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The Guardian
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Nuno Mendes gets PSG party started in Super Cup shootout win against Spurs
It turns out the DNA of serial winners cannot be developed within three months. Tottenham should have been able to announce themselves kings of the continent here in Udine, flimsy though any grand statements after a Uefa Super Cup win might be. Thomas Frank had challenged them to back up the heroics of Bilbao with a statement in the Friulian heat and, by the evening's end, he should have been basking in the kind of start that can define a new manager's tenure. Instead he received a reminder that there is no quick fix to some deep-rooted habits. For long periods Spurs, faced with a lethargic Paris Saint-Germain, resembled a perfectly imprinted version of the Frank playbook. They pummelled their opponents in the air, their two-goal lead owing much to well-executed free-kicks and plenty more havoc arising besides. On top of that they looked at ease with a three-man back line that gave a stellar attack little encouragement. With five minutes of regulation time left there was no sign they would be subjected to penalty-inflicted torment. Then the PSG substitute Lee Kang‑in rifled past Guglielmo Vicario from 20 yards and, for the first time, the Champions League holders looked clear-eyed. By contrast Tottenham had sunk back and there was a familiar yawning dread when, simply unable to find a way out by now, they saw six added minutes held up on the touchline. In the fourth of them Gonçalo Ramos glanced in a cross from the otherwise quiet Ousmane Dembélé and Frank will be aware of the surgery still needed on a squad whose backbone is too accustomed to splintering. Not that anyone could judge too harshly. There will certainly be no recriminations for Micky van de Ven or Mathys Tel, who both erred in the shootout and rendered a Vitinha miss irrelevant. Van de Ven was denied by the highly scrutinised PSG debutant Lucas Chevalier, who had a mixed night, and Tel wafted his spot kick wide. It left Nuno Mendes to score the clincher and leave a resounding message that the best in class are never really down and out. Used correctly it is a lesson that will serve Spurs and Frank admirably. They looked well ahead of schedule for the majority, even allowing for the fact PSG appeared addled by a calendar that leaves them neither rested nor match sharp. Frank wants to add at least one big ticket signing to their attack but will have been enthused by the ball carrying of Mohammed Kudus, who was both tireless and effective, and some of the Ghanaian's combinations with Richarlison. When Tottenham expressed themselves it was because, full of running, they had earned the right. But it was their booming, dominant presence from crosses that caused the most unrest. In the warm-up Frank's players had lined up en masse to practise attacking set pieces, an unusual sight in time usually given to rondos and shooting drills. It foreshadowed what would follow. Kevin Danso's long throw was utilised from the opening minutes and, the first time Spurs won a free-kick on halfway, Vicario was called to launch it boxwards. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion On the second occasion, they scored. Vicario unloaded another of those long, deep deliveries and Cristian Romero connected beyond the far post. The ball ricocheted and, after Chevalier brilliantly touched João Palhinha's strike onto the bar, Van de Ven followed up. Frank referred afterwards to a 'special operation' from such routines and, at that point, Spurs were delivering on their mission. Three minutes into the second half a deep Pedro Porro free-kick found Romero, announced before kick-off as the new captain, peeling around the back to plant a downwards header across Chevalier. In truth the keeper should have saved, applying a painfully weak hand to Romero's attempt. PSG's buildup had been dominated by Luis Enrique's jettisoning of Gianluigi Donnarumma and any live feed from the Italian's sofa would presumably have made compulsive viewing. Danso could have added a third. PSG, laboured and irritable, were resorting to the kind of desperate foul Willian Pacho committed on Pape Matar Sarr after gifting him a route towards goal. Spurs' fans could sense a party in sleepy Udine but instead were dealt a lesson in the risks that come with dining among the elite.
The Guardian
13-08-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Thomas Frank eyes chance for Spurs to take star billing on Super Cup stage
For your first trick, please show us Tottenham can trade blows with the best team Europe has produced this decade. If Thomas Frank wanted to make a statement two months after crossing London then defeating Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night would set this season's bar for performance somewhere beyond the stratosphere. His new role, or at least the relentless public scrutiny of it, begins in earnest beneath the Friulian foothills and it is an opportunity to form the kind of first impression that leaves a lasting signature. Hearts have never been won or lost through showings in the Uefa Super Cup, which has traditionally been as much a late-summer beauty parade as a high-octane heave between the previous campaign's big winners. There is certainly no guarantee that a hot night in the beguiling surroundings of Udine, whose modest solar-powered stadium has been feted for its environmental credentials, provides hard evidence of sustainable progress on the pitch. Nonetheless there is, as Frank was keen to point out, an opportunity to take. It may be popularly held that Spurs stumbled upon the Europa League trophy in May; they certainly did not win many marks for artistic impression in doing so and the feat sat in direct contrast to a miserable league season. The latter, after all, is the reason for Frank's presence. But it has given an embattled group the vivid afterglow of something all too few sample in the course of a career: the kind of elite-level victory that, harnessed correctly, presents a launchpad to even greater heights. 'We have set the tone, and we want to repeat and do it again,' said goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who expressed pride at the prospect of appearing in his home city. 'We have tasted the feeling before, and this feeling is amazing. We are there because we have earned the right to be there.' If they prove that again in front of Uefa's watching glitterati, the sense of a ship turning around will be sharpened. Frank's squad has gaping holes, particularly in attack, but the condition in which they have arrived may be a short-term leveller. PSG's latest final comes exactly a month after their sparkling young group, flat and knackered in their last game of a relentless 2024-25, were comfortably dismissed by Chelsea at the Club World Cup. Their senior players returned to training only last Wednesday; it begs the question of whether they are overcooked or underdone, but in either case this has been the pre-season that never was. For their part Frank and company have been, to some extent or other, out on the grass since the second week of July. 'We have had a more normal pre-season which is what I think every coach would prefer,' Frank said, before countering that by stating the blindly obvious. 'Over a whole season, they are probably in a better place to perform better but for one game we will be ready.' Frank will require evolution from last week's bleak 4-0 defeat by Bayern Munich and is likely to pick the same starting XI. Cohesion is a must during injury-addled times in which the departure of Son Heung-min has been joined, at the worst possible moment, by hammer blows in the losses of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. More of the grit shown in overcoming Arsenal amid the humidity of Singapore will be in order on this occasion. Tottenham's new captain for the season, who Frank will name before kick-off, will be integral in instilling it. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Results can oscillate wildly at this time of year; performances can be forgiven for that, too, when a new style is being bedded in. The Spurs players must learn on the job and it was instructive to hear Vicario speak openly about the more varied approach Frank, who was never averse to going from back to front at Brentford, will expect from his goalkeepers. 'Something has changed,' Vicario said. 'I need to read the situation in front of me: sometimes it's to build from the back and play, sometimes it's to go long.' Sitting next to him, Ben Davies hinted that the quixotic ways fostered by Ange Postecoglou may be diluted by a shot of pragmatism. 'I think we're definitely going to have a different gameplan depending on the opposition this season,' he said. When PSG have been banished to memory, whether grisly or glittering, Frank will attend to a bulging in-tray. He must decide what to do with the errant Yves Bissouma but, more importantly for Tottenham's future, will pray they can get ambitious moves for Eberechi Eze and Savinho over the line. Those deals would assuage the frontline woes and suggest things are clicking into place more broadly. Earlier in the summer, Frank suggested it would take time to build the degree of understanding he had forged with Brentford's recruitment staff. It is a process that needs to move swiftly. Even if definitive judgments must wait, Spurs' latest new era begins here. 'The right time is now, so we need to be ready,' Frank said of their gala assignment. What a boost it would be if they meet the moment again.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
May Food News: Pop-Ups, Openings and Mother's Day Brunches
Pasta | Bar Los Angeles x i Clivi Collaboration Wine Dinner Pasta | Bar Los Angeles will be hosting an exclusive, one-night-only dinner on Thursday, May 22 in collaboration with i Clivi — with a special appearance by Mario Zanusso, owner and winemaker of the celebrated Friulian Italian $345 per person, the evening includes a 9-course tasting menu paired with i Clivi's elegant, terroir-driven wines from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Northeastern Italy. Known for its purity, balance and mineral-driven complexity, the wines will be thoughtfully matched with dishes from the Pasta | Bar the evening, Zanusso will share insights into his winemaking philosophy and the traditions that shape i Clivi, offering guests a rare opportunity to engage directly with the producer. Seatings are available from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and reservations are currently bookable here. A curated selection of wines will be available for purchase following the dinner. Hanky Panky Bar Pop Up Fairmont Century Plaza is bringing Mexico City's acclaimed speakeasy Hanky Panky — ranked among North America's 50 Best Bars — to Century City for a special pop-up event happening only two nights at The Bar Century Plaza on Thursday, May 8 from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Friday, May 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 Panky's acclaimed bar manager, Gina Barbachano, is leading the two-night experience. Barbachano is a 2023 Spirited Awards Top 4 nominee for International Bartender of the Year. Under her direction, guests will be treated to four craft cocktails — each reflecting a unique global destination — served at Fairmont Century Plaza. Cocktails include the Noongar, Imperio, True North and Apapacho (inspired by Australia, Portugal, Canada and Mexico). Mother Wolf L.A. x San Felice Wine Dinner Mother Wolf — acclaimed chef Evan Funke's ode to Cucina Romana — is hosting a special wine tasting dinner in the heart of Hollywood on Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. The dinner will be presented by Leonardo Bellaccini, winemaker of the storied San Felice Vineyard in Tuscany. Guests will enjoy a four-course, chef curated menu paired with five exceptional wines from San Felice's award-winning portfolio, presented by Bellaccini himself. Tickets are $187.50 per person (plus tax), and seating is limited. Dessert favorite SusieCakes and Summer Water are launching Rosé Season with their limited time only Rosé Cupcake from May 6 to May 18. This offer is available at SusieCakes locations nationwide. This delicious collaboration pairs flavors of fresh strawberries along with Summer Water's Rosé for a delicious refreshing summer treat. An exclusive afternoon tea will be held from May 9 to 11 at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel. This event is in collaboration with Tealeaves' x Pantone Color of the Year Collection. Select teas will be featured at this multi-course event. The menu is inspired by the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse. California Surf Club is a brand new members-only lifestyle club and public restaurant by founders Allen Sanford and Rob Lissner that opens its doors today (May 8) in Redondo Beach. The latest project from BeachLife co-founders and South Bay locals Allen Sanford and Rob Lissner — the team behind BeachLife Festival, BeachLife Ranch, BeachLife Grotto Restaurant and the BeachLife General Store — California Surf Club already has 450 founding members. The development is a 22,000-square-foot adaptive reuse and reimagination of two iconic harborfront buildings, and includes a members-only lifestyle club and a public restaurant on the Redondo Beach waterfront. For membership details, visit or contact memberships@ Pasjoli, chef Dave Beran's Michelin-starred French bistro in Santa Monica, is now offering tiny cocktails to welcome in summer. These petite drinks offer customers the opportunity to taste test delicious cocktails without committing to a whole beverage. The menu of MAR-TINYs & PETIT DAIQUIRIS includes smaller-sized cocktails like the PJ (magellan gin, dolin vermouth blanc and angostura orange bitters, for $14); and the Jasmine (rhum barbancourt 15-year, jasmine green tea, lime and orange blossom bitters, for $16). Modern American steakhouse, Bourbon Steak Los Angeles, is inviting guests to enjoy a one-of-a-kind series of culinary events all month long. Head Chef Michael Mina will host these delicious events in The Americana at Brand. A decadent three-course Mother's Day Brunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 11. Tickets are $125 each. The menu is set to feature a Black Truffle Ceaser, Za'atar Spice Prime Rib, Pastrami Short Rib Benedict and more. Reservations can be made via Sevenrooms. On May 16, Mina presents a multi-course menu, The Mina Experience: A Bourbon Steak Tasting Menu, for $175 each. Signed copies of his cookbook 'My Egypt' will be offered, along with complimentary access to an after-party at the Bourbon Lounge. Reserve a seat for this special one-night experience via Sevenrooms. The 20th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice is bringing the film back to theaters this month. On May 22, Focus Features is hosting a Pride and Prejudice Ball at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena. Tickets can be purchased historic Langham ballroom will be filled with lively music and entertainers, along with immersive activations for guests to be transported back in time. Cocktails and light food will also be served. Hollywood's Laya — the second restaurant from Top Chef Middle East winner Charbel Hayek, following his WeHo hit Ladyhawk — is launching a new brunch service starting May 18. Enjoy the beautiful garden atmosphere of Laya along with decadent brunch flavors and cocktails. The brunch menu will be offered Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information can be found on Ippudo V is officially opening in West Hollywood May 11 in what marks the vegan concept's first West Coast venture. The new Ippudo V location will serve vegan dishes, vegan sushi and plant-based ramen. The brand focuses on fermentation, smoking and other Japanese techniques to incorporate vegan flavors with Japanese tradition. Ippudo also just opened a location in Culver City. Shake Shack is adding a BBQ menu to jump into summer. New dishes include Smoky Classic BBQ Burger or sweet-and-tangy Carolina BBQ Burger with Fried Pickles — and they're a crave-worthy twist on summer favorites, available exclusively via the Shake Shack app and in-shack all summer long. Add on favorite shakes and lemonade. Saltie Girl is teaming up with Found Oyster for a seafood-forward restaurant collaboration. Following Found Oyster's pop-up at Saltie Girl, Saltie Girl will coming to Found Oyster on May 13. The Found Oyster menu will feature items like Oysters Royale, with caviar, vodka and creme fraiche; a tuna stuffed squid; and a fried clam roll. Reserve now for the meal on Tuesday, May 13 from 4-10 p.m. at Found Oyster at 4880 Fountain Ave. The Beverly Hilton's Jazz Brunch is right around the corner. On May 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., brunch is set to be held on the rooftop of CIRCA 55. Guests will have the unique opportunity to enjoy a delicious array of spring brunch foods and enjoy a live jazz band. Guests will be able to enjoy the beautiful sites of the L.A. skyline while celebrating mothers with a delicious brunch. Reservations are from $155+ per person, $65+ for children 12 and under.
