Latest news with #UEFAEuropaConferenceLeague
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Respect is earned: From Seagal's disaster to Chelsea's apathy to the PSL's governance crisis
Thulani Hlatshwayo of Supersport United is challenged by Gladwin Shitolo of Golden Arrows during their Betway Premiership clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Thursday. BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix Have you ever watched Attack Force? Consider yourself lucky if you haven't. It's a mid-2000s Steven Seagal movie that shows almost no respect for the medium. Seagal plays the commander of some elite US unit, murdered by — who knows what... Genetically modified soldiers? Perhaps. Aliens? Possibly. Vampires? By the end, it seems that way. In any event, Seagal looks uninterested — checked out — when he's on camera, which isn't for very long. About halfway through the incoherent mess, Seagal buggers off, having clearly decided he had better things to do with his life. From then on, body doubles, voice-overs, dubbed sections and stand-ins draped in shadow take over his role. It's so bad, it's comical. Watching the first half of Chelsea's performance on Wednesday night in the UEFA Europa Conference League final at the local pub against Real Betis dredged up similar feelings of confusion. It was somewhat clear — the starting XI confirming it — that the Blues had almost no respect for the match. It was a torrid first stanza from Enzo Maresca and his charges as they laboured to stifle a highly motivated Los Verdiblancos. The Blues improved immensely when Reece James was subbed on early in the second half. That change seemed to allow Cole Palmer and the front line to play their natural game with confidence. In any event, you'd expect a R24 billion-assembled side to squash one not even worth a fraction of that — and eventually, that's just what Chelsea did. Although it ended in a comfortable 4-1 victory, it could have been much smoother had the Londoners respected the moment and their opposition from the start. Sadly, the kind of disengagement seen on the pitch on Wednesday is not just a European problem — it's mirrored, more worryingly, in our own football ecosystem. Respect. I've been thinking about it a lot these past few weeks, especially in relation to football — and more specifically, our local game. It seems to be withering away by the week. It feels to me that the PSL have lost respect for their own brand, the clubs, the players and the fans. There's no arguing that this past season has been a messy affair. The Royal AM saga embarrassed the league and their stakeholders for far too long. An immediate response was required, but it never came. As soon as SARS got involved in managing that debacle, the Premiership's administrators should have expelled the club. In February, SuperSport United and Golden Arrows couldn't complete their game due to loadshedding. Three months later — with the league puzzle mostly solved, but still missing a critical piece — they finally completed the game this past Thursday. In the NFD, arbitration is still trying to resolve who will be promoted to the elite division and who will be relegated to the third tier. It's been almost a fortnight since the league concluded, and we still don't know who will be going up, nor who will contest the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs, which was scheduled to start last week. There has also been too much fan hooliganism — a slap on the wrist here and there — and a disturbing tendency toward inaction. Match officiating, meanwhile, has come under increasing scrutiny. I can appreciate that these are complicated matters to resolve and that such complex problems are not limited to South Africa, but right now, self-interest seems to be driving decisions within the league. That, ultimately, stems from a lack of transparency and open governance. A world-class league cannot be managed in such a way — not if it wants to project success and prestige, not if it wants the respect of its peers. The PSL cannot afford to check out and hope their name — its mere whisper of a presence — will sell the show. If they want to command respect, they must start by showing it: through decisive action, proper governance, and a return to basics.
Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Hibs announce retained list of players ahead of 2025/26 season
Hibs have announced its retained list of players ahead of the 2025/26 season. The Club remains in contract discussions with both Rocky Bushiri and Junior Hoilett, with their deals expiring this summer. Dwight Gayle, Max Boruc, and Nohan Kenneh will depart the Club this month. Gayle, who announced his retirement from professional football earlier this season, made 29 appearances for Hibs and contributed to 10 goals, scoring six and setting up four. This summer calls the end of the 35-year-old's playing career, which saw him make over 400 appearances, win a number of accolades, and compete in the English Premier League. 22-year-old 'keeper Max Boruc also leaves Hibs, ending his two-year spell with the Club. He made three appearances for the Hibees, competing in the Scottish Premiership and the UEFA Europa Conference League. Nohan Kenneh will also depart. He made 19 appearances during his three-year stay at Hibs, spending the latter end of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Ross County. Loanees Josef Bursik, Hyeokkyu Kwon, Mykola Kuharevich, and Nectar Triantis all return to their parent clubs. The Club are also in discussions with young goalkeeper Freddie Owens regarding a new deal. Four Academy players will also depart this summer; Reuben McAllister, Murray Aiken, Kyle McClelland and Malik Zaid. The Club thanked all departing players for their hard work and contribution, and wished them all the best for the future. First Team players under contract in 2025/26 : Jordan Smith, Murray Johnson, Lewis Miller, Marvin Ekpiteta, Warren O'Hora, Chris Cadden, Jack Iredale, Jordan Obita, Kanayo Megwa, Dylan Levitt, Alasana Manneh, Joe Newell, Nicky Cadden, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Allan Delferrière, Jair Tavares, Josh Campbell, Rudi Molotnikov, Elie Youan, Dylan Vente, Martin Boyle and Kieron Bowie Academy players under contract in 2025/26 : Ryan Mallon, Joseph McGrath, Rory Whittaker, Lewis Gillie, Owen Calder, Oscar MacIntyre, Zach Bruce, Josh McDonald, Adam Buckley, Jamie McMurdo, Luke Davidson, Jacob MacIntyre, Dean Cleland Like this: Like Related
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Chelsea become first team to win all major European Championships after 4-1 win over Real Betis; Check all records created by the Blues
English giants Chelsea capped off their 2024-25 season with a thumping 4-1 win over Real Betis to win the UEFA Europa Conference League in Wroclaw, Poland on Wednesday, making them the first club to win all three major European Championships. Earlier, Chelsea won both the UEFA Champions League (2012 and 2021) and the UEFA Europa League (2013 and 2019) on two occasions. The Blues are also the first side to win all five of UEFA's men's senior club competitions, which include the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (now defunct). In addition, the club with a rich history have also claimed the FIFA Club World Cup in 2021. The win on Wednesday was the story of two halves, where Chelsea were put under extreme pressure by Betis after a 9th-minute goal by Abde Ezzalzouli. But a host of goals in the second half by Enzo Fernández in the 65th, Nicolas Jackson in the 70th, followed by an 83rd-minute goal by Jadon Sancho and an extra-time goal by Moisés Caicedo to make it 4-1 after trailing 1-0 for nearly two-thirds of the game. The silverware came at the back of a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the last game of the Premier League, which fired Chelsea to the fourth spot behind title winners Liverpool, second-placed Arsenal and Manchester City in third. The win also denied Forest a ticket to the Champions League, but the Enzo Maresca side secured their UCL ticket after that win. 'It's a great feeling. As the game went on, we grew into it, and thankfully, we scored four goals in the second half,' said Chelsea captain Reece James after the match to TNT. 'Coming into this competition, it was something we had to win. Next season we go again in the Champions League,' he added.
Business Upturn
3 days ago
- Sport
- Business Upturn
Europa Conference League: Chelsea beat Real Betis by 4-1 in the finals; Becomes the first team to reach this milestone
Chelsea have defeated Real Betis in the finals of the Europa Conference League by 4-1. By Ravi Kumar Jha Published on May 29, 2025, 08:30 IST Chelsea have defeated Real Betis in the finals of the Europa Conference League by 4-1. The trophy has been secured by Enzo Maresca's men and they deserved to lift the title with their performances throughout the season. Betis who gave their heart in this league was not able to clinch the trophy in the end. Despite leading by 1-0 in the whole first half, Betis couldn't capitalise later on. Chelsea scored 4 in the second half starting with Enzo Fernandez's goal. Other scorers for Chelsea were Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho, and Caicedo. Chelsea have been crowned UEFA Europa Conference League champions after a stunning 4-1 comeback victory over Real Betis in the final. Enzo Maresca's men delivered a dominant second-half performance to secure their first major European trophy since 2021. Real Betis started brightly and were rewarded with an early goal, maintaining their 1-0 lead throughout the first half. The Spanish side fought with heart and spirit, but Chelsea came out roaring after the break. Enzo Fernández opened the floodgates with a clinical finish to level the scoreline. What followed was a relentless Chelsea attack, as Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho, and Moisés Caicedo added their names to the scoresheet to seal a memorable win. It was a well-deserved triumph for the Blues, who remained consistent and focused throughout the tournament. While Betis fell short at the final hurdle, their journey to the final was commendable. Ravi kumar jha is an undergraduate student in Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia and Mass Communication. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and he also has a genuine interest in sports. Ravi is currently working as a journalist at
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Real Betis vs Chelsea LIVE Streaming, UEFA Europa Conference League Live Telecast: When And Where To Watch
Real Betis vs Chelsea, Conference League Final LIVE Streaming: English giants Chelsea take on Spanish side Real Betis in the UEFA Europa Conference League final 2024/25. Having sealed qualification to the Champions League for the upcoming season, Chelsea are looking to add a trophy to their cabinet to cap off the season. If they win, Chelsea will become the first team to win all three major European trophies. It will also be the first title for manager Enzo Maresca with Chelsea. On the other hand, Betis, managed by Manuel Pellegrini are aiming to win their first trophy since they won the Copa del Rey in the 2021/22 season. When will the Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match take place? The Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match will take place on Thursday, May 29 (IST). Where will the Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match be held? The Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match will be held at the Wroclaw Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland. What time will the Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match start? The Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match will start at 12:30 AM IST. Which TV channels will show the live telecast of the Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match? The Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match will be televised live on the Sony Sports network. Where to follow the live streaming of the Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match? The Real Betis vs Chelsea, UEFA Europa Conference League final match will be live streamed on the SonyLIV app and website.
