While Manchester City had been building towards what they thought was their moment in the Champions League for five years under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea showed with their victory in Saturday's final in Porto what can be achieved in just four months.

That is how long has elapsed since Thomas Tuchel became coach, replacing Frank Lampard with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League.

The German oversaw an immediate transformation in their fortunes, dragging them into the top four, taking them to the FA Cup final which they lost to Leicester City, and now winning the Champions League.

They have beaten Guardiola's City for the third time in six weeks thanks to Kai Havertz's goal, and they are champions of Europe for the second time.

Tuchel is set to reap the rewards with a handsome new contract, although whether he will be allowed to put down roots in west London remains to be seen given how managerial cycles tend to go at Stamford Bridge.&nbsp;

Once again a mid-season managerial sacking has worked out perfectly for Chelsea, whose 2012 Champions League triumph came following the decision to sack Andre Villas-Boas and appoint Roberto Di Matteo.

This time Chelsea have struck gold with Tuchel, but the 47-year-old would not have been able to deliver such success without the huge investment in players that came before his arrival, as well as some of the outstanding young talents who were already thriving under Lampard.

<h2>- Room for improvement -</h2>

Five of Chelsea's line-up at the Estadio do Dragao were signed at the start of the season, including match-winner Havertz, the 71 million-pound ($100m) recruit from Bayer Leverkusen. There was also Reece James and Mason Mount, youth academy graduates who are in England's squad for Euro 2020.

This is a team that has already conquered Europe but that appears to be just at the start of its adventure together.

"We have a strong bond, a strong group who can really defend and play and have answers on all questions in the game," Tuchel said on Saturday.

"Once the celebrations are over and once we digest this experience, it is the moment to grow, to evolve, to learn from it and become better."

There is huge room for improvement in the Premier League after Chelsea finished 19 points behind champions City, and a proper domestic title challenge will be expected now.

"When you play for a club like Chelsea you are always thinking in the future," said veteran skipper Cesar Azpilicueta.

Tuchel knows full well that past success counts for little -- Di Matteo was gone within six months of that 2012 victory and Tuchel himself was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain last December despite leading them to their first ever final last season.

<h2>- 'I want the next one' -</h2>

"When we won the Cup in Dortmund I did not arrive at the next training with less hunger, less desire or ambition," he said.

"Of course now is the time to celebrate for some days, to enjoy and let it sink in, for one or two weeks, to talk about it and reflect on it, but then it does surprisingly not a lot to you.

"I think it's good because nobody wants to rest. I want the next one, the next title. I want to be a part of it and I demand to be a part of it and this is what comes next."

He was initially handed just an 18-month contract but has earned an extended deal after what he has achieved in such a short time.

"I am not even 100 percent sure, but maybe I already have a new contract now with that win. My manager said something about that but I didn't know so let's check this first," he told reporters with a smile.

"My desire is to go for more victories, to grow as a coach and to push the group on the first day of next season to the limit."

The next Premier League campaign starts on August 14, but Chelsea will play three days before that against Villarreal with an opportunity for another trophy in the UEFA Super Cup.

While Manchester City had been building towards what they thought was their moment in the Champions League for five years under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea showed with their victory in Saturday's final in Porto what can be achieved in just four months.

While Manchester City had been building towards what they thought was their moment in the Champions League for five years under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea showed with their victory in Saturday's final in Porto what can be achieved in just four months. That is how long has elapsed since Thomas Tuchel became coach, replacing Frank Lampard with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League. The German oversaw an immediate transformation in their fortunes, dragging them into the top four, taking them to the FA Cup final which they lost to Leicester City, and now winning the Champions League. They have beaten Guardiola's City for the third time in six weeks thanks to Kai Havertz's goal, and they are champions of Europe for the second time. Tuchel is set to reap the rewards with a handsome new contract, although whether he will be allowed to put down roots in west London remains to be seen given how managerial cycles tend to go at Stamford Bridge. Once again a mid-season managerial sacking has worked out perfectly for Chelsea, whose 2012 Champions League triumph came following the decision to sack Andre Villas-Boas and appoint Roberto Di Matteo. This time Chelsea have struck gold with Tuchel, but the 47-year-old would not have been able to deliver such success without the huge investment in players that came before his arrival, as well as some of the outstanding young talents who were already thriving under Lampard. - Room for improvement - Five of Chelsea's line-up at the Estadio do Dragao were signed at the start of the season, including match-winner Havertz, the 71 million-pound ($100m) recruit from Bayer Leverkusen. There was also Reece James and Mason Mount, youth academy graduates who are in England's squad for Euro 2020. This is a team that has already conquered Europe but that appears to be just at the start of its adventure together. "We have a strong bond, a strong group who can really defend and play and have answers on all questions in the game," Tuchel said on Saturday. "Once the celebrations are over and once we digest this experience, it is the moment to grow, to evolve, to learn from it and become better." There is huge room for improvement in the Premier League after Chelsea finished 19 points behind champions City, and a proper domestic title challenge will be expected now. "When you play for a club like Chelsea you are always thinking in the future," said veteran skipper Cesar Azpilicueta. Tuchel knows full well that past success counts for little -- Di Matteo was gone within six months of that 2012 victory and Tuchel himself was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain last December despite leading them to their first ever final last season. - 'I want the next one' - "When we won the Cup in Dortmund I did not arrive at the next training with less hunger, less desire or ambition," he said. "Of course now is the time to celebrate for some days, to enjoy and let it sink in, for one or two weeks, to talk about it and reflect on it, but then it does surprisingly not a lot to you. "I think it's good because nobody wants to rest. I want the next one, the next title. I want to be a part of it and I demand to be a part of it and this is what comes next." He was initially handed just an 18-month contract but has earned an extended deal after what he has achieved in such a short time. "I am not even 100 percent sure, but maybe I already have a new contract now with that win. My manager said something about that but I didn't know so let's check this first," he told reporters with a smile. "My desire is to go for more victories, to grow as a coach and to push the group on the first day of next season to the limit." The next Premier League campaign starts on August 14, but Chelsea will play three days before that against Villarreal with an opportunity for another trophy in the UEFA Super Cup.

Football: Tuchel set for new deal and hungry for more after Chelsea Champions League triumph

Japanese star Naomi Osaka was Sunday threatened with disqualification from the French Open if she continues her media boycott, officials said.

"We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences," said a statement from the four Grand Slam tournaments.

"As might be expected, repeat violations attract tougher sanctions including default from the tournament."

World number two Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam title winner and sport's highest-earning female athlete, was fined $15,000 on Sunday for refusing to hold a press conference after her opening win against Patricia Maria Tig.

Japanese star Naomi Osaka was Sunday threatened with disqualification from the French Open if she continues her media boycott, officials said. "We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences," said a statement from the four Grand Slam tournaments.

Japanese star Naomi Osaka was Sunday threatened with disqualification from the French Open if she continues her media boycott, officials said. "We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences," said a statement from the four Grand Slam tournaments. "As might be expected, repeat violations attract tougher sanctions including default from the tournament." World number two Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam title winner and sport's highest-earning female athlete, was fined $15,000 on Sunday for refusing to hold a press conference after her opening win against Patricia Maria Tig.

Tennis: Osaka faces French Open default if she continues media boycott

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has named his X-factor for Team India in the impending tour of the UK, where the Virat Kohli-led outfit will play the World Test Championship final versus New Zealand and five Tests against England. Chopra further agreed with Rahul Dravid’s assessment that India are well capable of defeating the Joe Root-led outfit on their home soil.<o:p></o:p>

Former Indian skipper, Dravid had earlier predicted a 3-2 scoreline in favour of the visitors, and Chopra while weighing his opinion echoed the same sentiments as he said that this is a great opportunity for the Indian team to get a much-awaited Test series win on English soil.<o:p></o:p>

“I definitely agree, who will not agree with Rahul bhai. There is weight in what he has said, whenever India goes out these days, it is their best chance. To be fair, the chances had become less in Australia because of so many injuries but we won there as well. If you can win there with half a team, hardly eleven players who could be fielded, then to defeat England in England, I think this is a great opportunity,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-indias-pacers-force-opponents-to-think-what-wickets-they-want-to-offer-says-mohammed-shami-ahead-of-england-tour-388441" hreflang="en">Cricket: India's pacers force opponents to think what wickets they want to offer, says Mohammed Shami ahead of England tour</a><o:p></o:p>

Chopra added that India’s batting line-up may be the difference between the two sides and all eyes will be on the four pillars of the Indian batting unit-&nbsp; Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Before concluding, the former Indian batsman named Rishabh Pant as the X-factor for Team India for the five-Test series against England.<o:p></o:p>

“There is strength in the batting, the fast bowling is good and the spinners are doing well. I think if we can bat well, we will be fine. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara - the Indian batting will be dependent on these four pillars,” said Chopra.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-jasprit-bumrah-vs-trent-boult-michael-vaughan-picks-the-better-pacer-ahead-of-wtc-final-388423" hreflang="en">Cricket: Jasprit Bumrah vs Trent Boult - Michael Vaughan picks the better pacer ahead of WTC final</a><o:p></o:p>

“Rishabh Pant could be the X-factor. You can play with five bowlers by including Jadeja, so I do agree that this is perhaps the best opportunity for India to win in England,” he signed off.<o:p></o:p>

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has named his X-factor for Team India in the impending tour of the UK, where the Virat Kohli-led outfit will play the World Test Championship final versus New Zealand and five Tests against England.

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has named his X-factor for Team India in the impending tour of the UK, where the Virat Kohli-led outfit will play the World Test Championship final versus New Zealand and five Tests against England. Chopra further agreed with Rahul Dravid’s assessment that India are well capable of defeating the Joe Root-led outfit on their home soil. Former Indian skipper, Dravid had earlier predicted a 3-2 scoreline in favour of the visitors, and Chopra while weighing his opinion echoed the same sentiments as he said that this is a great opportunity for the Indian team to get a much-awaited Test series win on English soil. “I definitely agree, who will not agree with Rahul bhai. There is weight in what he has said, whenever India goes out these days, it is their best chance. To be fair, the chances had become less in Australia because of so many injuries but we won there as well. If you can win there with half a team, hardly eleven players who could be fielded, then to defeat England in England, I think this is a great opportunity,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ: Cricket: India's pacers force opponents to think what wickets they want to offer, says Mohammed Shami ahead of England tour Chopra added that India’s batting line-up may be the difference between the two sides and all eyes will be on the four pillars of the Indian batting unit- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Before concluding, the former Indian batsman named Rishabh Pant as the X-factor for Team India for the five-Test series against England. “There is strength in the batting, the fast bowling is good and the spinners are doing well. I think if we can bat well, we will be fine. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara - the Indian batting will be dependent on these four pillars,” said Chopra. ALSO READ: Cricket: Jasprit Bumrah vs Trent Boult - Michael Vaughan picks the better pacer ahead of WTC final “Rishabh Pant could be the X-factor. You can play with five bowlers by including Jadeja, so I do agree that this is perhaps the best opportunity for India to win in England,” he signed off.

Cricket: Aakash Chopra names 'X-factor' for Team India in the tour of England

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has said that the current crop of fast bowlers of the country has not only forced teams to take notice but also pushed them to twice before preparing green tracks to host the Indian cricket team. Shami, who is one of the senior members of India’s bowling department, is gearing up for a gruelling tour of the UK where India will play the final of ICC World Test Championship and five Test matches against England.<o:p></o:p>

India’s fast bowling contingent includes the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj along with Shardul Thakur. <o:p></o:p>

"The best thing about our bowling unit is that we have 4-5 pacers who can constantly bowl at over 140-145 clicks. You can find 1-2, but to find 4-5 is tough, and we have that. We force the opposition to think what wickets they want to offer us. I don't think we've had bowlers who could bowl at this pace earlier, we never had 4-5 of them coming in units. Earlier, teams used to plan easily against us but today they are forced to think otherwise," Shami told India News.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-jasprit-bumrah-vs-trent-boult-michael-vaughan-picks-the-better-pacer-ahead-of-wtc-final-388423" hreflang="en">Cricket: Jasprit Bumrah vs Trent Boult - Michael Vaughan picks the better pacer ahead of WTC final</a><o:p></o:p>

Shami opined that the seniors have taken up the duty to guide the youngsters as they want the next-gen bowlers to be up at the very best level. <o:p></o:p>

Young pacers like Prasidh Krishna and Arzan Nagwasawalla, who are in the Indian contingent for the UK tour, would want to pick the brains of the senior pacers such as Bumrah, Shami and Ishant. <o:p></o:p>

"As seniors, our duty is to tell the youngsters to ask us things freely. Overall, the atmosphere and camaraderie between the juniors and seniors is amazing. The thing is, all of us will have to leave the game someday but it is important to think about what we are leaving behind, for the team and the youngsters. It's important to make your country, captain and the board proud," Shami added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-kkrs-pat-cummins-to-miss-remainder-of-ipl-2021-in-uae-report-388392" hreflang="en">Cricket: KKR's Pat Cummins to miss remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE - Report</a><o:p></o:p>

India depart for their tour to the UK on June 2 after completing their quarantine period in India. <o:p></o:p>

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has said that the current crop of fast bowlers of the country has not only forced teams to take notice but also pushed them to twice before preparing green tracks to host the Indian cricket team.

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has said that the current crop of fast bowlers of the country has not only forced teams to take notice but also pushed them to twice before preparing green tracks to host the Indian cricket team. Shami, who is one of the senior members of India’s bowling department, is gearing up for a gruelling tour of the UK where India will play the final of ICC World Test Championship and five Test matches against England. India’s fast bowling contingent includes the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj along with Shardul Thakur. "The best thing about our bowling unit is that we have 4-5 pacers who can constantly bowl at over 140-145 clicks. You can find 1-2, but to find 4-5 is tough, and we have that. We force the opposition to think what wickets they want to offer us. I don't think we've had bowlers who could bowl at this pace earlier, we never had 4-5 of them coming in units. Earlier, teams used to plan easily against us but today they are forced to think otherwise," Shami told India News. ALSO READ: Cricket: Jasprit Bumrah vs Trent Boult - Michael Vaughan picks the better pacer ahead of WTC final Shami opined that the seniors have taken up the duty to guide the youngsters as they want the next-gen bowlers to be up at the very best level. Young pacers like Prasidh Krishna and Arzan Nagwasawalla, who are in the Indian contingent for the UK tour, would want to pick the brains of the senior pacers such as Bumrah, Shami and Ishant. "As seniors, our duty is to tell the youngsters to ask us things freely. Overall, the atmosphere and camaraderie between the juniors and seniors is amazing. The thing is, all of us will have to leave the game someday but it is important to think about what we are leaving behind, for the team and the youngsters. It's important to make your country, captain and the board proud," Shami added. ALSO READ: Cricket: KKR's Pat Cummins to miss remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE - Report India depart for their tour to the UK on June 2 after completing their quarantine period in India.

Cricket: India's pacers force opponents to think what wickets they want to offer, says Mohammed Shami ahead of England tour

Swiss Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier on Sunday breathed his last, at the age of 19, from injuries sustained in a crash in qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix. <o:p></o:p>

"We're deeply saddened to report the loss of Jason Dupasquier," MotoGP said on Twitter.<o:p></o:p>

"On behalf of the entire MotoGP family, we send our love to his team, his family and loved ones. You will be sorely missed, Jason. Ride in peace," the statement added.

&nbsp;ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-acute-nose-bone-fracture-and-left-orbital-fracture-kevin-de-bruyne-reveals-extent-of-injury-picked-up-during-ucl-final-388411" hreflang="en">Football: 'Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture' - Kevin De Bruyne reveals extent of injury picked up during UCL final</a>

<o:p></o:p>

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We’re deeply saddened to report the loss of Jason Dupasquier 
 
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You will be sorely missed, Jason. Ride in peace <a href="https://t.co/nZCzlmJsVi">pic.twitter.com/nZCzlmJsVi</a>
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The Careggi hospital in Florence, where Dupasquier was being treated, confirmed to AFP that the 19-year-old had suffered brain injuries “incompatible with life” in a bike accident at Mugello on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>

The teenager, who was in his second season in Moto3, fell and was struck by at least one passing bike, before sliding along the track, during the qualifier.<o:p></o:p>

Doctors rushed to the spot and airlifted Dupasquier to hospital after attending him on the circuit for 40 minutes. He underwent chest surgery overnight "for a vascular lesion" and had suffered "severe brain damage", a hospital spokesman told AFP earlier Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

The FIM, IRTA umbrella association and DORNA issued a joint-statements on the tragic news.<o:p></o:p>

"Following a serious incident in the Moto3 Qualifying 2 session at the Gran Premio d’Italia, it is with great sadness that we report the passing of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier," it read.<o:p></o:p>

It said after Dupasquier's crash medical officers "arrived at the site immediately and the Swiss rider was attended to on track" before his transfer to hospital.<o:p></o:p>

"Despite the best efforts of circuit medical staff and all those subsequently attending to the Swiss rider, the hospital has announced that Dupasquier has sadly succumbed to his injuries," the statement continued.<o:p></o:p>

His team, Pruestel GP, had already pulled out of Sunday's race, posting on Facebook: "PruestalGP decided not to race today in the #italianGP. The situation of @jasondupasquier50 is still critical and all our thoughts are with him."<o:p></o:p>

Two other racers involved in the crash – Japan’s Ayumu Sasaki and Spain’s Jeremy Alcoba, were “fine”, according to organisers.<o:p></o:p>

Racing for his German team he finished his rookie Moto3 campaign last year pointless in 28th in the overall standings.<o:p></o:p>

The last fatality in the motorcycling world championship was Spain's Luis Salom, who died in practice at the Catalonia Moto2 Grand Prix in Barcelona in 2016.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Swiss Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier on Sunday breathed his last, at the age of 19, from injuries sustained in a crash in qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix. "We're deeply saddened to report the loss of Jason Dupasquier," MotoGP said on Twitter.

Swiss Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier on Sunday breathed his last, at the age of 19, from injuries sustained in a crash in qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix. "We're deeply saddened to report the loss of Jason Dupasquier," MotoGP said on Twitter. "On behalf of the entire MotoGP family, we send our love to his team, his family and loved ones. You will be sorely missed, Jason. Ride in peace," the statement added. ALSO READ: Football: 'Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture' - Kevin De Bruyne reveals extent of injury picked up during UCL final We’re deeply saddened to report the loss of Jason Dupasquier On behalf of the entire MotoGP family, we send our love to his team, his family and loved ones You will be sorely missed, Jason. Ride in peace pic.twitter.com/nZCzlmJsVi — MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 30, 2021 × The Careggi hospital in Florence, where Dupasquier was being treated, confirmed to AFP that the 19-year-old had suffered brain injuries “incompatible with life” in a bike accident at Mugello on Saturday. The teenager, who was in his second season in Moto3, fell and was struck by at least one passing bike, before sliding along the track, during the qualifier. Doctors rushed to the spot and airlifted Dupasquier to hospital after attending him on the circuit for 40 minutes. He underwent chest surgery overnight "for a vascular lesion" and had suffered "severe brain damage", a hospital spokesman told AFP earlier Sunday. The FIM, IRTA umbrella association and DORNA issued a joint-statements on the tragic news. "Following a serious incident in the Moto3 Qualifying 2 session at the Gran Premio d’Italia, it is with great sadness that we report the passing of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier," it read. It said after Dupasquier's crash medical officers "arrived at the site immediately and the Swiss rider was attended to on track" before his transfer to hospital. "Despite the best efforts of circuit medical staff and all those subsequently attending to the Swiss rider, the hospital has announced that Dupasquier has sadly succumbed to his injuries," the statement continued. His team, Pruestel GP, had already pulled out of Sunday's race, posting on Facebook: "PruestalGP decided not to race today in the #italianGP. The situation of @jasondupasquier50 is still critical and all our thoughts are with him." Two other racers involved in the crash – Japan’s Ayumu Sasaki and Spain’s Jeremy Alcoba, were “fine”, according to organisers. Racing for his German team he finished his rookie Moto3 campaign last year pointless in 28th in the overall standings. The last fatality in the motorcycling world championship was Spain's Luis Salom, who died in practice at the Catalonia Moto2 Grand Prix in Barcelona in 2016. (With inputs from agencies)

Motorsport: Jason Dupasquier, 19, dies after crash in Swiss Moto3

Mumbai Indians team-mates Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult would be up against each other in the final of ICC World Test Championship, which will be played between India and New Zealand in Southampton from June 18. Former England captain Michael Vaughan has weighed his opinion on who is the better bowler between Boult and Bumrah as the cricketing world gears up for the biggest spectacle in Test cricket.<o:p></o:p>

Opining on the matter, Vaughan picked Boult while citing longevity but said that picking between the two players is a very close task.<o:p></o:p>

When asked who is the better bowler between Boult and Bumrah, Vaughan played it safe as he said: “Bumrah or Boult… I can’t decide. I’m going to sit on the fence probably for the first time in my life. I would say Boult because he’s been doing it for longer, but Bumrah is incredible and a brilliantly skilled bowler, bowled so well in England a couple of years ago. So I think it’s very, very close,” Vaughan told Spark Sport.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-kkrs-pat-cummins-to-miss-remainder-of-ipl-2021-in-uae-report-388392" hreflang="en">Cricket: KKR's Pat Cummins to miss remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE - Report</a><o:p></o:p>

Earlier, Vaughan had said that Kane Williamson is equally good batsman as Virat Kohli as he added that the Indian skipper is regarded as the best because of his massive popularity on social media.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, New Zealand will gear up for the WTC final with a two-Test series against England and it will give them the best chance to prepare for the summit clash against India while getting accustomed to the conditions.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-world-test-championship-final-is-like-world-cup-final-for-me-neil-wagner-388373" hreflang="en">Cricket: World Test Championship final is like World Cup final for me: Neil Wagner</a><o:p></o:p>

Whereas, India will fly out to England on June 2 and will undergo quarantine upon their arrival. However, the Indian team has been high on confidence when it comes to the longest format of the game following their away success against Australia and home series win against England.<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Indians team-mates Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult would be up against each other in the final of ICC World Test Championship, which will be played between India and New Zealand in Southampton from June 18.

Mumbai Indians team-mates Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult would be up against each other in the final of ICC World Test Championship, which will be played between India and New Zealand in Southampton from June 18. Former England captain Michael Vaughan has weighed his opinion on who is the better bowler between Boult and Bumrah as the cricketing world gears up for the biggest spectacle in Test cricket. Opining on the matter, Vaughan picked Boult while citing longevity but said that picking between the two players is a very close task. When asked who is the better bowler between Boult and Bumrah, Vaughan played it safe as he said: “Bumrah or Boult… I can’t decide. I’m going to sit on the fence probably for the first time in my life. I would say Boult because he’s been doing it for longer, but Bumrah is incredible and a brilliantly skilled bowler, bowled so well in England a couple of years ago. So I think it’s very, very close,” Vaughan told Spark Sport. ALSO READ: Cricket: KKR's Pat Cummins to miss remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE - Report Earlier, Vaughan had said that Kane Williamson is equally good batsman as Virat Kohli as he added that the Indian skipper is regarded as the best because of his massive popularity on social media. Meanwhile, New Zealand will gear up for the WTC final with a two-Test series against England and it will give them the best chance to prepare for the summit clash against India while getting accustomed to the conditions. ALSO READ: Cricket: World Test Championship final is like World Cup final for me: Neil Wagner Whereas, India will fly out to England on June 2 and will undergo quarantine upon their arrival. However, the Indian team has been high on confidence when it comes to the longest format of the game following their away success against Australia and home series win against England.

Cricket: Jasprit Bumrah vs Trent Boult - Michael Vaughan picks the better pacer ahead of WTC final

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has revealed the extent of his injury picked up during the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto, Portugal. De Bruyne was substituted off in the 60th minute after Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger body-checked the Belgian.<o:p></o:p>

The 29-year-old straightaway went on to the ground and looked in immense pain as the physios and medical staff checked him. De Bruyne left the field in tears and pain as the Man City staff helped him limp off. Now, the Belgian has revealed the extent of his injury.<o:p></o:p>

De Bruyne has said that he has suffered acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. The Man City midfielder further said he is still disappointed about the Champions League final defeat against Chelsea while vowing that the team will be back fighting for titles next season.<o:p></o:p>

“Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back,” De Bruyne tweeted.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-final-how-pep-guardiolas-manchester-city-imploded-on-their-biggest-night-388380" hreflang="en">Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night</a>

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Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeBruyneKev/status/1398944269348573188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Manchester City players were left in tears as Chelsea defeated them 1-0 to lift their second Champions League trophy. Chelsea’s club-record signing, Kai Havertz netted his first-ever goal in UCL to hand Chelsea the most important goal of their season as the London club enjoyed their first success under manager Thomas Tuchel. <o:p></o:p>

Earlier on Sunday, Man City right-back Kyle Walker expressed his disappointment in not winning the coveted Champions League but said the team will bounce back stronger next season.<o:p></o:p>

“We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. We will be back stronger.&nbsp; Thanks for all your support,” Walker tweeted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kais-the-limit-as-chelsea-fans-revel-in-champions-league-glory-388360" hreflang="en">Kai's the limit as Chelsea fans revel in Champions League glory</a>

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We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. 
 
We will be back stronger. 
Thanks for all your support. 
💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mancity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mancity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mancity</a> <a href="https://t.co/wmKnh1ogp0">pic.twitter.com/wmKnh1ogp0</a>
— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylewalker2/status/1398940075145170948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has revealed the extent of his injury picked up during the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto, Portugal.

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has revealed the extent of his injury picked up during the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto, Portugal. De Bruyne was substituted off in the 60th minute after Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger body-checked the Belgian. The 29-year-old straightaway went on to the ground and looked in immense pain as the physios and medical staff checked him. De Bruyne left the field in tears and pain as the Man City staff helped him limp off. Now, the Belgian has revealed the extent of his injury. De Bruyne has said that he has suffered acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. The Man City midfielder further said he is still disappointed about the Champions League final defeat against Chelsea while vowing that the team will be back fighting for titles next season. “Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back,” De Bruyne tweeted. ALSO READ: Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back — Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) May 30, 2021 × Manchester City players were left in tears as Chelsea defeated them 1-0 to lift their second Champions League trophy. Chelsea’s club-record signing, Kai Havertz netted his first-ever goal in UCL to hand Chelsea the most important goal of their season as the London club enjoyed their first success under manager Thomas Tuchel. Earlier on Sunday, Man City right-back Kyle Walker expressed his disappointment in not winning the coveted Champions League but said the team will bounce back stronger next season. “We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. We will be back stronger. Thanks for all your support,” Walker tweeted. ALSO READ: Kai's the limit as Chelsea fans revel in Champions League glory We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. We will be back stronger. Thanks for all your support. 💙 #mancity @mancity pic.twitter.com/wmKnh1ogp0 — Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) May 30, 2021 ×

Football: 'Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture' - Kevin De Bruyne reveals extent of injury picked up during UCL final

Ace Australian pacer Pat Cummins is unlikely to return for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which will take place in the UAE, to play for Kolkata Knight Riders. <o:p></o:p>

According to a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Cummins has made it clear that he won’t be participating in the remaining matches of IPL 2021 for his team KKR. <o:p></o:p>

"David Warner and Pat Cummins could be rested from the West Indies tour because of family reasons - others could follow after a draining year in several bubbles - and Cummins, despite a multimillion-dollar IPL contract, has already said he will not return to the T20 tournament this season," stated the report.<o:p></o:p>

Earlier, the managing director of the England men’s team and former international, Ashley Giles said that England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are not planning to tweak their schedule for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-world-test-championship-final-is-like-world-cup-final-for-me-neil-wagner-388373" hreflang="en">Cricket: World Test Championship final is like World Cup final for me: Neil Wagner</a><o:p></o:p>

The remaining matches of the postponed IPL 2021 will be completed in the UAE with the BCCI shifting the tournament from India due to the ‘monsoon’ season in the country. <o:p></o:p>

"We are going to have to give some of these guys a break at some point. But the intention of giving guys a break for, say, Bangladesh, wouldn't be for them to go and play cricket elsewhere," ESPNcricinfo quoted Giles as saying.<o:p></o:p>

"We have to manage our schedule now, so we get our guys arriving in the best shape possible for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes," he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-kohli-isnt-the-highest-paid-captain-in-international-cricket-check-full-list-of-skippers-and-salaries-in-2021-386865" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

The decision to shift IPL 2021 to the UAE was taken at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held virtually on Saturday, where members unanimously agreed to resume the T20 tournament.<o:p></o:p>

"The BCCI SGM further authorised the office bearers to seek an extension of time from the ICC to take an appropriate call on the hosting of ICC T20 World Cup 2021," the BCCI said in an official release.<o:p></o:p>

Ace Australian pacer Pat Cummins is unlikely to return for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which will take place in the UAE, to play for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ace Australian pacer Pat Cummins is unlikely to return for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which will take place in the UAE, to play for Kolkata Knight Riders. According to a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Cummins has made it clear that he won’t be participating in the remaining matches of IPL 2021 for his team KKR. "David Warner and Pat Cummins could be rested from the West Indies tour because of family reasons - others could follow after a draining year in several bubbles - and Cummins, despite a multimillion-dollar IPL contract, has already said he will not return to the T20 tournament this season," stated the report. Earlier, the managing director of the England men’s team and former international, Ashley Giles said that England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are not planning to tweak their schedule for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. ALSO READ: Cricket: World Test Championship final is like World Cup final for me: Neil Wagner The remaining matches of the postponed IPL 2021 will be completed in the UAE with the BCCI shifting the tournament from India due to the ‘monsoon’ season in the country. "We are going to have to give some of these guys a break at some point. But the intention of giving guys a break for, say, Bangladesh, wouldn't be for them to go and play cricket elsewhere," ESPNcricinfo quoted Giles as saying. "We have to manage our schedule now, so we get our guys arriving in the best shape possible for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes," he added. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021 The decision to shift IPL 2021 to the UAE was taken at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held virtually on Saturday, where members unanimously agreed to resume the T20 tournament. "The BCCI SGM further authorised the office bearers to seek an extension of time from the ICC to take an appropriate call on the hosting of ICC T20 World Cup 2021," the BCCI said in an official release.

Cricket: KKR's Pat Cummins to miss remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE - Report

Chelsea lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy as the Thomas Tuchel side outclassed Manchester City to win the summit clash 1-0, thanks to a defence-splitting pass by Mason Mount to find Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute as the young German rounded Ederson to net his first-ever goal – the one he will savour forever – in the biggest club competition.

While Manchester City have themselves to blame for a forgettable outing in Porto, Chelsea were up for every tactical nuance&nbsp;which Guardiola threw in front of them. The genius of N’Golo Kante produced one of the most breathtaking performances by a defensive midfielder as he swept and stole every ball that came his way. Whereas, young Reece James and Ben Chilwell nullified whatever threat the wingers – Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez – had, if any, on the night.

Manchester City headed into the final against Chelsea as favourites. Given the impressive shows on the road to the final, Man City were expected to blow Chelsea over by their quality and form. However, the Premier League champions imploded on the night.

Some say the players felt the pressure of their first-ever Champions League final appearance (only Scott Carson from Man City had made it to the Champions League final before), many say Pep Guardiola’s ‘overthinking’ has cost them the coveted Champions League trophy.

<img alt="Pep Guardiola UCL final" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9d1c91d-3f10-492c-8a5e-72c07e56bbba" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9AZ9F4.jpg" />

Guardiola lost his first cup final as Manchester City manager, and second major cup final defeat of his managerial career - after the Copa del Rey in 2010-11.

So where did Manchester City lose the Champions League final against Chelsea?

<h2>Formation change</h2>

Manchester City’s game is based on patience and finding that perfect time to accelerate the tempo. The Cityzens did it to almost perfection during the course of the Premier League and League Cup-winning campaign but Guardiola decided to tweak the formation. Man City, in the 2020-21 season, played 59 out of 60 matches with either of Fernandinho or Rodri in the playing XI – the defensive midfielders, integral to rhythm of the match while providing stability to the defensive line.

Guardiola went without either of them in the Champions League final and put Ilkay Gundogan, club’s highest goal-scorer this season in a holding position. Phil Foden, who excelled as left-winger this season, played as a number eight while Kevin De Bruyne dropped deep to link-up the play. Nothing worked as N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mason Mount continued to crowd the space in between. As Kante swept and cleaned almost every ball in the midfielder, Jorginho and Mount were present to find the relentless runs by Timo Werner.

<img alt="Kevin De Bruyne vs Chelsea" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32dad7e1-a029-4693-a45c-728017a451c9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9AZ8YZ.jpg" />

Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel's switch to a 3-4-3 formation had transformed Chelsea's season and denied City's abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines in their two previous meetings.

Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola's bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired.

“I did the best in the selection. Against Lyon like it was against PSG, Dortmund, I tried the selection the best to win the game. The players know it, I think Gundogan played good, we were exceptional,” Guardiola said after the crushing defeat to Chelsea in the final of Champions League.

<h2>Sterling left-wide, Riyad Mahrez kept drifting inwards</h2>

Many were left surprised when Manchester City named Raheem Sterling as one of the starters in the Champions League final. The Englishman didn’t enjoy the best of seasons and mostly struggled to find his A-game. Even when Sterling’s positioning and speed helped him to be in goal-scoring spaces, the 26-year-old has more often ended up scuffing his chances, during the course of the season.

Maybe, Guardiola wanted to take the pace of Reece James out of the game by planting Sterling on the left-wing but the tweak didn’t help as the Chelsea right wing-back kept tight on his England teammate. More surprisingly, Riyad Mahrez, who has been one of the finest performers in Europe this season, was asked to drift inwards without the ball, to create more space for Kyle Walker to explore his pace.

While Mahrez, most of the time, found no space to get on with his trickery, Walker found himself isolated in the wings when bombing forward. &nbsp;Another move, which Guardiola, in hindsight, would be gutted about.

<img alt="Pep and Sterling" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5102ee1-3a6a-477d-bddc-badd47331826" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9AZ9AU.jpg" />

<h2>Patience out of the building</h2>

Manchester City’s game, under Pep Guardiola, has been based on “patience” and trying to find the space for the perfect pass in front of the goal. But surprisingly, the team which won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, four League Cups – on the trot, two Community Shields and reached the final of Champions League, with the same approach was set-up to play in a completely contrasting style.

At one point, the likes of Sterling, Foden, De Bruyne and Mahrez were hugging Chelsea’s defensive line with the hope that one of the defenders or Gundogan would find the long ball penetrating the resilient and stubborn defense. This is where Guardiola got it completely wrong, by forcing a style that doesn’t suit how Man City play. The forced style by Guardiola left Man City in the lurch, neither they were able to get on with their usual passing, pressing, position game; nor did they manage to counter-attack when spaces opened. There were plenty of long-balls played, but again, this is not how Man City are accustomed to playing.

"We expected Fernandinho in the line-up, to start. He chose a very offensive line-up, a very tactical line-up. It's very hard to steal and recover the ball. Everything else we more or less expected,” said Chelsea boss and now a UCL winner, Thomas Tuchel.

<img alt="Pep Guardiola" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0073a055-a4f6-4487-b921-c08a7f46f014" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9B22FV.jpg" />

Manchester City could have had a perfect ending to a difficult 2020-21 season but the curious stat of debutant UCL finalist failing to win the coveted European trophy continues. While the long wait for the Champions League trophy continues for the Cityzens, the fans will be proud of the heights the club has reached in the last decade or so.

While an xG of 0.52 on the biggest night of Manchester City was underwhelming, a&nbsp;Premier League trophy and League Cup along with a Champions League final appearance is a terrific achievement for Manchester City. But they must find a way to overcome the heartbreaking defeat and get going again in the next season, like they have, on so many occassions.&nbsp;

<o:p></o:p>

Chelsea lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy as the Thomas Tuchel side outclassed Manchester City to win the summit clash 1-0, thanks to a defence-splitting pass by Mason Mount to find Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute as the young German rounded Ederson to net his first-ever goal – the one he will savour forever – in the biggest club competition.

Chelsea lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy as the Thomas Tuchel side outclassed Manchester City to win the summit clash 1-0, thanks to a defence-splitting pass by Mason Mount to find Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute as the young German rounded Ederson to net his first-ever goal – the one he will savour forever – in the biggest club competition. While Manchester City have themselves to blame for a forgettable outing in Porto, Chelsea were up for every tactical nuance which Guardiola threw in front of them. The genius of N’Golo Kante produced one of the most breathtaking performances by a defensive midfielder as he swept and stole every ball that came his way. Whereas, young Reece James and Ben Chilwell nullified whatever threat the wingers – Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez – had, if any, on the night. Manchester City headed into the final against Chelsea as favourites. Given the impressive shows on the road to the final, Man City were expected to blow Chelsea over by their quality and form. However, the Premier League champions imploded on the night. Some say the players felt the pressure of their first-ever Champions League final appearance (only Scott Carson from Man City had made it to the Champions League final before), many say Pep Guardiola’s ‘overthinking’ has cost them the coveted Champions League trophy. Guardiola lost his first cup final as Manchester City manager, and second major cup final defeat of his managerial career - after the Copa del Rey in 2010-11. So where did Manchester City lose the Champions League final against Chelsea? Formation change Manchester City’s game is based on patience and finding that perfect time to accelerate the tempo. The Cityzens did it to almost perfection during the course of the Premier League and League Cup-winning campaign but Guardiola decided to tweak the formation. Man City, in the 2020-21 season, played 59 out of 60 matches with either of Fernandinho or Rodri in the playing XI – the defensive midfielders, integral to rhythm of the match while providing stability to the defensive line. Guardiola went without either of them in the Champions League final and put Ilkay Gundogan, club’s highest goal-scorer this season in a holding position. Phil Foden, who excelled as left-winger this season, played as a number eight while Kevin De Bruyne dropped deep to link-up the play. Nothing worked as N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mason Mount continued to crowd the space in between. As Kante swept and cleaned almost every ball in the midfielder, Jorginho and Mount were present to find the relentless runs by Timo Werner. Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel's switch to a 3-4-3 formation had transformed Chelsea's season and denied City's abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines in their two previous meetings. Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola's bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired. “I did the best in the selection. Against Lyon like it was against PSG, Dortmund, I tried the selection the best to win the game. The players know it, I think Gundogan played good, we were exceptional,” Guardiola said after the crushing defeat to Chelsea in the final of Champions League. Sterling left-wide, Riyad Mahrez kept drifting inwards Many were left surprised when Manchester City named Raheem Sterling as one of the starters in the Champions League final. The Englishman didn’t enjoy the best of seasons and mostly struggled to find his A-game. Even when Sterling’s positioning and speed helped him to be in goal-scoring spaces, the 26-year-old has more often ended up scuffing his chances, during the course of the season. Maybe, Guardiola wanted to take the pace of Reece James out of the game by planting Sterling on the left-wing but the tweak didn’t help as the Chelsea right wing-back kept tight on his England teammate. More surprisingly, Riyad Mahrez, who has been one of the finest performers in Europe this season, was asked to drift inwards without the ball, to create more space for Kyle Walker to explore his pace. While Mahrez, most of the time, found no space to get on with his trickery, Walker found himself isolated in the wings when bombing forward. Another move, which Guardiola, in hindsight, would be gutted about. Patience out of the building Manchester City’s game, under Pep Guardiola, has been based on “patience” and trying to find the space for the perfect pass in front of the goal. But surprisingly, the team which won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, four League Cups – on the trot, two Community Shields and reached the final of Champions League, with the same approach was set-up to play in a completely contrasting style. At one point, the likes of Sterling, Foden, De Bruyne and Mahrez were hugging Chelsea’s defensive line with the hope that one of the defenders or Gundogan would find the long ball penetrating the resilient and stubborn defense. This is where Guardiola got it completely wrong, by forcing a style that doesn’t suit how Man City play. The forced style by Guardiola left Man City in the lurch, neither they were able to get on with their usual passing, pressing, position game; nor did they manage to counter-attack when spaces opened. There were plenty of long-balls played, but again, this is not how Man City are accustomed to playing. "We expected Fernandinho in the line-up, to start. He chose a very offensive line-up, a very tactical line-up. It's very hard to steal and recover the ball. Everything else we more or less expected,” said Chelsea boss and now a UCL winner, Thomas Tuchel. Manchester City could have had a perfect ending to a difficult 2020-21 season but the curious stat of debutant UCL finalist failing to win the coveted European trophy continues. While the long wait for the Champions League trophy continues for the Cityzens, the fans will be proud of the heights the club has reached in the last decade or so. While an xG of 0.52 on the biggest night of Manchester City was underwhelming, a Premier League trophy and League Cup along with a Champions League final appearance is a terrific achievement for Manchester City. But they must find a way to overcome the heartbreaking defeat and get going again in the next season, like they have, on so many occassions.

Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night

The BCCI indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 owing to positive cases across multiple teams inside the bio-secure bubble. While all the players and staff participating in IPL 2021 have now returned back to their respective homes, Ravichandran Ashwin was one Indian player who pulled out of IPL 2021 mid-way. <o:p></o:p>

Ashwin, who plays for IPL 2021 runners-up Delhi Capitals, decided to withdraw from the T20 tournament to be with his family. While Ashwin didn’t reveal the reason for his exit initially, his wife disclosed that as many as 10 people at their home had tested positive for COVID-19.<o:p></o:p>

Now, the veteran spinner has opened up about the phase during IPL 2021 as he said that while almost everyone contracted the dreaded virus in his home, a few of his family members’ health deteriorated and were admitted to the hospital.<o:p></o:p>

As things developed, Ashwin failed to be at peach inside IPL’s bio-secure bubble and the 34-year-old said that he couldn’t sleep due to the tension and stress for eight to 10 days.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-intention-is-to-give-guys-a-break-not-for-them-to-play-elsewhere-ashley-giles-on-england-players-in-remainder-of-ipl-2021-387855" hreflang="en">Cricket: Intention is to give guys a break, not for them to play elsewhere: Ashley Giles on England players in remainder of IPL 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

Ashwin further revealed that he doubted whether he would be able to return to cricket.<o:p></o:p>

“Almost everyone from my place had got affected due to COVID. In fact, a few of my cousins also got admitted and were serious and they somehow recovered. I couldn’t sleep for almost 8-9 days,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.<o:p></o:p>

“Since I couldn’t sleep, it was really stressful for me. I was playing matches without getting any sleep. And since I found it really taxing, I had to quit IPL and go home midway. In fact, when I left, around that time, I had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter. But still, I did what was required at that point of time,” Ashwin stated.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-kohli-isnt-the-highest-paid-captain-in-international-cricket-check-full-list-of-skippers-and-salaries-in-2021-386865" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

Ashwin will be back in action when he takes the field for India in the World Test Championship final and five-Test series against England. <o:p></o:p>

The BCCI indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 owing to positive cases across multiple teams inside the bio-secure bubble. While all the players and staff participating in IPL 2021 have now returned back to their respective homes, Ravichandran Ashwin was one Indian player who pulled out of IPL 2021 mid-way.

The BCCI indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 owing to positive cases across multiple teams inside the bio-secure bubble. While all the players and staff participating in IPL 2021 have now returned back to their respective homes, Ravichandran Ashwin was one Indian player who pulled out of IPL 2021 mid-way. Ashwin, who plays for IPL 2021 runners-up Delhi Capitals, decided to withdraw from the T20 tournament to be with his family. While Ashwin didn’t reveal the reason for his exit initially, his wife disclosed that as many as 10 people at their home had tested positive for COVID-19. Now, the veteran spinner has opened up about the phase during IPL 2021 as he said that while almost everyone contracted the dreaded virus in his home, a few of his family members’ health deteriorated and were admitted to the hospital. As things developed, Ashwin failed to be at peach inside IPL’s bio-secure bubble and the 34-year-old said that he couldn’t sleep due to the tension and stress for eight to 10 days. ALSO READ: Cricket: Intention is to give guys a break, not for them to play elsewhere: Ashley Giles on England players in remainder of IPL 2021 Ashwin further revealed that he doubted whether he would be able to return to cricket. “Almost everyone from my place had got affected due to COVID. In fact, a few of my cousins also got admitted and were serious and they somehow recovered. I couldn’t sleep for almost 8-9 days,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Since I couldn’t sleep, it was really stressful for me. I was playing matches without getting any sleep. And since I found it really taxing, I had to quit IPL and go home midway. In fact, when I left, around that time, I had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter. But still, I did what was required at that point of time,” Ashwin stated. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021 Ashwin will be back in action when he takes the field for India in the World Test Championship final and five-Test series against England.

‘Had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter’ – R Ashwin on pulling out from IPL 2021

The Managing Director of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Ashley Giles as said that the priority of English players would be to represent the country while adding no changes would be made to the international schedule in a bid to accommodate the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.<o:p></o:p>

Giles maintained his earlier stance that ECB has not received any official requests to shift the five-Test series against India, which would allow more time for the BCCI in the September-October window to conduct the remainder of IPL 2021 in the UAE. <o:p></o:p>

‘I’m not aware of anything official, any requests to shift anything. As far as we’re concerned and what we’re prepared for, the matches will be where they are. I’m not surprised there’s all sorts of speculation. Everyone wants to get their cricket in. But we’ve not received anything official and we’re cracking on,” Giles said. <o:p></o:p>

Giles further said that even if some players are rested for the limited-overs tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan in September-October, that would not mean they can go and participate in IPL 2021.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-will-be-a-good-match-pat-cummins-prediction-on-wtc-finals-387834" hreflang="en">Cricket- 'Will be a good match': Pat Cummins' prediction on WTC finals</a><o:p></o:p>

“We have a full schedule. If we go from the end of the fifth Test in September, we are set to leave for Bangladesh on September 19 or 20. We have a full schedule right through including Pakistan and wherever the T20 World Cup is,” added Giles.<o:p></o:p>

“We are going to have to give some of these guys a break at some point. But the intention of giving guys a break for, say, Bangladesh, wouldn’t be for them to go and play cricket elsewhere.”<o:p></o:p>

“We have to manage our schedule now, so we get our guys arriving in the best shape possible for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes,” stated Giles.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-gayle-shakib-and-du-plessis-return-to-caribbean-premier-league-387817" hreflang="en">Cricket: Gayle, Shakib and Du Plessis return to Caribbean Premier League</a>

Earlier, ECB allowed its players to play in IPL 2021 in April-May despite a Test series scheduled against New Zealand in early June as the two-Test rubber wasn’t a part of the ICC World Test Championship. However, with ECB shifting its focus to the T20 World Cup and Ashes, things might change if IPL 2021 is held in the UAE in the September-October window. <o:p></o:p>

“Communication was made from Chris Silverwood to Bairstow and Buttler about what the plan was. We felt there was no need to go back on that. They’ve been spending time with their families and Jos is away for a few days at the moment. We didn’t want to drag those players out of that at the 11th hour. There was no plan to change that,” said Giles.<o:p></o:p>

The Managing Director of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Ashley Giles as said that the priority of English players would be to represent the country while adding no changes would be made to the international schedule in a bid to accommodate the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

The Managing Director of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Ashley Giles as said that the priority of English players would be to represent the country while adding no changes would be made to the international schedule in a bid to accommodate the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Giles maintained his earlier stance that ECB has not received any official requests to shift the five-Test series against India, which would allow more time for the BCCI in the September-October window to conduct the remainder of IPL 2021 in the UAE. ‘I’m not aware of anything official, any requests to shift anything. As far as we’re concerned and what we’re prepared for, the matches will be where they are. I’m not surprised there’s all sorts of speculation. Everyone wants to get their cricket in. But we’ve not received anything official and we’re cracking on,” Giles said. Giles further said that even if some players are rested for the limited-overs tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan in September-October, that would not mean they can go and participate in IPL 2021. ALSO READ: Cricket- 'Will be a good match': Pat Cummins' prediction on WTC finals “We have a full schedule. If we go from the end of the fifth Test in September, we are set to leave for Bangladesh on September 19 or 20. We have a full schedule right through including Pakistan and wherever the T20 World Cup is,” added Giles. “We are going to have to give some of these guys a break at some point. But the intention of giving guys a break for, say, Bangladesh, wouldn’t be for them to go and play cricket elsewhere.” “We have to manage our schedule now, so we get our guys arriving in the best shape possible for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes,” stated Giles. ALSO READ: Cricket: Gayle, Shakib and Du Plessis return to Caribbean Premier League Earlier, ECB allowed its players to play in IPL 2021 in April-May despite a Test series scheduled against New Zealand in early June as the two-Test rubber wasn’t a part of the ICC World Test Championship. However, with ECB shifting its focus to the T20 World Cup and Ashes, things might change if IPL 2021 is held in the UAE in the September-October window. “Communication was made from Chris Silverwood to Bairstow and Buttler about what the plan was. We felt there was no need to go back on that. They’ve been spending time with their families and Jos is away for a few days at the moment. We didn’t want to drag those players out of that at the 11th hour. There was no plan to change that,” said Giles.

Cricket: Intention is to give guys a break, not for them to play elsewhere: Ashley Giles on England players in remainder of IPL 2021

Chris Gayle, Shakib al Hasan and Faf du Plessis will be playing at the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which takes place in St Kitts and Nevis from August 28 to September 19. <o:p></o:p>

Chris Gayle will be back with the St Kitts &amp; Nevis Patriots, a team he played for in 2017 and 2018. Gayle guided the Patriots to their only Hero CPL final in his first year with the franchise. As the leading run-scorer in T20 history, the 'Universe Boss' brings a huge amount of experience to the Patriots squad.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

Shakib al Hasan has joined the Jamaica Tallawahs for the 2021 season. This will be the second time that the world’s leading spin-bowling all-rounder has represented the Tallawahs having been with the franchise in 2016 and 2017.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-deepak-chahar-talks-about-ms-dhonis-best-quality-as-a-captain-387805" hreflang="en">Cricket: Deepak Chahar talks about MS Dhoni's 'best quality as a captain'</a><o:p></o:p>

Faf du Plessis will be playing for the St Lucia Zouks this season. The former South Africa captain has been in outstanding form in recent months for the Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League where he made four consecutive half centuries, including 95 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders. This is his second stint at the Hero CPL having played for the Patriots in 2016. <o:p></o:p>

First started in 2013, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-jofra-archer-eyes-t20-world-cup-and-ashes-says-wont-rush-comeback-387756" hreflang="en">Cricket: Jofra Archer eyes T20 World Cup and Ashes, says won't 'rush comeback'</a><o:p></o:p>

Trinbago Knight Riders are the current CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts &amp; Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and Jamaica Tallawahs. The 2021 tournament takes place in St Kitts &amp; Nevis from August 28 to September 19. <o:p></o:p>

Chris Gayle, Shakib al Hasan and Faf du Plessis will be playing at the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which takes place in St Kitts and Nevis from August 28 to September 19.

Chris Gayle, Shakib al Hasan and Faf du Plessis will be playing at the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which takes place in St Kitts and Nevis from August 28 to September 19. Chris Gayle will be back with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, a team he played for in 2017 and 2018. Gayle guided the Patriots to their only Hero CPL final in his first year with the franchise. As the leading run-scorer in T20 history, the 'Universe Boss' brings a huge amount of experience to the Patriots squad. Shakib al Hasan has joined the Jamaica Tallawahs for the 2021 season. This will be the second time that the world’s leading spin-bowling all-rounder has represented the Tallawahs having been with the franchise in 2016 and 2017. ALSO READ: Cricket: Deepak Chahar talks about MS Dhoni's 'best quality as a captain' Faf du Plessis will be playing for the St Lucia Zouks this season. The former South Africa captain has been in outstanding form in recent months for the Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League where he made four consecutive half centuries, including 95 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders. This is his second stint at the Hero CPL having played for the Patriots in 2016. First started in 2013, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. ALSO READ: Cricket: Jofra Archer eyes T20 World Cup and Ashes, says won't 'rush comeback' Trinbago Knight Riders are the current CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and Jamaica Tallawahs. The 2021 tournament takes place in St Kitts & Nevis from August 28 to September 19.

Cricket: Gayle, Shakib and Du Plessis return to Caribbean Premier League

In what could be one of the biggest transfers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino over a return to the club. Pochettino was sacked by Spurs 18 months ago and the Argentine went onto sign a short-term deal with his former club PSG.<o:p></o:p>

With the Ligue 1 giants, Pochettino won two domestic trophies to end his wait for a title as a manager but failed to guide PSG to a league title after being pipped by Lille.<o:p></o:p>

Under Pochettino, PSG qualified for the UCL semi-final but were defeated by Manchester City.<o:p></o:p>

While Pochettino is regarded as one of the finest tacticians, Tottenham Hotspur are working on a possible return for the Argentine to the North London club.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-zinedine-zidane-leaves-real-madrid-after-disappointing-2020-21-campaign-387764" hreflang="en">Football: Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid after disappointing 2020-21 campaign</a><o:p></o:p>

Reportedly, Pochettino is unhappy with how some of the things have been handled by the PSG hierarchy and is considering returning to Premier League. Apparently, Daniel Levi has accepted that it was a “mistake” to sack Pochettino and believes bringing him back is the best possible chance for the club to get back to UCL contention and win the fans back after the Super League fiasco.<o:p></o:p>

The Argentine guided Spurs to three top-three finishes in the Premier League, on the bounce, and four Champions League qualifications. He also took Tottenham Hotspur to the final of the Champions League only to lose against Liverpool.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-at-least-70-racial-slurs-marcus-rashford-subjected-to-online-abuse-after-europa-league-final-defeat-387732" hreflang="en">Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat</a><o:p></o:p>

However, PSG are reluctant to let go of Pochettino and it will be interesting how Spurs negotiate with the French giants. <o:p></o:p>

Besides Pochettino, Ajax boss Erik Ten Haag continues to remain a strong contender for the role in case PSG don’t allow the Argentine to leave. <o:p></o:p>

In what could be one of the biggest transfers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino over a return to the club.

In what could be one of the biggest transfers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino over a return to the club. Pochettino was sacked by Spurs 18 months ago and the Argentine went onto sign a short-term deal with his former club PSG. With the Ligue 1 giants, Pochettino won two domestic trophies to end his wait for a title as a manager but failed to guide PSG to a league title after being pipped by Lille. Under Pochettino, PSG qualified for the UCL semi-final but were defeated by Manchester City. While Pochettino is regarded as one of the finest tacticians, Tottenham Hotspur are working on a possible return for the Argentine to the North London club. ALSO READ: Football: Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid after disappointing 2020-21 campaign Reportedly, Pochettino is unhappy with how some of the things have been handled by the PSG hierarchy and is considering returning to Premier League. Apparently, Daniel Levi has accepted that it was a “mistake” to sack Pochettino and believes bringing him back is the best possible chance for the club to get back to UCL contention and win the fans back after the Super League fiasco. The Argentine guided Spurs to three top-three finishes in the Premier League, on the bounce, and four Champions League qualifications. He also took Tottenham Hotspur to the final of the Champions League only to lose against Liverpool. ALSO READ: Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat However, PSG are reluctant to let go of Pochettino and it will be interesting how Spurs negotiate with the French giants. Besides Pochettino, Ajax boss Erik Ten Haag continues to remain a strong contender for the role in case PSG don’t allow the Argentine to leave.

Football: Tottenham Hotspur hold talks with Mauricio Pochettino as PSG boss eyes Premier League return

Real Madrid on Thursday announced that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his contract as the head coach of Los Blancos as the Frenchman brings an end to his second stint with the Spanish giants as the manager. <o:p></o:p>

Real Madrid officially announced the development after Zidane reached the club’s training center early in the morning. Zidane leaves Real Madrid after a disappointing campaign with the 13-time European champions, who lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final before failing to grab the opportunity to win the LaLiga. <o:p></o:p>

The Los Blancos ended the season trophyless for the first time in 11 years. <o:p></o:p>

The 1998 World Cup winner first took the helm in January 2016 and guided Real to the 2017 La Liga title and an unprecedented hat-trick of Champions League titles before abruptly quitting on May 31, 2018.<o:p></o:p>

<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:
0in;background:white;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;box-sizing: border-box;
color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;
orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;
text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:
0px">He returned in 2019, winning a second La Liga crown in 2020 and the Spanish Super Cup.&nbsp;

<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:
0in;background:white;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;box-sizing: border-box;
color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;
orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;
text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:
0px"><o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-at-least-70-racial-slurs-marcus-rashford-subjected-to-online-abuse-after-europa-league-final-defeat-387732" hreflang="en">Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat</a><o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Real Madrid full statement on Zinedine Zidane (translated to English from Spanish):</h2>

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p><img alt="Zidane" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5fd7944-f8cf-47a4-a94c-2842a016c62a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Zidane.JPG" /></o:p></h2>

Real Madrid CF announces that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his current stage as coach of our club.<o:p></o:p>

It is now time to respect his decision and show him our appreciation for his professionalism, dedication and passion in all these years, and for what his figure represents for Real Madrid.<o:p></o:p>

Zidane is one of the great myths of Real Madrid and his legend goes beyond what he has been as a coach and player of our club.<o:p></o:p>

He knows that he is at the heart of Real Madrid and that Real Madrid is and will always be his home.<o:p></o:p>

Real Madrid on Thursday announced that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his contract as the head coach of Los Blancos as the Frenchman brings an end to his second stint with the Spanish giants as the manager.

Real Madrid on Thursday announced that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his contract as the head coach of Los Blancos as the Frenchman brings an end to his second stint with the Spanish giants as the manager. Real Madrid officially announced the development after Zidane reached the club’s training center early in the morning. Zidane leaves Real Madrid after a disappointing campaign with the 13-time European champions, who lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final before failing to grab the opportunity to win the LaLiga. The Los Blancos ended the season trophyless for the first time in 11 years. The 1998 World Cup winner first took the helm in January 2016 and guided Real to the 2017 La Liga title and an unprecedented hat-trick of Champions League titles before abruptly quitting on May 31, 2018. He returned in 2019, winning a second La Liga crown in 2020 and the Spanish Super Cup. ALSO READ: Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat Real Madrid full statement on Zinedine Zidane (translated to English from Spanish): Real Madrid CF announces that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his current stage as coach of our club. It is now time to respect his decision and show him our appreciation for his professionalism, dedication and passion in all these years, and for what his figure represents for Real Madrid. Zidane is one of the great myths of Real Madrid and his legend goes beyond what he has been as a coach and player of our club. He knows that he is at the heart of Real Madrid and that Real Madrid is and will always be his home.

Football: Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid after disappointing 2020-21 campaign

England pacer Jofra Archer has successfully undergone elbow surgery and will now not rush to make his comeback with an eye on the ICC T20 World Cup and the Ashes later in the year. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday confirmed that Archer had undergone surgery and will start an “intensive rehabilitation” period with the ECB and Sussex medical teams.<o:p></o:p>

Archer has said he is open to returning for the upcoming five-Test series against India but is prepared to sit out the summer to help England achieve their goals in the T20 World Cup and Ashes. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

"One thing I am determined about the post-elbow operation is not to rush my comeback because my primary focus is to be playing for England in the Twenty20 World Cup and Ashes later this year. Those are my targets. If I come back before then and manage to play in the home Test series against India -- then fine, so be it. If I don't, I am quite prepared to sit out the summer," Archer wrote in his column for Daily Mail, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-kapil-dev-comes-up-with-valuable-advise-for-rishabh-pant-ahead-of-england-tour-387592" hreflang="en">Cricket: Kapil Dev comes up with valuable advise for Rishabh Pant ahead of England tour</a><o:p></o:p>

Archer said missing a few weeks will help him prolong his career. The England speedster added&nbsp;that he wants to get rid of this injury once and for all. <o:p></o:p>

"The way I am looking at things is that I would rather miss a few weeks of a year so that I have a few more years in my career. I just want to get this injury sorted once and for all and that's why I'm not looking that far ahead or at dates for a return to action. Because if I don't get this right, I won't play any cricket. Period. I am not going to do myself any good by coming back before I'm fully fit, so I will take my time and do what is best for me and my life," he added.<o:p></o:p>

Archer, who had made a comeback for Sussex in the County Championship against Kent, managed only five overs and pulled out after suffering from pain in his right elbow – the same injury that has been bugging the pacer for long.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-expecting-it-to-be-tough-henry-nicholls-warns-new-zealand-ahead-of-wtc-final-vs-india-387573" hreflang="en">Cricket: 'Expecting it to be tough' - Henry Nicholls warns New Zealand ahead of WTC final vs India</a>

<o:p></o:p>

"Surgery was always the last option and we wanted to exercise every possible strategy before we went down that route. It was the last thing on the list. It is not always a fix and in four weeks we will find out how things have gone. I must retain faith that this now sorts out the issue for good, although there's always room for another surgery if needs be. At the age of 26, I am still pretty young," said Archer. <o:p></o:p>

"However, my attitude right now is that the less thought I put into things like that, the better. I just want to throw myself into rehab. I remain committed to playing all three formats for England and to winning big series. But it has been quite a while since I bowled completely pain-free," he added. <o:p></o:p>

Archer was earlier ruled out of IPL 2021 following the conclusion of India’s home Test series against England, where the pacer played two Tests and all five T20Is.<o:p></o:p>

England pacer Jofra Archer has successfully undergone elbow surgery and will now not rush to make his comeback with an eye on the ICC T20 World Cup and the Ashes later in the year.

England pacer Jofra Archer has successfully undergone elbow surgery and will now not rush to make his comeback with an eye on the ICC T20 World Cup and the Ashes later in the year. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday confirmed that Archer had undergone surgery and will start an “intensive rehabilitation” period with the ECB and Sussex medical teams. Archer has said he is open to returning for the upcoming five-Test series against India but is prepared to sit out the summer to help England achieve their goals in the T20 World Cup and Ashes. "One thing I am determined about the post-elbow operation is not to rush my comeback because my primary focus is to be playing for England in the Twenty20 World Cup and Ashes later this year. Those are my targets. If I come back before then and manage to play in the home Test series against India -- then fine, so be it. If I don't, I am quite prepared to sit out the summer," Archer wrote in his column for Daily Mail, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. ALSO READ: Cricket: Kapil Dev comes up with valuable advise for Rishabh Pant ahead of England tour Archer said missing a few weeks will help him prolong his career. The England speedster added that he wants to get rid of this injury once and for all. "The way I am looking at things is that I would rather miss a few weeks of a year so that I have a few more years in my career. I just want to get this injury sorted once and for all and that's why I'm not looking that far ahead or at dates for a return to action. Because if I don't get this right, I won't play any cricket. Period. I am not going to do myself any good by coming back before I'm fully fit, so I will take my time and do what is best for me and my life," he added. Archer, who had made a comeback for Sussex in the County Championship against Kent, managed only five overs and pulled out after suffering from pain in his right elbow – the same injury that has been bugging the pacer for long. ALSO READ: Cricket: 'Expecting it to be tough' - Henry Nicholls warns New Zealand ahead of WTC final vs India "Surgery was always the last option and we wanted to exercise every possible strategy before we went down that route. It was the last thing on the list. It is not always a fix and in four weeks we will find out how things have gone. I must retain faith that this now sorts out the issue for good, although there's always room for another surgery if needs be. At the age of 26, I am still pretty young," said Archer. "However, my attitude right now is that the less thought I put into things like that, the better. I just want to throw myself into rehab. I remain committed to playing all three formats for England and to winning big series. But it has been quite a while since I bowled completely pain-free," he added. Archer was earlier ruled out of IPL 2021 following the conclusion of India’s home Test series against England, where the pacer played two Tests and all five T20Is.

Cricket: Jofra Archer eyes T20 World Cup and Ashes, says won't 'rush comeback'

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on Thursday was left frustrated as he revealed that he has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following Manchester United’s 11-10 defeat (in penalty shootout) to Villarreal in the final of UEFA Europa League in Poland. <o:p></o:p>

Rashford missed one of the easiest chances for Manchester United and also got another couple of good chances to give the Red Devils an advantage in the game. However, with Manchester United ending up losing the match, Rashford was flooded with racial abuses on social media. <o:p></o:p>

The England international took to social media platform Twitter to express his disappointment as he said he received at least 70 racial slurs. He added that one of the fans who racially abused him was a mathematics teacher.<o:p></o:p>

"At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far. For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying," tweeted Rashford.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-22-kicks-and-1-miss-as-villarreal-defeat-manchester-united-11-10-in-europa-league-final-shootout-watch-387719" hreflang="en">Football: 22 kicks and 1 miss as Villarreal defeat Manchester United 11-10 in Europa League final shootout- Watch</a><o:p></o:p>

In another tweet, Rashford said, "I'm more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile."<o:p></o:p>

"He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence," he added.

<o:p></o:p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile. He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence…
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarcusRashford/status/1397709656240369665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rashford has been one of the vocal voices who have called out social media giants to take stringent steps to stop online hate and racial discrimination. <o:p></o:p>

After Rashford's tweet, Manchester United also released a statement condemning the racial abuse.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-solskjaers-man-utd-rebuild-mission-laid-bare-by-europa-league-agony-387675" hreflang="en">Football: Solskjaer's Man Utd rebuild mission laid bare by Europa League agony</a><o:p></o:p>

"Following the Europa League final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, act and report it," United's official handle tweeted.

<o:p></o:p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Following the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEL</a> final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. 
 
If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, 𝗮𝗰𝘁 and 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 it.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeeRed?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeeRed</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/allredallequal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#allredallequal</a>
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/1397709133613199360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea missed the 22 nd kick of the penalty shootout as Villarreal won it 11-10 to lift their first major European title. <o:p></o:p>

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on Thursday was left frustrated as he revealed that he has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following Manchester United’s 11-10 defeat (in penalty shootout) to Villarreal in the final of UEFA Europa League in Poland.

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on Thursday was left frustrated as he revealed that he has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following Manchester United’s 11-10 defeat (in penalty shootout) to Villarreal in the final of UEFA Europa League in Poland. Rashford missed one of the easiest chances for Manchester United and also got another couple of good chances to give the Red Devils an advantage in the game. However, with Manchester United ending up losing the match, Rashford was flooded with racial abuses on social media. The England international took to social media platform Twitter to express his disappointment as he said he received at least 70 racial slurs. He added that one of the fans who racially abused him was a mathematics teacher. "At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far. For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying," tweeted Rashford. ALSO READ: Football: 22 kicks and 1 miss as Villarreal defeat Manchester United 11-10 in Europa League final shootout- Watch In another tweet, Rashford said, "I'm more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile." "He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence," he added. I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile. He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence… — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) May 27, 2021 × Rashford has been one of the vocal voices who have called out social media giants to take stringent steps to stop online hate and racial discrimination. After Rashford's tweet, Manchester United also released a statement condemning the racial abuse. ALSO READ: Football: Solskjaer's Man Utd rebuild mission laid bare by Europa League agony "Following the Europa League final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, act and report it," United's official handle tweeted. Following the #UEL final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, 𝗮𝗰𝘁 and 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 it.#SeeRed #allredallequal — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 27, 2021 × Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea missed the 22 nd kick of the penalty shootout as Villarreal won it 11-10 to lift their first major European title.

Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat

A decade on from when he last lifted the Champions League trophy, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is once again in the final and is looking to back up his claim to being the greatest coach football has ever seen.

Victory over Chelsea in Porto would take Guardiola level with Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley as the only men to win three European Cups as coach.

The 50-year-old's record in 12 seasons at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City speaks for itself. Among his 26 major trophies are nine league titles, three in each of Spain, Germany, England, and nine domestic cups.

At his boyhood club Barca he also conquered the Champions League in two of his first three seasons.

But since masterminding one of the greatest ever performances in a European final to sweep aside Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley in 2011, Europe's top club competition has been the one blot on Guardiola's record.

Newly-crowned European champions Bayern expected a dynasty when the Catalan arrived in Bavaria fresh from a year's sabbatical in 2013. Instead, Guardiola's Bayern suffered semi-final heartache to Spanish opposition in each of his three seasons in charge.

City's determination to create the perfect project to lure him to Manchester by appointing his former colleagues at Barcelona, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, to top jobs at the Etihad Stadium has been fully vindicated with three Premier League titles in the past four years.

"They have an incredible squad and the best manager in the world and that makes it a good recipe," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after City dethroned his side as English champions.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is also a Guardiola disciple, labelling City "the benchmark" for the Blues to aim for.

Guardiola has been so revered because he brings a style to go with the substance of hoarding trophies.

"He's had, arguably, the most positive influence of anyone, ever on our game," said former England striker Gary Lineker on how Guardiola has shaped a change of style in English football more reliant on technique than tenacity.

<h2>- Overthinking -</h2>

Yet the Champions League continued to bring out the worst in Guardiola as persistent tinkering and surprise team selections saw him labelled as a coach guilty of overthinking a series of knockout ties.

City did not even make it beyond the quarter-finals in his first four seasons in charge as a combination of wasteful finishing, defensive errors and controversial refereeing calls repeatedly combined to cost them.

That has all changed this season with the signing of Portuguese centre-back Ruben Dias helping City to boast the tightest defence in the Champions League, while Guardiola's use of a system without a natural striker has not stopped City scoring four goals in each of their knockout ties against Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.

"We are quite a similar team from in the past when we were out," said Guardiola this week. "The margins are little details. This year it fell on our side when for many years it was the opposite.

"Now we are quite satisfied to get to the final but we know if you don't have a huge desire to win it, a huge desire to know what we have to do, it will not be possible to win the game, to win the Champions League."

Winning the Champions League has been the long-term goal for City's Abu Dhabi owners since Sheikh Mansour's takeover transformed the club 13 years ago.

In their 10th season in the competition, City have finally made it to the final. A decade of disappointment for both the the club and their manager will be quickly forgotten if they make history on Saturday.

A decade on from when he last lifted the Champions League trophy, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is once again in the final and is looking to back up his claim to being the greatest coach football has ever seen.

A decade on from when he last lifted the Champions League trophy, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is once again in the final and is looking to back up his claim to being the greatest coach football has ever seen. Victory over Chelsea in Porto would take Guardiola level with Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley as the only men to win three European Cups as coach. The 50-year-old's record in 12 seasons at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City speaks for itself. Among his 26 major trophies are nine league titles, three in each of Spain, Germany, England, and nine domestic cups. At his boyhood club Barca he also conquered the Champions League in two of his first three seasons. But since masterminding one of the greatest ever performances in a European final to sweep aside Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley in 2011, Europe's top club competition has been the one blot on Guardiola's record. Newly-crowned European champions Bayern expected a dynasty when the Catalan arrived in Bavaria fresh from a year's sabbatical in 2013. Instead, Guardiola's Bayern suffered semi-final heartache to Spanish opposition in each of his three seasons in charge. City's determination to create the perfect project to lure him to Manchester by appointing his former colleagues at Barcelona, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, to top jobs at the Etihad Stadium has been fully vindicated with three Premier League titles in the past four years. "They have an incredible squad and the best manager in the world and that makes it a good recipe," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after City dethroned his side as English champions. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is also a Guardiola disciple, labelling City "the benchmark" for the Blues to aim for. Guardiola has been so revered because he brings a style to go with the substance of hoarding trophies. "He's had, arguably, the most positive influence of anyone, ever on our game," said former England striker Gary Lineker on how Guardiola has shaped a change of style in English football more reliant on technique than tenacity. - Overthinking - Yet the Champions League continued to bring out the worst in Guardiola as persistent tinkering and surprise team selections saw him labelled as a coach guilty of overthinking a series of knockout ties. City did not even make it beyond the quarter-finals in his first four seasons in charge as a combination of wasteful finishing, defensive errors and controversial refereeing calls repeatedly combined to cost them. That has all changed this season with the signing of Portuguese centre-back Ruben Dias helping City to boast the tightest defence in the Champions League, while Guardiola's use of a system without a natural striker has not stopped City scoring four goals in each of their knockout ties against Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. "We are quite a similar team from in the past when we were out," said Guardiola this week. "The margins are little details. This year it fell on our side when for many years it was the opposite. "Now we are quite satisfied to get to the final but we know if you don't have a huge desire to win it, a huge desire to know what we have to do, it will not be possible to win the game, to win the Champions League." Winning the Champions League has been the long-term goal for City's Abu Dhabi owners since Sheikh Mansour's takeover transformed the club 13 years ago. In their 10th season in the competition, City have finally made it to the final. A decade of disappointment for both the the club and their manager will be quickly forgotten if they make history on Saturday.

Football: Guardiola on the brink of exorcising Champions League demons

Whatever happens in Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel can already claim a small bit of history by becoming the first coach to make it to the showpiece game in European club football in successive seasons with different clubs.

Tuchel's impact on Chelsea, at least up until the last few matches, has been little short of remarkable and, it can be argued, hardly reflects well on his old side Paris Saint-Germain.

The French giants' gratitude towards Tuchel for leading them to the Champions League final for the first time in their history last season was not enough to stop them sacking him in December.

PSG have since gone on, under Tuchel's replacement Mauricio Pochettino, to finish second in Ligue 1 to Lille while going out of the Champions League in the semi-finals to Pep Guardiola's City.

In any case Tuchel came out of that sacking with his reputation intact, in large part thanks to the job he did in taking PSG to last season's final where they lost narrowly to Bayern Munich in Lisbon.

At Chelsea, he took over a team that was underperforming under Frank Lampard and had an immediate impact -- Tuchel has turned the London club into a supremely well-drilled machine with a three-man defence led by his old captain in Paris, Thiago Silva.

They kept 18 clean sheets in his first 24 matches in charge, culminating in the semi-final victory over Real Madrid.

<h2>- 'Great connection' -</h2>

"He came in and from the first minute the players felt a great connection with him, from the first meeting," said midfielder Mateo Kovacic this week.

"It was like he had been here for two years so it came quite naturally, everything.

"I think the team completely changed, how we approach games, like we were more confident, solid at the back, not conceding anything in the last two or three months."

After the difficulties of dealing with a Paris team built around Neymar, Tuchel has been effusive in his praise of the Premier League and the mentality of the players he inherited at Stamford Bridge.

"It is different here, it's like we play a Champions League game every weekend and I think in the end it means we are better prepared," Silva, who spent eight years at PSG, said after the Madrid semi-final.

Silva joined in August but when Tuchel came in, he took over a team that looked unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League before leading them to a top-four finish.

Now they have the chance to cap it all if they can win Saturday's final in Porto to give Tuchel the medal he missed out on last year.

Chelsea have already beaten City twice under their new coach, a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory being followed by a 2-1 away success in the league.

It has not all been a bed of roses though, with Chelsea losing three of their last four games, including the 1-0 defeat by Leicester City in the FA Cup final.

"It concerns me because it always concerns me when we lose, and it's not so easy to get a grip on these losses and analyse them," Tuchel said this week.

<h2>- Back in Portugal -</h2>

Now he is back in Portugal, where he took PSG through two knockout ties against Atalanta and RB Leipzig in the 'Final Eight' last season before succumbing to Bayern.

Tuchel followed in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp when he took the coaching job at Mainz at the start of his career and again at Dortmund.

He is now hoping to match Klopp's achievement in winning the Champions League final in 2019 with Liverpool, 12 months after his side lost at the same stage to Madrid.

However, the 47-year-old is not convinced his experience last season means much to the players who will step out at the Estadio do Dragao against City.

"If I was a player, I am not sure I would love to hear the story from my coach who was there last year with a different team," Tuchel admitted.

"If we had it together as a team we would clearly use it but now we arrive for the first time together."

Whatever happens in Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel can already claim a small bit of history by becoming the first coach to make it to the showpiece game in European club football in successive seasons with different clubs.

Whatever happens in Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel can already claim a small bit of history by becoming the first coach to make it to the showpiece game in European club football in successive seasons with different clubs. Tuchel's impact on Chelsea, at least up until the last few matches, has been little short of remarkable and, it can be argued, hardly reflects well on his old side Paris Saint-Germain. The French giants' gratitude towards Tuchel for leading them to the Champions League final for the first time in their history last season was not enough to stop them sacking him in December. PSG have since gone on, under Tuchel's replacement Mauricio Pochettino, to finish second in Ligue 1 to Lille while going out of the Champions League in the semi-finals to Pep Guardiola's City. In any case Tuchel came out of that sacking with his reputation intact, in large part thanks to the job he did in taking PSG to last season's final where they lost narrowly to Bayern Munich in Lisbon. At Chelsea, he took over a team that was underperforming under Frank Lampard and had an immediate impact -- Tuchel has turned the London club into a supremely well-drilled machine with a three-man defence led by his old captain in Paris, Thiago Silva. They kept 18 clean sheets in his first 24 matches in charge, culminating in the semi-final victory over Real Madrid. - 'Great connection' - "He came in and from the first minute the players felt a great connection with him, from the first meeting," said midfielder Mateo Kovacic this week. "It was like he had been here for two years so it came quite naturally, everything. "I think the team completely changed, how we approach games, like we were more confident, solid at the back, not conceding anything in the last two or three months." After the difficulties of dealing with a Paris team built around Neymar, Tuchel has been effusive in his praise of the Premier League and the mentality of the players he inherited at Stamford Bridge. "It is different here, it's like we play a Champions League game every weekend and I think in the end it means we are better prepared," Silva, who spent eight years at PSG, said after the Madrid semi-final. Silva joined in August but when Tuchel came in, he took over a team that looked unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League before leading them to a top-four finish. Now they have the chance to cap it all if they can win Saturday's final in Porto to give Tuchel the medal he missed out on last year. Chelsea have already beaten City twice under their new coach, a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory being followed by a 2-1 away success in the league. It has not all been a bed of roses though, with Chelsea losing three of their last four games, including the 1-0 defeat by Leicester City in the FA Cup final. "It concerns me because it always concerns me when we lose, and it's not so easy to get a grip on these losses and analyse them," Tuchel said this week. - Back in Portugal - Now he is back in Portugal, where he took PSG through two knockout ties against Atalanta and RB Leipzig in the 'Final Eight' last season before succumbing to Bayern. Tuchel followed in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp when he took the coaching job at Mainz at the start of his career and again at Dortmund. He is now hoping to match Klopp's achievement in winning the Champions League final in 2019 with Liverpool, 12 months after his side lost at the same stage to Madrid. However, the 47-year-old is not convinced his experience last season means much to the players who will step out at the Estadio do Dragao against City. "If I was a player, I am not sure I would love to hear the story from my coach who was there last year with a different team," Tuchel admitted. "If we had it together as a team we would clearly use it but now we arrive for the first time together."

Football: Tuchel earns second crack at Champions League glory with immediate impact on Chelsea

Villarreal edged out Manchester United in the final of the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 as the Yellow Submarine lifted the coveted trophy after winning a thrilling penalty shootout which ended 11-10. With scores locked at 1-1 after the regular 90 minutes and then extra-time, players had to brace for a penalty shootout in a bid to decide the winner of the match.<o:p></o:p>

Manchester United and Villarreal were brilliant in their spot-kicks as the first five successful penalties sent the game to sudden death. The players continue to smash the ball into the back of the net as both goalkeepers – David de Gea and Geronimo Rulli – failed to stop a single shot. While the Villarreal goalkeeper came close to stopping the ball from going inside the back of the net, soft hands mean the ball eventually crossed the line as the shootout continued. <o:p></o:p>

As the scores stood at 10-10 during the penalty shootout, both the goalkeepers stepped up to take their respective chances. Rulli hammered a goal to make the scoreline 11-10 and all eyes turned to De Gea. The Manchester United goalkeeper tried to place the ball in the bottom right corner only for Rulli to save it as Villarreal won the penalty shootout 11-10.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-villarreal-bask-in-special-triumph-as-emery-reveals-penalties-not-practiced-387678" hreflang="en">Football: Villarreal bask in 'special' triumph as Emery reveals penalties not practiced</a><o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Europa League Final: Villareal vs Man Utd penalty shootout video</h2>

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Villareal Vs Manchester United ||11_10|| Penalty Shootout EUL Finals <a href="https://t.co/3ReAa0m433">pic.twitter.com/3ReAa0m433</a>
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Earlier in the match, in-form striker Gerard Moreno gave Villarreal a 1-0 lead after guiding the ball past De Gea after a delightful delivery by Dani Parejo. As Villarreal sat deep to defend the score, Edinson Cavani tapped in to change the score to 1-1.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-solskjaers-man-utd-rebuild-mission-laid-bare-by-europa-league-agony-387675" hreflang="en">Football: Solskjaer's Man Utd rebuild mission laid bare by Europa League agony</a><o:p></o:p>

With both sides failing to score any further goals in the match, the UEL final went into the penalty shootout. With the win, Villarreal lifted their first-ever European trophy and manager Unai Emery continued his terrific record in the Europa League.<o:p></o:p>

Villarreal edged out Manchester United in the final of the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 as the Yellow Submarine lifted the coveted trophy after winning a thrilling penalty shootout which ended 11-10.

Villarreal edged out Manchester United in the final of the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 as the Yellow Submarine lifted the coveted trophy after winning a thrilling penalty shootout which ended 11-10. With scores locked at 1-1 after the regular 90 minutes and then extra-time, players had to brace for a penalty shootout in a bid to decide the winner of the match. Manchester United and Villarreal were brilliant in their spot-kicks as the first five successful penalties sent the game to sudden death. The players continue to smash the ball into the back of the net as both goalkeepers – David de Gea and Geronimo Rulli – failed to stop a single shot. While the Villarreal goalkeeper came close to stopping the ball from going inside the back of the net, soft hands mean the ball eventually crossed the line as the shootout continued. As the scores stood at 10-10 during the penalty shootout, both the goalkeepers stepped up to take their respective chances. Rulli hammered a goal to make the scoreline 11-10 and all eyes turned to De Gea. The Manchester United goalkeeper tried to place the ball in the bottom right corner only for Rulli to save it as Villarreal won the penalty shootout 11-10. ALSO READ: Football: Villarreal bask in 'special' triumph as Emery reveals penalties not practiced Europa League Final: Villareal vs Man Utd penalty shootout video Villareal Vs Manchester United ||11_10|| Penalty Shootout EUL Finals pic.twitter.com/3ReAa0m433 — Sport News HD (@SportTuto) May 26, 2021 × Earlier in the match, in-form striker Gerard Moreno gave Villarreal a 1-0 lead after guiding the ball past De Gea after a delightful delivery by Dani Parejo. As Villarreal sat deep to defend the score, Edinson Cavani tapped in to change the score to 1-1. ALSO READ: Football: Solskjaer's Man Utd rebuild mission laid bare by Europa League agony With both sides failing to score any further goals in the match, the UEL final went into the penalty shootout. With the win, Villarreal lifted their first-ever European trophy and manager Unai Emery continued his terrific record in the Europa League.

Football: 22 kicks and 1 miss as Villarreal defeat Manchester United 11-10 in Europa League final shootout- Watch

He may shy away from the limelight, but there were few more popular members of France's 2018 World Cup-winning side than N'Golo Kante, who on Saturday will aim to get his hands on one of the few trophies that has so far evaded him when Chelsea face Manchester City in the Champions League final.

France supporters came up with a song for Kante during that triumphant summer in Russia, to the tune of the 1969 hit "Les Champs-Elysees" by Joe Dassin. As the song goes, "he is small, he is kind, he stopped Leo Messi".

It does take a ruthless streak to get to the very top in football as Kante has, winning two Premier League titles, the Europa League and the FA Cup as well as the World Cup.

Despite that, everyone who has encountered Kante since the start of his career in the Paris suburbs seems to agree there is no other player quite like the 30-year-old.

"Every time he comes back to Paris he comes to see us," Karim El-Moudkhil, Kante's former coach, tells AFP.

<h2>- Idolised -</h2>

"But he doesn't just stop by, he stays to eat with us, he agrees to have his photo taken with everyone, to play with the kids."

Kante, whose parents are of Malian origin, grew up in a large family on a quiet estate in Rueil-Malmaison, to the west of the French capital.

El-Moudkhil has endless anecdotes to tell as well as recent videos of Kante playing football with children in the neigbourhood who, not surprisingly, idolise him.

"In the summer, everyone comes out to play wearing the shirts of the teams he has played for: Caen, Leicester, Chelsea, France," says the coach.

Kante is widely liked and respected for his warmth and modesty, and as a player he has forged a reputation for being generous and discrete, with his on-pitch persona matching his personality off it.

"He has never become big-headed, he has never changed," says El-Moudkhil. "His brothers are the same. I would like to know how they have done it."

<h2>- Never angry -</h2>

When you ask his former coach if he can recall Kante getting angry during a game or showing any negative emotions, the question is met with an almost sorry response.

"I am trying to think of something but I honestly can't remember any. I have never seen him get angry as long as I have known him.

"And yet if anyone could have got angry it was him given the amount of times he used to get kicked while playing at Suresnes."

It was there, in a pleasant suburb by the Seine River, that Kante played as a youngster.&nbsp;

Unlike most modern-day superstars, Kante was never picked up by the youth academy of a professional club. He had talent, but his size and personality seemed to work against him.

"N'Golo is not somebody who tends to stand out, so at a trial he just wasn't visible," Pierre Ville, a director at Suresnes, told AFP in 2018.

His career did gradually take off as he moved to France's far north to sign for Boulogne-sur-Mer aged 19.

Soon he was playing for their first team in the third division, and he then joined Caen in 2013, helping them win promotion to Ligue 1.

After just one season in the French elite, Kante moved to Leicester aged 24 in 2015 and was one of the stars of their surge to the Premier League title in 2015/16.

He then left for Chelsea where he has continued to star, right up to being the man of the match in both legs of the Champions League semi-final win over Real Madrid.

"As soon as he signed for Boulogne-sur-Mer I knew his career was taking off," says El-Moudkhil.

There, on France's Channel coast, Kante left behind nothing but good memories.

"What was really striking was his desire to keep progressing. He was like a sponge, absorbing all the advice he got from his coaches," remembers Christophe Raymond, who coached Kante in the club's reserve team between 2010 and 2012.

"We sensed he had potential but it would be lying to say we thought he could go as far as he has."

It is a view shared by his old coach back in Rueil.

"He has come on so much. Over the last few years he has taken more and more risks, he gets forward more, and he is now one of the best players in the world."

He may shy away from the limelight, but there were few more popular members of France's 2018 World Cup-winning side than N'Golo Kante, who on Saturday will aim to get his hands on one of the few trophies that has so far evaded him when Chelsea face Manchester City in the Champions League final.

He may shy away from the limelight, but there were few more popular members of France's 2018 World Cup-winning side than N'Golo Kante, who on Saturday will aim to get his hands on one of the few trophies that has so far evaded him when Chelsea face Manchester City in the Champions League final. France supporters came up with a song for Kante during that triumphant summer in Russia, to the tune of the 1969 hit "Les Champs-Elysees" by Joe Dassin. As the song goes, "he is small, he is kind, he stopped Leo Messi". It does take a ruthless streak to get to the very top in football as Kante has, winning two Premier League titles, the Europa League and the FA Cup as well as the World Cup. Despite that, everyone who has encountered Kante since the start of his career in the Paris suburbs seems to agree there is no other player quite like the 30-year-old. "Every time he comes back to Paris he comes to see us," Karim El-Moudkhil, Kante's former coach, tells AFP. - Idolised - "But he doesn't just stop by, he stays to eat with us, he agrees to have his photo taken with everyone, to play with the kids." Kante, whose parents are of Malian origin, grew up in a large family on a quiet estate in Rueil-Malmaison, to the west of the French capital. El-Moudkhil has endless anecdotes to tell as well as recent videos of Kante playing football with children in the neigbourhood who, not surprisingly, idolise him. "In the summer, everyone comes out to play wearing the shirts of the teams he has played for: Caen, Leicester, Chelsea, France," says the coach. Kante is widely liked and respected for his warmth and modesty, and as a player he has forged a reputation for being generous and discrete, with his on-pitch persona matching his personality off it. "He has never become big-headed, he has never changed," says El-Moudkhil. "His brothers are the same. I would like to know how they have done it." - Never angry - When you ask his former coach if he can recall Kante getting angry during a game or showing any negative emotions, the question is met with an almost sorry response. "I am trying to think of something but I honestly can't remember any. I have never seen him get angry as long as I have known him. "And yet if anyone could have got angry it was him given the amount of times he used to get kicked while playing at Suresnes." It was there, in a pleasant suburb by the Seine River, that Kante played as a youngster. Unlike most modern-day superstars, Kante was never picked up by the youth academy of a professional club. He had talent, but his size and personality seemed to work against him. "N'Golo is not somebody who tends to stand out, so at a trial he just wasn't visible," Pierre Ville, a director at Suresnes, told AFP in 2018. His career did gradually take off as he moved to France's far north to sign for Boulogne-sur-Mer aged 19. Soon he was playing for their first team in the third division, and he then joined Caen in 2013, helping them win promotion to Ligue 1. After just one season in the French elite, Kante moved to Leicester aged 24 in 2015 and was one of the stars of their surge to the Premier League title in 2015/16. He then left for Chelsea where he has continued to star, right up to being the man of the match in both legs of the Champions League semi-final win over Real Madrid. "As soon as he signed for Boulogne-sur-Mer I knew his career was taking off," says El-Moudkhil. There, on France's Channel coast, Kante left behind nothing but good memories. "What was really striking was his desire to keep progressing. He was like a sponge, absorbing all the advice he got from his coaches," remembers Christophe Raymond, who coached Kante in the club's reserve team between 2010 and 2012. "We sensed he had potential but it would be lying to say we thought he could go as far as he has." It is a view shared by his old coach back in Rueil. "He has come on so much. Over the last few years he has taken more and more risks, he gets forward more, and he is now one of the best players in the world."

Football: N'Golo Kante, the quiet and unassuming superstar

Antonio Conte's future with Inter Milan is in doubt despite leading the club to the Serie A title for the first time in over a decade, according to reports in Italy on Wednesday.

"Inter-Conte, divorce!," headlined the daily Gazzetta Dello Sport, reporting that the "final farewell could arrive in the next 48 hours".

"Conte ready to break away," headlined Corriere Dello Sport.

The 51-year-old Italian still has a year left in his contract, but has been at loggerheads with the cash-strapped club's Chinese owners Suning over planned cost cutting which would prevent him building the team he wants to challenge at home and in Europe.

Inter registered losses of 100 million euros ($122 million) last season mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Suning Group shut down their Chinese club Jiangsu FC in February months after it won the Chinese Super League title.

Five days ago, Inter secured a cash injection worth 275 million euros ($336 million) with US investment firm Oaktree, in the form of a loan reported to be over three years.

In this context, Suning wants to save as much as possible both on the purchase of new players and salaries, and possibly selling those with the highest value, an approach that Conte believes incompatible with the club's desire to play at the highest level in Europe.

The former Chelsea and Juventus boss took over in May 2019 on a three-year contract worth a reported 12 million euros ($14 million) a season.

His departure had also been heralded last summer after the club's Europa League final defeat to Sevilla, and finishing runners-up in the league to Juventus.

Conte had blamed the club's lack of investment on their failure to challenge in the Champions League in which they crashed out in the group stage in each of the last three seasons.

Antonio Conte's future with Inter Milan is in doubt despite leading the club to the Serie A title for the first time in over a decade, according to reports in Italy on Wednesday.

Antonio Conte's future with Inter Milan is in doubt despite leading the club to the Serie A title for the first time in over a decade, according to reports in Italy on Wednesday. "Inter-Conte, divorce!," headlined the daily Gazzetta Dello Sport, reporting that the "final farewell could arrive in the next 48 hours". "Conte ready to break away," headlined Corriere Dello Sport. The 51-year-old Italian still has a year left in his contract, but has been at loggerheads with the cash-strapped club's Chinese owners Suning over planned cost cutting which would prevent him building the team he wants to challenge at home and in Europe. Inter registered losses of 100 million euros ($122 million) last season mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Suning Group shut down their Chinese club Jiangsu FC in February months after it won the Chinese Super League title. Five days ago, Inter secured a cash injection worth 275 million euros ($336 million) with US investment firm Oaktree, in the form of a loan reported to be over three years. In this context, Suning wants to save as much as possible both on the purchase of new players and salaries, and possibly selling those with the highest value, an approach that Conte believes incompatible with the club's desire to play at the highest level in Europe. The former Chelsea and Juventus boss took over in May 2019 on a three-year contract worth a reported 12 million euros ($14 million) a season. His departure had also been heralded last summer after the club's Europa League final defeat to Sevilla, and finishing runners-up in the league to Juventus. Conte had blamed the club's lack of investment on their failure to challenge in the Champions League in which they crashed out in the group stage in each of the last three seasons.

Football: Conte's Inter future uncertain amid clashes with Chinese owners - reports

Former World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev has weighed his opinion on swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who has been hailed as one of the most talented batters in today’s cricket. <o:p></o:p>

While Pant took the world by storm as he roared back to form in the Test series against Australia and England, Kapil Dev reckons that the southpaw needs to slow down a bit and find a perfect blend of caution and aggression as India gear up to take on New Zealand in the World Test Championship final before locking horns with England in a five-Test series. <o:p></o:p>

“He looks a very mature cricketer now from the time he came into the side. He seems to have far more time to play his shots and obviously his range of strokes is awesome. But England will be challenging. He must spend more time in the middle and not just look to hit every ball. We used to say the same about Rohit Sharma, who had so many shots, but would step out and get out so many times,” Kapil Dev was quoted as saying by Mid Day.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-expecting-it-to-be-tough-henry-nicholls-warns-new-zealand-ahead-of-wtc-final-vs-india-387573" hreflang="en">Cricket: 'Expecting it to be tough' - Henry Nicholls warns New Zealand ahead of WTC final vs India</a><o:p></o:p>

As Kapil compared Pant to Rohit Sharma, he suggested the youngster to take some time to settle in before launching his array of strokes. <o:p></o:p>

“Same is with Rishabh now. He is an exciting player and very valuable too. All I would tell him is to take time before unfolding his range of shots. England is different.”<o:p></o:p>

The former Indian skipper further added that he loves Test cricket the most and always looks forward to watching full day’s play.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-englands-ben-foakes-ruled-out-of-new-zealand-tests-sam-billings-haseeb-hameed-called-up-387541" hreflang="en">Cricket: England's Ben Foakes ruled out of New Zealand Tests; Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed called up</a><o:p></o:p>

“Of course. I am a big fan of Test cricket. I love watching the full day’s play. If work keeps me away from the TV, I catch up with the highlights. I always watch as much as I can. There is nothing like Test cricket.”<o:p></o:p>

India will take on New Zealand in the final of ICC World Test Championship – starting June 18 in Southampton.<o:p></o:p>

Former World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev has weighed his opinion on swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who has been hailed as one of the most talented batters in today’s cricket.

Former World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev has weighed his opinion on swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who has been hailed as one of the most talented batters in today’s cricket. While Pant took the world by storm as he roared back to form in the Test series against Australia and England, Kapil Dev reckons that the southpaw needs to slow down a bit and find a perfect blend of caution and aggression as India gear up to take on New Zealand in the World Test Championship final before locking horns with England in a five-Test series. “He looks a very mature cricketer now from the time he came into the side. He seems to have far more time to play his shots and obviously his range of strokes is awesome. But England will be challenging. He must spend more time in the middle and not just look to hit every ball. We used to say the same about Rohit Sharma, who had so many shots, but would step out and get out so many times,” Kapil Dev was quoted as saying by Mid Day. ALSO READ: Cricket: 'Expecting it to be tough' - Henry Nicholls warns New Zealand ahead of WTC final vs India As Kapil compared Pant to Rohit Sharma, he suggested the youngster to take some time to settle in before launching his array of strokes. “Same is with Rishabh now. He is an exciting player and very valuable too. All I would tell him is to take time before unfolding his range of shots. England is different.” The former Indian skipper further added that he loves Test cricket the most and always looks forward to watching full day’s play. ALSO READ: Cricket: England's Ben Foakes ruled out of New Zealand Tests; Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed called up “Of course. I am a big fan of Test cricket. I love watching the full day’s play. If work keeps me away from the TV, I catch up with the highlights. I always watch as much as I can. There is nothing like Test cricket.” India will take on New Zealand in the final of ICC World Test Championship – starting June 18 in Southampton.

Cricket: Kapil Dev comes up with valuable advise for Rishabh Pant ahead of England tour

New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls has said that the Black Caps need to be prepared for the Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja despite the Indian team boasting a lethal pace attack. New Zealand will take on India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship in Southampton from June 18. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

India’s pace attack consists of Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami whereas the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur are also in contention for the playing XI spot. For New Zealand, the pace troika of Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner are likely to take up the red cherry in Southampton. <o:p></o:p>

“India have a very good seam attack and also have experienced spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja. They have been consistent in all parts of the world (of late) and bring quality (to attack),” Nicholls, who has been in good form of late in Test cricket, told PTI in an interview.

Nicholls further said taking on India will be an exciting challenge and the New Zealand cricket team, as a group, is expecting a tough fight from the world’s number one Test unit.<o:p></o:p>

“Mohammed Shami along with Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma have proven their quality over the years which is similar to our seamers (Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner) on whom we really pride ourselves on.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-destroying-the-system-ramiz-raja-calls-out-pakistan-cricket-board-387565" hreflang="en">'We are destroying the system': Ramiz Raja calls out Pakistan Cricket Board</a><o:p></o:p>

“So if you are facing that kind of a line-up, it’s an exciting challenge and as a group we are expecting it to be tough but also looking forward to the challenge,” the 29-year-old southpaw, who enjoys a 43 plus average over 37 Test matches, said. <o:p></o:p>

“That was something that we experimented in the camp before we came over to UK. You managed to get some more turn and get some practice. So playing at a neutral venue, we need to check what the wickets will be like there. Also the guile of Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja is something that we need to be prepared for,” Nicholls said.<o:p></o:p>

Nicholls was a part of the New Zealand outfit that hammered India within three days in two home Test matches in early 2020 and the Black Caps batsman feels the series win gave a lot of confidence from the victorious event.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-englands-ben-foakes-ruled-out-of-new-zealand-tests-sam-billings-haseeb-hameed-called-up-387541" hreflang="en">Cricket: England's Ben Foakes ruled out of New Zealand Tests; Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed called up</a><o:p></o:p>

“It’s an exciting challenge as finally we will be playing a Test match at a neutral venue. So that for both sides kind of levels the playing field.<o:p></o:p>

“We beat them 2-0 a season back (2019-20). But we know and accept that it’s a different challenge but as a group we take a lot of confidence from that series win against India. Obviously, Number one and two playing the final is a challenge too,” he said.<o:p></o:p>

Before the WTC Final against India, New Zealand will take on England in a two-Test series starting June 2.<o:p></o:p>

New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls has said that the Black Caps need to be prepared for the Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja despite the Indian team boasting a lethal pace attack.

New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls has said that the Black Caps need to be prepared for the Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja despite the Indian team boasting a lethal pace attack. New Zealand will take on India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship in Southampton from June 18. India’s pace attack consists of Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami whereas the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur are also in contention for the playing XI spot. For New Zealand, the pace troika of Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner are likely to take up the red cherry in Southampton. “India have a very good seam attack and also have experienced spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja. They have been consistent in all parts of the world (of late) and bring quality (to attack),” Nicholls, who has been in good form of late in Test cricket, told PTI in an interview. Nicholls further said taking on India will be an exciting challenge and the New Zealand cricket team, as a group, is expecting a tough fight from the world’s number one Test unit. “Mohammed Shami along with Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma have proven their quality over the years which is similar to our seamers (Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner) on whom we really pride ourselves on. ALSO READ: 'We are destroying the system': Ramiz Raja calls out Pakistan Cricket Board “So if you are facing that kind of a line-up, it’s an exciting challenge and as a group we are expecting it to be tough but also looking forward to the challenge,” the 29-year-old southpaw, who enjoys a 43 plus average over 37 Test matches, said. “That was something that we experimented in the camp before we came over to UK. You managed to get some more turn and get some practice. So playing at a neutral venue, we need to check what the wickets will be like there. Also the guile of Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja is something that we need to be prepared for,” Nicholls said. Nicholls was a part of the New Zealand outfit that hammered India within three days in two home Test matches in early 2020 and the Black Caps batsman feels the series win gave a lot of confidence from the victorious event. ALSO READ: Cricket: England's Ben Foakes ruled out of New Zealand Tests; Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed called up “It’s an exciting challenge as finally we will be playing a Test match at a neutral venue. So that for both sides kind of levels the playing field. “We beat them 2-0 a season back (2019-20). But we know and accept that it’s a different challenge but as a group we take a lot of confidence from that series win against India. Obviously, Number one and two playing the final is a challenge too,” he said. Before the WTC Final against India, New Zealand will take on England in a two-Test series starting June 2.

Cricket: 'Expecting it to be tough' - Henry Nicholls warns New Zealand ahead of WTC final vs India

Surrey and England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has been&nbsp;ruled out of the forthcoming&nbsp;Test series against New Zealand after tearing his left hamstring.

Foakes, who was selected in the England men’s squad earlier this month, was set to play his first Test in home conditions - next month at Lord’s - sustained the injury on Sunday slipping in the dressing room after Surrey’s&nbsp;County Championship fixture against Middlesex at the Kia Oval.

He will now be assessed and work closely on his rehabilitation with the Surrey medical team and is expected to be out of action for at least three months.

England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has called up Kent’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings and Nottinghamshire’s top-order batsman Haseeb Hameed.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-danish-kaneria-lashes-out-at-mohammad-amir-on-his-comments-on-rohit-sharma-387492" hreflang="en">Cricket: Danish Kaneria lashes out at Mohammad Amir on his comments on Rohit Sharma</a>

Billings, an established member of England’s white-ball squads, is uncapped as a Test player.

Hameed, who has been in impressive form during the 2021 county season, has scored 474 runs at an average of 52.66, last played Test cricket in November 2016. His three Test caps came against India during England’s winter tour of 2016.

Hameed will play for Nottinghamshire in this week’s County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston starting on Thursday. He will join up with the England team at their base in London on Sunday night.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-england-pacer-jofra-archer-commences-intensive-rehabilitation-after-elbow-surgery-387466" hreflang="en">Cricket: England pacer Jofra Archer commences 'intensive rehabilitation' after elbow surgery</a>

<h2>England Men’s Test Squad vs New Zealand:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain</li>
	<li>James Anderson (Lancashire)</li>
	<li>Sam Billings (Kent)</li>
	<li>James Bracey (Gloucestershire)</li>
	<li>Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)</li>
	<li>Rory Burns (Surrey)</li>
	<li>Zak Crawley (Kent)</li>
	<li>Haseeb Hameed (Nottinghamshire)</li>
	<li>Dan Lawrence (Essex)</li>
	<li>Jack Leach (Somerset)</li>
	<li>Craig Overton (Somerset)</li>
	<li>Ollie Pope (Surrey)</li>
	<li>Ollie Robinson (Sussex)</li>
	<li>Dom Sibley (Warwickshire)</li>
	<li>Olly Stone (Warwickshire)</li>
	<li>Mark Wood (Durham)</li>
</ul>

<h2>England vs New Zealand, Test Series: Schedule</h2>

1st Test: England v New Zealand, 2-6 June 2021, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

2nd Test: England v New Zealand, 10-14 June 2021, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Surrey and England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series against New Zealand after tearing his left hamstring. Foakes, who was selected in the England men’s squad earlier this month, was set to play his first Test in home conditions - next month at Lord’s - sustained the injury on Sunday slipping in the dressing room after Surrey’s County Championship fixture against Middlesex at the Kia Oval.

Surrey and England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series against New Zealand after tearing his left hamstring. Foakes, who was selected in the England men’s squad earlier this month, was set to play his first Test in home conditions - next month at Lord’s - sustained the injury on Sunday slipping in the dressing room after Surrey’s County Championship fixture against Middlesex at the Kia Oval. He will now be assessed and work closely on his rehabilitation with the Surrey medical team and is expected to be out of action for at least three months. England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has called up Kent’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings and Nottinghamshire’s top-order batsman Haseeb Hameed. ALSO READ: Cricket: Danish Kaneria lashes out at Mohammad Amir on his comments on Rohit Sharma Billings, an established member of England’s white-ball squads, is uncapped as a Test player. Hameed, who has been in impressive form during the 2021 county season, has scored 474 runs at an average of 52.66, last played Test cricket in November 2016. His three Test caps came against India during England’s winter tour of 2016. Hameed will play for Nottinghamshire in this week’s County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston starting on Thursday. He will join up with the England team at their base in London on Sunday night. ALSO READ: Cricket: England pacer Jofra Archer commences 'intensive rehabilitation' after elbow surgery England Men’s Test Squad vs New Zealand: Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain James Anderson (Lancashire) Sam Billings (Kent) James Bracey (Gloucestershire) Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire) Rory Burns (Surrey) Zak Crawley (Kent) Haseeb Hameed (Nottinghamshire) Dan Lawrence (Essex) Jack Leach (Somerset) Craig Overton (Somerset) Ollie Pope (Surrey) Ollie Robinson (Sussex) Dom Sibley (Warwickshire) Olly Stone (Warwickshire) Mark Wood (Durham) England vs New Zealand, Test Series: Schedule 1st Test: England v New Zealand, 2-6 June 2021, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London 2nd Test: England v New Zealand, 10-14 June 2021, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Cricket: England's Ben Foakes ruled out of New Zealand Tests; Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed called up

Villarreal are looking towards Europe once again. Under the guidance of Unai Emery, the club from Spain’s eastern coast have put together one of the best seasons in their history. It’s worth remembering that Villarreal only made it to Spanish football’s top division for the first time in 1998 and they have grown and grown since then, bouncing back after a couple of relegations and aspiring to improve with each season.

For a team traditionally used to third-tier football to have reached these heights is an incredible achievement, and is to a great degree down to their excellent decision-making in the transfer market. Villarreal fans have enjoyed some of the best players in Spanish recent times; here are just five of the best.

Juan Román Riquelme, the genius (2003-07)

<img alt="Riquelme" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d5a32d3-92f9-4763-ba21-59b0850a5de8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/riqu.JPG" />

The last number 10, as he is known in his native Argentine, Riquelme is the player who best sums up Villarreal’s rise. He arrived at the club in 2003 after not quite fitting in to a Barcelona side that opted instead to bring in Ronaldinho (a decision which didn’t turn out all bad…). At Villarreal, the playmaker won over the fans from the very first day thanks to his incredible technical ability, leading the team to the brink of a Champions League final, even if it was his missed penalty in the 2005/06 semi-finals against Arsenal which saw them fall just short. Despite that, Riquelme’s best seasons in European football were spent at Villarreal, where he won the Intertoto Cup, the club’s only international title to date.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-vs-villarreal-europa-league-final-four-key-players-to-watch-out-for-in-uel-showdown-387477" hreflang="en">Manchester United vs Villarreal, Europa League Final: Four key players to watch out for in UEL showdown</a>

Diego Forlán, the first ‘killer’&nbsp;(2004-07)

One year after Riquelme arrived at the Estadio de la Cerámica, he was joined by Forlán. The Uruguayan striker made Villarreal his new home following a tough first spell in Europe with Manchester United and become their second-top LaLiga Santander scorer of all time with 54 strikes over his three seasons in yellow, even pipping Samuel Eto’o to the&nbsp;Pichichi&nbsp;trophy in 2005. He was the first of the many excellent centre-forwards Villarreal have signed in recent times.

<img alt="Forlan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3068c162-dcac-4fc7-8c0f-19e064ee5504" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Forlan.JPG" />

Gerard Moreno, the latest star striker (2012-15, 2018-present)

The most recent of Villarreal’s quality strikers is Gerard Moreno, a player who arrived under the radar despite the fact he had been a regular goal scorer for RCD Espanyol for many years. Gerard actually came through the ranks at Villarreal, and following his spell at Espanyol returned ‘home’ with an inconsistent first campaign which saw him net just seven goals. 18 goals last season, however, and 23 this year have clearly demonstrated his talents. Only Lionel Messi scored more goals than Gerard in LaLiga Santander this season.

<img alt="Moreno" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6196a3ee-527a-417e-96f0-9441003cbc2c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Moreno.JPG" />

Pau Torres, the defensive colossus (2016-present)

During Villarreal’s years at the top level, they have always been a balanced team, focusing on building a strong defence as well as dangerous attacks. After enjoying the defensive efforts of Diego Godín, Marcos Senna and Bruno Soriano over the years, they now have academy graduate Pau Torres, currently considered one of the best centre-backs in the division and someone who Europe’s top clubs would love to have. He’ll be a key player for Spain at this summer’s European Championship too.

&nbsp;ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-solskjaer-confident-as-man-utd-villarreal-clash-in-europa-league-final-387444" hreflang="en">Football: Solskjaer 'confident' as Man Utd, Villarreal clash in Europa League final</a>

<img alt="Pau" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b2d0858f-89e5-4748-9c70-d6d6b6f58fce" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pau.JPG" />

Santi Cazorla, the most charismatic playmaker (2003-06, 2007-11, 2018-20)

It’s hard to think of a more loved player in club history than Cazorla, who spent three different stints at Villarreal. Brought in from Oviedo to the club’s youth setup when he was 19, he returned from a loan at Recreativo Huelva to become the team’s captain and one of the greatest legends ever seen at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Given his unmatchable technical ability, his untameable competitive spirit and his close relationship with the fanbase, Cazorla remains an unforgettable figure in the club’s satisfyingly successful recent history.&nbsp;

<img alt="Santi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="98acb199-97b5-4ffc-be56-8d5a1ab87916" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Santi.JPG" />

Villarreal are looking towards Europe once again. Under the guidance of Unai Emery, the club from Spain’s eastern coast have put together one of the best seasons in their history.

Villarreal are looking towards Europe once again. Under the guidance of Unai Emery, the club from Spain’s eastern coast have put together one of the best seasons in their history. It’s worth remembering that Villarreal only made it to Spanish football’s top division for the first time in 1998 and they have grown and grown since then, bouncing back after a couple of relegations and aspiring to improve with each season. For a team traditionally used to third-tier football to have reached these heights is an incredible achievement, and is to a great degree down to their excellent decision-making in the transfer market. Villarreal fans have enjoyed some of the best players in Spanish recent times; here are just five of the best. Juan Román Riquelme, the genius (2003-07) The last number 10, as he is known in his native Argentine, Riquelme is the player who best sums up Villarreal’s rise. He arrived at the club in 2003 after not quite fitting in to a Barcelona side that opted instead to bring in Ronaldinho (a decision which didn’t turn out all bad…). At Villarreal, the playmaker won over the fans from the very first day thanks to his incredible technical ability, leading the team to the brink of a Champions League final, even if it was his missed penalty in the 2005/06 semi-finals against Arsenal which saw them fall just short. Despite that, Riquelme’s best seasons in European football were spent at Villarreal, where he won the Intertoto Cup, the club’s only international title to date. ALSO READ: Manchester United vs Villarreal, Europa League Final: Four key players to watch out for in UEL showdown Diego Forlán, the first ‘killer’ (2004-07) One year after Riquelme arrived at the Estadio de la Cerámica, he was joined by Forlán. The Uruguayan striker made Villarreal his new home following a tough first spell in Europe with Manchester United and become their second-top LaLiga Santander scorer of all time with 54 strikes over his three seasons in yellow, even pipping Samuel Eto’o to the Pichichi trophy in 2005. He was the first of the many excellent centre-forwards Villarreal have signed in recent times. Gerard Moreno, the latest star striker (2012-15, 2018-present) The most recent of Villarreal’s quality strikers is Gerard Moreno, a player who arrived under the radar despite the fact he had been a regular goal scorer for RCD Espanyol for many years. Gerard actually came through the ranks at Villarreal, and following his spell at Espanyol returned ‘home’ with an inconsistent first campaign which saw him net just seven goals. 18 goals last season, however, and 23 this year have clearly demonstrated his talents. Only Lionel Messi scored more goals than Gerard in LaLiga Santander this season. Pau Torres, the defensive colossus (2016-present) During Villarreal’s years at the top level, they have always been a balanced team, focusing on building a strong defence as well as dangerous attacks. After enjoying the defensive efforts of Diego Godín, Marcos Senna and Bruno Soriano over the years, they now have academy graduate Pau Torres, currently considered one of the best centre-backs in the division and someone who Europe’s top clubs would love to have. He’ll be a key player for Spain at this summer’s European Championship too. ALSO READ: Football: Solskjaer 'confident' as Man Utd, Villarreal clash in Europa League final Santi Cazorla, the most charismatic playmaker (2003-06, 2007-11, 2018-20) It’s hard to think of a more loved player in club history than Cazorla, who spent three different stints at Villarreal. Brought in from Oviedo to the club’s youth setup when he was 19, he returned from a loan at Recreativo Huelva to become the team’s captain and one of the greatest legends ever seen at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Given his unmatchable technical ability, his untameable competitive spirit and his close relationship with the fanbase, Cazorla remains an unforgettable figure in the club’s satisfyingly successful recent history.

LaLiga Special: Five Villarreal CF stars of past and present as 'Yellow Submarine' eye Europa League glory

Manchester United are set to take on Villarreal in the final of the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 on Wednesday in Gdansk, Poland as the two teams battle for the coveted trophy.<o:p></o:p>

While Manchester United don’t have the best of records against Spanish teams, they defeated Real Sociedad this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would want to finish the season on a high and lift his first trophy as Manchester United manager.<o:p></o:p>

Whereas Unai Emery would be desperate to prove his critics wrong and win the final against Manchester United after having a disastrous outing with his previous English club Arsenal. <o:p></o:p>

Ahead of the much-awaited UEL Final between Manchester United and Villarreal, let us take a look at four key players to watch out for in the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-solskjaer-confident-as-man-utd-villarreal-clash-in-europa-league-final-387444" hreflang="en">Football: Solskjaer 'confident' as Man Utd, Villarreal clash in Europa League final</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Pau Torres – Villarreal<o:p></o:p></h2>

Pau Torres has enjoyed a magnificent season after forming a stunning partnership with Raul Albiol at the heart of the defense. With Manchester United boasting a supremely talented attacking unit, Torres would be crucial to Villarreal’s chances of lifting the cup. <o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Edinson Cavani – Manchester United<o:p></o:p></h2>

The 34-year-old Uruguayan continues to defy all the odds and have enjoyed a brilliant season in front of the game. While he wasn’t used much in the Premier League, Cavani has turned out to be among the first names in their Europa League campaign. Cavani has netted some crucial goals in the campaign and accumulated 16 goals and six assists in 38 matches for Red Devils.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/football-from-messi-to-lewandowski-single-season-top-scorers-in-europes-five-main-leagues-386876" hreflang="en">Football: From Messi to Lewandowski: Single season top-scorers in Europe's five main leagues</a><o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Gerard Moreno – Villarreal<o:p></o:p></h2>

Moreno has been one of the most in-form strikers in world football. After netting 23 goals and providing seven assists in 33 LaLiga matches, Moreno will eye goals in the final showdown of the season. He has further scored six goals and three assists in the Europa League campaign and will be licking his lips against a Manchester United side missing their captain Harry Maguire. <o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United<o:p></o:p></h2>

The Portuguese midfielder is hailed as one of the best in the world and can be a game-changer for the Red Devils in the summit clash. He boasts the highest number of goals and assists in Europe’s top five leagues by a midfielder. Fernandes will be desperate to win a trophy with Manchester United after enjoying a cracking season.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Manchester United are set to take on Villarreal in the final of the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 on Wednesday in Gdansk, Poland as the two teams battle for the coveted trophy.

Manchester United are set to take on Villarreal in the final of the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 on Wednesday in Gdansk, Poland as the two teams battle for the coveted trophy. While Manchester United don’t have the best of records against Spanish teams, they defeated Real Sociedad this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would want to finish the season on a high and lift his first trophy as Manchester United manager. Whereas Unai Emery would be desperate to prove his critics wrong and win the final against Manchester United after having a disastrous outing with his previous English club Arsenal. Ahead of the much-awaited UEL Final between Manchester United and Villarreal, let us take a look at four key players to watch out for in the match. ALSO READ: Football: Solskjaer 'confident' as Man Utd, Villarreal clash in Europa League final Pau Torres – Villarreal Pau Torres has enjoyed a magnificent season after forming a stunning partnership with Raul Albiol at the heart of the defense. With Manchester United boasting a supremely talented attacking unit, Torres would be crucial to Villarreal’s chances of lifting the cup. Edinson Cavani – Manchester United The 34-year-old Uruguayan continues to defy all the odds and have enjoyed a brilliant season in front of the game. While he wasn’t used much in the Premier League, Cavani has turned out to be among the first names in their Europa League campaign. Cavani has netted some crucial goals in the campaign and accumulated 16 goals and six assists in 38 matches for Red Devils. ALSO READ: Football: From Messi to Lewandowski: Single season top-scorers in Europe's five main leagues Gerard Moreno – Villarreal Moreno has been one of the most in-form strikers in world football. After netting 23 goals and providing seven assists in 33 LaLiga matches, Moreno will eye goals in the final showdown of the season. He has further scored six goals and three assists in the Europa League campaign and will be licking his lips against a Manchester United side missing their captain Harry Maguire. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United The Portuguese midfielder is hailed as one of the best in the world and can be a game-changer for the Red Devils in the summit clash. He boasts the highest number of goals and assists in Europe’s top five leagues by a midfielder. Fernandes will be desperate to win a trophy with Manchester United after enjoying a cracking season.

Manchester United vs Villarreal, Europa League Final: Four key players to watch out for in UEL showdown

Express England speedster Jofra Archer has commenced a period of “intensive rehabilitation” after undergoing elbow surgery. However, Archer will not get to know about a potential comeback date for at least a month.<o:p></o:p>

The England pacer has been in pain in his right elbow for around 18 months and finally went under the knife at the end of last week. He had broken down during his First-Class return for Sussex.<o:p></o:p>

Following an intense period of recovery, overseen by England, Archer’s condition will be reviewed towards the end of June. He has already been ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand and is certain to miss the white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.<o:p></o:p>

England would hope to have him fir for the five-Test series against India but the T20 World Cup in October remains a priority.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-mehidy-hasan-rises-to-number-2-in-icc-mens-odi-player-rankings-387461" hreflang="en">Cricket: Mehidy Hasan rises to number 2 in ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings</a><o:p></o:p>

A statement from the ECB read: “England and Sussex seam bowler Jofra Archer had surgery to address his long-standing elbow issues on Friday.<o:p></o:p>

“Archer will now commence an intensive rehabilitation period working with the ECB and Sussex medical teams. His progress will be reviewed by his consultant in approximately four weeks’ time at which point further guidance will be provided as to when he can return to bowling. A further update will be given at the time.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-all-rounder-riyan-parag-reveals-diet-routine-before-professional-cricket-matches-387453" hreflang="en">Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag reveals diet routine before professional cricket matches</a><o:p></o:p>

In Archer’s absence, England will look to Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton, Olly Stone while the duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad spearhead the devastating pace-attack in the longest format of the game. <o:p></o:p>

England will eye a comeback against India after suffering a series defeat in their away series earlier in the year.<o:p></o:p>

Express England speedster Jofra Archer has commenced a period of “intensive rehabilitation” after undergoing elbow surgery. However, Archer will not get to know about a potential comeback date for at least a month.

Express England speedster Jofra Archer has commenced a period of “intensive rehabilitation” after undergoing elbow surgery. However, Archer will not get to know about a potential comeback date for at least a month. The England pacer has been in pain in his right elbow for around 18 months and finally went under the knife at the end of last week. He had broken down during his First-Class return for Sussex. Following an intense period of recovery, overseen by England, Archer’s condition will be reviewed towards the end of June. He has already been ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand and is certain to miss the white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. England would hope to have him fir for the five-Test series against India but the T20 World Cup in October remains a priority. ALSO READ: Cricket: Mehidy Hasan rises to number 2 in ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings A statement from the ECB read: “England and Sussex seam bowler Jofra Archer had surgery to address his long-standing elbow issues on Friday. “Archer will now commence an intensive rehabilitation period working with the ECB and Sussex medical teams. His progress will be reviewed by his consultant in approximately four weeks’ time at which point further guidance will be provided as to when he can return to bowling. A further update will be given at the time.” ALSO READ: Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag reveals diet routine before professional cricket matches In Archer’s absence, England will look to Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton, Olly Stone while the duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad spearhead the devastating pace-attack in the longest format of the game. England will eye a comeback against India after suffering a series defeat in their away series earlier in the year.

Cricket: England pacer Jofra Archer commences 'intensive rehabilitation' after elbow surgery

Young and exuberant Indian all-rounder Riyan&nbsp;Parag has revealed his diet routine when preparing for competitive matches.

Riyan Parag is one of India’s most exciting upcoming all-rounders and has caught the attention of every cricket fan in the country with his performances for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League and even impressed Kumar Sangakkara who predicted that the youngster will contribute a lot to Indian cricket in the future.

Riyan’s dedication to his sport is visible in his on-field training sessions and also his workout routines. But one unsung contribution comes by way of nutrition and diet.

<h2>Getting in the right mindset</h2>

For Riyan, getting ready for a match starts with his mentality from the moment he wakes up.

“My mentality on game day is very positive because I would have prepared well for the match the day before,” he says.

“I like to wake up early so I can get my routine done – like breakfast, mobility stretches, get some massage work done – and then be really prepared for the match,” he says about his game-day preparation.

In the hours leading up to the match, Riyan tries to keep his mind blank so he is not stressing about the details of the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-kohli-isnt-the-highest-paid-captain-in-international-cricket-check-full-list-of-skippers-and-salaries-in-2021-386865" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021</a>

“I think I am at my best when I am not thinking about other things like whom I’m facing and what I need to do. Of course, the calculations keep going on in my mind, but I keep reminding myself that if I am clear mentally, I play at my best,” he says.

<img alt="Riyan Parag" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4eab484d-879f-4e5a-9eb4-52700ea3a120" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/RIyan-1.JPG" />

<h2>Riyan’s sporting diet</h2>

Riyan isn’t as strict with himself in a particular diet plan on a daily basis as most other professional athletes might be.

He knows that different physios and nutritionists will give him different opinions on what he should and shouldn’t eat.

But he likes to follow a simple eating routine before and after matches; he eats vegetarian food a day before a match, and he eats food rich in protein and carbohydrates after a match.

Riyan’s favourite healthy meal is, “grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies, and a really good reduction sauce.”

<h2>What does Riyan eat before a match?</h2>

Riyan’s match preparation starts with his meals a day before he is set to play.

“I like to eat vegetarian food the day before a game. I just think personally, it makes my recovery better and it makes me more comfortable. So I eat vegetarian food before a match,” he says.

He likes to enjoy a big breakfast on the day of the match so he is fuelled for the whole day.

“The first meal on game day would be a big breakfast. I like to eat an egg-white omelette, some sausages, bacon if it's available, and a good smoothie or some fresh juice,” says Riyan.

As part of his match routine, Riyan makes sure to eat his pre-game meal at least three-four hours prior to the start of a match.

“Before stepping out on the field, I like to eat a protein bar or some cheese if available,” Riyan says about a last-minute snack if he feels hungry before a match.

<h2>Drinks that help Riyan through a cricket match</h2>

While Riyan enjoys chewing on energy bars to alleviate any hunger before a game, he also drinks a can of Red Bull before the start of a match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2021-expected-to-resume-on-september-19-20-in-the-uae-report-387307" hreflang="en">Cricket: IPL 2021 expected to resume on September 19-20 in the UAE - Report</a>

“I eat a lot of granola, protein bars. And yeah, before stepping out, I usually take a few sips of Red Bull,” he says.

He says a can of Red Bull helps give him a bit more energy to play.

“I usually drink Red Bull before the match. It just gives me a boost and gets me going in the match. I don't normally drink Red Bull during the match though,” he adds.

<img alt="Riyan Parag" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e29a5c1a-3fa6-4279-a723-585d6ec4c401" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Riyan-2.JPG" />

<h2>Recovery process</h2>

Riyan pays a lot of attention to his post-match routine so he recovers quickly after a match. Part of this is to eat a good recovery meal that gives his body the nutrients it needs.

“My post-match meal is always a lot of protein – like steaks and grilled chicken – and some carbs like pasta or risotto,” says Riyan.

He doesn’t give into eating cheat meals too often since he is so dedicated to his sport. But when he does, he has a taste for a truly indulgent meal.

“A cheat meal would definitely be good burgers, chicken nuggets, cheesy fries, and a caramel milkshake. Cheat meals aren’t that often; really depends on my mood. If I feel like it, I go ahead and eat it,” he says.

Young and exuberant Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag has revealed his diet routine when preparing for competitive matches. Riyan Parag is one of India’s most exciting upcoming all-rounders and has caught the attention of every cricket fan in the country with his performances for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League and even impressed Kumar Sangakkara who predicted that the youngster will contribute a lot to Indian cricket in the future.

Young and exuberant Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag has revealed his diet routine when preparing for competitive matches. Riyan Parag is one of India’s most exciting upcoming all-rounders and has caught the attention of every cricket fan in the country with his performances for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League and even impressed Kumar Sangakkara who predicted that the youngster will contribute a lot to Indian cricket in the future. Riyan’s dedication to his sport is visible in his on-field training sessions and also his workout routines. But one unsung contribution comes by way of nutrition and diet. Getting in the right mindset For Riyan, getting ready for a match starts with his mentality from the moment he wakes up. “My mentality on game day is very positive because I would have prepared well for the match the day before,” he says. “I like to wake up early so I can get my routine done – like breakfast, mobility stretches, get some massage work done – and then be really prepared for the match,” he says about his game-day preparation. In the hours leading up to the match, Riyan tries to keep his mind blank so he is not stressing about the details of the match. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021 “I think I am at my best when I am not thinking about other things like whom I’m facing and what I need to do. Of course, the calculations keep going on in my mind, but I keep reminding myself that if I am clear mentally, I play at my best,” he says. Riyan’s sporting diet Riyan isn’t as strict with himself in a particular diet plan on a daily basis as most other professional athletes might be. He knows that different physios and nutritionists will give him different opinions on what he should and shouldn’t eat. But he likes to follow a simple eating routine before and after matches; he eats vegetarian food a day before a match, and he eats food rich in protein and carbohydrates after a match. Riyan’s favourite healthy meal is, “grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies, and a really good reduction sauce.” What does Riyan eat before a match? Riyan’s match preparation starts with his meals a day before he is set to play. “I like to eat vegetarian food the day before a game. I just think personally, it makes my recovery better and it makes me more comfortable. So I eat vegetarian food before a match,” he says. He likes to enjoy a big breakfast on the day of the match so he is fuelled for the whole day. “The first meal on game day would be a big breakfast. I like to eat an egg-white omelette, some sausages, bacon if it's available, and a good smoothie or some fresh juice,” says Riyan. As part of his match routine, Riyan makes sure to eat his pre-game meal at least three-four hours prior to the start of a match. “Before stepping out on the field, I like to eat a protein bar or some cheese if available,” Riyan says about a last-minute snack if he feels hungry before a match. Drinks that help Riyan through a cricket match While Riyan enjoys chewing on energy bars to alleviate any hunger before a game, he also drinks a can of Red Bull before the start of a match. ALSO READ: Cricket: IPL 2021 expected to resume on September 19-20 in the UAE - Report “I eat a lot of granola, protein bars. And yeah, before stepping out, I usually take a few sips of Red Bull,” he says. He says a can of Red Bull helps give him a bit more energy to play. “I usually drink Red Bull before the match. It just gives me a boost and gets me going in the match. I don't normally drink Red Bull during the match though,” he adds. Recovery process Riyan pays a lot of attention to his post-match routine so he recovers quickly after a match. Part of this is to eat a good recovery meal that gives his body the nutrients it needs. “My post-match meal is always a lot of protein – like steaks and grilled chicken – and some carbs like pasta or risotto,” says Riyan. He doesn’t give into eating cheat meals too often since he is so dedicated to his sport. But when he does, he has a taste for a truly indulgent meal. “A cheat meal would definitely be good burgers, chicken nuggets, cheesy fries, and a caramel milkshake. Cheat meals aren’t that often; really depends on my mood. If I feel like it, I go ahead and eat it,” he says.

Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag reveals diet routine before professional cricket matches

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan has become only the third bowler from his country to be ranked among the top two of the&nbsp;ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine showing in the first two matches of their ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against Sri Lanka.

Mehidy has advanced three places to reach the second position after returning figures of four for 30 and three for 28 bowling with the new ball. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan had grabbed the number one position in 2009 for the first time while left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak is the other Bangladesh bowler to have been in the top two, reaching the second position in 2010.

Left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rehman is another one from Bangladesh to move up the list, his hauls of three for 34 and three for 16 lifting him eight places to ninth position. Rahim’s best position has been fifth, which he had attained in December 2018.

Mushfiqur Rahim, player of the match in both ODIs, has moved up four places to a career-best 14th position after scoring 84 and 125. Mahmudullah has advanced two places to 38th position after his scores of 54 and 41.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-all-rounder-riyan-parag-reveals-diet-routine-before-professional-cricket-matches-387453" hreflang="en">Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag reveals diet routine before professional cricket matches</a>

For Sri Lanka, fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera’s haul of three for 44 in the second match has lifted him 11 places to joint-61st along with compatriot PWH de Siva, who too has advanced eight places.

Dhananjaya de Silva (up nine places to 83rd) and Lakshan Sandakan (up nine places to 94th) are among the other bowlers to gain in the latest weekly update that also includes performances in the two-match series between the Netherlands and Scotland.

Scotland batsman Richard Berrington’s knock of 41 in the first match of the series played in Rotterdam has lifted him two places to joint-72nd while the Netherlands’ opener Max O’Dowd’s 102-ball 82 in the same match sees him progress 11 places to 150th.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-passionate-and-competitive-cricketer-richard-hadlee-lauds-skipper-virat-kohli-387428" hreflang="en">Cricket- 'Passionate and competitive cricketer': Richard Hadlee lauds skipper Virat Kohli</a>

Scotland’s new-ball bowler Alasdair Evans has moved up 10 places to 89th after his five-wicket haul in the second match helped his team draw the series 1-1.

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan has become only the third bowler from his country to be ranked among the top two of the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine showing in the first two matches of their ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan has become only the third bowler from his country to be ranked among the top two of the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine showing in the first two matches of their ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against Sri Lanka. Mehidy has advanced three places to reach the second position after returning figures of four for 30 and three for 28 bowling with the new ball. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan had grabbed the number one position in 2009 for the first time while left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak is the other Bangladesh bowler to have been in the top two, reaching the second position in 2010. Left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rehman is another one from Bangladesh to move up the list, his hauls of three for 34 and three for 16 lifting him eight places to ninth position. Rahim’s best position has been fifth, which he had attained in December 2018. Mushfiqur Rahim, player of the match in both ODIs, has moved up four places to a career-best 14th position after scoring 84 and 125. Mahmudullah has advanced two places to 38th position after his scores of 54 and 41. ALSO READ: Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag reveals diet routine before professional cricket matches For Sri Lanka, fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera’s haul of three for 44 in the second match has lifted him 11 places to joint-61st along with compatriot PWH de Siva, who too has advanced eight places. Dhananjaya de Silva (up nine places to 83rd) and Lakshan Sandakan (up nine places to 94th) are among the other bowlers to gain in the latest weekly update that also includes performances in the two-match series between the Netherlands and Scotland. Scotland batsman Richard Berrington’s knock of 41 in the first match of the series played in Rotterdam has lifted him two places to joint-72nd while the Netherlands’ opener Max O’Dowd’s 102-ball 82 in the same match sees him progress 11 places to 150th. ALSO READ: Cricket- 'Passionate and competitive cricketer': Richard Hadlee lauds skipper Virat Kohli Scotland’s new-ball bowler Alasdair Evans has moved up 10 places to 89th after his five-wicket haul in the second match helped his team draw the series 1-1.

Cricket: Mehidy Hasan rises to number 2 in ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the hero of one of Manchester United's greatest European nights, will aim to guide the club to a first title in four years Wednesday against a Villarreal side coached by Europa League specialist Unai Emery.

United's last trophy came in the 2016-17 Europa League under Jose Mourinho, when they beat Ajax 2-0 in Stockholm to become just the fifth club to win all three major UEFA competitions.

Defeat to Sevilla last season was the third of four semi-final losses for Solskjaer since replacing Mourinho in December 2018, but an 8-5 aggregate win over Roma finally broke the curse.

"These are big nights for us. It might be the stepping stone for something better to come, a bright future because this team is a young team," Solskjaer, who scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final, said in Gdansk on Tuesday.

"It's a team that we've rebuilt over the last couple of years, so hopefully this is the start of something more.

"The players when they sign for Man United, they sign to win trophies.

"They accept the challenge of being the best because this is the best club in the world, so that's the pleasure of the pressure of Man United.

"That's something they are ready for because they wouldn't have signed here if they weren't top players."

United finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League and will go into the final as clear favourites against Villarreal, who came seventh in La Liga in Emery's first season.

Solskjaer has steered United to back-to-back top-three finishes for the first time since Alex Ferguson retired as champion in 2013.

"You can define a season tomorrow, we'll only go home happy if we win tomorrow," added the Norwegian, who is likely to be without captain Harry Maguire due to injury.

Eric Bailly could face his former club and fill in alongside Victor Lindelof at the back.

"These players are ready for this. I've seen in them something growing inside of them, more and more confident, robust and resilient to setbacks as a group. I'm confident we're ready for this."

Solskjaer said he will give Maguire as much time as possible to recover, but the England defender took no part in the final training session at Gdansk Stadium.

The United manager also has a decision to make in goal between David de Gea and Dean Henderson, who have split the eight Europa League games this term.

"It's always difficult to leave players out but it's throughout the whole season," said Solskjaer.

<h2>- Villarreal break down barriers -</h2>

Not only are Villarreal appearing in a first European final and seeking a first major trophy, but they have the added incentive of Champions League qualification at stake in Poland.&nbsp;

Villarreal spent much of their history in Spain's lower divisions before eventually reaching the top tier in 1998.

They had lost four previous European semi-finals before dumping out Arsenal in the last four, and&nbsp;are unbeaten on the continent this season, winning 12 of 14 matches.

Emery, a three-time Europa League winner with Sevilla between 2014 and 2016, said facing English opposition gave him no extra motivation despite a tricky 18-month spell with the Gunners.

"I have no thoughts of revenge against an English club or anyone else. All I do is to try and bring the best that Villarreal can achieve. It's a great club," said Emery, who also took Arsenal to the 2019 final, losing 4-1 to Chelsea in Baku.

"This competition has improved hugely and it's full of powerful teams of the top level who are desperate to win it and Villarreal has earned a place in that group."

Gerard Moreno's career-best 23 goals in La Liga this season put him level with Karim Benzema, with only Lionel Messi scoring more (30). The 29-year-old was one of two Villarreal players called up to Spain's Euro 2020 squad this week along with centre-back Pau Torres.

"For most of us this is our first European final and most important game of our careers so far. We're going to try and enjoy it," said Torres, who has been linked with a summer move to United.

Up to 9,500 spectators -- 25 percent of the stadium's roughly 40,000 capacity -- will be allowed to attend the final, with each finalist allocated 2,000 tickets.&nbsp;

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the hero of one of Manchester United's greatest European nights, will aim to guide the club to a first title in four years Wednesday against a Villarreal side coached by Europa League specialist Unai Emery.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the hero of one of Manchester United's greatest European nights, will aim to guide the club to a first title in four years Wednesday against a Villarreal side coached by Europa League specialist Unai Emery. United's last trophy came in the 2016-17 Europa League under Jose Mourinho, when they beat Ajax 2-0 in Stockholm to become just the fifth club to win all three major UEFA competitions. Defeat to Sevilla last season was the third of four semi-final losses for Solskjaer since replacing Mourinho in December 2018, but an 8-5 aggregate win over Roma finally broke the curse. "These are big nights for us. It might be the stepping stone for something better to come, a bright future because this team is a young team," Solskjaer, who scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final, said in Gdansk on Tuesday. "It's a team that we've rebuilt over the last couple of years, so hopefully this is the start of something more. "The players when they sign for Man United, they sign to win trophies. "They accept the challenge of being the best because this is the best club in the world, so that's the pleasure of the pressure of Man United. "That's something they are ready for because they wouldn't have signed here if they weren't top players." United finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League and will go into the final as clear favourites against Villarreal, who came seventh in La Liga in Emery's first season. Solskjaer has steered United to back-to-back top-three finishes for the first time since Alex Ferguson retired as champion in 2013. "You can define a season tomorrow, we'll only go home happy if we win tomorrow," added the Norwegian, who is likely to be without captain Harry Maguire due to injury. Eric Bailly could face his former club and fill in alongside Victor Lindelof at the back. "These players are ready for this. I've seen in them something growing inside of them, more and more confident, robust and resilient to setbacks as a group. I'm confident we're ready for this." Solskjaer said he will give Maguire as much time as possible to recover, but the England defender took no part in the final training session at Gdansk Stadium. The United manager also has a decision to make in goal between David de Gea and Dean Henderson, who have split the eight Europa League games this term. "It's always difficult to leave players out but it's throughout the whole season," said Solskjaer. - Villarreal break down barriers - Not only are Villarreal appearing in a first European final and seeking a first major trophy, but they have the added incentive of Champions League qualification at stake in Poland. Villarreal spent much of their history in Spain's lower divisions before eventually reaching the top tier in 1998. They had lost four previous European semi-finals before dumping out Arsenal in the last four, and are unbeaten on the continent this season, winning 12 of 14 matches. Emery, a three-time Europa League winner with Sevilla between 2014 and 2016, said facing English opposition gave him no extra motivation despite a tricky 18-month spell with the Gunners. "I have no thoughts of revenge against an English club or anyone else. All I do is to try and bring the best that Villarreal can achieve. It's a great club," said Emery, who also took Arsenal to the 2019 final, losing 4-1 to Chelsea in Baku. "This competition has improved hugely and it's full of powerful teams of the top level who are desperate to win it and Villarreal has earned a place in that group." Gerard Moreno's career-best 23 goals in La Liga this season put him level with Karim Benzema, with only Lionel Messi scoring more (30). The 29-year-old was one of two Villarreal players called up to Spain's Euro 2020 squad this week along with centre-back Pau Torres. "For most of us this is our first European final and most important game of our careers so far. We're going to try and enjoy it," said Torres, who has been linked with a summer move to United. Up to 9,500 spectators -- 25 percent of the stadium's roughly 40,000 capacity -- will be allowed to attend the final, with each finalist allocated 2,000 tickets.

Football: Solskjaer 'confident' as Man Utd, Villarreal clash in Europa League final

Manchester City have at last reached the Champions League final after a decade of Abu Dhabi investment, but the global ambitions of the club's owners stretch far beyond England's northwest.

The English champions are the jewel in the crown of the City Football Group (CFG), a network of 10 clubs across five continents from Melbourne to Montevideo.

CFG's stated aim is to become the "first truly global football organisation", putting into place CEO Ferran Soriano's plans for the "Disneyfication" of the football industry.

Pep Guardiola's men can complete a treble if they beat Chelsea in Porto with a fourth consecutive League Cup and fifth Premier League title in 10 years already secured.

But it is not just in Manchester that CFG's investment and expertise is paying off on the pitch.

Formed just seven years ago, Mumbai City became champions of India for the first time this year, while Melbourne City finished top of the regular season table in the A-League.

In Europe, Troyes have been promoted to France's top tier and Girona are on course for a return to La Liga via Spain's second division playoffs.

But success for CFG is not measured purely on results.

"Every club owned by City Football Group has individual objectives because every team is different," Javi Noblega, Montevideo City Torque's business director, told AFP.

"You cannot ask of Montevideo City the same commercial objectives as New York."

The South American clubs, in the Uruguayan capital and Club Bolivar in Bolivia, are used as talent spotters and recruiters.

"The point of the infrastructure is to attract the best young talent in Uruguay and the wider region," added Noblega.

"We're working on other business models that can help us to achieve our objective, which is to attract young players to our academy, to get to the first team with Montevideo City and then sell them to other clubs within the City Football Group or other clubs."

Even if a player never makes the grade to be deemed good enough to grace the Etihad Stadium, player trading can be highly lucrative.

The £10 million ($14 million) sale of former Melbourne City midfielder Aaron Mooy to Huddersfield in 2017 reportedly earned CFG more than they paid to buy their stake in the Australian club.

<h2>- 'Learning from the best' -</h2>

By merging a global brand with interest in local markets, CFG aim grow City's commercial income to the level where they will not be dependent on Abu Dhabi investment to compete financially with traditional giants such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

After CFG bought a stake in Nissan-controlled Yokohama Marinos in 2014, the Japanese car giant agreed a sponsorship deal with all CFG clubs.

"The investment is in every way. Obviously economically, which is very important, but (also) in know-how," said Noblega.

"The communication in the City Football Group is daily, not just in economic terms but in marketing, communication, in sponsorship, in other areas. It's an organisation that is managed very horizontally. We have contact with the most important people in the City Football Group in those areas.

"That makes us feel truly valued... we're learning from the best."

CFG's commercial growth has attracted outside investment. The China Media Capital consortium&nbsp;paid $400 million&nbsp;for a 13 percent stake in 2015 and private equity firm Silver Lake Partners purchased 10 percent for $500 million in 2019, placing a $4.8 billion valuation on the group.

Sheikh Mansour paid just £210 million to take control of the club from former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2008.

Back then, City were not even the big attraction in their own city, with the blue side of Manchester living in the shadow of United.

Come Saturday they could be champions of Europe for the first time with a worldwide fanbase grown from franchises in every corner of the globe.

Manchester City have at last reached the Champions League final after a decade of Abu Dhabi investment, but the global ambitions of the club's owners stretch far beyond England's northwest.

Manchester City have at last reached the Champions League final after a decade of Abu Dhabi investment, but the global ambitions of the club's owners stretch far beyond England's northwest. The English champions are the jewel in the crown of the City Football Group (CFG), a network of 10 clubs across five continents from Melbourne to Montevideo. CFG's stated aim is to become the "first truly global football organisation", putting into place CEO Ferran Soriano's plans for the "Disneyfication" of the football industry. Pep Guardiola's men can complete a treble if they beat Chelsea in Porto with a fourth consecutive League Cup and fifth Premier League title in 10 years already secured. But it is not just in Manchester that CFG's investment and expertise is paying off on the pitch. Formed just seven years ago, Mumbai City became champions of India for the first time this year, while Melbourne City finished top of the regular season table in the A-League. In Europe, Troyes have been promoted to France's top tier and Girona are on course for a return to La Liga via Spain's second division playoffs. But success for CFG is not measured purely on results. "Every club owned by City Football Group has individual objectives because every team is different," Javi Noblega, Montevideo City Torque's business director, told AFP. "You cannot ask of Montevideo City the same commercial objectives as New York." The South American clubs, in the Uruguayan capital and Club Bolivar in Bolivia, are used as talent spotters and recruiters. "The point of the infrastructure is to attract the best young talent in Uruguay and the wider region," added Noblega. "We're working on other business models that can help us to achieve our objective, which is to attract young players to our academy, to get to the first team with Montevideo City and then sell them to other clubs within the City Football Group or other clubs." Even if a player never makes the grade to be deemed good enough to grace the Etihad Stadium, player trading can be highly lucrative. The £10 million ($14 million) sale of former Melbourne City midfielder Aaron Mooy to Huddersfield in 2017 reportedly earned CFG more than they paid to buy their stake in the Australian club. - 'Learning from the best' - By merging a global brand with interest in local markets, CFG aim grow City's commercial income to the level where they will not be dependent on Abu Dhabi investment to compete financially with traditional giants such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona. After CFG bought a stake in Nissan-controlled Yokohama Marinos in 2014, the Japanese car giant agreed a sponsorship deal with all CFG clubs. "The investment is in every way. Obviously economically, which is very important, but (also) in know-how," said Noblega. "The communication in the City Football Group is daily, not just in economic terms but in marketing, communication, in sponsorship, in other areas. It's an organisation that is managed very horizontally. We have contact with the most important people in the City Football Group in those areas. "That makes us feel truly valued... we're learning from the best." CFG's commercial growth has attracted outside investment. The China Media Capital consortium paid $400 million for a 13 percent stake in 2015 and private equity firm Silver Lake Partners purchased 10 percent for $500 million in 2019, placing a $4.8 billion valuation on the group. Sheikh Mansour paid just £210 million to take control of the club from former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2008. Back then, City were not even the big attraction in their own city, with the blue side of Manchester living in the shadow of United. Come Saturday they could be champions of Europe for the first time with a worldwide fanbase grown from franchises in every corner of the globe.

Football: From Manchester to Montevideo - City Football Group targets global domination

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