Sports

Vinicius, Mbappe Have To Defend: Real Madrid’s Alonso

Published

3 months ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso warned his team’s stars including Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday that they must all pitch in defensively.

Last season under Carlo Ancelotti Los Blancos failed to win a major trophy and the Italian was at times exasperated with his forward line’s unwillingness to work hard enough for the sake of the team as a whole.

“What I am certain of is that we need and want everyone to defend — the 11 players on the pitch have to be involved defensively,” Alonso told a news conference ahead of Madrid’s Club World Cup clash against RB Salzburg.

“They have to get close together, they have to know how we want to press, and without that, things will be very complicated.

“Vini, Jude (Bellingham), Fede (Valverde), Kylian, those up front, the defence has to push forward too.”

Ancelotti said last season that he was not concerned if Mbappe pressed or not and wanted the striker to focus on goalscoring.

The 26-year-old netted 43 goals across all competitions in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu after his move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Real Madrid face Austrian side Salzburg in Philadelphia on Thursday, looking to seal top spot in their final Group H match, but will be without Mbappe.

The French superstar was not named as part of the squad to take on Salzburg as he continues his recovery from a stomach bug.

Mbappe missed the team’s first two matches but returned to training on Wednesday.

“I was happy to see him on the (training) pitch, it was the first day he’s got his boots back on and has been running, he’s doing well, but not enough to play tomorrow with the level that we need,” said Alonso.

“He said it himself when we spoke after training, he prefers to be ready for the last 16, he’s in the recovery process, he wasn’t perfect for tomorrow.”

In Madrid’s second match, a 3-1 win over Mexican side Pachuca, Brazilian forward Rodrygo was left on the bench, amid speculation he could depart the club this summer.

However Alonso said the Brazilian was still a valuable member of the team.

“He’s doing well, he’s enthusiastic, it was a technical decision (to bench him) the other day, but Rodrygo is still an important player, we will need him in this Club World Cup,” said Alonso.

“He’s a special player and he will have a big role at this tournament.”

Related Topics:Alonso Mbappe Real Madrid Vinicius

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Sports

PHOTOS: Fulham Marks Nigeria’s Independence Day With Players, Staff At Motspur Park

Published

2 days ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Alex Iwobi at Nigeria's Independence Day party alongside other Fulham players and members of staff

English Premier League club Fulham on Tuesday hosted a gathering for its Nigerian players and staff to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day anniversary.

The event, held at the club’s Motspur Park training ground, brought together members of Fulham’s Nigerian contingent, including Super Eagles internationals Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze.

Club officials said the occasion was organised to recognise the contributions of its Nigerian players and to celebrate their country’s national day.

Photographs from the gathering showed the Nigerian trio joined by several of their non-Nigerian teammates, who participated in the celebration.

The get-together included light refreshments and informal conversations, with the players using the opportunity to reflect on Nigeria’s place in football and beyond.

Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1960, and the 2025 celebration marked its 65th year as a sovereign nation.

Sports

UCL: Spurs Snatch Late 2-2 Draw At Bodo/Glimt

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

Tottenham emerged from a chastening trip to the Arctic Circle with a 2-2 draw in the league phase of the Champions League thanks to a late own-goal by Bodo/Glimt’s Jostein Gundersen.

Local-born Jens Petter Hauge scored a brace for the impressive hosts before Micky van de Ven and the 89th-minute own-goal snatched a point for Thomas Frank’s Europa League winners.

The repeat of last year’s Europa League semi-final, which Spurs won 5-1 on aggregate, looked set to finish as a first win for Champions League debutants Bodo/Glimt until the late drama.

The result leaves Spurs on four points after an opening win against Villarreal, while Bodo/Glimt have back-to-back 2-2 draws following their late equaliser last time out at Slavia Prague.

Playing at home for the very first time in Europe’s top-club competition, Bodo/Glimt grew into the occasion and soon took a firm grip ahold the match.

The referee awarded a penalty to the dominant hosts shortly after the half-hour when Rodrigo Bentancur followed through and caught Fredrik Andre Bjorkan.

But Kasper Hogh’s woes from the spot in the league phase this year continued as his effort flew over the crossbar — following on from his saved effort against Slavia Prague on matchday one.

Spurs remained penned in their own half through the rest of the first period, and Bodo/Glimt’s dominance finally paid off eight minutes after the break when Hauge curled in from inside the box.

The jubilant scenes at the Aspmyra Stadion were curtailed two minutes later when Pedro Porro’s free-kick drifted onto the post and Bentancur turned in the rebound.

However, the yellow-clad mass of Norwegian fans soon roared again as VAR spotted a foul by Van de Ven as Porro’s cross came in and the referee disallowed the goal.

Hauge doubled Bodo/Glimt’s lead in the 66th minute with a rifled left-footed finish that flew past Guglielmo Vicario after the 25-year-old had glided easily past Porro on the edge of the box.

Porro and Van de Ven made amends for their errors two minutes later when the Dutchman headed home the right-back’s pinpoint cross to give Spurs hope.

Tottenham manager Frank rang the substitutions in search of a leveller, and replacement Destiny Udogie found Wilson Odobert, but the Frenchman’s header glanced off the woodwork on 85 minutes.

The hosts responded to the pressure as Andreas Helmersen hit the crossbar down the other end.

But it was heartbreak in the end for Bodo/Glimt as Spurs forced an 89th-minute equaliser when Nikita Haikin’s save smashed into the stomach of Gundersen from close range and trickled over the line — the leveller validated after a length check for offside.
AFP

Sports

UCL: Galatasaray Beat Liverpool 1-0 As Osimhen Shines

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

Liverpool slumped to a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray on Tuesday as Victor Osimhen’s 16th-minute penalty handed the Turkish giants victory.

The English champions were punished for the latest in a series of poor performances in Istanbul as they suffered back-to-back defeats for only the second time under Arne Slot.

Liverpool were beaten for the first time this season at Crystal Palace on Saturday, but a series of late winners have masked an unconvincing start since a summer transformation of the squad that strolled to the Premier League title last season.

Slot responded by leaving Mohamed Salah and £125 million ($168 million) signing Alexander Isak on the bench among four changes.

The Dutchman was scathing in his assessment of Liverpool’s first-half performance at Palace as only Alisson Becker prevented an embarrassing half-time score.

However, Slot got little in the way of a response in another disjointed display from his array of star names.

Galatasaray had been thrashed 5-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt to start their Champions League campaign.

The Turkish champions are a far more formidable force on home soil, though, and made the most of Liverpool’s defensive deficiencies.

Slot’s decision to play midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back backfired.

Baris Alper Yilmaz gave the visitors a warning of the threat down Galatasaray’s left when he failed to beat Alisson when one-on-one with the Brazilian.

Liverpool should have led just seconds before they fell behind.

Hugo Ekitike was denied by Ugurcan Cakir as he tried to round the goalkeeper and Ismail Jakobs cleared Cody Gakpo’s follow-up effort off the line.

Galatasaray swiftly broke upfield and Yilmaz was awarded a soft penalty for a stray Szoboszlai arm into the Turkish international’s face.

Osimhen had previously seen a Champions League penalty saved by Alisson, but this time converted the resulting spot-kick.

Florian Wirtz has struggled badly to deliver on his £100 million price tag and is still waiting for his first Liverpool goal after his effort was turned behind by Cakir, while Ibrahima Konate headed just off target from a corner before half-time.

Konate’s poor form has been a major factor in the Reds’ defensive issues at the start of the season and the Frenchman nearly cost his side a second goal early in the second half.

Alisson saved his teammate’s blushes with another save from Osimhen but at a cost as the Liverpool number one suffered an injury sprinting off his line and had to be replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Slot introduced Salah and Isak on the hour mark, but Liverpool were still an impotent attacking force.

Isak fired tamely into the arms of Cakir with his first touch.

The closest the visitors came to a response was when French referee Clement Turpin intially pointed to the spot by a foul on Konate, but overturned his decision after a VAR review.

Instead it was Galatasaray who were inches away from the second goal of the night in stoppage time when Lucas Torreira drilled a shot just wide.

AFP