Joao Felix sent off on Chelsea debut in 2-1 loss to Fulham

Joao Felix sent off on Chelsea debut in 2-1 loss to Fulham
Chelsea's Portuguese striker Joao Felix (R) is sent off for this tackle on Fulham's Dutch defender Kenny Tete during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Chelsea at Craven Cottage in London on Thursday. (AFP)
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Updated 13 January 2023

Joao Felix sent off on Chelsea debut in 2-1 loss to Fulham

Joao Felix sent off on Chelsea debut in 2-1 loss to Fulham
  • Felix, who joined on loan from Atletico Madrid for the rest of the season on Wednesday, was having an impressive game until his sending-off

LONDON: Joao Felix was sent off on his Chelsea debut for a studs-first lunge as his new team lost 2-1 at Fulham in the Premier League to fall deeper into crisis on Thursday.

The Portugal forward looked disconsolate after being shown a straight red card in the 58th minute for his dangerous challenge on Kenny Tete that caught the Fulham right back just below his right knee.

Felix, who joined on loan from Atletico Madrid for the rest of the season on Wednesday, was having an impressive game until his sending-off, making surging runs, delivering incisive passes and showing some neat tricks and flicks.

He won’t be able to showcase them again until Feb. 11 as he will now miss league games against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Fulham. With Felix having joined on a deal costing Chelsea a reported $790,000 a week taking in wages and the loan fee, it is a costly error for both the club and for under-pressure manager Graham Potter.

“It was a forward’s tackle — there was no malice in it but I understand why it was a red,” Potter said. “It is another blow. The hits keep coming at the moment, that’s how it is. He (Felix) was really good, you could see his quality in the game, so it is doubly disappointing for us.”

Chelsea slipped to a sixth loss in their last eight matches in all competitions — their worst run of results in nearly 30 years — thanks to a 73rd-minute winner from Carlos Vinicius, who met a cross from Andreas Pereira with an unchallenged header at the far post as goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga hesitated to come out for the ball.

The Brazilian striker was only playing because first-choice center forward Aleksandar Mitrovic, Fulham’s top scorer, was suspended.

“Guys are stepping up — we are not a one-trick pony,” said Tim Ream, Fulham’s American defender. “We have guys in the team who can finish and put the ball away.”

On being sixth in the Premier League: “It is a consequence of everything we are doing. The hard work on the training ground, the togetherness of the players and fans. We are not looking at the table but we are in a very good position.”

Fulham went ahead in the 25th minute through a deflected shot from former Chelsea winger Willian, only to concede an equalizer in the 47th when Mason Mount’s free kick came back off the post and center back Kalidou Koulibaly forced home the rebound from close range.

Fulham climbed above Liverpool into sixth place to continue a brilliant first season back in the top flight. This was a fourth straight win in the top flight, something the southwest London club hadn’t achieved since 1966.

Chelsea stayed in 10th place, 19 points off leader Arsenal having played one game more. A top-four finish to qualify for the Champions League is looking more and more unlikely for Chelsea, whose extensive injury list now includes Denis Zakaria after the midfielder came off with a problem midway through the second half.

Potter made a quadruple substitution in the 79th minute in a late bid to grab a draw but striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was not among them. Last week against Manchester City, Aubameyang was substituted after coming on as an early substitute and already appears to be a player out of favor with Potter, whose attacking options are increasingly limited with Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic injured.

“The red card changes the game,” Potter said. “It makes it a little more difficult for us. But I thought the application when we went down to 10 men was really good.

“We have got to keep working. There is no other solution, you have to keep working to stay together and stay focused.”


Muchova, Sabalenka reach first French Open semifinals

Muchova, Sabalenka reach first French Open semifinals
Updated 26 sec ago

Muchova, Sabalenka reach first French Open semifinals

Muchova, Sabalenka reach first French Open semifinals
PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Muchova are in the French Open semifinals for the first time.
The second-seeded Sabalenka overpowered Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday to set up a semifinal against the unseeded Muchova. The Czech beat 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 7-5, 6-2.
Muchova and Sabalenka had never progressed beyond the third round in Paris.
Svitolina was booed by some sections of the crowd because she snubbed the Australian Open champion after the final point, instead of shaking her hand at the net.
Sabalenka walked up to the net, and leaned on the top of it with both hands, looking at Svitolina as she walked. Svitolina did not look in her direction and went straight to the sideline.
Sabalenka is from Belarus, and Svitolina — playing in her first major since becoming a mother — is from Ukraine. Belarus aided Russia in its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the war continues. Like other players from Ukraine, including Sabalenka’s first-round opponent last week, Svitolina has not been shaking hands with players from Belarus or Russia after matches.
Sabalenka’s all-risk tennis paid dividends despite 37 unforced errors. Her aggressive returns and deep groundstrokes put Svitolina on the backfoot from the start. Under pressure at the beginning of the second set and 2-0 down, Sabalenka raised her game to win four games in a row and sealed the match with a forehand winner.
Sabalenka has yet to drop a set in the tournament.
Pavlyuchenkova played for more than three hours in her previous match and appeared tired as she got off a sluggish start and gave away too many easy points.
She tried to fight back using her powerful groundstrokes but her hopes of a comeback were dashed when she went down 4-1 in the second set after another big forehand bounced wide.
Pavlyuchenkova missed most of the 2022 season with a knee injury. Ranked No. 333, she was the lowest-ranked woman to reach the Roland Garros quarterfinals in the Open Era, and the lowest at any Grand Slam since 2017.
Muchova has also been slowed by an injuries as an abdominal problem forced her to rest for six months after the 2021 US Open. She damaged an ankle during her third-round match at Roland Garros last year.
Muchova will be playing her second semifinal at a major after making it that far at the Australian Open two years ago.
In the men’s bracket, top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are on a collision course and could set up a mouth-watering semifinal contest if they both win Tuesday.
Djokovic, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, plays No. 11 Karen Khachanov on Court Philippe Chatrier. Alcaraz, who won last year’s US Open, takes on No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, a two-time runner-up at major tournaments.

Iniesta says goodbye to old friends at Barcelona in friendly in Tokyo

Iniesta says goodbye to old friends at Barcelona in friendly in Tokyo
Updated 11 min 24 sec ago

Iniesta says goodbye to old friends at Barcelona in friendly in Tokyo

Iniesta says goodbye to old friends at Barcelona in friendly in Tokyo
  • Iniesta played 674 games for Barcelona from 2002-18, winning 30 trophies
  • Last month, he announced he was leaving the Japanese club after his final match on July 1 in the western city of Kobe

TOKYO: Andres Iniesta said goodbye to old friends as he played for his Japanese club Vissel Kobe against his former club Barcelona in a friendly at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
Barcelona won the match 2-0. Iniesta played 674 games for Barcelona from 2002-18, winning 30 trophies. He also scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final.
Last month, he announced he was leaving the Japanese club after his final match on July 1 in the western city of Kobe.
Iniesta played five seasons with Vissel Kobe and has not announced his plans. The 39-year-old midfielder says he wants to keep playing, which he has not been doing much of this season.
Spanish champion Barcelona flew directly to Japan after their last Liga match on Sunday, and were expected to return by charter after the Kobe friendly.
Japanese online retailer Rakuten owns Kobe Vissel and is also its shirt sponsor. Rakuten was Barcelona’s shirt sponsor until several years ago. Rakuten is run by Japanese billionaire Hiroshi Mikitani.


Al-Ittihad fans hail possible signing of Karim Benzema

Al-Ittihad fans hail possible signing of Karim Benzema
Updated 06 June 2023

Al-Ittihad fans hail possible signing of Karim Benzema

Al-Ittihad fans hail possible signing of Karim Benzema
  • French striker leaving Real Madrid after 14 seasons
  • Announcement on deal expected ‘in coming days’

JEDDAH: The reigning champions of Saudi Arabia, Al-Ittihad, are reportedly edging ever closer to signing Karim Benzema from Real Madrid.

This comes in the wake of the Spanish club announcing on Sunday morning that the French forward is departing after 14 seasons.

The 35-year-old has been the subject of much speculation recently, with the striker expected to confirm his move in the coming days.

Benzema has reportedly received a lucrative offer from Al-Ittihad. He could become the latest major star to play in Saudi Arabia after his ex-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr.

Reports started circulating after Benzema also confirmed on Sunday he would leave the Bernabeu this summer. There was also a report that Al-Ittihad’s president and vice president traveled to Madrid on Saturday morning, on a mission to sign the player.

Many Al-Ittihad supporters are hoping that the Saudi champions can get this deal sealed over the next few days.

Hamza Al-Sayed, a sports columnist, told Arab News that Benzema would be a coup for the Kingdom. “Benzema has been crucial for Real Madrid in their quest for Champions League glory in recent years, and now he is considered to be one of the legendary players (to have) played for Real Madrid.”

Al-Sayed said that if Benzema joins Al-Ittihad, it would be a move to one of the oldest football clubs in Saudi Arabia that has won nine Saudi league titles and holds 48 championship wins, three of which are in Asia.

It would be “simply, a great player joining a great club,” said Al-Sayed.

Omar Abu Al-Faraj, a big supporter of Al-Ittihad, who has been a season ticketholder since the age of 14, and hardly missed a game, said he was excited at the possibility.

“I think this year is holding great moments for us as Ittihad’s fans, winning the Saudi Premier League, the Saudi Super Cup, qualified to play among top clubs at the FIFA Club World Cup, and now we are getting very close to sign the great striker Benzema. It has been really a lucky year and we are having amazing achievements,” he said.

“Having the great striker Benzema with our squad is really a great addition and we really look forward to seeing him in Al-Ittihad’s shirt.”

Many Al-Ittihad fans have taken to Twitter to express their delight at the prospect of the Ballon d’Or winner joining the team.

Sara Aziz tweeted: “@benzema all eyes on you, cant wait to see you wearing black and yellow.”

Faisal Al-Harbi, another fan, tweeted: “Welcome ‘Benzema’ to the greatest club in the Middle East.”

Fan Walid Al-Sharari tweeted: “Whatever you expect, your luck is great … Benzema left a great football club in Europe and now coming to the greatest club in Asia.”

Al-Ittihad have also been linked with Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, whose status at the English club is uncertain. The president and vice president of Al-Ittihad reportedly traveled to London on Monday to sign Kante.


Raheem Sterling: Manchester City ‘deserve’ Champions League glory

Raheem Sterling: Manchester City ‘deserve’ Champions League glory
Updated 06 June 2023

Raheem Sterling: Manchester City ‘deserve’ Champions League glory

Raheem Sterling: Manchester City ‘deserve’ Champions League glory
  • Chelsea star says his former club has everything it takes to finally get over the line against Inter Milan on Saturday

Raheem Sterling has backed former club Manchester City to round off their impressive campaign by achieving a historic Treble.

The Etihad outfit face Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final, having already tasted Premier League and FA Cup success.

Sterling spent seven years at City, winning the league four times, and lifting the FA Cup and League Cup.

But the Champions League eluded the England winger and his team, with defeat to Chelsea — his current club — in 2021 the closest they came.

Manchester United are the only other English club to have achieved the Treble, back in 1999, and Sterling told Arab News exclusively: “I hope City do it.

“They’re a club that’s been fighting for the Champions League from my time there for many years and I think they are a club that deserves it.

“The quality that they have, they have been unlucky in previous years.

They’ve got the Premier League (and FA Cup) now and hopefully they can actually get the Champions League and finish it all off.”

The 28-year-old, who scored 131 goals for City — including 24 in the Champions League — before leaving for Chelsea last summer, added: “For me, it’s been the same at this club. First season I was there until now, it’s about consistency.

“For me, they are the best team — they’ve been the best for the last five, six years.

“I knew when I was leaving City, I knew they would be challenging or winning titles. They’re a great club, they’re the example for everyone in the Premier League.”

City have been contenders for European club football’s biggest prize since 2016 when they reached the semifinals under Manuel Pellegrini, but lost 1-0 on aggregate in the semis to Real Madrid.

Heartbreak has since followed for Pep Guardiola’s team, including a 2019 quarter-final tie with Tottenham Hotspur where Sterling had a dramatic injury-time goal disallowed by VAR.

It would have proved the winner, but Spurs instead went through on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate scoreline.

In last season’s semifinals, City conceded two goals in the 90th minute as Real Madrid forced extra time and then snatched a 5-4 aggregate success.

“They have had unlucky times in the past, but now they have got the luck and that’s all they needed,” added Sterling of City’s bid for a first European Cup.

“When we lost the final two years ago, it was hard but that’s gone, it’s in the past now. Hopefully they get across the line this time. Now they’ve got the big one to come and I believe they will do it.”


6-time All-Star former Major League Baseball MVP Miguel Tejada named manager of Karachi Monarchs

6-time All-Star former Major League Baseball MVP Miguel Tejada named manager of Karachi Monarchs
Updated 06 June 2023

6-time All-Star former Major League Baseball MVP Miguel Tejada named manager of Karachi Monarchs

6-time All-Star former Major League Baseball MVP Miguel Tejada named manager of Karachi Monarchs
  • Tejada will lead Baseball United’s Pakistan franchise in partnership with fellow Dominican baseball legend Adrian Beltre

KARACHI: Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, has announced that former Major League Baseball MVP and All-Star Miguel Tejada will become the first manager of the Karachi Monarchs.

Tejada will team up with fellow Dominican Republic baseball legend, Adrian Beltre, who was named the team’s honorary general manager last week.

The Karachi Monarchs are the first professional baseball franchise in the history of Pakistan and the second announced by Baseball United. The Monarchs will compete in Baseball United’s Dubai Showcase in November alongside the Mumbai Cobras, and two additional franchises that will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Cobras and Monarchs are expected to generate significant fanfare, building on decades of sports rivalries between India and Pakistan. The last cricket match between India and Pakistan was watched by more than 230 million people around the world.

“The leadership we are putting together around our Baseball United stacks up against any professional sports league in the world,” said Kash Shaikh, president, CEO and co-owner of Baseball United. “These are elite baseball minds and exceptional clubhouse leaders. Miguel Tejada fits that mold. He’s not only a former All-Star and one of the greatest Dominican players in history, but he’s someone who’s been through hardship, made mistakes, and recovered from them. When you have experienced the high highs and the low lows, you build a humility and resilience that enables you to succeed. I am looking forward to seeing Miguel in the dugout with Karachi across his chest.”

Tejada played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball and was the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player. He was selected to six All-Star games, winning the All-Star game MVP in 2005. Tejada, a shortstop, also won two Silver Slugger awards and amassed more than 300 career home runs. He played for six franchises, most notably the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics.

“This opportunity means a lot,” Tejada said. “I’ve been blessed with a lot of good things in my life thanks to baseball, but I really believe this chance to lead the Karachi Monarchs will be one of the best. I truly appreciate Kash, John Miedreich and Eddie Diaz taking a chance on me, and giving me the opportunity to prove myself in this new role. I can’t wait to get on the field and start helping our players.”

Tejada and Beltre will partner with Miedreich, Baseball United executive vice president of baseball operations, and Diaz, vice president of Baseball Operations, to develop Karachi’s roster in advance of November’s Showcase. The league’s first full season will begin in late 2024.