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sábado, 21 de março de 2020

REPORT: Robert Lewandowski Donates €1 million to Help Fight Coronavirus

According to Alex Milne of the Daily Mirror, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and his wife have generously donated €1 million to help combat the coronavirus pandemic sweeping through the world.

Robert Lewandowski and Wife Make Generous Move to Help Fight COVID-19

Lewandowski Helping to Fight the Pandemic Himself

After donating €1 million to fight the virus, he and his wife had much to say on the matter.

According to Polish outlet Sportowefakty, they said: “Today, we are all aware of the difficulties of the situation that surrounds us. Today we all play in one team.

“Let’s be strong in this fight and be unanimous. If we can help someone safely, let’s do it. Good comes back.

“The situation affects each of us, we do not choose, so once again we ask: Let us follow the recommendations, listen to those who know each other well. Let’s be responsible. We believe that we will return to normal soon. Let’s be together, let’s be in solidarity.”

This is yet another donation in the football world trying to fight the spread of the disease.

Serie A’s AS Roma donated 8,000 pairs of protective gloves and 2,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to churches. Furthermore, first-team players and staff at Inter Milan gave €500,000 to charity.

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane donated €41,000 to support Senegal’s fight against Covid-19. Yet another huge support move from the potential Premier League champion.

The Lewandowski couple’s generous move gives many fans hope that the virus will be combated thoroughly.

Sensational Form This Season Despite Virus Woes

The 31-year-old has scored a sensational 25 goals in 23 matches for Bayern in the Bundesliga this season. He is also the top scorer in the now-suspended UEFA Champions League. He has 11 goals in six matches in the competition.

This fine form solidifies him as the best striker in the world right now. This new gesture from the Polish international and his wife has now solidified them as two of the kindest souls in Bavaria.

Neymar Says "Yes" To Barcelona Transfer And Is Prepared To Force Move From PSG

Neymar has reportedly said "yes" to a sensational Barcelona transfer and is more than willing to force his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar is committed to securing a stunning return to his former club in the summer ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The Brazilian superstar has been the subject of intense transfer speculation in the last 12 months following his world record transfer to PSG in 2017.

Barcelona were open to signing the 28-year-old last summer, but they failed to meet PSG's huge demands.

However, reports in Spain claim the player's representatives have reached out to Barcelona to confirm he's prepared to do whatever it takes to head back to Catalunya.

The French club are now expected to consider bids in the region of €150 million (£139 million) with Neymar ready to take a pay cut to secure a move to Barcelona.

Barcelona will have to raise funds to splash out an enormous amount of money on Neymar and Spanish football expert Guillem Balagué believes Antoine Griezmann could be the man to make way.

"In the 14 goals that [Griezmann's] scored [in all competitions], 10 of them were the first goal of the game," he explained.

"So he has got a knack of doing that kind of thing, of being influential from that point of view. But you expect so much more from him.

"I don't see a happy player, I see a player that, not so much that he doesn't know what to do, it's perhaps that it doesn't come natural to do the things that they are demanding of him, like getting himself between the full-back and the centre-back, run in-behind all the time, add depth to the team that way and penetration.

"He does it for a while but eventually he just wants to be part of what's happening.

"So, would they want to get rid of him? Remember, Barcelona want Neymar and they don't have the money," Balagué added.

"So, yes, I think it will be a possibility of getting rid of Griezmann and perhaps Griezmann will feel that is the thing to do too.

"Neymar is a priority and that's why I'm saying the departure perhaps of Griezmann and/or [Philippe] Coutinho will help on the finances for that."

Neymar to Barcelona? Watch this space.

Los que más y los que menos en el Atlético hasta el parón

Análisis de los datos del Atlético de Madrid hasta el parón del coronavirus.
Los jugadores más usados por Simeone, el más goleador, el asistente...

El Atlético de Madrid, como el resto de equipos del fútbol español, vive un parón obligatorio a cuenta de la crisis del coronavirus. Hasta que la competición vuelva a retomarse, se puede hacer un pequeño análisis de los que están siendo los más y los menos en el cuadro colchonero en LaLiga.

Y hay algunas cosas que se pueden destacar. Según datos de Opta, el portero Jan Oblak es el único jugador del Atlético de Madrid que ha disputado todos los partidos de LaLiga esta temporada (27). Es el futbolista más usado por Simeone. Y es normal porque ha salvado a su equipo en muchas ocasiones. Pocos dudan de que a día de hoy es e mejor portero del mundo.

Entre sus jugadores de campo el que más partidos ha jugado en LaLiga 19/20 es Saúl Ñíguez (26, todos ellos como titular). El ilicitano es la extensión del Cholo gracias a su polivalencia. De pivote, de interior, de lateral izquierdo...

Los que más y los que menos en el Atlético de Madrid hasta el parón.

Álvaro Morata (con ocho dianas) es el máximo goleador del Atlético de Madrid en LaLiga esta temporada. Es su segunda cifra más alta de goles en una campaña en la competición tras los 15 con el Real Madrid (26 partidos) en la 16/17 (también ocho con el Real Madrid en 23 encuentros en la 13/14).

El delantero madrileño, con 27 remates, es el segundo futbolista español que más remata a portería en LaLiga esta temporada tras Iago Aspas (30).

Si nos vamos a otra de las estadísticas clave, la de los mejores asistententes, Ángel Correa es el máximo asistente del Atlético de Madrid en LaLiga 19/20 (con seis pases de gol para sus compañeros), a dos de igualar su mejor campaña en LaLiga (ocho asistencias en la 16/17 con el Atlético de Madrid).

Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla tests positive for coronavirus

Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla has tested positive for COVID-19, the league announced in a statement Friday evening.

Bonilla, in translated remarks, said he’s in quarantine and showing no serious symptoms. ESPN Mexico's Jose Ramon Fernandez has also reported that Bonilla recently visited Spain, with the European nation hit especially hard by the virus.

"For now, in spite of the tests carried out, I don't have any serious symptoms and I will remain in quarantine as the authorities in the health ministry indicate,” Bonilla’s statement read. “Of course, I'll keep myself informed about the situation the country is going through and the alternative and possible solutions to resolve it, especially in the Liga MX and Ascenso MX family.”

Liga MX suspended play last Sunday until further notice due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They had played games as normal through March 13, then went behind closed-doors before the recent measure.

Through Friday, 203 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in Mexico along with two deaths.

In recent years, MLS and Liga MX have become more closely linked with the establishment of the Campeones Cup and Leagues Cup competitions. The 2020 MLS season also saw an unprecedented influx of players from Liga MX, as teams invested in higher-priced talent.

Mercato - PSG : Klopp également dans le coup pour Aouar ? La réponse !

Comme nous vous l'avons révélé en exclusivité, Leonardo a fait de Houssem Aouar une priorité en vue du mercato estival. Le directeur sportif du PSG ne devrait pas être inquiété par Jürgen Klopp, le coach de Liverpool, sur ce dossier.

Jürgen Klopp devrait laisser le champ libre à Leonardo en ce qui concerne Houssem Aouar. Comme Le 10 Sport vous l'a révélé en exclusivité le 8 mars, le milieu de terrain de l'OL est l'une des pistes préférentielles de Leonardo pour le prochain mercato estival. Toutefois, le directeur sportif du PSG devrait se frotter au Real Madrid, au FC Barcelone et à la Juventus sur ce dossier. Malgré tout, le club parisien aurait un souci en moins : Liverpool.

Liverpool hors jeu pour Houssem Aouar ?

Selon les informations de David Lynch, divulguées lors d'une foire aux questions, Leonardo ne devrait pas avoir à se méfier de Liverpool. A en croire le correspondant de l'Evening Standard, la direction des Reds aurait eu l'occasion d'observer Houssem Aouar lorsqu'elle supervisait son ancien coéquipier Nabil Fekir. Mais selon ses dires, un transfert du milieu de terrain de l'OL à Liverpool ne serait dans l'intérêt d'aucune partie. En effet, les statistiques de Houssem Aouar (3 réalisations et 2 passes décisives en 26 rencontres disputées en Ligue 1) ne seraient pas suffisantes pour évoluer dans l'un des plus grands clubs d'Europe. D'autant qu'il lui serait difficile à l'heure actuelle d'emmagasiner du temps de jeu dans une telle équipe. La préférence de Jürgen Klopp d'évoluer avec un numéro 8, plutôt qu'avec un numéro 10, excentré jouerait également en la défaveur de Houssem Aouar. Leonardo peut donc se réjouir. Le directeur sportif du PSG ne devrait pas avoir affaire à Liverpool pour l'international français.

Why the Double Post became an iconic moment in MLS playoff lore

EDITOR'S NOTE: Every day at 8 pm ET, full-match replays of MLS Classics will be released in their entirety on YouTube, Facebook, MLSsoccer.com, and the official MLS app (check out the full schedule). Among the MLS Classics: The Portland Timbers' legendary "Double Post" triumph over Sporting Kansas City in the Knockout Round of the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Arguably the most iconic playoff moment in the history of Providence Park almost never happened at all.

In the single elimination opening round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs back in 2015, the Portland Timbers were clinging to a 1-0 lead in the 87th minute, when Sporting Kansas City's Kevin Ellis headed home a dramatic equalizer that sent the contest into the extra time.

Then, in the sixth minute of the first extra period, Krisztian Nemeth scored another to put the visitors on the brink of pulling off the road upset.

With their playoff lives on the line, the Timbers remained down 2-1 until the 118th minute, when forward Maxi Urruti came to the rescue with a volley off a cross from Dairon Asprilla, sending the home crowd at Providence Park into a frenzy and forcing the match to be settled on penalty kicks. Just two minutes from seeing their season end on their home field, the Timbers suddenly and improbably had a lifeline.

No one knew it at the time, but Urruti's clutch finish would be the catalyst for the real drama — which was only just getting started.

So, what happened?

The penalty kick shootout that followed is the stuff of legend.

There were two penalty kick saves and two misses by each team in the opening five rounds of the shootout and things would stay level until the ninth round, when Portland's Alvas Powell missed his shot, giving SKC a chance to win it with a successful conversion. Sporting rookie Saad Abdul-Salaam made the fateful walk to the spot.

What happened next is immortalized in Timbers lore forever. Abdul-Salaam sent Kwarasey the wrong way and hit a shot that looked for all the world that it would head right into the corner and nestle into the net.

"I see Adam diving the wrong way and I see the ball going into that corner and I just thought, 'Alright, that's it. That's gonna be it,'" Timbers defender Nat Borchers would later say.

Instead, the shot went off the post before ricocheting directly across the goal line and glancing off the OTHER post, while somehow never going in.

The shootout moved on, all the way to the 11th round, where it had to be decided by the goalkeepers, of course. Kwarasey drilled his shot before saving the attempt from Kempin, giving the Timbers the dramatic victory and sending them through to the Western Conference Semifinals.

Etched in history

The term "Double Post" has carried a special place in Timbers history ever since. A bar inside Providence Park was even named after it. Looking back on it now, the players involved still can't entirely believe that it actually happened.

"The science behind it," said former Timbers midfielder Jack Jewsbury, who missed a shot in that penalty kick shootout. "When you think of a right-footer that's bending it to the left corner, it hits the left post, must be spinning a certain direction — so when it ran across the line and didn't go in, we all just looked at each other in disbelief."

In the end, it was a perfect illustration of how thin the margins can be between euphoric victory and devastating defeat. The Timbers were a matter of inches from going home. Instead, "Double Post" happened and they wound up riding that wave all the way to the first MLS Cup title in team history.

«Газпром» — тренировочные сборы в Турции: команда провела первую тренировку в Белеке

14 февраля сине-бело-голубые начали заключительный этап подготовки к возобновлению сезона.

Фото: Вячеслав Евдокимов

Вечерняя тренировка началась в 18:00 и продолжалась около часа. После разминки и растяжки игроки выполняли беговую работу.

Завтра «Зенит» проведет две тренировки. Ближайшие товарищеские матчи состоятся 17 февраля: в 11:00 начнется встреча с «Аланией», в 17:00 — с «Кайратом».