Kenyan captain donates to coronavirus fight in Nairobi

Montreal (AFP) – Kenyan national team captain Victor Wanyama, a Major League Soccer midfielder who spent the past seven seasons in the Premier League, is helping in his homeland’s fight against coronavirus.

The 28-year-old Montreal Impact standout’s foundation has donated 200 sanitizing kits to needy families in his hometown of Nairobi in a project with the help of the Kenyan Red Cross.

“During this fight against coronavirus, it’s important that we all as Kenyans do our part to help stop its spread,” Wanyama said in a social media video. “If we all play our part, we’ll beat this.”

Wanyama, who has scored seven goals in 56 appearances for Kenya’s Harambee Stars, made his only start for Montreal earlier this month before the MLS season was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

He spent three seasons with Southampton and the past four with Tottenham Hotspur, becoming the first Kenyan to play in England’s Premier League after a two-season Scottish stint with Celtic.

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Europe mulls finishing football season at end of year

Rome (AFP) – Europe’s football bosses have not given up hope of finishing this pandemic-hit season — even if it might have to be done at the start of the next one.

The novel coronavirus has created an existential challenge to the world’s most widely played and watched sport.

Europe’s football leagues are the planet’s richest and can afford to pay the most money to the biggest stars.

But that system could come crumbling down quickly if there is nothing to show on TV.

Cristian Ronaldo has not had a chance to celebrate goals for Juventus for nearly three weeks because Italy’s Serie A had to shut down.

He and other Italian league stars are thinking of giving up millions of euros in salary to help their teams stay solvent.

UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin told Italy’s La Repubblica daily that he was holding urgent talks with the continent’s biggest leagues to figure out what can be done.

The Slovenian said all options were under consideration in an effort to salvage the season and preserve the sanctity of the beautiful game.

“We could start again in mid-May, in June or even late June,” Ceferin said.

Any time after that and “the season will probably be lost.”

The idea of the entire season simply being cancelled stirs panic in fans of clubs such as Liverpool — on the cusp of lifting their first title in 30 years.

Ronaldo’s Juventus would probably not be terribly happy either. The men in the famous black-and-white stripes are edging Lazio by a point in their race for a ninth successive title and are still in the Champions League, which they have not won since 1996.

Ceferin said he opposed the idea of playing games in empty stadiums and would prefer to wait out the pandemic.

He also hinted that some big teams appeared ready to delay the start of next season in ordered to finish out this one.

“There is also a proposal to end this season at the beginning of the next one and then start the next one a little later,” Ceferin said.

Serie A and most other European leagues were originally supposed to have finished in May.

Belarus remain the only European nation still playing football in the face of a pandemic that by Saturday had officially claimed nearly 30,000 lives.

Italy’s world-leading death toll from Friday was 9,134.

– ‘Think positively’ –

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Pedro reveals angst of separation from children due to virus

London (AFP) – Chelsea winger Pedro admits he is finding it hard separated from his children due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Pedro’s kids are back in Spain and the 32-year-old is unable to go home to see his family because of the travel restrictions imposed around the pandemic.

The Spaniard has remained in England and the separation has been an unsettling experience.

“It’s hard not to be seeing your children, your parents, your siblings, not having them close by at a complicated, difficult time for us all,” Pedro told Chelsea’s website.

“We are in permanent contact on the phone, keeping in touch about what we are up to in isolation and trying to be as close as possible.

“Of course, we would have liked to be there but for safety reasons that isn’t possible so for now we are going to stay where we are and try to get through it as best we can.”

The Premier League remains suspended until April 30, but that date could be extended as the spread of the virus remains a major concern.

Pedro is helping the community effort in Spain through his own foundation, while the Blues’ senior squad has made a sizeable donation to the Chelsea Foundation to help those in need in west London.

Pedro has kept in contact with several of his Spanish Chelsea team-mates.

“It’s a very delicate, complex situation; a critical situation because there have been lots of cases of infection, especially in Madrid and Catalonia, which are probably the most affected regions, but now it has spread across the country,” Pedro said.

“They are in total lockdown in their houses so they are living through a crisis situation. It’s also an economic crisis, of course, but at the moment that is secondary. The most important thing is that people stay at home with their family.

“The police and army are on the streets and the situation is maybe more controlled than here in the UK but we are living in a situation of chaos and crisis because of this pandemic.

“I’ve been on the phone to Kepa (Arrizabalaga) and Marcos Alonso. I’ve also called Jordi Alba from Barcelona. I’m in touch with other players too, to see how they are handling the situation, with players who are alone, which can sometimes be difficult.

“These are tough times and we are in constant contact. I’m also speaking a lot to Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta).”

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UEFA chief says season can still be saved

Rome (AFP) – The head of UEFA said European football leagues were still looking at all options and not ruling out finishing this season — if the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

“We could start again in mid-May, in June or even late June,” Aleksander Ceferin told Italy’s La Repubblica daily.

Any time after that and “the season will probably be lost,” he said.

The idea of the entire season simply being cancelled stirs panic in fans of clubs such as Liverpool — on the cusp of lifting their first title in 30 years.

Ceferin did not say when UEFA will issue a final ruling and stressed that consultations with the main leagues and clubs were still underway.

“There is also a proposal to end this season at the beginning of the next one and then start the next one a little later,” said Ceferin.

The Slovenian added that he personally opposed the idea of holding big matches behind closed doors.

Belarus remain the only European nation still playing football in the face of a pandemic that has officially claimed around 28,000 lives worldwide.

Italy suspended its Serie A season on March 9.

Its world-leading toll from the novel coronavirus officially stands at 9,134.

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Uruguayan football federation lays off 400, including coach Tabarez

Montevideo (AFP) – The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) announced that almost all of its staff, including coach Oscar Tabarez, have been laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic that has frozen sport worldwide. 

“The executive committee informs that, due to the current health crisis which has brought to a halt all its activities, it is obliged to take a series of tough decisions in order to protect the future functioning of the institution,” the AUF said in a statement on Friday.

The main measure was to “send all its staff to collect unemployment insurance” including Tabarez, 73, who has been the coach of the Uruguayan national team since 2006, leading them to a World Cup semi-final and a Copa America title. 

As well as full time staff, the AUF said it is also suspending “all outside contracts in all categories” and was maintaining only “essential” services for the “basic needs of the institution.”

According to Uruguayan media, this decision affects nearly 400 people. 

“In a short time, the ball will start rolling again,” the communique concluded. 

Uruguayan football, like all public events, was suspended on 13 March “until further notice,” the day the first four cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the country. 

According to the latest figures announced on Friday, 274 people tested positive in Uruguay. 

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Virus crisis hasn’t ruined Rashford’s recovery

London (AFP) – Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford says his recovery from the back injury that has sidelined him since January has not been affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Rashford sustained a double stress fracture in an FA Cup tie against Wolves that initially looked set to rule him out of the rest of the campaign.

But, with the pandemic postponing the Premier League season until at least April 30, Rashford has an opportunity to get back in action if the campaign can resume.

“I feel much better. I have a scan in another couple of days so it’ll solidify it then but I feel, comparing it to two or three weeks ago, 10 times better and for me now it’s just about getting ready to build it back up to training and playing games with the team,” Rashford told Sky Sports News on Saturday.

“I’m in a much better place, I’m much happier than I was about a month ago so things are looking positive.”

Despite government advice to stay at home during the pandemic, Rashford said the situation has had little impact on his fitness recovery work.

“Everyone is just dealing with the circumstances as well as they can,” he said.

“I’ve just been in my house, doing my gym and recovery work, reading books, watching Netflix, just whatever you can do to make the time pass really.

“I’m fortunate enough to have a bike in the gym downstairs so not much in that sense has actually changed for me because I can still do my daily routine that I was doing.”

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Eight West Ham players have virus symptoms says Brady

London (AFP) – West Ham have eight players in self-isolation after showing mild symptoms of the coronavirus, according to the club’s vice-chairwoman Karren Brady.

The Hammers are the latest Premier League club to be hit by the pandemic.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi — both now recovered — and several unnamed Leicester players tested positive for the virus.

“I am relieved to say they are all showing mild symptoms and, along with their families, seem to be well,” Brady told The Sun newspaper on Saturday.

“But it is no more than a handshake, sneeze or cough away from any of us, so no one should be complacent.”

West Ham’s players are training at home and the club hopes to resume regular sessions at its base when Britain’s lockdown period ends on April 13.

The Premier League season is suspended until at least April 30, with reports suggesting there will be a further delay or even cancellation of the remaining fixtures.

But Brady hopes the domestic season can resume and reach a conclusion, even if games have to be played behind closed doors until July.

“When we – all Prem clubs – last spoke, we agreed to get going again as soon as possible,” Brady said.

“And that games will run into July, if required, to get this campaign finished. This is the plan. This is what we want to deliver.

“It may be games have to be played behind closed doors, which no one wants – especially the players and fans.

“But we hope it might just be possible to go ahead once the sharp graph of it bottoms out.”

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