Salah slams ‘harsh’ Liverpool fans for jeering Alexander-Arnold

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Mohamed Salah has slammed "harsh" Liverpool fans for booing Trent Alexander-Arnold in his first appearance after announcing he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season. (AFP/File)
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Updated 17 May 2025
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Salah slams ‘harsh’ Liverpool fans for jeering Alexander-Arnold

  • Salah said on Friday that he was saddened by the taunts aimed at Alexander-Arnold
  • “I think he didn’t deserve it at the time, he deserved the fans to treat him the best way possible“

LONDON: Mohamed Salah has slammed “harsh” Liverpool fans for booing Trent Alexander-Arnold in his first appearance after announcing he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season.

Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to join Real Madrid once his contract expires in June.

The England right-back, who revealed his decision to quit his boyhood club last week, was jeered by Liverpool supporters when he came on as a second-half substitute in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield.

Salah said on Friday that he was saddened by the taunts aimed at Alexander-Arnold, who has two games left as a Liverpool player against Brighton on Monday and Crystal Palace on May 25.

“Absolutely. I was surprised because this is not how we act as Liverpool fans,” the Egypt forward told Gary Neville in a Sky Sports interview.


“I think somehow the fans were being harsh with him. I think he didn’t deserve it at the time, he deserved the fans to treat him the best way possible because he gave it all to the fans.”

Salah was also involved in a prolonged contract saga this season, but eventually committed his future to the Reds by signing a new two-year deal.

Calling for Liverpool fans to give Alexander-Arnold a more respectful farewell in his last two games, Salah said: “Imagine someone who gives you his all for 20 years. It’s shouldn’t be like this.

“I hope that will change next game, against Brighton or in the last game of the season, because he deserves the farewell.”

Liverpool-born Alexander-Arnold, who made his first-team debut in 2016, has made 353 senior appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 23 goals.

The 26-year-old has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup with the Reds.

Salah admitted it will be emotional to say goodbye to one of his close friends when the season ends.

“I told him yesterday don’t give me eye contact in your farewell. I really love him. I think he deserves the best farewell leaving the club,” he said.

“He has done a lot for the city and done a lot for the club and he’s one of probably the best players in the club’s history. He gave it all.

“I think he needed a new challenge. He spoke to me about it. It’s his decision for sure. He’s 25, 26 years old and won it all twice or three times. What more can he have done?“

 


Cassidy seals round 15 win in London E-Prix as Porsche lead team and manufacturer standings ahead of season finale

Updated 26 July 2025
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Cassidy seals round 15 win in London E-Prix as Porsche lead team and manufacturer standings ahead of season finale

  • The New Zealander, competing in his final weekend for Jaguar, crossed the line ahead of Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries

LONDON: Nick Cassidy claimed victory in the London E-Prix on Saturday in Round 15 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

He delivered Jaguar TCS Racing a third consecutive win ahead of Sunday’s season finale.

The New Zealander, competing in his final weekend for Jaguar, crossed the line ahead of Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries and TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, after a dramatic mid-race battle that saw Cassidy time his overtakes and strategy to perfection.

Cassidy, who started fifth on the grid, used a combination of strategic Attack Mode deployment and a perfectly timed Pit Boost to move past de Vries exiting the final turn on Lap 27, holding on for the remainder of the race despite the Dutchman’s pressure.

His win followed Jaguar’s double triumph in Berlin and made the British outfit only the fifth team in Formula E history to notch up three straight victories.

It was a particularly emotional result for Jaguar Team Principal James Barclay, who is stepping down after overseeing the team’s resurgence on the global motorsport stage.

Cassidy’s second consecutive win ensured Barclay’s final race weekend in charge came with silverware.

Wehrlein secured third place and the fastest lap of the race, banking valuable points for Porsche in both the Teams’ and FIA Manufacturers' World Championships.

Season 8 champion Stoffel Vandoorne finished fourth for Maserati MSG Racing, while Britain’s Jake Dennis took fifth and DS PENSKE's Jean-Eric Vergne rounded out the top six.

The result elevated Cassidy to third in the Drivers' Championship standings, just behind newly-crowned champion Oliver Rowland – who could only manage 11th – and Wehrlein.

In the Teams’ standings, Porsche now lead Nissan Formula E Team by 39 points with only 47 left on the table, while the German manufacturer also leads Nissan in the Manufacturers’ race by a margin of 367 to 338.

Reflecting on the win, Cassidy said: “It’s unbelievable. To win here at home for Jaguar and our team in front of a lot of our friends, family and partners who are here today, is incredible. I wasn’t the happiest guy this morning but that was for a reason, and I knew we had good potential in the car. In that race I was able to show that, which is pretty cool. To be honest it was a little bit fluid – a huge shout out to my strategy team, I was really scared about not coming out of the pits after Pit Boost in the lead of that second group, and it was tight but I was able to hang on there and that’s what made the race. It meant that we could do the Attack Modes later which was really powerful.”

Second-place finisher de Vries praised his team after a strong performance. 

“We certainly are happy to be back and give the team a result they definitely deserve. In Jakarta we were on course for a great race but for various reasons we weren’t able to bring home a podium. I’m very pleased to get it on the front row and execute a good race, so thank you very much to the entire team for giving me a great car today,” he said.

Wehrlein, who retains an outside shot at the Teams' and Manufacturers' titles with one race remaining, added: “I’m quite happy, I would have wanted more of course but more wasn’t possible. That was what we had today and our goals are clear: we want to win the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ Championships so the points are very important for us. Nevertheless, I always want to win – every time I race – and today it was not possible. We take the positives and one more race to go tomorrow – I’m looking forward to that.”

The season concludes on Sunday with Round 16 of the double-header finale in London.


FIFA launches first N.African office in Morocco ahead of 2030 World Cup

Updated 26 July 2025
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FIFA launches first N.African office in Morocco ahead of 2030 World Cup

  • Morocco will be the second African nation to host the World Cup in 2030
  • FIFA’s other African offices are located in Senegal, Congo, Rwanda, and South Africa

RABAT: FIFA inaugurated Saturday a regional office in Morocco — the first in North Africa and fifth in the continent — as the kingdom ramps up preparations for the 2030 World Cup which it will host jointly with Spain and Portugal.

“This is a day that will be written in golden letters in the magnificent history of FIFA, African football, Moroccan football, and world football,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the inauguration ceremony.

The inauguration, also attended by the head of the African Football Confederation, Patrice Motsepe, took place hours before the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, the capital where Morocco face Nigeria.

Morocco will be the second African nation to host the World Cup in 2030, following South Africa’s edition in 2010. This follows five unsuccessful bids by the kingdom.

FIFA’s other African offices are located in Senegal, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and South Africa.


Cycling great Vos wins 1st stage of women’s Tour de France with brilliant late attack

Updated 26 July 2025
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Cycling great Vos wins 1st stage of women’s Tour de France with brilliant late attack

  • Ferrand-Prévot looked set to win the stage, but the Frenchwoman attacked too early from 600 meters
  • Moments later, Vos hugged an exhausted-looking Ferrand-Prévot, the Paris-Roubaix winner

PLUMELEC, France: Cycling great Marianne Vos won the opening stage of the women’s Tour de France with a brilliant late attack on Saturday.

The 38-year-old Dutchwoman overtook her Visma–Lease a Bike teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prévot approaching the line, and then held off Mauritian rider Kim Le Court in the closing meters of a grueling uphill finish.

Ferrand-Prévot looked set to win the stage, but the Frenchwoman attacked too early from 600 meters and could not withstand the late surge from Vos, who punched the air with her left fist as she crossed the line.

Moments later, Vos hugged an exhausted-looking Ferrand-Prévot, the Paris-Roubaix winner.

“I didn’t now if Pauline was still hanging in the finish, but in the end I sprinted a bit with Kim,” Vos said, praising her teammate’s effort. “I’m really grateful to the team and to Pauline.”

The hilly 78.8-kilometer (48.9-mile) route from Vannes to Plumelec in Brittany featured two small climbs and was completed in 1 hour, 53 minutes, 3 seconds by Vos — a multiple world champion, a former Olympic road race champion and a silver medalist at last year’s Paris Games.

Former Olympic time-trial silver medalist Marlen Reusser was one of 10 riders to crash some 30 kilometers from the end. She continued for a while but was clearly struggling and had to abandon the stage.

Sunday’s second stage from the port city of Brest to Quimper stays in Brittany and is slightly more hilly and longer at 110.4 kilometers.

The nine-stage race, which ends Aug. 3, began a day before the end of the men’s Tour, set to be won for a fourth time by Slovenian star Tadej Pogačar by a comfortable margin.

The women’s race could be far closer.

Last year provided the smallest winning margin in the history of the women’s and men’s races, with Polish rider Kasia Niewiadoma beating 2023 champion Demi Vollering by four seconds, and Pauliena Rooijakkers only 10 seconds off the pace in third place.


Liverpool fans, Dalglish pay tribute to Jota in Hong Kong

Updated 26 July 2025
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Liverpool fans, Dalglish pay tribute to Jota in Hong Kong

  • Ahead of kickoff, supporters raised a mosaic depicting “DJ 20” and Dalglish laid a wreath in memory of former Liverpool forward Jota
  • Liverpool players will wear a “Forever 20” emblem on their shirts during the next EPL season

HONG KONG: Liverpool supporters and their former forward and manager Kenny Dalglish led tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before a pre-season friendly against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday.

Ahead of kickoff, supporters raised a mosaic depicting “DJ 20” and Dalglish laid a wreath in memory of former Liverpool forward Jota, who died along with his brother in a car accident in Spain this month.

The Liverpool players wore “Diogo J 20” patches on their shirts and black armbands. AC Milan winger Rafael Leao paid tribute to his Portugal teammate by making a “2” and “0” sign with his fingers after scoring an early goal in the Italian team’s 4-2 win.

Liverpool fan Zoe Leung and her family made a placard in Jota’s memory.

“I think Jota’s death is sad and I was really shocked when I watched the news. I made this with my family to show some respect to Jota,” the 24-year-old Leung said.

Liverpool players will wear a “Forever 20” emblem on their shirts during the next Premier League season. Supporters can have “Diogo J. 20” printed on shirts in club stores, with the profits going to LFC Foundation, the club’s official charity.

Liverpool fans vastly outnumbered AC Milan supporters at the 50,000 capacity Kai Tak Stadium, many bringing placards, scarves, flags and banners to cheer on their team.

Liverpool travel to Japan next to take on Yokohama FM in the J League World Challenge on Wednesday. They begin their Premier League title defense at home to Bournemouth on August 15.


Norris on pole as McLaren lock out front row at Belgian Grand Prix

Updated 26 July 2025
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Norris on pole as McLaren lock out front row at Belgian Grand Prix

  • Charles Leclerc qualified third with a late improved lap enabling him to overhaul defending world champion Max Verstappen’s best effort for Red Bull
  • Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton failed to make it out of the Q1 session for Ferrari

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Lando Norris resisted mounting pressure from his McLaren team-mate and series leader Oscar Piastri on Saturday to take pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Briton, whose mother is Belgian, shrugged aside concerns over his struggles on Friday to clock a best lap in one minute and 40.562 seconds, beating Australian Piastri by 0.085 seconds as McLaren reeled off a convincing front row lock-out.

It was his fourth pole this year and the 13th of his career.

Charles Leclerc qualified third with a late improved lap enabling him to overhaul defending world champion Max Verstappen’s best effort for Red Bull.

Alex Albon was fifth for Williams ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull, Racing Bulls’ rookies Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton failed to make it out of the Q1 session for Ferrari and will start Sunday’s 44-lap race from 16th on the grid in the company of Mercedes’ mercurial rookie Kimi Antonelli, who was 18th with two-time champion Fernando Alonso 19th for Aston Martin.

After victories in Austria and Britain, Norris will be seeking a third consecutive win to overhaul Piastri’s nine-point lead in the title race.

“It was a decent lap and I’m happy,” said Norris. “Everyone was a bit worried after yesterday, but I wasn’t that far off.

“There were just a few little issues we had. I was confident that I could get back to the top.”

Piastri, who had been faster than Norris in Friday’s action, said: “It’s a bit disappointing. The second lap was coming together well and then I made a mistake into turn 14 and I lost a lot of time. The car was very good again, but it’s about fine margins.”

Leclerc said he was surprised by his time.

“I didn’t expect it. We thought we were a lot more behind. We thought we had something more in the car with the upgrade, but it was a good lap. It takes time to maximize those upgrades.”

After a masterclass from Verstappen in the sprint race earlier, Red Bull chose to change his ‘skinny’ rear wing to a bigger high-downforce version in anticipation of Sunday bringing heavy rain to the sweeping Ardennes circuit.

Norris found his pace to clock 1:41.010, six-tenths better than the Ferrari, followed by Piastri two-tenths down in second, the pair showing McLaren’s intent under grey skies before a frantic finale during which Hamilton found a late survival lap which was promptly deleted for exceeding track limits.

That left Gabriel Bortoleto 15th for Sauber and eliminated the Ferrari driver along with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, Mercedes’ rookie Antonelli, who replaced Hamilton, and the two Aston Martins of Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Q2 began with everyone on softs and Verstappen fastest, trimming Norris’s time, before Piastri and Norris took over for the opening runs.

The Dutchman chose not to run again, leaving the usual suspects a clear run to the top-10 shootout while the Haas pair Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman exited along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Hulkenberg and Sainz.

Russell, who was stripped of victory last year because of an underweight car, was first out for Q3, but it was Verstappen again on top before the McLarens flexed their muscle, Norris beating Piastri by 0.189 on their first runs.

Verstappen’s final run on fresh softs was not enough to resist an improved lap from Leclerc as Piastri also failed to improve, leaving Norris to claim pole position.

“Oh my god, that was really, really bad,” said Verstappen, as a rise in track temperature subdued his performance.

“Ideally, of course I would like to at least be P3, but fighting the McLarens will be very hard.”

“The wet around here, it’s always very tricky,” he added. “We have to wait and see how much rain is going to fall.”