Sports
Mourinho will always be a winner, says Leicester’s Rodgers
AFP
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has hailed Jose Mourinho as “one of the greats” as he prepares to pit his wits against the Roma boss in the Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday.
Rodgers’ side host Roma in the first leg as Mourinho returns for his first game on English soil since being sacked by Tottenham last year.
Mourinho has endured a difficult period at Roma, who sit fifth in Serie A after a season that has strengthened the belief of some critics that the Portuguese coach is past his best.
But Rodgers, who was youth team coach at Chelsea during Mourinho’s first spell at Stamford Bridge, is adamant his old boss is still a force to be reckoned with.
“He has nothing to prove to anyone,” Rodgers told reporters on Wednesday. “He will always be a winner. I cannot speak any higher of him. He is one of the greats of our generation.
“I have got nothing but admiration for him. I became a manager in my own right but I will never forget what I gained from him as a young coach. I studied him and watched him and at that time it was a really special period.”
In his prime, Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan and secured three Premier League titles over two stints at Chelsea.
He led Inter to a pair of Serie A titles and won La Liga with Real Madrid, while also lifting Manchester United’s most recent trophies in 2017.
Asked what makes him rank Mourinho among the great managers of all time, Rodgers pointed to the 59-year-old’s array of qualities.
“He had the X factor. There wasn’t one single thing. He was brilliant in so many aspects of the game,” Rodgers said.
“Detail-orientated, man-management of the players, his understanding of the tactical adaptation of the game, he had that special quality I was able to see.”
Despite criticism of the Europa Conference League when it was launched, Rodgers believes the continent’s third-tier tournament has been an entertaining success in its first season.
After winning Leicester’s first-ever FA Cup last season, he has his sights on their maiden European prize.
“It’s a prestigious competition, all four teams will want to win it,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic occasion against a top-class team. To get to the final we will do everything we can. It’s another symbol of our growth as a club.”
International
Arsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals
Arsenal enjoyed a “historic night” on Wednesday after defeating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, knocking them out of the Champions League quarterfinals, midfielder Declan Rice said.
“It’s such a special night for this club, a historic night for this club,” said Rice, who scored twice in the first leg in London, speaking to TNT Sports.
The English international was named Man of the Match in both legs — the 3-0 win in London and the second leg in Madrid.
“It’s amazing. I knew we were on an upward trajectory and we’ve done incredibly well in this competition. We deserve it and we have full confidence in our coach. Reaching the semifinals is unbelievable,” Rice added.
International
Two fans killed in gate collapse outside Chile’s Estadio Monumental
Two people lost their lives near the Estadio Monumental in Santiago, Chile, following a chaotic incident that occurred before the Copa Libertadores match between Colo Colo and Brazil’s Fortaleza on April 10. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the victims were crushed after a fence on the stadium perimeter collapsed, though authorities are investigating whether a police armored vehicle may have played a role.
It was a black Thursday at Chile’s Estadio Monumental. Two local fans died outside the stadium after a yet-unclarified incident caused a metal gate to fall on them, leading to fatal asphyxiation.
Local media reports indicate that a group of fans attempted to force their way into the stadium before kickoff. In response, local police allegedly deployed armored vehicles to block the breach.
Preliminary reports cited by local newspapers and news agencies like EFE identify the victims as two young individuals—one 18 years old and the other just 13.
Sports
Neymar Returns to Santos Training After Month-Long Injury Layoff
Neymar returned to full training on Tuesday with the Santos squad after spending a month recovering from a left thigh injury, the Brazilian club reported.
The number 10 joined warm-up activities with the team and later took part in a ball control and passing drill. According to the sports outlet Ge, he “did not show any discomfort from the injury” during the 30-minute session that was open to the press.
The Brazilian star had spent the past month undergoing physiotherapy, recovery work, and muscle strengthening due to the injury that had kept him out of Santos matches and even from the Brazilian national team. He had initially been called up, but was later withdrawn from the squad ahead of the World Cup qualifying matches against Colombia and Argentina.
Santos will continue daily training sessions this week ahead of their upcoming match against Fluminense on Sunday in the Brazilian Championship.
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