عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Klopp Unfazed by Liverpool Sale Talk

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp applauds fans after the match (Reuters)
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp applauds fans after the match (Reuters)
TT
TT

Klopp Unfazed by Liverpool Sale Talk

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp applauds fans after the match (Reuters)
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp applauds fans after the match (Reuters)

Jurgen Klopp insists he won't fret about talk of Liverpool's owners selling the Premier League club until things are "not positive".

Fenway Sports Group, the Boston-based consortium that owns Liverpool, recently admitted they are looking at potential new investment, sparking reports that they are ready to sell up, AFP said.

The Boston Globe, the newspaper belonging to Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry, reported FSG president Mike Gordon -- the main link between the America-based group and Anfield -- was transferring some of his job responsibilities to Reds chief executive Billy Hogan.

Klopp had already responded to the takeover rumors by stressing his commitment to fulfilling a contract that runs until 2026.

The German has always had a good relationship with the owners but, while he admits a boost to the club's finances would be welcome, he sees no reason to concern himself by what happens next at boardroom level.

"In the structure we had, we were obviously able to spend money, but we always had to look and say 'What did we earn?" Klopp told reporters on Friday.

"The two biggest transfers we did in the past with Ali (Alisson Becker) and Virg (Virgil van Dijk), we all know how it happened, we got some money from Barcelona (£142million for Philippe Coutinho) and spent it wisely, I would say.

"For me, how we did it so far brought us to where we are. But fresh money is no mistake, let me say it like this!

"Nothing gets cheaper, and not only because of the inflation rate. Sometimes you have to spend.

"I have no idea what will happen, but I am positive about it. If in the end it is not positive, then I can start worrying, but I just think everything will be fine."

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

De Zerbi Hails ‘Complete’ Spurs After Historic Win at Chelsea

Premier League - Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 24, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Conor Gallagher celebrates after the match with James Maddison. (Reuters)
Premier League - Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 24, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Conor Gallagher celebrates after the match with James Maddison. (Reuters)
TT
TT

De Zerbi Hails ‘Complete’ Spurs After Historic Win at Chelsea

Premier League - Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 24, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Conor Gallagher celebrates after the match with James Maddison. (Reuters)
Premier League - Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 24, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Conor Gallagher celebrates after the match with James Maddison. (Reuters)

Roberto De Zerbi said Tottenham's historic 2-0 victory against London rivals Chelsea proved his side have a winning mentality as they banished their dismal start to the season.

Tottenham won at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League for just the second time in 36 years and the first since 2018.

Trips across the capital to west London have largely been fruitless experiences for Tottenham over the last four decades.

But De Zerbi's men enjoyed a memorable visit to the Bridge on Saturday thanks to a comical own goal from Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders and a late wonder-goal from Mathys Tel after Blues star Cole Palmer was sent off.

"It was a big moment for the fans, the club and the players also. They deserved this win, they prepared very well," De Zerbi said.

"We are improving a lot, we are improving in the mentality, in the group and the relationships with the players and then we are improving on the pitch."

Tottenham started the season on a dismal run of six league games without a win, raising the specter of another relegation battle after they narrowly avoided dropping into the Championship on the final day of last season.

With the pressure mounting on De Zerbi, the Italian has drawn his players closer together thanks to meals together and a trip to Marbella.

- 'The spirit, the belief' -

A win against promoted Coventry on Monday lifted the tension around the north London club and vanquishing Chelsea was another reward for De Zerbi's team-building ethos.

"Now it is a complete team. When we stay for dinner and stay together in the dressing room, I see a different group, a different relationship and different atmosphere among the players," he said.

"The character was today great, but we have many, many new players. The players who stayed here last season, two or three seasons ago, they suffered the last results, two times 17th position, we are working to change the last part of the history of the club."

Tottenham were beginning to lose the faith of their long-suffering fans after another miserable start to the season.

But De Zerbi was adamant he never doubted they would get back on track.

"I have to believe for sure in this group. I never lost the confidence in my players," he said.

"The week in Marbella, to speak better face to face, to open ourselves and remove the mask it is important.

"It is important for the spirit, the belief. The atmosphere inside the dressing room is maybe more important than the tactics."

For Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, it was a painful setback as the optimism engendered by successive victories over Bournemouth and Everton was washed away on a rain-lashed evening.

Alonso's expensively assembled team sit in fourth place but remain very much a work in progress after the third league loss of his first season in charge.

"We are all disappointed with the result, with the performance collectively and individually we were not at our best level," he said.

"It was about the first goal and it went their way and with 10 men it was difficult but we can do better."

Alonso refused to blame Penders and Palmer for their roles in the defeat.

"We feel for everyone, it is a team thing, a collective. We have to move on," he said before adding he "hadn't seen" Palmer's two bookings.

Sports

Verstappen’s Advice to Antonelli: Enjoy the Ride and Celebrate

Pole winner Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, center, of Italy, poses with second place qualifier Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, left, of the Netherlands, and third place qualifier Red Bull driver Yuki Isack Hadjar, of France, following qualifying for the Formula One United States Grand Prix auto race in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP)
Pole winner Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, center, of Italy, poses with second place qualifier Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, left, of the Netherlands, and third place qualifier Red Bull driver Yuki Isack Hadjar, of France, following qualifying for the Formula One United States Grand Prix auto race in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Verstappen’s Advice to Antonelli: Enjoy the Ride and Celebrate

Pole winner Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, center, of Italy, poses with second place qualifier Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, left, of the Netherlands, and third place qualifier Red Bull driver Yuki Isack Hadjar, of France, following qualifying for the Formula One United States Grand Prix auto race in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP)
Pole winner Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, center, of Italy, poses with second place qualifier Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, left, of the Netherlands, and third place qualifier Red Bull driver Yuki Isack Hadjar, of France, following qualifying for the Formula One United States Grand Prix auto race in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP)

Max Verstappen advised Kimi Antonelli to enjoy the ride and get ready to celebrate as the Italian stands on the brink of becoming Formula One's youngest ever champion.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver qualified on pole position for Sunday's US Grand Prix and could clinch the title with five rounds to spare at Austin's Circuit of the Americas if he wins and other results go his way.

Red Bull's Verstappen, a four-time champion, will be alongside on the ‌front row ‌and fighting for his third successive victory after Malaysia and ‌Singapore.

The ⁠Dutch driver will ⁠not be making it easy for Antonelli, but he also recognized that the main battle was over.

"He knows what he's doing, so he just needs to try and win the race. If it (the title) doesn't happen here, it will happen next weekend. If it doesn't happen next weekend, it will happen the weekend after," he said, sitting alongside Antonelli in a post-qualifying press conference.

"I think it's just been an ⁠incredible season, so you have to also just try and ‌enjoy this kind of ride of the last ‌few months that you've been in.

"At one point, of course, it's official, and then ‌you can celebrate probably a little bit."

Verstappen said Antonelli, who is 102 points ‌clear of teammate and closest rival George Russell, deserved all the success he was having.

"He's very consistent, he's putting the performances in when it matters, and once it's finally official that he is world champion, he's definitely a deserving winner," he said.

Antonelli said the weekend ‌did feel different, with his first "match point" in the championship, but the goal remained the same.

"We still have to ⁠do the race ⁠tomorrow, still have to try and win, and then, of course, we'll see what happens. But yeah, I feel like I can enjoy it a bit more because obviously I'm in a very good position," he said.

The Italian added that his biggest immediate achievement, on a gusty day with a tailwind blowing, had been to keep his car within the track limits.

The Italian has regularly fallen foul of stewards and irritated team boss Toto Wolff with his breaches of the limits this season.

"One of the keys was not doing any track limits. That was very good for me because I've had a couple of races where I've done track limits in crucial moments, and that kind of put myself in a bad position and under more pressure. So that hasn't been ideal," he told Sky Sports television.

Sports

Australian Grand Prix Called off as Rain Spoils Phillip Island Send-off

MotoGP bikes are seen lined up after a farewell lap following the cancellation of the last Australian MotoGP Grand Prix to be held at Phillip Island on October 25, 2026, due to inclement weather conditions. (AFP)
MotoGP bikes are seen lined up after a farewell lap following the cancellation of the last Australian MotoGP Grand Prix to be held at Phillip Island on October 25, 2026, due to inclement weather conditions. (AFP)
TT
TT

Australian Grand Prix Called off as Rain Spoils Phillip Island Send-off

MotoGP bikes are seen lined up after a farewell lap following the cancellation of the last Australian MotoGP Grand Prix to be held at Phillip Island on October 25, 2026, due to inclement weather conditions. (AFP)
MotoGP bikes are seen lined up after a farewell lap following the cancellation of the last Australian MotoGP Grand Prix to be held at Phillip Island on October 25, 2026, due to inclement weather conditions. (AFP)

The final Australian MotoGP at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was called off on Sunday due to heavy rain, ruining the farewell for one of the championship's most beloved circuits.

It was a crushing blow for the sold-out crowd at Phillip Island, with the Australian Grand Prix moving to the streets of Adelaide next year.

The Moto2 and Moto3 races were cancelled first and the MotoGP race was delayed by two hours due to the weather, before organizers threw in the towel and finally called it off at 3:40 p.m. (0440 GMT).

"Due to limited visibility affecting the operation of the medical helicopter the MotoGP Grand Prix race has been cancelled," MotoGP said in a statement.

"The MotoGP riders will do a lap behind the safety car and stop on ‌the main straight ‌to greet the fans. Pitlane will open for the farewell lap at 15:45 ‌local ⁠time."

RIDER PARADE

The dark ⁠clouds and pelting rain brought down the visibility around the circuit, affecting the medical helicopter, which would take 45 minutes to reach the circuit from mainland Melbourne in an emergency.

Other than two years lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seaside track south of Melbourne had been a fixture on the world championship calendar for 30 years and produced some of Australian motorcycling's most memorable moments.

Australian two-times world champion Casey Stoner celebrated six wins in succession from 2007 to 2012, while compatriot Mick Doohan sealed his fifth and final world title with victory in the 1998 ⁠race.

The raincoat-clad fans who persevered through the rain were treated to a farewell ‌lap from the MotoGP riders, who waved as they slowly made ‌their way around a soaking wet track.

Home racer Jack Miller did his best to entertain his supporters with a series ‌of tricks, including a stand-up wheelie over the finish line, before heading over to the grandstand and ‌throwing his gloves and boots into the crowd.

MILLER DEJECTED, SIGH OF RELIEF FOR MARTIN

The Pramac Racing rider, a very strong performer in the wet, cut a dejected figure when he was interviewed after completing his lap.

"This is a tough pill to swallow," said the 31-year-old, who will be leaving MotoGP at the end of the season after more than a ‌decade to join Pata Maxus Yamaha in the World Superbike Championship.

"You know, I was praying for rain all weekend. We got the rain, but obviously we ⁠weren't organized enough to ⁠get the racing going, so it's a tough one.

"You guys deserve better. Honestly, all of you have done a fantastic job turning out for Phillip Island, sitting through traffic, sitting through dog-shit weather, all the rest of it. You guys are amazing. Thank you very much."

Rain had been expected for the weekend, but MotoGP did not revive its 2023 strategy for the circuit, when the Grand Prix was moved ahead to Saturday and the sprint scheduled for Sunday.

That sprint race three years ago was eventually called off.

The cancellation of the race also ended the opportunity for seven-times MotoGP champion Marquez to extend his lead in the championship standings, with his title rival Martin declared unfit to compete in the race after fracturing his wrist.

Martin held the championship lead heading into the weekend but finds himself 10 points behind Marquez after failing to finish Saturday's sprint after a gruesome crash.

On Sunday, Martin's team Aprilia said he would not travel back to Spain to undergo treatment, however, boosting the 2024 champion's hopes of racing at next week's Malaysian Grand Prix and remaining in the title fight.