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☆ Man United, Tottenham, Liverpool takeover targets for Qatar fund - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] General view of the United Trinity statue outside Old Trafford REUTERS/Phil NobleJan 9 (Reuters) - English Premier League clubs Manchester United Plc (MANU.N), Tottenham Hotspur, or Liverpool FC are being targeted by Qatar Sports Investments over a potential acquisition, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. Qatar Sports Investments is considering either a total takeover or a stake in Manchester United or Liverpool, according to the report. Liverpool Chairman Tom Werner also said in November that the Premier League side's owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), was exploring a sale of the club. Qatar Sports Investments is currently the owner of French soccer club Paris St Germain, and has a stake in Portuguese soccer club SC Braga. Manchester United and Qatar Sports Investments did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment, while Liverpool could not be immediately reached for comment.

☆ Newcastle stunned but West Ham, Spurs, Leicester progress
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

West Ham secured their ticket to the fourth round after Said Benrahma scored a stunning long-range effort against his former club in a 1-0 win at Brentford. Josh Windass netted twice for Wednesday as they took a two-goal lead over Newcastle in the second half. Yet they did little in the way of replicating the form which saw them lead 2-0 after 43 minutes against West Ham when they met in the Premier League eight days ago. Brentford are now out of both domestic cup competitions, having exited the League Cup after a loss to League Two Gillingham in November. Elsewhere, Premier League sides Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest suffered defeats by Championship teams Burnley and Blackpool respectively.

☆ 'Class, charisma, tenacity': Italian football pays tribute to Vialli
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Vialli, who earned 59 caps for Italy and enjoyed a stellar club career with Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea, passed away on Friday aged 58 after a long battle with cancer. I can never forget your sense of humour, your class, your charisma, your tenacity. "Nobody can ever forget the memories you gave us with your football and your goals. "Unfortunately, you have had to fight a great and terrible battle in life these past few years. Reporting by Aadi Nair and Tommy Lund Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Leaders Arsenal held by Newcastle, Man United win again
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Manchester United cemented their top-four place, moving level on points with Newcastle as goals by Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford sealed a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford. Arsenal, who failed to score for the first time this season in all competitions, have 44 points from 17 games with champions Manchester City on 36 after playing 16. Newcastle have 35 from 18 matches, ahead of United on goal difference although they have played a game more. Manchester United are now five points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur after a fourth successive league win. United are back in action on Friday when they host Everton in the FA Cup third round.

☆ Man United continue fine form with comfortable win over Bournemouth
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANCHESTER, England, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Manchester United made it four wins from four without conceding in all competitions since the World Cup break as they cruised to a 3-0 victory over lowly Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday to consolidate their hold on fourth spot. Bournemouth never really threatened to get an equaliser, with the game effectively over as a contest after a rare goal from England full-back Luke Shaw doubled the hosts' advantage early in the second half. The win gives United a five-point cushion over Tottenham Hotspur in fifth and draws them level on points with third-placed Newcastle United, who drew 0-0 at leaders Arsenal. Bournemouth stay 15th, two points above the relegation zone. Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chelsea drop more points in top-four pursuit after draw at Forest
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NOTTINGHAM, England, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Chelsea dropped more points in their quest to climb back up the Premier League standings as Serge Aurier earned Nottingham Forest a 1-1 draw with Graham Potter's side on Sunday. Forest improved after the break and were desperately unlucky not to equalise early in the second half as Morgan Gibbs-White's drilled half volley hit the underside of the crossbar but bounced on the goal line and away. They could not complete the turnaround, however, with Chelsea hanging on for a point that leaves them eighth in the standings, seven points behind Manchester United in fourth. The hosts remain in the relegation zone but climbed to 18th, level on 14 points with West Ham United above them. The second half we didn't control it well enough."

☆ Classy Newcastle go second, Lopetegui off to ideal start with Wolves
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Richard Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui got off to a strong start in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers after his side came from behind to sink Everton 2-1 with a last-gasp goal and increase the pressure on Frank Lampard. Later on Monday, Aston Villa were in action against Liverpool, while leaders Arsenal host West Ham United. Eddie Howe's side have 33 points after 16 games, one more than third-placed Manchester City although the champions have two games in hand. The victory pulled Wolves off the bottom of the table and into 18th on 13 points, one point and one place below Everton. Southampton sunk to the bottom after their defeat at home to Brighton, who moved up to sixth.

☆ Conte says had no doubts about Kane's response to World Cup anguish
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte said he had no doubts that Harry Kane would rise above the disappointment of his World Cup heartache as the Premier League season resumed on Monday. Kane matched Wayne Rooney's England goal-scoring by converting a penalty in the World Cup quarter-final against France but later missed a penalty in the 2-1 defeat. "For sure, for Harry, he's facing a strange situation because he played a really good World Cup. Brentford fans had taunted Kane with chants of "you let your country down' but Conte said fans should instead clap him. "In one side, I have to be happy for the way, for the reaction, for the way we played in the second half of the game," Conte said.

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final against France after he scored twice in a devastating combination with Lionel Messi in the semi-final. He scored his first goal for the national side in the World Cup quarter-final against the Dutch, which Argentina won on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Leandro ParedesA defensive midfielder with Juventus, 28-year-old Paredes has featured in four of Argentina's World Cup games - infamously booting the ball at the Netherlands' bench in the quarter-final. Rodrigo De PaulThe tough 28-year-old Atletico de Madrid midfielder has been a stalwart in Scaloni's World Cup starting lineup, even playing through injury against the Dutch. The 35-year-old Paris St Germain forward is on a mission to lift his first World Cup at his fifth and final attempt and has been simply magnificent, scoring five goals while creating others with his dribbling and passing wizardry.

☆ Key match-ups in World Cup final between Argentina and France
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Semi Final - Argentina v Croatia - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - December 13, 2022 Argentina's Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring their second goal with Lionel Messi and Nahuel Molina REUTERS/Carl RecineDOHA, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Argentina and France meet in Sunday's World Cup final at Lusail Stadium. Here are three of the key match-ups that are likely to have a strong bearing on the result:Kylian Mbappe v Nahuel MolinaMbappe is a candidate for the World Cup's player of the tournament, having led France to their second consecutive final. The jet-heeled 23-year-old forward has scored five times in six games, surpassing his tally from the 2018 tournament, and has now scored nine World Cup goals in 13 appearances across the two editions. Molina arrived at the World Cup having faced criticism after struggling in his first season with Atletico Madrid, but he has been solid during the tournament and started every match. Lionel Messi v Aurelien TchouameniOne of the most anticipated match-ups will be Argentina great Messi against France's rising star holding-midfielder Tchouameni.

☆ FIFA, UEFA rules compatible with EU competition rules, EU court adviser says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Soccer bodies UEFA and FIFA's rules giving them the right to block clubs from joining a breakaway league and penalise players who do so are compatible with EU antitrust laws, an adviser to Europe's top court said on Thursday. The case centres on the dispute between UEFA, FIFA and the European Super League last year but could also impact other sports, clubs and players tempted by lucrative deals offered by rebel bodies and seeking to cash in during relatively short careers. The Super League took its case to a Spanish court which subsequently sought guidance from the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). "The FIFA-UEFA rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law," Advocate General Athanasios Rantos at the EU Court of Justice (CJEU), Europe's highest, said. While the Super League is free to set up its own independent football competition outside the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, it cannot at the same time continue to participate in FIFA and UEFA football competitions without their prior authorisation, he said.

☆ As Mbappe takes back seat, old guard drives France on
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

DOHA, Dec 11 (Reuters) - As Kylian Mbappe was being muzzled by the England defence, it was France's old guard who took the defending champions through to the World Cup semi-finals in a nerve-racking 2-1 victory on Saturday. Griezmann capped his performance with two assists, the first for Aurelien Tchouameni's first-half thunderbolt, and the second for Giroud's 78th-minute winner. Griezmann has now set up 28 France goals, more than any other player, on his record 72nd consecutive appearance. It was, possibly, the biggest takeaway from France's victory. France next face Morocco, with Mbappe set to battle it out with club team mate and great friend Achraf Hakimi, as Les Bleus look to become the first team to retain their World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.

☆ Giroud earns France win over England as Kane misses late penalty
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Mitch Phillips | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"It's extraordinary, we worked a lot in defence and in the end we managed to threaten," 36-year-old Giroud said. "We knew the potential of this young England team. England played with purpose for long periods and after Kane brought them level from the spot early in the second half they looked the more likely winners. "You've got to give credit to France, they're a good team, but I think I felt it was there for us to win tonight." "We played a superb England team who are strong technically and physically.

☆ Tchouameni fires France into halftime lead over England in quarter-final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AL KHOR, Qatar, Dec 10 (Reuters) - France were leading England 1-0 at halftime in the last quarter-final match of the World Cup after Aurelien Tchouameni put the reigning champions in front after 17 minutes with a long-range strike on Saturday. Shortly after Olivier Giroud had tested Jordan Pickford in the England goal with a header, midfielder Tchouameni found space outside the box and struck a shot that found the bottom corner at the Al Bayt stadium. France keeper Hugo Lloris kept out his Tottenham Hotspur team mate Harry Kane twice while the England skipper felt aggrieved when he was denied a penalty following a challenge from Dayot Upamecano on the edge of the box. The winners will play Morocco in the semi-finals at the same venue on Wednesday. Reporting by Rohith Nair in Al Khor, Qatar; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ World Cup champion France edges out England to reach semifinals as Harry Kane misses penalty
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —World Cup holder France remains on course in its title defense after beating England 2-1 to reach the semifinals at Qatar 2022. Aurélien Tchouaméni gave France a first-half lead, his powerful shot setting the game ablaze at the Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday. England grew into the game and team captain Harry Kane emphatically converted from the penalty spot to draw the 2018 semifinalists level. Giroud celebrates after scoring France's second goal against England. Kane emphatically took advantage, powering the ball into the corner of the France goal, in doing so becoming England’s joint top scorer alongside former Manchester United forward Rooney.

☆ I'll have to live with penalty miss, says Kane
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The striker had drawn his side level in the Al Bayt Stadium with a successful spot kick that saw him match Wayne Rooney's record haul of 53 goals for England. After the final whistle Kane dropped to his haunches and stared at the ground before walking tearfully away to be comforted by England manager Gareth Southgate. Kane's miss will be added to some infamous England penalty failures at major tournaments with the likes of Southgate, Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce all haunted by them, although theirs all happened in penalty shoot-outs rather than in regular play. "As you'd expect he's very, very low, but he has nothing to reproach himself for," Southgate said of Kane. Kane's converted spot kick in the second half was his fourth successful conversion at World Cups, not including shoot-outs - more than any other player in World Cup history.

☆ France wary of England's pace and set-piece threat in quarter-final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Deschamps, who has won the World Cup with France as a player and coach, said he did not see many weaknesses in the England team but they did have some "slightly less strong points". "Pace is often one of the keys - when you are quick then the opponents have less time to get organised. But you need more than just pace to score goals," Deschamps said ahead of Saturday's game at Al Bayt Stadium. "If we compare both sides, there were more English players here who were at the World Cup in Russia than France players," Lloris added. "England reached the semi-finals at the last World Cup and were runners-up at the Euros, there's been a real progression.

☆ How Cho Gue-sung became the breakout thirst trap of the World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Soo Youn | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Cho, 24, was a local celebrity as a player for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC before the World Cup, when he had 20,000 Instagram followers. Cho first generated buzz in his World Cup debut during Korea’s match against Uruguay, which ended in a scoreless tie. South Korea's Cho Gue-sung, center, during the FIFA World Cup match against Ghana in Al Rayyan, Qatar, on Nov. 28. One can point to 2002’s World Cup heartthrob, Ahn Jung Hwan, whose beauty was only celebrated locally in South Korea. “He’s hot, he knows it, and he scored two goals for Korea in the World Cup.

☆ South Korea's luck runs out at World Cup as Brazil expose gulf in class
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - Brazil v South Korea - Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar - December 5, 2022 South Korea players look dejected after the match as South Korea are eliminated from the World Cup REUTERS/Carl RecineDOHA, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Any dreams of South Korea replicating their historic World Cup run from 20 years ago came crashing down with a last 16 humiliation at the hands of five-times champions Brazil as the Asian side's luck finally ran out in Qatar. "I believe our participation at the World Cup has ended in a very fair manner," Korea's Portuguese coach Paulo Bento said, also confirming he was leaving his role after their exit. For a team that disappointingly exited the 2019 Asian Cup in the quarter-finals, Korea came into the World Cup with big question marks about their midfield and a noticeable lack of depth in the squad. Things only got worse when Bento was sent off to deny him a chance to stand on the touchline against his own country in their final group game against Portugal. Just hours after their neighbours Japan went out on penalties to Croatia, a vastly superior Brazilian team hammered the final nail in the coffin for Asian teams at the World Cup.

☆ England cruises past Senegal 3-0 to reach World Cup quarterfinals as Harry Kane makes Three Lions history
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —England reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup for a second tournament in a row thanks to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Senegal. Kane’s goal was his 11th for England at a major tournament, the most by any Three Lions player in history. The Lions of Teranga stepped it up once again against England and were undoubtedly the best team of the opening half an hour. Carl Recine/ReutersWith the last kick of the half, England doubled its lead and put one foot into the quarterfinals. The result was put beyond any doubt a little over 10 minutes into the second half, as Saka’s cute finish capped off another wonderful England move.

☆ Fury says he may need surgery on right elbow
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Boxing - WBC World Heavyweight Title - Tyson Fury v Derek Chisora - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - December 3, 2022 Tyson Fury celebrates after winning his fight against Derek Chisora Action Images via Reuters/Andrew CouldridgeLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury said he might need elbow surgery, potentially delaying a unification showdown with Ukrainian rival Oleksandr Usyk early next year. The Briton told ESPN television after his 10th-round stoppage of title challenger Derek Chisora on Saturday that his right elbow was the problem. "I’ve got some hand problems and I’ve got to maybe have some surgery on my elbow but after that, I’m ready for anybody," he said. Fury taunted Usyk, who was ringside for the fight at London's Tottenham Hotspur stadium, and challenged him to get the fight on. read moreThe Briton also said he would take on his undefeated compatriot Joe Joyce, the 2016 Olympic super-heavyweight silver medallist, at Wembley if the Usyk fight could not be made.

☆ South Koreans cheer dramatic win, shed joyful tears with Son
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

They celebrated striker Son Heung-min's tearful post-match interview and munched Ghana-branded chocolates to honour the plucky performance by the African nation whose match result ensured South Korea's berth in the knockout round. Cheers erupted from apartment complexes and the streets across South Korea. "I felt absolutely thrilled - we were cornered going into injury time, and Sonny was running like crazy," said Lee Tae-woo, referring to Tottenham Hotspur striker Son, after watching the game with friends. Many on social media circulated Son's interview, in which he said through tears he had not performed well, thanking his team mates for pulling off the dramatic win. The term "Ghana chocolate" was trending on South Korean Twitter, referring to a brand by Seoul-based Lotte Confectionery Co Ltd (280360.KS) using cacao beans from Ghana.

☆ Fury taunts Usyk after beating Chisora to retain WBC title
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Fury was popping in the jabs freely in the second round, with Chisora unsteady on his legs in the third when both fighters tumbled accidentally to the canvas. "Total dominance," said former WBA champion David Haye, commentating ringside for BT Sport after six rounds of pummelling. "Where's Oleksandr Usyk, the rabbit?," Fury roared at the crowd. "I needed some rounds," said Fury, whose last fight was a sixth-round stoppage of compatriot Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April. Chisora thanked the referee for taking matters into his own hands.

☆ Analysis: Relentless Son drives South Korea into last 16
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 2 (Reuters) - South Korea talisman Son Heung-min is still without a goal at this World Cup but he ran himself into the ground on Friday to ensure his team reached the last 16 in dramatic fashion. The Asian side simply refused to accept that their World Cup dream was over and it was captain Son who epitomised the Koreans' relentless energy with a selfless display. From a Portugal corner, the ball was cleared and suddenly captain Son found himself in acres of space on the lush turf. That saw South Korea jump from bottom of the group to second, above Uruguay who beat Ghana 2-0 but were left in third place by virtue of scoring fewer goals than South Korea. But Son led by example, summoning the spirit of 2002 when South Korea reached the semi-finals on home soil, having also beaten Portugal to get out of the group.

☆ Croatia deserve respect, coach Dalic says after Herdman's remark
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Manasi Pathak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said his team deserve respect as the runners-up of the last World Cup after Canada manager John Herdman said "we are going to eff Croatia" ahead of Sunday's clash. Herdman later seemed apologetic, saying he meant "no disrespect to the Croatian team and Croatian people", but Dalic thought otherwise. "The Croatian team deserves respect from everyone. Dalic said the Canadians, who are making their first appearance at the World Cup finals in 36 years, are a "serious team". Croatia are tied with Morocco on one point in Group F, where Belgium are leaders on three points and Canada bottom with none.

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