Sports

Tennis In 2019: Nadal On Top

December 17, 2019 5:22 pm

Rafael Nadal finished the season on top of the world to give the men’s rankings a familiar look but a new crop of women is showing the old guard can be overthrown.

The Spanish world number one and Novak Djokovic won two Grand Slams each in 2019, holding Father Time and their young rivals at bay for another year.

But Ashleigh Barty and teenager Bianca Andreescu were two new faces on the list of women’s Major winners as familiar names slipped from view.

AFP Sport looks at some of the big talking points of the season.

Can Nadal stay on …

Zidane And Valverde To Meet In Clasico Battle

December 17, 2019 5:22 pm

Zinedine Zidane and Ernesto Valverde might have been fearing for their jobs if they had lost a Clasico back in October but its postponement means that on Wednesday they can face each other feeling more secure.

Stalling in the autumn, Real Madrid and Barcelona have rolled through the gears in the lead-up to Christmas, meaning the winner of Wednesday’s crunch meeting at Camp Nou will move seven points clear of third place.

More importantly, in what increasingly looks like a two-pronged title chase, the winner will pull three ahead of the loser, with one round Liga matches left before the

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Klopp Laments Timing Of Club World Cup

December 17, 2019 5:21 pm

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are fully focused on winning this week’s Club World Cup ahead of their semi-final against Monterrey of Mexico but hit out at the timing of the competition and questioned FIFA’s plans to expand the tournament in future.

“We are here now and we are completely focused on it, but if you had asked me beforehand if I think that there should be a Club World Cup in the middle of our season, I would say no, in my honest opinion,” Klopp told journalists at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, where Liverpool face Monterrey on Wednesday.

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England Relaxed Over New Jones Contract

December 17, 2019 5:21 pm

England are prepared to bide their time over a possible contract extension for coach Eddie Jones amid ongoing speculation over whether the Australian will still be in charge for the 2023 World Cup in France.

Jones took England all the way to this year’s final in Japan only to see them go down to a comprehensive 32-12 defeat by South Africa, having been appointed following the team’s woeful first-round exit on home soil at the 2015 edition.

His current deal runs until 2021 and Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney, speaking to reporters at Twickenham on Tuesday, said talks …

Boateng Wants Flick As Permanent Bayern Boss

December 17, 2019 5:20 pm

Veteran Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng said on Tuesday he would like interim coach Hansi Flick to be appointed on a full-time basis.

Flick, 54, took over at the Allianz Arena in November after Niko Kovac was sacked and club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said he would wait until the winter break to make a decision.

“I believe each one of us would be happy to continue with Hansi,” the 2014 World Cup winner told Munich newspaper Abendzeitung.

“He gets along well with everyone. The team is delighted with him but it’s not our choice,” he added.

Read Also: Lebanese …

Everyone Welcome? Gay Football Fans Prepare For Qatar

December 16, 2019 4:43 pm

World Cup 2022 host Qatar has given the clearest indication yet that LGBT fans will be welcome, engaging with gay supporters as it hosts the Club World Cup — despite criminalising homosexuality.

Organisers of the 2022 soccer spectacle travelled to Britain in recent months to meet Liverpool fan clubs including the side’s gay supporters’ group, individuals briefed on the meeting have told AFP.

Paul Amann, founder of Liverpool’s LGBT supporters’ club Kop Outs, then undertook a fact-finding mission to Doha along with his husband in November at the invitation of the World Cup organisers.

“I’m very satisfied that their approach …

Liverpool Face Atletico In Champions League Last 16 Clash

December 16, 2019 4:43 pm

Holders Liverpool will return to the scene of last season’s Champions League triumph after they were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the competition on Monday and Manchester City face 13-time winners Real Madrid.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will travel to the Wanda Metropolitano, where Liverpool lifted the trophy in June, for the first leg of their tie against three-time runners-up Atletico.

“The task is going to be difficult because we have opponents who are the reigning champions,” said Atletico director Clemente Villaverde.

“They are the champions, they have all the assets to be called the best team

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Chinese TV Pulls Arsenal Match After Ozil’s Uighur Comments

December 16, 2019 4:42 pm

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV pulled a game between Arsenal and Manchester City from its programme after the Gunners midfielder Mesut Ozil expressed support for mainly Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang.

Ozil, a German of Turkish origin, condemned China’s crackdown on Uighurs and other minorities in the western region in a tweet on Friday, while criticizing Muslim countries for failing to speak up against abuses.

Sunday’s Premier League game in London between Arsenal and Manchester City was initially scheduled to be broadcast live by CCTV’s sports channel shortly after midnight on Monday, according to an earlier schedule published on the league’s official …

Juventus Back Joint Top In Serie A

December 16, 2019 4:41 pm

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus beat Udinese 3-1 to join Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table on Sunday after Antonio Conte’s side were held 1-1 at Fiorentina.

Dusan Vlahovic snatched a point for Fiorentina two minutes into injury time to frustrate Inter Milan who had led following Borja Valero’s opener after eight minutes in Tuscany.

Both Juventus and Inter Milan have 39 points from 16 games, with Antonio Conte’s side ahead on goal difference.

Ronaldo struck twice in the first half to make it five goals in four games as the reigning champions got …

Woods Leads US Presidents Cup Fightback To Crush Els Dream

December 15, 2019 3:20 pm

Tiger Woods’ United States produced a stunning turnaround to deny the Internationals a first Presidents Cup in 21 years Sunday, dominating the singles on a tense final day that went to the wire at Royal Melbourne.

Veteran Matt Kuchar was the hero, with his winning putt on the 17th in the penultimate match enough to ensure victory, sparking wild celebrations from playing-captain Woods, who set the tone by getting the first point on the board.

It was a crushing loss for Ernie Els’ young Internationals who led for the first three days of the biennial matchplay event.

They went into …

EPL: Norwich Manager, Farke Attacks Kelechi Iheanacho

December 15, 2019 11:24 am

Norwich City manager, Daniel Farke, has expressed his anger over Kelechi Iheanacho’s poor sportsmanship during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City.

With Norwich player on the floor injured, Iheanacho decided to attack rather than sportsmanly play the ball out for throwing.

In the first half of the 1-1 draw, Norwich knocked the ball out of play so Emiliano Buendia could receive treatment.

They expected to receive the ball back, but the Nigerian international chose to play on, and, after he was tripped, the angered Norwich players stormed to confront him. Todd Cantwell was then punished with a yellow card.

Norwich …

EPL: Man City Identify EPL Manager As Guardiola’s Successor

December 15, 2019 11:23 am

Back-to-back Premier League champions, Manchester City have reportedly identified Leicester City coach, Brendan Rodgers as a potential successor to manager, Pep Guardiola.

According to The Sun, Man City want Rodgers to replace Guardiola when the Spaniard eventually leaves Etihad.

The newspaper reports that Man City hierarchy believes the Northern Irishman plays a similar style of football to Guardiola and could take over the team without having to make too many changes to the Citizens’ squad.

Guardiola’s current deal at Man City will end in the summer of 2021.

Rodgers has been a revelation since joining Leicester from Celtic.

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