Short Corner
Messi makes plea for Sala search to resume
Lionel Messi urged investigators Friday to resume the search for missing striker Emiliano Sala after police called off rescue operations and admitted the chances of finding him were "extremely remote".
Police from Guernsey abandoned the search on Thursday after the light aircraft taking the 28-year-old Argentinian to Wales following his signing with Cardiff City from Ligue 1 side Nantes disappeared from radar near the British island on Monday.
"While there is the possibility, a shred of hope, we ask that you please #NoDejenDeBuscar (don't stop searching) for Emiliano. All my strength to your family and friends," said the Barcelona attacker on Instagram, with the hashtag "#PRAYFORSALA".
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PSG sweat over Neymar
Paris Saint-Germain are hoping Neymar's prayers are answered after the runaway Ligue 1 leaders' talisman suffered a fresh metatarsal injury just weeks from their huge Champions clash with Manchester United.
Neymar invoked divine intervention after being forced to leave the field in tears during their 2-0 French Cup win over Strasbourg in midweek with the same injury that curtailed the Brazilian's campaign last season.
"Your will be done, my God" he wrote in an Instagram post.
Although fans in Paris are concerned about the danger of Neymar missing the two games against a rejuvenated United, his absence should not have much impact on PSG's title defence.
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China hunts for Lippi successor
Wounded Chinese football was searching for a new national coach on Friday after an angry Marcello Lippi ended his reign with a humiliating exit at the Asian Cup.
The 70-year-old Italian World Cup winner confirmed after Thursday's 3-0 quarter-final defeat to Iran in Abu Dhabi that he would not extend his contract.
Lippi made no effort to hide his displeasure at the nature of the defeat, which came from some calamitous Chinese defending.
"You cannot afford to gift a team like Iran three goals," an exasperated Lippi, fondly known in China as "Silver Fox" on account of his hair, said.
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Portugal mulls revoking Ronaldo's honours
Portugal is considering pulling Cristiano Ronaldo's public honours after he was fined millions by Spain for committing tax fraud while at Real Madrid, the country's president said on Thursday.
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo was awarded the Grand Cross of the Portuguese Order of Merit in 2016, when the national team won the European Championship.
"The law is very simple: it is up to the chancellors of the national orders to see if anything has happened that could lead to the loss of an honour," President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told reporters.
This means it would be the current chancellor of Portugal's civil Order of Merit, one of several branches of the country's honours system, to decide whether the 33-year-old's conviction is enough to strip him of his honour.
--Afp
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