Sports
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino yet to determine if Messi and Busquets will play on Friday
Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets may not start on Friday, but they will likely play in Inter Miami’s League Cup encounter against Cruz Azul, according to coach Tata Martino, who spoke to Argentina’s “ESPN Ftbol 12” on Wednesday.
“From what I’ve seen so far, they’re going to be fit to play, and it’s likely that they’ll be there on Friday,” Martino added. “We’ll have to decide whether they’ll start or come in at halftime, but as far as I’m concerned, Leo and Busi can both play [on Friday].”
Messi and Busquets finished their first training session with the MLS team on Tuesday, but it wasn’t until Wednesday that Martino addressed their health for this match against Cruz Azul, a highly tough Liga MX side.
Despite the absence of guarantees, supporters went out to buy tickets for the game, which ranged in price from $275 to $19,000.
Messi, the World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner signed a 212-year deal for $50-$60 million per year three days ago.
Despite all of Messi’s laurels, Martino believes the Argentina captain is not in Miami to relax and will remain a hard opponent.
“What has not changed is his desire to continue competing and winning,” Martino said. “I think it shows a very salient trait Leo has as a football player. His perpetual desire to compete and win. I think that winning the World Cup took a great weight off his back.
“But someone I admire a lot told me that he is coming to MLS carrying an empty suitcase but without all the pressure he had in Barcelona in 2010-2011 or the pressure of the national team. Now, I think I am going to find a very competitive version of him because he has the need to win wearing this shirt now because he has not won here yet.”
Inter Miami hasn’t won an MLS match in more than two months, going 0-8-3 since beating the New England Revolution on May 13, making the playoffs a distant chance.
However, Friday’s Leagues Cup match between MLS and Liga MX teams in Mexico provides an opportunity for Inter Miami to get back on track.
Cruz Azul, which entered the game with a 0-0-3 record in Liga MX, is the current side in crisis in Mexican football, having scored only one goal in 270+ minutes of play in the Apertura.
This article relied on information from The Associated Press.
Sports
Black Stars fitness coach Ricky Roy reportedly dead
Romeo Ricky Roy, the fitness coach for Ghana’s senior national team, has died.
According to Ghana Football Association president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku’s Facebook post, he died in Accra on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Roy joined the Black Stars’ backroom staff in 2021, during Milovan Rajevac’s second spell as coach.
He remained with the national squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the current Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Roy rose to prominence as a member of the coaching staff for Division One League club Vision FC in February 2020, before joining the national squad.
Sports
Veteran Sports Commentator Joe Lartey dies at 96
The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has reported the death of Joe Lartey, a veteran Ghanaian football pundit and sports writer.
He passed away on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the age of 96.
Joe Lartey was born on June 6, 1927, in Accra and attended Accra Academy. Lartey, often known as “Over to You,” was a well-known broadcaster and SWAG’s founding president.
Lartey began his media career as a football commentator with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in 1961.
He grew to be a popular figure in Ghana’s sports community.
He subsequently spent a decade at Radio Nigeria before returning to GBC in 1990. During his stint, he presented shows including Sports Digest on GTV.
In appreciation of his achievements in sports journalism, Lartey received the coveted “A Life in Sport” award from the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) during the AIPS Sport Media Awards ceremony in Doha, Qatar, in June 2022.
Lartey’s impact stretched well beyond Ghana, with numerous Ghanaian football analysts praising him for moulding their careers.
Fans and colleagues alike will remember him warmly for his pioneering work in sports broadcasting.
Sports
Xavi to stay as Barcelona’s coach until at least June 2025
Barcelona coach Xavi will stay with the club until at least the end of his contract in June 2025, having changed his mind about this being his final season.
The 44-year-old stated in January that he will stand down as manager this summer.
However, with president Joan Laporta desperate for him to stay, the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder has made a U-turn.
Xavi took over as manager of Barcelona in November 2021, after leaving Qatari club Al Sadd, and led the team to the Spanish title in his first full season in charge in 2022–23.
However, they are 11 points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid with six games remaining in the current season.
Barcelona were eliminated from the Champions League last week after losing to PSG in the quarterfinals.
Xavi, who won 25 honours during his brilliant playing career at Barcelona, said he felt “liberated” with the revelation that he would leave the position at the conclusion of the season.
When he announced his departure following the defeat to Villarreal, he felt he was not being safeguarded by the club and there was no clear direction.
However, the team’s fortunes have improved since Xavi felt comfortable taking a more casual attitude.
They went ten games undefeated in the league before falling 3-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday.
On Wednesday, there was a meeting at Laporta’s residence, and the club’s desire for him to stay was clear.
If Xavi is unable to strengthen the squad before the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Barcelona will attempt to persuade one of the high-profile managers out of contract, including Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, and Mikel Arteta.
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