🚨Official: Victor Guzmán leaves Chivas, José Castillo returns
Through their social media, Chivas announced the departure of Víctor Guzmán, who is leaving on loan to Pachuca.
"Pocho" will experience his second stint with Tuzos and arrives just in time to strengthen the team led by Jaime Lozano for the Club World Cup.
While Guzmán returns home, Pachuca announced the return of José Castillo to Chivas, who had only spent a few days in Hidalgo.
According to information from Fox Sports, "Jimmy" Lozano was reportedly responsible for his return, as he did not fit into his system. The rojiblanco player had arrived at Tuzos at the request of Guillermo Almada.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
The problem with the Club World Cup – these teams are not the best of the best
For Gianni Infantino, it's Christmas Eve. Back in 2016, not long after he was elected Sepp Blatter's replacement as FIFA president, Infantino suggested the Club World Cup, hitherto a brief winter interlude consisting of a handful of matches played over less than two weeks, should be expanded on the basis that the old format was 'not exactly inspiring', and that his new setup would bring together 'the best 32 clubs in the world'. Advertisement Now, almost a decade on, Infantino's big idea — the thing he hopes will be his lasting legacy in the game — is finally here. The big jamboree kicks off in the United States on Saturday, but the problem is, when you take a closer look at the teams involved, you wonder whether Infantino's promise that these are the best of the best will be fulfilled. Of the 32 participating sides, which represent 20 countries, only eight are their reigning domestic champions. The most recent title winners from England, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Japan, Major League Soccer (the U.S. and Canada) and a few others are absent. That's quite a lot of big/good teams missing. Of the six main continental club competitions from around the globe, only half of the reigning champions will be present. Paris Saint-Germain from Europe, Botafogo (South America) and semi-pro side Auckland City from Oceania are all there, but the most recent winners from Africa (Pyramids), Asia (Al Ahli) and North/Central America (Cruz Azul) will not. There is a logic to waving through the European, South American and Asian champions from the qualifying period (the continental winners each year from 2021 to 2024), but the problem is things move very fast in football. Rewarding a team in 2025 for what they did three or four years before isn't necessarily going to produce great results. Take Urawa Red Diamonds. It's harsh to say that anyone who wins a continental championship is lucky, but it was a big surprise when they won the 2022 Asian Champions League: they were drawn against teams from Malaysia and Thailand in the first two knockout rounds, then scrapped their way through the semi-final and final on penalties and 2-1 on aggregate respectively. They haven't done much since. They last won Japan's J-League in 2006 and their highest league finish since 2016 has been fourth. In the league's most recent completed season, they finished 13th. Advertisement The same is true, to a lesser extent, with Chelsea. They're here on the basis of winning the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League, but their league positions since then have been third, 12th, sixth and fourth. Which means they haven't even played in the Champions League in the past two seasons. They are unrecognisable from the Chelsea that won Europe's big one four years ago: the coach is different, the ownership is different and almost all the players are different from their starting line-up in that final (nine of the 11 have left the club permanently; a 10th, Ben Chilwell, was loaned out for the second half of this season after not making a league matchday squad for them in its first half). Other clubs are present thanks to a ranking system that takes in league and continental results over the past five seasons, but even that is flawed and gives undue prominence to achievements from three or four years ago. In 2021, Juventus had just won their ninth Serie A title in a row, but they've been in relative decline since and have only just managed three top-four finishes in the interim. Red Bull Salzburg have gone from perennial champions to relative also-rans in Austria. The last time the Seattle Sounders won the MLS title was 2019. Borussia Dortmund are the only team present who haven't won a domestic or continental title in the qualifying period. Actually, that's not quite true: the other team not to have done so are Inter Miami, who will play in the tournament's opening match in their home city. We probably don't need to outline what a farce, from a competitive/meritocratic point of view, their participation is. Congratulations to them for qualifying via the 'Best Team To Employ Lionel Messi' clause. Even looking past the qualifying criteria, it's also worth noting that a lot of these clubs are going to be in various forms of turmoil. Advertisement Of the 32 clubs, 14 have changed head coaches in 2025, and six — Real Madrid, Inter, Al Hilal, Al Ahly, Pachuca and Monterrey — will have coaches whose first competitive game in charge will be the club's opening match of this tournament. That's not including Auckland City, whose manager Paul Posa will miss the start of their U.S. trip for personal reasons. In short, if you're taking Infantino at his word and this tournament is going to be a brilliant spectacle of the best clubs that the game has to offer — the peak of the game in 2025 — then you might be quite disappointed. Perhaps this is all a little unfair on FIFA. If you're going to have a tournament like this, then you probably do have to spread the qualifying criteria over a decent period of time. Perhaps you could contract it to two years, in order to have a better chance of getting teams who are actually good/playing well at the time of the tournament, but any shorter than that would be impractical. You couldn't really, for example, wait to see who won continental or domestic titles in 2025, because it would only give those teams a few weeks' notice of participation. Teams like Salzburg are there because each country is limited to two participants (except when they have won continental titles, hence four Brazilian teams being present), which is probably a good thing from a variety point of view but it means the organisers had to go quite a way down the list once all the third teams from various nations had been discounted. But the key phrase in that last paragraph is 'if you're going to have a tournament like this'. The more pertinent question is whether the whole concept is fundamentally flawed, whether you were ever going to get the best 32 teams in the world together and whether it should be taking place at all. It is a fairly Euro-centric view that the expanded format of this Club World Cup, to be played every four years, like the national-team version, is just a bit of a nuisance, that it's a burden on an already overburdened global schedule. Advertisement The implications for the finances and profile of, say, some African clubs involved are significant and could be transformative for them. But the negatives outweigh the positives. For a start, on that financial argument, there is a real danger that the money earned by clubs like Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly, already the richest clubs in South Africa and Egypt respectively, will simply serve to further solidify their dominance. From a broader, player-specific perspective, this is just more football that they don't need. These are 32 sets of players who are arriving at this tournament either at the end of a long, hard season, or interrupting one to be there. They're all tired. Plenty of them might be wondering why they have to play even more football when they should be resting. Players from Inter and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Mamelodi Sundowns, will have benefited from a whopping two weeks of pause between their own Champions League finals and this event. The emotional exhaustion, as much as the physical, will be overpowering. You might say that players are already used to this sort of thing, with international tournaments for their countries. Which is true. But they at least have the historical significance of the World Cup, Copa America, Asian Cup or European Championship to provide a little more inspiration. Also, don't overestimate the psychological difference between jumping on a plane with the same 25 guys you've spent the best part of a year living with, and going off to join an international setup where things are perhaps fresher, the faces less familiar, the atmospheres different. If a change is as good as a rest, it also works as a mental pep-up. Perhaps most importantly, national teams operate on cycles based around international tournaments, frequently the World Cup. They are designed to peak every four years. Clubs are not. At this time of year, clubs from Europe, Africa and parts of Asia have come to the end of their cycles — or seasons, as they are better known. June is the time when, if not quite by design but by necessity, clubs are in a state of flux, transition, chaos, call it what you will: they are not supposed to be in fighting shape at this time of year. Expanding and moving the Club World Cup was unnecessary from a sporting point of view, existing mostly to fulfil Infantino's personal infatuation with 'growing the game', and to make money. But it's here now. Just don't expect it to be the top-class spectacle that he says it will be.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Real Madrid's academy players at the Club World Cup – who are they and could they play?
Real Madrid have announced their 34-man squad for the Club World Cup — with a twist. Six of the 24 first-team players in the squad are injured: Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick. None of them are expected to be fit when Madrid kick off their tournament against Al Hilal in Miami on Wednesday. Advertisement That helps explain why Xabi Alonso has called up 10 players from the academy for the trip to the United States. But who are they and what does their future look like? Madrid do not often draft youngsters immediately into the first team, so patience is needed. Raul Asencio is a rare example of a player from 'La Fabrica' being thrown into the deep end, playing 42 first-team games last season after an injury crisis in defence. The Athletic has spoken to training-ground sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect their position, to find out which of these players could be set to make the step up. The 6ft 5in (196cm) Gonzalez stands out for his height and sharp reflexes. When Carlo Ancelotti was still head coach, people close to him said the 19-year-old reminded the Italian of Gianluigi Buffon. He made his first-team debut in April's 2-1 defeat against Valencia in La Liga. Goalkeeping coach Luis Llopis pushed for him to be called up to the first-team squad at the end of the 2022-23 season. But mostly, Gonzalez has needed to be content with being third-choice 'keeper for the first team and No 1 for Castilla, the club's 'B' team. He was given his reward when Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin were injured for that Valencia game, although the loss left a bittersweet taste for Gonzalez. He has several suitors in Spain and is not expected to continue playing for Castilla next season. Mestre is a relative unknown. The 20-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid last year, one of the players who has broken the 'pact of non-aggression' between the city rivals that had stood for years. That switch, along with training with the first team on several occasions this term, means he has not been tested at first-team level. He is valued as one of the most complete 'keepers at Madrid's academy but can still improve his aerial game, despite being 6ft 3in. Advertisement He could be loaned out or sold with Madrid retaining some control over his future — as they have done with many academy players — to develop more next season. Fortea is probably the best-known of the academy youngsters as he was the first player to break that pact with Atletico when he crossed the divide in 2023. Now 18, he has attracted interest from other clubs but renewed his deal with Madrid until 2029 as they see a lot of potential, even if he has only appeared for Madrid's 'C' team and the under-19s. Fortea is gifted technically, but training-ground sources think he can still develop physically. They want to go step-by-step with him and not elevate him immediately to the first team — that is still the long-term vision, with new Castilla coach Alvaro Arbeloa, a former right-back, expected to play a key role next campaign. Trent Alexander-Arnold will start the tournament in this position after his €10million (£8.5m; $11.6m) switch from Liverpool, which is likely to limit Fortea's options. With Dean Huijsen and Asencio available as a centre-back pairing and Rudiger expected to be available for the most important games of the tournament, provided Madrid reach the latter stages, there was little urgency to fill gaps in this position. That is why Alonso has called up the 20-year-old Ramon as his only academy centre-back. Alonso coached him in the 2018-19 season, when he was in charge of Madrid's under-14s, and Ramon could fit in well with the coach's combination play. 🔙 Jacobo Ramón with Xabi Alonso back in 2019. 🤍 — Real Madrid Fabrica (@FabricaMadrid) January 27, 2025 But Jacobo lacks speed and has yet to improve in that aspect of his game. Barring an exceptional situation, such as an injury crisis, he is not expected to play regularly for the first team — despite appearing in five games this season and scoring his first senior goal in May. He could be given minutes with Castilla or go out on loan. Advertisement After failing to reach an agreement with Benfica to sign Alvaro Carreras before the Club World Cup, Alonso's only fit senior left-back is Fran Garcia. He has bolstered that position with the 19-year-old Youssef Enriquez, better known as 'Yusi', and Aguado, 18. The former has already been called up to Morocco's senior team — in March 2024, although he did not play — and is being watched by La Liga clubs who see him as a potential surprise package if he plays in the tournament. Yusi is a converted winger and is unsurprisingly strong in attack with an eye for goal. He is seen as a player who uses his speed well in defence but still has to improve playing in a back four. Club sources say he is very mature for his age. Aguado is different. At Madrid, they consider him to be one of the academy players with the best chance of making it to the first team at some point. He can play at centre-back and left-back, is confident in his passing and reads the game well, according to those behind the scenes. He still has a lot of development left, but could do that at Castilla next year if he does not leave. The left-backs are likely to be the academy players with the best chance of playing in the U.S., given the lack of alternatives in that position, with Mendy and backup option Camavinga injured. Madrid and Real Valladolid reached an agreement to end Martin's loan a few weeks early so that he could go to the Club World Cup. Though the 21-year-old midfielder's loan team suffered relegation, members of the player's camp have pointed out that the same thing happened to Federico Valverde when he was on loan at Deportivo La Coruna in 2017-18. That spell proved formative for the Uruguayan and they think the same could be true of Martin's time at Valladolid. His profile perhaps does not fit Alonso's system, given he is a more defensive player and Aurelien Tchouameni is a strong first-team option in that position, although those at the club appreciate his work ethic and attitude. At 6ft 2in, Chema is seen as a different kind of midfielder. Training-ground sources see some similarities with Manchester City's Rodri in his balance and the key role he plays from deep midfield. He is seen as a more natural fit for Alonso's system and is another player who was coached by the new boss when he was in charge of the under-14s. Advertisement Unfortunately, Chema faces competition in midfield and needs playing time and confidence to develop his game. Garcia scored 25 times for Castilla this season, setting a record for the most goals in a single season of the reformed Spanish third tier. The 21-year-old striker works hard and has been praised for his movement. He has appeared six times for Madrid's first team and in February, he scored his first senior goal, a late winner against Leganes, to send Ancelotti's team through to the Copa del Rey semi-finals. But Garcia is only seen as a substitute striker in the same way as Alvaro Morata and Joselu in recent years. Madrid sources see him as a useful player but teams, including Alaves, Getafe and Brighton & Hove Albion, are monitoring his progress. His case is similar to fellow 21-year-old Munoz, who also excelled at Castilla this term with 11 goals and seven assists. A winger rather than a striker, he is valued for his speed and is seen as having enough potential to play for a La Liga side next year — although for now, he is expected to be a reserve option for Alonso. Both were called on by the first team several times at the end of the season and proved their worth, particularly in a 2-0 win on the penultimate day of the season at Sevilla. (Top photos: Xabi Alonso oversees training, Yusi in action for Castilla last season; Getty Images)
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Delap, Jackson and the Chelsea players who have the most to gain at the Club World Cup
Chelsea have named their Club World Cup squad, and this summer's tournament in the United States represents a huge opportunity for the players selected to prove a point before the start of next season. FIFA's revamped, greatly expanded and rescheduled competition may have its fair share of detractors, but Chelsea are taking it seriously. Not only do they want to lift the trophy and be crowned world champions, having won the much-smaller-scale annual version of the Club World Cup three years ago, but it is also seen as vital preparation for their 2025-26 challenge domestically and in the Champions League. Advertisement With Chelsea hoping their involvement lasts until July 13, when the final takes place, this trip is also being regarded as a major part of the club's pre-season preparations. With the players getting up to three weeks off from whenever their participation in the tournament ends, there could be very little time for the group to get back together before the Premier League resumes on the weekend of August 16-17. Everyone on the plane that heads across the Atlantic on Friday will want to impress, but some individuals in the party perhaps have more to gain, or lose, than others. The Athletic takes a look at those players who have the most at stake. Let the battle to be Chelsea's first-choice striker next season commence. After two years of being virtually guaranteed to start up front every week when fit, Jackson finally has some genuine competition for his place. Chelsea made signing a centre-forward their main priority, not just for this summer overall, but in the mini-window from June 1-10 that allowed the 32 participating clubs to register new arrivals in time for the Club World Cup's group phase. They beat several rival suitors to buy Delap, 22, from Ipswich Town for £30million ($40.8m), with the move being confirmed last week. Jackson, 24 on June 20, has shown plenty of potential as a centre-forward since joining from Spanish club Villarreal for just over €35million (£30m/$40.6m at current rates) in the summer of 2023, but a return of just 24 goals in the Premier League across his two seasons is not enough for a team with Chelsea's ambitions. Delap scored more goals (12) for relegated Ipswich in the 2024-25 Premier League than Jackson (10) managed for a Chelsea side who finished in the top four. The variety of Delap's finishing is demonstrated in the graphic below. Another point of concern for Jackson is that Delap has already developed a good bond with Enzo Maresca after playing under the head coach in Manchester City's academy setup. Then there is the not-so-small fact that Chelsea are contemplating purchasing another attacker in time for next season. As The Athletic revealed last month, they have stepped up their interest in a striker who offers many of the same attributes as Jackson — Eintracht Frankfurt's 22-year-old forward Hugo Ekitike. Jackson enjoys a good understanding with Cole Palmer and will want to demonstrate during the Club World Cup why he is still the best person for the job. The ambitious Delap, a striker who will provide a more physical edge than the Senegal international, is clearly going to do the same. Many fans' lack of faith in the club's goalkeeping options became clear from their frustration when Chelsea recently ended interest in signing Milan No 1 Mike Maignan. Sections of the fanbase were also displeased that Djordje Petrovic, who shone on loan at Strasbourg in the French top flight last season, was left out of the Club World Cup squad. Advertisement Robert Sanchez regained his status as Maresca's first-choice ahead of summer 2024 signing Filip Jorgensen, but neither of them can be compared to Chelsea's Premier League-winning 'keepers Petr Cech (2005, 2006, 2010, 2015) and Thibaut Courtois (2015, 2017). Chelsea are content with what they have in goal, though, and regard Sanchez's improved late-season form as a factor in their eventual top-four finish. It is his job to lose. To increase the intrigue, highly rated 19-year-old Mike Penders has been named in the squad for this tournament. He was signed last year from Genk but stayed at the Belgian club for another 12 months to get more experience. United States international Gabriel Slonina, bought from Chicago Fire of MLS in 2022 for an initial $10million but still only 21, is also making the trip following a series of loans back to Chicago and around Europe. Penders is inexperienced but is being looked at to see how he compares with Sanchez and Jorgensen, although a loan next season is still a strong possibility. Meanwhile, Slonina is being considered for the third-choice 'keeper role, which is up for grabs following Marcus Bettinelli's sale to Manchester City this week. Brazil international Santos has been promoted to the Chelsea senior side for the first time, having joined the club from Vasco da Gama in his homeland two years ago. The midfielder has thrived on loan at their French sister club Strasbourg over the past 18 months, scoring 10 goals in 32 appearances in Ligue 1 last season. While Santos gives Chelsea more depth across central areas of the pitch, he is being earmarked to challenge fellow 21-year-old Lavia for a first XI place. Lavia has looked excellent when fit, but has made just 19 Chelsea first-team appearances (including 11 Premier League starts) since joining from Southampton for an initial £53million in the summer of 2023. The Belgium international will be keen to add to the mere 366 minutes of action he has managed in eight games for Chelsea this calendar year during the Club World Cup — especially with Santos now on the scene. With Chelsea already two wingers down, due to Jadon Sancho's loan from Manchester United not being either extended to cover this tournament or made permanent and Mykhailo Mudryk still provisionally suspended over a failed doping test, you would think Madueke's future is secure. Chelsea are not actively looking to sell the 23-year-old England forward but that stance has not halted speculation that he could be prised away if a bid is good enough. Partly because soon he is going to have Brazil's rising star Estevao Willian to contend with. Advertisement Estevao will officially join Chelsea after playing at the Club World Cup for Palmeiras. Chelsea agreed a deal with the Sao Paulo club, worth an initial €34million, in May last year with a view to him coming to London this summer. The 18-year-old likes to play on the right side, which is Madueke's preferred position, as well as centrally. Pedro Neto, bought from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a €63million deal last summer, also enjoys operating down the right more than he does the left — so that has to be a concern for Madueke, too. Madueke began to be used more on the left at the end of the 2024-25 domestic and European season. However, Chelsea are looking to buy another winger for that side of the pitch, as they have shown with their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund's 20-year-old Englishman Jamie Gittens. In other words, Madueke could do with a strong showing in America over the next few weeks. And finally, two more new additions who should be sensing an opportunity. Chelsea agreed a deal in March to buy Essugo from Lisbon's Sporting CP for £18.5million come the summer. The 20-year-old is seen as backup for Moises Caicedo, a big responsibility. Caicedo was the only Chelsea player to start all 38 Premier League games in their 2024-25 season, and the club are wary of relying on him too much in the next one with the added burden of their return to the Champions League (he played in just four of their 13 matches in the UEFA Conference League proper en route to winning that competition last month, and in two of those, he was only on the pitch for 45 minutes). Sarr, meanwhile, has arrived from Strasbourg for €14million. A silky centre-back who can play anywhere in a back three — a system Maresca employs regularly when Chelsea are in possession — Sarr has a chance to force his way into the team quickly, despite not turning 20 until late August. Nobody has really established themselves as a regular partner for Levi Colwill yet. Trevoh Chalobah has played alongside him more than most since January but there is a strong possibility he will be sold this summer after his winter-window recall from what was intended to be a season-long loan at Crystal Palace. (Top photos of Delap, left, and Sanchez: Getty Images)
