La Liga fixtures: Barcelona and Real Madrid's first six games compared
Here are the first six fixtures of Real Madrid and Barcelona in the 2023/24 La Liga season following the fixture release.
1970-01-01 08:00
Newcastle seal agreement with AC Milan for Sandro Tonali
Newcastle have agreed a deal with AC Milan for the transfer of central midfielder Sandro Tonali. The 23-year-old will undergo a medical before completing the move to St James' Park.
1970-01-01 08:00
US adjourned Sudan talks on Wednesday because format not succeeding
By Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON The United States on Wednesday adjourned Sudan talks because the format was not succeeding
1970-01-01 08:00
13 Audiobooks You Didn’t Know Were Narrated by Celebrities
Uncover the best audiobooks narrated by celebrities, from beloved childhood classics like “Little Women” to hard-hitting contemporary tales like Celeste Ng’s 2022 book, “Our Missing Hearts.”
1970-01-01 08:00
Sabalenka, Gauff crash out in Berlin
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka and US star Coco Gauff suffered setbacks in their Wimbledon build-ups on Thursday when they slumped to second round losses...
1970-01-01 08:00
Q&A: Saudi Arabia’s growing influence, transfer deals and Premier League impact
N’Golo Kante’s impending departure from Chelsea for Al-Ittihad and the prospect of several colleagues following him to the Middle East has thrust Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in football under the spotlight. The potential flow of players from the big-spending Stamford Bridge club to the Gulf state has raised eyebrows in recent days amid allegations that the move could be a ploy to help it meet Financial Fair Play requirements. Here, the PA news agency takes a look recent developments and how the Premier League could be affected. Why are Chelsea offloading players? The Blues have spent over £600million on players since American businessman Todd Boehly completed his takeover in May last year, including a £106.8million January swoop for World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez. They also splashed out £52million for RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku earlier this week. Sales of the likes of Timo Werner and Jorginho have offset that expenditure only minimally and with the club having reported a loss of £121million for the 2021-22 season, Financial Fair Play rules which dictate that clubs can only make losses of £105million over three seasons are an issue. Which players are reportedly involved? Kante’s departure to the Gulf state may not be the last from Chelsea. Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been linked with switches to Saudi clubs. They are not alone either – Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is expected to complete a move to Al-Hilal with former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo’s switch to Al-Nassr in January having established a clear pathway. Why are so many players heading for Saudi Arabia? The money on offer may have something to do with it. The Middle East state’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, took controlling stakes in four Saudi Pro League clubs – Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr – earlier this month as part of the wider ‘Vision 2030’ plan to diversify the Saudi economy. The country’s rulers also believe a thriving professional sports scene will help drive up grassroots activity levels in the kingdom. The Saudis have signalled their intention to mount a bid to host the 2030 World Cup, and raising the standard and profile of the domestic league could prove crucial to that mission. PIF has the financial clout to recruit big names to the cause with Karim Benzema having already agreed to join Al-Ittihad. It is not the first time an emerging league has adopted similar tactics. Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Moore all played in the North American Soccer League at the end of their respective careers, while China has lured a host of top-flight stars to its Super League in recent years. Public Investment Fund – that name sounds familiar? It should. PIF holds an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle United, who have invested in excess of £250million in new signings since the Amanda Staveley-led consortium in which it is the major partner completed its buy-out at St James’ Park in October 2021. The Magpies surged to a fourth-place finish in last season’s Premier League and secured Champions League football for the first time in 20 years to the delight of a fanbase which has been reinvigorated despite concerted criticism over the source of the club’s new-found wealth. PIF, whose governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan is Newcastle’s chairman, is also a key player in the controversial merger between the LIV Golf series and the PGA and DP World Tours which has prompted fresh accusations of sportswashing. Why all the fuss about Chelsea? This is where it gets interesting. Private equity firm Clearlake Capital Group provided around 60 per cent of the funding for Boehly’s £2.5billion takeover and has underwritten much of the investment since; PIF is an investor with Clearlake. Financial experts have suggested such is the size of Clearlake’s portfolio that while some PIF money may form part of its holding in Chelsea, there is no direct link and therefore no risk of breaching Premier League rules which prohibit ownership of two clubs. However, the perception in some quarters is that any existing relationship between the Blues, the sovereign wealth fund and the four domestic clubs it now controls could allow them to sell on players for inflated fees and thereby reduce their FFP burden. What has been said about the situation? Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, co-owner of League Two Salford, is unimpressed. Speaking to BBC Sport, Neville said: “The Premier League should put an instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia to ensure the integrity of the game isn’t being damaged. Checks should be made on the appropriateness of the transactions.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Newcastle hoping to push through club-record deal for AC Milan’s Sandro Tonali Government and PFA want review of pitch perimeter safety after serious injury CAS: Impossible to put timescale on final decision in Kamila Valieva doping case
1970-01-01 08:00
Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh willing to make changes at a school known for stability
Chris McIntosh’s emergence as Wisconsin’s athletic director after playing football for the Badgers and working as predecessor Barry Alvarez’s right-hand man seemed to indicate things would stay essentially the same at a school that prides itself on stability
1970-01-01 08:00
Supreme Court rules against a man who was given 27 years in prison for having a gun
The Supreme Court has ruled that a man whose conviction on gun charges was called into question by a recent high court decision is out of luck
1970-01-01 08:00
Greta Thunberg says France targeting climate activists
PARIS Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg said on Thursday that campaigners were being "systemically targeted with repression" in
1970-01-01 08:00
US Fed official says more rate hikes necessary
A senior US Federal Reserve official said Thursday that additional interest rate hikes are needed to...
1970-01-01 08:00
Mick Schumacher to drive father Michael’s car at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Mick Schumacher will appear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month, driving his father Michael’s 2011 Mercedes car. Schumacher Jnr. joined the Silver Arrows at the start of this season as an F1 reserve driver, after he was dropped from his race seat at Haas following two seasons with the team. The German has been a regular in the garage at Formula 1 races worldwide alongside CEO Toto Wolff and is eyeing a route back into the sport next year. The 24-year-old tested this year’s W14 car at a Pirelli tyre test earlier this month in Barcelona but will now get another go behind the wheel of his dad’s 2011 car – the W02 – at Goodwood. "It’s going to be spectacular to run in my dad’s 2011 car, the W02, even if it is only a short run,” Schumacher said, ahead of appearing at the festival for the first time. “Just experiencing this generation of cars will be mega. Knowing that he raced this car makes it extra special, and there will be many emotions coming with it. "I have been lucky enough to drive one of his Benetton cars and some of the Ferraris he raced. But this will be the first time behind the wheel of a Mercedes he drove. I am sure I will get out of it with a big smile on my face.” The W02 was Michael’s penultimate car in Formula 1, as he retired a year later at the end of the 2012 season. Schumacher Snr. joined Mercedes in 2010, coming out of retirement after claiming seven F1 world championships, including five-in-a-row with Ferrari from 2000-2004. Fellow Mercedes reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez will also appear at Goodwood, driving Mercedes’ 2021 constructor-winning car – the W12. Also appearing at this year’s Festival of Speed is four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who will drive in cars exclusively powered by e-fuels. This year’s festival, taking place from Thursday 13 - Sunday 16 July, is the 30th anniversary of the event. Read More Are Red Bull now the most successful F1 team ever – and how long can this dominance last? Max Verstappen aims to ‘keep winning’ after matching Ayrton Senna’s 41 victories Lewis Hamilton insists Mercedes must now switch focus to haul in Red Bull Poignant Netflix film captures the many facets of legendary Schumacher What happened to Michael Schumacher and what’s latest health update? Schumacher’s F1 career highlights as Netflix documentary is released
1970-01-01 08:00
Utility’s Mystery 952% Rally Prompts Polish Regulator Probe
The Polish Securities Commission is investigating potential insider trading in the shares of utility EC Bedzin SA after
1970-01-01 08:00
