India’s newly appointed U-23 football coach, Naushad Moosa, is looking to imprint upon the next generation of Blue Tigers his attacking philosophy ahead of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers to be held in Qatar from September 1 to 9. India is in Group H alongside Qatar, Bahrain, and Brunei Darussalam with a total of 44 teams divided into 11 groups of four each. The group winners and the four best runners-up, alongside hosts Saudi Arabia, will complete the cast of 16 teams at the seventh AFC U23 Asian Cup to be held in January 2026. “I believe in possession and attacking football, while, in terms of defending, it depends on the opponents if we should press high or defend in a mid-block,” Kharghar-based Moosa told mid-day ahead of the two-week training camp that begins on June 1 in Kolkata. After the camp, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has organised a couple of friendlies, against Tajikistan (June 18) and the Kyrgyz Republic (June 22) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. ‘Need more training camps’ However, Moosa, who is also the assistant coach at Indian Super League (ISL) club Northeast United, believes he needs more time to imbibe his charges with his footballing principles. “I need to speak to AIFF with regards to having more training camps. Since most of the players apart from a couple [in the 29-man squad] are part of ISL clubs, we need to see how often we can have these camps because the Durand Cup will take place in July and August,” said the 53-year-old. Bridging the gap with seniors Moosa is also in constant contact with India’s senior team coach, Manolo Marquez, to help smoothen the transition for players who may be promoted to the senior side in the future. “Since we want the players to ultimately get into the senior team, I’m speaking to him [Marquez] to understand what he wants from the players while I also try to understand his way of playing,” the former India defender added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
31 May,2025 08:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Ronan CarvalhoFavourites Paris Saint-Germain have their sights fixed on finally winning the Champions League trophy, but a rugged and battle-hardened Inter Milan side stand in their way in Saturday’s final in Munich. The climax to the European season has thrown up a mouthwatering clash of opposing styles. It is a contest between one of the continent’s old guard that relies on a solid defence and the ability to counter-attack against and a state-owned modern superclub that play on the front-foot. Luis Enrique’s thrilling young Paris side — average age under 24 — has taken Europe by storm despite a spluttering start to the season. Luis Enrique When they last came to Munich in November and lost 1-0 to Bayern, they were in danger of being knocked out during the league phase in the first season since the Champions League’s new format was introduced. A brilliant comeback win in January against 2023 champions Manchester City was the catalyst for a superb run as PSG eliminated three more Premier League sides — Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal — en route to the final of a tournament they are yet to win. Ousmane Dembele has been the standout with 33 goals in all competitions, ably assisted by fellow forwards Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Others like right-back Achraf Hakimi and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma have also been superb for the French league and cup double winners. “We know what kind of football we want to play and now we just need to go out and do it to our full potential,” said their Spanish coach, who is looking to win his second Champions League title, a decade after leading Barcelona to glory in Berlin. “All players and coaches dream of playing in a Champions League final, but most don’t get the chance. We want to be the first ones in Paris to win the Champions League and make history,” added the PSG boss. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
31 May,2025 08:40 AM IST | Munich | AFPManchester United defender Diogo Dalot demanded greater stability in the club’s set up after the Red Devils wrapped up another season without a trophy following their 0-1 loss in the UEFA Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur last week. Speaking at a promotional event in the city organised by Apollo Tyres, Dalot, alongside teammates Andre Onana and Harry Maguire reflected on the campaign gone by, where the Ruben Amorim-coached team finished 15th in the points table with 42 points from 38 games. ‘We need consistency’ “I’m not going to lie. It’s not easy. It’s my seventh season at United, and I have already had six-seven coaches. It just shows what’s been missing around the club — some consistency, some stability, and we have been trying to find that. I think this is the cycle where Manchester United needs to go back to where they belong and I hope we manage to find that consistency in the next season. “We need to take firm steps if we have to fight for the best trophies and the best competitions. There are a lot of changes happening inside the club and I’m sure that things will change,” Dalot said. Goalkeeper Onana, whose two years at the club have been marred with plenty of individual errors between the sticks, embraced a positive outlook, focusing on taking away optimistic learning that could help propel United back to their glory days. “You never lose in life. You either learn, or you win. We didn’t win, so for us, it’s a moment of learning. Some of us have been playing this game for over 10 years. We are used to encountering such situations. The idea is to go back to the drawing board, learn again, and try to produce better results in the coming campaigns. We know football is about momentum and we need to catch hold of that,” said the goalkeeper, who has become the first player to reach three European finals with three different teams, but failed to win a single one, after previous unsuccessful attempts at AFC Ajax (2017) and Inter Milan (2023).Maguire, one of the few shining lights for Man United amid a tumultuous year, is pleased with his performances over the last few months. His goal in the Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao earned him the nickname Harrydinho from fans, who appreciated his adaptability upfront. Harry hopes for the best “I’ve had a couple of good consistent years individually and it’s something that I’m extremely proud of. Hopefully, my best years are still ahead at this club, and I wish we start winning trophies again, getting back to the top of the Premier League table like we did in my first couple of years at the club,” Maguire signed off.
30 May,2025 08:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Tarkesh JhaKhvicha Kvaratskhelia has already played a part in denying Inter Milan the Serie A title this season, and the Georgian is now hoping to get the better of them again with Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) final. The 24-year-old winger moved to Paris in January from Napoli — who pipped Inter on the last day of the season by just one point. He is set to have a key role to play for Luis Enrique’s side in Munich, not only due to his own performances but also because he has brought out the best in his fellow forwards at PSG. “He is perfectly adaptable to our way of playing. He is versatile. He can go past players and he can also defend which is essential because we need to be able to defend as 11 players and attack as 11 players,” Luis Enrique said in January. The Georgian has so far contributed six goals and six assists in 24 appearances for PSG, including one magnificent strike against Aston Villa in the first leg of their UCL quarter-final and the pass to set up Dembele’s winning goal away to Arsenal in the semis. The PSG boss still faces a difficult decision over which one of his four main attackers to leave out of when they face Inter. 33-goal top scorer Ousmane Dembele is certain to start, meaning one of the in-form Desire Doue or the lively Bradley Barcola will have to drop to the bench to accommodate Kvaratskhelia. “Technically he’s a special player, so it won’t be easy,” insisted Denzel Dumfries, Inter’s right wing-back, who is likely to be Kvaratskhelia’s direct opponent on the field. Will Inter be celebrating at his expense or will Kvaratskhelia get his hands on another winner’s medal on Saturday? This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 May,2025 08:53 AM IST | Paris | AFPChelsea roared back to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final in Wroclaw on Wednesday, becoming the first club to claim all four major European trophies. Manuel Pellegrini's enterprising Betis caught the favourites cold with an early goal from Abde Ezzalzouli against a flat-footed and listless Chelsea. But Enzo Maresca's second-half substitutions injected energy and Cole Palmer changed the complexion of the game in a five-minute spell, setting up Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson to score. Substitute Jadon Sancho made the game safe in the 83rd minute as the Spanish side faded in their first European final and Moises Caicedo added gloss to the scoreline. Chelsea are the first club to win the full set of Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup. It is also the first silverware for the club since Todd Boehly's consortium took over from former owner Roman Abramovich in 2022, following an era of unprecedented success for the club. Boehly was on the pitch at the end, savouring the win that seemed unlikely when Betis were in control in the first half. The trophy win in Poland means Chelsea end the season with a flourish after also securing a place in next season's Champions League following a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League. "It's a great feeling," captain Reece James told TNT Sports. "As the game went on we grew into it and thankfully we scored four goals in the second half. "Coming into this competition was something we had to win. Next season we go again in the Champions League." The Spanish side went ahead in the ninth minute through Ezzalzouli, who scored the goal against Fiorentina that took his side to the final. Malo Gusto lost the ball and it broke to Betis captain Isco, who produced a clever pass to find Ezzalzouli on the edge of the box, with the Moroccan drilling a left-footed shot across Filip Jorgensen. Minutes later Marc Bartra tried his luck from distance but this time Jorgensen was equal to the task, producing a flying save. Urged on by their massed ranks of fans, Betis went close again when Johnny Cardoso's shot from inside the box was deflected behind. The Premier League side were enjoying the bulk of possession but struggling to create meaningful chances, with Betis defending well and Isco, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, pulling the strings. Palmer magic Maresca brought on James for the struggling Gusto at the break and the English side looked livelier. Pellegrini was forced a change when goalscorer Ezzalzouli was forced off, with Jesus Rodriguez coming on to replace him. Maresca also made a number of other changes, including bringing on Sancho, but it took two moments of magic from Palmer to turn the tide. The England man produced a pinpoint cross from the right that found the onrushing Argentina midfielder Fernandez, who got between two defenders to head the ball past Adrian in the 65th minute. Suddenly Chelsea's tails were up and the fans behind the goal were in full voice. Five minutes later Palmer bamboozled the Betis defence, producing a wonderful turn and cross which Jackson bundled into the net. Jackson should have scored a second goal but a heavy touch allowed the Betis goalkeeper to gather. But Sancho made it 3-1 when he combined with fellow substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and finished from the angle and Caicedo added a fourth from the edge of the box. Victory for Chelsea breaks an astonishing cycle of wins for Spanish teams. Taking into account World Cups, European Championships, Champions League and the UEFA Cup/Europa League, of the previous 27 men's finals involving Spanish teams, all 27 had had Spanish winners. Four Spanish club sides had been defeated in that time, but in all cases by fellow La Liga sides. Earlier, the centre of Wroclaw was packed with fans from both clubs, with green-and-white clad Betis fans outnumbering their English rivals. Poland's Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said police made 28 arrests after supporters clashed in the city's market square. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 May,2025 10:16 AM IST | Wroclaw, Poland | AFPDefending champs Mumbai beat Pune 2-0 via tie-breaker in a keenly contested final to defend their WIFA inter-district sub-junior girls football title at Shirpur, Dhule. Sanvi Chaubey scored both goals for Mumbai. She also emerged as the top scorer with 12 goals in three matches and was named player of the tournament.
29 May,2025 08:31 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent2012-13After playing for lower division teams Pavia, Renate, Triestina, Spezia and Reggina between 2005-2010, Acerbi joins Chievo Verona from where AC Milan picked him, but the passing of his father, saw him get into depression and alcoholism 2013He joins Sassuolo (Div I), but is diagnosed with testicular cancer and undergoes surgery 2013Few months later, he fails a dope test due to high hormone levels as the tumour returns 2014-18He survives cancer again and excels for Sassuolo, also makes his debut for Italy 2018-22Wins first major title at Lazio, the Italian Cup and two Italian Super Cups 2022-24At 34, he is picked by Inter and becomes one of Serie A’s best centre-backs, winning the Italian league (2023-24) a Coppa Italia (2022-23) and two Italian Super Cups (2022 & 2023). He also won runners-up medal in the UCL after Inter lost to Man City in 2023
29 May,2025 08:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Ronan CarvalhoLiverpool manager Arne Slot opted against attending a ceremony in London where he was due to receive an award, saying he withdrew “out of solidarity” with those affected in the team’s parade tragedy. Slot was named both the Premier League’s Manager of the Season and League Managers Association’s Manager of the Year after guiding Liverpool to its record-tying 20th league title in his first season at the club. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Liverpool on Monday to celebrate with the players as they paraded the trophy on open-top buses, only for joy to turn to anguish when a man rammed his car into a crowd of people. Sixty-five people were injured and 11 remained hospitalised on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s beloved former manager Jurgen Klopp said there are more “serious things in the world than football.” Klopp, who left the English giants a year ago, was in attendance for the parade. “The mood was incredible and from one second to the other, everything changed because we then learned again there are more serious things in the world than football,” Klopp said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 May,2025 08:23 AM IST | Liverpool | AgenciesMumbai City FC’s Under-15 team captured widespread attention with their exceptional performance in the 2024 AIFF Junior Youth League. Displaying maturity and talent beyond their years, the young Islanders enjoyed a stellar campaign, ultimately bowing out in the quarter-finals in heartbreaking fashion, losing to East Bengal FC on penalties on May 22. Throughout the tournament, the Mumbai-based side proved to be a formidable force. With an impressive record of nine wins and just one loss, they dominated the group stage and quickly emerged as one of the most promising teams in the competition. Their consistent performances were a reflection not only of their on-field prowess but also of the club’s steadfast investment in grassroots football and structured youth development. What set Mumbai City FC apart was their unwavering commitment to nurturing local talent. The squad was composed entirely of players from Mumbai, reinforcing the club’s long-term vision of building a robust pipeline of homegrown footballers. This approach extends beyond just players, it also includes developing local coaches and creating a sustainable ecosystem for football in the city. Several of the squad members are success stories of the club’s academy, which resumed full operations post-COVID in the 2022–23 season. Players like Tanishq Pandya, Moksh Girap, Veer Chothani, Arnav Singh, Advik Majumder, Siddhant Chiplunkar, Ayush Koul, and Swaraj More were part of the initial intake into the U13 squad when the academy restarted. Having spent two seasons within the system, they graduated to the U15 team and played vital roles in this campaign. Others, including Livaan Mittal, Shvet Patil, Nirrvan Tikone, Anuj Kale, Samridh Jha, Devansh Wayal, Neil Mathew, Hridhaan Pawar, and Tathagat Eleswarapu, were identified during the club’s 2023–24 scouting trials. They joined the U13s and quickly advanced to the U15 setup for the 2024–25 season, demonstrating rapid development and adaptability. Viraj Arora, another standout talent, joined the U15s in the 2023–24 season as one of the younger members and impressed with his growth trajectory. Rian Uniyal and Ranvir Chona were unearthed through local league scouting initiatives and earned their spots in the 2024–25 intake, further highlighting the club’s deep-rooted connection with grassroots football.
28 May,2025 10:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentJuan Ramón Verón, who scored a goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford to help Argentina's Estudiantes de La Plata win the 1968 Intercontinental Cup, has died, his former team said. He was 81. Verón, nicknamed 'the Witch,' was the father of Juan Sebastián, the current president of Estudiantes and himself a former player. The team did not provide a cause of death, but Verón had been suffering from kidney failure for some time. 'Estudiantes bids farewell today to one of its greatest legends. His legacy, his integrity, and his example will live forever in the memory of the club,' the club said in a statement. Verón, who played as a striker, helped Estudiantes win the Argentina league title in 1967 and then the Copa Libertadores three years in a row (1968-70) as well as the Interamerican Cup in 1969. Estudiantes planned to pay tribute to Verón later Tuesday when the team hosts Carabobo of Venezuela in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 May,2025 12:13 PM IST | Buenos Aires | AP | PTIPortuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo hinted at leaving Al-Nassr merely hours after culmination of the Saudi Pro League season late on Monday. Taking to social media, the 40-year-old forward wrote: “This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all.” Ronaldo joined the Saudi Arabian side in 2022 after his departure from Manchester United and his contract with Al-Nassr is set to wrap up this summer. A special transfer window runs from June 1 to June 10 allowing the 32 clubs involved in the Club World Cup to sign players. Al-Nassr are not at the Club World Cup, prompting FIFA president Gianni Infantino to say last week that ‘there are discussions’ over Ronaldo playing in tournament hosted in the United States starting on June 14. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 May,2025 09:16 AM IST | Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) | AFPADVERTISEMENT
