Category: Top News

Liverpool followed France in confirming on Thursday that forward Hugo Ekitike will miss the remainder of the Premier League season and the FIFA World Cup 2026 after suffering a serious injury in a Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

The 23-year-old crumpled in a heap holding his lower right leg during the first half of Liverpool’s 2-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat by European champions PSG at Anfield on Tuesday and had to be substituted.

A brief statement issued by Premier League champions Liverpool on Thursday said scans had subsequently confirmed a “rupture of the Achilles tendon”.

The statement added: “Ekitike will therefore be sidelined for the remaining weeks of the club season and unable to participate at this summer’s World Cup with France.”

Liverpool gave no timescale for Ekitike’s recovery, saying only “further updates will be provided at the appropriate time, with Hugo receiving the full support of everyone at LFC”.

Liverpool’s statement followed Wednesday’s announcement by France coach Didier Deschamps that Ekitike was out of the World Cup.

“Unfortunately, the severity of (Ekitike’s) injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and taking part in the World Cup,” Deschamps said in a statement released by the French football federation.

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“This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the French national team.

“I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire coaching staff.”

Ekitike has scored 17 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for Liverpool since arriving at Anfield for a fee of £79 million ($105.5 million) last summer from German side Eintracht Frankfurt.

Since winning his first France cap in a World Cup qualifier in September last year, Ekitike has been a regular, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his eight caps.

“It looks really bad, but difficult for me to say how bad,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said after Tuesday’s match.

Injuries have been a major factor in a disastrous season for Liverpool as they sit fifth in the Premier League and will end the campaign without silverware.

“Losing a player is something we have had many times this season, but it is especially hard for him because you never want to be injured, especially at this time of the season,” added Slot.

READ: Quetta Gladiators rope in Sri Lanka veteran as Bevon Jacobs replacement

KARACHI: Quetta Gladiators have strengthened their squad for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 by bringing in experienced Sri Lankan batter Dinesh Chandimal as a replacement for Bevon Jacobs.

Jacobs has left the tournament to join New Zealand’s national squad ahead of their upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin on April 27.

The right-handed batter featured in three matches during his debut PSL campaign, scoring 52 runs, including an unbeaten 49 against Multan Sultans.

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Chandimal, a seasoned campaigner in international cricket, is set to arrive in Pakistan later today and will link up with the Gladiators squad immediately.

The wicketkeeper-batter is no stranger to the franchise, having made a brief appearance in the previous edition of the league. He played three matches in PSL 10, scoring 87 runs, with a top score of an unbeaten 48.

At the international level, Chandimal has represented Sri Lanka in 69 T20Is, accumulating 1,066 runs with six half-centuries to his name.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

He was also part of Sri Lanka’s triumphant squad in the 2014 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, adding valuable experience to the Gladiators’ dressing room.

Quetta Gladiators currently sit fifth on the PSL 11 points table, with two wins from six matches.

Quetta Gladiators squad: Saud Shakeel (c), Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamyl Hussain, Alzarri Joseph, Rilee Rossouw, Ahmed Daniyal, Jahanzaib Sultan, Jahandad Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Khan Zeb, Bismillah Khan, Saqib Khan, Ahsaan Ali, Brett Hampton, Sam Harper, Dinesh Chandimal, Ben McDermott, Tom Curran

READ: PSL 11 observes Pink Day to raise breast cancer awareness

Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals after riding their luck in a nervous goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon that clinched a 1-0 aggregate victory on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta’s team were well below their best in the quarter-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium. But they held onto their slender first-leg advantage as Sporting failed to make them pay for the latest in a growing list of angst-ridden performances.

The Gunners will face Atletico Madrid for a place in the final after the Spanish club went through 3-2 on aggregate against Barcelona on Tuesday.

Arsenal crushed Atletico 4-0 in the group stage at the Emirates in October, but they will have to improve significantly to reach the final for the first time since 2006.

Arsenal have reached the Champions semi-finals in two consecutive seasons for the first time in their history.

Yet after losing three of their last five games in all competitions and winning just once, they remain a puzzling side in the midst of an untimely stumble.

Arteta had challenged Arsenal to play with “pure fire” and “zero fear” in an unusually passionate press conference on Tuesday.

The response was hardly emphatic as Arsenal quickly retreated into their shell in another display lacking cohesion and quality in the final third.

Arsenal haven’t lifted the Premier League since 2004 and have never won the Champions League.

The Premier League leaders are on course to achieve both targets, but the flaws in Arteta’s side have become increasingly clear in recent weeks.

Losing the League Cup final against Manchester City and the FA Cup quarter-final against second-tier Southampton was bad enough.

But a shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday left Arteta facing pointed questions about Arsenal’s character that remain unanswered.

Arsenal are just six points ahead of second-placed City, who have a game in hand and host the Gunners in a seismic showdown on Sunday.

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The north Londoners have finished Premier League runners-up for the past three seasons, twice blowing substantial leads to City in 2023 and 2024, and the nerves are mounting.

Responding to Arteta’s call for a fiery performance, Arsenal pressed furiously in the opening 10 minutes but couldn’t make the breakthrough.

Once that initial assault petered out, Arsenal wobbled at the back, and William Saliba’s wayward pass led to Francisco Trincao curling wide from the edge of the area.

Former Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres has endured an erratic debut season with Arsenal, and once again, he struggled to make an impact.

Gyokeres had only one serious sight of goal after a burst into the Sporting six-yard box, but he didn’t get his shot off in time and Goncalo Inacio’s tackle snuffed out the danger.

Without the injured Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Arsenal were too often slow and unambitious in attack.

They grew increasingly edgy in a first half played out to a soundtrack of anxious groans from their frustrated fans.

Gunners ‘keeper David Raya nearly gifted Sporting a goal with a woeful pass that was intercepted by Trincao, whose miscued attempt to find Luis Suarez in the penalty area let Arsenal off the hook.

Geny Catamo was inches away from punishing Arsenal’s lethargy when he volleyed against the far post from an acute angle just before half-time.

Eberechi Eze’s drive whistled narrowly wide after the interval, before Gabriel Martinelli blasted just over and Noni Madueke shot into the side-netting.

Arteta responded by sending on Kai Havertz for Gyokeres, while Max Dowman replaced the injured Madueke.

Sporting appealed in vain for a penalty after Cristhian Mosquera’s slight push on Maxi Araujo.

Arsenal were creaking, but they held firm as Arteta breathed a sigh of relief.

READ: Bayern Munich sink Real Madrid to reach Champions League semis

Late strikes from Luis Diaz and Michael Olise sealed a dramatic 4–3 win for Bayern Munich over Real Madrid on Wednesday, clinching a 6–4 aggregate victory and setting up a Champions League semi-final with holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

The tie was level at the break in the second leg after a scintillating opening half, with record 15-time European champions Real going ahead three times on the night.

Bayern won 2-1 last week in the Spanish capital, but Arda Guler pounced on a loose Manuel Neuer pass to put the visitors ahead after just 34 seconds at the Allianz Arena. He scored again from a free-kick after Aleksandar Pavlovic equalised.

Harry Kane put Bayern back ahead in the tie only for Kylian Mbappe to restore parity overall when he put Madrid 3-2 up before half-time.

Eduardo Camavinga was sent off for a second yellow card with four minutes left, and Bayern pushed forward, Diaz blasting into the corner from outside the box after a crucial deflection.

With Real pressing for an equaliser, Olise curled in a magnificent shot to rubberstamp Bayern’s ticket to the last four and keep alive their quest for a seventh European crown. They will head to Luis Enrique’s PSG at the end of the month.

Tempers boiled over after the final whistle, with Guler picking up a straight red for confronting the referee.

The defeat for Real Madrid effectively ended their season as they look set to finish without a major trophy for the second year running. Barcelona hold a nine-point lead in La Liga and Real suffered a shock last-16 exit in the Copa del Rey.

For the first time in Real’s long history in the Champions League, their starting XI did not contain a single Spanish player. Jude Bellingham, who impressed off the bench in the first leg, was one of four changes to the line-up made by Arbeloa.

Neuer, widely lauded after a vintage performance in Madrid, gifted Real an opener. The Bayern goalkeeper miscued a pass directly to Guler, who floated a first-touch shot into the unguarded goal in the first minute.

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Bayern Munich looked stunned but struck back almost immediately when Pavlovic headed in a Kimmich corner after Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin failed to read the flight of the ball.

The match had barely time to settle before Real were ahead once more thanks to a Guler goal, with Neuer again not at his best.

The Turkey international whipped a free-kick into the top corner which Neuer got a hand to but was unable to keep out.

The match continued to swing back and forth before the break, as Kane struck first before Mbappe responded by getting himself on the scoresheet.

Kane slotted clinically into the bottom corner in the 38th minute to again haul Bayern level on the night, and ahead in the tie, before Mbappe ran onto a Vinicius Junior pass and slotted home to level the tie 4-4 on aggregate.

With Real regularly cutting into Bayern’s high line, coach Vincent Kompany responded by introducing the pace of Alphonso Davies at the interval.

Both sides traded chances in the second half, with Olise particularly dangerous, forcing a fingertip save from Lunin with 20 minutes left.

Camavinga came on midway through the half but picked up two yellow cards in quick succession to leave his team a man down in the closing stages.

It proved a turning point as Bayern Munich struck three minutes later when Diaz’s effort took a touch off Eder Militao and flashed beyond Lunin.

Olise made certain of Bayern’s progress deep into stoppage time as the German giants took down Real in a knockout clash for the first time since 2012.

READ: Longtime Messi friend Guillermo Hoyos unveiled as Inter Miami coach

Guillermo Hoyos said his long friendship with Lionel Messi will not stop him from working the Argentine superstar hard in training, as he was unveiled as the new coach of MLS side Inter Miami on Wednesday.

Hoyos, previously Miami’s sporting director, replaces Javier Mascherano, who departed the club for “personal reasons” on Tuesday, just four months after guiding the club to its first MLS Cup title.

The 62-year-old Hoyos was a key mentor of Messi’s in Barcelona’s youth team more than two decades ago, and the Argentine pair have remained close ever since.

“Friendship is non-negotiable. We share a friendship that spans many years,” said Hoyos, speaking in Spanish, at his first press conference.

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“However, that friendship does not mean that we will be constantly hovering over him or in his face every single day.”

A club statement initially said Hoyos will take charge of the team for the “upcoming matches,” but the team has since referred to him as head coach in social media posts.

Club sources told AFP that Hoyos is expected to remain at the helm only until the middle of the year, with a new coaching setup in place by the start of the Leagues Cup in August.

After seven rounds this season, Inter Miami sit third in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Messi, a 2022 World Cup winner and eight-time Ballon d’Or laureate, is the jewel in the crown of Miami’s squad.

READ: Iran to play World Cup 2026 in USA: FIFA president Infantino confirms

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that Iran will “for sure” participate in the upcoming World Cup 2026, scheduled in the United States of America (USA), Mexico and Canada, despite the Middle East war.

“Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, which would definitely help,” Infantino told an economic conference organised by broadcaster CNBC.

“But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play,” he said of the team’s upcoming matches scheduled in the United States in June.

Infantino had made similar comments in March, when he attended an Iran-Costa Rica friendly in Antalya, Turkey, even though US President Donald Trump had previously suggested that Iranian players might not be “safe” in the United States.

Iran is scheduled to play its three Group G matches in the United States, two in Los Angeles, one in Seattle, with their base for the tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

Iran’s participation in the global tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico had been thrown into doubt by the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

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Iran raised the prospect of a “boycott” of the competition before asking FIFA to move its matches from the United States to Mexico, a request the world governing body rejected.

After several weeks of air strikes on Iran and Iranian reprisals against Israel and other countries in the region, a fragile truce came into effect on April 8.

But Tehran has sealed off the strategic Strait of Hormuz and since Monday Washington has imposed a blockade on ships coming from or heading to Iranian ports.

“Sports should be outside of politics,” Infantino said on Wednesday.

“If there’s nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, we are doing the job,” he said.

The World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, starts on June 11.

READ: Babar Azam reaches historic T20 landmark during PSL 11 clash

KARACHI: Ace batter Babar Azam on Wednesday became the fourth player overall to complete 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. 

The Peshawar Zalmi skipper achieved the feat during his side’s clash against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

With this milestone, Babar joined Australia’s David Warner, India’s Virat Kohli, and England’s Jos Buttler.

Most half-centuries in men’s T20s

David Warner (Australia) – 116 in 435 innings
Virat Kohli (India) – 107 in 401 innings
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 100 in 341 innings
Jos Buttler (England) – 100 in 468 innings

Notably, Babar has been in fine form in PSL 11 and currently sits second on the run-scorers’ chart. The right-hander has amassed 301 runs in six matches at an average of 75.25 at a strike rate of 132.59.

Babar scored an unbeaten 71 off 51 balls in Zalmi’s dominant win over Gladiators, marking his 100th half-century in T20s.

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Chasing a modest target of 155, Zalmi got off to a strong start as Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam put together a brisk 75-run opening stand. Haris scored 35 off 28 balls before being dismissed, but the platform had already been set.

Babar, anchoring the innings, found support from Kusal Mendis, who contributed 21 runs during a steady 49-run partnership. After Mendis departed, Babar ensured there were no late hiccups.

The Zalmi captain remained unbeaten on 71 off 51 deliveries, striking 10 boundaries, and guided his side home comfortably with nine balls to spare.

Earlier, Zalmi’s decision to field first proved spot on as Quetta struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 154 in 20 overs.

Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit starred with the ball, both taking wickets.

For his outstanding bowling performance, Muqeem bagged his second player of the match award.

READ: Babar Azam credits bowlers for dominant win against Quetta Gladitors

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam credited bowlers after his side thumped Quetta Gladiators in the 23rd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Zalmi registered an eight-wicket win over Gladiators to extend their six-game unbeaten run in the tournament — six wins out of six games.

Sufiyan Muqeem delivered with the ball, scalping a three-wicket haul while Babar Azam made an unbeaten 71* from 51 balls with the aid of 10 fours.

Following this victory, Peshawar Zalmi have consolidated the top spot with 13 points and are on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Babar Azam discussed the conditions and praised the bowlers for delivering successfully throughout the fixtures.

“We assessed the conditions and our bowling attack has been delivering consistently and we were relying on it. It’s a team game, and combined effort is helping us win. We’re keeping the players sitting out ready and that’s why we see them performing well,” he remarked.

He also hailed emerging bowler Mohammad Basit Ali, who took a three-wicket haul.

“Take the example of Basit, who bowled fantastically,” said Babar.

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The skipper also mentioned his own form, noting that he tries to take the game deep to ensure his team crosses the finishing line.

“On my personal form, yes I feel good, when you spend time out in the middle, it gives you confidence and I am trying to carry my confidence and play a winning role. Focus has been on building partnerships and to take the game deep,” he concluded.

Peshawar Zalmi’s next fixture will be against Quetta Gladiators on April 19 at the same venue.

READ: Babar, Muqeem star in dominant win for Peshawar Zalmi

Carlos Alcaraz withdrew on Wednesday from the Barcelona Open because of a wrist injury that troubled him in his first-round match, potentially casting doubt over his Roland Garros defence.

“I won’t be able to continue in the tournament,” Alcaraz told reporters a day after his win over Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen.

“I felt my wrist give out on a return during the match. After the tests, we saw that it’s a more serious injury than any of us expected, and I have to listen to my body so it doesn’t affect me in the future.”

It is the second time in three years injury has forced Alcaraz to withdraw from the Barcelona tournament. He won it in 2022 and 2023, and finished runner-up to Holger Rune 12 months ago.

Alcaraz had been scheduled to face Tomas Machac on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.

“I have to go home to start my recovery as soon as possible with my team, the doctors, and the physical therapist, and get — or try to get — as healthy as possible as soon as possible for the tournaments I have coming up,” the Spaniard said.

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“I hope you’ll be able to see me on the court again as soon as possible.”

Alcaraz received a medical timeout at the end of the first set during his 6-4, 6-3 win over Virtanen on Tuesday but did not show any signs of physical discomfort.

He said he hoped it was “nothing” after the match and that without time to rest between tournaments that it was normal to have “little niggles”.

Alcaraz lost his world number one ranking this week following his defeat by Jannik Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday. He would have had a chance to regain it by winning the title in Barcelona, with Sinner not playing this week.

The 22-year-old Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam in January with his triumph at the Australian Open.

He holds a 22-3 record this season and also won a title in Doha.

Alcaraz said earlier this month he was hoping to play a full season on clay before starting his French Open title defence in late May.

Last year he won in Monte Carlo but skipped the Madrid Open, returning in Rome to lift the trophy there for the first time.

READ: Karachi Kings pick Jason Roy as Muhammad Waseem replacement

Karachi Kings have picked Jason Roy as a replacement for opening batter Muhammad Waseem for the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The franchise revealed the signing in a press release, praising the highly experienced batter.

“Karachi Kings are excited to announce the signing of England’s powerhouse opener, Jason Roy, for the PSL 11 season. Roy joins the squad as a replacement for Muhammad Waseem,” the press release wrote.

“Known for his fearless striking and vast experience in the T20 circuit, Roy is no stranger to the HBL PSL, where he has consistently been one of the most destructive overseas batters. His arrival is set to bolster the Kings’ top order as the tournament enters its most critical phase,” it added.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

The UAE duo of Muhammad Waseem and Khuzaima Bin Tanveer had earlier left the PSL midway after being recalled by the Emirates Cricket Board to participate in the domestic D50 tournament.

The directive required both players to return immediately and feature in the ongoing 50-over competition in the UAE.

Karachi Kings have also confirmed that the replacement for Khuzaima bin Tanveer will follow in due course.

It is worth mentioning that the 35-year-old Roy represented Quetta Gladiators for five seasons from 2017 to 2024. Overall, he has 38 matches in PSL, amassing 1260 runs at an average of 36.00 with a strike rate of 146.51, including two centuries and eight half-centuries.

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Overall, he has played 470 T20 matches in which Roy has accumulated 10584 runs with the aid of 6 centuries and 69 half-centuries.

Karachi Kings Updated Squad

Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Moeen Ali, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Adam Zampa, Reeza Hendricks, Ihsanullah, Jason Roy, Aqib Ilyas, Haroon Arshad, Shahid Aziz, Rizwanullah, Muhammad Hamza, Mir Hamza

READ: Rilee Rossouw sets PSL record during Peshawar Zalmi clash