BARCELONA, Spain: Barring a quick recovery for Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema or a change of strategy by Atlético Madrid, Sunday’s Spanish capital derby will be played mostly without the rivals’ leading stars.
Benzema is expected to miss the match at Atlético after being sidelined last week with a right leg injury he picked up in the 3-0 win at Celtic in the Champions League.
But the hosts could likewise be without goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who is also injured, while once again it seems likely that forward Antoine Griezmann will be limited to playing the final half hour because of a dispute between Atlético and Barcelona regarding his loan deal.
Madrid arrive to the derby on a roll, picking up from where they finished last season when they won both the European Cup and the Spanish league. Madrid have started the season with eight wins in as many games across all competitions and leads the league.
Atlético have had a lackluster start and enter the game five points behind in seventh place in the Spanish league.
Atlético coach Diego Simeone’s biggest problem, oddly enough, has been created by his own club.
Atlético have apparently asked Simeone to limit the minutes Griezmann plays in an attempt to avoid having to pay Barcelona 40 million euros ($40 million) stipulated in his loan contract if he played more than half the available minutes.
Barcelona say that Atlético should already pay the sum after the France forward played more than half the games last season, mostly as a starter for Simeone.
Atlético have a different interpretation of the loan deal that is in its second season. They seemingly are trying to reduce the overall average of Griezmann’s playing time to less than 45 minutes per game by the end of the season.
Atlético club president Enrique Cerezo said his club were not in talks to renegotiate the deal with Barcelona, which have threatened to take its league rival to court.
“I think on the Griezmman issue it is all very clear and everyone knows or imagines what is going on,” Cerezo said Wednesday. “Until this is completely resolved, if indeed there is something to solve, we will remain at this same point.”
Griezmann has produced in his limited role, scoring three goals despite not playing more than 30 minutes in all seven of his appearances. Atlético’s other playmaker, João Félix, has yet to score this season. Álvaro Morata, a former Madrid striker, has also scored three times and will most likely start.
Simeone may also be without his top goalkeeper as Oblak recovers from a knock. Ivo Grbic has taken his place in the last two games: a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo and Tuesday’s 2-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Madrid have done just fine without Benzema in the two matches he has missed. The team beat Mallorca 4-1 last weekend before topping Leipzig 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
On Benzema’s chances of playing against Atlético, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said it would depend on him being back in shape to practice before the big game.
“We’ll have to see whether he’s able to train or not in the coming days,” Ancelotti said. “We won’t be risking anything at all. If he trains well on Saturday, he’ll be involved on Sunday.”
LICKING WOUNDS
Barcelona host Elche on Saturday seeking a win that would move them a point ahead of Madrid.
Bayern Munich handed Barcelona their first loss of the season in any competition on Tuesday, 2-0 in Germany.
Robert Lewandowski missed clear scoring chances against his former team and will be seeking to rekindle his excellent form after having found the net nine times since arriving in Spain.
Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui is under pressure to get a win at Villarreal on Sunday. Sevilla have only one victory in seven games overall and were held 0-0 at Copenhagen in the Champions League this week, while Villarreal’s only loss came last week.
Benzema doubtful, Griezmann reduced to sub for Madrid derby
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Benzema doubtful, Griezmann reduced to sub for Madrid derby
- Benzema is expected to miss the match at Atlético after being sidelined last week with a right leg injury
- Atlético have apparently asked Simeone to limit the minutes Griezmann plays in an attempt to avoid having to pay Barcelona $40 million
Olympic boxing champ Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to fight for new governing body
Olympic boxing champ Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to fight for new governing body
The governing body specifically mentioned Khelif when announcing the policy
DUBAI: Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to participate in upcoming events with the sport’s new governing body.
World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes Friday. The governing body specifically mentioned Khelif when announcing the policy, saying the Algerian gold medal winner must be screened before she will be approved to fight at any upcoming events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup next month in the Netherlands.
“The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on ‘Sex, Age and Weight’ to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,” World Boxing wrote in a statement. The fighters’ national federations will be responsible for administering the tests and providing the results to World Boxing.
Khelif won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer amid international scrutiny on her and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, another gold medal winner. The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, disqualified both fighters from its 2023 world championships after claiming they had failed an unspecified eligibility test.
The IOC ran the past two Olympic boxing tournaments after the banishment of the IBA for decades of misdeeds and controversy, and it applied the sex eligibility rules used in previous Olympics. Khelif and Lin were eligible to compete under those standards.
Khelif intends to return to international competition next month in Eindhoven as part of her plan to defend her gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, but some boxers and their federations had already spoken out to protest her inclusion.
Chromosome testing was common in Olympic sports during the 20th century, but was largely abandoned in the 1990s because of numerous ambiguities that couldn’t be easily resolved by the tests, collectively known as differences in sex development (DSD). Many sports switched to hormone testing to determine sex eligibility, but those tests require governing bodies to make difficult decisions on the eligibility of women with naturally high testosterone levels.
Three months ago, World Athletics — the governing body for track and field — became the first Olympic sport to reintroduce chromosome testing, requiring athletes who compete in the women’s events to submit to the test once in their careers.
World Boxing has been provisionally approved to replace the IBA as the governing body at the Los Angeles Games, but it has faced significant pressure from boxers and their federations to create sex eligibility standards.
World Boxing announced that all athletes over 18 years old in its competitions must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex at birth. The PCR test detects chromosomal material through a mouth swab, saliva or blood.
If an athlete intending to compete in the women’s categories is determined to have male chromosomal material, “initial screenings will be referred to independent clinical specialists for genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination or other valuation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists,” World Boxing wrote. The policy also includes an appeals process.
The boxing body’s decision is the latest development in a tumultuous period in Olympic sex eligibility policy. The issue of transgender participation in sports has become an international flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and other conservative world leaders repeatedly weighing in.
Earlier this year, World Athletics also proposed recommendations that would apply strict transgender rules to athletes who were born female but had what the organization describes as naturally occurring testosterone levels in the typical male range. In 2023, World Athletics banned transgender athletes who had transitioned male to female and gone through male puberty.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said he felt confident that the body’s new rules would withstand legal challenges.
The 26-year-old Khelif had competed in women’s boxing events under the IBA’s auspices without controversy until the 2023 world championships. She had never won a major international competition before her dominant performance in the women’s welterweight division in Paris.
Concentration not obsession needed in Champions League final, says Inter coach Inzaghi
- “I have seen determination and not the obsession that shouldn’t be there,” Inzaghi told reporters
- “Instead, there should be the right concentration and determination”
MUNICH: Inter Milan are determined to avenge their 2023 Champions League final loss, though manager Simone Inzaghi warned on Friday against letting determination become obsession against Paris St. Germain in this year’s final.
While Inter’s domestic campaign ended trophyless, in Europe, Inzaghi and his players are desperate to banish the ghosts of Istanbul and their defeat to Manchester City, but they will not let their resolve turn into fixation ahead of Saturday’s showdown in Munich.
“I have seen determination and not the obsession that shouldn’t be there,” Inzaghi told reporters.
“Instead, there should be the right concentration and determination, and this is what the guys have shown me in these days.
“I asked during the week for concentration and determination, but not obsession, we must be free, free of mind in preparing in the best possible way.”
Inzaghi believes his squad is experienced and successful enough to be able to put those plans in place on Saturday, and put behind them the disappointment of losing their Serie A title to Napoli.
“The psychological side is important, we worked in the best way, leaving aside the disappointment,” Inzaghi said.
“We know how certain matches are prepared, we have world champions, we have European champions.
“We have also gained experience on how to reach the Champions League final, which is a very important match, just like a World Cup final, a European Championship final.”
Inzaghi will go into the biggest game of the season with his whole squad available, confirming that defender Benjamin Pavard is fit having missed the semifinal win over Barcelona and the final four league games.
“The guys are all available and this year, out of 59 matches, in just three games we have had all 23 available,” Inzaghi said.
“It gives a coach great confidence. Having everyone available is better than anyone could ask for, because you know you can count on all the players, players that I am proud to coach.”
Inzaghi was asked what his team needs more than anything else in order to defeat Luis Enrique’s PSG, a side which has won every trophy they have competed for so far this season.
“Aggressiveness, clarity, there could be many more because to play a match like this, to win, to win such an important match, it will take everything,” Inzaghi said.
“It will take everything, along with all the details that we are trying to take care of in the best possible way, knowing that in front of us we have a great team that has deserved the final, like Inter, which has incredible strength and a great coach.”
Liverpool sign Frimpong from Leverkusen
- Frimpong, who will officially join on June 1, signed a five-year contract
LONDON: Premier League champions Liverpool have signed defender Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen on a long-term contract, both clubs announced on Friday.
Financial details were not disclosed by either club, but British media reported that Liverpool triggered a 35 million euros ($39.73 million) release clause for the 24-year-old Dutch international, whose deal with Leverkusen was valid until 2028.
Frimpong, who will officially join on June 1, signed a five-year contract, media reports said.
The right back, who can also play as a winger, played a key role in the Leverkusen side that won the German domestic double in 2023-24, chipping in with 14 goals and 12 assists across all competitions.
Mauresmo defends French Open schedule and women’s primetime snub
- Ons Jabeur hit out at the same issue last year, and stood by her words this week
- “The message has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night,” said Mauresmo
PARIS: Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said on Friday it was impossible to “tick every box” after repeated criticism of the French Open schedule and the absence of any women’s matches in the primetime night session.
The debate over the lack of women’s ties played in the late slot on Court Philippe Chatrier has rumbled on since the session was first added to the French Open schedule in 2021.
The first six night sessions of this year’s tournament have all involved men’s matches. In fact, no women have played in the evening since Aryna Sabalenka beat Sloane Stephens in the fourth round two years ago.
Second seed Coco Gauff said she believed women’s matches were “worthy” of the occasion, after three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur again took officials to task over the scheduling.
The Tunisian hit out at the same issue last year, and stood by her words this week.
“I hope whoever is making the decision, I don’t think they have daughters, because I don’t think they want to treat their daughters like this,” said Jabeur, who lost in the first round.
Mauresmo, a former world number one who won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, said her stance on the matter had not changed — with the night session still consisting of just one match.
“The message has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night,” said Mauresmo.
“I’m talking, and we are talking about potential match lengths. Since men’s tennis is played at the best-of-five sets, three sets will be played at a minimum.”
The Australian and US Opens both put on two matches in their night sessions, but start earlier and run the risk of finishing in the early hours of the morning.
“If we have two matches in the night session, it doesn’t work in terms of how late the players are going to finish. That’s my opinion,” said Mauresmo.
“If we start earlier, the stands are going to be empty in most of the first match. So we keep this one match in the evening, it’s not ideal.
“We can’t tick every box because we have many things to take into account when we are doing these choices.”
US-based group completes Rangers takeover
- The consortium of investors, led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, purchased a majority 51 percent stake in the Glasgow team
- Rangers said the Scottish Football Association approved the deal late on Thursday night
GLASGOW: A United States-based group completed their takeover of Scottish Premiership club Rangers on Friday and immediately pledged to make a £20 million ($26 million) investment in new signings.
The consortium of investors, led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, purchased a majority 51 percent stake in the Glasgow team.
Funding for the close-season signings will come in the form of a new share issue, subject to shareholder approval at a general meeting on June 23.
Healthcare executive Cavenagh is Rangers’ new chairman, while Paraag Marathe, who is chairman of Premier League side Leeds United and the president of 49ers Enterprises, becomes the vice-chairman.
Rangers said the Scottish Football Association approved the deal late on Thursday night after the club sought consent over dual ownership issues.
Sports investment firm 49ers Enterprises also owns a majority stake in Leeds, who won promotion from the Championship this season.
The deal will allow Rangers to step up their recruitment of a new manager.
Real Madrid’s departing assistant manager Davide Ancelotti and former Southampton boss Russell Martin are among the leading contenders for the job following the departure of interim boss Barry Ferguson.
“We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Rangers board, shareholders, staff, and supporters,” Cavenagh said.
“This club’s history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn’t win matches.
“We know that the true way to honor the club’s heritage will be to drive performance.
“Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs — at the top.”
Rangers finished second in the Scottish Premier League this season, trailing 17 points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic, and failed to win a trophy.
Rangers haven’t won the Scottish title since 2021, with Celtic lifting the trophy 13 times in the last 14 seasons.
Ending Celtic’s dominance will be the top priority for Rangers’ new owners.
Marathe added: “At 49ers Enterprises, we have built a track record of sporting and business success, but our driving motivation is our deep connection to the clubs and communities we serve.”
