Latest news with #Galactico
Arab Times
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
PSG finally wins the Champions League title
MUNICH, June 1, (AP): Paris Saint-Germain, Champions League winner. At long last, the club that was transformed by Qatari billions and bought and sold a succession of the world's greatest players in an extravagant bid to get to the top has got its hands on the big one. European club soccer's grandest prize has a new home after PSG thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in Saturday's final in Munich. "It's in the bag, it's coming home with us to Paris tomorrow,' coach Luis Enrique said. "My first day at the PSG campus, I said the ultimate goal was to fill the trophy cabinet. The only trophy missing was the Champions League. Here we have ticked that box.' It was the trophy that not even Lionel Messi, Neymar, or Kylian Mbappe could deliver to the French club. Luis Enrique has achieved it after overseeing PSG's shift from the era of Galactico signings to one of genuine team-building. Fitting then that Désiré Doué, the 19-year-old French forward, emblematic of the club's new generation, was the chief inspiration and player of the match as PSG recorded the biggest win in a final in the competition's 70-year history. In a scintillating performance, Doué scored two goals and set up another goal in little over an hour on the field before being substituted. "It is wonderful, it is magical, we are rewriting the history of this club and French football,' he said. Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and substitute Senny Mayulu all scored around Doue's double in a game in which PSG could have run out an even bigger winner.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Economic Times
Virat Kohli's RCB in IPL Final: How three men changed Royal Challengers Bengaluru's auction dynamics
RCB: Insight, perhaps, was not the watchword in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's auction process, for long. In the past, they assembled a slew of stars and then tried to build the team around them. ADVERTISEMENT It was so glaring in the mid 2010s 'Galactico' era of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers when RCB was a three-man team. But the appointment of Mo Bobat and Andy Flower and Dinesh Karthik into the coaching staff changed the template, and it reflected in RCB's approach in the auction room in 2024. RCB gives 5,500% hike to this player, it is not Virat Kohli In Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer some of the biggest names in contemporary Indian cricket were available to buy, and going by the past precedent, RCB would have broken their vault to acquire at least two of them. Instead, they focussed on value buys such as Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Phil Salt, Suyash Sharma, Romario Shepherd and Tim David. Each of them have played important roles in RCB's wins this season to prove their worth - home and away. ADVERTISEMENT It was clear that RCB wanted certain players to suit certain roles within the team, rather than purchasing players merely on their reputation. "I think we got predominantly what we wanted in terms of playing personnel. But more importantly, with the actual shape of the team and the vision of that team that Andy and I spent so much time thinking about and talking about, we pretty much nailed that. And you get to see that come to life on the field," said Bobat, the RCB's director, in a release. ADVERTISEMENT The acquisition of Salt offers the most palpable validation of those words. The RCB was ready to let go Will Jacks, who had blitzed a 41-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans last year, for Salt, whom the coaching staff thought can produce big overs consistently upfront. ADVERTISEMENT He plays the high-risk game, and has taken apart the biggest names in opposition ranks like Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals) and Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad) to destroy their morale. However, Salt has also produced those little cameos that made a big difference in the eventual outcome of the match. ADVERTISEMENT The Royal Challengers needed a quick start while chasing an imposing 228 against Lucknow Super Giants, and a win was imperative for them to ensure a top-two finish. The English opener made 30 off 19 balls, helping Kohli milk 61 runs in just 5.4 overs and RCB did not let that early momentum slip away. Karthik, the mentor who had a critical role in finalising the RCB auction pattern, explained the rationale behind selecting players like Salt. "I thought we did beautifully in picking a very balanced squad, knowing what sort of players we want and which player would fit in which role. As we were picking the team, we used to put players in certain roles and see how they fit. "We were very sure this is the kind of batting order we wanted. And in the auction prep as well, we had a few eleven as combinations, and in that, we had certain players, certain names in mind," said Karthik. It reflected even while picking up replacement for an injured player. The RCB management did not hesitate to draft in Mayank Agarwal when the in-form but injured Devdutt Padikkal was ruled out of this IPL season. The management considered Agarwal's experience at this stage, and his ability to replicate the role Padikkal did this season for them, allowing the bigger hitters to do their job while keeping his end going. The Karnataka batter also has a solid case for himself, racking up 179 runs from seven matches at a strike-rate of 153 at this season's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. "The difference between this RCB squad and some of the ones that were picked previously are: the amount of experience through the 12 players, the strength and depth in batting," said Karthik. Agarwal did not disappoint either. He made an unbeaten 41 off 23 balls at a strike-rate of 178, while giving strong support to Jitesh Sharma (85, 33b, SR: 257) against LSG. Their unbroken 107-run stand for the fifth wicket gave RCB a remarkable six-wicket win. These players have been part of several T20 competitions, and that experience meant that they needed minimal hand holding in a pressure situation. Karthik acknowledged that fact. "And many leaders - not just one or two big names - but lots of leaders through the players that we had picked from auction," he said. However, a majority of these cricketers were first-time entrants to the RCB dressing room, and they had to be made to feel secure in a new environment. It was imperative because RCB handed the captain's armband to Rajat Patidar, a fine player but someone who does not command a similar stature as some others in the dugout. By all accounts, the think-tank has done that coordination job to perfection and Patidar has now grown into an accepted and respected leader of the pack. "For Andy and I, creating a sort of environment where people feel safe, where they feel backed, where they feel like they're accountable for their own decisions, and where they're able to hopefully showcase their strengths - that's the key bit," said Bobat. Now, they stand just one win away from their maiden IPL title and the 'Ee Sala Cup Namde' (This time the Cup is ours) tagline sounds much more realistic than in any previous seasons.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Virat Kohli's RCB in IPL Final: How three men changed Royal Challengers Bengaluru's auction dynamics
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads RCB: Insight, perhaps, was not the watchword in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's auction process, for long. In the past, they assembled a slew of stars and then tried to build the team around was so glaring in the mid 2010s 'Galactico' era of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers when RCB was a three-man the appointment of Mo Bobat and Andy Flower and Dinesh Karthik into the coaching staff changed the template, and it reflected in RCB's approach in the auction room in Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer some of the biggest names in contemporary Indian cricket were available to buy, and going by the past precedent, RCB would have broken their vault to acquire at least two of they focussed on value buys such as Josh Hazlewood , Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Phil Salt , Suyash Sharma, Romario Shepherd and Tim of them have played important roles in RCB's wins this season to prove their worth - home and was clear that RCB wanted certain players to suit certain roles within the team, rather than purchasing players merely on their reputation."I think we got predominantly what we wanted in terms of playing personnel. But more importantly, with the actual shape of the team and the vision of that team that Andy and I spent so much time thinking about and talking about, we pretty much nailed that. And you get to see that come to life on the field," said Bobat, the RCB's director, in a acquisition of Salt offers the most palpable validation of those RCB was ready to let go Will Jacks, who had blitzed a 41-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans last year, for Salt, whom the coaching staff thought can produce big overs consistently plays the high-risk game, and has taken apart the biggest names in opposition ranks like Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals) and Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad) to destroy their Salt has also produced those little cameos that made a big difference in the eventual outcome of the Royal Challengers needed a quick start while chasing an imposing 228 against Lucknow Super Giants, and a win was imperative for them to ensure a top-two English opener made 30 off 19 balls, helping Kohli milk 61 runs in just 5.4 overs and RCB did not let that early momentum slip the mentor who had a critical role in finalising the RCB auction pattern, explained the rationale behind selecting players like Salt."I thought we did beautifully in picking a very balanced squad, knowing what sort of players we want and which player would fit in which role. As we were picking the team, we used to put players in certain roles and see how they fit."We were very sure this is the kind of batting order we wanted. And in the auction prep as well, we had a few eleven as combinations, and in that, we had certain players, certain names in mind," said reflected even while picking up replacement for an injured player. The RCB management did not hesitate to draft in Mayank Agarwal when the in-form but injured Devdutt Padikkal was ruled out of this IPL management considered Agarwal's experience at this stage, and his ability to replicate the role Padikkal did this season for them, allowing the bigger hitters to do their job while keeping his end Karnataka batter also has a solid case for himself, racking up 179 runs from seven matches at a strike-rate of 153 at this season's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy."The difference between this RCB squad and some of the ones that were picked previously are: the amount of experience through the 12 players, the strength and depth in batting," said did not disappoint either. He made an unbeaten 41 off 23 balls at a strike-rate of 178, while giving strong support to Jitesh Sharma (85, 33b, SR: 257) against unbroken 107-run stand for the fifth wicket gave RCB a remarkable six-wicket players have been part of several T20 competitions, and that experience meant that they needed minimal hand holding in a pressure acknowledged that fact. "And many leaders - not just one or two big names - but lots of leaders through the players that we had picked from auction," he a majority of these cricketers were first-time entrants to the RCB dressing room, and they had to be made to feel secure in a new was imperative because RCB handed the captain's armband to Rajat Patidar , a fine player but someone who does not command a similar stature as some others in the all accounts, the think-tank has done that coordination job to perfection and Patidar has now grown into an accepted and respected leader of the pack."For Andy and I, creating a sort of environment where people feel safe, where they feel backed, where they feel like they're accountable for their own decisions, and where they're able to hopefully showcase their strengths - that's the key bit," said they stand just one win away from their maiden IPL title and the 'Ee Sala Cup Namde' (This time the Cup is ours) tagline sounds much more realistic than in any previous seasons.
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Champions League final: How Luis Enrique stripped PSG of their stars – and made them better
When Kylian Mbappé made public his decision to leave Paris last season, ending the club's 'Galactico' era, Luis Enrique sounded unfazed by the loss of the world's most coveted striker. 'Our game does not consist in letting Mbappé do what he wants,' the PSG coach told Spanish reporters, in a typically blunt statement. He added: 'That was the old philosophy (of the club), which never won a major trophy.' In two seasons at the helm, Luis Enrique has added two more Ligue 1 titles and as many French Cups to PSG's rapidly expanding silverware, though he knows that neither qualify as 'major' trophies for the club owned by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI). Champions League football is the real measure of success for a PSG coach, and the Spaniard has already improved on his predecessors' record. After leading the French Champions to the semi-finals last season, the former Real Madrid and Barcelona player is now just one match away from the title PSG have craved for so long – and for which QSI has spent a staggering €2.1 billion in transfers alone. Victory against Inter Milan in Munich would add his name to an elite group of two-club winners of Europe's most prestigious title, joining the likes of Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho. Out with the old guard Prior to his arrival, PSG were best known for their expensive Champions League fiascos, from the infamous 2017 'Remontada' in Barcelona to their home collapse against Manchester United two years later. The Spaniard, who plotted the 'Remontada' on the Blaugrana bench, says he accepted the Paris job on one condition: that he be allowed to mould the team as he pleased, ditching the celebrity culture that gave top stars priority over football coherence. 'I never imagined myself coaching PSG because their policy was to attract the biggest superstars. But now they want to change,' he told the Spanish documentary filmmakers who followed him last season. Luis Enrique arrived in Paris with a simple but firm mantra: no one head sticking out. He began by clearing out the old guard, starting with Neymar, the frustratingly inconsistent poster boy for PSG's bling-bling era. He was equally unsentimental in parting with the club's longtime midfield anchor Marco Verratti, a darling of the fans whose purportedly poor lifestyle was incompatible with the stringent work ethos demanded by the new coach. A fitness fanatic who once ran the legendary Marathon de Sables, a 155-mile race over six days in the Sahara, Luis Enrique introduced gruelling training sessions, strict tactical demands and an insistence on collective responsibility, with no player absolved of defensive duties – not even Mbappé. When the star striker bowed out the following summer, fuelling talk of PSG's fast-declining star power, Luis Enrique sounded typically upbeat about the season ahead. 'I'd rather have four players who score 12 goals each than one who scores 40,' he quipped. 'It adds up to more goals overall.' 'No plan B' After two years on the job, and as many transfer sessions tailored to his needs, Luis Enrique now has a squad ideally suited to his style of football, based on maximum possession, rapid movement and stifling pressing. It's a style of play that brought him a Champions League title a decade ago as Barcelona's coach – but which hasn't always worked out for his teams. His stint as Spain coach (2018-2022) famously ended in a World Cup defeat to Morocco that saw La Roja hold 77% of the ball, complete more than 1,000 passes, and yet manage only one shot on goal. Spain's attack was so blunted they even failed to score in the penalty shootout, despite the coach's assurance that each player had taken 1,000 penalties in practice. As the former Spanish international Iago Aspas put it, 'Luis Enrique had a very clear game plan, and when plan A didn't work, there was no plan B.' Earlier this season, PSG's Champions League campaign appeared to be heading much the same way as the French champions dominated games but proved unable to score. When the coach was quizzed about his game plan after a defeat to Arsenal in October, his reply came across as both arrogant and rude. 'I have no intention of explaining my tactics,' he answered tersely. 'You wouldn't understand them.' Defeat in Munich a month later left PSG staring at an early exit, before a thrilling comeback win over Manchester City in January kicked off a triumphant tour of England that saw them overwhelm Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in succession. After the Reds' defeat on penalties at Anfield, Liverpool coach Arne Slot heaped praise on his counterpart for turning PSG into 'Europe's best'. 'Luis Enrique made an incredible team,' he said. 'So much pace, so much work rate, so much quality in the midfield.' 'If you don't defend, someone will take your place' While critics have bristled at Luis Enrique's sometimes abrasive tone, his no-nonsense approach and entertaining, forward-minded game have helped turn the Parisian upstarts into a more likeable team, earning the respect of their peers. The end of the superstar era has also nurtured the impression that the Gulf-funded outfit have become an ordinary club, when in fact they are still vastly outspending their rivals. The names may be slightly less eye-catching than in recent years, but it's hard to see who else could have coughed up €70 million to sign Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the January transfer window. The versatile Georgian international has come to embody the flexibility Luis Enrique demands from his players, his ability to shift seamlessly between attack and defence adding an element of unpredictability to PSG's game. When asked to comment on the team's selflessness and abnegation, qualities so lacking in past seasons, striker Ousmane Dembélé gave a simple answer last month: 'The coach just kept telling us, 'If you don't press and don't defend, someone will take your place'. So, we all defend.' Long mocked for his erratic finishing, Dembélé has morphed into a goal-scoring machine this season, racking up 33 goals in 45 matches – more than in the previous five seasons combined. His transformation from mercurial winger to ruthless goal scorer owes much to the tactical innovations introduced by Luis Enrique, whose decision to place the versatile, ambidextrous forward at the heart of the Parisian attack has allowed him to make full use of his equally accurate feet. Dembélé is not the only one to have hit the 12-goal mark, with Bradley Barcola (21 goals), Gonçalo Ramos (18) and Désiré Doué (13) also vindicating the coach's pre-season forecast. Add Kvaratshkhelia (6 goals since January) to the mix, and PSG fans will be hoping the squad's youthful, multi-pronged attack is too much to handle for the Nerazzuri 's ageing legs. That's unless Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi can come up with an antidote for the Parisians' intoxicating game – and Luis Enrique has no 'Plan B' in store.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Real Madrid Announce Signing Of Trent Alexander-Arnold From Liverpool
English star Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined Real Madrid, following the decision to not renew his contract with boyhood club Liverpool. After 20 years as a part of Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold will move to the Spanish giants ahead of this summer's Club World Cup. Alexander-Arnold said leaving Liverpool was the "most difficult decision" in his life, but joining Real Madrid is usually one of the easiest to make. The record 15-time Champions League winners are the world's most successful club and joining them as a player is widely viewed as reaching the pinnacle of the game. In 2003, Madrid signed David Beckham from Manchester United -- a player Alexander-Arnold has sometimes been likened to for his passing range and crossing ability. "It's not the case that other teams are bad, it's just that Real Madrid are the greatest," England international Jude Bellingham said after he joined from Dortmund in 2023. The presence of Bellingham, a compatriot and close friend, certainly increased Madrid's appeal for Alexander-Arnold whose highly-anticipated arrival was formally announced on Friday. The Liverpool academy graduate won it all at Anfield but his chances of winning silverware more regularly are boosted with Los Blancos, so he took the risk of leaving his boyhood club. From Madrid's perspective, securing Alexander-Arnold's services on a six-year deal also seemed an obvious step to take. With Dani Carvajal, 33, injured for much of the season, right-back has been a problem position. Fede Valverde and the departing Lucas Vazquez have played there even though it is not their natural role. Carvajal will be back next season but after his serious knee injury and given his age, whether he will return at the same level is uncertain. Alexander-Arnold, 26, is expected to form part of Madrid's squad for years to come. The defender's arrival fits Madrid's recent approach of using their super-club status to hire 'Galactico' level stars at the end of their contracts. French striker Kylian Mbappe's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain last summer is the prime example, while Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba also joined without a transfer fee. Alexander-Arnold has the attacking range to delight Madrid's demanding fans, who love full-backs with a penchant for the spectacular, including Marcelo and Roberto Carlos. The Liverpudlian, a set-piece expert, has also been used in midfield by England which is an area where Madrid have struggled since Toni Kroos' departure last summer. Sweetening the pot is Alexander-Arnold's association with Liverpool's 4-0 thrashing of Madrid's arch-rivals Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-finals. The defender created his team's vital fourth goal after a 3-0 away defeat, with a corner taken quickly to catch out Barca's defence and tee up Divock Origi to score. "When I got to those big occasions, I felt like that's where I belonged," Alexander-Arnold told FourFourTwo. "Those sorts of games naturally demand you to play the best that you can and think on the spot, and have those moments of brilliance –- I was able to come up with one." Defensive doubts British players have not always found it easy to adapt to life in the Spanish capital. Welshman Gareth Bale was hugely successful at Madrid and yet still ended up as a scapegoat, while England internationals Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate never completely found their footing. Bellingham hit the ground running however, leading Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double in his first campaign, and can help Alexander-Arnold fit in. The biggest concerns around Alexander-Arnold's arrival relate to his defensive aptitude. At times for Liverpool and England he has been criticised for switching off, allowing wingers to drift behind him unchecked. Madrid's defensive line has suffered this season as they ended up without a major trophy. If new coach Xabi Alonso sticks to the 3-4-3 system he used at Bayer Leverkusen, Alexander-Arnold could thrive in the right wing-back role. "Because he is so special with the ball, the main emphasis goes on him doing special things with the ball," explained Liverpool coach Arne Slot in September. "I think with him it is not about if he is capable of doing things, it's more -- can his concentration rate constantly be at 100 percent focus?" It would not be the first time Madrid have signed a player fuelled by optimism over their potential, rather than a more measured approach to squad-building. In Alexander-Arnold's case, though, there is plenty to suggest this union will suit both club and player.
