BARCELONA: Barcelona midfielder Pedri González signed a new contract through 2026 on Friday, with the club hoping the teenager can help it recover from the traumatic departure of Lionel Messi.
Pedri has been one of the very few bright spots for Barcelona over the past year, during which a president has resigned and its debt has skyrocketed. Barcelona had to let Messi walk away when it could not pay his wages. Painful losses on the field have followed.
“My desire was to remain here for many years,” the 18-year-old Pedri said after signing. “It is true that we are going through a difficult moment, but we are the greatest club in the world and we are going to work this out.”
Pedri is coming off a breakout season, his first with Barcelona after joining from Las Palmas. The playmaker led Barcelona with 53 appearances, helping it win the Copa del Rey.
Pedri also became a key player for Spain, helping the national team reach the semifinals of the European Championship and winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
His salary was not made public but Barcelona president Joan Laporta thanked Pedri for making “an effort” to reach an agreement that the cash-strapped club could afford. An exultant Laporta, who at one point in their joint news conference accidently called Pedri “Messi,” said re-signing the teenager was “of those days when it pays to be Barça’s president.”
In a sign of the expectations Barcelona has placed on Pedri, his contract includes a release clause of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), the highest in club history. Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany said Pedri’s release clause “means he will be off the market for several years.”
Pedri signed for Barcelona in 2019 from Las Palmas, a second-division club on his native Canary Islands. The transfer fee of 5 million euros ($5.8 million) proved a steal. At Barcelona, Pedri quickly convinced coach Ronald Koeman that he should be his central playmaker in a similar role to former great Andrés Iniesta.
Spain coach Luis Enrique took note and gave Pedri a starting spot in the European Championship, where his precision passing and ball control earned him the award for the tournament’s best young player.
With Messi gone and no money to make big signings, Pedri forms part of a youth movement at Barcelona along with forward Ansu Fati and Gavi Páez, who recently became the youngest player to debut for Spain at age 17.
Pedri is currently recovering from a left thigh injury. He said that he did not believe the injury was due to the staggering total of 74 matches he played for country and club last season.
“I am eager to get back out there and make good on the trust that (the club) has placed in me,” Pedri said.
Pedri signs new deal with ‘greatest club’ Barcelona
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Pedri signs new deal with ‘greatest club’ Barcelona
- Pedri has been one of the very few bright spots for Barcelona over the past year
- “My desire was to remain here for many years,” the 18-year-old Pedri said after signing
Sebastian Munoz shoots 6-under 65 to lead LIV Singapore after the first round
SINGAPORE: Sebastian Munoz of Colombia shot a 6-under 65 on Friday to lead after the first round of the LIV Golf tournament in Singapore.
Six players were a shot back after rounds of 66 at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore — Thomas Pieters, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Tringale, Abraham Ancer, Martin Kaymer and Kevin Na.
Munoz, who opened with a 1-over 72 in his first round a week ago in Australia, found himself back on track in Singapore.
“Really happy where the game is right now and kind of trending,” Munoz said.
Koepka, who started on the third hole in the shotgun-style format, birded five of his first seven holes in usual steamy conditions in Singapore.
After being asked if he played better in warm-weather climates — he has won twice in Saudi Arabia in 2022 and 2023 at Royal Greens Golf Club in King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah — Koepka said “I really don’t care where it is, as long as I win.”
Brendan Steele, last week’s LIV winner in Adelaide, Australia, was three shots off the lead after a 68.
Jon Rahm, who has yet to win after joining LIV in December, was four strokes behind following a 69. Rahm, however, is the only player to have finished in the top 10 in all six events in 2024.
The next LIV tournament is June 7-9 in Houston, Texas.
Luton gains valuable point from home draw with Everton
- Luton remained third to last
LUTON, England: Luton got a valuable point in its fight to avoid relegation after a hard-fought 1-1 draw with visiting Everton in the English Premier League on Friday.
Luton remained third to last, below 17th-placed Nottingham Forest only on goal difference. Luton has two games left. Everton has already guaranteed its survival.
Everton took the initiative when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored from the penalty spot after 24 minutes.
A video review ruled Teden Mengi held Jarrad Branthwaite, and Calvert-Lewin notched his fourth goal in his last five appearances.
Luton bounced back quickly thanks to Elijan Adebayo. The striker scored five in five games before he was injured in February, and almost three months out did not seem to have affected his eye for goal. In his first start since returning, Adebayo collected his 10th goal of the season.
Luton substitute Andros Townsend saw his shot blocked on the line in the dying seconds.
Mitchell Starc shows class as Kolkata Knight Riders notch IPL win in Mumbai
- Kolkata's first win at the Wankhede ground in 12 years and seventh from 10 games this season
MUMBAI: Mitchell Starc picked up four wickets as a disciplined bowling performance helped Kolkata Knight Riders seal a 24-run victory over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Chasing a below-par 170, Mumbai lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 145 off 18.5 overs at the Wankhede Stadium.
Suryakumar Yadav raised hopes with a 35-ball 56 but his dismissal in the 16th over tilted the scales in favour of Kolkata.
This was Kolkata's first win at the Wankhede ground in 12 years and seventh from 10 games this season.
Mumbai slumped to ninth position in the 10-team competition after their eighth loss in 11 games.
Kolkata are placed second and well poised to make it to the play-offs.
"Obviously we couldn't form partnerships and kept losing wickets," said Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya.
"There are a lot of questions that will take time to answer. But for now, not much to say."
Mumbai were off to a shaky start, with Starc flattening the leg-stump of Ishan Kishan (13) and Varun Chakravarthy sending back Naman Dhir (11).
The home team got another big jolt when Rohit Sharma, who came in as an impact sub, miscued a shot to be caught off Sunil Narine for 11.
Pandya's poor run of form continued as he was out for one, much to the disappointment of the strong home crowd.
Yadav hit his third half-century of the season and Tim David chipped in with 24 but Kolkata did well to rein in the five-time champions.
Earlier, Kolkata lost five quick wickets including that of the prolific Phil Salt (five) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (six) after being put in to bat.
Tottering at 57-5, Venkatesh Iyer (70) and impact sub Manish Pandey (42) steadied Kolkata with an 83-run stand and ensured a respectable total on the board.
Iyer, who hit a century at the same ground last season, hit three sixes and six fours in his fighting 52-ball knock.
"It's an extremely good feeling, because we haven't won at Wankhede for 12 years," said Kolkata's Varun Chakravarthy.
"This is a very special win because we were down and out in the first innings. The way Venkatesh and Manish pulled it back was great."
Jasprit Bumrah and Sri Lanka's Nuwan Thushara were the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets each and troubling the batsmen with their line and length on a lively wicket.
Saudi table tennis players ‘happy’ to compete against world’s best
- Fast-rising stars speak ahead of Saudi Smash 2024, the Kingdom’s first professional table tennis event
- Competition will feature a 64-player men’s and women’s singles main draw alongside a 24-pair main draw for men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s table tennis stars of the future, Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi and Ali Alkhadrawi, have voiced their appreciation after being given a platform to showcase their talent and compete against the best in the world.
The two spoke on Friday at a press conference ahead of Saudi Smash 2024, the Kingdom’s first professional table tennis event.
Hassan Hayyan, a board member of the Saudi Table Tennis Federation, and head of the competitions and referees committee, attended the conference along with Bu Shulaybi and Alkhadrawi.
Bu Shulaybi said: “It’s a great feeling that a major table tennis event is happening in Saudi Arabia. I have been to many tournaments around the world, but this one really has impressed me — the level of organization is unbelievable, and thanks must go to everyone who has worked hard to make it happen.
“With 20 of the greatest players in the world all involved, going head-to-head with them is an opportunity to compete with the best, learn from them, and ultimately improve.”
Alkhadrawi said: “It’s a dream for any Saudi player to play this tournament. We were very happy to be chosen for this opportunity and to compete against very high-level players.”
“We have received great support,” he said. “We’re very lucky to have the Saudi Table Tennis Federation supporting us.”
He had inspirational words of encouragement for the Kingdom’s emerging talent.
“My message to the next generation of professional Saudi players is that the possibilities are endless. So long as they are disciplined, dedicated, and listen to their coaches, the opportunity and potential are there to reach new heights and make it far in this sport.”
Hayyan said: “Hosting such a major international table tennis event is a testament to the unwavering support we’ve received from the Kingdom’s leadership.”
He said that Saudi Smash “represents the latest chapter in Saudi Arabia’s sports evolution, and we’re sure it will be remembered for many years to come.”
Following three days of qualifying matches from Wednesday to Friday, the main competitions get underway on Saturday, with eight days of world-class table tennis action in store for spectators.
The event consists of a 64-player men’s and women’s singles main draw alongside a 24-pair main draw for men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles.
A series of thrilling showdowns are locked in across each competition after Thursday’s draw, with some of Saudi Arabia’s fastest-rising table tennis stars in action.
World Endurance Championship camel race starts Saturday at AlUla
- Event has a prize pool of more than SR2 million
- 20 male and 15 female jockeys from the first stage will qualify for the final
ALULA: The Saudi Camel Federation and the Royal Commission of AlUla Governorate are co-organizing the first edition of the World Endurance Championship camel race on Saturday at AlUla Camel Track.
The event has a prize pool of more than SR2 million ($533,000), and the results for the men and women riders will be calculated separately, according to a media statement on Friday.
The championship event includes a 16 km race split into two stages of 8 km each, with a 30-minute break in between.
Twenty male and 15 female jockeys from the first stage qualify for the final. The results will be calculated according to the best timings in the two stages.
The winners in each of the categories will be awarded SR500,000 while the remainder of the prize pool will be distributed between 10 riders in the men’s category and 10 in the women’s category.
All federations are permitted to participate with 10 male and five female riders.
Riders whose countries are not members of the International Camel Racing Federation will be allowed to participate under the ICRF’s flag with a maximum of three participants and the option to borrow camels.
According to the ICRF, participating camels must be over 18 years old and registered by and type.
In September, the General Assembly of the ICRF, chaired by Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, approved the launch of the first edition of this championship.
