12 Thursday, March 19, 2020 Sports Germany players donate €2.5 million to fight virus AFP Other players such as a team,” said national team a collective burnout” he said “We need to show that we Berlin Bayern Munich’s Joshua director Oliver Bierhoff at a via video link from his home can be different ... and treat Kimmich and Leon Goretzka German Football Association in Freiburg. each other with more respect German national team foot- and Borussia Moenchengla- (DFB) press conference on “The Earth seems to be in the future.” ballers said on Wednesday dbach’s Matthias Ginter also Wednesday. defending itself against man- Loew also welcomed they would donate 2.5 million posted similar videos. He said that Manches- kind, which always thinks it UEFA’s decision on Tuesday Euros ($2.7 million) to help The players did not spec- ter City star Ilkay Gundogan, can do everything and knows to postpone Euro 2020 until fight the crisis caused by the ify what form the donation Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos and everything,” said Loew. next year. coronavirus pandemic. would take, but they directed Barcelona goalkeeper Marc- “Power, greed and profit In light of the current situ- “We need to look after their followers to the online Andre ter Stegen were also have always been in the fore- ation, the decision had “no al- each other in times like this. platform “Wir Helfen”, which among those who came up ground (in recent years),” he ternative”, he said. We in the national team have aims to coordinate volunteers with the idea. added. Both Bierhoff and Loew been thinking and we are go- across Germany during the Meanwhile, national team “But now we have some- had offered to partially forego ing to donate to a good cause,” crisis. coach Joachim Loew called thing which affects all of us, their salaries to help the asso- said Germany captain Manuel “There was very quick for people to change their be- and we realise what really ciation out during the crisis, Neuer in a video posted on In- agreement on the fact that we haviour after the crisis. matters in life: friends, family DFB president Fritz Keller Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (centre) pledged to make a stagram. wanted to make a gesture as “The world is experiencing and respect for others.” revealed. donation to help with the coordination of the coronavirus response.

FIFA confirms Euro and Copa in 2021, Matuidi mood later date for Club World Cup ‘positive’ despite DPA 11 next year. The Copa was Berlin also pushed back by one year by South America’s CONME- Football’s ruling body BOL. FIFA confirmed on Wednes- The new-look Club World infection day it would include the post- Cup with 24 teams was origi- poned Euro 2020 and Copa nally to be played in June and America tournaments in its in- July 2021 in China. ternational 2021 match calen- The statement said FIFA dar, while deciding on the date would form a confederations of the 2021 Club World Cup at working group to monitor the a later stage. health situation, look into a fi- FIFA also said in a state- nancial support fund for stake- ment after a conference call of holders, and reiterated that it’s council’s bureau members FIFA would donate 10 million it would look into transfer and dollars to the World Health registration periods for play- Organisation COVID-19 Soli- ers, as some domestic leagues darity Response Fund. France’s Blaise Matuidi joined Juventus in 2017 after a spell with Paris Saint-Germain. may go beyond the June 30 “This exceptional situation cut-off owing to the coronavi- requires exceptional meas- AFP the first top-flight footballer to family, my friends, my team- tively stronger from this test, “Thank you for your mes- rus outbreak. ures and decisions. This crisis Milan be diagnosed with the virus a mates,” Matuidi said on Ins- it will teach us to know each sages of friendship and sup- Europe’s UEFA decided impacts the entire world and week ago, sending the entire tagram. other better, to be more unit- port. Let us remain disciplined on Tuesday to postpone Euro that is why solutions need to France World Cup win- team into quarantine. “Today I remain positive. ed, more generous, better. and united. I am positive, we 2020 by one year to allow in- take into account the interests ner Blaise Matuidi insisted And Matuidi used a play I am an asymptomatic carrier “Thank you for your will do it.” terrupted domestic leagues to of all stakeholders around the on Wednesday his “morale is on the word ‘positive’ in posts of the virus, aware of the privi- messages of friendship and In total 13 Serie A players be completed, and now aims world,” FIFA president Gianni good” despite testing positive on social media to describe his lege of being a professional support. have officially been diagnosed to hold the event June 11-July Infantino said. for coronavirus. mood at contracting an illness footballer and as such ben- “Let’s stay disciplined with the virus including seven “I am positive, I am strong, which has killed over 2,500 in efit from regular and excellent and united so that we can from Sampdoria and three at morale is good, that of my Italy. medical monitoring. soon cuddle our children, Fiorentina. family too,” the Juventus mid- “I am positive. Usually “If it weren’t, I probably take our parents in our arms, Italy has been battling the fielder said on Instagram. I like to think I’m positive. never would have known.” check our brothers and sis- disease for nearly a month and La Liga club Alaves The 32-year-old’s club Someone who tries to radiate He continued: “I am posi- ters and celebrate goals with now has over 31,000 COV- teammate Daniele Rugani was good waves around him, my tive, we will come out collec- our teammates. ID-19 cases. report 15 positive tests including players Italian FA chief Footballer Obi Mikel leaves looking at May AFP it was the best way to urgently Madrid locate the cases and implement return for Serie A preventive measures to reduce, Spanish football team Ala- as far as possible, more infec- Turkish team over virus fears AFP ves confirmed on Wednesday tions. Milan that 15 people from the club “The people detected are AFP cal time. Season should be have tested positive for coro- asymptomatic and in good Istanbul cancelled as the world is fac- Italian football federation navirus, including three first- health.” ing such turbulent times,” he (FIGC) president Gabriele team players. On March 6, Alaves played Former Nigeria interna- added. Gravina expressed his hope on Alaves said seven members at home in La Liga against tional John Obi Mikel has The 32-year-old played Wednesday Serie A would re- of the La Liga club’s coaching Valencia, who have since con- quit Turkish football club for Chelsea for over 10 years. sume on May 2 with a possible staff had also tested positive, firmed around 35 per cent of Trabzonspor, the team said, He retired from internation- finish in July at the latest. along with five other employ- the club have tested positive for after the former Chelsea al duty after last year’s Africa All Italian sport has been ees. the virus. midfielder said he did not Cup of Nations after making suspended until April 3 as a re- A club statement added: After Italy, Spain has been want to play as the new coro- 89 appearances for Nigeria. sult of the coronavirus pandem- “The club made the decision to the country worst-affected by navirus spread worldwide. The TFF on Tuesday ic which has killed 2,978 people carry out the tests within the coronavirus in Europe. On “The contract has been rejected growing calls for in the country and forced the policy of responsibility for the Wednesday, the latest figures ended by mutual agreement matches to be suspended. postponement of Euro 2020. people who are part of our fam- reported almost 14,000 cases in with John Obi Mikel,” Trab- Among those opposed to “I don’t even want to think ily and the results have shown Spain and just over 600 deaths. zonspor said in a statement any delay of Super League that we won’t start again, it late Tuesday. matches is Trabzonspor chief would be a hiatus, it would wor- The deal between the Ahmet Agaoglu who said any ry me for our country,” Gravina player and the team had be- decision to cancel would lead told Italian radio. gun on June 30 last year and to a rise in divorces. “We’re working on the Ibrahimovic launches was meant to last until May Trabzonspor -- one of hypothesis of starting again 31, 2021. the major non-Istanbul- on May 2 and completing the He criticised the Turkish based clubs -- are currently championships possibly going fundraiser for Italy Football Federation’s (TFF) at the top of Turkey’s Super into July if we don’t achieve it move to let Super League Former Nigeria international John Obi Mikel. League. by June 30. AFP matches continue without Turkey confirmed its first “In the event that it’s im- Stockholm spectators, unlike in other than football. I do not feel Instagram on Saturday. novel coronavirus-related possible to use all the windows countries where games have comfortable and don’t want “Everyone should be death on Tuesday as the as planned, we will resort to AC Milan’s evergreen star been suspended. to play football in this situ- home with their families number of cases in the coun- a change in the format of the striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said “There is more to life ation,” Obi Mikel wrote on and loved ones in this criti- try rose to 98. competitions.” Wednesday he had launched a fundraiser for Italian hospitals battling the coronavirus pan- demic. “Italy has always given me Tottenham chairman says virus ‘biggest challenge’ of his reign so much and, in this dramatic moment, I want to give back even more to this country that AFP was a result of their run to the huge problems for football. many hurdles along the way - try and its stakeholders to seek I love,” the former Swedish AC Milan’s Swedish forward London Champions League final. “We are painfully aware none of this magnitude - the to restore the season - but only international wrote on Insta- Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The move into their new that it seems wholly inappro- COVID-19 pandemic is the when it is safe and practical to gram. Tottenham chairman Dan- stadium also helped revenue priate to be giving any atten- most serious of them all.” do so. “I count on the generosity “Together we can really iel Levy has pledged to ensure increase, with a £27 million tion to the prior year’s finan- But, despite the current “Our priority is the health of my colleagues, of all profes- help hospitals and doctors the coronavirus outbreak does jump in corporate and hospi- cial results at a time when so chaos enveloping the game, and well-being of our staff, sional athletes and of those and nurses who selflessly work not damage the future of his tality income. many individuals and busi- Levy is determined to keep players, partners, supporters who want to make a small or every day to save our lives,” club after admitting the pan- Yet overall profits were nesses face worrying and dif- Tottenham on a sound foot- and their families. large donation according to said the player. demic is the biggest challenge still down almost £45 million ficult times,”L evy said in a ing for when play eventually “We shall look to come out their possibilities, to kick this “Because today we are the of his 20-year reign. on 2018’s figure of £113 mil- statement. resumes. of this stronger and more re- virus away,” he said ones cheering for them! Let’s Levy was speaking on lion, to £68.6 million. “We are, however, legally “With such uncertainty we silient than ever. Our hope is Globally 200,680 people together kick the Coronavirus Wednesday as Tottenham an- With the virus having required to announce these by shall all need to work together that the virus peaks over the have been infected by the virus away and win this match! nounced financial results for forced the postponement of 31 March 2020. to ensure the impact of this coming weeks and that we and 8,092 have died, accord- Signing off with his trade- 2018-19 which showed the the Premier League until at “We are all facing uncer- crisis does not undermine the have a summer to enjoy. ing to the latest AFP tally. mark bravado, he added: “And north London club recorded least April 3 and all European tain times both at work and future stability of the club,” he “Please look after your- After China, Italy is the remember: if the virus don’t £460 million ($544 million) competitions in lockdown at in our personal lives. I have said. selves and stay safe and hardest hit country, with 2,503 go to Zlatan, Zlatan goes to the in revenue. present, Levy acknowledged spent nearly 20 years growing “This will include working healthy. This is more impor- deaths from 31,506 cases. virus!” A quarter of that income the health crisis is creating this club and there have been with the wider football indus- tant than football.”