Guardiola Urges Christmas COVID-19 Precautions at Man City

Pep Guardiola. (AP)
Pep Guardiola. (AP)
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Guardiola Urges Christmas COVID-19 Precautions at Man City

Pep Guardiola. (AP)
Pep Guardiola. (AP)

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has asked his players to take all the necessary precautions during Christmas celebrations with their friends and families to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak at the Premier League club.

Fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur had a second match postponed this week after the league agreed to call off Sunday's game at Brighton & Hove Albion due to a number of COVID-19 cases.

Spurs also had their Europa Conference League game against Stade Rennais called off by UEFA after the club said they had 13 positive cases - eight players and five members of staff.

Leicester City were without several players for their Europa League game at Napoli on Thursday due to COVID-19, and Guardiola said he hoped to avoid a similar situation at his side, calling on his players to be vigilant.

"They know they have to be careful, be at home as much as possible. When they go out, social distance and wear a mask. Look at the statistics, the rules from the government. It's still there... and there are setbacks," Guardiola said.

The Spanish manager, whose mother died due to COVID-19 last year, said leaders City cancelled plans for a Christmas party.

"You have to protect yourself, because at Christmas time there's a tendency for more parties, going out more often," added Guardiola, whose side take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

"Everyone at home organizes a party with family and kids. They're going to do it. We're not going to say don't do it, but be careful. The risk is high.

"Look at what happened at Tottenham and Leicester. It can happen here as well, if we don't pay attention. That's a big problem for them, for their health and family, but of course, the team."



Congo Gears up for 50th Anniversary of Boxing’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’

In this photo taken on October 30, 1974 shows the fight between US boxing heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali (L) and George Foreman in Kinshasa. (AFP)
In this photo taken on October 30, 1974 shows the fight between US boxing heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali (L) and George Foreman in Kinshasa. (AFP)
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Congo Gears up for 50th Anniversary of Boxing’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’

In this photo taken on October 30, 1974 shows the fight between US boxing heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali (L) and George Foreman in Kinshasa. (AFP)
In this photo taken on October 30, 1974 shows the fight between US boxing heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali (L) and George Foreman in Kinshasa. (AFP)

A half century since the "Rumble in the Jungle" was beamed around the world from the Congolese capital, the city is preparing for anniversary celebrations to mark the heavyweight showdown that inspired a generation of boxers.

Underdog Muhammad Ali triumphed over the then-undefeated champion George Foreman on Oct. 30, 1974 in a match that became legend.

Ahead of the festivities being organized by the Democratic Republic of Congo's presidency and the US Embassy, about 20 boxers from across Africa recalled the fight as they sparred at a sports ground in Kinshasa during an amateur championship this month.

"The fight of the century ... is a great memory for us. It's a cause for great celebration for the Congolese because it happened here," said Tshilombo Mukadi, coach of Congo's national boxing team.

"It means a lot to the young people, we encourage them with this so as not to erase history."

His boxers were among those ducking and weaving in the dusky light at the open air ground, gearing up for the 21st African Amateur Boxing Championship.

"Muhammad Ali was more technical and made an impressive spectacle. We can learn a lot from following his movements," said Zadia Modestine, a boxer from Kinshasa whom Mukadi had earlier put through her paces.

The televised fight attracted some of the world's most prominent figures to a country known by most westerners at the time only for its periodic bouts of instability.

In victory, Ali regained the world title seven years after it was stripped from him for refusing to be drafted to fight in Vietnam, cementing his iconic status which has endured to this day.