Atalanta beat Bologna to relaunch Champions League bid
Atalanta held on to third place in Serie A on Sunday after beating high-flying Bologna 2-0 to recharge their bid for Champions League football next season.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side are four points above Bologna, who are fifth, thanks to a third-minute tap-in from Mateo Retegui and Mario Pasalic's first league goal since November not long afterwards.
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Retegui's early strike was his 26th of the season in all competitions for Atalanta, and the Italy forward also set up Pasalic to guide home a delicate volley with his brilliant cross in the 21st minute.
Those goals ended a three-match losing run without scoring for Atalanta and were their first in a home league fixture since the start of February.
"I'm happy because it had been a few months that we'd not won here, we need to make our home matches count in the final weeks of the season," said Pasalic.
"Scoring straight away really helped us because it gives you more freedom to play."
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Atalanta came into Sunday's key clash with a top-four rival without a Serie A win in Bergamo since before Christmas but they stopped the home rot with a mature performance at the Gewiss Stadium.
Bologna looked to have the initiative in a tight fight for two Champions League spots, with Inter and Napoli contesting the league title and almost guarantee of qualification.
Vincenzo Italiano's team had won five of their previous six matches and were unlucky to only draw with second-placed Napoli last weekend.
The only negative note for Gasperini was seeing defender Sead Kolasinac being stretchered off with a knee injury just before half-time, the latest in a long line of physical problems for both the Bosnian and Atalanta this term.
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Later, Claudio Ranieri will manage his last Rome derby when Roma take on Lazio with both capital clubs also gunning for the Champions League.
Roma are seventh and six points behind fourth-placed Juventus, with Lazio two points and one place ahead of their local rivals.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
How Chelsea play: Building from the goalkeeper, a box-shaped midfield and lots of short corners
Many outside the club might only admit it grudgingly, but Chelsea's extraordinarily well-funded project under Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly has finally achieved football legitimacy. That much was clear in May, when Chelsea secured a return to the Champions League with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League before lifting the UEFA Conference League. Advertisement 'For me, the biggest achievement this season is that exactly one year ago, no one was talking about Chelsea for football (reasons), but talking about the big squad, big money,' head coach Enzo Maresca said in a press conference before the FIFA Club World Cup final. 'Now, no one is talking about this, but they are talking about the way we play, and the way we win games. This is personally the biggest achievement of this season.' The fact that Maresca's young team then comprehensively beat newly-crowned Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium to win the tournament only served to underline his point. Chelsea are a serious side again, but how exactly do they play? Let's talk about it. Maresca's appointment in the summer of 2024 was a clear signal of the football direction the club wanted to take: a shift towards the Pep Guardiola school of possession-focused, positional play, implemented by a man who, like Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, served as Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City. Equally as clear was Maresca's specific interpretation of the Guardiola style: a 4-2-3-1 system that shifts to become more of a 3-4-3 in possession, with the 'four' arranged in a box shape consisting of two defensive midfielders — one of which is typically an inverted full-back — and two attacking midfielders operating in the half-spaces, or 'pockets'. Maresca's box midfield can be seen below, during last season's home meeting with Arsenal… This structure, which grants a measure of balance by enabling the team to attack with five players while the other five remain behind the ball to protect against counter-attacks, tends to be Chelsea's default alignment. But throughout last season, Maresca demonstrated that he is flexible when it comes to how he gets to it. Sometimes it was left-back Marc Cucurella inverting into the base of midfield, sometimes it was right-back Malo Gusto moving in from the right. Sometimes one or the other would instead push up into one of the attacking midfield roles, with two natural defensive midfielders behind them. Advertisement Cucurella is also integral to Maresca's preferred tactical plan B: a more attacking alignment in which the inverted full-back pushes all the way up into the final third to enable Chelsea to attack with six players rather than five, keeping just one defensive midfielder to screen the back three. This tactical shift led to Cucurella scoring several crucial goals for Chelsea last season, including a late winner against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in May… Gusto is a more awkward fit inverting into midfield, and Maresca has not returned to it since the Frenchman was targeted by Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final. He is, however, a real overlapping threat, and was utilised in that manner to great effect against PSG in the Club World Cup final, creating the opening goal with one surge upfield. Chelsea's campaign in the United States was the stage for Maresca to get significantly more creative tactically. His experimental 4-2-2-2 shape against Flamengo in the group stage failed, but moving to a 4-3-3 enabled his team to press Fluminense much more effectively in the semi-final and in the final against PSG he started talisman Cole Palmer on the right and Reece James in midfield, enabling his club captain to drop into right-back when Gusto ran forward. Maresca's team were also highly aggressive out of possession against the European champions, pressing man-to-man. Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah both pushed well into the PSG half to track Ousmane Dembele whenever he drifted deep, with Moises Caicedo filling the gap in the defensive line behind them. On other occasions, Chelsea are happy to drop off a little into a mid-block and use their attackers to screen opposition passing angles through their lines, trusting their defenders and goalkeeper to sweep up any high balls over the top. When forced to defend deep, they often try to play offside on the edge of their own penalty area — a strategy practised by Maresca's other coaching mentor, Manuel Pellegrini. This was exploited by several opponents last season, but it also routinely catches attackers offside. Advertisement On the ball, Maresca's preference is for his side to build with short passes from his goalkeeper, often with the aim of baiting opponents into a press that creates space higher up the pitch. Chelsea are very capable of moving the ball forward quickly in such situations, with plenty of speed in their attacking line and an elite transition passer in Palmer to release them. But against PSG, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was instructed to kick longer, bypassing PSG's attempted press and often isolating Gusto against Nuno Mendes. It proved to be inspired. Chelsea's other tactical evolution at the Club World Cup was a shift towards short corners. Last season, Chelsea's 4.1 goals per 100 set pieces ranked 10th in the Premier League, while their 4.6 goals conceded per 100 set pieces was the sixth-worst in the division. Maresca and set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva do not have the biggest or most aerially talented squad to work with, so passing short at attacking corners makes sense. The structure is illustrated below, with one player positioned on the byline and another level with the penalty area to form a triangle that entices opponents out to defend. Chelsea manoeuvred this situation into an own goal from Palmeiras defender Agustin Giay in the Club World Cup quarter-final, and it has the added benefit of limiting the risk of giving up defensive transition. All in all, Chelsea took 26 of their 43 attacking corners at the tournament short. This summer's recruitment should make Chelsea even more versatile. Up front, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro both made an immediate positive impact at the Club World Cup and each offers a different aspect of what Nicolas Jackson provided to this team last season, while also providing a more clinical touch in the final third… On the left flank, Maresca can pick from Jamie Gittens or Pedro Neto, depending on which angles of attack he wants to take. On the right, Brazilian prodigy Estevao can provide an X factor and lessen the creative burden that weighed heavily on Palmer at times last season. Chelsea have far better and more varied tools to pick apart opposition low blocks. Advertisement Behind the front line, the rounded skill set of returning loanee Andrey Santos should make Chelsea's midfield more fluid and flexible. Caicedo and Cucurella, two of Maresca's most-picked players in 2024-25, finally have specialist understudies in the forms of Dario Essugo and Jorrel Hato, the latter of whom can also cover for the injured Colwill at centre-back. Maresca fielded 27 players at the Club World Cup, more than any other manager in the competition. He has more options than ever, and Chelsea's identity is more sophisticated as a result. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Dubai Basketball and its meteoric rise to EuroLeague: ‘This is a story from a movie'
Dubai attracting skilled workers from Europe and North America is nothing new. With approximately 3.9 million residents, fewer than 10 percent are Emirati citizens, according to a 2024 government report. But the city of skyscrapers in the United Arab Emirates has never been a magnet for basketball players. At least not until last year. Advertisement Formed less than two years ago, Dubai Basketball will begin playing next month in the EuroLeague, widely considered the second-best basketball competition in the world, and is the first sports team based in the Emirate to compete in an international league. Dejan Kamenjašević is one of the leading characters in this meteoric sporting rise. A Bosnian who grew up in Spain, the 50-year-old arrived in Dubai 11 years ago with an ambition to grow the sport and eventually build a franchise that would compete at the highest level. 'At that time, people were laughing at me and joking with me, and I was a crazy guy who is saying some nonsense things,' Kamenjašević told The Athletic. 'But time sometimes puts everyone in our place.' How did Kamenjašević achieve his dream so quickly? And will the franchise transform basketball in the Middle East and beyond? After all, players from the NBA and some top European teams have already been recruited. Kamenjašević, now Dubai Basketball's general manager, had enjoyed a successful career as both a player and coach before relocating to Dubai. His last job before moving to the Middle East was as an assistant coach at EuroLeague club Baskonia in Spain's Basque Country. In September 2014, Kamenjašević set up a basketball academy in his new home city with his friend Bojan Bajec, Dubai Basketball's technical director. 'We first had two kids outside in 45 degrees in the park, and this is how it really all starts,' Kamenjašević recalled. Two years later, 300 children were training with the academy. The pair collaborated with schools, too. Kamenjašević's vision then got bigger. He gave an interview to local media saying Dubai could one day have a team in the EuroLeague which, much like the Champions League is to soccer on the continent, is the pinnacle of European basketball. This season, 20 of Europe's best teams, which also take part in their domestic leagues, will compete against each other. Advertisement The possibility of forming a club became more realistic when Kamenjašević was introduced to Emirati businessman Abdullah Al Naboodah in 2020 via mutual friend Ahmed bin Sulayem, a basketball enthusiast and CEO of the multinational logistics company DP (Dubai Ports) World. 'When you make a deal with Abdullah Al Naboodah, who is from one of the most influential families in Dubai and one of the most influential families in UAE, with very strong connections with the royal family, everything is easier, but everything is more difficult as well,' Kamenjašević said of the man who has held various positions in Dubai sports. 'Everything is easier from the perspective of the sky's the limit, but also you have a lot more responsibility and a lot more work to do, because it is not the same working for Abdullah than for anyone else here in Dubai. Abdullah is asking only for excellent results.' The stars began to align when the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena opened in June 2019, later becoming the franchise's first home. With an arena and an investment in place, they were granted a three-year ABA League license in January 2024, a competition consisting of clubs from southeastern Europe — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia — and also two EuroLeague heavyweights in Red Star Belgrade and KK Partizan. Dubai Basketball then had nine months to spring into life, a task which felt almost impossible to Kamenjašević. Everything came down to the wire ahead of the first game against the league's reigning champions, Red Star, on Sept. 22, 2024. Until the eve of the first game, the court was still being adjusted to fit regulations. The reason the team wears black and white jerseys? That is all kit manufacturer Adidas could manage at such short notice. 'This is a story from a movie, and it shows that in Dubai, miracles can happen,' Kamenjašević said. Kamenjašević managed to assemble a strong roster. Dāvis Bertāns joined after an eight-year career in the NBA, and former ABA League MVP Kenan Kamenjaš was recruited from Budućnost in Montenegro. Head coach Jurica Golemac told The Athletic the opening game was a 'dream come true.' The win, he said, gave them belief. Dubai beat Red Star 86-84 in what was the standout moment of an inaugural season where they finished third in the league with a 25-5 record and advanced to the playoff semifinals. 'The first game was pretty emotional, because we didn't know what to expect with the fans, with the gym and with our team, even though we played preparation games,' Golemac said. What awaits Dubai Basketball next month will be an altogether different test given they have been catapulted into the expanded EuroLeague, which consists of storied franchises such as Spain's 11-time winners Real Madrid and Greece's Panathinaikos, a team filled with ex-NBA talent. Thirteen clubs are EuroLeague shareholders (although CSKA Moscow are currently suspended due to international sanctions against Russia). Dubai were among five wildcards approved in June — meaning they didn't have to go through the usual qualification route — and were given a five-year license, two years longer than the others. Advertisement For the EuroLeague itself, which began discussions with Dubai in 2022, the franchise was an appealing potential partner. In a statement, EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejūnas told The Athletic the five-year license would provide Dubai Basketball with long-term stability and reflected not only the league's commitment to 'supporting sustainable, strategic growth in emerging markets' but the unique nature of the 'Dubai project' and its aim of becoming a 'key driver of basketball development in the UAE.' Joining the EuroLeague while the NBA seeks to expand in Europe could be seen as risky. Have Dubai backed the wrong horse? 'Any other partner who wants to come to Europe in the future needs to come with EuroLeague and with all 20 of their teams currently with a long-term license,' Kamenjašević said. Roster building has continued this summer and will be key to the team's success given they are set to play multiple times a week. Former NBA players Dwayne Bacon, Justin Anderson and McKinley Wright IV have joined, as has Džanan Musa, EuroLeague champion and the 29th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, from Real Madrid. Being able to offer EuroLeague basketball makes Dubai appealing to players, so attracting new recruits has not been a problem, even on modest wage bills. The club says it had a €4.2m ($4.9m) payroll last year, sixth in the ABA League, which will increase next year to €16 m ($18.65m). The EuroLeague's new salary cap is €8m ($9.33m), though there are exceptions and a luxury tax. Most teams in Europe rely on recruitment rather than developing talent, which means success can be achieved with smart signings. Aris Barkas — founder of Eurohoops, one of the first publications to cover European basketball in English — said: 'All the young, top talent of Europe goes to the NCAA because of NIL. I think that in European basketball, if you suddenly get the ability to spend (moderately), you can be competitive in every level.' Advertisement For Bertāns, who became aware of Dubai's potential after his agent moved there a few years ago, a three-year deal was particularly enticing. 'After being traded in the NBA for the last few seasons, in season and in the summer, the moves for the family were just getting harder, with the kids having to find new schools.' he told The Athletic. 'If I come from the NBA, with eight years there, I made more money than I probably need, and I'm still going to come to every practice and give 100 percent effort that just sets an example.' The Middle East has hosted a number of major sporting events, often leading to accusations of sportswashing, essentially the use of sport to clean tarnished reputations or distract from a government's negative actions or policies. For the last three years, the NBA has held preseason games in Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital, drawing criticism from human rights activists. According to Amnesty International, last year the UAE, an autocratic state, 'continued to criminalize the right to freedom of expression through multiple laws and to punish actual or perceived critics of the government.' Barkas, who also acts as the communication officer for the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, did not believe Dubai would gain much politically by joining the EuroLeague. 'If Dubai wants something like (sportswashing), the EuroLeague is not an ideal vehicle to do it,' he said. 'They can do it with many other popular sports that have much more influence.' But Dubai Basketball's EuroLeague inclusion hasn't been welcomed by everyone. Andreas Zagklis, secretary general of the International Basketball Association (FIBA), told The Athletic: 'For us, including a team from outside Europe, meaning outside European FIBA membership, is not something we approve of and it is something we will discuss both with ECA (Euroleague Commercial Assets, the shareholders) as well as with our membership.' FIBA is part of negotiations with the NBA on a European league. Advertisement For those who dispute Dubai's place in European competition, Kamenjašević points that Maccabi Tel Aviv are part of the EuroLeague, one of two teams from Israel that will compete in the tournament this upcoming season. 'I'm laughing all the time when people say Dubai cannot be part of the EuroLeague because it's not part of Europe, and we need to be traditional,' he said. 'I'm saying to myself, the name of the league is just the name. It can be Carrefour supermarket, but at the end of the day, you need to understand what is the growth map of the EuroLeague is for the future. This is important.' Dubai's geographical location means there will be a lot of travelling this season. A journey to Madrid is approximately a 3,500-mile flight, representing the team's furthest trip, while their closest opponents are in Istanbul, Turkey, 1,800 miles away. The team will be in the air for the equivalent of 21 days next season to play their EuroLeague opponents and compete in the ABA League, according to Golemac. 'We are not going to have the time to prepare,' he said. 'This is what is worrying me the most as a coach, because a lot of players are going to be with their national team, so they are not going to be with us during the pre-season training camp. Then this amount of traveling is going to be something that nobody has done before. Traveling every two, three days to Europe and back, this is going to be challenging.' The team mostly took commercial flights last season, but are expected to have chartered flights next season, Bertāns said. 'Sometimes, when it was available, the royal family supplied one of their planes. And that was an unbelievable experience. In Dubai, they have a separate royal terminal, and that was, I gotta say, better flights than the NBA.' The burning question as the new season approaches: Will fans come to watch, and can Dubai quickly build a fan base? Dubai Basketball had 72,919 visitors to their arena across their 19 home games last campaign, averaging around 3,800 per game. Advertisement Bertāns remembers bumping into compatriots at a mall who didn't know Dubai had a basketball team. 'They try to escape the cold and come (to Dubai) for a week,' he recalled. 'Some don't even know; like, they might meet me in a mall and they're like, 'What are you doing here?' and I'm like, 'I play here! We have a team.'' Barkas added: 'Their first season was so and so, the audience clearly was dependent on who was visiting. I know that Dubai wants to do things businesslike; they don't want to throw money down the drain. 'They want what they do to have financial meaning. But the big question for Dubai, and also the big question for the new teams that may arise in the NBA Europe project, will be the fan base. It's very hard to create a really solid fan base from scratch, especially in places where there is no basketball tradition.' The next five years will decide Dubai Basketball's fate, its future in the EuroLeague and, perhaps, European basketball more widely. (Top photo courtesy of Dubai Basketball) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Business Upturn
2 hours ago
- Business Upturn
UEFA Super Cup: PSG make a comeback victory against Spurs to lift their 5th trophy in 2025
PSG have won the UEFA Super Cup 2025 after they defeat Spurs in the last night's game. By Ravi Kumar Jha Published on August 14, 2025, 08:31 IST PSG have won the UEFA Super Cup 2025 after they defeat Spurs in the last night's game. Tottenham Hotspur had a great chance to win another trophy this year as they were 2-0 up in the first half. Goals from Van de Ven and Cristian Romero gave Spurs the lead in the game. Under new manager Thomas Frank, Tottenham looked a bit furious and different team. Champions League winner PSG however, didn't hold back and scored back to back goals in the last minutes to take the game to extra time and penalties. Enrique's side won 4-3 in penalties to lift their 5th trophy of their legendary year 2025. Paris Saint-Germain lifted the UEFA Super Cup 2025 in thrilling fashion last night, edging Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw. Spurs looked set for another piece of silverware this year, racing to a 2-0 lead in the first half through goals from Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. Under new manager Thomas Frank, the North London side showcased an aggressive, high-energy style that rattled the Champions League winners early on. However, PSG — chasing their fifth trophy in a historic 2025 campaign — refused to bow out quietly. Luis Enrique's men mounted a late surge, striking twice in the closing stages to force extra time. With neither side able to break the deadlock, the contest went to penalties, where PSG held their nerve to seal a 4-3 victory. The win crowns a legendary year for PSG, adding the Super Cup to their bulging 2025 trophy cabinet and underlining their dominance in European football. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Ravi kumar jha is an undergraduate student in Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia and Mass Communication. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and he also has a genuine interest in sports. Ravi is currently working as a journalist at
