Edinson Cavani did not take part in his country’s full training session on Tuesday and there were more concerns when his strike partner got a knock

Luis Suarez suffered an injury scare in Uruguay training on Tuesday as strike partner Edinson Cavani sat out the team session.

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Barcelona star Suarez pulled up with apparent discomfort in his right leg during practice at the team base in Nizhny Novgorod and was forced to limp to the sidelines.

Suarez did manage to resume training but the incident will have caused a few concerns for head coach Oscar Tabarez, whose side take on France in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday.

Cavani sustained a hamstring injury during the 2-1 last-16 win over Portugal and, although he completed gym work, the Paris Saint-Germain forward was the only player in the 23-man squad not to take part in Tuesday’s outdoor session at Sports Centre Borsky.

Scans carried out on Monday showed Cavani does not have a muscle tear, but his chances of starting the match against France at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium remain in doubt.

The American hedge fund elected a new board to lead the club into a new era after they completed their takeover

AC Milan have announced the appointment of Paolo Scaroni as chairman as the club heralded the “dawn of a new era” under new owners Elliott Management.

The American investment company completed a takeover of the club  after former owner Li Yonghong failed to repay a €32 million (£28m/$38m) debt.

And the transition was completed on Saturday when a new board was elected at a shareholders’ meeting in Milan.

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Marco Fassone has left his role as CEO, with Scaroni taking over as chairman and interim chief executive, while Marco Patuano, Franck Tuil, Giorgio Furlani, Stefano Cocirio, Salvatore Cerchione, Alfredo Craca and Gianluca D’Avanzo also join the board.

Milan were suspended from the Europa League for this season after failing to comply with UEFA Financial Fair Play rules, but were reinstated after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the decision .

The change in ownership played a decisive role in CAS’s decision as Elliott promised to invest €50m into the Serie A side and have targeted a return to the Champions League.

And the new chairman promised the Rossoneri would see progress.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead AC Milan’s board of directors, and grateful for the trust and support of my fellow board members,” Scaroni, a former CEO of Italian energy company Eni and glass manufacturer Pilkington in London, said.

“This is a critical moment in the club’s storied history, and we’re all grateful to have a new owner committed to returning AC Milan to its former glory. At the board level, we will do everything possible to put the coach and the players in a position to succeed. There is considerable hard work ahead, and we are eager to build upon today’s momentum.”

Before the change, ousted president Li Yonghong hit back at the new owners after the hedge fund repossessed the holding company he used to buy Milan in 2017.

“First of all, I would like to clarify the following. My purchase of Milan was neither a rash decision or one dictated by a passing infatuation,” he wrote in a letter addressed to fans published in  Il Sole 24 .

“It stemmed from my passion for the team and belief in the economic potential of an investment in one of the noblest football teams in the world.

“Until June 30, 2018, I had paid almost €880m for AC Milan, of which only €280m was funded through Elliott, while I personally provided the remaining part.

“I was convinced that Elliott was a trustworthy investor and, above all, a partner to share the duties and honours of a stimulating adventure like the ownership of a team who, throughout their glorious history, have won, among other trophies, seven Champions Leagues and 18 Serie A titles.

“I made a mistake and only discovered it to my great detriment during my tenure. Elliott showed itself from the start to not be the partner I imagined but rather a lender totally disinterested in the complex management of a club of Milan’s standing, despite its control of the team’s board.

“All this happened despite repeated declarations from the fund regarding its alleged support for the club.

“During my time as president, I would like to remind all of you that I have never failed in my commitments and for this, I have proof of over €200m invested by me in the team under my ownership.

“I am ready to fight and I will do it to safeguard my rights and give assurances to the AC Milan shareholders, whom my beloved club deserve.

“Any deliberate and intentional manoeuvres to reduce the value of AC Milan will be prosecuted by law. Thank you for your hospitality and attention.”

The Atlanta United playmaker and the LA Galaxy’s Swedish star headline Goal’s picks for the best in MLS through the first half of the season

The 2018 Major League Soccer season has reached its midway point, and as many predictable trends have emerged, the season to date has been dominated by some big surprises.

Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders won the past two MLS Cup finals, so few would have imagined them both struggling the way they have this season. TFC made a run to the CONCACAF Champions League final, meaning an early-season hangover in league play was to be expected, but to still be sitting closer to the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference than the top is one of the most shocking aspects of the current campaign.

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Atlanta United leading the pack doesn’t come as much of a surprise, what with the offseason additions of Darlington Nagbe and Ezequiel Barco. You can also point to stars Miguel Almiron and Josef Martinez having a full season in MLS under their belts, with year two showing the pair to be the most dangerous tandem in the league.

Los Angeles FC has come out flying in its first season of existence, and while it isn’t a complete surprise that Bob Bradley would have the expansion team playing well, LAFC has exceeded expectations, playing some of the best soccer in the league. The scary thing is LAFC should only get better as the season rolls on, with some midseason additions already making impacts and Bradley building a roster as talented as any in the league.

Which teams have emerged as surprises so far? The New England Revolution have blossomed under first-year coach Brad Friedel, Real Salt Lake has shaken off some early-season struggles to establish itself as a playoff contender, and Montreal has climbed out of a woeful start to 2018 as Remi Garde appears to be steering the Impact toward a run at the postseason.

But who have been the league’s best in the first half of 2018? Here are Goal‘s selections for the MLS awards at midseason:

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Some might consider Almiron and Martinez to be a tandem you can’t break up when talking MVP, but as impressive as Martinez’s goal-scoring rate has been, Almiron is the engine that truly drives Atlanta United’s relentless attack. The Paraguayan playmaker has recorded eight goals and nine assists, making him the only player in MLS in the top 11 in both categories. His speedy runs, uncanny vision, and deadly moves make him almost unplayable in the open field.

Martinez is on pace to shatter the MLS goal-scoring record and if he keeps knocking them home at this rate he will be a good bet to beat his teammate for MVP honors. New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips is also a very worthy contender in the MVP race, especially if you factor in his efforts in CONCACAF Champions League play.

A player who deserves more consideration in the MVP conversation is Maxi Moralez, who has been a consistent standout in the New York City FC attack.

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Though he may not have the LA Galaxy in playoff position just yet, it’s hard to argue with the impact the Swedish superstar has already had since arriving in MLS. Ibrahimovic has yet to crack 1,000 minutes played, but is currently tied for second in MLS in goals with 11, to go with three assists, all while working his way back to full fitness from the major knee surgery that preceded his arrival.

Carlos Vela is sure to garner his share of votes in the best MLS newcomer conversation, with the Mexican star putting up seven goals and five assists prior to leaving for the World Cup, where he put in a strong showing for El Tri. If you factor in his World Cup performance, Vela is the clear winner of this award.

Vela could have serious competition for this honor on his own team, with forward Adama Diomande clocking an insane nine goals and three assists in just seven appearances. Those numbers should only keep rising as Vela and new signing Andre Horta join the LAFC attack.

New England’s Cristian Penilla and New York Red Bulls playmaker Kaku also merit consideration for this honor, as does NYCFC forward Ismael Tajouri-Shradi.

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There are several worthy contenders for the top coaching nod through the first half, but what Bradley has done with an expansion LAFC side has been incredible. LAFC has registered more points through the first half of an expansion season than any team in MLS history, all while playing some of the most attractive soccer in the league.

Most other seasons, Brad Friedel would be a runaway pick for top coaching honors after taking over a New England team in need of a shake-up. He dealt with Lee Nguyen’s departure, installed a new playmaker in Diego Fagundez, and gave Matt Turner the chance to shine. Now the Revs are in playoff position and looking much tougher than they did a year ago.

Jesse Marsch may already be out the door as New York Red Bulls coach, but his work in the first half of 2018 can’t be ignored. He led the Red Bulls to the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, then helped his team jump right back into the race for the league’s best record.

Gerardo “Tata” Martino has to be mentioned as well because, even though Atlanta United isn’t exactly surprising anyone with its excellent play, the Argentine has still had to integrate new players and adjust systems at times to deal with missing stars, all while formulating a new system to account for the departure of Carlos Carmona prior to the season.

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Before the 2018 season began, Turner was third on the New England depth chart, but Revs officials had been lauding his talents for some time. Turner has repaid Friedel’s faith by stepping in and emerging as the league’s top netminder. His imposing presence and acrobating shot-stopping ability make him a force in the penalty area that has helped the Revs improve defensively by a considerable margin.

Sporting KC’s Tim Melia isn’t posting the same absurd stats he posted on his way to winning the goalkeeper of the year award in 2017, but that’s more to do with his team’s defensive woes than his own efforts. Melia has maintained a high level and could still challenge for his second straight award.

Columbus Crew standout Zack Steffen was the frontrunner for this award heading into June, but after missing some matches, and with the Crew’s previously impenetrable defense began showing cracks, his standing began to weaken. If he and the Crew can regain their early-season form, Steffen will definitely be in the conversation.

New York Red Bull Luis Robles continues to be Mr. Reliable and is almost taken for granted as one of the league’s best, but he is in the midst of an excellent season and could easily be a finalist for the award when the season ends.

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The 2015 MLS defender of the year, Ciman has joined LAFC and become the leader and defensive anchor Bradley hoped he would be. The Belgian central defender has not only been strong defensively, he has become an attacking weapon on set pieces as well, producing three goals.

Matt Hedges is another former winner of the award who is in contention for a second honor. FC Dallas has allowed the second-fewest goals in the league and Hedges is a key reason for that as the focal point of a reconstructed back-line.

The stingiest defense in MLS belongs to the New York Red Bulls, and as much as the defense’s track record is a group effort, Aaron Long has been the most important member of that defense, though both Kemar Lawrence and Tim Parker are also building cases for MLS Best XI.

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There haven’t been a ton of rookies to contribute regularly this year, but no rookie has become a more important part of a team in a playoff position than Baird, the Stanford University product and Real Salt Lake homegrown player signing. Baird has developed into an impact starter in the RSL attack, contributing five goals and two assists.

After a red-hot start to the season, Chris Mueller hasn’t scored a goal since April, but the University of Wisconsin product remains a regular starter for Orlando City and should be one of Baird’s biggest competitors for top rookie honors.

LAFC’s Joao Moutinho came in with plenty of expectations as the top pick in the 2018 MLS draft. The Portuguese-born defender, who rose through the University of Akron ranks, started the season well and more recently has pushed his way into some more starts on a loaded LAFC team.

Montreal’s Ken Krolicki is quietly having himself a solid rookie campaign, and has easily been one of the early steals of the 2018 MLS draft as a third-round pick contributing regular starts for a resurgent Impact side.

The forward claims his side making the final is a “miracle” after they defeated England 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final clash

Match-winner Mario Mandzukic says qualifying for the World Cup final was a “miracle” after Croatia defeated England 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Kieran Trippier and Ivan Perisic scored in regular time, before the Juventus forward lost his marker in the 109th minute to net the winner and his second goal of the tournament.

The win puts Croatia into the decider against France on Sunday and Mandzukic, 32, said his country showed great courage in the come-from-behind win.

“This is a miracle. Only great teams can be as brave as we were and fight back from a goal down against teams like England. We’ve played our hearts out throughout the tournament,” he said.

“I’m happy with my performance in all the games. I’m here for the team. I like these games. We were under pressure against Denmark and Russia but you all saw what we did today.

“We were like lions out there tonight and we will be the same in the final. We enjoyed the game.”

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic, meanwhile, did not believe it was any type of miracle for his side to top England, telling a press conference that his side were “in all aspects of the game”, he was proud to make a bit of history for the nation. 

“For Croatia as a country this is history,” he said. 

“I don’t know whether a smaller country reaches the World Cup final. We are going to play England in the UEFA Nations League in September but we do not have a proper stadium to play that game.

“This is the kind of infrastructure we do not have. But we have our hearts, our pride and that is what is important to us.

“Those experts that thought that England would progress to the final are not experts! If they were experts, they’d know Croatia are a better team, and we have shown it.”

The playmaker is one of a number of players who could wear the armband this season, according to the club’s new head coach

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery suggested Mesut Ozil could be among a number of different players he uses as captain.

With Per Mertesacker moving into a coaching position at the club, Arsenal are yet to name the defender’s successor as skipper.

During his time at Sevilla, Emery used various players in the role and the Spaniard previously said he wants “five captains” at Arsenal.

Ozil wore the armband in Saturday’s 5-1 defeat of Emery’s former club Paris Saint-Germain on the playmaker’s return to action following the World Cup and his announcement he will no longer play for Germany.

The 29-year-old was on the scoresheet as Alexandre Lacazette struck twice with Rob Holding and Eddie Nketiah also on target in a comprehensive International Champions Cup victory.

With Laurent Koscielny out long-term with an Achilles injury and experienced goalkeeper Petr Cech likely to be back-up to new signing Bernd Leno, Ozil is one of the most senior players in the side.

But Emery appeared to indicate he could avoid naming a fixed captain for the 2018-19 campaign as he is still considering a number of candidates for the role.

“We are working together and giving the responsibility to the player,” Emery said of Ozil.

“I think he can take the responsibility like a captain, but not forget Koscielny because he is a captain as well.

“Petr Cech and Aaron [Ramsey] played as captains in friendly matches. I’m thinking maybe of one more player.

“It’s not closed yet. We will be finished. I will tell you once it’s done. We have Koscielny who is injured and five more captains.

“Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut – and I will continue to search for another one or two.”

Ozil stepped down from international duty after an extraordinary attack on the German FA, whom he accused of discrimination after he was criticised for meeting controversial Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan prior to the World Cup.

The midfielder appeared happy to be back in action on the pitch for Arsenal and Emery suggested he could build the team’s attack around Ozil.

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“We want to give him the best position where he feels good on the pitch,” Emery said.

“We started today with Mohamed [Elneny] and Matteo [Guendouzi] and then they tried to find through the lines players like Mesut and [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan.

“It depends, because Mesut can play on the right. We want to find with their quality, with their good positioning. I think in the first half we played good.”

The Red Devils need to recalibrate their squad after failing to push Manchester City close last season, and a number of candidates could leave

From Martial to Shaw: Which players could leave Man Utd this summer?

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The Italians agreed personal terms with the Brazilian and a transfer fee with Bordeaux, only for the Blaugrana to steal the 21-year-old away from them

Nobody better understands the win-at-all-costs mentality of modern football than Jose Mourinho.

When the Portuguese hijacked Tottenham’s signing of Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013, he added insult to injury by essentially claiming that Spurs only had themselves to blame for revealing that the Brazilian was in London for a medical.

“That’s the danger of medicals before contracts,” Mourinho smugly mused after wrapping up a £30m deal for the attacking midfielder. “The best thing you can do is do the medical in secret.”

But, as a plc with an obligation to operate with full transparency, what were Tottenham supposed to do?

In addition, while nothing can be signed until after the medical has been passed, if terms have been agreed with both the selling club and the player in question, the buyer is entitled to feel that deal has been done.

Roma and their astute sporting director Monchi certainly had every reason to believe that Malcom was set to become their latest signing on Monday afternoon.

A fee had been finalised with Bordeaux and the Brazilian had accepted the Giallorossi’s contract offer. The French side made the agreement public. 

“After that, we were forced to do so too,” Monchi explained on Tuesday. “An hour later, rumours of Barcelona’s interest started doing the rounds.”

Still, the 21-year-old and his agent were booked on a flight to Rome at 21:00 that very evening. Malcom’s mother had even travelled to the Italian capital to greet her son upon his arrival.

But he never made it to Fiumicino airport. Bordeaux had blocked Malcom from travelling, having received a more lucrative, 11th-hour bid from Barca. 

The Ligue 1 outfit had sanctioned the transfer, given Roma their word, even sent documents to Rome to be signed. But Bordeaux president Stephane Martin did not care. He told an incredulous Monchi that nothing had been signed, thus there was nothing Roma could do about it, other than raise their bid. 

Roma were willing to do so but when Monchi realised that they were being lured into a bidding war, he gave up on Malcom. Bordeaux had received a better offer from Barca (€41 million/£37m, to be precise) and that was that.

In football, as in any business, money talks; words are meaningless. The term ‘Financial Fair Play’ is as misleading as Barcelona’s motto ‘Mes que un club’ (‘More than a club’) is now downright laughable.

Rather ridiculously, the Blaugrana still like to believe that they reside on some sort of moral high ground when it comes to what they represent and how they conduct themselves.

Of course, their defenders will argue that they were perfectly within their rights to enter the race for Malcom; that the timing of their arrival was irrelevant. 

And they are right. Roma are considering legal action against Bordeaux but Barca have broken no rules, no laws. However, the way in which they have hijacked this transfer makes a mockery of their belief that they are a club of nobility and honour. 

Indeed, their unscrupulous behaviour is surprising given Barca still hold a grudge against Real Madrid over the way in which the Blancos hijacked their deal for Alfredo di Stefano in 1953.

On the Blaugrana’s official website, the loss of Di Stefano to their bitter rivals is attributed to “a strange federative manoeuvre [by the Spanish Football Federation] with Francoist backing” – in spite of the fact that Barca made several blunders during their negotiations with Colombian outfit Millonarios, who, along with River Plate, had claimed that they held the Argentine legend’s ownership rights.

How big a role – if any – General Franco played in the ridiculous ruling that Di Stefano should be shared between the two Clasico clubs, playing one season at the Bernabeu and the next at Camp Nou, remains open to debate.

However, one would have imagined that given the contentious nature of the RFEF’s intervention, the whole sorry affair would have only strengthened the Catalans’ determination to never resort to such shenanigans in order to secure the signature of a player.

Yet the modern-day Barcelona have no time for laws and regulations, never mind old-fashioned ideas such as sportsmanship and fair play.

There were so many discrepancies and financial irregularities in their signing of Neymar from Santos in 2013 that Sandro Rosell resigned as club president. The following year, Barca were hit with a two-window transfer ban relating to the illegal movement of under-age players.

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Remember, this is a club that once refused to sully their shirt with a sponsor. Then, they entered into an agreement with Qatar Airways, a company based in a country with a questionable human rights record, to say the least.

But then, needs must. Perhaps Barcelona just realised or accepted that this is football: the end always justifies the means. 

In order to keep up, you have to cut corners and, at the end of day, Barca are richer and more successful than they have ever been.

The sad thing is, though, that they are no longer more than a club. They are just like any other member of Europe’s elite, part of the same infuriating hypocrisy.

The Magpies boss admits it is obvious that his side need to add players before the transfer window closes on August 9

Rafael Benitez believes the current Newcastle squad is not good enough for the Premier League season ahead after a frustrating 2-2 draw with Hull City.

Having steered Newcastle to promotion from the Championship in his first full season in charge, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager made sure the club maintained their top-flight status in 2017-18, as they finished in 10th place.

However, hopes of building on the platform set by Benitez have been hit by a lack of spending in the transfer window.

Martin Dubravka and Kenedy – who were both on loan last season – have returned, the former joining on a permanent basis, while Ki Sung-yueng arrived on a free transfer after leaving Swansea City.

“Is the current squad good enough for what we need? I don’t think so,” Benitez said after the pre-season game against Hull.

“It needs additions, that is clear. It is clear what we have to do.

“There could be a new signing in time for Portugal [pre-season tour], but then I was expecting things before. As I have said before, if we have new players coming it will be good, it will be better than nothing.

“As a manager, you would have liked to have seen these players one month ago, but if we can do something it will be better than nothing.”

Arrivals at St. James Park will be welcome given the departures of Jack Colback, Mikel Merino and Chancel Mbemba, while forward Aleksandar Mitrovic could still move permanently to Fulham, having enjoyed a successful loan spell at Craven Cottage last season.

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has declined a major environmental prize, saying that the “climate movement does not need any more awards.”

Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg has turned down a major environmental prize.

“It is a huge honor,” Thunberg said of the Nordic Council Environment Prize. “But the climate movement does not need any more awards.”

“What we need is for our politicians and the people in power to start listening to the current, best available science,” she added.

The award Thunberg rejected came with prize money of 350,000 Danish kroner — about $52,000.

The Swedish activist, who is currently traveling in North America, was also a contender for the Nobel Peace Prize this year. That award ultimately went to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

The Nordic Council, an organization aimed at promoting cooperation between Nordic governments, awarded Thunberg the prize for “breathing new life into the debate surrounding the environment and climate at a critical moment in world history.”

“She has stubbornly and persuasively urged the world to listen to research and act on the basis of facts,” the council said in a statement.

Council president Hans Wallmark said that the body respects both Thunberg’s decision to turn down the award “and the reasons for this decision.”

As for the $52,000 award, Wallmark said the council “will now think carefully about what to do with the prize money.”

In a statement on Instagram explaining why she declined, Thunberg slammed the council’s member countries for not taking firmer action on climate change.

“The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues,” she said. “But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita — if we include our consumption, our imports as well as aviation and shipping — then it’s a whole other story.”

Thunberg referenced a recent WWF and Global Footprint Network report that stated Swedes, and other EU residents, are depleting natural ecosystems far faster than they can renew.

The Trump administration is withholding military assistance to Lebanon following the resignation of the country’s prime minister amid weeks of protests.

Two U.S. officials told Reuters that the State Department had informed Congress of the decision, though no explanation was given for the holdup, according to one official.

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The State Department did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill.

While the reason for the freeze on military aid was unclear, U.S. officials have reportedly shown concern about the growing role in the country of the Iran-backed political party Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S.

Lebanon has been rocked by weeks of protests, with demonstrators shutting down major roads over allegations of widespread corruption in government and a newly announced tax on calls made using Whatsapp and other messaging services.

The country’s prime minister, Saad al-Hariri, resigned on Tuesday, and Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoTrump administration withholding 5M in aid for Lebanon Trump taps North Korea envoy to be No. 2 at State Dept State Dept. agrees to release documents on Giuliani communications MORE has reportedly urged the country’s leaders to form a new government quickly.

One U.S. official told the news service that the withdrawal of the U.S. security assistance would likely result in Russia moving in to offer aid in response, driving Lebanon’s government closer politically to the Kremlin.

 

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