Deflated after seeing his team concede a last-minute goal against his former club, Jose Mourinho looked up from his seat in the technical area on Saturday to see a rival coach taunting him just a few meters away.
So began a chain of events that offered another illustration of why the Manchester United manager remains the biggest box-office draw in English soccer.
In a tempestuous ending to United’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea, Mourinho leaped up and attempted to confront Chelsea technical assistant Marco Ianni before being held back by security staff and members of his own coaching team.
Photo: Reuters
Chelsea fans reacted by aiming vitriol and abuse from the stands at Mourinho, the man who oversaw the most successful period in the London club’s history.
Then, came those must-watch, post-match Mourinho interviews when he played the victim, said Chelsea apologized to him and then belittled Ianni.
“Don’t do what everyone does and say, ‘It’s Mourinho who does things,’” he said. “I don’t know his name. I don’t need to know. Everything is fine.”
United’s latest impressive rally might be overlooked amid the late-match shenanigans involving its manager, who was seconds away from the sweetest of victories.
Ross Barkley’s goal in the sixth minute of injury time ensured United remained in the middle of the table and preserved Chelsea’s unbeaten start after nine games.
LA LIGA
AFP, BARCELONA and MADRID, Spain
Lionel Messi is expected to be out for three weeks after fracturing his right arm during Barcelona’s win over Sevilla on Saturday.
The Barcelona club said in a statement: “Tests carried out on Leo Messi have confirmed that he has a fracture of the radial bone in his right arm. He will be out for approximately three weeks.”
“It is clear it is a blow,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said. “We know what he gives us and we know what he does to the opposition.”
Messi scored before going off in the 26th minute of Barca’s 4-2 win over Sevilla at Camp Nou, which sent them back to the top of La Liga.
He fell to the ground following a tussle with Sevilla’s Franco Vazquez and, as his right hand tried to cushion the landing, his elbow appeared to buckle.
REAL MADRID
Real Madrid failed to ease the pressure on coach Julen Lopetegui and instead set the record for the longest goal-drought in the club’s history during a surprise 2-1 defeat by Levante on Saturday.
Madrid have now gone five games without a victory and when Marcelo gave them hope of a comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu, they had gone 481 minutes of normal time without a goal, too. The club’s previous worst run had been 464 minutes, in 1985.
For a team that prides itself on flair and flamboyance, it is a streak that reflects just as badly on Lopetegui.
Asked about his future, Lopetegui said: “It is the last thing I am thinking about. I am thinking only about lifting the players.”
“We are with the coach until the death,” Marcelo said.
Raphael Varane handed Levante a two-goal lead after just 13 minutes. Jose Luis Morales and Roger Marti, from the penalty spot, were the beneficiaries.
At the final whistle, Lopetegui stood on the touchline, with his hands on his hips, staring ahead in disbelief.
SERIE A
AFP, ROME
Cristiano Ronaldo scored on Saturday, but wasteful Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate at home to Genoa to end the Italian champions’ perfect start to the season.
With eight Serie A wins and two in the Champions League, Juve were all set to extend that fine run when Ronaldo put Massimiliano Allegri’s men into a first-half lead.
However, Juve were made to pay for failing to convert a hatful of chances when Daniel Bessa headed in a second-half equalizer.
Ronaldo, despite the turmoil of explosive rape allegations that surfaced before the international break, notched up in the 18th minute his fifth goal for his new employers since his headline move from Real Madrid, ironically helped by a mistake from Genoa’s top-scoring Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek.
A communications mix-up saw Piatek leave Joao Cancelo’s blocked shot for his goalkeeper, but the loose ball fell at Ronaldo’s feet and he tapped it in to an empty net.
This was the 33-year-old’s 400th career goal in Europe’s top five leagues, making him the first player to reach that tally.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two