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Messi signs contract with Inter Miami
Sports Desk
16 Jul 2023, 11:50
Lionel Messi has finalized his deal to join Major League Soccer, and after years of planning and pursuing, Inter Miami has landed a global figure.
Messi’s contract became official Saturday, a little more than five weeks after he declared that he would be coming to Inter Miami.
The team will introduce him Sunday night at its stadium in Fort Lauderdale, and the first home match of the Messi era could be as early as Friday in a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul.
The club previously announced that Messi's deal will be for 2 1/2 seasons and will pay him between $50 million and $60 million annually — putting the total contract value between $125 million and $150 million in cash alone.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. “We are overjoyed that the greatest player in the world chose Inter Miami CF and Major League Soccer, and his decision is a testament to the momentum and energy behind our League and our sport in North America. We have no doubt that Lionel will show the world that MLS can be a League of Choice for the best players in the game.
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Countdown to the Paris Olympics begins Stefan Nestler
The Olympic flame has been lit with 100 days left before Paris 2024 kicks off in the French capital. At a time of global crisis, security will be a top priority.
On Tuesday, the Olympic flame was lit in the ancient ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia in southwestern Greece. It will now make its way to Paris, where the Summer Olympic Games are due to open on July 26.
Until the closing ceremony on August 11, 10,500 athletes from 206 countries will compete at Paris 2024 in 32 disciplines.
The French government has said that security will be the top priority during the event. Some 45,000 police and gendarme officers will be deployed every day, as well as 18,000 soldiers and 20,000 private security guards.
In addition, more than 2,000 foreign police officers, including from Germany, will be helping to keep guard.
Macron: 'We can do it'
France increased its security alert to its highest level after an attack by Islamist terrorists in Moscow at the end of March left more than 140 people dead.
Providing security for the opening ceremony alone will be a huge logistical challenge: 160 boats carrying athletes are due to sail six kilometers (3.78 miles) along the Seine River. More than 300,000 spectators are expected.
"We can do it and we are going to do it," French President Emmanuel Macron insists. But he has also admitted that there are back-up plans in place should the security threat become too acute. These would include holding the opening ceremony in a stadium.
Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and concerns about a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East have exacerbated fears of a security threat.
Despite this, eight of the 10 million available tickets for the 2024 Summer Olympics have already been sold and some 15 million spectators are expected.
Parisians not looking forward
It will be a test for the French capital's infrastructure. Last autumn, Clement Beaune, who was France's transport minister at the time, described the plans to organize traffic as "hardcore." Security barriers and diversions will be abundant, particularly around the Eiffel Tower and the Place de la Concorde. Some metro stations will be closed.
The price of metro tickets will be doubled during the Games. This is unlikely to increase the enthusiasm of Parisians for the event. In a recent poll, 44% said that they thought that Paris 2024 was a "bad thing."
Germany's team in Paris one of the biggest
The Olympic qualification period ends officially on June 23. The German Athletics Association (DLV) has made qualifying for Paris 2024 also dependent on performance at the European Athletics Championships taking place in Rome starting June 7.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has to register the German athletes competing in Paris 2024 by July 8. It expects 400 to participate, which would make Germany's "Team D" one of the biggest national teams.
In 2021, 415 Germans took part in the Games in the Japanese capital Tokyo, winning 10 gold medals, 11 silver medals and 16 bronze medals. It was the German team's worst haul since German reunification. The DOSB is hoping for better results this year. "I believe that Team D will play a good role, and that one or two surprises are possible," said sport director Olaf Tabor.
Belarusian and Russian athletes to compete as 'neutrals'
Last December, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in Paris 2024, but as "neutrals," and not as part of teams. They will be banned from attending the opening ceremony, and nobody who has actively shown support for the war in Ukraine will be allowed to compete at all.
The Russian and Belarusian national anthems will not be played, and national symbols and flags will be prohibited.
According to the IOC, only 12 Russian athletes and five Belarusians have qualified for Paris 2024 so far, but the numbers could rise to 36 (Russia) and 22 (Belarus). In Tokyo, 330 Russians and 104 Belarusians competed. In an open letter to the IOC last week, Ukraine demanded the complete exclusion of Russia and Belarus from the Olympics.
The IOC has come under fire from various quarters over its decisions regarding Russia and Belarus. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the body had become "a place where neo-Nazism and racism flourish."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete was "shameful." He added that the IOC had essentially given Russia "the green light to weaponize the Olympics" because it would use athletes "as a weapon in its propaganda warfare." The Germany-based human rights organization Society for Threatened Peoples described IOC President Thomas Bach as a "dinosaur" who was incapable of learning.
At the lighting of the flame ceremony in Olympia, Bach repeated a message of hope: "Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. […] Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message: Yes, it is possible to compete fiercely against each other and at the same time live peacefully together under one roof."
Bach's term is due to end in 2025, but some IOC members have suggested changing the statutes so that he can continue as president for another four years. The 70-year-old has said he would rather wait until after Paris 2024 to make a decision on this.
T20 World Cup / 'We have good chance'
The T20 World Cup is set to be played this year in West Indies and USA from June 1 to June 30. Bangladesh have been clubbed in Group D with South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Nepal.
Shakib Al Hasan didn’t play excessive matches after the ODI World Cup in India, 2023. He was busy with DPL, BPL but he was seen less in national team. In the last edition of World Cup, Bangladesh went in a target of playing semi-final but couldn’t even have competition in front of quality teams.
Shakib said : 'It's tough to say that we're in a position to win the World Cup. But in T20's any team can beat anyone, there is no big or lower ranked team in this format. We need to believe. If we can play with that belief, then we can do good. Not saying, we're winning the World Cup. But we've good chance to do well in the World Cup.'
Bangladesh will start their T20 World Cup from Zimbabwe home series, starting from 3rd May. After, Bangladesh will tour USA for a 3 match T20 series. Bangladesh will have total 8 matches for their preparation before the tournament.
Nigar, Harmanpreet unveiled the trophy for a 5 match T20I series
India won the three-match T20 series 2-1, the last time when the two teams met. On the other hand, the One-Day International series ended at 1-1.
On Sunday (April 28) the 5 match T20I series will commence at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Nigar Sultana Joty, the Bangladesh skipper and her counterpart Harmanpreet Kaur unveiled the trophy for the T20I series on Saturday (April 27) infront of the historic Ali Amjad's Clock in Sylhet.
India’s squad for 5 T20Is : Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sajana Sajeevan, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu.
Bangladesh’s squad for 5 T20Is against Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter (vc), Murshida Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Fariha Islam Trisna, Shorifa Khatun, Dilara Akter, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Habiba Islam Pinky.
Meanwhile, all the matches will be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The last time the two teams met, India won the three-match T20 series 2-1, while the One-Day International series ended at 1-1, with the final game being tied.
BCB announces T20I squad for Zimbabwe series
Pace-bowling allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin will return to international cricket with the T20 series against Zimbabwe. Apart from Saifuddin, Afif Hossain Dhrubo returned to the team.
The BCB has announced the squad for the first three matches of the Zimbabwe series on Sunday evening (April 28).
Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan are not in the squad announced for the first three matches. On the other hand, Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanvir Islam have returned. Taijul Islam, Anamul Haque Bijoy and Naim Sheikh have been dropped from the squad for Zimbabwe series.
Meanwhile, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who is waiting for the debut, got the place. Soumya Sarkar is not due to injury.
The five-match T20I series will begin on May 3 in Chittagong. The first three matches will be held in Chittagong and the last two matches will be held in Dhaka.
Real Madrid to face Bayern in 'European Clasico'
Madrid-Bayern; two giant teams of Europe are facing each other in the first match of the first semi-final of the current season of Champions League. German club Bayern Munich host the Spanish club Real Madrid.
The match starts on Tuesday (April 30) at 1 pm Bangladeshi time. Real Madrid play the semi-final for the 33rd time, while Bayern's 21st. These two teams are also the best in the list of most semi-final appearances.
Bangladesh batting after losing the toss
The Tigresses have lost the first two of the five-match T20 series against India in their own country. Jyoti-Marufa has no option to win the third match to save the series.
India invited Bangladesh to bat after winning the toss in the third match at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday (May 2).
In this match, Bangladesh is entering the field with one change. Sharifa Khatun has joined in the place of Sultana Khatun.
However, India is entering the field with an unchaned XI.
India XI: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smrity Mandhana, Hemaltha, Deepti Sharma, Shefali Verma, Sajana Sajivan, Richa Ghosh, Pooja Bhastrakar, Renuka Singh Tagore, Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav.
Bangladesh XI: Nigar Sultana Jyoti (captain), Nahida Akhtar, Dilara Akhtar Dola, Sobna Mostari, Murshida Khatun, Ritu Moni, Rabeya, Fahima Khan, Marufa Akhtar, Sharifa Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisha.
Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen beat Roma 2-0 in Italy
Bayer Leverkusen took a major step towards the Europa League final with a 2-0 win in Rome in the opening game of their semi-final. The new Bundesliga champs are vying for a season unbeaten in all competitions.
Bayer Leverkusen's pursuit of a treble was boosted by winning their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg 2-0 away from home at Roma on Thursday.
The Bundesliga champions extended their remarkable unbeaten run to 47 matches in the process.
Florian Wirtz and Robert Andritch scored either side of half-time for Bayer Leverkusen, securing a win after a drier spell of three consecutive draws.
Leverkusen will bring the 2-0 advantage home for the second leg of the semi-final next week in western Germany.
Coach Xabi Alonso's team has already secured the Bundesliga title, the first in the club's history, and the Werkself will also compete in the German Cup final on May 25, as heavy favorites against second-division Kaiserslautern.
With Thursday's win in Rome, the club took another step towards a final in continental competition as well.
In Thursday's other semi-final, Marseille and Atalanta drew 1-1.
Gianluca Scamacca gave Atalanta the lead in 11 minutes but Chancel Mbemba equalised for Marseille nine minutes later.
Both sides missed chances to score further goals in the second half.
The second legs will be held next Thursday, with the final in Dublin on May 22.
