14 Established 1961 Sports Wednesday, August 25, 2021 European football giants to take two billion euro COVID hit: KPMG report Compared to 500 million euros lost in 2019/20 LONDON: Matchday revenues across the five the five leagues during the 2020/21 season, as it per- major European football leagues took a nearly 2 mitted some fans to attend during parts of the cam- billion euro hit last season ($2.35 billion) after paign. The financial impact is also set to continue in spectators were largely barred from attending the present season. The Premier League and Ligue 1 matches due to the pandemic, a report by consul- are the only ones among the big five leagues to have tancy KPMG said yesterday. The projected rev- allowed full capacity stadia this season. enue losses dwarf the 500 million euros that clubs Temporary guidelines are in place for La Liga in the leagues suffered in the 2019/20 season, until August 29, with a re-evaluation of the situa- when the virus first affected Europe and led to tion in September, only 40 percent of stadia sport being suspended in March 2020, only capacity set to be used and fans obligated to wear resuming months later without spectators. masks, the report noted. Italy’s Serie A currently The continent’s top five allows grounds to be half leagues are England’s full, with fans required to Premier League, Italy’s show a COVID-19 passes Serie A, Spain’s La Liga, proving that they have Germany’s Bundesliga and Clubs to make either been vaccinated the French Ligue 1. “It is against the virus or expected that clubs in the ‘little-to-no recovered from infection, big five leagues will make income’ it added. little-to-no income from “Similarly, half of the this source in 2020/21, stadiums can be filled in potentially losing out on the German Bundesliga, over 2 billion euros of but only up to the limit of matchday revenues com- 25,000 fans in total,” the bined,” the report said. report said. The analysis added this summer’s For the 2019/20 season the Bundesliga, which delayed Euro 2020 tournament had laid the LONDON: A fire display and ‘Welcome Home’ signs greet West Ham fans as they take their seats ahead of has the average highest attendance, was the most groundwork for the return of fans but that it had the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Leicester City at The London impacted (an estimated 157 million euros drop in also had a negative side effect. Stadium, in east London on Monday. —AFP revenues) while Ligue 1 suffered the least (48 mil- “With regard to players’ health, UEFA measures lion euros). The report stated that of five big clubs, were considered rather successful, as only few Barcelona saw the biggest dip, registering a 39- incidents occurred,” it stated. “However, there es in the general population. cases across Europe, mainly driven by the mixing million euros contraction in matchday revenues. were also loud voices that condemned the tourna- “The World Health Organization (WHO) blamed of crowds in host cities, as well as travelling and The Premier League was the exception amongst ment for some increases of new corona(virus) cas- Euro 2020 for a rise of 10 percent in COVID-19 the easing of social restrictions.” —AFP lating last season’s sixth place finish. News in brief Antonio stars as The Hammers have won their opening two fixtures of a Premier Egypt without Salah West Ham crush League campaign for only the second time. “It’s a super night for us. The CAIRO: Egypt’s football association (EFA) 10-man Leicester team played really well. The sending- said on Monday Liverpool had refused to off changes the game a little bit we release Mohamed Salah for the Pharaohs’ LONDON: West Ham extended their did a lot of good things,” Moyes said. upcoming World Cup qualifiers against perfect start to the season as Michail “I’ve challenged the players to find Angola and Gabon due to UK quarantine reg- Antonio became the club’s record that extra few points that could have ulations. British media reported earlier that Premier League goalscorer with a been enough to get us in the the Reds were also refusing to release double in their 4-1 win against 10- Champions League. I could be asking Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Alisson Becker man Leicester on Monday. David far too much but what else am I going for Brazil’s three upcoming World Cup quali- Moyes’ side took the lead through to do? Stand here and say we want to fiers. Both Egypt and Brazil and are on the Pablo Fornals’ first half goal at the avoid relegation!” UK Government’s ‘red list’. Egypt’s governing London Stadium. body said the decision by Liverpool was Leicester’s Ayoze Perez was sent Memorable moment prompted by “mandatory isolation for 10 off for a dangerous stamp on Fornals West Ham were the only team to days” for travellers returning from those just before half-time. Said Benrahma beat Leicester twice in the league last countries. In the summer, Liverpool refused to bagged West Ham’s second after the season and they maintained that hold LONDON: West Ham United’s English midfielder Michail Antonio (second allow star striker Salah to play in the break before Youri Tielemans got one over Brendan Rodgers’ men as the FA right) celebrates with teammates after scoring their fourth goal against Olympics, where Egypt reached the quarter- back for Leicester. Cup holders slumped to their first Leicester City at The London Stadium in east London on Monday. —AFP finals before losing to eventual gold medalists Antonio went into the game tied defeat of the new campaign. Brazil. —AFP with Paolo Di Canio on a joint-record Allowed a capacity crowd for the 47 goals for West Ham in the Premier first time since February 2020 after Leicester suffered a self-inflicted stabbed home from close-range after League era. The 31-year-old took the easing of coronavirus restrictions, wound in the 40th minute when West Ham failed to clear James sole possession of the record with a West Ham fed off the fans’ energy in a Michael Oliver sent off Perez after Maddison’s 69th minute cross. But Lyon complete signing brace in the closing stages as West fast start that saw Benrahma’s 20- consulting the pitchside monitor to Antonio wrapped up the points with Ham followed up last weekend’s 4-2 yard curler saved by Kasper review the forward’s reckless stamp 10 minutes remaining when he took LYON: Lyon have completed the signing of win at Newcastle with another four- Schmeichel. on Fornals’ ankle. Declan Rice’s cross, held off Soyuncu Swiss international midfielder Xherdan goal blitz. Containing Leicester effectively In the 56th minute, Caglar Soyuncu and swiveled to blast past Schmeichel. Shaqiri from Liverpool, the two clubs “I’m really pleased for him. I was and launching counter-attacks at will, played a woeful backpass towards After celebrating his goal by hold- announced on Monday. The 29-year-old disappointed with the way he played West Ham’s confident display was Schmeichel without looking and ing up a large cardboard cut-out of moves for an initial fee of six million euros, in the first half but he did enough to rewarded in the 26th minute. A Antonio intercepted. Antonio slipped himself on the touchline, Antonio pro- rising to a potential total of 11 million euros shut the manager up after what I said sweeping move ended with Fornals the ball to the unmarked Benrahma duced another memorable moment in ($12.9m) with bonuses, Lyon said, and has to him at half-time,” Moyes said of finding Benrahma wide on the left and the Algerian smashed in his first the 84th minute. Cleverly flicking the signed a contract until 2024. Capped 96 times Antonio. Despite a quiet summer in before racing into the area to meet the goal at the London Stadium since ball over his head, Antonio got by Switzerland, Shaqiri played for Basel, the transfer market, West Ham sit top cross with a clipped finish into the far signing from Brentford last season. between two defenders before poking Bayern Munich and Inter Milan before moving of the table and look capable of emu- corner from 12 yards. Against the run of play, Tielemans home from close-range. —AFP to England in 2015 when he signed for Stoke City. He then joined Liverpool in 2018 and made 63 appearances for the Anfield club between the goalposts, with Mike over the last three seasons, leaving with win- Diaz gets Milan Maignan, recruited from French champi- ners medals in the Premier League, ons Lille to try to fill the outsize boots of Champions League, Club World Cup and Italy’s Euro 2020 winner Gianluigi UEFA Super Cup. —AFP off the mark Donnarumma, now with Paris Saint- Germain. Looking assured in his new at Sampdoria surroundings it was Maignan’s long pass that set up the only goal of the game, Williams loaned to Norwich MILAN: AC Milan opened their Serie A Davide Calabria then providing the campaign on Monday with a 1-0 win at assist with Sampdoria keeper Emil LONDON: Manchester United defender Sampdoria as coach Stefano Pioli fielded Audero unable to cope with Brahim Brandon Williams joined Premier League side a host of new signings including Olivier Diaz’s low shot. The Spanish midfielder Norwich on a season-long loan on Monday.