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Coach says Neymar is not ready for an imminent return to Al-Hilal

Coach says Neymar is not ready for an imminent return to Al-Hilal
FILE - Al Hilal's Neymar looks on during the AFC Champions League Group D soccer match between Al Hilal and Iran's Nassaji Mazandaran at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.(AP Photo/File)
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Updated 25 September 2024
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Coach says Neymar is not ready for an imminent return to Al-Hilal

Coach says Neymar is not ready for an imminent return to Al-Hilal
Updated 25 September 2024
AP
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RIYADH: Neymar is not ready for an imminent return to play for Al-Hilal, the club’s head coach has announced.
The Brazilian star signed for the Riyadh team in August 2023 but played just five games when he underwent surgery after rupturing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee while on international duty in October.
After Neymar, 32, returned to training in July, speculation grew that he was close to a return but coach Jorge Jesus dampened expectations in a post-match media conference.
“Neymar is an important player for Al-Hilal and the league in general,” Jesus, who led Al-Hilal to a 19th league title in May, said on Tuesday. “I can’t, however, specify a date as to when he will return but we will look at the situation in January.”
Neymar will be able to be registered by Al-Hilal in January for the second half of the Saudi Pro League (SPL ) season.
With SPL teams allowed to register a maximum of eight foreign players over the age of 21, Neymar’s place in the roster for the first half of the league campaign was taken by Marcos Leonardo, signed from Benfica earlier in September.
Upon return to fitness Neymar, whose two-year contract ends next August, is eligible, however, to appear in Al-Hilal’s ongoing AFC Champions League Elite campaign as the continental competition has no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed.

Topics: Saudi Arabia al-hilal fc Neymar

Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur

Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP
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Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur

Son says Spurs team-mate Bentancur ‘almost cried’ over alleged racial slur
  • Bentancur was charged by the Football Association earlier this month with an alleged misconduct breach in relation to a media interview on Uruguayan TV
  • Bentancur apologized to Tottenham captain Son, who said his team-mate had “made a mistake“
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP

LONDON: Son Heung-min said Tottenham team-mate Rodrigo Bentancur “almost cried” when he apologized over an alleged racist remark about the South Korean.
Bentancur was charged by the Football Association earlier this month with an alleged misconduct breach in relation to a media interview on Uruguayan TV.
The former Juventus midfielder had been asked in June by the host of the Canal 10 show for a Spurs player’s shirt, to which he replied: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Bentancur apologized to Tottenham captain Son, who said his team-mate had “made a mistake.”
But because the wording of the charge refers to an “aggravated breach,” he could reportedly be banned for six to 12 domestic matches.
Son, speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League home tie against Qarabag, said he could not say much at the moment because of the “FA process.”
“But I love Rodrigo, I love him. We’ve a lot of good memories, we started playing together when he joined (in January 2022),” he said.
“He knew. He apologized straight afterwards when we had holiday. I was at home. I didn’t even realize what was going on. He sent me a long message and you could feel it was coming from his heart.
“When we came back for pre-season, he felt really sorry and he almost cried when he apologized publicly and personally as well. He felt like he was really sorry. We are all human and all make mistakes and we learn from it.”
Son is one of only two players, along with Ben Davies, left at Tottenham from the squad that reached the Champions League final in 2019.
Defeat in Madrid to Liverpool extended the club’s trophy drought and it now stands at 16 years, but the South Korean forward is determined to end the wait for silverware this season.
“Yeah, it’s a dream. There is no hiding this. That’s what we work for,” Son said.
“Obviously, we are looking for another big competition that everybody wants to win. It’s going to be tough, a tough competition, a lot of games and a lot of traveling, which makes it even harder.”

Topics: Tottenham Hotspur Son Heung-min Rodrigo Bentancur

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Shakib available for second India Test, says Bangladesh coach

Shakib available for second India Test, says Bangladesh coach
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP
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Shakib available for second India Test, says Bangladesh coach

Shakib available for second India Test, says Bangladesh coach
  • Media reports suggested Shakib Al Hasan played first Test with finger injury
  • Shakib faces alleged murder case at home after Bangladesh plunged into political crisis
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP

KANPUR, India: Star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has no injury concerns and remains in line to play the second Test against India, coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said on Wednesday.

Media reports suggested Shakib played the first of two Tests with a finger injury when India handed Bangladesh a 280-run thrashing in Chennai.

Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Hathurusinghe said “there was no doubt” over Shakib’s participation in the second Test, which begins on Friday.

“At the moment I have not heard anything about any sort of injury — neither from the physio nor from anyone else,” Hathurusinghe told reporters in Kanpur, where the Test will be played.

“And he is eligible for selection. If there are any changes (in the team) then it’s depending on the surface.”

The heat has been on Shakib, a 37-year-old former lawmaker who faces a case of alleged murder back home after Bangladesh was plunged into political crisis by student-led protests that led to the ouster of autocratic former leader Sheikh Hasina.

The left-hander, who bats in the middle-order and bowls spin, played a key role in his team’s historic Test series sweep in Pakistan.

He then went back to England to play county cricket for Surrey instead of returning home ahead of the India tour.

Shakib made 32 and 25 with the bat in the first Test but went wicketless with the ball.

“I’m not upset about his performance, but our overall performance. I am sure he also thinks he can perform better. We all know what he is capable of,” Hathurusinghe said.

“I think he batted really well in the second innings. He couldn’t go on, not because of lack of pride but for the sheer quality of the opposition.”

Bangladesh were bowled out for 149 and then 234 to lose the match inside four days.

India, led by Rohit Sharma, will be looking to extend their advantage at the top of the World Test Championship rankings after their emphatic first Test performance.

They will host New Zealand for three Tests starting next month before their high-profile tour of Australia, where they will play five matches.

But Rookie Akash Deep — a new addition to India’s fast bowling riches of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj — said he was focused on the task at hand.

“As a player, you need to understand yourself and know your strengths,” said Deep, who took two wickets in the previous match, which was just his second Test.

“What can we add to the bowling? Just simple stuff and no added pressure about going to Australia and all that.”

“It is a huge responsibility to deliver the goods like the bowlers who have contributed for India before you,” he said.

The pitch at Kanpur’s Green Park stadium is expected to be slow and low, with spin expected to play a part by day three.

Irrespective of the surface, Deep said his job would be to “keep the ball in good areas and get wickets.”

Topics: Shakib Al Hasan Bangladesh coach India v Bangladesh

Madrid’s Mbappe suffers thigh injury before Atletico derby

Madrid’s Mbappe suffers thigh injury before Atletico derby
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP
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Madrid’s Mbappe suffers thigh injury before Atletico derby

Madrid’s Mbappe suffers thigh injury before Atletico derby
  • The French superstar was taken off during the 3-2 win over Alaves on Tuesday and appeared to be suffering some discomfort
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP

MADRID: Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has sustained a thigh injury ahead of this weekend’s La Liga derby with Atletico, his club said on Wednesday.
The French superstar was taken off during the 3-2 win over Alaves on Tuesday and appeared to be suffering some discomfort.
Spanish media suggest Mbappe will miss around three weeks injured.
“Following tests carried out today by Real Madrid’s medical services on our player Kylian Mbappe, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg,” said the Spanish champions in a statement.
Mbappe scored a superb goal in the thriller at the Santiago Bernabeu with Alaves and has netted five times this season in seven league appearances.
Asked about Mbappe’s condition after the game, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said: “He’s fine, he’s fine, a little overloaded, he asked me for the change to avoid problems.”
Madrid, a point behind leaders Barcelona ahead of the Catalans’ match on Wednesday against Getafe, visit the Metropolitano stadium on Sunday to face rivals Atletico.
Los Blancos have not been beaten in La Liga for 39 games, since a defeat at Atletico a year ago.
The striker is also set to miss the visit to Lille in the Champions League next week and potentially October’s Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium with France.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract, fulfilling a long-held dream.
The 25-year-old hit his stride in recent matches after taking a few games to find his footing in the Spanish capital.
Mbappe has seven goals in nine appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions, scoring in the UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta in August and on his Champions League debut.

Topics: Mbappe real madrid

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Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane announces his retirement

Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane announces his retirement
Updated 25 September 2024
AP
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Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane announces his retirement

Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane announces his retirement
  • The 31-year-old Varane signed with promoted Serie A club Como in July but injured his knee during his only appearance with the Italian club
Updated 25 September 2024
AP

COMO: Former France and Real Madrid center back Raphael Varane announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a career that included a World Cup title and a big haul of club trophies.
The 31-year-old Varane signed with promoted Serie A club Como in July but injured his knee during his only appearance with the club — an Italian Cup match against Sampdoria last month.
“In my career I have taken on many challenges, rose to occasion after occasion, almost all of it was supposed to be impossible,” Varane wrote on Instagram. “Reflecting on these moments, it is with immense pride and a feeling of fulfillment that I am announcing my retirement from the game that we all love.”
Varane was arguably the tournament’s standout defender when France won the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he scored the most important of his five international goals with a header against Uruguay in the quarterfinals.
An elegant, ball-playing defender with excellent positional sense thanks to his quick reading of the game, Varane formed a solid center back pairing with Samuel Umtiti in that tournament.
He also helped Madrid to four Champions League titles and three Spanish league trophies.
He moved to Manchester United in 2021 but was restricted to 95 appearances in his three seasons in England — mainly because of injuries.
Varane began his career at Lens.
“From Lens to Madrid to Manchester, and playing for our national team. I have defended every badge with everything I have, and loved every minute of the journey,” Varane said. “I have no regrets, I wouldn’t change a thing. I have won more than I could have even dreamed of.”
Varane had already retired from France’s national team, a few months after the World Cup final defeat to Argentina in 2022. During that match, his 93rd for Les Bleus after making his debut in 2013, he fell to the ground exhausted deep into extra time.
Over the years he became one of the main leaders in the France team under coach Didier Deschamps, along with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, midfielder Paul Pogba and forward Antoine Griezmann.
“Knowing him, I know that this decision, which is always difficult to take, came after mature reflection,” Deschamps said. “It’s therefore the right decision, which we must respect. Speed, vision, technique, mental strength, Raphaël had all the right qualities to achieve the magnificent career that was his.”
Varane played a total of 22 matches in major tournaments.
“I will remember a player who was focused on others and on the team. He had a perfect rapport with captain Hugo Lloris,” Deschamps said. “In the national team, and wherever he went, he always left the impression of being a great professional.”
Varane said he would remain at Como: “Just without using my boots and shin pads. Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon.”
Como got its first Serie A victory in more than 21 years when coach Cesc Fabregas’ team won 3-2 at Atalanta on Tuesday.

Topics: France real madrid Raphael Varane

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Atletico Madrid president splits time between football and film

Atletico Madrid president splits time between football and film
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP
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Atletico Madrid president splits time between football and film

Atletico Madrid president splits time between football and film
  • Success in the two fields is measured differently, said Cerezo, who has led Atletico Madrid to six European titles and four Spanish
Updated 25 September 2024
AFP

MADRID: Enrique Cerezo is best known in Spain as the longtime president of Atletico Madrid football club, the less glamorous cross-town rivals of Real Madrid.
But he is also a powerful film producer who owns the rights to some 7,000 movies, including around 70 percent of all flicks ever made in Spain, which feed his streaming platform FlixOle — the first to specialize in Spanish cinema.
Success in the two fields is measured differently, said Cerezo, who has led Atletico Madrid to six European titles and four Spanish ones since he took over as president of the Spanish first division side in 2003.
“You release a film on a Friday and on Monday you know whether it’s going to work or not, whereas in football you test yourself every week,” the silver-haired 75-year-old told AFP at the headquarters of his film business near Madrid.
His first experiences with film came during his high school years in Segovia, a town some 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Madrid, where he would help screen movies at the school’s cinema on weekends.
“Between studying and having the possibility of being able to manage this whole projection system, I preferred to be there,” Cerezo said.
When he finished high school, Cerezo began working on film shoots with the camera and lighting teams.
He took part in around 100 shoots in Spain, including with top directors such as Richard Lester — who directed the Beatles films “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!” — and George Cukor — who won the best director Oscar for the 1964 movie “My Fair Lady.”
“The job of a producer has to start from the bottom, from being an assistant to an assistant to an assistant,” Cerezo said.
In the early 1980s, just as the market for video rentals was taking off, he founded a video distribution company, Video Movies International, which began buying film rights with the aim of restoring them and making them available on video.
It was a lot of work and cost a lot of money because the visual quality of films in “the early years of video was dreadful,” Cerezo said.
“The producers or the heirs of the producers didn’t want to do it, nor were they going to do it, so we had to do it ourselves,” he added.
At the end of the 1980s, Cerezo started producing films and buying practically all the major Spanish production companies, which allowed him to considerably increase his film library.
Among the films in his collection are light, unpretentious comedies made during the 1939-1975 dictatorship of General Francisco Franco which were scorned by critics but which Cerezo defends.
“Cinema, from my point of view, is for the general public, for people to have a good time, a nice time,” he said.
Cerezo joked that you have a better time in both cinema and football “when you win.”
His films are restored in a laboratory belonging to FlixOle and his distribution company Mercury Films, where they are digitised at a rate of one a week, if there are no major problems.
The lab recently completed the restoration of “Furrows,” a 1951 Spanish film classic about a poor family that migrates from rural Spain to Madrid in the hopes of finding a better life, which was very deteriorated.
The restored 4K resolution version of the film was presented on Monday at the San Sebastian film festival, the highest-profile movie event in the Spanish-speaking world.

Topics: Atletico Madrid

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