Author: Admin

Categories
football Slides Sports News

PITCH INVADER TO FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES

MALLORCA, SPAIN - JUNE 13: A member of the public is dragged away by security guards after invading the pitch during the La Liga match between RCD Mallorca and FC Barcelona at Estadio de Son Moix on June 13, 2020 in Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

La Liga says it will take legal action after a pitch invader breached security to get a selfie with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi at a behind-closed-doors game.

The fan, wearing an Argentina shirt with Messi’s name and number, appeared on the pitch early in the second half of Saturday’s 4-0 win away to Mallorca.

He managed to pose for a picture within a couple of metres of Messi before being grabbed by security staff.

La Liga said it considers the incident “to represent a criminal act”.

In a statement the Spanish league said it made clear its “total condemnation” of the incident.

“This type of conduct puts the health of others at risk and risks damaging the integrity of the competition,” it added.

The fan claims he scaled a two-metre high fence to gain access to Mallorca’s stadium.

“I had planned this ever since I knew the match was happening. I wanted a photo with Messi and to meet him because he’s my idol,” the French Mallorca resident told radio station Cadena Cope.

Categories
Slides Sports News Tennis

DJOKOVIC WINS IN WARM UP TOURNAMENT

World number one Novak Djokovic was brought to tears after he bowed out of his Adria Tour with victory over German Alexander Zverev in front of home fans.

The 4-0 1-4 4-2 win sent fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic into the final.

Djokovic’s event – the first elite men’s tennis since it was suspended by coronavirus – attracted 4,000 fans.

“I am just overwhelmed by emotion because this reminds me of my childhood,” he said as the Belgrade crowd gave him a standing ovation.

“It’s been an emotional few days and I want to thank everyone who made this possible. The important thing after this match is that we have one of our own in the final. I love you all and thank you so much for turning up.”

Krajinovic later lost to Austrian world number three Dominic Thiem 4-3 2-4 4-2 in the final.

Djokovic, 33, set up the tournament to help players get back to match fitness after several weeks without competition.

Players were split into two groups of eight and played each other in a round-robin format, with the two group leaders competing in a final later on Sunday.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

OGC NICE AGREE £2M FOR EVERTON MIDFIELDER

According to her official media outlet, Ligue 1 side OGC Nice have agreed a £1.8 million plus bonuses fee with Everton for the signature of midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Frenchman is set to undergo a medical next week and finally leave Goodison Park after struggling to impress in recent campaigns

Schneiderlin joined Everton from Manchester United in January 2017 for an initial £20 million rising to £24 million on a four-and-a-half-year contract, reuniting with ex-Toffees boss Ronald Koeman, whom he played for at Southampton.

The 30-year-old has played 73 Premier League games for Everton, appearing in 13 others across all competitions and scoring once.

While he struggled on Merseyside, Schneiderlin was a top player for Southampton, playing 261 games for them across the League One, Championship and Premier League, emerging as their Player of the Season in 2012-13 – their first season back in the top-flight.

Injuries and lack of form have prevented the France international from living up to expectations at Everton, and he will hope to recover his form back home with Nice.

The Toffees are taking a huge loss if the reports are true, but selling him for a fee is better than losing him for free next season, with only a year left on his current contract.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Lionel Messi leads Barcelona to flying return against Mallorca

The win takes Barcelona on to 61 points after 28 games, five clear of nearest challengers Real Madrid, who host Eibar on Sunday in their first game back.

Lionel Messi scored and grabbed two assists as La Liga leaders Barcelona eased to a 4-0 win away to struggling Real Mallorca on Saturday, making the perfect return to action after Spanish football’s three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The champions got off to a flying start when Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal scored with a diving header in the second minute, while Danish international Martin Braithwaite scored his first goal for Barca later in the first half.

Jordi Alba then added a third goal for Barcelona in the 79th minute after latching on to a through ball from Messi, who had also set up Braithwaite’s goal with a header.

The Argentine then completed the scoring with a deflected strike in stoppage time, netting 20 league goals for the 12th season in a row.

The win takes Barcelona on to 61 points after 28 games, five clear of nearest challengers Real Madrid, who host Eibar on Sunday in their first game back.

“We controlled the game and it was a great performance after not competing for three months,” goalscorer Alba said.

“We now have 10 must-win games to go and we are really looking forward to them.”

The game was played behind closed doors to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus, but a fan wearing an Argentina shirt somehow made it on to the pitch, only to be swiftly taken away by security guards.

Luis Suarez made his first appearance since injuring his knee six months ago, coming off the bench in the second half, while his fellow Uruguayan Ronald Araujo hit the post shortly before Alba struck.

Mallorca occupy the final relegation spot in La Liga but despite the heavy loss they gave a decent account of themselves, with 19-year-old Japanese playmaker Takefusa Kubo pulling the strings.

Kubo tested Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the first half while Ante Budimir, Lago Junior and Abdon Prats all flashed shots just wide of the target after the interval.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

BAYERN ADVANCE TO GERMAN CUP FINAL

Holders Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt to set up a German Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Ivan Perisic’s stooping header was the only goal of a first half the treble chasers entirely dominated.

Eintracht, the 2018 winners, improved after the break and Danny da Costa levelled moments after coming on.

Robert Lewandowski scored the winner from Joshua Kimmich’s pass, with a goal initially ruled out for offside but awarded by the video assistant referee.

That is the Pole’s 45th goal in only 39 games for Bayern this season.

The final will be in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on 4 July, with Leverkusen beating fourth-tier Saarbrucken 3-0 in the other semi-final.

Bayern, who are two league wins away from an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title, have won 20 of their previous 21 games in all competitions.

Categories
boxing Slides Sports News

JOSHUA AND FURY AGREE TO FIGHT

British world heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have agreed to a two-fight deal, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

Talks over an historic bout for the undisputed title began in early May.

Joshua, 30, holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts while 31-year-old Fury is the WBC champion.

“It’s fair to say [Joshua and Fury] are in agreement regarding the financial terms,” Hearn, who is Joshua’s promoter, told Sky Sports News.

“We’re in a good place. It’s fair to say that, in principle, both guys have agreed to that fight. Two fights.”

Fury expressed his delight at the news in a social media post. The Manchester-born boxer said he would fight Joshua in 2021, but would first have to overcome the “hurdle in the road” Deontay Wilder, in a third meeting. Fury is contracted to fight the American, from whom he won the WBC title in February.

Joshua, who reclaimed his world titles in December, has to face his mandatory challenger, Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev, when the sport fully resumes after the coronavirus shutdown.

Hearn added: “There is still a lot to overcome. We are looking at venues and dates.

“We’ve been talking to [Fury’s management team] MTK, giving them the assurances from Joshua’s side that all the details on the structure of the deal is approved from our side. And it is from Fury’s side, as well.”

Categories
F1 Slides

HAMILTON PLEASED WITH STEPS TAKEN TO CURB RACISM

Lewis Hamilton has saluted the “positive steps” taken in the fight against racism as a result of the global protests of the past two weeks.

The six-time F1 world champion said the death of George Floyd in police custody last month had seen “the world open its eyes to the realities of racism”.

He said progress had been made through “our collective voices and actions”.

“People have united in the fight for racial equality and against police brutality and white supremacy.”

Hamilton has been outspoken on the issue since Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis last month after an officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes.

His last words were: “I can’t breathe,” a phrase that has become a mantra of the demonstrations that have erupted around the world since.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with second-degree murder.

Hamilton, F1’s first black driver, described last week how he had felt “completely overcome with rage” at events in the US following Floyd’s death.

And on Monday he saluted demonstrators in Bristol who tore down a statue of the 17th century slave trader Edward Colston, saying governments around the world should “implement the peaceful removal of these racist symbols”

Categories
Slides

LIVERPOOL PLAYERS TAKE THE KNEE IN TRAINING

Liverpool players took a knee around the centre circle at Anfield in a message of support following the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The picture, featuring 29 Reds players, was posted with the caption “Unity is strength. #BlackLivesMatter”.

Manchester United players Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford added their voices to worldwide protests against racism.

Protests have been held after Floyd, an unarmed black man, died on 25 May after being restrained by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes to pin him down.

Chauvin has since been charged with his murder and sacked.