List of All Articles with Tag 'sp'

Italy’s banks are paying the price for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s need to cater to the more populist

Lioness Esme Morgan has been taking football fans behind-the-scenes at the World Cup, and revealed she's taken up a sweet new hobby between matches. The defender shared the clip on TikTok, showing how she'd learned to make friendship bracelets in the arts and crafts area at their Australian base camp, and was custom-making them for her teammates. Alessia Russo had requested a blue, pink, and white bracelet, while Ella Tooney opted for orange and yellow. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter

The winners and losers from Tottenham's pre-season, including Ange Postecoglou, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and more.

Defender Lucy Bronze admitted England “are not happy” with their World Cup performances so far but vowed the Lionesses will step up in Saturday’s quarter-final against Colombia. The European champions crushed China 6-1 in their third group-stage contest, but that match remains an outlier in a tournament that has otherwise seen them score just one other goal from open play. That winning strike came against Denmark from Lauren James, who will miss the Lionesses’ last-eight encounter while she serves at minimum a one-game suspension after she was sent off in Monday night’s last-16 victory over Nigeria. “We can give more,” vowed Bronze. “We’re a fantastic team with highly-talented players, but the important thing is we got through to the next round. “There’s no point in playing our best performances in the first games, we might as well save them for the quarter-finals or further than that. “We’ve built on every game, we’ve taken something from every game, whether that was the Haiti game that was physical, the Denmark game when we lost our key player in Keira [Walsh], the China game we changed the formation completely, [Monday] we had a red card. “Everything that has been thrown at us, we’ve dealt with and moved forward. “I don’t see many other teams who’ve had that adversity and if they had, I don’t think they’ve managed to overcome the way we have. At the same time, we are not happy with our performances.” The 2023 tournament, expanded to 32 teams for the first time, has already provided host of dramatic and often surprising results. Double defending champions the United States were denied a shot at an history-making ‘three-peat’ after they were eliminated in the last 16 following a penalty shoot-out with Sweden, who are set to play Japan on Friday in one of the most anticipated quarter-final clashes. That followed a group stage that saw three top-10 sides in Canada, Brazil and Germany ousted and nations far lower down FIFA’s world rankings advance, results that have largely been celebrated as evidence of progress in the women’s game and setting up the most unpredictable finals in the competition’s 32-year history. World number four England, who have never reached a World Cup final, have so far managed to survive in the face of adversity. Before kick-off against Nigeria, the name on everyone’s lips was Walsh, who was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in England’s second group-stage contest with what many feared was a tournament-ending injury, but made a stunning return on Monday night. Yet 120 minutes later, when Walsh began to feel a cramp and was replaced by Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem, it was clear James would be the player in the headlines after she was shown a straight red for stepping on the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie, forcing her team-mates to doggedly battle through extra-time short-handed. The incident resulted in an automatic one-game suspension for James, though, there is a good chance the 21-year-old’s punishment could be extended to three games, which would include the World Cup final on August 20. The decision to extend the ban will come from FIFA’s disciplinary committee, who could make the decision after the Colombia contest. Chelsea forward James, who has since apologised on Twitter, had already contributed three goals and three assists in the group stage so she will be sorely missed for the Lionesses. “All we can do is go back to training and make sure we are focused on the job at hand. The most important thing is that we’re coming out of games with wins,” Bronze added. “I think I said that after the Haiti game, and some people thought that was not probably what they wanted. However, we’re the ones who are still in the competition and there’s many top teams who are going home because they haven’t been able to get that point or been able to see the games out in the penalty shoot-out and we have. “We’ve shown that side of our team that we know what it takes to win.”

Dentons, the world's biggest law firm by number of employees, is distancing itself from its business in China in response to intensifying regulation in the country.

Borussia Dortmund’s heartbreak was Bayern Munich’s normality. The last day of the Bundesliga season was astonishingly dramatic yet the outcome was very familiar. Bayern won their 11th consecutive German title. In Italy, the record is seven in a row, secured by Juventus in the last decade. In France, it is also seven, the only seven times Lyon have won Ligue 1, all in the 2000s. In Spain, Real Madrid’s five consecutive titles in the late 1980s remains unrivalled. In England, the magic number is altogether lower: just three. There have been six hat-tricks, but no team who has gone on to win four. It points to a general competitiveness across the old Division 1 and the Premier League that, over 135 years, no club has been able to sustain domination to such an extent. It means that Manchester City could go into uncharted territory this season. Their five predecessors offer warnings from history, in some cases comparisons that stretch back almost a century. The modern-day City obviously differ in some respects from Huddersfield (1923-26), Arsenal (1932-35), Liverpool (1981-84), Manchester United (1998-2001) and United again (2006-09). There are nevertheless common denominators, explanations why teams who had the potential to be champions for a fourth successive season did not. It is safe to say City have avoided the first. While Pep Guardiola has done a triple hat-trick, winning three consecutive league titles in each of LaLiga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League, he is only the second manager to perform the feat in England, after Sir Alex Ferguson (twice). It is notable that the architect of the success of each of the teams who tripled up was a genuine managerial great; on previous occasions, he built such solid foundations that a continuity candidate could carry on prospering for a while after his departure. Herbert Chapman led Huddersfield and Arsenal to their first titles: he left Yorkshire for London in 1925 and died in office in 1934. At Anfield, Bob Paisley retired in 1983, Joe Fagan was promoted from within and won three trophies in his first year in charge. In 2001-02, Ferguson announced his decision to retire, which he subsequently revoked, but perhaps the distraction cost United. Either change, albeit belatedly, or the prospect of it may have cost City’s predecessors. Other elements could be more ominous for the current champions. Liverpool did a different treble to them in 1983-84, but it meant they had a marathon season; that may have taken a toll when they went on a seven-game winless run early in the defence of their league title. United came within a match of a treble in 2008-09 and had lost five league games by Christmas the following season. Perhaps the exhaustion of playing 179 games in three campaigns was a factor when United then lost five times in a seven-match period towards the end of 2001. Now City begin this season after playing 180 games in the last three years. Huddersfield’s April slump in 1927 was notable for two meetings with the eventual champions Newcastle: Town won at Leeds Road but lost at St James’ Park. Perhaps Arsenal’s slide was beginning with a 5-4 loss to Sunderland in December 1935; it proved to be another season when the title was destined for the north-east. Since then, the pattern has been still starker. Liverpool lost home and away to Everton in 1984-85 (albeit once when the title was decided), as United did to Arsenal in 2001-02 and Chelsea in 2009-10. Over those six games, the respective serial winners only scored two goals. The past suggests anyone wanting to finish ahead of City will have to beat them twice, probably with clean sheets. They may appreciate some help from their rivals, too: in 01-02, Liverpool, the runners-up, also beat third-placed United home and away; in 84-85, Tottenham, who came third, did a double over Liverpool. A recurring theme is the question of how to sustain success, of how much change is required and helpful. There are reasons to argue that each of the triple champions ended up weaker in the fourth campaign. In an era when transfers were fewer, neither Huddersfield nor Arsenal bought anyone designed to strengthen their first 11 immediately. Amid a higher turnover of players more recently, significant departures led to their teams being toppled. With Josko Gvardiol joining, City could end up stronger in defence compared to last season but, minus Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, a lesser side further forward. In particular, the talismanic captain’s move to Barcelona may have unfortunate parallels. Midfielder and skipper Graeme Souness left Liverpool for Sampdoria in 1984, while Ferguson chose to sell Jaap Stam in 2001 – a decision he subsequently admitted was a mistake – and United lost both Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in 2009. On both occasions at United, there was a sense the dynamic of the side was shifting. That was more deliberate in 2001: if, often and understandably, there can be a reluctance to effect change, perhaps Ferguson was too revolutionary. Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy arrived, United starting to shift to a five-man midfield designed to improve their prospects in Europe. The Argentinian was a gifted misfit at Old Trafford; the Dutchman proved prolific but though he scored 36 goals in his debut season and 150 in five years, he only won one Premier League title. But Ferguson, in selling Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, showed a willingness to move on from those he deemed in decline. Ageing was a reason why other spells of dominance ended: in 35-36, Arsenal’s hugely influential inside-left Alex James turned 34; so did Phil Neal and Kenny Dalglish in 84-85. The great Scot was dropped earlier in the season and only scored six goals in 53 games in all competitions, though he did record a remarkable 24 assists. In 09-10, the veteran trio of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville made more starts than in the previous campaign. None of which may seem too worrying for City: with Gundogan and Mahrez going, Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne are the only probable regulars in their 30s, though it may prove a problem if the Belgian’s impact diminishes. A further factor may seem beyond Guardiola’s control and, indeed, unknowable at the moment. Injuries explain why no one succeeded in their bid to become founder members of the four-in-a-row club: in 1927, Huddersfield’s end-of-season slump came as they lost captain Clem Stephenson, Billy Smith, now their record appearance maker, and their brilliant Scot Alex Jackson; lacking their two wingers and their playmaker, the goals dried up. Arsenal’s injuries nine seasons later included top scorer Ted Drake, inside-forwards James and Ray Bowden and goalkeeper Frank Moss, who missed almost all of the season. For Liverpool, Ian Rush had scored 47 times in 83-84; his tally went down to 26 – only 14 of them in the league – the following season, when he was outscored by John Wark and missed a third of the top-flight games. The most famous injury of United’s 01-02 was David Beckham’s metatarsal but the most significant may have been Roy Keane’s knee, ruling the captain out of a couple of their autumn defeats. United’s 09-10 was littered by injuries: Wayne Rooney had 34 goals by the end of March when he hurt his ankle and got no more. Defensive absentees were a constant and came at a cost, one defeat seeing Darren Fletcher and fellow midfielder Michael Carrick in an ersatz back three. Perhaps the fates of Drake, Rush and Rooney highlight how damaging an injury to Erling Haaland could be, even if City have proved they can win the title with a false nine instead. But a feature of the sides who failed at the fourth attempt – with the notable exception of United in 2001-02 – is that goals were scarcer: remarkably Arsenal went from 115 in a league season to 78. All of which shows the fragility of even a champion team. Even in the age of squad rotation, a key injury can be pivotal. If some elements are beyond the control of even a control freak like Guardiola, so is the factor that can mean champions are deposed. Most of the teams who had won three successive titles were denied a fourth by a side that can safely be branded very good or great. Perhaps not Huddersfield – Newcastle had been FA Cup winners in 1924 but their subsequent league positions were sixth, 10th, first, ninth, 10th, 19th and 17th; but Sunderland went on a three-season arc in the 1930s when they were runners-up, champions and FA Cup winners and, in 1935-36, their 109 goals were 50 more than Huddersfield’s total. Meanwhile, 84-85 was Everton’s finest season with their best-ever team: they were also FA Cup finalists and Cup Winners’ Cup winners. There are reasons to think Arsenal’s 01-02 double winners were better still than Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles. Chelsea’s 09-10 team forged Jose Mourinho’s winning machine with the attacking incision to become the first team to get a century of top-flight goals since the 1960s. All of which suggests someone will have to do something remarkable to depose City. Arguably they knew that already: the one season in the last six when City were not champions, Liverpool won 26 of their first 27 games. It prompts the question if anyone else has greatness in their grasp now. But the history of English football has shown that no one wins forever; that no one, thus far, has been the best for four seasons in a row. And now City will either make history or, if it repeats itself, be ambushed by it. Read More Inside Trent Alexander-Arnold’s new role: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ Inspired appointment Vincent Kompany repaying Burnley’s gamble The Mikel Arteta transfer gambles that will shape Arsenal’s season West Ham agree deals for England pair Harry Maguire and James Ward-Prowse Wozniacki returns to tennis and new Man Utd threads – Tuesday’s sporting social We are sleepwalking into a disaster – PFA chief worried about demands on players

It’s time to find out what lessons Todd Boehly and Clearlake Captial have learned after their crash course in Premier League soccer

Police in Greece have arrested five Croatian nationals allegedly involved in deadly soccer fan violence, apprehending them as they attempted to flee the country

Tottenham Hotspur maintain they will not sell Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, though club representatives have spoken to other strikers such as Gift Orban, Jonathan David and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Spoiler alert

Megan Rapinoe is facing the wrath of men on the internet again, this time over an old clip of her singing an autograph. Rapinoe has been in the news again recently after the USA crashed out of the Women’s World Cup on penalties. After the result, Donald Trump reignited his feud with the football icon after the defending champions suffered a shock loss to Sweden, marking the first time the USA have failed to make it to the semi-finals of the competition. Trump, who has hit out at Rapinoe on plenty of occasions in the past, took to Truth Social to criticise Rapinoe after the final result in an unhinged rant. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter She’s faced criticism from elsewhere too since the USA were kicked out of the tournament, and now people are returning to an old clip. The likes of Piers Morgan and tennis player Nick Kyrgios have posted the footage of Rapinoe signing a young boy’s football at the 2019 ESPY awards in Los Angeles. Rapinoe, who had just won the World Cup with the USA at the time, signs the ball and then hands it back to him without looking at the boy. Morgan posted the video with the caption: “Doesn’t even look at him. Diabolical arrogance.” Kyrgios replied: “Hahahahahaha one thing me and Piers agree on.” The clip was also posted by Oli London who wrote: “Imagine being such an arrogant Narcissist that you don’t even look at a young fan and acknowledge them when signing a ball. “This is Megan Rapinoe in a nut shell.” It comes after Trump hit out at Rapinoe by writing on Truth Social: “The 'shocking and totally unexpected' loss by the U.S. Women's Soccer Team to Sweden is fully emblematic of what is happening to our once great Nation under Crooked Joe Biden [sic]. “Many of our players were openly hostile to America - No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close.” He added: “WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. “Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Flutter Entertainment Plc turned a profit at its US business FanDuel in the first half of the year,