Latest news with #Porro
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: POR 2-2 ESP in 2nd half of extra time
Cristiano Ronaldo levels the score to 2-2 with a close range finish which is his 138th international career goal. 2:50 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Pedro Porro's audacious try! Porro tries to dink over the keeper from the half way line after seeing him coming ahead. Misses by a foot over the crossbar though. 2:46 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Yamal off! Lamine Yamal is off for Pino! Jota comes on for Pedro Neto in 2nd half as it kicks off with Spain. 2:43 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Half-time in extra time! It is still 2-2 in the final as Portugal did get close to scoring but were denied on the night. Final 15 minutes left after which we will go to penalties. 2:38 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: No penalty! No penalty but a red card check is going on which is also over now as Mendes was pushed in the aftermath. 2:37 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Nuno Mendes brought down! Nuno Mendes dribbles through the players and is brought down inside the box. Referee says no. Players tussle after the decision as the play is stopped. 2:30 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Spain makes changes! Baena and Porro come on for Spain to give the defence some fresh legs 2:29 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Semedo misses! A good chance inside the box for Semedo who received the ball from Nunes but mistimes it wide of the goal. 2:28 AM Portugal vs Spain Nations League final LIVE SCORE UPDATES: 1st half of ET begins! We are underway again as Spain are back on attack in the 1st half of extra time.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
HT Kick Off: June can be a tricky window
'The party is just getting started. Didier is going to find us in a strange state.' To everything the latest version of Ousmane Dembele is known for – a 33-goal season where he can basically play anywhere in an ever-dynamic Paris St-Germain (PSG) line-up – add a whacky, off-beat sense of humour. Of the kind Didier Deschamps may not dig. But seriously, here was a player celebrating his first Champions League medal, in the process possibly not noticing when Saturday bled into Sunday. Here was a team celebrating collectivism which took them to where they had wanted to be a billion euros ago. It deserved a party from which you wouldn't want to leave. Instead, Dembele and a host of PSG and Inter Milan players had to shrug it all off and report for international duty in less than 48 hours. Which meant Vitinha (180.2km) and Joao Neves (184.3km), who between them have covered the most distance of all players in the Champions League, and Nuno Mendes had to play in three days as Portugal beat Germany 2-1 in the National League semi-final. And Lee Kang-in got just a little more time to savour being only the second Asian to win a Champions League winner's medal. In all, 13 players from the rosters in Munich on Saturday were called for international duty. Of all the international windows, the one in June can be tricky for a national team coach. It was in this window in 2013 that Igor Stimac's Croatia lost to Scotland, triggering a string of poor results that led to his resignation. What makes the June dates difficult is that summer holidays beckon after a long, gruelling season but you have to lace up for a couple of more games. Games that can be the Nations League semi-final or a crucial World Cup qualifier. Games your future in the national team could hinge on. Ask Pedro Porro. It was a long time of Jesus Navas and Dani Carvajal doing their stuff before Porro could consolidate his position in Spain line-up. Not for him the chance to bask in the sweet aftertaste of helping Tottenham Hotspur win their first trophy in Europe after 1984. In the week of Porro lining up against France, his Spurs skipper Son Heung-min was trying to help South Korea. All the while not thinking about who will be managing their club next term. And as soon as the international engagements are done with, many of the world's elite will have to get ready for the hot American summer for the Club World Cup. Holidays? What's that. Manolo Marquez is grappling with a different kind of problem. The last time before the friendly against Thailand on Wednesday his players had a competitive game was over one month ago. Marquez can be happy India dominated most of the tie, that the debutants did okay but definitely not about such a poor xG. After a two-week break, India players had assembled for a preparatory camp in Kolkata before heading out to Thailand and from there to Kowloon City where they will play Hong Kong. Every team in this group are where they were in March so here's a chance for India to start afresh. Thailand's season ended on Saturday, Hong Kong's on May 25 and that could make the Asian Cup qualifier against India as one between teams in vastly different states of preparedness. I am not sure which is better. But given how listless India were against Bangladesh at home when because the season was on in full swing it should have been the opposite, I live in hope.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tottenham's Pedro Porro: ‘We won. Let them talk and do all the memes they want now'
Pedro Porro had to take a pee. 'I wouldn't wish it on anyone,' the Tottenham Hotspur defender says and then he laughs, which he does a lot. It was late in Bilbao and in the home dressing room at San Mamés, up the tunnel and to the right, players divided by metal bars, the party had begun. But he had been selected for the drugs test and was stuck in a much smaller and much, much quieter room, drinking as much possible as quickly as possible until he could go. And that, he says, took ages. 'It was hard for me. You've just won something huge, you have all your family there, all your teammates, all the people and … ' And the party would have to wait. Porro missed those moments but at last they did all come together, the Europa League champions in their kit – 'clean,' Porro adds swiftly – and winners' medals round their necks, families joining them dancing downstairs at the Carlton Hotel, a mile east of the stadium where they won the tournament. Around 3am, someone turned the main lights on, so someone else turned them off again; some didn't stop until they reached Tottenham High Road the next day, although he wasn't one of them. 'We wanted to carry on a bit, that's normal,' Porro says, 'although I had to go because my little daughter was tired. It had been a long, hard year and it was lovely to celebrate together.' Advertisement Related: Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham journey a reminder the world of football is vast and rich | Jack Snape A long hard year? How about 17 of them? Or more. Even sitting here in the sunshine at Spain's Las Rozas training camp, focus now turned instead to the Nations League semi-final against France on Thursday evening, Porro admits they still haven't quite assimilated what they have done, despite the congratulations with which he has been met upon arrival – along with Fabián Ruiz and Marc Cucurella, he is one of only three members of the squad to have won a European title this season – and despite seeing it for himself. He had imagined the scenes, he says, but not quite like what he witnessed in N17. 'It's more than 40 years since a European trophy. People's reaction was lovely. When you get on the bus and go round London, you get a feel for how important it is. You change families' lives. They had suffered. We had suffered too inside, day by day.' It's not just that Spurs' season had been mostly awful, or that they hadn't won for almost two decades; it was that they had become a kind of running joke. 'A meme', in Porro's words. 'That's just, like, people's opinion. Of course that reaches you, but we don't care … actually, in fact, I would say thanks to them because it can be extra motivation, petrol to fuel you. And we won. Let them talk and do all the memes they want now.' There may be no meme, no trope, quite like the old favourite. Lads, it's Tottenham. Porro laughs; oh he heard that one, all right. And? 'And it was used. The coach said: yes, we're Tottenham. We have to believe we're a big team. Now people have to respect Tottenham a bit more because they're Europa League champions. The season had been really bad in the Premier League and winning a European title brought such happiness. The fans had suffered, we had suffered too. But it's not how it starts, it's how it ends.' So much for Spursy. Advertisement There is always vindication in victory. For Porro, for the club, and of course for the coach. Yet that is no guarantee that Ange Postecoglou will continue, his future uncertain, the axe still hovering over his head however much of hero he became in Bilbao, even if those familiar old lines were replaced by the one about always winning in his second season, a vow now fulfilled. If at first this is something that the full-back would rather not be drawn into, his position is clear. 'I'm not thinking about club football right now because I am here with Spain and we have two important games this week,' he says, 'but him continuing would be good for the dressing room. He has built a very good group and coaches also need time. In the league things didn't go well but he makes you win a trophy. That's important too. The people in the dressing room with weight have to understand that. But as I say I'm thinking about the national team now; there will be time for that.' Hang on, do you mean there are some players who don't understand that? 'No, it's simply just that ... we're inside and we know more or less how things are, no? I'm not going to lie, it did impact me to see [people say] they were going to sack him to be honest. I'm very close to him. He's been an important coach for me and it's thanks to him that I have brought out my [best] football these two years. It's complicated because in football in general things don't always depend on you but, honestly, in the team – I think, in my opinion – we're happy with him.' Yet a trophy is one thing; the daily reality another, and the doubt lingers over whether silverware should eclipse all else. On some simple level, it's almost baffling. How do you explain the difference between domestic form and European success? How can the worst season in decades end up being the best, a team that lost 22 times in the Premier League lifting a trophy at last? 'It's football,' Porro says, smiling. And supporters deserved something good at the end of all the bad, the suffering, he suggests, almost as if fate repaid them. But there is something else: priority, environment, a shift. Advertisement 'The coach wanted to compete in both competitions because he's a winner,' Porro says. '[But] when you have a clear idea that you can do something big, you focus more on one thing than another. We knew that through the Premier League it was impossible to reach Europe and that the only option, the only objective, was to win the Europa League. In the Europa League, different demands are made of you. You have focus on pressing better, defending better. You saw it: three clean sheets in the last three games. Don't let in goals, and we have dynamite up front. We said if we kept a clean sheet we had a good chance.' That doesn't sound like Angeball, Postecoglou altering his approach; this was a success that was countercultural, the principles the coach spoke about laid aside, pragmatism allowed in, especially from January. 'Well,' Porro says. 'Look, it's like the final. I say to everyone: people can tell the story of that game any way they like; what matters in the end is that you win it. People say, we didn't have a shot on goal … what does it matter? Football is like that. Sometimes you have 50 shots on goal and you don't score any, and others one is enough.' He laughs. 'That's called effectiveness.' It brought a Champions League place, even if Arsène Wenger, the former Arsenal manager whose rivalry with Manchester United was fierce, suggested before the final that it should not have done. Both teams had been too bad to be handed such rich reward, the 15th or 17th best teams in England permitted to play alongside the continent's elite. 'That rule has been there for years, it's not news,' Porro says, shrugging. 'We have to concentrate on ourselves, not what old coaches say … even what old coaches of our own say.' That'll be Tim Sherwood, then? When Porro made his debut, a 4-1 defeat at Leicester in February 2023, the former Spurs coach described him as 'so bad it's unbelievable'. A smile flashes across the Spaniard's face, that fuel there again. 'You can ask him from me what he thinks now,' Porro says, laughing. 'People can think what they want. I've got no problem with him or anyone. It's normal. It's his opinion. Lots of people have an opinion: if you're good, if you're bad. Advertisement 'In truth, it does affect you, of course. It's normal. You're new, you have only been in the team a week, it was my first game. But it's football. And football is capricious. A year later I went back to Leicester and scored the first goal of the season. Football is like that. That toughens you. And as I have said before: thanks very much for having a go at me because that makes me strong too. It's true that at first it hurts because you think: 'Bloody hell, let me breathe.' But that's normal: it's the pressure that comes with football. They've paid £50m for you. And I have always had that mentality to change people's opinions.' Related: How bad was Spurs v United in comparison to other European club finals? To change himself too. Porro eloquently discusses the shifts between full-back and wing-back, for example: when to move, when to wait, when to step out, when to hold. There is, though, a twinkle of mischief when he admits that it's still the 'offensive weapons' that set him apart, even if that spirit may also be what balances him on knife-edge. There's the warrior in him too. Above all, he describes it as a 'mental change'. Opportunity counts and can't always be controlled. 'You have to be hard, self-critical. If someone says something like that, it's because you have to change. You grow. It's a process.' It has been played out here too, with the selección. Two years passed between Porro's first Spain game and his second. Nineteenth months passed between his second and third. In the meantime, he missed Euro 2024; his absence was possibly the one big surprise in the squad. Now though, still only 25, he has played five of their last six. He is likely to start against France in the Nations League semi-final. Advertisement 'Look, I'm not going to lie: it hurt [to miss the Euros] because it came off the back of a very good year,' Porro says. 'But, well, football is like that. I had two legends in front of me – Dani Carvajal and Jesús Navas – so it's understandable. They both have their trajectories. It's like what happened with Rodri and Sergio Busquets: until your moment comes [you have to wait]. There's no need to even talk to Luis [de la Fuente, the Spain coach]: I know that if that's what he decided that was what he thought was best for the team. We have known each other for a long time and he doesn't have to explain anything to me. He had his two players and that's that. What matters is that we won the Euros. 'I wouldn't say I feel like a fixture now but I do feel more confident every day. Continuity and confidence is very important, you let go. If you play a game every year it's not the same: you come with the pressure to prove yourself. But Luis has always trusted me. And now we have a semi-final against a very competitive team. Their wingers are very fast, but then almost all the wingers in the Premier League are fast and strong. France have great players but so do we. We have our weapons too. Then there's the final. I played more minutes than anyone this year which is important to me. It's been a big season and hopefully we can put the icing on the cake on Sunday. It's a Nations League, a trophy. And whenever you play for a trophy, it matters.'
NBC Sports
21-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United player ratings — Who starred in Europa League final?
The Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United player ratings were a lot of fun to dish out as a nerve-racking Europa League final played out in Bilbao and Spurs won their first trophy since 2008. Below are the Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United player ratings out of 10, plus analysis, as plenty of stars rose to the occasion. Tottenham Hotspur player ratings Guglielmo Vicario: 5 — Flappity flap, don't flap back. Nearly the architect of Spurs' downfall. Pedro Porro: 7.5 — Without a single attacking midfielder/ball progressor available due to injuries, it was wide play or nothing for Spurs, and Porro (and Destiny Udogie, at left back) did just enough to keep things moving forward in the rare instance that there was space to attack. Cristian Romero: 7 — Typically the hero along Spurs' backline, if not for… Micky van de Ven: 9 — That. Goal. Line. Clearance. An iconic moment in Spurs history, as it was inches from being 1-1 with the game titling heavily in Man United's favor. Destiny Udogie: 7 — See above: Porro, Pedro. Yves Bissouma: 7 — Nobody had a bigger task than keeping track of Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and Mason Mount, but Bissouma, who struggled mightily for most of the season, was a titan at breaking up play. Rodrigo Bentancur: 6 — Held down the fort and got back in space when Romero and Van de Ven were caught up, breaking up United's counters in the first half. Pape Matar Sarr: 7 — Assist on the game's only goal and did an admirable job as the most advanced midfielder in an incredibly difficult situation in the biggest moment imaginable. Brennan Johnson: 7.5 — Got the goal, right or wrong, Backpost Brennan did what he does best. Richarlison: 7 — A workhorse up and down the right flank, chasing the ball down, winning it back and sometimes even bringing it forward into dangerous areas. On-brand. Dominic Solanke: 6.5 — Fought for possession, gave United's backline fits in possession but had a chance to put the game away and couldn't got a shot off. Manchester United player ratings Andre Onana: 5.5 — Was a side note. Could he have done better on the goal? Luke Shaw: 6.5 — Hard to fault him for the ball careening off his arm en route to Johnson's goal. Showed off his range of passing. Harry Maguire: 6 — Good going forward but will rue his failure to get a foot on the cross that became Brennan Johnson's goal. Leny Yoro: 6.5 — Showed in flashes why Amorim sees the 20-year-old as a future star in his system. Noussair Mazraoui: 7.5 — At the center of so much. Feels like he was involved in 100 duels and won 90% of them. Casemiro: 7 — Held firm at the back and also created a couple of chances. Bruno Fernandes: 6 — Amorin's game plan seemed to keep him from being anywhere near his most dangerous. Atypically nervy with his passing, which ended a number of promising moments. Patrick Dorgu (Off 90'): 6.5 — Showed in flashes why Amorim sees him as a part of his project, but also looked 20 years old quite a few times (which, as a 20-year-old, of course). Amad Diallo: 7.5 — It's been Amad and Mazraoui for United's MOTM, in our opinion. Tidy and efficient. Mason Mount (Off 71': 6.5 — Did well in the duel and stuck in his nose when possible, but did very little in creation for the Red Devils attack. Rasmus Hojlund (Off 71'): 6.5 — Couple of shots despite getting only 15 touches -- two in the box -- over his shift.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🔴 Tottenham v Man United: Udogie, Dorgu start, Son out ❌
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here. Bilbao has been invaded by English fans. Tonight, Tottenham and Manchester United will face off in a Premier League derby that puts the Europa League on the line. It's been a terrible season for both clubs, who are currently 17th and 16th in the league standings, respectively. The only way to salvage the season - and thus secure qualification for the next Champions League - is to lift the trophy at San is constantly being updated, press the match card above for live text updates. Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Solanke, Richarlison. MANCHESTER UNITED (3-4-2-1): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Amad, Mount; Højlund. 📸 Gari Garaialde - 2025 Getty Images
