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Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia Carrying Napoli to New Heights

Football - Serie A - Torino v Napoli - Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Turin, Italy - March 19, 2023 Napoli's Victor Osimhen applauds fans after being substituted. (Reuters)
Football - Serie A - Torino v Napoli - Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Turin, Italy - March 19, 2023 Napoli's Victor Osimhen applauds fans after being substituted. (Reuters)
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Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia Carrying Napoli to New Heights

Football - Serie A - Torino v Napoli - Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Turin, Italy - March 19, 2023 Napoli's Victor Osimhen applauds fans after being substituted. (Reuters)
Football - Serie A - Torino v Napoli - Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Turin, Italy - March 19, 2023 Napoli's Victor Osimhen applauds fans after being substituted. (Reuters)

Victor Osimhen combines the characteristics of a classic No. 9 with the talents of a modern striker.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s dribbling wizardry and passing abilities befuddle defenders in Italy and beyond.

Individually, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia are devastating enough. Together, they are leading Napoli to new heights game after game.

The latest demonstration came when Osimhen scored a brace of headers and Kvaratskhelia earned and converted a penalty and set up two goals in Napoli’s 4-0 win at Torino in Serie A on Sunday.

The victory moved the runaway leader a staggering 21 points ahead of second-place Inter Milan and a step closer to Napoli’s first Serie A title since Diego Maradona led the club to its only two Italian league championships back in 1987 and 1990.

Osimhen started it off midway through the first half when he leaped above the defense to redirect in a corner with a towering header.

After a couple of key saves from Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret — who is also quietly having a standout season — Kvaratskhelia doubled the advantage with a penalty.

But that was just the warmup.

The main act was Napoli’s third goal, a full team move with Kvaratskhelia providing a backheel flick to Mathias Olivera, who floated in a cross for Osimhen to head in at the far post.

Osimhen became the first player to score two headed braces in the same Serie A season since former Italy striker Alberto Gilardino accomplished the feat in 2009-10 with Fiorentina.

Osimhen has a league-best 21 goals in 27 matches, while Kvaratskhelia has 12 goals and 10 assists — the first player with such production in their first season in Europe’s big five leagues since Diego scored 13 and provided 13 assists for Werder Bremen 16 years ago.

Kvaratskhelia also set up Tanguy Ndombole’s first Serie A goal midway through the second half.

Osimhen also scored twice when Napoli beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 on Wednesday to secure a 5-0 aggregate victory and reach the Champions League quarterfinals.

Also Sunday, Fiorentina moved into the top half of the table by beating Lecce 1-0 with an own-goal from Antonino Gallo and Sampdoria defeated Hellas Verona 3-1 with a brace from Manolo Gabbiadini in a matchup of two teams in the drop zone.

Meanwhile, fans clashed with police outside the Stadio Olimpico before the Rome derby between Roma and Lazio.

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Sports

FIFA Launches $60 Ticket Tier amid Criticism of 2026 World Cup Pricing 

13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
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FIFA Launches $60 Ticket Tier amid Criticism of 2026 World Cup Pricing 

13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)

FIFA introduced on Tuesday a small number of $60 "Supporter Entry Tier" tickets, aiming to make next year's World Cup more affordable for fans of qualified teams.

Football's governing body said that the discounted tickets would cover all 104 matches of the tournament, including the final.

The cheaper tickets will make up 10% of Participating Member Associations' (PMAs) allocations.

The PMAs, which represent competing national teams and manage dedicated fan ticket programs, will handle the ticket allocation process.

They will also define their own criteria to prioritize tickets for "loyal fans" closely connected to their national teams.

"In total, half of each PMA's ticket allocation will fall within the most affordable categories: 40% under the Supporter Value Tier and 10% under the new Supporter Entry Tier," FIFA said in a statement.

"The remaining allocation will be split evenly between the Supporter Standard Tier and the Supporter Premier Tier," it added.

Fans who apply through PMA ticketing programs and whose teams fail to progress to the knockout stage will have administrative fees waived for refund requests.

The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny of ticket pricing ahead of the 2026 tournament, set to take place from June 11 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) accused FIFA of imposing "extortionate" ticket prices that could prevent average fans from attending the event.

'STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION'

FSE director Ronan Evain told Reuters on Tuesday that while the new pricing was a step in the right direction, it was "clearly not sufficient".

He noted that following a team to the final would cost $480 under category four, but jumps to $6,900 for category three, meaning one fan "sitting in the same section" as another could pay 15 times more.

Evain also said there was a lack of transparency around ticket distribution.

"FIFA doesn't provide any guidelines or obligations for the PMAs. They have the freedom to choose how they distribute the tickets," he said.

According to the BBC, this will mean about 400 of the cheaper tickets will be available for England and Scotland in their group games, yet Evain said that most PMAs don't disclose the number of tickets.

FIFA said in its statement on Tuesday that PMAs were requested to ensure that these cheaper tickets were "specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams".

Evain also raised concerns about accessibility for fans with disabilities. "The cheapest they can get all the way to the final is $7,000 and they also must pay full price for companion seats, meaning that following a team to the final could cost $14,000," he said.

Reuters has put Evain's points to FIFA for comment.

Despite the backlash, FIFA reported strong interest in the sale's third phase draw, which began on December 11 and will remain open until January 13, driven by the release of match schedules, venues and kick-off times.

Sports

Norris Steps up as a Fresh Champion for Formula One’s New Era 

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 7, 2025 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates after becoming the 2025 Formula One World Champion (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 7, 2025 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates after becoming the 2025 Formula One World Champion (Reuters)
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Norris Steps up as a Fresh Champion for Formula One’s New Era 

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 7, 2025 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates after becoming the 2025 Formula One World Champion (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 7, 2025 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates after becoming the 2025 Formula One World Champion (Reuters)

Lando Norris stepped up as a first-time world champion in 2025 to end Max Verstappen's four-year reign and lead Formula One into a new era.

Whether the McLaren driver can do it again remains a big question.

The title did not come easy to the 26-year-old as he made a dream come true in a rollercoaster season of highs and lows, the wins accompanied also by mistakes and misfortune in a three-way battle.

Even as the Briton celebrated beating Red Bull's Verstappen by two points, and Australian teammate Oscar Piastri by 13, Norris recognized it could be a one-off.

Formula One, set to expand to 11 teams with the arrival of Cadillac, is facing a major reset next year with a new generation of engines and the biggest technical upheaval in decades.

The usual suspects are likely to stay competitive, but nobody really knows who will be ahead in 2026.

MCLAREN'S FIRST TITLE DOUBLE SINCE 1998

"It could be my only opportunity in my life that I get to do such a thing," Norris said of putting the champion's number one on his car next season.

"I have a lot of faith in my team and we've achieved a lot in the last few years together. And I'm confident we will achieve a lot more together. But Formula One is unpredictable. You never know how much things can change. You never know what can happen."

McLaren have won two constructors' crowns on the trot and this year sealed the team and driver's title double for the first time since 1998.

While Norris and Piastri were the only ones to lead the standings, and the Briton was a deserving champion, Verstappen provided some of the standout moments with one of the great comebacks in the sport's 75-year history.

"Championships are important, but they do not tell the whole story. Sometimes the best driver does not win the title," observed Damon Hill, who dethroned Ferrari great Michael Schumacher to take the 1996 crown.

Verstappen was at times in a league of his own against a backdrop of upheaval at Red Bull, who fired team principal Christian Horner in July and said farewell to consultant Helmut Marko in December.

The Dutch driver went from 104 points behind Piastri at the end of August to 11 ahead at the final flag and said it was probably the best he had driven in Formula One -- quite a statement from someone who won a record 19 of 22 races in 2023.

VERSTAPPEN WON MORE, PIASTRI LED LONGER

Norris did not win the most races or lead the championship longest, with Verstappen taking eight wins -- including the last three of the campaign -- to the McLaren drivers' seven apiece.

Piastri topped the leaderboard from April to the end of October.

The Australian will be even more determined in 2026, after a massive learning year that at one point looked sure to crown him Australia's first champion in 45 years.

Mercedes, who power McLaren and whose factory team finished runners-up with two wins from George Russell, could also provide far stiffer opposition.

The last time the sport had a major engine change, in 2014, Mercedes went on a dominant run of eight successive constructors' titles.

Winless Ferrari, without a title since 2008, will be under pressure to deliver with seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton absent even from the podium in a disappointing first year at Maranello.

Next year also sees the first Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin, Verstappen racing a Red Bull powered by the energy drink company's own engine in partnership with Ford while Audi replaces Sauber.

Frenchman Isack Hadjar joins Verstappen at Red Bull after an excellent rookie season at Racing Bulls, with a first podium at the Dutch Grand Prix.

How the 21-year-old matches up, as Verstappen's fourth teammate since the end of 2024, will be another fascinating storyline when the season starts in Australia on March 8.

Sports

Maresca Says he is Happy at Chelsea After 3-1 Win at Cardiff

Football - Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - Cardiff City v Chelsea - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - December 16, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)
Football - Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - Cardiff City v Chelsea - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - December 16, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)
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Maresca Says he is Happy at Chelsea After 3-1 Win at Cardiff

Football - Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - Cardiff City v Chelsea - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - December 16, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)
Football - Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - Cardiff City v Chelsea - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - December 16, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he is happy at the club after they booked a spot in the League Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win at Cardiff City on Tuesday, just days after he had voiced his frustrations over behind-the-scenes issues at the club.

Maresca had said after Saturday's 2-0 Premier League home win over Everton, which ended a run of four games without a win, that he had been through "the worst 48 hours" of his time at the club and complained about a lack of support.

At the final whistle on Tuesday, however, Maresca was celebrating with the crowd as they chanted his name after a brace from Alejandro Garnacho and a goal from Pedro Neto put his side into the last four.

"I'm just happy, we're going to play another semi-final and I think it's what the fans deserve," he told reporters, according to Reuters.

"It was a great moment. In some moments when you don't win games, they have been not happy, but it's normal. But overall, the fans have always been there.

"These are the kind of games that I fall in love even more with the players because you cannot imagine how easy it is to slip, to slide, because they are tricky games," added Maresca, who declined to elaborate on his comments from the weekend.

"I didn't speak with anyone. I didn't speak, no it's OK," Maresca said. "I always said that I've been happy since day one. So it's not that tonight I'm not happy." Chelsea, who are fourth in Premier League and eight points behind leaders Arsenal, will next travel to Newcastle United on Saturday.