Latest news with #LucasBergvall
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘Genius' – Tottenham's subtle reference to lasagne scandal in new kit launch hailed by fans
The infamous 'lasagne-gate' saga left players being sick in the dressing room PASTA-ND PRESENT 'Genius' – Tottenham's subtle reference to lasagne scandal in new kit launch hailed by fans TOTTENHAM cheekily referenced their 2006 "lasagne-gate" heartbreak in today's new home kit launch. The North Londoners' released their 2025-26 strip with a glossy video across their social media channels. Advertisement 6 Tottenham included a lasagne in their kit launch Credit: Instagram @spursofficial 6 Tottenham's 2025-26 home shirt went on sale today Credit: X @SpursOfficial With the slogan "Take A Vow" - the campaign was themed on fans and players taking wedding-style vows. Beloved former skipper Ledley King began the video by saying: "Loyal Spurs supporters. Beloved Lilywhites. We gather here today to take a vow between fans and club." A series of fans and players, including Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski and Micky van de Ven then went through the wedding-style vows routine. As King, 45, delivered the famous "In sickness and in health" line - the promo pertinently showed a plate of lasagne. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL CRYS-IS Crystal Palace could be THROWN OUT of Europa League with fierce rivals benefiting The dodgy meal is a reference to Tottenham's May 2006 clash with West Ham at Upton Park. Martin Jol's side went into the contest needing to win to secure Champions League football for the first time since the famous competition rebranded from the old European Cup. Disaster struck on the eve of the match, as several members of Jol's squad were struck down by illness following a "dodgy lasagne". Spurs went on to lose 2-1, sickeningly allowing rivals Arsenal to pip them to fourth. Advertisement BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 6 Several Tottenham stars were sick as they took on West Ham in 2006 Credit: Getty 6 Spurs missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day Credit: Getty Ex-White Hart Lane favourite Jermain Defoe, who scored Tottenham's goal at Upton Park, told the Transfer Talk podcast: "I remember the build up to the game. It was massive for the football club. Advertisement "We felt like we deserved it, I remember going into the game and everyone was buzzing. Inside Tottenham's wild Europa League open-top bus parade as 200,000 fans greet heroes "We had the evening meal, and going to bed, I remember a call from the doctor to ask how I was feeling, because a lot of the lads were not well. I thought it was like one or two, but quite a few were struggling. I couldn't believe it. "Such an important game and seven of the lads were sick. I still respect guys such as Michael Carrick, who went out and played even though they were struggling." Tottenham tried desperately to get the game postponed, only to be told in no uncertain terms that failure to play could lead to a points deduction. Advertisement On what it was like in the dressing room after that infamous defeat, Jermaine Jenas later reminisced: "There was this moment where we were sat in the dressing room and there were eight, nine, 10 people being sick everywhere. "One is in the toilet, one's in the sink, one's in a bucket, everyone's just being sick everywhere. "And then all you could hear was the biggest party ever going on in the dressing room opposite." 'IT'S JUST TOTTENHAM' King, who missed the game courtesy of a broken metatarsal, reflected: "The players were not ready to play football. I don't know how they played. I thought at the time, this is just our luck isn't it? It's just Tottenham." Advertisement Despite the trauma, Spurs fans were able to see the funny side of the lasagne reference, with one writing on X: "It's absolutely brilliant made me laugh out so loud when I saw it." While a second commented: "The lasagna was lovely touch." A third joked: "This killed me." But another added: "Still hurts tbh." Advertisement 6 Son Heung-min models Tottenham's new home shirt Credit: Instagrm / @spursofficial
Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Why Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd want to seal transfers before window opens
The race is on and instead of taking the steady approach of a marathoner, several of the Premier League's giants are out of the blocks like sprinters. It was not until the third week of last summer's transfer window that the traditional big six completed a signing - with Tosin Adarabioyo joining Chelsea as a free agent and Lucas Bergvall arriving at Tottenham from Djurgarden on July 1. But already this summer - despite the window not opening until Sunday - Manchester United have made their £62.5m move for Matheus Cunha, Liverpool have done a deal for Jeremie Frimpong with Florian Wirtz possibly following along the path from Leverkusen, and Arsenal are putting the wheels in motion to add the striker they so desperately need. The calendar is undoubtedly a factor behind this active start. Last summer's window began the same time as the Euros, this year's starts early and pauses briefly to factor in Chelsea and Manchester City's participation in the Club World Cup. But it is hard to ignore the two other major circumstances prompting this early rush into action. Top of the list is the chase for goalscorers. The absence of a prolific No9 was the main reason behind Arsenal being unable to prolong their title challenge. A centre-forward capable of finding the net would have eased the crisis at United. Chelsea's biggest weakness is the absence of a ruthless finisher. And even Liverpool have rued Darwin Nunez's misfiring. They are all fighting for a dwindling number of strikers, which is why Liam Delap is commanding such interest after one good season for a team that won just four games all season. Chelsea are keen, so too United, and the Ipswich player's representatives have already been holding talks with a number of clubs, pointing to a speedy resolution. Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, meanwhile, looks destined for north London as Mikel Arteta hopes to add the final piece after the Gunners' rate of improvement slowed to incremental. That is another transfer that is expected to be completed early in the window - with the Arsenal hierarchy no doubt wary of losing out on their top target. They are also expected to announce the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad early on. Yet it is not all about the supply and demand of strikers. By ending Manchester City's era of dominance, Liverpool have opened up a window for their rivals to win a title. This time last year most clubs will have been dreaming but not necessarily believing that they could unseat Pep Guardiola's side. Now they are all certain they can do what Arne Slot's side managed – if they can get the recruitment right. That is why this window could have long-term repercussions, why the gap between success and failure is so thin and we could look back on 2025 a few seasons from now as a period that defined an era. And that is before considering the long-held fact that the ability to have new acquisitions report for duty at the beginning of pre-season rather than arriving a couple of games into the campaign is rather valuable. Just do not expect a hectic deadline day if the business is completed early. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Your Tottenham player of the season
We asked you to select your Tottenham player of the season from the four candidates chosen by our fan with the poll now closed, we can reveal the winner is... Lucas Bergvall!Here's what Ali Speechly at at Women Of The Lane, external and on Instagram, external said about him:Bergvall has more than lived up to the promise he showed in only has he excelled on and off the ball, he has never stopped striving for the win. When more seasoned professionals around him have struggled to lead the team, this young player has risen to the the final poll breakdown
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Tottenham's player of 2024-25: Pedro Porro – nobody gave them more
Through the turmoil and the triumphs, there was one constant on the pitch for Tottenham Hotspur this season: Pedro Porro. Sure, some players have had higher highs. Dejan Kulusevski was the outstanding player of their campaign's first half, and had he remained fit throughout and continued on a similar trajectory, he may have fashioned an argument for the Premier League's player of the year award, not just Tottenham's. Brennan Johnson's near-post finish in Bilbao inscribed his name in the club's history books forever, and that image will be immortalised on the walls of the stadium and training ground to inspire generations to come. Lucas Bergvall, who was probably Tottenham's outstanding player of 2025 before an ankle injury in training ahead of the Europa League semi-final, is deservedly in the conversation, too. Advertisement But there are few substitutes for availability, and no player has given more to Spurs this season than Porro. Seasonal awards often come down to endurance, and numbers tell that part of our story. Porro totalled more Premier League minutes than any Tottenham player this season (2,608), 217 more than second-busiest Kulusevski. He is one of just six players to have played more than 2,000 minutes for Tottenham in the league. Only Pape Matar Sarr played in more of their 38 top-flight matches (36 to 33), though the Senegal international came off the bench for 14 of those. Had Spurs not gone so far in Europe, Porro would likely have featured in every game. As the defensive unit — from where the team's success tends to live or die — was broken apart by injuries over the winter period, the Spaniard was the last of coach Ange Postecoglou's preferred starters standing. Adjusting to a single change in a settled back line is not straightforward at the best of times, but Porro made do as Postecoglou experimented with makeshift alternatives. He didn't always find it easy — he was run ragged in the FA Cup by non-League Tamworth's winger Beck-Ray Enoru, a sales assistant at high-street clothing store Zara to supplement his semi-professional wage — but nobody could question his effort and dedication. Combining that dedication with his technical brilliance makes him as crucial to Spurs' success as anyone. Inverted full-backs are not the tactical marvels today they were considered to be five years ago, but at his best, Porro delivers from that position in a manner that makes it seem entirely fresh. His delivery is world-class, and he finished with nine Premier League and Europa League assists to show for it. When he takes the quarterback role from central defender Cristian Romero, he can land balls on a sixpence for runners, as evidenced by the excellent pass played to James Maddison for his goal in January's 3-2 win against Hoffenheim. Should he push forward and cross from the right half-space, his execution is equally precise. Dominic Solanke's header against Newcastle United a few weeks earlier is evidence of that. Advertisement 'It's something we're continually working on, to get him on the ball in more key areas,' Postecoglou said of Porro in a press conference in May. 'He has such quality with his ability to hit the longer pass. But also, the quality of his crosses every time he puts the ball in the box — whether that's a set piece or a cross in general — causes opposition problems. 'He's played more than anyone else this year. He's been unbelievable for us. Not just in his durability — which has been important because we've had so many players going down; we've needed a few to be durable like he has — but also the quality he's shown.' Still, maybe the most thrilling part of Porro's game is his ability to ghost into dangerous positions. No full-back in England's top flight has a greater instinct for goals, something that proved crucial to Tottenham's Europa League success. Porro telegraphed his ability to sniff out a goalscoring chance in the season's opening-weekend draw away to Leicester City, making a late run to meet Maddison's whipped cross with a glancing header into the bottom corner. Maddison played provider again for the most important of Porro's four goals during the campaign, cutting a cross back for him to delightfully flick Spurs back onto level terms against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. Having been partly to blame for Hugo Ekitike's goal earlier in that match, it was not just an excellent piece of skill but a crucial atonement during their run to glory in Bilbao. In the following round, his looping effort from outside the box away to Bodo/Glimt was when Spurs fans knew they were heading to a European final. Porro has not just been there for all the season's best moments, he has been responsible for delivering them. But for all his apparent talent going forward, it's defensively where he's progressed the most. Advertisement At odds with everything we're supposed to believe about football under Postecoglou, Tottenham's Europa League triumph was built on the defenders. And not brilliant line-breaking passes from Romero or Micky van de Ven's recovery pace, either. It was pragmatism, structure, and dedication to executing assignments that kept Frankfurt and Glimt at bay in the second legs away from home, when much of the discussion beforehand suggested Spurs' only possible route to success was to be the last team standing in a goals-filled standoff. Porro was reliable in those moments. Had he not been, the outcome against Manchester United in the final — or against Frankfurt or Glimt — may have been different. In the wake of last week's triumph back home on Spanish soil, he captioned a picture of himself holding the trophy with 'I don't defend,' poking fun at the suggestion he's solely an attacking full-back. He deserves to be considered Tottenham's player of the season because he has been much more than that: a constant, a scorer of important goals, and, crucially, a dependable defender in the biggest moments.
Irish Independent
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Ange Postecoglou: ‘I'm not a clown and I never will be'
Speculation over Postecoglou's future has been rife throughout Spurs' run to Bilbao, with make-or-break ties against AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt navigated. Spurs' domestic struggles mean the Australian has presided over the club's worst ever Premier League campaign with a record tally of 21 defeats, but he also stands on the brink of the holy grail – eagerly-awaited silverware. The embattled head coach conducted a fiery press conference at San Mames ahead of the showdown with Manchester United. Asked about the fine line between 'infamy' and 'legendary status', Postecoglou, referencing a newspaper article which said he was 'teetering between hero and clown' depending on the outcome against United, snapped: 'I'll tell you one thing, irrespective of what happens tomorrow, I'm not a clown and I never will be. 'I'm really disappointed that you would use such terminology about a person who for 26 years without any favours from anyone has worked his way to a position where he's leading out a club in a European major competition (final).' With Tottenham down in 17th in the Premier League, Postecoglou admitted last month the 'general sentiment' was he would leave, even if he ended the club's 17-year trophy drought, but he felt his work in north London was far from finished. 'I don't think my job is done here,' Postecoglou said. 'I really feel like we are building something and what a trophy does is hopefully accelerate that. So I still think there is work to be done. 'It is quite obvious with the challenges we've had this year, which I think are well chronicled,. There is some reasoning in the context of that, but also there has been some growth I would like to see through. 'Whether that happens or not is not that important right now, but far from it is this job finished. I certainly feel there is some growth there that we can take this club to where it needs to be. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'I've been in this position before where the big game was the last game I managed. It's not unusual territory for me. 'I have always navigated it pretty well because, for me, nothing is more important than my responsibility for this football club and its fans that tomorrow me, the players, our mind is only on one thing and that is to create something special.' Postecoglou played down Lucas Bergvall's chances of being fit to face United after an ankle injury, with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski (both knee) also sidelined, but Pape Sarr is available. The big choice for the Australian ahead of his 100th game in charge of Spurs is who will provide creativity in a three-man midfield alongside Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur. Wilson Odobert was used in the attacking midfield role at Aston Villa, but another alternative is to drop Dominic Solanke slightly deeper. Despite continuous discourse over his future, Postecoglou will not lose focus on Tottenham's chance to taste European success for the first time since their 1984 UEFA Cup victory. 'Whatever happens beyond tomorrow is kind of irrelevant when you think about the opportunity that exists right now,' Postecoglou said. 'That opportunity is to provide something special for the football club, for the supporters and for everyone who has worked so hard. 'Not just this year, but for the 15, 16 years, however long it has been without a trophy and also the 41 years without a European trophy. 'I'm pretty good at just making sure all my focus is on giving this football club the best opportunity that it's had for a while to do something special.'
