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After much speculation, Silvio Berlusconi’s will has been revealed, showing that he has bequeathed a majority stake in the family’s holding company Fininvest to his two eldest children, Marina and Pier Silvio. They will jointly own 53% of the family firm. Berlusconi, who passed away on June 12, was one of Italy’s wealthiest individuals, with a vast empire spanning real estate, television, cinema, and sports. His will also revealed that Marina and Pier Silvio, his children from his first marriage, will receive larger shares compared to his three other children from his second wife. The two eldest children have been involved in managing the family business since the early 1990s and have stated that no single shareholder will have overall individual indirect control of Fininvest.

In addition to his children, Berlusconi allocated €100 million to Marta Fascina, his partner at the time of his death. Although they were not married, Berlusconi referred to her as his wife on his deathbed. He left €100 million to his brother Paolo and €30 million to his close aide Marcello Dell’Utri. The distribution of Berlusconi’s other valuable assets, such as luxurious villas, has not been clarified yet and may present challenges in dividing them equally among his offspring. These properties include Villa San Martino in Arcore, a historic mansion covering 3,500 square meters, as well as homes in various locations such as Lake Maggiore, Rome, Cannes, and the Caribbean.

Among his properties, Villa Certosa in Sardinia stands out as a prestigious asset. Berlusconi purchased the mansion in the 1970s and hosted world leaders there, including Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. The mansion, with 126 rooms and elaborate features like a fake erupting volcano, is estimated to be worth €259 million.

Silvio Berlusconi was a highly influential figure in Italy’s history, leaving a lasting impact on politics, media, football, and society. His will included a handwritten letter expressing his gratitude and love for his children. However, the question remains whether the family unity he maintained during his lifetime will persist after his passing and how that might affect the future of his business empire.

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James McClean, a football player, has expressed gratitude to his hometown for providing him the courage to pursue his footballing aspirations.

On Monday against Gibraltar, the Creggan-born star earned his 100th cap for the Republic of Ireland.

He is the eighth player in Republic history to win 100 caps.

McClean said to BBC Radio Foyle, “If it wasn’t for what I learned growing up in Creggan, then I wouldn’t be where I am now.

A celebration honouring McClean’s 100 caps will take place later today at the Derry estate, on the street where he originally developed his footballing prowess.

“I’ll be there, and it’ll be lovely to speak with and see the locals again,” he said in an interview with The North West Today show.

“Creggan is my home, and I’m proud of that,” he continued. They are pleased with me too.

They feel invested in my profession, which means a lot to me. I’m one of them, which is a very grounded way to be. I appreciate everything from Creggan.

It’s not the first time Creggan has commemorated one of its famous footballers.

Barcelona has a Messi mural, Naples has a Maradona artwork, and a Central Drive wall in Creggan has a massive McClean mural.

He still thinks the tribute to be surreal.

“I’ll never get accustomed to passing the Creggan mural while walking. I used to kick the ball around the Creggan shops as a child, and now I’m perched on a wall.

“Walking by every day is surreal but also very special for my family.”

McClean, aged 34, has had a long career in England after leaving his hometown club Derry City. He has played for Sunderland, Stoke, Wigan Athletic, and West Bromwich Albion.

It hasn’t been a career without its share of difficulties though; vitriol hurled towards the 34-year-old is widely known.

It’s “different scale” than what other athletes confront, in his perspective. He said that his upbringing had given him the tools to handle the worst of it.

“Most of the time, it’s just water off a duck’s back. You are an outcome of your surroundings. Creggan is resilient and sturdy. I am the same way myself.

Ireland’s newest football centurion is “in a good place right now – and content”.

And he’s not ruling out a return home to where it all started.

“I’ve always been open that I want to end my career at Derry City. At the minute there’s no timeframe for that.”

He added: “You never rule out things because you don’t know what’s around the corner”.

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According to reports, Paris Saint-Germain was hoping Mbappe would trigger a contract extension.

According to French sports weekly L’Equipe and foreign media outlets, French football sensation Kylian Mbappe has informed Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) that he will leave the Ligue 1 winners when his contract expires next year.

According to reports, Mbappe stunned the PSG hierarchy by declining the option of a 12-month contract extension, which he presented in a formal letter, and follows Lionel Messi’s recent announcement of his departure from PSG to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami in the United States.

According to press sources, PSG will have to decide whether to sell the 24-year-old attacker, who scored a hat-trick for France against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final, or let him depart for nothing when his current contract expires in June 2024.

According to reports in France, PSG is hoping to extend Mbappe’s contract.

Mbappe’s departure would be the most significant for PSG, as he is a national symbol in France and largely regarded as one of the few players capable of dethroning Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as football’s biggest stars.

Mbappe wanted to help PSG win its first Champions League trophy, but the club experienced yet another setback in Europe’s premier competition, which Manchester City won by defeating Inter Milan 1-0 in the final on Saturday.

Mbappe has five French league titles with PSG and was France’s World Cup winner in 2018.

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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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Romelu Lukaku was subjected to racial taunts from Juventus supporters after converting a last-second penalty for Inter Milan and receiving a red card in the Coppa Italia match.

After scoring a penalty in the 95th minute, Lukaku received a second yellow card for celebrating in front of the home crowd.

The abuse was “beyond horrible,” according to Michael Yormark, head of Lukaku’s agency Roc Nation Sports International. Juventus promised to collaborate with the police to find the culprits.

A statement read: “Juventus Football Club, as always, are collaborating with the police to identify those responsible for the racist gestures and chants which took place last night.”

Following Lukaku’s equaliser, fights broke out amongst players from both teams.

At the final whistle, Inter captain Samir Handanovic and midfielder Juan Cuadrado received red cards, and the brawl continued down the tunnel.

“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Yormark said in a statement..

“Romelu scored a penalty late in the game. Before, during and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse.

“Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee’s response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.

“Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus and I expect the league to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.

“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse.”

During his first stint at Inter between 2019 and 2021, Lukaku, who returned to Inter on loan from Chelsea, experienced racism.

He claimed the sport “was moving backwards” in September 2019 after being subjected to racial taunts from Cagliari supporters.

As Cagliari were later exonerated of using racist chants, Piara Powar, the head of the anti-discrimination organisation Fare, claimed that the Italian football league’s disciplinary procedures were “not fit for purpose.”

Football racism, according to Lukaku, is at a “all-time high” and needs to be addressed further, players, football officials, and social media, in September 2021.

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The rape allegations against the Brazilian football player Neymar Jr has now came to an end. The police investigation team, dealing with this particular case reportedly said that the case has been closed due to lack of evidence.

Neymar (27) has been accused of raping a Brazilian model Najila Trindade, at a hotel in the French capital in May.

Neymar said that he is being extorted, and has denied all the accusations against him. Neymar was not able to comment on the police decision, said a spokesman for Neymar to AFP.

The incident was first noted when a seven minute video has been released by him in his Instagram revealing that he had been accused of rape. He had also published the Whatsapp messages and images that he claimed to be of Najila.

Neymar, in the video said that he is publishing it for public to “prove that nothing really happened”.

Reports said that the prosecutors will be re evaluating the case before a judge makes a final decision.

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The US prosecutors said that he Football star Cristiano Ronaldo will not face charges after being accused of sexual assault. It is reported that they do not have enough evidence to proceed with the case.

Kathryn Mayorga (34), a former model claims that she had been raped by Cristiano Ronaldo in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.

Mayorga claimed that the Ronaldo initially used “fixers” to stop her pursuing criminal charges, including paying her $375,000 to keep quiet.

Reports said that she had made an out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo in 2010, but finds to reopen the case in 2018. Ronaldo had denied all the allegations.

Las Vegas prosecutors on Monday said that the claims could not “be proven beyond reasonable doubt”.

The Clark County District Attorney’s Office said that Mayorga had submitted a report to them on 13th of June 2009, saying that she had been the victim of a sexual assault. She refused to state where the incident happened or who the attacker was.

Police said that they were unable “to conduct any meaningful investigation”, due to this reason. The criminal investigation is now reportedly closed.

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The Story

Reports from Spanish media outlet Marca suggests that the two giant Premier League clubs , Liverpool and Manchester United are seeking the service of Real Betis sensation Junior Firpo. Both the League giants want to sign the Spanish full-back in this summer transfer window.

Heart of the Matter

Junior Firpo, 22, spent a scintillating season for Real Betis, scoring three goals and providing four assists throughout the 24 league appearances.

Firpo’s blizzarding offensive runs make him an obvious threat for the opponents. A few months ago, there were a few reports where Manchester City were suggested as Firpo’s next destination.

However, the deal didn’t take place due to Zinchenko’s fabulous performances for the Cityzens in the absence of Benjamin Mendy.

Last season, although Liverpool won the Champions League title for the sixth time, they failed to grasp the Premier League by a decisive point. To challenge Manchester City for the PL title, Liverpool are looking to strengthen their squad.

On the other hand, Manchester United have a different scenario. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side needs a major overhaul in this summer transfer market. They have already signed Daniel Janes from Swansea City and are looking to add some defensive and midfield reinforcements.

Marca states that, both Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in signing Junior Firpo from Real Betis this summer. As per the same report, Clubs will have to trigger Firpo’s £50 million release clause to sign the Spanish U21 international.

Liverpool’s Spanish left-back Alberto Moreno will make his move away from the club this summer. On the other hand, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has only one left-back (Luke Shaw) in their squad.

In fact, Ashley Young, who played in both fullback positions for United last term, failed to impress the Norwegian manager. As per reports surrounding the clubs, the 2019-20 season could be Ashley Young’s last campaign at Old Trafford.

Conclusion

Liverpool are the favourites to win the race, as Manchester United would like to splash £50 million on a central defensive option rather than on a left-back.

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Moise Kean, the Juventus striker suffers racist abuse from the home supporters during his team’s Serie A match at Cagliari, on Tuesday night.

“The best way to respond to racism- #notoracism” wrote Moise Kean in his official Instagram. Defender Leonardo Bonucci and Boss Massimiliano Allegri said that Kean should take some of the blame for his celebration.

Allegri said, “He shouldn’t have celebrated in that manner. He is a young man and he has to learn, but certain things from the crowd also shouldn’t be heard”.

“You celebrate goals with your team-mates. He could have done it differently. I think the blame is 50-50. Moise should not have done that and the Curva [fans] should not have reacted in that way”, says Leonardo Bonucci.

The incident happened after England players were subjected to racial abuse in their recent game in Montenegro.

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England’s stunning start to the Euro 2020 qualification continued by qualifying with a 5-1 thrashing of Montenegro on Monday. But the victory was shadowed by racist chanting.

The Three Lions continued their Group A campaign in Podgorica Just 72 hours after kicking off their European Championship journey by hitting five without reply against the Czech Republic.

Racist issues came across a number of England players including Danny Rose, during the Euro 2020 qualifier in Podgorica. The Manager Gareth Southgate said the incidents will be reported to Uefa.

As per reports, Southgate said “There’s no doubt in my mind it happened. I know what I heard. We have to make sure our players feel supported, they know the dressing room is there and we as a group of staff are there for them. We have to report it through the correct channels. It is clear that so many people have heard it and we have to continue to make strides in our country and trust the authorities to take the right action”.

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