Thai fans react to Vietnam women's volleyball championship; Barca's life changed thanks to Saudi Arabian billionaire?

Thai fans react to Vietnam women's volleyball championship

The championship of the second stage of SEA V-League 2025 of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team after a historic 3-2 victory over Thailand has created a wave of heated debate among the fan community of the Golden Temple country.

Immediately after the match, many Thai fans expressed their disappointment with the home team's performance, especially the tactical adjustments of head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai. One account frankly criticized: "What a terrible coach, reading the game so poorly. Players who were playing well were substituted, could not receive the ball, could not hit the ball over the net but still continued to play. The more they do, the worse it gets. It's time to change the coach before the team declines further - the worst in the past 20 years."

Others focused on the performance of the main hitters: “Number 18 barely scored, but the ball was still passed to number 18 to attack. The coach also refused to substitute him. I really don’t understand.”

Some people were even upset when comparing the current team's level with the past: "Before, they played at the same level as Japan and China, and dominated the VNL. Now they are almost relegated from the VNL, lost the SEA championship because they lost to Vietnam, and sweat when facing the Philippines or Indonesia."

Despite the criticism, there are still many Thai fans who respect their opponents. One person wrote: “We must praise Vietnam’s fighting spirit, ready to face Thailand. If Vietnam had been down 0-2, they would have definitely lost 0-3.”

The final match of the second round of the SEA V-League 2025 in Vietnam started with a perfect scenario for Thailand when they won the first two sets with a score of 25-17 and 26-24. However, the strong rise of the home team completely changed the situation. Vietnam regained control of the match, winning 25-17 in the third set, then continued to overcome their opponents 25-22 in the fourth set to drag the match into the deciding set. At the most tense moment, Bich Tuyen scored the winning point 16-14, ending the 3-2 comeback, bringing the historic championship to Vietnamese women's volleyball.

This championship not only ended Thailand's dominance in the SEA V-League but also showed a change in the balance of power in the region. For Thai fans, this is a wake-up call for the team to look back at themselves and find the right direction if they want to regain their inherent position.

U23 Vietnam: Is there still room for overseas Vietnamese players?

The wave of overseas Vietnamese players playing in the V-League brings many personnel options for coach Kim Sang Sik with U23 Vietnam, but that is just the surface and the reality is not simple.

The appearance of a series of overseas Vietnamese players in the 2025/26 V-League season promises to bring a new breeze to Vietnamese football. Notably, among the names returning to their "fatherland" to play football, there are quite a few very young people.

Do Nguyen Thanh Chung (Chung Nguyen Do), Brando Ly, Vadim Nguyen for example, all 3 of these players are quite young and are considered potential options for U23 Vietnam and even the Vietnam national team in the future.

These players, most of whom are trained in professional football environments abroad, bring with them valuable qualities such as modern tactical thinking, good physical strength and good discipline.

That's why coach Kim Sang Sik certainly won't ignore these talents in upcoming tournaments, such as the U23 Asian qualifiers or the SEA Games taking place at the end of this year.

However, from potential to success is a long way. The lesson from Viktor Le at the recent U23 Southeast Asian tournament is the clearest proof: High expectations but lackluster performance, not leaving a significant mark.

Or even like Van Lam and Nguyen Filip when they first returned to Vietnam, it showed that despite having good individual skills, adapting to the collective playing style and integration is still a big challenge for overseas Vietnamese players.

Not only is it a matter of integration, even external factors such as the weather are causing overseas Vietnamese players to face a series of challenges. Chung Nguyen Do, for example, despite possessing many technical qualities and good tactical vision, has not yet been able to adapt to wearing the Ninh Binh shirt.

The above examples show that getting into the U23 Vietnam team is not only based on the "label" of overseas Vietnamese players or coming from a foreign training environment. To get a place in the competition, everyone must prove that they are more outstanding than their domestic colleagues from playing time to professional ability.

The door is always open, but to get through, Viktor Le, Chung Nguyen Do, Brando Ly or Vadim Nguyen need patience, the ability to integrate and prove their worth and the expectations of their fans, in addition to their expertise.

Owners take action, MU changes

Manchester United just ended their summer friendly series with a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina on August 9, but the focus was not on the score.

In the stands, four new signings worth £200m were unveiled to a crowd of 65,000, confirming that Manchester United are entering a new era under Sir Jim Ratcliffe. But behind the spotlight, there is an undercurrent - and it will be at its height when Arsenal visit on Sunday.

The 1958 protests will return, this time with the focus not just on the Glazers but on Ratcliffe himself, the minority shareholder but controlling shareholder of Ineos. The “Jim Can’t Fix This” banner may have been removed for aesthetic reasons, but the spirit of the protest remains. The skepticism stems from the belief that, until the Glazers leave, any change will be patchwork.

Yet there is no denying that in the past 18 months Ratcliffe has done what the Glazers have ignored for 20 years. This summer alone, Man United spent £243m - with Benjamin Sesko (£73.7m) the biggest signing, alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to create a completely new attack.

And it didn't stop at transfers, Ineos also delivered the new £50m Carrington training centre, on time and on budget - something the American owners promised but never did, leaving the facility lagging behind Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham.

For Ratcliffe, it is perhaps less about appearances than about actions. He may have missed the Arsenal game, but his actions in the summer – the spending spree, the infrastructure upgrades – have been a clear response to the doubts about his commitment.

On the pitch, Ruben Amorim is still trying to piece together the new pieces. Against Fiorentina, he played Mason Mount as a “false 9” between Mbeumo and Cunha, leaving Rasmus Hojlund aside.

“We had a problem without a real centre-forward,” Amorim admitted. “Now we have Sesko, we will see.” That statement suggested the Slovenian striker could immediately start against Arsenal - a team that once considered him an ideal number nine.

When Arsenal travel to Old Trafford on Sunday, the pressure will be on: to prove that their huge investment is more than just a performance off the pitch. Given what Ratcliffe has done, he deserves credit for his quick and strong start. But to turn goodwill into lasting trust, Amorim’s Manchester United must respond on the pitch – with a win.

Barca changed their life thanks to Saudi Arabian billionaire?

Saudi Arabian businessmen are planning a major investment in FC Barcelona, ​​with discussions on possible cooperation underway between the two parties.

If the negotiations are successful, the investment from Saudi Arabia could help Barcelona overcome its financial difficulties.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Saudi Arabian companies, including construction group NEOM, want to invest tens of billions of Euros in Barcelona, ​​to help the club solve its long-standing financial difficulties.

President Joan Laporta visited Saudi Arabia earlier this year, meeting with Yasser Al-Misehal, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation in Riyadh, opening up the possibility of cooperation between the two sides. Saudi Arabian sources added that the investment group from the Middle East is studying options such as shirt sponsorship, basketball team sponsorship, or even opening a football academy abroad to legalize the flow of money.

The reason for this "circumvention" comes from the fact that foreigners cannot become shareholders of Barcelona, ​​as the club is owned by its members (socios). However, Barca's Board of Directors is considering other forms of investment, such as sponsorship or commercial projects.

In June, Barcelona also signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Samba Financial Group, Saudi Arabia's largest financial group, marking a step forward in economic relations with the country.

Barcelona have struggled financially for years, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to the sale of club assets and the departure of Lionel Messi in 2021. Despite winning the 2024/25 La Liga title, the club still faces La Liga's strict wage cap. Investment from Saudi Arabia could help Barcelona improve its financial situation and return to the top.