MADRID: Antoine Griezmann wishes he was as good in the real world as he is on PlayStation. Based on his performances with Atletico Madrid, he must be really good on the video game.
Griezmann and fellow forward Julián Álvarez have returned to form to lead Atletico on a 10-game winning streak that has put the club back on track in the Champions League and Spanish league, where on Sunday they host Getafe with a chance to reach the top of the standings.
Atletico trail leader Barcelona by three points and are one point behind second-placed Real Madrid. Atletico and Madrid have a game in hand compared to Barcelona. The Catalan club host Leganes on Sunday, while Madrid visit Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
Griezmann scored his sixth and seven goals in his last five matches in Atletico’s 3-1 win over Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Álvarez scored his fifth goal in five matches.
Griezmann is a long-time fan of video games and used to make headlines for his Fortnite celebrations during that game’s hype a few years ago. The France star celebrated one of his goals at Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday alongside Pablo Barrios and Giuliano Simeone, two of his PlayStation playing partners, imitating the moves they make on the video game.
“We play FIFA a lot and that’s the celebration we usually do when we play together,” Griezmann said. He quickly added, “We are better on the Play than we are on the field.”
Griezmann, named the man of the match against Slovan, scored his goals in the 42nd and 57th minutes, after Álvarez — who arrived from Manchester City for more than $100 million in August — put Atletico ahead with a nice curling finish to open the scoring in the 16th. Slovan’s lone goal came in the second half.
Atletico’s attack has been key for the team’s resurgence since an October loss at Real Betis in La Liga. Since then, Diego Simeone’s team have outscored opponents 30-7 across all competitions. They have scored three or more goals in each of their last five games, something that hadn’t happened since 1950, according to UEFA.
“We’ve been playing really well, and the team as a whole are performing excellently,” Álvarez said. “Everyone, even those coming off the bench, has been contributing to the team. We are on the right path, and we have to keep working this way. All the competitions are very challenging but we’ve been doing really well.”
The victory against Slovan moved Atletico to 11th place in the Champions League standings, in position to try to grab one of the top eight spots in the league phase.
“We needed the points. They were very important for us to carry on with this dynamic,” coach Simeone said. “The team is responding to the situations we find ourselves in in these games. This reflects well on the team.”
Griezmann in PlayStation form has steered Atletico Madrid back on track
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Griezmann in PlayStation form has steered Atletico Madrid back on track
- Griezmann and fellow forward Julián Álvarez have returned to form to lead Atletico on a 10-game winning streak
- Atletico trail leader Barcelona by three points and are one point behind second-placed Real Madrid
Swiatek destroys Raducanu as Sinner steps up Melbourne defense
- Iga Swiatek romps to a 6-1, 6-0 triumph in a statement victory as she pursues a first Melbourne crown
- Swiatek is a five-time major winner but she has never gone beyond the semifinals at Melbourne Park
MELBOURNE: Iga Swiatek demolished Emma Raducanu on Saturday to sweep into the last 16 of the Australian Open, where Jannik Sinner will later step up his title defense and young tyro Learner Tien is also in action.
In a one-sided battle of former US Open champions, Swiatek romped to a 6-1, 6-0 triumph in a statement victory as she pursues a first Melbourne crown.
Emma Navarro, the eighth seed from the United States, joined the Pole in the second week of the first Grand Slam of the year with a gritty three-set win over Ons Jabeur. Sixth seed Elena Rybakina also advanced.
“I felt like the ball is listening to me,” Swiatek said after rattling off 11 straight games in a brutal display against Britain’s Raducanu on Rod Laver Arena.
The 23-year-old Swiatek is a five-time major winner but she has never gone beyond the semifinals at Melbourne Park.
She faces “lucky loser” Eva Lys next.
“I feel much more fresh than for the past two years,” said Swiatek.
“The last two years I felt much more fatigue and also a bit more stress.”
Swiatek will be a massive favorite when she faces Germany’s Lys.
The 128th-ranked Lys defeated Jaqueline Cristian of Romania in three sets to become the first women’s singles “lucky loser” to reach the fourth round since the event moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.
Navarro credited her billionaire father for teaching her “toughness” as she clawed through 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 against three-time Slam finalist Jabeur.
Navarro has become a three-set specialist with no WTA player playing through more since the beginning of 2024, with the American 23-9 over the distance since then.
Daughter of billionaire businessman Ben Navarro, founder of the Sherman Financial Group, she praised her dad, who was courtside, for her stamina.
She recalled how he would take her and her siblings on six-hour bike rides when they were kids.
“We made up a term — biking and crying,” Navarro, 23, said.
“I learned a lot of toughness growing up. A lot of thanks goes to him.”
Also on day seven, former Wimbledon champion Rybakina of Kazakhstan needed a medical timeout to treat a back spasm before winning 6-3, 6-4 against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.
World number four Jasmine Paolini, who reached two Slam finals last year, faces another Ukrainian in Elina Svitolina later.
American Danielle Collins, who has become the pantomime villain after thanking hecklers for “paying my bills,” is also in action.
The world number 11, runner-up in the 2022 Australian Open final to Ash Barty, gets another chance to wind up the Australians in the crowd when she faces fellow American Madison Keys.
Italian world number one and defending champion Sinner faces American Marcos Giron as he seeks a berth in the last 16 in an evening match on Rod Laver Arena.
Sinner could meet 13th seed Holger Rune in the fourth round if the Dane gets past Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.
There will be intense interest in 19-year-old qualifier Tien, who stunned three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev in a five-set epic.
The youngster wolfed down a pepperoni pizza in celebration following his 4hr 48min marathon against Medvedev that finished at nearly 3:00am on Friday.
He will need to recover fast for the challenge of 69th-ranked Corentin Moutet of France.
Tien’s victory over Medvedev saw him become the second youngest American man in the Open Era to reach the third round in Melbourne — behind only 14-time Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras in 1990.
Fourth seed Taylor Fritz faces timeless French veteran Gael Monfils and remaining home hope Alex de Minaur takes on Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.
Ikmah, Richard Mille face off for Richard Mille Desert Polo Final in AlUla
- Ikmah showed their real strength and dominance of Group 1 after two victories against Dadan 4-2 and AlUla team 5-4
- Richard Mille topped Group 2 after defeating Budget 3-0 and drawing 2-2 with Bentley
ALULA: Ikmah and Richard Mille have qualified to the final of the Richard Mille Desert Polo Championship 2025, and will face off in the final showdown that AlUla’s Al Fursan Village hosts on Saturday.
The fourth edition of the prestigious competition’s finale takes place at 4 p.m. Saudi time.
Ikmah showed their real strength and dominance of Group 1 after two victories against Dadan 4-2 and AlUla team 5-4.
Meanwhile, Richard Mille topped Group 2 after defeating Budget 3-0 and drawing 2-2 with Bentley.
The tournament’s Friday matches saw intense competition in the presence of distinguished figures, including Piero Dillier, president of the International Polo Federation, Amr Zidan, president of the Saudi Polo Federation, and Ziyad Al-Suhaibani, head of sports at the Royal Commission for AlUla.
Meanwhile, AlUla battles against Bentley for third place, and Dadan faces Budget to determine the fifth and sixth positions before the final.
Speaking about the event’s significance, Faisal bin Duwies, the Saudi Polo Federation’s CEO,” expressed pride in Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the global sports arena.
“We take pride in seeing the Kingdom lead the global sports scene through prestigious championships.”
He emphasized the tournament’s role in fostering talent, highlighting the participation of polo legends from around the world, which enriches the experience for all competing players.
As anticipation builds, the final promises to be a thrilling display of skill and strategy, further cementing Saudi Arabia’s position as a premier destination for world-class polo.
The championship is being organized in coordination with the Royal Commission for AlUla.
Avishka Fernando’s record-breaking knock leads Sharjah Warriorz to victory in ILT20
- He smashes the fastest 50 in tournament history, reaching the milestone in just 16 balls on his way to a total of 81 from 27 balls
- Dubai Capitals set a daunting target of 202, led by Shai Hope’s 83 off 49 balls, but the Warriorz bats let loose to reach it in only 18.1 overs
DUBAI: Avishka Fernando produced a stunning display of power-hitting to guide the Sharjah Warriorz to a thrilling five-wicket victory over the Dubai Capitals in the DP World International League T20 on Friday.
Fernando smashed the fastest half-century in the tournament’s history, reaching the milestone in just 16 balls, as the Warriorz chased a daunting target of 202 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. His explosive 81 off 27 balls, featuring eight sixes and six fours, anchored the chase, which was completed in 18.1 overs.
“I wanted to play my natural game and I thank God for how things turned out, he said. “The wicket was great to bat on, and when they scored 200 I knew I had to play positively. It came naturally, and I’m grateful for that.
“I didn’t realize I had broken the record for the fastest 50 but I’m happy with the performance.”
The Capitals had posted an imposing 201/5, led by Shai Hope’s 83 off 49 balls. Captain Sikandar Raza praised his team’s batting but acknowledged the challenge created by late-game conditions.
“I thought it was a very good total. You don’t usually see 202 in Sharjah, so I was pretty confident it was a strong score, and we should have been able to win the game.
“Shai has been a fantastic addition to the team and hopefully the other players around him step up as well. The wicket got better later and the dew made it tougher. The cutters weren’t holding in the wicket either. Our fielding could have been better and Avishka played brilliantly.”
Johnson Charles (37 runs off 19 balls) and Jason Roy (26 off 21) provided the Warriorz with a strong start, while Luke Wells helped complete the job with a composed 31 not out from 17 balls.
The Capitals’ bowlers struggled under the batting onslaught, with Gulbadin Naib conceding 27 runs in a single over, the most in the tournament’s history.
The victory highlighted the strength of the Warriorz, in particular their explosive batting lineup, with Fernando’s heroics setting the tone for what already promises to be an exciting season of cricket.
Frankfurt drop Marmoush against Dortmund, confirm Man City talks
- Marmoush has been heavily linked with a winter move to City after a stellar first half of the season.
- The 25-year-old has scored 15 goals in 17 league games
BERLIN: Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday left forward Omar Marmoush out of their matchday squad for the home clash with Borussia Dortmund due to “transfer talks” with Manchester City.
Marmoush has been heavily linked with a winter move to City after a stellar first half of the season.
The 25-year-old has scored 15 goals in 17 league games, one fewer than leader Harry Kane, and laid on 10 assists.
“Eintracht Frankfurt is currently in talks with another club for the transfer of Omar Marmoush. The player is therefore not part of the team today,” the club wrote on social media just hours before the Dortmund clash.
Speaking with DAZN before the game, Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche confirmed Marmoush was set “to leave us in the direction of Manchester City.”
“It looks like Omar will be leaving us and that’s why he’s not in the squad.
“We’ve been in regular discussions with Manchester City for the past few days.”
The Egyptian arrived in Frankfurt on a free transfer from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023.
German and international media reported the struggling English champions, who sit 12 points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League, are set to pay up to 80 million euros ($82 million) for Marmoush.
Shakeel and Rizwan lead Pakistan recovery in fog-hit first Test against West Indies
- Bad light in Multan ended play with just 41.3 overs bowled, with the hosts on 143-4
- Shakeel and Rizwan added 97 after coming together with Pakistan in trouble at 46-4
MULTAN: Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan hit unbeaten half-centuries to lead a Pakistan fightback in the first Test against the West Indies on Friday as the hosts reached 143-4 at the close of a fog-hit opening day.
When bad light in Multan ended play with just 41.3 overs bowled, Shakeel was on 56 for his ninth half-century and Rizwan was 51 not out for his 11th.
The pair added 97 after coming together with Pakistan in real trouble at 46-4.
The left-right combination of Shakeel and Rizwan negotiated the three-spinner West Indies attack with aplomb after fast bowler Jayden Seales initially left the home team struggling.
“This pitch is tough to bat on,” said Rizwan.
“We batted with caution and just took advantage of loose balls. It’s tough to judge what should be a good total, but we will target 300 plus.”
Sensing the dry and grassless Multan Stadium pitch will be tricky for batting on the last two days — and with spin set to play a major role — the home team opted to bat after winning the toss.
But play was delayed because of early morning fog compounded by poor air quality, resulting in limited visibility and wiping out the first session.
Shakeel has so far cracked four boundaries while Rizwan has seven hits to the fence.
Seales finished with 3-21 off 10 overs.
“My aim was to build pressure and get wickets,” he said. “I sense spin will play a major role on this pitch going forward.”
Both teams started with three spinners and just one frontline fast bowler, and the tourists opened the bowling with left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie alongside Seales.
It was Seales who provided the breakthrough, forcing an edge off debutant Muhammad Hurraira to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach in the sixth over. Hurraira scored six.
Three overs later, Motie dismissed skipper Shan Masood off a faint edge to the wicketkeeper for 11, before Seales trapped Kamran Ghulam leg-before with a sharp incoming delivery for five.
It became 46-4 when Babar Azam edged Seales behind the wicket for eight, continuing a poor run of scores at home for Pakistan’s premier batter.
The two-match series is part of the World Test Championship. Pakistan currently rank eighth and the West Indies ninth and last.
