Month: June 2020

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football Sports News

AHEAD MERSEYSIDE DERBY: RICHARLISON CLAIMS THERE ARE BETTER DEFENDERS THAN VAN DIJK.

Everton striker Richarlison has kickstarted the war of words between the Toffees and Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby.

The Brazilian striker believes there are three defenders in world football who are currently superior to the Reds’ Virgil van Dijk.

It’s a bold statement, especially given the fact that the Dutchman was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year last season and finished second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or rankings.

However, Richarlison still isn’t convinced and says he believes there are three defenders still active in the game who are better than Van Dijk.

We get the feeling there’s a little bit – sorry, enormous amount – of bias here from Everton’s talisman.

“People talk a lot about him [Van Dijk], yes he is a great defender but I’ve already dribbled past him,” Richarlison said in an interview with an English media outfit.

“He was chosen as one of the top three in the world as he had an excellent season. But yes, for me there are better defenders.”

When asked to name the three defenders he believed to be superior to Van Dijk, Richarlison replied: “Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos.”

Two international teammates and a defender who is seen as public enemy number one in the eyes of Liverpool fans? We see what you’re doing, Richarlison.

The debate between Ramos and Van Dijk has been prominent for some time now and to be fair to the Everton man, siding with the Spaniard is fair game.

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football Slides Sports News

LILLE BOSS CONFIRMS OSHIMEN WILL LEAVE THIS SUMMER

Lille's Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Lille Olympique Sporting Club (LOSC) and Saint-Etienne (ASSE) on August 28, 2019 at the "Pierre Mauroy" Stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq, near Lille, northern France. (Photo by PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP) (Photo credit should read PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Lille boss Christophe Galtier has revealed that Victor Osimhen will be sold during the next transfer window.

Having scored 18 goals during his first campaign at Stade Pierre Mauroy, the 21-year-old has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

While he did not name clubs who held an interest in the Nigerian, Galtier acknowledged that the striker, as well as Gabriel Magalhaes, would move on in the coming months.

Speaking at a press conference, Galtier said: “Regarding Victor and Gabriel, yes, I’ve known for a long time that they’re leaving.

“They’re working hard with us in the meantime. We’re working on the players who are currently here and those likely to replace them. Of course, the club is working to replace [Osimhen].’

Napoli, who have also been credited as admirers of Osimhen, are said to have agreed a deal for Gabriel.

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football Slides Sports News

ARSENAL BOSS MIKEL ARTETA SAYS MESUT OZIL WILL PLAY WHEN HE’S READY TO GIVE HIS BEST.

Mikel Arteta says he will restore Mesut Ozil to the Arsenal team when he thinks the playmaker “can give his best”.

The Gunners boss left Ozil out of his squad for Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City due to “tactical” reasons, casting further speculation over the German’s future at the Emirates.

“I’ve been very open with Mesut from day one,” said Arteta.

“I thought he was fit and willing and wanted to perform at the level he can do. I think he has played every game with me.

“The moment I see he is ready to do that again I will treat him like everyone else. I have been more than fair with him and he has responded in many games, the way I want. That’s it.

A lot has happened to him in the last few weeks and I have to respect the timing of every player. Sometimes they need a little bit of time.

“It has been difficult preparation in the last two months to get players ready.

“Again, I am the first one who wants Mesut at his best. I will put him on the pitch when I think he can give his best.”

When asked how Ozil reacted to being omitted, Arteta replied: “He was very well with me. There were no issues at all.

“My conversation with Mesut is going to remain with him and me. It was a clear and honest conversation.”

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football Sports News

EX UNITED STRIKER BELIEVES LUIZ MAY HAVE PLAYED HIS LAST GAME OWING TO HIS SHOWING AGAINST CITY.

Dimitar Berbatov believes David Luiz may have sealed his fate at Arsenal after a woeful display against Manchester City.

Luiz replaced the injured Pablo Mari, but lasted just 25 minutes on the pitch before being sent off. The centre-back was guilty of a slew of costly mistakes in his short cameo and Manchester United legend Berbatov gave his reaction to the defensive horror show. ‘In the other match – Man City v Arsenal – it was a bad day for David Luiz,’ Berbatov told pressmen.

‘You can easily judge and criticise, and he probably deserves it in a way. You could argue and say he came off the bench and wasn’t ready, but that first mistake for the goal comes from underestimating the danger and he was too confident in thinking it would be easy to control.

When you make a mistake it plays on your mind and that can lead to other problems, which is exactly what happened to Luiz in giving away a penalty later in the game and getting a red card. ‘It’s sad to see because he has been a good defender but obviously something isn’t going right for him at the moment.

‘Everybody has a bad game and makes mistakes, but maybe in his case it is now one too many.’ City cruised to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal and the Gunners must now decide whether to extend Luiz’s contract or not.

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football Sports News

ATLETICO DEFEAT OSASUNA

Portugal forward Joao Felix scored two goals as Atletico Madrid moved into a Champions League spot with a crushing win at Osasuna.

The 20-year-old Portugal forward, a £113m signing from Benfica last July, struck either side of half-time before three goals in the last 11 minutes.

Marcos Llorente made it 3-0, and Alvaro Morata and Yannick Carrasco added to Osasuna’s pain with late goals.

Atletico, who had started the day sixth in the table, climb to fourth.

They are two points behind third-placed Sevilla after their biggest win of the season, while their remaining nine games include a trip to leaders Barcelona on 1 July.

Diego Simeone’s side have taken four points from two games since La Liga resumed behind closed doors last week after being suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Sports News Tennis

US OPEN RESTART CONFIRMED

The US Tennis Association played its trump card at the very first opportunity.

At a news conference to confirm the US Open will go ahead in New York this summer, Serena Williams popped up on the screen to say she cannot wait to take part.

The six time champion, who has had the Flushing Meadows surface shipped to her home for practice, will be trying once again to tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

The USTA is hoping her confidence will rub off on others.

There has already been strong public opposition to staging the US Open from Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios, and reticence from Rafael Nadal, Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep.

Their caution is understandable. If you were to take a holistic approach to the return of professional tennis, you would not start in the United States. Europe is currently a much better bet, as tournament directors in Paris and Madrid draw up plans that even include spectators.

They may remain uncomfortable with the number of Covid-19 cases the United States is reporting; they may not wish to spend weeks away from their family; or perhaps they would prefer to direct all their energies towards the French Open, which will start just 13 days after the curtain falls in New York.

But their sentiments should not divert attention from the fact that many other top 100 players are enthusiastic and relieved that the show is back on the road.

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MAN CITY DESTROY ARSENAL

Arsenal’s David Luiz was sent off in a performance riddled with mistakes as Manchester City secured a comfortable victory behind closed doors on the first night of the Premier League’s return.

Luiz, who came on as a first-half substitute, failed to clear the ball just before half-time and Raheem Sterling fired in City’s opener.

The defender was then sent off after pulling back Riyad Mahrez in the second half to give away a penalty, which Kevin de Bruyne coolly slotted in for City’s second.

Substitute Phil Foden netted a third for the defending champions, capitalising on a rebound from Sergio Aguero’s strike.

There was concern for City late on as Eric Garcia needed several minutes of treatment on the pitch after a nasty collision with goalkeeper Ederson, and was carried off on a stretcher.

Arsenal were second best throughout as manager Mikel Arteta left Alexandre Lacazette on the bench and Mesut Ozil was kept out of the extended 20-man squad.

There were bursts of energy from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Eddie Nketiah going forward in the first half but it was City who were more dangerous. Man City 3-0 Arsenal: It’s not the same – Pep Guardiola misses fans in Arsenal win

De Bruyne, Sterling and David Silva were all denied by Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno, who produced an impressive display, but it seemed inevitable City would move ahead when Luiz’s mistake gifted Sterling a chance from close range.

Victory for Pep Guardiola’s side means league leaders Liverpool remain six points away from winning the title – writing off any potential celebrations in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.

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NAPOLI BEAT JUVENTUS ON PENALTIES TO WIN 2020 COPPA ITALIA.

Arkadiusz Milik converted the decisive spot kick in a penalty shootout as Napoli won its sixth Italian Cup following a 0-0 draw with Juventus on Wednesday.

Ronaldo was likely Juventus’ last penalty taker but after Paulo Dybala had his shot saved and Danilo blasted high over the goal, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could only stand at midfield and watch as Napoli won the shootout 4-2.

The game went straight to penalties without extra time being played a precautionary measure for players still getting back into shape in only their second match of the restart.

In the first half, Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne hit the post with a free kick.

Juventus controlled most of the possession but Napoli had the better chances as Juve’s 42-year-old goalkeeper Gianlugi Buffon made a series of difficult saves until the shootout.

While it was played in an empty stadium, the final was another sign of the return to normalcy in a country hard-hit by the coronavirus.

The nearly 35,000 who died from COVID-19 in Italy could have filled half of the 70,000-seat Stadio Olimpico.

The game was broadcast nationally on free-to-air RAI state TV and was expected to draw a large audience.

“I strongly wanted soccer to restart with the Italian Cup,” said sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora. “Tonight isn’t merely a final. It’s a message of renewal for the entire country.”

The arena grew even quieter when the teams stood at the center circle for a minute of silence before kickoff to honor the virus victims.

“The country needs to bounce back and sports will be a motor for economic and social renewal,” Spadafora added.

After a break of more than three months, soccer restarted in Italy last week with the second legs of the semifinals.

The final was originally scheduled for May 13.

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football Sports News

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESTART DATE ANNOUCED


This season’s Champions League and Europa League competitions will be completed in August with ‘final eight’ tournaments in Lisbon, Portugal and in cities across Germany.

The Women’s Champions League will also be a knockout tournament, in northern Spain between 21 to 30 August.

Competitions were suspended in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Uefa also confirmed that all 12 original host cities will stage matches in the delayed Euro 2020 finals.

That competition will now start on 11 June 2021. The outstanding play-off matches will be staged during the international windows starting on 8 October and 12 November, respectively.

Champions League schedule
7 AugustLast 16 second legs
8 AugustLast 16 second legs
12 AugustQuarter-final
13 AugustQuarter-final
14 AugustQuarter-final
15 August Quarter-final
18 August Semi-final
19 August Semi-final
23 August Final

The Champions League will resume with the second-leg of the remaining last 16 games played on 7 and 8 August – Manchester City have yet to play their home leg against Real Madrid, Chelsea are away at Bayern Munich, Juventus are home to Lyon and Napoli are at Barcelona. Uefa said it has yet to decide whether to host the matches at the home grounds or at a neutral venue.

The subsequent knockout rounds will be single-leg affairs and will be hosted in Lisbon between 12 to 23 August. The final has been scheduled for 23 August in the Portuguese capital.

Istanbul, originally appointed to stage the 2020 final, will now host the 2021 final.

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Slides Sports News Tennis

US Open to be held without fans, confirms New York Governor

The US Open is scheduled to run from August 31 to September 13. It normally is each season’s fourth and final Grand Slam tournament but would be the second of 2020.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that the U.S. Open will held in late August as part of the state’s reopening from shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Tennis Association had decided to go forward with its marquee event in New York City without spectators, pending an OK from the state.

Like many sports leagues, the professional tennis tours have been suspended since March because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The U.S. Open normally is each season’s fourth and final Grand Slam tournament but would be the second of 2020, following the Australian Open, which concluded in early February.

“We’re excited about the U.S. Open, which is going to be held in Queens, August 31 through September 13. It will be held without fans, but you can watch it on TV… and I’ll take that,” Cuomo said at his daily briefing in Albany.

The French Open was postponed from May and currently is scheduled to start a week after the U.S. Open ends. Wimbledon was canceled altogether for the first time since World War II in 1945.

Even with the go-ahead from the state, one significant question remains for the U.S. Open: Which players actually will participate? Such top names as both No. 1-ranked players, Novak Djokovic and Ash Barty, and defending men’s champion Rafael Nadal, have expressed reservations about heading to Flushing Meadows, where an indoor tennis facility was used as a temporary home for hundreds of hospital beds at the height of the city’s coronavirus crisis.

Already ruled out, regardless: Roger Federer, who has won five of his men’s record 20 Grand Slam singles titles at the U.S. Open but announced recently that he is out for the rest of the year after needing a second arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

With international TV contracts — including an annual average of $70 million from ESPN alone — helping offset the loss of money from ticket sales and other onsite revenue, and facing a recession that already led to the recent elimination of more than 100 jobs at the USTA, the association’s board decided to go forward with its marquee event despite concerns about COVID-19 and international travel.