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Messi revealed why he cried after Argentina’s World Cup comeback

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Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, has explained that his tears after Tuesday’s World Cup comeback win over Egypt stemmed from guilt over a missed penalty, rather than pure joy at reaching the quarter-finals.

Argentina came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, with Messi missing a first-half penalty before recovering to set up Cristian Romero’s goal, score the equaliser himself, and see Enzo Fernandez complete the comeback deep into stoppage time.

Speaking after the match, Messi said the missed spot-kick weighed on him through the rest of the game.

“I cried because I felt that I let my teammates down, because of the penalty I missed… and the way I took it.

“But thankfully once again, God had something special for me in the end. I’m very happy,” Messi said.

He said the team’s refusal to accept elimination carried them through.

“We didn’t want and didn’t deserve to go home, we could not let it end like that.

“This group really deserved to keep going. We never give up, at all. Never,” he stated.

Messi’s penalty was saved by Egypt goalkeeper, Mostafa Shobeir, in the 20th minute, moments after Yasser Ibrahim had put Egypt ahead.

Egypt extended their lead through Mostafa Zico before Messi turned the game on its head, teeing up Romero and then scoring himself in the 83rd minute to draw Argentina level, before Fernandez struck the winner.

The equaliser was Messi’s eighth goal of the tournament, taking him back to the top of the Golden Boot standings ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, and extending his record of scoring in six straight World Cup knockout matches.

See also  Morocco beats Argentina to win FIFA U20 World Cup title

Messi was overcome with emotion at the final whistle in what is widely expected to be his last World Cup appearance. Argentina will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on July 11 in Kansas City.

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PSG’s Kvaratskhelia to undergo surgery after ACL rupture – Official

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Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will undergo surgery in the coming days after suffering a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, the club confirmed on Wednesday.

PSG announced the injury update on their official X account following the Georgian international’s forced withdrawal from Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match against FC Barcelona.

“Kvaratskhelia sustained the injury before the hour mark while tracking back to challenge a Barcelona player. He was unable to put weight on his right leg and had to be helped off the pitch by medical staff,” the post read.

The diagnosis confirmed initial concerns about the severity of the knee injury, dealing a setback to the winger, who had been in strong form for the French champions.

PSG also confirmed injuries to forward Ousmane Dembélé and Brazilian defender Marquinhos.

Dembélé suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh during the first half, while Marquinhos sustained an injury to his right thigh after the break.

According to the club’s medical update, both players will remain under medical care over the coming weeks as they continue their recovery.

The three injuries present a selection challenge for manager Luis Enrique ahead of PSG’s upcoming domestic and European fixtures.

Kvaratskhelia’s recovery timeline will depend on his surgery and subsequent rehabilitation, while Dembélé and Marquinhos will continue to be monitored by the club’s medical team.

Source: punchng.com

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See also  Ronaldo, Gyokeres, Haaland, 15 other Nations League hat-trick heroes
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La Liga: PSG defeat will not affect El Clásico – Raphinha

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Barcelona captain Raphinha has insisted that the 4-2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain will have no impact on Sunday’s El Clásico against Real Madrid.

In a post obtained from football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano on X on Wednesday, asked after the match at the Parc des Princes whether the loss could affect the high-profile La Liga clash, the Brazilian gave a clear response: “No.”

Raphinha downplayed the result, stressing that Barcelona had competed well against the back-to-back European champions on their home ground.

He noted that the team had only dropped three points and that the focus had already shifted to preparing for Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou.

The forward also suggested a possible future reunion with PSG in the Champions League.

He said, “There are big chances of meeting PSG on our way again in UCL this season.

“Why not? They are back to back champions and we want to win the UCL, two top teams fighting for the title… there are good possibilities.”

Manager Hansi Flick supported the squad’s readiness by confirming he had deliberately rested midfielder Rodri against PSG.

He said, “Yes. He played a lot of minutes with the national team, also,” Flick said. “At the end, Rodri is fresh for Sunday.”

Barcelona now turn their full attention to the Clásico, determined to put the Paris setback behind them.

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EPL: FRC takes over inquiries into Man City accounting irregularities- Report

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The Financial Reporting Council has confirmed it is leading inquiries into accounting irregularities at Manchester City.

As reported by the BBC on Tuesday, in a letter to the House of Commons Business, Culture, Energy and Sport Committee, the FRC stated it took over “regulatory consideration” of the case from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales on 30 September. No formal investigation has begun, but the regulator is making inquiries.

The move follows an independent commission’s finding that Manchester City were guilty of all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

The commission concluded the club artificially inflated its financial position by more than £900 million. City are appealing the verdict, describing it as containing “material errors of law, principle and fact and is unsafe.”

The FRC has greater resources and powers than the previous body and can examine whether BDO, Manchester City’s auditors, conducted the audits in line with the rules. It can also apply sanctions to individuals, such as directors or employees who are members of professional accountancy bodies.

The independent commission found that the club gave a “misleading impression” of a scheme used to disguise the origin of shareholder funds, leaving the auditors “unaware” of it.

BDO, the UK’s fifth-biggest accounting firm and a major player in football auditing, advised more Premier League and Championship clubs than any other firm.

Liam Byrne, chair of the business select committee, highlighted gaps in the FRC’s powers.

In a post on X, he wrote: “The regulator’s letter exposes gaps in its ability to compel evidence from the club and pursue directors who fall outside its disciplinary rules.

See also  ‘Africa’s image at stake’ – Senegal coach Pape Thiaw warns CAF ahead of AFCON final

“This raises serious questions about the powers available to hold companies and directors to account. The government has a responsibility to explain why reforms to close these gaps were abandoned, and what will now be done to strengthen accountability.”

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