Kevin De Bruyne had a goal and an assist and Manchester City thrice led by multiple goals in a 4-3 defeat of Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
City opened up a 2-0 lead and Real Madrid never made it level over 90 minutes as Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva all joined De Bruyne on the score sheet.
Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior scored on either side of halftime to bring the score to 2-1 and 3-2, but Carlo Ancelotti’s Real can be thankful to be down only two goals as City ran all over Madrid in the first half.
The second leg comes Tuesday at the Bernabeu, as City looks to return to the European Cup final for a second-successive year and Real looks to keep alive its hopes of a record 14th title.
Manchester, Britain – April 26, 2022 Manchester City
Liverpool fans in Suphanburi have found a uniquely Thai way of celebrating their team’s quadruple quest.
On Sunday, fans at Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan held a ceremony to bless the club and celebrated afterwards by making a replica Premier League trophy with the words “Liverpool FC” spelt out in mango sticky rice.
Fans at the ceremony also gave away Liverpool-themed souvenirs blessed in the temple as well as OTOP products from the Suphanburi Banana Conservation Centre.
Meanwhile, they sang Sek Loso’s “Poo-cha-na” (The Winner) and the Liverpool anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to encourage their team to chase the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles.
The Reds have already won the Carabao League Cup this season after beating Chelsea 11-10 on penalties in the final.
Liverpool will meet Chelsea again in the final of the FA Cup on May 14.
In the UEFA Champions League, the Reds face Spain’s Villareal in the semi-final, with the first leg at Anfield on Wednesday (Thursday 2am Thai time) and the away leg on May 3.
In the Premier League, Liverpool are second just one point behind leaders Manchester City but with a four-goal advantage in goal difference. Both teams have five matches left to decide the title.
Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on Saturday (April 23) to secure their 10th straight Bundesliga title with three games left to play in the season.
First-half goals from Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski put the hosts 2-0 up before Emre Can cut the deficit with a 52nd-minute penalty. Jamal Musiala got Bayern’s third goal seven minutes from the end.
Bayern, 12 points clear of second-placed Dortmund, have now won 31 Bundesliga titles since the introduction of the top division in 1963, and 32 German league crowns in all.
Bayern was desperate to seal the title — their only silverware of the season — in the league’s big game in front of a 75,000-strong home crowd to make up for their Champions League quarter-final shock exit to Villarreal earlier this month.
They took their first chance through Gnabry, who controlled the ball at the edge of the box with one touch and released a fierce volley past keeper Marwin Hitz, left frozen on the spot.
Gnabry put the ball in the net again at the half-hour mark but his effort was ruled offside. League top scorer Lewandowski did better in the 34th when Gnabry gained possession and Thomas Mueller, who became the first player to win 11 Bundesliga titles, fed the Pole who slotted in through the legs of Hitz for his 33rd league goal.
Lewandowski, whose future at the club is in doubt with a contract extension past his current 2023 deal still to be finalised, is on track to win Bundesliga’s top scorer for a fifth straight time and seventh overall.
Dortmund was awarded a penalty at the start of the second half when Marco Reus was felled by Joshua Kimmich and Can convert it. The visitors kept up the pressure but failed to score again despite efforts from Reus and Erling Haaland.
Instead, it was Bayern who scored through substitute Musiala to make sure of the title as coach Julian Nagelsmann celebrated his first league crown.
Dortmund is on 63 points with third-placed Bayer Leverkusen on 55.
German legend Jurgen Klinsmann hopes Bundesliga stars Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland stay for the new season, but the future of both forwards remains in question as Lewandowski is linked to FC Barcelona, while Haaland is close to joining Manchester City.
German legend Jurgen Klinsmann hoped on Friday that Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland will stay in the Bundesliga for the new season.
The strikers are currently seen as the greatest stars of the German league. However, the future of both forwards remains in question as Lewandowski is linked to FC Barcelona, while according to British media Haaland is close to joining Manchester City after the season.
On Saturday, the Pole and the Norwegian will compete in “Der Klassiker” as Bayern Munich will host Borussia Dortmund.
“I hope they will stay in the league for the next season. We are very proud that they are both part of the Bundesliga. I look at Erling Haaland as a young Robert Lewandowski because he has what it takes to become a complete player,” the former Bayern striker Klinsmann said in the interview for Sky Sports.
The world champion from 1990 emphasized that Lewandowski has more experience than Haaland.
“Robert has proved his worth in recent years and is perceived by many as the best footballer in the world. He fully deserves it for what he has done at Bayern. Suffice it to recall Gerd Muller’s record breaking. It is amazing, he still keeps the highest level,” Klinsmann said.
“Haaland has a bright future ahead of him. Even at such a young age, he has amazing skills. The teammates do everything to create the chance for him and I think that fact is incredibly important for the striker,” the German concluded.
Valencia will face Betis in the final of Spain’s Copa del Rey tournament on Saturday night as the clash not only decides Cup glory, but also places in Europe for next season.
Betis face Valencia in the final of Spain’s Copa del Rey tournament on Saturday night in a match in which not only Cup glory is up for grabs, but also a place in Europe for next season.
The fact the winner of the Cup will earn a place directly in the group stage of the Europa League could have an important effect on the last five games in La Liga and several clubs have an interest in seeing Betis claim the trophy rather than Valencia.
Betis currently sit fifth in La Liga and would qualify for Europe anyhow, but Valencia are down in 10th place with hardly any options of a top-six finish. If they win on Saturday, they would take the Europa League spot that would currently go to sixth-place Real Sociedad, who in turn would take the Conference League position that would currently be Villarreal’s, with Villarreal missing out on a place in Europe.
Betis have the advantage of playing in their hometown, if not their home ground, and coach Manuel Pellegrini has virtually the entire squad to choose from with the exception of long-term injuries, Martin Montoya and Victor Camarasa.
He is likely to go for his strongest starting 11, with Rui Sliva in goal, Hector Bellerin and Alex Moreno as full backs, Marc Bartra and Pezzella in central defense. Guido Rodriguez and William Carvalho will play the holding roles in midfield, while Betis have plenty of talent looking forward, with Sergio Canales, Nabil Fekir, Juanmi and Borja Iglesias.
Pellegrini’s team likes to play entertaining football, which contrasts with Jose Bordalas’ Valencia, whose strategy is based on their coach’s usual tactics of not allowing their rivals to play and looking to take advantage of counter-attacks or set pieces.
Bordalas has plenty of talent in his side, with players such as Carlos Soler, Goncalo Guedes and left back Jose Luis Gaya, while Gabriel Paulista is vital in their defense, but too often they use the ‘darker arts’ of football.
Thai ace Noppon Saengkham routed his higher-ranked Belgian opponent to move into the second round of the 2022 World Snooker Championship on Thursday.
Noppon, ranked 28rd in the world, beat world No 11 Luca Brecel from Belgium 10–5 at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England.
Noppon surged ahead 6-3 in the first session and continued to dominate the second session.
The win guarantees Noppon prize money of at least £30,000 (THB1,320,000). The tournament offers a total prize money of £2.395 million.
Noppon will take on four-time world champion John Higgins of Scotland who beat Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the first round.
The second round will be played over three sessions. The first session starts at 4pm on Sunday, the second session at 1am on Monday and the third session at 1pm the same day (all Thailand time).
Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Erik ten Hag as Men’s First Team Manager, subject to work visa requirements, from the end of this season until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.
The 52-year-old has signed a three-year deal with the option of a further 12 months. He told United’s website: “It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead. I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.
“It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United.”
Erik ten Hag has been appointed as Manchester United
John Murtough, Football Director, said: “During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.
“In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.
“We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer.”
Manchester City will need to win all six of their remaining Premier League games to retain the title, according to manager Pep Guardiola as he cannot see Liverpool slipping up before the end of the season.
City edged back one point ahead of the Reds in the title race as second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva earned a 3-0 win over Brighton at the Etihad.
Liverpool had gone top with a 4-0 annihilation of Manchester United on Tuesday and Guardiola was gushing about the performance of Jurgen Klopp’s men.
“We are facing one of the best teams ever. They have everything and that is why being there with them means a lot,” said Guardiola.
“It’s simple. Liverpool are going to win all the games. If we drop points they will be champions, if we win all our games we will be champions.”
City have experience of holding their nerve in a tight title race as they won their final 14 games three seasons ago to pip Liverpool by a point to win the league.
Guardiola showed his priorities lie with the Premier League and Champions League after leaving out a number of key players for a 3-2 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool on Saturday.
Kevin De Bruyne was one of those restored after being rested as a precaution over an ankle injury.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speak to Bernardo Silva Action Images via Reuters/Molly Darlington
“When the people talk about my magnificent selection for the FA Cup it is for this (injuries),” added Guardiola. “I didn’t want to take a risk because the Premier League is so important.”
Brighton had won on the road at Arsenal and Tottenham in their previous two games and frustrated the English champions for the first 45 minutes.
But there was little doubt over the outcome once De Bruyne’s driving run through the heart of the Brighton defence teed up Mahrez to slot in his 23rd goal of the season eight minutes into the second period.
Any doubt over the outcome was removed once Foden’s deflected effort from a corner worked to the edge of the box gave City a two-goal cushion.
Silva added a third eight minutes from time with an exquisite cushioned finish from De Bruyne’s layoff at the edge of the area.
“You have to be perfect for us to come here and get anything and we weren’t, said Brighton boss Graham Potter.
City captain Ruben Dias made his return from injury after a two-month absence in the second half.
And the Portuguese’s return might have come at the perfect time for Guardiola as John Stones limped off late on just six days before the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
The first round of OR Bric Superbike 2022 is set to be held at Buriram International Circuit from May 6 to 8.
Apress conference on the superbike race, held on Tuesday, said this year’s tournament is being held under the concept “Anyone can be a hero”, providing a “first stage for Thai racers to reach global level”.
Some 200 racers from 120 teams will take part in five rounds through the year at the Buriram circuit.
The second round will be held from July 29 to 31 and the third from September 2 to 4. The last round will hit the track from November 3 to 6 with two races to decide who wins the title.
It will be open to spectators under strict Covid-19 prevention measures.
The race is separated into five classes – Superbike 1000cc, Super Stock 1000cc, Super Sport 600cc, Super Sport 400cc, and Sport Production 400cc.
Pro racers under the TSB Riders Ranking 2022 will be separated into three classes – Superbike 1000cc (SB1 Pro), Super Sport 600cc (SS1 Pro), and Super Sport 400cc (SS1 Pro).
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speak to Bernardo Silva Action Images via Reuters/Molly Darlington
SootinClaimon.Com 