Sports
Arteta Maintains Belief In Arsenal’s Potential To Secure The League Title
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, remains optimistic about his team’s chances in the Premier League title race, emphasizing that there is still a mathematical possibility for them to clinch the trophy.
Throughout the season, the Gunners had consistently held the top position in the league, aiming to break their 19-year drought and secure the championship.
In the face of relentless pressure from Manchester City, who have achieved an impressive 11-game winning streak, Arsenal has struggled in recent months.
Mikel Arteta’s team, unfortunately, has experienced a downturn in form, managing to secure victories in only two out of their last seven matches.
Arteta told Sky Sports “We have to apologise because the performance we had in the second-half is not acceptable.
“Mathematically (winning the league) it’s still possible and this is football but today it is impossible to be thinking about it. We have to first digest the result, the performance that we had in the second half, and understand why and have a very different reaction in the next game.”
In the upcoming match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest on Saturday, a loss for Arsenal would result in Manchester City clinching the title for the fifth time in six seasons and securing a third consecutive title.
Even if Arsenal manages to respond positively with a victory at Forest, City can still secure the title by winning their match against Chelsea on May 21 or by earning three points in their remaining fixtures against Brighton and Brentford.
It is worth noting that Arsenal’s involvement in the title race has exceeded expectations, and their achievement of securing Champions League qualification for the first time in seven seasons is commendable.
According to Arteta, Arsenal’s inability to bounce back after conceding Julio Enciso’s header early in the second half serves as a warning sign for the team as they look ahead to the next season.
In the closing stages of the match, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan further compounded Arsenal’s disappointment by adding to their lead, intensifying the agony for the Gunners. Brighton’s victory in that match marked a significant milestone for the club, as it propelled them closer to securing European qualification for the first time in their history.
Arteta added “We concede a goal and from there the team had no reaction. When you give away the silly goal we gave away, the second one, the team collapsed and had no answers. If the team is able to do that there is something we have to address.”
Martin Odegaard, the captain of Arsenal, has acknowledged that the title race is essentially concluded
He said “Yeah it feels like that. It is going to be very difficult now we have to be honest. It is tough to take.
“It is not a good feeling at the moment. The way we played, particularly in the second half, I don’t know what happened to be honest. It feels like there is no hope now.”
Despite their late collapse, Odegaard insisted his young teammates had been mentally tough enough for the pressure of the title race.
He said “We wanted to come here and continue like we have in the last two games, get a good result and keep pushing. It is a big disappointment.
“In the first half we did a lot of good things and had moments to create big chances but we gave them more and more momentum in the second half.
“I don’t think mentality was an issue. We were good going into the game but in the game was a different story and we have to accept it and learn from it.” he added.
Sports
Belgium Appoints Rudi Garcia As National Team Coach
The Belgian Football Federation has named Frenchman Rudi Garcia as the new head coach of the national team, following the sacking of Domenico Tedesco after a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.
In a statement released on Friday, the federation confirmed the appointment of the Underworld former Napoli, Lyon, and Roma manager, who will be formally introduced to the press later in the day.
READ MORE: Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach
Garcia’s task will be to rejuvenate the Red Devils after their early exit from the European Championship and underwhelming performances in the Nations League.
Belgium recently parted ways with Tedesco, who had been in charge since February 2023.
The Italian-German coach was brought in to rebuild the squad following the departure of the country’s celebrated “golden generation” under Roberto Martinez but failed to deliver the expected results.
The team now faces a critical relegation play-off against Ukraine in March, before beginning their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a trip to North Macedonia in June.
Garcia brings a wealth of experience, having coached top European clubs such as Marseille and Lyon.
He also made his mark at Lille between 2008 and 2013, leading the French side to a Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double in 2011.
However, his most recent role at Napoli in 2023 ended in disappointment after just five months.
Sports
Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach
Borussia Dortmund have sacked head coach Nuri Sahin after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Bologna in Tuesday’s Champions League match, marking the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
The decision follows a string of poor performances that have left the club in 10th place in the Bundesliga, 20 points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.
Sporting CEO Lars Ricken expressed that the club had “lost faith” in Sahin, explaining that the decision was painful but necessary.
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“We have unfortunately lost faith that we will achieve our sporting goals,” Ricken said. “We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much, we hoped for a long collaboration, but after the game in Bologna, this was unavoidable.”
Sahin, who had been promoted to head coach in the summer following his role as assistant to Edin Terzic during Dortmund’s surprise Champions League final run last season, acknowledged the disappointment.
“Unfortunately, I was not able to live up to Dortmund’s sporting ambitions at this point in time. I wish this special club all the best.”
The defeat against Bologna caps a difficult season for the club under Sahin’s stewardship.
Despite their strong showing in last season’s Champions League, where they lost to Real Madrid in the final, Dortmund have struggled in the Bundesliga and were eliminated from the German Cup by Wolfsburg.
Their away form, in particular, has been disastrous, with only four wins and nine losses in 15 matches away from the Westfalenstadion.
Dortmund’s leadership, which has historically favored former players in managerial roles, now faces the task of finding a suitable replacement for Sahin.
German media reports suggest potential successors could include Erik Ten Hag, the former Manchester United boss who has been spotted attending Dortmund games recently, or Roger Schmidt, formerly of Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen.
In the interim, U19 coach Mike Tullberg has been appointed to take charge of the first team, starting with Saturday’s home match against Werder Bremen.
The sacking of Sahin is the latest chapter in a turbulent managerial history for Dortmund since the departure of Jurgen Klopp in 2015, with the club having cycled through eight different head coaches in that time. Only Lucien Favre managed to stay longer than two years.
Sahin’s tenure as manager was a significant moment for Dortmund, as he was one of the club’s own, having come through the ranks and played over 270 games for the team, including being part of the squad that won the 2011 Bundesliga title.
However, his time at the helm of the senior team has proven to be short-lived as Dortmund now seek a new direction.
Sports
Man City Sign Brazilian Teenager, Vitor Reis For £29.6M
Manchester City have completed the signing of 19-year-old defender Vitor Reis from Brazilian club Palmeiras, the Premier League champions announced on Tuesday.
The Brazilian youth international joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of £29.6 million ($36.2 million).
Reis, a right-footed centre-back, expressed his enthusiasm about joining the English giants. “I’m excited to join Manchester City, one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Reis.
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“Everyone has seen the amazing achievements in recent seasons, and I want to make my mark as we seek more trophies. Working with Pep Guardiola is something every young player wants to do, and I know he can help me to develop into the best player I can be.”
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, highlighted the qualities that attracted the club to Reis.
He said, “Vitor Reis is one of the most promising young defenders in the world, and we’re delighted to have been able to bring him here. He is excellent on the ball and outstanding in the air — he has all the attributes needed to be one of the best.”
The signing of Reis is City’s second addition of the January transfer window, following the arrival of Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov.
Reports indicate that the club is also pursuing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush before the window closes.
Manchester City, currently fifth in the Premier League table, have faced challenges this season due to a series of defensive injuries.
However, the team showcased their attacking strength with a dominant 6-0 victory over Ipswich on Sunday.