Slot Says Liverpool Monitoring Player Workloads amid Congested Schedulehttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5240405-slot-says-liverpool-monitoring-player-workloads-amid-congested-schedule
Slot Says Liverpool Monitoring Player Workloads amid Congested Schedule
Soccer Football - Premier League - Sunderland v Liverpool - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, Britain - February 11, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot reacts REUTERS/Scott Heppell
Slot Says Liverpool Monitoring Player Workloads amid Congested Schedule
Soccer Football - Premier League - Sunderland v Liverpool - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, Britain - February 11, 2026 Liverpool manager Arne Slot reacts REUTERS/Scott Heppell
Liverpool are closely monitoring player workloads to avoid further injuries during a congested run of fixtures, manager Arne Slot said ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Midfielder Wataru Endo suffered an injury in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Sunderland, adding to Liverpool’s growing list of absentees, with defenders Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong already sidelined.
"We have three clear priorities: FA Cup, Champions League qualification and Champions League," Slot told reporters at Anfield on Friday.
"We are also aware of the limited options, so the load management is important, the last thing we need is another injury, so that is always the tough thing for a manager, to make the best decision every time. It wouldn't be the first time a player gets injured if they have to play three (games) in seven (days).
"Most important thing is we train today, listen to the players, see how they feel and make the best decisions."
Slot confirmed Endo faces a long spell out with an ankle injury and said academy players could be involved against Brighton, said Reuters.
"I am always looking at the younger players, a few of them are closer and closer to first-team football," the Dutch manager said.
"Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni have had that and games like this could be an option, but it is about the right balance. We play a strong team and who to play is something to think about."
Liverpool are sixth in the Premier League with 42 points from 26 games, 13 behind leaders Arsenal. They have also secured a direct place in the Champions League playoffs with a top-eight finish.
The summit’s business and leadership platform brought together a group of prominent decision-makers and specialists. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia’s investment presence in international sporting events is no longer limited to traditional forms of commercial sponsorships or one-off acquisitions. It has evolved into intellectual and strategic leadership that is reshaping the foundations of the global sports economy.
From the heart of the British capital, London, specifically at the historic Stamford Bridge stadium, which hosts the annual Leaders Week London summit, the high-level Saudi session reflected the depth of the structural transformation being led by the Kingdom and its effective shift from hosting seasonal events to creating a sustainable investment and development environment capable of shaping the future of the sector globally.
The special session, sponsored by the Public Investment Fund, highlighted how a “sporting superpower” can be built through a unique strategic integration of smart sovereign financing, major infrastructure development, and unprecedented operational excellence. This has made the Saudi experience a new economic benchmark aligned with the ambitions and targets of Saudi Vision 2030.
The summit’s business and leadership platform brought together a group of decision-makers and specialists leading this strategic transformation on the ground. Participants included Alanoud Althonayan, Head of Sponsorships and Events at the Public Investment Fund, and Feras Sheraiff, Head of Sports Investments for the Middle East and North Africa at the fund, who discussed the Kingdom’s financing dimensions and long-term economic vision.
On structural development and operational excellence at facilities, the session featured an extensive discussion with Xavier Campbell, CEO of radia, and Marc Archer, Executive Director of Sports Strategy and Partnerships at Qiddiya, highlighting how ambitious engineering and investment plans can be transformed into active assets that maximize returns and create sustainable opportunities.
Historically, most major investments in sports have focused on acquiring broadcasting rights or sponsoring the jerseys of major clubs to achieve rapid and temporary brand exposure. The current Saudi strategy, however, prioritizes investment in physical infrastructure to establish solid foundations for the sector. This transformation involves injecting unprecedented capital into the construction of modern stadiums, advanced training centers, and surrounding entertainment districts, based on an economic vision that considers ownership of advanced physical assets the only guarantee of attracting sporting elites, rights holders, and global sponsorship groups over the long term.
Qiddiya stands out as a key pillar and a living example of this structural vision. The construction of high-quality facilities such as the world-class racing circuit and the National Tennis Center, built to advanced engineering specifications, is not aimed merely at hosting a passing tour or tournament. Rather, it seeks to create a permanent infrastructure environment capable of hosting training camps and continental tournaments throughout the year, thereby increasing the investment efficiency of the real estate and sporting asset and transforming it into a productive and sustainable sector that generates tangible returns.
Countries that host major sporting events have historically faced a challenge known as “abandoned stadiums,” referring to large facilities that lose their function and vitality after competitions end and become a financial and administrative burden on governments. The Saudi model, however, has anticipated this challenge by focusing on operational excellence years before hosting major competitions.
This system was strengthened through the launch of radia, a company affiliated with SURJ Investment, which is owned by the fund, in partnership with global leaders in operations and entertainment such as Live Nation and Oak View Group, to ensure the continuity and vitality of events on a permanent basis.
The core philosophy of radia is to transform stadiums and sports arenas from facilities that operate only on seasonal match days into vibrant entertainment, cultural, and commercial destinations operating year-round without interruption.
This smart integration of sports and entertainment ensures sustainable financial flows that protect assets from declines in market value. At the same time, it contributes to creating thousands of permanent jobs for young Saudi talent in management, marketing, and hospitality, strengthening the local impact of sovereign investments.
Alanoud Althonayan, Head of Sponsorships & Events at the Public Investment Fund, speaks during the session (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Redefining Return Standards and Engineering Legacy Toward 4302
The Public Investment Fund’s investment vision has moved beyond traditional concepts of direct financial returns limited to ticket sales. The new Saudi benchmark is centered on making sports a major contributor to non-oil GDP, stimulating the sports tourism sector, and increasing the attractiveness of the domestic market to foreign investors.
This financial return is linked to a sustainable social impact, as investments contribute to increasing community participation in sports locally and developing an ideal environment for practicing them, which in turn improves the public health of citizens and creates a vibrant and active society.
The 2034 FIFA World Cup represents the most prominent milestone in these ambitions. However, the event is not viewed as a final objective whose implementation ends with the closing match. Instead, it is treated as a comprehensive development accelerator serving future generations.
All current investments discussed at the London summit, from stadiums to entertainment districts, are being designed to align with a clear and strict post-tournament plan, so that sports infrastructure will be immediately ready to support the growth of domestic leagues, make the Kingdom the Middle East’s leading regional hub for sports business, and create an integrated ecosystem capable of growing on its own.
Tsitsipas Advances to Shanghai Masters 2nd Round, Hurkacz Lines Up Djokovichttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5327310-tsitsipas-advances-shanghai-masters-2nd-round-hurkacz-lines-djokovic
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas hits a return to Belgium's Kimmer Coppejans during their men's singles match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 8, 2026. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
Tsitsipas Advances to Shanghai Masters 2nd Round, Hurkacz Lines Up Djokovic
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas hits a return to Belgium's Kimmer Coppejans during their men's singles match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 8, 2026. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
Two-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas beat qualifier Kimmer Coppejans 6-3, 7-5 in the Shanghai Masters first round on Thursday, continuing his slow climb back up the ATP rankings.
Tsitsipas reached a career-high No. 3 ranking in 2021. He lost in qualifying at last week’s Japan Open. At his previous tournament, the US Open, he lost in the fourth round to eventual finalist Ben Shelton.
After slipping to No. 87 mid-year, Tsitsipas has worked his way up to 43. He next faces 18th-seeded Luciano Darderi.
Big-serving Polish player Hubert Hurkacz had 19 aces in a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win against James Duckworth and next plays No. 10 seed Djokovic, who won the China Open on Tuesday for a 102nd career title, The Associatec Press reported.
Bernard Tomic, a former world No. 16 whose ranking dropped to as low as 825 four years ago, qualified for an ATP 1000 main draw for the first time in seven years. He lost his first-round match to Matteo Arnaldi 6-3, 6-1.
The top seeds including Djokovic, US Open champion Alexander Zverev and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz received first-round byes and were not scheduled to play until the weekend or later.
No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from Shanghai this week when he announced he was taking the rest of 2026 off due to a right knee injury.
FIA to 'Strengthen' Software Testing after F1 Cars Stopped on Track in Malaysiahttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5327302-fia-strengthen-software-testing-after-f1-cars-stopped-track-malaysia
Air pollution is seen across the skyline as people prepare the street circuit before the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix night race in Singapore on October 8, 2026. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
FIA to 'Strengthen' Software Testing after F1 Cars Stopped on Track in Malaysia
Air pollution is seen across the skyline as people prepare the street circuit before the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix night race in Singapore on October 8, 2026. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
The FIA has defended its handling of the Formula 1 car software bug which delayed the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia last weekend and pledged it will “strengthen” how the code is tested in future.
Several drivers, including seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, were left stuck on track when their cars lost power and had to be restarted on formation laps before Sunday's race.
The on-board software failed to cope with drivers taking a more cautious approach ahead of the first wet race for the 2026 cars, which have a near 50-50 split between engine and electrical power.
The FIA, the governing body for F1, on Thursday said its investigation found that cars “experienced a loss of power beyond the original intent and that could not be recovered.”
After the cars were stuck on track, the start was suspended as the FIA rushed out a software update. The race eventually started almost an hour later, with no obvious software-related incidents, though the track had dried much more by then.
The FIA says that update will be used again if it rains at this week's Singapore Grand Prix — the forecast says that's likely — with more changes at the following race on Oct. 25.
“As a result, the configuration established for the Sepang event will be reinstated for the Singapore Grand Prix should similar weather conditions be expected,” The Associated Press quoted the FIA as saying.
“Additionally, a further update to the wet weather software will be released for the United States Grand Prix.”
The FIA added that it, the teams and engine manufacturers “will continue to strengthen power unit software testing and verification capabilities, enhancing the overall validation process through independent assessment and collaborative feedback.”
Drivers were scathing of the software bugs last week in Malaysia. Hamilton likened driving the sluggish cars to gimmicky pre-race exhibitions the drivers have done previously and four-time champion Max Verstappen called for a “lesson learned.”
The FIA said it had conducted testing on the software which failed last week, but that took place in two practice sessions which were largely dry ahead of races in Belgium and the Netherlands.
لم تشترك بعد
انشئ حساباً خاصاً بك لتحصل على أخبار مخصصة لك ولتتمتع بخاصية حفظ المقالات وتتلقى نشراتنا البريدية المتنوعة
