Latest news with #NationsLeague
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Liverpool: Florian Wirtz 'about to' make move as timeline revealed for Jeremie Frimpong transfer
Liverpool have been handed huge boost in their attempts to wrap up a stunning double deal for Bayer Leverkusen pair Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong. Aside from the Premier League title celebrations, the next biggest topic surrounding the Reds in recent weeks are perhaps a surprising turn of events, Liverpool appeared to have a free run at Wirtz after Manchester City deemed a deal too expensive and then Bayern Munich admitted defeat in the race. That said, Real Madrid were reportedly growing in confidence over hijacking the Merseyside outfit's efforts to sign the Germany international. The report stated the Spanish giants believed they have an ace up their sleeve in newly-appointed manager Xabi Alonso due to the pair's time working together at Leverkusen. However, it would appear that Liverpool need not worry. This is because German publication BILD have provided fresh details on Wirtz's future, revealing the 22-year-old is 'about to' make the move to the Premier League champions with talks ongoing. Furthermore, the report claims Liverpool want to have a deal - thought to be around £125milion - finalised in time for Wirtz to go away with the German national team for their Nations League semi-final against Portugal on June 4. Meanwhile, Bild mentions that Frimpong has completed a medical and all that is missing is official word from both clubs with the right-back expected to be a direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Evening Standard
8 hours ago
- Business
- Evening Standard
Liverpool FC: Florian Wirtz 'about to' make move as timeline revealed for Jeremie Frimpong transfer
Furthermore, the report claims Liverpool want to have a deal - thought to be around £125milion - finalised in time for Wirtz to go away with the German national team for their Nations League semi-final against Portugal on June 4.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Excited' Andreatta says Scots can avoid relegation
Women's Nations League: Scotland v Austria Date: 30 May Time: 19:35 BST Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Coverage: Live on BBC Alba and also watch and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. New head coach Melissa Andreatta is more excited by the possibilities for the Scotland's Women's team after working with the players for the first time - and believes they can preserve their top-tier Nations League status. Scotland round off a so-far miserable Nations League Group A1 campaign at home to Austria on Friday before travelling to the Netherlands four days later - with both matches live on the BBC. As they did during their first stint in League A in 2023, Scotland have struggled among the elite of the Nations League and have yet to take a point from their four matches. To have a chance of preserving their League A status via a play-off, they will need to beat Austria by two goals at Hampden. They lost 1-0 on matchday one at the Josko Arena but those are Austria's only points of their own modest campaign. When the former Australia assistant head coach was asked if she believes her new side can avoid Nations League relegation, she replied "we believe we can do that". The 46-year-old added: "'Excited' is a good word for me to use. I definitely am, but I want to be measured as well and know that it's going to take time and there's progress to be made in order to match our ambition with the belief. "The first few weeks have been more than I had hoped for. I said to the players that I'm falling in love with this country and the football speaks for itself. "I only see opportunity and yes, there's going to be tough times and yes, there's a lot of progress to be made, but we believe in what we have, we believe we have what it takes and we're going to fight." Andreatta has taken over following the exit of Pedro Martinez Losa - who is now in charge of Mexican club Tigres - after Scotland's failure to reach the Euro 2025 finals. She will only have two games to work with Rachel Corsie, as the 35-year-old will retire at the end of this international window. The Australian paid tribute to the former captain's demeanour around what will be her final international camp. "Rachel Corsie - what a legend," added Andreatta. "It's been super humbling to to work with her in these past few days and the professionalism of Rachel is what's really stood out and her willingness to share her experiences with both players and staff. "I think she's had a really positive impact on the group on her return to camp and all she's focused on is her role and what the team needs to do to play the way we want to." In Andreatta's first squad there is a first call up for Hibernian striker Kathleen McGovern, who has 25 goals for the Scottish Women's Premier League leaders, while Rangers captain Nicola Docherty and two club-mates - winger Brogan Hay and forward Kirsty Howat - have also been recalled. Scotland have failed to reach a major tournament since 2019. Analysis - BBC Scotland commentator Thomas Duncan Andreatta will hope to take some inspiration from her Austrian counterpart Alexander Schreibl, who took charge of his first game against Scotland in February and emerged with a narrow 1-0 win. These sides have been separated by a single goal the last two times they have met with one win apiece, an illustration of how closely fought Friday's game will be. Austria have found the going tough since that opening victory, though, losing 4-1 to Germany and 3-1 home and away to the Netherlands. They took the lead in two of those three games though, and Schreibl has called in extra attacking reinforcements to try to make the difference against Scotland, who have struggled for goals for a long time now against sides who have similar or greater squad quality. Striker Nicole Billa, who has 47 goals in 106 caps, has been recalled and could start in a front two, which has been deployed behind a diamond midfield throughout the Nations League. Another forward, Eileen Campbell is also back from a hip injury. With Scotland needing a two-goal victory to give themselves a chance of staying in League A, Austria know if they use their firepower correctly it will make life very difficult for Andreatta's side. Goalkeepers: Eartha Cumings (Rosengard), Lee Gibson (Glasgow City), Sandy MacIver (Washington Spirit). Defenders: Jenna Clark (Liverpool), Rachel Corsie (Aston Villa), Nicola Docherty (Rangers), Sophie Howard (Leicester City), Emma Lawton (Celtic), Rachel McLauchlan (Rangers), Amy Muir (Glasgow City), Kirsty Smith (unattached). Midfielders: Chelsea Cornet (Rangers), Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Lauren Davidson (Brann), Freya Gregory (Newcastle United), Brogan Hay (Rangers), Kirsty MacLean (Rangers), Amy Rodgers (Bristol City), Emma Watson (Manchester United), Caroline Weir (Real Madrid). Forwards: Kirsty Howat (Rangers), Mia McAulay (Rangers), Kathleen McGovern (Hibernian), Martha Thomas (Tottenham Hotspur). Scottish Football Association
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
McCabe may be kept in reserve as Ireland monitor calf issue
Ireland's European queen Katie McCabe could be kept in reserve during Ireland's must-win penultimate Nations League clash in Turkey (6pm, Irish time). It's certain that the captain – fresh from helping Arsenal win the Champions League on Saturday – will win her 97th cap but it could be as a substitute. McCabe has been nursing a calf problem for a few months, influencing the decision of Ireland manager Carla Ward to keep her on the bench for the April visit to Greece. With that game scoreless at the break, the trump card was mobilised at the break and McCabe inspired the Girls in Green to a 4-0 victory. Ward now faces a dilemma in managing the game-time of McCabe over the next five days. It isn't so much a concern about the aftereffects of the partying McCabe and her Gunners teammates have indulged in since beating Barcelona in Bilbao but the risk of aggravating a lingering injury that flares up in spells of fatigue. Six points are essential from the concluding double-header against the Turks and Slovenia but Tuesday's second leg Pairc Uí Chaoímh may require a deluge of goals to usurp the Slovenians for top spot. A presumption that Ireland would replicate their last tenancy in League B strolling to top spot and promotion was mothballed by a 4-0 thumping against the pool leaders in February. Various permutations are still possible. Were Greece, sunken at the bottom without a point, to somehow halt the Slovenian gallop in the match kicking off an hour earlier Ljubljana, two wins for Ireland would leapfrog them to the summit. Automatic promotion to League A could also enable them to dodge the playoff series in the Autunm. Still, Ireland also cannot afford to be complacent. Ward's first match at the helm was a forgettable narrow 1-0 win over the Turks at Tallaght, a match in which the visitors spurned a late chance to snaffle a draw. They've since beaten Greece to reside in third spot and will fancy taking a bigger scalp against an Ireland team still reliant on McCabe to weave her magic. The warm conditions will be in their favour. Denise O'Sullivan, as she was the last time out at home to Greece when McCabe was suspended, will be the other creative force through which Ireland can produce the performance to avoid a second hiccup in the campaign. 'It's difficult when players first come in to new staff, system and way of doing things," noted Ward about her experience so far, entailing just two full camps in February and April. 'The players have reacted brilliantly but there's an understanding that we're at the business end. Hopefully these two games will get us where we want to be. 'First things first, we've to win tomorrow night to set up the final game against Slovenia in Cork. 'Hopefully Greece takes something off Slovenia in the other game. If not, it sets up for the first bite of the cherry on Tuesday where we'd have to beat Slovenia by head to win the head-to-head. 'Failing that, if we finish second we'll have a second bite in the October playoff. We'd have to get the job done then.' Ending up in League A smooths the path for Ireland to a second successive World Cup in 2027. Should they gain promotion, either after Tuesday or via the playoffs, then they would be guaranteed entry into a convoluted playoff series towards reaching Brazil. That showpiece will feature 32 teams but the next event, likely to be hosted by the UK nations, is to be expanded to 48 nations.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
'Excited' Andreatta says Scots can avoid relegation
Women's Nations League: Scotland v AustriaDate: 30 May Time: 19:35 BST Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Coverage: Live on BBC Alba and also watch and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. New head coach Melissa Andreatta is more excited by the possibilities for the Scotland's Women's team after working with the players for the first time - and believes they can preserve their top-tier Nations League round off a so-far miserable Nations League Group A1 campaign at home to Austria on Friday before travelling to the Netherlands four days later - with both matches live on the they did during their first stint in League A in 2023, Scotland have struggled among the elite of the Nations League and have yet to take a point from their four have a chance of preserving their League A status via a play-off, they will need to beat Austria by two goals at lost 1-0 on matchday one at the Josko Arena but those are Austria's only points of their own modest the former Australia assistant head coach was asked if she believes her new side can avoid Nations League relegation, she replied "we believe we can do that".The 46-year-old added: "'Excited' is a good word for me to use. I definitely am, but I want to be measured as well and know that it's going to take time and there's progress to be made in order to match our ambition with the belief."The first few weeks have been more than I had hoped for. I said to the players that I'm falling in love with this country and the football speaks for itself. "I only see opportunity and yes, there's going to be tough times and yes, there's a lot of progress to be made, but we believe in what we have, we believe we have what it takes and we're going to fight."Andreatta has taken over following the exit of Pedro Martinez Losa - who is now in charge of Mexican club Tigres - after Scotland's failure to reach the Euro 2025 will only have two games to work with Rachel Corsie, as the 35-year-old will retire at the end of this international Australian paid tribute to the former captain's demeanour around what will be her final international camp."Rachel Corsie - what a legend," added Andreatta."It's been super humbling to to work with her in these past few days and the professionalism of Rachel is what's really stood out and her willingness to share her experiences with both players and staff."I think she's had a really positive impact on the group on her return to camp and all she's focused on is her role and what the team needs to do to play the way we want to."In Andreatta's first squad there is a first call up for Hibernian striker Kathleen McGovern, who has 25 goals for the Scottish Women's Premier League leaders, while Rangers captain Nicola Docherty and two club-mates - winger Brogan Hay and forward Kirsty Howat - have also been have failed to reach a major tournament since 2019. 'Austria call in attacking reinforcements' Analysis - BBC Scotland commentator Thomas DuncanAndreatta will hope to take some inspiration from her Austrian counterpart Alexander Schreibl, who took charge of his first game against Scotland in February and emerged with a narrow 1-0 win. These sides have been separated by a single goal the last two times they have met with one win apiece, an illustration of how closely fought Friday's game will be. Austria have found the going tough since that opening victory, though, losing 4-1 to Germany and 3-1 home and away to the took the lead in two of those three games though, and Schreibl has called in extra attacking reinforcements to try to make the difference against Scotland, who have struggled for goals for a long time now against sides who have similar or greater squad quality. Striker Nicole Billa, who has 47 goals in 106 caps, has been recalled and could start in a front two, which has been deployed behind a diamond midfield throughout the Nations League. Another forward, Eileen Campbell is also back from a hip Scotland needing a two-goal victory to give themselves a chance of staying in League A, Austria know if they use their firepower correctly it will make life very difficult for Andreatta's side. Scotland squad Goalkeepers: Eartha Cumings (Rosengard), Lee Gibson (Glasgow City), Sandy MacIver (Washington Spirit).Defenders: Jenna Clark (Liverpool), Rachel Corsie (unattached), Nicola Docherty (Rangers), Sophie Howard (Leicester City), Emma Lawton (Celtic), Rachel McLauchlan (Rangers), Amy Muir (Glasgow City), Kirsty Smith (unattached).Midfielders: Chelsea Cornet (Rangers), Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Lauren Davidson (Brann), Freya Gregory (Newcastle United), Brogan Hay (Rangers), Kirsty MacLean (Rangers), Amy Rodgers (Bristol City), Emma Watson (Manchester United), Caroline Weir (Real Madrid).Forwards: Kirsty Howat (Rangers), Mia McAulay (Rangers), Kathleen McGovern (Hibernian), Martha Thomas (Tottenham Hotspur).
