logo
Luis Enrique explains why he SLAPPED Joao Pedro in shocking bust-up after Chelsea's Club World Cup win over PSG

Luis Enrique explains why he SLAPPED Joao Pedro in shocking bust-up after Chelsea's Club World Cup win over PSG

The Sun8 hours ago
PSG boss Luis Enrique has explained why he slapped Joao Pedro after Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph.
A mass brawl broke out following the 3-0 win, which also included clashes between goalscorers Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, and PSG's Fabian Ruiz.
5
5
5
5
Tempers flared and reached boiling point at the final whistle, with players pushing and shoving.
Both managers got involved after Achraf Hakimi, Andrey Santos and Christopher Nkunku were caught up in the melee.
Pedro confronted boss Enrique who reacted furiously, appearing to slap the Brazilian.
PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma followed up with a push and Pedro fell to the ground.
Enrique has since claimed he was trying to defuse the situation, with his opposite number Enzo Maresca actually ushering his players away.
The PSG boss explained his actions, saying: 'At the end of the game there is a situation that I believe is totally avoidable by everyone.
'My goal and intention, as always, is to try to separate the players so that there are no more problems. Avoidable situation.
'There is a lot of tension, a lot, a lot of pressure and from there, there is a series of pushes by many people that I think we should all avoid and that should not happen again.
'But I repeat, my intention as always, to avoid any situation that goes further.'
The incident came after PSG midfielder Joao Neves lost his cool and pulled Marc Cucurella's hair, resulting in a red card in the 85th minute.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Chelsea could sell academy graduate against John Terry's wishes
Chelsea could sell academy graduate against John Terry's wishes

Metro

time39 minutes ago

  • Metro

Chelsea could sell academy graduate against John Terry's wishes

Chelsea are in talks to sell a highly-rated academy graduate who was tipped to break into the first-team by club legend John Terry. Enzo Maresca's side are currently celebrating their Club World Cup final victory over PSG, and now have just one month to rest and prepare for the new Premier League season. In that time, the club will look to add to their already impressive squad but must also sell off a large number of unwanted players, as another 'bomb-squad' has assembled at Cobham. Many of these outcasts spent last season out on loan including Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi. Another to do so was Alfie Gilchrist, who made 32 appearances for Sheffield United, helping the Blades reach the Championship play-off final where they lost to Sunderland. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Since his debut in December 2023, the defender has made 17 first-team appearances for Chelsea and was named Academy Player of the Season in 2024. More Trending However, the 21-year-old's contract is due to expire next summer and it remains to be seen whether his long-term future lies at Stamford Bridge or elsewhere. Sky Sports report that Middlesbrough have enquired about signing Gilchrist, who can play at either centre-back or right-back, with several other Championship clubs interested. Gilchrist will find minutes hard to come by at Chelsea due to their large number of centre-back options including Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo and summer signing Mamadou Sarr. Opportunities at right-back would appear limited too because of Reece James and Malo Gusto, and while the captain could be converted into a midfielder this season, Maresca is keen to give teenage defender Josh Acheampong more minutes. If Gilchrist were to leave west London, it would come as great disappointment to Chelsea's legendary captain and current academy coach Terry. 'Literally from the first training session in which I saw him, he reminded me of myself,' the former England defender said last year. 'He was keen to learn, asking me questions about defending and constantly picking my brains over what I would do in different situations. And he's 100 per cent in everything he does. Whether that's the warm-up to get him going, he's all-in. 'If you're at Chelsea, you've got great ability in the first place to be there. But it's really important for younger players to have that mentality and Alfie had that in abundance even from an early age. 'Hopefully, he comes back to Chelsea and breaks through into our team. Alfie and all of his family are Chelsea, too, so I know deep down he wants to come back and break through. 'When you see the journeys of these young players, and you play a small part in helping them, it's really rewarding for me, being Chelsea through and through. I love it.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Brentford eyeing up former Chelsea prospect as Bryan Mbeumo replacement MORE: Dusan Vlahovic makes decision on joining Man Utd on free transfer MORE: Manchester United being sued by former player for 'clinical negligence'

Have England got lucky by finishing second?
Have England got lucky by finishing second?

BBC News

time39 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Have England got lucky by finishing second?

Fans usually want their team to do as well as possible, but many England supporters were hoping results on Sunday night would prevent them from finishing top their the Netherlands took the lead just before half-time in their match with France to put the Lionesses top of Group D, some England fans had an anxious half hour before the French overturned the deficit with a storming second-half display.A 5-2 France victory saw them finish three points clear of England in the table, but have the Lionesses got lucky and ended up with the easier draw? Avoiding Germany & Spain 'definitely better' The Lionesses face Sweden instead of old rivals Germany in the quarter-finals on Thursday (20:00 BST) and will play either Norway or Italy in the last four should they are also, perhaps crucially, in the opposite side of the draw to 2023 World Cup winners Spain, so are unable to meet the favourites until the Sweden have performed well in past tournaments finishing in third at the World Cup in 2019 and 2023, they have not lifted a major trophy since winning the inaugural 1984 were in worse form than eight-time European champions Germany heading into these Euros, having drawn two games against Wales in the Uefa Nations League. Germany, meanwhile won their last five Nations League games and scored at least four goals in each pre-tournament predictions gave Sweden a 6% chance of winning Euro 2025, compared to the 14% for England beat the Swedes on Thursday, they will then play a side ranked outside the top 10 in the world for a spot in the are currently ranked 13th, while Norway are 16th. Had the Netherlands beaten France, then England would have had to play world number three side Germany in the last eight and Spain, ranked second, in the semis."It is most definitely better, the team finishing second," former England forward Toni Duggan said on BBC Radio 5 Live."Avoiding Spain and Germany, but Sweden also look strong, so it is going to be an interesting game."France manager Laurent Bonadei agreed, saying they had "absolutely" been handed the difficult section of the added: "All of our opponents will want to knock us out, we remain as a challenger with much ambition."To be favourites you must win a trophy. We will play against Germany who won eight times…. because Germany are favourites."Spain defeated England in the World Cup final in 2023 and look strong in their pursuit of a first Euros Lionesses beat Germany to win the Euros in 2022, but they have lost the six other games they have played against Germany at the tournament. 'I'm a bit terrified' - Sweden will be difficult test It is in the semi-finals where England's draw is more favourable as their last-eight opponent will prove thrashed Germany 4-1 in the group stage and won all three games, conceding just once, to top Group England international Fran Kirby told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Sweden have such an experienced squad now. We played them in the semi-final in Euro 2022 and they are a team that have started the tournament very brightly. That will be something England need to look into."When the groups were drawn, everyone was talking about Germany but Sweden have just blown it all away in the group stage, so I think it's going to be a really interesting game."Not only do England have a tricky test ahead of them, but finishing as runners-up also means they have less time to recover, playing on Thursday instead of Saturday. England have faced Sweden three times in the past three years, with one of those fixtures being incredibly memorable for their won 4-0 in the semi-finals of Euro 2022, the night where Alessia Russo scored her memorable backheeled record goalscorer, Ellen White, played in that fixture and said she is "a bit terrified" about the Lionesses having to face Sweden in the quarter-finals."Whoever we were going to face was going to be a tough opposition," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We've faced Sweden a number of times, everyone will remember that semi-final from 2022 where we beat them 4-0 and we've drawn with them recently as well."Sweden look very good, they beat Germany convincingly in their last game. I'm a bit terrified, I feel like there's going to be a lot of goals, hopefully for England."The two teams are also the only European nations to reach the semi-final stage in each of the past three major Scandinavian side have only twice, in 2009 and 2017, failed to make it to the last four in their previous 11 their meeting at the last Euros, the sides have played out 1-1 and 0-0 draws in the Nations that, England lost 2-1 to Sweden in the bronze medal match at the 2019 World Wiegman's side have won two, drawn two and lost five of the games they have played against Sweden in major competitions. Against Germany, they have won two, drawn one and lost five.

Man Utd fan admits slapping Jack Grealish after Manchester derby
Man Utd fan admits slapping Jack Grealish after Manchester derby

The Independent

time39 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Man Utd fan admits slapping Jack Grealish after Manchester derby

A football fan has claimed he assaulted Manchester City and England star Jack Grealish after the footballer reportedly insulted him. Alfie Holt, 20, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault on Grealish, who he said had called him a 'little ugly wanker', after the Manchester derby in April, Manchester Magistrates' Court heard. Holt, a Manchester United season ticket holder in the Stretford End, was also given a three-year Football Banning Order and was fined £120, with £85 costs and a surcharge of £48. The defendant, of Haven Drive, Droylsden, Tameside, told the court: 'I did not expect him to say what he said to me and I have reacted. I regret it. That's it.' Shazia Aslam, prosecuting, told the court Grealish was leaving the field after the Manchester Derby at Old Trafford, which was broadcast on Sky TV with a sell-out crowd and was always a 'contentious affair.' 'Both sets of fans were very vocal, shouting abusive comments to rival players,' Ms Aslam said. The court heard that as players left the field, heading for the tunnel, Holt stood very close by, shouting abuse at Man City players. 'As the complainant, Jack Grealish, a Man City player, enters the tunnel area, he hears the defendant shouting comments towards him. He turns and walks towards him. Both have an exchange of words. 'As the complainant walks away, the defendant slaps the complainant across the face. There was no injury. He was arrested outside the stadium.' In a witness statement, Grealish told police he could not hear what the defendant was shouting due to the crowd noise, so he walked towards him and tried to engage in conversation and leaned in to speak to the defendant. He was still unable to hear, so he moved to walk away when he was slapped. After his arrest, Holt told police he had been drinking before the game 'in town' and went to the match with his father. He told police he was shouting abuse at Man City players, including Phil Foden, who ignored him. He then shouted, 'Knobhead' at Grealish, who reacted and a 'verbal altercation took place,' the court heard. Holt told police Grealish said to him: 'You little, ugly wanker,' and he 'flipped' and reached out and slapped the footballer. Magistrates were shown a brief clip of the incident, which had no sound. Ms Aslam added: 'The defendant uses force against a player. Players are extremely vulnerable to this sort of conduct and need to be protected.' Melanie Winstantley, defending, said Holt had no previous convictions and had never been arrested before, so the incident was completely out of character for him. His Man Utd season ticket, which he has had for 12 years, had already been revoked, which is a 'significant punishment' to him. She added: 'He's admitted what he's done, he's owned what he's done. It's a very minor assault.' Ms Winstanley also said Grealish had 'doubled back' after going into the tunnel to speak to Holt. She added: 'He didn't have to do that. It's not unusual for players and fans to engage in banter at football matches. I'm not trying to excuse the behaviour.' Passing sentence, chairwoman of the magistrates' bench Jill Hodges told the defendant she accepted Holt had pleaded guilty and he appeared to regret his actions, but there must be 'punishment and deterrence' for such behaviour. The court heard fines cannot be deducted from Holt's Personal Independence Payments, so his parents, who he lives with, have agreed to pay them in full within 28 days.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store