Sports
Coach who faked vaccination pass takes charge at Dresden
AFP
Markus Anfang, who was banned from football for using fake documents to falsely claim he was vaccinated against Covid, said Friday he is grateful for the chance to coach German third-tier side Dynamo Dresden.
Seven months after he quit as head coach of Werder Bremen in the midst of the scandal, Anfang has signed a two-year deal with Dresden, who have just been relegated from Germany’s second division.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity,” the 47-year-old told a press conference in Dresden.
“I have to live with the fact that I made a mistake.
“I did not live up to my function as a role model.
“I have disappointed and lied to many people.”
He resigned from Bremen last November after it emerged he and his assistant coach Florian Junge, who also joins him at Dresden, used forged certificates to avoid quarantine as contact cases.
A district court in Bremen fined Anfang 36,000 euros ($38,169) last February, but he escaped having a criminal record.
In January, Anfang had also been fined 20,000 euros and banned by the German Football Association (DFB) for one year, back dated to last November, but suspended from 10 June (Friday).
“I brought it on myself,” he said.
“I can’t expect everyone to forgive me.”
He also explained that he is afraid to be vaccinated against Covid due to the risk of possible side effects on his heart.
“Nobody can take away the fear of it that I have due to events in my family,” he said.
His father suffered a heart attack during a football match in 2019 and Anfang was present as medics fought to save his life.
Anfang has previously suffered from an inflammation of the heart but insists he has nothing against others being vaccinated.
Dynamo sports director Ralf Becker, who worked alongside Anfang at second-division club Holstein Kiel from 2016-18, said confidence in the new head coach’s qualities outweighed any reservations.
“For us, it was crucial that he openly and honestly admitted his past misconduct and sincerely regretted it,” Becker explained.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Markus has taken responsibility for his.”
Sports
Venezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain
The Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday that it is investigating the case of 18 baseball players who are “under the supervision of Spanish authorities” after seeking protection.
In a statement, Venezuelan authorities said they are working to determine whether this case involves “a possible human trafficking scheme,” though they have not provided any evidence of such a crime.
The Venezuelan government emphasized its commitment to protecting the country’s athletes while also denouncing the use of international legal frameworks by certain governments allegedly seeking to discredit the administration.
CNN reached out to Spain’s National Police for a response to Venezuela’s claims. According to Spanish authorities, the 18 young athletes—including two minors—arrived in Spain to participate in a series of matches but had already planned to apply for asylum. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that they had begun interviewing the players to process their international protection requests.
The team’s coach addressed the situation in a TikTok video, refuting local media reports that he had abandoned the athletes. He asserted that the players chose to remain in Barcelona to secure the necessary permits to sign with other teams and that their decision was unrelated to any political motivations.
Sports
Filipe Luis debuts as coach in Copa Libertadores with Flamengo
A two-time Copa Libertadores champion with Flamengo during his playing days, Filipe Luis will make his managerial debut in the tournament this Thursday when the popular Rio de Janeiro club faces Venezuela’s Deportivo Táchira.
Placed in Group C alongside Táchira, Liga de Quito, and Argentina’s Central Córdoba, Flamengo starts as one of the favorites—a major challenge for the 39-year-old former player.
His early coaching career has been off to a strong start.
After retiring in 2023, Filipe Luis took over as Flamengo’s head coach on September 30. Just 41 days later, he won his first title, the Copa do Brasil. The year 2025 has already brought two more trophies: the Supercopa do Brasil, where Flamengo defeated Botafogo—current Libertadores and Brasileirão champions—3-1, and the Campeonato Carioca.
At 8:30 PM local time (00:30 GMT Friday), Flamengo under Filipe Luis will make its international debut at Estadio Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristóbal. Although Gerson, Uruguayan Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata are unavailable, the squad still boasts attacking firepower with Bruno Henrique and Everton.
Sports
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha lead Barça to a 4-1 aggregate victory over Benfica
Young talent Lamine Yamal and Brazilian forward Raphinha secured Barcelona’s spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Benfica (4-1 on aggregate) on Tuesday at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc.
Raphinha (11’) opened the scoring for Barça after a brilliant assist from Yamal. However, Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi (13’) quickly leveled the match with a header from a corner kick. Yamal restored the lead (27’) with a stunning goal, and Raphinha sealed the victory (42’) just before halftime.
Determined to avoid any surprises, Barcelona started aggressively, with early attempts from Yamal and Lewandowskisignaling their intent to dominate. All goals came in the first half, securing a convincing win and a place in the next round.
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