⚽️ HT Kick Off: June can be a tricky window
Dhiman says this is when holidays beckon but you still must lace up for your country. Or you need to do that just after a break.
“The party is just getting started. Didier is going to find us in a strange state.” To everything the latest version of Ousmane Dembele is known for – a 33-goal season where he can basically play anywhere in an ever-dynamic Paris St-Germain (PSG) line-up – add a whacky, off-beat sense of humour. Of the kind Didier Deschamps may not dig.
But seriously, here was a player celebrating his first Champions League medal, in the process possibly not noticing when Saturday bled into Sunday. Here was a team celebrating collectivism which took them to where they had wanted to be a billion euros ago. It deserved a party from which you wouldn’t want to leave. Instead, Dembele and a host of PSG and Inter Milan players had to shrug it all off and report for international duty in less than 48 hours.
Which meant Vitinha (180.2km) and Joao Neves (184.3km), who between them have covered the most distance of all players in the Champions League, and Nuno Mendes had to play in three days as Portugal beat Germany 2-1 in the National League semi-final. And Lee Kang-in got just a little more time to savour being only the second Asian to win a Champions League winner's medal. In all, 13 players from the rosters in Munich on Saturday were called for international duty.
Tricky window
Of all the international windows, the one in June can be tricky for a national team coach. It was in this window in 2013 that Igor Stimac’s Croatia lost to Scotland, triggering a string of poor results that led to his resignation. What makes the June dates difficult is that summer holidays beckon after a long, gruelling season but you have to lace up for a couple of more games. Games that can be the Nations League semi-final or a crucial World Cup qualifier. Games your future in the national team could hinge on.
Ask Pedro Porro. It was a long time of Jesus Navas and Dani Carvajal doing their stuff before Porro could consolidate his position in Spain line-up. Not for him the chance to bask in the sweet aftertaste of helping Tottenham Hotspur win their first trophy in Europe after 1984. In the week of Porro lining up against France, his Spurs skipper Son Heung-min was trying to help South Korea. All the while not thinking about who will be managing their club next term.
And as soon as the international engagements are done with, many of the world’s elite will have to get ready for the hot American summer for the Club World Cup. Holidays? What’s that.
Different problem
Manolo Marquez is grappling with a different kind of problem. The last time before the friendly against Thailand on Wednesday his players had a competitive game was over one month ago. Marquez can be happy India dominated most of the tie, that the debutants did okay but definitely not about such a poor xG.
After a two-week break, India players had assembled for a preparatory camp in Kolkata before heading out to Thailand and from there to Kowloon City where they will play Hong Kong. Every team in this group are where they were in March so here’s a chance for India to start afresh.
Thailand’s season ended on Saturday, Hong Kong’s on May 25 and that could make the Asian Cup qualifier against India as one between teams in vastly different states of preparedness. I am not sure which is better. But given how listless India were against Bangladesh at home when because the season was on in full swing it should have been the opposite, I live in hope.
Play of the week
In other news
Inzaghi for Al-Hilal: Former Inter boss Simone Inzaghi, 49, was revealed as the new coach of Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal on Thursday, days before they take part in the new-look Club World Cup, says AFP. The Italian, who led Inter to a heavy defeat in Saturday's Champions League final, had earlier played down rumours of a two-year deal worth €50 million. “I am Simone Inzaghi and today begins my story with Al-Hilal,” he said in a slickly produced video posted on X, in which he sips Arabian coffee and pins an Al-Hilal lapel badge on his suit.
New clubs for Delap, Reijnders: Chelsea signed striker Liam Delap from relegated Ipswich in time to play at the Club World Cup after activating his release clause of £30 million, reports AP. Also shifting in time for the USA trip was Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders who switched to City from AC Milan on a five-year deal worth $63m. Chelsea used the opening of a special trading window from June 1-10 to add a centre forward to their squad, with the 22-year-old Delap set to provide competition for first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson. Delap, who scored 12 goals in the Premier League, signed a six-year contract to keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2031.
Penalty retake rule: If Julian Alvarez slips while taking a spot kick for Atletico Madrid at the Club World Cup this month, he will get the second chance he was denied in the Champions League in March, after international football's rule-making body on Tuesday clarified the double-touch rule, reports AFP. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) announced that if players unintentionally touch the ball twice while taking a spot kick and still find the net, they should be allowed a retake. Alvarez slipped as he netted his penalty kick in a shooutout to decide a Champions League Madrid derby. Video review (VAR) detected that he touched the ball twice and the referee ruled the shot a miss under Law 14, which deals with the penalty kick. Real went on to win 4-2.
India women lose: The Indian women’s team suffered a second narrow defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan, again going down 0-1 in the second of two FIFA Women’s International Friendlies in Bengaluru, reports PTI. Despite an improved and spirited performance, the Blue Tigresses were undone by a moment of brilliance from Nilufar Kudratova early in the second half.
51-year-old error: Finland women's national team manager has apologised for mistakenly calling up a long-retired 51-year-old for this week's game against Serbia, reports Reuters. When submitting the lineup, manager Outi Saarinen mistakenly entered former player Stina Ruuskanen instead of 23-year-old Djurgarden defender Nanne Ruuskanen. The error was not discovered until past deadline. Ruuskanen took the mix-up in good humour. “I'm definitely ready if the call comes! Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match ... so my game feel is good,” she told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.
Benzema strikes: Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema scored twice to lead his side to a 3-1 victory over Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Cup final as they completed the domestic double, reports Reuters. Laurent Blanc's side dominated the game to win the cup for the 10th time, while Al-Qadsiah finished the game with 10 men after Ezequiel Fernandez was sent off in the 81st minute. Moussa Diaby nearly put Al-Ittihad ahead but missed a chance in the 21st minute.
Iconic moment
Stop the genocide
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) supporters displayed a banner saying "Stop (the) genocide in Gaza" during the Champions League final on Saturday. As per an AP report, they raised it shortly after Achraf Hakimi gave their team a 1-0 lead against his former side Inter Milan in the 12th minute. Désiré Doué scored PSG's second after the banner was raised. PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza. They previously displayed a giant banner saying “Free Palestine” in November during the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.
Also read
Players will feel the heat, says Tuchel
They said it
That’s all for this week. As always, I look forward to your feedback. You can either write to me at dhiman@htlive.com, or reply to this mail.