Harry Kane portait une expression qui était un mélange de dévastation et de perplexité alors que les joueurs de Tottenham s’effondraient au sol lorsque Liverpool a arraché un dernier vainqueur dans un thriller d’Anfield.
Que se passe-t-il dans l’esprit du meilleur buteur du club dans des moments comme celui-ci, lorsque les Spurs menacent quelque chose de spécial, puis échouent à nouveau?
Et comment Kane verra-t-il tout cela lorsque cette saison se terminera avec un an de contrat, qu’une autre saison s’est écoulée sans succès et que le président des Spurs, Daniel Levy, est à la recherche d’un autre manager ?
Ce fut une occasion chaotique d’Anfield où toute la vie des Spurs était là, de la reddition précoce qui a donné à Liverpool une avance de 3-0 en 15 minutes, jusqu’à l’égalisation du temps additionnel de Richarlison qui a été répondue en quelques secondes par le vainqueur de Diogo Jota pour Liverpool.
Advertisement
Les Spurs semblent même jouer des tours à l’esprit de leurs fans, certains partant après 15 minutes et ceux restants exigeant un autre remboursement similaire à celui qu’ils ont reçu des joueurs après la débâcle 6-1 à Newcastle United.
Ils ont ensuite offert le genre d’espoir qui tue les fans des Spurs depuis des années, un retour émouvant avec des scènes de célébration sauvages au niveleur de Richarlison transformées en désolation lorsque Jota a frappé.
Alors que le chaos se déroulait, le manager de Liverpool Jurgen Klopp a célébré sauvagement et inutilement devant le quatrième officiel John Brooks, perdant à nouveau le contrôle sur la ligne de touche et tirant un ischio-jambier dans le processus, tandis que son homologue des Spurs, Ryan Mason, faisait rage contre l’injustice de Jota sur le terrain après que sa botte haute ait blessé Oliver Skipp.
Lorsque la température a chuté, Kane a donné une évaluation honnête en admettant: “La table ne ment pas. Où nous en sommes ne ment pas. Nous avons des joueurs fantastiques mais en tant qu’équipe, nous ne jouons pas assez bien collectivement.”
En effet, au cours de ces 15 premières minutes, il semblait que les joueurs des Spurs pourraient avoir à ouvrir un ordre permanent pour rembourser les fans mécontents après avoir créé le précédent quelque peu discutable de partir pour le voyage à Tyneside.
Advertisement
Après cela, les Spurs ont créé les meilleures chances et auraient dû gagner un point digne de célébration jusqu’à ce que Jota le vole.
L’abattement de Kane était compréhensible car il ne semble pas plus près du premier trophée de sa carrière et la possibilité de jouer en Ligue des champions la saison prochaine s’est glissée encore plus loin.
Cela ne fait qu’ajouter à la conviction que celles-ci définissent désormais les semaines à venir pour les Spurs, leur meilleur buteur et président Daniel Levy.
La question clé est de savoir ce que les Spurs peuvent éventuellement offrir à Kane pour le faire rester au-delà de la dernière année de son contrat ? Que peut imaginer Levy pour éviter le dilemme de vendre le capitaine de l’Angleterre cet été ou faire face à la perspective de le perdre pour rien un an plus tard?
Levy est à la recherche de son prochain manager après les échecs de Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo et Antonio Conte. Trouvera-t-il un nom, Julian Nagelsmann peut-être, qui pourrait persuader Kane de prolonger sa carrière dans le nord de Londres ?
Advertisement
Des déceptions comme celle-ci n’ajouteront rien au pouvoir de persuasion de Levy et il y a un sentiment croissant que Kane, au moins, pourrait faire pression pour une séparation des chemins cet été, Manchester United faisant apparemment déjà preuve de diligence raisonnable pour savoir si un accord peut être conclu. pour un joueur qui aura 30 ans en juillet.
Ce sont des semaines charnières sur et en dehors du terrain qui façonneront l’avenir des Spurs.
Les fans des Spurs ont fait connaître leur mécontentement haut et fort en scandant “Daniel Levy Get Out Of Our Club” avec Liverpool en pleine émeute dès le début et le président craignant peut-être de devoir présenter de nouvelles excuses publiques à une base de fans qui souffre depuis longtemps.
Au lieu de cela, les Spurs, comme ils l’ont fait si souvent cette saison, se sont réveillés trop tard et ont commencé à jouer alors qu’ils étaient menés 3-0, la menace et le caractère des 70 dernières minutes contrastant le plus avec un lamentable 20 premiers.
Il est probable que les Spurs se battront avec Liverpool et d’autres pour une place en Ligue Europa la saison prochaine. Liverpool a de minces espoirs d’une place en Ligue des champions, mais les victoires de Manchester United et de Newcastle United rendent cela de plus en plus long.
Que Harry Kane soit là avec eux est l’un des nombreux dilemmes auxquels sont confrontés le président Levy et les Spurs.
Manchester United have entered the race to sign Spain international Dani Olmo, who has a £52m release clause to leave RB Leipzig this summer. The 25-year-old winger is also interesting Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United representatives have been to Spain to identify potential transfer targets and 34-year-old Spain striker Joselu, who is on loan at Real Madrid from Espanyol, is one of the names on their list. (Relevo – in Spanish)
United will have to pay at least 60m euros (£51.3m) for Brazil international Gleison Bremer, 27, who plays for Juventus, and the Red Devils’ striker Mason Greenwood, 22, could be included in the deal. (Gazetta dello Sport – in Italian)
Manchester City and Newcastle United will rival Manchester United for the signing of Everton and England Under-21 centre-back Jarrad Brathwaite, 21. (Football Transfers)
Advertisement
Italian club Genoa are expecting to receive bids in the summer for 26-year-old Iceland forward Albert Gudmundsson, who has been linked with Tottenham and West Ham. (Fabrizio Romano)
Newcastle United ran the rule over several Brazil players during their friendly against England last week, with Barcelona winger Raphinha, 27, and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, 27, thought to be on their radar. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Manchester United and Tottenham target Jean-Clair Todibo, the 24-year-old France international centre-back, could be available for £40m from Nice this summer. (Talksport)
Crystal Palace want to sign 19-year-old Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera in the summer but face competition for the Spain Under-21 international from Atletico Madrid. (Evening Standard)
Chelsea will replace Todd Boehly as chairman in 2027. (Mail)
There is a strong temptation for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 30, currently on loan at Roma from Chelsea, to move to Saudi Arabia. (Calcio Mercato – in Italian)
Paris St-Germain will face French rivals Lyon in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League after beating Hacken to reach the final four.
PSG were dominant in the second leg, opening the scoring when Tabitha Chawinga fired into the bottom corner.
United States midfielder Korbin Albert extended their lead when she sent a long-range drive past Jennifer Falk.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto then headed home Sakina Karchaoui’s cross to seal victory.
PSG led 2-1 on aggregate going into the second leg and never looked like letting their lead slide.
Advertisement
It took them until the 70th minute to follow up Chawinga’s opener, but they troubled Hacken throughout with Katoto having an earlier header cleared off the line.
Hacken were unable to make any real impression at Parc des Princes as the Swedish side were forced to sit back without the ball.
PSG were beaten on penalties by Lyon in the 2016-17 Champions League final and are currently seven points behind them in Division 1 Feminine.
Holders Barcelona beat Brann to set up a Women’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.
Barcelona won the first leg 2-1 and extended their aggregate lead when Aitana Bonmati hooked an effort past Aurora Mikalsen in the 23rd minute.
They netted again through Fridolina Rolfo, who bundled home when Mikalsen failed to clear a goalmouth scramble.
Tomine Svendheim pulled one back for Brann, but Patri Guijarro scored an 88th-minute tap-in to seal Barca’s win.
With England internationals Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh in their line-up, Barcelona dominated the second leg at Estadi Johan Cruyff as they managed 26 shots to seven from their Norwegian visitors.
Advertisement
Beating Brann sets up a repeat of last year’s semi-final, when Barcelona beat Chelsea 2-1 on aggregate before going on to win the competition.
They will host the first leg in Barcelona on 20-21 April, with the second leg being played at Stamford Bridge on 27-28 April.
The Catalan giants also thrashed Chelsea 4-0 in the 2020-21 final when they won the competition for the first time.
Leicester City have sacked manager Willie Kirk following an investigation into an allegation he had a relationship with a player.
Kirk, 45, was suspended by the Women’s Super League club earlier this month to “assist with an internal process”.
The Scottish boss has not been on the touchline for the past three games.
“Willie was determined to have breached the team’s code of conduct to a degree that makes his position untenable,” Leicester said in a statement.
Following Kirk’s suspension, assistant manager Jennifer Foster and first-team coach Stephen Kirby took charge for the Women’s FA Cup quarter-final at Liverpool on 9 March.
Advertisement
The Foxes won 2-0 to reach the last four of the competition for the first time.
Leicester have lost the two matches they have played since, being beaten by Tottenham and Brighton in the WSL.
Foster and Kirby will continue to lead the team while Leicester begin the search for a new permanent manager.
Former Everton manager Kirk joined the Women’s Super League club in the summer of 2022, initially as a director of football before succeeding Lydia Bedford as boss that November.
Last season he guided Leicester from the bottom of the WSL to safety and they were seventh in the table this season when he was suspended.
Advertisement
Leicester said the code of conduct which Kirk breached was “established and implemented” before the 2023-24 season.
“The code forms part of the club’s ongoing commitment to professionalising the women’s game since the takeover of LCFC Women in 2020, promoting a performance-led culture among players, coaches and technical staff,” Leicester added.
Their decision, announced on Thursday, comes amid scrutiny of player-coach relationships in women’s football.
In February, former Leicester manager Jonathan Morgan was sacked by Sheffield United after “new information came to light about his conduct” before he joined the club.
Morgan’s former management agency ended their relationship with him and said in a statement it had “learnt new information regarding Jonathan Morgan and a relationship with a player”.
Bringing Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich this summer is “probably impossible”, says the club’s honorary president Uli Hoeness.
Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso, 42, is a target of Bayern’s to replace Thomas Tuchel when he leaves in the summer.
The Spaniard has also been strongly linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool but Hoeness says he will likely stay at Leverkusen.
“We’ll have to see if we can do it this year,” he said.
“It will be difficult, if not probably impossible.”
Advertisement
In his second year as a manager, Alonso is on the brink of leading Leverkusen to their first German Bundesliga title.
They are 10 points clear of champions Bayern with eight games remaining and have not lost in all competitions.
As well Liverpool and Bayern, Alonso has also been linked with Real Madrid, another of his former clubs from his playing career.
“[Alonso] is more inclined to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in view of their current successes, because he would not want to leave them behind,” Hoeness said.
“Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to bring him out of there.”
Outgoing Scottish FA head of referees Crawford Allan has endured “despicable” levels of abuse, according to Livingston manager David Martindale.
Allan has borne the brunt of the criticism following a string of controversies amid the implementation of VAR over the past 18 months.
And the 56-year-old is stepping down at the end of this season to “pursue new opportunities”.
“I think Crawford’s a really good guy,” Martindale said.
“I think the way the game’s going, the abuse that players, officials, myself take – there’s a tipping point.
Advertisement
“I think the abuse Crawford has received for doing his job is despicable, I don’t agree with it.
“Social media is taking over the world. Every decision that happens on a Saturday or a midweek deflects on to Crawford and for me that’s really unfair.”
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell alluded to “unsustainable pressure on match officials and VAR operators” and a “convenient blame culture” when Allan’s departure was announced.
Martindale believes the backlash against Allan during the rollout of VAR “played a part in Crawford’s decision”.
“Am I surprised he’s leaving the position? No,” said the Livi boss. “I think it’s an extremely difficult job to do with the scrutiny around social media on every single decision and then the pressure cooker that is Scottish football.
Advertisement
“It’s become a very difficult job and I said the same about the compliance officer role. I think you’ve got to be a wee bit sadistic to take a job like that because you’re in a no-win situation really.
“You’re never pleasing the masses, so it’s very difficult. I don’t know where it’s going to end with social media, the abuse, the scrutiny it brings on people doing their jobs – and I include Crawford in that.”
West Ham United midfielder Katrina Gorry will miss the remainder of the Women’s Super League season with an ankle injury.
Gorry sustained the injury in the 2-0 defeat by Chelsea last Sunday and left the stadium on crutches.
The 31-year-old requires surgery for the issue and her place in Australia’s Olympic squad is now in doubt.
Gorry, who has 105 caps for her country, says her rehabilitation is her “next challenge”.
The women’s football tournament at the Paris Olympics begins on 24 August.
Advertisement
Australia are already likely to be without captain Sam Kerr for the tournament after the Chelsea forward ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in January.
“Unfortunately my season with @Westhamwomen has been cut short,” Gorry wrote on Instagram.”I’ve spent the last few days sitting with my emotions and now it’s time to face this next challenge and trust in my body to come back stronger and more in love with the game.”
West Ham are 11th in the WSL and have picked up just four points from their past five matches.
Nuno Espirito Santo has told his Nottingham Forest players to “forget about” the club’s points deduction for breaking financial rules and focus on their battle to avoid relegation.
They are now 18th, one point behind 17th-placed Luton, but have appealed against the decision.
“Who are we to say that is fair or unfair?” manager Nuno said.
“We have to focus on what we have to do, and what we have to do is on the pitch. This is the message: forget about everything and focus on our tasks so we get out of this situation.”
Advertisement
Forest play Crystal Palace at home on Saturday in their first match since the points deduction.
They are the second top-flight team to be punished for PSR breaches after Everton were penalised 10 points in November, which was reduced to six on appeal.
The Toffees, who are 16th and four points clear of Forest, are still awaiting the verdict on a second alleged breach of rules.
Luton winger Andros Townsend said uncertainty created by the points deductions “makes a mockery” of the top flight.
Nuno remains full of belief that his side will still stay up.
Advertisement
“The way we work, the way we play, the togetherness, the commitment of the players – I see it every day and that’s why I’m so confident,” Nuno said.
“It’s in our hands, it’s up to us to reverse the situation and that is to get points on the pitch and this is what we’re going to try on Saturday.
“What we have to do is stick together, everyone at the club, stick together – the back-up of our fans is going to be huge for us – and starting on Saturday at the City Ground, play football and win games.”
Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers has been given a one-match touchline ban with another suspended, which means he will not miss the forthcoming Old Firm derby.
The Celtic manager complained of “incompetence” and “really poor officiating” in a 2-0 loss away to Hearts earlier this month.
Reviews led to Yang Hyun-jun’s yellow card being upgraded to red and Tomoki Iwata conceding a penalty.
Celtic later had their appeal against Yang’s dismissal rejected.
Advertisement
Rodgers has five days to decide whether to appeal against his own punishment.
During his BBC interview at Tynecastle, Rodgers twice mentioned video assistant referee John Beaton by name, saying VAR interventions meant the game was “refereed outside the field”.
The ruling means the Northern Irishman will be banned from the dugout for Sunday’s trip to Livingston but will be able to return as the defending Scottish champions visit Ibrox for their 7 April city derby against title rivals Rangers.
As well as being missing from dugout against the side sitting bottom of the Premiership, Rodgers will not be allowed access to the dressing room an hour prior to kick-off, or at half-time, and will only be given access 15 minutes after full-time.
The further one-match ban will only come into play should he further breach Scottish FA rules on making comments about the performance of match officials during games.
Un légende français a surpris tout le monde avec ses dernières déclarations.
L’affaire Mbappé continue de faire couler beaucoup d’encre, et ce n’est pas près de s’arrêter dans les prochaines semaines. Le monde du football attend avec impatience que l’attaquant parisien officialise son avenir.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi et l’émir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sont clairement préoccupés par la situation. Ils ne comprennent toujours pas ce qui s’est passé, même si peu de gens osent imaginer un avenir autre que “merengue” pour le natif de Bondy.
L’un d’eux est Robert Pirès, qui a été lié au club madrilène par le passé, sans jamais porter le maillot du Real Madrid, ce dont le joueur de Reims se vante inexplicablement.
Advertisement
“Désolé, Kylian, tu n’étais pas le premier. Je suis le premier à avoir dit non au Real Madrid (rires). Je ne sais pas quelle décision il prendra, mais j’ai refusé le Real parce que j’avais deux autres options. C’est sûr que si je n’avais pas eu Arsenal et la Juve, je serais allé au Real Madrid en courant. C’est sûr”, a déclaré le champion du monde 1998 avec la France.
Mais Robert Pirès ne s’est pas arrêté là. Il a également recommandé à l’attaquant français de choisir Liverpool plutôt que le Real Madrid, ce qui n’a pas plu aux supporters du club merengue.
“A-t-il aujourd’hui une autre possibilité que le Real ? C’est la question. J’aimerais le voir à Liverpool. C’est un grand club, une famille, une bonne structure, pas de pression, des supporters calmes… Et je me dis que Mbappé-Salah peut être assez explosif (…) Je pense qu’il est capable de repousser le Real Madrid”, a conclu l’ancien joueur français.