BEB Weekend Sports: Juicy News!

I'll return to football but maybe not to management - Wenger


Ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he is ready to take a new role in football - but has admitted for the first time he might not return to management.


Wenger ended his 22-year Gunners reign after the 2017-18 season and previously stated he intended to take charge of a new club in early 2019.

But the 69-year-old Frenchman told the BBC:
"I thought I will come back into management very quickly, but I enjoyed taking a little distance."Now I'm at a crossroads."
Wenger was speaking at the launch of a new partnership with a sports technology company, which he is joining as an investor and operating partner.

The firm said Wenger would be taking an "active role in business and product development" of a device housed in a football boot that analyses players' technical, tactical and physical performance.

It will not prevent the Frenchman from resuming his career in football. However 12 months out of work has given him a different outlook and may influence his next move.
"You will see me again in football. As a manager... I don't know," he said. 
"In this year I did a lot of charity work, conferences - and I enjoyed it, I must say, to be a little bit less in highlights and less under stress. 
"I'm less intense, but I have a better perspective of what's going on. I see the mistakes managers make and I don't pay the price for it. 
"I came to the conclusion I want to share what I learned in my life, because I think life is only useful if, at some stage, you share what you know. 
"In what way will it be? Will it be in just winning football games, or will it be in another way? That's what I have to decide and that decision will come very quickly. 
"Football is still my passion. I will come back soon - but I cannot tell you exactly in what capacity." 
'I miss Arsenal because I left my heart in there'
Wenger won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups after taking charge of Arsenal in 1996, becoming the north London side's longest serving and most successful manager.

Valencia win Copa del Rey to end Barcelona's double dream


Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo scored as a valiant Valencia beat La Liga champions Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey.

Ernesto Valverde's men said in the build-up that a win would help ease some of the pain of the Champions League loss to Liverpool, but they were sub-par again, in the Seville heat.

French forward Gameiro fired in a superb strike to give Valencia the lead before Rodrigo headed in the second.

Lionel Messi's 73rd-minute strike gave Barca hope but they fell short.

After the match, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu backed Valverde to continue at the Nou Camp.
"I've always said that Ernesto has a contract for the next season, he's the coach," he said. "I do not think this defeat is the coach's fault."
Valverde said:
"When a coach loses you want to go again, to fight to overcome the next challenge. I know losing for this club is hard."


Kerber suffers shock first-round exit in Paris


Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber suffered a shock first-round defeat by world number 81 Anastasia Potapova at the French Open.

The German fifth seed was broken six times on her way to a forgettable 6-4 6-2 defeat on Philippe Chatrier court.

The three-time Grand Slam champion has gone out at the first-round stage in Paris in three of the last four years.

Russian Potapova, playing in her first French Open, faces China's Wang Yafan or Czech Marketa Vondrousova next.

Raptors beat Bucks for NBA Finals place


The Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 100-94 to seal a 4-2 series win and reach the first NBA Finals in their 24-year history.

They will now face defending champions the Golden State Warriors in a series which starts in Toronto on Thursday.

The Raptors are coached by Nick Nurse, who has extensive experience in the British Basketball League.

Star man Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points and a career-best 17 rebounds to help the Canadian team make history.

His side had lost the first two games of the best-of-seven series before recording four wins in a row.

The Bucks started Saturday's game at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena strongly and led by 15 points at one stage in the third quarter before being pegged back.
"It's still surreal to me right now but this is what we've been striving for all season. It's not over yet," Leonard said. 
"He inspired us tonight with monster rebounds," Raptors coach Nurse added.


from Bola Esho's Blog

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