Posts by BirSaNN

Huddersfield Town and Reading will be playing for a minimum of $217.5 million when they compete for a place in the Premier League.

Huddersfield Town and Reading will be playing for a minimum of 170 million pounds ($217.5 million) when they compete for a place in English football’s Premier League at Wembley on Monday in a match regularly described as the richest in the global game.

Lucrative television contracts domestically and throughout the world mean that whichever team wins the Championship playoff for the third promotion place can finish bottom of the league next season and still be guaranteed at least 95 million pounds, plus 75 million pounds in so-called parachute payments.

“(Parachute) payments are made over four years, allowing clubs to gear down and where necessary reduce their costs over a medium-term period,” the Premier League’s website (www.premierleague.com) says.

Staying up for even one season is worth a further 100 million pounds, without taking into consideration increased sponsorship and gate receipts.

Huddersfield, English champions for three years in succession from 1924-26, have not played in the top tier since 1972.

Having finished in the bottom six last season, they became surprised promotion contenders under German-American manager David Wagner, who joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2015.

Reading, who finished third in the Championship this season under former Dutch international Jaap Stam, reached the Premier League for the first time in their history in 2006, lasting two seasons. The club was promoted again in 2012 but managed only a single season in the top flight.

Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion have already gained automatic promotion from the Championship, finishing first and second respectively.

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Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano will be out of action for six weeks to recover from a right knee injury.

Barcelona says defender Javier Mascherano will be out of action for six weeks to recover from a right knee injury.

Barcelona’s season is over, but the injury will rule out Mascherano from Argentina’s friendly against Brazil on June 9.

Mascherano injured his leg early in Saturday’s final of the Copa del Rey, when Barcelona beat Alaves 3-1 to defend its title for a third straight season.

He also cut his head during the collision with an Alaves player that produced the leg injury. He returned on crutches to join the team celebration.

Argentina doesn’t play its next World Cup qualifier until it plays Uruguay on Aug. 28.

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Unlike other major sporting leagues like IPL and ISL, UTT will have club based franchises rather than city-based franchises.

The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India’s newest sports franchise league, has seen a number of top franchises confirming their participation. Unlike other major sporting leagues being run in the country currently like IPL and ISL, UTT will have club based franchises rather than city-based franchises.

The five franchises currently on board for the inaugural season are Dabang Smashers TTC owned by Radha Kapoor Khanna of Dolt Sports, RP-SG Mavericks by Sanjiv Goenka of RP-SG Group, Maharashtra United by Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan of Rajesh Wadhawan Group, ASK TTC owned by Sameer Koticha of ASK Group and Oilmax Stag Yoddhas by Kapil Garg and Vivek Kohli. The sixth franchise will be announced soon.

The coach draft scheduled for Monday, includes a vast pool of highly experienced Indian and international coaches. The inaugural season will be played from July 13 to July 30 in three different cities – Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai.

The first two legs will be held in Chennai and Delhi before UTT shifts base to Mumbai for the finale. Each franchise will comprise of a combination of overseas and Indian players – four men and four women, along with one Indian and one International coach each.

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Sebastian Vettel defeated Kimi Raikkonen to win the Monaco Grand Prix and comfortably extend his lead at the top of the standings.

Sebastian Vettel beat his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen to win the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday and comfortably extend his lead at the top of the standings.

It was the four-time F1 champion’s third win of the season and 45th of his career, as well as Ferrari’s first at Monaco since Michael Schumacher in 2001. Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo finished third ahead of Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.

Title rival Lewis Hamilton clawed his Mercedes through the field to finish a commendable seventh from 13th on the grid.

Raikkonen started from pole position for the first time in nine years, with Vettel joining him on the front row. Both made a clean start, with Vettel holding off Bottas heading into the first corner.

After Raikkonen and Bottas had both come in for a tire change a few laps earlier, Vettel timed his change to perfection 39 laps into the 78-lap race. When he came back out, he was in front of Raikkonen.

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Well done ! :acceptat:

                                     Barcelona retained the Copa del Rey title with a 3-1 win over Alaves on Saturday.

Luis Enrique was all praise for Barcelona star striker Lionel Messi after they clinched the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, his last match as Barca manager.

In what was the third successive Cup victory for Enrique with the Spanish giants, Messi scored the first goal to give his side a lead, against Alaves to win the final 3-1.

Calling the Argentinian ‘extra terrestrial’, Enrique said, “Messi is an extra terrestrial in every sense and I’m very fortunate that I was able to enjoy the best, or one of the best, versions of him.”

The Spanish manager said that even though Messi is at his best, there is still a lot more to come from him. “Without a doubt he’s the number one and to be that you have to control every aspect and be very strong physically. He takes perfect care of himself, and there’s still a lot more to come from Messi,” Enrique said as he lifted his ninth trophy for the Vicente Calderon club.

Enrique had announced his decision to leave the club back in March and he said on Saturday that he still sticks to his decision as the job of a manager has endless demands.

“I’m happy about the decision I made a few months ago, it has worked out perfectly for me and the team. This job has endless demands and after a while it takes its toll on you. But I don’t feel sad, especially when I see we won nine out of 13 trophies,” he added.

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         The ACB chairman also said that the two countries have also agreed to play a bilateral series for which dates will be decided later.

As per reports, Pakistan and Afghanistan cricket teams have decided to play T20 friendlies in a bid to revive ties between the two countries. The matches are set to take place in Kabul and Lahore.

“The relationship between the two boards and the two nations is historic. It is not new,” Mashal said. “I am here to renew our commitment and sports should not be influenced by the politics of two governments,” espncricinfo quoted ACB chairman Atif Mashal.

“I am happy to have great discussion with Pakistan Cricket Board and agreed on various plans. We are renewing this relation with a friendly match between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Kabul and then we will return to Pakistan to play one. We have also agreed to play a bilateral series for which dates will be decided later.” Mashal added.

Speaking about the relationship between the two countries he said, “We know there is tension in the border but it’s my job as chairman of Afghanistan cricket board to keep this interaction between two cricketing nations going and to help governments start something positive. We are trying our best to keep sports, especially cricket, away from politics as well as looking for our national interest. Still, sports is sports and we should use this as a tool to influence the politics arena positively and create a good atmosphere between two friendly and brotherly nations.”

He further added, “Relation with Pakistan doesn’t mean we don’t have relation with India. They are also a strategic partner, a friend and they also support Afghanistan cricket. Pakistan did a great job in the development of Afghanistan cricket and we value both nations.”

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                               Javier Hernandez became the leading goal scorer for Mexico with his late goal against Croatia.

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez scored his 47th goal for Mexico in a warm-up match for Russia’s Confederations Cup against Croatia. With the goal, he became the leading goal scorer for his country. Hernandez found the net with just four minutes of the game remaining, overtaking Jared Borgetti’s score, who reached the feat in his 91st appearance. However, the goal was of no help to his side who were already two down. Having played for top clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid, Chicharito used his experience to achieve the feat with his national side. He scored the second International goal of his life against Croatia. The first came during the 2014 World Cup group stage. The 28-year-old had equalled Borgetti’s record in March after he became the fastest goal scorer for his country with 40 goals. He has scored against a total of 29 countries, with most number of goals against El Salvador and Honduras. Chicharito has scored next to his names two or more goals against 12 countries. He came on as a substitute in the 66th minute of the friendly match played at Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum. “I think Javier is one of the best finishers in the world,” said his coach Juan Carlos Osorio after the match. The Mexican had scored 59 goals for Manchester United before leaving for the German side Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015. For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App now

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