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football Sports News

Pep takes shots at Arsenal

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he respects Arsenal on the pitch – but “not much off the pitch”.

City had their two-year European suspension overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) on 13 July.

City are understood to believe Arsenal were a chief instigator behind a collective request by eight Premier League clubs for Cas not to allow a delay to the ban pending appeal.

As the case was decided before the end of the season, no delay was needed.

Some senior figures within the game are annoyed City had their punishment for Financial Fair Play regulation breaches reduced, while the club are angry at the behaviour of some of their rivals.

Last week, Guardiola demanded an apology and told clubs to stop “whispering” about City behind their backs.

Chelsea, Burnley, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Wolves were the other seven top-flight clubs involved in the collective approach to Cas.

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football Sports News

WOLVES MOVE INTO SIXTH PLACE

Wolves eased past a hapless Crystal Palace to maintain hopes of playing Europa League football next season.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side move back above Tottenham into sixth place and victory at Chelsea in their final Premier League game on Sunday will guarantee a better finish than last season.

Daniel Podence scored his first goal for Wolves since joining from Olympiakos in January by nodding in from close range to finish off a lovely team move and Jonny Otto added a second with a quick spin and shot.

Palace barely threatened with Andros Townsend’s long-range free-kick and Wilfried Zaha’s weak shot both comfortable for goalkeeper Rui Patricio

Roy Hodgson’s side have tailed off badly since the restart and cannot finish higher than 13th place

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Juventus nears title after Cristiano Ronaldo scores a brace beating Lazio

With four rounds remaining, Juventus moved eight points clear of Inter Milan, nine ahead of Atalanta, and 11 in front of Lazio, which trailed the Bianconeri by just one point before the break for the coronavirus pandemic.

Over a three-minute span of the second half, Cristiano Ronaldo ensured Juventus would not lose to Lazio for a third time this season.

Ronaldo’s double strike in a 2-1 win on Monday meant Juventus could clinch a ninth straight Serie A title this week.

With four rounds remaining, Juventus moved eight points clear of Inter Milan, nine ahead of Atalanta, and 11 in front of Lazio, which trailed the Bianconeri by just one point before the break for the coronavirus pandemic.

Juventus earned a measure of revenge after losing twice to Lazio in December — in Serie A and the Italian Super Cup.

Ronaldo converted a penalty after the VAR determined a handball, then finished off a counterattack following a generous pass from Paulo Dybala.

Ciro Immobile pulled one back for Lazio with a penalty in the 83rd.

Ronaldo and Immobile are level atop the Italian league scoring chart with 30 each.

Also, Ronaldo became the first player to score at least 50 goals in the Premier League, the Spanish Liga and Serie A. His 51 in Italy go with his 84 in the Premier League, and 311 in La Liga

“Records are always important, but the most important thing is that the team wins,” Ronaldo said. “We are a phenomenal team and we showed that again today, although we always want to improve and raise the bar.”

Both sides hit the post in the first half; a headed volley from Juve’s Alex Sandro, and a long-range effort from Immobile.

Ronaldo also headed off the crossbar after being set up again by Dybala.

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football Slides Sports News

Ballon d’Or will not hold this year

The Ballon d’Or for the world’s best players will not be awarded in 2020 because of a “lack of sufficient fair conditions” created by the coronavirus pandemic.

The prize has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi won the men’s prize last year, with USA forward Megan Rapinoe claiming the women’s trophy.

France Football said awarding a prize in a “crippled” year would “not be worthy” of their history.

“We did not want to put an indelible asterisk on the prize list like ‘trophy won in exceptional circumstances due to the Covid-19 health crisis’,” it added.

“Protecting the credibility and legitimacy of such an award also means ensuring its flawlessness over time.”

England’s Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the award when it was the European Footballer of the Year.

It was only awarded to European players until 1995, when it expanded to become open for any player at a European club. From 2007 it opened up to the rest of the world.

The 30-player list of nominees is compiled by the editorial staff of the French magazine, with the winner voted for by journalists from around the world, with one representative per nation.

Argentina international Messi won the prize for a record sixth time last year

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football Sports News

Jude Bellingham signs for Dortmund

Jude Bellingham has completed his move to Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham for an initial fee of £25m.

The 17-year-old English midfielder completed a medical in Germany on Thursday after Dortmund persuaded him to move to the Bundesliga club over Manchester United, who had also made him an offer.

It is understood Birmingham will receive a guaranteed £25m up front, with fees worth ‘several millions more’ potentially added on depending on appearances, achievements and milestones.

Bellingham – who Dortmund say has signed a “long-term contract” with the club – said: “I can’t thank Birmingham enough for what they have done for me, not just this past year but since the age of seven.

“Of course I wish everyone associated with the club nothing but the best. Once a blue always a blue.

“However, I’m incredibly excited to have joined one of Europe’s biggest clubs. The direction they are heading in and how much they help to improve young players made it an easy decision for myself and my family.

“I can’t wait to perform in front of all the fans when they are back inside one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world.”

Bellingham – who only signed a professional deal with Birmingham this month – follows in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho, who moved to Dortmund in 2017 and has since gone on to become one the stars of the Bundesliga and an England international.

Dortmund courted the midfielder, who turned 17 in June, for more than two years, amid stiff competition from most of Europe’s top teams, including Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and, most notably, Manchester United.

United pulled out all the stops in their attempts to sign the box-to-box midfielder, offering him a tour of their training ground with Sir Alex Ferguson.

But the England U17 skipper has chosen Dortmund due to the club’s long history of developing young talent and their policy of giving them the chance to play in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund’s sporting director, Michael Zorc, confirmed Bellingham will be part of their first team, saying: “Jude Bellingham confidently chose BVB and, of course, was primarily concerned with the sporting perspective that we showed him.

“He has enormous potential that we want to develop with him in the coming years. He already has a surprising amount of quality in his own possession as well as against the ball, and on top of that, the player also has a strong mentality.

“We immediately see Jude as a reinforcement for our professional squad, but of course we will also give him the time to get used to the higher level.”

Bellingham will be available for Birmingham’s final game of the season, against Derby on Wednesday, and will then join Dortmund for pre-season training on July 30 and a training camp in Switzerland on August 10.

Bellingham, who will wear the No 22 shirt in Dortmund – has been sought after in England and in Germany even before he became Birmingham’s youngest ever first-team player at the age of 16 years and 38 days last August.

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football Sports News

Carzola to join saudi side

Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla is set to join Qatari club Al Sadd.

Cazorla, 35, played his last game for Spanish club Villarreal on Sunday and his contract has now expired.

In joining Al Sadd, Cazorla will be managed by former Spain international team-mate Xavi, who has extended his deal at the club until 2021.

“We have reached an agreement with Santi Cazorla,” Al Sadd tweeted. “He will reach Doha soon to complete the formalities and join the team.”

Cazorla played 180 times across six seasons for Arsenal between 2012 and 2018 and spent the last two seasons playing for Villarreal for the second time in his career.

Manchester City’s David Silva, 34, is also being linked with a move to Qatar, with Al-Duhail said to be keen on the Spanish midfielder.

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football Sports News

Mourinho aims to win Europa League

Jose Mourinho is trying to keep his players focused for their final matches against Leicester and Crystal Palace by telling them victories in both will secure the 2021 Europa League trophy.

Tottenham can no longer qualify for the Champions League and the Europa League a long slog of a tournament remains a much harder sell to players.

But Mourinho is trying to put a positive spin on being in Europe’s secondary competition by encouraging his stars to focus on the end goal.

It could be interpreted as over-confidence and critics will be quick to remind him of it if Spurs come up short. But he said: ‘I don’t care what you bring up and don’t bring up. I just want to motivate my players, and myself too.

‘I could think the Europa League will be a group phase I don’t want to say countries’ names or clubs because it would be disrespectful — with some countries where you have to travel eight or nine hours for a match.

‘And I could think of it as some matches at home in the best stadium in the world, if Boris Johnson allows, some spectators but not the full emotion of a big Champions League match.

‘I have won the Champions League before. The majority of my players have played in the Champions League final before. Others, they did not win it but they were constantly playing at the Champions League level. So we need to motivate ourselves.

‘I don’t want my players to be disappointed with the fact we don’t play Champions League. I want my players relaxed because they had a big target. This is a way to motivate the troops. If they think, “Oh, next year I have to play in the Europa League! There could be a qualification in the middle of September! I don’t want to do that”.

‘But if we say, “Come on, next season we are going to win the Europa League” that is a different feeling. So I talk about this extreme situation. It’s just an expression of motivation.’

Mourinho could also not resist another swipe at Manchester City after their Champions League ban for FFP irregularities was overturned. Trying to reclaim Champions League status will be Spurs’ main focus, of course.

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Golf Sports News

Rahm becomes golf number one

Jon Rahm wiped away a tear of joy after replacing Rory McIlroy as world number one by winning the Memorial Tournament.

A three-over-par 75 was enough to win on nine under, three clear of American Ryan Palmer (74), with Matt Fitzpatrick (68) third on five under, with fellow Englishman Matt Wallace (72) one back.

Rahm is the second Spaniard, after Seve Ballesteros, to top the rankings.

“I’ve accomplished a lifelong goal and any time I can join Spanish history with Seve is incredible,” said Rahm.

“But it’s hard to process right now because golf feels secondary. I lost two family members in the [coronavirus] quarantine.

“There are so many things going through my mind right now that have nothing to do with golf.”

This was the sixth PGA Tour event since professional golf resumed in the United States after an enforced three-month shutdown and had been been earmarked as the first to allow fans in to watch. 

However, last week the PGA Tour said the remaining nine events of this season would take place behind closed doors as cases of coronavirus continue to soar in the country.

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F1

Lewis Hamilton wins Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton moved into the world championship lead for the first time this season with a dominant victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver pulled out an eight-second lead in three wet laps at the start of the race before switching to dry tyres, and controlled the race from there.

Hamilton even had time to stop for fresh tyres with three laps to go to grab the extra point for fastest lap.

Valtteri Bottas failed in an attempt to pass Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for second, giving Hamilton a five-point championship lead over his team-mate after three races.

Verstappen’s second place was extraordinary, for he crashed on the laps to the grid and damaged both his front wing and suspension.

The Red Bull mechanics worked wonders to change his left front push-rod on the grid in the time permitted and get him into the race and he then drove a superb race to hold off Bottas at the end.

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Chelsea defeat United to get to final

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea endured a Wembley nightmare as Chelsea strolled to victory and set up an FA Cup final date with Arsenal.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ditched his usual FA Cup keeper Sergio Romero to keep faith with De Gea – but the experienced Spain international produced two horrendous errors either side of half-time to gift Chelsea two goals.

De Gea made a flimsy attempt to deal with Olivier Giroud’s flick in first-half stoppage time then weakly fumbled Mason Mount’s tame 20-yard shot into the net moments after the restart.

Chelsea’s excellent performance fully merited this victory and United’s abject misery after a dreadful performance was complete when captain Harry Maguire diverted Marcos Alonso’s cross into his own net at the near post with 16 minutes left.

Frank Lampard’s side were in complete control from first to last as they comprehensively ended Manchester United’s 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes pulled a goal back from the penalty spot late on after Callum Hudson-Odoi fouled Anthony Martial but it could not even be described as a consolation as Chelsea closed out the win