Sport
PSG’s Messi and three others test positive for COVID-19
Paris St Germain forward Lionel Messi and three other players have tested positive for COVID-19, the French Ligue 1 club said on Sunday.
Argentina international Messi joined PSG from boyhood club Barcelona in August and the 34-year-old has scored six goals in 16 games in all competitions for the Parisian side, Reuters reported.
Defender Juan Bernat, back-up goalkeeper Sergio Rico and midfielder Nathan Bitumazala were the other players who returned positive tests. PSG said the four players were in isolation and subject to the appropriate health protocols.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team are top of the Ligue 1 standings on 46 points after 19 matches, 13 points above second-placed Nice. They are due to travel to third-tier club Vannes on Monday for a French Cup round-of-32 match.
Pochettino said he was unsure if Messi, who is currently in Argentina, would feature in their next league game, at Olympique Lyonnais on January. 9.
“Messi has been in regular contact with our medical team and when he has a negative test, he will travel to France but we don’t know any more than that. I don’t know if he will be involved against Lyon.
“Until he gets a negative test in Argentina, he will not be able to travel to France. So it is all down to the test in terms of when he can travel… we will assess when he is ready to play.”
France reported 219,126 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period on Saturday, the fourth day in a row that the country has recorded more than 200,000 cases, Reuters reported.
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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