Juve release Alves
Juventus have confirmed the release of Dani Alves, paving the way for a possible reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The 34-year-old Brazilian right-back, who played under Guardiola at Barcelona, announced earlier this week he was leaving the Serie A champions.
City have been linked heavily with the player since releasing right-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna at the end of last season.
Alves only joined Juve last summer and leaves midway through a two-year contract. His single campaign in Turin was interrupted by a broken leg suffered last November but he returned to help the club to a Serie A and Coppa Italia double and reach the Champions League final.
Barca to face Chapecoense
Barcelona will play Brazilian side Chapecoense, whose team was all but wiped out in an air crash last November, in a friendly match at the Camp Nou on August 7.
The match will "help pay tribute to the 71 people who died in the accident on November 28th, 2016, as well as their families," the Spanish giants said on their website.
"Barca hopes to help Chapecoense rebuild institutionally and recover the competitive level it had before the tragedy," it added.
The winner of the match will receive the Joan Gamper Trophy, named after the Swiss founder of Barcelona.
Nineteen Chapecoense players and 24 club officials died on November 28 when the team’s plane crashed into a mountainside in Colombia.
Unsung Chapecoense had been on their way to face Atletico Nacional in Medellin for the biggest match in their history, the final of the Copa Sudamericana, South America’s second-biggest club tournament.
After the tragedy, Atletico ceded the title to Chapecoense in tribute.
Barcelona invited Chapecoense in December to play in its annual Joan Gamper friendly tournament but the exact date of the match had not been known until now.
Ronaldo heads for home
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo revealed on Thursday he will not play in the Confederations Cup third-place match this weekend as he will finally meet his newborn twin boys.
Hours after Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Chile in a penalty shoot-out in Kazan, Ronaldo said he had been given permission to miss the play-off in Moscow, against either Germany or Mexico, to meet his new arrivals.
Ronaldo, 32, is believed to have fathered the twins with a surrogate mother in the United States and already has a seven-year-old son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, from a previous relationship.
Defoe heads south
Jermain Defoe has completed a move to Bournemouth on a three-year deal.
The 34-year-old left Sunderland following their relegation from the Premier League last season.
And the England striker returns to Bournemouth, where he had a successful loan spell early in his career.
Earlier this month, while on England duty, Defoe said the move to the south coast was happening.
He scored 18 times on a season-long loan at Bournemouth from West Ham in 2000/01 and netted in 10 successive matches.
It is understood Defoe will earn around £65,000 a week.
Former West Ham, Tottenham and Portsmouth striker Defoe joined the Black Cats in January 2015 but was unable to halt their slide into the Championship last term despite netting 15 Premier League goals.
The striker’s signing could be the first deal of the week, with the likelihood of Chelsea defender Nathan Ake following in a £20million deal.
However, the Cherries are not interested in signing John Terry, who will be a free agent on Saturday, when the summer transfer window opens.
Swansea sign keeper
Premier League Swansea City have made Dutch goalkeeper Erwin Mulder their first summer signing on a free transfer after the 28-year-old turned down a new contract at Eredivisie side Heerenveen.
Swansea said on their website that Mulder had signed a three-year deal and will compete with Polish international Lukasz Fabianski and Swedish keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt for the position.
"Now the opportunity has come and I have taken it with both hands," he said. "The Premier League is the biggest league in the world. As a player, you want to be part of that.
"Of course I want to challenge to play here, but Lukasz Fabianski is here and Kristoffer Nordfeldt is here, so it is going to be difficult. But I am going to do (my) best."
Mulder will join his new team mates for pre-season training on Monday.
Swansea finished 15th last season after a successful battle against relegation.
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: OneOrder
Started: March 2022
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo
Number of staff: 82
Investment stage: Series A
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
BRIEF SCORES
England 228-7, 50 overs
N Sciver 51; J Goswami 3-23
India 219, 48.4 overs
P Raut 86, H Kaur 51; A Shrubsole 6-46
England won by nine runs
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
A general guide to how active you are:
Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active
10,000 - 12,500 steps - active
12,500+ - highly active
SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
