Latest news with #trophyDrought
The Sun
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Arsenal pre-season fixtures 2025: Full schedule and ticket details as Mikel Arteta prepares for huge summer
ARSENAL will be determined to end what is becoming a lengthy trophy drought in the 2025/26 season - so this summer's pre-season is more important than ever. The Gunners have only lifted one major trophy since Mikel Arteta took charge in December 2019, with it being an FA Cup victory in 2020. 2 2 And it has been several years filled with heartbreak as Arteta's men have finished second for three consecutive seasons in the Premier League. However, fans will be hoping that the appointment of new sporting director Andrea Berta is a catalyst for change off the pitch, as the Italian is known for his shrewd recruitment in the transfer market. But ultimately, it's about what the Gunners do on the pitch, and their pre-season fixtures have been revealed. Arsenal's pre-season schedule 2025 As things stand, Arsenal kickstart their pre-season with a tour around Asia, where they will take on a European giant, followed by some familiar faces. And fans can expect to see a lot more games that have not been announced just yet. How can I watch Arsenal's pre-season schedule 2025? All of Arsenal's pre-season fixtures for 2025 will be broadcast exclusively on Subscription members can also stream the entire action through the club's official app. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but fans could purchase individual match passes to watch the game online or buy a bundle for all of the fixtures. How can I buy tickets for Arsenal's pre-season schedule? Tickets for each pre-season fixture are available for purchase through the club's official website. Please note that StubHub and similar secondary ticket resale sites may list tickets above face value When does the 2025/26 Premier League season start? The 2025/26 Premier League season will begin on the weekend of August 16/17, 2025. The start date allows for the maximum player rest time available - 83 clear days - from the end of the 2024/25 campaign. 33 weekend and five midweek match rounds will make up the 2025/26 season. The Premier League states that the schedule "continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period". No two rounds of fixtures will take place within 60 hours of each other and there will be no game on Christmas Eve. The fixtures for the Premier League 2025/26 season will be released at 9am BST on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
Japan Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Spurs beat Manchester United in Europa League final to end trophy drought
Brennan Johnson scored to end a 17-year trophy drought for Tottenham, which earned a gritty 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Spurs, which had not won European silverware since 1984, will play in next season's Champions League. For United, however, failing to qualify for it is a severe financial setback. Despite Tottenham's triumph in Bilbao, manager Ange Postecoglou's future is still on the line following a shambolic domestic campaign, with Spurs sitting a place below United in the lower reaches of the Premier League table. The Australian furiously insisted he was "not a clown" on the eve of the final and had the last laugh on a nerve-racking night as he made good on his claim to always win a trophy in his second season in charge of a club. "This is what it's all about, this club hasn't won a trophy for 17 years, honestly, this is what it means, it means so much," Johnson said. "Ever since I came here it's been (people saying) 'Tottenham are a good team, but they never get it done' — we got it done!" Fans came from far and wide to pack Athletic Bilbao's stadium, some taking quite preposterous routes and sleeping in cars to avoid eye-watering hotel prices. The final was a matchup of teams languishing in 16th and 17th place, respectively, after dismal Premier League campaigns. The match was played at high intensity but with low confidence, and with a prize on the line so big it overawed. There was a large number of turnovers, with neither side keeping the ball with any ease, moves ending in panicked defending, balls being thumped to safety and a litany of clumsy fouls. Manchester United fans chanted Ruben Amorim's name, backing their Portuguese coach despite the club's worst Premier League season in half a century. In the early exchanges, 22-year-old United winger Amad Diallo, one of the few playing with a lot of confidence, flashed a shot across goal and then left Destiny Udogie spinning as he dribbled past. Spurs made the breakthrough after 42 minutes and, perhaps fittingly, it came from a scrappy goal. Tottenham midfielder Pape Sarr, who had completed just a single pass to that point, curled in a cross to the near post for Johnson. The winger's attempted flick bounced off defender Luke Shaw's shoulder, brushed Johnson's boot again and crossed the goal line in slow motion, with Andre Onana unable to claw it out. Spurs sat back in the second half, for once pragmatically trying to protect it's slender advantage and look for opportunities to strike again on the counterattack. It nearly found one when Yves Bissouma played in Dominic Solanke, but the striker could not control the ball. Spurs had just 27% of possession by the end, with three shots and just one on target. Manchester United almost equalized when Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario came off his line but failed to claim a set piece that was pounded forward from deep. The ball dropped for Rasmus Hojlund, but his header over the stranded Spurs goalkeeper was sensationally cleared in acrobatic fashion by Micky van de Ven. Spurs sent on captain Son Heung-min for the ragged Richarlison, with the South Korean international a surprising omission from the starting lineup. United defender Harry Maguire scored a vital goal against Lyon during United's thrilling run to the final, and was thrust up front late, but Spurs shut him out. Shaw had a chance to redeem himself for his part in Johnson's goal at the end, but his header was pushed to safety by Vicario. United suffered its 21st defeat this season and its fourth against Spurs, which claimed its third Europa League trophy. Amorim said winning the trophy would not have solved United's many underlying problems but could have set the club up well for the future. United, however, left Bilbao without even that. "We managed not to score again, that makes it hard to win matches," Amorim said. For only the second time in 35 years, United will not play European soccer next season.. "For a club like Manchester United, it's nowhere near good enough," Shaw told reporters.
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Spurs edge Man Utd to win Europa League and end trophy drought
BILBAO: Brennan Johnson's scrambled goal ended a 17-year Tottenham trophy drought with a battling 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Will Spurs show 'confidence' or 'abandon' their style?
Seeing teams ending trophy droughts will give Tottenham "belief" that they can break their's when they face Manchester United in the Europa League final, says former winger Andros has been 17-years since Spurs last won a trophy - the League Cup in 2008 - and 41 since they lifted European on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, Townsend said: "There will be a belief. I think they will be saying 'if those guys [Crystal Palace and Newcastle] can do it, then why can't we do it?'."You look at Bologna in Italy and Go Ahead Eagles [in Netherlands], they have broken droughts as well, so all these things will give those players belief that they it can be their day and will be their day."The three games they have already played against United [can also give confidence]. How well they played in those games and how they controlled those games - especially in the last game at Spurs. For the first half they were all over United, United couldn't get five passes together, they absolutely dominated them. So I'm sure they will be watching those clips again and identifying where they can win the game."They will be going into this game with massive confidence."However, Townsend also feels the final could also force Spurs to move away from their usual style."Postecoglou will set them up in the same way to be font-foot aggressive and high line. But, sometimes the game and occasion forces you into a lower block," he added."Frankfurt, the Europa League game, that was the first time I have seen Spurs abandon this high-line, abandon the passing and abandon the high press. They were flat out, Antonio Conte [style] low-block, let's not concede. I don't think that was Ange, I think that was the players thinking 'this is a massive game, this is our season right here, I can't be the one to make a mistake' and slowly, slowly everyone just retreats."I fear that might be the case [on Wednesday]. The weight of the occasion may play on the Spurs players' minds and and these players individually will not want to make the mistake and so it forces them into something they are not used to."Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Micky van de Ven aims to change Tottenham narrative as club ‘deserve trophies'
Micky van de Ven believes this Tottenham squad are ready to silence long-standing detractors and end the club's 17-year trophy drought in Bilbao. Spurs face Premier League rivals Manchester United on Wednesday night in the Europa League final with silverware and Champions League qualification on the line. Tottenham have not won a trophy since 2008 and this week's showpiece at San Mames is only their second European final in 40 years. Several near-misses over the past decade, including defeat to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final, have led to widespread mocking from rival fanbases and the creation of the term 'Spursy' – a reference to the club's lack of recent silverware. Even Van de Ven was confronted with jibes upon signing for Tottenham in 2023, but revealed the determination of Ange Postecoglou's group to change the narrative. 'I think it will be a big thing of course because everybody knows that when you join Tottenham, you get the words through of 'ah, you're not going to win a trophy', that you will be trophyless the rest of your career,' Van de Ven explained. 'It's these people on social media, you know? These banter people that you don't take really serious. It was the gaffer and the whole squad who said, 'we're going to come here and change something'. For us, it's the job now to make this happen in Bilbao. 'We all know we play for a big club. This club deserves trophies. That's the truth. 'If you look at the quality in the squad, we deserve a trophy. It has been a tough season but we can end this perfectly by winning a prize.' Spurs will require Van de Ven and centre-back partner Cristian Romero to be at their best to earn them silverware. Long-term injuries to the duo did not help Spurs but they have combined for four wins out of five Europa League knockout ties since they returned to fitness. Van de Ven added: 'You can see that 'Cuti' of course is an unbelievable player. 'We just feel each other in the game. If he does something, I know how I need to cover him, how I can help him. On the other side it's the same — when I have the ball, he knows how to cover me. 'It's an unbelievable connection that I have with him now.' Both had doubters earlier in their careers and Spurs boss Postecoglou is no stranger to criticism. Every European knockout tie has been billed as make-or-break for the Australian but Van de Ven insisted: 'We have all been standing behind the gaffer since day one, since he joined here. 'He showed also his quality, he brought us to a European final. Of course, he's getting a lot of doubt from the media and we see these things. 'But I think he proved all you guys wrong and we're standing in a European final, so hopefully we can lift the trophy. Not only for us, but also for him.'
