BERGAMO, Italy: Carlo Ancelotti hinted on Monday that Vinicius Junior could make his Real Madrid comeback for his team’s key Champions League clash at red-hot Atalanta.
Vinicius was expected to be out until the Intercontinental Cup final next week after suffering a hamstring injury last month but Ancelotti told reporters that he is in contention to start in Bergamo on Tuesday night.
“Vinicius is in good shape but we’ve got to assess him. I think it’s very important for him how he does in training today,” said Ancelotti.
“But we’ve got Rodrygo back and Bellingham is good. He’s trained well. They’ll all train today and then later we’ll take a decision.”
Federico Valverde is keen to have Vinicius back to help dig Madrid out of the uncomfortable position in which they find themselves in the Champions League.
Madrid might be two points behind leaders Barcelona with a game in hand in La Liga but Ancelotti’s team are 24th in Europe’s top club competition and risk dropping out of the play-off positions for the last 16 in Bergamo.
“It’s always a pleasure to play with Vinicius and also to have him as a friend, as a teammate, to have him close to me,” said Valverde.
“We’ve seen how eager he is to play and come back. Obviously, it’s great for us that he can play tomorrow. Whether he plays or not, that’s a question for Carlo Ancelotti, but he can always offer something.”
Madrid face probably the form team in Europe in Atalanta, who on Friday equalled a club record of nine straight wins in Serie A by beating AC Milan.
That win gave Atalanta top spot in Italy’s top flight, and Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, who sit fifth in the Champions League having only conceded one goal in five matches, have been tipped by some as favorites for Tuesday’s fixture even though they were beaten by Madrid in the European Super Cup.
“It will be a demanding game. Atalanta are in great form and they’ve improved a lot since the Super Cup,” added Ancelotti.
“They’ve won a lot of games. And they compete very well. We’ve got an opportunity to pick up points and we’ve got to take advantage of these three games to qualify.
“The most important thing is qualifying. We’ve got to pick up those points, and that will be difficult. Getting into the top eight looks a bit tricky so maybe we’ll have to go through the play-offs. Unfortunately that’s the way it is.”
Gasperini insisted that his team are not favorites to win and warned against arrogance when facing the 15-times European champions.
“No team can call themselves favorites when they’re playing Real,” he said.
“We’re very happy for where we are but to go from there to say that we’re better than Real Madrid doesn’t help.
“We come into this match on an extremely gratifying run of results and all we can be is happy for what we’ve gifted our supporters.”
Real Madrid star Vinicius in contention for Atalanta clash, says Ancelotti
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Real Madrid star Vinicius in contention for Atalanta clash, says Ancelotti
- Madrid face probably the form team in Europe in Atalanta, who on Friday equalled a club record of nine straight wins in Serie A by beating AC Milan
NEOM launches Champions of Progress initiative to drive community football
- Scheme open to nominations from across Middle East, Asia
- The initiative is open to individuals aged 18 and above from across the region
NEOM: The Asian Football Confederation’s official partner, NEOM, on Wednesday launched an initiative that aims to celebrate community heroes in football across Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and Asia.
Known as Champions of Progress, the scheme will use football’s global platform to drive positive change across the region and help the development of talent from grassroots to elite players.
The partnership supports NEOM’s vision to grow football in the Kingdom, improve access to physical activity for people and help make the country a global sports destination, it said in a statement.
“Champions of Progress seeks to celebrate individuals and projects that promote positive community engagement, support innovative sports development and show a commitment to diversity and inclusion in football,” it said.
The initiative is open to individuals aged 18 and above from across the region, as well as projects that have had a significant impact in the development of football at a community level, increased participation numbers or improved accessibility.
A panel of judges, including experts from NEOM and AFC, will review all submissions to determine the winners.
The six “champions” will be invited to the AFC Champions League Elite at the beginning of the 2025/26 season where they will meet senior members of the Saudi football community.
Their stories will also be shared across selected partnership channels to drive awareness and encourage positive change in pan-Asian football.
‘Mr Dakar’ Peterhansel returns with Defender for 2026
- The Frenchman did not enter this year after Audi withdrew but will be back in Saudi Arabia next January
- Peterhansel won the Dakar six times on motorcycles
RABAT: ‘Mr Dakar’ Stephane Peterhansel, a record 14 times winner of the Dakar Rally, will return to the gruelling endurance event next year aged 60 as a driver for Jaguar Land Rover’s Defender brand.
The Frenchman, who turns 60 in August, did not enter this year after Audi withdrew but will be back in Saudi Arabia next January competing in the Stock category for production-based vehicles.
It will be Peterhansel’s 36th career Dakar, an event he last won in 2021 with Mini. He will also compete in the full World Rally-Raid Championship.
Peterhansel won the Dakar six times on motorcycles between 1991 and 1998 before switching in 1999 to cars and winning with Mitsubishi, Mini and Peugeot.
“I’m looking forward to taking on this new challenge and together I hope we can take Defender to the top step of the podium,” he said in a statement after prototype testing in Morocco’s Sahara desert.
While Peterhansel holds the record for most wins, Spaniard Carlos Sainz — father of the namesake Formula One driver — is the oldest winner after taking his fourth victory in 2024 at the age of 61.
Defender also announced the signing of Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuska, 25. A third driver and the co-drivers will be announced at a later date.
Riyadh to host final of World Polo Championship Asia qualifiers
- Iran and Pakistan compete for the honor of representing Asia at the 2025 FIP Arena World Polo Championship in the United States
- First time that Saudi Arabia has hosted the Asian polo final and is in line with the Kingdom’s successful record of hosting international events across various sports
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the final of the 2025 Federation of International Polo (FIP) Arena World Polo Championship Asia qualifiers at Nofa Equestrian Resort, west of Riyadh.
The highly anticipated event will run from May 8 to 9, 2025, featuring a two-legged playoff between the national teams of Pakistan and Iran, with the winner qualifying for the 2025 FIP Arena World Polo Championship in the United States.
Saudi Polo Federation CEO Faisal bin Duwaiyes said that it is the first time that Saudi Arabia has hosted the Asian final and the achievement is in line with the Kingdom’s successful record of hosting international events across various sports.
Bin Duwaiyes emphasized that preparations for the final began early in coordination with the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the Ministry of Sport, in order to ensure a successful hosting.
Bin Duwaiyes concluded by welcoming the participating delegations and expressed his hope for a strong competitive display that will showcase the evolution of polo across Asia.
Man Utd seek to finish off Athletic Bilbao in chase for Europa glory
- United have now suffered their highest number of league defeats in a campaign for 35 years
- “Thursday is the most important game. The end of this season is very important,” Amorim said
MANCHESTER: Manchester United are preparing for the second leg of their Europa League semifinal against Athletic Bilbao knowing only a calamity will prevent a likely showdown with Tottenham later this month.
Ruben Amorim’s men came away from the first leg in northern Spain last week with one foot firmly in the final, also in Bilbao, after an impressive 3-0 win.
It was an extraordinary result in a season of ceaseless turmoil at United and the club reverted to type on Sunday, crashing to their 16th Premier League loss of a miserable season at Brentford.
United have now suffered their highest number of league defeats in a campaign for 35 years.
They are 15th in the Premier League — on course for their worst finish since they were relegated in 1974, though this time they are safe from the drop.
Amorim has made no secret of his priorities for the rest of the season, making eight changes to his starting team at Brentford, naming the third-youngest side in Premier League history.
“We are losing games in the Premier League, we are fighting for the Europa League, so we need to accept that and to think about Thursday as the most important game for us,” said the Portuguese boss.
“Thursday is the most important game. The end of this season is very important.”
This season and next hang on whether United can complete the job against Athletic and go on to win the final against Tottenham or Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt, with Spurs 3-1 up after the first leg in London.
Winning the competition would not make up for a disastrous Premier League campaign but it would bring a place in the 2025/26 Champions League — a potential game-changer for United financially and for their ability to attract top players.
Former Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim admits that even though winning the Europa League is crucial, his team are not ready to balance the demands of the Premier League and the Champions League.
“We know that, but we need to win, and we need to fight to win this competition (Europa League), to give something to our fans, and to go to the Champions League,” he told Sky Sports.
“Then we will have time to prepare the team to cope with those two competitions. So, it is a dilemma, but we want to win, of course.”
Amorim has had a nightmare start to his United reign — only relegated sides Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton have won fewer Premier League matches than United’s tally of six since he replaced the sacked Eric ten Hag in November.
That they are even on the brink of the Europa League final is thanks largely to inspirational captain Bruno Fernandes, who scored two goals in Bilbao in a match in which United were helped by the first-half dismissal of Athletic defender Dani Vivian.
The Portugal international’s 31 goal involvements in 32 knockout-stage appearances in the Europa League (19 goals, 12 assists), are the most of any player in the history of the competition since it was rebranded in 2009.
If Tottenham complete the job in Norway and United progress, they would compete in the sixth all-English final in the Champions League or Europa League.
Spurs themselves have had a traumatic season in the Premier League — they are one place below United with an eye-catching 19 defeats in 35 games.
But Ange Postecoglou still has the chance to make good on his claim that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club by collecting Tottenham’s first silverware since 2008.
If either English club go on to win the Europa League there would be six Premier League teams in next season’s Champions League.
Morocco’s Elmehdi El-Jamari set for high-stakes clash against Thailand’s Aliff at ONE Fight Night 32
Morocco’s Elmehdi El-Jamari set for high-stakes clash against Thailand’s Aliff at ONE Fight Night 32
- Among his accolades are seven Moroccan Muay Thai championships, two Arab titles, and championship belts under the K-1 and WBC banners
RIYADH: Moroccan Muay Thai standout Elmehdi El-Jamari is set to return to the ring in a thrilling strawweight clash against Thailand’s Aliff Sor Dechapan at ONE Fight Night 32, scheduled for June 7 at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.
The highly anticipated bout will see El-Jamari attempt to build on his electrifying debut earlier this year, where he secured a knockout victory over Thongpoon PK Saenchai.
The 27-year-old enters the contest with a sterling professional record of 27 wins and just one loss, bolstered by a decorated career at the national and international levels.
Among his accolades are seven Moroccan Muay Thai championships, two Arab titles, and championship belts under the K-1 and WBC banners.
El-Jamari, the younger brother of fellow ONE Championship athlete Zakaria El-Jamari, is aiming to continue his rise within the division by toppling another local favorite in front of a partisan Thai crowd.
However, he faces a formidable opponent in Aliff Sor Dechapan, one of Thailand’s brightest young talents. The 21-year-old boasts a formidable 60-9 professional record, including a 7-2 run in ONE Championship, where five of his victories have come by stoppage. Aliff enters the bout riding a three-fight win streak, with two of those wins coming via first-round knockouts.
Standing 7 cm taller than his Moroccan opponent and enjoying the backing of the home crowd in Bangkok, Aliff will look to use his reach and momentum to maintain his winning form. But El-Jamari, known for his aggressive striking and well-timed combinations, has proved he can silence a Thai crowd — and will aim to do so again on fight night.
ONE Fight Night 32 will be broadcast live from Bangkok at 3 a.m. Makkah time on beIN SPORTS and via the ONE Championship’s official platform, watch.onefc.com.
