LIGUE 1
Bastia face relegation threat
French club SC Bastia could be relegated from the country’s top flight over a 1.3 million euro (US$1.44 million) budget deficit after it failed to provide the necessary financial guarantees. The National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG), which monitors the accounts of professional clubs in France, ruled that Bastia would be denied their spot in Ligue 1 for the upcoming season over the issue. However, the Corsican club said it expected to resolve the matter following the sale of Ryan Boudebouz to Montpellier Herault for 1.7 million euros. Bastia said in a statement it would provide the DNCG appeals commission “in the coming hours with the bank details that prove Boudebouz was transferred.” Bastia finished 12th in Ligue 1 last season.
LIGUE 1
Marseille to sign Rekik
Olympique de Marseille have reached a deal with Manchester City that will see Netherlands defender Karim Rekik move to the Stade Velodrome, the Ligue 1 side said on Tuesday. Marseille said the clubs had “found an agreement in principle for the permanent transfer of the Dutch international this Tuesday evening, pending a medical.” Rekik, 20, joined City in 2011, but has hardly played for the English club and spent last season on loan to Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. His arrival will provide a boost to Marseille, who have seen Andre-Pierre Gignac, Andre Ayew, Jeremy Morel and Dimitri Payet all leave the club so far this summer. He will be the third new signing at the Velodrome, following the recruits of winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou from Nantes and goalkeeper Yohann Pele from Sochaux-Montbeliard.
LIGUE 1
Bahlouli to move to Monaco
AS Monaco have signed France under-20 international Fares Bahlouli from Ligue 1 rivals Olympique Lyonnais on a five-year deal, the principality club announced on Tuesday. The attacking midfielder, considered one of the brightest talents to come out of Lyon’s productive academy, moved for a fee of 3.5 million euros, according to sources close to the deal. Bahlouli has made just nine top-flight appearances for Lyon, but was part of the France under-20 side who won the Toulon Tournament.
UNITED STATES
Injured Davis misses squad
Brad Davis, a midfielder who helped the US capture the 2005 Gold Cup, will miss this year’s tournament with a knee injury, the nation’s soccer federation said on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Houston Dynamo player is a six-time Major League Soccer All-Star and was part of the US squad at last year’s World Cup. He also helped Houston take the MLS crown in 2006 and 2007. Greg Garza, a 23-year-old defender for Mexican side Atlas, has been drafted in to replace Davis for tomorrow’s friendly against Guatemala in Nashville, the final warm-up for both sides before the CONCACAF Gold Cup starts next week. US Soccer is in the process of submitting paperwork to CONCACAF to allow for a squad replacement for the Gold Cup. With the approval of the regional governing body, the US can add an injury replacement from a 35-man preliminary squad up until 24 hours before the team’s opening match. Juergen Klinsmann’s side, who are the holders, are to begin their bid to retain the trophy against Honduras in suburban Dallas on Tuesday next week. If the US successfully defend the trophy, they will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.
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
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two
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