♛⚽️ European Football Leagues 2023-24 ( EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1......) ⚽️♛

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⚽️♛⚽️
European Football Leagues 2023-24
( EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1......)
⚽️♛ ⚽️

[BangaloreaN]

booked............

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PSG win record-extending 12th French league title in Mbappe's likely final season

Paris St Germain (PSG) clinched their 12th Ligue 1 title, marking their third consecutive championship. The victory was confirmed after AS Monaco's defeat at Olympique Lyonnais.


PSG win record-extending 12th French league title in Mbappe's likely final season

Paris St Germain were crowned Ligue 1 champions for a record-extending 12th time on Sunday, as their third straight title was wrapped up following another dominant domestic campaign when second-placed AS Monaco lost 3-2 at Olympique Lyonnais. PSG, who missed the chance to secure the title on Saturday when they drew 3-3 draw with Le Havre, have 70 points, 12 ahead of Monaco with three games remaining. "Winning the league is fantastic, but winning Ligue 1 for the twelfth time is even more special for everyone connected to Paris Saint-Germain," PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said on the club website. "We're going to enjoy this moment as a family. And also keep working hard, game after game, until the last moment of the season."

Monaco were the only side left who could prevent PSG lifting the title, but their faint hopes were extinguished in Lyon as they fell to their first defeat in nine games, despite taking an early lead. The visitors scored with a little over 20 seconds on the clock, with Wissam Ben Yedder tapping home Takumi Minamino's cross at the back post, but Monaco were 2-1 down within 25 minutes through goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma. Ben Yedder brought the sides level again on the hour mark, heading home a floated ball into the box by Youssouf Fofana, but it was Lyon who found a winner six minutes from time with Malick Fofana scoring from outside the area.

Paris Saint-Germain are CHAMPIONS OF FRANCE for the 12th time in our history!

After Saturday's draw which kept the champagne on ice, PSG manager Luis Enrique was unconcerned, safe in the knowledge that their far superior goal difference meant the title was all but assured. "We're champions. I don't care if there's a party or not," the coach said. "We have a goal difference of plus 29 on the second place, I already feel like champions. Even if we don't score any more points, we'll be champions." The Spaniard, who took over at PSG at the end of last season, was proved right, as they secured their 10th title in 12 seasons without having to play another game.



The champions have suffered just one league defeat this season, against Nice in September and while they made a slow start to their campaign, once they took top spot after matchday 12, they never looked back. PSG went 3-1 down to relegation battling Le Havre, but a Goncalo Ramos goal late in added time salvaged a point, and extended their unbeaten league run to 26 games, but the manager said that didn't concern him. "I don't care if I'm undefeated. That goal gave us the title," Luis Enrique said.

"That, and for the rage I had because we didn't play much. We're missing two titles, we're going to do everything we can to get them." PSG are still involved in the Champions League, and they also have the Coupe de France final against Lyon to come, in what could turn out to be the club's finest ever season.

Striker Kylian Mbappe is leaving at the end of the campaign, and would love to bow out on a high, and this season is already his best in terms of goals scored, netting 43 times in all competitions. It has long been PSG's goal to win the Champions League, but few expected it in the manager's first season. Now that the league title is secured, the treble-bid is on, beginning on Wednesday with the semi-final first leg against Borussia Dortmund.

[BangaloreaN]

Arsenal Beat Man City On Penalties To Win Community Shield

It is English football's annual match contested at Wembley Stadium between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup.



Arsenal’s Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard holds up the trophy as Arsenal players celebrate winning the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, in London, August 6, 2023.


Arsenal lifted the Community Shield to end Manchester City’s silverware streak with a 4-1 penalty shoot-out victory after a 1-1 draw against the treble winners on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s side forced the shoot-out thanks to Leandro Trossard’s heavily deflected equaliser 11 minutes into stoppage time at Wembley.
Cole Palmer’s superb curler had given City the lead late in the second half, but Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri missed their penalties before Fabio Vieira converted the decisive kick in the annual curtain-raiser to the Premier League season.

Arsenal’s Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (C) and teammates celebrates after Arsenal win the penalty shoot-out after the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, in London, August 6, 2023.


De Bruyne hit the bar with City’s first spot-kick and Rodri’s effort was saved by Aaron Ramsdale, while Arsenal converted all four of their kicks.
Arsenal’s celebrations were far more frenzied than would normally be seen in what in the glamour friendly, but their jubilation underlined the months of anguish endured since they blew a golden opportunity to win their first title since 2004.
City made history by becoming only the second English club to lift the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in a single season last term.

Arsenal’s English midfielder Declan Rice lifts the trophy after Arsenal win the shoot-out after the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, in London, August 6, 2023.


Their fifth Premier League title in six seasons came at Arsenal’s expense as the Gunners wasted the eight-point lead they held at the start of April to finish five points behind the champions.
Showcasing £160 million worth of new signings in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, it was clear Arsenal had a point to prove to City as they snapped into tackles with the kind of urgency that usually accompanies a title decider.
While Arteta and his players cavorted around the pitch and soaked up the raucous celebrations from their fans, they might wish to note that the Community Shield winners have gone on to secure the Premier League title just once since 2011.

Arsenal’s English midfielder Declan Rice (2L) holds the trophy as Arsenal players celebrate winning the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, in London, August 6, 2023.


Inevitably, it was City who bucked that trend in 2018 and it is far too early to bet on Arsenal following in their footsteps.
Arsenal led the table for 248 days last season and still fell short, prompting Arteta to admit they will need an “unheard of” points total to stop the champions this term.


Pep Guardiola’s men, aiming for an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League crown, start their title defence at promoted Burnley on Friday, while Arsenal host Nottingham Forest the following day.
Arteta will have been encouraged by a composed display from England midfielder Rice following his £105 million move from West Ham.
Timber, another new recruit, was also solid at left-back but Havertz was typically profligate as he wasted Arsenal’s two best chances to take the lead.
Havertz will be expected to lead the Arsenal attack while Gabriel Jesus recovers from knee surgery and this was hardly the ideal introduction to his new club for the inconsistent German.


Mateo Kovacic was energetic on his City debut after the midfielder’s move from Chelsea, but fellow Croatian Josko Gvardiol was unavailable following the defender’s arrival from Leipzig on Saturday.
Palmer was the anonymous Erling Haaland’s second half replacement and the promising youngster netted in the 77th minute.
City broke at pace and when Kieran Tierney lost the ball carelessly, De Bruyne’s header found Palmer and he curled a sublime finish into the far corner from the edge of the area.

Arsenal celebrate their Community Shield win on August 6, 2023. Twitter/@Arsenal

But in a sign of things to come under the new time-wasting rules, there was a huge amount of stoppage time and Arsenal snatched the equaliser 11 minutes into the additional period.
It was a hugely fortunate goal as Trossard cut in from the right and hit his shot straight at Manuel Akanji, only for the ball to deflect off the City defender past the wrong-footed Stefan Ortega.
Still feeling the pain of last season’s title collapse, Arteta celebrated as though Arsenal had won the league.
The Spaniard let his emotions hang out again when Vieira converted the winning penalty to light the fuse on the looming title race.

[BangaloreaN]

Real Madrid crowned champions after Barca's defeat at Girona



Image caption,Carlo Ancelotti has won league titles in Spain, Italy, Germany, France and England


Real Madrid were crowned champions of La Liga for the 36th time after Barcelona suffered a 4-2 defeat by Girona.

Carlo Ancelotti's side eased to a 3-0 win over Cadiz earlier on Saturday, which meant the Catalan club had to win at the Estadi Montilivi.
Barcelona led 2-1 at half-time, but three second-half goals from Girona left Real with an unassailable lead at the summit with four matches of the season remaining.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has been a key figure in Real's success, having scored 18 goals in 26 La Liga games in his first season with the club.
Bellingham posted on X, external "CAMPEONES!!! HALA MADRID Y NADA MAS!!!" which translates as "Champions!!! Go Madrid and nothing more!!!".

The 20-year-old joins Laurie Cunningham (1979–80), Steve McManaman (2000–01 and 2002–03), David Beckham (2006-07) and Kieran Trippier (2020-21) as Englishmen to win La Liga.
Los Blancos have lost just one league game this season and could potentially finish the campaign with 99 points, which would be their second-highest total ever.
It is Ancelotti's second La Liga title as Real coach, having previously won it in 2021-22.
Real have now won nine more titles than the 27 held by Barcelona.

[BangaloreaN]

Premier League players, fans and referees revolt over 100-minute matches


Premier League officials will add World Cup-style amounts of injury-time to matches as part of directives for new season


Premier League players are in revolt over 100-minute matches, fearing physical and mental damage from the new referee directives on adding time for stoppages.
Kevin De Bruyne says Manchester City and Arsenal players were against the changes introduced by the International FA Board (IFAB) ahead of the Community Shield at the weekend, with even the match officials themselves questioning the latest guidelines.
Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane has also angrily condemned the directives to add exact time lost to celebrations, substitutions, injuries, penalties and red cards, with fears of injury and a harm to mental health as a result.
It led to matches lasting beyond 100 minutes at the World Cup and Arsenal scoring a 101st-minute equaliser at Wembley on Sunday. The Professional Footballers’ Association union has voiced its concerns over the matter, while fan groups are monitoring the disruption it will cause to travel after matches.
The new directive from football’s law-makers threatens to overshadow the start of the Premier League season this weekend when City face Burnley at Turf Moor, with De Bruyne insisting the extended matches illustrate a lack of care over player welfare.



Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane has questioned the new rulings Credit: Getty Images/Alex Caparros“Assuming we’re going to play about 15 minutes extra every game now, that says it all,” said De Bruyne. “We spoke to the Arsenal players and even the referees. They don’t even want to do it, but it’s the new rule.
“You can only guess what’s going to happen if you play a lower team who keeps time-wasting all the time. At Wembley we played 12 to 13 minutes. I can see games going for 20-25 minutes [extra]. I think this will change in 1-2 months but this is the first game.”
“If we play Seville in Olympiakos on Wednesday (in the UEFA Super Cup) and have 15-20 extra minutes and then play on Saturday again, it’s like two lots of extra-time. We’ll see how it goes but it doesn’t make any sense.”
The new directive was first seen at the World Cup in Qatar last season when matches regularly went past the 100-minute mark. It adds to the PFA’s big concerns over a congested fixture schedule that is already pushing footballers to the limit.
In December 2021, the PFA sent a letter co-signed by senior Premier League and Women’s Super League captains to FIFA, highlighting serious issues with increased fixtures risking physical fatigue, mental burnout and increased risk of injury.



Varane highlighted how the new rules encourage less celebrating in the big moments during matches, while demanding more physically from players.
“We had a meeting last week with the FA. They recommended from the referees new decisions and rules,” wrote Varane on his social-media platforms.
“From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being.
“Despite our previous feedback, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100% to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?
“As a player I feel very privileged to do the job I love every day but I feel these changes are damaging our game. We want to be at our maximum level, the best we can be and put on amazing performances for fans to celebrate every week.



“I believe it is important that we, players and managers, highlight these important issues as we want to protect the game we love and give the fans our best.”
The Football Supporters’ Association are monitoring the situation and will speak to its members about their matchday experiences, with the new directives giving the potential for transport issues arising with match delays. Meanwhile, the issue adds to the PFA concerns over the amount and frequency of football being scheduled.
“Maheta (Molango, PFA CEO) has personally met and been speaking with a significant number of senior players and managers in the past few weeks, including Raphael (Varane), and there are concerns about how the new additional time rules will play out over a long season of league and cup games, as opposed to short tournaments,” said a PFA spokesperson.
“Across what is now essentially a year-long football season, players are already thinking of these additional minutes in terms of extra games being played. It also comes at a time when players are pushing back against what is, increasingly, a completely unsustainable football calendar.”


A has introduced a series of new rules for the upcoming 2023/24 Premier League season, aiming to improve the game's flow and conduct. These changes were influenced by the experiences at the Qatar World Cup, where fans witnessed longer periods of stoppage time to account for lost time during a half.
One significant change is in timekeeping. Officials will now add World Cup-style amounts of injury-time to matches, with added minutes expected to frequently run into double digits.
Another major rule change pertains to player behaviour and crowding the referee. The threshold for a player to be shown a yellow card for dissent will be reduced this season. Whenever more than one player approaches the referee, at least one of those players will be shown an automatic yellow card.
In addition, the FA is cracking down on poor behaviour in the technical area. The behaviour of managers and their backroom staff will come under greater scrutiny, with an automatic yellow card if there is ever more than one coach in the technical area. Harsher penalties will be imposed for managers that leave their technical area, and any club official sent off will no longer be allowed to watch the game from the stands.

Finally, the FA has clarified the rules around denying a scoring opportunity. If a defending team player commits an offence which interferes with a promising attack, they will receive a caution or yellow card.

[BangaloreaN]

Ipswich Town promoted to Premier League for first time in 22 years

Ipswich Town became just the fourth side in the Premier League era to gain consecutive promotions from the third tier to the top tier. read more


Ipswich Town have been promoted to the English Premier League after finishing second in the points table.


Ipswich Town returned to England’s top division, the Premier League, for the first time in 22 years after beating Huddersfield 2-0 to secure promotion from the Championship.
Goals from Wes Burns and Omari Hutchinson ensured the Tractor Boys became just the fourth side in the Premier League era to gain consecutive promotions from the third tier to the top tier.
Leeds United, needing an Ipswich defeat coupled with victory over Southampton to leap into the top two, were beaten 2-1 by Southampton at Elland Road. It means they will play Norwich in the playoff semi-finals.
Ipswich’s most famous fan Ed Sheeran, who sponsors the club’s shirts, was not in attendance for wild scenes of celebration at Portman Road as fans poured on to the pitch and lit blue flares at full-time.

The Suffolk club, which was sold to American investors for just £40 million ($50 million), will now pocket at least £200 million in TV revenue in the coming years.
Ipswich’s rise was masterminded by boss Kieran McKenna, who has earned rave reviews in his first managerial role.

Kieran McKenna becomes the first manager to win consecutive promotions from the English third tier to the first, in their first two full seasons as a head coach.

He has also won the most points in England's top four divisions since becoming Ipswich manager... 🚜💙#ITFC pic.twitter.com/Ma2uhCReeR
— The Coaches' Voice (@CoachesVoice) May 4, 2024

McKenna failed to make the grade as a Tottenham player due to a serious hip injury. But the 37-year-old thrived as a youth academy coach with Tottenham and then Manchester United.
He was promoted to help coach United’s first-team by Jose Mourinho and retained that role under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford before joining Ipswich in 2021.
“It means a lot, mostly seeing how much it means to everyone, the players, the supporters. To be one of the leaders of that is absolutely massive,” McKenna said.
“It’s a wonderful day, I’m very proud of everyone involved. It’s what we’ve done all year. It’s an incredible amount of effort.”

‘A great challenge’

What a couple of seasons @IPSwichTown have had! 📈

They join an exclusive list of clubs to reach the Premier League through back-to-back promotions! pic.twitter.com/s0FcAjmm2r
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 4, 2024

Huddersfield had already been realistically relegated prior to Saturday due to their poor goal difference compared to their rivals at the bottom.
Burns settled any nerves among the home support when he fired low into the bottom corner on 27 minutes.

On-loan Chelsea winger Hutchinson has been one of the stars of Ipswich’s season and made sure McKenna’s men could relax by smashing home a second just three minutes into the second half.
Ipswich could face a fight just to hold on to the highly-rated McKenna, who has been linked with a move to Brighton should Roberto De Zerbi leave the Seagulls.
“I’m sure it’ll sink in in a couple of days. There’s a lot of work to do. It’ll start in a couple of days time,” McKenna said.

“The Premier League will be a great challenge and one that I’m really looking forward to.”
West Brom beat Preston 3-0 to secure their playoff place and will face Southampton.
There was also drama at the bottom of the table as Birmingham were relegated in their first season with NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority owner of the club. A 1-0 win over Norwich was not enough to save the Blues.

[BangaloreaN]

Six pre-season Premier League trophy lifts more tinpot than the Community Shield this summer


The Community Shield matters more than some of these cups hoisted aloft with varying levels of enthusiasm in pre-season. Harry Kane wasn’t interested in Tottenham’s.

Arsenal – Emirates Cup
The Gunners collected their seventh Emirates Cup by beating Monaco on penalties at the Emirates, Obvs. On Declan Rice’s first game in front of home fans, Eddie Nketiah equalised after Youssouf Fofana headed Monaco in front. To penalties they went and Gabriel slotted in the winner after Takumi Minamino’s miss proved decisive. Sort of. It was Arsenal’s seventh triumph in their own tournament, if you can call it that. It was originally a four-team, two-day event but the last three have featured only Arsenal and one other visitor. Five teams have taken the Emirates Cup away from the Emirates. Who are they?
*Lyon, Valencia, Galatasaray, Hamburg, New York Red Bulls.

Chelsea – Premier League Summer Series
Arguably the least tin-point of the pre-season pots, Chelsea came out on top of a group of six Premier League clubs in the USA. Mo Po’s Blues beat Brighton and Fulham while drawing with Newcastle to top the table. Aston Villa finished second on goal difference, just ahead of Newcastle, with Brighton and Fulham ahead of bottom-placed Brentford, who were the only club not to win a game. Chelsea won the trophy by two points from second-placed Villa.

Chelsea – Florida cup
In the opening match of their 2023 pre-season at the Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chelsea secured an impressive 5-0 victory against Wrexham in the Florida Cup. Under the guidance of new manager Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues started their campaign on a high note, triumphing over Phil Parkinson’s team in the United States.

Tottenham – Tiger Cup
Spurs came from behind in Singapore to beat Lion City Sailors 5-1, with Richarlison bagging a hat-trick. Only the Brazilian and Emerson Royal bothered to handle the trophy. Despite scoring, Harry Kane had no time for any of it…



Newcastle – Sela Cup
One sponsor isn’t enough for Newcastle’s answer to the Emirates Cup, with the Sela Cup, presented by VisitMalta, taking place over two days at St James’ Park. On day one, Newcastle beat Fiorentina 2-0 with goals either side of half-time from Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak. Villarreal drew with Nice before facing the Magpies the following day, with the hosts running out 4-0 winners. Harvey Barnes bagged a brace before Jacob Murphy went full Jordan Henderson…


Liverpool – Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy
After beating Crystal Palace a year ago, the Reds retained their trophy by smashing four past Leicester, three of the goals coming in eight first-half minutes from Darwin Nunez, Bobby Clark and Diogo Jota. Ben Doak added a fourth after the break, allowing Virgil van Dijk to collect his second gong as Reds skipper following on from the massive-but-seemingly-unnamed pot they picked up by beating Bundesliga.2 side Karlsruher 4-2.

Aston Villa – Trofeo Naranja
Ollie Watkins and Emi Buendia bagged in each half to give Villa a 2-1 win over Valencia at the Mestalla to win their first Orange Trophy. They have to win 28 more to match the Spaniards’ tally, but only one more to draw level with Real Madrid. No other English side has claimed this particular honour, which was first presented in 1959.

[BangaloreaN]

Manchester City wins historic fourth straight Premier League title, edging Arsenal with a final day victory over West Ham



Seventy-nine seconds. That’s how long Arsenal had hope for.
In the end, the drama and tension of the final day of the Premier League season lasted little longer than a minute, as Phil Foden’s stunning early strike set Manchester City on course for a comfortable 3-1 win over West Ham that ensured a historic fourth straight title for the club.
Two points ahead going into the last day, City knew only a win would guarantee it retained the title ahead of Arsenal, while the Gunners needed to win and hope that Pep Guardiola’s side either drew or lost.
Foden’s goal meant that what was happening 200 miles south in North London mattered little, though Arsenal took the fight to the bitter end with a 2-1 win at home to Everton to finish two agonizing points behind City.
“We’ve got ourselves in the history books, no team has ever done it,” Foden, who was also recently crowned the Premier League Player of the Season, told Sky Sports.
“You can see what it means to fans, to us. This Premier League title was a bit more [special] because no team had done it before, now we’re the first team to have done it. I’m lost for words. I’m shattered.
“We played this scenario a couple of times before and I think it helped with the nerves, I thought today we looked confident. We played our own football and it paid off.”



Still only 23 years old, Foden has now won a remarkable six Premier League titles. It’s a feeling he certainly isn’t taking for granted.
“I never get bored of it,” he added. “I want this feeling every time. When you win something there’s no better feeling. I just want to keep winning as much as I can.”


City’s stroll in the sun

Foden’s opening goal, a left-foot rocket into the top corner, settled any early nerves – if there were any at all - at a raucous Etihad Stadium. The remaining 88 minutes and 49 seconds were little more than an early trophy celebration as City’s fans and players basked in the Manchester sun.
The Englishman, a Manchester City boy born and bred, was living the dream, scoring the goal that clinched the league title for his hometown club – and it only got better from there.
Just 15 minutes later, Jeremy Doku’s pinpoint cross somehow made its way through three West Ham players and found Foden, who coolly side-footed the ball into the back of the net.
West Ham midfielder Mohammed Kudus, who has enjoyed a superb first season in the Premier League, briefly made matters interesting after his outrageous bicycle kick halved City’s lead just before half time.



Back in north London, Everton took a shock lead five minutes before the interval but Arsenal hit back almost immediately to ensure the teams went into the break level.
However, any concerns City had about West Ham spoiling the party were banished just over 10 minutes into the second half, as Rodri’s low shot from the edge of the area squirmed under the hand of West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and into the net.

Now there was no doubt. The Premier League trophy was staying in Manchester.
The party had now well and truly started and City passed the ball around for the remainder of the match with a calmness and control that belied the enormity of the occasion, seeing out the final 35 minutes as though it was a training session.

As the match entered its final stages, Manchester City fans began celebrating with “the Poznań,” joining arms and jumping up and down with their backs to the pitch.
Back down in London, Arsenal did eventually get a winner against Everton in the 89^th minute thanks to Kai Havertz, but it was the most meager of consolations.
Blue Moon, City’s club anthem, echoed around the Etihad as the referee blew the full-time whistle to a deafening roar from the home fans. Hundreds of supporters ran onto the pitch to celebrate, filling the air with blue smoke set off from flares.

Guardiola has built one of, if not the greatest team, in Premier League history.
Manchester City has now gone where no team in English football has gone before – and it will likely take a monumental effort from Arsenal, or perhaps Liverpool post-Jurgen Klopp, to dethrone this juggernaut next season.

[BangaloreaN]