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After finishing second for the past three seasons, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have finally made it over the line to end a six-year trophy drought. (Reuters) Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions on Tuesday after Manchester City were held 1-1 by Bournemouth.City had to win to take the title fight to the final day, but the Cherries extended their unbeaten streak to 17 league games, a run which has secured European football for the first time in the club’s history. After finishing second for the past three seasons, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have finally made it over the line to end a six-year trophy drought.Arsenal edged to the brink of the title with an unconvincing 1-0 win over already relegated Burnley on Monday, which took them five points clear of City. The Gunners, who have set the pace for most of the season, have bounced back impressively since losing to City last month, winning four straight league matches without conceding a goal. On Monday, just 48 hours after completing a domestic cup double with victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final, City were rocked by widespread reports that manager Pep Guardiola will depart after a decade in charge at the end of the season. Victory at Wembley on Saturday secured a 20th trophy of Guardiola’s glorious reign. But he cannot add to his six Premier League titles when Aston Villa visit the Etihad on Sunday for what is expected to be his final match in charge. Guardiola had warned that fatigue could cost City against a highly motivated Bournemouth, who still have Champions League qualification in their sights for next season. As it stands, Bournemouth will be in the Europa League after ensuring they will finish no lower than seventh. Sixth could be good enough for a place in the Champions League if Aston Villa finish fifth and win Wednesday’s Europa League final. City fans forlornly chanted “One more year, Guardiola” in the early stages at the Vitality Stadium in a bid to convince their decorated coach to see out the final season of his contract. But if the travelling fans hoped City’s players would be inspired to give Guardiola a glorious goodbye, they were left sorely disappointed. Antoine Semenyo had the ball in the net on his return to Bournemouth but was flagged offside in City’s best moment of a flat first half. The home side suddenly sprang to life to open the scoring in the 39th minute. Eli Junior Kroupi curled a brilliant strike into the top corner to set a new record of 13 goals in a debut Premier League season for a teenager. Nico O’Reilly wasted City’s best chance of a lifeline when he was denied by Djordje Petrovic just seconds into the second half. Guardiola watched on pensively as his side’s title challenge fizzled out with a whimper. After winning what was billed a title decider against Arsenal last month, City put the destiny of the title back in their rivals’ hands by drawing 3-3 at Everton. Guardiola looks set to depart having failed to win the league for two consecutive seasons for the first time in his coaching career. Rayan and David Brooks hit the post as Bournemouth should have secured victory in Andoni Iraola’s final home game in charge. Erling Haaland’s equaliser deep into stoppage time came too little, too late to save City’s title challenge. But it was a big goal for Liverpool, who now have a three-point cushion over Bournemouth and a goal difference advantage of six heading into the final day battle to secure a top-five finish and Champions League football.…
During his 10 years at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola has turned Manchester City into a ruthless winning machine in the world’s richest league, backed by the…
Southampton were on Tuesday expelled from the Championship play-off final after admitting to spying on a training session of semi-final opponents Middlesbrough. Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoffs after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton in the two-legged semi-final, have been re-instated and will now face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest football match.Promotion to the Premier League is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons. Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season. They have also been deducted four points for the start of next season in England’s second tier.”An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.”Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match. The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kickoff time to be confirmed.”The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on May 20. “Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session filmed ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.The club said it welcomed the decision. “We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” Middlesbrough said in a statement. “As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs. Related Story Source…
The tournament will be staged in Jeddah from September 23 to October 6. Qatar have been drawn in Group B alongside the UAE, Bahrain and Yemen for the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament following the draw ceremony held in Jeddah on Tuesday. Group A features hosts Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Kuwait in the tournament, which will be staged in Jeddah from September 23 to October 6.The draw ceremony was attended by HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth and President of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation, along with representatives of the eight participating nations and several former Gulf football stars.Gulf 27 will be the fifth edition organised under the umbrella of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation. Saudi Arabia will host the tournament for the fifth time after previously staging the event in 1972, 1988, 2002 and 2014. Qatar has won the Arabian Gulf Cup title three times, the last…
When Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City a decade ago, he sought out Mikel Arteta’s experience of the English game and someone he knew from their…
Just four years ago, Arsenal were wallowing in recriminations and regret after finishing 24 points behind Premier League champions Manchester City. Pipped to a Champions League place by arch-rivals Tottenham on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign, it seemed unlikely to many Arsenal fans that Mikel Arteta would ever lead them out of the wilderness. Yet on Tuesday, Gunners boss Arteta completed his quest to take the club back to the promised land as Manchester City's 1-1 draw at Bournemouth sealed a long-awaited Premier League title. Arsenal's 14th English title is their first since Arsene Wenger's ‘Invincibles’ went unbeaten through the 2003/04 league season at the club's old Highbury ground. Wenger and his stars cast a long shadow over the Emirates Stadium in the fallow period that followed. But winning a title fight against a club of City's calibre lifts Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and company into the rarified air occupied by Wenger-era greats such as Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry. For Arteta, it was the moment the student surpassed his teacher after three years spent learning from Pep Guardiola during his time as City's assistant manager. The 44-year-old has used those lessons to revitalise a club that was stuck in a rut when he arrived to replace the sacked Unai Emery in December 2019. Arsenal won the title three times in Wenger's first eight seasons as the trailblazing Frenchman took the Premier League by storm. But evidence of Wenger's decline could be found in the club's absence from the top two in 12 of his final 14 seasons. Arsenal's costly move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in 2006 was blamed for the club's inability to keep pace with big-spending title rivals. They finished sixth in Wenger's farewell campaign in 2018 — the club's lowest final position since 1995. Emery was hired to rejuvenate the north London side but the former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss was a major disappointment. Arsenal failed to qualify for the Champions League in his first season and were demolished by Chelsea in the Europa League final. Emery was sacked in November 2019 with the club on their worst winless run since 1992. Stamping his authorityNuno Espirto Santo and Eddie Howe were reportedly among the candidates to replace Emery. But the ultra-competitive Arteta, who played for the club for five years, convinced the Arsenal hierarchy to bring him back home. Despite winning the 2020 FA Cup in his maiden campaign, he endured painful teething problems. A glimpse into how far Arsenal have come under Arteta's leadership can be garnered from their ramshackle defence — comprising Saka, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and David Luiz — in his opening game as manager. He had to rid the dressing room of divisive egos, stamping his authority by exiling unsettled captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and moving on from Mesut Ozil. Arsenal finished a lowly eighth in 2020 and 2021, leading to calls for his dismissal. Yet, gradually, a highly motivated, superbly drilled team fashioned in Arteta's intense image emerged from the turmoil. Arsenal unexpectedly found themselves in the title race in 2023, but blew an eight-point lead to let Manchester City take the crown. Twelve months later they suffered the agony of being pipped to the title on the final day of the season by Guardiola's men. Arsenal came second for a third straight year in 2025, but this time they took a step back, ending 10 points behind champions Liverpool. While others wrote off the Gunners as ‘chokers’ and serial underachievers, Arteta's belief never wavered. The Spaniard once compared his work with the daily commute from his home to the club's London Colney training base. He likened his ability to navigate the busy north London traffic to the way he had to switch tactics and players during his Arsenal overhaul.For Arteta, and for the club, the long and winding road to the title has come to an unforgettable end. Source link
Team Qatar shooters delivered a historic performance at Lusail International Shooting Complex, imposing complete dominance over the competitions held on Tuesday after claiming seven medals in a single day – including three gold and four silver medals – in a remarkable display that confirmed Qatar shooting’s supremacy on the regional stage. The standout achievement came in the men’s trap team event, where Team Qatar secured the gold medal and first place after delivering an exceptional performance with a total of 354 targets through the trio of Mohammed al-Rumaihi, Angelo Scalzoni, and Saeed Abu Shareb. The Qatari team finished ahead of Kuwait, who claimed silver with 344 targets, while the UAE took bronze with 341. Team Qatar women also secured silver in the women’s trap team event with a total of 310 targets through Maytha al-Buainain, Khulood al-Khalaf, and Ray Bassil, finishing behind Kuwait, who won gold with 320 targets, while Bahrain claimed bronze with 298. In the men’s individual trap competition, Team Qatar shooter Mohammed al-Rumaihi won silver following a dramatic final showdown against Kuwait’s Abdulrahman al-Faihan. Both shooters finished tied on 120 targets before the contest moved to a tense shoot-off, which al-Faihan won to secure gold with a score of 26+23, while al-Rumaihi claimed silver with 26+22. UAE shooter Yahya al-Muhairi took bronze with 21 targets. In the women’s individual trap event, Team Qatar shooter Maytha secured silver after scoring 22 targets in the final round, finishing behind Kuwait’s Shahad al-Hawal, who won gold with 23 targets, while Bahrain’s Marwa Bouarki took bronze with 16. Team Qatar shooting also continued their dominance in the indoor range after winning two gold medals. Dua Habib captured gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event with a total of 231.2 points, ahead of the UAE’s Ghalia al-Shuhail, who won silver with 229.6 points, while Bahrain’s Aisha al-Braiki claimed bronze with 209.2 points. Meanwhile, Team Qatar women won gold in the women’s 10m air pistol team event with a total of 1,669 points through Dua Habib, Aisha al-Abdullah, and Salma al-Maas, finishing ahead of Bahrain in second with 1,646 points and the UAE in third with 1,634. In the men’s team event of the same discipline, Team Qatar shooters Khalid al-Shaiba, Nasser al-Sunaij, and Mohammed al-Yafei secured silver with 1,679 points. Saudi Arabia claimed gold with 1,693 points, while Oman took bronze with 1,664 points. Attention will once again turn today toward Lusail Shooting Complex for the finals of the mixed trap team event and the mixed 10m air pistol team event, with Team Qatar aiming to continue their golden run and strengthen their control over the podiums. Jassim Shahin al-Sulaiti praises Team Qatar shootersJassim Shahin al-Sulaiti, Secretary General of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Association, expressed his pride in the exceptional achievements secured by Team Qatar shooters at the GCC Games, stressing that winning seven new medals reflects the remarkable progress of Qatari shooting. Al-Sulaiti said: “We are living moments of pride seeing Team Qatar athletes standing on the podium with three gold and four silver medals, raising their tally to 18 medals and maintaining top spot in the GCC standings since the start of the Games. This clearly proves the success of the strategic plans carefully developed by the federation under the leadership of Dr. Mishaal Ibrahim al-Nasr, in addition to the intensive training camps and the integrated technical and administrative efforts.” He added: “The competitions were highly competitive due to the participation of some of the GCC’s top shooters with continental achievements, but Team Qatar imposed their complete dominance, beginning with the collective excellence in trap and pistol team events and culminating in Dua Habib’s deserved individual gold medal.” Al-Sulaiti also stressed that beyond medals and competition, the Games represented a perfect opportunity for athletes from GCC countries to meet in a brotherly atmosphere reflecting the strong bonds and unity among Gulf nations. He concluded by thanking the Qatar Olympic Committee for its unlimited support, noting that the impressive medal haul would serve as major motivation to continue progressing and raising Qatar’s flag at upcoming international events, most notably the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. Team Qatar snooker win silver in 15-red team event Team Qatar snooker secured the silver medal in the 15-red team snooker competition at the GCC Games Doha 2026. The Team Qatar trio of Ali al-Obaidli, Ahmed Saif, and Bashar Hussein claimed silver, while the UAE team of Mohammed Shehab, Khalid al-Kamali, and Abdulrahman al-Shamsi won gold after securing a 3-0 victory in the final. The billiards and snooker competitions concluded yesterday, with Team Qatar winning six medals overall: gold in the 10-ball billiards doubles event, silver in the 10-ball singles event, silver in the 9-ball singles event, silver in the 6-red snooker singles event, gold in the 15-red snooker singles event, and silver in the 15-red team snooker competition. Mohammed al-Ramzani, President of the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation, praised the results achieved by Team Qatar, stressing that the six medals reflected the tremendous work carried out by the federation and the outstanding performances delivered by the players throughout the tournament. “We are proud of what Team Qatar achieved by winning six medals, including two gold medals. This achievement confirms the development of the sport in Qatar and the ability of our players to compete strongly in GCC competitions,” al-Ramzani said. He added that the tournament featured high-level competition and excellent organisation, noting that the next stage requires continued focus and preparation as future challenges will be even stronger. Al-Ramzani also stressed that participation in the tournament had greatly benefited the players technically and mentally and would motivate them to achieve further success in upcoming events, while also praising the outstanding organisation of the Games and the efforts of all working committees. Team Qatar padel continue winning run Team Qatar padel team continued their winning streak at the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026 after defeating Bahrain 3-0 yesterday. Team Qatar delivered another strong performance, with the duo of Mishari Nawaf and Rashid Nawaf winning the opening match in straight sets against Bahrain’s Youssef Qaed and Omar Qaed by scores of 6-0 and 6-1. In the second match, Khalid Saadoun and Issa Shanan defeated Bahrain’s Ahmed Khalid and Hussein Diwani in three sets, 6-0, 1-6, and 6-3. In the third match, Mohammed Saadoun and Hassan Wali secured victory over Bahrain’s Ali Diwani and Rashid al-Obaidli in straight sets after winning the opening set 6-0 before Bahrain withdrew from the second set due to Rashid al-Obaidli’s injury. This marked Team Qatar’s third consecutive victory after earlier defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0 and Kuwait in the second round. Team Qatar have now guaranteed a place on the podium and will face the UAE today in the final match as they aim to retain the gold medal won at the previous GCC Games in Kuwait. Team Qatar handball suffer first defeat Team Qatar handball team suffered their first defeat at the GCC Games after losing 24-19 to Bahrain in a strong encounter held yesterday as part of the third round of the competition. Bahrain imposed their superiority early thanks to solid defensive organisation and fast attacking transitions, finishing the first half ahead 13-10. Despite Team Qatar’s attacking efforts and tactical adjustments in the second half, Bahrain’s defensive strength prevented a comeback. The result ended Team Qatar’s winning streak following victories over the UAE and Kuwait, leaving their tally at four points, while Bahrain moved clear at the top with six points..The competition will continue tomorrow with Bahrain facing the UAE before the handball tournament concludes on Friday, May 22, with the highly anticipated clash between Team Qatar and Saudi Arabia.Team Qatar volleyball win silver medal Team Qatar men’s volleyball team won the silver medal at the GCC Games Doha 2026 after losing to Bahrain in the final held at Aspire Women’s Sports Hall amid strong attendance and major interest in the tournament. Bahrain secured victory in the final with set scores of 25-21, 27-25, and 25-23 to claim the gold medal, while Team Qatar settled for silver despite the disappointment of the players and coaching staff, who had hoped to retain the title for the second consecutive edition. In the third-place playoff, Oman claimed the bronze medal after defeating the UAE by three sets to one, ending their campaign on a positive note. Related Story Source link
Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique said he was disappointed with his side’s lack of intensity after they lost their last Ligue 1 game of the season on Sunday and urged his players to rediscover their fire ahead of the Champions League final. PSG, who had already secured their fifth straight title, were beaten 2-1 by local rivals Paris FC on Sunday and Enrique said it was clear that motivation was an issue. “Nothing positive to say about this match,” he told reporters. “When you play football without ambition or intensity, this is the sort of thing you’d expect to see. I knew before the match how difficult it would be to play this sort of game with no objective, but I’m a bit disappointed.”PSG are not in action again until May 30 when they defend their Champions League crown in the final against Arsenal. “I think my players need to overcome difficult matches and stay motivated,” the Spanish manager added. “The final part of the season will be more complicated than usual because last year we played in the French Cup final and that was very motivating for us. But there are still two weeks to go before what I’d call the most important match in our history, and I certainly hope that by that day, there’ll be no need to motivate the players.” Dembele has treatment for leg issue Meanwhile, forward Ousmane Dembele needs treatment for a right calf issue, PSG said, ahead of the Champions League final against Arsenal later this month. The Ballon d’Or winner was substituted after half an hour during Sunday’s 2-1 Ligue 1 defeat against Paris FC “as a precaution after experiencing some discomfort in his right calf,” PSG said in a statement. “Dembele will be having treatment over the next few days,” the club added. The 29-year-old did not appear to be struggling when he left the field and boarded the team bus after the match without limping. “I think it is just due to fatigue,” Enrique said. “It has been a tricky end to the season but now we have two weeks to prepare for the biggest match in our history.” The former Barcelona player has suffered numerous physical setbacks this season, particularly thigh and calf issues. Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi resumed individual training on Saturday after a thigh problem, as did Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, and Lucas Chevalier.All three were unavailable for Sunday’s match against Paris FC. Luis Enrique’s side face Arsenal in Budapest on May 30. Source link
Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui has called on his players to embrace the toughest challenge in the nation’s football history with courage, realism and belief as Al Annabi prepare for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The global football showpiece will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Qatar are drawn in Group B, and will open their campaign against Switzerland in San Francisco on June 13 before facing Canada in Vancouver on June 18. Their final group-stage match will be against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24. Appointed in May 2025, Lopetegui guided Qatar through a tense playoff campaign against Oman and the UAE. After a goalless draw with Oman, Qatar defeated the UAE 2-1 in Doha last October, with goals from Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel sealing a historic qualification for the World Cup through the qualifiers for the first time in the nation’s history. Qatar had made its World Cup debut in 2022, which it hosted. Speaking in an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Lopetegui acknowledged the scale of the challenge awaiting the two-time Asian champions but insisted his side must confront it head-on. “This is the reality that we have to face, and we cannot change it, so we have to accept the fact that we will play against Switzerland first, and we have to be ready to do our best against a very strong team,” Lopetegui said. “Switzerland is perhaps one of the most balanced teams in Europe over the last eight years. They have the same coach, and they have outstanding players who play in the best leagues in the world, such as the Champions League, the English Premier League, the Italian League, and the Spanish League; therefore, we have to be ready to face them.” The former Spain and Real Madrid coach warned that the challenge would not ease after the opening game. He described Canada as another highly competitive side packed with players competing at the highest European level, while stressing that Bosnia and Herzegovina had already proven their credentials by qualifying at the expense of Italy. “We realize that we are playing against teams of another level, and at the same time we know our real reality, and that the competitors are better than us, but this does not mean surrendering, but rather knowing what awaits us and what it requires us to be ready in order to achieve our ambition and dream of being a strong contender, and to prove our worthiness to be in the World Cup, in an opportunity that no one gave us, but rather we obtained it with our merit, which makes us believe in our abilities and aware of the strength of our competitors,” the 59-year-old said. Lopetegui revealed that Qatar’s preparations are focused not only on opponents, but also on adapting to unfamiliar match conditions, including morning kick-offs during the tournament. “The technical staff is working on changing many things until the date of the first match in the World Cup,” he said, adding that every available day is being used to ensure the players reach peak readiness. Appointed in May 2025, Julen Lopetegui guided Qatar through a tense playoff campaign against Oman and the UAE. Qatar began their preparations immediately after the end of the domestic season, with Lopetegui praising the competitive nature of the campaign and its benefit to national team players. “It was a good season in light of strong competition that benefited the national team players and certainly contributed to developing their level,” he said. “The most important thing for us was that the local players get the largest possible number of minutes, because sometimes there are not many local players in one team. I hope that most teams will include the largest possible number of Qatari players, and that they will get enough playing opportunities, and that they will compete for a sufficient number of minutes.” The Spaniard admitted injuries remain his greatest concern as Qatar continue preparations with an extended preliminary squad. “What concerns us now is reducing injuries as much as possible, and we hope to avoid them, as there is no time to recover in the event of any injury; therefore, we feel some concern and look forward to reaching full readiness before playing our first game,” he said. Lopetegui explained that the selection policy during the past year had been carefully managed with the World Cup in mind, especially regarding experienced players aged between 34 and 36. “For this reason, the choices were different in the Arab Cup, based on the need to achieve balance in the team, as it was necessary to take care of these players and think about reaching the decisive moment, which is the World Cup, in the best possible way, so that everyone is fully prepared, and they finish the season in the best possible way, to be ready for the big match that awaits them in June,” he said. Lopetegui is currently working with a 34-man group before the final squad is selected. “We are currently working with a group of approximately 34 players, who are usually familiar to us, and we will select a final list of players who we believe are capable of helping us achieve our goal of competing strongly in the World Cup.” he said. “We certainly need to understand which players are better than others physically, as there are players who are injured or have been out of action for many weeks; therefore, we have to take such matters into consideration in order to finalize our list.” Lopetegui also reflected on the disruption caused by the cancellation of the Qatar Football Festival in March, which had included planned friendlies against world champions Argentina and Serbia. “Everyone in the region suffered during that period, and we had to cancel two very important matches that would have been a great test for us,” he said. “However, we changed our approach and held a 10-day training camp, during which we conducted high-quality training sessions that benefited us, as the players had been away from their daily training with their clubs for 15 days. In the end, we overcame the situation and are now looking ahead to the next period, which we will enter by playing three friendly matches before the World Cup: against Sudan in Doha tomorrow, then Ireland in Dublin, and finally El Salvador in Los Angeles, USA.” The coach pointed to previous setbacks during preparation campaigns as valuable learning experiences, citing the heavy friendly defeat against Russia last September before Qatar recovered impressively in the decisive qualifying playoffs against Oman and the UAE. According to Lopetegui, qualification itself marked the beginning of a “new page” in preparations, with the technical staff closely monitoring players in domestic and continental competitions before the latest training camp opened on May 12. While much attention has focused on star duo Akram Afif and Almoez Ali, Lopetegui stressed that Qatar’s hopes will depend on collective strength rather than individuals. “I don’t like to talk about individual names, as it is about the team as a whole. Our strength does not lie in one name, but in our ability to do our best as a team. We are talking about strong opponents in the World Cup, so we must focus on our work as a group,” he said. The coach nevertheless provided an update on Almoez Ali’s difficult recovery from injury. “Almoez Ali, unfortunately, has not played more than two matches throughout this year, and he played one match with us last October because he suffered an injury and underwent surgery after our training camp last summer, and he was absent during the pre-season period until October, then he played his first match with the national team for 45 minutes, before suffering another injury and undergoing a second surgery, and being absent again before returning recently. “Therefore, I think that he played two or two and a half matches at most, which is not enough to maintain the required rhythm, and the matter here is not about being prepared or not, but rather about having the rhythm that this competition requires, and I hope that he will improve gradually. As for Akram, he is an influential player, and fortunately he is in top form and participates a lot with his team, and this is good for him and for us.” Qatar’s current training camp includes friendlies against Sudan in Doha tomorrow and Ireland in Dublin on May 28 before the squad heads to the United States for a final warm-up match against El Salvador in Los Angeles on June 6. Lopetegui also spoke emotionally about what the World Cup means for Qatar, saying he feels a deep sense of belonging and responsibility after guiding the country to qualification for the first time through the Asian qualifiers. The Spaniard said Qatari fans should already feel immense pride at reaching the tournament on merit after previously appearing as hosts at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He added that the players’ dream now is to compete with courage and dignity on football’s biggest stage. “They have another dream, which is to appear in a strong competitive manner, and to show fighting spirit, determination and perseverance in order to hold on to the chances and present an honorable participation,” Lopetegui said. Related Story Source link
Qatar have stepped up preparations for the FIFA World Cup with an intensive training camp in Doha ahead of Thursday’s friendly against Sudan at 6:30pm. The Asian champions are using the fixture as part of their build-up to football’s biggest stage, with head coach Julen Lopetegui continuing to assess his options before trimming the preliminary 34-man squad ahead of the team’s departure to North America later this month. Al Annabi will also face Ireland on May 28 and El Salvador on June 6 in additional warm-up matches before launching their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 13. Qatar will then take on co-hosts Canada and Bosnia in the remaining group-stage fixtures. The FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19. Related Story Source link