分类： sports

Football icon Lionel Messi arrived in New Delhi on Monday, marking the final destination of his extensively anticipated ‘GOAT India Tour’ 2025. The Argentine World Cup champion’s arrival was managed under stringent security protocols following a series of successful appearances across the country.

The Delhi leg concludes a multi-city tour that previously visited Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. While the Kolkata event encountered organizational challenges, the Hyderabad and Mumbai segments proceeded flawlessly, drawing massive crowds and generating tremendous excitement among Indian football enthusiasts.

Outside Arun Jaitley Stadium, fervent supporters created an electric atmosphere with continuous chants of ‘Messi, Messi’ while displaying commemorative posters of their sporting hero. Saurab Aggarwal, one dedicated fan, revealed to ANI that he had been anticipating this moment for nearly a decade since Messi’s previous visit in 2011: ‘We were planning this day for the last 3-4 months. We’ve been waiting for this day for a decade and are incredibly excited to be here.’ Another admirer expressed even stronger emotions, stating: ‘It feels like we are about to see God.’

The tour’s previous stop in Mumbai featured spectacular events at Wankhede Stadium where Messi appeared alongside fellow football stars Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. The evening commenced with dynamic performances by renowned Indian DJ Chetas, who energized the crowd with popular music selections complemented by vibrant cultural dance presentations.

A highlight included an exhibition match between Indian Stars (featuring actor Tiger Shroff and Jim Sarbh alongside player Bala Devi) and Mitra Stars, captained by Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri with his Bengaluru FC teammates. Messi created unforgettable moments by kicking footballs into spectator areas and presenting Chhetri with a personally signed Argentina jersey.

The Mumbai event concluded with significant ceremonial exchanges as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis honored Messi with a commemorative gift. In a historic cross-sports moment, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar presented Messi with an official Team India jersey, symbolizing the mutual respect between two sporting legends from different disciplines.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is reportedly preparing a monumental €10 billion offer to acquire FC Barcelona, according to Spanish media reports cited by Goal.com. This potential move represents the latest ambitious play in global football by the Saudi wealth fund, which already maintains ownership of Premier League side Newcastle United and has attracted numerous elite players to the Saudi Pro League.

The reported interest emerges against the backdrop of Barcelona’s protracted financial crisis, which has plagued the club since the COVID-19 pandemic devastated its revenue streams. The Catalan giants have struggled under the weight of approximately €1.45 billion in debt, inherited from former president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s administration. These financial constraints have forced the club to implement drastic measures, including activating economic levers, renegotiating player contracts, and navigating La Liga’s stringent salary cap regulations.

Despite these off-pitch challenges, Barcelona maintains its competitive excellence on the field. The club recently secured both La Liga and Copa del Rey titles and entered the current 2025-2026 season as strong contenders across all competitions under manager Hansi Flick.

However, any acquisition attempt faces fundamental structural obstacles due to Barcelona’s unique membership model. Unlike conventional football club ownership structures, Barcelona operates as a collective entity owned by its socios (members), who retain control over governance and presidential elections. This model effectively prevents any individual or foreign entity from obtaining full ownership, rendering a complete takeover legally impossible.

Analysts suggest that while PIF could potentially explore investment opportunities in Barcelona’s commercial operations, the club’s core identity and ownership structure remain protected from external acquisition. This potential investment represents the continuing globalization of football ownership while highlighting the enduring tradition of fan-controlled governance models in European football.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta delivered a scathing assessment of his team’s defensive performance despite securing a dramatic 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. The league leaders required a 94th-minute own goal from Yerson Mosquera to claim three points after appearing destined for a disappointing draw.

The match took a concerning turn for Arsenal when Wolverhampton equalized in the 90th minute through Tolu Arokodare, canceling out Sam Johnstone’s earlier own goal that had given the hosts the lead. Arteta expressed particular frustration with what he described as ‘horrible defensive habits’ that emerged during critical moments of the match.

‘It was a relief to win, but with a very clear understanding that the margin should have been bigger,’ Arteta told reporters post-match. ‘We had a period of two or three minutes in deep, totally passive, with defensive habits that are nowhere near the level required against a team that hadn’t had a single shot.’

The victory maintains Arsenal’s position at the summit of the Premier League table with 36 points as they pursue their first league title after three consecutive second-place finishes. Arteta emphasized the importance of learning from the performance despite the positive result, noting that his players made victory ‘harder for ourselves today.’

With a challenging Christmas fixture schedule approaching, beginning with Saturday’s match against Everton, Arteta stressed the urgency of addressing defensive vulnerabilities while acknowledging the difficulty of securing Premier League victories.

In a commanding display of cricketing prowess, India clinched a decisive seven-wicket victory against South Africa in the third Twenty20 international at Dharamsala’s floodlit stadium on Sunday. The triumph grants India a 2-1 advantage in the five-match series as both teams prepare for February’s T20 World Cup.

South Africa’s batting lineup suffered a dramatic collapse early in the match after being put into bat, plummeting to 7-3 within the first 3.1 overs. Captain Aiden Markram emerged as the lone resilient force, preventing his team from recording their worst-ever T20 total—a dubious honor currently held at 74 runs from the series opener. Markram’s valiant 46-ball innings, featuring two sixes and six boundaries, was cut short when he was caught behind against pace bowler Arshdeep Singh, who finished with impressive figures of 2-13.

India’s bowling attack demonstrated remarkable depth despite the absence of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the match for personal reasons. Harshit Rana, Bumrah’s replacement, claimed 2-34, while spin specialist Kuldeep Yadav delivered a masterful performance with 2-12 from just two overs, including the dismissal of Ottneil Baartman on the final delivery of South Africa’s innings.

India’s chase proceeded with clinical efficiency as openers Abhishek Sharma (35 from 18 balls) and Shubman Gill established a dominant 60-run partnership. Sharma’s explosive performance was eventually halted by a spectacular running catch from Markram off Corbin Bosch’s bowling. Gill contributed a steady 28 before being bowled by Marco Jansen, while captain Suryakumar Yadav fell for 12 to Lungi Ngidi’s delivery. The match concluded with Tilak Varma (26 not out) and Shivam Dube (10 not out) comfortably guiding India to victory at 120-3 in just 15.5 overs.

The series continues to demonstrate its unpredictable nature, with South Africa having previously rebounded from a 101-run defeat in the first match to secure a 51-run victory in the second T20. The teams now look ahead to Wednesday’s fourth T20 in Lucknow, with India seeking to maintain their momentum as defending T20 World Cup champions.

In a display of exceptional cricketing prowess, the Dubai Capitals clinched a nail-biting nine-run triumph against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday. The match, part of the ongoing DP World ILT20 season, will be remembered for Shayan Jahangir’s magnificent innings that fell just one run short of a century.

The Capitals’ innings began precariously with early wickets threatening their stability. However, the course of the game shifted dramatically when Jahangir partnered with Jordan Cox to construct a game-changing 115-run stand. Cox contributed a steady 29 runs from 30 deliveries before Jahangir took complete command of the crease.

Jahangir’s spectacular performance featured 10 boundaries and five maximums, demonstrating both technical precision and raw power. His 99-run contribution not only anchored the Capitals’ innings but also set a new tournament record for the highest score by an associate player in ILT20 history. The team finished their allotted 20 overs at 196/5, setting a challenging target.

The Knight Riders’ response was hampered by consistent wicket losses throughout their innings, though Andre Russell provided late drama with an explosive unbeaten 53 from just 33 deliveries. His heroic effort, including powerful hitting in the final overs, brought momentary hope to the Abu Dhabi camp. However, the Capitals’ bowling unit maintained composure under pressure, with Waqar Salamkheil claiming three crucial wickets for 34 runs.

Jahangir, awarded Player of the Match, expressed his pride in representing American cricket on the international stage: ‘I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the win. Performances like these will bring greater recognition to US cricket, where the sport is making strong progress.’

Capitals captain Dasun Shanaka praised his team’s resilience: ‘Jahangir showed tremendous character after a difficult powerplay. Having experienced players like Nabi in critical moments made my leadership decisions considerably easier.’

The victory marks the Capitals’ second consecutive win this season, significantly boosting team morale and positioning them favorably in the tournament standings.