Sarr has four goals in his past three appearances and is already close to matching his tally from last season – 12 goals across all competitions.
Palace signed Sarr from Marseille for a fee of about £12.5m in 2024 in an attempt to replace winger Michael Olise, who had joined Bayern Munich that summer.
That is a piece of business that now looks incredibly shrewd, particularly with Eze also leaving the club this year.
Boss Oliver Glasner called the former Watford forward “an important player” for the club.
“It looks like he is dealing really well with this – we know when he has pace, he is really good,” the Austrian said.
“He has such great runs, such great finishes. I remember, more or less, the same finish he had against Brighton [last season].
“He had the same finish against Arsenal in the FA Cup [last season]. He is the one with the pace, and more runs in behind, the most sprinting difference. It helps he creates space for the others. He has done really well.”
The Conference League has been won by an English team in two of the past three tournaments and Palace are among the favourites to add their names to that list this term.
After a shock defeat by AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park last time out, Glasner said the victory in front of their home supporters was much needed.
“I hope it won’t be the last,” he said.
“The first time you always remember, there was a great atmosphere. I think everyone enjoyed it and goes home pleased with the result and the performance.”
Tel Aviv football team says it is working to ‘stamp out racism’ among its fan base.
Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv has said it will turn down any tickets offered to its fans for a match in the United Kingdom, even if an earlier decision by local officials to bar the team’s followers from attending is reversed.
Maccabi Tel Aviv said on Monday that “hard lessons learned” meant it had decided to decline any offer of tickets for the Europa League game against Aston Villa.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
“The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount,” the team said in a statement posted online. “Our decision should be understood in that context.”
The club also said it had been working to “stamp out racism” within the “more extreme elements” of its fan base.
“Our first-team squad consists of Muslims, Christian and Jewish players and our fan base also crosses the ethnic and religious divide,” it said.
The team’s decision came a day after Israeli police cancelled a match between Maccabi and its rival Tel Aviv team Hapoel before kickoff over what they described as “public disorder and violent riots”.
The move by Israeli authorities to cancel the game stood in contrast with criticism by British and Israeli leaders of Birmingham City’s decision to ban Maccabi fans from the November 6 match at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the ban by the city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) “the wrong decision”, while Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Saar called for the “shameful” and “coward decision” to be reversed.
The UK government said on Friday that it was working to override local authorities to allow Israeli fans to be present.
But after Israeli police shut down the match between Tel Aviv teams on Sunday, some UK politicians questioned whether the government should intervene in Birmingham.
“To Keir Starmer and others who tried to make this about religion! Here’s more evidence. Even under the world’s spotlight, these fans chose violence, injuring police officers,” independent MP Ayoub Khan wrote in a post on X.
Richard Burgon, a Labour MP, broke with his government, saying the developments vindicated the decision to ban away fans from attending the game.
“This news exposes how absurd that campaign has been,” he said on X. “The people of Birmingham have a right to be kept safe.”
West Midlands Police said last week that they had classified the match as high risk based on “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam”.
“Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety,” the police force said.
Last year’s clashes in Amsterdam between pro-Palestinian supporters and fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv led to dozens of arrests.
The clashes followed incidents of Israeli fans rampaging through the Dutch capital, assaulting residents, destroying symbols of Palestinian solidarity and chanting racist and genocidal slogans against Palestinians and Arabs.
The clashes also featured reported incidents of anti-Semitism, including a private messaging chat calling for a “Jew hunt”.
Legal experts have also voiced concerns about Israeli teams participating in international sporting matches, citing a report by United Nations investigators that affirmed that Israel is carrying out a genocide against Palestinians.
Earlier this month, more than 30 legal experts wrote to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, saying that banning Israel from competitions was “imperative”.
“UEFA must not be complicit in sports-washing such flagrant breaches of international law, including but not limited to the act of genocide,” the experts wrote.
Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv say they will not accept any ticket allocation from Aston Villa should the decision to ban their supporters from next month’s Europa League match be overturned.
The decision was widely condemned, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy pledging that the government will “find the resources” to allow Maccabi fans to attend earlier on Monday.
But Maccabi Tel Aviv now say supporters will not travel for safety reasons – that “a toxic atmosphere has been created which makes the safety of our fans wishing to attend very much in doubt”.
A club statement said, external: “The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount, and from hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context.
“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”
“We are deeply saddened Maccabi Tel Aviv have turned down their away fan allocation but we respect their right to do so,” a government spokesperson said.
They added it was “completely unacceptable” that the match has been “weaponised to stoke violence and fear by those who seek to divide us”.
“The government has been working around the clock to defend a basic principle – that football fans should be able to enjoy a game without fear of intimidation or violence.”
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it had classified the fixture as “high risk” based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including “violent clashes and hate crime offences” between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam, in November 2024.
Nandy said ministers were working together to fund any necessary policing operation to allow away fans to attend, and the SAG would review the decision if West Midlands Police changed its risk assessment.
Nandy said the matter was wider than matchday security, adding it came “against the backdrop of rising antisemitism here and across the world, and an attack on a synagogue in Manchester in which two innocent men were killed”.
On Sunday, the Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled before kick-off, after what police described as “public disorder and violent riots”.
Maccabi say the decision to call that game off was not down to their supporters and thanked the UK government for its efforts.
They said: “We believe that football should be about bringing people together not driving them apart.
“Our fans regularly travel all over Europe without incident and to suggest that the reason our fans cannot be allowed to travel is due to their behaviour is an attempt to distort reality.
“We acknowledge the efforts of the UK government and police to ensure both sets of fans can attend the match safely, and are grateful for the messages of support from across the footballing community.”
Aston Villa previously told their matchday stewards they did not have to work at the Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture, saying they understood some “may have concerns”.
Following Thursday’s announcement by the club about the impending fixture, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the move “wrong” and said: “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.”
Safety advisers in Birmingham City and UK police said Israeli team fans should not attend match due to ‘risks to public safety’.
Fans of the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv have been barred from attending a Europa League game against Aston Villa in the United Kingdom next month because of security concerns, the English club said.
Birmingham City’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) – the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches at Villa Park, where the game is to be played – informed Aston Villa that Maccabi Tel Aviv away fans will not be permitted to attend.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Aston Villa confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the “club has been informed that no away fans may attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6, following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group”.
“Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night,” the club said.
Aston Villa can confirm the club has been informed that no away fans may attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
West Midlands Police said they had classified the match as high risk based on “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam”.
“Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety,” the police force said.
Last year’s clashes in Amsterdam between pro-Palestinian supporters and Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv led to dozens of arrests and five people imprisoned.
WMP supports Safety Advisory Group decision regarding Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv football match.
While accusations of anti-Semitic attacks quickly circulated following the clashes in Amsterdam on November 6 and 7, reports soon emerged of Israeli fans provoking the violence and of rampaging through the Dutch capital, assaulting residents, destroying symbols of Palestinian solidarity and chanting racist and genocidal slogans against Palestinians and Arabs.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and the London-based Jewish Leadership Council have all criticised the ban.
Starmer said in a post on social media that the ban was “the wrong decision”.
“The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation,” he said.
This is the wrong decision.
We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.
The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.https://t.co/8aBeqE4qbA
The Jewish Leadership Council said it was “perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety”.
“Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors,” the organisation added in a statement.
The move to ban away fans from the fixture in Birmingham comes amid growing calls to ban Israeli football teams from international competition over Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
“We collected and verified extensive evidence of this systematic instrumentalisation of football culture in genocide,” Ashish Prashar, a campaign director at Game Over Israel, which has been pushing to ban Israel from FIFA and UEFA, told Al Jazeera. “This report integrates findings – from stadium racism, to assaults in Europe, to soldiers turning genocide into football propaganda – and demonstrates why Israel’s place in global sport is indefensible.”
More than 30 legal experts wrote earlier this month to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, saying that banning Israel from competitions was “imperative”, citing a report by United Nations investigators that confirmed Israel is carrying out a genocide against Palestinians.
The signatories highlighted the damage that Israel is inflicting on the sport and athletes in Gaza.
“These acts have decimated an entire generation of athletes, eroding the fabric of Palestinian sport,” the experts said.
“The failure of the Israel Football Association (IFA) to challenge these violations implicates it in this system of oppression, rendering its participation in UEFA competitions untenable,” they said.
“UEFA must not be complicit in sports-washing such flagrant breaches of international law, including but not limited to the act of genocide,” they added.
West Midlands Police said the upcoming game has been classified as “high risk” following a “thorough assessment”.
A spokesperson said: “This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
“Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety.
“While the safety certificate is issued by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending.”
Football’s European governing body Uefa said it wanted fans to be able to travel and support their team in a “safe, secure and welcoming environment”.
Uefa told Reuters: “In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory.”
Arrests were made after violence broke out before the match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in November last year.
Amsterdam officials described the violence as a “toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger” over the war in Gaza, Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East.
It looked like City’s hopes of a comeback had been extinguished after just three minutes when, as she did in the first leg, Mille Gejl opened the scoring for Koge.
The former Crystal Palace midfielder took a short corner to Rikke Madsen and latched on to her fellow Denmark international’s cutback from the byeline before steering her low drive into the far corner from just inside the penalty box.
However, City were pinging the ball about far quicker than in the first leg in Denmark and were back level on the night within six minutes.
Captain Amy Muir set Nicole Kozlova down the left wing and the former Koge player’s low ball into the penalty box was fired home by strike partner Abby Harrison.
A couple of fine saves from goalkeeper Lee Gibson denied the visitors before City were back level on aggregate on 25 minutes when Emily Whelan headed powerfully home after left-back Muir crossed to the back post.
City’s joy only lasted two minutes as veteran former Manchester City and Denmark forward Nadia Nadim turned in from the left wing and sent a right-foot drive looping over Gibson and into the far corner.
Glasgow were ahead again on the night when Harrison rose with the visiting goalkeeper to meet a Lisa Evans corner and the ball deflected off Emma Pelkowski and into her own net.
Fellow midfielder Sarah Thygesen pounced on an Emma Brownlie error to slot what looked like a killer strike for the Danes six minutes from normal time.
However, Brownlie made amends by rising to meet another Evans corner and level the score on aggregate as the game entered added time.
Just when it looked like extra time might be needed, Lisa Forrest headed a cross from fellow substitute forward Sofia Maatta over the stranded goalkeeper to signal joyous scenes among the home support.
German defense startup Helsing unveiled its first major weapons platform on Thursday: the CA-1 Europa, an autonomous combat drone it hopes will compete with American and European defense giants in shaping the future of aerial warfare. The full-size prototype, presented near Munich, will undergo its first test flights in 2027, with operational readiness targeted by 2031.
Weighing four tonnes and designed with a V-tail and angular stealth features, the Europa belongs to the growing class of Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). These drones, powered by AI and designed to operate either independently or alongside crewed fighter jets in “loyal wingman” formations, reflect a shift toward cheaper, expendable systems that can survive in contested airspaces.
Why It Matters The Europa marks Germany’s entry into the race for next-generation combat drones, a field already dominated by U.S. firms like General Atomics and startups like Anduril. For Europe, where air defense has become a strategic priority amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, the project signals an attempt to reduce reliance on U.S. platforms and create indigenous systems that match NATO’s evolving needs.
The unveiling also highlights the accelerating role of AI in military operations. Unlike traditional drones used for reconnaissance or strikes, UCAVs are designed for complex missions: jamming enemy radar, acting as decoys, or swarming in coordination with other drones. Their relatively low cost compared to fighter jets, Helsing says “a fraction” makes them attractive to militaries facing budget pressures and the risk of attrition in high-intensity conflict.
What Can Happen Next If successful, Helsing’s project could become a cornerstone of a more integrated European defense-industrial base. The company has pledged hundreds of millions of euros in investment and partnerships with other European firms, potentially aligning with EU initiatives to foster defense autonomy. However, challenges remain: regulatory hurdles over autonomous weapons, questions about AI ethics in combat, and competition from established aerospace giants.
For NATO, the Europa represents both opportunity and uncertainty. It may bolster Europe’s credibility within the alliance, but also raises thorny debates about the pace of automation in warfare. As Ukraine’s battlefield has shown, drone innovation moves faster than regulation, meaning Helsing’s Europa could become a test case for how Europe balances military necessity with democratic oversight.
CRYSTAL Palace welcome Nottingham Forest to Selhurst Park for a huge Premier League clash TODAY.
The match comes after Palace‘s bitter European battle with Forest, which saw the Eagles demoted to the Conference League and the Tricky Trees promoted to the Europa League at their expense.
More drama came off the field this week as Nuno Espirito Santo said his relationship with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is “not the same” – fueling speculation over a potential departure.
CRYSTAL PALACE fans have been struck by another bout of tough luck as the Premier League has rescheduled their upcoming match with Aston Villa
The match, scheduled to be held at Villa Park on Friday August 29th, has been moved to a 7pm Sunday kick-off.
4
Crystal Palace have been struck by another blow as their match with Aston Villa was rescheduled to a very impractical time for travelling fansCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
4
Palace fans will have to make the 200+ mile round trip for the 7pm kick off on Sunday at Villa Park and be ready for their early starts the next dayCredit: Getty
Play Dream Team now!
Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season
The move adds insult to injury following the confirmation of their demotion to the Europa Conference League for the upcoming season.
The rescheduling has been made to accommodate the second leg of the Eagles’ opening fixture of that competition.
They will face either Fredrikstad or Midtjylland on August 28th.
The decision has piled the misery on to fans who are only just coming to terms with the brutal rejection of their CAS appeal on Monday.
READ MORE CRYSTAL PALACE NEWS
Some fans have taken to social media to voice their dissatisfaction with the impractical timing of the fixture.
One fan said: “7pm on a Sunday is outrageous.”
Another sarcastically pointed out the difficulties the fixture can bring travelling fans.
They said: “Oh brilliant. That will be fun with an early shift the next day.”
In their appeal Palace have requested an annulment of the decision by Uefa’s financial control body and readmission to the Europa League in place of either Forest or Lyon.
A decision is expected on or before 11 August, with the Europa League group stage beginning on 24 September.
The rules of European football’s governing body state that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.
Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline Palace missed.
Palace argued Textor does not hold any decisive influence at the club, but Uefa did not accept the Premier League club’s defence.
Speaking to The Rest is Football, external podcast last week, Palace chairman Steve Parish said he was “very hopeful” the decision would be overturned.
“We don’t think this is the right decision by any means. We know, unequivocally, that John [Textor] didn’t have decisive influence over the club,” he said.
“We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”
A group of Liberal Democrat MPs have asked the culture secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene over Uefa’s “disgraceful” decision to demote Crystal Palace from the Europa League for breaching its multi-club ownership rules.
The seven politicians from London – including party leader Sir Ed Davey – wrote to express “deep concern” over what they called “a highly unusual and severe punishment on the club that raises serious questions about fairness and transparency in the governance of English football”.
The rules of European football’s governing body state that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.
American businessman John Textor owns a stake in Palace and is the majority owner of French club Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League.
Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline which Palace missed.
In a letter seen by BBC Sport, the group of Lib Dems described the saga as “heart-breaking for fans”.
“Other clubs seem to go through much more protracted disputes with less severe outcomes,” they said.
“Many believe that this process has been opaque and disproportionately punitive [and] risks undermining not only the club’s achievement but also public confidence in the fairness of football governance.”
Crystal Palace supporters have staged a protest against Uefa’s decision to demote the club to the Conference League.
On Tuesday, hundreds of fans marched to Palace’s Selhurst Park ground carrying banners and chanting against European football’s governing body.
The Eagles, who qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in May – their first major trophy – were demoted to the lower tier of Uefa competition after breaching multi-club ownership rules.
American businessman John Textor owns a stake in Crystal Palace and is the majority owner of French club Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League.
The rules of European football’s governing body state clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.
Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline which Palace missed.
Textor is currently in the process of selling his stake in Crystal Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.
Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, are set to replace Palace in the Europa League.
Palace are expected to take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
“At the end of the day it’s an injustice, just by a couple of admin errors. We qualified for it,” Nick Philpot from the Red and Blue Review podcast said at the march.
“We won the cup – it should be we go into it without any question about it.
“You’re penalising the entire club and the fanbase. Why would you do that?”
Last week, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish called the decision “a bad day for football” and “a terrible injustice”.
“We’ve been locked out of a European competition on the most ridiculous technicality,” he said. “Supporters of all clubs should be devastated for us.”
Crystal Palace are demoted to the Europa Conference League next season with Nottingham Forest set to replace them in the Europa League, Uefa have ruled.
Ange Postecoglou spoke of his intense pride at his two-year stint as Tottenham Hotspur manager after it ended with him being sacked by the Premier League club.
The 59-year-old Australian took the club to their first trophy for 17 years last month when Tottenham beat Manchester United to win the Europa League.
But the club axed him on Friday after their worst top-flight campaign since 1976-77, finishing one place above the Premier League’s relegation zone after losing 22 games.
“When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride,” he said in a statement released shortly after his dismissal was confirmed.
“The opportunity to lead one of England’s historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.
“That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.”
Postecoglou spoke in the build-up to the Europa League final about changing the way the club is perceived, and he said his accomplishments should ensure that Tottenham will not have to wait so long for their next trophy.
“We have laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success,” he said. “I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.”
While Tottenham fans were split over Postecoglou’s future, he had a message for the supporters.
“I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters,” he said. “I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on.
“And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special. We are forever connected.”
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou with his players before the trophy lift after winning the Europa League Final [Andrew Couldridge/File Photo/Reuters]
The 59-year-old ultimately paid the price for a horrendous Premier League season, which saw Tottenham finish 17th.
“The Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place,” Tottenham said in a statement.
“Following a positive start in the 2023/24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games. This culminated in our worst-ever PL finish last season.”
Postecoglou leaves two years to the day after his appointment and 16 days after his side beat Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao for the club’s first silverware since 2008, a win that also put them in next season’s Champions League.
The former Celtic manager has had to face questions over his future for several months, yet delivered on his claim early last season that he always wins a trophy in his second season in a job.
He also took Tottenham to the League Cup semifinal, but their league campaign was their worst since the last time the club suffered relegation from the top flight, in 1976-77.
Several of the club’s first team have voiced their support for Postecoglou since beating United, but chairman Daniel Levy is now searching for his fifth full-time manager in six years since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in 2019.
“At times there were extenuating circumstances — injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign,” the club said. “Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the Club’s greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.”
Several managers have been linked to the Tottenham job, including Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner.
Postecoglou will walk away with his pride intact and a handsome bonus, but his recent comment to fans at the Europa League victory parade that the third season of a TV series is always better than the second now looks hollow.
It all started so well for Postecoglou. He began the 2023-24 campaign by guiding Tottenham to their best start to a top-flight season since the 1961 title-winning team.
That form soon dipped, and despite finishing fifth in his first campaign, the momentum had long since gone.
This season, Tottenham earned only 38 points and lost 22 top-flight matches. They managed five points from their last 12 league games, and the only win they earned during that run was against a Southampton side who narrowly avoided becoming statistically the worst team ever in the Premier League.
Postecoglou has pointed to a long injury list, which denied him the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Son Heung-min for significant periods.
But while it has clearly been one of long-serving chairman Levy’s toughest calls, he has concluded that Postecoglou is not the man to lead the club forward.
“We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision,” the club statement said.
“We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future — he will always be welcome back at our home.”
Tottenham’s decision to sack the man who guided them to a first trophy since 2008 will divide opinion across their fanbase.
He becomes the fourth Spurs manager – after Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte – to lose his job since Pochettino was sacked in November 2019, less than four months after taking them to the Champions League final.
Postecoglou’s reign began in spectacular fashion, despite the exit of the club’s all-time leading scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich.
Spurs set the pace in the early stages of the 2023-24 Premier League season by taking 26 points from their first 10 games, with former Australia boss Postecoglou winning three consecutive manager of the month awards.
But five defeats in their final seven matches cost them a spot in the Champions League 12 months ago, and things continued to unravel – Europe aside – in 2024-25.
Postecoglou, who was initially praised for the attacking style he implemented, was forced to defend himself from criticism for sticking to his principles and had to contend with a catalogue of injuries to key players.
Aside from their run to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, where they were thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool after taking a slender one-goal lead to Anfield, they have struggled in domestic competition.
Since 6 November 2023, Spurs have collected 78 points from 66 top-flight games – the 16th best record in the Premier League.
They scored 64 goals last season – as many as fourth-placed Chelsea, and more than Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in sixth and seventh – but conceded 65, with only Wolves and the relegated trio of Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton shipping more.
TOTTENHAM fans will welcome home their Europa League winners back to North London TODAY.
The Spurs faithful have flocked onto the streets to witness Ange Postecoglou‘s side parade the European trophy that ended their 17-year wait for silverware.
The parade will run from Edmonton Green, past the stadium, loop around Northumberland Park and then return to the ground.
Start time: From 5.30pm BST
FREE live stream: Tottenham’s official YouTube channel
Tottenham’s qualification mean there will be six English teams competing in the Champions League next season.
Liverpool and Arsenal have booked their place which means Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will fight it out for the final three spots on Sunday.
Tottenham Players leave team hotel after Europa League triumph over Man United
No wonder, given how special it was for him and his club. The goal was Johnson’s 20th of the season for club and country – his best return in a single campaign – and gave Spurs their first piece of silverware since 2008.
“I’m so happy right now,” he said. “This season has not been good at all, not one of us players care about that now.
“This team has not won a trophy for 17 years, it means so much.
“All the fans get battered, we get battered for not winning a trophy. We had to get the first one. I’m so happy. Ever since I came here it has been ‘Tottenham, good team but can’t get it done’, but we got it done.”
Finding himself 17th in the Premier League was not what Johnson would have expected when he joined Spurs from Nottingham Forest for a fee in excess of £45m in the summer of 2023.
While his old club have been one of the stories of the season, challenging for a Champions League spot, his current employers and boss Ange Postecoglou have been ridiculed for their dismal domestic campaign.
But Johnson, who also scored in Spurs’ Europa League semi-final win over Bodo/Glimt, said he and his teammates owed Postecoglou a debt of gratitude for “trusting in us” over the course of a successful European campaign that defied their struggles in the Premier League.
“He has done his job,” said Johnson. “He said he wins in the second year and he has, if there’s ever a time for a mic drop, it’s now [when he speaks to the media].
“I can’t thank the manager enough for how much trust he has in us, and he has a really good way of getting us up for it.”
Johnson added: “Tottenham Hotspur being 17th in the Premier League is not good enough. We had an unbelievable Europa League run. The fans have been so good, home and away, and they had the edge over the United fans. They were all here an hour before the game, they got us through the game.”
