6 August 20, 2020 Persepolis 8th in Club Koeman Officially Named New Asia Rankings Barcelona Coach Barcelona said in a statement headlined “Return of a Barca legend”. “Koeman, the hero of Wembley, is back,” the club added, a day after presi- dent Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed the Dutchman would take over. That night back in 1992, Koeman se- cured his place in Barca history, scoring the winning goal to claim the Catalan club’s first ever success in Europe’s top club competition. EHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s Perse- and 24th in Club Asia Ranking Messi to Stay polis are eighth in the current Club with 1531 and 1484 points, re- Asia Ranking, released by football- spectively. database.com. Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia leads Bartomeu also said captain Messi was Persepolis were crowned cham- the table with 1682 points, fol- not about to leave the club and would be pion of Iran Professional League lowed by Jeonbuk from South an integral part of the team under Koe- for the fourth time in a row last Korea and Qatar Al-Duhail, re- man. month. spectively. Persepolis sit eighth in the rank- Bayern Munich have moved up “Messi wants to end his career at Barca, Ronald Koeman set to become Barcelona’s next coach ing with 1572 points. six spots to lead the Club World he has said that many times. I’ve spoken Esteghlal and Sepahan are 13th Ranking with 2074 points. BARCELONA (Dispatches) - Crisis-hit 30 June 2022,” the club said in a state- The 57-year-old, becomes the fifth to Koeman about him and he has told me Barcelona hailed the “return of a legend” as ment. Dutchman to coach Barcelona after Rinus Messi will be the pillar of his project,” the Spanish giants on Wednesday officially Former Barca star Koeman, who has Michels, Johan Cruyff, Louis Van Gaal Bartomeu said. Lakers, Bucks Stumble Out of named Ronald Koeman as their new coach been in charge of the Netherlands since and Frank Rijkaard. “Messi has a contract with Barca until through until 2022. 2018, will replace Quique Setien, who “More than 30 years after his arrival as 2021. I speak to him and his father regu- Gate in NBA Playoff Openers “FC Barcelona and Ronald Koeman was sacked after the Catalans were humil- a player, Koeman arrives once again as larly and they know that we have a solid have reached an agreement for the Dutch- iated 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Cham- coach at the club that he helped win their project, that a new coach is coming and man to take over as first team coach until pions League quarter-finals on Friday. very first European Cup back in 1992,” that he will count on him.” PSG Reach First Champions League Final With Win Over Leipzig LISBON (Reuters) - Paris Wednesday’s other semi be- St Germain have reached their tween Bayern Munich and first ever Champions League Olympique Lyonnais after final with a convincing 3-0 win ending what some felt was a over RB Leipzig , finally deliv- mental block in the knockout ering the reward of the biggest stages. game in European football for PSG have gone out in the their Qatari backers. last 16 for the past three Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts to a foul by Portland Trail Goals from Marquinhos and years, but they proved a Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Angel Di Maria put PSG 2-0 step too far for Leipzig, who Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. up at the interval and Juan were playing in the regional Bernat added the third in the leagues just 11 years ago. WASHINGTON (Dispatches) - A fourth to give the Blazers a 98-93 lead. 56th minute for what was a The Germans, financed by pair of eighth-seeded teams delivered Nurkic then sealed the win with a late comfortable victory at the the Red Bull energy drink stunning upsets in their playoff openers dunk. Estadio da Luz. company, have outperformed sday as the Portland Trail Blazers and The Magic got off to a quick start to The French club, celebrat- Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian defender Marquinhos heads the ball all expectations by reaching Orlando Magic surprised the top-seed- seize a double-digit lead then blunted ing the 50th anniversary and scores during the UEFA Champions League semi-final football the last four, knocking out ed Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee a second-half rally by the Bucks, who of their founding in 1970, match between Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain at the Luz stadium in Tottenham Hotspur and At- Bucks. boast the league’s top player Giannis will meet the winner of Lisbon on Aug 18, 2020. letico Madrid en route. Damian Lillard scored 34 points as Antetokounmpo. the Trail Blazers toppled the West’s Orlando came into the series as big number one seeded Lakers 100-93 and underdogs against the NBA’s best all- U.S. Open Presses On Despite Rash of Withdrawals Nikola Vucevic tallied 35 points as the around team. Magic defeated the East’s top seeded Vucevic, of Montenegro, also had WASHINGTON (AFP) – U.S. in New York on August 31. Bucks 122-110 at Walt Disney World 14 rebounds and four assists. Terrence Open organizers have said that the Halep, the current Wimbledon Resort in Florida. Ross finished with 18 points and six number of players willing to com- champion, dropped out on Mon- “Every time we have played since rebounds, while DJ Augustin added pete in the Grand Slam had exceed- day, joining high-profile absentees we have been here, it is like a playoff 11 points and 11 assists for Orlando, ed their expectations despite several that include reigning US Open game,” said Lillard. “So that prepared who shot 49 percent from the field and high-profile withdrawals over coro- champion Bianca Andreescu of us for a game like this.” made 16 baskets from beyond the arc. navirus fears. Canada and Ukraine’s fifth-ranked The last time both NBA top seeds Reigning league MVP Antetok- Defending champion Rafael Nad- Elina Svitolina. lost their playoff openers was 2003 ounmpo finished with 31 points, 17 al, top-ranked woman Ashleigh Number seven in the rankings when the San Antonio Spurs and De- rebounds and seven assists. Barty and world number two Simo- Kiki Bertens and eighth-ranked troit Pistons stumbled out of the gate. Milwaukee closed the gap to 62-52 na Halep are among a list of stars Swiss Belinda Bencic will also be Game two is Thursday in Orlando, at the half, then began the third quarter opting to skip the event because of absent. Florida on a 16-7 run to cut Orlando’s advan- concerns about COVID-19. The depleted field provides Wil- Lillard drained several long three- tage to one. But Serena Williams, Novak liams with a golden opportunity as pointers including one from 36 feet The Bucks got within six points, 99- Djokovic and Andy Murray are all she seeks a 24th career Grand Slam with just over three minutes left to 93, on a Brook Lopez basket with 8:13 Defending champion Rafael Nadal is mong a list of stars opting to skip still due to play when the tourna- title to match Margaret Court’s all- break an 89-89 tie. Three-pointers are to play, but Orlando answered with the event because of concerns about COVID-19. ment begins at Flushing Meadows time record. something he has been working on in Ross’ driving dunk and Augustin’s practice. three-pointer to push its advantage CJ McCollum had 21 points and back to double digits. Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic scored 16 points Orlando’s Evan Fournier was held FIFA Expects $120mn Income Drop and 15 rebounds for the Blazers, who scoreless until hitting three clutch GENEVA (AP) -- FIFA forecast the pandemic will cause a $120 million $1.9 billion when the four-year budget was agreed in 2018. made 13 of 34 three-pointers. Carmelo three-pointers late in the fourth quarter drop in its revenue plan through the 2022 World Cup in a revised four-year FIFA aims to keep a minimum level of $1.5 billion in reserve to protect Anthony added 11 points and 10 re- to help clinch the victory. budget published Wednesday. against a World Cup being cancelled. bounds. In another playoff encounter, James Cost-cutting is also predicted to help offset a $200 million hit from It depends heavily on income tied to the men’s World Cup and expects Anthony Davis finished with 28 Harden scored 37 points to lift the being unable to stage a revamped Club World Cup in June 2021, when to book $4.7 billion revenue for the 2022 financial year. points and 11 boards, while LeBron Houston Rockets to a 123-108 win Europe and South America stage their postponed continental champion- That means FIFA reports a loss on paper in each of the three previous James had 23 points, 17 rebounds over the Oklahoma City Thunder. ships. years that was $280 million, according to the 2019 report. and 16 assists for the Lakers, who Despite not having Russell West- Still, FIFA said most World Cup broadcast and sponsor deals were al- FIFA spent $513 million on ‘’development and education’’ projects in struggled from beyond the arc making brook for the fifth time in six games, ready signed and should keep the same profit in the 2019-22 financial 2019, including more than $400 million in grants to soccer bodies world- just five of 32 attempts. Kyle Kuzma the Rockets offence was sizzling, cycle, even on reduced income of $6.44 billion. wide chipped in 14 points. combining for 76 points in the second FIFA has committed $328 million in extra grants from an emergency The loss is forecast to be $800 million in pandemic-hit 2020, when James is the first player in history to and third quarters. fund to ease soccer bodies through the pandemic crisis. More has been revenue of just $250 million should be booked. record a 20 point, 15 rebound and 15 The Miami Heat ran away for a 113- available for loans. FIFA said 94% of its broadcasting income was already signed for the assist triple double in the postseason. 101 win over the Indiana Pacers after The knock-on effect is that FIFA forecasts reserves of no less than $1.6 2019-22 cycle, though it currently has relatively few World Cup spon- Gary Trent nailed a clutch three- Tyler Herro’s jump shot with 8:52 re- billion after the World Cup in Qatar finishes in December 2022. It was sors: six top-tier partners and three in a lower level. pointer with 75 seconds left in the maining broke a tie.