Month: June 2021

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ROBERTO MANCINI WARNS ITALY NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE TURKEY

Roberto Mancini has warned his buoyant Italy side to be on their guard as they prepare to kick off their Euro 2020 campaign against Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Mancini’s men go into the tournament as one of the favourites for the title after launching themselves on a 27-match unbeaten run, including winning all 10 of their qualifying games.

But Mancini, who spent a year coaching Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig, is all too aware of the threat posed by his opponents, and the possibility of freezing on the big occasion.

Mancini told a press conference: “The first match is always the most difficult. We must shake off the tension and not think about other things, just focus on what needs to get done.

“There will be a little more pressure with it being the opening match of the tournament, and Turkey are packed with talent, but it remains just another match and we have to focus on that.”

Mancini, who is already missing Marco Verratti, suffered another blow in the build-up to the game when Lorenzo Pellegrini was forced out with a muscle injury, and will be replaced by Gaetano Castrovilli.

Mancini, who took over in 2018 when the Italian team was still reeling from failing to qualify for the World Cup, added: “I was positive three years ago and I am even more so now.

“We have excellent players and have forged an excellent team spirit. We’ve had fun and we want to carry on having fun, and I am very confident that we will make it to London.”

Turkey also cruised through Euro 2020 qualification and coach Senol Gunes believes his squad, which features a number of Serie A-based players including Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu and Merih Demiral of Juventus, are capable of an upset.

Gunes said: “It is good having players who are in Serie A clubs, as they know how things work in Italy and the approach these teams take.

“We must not lose concentration, otherwise there could be real problems. The first and last games of the group are fundamental and they can change the balance of the whole situation.

“It will be hard-fought in technical, tactical and physical terms. I want to see the quality of my players on show. This is a game between two strong teams and I believe Turkey can win.”

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HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER BACKS FANS WHO BOOED IRELAND PLAYERS TAKING THE KNEE

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban on Thursday said kneeling to protest against discrimination before sporting events was a custom related to slavery and alien to the central European country, adding that pressuring athletes everywhere to follow suit was “provocation.”

Hungary, one of 14 host nations to the upcoming Euro 2020 soccer championship, has been ruled for 11 years by hardline nationalist Orban, who has ruffled feathers with his tough anti-immigrant, nativist rhetoric in recent years.

Orban, who faces his toughest election challenge after three successive landslides against a united opposition next year, said Hungarian athletes were expected to “fight standing up”.

Hungarian fans booed the visiting Irish team for taking a knee before their recent game in Budapest, which Ireland coach Stephen Kenny said was “incomprehensible”.

Orban defended the fans, however.

“If you’re a guest in a country then understand its culture and do not provoke it,” Orban told a press conference. “Do not provoke the host… We can only see this gesture system from our cultural vantage point as unintelligible, as provocation.”

“The fans reacted the way those who are provoked usually react to provocation. They do not always choose the most elegant form [of reaction] but we have to understand their reasons… I agree with the fans.”

England manager Gareth Southgate has said his team would not “just stick to football” during Euro 2020 while one of his players said the squad was united in its stance against racial injustice despite jeers from some fans.

Orban said he had no sympathy for “this kneeling business. I don’t think this has any place on the pitch. Sport is about other things.”

He said the gesture spread as fast as it did because of a guilt that former slave-holding nations feel to the slaves’ descendants living amongst them, adding that Hungary never had slavery.

“This is a hard, serious moral burden, but every nation must carry this burden on their own,” Orban said. “They need to sort this out themselves.”

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UEFA ORDERS UKRAINE TO REMOVE “GLORY TO HEROES” PHRASE FROM KIT

UEFA has ordered Ukraine to remove the phrase “Glory to the Heroes!” from the national team kit a day before the start of the Euro 2020 European Championships, due to the slogan’s political connotations, according to the sports news site Tribuna.com.

According to the report, European football’s governing body said the combination of two phrases, “Glory to Ukraine” and “Glory to the Heroes,” was “clearly political in nature, having historic and militaristic significance.”

At the same time, a map of Ukraine, including Russian-occupied Crimea, on the new jersey does not violate the rules, since the UN recognizes the respective borders of the state.

The slogan “Glory to Ukraine” will also remain on the kit, since it can be viewed as non-political.

UEFA initially approved the design but after receiving complaints from the Russian Football Union, it instructed Ukraine to remove the slogan “Glory to the Heroes!” on the inside of their shirts.

The Ukrainian Association of Football is holding consultations with UEFA to obtain permission for the slogan “Glory to the Heroes!” on the national team kit.

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CELTIC CONFIRM AUSTRALIAN ANGE POSTECOGLOU AS MANAGER ON 12-MONTH CONTRACT

Celtic have appointed Ange Postecoglou as the club’s manager on a 12-month rolling contract.

The Greek-born Australian has left his role as Yokohama F. Marinos boss after three years to join the Scottish giants, who parted ways with Neil Lennon in February.

Speaking following his confirmation as the Bhoys new boss, Postecoglou told Celtic’s website: “The opportunity that has been given to me is one of the greatest honours in football and the responsibility to lead our magnificent football club into the future is one that I will cherish dearly.

“Celtic is one of THE names in world football, of that there is no doubt – a giant of a club, a proper footballing institution and so much more – real history, real substance, real authenticity and real soul. I know Celtic is a true way of life for so many people and I know the demands which come with this position – I am ready to do all I can to meet those demands.

“I will be doing everything I can to get our great Club back on top and, at the same time, deliver the kind of football which our fans appreciate. We want to entertain our fans and we want to win, these are the objectives which I always set myself and which I now begin work on.

“When you think of Celtic, you think of supporters and my dream is to see our fans back at Celtic Park with us as soon as possible. We all hope things are changing for the better and can see our fans soon as they are vital to everything I want to do. We need our supporters back by our side and I can’t wait to be with them back in a packed Paradise.

“I have already had great discussions with Peter, Dom and the Board about their ideas and strategy for the future of the club. I know the Club’s new modern vision aligns very much with mine and we now look to go and deliver on this. In everything we do we aim to give our fans a successful team of real quality, which they are excited about and can be proud of.

“We have already begun work on our plans for adding to the squad – we aim to bring players of quality to Celtic to enhance the existing core of great talent.

“I very much look forward to meeting with the players on their return from the close season break and I can’t wait to get started as Celtic Manager.”

Coronavirus rules mean the 55-year-old will isolate once he touches down in Scotland from Japan on Thursday, which sits on the UK Government’s amber travel list.

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PSG BEAT BARCA, BAYERN MUNICH TO SIGN GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM

Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Barcelona and Bayern Munich to the signing of Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool on a free transfer.

Wijnaldum, 30, has agreed a three-year deal with PSG after deciding to run down his contract at Anfield, which expires at the end of June.

“Signing for Paris Saint-Germain is a new challenge for me,” Wijnaldum said. “I’m joining one of the best squads in Europe and I want to bring all my desire and commitment to this ambitious project. Paris Saint-Germain have proved how good they are in recent years and I am convinced that together, with our supporters, we can go even further and higher.”

The Netherlands international had previously reached an agreement to join Barca. His agents met with the Catalan club’s president Joan Laporta at the end of May and a medical had been pencilled in.

Barca’s interest in Wijnaldum dates back to last summer, when Ronald Koeman made him a target after being appointed as the club’s coach.

However, as first reported by ESPN on Friday, PSG made a late play to hijack Barca’s move for Wijnaldum.

Sources close to the negotiations told ESPN that the Ligue 1 side were willing to double the terms agreed with Barca, while a phone call from coach Mauricio Pochettino also helped persuade Wijnaldum to change his mind.

Bayern Munich also held talks with Wijnaldum, who informed the German club and Barca last weekend that he had decided to sign for PSG.

The midfielder becomes PSG’s first signing of the summer as they look to strengthen after missing out on the league title to Lille and a semifinal Champions League exit to Manchester City.

Wijnaldum, who is preparing for the European Championship with Netherlands, played for Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven before making the move to England with Newcastle United in 2016 for around €15 million.

After Newcastle were relegated from the Premier League a year later, he joined Liverpool on a five-year deal for a fee of €25m.

He helped Liverpool win the Champions League in 2019, famously scoring twice in the semifinal win over Barca, and was part of the side which won the Premier League a year later.

During his five-year stay at Anfield, he also won the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

In total, he made 237 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 22 goals.

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“I HAVE WON 25 AND A HALF TROPHIES” – JOSE MOURINHO CLAIMS MISSED CUP FINAL COUNTS

Jose Mourinho has claimed he deserves recognition for steering Tottenham to the Carabao Cup final, insisting he should get half a trophy because he was sacked shortly before the Wembley showpiece against Manchester City.

Mourinho has won 25 league titles and cups during an illustrious managerial career with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United and seemed to have the chance to add Spurs to that list in April.

However, less than a week before the fixture against City, Mourinho was removed from his position as Spurs head coach after just 17 months in charge, with Ryan Mason overseeing a 1-0 defeat against Pep Guardiola’s side.

And in an interview with The Sun, Mourinho, who will take the reins at Serie A side Roma from next season, asserted he is justified in adding to his trophy haul.

He said: “So if you want me to be proactive now you can ask me, ‘how many trophies have you won in your career?’ And I’ll tell you 25 and a half. The half is the final that I didn’t play with Tottenham.

“You ask the guys who played lots of finals and everybody will tell you, ‘to play a final is a dream’ and it doesn’t matter if it is the first final or number 20 or number 50, a final is always a dream.

“A Wembley final is more than a dream, I played the first on the new Wembley and every time I go there, it’s more than a dream and to have a chance to win a trophy with a club that doesn’t have many of course was a double dream.

“I am the kind of guy that when I close the door of a club, I move and I just wish good to people, but in a funny way I would say I have 25 and a half titles because it’s something that marks my career which is not to play a final that I won the right to go there.”

For all Mourinho’s faults at Spurs, he helped striker Harry Kane go to new levels, with the 27-year-old winning the Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker awards.

Kane is understood to have told Tottenham he wants to leave this summer, but Mourinho would not be drawn on whether that should happen.

He did say, however, that for the England captain to leave a legacy, he needs to win trophies.

“I think he has to play where he is happy. And I think he is happy in England. He is a very Premier League guy,” Mourinho added.

“It is about legacy. Legacy is about medals. I believe all the top players have the feeling of ‘I want to win’.

“But who knows? In five weeks Harry could be a European champion.”

The highlight of Mourinho’s spell in north London was the partnership between Kane and Son Heung-min.

The pair combined for 14 goals last season, breaking a Premier League record set by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton in 1994-95.

Mourinho said of working with Kane: “I enjoyed very much, I enjoyed the fact he won the Golden Boot again. To win the Golden Boot, to win the award for most assists, for him and Son to beat the record of most assists to each other.

“I love very much to work with Harry from an individual point of view but I always enjoyed the partnership between these two fantastic players.”

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WOLVES APPOINT BRUNO LAGE AS NEW BOSS

Wolves have confirmed the appointment of former Benfica boss Bruno Lage as their new head coach.

The Molineux club have been on the hunt for a new manager following Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure at the end of last season.

And Lage is the man they have chosen to replace his fellow Portuguese coach, with the 45-year-old set to take charge of Wolves in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

He is back in management just under a year after seeing his contract terminated at Benfica, whom he guided to the Portuguese title after taking on the job halfway through the 2018/19 campaign

Lage has gained an impressive reputation for developing young players, nurturing the likes of Joao Felix, Ruben Dias and Carlos Vinicius before the trio landed moves to Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Tottenham.

After failing to make it as a professional himself, he turned to coaching at the age of 21 and worked his way through the lower leagues of Portuguese football as both a youth coach and an assistant manager.

He then sealed his first move to Benfica as part of their academy in 2004, spending eight years at the club and managing every one of their youth sides.

Lage then received his first taste of English football and senior management when he was given the chance to work as assistant to Carlos Carvalhal at both Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea.

The pair helped Wednesday reach the Championship playoff semi-finals, before suffering relegation from the Premier League with Swansea.

Lage then returned to Benfica as manager of their reserve side in July 2018, before moving up to take the first-team job on a caretaker basis when Rui Vitoria was sacked six months later.

He flourished in that role, winning 18 of his first 19 matches at the helm and avoiding defeat to ensure Benfica captured the Primeira Liga crown.

However, after equalling the club’s worst even run of results the following season losing their crown, Lage left Benfica by mutual consent in July 2020.

He now has the chance to rebuild his reputation at Wolves, where he will begin pre-season training with his new squad next month.

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SPOTIFY CEO, DANIEL EK, READY TO LAUNCH SECOND ARSENAL TAKEOVER BID

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek is readying a second Arsenal takeover bid having seen his initial £1.8bn offer rejected last month.

This time round the Swedish billionaire is planning to increase his over to £2bn in an effort to test the Kroenke’s resolve.

Ek said that the unpopular Gunners owners told him that they “didn’t need the money” when he tried to buy the club last time.

But the billionaire’s camp claim they “are not going anywhere and want to get a deal done”.

Arsenal insiders have admitted they are expecting a second offer, reports the Daily Mail.

Ek has looked to use the public fallout from the proposed European Super League to push forward with his takeover plans.

Arsenal were one of six teams to join the failed proposal which only served to increase the divide between the supporters and the club’s hierarchy.

Ek went public to state that the offer included fan ownership, representation at board level and a golden share for supporters.

Gunners legends Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira are also backing the Swede’s bid.

Stan Kroenke, who assumed full control in 2018, has been heavily criticised for the manner in which he runs the club.

Arsenal have experienced a sharp decline over the past decade with Mikel Arteta now set to oversee a huge rebuild.

Kroenke’s son, Josh, is a director at the club and a key figure in day-to-day-operations.

He engaged in a fans forum following the Super League plans in an effort to build bridges with supporters.

Ek, himself a life-long Arsenal fan, received a glowing review from Henry who spoke highly of his plans for the Gunners.

“I know a lot of people wanted to hear about [the takeover],” he told Sky Sports. “It is true. Daniel is an Arsenal fan, he didn’t say it for any publicity. He is an Arsenal fan for a very long time.

“He already – I’ll give you something – reached out [to the Kroenkes] and already said himself that he had collected the funds to make sure that he can put in a good bid.

He added: “I think it is going to be long and not easy – if it does ever happen. One thing that I want to reiterate is that Daniel will not move away, he will be there waiting to see if they want to sell.

“That is going to take a very long time, we know what we want to do, but first and foremost we need to make sure that we can take over, if they are listening.”

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LLORENTE JOINS SPAIN COVID-19 CASES AHEAD EURO 2020

Diego Llorente has become the second Spain player to test positive for Covid ahead of Euro 2020.

The Spanish FA (RFEF) said Llorente returned a positive test on Tuesday and was put into isolation, two days after captain Sergio Busquets had to leave the team’s training camp after also contracting the virus.

No other player had tested positive, the RFEF said.

Llorente’s positive result was made public not long after Spain’s U21 squad beat Lithuania 4-0 on Tuesday in Madrid in a match that was supposed to be played by the senior team as its final warm-up before the team’s opening Euro 2020 match against Sweden on Monday in Seville.

The RFEF did not say whether Busquets or Llorente would be cut from the squad, but coach Luis Enrique has already called up six players to practice separately at the team’s training camp.

Enrique has until Saturday to make changes to his initial list in case of injuries or Covid cases.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and defender Raul Albiol were expected to begin training in the separate bubble on Wednesday, joining Rodrigo Moreno, Pablo Fornals, Carlos Soler and Brais Mendez, who all arrived earlier in the week.

Personalised training routines would continue for players in the main squad, observing Covid protocols, said the RFEF.

Players who test positive must stay in isolation for at least 10 days, meaning both Busquets and Llorente will miss the opener against Sweden. It would also be unlikely they would be fit for Spain’s second match against Poland on June 19.

The team’s final Group E match will be against Slovakia on June 23, also in Seville.

Spain’s sports minister Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes said on Tuesday that the squad will get a Covid vaccine on Wednesday, telling radio station Cadena Ser: “We are making an exception because they represent us in a top-level competition.”

There has been some criticism for the delay in getting players vaccinated, contrary to what happened to the Spanish athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics.

On the other hand, there has also been criticism for allowing the players to be vaccinated before other Spaniards who were in line for the coronavirus vaccine.

Two Sweden players also tested positive for Covid on Tuesday – Juventus winger Dejan Kulusevski and Bologna midfielder Mattias Svanberg.

The Euros begin on Friday when Italy host Turkey in Rome.

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JURY DISCHARGED IN JOEY BARTON ASSAULT TRIAL AFTER ‘LOST IN TRANSLATION’ ISSUES

A jury trying Bristol Rovers’ manager Joey Barton over an accusation he assaulted a rival football boss has been discharged by a judge who said things were getting “lost in translation” over a cross-national video link.

Barton, 38, denies assaulting former Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel, occasioning him actual bodily harm, after a League One match between Barnsley and Fleetwood Town in April 2019.

His trial began on Monday and Mr Stendel began giving evidence on Tuesday about the alleged incident, over a video link from a courtroom in Hanover, in Germany.

But, after more than hour of translation difficulties between Sheffield Crown Court and Germany, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told the jury: “It is just not right to struggle on.”

He told the panel: “Unfortunately this morning I became increasingly concerned that things are getting lost in translation.

“He is a critical witness in this case. It’s not fair to him and not fair to anyone in this case.”

Judge Richardson said it was not anybody’s fault that the trial had to be halted, but was a consequence of the extraordinary measures put in place due to the Covid pandemic.

He said a new trial date would be fixed after it could be worked out how to bring Mr Stendel to the UK to give his evidence.

But the judge pointed out that the trial had already been postponed for a year due to Covid and was the oldest case on Sheffield Crown Court’s books.

And he said counsel in the trial would look at the legal situation to see if an exception to current travel bans could be made in the “service of justice”.

Barton, who played for a number of teams including Manchester City, Newcastle United and Burnley and is now Bristol Rovers’ manager, sat in the dock listening to proceedings wearing a dark suit, white shirt and navy tie.

He was given unconditional bail and the case was adjourned until Wednesday for a new trial date to be explored.