List of All Articles with Tag 'per'

Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

The EFL have released their full sets of 2023/24 fixtures for each of the three tiers below the Premier League. In the Championship, an intriguing opening weekend clash sees teams who were involved in promotion and relegation battles at the end of last term come together, starting on Friday night when Sheffield Wednesday host Southampton. The Owls came up through the League One play-offs, while Saints departed the Premier League after a dismal campaign. Elsewhere, Sunderland - beaten in the Championship play-off semis by eventually promoted Luton - face newly promoted Ipswich Town, while Leicester, relegated from the top flight on the final day last season, face Coventry City who missed out on replacing them by virtue of a penalty shoot-out defeat at Wembley in the play-off final. Relegated Leeds start at home to Cardiff, while League One champions Plymouth open their campaign at home to Huddersfield. The full opening weekend list: 04/08/202320:00Sheffield Wednesday v Southampton 05/08/202315:00Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion 05/08/202315:00Bristol City v Preston North End 05/08/202315:00Middlesbrough v Millwall 05/08/202315:00Norwich City v Hull City 05/08/202315:00Plymouth Argyle v Huddersfield Town 05/08/202315:00Queens Park Rangers v Watford 05/08/202315:00Stoke City v Rotherham United 05/08/202315:00Swansea City v Birmingham City 06/08/202314:30Leeds United v Cardiff City 06/08/202312:00Leicester City v Coventry City 06/08/202317:00Sunderland v Ipswich Town The League One opening weekend list can be found here, with the League Two fixtures here. Read More Almost two thirds of football fans oppose VAR, survey finds Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore leaves club three weeks after play-off win Jonny Evans was shocked to learn of ‘amazing’ honour

Ilia Topuria has a question for you. Actually, he has a few. “Do you know how good I am?” is the first. Initially, I’m not quite sure whether I should answer on your behalf. He asks again. “Do you know how good I am?” To my relief, he quickly follows up. “I can submit him, I can knock him out. I can do with him whatever I want.” The German-born Georgian, fighting out of Spain, is not actually talking about Josh Emmett – whom he faces in a UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday. Rather, he is reflecting on his win against Bryce Mitchell. In December, Topuria submitted the submission specialist to the surprise of many, and that is why he asks: “Do you know how good I am?” It is also why he asks: “Do you know how dangerous my takedowns are, how dangerous my ground game is?” I had entered our interview presuming I would be asking the questions, but by this point, the unbeaten featherweight might have overtaken me. “I don’t care what people say about me,” he adds. “People were talking like: ‘He’s good on the ground’. I’ve been a black belt since I was 20 years old. For me, there’s no surprise if I submit Bryce Mitchell or anyone in my division. I know that I can finish anyone. Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling is my world.” As the conversation turns to Emmett, the next obstacle in Topuria’s way as he hones in on a title shot, the 26-year-old has even more questions. “With Josh, people say: ‘His right hand is so dangerous.’ Do you know how dangerous my right hand is? Do you know how dangerous my left hand is?” The answers to all of Topuria’s questions are found fairly easily, so any frustration he has towards those fans who have missed them is understandable. Twelve of the Georgian’s 13 professional wins have coming via stoppage – eight by submission and four by knockout. Nine months before Topuria entered the featherweight top 10 with his arm-triangle choke against Mitchell, he knocked out Jai Herbert on the Briton’s home soil in London. After surviving a knockdown from a picture-perfect head kick, Topuria melted Herbert with a singing left hook to the liver and a molten right hand to the chin. While that bout took place at lightweight, it registered as a message to all UFC featherweight contenders when Topuria later dropped into the division. And, now done asking questions, Topuria has a message for you: “Shut up. Just watch the fight and enjoy.” Topuria will certainly enjoy his clash with Emmett in Jacksonville this weekend, as he looks to hand the American, 38, a second straight defeat, four months after Emmett lost to Yair Rodriguez with the interim featherweight belt on the line. “When I’m in the ring, I’m really happy and really thankful to God,” Topuria tells The Independent, “because I asked him to put me in this position. It was my goal to become a UFC champion, and this is the way I have to pass. When I go inside the cage, I feel very happy to have that opportunity, because I have the chance to fight for my dreams, and right now there are a lot of people in hospitals, [fighting] for their lives. “I’m working for my happiness every day. When I wake up, I’m not happy just for something I did in the past; I can’t live off that for my whole life. I’m just focused on myself and achieving my goals. I don’t care about anyone else – just me, my family, and my friends. That’s it.” Among the small group dearest to Topuria is his three-year-old son – already a “man”, in his father’s words. “He knows [what I do], he knows,” Topuria says. “He calls me every day, supporting me. He speaks perfectly. He’s a man. I don’t know if he’s gonna do MMA. If that’s the call [he makes], I’ll support him in anything he chooses in this life. “If he wants to fight, I’m gonna support him; if he wants to... I don’t know... study, I’m gonna support him. If it makes him happy, I don’t care. Go for that, because in this life, people are always looking for success. What’s success for me? Success is when you’re happy with yourself, that’s it.” In that sense, Topuria is already a very successful man. Winning the UFC featherweight title would only reaffirm that fact. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Topuria vs Emmett live stream: How to watch UFC Fight Night online and on TV this weekend Conor McGregor complains as his team lose yet again on The Ultimate Fighter How Ciryl Gane’s Jon Jones dream turned into a nightmare Topuria vs Emmett and full UFC Fight Night card this weekend What time does Topuria vs Emmett start in UK and US this weekend? How to watch Topuria vs Emmett online and on TV this weekend

What the papers say Manchester United have reportedly made a last-ditch attempt to sign England captain Harry Kane. According to The Sun, the Red Devils have reached out to the Tottenham striker to encourage him to put in a transfer request as club bosses grow increasingly frustrated with Spurs’ unwillingness to negotiate over Kane’s position. Staying at Old Trafford, The Telegraph reports the club have joined Arsenal in pursuit of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice. United are said to be interested in a player-plus-cash deal involving England defender Harry Maguire or Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay. West Brom defender Dara O’Shea could be set for a return to the Premier League next season. The Irish Independent reports the 24-year-old Republic of Ireland international has all-but confirmed a move to Burnley, with a medical at Turf Moor on Thursday the last hurdle to clear. And the Evening Standard claims Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech is nearing a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. Social media round-up Players to watch Sandro Tonali: The Athletic says Newcastle are circling a £60million deal for the AC Milan midfielder. Bernardo Silva: The Manchester City midfielder is nearing a move to Saudi Arabia, according to Spanish outlet Marca. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Two people with knowledge of the deal say the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Celtics trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies

The Canterbury Crusaders aim to secure a seventh straight Super Rugby title and a triumphant swansong for talismanic All Blacks-coach-to-be Scott Robertson this Saturday. But the in-form...

Jake Fraley hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds extended their majors-best winning streak to 11 games, rallying past the Colorado Rockies 5-3 for a three-game sweep

Freddie Freeman hit his 14th homer off Shohei Ohtani in the fourth inning, and seven relievers combined on a two-hitter in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ second straight shutout victory over the Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly pulled out of the three-team Kristaps Porzingis trade for one important reason regarding their return, Malcolm Brogdon.At the 11th hour, the Los Angeles Clippers-involved three-team trade that would've landed them Malcolm Brogdon from the Boston Celtics a...

The three-team Kristaps Porzingis trade has fallen apart. While initially reported that all teams were moving on, the Celtics and Wizards are still talking.Kristaps Porzingis is still on the Washington Wizards. At least for now.After reports that the veteran big was on the move to the Boston...

Juan Imhoff, recalled by Argentina after being left out in 2019, is sure that the Rugby World Cup in his adopted home of France...

Kyle Farmer hit a game-winning single that scored automatic runner Willi Castro from third base and the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in 10 innings