Sports
Davide Astori honoured by Fiorentina in first clash since tragic passing
FIORENTINA players wore shirts bearing Davide Astori’s name and number in the warm-up for their first match since their former skipper’s tragic passing.
Benevento are the visitors for an emotional affair at the Artemio Franchi, with an eerie silence greeting the players as they emerged for the match.
The players held a huge banner bearing the words “Captain forever” before kick-off.
Many fans turned up ahead of time to pay their respects to their former captain and idol, while players from both sides lined up arm-in-arm in an emotional tribute.
Benevento’s official match pendant had the words “Ciao Davide 13” attached to it.
While announcing the line-up, the stadium announcer, said: “At 13, our captain forever: Davide Astori.”
Fiorentina boss Stefano Pioli named Milan Baldelj as captain for the match.
Riccardo Saponara, whose heartfelt tribute to his form
Meanwhile, Davide astori’s replacement for Fiorentina Vitor Hugo scored his first-ever goal for the club in their first match since the tragic passing of their former captain.
Tributes were paid before the contest and play was stopped on 13 minutes so fans and players could applaud the ex-Italy international.
Then, eight minutes later, Hugo headed home Riccardo Saponara’s corner to open the scoring.
Players were met with an eerie silence as an emotional crowd remember Astori. The sound from players shaking hands could be heard, despite the sellout crowd.
Banners in memory of Astori were scattered amongst the crowd, while the players held up their own tribute to their former captain.
While the stadium announcer named him in the starting line-up for the day, insisting he would always be their captain.
Fiorentina boss Stefano Pioli, who was moved to tears before kick-off, was looking for the victory which would temporarily move his side up to ninth place.
The opening goal arrived on 25 minutes as Hugo headed home Riccardo Saponara’s corner.
Benevento, who are rock bottom on ten points, were in search of their first-ever away point in Serie A and looked dangerous whenever they went forward.
La Viola goalkeeper Marco Sportiello was forced into a number of smart saves.
But the home side should have been further ahead before half-time as Giovanni Simeone — son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego — missed a number of chances.
Milan Baldelj, who wore Astori’s captain’s armband, almost settled the game in the final minute when his thunderous effort rattled the post.
Marco Benassi really should have scored from the rebound as he skied over and allowed Benevento one last chance.
But they couldn’t capitalise and Fiorentina held on for a victory, as Benevento’s slim hopes of staying up are almost extinguished.
Players form both sides failed to hide their emotions after the final whistle as several fell to the ground in floods of tears as they remember their tragic former team-mate.
While Baldelj symbolically held up the captain’s armband to the crowd.
It was an emotional occasion and fitting tribute which showed just how much of an imprint Astori left on his Fiorentina team-mates.
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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