Spain
Barcelona: Ansu Fati to undergo surgery on knee injury
Ansu Fati is to undergo surgery on the torn meniscus he suffered in Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Real Betis. The 18-year-old forward was substituted at half-time in Saturday’s contest at Camp Nou and Barca later confirmed that he had sustained damage to his left knee. “Fati had some discomfort in the first half and we replaced him at half-time so as not to take risks,” coach Ronald Koeman told reporters after the game. Fati is now set to have an operation on Monday, after which Barca said they will release further details about the possible length of his absence. A club statement read: “The first team player Ansu Fati will undergo surgery [on] Monday for the injury to the meniscus in his left knee by Dr. Ramon Cugat under the supervision of the club’s medical services. “Once this intervention ...
Fabinho wants Liverpool contract talks after rejecting ‘top Spanish club’
Getty Images Fabinho and Liverpool will begin talks soon over a contract extension. The Brazilian has become an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s side, which has won the Champions League and Premier League since he arrived. And reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano says that while Fabinho rejected an offer from a ‘top club in Spain’ last summer, he wants to extend his stay at Anfield. Romano told his Here We Go podcast: “Talks are going to start for Fabinho to extend his contract with Liverpool. It is the same situation [as] Van Dijk, they have the same contract, so two years [remaining] with Liverpool. “Fabinho wants to extend his contract with Liverpool. He [gave] an interview explaining he is so happy with Liverpool, but he’s also so happy for the future of Liverpool; [he has been] talking...
Andrey Arshavin: Moses is a strong character for Russian championship
Former Russian attacking midfielder Andrey Arshavin says Victor Moses’ arrival has strengthened Spartak Moscow and expects him to help the club this season. Moses scored his first goal in Russian football as Spartak Moscow thrashed their hosts Krasnodar 3 – 0 last weekend. The former Nigerian international was also involved in the Moscow derby against CSKA eight days ago. Speaking on the impact of Moses on Spartak Moscow since his arrival, Arshavin who also played for the club during his days, said Moses is a strong character for the Russian championship and has improved the team. “I think it was clear that this is a strong footballer for our championship. Moses has strengthened the necessary position for Spartak.” Andrey Arshavin said “I remember how he played for Wigan against us. He pla...
European Union backs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for WTO role
The European Union has endorsed former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Bloomberg reported. The business news outlet cited anonymous officials familiar with the matter that all the 27 EU member countries agreed on Monday in Brussels to support Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala. Bloomberg also reported that the United States has decided to back Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea’s trade minister, for the role. The position has been fiercely contested amongst candidates of different countries since Roberto Azevedo resigned in August. Last month, Okonjo-Iweala and Myung-hee were selected as the last two candidates in the contest. The EU’s endorsement is seen as a significant boost for Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy, with the final winner expected...
England Women cancel Germany friendly after positive test
England Women have cancelled Tuesday’s friendly in Germany following a positive coronavirus test. The fixture, which was due to take place behind closed doors at the Brita-Arena in Wiesbaden, was to be England’s first competitive fixture since the SheBelieves Cup in March. Phil Neville and the squad met up for a training camp at St George’s Park this week are were set to fly to Germany on Sunday but those plans have been shelved at the last minute. As hosts of the delayed 2021 European Championships, which will now take place in July 2022, England have not had any qualifying games to play. England have been set a target of winning the World Cup or European Championship by 2024 and have been keen to return to competitive action. Neville’s side disappointed at the SheBelieves Cup earlier thi...
Frank Lampard: Kepa Arrizabalaga out for Chelsea vs Manchester United
Kepa Arrizabalaga has been ruled out of Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United but Frank Lampard has said Petr Cech will not be drafted in as the Blues eye a long-awaited Premier League win at Old Trafford. Spain goalkeeper Kepa made yet another mistake in a 3-3 draw with Southampton last weekend after stepping in to replace Edouard Mendy, who missed out with a thigh injury. Mendy returned for a goalless Champions League draw with Sevilla in midweek instead of Kepa, who will not travel north to face United on Saturday due to a shoulder injury. Chelsea surprisingly added club legend Cech, who retired last year, to their Premier League squad but the 38-year-old keeper is not in the squad to take on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. Lampard was asked about the status of Thiago Silva and Christian Pul...
Barcelona, Jorge Mendes dispute length of Ansu Fati’s contract
Barcelona and agent Jorge Mendes are in dispute about the length of contract of their teenage star Ansu Fati, according to reports. Diario Sport build on a report from the ‘Tot Costa’ programme on Catalunya Ràdio that the Blaugrana believe they hold an option to extend the 17-year-old’s contract through to 2024, with Mendes adamant that the current deal is set to expire in 2022 with no extension. As reported earlier this month, the player’s release clause has moved from €170m to €400m after he was promoted to the club’s first-team squad for the current campaign. Fati was the star of the show in the Blaugrana’s first game of the 2020-21 campaign, with two goals in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Villarreal. The Spain international picked up where he left off from 2019-20, when he netted eight goals i...
Super Eagles forward Struggles as AC Milan beat Crotone away
Simy Nwankwo struggled as Crotone fell to a 2-0 home defeat against AC Milan at the Stadio Ezio Scida on Sunday. Nwankwo was in action for the entire duration of the game. The forward, who failed to register a shot on target in the contest is yet to open his goal for the season. The Nigeria international scored 20 goals to emerge top scorer in Serie B last season. Frank Kessie put AC Milan ahead from the spot on the dot of half-time. Brahim Diaz made the points save when he netted the second goal five minutes after the break. Crotone will face Sassuolo in their next Serie A game on Saturday. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet B...
Zinedine Zidane claims 100 La Liga wins as Real Madrid coach
Real Madrid’s win over Real Betis on Saturday was Zinedine Zidane’s 100th in charge of Real Madrid in La Liga Santander. The Frenchman has coached Los Blancos in 147 La Liga matches in total, with 55 at home and 45 away from home. In those games, Zidane’s sides have scored 342 goals and conceded 142. Only Miguel Munoz has won more La Liga matches in charge of Real Madrid than Zidane with 257. As well as his centenary of victories, the former Real Madrid midfielder has won two La Liga titles – in 2016/17 and 2019/20. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting...
Inter Milan hits two late goals to beat Fiorentina 4-3
Inter Milan fought back with two goals in the last five minutes as they began their Serie A campaign with a 4-3 win over Fiorentina on Saturday. Runners-up last season and seen as the main challengers to the dominance of Juventus this term, Inter suffered one of their familiar slumps as they fell 3-2 behind to a Fiorentina side inspired by 37-year-old Franck Ribery. But an 87th-minute equaliser from Romelu Lukaku followed by Danilo D’Ambrosio’s header two minutes later gave them the points – and possibly spared them one of coach Antonio Conte’s infamous dressing-downs after the game. Inter could not have made a worse start as they gifted Fiorentina the lead in the third minute with a goal worthy of a playground kickabout. Cristiano Biraghi floated the ball into the area, the Inter defence ...
Aston Villa interested in signing Liverpool youngster
Aston Villa are interested in signing the Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster this summer. The 20-year-old striker was on loan at Swansea City last season and he managed to score 11 goals for them. Brewster needs to leave the club in order to play regular first-team football and it will be interesting to see if the likes of Villa can agree on a fee with Liverpool in the coming weeks. According to Independent, Sheffield United are keen on signing the young striker as well and they have already spoken to the Reds regarding a move. Liverpool value the young striker at £25 million and they are hoping to insert a buy-back clause in the contract if Brewster is sold this summer. Such a deal would be ideal for Liverpool as it would allow the player to develop with the regular first-team football el...
Nigeria’s Hauwa Ojeifo wins Gates Foundation changemaker award
A Nigerian gender and disability rights advocate, Hauwa Ojeifo, has won the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation changemaker award for 2020. According to the Gates Foundation, the award celebrates an individual who has inspired change using personal experience or from a position of leadership. Ms Ojeifo, who heads “She Writes Woman,” a women-led movement giving mental health a voice in Nigeria, was recognised for her work in promoting gender equality (Global Goal #5), a statement by the foundation said on Tuesday. The awardee, who is a sexual and domestic abuse survivor, founded her platform in 2015 to provide “mental health support through a helpline, teletherapy and virtual support groups serving as a first point of contact to ensure that survivors of gender-based violence and those livin...
