
No Writer
Apr 30
James Maddison: Tottenham midfielder says team '100 per cent behind' under-pressure boss Ange Postecoglou
Spurs sit a lowly 16th in the Premier League table after suffering a 19th league defeat of the season on Sunday, following a heavy 5-1 loss at newly-crowned champions Liverpool. But despite their domestic form, Tottenham still have a chance to win the Europa League, which would end their 17-year trophy drought and give them a place in next season's Champions League. Norwegian enigmas Bodo/Glimt aim to crack another code vs SpursTottenham news & transfers⚪ | Spurs fixtures & scoresGot Sky? Watch Tottenham games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺Choose the sports notifications you want! 🔔 There has been intense speculation surrounding the future of Postecoglou, who is presiding over potentially Spurs' worst-ever Premier League season, with some reports claiming the 59-year-old will lose his job even if he lifts the Europa League trophy. But Maddison has given his full support for the under-pressure Australian ahead of Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg against Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt. He said: "We're behind the manager, 100 per cent. I think he's a great man. "He's the first person to tell you, I've heard it myself, that we've had a poor season, especially in the league. We've been very good in Europe, but the league season's probably been unacceptable, and we can all take a collective responsibility for that. "But he's my manager, he's my gaffer, I respect him an awful amount. "The narrative is something that we players try and keep away from because it's not healthy to read into what you lot are talking about - the manager's position. I just know that I come into work every day and see the lads listening, taking on the messages, how he wants to play and trying to do what's best for this club. "We're in a very good position in Europe, where we can still have a special season under his management. So, I'll continue to do that until the day he isn't here. He's my manager and I respect him an awful amount, so that will continue." 'Season can still be so special' Tottenham host Bodo/Glimt on Thursday before the second leg in Norway above the Arctic Circle on May 8, with the chance to reach the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21. It gives Postecoglou the chance to earn Spurs' first silverware since 2008 and their first European trophy in 41 years. Asked whether the team owes the fans Europa League glory amid a dismal domestic campaign, Maddison replied: "We definitely want to reward them for the support that they give us by creating something special because the league hasn't been good enough, definitely. But it hurts us as well. Let's not create the narrative that it's just us players out there. Definitely, we take responsibility for that. But it hurts me a lot that we're having a poor season. "But this is why we're so motivated for this competition because this season can still be so special. You lot talk about it all the time about Tottenham being without silverware for however many years it is. We're in the last four, and we've got a great opportunity to do that in a competition that we've been pretty solid in this year. "We want to reward them because we feel the support. At the end of games when we've lost again, you go over because you want to thank them for the support. I know they don't want to hear it. Even at this press conference and the interview on Sunday [after the Liverpool defeat], they're not really that bothered because words are just words. "But it hurts and we're trying to put it right. I think that's the main thing. The hunger is there. It doesn't always work, that's just life. It doesn't always work how you want it to. "This is a unique situation that we're in in the last four in Europe where we can go and reward them for their support because they do travel everywhere. We are very grateful for that. Even in the league position we're in and we've got nothing to play for, they're still selling out Liverpool away. We do appreciate that and they're supporting us, but it hurts as well. "I guess the message I was trying to get across is that we're not satisfied as well. We're in this together." He added: "I don't feel personally responsible because it's a collective. It's everyone. No one at the whole club, from the top to the bottom, internally should be satisfied with where we are, so it definitely hurts. "The hurt you're talking about, I guess it's a tough one because, like I just said, we have to do interviews. You spoke about Liverpool on Sunday. I'm going to do the interview where we've lost 5-1. It's a little bit embarrassing. I'm a bit embarrassed myself. I have to go and talk. I know no one really wants to hear what I've got to say because they want to see the reaction. That's the chance we've got to do on Thursday night, which is the beauty of the quick turnaround, because we can go and put it right on Thursday if we get a good result. "Then in seven days' time, we've got another massive game. If we get through that, we're in a European final. There's positives there, but I guess we've got to go and do it, and we've got to show them that we're just as hungry as they are to win something." Ange: I'm not underestimating Bodo/Glimt Tottenham are heavy favourites to overcome Bodo/Glimt, who are the first Norwegian side to reach a European semi-final. Kjetil Knutsen's side have knocked out Lazio and Olympiakos en route to the last four, but Postecoglou is adamant his team will not underestimate them. He said: "You'd love us to think that, that you're a small club and we don't rate. No, no. "I think Bodo's there on merit. They've beaten Lazio and Olympiakos, tough teams. They're there because they're a good football team. "It doesn't matter where you come from. I come from the other side of the world where football is the fourth sport. So I don't underestimate anything. "You say we're a big club, they're a small club, it doesn't matter. We're two clubs in a semi-final of a European competition, and they've earned the right to be there. They've done very well to get there, and we're going to treat them with the respect they deserve." Meanwhile, Postecoglou confirmed captain Heung-Min Son will be absent for the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The South Korean has not featured for Spurs since the 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on April 10 due to a foot injury. Postecoglou said: "He won't feature. He's out training, but he's still separate from the group. "He's improving and hopefully we can get him back in sooner rather than later." Norwegian enigmas Bodo/Glimt aim to crack another code vs Spurs Sky Sports' Declan Olley: Underestimate Bodo/Glimt at your peril, Tottenham. Just ask Porto, Besiktas, Olympiakos and Lazio this season. Roma and Celtic, who were managed then by Spurs boss Postecoglou, were also victims four years ago. The most recent giant-killing of Lazio, though, was particularly historic as Bodo/Glimt became the first Norwegian side to reach a European semi-final. Now the Eliteserien champions, located above the Arctic Circle, are aiming to freeze out Spurs, whose stadium is astonishingly bigger than Bodo's population of 55,000. "We walk into this game with confidence that whoever we meet, we believe we're able to compete," says Bodo/Glimt's sporting director Havard Sakariassen. "I hope that we don't focus on the occasion and that we play the game and dare to be ourselves. "I truly strongly believe we have all the tools to be brave enough to go out in London and just be Bodo/Glimt. Just play the game, and then we will see. "Of course, the experience that we have gained over the last years makes us more confident in situations like this." Read more about Tottenham's Europa League semi-final opponents, Bodo/Glimt, here.

No Writer
Apr 30
Mexico City GP to remain on Formula 1 calendar until 2028 after three-year extension agreed
The race returned to F1 in 2015, with Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, and Max Verstappen the only former Mexico City GP winners currently on the grid. The 2025 Mexico City GP will take place from October 24-26, live on Sky Sports. When to watch the Miami GP live on Sky Sports F1F1 2025 schedule | F1 championship standingsGot Sky? Watch F1 races LIVE on your phone! 📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream on NOW 📺Choose the sports notifications you want! 🔔 Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali said: "We are very excited to announce that the Mexico City Grand Prix will continue to be part of our calendar until 2028. "Formula 1 is energy, passion and emotion, and every year the unique atmosphere created by our fans in Mexico City is one of the most incredible and energetic experiences of our championship. "We look forward to continuing this extraordinary collaboration together and seeing the incredible enthusiasm of the Mexican fans again in October." Sky Sports F1's Miami GP schedule Thursday May 17pm: Drivers' Press Conference Friday May 23pm: F1 Academy Practice 15pm: Miami GP Practice (session starts at 5.30pm)7.30pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference8.15pm: F1 Academy Practice 29.05pm: Miami GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 9.30pm) Saturday May 33.20pm: F1 Academy Qualifying4pm: MIAMI GP SPRINT (race starts at 5pm)6.30pm: Ted's Sprint Notebook7.50pm: F1 Academy Race 18.35pm: Miami GP Qualifying build-up9pm: MIAMI GP QUALIFYING*11pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook* Sunday May 46pm: F1 Academy Race 27.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Miami GP build-up*9pm: The MIAMI GRAND PRIX*11pm: Chequered Flag: Miami GP reaction*Midnight: Ted's Notebook *also live on Sky Sports Main Event Formula 1 heads to Miami for a Sprint weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

No Writer
Apr 30
Liverpool transfers: Premier League champions preparing for busy summer window including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and more
Even captain Virgil van Dijk said the club are 'planning to make it a big summer' as he signed his new two-year contract earlier this month. Given Arsenal and Manchester City both intend to invest significantly, Liverpool know they must do the same to stay ahead. Work on targets to improve Arne Slot's squad has been going on since Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes arrived last year. Summer transfer window: Key datesTransfer Centre LIVE! | Liverpool news & transfers🔴Liverpool fixtures & scores | FREE Liverpool PL highlights▶️ Liverpool have already secured a new goalkeeper in Giorgi Mamardashvili - the 24-year-old Georgia international who was bought last summer but stayed on loan at Valencia for the season - as well as a winger in Federico Chiesa, who has suffered with injury problems this term. The Reds want to move quickly now the Premier League title is won, with their priority positions a new striker, winger and left-back forming the bulk of their plan. If they are successful with those, they will then look to move onto a new central midfielder, further help at right-back considering Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected join Real Madrid on a free transfer, and a new young centre-back. So who are they targeting?... Strikers We know three players Liverpool have been interested in for some time are Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko. Isak is seen as the ideal profile and they showed interest last summer ahead of the June 30 PSR deadline, which was an issue at the time for Newcastle. It is much less of one this time around and puts the Magpies in a much stronger position as they fight to keep the Sweden international. The problem now - and for any club - is the cost. Newcastle value him way beyond £100m and are under no pressure to sell certainly if they finish in the Champions League places. Osimhen, however, comes back on the market as his loan at Galatasaray comes to an end and he returns to parent club Napoli - who still want to sell him. With one year left on his contract, his value becomes more manageable than it was for many clubs last year, although he is slightly older than Isak at 26. Sesko is one of the most highly-rated young strikers in Europe and was assessed heavily by clubs towards the January window, including Liverpool and Arsenal, but agreed with RB Leipzig to stay until the summer. He is now poised to move and the Slovenia international - who turns 22 in May - is expected to do so into the Premier League. Hugo Ekitike has emerged as another name to keep an eye on following his strong development at Eintracht Frankfurt this term, having been on the radar of many top clubs for a few years now. He impressed as Frankfurt were knocked out in the Europa League quarter-finals by Tottenham Hotspur. Wingers Two wingers they have watched for some time and who showcase the kind of profile Liverpool want are Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo and Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo. They are both 25, are most effective on the right, but also have the versatility to be equally adept on the left, cutting inside, or playing through the middle - and they have been prolific scorers in the Premier League. Manchester United are currently ahead of the pack for Semenyo, Sky Sports News reported earlier this month, but Liverpool remain interested and his next destination is yet to be assured. Got Sky? Watch Liverpool games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 Another player Liverpool and many clubs have been impressed by this season is Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, but he would be much harder to get from the Midlands club, especially if they finish in the Champions League places, and is likely to cost more than the other two. Last summer, Liverpool showed strong interest in Newcastle's Anthony Gordon amid the Magpies' PSR issues. Potential deals involving Joe Gomez or Jarell Quansah going the other way were mooted, but that very much felt like an opportunity of the time rather than something Liverpool will look to resume this summer. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was another player Liverpool really liked and may have acted on if a Premier League move was viable last January. Instead, he joined Paris Saint-Germain. Left-backs Liverpool want a new left-back who can share the workload with Andy Robertson, now 31, in the short term, but eventually move into his shoes via his tutelage. There is one name they like in particular: Milos Kerkez. The Hungary international was signed by sporting director Hughes for Bournemouth in 2023, so he knows well what he is capable of, and he has been the standout player in his position in the Premier League this season. However, Liverpool now face strong competition from Real Madrid and Manchester City, as reported by Sky Sports News last week. Fulham's Antonee Robinson and Wolves' Rayan Ait Nouri are also among the type of attacking left-backs Liverpool are looking for and have had strong seasons in the Premier League. There is a feeling at Wolves that Ait Nouri has earned the chance to move to a bigger club if a suitable offer comes in. The other positions The ideal scenario is Liverpool get to the point in the summer where they can make some clever young additions on top of those more urgent areas, and centre-back is one they are thinking about. This is in part due to some uncertainty around Gomez and Quansah, who have not played as much, but also there evidently being three right-footed centre-backs in the squad, who are more comfortable on the right side than the left, where there is only Van Dijk as the natural player. This has led to Liverpool being one of the clubs in the running for the two-footed Bournemouth star Dean Huijsen. But - again - there is competition from a raft of teams including Real Madrid, Arsenal, Newcastle, Tottenham and Manchester United. At right-back, Slot remains an admirer of his previous Feyenoord player Lutsharel Geertruida, while Liverpool have often been linked with another Dutchman in Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong too. However, the club are keen to push on with Conor Bradley and one of either Quansah or Gomez could cover if they stay. Central midfield is more ambiguous. Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi was targeted heavily last summer but he turned them down and now looks destined for Arsenal. Recent reports have linked Liverpool with Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton as another example. Outgoings The expected departure of Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is well documented and there are question marks over the futures of other players too. Liverpool's keenness to invest in new players means some exits will inevitably accelerate when additions arrive. Although Alisson will remain No 1, Liverpool believe Mamardashvili has big potential for the future and that throws current deputy Caoimhin Kelleher's future into real doubt. Other Premier League clubs have long had him on their lists for when he becomes available so he will not be short of takers. With a new top striker a priority, Darwin Nunez's future also becomes interesting. Liverpool are not actively pushing him out the door yet but he has not played much and will attract offers from elsewhere. He is one of many players linked with Saudi Arabia. Harvey Elliot also finds himself in a similar position, with the club having such respect for the player that they will not stand in his way if a good club comes in to offer him more game time. Sky Sports News exclusively revealed in January that the likes of Brighton, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig were starting to have a serious look at trying to sign him. There are other big presences in the Liverpool squad that the club may face a real decision on, such as Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota - neither players the club particularly want to lose, but may attract offers from elsewhere and it remains to be seen if they are too good not to listen to. Quansah retains interest from Newcastle while Gomez will always have good choices in the Premier League, and left-back Kostas Tsimikas is expected to be moved on for a newcomer to come in. Transfer Centre LIVE! Deals, rumours, news on your phone 📱 Remember, you can follow all the latest deals, news and rumours ahead of the summer transfer window's opening on the 'Transfers' section of the Sky Sports app, while the latest gossip and news will be in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. Looking for news about YOUR club? Find dedicated transfer pages for EVERY Premier League team.

No Writer
Apr 30
Nottingham Forest: Evangelos Marinakis withdraws control of club but will remain as owner
The Greek billionaire still owns Forest, but he has put all of his club shares into a blind trust so that he no longer has control or influence over the day-to-day running of the club. Sky Sports News has been told this could be a temporary measure because of a possible conflict of interest with another club in Marinakis' stable, Olympiakos. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Nottingham Forest news & transfers🔴⚪Forest fixtures & scores | FREE Forest PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Nottingham Forest games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 UEFA rules dictate that no individual is allowed to control two clubs that are competing in the same competition, and Forest and Olympiakos are both pushing for places in next season's Champions League. Olympiakos are 13 points clear at the top of the Greek Super League, while Forest would go third in the Premier League if they win their game in hand against Brentford on Thursday, live on Sky. The changes have been described by one source as technicality, a bit of important "housekeeping" but UEFA take it much more seriously than that. For them, this is about the integrity of their competition, and their rules do not allow for two clubs owned by the same person or persons to compete against each other in the same European competition. If UEFA suspected Marinakis was still in effective control of Nottingham Forest, they would be forced under their rules to bar Forest from taking part in the Champions League next season - should they qualify. UEFA's rules say that in this situation where there is a conflict of interest, whichever club finishes higher in their domestic league would be allowed to compete, with the other club barred. Olympiacos are currently 13 points clear at the top of the Greek Super League while Forest are sixth - with a chance to go third if they win their game in hand. Marinakis has never been on the Forest board. But there have been changes in the make-up of Forest's board as a result of this issue. Three board members have been forced to resign and have been replaced by the three trustees who are now in charge of Marinakis' shares. Financial rules around blind trusts dictate that those trustees have to make up the majority of a club's board for it to be in line with the rules. 'Marinakis is still very much Forest owner' Sky Sports News' senior reporter Rob Dorsett: "It's huge news that the man who has become the talisman and symbol of Nottingham Forest since he bought the club and has seen it grow and grow to a position of power in the Premier League, is no longer in control of the club. "UEFA set a deadline for the end of April that every club that is potentially in their competition complies with those rules. That's why Forest have had to make this decision. They've known about it for quite a while but it's very significant. "Evangelos Marinakis was never on the board but there have been three new people appointed - they're the trustees of this blind trust that has control of his shares. "Three people have had to resign from the board because UEFA and Companies House rules say anybody who is a trustee have to be in the majority of any club board. It is a bit complicated. "Marinakis is still very much the Nottingham Forest owner. He's not walking away or withdrawing his interest, but he no longer has day-to-day control of the club. "If Forest don't make the Champions League, they could reverse this decision. There's no requirement for this blind trust if Forest don't qualify for the Champions League."

No Writer
Apr 30
Man Utd transfers: Jonathan Tah move being explored with Bayer Leverkusen defender set to become free agent
The Bayer Leverkusen defender, who has featured in over 50 games for club and country this season, is out of contract at the end of June. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all tracking the 29-year-old, who has announced he will be moving on from Leverkusen this summer. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man Utd news & transfers🔴Man Utd fixtures & scores | FREE Man Utd PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 United have now positioned themselves as contenders for his signature as they aim to improve their fortunes in the Premier League next season. However, Real Madrid's chances could be boosted by the expected arrival of current Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso at the Bernabéu as the pair enjoyed a positive working relationship at the BayArena. Bayern would offer Tah the chance to remain in the Bundesliga, while Barcelona's pursuit is thought to be complicated by ongoing financial constraints affecting player registration. Barcelona's issues have caused registration delays in the past - including with Dani Olmo - raising concerns over how they could accommodate a deal for Tah under LaLiga's salary cap rules. Tah confirms Leverkusen departure Tah has said he will leave Bayer Leverkusen as a free agent at the end of the season. The Germany international, who was widely expected to depart this summer, confirmed his intentions to reporters after Leverkusen's 1-1 draw with FC St Pauli on April 20. But the 29-year-old stopped short of revealing when his future would be decided ahead of his contract expiring at the end of June. Tah, who has been free to negotiate with foreign clubs since January, said: "To be honest, I don't have a timeframe. But the club knows about it. And it's been the same as it has been all along." Bayern tried to sign him last summer, but were unable to agree a deal with Leverkusen.