Tag: Sports

How much does Vasyl Lomachenko have left? And just how good is Teofimo Lopez? The pair will put an edgy build-up behind them and engage in what Radio 5 Live’s Mike Costello says is “a huge fight” in Las Vegas on Saturday. Versions of all four world lightweight world titles will be on the line as the brash-talking Lopez looks to humble a celebrated and decorated rival. “This is the part where I’m leading the new generation,” said American Lopez. “Winning this is a stamp and a mark to put…

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Gareth Bale will “probably” make his second debut for Tottenham against West Ham on Sunday, says Jose Mourinho. Bale, 31, has been continuing his recovery from a knee injury since re-joining Spurs on loan from Real Madrid in September. The Wales international has been involved in full training for the last two weeks, and Spurs manager Mourinho said he is in “good condition”. “Probably he plays Sunday, if he doesn’t he will on Thursday,” he said. “He is very, very close.” Tottenham face Austrian club LASK in their opening Europa…

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A big six takeover by stealth? Or a much-needed reform to protect the future of the football pyramid? Welcome to the ‘Project Big Picture’ debate over a possible Premier League revamp. But what do the radical proposals – which have been criticized by the Premier League, the government and supporters’ groups – actually involve? Sport looks at the main issues and asks for your opinion. Cutting the numbers Prior to the formation of the Premier League in 1992, there had been a desire to reduce English football’s top flight to…

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“Why don’t you want to grow as a very successful woman, a boss woman, instead of just being married to someone?” Mary Cholhok’s rallying cry to women back in her home of Uganda is one born out of her own experiences overcoming adversity to become a netball star for her country and her club, Loughborough Lightning. Only the second professional netball player from Uganda, the 23-year-old wants to inspire other young girls to follow her lead. “Growing up as the girl child is a very big struggle in every country,…

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World champion Ronnie O’Sullivan came from 2-0 down to beat world number 127 Brian Ochoiski of France 4-2 in the opening round of the English Open. O’Sullivan lost to Irish teenager Aaron Hill at the European Masters and then withdrew from the Championship League because of its Covid-19 rules. He fell two behind in Milton Keynes when Ochoiski rolled in a 105. But O’Sullivan – sporting pink nail varnish to raise awareness of breast cancer – made a 113 and three fifties. “It was a tough match,” O’Sullivan said, having…

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The Sports Personality of the Year show will take place live on One on 20 December at Media City in Salford. While the year saw major disruptions to iconic events such as Wimbledon, the Olympics and Euro 2020, there were still plenty of must-see moments in football, cricket, rugby, F1, tennis, golf, athletics, cycling and snooker. The show will champion the teams that triumphed despite the pandemic, sports stars that achieved greatness even with interrupted schedules, and the coaches and local heroes that made it possible. “As we know, it…

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The Jumbo-Visma and Mitchelton-Scott teams have withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after six positive results in the latest round of Covid-19 testing. General classification contender Steven Kruijswijk, who rides for Jumbo, tested positive as did four staff members of the Australian Mitchelton-Scott team. Out of 571 tests, Team Sunweb’s Michael Matthews also tested positive. Mitchelton-Scott’s British rider Simon Yates, another pre-race favourite, tested positive before stage eight. “As a social responsibility we’ve made the decision to withdraw,” said Mitchelton-Scott boss Brent Copeland. Kruijswijk, ruled out of last month’s Tour de…

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Arsene Wenger is widely credited with helping to revolutionize English football. Wenger joined Arsenal in October 1996 and managed the club for 22 years, winning three Premier League titles and a record seven FA Cups. He also created history when the Gunners went through the 2003-04 league season unbeaten. Since leaving Emirates Stadium, the Frenchman has taken up a role at football’s world governing body Fifa, overseeing the global development of the game. Here the 70-year-old talks to Sport about the past, the present and the future. The past What…

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As punters across Scotland gawped through the windows of closed pubs to catch a glimpse of their national team’s play-off penalty shootout, the usual fatalism kicked in. “It’s Scotland. They’re not going to do this.” But one David Marshall save and five perfect spot-kicks later, fans were celebrating outside boozers that had closed halfway through extra time to adhere to Covid restrictions. The added bonus? Scotland don’t even have to face Norway and their goal machine Erling Braut Haaland to get to a first major tournament in 23 years. But…

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Luis Suarez says he cried over the way he was treated by Barcelona before leaving for Atletico Madrid. The Uruguay forward ended a six-year spell at Barca in September and says he was stopped from training with the first team before his departure. “Those days were very difficult. I cried because of what I was having to go through,” said Suarez, 33. “I was hurt most of all by the way they did things, because one has to accept it when a cycle comes to an end.” Suarez joined Barcelona…

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Stefanos Tsitsipas will attempt to strike another blow for the next generation when he plays world number one Novak Djokovic in Friday’s French Open semi-finals at Roland Garros. The Greek, 22, would be the youngest man to reach a Grand Slam final in 11 years if he makes Sunday’s showpiece. Argentine Diego Schwartzman, 28, faces 12-time champion Rafael Nadal in the first semi-final at 13:50 BST. Victory would make Schwartzman only the third man to beat Nadal at the event. Nadal lost to Sweden’s Robin Soderling and Serb Djokovic in…

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LeBron James says his achievements in basketball will not define his legacy as he closes in on a fourth NBA title. James’ Los Angeles Lakers lead Miami Heat 3-1 in the best-of-seven NBA final going into Friday’s fifth game, which takes place at 02:00 BST on Saturday. A win would add to the two titles he won with Miami Heat and his single success with the Cleveland Cavaliers. “The story will be told how it’s supposed to be told and written how it’s meant to be written,” said James. The…

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“De Boer, Cocu, Overmars, Stam, Van der Sar… Israel aren’t that team. I hope there are other chances and I really believe there will be, but just approach it as if it’s your last chance.” The euphoric high and the traumatic low of what happened 17 years ago still resonates with James McFadden. His moment of brilliance gave Scotland a first-leg lead over a star-studded Netherlands team in a showdown for Euro 2004 qualification. From his Hampden heroics, though, all Berti Vogts’ men ended up with was devastating Dutch dejection.…

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