Category: Europe

KI makes history as first Faroese club to ever qualify for European competition

European soccer is coming to the Faroe Islands, pop. 54,000

Weeks before big-time European soccer is back underway, tiny KÍ is out here making history.

The Faroe Islands will have a club in the group stage of a European competition for the first time ever after KÍ (that’s Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag, as everyone surely knows) overcame Swedish champions BK Häcken in the second qualifying round for the 2023-24 Champions League.

Now within four games of qualifying for the Champions League proper, KÍ will face a third-round clash with Molde. They will host the Norwegian champions at their 2,500-capacity home Við Djúpumýrar on August 8 or 9, with the second leg coming on August 15.

KÍ is not supposed to be here. The Faroe Islands, with a population of 54,000, is not expected to see any clubs move beyond the first hurdle in any UEFA competition. Generally, that means Faroese clubs are done with their continental obligations in July, when most Champions League clubs aren’t even done with their summer break.

The closest any Faroese club has ever gone to qualifying for a European competition proper came in 2020-21, when on the brink of a spot in the Europa League group stage, KÍ fell 3-1 in a one-game playoff against Irish side Dundalk.

On Wednesday, though, KÍ was ready to take the next step. After a 0-0 first leg draw at home in Klaksvik, the pluckiest of underdogs came back twice at the Bravida Arena, scoring this incredibly awkward goal to equalize in extra time and force a penalty kick tiebreaker that they won 4-3.

KÍ is still a long way from the Champions League, but thanks to the extremely convoluted vagaries of UEFA’s myriad qualifying paths, the club from Klaksvik is already sure of a place in true European competition.

Teams that make it to the third qualifying round for the Champions League face two outcomes. Winners go through to the play-off round, which is the last step before being in the Champions League. Losers are sent to the Europa League’s play-off round, where bigger names like Ajax, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Aberdeen await. Victory there means a spot in the Europa League’s group stage, while defeat ends with a spot in the Conference League’s group stage.

KÍ even getting this far is massively unlikely. The first qualifying round draw set the Faroese champions up against Ferencváros of Hungary, by far the most difficult draw possible based on current UEFA club coefficients.

However, after a scoreless draw at home in the first leg, KÍ produced a massive upset, winning 3-0 in front of 18,187 fans (that is, a hair over one-third of the entire population of the Faroe Islands) in Budapest.

Now, Molde — a club that KÍ manager Magne Hoseth and assistant Daniel Berg Hestad combined to suit up for over 900 times — awaits. Needless to say, back in Klaksvik, they’re hyped.

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‘Welcome to Wrexham’ season two gets release date

The breakout hit show will return in September for its second season

“Welcome to Wrexham” is coming back soon.

The breakout hit show confirmed on Friday that its second season will debut on September 12 on FX and streaming on Hulu, and internationally on Disney+.

The first season of the show chronicled actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds as they purchased and took over Wrexham AFC, a fifth-tier Welsh club looking to advance up the English pyramid.

The show became a breakout hit in the United States, as the story of the underdog Welsh side resonated with audiences across the country. After the first season’s finale aired last October, McElhenney confirmed that the show would return for a second season in 2023.

The show’s first season was recently nominated for six Emmys, including Outstanding Unstructured Reality Series.

Season two will follow the team in its (spoiler alert!) ultimately successful campaign to earn promotion, as Wrexham was crowned champion of the National League and earned the right to play in League Two in the 2023-24 season.

The team is currently touring the United States in its preseason, with its schedule including matches against Chelsea, Manchester United, and the reserve squads of the LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union.

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Sam Kerr thought Bayern wanted the other Sam Kerr when they called for her

Bayern Munich signed Kerr — the Scottish one, not the Australian — to a three-year deal in May

Scotland star Sam Kerr thought Bayern Munich’s interest in her must have been a “prank” — or at least a case of mistaken identity.

Kerr starred at Rangers for three seasons before the German giants moved for her in May, landing the midfielder on a three-year deal.

The 24-year-old happens to share a name with one of the biggest stars in the game, and she told the BBC’s “Behind the Goals” podcast that when she heard of Bayern’s interest, she thought the club must have been after the Chelsea and Australia striker instead.

“I was just relaxing in my room and my agent called saying: ‘Bayern Munich have come in for you,'” Kerr said.

“I said: ‘Are you sure they’ve got the right Sam Kerr?’ That’s the first thing I said to him!

“I was just a bit like ‘This can’t be real, this is a joke, you’re kidding me.’ But I was like, ‘Of course I want to speak to them.’

“A week later, it was happening on Zoom and it was just unbelievable. It looked far too good to be true. I thought surely something is going to happen, someone must be playing a prank on me.”

Kerr was named the 2022 Scotland Women’s Player of the Year, and has been capped 14 times by the Scottish national team.

“I’ve not really processed it,” she added on her move to Germany. “I saw FC Bayern on the [national team] squad list and I was just like, ‘What?’, I’m just Sam from Scotland who plays for Rangers, that’s how I see myself… It’s crazy.”

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Edwin van der Sar stable in ICU after brain hemorrhage

The 52-year-old is in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Croatia

Legendary Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is in stable condition after suffering a brain hemorrhage while on vacation in Croatia.

The 52-year-old is in the intensive care unit after De Telegraaf reported he was rushed to the hospital by helicopter.

Van der Sar recently resigned after six years as a director at Ajax, which released a statement on his condition Friday.

“On Friday, Edwin van der Sar has had a bleeding around his brain,” Ajax said on social media. “He’s currently in hospital in the intensive care unit and is in a stable condition.

“Once there is more concrete information, an update will follow. Everyone at Ajax wishes Edwin a speedy recovery. We’re thinking of you.”

The following day, Ajax offered another update, saying Van der Sar “will remain in intensive care for the time being. His condition is stable but still concerning.”

During his playing career, Van der Sar earned 130 caps for the Netherlands while playing for Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United, where he won the Premier League four times.

United tweeted on Friday: “Sending all our love and strength to you, Edwin.”

De Telegraaf reported that Van der Sar was on vacation with his wife Annemarie, who suffered a brain hemorrhage herself in 2009 when her husband was at Manchester United. She would go on to make a full recovery.

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Damien Duff totally gets why his Shelbourne player ditched team to join ‘Love Island’

“I was shocked and saddened that Scott chose a villa in Mallorca full of beautiful, single women over myself, the staff and the players”

League of Ireland Premier Division club Shelbourne FC has announced that goalkeeper Scott van der Sluis is leaving the team to join the television show “Love Island.”

Shelbourne head coach, Ireland legend Damien Duff, appears to have some sympathy for his now-former player’s decision.

“I was shocked and saddened that Scott chose a villa in Mallorca full of beautiful, single women over myself, the staff and the players,” Duff said in a press release.

“All jokes aside, I thank Scott for his services to Shelbourne FC and we all wish him the very best for the future, whatever that holds.”

The 22-year-old is hoping that future holds plenty of romance, as well as some wins for his former club.

“I’ve loved my time at Shels, football is all I’ve ever done, all I’ve ever known. So this is a new and exciting opportunity for a change-up in life,” he said.

“Shels are a great club going in the right direction and I look forward to seeing what the lads can achieve. Shels is my club, I’ll be cheering on the lads as a fan when I leave the villa.”

According to the show page on ITV, Van der Sluis has been single for three and a half years and he’s looking for “a girl with a strong personality, who’s independent and knows what they want.”

But any potential romantic partner be warned: “I have a very, very strong personality so if I see anything I don’t agree with, there’ll definitely be fireworks!”

Godspeed, Scott.

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AZ issues apology after fans charge West Ham family section

AZ apologized after West Ham fans were attacked by the Dutch side’s ultras following a Europa Conference League semifinal.

AZ has apologized after fans of the Dutch side mounted an attack on a section full of family members of West Ham players and staff.

An ugly season in Dutch soccer stadiums continued Thursday after West Ham’s late 1-0 win at AZ’s AFAS Stadion sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory in the Europa Conference League.

“While everyone hoped for a historic European match, it turned into a pitch black evening due to the events occurring at the referee’s final whistle. It turned into a night to reflect on with shame,” said AZ in a club statement. “Not because of the football game played, but because of the behavior of some visitors. Unfortunately, we cannot use the word ‘supporters’ for these people.”

“What happened is beyond all bounds. The club again sincerely apologizes to West Ham United and the thousands of well-minded AZ supporters who have also been inconvenienced by the misconduct.”

With West Ham celebrating their first European final since 1976, a large group of AZ fans attempted to make their way into a section behind the visitors’ bench, and could be seen on video clashing with stewards and traveling supporters. West Ham players and staff attempted to jump in, though most remained behind advertising boards or were restrained by AZ players.

ESPN reported that the AZ fans broke down a fence to make their move.

“So far, no arrests have been made,” said Dutch police in a statement aired by Sky Sports News on Friday. “Our aim was to disperse the crowd and restore order as quickly as possible, in which we succeeded. The police will investigate footage of the incidents and try to identify supporters. Arrests may follow from this.”

Reuters reported that West Ham fans “accosted” AZ supporters, including the family of manager Pascal Jansen, after the Dutch side scored in the first leg in London.

“It’s annoying, it doesn’t belong in our stadium. Preferably in no stadium,” said Jansen in quotes published by ESPN. “I feel shame. You have to control your emotions, even on a night with a defeat.”

More violence at Dutch matches

In no way could this be called a one-off for fans in the Netherlands, which has seen a series of violent incidents throughout the 2022-23 season.

A PSV fan attempted to attack Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović in February, while Netherlands international Davy Klaassen was left bleeding after being hit in the head by a lighter hurled from the stands by a Feyenoord fan last month.

After Italian police barred Feyenoord fans from attending a Europa League quarterfinal against AS Roma over an incident in 2015, UEFA opted to ban away fans from either leg.

Following the Klaassen incident, the Dutch federation issued new rules requiring referees to halt games immediately upon any fans entering the pitch or throwing objects, and to abandon a game on a second instance.

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Spirit owner Kang set for Lyon Feminin takeover, says outgoing president Aulas

Everyone at Lyon sure is acting like the Washington Spirit owner is taking charge in France

Michele Kang’s move to purchase the women’s half of Lyon appears to be just about complete.

The Washington Spirit owner has been rumored to be finalizing a move to become Lyon Féminin’s majority owner for roughly a month, and it appears that Lyon is ready to drop any pretense about what’s happening.

Lyon hung on to defeat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in Saturday’s Coupe de France final, with Ada Hegerberg’s two early goals helping them claim a record 10th French cup.

Following the match, longtime club president Jean-Michel Aulas — who is stepping down after 36 years, forging the most star-studded and successful women’s club on the planet during his tenure — told reporters at the Stade de la Source that he was working with Kang to hand control over without a hitch.

In quotes published by Le Progres, Aulas said that the handover process was in place “to show that while never having given up on the principles, it [must] be that those who arrive with passion and a vision, they had to welcome and put [Kang] in the best conditions.”

Lyon head coach Sonia Bompastor offered further confirmation, telling beIN Sport that Kang is spending time around the club as part of a transition of power.

“Michele Kang will be with us all week, it’s a bit of a handover,” saind Bompastor. “I’m convinced that she has ambitions and wants to continue to invest so that [Lyon] win other titles.”

After the match, club captain and longtime France center back Wendie Renard dedicated the trophy to Aulas, and outright called the Coupe de France victory “the first with the new management Michele Kang and John Textor.”

As if what was coming weren’t clear from Aulas, Bompastor, and Renard, Kang was also on the trophy stand, receiving a winner’s medal with players, coaches, and club staff following the final.

No moves have been formally announced by Kang, Lyon, or John Textor, who owns over 77% of Lyon’s overall shares at the moment. When reached by Pro Soccer Wire on Saturday, the Spirit said the club doesn’t “have anything to share at this time.”

If Aulas and Bompastor are correct, though, Kang may want to consider extending her stay for just over a week. Lyon and PSG will face off again in Division 1 Féminine play on May 21, with the former holding a three-point lead in the standings with two games to play. Another win over PSG would give Lyon their 16th league title; due to a +22 goal difference advantage, a draw would effectively (if not mathematically) seal the deal as well.

Kang’s takeover at Lyon comes with questions in NWSL

Kang’s takeover of Lyon is a potentially complicated situation on both sides of the Atlantic. For Lyon, the women’s side of the club being owned by a separate party may — as Bompastor alluded to — spur further investment than Textor was willing to put in.

With women’s soccer growing in popularity in Europe, Lyon’s perch as the undisputed top dog in UEFA has been challenged by clubs like Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester City, not to mention PSG’s emergence as a threat in France. The financial realities are stark: as much as Lyon has pioneered what women’s soccer could be under the umbrella of a larger European club, there’s a major difference between “larger” and the continent’s biggest soccer teams.

Standing pat would very likely see Lyon fall off in terms of financial power in the years to come, as bigger clubs on the men’s side dedicate more of their resources towards their women’s teams. Without someone in a position of power championing Lyon Féminin (as Aulas has done for decades), their days of being the world’s premier club would probably be numbered.

In NWSL, the situation is murkier. Since emerging victorious in a hotly contested battle for control over the club with former owners Steve Baldwin and Bill Lynch, Kang has invested heavily in the Spirit, including a leading-edge high performance and sports science department, improved equipment to aid training, and a larger and more experienced staff on both the soccer and business sides. Multiple sources have told Pro Soccer Wire that Kang spent into the seven-figure range to get out of a deal with MLS side D.C. United that locked the team into playing several games a season at exurban Segra Field, securing Audi Field in the District as their full-time home.

However, Lyon (through the club’s OL Groupe ownership structure) currently serves as majority owner of OL Reign. While Lyon did announce plans to sell the Reign in the near future, there have been no updates since the French side offhandedly acknowledged that intention last month. It’s not clear what would happen on the NWSL side of things if Kang held ownership in both the Spirit and Lyon at the same time.

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JJ Watt says Burnley investment came after talking Wrexham with Ryan Reynolds

If you’re buying into a UK soccer club, might as well call an expert

It sounds like the audience for “Welcome to Wrexham” includes J.J. and Kealia Watt.

Speaking just two days after the couple announced their investment in Championship-winning Burnley, J.J. Watt said that their considerations over whether to buy into English soccer included a chat with the most famous club owner in North America, Ryan Reynolds.

“I did talk to Ryan. I wanted to get his perspective, find out what his experience has been,” Watt said on Wednesday during an appearance on the ESPN show Get Up. “When you look at the parade they’ve just had, the turnout, and the ability to take eyeballs from around the globe and put them on Wrexham.”

Reynolds and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” actor Rob McElhenney certainly have some expertise to bring to the table for new club owners. Wrexham recently clinched the National League championship, and promotion to League Two, while drawing unprecedented attention in the U.S. for a non-Premier League team.

“I have been a football fan for a long time,” said Watt on where his interest in Burnley began, before noting that being married to an eight-year NWSL veteran with three U.S. women’s national team caps is also a big factor. “Obviously, my wife is a professional soccer player, and I really wanted to get into ownership.”

Burnley ‘slightly different’ from Wrexham

Watt may be new to soccer ownership, but he seems to know full well that Wrexham and Burnley are not in the same situation. Reynolds and McElhenney purchased Wrexham outright in 2021, while the Watts are minority investors with Burnley. ALK Capital, a U.S.-based investment firm, owns the bulk of shares in the Clarets.

Burnley is also three tiers higher than Wrexham, and spent just one season in the Championship after six straight Premier League campaigns.

“Obviously, it’s a slightly different situation from a club perspective, but you want to hear from someone doing it right,” acknowledged Watt before pivoting to a possible similarity between the clubs.

“That’s what Kealia and I want to do, take eyeballs from all around the world and put them on Burnley because we think that town, that story, it’s been around since 1882,” said Watt. “We want people to get to know about Burnley, and there are so many Americans that are getting into the Premier League right now and not knowing which club to support. We want them to support Burnley.”

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McElhenney and Reynolds beg Bale to un-retire and join Wrexham

Could Bale be heading from the golf course to League Two?

After seeing Wrexham promoted to League Two for next season, co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are now hoping to sweet talk none other than Gareth Bale into coming out of retirement to join the Welsh club.

Reynolds and McElhenney definitely have the right idea for a meeting venue, aiming to persuade Bale during a round of golf.

Bale retired after the 2022 World Cup but at age 33, he’s shown that he still has plenty to give when healthy.

That was displayed perhaps most dramatically when Bale scored an equalizer in the dying seconds of last year’s MLS Cup, helping LAFC to a championship in the final club game of his career.

Though Bale seems to be enjoying a retirement that has seen him golf more than ever, Wrexham‘s celebrity owners are hoping that a little bit of cajoling on the golf course, combined with Bale’s Welsh heritage, could get him to change his mind.

For his part, Bale seems open to the idea of a round of golf, if not necessarily the comeback part just yet.

If the chance to play for a TV-star club in his home country isn’t enticing enough, Reynolds offered to sweeten the deal on Twitter, saying he “will shave a professional-grade golf course into Rob’s back if you’ll give Wrexham a season.”

Now that’s pretty enticing.

Wrexham have had some success in this department in the recent past, as former England goalkeeper Ben Foster came out of retirement late in the season and ended up making a vital penalty save for the club on its way to promotion.

Wrexham clinched promotion from the National League last weekend with a 3-1 win over Boreham Wood.

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Wrexham promoted to League Two after securing National League title

Welcome to League Two, Wrexham

Welcome to League Two, Wrexham.

A long campaign in the National League ended in a championship and promotion for Wrexham, who clinched their place in English soccer’s fourth tier with a 3-1 win over Boreham Wood on Saturday.

The subject of FX’s popular “Welcome to Wrexham” show, for the first time in 16 seasons, clinched promotion with one game left to play in their season.

Despite the influx of money and attention that have come since actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney arrived as owners in 2021, it hasn’t been easy. Last year, Wrexham saw the top spot slip away from them, and then fell 5-4 in an epic promotion playoff semifinal against Grimsby Town.

That marked the fourth time they fell short in the National League playoffs, including multiple extra-time losses. Two other seasons ended with Wrexham missing the playoffs by three or fewer points. Heartbreak has been a regular function in the pursuit of a spot in English soccer’s fully professional ranks.

However, an extraordinarily dramatic 3-2 win over Notts County featuring a stoppage-time penalty kick save from goalkeeper Ben Foster seemed to turn the tide in Wrexham’s favor. Hosting Boreham Wood on Saturday, the job was simple: win one more game, and promotion was finally theirs.

Wrexham started the day four points clear of Notts County, whose 5-2 win over Maidstone United kept the league up for grabs. It would take a victory for the Welsh club to finish the job.

That history of things falling apart at the last hurdle threatened to pop up again. Boreham Wood took a first-minute lead, with Lee Ndlovu casually lobbing Ben Foster after a ball over the top caught Wrexham’s defense out.

However, a prolific Wrexham attack got things level by the 15th minute, as Elliott Lee ghosted away from his markers to head home following a driven cross from the right wing.

Needing to push on to claim the three points and get the party started, Wrexham turned to an obvious hero. Paul Mullin started the day with 36 goals in 44 appearances, and you could be sure he’d factor in with a championship within reach.

First, the 28-year-old turned out of a blind alley in the corner, working back towards the top of the box before unleashing a thunderbolt to put Wrexham ahead.

19 minutes later, Mullin sealed the deal, capitalizing on a missed interception at midfield. Suddenly one-on-one, Mullin feinted right before cutting left to finish, setting off wild celebrations at a packed Racecourse Ground.

Finally full time came, and those wild celebrations moved from the stands to the pitch. Fans lifted Mullin up on their shoulders, while in the owner’s box, McElhenney wiped away tears as both he and Reynolds looked equal parts delighted and stunned.

“We’re over the moon to get it over the line,” Mullin told BT Sport after the match. “The fans have deserved this day.”

Once the pitch had been cleared of celebrating fans to enough of a degree that BT Sport could conduct an interview, Reynolds and McElhenney could barely contain their glee.

“People said at the beginning, ‘Why Wrexham? Why Wrexham?’ This is exactly why Wrexham,” exclaimed Reynolds. “What’s happening right now, is why.”

“I think we can hear how it feels to the town [of Wrexham]. That’s what’s most important for us. This is a moment of catharsis for them, and celebration,” said McElhenney, before adding that “Paul Mullin is one of the greatest football players in the world.”

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