■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.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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