Friendly: Newly-promoted Hertha Berlin will celebrate next season’s return to the Bundesliga with a friendly against Spanish giants Real Madrid at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on July 27. The visit of Jose Mourinho’s side to the German capital has been organised partly as Hertha look to thank their fans as the Berlin club have enjoyed bumper gates this season, despite playing in Germany’s second division.
Snai payouts: Italian bookies Snai have said they will start paying out on bets that Milan would win the Serie A title from today, Italian news agency Ansa reported. Milan still need four more points from their final four games to be sure of an 18th scudetto crown, but Snai are satisfied they will achieve that.
Lavezzi: Ezequiel Lavezzi’s agent denied yesterday the Argentine is a target for Spanish champions Barcelona. The 25-year-old is enjoying another spectacular season with Napoli, pushing the transfer rumour mill into overdrive. But the Argentine’s agent Alejandro Mazzoni told Radio Kiss Kiss: “Lavezzi wants to take Napoli into the Champions League and maybe even play against (Lionel) Messi’s Barcelona,” he said. “That would be great for the city and for everyone.”
Seedorf: Veteran midfielder Clarence Seedorf brushed off talk of retirement yesterday as he was presented with a Dutch Knighthood. “In my job the important things are motivation and your physical conditon and as long as I still have those, I’m not setting myself limits,” he said.
Division Three: Qrendi vs Xgħajra Tornadoes 1-1; Għargħur vs Pembroke Athleta 1-5; Kirkop vs Fgura United 3-0. (Pembroke Athleta qualify to promotion play-offs).
GFA Cup QF: Xewkija Tigers vs SK Victoria Wanderers 0-2.
Basket, NBA: NBA regular-season pace-setters San Antonio scrambled to a 110-103 over-time win against Memphis, avoiding a first-round play-off loss that would have dented their title hopes. Argentine guard Manu Ginobili scored 33 points, French playmaker Tony Parker added 24 and Tim Duncan contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, but it was San Antonio reserve Gary Neal who stole the show. Neal sank a three-pointer over Grizzlies defender O.J. Mayo at the final buzzer of the fourth quarter to lift the Spurs into a 97-97 deadlock, forcing the first over-time game in this year’s NBA play-offs.
American Football: National Football League team owners were delivered another setback in their legal battle with players when a US judge refused to delay an order to end a 45-day lockout. US District Judge Susan Richard Nelson ruled the NFL “has not met its burden for a stay pending appeal, expedited or otherwise.” The NFL will ask the US Eighth circuit Court of Appeals in St Louis to overturn Nelson’s ruling, with NFL officials expecting to have a hearing in early June for what is expected to be a protected anti-trust court fight.
Cricket: India’s cricket chiefs have doubled the cash bonus for each member of the World Cup-winning team amid reports that the players had complained about being poorly rewarded. “The cash incentive to the members of the World Cup winning Indian team has been increased from 10 million rupees ($225,000) per player to 20 million rupees,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement. India won the April 2 final, beating Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium and triggering wild celebrations across the country.
Figure Skating: Russian superstar Yevgeny Plushenko could have his ban from competitive figure skating lifted which would allow him to compete at the Sochi Olympics, International Skating Union (ISU) chief Ottavio Cinquanta said. The 2006 Olympic gold medallist lost his eligibility after failing to appeal a decision by the ISU last year which punished him for skating in exhibitions without permission from the Russian federation. “At the moment he’s out but the ISU have good rules. If he writes a letter through the (Russian) federation then the ISU can decide to reinstate Plushenko,” added the ISU president.