Key events
Had things gone differently at Old Trafford, Jadon Sancho could have been hoisting the FA Cup aloft last weekend. Instead, he could be lifting the Champions League trophy to the Wembley skies with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday night. Andy Brassell looks at the England wideman’s redemption arc.
Jürgen Klopp once linked player welfare to climate change, calling on soccer’s governing bodies to act before it was too late. It normally went down like a lead balloon, sparking tiresome tribalistic tropes about Klopp moaning all the time. Klopp, speaking a couple of months ahead of the 2022 World Cup, had said this: “When I start talking about it, I get really angry… It is like with the climate. We all know it has to change but nobody is saying what we have to do.”
Klopp lost the will to fight in the end but, as he steps aside, the players themselves are now saying enough is enough. No doubt social media will tell them to stop being tired given all the wonga they earn. Because those two things are linked, right.
Mourinho set for Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe are closing in on an agreement to appoint José Mourinho as new head coach. Hot deets here from Fabrizio Romano. Fenerbahçe, by the way, have just racked up 99 points in the Turkish Super Lig (P38 W31 D6 L1, GD 68) and still only finished runners-up to Galatasaray. And you thought Liverpool felt bad in 2018/19.
🟡🔵🇵🇹 José Mourinho’s verbal agreement with Fenerbahçe is on two year contract valid until June 2026.
It will also include an option for further season.
Jorge Mendes has been negotiating the deal and now time to review, sign all formal documents.
Here we go soon! 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/rsSZYCUKjO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 31, 2024
“I am extremely proud to have signed a new contract with the club. We have enjoyed incredible success together over the last two seasons and I’m excited to have the opportunity and responsibility of leading this fantastic club into its first season in the Premier League in 22 years.” The words of Kieran McKenna after putting pen to a new deal with Ipswich.
Brighton, Chelsea and Manchester United were all interested but McKenna has decided to stay put, the decision perhaps helped by the 38-year-old now becoming one of the highest-paid managers in England.
Chelsea agree terms with Maresca
Sacked by Parma after 14 games in 2021 and once an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Enzo Maresca is set to become the new head coach of Chelsea after guiding Leicester back to the Premier League.
Will he be any good? Better then Poch? Does the Premier League really need another bald manager?
Gareth Bale knows a thing or too about the Champions League. He won it five times and scored one of the greatest goals ever seen in a final: that overhead kick against Liverpool.
Ahead of Real Madrid v Dortmund on Saturday he gets his chat on with Ewan Murray. Inevitably, there’s some golf talk too. Although nothing about Wales.
Preamble
They always find a way. Real Madrid have dodged bullets again to find themselves in another Champions League final and are clear favourites to win it for a 15th time. That would put them eight clear of Milan at the top of the all-time list. Remarkable.
Standing in their way are underdogs Borussia Dortmund. Despite finishing fifth and a massive 27 points behind Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, Dortmund have been a different proposition in Europe. But good enough to win Saturday’s showpiece final at Wembley? We shall see.
We’ll be all over the build-up in – no chin wobbles please – our final Friday football news countdown of the season. Before the wistful reflections kick in too strongly, there’s good news: we’ll be kicking this thing off again for the Euros. And that, dear reader, is just two weeks away when Germany host Scotland.
Back to today and the managerial merry-go-round will also take our attention. It’s spinning fast and José Mourinho looks like the latest to jump on. More on that later. Right, peep peep, let’s get this thing started!
