(Reuters): Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho says he is unhappy with the long break between matches his team have had since the Premier League resumed following the COVID-19 shutdown.   Spurs play Sheffield United later on Thursday, nine days after their last match, a 2-0 victory over West Ham United on June 23.   "I am not happy to be waiting for this match for so long," the Portuguese said in a pre-match news conference.   "T

(Reuters): Manchester City must rebuild if they are to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title next season, manager Pep Guardiola has said.   City's reign as champions ended after last week's defeat by Chelsea left Liverpool with an insurmountable lead.   Guardiola, whose team will give Liverpool a guard of honour when they meet at the Etihad Stadium later on Thursday, said the need to rebuild was one all clubs faced.   "We ha

Dimapur, July 1 (MExN): Five cricket coaches from Nagaland have passed the Level-1 Cricket Coach Course conducted by the Bangalore based National Cricket Academy under the aegis of The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Kechesin Keppen  from Kohima secured 83%, D John Belho from Zubza secured 78%, Talikaba from Mokokchung secured 71% while Limatenzuk Amer from Wokha and Keneizetso Medom from Dimapur got  63% and 58% respectively. Kechesin Keppen, D John B

(Reuters): Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri is confident that midfielder Miralem Pjanic will not be distracted by his move to Barcelona at the end of the season and believes the Bosnian will leave the Turin club on a high.   Pjanic has suffered a dip in form this season, apparently struggling to adapt to Sarri's style of play, and the move to Barcelona was confirmed on Monday with Brazilian Arthur Melo going the other way.   "I haven't talked to Mir

(Reuters): India's Arjun Atwal has turned up lighter, stronger and pain-free for this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic as he seeks to follow Phil Mickelson's example for longevity on the PGA Tour.   Since becoming the PGA Tour's first Indian winner at the 2010 Wyndham Championship, Atwal has spent much of the last decade batting inconsistent form and career-threatening shoulder and wrist injuries.   The 47-year-old says he is drawing inspiration

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS): All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been named the Most Valuable Player for India in the 21st century by Wisden. The 31-year-old's MVP rating, which was calculated using the cricket data analysis tool CricViz, was 97.3. Additionally, the rating makes Jadeja the second most valuable player of all time in Test cricket according to the analysis, only behind Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan. Jadeja reacted to the news on Twitter. "Thank you

Rome, July 1 (IANS): Former Italian Formula One driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi's condition is serious but stable two days after a second operation on the head injuries he suffered after he collided onto a truck while on his handcycle in Pienza, Italy on June 19. The hospital he is admitted to said in a statement that the 53-year-old remains sedated and incubated, according to BBC Sport. "Further updates will be provided if there are significant development

(Reuters): Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri is confident that midfielder Miralem Pjanic will not be distracted by his move to Barcelona at the end of the season and believes the Bosnian will leave the Turin club on a high.   Pjanic has suffered a dip in form this season, apparently struggling to adapt to Sarri's style of play, and the move to Barcelona was confirmed on Monday with Brazilian Arthur Melo going the other way.   "I haven't talked to Mir

(Reuters): India's Arjun Atwal has turned up lighter, stronger and pain-free for this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic as he seeks to follow Phil Mickelson's example for longevity on the PGA Tour.   Since becoming the PGA Tour's first Indian winner at the 2010 Wyndham Championship, Atwal has spent much of the last decade batting inconsistent form and career-threatening shoulder and wrist injuries.   The 47-year-old says he is drawing inspiration

MUMBAI, July 1 (Reuters): A storm could be brewing in India's top-flight soccer, a glamorous and acrimonious world that encompasses Asia's richest man, the cream of Bollywood and a self-styled former gangster.   Mukesh Ambani, the billionaire tycoon who commands the Reliance Industries corporate empire that owns the Indian Super League, is facing pushback to his family's dominance from some executives in the country's soccer association and clu

(Reuters): Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah says he wants to remain at the Premier League champions for a long time and says the team have developed a perfect understanding.   The Egypt international, who signed a new five-year deal in 2018, was the top scorer at the club this season with 17 Premier League goals as they secured a 19th top-flight title with seven games to spare.   "I'm very happy... I can't describe my feelings after we won the lea

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Reuters): India is one of five nations to have expressed an interest in hosting the 2027 Asian Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Wednesday.   Qatar, the reigning champions and 2022 World Cup hosts, is also interested in hosting the continental championship, as are regional football powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan.   "The AFC will now work with each bidding member association on the delivery of the

(Reuters): Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described striker Mason Greenwood as a "special talent" who needs to be nurtured, after the teenager scored and provided an assist in Tuesday's 3-0 Premier League win at Brighton & Hove Albion.   Greenwood fired United ahead from a jinking solo run capped by a crisp low shot inside the near post, before delivering an inch-perfect cross for Bruno Fernandes to volley home in the second half. &n

(Reuters): Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta understands playmaker Mesut Ozil's disappointment at not featuring since the Premier League restart but says he will only select players based on their form.   Ozil was left out of the squad for the defeat by Manchester City and was an unused substitute in games at Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton.   He missed Arsenal's 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Sheffield United on Sunday due to a back inju

MUMBAI, July 1 (Reuters): Novak Djokovic's intentions in organising the ill-fated Adria Tour were good but the world number one could have applied a bit more common sense to how the exhibition event was run, former ATP players' council head Vijay Amritraj has told Reuters.   The Serbian has faced fierce criticism after he, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki contracted COVID-19 following the charity event in Serbia and Croatia.   Indian Am

(Reuters): Liverpool's challenge after wrapping up their first English league title in 30 years is to maintain their intensity and keep pushing for trophies, skipper Jordan Henderson has said.   The club sealed their 19th league crown with seven Premier League matches remaining after having won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup last year.   Henderson told British media the mentality of his team would never change.   "

BARCELONA, July 2 (Reuters): Barcelona gave up more ground to Real Madrid in La Liga's title race on Tuesday after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to third-placed Atletico Madrid as a late penalty from Saul Niguez cancelled out Lionel Messi's 700th career goal.   The draw meant the Catalans stayed second in the standings on 70 points and leaders Real Madrid, who have 71, will go four points clear at the top with five games left if they beat Getafe at home on Th

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters): Some predict Liverpool are on the cusp of an era of domination, but former Arsenal title winner Gilberto Silva says Juergen Klopp's team must now prepare for life as a target.   The Brazilian knows the feeling of playing for a dominant force in England, having been an integral part of Arsenal's Invincibles who went through the 2003-04 season without losing a match on their way to the title.   Liverpool last week bagged their

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters): McLaren's Formula One future was never in doubt despite a cash crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and now resolved by a fresh injection of funds, team principal Andreas Seidl said on Tuesday.   The National Bank of Bahrain announced on Monday a 150 million pound ($184.26 million) financing facility for the McLaren Group, which includes the team and supercar manufacturer.   Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat H

(Reuters): Premier League chief executive Richard Masters suggested the proposed Saudi takeover of Newcastle United had become complicated but hoped to have a conclusion to the process shortly.   The Premier League's board has been carrying out an examination of the proposed takeover as part of its 'owners and directors test' which evaluates the suitability of ownership groups.   A group fronted by British financier Amanda Staveley, with an expect