Saturday, 11 July 2026
MARCO BEZZECCHI OUT OF GERMANY GP, NEEDS SURGERY AFTER BIG CRASH
Marco Bezzecchi will miss the German Grand Prix following a huge crash in qualifying
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| Marco Bezzecchi, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP. © Gold and Goose |
Aprilia has announced that Marco Bezzecchi will miss the remainder of the MotoGP German Grand Prix following a huge crash in qualifying.
The erstwhile championship leader lost the rear of his Aprilia going through Turn 7 in the early stages of Q2.
When it gripped again, he was flung over his bike’s handlebars and bounced violently through the gravel.
Though he was able to walk away from the crash under his own steam, he was seen clutching his left arm when he got back to the paddock.
He was transferred to the circuit medical centre by ambulance shortly afterwards, where a displaced collarbone fracture was detected.
Marco Bezzecchi will require surgery on the injury.
“Following the crash, Marco Bezzecchi was taken to the circuit medical centre where, under the supervision of MotoGP Medical Director Dr. Angel Charte, he underwent an X-ray examination which revealed a complete and displaced fracture of the left clavicle,” Aprilia said in a statement.
“The type of fracture requires surgical intervention for optimal recovery, and it will be performed by Dr. Giuseppe Porcellini in Italy.
“Marco Bezzecchi is planning to return to Italy as soon as possible. We will keep you updated.”
Marco Bezzecchi's season goes from bad to worse
Bezzecchi was due to start from eighth on the grid, ahead of Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.
It marks his second big accident in as many rounds, following a fast crash during the Dutch Grand Prix.
With Bezzecchi withdrawing from the rest of the Germany weekend, it will bring his tally of non-scores in main races to four in a row, and marks his second scoreless event in three.
His crash out of the Dutch Grand Prix lost him the championship lead, dropping him seven points behind Martin. Currently, Martin is unlikely to fight for victory in either race, but the likes of Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marc Marquez could overhaul Bezzecchi in the points.
Bezzecchi's season has quickly turned hellish since his dominant start to the campaign, in which he won the first three grands prix and added a fourth to his tally in Italy.
Since then, he was involved in a Turn 1 pile-up triggered by Martin in Hungary, crashed out of the sprint at Brno and was subsequently banned from the main race for striking a marshal, before falling out of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi now has three weeks within which to have the surgery and recover in time to compete at the British Grand Prix at the start of August.
- Lewis Duncan
MIKEL MERINO'S GOAL LIFTS SPAIN PAST BELGIUM IN WORLD CUP QUARTERS
Super-sub Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Spain won 2-1 over Belgium to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on July 11.
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| "Mikel Merino #6 of Spain celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium. — AFP/VNA Photos" |
LOS ANGELES — Super-sub Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Spain won 2-1 over Belgium to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on July 11.
It was a Fabian Ruiz goal that gave the European champions the lead on the half-hour mark at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Ruiz benefits from some poor Thibaut Courtois handling and slammed home on the rebound from close range.
However, shortly Charles De Ketelaere nodded home a cross to bring Belgium level in timely fashion.
He was the first scorer of the tournament who could find the back of the net of Luis de la Fuente's side. Spain's six-game clean sheet streak was ended in the 41st minute.
Both two sides had opportunities to raise the score in the second half.
"Lamine Yamal finds himself one-on-one with Courtois in the 48th mark. The keeper came out on top, but the flag was up on the teenager regardless.
Jérémy Doku and De Bruyne made up a lovely one-two with each other before setting Maxim De Cupyer in a perfect place to score. However, the winger lashed into the side netting in the 55th minute.
Six minutes later Yamal's another effort was beaten away by the busy Courtois who previously saved his net from Oyarzabal's attempt."
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| "Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois receives medical treatment." |
"A turning point came in the 72nd minute when Courtois went off in tears because of injury. He was replaced by Lammens who spilled the ball to Merino in the final minutes, allowing the Spaniard to smash home a rebound for a 2-1 win.
It was the second game in a row that Merino came from the bench and scored a late goal. Earlier, the Arsenal midfielder also netted a late winner as a substitute against Portugal four days ago."
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| "Jeremy Doku of Belgium (centre) competes for the ball against Spanish players during their quarter-final match." |
"He was the first player in the history of the World Cup to score winning goals in separate knockout ties as a substitute but that didn't really cover it. Merino was only given nine minutes plus stoppage time across the two games. It was all he needed.
Spain will next play tournament favourite France in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dallas.
Other quarter-finals will be held tonight between Norway and England at the Miami Stadium and Argentina and Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium. — VNS"
THE MAN FROM ANOTHER PLANET 🌍 | EMMANUEL WANYONYI BREAKS 1000M WORLD RECORD
🇰🇪’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered a performance for the ages in Monaco, running a sensational 2:11.83* to set a new 1000m world record at the #DiamondLeague 🔥
The Kenyan lowered a mark that had stood for almost 27 years by just 0.13 seconds 😮💨
WR flash report 🔗 bit.ly/4aNZWh8
*Pending the usual ratification procedures
- World Athletics
Friday, 10 July 2026
MICHAEL OLISE STOPPED FROM CELEBRATING FRANCE GOAL DUE TO LITTLE-KNOWN FIFA RULE
France cruised through their World Cup semi-final against Morocco in Boston.
France claimed a place in the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday with a straightforward quarter-final win over Morocco.
Les Bleus won 2-0 in Boston thanks to two goals in seven minutes in the second half of a match they dominated from start to finish.
Captain Kylian Mbappe curled in the first after seeing his earlier penalty saved by Bono in the first half. The Moroccan goalkeeper couldn't then keep out the Ousmane Dembele shot that doubled the lead.
France will now face Spain or Belgium in the World Cup's first semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday and are just 90 minutes away from a third consecutive World Cup final.
Their second goal against Morocco sparked joyous celebrations on the touchline but one player was notably unable to join in.
Fans noticed that Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, one of France's star performers under Didier Deschamps this summer, was prevented from joining the mint-green huddle by substitute goalkeeper Brice Samba.
The Rennes man's quick thinking might have made all the difference and revealed his knowledge of the first clause of Law 8 in the Laws of the Game.
Law 8 states that: "For every kick-off, all players, except for the player taking the kick-off, must be in their own half of the field of play."
That only applies to players on the pitch. With no players in the opposition half to actively prevent the restart, France would have fulfilled the requirements of a kick-off and Morocco would have been permitted to get the game back underway without a single French player in their way.
By stopping Olise's charge towards the celebrating pack, Samba ensured that 'all players' were not in their own half and thus denied Morocco the right to crack on unhindered and halve the deficit with more than 20 minutes left on the clock.
Staying switched-on to that possibility is something France have demonstrated before.
A similar incident involving France unfolded in the 2022 World Cup final, when Dayot Upamecano was shoved back onto the pitch by Theo Hernandez after one of Mbappe's goals.
Mbappe scored three times in the final four years ago but France were beaten on penalties by Argentina, potential final opponents again in the current tournament.
Kylian Mbappe is tearing it up in front of goal
Les Bleus won their second World Cup in Russia in 2018, a success that made Didier Deschamps one of the just three men to win the World Cup both as a player and as manager.
They beat Morocco in the semi-finals in 2022 and made short work of them again in Boston on Wednesday.
Mbappe and his team are flying. His goal against the Atlas Lions was his 20th in 20 World Cup matches, putting him one goal behind record scorer Lionel Messi.
The Argentina captain's goals have been scored at a slower rate and Mbappe's rise to the top of the pile now seems inevitable.
Like Messi, Mbappe has eight goals in the 2026 tournament. His strikes against Senegal, Iraq, Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco have put both the captain and his team within reach of history.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
- Chris Nee
CANELO ALVAREZ VS. LUCIANO CUELLO: THE 2010 WIN THAT MOVED CANELO TOWARD A WORLD TITLE
Long before he became boxing’s biggest attraction and a four-weight world champion, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez took another significant step toward the top on July 10, 2010.
Fighting before his home fans at Arena VFG in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, the unbeaten 19-year-old stopped Argentina’s Luciano Leonel Cuello in six rounds to capture the vacant WBC Silver junior middleweight title. While not a full world championship, the belt carried importance at the time, helping position Alvarez for bigger opportunities in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.
Canelo (32-0-1, 26 KOs) entered the fight unbeaten and had quickly become one of boxing’s most closely watched teenage prospects.
Cuello (26-1, 10 KOs) arrived as a respected Argentine contender who had never been stopped and viewed the fight as the biggest opportunity of his career.
The contest represented another step up in opposition for Canelo. It offered another opportunity to prove he belonged among the division’s top young contenders. Cuello, meanwhile, had the chance to score the biggest victory of his career.
From the opening bell, the difference in power was obvious. Late in the first round, Alvarez uncorked a perfectly timed left hook that dropped Cuello heavily to the canvas. The Argentine beat the count and fought back with determination, but he immediately found himself dealing with Alvarez’s heavier hands, accurate counterpunching, and growing confidence.
The punishment continued to build as Canelo found openings with both hands, landing hard to the ribs before bringing his attack back upstairs.
His trademark body punching was already becoming a major weapon, and whenever Cuello tried to stand his ground, Alvarez answered with crisp combinations that repeatedly forced him backward.
Cuello refused to look for a way out. Whenever Cuello tried to apply pressure, Canelo answered with crisp combinations that quickly halted his advances. By the fifth round, the punishment was beginning to accumulate.
Cuello’s face showed the effects of the sustained attack, and Alvarez continued finding openings with right hands upstairs before digging hooks into the body whenever his opponent reached the ropes.
The end came in the sixth round. Alvarez trapped Cuello against the ropes and unleashed another sustained barrage of punches. With Cuello no longer returning meaningful offense and taking repeated clean shots, referee Jose Cobian stepped in at 1:22 of Round 6 to wave off the contest.
The victory improved Alvarez’s record to 33-0-1 and earned him the vacant WBC Silver title, another milestone in a rapid climb through the junior middleweight ranks.
The performance also reinforced what many observers had begun to believe: Alvarez possessed the combination of patience, power and composure needed to compete with the division’s elite despite still being a teenager.
Just over four months later, Alvarez defeated Lovemore N’dou to win the WBC junior middleweight world title, beginning the first championship reign of a career that would eventually see him capture world titles at junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight while becoming one of boxing’s biggest global stars.
The loss for Cuello dropped him to 26-2. He continued boxing professionally and later won regional titles, but the defeat served as a reminder of the gulf between a solid contender and a future pound-for-pound great.
Looking back, Alvarez’s demolition of Cuello was more than another prospect victory. It was one of the performances that signaled Mexican boxing had found its next superstar.
- Michael Collins
LEBRON JAMES ACCUSED OF USING WARRIORS FOR LEVERAGE
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| Getty |
Popular NBA pundit Bill Simmons made a claim that LeBron James never viewed the Golden State Warriors as a legitimate option and used them for leverage. Golden State appeared to be the favorite when LeBron announced that he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers to join another team in free agency. Things have quickly changed with the Cleveland Cavaliers now emerging as the strong favorites.
Simmons vowed that James to Cleveland was a done deal and referenced the Warriors being used for leverage:
“Another thing that happened to Golden State – I think they thought they were getting LeBron and potentially Anthony Davis. And now it’s pretty clear now they were being used as leverage as LeBron goes back to Cleveland. The Cleveland thing’s done.”
Golden State had confidence during the first few days of free agency and still are operating under the belief that they have a serious chance to land LeBron. Unfortunately for Warriors fans, one thing to back up Simmons’ is new reports that Golden State doesn’t have any confidence as it currently stands.
Most people and teams around the league are fully expecting James to sign with Cleveland. Simmons has a lot of things working in his favor to back up his otherwise bold claims about LeBron.
Why LeBron James “Used” Golden State Warriors
Simmons’ co-host Zach Lowe questioned why exactly LeBron would use another team for leverage during this conversation. No answer was formally given by Simmons, but he made sure to state that he doesn’t believe Golden State ever had a realistic chance.
LeBron could have used the Warriors interest to make himself the top story of the NBA landscape again. Earlier offseason stories saw names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard bigger stories since they were fully expected to get traded, while James was originally expected to stay with the Lakers.
Everything became about LeBron when the rumors started circulating about Golden State being the favorites. Simmons even stated that he felt bad for Warriors fans since the James hubbub led to them believing they could add both LeBron and Davis just a few weeks ago. Now it seems like they may not be able to add any new players to the roster after most names were already acquired.
Golden State Warriors Went All In On LeBron
Golden State deserves more blame than LeBron if Simmons is indeed telling the truth. The Warriors have treated this offseason as if they have no real backup plans if James doesn’t sign there.
Trey Murphy has been considered one of the few other names that Golden State wanted to trade for, but it has become impossible. The New Orleans Pelicans wanted four first round draft picks at the height of trades, and they now appear to want to keep him for next season.
General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. failed to go after any realistic names and put all his faith in a 41-year-old looking to end his career in the ideal situation. Warriors fans expected big moves especially since the team is expected to miss injured Jimmy Butler for at least half of the season.
- Joey Haverford
FOOTIE ARREST | FORMER ARSENAL & MAN CITY STAR SAMIR NASRI 'ARRESTED AS PART OF MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE INTO DRUG TRAFFICKER "WILD BOAR"
FORMER Arsenal and Manchester City star Samir Nasri has reportedly been arrested as part of a money laundering probe linked to the drug trafficking kingpin “Wild Boar”.
The former Premier League footballer was caught up in a sprawling police investigation surrounding alleged links to the criminal network of the jailed Marseille trafficker.
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| Ex-Manchester City star Samir Nasri has reportedly been arrested as part of a money laundering probe connected to drug traffickingCredit: PA:Press Association |
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| The former Premier League footballer was caught up in a sprawling investigationCredit: Getty |
Nasri, who now works as a pundit for French TV channel Canal Plus, was grilled for around ten hours on Thursday by cops, Le Parisien reports.
Questioning formed part of a major investigation into suspected drug importation, criminal conspiracy and organised money laundering of drug trafficking proceeds.
The football star, 39, was released Thursday evening without charge and no legal proceedings have been launched against him.
Investigators are probing alleged links between Nasri and a criminal network surrounding Hakim Berrebouh nicknamed “Wild Boar,” a drug trafficker who has been imprisoned since 2021.
The explosive case also names Olivier Sabbah, known as “Paulo”, who is presented as one of the alleged pillars of a money laundering network connected to Berrebouh’s criminal activities.
Police are reportedly examining Nasri’s alleged involvement in the “organised money laundering” aspect of the case through XS nightclub in Ivry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne.
Nasri became a shareholder in the venue around 2016 after reportedly investing a few hundred thousand euros while he was earning millions at Manchester City.
The ex-France midfielder later became co-owner of the nightclub alongside Bilele Z., described as one of his loyal clients, who was also placed in police custody on Thursday.
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| Nasri was grilled for around ten hours by copsCredit: Graham Hughes – The Times |
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| Nasri now works as a pundit for French TV channel Canal PlusCredit: Getty |
The shocking investigation has focused on the years between 2021 and 2023, with detectives examining claims that large amounts of cash were taken from the venue.
According to evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation, Berrebouh’s wife allegedly visited the nightclub several times to withdraw large sums of money while her husband was behind bars.
Nasri’s alleged connection to the Berrebouh family stretches back to his childhood in Marseille, where he was reportedly close to Karim’s older brother.
The former France international, who earned 41 caps between 2007 and 2013, is said to have reconnected with Berrebouh in Dubai during the first lockdown in 2020.
Investigators claim Berrebouh later suggested that Nasri take a financial stake in XS, but the agreement allegedly remained verbal and was never formally recorded.
During his police custody, Nasri reportedly maintained that he believed he had sold all his shares in the nightclub to Berrebouh.
The latest police grilling came after Nasri was already questioned in Marseille in late June as part of the same sweeping investigation.
The former Les Bleus star could face further questioning over a potential formal indictment, despite currently facing no charges.
His lawyer, Saïd Harir, declined to comment when approached.
- Jeylin Mehmet
WORLD CUP RED-CARD DECISION FOR BALOGUN, QUANSAH RAISE QUEATIONS AMONG EX-FIFA REFEREES
England's Jarell Quansah, U.S. striker Folarin Balogun get different fates after respective red cards
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| Folarin Balogun, right, of the United States fouls Bosnia's Tarik Muharemović, resulting in a red card for Balogun during their World Cup soccer match in California on July 1. (Jeff Chiu/The Associated Press) |
FIFA's handling of two World Cup red-card cases came under renewed scrutiny on Thursday after England defender Jarell Quansah got a two-match suspension while U.S. striker Folarin Balogun avoided an immediate ban for a similar challenge.
That has left former international referees unable to reconcile the two decisions.
Quansah was sent off in England's last round-of-16 victory over Mexico after a video review deemed his sliding studs-up challenge serious foul play. He was later handed a two-match ban that England's Football Association said it could not appeal.
Balogun, by contrast, was sent off during the United States' round-of-32 win over Bosnia but received a one-match suspension that world soccer's governing body FIFA later suspended.
Balogun's ban was suspended on probation for one year under Article 27 of the disciplinary code, FIFA said, although it has not publicly explained why it considered that sanction appropriate in his case.
The fact that U.S. President Donald Trump had personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review Balogun's case only intensified the controversy, even though FIFA insisted the conversation played no part in its decision.
"FIFA have failed in their duty towards the game after they delayed the ban for Balogun. They allowed outside interference by the president," former referee Keith Hackett wrote on social media on Thursday.
"FIFA the major lawmaker are at fault. But both players committed Serious Foul Play challenges sanctioned by a red card."
'More important always is consistency'
Jonas Eriksson, who was a FIFA referee for 16 years from 2002, said if Balogun got a one-match suspension, Quansah should have as well, seeing their two on-field incidents were roughly equal in terms of intensity and aggression.
"What everyone wants from referees, they want the correct decisions, yes, but more important always is consistency," Eriksson said.
"That you identify, OK, player A gets the same sanction as player B. Team A gets the same sanction as team B. You know, that's what you expect. And this is not the case when it comes to Quansah and Balogun."
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| Quansah leaves the field after receiving a red card during the World Cup match between Mexico and England in Mexico City on Sunday. (Ricardo Mazalan/The Associated Press) |
British media quickly drew comparisons between the two cases, with The Independent running the headline: "FIFA confirms Jarell Quansah ban just days after Folarin Balogun reprieve."
Eriksson said the subsequent suspension of Balogun's match ban was never adequately explained, contributing to the furor.
Belgium unsuccessfully challenged Balogun's eligibility before their round-of-16 victory over the U.S., but FIFA has still not publicly explained why it decided to suspend the striker's ban under Article 27.
"If you're not able to communicate how they interpret the situation — was it an incorrect decision of the referee or was it the wrong application of the laws of the game — we don't know," said Eriksson, whose book House of Cards explores the "dirty game behind the game" for FIFA referees.
"It's just for you and me and for everybody else to guess. But with that in mind, the red card for Quansah and the suspension is for me, just, it's a mystery."
- Thompson Reuters
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