Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits his side failed to live up to expectations this season and has no issue with Mohamed Salah saying the team let down fans.
Writing on social media after Manchester United’s win over Chelsea on Thursday night consigned Liverpool to Europa League football, the Egypt international said he was “devastated” and there was “absolutely no excuse” for not making the top four.
Klopp had already resigned himself to not playing Champions League next season and admits he even thought fifth place was out of reach prior to their current 10-match unbeaten run, which includes seven victories.
“It was a just a normal description of his situation, of his feeling, and in that moment directly after the game he’s right, it’s not the moment to immediately send any optimistic messages,” said Klopp.
“But I saw him now in the canteen and he was smiling. I don’t know for which reason as I didn’t ask him, but he is not in a bad mood. That’s it.
“We didn’t deliver what everybody wanted or expected but but we are still really united, that’s the good thing about it.
“The dressing room is not in a bad mood. We have learned to deal with the situation. We didn’t get divided in one moment between manager and team, which is super helpful.
“For a long time and it was clear from a specific point on it would not be a historically good season. We made mistakes, we couldn’t deliver often enough and were not consistent enough.
“We didn’t point fingers at each other. That’s all good. If you don’t qualify for the Champions League, the best place you can possibly end up is fifth, so that’s what we did.
“If you’d have asked me 10 games ago if that was possible, I’d have said no. That the boys did that is really good but it’s not perfect.
“We didn’t end up fifth because of the last 10 games, we ended up there because of the lack of consistency before that.”
Failure to qualify for the Champions League is set to cost Liverpool at least £50million next season but there may be implications in the shorter term as UEFA’s second-tier competition is likely to be less attractive to leading players.
The club have already pulled out of the running for primary target Jude Bellingham after the asking price for the Borussia Dortmund midfielder became prohibitive and reports this week suggested Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount’s preferred destination is Old Trafford.
Klopp is keen to get his business done early and is hopeful finishing fifth will not put a spanner in the works of their planning.
“I don’t think so but we will see. That is obviously possible, it’s always possible things don’t go as quick as you want. It’s not only possible, it is probably likely,” he added ahead of Sunday’s final match of the season at Southampton.
“The better the players you want the lesser is the desire of the other club to let him go and that’s exactly what we are prepared for.
“But it’s a long window and a long pre-season and a long break in-between so we have time. If we get in players tomorrow or in six or seven weeks it is not a game-changer for me to be honest.
“In an ideal world they all sign tomorrow and I can tell them when to be and we can start giving them the plans for the summer break but that will not likely happen likely.”
Liam Kelly insists “sleeping giant” Coventry must avoid letting the occasion of a Wembley play-off final ruin their Premier League dream.
Coventry, one of the Premier League’s founder members in 1992, will end a 22-year exile from the top flight if they overcome Luton in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final on Saturday.
Victory would cap a remarkable journey for Coventry and Kelly as the veteran midfielder was part of the Sky Blues team which beat Exeter in the League Two play-off final at Wembley in 2018.
“The attention surrounding this game is more (than 2018), but on a personal level it’s just the same for me,” said skipper Kelly.
“We were expected to be promoted from League Two and League One, but at the start of the season I don’t think anyone expected us to be in this position.
“When I came here I don’t think many people envisioned where the club would be now. It’s been a great journey.
“It’s a big club and it’s been a sleeping giant for a while, but we’ve seen the support the last few years.”
Coventry took 42,500 fans to Wembley when they beat Oxford to win the EFL Trophy in 2017.
This time the Sky Blues have sold their allocation of 36,237 tickets for a game described as one for the romantics given Luton’s rise from non-league football over the past decade.
Luton ended the campaign two places higher and with 10 points more than Mark Robins’ Coventry, but their two games in the regular season were both drawn.
Kelly said: “Luton finished third and are one of the best teams in the Championship.
“It’s going to be a fantastic day but at the same time you can’t let the occasion get the best of you.
“You’ve got to realise what’s at stake and use that energy from the crowd to achieve what we want to.
“I remember it (2018 play-off final) went really quickly, but you’ve got to go out and be on it rather than be overawed by it.
“We just have to go with the momentum and not overthink it, realise where our form has taken us and give everything to try to win this game.
“Sometimes the best way to get into the play-offs is to creep into it in the last couple of weeks, which we’ve managed to do, and we can take confidence from that.”
Kelly has made 160 appearances for Coventry after being relegated out of the English Football League as a Leyton Orient player in 2017.
But the 33-year-old could be playing his final game at Wembley as he is coming to the end of his contract and facing an uncertain future.
He said: “I won’t pay too much attention to that. I just want to concentrate on this final and we can sort everything out at the end of the season.
“I just want to get that winner’s medal round my neck.”
British Cycling will prevent riders who were born male from racing in elite female events under a new transgender and non-binary participation policy published on Friday.
The governing body’s new rules for competitive events, due to be implemented later this year, will see racing split into “open” and “female” categories, with transgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals and those whose sex was assigned male at birth eligible to compete in the open category.
The female category will remain for those whose sex was assigned female at birth, and transgender men who are yet to begin hormone therapy.
The current men’s category will be consolidated into the open category, in which those whose sex was assigned as female at birth can also compete if they so wish.
British Cycling suspended its previous policy last April amid controversy after transgender woman Emily Bridges sought to race at the national omnium championships as a female rider.
The governing body’s new chief executive Jon Dutton, who has been in post for one month, said he was “sorry” for the anxiety and upset caused during the 13 months since.
The policy is the result of a nine-month review which included a consultation process with riders and stakeholders, including members of the Great Britain team, as well as a study of available medical research led by British Cycling’s chief medical officer Dr Nigel Jones.
That research was said to show a clear performance advantage for individuals who go through puberty as a male, and one which cannot be fully mitigated by testosterone suppression.
British Cycling’s previous transgender policy allowed riders to compete in the female category if they had testosterone levels below five nanomoles per litre for a 12-month period prior to competition.
The governing body will continue to study new research as it becomes available with the policy being regularly reviewed.
Dutton said the driving force behind the competitive policy was “fairness”, while a non-competitive policy that keeps club rides, coaching programmes and other activities open to all was driven by “inclusivity”.
“It’s an incredibly emotive and at times divisive subject area,” Dutton said.
“We have taken many months to look at three areas: firstly a consultation with the athletes affected and the wider cycling community; secondly looking at the medical research available at this point in time; and thirdly from the legal viewpoint in terms of the association with the Equalities Act.
“We’ve made a decision on the balance of all three to give clarity, to give direction and that clear way forward for any athletes affected.”
British Cycling has sought to contact affected athletes prior to publication of the new policy, with Dutton saying support would be offered to those whose route to competing at an elite level may now be closed.
“We accept that and understand that, and that’s why we need to continue to support those affected,” he added.
“I am sorry it has taken so long to get to this point and for the upset and anxiety some people have had to go through but I accept this is a difficult moment for a number of people directly affected.”
There is still no set date for the new regulations to be implemented, with the governing body saying only that it will be before the end of the year, allowing time for changes to technical regulations and discussions with the UCI regarding implementation.
The new policy diverges from that of the world governing body, which promised to look again at its own regulations after American transgender woman Austin Killips won the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico earlier this month.
The UCI allows transgender women who have gone through male puberty to compete in elite women’s events if they have had reduced testosterone levels of 2.5 nanomoles per litre for the previous two years.
The UCI reopened its consultation with athletes and national federations with the aim of reporting by August when the UCI management committee will meet during the world championships in Glasgow.
Ivan Toney has a gambling addiction, an independent regulatory commission has found.
The written reasons for the eight-month betting ban imposed on the Brentford forward were published on Friday and it found Toney had bet on himself to score in addition to betting on his own club to lose during a four-year period.
It did state, however, that: “There is no evidence that Mr Toney did or was even in a position to influence his own team to lose when he placed bets against them winning – he was not in the squad or eligible to play at the time.”
Toney was charged with 262 betting offences in November and was last week banned from all football activity until January 17 after he admitted 232 breaches.
An independent regulatory commission imposed Toney’s sanctions, which included a £50,000 fine, following a personal hearing and he is not able to train with club side Brentford until September 17.
Psychiatrist Dr Philip Hopley attended Toney’s personal hearing and diagnosed that Toney has a gambling addiction.
“The commission finds that a significant reduction should be made to reflect the diagnosed gambling addiction identified by Dr Hopley,” the written reasons document said.
“The lack of control the player has in respect of gambling is clearly a reflection of his diagnosed gambling addiction.
“The present case is not one of match-fixing. If it was, the charges would have been pursued under different provisions.
“There is no evidence that Mr Toney did or was even in a position to influence his own team to lose when he placed bets against them winning – he was not in the squad or eligible to play at the time.”
Jaylen Brown hailed the Boston Celtics' unity after they beat the Miami Heat 110-97 to force Game 6 in the Eastern Conference finals.
Having staved off elimination with a win in Game 4, the Celtics never trailed in Game 5 on Thursday as they cut Miami's lead to 3-2.
Boston will now aim to level the series in Miami on Saturday. Should they complete a remarkable turnaround, they will be the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, after 150 previous sides failed to do so.
Brown, who contributed 21 points to Celtics' total, explained the team could not have been at a lower ebb after losing the first three games of the series.
"Our back has been against the wall. Obviously, we didn't imagine being in this position, being down 3-0, but when adversity hits, you get to see what a team is really made of," he said.
"It couldn't get worse than being down 3-0, but we didn't look around, we didn't go in separate directions. We stayed together."
Only three teams have managed to take a series to Game 7 after losing the opening three games, the last of which was the Portland Trail Blazers in 2003.
"For some odd reason, even last year, we always seemed to make it a little bit tougher on ourselves," added Jayson Tatum, who had a double-double of 21 points and 11 assists.
"What I do know is that you can see the true character of a person, of a team, when things aren't going well, and our ability to come together, figure things out when it's not necessarily looking good for us.
"It's unlike any team I've been on this year and last year, just the core group of guys being able to respond.
"I think that's just a testament to our togetherness, obviously how bad we want it, and we've got a room full of determined, tough guys that push comes to shove, you look to the left and the right of you, believe that the guy next to you is going to do whatever it takes and go down fighting if it doesn't work out."
Looking ahead to Game 6, Brown is under no illusions of the scale of the task at hand.
"It's going to take everything," he said.
"It's going to be a dogfight. I imagine those guys will play better than they played tonight, and they're going to come out aggressive. We've got to be ready to take their punch at home. We've got to be ready to be resilient and come out and do what we're supposed to do."
Joe Pavelski rifled home a power-play goal at 3:18 of overtime and the Dallas Stars avoided a sweep with a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday in the Western Conference finals.
Jason Robertson notched his first career multigoal playoff game for Dallas and Jake Oettinger rebounded with 37 saves, two nights after he lasted just over seven minutes in a Game 3 loss.
Vegas' Brayden McNabb was called for a high-sticking penalty 2:28 into overtime, and Pavelski needed just 50 seconds to end it. He took a feed from Miro Heiskanen in the left circle and drilled a one-timer inside the far post and past Adin Hill.
The goal was the ninth in 12 games this postseason for Pavelski, whose 73 career playoff goals are the most among active players.
Dallas played without captain Jamie Benn after he was suspended for two games by the NHL for his cross-check near the neck of Vegas skipper Mark Stone early in Tuesday's Game 3.
Benn will also miss Game 5 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights missed an opportunity to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers.
William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Knights and Hill had his five-game winning streak snapped despite making 39 saves.
Derrick White led with 24 points and the Boston Celtics never trailed in a 110-97 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday to stave off elimination and force Game 6 in the Eastern Conference finals.
Boston scored 20 of the game's first 25 points and held a comfortable lead the rest of the way to cut the series deficit to 3-2.
The Celtics will try to prolong their season again when the series moves back to Miami for Game 6 on Saturday.
They are two wins away from becoming the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series after 150 previous teams failed to do so.
Marcus Smart had 23 points and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown added 21 apiece in Boston's second consecutive strong shooting performance.
The Celtics shot over 50 percent from the field and were 16 of 39 from 3-point range, including White going 6 of 8.
Boston are 34 of 84 from deep the past two games after going 31 for 106 in the first three games of the series.
Duncan Robinson led Miami with 18 points off the bench, while Jimmy Butler was held to 14 - his lowest total of the postseason.
The Heat committed 10 first-half turnovers and trailed 61-44 at the break.
Miami point guard Gabe Vincent sat out with a sprained left ankle and was replaced in the starting lineup by Kyle Lowry, who had five points and four turnovers in 30 minutes.
Mark Robins made a Premier League vow just hours after guiding Coventry out of League Two, former captain Michael Doyle has revealed.
The ex-Sky Blues midfielder skippered the club to their first promotion in 51 years in 2018 to kick-start their journey to the brink of a top-flight return.
Coventry beat Exeter 3-1 in the play-off final with Doyle lifting the trophy at Wembley and the Sky Blues are now dreaming of a repeat in Saturday’s Championship play-off final against Luton.
Robins, who signed a new four-year deal this month, took them out of the fourth tier at the first attempt after returning 14 months earlier for a second spell and, even then, outlined his vision to Doyle.
He told the PA news agency: “The night we got promoted from League Two we were chatting away at the bar, something came up and he said: ‘we’re going to take this club back to the Premier League where it belongs’.
“You don’t say things like that lightly and it’s not arrogance because he’s not an arrogant man. He wouldn’t say that openly to a lot of people.
“I’ve reminded him of that this week because we were a million miles away from it that night and now we’re on the verge of it. I hope he can do it.
“I do think eventually the club will get there, even if it’s not Saturday. The club is in good hands with four more years of him there. He is a god to the people of Coventry.
“Like any manager, pressure does come with the job and when he’s p****d off at you, you’re going to know about it. He’s not rolling into the training ground jovial.
“But at the same time, when you win a game, he’s not jumping to the ceiling like Larry the Lunatic.
“He’s always had a great calmness and it shows in his teams, the way they play. Look at that performance at Middlesbrough (the 1-0 play-off semi-final second-leg win) when no-one gave them a chance. That was a reflection of the coaching staff, Adi (Viveash, assistant) as well.”
Doyle made 373 appearances, scoring 26 times, for the Sky Blues and featured in a 2-2 draw against Luton in March 2018 when the teams were in League Two.
The 41-year-old first joined the club in 2003 from Celtic, just two years after their relegation from the Premier League, and saw the transition from Highfield Road to what was the Ricoh Arena in 2006.
Since then, the club have tumbled from the Championship and back again despite playing at Northampton in 2013-14 after a rent dispute and spending two seasons in Birmingham following a failure to agree a deal with then-stadium owners Wasps.
“Coventry were one of the longest-serving clubs in the top division and when they lost that status a lot of people around the city were devastated,” said former Republic of Ireland international Doyle. “There was a lot of negativity around the football club for long periods.
“In my first spell, we were always just a middle-of-the-table Championship club.
“The tough times of getting relegated has brought some success and some great days to the club. It’s just great to see the club now in the biggest game in football.
“I remember playing Forest Green at home and getting beaten and having to drag a fan off the pitch. We were losing 1-0 and he ran on with five minutes to go.
“The fans weren’t happy Coventry were playing Forest Green in League Two at home on a Tuesday night and losing 1-0.
“We had a lot of young players who were in shock and I ran over because he had the ball. I grabbed him and said: ‘what are you doing? Get off’. It was instinct, I ran over and confronted him.
“He was saying it was embarrassing and I said ‘listen, you’re not going to be here at the end of the season when we get promoted. Just get yourself in the stand’.
“Forest Green did the double on us, no disrespect to them, and it showed what hard times the club had fallen on. It was hard for the fanbase to fathom.
“These moments live with you a little because you end up getting success.”
Roberto De Zerbi is braced for a summer of hard work as Europa League-bound Brighton set about building a squad capable of competing on four fronts.
The Seagulls will play continental football for the first time in their 122-year history next term, in addition to their Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup commitments.
Albion wrapped up a record-breaking sixth-placed finish ahead of Sunday’s climax at Aston Villa, despite operating with a relatively small player pool, particularly during a congested run-in.
Head coach De Zerbi does not believe the club require a raft of new arrivals to be ready for the forthcoming European tour.
Yet the former Shakhtar Donetsk boss is determined to add depth and quality to his squad, especially if in-demand pair Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister are sold.
“Monday starts the toughest period in my season because without football it is difficult,” he said.
“I am looking forward to starting the next pre-season. I think we have to work in this holiday because we have to build a new squad to prepare for the new season.
“I think we don’t need so many players.
“We have to understand if Caicedo, Mac Allister (are sold) – I don’t know which players can leave – then we have to bring very good players because next season will be tougher than this one.”
Brighton defied all expectations during a remarkable campaign by breaking into the top six and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
Graham Potter oversaw the Seagulls’ strong start before De Zerbi scaled new heights following his predecessor’s departure to Chelsea in September.
The Italian is unsure how much financial backing he will receive in the coming months and insists the scale of the summer overhaul will depend on the number of outgoings.
“I can speak only about the characteristics, the quality of players,” he said. “Money is not my job.
“For sure I can tell you we have to have a stronger squad, a bigger squad because we will play in four competitions.
“And we have to be ready to compete in our way in these four competitions because we arrived with 14, 15 players in the crucial part of the season.
“The next year will be tougher because in the history of the Premier League it can happen that clubs achieve Europa League and the next year you have to fight to avoid relegation.”
Tottenham forward Harry Kane will celebrate a milestone birthday this summer but has talked up the possibility of playing until he is 40 after receiving his latest accolade on Thursday.
Kane was officially awarded the Freedom of the City of London during a ceremony at Guildhall alongside wife Kate, his three children and various members of his family.
Kane was nominated for one of the city’s most ancient traditions due to his outstanding sporting achievements, with the England captain only 50 goals away from becoming the Premier League’s record goalscorer.
While it has been a difficult season for club Tottenham, Kane has netted 28 times in the Premier League ahead of his 30th birthday in July.
When reflecting on his own potential longevity, the Spurs academy graduate referenced the ages of Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were all in their mid-thirties when celebrating recent Ballon d’Or wins.
“I am someone who always wants to push, always wants to get better, so if I am scoring goals at 39, then for sure I probably will play until I’m 40,” Kane told the PA news agency.
“I always said I think it depends how your career has gone and what you’ve achieved, what kind of mindset you are in at that stage.
“Sometimes there is a perception when you reach 30 that you’re coming to the end but in recent history some of the players who have been Ballon d’Or winners or Champions League winners have been 35, 36, 37.
“I think as long as you stay mentally hungry and physically in a good place, which I am, then I feel like you can play as long as possible.
“For sure I want to be playing another seven or eight years at the highest level and hopefully I can do that.”
There remains uncertainty over Kane’s future with only one year left on his deal at Tottenham, although the club have no intention of selling their star forward this summer.
Kane has repeatedly insisted his focus is on finishing another prolific season strongly as Spurs prepare to visit Leeds on Sunday with Europa Conference League qualification up for grabs.
Despite Tottenham’s poor campaign, Kane has closed in on Alan Shearer’s record haul of 260 Premier League goals.
He added: “This season has been difficult on a whole as a team. It has had its challenges but I always set myself little targets throughout the season, month by month.
“To score 28 goals is something I am proud of with one game to go and hopefully I can score a couple more on Sunday and finish strong.
“I just have to keep improving and every year I try to do that, finding different ways to score and that is something I will continue to do for the rest of my career.
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“As I have said before, with any record you are not focused on the record, you are focused on helping the team and scoring goals to do that, so then when the records come, you take them and you’re extremely proud of them.
“Yeah, that could be another couple of years away yet but I am feeling in a good place and hopefully I am playing for many more years so it is definitely a target that can be reached.”
After Kane added the Freedom of the City of London to the MBE he received in 2019, he joked it would take a major tournament win with England to earn a knighthood.
Whatever the future holds, he is determined to help the next generation through The Harry Kane Foundation, which was launched in October with the aim of changing perception about mental health.
“I reckon we’d have to win the Euros or World Cup and then it (knighthood) might be in the conversation but these things are incredible,” Kane said after he received the Freedom of the City of London.
On his Foundation, Kane explained: “We have had amazing feedback, (taken) amazing steps so far.
“I wanted to start the journey to learn more about mental health and especially with younger boys and younger girls, to see what they are going through and to use some of my experiences to help them.
“It has been a great journey and is something I want to build year on year. It is something I want to continue after I am finished, (in) 10 years or so.
“We’re on a good journey so far and it is not just London, it is for the whole country and the whole world to try to help as many people as possible.”
Jose Mourinho has claimed Tottenham are the only one of his former clubs to which he does not feel any connection.
The Portuguese, 60, spent 17 months at Spurs but was sacked by chairman Daniel Levy in April 2021 just a week before they were to play Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
Mourinho had previously managed Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United, and has subsequently taken charge at Roma, winning the Europa Conference League and leading them to the final of this season’s Europa League, where they play Sevilla next Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of that fixture, Mourinho told a press conference: “I hope the Tottenham fans don’t get me wrong but the only club in my career where I don’t have still a deep feeling for is Tottenham.
“Probably because the stadium was empty, Covid time. Probably because Mr Levy didn’t let me win a final and win a trophy.”
Mourinho, who has been linked with a move to Paris St Germain this summer, was responding to a question about his future with Roma.
“We will be connected forever, like I am with all my previous clubs, apart from Mr Levy’s club,” he said.
“It’s the only one, so after that – Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United – all the clubs I feel a connection. Maybe people (will say) you cannot love every club – yes, I love every club.”
A career-best round of 62 propelled England’s Harry Hall to the top of the leaderboard after the opening day of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.
Hall took only 22 putts to card a score of eight under and a decisive three-shot lead in Fort Worth, Texas.
He picked up eight birdies without dropping a shot and managed to save par from 15 and 30 feet.
Harris English is Hall’s closest competitor on five under, after the American split a bogey with six birdies, including two on his final two holes.
Tom Hoge, Adam Schenk, Robby Shelton and Andrew Putnam are all tied for third on four under par.
Elsewhere, it was a mixed day for Scotland’s Russel Knox and English duo Callum Tarren and Justin Rose, who all head into Friday’s second round on one under.
Club professional Michael Block, who dazzled the golfing world with his heroics at the US PGA Championship heroics, had a rough outing as he finished his opening round 11 over par.
Internationally acclaimed Brazilian pop superstar, Anitta, will co-headline the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi on June 10. Joining GRAMMY-award winner Burna Boy, Anitta is expected to captivate audiences with a mesmerizing performance at the world's biggest annual sporting event.
Coming off a remarkable year marked by the release of her fifth studio album, 'Versions Of Me,' and a GRAMMY nomination for "Best New Artist," the sensational artist behind hits like 'Envolver' will infuse Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium with her renowned high-energy pop production. Her performance will enthrall millions of fans around the globe, moments before the commencement of the most significant fixture in club football.
To heighten anticipation for this highly anticipated performance, Pepsi has released an exhilarating short film titled 'The Prep' (LINK), featuring Anitta and Burna Boy in their element. In the film, accompanied by Burna Boy's "It's Plenty" and Anitta's "Envolver," the artists prepare for their epic Kick Off Show performance in their football-style dressing rooms. They then emerge into the iconic UEFA Champions League tunnel, walking side by side, before entering a sold-out stadium, sending shivers down the spectators' spines.
Anitta expressed her excitement, stating, "I'm thrilled that the news is finally out! I'm delighted to perform at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, co-headlining alongside Burna Boy. We'll deliver an unforgettable show to fans in the stadium and worldwide, so make sure to tune in on June 10th - you won't want to miss this!"
For the first time ever, Pepsi is giving fans the opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of this show-stopping performance through the #PepsiKickOffShow challenge. Launched in March, the challenge invites fans to showcase their best ball skills and dance moves. Watch the video here.
Gustavo Reyna, Pepsi's Senior Director of Global Marketing, added, "Every year, we take pride in collaborating with the most prominent and thrilling music artists to provide fans worldwide with unparalleled entertainment. In this year's 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, global superstars Anitta and Burna Boy, who embody our 'Thirsty For More' philosophy celebrating people's thirst for life, will co-headline. We're excited to witness fans actively participate in this unmissable show through the #PepsiKickOffShow challenge. It promises to be an extraordinary spectacle!"
UEFA Marketing Director, Guy-Laurent Epstein, commented, "This season's spectacle promises to be unforgettable, with an exciting lineup of artists set to grace the stage ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul. We're proud of our longstanding partnership with Pepsi, which allows us to bring even more excitement to fans. We eagerly await sharing this season's UEFA Champions League Kick Off Show by Pepsi with everyone."
This marks the seventh year that Pepsi and UEFA have celebrated the Champions League Final with a sensational music performance, showcasing the most thrilling artists from around the world. This exceptional entertainment spectacle unites football and music fans worldwide. The Kick Off Show by Pepsi will be broadcasted in over 200 countries worldwide.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah insists there can be no excuse for missing out on Champions League football.
The 30-year-old admits the team has failed and let fans down this season with a fifth-placed finish.
Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea means fourth place is now out of reach for last season’s beaten finalists.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have underperformed all season and it was only their current 10-match unbeaten run – which included a sequence of seven victories – which gave them a remote chance of qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition.
But their participation in the Europa League, the first time Klopp has not made the top four in a full season at the club, has left Salah frustrated.
“I’m totally devastated. There’s absolutely no excuse for this,” the Egypt international, who rarely makes public statements, wrote in a strongly-worded post on Twitter.
“We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed.
“We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum.
“I am sorry but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post.
“We let you and ourselves down.”
In a disappointing season Salah has still scored 30 goals and is only one away from becoming the first player in Premier League history to provide 20 goals and 10 assists in three seasons, which would surpass the record he shares with Thierry Henry.
He is one short of reaching 20 league goals in a season for the fifth time in six years at Liverpool (he scored 19 in the other) and if he manages to score at Southampton on Sunday he will become the first Liverpool player since Roger Hunt in 1965-66 to score 20 league goals for a third successive season.
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