Abramovich settles libel claim over Putin book

London (AFP) – Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich said Wednesday he had accepted an apology and rewrites after suing the author and publisher of a book about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.

Abramovich sued publisher HarperCollins and investigative journalist Catherine Belton in the High Court over passages about the Russian billionaire’s acquisition of the English club and business dealings in Russia in her bestselling book “Putin’s People”.

Chelsea released a statement from Abramovich’s spokesperson saying: “We are pleased that HarperCollins and the author have apologised to Mr Abramovich and agreed to amend the book, removing several false claims about him.”

A High Court judge in November had ruled that claims in the book were defamatory against Abramovich, opening up the possibility of a full libel trial, which The Guardian reported could have cost some £10 million.

A group of oligarchs and Russian oil giant Rosneft had launched libel action, but two other oligarchs agreed to small changes, while a High Court judge ruled that only one passage concerning Rosneft was defamatory.

The libel action prompted rights groups including Reporters Without Borders to criticise the use of lawsuits to silence critical reporting.

Belton, a former Financial Times journalist in Moscow who now works for Reuters, said in a statement she was “glad” to have reached a settlement.

She said she had been “bombarded from all sides by lawsuits” in what felt like a “war of attrition”.

Chelsea said the case had been misreported and it was mounting “a well-founded legal claim” that was not seeking to be punitive. It said it had asked HarperCollins to make a charitable donation in lieu of damages.

HarperCollins said it “has now amended the book to record the position more accurately, and include additional comments from Mr Abramovich’s spokesperson”.

It stressed, however, that none of the claims have resulted in damages and praised Belton’s “knowledge, tenacity and bravery”.

Chelsea said the rewritten passages amounted to 1,700 words including “false statements” about Abramovich’s purchase of Chelsea Football Club.

The book included claims by former Putin associate Sergei Pugachev that it was on Putin’s instigation in a bid to increase Russia’s influence.

Harper Collins said it had now made clear “there is no evidence, beyond the statements of the individuals themselves, supporting claims made to the author by Sergei Pugachev and two other unnamed individuals about the purchase of Chelsea Football Club”.

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Where to find Athletic vs. Real Madrid on US TV

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Athletic vs. Real Madrid on US TV in LaLiga, you’ve come to the right place.

For viewers in the US, Athletic vs. Real Madrid won’t be shown live on US television, but it can be streamed to your TV.

League: LaLiga

Genre: Sports

Looking to watch LaLiga matches online from your office, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

US Only.

 

Who: Athletic vs. Real Madrid
What: LaLiga
When: Game kicks off at 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT; Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Where: Live on ESPN+

 

With ESPN+, you can watch Athletic vs. Real Madrid and tons more LaLiga games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, Apple, Android, and Amazon Fire devices, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Oculus Go.

Now with ESPN+, you can stream Bundesliga, LaLiga, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup, US Open Cup, International Champions Cup, Eredivisie, Sweden’s Allsvenskan, MLS out-of-market games and USL.

ESPN+ is only $6.99/month.

Even better, ESPN is now offering The Disney Bundle that includes ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ for only $13.99 per month. Not only do you get all of the soccer with ESPN+, but you also get hit movies and TV shows with Hulu AND you get Disney+ that features Star Wars, Marvel movies, Disney movies and shows, films from Pixar and feature documentaries from National Geographic.

In addition to all of the soccer coverage, ESPN+ also includes UFC, MLB, MLS, NHL, select PGA TOUR golf, Top Rank Boxing, cricket and Grand Slam tennis from Wimbledon to the US Open and Australian Open. Plus you get instant access to your favorite college sports like football, basketball, lacrosse, softball and more.

There’s also the daily ESPN FC show, 30 For 30 documentaries, exclusive access to studio programs and more.

Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming.

To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).

 

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Salernitana out of Serie A if not sold by end of year, says Italian FA chief

Rome (AFP) – Salernitana’s troubles got deeper on Tuesday after Italian football chief Gabriele Gravina said the Serie A club must be sold by the end of the year or be kicked out of the league.

Promoted to Italy’s top flight this season, Salernitana immediately fell foul of Italian Football Federation (FIGC) rules because they are owned by Claudio Lotito, who also owns Lazio.

Independent directors were appointed in June to organise the club’s sale by December 31 but said last week that they had not received good bids and requested a new deadline.

Serie A clubs unanimously voted on Thursday for a postponement of the deadline until the end of the season, but Gravina said after the final FIGC council meeting of 2021 that there would be no extension.

“There is no new ruling. All I did was read the notary deed which provides for the exclusion of Salernitana from Serie A should the club’s shares not be sold,” Gravina told reporters.

“I hope Salernitana find a buyer before December 31, otherwise the deed is very clear.”

The news comes as Salernitana announced that they would not travel to Udine for Tuesday evening’s Serie A match after positive Covid cases in the club.

Serie A earlier confirmed that Salernitana’s match at Udinese will not be postponed despite health authorities in Salerno requesting the squad not leave for northeastern Italy.

Serie A told AFP that the “match remains scheduled” for 1730 GMT on Tuesday and that “it will be the sporting judges who decide” the outcome once the fixture is not be fulfilled. 

The game not being called off leaves Serie A open to rows similar to those which surrounded Napoli’s shelved trip to Juventus late last year and Lazio’s match at Torino in the Spring.

In both cases the home team were at the stadium, ready to play while knowing the opposition would not be arriving, and each time the team originally considered to have forfeited the match were eventually cleared of any wrong-doing.

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Napoli’s Osimhen ‘available’ for Nigeria at Africa Cup of Nations

Milan (AFP) – Victor Osimhen said Tuesday that he will be available to play for Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations despite currently being out of action while recovering from a smashed cheekbone.

Napoli forward Osimhen looked certain to miss out on the continental tournament, which is scheduled to kick off on January 9, after initially being ruled out for three months following surgery on face fractures suffered against Inter Milan in late November.

But the 22-year-old insisted he would be ready to travel to Cameroon with the Super Eagles.

“I will be available for AFCON unless if am not among the players picked to represent NIGERIA,” Osimhen said on Twitter.

Osimhen is currently training for Napoli while wearing a protective facemask and waiting for the go-ahead to recommence playing earlier than expected.

He suffered the fractures following a clash of heads with Inter defender Milan Skriniar, and had titanium implants placed in his cheekbone and eye socket.

The Cup of Nations is gearing up for its start next month against a backdrop of persistent rumours that it could be called off or postponed after already having been delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last week Europe’s top clubs threatened to refuse to release their African players for the event due to concerns over the Covid-19 health protocol.

Many of Africa’s leading players are based at clubs in Europe, with Napoli also having Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and Cameroon midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa on their books.

On Sunday night Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti described the Cup of Nations as an “invisible monster” that “makes your players vanish from the dressing room”.

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Manchester United reopen training ground after Covid outbreak

London (AFP) – Manchester United on Tuesday reopened their Carrington training ground following a coronavirus outbreak that forced the postponement of two Premier League matches.

United closed Carrington for an initial 24 hours eight days ago and their matches at Brentford and at home against Brighton were subsequently called off.

“Manchester United’s players have started a return to training at Carrington on a staggered basis,” the club said in a statement.

“The complex was closed for first-team operations last week due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the club but opened again (on Tuesday) morning.

“Hence, this will now give interim manager Ralf Rangnick and his squad time to prepare for our next fixture — the Premier League meeting with Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Monday, December 27.”

The Premier League announced on Monday that it would continue with its schedule despite widespread coronavirus outbreaks, which forced the postponement of six of the weekend’s 10 fixtures.

The English top flight reported 90 new coronavirus cases among players and staff last week — a big leap from 42 in the previous week.

United are currently sixth in the Premier League table having played two games fewer than most of the teams above them.

They are due to travel to face struggling Newcastle next Monday, with a home game against Burnley three days later.

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F1’s boom in the US and its lessons for soccer leagues

The 2021 F1 season was the most-watched ever in the racing league’s American broadcast history. The competition ended with yet another massive audience for its climactic circuit.

An average of nearly a million viewers tuned into ESPN2 to see Max Verstappen controversially win his first world championship at the chaotic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 12th. This, for a race that began at 8 a.m. ET on a Sunday morning.

In recent years, European soccer established dominance of traditionally sleepy Sunday mornings. However, F1 dominated each Sunday this year.

ESPN2’s average audience of 963,000 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix more than tripled that of NBCSN’s West Ham-Burnley match that was on at the same time. Also, ESPN’s other big foreign import, La Liga, doesn’t compare either. Just 465,000 watched Barcelona beat Real Sociedad in the league’s ABC debut back on Sunday, August 15.

Admittedly, it is apples and oranges to compare an individual sport like F1. Every Grand Prix offers a superstar-laden, championship-level event. Meanwhile, a team sport like soccer could have superstars, or strong teams; there is potential for a healthy mix.

Still, it just might be a comparison worth making. As Second Captains podcast co-host Ciarán Murphy said on a recent episode, “every sport is now trying to say ‘how can we pull an F1 here'”?

F1 and Soccer’s beginnings

In the 1990s, F1 and soccer both served relatively niche sporting communities. Each vied for attention in the US’ crowded sports field. Since then, soccer has grown to become arguably the fourth-most popular team sport in the US.

Meanwhile, F1 bounced from network to network over the past two decades until finally reuniting with ESPN. Fortunately for F1, the return paid dividends. In the cord-cutting era where leagues are happy with holding steady or modest growth, F1 enjoys phenomenal growth. American viewership boomed from 672,000 a race in 2019 to an all-time high of 934,000 a race this season.

Lewis Hamilton

Similarly, Canadian viewership skyrocketed in recent years. Viewership this season averaged around 728,000 a race (528,000 on English-language TSN and 200,000 on French-language RDS). Moreover, the viewership numbers were truly insane in Lewis Hamilton’s native United Kingdom. An average of 3.4 million watched the final race on free over-the-air Channel 4.

F1 vs. soccer viewership

F1 shines even when compared to some of club soccer’s biggest matches in the US. For one, F1’s most-watched race this year was the United States Grand Prix on ABC with 1.2 million viewers. Comparatively, ABC’s broadcast of the MLS Cup Final attracted 1.14 million. Yet, this number ballooned to an impressive 1.5 million with the Spanish-language audience on UniMás and TUDN.

The most-watched Premier League match last season, the Manchester Derby, got 973,000 on NBC. Again, Spanish-language audiences on Telemundo and NBC Sports Digital viewers brought this number to 1.2 million. But, F1 cannot compete with the most-watched league soccer games in the US – the Champions League Final and the Liga MX Finals. The recent 2nd leg of the 2021 Liga MX Apertura final between Atlas and León pulled 2.4 million viewers on Univision/TUDN. Furthermore, 2.1 million watched the 2021 Chelsea-Man City Champions League final on CBS.

Despite F1’s hype, NASCAR remains far more popular in the United States. Sports Media Watch reports an average of 2.93 million viewers watched races across FOX, FS1, NBC, and NBCSN. On top of that, IndyCar’s viewership average is slightly higher than F1’s. The enormous audience that the Indy 500 still attracts buoys their average. A more advantageous start time for races also helps.

Influences in growth

If you do not watch F1, then perhaps you feel like Irish Times columnist and Second Captains podcast co-host Ken Early. On a recent episode he incredulously asked a question existing in many fans’ heads.

“Why would anyone be interested in this? I don’t understand! But, apparently, Netflix has saved it somehow. People watched the Netflix thing and are suddenly like I’ll watch the race as well!”

It could be the Netflix effect, as well as ESPN’s mighty influence, that has made F1 so popular among fans, influencers, and prominent media members this season. Ben Axelrod, a journalist in Northeast Ohio, joked, “Soccer twitter & F1 twitter – randomly taking over the timeline on weekend mornings.” Ryen Russillo, host of the 8th most popular sports podcast per Spotify and Apple, started a regular F1 segment with the Ringer’s Kevin Clark this season. College football’s Spencer Hall, who writes at Channel 6 and hosts the SEC Network’s “Thinking Out Loud”, is another recent convert who often spends Sundays irreverently covering the races.

As Ken Early hinted at, F1 broke through to the mainstream among non-racing fans in a way that other leagues haven’t. Many factors fueled F1’s rise. An underrated factor is that most of F1’s races start early on Sunday mornings when the main competition for action is European soccer.

Netflix brought in an entirely new audience with its popular Drive to Survive docuseries. As John Suchenski, ESPN’s director of programming and acquisitions, said multiple pathways of watching can accommodate an array of audiences.

“Having additional F1 content out there that reaches a wide and different audience helps increase awareness and interest and, hopefully, incentivizes them to tune into the races. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Promotional ideas

Max Verstappen racing

Then there’s F1’s star power – now centered on the budding rivalry between the circuit’s charismatic champions Hamilton and Verstappen. And it’s not just the drivers. Liberty Media’s immersive F1 race productions bring viewers deeper behind the curtain than almost any other sport. During the chaotic finale of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, viewers got to hear Mercedes Race Team CEO Toto Wolff strenuously object to the race’s restart rules, saying “[y]ou need to reinstate the lap before, that’s not right!” To which F1 race director Michael Masi blithely replied, “Toto, it’s called a motor race, ok?”

And there’s the ESPN effect. As NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said when announcing the league’s return to ESPN, “I’m well aware of [ESPN’s] ability to promote and market and reach more sports fans than anybody else. That is going to continue our growth and was an extraordinarily important part of the attractiveness of us coming together.”

F1’s lessons for soccer leagues

But, can other leagues looking for significant growth in the US draw any lessons from F1? Sportico writer Jacob Feldman, inspired by F1’s rise, cleverly came up with “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Sports.” Let’s see if there are anything soccer leagues could do better at.

F1 embraced social media

Feldman describes how F1 used to prevent footage from being shared on various platforms. This hasn’t been a problem for MLS, which has a strong online presence. And its teams do a great job of sharing highlights. Same goes for the European leagues even if some are foolishly geo-blocked in the US. Liga MX could do a better job of penetrating the English-language audience.

F1 turned races into events

Here’s where soccer just can’t compare with F1. There are usually only around 20 Grand Prix races in a season. Each one occurs in a photogenic, if sometimes despotic, location. NBC has done the best at turning weekend matches into big events with their Premier League Fan Fests. The other European leagues simply don’t have big enough fanbases in the US to do likewise. But MLS could easily hold regular fan fests with so many fervent fanbases around the country. And ESPN, which already produces College Gameday, is the perfect partner to make it happen. Liga MX also has huge followings in many of America’s biggest cities so regular fan fests would be a natural.

F1 made telecasts more welcoming

We haven’t seen as many TV production innovations with soccer as we’ve seen in, say, the NFL. Unfortunately, we’ve even seen the production go backwards into the SD era with ESPN’s presentation of the 2021 MLS Eastern Conference Final.

F1 let ESPN broadcast for free

This was a bold gambit from F1 that will pay off enormously with their next TV deal. But even if a soccer league wanted to give away its product in exchange for more visibility there’s the problem of network bandwidth. Networks simply don’t have enough broadcast windows to show all the various soccer leagues. Thus, we’ve now seen Serie A, La Liga, and the Bundesliga go mostly behind a streaming paywall in the US. And with the shuttering of NBCSN, it’s likely that more and more Premier League matches will be on the Peacock pay streaming service.

Thankfully, MLS trends in the right direction of making its games as easy to watch for the greatest amount of people. The year 2022 will feature a record 48 matches on free over-the-air TV (ABC, FOX, Univision, and UniMás). And Liga MX already offers a regular slate on broadcast TV, including its super popular playoffs.

F1 improved its racing quality

The top European leagues already feature the best players in the world. Liga MX offers Concacaf’s most dominant clubs. And MLS is now producing elite talent highlighted by the recent transfers of Brenden Aaronson and Gianluca Busio. And while not all came from MLS, the United States is now tied for having the fourth-most players in the 2021-22 Champions League of any non-UEFA country.

F1 developed storylines

This is subjective, but it’s the Premier League with its combination of historic clubs, elite players, world-class managers with distinct personalities, and internationally famous/infamous owners that has the most dramatic storylines. This factor also ties into the debate between a league having parity versus a league having super teams.

World Soccer Talk Podcast · Parity in MLS: Are playoffs the best way to crown a champion?

It’s a subjective opinion but it’s also an area where MLS struggles a bit. Due to the economics of the game, as soon as a young MLS star becomes known among casuals and fans outside the team’s home market, they usually depart for Europe. Golden Boot winner Taty Castellanos might be the latest to leave. The league certainly does have big stars like Josef Martinez and Carlos Vela. But MLS seems to, justifiably, rely more on the atmosphere at its matches as a selling point rather than individual stars.

F1 benefitted from growing digital communities

This one holds true for all the various soccer leagues competing for attention in the US as well. The various subreddits and Twitter communities for clubs and leagues are thriving.

In short

There’s only so much that other leagues can learn from F1’s boom. Ultimately, an F1 Grand Prix is more like a golf or tennis Grand Slam or a WWE pay-per-view than a soccer match. Many are watching for the personalities and behind-the-scenes drama as much as the actual racing. With soccer, those side interests can’t be served as well, even if soccer’s managers and owners were to don microphones.

But, soccer leagues can learn to offer fans a better sense of big stakes, just like F1 does. In the crowded American sports field, it may not be enough to trot out regular soccer league matches every weekend and magically expect massive audiences to materialize. We see it with the pedestrian regular season viewerships for Liga MX, especially on cable. It’s only in the playoffs that the Liga MX audience becomes huge. Same for the MLS playoffs and the latter stages of the Champions League.

But, it’s not just about offering knockout games. CBS’ Golazo Show, which lets viewers see a little bit of action from all the Champions and Europa League games instead of having to sit through one specific game that might be a dud, has proven to be popular. The biggest game-changer in the US might just the newly revamped Leagues Cup to be contested by all MLS and Liga MX clubs in 2023. It’ll draw from the English and Spanish language audiences in the United States in a time of year, midsummer, with little competition from other sports. By then, we may be talking just as much about the MLS/Liga MX combo as about F1.

 

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Police arrest three Parisian fans for cup violence

Paris (AFP) – Three Parisian fans have been arrested for their part in incidents that halted a cup match between Paris FC and Lyon, police announced on Tuesday.

The game on Friday was stopped at half-time after fans fled onto the field as flares and smoke bombs were thrown around and fighting broke out in the stands at the Charlety stadium in Paris.

“Investigations have been carried out which led to the identification and arrest, this morning, of three ultra supporters”, said the prefecture of police without specifying which club they supported.

A police source told AFP that the three were Parisians. 

Ligue 2 Paris FC is dwarfed by the city’s only Ligue 1 club, Paris Saint-Germain, whose fans have a long rivalry with Lyon.

Earlier, another source told AFP: “Paris Saint-Germain ultras could be identified on the videos.”

The Lyon ultras, had “wanted to fight at Gare de Lyon” when they arrived in the Paris for the game.  

No arrests were made on Friday evening, but the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation on Saturday into events that left two injured. 

Paris FC president, Pierre Ferracci, denounced the behaviour of “the Lyon ultras”. 

“Violent, hooded people, armed with bicycle chains, brass knuckles, who threw smoke bombs,” he said. 

Lyon were being held 1-1 by the Ligue 2 Paris when play was halted. 

Lyon announced after the game that they would ban their fan groups from traveling to away matches. 

The French Football Federation announced on Monday the opening of an investigation and will make its decisions on December 28, including the fate of the match and possible responsibilities of clubs. 

This is the latest in a string of incidents in French stadiums this season.

It is the second match this season involving Lyon fans which has had to be abandoned — their home league game with Marseille was called off after OM captain Dimitri Payet was hit on the head with a plastic bottle.

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Where to find Sevilla vs. Barcelona on US TV

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona on US TV in LaLiga, you’ve come to the right place.

For viewers in the US, Sevilla vs. Barcelona won’t be shown live on US television, but it can be streamed to your TV.

League: LaLiga

Genre: Sports

Looking to watch LaLiga matches online from your office, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

US Only.

 

Who: Sevilla vs. Barcelona
What: LaLiga
When: Game kicks off at 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT; Tuesday, December 21, 2021
Where: Live on ESPN+

 

With ESPN+, you can watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona and tons more LaLiga games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, Apple, Android, and Amazon Fire devices, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Oculus Go.

Now with ESPN+, you can stream Bundesliga, LaLiga, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup, US Open Cup, International Champions Cup, Eredivisie, Sweden’s Allsvenskan, MLS out-of-market games and USL.

ESPN+ is only $6.99/month.

Even better, ESPN is now offering The Disney Bundle that includes ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ for only $13.99 per month. Not only do you get all of the soccer with ESPN+, but you also get hit movies and TV shows with Hulu AND you get Disney+ that features Star Wars, Marvel movies, Disney movies and shows, films from Pixar and feature documentaries from National Geographic.

In addition to all of the soccer coverage, ESPN+ also includes UFC, MLB, MLS, NHL, select PGA TOUR golf, Top Rank Boxing, cricket and Grand Slam tennis from Wimbledon to the US Open and Australian Open. Plus you get instant access to your favorite college sports like football, basketball, lacrosse, softball and more.

There’s also the daily ESPN FC show, 30 For 30 documentaries, exclusive access to studio programs and more.

Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming.

To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).

 

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Where to find Arsenal vs. Sunderland on US TV

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Arsenal vs. Sunderland in the US, we have all of the details for you about the League Cup Quarterfinal match.

The match won’t be shown live on US TV, but you can stream it to your TV with the devices mentioned below.

League: League Cup

Genre: Sports

Looking to watch League Cup matches online from your office, home or on the go? If you live in the USA, there are several options to catch all the action.

We Recommend:

US Only.

 
Here are all of the details of where you can watch it on television and via legal streaming:

Who: Arsenal vs. Sunderland
What: League Cup Quarterfinal
When: Game kicks off at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT; Tuesday, December 21, 2021
Where: Live on ESPN+

 

With ESPN+, you can watch Arsenal vs. Sunderland and tons more League Cup games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 and XBOX One.

Now with ESPN+, you can stream Bundesliga, LaLiga, Championship, League One, League Two, FA Cup, League Cup, US Open Cup, International Champions Cup, Eredivisie, Sweden’s Allsvenskan, MLS out-of-market games and USL.

ESPN+ is only $6.99/month.

In addition to all of the soccer coverage, ESPN+ also includes a selection of live games from MLB, MLS, NHL, select PGA TOUR golf, Top Rank Boxing and Grand Slam tennis from Wimbledon to the US Open and Australian Open. Plus you get instant access to your favorite college sports like football, basketball, lacrosse, softball and more.

There’s also the daily ESPN FC show, 30 For 30 documentaries, exclusive access to studio programs and more.

Even better, ESPN is now offering the Disney+ Bundle that includes ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ for only $13.99 per month. Not only do you get all of the soccer with ESPN+, but you also get hit movies and TV shows with Hulu AND you get Disney+ that features Star Wars, Marvel movies, Disney movies and shows, films from Pixar and feature documentaries from National Geographic.

Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming.

To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).

 

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Arsenal’s youth project continues to produce results

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Arsenal’s youth project dominated headlines to start the season.

An expensive, but young, batch of transfer acquisitions provided the Gunners the youngest squad in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta had the options at his disposal for natural development of players. The question remained as to how well they would fit in with the squad.

Once again, the highest-paid player at Arsenal is in exile. This time around, it’s probably for the best.

Poor Leadership

Mikel Arteta left Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of the matchday squad against Southampton on December 11. The Athletic reported Arteta made the decision due to the striker returning late from a trip abroad.

Moreover, this is not Aubameyang’s first punishment for off-the-field issues. Last season, Aubameyang failed to crack the starting lineup for the North London Derby because of disciplinary reasons. Arsenal went on to defeat Tottenham, 2-1.

Since Aubmeyang’s recent dismissal, the Gunners picked up nine points in three games. A  against Southampton, top-four challengers West Ham and Leeds. The club stripped Aubameyang of his captaincy after the Southampton game.

Next month, the Gabonese international will go to Cameroon to play in the African Cup of Nations. His current banishment from the club helps the team play fluid, attacking soccer instead of always looking for the 2018-19 Premier League Golden Boot winner to score.

Arsenal’s youth project in action

Forward Gabriel Martinelli is the biggest beneficiary from decision to bench Aubameyang. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist has started in five of their last six matches and contributed four goals, two against Leeds, and two assists. Manager Mikel Arteta is impressed with his development. He spoke highly of the Brazilian following the Leeds game.

“He’s come a long, long way because his energy, his passion, his commitment, it doesn’t get much better than that ever, but there are other aspects in the game that he’s had to develop and maintain the ones that he’s exceptional at, like today, because when he has chances, he puts them away.”

England internationals Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe also scored against the West Yorkshire-based club. The occasion marked the first time three Gunners aged 21 or younger scored in the same Premier League match.

While the youngsters are playing well, they are given the freedom to play because of a wily veteran.

The Resurgence

It is harsh, but, generally speaking, Alexandre Lacazette is a flop since his arrival at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger dropped a hefty $58 million for the Frenchman’s services in 2017.

Now, he is in the last year of his contract, but he is essential to the team’s attack. The Frenchman scores the occasional goal. His strengths are his hold-up play, his link-up play with the forwards and creating space for the midfielders to play in the final third. Essentially, it is the things that do not appear on the scoresheet that allow Lacazette to contribute to Arteta’s side.

In what is now his fifth season, Lacazette failed to live up to his goal-scoring prowess he exhibited at Lyon. In the Leeds game, Lacazette picked up his 100th goal contribution with an assist, arriving in his 186th game with the club. A decent output, certainly, but he must continue to find his role in Arteta’s side. After all, he assumed the captaincy of that Leeds contest.

Martin Ødegaard has thrived with Lacazette leading the line. The Norwegian has two assists in the last three games while giving the club a dose of creativity they haven’t had since Mesut Ozil.

In the summer, Arsenal revamped their transfer policy by signing six players who were 23 and younger. Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu solidify the backline. Additionally, left-back Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga provide depth via rotational toles. While the team is getting younger, veterans are still needed to provide experience and leadership.

Redemption

Granit Xhaka shares the burden of losing the captaincy of Arsenal. In the summer, it seemed like he was headed to Roma to play for Jose Mourinho. Instead, the Swiss international signed a new contract. Fortunately for him and Arsenal, his performances set him as one of the best midfielders for the Gunners in this campaign. Since returning from injury, Xhaka started in every match and his all-around play is crucial.

“We have a lot of young players, and you can see the hunger in them. But as well, the experienced players like me, like Thomas (Partey) for example in the middle, we have to take them to the side, we have to speak with them,” Xhaka told The Independent.

Patience

While Arsenal’s youth project is already paying dividends, Mikel Artets must keep everything in perspective. It becomes dangerous when there is an overreliance on players who are still developing. This is especially the case at FC Barcelona, where an overuse of Pedri in 2020/21 yielded an injury sidelining the midfielder for practically this entire campaign thus far.

Arteta understands this and knows it is his duty to protect them.

“There’s no point exposing a player even when there’s a lot of opinions that it has to be done because it won’t be beneficial for the player. And in the end, we are here to protect the player and develop the players that we have in the best possible way.”

As of now, Aubameyang does not look like he will feature for the club in the foreseeable future. He can learn from Xhaka and see that he can find his way back into the team if he is willing to change his ways. Arsenal are currently fourth place and will try to get back into the Champions League for the first time since 2016. With Arsenal’s youth movement paving the way, that goal is within reach approaching the halfway point in the season.

World Soccer Talk Podcast · ESPN is overhyping LaLiga this season

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Unfancied Trabzonspor take Turkish football by storm

Trabzon (Turkey) (AFP) – Trabzonspor supporter Samet Kordali is “100 percent sure” that his unfancied club from Turkey’s Black Sea coast will finally lift the first title of his lifetime.

And when that day comes at the end of the season in May, the northeastern city of Trabzon “will be on fire”, Kordali says with a dreamy glint in his eye.

Trabzonspor are the uncontested leaders of the Super Lig after 17 matches, on course to lift their first championship trophy since 1984.

Although they suffered their first loss earlier this month, they rebounded with a 2-0 win against third-place Hatayspor in front of a feverish crowd last weekend.

Boosted by the arrival of Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik, they are nine points clear of second-place Konyaspor and the bookies’ favourites to win the league.

“Here, every child supports the club,” Hamdi Caliskan, 57, says outside the team’s official store, where the club’s burgundy-and-blue shirts are flying off the shelf.

“We are the first club to have broken Istanbul’s reign.”

– ‘Storm of Black Sea’ –

In 1976, Trabzon became the first city outside Istanbul to win the title, which until then was the preserve of the three Turkish giants: Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas.

The city of 300,000 is mainly known among Turks for its fishing port, nationalist fervour and the football club, which some affectionately call the “storm of the Black Sea”.

In the old city’s cafes, the team dominate every conversation and their colours even decorate some locals’ Muslim prayer beads.

“I went to Trabzon several times during my career as a referee,” retired match official Deniz Coban recalled in 2019.

“People’s relationship to football is very different there. An 80-year-old grandmother would turn around on the street because she knows you.”

This passion for the local club is rare in Turkey’s regions, where many still support the famous Istanbul side, says Can Kakisim, an associate professor and expert on football.

“Trabzon is a city apart because the majority support Trabzonspor,” he said.

Several anecdotes reveal the passion — some say hysteria — surrounding the club.

In 2015, the team’s president, angry at an unawarded penalty, locked the referees in the locker room for four hours.

The drama only ended after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan placed a soothing phone call to the fuming football boss.

Earlier this month, a man threatened to commit suicide by jumping off the rooftop of an apartment building in the city centre.

In a video that went viral, one person down bellow shouted: “Brother, don’t go until you see the championship victory!”

– ‘Respected opponents’ –

Among the older citizens, some still revel in the nostalgia of a bygone era when Trabzonspor grabbed six championships and six Turkish Super Cups between 1976 and 1984.

Since then, Trabzonspor have gained a reputation for being “respected opponents” who can put up a decent fight against the Istanbul sides, says historian Mehmet Yuce.

But Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas do not really treat Trabzonspor as an equal, focusing instead on their intense internal rivalry.

“Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas have existed for more than a century and so they don’t see Trabzonspor (formed in 1967) as a team of their calibre,” Yuce says.

The club, which has finished second on nine occasions, has the added advantage of not playing in the European leagues.

For Kakisim, a new championship title is “necessary” for keeping alive the passion among younger fans.

Gokhan Alparslan is one of them.

Painting houses during the week, the 25-year-old sells team scarves for 30 liras ($1.70) on match days in the stadium’s parking lot.

This year, he watches games on the television but if Trabzonspor clinches the title, he thinks selling team scarves could make him rich.

“Maybe then I’ll be able to buy a season ticket to go inside the stadium,” he laughs.

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Maloney appointed Hibs boss

Glasgow (AFP) – Hibernian appointed former Celtic and Aston Villa forward Shaun Maloney as the club’s new manager on Monday.

Maloney succeeds Jack Ross after working as an assistant manager to Belgium boss Roberto Martinez for the past three years.

The former Scottish international has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Easter Road.

“Shaun has been the standout candidate throughout this process as his idea of football is completely aligned with ours and the history of this football club,” said Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell

“He believes in attacking, possession-based football and has implemented it at the highest level with Roberto Martinez at Belgium.”

Hibs lost out narrowly to Celtic in the League Cup final on Sunday, going down 2-1 at Hampden.

However, it is their league form which saw Ross sacked earlier this month.

The Edinburgh side sit seventh in the Scottish Premiership having won just two of their last 11 games.

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Premier League clubs meet to tackle Covid chaos

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Premier League chiefs will meet on Monday to discuss a potential festive “firebreaker” as a result of the escalating coronavirus crisis, with managers voicing fears over player safety and fairness.

Just four of the scheduled 10 games took place this weekend due to a number of call-offs caused by outbreaks that left clubs unable to field teams.

Despite record numbers of Covid-19 cases across Britain as the Omicron variant sweeps through the nation, the Premier League has so far insisted the show goes on “where safely possible.”

So far, the league has been considering applications for postponements on a case-by-case basis but there has been criticism over the decision-making process.

Managers forced to balance the wellbeing of their players with the need for results say there has been a lack of clarity over why some games are postponed but others allowed to go ahead.

Chelsea have fallen six points behind Manchester City at the top of the table after draws with Everton and Wolves over the past week while dealing with a worsening outbreak.

The European champions’ application to have their match at Wolves on Sunday called off was rejected even though they had seven positive Covid cases.

“We were put in a huge risk of health and safety to the players, not just because of Covid but also physically,” said Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.

“From a medical point of view, I’m very worried because we have had four consecutive days of positive tests in the squad.

“How will this stop if we carry on and pretend it’s not happening? This is my opinion and it’s the medical opinion but it’s not the opinion of the Premier League, so we have to play.”

Title-chasing Liverpool stumbled in a 2-2 draw at Tottenham, with a number of key players absent after returning positive tests.

The crisis has come at the busiest time in the English football calendar, with Premier League sides each due to play three rounds of matches between December 26 and January 3.

– Circuit-breaker? –

Even a short circuit-breaker would put strain on the calendar, forcing clubs to cram in fixtures during the second half of the season.

The Athletic reported that a compromise solution could result in the middle round of the festive fixtures from December 28-30 being postponed to give squads stretched by infections and injuries extra preparation time.

Adding to the frustration over the perceived unfairness of some call-offs is that some of the clubs with the best vaccination rates have been forced to play on.

Unvaccinated players still have to self-isolate for 10 days after coming into close contact with a positive case, which has further depleted a number of squads.

The Premier League has not released vaccination data since October when only 68 percent of players were double-vaccinated, while 81 percent had received one dose.

Leeds, who have a 99 percent vaccination rate among players and staff according to chief executive Angus Kinnear, had to give debuts to two teenagers and name a 15-year-old on the bench due to an injury crisis for Saturday’s 4-1 defeat by Arsenal.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side were “lucky” to be in action this weekend and repeated his call for more transparency on the decision-making.

The Gunners were forced to play at Brentford on the opening weekend of the season despite four players testing positive and lost the game 2-0.

“We want to play all under the same rules,” said Arteta. “That’s where I think they have to come forward. Whatever they decide is best for the competition has to be explained.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been an outspoken campaigner for players to get vaccinated and receive booster shots.

And the German said any pause in matches must be used to boost protection for players.

“If everybody gets boosted then we go two weeks at home and that’s really the solution and then we don’t have cases, then fine,” said Klopp. “Let’s go home and wait for that, absolutely.

“But if we just stop it and don’t do anything in that department, then I don’t see the benefit of it.”

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Tuchel says Covid-hit Chelsea put ‘at risk’ as Man City stroll

London (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel has criticised the Premier League for putting his coronavirus-hit Chelsea side at “huge risk” by forcing them to play at Wolves on Sunday as leaders Manchester City put Newcastle to the sword.

Chelsea drew 0-0 at Molineux while City eased to a 4-0 away win before Tottenham held 10-man Liverpool to a 2-2 draw, denting the Reds’ title hopes.

But the action on the pitch was overshadowed by Britain’s worsening Covid-19 crisis, with just four games played in total out of 10 originally scheduled.

Premier League clubs will meet on Monday to discuss what action to take over the chaos, with growing questions over the integrity of the competition as the busy festive period looms.

The Athletic reported that clubs would discuss whether to postpone an entire round of fixtures on December 28, 29 and 30 in an attempt to ease the pressure.

Chelsea, who had their request for a postponement rejected, could only field 14 outfield players in their matchday squad on Sunday, with N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Trevoh Chalobah all featuring despite struggling for match fitness.

“We were put in a huge risk of health and safety to the players, not just because of Covid but also physically,” said an angry Tuchel, whose side mustered just one shot on target.

Tuchel, whose stuttering team are now six points behind leaders City, said he did not know what would happen with Chelsea’s fixtures against Brentford in the League Cup and Aston Villa in the coming week.

“I’ve got no idea what happens now,” he said. “We had an idea (on Saturday evening) what’s going to happen, but then that didn’t happen.”

– Newcastle calamity –

Defending champions City crushed relegation-threatened Newcastle to confirm their position at the top of the table at Christmas.

Eddie Howe’s side shot themselves in the foot in just the fifth minute, when Ciaran Clark inexplicably chose not to make a simple headed clearance and Ruben Dias nodded the loose ball into the net.

Newcastle briefly rallied but City silenced St James’ Park shortly before the half-hour, when Joao Cancelo smashed a right-footed shot past Martin Dubravka from the edge of the area.

City maintained their firm grip in the second half, with Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on the scoresheet to ensure an eighth consecutive league win.

It was City’s 34th league victory of 2021, establishing a new record for the most top-flight wins by a team in a calendar year.

They finished the weekend three points clear of second-placed Liverpool.

Liverpool’s preparations for their visit to Spurs were hit after midfielder Thiago Alcantara became the latest of Jurgen Klopp’s players to return a suspected positive test for Covid.

Harry Kane gave Spurs an early lead and was then fortunate to escape a red card for a two-footed tackle on Andy Robertson.

Diogo Jota equalised in the 35th minute against the wasteful hosts and Robertson stooped to head Liverpool into the lead midway through the second half.

Tottenham were level five minutes later when Son Heung-Min made the most of a failed effort by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker to clear, steering the ball into an empty net.

Moments later Robertson was sent off for a wild tackle on Emerson Royal following a VAR review but Liverpool held on to earn a point.

Klopp said it was impossible to continue as normal in the current situation, flagging the impossibility of his side playing league games on December 26 and 28 as scheduled.

“There’s a big thing that we all have to talk about, can we carry on or not?” he told Sky Sports. “But if we carry on we cannot just carry on like usual and think ‘let’s have a look at who can play and who cannot play’.”

“It’s maybe not fair if some teams lose players and other teams don’t lose players,” Klopp added. “It’s a bit of a lottery. We try everything we can but then you have to be lucky.”

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Dutch police arrest 64 after Feyenoord-Ajax violence

The Hague (AFP) – Rotterdam police used water cannons and made 64 arrests after violent clashes between fans ahead of the behind-closed-doors Eredivisie game between Ajax and Feyenoord on Sunday.

Most of those detained were charged with possession of smoke bombs.

Police used water cannons to disperse “several dozen” rioters near the De Kuip stadium in the port city. 

The match was being played without fans due to new Covid-19 restrictions imposed on Saturday although police said the teams were met by “a lot of people” when they arrived at the stadium.

“A lot of smoke bombs were set off” at that time, they added. 

According to the Dutch news agency ANP, a group of 100 to 150 people threw smoke bombs and bottles at the police. 

The match ended in a 2-0 win for Ajax. 

Feyenoord have a reputation for having some of the most violent supporters in Europe. Known hooligans were identified during the riots that hit the city in January and at the end of November. 

The Netherlands went into a new lockdown on Sunday for the Christmas holiday period, in an attempt to stop the fifth wave of Covid and the strong progress of the Omicron variant.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Saturday that all non-essential shops, cultural and entertainment venues must shut until January 14, while schools will close until at least January 9.

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Big-ticket items go unsold in auction of Maradona assets

Buenos Aires (AFP) – A virtual auction of some 90 items owned by late football superstar Diego Maradona on Sunday failed to attract any big bidders, with a seaside apartment, two BMWs and the house he had bought for his parents among the larger items failing to sell.

More than 1,500 potential bidders — in Latin America, Italy, France, England, Russia and Dubai — had signed up to take part, its organizers said.

But by the end of the three-hour affair, sales totaled only $26,000, with more than $1.4 million in assets unbid on, according to AFP calculations.

The morning’s highest bid went to a painting of the world-class footballer titled “Between Fiorito and the Sky,” by artist Lu Sedova. It sold for $2,150.

It was followed by a photograph of Maradona with late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, purchased for $1,600 by a buyer in Dubai.

“Auctions are like that — one cannot know the result until it is over,” said organizer Adrian Mercado at the conclusion of the sale. “We expected much, but the reality is that it is always unknown.”

The biggest-ticket items included the house in Buenos Aires that a young Maradona purchased for his parents (valued at $900,000) and an apartment in the seaside resort of Mar del Plata ($65,000).

Also unsold were two barely driven BMW cars, a 2017 model valued at $225,000 and a 2016 model at $165,000, as well as a Hyundai van, at $38,000.

Among other items that did sell: a painting of Marilyn Monroe was purchased by an Argentine bidder for $1,500; a team jacket from Naples with his famous number 10 on the back was purchased for $1,500 from an admirer in Dubai; someone in Germany paid $270 for training pants Maradona wore with Borussia Dortmund; and a box of Cuban cigars brought $550 from a fellow Argentine.

But there was no interest in his six television sets or the gym equipment he trained on in Dubai.

The sale had been ordered by Judge Luciana Tedesco to pay the debts and expenses accrued by the estate of Maradona, who died of cardiac arrest on November 25, 2020.

The court will now have to decide what to do with the unsold items.

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Jorginho-style penalty lifts Royal to second in South Africa

Johannesburg (AFP) – Victor Letsoalo copied the penalty technique of Chelsea and Italy star Jorginho to score as newcomers Royal AM rose five places to second in the South African Premiership with a 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday. 

The South African international ran forward then hopped before sending Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi the wrong way from a 38th-minute spot-kick in the Indian Ocean port city of Durban.

Royal AM, a second division club who bought the franchise of financially struggling Bloemfontein Celtic to secure a place in the elite league, needed maximum points to deprive Chiefs of second spot.

Having taken the lead, they had to survive a late onslaught from Chiefs to retain the lead and complete a double having won 4-1 away during September against the most popular club in South Africa.

Bankrolled by businesswoman and TV show host Shauwn Mkhize, Royal lost their first two league games, but bounced back under Malawian coach John Maduka to win seven and drawn five of the following 14 matches. 

Letsoalo has been a key figure in the unexpected success, bagging nine goals to lie second behind 13-goal Namibian Peter Shalulile from leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premiership scorers’ charts.

Maduka hailed a defence in which Thato Lingwati starred after inflicting on Chiefs their first league loss in six matches. 

“It says a lot about our defence that goalkeeper Hugo (Nyame) had less to do than in most of our matches this season.

– ‘Magnificent’ defence –

“Our defensive organisation was magnificent against one of the most potent attacks in the Premiership, as was the tactical discipline of the whole team.” 

Arthur Zwane, deputising as Chiefs coach because England-born Stuart Baxter is recovering from coronavirus, said “the outcome might have been different” had the woodwork not deprived Leonardo Castro.

The Colombian struck the post with a close-range attempt in the opening half and a second-half shot from Letsoalo rebounded off the crossbar.

Although the 30-round Premiership season has just passed the halfway stage, Sundowns hold a 17-point lead in pursuit of a record-extending fifth straight title.

After battling to overcome bottom club Baroka five days ago, the Pretoria outfit produced a second-half masterclass to crush visiting Orlando Pirates 4-1 on Friday.

Slovakian international Pavel Safranko came off the bench to score twice as the former African champions built a four-goal lead before Fortune Makaringe netted for the Soweto Buccaneers in added time.

Sundowns have 43 points, Royal and Stellenbosch 26, Chiefs 25, Pirates, AmaZulu and Sekhukhune United 24 and SuperSport United 23 in the top half of the standings.

Perennial strugglers Chippa United climbed two places to 13th thanks to a 2-0 win at Maritzburg United courtesy of a brace from Cameroonian Bienvenu Eva Nga, who has scored seven goals in five matches.

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Premier League prepares for Covid summit as Man City show class

London (AFP) – Coronavirus forced the postponement of a swathe of Premier League games this weekend but for leaders Manchester City it was business as usual.

Pep Guardiola’s men hammered Newcastle 4-0 in one of only four games to take place, while Liverpool lost ground with a 2-2 draw at Tottenham.

Chelsea also stumbled again, held 0-0 by Wolves at a foggy Molineux, but Arsenal continued their recent resurgence, crushing Leeds to press their credentials for a top-four finish.

AFP Sport picks out three talking points from the action in the English top-flight.

Covid crisis

Premier League clubs are meeting on Monday to discuss the fast-escalating Covid-19 crisis, which threatens to derail the season.

Managers have called for clarity on the criteria used to call off matches, with growing concerns over the integrity of the competition.

Manchester City have already played three games more than Tottenham, who had a two-week break before Sunday’s home fixture against Liverpool.

The Premier League last week said it intended to “continue its current fixture schedule where safely possible” as calls for a circuit break intensified.

But that was before a series of fresh postponements left the weekend programme looking threadbare.

Covid-hit Chelsea asked for their match at Wolves on Sunday to be postponed, a request that was turned down by the Premier League, leaving manager Thomas Tuchel frustrated.

The Premier League has a huge call to make during the busiest time of the English football calendar.

Is Premier League a two-horse race?

Until recently it looked as though Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea would be locked in an absorbing three-way tussle for the Premier League title.

But Chelsea now find themselves six points behind defending champions City, who have won their past eight league matches.

Second-placed Liverpool had a chance to close the gap to just one point after coming from behind at Tottenham to lead 2-1 but Son Heung-min snatched a late equaliser.

Recent Premier League seasons have been characterised by an absorbing head-to-head battle between City and Liverpool, who have both set standards that nobody else can match.

It seemed as though Chelsea had joined that elite group after winning the Champions League in May but they are now looking shaky, with a coronavirus outbreak and damaging injury list taking their toll.

The draw at Wolves means they have won just two of their past six games in the Premier League as their rivals have hit top form.

Newcastle struggles

Eddie Howe started his Newcastle reign relatively brightly but recent results make grim reading.

The Magpies have now conceded 11 goals in their past three matches against Leicester, Liverpool and Manchester City and remain three points from safety having played two games more than Watford, who are one place above the drop zone.

Newcastle did not make their job any easier at St James’ Park on Sunday by gifting City the opening goal with some woeful defending in their 4-0 win.

The club’s wealthy new Saudi owners will almost certainly invest significantly in the January transfer window and the deals made could make or break their season.

The entire campaign could hinge on their run of fixtures early in the New Year, with games coming up against fellow strugglers Southampton, Watford, Leeds and Everton.

If they do not find form, one of the world’s wealthiest clubs could be playing in the second-tier Championship next season.

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Covid-hit Chelsea ‘deeply disappointed’ after failing to have Wolves game postponed

London (AFP) – Chelsea said they were “deeply disappointed” after the Premier League rejected their request to postpone Sunday’s match against Wolves due to a coronavirus outbreak in their squad.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are already without Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi due to positive Covid-19 tests.

The Stamford Bridge club are understood to have lost more players to positive tests on Saturday, leaving the Londoners travelling to Wolverhampton with a makeshift squad for the 1400 GMT kick-off.

Ben Chilwell has been isolating due to a positive test, but was already sidelined with knee trouble.

Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were not on Chelsea’s team bus on arrival at Molineux.

Tuchel had already admitted Chelsea could be pressed into starting Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante ahead of schedule on the midfield pair’s return from injury.

Kovacic only came out of isolation on Friday and has not played since October due to hamstring trouble, while Kante has not featured since November with a knee issue.

“We are deeply disappointed that our application was rejected as we felt we had a strong case for postponement of today’s match on the grounds of players’ health and safety,” said a Chelsea spokesman.

The European champions’ request is understood to have been rejected because the Blues were deemed to have had enough players to fulfil the fixture according to Premier League regulations.

Five of Saturday’s six Premier League fixtures were postponed, with Everton’s clash with Leicester on Sunday also called off.

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Century-old game of button football a cult sport in Hungary

Budapest (AFP) – Flicking a coin-shaped disc around a table-top, Hungarians still adore the simple sport of button football, a game they invented a century ago.

“It’s a traditional national sport, like petanque to the French or baseball to the Americans,” Attila Becz, who runs a museum dedicated to the game, told AFP.  

The game is played on a large polished-smooth table depicting a soccer pitch with both players controlling a team of discs with a combination of strategy and dexterity.   

Players are round and are moved by pressing a pick, finger, or comb on its edge, one turn at a time.    

In the 1960s and ’70s before the spread of computer games 65-year-old Becz played the game as a child and began collecting the button players from the age of eight.   

“In summertime we played football on the streets and in empty lots, then in wintertime button football indoors, there wasn’t much else to do for a football-mad kid,” he said.   

Decades later he opened what he calls “the world’s only” button football museum in Szigetszentmiklos close to Budapest.  

Rows of cabinets in the small hall display memorabilia including antique buttons from the 1920s and sets of plastic ones bearing the images of modern-day stars.     

Photographs on the walls show legendary players like Pele and Ferenc Puskas crouched over button football tables, testament to the game’s popularity through the decades.    

“Foreign coaches introduced football to Hungary, then Hungarians took the wooden tactics board used for showing football tactics and made a game out of it a century ago,” said Becz.    

“Back then there were different rules and they used real coat buttons that could slide across a table,” said Becz while handling an antique shiny button from the 1920s.   

Buttons were first mass-produced in the 1940s, with player photos stuck on from the 1950s.   

“It was a golden age for both button football and Hungary, led by Puskas, were at the peak of world football then,” said Becz.    

Although typically played by pensioners, button football retains a cult status among younger generations with about a thousand players in Hungary registered in over 30 clubs according to the game’s governing body.

At a tournament last month in a Budapest community hall a competitor Edvard Katona, 28, told AFP its appeal lies in its simplicity compared to rival video football games.      

“It’s like an analogue version of the FIFA console game for us,” he said.

Button football is also popular in Brazil where it has a similarly long tradition although played there with different rules.  

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Lyon bar fans from away matches after Cup tie flare-up

Paris (AFP) – Ligue 1 club Lyon have barred their supporters from attending away matches until further notice following the latest incident involving their fans led to the abandonment of Friday’s French Cup match with Paris FC.

The club said in a statement on Saturday that “more than ever we must eradicate hooliganism and ban all those who are enemies, by their acts, of football.”

It is the second match this season involving Lyon fans which has had to be abandoned — their home league game with Marseille was called off after the later’s captain Dimitri Payet was hit on the head with a plastic bottle.

This week’s game saw flares fired off between the two sets of supporters and fighting around the stand containing the Lyon fans leading to people spilling onto the pitch and the referee called off the match at half-time.

Lyon were being held 1-1 by the Ligue 2 outfit.

“Until further notice and until the light is shone on who the perpetrators are, Lyon have decided to forbid our supporters to travel to away matches,” they said in the statement.

Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), denounced the incidents as “intolerable” and the hooligans had to be “chased from sporting venues.”     

“The right decision was taken by the referee to stop the match as quickly as possible, he reacted very well in what was a difficult situation.

“These groups of pseudo supporters, who are at the root of these incidents and the violence, have no business being in a stadium.”

The latest bout of hooliganism came just a day after the French government announced new measures to combat the rising tide of violence in French football stadia.

Among the measures was matches will be called off definitively if a player or official is injured by a projectile thrown from the stands.

They also demanded that decisions as to whether a game should be called off due to other reasons — such as fighting between rival fans — be taken within half an hour.

Also that such decisions were reached without club presidents being involved — Jean-Michel Aulas, Lyon president, received a five-match ban on Wednesday over his behaviour regarding whether the Lyon-Marseille match should resume.

Plastic bottles are neither to be sold or allowed into stadia by July 1 at the latest.

Ligue 1 and tier two clubs must also have security measures in place from the 2022-23 season against projectiles being thrown, which the regional police chief can order them to install for particular matches.

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