NAPLES, Italy: Luciano Spalletti said Wednesday that the late Diego Maradona would support Napoli in their Europa League decider with Barcelona, a meeting of two of the Argentine legend’s former clubs.
Napoli are level at 1-1 with Barca ahead of Thursday’s play-off second leg at the Naples stadium named after their deceased hero, who led them to their only two Serie A titles and the 1989 UEFA Cup.
“I’ve read a lot of things about Maradona... when it came time to decide Maradona never had a foot on different sides, he always took a position,” Spalletti told reporters.
“I’m sure that tomorrow, given the quality that the Catalan team have, he’d be on our side.
“We don’t have a player of his quality but together we can become a team worthy of Maradona.”
Spalletti said that current Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne will return from a muscle injury which kept him out of Monday’s 1-1 draw at Cagliari, against Barca, while Matteo Politano is also available after recovering from a calf problem but could start on the bench.
“Insigne will start tomorrow, he has the personality and quality to a make a difference,” he said.
Maradona, who died in November 2020, is still a God-like figure in Naples, some 30 years after he fled in disgrace following a failed drugs test and a host of other scandals.
He signed for Napoli from Barcelona in 1984, the Italian team breaking the world transfer record to take him away from the Catalan giants to what was then considered the best, toughest league in the world.
His impact was such that Napoli’s number 10 jersey was retired, while murals of him dot Naples.
On Wednesday, Barcelona posted a mocked-up image on their social media channels of Pique delivering a number 10 Barca jersey to the most famous mural of all, in Naples’ historic Spanish quarter.
Maradona had a rocky time at Barca, frequently rowing with club hierarchy, and his final game came just two injury-hit years after arriving from Boca Juniors, in a Copa del Rey final more famous for Maradona’s role in a mass brawl than for Barca’s 1-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao.
Maradona on Napoli’s side for Barca showdown, says Spalletti
https://arab.news/ypavz
Maradona on Napoli’s side for Barca showdown, says Spalletti
- Napoli are level at 1-1 with Barca ahead of Thursday's play-off second leg at the Naples stadium
- “I'm sure that tomorrow, given the quality that the Catalan team have, he'd be on our side," Spalletti said
FIA president commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in organizing Dakar Rally
- Mohammed Ben Sulayem speaks of Kingdom’s commitment to delivering top-notch experience for participants
- Rally resumes on Saturday with 7 stages remaining
Ha’il: The International Automobile Federation’s President Mohammed Ben Sulayem commended the Kingdom’s efforts in organizing the Dakar Rally during his visit to Saudi Arabia’s rally bivouac on Friday.
Ben Sulayem also praised the Kingdom’s commitment to delivering a top-notch experience for participants and highlighted the warm hospitality and generosity that embody the spirit of the Saudi people.
The FIA president highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s success in hosting global sporting events, such as the Dakar Rally, has set a benchmark and become a source of pride. He also acknowledged the hard work and teamwork of all rally participants, noting their role in strengthening the Kingdom’s reputation as a world-class motorsport hub.
The participants have taken a well-deserved rest after enduring several days of tough desert challenges. Meanwhile, support teams have continued their vital work, ensuring vehicles are maintained and ready for the next stages to help competitors perform at their best.
After covering about 2,579 km of special stages, 299 vehicles arrived at the bivouac camp in Ha’il. Vehicles included 118 bikes, 58 cars, two stock vehicles, 45 challengers, 33 SSVs, and 43 trucks.
The rally resumes on Saturday with seven stages remaining. Participants will head to Al-Dawadmi, covering 829 km, including 605 km of timed special stages.
The journey will then take them through a circular stage in Al-Dawadmi, followed by Riyadh, Haradh, and finally Al-Shubayta.
The rally concludes with two final stages in Al-Shubayta on Jan. 16 and 17, marking the end of this year’s Dakar Rally.
Leipzig sign wing back Ridle Baku from Bundesliga rival Wolfsburg
- Leipzig said Friday that the 26-year-old Baku had signed a 2½-year contract to 2027
- “Ridle will give us more options in the future,” Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer said
LEIPZIG, Germany: Leipzig have signed wing back Ridle Baku from Bundesliga rival Wolfsburg after an injury to Benjamin Henrichs.
Leipzig said Friday that the 26-year-old Baku had signed a 2½-year contract to 2027. He will be available for Sunday’s home game against Werder Bremen as the league restarts this weekend after its winter break.
“Ridle will give us more options in the future,” Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer said. “He can play anywhere on the right side, loves to get forward, is a good finisher and tackler, and comfortable in possession too.”
Baku’s contract with Wolfsburg was set to expire at the end of the season. Kicker reported that the clubs had agreed on a transfer fee of under 5 million euros ($5.1 million) for the player.
Baku, who was born in Mainz, made his Bundesliga debut against Leipzig for Mainz in 2018. He joined Wolfsburg in 2020 and established himself as a regular at the Volkswagen-backed club. Altogether he scored 20 goals in 166 appearances for the team.
Baku made his debut for Germany under Joachim Löw in a friendly against the Czech Republic in November 2020, and made three more appearances for the team in World Cup qualifying in 2021, but hasn’t been called up since.
Henrichs ruptured an Achilles tendon in his right foot in Leipzig’s 5-1 loss at Bayern Munich on Dec. 20 before the winter break. The club said he “will remain out of action for a while.”
Leipzig have struggled so far this season, losing all their games in the Champions League and dropping points in seven of their 15 games in the Bundesliga.
After ‘hardest’ preseason, Russian teen Mirra Andreeva eyeing top 10 and silverware
- 17-year-old hotly tipped for a deep run at the Australian Open
DUBAI: Two years ago, a 15-year-old Mirra Andreeva lost the Australian Open junior final to her friend and doubles partner Alina Korneeva.
On the eve of the first Grand Slam of the season, Andreeva returns to the Australian Open ranked 15 in the world on the women’s tour and a popular dark horse tip for the title – or at least a deep run – at Melbourne Park.
The 17-year-old’s rapid ascent in professional tennis includes a semi-final appearance at Roland Garros last June, a maiden title triumph at a WTA 250 event in Romania the following month, and an Olympic silver medal alongside her compatriot Diana Shnaider in women’s doubles at the Paris Games a week later.
Andreeva ended her breakthrough 2024 campaign with a runner-up showing in Ningbo, and looked inconsolable during the trophy ceremony despite her opponent Daria Kasatkina’s best efforts to cheer her up.
“That final was something special,” Andreeva told reporters in Brisbane last week, where she warmed up for the Australian Open by reaching the semifinals.
“Honestly, I got emotional because I led 3-0 in the third set, and I lost 6-4. It's never easy to lose the match when you're almost always the one who is up in the score.
“Of course, I got emotional, as well, because for me it was the chance to win my second title.
“It's a learning experience. I just have to accept it. Now when I look at those videos when I'm crying, I just laugh at myself because I couldn't hold it inside.”
2024 was a steep learning curve for Andreeva and she scaled it in impressive fashion.
It comes as no surprise that many of her peers have picked her as one to watch in 2025, with the likes of world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, and Tunisian star Ons Jabeur, naming Andreeva as the player mostly likely to reach a first major final and crack the top 10 this season.
They are goals Andreeva has in fact set for herself as her ceiling of expectations continues to rise.
“I would say that my number one goal would be to claim the top 10, just to secure myself there and of course, I think as every other player on tour, I would like to win some titles,” Andreeva told Arab News on the sidelines of the World Tennis League (WTL) in Abu Dhabi last month.
“I worked very hard in the preseason and I will continue working hard for it. So I’m just hoping that the hard work will pay off and I’ll do everything possible for this.”
Coached by Spanish former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who joined her team last year, Andreeva admits her preseason training block was “one of the hardest” she’s ever had, but given her promising start to the year in Brisbane, it is already paying dividends.
“I really had a hard time doing all the fitness sessions. As well on the court, it was hard to push myself to practice. So I kind of fought a lot with myself,” she explains.
“But I had my team close to me and they helped me a lot, of course. I cannot say it was fun, but of course it was very useful. You cannot play tennis without having a preseason. That’s just part of my career, my life, I just have to get over it. I have to accept it, I have no other choice. But it was almost fun,” she added with a laugh.
“Every day you’re getting more and more tired. You’re exercising a lot, you have two fitness sessions then you have a long tennis session. So after that you’re tired, you also cannot find yourself a lot of strength and power to push yourself to have the same intensity and the same power on the court. So it kind of goes a bit down.
“I was sad that my level on the court dropped but they said, ‘It’s normal, you do a lot of fitness, so this week, forget about tennis’. I’m like, ‘But I can’t, I’m playing so bad’.
“But we almost never talk seriously, we always joke around. So none of this was really serious. It was hard, but there was no burnout.”
Indeed Andreeva and Martinez are a lighthearted pair. The Russian teenager credits Martinez, who previously worked with ex-world No.1s Garbine Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova, for bringing lots of positivity to the team.
Andreeva has a unique and creative game that relies heavily on improvisation – something Martinez doesn’t seem to mind.
“I think that she brings more fun. I’ve never really been too serious on court,” said Andreeva of her Spanish coach.
“I always did what I wanted, I didn’t really have a plan for any match, I would just go. She was asking me a couple of weeks ago, ‘Okay, you’re playing a set right now, what’s your plan?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know, I’m just going to go and see, I don’t know, I’m going to decide’. And she’s like, ‘Mirra, but you cannot play like this’. And I’m like, ‘But I always play like this’.
“So she’s like, ‘Okay, you’re right, just go’. And that’s how I think she brings more fun, she brings more positivity 100 percent, because before I also tend to be a bit hard on myself, so she’s also helping me to deal with it and it’s just a bit easier like this.”
During the four-day exhibition WTL in Abu Dhabi, Andreeva was on the same team as Sabalenka, and paired up with the world No.1 in doubles on multiple occasions.
The duo have faced off four times on tour so far (Sabalenka leads the head-to-head 3-1) but had never really interacted much off court before teaming up for the WTL.
“It’s good to be in one team and to share the court with her because you can see what she does differently, why she’s on top, why she’s the best player on tour right now,” said Andreeva of the top-ranked Belarusian.
“Of course it’s a good experience for me to also see if there is something different that she does or no.”
Andreeva is not the only professional tennis player in her family. Her older sister Erika, 20, cracked the top 100 last year and is currently ranked 86 in the world.
The siblings squared off in a WTA tournament for the first time in Wuhan end of last season, with Erika beating Mirra in straight sets in the second round.
“It's the greatest thing in the world to share the court with your sister,” says Mirra.
“Of course I would want it to be in the final or at least closer to the end of the tournament, not in the second round. That match was really hard, especially for me mentally. I think it was hard for both of us but I really struggled, and I think all of us did; our coaches, our parents, everyone.
“So with time and with experience I think we’re going to learn how to deal with all of that. That was the first time and we all knew it was going to be hard.
“But having her around and seeing that she’s improving every day and I just know that she’s working really hard and it’s just nice to see that her hard work is paying off.
“Maybe not all in one time, but day by day she’s dealing with it and she’s improving and I can see her playing great in practices and during the tournament in her matches. When she’s happy, I’m happy.”
Andreeva will begin her Australian Open campaign on Sunday against Czech world No.42 Marie Bouzkova.
Govt. minister says England should play Afghanistan, despite growing calls for boycott amid women’s rights concerns
- The ICC’s policy requires nations granted Test-playing status, which Afghanistan was given in 2017, to support women’s cricket
LONDON: World cricket’s governing body is coming under increasing scrutiny for its stance on Afghanistan’s inclusion in the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament, despite the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights and sports participation.
The International Cricket Council has so far resisted calls to ban Afghanistan’s men’s team or press the Taliban regime to uphold its own rules surrounding the establishment of a women’s cricket team, citing a strategy to influence change through engagement.
The ICC’s policy requires nations granted Test-playing status, which Afghanistan was given in 2017, to support women’s cricket.
However, Afghanistan was accepted as a full member without an already functional women’s cricket program, citing religious and cultural reasons.
Despite efforts by the Afghanistan Cricket Board to establish a women’s team in 2020 “adhering to the traditional Afghan and Islamic values,” the Taliban’s resurgence in 2021 halted progress, with women and girls increasingly banned from sports and public life since.
More than 160 British MPs and peers have recently called for the England and Wales Cricket Board to boycott their match against Afghanistan, set to be played next month in Pakistan, Sky News reported.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to commit to such action, but said: “The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in touch with our international counterparts on this issue. I welcome the England and Wales Cricket Board making strong representations to the International Cricket Council on Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team.”
South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has also supported calls for a boycott, but Cricket South Africa has deferred to the ICC, emphasizing adherence to tournament regulations.
However, British Culture and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy has rejected the idea of a boycott, stating that such actions could penalize athletes and alienate fans.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Nandy said: “I’m instinctively cautious about boycotts in sports. I think they deny sports fans the opportunity that they love, and they can also very much penalize the athletes and the sports people who work very, very hard to reach the top of their game and then they’re denied the opportunities to compete.
“They are not the people that we want to penalize for the appalling actions of the Taliban against women and girls,” she added.
Instead, Nandy pointed to diplomatic measures to bring about change, highlighting past UK efforts to withhold symbolic support at sporting events, such as avoiding dignitary attendance at the Winter Olympics in China.
“When China hosted the Winter Olympics, I was very vocal, many of us were very vocal about making sure that we didn’t send dignitaries to that event, that we didn’t give them the PR coup that they were looking for when they were forcibly incarcerating the Uighurs in Xinjiang,” she said.
The ICC has reiterated its commitment to engaging with Afghanistan to foster inclusivity in cricket.
“The ICC remains closely engaged with the situation in Afghanistan and continues to collaborate with our members,” a spokesperson told Sky News.
“We are committed to leveraging our influence constructively to support the Afghanistan Cricket Board in fostering cricket development and ensuring playing opportunities for both men and women in Afghanistan.
“The ICC has established an Afghanistan Cricket Task Force, chaired by deputy chairman Mr. Imran Khwaja, who will lead the ongoing dialogue on this matter,” they added.
However, the ICC’s approach has drawn sharp criticism from Afghan women’s rights activists.
Khalida Popal, former captain of Afghanistan’s women’s football team, expressed disappointment in the governing bodies’ lack of action.
“The governing bodies have failed to stand by their own policies. There’s clear gender discrimination in sport, and they’ve ignored the women of Afghanistan,” she told Sky News.
England’s match against Afghanistan remains scheduled, and the ICC continues to engage with the ACB. But the Champions Trophy, set to take place next month, has become a focal point for global scrutiny of Afghanistan’s policies and the ICC’s role in upholding its principles.
28 Group 1 winners nominated for Saudi Cup 2025
- Laurel River, Sierra Leone and Romantic Warrior on course to clash in world’s most valuable race next month
RIYADH: A strong entry of 28 Group 1 winners have been put forward for this year’s Group 1 $20 million Saudi Cup, which will take place at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Feb. 22.
The winner of last year’s Dubai World Cup, Laurel River (USA), could face Breeders’ Cup Classic victor Sierra Leone (USA) along with three-time Hong Kong Cup winner Romantic Warrior (IRE), 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (USA), and last year’s Saudi Cup champion, Senor Buscador (USA).
Other notable runners that could feature in the 1,800m contest are last year’s Saudi Derby winner Forever Young (JPN), 2024 Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile (JPN), Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint star Soul Of An Angel (USA) and five-time Argentine Group 1 winner El Kodigo (ARG).
Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al-Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said: “On behalf of everyone at the JCSA, I would like to extend my thanks to owners and trainers from around the world for their nominations for the 2025 Saudi Cup meeting. We are proud to be top of mind for the trainers of the world’s best from more than 20 countries, including so many that have won at the highest level.”
Including the feature race, the two-day Saudi Cup meeting has attracted 1,123 entries — comprising 81 individual Group 1 winners — from a total of 21 countries, all set to fight it out for the $38.1m prize money on offer across Saudi Cup weekend on Feb. 21-22.
Japanese-trained Warp Speed (JPN), runner-up in the Melbourne Cup on his last start, holds an entry for the newly upgraded Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap and could be joined in the field by the UK-trained Al Nayyir (GB), who finished fourth in the 2024 renewal of the race, and Continuous (JPN), the 2023 St Leger winner.
Sir Alex Ferguson-owned Spirit Dancer (GB) has been given the chance to defend his crown in the Group 2 Neom Turf Cup and could line up alongside Japan Cup runner-up Shin Emperor (FR) and Danon Beluga (JPN), while dual Group 1 winners Measured Time (GB) and Al-Riffa (FR) could represent the UAE and Ireland respectively.
The Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint entries are headed by last year’s winner Annaf (IRE) and 2024 Prix Maurice de Gheest victor Lazzat (FR), with Japanese Group 1 winners Ten Happy Rose (JPN) and Ascoli Piceno (JPN) also entered.
Remake (JPN) is set to bid for consecutive wins in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, which will be run as a Group 2 for the first time. Other notable entrants include Golden Shaheen winner Tuz (USA) and Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, Straight No Chaser (USA).
Last year’s Group 3 Saudi Derby saw a Japanese victor in Forever Young (JPN), and another Japanese horse tops the entries in the unbeaten Myriad Love (JPN), while Getaway Car (USA) for the USA, Al Qudra (IRE) and Argentine G1 winner Giustino (ARG) are also entered.
As well as thoroughbred action on Saudi Cup night, there is also the Group 1 Obaiya Arabian Classic for purebred Arabians, where 2022 race winner Hadi De Carrere (FR) holds an entry along with the exciting unbeaten HM Alchahine (FR). Saturday’s card also features the Saudi International Handicap, which has attracted horses trained in eight countries.
Feb. 21, the day before Saudi Cup night, features the Group 1 Al-Mneefah Cup for purebred Arabians, which has attracted a strong entry including seven-time PA Group 1 winner Abbes (FR) and Nour Al-Maury (FR), also a seven-time PA Group 1 winner, who could be joined by 2022 race winner First Classs (USA) and recent President Cup winner Heros De Lagarde (FR).
Local-bred champion Asfan Al-Khalediah (KSA), who won the Al-Mneefah Cup in 2023 before going on to land the Obaiya Arabian Classic last year, holds entries in both races. His stablemate, 2024 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner Tilal Al-Khalediah (KSA), is also double-entered.
The Friday program will also feature the International Jockeys Championship, with seven male and seven female jockeys from around the world participating.
Prince Bandar said: “Horse racing thrives on international competition, and we believe the Saudi Cup is the perfect event to showcase the best of global racing. The Saudi Cup itself is the pinnacle of our racing season and in a few short years has become a truly global race. This year’s renewal looks perhaps the strongest yet.
“Horse racing and celebrating the brilliance of both the thoroughbred and purebred Arabian are at the heart of traditional culture in Saudi Arabia, and events such as the Saudi Cup play a big role in engaging the local community in all aspects of the sport. As we continually improve our offering, through race upgrades and further investment, the Kingdom continues to grow as a destination for horse racing, both domestically and internationally.
“We look forward to welcoming all connections to King Abdulaziz Racecourse next month for what promises to be another unforgettable Saudi Cup meeting.”
