Latest news with #SpartaRotterdam
Ya Biladi
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Dropped for weight, battling to walk : The resilience of football star Ismael Saibari
Moroccan international Ismael Saibari is finally reaping the rewards of his hard work. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder recently clinched the Eredivisie title with his club, PSV Eindhoven, following a 3–1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam. He ended the 2024–25 season with an impressive tally of 11 goals and 11 assists. His stellar performance has made him one of the standout players in Dutch football and earned him a nomination for Player of the Year. Saibari is also attracting interest from several clubs, which could see him leave PSV this summer. But before reaching this level, Saibari—born in Spain to a humble Moroccan family—had to overcome many challenges to make it to the spotlight and fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a professional footballer. Struggling to make his first steps In a candid interview with Swedish sports media outlet Wenström Television, Saibari recalled his early struggles—ones that had little to do with football and more with learning to walk. Saibari struggled to take his first steps at the age of two due to a congenital condition. «Maybe I couldn't walk properly for the rest of my life», he recalled. «But we are Muslims, and we really believe in God, so my mother just prayed for me—that I could just have a normal life, you know». To correct the condition, Saibari had to wear a special orthopedic device for over a year to keep his feet straight and help him walk. «It wasn't even about becoming a football player or anything like that», he said. «That machine helped. It's a sort of device that helps little babies walk straight. And yeah, luckily, it worked». His love for football was tested early on. At six, Saibari began playing for a local club in Terrassa, in central-eastern Catalonia, with hopes of one day joining FC Barcelona's famed youth academy. But that dream was cut short by the 2007 economic crisis, which forced his parents to leave Spain and move to Belgium. «They moved to work and give us a better future», he explained. Dropped for being «too fat» In Belgium, Saibari never gave up on his dream. He played for several clubs, including Beerschot in Antwerp and RSC Anderlecht. But at 14, while at Anderlecht, he was unexpectedly released for a reason he still doesn't fully understand. «They told me I was too fat», he said. «I was playing well. I was in a good moment. It was an honor to play there. Then, just one day before the new season started, I got the news. It was really painful». Despite the setback, Saibari had unwavering support from his family. «My parents were there for me. They motivated me and said, 'Look, these are the things that happen in life. You have two choices: either you give up, or you work towards your goal and become a football player.' So I chose the second one». Looking back, Saibari is grateful he stayed the course. One key lesson he draws from his journey is that «sometimes there won't be justice—move on and keep working». He also remembers a moment of poetic justice. While playing for Genk between 2017 and 2020, he recalled, «I scored a beautiful goal, we won that game 4-3, and became champions against Anderlecht». Looking ahead, Saibari dreams of achieving future glory with Morocco's national team, the Atlas Lions. When asked what headline he would most love to see written about him one day, he answered: «Ismael Saibari scores the winner in the World Cup final». «Always dream big», he concluded.
The National
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Watch: Ex-Rangers man nets to seal Eredivisie title for PSV
The 22-year-old, who spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Ibrox, scored the third in his side's 3-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam as they won the Dutch top flight for the second successive year. Read more: Tillman rattled home from close range with his left foot after the ball was knocked back to him in the box. Tillman joined PSV on a permanent deal last summer after signing for the club on an initial loan from Bayern Munich. He played 34 times for them this season, scoring 16 goals and assisting five. The American won PFA Scotland's Young Player of the Year award while at Rangers. Elsewhere, Ally McCoist would take Jamie Vardy at Ibrox 'in two minutes'. The legendary striker delivered his verdict on a potential Rangers switch for the 38-year-old, although he outlined his feeling that his future is already sewn up: "Something tells me that he has got something organised, whether it is America or another club, I think he will have something organised," he said [talkSport]. "We were in discussion yesterday, me and my Rangers mates, I would take him in two minutes at Rangers, I really would."
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Ajax woe as PSV Eindhoven crowned Dutch champions
A 3-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam was enough to hand Peter Bosz and his men the Eredivisie title. PSV's players celebrate with the 2024/25 championship title trophy after winning the Dutch Eredivisie football match against Sparta Rotterdam at Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel in Rotterdam on Sunday. Photo: Bas CZERWINSKI / ANP / AFP PSV Eindhoven won their second successive Dutch title on Sunday, surging from a seemingly impossible position in the closing weeks of the season to pip arch-rivals Ajax. A 3-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam was enough to hand Peter Bosz and his men the Eredivisie title, which culminated in one of the most exciting climaxes in living memory. ALSO READ: Guardiola urges Man City to use FA Cup pain to fuel top five bid PSV had all but given up hope of the championship. With only five matches to play, four-time European champions Ajax were nine points clear and seemingly cruising to the title. In what was billed as a championship decider, Ajax beat PSV 2-0 in Eindhoven on March 30 and all seemed set fair for the Dutch giants to claim their 37th Eredivisie crown. But Ajax, hoping to bounce back from one of their worst ever seasons last year, collapsed in spectacular fashion, losing twice and drawing twice to hand PSV the initiative. The penultimate match was especially painful for Ajax. With fate still in their hands, one point ahead of PSV, they conceded an equaliser in the ninth minute of extra time against Groningen. This 2-2 draw allowed PSV, who had won six straight games since that loss to Ajax, to leapfrog their Amsterdam rivals, meaning three points on Sunday was enough for glory. PSV fans had been frustrated by the team's inconsistency for most of the season. An undoubted high point was beating Premier League champions Liverpool in a 3-2 Champions League thriller at the Philips Stadion. But PSV's European journey ended in abject humiliation, as they were dismantled 7-1 at home by a rampant Arsenal. Domestically, they struggled to replicate last year's dominant form, when they lost only once. They were beaten by Ajax in both their league games but also suffered frustrating defeats to PEC Zwolle, Go Ahead Eagles, and Heerenveen. Nevertheless, they showed resilience when it mattered in the final weeks. A winner deep in injury time against Feyenoord, the other member of the Eredivisie 'big three', kept them in the hunt with two games remaining. For the second straight season, they have scored more than 100 goals, with Luuk de Jong, Noa Lang, and Ricardo Pepi all in double figures. But off the field, Lang has been a constant source of controversy, clashing with his own fans and the subject of multiple transfer rumours. – 'Already given up' – PSV's 26th Eredivisie title will be all the sweeter as it came from such an improbable position. 'After the home defeat against Ajax, we had already given up. We were nine points behind,' said De Jong. 'I have never experienced this before… There was a lot of joy because we didn't dare to dream of this anymore. It turns out that hunting is sometimes easier.' For Ajax and their fans, this painful capitulation is a lost opportunity to ease the agony of last season's disastrous campaign. The Amsterdam giants suffered their worst-ever start to a season last year, at one point propping up the Eredivisie table — immortalised by one jubilant PSV fan who tattooed the standings on his body. Being booted out of the Dutch Cup by rank amateurs Hercules was another nadir but a leadership shake-up saw England star Jordan Henderson brought in as captain and Italian Francesco Farioli as the new coach. Farioli had identified Champions League football as the target for this year, which he has achieved. But this season will surely be remembered at Ajax for the 'what if', not the second place and spot in Europe. 'That hurts. A lot,' the Ajax Supporters Association wrote on its website after the points dropped at Groningen. 'Before this season, many Ajax fans would have bitten your hand off for a second place in the Eredivisie… But with Ajax almost smelling the title, a drop to second place still hurts so much.
News18
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Eredivisie: PSV Taste Glory To Pile On Ajax Collapse
Last Updated: A 3-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam was enough to hand Peter Bosz and his men the Eredivisie title after Ajax let a massive lead slip in the final stretch of the Dutch top flight. PSV Eindhoven won their second successive Dutch title on Sunday, surging from a seemingly impossible position in the closing weeks of the season to pip arch-rivals Ajax. A 3-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam was enough to hand Peter Bosz and his men the Eredivisie title, which culminated in one of the most exciting climaxes in living memory. PSV had all but given up hope of the championship. With only five matches to play, four-time European champions Ajax were nine points clear and seemingly cruising to the title. In what was billed as a championship decider, Ajax beat PSV 2-0 in Eindhoven on March 30 and all seemed set fair for the Dutch giants to claim their 37th Eredivisie crown. But Ajax, hoping to bounce back from one of their worst ever seasons last year, collapsed in spectacular fashion, losing twice and drawing twice to hand PSV the initiative. The penultimate match was especially painful for Ajax. With fate still in their hands, one point ahead of PSV, they conceded an equaliser in the ninth minute of extra time against Groningen. This 2-2 draw allowed PSV, who had won six straight games since that loss to Ajax, to leapfrog their Amsterdam rivals, meaning three points on Sunday was enough for glory. PSV fans had been frustrated by the team's inconsistency for most of the season. An undoubted high point was beating Premier League champions Liverpool in a 3-2 Champions League thriller at the Philips Stadion. But PSV's European journey ended in abject humiliation, as they were dismantled 7-1 at home by a rampant Arsenal. Domestically, they struggled to replicate last year's dominant form, when they lost only once. They were beaten by Ajax in both their league games but also suffered frustrating defeats to PEC Zwolle, Go Ahead Eagles, and Heerenveen. Nevertheless, they showed resilience when it mattered in the final weeks. A winner deep in injury time against Feyenoord, the other member of the Eredivisie 'big three", kept them in the hunt with two games remaining. For the second straight season, they have scored more than 100 goals, with Luuk de Jong, Noa Lang, and Ricardo Pepi all in double figures. But off the field, Lang has been a constant source of controversy, clashing with his own fans and the subject of multiple transfer rumours. PSV's 26th Eredivisie title will be all the sweeter as it came from such an improbable position. 'After the home defeat against Ajax, we had already given up. We were nine points behind," said De Jong. 'I have never experienced this before… There was a lot of joy because we didn't dare to dream of this anymore. It turns out that hunting is sometimes easier." For Ajax and their fans, this painful capitulation is a lost opportunity to ease the agony of last season's disastrous campaign. The Amsterdam giants suffered their worst-ever start to a season last year, at one point propping up the Eredivisie table — immortalised by one jubilant PSV fan who tattooed the standings on his body. Being booted out of the Dutch Cup by rank amateurs Hercules was another nadir but a leadership shake-up saw England star Jordan Henderson brought in as captain and Italian Francesco Farioli as the new coach. Farioli had identified Champions League football as the target for this year, which he has achieved. But this season will surely be remembered at Ajax for the 'what if", not the second place and spot in Europe. 'That hurts. A lot," the Ajax Supporters Association wrote on its website after the points dropped at Groningen. 'Before this season, many Ajax fans would have bitten your hand off for a second place in the Eredivisie… But with Ajax almost smelling the title, a drop to second place still hurts so much. 'So near, but so far." tags : Ajax Eredivisie PSV the netherlands Location : Netherlands First Published: May 18, 2025, 22:00 IST News sports » football Eredivisie: PSV Taste Glory To Pile On Ajax Collapse
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Moment furious Man Utd flop Wout Weghorst SLAPS camera out of his face after Ajax lose league title by a point
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WOUT WEGHORST angrily slapped a camera away after his Ajax side squandered the Eredivisie title. The Amsterdam side had led their Eindhoven counterparts by nine points. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A camera operator looked to get a close up of Wout Weghorst Credit: X 3 Weghorst appeared to be fuming and slapped the camera away Credit: X But a run of two draws and two defeats in four matches saw Ajax go into the final round of fixtures trailing PSV by a point. Francesco Farioli's side manage to do their part, beating Twente 2-0 courtesy of goals by Jordan Henderson and Weghorst. But PSV's 3-1 triumph at Sparta Rotterdam, in which former Tottenham star Ivan Perisic scored, meant that Ajax agonisingly miss out. After the game, Ajax stars lined up together in front of the fans. A cameraman sought to get a close-up view of Weghorst, who was standing on the edge of the row. The forward appeared to be furious with he camera operator, turning around and slapping the camera away. After the game, Weghorst was asked about the incident. The experienced forward said: "It is a very beautiful moment in which we are sung to, then I think it is a great pity that the team is not just simply shown on camera. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS ''It's emotion. I think it's a shame that the camera always has to be on me. "From the very first second, the camera was focused on me again. Watch Man Utd star Weghorst 'hit supporter' with wayward shot in warm-up as fans say 'Jonny Wilkinson would be proud' "On Wednesday, it became too much for me in Groningen and I quickly ran inside. "I also experienced the consequences of that. Now I didn't feel the need to be on camera again.'' Weghorst joined Manchester United on loan from Burnley in January 2023. The Dutch international scored two goals in 31 appearances for the Red Devils, before returning to the Clarets. After featuring in Burnley's first two Championship games of the season, Weghorst moved to Ajax. The 6ft 5in forward has scored 10 goals in 24 Eredivisie appearances this term. Ajax had been sitting pretty at the top of the league, before a bizarre collapse proved to be costly. The spiral began on April 20, when they lost 4-0 at Utrecht. Farioli's men then drew 1-1 with Sparta Rotterdam and lost 3-0 to NEC in back to back home games. The crushing blow came on Wednesday night, when Ajax conceded a 99th minute equaliser to the 10 men of Groningen.
