Barcelona's Raphinha named LaLiga Player of the Season
Barcelona winger Raphinha was named LaLiga Player of the Season on Friday, after the Brazilian played a major role in his side winning the domestic treble, with club teammate Lamine Yamal named Best Under-23 player.
Raphinha contributed 34 goals and 25 assists in 57 club games across all competitions, with Barca winning the league title, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
The 28-year-old signed for Barcelona in 2022 from Leeds United and recently signed a contract extension keeping him at the Spanish club until 2028.
Raphinha scored a late goal to put Barcelona ahead in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Milan, only for the Italians to level in stoppage time and net an extra-time winner. That was Raphinha's 13th goal in 14 games of this season's competition.
Yamal, still only 17, confirmed his status as one of the world's top talents after last season's breakthrough campaign, with the winger netting nine league goals along with five in the Champions League. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
Defiant Postecoglou proud of Spurs reign despite sacking
LONDON - Ange Postecoglou insisted he was proud of his turbulent Tottenham reign despite being sacked on June 6 as the Australian claimed he had defied the odds by ending the club's trophy drought. Postecoglou led Tottenham to their first silverware for 17 years just 16 days ago when they beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao. But securing a lucrative place in next season's Champions League by winning Tottenham's first European prize since 1984 wasn't enough to save Postecoglou. The Australian paid the price for presiding over Tottenham's 17th place finish in the Premier League, which ranked as their worst top-flight season since they were relegated in 1976-77. Despite the numerous problems that rocked Tottenham during his two-season spell, including injuries to a host of key players, Postecoglou was adamant he had relished the battle to finally deliver a trophy in difficult circumstances. 'There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible,' the 59-year-old said in a statement after his sacking. 'When I reflect on my time as manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride. 'The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. 'Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget. 'That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream.' 'We are forever connected' Postecoglou, hired from Celtic exactly two years ago, endured months of speculation over his future as Tottenham spluttered through their dismal domestic campaign. He had hoped Tottenham's first silverware since the 2008 League Cup would spare him from the axe. Tottenham Hotspur's head coach Ange Postecoglou holds aloft the Europa League trophy, following their mid-week win in the Europa League Final on May 21. PHOTO: AFP But Postecoglou returned from a family holiday in Greece to discover chairman Daniel Levy had made his ruthless move amid reports of the club's interest in Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Fulham manager Marco Silva and Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner. As his team slumped towards a woeful 22 defeats from 38 league games this term, Postecoglou clashed with Tottenham fans, who criticised his overly-attacking tactics. The Europa League triumph softened the relationship and he was serenaded on multiple occasions at the trophy parade, with players backing him to stay after a 4-1 home defeat against Brighton in what proved to be his last match. Postecoglou, who delivered on his bold boast that he always wins a trophy in his second year, had jokingly told fans at the parade that the third season is always better than the second in television programmes, a reference to his desire to stay in charge. He won't get that opportunity, but he believes his successor will benefit from his work in north London. 'We have laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them,' he said. 'I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. 'I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special. We are forever connected.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Tuchel wants relentless energy in attack from England against Andorra
BARCELONA : England go into their World Cup qualifier against Andorra as heavy favourites but the players will find it challenging to find the energy to attack relentlessly after a long and gruelling season, coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday. England are top of Group K after two games with a perfect record while Andorra are bottom with two losses ahead of Saturday's game in Barcelona. Tuchel said England are fully committed to the qualifier where he wants "a win that is never in danger" but also said fans should not "over-expect" them to go all guns blazing right from the start of the game. "It will be on us to get going, it is on us to keep the tempo high, to bring the attacking energy to the pitch and to do this in a relentless way," Tuchel told reporters. "I can fully understand that this is not the easiest time of the season for an international break. The players come from a long and tiring season and then again accepting the role to be responsible for the majority of the game can be demanding. "But at the same time, what I feel from the group is that they are happy to be here. We are quite new together, it is our second camp and I have trust and belief that we will do what is necessary to get the result that we want." Tuchel said England have embraced the tag as huge favourites, promising an attacking lineup that will dominate possession while he is not looking to experiment by using this match as an audition for new players. "The focus will be on the attacking patterns, on our hunger for and the reaction after ball losses, for the counter-pressing," he added. "These will be the main topics for tomorrow and this will then guide and demand the tactics. "My thoughts are not so much whom can we see and what do we try. It's more about the game plan since two days and who trains well... After a long season, putting players together from which we feel they have a connection and then they can show." Tuchel has also done his homework on Andorra, describing the European minnows as a well-drilled and well-organised side in a 5-4-1 formation. "They don't allow a huge amount of big chances," the German coach said.
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Handball-Administrative blunder allowed Odense to compete in Champions League, say officials
The Danish Handball Association has admitted to a major blunder that allowed Odense, this season's women's Champions League runners-up, to take part in the competition when they were not eligible. Denmark's three Champions League spots were determined by playoff results and regular season standings. Esbjerg and Nykobing Falster secured the top two spots for 2023-24, while Ikast, runners-up in the regular season, should have claimed the third spot. However, Odense, who finished third in the playoffs, applied and participated instead. Odense lost 29-27 to Hungary's Gyori in Sunday's final in Budapest. "Unfortunately, we made a mistake last year. It wasn't Odense, but Ikast who should have had the opportunity to apply," said Frank Smith, chief of tournaments at the Danish Handball Association, to Danish TV 2. The error was discovered on Wednesday. Ikast, who played in the less lucrative European League and lost the final to Germany's Thuringer HC, expressed frustration. "We feel that we've been cheated, and it's just a shame for everyone involved," said Ikast player Stine Skogrand. Ikast are seeking financial compensation for lost Champions League earnings. "If we hadn't qualified for the Champions League, it would have been our own problem — but now we feel entitled to some of what we could have earned," said director Daniel Gronhoj. For Odense, the situation taints their achievement in reaching their first-ever Champions League final. "I sat there with this feeling that shouldn't be the legacy of the weekend we just had — that we shouldn't have been there," said Odense sport director Trine Nielsen. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
