ROME (ITALPRESS) – Ricardo Alberto Gareca is no longer the coach of Chile. After yet another defeat suffered last night at the home of Bolivia and the last place in the ranking of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the Argentine coach has resigned. La Roja will not play in the next World Cup and the coach has assumed his responsibilities, thanking the managers and players for their trust.

“I take away an excellent image in every aspect, unfortunately the results have been lacking and we find ourselves in a situation that nobody would have wanted. It is also a hard blow for me from a sporting point of view; I will have to get back up just as Chile will have to get back up”, Gareca declared. The Chilean national team has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, after the absences of 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – FIFA today unveiled the Technical Study Group (TSG) that will provide cutting-edge analysis of all the 2025 Club World Cup matches, while increasing and developing global understanding of the game. Led by Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Head of Global Football Development, the TSG lineup includes Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina), Aliou Cissé (Senegal), Tobin Heath (USA), Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Roberto Martinez (Spain), Gilberto Silva (Brazil) and Pascal Zuberbuhler (Switzerland).

The role of the FIFA TSG – a group of experts made up of national team coaches and former players – is to observe matches, identify trends and tactical innovations and illustrate them using insights and data provided by the FIFA Football Performance Insights team. The trends identified are published on the Fifa Training Centre, where they are accessible to everyone free of charge. Furthermore, the TSG is responsible for selecting the individual winners and the team that receives the fair play award in Fifa tournaments.

“We have brought together a group of experts from different cultures and parts of the world, with a wealth of experience and practical expertise,” said Wenger, the former Arsenal manager. “We want to describe, analyse and interpret what happens on the pitch with the aim of inspiring technical experts and football fans in general. Not only will we collect more data than before, but we will also aim to find the right balance between technical expertise and data. We want to inform the public about the technical observations of the Club World Cup directly and during the tournament itself, not months later.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The family of slain Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has expressed hope that the life sentences handed down on Tuesday to two men involved in her murder will serve as a warning to those who target journalists.

Caruana Galizia, a prominent investigative journalist, was killed in a car bomb attack in October 2017. On Tuesday, Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life in prison for procuring the bomb that killed her.

In a statement, the Caruana Galizia family said, “We hope that the sentences will be a step towards a safer world for journalists by signalling to potential killers that there are heavy penalties to pay when a journalist is murdered.”

They emphasized that Daphne’s assassination had deeply shaken Maltese society and sent shockwaves worldwide.

“Her murder created a sense that those behind the attack believed they would never be held accountable,” the family said.

The family stressed they sought justice, not revenge, rejecting calls from some quarters for the return of capital punishment. “Daphne herself did not support capital punishment, and we share her view,” they said. “To us, Daphne’s death is the loss of an irreplaceable member of our family. To society, it is the killing of a journalist.”

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Bernard Grech’s resignation as leader of Malta’s Nationalist Party (PN) has sparked speculation about who will take the helm, with increasing pressure on European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to step into the role.

While PN MPs expressed gratitude to Grech for his leadership, attention quickly shifted to potential successors. Former PN president for political research, Mary Anne Lauri, was among the first to publicly question whether Metsola would leave her prestigious European post to contest the leadership.

European outlet Politico reported that several PN officials believe Metsola will face mounting pressure to return to local politics, as she is seen as a unifying figure across the party’s factions.

Metsola has remained silent on her intentions, offering only a message of thanks to Grech for his dedication and friendship.

Grech confirmed he did not consult Metsola before his resignation, emphasizing that the party’s next leader is a decision for its members.

Metsola has long been viewed as a potential leader, particularly after consistently outperforming Grech in trust ratings.
Grech’s decision follows poor polling results that showed the PN lagging far behind the Labour Party, with his personal trust ratings at a worrying low.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

MILAN (ITALPRESS) – Tijjani Reijnders has officially completed a permanent move to Manchester City from Milan. 

“AC Milan can confirm that Tijjani Reijnders has joined Manchester City FC on a permanent deal. The Club would like to thank Tijjani for the commitment and professionalism he has always shown and wishes him all the best for the future on both a personal and professional level”, it is said in an official statement from Milan.

“I am ecstatic to be signing for Manchester City,” Reijnders said. “City are one of the biggest teams in the world, with the best coach, world-class players and outstanding facilities. Under Pep Guardiola, City have won so many titles, and I want to help keep that going with a lot more success in the coming years”.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Manchester City’s coup. Pep Guardiola will have at his disposal Rayan Cherki, a 21-year-old French attacking midfielder, starting from the Club World Cup. The ex-Lyon player has put pen to paper on a five-year deal, which keeps him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2030.

According to the British press, OL will collect 30.5 million pounds (about 36 million euros) for the player who made his debut with Deschamps’ France, scoring a great goal in the Nations League semi-final lost against Spain.

“This is a dream for me,” Cherki said. “Honestly, to be joining a club like Manchester City and have the opportunity to make the next step in my career here is something very, very special. I have worked so hard for this all my life. I love this sport, and I can’t wait to develop further here in Manchester with Pep and his backroom staff. I would only leave Lyon for a project I really believe in and everything at City suggests I can develop my game and help the team be successful in the future”, he concluded.

“We’re very happy to have Rayan at City. We want to bring top talent to the club, and he falls into that category”, commented the sporting director Hugo Viana.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Madam Justice Edwina Grima sentenced four members of the Maksar criminal gang to life imprisonment today for their roles in the murders of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and lawyer Carmel Chircop.

The verdict followed a six-week trial that ended last week with guilty verdicts against brothers Adrian and Robert Agius, along with Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio. Justice Grima described the verdict as “strong,” rejecting defence arguments, and emphasized the crimes’ impact on society. She confirmed both murders were premeditated, taking into account the victims’ rights and the wider effects.

Robert Agius and Vella were convicted of supplying the car bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in October 2017, with an 8-1 jury verdict. Vella, Adrian Agius, and Degiorgio were also found guilty of the 2015 murder of Carmel Chircop, shot four times as he entered a garage. The court heard Caruana Galizia was murdered “for her journalism,” while Chircop’s killing was linked to debts Adrian Agius owed him. The sentencing was delivered after a brief postponement in a tense courtroom environment.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Bernard Grech has officially stepped down as leader of Malta’s Nationalist Party (PN), announcing his resignation in a live address on Net TV this afternoon. His departure closes a turbulent four-year chapter marked by persistent electoral struggles and plummeting public support.

Grech, who took the helm in 2020 after Adrian Delia’s divisive leadership, was seen as a unifying figure expected to rebuild the fractured party. Initially winning strong internal backing with 69% of the leadership vote, Grech faced mounting challenges in reversing the PN’s electoral decline.

Despite briefly narrowing the gap with the Labour Party (PL) in last year’s European and local council elections, the party’s recent dismal polling figures sealed his fate. A MaltaToday survey published this week showed Labour widening its lead over the PN to nearly 39,000 votes, echoing the landslide defeat of 2022. Grech’s personal trust rating also dropped sharply, trailing Prime Minister Robert Abela by 31 points.

In his resignation letter to PN Secretary General Charles Bonello, Grech said his decision was driven by loyalty to the party and the Maltese people, believing new leadership is essential for the PN’s renewal. He expressed his hope that this step would open a new chapter for the party.

Grech will remain as Opposition Leader until his successor is chosen. The PN’s Executive Committee will meet tomorrow to formally begin the leadership contest.

Reflecting on his tenure, Grech described the past five years as both rewarding and personally challenging. He thanked his family, party members, and the public for their support, and asked for forgiveness from anyone he may have disappointed.

The PN has publicly thanked Grech for his service, acknowledging his efforts to modernise the party and strengthen its internal structures.

However, political observers caution that the PN’s next leader faces an uphill battle to reconnect with voters and restore the party’s relevance ahead of the next general election.

-Photo PN-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

DORTMUND (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – From Jude to Jobe. Another Bellingham in Dortmund. Borussia, in fact, has made official the signing of Jobe Samuel Patrick Bellingham, English midfielder born in 2005, purchased from Sunderland, the club with which this season he obtained promotion to the Premier League.

For him a five-year contract and his debut already at the Club World Cup which is about to start in the United States. Jobe arrives in yellow and black two years after his brother Jude, one of the best midfielders in the world, purchased for a fortune from Real in July 2023, “Jobe is a very talented footballer, with an impressive level of maturity and intelligence on the pitch for someone so young,” said Borussia’s sporting director Lars Ricken.

“His professionalism, his dynamism and his desire to succeed will make him a real asset to our team. We can’t wait to work with him and are sure that he will play an important role in the future of Borussia Dortmund.”

“We have been following him for several years, at just 19 years old he has already become a true leader. We are delighted to have been able to conclude this agreement before the Club World Cup. He is determined to chart his own path at Borussia Dortmund and leave his mark,” commented sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

“I am very happy to be a Borussia Dortmund player and to fight for titles together with this great club. I want to do my part in celebrating the success with these fantastic fans and I will work hard to achieve this together with my new teammates. I am very happy to wear the yellow and black jersey already at the Club World Cup”, said Jobe Bellingham.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. My whole body hurts.” Thus said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola during the ceremony to award an honorary degree from the University of Manchester.

“I want to be clear, it’s not about ideology. It’s not about whether I’m right or you’re wrong. It’s just about love for life, caring for others,” the Spanish coach continued in his speech at Whitworth Hall.

“We may think it’s none of our business, but be careful: the next four- or five-year-olds who die will be ours. I’m sorry, but I see my children, Maria, Marius and Valentina. Since the nightmare of the newborns in Gaza began, I’ve been so scared.”

Guardiola received the honorary degree for his successes with City, having won 18 trophies in his nine years at the club, and for the work of his family foundation, the Guardiola Sala Foundation, which “is committed to supporting the most disadvantaged” in society. “Perhaps this image seems far from where we live now, and you might ask yourself what we can do,” added Guardiola, who concluded that he was also “deeply troubled” by the wars in Sudan and Ukraine.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews