Sports
Marseille: Rabiot-Rowe spat ‘extremely violent’
Marseille president Pablo Longoria said the club had no choice but to transfer list Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe after what he described as an “extremely violent” altercation between the two players.
The French club released a statement Tuesday saying both players were available for transfer “due to unacceptable behaviour in the dressing room after the match against Stade Rennais FC, in agreement with the technical staff and in accordance with the club’s internal code of conduct.”
Longoria added more details Wednesday.
“What happened was extremely serious and extremely violent, something I’ve never encountered before,” he told AFP in an interview. “We had to take a decision because what happened went way beyond what is acceptable in a football club, as it would be in any organisation.”
Sources told ESPN that tempers boiled over in the dressing room after the loss to Rennes, in which Marseille played with 11 men against 10 for an hour.
Rabiot accused Rowe of a lack of commitment, according to sources, and they insulted each other in front of the whole squad before getting physical with each other.
“I wasn’t in the dressing room but the staff who were told me it was incredible, violent, aggressive and went beyond any limits,” Longoria added.
France international midfielder Rabiot, 30, and England under-21 international winger Rowe, 22, were expelled from the first-team squad by head coach Roberto De Zerbi on Monday, ESPN reported.
“I think we all have enough experience to say we have never seen anything like it in a dressing room … Even in the worst punch-ups there are rules,” Longoria said. “Not in this case.”
Rabiot, who has one year left on his contract, has attracted interest from former club Juventus and Inter Milan while Premier League sides are also monitoring the situation, sources have told ESPN. Rowe, who left Norwich for the south of France a year ago, also has options in England, with Sunderland and Leeds United.
Information from ESPN’s Julien Laurens was used in this report.
The Copa Libertadores trophy won by Flamengo on Saturday was damaged during the team’s title celebrations.
Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 in the final in Lima, Peru, to become the first Brazilian club to lift the prestigious cup four times.
Flamengo players and staff had a victory parade on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday afternoon, with an estimated 500,000 people joining in the celebrations.
Players and staff took turns to lift the cup during the parade and images showed that the top part of the trophy, which consists of a figurine of a footballer ready to kick a ball, was wrapped in what appeared to be masking tape.
– Flamengo lift Copa Libertadores, but Brazil’s players look exhausted
The figurine had earlier been broken.
Flamengo will be hoping to wrap up the Brazilian league title on Wednesday when they take on Ceara in front of their own fans in Rio’s Maracana stadium.
They are five points clear of Palmeiras at the top of the standings with two games remaining.
Former England cricketer Moeen Ali has announced his return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), saying he was excited to be part of the league’s “new era”.
After the 10th edition of the PSL earlier this year, the league is set for an expansion to eight teams, with the addition of two new franchises.
Meanwhile, Moeen, who has previously featured in the marquee league when he represented former champions Multan Sultans in the 2020 and 2021 editions, expressed his eagerness to rejoin the league.
Moeen stated that the PSL, since its advent in 2016, has “earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket”, featuring close competition and talented players.
“I’m really excited to be joining HBL PSL in its New Era. The league has earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket, with high-quality competition and world-class talent across every team,” Moeen wrote on Instagram.
The 38-year-old, who represented England in 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is during his illustrious career, was also a part of the Three Lions squad that made its historic tour of Pakistan in 2022 to play a three-match Test series. Besides that, Moeen has made several visits to the country.
Reflecting on his previous experiences in Pakistan, Moeen said that he enjoyed playing in the country and specifically praised the enthusiastic crowd, which he said pushes players to give their best on the field.
“Playing in Pakistan is always incredible; quality of cricket is outstanding and the passion and intensity from the crowd push you to bring your best,” he continued.
“I’m looking forward to being part of it all and creating some great memories along the way. Ready for another special experience Insha’Allah!”
His announcement comes just days after former South African captain Faf du Plessis pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play in the upcoming PSL season.
In a post on Instagram on November 29, the renowned cricketer said that he would not put his name in the IPL auction this year.
“It’s a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back,” he wrote in his post.
The receiver has been plagued by injuries, but Sunday night against the Broncos, he gave Washington something to talk about other than a seventh straight loss.
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Flamengo’s Copa Libertadores trophy damaged in title celebrations
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