Your Guardian Sport weekend: Liverpool on verge, FA Cup semis, Women's Six Nations finale and London Marathon
With Liverpool poised to clinch the Premier League title on Sunday, Jonathan Liew looks at how Mohamed Salah helped them recapture the crown. Sid Lowe sets up a clásico Copa del Rey final, while Andy Martin has all your need to know about Sunday's London Marathon. And Barney Ronay's weekly column focuses on Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn and boxing grudges.
Join Gregg Bakowski and Barry Glendenning for the latest news and buildup to Saturday's football action in our new weekend news blog. Send your thoughts to matchday.live@theguardian.com.
Tanya Aldred provides updates from day two of the latest round of County Championship games, with defending champions Surrey hosting Somerset.
Tony Paley covers the final day of the jumps season with trainers Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton battling it out for the title at Sandown, plus updates from the day's Flat action.
David Tindall will have all the latest as Chelsea chase a top-five finish. Join him for the buildup from 11.30am, followed by Yara El-Shaboury's report from Stamford Bridge.
Barry Glendenning leads coverage of Saturday afternoon's action. Eddie Howe returns to the Newcastle dugout as they bid to confirm Ipswich's relegation, and in the EFL, promotion and relegation battles are going to the wire.
After four wins apiece, Europe's two dominant sides face off at Twickenham for the title and grand slam, before England host the World Cup later this year. Join Luke McLaughlin for live buildup and match updates.
The first spot in the FA Cup final will be decided at Wembley as Oliver Glasner and Unai Emery's sides meet in a clash that's too close to call. Scott Murray has all the news, up to and including penalties if required.
With Barcelona and Inter set to meet again in the Champions League semi-finals, Jonathan Wilson takes a look back at 2010, when José Mourinho foiled Pep Guardiola's side in one of the great European Cup contests.
For the first time since 2014, Barça and Real Madrid meet in the Spanish Cup final. Join Luke McLaughlin for live updates from the showpiece game in Sevilla.
This long-awaited, generational grudge match finally takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Join Bryan Armen Graham for undercard updates from 8pm including Anthony Yarde and Lydon Arthur's third meeting, before the main event.
Dominic Booth will take a look at the best of Saturday's action before a look ahead to Sunday's big matches in the FA Cup, Premier League and Women's Champions League. Email matchday.live@theguardian.com with your views.
Every Sunday, our email newsletter will feature the Guardian's best sports writing of the week. Sign up to get your copy here.
It's one of the biggest days in Britain's sporting calendar, as tens of thousands of runners descend on the capital. Join Daniel Harris for updates, and get in touch if you're taking part.
Join Tanya Aldred for our continued coverage of the latest county cricket games, including Nottinghamshire v Sussex at Trent Bridge.
Will United find any form at the end of a dismal top-flight campaign, or suffer more embarrassment against tricky hosts? Join Tim de Lisle to find out.
Defending champions Barça lead 4-1 after the first leg; Xaymaca Awoyungbo will be helming our updates to see if Sonia Bompastor's side can pull off a remarkable comeback at Stamford Bridge.
Pep Guardiola's side are aiming to rescue their season with a major trophy, but face this season's Premier League surprise package at Wembley. Forest are chasing their first FA Cup final appearance since 1991; join Taha Hashim to see if they can make it.
Is this the day? Arsenal's midweek draw with Crystal Palace means that a point at home to Tottenham will be enough to seal a 20th league title for Liverpool, and a first Premier League crown for Arne Slot in his first year at Anfield. Join Simon Burnton for the latest match updates, with a liveblog covering all the celebrations if they get over the line.
Will the Gunners reach the Women's Champions League final for the first time since 2007? They head to France down but not out after a 2-1 home defeat in the first leg. Join Emillia Hawkins for buildup and live match updates.
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Glasgow Times
24 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
A Tottenham Hotspur legend forever – Son Heung-min hails sacked Ange Postecoglou
Postecoglou ended Spurs' 17-year wait for silverware with Europa League success over Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21, but it failed to earn the Australian a third season. A club statement on Friday announcing Postecoglou's departure highlighted a woeful Premier League campaign where Tottenham finished 17th, which is their lowest top-flight finish since relegation in 1977. Captain Son was one of several Spurs players to pay tribute to Postecoglou, writing on Instagram: 'Gaffer. You've changed the trajectory of this club. Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties. — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 6, 2025 'You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did. 'You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it's had in decades. We will have those memories for life. 'You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It's been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you. 'Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate.' Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was Postecoglou's first signing and said: 'You are not only a top manager, you are an incredible person to work for, a real leader, a mentor, and someone I'll always look up to. 'What we achieved together will stay in the history books. Wishing you nothing but success as I know you will go on to achieve more and more. Thank you, Boss.' Dutch defender Micky van de Ven added: 'Gaffer, thank you for everything! Believed in me from the first day I arrived at the club. 'Many ups and downs in the last two years but you kept believing in us and kept pushing us. Big part of the success from the club this year, and forever grateful that u made me part of it. All the best.' Striker Dominic Solanke signed for Spurs last summer in a £65million deal. He said: 'Thank you for bringing me to this wonderful club, thank you for bringing us a wonderful trophy. '(I) won't ever forget the convo we had before I signed and we achieved a dream! All the best in your next adventure.' Right-back Pedro Porro insisted the 59-year-old would 'always be celebrated', writing: 'Thank you for everything, boss. 'I'll always be grateful for the way you led us, defended us, and kept us going through all the highs and lows. Above everything, you gave us one of the greatest moments in the club's history and for that, you'll always be celebrated.' Forward Richarlison added: 'Everyone who loves the Spurs will remember that Big Ange always bags trophies in his second season.' On behalf of our members and Spurs fans everywhere we would like to thank Ange Postecoglou for his passion and commitment during his two years at Spurs. The vast majority of fans will love Ange forever because of the incredible moments he gave us in the Europa League,… — THST (@THSTOfficial) June 6, 2025 The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust thanked Postecoglou for an 'amazing night' in Bilbao but acknowledged league results were a 'long way short' of expectation. 'Our concern now is that it appears we will have yet another change of direction and that this is something that is becoming a habit since we said goodbye to Mauricio Pochettino in 2019,' a THST statement read. 'We can only hope that the right decision has been made and that the new manager is fully supported by the board and everyone at the club to build on the cup success that Ange has lain. 'He will need the finances to build a strong squad that can challenge simultaneously on many fronts. We wish whoever is appointed well. Spurs fans have had a taste of glory and we don't want to wait another 17 years for more.'
Glasgow Times
24 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Who's going to step up and replace Scotland's golden generation?
The youthfulness of Steve Clarke's squad for the friendly internationals against Iceland and Liechtenstein this month has, what with Connor Barron, Kieron Bowie, Tommy Conway, Josh Doig, Billy Gilmour, Max Johnston, Lennon Miller, Nathan Patterson and James Wilson all receiving call ups, certainly been heartening. The members of that nonet have an average age of just 21. Every one of them has a huge amount to offer their country at international level for many seasons to come. They have numerous qualifying campaigns left in them and hopefully a few finals too. The same is true of the injured duo Ben Doak, the Liverpool winger, and Aaron Hickey, the Brentford full-back. It was also encouraging to see the SFA roll out their Cooperation System – which will see up to three Scotland-qualified prospects under the age of 21 move freely between Premiership and Championship parent clubs and lower league outfits on loan from the 2025/26 season onwards – this week. Read more: Similar agreements already exist in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia. Hopefully the long overdue scheme will enable our best prospects, who have often been prevented from gaining much-needed competitive game time in the senior ranks simply because their presence is needed to satisfy homegrown player quotas in European competition, to make the difficult transition from the age-group ranks. That initiative was one of the main recommendations contained within the Transition Phase paper which was co-authored by Andy Gould, the SFA's chief football officer, and Chris Docherty, the governing body's head of men's elite strategy and was published last year. That report contained many worrying revelations, damning findings and stark conclusions about how poorly Scotland is doing in comparison with other countries of a similar size across Europe when it comes to producing talented young footballers who are capable of flourishing in the paid ranks. But if anybody needed reminding just how few professionals are emerging, Brown Ferguson, the former Alloa, Hamilton and Partick Thistle midfielder and the current Stenhousemuir assistant manager who is also the assistant regional performance manager at sportscotland and the high performance manager to Scottish Golf, took to X (formerly Twitter) to tell us. He posted a series of alarming statistics about the Premiership last season. Here are a few of the most startling. Just 31.46 per cent of players to start games in the top flight were Scottish. That is down from 45 per cent three years ago. On average, just 3.23 per cent of players kicking off on a Saturday are under 21, just four out of 132. No fewer than 20 team selections failed to contain a single Scot. Aberdeen and Celtic didn't start an under-21 player in the 2024/25 campaign. The SFA have identified these major problems and are endeavouring to address them. The SPFL clubs, who in the past have shown they are more concerned with self-interest than the greater good, have endorsed and embraced their plans. But is it too little too late? Our leading clubs face a raft of challenges running academies and bringing through youngsters who are capable of representing their first teams every year. The issues which Brexit and raids on their age-group squads by their wealthier English rivals have presented in recent years have been well documented in these pages. Far fewer footballers who are good enough are emerging. These are pretty exciting times in Scottish football with Brighton owner Tony Bloom buying a major stake in Hearts and a consortium comprising American billionaire Andrew Cavenagh and the San Francisco 49ers taking over Rangers. With Hibernian a far more formidable force than they were and Aberdeen lifted by their epic Scottish Cup triumph, next season promises to be a belter. Read more: But the focus in recent weeks has very much been on how much money every club will spend and who will be brought in this summer. The new powerbrokers seem unconcerned about doing their bit to help our national game by rearing homegrown heroes. Sure, wanting to promote youth has been mentioned in passing. It appears, though, fairly far down their list of priorities. Such is the money mad modern game. There is, with Barron, Bowie, Conway, Doig, Gilmour, Johnston, Miller, Patterson and Wilson as well as Lewis Ferguson, Jack Hendry, George Hirst, Andy Irving, Scott McKenna, Scott McTominay and John Souttar all in the current Scotland squad, no reason for Tartan Army footsoldiers to panic. (Image: Craig Williamson - SNS Group) Yet, the World Cup qualifying campaign which will get underway with away games against Denmark and Belarus in September may well prove to be the last that Che Adams, Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Christie, Lyndon Dykes, Craig Gordon, Grant Hanley, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Andy Robertson, Lawrence Shankland and Kieran Tierney are involved in. Some will retire after it, others will stay on. But we are witnessing the last hurrah of a golden generation. Will those who come after that aforementioned group grace, as many of their predecessors did, the Premier League and the Champions League? The majority of them still have some way to go to scale the same heights as their compatriots. A few will manage it, but many won't. Clarke lamented how few goalkeepers he had to choose from when he announced his squad last month. He, or his successor, may be left bemoaning the lack of centre-backs, full-backs, holding midfielders, playmakers, wingers and strikers going forward. There must be a concerted collective effort from club owners and managers or qualification for the finals of major tournaments will be a thing of the past.
South Wales Guardian
37 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
A Tottenham Hotspur legend forever – Son Heung-min hails sacked Ange Postecoglou
Postecoglou ended Spurs' 17-year wait for silverware with Europa League success over Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21, but it failed to earn the Australian a third season. A club statement on Friday announcing Postecoglou's departure highlighted a woeful Premier League campaign where Tottenham finished 17th, which is their lowest top-flight finish since relegation in 1977. Captain Son was one of several Spurs players to pay tribute to Postecoglou, writing on Instagram: 'Gaffer. You've changed the trajectory of this club. Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties. — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 6, 2025 'You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did. 'You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it's had in decades. We will have those memories for life. 'You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It's been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you. 'Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate.' Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was Postecoglou's first signing and said: 'You are not only a top manager, you are an incredible person to work for, a real leader, a mentor, and someone I'll always look up to. A post shared by Son HeungMin(손흥민)🇰🇷 (@hm_son7) 'What we achieved together will stay in the history books. Wishing you nothing but success as I know you will go on to achieve more and more. Thank you, Boss.' Dutch defender Micky van de Ven added: 'Gaffer, thank you for everything! Believed in me from the first day I arrived at the club. 'Many ups and downs in the last two years but you kept believing in us and kept pushing us. Big part of the success from the club this year, and forever grateful that u made me part of it. All the best.' Striker Dominic Solanke signed for Spurs last summer in a £65million deal. He said: 'Thank you for bringing me to this wonderful club, thank you for bringing us a wonderful trophy. '(I) won't ever forget the convo we had before I signed and we achieved a dream! All the best in your next adventure.' Right-back Pedro Porro insisted the 59-year-old would 'always be celebrated', writing: 'Thank you for everything, boss. 'I'll always be grateful for the way you led us, defended us, and kept us going through all the highs and lows. Above everything, you gave us one of the greatest moments in the club's history and for that, you'll always be celebrated.' Forward Richarlison added: 'Everyone who loves the Spurs will remember that Big Ange always bags trophies in his second season.' On behalf of our members and Spurs fans everywhere we would like to thank Ange Postecoglou for his passion and commitment during his two years at Spurs. The vast majority of fans will love Ange forever because of the incredible moments he gave us in the Europa League,… — THST (@THSTOfficial) June 6, 2025 The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust thanked Postecoglou for an 'amazing night' in Bilbao but acknowledged league results were a 'long way short' of expectation. 'Our concern now is that it appears we will have yet another change of direction and that this is something that is becoming a habit since we said goodbye to Mauricio Pochettino in 2019,' a THST statement read. 'We can only hope that the right decision has been made and that the new manager is fully supported by the board and everyone at the club to build on the cup success that Ange has lain. 'He will need the finances to build a strong squad that can challenge simultaneously on many fronts. We wish whoever is appointed well. Spurs fans have had a taste of glory and we don't want to wait another 17 years for more.'
