Sporting

Part of the Spanish team for Euro-2020, Thiago Alcântara, 30, recalled the period when he was infected with Covid-19, in October last year.

“I was with my family and the first thing that comes to my mind is their protection and that of my companions. I told them what was happening to me, asked to be isolated, not to have anyone around. I felt really bad. I didn’t want anyone to be like me, but I know there are worse and, unfortunately, fatal cases», said the player, in an interview with the newspaper Marca.

The Spanish team has been living a week of uncertainty due to the contagions of Sergio Busquets and Diego Llorente, even prompting the call of another 17 players to work on the sidelines of the 24 players squad initially called up by coach Luis Enrique.

If there is no setback in the negotiations between FC Porto and Fiorentina, Sérgio Oliveira should be made official as a new reinforcement of the viola until Sunday. The businessman Jorge Mendes traveled to Italy and met with the general director of the Florence emblem, Joe Barone, in order to reach a platform of understanding between the three parties and the Italians really want to speed up the process of this transfer and consummate it, at the latest, until Sunday, that is, before Portugal’s debut in the European Championship, an event that could inflate the price of the still FC Porto midfielder.

From Italy come news of variables that Fiorentina is trying to present to pay the 20 million demanded by the SAD summit – dragons want €18 million plus two for goals -, but transalpines offer up to 16 million euros and four more in easily attainable goals by the Portuguese international.

On the day that the National Team leaves for Budapest, where it will be installed with a view to participating in the Euro-2020, the Portuguese Football Federation released the official photograph of the group led by Fernando Santos.

Above: Anthony Lopes, André Silva, Rúben Dias, William Carvalho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rui Patrício, Pepe, José Fonte, Danilo, João Cancelo and Rui Silva

In the middle: Nuno Mendes, Pedro Gonçalves, Bruno Pereira (video analyst), Jorge Rosário (assistant coach), Ilídio Vale (assistant coach), Fernando Santos (national coach), João Carlos Costa (adjunct coach), Fernando Justino (assistant coach). goalkeeper), Ricardo Santos (assistant coach/scouting), Sérgio Oliveira and João Palhinha.

Below: Diogo Jota, João Felix, Gonçalo Guedes, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, João Moutinho, Raphael Guerreiro, Renato Sanches, Rafa, Rúben Neves and Nélson Semedo.

Everton Cebolinha, Benfica winger, is part of Tite’s 24 squad for the Copa America. The Brazilian coach called practically the same players he had called up for the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, against Ecuador and Paraguay.

The only change was the integration of Thiago Silva, who had been replaced by Rodrigo Caio at the last minute due to injury. However, the Chelsea centre-back has recovered and is fit for competition.

FINAL LIST ??

A #Brazilian Team is called up for the Copa America! Brazil debuts on Sunday (13) and fights for another cup in the competition. pic.twitter.com/0HrMgp4q9W

— CBF Football (@CBF_Futebol) June 9, 2021

The Roland Garros tournament’s women’s table will have a new champion, after the Greek Maria Sakkari has eliminated the Polish Iga Swiatek, who defended the title in the French ‘major’ clay.

The young Greek, currently ranked 18th in the WTA ranking, surprised the favorite in just two sets, by double 6-4, in one hour and 35 minutes.

Sakkari, who put an end to Poland’s 11 consecutive victories, secured an unprecedented passage to the semi-finals, where she will face Czech Barbora Krejcikova, number 33 in the world who also eliminated American Coco Gauff this Wednesday , by 7-6 (8-6) and 6-3.

The other semi-final will be played by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (32nd WTA) and Slovenian Tamara Zidansek (85th WTA).

The players of the Brazilian national team broke the silence and, after the victory against Paraguay (2-0) in the qualifying phase for the 2022 World Cup, they publicly spoke out against holding the Copa América in Brazil.

On a joint note, the players, however, left the guarantee that they will never turn their backs on the selection, so they will be in the competition, in which they will debut on Sunday against Venezuela.

Here is the note in full:

«When a Brazilian is born, a fan is born. And for the more than 200 million fans we wrote this letter to express our opinion about the realization of the Copa America.

We are a cohesive group, but with different ideas. For various reasons, whether humanitarian or professional, we are dissatisfied with the conduct of the Copa America by Conmebol, whether it was hosted later in Chile or even in Brazil.

All recent facts lead us to believe in an inadequate process in its realization.

It is important to emphasize that at no time did we want to make this discussion political. We are aware of the importance of our position, we follow what is published by the media and we are present on social networks. We also speak out to prevent further false news involving our names from circulating without the true facts.

Finally, we remember that we are workers, football professionals. We have a mission to accomplish with the historic five-time world champion yellow green jersey. We are against the organization of the Copa America, but we will never say no to the Brazilian team.»

After the alarm caused by the positive test to Covid-19 by Sergio Busquets, coach Luis Henrique called Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to the selection this Tuesday.

It is the sixth call made by Luís Enrique, after yesterday calling several others to join a parallel bubble that has now been formed at the Las Rozas training center, in order to prevent any consequences from the midfielder’s positive.

Thus, there are six footballers who will work separately from the 23 initially called up for the Euro – all but Busquets, since the selector has opted for a list of just 24 and Busquets is, of course, in isolation.

Kepa joins Rodrigo Moreno, Pablo Fornals, Carlos Soler, Brais Méndez and Raúl Albiol, called throughout Monday.

?? OFFICIAL | The goalkeeper @ kepa_46 joins the soccer players summoned to exercise in the parallel bubble of the @SeFutbol in Las Rozas.

?? The training sessions for the invited players will begin today at 11:00.

?? https://t.co/zJ8nunXpGM#We are Spain #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/OClAWMDKde

– Spanish Soccer Team (@SeFutbol) June 8, 2021

Nuno Mendes was nominated for the ideal eleven in the last edition of the League, occupying the position of left-back. The election was made by the coaches and team captains of the first echelon.

The Sporting player joins teammates Adán, Porro and Coates, and also rival Pepe, from FC Porto, also chosen, respectively for the positions of goalkeeper, right-back and centre-back.

“Thanks to my colleagues who helped me a lot. Now it’s about continuing the work», commented the Portuguese international, who is only 18 years old.

According to the League, Nuno Mendes scored 2516 minutes in the championship. He scored a goal, made a total of 77 crosses and won 66% of the dribbles made.

Sérgio Conceição guaranteed, at the contract renewal ceremony, that he did not make any kind of demand to Pinto da Costa to remain FC Porto’s coach until 2024. «There are other things more important than the contract, than the contract money », he said, clearly implying that the improvements he claims for FC Porto are related to other aspects, namely in the cohesion around the working group and himself, after having received much criticism from public opinion at the time last.

Accordingly, and in order to prevent the coach from always showing his face and in the eye of the hurricane, a protection strategy is in place for Sérgio Conceição, which will be coordinated by various elements of the structure of professional football, essentially by SAD – may to have a face to give the bullets a breast – and from the club’s own Communications department. The intention is for the technician to be shielded with a single voice, with the intensity that the situation demands, a way, in reality, to free Sérgio Conceição from any and all controversies, leaving only the fieldwork to himself.

Read more in the print edition and digital of THE BALL.

The president of the League attended the game to award the title of the Portuguese Championship and made a point of congratulating Trofense and Estrela da Amadora for their promotion to Liga 2.

«It was with great satisfaction that today I had the privilege of watching the match between the two teams that next season will integrate the Liga 2, Estrela da Amadora, SAD and Clube Desportivo Trofense. Welcome! I also want to congratulate CD Trofense, winner of the Portuguese Championship», he wrote on social media.