Motor racing star Axcil Jefferies is still hopeful of fulfilling his ambition to compete in the Formula One World Championship after being recently afforded a dream opportunity to race a […]
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KIEV, Ukraine — With his back to goal but eyes on the incoming cross, Gareth Bale connected with the ball while leaping in the air and sent a scissor-kick arcing into the top of the net. Fusing athleticism and technique, it was a mesmerizing sight to behold from the Real Madrid forward. Rarely has there […]
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TERESOPOLIS, Brazil — Neymar’s recovery from a foot injury has been better than expected, Brazil’s medical staff said on Wednesday, but added that a thigh problem sustained by winger Douglas Costa will affect his preparations for the tournament.
Neymar was back in training with the national team on Tuesday after being sidelined since late February with a broken bone in his right foot. On Wednesday he also took part of Brazil’s first fitness training in foggy and cold Teresopolis, outside Rio de Janeiro. He underwent surgery in Brazil on March 3.
Brazil’s fitness coach Fabio Mahseredjian said it may take time before Neymar is back to full fitness but that the striker is moving in the right direction.
"We don’t know how far a top athlete like him can go, but I can say his development has been above what we expected," Mahseredjian said. "We have started working one month before our World Cup opener, and until the end of the group stage there is more than a month. I believe that training with the squad, being monitored like he is now, with daily follow-ups, Neymar is very well taken care of. … It will be important (to see Neymar) when he plays 11 against 11 on a reduced pitch. We will try to speed up his adaptation so he picks up his game pace."
Meanwhile, Costa is recovering from a minor right thigh injury but Brazil doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said the winger will be fit in time for the World Cup.
Lasmar said Costa picked up the injury during Juventus’ 2-1 win against Verona last weekend. He said the Brazilian reserve is not expected to start training on the pitch with his teammates until the end of the week.
Lasmar added that it’s still unclear whether Costa will play in Brazil’s pre-World Cup friendlies against Croatia on June 3 and against Austria one week later. But he said the forward will remain a part of the World Cup squad.
"He is being followed day by day so he can be cleared (to go to training)," Lasmar said. "Today we are not working with the hypothesis of taking players out (of the squad)."
Eleven players took part of Brazil’s fitness training, including Neymar. Costa and right-back Fagner, who is also returning from injury, spent the afternoon with physiotherapists.
Brazil will stay in the Granja Comary training facilities in Teresopolis until Saturday, before moving camp to North London until June 8.
Left back Marcelo, midfielder Casemiro and striker Roberto Firmino will join the squad in London on Monday after Real Madrid and Liverpool meet in the Champions League final in Kyiv.
Brazil is grouped with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia in the World Cup.
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil wants to reduce the expectations on Neymar. The world’s most expensive footballer is at the end of his recovery from a foot operation, and joined 16 Brazil teammates on Monday for physical and medical tests at their Granja Comary camp in Teresopolis, outside Rio de Janeiro. Neymar was also going […]
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SABLES captain Denford Mutamangira has hailed former Springboks coach Peter de Villiers for instilling a new sense of self-belief in the Zimbabwe senior rugby squad as they prepare for next […]
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THE escalating tension between Zimbabwe Cricket [ZC] and national team players over unpaid salaries, match fees and bonuses has reached new heights after the under-fire cricket body refused to give […]
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PARIS — Neymar won the French League’s Player of the Year award on Sunday, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain teammates Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.
Marseille winger Florian Thauvin, the other nominee, finished fourth in Sunday’s Ligue 1 awards ceremony in Paris.
"I would like to thank all of my teammates," Neymar said on beIN Sports television. "I’m honoured and very happy with our season. I couldn’t have won this trophy without my teammates."
Neymar scored 19 league goals and set up another 13 in only 20 games for French champion PSG.
He has not played since cracking a metatarsal in his right foot against Marseille on Feb. 25. He had surgery in Brazil in March and has resumed light training and ball work as he bids to be ready for the World Cup, which starts next month in Russia.
Second-place Cavani won the award last season and is the league’s top scorer again this season with 28 goals, while Thauvin is next with 22. Mbappe has netted 13 since joining from deposed champion Monaco.
PSG coach Unai Emery, who is leaving at the end of the season, won Coach of the Year after guiding PSG to a domestic treble.
However, PSG once again fell short in Europe after going out in the last 16 of the Champions League for the second straight season.
SAO PAULO — Neymar still has fears weeks out from the World Cup in Russia about the right foot he broke. In an interview published on Friday, the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain striker said treatment has worked “but there is always that fear of it (the injury) coming back.” “I need to lose that fear […]
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LONDON — Manchester United clinched second place in the Premier League with a 0-0 draw at West Ham on Thursday.
In a dull game with few quality chances, United defender Luke Shaw came closest to scoring when he had a shot turned onto the post in the first half.
The point means United are ensured of finishing second behind runaway champion Manchester City, while David Moyes’ West Ham remained in 15th place — but just two points from 10th with one game remaining.
United manager Jose Mourinho reacted to Friday’s 1-0 loss at Brighton by making eight changes, introducing a back three and utilizing fit-again Alexis Sanchez as his main striker.
West Ham’s Marko Arnautovic hit an early strike straight at David De Gea before the Austria international could only head over from six yards after Chris Smalling made a mess of clearing Aaron Cresswell’s cross.
Jesse Lingard forced West Ham goalkeeper Adrian into his first save as the visitors started to take control of the contest, with Sanchez drawing another stop before the Spanish keeper turned Shaw’s follow-up strike onto the post.
It was the closest either side came to scoring, although the match flared up toward the end Paul Pogba’s foul on West Ham skipper Mark Noble led to a fracas.
Both players grabbed hold of one another but it was Noble who was arguably the luckier of the pair to only be booked following his angry reaction.
The away supporters in attendance paid near-constant tributes to former manager Alex Ferguson, the 76-year-old now out of intensive care having had an operation on a brain haemorrhage over the weekend.
IT was a goal feast as log leaders Ngezi Platinum scored five times against hapless Yadah FC at Boabab Stadium in Mhondoro-Ngezi yesterday to record their highest tally since promotion […]
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Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Alphonso Davies spoke to the media after Monday’s practice about the club’s win over Real Salt Lake, and how coach Carl Robinson expects him to make an impact.
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