Author: robin24

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admitted Friday he had enjoyed “insane” success as he prepares for the 1,000th game of a spectacular managerial career against Liverpool. The Spaniard’s first job in the dugout was with Barcelona’s B team before he took the main job at the Camp Nou, subsequently moving onto German giants Bayern Munich and then City. The 54-year-old former Barcelona and Spain midfielder has won 715 of his 999 games so far, picking up multiple honours at all the clubs he has managed. “The numbers are insane,” Guardiola told a pre-match press conference. “I’m not living thinking…

World number one Aryna Sabalenka had to dig deep to overcome fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a high-octane semi-final at the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Friday. The Belarusian four-time major winner roared her way to a championship showdown with Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, who battled past fifth-seeded Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 earlier at King Saud University Indoor Arena. Sabalenka clocked 12 aces and saved six of nine break points to book her place in the final for a second time in five appearances at the season-ending championships. “She always pushes me to play my best…

Series leader Lando Norris grabbed his first sprint pole position of the season on Friday to keep his title hopes on track as he topped qualifying ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and his McLaren team-mate and rival Oscar Piastri. The 25-year-old Briton, who leads Piastri by one point in the drivers’ championship with four Grands Prix remaining, clocked a best lap in one minute and 9.243 in the final seconds of a tense session at a warm Interlagos. Antonelli was second, 0.097seconds adrift, with Piastri 0.185 behind in third ahead of George Russell in the second Mercedes and…

IND vs AUS Live Score, 5th T20I: On the verge of another overseas series win, India will look to overcome their batting inconsistencies and wrap up the tour of Australia with authority when the two sides meet in the fifth and final T20 International at Brisbane on Saturday. With an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, India have extended their 17-year streak of not losing a T20I series against Australia. Suryakumar Yadav and his team will aim to finish the tour on a high. The focus will be on the batting of Shubman Gill and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, while…

Lamine Yamal in action© AFP Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Friday he was happy to welcome teenage star Lamine Yamal back after the Barcelona forward returned to the Spain squad for World Cup qualifiers with Georgia and Turkey. A groin problem kept Yamal sidelined for Spain’s previous two matches before he returned to club action ahead of the Clasico loss to Real Madrid. The spotlight has intensified on Yamal after his confrontation with several Marid players after Barca’s 2-1 defeat two weeks ago. “He’s fit again and we are delighted to have him back,” De la…

Jannik Sinner will begin his bid to retain his ATP Finals title on Sunday and cap a turbulent year which could end with another showdown with his great rival Carlos Alcaraz. World number one Sinner has won two Grand Slams, including a landmark victory in the Wimbledon final against Alcaraz, since cruising to victory in Turin this time last year. Sinner and Alcaraz are almost certain to qualify from their respective Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors groups, and another epic clash between the world’s two best players in either the last four or final of the eight-man tournament…

Max Verstappen’s late bid for a fifth drivers world title suffered a setback on Friday when he qualified only sixth for Saturday’s sprint race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The 28-year-old Dutchman, who said he needs four near-perfect weekends to overhaul McLaren driver Lando Norris’s 36-point advantage in the title race, grumbled about the balance and handling of his Red Bull. Norris, who won last year’s sprint race in Brazil, topped the times to take pole for the sprint and, after taking a one-point lead in the title race ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, seems to…

Former India women’s team fielding coach Biju George boldly predicted on social media on October 26 that Team India will defeat Australia in the semifinals, well before the final 4 were decided. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) NEW DELHI: “Mark my words… Australia will lose only one match in the Women’s World Cup — to India in the semifinals! India will win this tournament” – that’s what former India women’s team fielding coach Biju George boldly predicted on social media on October 26 — well before the semifinal lineup was even decided.George, who served as India’s fielding coach between 2017 and 2019,…

Mohamed Salah’s 250th Liverpool goal ended the Premier League champions’ losing streak in a 2-0 win against Aston Villa, while leaders Arsenal beat Burnley to surge seven points clear on Saturday. Elsewhere, Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw at struggling Nottingham Forest and Chelsea won 1-0 at London rivals Tottenham. After losing their previous four league games, and six of their last seven in all competitions, spluttering Liverpool finally showed signs of life at Anfield. Arne Slot’s troubled team were gifted their opening goal in first half stoppage-time when Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez’s wayward pass was…

Shubman Gill, who is now India’s T20I vice-captain, had been struggling for form in the preceding ODI series and the second T20I. (AFP Photo) NEW DELHI: Former Indian pacer Varun Aaron came to Shubman Gill’s defence after the opener scored 46 off 39 balls in India’s third T20I win against Australia at Gold Coast’s Carrara Oval. Aaron lauded Gill’s crucial knock on a challenging surface, which helped India post 167 runs and secure a 48-run victory over the hosts.Gill, who is now India’s T20I vice-captain, had been struggling for form in the preceding ODI series and the second T20I. However,…