Bath’s Underhill to miss Premiership play-offs with ban

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After serving a four-week ban for a dangerous tackle during the club’s European Challenge Cup final victory against Lyon, Flanker Sam Underhill will miss the rest of Bath’s season.

In the 26th minute, Underhill collided head-on-head with Lyon full-back Davit Niniashvili, and he received a yellow card.

An independent panel upheld the complaint that it warranted a red card and gave the England international a Monday citation for the incident.

Bath’s Saturday game against Saracens and their Premiership semi-final on Friday, June 6 will miss Underhill.

Before the collision, which was deemed a mitigating factor, the incident was downgraded from red to yellow, the tackle was reviewed by referee Hollie Davidson and the television match officials during the game.

Underhill admitted to doing it but did not think it was appropriate for him to receive a red card at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.

Due to Underhill’s regrets, the committee downgraded it to four and determined it was a mid-range offence that required a six-week ban. Due to his previous experiences, they were unable to further reduce it.

Following Davidson’s dismissal in Bath’s Challenge Cup round of 16 victory against Pau in April, the 28-year-old received a three-week ban in April.

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Wales give Kpakio, 18, first call-up for World Cup qualifiers

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Ronan Kpakio, a teenager from Cardiff City, will be in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Belgium in February, according to Wales head coach Craig Bellamy.

Kpakio, who turned 18 this week, is the first time he has participated in a training camp for Wales in Spain earlier this month.

Kpakio, a product of the Cardiff Academy, has only made six senior Bluebird appearances. Before making his first league start on the last day of the Championship season, he made his EFL Cup debut in August of last year.

Ethan Ampadu and Harry Wilson return to Bellamy’s squad for games against Liechtenstein on Friday, June 6 at the Cardiff City Stadium, and Belgium in Brussels on Monday.

Ampadu, the captain of Leeds United, and Wilson, the 28-year-old attacking midfielder, were both hurt during the league’s first two games in March.

After winning 3-1 against Kazakhstan and drawing 1-1 against North Macedonia, Wales are now second in Group J.

Following a successful club-level season, several players will return to play abroad.

In the Europa League final, Connor Roberts, Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Ampadu, Daniel James, and Chris Mepham all won promotion to the Premier League with their respective clubs, while Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson each scored the only goal for Tottenham, who also had Ben Davies in their squad.

On goal difference, North Macedonia is currently in the top 20 while Belgium is just beginning their campaign.

The group winners advance to the World Cup, while the 12 group runners-up and four nations from the previous year’s Nations League will battle it out in play-offs.

Wales squad

Goalkeepers: Danny Ward, Adam Davies, and Karl Darlow.

Defenders: Joe Rodon, Chris Mepham, Ben Davies, Ronan Kpakio, Connor Roberts, Jay Dasilva, and Neco Williams.

Josh Sheehan, Charlie Crew, Ethan Ampadu, Jordan James, Ollie Cooper, Harry Wilson, David Brooks, Sorba Thomas, and others.

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Impossible to break Tyson record – Itauma

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Moses Itauma, a rising British star, claims it was “impossible” for him to surpass Mike Tyson’s record for the youngest heavyweight world champion.

Itauma passed away on Saturday at the age of 20 when Tyson became a world champion in 1986.

“I realized that this is impossible in my first two months of professional work.” When I said that, I was naive. Before I became a professional, I said that.

In this boxing match, I didn’t realize how much you couldn’t control. You would assume that Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois have been the world’s champions since I first started playing professionally.

“I would not have been able to fight them in two years.”

Mike Balogun’s two-round defeat on Saturday gave Itauma a record-tying 12 victories and 10 shutouts.

Itauma has been linked to a number of famous people, including Joe Joyce, in the hopes of securing a world title in the coming years.

Otto Wallin, Jermaine Franklin, and Martin Bakole have all been mentioned as potential opponents, and Itauma’s promoter Frank Warren has stated that he will fight Oleksandr Usyk on July 19 at Wembley Stadium on the sidelines of Dubois’ world title defense.

Itauma said his team wants him to be in some “10-round fights” before advancing one level over his opponents, not a big name.

There are “tough cookies” that don’t have a name for themselves. He claimed that this is “not ideal.”

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‘One of Shankly’s favourites’ – Liverpool title winner Stevenson dies aged 85

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Willie Stevenson, a former Rangers and Liverpool midfielder who won top-flight titles in England and Scotland, passed away at the age of 85.

The left-footer, who was born in Edinburgh, won the Scottish Cup with the Ibrox club the following year and was a member of Rangers’ championship winning team in 1958-1959.

However, Stevenson moved to Liverpool in October 1962 for £20,000, becoming one of Bill Shankly’s favorite players as a result of the emergence of the legendary Jim Baxter.

He played a key role in the Liverpool side that won the Reds’ first FA Cup in 1965 and the First Division titles in 1964 and 1966.

Stevenson, who has only nine league games to play for him, was only successful at two of British football’s most successful clubs despite never playing for Scotland.

He scored 18 goals for Liverpool, including the penalty that earned Liverpool’s first-ever FA Cup victory against Chelsea with a 2-0 semi-final win.

Stevenson was one of four Scots in the Liverpool team and four others in Don Revie’s side in the final, which gave Liverpool a 2-1 lead after extra time.

However, he also experienced disappointment when he lost to Borussia Dortmund in the 1966 Winners’ Cup final at Hampden Park.

Stevenson made his final 241 appearances for Liverpool in November 1967, three days after conceding a late penalty to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1.

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Pimblett targeting Topuria or Gaethje fight in October

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Paddy Pimblett claims he would love to fight Ilia Topuria in Abu Dhabi in October, but Justin Gaethje is most likely to face him.

Before calling his next fight against a player ranked among the top five, Liverpool’s Pimblett won a statement victory over Michael Chandler last month.

After Islam Makhachev dropped his belt and moved up to welterweight, Topuria will face Brazil’s Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28.

American Gaethje is third in the lightweight UFC rankings, five places ahead of Pimblett, despite not having a fight scheduled.

A potential date for this year’s UFC show has not yet been determined, despite the fact that the UFC typically holds a numbered event there in October.

I’m hoping to fight in Abu Dhabi in October. When will I likely be back in the cage, Pimblett said to BBC Sport.

If he wins [against Oliveira], I was concerned that Ilia might criticize me. If he wins the belt, I’d love to beat him.

I’d love to fight him anyway, but he’s already booked, so I’d guess it’s more likely Justin Gaethje.

After the two met at a hotel before UFC London in 2022, Pimblett and former featherweight champion Topuria had a history.

Topuria, 28, switched to lightweight earlier this year, allowing for a potential fight with Pimblett.

Gaethje, by contrast, won his last fight in March against Rafael Fiziev, and he still commands respect as one of the roster’s most well-known fighters, with 20 knockouts in 26 appearances.

The only other fighter in the top five who hasn’t been ranked in the top five is Armenia’s Arman Tsarukyan, who Pimblett has no interest in fighting against in fourth-ranked Max Holloway and fifth-ranked Dustin Poirier on July 19.

People actually want to watch Gaethje fight, and nobody seems to care about Arman Tsarukyan. Me versus Gaethje is a fight that people are aware of, said Pimblett.

Tsarukyan, he’s just a complete tool, before Gaethje and I.

What data are gathered from this quiz?

White must visit Anfield, according to the statement.

Pimblett has won all seven of his UFC fights and gained popularity as a promotion fighter since making his UFC debut in 2021.

Pimblett has long desired to headline a show in his hometown of Liverpool, but since 2018, the UFC has decided to stage shows in London and Manchester.

Premier League champions Liverpool’s stadium Anfield has been suggested as a potential location because M&amp S Bank Arena, Liverpool’s largest arena, can only hold 11,000.

However, UFC President Dana White has frequently chosen not to host events in stadiums due to the lack of atmosphere and potential rain.

To change his mind, Pimblett has suggested that White should go to Anfield to watch a Liverpool game.

“It must be Anfield,” he said. Only that location is a good one to do it in. And while Dana has done it in Australia, Anfield is unique, according to Pimblett.

He needs to attend Anfield on a Champions League night or when Manchester United or something similar plays, or even when Eddie Vedder wears the blue shirt.

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How Antony became a ‘hero in Betis’ after Man Utd sadness

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The Spanish club’s players appear to be willing to go to any lengths to keep the Brazilian winger because of how much Antony’s impact on his loan at Real Betis from Manchester United has been.

The sinister-sounding message, “Antonio of Triana,” was posted by Betis captain Isco on his Instagram account. This is your first warning, “We’re going to kidnap you,” the statement read.

The second came shortly after former Betis winger Joaquin made the joke known by saying, “I will if I have to give the car to kidnap him. He has to remain whatever happens.

Betis wants to keep hold of the 25-year-old, so it’s no wonder.

The Brazil international has transformed the club’s season since joining Old Trafford on loan at the end of January.

Antony scores a goal for Real Betis against FiorentinaReuters

Betis fans adore that because “we’ve seen him cry and we’ve seen him laugh.”

Betis has won 13 of his 25 matches since he joined, drawing eight, and losing just four. Antony has scored nine goals and five assists in 14 of their goals, including scoring in both legs of the dramatic semi-final victory over Fiorentina, at a rate of better than two per game.

After extra time, Betis won 4-3 on aggregate as Antony scored the winning goal with a wonderful free-kick in Florence and then scored the winning goal for Abde Ezzalzouli, putting them in the immediate position to win club history and their first European trophy.

Guillem Balague, a Spanish football expert and BBC Sport columnist, said, “Antony is already a hero in Betis.” They fall in love with a player who is “a little different” or who has overcome difficulties and finds happiness in Seville.

“Bull fighters can fight in Seville.” They adore Antony because he plays the bull fighter who plays his own way and does things against the script, which is exactly how they adore him. He has improved the team and made it stronger.

Betis has played the man consistently, in the right way, and with love and confidence. He has been both emotionally and brilliantly.

Isco and Antony shake hands in celebrationGetty Images

Antony on Man Utd struggles, “I couldn’t take it any more.”

Erik ten Hag signed Antony for United in 2022 as one of the first signings after the pair had won several Dutch Eredivisie titles while working at Ajax.

With the fee of £81.33 million (95 million euros, rising to a potential 100 million euros), Antony moved up to the second-most expensive player in United history, trailing only Paul Pogba.

It had a good beginning. Anthony started in United’s Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle in a 44-game span of 2022-23, scoring eight goals and adding three assists.

In the FA Cup final win over Manchester City, he was an unused substitute in 17 of his 38 starts in the following campaign. Before his move to Spain, he did not start a Premier League game until 2024-25, which continued that slump.

In a heartfelt interview with TNT Sports Brazil earlier this week, Antony said, “I couldn’t take it any more.

Antony playing for Manchester UnitedGetty Images

Ten Hag, then manager of United, claimed in January last year that Antony’s form had been impacted by off-field issues.

After three women made allegations of domestic abuse against him, the Brazilian was the subject of a police investigation. He waived his right to speak with Greater Manchester Police, but he was not detained or charged in Brazil or the UK. He refuted the allegations.

Antony described the time as “very difficult days for me” because of how his unhappiness affected his family life.

He continued, “I was at home, lacking the strength to even play with my son, going to meetings without food, and staying locked in my room.”

“It was very difficult, but God bless me that I managed to advance and that I am now very happy here thanks to the help of my family and primarily God.”

However, Balague doesn’t think Betis will be able to keep Antony because of the transfer fee that United would demand.

I believe Antony belongs in the Champions League, Balague told BBC Sport, “Manchester United won’t sell for less than 50 million euros and Betis will be in Europe.”

They “start off the competition with the notion that they have nothing to lose.” They are in their first final, possess a lot of quality, excel in battles, and adhere to coach Manuel Pellegrini’s advice, and their best players are at their best.

Antony is not compatible with Amorim’s system.

Ruben Amorim with AntonyGetty Images

In one way, Antony’s loan arrangement has worked out, he impressed, and Real Betis would undoubtedly like to have him back.

However, he still earns a lot for a club like Betis, so whether he stays there depends on a deal being struck, either with United to offer some kind of subsidy or with the Brazilian to negotiate a wage reduction.

The real issue is whether a permanent sale will be made.

The club has a pretty good chance of recovering the £81,3 million that they paid for him, it is abundantly obvious. United still need to sell him for £32.52 million for amortization purposes because he still has two more years left on his first five-year contract.

Apart from his inconsistent playing time since joining Ajax, Antony is not a good fit for Ruben Amorim’s system. It is impossible to assume that Antony will still play for Old Trafford after the transfer window closes on September 1, despite the fact that we are aware of the significant changes that are expected to occur this season.

Antony with the Carabao CupGetty Images

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