Latest news with #Malen
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Depay becomes joint-highest goalscorer for Netherlands, scored twice in 8-0 win vs Malta
Memphis Depay scored twice to equal the Netherlands' goal-scoring record as the Dutch hammered Malta 8-0 on Tuesday for a second successive World Cup qualifying victory. Depay converted a ninth-minute penalty and fired home a powerful shot seven minutes later to match Robin van Persie's record of 50 goals for the Dutch national team. Both achieved the tally in 102 appearances. Substitute Donyell Malen also scored a double with captain Virgil van Dijk, Xavi Simons, Noa Lang and Micky van de Ven adding the other goals as the Dutch won a second Group G qualifier after beating Finland in Helsinki on Saturday. Depay's opener at the Euroborg stadium came after Justin Kluivert was clipped in the penalty area, followed swiftly by his 50th goal for his country. That proved a much more impressive effort as the ball was pulled back from the byline for Depay to thrash it home from the edge of the area. Van Dijk made it 3-0 after 20 minutes with an impressive shot from the edge of the area not dissimilar to Depay's effort while Simons slid home the ball from an acute angle for the fourth in the 61st minute after the Dutch had squandered a plethora of chances. But they made up for that with four goals in the last 16 minutes as substitute Malen took over the running of the game. The Aston Villa attacker netted the fifth after Van de Ven pulled the ball back for him in the 74th minute before setting up Lang for the sixth four minutes later with a clever square pass that was perfectly timed. Malen then netted his second in the 80th minute before Van de Ven, who had been marauding on the left flank most of the game, put the seal on the result in stoppage time with a volleyed strike as Malta failed to clear. Dutch coach Ronald Koeman left out players who had been booked against Finland because he wanted no suspensions for their next tie at home against Poland in September, which could be the key game in the group.
New York Times
08-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Why Malen was left out of Villa's Champions League squad – and how Emery's handling the fallout
Donyell Malen was Aston Villa's first signing of the winter transfer window. He arrived after a fortnight of negotiations between Villa and Borussia Dortmund before a deal was struck at €23million (£19.4m, $23.5m) plus €3m in add-ons. At the time, Villa only wanted to make a couple of additions in the window, namely an attacker and a right-back, and Malen fitted the former. The thought of Marcus Rashford arriving in the Midlands felt remote. As did the late transfer frenzy which ensued. Advertisement The Netherlands international had been regularly discussed among Villa's hierarchy over the previous 12 months. A move would have materialised sooner had it not been for finances and a lack of headroom regarding profit and sustainability rules (PSR) during the past two windows. Malen pushed to join and changed agents last September, a sure sign of a player wanting to formalise an exit strategy. He was sold an ambitious project by Unai Emery, noting how forwards like him reached their optimal under his coaching. Pertinently, the cachet of Champions League football carried significant appeal. 'It's a big thing, the Champions League,' said the 26-year-old to a group of reporters shortly after signing a four-and-a-half-year contract. 'It's the biggest competition in the world. I played in it for the last few years so for me it was a very important thing when deciding to move. This is where you want to play.' Like Villa team-mate Ian Maatsen, Malen played in last season's Champions League final for his previous team Dortmund against Real Madrid. In ordinary circumstances, he would be involved in the knockout phase of this season's competition. Regrettably for Malen, it has not worked out as hoped, nor as expected. On Thursday, Emery had to inform him of his omission in Villa's updated 25-man Champions League squad, officially registered later that evening. 'It was not easy, the conversation with him,' said Emery, speaking the following day. 'It is not fair but the rules pushed us to take the decision and I explained to him why we took it. Of course, he accepted but it is not easy for him to be with us now and not playing in the Champions League.' Malen's misfortune, Villa explain, simply came down to signing too many players in the winter window. UEFA guidelines stated Villa could only register three of their new additions to their Champions League updated squad. They signed five. Two would have to be left in the cold and the unlucky pair were the only two permanent arrivals, Malen and Andres Garcia, who signed in a €7million package from Levante. Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi made the cut. Advertisement Garcia, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Friday, was expected to miss out — Garcia impressed team-mates and coaches in training in his first week but Emery has ample cover at right-back — but choosing the other exclusion posed a far greater challenge. Malen and Disasi were left toiling for the other spot and in the case of the latter, having signed from Chelsea on loan until the end of the season and costing Villa £5m, being involved in Europe's blue-chip competition was part of the discussions when he agreed to join. Villa did not plan to sign a defender like Disasi this month. Diego Carlos initiated the first domino falling when he made clear he wanted to join Fenerbahce in January. Villa were left needing a replacement. 'How we are now in the squad with some centre-backs not being available and being injured, I spoke with him (Malen) and tried to be honest and knowing it was not fair for him,' Emery added. 'But the necessary decision I had to take was in that direction.' Consequently, Disasi took up one place and the other two were obvious picks. Rashford and Asensio are on big salaries and playing in the Champions League was a driving factor in why they joined. Villa are covering the entirety of Asensio's wages and will contribute a minimum of three-quarters of Rashford's, which stands at more than £325,000 ($403,500) per week and up to 90 per cent depending on performance-based bonuses. Villa hold an option to make Rashford's move permanent in the summer for a fee of £40million. Ultimately, a profusion of signings led to difficult conversations for Emery and support staff. Malen joined for Emery and Villa's growth, rubber-stamped by the Champions League, which he had been involved with at Dortmund. It was a bruising day all round, with Malen deeply disappointed though knowing he had little time to be crestfallen, considering he was due to feature in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Tottenham Hotspur 72 hours later. Advertisement 'We changed five players and can only register three,' said Emery. 'The decisions we had to take yesterday and are out are Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen. Of course, it's not a good decision I had to take yesterday, but I spoke with Andres and Donyell to tell them the decision and I argued my decision with them.' Villa finished eighth in the league phase of the Champions League, guaranteeing their progress into the last 16. They will face one of Atalanta, Sporting CP, Club Brugge or Borussia Dortmund, Malen's former club, who are all involved in the play-offs. 'But we have other objectives, the FA Cup and also the Premier League as a priority,' added Emery, taking a more optimistic view of an awkward situation. 'We needed to take the decision in the Champions League for the rules and in the window, we did more than we wanted. 'Today, Donyell Malen was training well and he is going to play hopefully for a long time here and hopefully in the Champions League for the next years.' GO DEEPER Marco Asensio's Aston Villa arrival - and a chance to put his career back on track
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Who is in and out of British teams' European squads
Aston Villa have left out new signings Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia from their Champions League squad, manager Unai Emery has trio Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi are included in the side as Villa wait to find out their last-16 only allows clubs to register a maximum of three new players to their knockout-stage squad from the league-phase roster for the European competitions. Chelsea have added Cole Palmer to their Conference League squad after the England attacking midfielder was not involved in the league phase because of "workload management".Manchester City, who face holders Real Madrid in the knockout-phase play-offs of the Champions League, have kept injured Rodri in their list. Not a good decision I had to take - Emery Emery was left to make a tough call after signing five players during the winter transfer window and the Spaniard has dropped two permanent signings in favour of three forward Malen joined Villa for £19m from Borussia Dortmund last month, while 21-year-old full-back Garcia signed from Levante for a reported fee of £6m. Villa also signed Manchester United forward Rashford on loan with an option to buy, while Paris St-Germain midfielder Asensio and Chelsea defender Disasi arrived on deadline day."We can only register three changes and we did more changes in the window than we wanted," Emery said."Even though we lost one player from the list, Jaden [Philogene, who joined Ipswich Town] was a club-trained player, so we lost the opportunity through him to have one more."The decision we had to take, Garcia and Malen are out. It was not a good decision I had to take but I spoke with Andres and Donyell to tell them the decision."Villa could face Malen's former club Dortmund, Atalanta, Sporting or Club Brugge in the Champions League last 16. Palmer back for Chelsea; Rodri keeps place Chelsea, who are eyeing the Conference League title, have strengthened their squad with the addition of Chalobah, who was recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace, and deadline-day signing Mathis Amougou are the two others registered by the manager Enzo Maresca has seen five players from his European squad leave in January, meaning the Italian will only have 23 players at his disposal during the knockout signings Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez are the additions to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's Champions League who was ruled out for the season in September after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), has kept his place in the 23-man champions Celtic will have Portuguese winger Jota and Jeffrey Schlupp, on loan from Crystal Palace, available for selection as they face Bayern Munich in the Champions League play-offs on 12 and 18 have added defender Djed Spence and new signings Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso to their Europa League squad, but new goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky has been left manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped goalkeeper Fraser Forster, centre-back Radu Dragusin and forward Timo Werner for the knockout Amorim has named Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven in Manchester United's Europa League roster as Antony, Rashford and Tyrell Malacia were removed after their who are also in the Europa League last 16, have added Ianis Hagi, Danilo and Clinton Nsiala to their European squad in place of Neraysho Kasanwirjo, Oscar Cortes and Kieran Dowell, who has joined Birmingham City on loan.
