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      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo supporting best friend Jose Semedo after his sudden death of his wife

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo is supporting one of his best friends following the sudden death of his wife.Former Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday star Jose Semedo’s other half Soraia, 34, passed away on Thursday morning following health complications caused by an infection.
      Semedo and Soraia had been together for more than 15 years
      The former Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton ace is great friends with Ronaldo
      She was pronounced dead in the early hours at Curry Cabral Hospital in Lisbon.
      Ronaldo became friends with Jose at Sporting Lisbon’s youth academy and has holidayed with him in the Med.
      It’s said he phoned his footballer pal to comfort him and offer his support.
      Jose, 36, a defensive midfielder currently playing for Portuguese side Vitoria FC, has also been receiving support from fans on social media.
      Alongside a photo Jose posted earlier this year of him cuddling his wife, who he described as ‘My Queen’, one said: “I am thinking of you and sending you lots of hugs.”
      Another added: “Be strong Jose. I hope your friends and family can help you at this difficult moment in your life.”
      Ronaldo and Jose, who spent most of his career playing in England, are understood to have forged their close bond after the Man United striker protected his pal when the Sporting Lisbon youth academy director tried to expel him.

      The dad-of-four reportedly used his influence as the academy’s best player to stop it.
      They have holidayed regularly together in the Med.
      Jose has previously said:” I owe Ronaldo everything. If it wasn’t for him I would have been expelled from the academy and returned to the neighbourhood when I grew up.
      “Many of my childhood friends are in jail or have got hooked on drugs.
      “Nothing makes me think I wouldn’t have followed the same path.
      “I owe my sporting career, my children and my wonderful life to Cristiano.”
      Sheffield Wednesday, where he spent six years and was voted Player of the Year in his first season in 2011, said in a statement: “Everyone at Sheffield Wednesday sends our heartfelt condolences to Jose Semedo following the tragic passing of his wife, Soraia.
      “The Wednesday family are with you at this terrible time, Jose.”
      It’s said he phoned his footballer pal to comfort him and offer his supportCredit: Getty
      Man Utd’s Bruno Fernandes reveals gut feeling Cristiano Ronaldo would score Villarreal winner More

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      in Boxing

      Ebonie Jones recently swapped HGV licence for boxing one… but now hopes to profit from focusing her fuel on fighting

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      EBONIE JONES has swapped her HGV licence for a boxing one at just the wrong time – but can now focus all her fuel on fighting.The 23-year-old Portsmouth featherweight learned to drive massive motors in the army and could earn a fortune delivering petrol to dry garages over the weekend.
      Ebonie Jones could be earning a fortune driving HGVs amid the current petrol crisis
      But the Portsmouth featherweight is only focused on fuelling up for the ringCredit: Getty
      Jones is dwarfed by her debut opponent Vaida MasiokaiteCredit: Getty
      But the only pumping she wants to see on Saturday at Wembley Arena – on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr’s show – are fists cheering on her pro debut against Lithuanian Vaida Masiokaite.
      She told SunSport: “I was in the Royal Engineers and for my trade I got my Cat C+E licence and was just about to start my tank course when I decided to leave and turn pro.
      “I haven’t had any calls from BP or Esso to help out with their deliveries yet.
      “I have heard that the money for it is good at the moment. But I don’t think John would give me the time off of training to be honest!
      “I have had no income since I left the army in July, when I signed off I didn’t know I would even have an offer to turn pro, I thought I might have to get a little part-time job on the side of training.
      “But now the risk has paid off and everything feels like perfect timing.”

      Jones was a stand-out amateur but walked away from the sport completely two years ago when she became disillusioned with trying to make the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
      The self-confessed slugger did not even enjoy watching the sport on TV.
      But, thanks to the rapidly rising success of women’s boxing, can now make her bow on Sky Sports instead of garage forecourts.
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      She added: “Professional boxing was never a serious career option for women before.
      “The only way to really make something of yourself or career was to go to the Olympics, which not everyone can do.
      “But now there are female world champions who are well known and well paid, it’s big.” 

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      in Athletics

      London Marathon hopeful Charlotte Purdue stopped running late at night in training after Sarah Everard tragedy

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      CHARLOTTE PURDUE refused to go running late at night or through empty parks in training for Sunday’s London Marathon.The safety of women on our streets has become a major talking point following the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard in March.
      Charlotte Purdue refused to train late at night after Sarah Everard’s murderCredit: PA
      Everard, 33, was kidnapped, raped and killed by policeman Wayne Couzens in MarchCredit: Reuters
      Everard, 33, was walking home alone at night when she was kidnapped, raped and killed by policeman Wayne Couzens.
      The serving Met Police officer was this week sentenced to life in prison for his hideous crimes.
      In recent days many women have revealed online their own near-escapes and encounters with dangerous men at night time.
      Purdue, Britain’s fourth fastest woman of all time over 26.2 miles, said: “I’ve been thinking of the Sarah Everard case a lot the last few days.
      “I personally only really run in well-populated places and in the day — not late at night or through empty parks.
      “I hadn’t thought about it much before this whole situation but I definitely have to a lot more now.
      “I run on the treadmill now when it’s dark and in winter because it’s a lot safer. In the day I do feel safe running outside by myself.

      “I’d say more streetlights, and CCTV cameras, stuff like that would help. People have to make their own decision on if they feel safe or where they run.”
      Purdue aims to use the 41st London Marathon — rescheduled from April — to show Team GB selectors were wrong to crush her Olympics dream.
      The 30-year-old ran her PB of 2:25:38 at the 2019 London Marathon but was snubbed for Tokyo — with Brits Stephanie Davis, Jess Piasecki and Steph Twell all flopping in Sapporo.
      It proved a very stressful time for Purdue, who was naturally left ‘gutted’, and she attempted in vain to appeal the decision.
      The Aldershot ace claims there were untruths told about her training and physical condition in the selection meeting, which she was keen to rectify on the record.
      And now seven months on, she feels let down by the lack of communication from UK Athletics about why she was ignored.
      ‘TOOK TIME TO GET OVER IT’
      Purdue said: “It has taken some time to get over what happened.
      “I was advised by the British Athletes Commission and they set me up with some legal advice.
      “When my appeal was unsuccessful, they advised me to write an open letter to UK Athletics boss Jo Coates about the whole situation.
      “I did receive a reply from her in March, a letter basically saying she acknowledged my points but I have had no communication since then.
      “The Olympics is such a big thing and I felt I did deserve a spot in the team. I feel like I could have run well in Tokyo.
      “I definitely haven’t forgotten about it but I just want to move on now and focus on Sunday.
      “The point to prove is more to myself that I’m back to my best rather than me proving anything to someone else.
      “It’s definitely tainted my desire. I’d obviously love to represent GB again but I definitely won’t forget about this whole year and situation.” More

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      in Soccer

      Man Utd’s £73m Jadon Sancho told he’s lucky to make England squad by Gareth Southgate after slow start to Prem life

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has told Jadon Sancho he is lucky to be in the England squad.And Three Lions boss Southgate has also conceded that he should not have handed an England debut as early to Mason Greenwood, who has once again been left out.
      Jadon Sancho has struggled at Manchester United following his £73million switch from Borussia DortmundCredit: Getty
      England gaffer Gareth Southgate has stated Sancho is fortunate to have been included in his latest squadCredit: Getty
      Sancho, yet to make a major mark for Manchester United since his £73million move from Dortmund, has scraped into the squad for the forthcoming games with Andorra and Hungary.
      Southgate said: “Does he deserve to be in on these performances over the last few weeks? Well, probably not.
      “But I think we feel we have invested in Jadon over a period of time, we believe he can get to a high level.
      “I would like some time with him, to chat with him and help that process that’s going on at Manchester United.
      “We try to individually do the right thing at the right time, send the right message and sometimes the right message is to leave a player out and maybe they respond and that’s the right thing but we feel with Jadon at this time it is important for us to keep him with us.
      “The Bundesliga is totally different, Dortmund is a big club but Manchester United is one of the biggest in the world.

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      “There’s a definite adaptation to the league, you’re not going to get the goals and assists numbers anywhere near in our league, that you are in the Bundesliga.”
      England travel to Andorra on Saturday week and entertain Hungary three days later.
      There is no place for either Greenwood, who was picked for Iceland aged 18 in September 2020 but sent home in disgrace with Phil Foden for inviting two women to the team hotel.
      Equally, despite playing for Dortmund, Southgate claims England must still be careful with 18-year-old Jude Bellingham, who has also been left out.
      Talking about Greenwood’s selection 13 months ago, Southgate said: “We didn’t know as much about him at that point and you’re drawn by the quality of the performances and the maturity that you see on the field.
      “So you’d have to say that maybe that was a bit early because he’s feeling at the moment that to establish himself at Manchester United is a big challenge and I can totally understand that.

      “We want them to be big players for England for the long term. So we have to try to make the right decisions while they are still growing and maturing physically.
      “Jude at the moment has got a high level of matches, he’s playing Champions League games, he’s playing league games as an 18-year-old.
      “He had a full season last season then into a European Championship, so no break and we have to remember that these lads are still physically growing.”
      Gareth Southgate discusses recalling Tomori and omitting Jude Bellingham and Mason Greenwood from England squad More

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      in Soccer

      Chelsea must win their own mental battle after successive losses ahead of international break, insists Loftus-Cheek

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      RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK admits Chelsea must win the battle in their heads in order to turn around a dip in form.Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Juventus came just four days after an identical result against Man City and normally prolific Chelsea have also hit a dry patch in front of goal.
      Ruben Loftus-Cheek came off the bench in Wednesday’s Champions League defeat away at JuventusCredit: Getty
      They play winless Southampton on Saturday and need to get confidence back on a high before the squad splits up for a two-week international break.
      Midfielder Loftus-Cheek said: “Now it’s about the mental game and we need to win in the Premier League on Saturday.”
      “We need to reflect on this game, see where we can get better, regroup and bounce back.
      “With the ball possession we had, we should be making more chances and being more dangerous.”
      Chelsea have managed only one shot on target in 180 minutes of football although losing in Italy dented morale it is not a disaster for the Champions League title holders.
      Loftus-Cheek remarked: “Anyone can win this competition. You want to be peaking when you get to the business end.

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      “Sometimes you can afford a loss in the group stage. We need to get through this, work at it.
      “It will come, and hopefully we will look back and see this as a hurdle.
      “The way Juventus play, and how good they are defending in that tight, compact block, if you’re not at the quality you should be it’s going to be hard to break them down.
      “We’re the champions and they respect us as a team. You could see that’s why they camped behind the ball. It worked for them so well done to Juventus.

      ‘We had a few chances at the end, but if you’re not at your top quality in the Champions League sometimes you get a defeat.”
      Boss Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to have key midfielder Mason Mount fit again after missing the last two games.
      Mount was called up for the latest England squad despite his injury and joins team-mate Reece James for the games against Andorra and Hungary.
      Thomas Tuchel reacts to Chelsea’s loss against Juventus More

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      in Boxing

      New champ Oleksandr Usyk back on school run with son Mikhail just days after masterclass victory over Anthony Joshua

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      MIKHAIL USYK is much happier now his dad is heavyweight champion of the world — and back on the school run.Ice-cool Oleksandr revealed ahead of Saturday night’s masterclass win over Anthony Joshua he was more worried about his six-year-old son’s nervous start to education than the Brit powerhouse.
      Oleksandr Usyk is on top of the world after being crowned unified heavyweight championCredit: Reuters
      Usyk is now back on the school run with son MikhailCredit: Instagram / @usykaa
      And the new WBA, IBF and WBO king told SunSport, despite a few cuts and bruises, he is already back on drop-off duty after schooling AJ at Tottenham.
      Dad-of-three Usyk said: “My son goes to school more willingly now because I’ve arrived home and I’m taking him there.
      “But, as far as I’m concerned, none of my kids boasts that their dad is world champion. And, honestly, I’m happy about that.”
      Joshua has lifted British boxing up by the bootstraps, leaving almost everyone in the industry, including Tyson Fury, gutted by his loss.
      But it is still hard to find a single retired or active fighter, pundit, promoter or fan who agreed with his gameplan to outbox the gifted technician.
      Even as the rounds slipped away from him, none of AJ’s three-man coaching team ordered him to step on the gas to save his titles, leaving him to limp towards the judges’ unanimous decision.

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      But Usyk defended Team AJ, explaining: “I don’t think he was boxing safe and hoped that the judges would help him somehow due to the home-soil factor.
      “There are many reasons why his team didn’t tell him about a KO.
      “When you’re trying to focus too much on knockout, it simply doesn’t happen most of the time.
      “Whether he thought about the judges or not — I guess that’s his deal.”
      Usyk and AJ both won Olympic gold at London 2012 and are brilliant ambassadors for the sport.
      We will try our best to progress and become strongerOleksandr UsykWBA, WBO & IBF Heavyweight Champion
      The build-up was typically decent but the mercurial leftie made it very clear that he saw AJ as a normal boxer with nothing to frighten him.
      And that should ring alarm bells for AJ who has snapped up an immediate rematch, planned for March, especially as the new king is already making improvements.
      When reminded of his assessment, Usyk added: “I stand by what I said.
      “It just depends on his efforts and his team. The same goes for us — and we will try our best to progress and become stronger.”
      Heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk is Parimatch Tech’s first-ever Responsible Gambling Project ambassador, a role he’s taken on to help the company highlight and tackle problem gambling
      Usyk put on a boxing clinic to beat Joshua on pointsCredit: Reuters
      Usyk was more worried about his son’s day at school than the threat possessed by JoshuaCredit: Instagram / @usykaa
      Anthony Joshua tells Oleksandr Usyk ‘I know how to beat you’ minutes after loss More

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      in Soccer

      It’s early days for Sancho at Man Utd… but Solskjaer needs everyone up & running NOW and £73m winger must deliver soon

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      IN THE 75th minute on Wednesday night Jadon Sancho’s number went up and the Old Trafford fans gave him a standing ovation as he was subbed.Quite what he had done to deserve such applause is another thing but they can be a very generous crowd.
      Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho is still adjusting to life at Old TraffordCredit: EPA
      Sancho was hooked after 75 minutes against Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday nightCredit: EPA
      You should have heard the reception Radamel Falcao used to get.
      But much was expected of one of the club’s biggest signings in history and while it is very early days, Sancho has not delivered.
      The 2-1 win over Villarreal was another example.
      So far in five starts and three substitute appearances he has yet to produce a goal or assist in 403 minutes for United.
      He has completed just one full 90 minutes for the club — the 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer completely changed his starting XI from the win over the Hammers the previous weekend.
      In his eight appearances, United have scored 16 goals but only FIVE when he is on the pitch. 

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      And you struggle to remember him even beating a man.
      It is as well for him that Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the club and the spotlight that would have been on Sancho has been on the Portuguese superstar. 
      Ronaldo thrives in it. Obviously you cannot compare the two.
      But Ronaldo’s five goals in as many games have papered over a number of cracks, with one of the biggest question marks hanging over Sancho.
      When United were struggling for a goal against Aston Villa on Saturday, struggling to get the ball to Ronaldo and create anything, Sancho stayed on the bench.
      His manager Solskjaer clearly believed that he was not going to alter nothing.
      England manager Gareth Southgate has clearly thought that for some time despite including him in his squad once again yesterday for the two upcoming internationals.
      Sancho was one of only three from the 26 called up for the Euros in the summer to be totally left out the opening match day squad against Croatia.
      Sancho is yet to chip in with a goal or provide an assist from his eight Red Devils appearancesCredit: PA
      He started just one game in the championships, the 4-0 thumping of Ukraine in Rome and was unfortunate to be one of the penalty takers who missed in the penalty shoot-out in the final.
      Sancho has 22 caps for England and those who have seen every one of those reckon he has had three decent games.
      In the most recent international break he pulled out the squad early with a knock but there was no explanation as to how he had got it or what it was.
      Anyway he was fit enough to start against Newcastle when the Premier League resumed.
      You look at his stats from his time with Borussia Dortmund and you wonder where that player is, they are fantastic.
      In the four years with the club after leaving Manchester City as a 17-year-old he played 104 games scoring 38 goals and providing 51 assists.
      From the start of that 2018-19 season when he became a regular for Dortmund, Sancho made 41 assists in the Bundesliga.
      In the top five European leagues in this period, only two produced more: Thomas Muller (48) and Lionel Messi (43). Not that things were always well during his time in Germany off the pitch.
      Sancho will be vying to start against Everton at the Theatre of Dreams on SaturdayCredit: AFP
      You have to wonder whether his early impact went to his head. In Germany there is a much more open relationship between clubs and media, much like there used to be in this country.
      Yet for his final two years in there, Sancho blanked the regular Dortmund media pack doing just one interview with ESPN.
      Perhaps it was the coverage of a rather lavish trip to Dubai in January 2020 that steeled his resolve to ignore the press.
      He posted an Instagram video from that trip which included him applying salt to a gold covered £268 steak.
      As respected German newspaper Die Welt put it that ‘was difficult to stomach for the public’.
      The Dortmund hierarchy was furious too and he was given a dressing down on his return to the club.
      He had already blotted his copy book by then after returning late from international duty with England in October 2019 and was axed from the squad for the 1-0 win over then Bundesliga leaders Borussia Monchengladbach.
      The following month he was late for a team meeting and subsequently left out of the squad for a Champions League game with Barcelona.

      Yet in that same 2019-20 season Sancho became part of a select group to have recorded 15-plus goals and assists in the same league campaign alongside Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Eden Hazard.
      Still he continued to hit the headlines for other reasons and in October of last year he enraged his club again.
      He was allowed to sit out the club’s 4-0 victory over Freiburg before an international break due to cold-like symptoms that saw him separated from the rest of the squad, although he would test negative for Covid.
      Then within days he was pictured with around 20 guests including Ben Chilwell at a surprise party for Tammy Abraham in London breaching strict Covid rules.
      His performances in the second half of last season remained top draw, but were Dortmund happy to let him go?
      If not why was an asking price of £110m at the end of the 2019-20 season as United pursued him then reduced to £73m by the time they finally got his signature this summer.
      He is 21 and mistakes will be made. He is still getting used to a new set of team-mates. But United need everyone up and running now – and Sancho is not.
      Man Utd’s Donny van de Beek caught throwing chewing gum in dugout after Solskjaer snubs him in favour of Fred More

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      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo so committed to training the Sir Alex Ferguson would have to FORCE him to go home, reveals Nicky Butt

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO spent so long on the training ground that Sir Alex Ferguson ordered him to leave because it was too close to a game.The legendary boss feared the young Ronaldo would wear himself out perpetually practising all his trick, flicks and skills.
      Cristiano Ronaldo is BACK at Manchester United – and already making wavesCredit: Getty
      Butt saw the supreme talents of Cristiano Ronaldo at first handCredit: Action Images
      Nicky Butt came off when Ronaldo made his first Manchester United debut in 2003 and in the new book “Viva Ronaldo”, Butt reveals the secrets of Ronaldo’s determination to make it to the top.
      Butt said: “Ronaldo was to emerge as a genius but it wasn’t just about his talents that took him right to the top.
      “It is often said that certain players worked hard, stayed behind for some extra training or to practise their techniques, but with Cristiano it was total dedication, total commitment, and total hard work.
      “He didn’t have a God given physique, it wasn’t given, he worked hard to achieve it. He actually came to us as a skinny, scrawny young kid, and worked hard to get that physique over many, may years.
      “He had to reach a new level of physical strength because the Premier League demanded it, and he had plenty of opportunity to see at first hand how physical and tough it can be when he was up against, even in training, the likes of Roy Keane and Jaap Stam.
      “We would also see him work relentlessly on his free kicks and he would tell us about something he had seen somewhere, and he wanted to perfect it, and he would work again relentlessly until he did.

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      “It all went beyond dedication, he was obsessed with football.
      “You see it all the time when some players talk about their dedication and how much extra practise they put in.
      “But often it is little more than a pretence, maybe a touch more time practising and then rush off to do something else they are keen on, or can’t wait to go home and have something to eat, but rarely do you find someone totally committed 24/7 to the game, but Cristiano was one of those.
      “He never had a girlfriend back then, or seemed that interested in any distractions such as that, he never had a wife and kids to rush back to see or to entertain, he lived alone.
      “He was the last to leave the building. In fact, you couldn’t get him off the training pitch as he worked relentlessly on his techniques, as we all walking off he was carrying a bag of balls to work on those techniques.
      “We would be having lunch in the canteen or getting ready to go home and you could hear the voice of Sir Alex bellowing across the training fields at two or three o’clock in the afternoon, shouting at Cristiano that it was time to get off the pitch as ‘we have a game in two days – enough now’!”
      He has returned just at the right time to this club, we’re crying out to regain that old successful winning formula and entertaining footballNicky ButtOn Cristiano Ronaldo
      When he was replaced by Ronaldo against Bolton, Butt recalls: “As the change was made on the touchline I said to Cristiano, ‘good luck, enjoy it’.
      “We were all aware that it wouldn’t be easy for an 18 year old coming to a new country and playing in a league where the intensity and pace is far greater than he had ever been used to in Portuguese football.
      “The first thing he did when Cristiano came on was to dribble at people and he immediately got the fans on their feet with his trickery.
      “We all appreciated that people in Manchester deserved to be entertained when they spent their hard earned money to come to watch us, and here they got an early glimpse of this new boy Cristiano Ronaldo and they loved what they could see of him. Nothing seemed to faze him.”
      Butt knew he would comeback ‘home”, adding: “He showed loyalty to the club that gave him his big chance.
      “He has returned just at the right time to this club, we’re crying out to regain that old successful winning formula and entertaining football. Make no mistake, he has created an incredible buzz about the place.”
      Viva Ronaldo!: The Second Coming of Cristiano, Out Now by Harry Harris, Foreword by Nicky Butt, Empire Publishing £9.95
      Butt believes Ronaldo can get United back to greatnessCredit: Reuters
      Cristiano Ronaldo vows to bring back glory days to Man Utd and thanks fans for inspiring last-gasp Villarreal victory More