List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Czech police have detained several people following a clash between West Ham and Fiorentina fans ahead of the Europa Conference League final in Prague on Wednesday. The force said Italian fans attacked West Ham fans in a bar in the country’s capital, with three people being left injured as a result. It was also confirmed a police officer had been attacked during the incident. Following the clash, 16 people were detained as police “restricted the personal freedom” of those suspected to be involved. A translation of a Czech police tweet said: “Italy fans attacked West Ham fans in a bar in Rytirska Street, injuring three. One policeman was also attacked. We have restricted the personal freedom of 16 people and we are currently investigating the whole incident.” Outside the Tek’ila Tek’ila bar in the city centre, a burnt-out chair and broken glass were seen littered across the ground. One West Ham fan, who did not want to be named, said “a large group” of Italian fans attacked the bar. “About eight Italians walked past, swinging bands and chains,” he said. “Five minutes later there was a big group that come down the road and attacked us.” The man said five West Ham fans were injured. He said: “Three of our mates (were injured), out of all of this lot there were five. Three of them were our mates. They’ve gone to hospital.” He added that one of his friends was “quite badly” injured with a “massive cut” on his head. Videos were also shared on social media appearing to show people throwing chairs at each other in Prague on Wednesday. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sheffield United release Billy Sharp after promotion to Premier League Man City keeper Ederson will not opt for safe option in Champions League final Kyle Walker insists Champions League win will not define Man City’s achievements

Czech police have detained 16 people after violent clashes between West Ham United and Fiorentina fans marred the build-up to the Europa Conference League final in Prague. A group of black-clad Fiorentina fans attacked Hammers supporters in a bar in central Prague on Wednesday afternoon, injuring three patrons, authorities said. Videos on social media showed fans setting off flares and throwing tables at the bar located just off Prague’s Old Town Square. A police officer was also attacked. “Italy fans attacked West Ham fans in a bar on Rytirska street, injuring three,” Czech police said on Twitter. “A police officer was also attacked. We have restricted the personal liberty of 16 people.” More than 10,000 officers are on duty in the Czech capital with major security concerns around the game given the vast numbers of supporters who have travelled without tickets. An estimated 20,000 West Ham fans are believed to have travelled to Prague, even though the club’s allocation of match tickets was fewer than 6,000, given the small size of Slavia Prague’s stadium hosting the showpiece. Uefa have also promised a beefed-up security presence at the Eden Arena as the governing body are desperate to avoid a repeat of the chaotic scenes that marred last season’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris. Additional reporting by Reuters and PA Read More Carlton Cole on West Ham’s final, a coaching career and his surprise ‘love’ of the world’s most sustainable sport I might miss flight home if West Ham win European title, says fan in Prague West Ham fans take over Prague ahead of Europa Conference League final

England and Roma striker Tammy Abraham is recovering in a London hospital after surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament damage. Former Chelsea forward Abraham, 25, sustained the injury in Roma’s final game of the season last Sunday when a 2-1 home win against Spezia secured them a sixth-placed Serie A finish. A Roma statement read: “Tammy Abraham underwent reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Wednesday. “The operation was performed by Dr Andy Williams at London’s Cromwell Hospital, with AS Roma head of medical Massimo Manara in attendance, and was a complete success. “The player will remain at the London clinic for a few days before beginning the rehabilitation programme drawn up by the club’s medical staff. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Tammy!” The Italian club, managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, signed Abraham from the Blues in August 2021 for £34million. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Jude Bellingham looks set to become a Real Madrid player after the Spanish club agreed an £88.5million fee with Borussia Dortmund. The England international will join a small but esteemed set of British players to play for Los Blancos. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at those players from these shores to have played at the Bernabeu. Laurie Cunningham England international Cunningham was the trailblazer for those that followed him after becoming the first Englishman to play for Real Madrid after signing from West Brom in 1979. The left winger brought plenty of excitement to the fans and after scoring on his debut, went on to win the league and cup double in his first season. His time at the Bernabeu was hampered by injuries and he left to join Marseille in 1984, having scored 20 goals in 66 appearances. He was sadly killed six years later in a car crash, aged just 33, while playing for Raya Vallecano. Steve McManaman (1999-2003) Twenty years after Cunningham, Steve McManaman followed as he joined from Liverpool. The floppy-haired winger played in one of the great Madrid teams alongside the likes of Raul, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, winning two LaLiga titles and two Champions League titles, scoring in the 2000 final against Valencia. He made over 150 appearances and moved to Manchester City in 2003, where he spent two years before retiring in 2005. David Beckham (2003-2007) Already a global superstar, David Beckham’s footballing image went to the next level when he signed for Madrid in 2003. Although his time in the Spanish capital was not the silverware haul he enjoyed at Manchester United, winning just one league title, he was a fan favourite. He made 155 appearances, scored 20 goals and notched 59 assists before moving to LA Galaxy in 2007. Michael Owen (2005-2006) Given Michael Owen’s relationship with Beckham for the England national team, an £8million move for the striker seemed good business in 2005. But Owen never really took off in Madrid and spent the majority of his one season at the club on the bench. He was able to score when he was on the pitch, most memorably a fine goal in a 4-2 win over Barcelona. He left for Newcastle in 2006. Jonathan Woodgate (2005-07) The fact that Woodgate has been voted as Real Madrid’s worst signing of the 21st century by readers of a Spanish newspaper tells you how his time at the club went. He joined Owen in swapping England for Spain in the summer of 2004 but was injured at the time and did not make an appearance until September 2005. That went about as well as expected as he scored an own goal and was sent off. He managed just 14 appearances in three years due to more injury woe and he left the Bernabeu being remembered for all the wrong reasons. Gareth Bale (2013-2022) Bale was the hottest property in Europe when he joined Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 and his career at the Bernabeu speaks for itself. He won four Champions League titles, one LaLiga title, one Copa Del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups and three European Super Cups. He scored 106 goals in 258 appearances, often vying for the spotlight with Cristiano Ronaldo, before it turned sour at the end of his stay, where his relationship with boss Zinedine Zidane and the fans was frosty at best. Caroline Weir (2022-Present) Weir became the first British woman – and first Scot – to play for Real Madrid when she signed on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer. The attacker enjoyed a successful debut season in the Spanish capital, scoring 15 goals, while also knocking her former side out of the Women’s Champions League. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Carlos Alcaraz relishing chance to play Novak Djokovic in French Open semi-final Travis Head hits quickfire 60 to give Australia momentum in WTC against India Rory McIlroy left feeling ‘like a sacrificial lamb’ after golf merger

Police say Fiorentina fans attacked West Ham supporters in a bar in downtown Prague ahead of the Europa Conference League final

Coco Gauff has lost in the French Open quarterfinals to two-time champion Iga Swiatek in a rematch of last year's final at Roland Garros

Lionel Messi is reportedly set to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal understood to be out of the race. The 35-year-old Argentina star had been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, a league which already features Cristiano Ronaldo and now Karim Benzema, with Messi’s two-year contract at Paris St Germain coming to an end this month. However, the PA news agency understands a move to the Middle East is now no longer on the cards, placing Inter Miami in pole position for Messi. The Major League Soccer side are co-owned by former England captain David Beckham and were founded in 2018, playing their first season two years later. Miami recently sacked Beckham’s former Manchester United and England team-mate Phil Neville as coach and are currently bottom of the 15-team Eastern Conference, but they remain a fiercely ambitious club. The PA news agency understands the Florida side have pulled out all the stops to sign Messi, tying up with various MLS partners like Apple. A deal in principle has now reportedly been agreed that will see Messi head to the United States after PSG confirmed last week he would be leaving. Messi was reportedly being offered a deal worth 400m euros (£343.5m) per year to move to Saudi Arabia. He is also an ambassador for the Gulf kingdom’s tourist authority, and was handed a two-week suspension by PSG early last month for taking an unauthorised trip there. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Jude Bellingham is closing in on a move to Real Madrid after the Spanish side struck a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth an initial £88.5million. The 19-year-old moved to Germany from boyhood club Birmingham in 2020 and has long dreamt of moving to the LaLiga giants. England star Bellingham is now on the cusp of completing his move to Madrid. Dortmund confirmed in a statement that the Spanish side have agreed to pay 103m euros (£88.5m), with an additional amount of around 30 per cent of that fixed fee agreed. If those add-ons are achieved, the deal could reach 133.9m euros (£115m). Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Jude Bellingham will join Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund this summer after the Germans announced a deal in principle worth €103 million (£88.5m) plus add-ons. The German club, who missed out on the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich after a heartbreaking final day of the season, confirmed the terms on the club website. The statement outlined how the add-ons could rise to 30 percent of the fixed amount. The 19-year-old will now undergo medical tests and agree personal terms with the Spanish giants. The England star joins Real’s collection of young midfield stars, including Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde. Read More Real Madrid agree deal to sign England’s Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund Why has Saudi Arabia become big player in world sport and what does future hold? Al-Ittihad confirm Karim Benzema deal after striker’s Real Madrid farewell

Meet Baby Gronk, the new Rizz King.

Adam Idah will head into Euro 2024 qualifier battle with Greece and Gibraltar grateful for both the help and competition provided by two strikers at opposite ends of their careers. The 22-year-old Republic of Ireland frontman has spent much of the last four seasons fighting Teemu Pukki for a place in the Norwich starting line-up, and now faces a major challenge from Brighton’s teenage sensation Evan Ferguson on the international front. However Idah, who made his Canaries debut as an 18-year-old and won his first senior cap for Ireland a little more than a year later, has not been daunted by either battle. Asked about Pukki’s influence on his fledgling career as the 33-year-old Finland international prepares to leave Norwich this summer, he said: “Teemu was massive to me since I came in. “When I first came to Norwich I wasn’t playing many games, and I was really frustrated, but he helped me through that. “Looking back now, it was stupid of me to be frustrated as he was scoring all these goals, but even off the pitch he helped me, (showing me) what to do outside of football. “On the pitch, he was fantastic. He’s a great player to look up to with all the goals he has scored in championships and the Premier League. He is a great professional.” I just have to be the best I can to get in Republic of Ireland and Norwich striker Adam Idah Pukki’s impending exit after scoring 88 goals in 210 appearances over his five years at Carrow Road presents Idah with an opportunity next season, with boss David Wagner needing to plug a sizeable gap, and it is one he is determined to take. He said: “Every new season is a big opportunity for me. Obviously it was difficult – when he was at Norwich, he was the main man and next season is going to be a big one for me to try to get myself in the team. “But I think me and the manager know it’s going to be a good opportunity for me to try to become the main striker at Norwich. I just have to be the best I can to get in.” In the meantime, Idah’s task is to force his way into Stephen Kenny’s team for the trip to Athens on June 16 and Gibraltar’s visit to Dublin three days later, a process which has become more difficult as a result of Ferguson’s breakthrough season in the Premier League. The 18-year-old made 19 league appearances and scored six goals as the Seagulls secured European football for the first time in the club’s history, and also opened his senior international account – something Idah is yet to do – in March’s 3-2 friendly win over Latvia. Speaking from Ireland’s warm-weather training camp in Antalya, Turkey, Idah said: “He’s had an unbelievable season at Brighton. In every team, you need some friendly competition for all of us. “There’s not just Evan, there’s five of us forwards all chasing for the same spot and I think we’re all doing everything in the right way. We help each other achieve in the right way to the best we can. “Whoever starts in any game, I think we all support each other and try to do the best we can. That’s what so good about this team – there’s no ego in this team and we all try to help each other.”

Leo Messi has agreed a deal in principle to join Inter Miami, in what could represent a first defeat for the burgeoning Saudi Pro League's new era. The Argentine great had huge offers from both since the conclusion of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, but it is understood he is being swayed by the prospect of a legacy in the United States, as well as his family's preference to live in the Florida city. Also of attraction were a prospective deal with Apple, who are huge broadcast backers of Major League Soccer. There is an argument that Messi could prove a transformative figure for the competition in the guise of Pele in the 1970s, although now where football is fast becoming the USA's fourth most popular sport, and ahead of the hosting of the 2026 World Cup. The Argentine's plan is currently to play in that and defend the trophy. That hasn't totally locked out the possibility of eventually playing in the Saudi Pro League and there was still a certain nervousness in Inter Miami that no deal is done until it is signed. The Messis have told those in Saudi Arabia that, even if they go with MLS now, they would be willing to return to negotiations in future. The 35-year-old has already faced criticism as regards "sportswashing" for being an ambassador for Saudi Tourism. Read More Why has Saudi Arabia become big player in world sport and what does future hold? Where might Lionel Messi go next after Paris St Germain spell ends? First Lionel Messi, now Sergio Ramos – Veteran defender waves goodbye to PSG