Barcelona agree deal for Sao Paulo defender
Rio de Janeiro: Spanish football giant Barcelona have agreed to sign defender Douglas from Sao Paulo for six million euros, the Brazilian club said.
But the 24-year-old will not join the Catalan outfit until next June after Barcelona agreed to allow the defender to remain in Brazil, reports Xinhua.
“The deal has already been accepted but the paperwork still has to be signed,” Sao Paolo president Carlos Miguel Aidar told Brazilian news portal Uol here on Wednesday.
Sao Paulo owns 60 per cent of Douglas’ economic rights with the balance held by sports marketing firm Traffic.
The former Brazil under-20 player has made 131 first-team appearances for Sao Paulo since joining from Goias in 2012. (IANS)
Indian hockey team keen to end 16-year Asian gold drought
New Delhi: India hockey captain Sardar Singh and chief coach Terry Walsh on Thursday expressed the hope that the team would end its 16-year-long wait for the Asian Games gold at the South Korean city of Incheon next month.
The India team has been clubbed in Pool B with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman and China for the Asian Games from Sep 19-Oct 4. India’s gold medals at the Asian Games came in 1966 and 1998 and their last best finish recently was a silver medal in 2002 Busan edition.
“We are placed with Pakistan and China in our pool and we are looking forward to our clash against Pakistan. While the team is excited, we are not leaving anything to chance and we will take each match on the go.
“We are aiming to win the Gold and it all depends on how well we will start the tournament. The boys are working on the penalty corners, defence and attack and in the process aim to further strengthen our coordination on the field,” said Sardar after the practise session here on Thursday at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
Walsh also echoed the sentiments of his captain and said the team was aiming for only the gold. (IANS)
