No surprises as Jesse Marsch announces first selection as Canadian men's soccer coach - Soccer (2024)

The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 10:57 am | Story: 489435

TORONTO — Toronto FC fullback/wingback Richie Laryea, sidelined by a hamstring injury since the Feb. 25 season opener, is expected to return to action Saturday at D.C. United.

Coach John Herdman said Laryea will travel with the MLS team for Wednesday's game in Philadelphia but won't take the field until Saturday. With two away games this week, Toronto plans to stay south of the border after the mid-week game.

Laryea, one of Toronto's designated players along with Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, underwent surgery March 23 in London, England. At the time, his recovery time was said to be three months.

Herdman said Laryea won't be on the active roster for the Philadelphia game.

"The expectation is Richie will play minutes against D.C. United," Herdman said after training Monday. "That's been the plan, so this week he's ramping up. He'll hit all his sort of final check boxes and put a real intense training week in but will travel with the team so he's ready to go against D.C."

The 29-year-old Laryea and TFC captain Jonathan Osorio were included Monday in Jesse Marsch's first roster selection as Canada coach for friendlies June 6 and 9 against the Netherlands and France.

"I'm proud for those lads," said Herdman, who stepped down in August as Canada coach to take over Toronto. "I know what it means to them to represent their country.

"Richie's had a tough run so I'm pleased Jesse put the trust in him, because he's a guy who loves playing for Canada. He gives his everything and I've seen him reach special levels in that Canadian jersey. While he plays in MLS, when he plays for Canada he's able to show he's got world-class ability. And I'd say the same for Osorio."

While Toronto does not have any games scheduled while Laryea and Osorio are away for the friendlies, Herdman will feel the pain during Copa America, which runs June 20 to July 24.

"(Copa America) comes at time for us in June where you'd love to have had that full squad available," he said. "But having been the guy that took players away from MLS clubs and not worry too much about it, being on the other end you've just got to pat these boys on the back and wish them all the best."

Laryea, who has 48 caps, last played for Canada in November's CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal series against Jamaica. Osorio has 71 caps.

Rookie wingback Tyrese Spicer, who came off in the 58th minute of Saturday's 4-3 loss to visiting FC Cincinnati, is questionable for Wednesday's game with a gastrointestinal issue.

"We're just learning whether it's muscular or something different," Herdman said.

Forward Prince Owusu is being monitored for a tight calf. Midfielder Brandon Servania (knee) and defender Shane O'Neil (thigh) remain on the injured list.

Bernardeschi returns this week after missing the Cincinnati game due to yellow card accumulation.

Toronto (7-7-1) goes into mid-week play in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, two places and four points ahead of Philadelphia (4-4-6).

TFC has won just one of its last four league matches (1-0-3). But it has won seven of its last 10 (7-3-0) in all competitions.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2024

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 8:30 am | Story: 489411

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Unai Emery signed a new contract with Aston Villa on Monday that keeps him at the Premier League club until 2029.

Emery took charge in October 2022 with Villa just three points above the relegation zone.

This season, he guided the club to a fourth-place finish and qualification for the Champions League.

“I am very happy to take this step and the responsibility of leading this club," Emery said. “There’s a great chemistry in Aston Villa. And the element of the fans’ support also makes the difference to feel like home. We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams.”

Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris said the club is “building something special ... with Unai at its core.”

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 8:00 am | Story: 489409

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 7:57 am | Story: 489410

PARIS (AP) — Former soccer player Christian Karembeu, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, says two of his relatives have been killed during the unrest in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia.

Speaking during an interview with Europe 1 radio on Monday, the former Real Madrid midfielder said his two relatives were shot in the head by snipers.

“I’ve lost family members, that’s why I’ve kept quiet," Karembeu said. “Because I’m in mourning.”

Asked if these were assassinations, Karembeu replied: “I didn’t want to, because the word is strong, but ... it’s true that, yes, it’s an assassination and we hope that there will be inquiries and investigations into these murders.”

French President Emmanuel Macron decided on Monday to lift the state of emergency that was imposed this month. Seven people have died as a result of the violence that erupted in New Caledonia. Protests kicked off against the French government’s attempts to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia.

Opponents fear the measure will benefit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia, where pro-independence Indigenous Kanaks have long pushed to be free of France, amid sharp economic disparities.

Karembeu, who is Kanak, grew up on the island of Lifou in New Caledonia. After moving to France as a teenager, he went on to win two Champions League titles with Madrid as a midfielder. He started for France in the 1998 World Cup final and was also part of the team that won the 2000 European Championship.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III, Napoleon’s nephew and heir. It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.

Karembeu's great-grandparents were shipped to Paris in 1931 from the islands and exhibited as “cannibals.”

The seven people killed in shootings included at least three from the Indigenous Kanak community and two gendarmes. One of the gendarmes was killed when a weapon discharged accidentally, French Interior Ministry said.

France’s top official in New Caledonia, High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said on Monday that more than 122 police officers and gendarmes have been injured in the unrest and more than 460 people have been arrested since the protests turned violent on May 14.

Le Franc did not give the number of injured civilians in the unrest.

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 6:47 am | Story: 489405

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden midfielder Kristoffer Olsson is hoping to make a full return to elite-level soccer as he continues to recover from an acute brain condition that kept him in a hospital for a month.

Olsson, who was hospitalized in February after suddenly losing consciousness at home, is still living at a neurological rehabilitation center but made his first public appearance since the illness when he attended his Danish club Midtjylland's game on Sunday as it won the domestic league title. After the game, Olsson was driven around the field in a cart while holding the trophy as he was applauded by fans.

In an interview with Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet on Monday, Olsson said he is confident of making a full recovery and is “dreaming of being back with the team and training again.”

The 28-year-old Olsson was diagnosed with several small blood clots in the brain as a result of an extremely rare blood-vessel inflammation. He was placed on a ventilator at the hospital and said he has no memories of a three-week period when “I was basically dying.”

He said he is now making steady progress in his recovery, and has already started kicking a ball around at the rehab center.

“I played a bit of football here the other day, with a member of staff,” Olsson was quoted as saying. “She was in goal.”

It's still unclear, however, when Olsson can even return home and resume a normal life, much less resume playing professional sports.

“Of course you want to return as quickly as possible and fight to get there,” he said. “But I'm not stressing over that, it will take the time it takes. But I can move well, I can run, and my memory is good. I'm getting better with each day.”

Olsson has played 47 times for Sweden, most recently against Estonia in November. He joined Midtjylland in 2022 for a second spell, having previously played for Anderlecht in Belgium, Krasnodar in Russia, AIK in Sweden and in the youth teams at English club Arsenal.

He said being back inside the stadium for Midtjylland’s title celebrations was a great feeling — but also quite tiring.

“That was a vibe that I've missed, to watch some live football and see my team and everyone I know so well,” he said. “And then to hear the supporters sing about me and team ... it was fantastic to be there. But it was also a lot to take in, so I got tired pretty quickly."

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 5:16 am | Story: 489395

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — With Greek club Olympiakos aiming for its first European trophy, there will be a massive security operation in Athens for Wednesday's Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.

More than 3,000 police officers will be on duty for the game, with the AEK Arena surrounded by security measures that will halt traffic, close local schools and even ban food deliveries north of the Greek capital.

There could still be some celebration on the streets if Olympiakos delivers the trophy.

Despite a disappointing domestic season, Olympiakos has the momentum in the third-tier European competition after knocking out Fenerbahce and Aston Villa in the previous rounds.

Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi is the competition’s top scorer with 10 goals, while coach Jose Luis Mendilibar has brought some calm to the team after becoming its third manager of the season.

The 63-year-old Mendilibar led Sevilla to the Europa League trophy last season, and the Spanish coach said he will stick to the team's hard-pressing playing style in the final.

“I (cannot) transform things with a magic wand," Mendilibar said. “I am not a guru, I’m a coach. I aim to present my team as best as I can and expect the best result.”

Fiorentina is back in the final after losing last year's title match to West Ham, having dominated most of their knockout games and scored a competition-high 25 goals.

Coach Vincenzo Italiano said his team will take the hard lessons learned from last year's final to Athens.

“We never give up on games,” said Italiano, who rested key players in the team's last league game ahead of the European final. “The difference (from last year) is that we know the path we’re on, we know what we’re up against, what we’re playing, the importance of the game, how to prepare for it emotionally, mentally, physically. We come to the match with a little more experience.”

Greece’s government decided on the heavy policing measures for the final following a domestic shake-up. Top-flight soccer venues in Greece were closed for two months earlier this season as electronic ticketing and other new security measures were introduced.

The Greek Cup Final was held without fans this past weekend due to concerns about potential violence. The game still came to a chaotic end after Panathinaikos beat Aris 1-0 with an injury time goal, as police had to intervene to shield French referee Stephanie Frappart as she was escorted off the field while being confronted by Aris players and club officials.

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 4:44 am | Story: 489387

MADRID (AP) — Spain is set to take a young squad to the European Championship, with teenagers Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi among the players picked by coach Luis de la Fuente on Monday.

Fermín López, the 21-year-old Barcelona forward, also was included in the list of 29 players announced by the coach, who will have to cut three names from the squad for the tournament in Germany. López has yet to make his debut with the national team.

“They have talent and motivation,” De la Fuente said. “They are very versatile players. Fermín will take a leap forward with this call-up. I hope that they will benefit and show all the potential that they have.”

Ayoze Pérez was another of the few surprises on the list, with the 30-year-old Real Betis forward getting his first call-up to the senior squad.

Other strikers included Atletico Madrid's Álvaro Morata and Real Madrid's Joselu, as well as the 16-year-old Yamal of Barcelona and 21-year-old Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao.

Along with Cubarsi, the 17-year-old Barcelona center back, other defenders included Madrid's Nacho Fernández and 38-year-old veteran Jesús Navas of Sevilla.

Forwards Marco Asensio of Paris Saint-Germain, Pablo Sarabia of Wolverhampton, Brais Méndez of Real Sociedad and Gerard Moreno of Villarreal were left out.

Veteran Atletico midfielder Koke Resurrección also didn't make the squad.

Spain will be aiming for a record fourth European Championship. It was drawn into Group B with Italy, Albania and Croatia.

“It's a very difficult group but we are prepared,” De la Fuente said. “We will be fighting to be among the title contenders in the end.”

Spain will play warmups against Andorra and Northern Ireland before heading to Germany.

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Squad:

Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Álex Remiro (Real Sociedad)

Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Jesús Navas (Sevilla), Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr), Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Nacho Fernández (Real Madrid), Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Rodrigo (Manchester City), Martín Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Pedri (Barcelona), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Aleix García (Girona), Alex Baena (Villarreal), Fermín López (Barcelona)

Forwards: Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Dani Olmo (Leipzig), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Álvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Joselu (Real Madrid), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ayoze Pérez (Real Betis)

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The Canadian Press - May 27, 2024 / 3:23 am | Story: 489386

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti knows he will have a tough decision to make in goal for the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Will he pick Andriy Lunin, who has played in goal nearly the entire season, or Thibaut Courtois, the veteran who has won the Champions League before but has just returned from injury?

“It’s really difficult,” Ancelotti said Monday. “Both of them deserve to play this final. Lunin, because he did a fantastic season, and Courtois, because he is back from his injury and everyone knows the quality of Courtois."

Lunin was nursing a fever and was the only Madrid player who didn’t train on Monday. But Ancelotti said the Ukrainian was expected to be available for the final in London.

The illness surely doesn't help Lunin's chances, though, and many had already expected Ancelotti to go with the more experienced Courtois despite his lack of minutes.

“After you get injured you are not the best anymore, you have to come back and show that you are the same as you were before, and even better than before,” Courtois said. “I’m glad that I’m playing and training well and that I’m available to play.”

Courtois ruptured a left-knee ligament in August, just two days before the start of the season. The 32-year-old Belgian then also ruptured the meniscus in his right knee in March, when he was close to making a comeback.

He was sidelined until the beginning of this month, when he started in a 3-0 win over Cadiz, a victory that secured Madrid’s 36th Spanish league title.

Lunin was back in goal when Madrid beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinals. He saved two penalties in the decisive shootout win over Manchester City in the quarterfinals.

Lunin earned the starting position over Kepa Arrizabalaga, the former Chelsea player who is Madrid’s other reserve goalkeeper. Ancelotti said Lunin was the best goalkeeper in the world right now.

Courtois has proven experience in finals, though, having won the 2022 Champions League with Madrid, the FA Cup with Chelsea, the Europa League with Atletico Madrid, and two Copa del Rey titles (one for Madrid, one for Atletico), among other titles.

“Both deserve to play for various reasons,” Ancelotti said.

Ancelotti joked he will wait as long as possible to announce the starting goalkeeper because otherwise the debate would be over, and “I like the debate.”

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The Canadian Press - May 26, 2024 / 3:21 pm | Story: 489358

MADRID (AP) — Xavi Hernández ended his stint as Barcelona coach with a 2-1 win at Sevilla in the final round of the Spanish league on Sunday.

Robert Lewandowski and Fermin López scored for Barcelona, which announced Friday it was parting ways with the former midfielder with a year left on his contract.

“We didn't want this to end, but these are decisions made by the club,” Xavi said. “We didn't win titles but we were on the right track. But soccer is like this, the directors will make their decisions. The response by the players was wonderful.”

Barcelona players bid farewell to Xavi after the match.

“We will always wish Xavi the best,” goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen said. “He’s been a friend for many years and it’s not easy to let him go ... He deserves the best.”

Barcelona had already clinched second place and a spot in the lucrative Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia next season. It finished with four consecutive victories.

Youssef En-Nesyri scored for Sevilla, which ended 14th place after four straight losses.

En-Nesyri's goal came in the 31st minute, after Lewandowski had put Barcelona ahead in the 15th. López netted the winner for the Catalan club in the 59th.

Xavi’s departure came a month after he had walked back a previous decision he made in January to leave the club this summer. In April, he said that he had changed his mind because the team was playing better and he believed it could bounce back from a trophy-less season.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta had publicly celebrated Xavi’s commitment to stay at that time. But last week the president was reportedly unhappy when the head coach spoke openly about how the club’s poor finances would impede it from competing with fierce rival Real Madrid.

“Those who made the decision need to explain it,” said the 44-year-old Xavi, who plans to take a break from coaching.

There was little to be decided in the league's final round on Sunday. Champion Madrid, focused on the upcoming Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, drew 0-0 with Real Betis on Saturday.

Barcelona, Girona and Atletico Madrid were the other three teams that qualified for the Champions League next season, while Basque Country rivals Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad will play in the Europa League. Betis earned the Conference League berth.

The three relegated clubs were Cadiz, Almeria and Granada.

In other results Sunday, Mallorca won 2-1 at Getafe, Celta Vigo drew 2-2 with Valencia, and Alaves drew 1-1 at Las Palmas.

Girona striker Artem Dovbyk ended as the league's top scorer this season with 24 goals, one more than Villarreal's Alexander Sorloth. Lewandowski and Madrid's Jude Bellingham were third with 19 goals.

Madrid finished with the best attack with 87 goals scored, and the best defense with 26 goals conceded.

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The Canadian Press - May 26, 2024 / 2:44 pm | Story: 489352

BRUSSELS (AP) — Club Brugge won its 19th Belgian league title on a dramatic final day of the season with a 0-0 draw against local rival Cercle Brugge that capped a remarkable turnaround in fortunes during the playoffs phase.

Club Brugge came close to letting the title slip away Sunday when it conceded a goal with about 10 minutes left, only for the referee to cancel it for an offside position after a VAR check.

For the second straight year, three teams still had a shot at the title before kickoff: Brugge, Union Saint-Gilloise and Anderlecht.

And for the second year in a row, the Belgian League helicopter carrying league CEO Lorin Parys was put on standby, ready to land at the final whistle to deliver the trophy and the medals to the new champions of Belgium.

Brugge won its fourth league title in five years by just one point ahead of Union. Anderlecht ended third, four points off the pace.

Brugge hosted local rival Cercle Brugge knowing that a draw would be enough, having built a three-point lead from an impressive playoff campaign during which it remained unbeaten under coach Nicky Hayen.

He was named as a replacement for Ronny Deila, who was fired after less than a season in charge in the wake of Club Brugge’s 2-1 defeat against STVV at the end of the regular season in March. At that point, the team lagged 19 points behind Union.

Hayen, who was in charge of the club’s reserve team, transformed the ailing squad into a winning machine while Union and Anderlecht dropped points. The club from the “Venice of the North” then made a decisive step toward the title when it opened a three-point lead at the top with a 1-0 win at Anderlecht last week.

Anderlecht holds the record for the most Belgian league titles, with 34.

The title winner’s reward is direct entry to the revamped 36-team Champions League in September. Union will enter qualifying rounds in August. Brugge can expect a minimum of 25 million euros ($27 million) from the lucrative group stage.

Union beat Racing Genk 2-0 and Anderlecht lost 3-1 at last season's champion Antwerp.

Cercle thought it was on the verge of a major upset when Leonardo Lopes latched onto Hugo Siquet’s free kick. Club Brugge defender Denis Odoi tried to clear the ball on his line, and it was not clear whether it had crossed. Referee Jonathan Lardot finally ruled out the goal for an offside position in the buildup

The Belgian title is decided via a championship playoff, contested by the top six sides, which see their total of points amassed throughout the regular phase halved.

Union Saint-Gilloise, which won the Belgian Cup, dominated the regular season only to crumble in the playoffs, missing yet another chance to win its first Belgian title since 1935. It got the first of its 11 titles in 1904 and played 60 straight matches undefeated from 1933-35, a record that still stands in the soccer-mad country.

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The Canadian Press - May 26, 2024 / 11:46 am | Story: 489335

HERNING, Denmark (AP) — FC Midtjylland took advantage of a slip-up by Brondby on a dramatic final day in the Danish league season to win the title on Sunday — and the team had a special visitor to mark the occasion.

Kristoffer Olsson, the Sweden midfielder in rehabilitation from an acute brain condition, was at the MCH Arena to watch his Midtjylland team draw 3-3 at home to Silkeborg.

Midtjylland needed to better the result of title rival Brondby, which started the final round ahead only on goal difference. That’s how it transpired, with Brondby conceding in the 78th minute to lose 3-2 at home to AGF and leave its players sprawled on the field in tears.

It is Midtjylland’s fourth Danish title, and first since 2020.

The team goes into the second qualifying round for next season’s expanded Champions League, needing to beat three opponents to advance to the new 36-team main league phase.

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The Canadian Press - May 26, 2024 / 11:30 am | Story: 489332

ISTANBUL (AP) — Galatasaray clinched the Turkish league title on Sunday, edging city rival Fenerbahce with a record total of 102 points.

Galatasaray needed just a point in its final game at Konyaspor, and won 3-1 with talismanic striker Mauro Icardi scoring twice to raise his league-leading total to 25.

Fenerbahce won 6-0 at home to last-place Istanbulspor to finish three points back on 99, the second-highest tally ever for a 38-game season in the league.

Fenerbahce had delayed the title celebration by one week when it won 1-0 at Galatasaray last Sunday — the only points the champions dropped at home all season.

Fenerbahce now has been league runner-up six times since its last title in 2014. The team ended 32 points ahead of third-place Trabzonspor.

Galatasaray will enter the Champions League in the qualifying playoffs round in August, needing to beat one opponent to advance to the expanded 36-team league phase. Fenerbahce goes into the second qualifying round starting in July needing to beat three opponents.

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