Real’s title hopes suffer after draw
MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane was left baffled after two handball calls went against his side in Sunday’s enthralling 2-2 draw at home to Sevilla which left Los Blancos still trailing La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid in the title race.
With the game at 1-1, Real’s Eder Militao was penalised after a VAR review for touching the ball with his hand as he jumped to defend a cross. The decision meant that a penalty which had been awarded to the hosts moments earlier for a foul on Karim Benzema by Sevilla goalkeeper Bono was overruled.
Ivan Rakitic scored from the spot to restore Sevilla’s lead but a Diego Carlos own goal in the 93rd minute snatched a point for Real to leave them two points behind Atletico.
Zidane’s side had appealed for a penalty in the first half when the ball struck the arm of Sevilla’s Joan Jordan although, unlike Militao, the midfielder had not extended his arm.
“I don’t understand it at all. If it’s a handball against Militao it has to be a handball against Sevilla too,” Zidane told Spanish network Movistar Plus.
After Barcelona and Atletico played out a goalless draw on Saturday, the situation at the top remains unchanged with three games to go.
AC Milan knock Juventus out of top four with win
MILAN: AC Milan pushed Juventus out of the Serie A top four with a 3-0 win in Turin on Sunday which increases their hopes of a Champions League spot for the first time since 2014.
Brahim Diaz put Milan ahead before the break with Anton Rebic and Fikayo Tomori adding two more in the second half after Franck Kessie missed a penalty.
Milan move up to third, equal on 72 points with second-placed Atalanta, with Napoli two points behind in fourth and the final Champions League berth.
Meanwhile, the head of the
Italian Football Federation said on Monday that Juventus will be thrown out of Serie A if they don’t officially withdraw from the European Super League.
Neymar scores but PSG held to 1-1 draw
PARIS: Neymar was on target the day after signing his contract extension but Paris Saint-germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Rennes on Sunday that leaves Lille a step closer to a remarkable Ligue 1 title triumph.
PSG led at half-time after Neymar converted a controversial penalty award, but they were pegged back in the second half as Serhou Guirassy headed in the equaliser.
Presnel Kimpembe was later sent off for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who could not get back to winning ways on their return to domestic action following their Champions League exit against Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Cavani extends United stay with one-year deal
MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani has signed a one-year contract extension at the Old Trafford outfit having hit a purple patch in recent matches, the Premier League club said on Monday.
Free agent Cavani arrived at United on a one-year contract in
October with an option of another 12 months but was undecided about his future after a difficult start to life at the club after a social media faux pas resulted in a three-game ban.
Zverev clinches second Madrid Open title
MADRID: Alexander Zverev recovered from a set down to defeat Matteo Berrettini 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-3 and win the Madrid Open for a second time on Sunday as he clinched a fourth Masters 1000 title.
The German fifth seed recorded his third straight top-10 victory this week, having eliminated Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem to reach the final.
Zverev added to his 2018 Madrid triumph as he denied Berrettini successive titles following the Italian’s win in Belgrade last month.
Andrejczyk third-best women’s javelin thrower
SPLIT, CROATIA: Poland’s Maria Andrejczyk lay down an Olympic Games marker on Sunday with the third-best all-time women’s javelin throw of 71.40m.
The 25-year-old’s performance at the European Cup put her behind the Czech Republic’s Barbora Spotakova, who holds the world record of 72.28m set in 2008, and Osleidys Menendez of Cuba who threw 71.70m in 2005.