Latest news with #Makelele
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Claude Makelele reveals John Terry STOLE the final-losing penalty off Chelsea's 'best' taker during 2008 Champions League heartbreak - and how the Blues legend grilled Didier Drogba after
Claude Makelele has opened up on John Terry 's infamous penalty shootout blunder during Chelsea 's 2008 Champions League final defeat against Manchester United. Terry took what could have been the decisive penalty at the end of a 1-1 draw in the first ever final between two English clubs, but slipped on the run-up and hit the post to send the shootout into sudden death. Nicolas Anelka went on to miss Chelsea's seventh spot-kick to hand Man United a domestic and European double, but Terry's miss is still seen as the decisive and iconic moment at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. Now, Makelele has revealed that Terry was not initially meant to take the spot-kick but took the fifth penalty off of Chelsea's best taker - Salomon Kalou. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Makelele said: 'It's [Kalou's] turn, but Johnny took [his] ball.' Ferdinand asked: 'So John Terry took the penalty instead of Kalou to win the game?' Makelele affirmed, explaining that Terry took the penalty in 'a good way', implying there was no confrontation between the ex-Blues captain and Kalou. But he explained that Terry's eagerness to be the main man is ultimately why the former defender only has one Champions League title to his name instead of two. Makelele added: 'Exactly, but it's in a good way. It's in a good way. But the way I see it, Johnny [doesn't] have two Champions Leagues now. Because Kalou was the best penalty [taker] at that time at Chelsea.' Ferdinand then asked Makelele why he did not interject at the time and tell Terry to allow Kalou to take the penalty instead. Makelele explained: 'I didn't know [that Kalou was Chelsea's best penalty taker] until later. Because in the game, if I knew this, of course, I would tell John: "No John, [let him take the penalty]." 'But of course, he's my teammate also, no? He [Terry] would be crying [if he was told not to take the penalty] . Because of all the players we lost this game.' Ferdinand went on to ask Makelele about the impact of Didier Drogba's dismissal in the game; the legendary striker was sent off in extra-time for violent - with the affair level at 1-1 - after slapping Nemanja Vidic. Makelele said: 'Sometimes it's difficult to talk about this. Me, I'm a [forward] person. Didier, I tell him. Didier, you can't do this. Red card, we're dead. With you, maybe we win before going to a penalty [shootout]. 'Because we knew if we went to penalties, you [Man United] have the better players for taking penalties. Ferdinand replied: 'Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, he would have taken a penalty. Bloody hell. It's true, isn't it? I didn't think about that.' Last year, Terry revealed on the Up Front Podcast that it was 'probably the worst moment in my footballing career'. He added: 'I'm still not over it today. I don't think I ever will be. It's interesting because as a player you have so many highs, but it's the lows that stay with you longer. 'That night we lost we went back to the hotel and the manager was asking us all to go down for a drink, but I stayed in my room because I couldn't face the lads. Eventually I went down and had a beer with the rest of the group. 'I just remember standing in my hotel room on the 25th floor, looking over Moscow and asking myself, 'why then, why did it start raining then, why did I slip? 'The hardest thing for me was that three days later we had a friendly for England against USA at Wembley and we drew 1-1 I scored a header from outside of the box. If I could swap any two goals in my career it'd be those two.' He also previously told Sky in the months after the miss: 'Every morning I wake up, that's the first thing I think about. I am still so desperately disappointed about it. 'But I am a big man with a big character and it is now down to me to deal with that.' Speaking ahead of the 2008-09 season, he added: 'I'm certainly looking forward to the new season so I can wipe away that bitter disappointment for the club, and especially for me.' Despite his heartbreak in 2008, Terry did go on to win a Champions League title later down the line. Despite being suspended for the final, Terry took home a winners' medal when Chelsea overcame Bayern Munich to win Europe's elite club competition in 2012.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Claude Makelele's Champions League final prediction as Inter Milan warning sent
Claude Makelele knows what it is like to win the Champions League, and he had a word of warning for Inter Milan ahead of their final against Paris Saint-Germain Claude Makelele has warned Inter Milan's old guard that the Champions League final is their last chance for European glory. Simone Inzaghi's gritty veterans had an average age of 30.2 when they beat Barcelona (25.8) in the semis, running out 7-6 winners over two enthralling legs. Paris Saint-Germain are the young upstarts in comparison, with an average squad age of just 23.6. They head into the Munich showdown as favourites after a blistering run to the final, including wins over Liverpool and Arsenal. But the stubborn Italians, who felt the pain of losing this final in 2023 against Manchester City, will be able to call upon their experience, and Champions League winner Makelele reckons that could be key. "Inter have the experience, many players, who played in the first final and lost, maybe for them this could be their last final," Makelele told Mirror Football on behalf of Bet365. "I think they will approach this game in a different way. "PSG have built a young team with a new manager, who has built a strong team in a short period of time. Everyone may have been surprised by the way this team are playing. I knew this manager would do a great job. But they will take Inter Milan seriously." Inter were pipped to the Serie A title by a single point this season, with Napoli coming out on top. Boss Inzaghi already has an Italian title to his name, but the Champions League is missing from his trophy cabinet. PSG manager Luis Enrique won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2015 when Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar tore Juventus apart to win 3-1 in the Berlin final. A decade later, he returns to Germany with PSG, with the aim of conquering another Italian giant. PSG have dominated their domestic league, winning 11 Ligue 1 titles in 13 years, but are yet to win the Champions League. The club's Qatari owners have spent around £1.69billion on transfers for the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe to make their dream a reality, but they have so far fallen short. Enrique's arrival in 2023 began a new era. The Parisians abandoned their strategy of signing superstars and crowbarring them into a starting XI and switched to signing Europe's best young talent. After a slow start, their youngsters have been mesmerising, knocking out Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal on their way to the final. In Makelele's eyes, their new approach, coupled with Enrique's brilliance, is what has brought them to Munich. He added: "I think they've corrected many mistakes they made before. Of course, we all dream about a team with a lot of big players, but many teams, they cannot deal with this. Many presidents are dreaming of building these kinds of teams, but it's difficult, different generations, different football. "I think they realised, 'Okay, we will need to build for longer to win these kinds of trophies and think in a different way'. Now, they are achieving success. Teams around the world are taking Paris Saint-Germain seriously. "They are a big brand all around the world, they are starting to play proper football and they are achieving success - the only trophy waiting for them is the Champions League."
Metro
4 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
Claude Makelele makes Chelsea prediction ahead of next season's Champions League
Claude Makelele is confident Chelsea can be competitive in next season's Champions League, provided they address one aspect of their squad in the summer transfer window. Chelsea have endured a topsy-turvy first season under the tutelage of Enzo Maresca but have plenty to cheer about after an impressive end to the season for the Italian's young squad. A gutsy 1-0 win away at Nottingham Forest on Premier League final day saw Chelsea rubber stamp a return to the Champions League with a fourth-place finish in the league. And the Blues brought the curtain down on their season with silverware on Wednesday night after a 4-1 comeback win over Real Betis in the Conference League final. Despite his successes, Mareca has not convinced everyone throughout the season, especially when Chelsea endured a particularly poor run of form midway through the campaign, which saw them drift out of title contention. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. But former Blues midfielder Makelele is more than happy with what he has seen this season, insisting Maresca has built a solid foundation upon which to build in the coming seasons. 'At the start, many were critical, but I think all managers in the world need time,' Makelele told Metro ahead of his appearance at bet365's Big Ticket Giveaway on Friday. 'Chelsea had a lot of change and they needed stability when it came to the manager but also the players. Maresca has made sure he has stuck with one system and a similar group of players, and now we're starting to see the results. 'It's a good squad, a good team with performances that fans are starting to get behind. I'm happy for him because he's done a good job. He's qualified them for the Champions League and he's won the Conference League, so it's a great season.' The early stages of the Conference League allowed Maresca to rest key players and blood academy youngsters, but the Italian will be afforded no such luxuries next campaign in the top tier of European football. Despite that, though, Makelele sees no reason why Chelsea cannot be considered a force to be reckoned with in the Champions League next season. But with the youngest XI in Premier League history this season, the Frenchman is adamant his former side will need to add some experience if they are to truly compete at the business end of the tournament. 'The key is stability but also bringing in the right players. The players who arrive in the summer need to be Chelsea players, with the mentality and the knowledge of the history of Chelsea,' added Makelele. Lowest average age of players used by teams in Europe's top five leagues in 2024/25: Strasbourg – 22.2 Chelsea – 23.7 Parma – 23.8 Paris Saint-Germain – 24.4 Juventus – 24.6 'Don't change too much because they have a good quality squad and a manager working in a way. The most important thing is the stability and that will make Chelsea come back to fighting in the Premier League and the Champions League next season. 'But they need players who are ready for that step up. There are plenty of teams with squads already ready to compete in multiple competitions, and Chelsea need to add that experience. 'The season is so long and you also want to fight for the Premier League and the FA Cup as well. They need to compete in these competitions so you need a squad that is stronger and wiser.' Chelsea will have to wait until next year to begin their quest for a third Champions League title, but one of Makelele's other former sides, Paris Saint-Germain, have a chance to end their European drought on Saturday against Inter Milan. Luis Enrique's side have lit up the competition with their free-flowing, attacking football and reached the final after clinically dispatching of Arsenal. But the Parisiens now face a tough ask against Inter at the weekend, with the Italian side back in the final for a second time in three seasons after their miraculous triumph over Barcelona in the semis. 'PSG made a lot of mistakes but now they've started to understand how to build a squad and to progress in this kind of competition,' said Makelele. More Trending 'It's all about working as a team and not as 11 players – the more you are together, the more positive things can happen and you can do your job in a good way. 'When you get to the final and smell it – even if you lose – you get this sense that you have to come back, you need to be there. PSG had that opportunity (in 2020) and they lost it. But you learn how to approach a final. Now, the second step is winning – this is more difficult. 'But Inter are no different. They won before and have now lost twice, so they will come back with that expectation of success. So both teams will be pushing hard and it will be a good game.' Claude Makélélé was speaking on behalf of bet365, the official global partner of the UEFA Champions League, which is hosting its Big Ticket Giveaway Game this Friday 30th May in Munich from 4pm, where fans have the chance to win tickets to the UEFA Champions League final. Full Terms and Conditions apply. Gamble Responsibly. Full interview can be found at bet365 News. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Chelsea make approach to sign £58m Arsenal transfer target MORE: Joe Cole would be 'stunned' if Chelsea don't beat Man Utd to £30m signing MORE: Enzo Maresca reveals what he told Isco after Chelsea beat Real Betis in Conference League final
New Straits Times
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Makelele: 'When Madrid call, you don't say no'
KUALA LUMPUR: Claude Makelele knows better than most people when it comes to playing in the Clasico. The former France midfielder wore the famed white of Real Madrid from 2000 to 2003 during the original "Galactico" era. Makelele, who had also played for Celta Vigo, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, believes that football is still a matter of heart and intelligence beyond the noise and glamour. "You need to put your love inside. Keep going, working hard. With time, you will always be successful," said Makelele during an interview in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday evening. As Real Madrid battle Barcelona in tonight's Clasico, Makelele reflects on the great rivalry between these two famous Spanish clubs. "Madrid, for me, are the best team in the world… It's always spectacular," he said. Makelele was at the heart of the original Galacticos, alongside Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raul, and Fernando Hierro. Looking back, he sees that Los Blancos side as unrepeatable. "At that time, yes, Madrid, Galacticos… I'm talking about a lot of genius players. I think you will not see this for a long, long, long time," he said. Makelele said what truly made that Madrid team tick was not just talent, but togetherness. "They never gave up, they always wanted to win. "The institution for Real Madrid was so strong. First of all, it's Real Madrid. They don't care about the players' names. They care about the group, the club." Makelele believes that this culture still defines Real Madrid today, and any player would dream of being part of it. "When Real Madrid call you, you can't say no. You need to go there, because it's the best team in the world," said Makelele who now focuses on educating young players, instilling values beyond flashy tricks and social media followers. For tonight's Clasico, Makelele is eager to watch a new generation of "genius players" take the stage, from Real's Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo to Barcelona's Pedri and Lamine Yamal. While Makelele acknowledgd that football has changed, with the rise of social media, branding and business, he said the game's essence remains. He still sees beauty in every era, even if the players wear different names on the back of their shirts.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gerrard rolls back the years for Liverpool as Crouch's robot returns - 5 talking points vs Chelsea
Liverpool legends recorded a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday in a light-hearted afternoon at Anfield. The game, organized to raise funds for both club's charity partners featured a host of former legends, including Steven Gerrard, Sami Hyypia and Dirk Kuyt, while for Chelsea the star names included Gianfranco Zola, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Claude Makelele. But it was Peter Crouch who stole the show with a second-half brace to ensure the hosts grabbed a very popular victory at Anfield. Here are the main talking points from the chairy game. READ MORE: History made in Liverpool Legends game with two Chelsea players crunched seconds later READ MORE: Liverpool star forced to hobble out of charity game after just 17 minutes Let's not forget why this game was staged in the first place - and the most important element of the entire day: to raise money for a very worthy cause. The funds generated from this year's game will support the LFC Foundation's health initiatives, which provide physical and mental wellbeing programmes for people of all ages throughout the Liverpool city region. Last year, the Foundation supported over 127,000 people through its programmes, delivering 18,000 sessions and events across 300 community venues, including 199 schools. Despite this being a charity game, there were a few sliding tackles and cynical fouls - perhaps unsurprisingly with the likes of Jay Spearing, Ramires and Makelele on the pitch. Admittedly, most fouls were followed by an apologetic hand, but Makelele took exception to a first-half challenge from Spearing - and let him know about it. In the second period, Florent Sinama-Pongolle was also vexed by a robust challenge from Florent Malouda. There was a slightly silly moment from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink when he decided to block Jerzey Dudek's kick - a foul in any game - and clipped the Pole. Sadly, that was the end of Dudek's day as he limped off with a hamstring injury. It was obvious before kick-off what the vast majority inside Anfield most hoped to see on Saturday: Gerrard roll back the years. And they got it, with the captain on the day looking sharp, linking well with team-mates and demonstrating his immaculate range of passing. He was also among those taking this game seriously, perhaps spurred on by a few hundred Chelsea fans who booed him as he swung in a corner half an hour into the game. He certainly looked pumped, running beyond Chelsea defenders, voicing his frustration at misplaced passes and routinely looking for shooting opportunities. Gerrard, who played the full 90 minutes, didn't get his goal that the fans craved, but there were a few near misses, including a crucial headed clearance from Jose Bosingwa to deny a shooting chance in the box, while Yossi Benayoun couldn't quite tee him up a few yards from goal late on. Saturday's game was another indication of how far women's soccer is progressing as Natasha Dowie became the first women's player to represent the legends' team when she was introduced from the bench after 30 minutes, She spoke beforehand about her pride at playing, how her family were in attendance and it was the biggest crowd she's ever played in front of. It wasn't the ideal start for the 36-year-old, who crunched Makelele with a mistimed tackle. Thankfully, he managed to continue and Dowie put in an impressive display up front. READ MORE: Steven Gerrard fumes at Liverpool teammate during charity match as icon can't hide anger READ MORE: Peter Crouch gives honest Arne Slot verdict after PSG and Newcastle defeats After a relatively dull first period, the introduction of Crouch changed the game, with the striker netting two off the bench. The one-time England international spoke of how excited his five-year-old, Liverpool-supporting son was to see him don the red jersey again. So who knows just how excited he was when Crouch nodded past Robert Green to grab the game's opening goal after 55 minutes. The robot, inevitably followed, in front of The Kop. Crouch was loving it and was over the moon to grab another soon after, this time lobbing Green from the back post. The second celebration was equally as enthusiastic and culminated in him running to the bench to embrace Sir Kenny Dalglish, John Aldridge, Ian Rush and John Barnes, with the quartet of Liverpool legends giving him a standing ovation.
