SHORT CORNER

Barca won't re-sign Neymar

Barcelona have no plans to re-sign Neymar from Paris St. Germain, the club's vice-president Jordi Cardoner said on Friday, knocking down media reports the La Liga champions were ready to tempt the Brazilian forward back to the Nou Camp.

Neymar won two La Liga titles and the 2015 Champions League in four years with Barca and formed a lethal partnership with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, departing in July 2017 after the Paris giants exercised his release clause.

"No-one on the Barca board has talked about the possibility of bringing back Neymar, right now we can't give an answer because no-one has even mentioned it," Cardoner told radio station SER Catalunya on Friday.

Benzema hits out at attempted kidnapping claims

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has brushed off reports he was involved in the attempted kidnapping of an acquaintance who owes him 50,000 euros.

"This must stop," Benzema said on his Twitter page Friday following a report by the Mediapart website implicating the exiled France international in the attempted kidnap.

Mediapart's report, published late on Thursday, claimed Benzema was personally involved in the alleged attempt because he was owed the money by a supposed victim identified only as Leo D.

The report cites the testimony of Leo D., a former acquaintance of Benzema's who filed a complaint with police on October 8 following the alleged kidnap. The 33-year-old said close acquaintances of Benzema, including the player's driver, attempted to load him into a van in Paris on October 7 following the PSG v Lyon league clash.

Hazard 'happy' to finish career at Chelsea

Eden Hazard insists he will be happy to end his career at Chelsea should his dream move to Real Madrid not materialise.

Hazard has been instrumental in Chelsea's unbeaten start under Maurizio Sarri, scoring eight goals in all competitions, as the Blues sit joint top of the Premier League alongside Manchester City and Liverpool.

"When I was in Lille I always said I want to go one day in England because it is my dream league, because the English league is very hard, and then one day try to move (to) Spain," Hazard told Sky on Saturday.

"Now I'm almost 28, seven years with Chelsea, we won almost everything.

"So I can finish (my career) with Chelsea. No problem at all. I am very happy with this club, with the team, my family is happy here.”

Daffodil Golf Tournament underway

The Daffodil Captain Cup Golf Tournament 2018 teed-off at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka yesterday morning. A total of 150 golfers, both male and female, are participating in different categories of the three-day tournament.

Chief Guest Lieutenant General Md. Shafiqur Rahman inaugurated the event on the first day.

Sarfraz taken to hospital

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has been taken to hospital and did not take the field on day four of the second Test against Australia after taking a blow to the helmet.

Sarfraz was on 33 in Pakistan's second innings when a Peter Siddle bouncer struck his helmet. He brushed off the knock as he went on to make 81, helping the hosts set a mammoth target of 538.

Asad Shafiq will lead Pakistan in his absence, while Mohammad Rizwan took the gloves.

Australia were also dealt a blow when it was confirmed that opener Usman Khawaja suffered a meniscal tear to his left knee that is likely to require surgery.