TWB22: 11/07/25

Friday, November 7, 2025

Swiss Challenge League 2025 2026 Derby du Lac Neuchâtel Xamax Yverdon Sport

When Rangers signed "Gazza" in the summer of 1995 from Lazio for a fee of £4.3 million, it was probably the biggest coup ever seen in Scottish football. Here was the English hero of Italia 90 and the midfielder acknowledged by English fans as the most talented player of his generation coming to Scotland - and he wasn't even at the veteran stage yet! Rangers knew they were getting a world class performer to join their other one, Laudrup, but manager Smith also knew that the two players were chalk and cheese when it came to their personality. Gascoigne brought genius and madness with him as well as a lot of baggage for the media to latch on to whereas Laudrup was the model professional with the stable and happy homelife. In Italy, injury and the alien football culture had caused Gascoigne's career to stall somewhat so he was ready for returning home. Few could have suspected that "home" would turn out to be Govan! From his arrival at the stadium, Gazza captured the hearts of the Gers fans and fired their imagination. Before a ball had been kicked, young fans were copying his hairstyle and getting their hair dyed blond like his, much to the despair of their mothers, no doubt. His cheeky, happy-go-lucky persona made him an attractive new hero for the fans to worship but it was on the field that his talent generated most admiration.

A entendre Bobby Robson célébrer les vertus mentales de son équipe, on aurait eu tendance à la prendre pour une gagneuse. Une de ces créatures sans beaucoup de cervelle, qui se déchire les tripes pour gagner sa croûte. Et quand Robson en rajoute en disant que sa troupe est arrivée jusqu'à Turin grâce, surtout, «à son esprit de combat, sa volonté et ses jambes », on se dit que l'Angleterre n'a donc pas eu à jouer au football pour se payer une tranche de demi-finale (ce qu'elle n'avait pas fait depuis 1966). Et c'est vrai que depuis que Robson - non, pas Bobby : l'autre, Brian, le joueur - est absent, l'Angleterre a du mal à ordonner son jeu. Elle a des jambes, c'est sûr, elle a du cœur, elle a du souffle mais elle n'a pas de tête. Alors, forcément, on tremble un peu pour elle face à l'Allemagne et à son empire du milieu. Car, à l'inverse, les Allemands sont des aigles à deux, voire trois têtes. Quand Pierre Littbarski répond « nein » à l'appel du soir, le Kaiser peut se permettre le luxe d'aligner Olaf Thon et Thomas Hassler pour jouer les grosses têtes à côté de la îête pensante de Lothar Matthàus...

6 Decembre 1994

Anfield Road

Liverpool's sharpshooter supreme Ian Rush scored with a bumper pay-out as Anfield paid homage to its greatest soccer striking legend. A crowd of 25,856 grossed club record receipts for a testimonial of around $500,000 for the 33-year-old Welshman who has become as identified with the red of Liverpool as any player of the past 25 years. Stig Bjornebye, Steve McManaman and a Mark McNally own goal put Liverpool three ahead at the interval with second-half strikes from Phil Babb and Neil Ruddock adding to the pain for the Bhoys. Six minutes from time, Rush, himself, set the perfect seal on a night of glorious memories when he stabbed in the final goal at the Kop end, where he has been a hero for a decade and a half. Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Alan Kennedy, Joey Jones and Ronnie Whelan were among the past wearers of the famous Liverpool red who paid their dues to their former teammate by taking part in a celebrity game before the start of the main event. The 8000-strong Celtic contingent played their part as the two sets of supporters joined together in a standing ovation for Rush when he entered the Anfield arena he has graced so magnificently since joining as a 19-year-old from Chester in 1980. The party was joined when Kenny Dalglish - as much of an idol at Parkhead as Anfield - came out of retirement to reform his celebrated partnership with Rush for the second half. At the final whistle, Rush walked his personal lap of honor to round off the night. The Liverpool skipper told the crowd: "It's been such an emotional night for me. "I'd like to thank the Celtic supporters who've come such a long way to be here. And I'd also like to say thank you to the Liverpool fans, not just for tonight, but for the 14 years you've looked after me - you've been magnificent and I will love you always."

4 Juin 1977
Wembley Stadium

"Another afternoon of British rubbish." (Disenchanted voice in Wembley Press Box)

Whatever pleasure Scotland goal from winnig a dreadful matc was spoil by by the hordes of their puerile, drunken fans who invaded the Wembley pitch at the end to celebrate by breaking both sets of goal-posts, ripping out the nets, and cutting out pieces of turf to take home as trophies of their triumph.

Finale
7 Mai 1966
Wembley Stadium

The other club in the 'sleeping giant' category were Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls, like Everton, had not visited Wembley since the war and had been sustained for three decades by their thrilling 1935 victory over West Brom. Wembley apart, Hillsborough is arguably the most famous FA Cup venue, but in 1966 it didn't stage a single tie. Wednesday's far-flung route saw them visit Reading, Newcastle, Huddersfield and Blackburn, emerging victorious each time. Johnny Faniham, David Ford and Jim McCalliog provided the goals, but they lined up at Villa Park as underdogs in their semi-final against Chelsea. Tommy Docherty's side were keen to avenge their defeat at the same stage a year earlier but failed to cope with a heavy pitch. Graham Pugh and Jim McCalliog saw Wednesday home and Chelsea left Villa Park with that sinking semi-final feeling again.

Finale

24 March 1996

Wembley Stadium

Gary Speed came through the youth ranks at Leeds, making his first team debut in May 1989 as a 19-year-old. He quickly established himself, first on the left wing and eventually as a combative midfielder, thanks to his good touch and excellent game awareness. Speed’s qualities helped Leeds to climb out of the old Second Division as Champions in 1990 and he then made 41 appearances in manager Howard Wilkinson’s side that won the First Division title in 1992. Speed moved from Leeds to the club he supported as a boy, Everton, at the end of the 1995-96 season and was even made club captain, but he was on the move again in 1998, this time to Newcastle. After a spell at Bolton he joined Sheffield United in 2008, first as a player, then coach before taking over as manager in late 2010. After just two months in the job at Bramall Lane he took over from John Toshack as Wales boss.

It was a season so keenly anticipated by all Leeds United fans. It was a season they will never forget. Life on the Leeds roller coaster was littered with gr goals and unforgettable moments of joy and despair. The high profile trials of Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer came to an end just as the club was attempting to win its first trophy since 1992. David O'Leary admitted it was the most demanding J period of his managerial life. He remains com that he and everybody else at Elland Road will be better for the experience. Off the field, the club's supporters voting almost unanimously for a move to a new ground. New signings Robbie Fowler and Seth Johnson were brought in to strengthen the squad, Fov. 2001-02 as top scorer with twelve Premiersh for the club in just over half a season. There was much to celebrate at Elland Road thanks, finally, to a spirited end of season run-in that saw the club grab fifth position in the Premiership, focusing trie fans' belief j that their Leeds team would soon be back in the Champions 1 League, ready to return to the glory of their former days and cut a new story of footballing achievements in the twenty-first century.

Dans les dernières années du XXe siècle, l'Europe du football est revenue au stade d'Elland Road; c'était l'une des meilleures nouvelles constatées dans le monde du ballon rond. Dans le comté du West Yorkshire, et surtout à Leeds, sa capitale de près de 500 000 habitants, on commençait à sérieusement désespérer. Pourquoi laisser la mainmise sur le football anglais à Manchester United, Liverpool ou encore Arsenal ? Mais historiquement, le club de Leeds City, fondé en 1904 et devenu Leeds United AFC en 1919 après la dissolution du précédent pour malversations financières, n'a jamais véritablement pesé sur ce sport en Angleterre. Ses temps forts se situent dans les années 1960 et 1970 - l'âge d'or, même si la première superstar locale, le Gallois John Charles, a porté le maillot blanc dans les années 1950, avant de partir en 1957 pour la Juventus Turin. Donc, à Leeds, tout commence véritablement avec les années 1960. Le club est revenu en première division en 1956, et un ancien milieu de terrain, Don Revie, devient l'entraîneur du club du Yorkshire en 1961. C'est le début de la belle histoire.

Michael Owen is a football legend. On his debut for Liverpool against Wimbledon in 1997, Owen scored the first of his first-team goals, by the end of 2001 he had raised his tally to 100. In 1998 he became the youngest player of the 20th century to represent England, and by September 2001 his heart-stopping hat-trick against Germany propelled England's World Cup qualification bid. On top of the goals, Owen's accolades include the Young Player Of The Year.BBC Sports Personality Of The Year and European Footballer of the Year. Including all of his first 100 Liverpool goals, his hat-trick for England against Germany, plus interviews with his team-mates, and with Owen himself, this is the Official Liverpool FC Tribute to a genuine scoring sensation.

It's hard to think of a weakness in Roy Keane, unless you count his allergy to prawns. In the dozen years he was at Old Traffoid the Irishman developed into the perfect central midfield player and one of the most inspirational captains ever to wear the red shirt. United fans know a player who shares their passion for their club when they see one and Keane came in that bracket. His commitment to his club was total. Of course, there was a downside to the boy from Cork. He was no Corinthian. Keane could be nasty and he was no stranger to referees' notebooks or the august members of the FA's disciplinary committee. But his uncompromising approach to his trade just made the fans love him all the more. He may at times have been a hard-nosed, crude-tackling, ref-baiting felon - but he was their hard-nosed, crude-tackling, refbaiting felon. Keane was vital to United's cause for so long, because the team gained so many different players wrapped up in the one jersey. He was a midfield scrapper without equal, a man who went into challenges with such fierce determination that a 50:50 ball was more like 80:20 in his favour. His reputation saw to that.

7 Aout 2011

Wembley Stadium London

The FA Community Shield has a special place in the heart of most football fans. It may not always - or ever - be your own team that is taking part, but it signals one important thing: after a couple of long, painful months without the beautiful game, football is officially back and raring to go. With sides being fierce city rivals, there is added spice. Can United continue their supremacy within Manchester - and England - for another season? Or did City's win in The Semi-Final of The FA Cup signal that the balance of power is about to shift?

23 Octobre 2011
Old Trafford

Depuis le debut de la saison et le formidable Community Shield du 7 août dernier, perdu par City (2-3) dans !e temps additionnel dans la touffeur d'un dimanche d'été à Wembley, les supporters des deux camps ne pensent qu'à ça. La plupart des joueurs aussi. Il y a quelques années, Roy Keane, le capitaine de United, disait d'ailleurs de ces furieux combats: «Gagner un derby, c'est à la fois une question de principe et un devoir.» A fortiori, comme aujourd'hui, quand City est devant. Ce n'est donc pas un banal mardi de Ligue des champions et deux matches contre Vîllarreal et Galati, simplement supposés remettre les pendules à l'heure, qui auraient pu détourner totalement leur attention et leur faire oublier le plat de résistance de dimanche.

Manchester Cit New Power Season 2007 2008 First Step Sven Goran Eriksson

Depuis son arrivée, Sven Goran Eriksson a fait d'une équipe moyenne un groupe qui peut prétendre jouer les premiers rôles cette saison. En remontant une équipe de toutes pièces. Pourtant rien ne lui a été épargné depuis son arrivée tardive sur le banc des Citizens. Dès le jour de sa nomination, les supporters locaux ont manifesté devant le siège du club pour faire connaître leur mécontentement sur la nomination de l'ancien sélectionneur de l'Angleterre. Le Suédois est toujours resté serein tout en sachant qu'il prenait un gros risque pour sa carrière en reprenant un travail en Angleterre. Cinq mois après, les plus sceptiques se sont tus : « Les critiques que j'ai eues avec l'Angleterre, n'ont pas eu d'incidence sur moi. J'ai toujours eu confiance en moi. J'ai été couronné de succès dans ma carrière. Partout où je suis passé. Les gens peuvent avoir été surpris que je souhaite travailler ici, mais je n'ai jamais pensé que les gens auraient quelque chose contre moi » déclare le manager suédois dans les colonnes du Sun. Si son bilan à la tête des Three Lions n'a pas été couronné par une victoire finale, son bilan n'est pas des plus catastrophiques avec deux places en quart de finale de Coupe du Monde et une à l'Euro. Aucune autre équipe européenne n'a fait mieux à l'époque. En club, il a toujours obtenu des résultats conséquents que ce soit avec Göteborg, Benfica ou la Roma. Il a également amené le club portugais en finale de la C1 en 1990 et remporter la Coupe des Vainqueurs de Coupe avec la Roma, ainsi que la Coupe de l'UEFA avec Göteborg.

En comparaison, Roman Abramovich passerait presque pour un nécessiteux. Avec sa fortune estimée à quinze milliards d'euros, te président russe de Chelsea fait figure de manant devant l'enveloppe amassée en quelques mois sur le marché de l'immobilier par le nouveau boss de Manchester City, un certain Suleiman AI-Fahim, agissant pour le compte d'Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), un groupement d'investisseurs des Émirats Arabes Unis. Le contenu de la tirelire du nouveau patron des Citizens (rôle les 600 milliards d'euros. Certains parlent même de 700 milliards ! Dans la nuit du 31 août au 1" septembre 2008, le divin mécène s'est porté acquéreur des Sky Blues pour une valeur estimée à 258 M€. Une paille pour cet homme d'affaires ambitieux : « L'objectif est de permettre à Manchester City de remporter la Champions League. Cela prendra peut-être dix ans, mais nous y arriverons ! », a-t-il déclaré à son arrivée.

5 Novembre 2011
Loftus Road

Mancini's men were far from their best but dug in to earn a 10th win in 11 league games and an eighth successive victory in all competitions to maintain their five-point lead at the top of the table. Great news for City, but the result was harsh on Neil Warnock's side who gave as good as they got even though the odds were stacked against them. Despite of the absence of Shaun Derry and Adel Taarabt because of illness and injury respectively, the home side began superbly. Helguson twice threatened early on with shots from the right-hand corner of the box before Anton Ferdinand spurned a great chance at the back post following the Icelandic striker's header back across goal. The home side continued in this vain and were rewarded in the 28th minute when Bothroyd rose highest to head in Joey Barton's curling free-kick from the right. It could have been much worse for City before the break, but goalkeeper Joe Hart saved Jamie Mackie's long-range shot and Helguson's headed follow-up - although the latter was offside - before Bothroyd hit the post with another header.

So what for the Npower Championship winners 2011, Queens Park Rangers? This time last year, hardly any pundits were tipping the R’s for promotion, highlighting the competitive nature of the football league. The team came out of the traps flying, winning 9 of their first 11 games to claim 1st place, scoring a hatful of goals in the process. After this point, they were never out of the automatic promotion places. Only for two weeks of the season did they lose top spot. They finished on a total of 88 points, 8 points above 3rd placed Cardiff City. Matters on the field went just about as well as they could, with highly experienced manager Neil Warnock turning the team into a well oiled machine, packed with attacking flair but equally as strong at the back. The team lost only 6 games all season. Off the field however, problems surrounding the signing of Alejandro Faurlin threatened to blow their season apart. A points deduction was a real possibility, and only on the final weekend of the season was their promotion confirmed. The club were fined £875,000 and warned as to their future conduct after being found guilty of two of the seven charges they faced over the transfer. Rangers star man last season was without doubt, Moroccan international Adel Tarrabt. Tarrabt, 22, who first came to English football as a teenager at Tottenham Hotspur had a simply sensational season. He was the club’s top scorer in the league with 19 goals, and his all round skill proving a class above in the Championship.

29 Mai 2011
Old Trafford

From an excitement point of view, the best games in the Football League last season were in League One - and it could be the case again. The reason? Teams endeavour to play attractive, attacking football, borne out of a desire to reach the Championship, with the riches and bigger sides that league brings. That's not to say that League One doesn't have a sprinkling of big guns itself. Indeed, it seems par for the course these days that a couple of big teams will fall through the trapdoor into the third tier. Sheffield United and Preston North End are the latest victims and both will be favourites for an immediate return. But sometimes it's not that black and white; while they boast the strongest squads, much will depend on how their mental state is. Sometimes the hangover of relegation season in League One is a disappointment, it can be a long road back. Just ask Leeds United and Nottingham Forest. Players from these clubs also have to realise that there will be no easy rides at this level. They are in League One for a reason and if they don't approach visits to the likes of Stevenage and Exeter in the right frame of mind, they will come unstuck very quickly.

L'enfance et l'adolescence laissent des traces indélébiles sur l'existence adulte, les psychanalistes nous l'ont appris. Plus particulièrement peut-être lorsqu'il s'agitd'une personnalité différente, d'une vedette, en quelque sorte. On pouvait se demander en conséquence s'il n'était pas à craindre que Rivelino ne reste toute sa vie un enfant gâté ? Pour l'heure, contentons-nous d'affirmer que Roberto Rivelino semble né sous une bonne étoile. Incontestablement, les fées du football se penchèrent généreusement sur son berceau. A peine sorti des langes, ou plus exactement, avant qu'il ne soit junior, l'immense « torcida » des Corinthians parlait déjà en long et en large du petit génie qui s'annonçait. Napoléon pointait sous Bonaparte. Une vague énorme l'amenait vers les rivages de la popularité avec l'aisance de rêve des meilleurs surf istes. Il n'avait qu'à se laisser glisser. On voyait déjà partout ce petit rejeton d'Italien reléguer au second plan le jeune Noir qui brillait à Santos et au firmament de la sélection brésilienne : Pelé. Rivelino se devait de supplanter cet attaquant de génie qui semblait prendre un malin plaisir à poignarder de buts fulgurants les Corintians : le Derby entre les deux clubs se jouait au couteau. Il faut dire à ce propos, que le club le plus populaire de l'Etat de Sao Paulo ne gagnait plus, à l'époque, le championnat local depuis une dizaine d'années (aujourd'hui, les Corinthians en sont à 21 saisons sans victoire) : le club cherchait déjà désespérément un messie.

Demie Finale Retour

25 Avril 1973

Bernabeu

By the time the two sides next met, in the 1972/73 European Cup semi-finals, Ajax were on the verge of achieving what the great Real Madrid side of the 1950s attained and that was to win three European Cups in succession. Ajax were playing a brand of football somewhat never seen before known as ‘Total Football’ – the origins traced back to Ajax coaches Vic Buckingham (who also discovered Johan Cruijff) and Jack Reynolds, both laid the foundations of this footballing philosophy and it was taken on further by legendary coach Rinus Michels, who played under Reynolds. Ajax were now managed by Stefan Kovács – Michels had moved on to coach Real’s arch-rivals FC Barcelona in 1971 in this period of success they were known as the ‘Golden Ajax’Ajax took a 2-1 lead to the Bernabéu on 25 April, 1973 (Jose Martinez “Pirri” again getting the away goal for Los Merengues), and it was on this day that according to David Winner, author of ‘Brilliant Orange’ the greatest moment of Ajax’s ‘Golden Age’ was not a goal or a great save. It was a simple piece of juggling by a player who had idolised the legends which had graced the turf of the Bernabéu before him.

Deuxieme Tour Retour

1 Novembre 1978

City Ground

Brian Clough and Peter Taylor had worked their magic again. The irascible duo had taken the small East Midlands club Nottingham Forest from the old Second Division in 1976/77 to the English league title the following year, seven points ahead of second-placed Liverpool, and had also won the League Cup. Clough had joined Forest early in 1975, with Taylor joining eighteen months later, and had transformed the squad. Already at the club were attacking right-back Viv Anderson, who was soon to become England's first black international, the tubby left-winger John Robertson, and striker Tony Woodcock. Clough brought in his two lieutenants, the industrious midfielder and captain John McGovern and centre-forward John O'Hare. who had followed him on his travels from Derby to Leeds. English international goalkeeper Peter Shilton arrived from Stoke City, and two Scottish internationals - fiery central defender Kenny Burns and crafty, hardworking inside-forward Archie Gemmill -were also persuaded to the City Ground.

Finale

28 Mai 1975
Parc des Princes

La vingtième finale de la Coupe d'Europe a été offerte à Paris par l'Union Européenne, en hommage à l'idée française de création de l'épreuve. En hommage aussi à la première finale qui opposait, en 1956, le glorieux Stade de Reims au prestigieux Real Madrid. C'était le temps de Kopa, Jonquet, Di Stefano, Gento. C'était presque le temps du cinéma muet. Mais que le football était beau et le coup de pied joyeux en ces vertes années européennes ! La finale 1975 oppose Bayern de Munich à Leeds United, deux champions des deux plus puissants pays de football du continent. Il a fallu attendre vingt ans cette finale germano-anglaise qui semble pourtant couler de source. C'est que ces deux pays, et surtout l'Angleterre, n'ont pas cru les premiers, et autant que les Latins, au succès d'une épreuve qui subjugue des millions d'hommes. On attend monts et merveilles de ce Bayern-Leeds : les matches entre Allemands et Anglais ont toujours fait des étincelles et des bulles de toutes les couleurs. Souvenez-vous de la finale de Coupe du Monde 1966, du match de Léon en 1970 et du formidable quart de finale de Coupe d'Europe des Nations en 1972!

Group Stage 2e journee

28 Septembre 2011

Stade Velodrome

En devenant en mai dernier le plus jeune champion de l'histoire de la Bundesliga avec une moyenne d'âge de vingt-trois ans (23,3 très exactement), le Borussia Dortmund a frappé les esprits en sus de son jeu fluide, spectaculaire, rapide et plein de panache. Cette saison, l'entraîneur Jurgen Klopp continue de miser sur la jeunesse de son effectif. Si son début d'exercice n'est guère reluisant avec déjà trois défaites au compteur en seulement sept journées, « Kloppo » s'appuie encore sur ces éléments, certes peu expérimentés, mais tellement pétillants et entraînants.

13 September 2011
Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki Pireás

Ce mardi, l’Olympiakos aura la particularité de lancer sa saison, avec un match de poule de Ligue des Champions. Une situation incongrue qui ne satisfait pas l’entraineur du club du Pirée. Mais ce dernier a, comme tout le monde en Grèce, du accepter le fait que le championnat a commencé avec du retard en raison du passage à 14 de l’élite grecque, après l’énorme scandale des matchs truqués apparu cet été.