Football

Switzerland cruised to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Estonia in their penultimate warm-up match before the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. The match, played in front of a home crowd of 14,473 at the Swissporarena in Lucerne, marked Switzerland's first home game since November after a series of away fixtures.Steven Zuber opened the scoring for Switzerland in the 20th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty box. It was the AEK Athens winger's first goal for the national team since 2021. Burnley forward Zeki Amdouni doubled the lead in the 47th minute, finishing off a pass from Ruben Vargas.Defender Nico Elvedi extended Switzerland's advantage in the 63rd minute, capitalizing on Estonia's failure to clear a Xherdan Shaqiri free kick. Shaqiri, winning his 122nd cap, sealed the victory with a penalty in the 69th minute, despite his initial attempt being saved by Estonia goalkeeper Matvei Igonen.Switzerland coach Murat Yakin, who will announce his squad for the Euro 2024 tournament on Friday, was joined by Swiss Olympic giant slalom ski champion Marco Odermatt for the national anthems. The victory serves as a confidence booster for Switzerland as they prepare for their final warm-up match against Austria on Saturday at the Kybunpark in St Gallen.Austria, who are in Euro 2024 Group D alongside Poland, France, and the Netherlands, will provide a stern test for Switzerland. In the European Championship, Switzerland will face Hungary on June 15, Scotland on June 19, and hosts Germany on June 23 in Group A. Switzerland's best-ever performance in the tournament was reaching the quarter-finals in 2020.

Euro 2024, set to commence in Germany on June 14, promises to be a captivating spectacle, with France and England emerging as the frontrunners among a formidable field of contenders. The tournament will unfold across 10 magnificent stadiums in Germany, a nation renowned for its football passion.Unlike the previous Euros, which were dispersed across the continent and marred by pandemic restrictions, this edition will offer a unified experience for fans. The setting will evoke memories of the unforgettable 2006 World Cup, which Germany hosted and where they re-established themselves as a footballing powerhouse.Despite concerns about security and transportation, the hope is that Euro 2024 will be remembered for its sporting brilliance. Italy, the reigning champions, will be eager to defend their title, while Germany, despite recent setbacks, remains a formidable force with a talented squad.France, ranked as Europe's top team, boasts an exceptional roster led by Kylian Mbappe. They are determined to capture their first European Championship since 2000. England, too, harbors high hopes, carrying the weight of never having won the Euros. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are key players who could propel them to glory.Other contenders include Portugal, led by the ageless Cristiano Ronaldo, and Belgium and the Netherlands. However, the tournament will also feature underdogs like Ukraine, Albania, and Georgia, adding diversity and intrigue to the competition.With a month of thrilling football ahead, Euro 2024 promises to be a captivating spectacle that will showcase the best of European football.

Real Madrid's acquisition of Kylian Mbappe has sent shockwaves through the football world, further solidifying their dominance over arch-rivals Barcelona. The Spanish giants have wrestled back the La Liga title and claimed a record 15th Champions League trophy, and Mbappe's arrival adds another layer of star power to an already formidable squad.Barcelona, on the other hand, continues to grapple with financial challenges that have hindered their ability to compete in the transfer market. The club has squandered hundreds of millions of euros on failed signings and exorbitant salaries, leaving them unable to match Madrid's financial muscle.Mbappe's free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain is a testament to Madrid's financial prowess. The 25-year-old's lavish salary and sign-on fee would be out of reach for Barcelona, who have been forced to rely on loan arrivals and out-of-contract stars.Coach Carlo Ancelotti faces the challenge of integrating Mbappe into an already star-studded attack that includes Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian winger occupies a similar position on the left flank, making Mbappe's arrival a potential luxury. However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez views Mbappe as the final piece of the puzzle, completing the club's ambitious stadium refurbishment project.In contrast, Barcelona has been forced to settle for more modest signings, such as Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao. The Spain international's 50 million euro release clause makes him a more financially feasible option than other players of similar quality. However, any significant arrivals would require Barcelona to offload players to balance the books.The Catalans hope that Mbappe's arrival could disrupt the harmony in Madrid's dressing room, given his superstar status. Ancelotti may also take time to find the best system to accommodate the forward.Barcelona's reliance on their La Masia youth academy has intensified in recent years, as the club seeks to develop homegrown talent to compete with Madrid's financial might. Young players like Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have emerged as potential stars, giving hope that Barcelona can continue to challenge Madrid's dominance.Mbappe's impact on La Liga is expected to be significant. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's goalscoring exploits in the past, it has been eight years since any player has scored 40 league goals. Mbappe has the potential to break that streak, forcing opponents to sit deeper and deeper to prevent him and Vinicius from wreaking havoc on the counter-attack.

Juventus and Massimiliano Allegri have parted ways by mutual agreement, ending the Italian's second spell as manager of the Turin giants. The decision comes two weeks after Allegri was sacked following an outburst during the Italian Cup final victory over Atalanta.Allegri, 56, had been in charge of Juventus since 2021, having previously managed the club from 2014 to 2019. During his two spells, he guided the Bianconeri to 12 trophies, including five Serie A titles and four Italian Cups.However, Allegri's second stint at Juventus was marred by inconsistency and a lack of success in Europe. The team finished third in Serie A this season, 23 points behind champions Inter Milan, and were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 by Villarreal.Allegri's behavior during the Italian Cup final, where he was sent off for ranting at match officials and dismissively waved away Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, led to an investigation by the Italian Football Federation's disciplinary authorities.The announcement of Allegri's departure opens the door for former Italy midfielder Thiago Motta to be named as the new Juventus boss. Motta guided Bologna to fifth place and Champions League qualification this season.

Cole Palmer's penalty and Trent Alexander-Arnold's stunning volley propelled England to a 3-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Euro 2024 warm-up match at St James' Park.Palmer, making his first start for the Three Lions, showcased his clinical finishing with a spot-kick in the second half. The Chelsea forward has been in impressive form for his club this season, and his goal against Bosnia underlined his credentials for a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro squad.Alexander-Arnold, deployed in midfield by Southgate, was another standout performer for England. The Liverpool star scored a superb goal with a volley from Jack Grealish's cross, capping a lively display.Harry Kane, returning from injury, came off the bench to score England's third goal in the final seconds. The Tottenham Hotspur striker's goal put a flattering gloss on an inconsistent performance from an understrength England side.Southgate praised the performances of Palmer, Alexander-Arnold, and Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, who all bolstered their chances of making the Euro squad. However, Ollie Watkins, Conor Gallagher, and Jarrod Bowen may rue missing their opportunity to impress.Despite the victory, Southgate acknowledged that England still have questions to answer before the Euros. The team's passing was ponderous and their movement sluggish in the first half, but they improved in the second half.Southgate must now cut seven players from his provisional 33-man squad by Friday's deadline. England's final warm-up match before the Euros is against Iceland at Wembley on Thursday.

Chelsea has appointed Enzo Maresca, the former Leicester City manager, as their new manager on a five-year contract. Maresca replaces Mauricio Pochettino, who left the club by mutual consent last month.Maresca, 44, joined Leicester in June 2023 and led them to the Championship title last season. He is known for his attacking style of play and his ability to develop young players.Chelsea's ownership group expressed their excitement about Maresca's appointment. "He is a highly gifted coach and leader that we are confident can help fulfill our vision and competitive goals for the club," they said.Maresca's arrival at Chelsea marks a new era for the club. The Italian manager is expected to bring a fresh approach and a renewed sense of optimism to Stamford Bridge.Maresca's first task will be to prepare Chelsea for the upcoming season. The Blues will be looking to challenge for the Premier League title and make a deep run in the Champions League.Maresca has a proven track record of success at Leicester. He led the Foxes to the Championship title in his first season in charge and also guided them to the FA Cup semi-finals.Chelsea fans will be hoping that Maresca can replicate his success at Stamford Bridge. The Italian manager has a reputation for playing attractive football and getting the best out of his players.

Kylian Mbappé's long-awaited transfer to Real Madrid is reportedly on the verge of completion, with an official announcement expected within the next 48 hours. The move has been in the works for years, with Mbappé's contract with Paris Saint-Germain expiring this summer.According to Spanish outlet Marca, Real Madrid will announce Mbappé's transfer on Monday or Tuesday at the latest. The club has waited until the end of its season to make the announcement, which will be followed by a record-breaking presentation at a sold-out Santiago Bernabeu in July.Mbappé's presentation will be delayed due to his current commitments with the French national team, who are preparing for the upcoming European Championship. France will face Luxembourg and Canada in two friendlies before traveling to Germany for the month-long competition that begins on June 15.The 2018 world champions are one of the favorites heading into the tournament and will face an exciting challenge in the group stages. They have been drawn into Group D with Poland, Netherlands, and Austria.Mbappé's move to Real Madrid is a major coup for the Spanish giants, who have been chasing the French superstar for years. The 23-year-old is one of the most exciting players in the world and is expected to play a key role in Real Madrid's quest for more trophies in the coming seasons.

Indian football team coach Igor Stimac has emphasized the significance of the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait, describing it as a game that could "change the careers" of his players. India will face Kuwait at the Salt Lake Stadium in their penultimate second-round game, followed by an away match against Qatar on June 11.Despite their disappointing loss to Afghanistan in the home leg in March, India still has a chance to qualify for the third round of qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Stimac believes that a victory against Kuwait could be a turning point for his team."It's a huge game. The careers of the boys can change with this game. I want them to enjoy and do their best in the game," Stimac said.India, currently ranked 121st in FIFA, will be looking to improve their performance against Kuwait, especially with talisman Sunil Chhetri playing his farewell match for the national team."For such an important game, we need to do a few things; in regards to strength conditioning, in regards to understanding what it needs, in regards to how important this game is, and in regards to mental strength and self-confidence," Stimac said."So, we work on all aspects needed for our boys to be on top of their form in this game."The head coach stressed the importance of patience and clever play against Kuwait."There are two key points for the preparations for this game. First, winning the game is crucial. And to reach that target, we need to be very clever. We need to understand that in the game, we require patience," Stimac said."If we don't open the scoring in the first half an hour, we need to be intelligent and play quality football together with pace. All these aspects are very important and we have to prepare for them."India has not won in six matches and has scored only one goal in those games. However, Stimac believes that his team has the potential to overcome Kuwait."Each of those matches was very tough and I can clearly state that we controlled all those games in superb ways," Stimac said."We dominated for the bigger parts in each one of these games. We were above them physically. But on other occasions, before the Kuwait games, we had many games that helped us reach that level.""But it is a different game now because they are coming here when we didn't have the opportunity to play games. No league is being played now, no club is available. But we did play two games between us to reach the intensity we required.""And I need to tell you that the boys were superb in those two games. I am very happy with them; happy with everything that was done in the last three weeks," the coach added.

Pachuca Triumphs in CONCACAF Champions Cup, Extends Mexican DominanceMexican powerhouse Pachuca claimed their sixth CONCACAF Champions Cup title on Saturday, dismantling Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew 3-0 in a dominant display at their Estadio Hidalgo.Veteran striker Salomon Rondon led the charge for Pachuca, scoring twice to secure the victory. The Venezuelan international opened the scoring in the 12th minute, chipping the ball over Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte after breaking free of the defense.Just moments later, Pachuca thought they had doubled their lead through Oussama Idrissi, but the goal was overturned by VAR due to a foul in the build-up. However, the reprieve was short-lived as Miguel Rodriguez made it 2-0 in the 30th minute, finishing off a well-worked move.Columbus, who had eliminated Mexican giants UANL Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final, struggled to cope with Pachuca's superior movement and pace. Despite preparing for the high altitude of Pachuca's home ground, the MLS champions were overwhelmed by the home team's relentless attacks.Rondon sealed the victory in the 67th minute, sweeping home a low finish after good work from Idrissi. Columbus never looked capable of mounting a comeback, as Pachuca continued to dominate possession and create chances.Pachuca's triumph extends Mexico's long-standing dominance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Mexican clubs have now won 18 of the last 19 editions of the tournament, which is the premier continental club competition for teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The victory also secures Pachuca's berth in next year's expanded FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States.