BILBAO (SPAIN) – When he was called in November to take Ten Hag’s place, Ruben Amorim was seen as the man of Providence but Manchester United, after having experienced one of the worst seasons ever in the Premier League, finds itself out of the next European cups after losing the final in Bilbao against Tottenham.

A result that could also call into question the position of the Portuguese coach himself who, however, is going straight on his way. “I continue to think I am the right man for this club, even more than before,” he assured in the post-Europa League match.

“I know that the patience of the fans will be short next season but I assure you that I will not resign or leave. I know what it means to coach United and what this team needs. If they then tell me that it is better to change, I will leave. But I have a lot of faith in myself and in carrying on with my work if the club wants me to. I will not look for excuses but it is about having a bit of faith. If the club and the fans believe that I am not the right person, the next day I will pack my bags. But I will not be the one to give up, I believe in my work and I will not change anything in the way I do things.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BILBAO (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “I have always been honest. If the club thinks it is time to sell me because they want to make money, that’s how it will be, it happens in football. I will stay until the club tells me it is time to leave”. Bruno Fernandes, in the post-match of the Europa League final lost to Tottenham, leaves Manchester United the final say on his future.

The Portuguese midfielder defends Amorim: “I think he is the right man. I don’t think what happened this season shows his value as a coach. I think he is the right coach for the future of this club, whether with me or without me”.

– Foto IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Luka Modric will not wear the Real Madrid jersey next season. According to Spanish media, Florentino Perez and the management of the Blancos have decided not to renew the contract of the 39-year-old Croatian midfielder, which expires at the end of the season.

Initially, Xabi Alonso, the future coach of Real, had asked to continue counting on Modric, considering his experience and leadership important for the new project, but the club would prefer to immediately rejuvenate the midfield.

Saturday’s match against Real Sociedad could therefore be Modric’s last match at the Bernabeu, with Nico Paz – currently at Como but owned by the Blancos – and Angelo Stiller – a Stuttgart player recommended by Kroos – as the main candidates to take up his legacy. Having arrived from Tottenham in 2012 and since then won 28 trophies with the Merengues, making 590 appearances with 43 goals and 90 assists, Modric does not seem to be willing to stop: his goal is to play in the 2026 World Cup with Croatia.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela has hinted that new developments concerning Malta’s recognition of the Palestinian state are expected next month, amid growing political pressure both from within the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party Opposition.

The announcement came during a heated parliamentary session following a ministerial statement, where Opposition MPs questioned why Malta has not yet officially recognised Palestine despite a joint declaration made in March 2024.

Abela has consistently claimed Malta will act “when the conditions are right” but has yet to clearly define what those conditions are. The lack of clarity has drawn criticism from all sides, including Labour Deputy Leader Alex Agius Saliba, who publicly called on the government to recognise the Palestinian state “immediately.”

The Nationalist Party has stepped up its calls for immediate recognition of Palestine. In a strongly worded statement, the PN condemned the “indiscriminate killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians,” including children, and urged the government to act without delay.

As calls for action grow louder, Abela is now under increasing pressure to clarify what is preventing Malta from moving forward on a commitment his government has already endorsed in principle. The coming weeks are expected to be decisive for Malta’s stance on Palestinian statehood—both at home and on the international stage.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – A large crowd of people gathered yesterday in Rome, in the gardens of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, for the public event “Voting is Freedom – Marathon against Abstention”, promoted by the Referendum Committee and supported by CGIL, ahead of the referendum on labor and citizenship scheduled for June 8 and 9.
The event also saw the participation of several political leaders, including Elly Schlein, Secretary of the Partito Democratico, Angelo Bonelli, co-spokesperson of Verdi, Nicola Fratoianni, Secretary of Sinistra Italiana, Giuseppe Conte, Leader of M5S and the Secretary of Più Europa Riccardo Magi.
“Reaching the quorum is possible, but we have to win every single vote—polling station by polling station, town by town,” stated Maurizio Landini, CGIL’s General Secretary during the initiative. “Voting is an act of freedom and a peaceful democratic uprising: all it takes is going to the polling place and making a choice for change”.
CGIL strongly denounced the attempt to suppress the national referendum: “There has been an effort to silence this vote, but it will not succeed. Those who tell people to stay home simply want everything to remain as it is. But we want a fairer country—where jobs are not precarious, rights are protected, and citizenship is granted to those who work, study, and live by our laws”, added Landini.
CGIL renews its appeal to all democratic, social, and cultural forces: let’s break the silence and mobilize for participation in the referendum on Sunday, June 8 and Monday, June 9.

– photo Q10MEDIA SRL –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Hansi Flick and Barcelona together until 2027. The Blaugrana club has announced the contract renewal of the German coach, who in his first season in Spain won La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. Only four other coaches in history have won a league and cup in their debut in Blaugrana: Van Gaal, Valverde, Guardiola and Luis Enrique. “Hansi Flick is writing the history of FC Barcelona and we are sure that he will continue to do so in the coming seasons”, reads the club’s note.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

BILBAO (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – The UEFA Executive Committee met today in Bilbao ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final and took some decisions about Euro 2028 qualification system. The UEFA Executive Committee has confirmed the qualification format for UEFA EURO 2028, to be held across nine venues in the UK and Ireland with 24 participating teams.

As in the current 2024-26 European Qualifiers, twelve qualifying groups will be formed of four or five teams. Hosts England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will also participate in qualifying, drawn into separate groups. The 12 group winners and 8 best runners-up (20 teams) will advance directly to the EURO 2028 final tournament.

Two spots in the final tournament will be reserved for the two best ranked host nations who are not qualified as group winners or best runners-up after the completion of the qualifying group stage. The remaining spots will be assigned via play-offs between the remaining runners-up in the qualifying groups and the best ranked 2026-27 UEFA Nations League non-qualified group winners.

Depending on the number of spots used by the host nations, the number of final tournament spots decided by play-offs may vary between two and four, in one of the three following scenarios: Both reserved qualifying slots for the hosts used: Eight teams compete in two paths for two final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals. One reserved qualifying slot for the hosts used: Twelve teams compete in three paths for three final tournament spots, with single-leg semi-finals and finals. No reserved qualifying slot for the hosts used: Eight teams contest four home-and-away play-off ties, with the winners advancing to the final tournament.

The tournament schedule is expected to be released in autumn 2025. The tournament regulations with all remaining details will be published by the end of the year.

The next meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee will take place in Tirana, Albania on 11 September 2025.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ISTANBUL (TURKEY) (ITALPRESS) – “I can deny that there was a meeting with the Portuguese Football Federation, I am a loyal person”. Josè Mourinho swept away the rumours that he could become the next coach of the Portuguese national team in place of Roberto Martinez after the Nations League Final Four.

“The only time I had direct contact with a club I informed Fenerbahce, it happened in January – revealed the Special One – I had a meeting with this club, I did not accept the offer but I had already informed the club before the meeting”.

Even though he is still under contract with Fenerbahce, Mourinho is not committing himself about his future: “I will not talk about next season. I will do it with the club, not with the media. If there is something to communicate, out of respect for the president and the board, I will not make it public before”.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A 35-year-old Italian man residing in Żurrieq has been charged in a Maltese court with human trafficking and operating a brothel involving three Colombian women. Damiano Nicastro stands accused of trafficking the women to Malta for the purpose of prostitution.

Prosecutors told the court that Nicastro allegedly ran a brothel in Naxxar and retained the victims’ passports to control their movements. He is also facing charges of using violence and threats against the women. Nicastro pleaded not guilty to all charges. Despite his plea, Magistrate Monica Vella denied his request for bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations and concerns over potential witness tampering. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the Attorney General. Investigations are ongoing.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is among the group of European Union member states that called for a formal review of the EU’s trade and cooperation agreement with Israel, amid mounting concerns over Israel’s military actions and humanitarian blockade in Gaza.

Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ian Borg underscored the urgency of the situation. “Starvation cannot be used as a weapon of war,” he said, adding that forced displacement violates international law and calling for an immediate end to the blockade.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews