Man Utd Trophy Drought Has Gone on Too Long, Says Dejected de Gea

David de Gea. (AP)
David de Gea. (AP)
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Man Utd Trophy Drought Has Gone on Too Long, Says Dejected de Gea

David de Gea. (AP)
David de Gea. (AP)

Manchester United have gone too many years without trophies and need a more determined collective effort to end their drought, goalkeeper David de Gea said after they crashed out of the Champions League following a defeat by Atletico Madrid.

A first-half header from Renan Lodi gave Atletico a 1-0 win on Tuesday for a 2-1 aggregate last-16 victory that extinguished United's hopes of a title this season and extended their trophy drought to five years.

"Of course it's not good enough," De Gea, who was part of the United squad that won the Europa League crown in 2017, said. "There are too many years without any trophies, even without fighting for trophies.

"We need to be clear we want to achieve good things and fight for trophies. We don't just want to play for the top four and get out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.

"So we need much more from everyone because this club is too big for where we are now. We are far from the fighting places for the Premier League, for the Champions League, so we need much more from everyone."

United are fifth in the Premier League with 50 points from 29 games and face a daunting task to make the top four and earn a place in next year's Champions League.

"This is where we are at the moment. It's a difficult situation. We have to keep fighting. I feel very sad. But we were not good enough," De Gea said of the Atletico result.

"We are really disappointed with the result. It's difficult to put into words how we feel at the moment. We did not enough in both games to win it. It's a disappointing day for us."



AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Dates and Venues Announced

AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Dates and Venues Announced
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AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Dates and Venues Announced

AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Dates and Venues Announced

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and AFC Asian Cup 2027 local organizing committee announced in a press release on Tuesday that the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 is set to take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027.
The 19th edition of Asia's premier football tournament will kick off on Thursday, January 7, 2027, culminating with the final match on Friday, February 5, 2027, promising an exciting experience for football fans across the continent.
The release said the tournament will feature eight stadiums across three host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar. Each city will be anchored by a main stadium.
In Riyadh, the spotlight will be on King Fahd Sports City Stadium, currently undergoing extensive upgrades to meet the highest standards.
Jeddah will host matches at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, also known as “The Shining Jewel,” which recently hosted the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup Final, SPA reported.
In Al Khobar, the newly constructed Stadium will be the centerpiece of the Eastern Region.
In addition to these main venues, Riyadh will also feature King Saud University Stadium, Al Shabab Stadium, and Kingdom Arena, along with the revamped Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium, which will see its seating capacity expanded to 21,000 and all facilities upgraded to meet AFC standards.
Jeddah will also host matches at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium, which previously hosted several matches during the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.
Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al Misehal described the announcement of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 timeline as a key milestone in the Kingdom’s journey toward hosting the tournament.
“The local organizing committee is committed to delivering an exceptional edition of the Asian Cup that meets the high expectations of football fans across the continent,” Al Misehal said.
He added: “The success of this endeavor is a result of the unwavering support from our leadership and the guidance of Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, which has positioned the Saudi Arabian Football Federation among the leading football associations in the region.”
Al Misehal expressed gratitude to AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and the entire AFC team for their ongoing support.
Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 builds on the Kingdom’s recent success in organizing major international sports events, a key part of Saudi Vision 2030. The Kingdom has recently hosted high-profile football tournaments, including the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, as well as the Spanish and Italian Super Cups. It is also set to host the final stages of this season’s AFC Champions League Elite, alongside major events in other sports, such as Formula 1 and the Dakar Rally.
According to the release, 18 nations have qualified for the tournament: Saudi Arabia (host nation), Australia, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Iran, Qatar, UAE, Japan, Korea Republic, Oman, Palestine, Jordan, Bahrain, China PR, Indonesia, DPR Korea, Kuwait, and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Six remaining spots will be determined through the final round of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.