Injured Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Euro 2024 opener

Injured Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Euro 2024 opener
Poland will have to play their opening game at the European Championship against the Netherlands on Jun. 16, 2024 without its striker Robert Lewandowski who will miss it out due to a muscle injury. (AP/File)
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Updated 11 June 2024
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Injured Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Euro 2024 opener

Injured Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Euro 2024 opener
  • Poland’s team doctor said the Barcelona star has a torn biceps femoris muscle from a warmup against Turkiye
  • The Poland captain had to be substituted in the 32nd minute of the game with a right leg injury

WARSAW: Poland will be without injured star striker Robert Lewandowski for their opening game at the European Championship against the Netherlands on Sunday.
Poland’s team doctor Jacek Jaroszewski said in a statement the Barcelona star has a torn biceps femoris muscle from a warmup against Turkiye in Warsaw on Monday that Poland won 2-1.
The Poland captain had to be substituted in the 32nd minute of the game with a right leg injury.
“We are doing everything so that Robert can play in the second match against Austria,” the statement said.
In Group D, Poland face Austria on June 21 at the tournament in Germany before playing France four days later.
The injury is another blow for Poland. Lewandowski is the country’s all-time leading goal-scorer with 82 goals from 150 games.
Arkadiusz Milik was to be up front with Lewandowski for the Euros until he damaged his left knee on Friday in the friendly against Ukraine. Milik returned to Juventus and had successful knee surgery on Monday.
Paweł Dawidowicz and Karol Świderski, who were also injured Monday, are expected to return to full training in three or four days.


Ronaldo closes on Asian Champions League crown as Saudi sides reign

Ronaldo closes on Asian Champions League crown as Saudi sides reign
Updated 28 February 2025
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Ronaldo closes on Asian Champions League crown as Saudi sides reign

Ronaldo closes on Asian Champions League crown as Saudi sides reign
  • Al-Hilal topped the league stage on goal difference from Al-Ahli with both unbeaten in eight matches
  • Al-Nassr finished five points clear of fourth-placed Al-Sadd of Qatar and Ronaldo’s side take on Iran’s Esteghlal over two legs, the first in Tehran on Monday

TOKYO: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr travel to Iran in the Asian Champions League next week with his side one of three from Saudi Arabia in the last 16 of the region’s top club competition.
Saudi teams dominated the tournament’s West zone league stage, with four-time Asian champions Al-Hilal leading Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the top three in the final table.
Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Ronaldo’s move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034.
Al-Hilal, the last side from Saudi Arabia to win the Champions League in 2021, topped the league stage on goal difference from Al-Ahli with both unbeaten in eight matches.
Al-Nassr finished five points clear of fourth-placed Al-Sadd of Qatar and Ronaldo’s side take on Iran’s Esteghlal over two legs, the first in Tehran on Monday.
Former Real Madrid and Manchester United star Ronaldo scored six goals in the league stage and is still going strong at the age of 40.
A first Asian crown would add to a bulging trophy haul that already includes five UEFA Champions League titles.
The Portuguese has been joined at Al-Nassr by Colombian striker Jhon Duran, although the big-money signing from Aston Villa was sent off during a Saudi league game last week.
The red card infuriated Ronaldo, who lashed out at the referee and booted the ball into the stands before continuing to remonstrate with the officials.
Coach Stefano Pioli will need his players to keep their heads against Esteghlal, who Al-Nassr beat 1-0 in the league stage thanks to a late goal from former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte.
“We must try to improve every day as we have not yet reached the level where we can compare ourselves with the first level of world football,” Pioli said.
Al-Hilal can no longer call on the services of Brazil’s Neymar but they will still start as heavy favorites in their last-16 tie against Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor.
Al-Ahli meanwhile saw their front three of England’s Ivan Toney, Brazil’s Roberto Firmino and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez all enjoy goalscoring form in the league stage.
German coach Matthias Jaissle will need them keep it going in the last 16 against Qatar’s Al-Rayyan.
“We achieved a historic record in this edition without losing, and this is not easy,” he said.
“We have the support of the fans and we look forward to winning this tournament.”
Japanese sides led the way in the East zone’s league phase, with last season’s runners-up Yokohama F-Marinos topping the table ahead of compatriots Kawasaki Frontale.
Yokohama, now coached by Gareth Southgate’s former England assistant Steve Holland, play China’s Shanghai Port in the last 16.
Kawasaki face Shanghai Shenhua while a third Japanese team, the domestic champions Vissel Kobe, take on South Korea’s Gwangju.
At least one non-Japanese team is guaranteed to advance in the East zone, with Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim meeting Thailand’s Buriram United.
Johor’s Argentine coach Hector Bidoglio has been impressed with his team’s performances so far.
“Before the start of the competition we set our target to qualify for the next stage,” he said after they booked their place with a 5-2 win over South Korea’s Pohang Steelers.
“But now we have not only qualified but we did it by showing our type of football.”
Last-16 games are played over two legs, with the winners going through to a finals stage to be played in Saudi Arabia in April and May.


Guardiola rules out mass Man City clearout

Guardiola rules out mass Man City clearout
Updated 28 February 2025
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Guardiola rules out mass Man City clearout

Guardiola rules out mass Man City clearout
  • Guardiola told his pre-match press conference on Friday that his experienced players would have an important role next season
  • "There are players here that are over 30 and they will be part of the future of this club"

LONDON: Pep Guardiola says his veteran Manchester City stars have a key role to play in the club’s rebuild as he tries to recapture former glories after a chastening season.
City have just the FA Cup still to play for in terms of silverware after the collapse of their Premier League title defense and their Champions League defeat by Real Madrid.
Guardiola’s team host second-tier Plymouth in the fifth round on Saturday.
The club have been criticized for not being quicker to renew an aging squad that has delivered six out of the past seven Premier League titles.


City made four signings in the January transfer window — Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez and Vitor Reis — illustrating the scale of the rebuild required following injuries and a loss of form for key players.
But Guardiola told his pre-match press conference on Friday that his experienced players would have an important role next season.
“There are players here that are over 30 and they will be part of the future of this club,” he said on Friday.
“Except Kevin — Kevin and the club will decide in the future — the others have contracts and next season I expect them to be here. They are going to help us.”
He added: “We cannot do it just with the new ones or the old ones. We have to be all together... It’s really, really important at the end of the season, the next season.
“I count with Gundo (Gundogan, 34), I count with Berni (Bernardo Silva, 30), I count with all the players that have a contract. They are there. I have no doubt about that.”
Guardiola, whose team are trying to reach the FA Cup final for a third straight season, is refusing to take Plymouth lightly.
The southcoast team, in the Championship relegation zone, shocked runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool in the fourth round.
“We played many times in the Carabao (League) Cup and the FA Cup against lower league teams and always they are tricky,” he said.
“What these teams do, they do really well. And if you are not ready you are in trouble. We have a chance to arrive in the last eight of the FA Cup again and we want to do it.”


Mourinho gets four-match ban for ‘monkeys’ and referee blast

Mourinho gets four-match ban for ‘monkeys’ and referee blast
Updated 28 February 2025
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Mourinho gets four-match ban for ‘monkeys’ and referee blast

Mourinho gets four-match ban for ‘monkeys’ and referee blast
  • After Monday’s game ended in a 0-0 stalemate, the 62-year-old Mourinho said the home bench had been “jumping like monkeys“
  • The Turkish football federation (TFF) disciplinary council handed down a two-match suspension for his comments against the fourth referee and two additional matches for his blast at the Galatasaray bench

ISTANBUL: Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho was handed a four-match ban and fined more than €40,000 by the Turkish football federation on Thursday for comments he made after an explosive Istanbul derby against Galatasaray.

After Monday’s game ended in a 0-0 stalemate, the 62-year-old Mourinho said the home bench had been “jumping like monkeys.”

He also reportedly repeated his criticism of Turkish referees.

Fenerbahce said that Mourinho’s comments were taken out of context.

On Thursday the Turkish football federation (TFF) disciplinary council handed down a two-match suspension for his comments against the fourth referee and two additional matches for his blast at the Galatasaray bench.

They were judged “contrary to sporting ethics.”

Mourinho, whose team trail leaders Galatasaray by six points in the table, was also fined just over €42,000.


Saudi Football Federation reportedly asks PSG’s Luis Campos to handle its sporting operations

Saudi Football Federation reportedly asks PSG’s Luis Campos to handle its sporting operations
Updated 27 February 2025
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Saudi Football Federation reportedly asks PSG’s Luis Campos to handle its sporting operations

Saudi Football Federation reportedly asks PSG’s Luis Campos to handle its sporting operations
  • The Portuguese executive is said to have been offered a decade-long deal worth €20 million a year
  • Sources say the federation wants to restructure the national team ahead of 2034 World Cup, with the goal of reaching the semi-finals

PARIS: Representatives of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation met Luis Campos, the sporting director of Paris Saint-Germain, in Geneva last week to discuss an offer for him to handle the federation’s sporting operations, French daily newspaper Le Parisien reported on Wednesday.
The Portuguese executive was offered €20 million ($20.8 million) a year in a contract that would run until 2034, according to the newspaper. Citing unnamed sources, it said the move is part of the federation’s plans to restructure and reorganize the Saudi national team ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which the Kingdom will host, with the goal of reaching the semi-finals.
If Campos, also a former sporting director of AS Monaco, accepts the offer, he will reportedly submit reports on Saudi football and the national team to Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal and the federation’s president, Yasser Al-Misehal.
The Le Parisien report added that Campos was given until the end of the year to respond to the offer, and in the meantime he will continue to focus on PSG until the end of the season. Campos joined the club in July 2022 and has helped it secure back-to-back Ligue 1 titles.


Pakistan soccer approves steps wanted by FIFA to lift international suspension

Pakistan soccer approves steps wanted by FIFA to lift international suspension
Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan soccer approves steps wanted by FIFA to lift international suspension

Pakistan soccer approves steps wanted by FIFA to lift international suspension
  • The PFF decided to approve those amendments
  • Pakistan remained hopeful the suspension will be lifted in time to play Syria on Mar. 25

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation took a step toward returning to international soccer by unanimously approving constitutional amendments proposed by FIFA on Thursday.
FIFA hit Pakistan on Feb. 6 with a third international suspension in less than eight years after the federation rejected electoral reforms.
The PFF decided to approve those amendments by a 23-0 vote at an extraordinary congress in Lahore, where the attendees included officials from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
“The congress members endorsed the FIFA proposed amendments in the best interest of Pakistan football, paving the way for the national team’s participation in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers following the expected lifting of FIFA’s suspension,” the PFF said in a statement.
Pakistan remained hopeful the suspension will be lifted in time to play Syria on March 25 in its first qualifier for the 2027 Asian Cup. For that to happen, the AFC told the PFF the ban must be lifted by Tuesday.