With the El Clasico just hours away as the two sides get ready for this epic encounter. This will be the first ever El Clasico to be played outside of Spain. The match will take place in the ever developing nation of Saudi Arabia in the capital of Riyadh.
The 281st El Clasico will take place tonight with the likes of Fatti and Pedri returning for Barcelona.
The Blaugrana called Pedri and Ferran Torres in separately late yesterday to join the training as Barcelona prepare to take on Real Madrid under new manager Xavi.
Ancelotti on the other hand has come out and said that Barcelona are far from them right now in the La liga and thus, not a spot of worry. Now with the two sides meeting in the semi finals of the Supercopa de Espana in a high stakes match, how much focus will Ancoletti have on his Spanish foes.
The second semi final will take place tomorrow as defending La Liga champions Atletico Madrid take on Athletic Club. The winners of these two matches will go on to face each other in a great final match on Sunday, the 16th of January.
The last time these two sides met, was in the La Liga in October, right before Xavi’s full fledged arrival. Barcelona lost to Real Madrid 1-2 at home as the Blaugrana failed to comprehend the level of game Real had.
Now with the slate clean in a new year and a different competition, Barcelona look to take home the finals spot and eventually the first trophy under the Xavi era.
The former World no. 1 has finally spoken out about the entire situation which saw him detained in Australia, his Visa canceled and a court battle that he won. His statement reads the following;
“I want to address the continuing misinformation about my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR COVID test result.
This is misinformation which needs to be corrected, particularly in the interest of alleviating broader concern in the community about my presence in Australia, and to address matters which are very hurtful and concerning to my family.
I want to emphasise that I have tried very hard to ensure the safety of everyone and my compliance with testing obligations.
I attended a basketball game in Belgrade on 14 December after which it was reported that a number of people tested positive with COVID 19. Despite having no COVID symptoms, I took a rapid antigen test on 16 December which was negative, and out of an abundance of caution, also took an official and approved PCR test on that same day.
The next day I attended a tennis event in Belgrade to present awards to children and took a rapid antigen test before going to the event, and it was negative.
I was asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not received the notification of a positive PCR test result until after that event.
The next day, on 18 December I was at my tennis centre in Belgrade to fulfill a long-standing commitment for a L’Equipe interview and photoshoot. I cancelled all other events except for the L’Equipe interview.
I felt obliged to go ahead and conduct the L’Equipe interview as I didn’t want to let the journalist down, but did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken.
While I went home after the interview to isolate for the required period, on reflection, this was an error of judgement and I accept that I should have rescheduled this commitment.
On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf – as I told immigration officials on my arrival – and my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia. This was a human error and certainly not deliberate. We are living in challenging times in a global pandemic and sometimes these mistakes can occur. Today, my team has provided additional information to the Australian Government to clarify this matter.
While I felt it was important to address and clarify misinformation I will not be making any further comment out of utmost respect for the Australian Government and their authorities and the current process.
It is always an honour and a privilege to play in the Australian Open. The Australian Open is much-loved by players, fans and the community, not just in Victoria and in Australia, but around the globe, and I just want to have the opportunity to compete against the best players in the world and perform before one of the best crowds in the world.”
Ben Stokes and Johnny Bairstow, the English batsmen, suffered separate injuries during the fourth test match with Bairstow getting the ball hit straight on his thumb during batting and Stokes having issues in his sides.
The two red headed strongmen battled their respective injuries and saw the match to the end to get England a draw. However, their injuries will now be assessed as they look to make their way to Hobart for the fifth and final match of this absurd Ashes series in Australia.
Australia, who has dominated the series winning the first 3 matches to get the Ashes series and then almost winning the fourth match, have shown the quality of their players ranging from fixed players like Warner and Smith to returns like the centurion Usman Khawaja.
With Jos Butler also out with a broken thumb already and back in England, the team has limited choices left to replace the two integral parts of the team.
“We’ve got to just see where they’re at, see what their bodies can handle and then assess from there,” Root said in Hobart on Wednesday.”
“I think they need to make sure they feel like they’re physically in a place where they can get through five days of hard cricket, whatever Australia throw at them, and they’re in a position where they can go out and play and firstly, get through the game, but also, most importantly put in a performance as they managed to last week as well. It’s alright being fit to play but you’ve got to be fit to perform and I think that’s what we’ve got to work out.”
“All you can do when you’re on the fringes, is work as hard as you can, and make sure you feel as ready as you can,” he said. “One thing about this tour and all tours really in these bubble environments, this Covid-19 world that we are currently living in, is there’s not always opportunities to go out and play and to have game time.”
“But as players, you’ve just got to manage that as best as you can. You’ve got to feel like you’re readying yourself, you’re putting yourself in those situations in practice as best as possible. So when you do get out there, you know, you’re as mentally ready as you possibly can be.”
Kagiso Rabada, the South African pacer lit the way for his team as he proceeded to take a massive four-for to help South Africa limit India’s total.
After Olivier broke through and got Rahul to edge the ball to the keeper, Rabada quickly understood the pitch and attacked with intent as he went on to take four massive wickets starting with Mayank Agarwal.
Rabada went on to end Rahane’s innings at just 9 runs and followed up with Bumrah towards the end getting him for a duck. The biggest wicket of the night then came off his hands again as he managed to get the captain, Virat Kohli at a staggering 79 runs after he nicked the ball, on his front foot stance, to the keeper.
Team India managed to get a total of 223 runs on the board with the loss of all wickets. This was the scoreline towards the end of the last session, however with some time left, South Africa then came out to bat.
Bumrah struck quickly getting Elgar’s wicket who had been the biggest target in the last match getting South Africa the tie. With Maharaj and Makram on the pitch, South Africa defended well enough to end the day at 17 runs
The Indian Premier League has had a variety of title sponsors since its inception in 2008. The tournament started out with real estate giants DLF and was called the DLF IPL until the end of the 2012 season.
The torch was then passed on to global beverage giants Pepsi when parent company Pepsico won the tender and the right to sponsor the IPL for a huge three year deal worth a total of approximately Rs. 250 Crores.
By the end of the 2015 season, another sponsor was being shortlisted. The contenders were mostly Chinese companies doing huge business in India. Finally, VIVO was finalised as the title sponsor. VIVO served as the main sponsor throughout 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
In 2020, post escalating political tension between India and China post the Indo-China border fiasco, the BCCI forced IPL to change the sponsor for the time being due to VIVO’s Chinese ownership and roots.
The Indian fantasy gaming company Dream XI was given the right to sponsor the two parted 2020 season for a record breaking 222 Crores. The next year, 2021, the rights were handed back to VIVO as they still had a few years on their contract left. With the 2021 season ending with VIVO at the top due to legalities, an Indian powerhouse bought out the rights and is set to sponsor the IPL for 2022 and possibly ahead.
The TATA group, which recently took over the government run Air India, will now be taking over as title sponsors of the Indian Premier League. The group has signed a 2 year deal worth a whopping 670 Crores, leaving all the other sponsors behind by a huge margin.
The World No. 1 Novak Djokovic arrived in Australia a couple of weeks ago with a medical exemption from the Australian Open. He was then detained at the Melbourne Airport and subsequently at a cheap hotel nearby.
The hold was on the basis that he had failed to provide all information and documentation on arrival. That meant that Djokovic wasn’t vaccinated and thus wasn’t allowed in the country. However, post a court battle against Prime Minister Morrison, Djokovic has walked out a free man.
Yesterday the judge ruled that Djokovic is to be released from the hotel and is a free man in Australia immediately. The government lost the case and had to let Djokovic go free without any vaccination certifications and with Djokovic mentioning in the press that he does not and will not want to get vaccinated.
For now I cannot say more but THANK YOU all for standing with me through all this and encouraging me to stay strong 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Djokovic has now been ruled free but however, the government still has the last call on deportation of any person. They can still deport Djokovic amidst non vaccination issues as he continues his way to the Australian Open in just 6 days.
Read our statement on Novak Djokovic's entry into Australia following Monday's court hearing in Melbourne ⤵️
With many sports people and critics talking about this situation there are two major sides. The first side is against the Djokovic treatment and believes he should be allowed to play with exemption as he can defend his title. The other side, with reason, says vaccination laws are important right now and to show that you will allow one person in your country who isn’t vaccinated just shows off an unfair judicial system.
The Blaugrana have finally outsmarted La Liga’s rules and found an escape goat in Samuel Umtiti.
Over in Camp Nou, the Barcelona management and Umtiti’s agents have come to a deal with a reduced salary and a renewal that will see Umtiti stay at Barcelona for another 4 and a half years if not released or bought by some other club before.
This new contract has opened up some funds in the salary list to register another player for the team to play in the La Liga. With Ferran Torres signed and ready to go, he’s been waiting for his registration in the La Liga lists to start his minutes at the Camp Nou.
Now with Umtiti signed to a lesser salary, a plan originally made for the now departing Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona can now register and play Ferran Torres as soon as the next La Liga match if everything goes right legally.
Barcelona confirmed in a news statement, “”FC Barcelona and first-team player Samuel Umtiti have reached an agreement to extend the latter’s contract until 30 June 2026. The French defender is reducing a part of the salary that he was due to receive in the year and a half remaining on his contract.”
With Barcelona heading over to Saudi Arabia for another El Clasico against Real Madrid, it’ll be interesting to see if the red and blue can stay in the Supercopa de España.
The South African test captain, Dean Elgar, put up a great performance in Johannesburg to get South Africa the win to tie the series. He has now come out to acknowledge the situation heading into the third and final test in Cape Town.
“This Test match is the biggest we’ve had in 10 or 15 years,” Dean Elgar, South Africa’s Test captain said. “Winning this series 2-1 would be huge. Beating the world No.1 team, even though it is in your back garden, is going to bespeak massive amounts for our playing group going forward and the Proteas badge.”
“At the Wanderers, the minute we brought the intensity, it seemed to fluster the Indians quite a lot and that can play in our favour.”
“It would be the biggest Test win in my playing career so far, especially with the leadership and captaincy now and having a bit more influence with regards to our players group,” Elgar said. “And from a players point of view, it would be massive for us. We’ve put in so much hard work over the last few months, and we’ve actually been playing pretty good cricket up until now but we’ve not had a lot of things go our way. You need some momentum on your side. We’ve been doing everything right. We’ve been ticking the boxes as best as we can.”
“Test cricket demands a high level of intensity and we have to maintain that over five days. It’s not always possible to maintain that over five days but you have to be pretty consistent with regards to implementing the intensity throughout,” he said. “At the Wanderers, the minute we brought the intensity, it seemed to fluster the Indians quite a lot and that can play in our favour. It would be silly of us not to try and replicate that or even bring more intensity into the next game.”
India’s test captain Virat Kohli is back at full fitness and has been medically cleared to play at the Cape Town test match between South Africa and India.
After sitting out of the second test match between the two sides in Johannesburg, Kohli is now resuming his test campaign as India stand with a chance to create history in South Africa this week.
India have never beaten South Africa in their house when it comes to test series. However, with a team like the current team, India have never had a better chance. With Pujara and Rahane seemingly pulling out their forms out of their bags again, it looks like India just might take home the big win and finally add South Africa to the list alongside Australia and England (countries they recently beat in away series).
“I obviously cannot pinpoint when we will have a talk about transition,” Kohli said, when asked whether the team management had had any conversations about a longer-term transition in the middle order. “I think the game itself pans out in a way where transitions happen naturally, so it cannot be forced by individuals, I feel.”
“And if you look at the last Test, both Jinks and Pujara, the way they batted in the second innings, that experience is obviously priceless for us, and especially in series like these where you know these guys have done the job in the past and when you are playing overseas, in tough conditions, these guys will always step up with impact performances.”
“We saw that in Australia as well, the last time we were there (2020-21), we’re seeing that now as well in the last Test. Crucial knocks. Crucial knocks in crucial situations, in crucial scenarios, and that has a lot of value.”
“So I feel transitions do happen, but they happen naturally, and a conversation cannot be forced around a transition is what I’ve experienced and what I feel. When the transition has to happen, everyone knows in which direction the team is moving, and that is a very natural progression, so I think we should leave the transition to unfold itself, and not necessarily force individuals in difficult situations or tricky situations and I truly believe in that.”
“MS Dhoni said to me very early on that there should be a gap of at least 7-8 months between two mistakes, only then will your career grow in international cricket. I internalised that within my system, that I won’t keep repeating the same mistake. And that happens when you reflect on your mistakes, which I know Rishabh does…”
The Kiwi fast bowler joined an esteemed wicket takers group when he delivered a peach of a ball to Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh and got his wicket.
Boult has now successfully entered the 300 wicket club. With the likes of Ross Taylor cheering him on, the pacer lifted the ball in the air as a celebration with the crowd acknowledging the insanely difficult milestone.
“It definitely means a lot,” Boult said after the day’s play, having picked up his ninth five-for in Tests to help roll Bangladesh over for 126 in reply to New Zealand’s 521 for 6 declared. “I am sure it will sink in over the coming days. It comes with a bit of hard work, fitness and pride in your performance.”
“It is very special to have Timmy (Southee) out there with me this afternoon. To join the names like Daniel (Vettori) and Sir Richard (Hadlee) is also very special. Winning the Test match and getting back in the series will be special as well. It is definitely the focus at the moment.”
“I thought the way the boys started, to get a couple of wickets early, not really letting up on the pressure, I suppose we did what we spoke about. It is simply to get them playing on the front foot, and bowl for each other at each end”
“That’s the beauty of Test cricket. The little subtleties that come with different grounds, winds,” Boult said. “The wicket obviously offers a bit of bounce with grass on it. I thought the way the boys started, to get a couple of wickets early, not really letting up on the pressure, I suppose we did what we spoke about. It is simply to get them playing on the front foot, and bowl for each other at each end. Only half the job done but it was a satisfying afternoon.
