Category Sports News

Before the Italian giants sack him last week and appoint Igor Tudor quickly, Thiago Motta lasted only nine months at Juventus.

Following string-busting Serie A defeats, Motta’s departure came after losing to Atalanta 4-0 at home and losing 3-0 to Fiorentina.

With Motta also overseeing Juventus’ exit from the Champions League and the Coppa Italia, which they won last year, that appeared to be the straw.

On the BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro Leagues podcast, journalist Julien Laurens remarked, “It was inevitable.”

You can’t lose 4-0 and 3-0 in back-to-back games after losing in the Champions League.

Motta, 42, a former midfielder for Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Paris St-Germain, was hired last year after a remarkably impressive stint at Bologna.

His forward-thinking approach to football transformed the organization from one that struggled against relegation to one that finished fifth in Serie A last year to earn a place in the Champions League.

However, Juventus rarely displayed the football style he so passionately demonstrated at Bologna.

Because I am a big fan and I adore what he did at Bologna, Laurens continued, “I felt for him.”

Additionally, questions may be raised about Motta’s involvement with Juventus’ transfer business during his time at the club.

He oversaw the £42.35 million signing of Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz after he left for Juventus.

Although Luiz started just three of the 17 league games that made up the matchday squad, the high cost suggested he would play a key role in what Motta wanted to do.

In a deal worth reportedly £10 million, Moise Kean was allowed to leave to join Fiorentina. With 15 goals, he currently has the second-highest scoring total in Serie A.

Because Juventus didn’t concede a goal in their first six games, Motta’s goalkeeper wanted to make them defensively strong.

However, it appeared to limit their ability to attack, and they also drew far too many games as a result. They started playing 19 league games unbeaten starting on September 1st, but 13 of those games ended in draws.

It almost seemed like he lost the dressing room when it came to absorbing those instructions, according to Italian journalist Mina Rzouki, who criticized Thiago Motta for some of the decisions made regarding the players’ selections.

He refused to be pragmatic in any way, whether or not, and I believe that you continue to support your philosophy despite having the second-young team that is now losing confidence.

Motta has issues both off the pitch and on the field, which makes up some of the blame for Juventus’ problems this season.

Rzouki continued, “Juventus is a mess on every level.”

They don’t have a sponsor, which just proves that you need to know everything. The long-term sponsor they had ran out, and they were unable to find another one.

Therefore, this management is performing poorly from the top up.

According to reports, Cristiano Giuntoli, the sporting director of Juventus, is under fire for allegedly making mistakes in the hiring process for players and managers.

According to Laurens, “Motta struggled to get his project going. It’s not just on him; it’s also at the players and Giuntoli, the sporting director, who are both at fault.”

Giuntoli must now make sure Tudor is the right person to change the club’s fortunes given how the Motta appointment turned out.

The former Juventus midfielder, who played there between 1998 and 2007, has a contract until the end of the season that will reportedly be automatically renewed if he earns Champions League qualification.

He has been hailed as a “fixer,” a coach who can take over changes over the course of a season and oversee swift improvements.

The 46-year-old has a reputation for being a fixer, joining clubs regularly throughout the year and turning things around, as he has done successfully in previous roles at Udinese, Hellas Verona, and Lazio.

His most recent assignment was at Lazio for three months at the end of the season.

Do you think I can fix problems? “I’m a coach,” Tudor said.

I began coaching when I was a young child, and I’ve been doing it for ten to fifteen years. I’ve also been traveling a lot, and I’m a little picky because I follow my heart when I choose what to do. I’m in the here and now.

Katie Taylor, the Irish superstar, anticipates Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan to win Saturday’s world title fight in Las Vegas.

After being defeated by 34-year-old American Mayer in New York in September, Briton Ryan now has a chance to settle the score and reclaim the WBO welterweight title.

Ryan, 31, from Derby, who had just left the venue, was the victim of red paint damage to the fight.

Between this training camp and the previous training camp, she continued, “I think Sandy has had an amazing training camp this time.”

She’s in a much better mental state than I think, so I think that’s going to make a big difference going into this fight.

The 38-year-old narrowly won both of her prior points decisions against Serrano and her most recent win in Texas in November.

“It would be a fight of the year contender if I and Amanda engaged in 100 fights.” Just a style clash. It will always be one of those battles where you must exert a lot of heart and depth,” Taylor said.

The pair’s first fight will be broadcast live on the streaming service Netflix, which will also house the iconic venue where they first met.

Amanda Serrano has been my amazing dance partner, Taylor said.

Italy v. Ireland Women’s Six Nations

Date: Sunday, March 30th, Kick-off: 5:00 BST

Numerous sportspeople would find it difficult to overcome two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in just nine months.

However, she is determined to use those setbacks to aid in the development of her future rugby career and give her more motivation in the case of Ireland scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly.

The 24-year-old suffered a second ACL tear in last summer’s SVNS Grand Final in Madrid after initially struggling to recover from her first serious knee injury in the fall of 2023.

The Roscommon woman only made her competitive debut when she participated in the Clovers’ Celtic Challenge matches in early March after losing her chance to represent Ireland at the Paris Olympic Games.

In the final 25 minutes of Ireland’s 27-15 defeat by France in their opening Six Nations game in Belfast, Reilly was replaced by Emily Lane last week when he was substituted off the bench.

She will start for Sunday’s away game against Italy in Parma this week.

“I performed both of my left ACL and my right ACL.” Between both, I played for nine months. Although it was very difficult mentally, I knew that if I got it right, I would have suffered long-term injuries.

I wanted to attend the Olympics and wear the Ireland Nine jersey in the 15s game, returning from the first one. I put my hand up for both teams with great effort.

Although it was difficult, my family and I had a lot of support around me. Even though it was a very difficult situation, it really strengthens my resolve and ability to play.

Reilly continued, “It was a special moment to come out for Ireland against France last weekend despite all of her injury issues.”

Standing there for the anthem was “a very emotional moment,” she said.

“I was just focusing on getting back for that France game when I tore my ACL before the Olympics for a second time, and I knew everything had to go right on my rehab journey to get back on the pitch.”

“It was a significant moment for my family and I to wear green again.”

After defeating the French in their opening match, Reilly thinks Ireland can win the tournament if they face Italy in Parma on Sunday.

“We weren’t pleased with the performance we put out after the weekend. We occasionally went through really good phases, but she added that we weren’t as clinical as she was.

That’s our main focus this weekend, they say. pursuing the goal that we are capable of.

“We are aware of our talented players, but occasionally we make things difficult. We simply need to hold on to the ball during pressure situations, which is where we really need to go.

Women’s Six Nations, Italy v Ireland

Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma Date: Sunday 30 March Kick-off: 15: 00 BST

Having to overcome two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the space of nine months would be enough to break the spirit of many sportspeople.

But in the case of Ireland scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly, she is determined to use her experience of those setbacks to help her navigate her future rugby career and give her further incentive.

After initially battling her way back from her first serious knee injury in the autumn of 2023, the 24-year-old suffered a second ACL tear in last summer’s SVNS Grand Final in Madrid.

That injury dashed her hopes of playing for Ireland Sevens in the Paris Olympic Games and the Roscommon woman only returned to competitive action when she played a part in the Clovers ‘ Celtic Challenge matches in early March.

Last week Reilly was introduced off the bench as a replacement for Emily Lane to participate in the closing 25 minutes of Ireland’s 27-15 defeat by France in their opening Six Nations encounter in Belfast.

This week she has been named in the starting line-up for Sunday’s away encounter with Italy in Parma.

“I did my right ACL the first time and my left the second time. I had nine months of playing in between both. It was mentally very tough but I knew hopefully once I got it right that would be the end of me in terms of long-term injuries”, explained Reilly.

“Coming back from the first one, I wanted to go to the Olympics and I also wanted that nine jersey for Ireland in the 15s game. I was really focused on putting my hand up for both teams.

” It was very tough but I had so many team-mates around me to support me and my family were amazing. Although it was a really tough moment, it really builds me as a player and builds my resilience.

Reilly added that turning out for Ireland against France last weekend after all her injury problems was a special moment.

“It was a very emotional moment standing there for the anthem”, she said.

“When I tore my ACL before the Olympics for a second time I was just focusing on getting back for that France game and I knew everything had to go right on my rehab journey to get back on the pitch.

” That was a big moment for me and my family wearing the green again. “

Having gone down to the French in their opener, Reilly believes Ireland can get their first win of this year’s tournament on the board when they face Italy in Parma on Sunday.

” After last weekend we weren’t happy with the performance we put out. At times we had phases that were really good but then we also weren’t clinical enough, “she added.

” This weekend that’s a big focus for us. Going after the win that we know we’re capable of.

“We know we have skilful players but at times we force things. In pressure moments, we just need to hold on to the ball and that’s where we really need to execute.

According to former England women’s coach Simon Middleton, the rugby union should think about exchanging head coaches for players who engage in head-on-head tackles at matches.

France’s Gabrielle Vernier received a head-on-head hit in the opening round of the Women’s Six Nations, followed by Wales’ Georgia Evans with a second yellow card for a similar tackle in their defeat by Scotland.

Garry Ringrose, Ireland’s centre, was sent off for a head-on-head tackle on Wales’ Ben Thomas in this year’s men’s Six Nations.

Middleton, England’s head coach from 2015 to 2023, suggests that the head coach of that team should be given a one-game touchline ban for each illegal head-on-head tackle in a game.

Middleton told BBC Sport, “You want to make it powerful and resonant.”

“I’m probably going to be more diligent and aware of the consequences of what I am coaching if I know the actions of my player will have an impact on the availability of the head coach.”

The head coach ultimately loses control of the coaching group because “you are responsible for overseeing your coaching group.”

“I do believe that reducing head contact in rugby is going in the right direction, but there has also changed significantly in how frequently incidents are head-on-head rather than shoulder-to-head.”

Middleton led the Red Roses to the 2022 World Cup final, but their team lost to New Zealand after playing the majority of the game with 14 players as a result of a high, head-on-head tackle by wing Lydia Thompson.

The 59-year-old claims that his coaching team could have given the tackle height more information to stop the red card.

He said, “We paid a lot for it in the World Cup, and rightfully so because that was the right choice, and we have to accept that.”

What part did we play in the World Cup’s preparations, I ask myself? We undoubtedly played a role.

Middleton left England’s coaching staff in 2023 to become the women’s high-performance advisor for Japan.

He claims Lesley McKenzie, the head coach, “teaches a safe and entertaining” style of rugby that could be applied to all other sports.

More than 300 former British football, rugby league, and rugby union players filed for legal action last year for brain injuries they claimed they suffered while playing.

A double tackle is a double tackle where one player chops the opponent’s legs while the other targets the ball to prevent offloads, according to McKenzie, who also serves on World Rugby’s women’s high-performance rugby committee.

Lesley “is obsessed with tackle technique, body management, and functional movement in the contact area,” adds Middleton.

Physically speaking, there are many differences between Japan and most other countries, so they must be outstanding at their craft.

“I can’t recall ever receiving a red or yellow card for any high shots or head contact penalties in the two years I’ve been with them,” he said.

Middleton believes that fewer stoppages to review high tackles result from coaches being more diligent with tackle technique, making the game more entertaining to watch.

He disagrees with the claim that tackling teams at lower will make them break defenses more easily through offloading.

I don’t agree with the assertion that you can’t risk tackling on the ball because you can still tackle on it safely.

Most offloading games are caused by teams tackling the ball rather than using a very low and aggressive approach.

After receiving a permanent residency application, Russian Daria Kasatkina will revert to Australia.

The 27-year-old has lived in Dubai and has not returned to Russia in two and a half years. He has opposed the war in Ukraine and criticised Russia’s LGBTQ+ laws.

After a mistake with the flag that was used next to her name during a WTA Tour draw ceremony, she last month denied the possibility of switching to Spanish nationality.

The world number 12 wrote on social media that “Australia is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming, and feels completely at home.

I look forward to making my home in Melbourne and I adore living there.

“As a result of this, I’m pleased to announce that I will start representing my new home, Australia, in my professional tennis career.”

There are obviously some parts of this decision that weren’t simple. I want to thank everyone who has helped me along my tennis journey so far, including my family, my coaches, and myself.

In a video interview in 2022, Kasatkina revealed her sexual orientation and left Russia, which has strict LGBTQ+ rights laws.

A Russian politician unsuccessfully demanded that she be listed as a “foreign agent,” or someone who acts against Russian interests after also criticizing the conflict in Ukraine in the interview.

She stated last year that she anticipated “repercussions” from her actions.