Saudi women to enter stadiums for first time to watch football

Football – Inquirer Sports

Saudi women to enter stadiums for first time to watch football

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi women will for the first time be allowed to enter a sports stadium on Friday to watch a football match between two local teams — though they will be segregated from the male-only crowd with designated seating in the so-called “family section.” The move is Saudi Arabia’s first social reform […]

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Liam Livingstone's England call-up came as a shock

men - Sport

Liam Livingstone's England call-up came as a shock

Lancashire batsman admits he didn't expect Test chance, but is now out to show he is not a one-day specialist

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Saudi football player in hot water for dabbing

Football – Inquirer Sports

Saudi football player in hot water for dabbing

A dance move may spell trouble for a football player in Saudi Arabia where dabbing is illegal.

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'Baihakki Khaizan will join Kuala Lumpur for 2018 MSL' - coach

ESPN FC News

'Baihakki Khaizan will join Kuala Lumpur for 2018 MSL' - coach

As a dismal 2017 for Singapore football draws to a close, John Wilkinson joins Jason Dasey to reveal his hopes for 2018. Jason Dasey and John Wilkinson discuss Shahril Ishak's return to Home United as well as other S League transfers to Malaysia and Thailand. Veteran Singapore defender Baihakki Khaizan will play with newly promoted Malaysia Super League (MSL) side Kuala Lumpur FA in the 2018 season, according to their coach Fabio Magrao. ESPN FC understands that the 34-year-old travelled to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to finalise the deal. With that, Baihakki has turned down the chance to become the first Singaporean to play in Saudi Arabia after being offered a four-month contract by second-tier outfit Jeddah Club. "I'm very happy that Baihakki has agreed...

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Luka Modric appears in Madrid court in tax fraud case

Sportsnet.ca

Luka Modric appears in Madrid court in tax fraud case

MADRID -- Croatia midfielder Luka Modric has appeared in court in a tax fraud case in Madrid.

Officials said Tuesday Modric was in court for about 10 minutes along with his wife and lawyer. The player's wife, Vadja, is also being accused of tax irregularities.

Spanish prosecutors have accused the Real Madrid midfielder of defrauding tax authorities of 870,728 euros (about $1 million) in 2013 and 2014.

Local newspaper El Mundo says Modric has already paid nearly 1 million ($1.2 million) to tax authorities to try to reach a settlement even though the player has denied any wrongdoing.

Court and tax officials say they cannot confirm or deny the payment. Details of Modric's court appearance have not been released.

Modric has been playing for Madrid since being signed from Tottenham in 2012.

Several other players have been targeted by Spanish tax authorities recently, including Lionel Messi who two years ago was found guilty -- along with his father -- for defrauding 4.1 million euros ($4.9 million) from income made from image rights.

Other players investigated include: Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo, Ricardo Carvalho, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano, Radamel Falcao and Fabio Coentrao.

Former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, currently at Manchester United, is also being investigated.

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Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino wants Theo Walcott or Guido Carrillo to fire him back into fans' good books

The Independent - Football

Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino wants Theo Walcott or Guido Carrillo to fire him back into fans' good books

The Saints boss wants to boost his attack after being booed by fans despite beating Fulham

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Juve’s Matuidi racially abused for 2nd successive weekend in Italy

Sportsnet.ca

Juve’s Matuidi racially abused for 2nd successive weekend in Italy

Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi says he was the victim of racial abuse for the second successive Saturday in Italian soccer. The incident at Cagliari happened two days after Hellas Verona was punished for its fans hurling racist chants at Matuidi. Writing on Facebook after Saturday’s 1-0 win at Cagliari in Serie A, Matuidi said: “I experienced racism during the match. Weak people try to intimidate with hate. I am not a hater and can only be sorry for those who set bad examples.” Details of the abuse were not specified. Matuidi wrote that “football is a way to spread equality, passion and inspiration and this is what I am here for. Peace.” Born in France to an Angolan father and a Congolese mother, Matuidi plays for France’s national team. Verona was fined 20,000 euros ($24,000) for the Dec. 30 incident but a partial stadium closure will come into effect only if there is another racism offense at the club over the next year. [relatedlinks]

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Jose Mourinho showed he's a 'little man' - Chelsea boss Antonio Conte

ESPN FC News

Jose Mourinho showed he's a 'little man' - Chelsea boss Antonio Conte

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte called Jose Mourinho a "little man" with a "very low profile" and a "fake" as he continued his extraordinary public war

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Messi can quit Barca, if Catalonia leaves Spain

Football – Inquirer Sports

Messi can quit Barca, if Catalonia leaves Spain

Lionel Messi has ensured he could become a free agent if Barcelona no longer plays in a major European league as a result of Catalan independence, Spanish media wrote on Friday. According to a report in Madrid daily El Mundo, the contract Messi signed last November includes a clause that he must remain a Barcelona […]

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Will Man United give Jose Mourinho what he wants in the transfer market?

ESPN FC News

Will Man United give Jose Mourinho what he wants in the transfer market?

MANCHESTER, England -- There was a moment during Jose Mourinho's news conference on Thursday when he admitted, in a roundabout way at least,

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Why Barcelona are pushing so hard to sign Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in January and not the summer

The Independent - Football

Why Barcelona are pushing so hard to sign Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in January and not the summer

More than most, this Liverpool hierarchy do not like the sense that they're being bullied and will justifiably dig in - so why are they doing it?

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Antonio Conte says he is telling Alvaro Morata to 'keep calm' following difficult night against Arsenal

The Independent - Football

Antonio Conte says he is telling Alvaro Morata to 'keep calm' following difficult night against Arsenal

The Spanish striker squandered three one-on-ones in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal, following on from two he missed in the 5-0 win over Stoke City on Saturday

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Hectic Premier League schedule will ‘kill’ players, warns Guardiola

Sportsnet.ca

Hectic Premier League schedule will ‘kill’ players, warns Guardiola

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit out at the amount of games played in the Premier League over the festive period, saying the schedule is going to "kill" the players.

City was one of the teams to play four games in 11 days across Christmas and the new year, with the last two matches -- away to Crystal Palace and at home to Watford -- coming just two days apart.

"What I saw, what everybody sees, in the last weeks is how many injuries the players have," Guardiola said. "We are going to kill them (the players). The federation -- whoever the bosses are --have to reflect. It's not normal."

Guardiola's ire might have been caused by the sight of right back Kyle Walker holding his groin in the final minutes of the 3-1 win over Watford on Tuesday. The City coach said Walker "might have a little bit of a problem."

City lost striker Gabriel Jesus to a ligament injury early in the 0-0 draw at Palace on Sunday that will keep him out for up to six weeks.

"I know the show must go on and it doesn't matter with which guys the show must go on," Guardiola said.

"Here in England, you don't protect the players -- that is a big mistake. You have to do it for the quality, not quantity. Play every three, four, five days, but not every two days ... Look at how many players have muscular injuries in this period. But it doesn't matter; the show must go on. And that's why there will be players not fit."

Guardiola's comments came as Palace's Scott Dann and Jason Puncheon were ruled out for the remainder of the season. Manager Roy Hodgson said both players had suffered cruciate ligament injuries in Sunday's 0-0 draw with City.

"We won't see anything of those players for the rest of our season and it is going to be hard for them to get ready even for the start of next season, because these are serious injuries," Hodgson said after Palace's 2-1 win at Southampton on Tuesday.

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Wenger doubts Man City can emulate Arsenal´s ´Invincibles´

Arsene Wenger has doubts over Manchester City's chances of emulating Arsenal's 'Invincibles' side and going unbeaten throughout an entire Premier League season.

Pep Guardiola's side are flying this season having taken 28 points from a possible 30 in the top flight going into Sunday's visit of the Gunners, while they also secured entry to the Champions League last 16 with a 4-2 win at Napoli on Wednesday.

"It's a bit early, only 10 games played 28 to go, that's a long way. It is difficult to extrapolate at the moment," he said.

"They are in a good patch, but look at Real Madrid and everything that was being said about them a few weeks ago. It shows you how fragile everything is in the game."

City have earned plenty of praise for their swashbuckling style, but Wenger – while recognising the strength of Guardiola's side – prefers to let others do the talking.

"The comments I leave to what they are," he added. "It is difficult for me to comment, I don't see all their games.

"If you look back there have been many great teams in England and they are certainly another one.

"At stake for us is three points and we want to go there and try to win."

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Lewandowski was overburdened not injured – Heynckes

Jupp Heynckes explained that Robert Lewandowski was omitted from Bayern Munich's win over Celtic due to an "overburdening", not injury, and is motivated to face Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.

Lewandowski recently spoke of the difficulty of leading the line in three competitions, with Bayern lacking a recognised back-up striker to Poland's record goalscorer.

Bayern boss Heynckes consequently omitted Lewandowski from the squad that won 2-1 at Parkhead in the Champions League in midweek, although he later stated his belief that Lewandowski would be fit to face his former club.

That was a stance Heynckes reiterated at his pre-match media briefing, insisting that he was merely protecting Lewandowski from the threat of injury.

"He has not sustained an injury, but an overburdening," Heynckes said.

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Nainggolan, Januzaj earn recall to Belgium squad

Adnan Januzaj and Radja Nainggolan have been named in the Belgium squad for this month's friendly matches against Mexico and Japan.

Nainggolan claimed he would take a break from international football when he was left out by head coach Roberto Martinez for September's World Cup qualifiers.

However, the Roma midfielder, who later insisted he had not made any permanent decision to retire from Belgium duty, has been handed a place in the 28-man squad for the upcoming matches.

Real Sociedad winger Januzaj, who last played for his country in November 2014, has been given a surprise recall despite injury problems restricting his involvement in LaLiga this term.

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Ronaldo rested for Portugal friendlies

Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Portugal squad for the friendly matches with Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Wolves' Ruben Neves, and Euro 2016 hero Eder are also included.

"We have a group of players we've called up to analyse," Santos told a news conference on Friday.

"These games are good for facing football from other continents, which we're not used to playing against.

"The squad is never closed. We have a wide range of options."

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Will Mourinho let Man United attack Chelsea? Can Arsenal stop Man City?

Will Manchester United pounce on Chelsea's vulnerabilities and pull off the victory their manager craves perhaps most of all? The champions, hapless when losing 3-0 at Roma on Tuesday, look to be there for the taking. It could lead to Jose Mourinho throwing off the ultra-conservatism he employs in big away matches and go for all three points.

Being sacked by Chelsea in December 2015 as the defending champions languished 16th in the table, after nine defeats in 16 matches, was the lowest ebb of his career. He was removed after what sporting director Michael Emenalo labelled "palpable discord with the players," many of whom remain at Stamford Bridge.

In the 23 months since that sacking, there has been criticism cast by both sides, with Eden Hazard remarking in February that Antonio Conte's tactical preparation was superior while Mourinho has made repeated digs about Chelsea's style of play. "They played defensive football and counter-attack football," he said in September, but Mourinho might now fancy United can get at an increasingly leaky defence.

Chelsea hope N'Golo Kante can return after he ruled himself out in Rome, for they've missed him badly since he injured a hamstring on international duty last month. Tiemoue Bakayoko, himself struggling because of a knee injury, so far unable to provide the same protection for the back three and command of midfield. If Bakayoko struggles this weekend as he did at the Stadio Olimpico, the wisdom of letting Nemanja Matic defect from Chelsea to United will be brought into sharp focus.

Mourinho will still be without Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini, two key midfielders of very different facets, but Matic provides the ballast United needed. Another former Chelsea player, Romelu Lukaku, came so close to rejoining in the summer but offers another thread between two clubs that have recently become interwoven.

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Liverpool may look to Schalke's Leon Goretzka as replacement for Emre Can

Goretzka to replace Can?

One player who could be Liverpool-bound as a potential replacement for Emre Can is talented Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka, the Daily Mirror claims.

As with his compatriot, the Germany international is out of contract next summer and looks certain to leave Schalke after failing to agree a new deal.

Goretzka has been in fine form for club and country in 2017, alerting Liverpool to his impending availability. The Reds face stiff competition, however, with Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal and Juventus also readying offers.

The 22-year-old could be allowed to leave in January as Schalke consider cashing in on their star prospect rather than lose him for nothing at the end of the season.

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