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  • UEFA Nations League: Italy edge previous Netherlands 3-2 to assert third place end

    By India Today Sports Desk: The Twente Stadium witnessed an intense battle on Sunday as Italy clinched the comfort bronze medals on the Nations League finals, securing a 3-2 victory over the Netherlands within the third-place playoff. The Italian staff’s triumph added to the frustration of the host nation, the Netherlands, who had a difficult week.

    Italy began the match with an explosive burst of vitality, taking an early lead within the sixth minute. Federico Dimarco displayed impeccable accuracy as he thrashed the ball into the online from the far put up. The Italian facet continued to dominate, extending their benefit within the twentieth minute when Davide Frattesi calmly slotted the ball house from shut vary, leaving the Dutch with a mountain to climb.

    However, the Netherlands mounted a formidable comeback within the second half, making three attacking substitutions throughout halftime. They unleashed a relentless offensive onslaught, placing Italy’s protection below immense strain. Steven Bergwijn ignited hope for the Dutch staff when he pulled a objective again within the 68th minute.

    Italy responded swiftly, reaffirming their dominance with a swift counterattack within the 73rd minute. Federico Chiesa capitalized on the chance, restoring Italy’s two-goal lead with a medical end. Nevertheless, the Dutch fought valiantly till the top, with Georginio Wijnaldum discovering the again of the online within the 89th minute to present his staff a glimmer of hope. Despite 9 minutes of stoppage time, Italy showcased exceptional resilience and managed to resist the relentless house strain, securing the victory.

    Italy’s triumph started with an electrifying begin, showcasing their fluid passing means. Giacomo Raspadori initiated a sequence of fast passes, cleverly backheeling the ball to Dimarco, who unleashed a thunderous strike into the online. The surprising objective silenced the house followers, leaving them in disbelief. Fourteen minutes later, fortune favored Italy as soon as once more as Frattesi pounced on a lucky rebound, chesting the ball down earlier than discovering the again of the online.

    The Dutch staff, remodeled after the break, pushed Italy to their restrict within the second half. Italy’s goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, showcased his talent and agility, denying Cody Gakpo with a formidable save. Gakpo, nevertheless, redeemed himself by helping Bergwijn in scoring the Netherlands’ first objective. With composure, Bergwijn skillfully maneuvered the ball from his proper to left foot earlier than firing it previous the Italian goalkeeper.

    Italy rapidly regained their momentum as Chiesa launched into a solo run from deep inside his personal half within the 73rd minute. Exploiting the Dutch’s eagerness to search out one other objective, Chiesa cleverly slotted the ball contained in the far put up, catching the opposition off guard and restoring Italy’s two-goal benefit.

    Despite Wijnaldum’s late objective rekindling hopes of a dramatic comeback, the Netherlands fell quick of their quest for victory. Their aspirations of house success within the match had been dashed following a 4-2 defeat in additional time to Croatia within the first semi-final on Wednesday.

    Italy, however, suffered a heart-wrenching loss to Spain of their semi-final match on Thursday, conceding a last-minute objective. The remaining showdown between Croatia and Spain befell in Rotterdam in a while Sunday, whereas Italy celebrated their hard-fought victory, claiming the bronze medal within the Nations League finals.

  • Koeman gone, Barcelona names Sergi Barjuan caretaker coach

    With its coffers depleted and a vital Champions League match proper across the nook, Barcelona was in search of a brand new coach on Thursday after it named a caretaker coach following the firing of Ronald Koeman.
    The Spanish membership mentioned that reserve crew coach Sergi Barjuan will briefly lead the squad till it finds a everlasting alternative for Koeman. Barjuan is a former Barcelona defender. The membership mentioned that he can be within the dugout for Saturday’s Spanish league match towards Alavés.

    Former midfielder Xavi Hernández, who for years has been linked to a return to the membership he helped carry to its biggest heights as a participant, seems to be the main candidate to take over on a full-time foundation. First, nonetheless, the 41-year-old Xavi must free himself from his job teaching Qatari membership Al Sadd.
    Next week, Barcelona faces a visit to Ukraine to play Dynamo Kyiv in a match it might want to win to spice up its possibilities of persevering with its two-decade long term of reaching the Champions League knockout rounds.
    Koeman had justified defeats to Bayern Munich, Benfica, Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid this season by arguing that his crew was merely not amongst Europe’s elite after its monetary troubles pressured it to shed the wages of Lionel Messi and different high abilities. He additionally insisted that accidents amongst his attacking gamers had restricted its effectiveness.
    Less than a month in the past, membership president Joan Laporta had publicly backed Koeman, asking followers to be affected person because the crew undergoes a rebuilding mission.
    But Koeman’s credit score ran out after Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Rayo Vallecano, a modest rival that had not crushed Barcelona since 2002. Barcelona, the dominant Spanish league crew over the previous 20 years, is in ninth place within the standings.
    Koeman, a former defender, took over Barcelona when its financial disaster was simply being felt following a devastating 8-2 loss to Bayern on the finish of the 2019-20 season that value predecessor Quique Setién his job. The Dutchman was remembered as a fan favourite for his profitable objective within the 1992 European Cup ultimate.
    The 58-year-old Koeman led Barcelona to final season’s Copa del Rey title, nevertheless it exited the Champions League within the round-of-16 and completed the Spanish league in third place.
    Koeman did, nonetheless, set the muse of a rejuvenated Barcelona by bringing children Pedri González, Gavi Páez, Ronald Araújo and Óscar Mingueza into his beginning lineup and making Ansu Fati one of many crew’s leaders together with veterans Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba.
    But its hassle scoring — one objective in three Champions League matches — and its lack of ability to reply to adversity as soon as behind confirmed that Koeman’s crew was not performing up its potential.
    “We showed that we had talent, but it wasn’t enough,” Koeman mentioned hours earlier than he was let go.
    Koeman had left his job teaching the Netherlands to return to Barcelona, a incontrovertible fact that Laporta had additionally cited when he had given him a reprieve. He beforehand coached a number of groups, together with Everton, Southampton, Valencia, Benfica and Ajax, amongst different Dutch golf equipment.
    The 49-year-old Barjuan performed for Barcelona as a left again from 1993-2002 earlier than ending his enjoying profession with Atlético. He was appointed Barcelona’s reserve crew coach in July.

  • Ronald Koeman will proceed as head coach of Barcelona: Joan Laporta

    In an surprising transfer, Barcelona’s membership president quashed stories of the upcoming firing of Ronald Koeman on Saturday when he mentioned that the Dutch coach will hold his job.
    “Koeman will continue being the coach of Barcelona,” Joan Laporta mentioned hours earlier than Barcelona’s match at Atlético Madrid that many stories within the Spanish media speculated could possibly be Koeman’s final.
    “Today, regardless of the result, Koeman will still be Barcelona’s coach,” Laporta informed reporters in Madrid. “He has a contract, (and) we hope that he can get us back on the winning path, playing the way we want. I know he will give it his all.”
    It was the primary public assertion Laporta has made since a bitter 3-0 loss at Benfica on Wednesday sparked numerous stories that Koeman’s days have been numbered.
    Barcelona has misplaced each its Champions League matches with out producing a single shot on course and is below risk of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds for the primary time in 20 years.
    Koeman himself mentioned on Friday that he imagined that the rumors of his exit have been “probably true.”
    The Spanish league match at Atlético comes earlier than a break from membership competitions for nationwide groups to play, which might have given Barcelona’s management a window to make a transfer. Spanish media had reported that Laporta was contemplating Xavi Hernández, Andrea Pirlo and Roberto Martínez as doable replacements.
    But, no less than for now, Laporta is standing by the previous Barcelona defender who etched his title into the Catalan membership’s historical past because of his final-winning purpose that earned Barcelona its first of 5 European Cups in 1992.
    “We believe that he needs our confidence because he is one of ours; he loves Barça,” Laporta mentioned about Koeman, who left his job teaching the Netherlands to take over the membership in the beginning of the 2020-21 season amid institutional turmoil that lastly led to the resignation of ex-president Josep Bartomeu.
    “He decided to become Barcelona’s coach in a moment of extreme difficulty for the club both on the field and in the boardroom,” Laporta mentioned. “It is complicated, the results are not good. But I ask our fans to keep their faith in our coach; he deserves it and he believes in this team.”
    As a coach, Koeman has needed to climate the membership’s monetary disaster attributable to the poor administration of Laporta’s predecessors and the pandemic. The collapse in revenues and ballooning debt pressured Barcelona to let Lionel Messi go and do away with different gamers, together with Antoine Griezmann, this summer season.
    Laporta’s relationship with the 58-year-old Koeman, nonetheless, has by no means been superb. Laporta actively sought to interchange him final offseason, solely to lastly determine to maintain him on.
    It is feasible that one issue influencing Laporta’s sticking with Koeman is the monetary chew the cash-strapped membership must face by breaking his contract that’s set to run out on the finish of the season.
    Barcelona closed the 2020-21 monetary 12 months with a staggering 481 million euros ($557 million) in losses and in poor form to shell out for severance pay. Its wage cap has been slashed to 97 million euros ($113 million), about 285 million euros ($334 million) lower than a 12 months in the past and 7 occasions smaller than that of Real Madrid.
    And Koeman’s outspoken method, not often shying away from dispensing what he considers truthful criticism about gamers and the membership, could have additionally chided at occasions. On Wednesday, for instance, he mentioned that whereas he felt the help of his gamers, he had no concept if the membership was nonetheless behind him.
    But Koeman did steer Barcelona to the Copa del Rey title final season and has successively nurtured alongside a number of younger gamers, above all Spain midfielder Pedri González. He now insists that the group must get again injured gamers like Ousmane Dembelé and Martin Braithwaite and have Ansu Fati and Philippe Coutinho, who not too long ago recovered from accidents, regain their full health earlier than its potential can really be judged.
    “After speaking with him, I see that he believes in this team, above all after it is back to full strength with healthy players who we need to be competitive,” Laporta mentioned. “We have not been in power that long and need a margin of error, and we have to treat Koeman likewise.”

  • ‘It is what is’: Koeman accepts Barca destiny after Bayern education

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman was in a resigned temper after his facet had been outclassed and crushed 3-0 by Bayern Munich within the Champions League on Tuesday, saying followers wanted to be reasonable concerning the group’s present plight.
    A deflected purpose from Thomas Mueller gave Bayern a deserved lead within the first half earlier than Robert Lewandowski struck twice after the break to inflict one other painful European defeat on Barca after thrashing the Catalans 8-2 in August final 12 months.
    The Dutch coach pointed to the group’s damage issues together with the absences of forwards Ousmane Dembele, Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite and Sergio Aguero and revealed Jordi Alba had performed regardless of being in poor health the night time earlier than the match.
    “You have to be realistic in life. Our young players showed we have a future and we have a lot of players to come back from injuries. It is what it is,” Koeman advised a information convention.

    𝙈𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃 𝙍𝙀𝙋𝙊𝙍𝙏#BarçaBayern @ChampionsLeague https://t.co/KUx6KoOp0W
    — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 14, 2021
    “We know we’re missing a lot of players in attack and we have to wait a few weeks to have more options and more speed going forward. I don’t want to look for excuses but everyone knows the problems we had with the players who were unavailable.”
    Barca didn’t have a single shot on course over the 90 minutes and whereas Bayern had been capable of convey on skilled internationals equivalent to Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman from the bench, Koeman hauled on three youngsters in the hunt for a response.

    “It’s very tough to play against a team like Bayern when you don’t have much speed going forward. We have to accept it and keep working. And we have to recognise the team we were up against,” he added.
    “To do harm towards a group like Bayern it’s a must to be at your highest and it’s a must to admit it when the opposite group is best. But I’m just a little uninterested in speaking about the identical factor, in just a few weeks the group will likely be completely different as a result of we’ll have extra gamers out there and we will likely be fitter.

    “Bayern are one of the favourites to win the Champions League and soon enough we ran into problems. We were a little unlucky with their first goal but in the second half they proved they are a better team than us right now.”

  • Barcelona can nonetheless win title however can’t make any extra errors: Ronald Koeman

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman nonetheless believes his aspect can win the title regardless of failing to beat La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid on Saturday however mentioned his workforce should not endure any extra slip ups in its remaining three video games.
    The 0-0 draw at house to Atleti left Barca third within the standings, two factors behind Diego Simeone’s aspect and stage with second-placed Real Madrid, who snatched a 2-2 draw in opposition to customer Sevilla on Sunday.
    Barca can go provisionally high La Liga by profitable its subsequent sport at Levante on Tuesday however Atletico and Real must drop factors of their remaining fixtures if the Catalans are to get their arms on the trophy.
    “We’re going to fight until the last moment to win La Liga. It’s no longer in our hands but we can’t commit any more errors,” Koeman instructed a information convention on Monday.
    The Dutchman additionally mentioned his aspect was jaded after an unforgiving season and congested fixture schedule as a result of coronavirus pandemic.
    He additionally felt the shortage of supporters was guilty for Barcelona’s lowest factors complete in house matches because the 2002/03 season.
    “We are at our limits but so is every team, especially those who have played in Europe or got to finals. There’s been so many games and in the end they take their toll on you,” he mentioned.
    Barca reached the Champions League final 16 this season earlier than going out to Paris St-Germain. It additionally performed within the Copa del Rey ultimate, beating Athletic Bilbao.
    “Playing without fans also has an impact, that’s why team has dropped so many points at home. It’s not normal to play so many games. In the end, the team that is strongest physically and mentally will win the title.”
    Koeman additionally mentioned he didn’t see all of Real’s match with Sevilla as he doesn’t get pleasure from watching Barca’s title rivals play.
    He mentioned Real’s complaints about Eder Militao’s handball was nothing to do with him however expressed his sympathy over the shortage of readability on handball choices.
    “I watched the first 20 minutes of Real Madrid and then AC Milan against Juventus because watching the (Real) game made me nervous. I prefer to watch a different game and find out the result when it’s over,” he mentioned.
    “If Madrid think that it was treated unfairly then that’s its problem. All I will say is, as a coach, we’ve reached the point where we no longer know when a handball is a handball.”

  • Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman hits out at ban forward of Atletico Madrid showdown

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has criticised the Spanish FA’s (RFEF) choice handy him a two-game ban for utilizing what was deemed to be derogatory language in direction of a match official.
    The Dutchman was dismissed in final week’s shock 2-1 residence loss to Granada which hit Barca’s title hopes.Having missed Sunday’s 3-2 victory at Valencia, Koeman is ready to even be absent for the crunch La Liga showdown on the Camp Nou in opposition to leaders Atletico Madrid on Saturday after having an attraction to cut back the ban rejected by the RFEF.
    Barcelona on Wednesday confirmed they might current a second attraction to Spain’s Sports Administrative Court in a bid to get the ban overturned.
    “I feel it’s something personal, yes,” Koeman informed a information convention on Friday.
    “To say ‘What a person’ is not insulting, and it’s not a reason to ban someone for two games. So yes, I believe it to be something deeper (than the words said).”
    Barca sit two factors behind Atletico, who’ve 76 factors, and a victory would see them leapfrog their opponents with simply three video games left to play.Title rivals Real Madrid, who’re degree on factors with Barca and host fourth-placed Sevilla on Sunday, may very well be the principle beneficiaries if the sport ends in a draw resulting from their superior head-to-head report in opposition to Atleti and Barca.
    However, very like his Atletico counterpart Diego Simeone, Koeman insisted Barcelona won’t alter their typical set-up for the sport.
    “Barca are a side who look to attack and we need to stay loyal to that, to ourselves, and we won’t change,” mentioned Koeman. “We don’t count on them to depart a lot area for us once they don’t have the ball.
    “This week hasn’t been any different to a normal week. You don’t need to do anything different because the players know how important the game is.”I’m satisfied that if we win our 4 remaining video games, we’ll win the title.”
    Barca ahead Martin Braithwaite returns to the squad after injuring his ankle final month, that means solely long-term absentees Ansu Fati and Philippe Coutinho are unavailable.

  • Barcelona to enchantment head coach Ronald Koeman’s two-game suspension

    Barcelona will enchantment a two-game suspension handed to educate Ronaldo Koeman that may rule him out of a crucial conflict towards Atlético Madrid within the wide-open La Liga title race.
    Koeman was proven a pink card throughout Barcelona’s 2-1 dwelling loss to Granada on Thursday for his use of what the referee thought of disrespectful language. That defeat price his group the prospect to take the lead of the Spanish league.
    The Spanish soccer federation elevated the obligatory one-game ban to 2 video games after reviewing the case, prompting an enchantment from Barcelona.
    “According to the referee report, I disrespected the assistant referee and for me that is not correct,” Koeman stated Saturday. “To disrespect is to insult, and I used to be solely commenting on a number of performs in a respectful method.
    “The sending off bothers me because it is not fair,” the Dutchman continued. “We will have to see what happens (regarding the appeal).”
    Referee Pablo González recorded in his match report that Koeman was proven a pink card for saying to the referee assistant “what a character” after having been warned a number of occasions to look at his language. The federation’s competitors committee then added a second sport to the suspension on Friday evening.
    That would hold Koeman out of the dugout for Barcelona’s match at Valencia on Sunday and subsequent spherical’s sport towards Atlético at Camp Nou that may straight affect the title combat.
    Atlético, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla are all in rivalry to win essentially the most disputed league title in years.

  • Lionel Messi returns for Barcelona as Koeman warns towards dropping extra factors

    Lionel Messi has recovered from an ankle damage and able to tackle Huesca on Sunday as Barcelona look to get their La Liga season again on monitor following final week’s shock 1-1 draw at residence to Eibar, coach Ronald Koeman has mentioned.
    Barca’s all-time prime scorer watched on helplessly from the empty Camp Nou stands as his aspect struggled towards the minnows however Koeman mentioned his captain had been working extra time to return to health.
    “Messi is in good shape, he trained on December 30 and 31, even when his team mates had days off, and he’s not feeling any discomfort anymore,” Koeman informed a information convention on Saturday.
    “He’s ready, he’s feeling happy and very determined and that’s very important for us.”
    Messi is now into the ultimate six months of his contract with Barca and has acknowledged he won’t determine his future till the top of the marketing campaign, however Koeman mentioned the uncertainty was no distraction for his aspect.
    “Like any player who is finishing their contract, he is free to decide what he wants,” he mentioned.
    “He’s proved he wants the best for this team and I have no problem with him not making his decision now. We aren’t feeling nervous or worried about it.”
    Barca’s draw with Eibar left them sixth within the standings and 10 factors behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who even have a recreation in hand, and Koeman repeated his earlier perception that his aspect have been slipping out of the title race.
    “I’m a realist when it comes to our chances of winning the league. We cannot afford to drop many more points, and as Atletico are so consistent, it’s very difficult for us. Each point lost is another chance gone,” he mentioned.
    While Messi returns towards Huesca, Barca can be with out Philippe Coutinho, who underwent surgical procedure on a knee damage and can be out for round three months.
    The Brazilian is the fourth participant the Catalans have misplaced to a long run damage this season after Ansu Fati, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto.
    “We will keep working with what we have but we have lost important players of real quality,” added the Dutch coach, who additionally despatched his finest needs to former Barca staff mate Eusebio Sacristan, who’s in an induced coma after struggling a fall.

  • Messi returns for Barca as Koeman warns towards dropping extra factors

    Lionel Messi has recovered from an ankle harm and able to tackle Huesca on Sunday as Barcelona look to get their La Liga season again on monitor following final week’s shock 1-1 draw at house to Eibar, coach Ronald Koeman has mentioned.Barca’s all-time prime scorer watched on helplessly from the empty Camp Nou stands as his facet struggled towards the minnows however Koeman mentioned his captain had been working extra time to return to health.“Messi is in good shape, he trained on December 30 and 31, even when his team mates had days off, and he’s not feeling any discomfort anymore,” Koeman informed a information convention on Saturday. “He’s ready, he’s feeling happy and very determined and that’s very important for us.”Messi is now into the ultimate six months of his contract with Barca and has said he is not going to determine his future till the tip of the marketing campaign, however Koeman mentioned the uncertainty was no distraction for his facet.“Like any player who is finishing their contract, he is free to decide what he wants,” he mentioned. “He’s proved he wants the best for this team and I have no problem with him not making his decision now. We aren’t feeling nervous or worried about it.”Barca’s draw with Eibar left them sixth within the standings and 10 factors behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who even have a recreation in hand, and Koeman repeated his earlier perception that his facet had been slipping out of the title race.“I’m a realist when it comes to our chances of winning the league. We cannot afford to drop many more points, and as Atletico are so consistent, it’s very difficult for us. Each point lost is another chance gone,” he mentioned. While Messi returns towards Huesca, Barca shall be with out Philippe Coutinho, who underwent surgical procedure on a knee harm and shall be out for round three months.The Brazilian is the fourth participant the Catalans have misplaced to a long run harm this season after Ansu Fati, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto.“We will keep working with what we have but we have lost important players of real quality,” added the Dutch coach, who additionally despatched his greatest needs to former Barca workforce mate Eusebio Sacristan, who’s in an induced coma after struggling a fall. (Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Christian Radnedge)