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Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Players forced to give up vacation to play Club World Cup, says Raphinha
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Inter Milan v FC Barcelona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 6, 2025 FC Barcelona's Raphinha looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo/File Photo Brazil's Barcelona forward Raphinha regretted that the players were not consulted about extending their season to play at the Club World Cup, adding that nobody should be obliged to give up their vacation time. The first expanded edition of the Club World Cup started on June 14 and will run until July 13. The competition followed the European league season which concluded in late May and an international window at the beginning of June. "Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation," Raphinha said. "Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St Germain, won the Champions League and didn't even get to celebrate properly. They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven't stopped. "Many say that this is an excuse. It may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It's our right. Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won't get it." Most of the major European leagues will be back in action in mid to late August, with the pre-seasons starting early in the month. "If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn't stop," Raphinha added. "It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it's very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to. "It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very complicated." PSG will face Tottenham Hotspur for the Super Cup on August 13. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
18 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Players forced to give up vacation to play Club World Cup, says Raphinha
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Inter Milan v FC Barcelona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 6, 2025 FC Barcelona's Raphinha looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo/File Photo (Reuters) -Brazil's Barcelona forward Raphinha regretted that the players were not consulted about extending their season to play at the Club World Cup, adding that nobody should be obliged to give up their vacation time. The first expanded edition of the Club World Cup started on June 14 and will run until July 13. The competition followed the European league season which concluded in late May and an international window at the beginning of June. "Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation," Raphinha said. "Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St Germain, won the Champions League and didn't even get to celebrate properly. They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven't stopped. "Many say that this is an excuse. It may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It's our right. Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won't get it." Most of the major European leagues will be back in action in mid to late August, with the pre-seasons starting early in the month. "If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn't stop," Raphinha added. "It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it's very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to. "It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very complicated." PSG will face Tottenham Hotspur for the Super Cup on August 13. (Reporting by Anita Kobylinska, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
The Star
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Pulisic leads list of US absentees for Gold Cup
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Udinese v AC Milan - Bluenergy Stadium, Udine, Italy - April 11, 2025 AC Milan's Christian Pulisic reacts after missed a chance to score REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo/File Photo (Reuters) -AC Milan's Christian Pulisic will miss next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup, leading a group of notable absentees from Mauricio Pochettino's 27-man U.S. squad announced on Thursday. Pulisic plans to take a break following a demanding season with his Serie A club, where he featured in 49 matches across all competitions, tallying up 17 goals and 12 assists, while dealing with some minor injuries. "Christian and his team approached the federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of matches he has played in the past two years at both the club and international level with very little break," U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said in a statement. "We made the collective decision that this is the right moment for him to get the rest he needs. The objective is to ensure he's fully prepared to perform at the highest level next season." Fellow Milan midfielder Yunus Musah and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson were also left out of the squad, while Juventus pair Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, along with Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna, will be unavailable due to their clubs' participation in the Club World Cup in the U.S. which starts on June 15. Defenders Alex Freeman and Quinn Sullivan, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and forward Damion Down have all received their first senior call-ups. "As we continue preparations for the World Cup, this is a fantastic opportunity to work with this group of players for an extended period and it's important we take advantage of every moment," Argentine manager Pochettino said. "Of course, we want to win and to perform in a very good way. These players have earned the chance to compete for our fans and to show their quality and mentality." The U.S. host Turkey on June 7 before facing Switzerland three days later, with both friendlies serving as warm-ups ahead of the Gold Cup which runs from June 14 to July 6 in the U.S. and Canada. (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; editing by Clare Fallon)
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Work on long-debated bridge to Sicily could begin in coming months
A view shows the Strait of Messina where a government project to build a bridge to connect the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily has been in the planning stages for years, as seen from the small village of Cannitello, Italy, January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo/File Photo ROME - Work to build a giant bridge connecting the Italian mainland to the island of Sicily is expected to begin over the summer, the infrastructure minister said on Monday, vowing to block any attempt by criminal groups to infiltrate the costly project. The project has been talked about for decades as a way to help develop the impoverished south of Italy but appeared to have been killed off for good in 2013, when the company created to oversee its construction was closed down as part of a drive to curb state spending and rein in public debt. However, Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, the leader of the co-ruling League party, made it a priority and the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has set aside 13.5 billion euros ($15.2 billion) to build it. "If we are particularly, I won't say clever, but lucky and consistent, summer 2025 is the one for the works," Salvini told a press conference. The CEO of the bridge company, Pietro Ciucci, said the project still needed a final green light from a state committee overseeing strategic infrastructure and he hoped to submit the request by the end of June. The construction, by a consortium led by Italy's Webuild, would be some 3.6 km (2.2 miles) long, feature a central span measuring 3.3 km, and connect Sicily to the southern Calabria region. It has become a highly divisive issue in Italy. The bridge draws fierce criticism from those who question the wisdom of building it in an earthquake zone and those who say it would be a waste of money harmful to the landscape, amid fears that the Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta gangs based in the area could infiltrate the works to reap huge profits. But the project also has strong support from those who believe a fast rail and road connection as an alternative to the current ferry crossing of the Strait of Messina would boost southern Italy. Salvini rebuffed security concerns, saying the bridge would be able to withstand the forces of nature, and maintained that refusing to implement projects in mafia-tainted areas would amount to a "state surrender" to the criminals. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said a centralised anti-mafia body would make checks on companies involved, with a focus on those sectors particularly exposed to mob infiltration, such as the disposal of waste materials. ($1 = 0.8883 euros) REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Atalanta get the party started as Champions League place secured
Soccer Football - Serie A - Atalanta v AS Roma - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - May 12, 2025 AS Roma's Niccolo Pisilli in action with Atalanta's Ederson REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo Soccer Football - Serie A - Atalanta v AS Roma - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - May 12, 2025 Atalanta players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo Soccer Football - Serie A - Atalanta v AS Roma - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - May 12, 2025 Atalanta's Mario Pasalic celebrates after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo BERGAMO, Italy - Atalanta will waste no time and celebrate an overall positive season starting now, coach Gian Piero Gasperini said on Monday after a 2-1 home win over AS Roma sealed their Champions League return. Atalanta will compete in Europe's elite club competition for the fifth time since 2019. "Let's celebrate now, we can't waste time," Gasperini told DAZN after securing third spot in Serie A. Atalanta, on 71 points, are seven points above fourth-placed Juventus with two games remaining, which allows the Bergamo side to take a more relaxed approach to their final two fixtures against Genoa and lowly Parma. "Now it's a beautiful evening, we have two weeks to enjoy this season," Gasperini said. "In the Champions League we finished ninth out of 36 teams, missing direct qualification (to knockout rounds) by one point. For us it was formidable, there will be time and opportunity to think about the rest." Atalanta went on an 11-game winning streak earlier this season which took them top of the standings in December, but a winless run of four matches dropped them to third place, where they have remained ever since. They then suffered three consecutive defeats starting with a home loss to Inter Milan mid-March, further complicating their title race bid. "I'm happy because it's a fantastic achievement for Atalanta," Gasperini added. "We've been (competing) with Napoli and Inter Milan for a few weeks but I think this was the highest achievement. "Having left behind so many strong teams that have made this championship beautiful is a great result, it's been a long season with some fantastic peaks and moments of difficulty from which we have recovered in this final with the decisive sprint." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
