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Bayern Munich have confirmed 32-year-old centre-back Jerome Boateng will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, but the decision has sparked obvious tensions behind the scenes. Bayern have already signed France centre-back Dayot Upamecano, 22, from Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig for the 2021/22 season, effectively hastening Boateng's departure. "That was a joint decision of the club management and the coach was also involved," sports director Hasan Salihamidzic told Sky. "I explained that to Jerome, he understood." Boateng was at

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel praised midfielder Mason Mount's attitude after the England international scored his first Champions League goal in Wednesday's 2-0 win against Porto in Seville. Mount and Ben Chilwell scored to put Chelsea in the driving seat ahead of the "home" leg of the quarter-final on April 13, which will also be played in Seville due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between Portugal and England. Since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge in January, Mount has scored five goals in all

The French Open has been postponed by a week in the hope that more spectators will be permitted to attend. The Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros will now run from 30 May to 13 June with qualifying the week before. France is in a third nationwide lockdown amid a surge in coronavirus cases, which president Emmanuel Macron previously said he expected to end in mid-May. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said postponing was the "best solution". "I am delighted that the discussions

The Indian Premier League is back with its 14th edition. This time, the tournament will be held in India after BCCI decided to hold the 2020 edition in UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic. Defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening match of the 2021 edition of the IPL. Several sides will again be vying for the IPL title this year but the favourites again look to be five-time champions Mumbai Indians. The Rohit Sharma-led side have

MADRID - Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Granada in the Europa League quarter-final first leg to put their side in the driving seat. In a game where clear-cut chances were sparse, the highlight of a dull opening quarter came when a streaker somehow managed to find his way onto the pitch, despite crowds not being allowed to attend the match due to COVID-19 protocols. Rashford’s goal just past the half hour was the game’s standout

Britain’s sports governing bodies have backed the government’s COVID certification programme which could allow a full return of fans at stadiums without social distancing requirements from June 21. The certificate would show if a person had been vaccinated, had a recent negative test or natural immunity from a positive test taken in the last six months. An open letter from sports bodies, including the Football Association, Premier League, and the Rugby Football Union read: “All of our sports can see the benefit that

Top-seeded Daniel Evans of England fell in three sets to Italian Lorenzo Musetti on the clay courts of the Sardegna Open on Thursday in Cagliari, Italy. Musetti won 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (8). Australian and No. 6 seed John Millman was also upset, losing 6-3, 6-3 to Laslo Djere of Serbia. Third-seeded Lorenzo Sonego of Italy defeated Gilles Simon of France in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. Also, Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann defeated Marco Cecchinato of Italy 7-5, 6-1. Andalucia Open Third-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway

MADRID: Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal, has confirmed he will work with the 20-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Auger-Aliassime is 22nd in the ATP world rankings and one of the rising stars of men's tennis. "When the offer reached me, I told him to come to the Academy (the Rafa Nadal Academy) for 10 days so that he could see if what I could offer him may or may not suit him," Toni Nadal told Marca on Thursday, adding

MUMBAI: India cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar said on Thursday (Apr 8) that he has been released from hospital a week after he was admitted when he contracted COVID-19, but he will remain in isolation at home. Tendulkar, who turns 48 later this month, was previously quarantining at home after testing positive following mild symptoms. "I have just come home from the hospital and will remain isolated while continuing to rest and recuperate. I would like to thank everyone for all the good wishes

The French Open has been postponed by a week in the hope that more spectators will be permitted to attend. The Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros will now run from 30 May to 13 June with qualifying the week before. France is in a third nationwide lockdown amid a surge in coronavirus cases, which president Emmanuel Macron previously said he expected to end in mid-May. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said postponing was the "best solution". "I am delighted that the discussions

Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, has joined the coaching team of Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Nadal, widely known as 'Uncle Toni', coached his nephew from childhood and through his adult career until he stood down in 2017. He will now join the team of highly-rated Auger-Aliassime, 20, starting at next week's Monte Carlo Masters. "I never considered before to work for someone else," Nadal, 60, said. Nadal left his nephew's team after helping him to

The richest franchise tournament in world cricket is back on Friday as the Indian Premier League kicks off its 14th edition. Global cricketing superstars - including India icon Virat Kohli and England all-rounder Ben Stokes - will be on show in the Twenty20 tournament, with ball-by-ball radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra and online. The 2021 IPL returns to India after last year's competition took place in the United Arab Emirates because of Covid-19. This year, for at least the

AUGUSTA, Georgia: New dad Jon Rahm was the last of the 88 players in the Masters field to arrive at Augusta National, and he moved quickly to dispel a rumour that he had named his baby after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Rahm's wife Kelley gave birth to a boy, Kepa, on Saturday morning, leaving the world number three to spend a few days helping out with parent duties before turning his attention to golf's first major of 2021. He arrived on-site at the

MUNICH - Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe scored twice to steer the visitors to a 3-2 victory over holders Bayern Munich in a topsy-turvy Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. On a snowy evening in the Bavarian capital, Mbappe fired in his eighth goal of the competition in the 68th minute after Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting in the 37th and Thomas Mueller on the hour had cancelled out a two-goal PSG lead. It was Bayern’s first Champions League loss in more than two

The NBA expects to have arenas packed full of fans when the 2021-22 season begins, with the chances of it happening increased by a deal with a COVID-19 screening company, ESPN reported. With vaccine distribution in full swing, the NBA will look toward the airport screening company Clear to provide COVID-19 screening technology at home venues around the league. Each team will be allowed to determine how the screening technology will best serve its fan base. The league will not require teams to

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel praised midfielder Mason Mount’s attitude after the England international scored his first Champions League goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 win against Porto in Seville. Mount and Ben Chilwell scored to put Chelsea in the driving seat ahead of the “home” leg of the quarter-final on April 13, which will also be played in Seville due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between Portugal and England. Since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge in January, Mount has scored five goals in all

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara said he has been subjected to online racial abuse every day since his confrontation with Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela in the Europa League last month. Kamara complained of being racially abused by Kudela in their last-16 match, with the incident sparking a furious response from his Rangers team mates and saw players clash on the pitch and in the tunnel afterwards. Kudela has denied the allegation and Slavia have stood by him, lodging an official complaint with Scottish police,

New father Jon Rahm arrived Wednesday at Augusta National on the eve of the 85th Masters, hoping an improved mindset could offset his late arrival and help deliver a first major victory. The world number three from Spain was with wife Kelley as she gave birth to baby boy Kepa on Saturday morning. He made sure both were well before leaving for his first look at the famed course since last November. "It was really hard to leave," Rahm said. "For the first

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Wednesday he was uncertain whether Scotland international Kieran Tierney (pix) would play again for the club this season after he suffered knee ligament damage against Liverpool. The 23-year-old fullback limped off before halftime in a 3-0 Premier League loss at home to Jurgen Klopp's men on Saturday. Arsenal confirmed on Wednesday that Tierney suffered knee ligament damage during the game and could be sidelined for the next six weeks. If that is the case, he could return for the

Opener Fakhar Zaman smashed his second century in as many matches as Pakistan beat much-changed South Africa by 28 runs in the third and final one-day international in Pretoria on Wednesday to clinch the series 2-1. Fakhar followed up his scintillating 193 on Sunday with 101 as Pakistan posted 320 for seven in their 50 overs having been sent into bat. South Africa, missing five key players on their way to the Indian Premier League in Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich