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Nadal, out of Australian Open, disagrees with Djokovic

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Rafael Nadal suffered a shock defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open quarter-finals after holding a two-set lead.

But he doesn’t agree with Novak Djokovic’s assessment that the 2021 season should be cancelled if players will need to continually enter quarantine before a tournament.

Nadal looked on course for a potential clash with Djokovic in the Australian Open final, having breezed through to the quarter-finals without dropping a set.

And he was in top form early on against Stefanos Tsitsipas, quickly taking a two-set lead.

But Tsitsipas quickly stepped up another gear while mistakes began to creep into Nadal’s game.

The 22-year-old capitalised and took his chances when it mattered most to pull off one of the most remarkable comebacks in modern Grand Slam history.

It brings an end to Nadal’s search for that elusive second Australian Open title for another year in what has proved to be a controversial tournament among the players.

They were forced to quarantine in the weeks building up to the Australian Open with some players being unable to leave their hotel rooms.

Djokovic, speaking after his quarter-final win over Alexander Zverev, called for an urgent review of the conditions looking ahead for the remainder of the season.

And the world No 1 even claimed that players would be against competing should the quarantine restrictions from Melbourne be copied at other tournaments over the world.

Nadal though doesn’t see the benefit of doing that, hinting that protecting players’ ranking positions could be a way forward.

When asked for his opinion on Djokovic’s view, Nadal said: “Honestly, this was the first event that we had to do this quarantine.

“We didn’t have events before that with this quarantine.

“I mean, we had maybe it was New York but was not the same at all. I mean, the situation that we are facing is tough, and the world is facing a very tough situation.

“That’s very clear. And he’s completely right that, for our sport, things are difficult because governments are changing the rules constantly.

“So it’s difficult to make predictions about how the things gonna happen.

“But there is a very clear thing, you know. There is two options. Two options is stop the tour or keep going.

“My personal feeling is it’s tough for the players, of course, have to do bubbles in every single event, flying just plus two, a lot of players have family and they cannot have the family with them, so that makes our tour probably tougher than ever, no?

“But in the other hand, if we stop the tour, why and how and when we will be able to come back, and a lot of jobs gonna suffer a lot.

“I mean, not only players. A lot of people are living for our sport, no? If we stop our sport again, a lot of people are going to suffer, no?

“So we need to have a little bit more – I mean, we need to think a little bit bigger, no? And of course we need to protect players.

“Probably we need to find a way to protect the players with the ranking, to not force them to keep playing, yes, 100%, because the situation is very tough for a lot of players depending on the countries.

“But that’s it. We need to find solutions and we need to adapt to this very tough times that we are facing.

“Not only us; world. We are here to find solutions. I mean, and we need to be grateful to life that we can keep doing what we are doing.”

– express.co.uk

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French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris

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Paul Pogba

French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris

Six men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba go on trial Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding the player at gunpoint.

The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world because the alleged perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother Mathias.

Tuesday’s trial comes on top of football woes for Pogba, whose career has struggled since France’s 2018 World Cup win when he scored against Croatia in the Moscow final.

He suffered repeated injuries that led to his 2022 departure from Manchester United, returning to Juventus where he remained in and out of treatment.

The Turin club this month cancelled his contract following his suspension until March 2025 for doping.

The six defendants in Paris are accused of attempting to squeeze 13 million euros ($13.5 million) out of Pogba.

His brother, Mathias was the one to go public in the case, publishing a video on social media in August 2022 promising revelations about his younger brother that were “likely to be explosive”.

In a subsequent clip, Mathias accused Paul Pogba of casting an evil spell on his France teammate, Kylian Mbappe.

Paul Pogba’s lawyers and his agent Rafaela Pimenta said in a statement later the videos “came on top of threats and attempts at extortion”.

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He had already filed criminal complaints in Italy and France in July that year.

Pogba told French investigators he had in March 2022 been “tricked by childhood friends” from the gritty Paris suburb where he and Mathias grew up.

He accused them of snatching him before he was held at gunpoint by two hooded men with assault rifles, demanding 13 million euros for “services rendered” and blaming him for not helping them financially.

 

Pogba said at the time that he had paid them only 100,000 euros.

 

The footballer said he had also been pressured at the France national team’s training centre in Clairefontaine, at one of his homes in Manchester, and at Juventus’ training ground.

 

Pogba added that he had also paid a bill of more than 57,000 euros that the same friends had racked up at the Adidas store on Paris’ glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue.

“It’s been really difficult for me off the pitch, what’s happened, it’s been especially hard mentally,” Pogba told broadcaster Al-Jazeera at the end of the last season.

 

“Money changes people, it’s the truth, it can destroy a family, start a war”.

Paul Pogba’s lawyer Pierre-Jean Douvier declined to comment ahead of the case when contacted by AFP.

His friends have all denied the allegations.

They had “a friendly relationship, with chats, joking around, and alongside that, yes, maybe Paul Pogba gave them a helping hand,” said Karim Morand-Lahouazi, a lawyer for one of the accused.

 

French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris

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Ronaldo’s brace propels Al Nassr toward AFC champions league quarters

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo’s brace propels Al Nassr toward AFC champions league quarters

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a stellar performance for Al Nassr, scoring twice in their 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa in Qatar.

The win, secured at Al Bayt Stadium on Monday, leaves the Saudi champions needing only three points from their final three group matches to reach the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.

The 39-year-old faced initial frustration after several missed chances in the first half. However, Ronaldo broke the deadlock just 50 seconds into the second half, heading home Sultan Al Ghannam’s pinpoint cross from close range.

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Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, doubled Al Nassr’s lead in the 58th minute. Moments later, the Brazilian setup Ronaldo for his second goal of the night, bringing his tally to four in this season’s competition. The Portuguese star was substituted in the 74th minute after his decisive contributions.

Al Gharafa pulled one back through Joselu, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate. However, their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Seydou Sano received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 84th minute.

The victory ensures Al Nassr remains unbeaten in five matches in the Western zone of the draw. They now sit second in the 12-team standings, inching closer to a coveted spot in the tournament’s last eight.

Ronaldo’s performance reaffirms his status as a key player, driving Al Nassr’s aspirations in the rebranded AFC Champions League.

 

Ronaldo’s brace propels Al Nassr toward AFC champions league quarters

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Mo Salah disappointed as Liverpool fails to offer new contract

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Mohamed Salah

Mo Salah disappointed as Liverpool fails to offer new contract

Mohamed Salah says he is disappointed by Liverpool’s failure to offer him a new contract and believes he is “more out than in” as he nears the end of his existing deal.

The 32-year-old, who has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season, is out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Egypt international showed his enduring value on Sunday, scoring twice in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory at Southampton, which took them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

But his comments after the match suggest Salah, who arrived at Anfield in 2017 and has won the Champions League and Premier League with the club, could leave for free.

“We are almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club,” he said. “I’m probably more out than in.

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“You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands.”

Salah is one of the three key Liverpool players who will soon be heading into the last six months of their deals, with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also out of contract at the end of the season.

All three will be free to speak to overseas clubs in January if they do not sign an extension before then.

Asked if he was disappointed not to have received an offer from Liverpool, Salah added: “Of course, yeah. I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end it is not in my hands or the fans’ hands. Let’s wait and see.

“I’m not going to retire soon so I’m just playing, focusing on the season and I’m trying to win the Premier League and hopefully the Champions League as well. I’m disappointed but we will see.”

Mo Salah disappointed as Liverpool fails to offer new contract

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