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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chelsea player ratings as Palmer and Sancho star in Conference League final triumph over Real Betis
Chelsea completed an impressive 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the Conference League final to claim a first trophy of the Enzo Maresca era. The Blues were pretty dismal in the first half in Wroclaw and deservedly trailed 1-0 but were a side transformed after the break. Cole Palmer's creativity created goals for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson before the impressive Jadon Sancho came off the bench to add a third and Moises Caicedo completed the victory with a fourth in injury time. It means the Blues become the first team in history to have won every single major European trophy, as the Conference League crown was added to previous successes in the Champions League, Europa League and European Cup Winners' Cup. Having already secured Champions League qualification for next season by coming fourth in the Premier League, this win completes a pretty impressive first campaign for Maresca and a young squad may well be able to use this as a springboard moving forward. Here's how the Chelsea players rated as they completed the European trophy set with Conference League victory over Betis: Filip Jorgensen – 6 Couldn't do anything about Betis's goal and then made a good save during the Spanish side's dominant start to the match. Looked comfortable enough on the ball and wasn't hugely tested beyond those early moments. Malo Gusto – 3 Constantly inverted into central midfield alongside Caicedo and Enzo, leaving Chelsea exposed with a three at the back, and the impressive Ezzalzouli subsequently made hay down Chelsea's right early on. That included scoring the opening after Gusto gave the ball away and he was subbed off at half-time for Reece James. A largely dismal day. Trevoh Chalobah – 6 Part of the defence run ragged in the first half and caught out by Betis's lively forwards on a couple of occasions. Was tested less in the second half as Chelsea were largely on top and that was probably a good thing. Looked decent enough on the ball. Benoit Badiashile – 4 Like Chalobah, gets pinged for being part of the defence that were given the runaround early on and then got himself booked on 55 minutes before being subbed off on the hour mark. Marc Cucurella – 7 On the left side of the three created by Gusto inverting into the midfield, he looked as uncomfortable as his defensive partners when Ezzalzouli, Isco and Antony were causing havoc. Showed ambition when playing the ball forward though, especially in the second half, and helped keep Antony quiet after the early issues. Enzo Fernandez –8 Wanted to drive Chelsea forward from a central role and although he was quiet in the first half, popped up with the vital equaliser as he drifted between two defenders and headed home Palmer's sumptuous cross. Finals are about moments and he produced a key one. Moises Caicedo – 8 The be-masked midfielder has quietly had a good season for Chelsea and performed his traditional role of tidying up/doing the dirty work here. Gave away free-kicks in key positions on a couple of occasions in the first half but helped steady the ship after the break as the Blues began to thrive. Got himself on the scoresheet with a superb injury-time strike, starting the move, continuing his run forward and thumping home. Pedro Neto – 4 Largely quiet although did fire a 35th-minute shot well over the bar. Showed flickers of life early in the second half but subbed off on 60 minutes with Jadon Sancho coming on as Maresca sought a spark and the Man United loanee completely outshone him. Needs more end product next season. Cole Palmer – 9 Easily the man of the match. More capable of a defining moment of quality than anyone else in the squad and produced it for the equaliser as he floated a stunning cross on to Enzo's head. Looked dangerous every time he touched the ball in the second half and brilliantly created the second goal as well, turning his man inside out before dinking another glorious cross for Jackson to force home. The creative heart who won the Blues this final before receiving a standing ovation when subbed off with a couple of minutes remaining. Noni Madueke – 7 Keen to run at opposite number Sabaly whenever he got on the ball and won a couple of corners in the first half before showing more verve and spark after the break. The goals came from Palmer's creativity and Sancho's quality finish but Madueke also looked threatening. Nicolas Jackson – 7 Led the press effectively enough early on but was starved of service in the first half and did little with what he did get. Livelier after the break as Chelsea improved and was in the right place at the right time to score the goal that put them 2-1 up, using his shoulder/chest to force Palmer's pinpoint cross home. Not pretty but he'd made the perfect run to be there. Then made a complete hash of a one on one, with the heaviest touch you will ever see to highlight the frustration Chelsea fans have with him. Hobbled off with 10 minutes left Substitutes Reece James for Gusto, 45 – 8 Answered the half-time SOS to replace the struggling Gusto and Chelsea immediately looked more fluent. He put a good cross into the box straight away, saw a shot deflected wide and generally seemed to spark his side into life. Jadon Sancho for Neto, 61 – 8 Brought on for Neto to try and make an impact and did exactly that. Constantly ran at the Betis defence and curled in a superb third goal after shifting it on to his right foot that sealed victory for Maresca's men. Assisted Caicedo for the cherry-on-top fourth for good measure. Levi Colwill for Badiashile, 61 – 7 Chelsea's best passer in defence and brought on for the yellow-carded Badiashile as much for that attacking ability as for as his defensive prowess. Did exactly what was asked. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Jackson, 80 – 7 Got the assist for Sancho's goal after he aggressively drove forward. Perhaps a bit lucky that his pass made it to Sancho but deserved that fortune because of the ambition of the run. Marc Guiu for Palmer, 87 – N/A Simply brought on to waste time and so that Palmer could receive a standing ovation from Chelsea fans. Not enough time to make an impact.
STV News
5 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
Rangers pay tribute to former player Willie Stevenson following death at 85
Rangers have paid tribute to former player Willie Stevenson following his death at the age of 85. The midfielder spent four years at Ibrox between 1958 and 1962, winning a league title in 1959 and the Scottish Cup a year later. Following a string of impressive performances for Rangers he moved to Liverpool where he won two league titles and the FA Cup under legendary Scottish manager Bill Shankly. He also helped the Anfield side reach the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1966 when they defeated Celtic in the semi-final. Evyerone at Rangers is saddened to have learned of the passing of former player Willie Stevenson at the age of 85. The thoughts of everyone at Rangers are with Willie's family and friends at this sad time. — Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) May 28, 2025 Edinburgh born Stevenson played for a string of clubs including Stoke City, Tranmere Rovers and Vancouver Whitecaps before finishing his career with Macclesfield Town. Rangers confirmed his death on Wednesday, saying: 'The thoughts of everyone at Rangers are with Willie's family and friends at this sad time.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Press and Journal
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Dave Cormack: Aberdeen's Scottish Cup win is up there with Gothenburg
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack beamed with pride as he watched his team and manager celebrate bringing the Scottish Cup back to the Granite City on Sunday. Cormack has seen it all, from the glory days of the 1980s to the struggles in the bottom half of the table. So when he says beating Celtic on penalties to bring the cup back to Aberdeen for the first time in 35 years is comparable with the night the Dons humbled Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1983, he's speaking from experience. The chairman said: 'This is right up there with Gothenburg. 'I was at Gothenburg, this is a different era, but it's up there because it's been such a long time. 'Thirty-five years is too long for the Scottish Cup. 'It makes all the tough times and things you go through worthwhile.' Cormack and his family made the trip from the United States to Hampden to watch Jimmy Thelin's side dig deep to deny the Hoops a domestic treble. There were emotional scenes at the National Stadium from a tearful captain Graeme Shinnie to the unbridled joy among the long-suffering Red Army at finally coming away from the National Stadium with something to show for their efforts. For Cormack, there was relief, allied to quiet satisfaction his belief the Dons would win the cup came to pass. He said: 'I was confident during the week, I had a feeling during the week that if we could put things together for 90 or 120 minutes we'd do it. 'If we'd lost the penalty shootout, we'd come back and dust ourselves off then get ready for next season. 'As soon as the first one is saved, you think 'oh, here we go' and that's the way it turned out. Fantastic. 'It's not about me, I want to be an ambassador for the city and the football club. 'It's special, it's been such a long time. 'I'm delighted for the city and our supporters worldwide, you can see what it means to people. 'The fans were unbelievable on Saturday. When the SFA said they'd give us 16,000 tickets or buy 20,000 we had no hesitation. 'It showed you what it meant to them yesterday and the fans played their part.' The man Cormack brought to Pittodrie, Jimmy Thelin, has delivered a huge landmark moment in his first season in Scottish football by leading the Dons to cup glory. With cup success comes guaranteed group stage football in Europe next season – and the Dons chairman is determined to give his manager the best chance possible to compete on all fronts. He said: 'Hearts and Aberdeen have both struggled with league form in the European group stages. 'We need to sort that so we can play Thursday and Sunday without it impacting us and we have learned a lot from the last time, you need such a strong squad to deal with it. 'We have to have squad rotation with a good squad and that means investment. 'It will happen, absolutely. 'We backed Jimmy last summer and in January. 'My family have put another £8million into the club, we'll get £5m gross from being in Europe. 'So we have a clear plan of what we want to do. 'We are already well under way with signings, we have been working for the last 5-6 years on this player trading model, it doesn't happen overnight. 'We had to get the strategy in place around it, so if you lose a player you have a good one coming in.' Cormack soaked in the success at Hampden, and the celebrations with the people of Aberdeen in the city on Sunday, but it is clear he is not one for resting on his laurels. The chairman is convinced he has got his man in the Dons' Swedish manager – and Saturday proved it. He said: 'The way I'm wired, I'll enjoy this for a day then start looking to the future. 'Life doesn't promise you a bed of roses, you have to work hard and be strong-willed. 'In this day and age, there's not a lot of patience around – not just in football, but in society. 'Jimmy has a really good track record, he's worked for two Swedish clubs over 14 years. 'We want him here for the long-term. Jimmy isn't a job-hopper, he likes projects. 'He turned down jobs in the English Championship to come here because he liked the project and the people. 'Elfsborg turned us down for him a few times, we had to be patient but that made us even more determined to get him.'
Scotsman
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Dave Cormack makes major Aberdeen Scottish Cup comparison, puts in £8m and makes transfer vow
Chairman knows how vital it is to equip squad for next season Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack believes Aberdeen's Scottish Cup triumph 'is up there' with the club's famous European Cup Winners' Cup triumph in 1983 as he vowed to continue backing manager Jimmy Thelin financially next season. The Dons chief was present at Hampden on Saturday to watch Aberdeen end a 35-year wait for the Scottish Cup. They defeated treble-chasing Celtic 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw, also securing at least main-phase Conference League football in the process. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cormack was a fan back in 1983 when Aberdeen overcame Real Madrid 2-1 in Gothenburg for one of the Pittodrie side's greatest successes and the 66-year-old likened what he witnessed over the weekend, with Aberdeen parading the trophy in front of their supporters, to that great night in Sweden. Dave Cormack, centre, has vowed to back his Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin, left. | SNS Group 'This is right up there with Gothenburg,' Cormack said. 'I was at Gothenburg, this is a different era, but it's up there because it's been such a long time. Thirty-five years is too long for the Scottish Cup. It makes all the tough times and things you go through worthwhile.' With Aberdeen now facing more matches due to their European commitments, Cormack recognised the need to make sure the squad is equipped for the challenges ahead. 'Hearts and Aberdeen have both struggled with league form in the European group stages,' conceded Cormack. 'We need to sort that this season so we can play Thursday and Sunday without it impacting us. We have learned a lot from the last time, you need such a strong squad to deal with it. We have to have squad rotation with a good squad and that means investment. It will happen, absolutely. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad More investment for Aberdeen 'We backed Jimmy last summer and in January. My family have put another £8 million into the club, we'll get £5 million gross from being in Europe. So we have a clear plan of what we want to do.
Press and Journal
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Scottish Cup winners parade live blog: Aberdeen players and staff on the bus - as Dons fans pack out Union Street
Scottish Cup final day proved to be a sensational one as Aberdeen and the Red Army travelled to Hampden, beat Celtic and lifted the trophy for the first time since 1990. The Dons became heroes as they ended a 30-game winless run against the Hoops, and thousands of supporters made their way to the national stadium to cheer them on. The Press and Journal was there for all the action – and today we are going to be all over the city to capture Aberdeen FC's celebratory parade. Keep tabs with our live blog below – and stay tuned to The Press and Journal for more reaction to Aberdeen's glory day. Charlie Forbes is at the bottom of Union Street. He's from Aberdeen – but in exile in Elgin. He said: 'I have been a supporter for 50-odd years. I have waited 50-odd years for this. 'I remember the first televised game that was the Celtic v Lisbon Lions game, and I turned round, to my grannie of 80 year old, and said: 'I am a Celtic fan.' 'My grannie said: 'Oh Charles, support your hometown team.' 'I have had a life of ups and downs ever since!' It is not Charlie's first Champions' parade, he was at the European Cup Winners' Cup parade in 1983. Below are Kara Jeffrey and Steven Munro, with Lucie and Elliana, on Upperkirkgate. It's the girls' first Scottish Cup and they're excited to wave their flags as the bus passes by . Aberdeen's main throughfare is filling up nicely with half-an-hour to go until the Aberdeen Scottish Cup final parade is scheduled to leave from Albyn Place. Our photographer Darrell Benns captured these images: The Dons squad got on the normal team bus, to travel to Albyn Place, to board the open-top bus: These Aberdeen fans were getting in a few pints at the Pittodrie Bar on King Street before heading to the parade. Landlady Ellie Burr said: 'It was a fantastic atmosphere yesterday with free pints at full time and the odd Drambuie! 'We were ready for today so we've got extra staff on and we've made sure to order in plenty of supplies, with more Tennents especially' Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie has arrived at Pittodrie in high spirits this morning, despite what was – going by social media – an understandably late night. The captain, only the fifth on-field general to lead Aberdeen to a Scottish Cup triumph, looks ready to do it all again during Sunday's parade: Aberdeen fans, clearly in need in a pick-me-up after a night of cup glory fun, are already gathering in the coffee shops around Broad Street, where today's celebratory parade will end. The good news is the skies are brightening up! Upperkirkgate is looking very grey this morning, but it will soon be turned red with the colours of Aberdeen FC as fans line the streets. There will be a parade today starting at noon. It will begin at noon from Albyn Place, where thousands of supporters are expected to gather early to catch a glimpse of their heroes boarding the open-top bus. From there, the route will take the team and coaching staff through key city landmarks, offering fans plenty of chances to see the cup and cheer on the squad. It will travel down Union Street, turning left at Union Terrace, then right at Schoolhill, before turning on to Broad Street. Aberdeen will then disembark for a civic reception at the city's Townhouse. It is going to be a big day for the city, and people have been told to plan ahead. We have prepared an all you need to know guide here. It is raining right now in Aberdeen, but the Met Office says it will clear during the morning ' to leave a mostly dry but windy day with sunny spells'. The chance of showers over western parts increases during the afternoon. Maximum temperature 15 °C. After yesterday's incredible scenes from Hampden, the sun will surely shine on Aberdeen today. In case you (SOMEHOW) missed it yesterday… Aberdeen won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 35 years on Saturday. We had comprehensive early to late coverage, from Aberdeen to Hampden, from fans' travel to their silverware ecstasy, on our live blog. And we'll be doing it again on Sunday right here for the celebratory Aberdeen city centre parade! Before the parade gets going (and party ramps back up!) at noon, here's some content you diehard Dons fans might want to catch up on: Our mega live blog from the Aberdeen v Celtic: Fans pictures from Aberdeen to Hampden: Cup final reaction, reports and analysis:
