GLASGOW: Celtic fans will be able to attend the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie away to Bayern Munich after being handed a UEFA reprieve.
The Scottish champions feared supporters would be banned after a green smoke bomb was thrown onto the pitch from visiting fans during Celtic’s 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa last month.
Celtic had received a suspended one-match ban on selling tickets for traveling fans after a pyrotechnic display in their 7-1 Champions League thrashing by Borussia Dortmund in September.
However, they have escaped with a fine of 10,000 euros ($10,400, £8,340) for the lighting of fireworks and throwing of objects.
“As we had said previously, Celtic made every effort to ensure that our fans could attend this match, and we are pleased that UEFA has considered our detailed submission,” Celtic said in a statement.
“We can also confirm that the original suspended sentence remains in place, as a result of the previous use of pyrotechnics, most recently at the match against Borussia Dortmund, by a small minority of supporters.
“Again we must make it very clear that pyrotechnics have absolutely no place at our matches and should further incidents occur, then clearly, once again, there is an extremely high risk of our supporters not being permitted access to future matches.”
Celtic avoid fan ban for Bayern Champions League tie
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Celtic avoid fan ban for Bayern Champions League tie
- Celtic had received a suspended one-match ban on selling tickets for traveling fans
- “We are pleased that UEFA has considered our detailed submission,” Celtic said
Djokovic upset by Tabilo in 2nd round, Alcaraz advances at Monte Carlo
- No. 13 Lorenzo Musetti beat Jiri Lehecka 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 to set up a last-16 match against fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini
- Daniil Medvedev overcame Alexandre Muller 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-2, and fourth-seeded Casper Ruud beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-1
MONACO: Novak Djokovic’s latest bid to win a 100th career title ended in another upset defeat to a familiar face.
Alejandro Tabilo, who handed the 24-time Grand Slam champion a surprising loss at the Italian Open last year, beat Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Back on clay for the first time since winning the Olympic gold in Paris last August, Djokovic said he didn’t have high expectations going into the match.
“I knew I’m going to have a tough opponent and I knew I’m going to probably play pretty bad,” Djokovic said. “But this bad, I didn’t expect.”
Djokovic, who recently lost the Miami Open final to Jakub Mensik, turns 38 next month — shortly before the French Open starts on May 25.
French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz started his clay-court season by rallying for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Francisco Cerundolo.
The second-seeded Alcaraz was coming off a surprising loss to Belgian veteran David Goffin in his first match at the Miami Open.
Another upset seemed possible when Cerundolo, ranked No. 22, took the first set but Alcaraz dominated the rest of the match and converted five of his seven break points across the second and third sets.
Alcaraz is seeking a second title of 2025 and to finetune his clay-court game ahead of a bid to retain his title at Roland Garros starting next month.
Tabilo clinched victory on his second match point when Djokovic hit a service return too long.
Djokovic had saved one match point in the ninth game when he was trailing 5-3 and 30-40 on his serve, producing a neat drop shot over the net which his Chilean opponent couldn’t reach.
Other results
No. 13 Lorenzo Musetti beat Jiri Lehecka 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 to set up a last-16 match against fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini, who beat top-seeded Alexander Zverev on Tuesday.
Daniil Medvedev overcame Alexandre Muller 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-2, and fourth-seeded Casper Ruud beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-1.
Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils, a pair of 38-year-old Frenchman, were eliminated by Daniel Altmaier and seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev, respectively.
The Monte Carlo Masters is the first big clay-court tournament of the year on the ATP Tour.
Sensational Barca destroy Dortmund in Champions League mismatch
- The five-time winners took the lead against last year’s runners-up through red-hot winger Raphinha before Lewandowski reached 40 goals for the season with his double
BARCELONA: Robert Lewandowski hit a brace to help a devastating Barcelona rout Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a one-sided Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
Hansi Flick’s Barca are a step away from reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches.
The five-time winners took the lead against last year’s runners-up through red-hot winger Raphinha before Lewandowski reached 40 goals for the season with his double
Teenager Lamine Yamal was an unstoppable force throughout and deftly prodded home Barcelona’s fourth as Dortmund collapsed.
Barca, who last lifted the trophy in 2015 are aiming to seal a final four clash against Inter Milan or Bayern Munich when they visit Germany next Tuesday.
“I think we played very well but we have one more game to go... we always want to play our football and we want to play it there and we will win,” Lewandowski told Movistar.
Flick warned his team that the job was not done yet.
“You never know what will happen, football is a crazy sport, we have to play like today,” he said.
The coach selected his typical side, with only one decision to make — he opted for Fermin Lopez over Gavi in attacking midfield to support the dynamic forward trio.
La Liga leaders Barcelona seized control from the start, opening the scoring after 25 minutes.
Lopez whipped a free-kick to the back post, with Inigo Martinez nodding the ball toward Pau Cubarsi, who turned it toward goal.
The young defender’s effort beat Gregor Kobel and was heading over the line before the tournament’s top scorer Raphinha slid in to make sure, claiming his 12th goal.
The Brazilian winger faced a nervous wait while VAR worked to confirm his strike was onside.
“I was worried on the first goal if I was offside, it’s good that it was valid,” said Raphinha.
“I touched the ball before the line and I apologized to Cubarsi, he told me not to worry, he would count it as an assist.”
Serhou Guirassy spurned a couple of big chances for the visitors to level before the break.
With Dortmund’s first slick attacking move of the game, the forward, who has 10 goals in the competition, was played in but snatched badly at a bouncing ball with just Wojciech Szczesny to beat.
Unsurprisingly Niko Kovac’s Dortmund came to regret Guirassy’s misses, with Lewandowski netting his 10th of the tournament early in the second half.
Yamal clipped a cross to Raphinha, who looped a header over to Lewandowski at the far post to nod home from virtually under the crossbar three minutes after the interval.
Lopez struck the post and lashed inches over as Barcelona searched for a third to kill the tie off. It arrived after 66 minutes, with Lopez teeing up Lewandowski to drill home at the near post.
This was the former Dortmund striker’s 29th goal in 28 matches against his old club, and his 99th in a Barcelona shirt since joining in 2022.
“I am very happy, 99 goals for the club,” added Lewandowski.
“In my head I always have not just winning, but helping the team with my qualities, goals.
“I think strikers always have to think about goals.”
Yamal, who had toyed with Dortmund’s defense all night, deservedly got on the scoresheet as the visitors left themselves wide open and Raphinha sent the youngster through on goal.
The only worry for Barca was Yamal asking to be replaced in the final stages, although he was smiling as he was afforded an ovation.
“He’s fine, he had played too many minutes (lately),” explained Flick.
Barca are aiming for a potential quadruple this season and on this evidence, they will take some stopping.
Dortmund were left licking their wounds.
“We weren’t cohesive enough, and what’s more, we made simple mistakes — at this level they are punished harshly,” Dortmund’s Emre Can told DAZN.
“I think we can do better, even if (the Barca attackers) are so good, I know that.”
Kvaratskhelia’s wonder goal helps PSG beat Aston Villa 3-1 in 1st leg of CL quarterfinals
- Kvaratskhelia put PSG in front four minutes after the break and left back Nuno Mendes added a third goal in stoppage time with a fine finish of his own
PARIS: A wonder goal from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia upstaged a brilliant curling shot from teammate Désiré Doué as Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday.
After Morgan Rogers gave Villa the lead in the 35th minute, the 19-year-old Doué drew PSG level four minutes later with the 12th goal of his breakthrough season.
Kvaratskhelia put PSG in front four minutes after the break and left back Nuno Mendes added a third goal in stoppage time with a fine finish of his own.
“I think the result reflects the difference between us and them,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, whose side has greater firepower and showed more of a threat going forward. “Our objective is to keep the ball and be aggressive in attack.”
Kvaratskhelia’s was the goal of the night.
He sprinted down the left from just over the halfway line and then mesmerized Villa’s defense in a blizzard of quick feet and superb balance.
Advancing at pace with the ball seemingly glued to his right foot, he then wrong-footed defender Axel Disasi with a sudden change of direction, before rolling the ball onto his left foot in one smooth motion and blasting an unstoppable shot over the head of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
“For a coach like me it’s so great to have a player like him, with his mentality. He scored a brilliant goal,” Luis Enrique said about Kvaratskhelia. “We tried to sign him last summer and it didn’t work out. We signed him (in January) when we didn’t really expect to. He’s got everything to be part of our project.”
The return leg is next Tuesday.
In Wednesday’s other game, five-time champion Barcelona crushed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 with veteran striker Robert Lewandowski scoring twice either side of goals from Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
Kvaratskhelia belongs in such elite company.
His goal was exactly the kind of effort that earned the flying Georgia winger the nickname ” Kvaradona ” when he was playing for Napoli, in reference to soccer maestro Diego Maradona — the Italian club’s greatest ever player — and prompted PSG coach Luis Enrique to spend 70 million euros (then $72 million) on him in the winter transfer window.
Shortly after Kvaratskhelia’s goal, Martinez made a great save low to his right against Achraf Hakimi’s powerful shot as PSG poured forward looking for a third goal.
Villa was at this stage of the competition for the first time since 1983 and dealt well with early pressure before taking the lead with a well-worked goal.
Bustling captain John McGinn won the ball in midfield and advanced before picking out Marcus Rashford, the forward who scored a stoppage-time winner here for Manchester United six years ago. Rashford fed Youri Tielemans overlapping down the left and he pinged a cross to the back post where Rogers was left unmarked to tap in.
The lead was brief as Doué picked up the ball on the left of the penalty area, skipped past two players and curled the ball into the top right corner.
“He’s got everything he needs to become a great player,” Luis Enrique said. “He really doesn’t need much space to dribble.”
Martinez played long balls early on to test PSG’s defense, but he was soon called into action with a flying save from Dembélé’s angled strike in the eighth minute.
He couldn’t do much about the goals that beat him, however, with Nuno Mendes showing a forward’s touch when he latched onto Dembélé’s pass, cut inside a defender and deftly guided the ball in.
“We’ve watched their last few games and know how deadly and sharp they’ve been,” Rogers said. “They’ve put the world on notice now.”
But Villa coach Unai Emery believes he can still eliminate the club he coached from 2016-18.
“I believe we will win next week,” he said. “Villa Park is our home.”
Record licensing and new infrastructure drives unprecedented growth in Saudi sports sector
- More than 2,400 gyms and centers licensed
- New complexes in Taif and Makkah spearhead infrastructure drive
RIYADH: Strategic investment is fueling a world-class sports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, as highlighted this week at the Sports Investment Forum in Riyadh.
Held under the joint patronage of the Ministry of Sport and the Ministry of Investment, the event has drawn together more than 3,000 media professionals, 140 speakers and representatives from more than 100 sports agencies and channels from 60 countries.
Key themes on the first day included innovation and technology in sports, sustainable sports development, empowering women in sports, global partnerships and economic growth, and sports for health and social impact.
A highlight was a ministerial panel discussion, “From Vision to Execution — Government Integration to Achieve Sports Investment Growth Goals.” Taking part were Deputy Sports Minister Badr Al-Qadi, Deputy Tourism Minister Princess Haifa Mohammed Al-Saud, and Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, assistant investment minister. The session emphasized the importance of cross-governmental collaboration in driving sector growth and attracting private investment.
“There is no doubt that sports and investment are two sides of the same coin,” said Al-Qadi during the opening ceremony.
“Sports have now become a leading industry globally, playing a crucial role in achieving investment and strategic goals, enhancing economic growth and creating opportunities within an attractive environment. We anticipate further significant announcements and partnerships to emerge from the Sports Investment Forum in the coming days.”
Al-Qadi also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to increasing private sector participation in sports, stating an ambition to increase the current level of 15 percent to 25 percent.
This goal is being supported by a range of initiatives, including streamlined licensing processes — something which has already led to a boost in new sports facilities. As of 2024, the Kingdom is home to 2,423 licensed gyms and sports centers, 737 academies and 285 private clubs, underlining the growing accessibility and appeal of sports across the country.
To support this growth, world-class sports infrastructure is being actively developed across the Kingdom, with projects underway in key cities with passionate sports communities.
A proposed sports complex in Taif will encompass 34,650 sq. meters with 23 indoor and outdoor courts, while a complex Makkah’s King Abdulaziz Sport City features 14 indoor and outdoor courts.
Rally Jameel organizers reveal plans for 2025 edition
- Rally Jameel 2025, which runs from April 21-26, will see pilots and co-pilots competing across Jordan and Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes, beginning in Petra and ending in Qassim
- Munir Khoja: Rally Jameel continues to evolve as a powerful platform that brings together women from across the globe to share in a unique motorsport experience
JEDDAH: The first women-only navigational rally in the Middle East kicks off from Petra in Jordan, where 100 women from 37 countries take the driver’s seat for a journey of unique motorsport experience, empowerment, and adventure.
The Rally Jameel 2025, which runs from April 21-26, will see pilots and co-pilots competing across Jordan and Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes, beginning in Petra and ending in Qassim.
During a press conference held at Hayy Jameel, organizers of Jameel Motorsport announced that the fourth edition of Rally Jameel will bring together 45 teams from 37 countries. With 25 returning teams from previous editions and 20 first-time participants, the 2025 edition reflects the event’s growing global momentum and reputation as a platform for competition, cultural exchange, and empowerment.
Munir Khoja, managing director of Jameel Motorsport and marketing communications at Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, said: “Rally Jameel continues to evolve as a powerful platform that brings together women from across the globe to share in a unique motorsport experience. This year, we proudly celebrate the return of seasoned teams who have helped shape the rally’s legacy, while welcoming a new wave of competitors eager to make their mark. It’s this vibrant mix of experience and fresh energy that makes the rally so special. With its expanded route and increasing international recognition, Rally Jameel not only advances women’s participation in motorsport, but also embodies the spirit of Vision 2030 by showcasing the natural beauty, cultural richness, and adventure tourism potential of our region.”
With interest in the 2025 Rally Jameel already running at record levels, Abdullah Bakhashab, head of the organizing committee, had detailed the outline route for the six-day event.
He said: “Racing from Petra to Qassim on deserts, mountain ranges, and coastal vistas, the route for the 2025 Rally Jameel covers 1,500 km, taking the 45 teams deep into the natural beauty and geographic diversity of Saudi Arabia and Jordan.”
Asked about the historic milestone as the rally goes global for the first time, he explained: “This year’s rally is witnessing a significant leap forward, as an agreement has been reached with the Kingdom of Jordan to launch the rally from Petra and they have welcomed the idea and given us all the support we needed.”
He added that advanced technologies are being utilized in the participating cars.
“Unlike traditional speed-based rallies, Rally Jameel focuses on navigation and strategy, offering competitors an experience that blends adventure with technical expertise.
Speaking about promoting and supporting local female racers, Bakhashab confirmed it is one of the main goals of Rally Jameel, saying: “Since it started, it is all about the empowerment of women and we are glad that through the previous editions we had so many names who are now taking their competitions into higher level around the world.”
He added: “Not just Saudi women come to race but also participants from as far away as the USA and Europe.”
According to organizers, the rally offers a unique lens for participants and attendees to experience the natural beauty and geographic diversity of Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This immersive journey not only attracts motorsport enthusiasts, but also highlights the region’s potential as a world-class destination for outdoor exploration.
With a diverse field of competitors, this edition underscores the rally’s role in uniting women from around the world through adventure, resilience, and shared passion for motorsport. It also serves as a stage for building connections across cultures, championing inclusivity, and celebrating personal breakthroughs on and off the course.
