Category: Games

Real Madrid’s Brazilian central defender Eder Militao will undergo surgery for a knee injury. “Following tests carried out on our player Eder Militao, he has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days,” Real Madrid said in a statement. Militao, 25, was injured during their Spanish LaLiga opener against Athletic Bilbao. Visitors Real Madrid won the match 2-0 at San Mames Stadium. This season Militao is the second Real Madrid player to have faced a major injury. One of the key players of Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois on Thursday was diagnosed with “a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.” Courtois, 31, was injured during a training session and confirmed to undergo surgery. The experienced goalkeeper is very likely to be out of action for several months.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Australia and England qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup semifinals on Saturday.

Co-hosts Australia beat France 7-6 on penalties after the regular and extra time ended 0-0 in Brisbane.

Called the Matildas, Australia will face European champions England next week in the tournament’s semifinal after the Lionesses toppled Colombia 2-1 on Saturday.

The first half ended 1-1 in Sydney after Colombia’s Leicy Santos and England’s Lauren Hemp scored for their teams.

Forward Alessia Russo scored the winner in the 63rd minute to send England to the semifinals.

The semifinal stage in the Women’s World Cup was set as Spain will play against Sweden on Tuesday, Aug. 15 in New Zealand’s Auckland.

On Aug. 16, Australia will face England in Sydney.

The losing teams in the semifinal will play the third place playoff on Aug. 19.

The Women’s World Cup will end with the final on Aug. 20 in Sydney.

Source: Anadolu Agency

France winger Ousmane Dembele, the 2018 FIFA World Cup champion, on Saturday moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the French club confirmed.

“Ousmane Dembele has joined Paris Saint-Germain from FC Barcelona. The world champion, who will wear the number 23, has signed for 5 seasons,” the PSG statement read.

Dembele, 26, told PSG that he is “very happy and very proud” to have joined a big club, and cannot wait to play in front of fans at the Parc des Princes and train with his teammates.

He also said that he is now physically “ready” to play for PSG, and will try to do his best on the pitch.

Rennes product Dembele, who generally plays on flanks and is known for his pace and dribbling skills, returned to the French Ligue 1 after seven years.

In 2016, he left Rennes for Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, and then a season later Barcelona signed Dembele.

He won a German Cup with Borussia Dortmund before going to Barcelona in the 2017 summer transfer window.

During his six-year stint at Barcelona, Dembele won three Spanish La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.

For Barcelona, he scored 40 goals and made 43 assists in 185 appearances.

Dembele was a part of France when Les Bleus were crowned the world champions in Russia 2018.

Four years later, Dembele played in the World Cup final but France were the runners-up in Qatar 2022 after losing the title to Argentina on penalties.

He scored four goals in 37 international caps for France.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Portuguese star forward Cristiano Ronaldo scored double as Al-Nassr on Saturday beat Al-Hilal 2-1 in an all-Saudi final to win the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup.

In the final held at the King Fahd Stadium in Saudi Arabia’s Taif, Al-Hilal’s Michael scored the opening goal in the 51st minute.

Al-Nassr recovered from a 1-0 deficit as Ronaldo scored twice.

In the 74th minute, Ronaldo scored the equalizer to take the game to extra time, where he scored the winning goal.

Al-Nassr, who have many stars such as Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Seko Fofana, Marcelo Brozovic, Anderson Talisca and Alex Telles, won the Arab Club Champions Cup for the first time in history.

Former champions Al-Hilal, who signed Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, Malcom and Kalidou Koulibaly from European clubs this summer, lost their third final in this tournament.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Atalanta attacker Rasmus Hojlund has joined Manchester United, the English Premier League side announced on Saturday.

Danish forward signed a contract with the Red Devils valid until June 2028, a club statement said.?

“It is no secret that I have been a fan of this great club since I was a small boy, and I dreamed of walking out at Old Trafford as a Manchester United player,” the 20-year-old said.

“I am incredibly excited by this opportunity to turn that dream into a reality, and I am determined to repay the faith that the club has shown in me. It is still early in my career, but I know that I am ready to make this step up and play with this group of world-class players,” he added.

Hojlund, who moved to Atalanta from Sturm Graz in 2022, netted 10 goals and made four assists in 34 appearances for the Italian Serie A side.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Josko Gvardiol joined Manchester City from German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, the English Premier League club announced on Saturday.

Croatian defender signed a five-year deal with the Citizens, a club statement said.?

“I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honor for me,” the 21-year-old said.

“To be joining City is something very special for me and my family. To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing,” he added.

Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City’s director of football, said: “We are very happy to bring Josko to Manchester City. Josko has so many qualities – everything you want in a centre-half. He is fast, competitive, combative, strong in the air, impressive in possession of the ball, with strong self-belief and a good character. He is left-footed, too, which offers us good options at the back.”?

Gvardiol, who joined Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in 2021, netted five goals and made three assists in 87 appearances to bag two consecutive German Cups with them in 2022 and 2023.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Spain and Japan have reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Spain beat Switzerland 5-1, while Japan eliminated Norway 3-1 in the round of 16 matches on Saturday.?

Spain reached their maiden quarterfinals, despite playing without the reigning Ballon d’Or winner Alexis Putellas, who is still recovering from a knee injury.

Japan, which conceded their first goal of the tournament, will take on the winner of Sunday’s duel between holders the US, and Sweden.?

The winner of the other round of 16 clash on Sunday between the Netherlands and South Africa will face Spain in the upcoming quarterfinal round.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will conclude with the final on Aug. 20

Source: Anadolu Agency

Fenerbahce signed a four-year contract with Turkish right-back Mert Muldur from Italy’s Sassuolo on Wednesday, said the Istanbul-based football club in a statement. Muldur said he is honored to play at Fenerbahce and looks forward to upcoming matches. A former Rapid Vienna full-back, Muldur played 90 matches for Sassuolo from 2019 to 2023. He also amassed 18 international caps for Trkiye.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Uruguayan defender Diego Godin on Monday announced his retirement, ending a 20-year football career at age 37. He published a video message on social media, with the caption: “The time has come. Thank you, football.” Veteran defender played for major European clubs including Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Villarreal. This season, he played in Argentina for Velez Sarsfield. He bagged two UEFA Europa League titles in 2012 and 2018 along with 2014 Spanish La Liga title with Atletico. Godin holds the record for most Uruguay appearances with 161 games, and netted eight times for the national team.

Source: Anadolu Agency