Manchester City have found the defender they so desperately needed
Manchester City signed four players in the January transfer window. One of those was centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov. The Uzbekistan international has impressed since his eventful debut for the club against Chelsea. From that moment onwards Khusanov has shown that he has added the attributes that Manchester City's defence so desperately needed. He displayed those once again last night during City's 1-nil win over Tottenham. He was once again solid at the back as he helped his team pick up a clean sheet and three vital points in the race to secure Champions League football for next season.
We had seen before Khusanov's arrival that Manchester City needed a centre-back with pace to add to their defence. Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and John Stones have all battled injuries this season. In their fitness battles, Pep Guardiola's side has lacked a proper no-nonsense defender who can defend well when running back towards his own goal. That is a necessary attribute for City's defenders given the high defensive line Pep Guardiola employs. Khusanov has added this and Manchester City are better for it. It's no coincidence that City have kept two clean sheets in their past three Premier League games with Khusanov in the lineup.
Abdukodir Khusanov adds pace, strength, defensive acumen and a no-nonsense attitude to Manchester City's defence. Even in possession, he keeps it simple. Although he is beginning to add to his repertoire when on the ball. But Khusanov is a defender first and foremost and that is all he needs to be for now. He was defensively solid last night against Ange Postecoglou's side. He stood up in the second half when his team needed him to at the back. Khusanov wasn't perfect but he played an important role in City's vital win.
Pep Guardiola was full of praise for Abdukodir Khusanov and the start he has made at Manchester City following his team's win last night. The City manager believes that Khusanov will become a player that City fans will love. He explained post-game: 'So fast, so quick, quality with passes is extraordinary. He breaks the lines. He has the ability to do it. He has to improve but he's 20.'
'I've seen players with a lot of pace but he is one of them.'
'People adore him. He is silent, no complaints and so humble and I'm sure our fans will love him. '
'It's not easy to overcome after what happened after five minutes against Chelsea but he was calm and he handled it.'
'The games he's played recently, he's been really, really good.'
Abdukodir Khusanov has added the attributes to Manchester City's defence that they so desperately needed. That is a huge credit to Khusanov and his performances so far for Manchester City. As Pep Guardiola said City fans will love the young centre-back. But it's clear that they do already and that love will only grow as Khusanov develops as a player.
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Hamilton Spectator
23 minutes ago
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U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 nations exempted athletes, coaches, staff and relatives while not mentioning fans. Vice President JD Vance made what could be interpreted as a warning on May 6. 'Of course everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event. I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game,' he said. 'But when the time is up they'll have to go home. Otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem,' he added, speaking alongside Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Back in U.S. for first time in 32 years The 1994 World Cup sparked the launch of Major League Soccer with 12 teams in 1996, and $50 million in World Cup profits seeded the U.S. Soccer Foundation, tasked with developing the sport's growth. MLS now has 30 teams, plays in 22 soccer specific stadiums and has club academies to grow the sport and improve talent. 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Some are fancy — The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia — and some more Spartan — the Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West in Arizona. Thousands of arrangements must be coordinated. Major League Baseball is drawing up its schedule to ensure that the four teams whose ballparks share parking lots with World Cup stadiums — in Arlington, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia; and Seattle — won't play home games on the dates of tournament matches. Boris Gartner, CEO of La Liga North America, a joint venture of the Spanish soccer league and Relevent Sports, said the 2026 World Cup should be viewed as just another step in the sport's long-term growth in the United States. 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Chicago Tribune
36 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
One year from the largest World Cup ever, many questions unanswered on tickets and security
NEW YORK — A year from the largest World Cup ever, there has been no announcement on general ticket sales, prices for most seats, location of a draw or security arrangements as FIFA has mostly avoided disclosing details of an event set for 16 stadiums across the United States, Mexico and Canada. There is uncertainty about whether fans from some nations will be welcome — 11 of the venues are located in the U.S., where all matches will be played from the quarterfinals on. Security is a concern, too. At the last major soccer tournament in the U.S., the 2024 Copa America final at Miami Gardens, Florida, started 82 minutes late after spectators breached security gates. 'That was certainly a reminder and a wake-up call if anybody needed it that those types of things are going to be used in terms of the ultimate assessment of whether this World Cup is successful,' said former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox's lead soccer analyst. U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 nations exempted athletes, coaches, staff and relatives while not mentioning fans. Vice President JD Vance made what could be interpreted as a warning on May 6. 'Of course everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event. I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game,' he said. 'But when the time is up they'll have to go home. Otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem,' he added, speaking alongside Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The 1994 World Cup sparked the launch of Major League Soccer with 12 teams in 1996, and $50 million in World Cup profits seeded the U.S. Soccer Foundation, tasked with developing the sport's growth. MLS now has 30 teams, plays in 22 soccer specific stadiums and has club academies to grow the sport and improve talent. Next year's tournament will include 104 games, up from 64 from 1998 through 2022, and the 11 U.S. stadiums are all NFL homes with lucrative luxury suites and club seating. It also will be the first World Cup run by FIFA without a local organizing committee. 'The legacy initiative of 2026 is around how we ensure that soccer is everywhere in this county,' U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson said. 'How do we ensure that every American can walk, ride their bike or take public transit to a safe place to play soccer? How do we make it to where every school in America has soccer accessible to their students? And how do we make it to wherever every American can truly see themselves in the game?' Interest in soccer has vastly increased in the U.S., with England's Premier League averaging 510,000 viewers per match window on NBC's networks last season and the European Champions League final drawing more than 2 million viewers in each of the past five years on CBS. 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'You basically have over 2,800 game windows per season aired in the United States and so that requires distribution largely on streaming platforms like Paramount+ or ESPN+, but it's difficult for new fan adoption and it makes reach kind of challenging,' said Gerry Cardinale, managing partner of RedBird Capital Partners, which holds controlling interests in AC Milan and Toulouse and owns a non-controlling stake of Fenway Sports Group, parent of Liverpool. 'Kids today are getting weaned on Premier League football and Serie A football, and when you watch that as a product, it's hard for MLS to compete.' The 1994 World Cup, a 24-nation tournament, drew a record 3.58 million fans for 52 matches. Ticket prices ranged from $25-$75 for most first round games and $180-$475 for the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. FIFA, which has about 800 people working at an office in Coral Gables, Florida, says it will announce information on general tickets in the third quarter. It wouldn't say whether prices will be fixed or variable. Hospitality packages are available on FIFA's website through On Location. For the eight matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the final on July 19, prices range from $25,800 to $73,200 per person. FIFA appears to be using variable pricing for this year's Club World Cup, played at 12 U.S. stadiums from June 14 to July 13, and some prices repeatedly have been slashed. Marriott Bonvoy, a U.S. Soccer Federation partner, has been offering free tickets to some of its elite members. FIFA's media relations staff would not make FIFA president Gianni Infantino available to discuss the tournament. Ahead of the 1994 World Cup, FIFA announced in May 1992 the draw would take place at Las Vegas on Dec. 18 or 19, 1993. FIFA has not revealed plans for this year's draw but appears to be planning for Las Vegas on Dec. 5. Regular ticket sales began in February 1993 for the U.S. soccer family and general first- and second-round sales started that June. Fans submitted lottery applications in October 1993 for games from the quarterfinals on. While not detailing ticketing plans for next year's tournament, FIFA is spreading it beyond the host cites and lists about 60 possible base camps for teams to use, paired with hotels. Some are fancy — The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia — and some more Spartan — the Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West in Arizona. Thousands of arrangements must be coordinated. Major League Baseball is drawing up its schedule to ensure that the four teams whose ballparks share parking lots with World Cup stadiums — in Arlington, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia; and Seattle — won't play home games on the dates of tournament matches. Boris Gartner, CEO of La Liga North America, a joint venture of the Spanish soccer league and Relevent Sports, said the 2026 World Cup should be viewed as just another step in the sport's long-term growth in the United States. 'If you have a clear understanding of the market and the audience, a clear understanding of the value that these properties bring to media companies, and you mix content with a commercial strategy, with the right media distribution strategy, this is something that will continue to grow over the next two decades,' he said. 'If more people are watching the NWSL, more people are going to be interested in soccer that could potentially end up watching a Bundesliga game or La Liga game.'
Washington Post
39 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Man City signs backup goalkeeper Bettinelli from Chelsea
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City signed Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea as a backup goalkeeper on Tuesday. City made the move after announcing the departure of long-term No. 3 goalie Scott Carson on Monday with his contract due to expire. Bettinelli has joined on a one-year deal and in time to be involved in the Club World Cup in the United States starting on Saturday.
