Focue Provides the Latest and Most Up-to-Date News, What You Focus On is What You Get.
⎯ 《 Focue • Com 》

List of All Articles with Tag 'foo'

Phil Neville sacked as manager with Inter Miami bottom of Eastern Conference
Phil Neville sacked as manager with Inter Miami bottom of Eastern Conference
Phil Neville has been sacked as manager of MLS side Inter Miami. The 46-year-old has paid the price for a poor run of form, with the 1-0 defeat to New York Red Bulls proving the final straw. Neville, who was appointed in January 2021 after his resignation as England Women boss, leaves the club bottom of the Eastern Conference following four successive defeats. hhttps://twitter.com/InterMiamiCF/status/1664393619946471425 Co-owner David Beckham, who is Neville’s ex-Manchester United and England team-mate and friend, said it was the right time to make the change. “When we appointed Phil we knew he would give Inter Miami his all and I have watched him work incredibly hard and with real commitment towards the ambitions we set out for the club,” he said on the club’s official website. “He and his family embraced Miami and he has devoted himself to the drive to bring success to the city and to our fans. Phil has made a real contribution to the culture of our club with his qualities as a leader and knowledge as a coach. “Sometimes in this game we have to make the toughest decisions and sadly we feel the time is right to make a change. I want to personally thank Phil for his hard work, his passion for our club and for his integrity as a person.” Neville attracted attention recently after he swore at a reporter during a press conference, having been interrupted during an answer. He said: “I would like to thank the Inter Miami CF ownership group for their trust and making me a part of this project; the players and staff for their impressive commitment, dedication and hard work; and the fans for their unwavering support for the club since day one. “I’m grateful to have played a part in the growth of this club and wish Inter Miami CF all the best in the future.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00
PGMOL condemns ‘abhorrent’ abuse of referee Anthony Taylor at Budapest airport
PGMOL condemns ‘abhorrent’ abuse of referee Anthony Taylor at Budapest airport
Refereeing body PGMOL says it is appalled by “unjustified and abhorrent” abuse directed at Anthony Taylor after video footage emerged of him being accosted by angry fans at Budapest airport. Taylor and his family can be seen trying to evade a mob, who were shouting at him as he travelled home after refereeing Wednesday night’s Europa League final between Roma and Sevilla in the Hungarian capital. The Premier League official was criticised for his performance in the final by Roma boss Jose Mourinho during his post-match press conference after the Italian side lost on penalties to Sevilla. And in video footage which later emerged on social media, the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager is seen gesticulating at Taylor and officials in the stadium car park and heard saying “disgrace”. Following the incident at the airport, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said in a statement on Thursday evening: “PGMOL is aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport. “We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final. “We will continue to provide our full support to Anthony and his family.” UEFA is awaiting Taylor’s reports before deciding whether to take action against Mourinho for his rant. Taylor booked Mourinho during the game, which finished 1-1 after extra time before Sevilla sealed their seventh Europa League triumph by winning 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out. Tempers simmered on and off the pitch in a disappointing final, with 13 players shown yellow cards, seven of them to Roma players, while fourth official Michael Oliver had his work cut out to keep control of both dug-outs. The game was littered with delays, with a total of 25 minutes’ stoppage time added to the 120 minutes of playing time. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00
Canadian Woman Wins First Prize in Cheese-Rolling Race After Knocking Herself Unconscious
Canadian Woman Wins First Prize in Cheese-Rolling Race After Knocking Herself Unconscious
Nineteen-year-old Delaney Irving was unconscious when she crossed the finish line of Gloucester's 2023 cheese-rolling contest.
1970-01-01 08:00
Leeds owner Radrizzani ‘appalling’ over reported Elland Road loan security deal
Leeds owner Radrizzani ‘appalling’ over reported Elland Road loan security deal
A Leeds fans’ group has accused chairman Andrea Radrizzani of “appalling” behaviour and demanded he immediately sells the club and Elland Road. Leeds United Supporters Club (LUSC) has responded to The Athletic’s report that majority shareholder Radrizzani had offered to use the Elland Road stadium as collateral when securing a £26million bank loan to buy Sampdoria. Radrizzani’s company Aser Group, in partnership with finance company Gestio Capital, concluded a takeover of the debt-ridden Italian club on Tuesday night. The 48-year-old signed off an agreement in principle to use Elland Road as collateral in order to borrow the funds needed from Italian bank Banca Sistema to complete the deal, it was reported. The Athletic said it was not known whether Elland Road was included in the final deal, or if Radrizzani’s company and partner Gestio Capital were able to secure the loan via a different method. LUSC chairman Lord Mann said in a statement: “Andrea Radrizzani is no longer an appropriate person to own Leeds United. “His behaviour is appalling and he risks never being welcome at our club again.” There will be a major question mark about whether he (Radrizzani) is a fit and proper person to own a football club if he attempts to stay on as owner Leeds United Supporters Trust It had been expected that Radrizzani’s buy-out at Sampdoria would expedite the sale of his 56 per cent stake in Leeds to American co-owners 49ers Enterprises. The financial arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers increased its stake in Leeds to 44 per cent at the end of 2021 with a deal in place to buy Radrizzani’s stake and take full control before January 2024. But in a personal statement posted on Twitter on Wednesday night, Radrizzani made no mention of a possible change of ownership at Leeds when apologising to fans for their relegation from the Premier League. Lord Mann added: “The sooner he goes the better and we look forward to the 49ers Enterprises’ offer being accepted. “The only way he can begin to salvage his reputation is through an immediate sale of the club and the stadium. “There will be a major question mark about whether he is a fit and proper person to own a football club if he attempts to stay on as owner.” It was also reported that co-owners 49ers Enterprises and Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear were unaware of Radrizzani’s proposal to use Elland Road as security on his loan. Leeds have not owned their stadium since 2004. After Radrizzani completed his full takeover of the club in 2017, he bought it back and it is currently owned by Elland Road Ltd, of which the Italian is a director. Leeds refused to comment when approached by the PA news agency, while others fans’ groups, including Leeds United Supporters Trust, said they were seeking clarification from the club. National fans group, the Football Supporters Association, said on Twitter that “these are concerning times” for Leeds supporters and added it was further evidence that the Premier League “needed independent regulation”. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Almost perfect start to big summer – Stuart Broad hails dominant England display Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva dreams of ‘winning 25 grand slam titles’ Broad brilliance and a statuesque striker – Thursday’s sporting social
1970-01-01 08:00
Jeff Bezos mocked for spending $4k on bottle of ‘engagement wine’ worth just $650
Jeff Bezos mocked for spending $4k on bottle of ‘engagement wine’ worth just $650
People think Jeff Bezos was ripped-off after he reportedly spent more than $4,000 on a bottle of wine that sells just in the hundreds. The Amazon founder, 59, reportedly went all out to celebrate his engagement to fiancée Lauren Sanchez, 53, last week. According to People, Bezos forked over $4,285 for an off-menu bottle of Dugat-Py Grand Cru from Domaine Bernard, which the couple enjoyed at La Petite Maison in Cannes, France. However, many wine experts believed that Bezos was stiffed on the bottle of red Burgundy wine – which apparently sells for much less. Parcelle Wine, a wine seller and bar located in New York City’s Lower East Side, poked fun at Bezos’ faux pas on social media. “Wine fact of the day: Bezos knows less than you and got mega ripped off in France,” they captioned the post, which included a photo of the seemingly high-priced bottle of Dugat-Py Grand Cru. Fellow wine lovers trolled the billionaire businessman in the comments, writing: “LOL what did he think he was ordering, Rousseau Chambertin?” “This explains Amazon’s s****y wine selection,” another said. According to the New York Post, the same bottle of pinot noir sold at auction in March 2022 for just $647, a more than $3,500 difference compared to how much Bezos spent on the Dugat-Py Grand Cru. “The wine, Chambertin, is from the fabled Chambertin vineyard in the Cote D’Or section in Burgundy. This vineyard is one of the most revered in the world,” a wine expert told the outlet. The Dugat-Py Grand Cru is available on alcohol delivery app Drizly for $552, and appears to be selling in the hundreds from a number of online retailers. However, Wine Searcher estimates the 2015 bottle of Dugat-Py Grand Cru to be within the thousands. Plus, restaurants are typically allowed to charge around two to five times more for a bottle of wine than the wholesaler cost. Although Bezos seemingly paid more than $4,000 for an overpriced bottle of wine, it’s likely the pinot noir didn’t put a dent in his pocket. The Amazon founder is worth an estimated $141bn. On 22 May, People confirmed that Jeff Bezos was engaged to Lauren Sanchez after five years of dating. He popped the question during the getaway in the South of France, where the couple had spent time on Bezos’ new $500m superyacht. The Emmy-winning journalist was spotted wearing what appeared to be a large diamond engagement ring while aboard the yacht. Bezos and Sanchez, who took their relationship public in January 2019, have both been married before. The Amazon CEO and his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott divorced in 2019 after 25 years of marriage. The couple share three sons and a daughter. Sanchez – who was married to Patrick Whitesell – shares son Nikko with former NFL star Tony Gonzalez, and son Evan and daughter Eleanor with her ex-husband. Read More Lauren Sanchez seemingly hints at Jeff Bezos engagement after five years of dating $500m price tag and bronze statue similar to his girlfriend: What we know about Jeff Bezos’s wild superyacht Jeff Bezos appears to wear $12 butterfly shirt from Amazon at Coachella
1970-01-01 08:00
Alistair Johnston: No heads to turn amid Spurs speculation with all eyes on cup
Alistair Johnston: No heads to turn amid Spurs speculation with all eyes on cup
Celtic defender Alistair Johnston is confident they will not be blown off course by speculation over their manager ahead of the Scottish Cup final. Johnston admits hearing talk of Tottenham’s reported interest in Ange Postecoglou is unavoidable, but the manager and skipper Callum McGregor especially will not allow it to become a distraction. The right-back, who has been passed fit for Saturday’s Hampden clash with Inverness, said: “Trust me, we all hear the noise. We have got Sky Sports on and it seems like every other story that’s running is that one. “But it comes from the top down for us; Cal doesn’t let any noise in and the gaffer definitely doesn’t let any noise in. It’s just been the gaffer as I know him and I don’t think anyone was expecting anything different. “This ship is steering straight where it needs to go right to that cup final. “We just don’t let that kind of stuff creep into the building in terms of letting guys’ heads turn. “That’s super important and I think that goes to show why this club has been so successful, we don’t let that kind of stuff affect players. “You can always tell when someone’s head is turned or something is going on, they just play a little bit off, or they don’t truly feel all the way there. “But that’s never been the case at all in my time here. Even when guys were leaving, and guys did leave in that January window, everyone was still training as hard as possible up until the day they left. “I found that very impressive but, again, that comes from the top down. You are not allowed to have a wandering eye, because if you do you are going to get found out and this squad is so deep that you will be out of the squad as quick as that. That’s what we have here and I think that’s really special. “I know there’s a lot of talk but we are not bothered, we are not worrying about that, we are just focused on this cup final.” The Canada international has not felt the need for anyone inside Celtic Park to give the players any reassurances over Postecoglou’s future. “None of it’s really needed,” he said. “We are all professionals, we understand it’s going to come with the job. When you are super successful, you are going to be linked with other things. “We don’t feel that’s something that needs to be brought up because it’s just a distraction. “No words need to be spoken about that. It’s simple: head down, work hard, and hope you are going to be in the squad for the cup final and have a chance to lift the trophy.” Celtic fans are searching for clues that might mean their popular manager decides to stay in Glasgow despite the lure of the Premier League, and Johnston feels there is a real determination from Postecoglou and his players to improve in the Champions League next season. Another title win ensured they will be in the group stage again and they are looking to improve on their two-point tally from last season. Johnston said: “I have just gotten here. He was a big reason, just talking to him and seeing how he plays and his goals for the club, not only domestically but in the Champions League as well. “Obviously I wasn’t here for the run this year but the guys felt they left a little on the table, the performances were strong but the results maybe weren’t. So I think everybody is excited to have another crack at it. “We have a lot of really determined and hungry individuals who want to prove that, just because we are in Scotland, doesn’t mean we can’t compete with those massive European clubs. “That’s really important to us and important to the manager as well. “That’s something we are all building towards. The gaffer has been signing players with that intention. In my talk with him, it was that we want to be dominant domestically but we also want to take that next step at the international level, and that’s something we are going to be looking for next season especially.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Broad brilliance and a statuesque striker – Thursday’s sporting social Lydia Bedford takes Brentford Under-18s reins in landmark appointment for women The Hundred overhaul ‘not something that’s on agenda’ for ECB boss Richard Gould
1970-01-01 08:00
Lydia Bedford takes Brentford Under-18s reins in landmark appointment for women
Lydia Bedford takes Brentford Under-18s reins in landmark appointment for women
Lydia Bedford has been announced as Brentford Under-18s head coach in a landmark appointment. Bedford has left her position as assistant boss with Arsenal’s women team to become the first female coach to take the reins at a men’s professional side in England. The former Leicester manager is set to work alongside Jon-Paul Pittman, who will join as assistant coach from Forest Green. Brentford director of football Phil Giles said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve managed to attract such talented coaches as Lydia and Jon-Paul to our under-18 team for next year. “We undertook an extensive recruitment process for these roles. Lydia and Jon-Paul were the two best candidates, and thankfully we were able to finalise their recruitment to the staff. “I’m sure they will excel, and we all look forward to working with them through pre-season and beyond.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00
Why Man City’s FFP case could be another Super League moment for football
Why Man City’s FFP case could be another Super League moment for football
As Manchester City prepare for a week that could fulfil a 15-year objective, the discussion within the rest of the Premier League has not been about their undeniable greatness. It has still been about these 115 charges for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules. Opinions were naturally shared in many executive lounges on the last weekend of the season, with particular attention to how any decision on Newcastle United’s prospective shirt sponsorship deal with events company Sela – which, like the club itself, is primarily owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – might be relevant to City’s case. There is a belief it could lead the Premier League to a situation where it is accused of treating City by different rules to Newcastle. Pep Guardiola was of course concerned with none of this as he prepared for the FA Cup final. While the Catalan and senior City figures feel this is all overplayed, especially as the club absolutely insists upon its innocence, many others in football stress quite the opposite. There is a belief the true scale is not being grasped, whether City are exonerated or not. Such is the strength of feeling, for now just bubbling under the surface, that many sources from London to Nyon describe it as a “potential Super League moment” in terms of the ructions it could cause. There is “fury”. And, just like that moment back in April 2021, the Premier League is facing severe pressure from several different areas. There was first of all the agitation of the other clubs, who pushed for investigation in the first place. More immediately, there is obviously City’s strenuous defence, one source describing the legal back and forth as “like war”. Most coverage has so far been given to numerous legal challenges and obstructions, particularly as regards the objection to Murray Rosen KC as head of the Premier League’s independent judiciary panel. In terms of the club’s tactics in the case itself, The Independent understands City’s expensive legal team are primarily arguing this is not about “fraud”. That accusation is after all why the entire story has such gravity. City are accused of failing to accurately disclose information, with owner funding alleged to have been disguised as sponsorship from two Abu Dhabi companies, airline Etihad and telecommunications group Etisalat. The Independent has been told the club’s lawyers are arguing this is not about any of that but instead an “associated party issue”. That, covered on page 132 of the Premier League’s handbook, relates to parties “having material influence over the club or entity in the same group of companies as the club”. It is why Newcastle’s Sela case may be relevant, since that would be judged under the same regulations. Those regulations were actually updated after the Newcastle takeover, as the other 18 non-state-owned clubs raised concerns over how they could be outstripped by inflated sponsorship deals from companies in autocratic states such as Saudi Arabia. As it stands, Financial Fair Play regulations allow clubs to make a loss of £105m over rolling three-year periods, so long as that is covered by cash injections from owners. Anything exceeding this would be a breach. In terms of arguing that the current case is about associated parties, City actually attempted the same tactic with the previous Uefa case, that covered the same ground. They insisted that was – under the European body’s terms – a “related party issue”. Uefa’s Investigatory Chamber stated it wasn’t about any of that, and that if it is about failure to accurately disclose information it doesn’t make any difference if the parties are related or not. The Court of Arbitration for Sport came down on the governing body’s side in this aspect, as covered in paragraphs 124 to 135 of the judgement. Paragraph 127 reads that the panel found “the related party issue is separable from the charges based on the Leaked Emails”. CAS did ultimately overturn Uefa’s verdict due to alleged breaches being “either not established or time-barred”. Should the Premier League go down the route of looking at associated parties, it could mean the process going on far longer – potentially years – since this is an exceptionally difficult area to properly prove. More complications arise from the nature of autocratic states, where rulers have almost total executive power. It is why many Premier League executives are keenly watching what happens with the Sela example, especially since the relationship there is more direct. The events management company and Newcastle United have the same primary owner in PIF. This is not to suggest there is anything untoward in that sponsorship, and it is understood there has already been sound advice that it represents “fair market value”, especially given Newcastle’s Champions League qualification. A growing feeling among the other Premier League clubs – who are now acutely conscious of the wider effects of state ownership – is nevertheless that such deals should not be looked at through the prism of associated parties or fair market value. The increasing argument is that they need to be looked at through the prism of equity, since that is what money that ultimately comes from the same owners could be perceived to represent. While there are a number of different ownership examples such an approach could relate to, many sources believe it shows the specific complications of allowing autocratic states to own football clubs. One argument is that the Premier League needs to prohibit associated party sponsorships altogether. “By allowing such rules,” one source explains, “you are effectively saying that, if it’s fair value, it doesn’t matter if it’s equity or sponsorship.” For now, some think there is the possibility that Newcastle will be looked at on a different basis to City. If that happens, it might be setting a precedent for City to follow, or – as one source put it – “write their defence for them”. If the Premier League do look at the latter through associated parties, though, it could see the case go on for over two years, maybe up to four. Other clubs are already furious at the length of time it has taken up to now, forming another pressure on the Premier League. It is why some football figures, as reported by the Independent last week, have long advised the competition that they should have independent units to deal with such cases. They believe it is a farce that the competition could be clouded by such uncertainty for so long. The eventual conclusion of City’s case could lead to an explosion One argument that has been made is that, such is the complexity of a case like this, it requires more forensic financial expertise rather than the extent of legal advice the Premier League is understood to have leant on. “They don’t know the scale of what they’re dealing with,” were the words of one source. The Premier League are absolutely not commenting on anything to do with the case, but a fair counterargument that could be made is that the four-plus years the investigation took shows how seriously this has been dealt with. For all the rancour under the surface right now, though, the eventual conclusion could lead to an explosion. If the panel does reach a guilty verdict, there is first of all the likelihood that City would seek an arbitration hearing before further potential appeals in the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Other Premier League clubs would meanwhile seek the strongest possible punishments – potentially up to expulsion – and the prospect of legal action has privately been raised by individual clubs. Premier League rules do allow clubs to sue each other. If the punishment is weak, though, the current belief is that could lead to a “mutiny” within the Premier League. That may even happen if City are exonerated. All of this comes amid a more febrile atmosphere surrounding the dominance of state-owned clubs, especially as City come to the brink of a treble and Newcastle so quickly and impressively reached the Champions League. It has meant more attention than ever is being paid to the Sela sponsorship. State politics are just one more under-current to the City story, too. As one expert on the area said: “How would UAE-UK relations be affected if one of Abu Dhabi’s prize assets was punished like that?” Read More Premier League sponsorship rules set for major test as Newcastle eye shirt deal with Saudi company Supercharged Newcastle’s four key transfer targets to strengthen for Champions League Young players taking their life should not become a norm – Tareiq Holmes-Dennis The differences between old allies Ten Hag and Guardiola that will decide cup final The year that sportswashing won: A season that changed football forever
1970-01-01 08:00
How Marcus Garvey Bean Salad Became a Traditional Juneteenth Dish
How Marcus Garvey Bean Salad Became a Traditional Juneteenth Dish
Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey played a major role in the early civil rights movement. This Juneteenth dish has more of a connection to him than just his name.
1970-01-01 08:00
This Halibut Ceviche Is the Easiest Seafood Dish You'll Make This Summer
This Halibut Ceviche Is the Easiest Seafood Dish You'll Make This Summer
The halibut in this ceviche "cooks" in a simple lime marinade.
1970-01-01 08:00
Caoimhin Kelleher should leave Liverpool to lift Republic career – Stephen Kenny
Caoimhin Kelleher should leave Liverpool to lift Republic career – Stephen Kenny
Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny has admitted goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher needs to leave Liverpool this summer if he is to fulfil his potential. The 24-year-old will meet up with his international colleagues ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar later this month and resume his battle with Gavin Bazunu for the role of Ireland’s number one. However, the man who played in the Reds’ 2022 Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea is still firmly in the shadow of Brazilian star Alisson Becker at Anfield and made just four club appearances for his club last season, and Kenny expects him to seek pastures new before the new campaign gets under way. He said: “I would fully expect that. It’s not right normally to speak about a player moving, but he’s at the stage where he’s behind probably one of the best goalkeepers in the world and it’s not going to get any easier. “He can’t afford not playing. He knows that and he’s known that for a while. It’s not easy. There’s a process you go through with a club like that and I think and it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to move in the summer, and he knows that. “I think he’s ready to go and play regularly because he needs to. It’s hard to leave Liverpool, it’s such an iconic club, but he’s not so young now. He’s 24 and he needs to play and he knows that.” Kenny faces something of a conundrum with his keepers, with Kelleher, Bazunu and Mark Travers all at Premier League clubs, but struggling for regular football. Bazunu, 21, lost his place at Southampton as they fought, ultimately unsuccessfully, to stave off relegation, although his international manager is optimistic his confidence will not be affected by that experience. Kenny said: “He’s done remarkable, really, in a short career, Gavin as well. For one so young, he’s done remarkably well. He’s always looked very confident playing for us.” Full-back Matt Doherty is another man who has been starved of football this season having made just two brief appearances as a substitute for Atletico Madrid since joining them from Tottenham in January. Kenny said: “I’m sure when he took that move, he knew he would find it hard for games, but he thought he would play an amount of games, for sure. He couldn’t have envisaged that he wouldn’t play at all. That was frustrating for him and tough mentally to deal with.” Kenny has been forced to omit Rotherham striker Chiedozie Ogbene from his 25-man squad for the games against Greece in Athens on June 16 and Gibraltar in Dublin three days later after he failed to recover from a hamstring injury. However, 18-year-old Brighton counterpart Evan Ferguson will report for a nine-day training camp in Antalya full of confidence at the end of his breakthrough season. Kenny said: “He’s taken everything in his stride, he’s a single-minded individual and nothing has fazed him. He seems to be able to adapt to whatever the occasion demands.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Fiorentina aim to take out frustration on West Ham in Conference League final Cameron Norrie hoping to have Jon Bon Jovi’s support at Wimbledon Ireland dig in after England seamer Stuart Broad rips through top order
1970-01-01 08:00
Fiorentina aim to take out frustration on West Ham in Conference League final
Fiorentina aim to take out frustration on West Ham in Conference League final
Fiorentina will look to take their Coppa Italia frustrations out on West Ham in next week’s Europa Conference League final. The Viola, seeking a first major trophy since 2001, have reached two finals this season but missed their first opportunity to end that wait for silverware when they were beaten 2-1 by Inter Milan last week, with Lautaro Martinez’s brace cancelling out an early Nicolas Gonzalez strike. That has added to Fiorentina’s motivation going into Wednesday’s final against the Hammers in Prague on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano, speaking to Sky Sports Italia at a media day on Thursday, said: “We must face all games in the best way knowing that the final is very important for us and the city. It’s the game of the season in Prague. “It will be different from the Coppa Italia final. We’ll face a different opponent. But we played a great game against Inter and I am sure the same will happen with West Ham. This is our certainty, we’ll give our all to win the trophy.” Coach Vincenzo Italiano said the key to success would be cutting out the mistakes that cost Fiorentina against Inter. “We’ve had a great season, and we deserved the chance to play for this trophy, we are aware of our strength but we know that every error makes the difference in a final,” said Italiano. “Every detail matters and we want to give joy to our fans.” Fiorentina sit ninth in Serie A going into their final league fixture away to Sassuolo on Friday night, before all attention turns to West Ham. Asked about David Moyes’ side, Italiano said: “They haven’t done well in the league, but they have a very competitive team with top-class players and a competent coach. We must focus on ourselves and be free in our minds.” For last week’s goalscorer Gonzalez, losing to Inter is not the only disappointment he has endured this season. The 25-year-old midfielder has been capped 22 times by Argentina but missed out on their World Cup squad, watching on from home as his team-mates lifted the trophy in Qatar. Wednesday’s final gives him a much-needed opportunity to win a medal himself. “We are experiencing so many emotions, I am happy to have reached two finals,” he said. “We lost the first one, but now there is another big game and we want to win. “Some things hurt me last year, especially not going to the World Cup. I wasn’t fit, but some thought it was a fake injury. I never did it, I always want to be 100 per cent when I play football. We have 90 minutes and we want to make the difference.”
1970-01-01 08:00
«405406407408»