SPAIN
Sociedad thrash Espanyol
Real Sociedad stormed to their biggest win of the season when they overwhelmed RCD Espanyol 5-0 in La Liga on Monday. Carlos Vela stunned Espanyol’s defense when he hit a long pass for Brazilian striker Jonathas to open the scoring in the fifth minute and then hit the back of the net himself for Sociedad’s second two minutes later. Sociedad came out strong in the second half and 18-year-old attacking midfielder Mikel Oyarzabal proved a thorn for Espanyol’s defense when he played a one-two with Ruben Pardo, before netting the third in the 52nd minute.Diego Reyes headed Sociedad’s fourth three minutes later and Jonathas added a fifth in the 89th minute. Sociedad rose to 11th place on 27 points, five points clear of Espanyol in 17th.
SPAIN
Messi undergoing treatment
Lionel Messi is undergoing treatment on kidney stones that floored the Argentina superstar at the FIFA Club World Cup in December last year, Barcelona announced on Monday. The five-time World Player of the Year “will be submitted to various tests on Monday and Tuesday to assess the development of kidney problems he suffered last December,” the Spanish champions said in a statement. Messi is due back today, when Barca face Valencia in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, with the Catalans firmly in control after the 7-0 first-leg drubbing they handed Gary Neville’s team as Messi bagged a hat-trick. Messi is reported to be receiving lithotripsy, a procedure involving ultrasound shock waves to break down problem kidney stones.
SPAIN
Ronaldo staying at Real
Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at Real Madrid for at least another two years, the forward said on Monday. The 31-year-old three-time World Player of the Year was picking up an award as the top scorer in Spain last season from Spanish daily Marca when he made the comments. In a light-hearted interview he dampened incessant transfer rumors linking him with a switch to either big-spending Paris Saint-Germain or former club Manchester United. “I’m still under contract for another two years. After that, we’ll see,” Ronaldo said. “What I want most of all is to stay here for several years. As for the future, you’ll see what happens.” Ronaldo joined Real in 2009 from Manchester United, a year after winning his first World Player of the Year trophy having helped the English giants to the 2007-2008 UEFA Champions League crown.
ENGLAND
Zouma out for six months
Chelsea and France defender Kurt Zouma is to have surgery this week on a knee injury set to rule him out for the rest of the season and for Euro 2016, the English Premier League club said on Monday. Zouma injured his anterior cruciate ligament in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on Sunday. The 21-year-old centerback landed awkwardly early in the second half and was taken off on a stretcher. “Kurt will undergo surgery in the next 48 hours and is expected to be out for approximately six months,” a statement on Chelsea’s Web site said. Zouma’s injury is a devastating personal blow as he had established himself as a regular in Chelsea’s defense this season and also hoped to feature when France challenged for the Euro 2016 crown on home turf in the summer. With Zouma out, Gary Cahill is likely lineup alongside captain John Terry in Saturday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two