Ronaldinho’s son joins Barcelona academy
BARCELONA, March 3: FC Barcelona made an important connection with their past when they confirmed the signing of forward Joao Mendes – the son of legendary Brazilian forward Ronaldinho.The 18-year-old is expected to initially form a part of Barcelona’s B team, which plays in Spanish football’s third tier, the club informed on Thursday.Mendes, who had been without a club since leaving Brazil’s Cruzeiro in February last year, impressed Barcelona coaches during a trial earlier this year.The youngster has already made his debut with Barca’s under-19 side in a friendly against Manchester United. He is a player who can play as a central striker or in a deeper role.He is right-footed but good with his left, and Barca hope he will be able to follow in his father’s footsteps. (IANS)
Asian Cup final draw to be held on May 11 in Qatar
NEW DELHI, March 3: The final draw for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will be held on May 11 at the Katara Opera House, in Doha, Qatar, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced.In a letter to all the Participating Member Associations (PMA), the AFC informed that Qatar will host the upcoming edition of the AFC Asian Cup, and invited the President of each PMA, head coach and team managers to attend the final draw.The AFC also announced the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will be held in the nation that hosted the FIFA World Cup last year, with the proposed tournament dates set between January 12 to February 10, 2024. The final dates of the competition will be formalised after confirmation with FIFA.After the announcement by AFC, India head coach Igor Stimac said that they can now start planning for the road ahead. Stressing on the importance of the preparation for the AFC Asian Cup, he said, “Our priority is to get as much time as possible for preparation throughout December and January prior to the Asian Cup. We have a packed schedule this year with the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, the Asian Games, and the FIFA windows for the Senior Team. It is necessary for us to plan early.”The India head coach also wants to get the ball rolling for the Asian Cup right after the final draw. (IANS)