Latest news with #Bielsa
Daily Mirror
13-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Pep Guardiola thinks Leeds are signing 'exceptional' forward and Marcelo Bielsa agrees
Leeds United have reportedly agreed a deal to sign an experienced Premier League striker, who Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola have praised in the past Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola have already expressed their admiration for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Leeds United have agreed a deal for the striker, who is a free agent after leaving Everton. Daniel Farke has had a busy summer transfer window as the Yorkshire side prepare for their return to the top-flight. The club have welcomed Lukas Nmecha, Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach to Elland Road. However, it seems that the focus has now shifted towards securing a striker with a proven track record in the Premier League. According to reports, Leeds have reached a preliminary agreement to sign free agent Calvert-Lewin, who previously impressed iconic Leeds boss Bielsa. The centre-forward scored 71 goals for the Toffees over the past nine years and has shown he can be prolific when fully fit. While both Manchester United and Newcastle United were believed to be interested in the former England international, it seems that Leeds have outmanoeuvred them. Calvert-Lewin is now expected to undergo a medical at Thorp Arch before penning a deal with the newly-promoted side. Bielsa, who enjoyed an unforgettable spell at Leeds, had nothing but praise for Calvert-Lewin after the club's 1-0 victory over Everton in November 2020. "It's not easy to neutralise him," Bielsea said of Calvert-Lewin. "The whole team made a big effort defensively to stop him, especially our centre-backs against him. "But he had chances to score, and we worked so that the opportunities he had on goal would be difficult ones. But nonetheless, he was a player who was as dangerous as he usually is." Given that Bielsa was the one who brought Raphinha to Leeds in 2020, his judgment on forward players is not to be dismissed lightly. The Brazilian winger has surpassed all expectations since moving to Barcelona three years ago. Raphinha finds himself in the running for the prestigious Ballon d'Or this summer following a sensational season in which he netted 34 goals and set up 25 more across all competitions. His contributions were key in Barcelona clinching a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana treble last season. Calvert-Lewin will not be expected to reach anywhere near those heights at his new club, but Manchester City boss Guardiola has previously described Calvert-Lewin as "exceptional". He heaped praise on the 28-year-old in 2022. "When he is on top, he's exceptional; long balls, second balls in the box," Guardiola explained. "He's a dangerous player." While Leeds supporters will be keen to witness precisely what Calvert-Lewin can offer their bid to avoid relegation, the major hurdle the club might encounter is maintaining his fitness. The forward was sidelined for over 100 days at Everton last campaign due to hamstring and ankle problems. Moreover, hamstring and knee issues during the 2022/23 campaign kept him out of action for 223 days. Leeds will hope Calvert-Lewin can return to peak form under Farke this term, though it remains unclear whether he will be signed and registered in time for their Premier League opener against his former side Everton on Monday evening.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Football Daily Destination New Jersey: Pressure on Pochettino, Argentine coaches & DR Congo on top
Mark Chapman and Rory Smith continue the countdown to the 2026 World Cup. Nico Cantor of CBS Sports joins to gauge the mood in America as pressure mounts on Mauricio Pochettino. South American football expert Tim Vickery gives the lowdown on Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay, as well as the other South American nations vying for a place at the World Cup. Also hear from Indonesian football expert Andy Fuller, and former DR Congo international Gabriel Zakuani. Timecodes: 00:25 Pressure on Pochettino & USMNT 12:40 Argentine coaches at the WC 16:05 'Unmissable' CONMEBOL qualification 20:25 Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay 26:30 Football in Indonesia 33:10 DR Congo top CAF Group BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Thu 2000 Czech Republic v England in UEFA U21 Championship, Sun 1700 England v Slovenia in UEFA U21 Championship.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Sir Alex Ferguson spotted making classy gesture ahead of Europa League final - 13 years after his Man United side were outclassed by Athletic Bilbao at San Mames
Ahead of the Europa League final, Sir Alex Ferguson made time for the San Mames museum and left a couple of priceless mementos before his former side Manchester United take on Tottenham. The legendary former Red Devils boss signed the match ball used when his side took on Athletic Bilbao in 2012. United were stunned by Marcelo Bielsa 's side at Old Trafford, losing 3-2, before suffering defeat in the Basque country a week later. In addition to the signed match ball, Ferguson also left the pennant from the last-16 second leg clash, when goals from Fernando Llorente and Oscar de Marcos condemned the Premier League outfit to an early European exit. Bilbao highlighted the classy gesture in a social media post on Wednesday that showed the 83-year-old all smiles in the museum at San Mames. The Scot's mood could be markedly different in a matter of hours after the Red Devils' all-English Europa League final against Spurs is complete. Ferguson's United were thoroughly outclassed by Bilbao in the last-16 of the Europa League in 2012 Around 80,000 supporters have flown out to Spain for the game, despite the San Mames having a capacity of 52,114. Both sets of clubs were allocated 15,000 tickets for the final, with thousands of ticketless fans still opting to descend on the city. United come into the tie as favourites, though neither themselves of the north Londoners can take much confidence from their domestic campaigns. Spurs and United sit 17th and 16th in the top flight respectively, with victory in Wednesday's final the only chance for either side to qualify for Europe next season.
Business Upturn
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Upturn
Athletic Club vs Manchester United: Head-to-head record ahead of Europa League clash
By Aman Shukla Published on May 1, 2025, 10:30 IST As Athletic Bilbao prepare to face Manchester United in the Europa League semi-final, football fans are revisiting a historic rivalry that has produced memorable European nights. This will mark the first competitive meeting between the two sides since 2012, and the latest chapter in a rarely told but thrilling story. Head-to-Head Record Total meetings: 4 Athletic Bilbao wins: 3 Manchester United wins: 1 Draws: 0 Despite Manchester United's rich European legacy, it is Athletic Bilbao who have had the upper hand in this fixture, winning three of the four official encounters between the two clubs. Historic European Encounters 1957: A European Classic The first meeting came during the 1956–57 European Cup quarter-finals. Athletic Bilbao secured a thrilling 5-3 win in Spain, but Manchester United famously overturned the deficit with a 3-0 victory at Maine Road (Old Trafford's floodlights were damaged at the time). That result sent the Red Devils through with a 6-5 aggregate win. 2012: Bielsa vs Ferguson Over five decades later, the clubs met again in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League Round of 16. Under the tactical brilliance of Marcelo Bielsa, Athletic stunned United with a 3-2 win at Old Trafford, followed by a 2-1 triumph in Bilbao. Despite a brace from Wayne Rooney in the first leg, United were outplayed over both games. Athletic eventually reached the final that season, knocking out the Premier League giants en route. Though they finished runners-up, their victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's side remains a highlight in the club's European history. Now, with the clubs set to clash in the first leg at San Mamés, Athletic Bilbao once again stand in United's way on the European stage. The La Liga outfit boasts a superior head-to-head record and home advantage, while Manchester United will be eager to rewrite history and reach another European final. Athletic ClubManchester United Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Telegraph
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Raphinha's journey from Leeds to Ballon d'Or front-runner
Raphinha's story of how he arrived in English football is just as dramatic as the last-gasp Barcelona goals that have made him a Ballon d'Or winner in waiting. With the transfer deadline looming, the Brazilian found himself locked in the Rennes dressing room as his French club desperately tried anything to keep him. It was the summer window of 2020 and Raphinha played a key role in Rennes reaching the Champions League for the first time in the club's history. Just before the window shut, they were playing Reims and their star forward had scored in a 2-2 draw – but that was just the start of the drama. Rennes' board had accepted a bid from Leeds United for Raphinha but some officials at the club wanted him to stay, as did manager Julien Stéphan. He was locked in the dressing room as a delaying tactic as the clock ticked. When he got out, Raphinha had 20 minutes to decide whether to leave, with a private jet waiting to take him to Yorkshire. His decision shaped his career in the last five years, putting him on the brink of club and personal glory. La Liga is within sight and Barca can take a huge stride towards the Champions League final when they face Inter Milan on Wednesday night. If Raphinha's arrival at Elland Road reads like a Hollywood script, so does how Marcelo Bielsa discovered him. Like so many rags-to-riches stories, Raphinha was almost overlooked. Bielsa was actually looking for a left-back and was watching footage of Malang Sarr at Nice – but it was Raphinha who caught the eye. Even then, the chances of landing the player seemed remote. Rennes were dining at Europe's top table with one of the most promising young coaches in Stéphan. So Leeds focused on Bayern Munich's Michaël Cuisance and a deal was ready to be signed off. The French forward did not give a good first impression when he flew in and, when he failed his medical, attention was switched to Raphinha. It seemed Raphinha was destined for Leeds and the two years at Elland Road under the guidance of Bielsa were the making of him. It was the coaching genius of Bielsa that saw the rough diamond and polished it. He saw a player with exceptional technique who could run and run, even enough to cope with his infamous 'Murderball' training sessions and have something left in the tank. As a person, Raphinha took Yorkshire to his heart as well. He got married in Leeds and his wife Taia regularly posted on Instagram about their happy life in England. It was only two seasons but Raphinha still has hero status among Leeds fans and former team-mates alike. After another big performance for Barca, a congratulatory text message may come in from Kalvin Phillips, Stuart Dallas or Liam Cooper. According to those who worked with him at Leeds, Raphinha was only interested in football and family. He would practise long after training sessions, honing his technique to the point that 'it sounded different to other players when he connected with the ball'. Bielsa shaped the player, securing a top-10 finish in Raphinha's first season, then the Brazilian helped the club survive on the final day of the next campaign under Jesse Marsch. When Raphinha scored on the final day to help defeat Brentford, he crawled the entire length of the Gtech Community Stadium pitch amid the wild celebrations. It was a ritual from South America to repay God for granting a wish. Just becoming a footballer was a dream come true, given his background in Brazil. Raphinha walking the length of the pitch on his knees after Leeds United's win over Brentford ⚽ — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 22, 2022 Speaking to those who know Raphinha well, his background often comes up as a topic. To say he lived in poverty in Restinga, a favela in Porto Alegre, does not really cover it. He was begging for food after playing football as there was no money to eat. To get to matches, a family friend would have to top up his bus pass. 'When none of us had any food, we would ask strangers in the streets. You really had to be desperate to do that, but we were so hungry,' Raphinha recalls. 'They thought we wanted to rob them, you know? It was really sad, because we just wanted to taste food. A biscuit, a piece of bread … anything.' His saviour were the famous várzea tournaments, unstructured football where positions are obsolete and anything goes. There were threats to kill and gunshots heard in an environment likened to the Wild West. Raphinha was playing in the tournaments until he was 17 and clubs such as Internacional and Grêmio had rejected him. There was a real possibility of him training as a barber or working in a supermarket as a spell at Avai – six hours away from his home – was injury-hit. In the end, it did get him a move to Portuguese club Vitória de Guimarães. The man responsible for his move to Europe was the Portuguese great Deco. After winning titles with Porto, Barca and Chelsea, he moved into football agency and scouted Raphinha. He would play a huge role in his development and they are so close that Raphinha no longer uses an agent with Deco now sporting director at the Nou Camp. Perhaps with that connection, Barcelona was destined to be where Raphinha ended up. He had the briefest glimpse of the magnitude of the club when he was a child. His father was in a samba band that played for a party hosted by Ronaldinho, who met the kid who would later follow in his footsteps to Catalonia. Deco (pictured below) was Raphinha's agent when he moved to Sporting Lisbon, where he struck up a friendship with Bruno Fernandes. Then to Rennes, followed by that dramatic move to Leeds. As the deal was being struck at Elland Road, some of those involved in getting it done were more starstruck by Deco than the £17 million signing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raphinha (@raphinha) But Deco had found the right home for his player, even if there was scepticism in some quarters. The BBC reported the deal, quoting a transfer data-analytics company's view of it. 'It places Raphinha's current intrinsic value at £14,590,000, which suggests Leeds are slightly over-paying,' they reported. But buying him for £17 million looks like one of the great Premier League bargains now, and well worth the fight to get him from Rennes. 'When I was on the plane to Leeds, Bruno texted me saying my style would fit the league. He was right again,' Raphinha recalled. That relentless running and stamina has served him well in Spain too. His late winner against Benfica in a 5-4 Champions League game in January was one of the moments of the season. But there could be more to come yet, adding weight to his case to be crowned Ballon d'Or winner.
