International Football
Pique, Shakira Excluded From Messi’s Wedding
There may have been a slight crack in bond among players of FC Barcelona following the reports that defender Gerard Pique and his wife, Shakira have not been invited to Lionel Messi’s wedding after a personal problem between Shakira and the Argentine’s wife-to-be, reports Spanish newspaper El Pais.
Sports Village Square gathered via Dailymailonline that the issue between the pair reportedly stems from a problem Messi’s fiancee, Antonella Roccuzzo, has with how Pique began his relationship with pop star Shakira.
Roccuzzo was close friends with the Spaniard’s former girlfriend Nuria Tomas and was not happy with the way Pique dumped the lady for the mega pop singer.
The two love birds met (Pique and Shakira) met the singer when he was still in a relationship with Tomas, when he appeared in her music video Waka Waka, the official song of the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.
Pique had earlier revealed to TV3 in October: ‘I met Shakira in Madrid, when we were preparing for the 2010 World Cup, and after appearing in the Waka Waka video.
‘It all started when we were together in South Africa and I wrote to her. She was already there because she sang in the opening ceremony and I asked her what the weather was like.
‘It is the typical stupid question, and the normal answer is to tell me to bring a jacket.
“But she started telling me what the weather was like in every single moment and it got to the point where I told her we would have to get to the World Cup final to see her again-she was singing at the final.”
Meanwhile, Messi’s wife-to-be still kept a close relationship with Tomas which has caused friction between her and Shakira, which has resulted in Pique missing out on his team-mate’s wedding.
But it appears the issue has not affected the Barca stars on or off the pitch. The pair will line-up together as Luis Enrique’s side take on Valencia at the Nou Camp on Sunday night.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner does not have a date confirmed for his wedding with Roccuzzo, but it is rumoured it will be in the middle of June.
Messi will be hoping for a double celebration as his side have kept their hopes alive in the Champions League following their heroics to against Paris Saint-Germain.
Carlo Ancelotti will become Brazil’s manager after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season, the Brazilian FA (CBF) said on Monday.
The 65-year-old Ancelotti has enjoyed four hugely successful years in his second tenure at the Spanish giants, but they are set to finish this season without a trophy.
“The president of CBF Ednaldo Rodrigues has announced on Monday the signing of Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti,” it said in a statement.
“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world that we are determined to regain football’s top spot,” Rodrigues said in the statement.
“He is the greatest coach in history and now he is at the helm of the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write new chapters in the glorious history of Brazilian football.”
Brazilian soccer sources said Ancelotti will sign a one-year deal to become the world’s highest-paid national team coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with the option to extend his contract. Real have yet to announce Ancelotti’s departure.
He is set to be replaced by former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso, with sources close to the 41-year-old former Spain international saying he has agreed a three-year deal.
Alonso, 43, who announced earlier this month that he was leaving Bayer Leverkusen after guiding them to a domestic double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 14, club sources said.
Ancelotti had a year remaining on his contract but Real’s underwhelming season and his desire to coach Brazil have led to a mutual agreement to part ways, the sources added.
Second-placed Real are seven points adrift of Barcelona, who could secure the league title on Wednesday without kicking a ball if Real fail to win at home to Mallorca.
Regardless of Real’s result, a Barca victory in the city derby away to Espanyol on Thursday would clinch the title.
-Reuters
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Zamalek ended Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro’s contract by mutual consent, the Egyptian soccer club said on Wednesday, after less than three months in charge due to poor results.
“An agreement has been reached between Zamalek and coach Jose Peseiro to mutually terminate the contract,” the club said on Facebook. “We wish you the best in your future endeavours.”
Former Porto and Sporting Lisbon coach Peseiro, 65, joined Zamalek on February 14 to become only the fifth coach to lead both Egyptian rivals, Zamalek and Al-Ahly.
However, Zamalek, the defending champions, were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup and the Egyptian League Cup under Peseiro, and a poor run in the league saw them slip to third place, seven points adrift of leaders Pyramids.
Peseiro has previously coached the national teams of Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, as well as the Saudi club Al-Hilal and United Arab Emirates’ teams Al Wahda and Sharjah.
-Reuters
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International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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