■ITALY
Mourinho sidelines Adriano
Inter coach Jose Mourinho has sidelined Brazilian striker Adriano ahead of their Serie A match away to Reggina because of a lack of professionalism. The Italian media recently reported that Mourinho was angry with Adriano staying out socializing following last Sunday’s disappointing 0-0 draw with Genoa. The next morning the troubled Brazilian, who returned to Brazil last season to boost his physique and his morale, is reported to have turned up late for training. Mourinho subsequently left Adriano out of the team that drew 0-0 with Fiorentina on Wednesday and on Friday the former Chelsea boss said he would not tolerate any player’s unprofessional approach. “In the last few months if there’s someone who has tried to take care of him, not only as a coach but also as a colleague, it’s definitely me,” Mourinho said. “But there comes a time, especially when you are in charge of a group of 29 players, that you can no longer afford to give someone special treatment or more liberties than any of the others.”
■ARGENTINA
Maradona heads to Europe
New Argentina coach Diego Maradona will set off on a European scouting tour this weekend, an Argentine soccer federation source said on Friday. The former Barcelona and Napoli star will return to the countries he played his club soccer in, as well as heading to Germany, to assess the Argentine players there. Maradona makes his managerial debut in a friendly against Scotland in Glasgow on Nov. 19, followed by a match with France in Marseille next February. On Thursday, the new coach told a press conference: “I am traveling to England on Saturday to watch [Carlos] Tevez and [Javier] Mascherano play. And in Scotland, I am going to make my coaching debut.” Mascherano’s club boss, Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez, on Friday welcomed Maradona’s plans to visit England, saying he would roll out the red carpet. “Diego will be very welcome to come to our training ground next week and to see the match. Maybe I can persuade him to take a few free-kicks.”
■SPAIN
De La Red leaves hospital
Real Madrid midfielder Ruben De La Red was released from the hospital on Friday following his collapse during a Copa del Rey match against Real Union on Thursday. The Spain international was cleared by doctors to return to the Spanish capital by airplane, after being kept overnight for observation. De La Red underwent medical tests after fainting because of exertion, but the results were not released. He is expected to undergo further tests in Madrid. “It was the kind of episode that gives your heart a jolt, so I want to wish him a speedy recovery,” Madrid president Ramon Calderon said. De La Red fell face first as he was walking away from the penalty area in the 13th minute, silencing the crowd.
■GERMANY
Leverkusen win to go top
Bayer Leverkusen went back to the top of the Bundesliga for at least one night after a 2-0 home win over VfL Wolfsburg on Friday. Wolfsburg had no answer to Leverkusen’s fast, skillful passing game and the only surprise was it took until 12 minutes into the second half for the home side to go ahead. The breakthrough came when Swiss forward Tranquillo Barnetta struck low from the edge of the area and beat the keeper at his near post. Germany’s Stefan Kiessling headed the second a few minutes later. It was Leverkusen’s fourth successive 2-0 victory in the Bundesliga and it was enough to take them ahead of surprise leaders Hoffenheim.
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
Taiwanese badminton superstar Lee Yang broke down in tears after publicly retiring from the sport on Sunday. The two-time Olympic gold medalist held a retirement ceremony at the Taipei Arena after the final matches of the Taipei Open. Accompanied by friends, family and former badminton partners, Lee burst into tears while watching a video celebrating key moments in his professional sporting career that also featured messages from international players such as Malaysia’s Teo Ee Yi, Hong Kong’s Tang Chun-man, and Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. “I hope that in the future when the world thinks about me, they will
Former Formosa Dreamers player Ilkan Karaman was killed in a traffic accident in Datca, Turkey, Turkish media reported yesterday. He was 34. The former Turkish national team player was reportedly hit by a car, the driver of which was allegedly drunk, while he was standing on a sidewalk, Turkish newspaper Sozcu reported. Karaman and his friends were on their way to the beach town of Dalaman to go scuba diving when they stopped at a gas station to buy gasoline, it reported. Karaman was hit by the car while waiting on a sidewalk as his friends were buying gasoline, it
When details from a scientific experiment that could have helped clear Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva landed at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the leader of the organization’s reaction was unequivocal: “We have to stop that urgently,” he wrote. No mention of the test ever became public and Valieva’s defense at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) went on without it. What effect the information could have had on Valieva’s case is unclear, but without it, the skater, then 15 years old, was eventually disqualified from the 2022 Winter Olympics after testing positive for a banned heart medication that would later
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