Kraigg Brathwaite will replace Jason Holder as the West Indies Test Captain with a two-Test series against Sri Lanka coming up this month, Cricket West Indies said Thursday.

Brathwaite has previously led the team in seven Tests while deputizing for Holder, including in the recent 2-0 Test Series win away to Bangladesh.

"It is a huge honour to be given the Captaincy of the West Indies Test team," Brathwaite said. "I feel extremely proud and humbled that the Board and Selectors have given me the opportunity and responsibility to lead the team.

"The recent Test Series win in Bangladesh was a fantastic achievement and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka and I'm excited about what I believe this team can achieve in the future."

The squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka, scheduled for March 21-25, will be announced on Friday.

Roger Harper, CWI lead selector, said selectors were impressed that in Bangladesh Brathwaite "was able to motivate his players to play to a very high level and create the culture we are looking to establish where the team showed a collective determination to fight and a real hunger for success."

Holder, the 29-year-old who was named captain of the Test team in 2015, was one of several players who opted not to tour Bangladesh because of Covid-19 related concerns.

The&nbsp;current number one&nbsp;all-rounder&nbsp;in the ICC&nbsp;Test&nbsp;rankings, Holder captained the West Indies team in 37 Tests, leading the side to 11 wins, five draws and 21 defeats.

"On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Jason for all he has given to the game in the region while serving as Captain of our Test team," CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams said. "As the world’s leading Test all-rounder, we all believe that Jason still has a tremendous role to play in West Indies Test Cricket for many years to come."

Kraigg Brathwaite will replace Jason Holder as the West Indies Test Captain with a two-Test series against Sri Lanka coming up this month, Cricket West Indies said Thursday.

Kraigg Brathwaite will replace Jason Holder as the West Indies Test Captain with a two-Test series against Sri Lanka coming up this month, Cricket West Indies said Thursday. Brathwaite has previously led the team in seven Tests while deputizing for Holder, including in the recent 2-0 Test Series win away to Bangladesh. "It is a huge honour to be given the Captaincy of the West Indies Test team," Brathwaite said. "I feel extremely proud and humbled that the Board and Selectors have given me the opportunity and responsibility to lead the team. "The recent Test Series win in Bangladesh was a fantastic achievement and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka and I'm excited about what I believe this team can achieve in the future." The squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka, scheduled for March 21-25, will be announced on Friday. Roger Harper, CWI lead selector, said selectors were impressed that in Bangladesh Brathwaite "was able to motivate his players to play to a very high level and create the culture we are looking to establish where the team showed a collective determination to fight and a real hunger for success." Holder, the 29-year-old who was named captain of the Test team in 2015, was one of several players who opted not to tour Bangladesh because of Covid-19 related concerns. The current number one all-rounder in the ICC Test rankings, Holder captained the West Indies team in 37 Tests, leading the side to 11 wins, five draws and 21 defeats. "On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Jason for all he has given to the game in the region while serving as Captain of our Test team," CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams said. "As the world’s leading Test all-rounder, we all believe that Jason still has a tremendous role to play in West Indies Test Cricket for many years to come."

Brathwaite replaces Holder as Windies Test Captain

Simon Kjaer's last-gasp equaliser gave AC Milan a dramatic 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Thursday, handing the Italians a great chance of reaching the Europa League quarter-finals while Roma, Tottenham and Arsenal cruised closer to the last-eight.

Kjaer netted with a bullet header in the final seconds of stoppage time of the last 16, first leg encounter at Old Trafford, levelling the scores after Amad Diallo had opened in the 50th minute with his first United goal.

"This is a great result, we played really well, showed personality and I think we dominated," the defender told Sky Sport Italia.

Milan called the shots early on and had two goals disallowed, Rafael Leao's effort ruled offside and Franck Kessie's powerful 11th-minute finish chalked off after a VAR review showed the ball had glanced off the midfielder's arm before his shot.

Diallo's introduction at half-time proved an inspired move from United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the 18-year-old Ivorian, recently bought by United from Milan's Serie A rivals Atalanta, soon broke the deadlock.

Bruno Fernandes unfurled a delightful long pass towards Diallo, who made an incisive run behind the Milan defence and looped a clever backwards header over Gianluigi Donnarumma.

But United failed to build on that lead and Milan's intelligent play was rewarded with just seconds remaining when Kjaer powered his header past Dean Henderson from a corner.

<h2>- Roma, Spurs, and Arsenal cruise -</h2>

Milan's domestic rivals Roma made sure it was a good night for Italian football with a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Lorenzo Pellegrini prodded home the opener in the 23rd minute after latching on to Pedro's through ball.&nbsp;

Shakhtar pressed for a leveller after the break but quick-fire goals from Stephan El Shaarawy -- his first for Roma since returning from China -- and Gianluca Mancini gave Paulo Fonseca's side a strong lead to defend in the second leg.

The win will have been particularly sweet for Fonseca, who came to Roma from Shakhtar in the summer of 2019.&nbsp;

A Harry Kane double helped Tottenham Hotspur ease to a 2-0 home win over Dinamo Zagreb that continues a good run of form for Jose Mourinho's team.

Spurs have now won their last five matches in all competitions thanks to Thursday's victory in London.

"We had some ups and downs in the season but we come into an important period now and it is good to feel the players are ready to help the team," said Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris.

Arsenal also came away with a win, 3-1 at Olympiakos which all but secures their passage into the quarters.

Martin Odegaard's first Arsenal goal was cancelled out by Youssef El-Arabi.

But two goals in six minutes from Gabriel Magalhaes and substitute Mohamed Elneny earned victory.

Molde's heartening European run looks to have come to an end after a 2-0 defeat at La Liga side Granada.

<h2>- Rangers, Ajax well placed -</h2>

Rangers are well placed to make the quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw away to Slavia Prague.

Filip Helander's close-range finish in the first half levelled Nicolae Stanciu's superb opener and left Steve Gerrard's Rangers still in the hunt for a European trophy with the draw in Prague, days after winning their first Scottish League title in 10 years.

The highlight of the match however was Allan McGregor's stunning save near the end, the Scot somehow stopping and holding on to Lukas Masopust's thumping header, which looked destined for the bottom corner.

"I saw it a wee bit late. It's just one of these things," McGregor told BT Sport.

"You react to it, you stick your hand out and hope it doesn't go in, and it never, so happy days!"

Four-time European champions Ajax are almost guaranteed a place in the last eight after thumping Young Boys 3-0 in Amsterdam through goals from Davy Klaassen, Dusan Tadic and Brian Brobbey.

Villarreal also look good to make the quarters thanks to a 2-0 win at Dynamo Kiev.

Simon Kjaer's last-gasp equaliser gave AC Milan a dramatic 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Thursday, handing the Italians a great chance of reaching the Europa League quarter-finals while Roma, Tottenham and Arsenal cruised closer to the last-eight.

Simon Kjaer's last-gasp equaliser gave AC Milan a dramatic 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Thursday, handing the Italians a great chance of reaching the Europa League quarter-finals while Roma, Tottenham and Arsenal cruised closer to the last-eight. Kjaer netted with a bullet header in the final seconds of stoppage time of the last 16, first leg encounter at Old Trafford, levelling the scores after Amad Diallo had opened in the 50th minute with his first United goal. "This is a great result, we played really well, showed personality and I think we dominated," the defender told Sky Sport Italia. Milan called the shots early on and had two goals disallowed, Rafael Leao's effort ruled offside and Franck Kessie's powerful 11th-minute finish chalked off after a VAR review showed the ball had glanced off the midfielder's arm before his shot. Diallo's introduction at half-time proved an inspired move from United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the 18-year-old Ivorian, recently bought by United from Milan's Serie A rivals Atalanta, soon broke the deadlock. Bruno Fernandes unfurled a delightful long pass towards Diallo, who made an incisive run behind the Milan defence and looped a clever backwards header over Gianluigi Donnarumma. But United failed to build on that lead and Milan's intelligent play was rewarded with just seconds remaining when Kjaer powered his header past Dean Henderson from a corner. - Roma, Spurs, and Arsenal cruise - Milan's domestic rivals Roma made sure it was a good night for Italian football with a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Lorenzo Pellegrini prodded home the opener in the 23rd minute after latching on to Pedro's through ball. Shakhtar pressed for a leveller after the break but quick-fire goals from Stephan El Shaarawy -- his first for Roma since returning from China -- and Gianluca Mancini gave Paulo Fonseca's side a strong lead to defend in the second leg. The win will have been particularly sweet for Fonseca, who came to Roma from Shakhtar in the summer of 2019. A Harry Kane double helped Tottenham Hotspur ease to a 2-0 home win over Dinamo Zagreb that continues a good run of form for Jose Mourinho's team. Spurs have now won their last five matches in all competitions thanks to Thursday's victory in London. "We had some ups and downs in the season but we come into an important period now and it is good to feel the players are ready to help the team," said Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris. Arsenal also came away with a win, 3-1 at Olympiakos which all but secures their passage into the quarters. Martin Odegaard's first Arsenal goal was cancelled out by Youssef El-Arabi. But two goals in six minutes from Gabriel Magalhaes and substitute Mohamed Elneny earned victory. Molde's heartening European run looks to have come to an end after a 2-0 defeat at La Liga side Granada. - Rangers, Ajax well placed - Rangers are well placed to make the quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw away to Slavia Prague. Filip Helander's close-range finish in the first half levelled Nicolae Stanciu's superb opener and left Steve Gerrard's Rangers still in the hunt for a European trophy with the draw in Prague, days after winning their first Scottish League title in 10 years. The highlight of the match however was Allan McGregor's stunning save near the end, the Scot somehow stopping and holding on to Lukas Masopust's thumping header, which looked destined for the bottom corner. "I saw it a wee bit late. It's just one of these things," McGregor told BT Sport. "You react to it, you stick your hand out and hope it doesn't go in, and it never, so happy days!" Four-time European champions Ajax are almost guaranteed a place in the last eight after thumping Young Boys 3-0 in Amsterdam through goals from Davy Klaassen, Dusan Tadic and Brian Brobbey. Villarreal also look good to make the quarters thanks to a 2-0 win at Dynamo Kiev.

Milan grab Europa League last 16 edge at United as Tottenham, Arsenal shine

Roger Federer on Thursday withdrew from next week's Dubai ATP tournament, claiming "it's best to go back to training" as his comeback from 13 months on the sidelines ended after two matches at the Qatar Open.

The 39-year-old was knocked out of the Doha event by world number 42 Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, squandering a match point in the deciding set.

"It's been great to be back on the @atptour, loved every minute playing in Doha once again," tweeted the 20-time Grand Slam title winner.

"A big thank you to the best and loyal team that helped me get here. I've decided it's best to go back to training and as a result, I've decided to withdraw from Dubai next week."

Federer underwent two knee surgeries last year and was playing his first tournament since a semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January 2020.

He had needed three sets to see off Britain's Dan Evans in his first match in Qatar on Wednesday.

Federer has already said he will skip the opening Masters event of the season in Miami later this month.

That would likely mean the Swiss veteran will play again on the European clay court swing which begins in April.

Earlier Thursday, Federer's long-time rival Rafael Nadal, also the holder of 20 majors, said he had turned down a wild card invitation to the Dubai event as he recovers from a back injury.

Roger Federer on Thursday withdrew from next week's Dubai ATP tournament, claiming "it's best to go back to training" as his comeback from 13 months on the sidelines ended after two matches at the Qatar Open.

Roger Federer on Thursday withdrew from next week's Dubai ATP tournament, claiming "it's best to go back to training" as his comeback from 13 months on the sidelines ended after two matches at the Qatar Open. The 39-year-old was knocked out of the Doha event by world number 42 Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, squandering a match point in the deciding set. "It's been great to be back on the @atptour, loved every minute playing in Doha once again," tweeted the 20-time Grand Slam title winner. "A big thank you to the best and loyal team that helped me get here. I've decided it's best to go back to training and as a result, I've decided to withdraw from Dubai next week." Federer underwent two knee surgeries last year and was playing his first tournament since a semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January 2020. He had needed three sets to see off Britain's Dan Evans in his first match in Qatar on Wednesday. Federer has already said he will skip the opening Masters event of the season in Miami later this month. That would likely mean the Swiss veteran will play again on the European clay court swing which begins in April. Earlier Thursday, Federer's long-time rival Rafael Nadal, also the holder of 20 majors, said he had turned down a wild card invitation to the Dubai event as he recovers from a back injury.

Roger Federer withdraws from Dubai after Qatar exit

Virat Kohli on Thursday said that England are&nbsp;favourites&nbsp;to win the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by India later in the year. England, who are the reigning champions&nbsp;in the 50-over World Cup,&nbsp;are regarded as one of the best white-ball teams in the world as Kohli said everyone knows what they bring to the field.&nbsp;

When asked whether India would be&nbsp;favourites&nbsp;to lift the ICC T20 World Cup on their home soil, Kohli said, in the pre-match press conference: “No, I think England are&nbsp;favourites. They are the No 1 side in the world, all teams will be wary of their strengths.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dhawan-rahul-or-rohit-virat-kohli-confirms-opening-combination-for-india-in-t20i-series-vs-england-369709" hreflang="en">Dhawan, Rahul or Rohit ? Virat Kohli confirms opening combination for India in T20I series vs England</a>

Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is back with the Indian team after a lengthy layoff due to injury. Prior to his injury issues, Bhuvneshwar was crucial cog for the Indian team across formats and Kohli is delighted to have the 31-year-old back with the team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Glad to have him back, he is keen to contribute to many more Indian wins. Hope he can build strongly from here&nbsp;for the World Cup,” Kohli answered.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ravichandran Ashwin’s recent form in red-ball cricket and in IPL has triggered a debate whether the veteran spinner should be included in India's white-ball team. However, Kohli said&nbsp;that with Washington Sundar, a similar bowler to Ashwin, in the side, he&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;see Ashwin coming back in the Indian limited-overs side for the ICC T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/prithvi-shaw-equals-virat-kohlis-record-as-he-continues-blistering-run-of-form-369651" hreflang="en">Prithvi Shaw equals Virat Kohli's record as he continues blistering run of form</a>

“Washi has been doing really well for us, and it is difficult to have two players similar. Unless Washi has a horrible season (not&nbsp;possible).... you need to have some logic in the question as well. Easy to ask,” Kohli said.&nbsp;

The five-T20I series between&nbsp;India and England is set to start from Friday at the world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium – in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli on Thursday said that England are favourites to win the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by India later in the year. England, who are the reigning champions in the 50-over World Cup, are regarded as one of the best white-ball teams in the world as Kohli said everyone knows what they bring to the field.

Virat Kohli on Thursday said that England are favourites to win the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by India later in the year. England, who are the reigning champions in the 50-over World Cup, are regarded as one of the best white-ball teams in the world as Kohli said everyone knows what they bring to the field. When asked whether India would be favourites to lift the ICC T20 World Cup on their home soil, Kohli said, in the pre-match press conference: “No, I think England are favourites. They are the No 1 side in the world, all teams will be wary of their strengths.” × ALSO READ: Dhawan, Rahul or Rohit ? Virat Kohli confirms opening combination for India in T20I series vs England Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is back with the Indian team after a lengthy layoff due to injury. Prior to his injury issues, Bhuvneshwar was crucial cog for the Indian team across formats and Kohli is delighted to have the 31-year-old back with the team. “Glad to have him back, he is keen to contribute to many more Indian wins. Hope he can build strongly from here for the World Cup,” Kohli answered. Ravichandran Ashwin’s recent form in red-ball cricket and in IPL has triggered a debate whether the veteran spinner should be included in India's white-ball team. However, Kohli said that with Washington Sundar, a similar bowler to Ashwin, in the side, he doesn’t see Ashwin coming back in the Indian limited-overs side for the ICC T20 World Cup. ALSO READ: Prithvi Shaw equals Virat Kohli's record as he continues blistering run of form “Washi has been doing really well for us, and it is difficult to have two players similar. Unless Washi has a horrible season (not possible).... you need to have some logic in the question as well. Easy to ask,” Kohli said. The five-T20I series between India and England is set to start from Friday at the world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium – in Ahmedabad.

England are favourites to win T20 World Cup, says Virat Kohli

England’s white-ball captain Eoin Morgan on Thursday said that the five-match T20I series against India is an “extremely exciting” challenge that would assist the team to prepare for the World Cup later this year.&nbsp;

The series commences on Friday in Ahmedabad and would be the only opportunity for a full-strength England squad to play together before the T20 World Cup in India in October-November due to the hectic scheduling.&nbsp;&nbsp;

England, after thrashing in the Test series, will look to get back to winning ways in the T20I series. The T20I squad includes the likes of Dawid Malan, Jason Roy, Curran brothers among others.&nbsp;Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali who left the Test tour in between due to ECB’s rotation policy are also back in the squad for the white-ball leg of the&nbsp;gruelling&nbsp;tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/very-humbling-experience-dawid-malan-sam-billings-on-interaction-with-blind-cricketers-in-india-369777" hreflang="en">Very humbling experience: Dawid Malan, Sam Billings on interaction with blind cricketers in India</a>

"Certainly&nbsp;with one eye on the World Cup in seven&nbsp;months time, it is an opportunity to try and replicate teams and roles within the side that we might need to iron out before we get to the World Cup,"&nbsp;Morgan told reporters in a virtual press conference.&nbsp;

The World Cup-winning England skipper added that the Indian Premier League, starting April 9, would play a major role in helping his players for the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Certainly&nbsp;the first few times I went to the IPL, I've never gone through an experience like it. And I've learned a huge amount over the years that I've been there," Morgan said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-are-favourites-to-win-t20-world-cup-says-virat-kohli-369729" hreflang="en">England are favourites to win T20 World Cup, says Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;

"So&nbsp;the value in it given the year that it's in is brilliant, particularly now that we know it's being held in India."&nbsp;

The 34-year-old added that India would be&nbsp;favourites&nbsp;to win the World Cup on their home soil while adding that&nbsp;playing them in their backyard "is extremely exciting and everybody's looking forward to it".&nbsp;

&nbsp;

England’s white-ball captain Eoin Morgan on Thursday said that the five-match T20I series against India is an “extremely exciting” challenge that would assist the team to prepare for the World Cup later this year.

England’s white-ball captain Eoin Morgan on Thursday said that the five-match T20I series against India is an “extremely exciting” challenge that would assist the team to prepare for the World Cup later this year. The series commences on Friday in Ahmedabad and would be the only opportunity for a full-strength England squad to play together before the T20 World Cup in India in October-November due to the hectic scheduling. England, after thrashing in the Test series, will look to get back to winning ways in the T20I series. The T20I squad includes the likes of Dawid Malan, Jason Roy, Curran brothers among others. Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali who left the Test tour in between due to ECB’s rotation policy are also back in the squad for the white-ball leg of the gruelling tour. ALSO READ: Very humbling experience: Dawid Malan, Sam Billings on interaction with blind cricketers in India "Certainly with one eye on the World Cup in seven months time, it is an opportunity to try and replicate teams and roles within the side that we might need to iron out before we get to the World Cup," Morgan told reporters in a virtual press conference. The World Cup-winning England skipper added that the Indian Premier League, starting April 9, would play a major role in helping his players for the T20 World Cup. "Certainly the first few times I went to the IPL, I've never gone through an experience like it. And I've learned a huge amount over the years that I've been there," Morgan said. ALSO READ: England are favourites to win T20 World Cup, says Virat Kohli "So the value in it given the year that it's in is brilliant, particularly now that we know it's being held in India." The 34-year-old added that India would be favourites to win the World Cup on their home soil while adding that playing them in their backyard "is extremely exciting and everybody's looking forward to it".

T20I series against India an opportunity to prepare for World Cup, says England's Eoin Morgan

Ahead of the five-match T20I series against India, England cricketers Dawid Malan and Sam Billings had a heartfelt interaction with three blind cricketers&nbsp;– Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul -&nbsp;from Gujarat about their love for cricket. The English duo discussed&nbsp;the feeling of stepping into&nbsp;the largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium – in Ahmedabad while also expressing their thoughts on blind cricket.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharing their experience of interacting with the blind cricketers,&nbsp;Malan and Billings&nbsp;told WION that they&nbsp;were left awestruck by&nbsp;Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul’s&nbsp;passion and love for cricket.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The England batsmen acknowledged that cricket is the game for everyone while saying that&nbsp;the passion shown by the blind cricketers, despite all the challenges they face, is a real lesson in how to overcome the most difficult of situations in life.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Malan and Billings&nbsp;shared their thoughts&nbsp;after their interaction&nbsp;with the blind cricketers from Gujarat&nbsp;with the video going viral on social media.

Dawid Malan&nbsp;told WION:&nbsp;“It was wonderful and very humbling to speak with Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul. Their commitment to the game we all love, despite the challenges they face, is a real lesson in how to accept challenges and overcome them. Our chat also&nbsp;emphasised&nbsp;to me how cricket really is a game for everyone, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.”&nbsp;

Sam Billings&nbsp;told WION:&nbsp;“I think Dinesh and Nikul, two of the players we spoke with, had travelled for five hours just to be on the call with us. Those two, together with Vishnu, the Gujarat captain, were fantastic to speak with and they were even generous enough to give us each a ball used in blind cricket. Dawid and I both agreed we would give it a try when we get the chance, although it seems incredibly difficult, and I think we are both in awe of the skills the players have.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/to-officiate-in-t20-world-cup-and-ashes-is-my-next-target-nitin-menon-to-wion-369471" hreflang="en">To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION</a>

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Cricket knows no boundaries! 
 
Who needs a hit of cricket chat ahead of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20Cricket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20Cricket</a> match with 🇮🇳 tomorrow? See English cricketers <a href="https://twitter.com/sambillings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sambillings</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/dmalan29?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dmalan29</a> have a chat with ‘unbelievably skilful’ blind cricketers from Gujarat about their love for the sport. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/5Ni7GGPCcE">pic.twitter.com/5Ni7GGPCcE</a>
— UK in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@UKinIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/UKinIndia/status/1369941515972218883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul, in the virtual interaction asked Malan and Billings about their experience of stepping in the Narendra Modi Stadium, their experiences of playing in IPL and India, and what&nbsp;their&nbsp;favourite&nbsp;sport&nbsp;was while growing up.&nbsp;However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the players couldn’t meet the blind cricketers in person.&nbsp;But&nbsp;Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul gifted Malan and Billings the balls used in blind cricket and the English cricketers have agreed to give it a try when they get a chance.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/monty-panesar-sachin-tendulkar-is-the-greatest-athlete-ever-to-play-against-him-is-huge-honour-369446" hreflang="en">Monty Panesar: Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest athlete ever, to play against him is huge honour</a>

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This is fantastic - a real shame that COVID prevented the players from interacting face-to-face, but a great experience for the <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@englandcricket</a> players to hear about how the Indians play blind cricket, &amp; great for them to hear from two international stars... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/IGS1QUcZl4">https://t.co/IGS1QUcZl4</a>
— Brian Murgatroyd (@murgersb) <a href="https://twitter.com/murgersb/status/1370015979615387648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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England cricket team is in India for a&nbsp;gruelling&nbsp;full-fledged tour. Following the completion of the four-match Test series, the visitors&nbsp;will commence their five-match T20I series against India from Friday (March 12) in Ahmedabad followed by a three-match ODI series starting from&nbsp;March 23 in Pune.&nbsp;

Ahead of the five-match T20I series against India, England cricketers Dawid Malan and Sam Billings had a heartfelt interaction with three blind cricketers – Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul - from Gujarat about their love for cricket.

Ahead of the five-match T20I series against India, England cricketers Dawid Malan and Sam Billings had a heartfelt interaction with three blind cricketers – Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul - from Gujarat about their love for cricket. The English duo discussed the feeling of stepping into the largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium – in Ahmedabad while also expressing their thoughts on blind cricket. Sharing their experience of interacting with the blind cricketers, Malan and Billings told WION that they were left awestruck by Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul’s passion and love for cricket. The England batsmen acknowledged that cricket is the game for everyone while saying that the passion shown by the blind cricketers, despite all the challenges they face, is a real lesson in how to overcome the most difficult of situations in life. Malan and Billings shared their thoughts after their interaction with the blind cricketers from Gujarat with the video going viral on social media. Dawid Malan told WION: “It was wonderful and very humbling to speak with Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul. Their commitment to the game we all love, despite the challenges they face, is a real lesson in how to accept challenges and overcome them. Our chat also emphasised to me how cricket really is a game for everyone, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.” Sam Billings told WION: “I think Dinesh and Nikul, two of the players we spoke with, had travelled for five hours just to be on the call with us. Those two, together with Vishnu, the Gujarat captain, were fantastic to speak with and they were even generous enough to give us each a ball used in blind cricket. Dawid and I both agreed we would give it a try when we get the chance, although it seems incredibly difficult, and I think we are both in awe of the skills the players have.” ALSO READ: To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION Cricket knows no boundaries! Who needs a hit of cricket chat ahead of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 first #T20Cricket match with 🇮🇳 tomorrow? See English cricketers @sambillings & @dmalan29 have a chat with ‘unbelievably skilful’ blind cricketers from Gujarat about their love for the sport. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/5Ni7GGPCcE — UK in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@UKinIndia) March 11, 2021 × Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul, in the virtual interaction asked Malan and Billings about their experience of stepping in the Narendra Modi Stadium, their experiences of playing in IPL and India, and what their favourite sport was while growing up. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the players couldn’t meet the blind cricketers in person. But Vishnu, Dinesh and Nikul gifted Malan and Billings the balls used in blind cricket and the English cricketers have agreed to give it a try when they get a chance. ALSO READ: Monty Panesar: Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest athlete ever, to play against him is huge honour This is fantastic - a real shame that COVID prevented the players from interacting face-to-face, but a great experience for the @englandcricket players to hear about how the Indians play blind cricket, & great for them to hear from two international stars... #INDvENG https://t.co/IGS1QUcZl4 — Brian Murgatroyd (@murgersb) March 11, 2021 × England cricket team is in India for a gruelling full-fledged tour. Following the completion of the four-match Test series, the visitors will commence their five-match T20I series against India from Friday (March 12) in Ahmedabad followed by a three-match ODI series starting from March 23 in Pune.

Very humbling experience: Dawid Malan, Sam Billings on interaction with blind cricketers in India

Former India batsman VVS Laxman has predicted his Team India playing XI for the first T20I against England, scheduled to be played on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While there have been many debates around who should start for India in the T20I series against England, Laxman has provided his expert opinion on the matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Laxman went with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as his openers for the opening T20I of the series against England. It was later confirmed by Indian skipper Virat Kohli that Rohit and Rahul will open for the team on Friday with Shikhar Dhawan being the back-up to the duo in case of injury.&nbsp;

Laxman went on to pick skipper Kohli for the number three spot followed by Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya at four, five and six respectively. Laxman picked Iyer over Suryakumar Yadav with the former batsman saying that the Mumbai Indians batsman can come into the playing XI if India win the series early.&nbsp;

“It is going to be a tough choice because there is a lot of quality in that squad. But for me, for the first T20 international, I would go with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to open, no.3 will be Virat Kohli, no.4 Shreyas Iyer, No.5 Rishabh Pant, no.6 Hardik Pandya,” Laxman told Star Sports.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-are-favourites-to-win-t20-world-cup-says-virat-kohli-369729" hreflang="en">England are favourites to win T20 World Cup, says Virat Kohli</a>

“It is necessary for Suryakumar Yadav to wait. If we win the first three matches, you can play Suryakumar Yadav. You can do rotation in the bowling, you will not get the chance to rotate the batting against this team,” VVS Laxman added.&nbsp;

Laxman went on to pick&nbsp;Axar&nbsp;Patel over Washington Sundar with the 46-year-old saying that the southpaw will be able to carry his Test form to T20I cricket at his home ground.&nbsp;

Laxman then picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar,&nbsp;Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal and T Natarajan to complete his bowling line-up. However, Natarajan is still recovering from an injury at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and is expected to miss the entire T20I series.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/prithvi-shaw-equals-virat-kohlis-record-as-he-continues-blistering-run-of-form-369651" hreflang="en">Prithvi Shaw equals Virat Kohli's record as he continues blistering run of form</a>

“The kind of form&nbsp;Axar&nbsp;Patel has shown during the Test series, keeping in mind it is going to be his hometown Ahmedabad, No. 7 will be&nbsp;Axar&nbsp;Patel. No. 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, No. 9 Deepak Chahar, No. 10 will be Chahal, and No. 11 will be Natarajan because I want to develop Natarajan as the death specialist along with Bhuvi and&nbsp;Bumrah,”&nbsp;Laxman&nbsp;further said&nbsp;before predicting India to win the series 3-2.&nbsp;

“It is going to be a close series, no doubt about that, but I will still back India, 3-2 for India,” signed off VVS Laxman.&nbsp;

Former India batsman VVS Laxman has predicted his Team India playing XI for the first T20I against England, scheduled to be played on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Former India batsman VVS Laxman has predicted his Team India playing XI for the first T20I against England, scheduled to be played on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While there have been many debates around who should start for India in the T20I series against England, Laxman has provided his expert opinion on the matter. Laxman went with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as his openers for the opening T20I of the series against England. It was later confirmed by Indian skipper Virat Kohli that Rohit and Rahul will open for the team on Friday with Shikhar Dhawan being the back-up to the duo in case of injury. Laxman went on to pick skipper Kohli for the number three spot followed by Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya at four, five and six respectively. Laxman picked Iyer over Suryakumar Yadav with the former batsman saying that the Mumbai Indians batsman can come into the playing XI if India win the series early. “It is going to be a tough choice because there is a lot of quality in that squad. But for me, for the first T20 international, I would go with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to open, no.3 will be Virat Kohli, no.4 Shreyas Iyer, No.5 Rishabh Pant, no.6 Hardik Pandya,” Laxman told Star Sports. ALSO READ: England are favourites to win T20 World Cup, says Virat Kohli “It is necessary for Suryakumar Yadav to wait. If we win the first three matches, you can play Suryakumar Yadav. You can do rotation in the bowling, you will not get the chance to rotate the batting against this team,” VVS Laxman added. Laxman went on to pick Axar Patel over Washington Sundar with the 46-year-old saying that the southpaw will be able to carry his Test form to T20I cricket at his home ground. Laxman then picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Yuzvendra Chahal and T Natarajan to complete his bowling line-up. However, Natarajan is still recovering from an injury at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and is expected to miss the entire T20I series. ALSO READ: Prithvi Shaw equals Virat Kohli's record as he continues blistering run of form “The kind of form Axar Patel has shown during the Test series, keeping in mind it is going to be his hometown Ahmedabad, No. 7 will be Axar Patel. No. 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, No. 9 Deepak Chahar, No. 10 will be Chahal, and No. 11 will be Natarajan because I want to develop Natarajan as the death specialist along with Bhuvi and Bumrah,” Laxman further said before predicting India to win the series 3-2. “It is going to be a close series, no doubt about that, but I will still back India, 3-2 for India,” signed off VVS Laxman.

VVS Laxman predicts Team India's playing XI for 1st T20I vs England

Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday confirmed that Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will start as the openers for Team India in the impending five-match T20I series against England, starting from March 12 in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Addressing a pre-match press conference, Kohli said that Rahul and Rohit have been batting well together in the shortest format of the game. The Indian skipper further said that veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan is the back-up to Rohit and Rahul in case of an injury.&nbsp;

When asked whether there are chances of Dhawan, Rohit and Rahul playing together, Kohli said:&nbsp;“I don't think so.”&nbsp;

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-out-or-not-out-danushka-gunathilaka-given-out-for-obstructing-the-field-against-west-indies-369514" hreflang="en">Watch: Out or not-out? Danushka Gunathilaka given out for 'obstructing the field' against West Indies</a>

The Indian skipper continued:&nbsp;“It's quite simple, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have done well for us consistently. Shikhar Dhawan is the back-up, our starting composition will be Rohit and KL for this series.”&nbsp;

Kohli further said that India will look to play more expressive cricket in the shortest format of the game while adding new faces have been added in the squad just to address the issue of sometimes being too cautious.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/to-officiate-in-t20-world-cup-and-ashes-is-my-next-target-nitin-menon-to-wion-369471" hreflang="en">To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION</a>

“We want to play free&nbsp;cricket,&nbsp;we have explosive batsmen in the team now. That's exactly what we are trying to address. This time around you will see players bat more freely. I see us being much&nbsp;freer&nbsp;with our approach from this series onwards,” Kohli said.&nbsp;

The five-T20I series between&nbsp;India and England is set to start from Friday at the world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium – in Ahmedabad. The four-Test series between the two sides was won by India as they hammered the Joe Root-led outfit 3-1 to continue their home domination.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday confirmed that Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will start as the openers for Team India in the impending five-match T20I series against England, starting from March 12 in Ahmedabad.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday confirmed that Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will start as the openers for Team India in the impending five-match T20I series against England, starting from March 12 in Ahmedabad. Addressing a pre-match press conference, Kohli said that Rahul and Rohit have been batting well together in the shortest format of the game. The Indian skipper further said that veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan is the back-up to Rohit and Rahul in case of an injury. When asked whether there are chances of Dhawan, Rohit and Rahul playing together, Kohli said: “I don't think so.” TRENDING: Watch: Out or not-out? Danushka Gunathilaka given out for 'obstructing the field' against West Indies The Indian skipper continued: “It's quite simple, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have done well for us consistently. Shikhar Dhawan is the back-up, our starting composition will be Rohit and KL for this series.” Kohli further said that India will look to play more expressive cricket in the shortest format of the game while adding new faces have been added in the squad just to address the issue of sometimes being too cautious. ALSO READ: To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION “We want to play free cricket, we have explosive batsmen in the team now. That's exactly what we are trying to address. This time around you will see players bat more freely. I see us being much freer with our approach from this series onwards,” Kohli said. The five-T20I series between India and England is set to start from Friday at the world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium – in Ahmedabad. The four-Test series between the two sides was won by India as they hammered the Joe Root-led outfit 3-1 to continue their home domination.

Dhawan, Rahul or Rohit ? Virat Kohli confirms opening combination for India in T20I series vs England

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw continued his blistering run of form on Thursday as the youngster smashed a 165 off just 122 balls for his state side Mumbai against Karnataka in the semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;

With another century in his kitty, Shaw continued his record-breaking run as he became the highest scorer in a single edition of Vijay Hazare Trophy with 725* runs, surpassing Mayank Agarwal’s 723 runs in the 2018 edition of the tournament.&nbsp;

Shaw also&nbsp;equalled&nbsp;Virat Kohli’s record of scoring most centuries in a Vijay Hazare Trophy season as the 21-year-old registered his fourth century in the ongoing edition of the tournament. Karnataka’s Devdutt&nbsp;Padikkal&nbsp;also has&nbsp;four centuries to his name in the ongoing tournament.&nbsp;&nbsp;

WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indian-premier-league-2021-all-you-need-to-know-369582" hreflang="en">Indian Premier League 2021: All you need to know</a>

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Prithvi Shaw 100 runs in 79 balls (12x4, 3x6) Mumbai 148/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KARvMUM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KARvMUM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@paytm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VijayHazareTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VijayHazareTrophy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SF2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SF2</a> Scorecard:<a href="https://t.co/eBzWq6ZLsn">https://t.co/eBzWq6ZLsn</a>
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<h2>Most hundreds in a Vijay Hazare Trophy season:&nbsp;</h2>

4 - Virat Kohli in 2008-09&nbsp;

4 - Devdutt&nbsp;Padikkal&nbsp;in the current season&nbsp;

4 - Prithvi Shaw in the current season

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-out-or-not-out-danushka-gunathilaka-given-out-for-obstructing-the-field-against-west-indies-369514" hreflang="en">Watch: Out or not-out? Danushka Gunathilaka given out for 'obstructing the field' against West Indies</a>

Shaw registered his fourth century in the tournament after hammering 105* and 227* in the league stage followed by 185* off 123 deliveries in the quarter-final against Saurashtra. His 227-run knock against Puducherry&nbsp;was his maiden List-A century which also is the highest scorer in the history of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.&nbsp;

The youngster is currently leading the run-scoring charts in the tournament with a staggering 754 runs at an average of 251.33 and a strike-rate of 135.12 in seven matches.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Shaw went through a tough time Down Under where he was dropped from the Team India playing XI after the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. He lost his place to Shubman Gill but is knocking on the door of the Indian team once again with his terrific run of form. He will be looking to&nbsp;make an impact for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021, scheduled to commence from April 9.&nbsp;

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw continued his blistering run of form on Thursday as the youngster smashed a 165 off just 122 balls for his state side Mumbai against Karnataka in the semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021.

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw continued his blistering run of form on Thursday as the youngster smashed a 165 off just 122 balls for his state side Mumbai against Karnataka in the semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021. With another century in his kitty, Shaw continued his record-breaking run as he became the highest scorer in a single edition of Vijay Hazare Trophy with 725* runs, surpassing Mayank Agarwal’s 723 runs in the 2018 edition of the tournament. Shaw also equalled Virat Kohli’s record of scoring most centuries in a Vijay Hazare Trophy season as the 21-year-old registered his fourth century in the ongoing edition of the tournament. Karnataka’s Devdutt Padikkal also has four centuries to his name in the ongoing tournament. WATCH: Indian Premier League 2021: All you need to know Prithvi Shaw 100 runs in 79 balls (12x4, 3x6) Mumbai 148/2 #KARvMUM @paytm #VijayHazareTrophy #SF2 Scorecard:https://t.co/eBzWq6ZLsn — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) March 11, 2021 × Most hundreds in a Vijay Hazare Trophy season: 4 - Virat Kohli in 2008-09 4 - Devdutt Padikkal in the current season 4 - Prithvi Shaw in the current season TRENDING: Watch: Out or not-out? Danushka Gunathilaka given out for 'obstructing the field' against West Indies Shaw registered his fourth century in the tournament after hammering 105* and 227* in the league stage followed by 185* off 123 deliveries in the quarter-final against Saurashtra. His 227-run knock against Puducherry was his maiden List-A century which also is the highest scorer in the history of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The youngster is currently leading the run-scoring charts in the tournament with a staggering 754 runs at an average of 251.33 and a strike-rate of 135.12 in seven matches. Shaw went through a tough time Down Under where he was dropped from the Team India playing XI after the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. He lost his place to Shubman Gill but is knocking on the door of the Indian team once again with his terrific run of form. He will be looking to make an impact for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021, scheduled to commence from April 9.

Prithvi Shaw equals Virat Kohli's record as he continues blistering run of form

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola praised his players' powers of recovery to beat Southampton 5-2 despite being denied a blatant penalty when the game was delicately poised at 1-1.

City are now 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League as they close in on a third title in four years.

A 21-game winning run for Guardiola's men came to an end against Manchester United on Sunday.

But City offered the second-placed Red Devils little extra encouragement that there was a route back into the title race as Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne both struck twice.

Guardiola, though, was still furious after VAR did not intervene when Alex McCarthy wiped out Phil Foden after overrunning the ball.

The England midfielder tried to stay on his feet to tap into an empty net, but, after the chance slipped away, VAR did not tell referee Jon Moss to review the incident.

"Jon cannot see it but that the VAR is there and don't whistle the penalty is incredible," said Guardiola.

"You know after four years I don't talk about the referees, but this action is incredible.

"Maybe one day they will explain us really the rule for all the players, managers.

"That's why I am proud because in this club, I don't know in others, what we have done in these past years we won it ourselves that's for sure."

City's winning run had started against Southampton back in December when the Saints were flying high and above the now champions-elect in the table.

However, Ralph Hasenhuttl's men have taken just nine points from their last 15 games to tumble down to 14th.

The visitors made a bright start before their leaky defence began to creak when faced with City's array of attacking talent.

De Bruyne smashed home the opener off the underside of the bar after McCarthy had parried Foden's shot on 15 minutes.

The lead only lasted 10 minutes, though, as Jannik Vestegaard was hauled down by Aymeric Laporte after his initial header had been parried by Ederson.

James Ward-Prowse coolly converted the penalty straight down the middle.

Moments later came City's penalty appeal, but to their credit the home side turned their anger from that injustice into goals before the break.

The brilliant Mahrez pounced on a stray Che Adams pass before curling into the bottom corner on his favoured left foot.

<h2>- 'Quality of players' -</h2>

The Algerian was also the creator for City's third as his right-footed effort came back off the post and Ilkay Gundogan was in the right place to stroke home his 14th goal of the season.

"We won because of the quality of the players we had on the pitch," added Guardiola. "It's important for Kevin and Riyad to score goals. We need them."

Goals continued to flow at both ends after the break as Mahrez wriggled clear in the box again to fire in City's fourth.

A miserly defensive record had been key to the run that allowed Guardiola's side to streak clear at the top of the table.

But they have now conceded six goals in their last four games.

With John Stones rested, Laporte did little to further his chances of starting the big upcoming Champions League games. The Frenchman was again at fault as Adams drilled a loose ball home from close range.

Again City responded almost immediately as Foden teed up De Bruyne to score his second of the evening.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola praised his players' powers of recovery to beat Southampton 5-2 despite being denied a blatant penalty when the game was delicately poised at 1-1.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola praised his players' powers of recovery to beat Southampton 5-2 despite being denied a blatant penalty when the game was delicately poised at 1-1. City are now 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League as they close in on a third title in four years. A 21-game winning run for Guardiola's men came to an end against Manchester United on Sunday. But City offered the second-placed Red Devils little extra encouragement that there was a route back into the title race as Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne both struck twice. Guardiola, though, was still furious after VAR did not intervene when Alex McCarthy wiped out Phil Foden after overrunning the ball. The England midfielder tried to stay on his feet to tap into an empty net, but, after the chance slipped away, VAR did not tell referee Jon Moss to review the incident. "Jon cannot see it but that the VAR is there and don't whistle the penalty is incredible," said Guardiola. "You know after four years I don't talk about the referees, but this action is incredible. "Maybe one day they will explain us really the rule for all the players, managers. "That's why I am proud because in this club, I don't know in others, what we have done in these past years we won it ourselves that's for sure." City's winning run had started against Southampton back in December when the Saints were flying high and above the now champions-elect in the table. However, Ralph Hasenhuttl's men have taken just nine points from their last 15 games to tumble down to 14th. The visitors made a bright start before their leaky defence began to creak when faced with City's array of attacking talent. De Bruyne smashed home the opener off the underside of the bar after McCarthy had parried Foden's shot on 15 minutes. The lead only lasted 10 minutes, though, as Jannik Vestegaard was hauled down by Aymeric Laporte after his initial header had been parried by Ederson. James Ward-Prowse coolly converted the penalty straight down the middle. Moments later came City's penalty appeal, but to their credit the home side turned their anger from that injustice into goals before the break. The brilliant Mahrez pounced on a stray Che Adams pass before curling into the bottom corner on his favoured left foot. - 'Quality of players' - The Algerian was also the creator for City's third as his right-footed effort came back off the post and Ilkay Gundogan was in the right place to stroke home his 14th goal of the season. "We won because of the quality of the players we had on the pitch," added Guardiola. "It's important for Kevin and Riyad to score goals. We need them." Goals continued to flow at both ends after the break as Mahrez wriggled clear in the box again to fire in City's fourth. A miserly defensive record had been key to the run that allowed Guardiola's side to streak clear at the top of the table. But they have now conceded six goals in their last four games. With John Stones rested, Laporte did little to further his chances of starting the big upcoming Champions League games. The Frenchman was again at fault as Adams drilled a loose ball home from close range. Again City responded almost immediately as Foden teed up De Bruyne to score his second of the evening.

Five-goal Man City overcome 'incredible' penalty call to beat Southampton

Lionel Messi scored one stunning goal but then had a penalty saved as Barcelona failed in their attempt to produce a second Champions League comeback for the ages against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a 1-1 draw taking the French side through to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate.

Kylian Mbappe netted a hat-trick as PSG stunned Barca 4-1 in the first leg last month, and he extended their advantage in this last-16 tie by netting a first-half penalty in the second leg to put last season's runners-up ahead on the night.

But Messi made it 1-1 with a ferocious strike from 30 metres and the Argentine had the chance to put the visitors ahead after Antoine Griezmann was fouled in the area, only for the outstanding Keylor Navas to tip his spot-kick onto the bar.

Barcelona certainly went for it, but there was to be no repeat of their infamous recovery against the same opponents four years ago, when they lost the first leg 4-0 but triumphed 6-1 in the return.

It is the first time they have gone out before the quarter-finals since 2007 and, after Juventus were knocked out on Tuesday, neither Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo will feature in the last eight for the first time since 2005.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman can nevertheless be encouraged by the way his team played on a cold, wet and windy night at an empty Parc des Princes.

"We are out, and that is what counts in our sport, but we can feel good about it because we had chances to make life difficult for our opponents," Koeman told Movistar Plus.

"We deserved more, and things could have been different had it been 2-1 at half-time."

Barcelona have been a club in crisis for some time but they have a new president in Joan Laporta, who will hope to restore calm at boardroom level, and they can still hope to finish the season strongly domestically.

Meanwhile PSG are safely through to the quarter-finals as they look to go one better than last season and win the Champions League for the first time.

They will feel this tie marks another step forward in their quest to become Europe's dominant force, after three defeats at Barcelona's hands in knockout ties since the Qatar Sports Investments takeover of a decade ago.

<h2>- Mbappe's tie, Navas' night -</h2>

Victory was achieved despite Neymar missing both legs due to injury, with Mbappe providing enough stardust on his own.

Yet after lighting up the first leg, the French World Cup winner found the going tougher in the return, and coach Mauricio Pochettino will face some questions about his side's approach.

"We are in the quarter-finals and we are very happy," he told RMC Sport, adding: "Sometimes in football you need to be prepared to suffer."

There were jitters, with Barcelona dominating almost from the first minute and squandering chance after chance in the opening half-hour.

Poor decision-making from Ousmane Dembele did not help the away side, although he also saw one ball across the face of goal just escape the outstretched leg of Messi.

As an impromptu fireworks display broke out just outside the stadium, Navas then produced his first superb save midway through the first half when he turned Sergino Dest's shot onto the woodwork, and it was against the run of play that PSG went ahead.

Clement Lenglet caught the heel of Mauro Icardi in the area in the 28th minute, a foul that was almost invisible on first viewing but was confirmed by English referee Anthony Taylor after a VAR review.

Mbappe scored from the spot for his fourth goal in the tie and his 26th of the season.

Barcelona kept coming though, and Messi equalised with a shot from range that was like a tracer bullet that whistled into the top corner, not the kind of goal he scores often.

It was his 25th this season, and he could have scored again in first-half stoppage time as Layvin Kurzawa was penalised for catching Griezmann in the box.

However, Messi was denied by Navas, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper dousing Barcelona's hopes as he continued to do in the second half.

"Navas had a brilliant game. He is a world-class goalkeeper and you saw that tonight," said Pochettino.

Lionel Messi scored one stunning goal but then had a penalty saved as Barcelona failed in their attempt to produce a second Champions League comeback for the ages against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a 1-1 draw taking the French side through to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate.

Lionel Messi scored one stunning goal but then had a penalty saved as Barcelona failed in their attempt to produce a second Champions League comeback for the ages against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a 1-1 draw taking the French side through to the quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate. Kylian Mbappe netted a hat-trick as PSG stunned Barca 4-1 in the first leg last month, and he extended their advantage in this last-16 tie by netting a first-half penalty in the second leg to put last season's runners-up ahead on the night. But Messi made it 1-1 with a ferocious strike from 30 metres and the Argentine had the chance to put the visitors ahead after Antoine Griezmann was fouled in the area, only for the outstanding Keylor Navas to tip his spot-kick onto the bar. Barcelona certainly went for it, but there was to be no repeat of their infamous recovery against the same opponents four years ago, when they lost the first leg 4-0 but triumphed 6-1 in the return. It is the first time they have gone out before the quarter-finals since 2007 and, after Juventus were knocked out on Tuesday, neither Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo will feature in the last eight for the first time since 2005. Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman can nevertheless be encouraged by the way his team played on a cold, wet and windy night at an empty Parc des Princes. "We are out, and that is what counts in our sport, but we can feel good about it because we had chances to make life difficult for our opponents," Koeman told Movistar Plus. "We deserved more, and things could have been different had it been 2-1 at half-time." Barcelona have been a club in crisis for some time but they have a new president in Joan Laporta, who will hope to restore calm at boardroom level, and they can still hope to finish the season strongly domestically. Meanwhile PSG are safely through to the quarter-finals as they look to go one better than last season and win the Champions League for the first time. They will feel this tie marks another step forward in their quest to become Europe's dominant force, after three defeats at Barcelona's hands in knockout ties since the Qatar Sports Investments takeover of a decade ago. - Mbappe's tie, Navas' night - Victory was achieved despite Neymar missing both legs due to injury, with Mbappe providing enough stardust on his own. Yet after lighting up the first leg, the French World Cup winner found the going tougher in the return, and coach Mauricio Pochettino will face some questions about his side's approach. "We are in the quarter-finals and we are very happy," he told RMC Sport, adding: "Sometimes in football you need to be prepared to suffer." There were jitters, with Barcelona dominating almost from the first minute and squandering chance after chance in the opening half-hour. Poor decision-making from Ousmane Dembele did not help the away side, although he also saw one ball across the face of goal just escape the outstretched leg of Messi. As an impromptu fireworks display broke out just outside the stadium, Navas then produced his first superb save midway through the first half when he turned Sergino Dest's shot onto the woodwork, and it was against the run of play that PSG went ahead. Clement Lenglet caught the heel of Mauro Icardi in the area in the 28th minute, a foul that was almost invisible on first viewing but was confirmed by English referee Anthony Taylor after a VAR review. Mbappe scored from the spot for his fourth goal in the tie and his 26th of the season. Barcelona kept coming though, and Messi equalised with a shot from range that was like a tracer bullet that whistled into the top corner, not the kind of goal he scores often. It was his 25th this season, and he could have scored again in first-half stoppage time as Layvin Kurzawa was penalised for catching Griezmann in the box. However, Messi was denied by Navas, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper dousing Barcelona's hopes as he continued to do in the second half. "Navas had a brilliant game. He is a world-class goalkeeper and you saw that tonight," said Pochettino.

Messi misses penalty as Barcelona fail in latest PSG comeback attempt

Liverpool eased past RB Leipzig into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win in Budapest Wednesday that coach Jurgen Klopp said helps his side put their Premier League woes to one side. &nbsp;

Repeating their rapid-fire double act from the first leg, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane again struck within four second-half minutes to give the Reds a 4-0 aggregate win and keep alive Liverpool's hopes of rescuing their miserable domestic season with European glory.

After six successive defeats at Anfield and dropping to eighth place in the Premier League, Klopp's men looked relieved to be away from home, with the second leg also played in the Hungarian capital due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

"They were outstanding. We had to switch off the Premier League stuff to get here and to try. To give it a proper try," Klopp told BT Sport.

"The boys really enjoyed themselves tonight which is important," said Klopp.

"It is a big result for us," said Salah.

"We lost a few games in the Premier League, the team is not in the best shape but we want to fight in the Champions League," he said.

"It's been tough in the Premier League, everybody can see that. The last couple of years we were winning, we were flying. This year we had a couple of injuries so we were unlucky, we are trying to fix that but it is hard," he added.

While the Reds showed attacking intent from the off, they squandered a string of chances throughout the first half.

"First-half we created massive chances and didn't score which is a thing we have in 2021," said Klopp.

Unmarked at a corner, Diogo Jota should have opened their account in the 18th minute but the Portuguese striker headed straight at Hungarian goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi who tipped over.

Midway through the period, an acrobatic scissor kick by Thiago Alcantara released Salah on the left but his left-footed effort was blocked by Gulacsi with Mane unable to convert the rebound.

<h2>- Leipzig miss chances -</h2>

Then on the half-hour, the onrushing Salah couldn't finish from close range after meeting a cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold who was sent clear on the right by a slide-rule pass by Mane.

Roused at last by the narrow escapes, Leipzig began to venture beyond Liverpool's high line and managed to carve out some chances of their own.

Kevin Kampl forced a save from Alisson Becker with a curler from distance, while a minute later Swedish playmaker Emil Forsberg, back from injury, clipped a snapshot just wide of the post.

Still, with Brazil's Fabinho back in the starting side and directing affairs in midfield, the better chances fell to Liverpool.

Jota again fired straight at Gulacsi just before the break and then into the side-netting on the whistle after a slip by French defender Dayot Upamecano.

Leipzig, flying domestically on the back of six straight Bundesliga wins but nervy in Budapest, urgently needed a goal to rattle Liverpool but continued to lack penetration in the second half.

In truth, Julian Nagelsmann's men, who dumped Tottenham out at this stage of the competition last year and Manchester United in the group stage this season, rarely looked like claiming an even bigger scalp by turning the tie around.

Their last opportunity arrived on 65 minutes but Alexander Sorloth's header from a cross by Hwang Hee-chan spun over Alisson's fingertips only to rebound off the bar.

Soon after, Salah and Mane ruthlessly took advantage of the let-off by securing Liverpool's berth in the last eight.

In the 70th minute, the Egyptian fired a shot past Gulacsi, then four minutes later Mane turned a cross by substitute Divock Origi past the hapless Hungarian.

"The best thing that the boys did is that no one could see how good Leipzig can be," said Klopp.&nbsp;

"We defended them really well because they are a monster. They usually are so powerful," he said.

"We want to win football games, we feel it now for the first time in a while and it is a massive difference."

Liverpool eased past RB Leipzig into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win in Budapest Wednesday that coach Jurgen Klopp said helps his side put their Premier League woes to one side.

Liverpool eased past RB Leipzig into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win in Budapest Wednesday that coach Jurgen Klopp said helps his side put their Premier League woes to one side. Repeating their rapid-fire double act from the first leg, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane again struck within four second-half minutes to give the Reds a 4-0 aggregate win and keep alive Liverpool's hopes of rescuing their miserable domestic season with European glory. After six successive defeats at Anfield and dropping to eighth place in the Premier League, Klopp's men looked relieved to be away from home, with the second leg also played in the Hungarian capital due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. "They were outstanding. We had to switch off the Premier League stuff to get here and to try. To give it a proper try," Klopp told BT Sport. "The boys really enjoyed themselves tonight which is important," said Klopp. "It is a big result for us," said Salah. "We lost a few games in the Premier League, the team is not in the best shape but we want to fight in the Champions League," he said. "It's been tough in the Premier League, everybody can see that. The last couple of years we were winning, we were flying. This year we had a couple of injuries so we were unlucky, we are trying to fix that but it is hard," he added. While the Reds showed attacking intent from the off, they squandered a string of chances throughout the first half. "First-half we created massive chances and didn't score which is a thing we have in 2021," said Klopp. Unmarked at a corner, Diogo Jota should have opened their account in the 18th minute but the Portuguese striker headed straight at Hungarian goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi who tipped over. Midway through the period, an acrobatic scissor kick by Thiago Alcantara released Salah on the left but his left-footed effort was blocked by Gulacsi with Mane unable to convert the rebound. - Leipzig miss chances - Then on the half-hour, the onrushing Salah couldn't finish from close range after meeting a cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold who was sent clear on the right by a slide-rule pass by Mane. Roused at last by the narrow escapes, Leipzig began to venture beyond Liverpool's high line and managed to carve out some chances of their own. Kevin Kampl forced a save from Alisson Becker with a curler from distance, while a minute later Swedish playmaker Emil Forsberg, back from injury, clipped a snapshot just wide of the post. Still, with Brazil's Fabinho back in the starting side and directing affairs in midfield, the better chances fell to Liverpool. Jota again fired straight at Gulacsi just before the break and then into the side-netting on the whistle after a slip by French defender Dayot Upamecano. Leipzig, flying domestically on the back of six straight Bundesliga wins but nervy in Budapest, urgently needed a goal to rattle Liverpool but continued to lack penetration in the second half. In truth, Julian Nagelsmann's men, who dumped Tottenham out at this stage of the competition last year and Manchester United in the group stage this season, rarely looked like claiming an even bigger scalp by turning the tie around. Their last opportunity arrived on 65 minutes but Alexander Sorloth's header from a cross by Hwang Hee-chan spun over Alisson's fingertips only to rebound off the bar. Soon after, Salah and Mane ruthlessly took advantage of the let-off by securing Liverpool's berth in the last eight. In the 70th minute, the Egyptian fired a shot past Gulacsi, then four minutes later Mane turned a cross by substitute Divock Origi past the hapless Hungarian. "The best thing that the boys did is that no one could see how good Leipzig can be," said Klopp. "We defended them really well because they are a monster. They usually are so powerful," he said. "We want to win football games, we feel it now for the first time in a while and it is a massive difference."

Liverpool 'switch off' domestic woes to ease into Champions League last eight

US Olympic chiefs said Wednesday they expect athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics will be vaccinated against Covid-19 "well before" the Games as US immunisation efforts surge ahead.

In a conference call with reporters, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland said the pace of the US vaccine rollout meant athletes may now be vaccinated even before trials and qualifiers for Tokyo.

"We are more optimistic than ever in hoping Team USA athletes will be readily and easily vaccinated well before the Games, and hopefully, some likely even before their trials," Hirshland said.

"The vaccine situation is looking very positive ... the broad base of athletes may have access to the vaccine sooner than we thought initially possible.

"This is great news and we're feeling really positive about the progress we're seeing here in the United States, both in its advantage to US athletes as well as international athletes living and training in our country right now."

Some 62 million people in the United States have received one or more doses of the vaccine, about 19 percent of the adult population, while the White House has targeted inoculating the adult population of 270 million people by May.

Hirshland said most athletes were likely to be vaccinated as part of local level immunisation programs, but did not rule out mass vaccination events where athletes were gathered at a particular location.

"We're exploring a variety of different scenarios," she said. "It is possible that vaccines may be readily and widely available in local communities across the country as early as May based on what the administration is telling us.

"That certainly provides the easiest logistical pathway for athletes training in communities across the country, but we are also exploring opportunities to help support that distribution.

"Ideally the vaccines are administered well in advance of that, but we're exploring every option. We're focused on being as prepared as we can."

Hirshland said while the "vast majority" of Team USA athletes would opt for the vaccine, she was expecting some athletes to decline to do so.

"I absolutely expect there will be Team USA athletes who do not choose to take a vaccine," Hirshland said. "We will respect that right. There are a variety of factors that may play into those decisions.

"Our medical teams are working with athletes on a one-on-one basis to make sure they have the information they need to make the right choice for themselves.

"With or without the vaccine, we're confident we can keep everybody healthy and safe regardless."

Asked if Olympic officials had seen any evidence of reluctance to travel to Tokyo, she added: "I don't have any reports of hesitancy. Our team is eager and ready to go."

US Olympic chiefs said Wednesday they expect athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics will be vaccinated against Covid-19 "well before" the Games as US immunisation efforts surge ahead.

US Olympic chiefs said Wednesday they expect athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics will be vaccinated against Covid-19 "well before" the Games as US immunisation efforts surge ahead. In a conference call with reporters, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland said the pace of the US vaccine rollout meant athletes may now be vaccinated even before trials and qualifiers for Tokyo. "We are more optimistic than ever in hoping Team USA athletes will be readily and easily vaccinated well before the Games, and hopefully, some likely even before their trials," Hirshland said. "The vaccine situation is looking very positive ... the broad base of athletes may have access to the vaccine sooner than we thought initially possible. "This is great news and we're feeling really positive about the progress we're seeing here in the United States, both in its advantage to US athletes as well as international athletes living and training in our country right now." Some 62 million people in the United States have received one or more doses of the vaccine, about 19 percent of the adult population, while the White House has targeted inoculating the adult population of 270 million people by May. Hirshland said most athletes were likely to be vaccinated as part of local level immunisation programs, but did not rule out mass vaccination events where athletes were gathered at a particular location. "We're exploring a variety of different scenarios," she said. "It is possible that vaccines may be readily and widely available in local communities across the country as early as May based on what the administration is telling us. "That certainly provides the easiest logistical pathway for athletes training in communities across the country, but we are also exploring opportunities to help support that distribution. "Ideally the vaccines are administered well in advance of that, but we're exploring every option. We're focused on being as prepared as we can." Hirshland said while the "vast majority" of Team USA athletes would opt for the vaccine, she was expecting some athletes to decline to do so. "I absolutely expect there will be Team USA athletes who do not choose to take a vaccine," Hirshland said. "We will respect that right. There are a variety of factors that may play into those decisions. "Our medical teams are working with athletes on a one-on-one basis to make sure they have the information they need to make the right choice for themselves. "With or without the vaccine, we're confident we can keep everybody healthy and safe regardless." Asked if Olympic officials had seen any evidence of reluctance to travel to Tokyo, she added: "I don't have any reports of hesitancy. Our team is eager and ready to go."

US athletes to be vaccinated 'well before' Olympics: USOPC

Hundreds of Argentine football fans demonstrated on Wednesday in Buenos Aires to demand justice for superstar player Diego Maradona, who died on November 25 in circumstances under investigation.

"Maradona has been left to die and it is not fair, it is not fair that a person who gave us Argentines so much ends up like that," Abel Chorolque, a 44-year-old cab driver, told AFP at the protest.&nbsp;

Maradona, who was 60, died of a heart attack just weeks after undergoing brain surgery on a blood clot.

Investigators are looking into the health treatment he received prior to his death to determine whether or not to bring a case of wrongful death, a conviction for which would result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

The "10M" demonstration was organized on social media by different Maradona fan groups under the slogan "Justice for Diego, he did not die, he was killed."&nbsp;

Two of his adult daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, as well as the youngest of his five children -- Diego Fernando, 8 -- were at the protest, though they had to leave as the atmosphere turned tense.

As darkness fell some in the crowd chanted death threats against Matias Morla, Maradona's last lawyer, who would have appointed the medical team that treated him at the end of his life.&nbsp;

Maradona underwent surgery on November 3, just four days after he celebrated his 60th birthday at the club he coached, Gimnasia y Esgrima.

However, he appeared in poor health then and had trouble speaking.

Maradona had battled cocaine and alcohol addictions during his life. He was suffering from liver, kidney and cardiovascular disorders when he died.

A panel of experts, made up of 10 official specialists and 10 more selected by the interested parties, is due to deliver its findings on his cause of death in two or three weeks.

Maradona's neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz are under investigation as well as two nurses, a nursing coordinator and a medical coordinator.

Hundreds of Argentine football fans demonstrated on Wednesday in Buenos Aires to demand justice for superstar player Diego Maradona, who died on November 25 in circumstances under investigation.

Hundreds of Argentine football fans demonstrated on Wednesday in Buenos Aires to demand justice for superstar player Diego Maradona, who died on November 25 in circumstances under investigation. "Maradona has been left to die and it is not fair, it is not fair that a person who gave us Argentines so much ends up like that," Abel Chorolque, a 44-year-old cab driver, told AFP at the protest. Maradona, who was 60, died of a heart attack just weeks after undergoing brain surgery on a blood clot. Investigators are looking into the health treatment he received prior to his death to determine whether or not to bring a case of wrongful death, a conviction for which would result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years. The "10M" demonstration was organized on social media by different Maradona fan groups under the slogan "Justice for Diego, he did not die, he was killed." Two of his adult daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, as well as the youngest of his five children -- Diego Fernando, 8 -- were at the protest, though they had to leave as the atmosphere turned tense. As darkness fell some in the crowd chanted death threats against Matias Morla, Maradona's last lawyer, who would have appointed the medical team that treated him at the end of his life. Maradona underwent surgery on November 3, just four days after he celebrated his 60th birthday at the club he coached, Gimnasia y Esgrima. However, he appeared in poor health then and had trouble speaking. Maradona had battled cocaine and alcohol addictions during his life. He was suffering from liver, kidney and cardiovascular disorders when he died. A panel of experts, made up of 10 official specialists and 10 more selected by the interested parties, is due to deliver its findings on his cause of death in two or three weeks. Maradona's neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz are under investigation as well as two nurses, a nursing coordinator and a medical coordinator.

Argentine fans demonstrate to demand 'justice' for Diego Maradona

After a year of games behind closed doors, Bundesliga clubs are contemplating losses of a "billion euros" as players and coaches wonder when Germany's football grounds will be full again in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

"They feel like training games at times," Freiburg striker Nils Petersen has said of matches behind closed doors.

Borussia Moenchengladbach's 2-1 win over Cologne on March 11, 2020, was the first ever Bundesliga game played without spectators.

Two days later, all Bundesliga matches stopped as Germany went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

After a two-and-a-half month hiatus, the league resumed in May with the last nine rounds of matches void of fans so the 2019/20 season could be finished.

Since then, the stadiums in Germany's top flight have largely remained empty.

A few thousand supporters were allowed into 33 games in certain grounds for matches at the start of this season, but Germany's second wave of coronavirus put paid to that.

Bundesliga matches have been played behind closed doors since November when Germany went into a second lockdown, which is still in place.&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Just the beginning' -</h2>

The 36 clubs in Germany's top two leagues are counting the financial cost of lost matchday revenue with their combined turnover plummeting by 300 million euros ($358 million) in 2019/20 compared to the previous season.

"And this is just the beginning," warned Christian Seifert, the CEO of the German Football League (DFL), on Tuesday.

With no end to the current lockdown in sight, Germany's top clubs are forecast to lose a billion euros this season compared to figures before the crisis.

"It's no longer the same job as it was before the pandemic," said Werder's coach Florian Kohfeldt.&nbsp;

"I can't get used to it and I don't want to get used to it," he said of games without fans - dubbed 'Geisterspiele' (ghost games) in German.

"What makes you so enjoy doing your job is totally missing: the emotions in the stadium.

"It's like going to work in a normal job without these extraordinary moments."

Rising stars who made their Bundesliga debuts in the last 12 months, like Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko, 16, and Schalke forward Matthew Hoppe, 19, have never experienced the atmosphere of playing in a packed stadium.

"Our sport has become colder. More objective," said Union Berlin goalkeeper Andreas Luthe.

<h2>- 'Privileged position' -</h2>

However, German football enjoys the privileged position of being able to continue when the lockdown has forced many business to close.

"You couldn't imagine what this pandemic would do to many people and companies," Augsburg coach Heiko Herrlich told magazine Kicker.

"We are in a privileged position in football because we are allowed to practice our profession. Many others cannot do that."

Champions Bayern Munich have not played in front of fans at the Allianz Arena since March 8, 2020.

The lack of noise from supporters means every word can be heard on the pitch -- and from the opposing bench.

"That's not always nice," says Bayern coach Hansi Flick, who admits sometimes finding it "a very big challenge" not to react to heckling from the opposition's bench.

There has also been an impact on the pitch.

Without home fans cheering their team on, the host club has won only a third of Bundesliga matches over the last year,&nbsp;according to a study by magazine Kicker.

In the preceeding 12 months up to March 2020, just under half of matches were won by the home team.

"Our work has changed", said Kohfeldt.

"Whether you play away or at home, it has neutralised itself to a certain extent."

However, the lack of passionate fans also seems to have calmed players' tempers.

Half as many red cards were dished out over the last year compared to the same period in the preceding 12 months.

After a year of games behind closed doors, Bundesliga clubs are contemplating losses of a "billion euros" as players and coaches wonder when Germany's football grounds will be full again in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

After a year of games behind closed doors, Bundesliga clubs are contemplating losses of a "billion euros" as players and coaches wonder when Germany's football grounds will be full again in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. "They feel like training games at times," Freiburg striker Nils Petersen has said of matches behind closed doors. Borussia Moenchengladbach's 2-1 win over Cologne on March 11, 2020, was the first ever Bundesliga game played without spectators. Two days later, all Bundesliga matches stopped as Germany went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After a two-and-a-half month hiatus, the league resumed in May with the last nine rounds of matches void of fans so the 2019/20 season could be finished. Since then, the stadiums in Germany's top flight have largely remained empty. A few thousand supporters were allowed into 33 games in certain grounds for matches at the start of this season, but Germany's second wave of coronavirus put paid to that. Bundesliga matches have been played behind closed doors since November when Germany went into a second lockdown, which is still in place. - 'Just the beginning' - The 36 clubs in Germany's top two leagues are counting the financial cost of lost matchday revenue with their combined turnover plummeting by 300 million euros ($358 million) in 2019/20 compared to the previous season. "And this is just the beginning," warned Christian Seifert, the CEO of the German Football League (DFL), on Tuesday. With no end to the current lockdown in sight, Germany's top clubs are forecast to lose a billion euros this season compared to figures before the crisis. "It's no longer the same job as it was before the pandemic," said Werder's coach Florian Kohfeldt. "I can't get used to it and I don't want to get used to it," he said of games without fans - dubbed 'Geisterspiele' (ghost games) in German. "What makes you so enjoy doing your job is totally missing: the emotions in the stadium. "It's like going to work in a normal job without these extraordinary moments." Rising stars who made their Bundesliga debuts in the last 12 months, like Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko, 16, and Schalke forward Matthew Hoppe, 19, have never experienced the atmosphere of playing in a packed stadium. "Our sport has become colder. More objective," said Union Berlin goalkeeper Andreas Luthe. - 'Privileged position' - However, German football enjoys the privileged position of being able to continue when the lockdown has forced many business to close. "You couldn't imagine what this pandemic would do to many people and companies," Augsburg coach Heiko Herrlich told magazine Kicker. "We are in a privileged position in football because we are allowed to practice our profession. Many others cannot do that." Champions Bayern Munich have not played in front of fans at the Allianz Arena since March 8, 2020. The lack of noise from supporters means every word can be heard on the pitch -- and from the opposing bench. "That's not always nice," says Bayern coach Hansi Flick, who admits sometimes finding it "a very big challenge" not to react to heckling from the opposition's bench. There has also been an impact on the pitch. Without home fans cheering their team on, the host club has won only a third of Bundesliga matches over the last year, according to a study by magazine Kicker. In the preceeding 12 months up to March 2020, just under half of matches were won by the home team. "Our work has changed", said Kohfeldt. "Whether you play away or at home, it has neutralised itself to a certain extent." However, the lack of passionate fans also seems to have calmed players' tempers. Half as many red cards were dished out over the last year compared to the same period in the preceding 12 months.

Billion-euro nightmare as German football counts cost of year behind closed doors

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach promised to deliver a "safe, secure" Tokyo Olympics this year as he was re-elected for a second term on Wednesday.

As he opened the IOC Session, Bach said it was no longer a question of whether the Olympics, which were postponed last year as the coronavirus pandemic spread around the globe, would take place but in what conditions they will be held.

"Tokyo remains the best prepared Olympic city ever and at this moment, we have no reason to doubt that the opening ceremony will take place on July 23," Bach said.

"The question is not whether, the question is how these Olympic Games will take place.

"The IOC is working at full speed together with our Japanese partners and friends to make the postponed Olympic Games a safe manifestation of peace, solidarity and resilience of humankind in overcoming the pandemic."

Bach said his aim was to create "a safe, secure and fair environment for all the athletes".

The local Japanese organisers are due to announce by the end of the month whether foreign spectators will be allowed to attend the Games, although it is widely reported that they will be barred due to Covid-19 concerns.

<h2>- Overwhelming support -</h2>

Bach, 67, received unanimous backing in the election for IOC president in which he was the sole candidate, with 93 of the 94 valid votes from IOC members in favour of his re-election.

"Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for this overwhelming vote of confidence and trust," said Bach, sending out a 'virtual' hug to his supporters.

"This is more overwhelming given the reforms and difficult decisions we had to take.

"It's touching me deeply and also makes me humble," the German said, describing his first eight-year mandate as "not so easy".

"Hopefully we'll have us facing one less problem than we've had in the last eight. Who knows?!"

Bach is a popular, long-standing figure within the IOC. He was elected an IOC member at the age of 37 and went on to play a series of influential roles within the organisation before being initially elected its ninth president in September 2013.

Bach succeeded Belgian Jacques Rogge for his opening term. Under IOC rules introduced in 1999, Bach's second term will last four years.

The Tokyo Olympics is the most pressing agenda item at the start of his new term, after an opening eight years that turned out to be unexpectedly eventful.

Under his reign as IOC chief, Bach has had to grapple with several political challenges, and has notably overseen the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2016 Rio Summer Games, both perceived as the most troublesome in recent years.

He has also been a key player in the ongoing Russian doping saga, although the IOC came in for criticism from some quarters for not issuing Moscow with a blanket ban over its state-sponsored doping system.

Bach also came under fire for reinstating the Russian National Olympic Committee after the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics despite failed drugs tests there.

He is credited, however, with having put in place the Olympic Agenda 2020, reforms aimed at cutting costs and streamlining bidding processes to better attract potential host cities.

It saw Paris granted the 2024 Olympics and Los Angeles the 2028 Games back in 2017, and the IOC last month accorded preferred candidate status to Brisbane for the 2032 Games.

But the German lawyer and businessman could well have his biggest challenge ahead of him, in the form of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, with Beijing scheduled to host the 2022 Winter Olympics just six months after the proposed Tokyo Games.

IOC member Dick Pound, summing up the near-blanket support for Bach, described his re-election as "especially important in these difficult times".

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach promised to deliver a "safe, secure" Tokyo Olympics this year as he was re-elected for a second term on Wednesday.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach promised to deliver a "safe, secure" Tokyo Olympics this year as he was re-elected for a second term on Wednesday. As he opened the IOC Session, Bach said it was no longer a question of whether the Olympics, which were postponed last year as the coronavirus pandemic spread around the globe, would take place but in what conditions they will be held. "Tokyo remains the best prepared Olympic city ever and at this moment, we have no reason to doubt that the opening ceremony will take place on July 23," Bach said. "The question is not whether, the question is how these Olympic Games will take place. "The IOC is working at full speed together with our Japanese partners and friends to make the postponed Olympic Games a safe manifestation of peace, solidarity and resilience of humankind in overcoming the pandemic." Bach said his aim was to create "a safe, secure and fair environment for all the athletes". The local Japanese organisers are due to announce by the end of the month whether foreign spectators will be allowed to attend the Games, although it is widely reported that they will be barred due to Covid-19 concerns. - Overwhelming support - Bach, 67, received unanimous backing in the election for IOC president in which he was the sole candidate, with 93 of the 94 valid votes from IOC members in favour of his re-election. "Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for this overwhelming vote of confidence and trust," said Bach, sending out a 'virtual' hug to his supporters. "This is more overwhelming given the reforms and difficult decisions we had to take. "It's touching me deeply and also makes me humble," the German said, describing his first eight-year mandate as "not so easy". "Hopefully we'll have us facing one less problem than we've had in the last eight. Who knows?!" Bach is a popular, long-standing figure within the IOC. He was elected an IOC member at the age of 37 and went on to play a series of influential roles within the organisation before being initially elected its ninth president in September 2013. Bach succeeded Belgian Jacques Rogge for his opening term. Under IOC rules introduced in 1999, Bach's second term will last four years. The Tokyo Olympics is the most pressing agenda item at the start of his new term, after an opening eight years that turned out to be unexpectedly eventful. Under his reign as IOC chief, Bach has had to grapple with several political challenges, and has notably overseen the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2016 Rio Summer Games, both perceived as the most troublesome in recent years. He has also been a key player in the ongoing Russian doping saga, although the IOC came in for criticism from some quarters for not issuing Moscow with a blanket ban over its state-sponsored doping system. Bach also came under fire for reinstating the Russian National Olympic Committee after the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics despite failed drugs tests there. He is credited, however, with having put in place the Olympic Agenda 2020, reforms aimed at cutting costs and streamlining bidding processes to better attract potential host cities. It saw Paris granted the 2024 Olympics and Los Angeles the 2028 Games back in 2017, and the IOC last month accorded preferred candidate status to Brisbane for the 2032 Games. But the German lawyer and businessman could well have his biggest challenge ahead of him, in the form of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, with Beijing scheduled to host the 2022 Winter Olympics just six months after the proposed Tokyo Games. IOC member Dick Pound, summing up the near-blanket support for Bach, described his re-election as "especially important in these difficult times".

Re-elected Bach promises 'safe, secure' Tokyo Olympics

Roger Federer played his first match for over a year Wednesday as the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion returned from injury to take on British number one Dan Evans at the Qatar Open in Doha.

Federer, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020, won the toss and elected to serve first after joking with the umpire about the rules of the game.

He received a rapturous welcome from the 20 percent-capacity crowd at Doha's Khalifa Tennis Complex, beaming back at the crowd.

The 39-year-old initially pulled ahead winning his service game which was tempered by Evans also winning his opening service game.

Federer hasn't played a match since a semi-final defeat by Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January 2020 and acknowledged it was unusual for a player of his age to return after injury.

"I know it's on the rare side for a 40-year-old to come back after a year out," he said at a media briefing in the Qatari capital Doha Sunday.

"I feel there is still something -- retirement was never really on the cards."

While he was out of action, he saw Rafael Nadal equal his record Grand Slam title haul with a 13th Roland Garros triumph.

Djokovic, meanwhile, captured a ninth Australian Open last month to take his career Slam tally to 18.

Roger Federer played his first match for over a year Wednesday as the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion returned from injury to take on British number one Dan Evans at the Qatar Open in Doha.

Roger Federer played his first match for over a year Wednesday as the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion returned from injury to take on British number one Dan Evans at the Qatar Open in Doha. Federer, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020, won the toss and elected to serve first after joking with the umpire about the rules of the game. He received a rapturous welcome from the 20 percent-capacity crowd at Doha's Khalifa Tennis Complex, beaming back at the crowd. The 39-year-old initially pulled ahead winning his service game which was tempered by Evans also winning his opening service game. Federer hasn't played a match since a semi-final defeat by Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January 2020 and acknowledged it was unusual for a player of his age to return after injury. "I know it's on the rare side for a 40-year-old to come back after a year out," he said at a media briefing in the Qatari capital Doha Sunday. "I feel there is still something -- retirement was never really on the cards." While he was out of action, he saw Rafael Nadal equal his record Grand Slam title haul with a 13th Roland Garros triumph. Djokovic, meanwhile, captured a ninth Australian Open last month to take his career Slam tally to 18.

Roger Federer plays first match for over a year

Danushka Gunathilaka on Wednesday became the first Sri Lankan player to be given out for ‘obstructing the field’ after the batsman was given out in a controversial fashion during the first ODI against West Indies in Antigua. Gunathilaka had pushed the ball away from the bowler, seemingly unintentionally, and was given out after an appeal from Kieron Pollard.&nbsp;

The incident happened during the 22nd&nbsp;over of the Sri Lankan innings when Gunathilaka took a couple of steps forward in a bid to take a single but decided against it. However, when he was moving back to the crease, the ball deflected away from Pollard's reach with the underside of Gunathilaka's foot.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Windies&nbsp;skipper&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;appealed and the third umpire was called into action. The on-field umpire gave the soft signal as out. After going&nbsp;through the replays in slow-motion, the decision was upheld.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/to-officiate-in-t20-world-cup-and-ashes-is-my-next-target-nitin-menon-to-wion-369471" hreflang="en">To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION</a>

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62a8adbe-cff5-4177-a399-4f052e26cf0f}{121}" paraid="1003868456" >Watch Video: Here's how Danushka Gunathilaka was dismissed for obstructing the field:</h2>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvSL</a> 
Obstruction or not ? 😵 <a href="https://t.co/AblpoGG9rY">pic.twitter.com/AblpoGG9rY</a>
— Rahul ® (@RahulSadhu009) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulSadhu009/status/1369667950391693321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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That should have been not-out! Gunathilaka didn't do that intentionally.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvSL</a> <a href="https://t.co/914OAWV0zk">pic.twitter.com/914OAWV0zk</a>
— Darpan Jain (@darpanjain103) <a href="https://twitter.com/darpanjain103/status/1369672773165977611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Gunathilaka was stunned by the decision. Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur was spotted walking out of the dressing room and heading towards the match referee's&nbsp;or the fourth umpire's&nbsp;room.&nbsp;

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“Wilful obstruction” no way was that wilful... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shocker?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shocker</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvSL</a>
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomMoodyCricket/status/1369667140505116680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Don’t think that was willful at all. I wouldn’t appeal but hey 🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) <a href="https://twitter.com/darensammy88/status/1369667420818968580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Even Tom Moody and former West Indies captain Darren Sammy were left shocked by the decision. Even fans on social media disagreed with the call with&nbsp;many saying it was against the spirit of the game.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-test-rankings-rishabh-pant-achieves-career-best-7th-position-virat-kohli-witnesses-major-dip-369458" hreflang="en">ICC Test Rankings: Rishabh Pant achieves career-best 7th position, Virat Kohli witnesses major dip</a>

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Doesn't look intentional to me. Should've been not out <a href="https://t.co/bdyPVY1OPu">https://t.co/bdyPVY1OPu</a>
— Amartya Choudhary (@AmartyaChoudha1) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmartyaChoudha1/status/1369680803169402881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Obstructing the Field rules needs to be revisited and written with more clarity to avoid innocent wickets like these 🤷‍♂️ <a href="https://t.co/f7epP31b7O">https://t.co/f7epP31b7O</a>
— Allons-y Kriash (@Allonsy75) <a href="https://twitter.com/Allonsy75/status/1369676688913694730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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As Ian Bishop rightly pointed out the circumstance there, Giving Gunathilaka run out obstructing the field wasn't a correct decision by the umpire. Poor interpretation of footage right there.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvSL</a> <a href="https://t.co/hD3eFAaPxR">https://t.co/hD3eFAaPxR</a>
— Arjun (@LifeIsAnElation) <a href="https://twitter.com/LifeIsAnElation/status/1369675325936865281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Not out <a href="https://t.co/yVKpRS2baL">https://t.co/yVKpRS2baL</a>
— Prince Sanghvi (@princesanghavi) <a href="https://twitter.com/princesanghavi/status/1369668679877595136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Danushka Gunathilaka has been given out Obstructing the field. Very difficult to interpret if this was a wilful obstruction. Looks unintentional but has been given out as per the laws<a href="https://t.co/CJh3GmzvaN">pic.twitter.com/CJh3GmzvaN</a>
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhaleraosarang/status/1369674426514427904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Danushka Gunathilaka on Wednesday became the first Sri Lankan player to be given out for ‘obstructing the field’ after the batsman was given out in a controversial fashion during the first ODI against West Indies in Antigua.

Danushka Gunathilaka on Wednesday became the first Sri Lankan player to be given out for ‘obstructing the field’ after the batsman was given out in a controversial fashion during the first ODI against West Indies in Antigua. Gunathilaka had pushed the ball away from the bowler, seemingly unintentionally, and was given out after an appeal from Kieron Pollard. The incident happened during the 22nd over of the Sri Lankan innings when Gunathilaka took a couple of steps forward in a bid to take a single but decided against it. However, when he was moving back to the crease, the ball deflected away from Pollard's reach with the underside of Gunathilaka's foot. The Windies skipper immediately appealed and the third umpire was called into action. The on-field umpire gave the soft signal as out. After going through the replays in slow-motion, the decision was upheld. ALSO READ: To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION Watch Video: Here's how Danushka Gunathilaka was dismissed for obstructing the field: #WIvSL Obstruction or not ? 😵 pic.twitter.com/AblpoGG9rY — Rahul ® (@RahulSadhu009) March 10, 2021 × That should have been not-out! Gunathilaka didn't do that intentionally.#WIvSL pic.twitter.com/914OAWV0zk — Darpan Jain (@darpanjain103) March 10, 2021 × Gunathilaka was stunned by the decision. Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur was spotted walking out of the dressing room and heading towards the match referee's or the fourth umpire's room. “Wilful obstruction” no way was that wilful... #shocker #WIvSL — Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) March 10, 2021 × Don’t think that was willful at all. I wouldn’t appeal but hey 🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️ — Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) March 10, 2021 × Even Tom Moody and former West Indies captain Darren Sammy were left shocked by the decision. Even fans on social media disagreed with the call with many saying it was against the spirit of the game. ALSO READ: ICC Test Rankings: Rishabh Pant achieves career-best 7th position, Virat Kohli witnesses major dip Doesn't look intentional to me. Should've been not out https://t.co/bdyPVY1OPu — Amartya Choudhary (@AmartyaChoudha1) March 10, 2021 × Obstructing the Field rules needs to be revisited and written with more clarity to avoid innocent wickets like these 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/f7epP31b7O — Allons-y Kriash (@Allonsy75) March 10, 2021 × As Ian Bishop rightly pointed out the circumstance there, Giving Gunathilaka run out obstructing the field wasn't a correct decision by the umpire. Poor interpretation of footage right there.#WIvSL https://t.co/hD3eFAaPxR — Arjun (@LifeIsAnElation) March 10, 2021 × Not out https://t.co/yVKpRS2baL — Prince Sanghvi (@princesanghavi) March 10, 2021 × Danushka Gunathilaka has been given out Obstructing the field. Very difficult to interpret if this was a wilful obstruction. Looks unintentional but has been given out as per the lawspic.twitter.com/CJh3GmzvaN — Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) March 10, 2021 ×

Watch: Out or not-out? Danushka Gunathilaka given out for 'obstructing the field' against West Indies

Former Real Madrid and AC Milan forward Robinho's nine-year prison sentence for his role in a gang-rape has been upheld after judges of Milan's Court of Appeal determined that the Brazilian forward “belittled” and "brutally humiliated" an&nbsp;Albanian woman in Milan.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Robinho, 37, was originally found guilty for his role in a gang rape in 2017 before he was sentenced in December. The gang-rape of a 23-year-old Albanian woman took place in Milan, Italy in 2013&nbsp;at a nightclub on her birthday. Robinho denied the charges and went on to appeal the verdict.&nbsp;

However, according to a report in Globo, fresh details have&nbsp;emerged from the Court of Appeal in which it has been alleged that Robinho and his representatives "attempted to deceive investigators”&nbsp;by providing different accounts on&nbsp;“previously agreed facts”.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/djokovic-and-family-celebrate-in-belgrade-as-serb-sets-all-time-record-as-world-no-1-369081" hreflang="en">Djokovic and family celebrate in Belgrade as Serb sets all-time record as world No. 1</a>

Robinho's conviction was upheld with his friend Richard Falco also being charged for the offence.&nbsp;

But with Robinho residing in Brazil, it is unlikely that the former Real Madrid forward will be incarcerated in Italy. Brazil doesn't extradite its own citizens.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier, the crucial evidence that was used to convict the Brazilian in the year 2020 consisted of intercepted phone calls and messages between Robinho and those allegedly involved in the alleged gang&nbsp;rape in which the footballer allegedly said&nbsp;'the woman was completely drunk'.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, following the upheld verdict,&nbsp;Robinho has 45 days to submit a further appeal to the highest court of appeal in Italy – the Supreme Court. Notably, no prison sentence enforced in Italy&nbsp;until&nbsp;all of the appeals has been exhausted by the convict.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-jurgen-klopp-replace-joachim-loew-as-germany-coach-liverpool-manager-responds-369199" hreflang="en">Will Jurgen Klopp replace Joachim Loew as Germany coach? Liverpool manager responds</a>

Robinho's contract with Brazilian club Santon was suspended in the build-up to the hearing with club president Orlando Rollo confirming that the player will be sacked if the decision is upheld.&nbsp;

Robinho was playing for Italian giants AC Milan at the time of the incident.&nbsp;

Former Real Madrid and AC Milan forward Robinho's nine-year prison sentence for his role in a gang-rape has been upheld after judges of Milan's Court of Appeal determined that the Brazilian forward “belittled” and "brutally humiliated" an Albanian woman in Milan.

Former Real Madrid and AC Milan forward Robinho's nine-year prison sentence for his role in a gang-rape has been upheld after judges of Milan's Court of Appeal determined that the Brazilian forward “belittled” and "brutally humiliated" an Albanian woman in Milan. Robinho, 37, was originally found guilty for his role in a gang rape in 2017 before he was sentenced in December. The gang-rape of a 23-year-old Albanian woman took place in Milan, Italy in 2013 at a nightclub on her birthday. Robinho denied the charges and went on to appeal the verdict. However, according to a report in Globo, fresh details have emerged from the Court of Appeal in which it has been alleged that Robinho and his representatives "attempted to deceive investigators” by providing different accounts on “previously agreed facts”. ALSO READ: Djokovic and family celebrate in Belgrade as Serb sets all-time record as world No. 1 Robinho's conviction was upheld with his friend Richard Falco also being charged for the offence. But with Robinho residing in Brazil, it is unlikely that the former Real Madrid forward will be incarcerated in Italy. Brazil doesn't extradite its own citizens. Earlier, the crucial evidence that was used to convict the Brazilian in the year 2020 consisted of intercepted phone calls and messages between Robinho and those allegedly involved in the alleged gang rape in which the footballer allegedly said 'the woman was completely drunk'. Meanwhile, following the upheld verdict, Robinho has 45 days to submit a further appeal to the highest court of appeal in Italy – the Supreme Court. Notably, no prison sentence enforced in Italy until all of the appeals has been exhausted by the convict. ALSO READ: Will Jurgen Klopp replace Joachim Loew as Germany coach? Liverpool manager responds Robinho's contract with Brazilian club Santon was suspended in the build-up to the hearing with club president Orlando Rollo confirming that the player will be sacked if the decision is upheld. Robinho was playing for Italian giants AC Milan at the time of the incident.

Brazilian footballer Robinho sentenced to 9-year jail for ‘brutally humiliating gang-rape victim’

Nitin Menon, who was inducted in the ICC Elite Panel of&nbsp;Umpires in June 2020, has set the standards high with top-notch officiating in the recently concluded four-Test series between India and England.&nbsp;Menon and his fellow&nbsp;umpires’ performances were lauded by many including the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Graeme Swann as India went on to seal the series 3-1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In an interview with WION, Nitin Menon talked about his experience of umpiring in all four Test matches between India and England,&nbsp;his next targets in the world of umpiring,&nbsp;living inside bio-secure bubbles,&nbsp;DRS and the much-talked-about umpire’s call and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Menon's performance as an&nbsp;umpire&nbsp;was applauded by fans and pundits. As he continues to set fresh benchmarks as&nbsp;umpire,&nbsp;Menon hardly&nbsp;got his decisions wrong. For the 37-year-old, praises&nbsp;come as&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;for the good work&nbsp;but he&nbsp;is focusing on getting better with many&nbsp;series and tournaments coming thick and fast in a hectic cricketing schedule.&nbsp;

“You feel happy when your performances are praised by so many people including some of the legends of the game. But it is important to not get too ahead&nbsp;of yourself. My career is just starting as an ICC Elite&nbsp;Umpire&nbsp;and I just want to focus on getting better.&nbsp;My colleague Anil Chaudhary, Virender Sharma and C Shamshuddin did a great job as well. As a group, we enjoyed our performances and are&nbsp;really proud,” Nitin Menon, who made his international umpiring debut in a T20I between India and England in January 2017,&nbsp;told WION.&nbsp;

Menon and his fellow umpires in the series were spot on with their decisions. While it is natural to get a few wrong calls in challenging conditions, Menon feels Indian&nbsp;umpires are more apt in officiating in&nbsp;both spin and seaming conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/monty-panesar-sachin-tendulkar-is-the-greatest-athlete-ever-to-play-against-him-is-huge-honour-369446" hreflang="en">Monty Panesar: Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest athlete ever, to play against him is huge honour</a>

“We&nbsp;(Indian&nbsp;umpires)&nbsp;get plenty of experience in Ranji Trophy or other domestic tournaments. Over the years, we know how a certain pitch or ball will behave in particular conditions.&nbsp;Both spinning conditions and seaming conditions possess a different set of challenges and it is the same for&nbsp;umpires like players, we have to adapt to conditions quickly,” Menon said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Decision Review System (DRS) became the talk of the town after a few decisions&nbsp;were concluded on the basis of 'umpire’s call’. Fans and experts are often quick to pass judgement on some of the decisions on the field, Menon remains unfazed by the criticism&nbsp;around the technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“With umpire's&nbsp;call, we are sure that the decision wasn't wrong.&nbsp;There will always be marginal calls during the match.&nbsp;Our final call will always be based on what the&nbsp;third umpire is telling us in that case,” Menon said.&nbsp;

Menon had the best seats in the house as Joe Root started the series with a double century followed by masterclasses by Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar among others.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-how-do-india-and-new-zealand-fare-at-ageas-bowl-in-southampton-a-look-at-key-stats-368918" hreflang="en">WTC Final: How do India and New Zealand fare at Ageas Bowl in Southampton? A look at key stats</a>

When asked whether umpires discuss a particular knock or spell during the match or in-between the breaks, Menon said: “We remain so focus on our job that sometimes we don't even know which batsmen are batting at what score. I agree that umpires are at the best spot to enjoy a certain knock or spell but we are here to do our job and can't let ourselves get distracted. Even during the drinks break or other breaks, we don't talk about cricket as that is the only time, we get to relax a bit during a match.”&nbsp;

When asked what his next target would be after such a splendid show in the India versus England Test series&nbsp;Menon named the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in India and the Ashes which is scheduled to be hosted by Australia.&nbsp;

“Definitely the ICC T20 World Cup and hopefully, the upcoming Ashes as well. These are the two immediate targets for me.&nbsp;The Ashes is like a dream and it would be great if I could officiate in the series,” Menon said.

From living inside bio-bubbles to regular testing for COVID-19, umpires also have to follow strict bio-secure bubbles protocols as the players.

"It is challenging with all the restrictions and staying away from your family. But we are among the privileged ones to be able to do our jobs. The last year was gloomy with so many things happening with the pandemic. But thankfully, we are able to get some live cricket now and can't complain much. Hopefully, things will be back to normal very soon," Menon concluded.

Nitin Menon, who was inducted in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in June 2020, has set the standards high with top-notch officiating in the recently concluded four-Test series between India and England.

Nitin Menon, who was inducted in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in June 2020, has set the standards high with top-notch officiating in the recently concluded four-Test series between India and England. Menon and his fellow umpires’ performances were lauded by many including the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Graeme Swann as India went on to seal the series 3-1. In an interview with WION, Nitin Menon talked about his experience of umpiring in all four Test matches between India and England, his next targets in the world of umpiring, living inside bio-secure bubbles, DRS and the much-talked-about umpire’s call and much more. Menon's performance as an umpire was applauded by fans and pundits. As he continues to set fresh benchmarks as umpire, Menon hardly got his decisions wrong. For the 37-year-old, praises come as recognition for the good work but he is focusing on getting better with many series and tournaments coming thick and fast in a hectic cricketing schedule. “You feel happy when your performances are praised by so many people including some of the legends of the game. But it is important to not get too ahead of yourself. My career is just starting as an ICC Elite Umpire and I just want to focus on getting better. My colleague Anil Chaudhary, Virender Sharma and C Shamshuddin did a great job as well. As a group, we enjoyed our performances and are really proud,” Nitin Menon, who made his international umpiring debut in a T20I between India and England in January 2017, told WION. Menon and his fellow umpires in the series were spot on with their decisions. While it is natural to get a few wrong calls in challenging conditions, Menon feels Indian umpires are more apt in officiating in both spin and seaming conditions. ALSO READ: Monty Panesar: Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest athlete ever, to play against him is huge honour “We (Indian umpires) get plenty of experience in Ranji Trophy or other domestic tournaments. Over the years, we know how a certain pitch or ball will behave in particular conditions. Both spinning conditions and seaming conditions possess a different set of challenges and it is the same for umpires like players, we have to adapt to conditions quickly,” Menon said. The Decision Review System (DRS) became the talk of the town after a few decisions were concluded on the basis of 'umpire’s call’. Fans and experts are often quick to pass judgement on some of the decisions on the field, Menon remains unfazed by the criticism around the technology. “With umpire's call, we are sure that the decision wasn't wrong. There will always be marginal calls during the match. Our final call will always be based on what the third umpire is telling us in that case,” Menon said. Menon had the best seats in the house as Joe Root started the series with a double century followed by masterclasses by Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar among others. ALSO READ: WTC Final: How do India and New Zealand fare at Ageas Bowl in Southampton? A look at key stats When asked whether umpires discuss a particular knock or spell during the match or in-between the breaks, Menon said: “We remain so focus on our job that sometimes we don't even know which batsmen are batting at what score. I agree that umpires are at the best spot to enjoy a certain knock or spell but we are here to do our job and can't let ourselves get distracted. Even during the drinks break or other breaks, we don't talk about cricket as that is the only time, we get to relax a bit during a match.” When asked what his next target would be after such a splendid show in the India versus England Test series Menon named the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in India and the Ashes which is scheduled to be hosted by Australia. “Definitely the ICC T20 World Cup and hopefully, the upcoming Ashes as well. These are the two immediate targets for me. The Ashes is like a dream and it would be great if I could officiate in the series,” Menon said. From living inside bio-bubbles to regular testing for COVID-19, umpires also have to follow strict bio-secure bubbles protocols as the players. "It is challenging with all the restrictions and staying away from your family. But we are among the privileged ones to be able to do our jobs. The last year was gloomy with so many things happening with the pandemic. But thankfully, we are able to get some live cricket now and can't complain much. Hopefully, things will be back to normal very soon," Menon concluded.

To officiate in T20 World Cup and Ashes is my next target: Nitin Menon to WION

Rishabh Pant’s ascent in the Tyres ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings continues unabated and he is now at a career-best seventh position after smashing a match-winning 101 in the fourth Test against England in Ahmedabad which India won by an innings and 25 runs to clinch the series 3-1.

Pant has moved up seven slots and shares seventh place with compatriot Rohit Sharma, who has inched up one spot, and Henry Nicholls of New Zealand. Pant’s 747 rating points are the joint-15th highest by any India batsman, and the highest by a full-time Test wicketkeeper from his country.

Washington Sundar, who also played a crucial role in India’s passage to the final of the ICC World Test Championship, has gained 39 places and is in 62nd position, thanks to his 96 not out, but captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had below-par series. Kohli is at his lowest points tally since November 2017 while Pujara is under 700 rating points for the first time since September 2016.

There was no surprise in the rankings reflecting kindly on spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, who ripped through the England innings time and again during the series.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/monty-panesar-sachin-tendulkar-is-the-greatest-athlete-ever-to-play-against-him-is-huge-honour-369446" hreflang="en">Monty Panesar: Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest athlete ever, to play against him is huge honour</a>

Ashwin, the player of the series, has leapfrogged New Zealand’s Neil Wagner to the second position among bowlers, the first time since August 2017, after finishing with eight wickets in the match. &nbsp;He is also ranked fourth among all-rounders, now ahead of Shakib Al Hasan.&nbsp;

Patel’s nine wickets have lifted him eight places to 30th with 552 rating points. Only two bowlers have achieved more points after their first three Tests – former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani (564) and Australia fast bowler Charlie Turner (553) who played in the 19th century.

For England, Dan Lawrence has moved up 47 places to 93rd among batsmen with scores of 46 and 50 and James Anderson has moved up two places to fourth position after his haul of three for 44 in Ahmedabad.

Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan inside two days and captain Sean Williams’s knock of 105 in Abu Dhabi has helped him move up 24 places to 43rd. Sikandar Raza is another one to move up, a gain of eight places taking him up to 56th position.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-test-championship-final-to-be-held-at-hampshire-bowl-in-southampton-icc-369392" hreflang="en">World Test Championship final to be held at Hampshire Bowl in Southampton: ICC</a>

Blessing Muzarabani reentered the rankings in a creditable 86th position after finishing with six wickets in the match while Victory Nyanchi (up 37 places to 57th) and Donald Tripano (up seven places to 77th) were other Zimbabwe bowlers to gain.

For Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran (up 24 places to 69th) and Hamza Kotak (up 33 places to 46th) gained in the men’s weekly ranking update, which included a T20I rankings update from the last three matches of the Australia-New Zealand series and the three-match West Indies-Sri Lanka series.

The ICC Men’s T20I Rankings saw Australia captain Aaron Finch move up to the second place from fourth after scoring 197 runs in the series, which was won 3-2 by New Zealand. Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis also moved up into the 90s in the rankings while left-arm spinner Ashton Agar progressed four places to fourth among bowlers after finishing with eight wickets in the series.

For New Zealand, Martin Guptill has gained three slots to reach the eighth position after topping the series with 218 runs while Devon Conway’s 192 runs helped him to 11th place with 192 runs.

The West Indies-Sri Lanka series, won 2-1 by hosts West Indies, saw Kieron Pollard, who smashed six sixes off an over from Akil Dananjaya in the first match, has moved up four places to 53rd &nbsp;while Fabien Allen has moved up 44 places to 42nd. For Sri Lanka, Danushka Gunathilaka (up 15 places to 55th) among batsmen and Lakshan Sandakan (up nine places to 10th) have made notable gains.

Rishabh Pant’s ascent in the Tyres ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings continues unabated and he is now at a career-best seventh position after smashing a match-winning 101 in the fourth Test against England in Ahmedabad which India won by an innings and 25 runs to clinch the series 3-1.

Rishabh Pant’s ascent in the Tyres ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings continues unabated and he is now at a career-best seventh position after smashing a match-winning 101 in the fourth Test against England in Ahmedabad which India won by an innings and 25 runs to clinch the series 3-1. Pant has moved up seven slots and shares seventh place with compatriot Rohit Sharma, who has inched up one spot, and Henry Nicholls of New Zealand. Pant’s 747 rating points are the joint-15th highest by any India batsman, and the highest by a full-time Test wicketkeeper from his country. Washington Sundar, who also played a crucial role in India’s passage to the final of the ICC World Test Championship, has gained 39 places and is in 62nd position, thanks to his 96 not out, but captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had below-par series. Kohli is at his lowest points tally since November 2017 while Pujara is under 700 rating points for the first time since September 2016. There was no surprise in the rankings reflecting kindly on spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, who ripped through the England innings time and again during the series. ALSO READ: Monty Panesar: Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest athlete ever, to play against him is huge honour Ashwin, the player of the series, has leapfrogged New Zealand’s Neil Wagner to the second position among bowlers, the first time since August 2017, after finishing with eight wickets in the match. He is also ranked fourth among all-rounders, now ahead of Shakib Al Hasan. Patel’s nine wickets have lifted him eight places to 30th with 552 rating points. Only two bowlers have achieved more points after their first three Tests – former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani (564) and Australia fast bowler Charlie Turner (553) who played in the 19th century. For England, Dan Lawrence has moved up 47 places to 93rd among batsmen with scores of 46 and 50 and James Anderson has moved up two places to fourth position after his haul of three for 44 in Ahmedabad. Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan inside two days and captain Sean Williams’s knock of 105 in Abu Dhabi has helped him move up 24 places to 43rd. Sikandar Raza is another one to move up, a gain of eight places taking him up to 56th position. ALSO READ: World Test Championship final to be held at Hampshire Bowl in Southampton: ICC Blessing Muzarabani reentered the rankings in a creditable 86th position after finishing with six wickets in the match while Victory Nyanchi (up 37 places to 57th) and Donald Tripano (up seven places to 77th) were other Zimbabwe bowlers to gain. For Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran (up 24 places to 69th) and Hamza Kotak (up 33 places to 46th) gained in the men’s weekly ranking update, which included a T20I rankings update from the last three matches of the Australia-New Zealand series and the three-match West Indies-Sri Lanka series. The ICC Men’s T20I Rankings saw Australia captain Aaron Finch move up to the second place from fourth after scoring 197 runs in the series, which was won 3-2 by New Zealand. Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis also moved up into the 90s in the rankings while left-arm spinner Ashton Agar progressed four places to fourth among bowlers after finishing with eight wickets in the series. For New Zealand, Martin Guptill has gained three slots to reach the eighth position after topping the series with 218 runs while Devon Conway’s 192 runs helped him to 11th place with 192 runs. The West Indies-Sri Lanka series, won 2-1 by hosts West Indies, saw Kieron Pollard, who smashed six sixes off an over from Akil Dananjaya in the first match, has moved up four places to 53rd while Fabien Allen has moved up 44 places to 42nd. For Sri Lanka, Danushka Gunathilaka (up 15 places to 55th) among batsmen and Lakshan Sandakan (up nine places to 10th) have made notable gains.

ICC Test Rankings: Rishabh Pant achieves career-best 7th position, Virat Kohli witnesses major dip

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has lost 3.6 per cent of its brand value to INR 45,800 crore in the year 2020. In 2019, the IPL had a brand value of INR 47,500 crore with a growth of seven per cent over the previous season.&nbsp;

According to a Duff &amp; Phelps brand valuation report released on Wednesday, Mumbai Indians has retained the top spot in brand rankings for the fifth season on the trot with a brand valuation of INR 761 crore&nbsp;but is down by 5.9 per cent from the year 2019.&nbsp;

Chennai Super&nbsp;Kings&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kolkata Knight Riders have witnessed their brand value hit by 16.5 per cent and 13.7 per cent respectively from the year 2019. CSK's brand value dropped to INR 611 crore from INR 731 crore whereas KKR slipped to INR 543 crore from INR 629&nbsp;crore, the report said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Duff &amp; Phelps said that the year 2020 hit by the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for every sector and has affected the sports economy after disrupting the sporting calendar. Almost every major&nbsp;tournament&nbsp;was&nbsp;either cancelled or postponed in the year 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-has-more-talent-cant-compare-with-indian-players-opines-abdul-razzaq-369391" hreflang="en">'Pakistan has more talent, can't compare with Indian players,' opines Abdul Razzaq</a>

The IPL franchises saw a decline in their brand value from 2019 due to sponsorship revenue, gate receipts and reduced food and beverage revenue.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Similar to the impact on other businesses and the overall economy, the pandemic has led to a decline in the IPL ecosystem value. However, with people forced to spend time at home, there was an increase in IPL television viewership making the 2020 edition a huge success for broadcasters as&nbsp;it&nbsp;broke viewership and advertising revenue records.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Television ratings skyrocketed and advertisers tapped into this opportunity to scale up their brand image. Despite the challenging year, this momentum is indicative of how strong the IPL brand has become,” said Santosh N of Duff &amp; Phelps India.&nbsp;

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"With the economy opening and virus infections decreasing, sponsorship deals are expected to be back to the pre-pandemic levels. Also, an increase in the number of teams in 2022 and the renewal of media rights in 2023 will enhance the IPL ecosystem value in the future,"&nbsp;Santosh added.&nbsp;

“The IPL reflects the evolution of the modern cricket business, with clubs benefitting not only from the sport’s enduring popularity but also from the game going global and from some great marketing initiatives. All teams need to continue broadening their footprint, forming relationships and generating revenue opportunities in growth markets,"&nbsp;said Varun Gupta of Duff &amp; Phelps.&nbsp;

In 2020, the IPL witnessed lower sponsorship revenue as compared to 2019. While Dream11 paid INR 222 crore for the season as compared to VIVO's deal of INR 440 crore a season for IPL title sponsorship.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has lost 3.6 per cent of its brand value to INR 45,800 crore in the year 2020. In 2019, the IPL had a brand value of INR 47,500 crore with a growth of seven per cent over the previous season.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has lost 3.6 per cent of its brand value to INR 45,800 crore in the year 2020. In 2019, the IPL had a brand value of INR 47,500 crore with a growth of seven per cent over the previous season. According to a Duff & Phelps brand valuation report released on Wednesday, Mumbai Indians has retained the top spot in brand rankings for the fifth season on the trot with a brand valuation of INR 761 crore but is down by 5.9 per cent from the year 2019. Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders have witnessed their brand value hit by 16.5 per cent and 13.7 per cent respectively from the year 2019. CSK's brand value dropped to INR 611 crore from INR 731 crore whereas KKR slipped to INR 543 crore from INR 629 crore, the report said. Duff & Phelps said that the year 2020 hit by the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for every sector and has affected the sports economy after disrupting the sporting calendar. Almost every major tournament was either cancelled or postponed in the year 2020. ALSO READ: 'Pakistan has more talent, can't compare with Indian players,' opines Abdul Razzaq The IPL franchises saw a decline in their brand value from 2019 due to sponsorship revenue, gate receipts and reduced food and beverage revenue. “Similar to the impact on other businesses and the overall economy, the pandemic has led to a decline in the IPL ecosystem value. However, with people forced to spend time at home, there was an increase in IPL television viewership making the 2020 edition a huge success for broadcasters as it broke viewership and advertising revenue records. “Television ratings skyrocketed and advertisers tapped into this opportunity to scale up their brand image. Despite the challenging year, this momentum is indicative of how strong the IPL brand has become,” said Santosh N of Duff & Phelps India. ALSO READ: IPL 2021 venues could host ICC T20 World Cup matches: Report "With the economy opening and virus infections decreasing, sponsorship deals are expected to be back to the pre-pandemic levels. Also, an increase in the number of teams in 2022 and the renewal of media rights in 2023 will enhance the IPL ecosystem value in the future," Santosh added. “The IPL reflects the evolution of the modern cricket business, with clubs benefitting not only from the sport’s enduring popularity but also from the game going global and from some great marketing initiatives. All teams need to continue broadening their footprint, forming relationships and generating revenue opportunities in growth markets," said Varun Gupta of Duff & Phelps. In 2020, the IPL witnessed lower sponsorship revenue as compared to 2019. While Dream11 paid INR 222 crore for the season as compared to VIVO's deal of INR 440 crore a season for IPL title sponsorship.

IPL brand value down by 3.6% to INR 45,800 crore due to COVID-19 pandemic: Report

The final of the ICC World Test Championship between India and New Zealand will be staged in a bio-secure bubble at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton. The decision, taken by the ICC Board, follows discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) where a range of options were considered to ensure the inaugural final could be staged safely with the potential impact of COVID-19 minimised for all involved.

In selecting The Hampshire Bowl, the ICC drew on ECB’s experience of delivering a full summer of bio-safe international cricket in 2020. The venue provides world-class playing and training facilities, giving both teams the best possible environment in which to prepare. Whilst the on-site accommodation will significantly reduce the risk around COVID-19 transmission and better protect the health and safety of everyone involved in delivering the final.

Should the UK government’s phased easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures proceed as planned, it is anticipated that a limited number of fans will be allowed into the Hampshire Bowl to watch the final.&nbsp;

New Zealand were the first team to make the ICC World Test Championship final and they were joined by India following their series win over England which concluded on Saturday.

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Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager, Cricket said: “The ICC World Test Championship final is the pinnacle event in the Test calendar and is intended to be a week-long celebration of the oldest form of the game. A format that is rooted in tradition and features the best that the game has to offer. I would also like to congratulate both India and New Zealand for becoming part of history by reaching the first final.&nbsp;

“We are confident that in selecting the Hampshire Bowl, we have given ourselves the best possible chance to successfully deliver the final whilst keeping everyone involved safe and healthy and giving fans the opportunity to watch the two best Test teams in the world go head-to-head for the right to call themselves the ICC World Test Champions. &nbsp;

“I would like to thank the ECB for their guidance and advice to enable us to make this decision, which gives us the best possible opportunity to deliver a safe and successful World Test Championship Final.”

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Tom Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, England and Wales Cricket Board said: “We are delighted that the ICC has chosen to host the inaugural World Test Championship Final at The Hampshire Bowl.

“As the world’s first fully bio-secure cricket venue, it has shown itself capable of delivering international matches to the highest of standards, even against the backdrop of a global pandemic. I am sure the finale of the ICC World Test Championship will be a wonderful occasion.”

Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire Cricket Chairman, said: “We are honoured and delighted that The Hampshire Bowl has been appointed as the host venue for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final. I should like to sincerely thank the ICC for this huge demonstration of confidence in our capabilities and the ECB for its significant support of the venue as host of what will be the biggest Test Match event ever staged.

“I am sure our immense pride at bringing this fixture to Hampshire will be shared by all our loyal staff, supporters and sponsors as well as our unwavering partners, Eastleigh Borough Council. We will do everything in our power to ensure that this inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final is a secure, entertaining and successful event for everyone.’’

The final of the ICC World Test Championship between India and New Zealand will be staged in a bio-secure bubble at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton. The decision, taken by the ICC Board, follows discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) where a range of options were considered to ensure the inaugural final could be staged safely with the potential impact of COVID-19 minimised for all involved.

The final of the ICC World Test Championship between India and New Zealand will be staged in a bio-secure bubble at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton. The decision, taken by the ICC Board, follows discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) where a range of options were considered to ensure the inaugural final could be staged safely with the potential impact of COVID-19 minimised for all involved. In selecting The Hampshire Bowl, the ICC drew on ECB’s experience of delivering a full summer of bio-safe international cricket in 2020. The venue provides world-class playing and training facilities, giving both teams the best possible environment in which to prepare. Whilst the on-site accommodation will significantly reduce the risk around COVID-19 transmission and better protect the health and safety of everyone involved in delivering the final. Should the UK government’s phased easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures proceed as planned, it is anticipated that a limited number of fans will be allowed into the Hampshire Bowl to watch the final. New Zealand were the first team to make the ICC World Test Championship final and they were joined by India following their series win over England which concluded on Saturday. ALSO READ: ICC CEO Manu Sawhney sent on ''leave'' after preliminary investigation shows misconduct Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager, Cricket said: “The ICC World Test Championship final is the pinnacle event in the Test calendar and is intended to be a week-long celebration of the oldest form of the game. A format that is rooted in tradition and features the best that the game has to offer. I would also like to congratulate both India and New Zealand for becoming part of history by reaching the first final. “We are confident that in selecting the Hampshire Bowl, we have given ourselves the best possible chance to successfully deliver the final whilst keeping everyone involved safe and healthy and giving fans the opportunity to watch the two best Test teams in the world go head-to-head for the right to call themselves the ICC World Test Champions. “I would like to thank the ECB for their guidance and advice to enable us to make this decision, which gives us the best possible opportunity to deliver a safe and successful World Test Championship Final.” ALSO READ: IPL 2021 venues could host ICC T20 World Cup matches: Report Tom Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, England and Wales Cricket Board said: “We are delighted that the ICC has chosen to host the inaugural World Test Championship Final at The Hampshire Bowl. “As the world’s first fully bio-secure cricket venue, it has shown itself capable of delivering international matches to the highest of standards, even against the backdrop of a global pandemic. I am sure the finale of the ICC World Test Championship will be a wonderful occasion.” Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire Cricket Chairman, said: “We are honoured and delighted that The Hampshire Bowl has been appointed as the host venue for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final. I should like to sincerely thank the ICC for this huge demonstration of confidence in our capabilities and the ECB for its significant support of the venue as host of what will be the biggest Test Match event ever staged. “I am sure our immense pride at bringing this fixture to Hampshire will be shared by all our loyal staff, supporters and sponsors as well as our unwavering partners, Eastleigh Borough Council. We will do everything in our power to ensure that this inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final is a secure, entertaining and successful event for everyone.’’

World Test Championship final to be held at Hampshire Bowl in Southampton: ICC

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has triggered the Virat Kohli versus Babar Azam debate once again by heaping praise on the Pakistani batsman&nbsp;while adding that "you can't compare Indian players with Pakistan players because Pakistan has more talent.”&nbsp;

The latest statement from Razzaq adds to the list of his bizarre takes on cricketing affairs given the longevity of Kohli as compared to Babar.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Razzaq, Pakistan has produced more talented players over the years and it would be wrong to compare the two&nbsp;neighbouring&nbsp;countries when it comes to showing the way to top cricketers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Razzaq was asked about&nbsp;comparisons&nbsp;between Babar and Kohli in an interview with Cricket Pakistan, to which the former Pakistan all-rounder responded:&nbsp;“Firstly, we should not say such a thing [compare Virat Kohli with Babar Azam]. You can’t compare Indian players with Pakistan players because Pakistan has more talent.”&nbsp;

“If you look at our history, we have so many great players with who we can draw comparisons like Mohammad Yousaf, Inzamam-ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Ijaz Ahmed,” said Razzaq.&nbsp;

“Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are completely different players. If we want to compare the two, then it’s important to hold matches between Pakistan and India and then judge who is a better player,” he added.&nbsp;

Razzaq further said that he backed Babar when he played under him for five to six years at ZTBL and never dropped him from the team. He predicted that Babar will go on to break all the records if backed properly.&nbsp;

“Virat Kohli is a good player and he has performed well against Pakistan. I have nothing against him but if Indians don’t compare their players with Pakistan, then we shouldn’t do that as well.”&nbsp;

“He [Babar Azam] played under me for five to six years at ZTBL and I never dropped him as captain. He was very talented and a very decent batsman. He proved himself [on the world stage] and is now the number one batsman,” he said. “If we look after him properly, he will go on to break all the records.”&nbsp;

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has triggered the Virat Kohli versus Babar Azam debate once again by heaping praise on the Pakistani batsman while adding that "you can't compare Indian players with Pakistan players because Pakistan has more talent.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has triggered the Virat Kohli versus Babar Azam debate once again by heaping praise on the Pakistani batsman while adding that "you can't compare Indian players with Pakistan players because Pakistan has more talent.” The latest statement from Razzaq adds to the list of his bizarre takes on cricketing affairs given the longevity of Kohli as compared to Babar. According to Razzaq, Pakistan has produced more talented players over the years and it would be wrong to compare the two neighbouring countries when it comes to showing the way to top cricketers. Razzaq was asked about comparisons between Babar and Kohli in an interview with Cricket Pakistan, to which the former Pakistan all-rounder responded: “Firstly, we should not say such a thing [compare Virat Kohli with Babar Azam]. You can’t compare Indian players with Pakistan players because Pakistan has more talent.” “If you look at our history, we have so many great players with who we can draw comparisons like Mohammad Yousaf, Inzamam-ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Ijaz Ahmed,” said Razzaq. “Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are completely different players. If we want to compare the two, then it’s important to hold matches between Pakistan and India and then judge who is a better player,” he added. Razzaq further said that he backed Babar when he played under him for five to six years at ZTBL and never dropped him from the team. He predicted that Babar will go on to break all the records if backed properly. “Virat Kohli is a good player and he has performed well against Pakistan. I have nothing against him but if Indians don’t compare their players with Pakistan, then we shouldn’t do that as well.” “He [Babar Azam] played under me for five to six years at ZTBL and I never dropped him as captain. He was very talented and a very decent batsman. He proved himself [on the world stage] and is now the number one batsman,” he said. “If we look after him properly, he will go on to break all the records.”

'Pakistan has more talent, can't compare with Indian players,' opines Abdul Razzaq

The International Cricket Council`s (ICC) Chief Executive Manu Sawhney has not been having the best of times lately. After his much-favoured idea of asking boards to bid for hosting rights of world events was met with a dead bat by the likes of BCCI, ECB, and CA, it has now come to the fore that his conduct has come under the scanner and he has been sent on `leave`.

Speaking to ANI, an official in the know of developments in the ICC said his conduct came under the scanner as audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers was conducting an internal investigation and the best way forward was to keep him away.

"Yes, he has been asked to go on leave as there have been allegations that his behaviour hasn`t been that great over the last 12 months and is in conflict with the way the international body likes to function. ICC staff have also testified and it is a situation that warranted him being asked to go on leave," the official said.

While Sawhney has had difference of opinion with some of the board members in the past as well, especially when it came to the election process last year, the ICC`s keenness to introduce the new bidding process for world events seemed like it made things even more difficult.

Not to forget the problem which surfaced with the ICC looking to have at least one flagship event every year in the next cycle from 2023-2031. In fact, new Chairman Greg Barclay had to explain that the ICC would look at an inclusive approach and take every board member into confidence while trying to create a balance between ICC events and bilateral ties.

"I see bilateral cricket and world events as being very complimentary and needs each other. Bilateral cricket is the lifeline of cricket. Each country has to have both the ability and the obligation to play bilateral cricket. Countries will only get better and continue to be competitive if they get the opportunity to play against other countries, lesser countries to play against better countries. Better countries have the obligation to help those who perhaps don`t have the experience or exposure," said Barclay.

"The ICC events are without a doubt a showcase of cricket and I think ICC runs very good at events and all countries do get an opportunity to enter the events. From the ICC`s point of view as well as showcasing events, they obviously generate a reasonable amount of most country`s income. So, there is a careful complementary balancing act that is needed. I am a fan of ensuring ICC events continue to be world-class as they are and maintaining the abilities of all countries to continue to play bilateral cricket," he explained.&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council`s (ICC) Chief Executive Manu Sawhney has not been having the best of times lately. After his much-favoured idea of asking boards to bid for hosting rights of world events was met with a dead bat by the likes of BCCI, ECB, and CA, it has now come to the fore that his conduct has come under the scanner and he has been sent on `leave`.

The International Cricket Council`s (ICC) Chief Executive Manu Sawhney has not been having the best of times lately. After his much-favoured idea of asking boards to bid for hosting rights of world events was met with a dead bat by the likes of BCCI, ECB, and CA, it has now come to the fore that his conduct has come under the scanner and he has been sent on `leave`. Speaking to ANI, an official in the know of developments in the ICC said his conduct came under the scanner as audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers was conducting an internal investigation and the best way forward was to keep him away. "Yes, he has been asked to go on leave as there have been allegations that his behaviour hasn`t been that great over the last 12 months and is in conflict with the way the international body likes to function. ICC staff have also testified and it is a situation that warranted him being asked to go on leave," the official said. While Sawhney has had difference of opinion with some of the board members in the past as well, especially when it came to the election process last year, the ICC`s keenness to introduce the new bidding process for world events seemed like it made things even more difficult. Not to forget the problem which surfaced with the ICC looking to have at least one flagship event every year in the next cycle from 2023-2031. In fact, new Chairman Greg Barclay had to explain that the ICC would look at an inclusive approach and take every board member into confidence while trying to create a balance between ICC events and bilateral ties. "I see bilateral cricket and world events as being very complimentary and needs each other. Bilateral cricket is the lifeline of cricket. Each country has to have both the ability and the obligation to play bilateral cricket. Countries will only get better and continue to be competitive if they get the opportunity to play against other countries, lesser countries to play against better countries. Better countries have the obligation to help those who perhaps don`t have the experience or exposure," said Barclay. "The ICC events are without a doubt a showcase of cricket and I think ICC runs very good at events and all countries do get an opportunity to enter the events. From the ICC`s point of view as well as showcasing events, they obviously generate a reasonable amount of most country`s income. So, there is a careful complementary balancing act that is needed. I am a fan of ensuring ICC events continue to be world-class as they are and maintaining the abilities of all countries to continue to play bilateral cricket," he explained.

ICC CEO Manu Sawhney sent on ''leave'' after preliminary investigation shows misconduct

The families of athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics could be barred from entering Japan to watch them, the Games president has suggested in an interview with local media.

The comments came as reports said Japan's government has decided to exclude overseas fans from the coronavirus-delayed Games to reduce the risk of outbreaks.

The decision on foreign fans is expected to be announced when Games organisers and officials from the Japanese and Tokyo governments meet the heads of the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees, likely next week.

And Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto appeared to pour cold water on the prospect of making athletes' families exempt from the ban, telling reporters it would be "difficult".

"This is a chance they may only get once in their lives, so on an emotional level I want families to be able to watch," Hashimoto was quoted as saying by the Mainichi Shimbun daily late Tuesday.

"But we have to think about Japan's medical system, so with a heavy heart I have to say it's difficult."

On Tuesday, Kyodo news agency said the Japanese government had concluded it was "not possible" to allow overseas fans due to "concerns among the Japanese public over the coronavirus and the fact that more contagious variants have been detected in many countries".

The Asahi Shimbun daily said the IOC had asked Japan to make exceptions for overseas guests linked to sponsors, and that the government was considering the request.

A poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun published this week found that more than 75 percent of Japanese opposed overseas fans attending the Games.

Around 900,000 tickets have reportedly been sold outside Japan.

The families of athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics could be barred from entering Japan to watch them, the Games president has suggested in an interview with local media.

The families of athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics could be barred from entering Japan to watch them, the Games president has suggested in an interview with local media. The comments came as reports said Japan's government has decided to exclude overseas fans from the coronavirus-delayed Games to reduce the risk of outbreaks. The decision on foreign fans is expected to be announced when Games organisers and officials from the Japanese and Tokyo governments meet the heads of the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees, likely next week. And Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto appeared to pour cold water on the prospect of making athletes' families exempt from the ban, telling reporters it would be "difficult". "This is a chance they may only get once in their lives, so on an emotional level I want families to be able to watch," Hashimoto was quoted as saying by the Mainichi Shimbun daily late Tuesday. "But we have to think about Japan's medical system, so with a heavy heart I have to say it's difficult." On Tuesday, Kyodo news agency said the Japanese government had concluded it was "not possible" to allow overseas fans due to "concerns among the Japanese public over the coronavirus and the fact that more contagious variants have been detected in many countries". The Asahi Shimbun daily said the IOC had asked Japan to make exceptions for overseas guests linked to sponsors, and that the government was considering the request. A poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun published this week found that more than 75 percent of Japanese opposed overseas fans attending the Games. Around 900,000 tickets have reportedly been sold outside Japan.

'Difficult' to have athletes' families at Tokyo Olympics: Games chief

One year after Covid-19 sent sport across North America grinding to a halt, professional leagues and tours are inching back towards normalcy after absorbing a multi-billion-dollar financial hit.

Twelve months ago on March 11, NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent shockwaves across the sporting world after dramatically halting the season following confirmation of Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert's positive test.

The NBA decision triggered a domino effect, with baseball, soccer, golf, ice hockey and other sports swiftly following suit either by suspending their seasons or cancelling events altogether.

A year after the start of the shutdown, US leagues are continuing to count the cost of the pandemic as they adjust to the new realities of sport in the age of Covid-19.

The NBA has reached the halfway point of its abbreviated 2020-2021 season after losing an estimated $1.2 billion through its interrupted 2019-2020 campaign, with a $4 billion loss projected for 2020-2021.

NBA chief Silver however is hopeful that the worst may be over, noting that next season may resemble something like a return to normality as more Americans get vaccinated against Covid-19 and fans return to arenas.

"I'm fairly optimistic at this point that we will be able to start on time," Silver said ahead of Sunday's All-Star game.

"If vaccines continue on the pace they are, and they continue to be as effective as they have been against the virus and its variants, we're hopeful that we'll have relatively full arenas next season."

Silver added that despite losses he described as "considerable", the "long-term health of the league is very solid."

<h2>- Baseball revenues hit -</h2>

Major League Baseball, meanwhile, is also counting the cost of coronavirus. The league slashed its 2020 season from 162 games to 60, finally starting in late July before wrapping the World Series in October.

Although fans were allowed to return for the late stages of last year's playoffs, regular season games in 2020 took place in empty arenas, denying clubs game day revenue and contributing to collective losses estimated by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred at around $2.8-$3 billion.

A full 162-game regular season is planned when the 2021 campaign gets under way on April 1, but spectator access will vary depending on city and state health regulations where each team is based.

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will only be allowed a maximum of 100 fans at Dodger Stadium under current rules; the St. Louis Cardinals have been approved to allow 14,500 spectators.

Major League Soccer is bracing for another hefty financial loss after taking a $1 billion hit in 2020.

MLS was halted just two weeks into its new season last year, returning with a tournament staged in a bubble in environment in Florida before the regular season resumed in August.

"We are forecasted to lose pretty close to $1 billion, if not $1 billion (exactly), that we have been talking about," Garber said in February. "When you don't have fans for the majority of your season, it's just pure math."

The National Football League, meanwhile, provided a template for professional leagues in North America by completing its season in February with the Super Bowl in Tampa.

A robust testing program and strict health and safety protocols allowed the league to fulfill all of its 256 regular season games and playoff schedule successfully.

A crowd of 25,000 fans, including several thousand vaccinated healthcare workers invited as guests, attended last month's Super Bowl, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admits it is unclear what fan attendance may look like when the 2021 season kicks off next September.

<h2>- 'They got lucky' -</h2>

"One of the things that I think I have learned and I think all of us have learned is try not to project too far in advance because it's difficult to do," Goodell said. "I know this: We've learned to operate in a very difficult environment. We have found solutions, and we'll do it again."

Zach Binney, an epidemiologist at Oxford College of Emory University in Atlanta, believes that major US sports "did some really good things" as they plotted a return from Covid-19.

"The NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL all found various ways to bring sports back without having a lot of cases among their players and staff," Binney told AFP. "The various models were quite strong on that front."

Binney noted however that some NFL and college football teams allowed large numbers of fans back into arenas before being certain it was safe to do so.

"I think they were reckless and got lucky," Binney said.

Other aspects of the US sporting landscape, meanwhile, shifted in more profound ways by the pandemic.

In almost every major sport, television ratings were down sharply, sometimes by striking margins.

The NBA finals ratings nosedived by 51%, while the battle for ice hockey's Stanley Cup cratered by 61%. The US Open tennis tournament slumped by 45% and even February's dream NFL Super Bowl pitting Tom Brady against Patrick Mahomes drew its lowest audience since 2006.

In college sports meanwhile, budget shortfalls caused by the pandemic have led to the elimination of more than 350 sports programs -- the vast majority in Olympic sports including athletics, swimming and volleyball.

One year after Covid-19 sent sport across North America grinding to a halt, professional leagues and tours are inching back towards normalcy after absorbing a multi-billion-dollar financial hit.

One year after Covid-19 sent sport across North America grinding to a halt, professional leagues and tours are inching back towards normalcy after absorbing a multi-billion-dollar financial hit. Twelve months ago on March 11, NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent shockwaves across the sporting world after dramatically halting the season following confirmation of Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert's positive test. The NBA decision triggered a domino effect, with baseball, soccer, golf, ice hockey and other sports swiftly following suit either by suspending their seasons or cancelling events altogether. A year after the start of the shutdown, US leagues are continuing to count the cost of the pandemic as they adjust to the new realities of sport in the age of Covid-19. The NBA has reached the halfway point of its abbreviated 2020-2021 season after losing an estimated $1.2 billion through its interrupted 2019-2020 campaign, with a $4 billion loss projected for 2020-2021. NBA chief Silver however is hopeful that the worst may be over, noting that next season may resemble something like a return to normality as more Americans get vaccinated against Covid-19 and fans return to arenas. "I'm fairly optimistic at this point that we will be able to start on time," Silver said ahead of Sunday's All-Star game. "If vaccines continue on the pace they are, and they continue to be as effective as they have been against the virus and its variants, we're hopeful that we'll have relatively full arenas next season." Silver added that despite losses he described as "considerable", the "long-term health of the league is very solid." - Baseball revenues hit - Major League Baseball, meanwhile, is also counting the cost of coronavirus. The league slashed its 2020 season from 162 games to 60, finally starting in late July before wrapping the World Series in October. Although fans were allowed to return for the late stages of last year's playoffs, regular season games in 2020 took place in empty arenas, denying clubs game day revenue and contributing to collective losses estimated by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred at around $2.8-$3 billion. A full 162-game regular season is planned when the 2021 campaign gets under way on April 1, but spectator access will vary depending on city and state health regulations where each team is based. The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will only be allowed a maximum of 100 fans at Dodger Stadium under current rules; the St. Louis Cardinals have been approved to allow 14,500 spectators. Major League Soccer is bracing for another hefty financial loss after taking a $1 billion hit in 2020. MLS was halted just two weeks into its new season last year, returning with a tournament staged in a bubble in environment in Florida before the regular season resumed in August. "We are forecasted to lose pretty close to $1 billion, if not $1 billion (exactly), that we have been talking about," Garber said in February. "When you don't have fans for the majority of your season, it's just pure math." The National Football League, meanwhile, provided a template for professional leagues in North America by completing its season in February with the Super Bowl in Tampa. A robust testing program and strict health and safety protocols allowed the league to fulfill all of its 256 regular season games and playoff schedule successfully. A crowd of 25,000 fans, including several thousand vaccinated healthcare workers invited as guests, attended last month's Super Bowl, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admits it is unclear what fan attendance may look like when the 2021 season kicks off next September. - 'They got lucky' - "One of the things that I think I have learned and I think all of us have learned is try not to project too far in advance because it's difficult to do," Goodell said. "I know this: We've learned to operate in a very difficult environment. We have found solutions, and we'll do it again." Zach Binney, an epidemiologist at Oxford College of Emory University in Atlanta, believes that major US sports "did some really good things" as they plotted a return from Covid-19. "The NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL all found various ways to bring sports back without having a lot of cases among their players and staff," Binney told AFP. "The various models were quite strong on that front." Binney noted however that some NFL and college football teams allowed large numbers of fans back into arenas before being certain it was safe to do so. "I think they were reckless and got lucky," Binney said. Other aspects of the US sporting landscape, meanwhile, shifted in more profound ways by the pandemic. In almost every major sport, television ratings were down sharply, sometimes by striking margins. The NBA finals ratings nosedived by 51%, while the battle for ice hockey's Stanley Cup cratered by 61%. The US Open tennis tournament slumped by 45% and even February's dream NFL Super Bowl pitting Tom Brady against Patrick Mahomes drew its lowest audience since 2006. In college sports meanwhile, budget shortfalls caused by the pandemic have led to the elimination of more than 350 sports programs -- the vast majority in Olympic sports including athletics, swimming and volleyball.

One year on from shutdown, US sport inching back to normalcy

Neymar will miss Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last 16 second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday after failing to shake off a thigh injury, the French champions confirmed.

PSG said on Tuesday the Brazil attacker would continue to train individually and would be assessed again "in the coming days".

"We have not had to make a decision, it is simply the state of fitness of a player, in this case 'Ney', who can't make it," coach Mauricio Pochettino said during a virtual press conference ahead of the game at the Parc des Princes.

"He is not fit enough to play a competitive game. This is just a reality, a fact.

"It's a shame because he had been really looking forward to this game. It is a difficult moment for him because he had been expecting to recover but clearly he is still a few days away from being able to help the team."

The 29-year-old has not played since picking up the injury in a French Cup victory over Caen in early February.&nbsp;

He also missed the first leg of the Champions League tie at the Camp Nou, which PSG won 4-1 with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick, due to the issue.

That result puts Pochettino's team in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals going into the return leg, although the former Tottenham Hotspur coach preached caution in front of the media.

"We still need to play a game of football, and be focused on that," he said. "We have to attack and win the game. That is what we have prepared for."

Pochettino added that Italy right-back Alessandro Florenzi could return after sitting out the last three games due to injury.

Moise Kean, who scored in the first leg, is still missing after testing positive last week for Covid-19.

Neymar will miss Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last 16 second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday after failing to shake off a thigh injury, the French champions confirmed.

Neymar will miss Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last 16 second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday after failing to shake off a thigh injury, the French champions confirmed. PSG said on Tuesday the Brazil attacker would continue to train individually and would be assessed again "in the coming days". "We have not had to make a decision, it is simply the state of fitness of a player, in this case 'Ney', who can't make it," coach Mauricio Pochettino said during a virtual press conference ahead of the game at the Parc des Princes. "He is not fit enough to play a competitive game. This is just a reality, a fact. "It's a shame because he had been really looking forward to this game. It is a difficult moment for him because he had been expecting to recover but clearly he is still a few days away from being able to help the team." The 29-year-old has not played since picking up the injury in a French Cup victory over Caen in early February. He also missed the first leg of the Champions League tie at the Camp Nou, which PSG won 4-1 with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick, due to the issue. That result puts Pochettino's team in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals going into the return leg, although the former Tottenham Hotspur coach preached caution in front of the media. "We still need to play a game of football, and be focused on that," he said. "We have to attack and win the game. That is what we have prepared for." Pochettino added that Italy right-back Alessandro Florenzi could return after sitting out the last three games due to injury. Moise Kean, who scored in the first leg, is still missing after testing positive last week for Covid-19.

Neymar loses battle to be fit for PSG's Barcelona showdown

Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 for the second year running on Tuesday, losing to 10-man Porto on away goals despite winning the second leg 3-2 in Turin.

Sergio Oliveira's extra-time free-kick sent twice former winners Porto through to the quarter-finals as the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate.

Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Portugal, Oliveira's first-half penalty increased Porto's advantage but Juventus levelled the tie through two goals from Federico Chiesa, which came either side of Porto striker Mehdi Taremi's red card.

Oliveira then rifled home a low free-kick on 115 minutes, which passed through the legs of Ronaldo, with Adrien Rabiot's header in reply coming in vain for Juventus.&nbsp;

"When you make four big errors over two legs in the Champions League last 16, you can get eliminated," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo.&nbsp;

"It will take a few days to wipe this game from our minds, but then we must play every game with the right attitude, realise we're still only in March and have time to climb the Serie A table."

Juventus had been counting on Portuguese striker Ronaldo, the competition's record goalscorer, and in-form Spaniard Alvaro Morata, who had scored six goals in the competition this season, to pull them through.

But Juventus' Champions League heartache stretching back 25 years continued, falling in the first knockout round the second consecutive year after losing to French club Lyon last season.

"The work of the whole team was important to go through in a manner that was fully deserved," said veteran Porto defender Pepe.

"It's hard to explain by words the way we managed to react (playing with 10 men). Today we showed lots of character: the players were focused and that made it easy for us."

Pirlo, in his first season as Juventus coach, had regained several injured players including midfielder Arthur and defender Leonardo Bonucci, but captain Giorgio Chiellini remained on the bench with Danilo suspended.

Porto goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin produced a sharp early save to turn away a Morata header, while Taremi nodded against the crossbar at the other end in a lively start to the game.&nbsp;

The Italian champions fell behind on the night when Merih Demiral conceded a penalty after bundling over Taremi in the box, with Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers pointing to the spot.

Oliveira made no mistake, sending Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way to give the visitors a 3-1 advantage overall.

Marchesin continued his heroics, the Argentine blocking from Morata on 26 minutes and Rabiot minutes later after the French midfielder took aim from distance.

<h2>- Chiesa revives Juve hopes -</h2>

Juve hit back after the break thanks to Chiesa's double, the first on 49 minutes when Ronaldo controlled and knocked it back for Chiesa to curl in past Marchesin from a tight angle.

Porto soon went a man down with Taremi sent off for two quick yellow cards, the second for recklessly kicking the ball away.

Despite the Iranian's absence Porto managed to hold on, with Pepe intervening brilliantly to force Chiesa into striking the post after rounding Marchesin.

Chiesa made no mistake just after the hour getting his head to another perfect Juan Cuadrado cross which Marchesin again got a hand to but could not stop as Juve pulled level 3-3 on aggregate.

Ronaldo missed a chance to add to his tally of 134 Champions League goals after heading a Cuadrado delivery wide with 12 minutes to go.

It was end to end action with Marchesin denying Chiesa a hat-trick, while Morata had a goal ruled out for offside in injury time before Cuadrado was desperately unlucky to see his curling shot smack back off the bar.

Porto had the best chance of the first 15 minutes in extra time with Szczesny blocking a Moussa Marega header.&nbsp;

But Oliviera won a free-kick and fired in low to beat Szczesny on 115 minutes amid wild celebrations from the Portuguese bench.

Two minutes later Rabiot headed Juventus back into contention but the hosts could not snatch another goal as their European adventure ended prematurely once more.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 for the second year running on Tuesday, losing to 10-man Porto on away goals despite winning the second leg 3-2 in Turin.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 for the second year running on Tuesday, losing to 10-man Porto on away goals despite winning the second leg 3-2 in Turin. Sergio Oliveira's extra-time free-kick sent twice former winners Porto through to the quarter-finals as the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate. Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Portugal, Oliveira's first-half penalty increased Porto's advantage but Juventus levelled the tie through two goals from Federico Chiesa, which came either side of Porto striker Mehdi Taremi's red card. Oliveira then rifled home a low free-kick on 115 minutes, which passed through the legs of Ronaldo, with Adrien Rabiot's header in reply coming in vain for Juventus. "When you make four big errors over two legs in the Champions League last 16, you can get eliminated," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo. "It will take a few days to wipe this game from our minds, but then we must play every game with the right attitude, realise we're still only in March and have time to climb the Serie A table." Juventus had been counting on Portuguese striker Ronaldo, the competition's record goalscorer, and in-form Spaniard Alvaro Morata, who had scored six goals in the competition this season, to pull them through. But Juventus' Champions League heartache stretching back 25 years continued, falling in the first knockout round the second consecutive year after losing to French club Lyon last season. "The work of the whole team was important to go through in a manner that was fully deserved," said veteran Porto defender Pepe. "It's hard to explain by words the way we managed to react (playing with 10 men). Today we showed lots of character: the players were focused and that made it easy for us." Pirlo, in his first season as Juventus coach, had regained several injured players including midfielder Arthur and defender Leonardo Bonucci, but captain Giorgio Chiellini remained on the bench with Danilo suspended. Porto goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin produced a sharp early save to turn away a Morata header, while Taremi nodded against the crossbar at the other end in a lively start to the game. The Italian champions fell behind on the night when Merih Demiral conceded a penalty after bundling over Taremi in the box, with Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers pointing to the spot. Oliveira made no mistake, sending Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way to give the visitors a 3-1 advantage overall. Marchesin continued his heroics, the Argentine blocking from Morata on 26 minutes and Rabiot minutes later after the French midfielder took aim from distance. - Chiesa revives Juve hopes - Juve hit back after the break thanks to Chiesa's double, the first on 49 minutes when Ronaldo controlled and knocked it back for Chiesa to curl in past Marchesin from a tight angle. Porto soon went a man down with Taremi sent off for two quick yellow cards, the second for recklessly kicking the ball away. Despite the Iranian's absence Porto managed to hold on, with Pepe intervening brilliantly to force Chiesa into striking the post after rounding Marchesin. Chiesa made no mistake just after the hour getting his head to another perfect Juan Cuadrado cross which Marchesin again got a hand to but could not stop as Juve pulled level 3-3 on aggregate. Ronaldo missed a chance to add to his tally of 134 Champions League goals after heading a Cuadrado delivery wide with 12 minutes to go. It was end to end action with Marchesin denying Chiesa a hat-trick, while Morata had a goal ruled out for offside in injury time before Cuadrado was desperately unlucky to see his curling shot smack back off the bar. Porto had the best chance of the first 15 minutes in extra time with Szczesny blocking a Moussa Marega header. But Oliviera won a free-kick and fired in low to beat Szczesny on 115 minutes amid wild celebrations from the Portuguese bench. Two minutes later Rabiot headed Juventus back into contention but the hosts could not snatch another goal as their European adventure ended prematurely once more.

Ronaldo silenced as Porto knock Juventus out of Champions League

Erling Braut Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund held off a late Sevilla fightback to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a 'crazy, amazing' 5-4 aggregate win after a frantic 2-2 second-leg draw on Tuesday.

Haaland, who also netted a double in Dortmund's 3-2 last 16 first-leg victory, tapped in a first-half opener and scored a retaken penalty after the break behind closed doors at Signal Iduna Park.

"It was a hard game –- I'm tired now, but to be in the next round feels very good," Haaland told Sky.

"It was a crazy game and a crazy, amazing win."

Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri scored a 69th-minute spot-kick and a last-gasp equaliser but Dortmund clung on.

"We're not happy with the result. Truth is, we didn't have any luck –- they had one chance and they scored," En-Nesyri told Movistar.

"We fought until the last minute."

Haaland, the man of the match, is the competition's top-scorer this season with 10 goals in six games.

The 20-year-old is the youngest player to reach 20 Champions League goals, in just 14 appearances, breaking the previous mark set by Kylian Mbappe.

"We have been punished by a player (Haaland) who will make his mark on this era," predicted Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui.&nbsp;

Although they had lost three of their four previous games, Sevilla dominated the opening exchanges and Dortmund had to withstand intense early pressure before taking the lead against the run of play.

When the Spaniards lost possession in their own half, Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud slipped a pass to Marco Reus, who sprinted to reach the ball at the byline and Haaland diverted in his cut-back.

<h2>- 'Turbulent' finish -</h2>

He had the ball in the net again just after the interval, but the goal was disallowed after the referee decided Haaland had fouled Sevilla defender Fernando before firing home from a tight angle after consulting the pitchside monitor.

However, the referee also awarded a penalty after spotting a foul on Haaland earlier in the build-up.

Reus, Dortmund's usual penalty taker, stepped aside to allow Haaland to take the spot-kick.

Although his first effort was tipped onto the post by Yassine Bounou, the Sevilla goalkeeper moved before the kick was taken and Haaland made no mistake with his second attempt.

Both Haaland and Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan were booked for some pushing and shoving, with the La Liga side angered by Haaland's celebrations.

"I missed the first penalty, but if he'd stood on the line I'd have scored, but he cheated," added Haaland.

"I was a little bit nervous on the second penalty, but I knew it would be nice to score a second goal."

Dortmund defender Emre Can also earned a yellow card and gave away a penalty for a blatant push on Sevilla forward Luuk de Jong, which Morocco striker En-Nesyri blasted home.

With five minutes left, Bounou produced a stunning reflex save from Dahoud's shot in the area.

However, Sevilla were not finished and En-Nesyri netted again with a powerful header just before the final whistle as Dortmund weathered a late storm.

"It was a turbulent game," said Dortmund caretaker coach Edin Terzic.

"It's not a given for us to get this far, so now to be among the best eight in Europe makes us very happy. Erling Haaland was just outstanding."

Erling Braut Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund held off a late Sevilla fightback to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a 'crazy, amazing' 5-4 aggregate win after a frantic 2-2 second-leg draw on Tuesday.

Erling Braut Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund held off a late Sevilla fightback to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a 'crazy, amazing' 5-4 aggregate win after a frantic 2-2 second-leg draw on Tuesday. Haaland, who also netted a double in Dortmund's 3-2 last 16 first-leg victory, tapped in a first-half opener and scored a retaken penalty after the break behind closed doors at Signal Iduna Park. "It was a hard game –- I'm tired now, but to be in the next round feels very good," Haaland told Sky. "It was a crazy game and a crazy, amazing win." Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri scored a 69th-minute spot-kick and a last-gasp equaliser but Dortmund clung on. "We're not happy with the result. Truth is, we didn't have any luck –- they had one chance and they scored," En-Nesyri told Movistar. "We fought until the last minute." Haaland, the man of the match, is the competition's top-scorer this season with 10 goals in six games. The 20-year-old is the youngest player to reach 20 Champions League goals, in just 14 appearances, breaking the previous mark set by Kylian Mbappe. "We have been punished by a player (Haaland) who will make his mark on this era," predicted Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui. Although they had lost three of their four previous games, Sevilla dominated the opening exchanges and Dortmund had to withstand intense early pressure before taking the lead against the run of play. When the Spaniards lost possession in their own half, Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud slipped a pass to Marco Reus, who sprinted to reach the ball at the byline and Haaland diverted in his cut-back. - 'Turbulent' finish - He had the ball in the net again just after the interval, but the goal was disallowed after the referee decided Haaland had fouled Sevilla defender Fernando before firing home from a tight angle after consulting the pitchside monitor. However, the referee also awarded a penalty after spotting a foul on Haaland earlier in the build-up. Reus, Dortmund's usual penalty taker, stepped aside to allow Haaland to take the spot-kick. Although his first effort was tipped onto the post by Yassine Bounou, the Sevilla goalkeeper moved before the kick was taken and Haaland made no mistake with his second attempt. Both Haaland and Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan were booked for some pushing and shoving, with the La Liga side angered by Haaland's celebrations. "I missed the first penalty, but if he'd stood on the line I'd have scored, but he cheated," added Haaland. "I was a little bit nervous on the second penalty, but I knew it would be nice to score a second goal." Dortmund defender Emre Can also earned a yellow card and gave away a penalty for a blatant push on Sevilla forward Luuk de Jong, which Morocco striker En-Nesyri blasted home. With five minutes left, Bounou produced a stunning reflex save from Dahoud's shot in the area. However, Sevilla were not finished and En-Nesyri netted again with a powerful header just before the final whistle as Dortmund weathered a late storm. "It was a turbulent game," said Dortmund caretaker coach Edin Terzic. "It's not a given for us to get this far, so now to be among the best eight in Europe makes us very happy. Erling Haaland was just outstanding."

Haaland double fires Dortmund into Champions League quarter-finals

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Tuesday ruled himself out of contention to replace Joachim Loew as Germany manager, saying he intended to see out his contract at the Premier League champions.

The German football association said Loew would step down from his role as national team boss following the delayed Euro 2020, which ends in July.

Loew will leave with a year left on his deal, having signed up until the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.

Klopp was immediately installed as one of the favourites but the 53-year-old German said he was not available at a Champions League press conference on Tuesday.

"I have three years left at Liverpool, that's a simple statement, a simple situation," he said.

"You sign a contract and you normally try to stick to that contract don't you? I had a contract in Mainz where I stuck with them even though there was interest from other Bundesliga teams with more money.

"It is just timing and if it doesn't work out you don't have to lose any sleep over it.

"Someone else will do the job and I am pretty sure with the amount of really good German managers at the moment the German FA will find a good solution."

The 61-year-old Loew, nicknamed "Jogi", has been in charge of Germany since 2006 and won the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

But he has faced three years of criticism since holders Germany crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia at the group stage.

"Jogi Loew did an incredible job for so many years, I think he is the longest servant we had in Germany but for sure one of the most successful," added Klopp.

"I understand that he wants to have this highlight for him of the European Championships and try to squeeze everything out that he can from this tournament."

<h2>- Liverpool slump -</h2>

Klopp's Liverpool play Bundesliga high-fliers RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday after winning the first leg 2-0.

Liverpool's "home" match against Leipzig will be played in the Puskas Arena in Budapest as a result of Covid-19 travel restrictions. It is the same stadium that hosted the first leg.

Klopp, whose team have lost their past six Premier League home games, was asked whether Liverpool could become European champions for a seventh time.

"Two things -- the quality and football in general," he said. "You always have a chance in the next game.

"It's half-time (in the tie), we have to play the game. I have no doubt about us. We will give it a proper fight, we have 95 minutes to use."

And he bemoaned the absence of fans during the coronavirus pandemic, which has deprived the side of passionate home support at Anfield.

"Football would not be the game we love if no one could watch it in the stadium," said Klopp.

"We have missed fans as we've had one of the best atmospheres in the world. That is no excuse, but in difficult times that can help. I can't wait for the day people are allowed (back)."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Tuesday ruled himself out of contention to replace Joachim Loew as Germany manager, saying he intended to see out his contract at the Premier League champions.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Tuesday ruled himself out of contention to replace Joachim Loew as Germany manager, saying he intended to see out his contract at the Premier League champions. The German football association said Loew would step down from his role as national team boss following the delayed Euro 2020, which ends in July. Loew will leave with a year left on his deal, having signed up until the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar. Klopp was immediately installed as one of the favourites but the 53-year-old German said he was not available at a Champions League press conference on Tuesday. "I have three years left at Liverpool, that's a simple statement, a simple situation," he said. "You sign a contract and you normally try to stick to that contract don't you? I had a contract in Mainz where I stuck with them even though there was interest from other Bundesliga teams with more money. "It is just timing and if it doesn't work out you don't have to lose any sleep over it. "Someone else will do the job and I am pretty sure with the amount of really good German managers at the moment the German FA will find a good solution." The 61-year-old Loew, nicknamed "Jogi", has been in charge of Germany since 2006 and won the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. But he has faced three years of criticism since holders Germany crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia at the group stage. "Jogi Loew did an incredible job for so many years, I think he is the longest servant we had in Germany but for sure one of the most successful," added Klopp. "I understand that he wants to have this highlight for him of the European Championships and try to squeeze everything out that he can from this tournament." - Liverpool slump - Klopp's Liverpool play Bundesliga high-fliers RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday after winning the first leg 2-0. Liverpool's "home" match against Leipzig will be played in the Puskas Arena in Budapest as a result of Covid-19 travel restrictions. It is the same stadium that hosted the first leg. Klopp, whose team have lost their past six Premier League home games, was asked whether Liverpool could become European champions for a seventh time. "Two things -- the quality and football in general," he said. "You always have a chance in the next game. "It's half-time (in the tie), we have to play the game. I have no doubt about us. We will give it a proper fight, we have 95 minutes to use." And he bemoaned the absence of fans during the coronavirus pandemic, which has deprived the side of passionate home support at Anfield. "Football would not be the game we love if no one could watch it in the stadium," said Klopp. "We have missed fans as we've had one of the best atmospheres in the world. That is no excuse, but in difficult times that can help. I can't wait for the day people are allowed (back)."

Will Jurgen Klopp replace Joachim Loew as Germany coach? Liverpool manager responds

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