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In the world of football, two Brighton fans got stabbed in Rome before their scheduled round of 16 UEL first leg against AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Rafael Nadal has withdrawn his name from Indian Wells before his scheduled match against Milos Raonic in the first round. The reigning F1 world champion, Max Verstappen, spoke about how his father Jos Verstappen is “not a liar,” in regards to sharing his views on the Christian Horner controversy.
Read below to learn details about these top stories and other happenings in the sporting world in the last 24 hours.
Football
Two Brighton fans get stabbed in Rome before UEL match against AS Roma
Before the round of 16 first leg against AS Roma in the UEFA Europa League in Stadio Olimpico, two Brighton fans got stabbed in Rome, following which they managed to run into a shop with wounds. A restaurant worker reportedly called the police shortly after the accident, which led to them getting taken into different hospitals for non-life-threatening stab injuries.
Wolves set to open talks about new contract for manager Gary O’Neil
Wolves are set to open talks about giving a new contract for manager Gary O’Neil at the end of the ongoing football season after he has taken the club to the top half of the Premier League and FA Cup quarter-finals. The West Midlands club are looking to improve the current three-year deal with Gary O’Neil, which he had signed with them in the summer after getting appointed five days before the season opener against Manchester United at the Molineux.
Barcelona remain interested in replacing Xavi with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta: Reports
Barcelona are reportedly remaining interested in signing the high-flying Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, to replace their outgoing manager Xavi, who is set to leave at the end of the ongoing football season. As per the report from Relevo, the Catalan giants also know that it will be difficult for them to bring in Mikel Arteta to Barcelona due to his current contract situation with Arsenal, in regards to him being set to be there until 2025.
Chelsea to let go Marc Cucurella among several big names: Reports
Chelsea are reportedly going to let go of the Spanish defender Marc Cucurella among several big names in the upcoming summer transfer window after an underwhelming season in all competitions. As per the report from the Football Insider, the Blues are planning to sell up to four senior players to ensure that they meet the Profit and Sustainability Rules of the Premier League.
Some major results in football:
UEFA Champions League 2023-24
- Manchester City 3-1 FC Copehegan
- Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig
UEFA Europa League 2023-24
- Sporting Lisbon 1-1 Atalanta
Tennis
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Indian Wells just 24 hours before his first-round match
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Indian Wells just 24 hours before his scheduled first-round match against Milos Raonic after playing an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz last weekend. The 22-time Grand Slam champion was quoted as saying on his official Instagram account, “It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this amazing tournament. Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love to play here at Indian Wells. That's also one of the reasons why I came very early to the desert to practice and try to get ready.”
Simona Halep’s four-year doping ban reduced to nine months
Simona Halep, the two-time Grand Slam champion, who was handed a four-year doping ban in 2022 for two separate violations, has got a major relief from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. They reduced Simona Halep’s doping ban to nine months, a period which the former world No. 1 player has already served, which means that she can return to tennis as soon as possible.
Formula One
Max Verstappen says his father is “not a liar” amidst Christian Horner controversy
Max Verstappen spoke about how his father is “not a liar” after Jos Verstappen’s comments about how the Christian Horner controversy is “driving people apart,” at Red Bull. The three-time F1 world champion was quoted as saying, “(Jos Verstappen) is always very outspoken. He is not a liar, that's for sure,” before stating that he could understand how the people might have thought about his father’s views being his own.
Khelo India
Khelo India medal winners become eligible for govt jobs
In major news from the Indian sporting scene, the Indian Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur, confirmed that the medal winners at the Khelo India Games will be eligible to apply for government jobs. The 49-year-old stated that the decision is to keep with the vision of Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, in regards to having a robust sports ecosystem in the country.
