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[ad_1] LONDON: Dean Smith insisted that Leicester can avoid relegation after the Premier League strugglers hired him as their manager until the end of the season on Monday. Former Aston Villa and Norwich boss Smith replaced Brendan Rodgers, who was sacked on April 2 after his side's slump into relegation trouble. Smith will take charge for Leicester's last eight games of the campaign as they battle to avoid dropping into the Championship for the first time since 2014. The Foxes sit second bottom of the table and are two points from safety after Saturday's damaging 1-0 home defeat against fellow strugglers Bournemouth. "I'm really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season," Smith said. "The challenge in front of us is clear, but it's one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it's very much achievable. &quo

[ad_1] KIGALI: Gianni Infantino has been re-elected as president of FIFA until 2027 after standing unopposed at the congress of world football's governing body on Thursday. The 52-year-old Swiss lawyer, who succeeded the disgraced Sepp Blatter in 2016, was waved in for a third term by acclamation, just as he was four years ago, by delegates from the 211 member federations. "To all those who love me, and I know there are so many, and also those who hate me, I know there are a few: I love you all," Infantino told delegates in the Rwandan capital, where the voting system did not register the number of dissident voices. While FIFA statutes currently limit a president to a maximum of three four-year terms, Infantino has already prepared the ground to stay until 2031, declaring in December that his first three years at the helm did not count as a full term. Infantino, who staunchly defended Qatar's hosting of last year's World Cup as the Gulf state's t

[ad_1] PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain have wrapped up a record 11th French title but Monaco risk missing out on European qualification on the final night of the Ligue 1 season on Saturday, while eight-time champions Nantes are facing relegation. PSG will pick up the championship trophy after their home game against Clermont as the Qatar-owned club end a difficult campaign with a celebration. Behind them, Lens are certain to finish as runners-up, meaning they will be in the Champions League group stage next season for the first time since 2002/03. Marseille will finish third and will enter the Champions League in the third qualifying round in early August, with the likes of Panathinaikos, Sturm Graz and Servette among possible opponents. The remaining European spots are still to be decided. One point separates Lille, Rennes and Monaco with just two berths in continental competition available. Lille, Ligue 1 champions in 2021, sit fourth and are on course to qualify for the Eur

[ad_1] LONDON: Jesse Marsch was sacked as Leeds manager on Monday after the American failed to halt the struggling club's slide towards the Premier League relegation zone. Leeds' 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Sunday left them just one place above the bottom three after seven league games without a win. "Leeds United can confirm head coach Jesse Marsch has been relieved of his duties," the club said in a statement. Leeds last won a match in the Premier League on November 5, a dismal run that prompted fans to call for Marsch to be sacked after the Forest defeat. They got their wish just 24 hours later, with the 49-year-old relieved of his duties after only a year in charge at Elland Road. "Jesse joined the club in February 2022 and was instrumental in keeping the club in the Premier League on the final day of last season," the statement said. It added: "The process of appointing a new head coach is under way." Marsch, who was hire

[ad_1] ISTANBUL: Manchester City are huge favourites heading into Saturday's Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul as Pep Guardiola's side aim to finally get their hands on the greatest prize in European club football, and complete a historic treble. City have been building towards this moment ever since the transformative 2008 takeover of the club by the Abu Dhabi United Group. They have become England's dominant force, winning seven Premier League titles in the last 12 seasons and following their latest triumph by claiming the FA Cup last weekend. It has happened just as they have become the club with the greatest revenues in world football according to analysts Deloitte, with income of 731 million euros ($788m) last season. Question marks surround their success, given that City were charged in February by the Premier League with 115 alleged breaches of its financial rules between 2009 and 2018. In Europe, meanwhile, City were banned for two

[ad_1] PARIS: Lionel Messi is "much more likely" to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season than sign a new deal, a source close to the club told AFP on Tuesday. "The dynamics have completely changed with PSG less pushing to renew (his contract)," the source said, adding that there was "no deal, no exit yet. But exit is much more likely." World Cup winner Messi , who will turn 36 in June, joined in 2021 on a two-year deal which expires at the end of this campaign. On Sunday, the Argentine's name was jeered by some PSG fans as the teams were announced prior to the 1-0 home defeat against Lyon in Ligue 1. Supporters of the Qatar-owned club are unhappy at the malaise around the team since they were eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16 by Bayern Munich last month. PSG have lost eight times in 18 games in 2023, a run which has seen them go out of the French Cup prematurely although they remain six points clear at the

[ad_1] WELLINGTON: Co-hosts New Zealand and Australia said Thursday they "urgently" want answers from FIFA over reports Saudi Arabia's tourist board will sponsor the 2023 Women's World Cup . Visit Saudi is reportedly poised to be named among the sponsors of the 32-team football tournament to be held in New Zealand and Australia from July 20. The sponsorship deal looks set to go ahead despite the Gulf kingdom's poor record on women's rights. Officials from Football Australia and New Zealand Football said they were not informed about the planned deal and "have jointly written to FIFA to urgently clarify the situation". In a statement, Football Australia said it was "very disappointed" that they "were not consulted on this matter prior to any decision being made". Their counterparts in New Zealand said they were "shocked and disappointed" that FIFA had not consulted them. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sa

[ad_1] AUCKLAND: Megan Rapinoe admitted Sunday to some frustration over her limited playing time for the United States at the Women's World Cup but believes she can still change games off the bench for the holders. The veteran was a regular starter in the US teams that won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, but at the age of 38 she is no longer a first pick in a side now coached by Vlatko Andonovski. After getting half an hour as a substitute in the opening 3-0 win over Vietnam, Rapinoe did not get on as the defending champions battled back to draw 1-1 with the Netherlands in their last game. Speaking in Auckland, she opened up on some frustration at not playing more of a role on the field, but also hopes her experience off the pitch can help the Americans' 14 World Cup newcomers. "You still have a lot to offer both on and off the field. Maybe you are not going to be a starter, playing the 90 minutes, but sometimes as a bench player that is not what you need,"

[ad_1] MUNICH: Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel said he was surprised with his team's lack of "anger in the belly" after a tame home draw with Hoffenheim on Saturday ahead of their Champions League return leg against Manchester City. Bayern were thrashed 3-0 in Manchester in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday and face a mountain to climb in Wednesday's second game. They missed a chance to move four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim as second-placed Borussia Dortmund also drew 3-3 with 10-man Stuttgart. "We only had very, very rare moments of good play," Tuchel said. "We played with little energy, little spirit, little change of pace, little conviction and little confidence." It was a disappointing end to a tumultuous week in which Sadio Mane was suspended by the club after a physical altercation with Leroy Sane following the City game which left his teammate with a cut lip.

[ad_1] PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win at Montpellier on Wednesday but their evening was overshadowed by an injury to Kylian Mbappe , who had earlier missed a penalty. The France superstar had an eighth-minute spot-kick saved by Montpellier's Benjamin Lecomte and then remarkably saw his second attempt turned onto the post by the goalkeeper after the referee ordered a retake. Mbappe then limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury midway through the first half, raising the alarm for PSG with the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich now less than two weeks away. Speaking after the game, coach Christophe Galtier suggested the injury was down to a knock rather than a muscle problem. "He took a knock to the back of the knee or the back of the thigh, so we'll see," Galtier told broadcaster Canal Plus. PSG host Bayern in Paris on February 14, with the second leg in Germ

[ad_1] UKRAINE: On an icy morning in southern Ukraine, football coach Vyacheslav Rol shouts to his team over the sound of distant explosions: "Everybody on the bus!" A group of girls aged between nine and 11 pile in. Krystal Kherson were headed for a competition in Mykolaiv, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) west of Kherson, their hometown near the southern frontline that is shelled by Russian forces almost daily. "The training is good for them," the 67-year-old coach told AFP. "They forget about the bombs," he said. Russian forces occupied Kherson city for eight months last year. It was recaptured by Ukrainian troops last November but the city still sits near the frontline. As the bus passed through war-ravaged countryside, the team intoned a popular local song to keep their spirits up: "Kherson, I dream of you at night!". During the journey, deputy coach Igor Psurtyev recounted how he went around the empty, devastated city during the

[ad_1] PARIS: The future of Kylian Mbappe and his protracted courtship by Real Madrid is expected to be the key theme of the transfer window that opens in Europe on Monday. Arsenal’s search for a proven goalscorer to spearhead their challenge for a first Premier League title since 2004 could also loom large. Manchester City meanwhile are widely expected to let Kalvin Phillips leave the club, ending a disappointing stay for the former Leeds midfielder who has failed to make his mark at the world champions. Much attention though will again focus on Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain’s lethal finisher and the man who a year ago scored a hat-trick for France in the World Cup final only to finish on the losing side. Real Madrid are again the main suitor for the 25-year-old whose contract at PSG expires in June – will the 14-time European champions finally get a commitment from the player they have been pursuing for years? It is far from certain though as Mbappe triggers an extraordin

[ad_1] LONDON: Trent Alexander-Arnold's late equaliser rescued Liverpool in their 1-1 draw at title rivals Manchester City, as Arsenal snatched top spot in the Premier League with a dramatic 1-0 win at Brentford on Saturday. Alexander-Arnold struck 10 minutes from the end of a tense summit meeting at the Etihad Stadium after Haaland's landmark strike looked like extending City's record home winning run. City had won their previous 23 games on home turf in all competitions, but Liverpool's escape act gave Arsenal the chance to leapfrog both of them into pole position. Haaland converted Nathan Ake's pass with a fine finish from just inside the area in the 27th minute, reaching his half-century of Premier League goals in record time in his 48th appearance. Pep Guardiola's men went flat after that and Alexander-Arnold made them pay, drilling his shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area before celebrating by putting a finger to his lips in f

[ad_1] PARIS: Marseille were dumped out of the French Cup in the quarter-finals in sensational fashion on Wednesday as the tournament favourites lost 7-6 on penalties at home to second-division outsiders Annecy after a 2-2 draw at the Velodrome. OM were strongly fancied to go all the way and win the competition after beating Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round, but instead they went out against opponents who had never previously reached the quarter-finals. Jordan Veretout had Marseille in front at half-time after opening the scoring on his 30th birthday, but Annecy equalised early in the second half through young Ivorian striker Moise Sahi. Defender Kevin Mouanga then headed Annecy in front, and the home side squandered a chance to equalise when Alexis Sanchez had a penalty saved, a spot-kick that had been awarded for handball following a VAR check. Yet Marseille, the 10-time French Cup winners, did equalise in the 96th minute when a cross by teenage substitute Franc

[ad_1] WASHINGTON: Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner, Seattle striker Jordan Morris and Inter Miami defender De Andre Yedlin were among seven World Cup players named Monday to the US CONCACAF Gold Cup roster. US interim coach BJ Callaghan selected the final 23-player squad for the start of training camp on June 20 in Chicago as the Americans try to defend the title they won 1-0 over Mexico in the 2021 final. "This is a group that we have a lot of confidence in as we look to win another Gold Cup trophy," Callaghan said. "It's a roster that has a good mix of veteran players that have World Cup experience and younger players have earned an opportunity to come into camp and represent the United States." The Americans seek an eighth crown to match Mexico for the all-time record in the biannual North American football showdown. In all, 16 of the 23 players compete for Major League Soccer squads, with 2022 World Cup members including Turner, Yedlin, Morris,

[ad_1] MILAN: Belgian Cyril Ngonge scored twice and Davide Faraoni was sent off as Verona beat Spezia 3-1 in the Serie A relegation play-off on Sunday. Attacker Ngonge's double came in a 12-minute spell during the first half before Faraoni, who had opened the scoring, was sent off with more than 20 minutes to play as the 1985 champions stayed in the top-flight. Wales midfielder Ethan Ampadu, on loan from Chelsea, had equalised for Spezia but it failed to stop his outfit from returning to Serie B after two seasons in the first division. Spezia , who finished the season in 17th, and Verona, a spot lower, were only separated by goal difference at the end of the season, meaning a play-off was needed to decide who would be sent down to the second tier. Midfielder Faraoni gave Verona the best start possible, opening the scoring on five minutes before Ampadu's response on the quarter of an hour mark. Ngonge's first goal came after 26 minutes and his second after 38 m

[ad_1] BARCELONA: La Liga leaders Barcelona welcome Atletico Madrid to Camp Nou on Sunday needing to climb out of a rut and take a significant step towards clinching the title. With an 11-point advantage on second-placed Real Madrid, Barcelona have one hand on the trophy, but have lost some ground with two consecutive 0-0 draws against Girona and Getafe. Xavi's side are crawling towards the line rather than sprinting over it, with the team's morale taking a big hit when Madrid knocked them out of the Copa del Rey with a 4-0 thrashing at Camp Nou earlier in April. Matters off the pitch have taken the focus, with president Joan Laporta giving a news conference to clarify the club's denial of any wrongdoings in the "Negreira case" referee scandal and a potential return for Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain gaining momentum. Laporta has also said he wants to renew Xavi's contract, but the coach wants his team to finish the job by winning La Liga

[ad_1] MANCHESTER: Manchester City's time to conquer Europe may have finally come after Real Madrid were slayed by the English champions on Wednesday to reach their second Champions League final. City thrashed the Spanish giants 4-0 at the Etihad for a 5-1 aggregate victory that exacted revenge for a dramatic semi-final exit to Madrid 12 months ago. Pep Guardiola's men are not just closing in on the trophy the club's owners have desired since an Abu-Dhabi backed takeover in 2008 began pouring billions of pounds of investment into the club. Victory against Inter Milan in Istanbul next month could complete a treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, matching local rivals Manchester United's historic achievement in 1998/99. A fifth league title in six seasons appears a foregone conclusion with City needing a maximum of three points from their final three games. United will have their chance to protect their record as the only English club to do

[ad_1] PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain travel to Reims on Saturday in a top-of-the-table showdown, providing the perfect setting for Warren Zaire-Emery to stake a claim for a starting berth with France. On Thursday, the 17-year-old was called up by Didier Deschamps to the French senior side for the next round of internationals on November 18 and 21. The captain of the French under-21 side has been the undeniable break-out star of Ligue 1 this term, making his name one of the first on Luis Enrique's team sheet for every match. Should the PSG midfield dynamo feature against Gibraltar or Greece, he will become the youngest French international since before World War I. As Zaire-Emery has matured, so have PSG come into fine form in Ligue 1 in recent weeks and they go into the weekend one point off top with four victories in their last five outings. However, they will need to bounce back from a poor midweek display in the Champions League away to Milan, where they went down 2-1

[ad_1] PARIS: Brazil forward Neymar has suffered ligament damage to his injured ankle, Paris Saint-Germain said on Tuesday, two weeks before the French club's Champions League last 16, second leg with Bayern Munich. Neymar, 31, was taken off on a stretcher with an ankle injury in the second half of PSG's extraordinary 4-3 Ligue 1 win over Lille on Sunday. "New examinations taken today confirm a sprained ankle for Neymar with ligament damage," PSG said in a statement. PSG confirmed after the victory a scan had shown no fracture, but said further tests would need to be carried out on the damage to the ligaments in the coming days. His injury immediately built fears he could miss the return leg with Bayern on March 8. The French champions will head to Germany looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, when Kylian Mbappe was restricted to a second-half cameo as a substitute on his return from a thigh injury. PSG will be looking to avoid going ou