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IOL News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to use Liverpool guard of honour as title fuel
Arteta pushing his Arsenal players Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to use the frustration of having to give champions Liverpool a guard of honour on Sunday as fuel to win the Premier League title next season. Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP Image: Glyn Kirk/AFP Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to use the frustration of having to give champions Liverpool a guard of honour on Sunday as fuel to win the Premier League title next season after admitting they have gone "backwards" this term. Arteta's side are destined to finish the season without a major trophy after failing to keep pace with Liverpool and crashing out of the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday. The Gunners' 2-1 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain ended their bid to win the tournament for the first time. It was a painful loss for Arsenal, who created a host of chances in the early stages of the second leg but couldn't find a way past inspired PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Still licking their wounds from the disappointment in Paris, Arsenal head to Anfield this weekend for the uncomfortable task of watching to Liverpool's ongoing title celebrations. Arne Slot's men wrapped up the title two weeks ago, leaving second-placed Arsenal trailing in their wake. After finishing as runners-up to Manchester City for the previous two seasons, the north Londoners remain with a title since 2004. "Something has to drive you, motivate you, and pain for this is a good one to use, when you really want to do something. It's the right thing to do, usually as a motivation for next season," Arteta said of Arsenal's guard of honour for the champions. "They've been the best team, they've been the most consistent, and what Arne and the coaching staff have done has been fascinating, it's been really good. "They fully deserve it, and that's the sport. If somebody is better, you have to accept it and try to reach that level." Arteta attracted criticism in some quarters for claiming Arsenal were the best team in the Champions League this season despite their last four exit. The Spaniard stood by his claim days later, saying: "100 percent. I'm watching the impact, I'm watching all the stats because they were the best stats and the best goal difference in the semi-final, so it's very clear. "When you look at the important stats that normally give you the best platform to win football matches, it's crystal clear who was better." Arsenal's failure to sign a striker in the January transfer window was a major blow in a season marred by long injury absences for Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka at various stages. "In January it was clear or not? I made a very clear statement, and the statement continues the same. I want the best team, the best players. If we have three goalscorers over 25, bring them in, we're going to be a much better team, yes," Arteta said. Arteta conceded Arsenal have been unable to match his expectations this season. But he is adamant they have the quality to end the club's five-year trophy drought. "In the Premier League we've done a step backwards. With the points that we have created, it's clear that we haven't done as good as last season, that's obvious," he said. "but with the amount of points that we have generated in the last few seasons, we could have two Premier Leagues. "So we know how close. We are there, we are providing the numbers that win you titles. We have to be a little bit luckier, but still do better to make sure that nobody has a season better than you." AFP Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea fans demand action after Stamford Bridge chaos in European clash
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea booked their spot in the UEFA Conference League final after a 5-1 aggregate win over Djurgarden, but the behaviour of some away fans overshadowed the result after they invaded the home end Chelsea supporters are demanding answers after Djurgarden fans breached the away end barrier at Stamford Bridge and invaded the home end during their UEFA Conference League semi-final clash. The Blues sealed their place in the final after a 5-1 win on aggregate over the Swedish side, but the actions of the away fans marred the result. There were chaotic scenes as around 100 Djurgarden fans moved from the away end to Chelsea's main stand, while more than 1,000 visiting supporters were seen in two sections of the West Stand. Before the game, Met Police made efforts to control the entry of Djurgarden fans into Stamford Bridge by only allowing small groups towards the entrances at a time. But around half an hour before kick-off, away fans were seen jumping over the barriers and crawling under the blue mesh netting that was in place to separate fans of both clubs. There were chants of "F*** you, f*** you Chelsea," from both sides of the stadium. Now Chelsea Supporters' Trust have raged about the worrying lack of security measures in place to prevent Djurgarden fans from infiltrating their home end and called for the club to begin a formal investigation. "During Thursday's UEFA Conference League vs. Djurgården, a huge number of away supporters were able to infiltrate large areas of the home end," the group's statement read. "This is the most serious breach of stadium security in recent memory, and it significantly undermines any security protocols Chelsea FC put in place ahead of the fixture. "As a result, the Chelsea Supporters' Trust will formally write a letter of complaint to Chelsea FC's COO and Head of Security. We will call for a formal investigation by the club into the ticket sales process and Chelsea FC's security response during the match. "The findings of this investigation and any subsequent recommendations must be made available to supporters. The CST invites all supporters who attended the fixture on Thursday to submit written, photographic, and video evidence they captured during the fixture. The CST will then collate this evidence and then submit it to Chelsea FC. "It is important to note that the CST shared concerns with senior club officials over the vulnerability of home areas ahead of this fixture. No supporter should feel unsafe while at Stamford Bridge, and the CST will do everything to ensure that a full and proper explanation is issued to supporters and safeguards are put in place to ensure that this situation is not repeated in the future." Chelsea ended up winning the game 1-0 thanks to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's solitary strike, with Enzo Maresca able to rest a number of players and still set up a final against Real Betis. The Blues are still battling to secure a top five finish that will secure them Champions League football as they build up to the Conference League final against the La Liga side on May 28.
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Olympiakos confirm no deal for Celtic's Palma
Olympiakos head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar has confirmed that Luis Palma will return to Celtic this summer as the Greek champions will not activate a £3.5m purchase clause after the 25-year-old Honduras winger made just two league starts during his loan spell. (Glasgow Times), externalArne Engels says he does not care that some critics suggest Celtic overpaid to sign him in an £11m summer transfer from Augsburg and the 21-year-old midfielder feels he is in a good place to further develop. (Scottish Sun), externalNapoli will push hard to sign Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson, the 25-year-old Scotland international, this summer if their own captain and fellow midfielder, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, moves on. (Napoli Calcio Live), externalFormer Scotland centre-half Declan Gallagher is set to leave Dundee United when his contract expires at the end of the season after the 34-year-old was told last week he would not be offered a new deal. (The Herald), externalHeart of Midlothian defender Adam Forrester, the 20-year-old who signed a new contract until 2028 last week, says he would prefer to stay at Tynecastle and fight for a starting place rather than head out on loan next season. (Edinburgh Evening News), externalHibernian have started talks aimed at persuading Junior Hoilett, the forward who turns 35 this summer, to sign on for a second season at Easter Road. (Edinburgh Evening News), externalHibs head coach David Gray thinks on-loan Sunderland midfielder Nectar Triantis would improve his chances of playing in the World Cup with Australia if he extends his stay at Easter Road after the 21-year-old's agent said last week they would be exploring a number of options come the summer. (Edinburgh Evening News), externalHibs head coach David Gray thinks qualifying for European football next season would make his club more attractive for potential signings and allow him to reduce the number of non-committed out-of-contract players on his books to just a handful. (Edinburgh Evening News), external Crystal Palace are on the trail of 18-year-old Queen's Park attacking midfielder Aiden McGinlay. (Daily Record), externalEverton are close to agreeing the summer transfer of Hearts defender John Dodds, the 16-year-old having been watched by a number of clubs in Scotland and England. (Edinburgh Evening News), externalBrentford manager Thomas Frank says Scotland defender Aaron Hickey could make a first-team comeback before the end of the season after the 22-year-old made some B-team appearances following a 20-month injury absence that required two hamstring operations. (The Scotsman), externalSt Johnstone striker Uche Ikpeazu, the 30-year-old who made a 15-minute cameo appearance in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic, has revealed that it was not until after a fifth operation to his knee that he started to see light at the end of a near season-long absence. (The Courier), externalCeltic, who qualified for the knockout play-off round of the Champions League, banked £16m more from European performance payments this season than Rangers, who made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. (The National), externalAthletic Bilbao, who knocked Rangers out of the Europa League last week, could help the Ibrox club qualify for a later stage of next season's Champions League if the Spanish side go on to lift the trophy this season. (The Herald), externalLeeds United's confirmed promotion has removed a potential barrier to Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises' takeover of Rangers as Premier League rules over joint ownership are less restrictive than for clubs in the English Football League. (Scottish Sun), externalScottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has written to Sarah Cardell, the chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), urging her to investigate "exploitative practices" in youth football after the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland and youth organisation Real Grassroots lodged complaints about the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Professional Football League. (The National), external
