Clásico chaos, the Blades head to Wembley and your questions
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On the podcast today; Barcelona's victory in a thrilling clásico moved them seven points clear of Real Madrid, all but guaranteeing them the title and a domestic treble. With Xabi Alonso set to replace Carlo Ancelotti, we ask what needs addressing at the Bernabéu to blunt Barça's dominance next season?
Elsewhere, Sheffield United make the Championship playoff final, there's a discussion about what it means to be a 'big six' club and the worst refereeing decisions we've ever seen.
Plus, Fulham's £20,000 season ticket, does anyone care about the Club World Cup and more in this mailbag special.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Ronaldo hits winner as Portugal floor Germany to reach Nations League final
Cristiano Ronaldo was Portugal's hero as his goal capped a thrilling comeback to beat Germany 2-1 in Munich and earn a place in Sunday's Nations League final. The hosts had gone in front early in the second half when Liverpool transfer target Florian Wirtz headed home, but Roberto Martínez's men hit back with two goals in five minutes. Substitute Francisco Conceição levelled with a fantastic long-range strike, before Ronaldo converted from Nuno Mendes' cross to seal victory. There was drama before kick-off, which was delayed by 10 minutes due to a hail storm over the Allianz Arena. Ronaldo also had to deal with a young pitch invader who was grabbed by stewards as he tried to approach the Portugal captain for a selfie. The hosts had the better of the first half, with the Portugal keeper Diogo Costa making a point-blank save to deny debutant Nick Woltemade's fizzed effort, then getting down quickly to turn Leon Goretzka's low shot around the post. Ronaldo spurned the visitors' best chance, failing to find the corner of the net with a shot on the turn. Portugal were inches away from taking the lead early in the second half as Ronaldo was just unable to connect with Nuno Mendes' incisive cross, which agonisingly grazed the forward's studs. Moments later, Wirtz broke the deadlock, heading home a delightful clipped ball over the defence from Joshua Kimmich, who was celebrating his 100th Germany cap. The visitors appealed in vain for a foul, with Rúben Dias adamant he had been obstructed by Woldemate, allowing Wirtz to steer a header beyond Costa and into the far corner. The referee, Slovenia's Slavko Vincic, reviewed the goal on a pitchside monitor but did not award either a foul or offside, and Wirtz' opener stood. Martínez made a triple change just before the hour mark, with Juventus winger Conceição replacing Francisco Trinçao on the right side. It was Conceição who changed the game five minutes later, cutting in from the right, driving towards goal and finding the far corner with a 25-yard effort that swerved and dipped. That seemed like a good omen for Portugal – Francisco's father, Sérgio, scored a hat-trick the last time they beat Germany, at Euro 2000. So it proved five minutes later as Bruno Fernandes played in Nuno Mendes, whose cross found Ronaldo just onside, six yards out, to slot past Marc-André ter Stegen for his 137th international goal. Germany came close to an equaliser when substitute Karim Adeyemi struck the near post from a tight angle, but in the latter stages it was Portugal who looked more likely to score as Julian Nagelsmann's team ran out of ideas. Conceição, who was named player of the match, sent a powerful strike just wide, while Ter Stegen made a miraculous double save to deny substitute Diogo Jota and then Conceição's shot on the rebound in the dying moments. Still, Portugal's work was done, and the 2019 Nations League winners advance to a final against either 2021 champions France or the current holders, Spain, at the same venue on Sunday night.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Eberechi Eze gets on his bike as England's World Cup preparations heat up
Eberechi Eze has opened up on the punishing training sessions at England's warm-weather camp here that Thomas Tuchel believes will prepare the players for the heat of the World Cup next summer. Tuchel and his squad are at the exclusive Camiral Golf & Wellness resort, partly to prepare for the qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona on Saturday. But the focus since Monday has been to look at the bigger picture, which has involved monitoring the reaction of the players to extreme temperatures – with the help of biometric tablets and innovative sports-science methods. The players have been asked to take a tablet and cycle for 45 minutes at a consistent level inside a tent that has been heated to a minimum of 35C. The Football Association's experts have been able to track their core body temperatures under stress – with the idea being that it will inform how they manage them at the finals in the US, Canada and Mexico. Eze, who finished the domestic season on a high with the winner for Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, said it was the first time he had seen such an approach in training. 'It was quite difficult to do,' he said. 'It was taking the tablets and you had to be on the bike for 45 minutes, which is a long time to be on a bike. 'You had to keep going and they monitored your heart rate, your actual temperature. It was just understanding and it was definitely helpful … a bit of an insight into yourself and how you will cope in those situations.' Cole Palmer, the Chelsea midfielder, said: 'It was tough. It was 35C, 36C inside the tents and we had to get to a certain watts [level] on the bike and maintain it. For 45 minutes.' Eze has been on fire since he scored his first England goal in the 3-0 victory against Latvia in late March, which was Tuchel's second game in charge. The first was the 2-0 win against Albania three days before. Tuchel has talked about the goal having inspired Eze, who went back to Palace and finished the season with nine in 13 matches. The one that will always be remembered was against City to secure Palace's first major trophy and a place in the Europa League, although there is a complication on that front because of the majority stake that the club's co-owner, John Textor, holds in Lyon. The Ligue 1 club have also qualified for the Europa League. Uefa's rules forbid individuals from being involved with more than one club in the same competition to avoid conflicts of interest. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion 'I really hope that Palace do get the reward because of what it took to actually achieve that,' Eze said. 'It would be a huge shame if that was not the case but I'm trusting that it will work out in the end. It should work itself out because there's players who have worked to be in this position. There are fans who have been with the team throughout the whole season and experienced everything. 'The main thing for me after the FA Cup win … when we were leaving the stadium, when we were on the [open-top bus] parade was looking at the fans' faces and seeing people in tears and people overwhelmed by what we've done. That's something that will live with me for ever.' The FA has announced that Lee Carsley has signed a two-year contract extension with the England Under-21s. The manager is preparing to lead the team at the European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia this month, having won the tournament in 2023.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Two paths, one dream - how duo reached Premier League
International Friendly: Denmark v Northern IrelandVenue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen Date: Saturday, 7 June Kick-off: 18:00 BSTCoverage: Watch live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI, listen on BBC Sounds and follow live text commentary & in-play clips on the BBC Sport website After years of hard work, Daniel Ballard and Trai Hume are set to become Premier League players in August. The Northern Ireland team-mates played a key role as Sunderland ended their six-year hiatus from the top flight with a dramatic Championship play-off win at Wembley. Playing in the Premier League is a life-long goal for both players, but both arrived at their current point through very different means. Defender Ballard came through the 'traditional' path, by working his way through Arsenal's academy. He didn't make a senior appearance for the Gunners but a number of loan spells brought him to the attention of Sunderland in 2022. Hume's path, on the other hand, meant he had to bide his time for a chance. When ambitions to move to England failed to come to fruition at the age of 16, he played in the Irish League in Northern Ireland with Linfield and Ballymena United, where the exposure to senior football at a young age certainly helped develop the combative player Sunderland fans have come to love. If supporters didn't know his name when he arrived for in January 2022, they certainly do now. "My journey is probably a lot different to a lot of people," admitted Hume. "I missed out on going across the water at 16 years of age. I didn't get picked by a lot of clubs and was told I wasn't ready, and things like that."Hume said he "worked my socks off" to earn a move to England, and he's been on Sunderland's journey from League One to the Premier League."I like to think I deserve the opportunity that I've got," he added."When I first moved to Sunderland they gave me time to adapt and get ready, and when I was ready to play I had my chance and thankfully took it. Now I am where I am, and I want to keep on pushing."Ballard said "it's down to the individual a lot of the time" after he joined the academy at Arsenal as an eight-year-old."At Arsenal, from the outside it's probably the perfect way to be brought up," he added."But then a lot of players get lost in that system and Trai is a great example of coming through at a club that didn't have the same facilities, but it just shows that it comes down to the individual. "You have to put the work in yourself. No amount of facilities of coaches at that young age are going to turn you into a good player." Hume 'loves the club' and 'happy where I'm at' After impressing throughout Sunderland's campaign, Hume has been linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light, with Wolves, Everton and a number of European clubs reportedly looking at the 23-year-old. However, Hume is happy at Sunderland and if anything happens "it's from the club"."I've said it ever since I moved to Sunderland, I really love my football here," he admitted."I love playing. I love the club, I'm happy where I'm at and if anything happens it's from the club. "I love playing for Sunderland so I'm happy being there."That connection with the club and its supporters would only have been enhanced on a fairytale promotion run. Ballard scored a last-gasp header in the second leg of the semi-final against Coventry, which was the winning goal on aggregate and booked Sunderland's place at Wembley. The celebrations could only be described as pandemonium as Ballard whipped off his shirt before being mobbed by his team-mates. "I think it was spur of the moment thing," he said with a smile. "As I kid I had dreamed of that celebration, but you can never really do it as a centre-back otherwise you'll get a booking. I think that was the one opportunity I could get as the game was done."You could feel it in the stadium as they were two really tough games against Coventry. I think it was relief more than anything and it was quite emotional to see the way the fans reacted."There was more joy to come as substitute Tom Watson scored an injury-time winner against Sheffield United as the Black Cats gained promotion in the most dramatic of circumstances. Ballard said that made his semi-final goal "even more special", and Hume added the drama made "it more emotional and more sweet"."We didn't dominate both games, we had to dig in and we had to stay strong as a team and stick together," added Hume."Personally, that's the way I like to win games. I like to do it together as a team and you have to work hard to earn that. "We worked as hard as we could, and to get those two late goals there was relief, joy and all the emotions you can think of really."
