■ SPAIN
Matuzalem loaned to Lazio
Real Zaragoza have agreed to loan their Brazilian midfielder Francelino Matuzalem to Italian side Lazio for one season, the Spanish club said on Friday. “Real Zaragoza have reached an agreement for the season-long loan to Lazio of Francelino Matuzalem. The player will be in Rome to sign an agreement with the Italian club,” Zaragoza said in a statement on their Web site. The 28-year-old joined Zaragoza from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk last year, but had been certain to leave after the Spanish side were relegated. Matuzalem played for Italian sides Brescia, Napoli, Parma and Piacenza before joining Shakhtar in 2004.
■ ENGLAND
Evra charged for brawl
Manchester United defender Patrice Evra and Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell have been charged with improper conduct following a post-match brawl at Stamford Bridge last season. Evra briefly traded blows with Bethell following Chelsea’s 2-1 win over United on April 26 when members of the London club’s ground staff demanded that several United players, including the French defender, stop their warm-down on the pitch. The United players refused to leave and an angry row broke out between the stars and Chelsea stewards and ground staff. Now Evra will have to answer the FA charge, while Bethell has also been charged with using abusive language aggravated by reference to nationality-race. The FA, who took witness statements during their investigation, could hit Evra with a range of punishments, including a fine or ban.
■ GERMANY
Schweinsteiger keen to stay
Bayern Munich’s international midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on Friday said he was determined to sign a new deal with the German first division champions. The 23-year-old, who has been in negotiations with the club’s management since the end of last season, was speaking as he returned for his first training session under new coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “My first choice will be Bayern. Bayern is my home,” said Schweinsteiger, who came through the club’s youth ranks and has scored 15 goals since making his first team debut in 2002.
■ ENGLAND
Kitson signs for the Potters
Stoke City signed Reading striker Dave Kitson for a club record fee of £5.5 million (US$11 million) on Friday. Kitson agreed a three-year contract after passing a medical at the Britannia Stadium and becomes Stoke’s first signing since they won promotion to the Premier League last season. The 28-year-old scored 54 goals in 111 appearances for Reading, helping the Royals into the Premier League for the first time in their history in 2006. But relegation last season persuaded Kitson that it was time to move on. “I’m delighted to be here and I am very excited about the challenge,” he said.
■ ITALY
Clubs may be docked points
Serie A team Atalanta and Serie B club Livorno could begin next season with six-point penalties if found guilty in a match-fixing probe, Italy’s soccer federation said on Friday. The federation’s prosecutor requested the penalties in a hearing of the disciplinary commission, which is expected to rule next week. The prosecutor also requested suspensions for two players charged with attempting to fix the two league games between their teams last season. Livorno captain David Balleri and Atalanta captain Gian Paolo Bellini could be disqualified for three years and one month.
■ BASKETBALL
Nowitzki shines for Germany
Dirk Nowitzki overcame an early shooting slump to score a game-high 20 points and lead Germany past Brazil 78-65 and into the semi-finals of the Olympic basketball qualifier in Athens on Friday. Greece, Puerto Rico and Croatia also advanced to yesterday’s semis. Germany were to face Croatia and Greece were to play Puerto Rico. The semi-finals winners will qualify for the 12-team Olympic tournament, while the losers will play today for the final berth. While Nowitzki started out shooting 1-for-8, Germany kept itself in the game thanks to its outside shooting. Overall, it made 13-of-26 3-pointers to Brazil’s 3-for-19. Nowitzki is now the tournament’s top scorer, averaging 23.7 after three games.
■ ICE HOCKEY
Toews to captain Hawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are counting on youthful energy to make up for any lack of experience on the part of new captain Jonathan Toews. The National Hockey League (NHL) club on Friday made the 20-year-old Toews the third-youngest player in the history of the league to hold the title of captain. He has played 64 NHL games. Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby was appointed captain of the Penguins in May last year at 19 years, 297 days, while Tampa Bay’s Vincent Lecavalier took the helm of the Lightning in March 2000 at 19 years, 330 days.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
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