Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has ordered his players not to “mope” as they attempt to finish a difficult season with a Champions League final trip to Wembley.
The reigning Bundesliga champions head for promoted Heidenheim on Saturday with Tuchel having admitted after last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat by Borussia Dortmund that their hopes of securing a 12th successive league title are over.
Leaders Bayer Leverkusen are 13 points clear of second-placed Bayern with just seven games remaining, but Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Arsenal represents an opportunity to rescue the campaign.
Tuchel told a press conference: “We want competition and the opportunity to make things happen tactically. You need alternatives for that. I’m really unhappy with the way we played against Dortmund.
“There’s no reason to hide away and mope. We’ll carry on, we tried to push the team again. We’ll carry on to the end with our heads held high.
“As unsatisfactory as the season has been, we still have one goal, which is to get to Wembley. We have to give it our all every day.
“We can’t let our conviction and ambition drop even one per cent. We’re unhappy with the situation, but we’ll do everything we can to squeeze the maximum out of it.”
Heidenheim, who lost 4-2 in the reverse fixture in November having fought back from Harry Kane’s first-half double to level at 2-2, will host Bayern in the Bundesliga for the first time, and Tuchel knows that will present its own challenges.
He said: “We need to show a reaction, do the basics again. That’s how we put the Dortmund performance behind us.
“We’ll see a classic David v Goliath game tomorrow, an emotional stadium that supports the home team. Of course, there’s a game after this that we’re looking at.
“If we want to achieve our Champions League dream, we have to deliver top performances every day, tighten up every day. We’re not going to let anyone off the hook.”
Bayern will be without the injured Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Noussair Mazraoui and Aleksandar Pavlovic for the game at the Voith-Arena, and all five remain doubts to face the Gunners.
The hosts, who sit in 11th place, will have to do without the suspended Nikola Dovedan, who has been handed a two-match ban following his dismissal in last Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Stuttgart, while fellow midfielder Norman Theuerkauf is ill.
Head coach Frank Schmidt told a press conference: “Bayern Munich, as the German record champions, is of course something special for the club and the fans with their many outstanding players and as a club as a whole.
“But in the end it’s like this: we have seven match days to go and nothing has changed in our approach. We still need points and we want to get them as quickly as possible.”
Philadelphia Union v New York City FC: Cushing salutes togetherness of in-form NYCFC
Nick Cushing hailed the togetherness demonstrated by New York City FC as they look to continue their impressive form against a struggling Philadelphia Union.
The Boys in Blue endured a poor start to the MLS season – losing four of their opening five matches – but have tasted defeat just once in their last seven.
Last weekend's 3-2 victory over Toronto FC was New York's fourth in five matches, and Cushing saluted the character shown by his squad in recent times.
"We're training incredibly well," he said. "Our intensity and our culture is excellent at the moment.
"I'm so proud of the team because if you look at the way the bench celebrated the third goal [against Toronto], these are guys there that really want to get on the field.
"The way they celebrate for their team-mates and for the team shows me that [togetherness]."
Despite their impressive form, though, NYCFC face a potential banana skin in Philadelphia, who have prevailed in each of the last five meetings between the Eastern Conference sides.
"They are a really hard team to get results against, especially there [at home]," Cushing added. "There's an opportunity there for us, but we have to prepare well."
The Union are without a win in five matches – losing three – and have been beaten in each of their last three on home soil.
Jim Curtin's side had started the season with a seven-game unbeaten run, and the head coach has urged his players to draw inspiration from that as they bid to turn their fortunes around.
"I'm a big believer that you can make your own luck," he said.
"We've shot ourselves in the foot quite a bit in recent games, played from behind quite a bit, had to chase games and put a lot into them, and we get punished.
"We have to stick together as a group and find a way to tighten things up. We're on a really bad stretch here, but we know we're capable of going on unbeaten streaks already like we've had this year.
"We have to turn it around, and we can't feel sorry for ourselves."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag
Despite Union's recent struggles, Gazdag has been in fine form – scoring in three straight home games, though they have all ended in defeat.
The Hungary international is the first player to score in three successive home matches but appear on the losing side each time since Colorado Rapids' Kei Kamara in 2019.
New York City FC – Hannes Wolf
Wolf set up two of NYCFC's three goals in their victory over Toronto FC last time out.
The midfielder became the first Austrian to claim at least two assists in an MLS game after Daniel Royer (2020), Andreas Ivanschitz (2016) and Andreas Herzog (2004).
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC
New York have won four of their last five matches, scoring multiple goals in each of their victories.
They had only scored two or more goals once in their opening seven games of this season.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia are currently on the longest losing home streak in their history, having lost each of their last three at Subaru Park.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union: 49.7%
New York City FC: 22.8%
Draw: 27.5%
All Saints United crowned as 2023-24 ABFA Premier League champions on goal difference
All Saints United have been crowned as champions of the 2023-24 Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Premier League.
All Saints entered the 18th and final game on May 5 on 46 points, trailing Grenades FC by two points.
They then defeated Garden Stars 3-1 in their final game while Grenades were held to a 1-1 draw by Ottos Rangers FC who played the ultimate spoiler role as their relegation to the first division was already confirmed before this game.
In the end, both All Saints United and Grenades FC finished with identical records of 16 wins, one draw and one loss from their 18 games.
However, by virtue of a goal difference of 55 compared to 48 by Grenades, All Saints United were crowned champions.
The top five were rounded out by Old Road FC, FC Aston Villa and Hoppers FC with totals of 38 points, 33 points and 29 points, respectively.
The ABFA issued a statement congratulating All Saints on winning the title as well as acknowledging the contributions of all the teams to a successful season.
“The ABFA Executive members extend heartfelt congratulations to the management, coaches, and players of All Saints United for their triumphant victory in clinching the 2023/24 ABFA Premier League trophy. We also commend Grenades FC and Old Road FC for their outstanding performances, securing second and third place respectively, and contributing to the thrilling championship race,” the statement read.
It continued, “this season has been filled with excitement, with the premier division delivering a nail-biting finish. The first and second divisions are also gearing up for an equally thrilling climax. We express gratitude to our dedicated fans whose unwavering support has made this season unforgettable.”
Joining the aforementioned Rangers in next season’s first division will be Sap FC and Empire FC who finished 13th and 15th, respectively.
Swetes FC, who finished 12th, will fight for their spot in next season’s Premier league in the playoffs with Police FC and Attacking Saints who finished third and fourth in the first division.
Potter’s Tigers and Five Islands FC were the top two finishers in the first division and have booked spots in next season’s Premier League.
Individually, Old Road’s Raheem Deterville was crowned as both the season’s golden boot winner and MVP.
All Saints United’s Jayden Martin and Blake Thompson took home prizes for best goalkeeper and best defender while FC Aston Villa’s Tyrik Hughes was named best young player.
Ten Hag reveals Martinez could return when Man Utd host Newcastle
Erik ten Hag says Lisandro Martinez could make his first Manchester United appearance since March when the Red Devils host Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Having made just 11 appearances during an injury-hit season, the Argentina international is set to return from a calf problem that has kept him sidelined since his most recent outing in the draw at Brentford six weeks ago.
Although, the game comes too soon for fellow defender Raphael Varane, who announced he will leave the club at the end of the season, but Ten Hag hopes the France international can feature again before he departs Old Trafford.
The Dutchman said of Martinez: "I think he will return [against Newcastle]. He had some [training] sessions and, if everything is okay, he will be involved.
"We are definitely planning [for Varane to play] for the last games. Not tomorrow, but we hope for Sunday and then, of course, for the last game [against Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25]."
With two games remaining, the Red Devils are in eighth place and three points adrift of Newcastle in sixth, while the Magpies boast a far superior goal difference.
And Ten Hag underlined the necessity to achieve a positive result to keep his side’s European qualification hopes via league position alive.
"It's a very important game," he said. "We have to do everything to get the win; we have to fight hard for it."
Meanwhile, Newcastle will take a huge stride towards securing European football for a second successive season with a win at Old Trafford.
And Eddie Howe, who revealed the Magpies are waiting on the fitness of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, is eager to ensure his players arrive there in the best shape possible.
"It is a massive fixture. We are under no illusions of the magnitude of this game," he said.
"We must make sure our players go to Manchester United in really good spirits, confident and prepared.
"We find ourselves in this position, and it is where we deserve to be. We will be hoping to finish off these two games strongly. Our motivation is to qualify for Europe."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester United – Bruno Fernandes
In Fernandes’ absence, the Red Devils have lost both of their last two Premier League games.
Since the Portugal international made his debut in the competition, they have won 40 per cent of their league games and averaged 1.3 points-per-game when he has not started; compared to a 53 per cent win rate and 1.8 points-per-game when he has been in their starting XI.
Newcastle United – Sean Longstaff
Following his strike against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend, Longstaff has scored in successive Premier League appearances for the first time, with 60 per cent of his goals in the competition coming this season (six out of 10).
Newcastle have never lost a Premier League match in which the midfielder has found the net (winning six, drawing three).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Man United have lost just one of their 28 Premier League home games against Newcastle (winning 18, drawing nine), going down 1-0 in December 2013.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have only lost their final home league game in one of the last 16 seasons (winning 11, drawing four), suffering a 2-0 defeat against Cardiff City in 2018-19.
They are also unbeaten in their last 14 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday) home games in the Premier League (winning 11, drawing three). Liverpool were the last visiting side to win at Old Trafford in midweek in the competition, courtesy of their 4-2 triumph in May 2021.
Having already beaten the Red Devils twice in all competitions this season, Newcastle are aiming to become the first team to beat the Red Devils three times in a single season since Chelsea in 2012-13.
The Blues were also the last side to beat them twice away from home in the same campaign (2004-05).
Although, Eddie Howe has never won a Premier League match away in Manchester against United or City in 14 attempts (drawing two, losing 12). Only Steve Bruce has managed more away games in Manchester in the competition without success (26).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Manchester United: 42.9%
Newcastle United: 29.3%
Draw: 27.8%
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