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NAOMI OSAKA FACES EVICTION FROM FRENCH OPEN OVER MEDIA BOYCOTT

Naomi Osaka has been warned she faces being thrown out of the French Open should she continue her media boycott.

The four-time grand slam champion announced on social media ahead of the tournament that she would not be doing any press at Roland Garros, citing mental health reasons.

It has not gone down well with the tournament and drew an unusually punchy joint statement from the four grand slams, who threatened Osaka with severe sanctions should she not reconsider her stance.

The statement said: “We have advised Naomi Osaka that, should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further code of conduct infringement consequences.

“As might be expected, repeat violations attract tougher sanctions including default from the tournament and the trigger of a major offence investigation that could lead to more substantial fines and future grand slam suspensions.”

Osaka has been fined $15,000 (approximately €12,300) for refusing to fulfil her media commitments after a 6-4 7-6 (4) first-round victory over Patricia Maria Tig.

The statement continued: “The Roland Garros teams asked her to reconsider her position and tried unsuccessfully to speak with her to check on her well-being, understand the specifics of her issue and what might be done to address it on site.

“The mental health of players competing in our tournaments and on the tours is of the utmost importance to the grand slams. We, individually and collectively, have significant resources dedicated to player well-being.

“In order to continue to improve, however, we need engagement from the players to understand their perspective and find ways to improve their experiences.

“A core element of the grand slam regulations is the responsibility of the players to engage with the media, whatever the result of their match, a responsibility which players take for the benefit of the sport, the fans and for themselves.
“As a sport, there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honour their commitments.
“Finally, all grand slams remain committed to continually reviewing and discussing opportunities, together with the tours and the players, to improve every aspect of the player experience, including with the media.

“But we consider this is only ever achieved through respectful and constructive discussions.”

Despite her media snub, Osaka did take part in a short and rather awkward on-court interview for the few hundred fans allowed into Court Philippe Chatrier following her victory over Romanian Tig.

“I’m very glad that I won,” said the 23-year-old, who skipped the tournament last year after winning her third slam title at the US Open.

“It’s a very beautiful court. I’ve only played two matches here, one was before the roof and one is right now. Hopefully I’ll keep it going.”

Regarding her movement on clay, Osaka, who next meets another Romanian in Ana Bogdan, said: “I would say it’s a work in progress. Hopefully the more I play, the better I’ll get.”

Petra Kvitova, a semi-finalist last year, saved a match point in the second set against Greet Minnen before coming through 6-7 (3) 7-6 (5) 6-1.

Angelique Kerber has won titles at the other three slams but her chances of completing the set appear remote after a third successive first-round loss.

The German, twice a quarter-finalist in Paris, was beaten 6-2 6-4 by a very in-form player in qualifier Anhelina Kalinina, who has now won her last 14 matches.

American Danielle Collins, who is back on tour after undergoing surgery for endometriosis, battled to a 6-2 4-6 6-4 victory over China’s Wang Xiyu.

Russian Elena Vesnina, meanwhile, defeated Olga Govortsova 6-1 6-0 in her first singles match at a grand slam since taking maternity leave in 2018.

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KAI HAVERTZ FIRST HALF GOAL HANDS CHELSEA SECOND UCL TROPHY AS CITY LOSE OUT

Chelsea turned a season of turmoil into the ultimate triumph as Kai Havertz’s ice-cool finish sunk Manchester City 1-0 to swipe Champions League glory in Porto.

Mason Mount’s inch-perfect assist stunned domestic double-winners City at the Estadio do Dragao, as Chelsea claimed their second Champions League title to etch boss Thomas Tuchel’s name into the Stamford Bridge annals.

Kevin De Bruyne suffered a facial injury on a wretched night for the stellar Belgium star, who will be an immediate injury doubt for the European Championships.

Pep Guardiola fielded a surprise pivotless midfield in a bid to catch out Tuchel and the Blues, but the move backfired and City paid the toughest price.

When Chelsea paid Bayer Leverkusen £70 million for Havertz last summer eyebrows were raised in some quarters, but Chelsea were convinced of the 21-year-old’s pure talent.

And now the classy forward has ended a testing campaign that included a battle with Covid-19 with a goal of the utmost quality – on the highest stage and at the perfect time.

In just 124 days Tuchel has transformed Frank Lampard’s muddled men into mean tactical machines – and champions of Europe.

Guardiola has spent five years honing City for European dominance, but that frustrating wait goes on.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss last won the Champions League in 2011, the year before Chelsea’s first European triumph.

Guardiola will keep grinding, but Tuchel has quickly built up something of an Indian sign over City’s Catalan coach.

Chelsea’s third win over City in six weeks clearly ranks most highly, but also cements Tuchel’s arrival as a genuine tactical master.

The 47-year-old arrived from Paris St Germain in January with a fiery reputation, but has reinvented himself as a taskmaster with a joyful spirit and a tendency to tease the best from his players.

Tuchel insisted he did not fear the brevity of his 18-month contract on his arrival at Chelsea, admitting even a five-year deal would not save his skin should he underperform.
Such candid talk – always delivered with a reassuring smile – has proved a breath of fresh air for Chelsea’s entire set-up, from boardroom to boot room.

Just as in Munich nine years ago, so now Chelsea had to battle for Champions League glory the hard way.

For that breakthrough triumph in 2012, Andre Villas-Boas had to fall on his sword before Roberto Di Matteo could oversee a stunning penalties victory over Bayern Munich.

Jump forward all but a decade, and again the Blues are champions of Europe – in another season where two men have taken the Stamford Bridge helm.

Former boss Lampard will sit back somewhere with a wry smile at tonight’s events, doubtless delighted for his club – but also surely with regrets not to be in the dugout.

The 41-year-old was a central character in that seminal 2012 victory, and had started this season as a Chelsea boss desperate to build a lasting managerial legacy.

Lampard failed to blend the £220 million-worth of summer transfer talent though, and paid with his job in January.

And so in came Tuchel, the demanding and discerning former Paris St Germain boss, on a clear brief to generate immediate results.

The spectacular transformation has owed as much to sharp tactical acumen as shrewd people management.

Any fears of a tight affair were immediately dispelled at the top of the night.

Timo Werner missed his first of two sitters when Havertz cut back to him in the area, while Ben Chilwell had to conjure a full-stretch clearance at the other end.

Werner’s second miss was almost a bigger let-off for City than the first, as the Germany striker overran Havertz’s inside ball, muddled up his feet and scuffed a low-power effort for an easy Ederson save.

Toni Rudiger pulled off a stunning block on Phil Foden, and Riyad Mahrez missed Kyle Walker’s cutback entirely.

Just when the half looked to peter out goalless though, Mount spun on the ball on the left wing and delivered the killer long-range through-ball for Havertz.

Werner raced out to the left to create the space, Havertz ghosted through and nicked the ball around the fast-advancing Ederson – before tapping into the empty net.

Chelsea had lost influential centre-back Thiago Silva to a groin injury just past the half-hour, but Andreas Christensen settled quickly. And the Blues were good value for their 1-0 half-time lead.

Guardiola resisted the temptation to make any half-time changes, and while City pushed higher upfield N’Golo Kante produced a stunning cover tackle on an increasingly frustrated De Bruyne.

The Belgium star’s night went from bad to much, much worse moments later, when colliding with Rudiger. After lengthy treatment the ex-Chelsea playmaker trudged off in tears, with a possible broken cheekbone.

Guardiola eventually gave up the ghost on his pivot-free midfield just past the hour, with Fernandinho replacing Bernardo Silva.

Christian Pulisic had a golden chance to cement Chelsea’s advantage when played in by Havertz, only to scythe his dinked effort well wide.

Guardiola’s men refused to give up though, cajoling again and again, and moving the ball in their neat patterns.

An age-long seven minutes of added time left Chelsea players and fans biting nails alike, and Mahrez so nearly equalised with a snap shot at the very, very last.

But the ball sailed just wide, and Chelsea were champions of Europe again.

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DE BRUYNE LEAVES HOSPITAL WITH FRACTURED NOSE AND EYE SOCKET

Kevin De Bruyne is out of hospital after suffering a fractured nose and eye socket during Manchester City’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.

The 29-year-old playmaker had to be replaced by Gabriel Jesus in the 60th minute on Saturday evening following a collision with Antonio Rudiger.

The Chelsea defender was booked for the challenge on De Bruyne, who left the field in tears at the Estadio do Dragao.

City boss Pep Guardiola was unsure about the severity of the injury after the match, with De Bruyne providing an update on the issue on Sunday morning.

“Hi guys just got back from the hospital,” the Belgium international posted on Twitter.

“My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back.”

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UCL LOSS DOESN’T SOUR OUR SPECTACULAR SEASON – PEP

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said their season remained an exceptional one despite the campaign ending in disappointment with a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in Saturday’s Champions League final.

City clinched a fifth Premier League title in the last 10 years with ease this season, Guardiola’s third domestic crown since arriving at the club, but the Champions League continues to remain elusive after Kai Havertz’s winning goal for Chelsea.

It was City’s first appearance in the final of Europe’s elite club competition but they ultimately came up short, but Guardiola was still happy with his side’s work this term.

“I would like to say it was an exceptional season for us,” said the Spaniard. “It was a dream for us to be here, unfortunately we could not win.

“For most of us in this club it is the first time here, but we work to come back one day.

“It was a tough season in the pandemic, but we learn from this for the future. I have incredible respect for the players, they gave everything, but we will come back stronger. I want to congratulate them for their exceptional season.”

Guardiola has won two Champions League titles as a manager, both with Barcelona, but none since 2011, and was again unable to bring City their first European Cup.

City, who won the League Cup as well as the Premier League title, have been relentless at times this season, but on their big night they could only muster one shot on target all match.

“It was a tight game and we had some chances, but against the defensive structure of Chelsea it is not easy,” Guardiola said.

“We struggled with long balls and second balls. In that moment you need the inspiration and quality, there were three or four moments that were close but didn’t arrive.

“We played in the Champions League final, we won the Premier League again and competed well all season. Now, I want to go home with my family I have not seen for a long time, take a break, and start working on how to approach next season.”

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BRENTFORD BEAT SWANSEA 2-0 TO REACH PREMIER LEAGUE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Brentford made it 10th time lucky as they beat 10-man Swansea 2-0 in the Championship play-off final to reach the Premier League for the first time.

Goals from Ivan Toney and Emiliano Marcondes saw the Bees finally break their play-off hoodoo after all nine of their previous attempts had ended in failure.

It was swift redemption for Thomas Frank’s side, back at Wembley Stadium just nine months after losing to Fulham in last season’s delayed final.

There was to be no repeat of that heartbreak for the Bees, who in securing promotion will become the 50th different club to play in the Premier League.

They also ended the so-called curse of the red and white stripes, which has seen teams in Brentford’s colours feature in 33 play-off campaigns without achieving promotion. Lincoln, playing Blackpool in Sunday’s League One final, will surely have taken note.

It was somehow fitting that Brentford put paid to those statistical anomalies, given how their success is underpinned by a data-driven recruitment policy, and now the west London number-crunchers can factor an extra £160million or so into the kitty.

It was also fitting that Toney, who has flourished after being brought in at the start of the season to fill the void left by the sale of star players Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, was the man to open the scoring.

Just 10 minutes had elapsed when Bryan Mbeumo darted between two defenders to reach a through ball from Sergi Canos and was wiped out by Swans goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Toney had not missed a penalty all season and he was not about to start now, the prolific striker slotting his 33rd goal of the season into the bottom corner.

It was the start Swansea, so tight at the back but not exactly prolific in attack, would have dreaded – and things quickly got worse.

When Andre Ayew was dispossessed in the Brentford penalty area in the 20th minute Mbeumo was able to race upfield unchallenged.

Assistance arrived in the overlapping Mads Roerslev, who lifted the ball across goal for Marcondes to slam home first time.

Swansea were reeling and their noisy band of 5,000 supporters, among a restricted crowd of 11,689, were almost silenced when Toney chested the ball down before seeing his volley hit the underside of the crossbar.

Ayew looped a header onto the bar before half-time and then glanced another inches wide at the start of the second half as Swansea looked for a way back.

But their chances all-but ended in the 65th minute when Jay Fulton was shown a straight red card for an ugly-looking, but clumsy, lunge on Mathias Jensen.

It was a sad end to a fine campaign for Swansea and their manager Steve Cooper as they succumbed to Brentford in the play-offs for the second successive season, having lost last year’s semi-final.

But for Frank – the first Danish manager to win a promotion in England – and his forward-thinking club, the top flight beckons for the first time since 1947 and their new Community Stadium, empty for the majority of its maiden season, will be abuzz with Premier League football in August.

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UCL GLORY: “I WORKED 15 YEARS FOR THIS” – KAI HAVERTZ

German forward Kai Havertz said he had “worked 15 years” for the moment when he scored the goal that won the Champions League for Chelsea against Manchester City on Saturday.

Havertz’s 42nd minute strike — his first goal for the club in the Champions League — gave Chelsea their second European crown nine years after they beat Bayern Munich to win their first.

“I don’t know what to say, I waited a long time. I’ve worked 15 years for this moment, I am overwhelmed,” 21-year-old Havertz told BT Sport.

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta hailed the young forward.

“Havertz’s mentality is top, this guy will be a superstar, he ran like crazy, this is why he deserves this.

“I came here in 2012 after that Champions League win. I wanted to repeat that Champions League success. It is amazing. My family are here. It is a special, special day.”

French midfielder N’Golo Kante, who was voted the man of the match for his tireless performance for Chelsea, said he felt “joy and pride”.

“It’s amazing, it’s the result of a lot of efforts and difficulties during the season but in the end it is the work of a whole group,” Kante told French broadcaster RMC Sport.

“Today we suffered, we battled until the end and we were rewarded with the victory.”

He credited the arrival of Thomas Tuchel to replace the sacked Frank Lampard in January for the European triumph, which came after Chelsea scraped to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League and lost the FA Cup final to Leicester.

“It was the arrival of a new coach, a change of tactics and lots of effort,” he said.

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GARY LINEKER TO STEP DOWN AS BT SPORTS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PRESENTER

Gary Lineker is to leave his position as host of BT Sport’s Champions League coverage – to follow former club Leicester in Europe as a fan next season.

The ex-England captain and BBC’s Match of the Day frontman has presented the channel’s coverage for six years but is quitting despite being offered a new deal to stay on.

His final match will be Saturday’s all-English Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City.

“I would like to thank BT Sport for the generous renewal offer but, after much thought, I have decided to call it a day,” Lineker wrote on Twitter.

“I feel it’s time to do things that I’ve always promised myself I’d do: such as follow Leicester across Europe with my sons (how many opportunities will we have?).”

Leicester are due to play in the Europa League again next season after finishing fifth in the Premier League for the second successive year.

The Foxes reached the last 32 of the 2020/21 competition before being knocked out by Slavia Prague.

A tweet from BT Sport said: “Thanks so much for everything, Gary! A legend of the game, and a legend of broadcasting. We’ll miss you, enjoy your away days!”

Lineker, who turned 60 in November, is among the BBC’s highest-paid presenters.

It was announced in September 2020 that he had signed a new five-year contract with the broadcaster, with a 23 per cent pay cut – from £1.75 million (€2 million) to around £1.35 million.

He has four sons with his first wife Michelle Cockayne.

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BREAKING: JUVENTUS SACK ANDREA PIRLO AHEAD ALLEGRI APPOINTMENT

Juventus have sacked their head coach Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo, 42, replaced Maurizio Sarri last summer but could only steer Juventus to fourth place in Serie A, as their nine-year hold on the Italian title finally came to an end.

The Athletic reported on Thursday that Massimiliano Allegri has agreed to rejoin Juventus to replace Pirlo.

In a statement Juventus said: “A few months ago, Andrea Pirlo, an icon of world football, began his new adventure, his first as a coach.

“To do this, first of all, it takes courage, as well as awareness of one’s own means, especially in a period marked by thousands of difficulties, with the world forced by the pandemic to reinvent its own rules day after day.

“Pirlo has just begun the first steps of what will no doubt become a brilliant career as a coach. An adventure of transformation, seeking, and often managing, to bring his ideas and his experience as a champion on the pitch from the “other side” of the fence.

“And since in football, what counts are the victories, let’s remember them: in the space of a few short months Pirlo’s Juve has raised two trophies: The Italian Supercup and the Coppa Italia. And he, as coach, brought home brilliant victories on the most prestigious of fields, from San Siro to Camp Nou.”

Pirlo’s time at Juventus has not been an unmitigated disaster. Juventus won the Italian Super Cup earlier in the campaign and this month picked up the Coppa Italia with a 2-1 victory over Atalanta.

But Juventus struggled in Serie A, surrendering their league title to Inter Milan and only managing to finish fourth, securing Champions League football on the final day of the season.

Juventus were also underwhelming in European competition. They managed to beat Barcelona 3-0 in Spain to top Champions League Group G, only to lose on away goals to Porto in the Round of 16.

Various media reports already confirmed that Allegri has agreed to return to Juventus to replace Pirlo.

Allegri, 56, has been out of work since leaving Juventus in 2019. During his time at the club he won five consecutive Serie A titles, as well as leading the team to two Champions League finals.

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SWISS BANK JULIUS BAER TO PAY NEARLY $80 MILLION IN FIFA CASE

The Swiss bank Julius Baer agreed to pay nearly US$80-million in fines and penalties for its role in illegal payments involving FIFA and the South American governing body CONMEBOL.

The bank will pay a US$43.32-million fine plus US$36,368,400 in restitution – matching the total of the illegal payments – for a total of US$79,688,400, according to a plea agreement read into the record Thursday by U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen. The money is due within 10 days of the formal filing of the agreement later Thursday, Chen said.

Christoph Hiestand, Julius Baer’s Zurich-based group general counsel, appeared during a telephone hearing held at federal court in Brooklyn and said the bank’s board of directors and managing directors approved a resolution to have Julius Baer co-operate with U.S. prosecutors. The bank entered into a 42-month deferred prosecution agreement.

The bank said in November it was setting aside US$79.7-million for an expected payment in the case. Julius Baer has co-operated with the prosecution since charges in the soccer case were first unsealed in 2015.

Jorge Arzuaga, a former Julius Baer banker, pleaded guilty before Chen on June 15, 2017, to one count of money laundering conspiracy and forfeited US$1,046,000 to the U.S. and Swiss governments.

Julius Baer also was penalized in February, 2020, by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) for failing a duty to combat money laundering, including in its ties to FIFA officials.

Julius Baer, founded in 1890, admitted it transported, transmitted and transferred funds from February, 2013, to May, 2015, that it knew represented proceeds of unlawful activity and the transactions were designed in whole or in part to conceal ownership.

Julius Baer waived the right to object to the jurisdiction of the case in Brooklyn federal court and also waived the right to attempt to suppress any evidence. The bank also agreed to enhance its corporate compliance program.

The fine would be have been US$45.6-million but was reduced 5 per cent as part of the plea agreement.

More than 40 soccer and marketing officials and agencies have been convicted, entered guilty pleas, or been indicted. Some await sentencing or have yet to be extradited to the United States.

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AC MILAN SNAP UP FRANCE INTERNATIONAL TO REPLACE DEPARTING DONNARUMMA

GOALKEEPER Mike Maignan has signed a five-year contract with AC Milan, the Serie A club have announced.

The 25-year-old, who is the third-choice goalkeeper for the French national team, will have the tough task of succeeding Italian first-choice Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose departure was made official yesterday.

Maignan helped Lille win the French league title on Sunday while AC Milan finished second in Serie A, 12 points behind their neighbours Inter. He will officially join AC Milan when the Italian transfer window opens in July.

Italian media reported that Milan will pay Lille €15million. Lille confirmed “the total agreement reached with AC Milan for the transfer of Mike Maignan”.

They called him ‘the Magic Eagle’ and said “he will leave an indelible mark on history with a championship title that no one will forget”.

They pointed out he had kept a clean sheet at the San Siro when Lille won 3-0 away to AC Milan in a Europa League group match in November.

Maignan, who was born in Cayenne in French Guyana, has one France cap and has been selected for the Euros.