Basketball
Nowitzki out for six weeks
Dirk Nowitzki will miss the start of the NBA regular season after having knee surgery that is expected to keep him out of the lineup for six weeks, the team said on Friday. If everything goes according to schedule, Nowitzki will miss about a dozen games starting with his team’s Oct. 30 season-opener versus the Lakers. The German, the only European to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, started having problems with his right knee before last season. He had it drained twice in the past month to reduce swelling and soreness, but the problem reappeared both times.
soccer
Bonucci sees off gunman
Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci faced down an armed robber who pointed a pistol at his head before chasing the assailant as he tried to get away, Italian media reports said yesterday. The Italy international was with his wife and baby son at a car dealership in Turin on Thursday, looking to buy a Ferrari, when a man with his face covered pointed a gun at his head and demanded that he give him his watch. Bonucci refused and instead punched the thief, knocking him to the ground before chasing him as he tried to get away on a scooter with his accomplice. The Gazzetta Dello Sport reported the man shouted “What are you doing? Are you mad? I’ll shoot you” as Bonucci pursued them in vain. He later reported the incident to the police.
FORMULA ONE
Poor form my fault: Schumi
Former world champion Michael Schumacher has insisted his poor season is his own fault and has nothing to do with his car. Earlier this month, Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche blamed Schmacher’s disappointing return to Formula One on the German team’s underperforming car. Schumacher, 43, returned to Formula One in 2010 with Mercedes after a four-year hiatus, but the seven-time world champion has again failed to make an impact on the world drivers’ championship, where he is currently 14th. “As racing drivers, we are independent of the cars,” Schumacher said in an interview in today’s edition of German daily Die Welt. “The fact things didn’t go as well for me as planned is my fault, not that of the team. What is important though is to be able to look in the mirror and be able to say that I gave all I had. And I can do that. I can leave Formula One with my head held high.” Schumacher said he is looking forward to his freedom. “Above all, I am looking forward to spending time with my family,” said Schumacher, with his last race set to be the Brazilian Grand Prix on Nov. 25 in Sao Paulo.
soccer
Ashley to buy Rangers stake
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is ready to buy a stake in fallen Scottish giants Rangers, according to Ibrox chief executive Charles Green. Rangers already have a retail agreement with Ashley’s Sports Direct firm and the tycoon has now been given the green light to take a shareholding in the Scottish club. Green, who fronted a consortium that bought Rangers after their liquidation earlier this year, last week launched a share issue scheme for fans and is also looking to attract institutional investors. “As you know we’ve been trying to get the position clear where Mike can buy shares in Rangers,” Green told Sky Sports News on Friday. “We finally got clearance from the football league after they had a board meeting recently and the meetings this afternoon were to make sure the path’s clear for Mr Ashley to invest. He’s obviously keen to do that and I’m sure that will get completed in the next few days.
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
Italian soccer is at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years after a wholesale European exodus at club level followed the nation’s failure for the third successive time to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and compounded a leadership and structural crisis. The exits suffered by Bologna and ACF Fiorentina on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League respectively meant no Italian teams are left in European competition this season. Italy’s last remaining UEFA Champions League contenders, Atalanta BC, went out in the round of 16 last month. It is the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign that Italian clubs
The Detroit Tigers’ Lee Hao-yu on Monday collected his first and second MLB hits in their 8-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers’ No. 6 prospect, who batted eighth, had an RBI single and a double in four at-bats at Fenway Park, raising his batting average to .182. “He was super thrilled to get his first hit,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after the game. “There’s only one first, you know, and for him, it’s been a couple of games where he’s really been wanting to do it. I’m glad he did it here.” “Young guys settle in when they start
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