Morata joins Serie A side Como on loan
The 32-year-old spent the final few months of last season on loan at Galatasaray after falling out of favour at the San Siro.
Ambitious club Como finished 10th in Serie A last season under coach Cesc Fabregas, in their first top-flight campaign for 21 years.
"Last year, playing against them, I was able to appreciate the team and the project -- you can see that there is a lot of ambition," Morata said in a statement.
"I promise the fans and the club that I will give 200 percent in every training session and every match. I can't wait to wear this shirt."
Morata has won several major trophies in a career that has included spells at Real Madrid, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea.
He also led Spain to the Euro 2024 title as skipper.
"I've known Alvaro for many years and I've always admired the way he plays and the way he carries himself," said Fabregas.
"He's an intelligent striker who has delivered in the biggest moments and a teammate who lifts everyone around him."
The new Serie A season gets under way next week, with Como kicking off their campaign with a home match against Lazio on August 24.
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New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ben Healy on his stellar Tour de France: ‘I was climbing up the Hautacam with a massive smile on my face'
'I just felt like a deer in the headlights, really. I've done this amazing thing, but I was so starstruck by it. I didn't know what was going on. So many cameras, so many people, phones going off all around you. I was just like: 'What's going on here?' 'It wasn't until the stage when I lost it, and was looking down at the yellow bike, riding up the Hautacam with everyone cheering my name, looking at the names on the road, that I thought: 'What have I just done?' So even though I was losing the jersey, I was climbing up the Hautacam with a massive smile on my face. That was the first time I really appreciated being in yellow, because the rest of the time was so crazy.' Advertisement There are many adjectives which could be used to describe Ben Healy's 2025 Tour de France. Combative. Successful. Yellow. But sometimes the best words are images, the slow, sideways rotation of his head as he suffers: taking a stage, saving the maillot jaune, sprinting up the final hairpin of Mont Ventoux. In many ways, this was Healy's Tour. Outside of its overall champion Tadej Pogacar, the Irishman was its compelling force, winner of flowers, minds, and the race's super-combativity prize. This is his Tour in his words. In April's Ardennes Classics, Healy was on top form. He finished third at the historic Liege-Bastogne-Liege, having challenged throughout the week. But by the time the Tour's build-up rolled around, he felt sluggish. Healy's Criterium du Dauphine in June, traditionally the warm-up race for most Tour de France competitors, was anonymous. 'It really wasn't smooth,' he says, speaking just over a week after the end of the Tour. 'No major dramas, but it just didn't feel like anything was clicking for me. So I think me and quite a few people in the team were a bit stressed. 'The quiet Dauphine was a product of me not feeling good. I just didn't seem to be responding to training that well, struggling to lose weight. It was a bit of a panic.' There was a lot on the 24-year-old's shoulders. Richard Carapaz, who was expected to lead the EF Education-EasyPost team after his Giro d'Italia podium, had withdrawn one week before the Tour with a gastrointestinal infection. The Ecuadorian had been coveting the polka-dot jersey. Now, the team's only goal was stage wins. With around a dozen of their rivals holding similar interests, the approach was high-risk — but the American-based squad had no choice. 'Last year, I just went for it every day without really thinking too deeply,' Healy explains. 'And I definitely paid for that in the second and third week. So it was really early in December that I started thinking: 'How am I going to win this year?' And then I sat down with my coach and the DSs (directeur sportifs), literally one or two days before the Tour, went through the roadbook, and we were all in agreement. The first one (to target) was stage six.' Advertisement The stage-win hunters had needed to wait their turn, with Thierry Gouvenou's Tour route prioritising opportunities for the sprinters and GC riders for much of the first week. But the 201.5km from Bayeux to Vire Normandie presented a genuine chance — up and down all day, with over 3,550m of climbing. It meant the breakaway was strong — including Mathieu van der Poel, one of cycling's Big Four, American champion Quinn Simmons and this year's Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates. 'It's a funny thing to say, but my mindset wasn't really affected by who was in the break,' says Healy. 'No matter who was in it, I knew how I had to win, and that didn't really change. I knew I couldn't take Van der Poel to the finish, but to be honest, I don't really want to take anyone to the finish. 'I knew I had to go solo, but then you've also got to be sneaky, because if you do it on the steepest part, everyone's going to be aware of that. 'I also knew I had good legs. I warmed up the day before at the time trial (in Caen), and remember thinking: 'I've done that as well as I've ever done.' And that doesn't just disappear straight away. And so as soon as I hit those first few climbs, I could just feel that I was floating on the pedals.' Healy attacked the group with 42km to go — going over a small roller during a false flat downhill, a spot picked by DS Tom Southam in the EF team car. Healy then averaged 6.2 watts/kg for the next 22 minutes to open up the decisive gap: 'We'd discussed it before. It was all about finding that inconspicuous place, and we'd loosely identified the area — and then when I made the break, I radioed the team car to find the spot. 'I came from the back with a bit of speed, and when you come past at five kilometres per hour faster than anyone else, everybody looks at each other and thinks: 'I don't want to do that.' Then it was just head down and go.' ⚠️ Ben Healy solo ride alert! The Irishman launched a blistering attack that left his breakaway companions stranded. He's already 25" ahead! ⚠️ Alerte numéro solitaire de Ben Healy ! L'Irlandais a placé une attaque foudroyante qui a laissé sur place ses compagnons d'échappée.… — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 10, 2025 From the outside, including in EF's team bus, where The Athletic was embedded during that stage, Healy always looked under control. His lead was over a minute with 30km remaining, and only increasing. 'We weren't getting any time gaps, so I was always a bit anxious about it,' he says. 'It was a Tour de France stage on the line, and I was getting a bit stressed because I had no idea (of the situation behind him). The last few climbs were really difficult, and I was really starting to feel it in the legs. Advertisement 'I hit the penultimate climb and tried to pace it as best as I could, but I could really feel the tank was starting to empty. But thankfully, I got a time gap over the top, and then I could start to relax, because I saw two minutes on that board.' Healy coasted through to win the stage — his first ever in the Tour de France, and second in the sport's three Grand Tours after one in the 2023 Giro d'Italia. It was the biggest moment of his career. But just four days later, Healy arguably eclipsed it: escaping in the Massif Central on stage 10, the race's first mountain day proper, to gain over four minutes on the peloton. In finishing third, he seized the yellow jersey — Ireland's first in the Tour since Stephen Roche won the race in 1987. 'I don't think yellow was on the team's mind (entering stage 10), but it was definitely on my mind,' Healy says. 'After stage six, I wanted to hang in there in case of that opportunity, because a lot of the time, you've got to have a lot of things lined up for yellow, if you're not entering aiming to win the race. 'So we entered focused on the stage win, there was a big break, and (rival team) UAE didn't seem too interested in keeping it tight and under control. So halfway through the stage, we realised this was a realistic thing, and we could throw resources at it. At 80km to go, we switched mindsets, using Harry Sweeny, and then Alex (Baudin), and trying to keep the group rolling so it wasn't only down to us. 'Then, when those guys were done, I could either have gambled (on the stage win), and potentially come away with nothing, or go head down and go for yellow.' Up the road, Yates and Thymen Arensman duelled it out for the stage victory, with the other members of the breakaway sitting on Healy's wheel, knowing the Irishman was compelled to work. He beat the remainder across the line anyway. Advertisement Late that night, in an emotional moment, he was reunited with his teammates at a truck stop on the way to the rest day in Toulouse. 'The stage was what I really wanted from the start, because yellow always felt impossible,' explains Healy. 'So I think I'm more proud about going into yellow, but the stage win brought more emotion, because it was all I wanted, it was the first thing that I did, and it was just such a release from the pressure and the stress and everything that comes with the Tour. 'I felt really emotional about it; it was a massive relief. And yellow just came so fast, I wasn't expecting it.' Healy's time in yellow was a whirlwind. Speaking at a hastily arranged press conference in the reception area of an airport hotel the next day, he emphasised his intention to honour the jersey — despite knowing it would be a near-impossibility to keep it through the Pyrenees. He had, however, switched to GC mode, with team boss Jonathan Vaughters excitedly speaking about podiums and top 10s. 'I didn't take it too seriously in a lot of ways,' laughs Healy, discussing whether that added undue pressure. 'I wanted to race GC and not lose time on purpose, but I wasn't too stressed if I did lose a load of time — I knew that with some stages that still suited me, it wouldn't be the worst thing if I lost time.' Stage 11 was a loop around Toulouse. At times, the start area that day felt dominated by the green T-shirts of the Ben Healy Fan Club — initially made as a present for Healy's father, but which had snowballed at stage finish lines into a lawn of colour. His dog, Olive, became a breakout star of the Tour as well. A post shared by EF Education–EasyPost (@efprocycling) Healy kept the jersey over the final bumpy kilometres — even playing an important role in the peloton's decision to wait for Pogacar after the race favourite crashed in the closing stages, conversing with Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel to slow the bunch down. The next day, however, on the Hautacam, was when Pogacar seized control of the race. Healy was separated on the penultimate climb of the day, the Col du Soulor, eventually losing over 13 minutes to the Slovenian. Advertisement 'I was never fully confident of keeping the jersey, racing against Tadej and the like, but I was still confident that I could put in a better performance than I did. It just crumbled around me a little bit,' Healy says. 'I really struggle in the heat; it's a recurring weakness of mine. I could feel I had really good legs, but once I get to a point of overheating, it's just so hard for me to come back from that. That's when Sweeny came in and just poured every bottle he could over the back of my neck. 'I recovered a bit on the descent but when you arrive at the Hautacam already 10 minutes back, there's not a lot you can do. I just went as hard as I could to the line, and tried to take it all in as well.' Healy's aims were now clear: protect his top 10 position on GC — uncharted ground for him — and use the relative freedom of no longer being a podium threat to chase more stage wins. His next opportunity came on stage 16, up the legendary Mont Ventoux. A large breakaway was slowly trimmed down until a leading trio of Healy, Frenchman Valentin Paret-Peintre and Colombia's Santiago Buitrago went clear. Despite appearing the strongest rider, often forced to pull in the closing kilometres, Healy was outsprinted by Paret-Peintre in the final 100m drag to the finish. Despite all the success of his 2025 Tour, was a tiny part of Healy still dwelling on that near miss? 'I think it's still more pride, to be honest,' he answers, after a slight pause. 'I can't be too disappointed — I wanted to race, I wasn't able to pull it off, and Valentin was also super-strong. It was still a really good day and a really good battle with him. For sure, I'm a little gutted to finish second, but that's bike racing. You can't win everything.' Healy explains that he felt he couldn't attack Paret-Peintre too early — with Enric Mas up the road, the trio could not squabble among each other too early, for fear of the Spaniard riding away to the stage win. Television footage showed him animatedly reinforcing his point to his breakaway companions. 'Mas is a good bike rider — we couldn't let him walk away with it,' Healy says. 'I felt like I could separate from them, but chose not to, because if I reached Enric after a big effort in the headwind, then I might not be able to drop him. It was better to work with the other guys. 'I also wasn't sure if I had the legs to go for a super-long solo on Ventoux, so I played it safe, I guess. The attacks unfolded after Chalet Reynard (at an altitude of 1,400m/around 4,500ft), but the headwinds and slightly shallower gradients made it harder to attack Valentin, and I think that's how it ended up in a sprint. Advertisement With hindsight, I probably should have gone before Chalet Reynard, because Enric probably wasn't as strong as I feared he would be, but I'm still not disappointed with the decisions I made or the way that I raced.' His racing style was recognised with the super-combativity prize at the end of the Tour, an award given to an aggressive rider who is seen to have animated the race as a whole over the three weeks. It is not generally seen as a major honour, but it was significant to Healy. 'It's definitely something that appeals to me,' he says. 'As a byproduct of how I race, that's a cool thing for sure. And getting to stand on the podium on the Champs-Elysees… how many riders ever get to do that?' Olive made it to the cloakroom just short of the podium itself. So what now? Healy does not plan to chase GC at future Grand Tours, at least as a Plan A. 'I really enjoy being aggressive, and that's how I want to go forward. If I believe I can contend for a podium, then maybe my focus will switch. But right now, going for stage wins and being kind of backdoor on GC is how I want to go forward.' The big target for the rest of the season is the World Championships in Rwanda at the end of September. It will be a tough day of racing: 267.5km, with 5,475m of climbing. Pogacar will go in as favourite, having beaten Healy over similar terrain at Liege-Bastogne-Liege this year, but the smaller team sizes allowed this time could lend itself to the type of chaotic race in which Healy excels. 'That's definitely the big goal for me,' Healy says. 'Whatever it takes to get there in the best shape I can, that's what I'm going to do.' In finishing third behind Pogacar at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Healy jokingly asked the Slovenian: 'When are you going to retire?' 'I have a contract until 2030, so that's the year maybe,' came the response. After his 2025 Tour, Healy's rivals may now be asking the Irishman the same question. For more cycling, follow Global Sports on The Athletic app via the Discover tab Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Associated Press
26 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Champions League winner PSG may find it harder to defend the French title this season
PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain dominated Ligue 1 last season, losing only two games as it benefited from a lack of domestic rivalry to also embark on a victorious Champions League campaign. But things might prove more difficult for coach Luis Enrique and his PSG team this season, because Marseille and Monaco are determined to mount credible title challenges after strong summer signings. PSG also has a long-awaited local derby against newly-promoted Paris FC to contend with. Get ready for PSG vs. PFC. But first, the season begins with Marseille at Rennes on Friday. Monaco is at home to Le Havre on Saturday and PSG is at Nantes on Sunday. Here's a look at the upcoming season: —- Intercity rivalry For the first time in 35 years two Paris-based soccer clubs are in Ligue 1. Paris FC's takeover by France's richest family, the Arnaults of luxury empire LVMH, also saw energy drink giant Red Bull become a minority stakeholder. It gives PSG fans a genuine city rivalry against a very close neighbor. Because Paris FC, also known as PFC, changed stadium following its promotion and will now play at the 20-000-seat Stade Jean-Bouin — which is right across the street from PSG's Parc des Princes. PFC owner Antoine Arnault, the son of billionaire Bernard Arnault, used to be a PSG season-ticket holder. 'I've loved PSG since I was 12,' Antoine Arnault said. 'You will never hear me say anything negative about PSG.' The teams meet at Parc des Princes on Jan. 4. Paris FC will host PSG on May 16, the season's final round. Marseille offense Coach Roberto De Zerbi has been proactive with his signings but his best move was keeping hold of influential midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Marseille bolstered its attack by signing highly-rated Brazilian winger Igor Paixão in a deal that could rise to 35 million euros ($40.6 million). Veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored 30 goals for Marseille two seasons ago, has returned. Attacking midfielder Angel Gomes joined from Lille and U.S. winger Tim Weah arrived from Juventus. They supplement an attack already featuring Mason Greenwood, who scored 21 league goals last season, and skilful finisher Amine Gouiri. But the team's heartbeat is Rabiot. He was Marseille's best player last season following a surprise move from Juventus, and the 53-cap France international said he turned down offers to move during the offseason. 'I couldn't see myself leaving when I think the best is ahead of us,' Rabiot told Le Provence newspaper. 'We've put something into place with the coach and I want to be part of what's ahead.' Monaco's challenge Monaco started last season strongly but faded badly due to poor defending and erratic goalkeeping. Coach Adi Hütter is determined to correct that and the Principality club has recruited veteran goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecky from Bayer Leverkusen. Paul Pogba has also joined, along with Ansu Fati. Pogba was once among the world's best midfielders, and now he's trying to re-ignite a career derailed by injuries and a doping ban. Fati was once considered among the world's best young players in the way Lamine Yamal is now. The tricky winger has joined on a season-long loan from Barcelona, offering the former teen prodigy another chance to resurrect his career. With the prolific Mika Biereth in attack alongside forward Folarin Balogun, and with Eliesse Ben Seghir and Maghnes Akliouche supporting them from midfield, the goals should flow for Monaco. Veterans return As well as Pogba, there will be plenty of interest in how Olivier Giroud and Florian Thauvin do. All three won the 2018 World Cup with France, although Thauvin was a fringe player. The 38-year-old Giroud — France's all-time record scorer with 57 goals — has joined Lille after leaving Los Angeles FC. After winning Ligue 1 with Montpellier in 2012, Giroud joined Arsenal, then won the Champions League with Chelsea and the Italian league with AC Milan. Thauvin joined from Serie A club Udinese and returns to Ligue 1 after playing the best soccer of his career for Marseille, scoring 53 league goals across three seasons from 2016-19. PSG's goalkeeper uncertainty Gianluigi Donnarumma was arguably PSG's best player during its stellar Champions League campaign. But he reportedly wants to leave after the club signed Lucas Chevalier from Lille. Donnarumma's future at PSG is in doubt after he was dropped from the squad for Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup win against Tottenham. Promoted clubs Metz and Lorient went up with PFC. Lorient won Ligue 2 thanks to striker Eli Junior Kroupi's 22 goals. Metz has Jonathan Fischer, a former substitute teacher, in goal. ___ AP soccer:
New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
Why Frank's ‘special operation' offered promise even if Tottenham succumbed at the last
In the immediate aftermath of Tottenham Hotspur's 4-0 loss against Bayern Munich last week, new head coach Thomas Frank turned his thoughts to how they could beat the Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup. He came up with a tactical blueprint based around a compact 3-5-2 formation, clever set-piece routines and an aggressive press. Advertisement It worked perfectly in Udine on Wednesday night until the 85th minute. Spurs threw away a two-goal lead in those last few minutes and then lost on penalties to PSG. 'I knew we had to do something a little bit different,' Frank said as a digested a near miss. 'It was a special operation. In medical terms, the operation succeeded but the patient died.' Many will focus on how Spurs let the opportunity to win another trophy slip through their fingers, but this was an encouraging and impressive performance in Frank's first competitive game in charge. Here, The Athletic breaks down Spurs' approach and what it could mean for the rest of the season. Exactly four years ago, Frank led Brentford to a famous 2-0 victory over Arsenal on the opening day of the 2021-22 season. He used a 3-5-2 system with Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney up front. Goalkeeper David Raya would pump the ball long and Toney and Mbeumo would chase any flick-ons. Frank returned to this playbook on Wednesday evening in Italy — just switch out those names for Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus. Spurs shifted into a back five out of possession which meant the pockets of space were limited into which Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Khivcha Kvaratskhelia could dart. There were multiple occasions in the first half when Vitinha and Desire Doue passed the ball around the edge of the box and were then dispossessed by Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur or Pape Sarr. Spurs would then spring a counter and, in the 23rd minute, it led to Lucas Chevalier tipping Richarlison's shot over the bar. Do not expect to see this tactic every week, but when Spurs come up against teams who are expected to dominate possession, especially in the Champions League, they can revert to it. Then as Frank grows with this squad, they will hopefully become more confident on the ball and control games against top quality-opposition. There is something funny about the first two goals of the Frank era coming from set-pieces. Ange Postecoglou, Frank's predecessor, did not care about set-pieces and compared them to a scrum in rugby, but PSG could not cope with what Tottenham mustered in Udine. There was a lot of variety to the routines. In the second half, Kudus took a free kick quickly and then chipped a cross towards Kevin Danso. Micky van de Ven's goal came from a sneaky tactic which saw new captain Cristian Romero peel towards the edge of the box and head the ball back into a dangerous area from Vicario's free kick. Danso launched long throw-ins into the box. Porro whipped in-swinging deliveries towards Bentancur and Romero. Danso and Van de Ven blocked other players from marking their team-mates. PSG's defence could not keep up with the schemes devised by set-piece coach Andreas Georgson. Frank needs to find other ways for this team to create chances but the chaos they can cause from set-pieces is fantastic and an asset. Who needs a shiny new playmaker when you have a rough and rugged midfield which rolls over the opposition? Sarr, Bentancur and Palhinha might not be the most technical combination but they give Spurs a lot of energy and aggression. Palhinha put a dreadful performance against his parent club Bayern behind him and demonstrated why he is the No 6 Spurs have craved over the last few years. In the ninth minute, Barcola skipped past Danso but the Portuguese midfielder tracked back and pinched the ball. Danso even accidentally clattered into him in the process, but he quickly shrugged it off. Something similar happened just before half-time and, on that occasion, Palhinha blocked Barcola's cross. The Portugal international offers the defence a layer of protection they sorely lacked last year and allows Bentancur to push up slightly higher. Sarr has probably been the best performer since Frank arrived. He repeatedly pinched the ball off Vitinha and constantly threw himself into duels. Sarr and Bentancur had mixed seasons last year but they already look like they could reach a new level under Frank. Brennan Johnson, the hero of Tottenham's Europa League final victory over Manchester United, did not feature at all against PSG. He was their top goalscorer in all competitions last season but now faces a battle with Kudus to start every week. This system suits Kudus slightly better than Johnson. The Ghana international is wiry and full of tricks. He was excellent at holding the ball up under pressure from multiple defenders and either winning a free kick or driving forward. When Kudus was substituted for Mathys Tel with 10 minutes left, Tottenham lost an outlet. PSG were able to push them back further and keep piling on the pressure. Richarlison produced a good performance, too. The 28-year-old could be invaluable to Frank if he stays fit. Richarlison kept harassing his international team-mate Marquinhos and disrupting any attempt to play out from the back. He burst through on the counter a couple of times and was unfortunate not to receive more support. If there was one criticism about Frank's game plan, it would be that Spurs sank far too deep towards the end. Lee Kang-in came off the bench and started drifting towards the right. Djed Spence had to cope with Lee, Dembele and Achraf Hakimi flooding his side of the pitch. When Tottenham cleared the ball, PSG quickly recovered it. The Premier League side missed the presence of James Maddison who is so calm under pressure and effectively retains possession or wins a free kick, giving everybody time to reset. Advertisement This has happened to Frank before and it is something he needs to address quickly. In October 2023, Brentford were beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford when Scott McTominay scored twice in stoppage time at the end. A year later, history repeated itself in a 2-1 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage. Frank's special operation was remarkable and deserves a lot of praise, but it still ultimately failed. That said, only minor tweaks will be needed to ensure the patient survives the procedure in future. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
