Carney deletes Twitter account after Leeds backlash

London (AFP) – Former England women’s international Karen Carney has deleted her Twitter account three days after Leeds United’s official account mocked her analysis of the club’s Championship-winning campaign last season.

Carney claimed the Yorkshire club were promoted last season “because of Covid”, as the pause in the season action due to the pandemic allowed their players a rest from manager Marcelo Bielsa’s notoriously exhausting demands.

A clip of Carney speaking during Leeds’ 5-0 win at West Brom on Tuesday was tweeted by Leeds’ official Twitter handle along with emojis and the caption “‘Promoted because of Covid’, Won the league by 10 points”.

Leeds’ post prompted an angry response from some fans and Carney received a barrage of abusive messages, many of them sexist in nature.

The following day Leeds issued a statement condemning the abuse but did not apologise for the tweet, which was not deleted.

On Friday, Carney’s own Twitter account was no longer active.

The club’s actions were widely criticised, with Women in Football saying the tweet was “inciteful”.

Former Leeds defender Rio Ferdinand branded it a “disgrace” that was “trying to embarrass a hard working pundit who will now be subject to vile abuse from LUFC fans”.

A Leeds statement said the club “completely condemns any abuse received by Karen Carney on social media” but owner Andrea Radrizzani defended the club’s right to criticise her comments.

Radrizzani, who himself retweeted the club’s tweet, said: “I take the responsibility of the club tweet. I consider that comment completely unnecessary and disrespectful to our club and particularly to the fantastic hard work of our players and coaches.”

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2L9Ec6u

Moyes hails change in West Ham mentality after win at Everton

Liverpool (AFP) – West Ham manager David Moyes said there has been a change in mindset with the Hammers this season after Tomas Soucek’s late strike earned a 1-0 win at Everton.

Moyes’s men had the toughest festive fixture schedule in the Premier League with three games in six days, but finished the stronger of the sides as Soucek netted the winner four minutes from time.

“The players have played three games in six games, they are amazing,” said Moyes, who won for the first time as a visiting manager at Goodison Park, where he made his name in 11 years in charge of Everton.

“I don’t think there was any difference in the fitness levels so great credit to the players, there has been a big change in the mentality here at West Ham.”

Victory took West Ham to within three points of third, although they remain in 10th in a tight Premier League table.

Everton on the other hand were left to rue a huge missed opportunity to bolster their European credentials as they missed the chance to close to within a point of local rivals Liverpool at the top of the table.

Carlo Ancelotti was able to welcome back Richarlison from a concussion and James Rodriguez made his return from injury off the bench in the second-half, but the Toffees rarely put West Ham stand-in goalkeeper Darren Randolph under any pressure.

“It was not a good game,” said Ancelotti. “We didn’t have opportunities and we didn’t concede opportunities, they had a lucky deflection and we lost the game.

“We could play with more intensity and more quality up front.”

Soucek’s goals from midfield have played a big part in his side’s success this season and the Czech international scored for the fourth time in seven games when Aaron Cresswell’s deflected effort broke kindly to him.

Later, Manchester United have the chance to move level on points with Liverpool when they host in-form Aston Villa, who could go third with victory at Old Trafford.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/381QF54

Uruguay language academy irate over Cavani ‘negrito’ sanction

Montevideo (AFP) – Uruguay’s Spanish language academy on Friday joined a racism fray to defend the word that got Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani banned for three matches and fined £100,000 ($137,000). 

On Thursday, the Football Association in England announced the sanction over the 33-year-old’s use of the term “negrito” (small black person) in an Instagram message.

The 33-year-old Uruguayan striker swiftly deleted the post after being made aware of the connotations, and issued an apology insisting he was “completely opposed to racism”.

But the FA found the comment was “insulting, abusive, improper and brought the game into disrepute.”

It also said the post constituted “an ‘aggravated breach’… as it included reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin.”

Cavani had written “Gracias (thank you) negrito” in response to a message of congratulations on social media.

On Friday, Uruguay’s Academia Nacional de Letras said the words “negro” or its diminutive “negrito” — similar to “gordo” (fatso) or “gordito” and “flaco” (skinny one) —  are commonly used as terms of endearment.

“In the Spanish of Uruguay, for example, in couples or among friends, between parents and children, one often hears and reads expressions such as… gordito, negri, negrito…” the academy said in a statement.

“In fact, a person so addressed is not necessarily overweight or dark-skinned.”

The academy issued its “strongest rejection” of the sanctioning of Cavani, and said the federation’s “questionable resolution” was the result of “poverty of cultural and linguistic knowledge.”

The statement concluded the FA had “committed a serious injustice to a Uruguayan athlete of the highest international level and has exposed ignorance… regarding the use of language and in particular Spanish, without taking note of all its complexities and contexts.”

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3832jN6

Soucek strikes late winner for West Ham at Everton

Liverpool (AFP) – Everton missed the chance to go a point behind local rivals Liverpool at the top of the Premier League as Tomas Soucek’s late strike earned West Ham a 1-0 win at Goodison Park on Friday.

In a disappointing game of few chances, Soucek was in the right place to stab home Aaron Cresswell’s deflected shot four minutes from time as David Moyes enjoyed a winning return to his former club.

Victory for the Hammers moves them to within three points of third despite sitting 10th in the table.

Everton on the other hand were left to rue a huge missed opportunity to bolster their European credentials.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men had enjoyed nearly a week off after their clash with Manchester City on Monday was postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak among the City squad.

Ancelotti was able to welcome back Richarlison from a concussion and James Rodriguez made his return from injury off the bench in the second-half, but the Toffees rarely put West Ham stand-in goalkeeper Darren Randolph under any pressure.

The visitors had the best chance of the first-half when another Cresswell shot flew across goal and this time beyond Jarrod Bowen at the back post.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a hat-trick when the sides met in the League Cup in September, but the England international was largely anonymous.

West Ham were playing for the third time in six days, yet it was Moyes’s men who ended the game stronger and grabbed the late winner.

Soucek’s goals from midfield have played a big part in his side’s success this season and the Czech international scored for the fourth time in seven games when Cresswell’s effort broke kindly to him.

Later, Manchester United have the chance to move level on points with Liverpool when they host in-form Aston Villa, who could go third with victory at Old Trafford.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3o6ddHt

In-form Celta and veteran Aspas eye Real Madrid shock

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid will attempt to hang onto the coattails of La Liga leaders and city rivals Atletico on Saturday when they tackle in-form Celta Vigo and Iago Aspas, the veteran striker who leads the Spanish scoring charts this season.

Zinedine Zidane’s side lost ground in the title race when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Elche in midweek.

Atletico, however, defeated Getafe 1-0 and have a two-point lead as well as two games in hand.

Since the arrival of 46-year-old Argentine coach Eduardo Coudet, Celta have soared from the edge of the relegation zone to eighth in the table.

That turnaround has been achieved on the back of a run of six wins, a draw and just one loss in their last eight games.

Celta are just two points behind Barcelona.

Aspas, 33, has been instrumental for Celta with nine goals in La Liga this season.

He even leads the top scorers charts with one more goal than Real’s Karim Benzema and two ahead of even Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

“Aspas is spectacular, he’s also an international,” said Zidane of a player who once spent two seasons on Liverpool’s books.

“He has always proved it, he is very good. He’s the kind of player who makes a difference. He’s a key player for them.”

Atletico’s victory in midweek came in coach Diego Simeone’s 500th match in charge.

They face 13th-placed Alaves on Sunday looking for a fourth consecutive win.

Key will be Luis Suarez who grabbed the winner against Getafe, taking his goals total to eight for the season.

Third-placed Real Sociedad, six points off the top, host Osasuna on Sunday. 

Barcelona, 10 points behind Atletico, ended a mediocre 2020 on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw against Eibar. 

They start 2021 on Sunday with a trip to bottom club Huesca.

Messi, who missed the game with Eibar with a right ankle injury, enters the new year with just six months left on his contract and more questions than before over his future plans.

Fixtures 

Saturday (GMT)

Villarreal v Levante (1300), Real Betis v Sevilla (1515), Getafe v Valladolid (1730), Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (2000)

Sunday

Athletic Bilbao v Elche (1300), Alaves v Atletico Madrid (1515), Real Sociedad v Osasuna (1730), Eibar v Granada (1730), Huesca v Barcelona (2000)

Monday

Valencia v Cadiz (2000)

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2LeTLtj

Napoli forward Osimhen positive for coronavirus

Milan (AFP) – Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has tested positive for coronavirus on his return to Italy, his Serie A club Napoli confirmed on Friday.

The 21-year-old has been sidelined since last November after dislocating his shoulder while representing Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The former Lille player tested positive for Covid-19, on his return from Belgium, where the club had authorised him to continue his convalescence.

“Napoli can confirm that Victor Osimhen has tested positive for COVID-19 following his return to Italy,” Napoli said in a statement. 

“Osimhen is currently asymptomatic and has not come into contact with the rest of the squad.”

Napoli paid French club Lille a club record fee of up to 80 million euros ($94.6 million) to bring the forward to southern Italy on a five-year deal last summer.

Osimhen has scored two goals in six league appearances, but has not played since November 8 because of his shoulder injury.

The positive test could rule him out of the Italian Super Cup against Juventus on January 20 in Reggio Emilia. 

Napoli are fifth in Serie A and travel to Cagliari on Sunday as the Italian league returns after the Christmas break.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/385AdRu

Norway’s Elabdellaoui hospitalised with eye injuries after firework explodes

Istanbul (AFP) – Galatasaray’s Norwegian international defender Omar Elabdellaoui has been hospitalised with eye injuries after an accident with fireworks in New Year’s Eve celebrations, the doctor treating him said Friday.

Elabdellaoui injured both his eyes, according to Dr. Vedat Kaya of the Liv hospital.

While the Norwegian has not lost his sight, one eye was much more seriously injured than the other, Kaya said, adding that the player was “better today” but that it was too early to write off potential long-term consequences.

According to Turkish media, Elabdellaoui suffered burns to his face after a firework exploded in his hands at his home during celebrations to mark the end of 2020.

Elabdellaoui, 29, began his senior career at Manchester City although he did not make a competitive appearance for the Premier League club, instead going out on loan with Stromsgodset, Feyenoord and Eintracht Braunschweig.

He sealed a permanent move to Braunschweig, spending a year there before joining Olympiakos in 2014, with a brief loan period with Hull City in the Premier League. He joined Galatasaray in August.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/352clMp