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LONDON — West Ham forward Michail Antonio sent a message to the Premier League club’s fans on Tuesday after being discharged from the hospital as he continues his recovery following a car crash in early December. “Happy New Year – and I’ll be back on that pitch soon,” Antonio wrote in a message posted by the club on its official website. Antonio, a 34-year-old Jamaica international, needed surgery on a lower limb fracture after a one-car incident outside London on Dec. 7, and is expected to face a lengthy spell of rehabilitation. “Every year around this time, I’m asked what I’m grateful for, and every year I’ve struggled to find the right words,” Antonio said in his message. “But this year, I know exactly what I’m grateful for: being alive.” West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui previously called the outcome of the crash a “miracle.” Antonio thanked everyone who had helped him, including emergency services, the air ambulance “and everyone from top to bottom at West Ham United ...

LONDON — West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen will be sidelined indefinitely with a fractured left foot, the club said on Tuesday.  Bowen suffered the injury during Sunday’s 5-0 loss to Premier League leader Liverpool and was substituted in the second half.  “The injury to his left foot, picked up in the first half at London Stadium, will sideline the Hammers captain heading into the New Year,” West Ham said in a statement. Bowen has been a key player for the Irons this season, scoring six goals in all competitions. He revealed he had sustained the injury during the first half, but tried to play on. “As always I tried to fight on and continue playing until I physically couldn’t,” Bowen wrote on Instagram.  “Injuries happen in football, but I’m already looking forward to getting back out there as soon as possible. See you all soon.” More from Sportsnet Man City defender Ruben Dias to miss up to four weeks with muscle injury Premier League Roundup: Man Unit...

LONDON — Wayne Rooney was fired as Plymouth Argyle coach on Tuesday after just seven months in charge of the struggling Championship team. The 39-year-old former England and Manchester United striker was hired in May and departs with Plymouth last in the English second tier with four wins in 23 games this season. His final game was a 2-0 loss to Oxford United on Sunday which extended Argyle’s winless run to nine games. “Plymouth Argyle can confirm that the club and head coach Wayne Rooney have mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect,” the club said in a statement. “We would like to thank Wayne and his team for all their efforts and wish them well for the future.” Rooney took charge at Plymouth following an 83-day tenure at Birmingham, which was relegated from the Championship after last season. He’s also been the coach at MLS team DC United and Derby County. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board of Plymouth,” Rooney said in the club statement. “Thank...

LONDON — Alexander Isak scored for the sixth straight Premier League game as Newcastle beat Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford on Monday to condemn Ruben Amorim’s side to its worst home run in the top tier since the 1970s. Relegation-threatened Ipswich beat Chelsea 2-0 to win at home for the first time this season, and Aston Villa and Brighton drew 2-2. Newcastle’s commanding display marked the first time since February 1979 that Man United has lost three home league games in a row. It was also the first time since 1962 that United has lost five league matches in the same calendar month. Isak started the misery for home fans with his eighth goal in six matches. The Sweden striker put Newcastle ahead with a header after four minutes and Joelinton doubled its lead 15 minutes later when he rose above Lisandro Martinez to head in a second. Isak had another effort disallowed after half an hour and Sandro Tonali hit the woodwork seconds later as Newcastle threatened to run riot. Amor...

ROME — Nico Paz missed a first-half penalty but made amends in the second period with the goal that sent Como on its way to a 2-0 win over Lecce in Serie A on Monday. The 20-year-old Argentine international saw his weak spot kick saved by the legs of Wladimiro Falcone after half an hour but he was on target in the 50th minute when he side-footed home from just outside the box. Patrick Cutrone, who hit the bar early in the game, got a second goal with 10 minutes remaining when he seized on a rebound in the box and slotted home. It was Como’s first league win over Lecce since 1994 and lifts it into 15th place, two points and one spot above its opponent. Bologna plays Verona later Monday. More from Sportsnet Referees to announce VAR decisions to fans inside stadium during League Cup semifinals Bundesliga Roundup: Dortmund holds on with 10 men for first away win

LONDON — Referees will make in-stadium announcements on the outcome of video reviews in the semifinals of this season’s English League Cup, the organizers said on Monday. It will be the first time such a system is used in English soccer. Arsenal faces Newcastle and Tottenham plays Liverpool next month in the semifinals, which are held over two legs. As part of a trial move, referees will announce their decisions after VAR reviews to stadium spectators and viewers at home. This includes decisions reviewed when looking at the pitchside monitor, or when there has possibly been a handball by a goalscorer and on offsides. The EFL said the trial aimed to provide a “broader commitment to transparency” and to use “technological advancements for the benefit of match officials and fans.” In-stadium announcements have not been used in English soccer, but they were trialled at last year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. More from Sportsnet Premier League Roundup: Man Cit...

BERLIN — Union Berlin is bringing former club favourite Steffen Baumgart back as coach to take over from the fired Bo Svensson after its lackluster start to the Bundesliga season. The Köpenick-based club said Monday that Baumgart, a former forward who scored 22 goals in two seasons at Union, will take charge of his first training session on Thursday, with a friendly game scheduled against Bundesliga rival Holstein Kiel on Sunday. It’s the 52-year-old Baumgart’s fourth coaching job after stints in charge of Paderborn, Cologne, and second-division club Hamburger SV, where he was fired in November after the club lost hope he could lead the team to promotion. “We decided for Steffen Baumgart because we’re convinced that he’s the right type of coach for us,” Union’s sporting director Horst Heldt said. “His way of leading a team, developing and challenging players, was an important aspect of our decision. He also has Bundesliga experience and knows Union very well.” Heldt also knows Baum...

LEICESTER, England — Even after marking his 500th game in charge of Manchester City with a much-needed victory, Pep Guardiola insisted his team has “no chance” of winning a fifth straight Premier League title. Guardiola looked visibly relieved after City ended a five-game winless run in all competitions by beating Leicester 2-0 on Sunday, only a second victory in 14 matches after the worst stretch of results in the Spanish manager’s illustrious career. The win still left City 14 points behind Liverpool after the leaders trounced West Ham 5-0 away, with Arne Slot’s team also having a game in hand. So after winning an unprecedented four straight Premier League titles, Guardiola has already written off his team’s chances before reaching January. “We are far away from winning the Premier League. We accept there’s already no chance of that but we have other things to fight for,” Guardiola said. Just winning a game is a battle for City these days. A team that used to easily b...

In his 500th game in charge of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola had some reasons to smile again.  City marked Guardiola’s milestone with a win and a goal from Erling Haaland — things that the Spaniard used to take for granted but have been increasingly rare of late for the struggling four-time defending Premier League champions.  Savinho also netted his first goal for the club in a much-needed 2-0 win over Leicester on Sunday, although the team still looked far from the juggernaut that has dominated English soccer for much of the Spaniard’s reign. Leicester had several chances for an equalizer before Savinho set up Haaland for the second in the 74th as City ended a five-game winless run in all competitions. It was far from a vintage City performance but perhaps it could mark the start of a turnaround for a team that is enduring the worst run of results in Guardiola’s nine years at the helm. This was only the club’s second win in 14 games in all competitions, and the team is...

ROME — Napoli went through three different coaches during its Serie A title defence last season and ended the campaign in 10th place. Antonio Conte was hired in July and now Napoli is ending 2024 level with Atalanta atop the Italian league again. Substitute Giacomo Raspadori scored a late goal and Napoli beat relegation-threatened Venezia 1-0 on Sunday in its final match of the year. Napoli trails Atalanta only on goal difference but both teams are one point ahead of defending champion Inter Milan, which has a game in hand. “Even if I play cards with my daughter I want to win,” said Conte, who was hired to get Napoli back into the Champions League. “Personally, I don’t accept minimal goals. But we all know where we started and what the club’s objectives are.” Atalanta drew 1-1 at Lazio on Saturday and Inter won 3-0 at Cagliari. Later, Juventus hosts Fiorentina and AC Milan plays Roma. After Luciano Spalletti coached Napoli to the Serie A t...

The past 12 months proved to be a wild ride for Canadian soccer.  The women’s team became embroiled in a drone-spying scandal at the Paris Olympics, and overcame a six-point deduction in the group stage before bowing out in the quarterfinals, failing to reach the medal podium for the first time since 2008.  The men’s side fared much better under new coach Jesse Marsch by reaching the semifinals and finishing in fourth place in its tournament debut at the Copa América, where it twice pushed Lionel Messi and World Cup champions Argentina to the brink. Internationally, Real Madrid enjoyed a banner year by breezing to the La Liga title, winning the Spanish Super Cup and claiming its record 15th UEFA Champions League crown by defeating Borussia Dortmund in the final at London’s Wembley Stadium.  What will next year bring? Here are four bold predictions for 2025:  Jonathan David moves to Paris Saint-Germain   Jonathan David is one of the hottest players in world...

ROME — Thirteen goals scored. Zero conceded. Four wins in four matches across all competitions. Ever since a 1-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League this month, Inter Milan has been virtually perfect. The latest performance for the defending Serie A champion was a 3-0 win at Cagliari on Saturday, when Nicolò Barella set up two goals. The victory moved Inter level on points with Atalanta atop the league, ahead of Atalanta playing Lazio later and attempting to extend its winning streak to 12 matches. Inter also has a match in hand. Inter will face Atalanta in its next match on Thursday, in the semifinals of the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Juventus plays AC Milan in the other semifinal. Alessandro Bastoni put Inter ahead with a looping header following a cross from Barella after the break. Lautaro Martinez scored his first Serie A goal in nearly two months by volleying in another cross from Barella. Then Hakan Calhanoglu converted a penalty. Earlie...

BERLIN — Union Berlin has fired coach Bo Svensson and his assistants after nine games without a win in all competitions. The Bundesliga club said Friday it will decide on a new coach to take charge of the team from Jan. 2 in the “next days.” Union was knocked out of the German Cup and hasn’t won a game since beating promoted Holstein Kiel in October. It hasn’t won any of its last eight Bundesliga games under Svensson, who took over in the summer, and the team showed little sign of development during his stay despite an encouraging start. “We’re convinced that a significant change is necessary to reverse the trend,” Union sporting director Horst Heldt said. “We have therefore decided not to continue our collaboration with Bo Svensson, Babak Keyhanfar, Kristoffer Wichmann and Tijan Njie.” Svensson’s last game in charge was a chastening 4-1 loss at Werder Bremen on Dec. 21. Union has had little luck with coaching appointments since firing club favourite Urs Fischer last seas...

Let it be said that on Friday, Dec. 27, every sports journalist on Earth kicked themselves for not coming up with the analogy first. At the Globe Soccer Awards, footy legend Cristiano Ronaldo made one of the most colourful and imaginative remarks you’ll hear this year, comparing former club Manchester United to a sick fish … or perhaps an unhealthy aquarium? “It’s like the aquarium and you have the fish inside and it’s sick, and you take him out and fix the problem. If you put it back in the aquarium, it will be sick again,” Ronaldo said at the award show, according to BBC Sport. “This is the problem of Manchester United. It is the same.” The peculiar comparison came when asked about new Man U head coach Ruben Amorim and his struggles in trying to keep the team afloat amid a tumultuous campaign. Since 2013, when legend of the game Alex Ferguson retired from his long-time managerial position at the club, United has had a revolving door on their bench. However, Ronaldo mad...

WOLVERHAMPTON, England — Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been shown a red card for the third time this season. The Portugal midfielder was sent off against Wolverhampton in the Premier League on Thursday after receiving a second yellow in the 47th minute, with the score at 0-0. Fernandes previously got red cards in back-to-back games, against Tottenham in the league on Sept. 29 and Porto in the Europa League on Oct. 3. The red card against Spurs was later rescinded. More from Sportsnet West Ham’s Fabianski taken off on stretcher after injury vs. Southampton Premier League Roundup: Man City drops more points after draw with Everton

SOUTHAMPTON, England — West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was taken off the field on a stretcher after sustaining an injury in the Premier League game against Southampton on Thursday.  The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary’s Stadium.  The 39-year-old Polish goalkeeper was hurt in a collision from a corner and was replaced by Alphonse Areola in the 36th minute.  Southampton ‘keeper Aaron Ramsdale had run the length of the field to check on Fabianski during worrying scenes. Fabiaski was then greeted by applause as he was taken off.  West Ham, which also saw defender Max Kilman go off in the first half, won 1-0 after Jarrod Bowen’s goal in the 59th. More from Sportsnet Premier League Roundup: Man City drops more points after draw with Everton Ivan Juric hired as Southampton manager

MANCHESTER, England — Erling Haaland missed a penalty as Manchester City was held 1-1 by Everton in the Premier League on Thursday.  Haaland had the chance to set the four-time defending champion on course for only its second win in 13 games when stepping up for a second-half spot kick at the Etihad Stadium. But he was denied by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and City’s woeful recent run was extended.  Pep Guardiola’s team has lost nine of its last 13 games in all competitions. The draw means City picked up only its second point in the league since the end of October.  Bernardo Silva’s deflected shot gave City the lead in the 14th minute, but Iliman Ndiaye leveled the score in the 36th.  Haaland’s penalty was saved in the 53rd to leave City in sixth place and 11 points behind leader Liverpool, having played two games more. More from Sportsnet Guardiola accepts Man City may need to sign more players to cope with schedule Ivan Juric hired as Southa...

VALENCIA, Spain — Relegation-threatened Valencia has hired West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan as its new head coach through June 2027. Valencia fired Rubén Baraja on Monday after another setback in La Liga left the Spanish club stuck in the relegation zone and sparked renewed protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim. “Carlos Corberan has been appointed as coach of Valencia CF, signing a contract through to 2027,” a statement on Valencia’s website said early Wednesday. “A buy-out option in his contract with West Bromwich Albion was taken up to allow him to leave.” No official figure was given but the compensation for the former Valencia youth player was reported to be in the region of $3 million. The Spaniard, who also briefly coached Greek side Olympiakos, led West Brom to its current seventh place in England’s second-tier Championship. He worked in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr before making his debut as a first-team manager with Doxa Katokopia...

VALENCIA, Spain — Valencia fired coach Rubén Baraja on Monday after another setback in La Liga left the club stuck in the relegation zone and sparked renewed protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim. Valencia said it “decided to bring to an end Baraja’s time as first team coach” following a 2-2 home draw against Alaves on Sunday. Valencia needed a stoppage-time equalizer to salvage the result that left the club second to last in the standings. The home draw prompted more criticism from fans who have long complained about the administration of Lim, whom they accuse of using the club only as a business endeavor. Baraja, a former Valencia player, took over the club in 2023. His replacement was not immediately announced. “The club would like to publicly thank Baraja for the passion, dedication and commitment that he has shown from the first to the last day of his tenure,” Valencia said in a statement. “The results have required a decision that has been very difficult to make.” Va...

FLORENCE, Italy — Fiorentina missed a chance to go fourth in Serie A on Monday when it conceded two second half goals and lost at home to Udinese 2-1. The Florence club won a record eight consecutive Serie A games before losing to Bologna 1-0 on Dec. 15, and it looked to be back on track when Moises Kean converted a penalty after eight minutes to become the first Fiorentina player to reach double figures in the league since Federico Chiesa in the 2019-20 season. However, Udinese was a different prospect after the break. Lorenzo Lucca equalized with the aid of sloppy defending four minutes into the second half and then Florian Thauvin found space on the edge of the box to curl in the second eight minutes later. The result left Udinese in ninth place and Fiorentina in fifth. The match was a special one for Edoardo Bove, the Fiorentina player whose collapse with a heart issue led to the suspension of its game with Inter Milan on Dec. 1. Bove was fitted with a defibrillator implant s...

MONZA, Italy — World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta was fired by last-place Monza on Monday after coaching the club to only one win in 17 Serie A matches. Monza made the announcement a day after losing 2-1 at home by Juventus. Nesta was hired by Monza in June and the team’s only league win this season was a 3-0 victory at Hellas Verona in October. Nesta was a defender on the Italy squad that won the 2006 World Cup and played for Lazio and AC Milan. He has also coached Miami FC, Perugia, Frosinone and Reggiana. Monza did not immediately name a replacement for Nesta. Monza visits Parma on Sunday.

BERLIN — Borussia Dortmund held on after Pascal Groß’ sending off to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 for its first Bundesliga away win of the season on Sunday. Donyell Malen got the visitors off the mark with a volley to a corner in the 25th, three minutes before Julian Brandt played in Maximilian Beier to score Dortmund’s second goal. Beier, who scored with the outside of his boot in off the left post, celebrated with a throwing-dart gesture. Beier returned the favor for Brandt to score Dortmund’s third two minutes after that. Wolfsburg improved drastically after the break, when coach Ralph Hasenhüttl made two changes, including sending on Lukas Nmecha to face his brother Felix Nmecha, who was playing for Dortmund. Denis Vavro pulled one back in the 58th, four minutes before Groß was sent off for a foul on Lukas Nmecha when the Wolfsburg forward was through on goal. The home team pushed hard but Dortmund managed to hold on to ease the pressure on coach Nuri Sahin. Dortmund climbed to sixth a...