Barcelona exited the Champions League at the group phase for the second season running on Wednesday, a 3-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich rubbing salt in the wound after their fate was sealed 700 kilometres away.

Inter Milan beat Viktoria Plzen at San Siro before kick-off at Camp Nou, ensuring Barcelona would drop into the Europa League again despite their lavish summer expenditure on Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Raphinha and other players.

With the club 1.3 billion euros ($1.31 billion) in debt at the end of 2021, Barcelona president Joan Laporta pulled “palancas” — levers — all summer long, like a Las Vegas slot machine, until he had cashed out the 865 million euro jackpot he was looking for.

In came those star names, plus a raft of other signings including Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso, as coach Xavi Hernandez and the board revamped their squad, hunting for instant success.

The cost of their deals was 49 percent of their production arm Barca Studios sold to Socios and Orpheus Media, raising 200 million euros, and 25 percent of their La Liga television rights for the next 25 years sold to US investment firm Sixth Street across two deals, for around 665 million euros.

Enthusiasm soared in Catalonia and attendances rose after the disillusionment of last season, with 84,000 at Camp Nou on Wednesday, despite the improbability, and quickly, impossibility, of the Bayern match being anything beyond an exercise to salvage some pride.

Change has come slower than Barcelona hoped for in Europe and their only win in five group stage matches was over Viktoria Plzen. The Czech minnows’ defeat by Inter left Barcelona with the ignominy of being able to watch in the dressing room as their fate was sealed even before they took to the pitch.

“We didn’t compete today, being knocked out before the game affected us,” Xavi said.

“It was a difficult group and everything went against us. It was cruel.”

Swatted with ease

The elimination did not dampen the atmosphere at Camp Nou, which was one of the finest in a long time, in stark contrast to what the supporters were watching on the pitch.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was injured but Barcelona did not manage to trouble his replacement Sven Ulreich even once. Bayern swatted Barcelona with ease, with goals from Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard, and Xavi admitted it.

“It was a beating, a tough blow, a huge disappointment,” said the coach.

“They were a lot better than us. In Munich, we were better, but we weren’t today. It’s not hard for me to say it, Bayern were better in many ways. We were not enough in a footballing sense.”

For all their certainty they now had a squad that could compete in Europe, this curtailed campaign was a reality check.

Xavi admitted earlier in October that if the team did not win anything this season then he would likely be sacked, despite his rich playing history with the club and some improvements since his arrival as coach.

“We have a team that can win titles, that’s what I think,” said Xavi. “(After the Clasico) my phone was filled with messages of support, it was like a family member had died. This is Barca and there are no transition seasons.

“We had half of last season to get things in order. The president said there would be consequences and maybe first of all for me. If we don’t win titles then another coach will come in and try.”

Financially the club could lose around 20 million euros in prize money for failing to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, as they had budgeted for, as well as potential income from ticket sales and broadcasting. That would be offset by any Europa League revenue and not having to pay out some bonuses for European success in players’ contracts.

Still, after the heavy summer expenditure, another humiliating early exit rankles. Despite Lewandowski’s supreme form in La Liga, he failed to net in either match against Bayern, his former side.

For all the spending, it was homegrown left-back Alejandro Balde who shone brightest against the Bavarians, a nod towards the other path that debt-ridden Barcelona could have chosen.

Source:  AFP

Borussia Dortmund’s 17-year-old forward Youssoufa Moukoko has reportedly been included in Germany’s preliminary squad for the World Cup.

Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira, Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Luca Netz and Werder Bremen forward Niclas Füllkrug — who is joint top scorer in the Bundesliga with eight goals — all made coach Hansi Flick’s preliminary list, German tabloid Bild said on Tuesday.

National team coaches had to submit their selection of up to 55 players before a deadline of Oct. 21 to ensure their eligibility for the tournament, which starts Nov. 20. Any players who don’t make the preliminary selections will not feature in Qatar.

Moukoko has scored four goals and set up three more in 10 Bundesliga appearances so far for Dortmund this season. Khedira, the younger brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira, has started every Bundesliga game for Union and helped the modest club surprisingly lead the table. The 19-year-old Netz is seen as a good prospect for the future.

There have been calls for Flick to include Füllkrug in the final squad as the Bremen striker’s strong physical presence creates opportunities for teammates. The 29-year-old Füllkrug has eight goals and three assists in the Bundesliga so far.

Bild only reported 44 names. It wasn’t clear if Flick had included more. The Germany coach is due to announce his 26-player final squad on Nov. 10 and didn’t want his initial selection published.

Germany has its last World Cup warmup game against Oman on Nov. 16. The four-time champion has been drawn in Group E and plays Japan on Nov. 23, Spain on Nov. 27, and Costa Rica on Dec. 1.

Source: Superstar.the Hindu

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said on Tuesday his team had to try and beat Bayern Munich this week even if their Champions League fate is already sealed by kick-off.

The Catalans could be eliminated if Inter Milan beat Czech minnows Viktoria Plzen at home before they face Bayern on Wednesday.

“We’ll watch (that game) on television all together in the dressing room,” said Xavi. “Regardless of what happens in Milan, we have to show that we can compete.

“We are extremely motivated to show we can compete with them, we will go out with the same intensity we showed against Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao. We have to match them.”

Barcelona have only won one of their first four Champions League matches and were beaten 2-0 in Munich in September despite putting in a good performance and creating several chances.

The German champions have beaten Barcelona each of the last five times they have faced each other, including 8-2 in Lisbon and two 3-0 wins last season in the group phase.

After heavy summer expenditure, including signing striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern, Barcelona had hoped to be able to demonstrate they could challenge for the Champions League.

Xavi said he would not change the starting line-up to rest key players if Inter won and Barcelona were knocked out.

“I have already decided the team,” he said. “It will only change if there is an injury or problem, it’s not related to what happens in Milan.”

Barcelona were knocked out in the group phase last season and dropped into the Europa League, where they were beaten by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

“If in the end we wind up in the Europa League we will go out to compete like lions and try to win it,” added Xavi.

“I am always positive, but when it’s no longer in your hands, you aren’t so positive, it’s logical, it’s human.”

Source: AFP

Union Berlin missed a chance at reinstating their four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga, going down 2-1 away at bottom side Bochum on Sunday.

Union came into the weekend with a four-point lead, but the gap was cut to just one after Bayern Munich defeated Hoffenheim 2-0 on Saturday.

Bochum took the lead in the final minute of the first half when Philipp Hofmann headed in a corner.

Looking to ignite a tired-looking side exhausted by frequent midweek matches as a result of their first Europa League campaign, coach Urs Fischer made three changes in the 63rd minute.

However it was the home side which continued to look fresher, scoring a second on the counter in the 71st minute when Christopher Antwi-Adjei crossed for Gerrit Holtmann to score.

Union had a chance to mount a comeback when awarded a penalty in the 77th minute, but Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann saved Milos Pantovic’s tentative spot-kick.

Pantovic got on the board in the last minute of injury time, but it was not enough as Union failed to secure three points for just the fourth time this season.

The win was just Bochum’s second of the season, lifting them from last spot in the table ahead of Schalke.

Schalke have a chance lifting themselves off the foot of the ladder when they take on Hertha in Berlin in Sunday’s late game.

Source: AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo has been dropped from Manchester United’s squad for Saturday’s clash with Chelsea after his tantrum against Tottenham.

Ronaldo stormed down the Old Trafford tunnel with several minutes remaining in United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old star reportedly told United manager Erik ten Hag that he did not want to come on as a late substitute.

Ten Hag said after the Tottenham match that he would “deal with” the issue on Thursday.

It was not the first time Ronaldo had shown public dissent at his role in Ten Hag’s team’s and the United manager has finally responded by wielding the axe.

“Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday’s Premier League game against Chelsea. The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture,” a United statement said on Thursday.

It is believed Ten Hag’s decision to remove Ronaldo from the squad has the full backing of the United hierarchy.

United chiefs are said to be weighing up a decision on Ronaldo’s long-term future after the disciplinary issue. But whether there can be a way back for the unhappy Portugal striker remains to be seen.

United would have to wait until the transfer window reopens on January 1 before they could sell Ronaldo.

Disappointed by United’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, Ronaldo has been trying to engineer a move away from Old Trafford since the end of last season.

The former Real Madrid and Juventus star had hoped to join a club in the Champions League, but he found offers from Europe’s elite hard to come by.

Ronaldo missed United’s pre-season tour to Australia and Asia for “family reasons” before making another show of frustration in a friendly against Rayo Vallecano.

Playing under Ten Hag for the first time, Ronaldo was substituted at half-time and responded by leaving Old Trafford before the match had finished.

Source: AFP

Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko has admitted in an interview with AFP he cried when he “saw children running through a field strewn with missile craters” in Irpin, a commuter town outside Kyiv which was liberated from Russian control.

The 2004 Ballon D’Or winner said he was overwhelmed by the youngsters’ determination to play football despite the carnage around them.

Shevchenko, 46, the son of “a military man” who despite his upbringing “stood against wars all his life”, was so angry at the Russian invasion in February he “felt such excruciating pain I couldn’t even breathe.”

“I couldn’t comprehend the fact that bombs are falling and rockets are flying in the centre of democratic Europe now,” he said, speaking this week.

“They fly towards my home, towards everything I love. I had to decide on what I should do to help my country quickly.

“I thought about everything I’m capable of and where I can be most effective.

“And I realised that I have to use the power of my name, to fight for Ukraine publicly.”

Shevchenko, unlike some Ukrainian sports stars who took up arms, chose an ambassadorial role to showcase his country’s plight.

The 2003 Champions League winner with AC Milan and top tennis player Elina Svitolina “immediately” accepted an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to become ambassadors for a charity called United24.

He met the president in Kyiv on May 18.

“It was the first time I came to Ukraine since February 24, the war had been going on for two and a half months already, and Russian troops had only just retreated from the city.

“I saw an empty, and yet indomitable, Kyiv. It was a very emotional moment for me, as well as my meeting with the president.”

The charity was launched by Zelensky to collect donations to cover Ukraine’s most pressing needs: Defence and de-mining, medical aid and to rebuild the country which has been devastated since Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.

Shevchenko has focused on raising funds for medical aid and reconstruction.

“We are about to announce the first project this week. In total, over $200 million were collected in five months, and people from 110 countries joined in.

“I think I made the right decision.”

‘Sympathy and admiration’

Shevchenko, whose mother and sister were able to leave Kyiv around six weeks after the invasion, said he never ceased to be amazed at the resilience of his compatriots on his visits back home.

“The people I met in Borodianka, in a temporary house built for 22 families, have already arranged the living space there and met us with smiles on their faces,” he said.

“Despite the fact that these people lost everything they had, they keep enjoying their lives.

“And this is such a typical trait for Ukrainians. To raise from the darkness, always looking for the best in everything and supporting each other.

“Ukrainians evoke not only sympathy, but also admiration from the whole world.”

He says he is indebted to his former club for their support.

“There are no words to describe how I felt when AC Milan announced they were releasing a special t-shirt with my number in support of Ukraine,” he said.

Sales of the t-shirt raised 200,000 euros ($196,000) which will help reconstruct a children’s football pitch in Irpin, destroyed by Russian missiles.

Shevchenko — who has also been touched by the “great, constant support” from Barcelona’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski — said despite recent Ukrainian battlefield successes he was reminded only last week of Russia’s ability to strike.

“A week ago, I left Kyiv by train, on the day when the most devastating strikes since February 24 hit Ukraine,” he said.

“Today (he spoke to AFP on October 17), Russia attacked civilians again.

“A residential house is on fire in the very centre of Kyiv, a family expecting a child was killed.”

However, even amid the loss of innocent lives Shevchenko saw something to hearten him.

“Among all this horror and pain, I saw a photo of a rescuer taking a small kitten out of the rubble.”

Source: AFP

Championship club Watford on Monday appointed former West Ham and West Brom manager Slaven Bilic as their new coach after sacking Rob Edwards.

The club announced the arrival of Bilic minutes after reporting that Edwards had been fired after just 11 games in charge in all competitions.

The team, relegated from the Premier League last season, is 10th in the Championship, the second tier of the English game, with three wins from 10 league games.

“As with all decisions taken by the board, I believe this change to be in the best interests of the club,” said Hornets owner Gino Pozzo.

“We felt Rob had enough time to show us the identity of his team. However, performances haven’t reflected our hopes and ambitions.

“Now we must move forward, and, in Slaven Bilic, we have secured the services of an experienced coach who has recent experience of promotion to the Premier League.”

Former Croatia international and national team coach, Bilic, 54, guided West Brom to promotion in the 2019/20 season and has since managed in China.

Source: AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo has set his sights on reaching Euro 2024 and the Portugal and Manchester United forward says he has no plans to retire any time soon.

“My journey is not over yet, you’re going to have to put up with ‘Cris’ for a while longer,” said Ronaldo on Tuesday, after receiving a trophy at the Portuguese football federation’s (FPF) Quinas de Ouro awards in Lisbon for being the top national team goalscorer of all time.

“I want to be part of the World Cup and the Euros … I feel very motivated. My ambition is great,” the 37-year-old said.

Ronaldo has scored 117 goals in 189 Portugal appearances and is expecting to play in his 10th major international tournament for his country at Qatar 2022.

The forward’s brace against the Republic of Ireland in September 2021 allowed him to overtake Iranian great Ali Daei’s haul of 109 goals as the record international scorer.

Ronaldo eventually stayed at Manchester United this summer despite speculation he would switch clubs, and despite being benched for Premier League matches he scored in the team’s last outing at Moldovan minnows FC Sheriff in the Europa League.

Source: AFP

Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-17s Head Coach Colin O’Brien has named a 20-man squad for a double-header of friendlies against The Netherlands this week.

Ireland have travelled to North Brabant and will play The Dutch tomorrow and Friday.

The games will form part of the preparation for the first round of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifiers in Norway next month. Ireland are drawn in Group 10 with Armenia, Belarus and Norway.

Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-17 Squad

Goalkeepers: Joe Collins (Bray Wanderers), Jason Healy (Waterford)

Defenders: Daniel Babb (UCD), Jake Grante (Crystal Palace), Sean Mackey (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Adam O’Halloran (Galway United), Cory O’Sullivan (Shamrock Rovers)

Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Waterford), Anthony Dodd (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Luke Kehir (St. Patrick’s Athletic),Danny McGrath (Bohemians), Gabriel Gartside-Kelly (Manchester City), John O’Sullivan (Shamrock Rovers), Freddie Turley (Shamrock Rovers)

Forwards: Trent Kone-Doherty (Liverpool), Mason Melia (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Nickson Okosun (Bohemians), Ike Orazi (Shamrock Rovers), Naj Razi (Shamrock Rovers), Shaun Wade (Chelsea)

Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-17s Fixtures

Wednesday, September 21 | The Netherlands MU17 v Republic of Ireland MU17, Kranenhof, Velp, The Netherlands, KO 6pm (Irish time)

Friday, September 23 | The Netherlands MU17 v Republic of Ireland MU17, Kranenhof, Velp, The Netherlands, KO 6pm (Irish time)

Culled from the FAI

The French Football Federation said it will review its agreement on players’ image rights following media reports that striker Kylian Mbappe had refused to take part in sponsor activities.

ESPN reported Mbappe refused to participate in a team photo and sponsor activities scheduled for Tuesday because he does not want to endorse some brands, including fast food chains and betting companies, that are under contract with the national team.

“I have decided to not take part in the photo shoot after the French federation’s refusal to change the image rights agreement with the players,” Mbappe said in a statement, according to ESPN.

The French federation said on Twitter on Monday that it held discussions with the team’s executives, the president, the coach and a marketing manager.

“… The French Football Federation undertakes to review, as soon as possible, the image rights agreement between it and its selected players,” the statement added.

“The FFF is looking forward to working on the outlines of a new agreement that will allow it to secure its interests while taking into account the legitimate concerns and convictions unanimously expressed by its players.”

France host Austria in the Nations League on Thursday and play at Denmark three days later.

Source: REUTERS