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Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 41, retires: Swedish great ends football career

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Swedish football icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic, aged 41, has retired from professional football, marking the end of a remarkable career.

After AC Milan’s final game of the season, Ibrahimovic bid farewell to the San Siro crowd, having already announced his departure from the Italian club. Throughout his illustrious journey, he achieved immense success, scoring 511 goals for renowned clubs such as Paris St-Germain, Manchester United, and both Milan teams.

Ibrahimovic clinched league titles in four countries and won a total of 34 trophies, including 14 league championships. Although he fell short of a UEFA Champions League triumph, he secured the 2017 Europa League title with Manchester United.

Additionally, he is Sweden’s all-time leading scorer with 62 international goals. Ibrahimovic expressed his gratitude for the love and support he received from fans and vowed to remain a Milanista for life.

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PGMOL Condemns Abuse Towards Europa League Final Referee Anthony Taylor

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The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has strongly denounced the abuse and criticism directed at referee Anthony Taylor following the Europa League final. The PGMOL expressed its deep concern and disappointment over the online harassment and personal attacks aimed at Taylor after the match between Villarreal and Manchester United.

In a statement, the PGMOL highlighted the importance of treating match officials with respect and dignity, emphasizing that abusive behavior towards referees is completely unacceptable. They called for an end to the online abuse and urged individuals to engage in constructive and respectful dialogue.

The PGMOL also stated that they are fully committed to supporting referees and ensuring their well-being both on and off the field. They stressed the need for collective efforts from all stakeholders in football to tackle the issue of referee abuse and create an environment of mutual respect.

Furthermore, the PGMOL called on social media platforms to take stricter measures against online abuse, including stronger identification protocols and more severe consequences for individuals responsible for such behavior.

The incident involving Anthony Taylor sparked a wider conversation about the treatment of referees and the impact of online abuse in the football community. The PGMOL’s condemnation serves as a reminder of the importance of fostering a culture of respect and civility towards match officials in the sport.

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Real players & fans show support for Vinicius Jr

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Real Madrid’s players and fans stood in solidarity with Vinicius Jr after he was racially abused during a match against Valencia. In their first game since the incident, the players wore Vinicius’s number 20 shirt, while anti-racism messages were displayed on armbands worn by the captains.

Supporters chanted Vinicius’s name in the 20th minute, and players from both teams held a sign that condemned racism in football. Vinicius, who missed the match due to injury, was applauded as he entered the pitch and later expressed his gratitude on Instagram.

Real Madrid won the game 2-1, with Rodrygo scoring the winning goal and making a black power salute in celebration. La Liga president Javier Tebas apologized to Vinicius for his handling of the situation, and the league announced plans to seek more powers to punish racism.

Valencia was sanctioned with a partial stadium closure and a fine. Prior to other matches, players and officials displayed banners against racism, and Barcelona’s Raphinha showed support for Vinicius when he was substituted.

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Three held in Spain over Vinicius Jr racial abuse during match

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Three individuals have been arrested by Spanish police in connection with racist abuse aimed at Real Madrid footballer Vinicius Jr during a recent match. The detained individuals are between the ages of 18 and 21, as reported by the police on Twitter. Vinicius Jr, who is black, has been subjected to racist abuse on multiple occasions throughout the season, and the latest incident during an away match against Valencia has sparked outrage in Spain and Brazil.

During the match, Vinicius reported the abusive behavior of opposition fans to the referee, leading to a temporary pause in the game. Following the match, Vinicius expressed his frustration, stating that “La Liga belongs to racists.” La Liga president Javier Tebas responded on Twitter, mentioning that Vinicius had failed to attend two meetings to discuss how the league could address racism and suggesting that proper information is necessary before criticizing and slandering La Liga. On the other hand, Luis Rubiales, the football federation chief, acknowledged that Spanish football has a serious racism problem that affects not only an individual but also entire teams, fan bases, clubs, and the country as a whole.

Spanish prosecutors will now determine whether to initiate a criminal investigation into the matter. The Brazilian government has expressed its outrage at the incident and has requested urgent meetings with Spanish ministers, prosecutors, and the football federation.

In a separate incident in January, four individuals were detained by Spanish police for hanging an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge in Madrid before a match between Real Madrid and their local rivals, Atletico Madrid. The effigy was suspended by its neck with a banner stating, “Madrid hates Real.”

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Spanish Football has Racism Problem, says Madrid Boss

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Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has spoken out against racism in La Liga after being subjected to racial abuse by opposition fans during a match against Valencia. Vinicius was sent off for violent conduct during the game, but his main concern was the racism he experienced. He took to Instagram to express his frustration, stating that racism is normalized in La Liga and that the championship now belongs to racists. He apologized to the Spaniards who do not agree with his view but stated that in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists due to the incidents that occur regularly in the league.

Valencia has identified two fans who racially abused Vinicius and is expected to impose permanent stadium bans on them. La Liga has promised to investigate the incidents and take appropriate legal action if necessary. The league’s president, Javier Tebas, criticized Vinicius for not attending a meeting to discuss the issue of racism, but the player responded by asking for actions and punishments against the racists rather than targeting him.

During the match, Vinicius attempted to point out the fans who were abusing him, leading to a temporary pause in the game. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his disappointment, stating that the entire stadium chanting racist slurs is unacceptable, and the match should have been stopped. Ancelotti called for an end to racism in football and said that Vinicius’ reaction was understandable given the circumstances.

Real Madrid issued a statement condemning the racist abuse suffered by Vinicius and filed a complaint with the State Attorney General’s Office, considering such attacks as hate crimes. They are seeking an investigation to determine the responsible parties.

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West Ham players confront AZ Alkmaar fans after ‘awful scenes’ as family section attacked

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During the Europa Conference League semi-final second leg between West Ham and AZ Alkmaar, a group of AZ Alkmaar fans attacked an area where friends and family of the West Ham players were watching the match. West Ham players, including Michail Antonio and Said Benrahma, intervened and tried to stop the clashes.

BBC commentator Alistair Bruce-Ball witnessed the incidents and described punches being thrown by the AZ fans. The families of the players were unharmed. Dutch police are investigating the footage of the incident, but no arrests have been made. UEFA will review reports of the incidents to determine any necessary action. West Ham manager David Moyes expressed his concern for the safety of the players’ families and friends.

The players themselves were angered by the events, and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and midfielder Pablo Fornals voiced their worries about the well-being of the families. AZ may face sanctions as a result of the incident. West Ham won the match 1-0 and advanced to their first major European final since 1976.

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Barcelona beat Espanyol to win first La Liga since Messi’s exit

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Barcelona has won their first Spanish league title since Lionel Messi left the club two years ago, despite facing financial difficulties. They achieved a 4-2 victory over Espanyol, although the match was marred by Espanyol fans storming the pitch at the end of the game. Robert Lewandowski played a key role, scoring two goals to secure Barcelona’s league title with four rounds remaining.

This is the first time since the 1998-99 season that Barcelona has celebrated a league title without Lionel Messi in their squad. Messi joined the team in the 2004-05 season and won the league title that same year.

The on-field celebrations were cut short when a group of Espanyol fans, particularly from the ultra section behind one of the goals, rushed towards the Barcelona players. Security guards quickly intervened, and riot police had to block the tunnel entrance to prevent the fans from entering. The fans threw chairs and other objects during the incident.

In addition to Lewandowski’s goals, Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé also scored for Barcelona. This victory brings Barcelona’s total number of league titles to 27, which is eight fewer than their arch-rivals, Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid, who currently hold the third position, are 16 points behind after losing 1-0 to the last-placed team, Elche, earlier on the same day.

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Real Madrid Win First Copa del Rey Since 2014

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Real Madrid claimed the Copa del Rey title after defeating Osasuna in the final in Seville, with Brazilian striker Rodrygo scoring twice to secure victory. Toni Kroos’ deflected shot fell to Rodrygo, who fired in the decisive goal from close range.

Despite a strong performance from Osasuna, who equalized through Lucas Torro, Real Madrid held on for the win. Rodrygo also opened the scoring for Real Madrid after just 106 seconds, marking the fastest goal in a Spanish cup final in 17 years. This victory marks Real Madrid’s first Copa del Rey win since 2014.

Osasuna, backed by nearly 25,000 fans inside the Estadio de La Cartuja, had their chances as they chased a first major trophy in their 103-year history.

They were denied a stoppage-time equaliser when Dani Carvajal produced a last-ditch block to keep out Kike Barja’s side-footed effort.

Los Rojillos, which translates as The Little Reds, had more shots on target (5) than Real (3), but Carlo Ancelotti’s side were ultimately more clinical in front of goal.

Victory for Real delivers a 20th Copa del Rey title as they now turn their attention to Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City.

Ahead of the Copa del Rey final, Osasuna fans flooded Seville with enthusiasm and support, but their team got off to a rocky start on the field. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, who was back in the starting lineup along with four other changes from their previous match, posed a constant threat from the left flank. He set up Rodrygo for the opening goal after just two minutes of play.

Although Osasuna had a chance to equalize soon after, Abde Ezzalzouli missed the target with his chipped effort. Osasuna eventually found the equalizer after the break when Lucas Torro scored against his former club, triggering enthusiastic celebrations among the red half of the stadium. The game was briefly paused due to a pyrotechnic issue involving Osasuna fans.

However, Real Madrid remained dangerous and eventually secured the victory thanks to a deflected shot from Toni Kroos that fell to Rodrygo to score his second goal of the match. With the La Liga title seemingly out of reach, Real Madrid will now focus on their upcoming Champions League match against Manchester City, hoping to welcome back Luka Modric from injury.

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Lionel Messi suspended by Paris St-Germain for two weeks over Saudi Arabia trip

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Lionel Messi, the captain of Paris St-Germain, has been suspended for two weeks by the club for travelling to Saudi Arabia without their permission. This came after the team’s recent loss to Lorient, in which Messi played the entire game. Messi had requested permission to travel for commercial purposes, but the club denied the request. Messi claims that he had initially been granted permission to travel, but that it was later rescinded due to a change in the club’s training schedule. During the two-week suspension, Messi will not be allowed to participate in any training or games with PSG.

In addition to being suspended by PSG for two weeks, Lionel Messi has also been fined by the club. Messi has been serving as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia, which is believed to be the reason for his unauthorized trip to the country. His contract with PSG is set to expire this summer.

Reports from March suggest that Barcelona has been in contact with Messi about the possibility of returning to the Nou Camp. Messi has played 71 games for PSG, scoring 31 goals and contributing 34 assists. He helped the team win the Ligue 1 title last season. Due to his suspension, Messi will miss PSG’s upcoming matches against Troyes and Ajaccio. PSG is currently leading the league by five points with five games left to play, and is aiming to win their ninth league title in 11 seasons.

Lionel Messi has made a decision that indicates the end of his time with Paris St-Germain. While the team has three games left to play after his suspension, PSG’s future plans do not involve Messi, who less than five months ago won the World Cup.

PSG sees their actions as standard employee punishment for someone who left for work during work hours and outside of the approved location. However, this move is also a statement about the team’s future direction, which they plan to center around younger players, as well as their strict approach to discipline. PSG fans no longer want Messi, and it is highly unlikely that his contract will be renewed.

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Michael Schumacher: Magazine editor sacked over AI-generated ‘interview’ with seven-time F1 champion

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The editor of a German magazine called “Die Aktuelle” was fired for publishing an interview with former Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher that was generated by an artificial intelligence program. Schumacher suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and has not been seen in public since.

The magazine’s cover featured a smiling picture of Schumacher with the headline “Michael Schumacher, the first interview” and a strapline that read “it sounded deceptively real.” The quotes attributed to Schumacher in the article were created by an AI program called charatcter.ai. The magazine’s publisher has apologized to Schumacher’s family for the article.

“I can with the help of my team actually stand by myself and even slowly walk a few steps,” read the Schumacher ‘quotes’.

“My wife and my children were a blessing to me and without them I would not have managed it. Naturally they are also very sad, how it has all happened.

“They support me and are standing firmly at my side.”

Schumacher’s family said on Friday that they plan to take legal action against the magazine and over the weekend its publisher issued an apology.

“This tasteless and misleading article should never have appeared. It in no way meets the standards of journalism that we – and our readers – expect,” said Bianca Pohlmann, managing director of Funke media group.

“As a result of the publication of this article, immediate personnel consequences will be drawn.

“Die Aktuelle editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann, who has held journalistic responsibility for the paper since 2009, will be relieved of her duties as of today.”

Michael Schumacher, who won seven Formula One world championships and 91 races in his career, suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013. He was put into an induced coma and brought home in 2014, and his family has kept his medical condition private since then. Schumacher retired from racing in 2006, but returned in 2010 before retiring again in 2012. His son Mick is currently a reserve driver for Mercedes. In a 2021 documentary, Schumacher’s wife Corinna said that they live together at home and do everything they can to make him comfortable, including therapy and spending time together as a family.

“We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.

“‘Private is private’, as he always said. It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”

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