Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr. has called for greater protection for attacking players, naming himself, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez as players who need better protection from referees.

The Brazilian expressed frustration over what he believes is unfair treatment on the pitch, claiming that defenders can foul him repeatedly while he ends up being the player booked by the referee.

As reported by football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano on X on Thursday, Vini Jr was quoted as saying, “I feel like defenders can always kick me, yet I am the one who gets booked.”

The Real Madrid star also stressed the importance of protecting players capable of making a difference in matches, pointing to Yamal and Álvarez alongside himself.

“I think we need to protect players who can make a difference like me, Lamine Yamal and Julián Álvarez,” he added.

Vinícius also questioned the severity of disciplinary punishments in certain situations, referring to a four-match suspension for pulling an opponent’s hair.

“I do not remember any player being banned for four games for pulling the opponent’s hair,” he said.

The Brazilian believes he often faces criticism from rival clubs and the media, suggesting that similar incidents involving him are sometimes treated differently.

Reflecting on his journey at Real Madrid, Vinícius also reminded his critics of the progress he has made since arriving at the club as an 18-year-old.

“Remember, I arrived at 18 years old and many people laughed at me. They said I can’t score, then I had more than 100 goals for Madrid,” he stated.

The forward insisted that his achievements at the Spanish giants speak for themselves, pointing to the numerous titles he has won during his time at the club.

He ended with a defiant message to those who continue to doubt him: “Vini always comes back, remember.”

Source: punchng.com

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British-Nigerian Anthony Joshua says he will not repeat the mistake Deontay Wilder made against Tyson Fury, insisting he will stay calm and avoid emotional decisions when they meet on December 11.

The former two-time world heavyweight champion believes composure will be crucial in the fight at the sold-out Principality Stadium in Cardiff, which will be shown live worldwide on Netflix.

Fury twice defeated Wilder and drew once with the American in their three-fight rivalry.

Joshua told The Ring’s Mike Coppinger that Wilder’s eagerness to finish Fury after hurting him often left him exhausted and gave the Briton the chance to recover.

“Wilder took those fights very personally, and that could be quite exhausting, especially when you hurt someone and try to finish them,” Joshua said.

“You lose a lot of energy, and then Tyson comes back. Wilder could have gotten the job done if he was a bit more calm, cool and collected. He could have learned from that. Wilder tried to take him out of there, while Fury just managed to weather the storm and come back.”

Joshua said frustration or the urge for an early finish would not dictate his approach.

“I do not believe that would be me. I am going to keep a calm head,” he added.

Joshua also has a historic prize to chase. Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, has said the World Boxing Association super heavyweight belt will be at stake in Cardiff.

A win would make Joshua a three-time world heavyweight champion, a feat achieved by Muhammad Ali, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko, while Evander Holyfield won the title four times.

The belt became available after Oleksandr Usyk vacated it. Murat Gassiev was the association’s number one contender and had been expected to move up, but the pull of Fury against Joshua appears to have taken priority. Both men previously lost their world titles to Usyk.

Warren, who is also staging the rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley for the World Boxing Organisation title this weekend, said the winners could meet in unification fights in 2027.

“We have got three of the four heavyweight champions on our roster, and we are going to make unification fights next year,” he said.

Joshua enters the fight with a professional record of 30 wins, four defeats and 27 knockouts. Fury has 36 wins, two losses and one draw, with 25 knockouts.

Netflix has acquired exclusive broadcasting rights for the 2030 FIFA World Cup in Spain and Andorra, marking another major step in the streaming platform’s expansion into live sports.

The company disclosed the development in a blog post on Tuesday, announcing plans to broadcast all 104 matches of the tournament, which will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

As part of its coverage, Netflix said it would provide pre-match, half-time and post-match programmes tailored to Spanish audiences, alongside live broadcasts of the games.

The streaming service also plans to make one match available free of charge on each matchday in Spain. Matches involving the Spanish national team, as well as both semi-finals and the final, will be broadcast free-to-air.

Netflix’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, said the partnership with FIFA reflected the company’s commitment to connecting with audiences worldwide through major sporting events.

He said, “Few events unite people like the World Cup. I was in the stands this year as Spain lifted the trophy and witnessed the passion, the pride, the stories – they all become part of a nation’s culture and are remembered for generations.

“With Spain set to host in 2030, we’re thrilled to bring every match to fans across Spain and Andorra on Netflix. For Spanish football fans, welcoming the world as reigning champions on Netflix will make this a moment unlike any other.

“And our expanding partnership with FIFA, including the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 for the U.S. and Canada, reflects our continued commitment to bringing fans closer to the world’s biggest sports moments.”

FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström, also welcomed the agreement, expressing optimism about the collaboration and its potential to expand access to the competition.

“We are pleased to build on our partnership with Netflix as we look ahead to the FIFA World Cup 2030. This will be a special edition of the tournament, and we look forward to working together to bring it to fans across Spain and Andorra. Our shared ambition is to bring fans closer to the game and enable as many people as possible to share in the excitement of the competition,” Grafström said.

The agreement adds to Netflix’s growing portfolio of live sports content. The company has previously secured the broadcasting rights for the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Netflix has also expanded into boxing, recently securing exclusive global broadcasting rights for a scheduled December 11 bout between British heavyweight boxers Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Source: punchng.com

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