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Atalanta Boss Gasperini Blasts Lookman After Penalty Miss in Brugge Loss 

Football - Champions League - Knockout Phase Playoff - Second Leg - Atalanta v Club Brugge - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - February 18, 2025 Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Knockout Phase Playoff - Second Leg - Atalanta v Club Brugge - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - February 18, 2025 Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini before the match. (Reuters)
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Atalanta Boss Gasperini Blasts Lookman After Penalty Miss in Brugge Loss 

Football - Champions League - Knockout Phase Playoff - Second Leg - Atalanta v Club Brugge - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - February 18, 2025 Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Knockout Phase Playoff - Second Leg - Atalanta v Club Brugge - Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy - February 18, 2025 Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini before the match. (Reuters)

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his striker Ademola Lookman is "one of the worst penalty takers he has ever seen" after his miss from the spot hindered a comeback in their home 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Lookman pulled back one goal early in the second half after Brugge took a 3-0 halftime lead, but then had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, as the Serie A side were knocked out with a 5-2 aggregate defeat.

Gasperini singled out the Nigeria international for criticism, adding offensive midfielder Charles De Ketelaere or striker Mateo Retegui should have taken the penalty instead.

"Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen," the Italian manager told a post-match press conference.

"He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all."

Gasperini also criticized Atalanta captain Rafael Toloi, who was shown a straight red card for a shove on Maxim De Cuyper after an argument over a throw-in.

"That was an ugly incident and we must never lose our heads," he said.

"Atalanta must leave the Champions League with dignity, having played great games against the likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal and Barcelona."

Atalanta, third in Serie A, became the second Italian side to exit the Champions League, following AC Milan, who drew 1-1 with Feyenoord, losing 2-1 on aggregate.

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Sports

Italy's Tennis Chief Wants to Break Grand Slam 'Monopoly' with New Major

(FILES) Italy's Jasmine Paolini (L) and Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, celebrate after victory in her women's singles final match against US's Coco Gauff during the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)
(FILES) Italy's Jasmine Paolini (L) and Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, celebrate after victory in her women's singles final match against US's Coco Gauff during the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)
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Italy's Tennis Chief Wants to Break Grand Slam 'Monopoly' with New Major

(FILES) Italy's Jasmine Paolini (L) and Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, celebrate after victory in her women's singles final match against US's Coco Gauff during the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)
(FILES) Italy's Jasmine Paolini (L) and Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, celebrate after victory in her women's singles final match against US's Coco Gauff during the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)

Angelo Binaghi has dragged Italian tennis from the doldrums to a golden age since taking charge of the country's federation (FITP) a quarter of a century ago, with Jannik Sinner just the very best of some of the world's top players.

But the organizer of the Italian Open, which runs in Rome until May 17, has an even bigger goal -- breaking what he calls the Grand Slam monopoly and hosting a fifth major tournament in his home nation.

"The monopoly is scandalous and is a big handicap for tennis," Binaghi said in an interview with AFP and the Associated Press.

"It's a scandal that there is no meritocratic system, instead the system protects those who don't do as much as they could for tennis.

"There are four countries in the world that have a mountain of money to invest in tennis that other nations don't have. I'm trying to break that monopoly."

Binaghi insists that Italy is the place to host a fifth Slam given the explosion in popularity of the sport in recent years, pushed by the likes of Sinner and Jasmine Paolini, reigning women's champion here in Rome.

The 65-year-old said he was willing to organize the eventual tournament "anywhere in Italy and on any surface", but he was vague on the practicalities of creating a new Slam.

"Tennis is experiencing the sort of boom that will be difficult to replicate in the future, right at the time when our national football team is going through a disastrous period," he said.

"That makes our successes all the more important for our country."

- Fifth Slam? -

Binaghi suggested that his proposed tournament wouldn't be held at the Foro Italico where the Italian Open has blossomed into one of the tennis calendar's most prestigious events.

The center court in the Italian capital is set to have a retractable roof and an increased capacity of 12,500 by 2028.

But Binaghi said that the area around the grounds, which also houses the Stadio Olimpico where football clubs Roma and Lazio play their home matches, presents challenges for a Grand Slam.

"The existing site poses a number of problems: there is no metro stop, barely any buses, and it's difficult to find taxis," said Binaghi

"It's the most beautiful place to play tennis in the world, but it generates a mountain of extra costs. Every single structure apart from the center court, has to be put up and then dismantled, and that weighs on the budget.

"When I took over the FITP, the Italian Open was dead (...) tennis was the tenth or twelfth sport in Italy, we had no money, we had no players, we had nothing.

"It has been a hundred times more difficult to make the Italian Open what it is today than it would be to complete the final step needed to get a Grand Slam. As long as I am in charge, I will try to achieve it... And if we don't succeed, tennis will miss a unique opportunity that no-one else will have for the next 100 years."

Sports

IOC: No Summer Sports at the 2030 Winter Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry speaks during the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, 06 May 2026. EPA/ANDREAS BECKER
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry speaks during the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, 06 May 2026. EPA/ANDREAS BECKER
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IOC: No Summer Sports at the 2030 Winter Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry speaks during the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, 06 May 2026. EPA/ANDREAS BECKER
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry speaks during the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, 06 May 2026. EPA/ANDREAS BECKER

There will be no summer sports at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday, with any potential crossover to come after that date.

The IOC has been reviewing all aspects of the Games in the past year, including potentially introducing traditional summer sports in the winter edition, to ⁠boost popularity and ⁠participation in the Winter Olympics.

It would also increase medal chances for countries that may not have strong winter sports traditions. Among potential additions mentioned were cycling and running ⁠with cross-country or snow events.

"For 2030 we have taken the decision, no crossover sports, no summer sports," IOC President Kirsty Coventry told a press conference.

She said any change would affect the Games from 2034 onwards. Salt Lake City will host the 2034 Winter Games.

"The Olympic program commission... will look at ⁠all ⁠avenues, and that would potentially lend itself to 2034," Reuters quoted her as saying.

Winter sports federations have opposed such plans, saying bringing in summer sports would dilute the brand of the Winter Olympics.

Introducing popular sports such as athletics or cycling in the Winter Olympics would also mean existing winter sports federations would have to share revenues with them.

Sports

De la Fuente: Spain's Carvajal in Race to Make World Cup Squad

FILE - Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal plays the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid in Pamplona, Spain, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses, File)
FILE - Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal plays the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid in Pamplona, Spain, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses, File)
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De la Fuente: Spain's Carvajal in Race to Make World Cup Squad

FILE - Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal plays the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid in Pamplona, Spain, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses, File)
FILE - Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal plays the ball during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid in Pamplona, Spain, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses, File)

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has not ruled Dani Carvajal out of his World Cup squad but said the right back must prove his fitness and form after the Real Madrid captain suffered a right foot injury in training last week.

"Carvajal is a very important figure in our dressing room," De la Fuente told reporters on ⁠Wednesday.

"I actually spoke ⁠with him yesterday, so I’m aware of what’s going on. He doesn’t have a specific injury, nothing serious, but he needs time to get back to his usual level.

"We’ll ⁠see in the remaining matches whether he truly gets the opportunity and delivers the performances."

According to Reuters, De la Fuente added that Carvajal, who made just one appearance for Spain in 2025, would understand if he was left out of the squad for the World Cup, which is being held in the United ⁠States, ⁠Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Carvajal, 34, is approaching the final weeks of his contract with Real and has struggled for game-time this season amid competition from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Spain begin their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15 and also face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H.