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      What clubs have agreed to be in the European Super League?

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      FANS are up in arms as the European Super League could be on the cards again – but not everyone is against it.The breakaway competition was knocked back in 2021 following a mass outrage.
      Fans are fuming at the Euopean Super LeagueCredit: AP
      Fans think it is the end of footballCredit: AFP
      However, the European Court of Justice determined that FIFA and UEFA acted against competition law when they blocked the formation of the Super League two years ago.
      And now the tournament could be revived but with a whole new format which a couple of footballing giants are firmly behind.
      What clubs have agreed to be in European Super League?
      Spanish titans Real Madrid and Barcelona have committed themselves to the European Super League.
      And they are the driving force behind A22 – the group behind the controversial league.
      Read more on Super League
      Madrid President Florentino Perez rubber-stamped his clubs backing of the competition.
      He said his club ‘welcomes with great satisfaction the decision’ of the European Court of Justice.
      What teams are against it?
      Manchester United have released a statement confirming that they will only be joining UEFA competitions.
      The statement reads: “Our position has NOT changed.
      Most read in Football
      “We remain fully committed to participation in UEFA competitions, and to positive cooperation with UEFA, the Premier League, and fellow clubs through the ECA on the continued development of the European game”.
      Since then, several other clubs have said that they are against the European Super League:

       Bayern Munich
       Borussia Dortmund
       PSG
       Atletico Madrid
       Sevilla
       Real Sociedad
       Monaco
       Roma
       Inter
       Feyenoord

      What is the European Super League?
      The European Super League will consist of four clubs being split into three divisions.
      There is set to be a top tier “Star” division that will have 16 clubs in two leagues of eight.
      And the second tier “Gold” division, will have the same while the third tier “Blue” will see 16 teams in four groups of eight.
      That means 14 games – seven home, seven away – in each of the group phases.

      The top four clubs in each of the leagues in the top two tiers will go through to two-legged quarter-finals, followed by two-legged semis and a one-off final in a neutral venue.
      It means the overall winners will play 19 games, six more than in the current Champion League and two more than the maximum number required under the revamped “Swiss model” system coming in next year.
      However, in the Blue tier, the top two in each league will go to the last eight.
      The bottom clubs in the Star leagues will be relegated and replaced by the two Gold finalists. Likewise, the two bottom sides in Gold are replaced by the Blue finalists.
      Up to 20 of the 32 Blue teams will be replaced by teams earning spots through domestic performances.
      Read more on The Sun
      The number of places for each nation and quotas for the tiers have yet to be determined. More

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      What is A22 Sports Management?

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      A22 SPORTS MANAGEMENT has risen to the fore after plans to resurrect the European Super League are back on.The sports marketing company’s mission is to “sponsor and assist” in the “creation of the European Super League”.
      A22 has been created to push through a new European Super League after the first plan attracted widespread protests from football fansCredit: Getty
      But what is A22 and how has it become such a prominent player in the future of football?
      We have you covered here.
      What is A22 Sports Management?
      The Madrid-based company was specifically created in September 2022 with the aim of pushing through legislation for the ESL in the aftermath of the failed attempt in 2021.
      The firm was created in tandem by Euro powerhouses Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus who were the loudest proponents of the breakaway league.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL

      Juventus have since officially left the project after they were threatened with expulsion from the Champions League, although are still believed to be supportive of it.
      After he was appointed, CEO Bernd Reichart claimed the European Super league would be “relaunched within three years”.
      The firm took meetings with various bodies and released a manifesto in February 2023, with changed plans.
      While reception to the idea has been muted, especially in England and Germany, a major court ruling has once again opened the door to a new-look ESL.
      Most read in Football
      The European Court of Justice has overturned the previous ruling – which blocked the formation of the ESL – and stated that Fifa and Uefa acted against competition law.
      Reichart, a former senior executive for German broadcaster RTL, described the ruling as an “historic day for football” that ends “Uefa’s monopoly over European club football”.
      However, despite the news, A22 appears to face a long fight to push through their changes, with numerous clubs quickly moving to reject the proposals.
      How will A22 Sports Management’s New European Super League look?
      The latest European Super league plans will see a THREE-tier competition, complete with promotion and relegation, with 64 teams in total.
      The first two tiers – dubbed the Star League and the Gold League – are made up of 16 teams each.

      The remaining 32 teams will compete in the Blue League.
      A22’s plans state that participation will be based SOLELY on sporting merit, with no permanent members.
      Promotion and relegation will be decided annually, while promotion into the Blue League is based upon domestic league performance.
      There will be groups of eight teams, playing home and away, making a minimum of 14 games per season.
      After the group stage there is then a knockout stage to determine champions, promotion and relegation.
      The plans state that there will be no additional calendar days to those that already exist, while midweek fixtures will not clash with current domestic calendars.
      What have clubs said about the new European Super League?
      While it is clear that Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are supportive of the plans, there was concern from other fans about the stance of their clubs.
      However, many have moved to assure fans that they do NOT approve of A22’s second draft for the European Super League.
      At the time of writing, the following clubs have already released formal statements to say they do not support the new plans:

      Manchester United
      Bayern Munich
      Borussia Dortmund
      Paris Saint-Germain
      Atletico Madrid
      Sevilla
      Real Sociedad
      Monaco
      Roma
      Inter
      Feyenoord

      Other clubs may, or may not, release their own statements in due course.
      The Premier League also released a statement: “Today’s ruling does not endorse the Super League — and the Premier League continues to REJECT any such concept.
      “Supporters are of vital importance to the game and they have time and again made clear their opposition to a ‘breakaway’ competition that severs the link between domestic and European football.
      Read more on The Sun
      “The Premier League reiterates its commitment to the clear principles of open competition that underpin the success of domestic and international club competitions.
      “Football thrives on the competitiveness created by promotion and relegation, the annual merit-based qualification from domestic leagues and cups to international club competitions and the longstanding rivalries and rituals that come with weekends being reserved for domestic football.” More

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      How to watch European Super League and can it be watched for free?

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      FOOTBALL could be changing in front of our very eyes as the European Super League has resurfaced and it has taken a huge step in going ahead.On Thursday, December 21, 2023, the European Court of Justice stated that FIFA and UEFA acted against competition law when they blocked the plans from happening in 2021.
      The European Super League have revealed how fans can tune inCredit: Reuters
      As a result, orchestrators of the European Super League now have the green light for it to potentially take place.
      And CEO of the breakaway league Bernd Reichart has even gone a step further and revealed how fans can watch it.
      Will the European Super League be free to watch?
      Reichart has confirmed that fans will be able to watch the European Super League for FREE.
      It has also been announced that the breakaway league will create a streaming platform called UNIFY where a paid option will allow users to remove ads.
      Read more on Super League
      The CEO said: “We have won the right to compete. UEFA’s monopoly has ended. Football is free.
      “Clubs will no longer suffer threats and sanctions. For the fans: we are going to broadcast all Super League matches for free.”
      What is the European Super League?
      The European Super League will consist of four clubs being split into three divisions.
      There is set to be a top tier “Star” division that will have 16 clubs in two leagues of eight.
      Most read in Football
      And the second tier “Gold” division, will have the same while the third tier “Blue” will see 16 teams in four groups of eight.
      That means 14 games – seven home, seven away – in each of the group phases.
      The top four clubs in each of the leagues in the top two tiers will go through to two-legged quarter-finals, followed by two-legged semis and a one-off final in a neutral venue.
      It means the overall winners will play 19 games, six more than in the current Champion League and two more than the maximum number required under the revamped “Swiss model” system coming in next year.
      However, in the Blue tier, the top two in each league will go to the last eight.
      The bottom clubs in the Star leagues will be relegated and replaced by the two Gold finalists. Likewise, the two bottom sides in Gold are replaced by the Blue finalists.
      Up to 20 of the 32 Blue teams will be replaced by teams earning spots through domestic performances.
      The number of places for each nation and quotas for the tiers have yet to be determined. More

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      in Boxing

      Naoya Inoue net worth, career earnings and boxing record explained

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      NAOYA INOUE is the Japanese undefeated super bantamweight boxer. He’s earned the nickname ‘The Monster’ — here’s do we know about the champion and his career earnings so far.
      Naoya Inoue’s win over Stephen Fulton made him the second-ever Japanese fighter to win major titles in four weight divisions.
      Who is Naoya Inoue? 
      Naoya Inoue is a Japanese super bantamweight professional boxer, nicknamed “The Monster”.
      Inoue was born on April 10, 1993, in Zama, Japan, not far from Tokyo.H
      He inherited a love of boxing from his father, a former boxer who now coaches his son.
      A four-division world champion, he holds, at the time of writing, the title of super-bantamweight world champion, and is the former bantamweight world champion. 
      Read more on boxing
      Inoue often tops lists of the world’s best active boxers, pound for pound, by The Ring, ESPN, BoxRec, and The Independent. 
      As of December 2023, 2nd on The Ring’s Pound for Pound rankings, after Terence Crawford. 
      The 5’5” fighter is well known for his speed, power, and footwork.
      What is Naoya Inoue’s net worth? 
      “The Monster” has an estimated net worth of $7 million, thanks to his unbeaten fighting record. 
      Most read in Boxing
      He also has signed some lucrative sponsorship details, for example with Six Pad, who also sponsors Christiano Ronaldo, and Winning Japan, a boxing gloves company. 
      Inoue has also been featured in adverts on Japanese television. 
      As for fight winnings, the undefeated champion earned a total of $1 million in 2018, from his two fights with Jamie McDonnell and Juan Carlos Payano. 
      For a 2021 fight with Aran Dipaen, Inoue earned a guaranteed purse of $500,000, which included a $200,000 win bonus, with sponsorship payments on top of that. 
      In July 2023, Inoue fought American boxer Stephen Fulton, in a hyped-up match in Tokyo— thanks to his win, Inoue took home $5 million of the $8 million purse. 
      What is Naoya Inoue’s boxing record?
      The Japanese champion’s record is 25–0–0, with a KO rate of 88%. 
      Of his 25 bouts, he has only fought four outside of Japan — three in the US, and one in Scotland. 
      After winning the July 2023 fight against Fulton, Inoue became the second-ever Japanese fighter to win major titles in four weight divisions. 
      On December 26, 2023, Inoue is set to fight Philippino boxer Marlon Tapales in Tokyo, in a fixture that will be broadcast by ESPN+.
      Boxing fans have taken to Inoue’s Instagram account to call for him to fight more in the US.
      One wrote: 
      “He is one of the best however, he is refusing to fight in the USA and follow the regulations there. 
      “He is just a champion in Japan, not the world. 
      Read more on The Sun
      “He is even lucky that Tapales is willing to go to Japan.”
      Another commented: “This dude ain’t never coming to the U.S. to fight.” More

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      Jarrell Miller’s net worth, career earnings and boxing record explained

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      JARRELL MILLER’S boxing career has been marred by scandal.Here’s what we know about the controversial US heavyweight’s career so far — and his net worth.
      Jarrell Miller will face Daniel Dubois in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 23, 2023.
      What is Jarrell Miller’s net worth? 
      Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller’s net worth is estimated at between $5 million – $110 million.
      Born in Brooklyn, New York, the 6’4” heavyweight started boxing at 16 years old and made his professional debut in 2009, when he was 21. 
      Since then, he has earned a lot of money from boxing, and various sponsorship deals. 
      But Miller has lost out on significant earnings since failing multiple drug tests. 
      Read more on boxing
      Miller was up against Anthony Joshua in June 2019, but the Madison Square Gardens fight was called off at the eleventh hour after the “Big Baby” failed multiple drug tests.
      His purse was said to have been around $4.8m (£3.6m), and even more if he were to win and secure a rematch — but Miller has said he lost out of up to £24 million. 
      Miller said: “The first fight was 7.5 m’s and the rematch if I knocked him out was a minimum of 15 to 20 so at least 30 mill by the end of the year.
      “I’m from Brooklyn, do you know how many cheeseburgers that was just now I could’ve bought?
      Most read in Boxing
      “But like I said, I never got into sport because of money and I feel if I do it in the right way this time I’ll be back there.”
      At the time, Miller blamed the tests on a tainted supplement and stem cell shots in his elbow — but a second failed drugs test was blamed on a sex pill. 
      The former kickboxer was then handed a two-year ban, which he served before his licence was reinstated in 2022. 
      What is Jarrell Miller’s boxing record?
      The US boxer’s record stands at 26–0–1, with 22 wins by knockout. 
      As a kickboxer, his record was 22–2. 
      After his called-off fight with AJ, and subsequent drug test failure, there were calls from boxing figureheads for a lifetime ban.
      But Miller has won all three fights he’s played since getting back in the ring, including a showdown with Lucas Browne in Dubai in 2023. 
      After the fight, Miller called out bitter his rival AJ, and Daniel Dubois.
      Big Baby Miller is up against Dubois in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday 23 December, on a mega-card which will also see headliner AJ facing Otto Wallin.
      After a heated confrontation between the rivals in which Miller called AJ a “p***y”, the British champion told SunSport:
      “I have to just let him know he is not even in my sights. He is beneath me.
      “In reality, I was thinking, ‘Why do I even address that clown? He is beneath me’.
      Read more on The Sun
      “I have bigger and better things to focus on. He is a clown.
      “I am fully focused on Otto Wallin, after this week I will tell you everything but right now Wallin is the only focus.” More

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      Will Bournemouth vs Luton be replayed and would the match be played in full?

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      BOURNEMOUTH’s clash with Luton Town was abandoned on Saturday, December 16th, following Tom Lockyer’s terrifying collapse.The defender suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during the Premier League fixture.
      Luton’s match against Bournemouth was abandonedCredit: Reuters
      Referee Simon Hooper called it off after Tom Lockyer collapsedCredit: Reuters
      Referee Simon Hooper abandoned the match after the Welshman was stretchered off.
      The game was all tied up at 1-1 when the emergency happened.
      Luton Town star Elijah Adebayo stunned fans when he broke the deadlock within the opening three minutes but Dominic Solanke netted the equaliser for the hosts after half-time.
      The Hatters have now confirmed that the game will be replayed in full at a later date this season.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      A statement read: “The Premier League Board has decided that last Saturday’s fixture with AFC Bournemouth will be replayed in full.
      “The game will be rescheduled for later in the season, with a date to be confirmed following consultation with relevant parties.
      “The Luton Town ticket office would like to add that ticketing information regarding the rearranged game will be announced in due course.”
      The Premier League Board has the power to order a match in which 90 minutes has not been completed to be replayed in full or in part, or allow the result at the time of the abandonment to stand.
      Most read in Football
      WHAT PRECEDENT IS THERE?
      Numerous Premier League matches have been abandoned, the most recent in 2006 when Watford vs Wigan was called off on 59 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch.
      The match was 1-1 at the time, and restarted at 0-0 before ending 1-1.
      The same year, Fulham’s game with Sunderland was called off due to heavy snow in the 21st minute.
      The Cottagers were leading 1-0 at the time, but when the match was replayed from scratch, they ending up losing 2-1.
      Aside from extreme weather, the only other reason for abandoning Premier League matches has been floodlight failures.
      In all cases, matches were played at an alternative date from scratch.
      The defender suffered a cardiac arrestCredit: Getty More

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      Wolves vs Chelsea preview: Blues look to make it three wins on the spin as they face wounded Wanderers on Christmas Eve

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      CHELSEA will travel to the midlands as they face Wolves in a huge Premier League clash on Christmas Eve.It will be the first top-flight match to take place on December 24th for a whopping 28 years.
      Chelsea booked their place in the Carabao Cup semi-final after beating Newcastle on penalties in midweekCredit: GETTY
      Chelsea will be aiming to build on their dramatic midweek win in the Carabao Cup after the Blues beat Newcastle on penalties.
      Mykhailo Mudryk’s 92nd-minute strike took the tie to spot kicks, which Mauricio Pochettino’s side went through, winning 4-2.
      In the Premier League, Chelsea were victorious in their last outing against Sheffield United but have only taken six points from their last five games in the top flight.
      Meanwhile, Wolves sit three points behind their Christmas Eve visitors and are looking to bounce back from their heavy 3-0 defeat to West Ham last weekend.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      When is Wolves vs Chelsea?

      Wolves vs Chelsea will take place on Sunday, December 24th.
      Kick off will be at 1pm GMT.
      Molineux will host.

      What TV channel is Wolves vs Chelsea on and can it be live streamed?

      Wolves vs Chelsea will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event.
      Sky Sports customers can live stream the game via the NOW app.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to stay up to date with all the action.

      Team news
      For the hosts, Jose Sa could remain out of action after sustaining a shoulder injury prior the last weekend’s clash with West Ham.
      Dan Bentley played between the sticks in place of the Portuguese shot-stopper at the London Stadium.
      Most read in Football
      Pedro Neto could make his long-anticipated return to the side after missing the last seven Premier League games with a hamstring injury.
      For Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez is a doubt after being withdrawn on Tuesday night due to the Argentine suffering from an illness.
      Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is set to continue as Blues No.1 in place of the injured Robert Sanchez.
      Poch has been given a huge boost to his forward line with Christopher Nkunku returning to action against Newcastle in midweek, playing 20 minutes from the bench.
      Carney Chukwuemenka, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia will all remain out.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Wolves – 13/5
      Draw – 27/10
      Chelsea – 19/20

      *Odds courtesy of Paddy Power and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin fight purse: How much money will both fighters earn for Saudi fight?

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA and Otto Wallin are set to split a cool fight purse when they clash in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.AJ and All In are headlining the “Day of Reckoning” showdowns that also feature Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker.
      Anthony Joshua is facing of with Otto Wallin on SaturdayCredit: Getty

      🥊ANTHONY JOSHUA VS OTTO WALLIN: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF THRILLING SAUDI CLASH🥊
      How much will Anthony Joshua earn?
      Despite Saudi boxing chiefs keeping their fight purses top secret, Joshua, 34, is set to earn around £8million from the fight against Wallin.
      Wilder claimed the two-time heavyweight world champion was set to earn over £40m for his next two fights.
      That would likely mean a much bigger payday for fighting Wilder than Wallin.
      The Bronze Bomber, who will fight AJ in March if they both win, said: “Everyone will get in the ring for the right price, especially when there is over $50m (£40m) on the table.
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      “Everything is going in the right direction now and the fight will happen.
      “The time is finally here and people are going to get what they have wanted for years.”
      So if Wilder is right, and AJ takes about £8m from his first fight, he would get the other £32m when he faces off with the American in the follow up fight.
      How much will Otto Wallin earn?
      In the case of 32-year-old Wallin, the figure he will earn from the fight is unclear.
      Most read in Boxing
      Wallin reportedly earned just shy of £200,000 when he fought Tyson Fury in 2019.
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      He is unlikely to earn more money than his opponent, with the £200,000 figure instead likely to be at least doubled thanks to the Saudi-backed purse.
      How much is each fighter’s net worth?
      AJ has amassed a wealth of over £200m over his career.
      Meanwhile, Wallin is estimated to have earned a far more modest £1m.
      This vast difference in wealth also leads to a striking difference in their lifestyles. More