ضرب وباء فيروس كورونا المستجد، كوفيد 19، صفوف منافس بيراميدز في نصف نهائي بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، حوريا كوناكري، قبل انطلاق المباراة بساعات قليلة.

وتقام المباراة بين الفريقين مساء اليوم، الثلاثاء، في تمام الساعة التاسعة بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “الأمير مولاي عبد الله” في العاصمة المغربية “الرباط”.

ولكن يعاني حوريا من عدد الإصابات الهائلة بفيروس كورونا، حيث لم يتبق لديه فقط سوى 14 لاعبًا متاحين للمباراة من بينهم حارسين للمرمى و12 لاعبًا في المراكز الأخرى.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب حوريا الغيني: نواجه بيراميدز في الكونفدرالية بروح باريس سان جيرمان

وأصيب بحسب شبكة “Africa Top Sports” 9 لاعبين من قوام نادي حوريا كوناكري وعلى رأسهم الهداف، يونيفاس هابا وزميله إينوك أتا.

الجدير بالذكر أن الاتحاد الإفريقي قد قرر عدم تأجيل أي مباراة في البطولة بسبب فيروس كورونا، طالما هنالك 11 لاعبًا يستيطعون المشاركة أساسيًا وهو الأمر الذي طبق على حسنية أغادير يوم، أمس، ولعب مباراته أمام نهضة بركان.

وانتهت المباراة بين الفريقين بفوز نهضة بركان بنتيجة 2-1 وصعوده للنهائي، على الرغم من إصابة عدد كبير من لاعبي حسنية أغادير بالفيروس.

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Liverpool attacker Xherdan Shaqiri has been forced to withdraw from the latest Switzerland squad due to a groin injury.

There is currently no indication how long the 27-year-old will be on the sidelines for, but Liverpool’s next game is against Tottenham Hotspur on March 31.

It seems that the attacker could be a doubt for the clash with Spurs, a prospect which has provoked plenty of reaction from the Lilywhites faithful on social media.

One fan account drew attention to the injury and plenty of fans responded by insisting that Shaqiri’s absence would not be that much of a big deal for the Reds.

That is perhaps a little harsh on the Swiss playmaker, however, as he has contributed six goals in 21 Premier League appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season.

There is no downplaying the importance of the clash between Liverpool and Tottenham at Anfield.

And the Spurs fans have been on social media reacting to Shaqiri’s injury blow:

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Aston Villa are flying high at the moment, having won eight games on the bounce in a tremendous run for Dean Smith and his side.

However, with the play-offs very much in their sight, there are fears over John McGinn with a possible suspension looming for the midfielder.

At the moment, the Scot is currently on 13 yellow cards, meaning that two more and he’d face a three-game suspension, potentially missing the entirety of the play-offs.

Given the standard of his performances this season, it would be a huge blow to lose him for the play-offs and Villa fans think as much, with a host of fans wanting him to be rested until the season’s end if he picks up a 14th booking. It led one supporter to claim it was an easy solution.

With Henri Lansbury recently returning from injury, one individual urged him to play instead of McGinn.

The 24-year-old has been one of Villa’s players of the season, having scored six and assisted nine goals for his teammates in 37 Championship games.

Villa would be at a serious disadvantage, therefore, if he was to pick up two more bookings in the remaining four matches.

Here’s the best of the discussion from Twitter.

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Will West Brom ever find a new manager? It’s becoming increasingly unlikely. That’s until the end of the season at least.

James Shan is looking like he may take the job until the end of the current campaign after journalist Matt Wilson confirmed that the club will give him temporary help in the coaching department if he wants it.

It’s yet more news that has left Baggies supporters incredibly frustrated, branding the club a laughing stock and claiming they were utterly incompetent.

One fan’s message was simple, leaving a GIF of a clown, summing up how the entire situation has become a circus since Darren Moore was sacked.

The club dismissed the 44-year-old from his position at the beginning of March but are still yet to find a replacement. Talks with Slavisa Jokanovic were reportedly ongoing but nothing has materialised.

For now, the wait will go on for a new permanent manager to walk through the door at the Hawthorns.

However, Shan has steadied the ship having won his first two games in temporary charge.

Here’s how West Brom supporters reacted to the latest update.

Manchester City have their sights set on securing the quadruple in the current campaign but it won’t be easy as they’ll need to overturn a one-goal deficit in the Champions League, and Liverpool are currently leading the race for the Premier League title.

The Citizens have been nothing short of dominant in the Premier League but they didn’t look their usual selves against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, so they’ll be desperate to get back to winning ways.

But, it appears as if the Citizens are more focused on the summer transfer window at this moment in time, as according to The Sun, Txiki Begiristain watched Luka Jovic in action last night.

Indeed, the Serbian international has established himself as one of the best strikers in Europe in the current campaign, having produced an incredible 25 goals and seven assists for Eintracht Frankfurt.

He was even described as ‘unbelievable’ by his Frankfurt team-mate Filip Kostic (as per Bundesliga), which should provide City with even more incentive to go out and sign him.

But, one worry for Manchester City fans at this moment in time is the future of Sergio Aguero as he’s getting older by the day and may only have a couple more seasons of elite level performance left in him.

However, Pep Guardiola can bag himself the perfect long-term replacement for the Argentine by snapping up Jovic as he’s only 21 years of age and he’s already shown he can produce incredible numbers. And, he’s very similar to the Manchester City man as he looks to make use of his pace, strength and finishing ability in the final third.

The defending Premier League champions will have to stump up the cash though as he’s valued at £49.5 million (by Transfermarkt), and there’s still plenty of time for him to add to his tally to increase the hype surrounding him.

Manchester City fans, would you like to see Jovic brought in as the long-term replacement for Aguero? Join the discussion by commenting down below! 

علّق ديفيد مويس مدرب فريق وست هام على التعادل الذي حققوه في مباراة اليوم مع مانشستر سيتي، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتلاقى الفريقان، في معقل وست هام، في الجولة السادسة حيث تعادلا بهدف لمثله. أهداف مباراة مانشستر سيتي ووست هام

وقال ديفيد مويس، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “لقد حصلنا على نقطة رائعة ضد فريق جيد حقًا، الشخصية التي أظهرها اللاعبون وتمسكهم بها أمر رائع”.

وأضاف: “لقد تحسن أداء وست هام كثيرًا اليوم مقارنة بما قدمناه في مواجهاتنا السابقة ضد مانشستر سيتي، يجب أن أقول أن الطريقة التي تدرب بها اللاعبين ولعبوا بها كذلك جيدة جدًا، أنا سعيد حقًا”.

وتابع: “لقد كان الأمر صعبًا بناءً على الطريقة التي اعتمد عليها مانشستر سيتي أمامنا، ولذلك أنا سعيد لأننا حصلنا على نقطة من المباراة”.

واستكمل: “مانشستر سيتي جيد جدًا في التعامل مع الكرة لكنني شعرت أننا يمكن أن نتسبب لهم بعض المشاكل وبالفعل سجلنا هدفًا جيدًا حقًا”.

وعن بداية وست هام في الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي، أجاب مويس: “أنا سعيد بمجموع النقاط لأنني لا أعتقد أن الكثير من الناس سيعطوننا الكثير، أظهرنا شخصية حقيقية للالتزام بها ونحن نسير في الاتجاه الصحيح، نحن نريد أن تتحسن وآمل أن نفعل ذلك”.

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The Sun are reporting that Borussia Dortmund and former Manchester City winger Jadon Sancho is top of Manchester United’s transfer list for the summer window.

What’s the word, then?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly considering four England stars to sign after the season’s end, Sancho, West Ham United’s Declan Rice, Aaron Wan-Bissaka of Crystal Palace and Leicester City’s Harry Maguire.

Sancho is just 19 and one of the brightest prospects in Europe.

After breaking onto the Bundesliga scene in 2017/2018, he’s made 47 senior appearances for Dortmund, scoring 10 goals, bagging a remarkable 21 assists and breaking into Gareth Southgate’s England squad to become a full international.

Sanchez out, Sancho in

It’s time Man United admit that the deal to bring Alexis Sanchez in from Arsenal was a complete disaster and get rid of the Chilean.

At the moment, the 30-year-old is hoovering up wages with little contribution to Solskjaer’s recent success, his ridiculous £350,000 per week salary could even be disturbing the harmony of the squad.

It makes perfect sense to give up on Sanchez now and identify the wage waster’s perfect replacement, Sancho, and make the wonderkid a Red Devil.

In the 19-year-old, who is valued at £72 million by Transfermarkt, United would be signing the player they thought they were getting in Sanchez – but a much younger and better version.

Like Sanchez, Sancho likes to play out on the wing, although he is versatile enough to suit most positions within the attack, from central attacking midfielder to striker.

One could perhaps argue that replacing a left winger with a right winger would make no sense, however, while left wing by trade, the injury-prone ex-Gunner Sanchez has played on both flanks in Manchester.

And, despite the fact it would presumably take a ludicrous fee to sign someone who hasn’t even made 50 appearances in one of Europe’s top five leagues yet, Ed Woodward must pay whatever it takes to bring in one of the brightest talents in world football to fill the boots of an ageing and useless former star.

Claims that Rafa Benitez has demanded funds of £75 million to spend on strikers if he is to stay, appear to be how some people interpreted his post-match comments following the defeat to Arsenal on Monday.

But if you listen to what he actually said, it is not exactly the point he was making.

A report in the Daily Mirror yesterday suggested that it was some sort of ultimatum, which is not how it appeared to us.

They report Benitez said: “The final third, we have been speaking all season… the final third you have to spend £40m, £50m, £75m.”

He is quite right, too.

The point he was making is for a team to be able to compete week in, week out, and challenge the top six sides, they would need to spend those sums of money.

But Rafa has consistently maintained that he does not want, or expect, Newcastle to be transformed overnight into a title-chasing club, or even to be perennial Champion’s League contenders.

He wants to be given a budget that will see the club pull away from their annual relegation scrap, consolidate themselves as a top half team, and if results go better than expected, could push for a top seven or eight finish.

After two or three seasons as an established squad, maybe then they could increase the budget, due to higher prize payouts, and look to kick on towards Europa League places.

To suggest that he is demanding ridiculous amounts for the next transfer window is mischief-making.

It is misinformation like this that gives fans in other regions of the country the wrong impression that Newcastle fans expect success, when all they have ever wanted is a team they can be proud of, that wears the black and white stripes with pride, and makes them excited for Saturdays to arrive.

Do you expect Newcastle to entice Benitez to stay? Do you think it would take a huge budget to convince him? Let us know…

A report from Villa Underground published shortly after he sustained his season-ending injury suggested that the stopper could be sidelined until 2020.

His latest video, though, perhaps suggests that he could return to the first-team fold earlier than anticipated.

Either way it’s great to see that the 28-year-old has made a significant step forward in his bid to return to full fitness, even if Dean Smith’s side have been solid with Steer deputising in goal.

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Either Liverpool or Manchester City could win the title this season and previous heartbreaks for Manchester United and Chelsea in seasons gone by prove that the margins are likely to be incredibly tight.

Here we are with just a handful of games yet to play and history looks set to be made.

A lot of football fans waste no time in chucking around the word ‘bottlejob’ in the modern game whenever a rival team even so much as trips before the hurdle, let alone stumble over it, but get it in your minds that whoever loses this title race is by no means a ‘bottlejob’.

Liverpool and Manchester City, whoever ends up missing out on the illustrious Premier League title, have recorded seasons seldom seen before in English top-flight history – both of them have been extremely impressive, and whoever does lose out should count themselves as seriously unfortunate.

Watch “Jurgen Klopp’s” hilarious masterplan for winning the title in the video below…

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four of the best teams to fall short of first place in the title race…

Manchester United – 2009/10

Having won the previous two Premier League titles, Manchester United looked good value to add a third successive success to their name, but came unstuck against a formidable foe in Chelsea.

The Blues, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, steamrolled anyone who dared to stand in their way, with their leading man Didier Drogba perhaps in the form of his life.

The Red Devils, however, weren’t at all bad – their 4-0 win over Stoke on the final day saw Chelsea respond with their own 8-0 win over Wigan, showcasing the strength of both teams.

Chelsea – 2007/08

In what is perhaps the unluckiest season for any team to go through, the Chelsea side of 2007/08 were perhaps one of the best sides in Europe at the time, but ultimately ended the season trophyless.

Even more frustrating for them I’m sure, was the fact that the Blues lost out on both the Champions League and the Premier League to Manchester United – they lost on penalties to their domestic rivals in Moscow, and finished just two points behind them in the league.

Astonishingly, Avram Grant was sacked after the campaign. Unlucky, lads.

Liverpool – 2008/09

A rampant Liverpool side with Rafa Benitez at the helm, and spearheaded by Fernando Torres in his prime, could only watch on as arch-rivals Manchester United beat them to a maiden Premier League title by just four points.

Despite beating the Red Devils home and away, and recording a better goal difference than Sir Alex Ferguson’s men could manage, 11 draws ultimately cost them dearly.

Manchester United – 2011/12

The final day to beat all final days. Manchester United thought they had won a record 20th title with a 1-0 win away to Sunderland, and as the seconds ticked away in Manchester City’s game against QPR with the scores at 2-2, players and staff were simply waiting to celebrate.

However, as we all know, Sergio Aguero’s late, late goal saw the title end up in the blue half of the city on goal difference – not even a whopping 89 points earned the Red Devils the title in arguably England’s most thrilling title race to date.