SPAIN
Neymar signing cleared
Barcelona on Monday admitted their relief at a conclusion by the Spanish league that there was nothing irregular about their signing of Brazilian star Neymar last summer, although the deal remains under criminal investigation. Barcelona were indicted in February over alleged tax crimes relating to the 86 million euro (US$118 million) signing of the 22-year-old and the league had requested more details at the same time. However, the league told the Catalans on Friday last week that they had done nothing to infringe the rules, Barcelona said. The scandal over the signing of Neymar from Santos led to the resignation of Barcelona president Sandro Rosell in January. State prosecutors have alleged that Barcelona owe the taxman 9 million euros. The case was started by one of Barca’s own members, Jordi Cases. He accused Rosell of misappropriation for not declaring publicly that 40 million euros of the 57.1 million euros initially quoted by Barca was paid to N&N, a company controlled by the player’s parents. Following Rosell’s resignation, the club revealed that the entire cost of the transfer, including Neymar’s signing bonus, commissions, marketing deals, a donation to the player’s foundation and other deals, totaled 86.2 million euros.
SPAIN
Thousands attend funeral
Barcelona and the world of Spanish sport on Monday gathered in the city’s cathedral for the funeral service of former coach Tito Vilanova, who died on Friday last week after a long battle with cancer aged 45. More than 1,500 people, including the Barcelona squad, attended the service for Vilanova, who had been cremated on Saturday. He was first diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland over two years ago and was forced to step down as Barcelona boss in July last year after just one season in charge to continue receiving treatment. “He will always be in our heart and we will never forget him,” Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said. About 53,000 people queued up to pay their respects to Vilanova in a dedicated section of Barca’s Camp Nou over the weekend. “Of all the things that my father told me, the most important is that life is too short to be unhappy,” Vilanova’s daughter, Carlota, said.
SPAIN
Celta edge closer to safety
RC Celta de Vigo virtually secured their place in the top flight next season with a 4-1 win over relegation-threatened Real Valladolid, who remained in the drop zone. Celta scored a pair of goals either side of halftime to move up to 10th, 11 points ahead of 19th-placed Valladolid, but they are still not mathematically secure since their opponents have four matches to play because of a game in hand, against Real Madrid. Nolito scored twice and Charles also netted, before Stefan Mitrovic’s own-goal put the hosts ahead 4-0 after just 49 minutes. Valladolid substitute Manucho notched a consolation goal in the 75th minute.
AUSTRALIA
Broich voted best player
Brisbane Roar midfielder Thomas Broich was named Player of the Year in Australia’s A-League on Monday, becoming the first player to win the award for a second time. Broich received 506 votes from fellow A-League players, who voted throughout the season, finishing well ahead of Melbourne Victory’s James Troisi with 290 votes and Brisbane teammate Luke Brattan with 264. Adam Taggart of the Newcastle United Jets, who was fourth with 243 votes, won the Young Footballer of the Year award and the Golden Boot for his 16 goals this season.
‘AWFUL PERFORMANCE’: Golden State were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts Aaron Gordon on Monday scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their Western Conference rivals. A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their lineup. The absentees were barely felt by Denver, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game. The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scored twice on Sunday to help secure a late 4-2 comeback win at Atletico Madrid in a pulsating La Liga clash that took the Catalan side back to the top of the table. Barca have 60 points and a game in hand after last week’s postponement of their home game with CA Osasuna. They are level on points with Real Madrid, who won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday. “I am happy and proud of this team,” Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick told a news conference. “They never give up... It’s a great three points and we are happy to
Chris Wood has fired Nottingham Forest into surprise UEFA Champions League contention and now the striker wants to score the goals to help New Zealand make history at the FIFA World Cup. New Zealand are strong favorites to qualify out of the Oceania region over the next week and reach the World Cup for only the third time. At the country’s two previous appearances at the finals, in 1982 and 2010, they have failed to win a match in six attempts. With Wood captaining the side and leading from the front, he told local media yesterday that the current squad can finally deliver
Paolo Banchero on Sunday scored 24 points as the Orlando Magic overturned a 13-point deficit to end the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 16-game unbeaten streak with a gutsy 108-103 road victory. Cleveland, the runaway Eastern Conference leaders, had looked poised to extend their franchise-record winning run after surging clear of Orlando early in the third quarter, but after a season where they have staged hefty winning comebacks of their own, the tables turned on Cleveland in the face of a furious burst of Orlando scoring. The Magic outscored Cleveland 35-23 in the third quarter, with Franz Wagner leading the charge with nine points and
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