Sports

Jota looking to cement place in Liverpool strike force

AFP

Diogo Jota said Monday he was looking to cement a place in Liverpool’s strike force for the new season following the departures of Sadio Mane, Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino.

The 25-year-old Portuguese forward, speaking from Thailand ahead of the clash in capital Bangkok against Manchester United on Tuesday night, was sometimes eclipsed by the star-power of centre Mane last season.

But with the Senegal player’s departure for Bayern Munich for a three-year deal, speculation has grown about how manager Jurgen Klopp will redistribute his centre players.

“Obviously those (three) departed and only one arrived — well, Fabio (Carvalho) as well but I’m not sure where he is going to play yet. Of course, with the years you add extra responsibility,” Jota told LiverpoolFC.com.

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“Of course that allows me to be one of the senior players, with that comes extra responsibility as well but I think that I am ready for that.”

Speaking about the upcoming season, Jota said “hopefully I can be on the scoresheet often and that’s what I want: to help the team and score goals so we can win football matches”.

The player picked up an “unlucky” hamstring injury while on international duty over the summer, but was optimistic about his form.

“I just had the summer to recover well and start the pre-season at 100 per cent,” he said.

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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.

Sports

Manchester United knocked out of FA Cup after penalty shootout loss to Fulham

Another disappointment for Manchester United: the defending FA Cup champions were eliminated in this edition’s round of 16, losing in a penalty shootout (4-3 after a 1-1 draw) to Fulham on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Swede Victor Lindelof and Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee were the ‘Red Devils’ who missed their shots against goalkeeper Bernd Leno, sending the ‘Cottagers’ to the penultimate round of the oldest football competition.

The elimination is a heavy blow for a United team that is currently struggling in the Premier League, where they sit in a lowly 14th place.

Now, the Europa League, where they will face Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16 next week, appears to be their only chance to lift a trophy this season. Last year, the FA Cup, in which United triumphed in the final against their neighbors Manchester City, was the competition that saved their campaign. The previous season, they had reached the final, finishing as runners-up.

Sports

The prince is back: Neymar’s homecoming to Santos draws thousands of fans

Neymar was greeted by thousands of fans at his childhood club, Santos, on Friday, with a concert at the local stadium and a sign that read, “The Prince is Back.”

The Brazilian star’s private jet landed in São Paulo from Saudi Arabia in the morning, but Neymar requested a few hours of rest before being flown to Santos by helicopter.

The 32-year-old forward is expected to sign a short-term contract with Santos as he aims to regain his standing in Brazil ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Posters saying “The Prince is Back” were being sold for 10 reais (about $1.50) around the 20,000-seat Vila Belmiro Stadium, located on the outskirts of São Paulo.