UEFA picks Budapest to host 2026 Champions League final
DUBLIN, May 22: UEFA picked Budapest on Wednesday to host the men’s Champions League final in 2026 and delayed giving the 2027 game to Milan amid uncertainty over the future of San Siro.The Puskás Arena and San Siro were the only two candidates for the two finals scheduled to be awarded. The next final on June 1 is at Wembley Stadium and Bayern Munich’s home will host next year.The iconic San Siro, formally known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza and owned by the city of Milan, has been under long-term threat of demolition. Its shared tenants AC Milan and Inter Milan have looked for new homes they can own.UEFA put off a decision until a September meeting of its executive committee subject to the Italian soccer federation “submitting information on refurbishment plans” for San Siro.Earlier on Wednesday, uncertainly increased in Milan as ownership of Inter switched from Chinese corporation Suning to United States investors Oaktree because of failure to repay debts.The 75,000-seat San Siro still could host the European Cup or Champions League final for the fifth time, one year after staging the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics. UEFA’s executive committee also sent the Women’s Champions League final in 2026 to Oslo, Norway. (PTI)
Dominic Thiem loses in qualifying in final Roland Garros appearance
PARIS, May 22: Two-time runner-up Dominic Thiem lost in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday in his final match at the French Open.Thiem was beaten 6-2 7-5 by Otto Virtanen on Court Suzanne Lenglen and won’t make an 11th and final appearance in the main draw of the clay-court Grand Slam.Thiem, who reached the final at Roland Garros in 2018 and 2019, announced earlier this month that he will retire at the end of the year after struggling to return to top form following a wrist injury.After his loss, Thiem received a standing ovation during a farewell ceremony, amid chants of “Thank you Domi, Thank you Domi.” Thiem, a former US Open winner, has dropped to the 131st spot in the rankings and did not receive a wild card at the French Open. Zverev made Thiem the first man to overcome a two-set deficit in a US Open final in 71 years. Thiem also was runner-up at the 2020 Australian Open and reached a career-high No.3 ranking that year. He stayed in the top five until he injured his right wrist in June 2021, which sidelined him for nine months and has hampered his game ever since. (PTI)
Concussion replacements added for Copa America 2024
LUQUE, (Paraguay) May 22: Coaches at next month’s Copa America will be able to make a 6th and extra substitution in cases of suspected head trauma or concussion.South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL announced the decision Tuesday, making it valid for all its competitions once the Copa America starts in the United States on June 20.CONMEBOL issued a statement saying coaches will need to notify the referee or the 4th match official of the concussion replacement through a pink substitution pass. A similar method was implemented in Major League Soccer in 2021 as part of a FIFA pilot program.The player who leaves the pitch under those conditions will have to go to the locker rooms or a hospital for assessment.“The substitution for concussion will take place regardless of the number of substitutions until the moment it happens,” CONMEBOL said. “When the concussion substitution takes place, the opposing team will automatically be allowed to make an additional substitution.” Team doctors who detect a suspected concussion or head trauma on the pitch will have up to 24 hours to send a medical report to CONMEBOL, the South American body said. (PTI)