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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Nottingham Forest season preview: What to be excited about, what to fear and where will they finish?
On Sunday, Nottingham Forest will kick off their fourth consecutive season of Premier League football — and one that will see them return to the European stage for the first time in three decades. Their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, is unbeaten in five consecutive opening day games in the top flight, after stints with Wolves and Tottenham, which Forest will hope is a good omen, as they look to secure what would be their first opening day victory since 2017 — having failed to win any of their last seven. But, as you look beyond the visit of Brentford to the City Ground this weekend, what will the rest of the campaign hold for Forest, as they look to build on the seventh-place finish they secured in May? The goal is to build on the seventh-place finish of last season — but there is also an understanding of how challenging that will be. Forest shocked the rest of the Premier League, as they built a sustained challenge for Champions League qualification. But there was also an acceptance that there were a few games in which Nuno's men rode their luck just a little bit in some games, such as the 1-0 win over Manchester United in April, when Anthony Elanga's memorable goal was one of their only real opportunities. Advertisement The old adage says the harder you work, the luckier you get — but Forest know they will need to work very hard to build again, particularly with the additional challenge that will come with the extra games in Europe and with their squad still needing new additions. Within the dressing room, there is a belief the club can go a long way in Europe. But qualifying for the Champions League is the goal set among the players. It is a lofty goal. But why not aim high? Forest spent around £20million to bring striker Igor Jesus and defender Jair Cunha to the City Ground from Botafogo, with Jesus in particular regarded as being capable of making an immediate impact. Their biggest investment was to sign Dan Ndoye from Bologna in a club-record deal, worth around £35million. He has some big shoes to fill after Anthony Elanga's £52million move to Newcastle — but he has already looked bright in pre-season. Angus Gunn also arrived as a free agent, following the end of his contract with Norwich, and will provide homegrown cover in the goalkeeper position. Forest still hope to add another three or four signings before the transfer window closes, with James McAtee expected to be the next arrival, from Manchester City. Forest's impressive rise has had an interesting side effect, in that they now find themselves competing in the same marketplace for players as the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham, as they look to strengthen with quality additions. With respect to Forest, persuading targets to join them ahead of clubs of that stature is always going to be a difficult challenge. You cannot fault Forest's ambition, when they look to sign players like Yoane Wissa, Johan Bakayoko and Jacob Ramsey. But it is when they have been more resourceful in their recruitment — with players like Jesus and Cunha from Botafogo and Ndoye from Bologna — where they have successfully landed their targets. The Brazilian (Murillo, Corinthians) and Italian (Nikola Milenkovic, Fiorentina) markets have been hugely successful for Forest previously and they will hope that they are again. Nuno wants Forest's outlook to be slightly different on the pitch. His goal is for Forest to retain possession more, to evolve into a team that can dominate games, even. He is aware this is something that will take time; that will not happen overnight. But the Portuguese manager is entirely aware that the element of surprise — which saw Forest stun the Premier League with an approach that earned them a seventh-place finish last season — will be lost. In the final stages of the campaign, teams figured out how to counter Forest's counter-attacking style. Nuno knows Forest must keep finding ways to surprise people. Jesus has shown plenty of promise, whether he is dropping deep to get himself on the ball or playing off the shoulder of the last man. It is very early days but the Brazilian looks to possess the raw attributes that will keep Premier League defenders on their toes. Fellow new addition Ndoye has also shown plenty of promise and a similar level of attacking threat. When he has been involved, Morgan Gibbs-White, to his credit, has also regularly managed to perform like a player who has not had a storm of speculation around him for much of the summer. One young player who has stood out is Jimmy Sinclair. The Nottingham-born 18-year-old, who can operate anywhere down the right side, has looked bright and assured when given an opportunity. He has come close to scoring more than once, including with what would have been a spectacular effort against Estoril. The prospect of a return to European football for the first time in three decades. It is only three years since Forest won promotion from the Championship and their rise under Steve Cooper and Nuno has been remarkable. For a club that was regularly playing teams like Barnsley, Blackpool and Peterborough in the second tier, the thought of potentially facing teams like Roma, Porto and Lyon is an enticing one. Winning the fight to keep Gibbs-White at the club was viewed as a massive victory, particularly by the Forest manager, who regarded the midfielder as being impossible to replace. The Forest coaching staff believe Elliot Anderson possesses the talent to evolve into one of the best midfielders in the country and there is a sense of optimism that both Anderson and Gibbs-White will be available to form the core of their side. Nuno had frequently spoken about how important the training camp had been in Spain a year ago and there was a degree of concern that there was still work to do to assemble his squad this time around, as Forest completed their preparations in Portugal, ahead of the coming campaign. Nuno will want to see further new additions arrive as a matter of urgency. Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson were important figures in the England midfield by the time the World Cup rolls around… Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
WE'LL BE BACK: Jim Goodwin insists that Dundee United are desperate for another crack at Europe after penalty shootout heartbreak
Jim Goodwin insisted that devastated Dundee United are already desperate to get back to the European stage next season. The Tannadice boss men had their appetite whetted by two wonderful games against Rapid Vienna, even though the adventure ended in penalty shoot-out agony. United let a 2-0 lead on the night slip against the Austrians, then lost 5-4 on spot-kicks after a scoreless extra-time. But Goodwin - and an appreciative home crowd - only had praise for the efforts of his injury-hit group. 'Being involved in nights like this gives you a taste of these competitions,' he said. 'The players have loved it, although we are so disappointed to go out. 'We have to take inspiration from what we've done and want to work harder than ever to do it again next season. There's nowhere to hide for the unfortunate Ama Fatah after his spot-kick miss 'We can take a lot of confidence from going toe-to-toe with a very good European team, and we could've won it. We were 2-0 up at half time but we never thought the tie was over. 'I have to give my players huge credit because they never allowed their heads to drop at 2-2. When the draw was made, people expected Rapid Vienna to wipe the floor with us.' United head for Kilmarnock on Sunday in the Premier Sports Cup last 16. 'I don't think it will be difficult for us to lift our heads and get going again,' said Goodwin, who has brought Luca Stephenson back on loan again from Liverpool. 'But I do have concern about energy levels. This is my first time managing in Europe and I can appreciate how tough it is to balance everything.' United secured a 2-0 half-time advantage thanks to a header and penalty from striker Max Watters. Yet half-time alterations by Rapid turned the game in the visitors' favour. Janis Antiste's deflected header off Iurie Iovu dragged Rapid back into contention. And substitute Ercan Kara equalised to tee up extra-time. United sub Amar Fatah struck the post with the first penalty kick in the shootout and Rapid netted all five. Zac Sapsford, replaced at the break by Fatah, was added to Goodwin's growing casualty list. The Australian, a huge miss in the second period, watched the penalty dramas in crutches. Goodwin said: 'Zac took a knock on the ankle when winning the penalty. 'It was swollen up at half time. We will assess him and hopefully get him available for Sunday.' Rapid Vienna boss Peter Stoger said: 'This tie was so close. In the two games maybe we had the better chances, but United played two great games.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Mount Gambier's Bae Versace signs soccer contract in Montenegro
A regional South Australian soccer player has made the rare leap onto the European stage, signing a professional contract at the age of 18. Mount Gambier midfielder Bae Versace has signed with FK Budućnost Podgorica in the capital of Montenegro, after several years in Adelaide United's system. The European club's senior team has won six Montenegrin First League championships, with its youth side taking part in the UEFA Youth League alongside the continent's best teams including Barcelona, Liverpool and Real Madrid. Versace said heading over to Europe had been more of a dream than a goal for him. "I was just focused on playing at Adelaide United and trying to make my debut there," he said. Versace said he was settling into life in the Balkans. "Food and language are definitely the main two I'm getting used to," he said. "I came here and had people greeting me out the front of the club and had meetings with the club. And the boys have all been very good to me." Versace played a season as a junior at International Soccer Club in Mount Gambier before moving to MetroStars in Adelaide and being selected in United's junior teams. Melbourne-based coach Neb Stojkovic worked with Versace from a young age and helped him secure trials in Europe. "For them, football is a way of living … so they do it with a purpose and everyone is fighting for that next level, and that contract, in the seniors," he said. "For Bae it's a great opportunity to measure himself." Nick Morony was one of Versace's coaches when he played for Inter's under-12s at just eight years old. "He lived and breathed everything soccer," he said. Versace is thought to be the second Mount Gambier-born player to crack the European game after ex-Socceroo Josip Skoko, who started playing in the town before moving to Geelong at the age of nine. Versace said his young career showed country athletes had paths to become professionals. Mr Stojkovic said federations and coaches should work together to improve talent identification for regional players. "We should go out and dig for them, they should not be short of opportunities," he said. Football SA Limestone Coast regional development officer Nathan Koopman said federations were working to improve the pathways. "If we find a player that's of a level to go higher we know we can have them [initiating] conversations and building relationships with coaches in the city," he said. "When they do make that call to relocate they can then do it with a bit of confidence. "Of course it's very exciting to look at the best players in the world and their stories as inspiration, but I think it's just as valuable — if not more so — to be able to speak to someone who came from your town, that they can see this is possible."
France 24
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Are pro-Kremlin Russian cultural figures returning to the spotlight in Europe?
The last time conductor Valery Gergiev performed in Europe was at La Scala opera house in Milan on 23 February 2022, just hours before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began. The longstanding ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, then refused to condemn the invasion and was widely rejected by the European establishment. He was dismissed from directing the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, expelled from his position as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and had concerts cancelled in France and Italy. In Russia, he retained his prestigious roles as the head of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, the conductor – who is one of Russia's most powerful cultural figures – is set to return to the European stage to perform at Un'Estate da Re festival in Campania, southern Italy, on 27 July. Defending the decision, president of Campania regional council and member of the centre-left Democratic party, Vincenzo De Luca, said Gergiev's performance would keep 'channels of communication open even with those who do not think like us', while cancelling it would 'fuel the rivers of hatred". Other Italian representatives and Russian opposition figures have criticised the decision and warned that opening a door to the composer sets a dangerous precedent. Gergiev's performance will turn the festival into 'a sounding board for Russian propaganda", said Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, appointed by far-right leader Georgia Meloni. Widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, said the conductor's appearance would be 'a gift to the dictator [Putin]'. 'The terrible and devastating war in Ukraine continues,' she said. 'How is it possible that in the summer of 2025, three years after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, Valery Gergiev, Putin's accomplice and a person included on the sanctions lists of several countries, was suddenly invited to Italy to participate in a festival?' 'Disingenuous' Of all the pro-Kremlin artists impacted by a Europe-wide boycott in the past three years, Gergiev is the most synonymous with the Russian establishment. 'It's hard to think of another figure who is more central than him in terms of the cultural and political structures of Russian music,' says Dr Dan Elphick, Lecturer in Musicology, Royal Holloway, University of London. 'Gergiev is extremely close to Vladimir Putin on a personal level, beyond any other political affiliation. That said, he has not shied away from expressing his political support for Putin publicly.' Despite his close affiliation with the Russian leader, it is rumoured that Gergiev could also return to stages in Spain in 2026 – and the composer is not the only controversial Russian artist being championed by the European establishment. Internationally renowned soprano, and Gergiev protégée, Anna Netrebko will return to London's Royal Opera House for the first time in six years in September 2025, to open its season with a new production of Puccini's 'Tosca'. Netrebko was a vocal Putin supporter prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and celebrated her 50 th birthday by performing at the Kremlin. She cancelled concerts around the world following backlash to a statement in 2022 in which she condemned the war but stopped short of criticising the Russian leader. A follow-up statement distancing herself from Putin saw her reinstated in European venues including La Scala, the Berlin State Opera and the Paris Opera – where she has been met with protests and booing from audiences, but also standing ovations and positive reviews. When Netrebko takes to the boards in London, and then at the Zurich Opera in November, it will mark an almost complete comeback to the world's leading stages – with the exception of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The Met's former prima donna has not appeared in the concert hall since 2022, due to what general manager Peter Gelb described as her ' disingenuous effort to distance herself from the Russian war effort'. 'Forward' Netrebko's case poses the question of how cultural venues should respond to high-profile Russian artists with ambiguous political views at a time when European leaders are calling for further sanctions against Russia. In the fine art world, visitors were confronted with the same dilemma at the 2025 edition of the annual art fair, Art Basel, which included seemingly pro-military paintings by Russian artist Erik Bulatov. The June show in Switzerland featured two towering paintings by the artist both depicting the Russian word 'ВПЕРЁД' meaning 'forward' produced in the style of a traditional Soviet propaganda poster. The Forward II diptych was completed in 2016, two years after the Russian annexation of Crimea. Bulatov, who has lived in Paris since 1991, has not made any public comment on Russia's war in Ukraine, which is perhaps understandable. Outspoken opposition to Putin is dangerous, even for Russians who live overseas. On the other hand, opting out of politics by taking a 'neutral' position – as Netrebko initially tried to do – could be read as a tacit endorsement of the Russian invasion. According to the Swiss gallery that represents Bulatov, his paintings are 'totally removed from partisan positions'. But, their visual reference to Soviet military propaganda and imperialism was seen by some in Basel as – at the very least – a crass inclusion by curators, and at worst, an endorsement of Russia's pursuit to claim more Ukrainian territory. 'The only way Russia should go is back', read a sign held aloft next to the artworks by one Ukrainian activist. 'Russia is a terrorist state ' wrote another on the gallery floor. Soft power Part of the concern over European cultural venues reinstating prominent Russian artists – especially those aligned with Putin – is that it could open a door to Russian influence in Europe. 'Gergiev is part of a deliberate Kremlin strategy. He is one of their cultural envoys to soften Western public opinion,' European MP and member of Italy's Democratic Party, Pina Picierno, told the BBC. In short, promoting an image of Russia, and Putin, that is linked to cultural excellence distracts from what its soldiers are doing on the battlefield - including accusations that they are committing cultural genocide in Ukraine. At the same time, there is the danger that a blanket ban on all Russian artists conflates Russian culture as a whole with the Kremlin's current politics. 'There are sensitive questions around what a cultural boycott achieves,' Elphick says. 'Dropping Tchaikovsky doesn't materially serve the war effort, but the refusal to work with artists linked to Vladimir Putin seems more cut-and-dry.' Until now, European cultural institutions have been broadly aligned in walking this tightrope by sidelining Putin's allies and showcasing Russian artists that oppose the Kremlin. For instance, self-exiled Russian theatre director Kirill Serebrennikov will, in October, stage a production of Shakespeare's Hamlet at Paris's Chatelet Theatre, in multiple languages including Russian. Serebrennikov is an LGBT activist and vocal critic of the Kremlin who spoke out against Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. He was later placed under house arrest for 18 months on fraud charges that were widely considered to be politically motivated. But, with the war in Ukraine now in its third year, it remains to be seen whether the lure of Russia's big names will break Europe's stance. Will Gergiev's return be a bell-weather or an outlier? An answer may lie with former darling of the ballet world, Sergei Polunin. The one-time star of UK's Royal Ballet was born in Ukraine but considers himself Russian. He was blacklisted in Europe for his support for the Kremlin after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which included helping organise donation drives for Russian soldiers. A dedicated supporter of Putin – with three tattoos of the Russian leader's face on his body – Polunin was, in 2019, granted prestigious roles by the Kremlin, including the directorship of a new opera and ballet theatre in Sevastopol, Russian-annexed Crimea's biggest city, where he was also named the head of a dance academy. But in August 2024, he was replaced in both roles, possibly in relation to a social media post in which he said he felt 'very sorry for people' in the heavily bombarded village near Kherson where his family grew up, and urged Putin to end the fighting. Polunin, who also has a tattoo of a Ukrainian trident on his right hand, announced in December he was leaving Russia with his family, after previously claiming he no longer felt safe there. It remains to be seen whether the former Putin admirer with a newly softened stance on the war in Ukraine will be welcomed back on to European stages. The star has yet to announce any international performances.
