Latest news with #Tottenham
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'I am guilty': Ruben Amorim reacts as Manchester United booed off after shock defeat to ASEAN All-Stars
Manchester United were booed after starting their post-season tour to Asia with a meek defeat in Malaysia - a reaction head coach Ruben Amorim welcomed and feels his players may even "need". A week on from losing the make-or-break Europa League final to fellow Premier League strugglers Tottenham in Bilbao, the Red Devils kicked off a money-spinning £8million trip in Kuala Lumpur. Amorim heavily rotated throughout a friendly that ended in a shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars as Maung Maung Lwin's second-half effort proved the difference in Wednesday's Maybank Challenge Cup. Some of the 72,000-plus crowd at the Bukit Jalil Stadium let their frustration know about United's efforts with jeers at the final whistle, which Amorim suggested could act as a wake-up call given the contrast to Old Trafford. "I feel always guilty," the United head coach said. "I said that in the last game. "I am always guilty of the performance of the team no matter and since I am here in the first day, I am guilty. "Then the boos from the fans, I think it's something that we need maybe because every game that we lost in the Premier League they were always there (cheering us). I am always guilty of the performance of the team no matter and since I am here in the first day, I am guilty Ruben Amorim "So, it's like the way of playing. If they see that it's not working, they will change the way they behave. "But I felt then when we finished and we walk away, like every time, the supporters were with us. Let's wait for the next season." United's performance in sweltering Kuala Lumpur was poor and came three days after Amorim told fans that "the good days are coming" having ended a "disaster season" with a 2-0 home win against Aston Villa. "We should perform better," the Portuguese said before jetting off to Hong Kong for another friendly on Friday. "We were slow and we still don't have in us to win every exercise in training, every game. But the important thing is that we didn't have any injury. "Some players were a risk, but we wanted to respect all the fans and put all the players in the game and we should win with these kind of games." Amorim was happy to reflect on the friendly but unwilling to discuss transfer business, despite United receiving permission from Wolves to tie up a deal with forward Matheus Cunha. "You have to wait for that for the next season," he said. "It's for you guys (in the media) to talk about. "It's your time, I will not confirm nothing. I have no news, so we will see but there will be some changes."
The Sun
6 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
England ace Ella Morris left ‘devastated' by knee injury sustained five weeks before Women's Euros
ENGLAND'S Ella Morris has had her Euros selection hopes shattered by a serious knee injury. The uncapped Lionesses defender, 22, ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a training session. 3 3 The injury to the Tottenham player, sustained five weeks before the July 2nd start of the Euros, means she will miss England's bid to remain the tournament's champions. Morris, who has returned to her club, will also miss the Lionesses' Women's Nations League clashes with Portugal tomorrow and Spain next Tuesday (June 3). The ex-Southampton player, who received her first senior international call-up this month, has ruptured a knee ligament before at the age of 17. In a post published on her Instagram page, she wrote: "From the highest high to the lowest low. "Devastated doesn't even come close. So grateful for the incredible people around me. ACL round 2 - let's go." Earlier today Lionesses support staff said they maintain close contact with the player as she works on her recovery. A statement from the FA said: "Everyone involved with the Lionesses wishes Ella the very best with her recovery. "England's support team will remain in close contact with her and the club." 3 Following Morris's injury Manchester City's Laura Blindkilde Brown, 21, has received her third senior call-up The midfielder has joined Sarina Wiegman's 26-player squad at St George's Park as a replacement for Morris. Wiegman and her players will travel to London tomorrow ahead of their 7:45pm clash with Portugal at Wembley on May 30.
New York Times
6 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Johnny Cardoso caps breakout season with a USMNT first in Conference League final defeat
It wasn't quite the history that Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis meant to make on Wednesday night. Going in search of a first European trophy, the U.S. men's national team defensive midfielder's Spanish club blew a 1-0 lead against Chelsea and capitulated entirely in the last 25 minutes, falling 4-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. Cardoso did, however, become the first American male to start in a major European final in the process, taking his usual place as the anchor of Real Betis' midfield and playing 85 minutes. Advertisement Wednesday's final came almost four years to the day after Christian Pulisic became the first American man to play in a final on the other end of the UEFA spectrum, coming off the bench as his Chelsea side topped Manchester City to win the Champions League. That match was highly anticipated in spite of Pulisic's rotational role with the Blues, arguably the high point of what became a frustrating spell in London for the winger. Just as the Europa Conference League doesn't have the same pull as the Champions League, Cardoso doesn't carry the same clout in U.S. circles as Pulisic, but then again, nobody in the pool can match Pulisic's magnetism and high-level production these days. Nevertheless, Cardoso has been closely monitored by some of Europe's biggest clubs, with his European stage offering a spotlight. Tottenham worked something of a 'dibs' option on the midfielder when it sold Giovani Lo Celso to Betis in 2024, establishing a fixed fee of €25 million (£20.9m; $26.9m) should he further pique Spurs' interest. That clause expires at the end of June, and other clubs (including Manchester United and Atlético Madrid) are reportedly also monitoring the 23-year-old for a potential summer move, despite a February contract extension tying him to Betis through 2029-30. On the back of a capable individual showing on Wednesday, particularly in the first half, it's plausible that Cardoso won't be with Betis for much longer. The Conference League final was the culmination of the latest step in Cardoso's rapid ascent — one that makes him among the most intriguing players in the entire USMNT pool. Most U.S. eligible players spend their formative years getting driven around to weekend soccer tournaments or slamming a ball off of a wall. Born in New Jersey and raised in his parents' native Brazil, Cardoso cut his teeth playing futsal. The small-field alternative to soccer emphasizes technical prowess instead of open-space running, requiring its players to keep close control of a ball and make quick decisions in possession. Advertisement Those instincts helped the midfielder as he began his professional career, debuting with Brazilian side Internacional days before his 18th birthday. He amassed 117 league appearances with the club, capping his tenure with a run to the 2023 Copa Libertadores semifinal, where he started both legs against eventual champion Fluminense. Soon, Cardoso had his suitors: Napoli, Brighton, Sporting and Galatasaray reportedly among them. Ultimately, he felt that Betis represented the best opportunity for launching his European career. 'It was a question of feeling,' Cardoso told The Athletic in 2024. 'I just had this hunch that it was the right choice. I thought I would be able to adapt to the city and felt Spain would suit my style of play. I am a very technical player, which comes from futsal. I read the game well and Spanish football is very positional, very organized. I knew that it would be easier to adapt here than in the Premier League, for example.' Betis has been praised as a very technical side under Manuel Pellegrini, with the Chilean manager favoring players who can be nimble on the ball. Stylistically, it afforded Cardoso an immediate fit into the core of Pellegrini's side while he adjusted from the Brazilian Serie A's hard-nosed nature to La Liga's more wide-open alternative. Based on his underlying numbers, that transition didn't take long at all. First, some footage. Early in Cardoso's tenure, Betis was facing Cadiz in league play. Here, Cardoso found himself in a more advanced position than usual as Cadiz worked to force a turnover and spring a break. Offering his teammate an outlet, Cadiz's four-man convergence forces an eventually blocked pass. Cardoso anticipated a passing triangle, ignoring the initial pass to jump into the next passing lane. If he gets his timing wrong, Cadiz will have a golden chance to open space and launch the ball upfield. Between his reading of the sequence and his somewhat gangly 6-foot-1 frame, which he positions to present a wide obstacle to his opponent's anticipated pass, he's able to stop this quick break before it can be sprung. At this point, his work isn't done. With Internacional, Cardoso gained plaudits for his ability to break lines with his passing. That much hasn't manifested in his role with Betis — no midfielder in La Liga who has played at least 1,800 minutes since he debuted sends a lower rate of his passes at least five yards upfield than Cardoso's 8.7%. Most often, Cardoso is asked to prod the ball to either of his box-to-box midfield partners to do the line-breaking work. Advertisement Here, the line is already broken. Keeping the ball on the ground, Cardoso dribbles upfield and spots a pocket of space between attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir and Willian José. As the ball skips just beyond Fekir, the Brazilian forward is in perfect position for an unmarked first-touch finish, as Cardoso has played the ball with ideal weight and pace. When Betis tightens the screw and moves its midfield line into the attacking half, Cardoso doesn't look out of place. His technical acumen allows him to create chances in a manner usually reserved for the sport's attacking showmen. When the ball is in Betis' own half, those same close-control techniques can help him prevent making costly turnovers close to his own goal, as Fiorentina saw in the Conference League semifinal. He's still a defensive midfielder, after all, so he isn't shy about dropping a shoulder or swinging a leg to get around an opponent in the name of securing possession. This combination of tidy technician work and his rangy mobility has made him an ideal target for many clubs. It's also what played him into Gregg Berhalter's USMNT as the primary deputy to Tyler Adams, a long-needed alternative to the Bournemouth midfielder. Depending on how Mauricio Pochettino wants to calibrate his midfield, there could be room for both defensive midfielders to start. They could set up as a stingy double-pivot to shield the USMNT's often-unsettled back line, affording the defense more time to get its shape right while two tireless ball hawks offer protection. In this scenario, Weston McKennie could play more advanced in a three-man midfield. At the very least, he's a very viable option to step in if needed, especially after being tested at a higher level this season. One issue during the 2022 World Cup was Berhalter's reliance on Adams, McKennie and Yunus Musah to start all four matches. By the round of 16, the youthful trio looked fatigued, giving the Netherlands more freedom to operate up the heart of the park than the USMNT had faced in the group stage. Since Adams debuted, the U.S. has been at its best with him in the lineup. That may give him an edge over Cardoso if the co-hosts can advance into the knockout bracket, but it shouldn't preclude Cardoso from getting ample run-out if he continues in his current form. If he can take his game to the next level, with or without a summer move, it'll present Pochettino with a rare 'good problem' as he works through the rest of the team's ongoing headache areas. And with Cardoso part of the Gold Cup squad at a time when McKennie and Musah are absent, he should have every chance to make that case.
Rhyl Journal
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Ruben Amorim says Man United players may have needed booing from supporters
A week on from losing the make-or-break Europa League final to fellow Premier League strugglers Tottenham in Bilbao, the Red Devils kicked off a money-spinning £8million trip in Kuala Lumpur. Amorim heavily rotated throughout a friendly that ended in a shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars as Maung Maung Lwin's second-half effort proved the difference in Wednesday's Maybank Challenge Cup. Defeat in Malaysia.#MUFC || #MUTOUR25 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 28, 2025 Some of the 72,000-plus crowd at the Bukit Jalil Stadium let their frustration know about United's efforts with jeers at the final whistle, which Amorim suggested could act as a wake-up call given the contrast to Old Trafford. 'I feel always guilty,' the United head coach said. 'I said that in the last game. 'I am always guilty of the performance of the team no matter and since I am here in the first day, I am guilty. 'Then the boos from the fans, I think it's something that we need maybe because every game that we lost in the Premier League they were always there (cheering us). 'So, it's like the way of playing. If they see that it's not working, they will change the way they behave. 'But I felt then when we finished and we walk away, like every time, the supporters were with us. Let's wait for the next season.' United's performance in sweltering Kuala Lumpur was poor and came three days after Amorim told fans that 'the good days are coming' having ended a 'disaster season' with a 2-0 home win against Aston Villa. 'We should perform better,' the Portuguese said before jetting off to Hong Kong for another friendly on Friday. 'We were slow and we still don't have in us to win every exercise in training, every game. But the important thing is that we didn't have any injury. 'Some players were a risk, but we wanted to respect all the fans and put all the players in the game and we should win with these kind of games.' Amorim was happy to reflect on the friendly but unwilling to discuss transfer business, despite United receiving permission from Wolves to tie up a deal with forward Matheus Cunha. 'You have to wait for that for the next season,' he said. 'It's for you guys (in the media) to talk about. 'It's your time, I will not confirm nothing. I have no news, so we will see but there will be some changes.'
South Wales Argus
7 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Ruben Amorim says Man United players may have needed booing from supporters
A week on from losing the make-or-break Europa League final to fellow Premier League strugglers Tottenham in Bilbao, the Red Devils kicked off a money-spinning £8million trip in Kuala Lumpur. Amorim heavily rotated throughout a friendly that ended in a shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars as Maung Maung Lwin's second-half effort proved the difference in Wednesday's Maybank Challenge Cup. Some of the 72,000-plus crowd at the Bukit Jalil Stadium let their frustration know about United's efforts with jeers at the final whistle, which Amorim suggested could act as a wake-up call given the contrast to Old Trafford. 'I feel always guilty,' the United head coach said. 'I said that in the last game. 'I am always guilty of the performance of the team no matter and since I am here in the first day, I am guilty. 'Then the boos from the fans, I think it's something that we need maybe because every game that we lost in the Premier League they were always there (cheering us). 'So, it's like the way of playing. If they see that it's not working, they will change the way they behave. 'But I felt then when we finished and we walk away, like every time, the supporters were with us. Let's wait for the next season.' United's performance in sweltering Kuala Lumpur was poor and came three days after Amorim told fans that 'the good days are coming' having ended a 'disaster season' with a 2-0 home win against Aston Villa. 'We should perform better,' the Portuguese said before jetting off to Hong Kong for another friendly on Friday. 'We were slow and we still don't have in us to win every exercise in training, every game. But the important thing is that we didn't have any injury. 'Some players were a risk, but we wanted to respect all the fans and put all the players in the game and we should win with these kind of games.' Amorim was happy to reflect on the friendly but unwilling to discuss transfer business, despite United receiving permission from Wolves to tie up a deal with forward Matheus Cunha. 'You have to wait for that for the next season,' he said. 'It's for you guys (in the media) to talk about. 'It's your time, I will not confirm nothing. I have no news, so we will see but there will be some changes.'
