News Highlights:

The South Korea forward Hwang Hee-Chan joined to replace Timo Werner at Salzburg sisters club Leipzig.

RB Leipzig on Wednesday confirmed the signing of South Korean forward Hwang Hee-Chan to replace striker Timo Werner.

RB Leipzig announced Wednesday the signing of Hwang Hee-chan from their sister club Red Bull Salzburg to replace Timo Werner, but the South Korean is not available for the Champions League next month.

The 24-year-old Hwang, who has made 32 appearances for South Korea, signed a five-year deal with Leipzig and will wear the No. 11 jersey, the Bundesliga club said.

Hwang is the 17th transfer from Austrian side Salzburg to Leipzig, which is also backed by the Red Bull energy drinks company. He follows the likes of Naby Keita, Amadou Haidara, Dayot Upamecano and Konrad Laimer in making the switch to Germany.

Hwang will be expected to help fill the gap left by Germany striker Timo Werner’s departure for Chelsea. Leipzig is also reportedly targeting Werder Bremen forward Milot Rashica and working on keeping Patrik Schick beyond his loan deal from Roma.

Hwang scored 16 goals and set up 22 more in 40 games across all competitions for Salzburg last season. He spent the previous season on loan at Hamburger SV in Germany’s second division. Hwang joined Salzburg from the Pohang Steelers academy in Korea in January 2015.

Reports claims the former Barcelona man, is desperate to move from Bayern Munich to the premier league with Liverpool.

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara is ‘desperate’ to complete a move to the Premier League amid ongoing speculation of Liverpool’s interest, The Daily Mail states.

The former Barcelona man, who has worked closely with Pep Guardiola in Catalonia and in Bavaria during his career, has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield to join Jurgen Klopp’s title-winning side.

Now, they’ve been given a considerable boost ahead of the transfer window as it’s stated that Thiago is keen on proving himself in the Premier League.

According to journalist David Ornstein from The Athletic, Manchester City will not be pursuing a deal to sign Thiago this summer.

The report adds that there is “mutual admiration” between the Reds and Thiago, and that a deal will come down to whether Liverpool can afford Bayern’s asking price.

An own goal from Michael Keane, from Giovani Lo Celso’s shot, gave Tottenham the lead and they looked fairly in control until Son’s lack of a challenge allowed Everton to break and Richarlison to go close with a shot past Lloris just before the break.

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris became embroiled in a heated burst-up with team-mate Heung-Min Son as they left the field for half-time against Everton.

Lloris appeared to take exception to Son not chasing down an opponent in the dying moments of the half, with his team leading 1-0, and the goalkeeper ran straight over to the forward after the whistle.

Son, who completed military service with South Korea in April, seemed to dismiss his skipper’s demonstrations and the pair had to be broken up by team-mates as Lloris became angrier and attempted to push his team-mate.

The pair were seen making up with a hug as the team prepared to return for the second half, but it was a surprising eruption after a good half for Spurs following their 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United last time out.

Lloris plays down clash with Son
Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris and Heung-Min Son had to be separated by team-mates as they left the field for half-time against Everton Speaking to Sky Sports, Lloris played down his half-time row with Son after the 1-0 win over Everton.

The Spurs captain said: “It just belongs to the changing room. Outside you can say whatever you want.

“There is a lot of respect between all the players. What happened between me and Son is just something that is part of football sometimes, but there is no problem at all.

“You can see at the end of the game we are more than happy to be part of the team and to have the three points. To concede a chance six seconds before half time because we don’t press properly. It annoyed me but it’s part of football, no problem, we move on.”

The win sees Spurs eventually climbed to eighth in the Premier League table after holding out for a 1-0 victory over the Toffees.

News Highlights:

• Luke Shaw believe Greenwood can become Manchester United legend.

• Greenwood emerged as one the world most promising youngster this season after netting 17 goals in all competition so far.

• His latest performance against the cherries as won him praises from past and present players.

The 18-year-old has thrust himself into the spotlight with a string of impressive performances and an ever-increasing goal tally
Luke Shaw says Mason Greenwood should “ignore the hype” around himself at the minute – but also that he can become a
Manchester United legend.

Greenwood has emerged as one of the world’s most promising youngsters this season, hitting 17 goals in all competitions so far.

United legend Andy Cole has praised the 18-year-old’s “freakish” finishing ability, and Shaw thinks he has what it takes to make good on his obvious potential.

“The growth that Mason has made in the last year and a half he has been in and around the first team is amazing,” Shaw told Sky Sports.

“For me personally, I feel like he has turned from a kid to a man in such short time and now he’s understanding what this league is about.

“He has grown in size, he has got stronger and he is not fragile anymore. [Before, he] could be pushed off the ball.

“The most important thing I would say for him is ignore the hype, ignore what people are saying, just focus on yourself, keep doing what he’s doing and there is no reason why he can’t become a very important player for Manchester United in the future.

“He can become a United legend, no doubt about it.”

Following their 5-2 thrashing of Bournemouth at the weekend, United have now scored 14 goals in five games since football resumed and are pushing for Champions League qualification.

According to Shaw, January signing Bruno Fernandes has been key in their transformation in recent months.

“For me, Bruno is a massive part of the change, the culture that is now going on at United,” Shaw said. “He pushes that day in, day out.

“[He is] an amazing guy off the pitch, he’s funny and he has massive confidence in his own ability, which none of us doubt. He’s been perfect on the pitch.

“The whole team has changed I believe. The injuries we had also – Paul [Pogba] and [Marcus] Rashford have also come back and hit the ground running in this part of the season. Everyone is pulling their weight and doing a great job.”

Barcelona and Argentina star, Lionel Andres Messi tops the list of players with the most goals involvement since 2000.

10. Karim Benzema – 513 (337 goals and 176 assists in 735 games)

Real Madrid’s current talisman is one of only three players to have scored 20 or more goals in eight different seasons with Los Blancos.

9. Samuel Eto’o – 524 (408 goals and 116 assists in 805 games)

The Cameroonian was the best striker on the planet with Barcelona and was a key man at Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. Eto’o scored 20 or more league goals in five different seasons throughout his career.

8. Wayne Rooney – 543 (364 goals and 179 assists in 864 games)

Manchester United and England’s record goal scorer, that says it all really doesn’t it?

7. Sergio Aguero – 545 (414 goals and 131 assists in 733 games)

The Premier League’s record foreign goal scorer has also chipped in with a healthy amount of assists throughout his career as well.

6. Thierry Henry – 559 (369 goals and 190 assists in 716 games)

Henry’s assist numbers for a striker are arguably more eye-catching than his goal record. In 2002/03, he notched 20 in just one season with Arsenal.

5. Robert Lewandowski – 600 (466 goals and 134 assists in 698 games)

Need we say anymore about Lewandowski? The guy makes scoring in the Bundesliga look effortlessly easy and he’s a serious candidate to win the 2020 Ballon d’Or.

4. Luis Suarez – 714 (459 goals and 255 assists in 713 games)

The first of only two players to have more goal involvements than games played. It’s simple, Suarez is one of the greatest and most complete strikers to have ever played the game – just look at the assists numbers for crying out loud!

3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 717 (521 goals and 196 assists in 860 games)

Talking of great strikers, here’s another. Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Premier League – wherever Zlatan has played, goals and assists have been delivered by the magnanimous Swede.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo – 985 (727 goals and 258 assists in 1004 games)

No player in the top 25 has played more games than Ronaldo, nor have they scored more goals than the Portuguese star. His consistency really is frightening.

1. Lionel Messi – 1014 (699 goals and 315 assists in 861 games)

Who else was it going to be, eh? Over 1000 goal involvements is simply ridiculous, with
Messi the only player to register 300+ assists. He averages 1.17 goal involvements per game!

News highlights

• The teenager scored brace to help Ole’s side to a comfortable 5-2 victory over cherries.

• Bruno, Rashford, and Marshial on the score sheet on an impressive night at Old Trafford.

Teenager Mason Greenwood’s brace helped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to an impressive victory against Bournemouth as Manchester United grabbed their first five-goal league haul at Old Trafford since 2011.

The Saturday afternoon clash between Eddie Howe’s embattled Cherries and the Reds looked like a complete mismatch, but the hosts had to dig deep and show character on an afternoon that ended in a superb victory.

Junior Stanislas’ opener could have rocked United, so too Joshua King’s second-half penalty, but Solskjaer’s men ran out 5-2 victors as Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes efforts complemented 18-year-old Greenwood’s emphatic double.

It was the kind of match when the absence of supporters was particularly keenly felt, with United extending their unbeaten run to a 16th match in all competitions as they hit five at home in a Premier League game for the first since December 2011.

Bournemouth had threatened an upset as Stanislas nutmegged Harry Maguire and beat David De Gea at the near post to open the scoring, only for United to kick on and go into the break 3-1 up.

Rashford’s spot-kick, a thumping Greenwood strike and sumptuous curling Martial effort was cut back early in the second half as King converted a controversially-awarded penalty.

But Solskjaer’s side put their foot on the gas. Greenwood thumped home his second of the afternoon and Fernandes fired in a free-kick as Bournemouth’s relegation fears increased.

It was an impressive performance by United, who could have gone ahead in the 10th minute when Fernandes was put through and continued to lift the ball over Aaron Ramsdale and the goalframe.

Bournemouth looked set for a long afternoon, only for Stanislas to provide a surprise injection of hope. United failed to deal with a cross and Stanislas bamboozled Maguire by popping the ball through his legs, before lashing past De Gea.

But that goal merely awoke the hosts, with a Rashford free-kick saved by Ramsdale and Solskjaer’s team upping the ante after the drinks break.

The leveller arrived in the 29th minute as Rashford cut back and Fernandes heeded Greenwood’s yell of “Bruno”, with the forward collecting the pass and hitting a fizzing shot that was too hot to handle.

The red’s kept the pressure on the cherries and referee Mike Dean had no hesitation pointing to the spot when Adam Smith handled, with Rashford rather than Fernandes stepping up to slot home the penalty.

Ramsdale was close to stopping that but had no chance when Martial took aim from the edge of the box in stoppage time, arcing a beautiful strike into the top corner.

Yet United would be quickly knocked out of cruise control when the second half got under way.

Howe’s side started on the front foot as De Gea denied Lewis Cook before substitute Arnaut Danjuma hit the near post after some slapstick defending.

That theme continued as half-time introduction Eric Bailly raised his arm to control a backpass and, following a lengthy delay, video assistant referee Lee Mason made the contentious decision to award a penalty for handball.

King made no mistake with the penalty and Danjuma saw an equaliser ruled out for offside soon after, but United rallied rather than wilted.

Bournemouth did not help themselves as their inability to clear their lines was lapped up by Greenwood, who edged wide and unleashed another emphatic finish past Ramsdale in the 54th minute.

United grabbed a fifth of the afternoon within five minutes. Lloyd Kelly fouled Martial on the edge of the box and Fernandes fired home to put the result to bed.

The VAR checked that decision and the tightest of offside calls saw Rashford denied his second of the day soon after, with the drinks break giving the Cherries some welcome respite.

Nathan Ake threw himself in front of a Martial strike as United pushed for more, with Ramsdale denying Luke Shaw, Paul Pogba, Fernandes and Fred to prevent matters getting worse.

Chris Sutton has claimed if Fraser Forster ultimately turns down Celtic this summer, it will be a huge slap in the face to Neil Lennon and the club.

Sutton believes the power is with the players in transfers these days and if Fraser truly wants to be at Celtic next season, the player himself can make it happen.

Celtic we’re scrambling during the week after it appeared the deal was dead in the water but now there’s a slim chance Forster could return on a permanent deal. The move can only happen if Celtic match Southampton’s asking price.

It’s incredible to think Forster has gone from afterthought to someone the club are looking to hold to ransom for a few more million quid.

Last summer, when Forster was stuck out in the cold and no one wanted to take him from Southampton, it was Lennon who went out and resurrected his career.

They say there’s no loyalty in football any more and, if it’s the case that Forster does snub Celtic, that’d be a slap in the face to a manager who’s done more for him than anyone.

Now, of course, I am not armed with all of the details. I don’t know the intricacies of the deal – who is due what financially, what the demands where and who was going to pay and lose what.

But one thing I do know is that players have ultimate power these days. Regardless of a situation, if they want to get out of a club or make a deal happen, it genuinely happens.

My gut feeling is that if Forster really, really wants to be at Celtic, he can still make it happen, even if it’s not looking likely right at this moment in time.

Southampton are in financial difficulty and have had to take a loan out to keep the lights on. It stands to reason they’ll ask for as much money as possible.

However, if Fraser is not in the manager’s plans and he’s sitting taking up 70kpw to do nothing, a deal later down the line could happen.

Liverpool look set to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara in this summer’s transfer window.

But the Reds may have to part company with some first-team stars in order to balance the books amid the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Spanish publication SPORT, Thiago’s contract is winding down in Germany, and he has been in discussions with the Reds over a €35million (£31.5m) switch.

Like most clubs, Liverpool have felt the impact of the global pandemic, which forced them to give up on trying to sign Timo Werner, despite being favourites to do so. Therefore, Liverpool would rather spread the payments out to sign Thiago, rather than part with one lump sum.

Thiago is considerably cheaper at around £30million, but would still offset the books given the fact he’ll be handed big wages.
Liverpool will therefore be looking at who they can offload from their roster, and one name perhaps at the top of the list is Naby Keita.

The Reds parted with £52million to sign the midfielder in 2018, but he hasn’t pulled up any trees since arriving in Anfield.

What’s more, Keita earns around £120,000-a-week, making him one of the club’s best-paid players with wages exceeding those of Sadio Mane.

Georginio Wijnaldum earns considerably less, just £75,000-a-week.
But the former Newcastle star is out of contract next summer and is yet to pen an extension on his current deal.

Jurgen Klopp appears to be a big fan of the utility man, but Wijnaldum is 29 years old now, and Liverpool may look to move him on this summer to cash in on him, what with the transfer for Thiago looking likely.

News Highlights:

• Inter have confirmed the signing of the Moroccan defender.

• He will be moving to Milan from Real Madrid for £36milion.

• The 21 years old was formally on loan at Dortmund.

Inter Milan have confirmed the signing of Moroccan wing-back Achraf Hakimi from
Real Madrid .

The 21-year-old has been on loan at Borussia Dortmund for the past two seasons and excelled in the Bundesliga, clocking up five goals and 10 assists this season.

He now moves to Serie A, with Sky in Italy reporting the deal would be worth around £36 million (€40m).

Inter confirmed the move on their website on Thursday.
“Achraf Hakimi is officially an Inter player,” a short statement said.
“The Moroccan, who was born in 1998, has joined the Nerazzurri on a permanent basis from Real Madrid and has signed a contract which will last until 30 June 2025.”

Manager Antonio Conte has almost exclusively used wing-backs this season as he seeks to take Inter back to the top of Italian football, with Victor Moses and Ashley Young among his signings this season in the role.

Real Madrid have Dani Carvajal as their regular right-back option, while Alvaro Odriozola will return as backup in the position following the end of his own loan at Bayern Munich.
Hakimi was born in Madrid but represents Morocco at international level, where he has 28 caps so far.

News Highlights:

• Messi scored 700th career goal, but a draw makes the feat a bitter-sweet.

• The draw is the latest slip up for the blaugrana with the Laliga trophy slipping further away from their grasp.

• Antoine Griezmann was left on the bench in a development that left Athletico coach “without words”

The legendary player has finally attained the 700th goal milestone in their recent bout against Atletico Madrid. The recent stretch in the La Liga season arose numerous speculations from the star player and the coaching staff.

Rumors have spread that Quique Setien’s assistant Eder Sarabia and Messi haven’t been in agreement as of late. The roster of Barcelona is considered deep with a mix of veterans and once-in-generation-type players but even the caliber of a club like Barca is not immune from conflicts in their locker rooms.

These reports have been one of the hottest topics as of late and it comes at the same time as Messi’s historic night. The recent 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid spoiled what could have been a big night for the multiple time Ballon d’Or winner.

key points highlighted in the stalemate include how the body language of Barca’s players raised concerns from their fans. Per Goal.com’s Mark Doyle, he wrote how Barcelona’s energy differed from their opponents.

“Barca’s players were all spread out across Quique Setien’s technical area, as if respecting social-distancing rules, while their Atletico counterparts were huddled attentively around coach Diego Simeone,” Doyle wrote.

While Griezmann was left on the bench for the match against his former club. He was introduced in the 90th minute by Quique Setien in a development that shocked the Athletic manager, Someone. Asked about Griezmann, someone told movistar “I am without words.”

A decision Quique Setien attributes to team spirit and according to him in his post-match interview, was for the harmony of the entire team.

The latest predicament in the La Liga season has Barcelona in second place in the team standings. Ever since the games resumed, Real Madrid was able to take over and dominate their opponents. This puts Zinedine Zidane’s team ahead in first place with 71 points in the rankings and could be 74 tonight with victory at home against Getafe.

It will be interesting to see how Barcelona moves forward in the coming few games given how tense it has been in La Liga. With Messi still on top of his game, it will be crucial for the club to gain momentum at the right time during these pivotal moments of the year.

Cristiano Ronaldo racked up yet another world-class long-range strike on Tuesday night as Juventus beat Genoa 3-1.

With his side a goal to the good early on in the second-half, the Portuguese goal-machine strolled forward and took aim from 30 yards out.

The defenders could hardly be blamed for backing off the 35-year-old but he showed he could punish them from any distance with a thunderous effort.

Coming in between goals from Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa, the Old Lady reinstalled their four-point lead on the table with the victory, after Lazio came from behind at Torino earlier on Tuesday evening, the race for the Scudetto remains hot with nine games to go.

Juventus’ victory was a clear warning shot to their rivals that they can win ruthlessly – and with style.

Dybala danced through the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on 50 minutes to put Maurizio Sarri’s side ahead before Ronaldo’s rocket, moments later.

It was his 19th strike in 14 Serie A appearances since he went goalless for the month of November, which heralded talk of a poor relationship between the player and his coach.

Any such worries, again amplified by Juve’s Coppa Italia final defeat to Napoli earlier this month, are being put to bed in the league.

The Bianconeri now have three wins from three since the restart, at an aggregate score of 9-1.

A second-half rally at Genoa was then rounded off by Costa bending a sweet effort into the top corner before Andrea Pinamonti’s consolation.

Juventus face a local derby with Torino on the weekend, in a battle of Turin, ahead of tough tests against AC Milan and Atalanta.

Manchester United’s proposed transfer swoop for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish could come under threat from their rival Manchester City.

City, who relinquished their Premier League title to Liverpool
last week, are looking to significant additions to their playing squad this summer in a bid to reclaim their crown next season.

Citizens boss Pep Guardiola
is a huge admirer of Grealish, describing him as ‘one of the best players in the league’ before facing Villa in the League Cup final this season.“I’m a big fan of him,” said the Sky Blues manager.

Grealish is expected to be the subject of bids when the Premier League season ends, with Aston Villa struggling today avoid Premier League relegation.

According to The Guardian, City will consider the 24-year-old as a summer target should they receive their asking price from Bayern Munich for Leroy Sane.

Sane has made it clear he is tired of life at the Etihad and wants a return to his native Germany.

But Bayern’s valuation of £35m is considered derisory at City, who would rather let Sane’s contract expire than accept a deal below market value.

An eventual transfer is expected to go beyond £50m.

Guardiola has stated he is not looking for a like-for-like replacement for Sane as a left-sided forward but Grealish is seen as a player who can be deployed as a central midfielder and an attacker.

The Birmingham born star, who scored nine goals in 29 starts before football shut down, is also a player who will boost the homegrown quota of players for Premier League clubs.

United have been long-term admirers of Grealish, who saw a £25m move to Tottenham collapse two years ago.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked at homegrown talent last summer when he brought in Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James, and Grealish fits the bill as a young player with potential to fill rather than a marquee signing.

It was reported over the weekend that Aston Villa ace has purchased a house in Manchester ahead of his impending summer transfer.

News Highlights:

• Miralem Pjanic is a culer in a deal expected to be around €65m plus add ons

• Arthur Melo to move the other way.

Barcelona has finally announced that Miralem Pjanic will join the club at the end of the season from Juventus.

The announcement was made earlier today, Monday, in a deal that will see Arthur go the other way.

The 30-year-old has signed a four-year deal at the Camp Nou and arrives for a fee of €60 million plus €5m in variables. He has a buyout clause of €400m.

The announcement comes after Barca confirmed that Arthur was moving in the other direction for a fee of €72m plus €10m in variables.

Pjanic will finish the season with Juventus and then head over to the Camp Nou at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

The inclusion of sailing in the Olympic Games is both a privilege and a burden. While providing aspirational dreams for competitors, the Olympics shape all competitive sailing, down to the Racing Rules of Sailing being updated every four years to sync with the quadrennial cycle.

This trickle down impacts national sailing governing organizations which exist in part to fulfill their sport’s participation in the Olympics. It is a significant obligation and effectively connects all sailors to the Olympics.

And while Scuttlebutt Sailing News prefers to avoid politics, they share the update as it may have implications that trickle down as well.

The Olympic Charter is the codification of the fundamental principles of Olympism, rules and by-laws adopted by the International Olympic Committee. It governs the organization, action and operation of the Olympic Movement, and sets forth the conditions for the celebration of the Olympic Games.

Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter provides a framework to protect the neutrality of sport and the Olympic Games. It states that, “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

While the IOC seeks for the Games to help build a peaceful and better world through sport, there is history of athletes using this competitive stage to promote their personal beliefs.

Notably, at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic, during the playing of the U.S. national anthem at the medal ceremony of the men’s 200 meters, Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised a black-gloved fist – a black power salute and symbolic gesture showing their dissatisfaction with their home country’s race policy.

While the IOC inserts that Rule 50 is designed to protect the neutrality of sport and the Olympic Movement, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee has taken position to eliminate the restriction. Here’s a letter they sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on June 27, 2020:

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council (USOPC AAC), in partnership with John Carlos, 1968 200m Bronze Medalist, calls on the IOC and the IPC to abolish IOC Charter Rule 50 and develop a new policy in direct collaboration with independent, worldwide athlete representatives that protects athletes’ freedom of expression at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Athletes will no longer be silenced. We are now at a crossroads. The IOC and IPC cannot continue on the path of punishing or removing athletes who speak up for what they believe in, especially when those beliefs exemplify the goals of Olympism.

Instead, sports administrators must begin the responsible task of transparent collaboration with athletes and athlete groups (including independent athlete groups) to reshape the future of athlete expression at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Let us work together to create a new structure that celebrates athletes who speak about issues in alignment with human rights and the 7 principles of Olympism .

Freedom of expression is recognized as a fundamental human right by the United Nations because it is essential to societal and individual well-being. Aligning with such principles will allow athletes to give the world hope beyond sport- hope that voices matter and are a powerful tool for change.

The Olympic and Paralympic movement simultaneously honors athletes like John Carlos and Tommie Smith, displaying them in museums and praising their Olympic values, while prohibiting current athletes from following in their footsteps.

Carlos and Smith risked everything to stand for human rights and what they believed in, and they continue to inspire generation after generation to do the same. It is time for the Olympic and Paralympic movement to honor their bravery rather than denounce their actions.

We expressed these sentiments on a call with the IOC Athlete Commission and appreciate them taking the time to listen to American athletes as well as reflect with John Carlos on the role Rule 50 has played in the oppression of athletes.

This call was just the beginning of the collective work necessary to find a solution that respects and values the power and importance of the athlete voice for social change.

News highlights:

• Bernie in second rant after Hamilton branded his comments “ignorant and uneducated”

• Bernie was of the opinion that black people are also racial, but insisted he is not ” anti-black”

• There has been calls to banned Bernie from formula 1 events when it restart

Former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone has launched into a rant after Lewis Hamilton branded his comments “ignorant and uneducated”.

Bernie Ecclestone has launched into a ferocious rant over his comments on Lewis Hamilton and racism within sport and society, saying: “It’s not my fault I’m white”. Ecclestone was called out by Hamilton after saying he believes black people can be more racist than white people, and has now doubled down on his statements. The former CEO also compared being black to being short, dismissing anti-police brutality protesters as not knowing what they’re doing and suggesting black people aren’t discriminated against when they are turned down for jobs.

Ecclestone hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the week after saying black people are often more racist than others.
The former Formula 1 CEO also claimed he had been too busy to deal with racial injustice during his time at the organisation.
His comments were condemned by the sport, and Hamilton branded his words as “ignorant and uneducated”.
But now, the 89-year-old has doubled down on his controversial remarks and launched into a bizarre rant on the subject.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday , Ecclestone insisted he wasn’t a racist, before appearing to indicate that racism isn’t an issue in society.

The former CEO also claimed Hamilton shouldn’t be regarded as the only black driver in the sport’s history, referencing Willy T. Ribbs’ test for the Brabham team in 1986.
He then went on to attempt to discredit protests against police brutality, and claimed it is “suddenly fashionable to talk about diversity”.
Ecclestone said: “I am not anti black people. Quite the opposite. I have always been very much in favour.

“In fact, Lewis’s [Hamilton] dad wanted to go into business with me. He made some nice rowing machines.
“I would never even have considered it if I had been anti-black. If the project had been right, I would have done it.
“Over the years, I have met a lot of white people I didn’t like, but never a black person I didn’t like.
“I’ve been mugged a couple of times, once by three black guys. I ended up in hospital, but even after that I was never against anyone who was black.

“I don’t think of Lewis as black or anything else. He’s just Lewis to me.
“If a black person or a white person gets turned down for a job you have to ask why. Was it because of their skin colour, or was it because they weren’t up to the job? That is what I was saying.

“And then people go on these marches, organised by quasi-Marxists who want to bring down the police, which would be a disaster for the country.
“If you asked most of them what exactly they were protesting about they probably wouldn’t know.”

Ecclestone then bizarrely compared the difficulties of being black to being short, and claimed black people need to learn to deal with it in the same way that he did.
He continued: “It’s not my fault I am white, or that I am a little shorter than the next man.

“I was called Titch at school. I realised I had to do something about it. Black people should look after themselves.
“[Former McLaren boss] Ron Dennis didn’t stand in Lewis’ way when he was a boy. He looked after him. Willy T [Ribbs] was the first black man to drive an F1 car, for me, in the Seventies.

“When I lost my driving licence, I had a black driver, not because he was black, but because I didn’t care whether he was black or white. Now it’s suddenly fashionable to talk about diversity.”

There have been calls for Formula 1 to ban Ecclestone from events once the sport comes back, but the 89-year-old laughed it off.

He instead joked that his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin would help him get into a race there even if the sport banned him.
“Ban me from races? I wouldn’t advise them to do that,” he added.

“They might want to try it in Russia. I think I could probably find a pass.”

News highlights:

• Barca title hope dashed at Vigo.

• Draw 2-2 at Balaidos against Celta Vigo.

• Suarez netted brace, his first since January.

Barca title hope have suffered a big blow on Saturday as they were held to a 2-all draw by Celta Vigo, handing Real Madrid the chance to move two points clear at the top of La Liga.

Luis Suarez twice put Barca in front at Balaidos with his first goals since January but Iago Aspas bent in a late free-kick to earn Celta a draw, in what could prove an important moment in the title race.

Barcelona result cut point to just one ahead of Madrid but Zinedine Zidane’s side will hope to take a big step towards becoming champions by winning away at bottom club Espanyol on Sunday.

Madrid own the superior head-to-head against Barca and have won four out of four since La Liga restarted earlier this month. With a kinder run-in than the Catalans, who play Atletico Madrid next on Tuesday, the trophy appears to be Madrid’s to lose.

“The feeling is a negative one,” Suarez said afterwards. “If we want to stay in the title race and have it in our hands we have to win all our games. But we now have to rely on Madrid to drop points.”

Celta climb to 16th, eight points clear of the bottom three.
Quique Setien answered calls to start 20-year-old Riqui Puig and 17-year-old Ansu Fati, and the duo impressed, injecting energy and speed into Barca’s attack.

Antoine Griezmann was left on the bench and when he came on, he was on the side of the wall that Aspas breached with his free-kick to find the bottom corner.

Messi was at the heart of everything going forward and it was his early corner that Gerard Pique headed against the crossbar. But Despite his efforts, the Argentine magician was unable to find the back of the net.

News highlights:

• Former Barca striker Eto’o reveal what players must do to be the best player in the world again

• Acknowledge the brilliance of Messi and Ronaldo

• Mentioned Senegal and Liverpool striker, Sadio Mane as potential winner.

Africans need to believe in the talents produced across the continent and vote for them to win the Ballon d’Or, four-time African Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o has disclosed.

Former Liberia and PSG star George Weah stands as the only African to have won the global recognition, and the continent is yet to produce another winner since his triumph in 1995.

Eto’o is widely regarded as one of the greatest African players in history with credit to his successful career at both international and club levels.

Despite the several laurels in his cabinet, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker did not win the Ballon d’Or and he thinks Africa’s chances of winning it depends on its voters.

“It depends on the voters. There are some Africans who do not believe in the players of their continent, and this only happens in Africa,” Eto’o told AS .

“When we see players having a good season or not, they automatically win the votes of the continent to which they belong. We can make a difference in our continent, thinking carefully about what comes to us from abroad or that which is imposed on us.

“When you watch the matches of the leagues on foreign channels, you find that players are sold from other places and it is repeated that they are the best, and thus our journalists are convinced, despite the fact that the results are seen by everyone.”

The Cameroon legend acknowledged the brilliance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, however, he made a case for Liverpool ’s Sadio Mane as a potential winner of the award.

He continued; “But looking over the recent past, then I always say that Messi has been the best player in the world over those years, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo. I think they belong to another planet.

“But despite everything, in recent years emerging players like Sadio Mane have stood out. Someone who made an amazing difference, won almost all the titles, scored goals in all tournaments, but the result was that he did not win the Ballon d’Or. Why?

“Because of those people who vote thinking that the best has a different meaning and that he may have to be of descent from another place that is not our continent. That’s why on many occasions we lost.”

Mane came fourth in the 2019 Ballon d’Or while Egypt ‘s Mohamed Salah followed in the fifth place and Algeria ‘s Riyad Mahrez settled for 10th position.

The continent is yet to produce a winner for the prestigious individual honour since former AC Milan and Liberia striker George Weah, who is also current Liberia president, claimed the prize in 1995.

News highlights:

• Barca coach Quique Setien unhappy with speculation sorrounding Arthur Melo barca future

• Athur Melo still available and could feature against Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Quique Setien says he has not been told Arthur will be leaving Barcelona for Juventus, urging the Brazil international to stay focused for the rest of the season as he admitted his disappointment at the “absolutely abnormal” circumstances.

The midfielder has been ordered to stay focused for the rest of the season by his coach, who is still counting on him for the 2019-20 season, despite the rumoured transfer.

Arthur is reportedly set to join Serie A champions Juve for €80 million, with the more experienced Miralem Pjanic potentially heading in the opposite direction for €70m.

Barca will take on Celta Vigo at Balaidos on Saturday and Setien insisted the former Gremio midfielder remains available for selection and could feature.

“This that is happening is absolutely abnormal. In principle I still have Arthur. He is important like the rest. He will train and he will travel and has the possibility of playing,” said the Barcelona boss. “I hope all this noise does not affect him and that if he plays, he tries to give the best of himself.

“Any player who is in such a situation must make it clear the season is not over, win a title and leave a good impression until the last day he is here.
“I do not take it for granted that he is going to leave. The club has not informed me Arthur is leaving. He will be with us until the last game of the season. If it happens, I will try to convince him to leave a good impression. The most important thing is to be honest until the last day and I am convinced he is.”

Setien was reluctant to comment on the possible signing of Pjanic and suggested Arthur has struggled to adapt to the style of football he wants Barca to play.

“Since he has been with me, he has put a lot of interest in doing what we asked him to do,” Setien said.

“Maybe he lacked a little continuity. It is not easy to change things in a footballer that other coaches told him were very good. When they tell him it is very good to keep the ball and we come and we want to play two touches, it is difficult.
“Yes, it’s possible he lacked some physicality, but he is on the right track.” The Barca coach concluded.

News highlights:

• Chelsea beat Man City 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Thursdays night.

• The Blues victory means Liverpool are 2019/20 with seven games left.

• The blues were also instrumental as Man City won the league in 2014.

Liverpool came tantalisingly close to ending their lengthy wait for a 19th league title during the 2013-14 Premier League season. But an unfortunate event means the reds will have to wait a little bit longer.

Before April 27, 2014. League-leaders Liverpool were on a 16-game unbeaten streak in the English premier league and had won their previous 11, including a dramatic 3-2 victory over title rivals Manchester City.
They were five points clear at the top until that day versus second-placed Chelsea at Anfield in their third-to-last game of the season.

Another home win for Rodgers’ side would have set them up nicely heading into the final two matches of the season against Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.

However, just on the stroke of half-time in a moment that has left a scar on the collective psyche of Liverpool fans across the world, Liverpool captain and legend Steven Gerrard slipped after he failed to control a pass from Mamadou Sakho, allowing the ball to fall into the path of Chelsea forward Demba Ba and the rest to day is history.

It will most likely be the most bitter day for the former England midfielder.

Talked about his reaction after the match, in his 2015 autobiography My Story, the former captain revealed it prompted an uncontrollable bout of crying

“I sat in the back of the car and felt the tears rolling down my face. I hadn’t cried for years but, on the way home, I couldn’t stop. The tears kept coming,” Gerrard wrote. “I can’t even tell you if the streets were thick with traffic or as empty as I was on the inside. It was killing me.

“I felt numb, like I had lost someone in my family. It was as if my whole quarter of a century at this football club poured out of me. I did not even try to stem the silent tears as the events of the afternoon played over and over again in my head.”

The midfielder was roundly mocked by Liverpool’s rivals at the time and remarkably, even though he is no longer at the club, the derision endures to this day any time opposing teams visit Anfield.

Now no matter what happens, Liverpool, who now lead by 23 points with seven games remaining, will be lifting their first premier league title in 30 years come July. But the celebration might be cut short as there may not be open roof bus parade for the champions, due to restrictions install to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

News highlights:

• Arthur agrees personal terms with Juventus

• The agreement pave way for Arthur-Pjanic swap deal

• Juventus and Barcelona expected to make announcement by weekend.

The transfer window after the coronavirus pandemic will force teams to enter into swap deals to boost their squads to protect their finances, and according to Cadena Ser, Juventus and Barcelona will be the first to trade two of their most talented midfielders.

Despite recent reports suggesting Arthur wasn’t keen to move, he looks to have agreed personal terms with Juventus, opening the door for a swap with Miralem Pjanic to be completed.

The Brazilian has stated on more than one occasion that he wanted to stay at Barcelona to fight for a place in the team, but with the Blaugrana keen to offload him, it appears as though he has finally agreed to move to Turin.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports Arthur has agreed to terms with Juventus on a five-year contract that will pay him over €5.5 million a season plus bonuses. The Spanish radio station, Camden’s Ser’s, also stated that the bianconeri and Los Blaugranas have reached an agreement to swap Arthur Melo and Miralem Pjanic. According to the report, the deal will be sealed once both players have reached a deal regarding their wages.

The agreement opens the door for the two clubs to finalize the terms of the swap, with the Bianconeri expected to pay €70m plus bonuses for the midfielder.

That figure will mostly be covered by Pjanic going the other way, with the Bosnian valued in the €60m range, with Barca also receiving cash to complete the deal.

An announcement is not expected until the weekend as Juventus play Lecce on Friday, at which point medicals are expected to follow.

Arthur Melo was bought to replace Andrés Iniesta when he left the club, but he failed to impress at Camp Nou during his first two seasons there.

News highlights:

• Antonio Conte banned for one month

• Inter thriller ends in disappointment as they blow two leads in 10 minutes against Sassuolo.

• Skrinier also sees ready to make the matter worse for Conte men.

Inter will have to do without gaffer coach Antonio Conte in the dugout for Sunday’s Serie A game with Parma due to suspension.

The former Chelsea boss saw his fifth yellow card of the season on Wednesday, after seeing his side play out a captivating 3-3 draw with Sassuolo at San Siro. But it was a thriller ending in disappointment for the Narrazuri as they two leads in 10 minutes.

The Nerazzurri led 2-0 in that encounter thanks to goals from Ciccio Caputo and Romelu Lukaku, but were pegged back to 2-2. Another strike from Borja Valero after 85 minutes seemed to have won the match for Conte’s side but Giangiacomo Magnani’s late equaliser cost them two points and dealt them a major blow in the title race. It was shortly after that effort that Conte saw yellow.

“I think we deserved much more considering how much we created, whereas I don’t recall any Samir Handanovic saves,” Conte said of the match in his press conference. “It’s something we keep repeating in this pattern and are paying a heavy price.

“I am very disappointed and so are the lads. When you play this type of game and put so much into it, you have the chance to win despite the difficulties in the key area of midfield, you have to take home the three points. We didn’t do that, it’s disappointing and troubling.

“We had the chances to finish it and we didn’t. I don’t know what more we can do other than keep working.
“I am happy with the performance, we’ve got to be more careful on the details. That is where we can grow and improve.”

Inter, who are eight points behind leaders Juventus with 11 fixtures remaining and four back from second-placed Lazio, will also have to do without centre-back Milan Skriniar after he was sent off with a straight red card, rendering him unavailable for the next three games.

The Slovakian, who was dismissed for “making an offensive remark to the referee along with a blasphemous exclamation” has also been fined €10,000 (£9,000/$11,200).

As well as the trip to Parma at the weekend, he will sit out a home encounter with Brescia next Wednesday and also sit out clash with
Bologna in Milan on July 5.

News highlights:

• The fight for the league continues this weekend as league leaders both go away

• Madrid will be hoping to overcome Espanyol in Barcelona

• While Barca take the fight to Celta Vigo in Vigo, Galicia.

With just seven games of the Spanish season to go, there’s almost nothing to separate Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are level on points at the top of the table on 68 points.

Zinedine Zidane’s side leads the table by virtue of a greater head to head record against their old nemesis, having taken four points from Barca this term.

With La Liga placements ultimately decided on head to head results rather than goal difference–which Barca lead +39 to +38—that 2-0 victory at the Bernabeu on March 3, when Vinicius and Marcelo secured a late victory, could prove vital.

Real have been relentless since football resumed following the coronavirus lockdown, having won all of their last four matches, scoring 10 in the process, and have thoroughly made amends following their 2-1 defeat by Real Betis back in March.

They didn’t have things all their own way against Real Mallorca in midweek, with Vinicius again the hero with the opener, and Sergio Ramos adding a second early in the second half to take all three points.

The impressive Ramos, in particular, is keen for Real to silence the doubters, and end the speculation that they’re being ‘assisted’ to the title, and will surely be desperate for all three points against bottom-club Espanyol on Sunday.

“All the noise that’s being made is because we’re leaders now,” Ramos told Movistar.

“When we weren’t, people didn’t talk so much. Referees and VAR are here to help… I don’t think they take any predetermined decisions.

“The noise needs to stop,” he added. “It’s as if we should be thanking the referees for being leaders. People shouldn’t be imagining things.”

Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique suggested last week that referee and VAR decision are going in the way of Real Madrid.

Barcelona take their league campaign to Vigo, Galacia. While Real Madrid next is taking the to Barcelona to relegation-threatned Espanyol.

Alexis Sanchez would have to agree to a pay cut if he desires to remain with Inter past the end of this season according to a report in today’s print edition of Italian daily newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

The Chilean national team attacker is currently on loan at Inter from Premier League side Manchester United, who are paying more than half of his annual €12 million salary.

The report explains that the former Barcelona and Arsenal player would have to take a big cut to his wages in order to convince Inter to pursue a permanent move to sign him and end his nightmare spell with the Red Devils.

Antonio Conte and what he wants will be decisive in any decision too and Sanchez has a few months left to convince the Nerazzurri that they should be looking to keep him at the club.

Whilst on loan, the 31-year-old has made 17 appearances across all competitions to date, in which he has scored one goal and provided three assists

Steven Gerrard may not have won the Premier League title during his Liverpool career but there’s no denying he is probably the greatest player in the club’s history.

For years, Gerrard dragged a fairly underwhelming Liverpool sides to trophies – the highlight, of course, being the 2005 Champions League.

Gerrard could do it all. He could tackle, he could pass and he scored 186 goals during his Liverpool career. And many of them were spectacular.

Gerrard’s highlight reel of his best goals is probably as good as any other player in football history.

But imagine being a grown man and never having seen a Gerrard goal before.

Well, that was the case for one American Youtuber who decided to treat himself to a compilation of Gerrard’s best goals and filmed his reaction for us all to see.

https://twitter.com/DaveOCKOP/status/1275111072903692290?s=20

It’s rather brilliant watching him get more and more amazed by Gerrard’s greatness as he scored screamer after screamer.

But for a stint at LA Galaxy at the end of his career, Gerrard remained at Liverpool for his whole career in England – although he almost left to join Chelsea in 2005.

And recently on Gary Neville’s Soccer Box, Gerrard revealed all about his almost move.
“I regret the little bit of flirting back then and how that all blew up,” Gerrard admitted.

“The fact is I didn’t know whether I was coming or going with Rafa at the time. Rafa was having conversations with me like ‘I know your agent is talking to Real Madrid and Chelsea’.

Premier League club Burnley has condemned a plane carrying a banner declaring “White Lives Matter Burnley” that flew over Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium before Monday’s match between the two clubs.

“Burnley Football Club strongly condemns the actions of those responsible for the aircraft and offensive banner that flew over The Etihad Stadium on Monday evening,” a statement released on the club’s website at half-time said.

“We wish to make it clear that those responsible are not welcome at Turf Moor. This, in no way, represents what Burnley Football Club stands for and we will work fully with the authorities to identify those responsible and issue lifetime bans.

“The club has a proud record of working with all genders, religions and faiths through its award-winning Community scheme, and stands against racism of any kind.

“We are fully behind the Premier League’s Black Lives Matter initiative and, in line with all other Premier League games undertaken since Project Restart, our players and football staff willingly took the knee at kick-off at Manchester City.

“We apologise unreservedly to the Premier League, to Manchester City and to all those helping to promote Black Lives Matter.”

The plane appeared shortly after players from both teams took a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

There was no indication who had organised the plane and banner.
All players in the 12 Premier League games since the restart of the season after the coronavirus stoppage have worn “Black Lives Matter” on their shirts in place of their names in response to the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a black man, who died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes in Minneapolis.

Floyd’s death has spurred demonstrations against racial injustice around the world and demonstrations and displays throughout the soccer world.

News highlights:

• Meunier joins Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer

• The defender turn down PSG offer to see out the remainder of the champions league in August.

• Thiago Silva wants to stay for the remainder of the champions league.

Thomas Meunier has signed a four-year deal with Borussia Dortmund, and the right back will leave PSG on a free transfer.

Meunier’s deal with the Ligue 1 outfit expires on 30 June, and he had turned down the opportunity to negotiate a contract extension prior to the coronavirus outbreak, which could have see him play the remainder of the champions league schedule for Lisbon in August.

The global pandemic resulted in the French season concluding prematurely, with Meunier picking up his third Ligue 1 title with PSG.

While Layvin Kurzawa and Thiago Silva are poised to sign short-term extensions to stay with PSG for the remainder of their Champions League campaign, according to Bild, Meunier is on his way out and has signed a four-year deal with Borussia Dortmund.

An RMC Sport report stated that the defender had been offered a short-term deal to keep him in France to see out PSG’s Champions League fixtures, but he has opted not to accept in order to seal his move to Dortmund sooner.

Tottenham had also been in pursuit of Meunier, with Jose Mourinho keen on adding a new full back to his squad this summer. The Spurs budget has been stretched further as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and snapping up Meunier on a free would have been ideal business for Daniel Levy.

The Belgium international joined PSG from Club Brugge for €7m in 2016 and has gone on to make 128 appearances for the club.

The defender was also a part of the Belgium side that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

News highlights:

• Madrid go top on head-to-head rule after Sociedad win

• Zidane don’t wants to talk about referees.

Real Madrid are joint leader with Barcelona on the top of la liga table after a 2-1 win on Sunday night.

There were few chances created before half time, apart from a Vinícius effort which was saved comfortably.

Los Blancos started the second half with an attacking focus and soon won a penalty through Diego Llorente’s foul on Vinícius. Up stepped Ramos, who calmly slotted the ball past Remiro to put his team in front.

After the centre-back was forced off with injury, the hosts grew into the game and saw substitute Adnan Januzaj’s strike ruled out for offside.the 50th minutes of the game before Karim Benzema scored the second in the 70th minutes.

Mikel Merino scored in the 83rd minutes to make the game difficult for Zidanes’ men but were able to hang on for the win.

Real Madrid’s coach, Zidane had been forced to defend his team against a suggestion from Barca defender Gerard Pique that decisions were going Madrid’s way after their 3-0 win over Valencia, in which Rodrigo had a goal ruled out.

The French coach faced fresh questions about Madrid’s apparent fortune after three huge decisions went their way against Sociedad.

‘It annoys me that at the end of the day people are only talking about the referees as if we did nothing out on the pitch,’ Zidane told a virtual news conference.

‘But we cannot control what people will say. We win matches on the pitch and that’s what we did today. It was a deserved victory.’

Lionel Messi was back in training Sunday morning, and it was not hard to see a little bit of scratches to his right leg after Friday’s 0-0 draw with Sevilla.

The Barcelona captain was hacked down by Diego Carlos during the game and reacted angrily to the challenge, jumping up and giving the center-back a push.

There’s been a bit of debate about the challenge and how much contact Carlos made, but it certainly seems like he did get quite a bit of Messi.

Barcelona are due to train again on Monday morning ahead of their next game on Tuesday against Athletic.

They will again be without Frenkie de Jong and Sergi Roberto for the match but otherwise have no new injury problems.

News highlights:

• Liverpool wants to sign kalidou Koulibaly to partner Van Dijk next season

• But are £32m shot of Napoli’s £90m valuation

• Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool vying for the Senegalese defender.

The Naples have according to a reportedly set a firm price tag of £90m with several clubs are vying for his signature. The Reds have reportedly put in a bid of £58m for the Senegalese player.

Virgil van Dijk and Kalidou Koulibaly could be the fearsome centre-back partnership lining up at Liverpool next season, but they will first have to do much better than the £58m offered to Napoli.

The Reds, two wins away from securing the Premier League title, are already looking at ways to continue their dominance into the 2020-21 season.

Meanwhile, Napoli have endured a league campaign to forget, with last season’s Serie A runners-up in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification – sitting nine points off fourth-placed Atalanta.

According to Corriere dello Sport, The 29-year-old looks set to leave Napoli this summer, with Manchester United and Chelsea now being joined by Liverpool in the pursuit of Koulibaly, Napoli have reportedly set a £90m price tag on the defender, a fee the Reds are £32m away from with their early bid.

Last week’s Coppa Italia triumph after a shoot-out victory against Juventus was an important lift for the Naples side after a dramatic season which has seen Carlo Ancelotti sacked after a huge squad fall-out with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis over a training camp.

Manager Gennaro Gattuso appears to have given the club a lift since replacing the now Everton boss, but he is a long way off creating what Jurgen Klopp has at Anfield.

News highlights:

• Howe admitted playing in an empty stadium is a disadvantage for home teams.

• Bournmouth in the bottom three despite 2-0 win at Palace.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe agreed playing behind closed doors will prove a disadvantage for all home clubs in the Premier League after Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

First-half strikes from Luka Milivojevic and Jordan Ayew ensured Bournmouth remain in the bottom three and in trouble with a tricky run of fixtures to come.

The hosts managed only one short on target throughout the contest at the Vitality Stadium, which was without fans due to the protocols in place with the coronavirus pandemic still having a big impact on the UK.

After a slow return to action, the 42-year-old conceded his relegation-threatened side will have to get used to playing without a crowd, but hopes it may benefit them at Wolves on Wednesday.

Howe explained: “Here especially we thrive off the feeling and the atmosphere in the stadium and especially when you are chasing the game like that today.

“Historically our crowd have been very good at lifting the players and I do think the second half performance was much improved and we were much better.

“A goal at any stage would have changed it for us, but it never came. I do think playing at home you are going to be at a disadvantage, I don’t think there is any doubt about that.

“Hopefully that can work for us on the other side when we play away from home.”

The Eagles went ahead after just 12 minutes when Milivojevic curled a free kick over the wall and into net via the crossbar.

It was 2-0 with 23 on the clock when Patrick Van Aanholt picked out Jordan Ayew, who finished off a great team move.

“A disappointing game and disappointing start for us. The start of the game was really where we lost it today.
“It’s a really good free kick from their perspective, but we are disappointed to concede it and it was a hammer blow against a team who when you do go behind against them are very difficult to play against.” Cherries boss Howe added.

A disappointing evening. #BOUCRY //

afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/Xyl6G88XES

— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) June 20, 2020

While Bournemouth remain in the relegation zone, Palace are into the top half and ahead of Arsenal.

This victory and clean sheet was their fourth in a row, albeit their previous success before the win on the south coast occurred on March 7.

“(I’m) obviously very pleased,” Hodgson said. “I thought in particular the first half was excellent. In the second half we controlled the game well enough to make certain our lead was never in enormous danger.

“It is a fourth game in a row for us with a victory and a clean sheet so one has to be delighted with that.”

Palace are on the road again next week with a trip to Liverpool before they return home on June 29 for the visit of Burnley.
“That’s the way it will be for all of us,” Hodgson added on the lack of supporters.
“When we play at Selhurst Park, we will be in the same situation. The players were very keen today that the motivation was going to be a self-motivation.”