25/05/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 25, 2026

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Carrick makes ambitions clear New United boss has chance to become first person to win EPL as both player and manager M ICHAEL CARRICK wants to get Manchester United challenging for major honours again after signing a two-year contract to continue as head “Supporting Manchester United and looking forward to what can happen should always be like that. That’s the drive (to win trophies) and for us to reward the fans would be pretty special.” Carrick’s deal takes him through to 2028, when United co-owners Ineos want to celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary with a first League title since 2013. the summer,’” he said. “There was no way I was just making decisions for the short term. It was always a case of trying to make things better for the future. “But it’s certainly been an element of planning from my side and eyes on what it could look like, so it’s an important summer. We want to make a big step if we can.” Ű BY SIMON PEACH

SHORTS Inter finish season with draw ITALIAN double winners Inter Milan fin ished a triumphant Serie A season by com ing back from two goals down to secure an entertaining 3-3 at Bologna 3-3. A 10th match without defeat left cham pions Inter 14 points clear at the top of the division, with second-placed Napoli host ing Udinese overnight. Andy Diouf was Inter’s saviour in the 87th minute when he smashed home his first league goal for the club. The former France U21 international had been key to Pio Esposito pulling Inter back into the game when he wriggled between two defenders and hit the post in the 64th minute. Esposito tapped in on the rebound to halve the deficit for Inter, who had been trailing by two just after half-time after Federico Bernardeschi, Tommaso Pobega and a Piotr Zielinski own goal cancelled out Federico Dimarco’s brilliant free-kick. Bologna finish the season in eighth and outside the European qualification spots. Usyk retain heavyweight belts HEAVYWEIGHT boxing king Oleksandr Usyk retained his titles after a dramatic and controversial stoppage victory over kick boxer Rico Verhoeven with a second left of the 11th round in Egypt yesterday. In the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Giza, Verhoeven had rocked the Ukrainian champion and seemed to be leading before he was dropped and eventually stopped. “I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it’s not up to me,”Verhoeven told DAZN . “I wanted the referee to let me go out on my shield or let me go in the 12th. I felt we were pretty even on the scorecards.” He said he was thankful for the opportu nity and revealed that Usyk had offered him a rematch. “I am super proud of my performance and hopefully, the boxing world embraces me as a boxer,” he added. Verhoeven is a legend of kick-boxing but no one expected him to cause the great Usyk so many problems in a boxing bout. “Thank you so much, Rico. You are an amazing fighter. This fight was hard, it was a good fight,” said Usyk, who retained the WBA, WBC and IBF belts. Shreyas leads from the front SHREYAS IYER scored a maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) hundred to keep Punjab Kings’ hopes alive with a seven wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants yesterday. Iyer scored 101 not out off 51 balls, hit ting five sixes and 11 fours, as Punjab fin ished with 200-3 in 18 overs to end a six match losing streak. Prabhsimran Singh also hit 69 off 39 balls in a must-win game for Punjab. “I am ecstatic to be honest,” said Shreyas. “It is my first (IPL) hundred and it came at the right time when the team needed it. We won eventually after six con secutive losses. “Our bowlers did brilliantly, especially Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) the way he restricted runs in the middle. It is a great positive and we will be supporting Mumbai Indians (against Rajasthan) tomorrow (Sunday).” Earlier, Josh Inglis’s 72 off 44 balls helped hosts Lucknow put on 196-6. Chahal’s took 2-25 in four overs. Punjab got the much needed two points from this win, and moved to fourth spot in the points table. They are still not assured of top-four qualification, with Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders playing overnight.

coach. The former Red Devils midfielder, captain and coach has improved results and morale since being brought in for the remainder of the cam paign following Ruben Amorim’s acrimonious January exit. Carrick secured Champions League football with three matches to spare and United wrapped up third spot with the previous Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League victory against Nottingham Forest – his 11th win in 16 games. The 44-year-old has been backed for the job by a variety of players and rewarded with a new deal until 2028, with paperwork being finalised for his coaching staff to stay as well. “It’s good to make steps, good to get in the Champions League, good to finish third, but (I want) to make this place better,” Carrick told club media. “I must admit on Sunday in the stadium it felt a little bit different. There was a real togetherness and kind of enjoyment from everyone and that was powerful for me.

Morocco international Brahim Diaz tucked home a fourth late on as Madrid were at least able to sign off from a disappointing trophyless cam paign on a high note, despite Urko Izeta pulling another back for Athletic. “We haven’t had two easy seasons but I am sure we will come back to win, this is Real Madrid,“ said a tearful Carvajal, who won 27 trophies with Real. The defender thanked his teammates past and present, president Florentino Perez, his family and the fans in an emotional speech on the pitch. “I am very proud of being a Madridista, thank you for the impossible comebacks, being here in the good times and bad,” he added. “I just hope that when you remember me it is with pride and that I gave everything for this shirt.” – AFP over the line. I know I’m going to get chances and I did again today. To score a hattrick in a final is such a special feeling. It’s just memo ries I’ll remember forever.” The England captain’s first strike was set up by Michael Olise from the right, who now boasts an incredible 30 assists in all competi tions this season. Left winger Luis Diaz helped create the second and Kane added a penalty in stoppage time to complete a sec ond-half hattrick. The double once again highlighted Bayern’s insatiable dominance of German football. No other German club has achieved the double more than once. This was the third time that Stuttgart were forced to watch on as Bayern cele brated this season. Bayern beat Stuttgart in the season opening Super Cup and also secured the Bundesliga title with a big win over the Swabians in Munich in April. “We played an outstanding season and we can be proud of ourselves. There are worse things than losing to Bayern,” Stuttgart forward Deniz Undav said to Sky . Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth told reporters: “In the end, it was Harry Kane three times – so business as usual.” – AFP Carrick’s character has impressed decision makers at United as much as the results and he was considered the best choice by director of foot ball Jason Wilcox after quietly taking an in-depth look at their options. Both the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe agreed to appoint Carrick after Wilcox’s recommendation went up to chief executive Omar Berrada. Wilcox said ahead of yesterday’s season finale at Brighton: “Michael has thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team. “In the time he has been doing the role, we have seen positive results on the pitch, but more than that, an approach which aligns with the club’s values, traditions and history. “Michael’s achievements in leading the club back to the Champions League should not be understated. “He has forged a strong bond with the players and can be proud of the winning culture at Carrington and in the dressing room, which we are continuing to build.” – the Independent

League berth with a 1-0 win over Osasuna. Dani Carvajal, playing his last game for Real Madrid, produced a sensational ball for Gonzalo Garcia to fire the second-place hosts ahead against Athletic. England international Jude Bellingham scored a superb second, before Gorka Guruzeta slammed past Thibaut Courtois for Ernesto Valverde’s visitors just before the break in the coach’s last game at the helm. La Liga’s top goalscorer Kylian Mbappe swept home from outside the area for Real’s third, his 25th goal of the season in the top flight. When Carvajal was taken off with 10 minutes to go, both teams gave the 34-year-old a guard of honour as he bid an emotional goodbye to the Santiago Bernabeu. BAYERN MUNICH powerbroker Uli Hoeness called Harry Kane the “best transfer we’ve ever made” after the England captain’s hat trick handed them a 3-0 victory over Stuttgart to win the German Cup final in Berlin yesterday. The hattrick brought Kane’s goal tally to a stunning 61 in all competitions this season, while ending a six-year drought in the com petition for the Bavarian giants. Victory sealed a 14th league and cup double for Bayern and 21st cup success. Hoeness is a former Bayern striker and long-time president who helped grow them into a European behemoth. “Harry Kane is the best transfer we’ve ever made,” Hoeness told German TV , while confirming that the England captain would be at the club next season, despite reported interest from Barcelona. “Bayern are a buying club not a selling club,” he added. “And Barcelona have no money anyway.” Kane was beeming after Hoeness’s praise. “To hear those kinds of words, at a club like this, we know how many great players have played here, it’s special,” he said. “Going into this final, I felt like it was my responsibility as much as anyone to get us The midfielder was part of that triumph under Sir Alex Ferguson and has the chance to become the first person to win the Premier League as both player and manager. “I’d take that right now! That’s the goal and I’ve got to believe it,” Carrick said. “That’s what we’ve got to aim for. It’s where we want to be as a club. “It’s not so much for me. It’d be an incredible thing for me to do. But just to see this club lifting trophies and winning Leagues and challenging for Champions Leagues that’s the buzz. “I know what it takes and hopefully I can give that experience a little bit to the players and they can feed off it and we can keep pushing for more.” Carrick is braced for a “different challenge” having taken over in unique circumstances and has worked with director of football Jason Wilcox on plans as they prepare to return to the Champions League. “I said when I came in I can’t do this just with eyes on, ‘it might be the summer, it might be past

Bayern hail ‘best transfer ever’ Kane Ű BY SIMON PEACH

REAL MADRID ended a troubled La Liga campaign with a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao in Alvaro Arbeloa’s last game at the helm, while Mallorca and Girona were relegated from the Spanish top flight yesterday. In the final round of fixtures, Mallorca defeated already-relegated Real Oviedo 3-0 to reach 42 points, but it was not enough to survive. Girona were held to a 1-1 draw by Elche, which kept the visitors up and sent the Catalan side down, just one season after they played in the Champions League. Veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored for champions Barcelona in his final match for the club, but goals from Javi Guerra, Luis Rioja and Guido Rodriguez snatched a 3-1 victory for Valencia. Celta Vigo wrapped up Europa League qualifi cation with a 1-0 win over Sevilla to come sixth, while Getafe secured seventh and a Conference Bayern’s Harry Kane celebrates with the trophy after defeating Stuttgart in the German Cup final at the Berlin Olympic Stadium yesterday. – AFPPIC

Real end troubled season with win