ROME (ITALPRESS) – Monchi is reportedly set to step down from his role as Aston Villa sporting director, a position he has held since June 16, 2023. The report comes from The Athletic, which claims that the 57-year-old Spanish executive has decided to bring an early end to his second overseas experience, following his two-year stint at Roma (2017–2019) before returning to Sevilla.

Monchi’s departure would come in the middle of Aston Villa’s crisis. Unai Emery’s side, already knocked out of the League Cup, sit second-from-bottom in the Premier League with just 3 points from 5 matches. For only the third time in their top-flight history, they have failed to win any of their opening five games, scoring just one goal.

His exit would follow a difficult transfer window, hampered by the club’s financial constraints. Villa spent only €30.5 million on signings: Guessand (€30m), Bizot (€0.5m), Lindelöf (free transfer), Elliott (loan) and Sancho (loan).

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Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Ousmane Dembélé, PSG forward, has won the 69th edition of the Ballon d’Or. The Frenchman, a key figure in Luis Enrique’s side that completed the treble last season (Ligue 1, French Cup and Champions League), finished ahead of Spain’s Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) and his teammate Vitinha. Just outside the podium were Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Raphinha (Barcelona).

The rest of the top ten: Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) and Nuno Mendes (PSG).

As for Serie A players: Scott McTominay (Napoli) placed 18th, Lautaro Martínez (Inter) 20th, and Denzel Dumfries 25th.

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Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – After Tudor’s comments in Italy about Juventus’ schedule, now it’s Bernardo Silva’s turn in the Premier League to raise his voice over fixture disparity. Yesterday, Manchester City drew 1-1 away to Arsenal, taking the field just 66 hours after their Champions League match against Napoli, while the Gunners had faced Athletic Bilbao two days earlier, on Tuesday.

“It’s not fair to play a match like this in these conditions. It’s not right,” Silva complained. “The reality is we can’t go into one of the most important games of the season with such a disadvantage in terms of rest. I didn’t feel in perfect condition to play, and those who have never played at this level don’t know what it means to face a match in such circumstances. You have to be at your best.”

Even Guardiola admitted after the match that City were “incredibly tired.” Silva added: “I don’t think they’re trying to make us lose. It could happen to Arsenal or Liverpool in a few months too. But when you play Arsenal–City, or City–Liverpool, or Liverpool–Arsenal, there needs to be a bit of common sense and understanding of these situations.”

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Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Bad news from the infirmary at Barcelona. The conservative treatment he underwent for a torn meniscus in his right knee did not yield the desired results, and Gavi will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow. According to the Spanish press, the recovery time is estimated at 5-6 weeks, in addition to the three expenses incurred to try to avoid surgery.

Flick is also losing Fermin Lopez, who suffered a tear to his left psoas muscle in yesterday’s match against Getafe and will be out for approximately three weeks.

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Source: medNews

ISTANBUL (TURKEY) (ITALPRESS) – Sadettin Saran is the new president of Fenerbahçe. The Turkish-American businessman won the club’s election, receiving 12,325 votes compared to 12,068 for outgoing president Ali Koc, the man who hired Jose Mourinho last summer only to fire him a few weeks ago after the club failed to qualify for the Champions League group stage. Koc had been in office since 2018.

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Source: medNews

MIAMI (UNITED STATES) (ITALPRESS) – Sergio Busquets is preparing to say goodbye to football. According to Spanish broadcaster Cope, the Inter Miami midfielder has already decided to retire at the end of the current MLS season, which will conclude between November and December depending on the team’s playoff run.

The 37-year-old Catalan, a symbol of the midfielders shaped at La Masia, has been one of the finest playmakers of his generation. After making his debut for Barcelona in 2008 under Pep Guardiola, he quickly established himself as an indispensable figure for the Blaugrana.

With Barça, he made 722 official appearances, ranking third in the club’s all-time list behind only Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernández.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – A survey vessel has begun mapping a 50-metre-wide corridor along the 100-kilometre route of Malta’s second undersea power interconnector with Sicily.

The project, led by Interconnect Malta (ICM), involves gathering detailed seabed data to confirm conditions and chart the safest route for the 225kV subsea cable. “This survey will provide essential inputs to ensure the cable can be installed safely and reliably,” ICM CEO Ismail D’Amato said. He added that the findings will guide burial plans and reduce risks during offshore installation. NextGeo, an international specialist in marine geoscience and offshore construction, is carrying out the survey, while global manufacturer Nexans is producing the 245kV high-voltage cable system.

NextGeo CEO Giovanni Ranieri said the company was proud to support “a strategically important energy infrastructure” and contribute to its safe delivery. Once completed, the new 122km cable will run parallel to the existing interconnector, commissioned in 2015, and strengthen Malta’s energy security. The €300 million project, co-financed by the European Union, will also boost renewable integration and support Malta’s 2030 climate targets. The interconnector is expected to become operational next year.

-Photo Interconnect Malta-
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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – Prime Minister Robert Abela is set to formally announce Malta’s recognition of the state of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Abela, attending the 80th session of the UNGA where more than 190 world leaders are meeting, had pledged earlier this year to take the step as part of Malta’s consistent support for a two-state solution. “This recognition reflects Malta’s longstanding position in favour of dialogue and peace in the Middle East,” a government statement said.

It added that while Malta is committed to Palestinian statehood, it continues to condemn the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, stressing the group “should have no role in the state of Palestine”. The government reiterated its appeal for the unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas and urged a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Malta will join several other countries moving towards recognition, including the UK, France, Canada, Australia and Portugal. Spain, Ireland and Norway recognised Palestine last year.

Abela’s announcement comes after delays earlier this year, when a planned declaration was postponed following Israel’s attack on Iran. Ahead of his UNGA address, Abela is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders.

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Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – The match is off, at least today. There was great excpectation for this evening’s “Le Classique” (8:45 PM) between Roberto De Zerbi’s Olympique Marseille and Luis Enrique’s PSG, but we’ll have to wait another day. The French derby has been postponed until tomorrow evening (8:00 PM) due to weather conditions that predict “a wave of bad weather that will cause heavy rain and thunderstorms.”

The decision was made by the prefect of Marseille, who explained his action in a press release, explaining: “According to Météo-France forecasts, the entire department will be hit by a Mediterranean event in the late afternoon, causing heavy rain and thunderstorms. Accumulations could reach 70-90 mm in some areas and locally 120 mm in a few hours. Heavy rainfall is expected across the region between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM, at the start and end of the match, which was expected to draw nearly 70,000 fans at the Stade Vélodrome.” Ligue 1 has decided to postpone Le Classique until tomorrow evening, starting at 8:00 PM.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri has denied claims that Malta’s sovereign airspace was used in an Israeli drone strike on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza.

VD news, an Italian media house reported that the attack, which targeted the “Family Boat” off the Tunisian coast earlier this month, was launched from Malta and Sicily. The vessel, sailing under a Portuguese flag, was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) and carried activists from its steering committee.

Camilleri insisted there had been “no case of violation of Malta’s airspace without the required authorisation.” He clarified that reports may have referred to Malta’s Flight Information Region (FIR) — an area where the country provides air traffic services — but stressed this was distinct from sovereign airspace.

The attack on the GSF vessel follows a similar incident in May, when a Freedom Flotilla Coalition boat, the “Conscience,” was hit by armed drones shortly after leaving Malta. That strike caused significant damage, sparking fears of escalation.

A dossier from the Global Movement to Gaza alleged that four Israeli aircraft operated between Israel, Malta and Sicily during the September attack. It claimed such manoeuvres could not have occurred without European states’ awareness.

Organisers described the strikes as “terrorist acts” aimed at intimidating activists and slowing their mission to deliver aid to Gaza. Camilleri reiterated that Malta’s sovereignty had not been breached.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews