boss Mourinho told reporters ahead of their Europa League clash against United.
“Maybe they punish Manchester City with points (deductions) and maybe we win that league. They have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”
Mourinho was the first manager since Alex Ferguson’s last season in 2012-13 to bring United the closest to winning the league title again but he was sacked in December 2018 after a poor run of form.
Ferguson is United’s most successful manager and although he is set to step down as a global ambassador after the club’s part-owners Ineos ended his multi-million pound contract, Mourinho said the 82-year-old did not need the position or the money.
“The ambassadorial role… I don’t know in depth the situation. It doesn’t matter why, what (happened). Sir Alex has the most important thing, which is the love and respect of every Man United fan around the world,” Mourinho said.
“That is more important than an ambassadorial role, it is more important than a few pounds that he can make that he doesn’t need.”
The Football Association has reportedly approached Pep Guardiola over the prospect of him becoming the next England manager.
Guardiola’s contract with Manchester City expires next summer and The Times claims the FA made informal contact with him at the start of the season – although it has yet to receive a response.
Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane urged the FA to go for the City boss, saying in his role as a pundit for ITV after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Finland: “Go for the best. Pep’s contract is up in the summer.”
Guardiola himself has said “anything can happen” with his future.
“Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet,” he told Italian TV show Che tempo Che Fa, as reported by Sky Italia.
“And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it… I don’t know either, anything can happen.”
Guardiola has won six Premier League titles – including the last four in succession – and the Champions League since arriving at the Etihad Stadium in 2016.
He is by far the standout candidate, should he become available, but former Paris St Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel remains the bookmakers’ favourite.
England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley remains in interim charge for the final round of Nations League group matches next month, having overseen three wins and a defeat so far after stepping into the role following Gareth Southgate’s resignation after Euro 2024.
The Football Association has consistently refused to discuss the managerial recruitment policy, while Manchester City do not comment on speculation.
Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy was lent money by teammates when the club stopped paying him after he was charged with rape and sexual assault, an employment tribunal has heard.
Current and former players Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez supported the French international, who now claims to be owed £11.5 million in unpaid wages by the Premier League champions.
The 30-year-old’s £500,000 per month wage was withheld by the club after he was charged in 2021, the tribunal was told.
The World Cup winner was subsequently cleared.
Mr Mendy, who now plays for French Ligue 2 club Lorient, brought employment tribunal proceedings against Manchester City, claiming for “unauthorised deductions” from wages.
His contract showed he would also receive a £900,000 bonus for appearing in 60% of matches, a £1 million bonus if City qualified for the Champions League, and an annual £1.2m payment to his image rights company.
Court documents shared with the Manchester employment tribunal said Mr Mendy “very quickly ran out of money” and had to sell his Cheshire mansion to cover legal fees, bills and child support payments after his wages were withheld.
“I struggled to pay my child support, I felt awful,” the footballer said in a witness statement.
Mr Mendy said his agent, Meissa N’diaye, paid towards his legal fees, while teammates including England international Sterling offered “financial support”.
“Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez all lent me money to help me try and pay my legal fees and support my family,” he said in his witness statement.
The left-back described his 2021 charging as the day “my life was turned upside down forever.”
The tribunal heard he enjoyed partying, and was held in custody between August 2021 and January 2022, and again between December 2022 and January 2023 after he breached his bail conditions by hosting and attending multiple parties.
A January 2021 party at his multi-million pound home lasted until 4am, despite him having a match the following day, the tribunal was told.
Mr Mendy, appearing via videolink, told the tribunal he and his agent Mr N’diaye had been assured by Man City’s then chief football operating officer Omar Berrada that he would receive his unpaid wages once he had been cleared of the charges.
The footballer sent Mr Berrada a WhatsApp message in November 2022, asking if he could confirm in writing that the wages would be paid, the tribunal heard.
But Mr Berrada did not reply to the message and denied ever having made such an assurance.
After his acquittal, Mr Mendy sent an email to Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the Emirati chief executive of Manchester City, but again received no response.
The club continued paying Mr Mendy following his first arrest in November 2020 but has argued it did not have to carry on doing so later because his bail conditions and Football Association suspension meant he was not able to perform his duties as a player.
Mr Mendy’s witness statement continued: “I would have thought that Manchester City, of all clubs, would appreciate the lack of control and anger that a person or entity has with being charged with false allegations given the Premier League allegations that they are facing.
“At no point have Manchester City apologised to me or even acknowledged how their actions almost cost me everything.
“I believe that it is fair and just for me to be paid the wages that I would have earned but for being falsely arrested for crimes that I did not commit.”
Mr Mendy was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023, but the same jury could not reach a verdict on another count of rape and one count of attempted rape.
It saw a retrial and Mendy was found not guilty of one charge of rape and one charge of attempted rape.
In April, a High Court tax debt case against Mr Mendy was dismissed after he paid a £700,000 bill.
The employment tribunal is expected to last for two days.
Jürgen Klopp, the 57-year-old German will assume the role of Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull starting January 1, 2025. In this position, he will oversee the company’s international network of soccer clubs. Klopp, one of the most sought-after figures in world football, concluded his memorable nine-year tenure as Liverpool’s manager after the 2023-24 season. Under his leadership, Liverpool secured all major football honors, including the Champions League (2018-19), Premier League (2019-20), FA Cup (2021-22), two EFL Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. They also finished as runners-up twice in the Champions League and once in the Europa League.
Jurgen Klopp
In his strategic role, Jürgen Klopp will not be involved in the clubs’ day-to-day operations but will focus on supporting the sports directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy. He will also leverage his extensive network to aid in scouting top talent and contribute to the training and development of coaches.
Jürgen Klopp, Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull revealed:
“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this. The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not. By joining Red Bull at a global level, I want to develop, improve and support the incredible football talent that we have at our disposal. We can do this in many ways by using the elite knowledge and experience that Red Bull possesses to learn from other sports and other industries. Together we can discover what is possible. I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs. Still, ultimately, I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward-looking. As I said, this could not excite me more.”
Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments at Red Bull stated:
“We are very proud of this outstanding and certainly the strongest signing in Red Bull’s soccer history. Jürgen Klopp is one of the greatest and most influential figures in world soccer, with extraordinary skills and charisma. In his role as Head of Soccer, he will be a game-changer for our involvement in international soccer and its continued development. We are hoping for valuable and decisive impulses in key areas to make the clubs even better, both collectively and individually.”
Jürgen Klopp will be formally announced as the Global Head of Soccer at a press conference in mid-January 2025, following his assumption of the role on January 1. The specific date and time of the event will be provided in advance. We kindly ask that you refrain from making further inquiries or interview requests until that time.
England captain Harry Kane celebrated his 100th cap with a clinical brace as Lee Carsley’s interim reign continued with a comfortable Nations League win against Finland.
All eyes were on the man in the golden boots at Wembley, where the 31-year-old was presented with a golden cap before kick-off having become just the 10th man to reach a century of appearances for the national team.
Kane followed Wayne Rooney and Sir Bobby Charlton in scoring in their 100th match for England, with the skipper rifling home both goals in a controlled 2-0 win over Finland.
Carsley’s first match managing at Wembley was as dominant as Saturday’s win by the same scoreline away to the Republic of Ireland, with fans entertaining themselves by sending paper planes sailing throughout a plain sailing night of Nations League football.
England enjoyed 74 per cent of first half possession but only managed two shots on target, albeit Kane saw a close-range header ruled out for a tight offside call.
Finland goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky proved a tough last line of defence but Kane finally beat him when lashing off the underside of the bar in the 57th minute.
England’s all-time top scorer went onto add a 68th goal to his collection, firing home a pass from debutant Noni Madueke before being replaced to a standing ovation.
Tuesday evening was a special night for Kane and a chance to pay tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson.
The popular former England manager died last month at the age of 76 and was remembered along with the late Kevin Campbell, Tommy Banks and Craig Shakespeare at Wembley.
England wore black armbands as they did at the weekend, but they were unable to replicate the sharp start seen across the Irish Sea.
Finland deserve credit for seeing off early threats, including stopping Bukayo Saka turning in a Kane header across goal before the skipper saw an effort blocked.
Hradecky stopped a snapshot from the 31-year-old and the visiting goalkeeper did well to stop a deflected Saka shot looping past him as England pressure mounted, with celebrations in the 23rd minute cut short.
Saka’s cross was nodded home by from six yards by centurion Kane, only for Carsley to punch the deck as he saw the flag raised for offside – a decision eventually ratified by the VAR.
Angel Gomes looked sharp in and out of possession on his first England start but fellow midfielder Declan Rice was breathing a sigh of relief after his error allowed Topi Keskinen, who missed an earlier chance, to lash over.
England patiently probed in search of an opener, with Saka proving a thorn in the side before Trent Alexander-Arnold sent a shot skipping just across the face of goal and then wasted a well-placed free-kick.
Kane stepped up to a set-piece early in the second half but Hradecky beat away his powerful 20-yard free-kick with a strong right hand.
Finland’s goalkeeper spread himself well to stop Anthony Gordon and then dealt with an overhead kick from Kane, who finally beat the Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper in the 57th minute.
Kane collected a pass from the impressive Alexander-Arnold, showed great awareness to cut away from Robert Ivanov and lasered home off the underside of the bar.
Carsley soon made changes, with Ezri Konsa withdrawn due to injury shortly before Madueke came on for his England debut.
The changes helped add new life to the team and England’s second arrived through a familiar source in the 76th minute.
Alexander-Arnold’s exceptional ball down the line to Madueke was followed by a clever pass into the path of Kane to send a first-time strike past Finland’s goalkeeper.
The skipper was soon replaced with his work done as fans headed towards the exit and play petered out.
A brother of World Cup winner and former Manchester United star Paul Pogba will stand trial with five other men as part of an extortion case that targeted the footballer two years ago, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
A judge ordered the six men to appear before a court following an investigation into whether Paul Pogba was the target of extortion by his brother, Mathias Pogba, and childhood friends, the office said.
The prosecutor’s office said Mathias Pogba, 34, was ordered to stand trial “for the offences of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy”
The court date has not been announced.
The five others – identified by their first names only – allegedly demanded €13 million from the France midfielder, and repeatedly intimidated him, claiming he did not support them after he became an international football star.
They are accused of extortion and attempted extortion by using violence, abduction and confinement to facilitate a crime or misdemeanour, as well as criminal conspiracy.
During the investigation, Paul Pogba said he paid €100,000 to the organised group including his brother.
According to French media reports, the 31-year-old player also told investigators the alleged extortionists wanted to discredit him by claiming he asked a witch doctor to cast a spell on teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Paul Pogba denied the allegation.
A lawyer for Mathias Pogba did not respond to a message seeking comment.
The case became public after Mathias Pogba posted threats on social media to share “explosive” revelations about his brother, Paul Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta, and Mr Mbappe.
Mathias Pogba was also a footballer who spent most of his career with lower-tier teams in Europe.
Once one of the world’s top midfielders, Paul Pogba has made the headlines more often for his off-field problems than for his football brilliance in recent years.
Earlier this year, he was banned for the maximum four years by Italy’s anti-doping court after testing positive for testosterone while at Juventus.
He has appealed to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Paul Pogba was known for his versatility, physicality and eye for goal.
When he returned to Manchester United in 2016, the club paid Juventus a then world-record transfer fee of €105 million.
Paul Pogba rejoined Juventus in 2022 but then struggled with injuries, and was ruled out of France’s run to the 2022 World Cup final because of a knee injury.
He helped France win the previous World Cup, scoring in the 4-2 win over Croatia in the final.
Martin Odegaard is a doubt for Sunday’s North London derby after limping out of Norway’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League win over Austria in Oslo.
The Arsenal captain was left clutching his left ankle after an innocuous tangle with Christoph Baumgartner on the hour mark and was helped off the pitch in tears by team-mate Erling Haaland.
Odegaard’s apparent injury is a further setback for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who is already without the suspended Declan Rice for the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“He got a small ankle sprain. We will see, maybe we use ultrasound to look at it. If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow,” team doctor Ola Sand told TV2.
Haaland lashed home his 32nd goal in 35 games for his country in the 80th minute to clinch victory after Felix Myhre’s ninth-minute opener was cancelled out by a Marcel Sabitzer effort shortly before half-time.
Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher has admitted he may have to leave Liverpool to achieve his dream of becoming a first-choice goalkeeper.
The 25-year-old, who started for Ireland in Saturday’s 2-0 Nations League defeat by England, is currently number two at Anfield behind Alisson Becker, but with Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili due to arrive on Merseyside next summer, his future appears to be up in the air.
Asked about his situation at Ireland’s pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Greece, Kelleher said: “I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out.
“The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper. From the outside looking in, looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction.
“My ambition has always been clear the last few seasons that I want to be a number one.
“Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like it is 100 per cent my decision but at times it is not always in my hands.”
Kelleher, a two-time Carabao Cup winner with the Reds, deputised ably for Alisson last season after the Brazilian suffered a hamstring injury, and made 26 appearances in total.
He was linked with a move away in January and then again during the summer, when Nottingham Forest reportedly had a series of bids rejected.
Asked how close he came to leaving the Reds during the summer, Kelleher said: “My mission was to go out and play, and be a number one.
“It has been reported that Liverpool had rejected a few bids as well. It is not always in my hands to make the decision. My ambition is to prove I am good enough to play week in, week out.”
