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Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been ruled out until after this month’s international break after injuring his hamstring in the Champions League defeat at Galatasaray. The Brazil international was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 56th minute of the game in Istanbul — Liverpool’s second straight defeat after they started the season with seven successive wins in all competitions. Manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday his number one goalkeeper would not be fit to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend. “Alisson is not a part of the squad tomorrow and he’s not going to travel to Brazil as well for the national team,” he said. Slot said it was difficult to put a timescale on when the goalkeeper, 33, would return. “I would be surprised if he would be there in the first game after the international break, but from there on sometimes things can go a bit faster or a bit slower,” he added. “It’s difficult to say the amount of days and weeks, but for the upcoming games he will not be part of us or the Brazil team.” Slot said forward Hugo Ekitike, who also came off with an injury in the second half in Turkiye, would train on Friday and would be assessed. Liverpool remain top of the Premier League despite last week’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace — two points clear of second-placed Arsenal.

Alex Pereira attempts to retake title from Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320

LAS VEGAS: Before Alex Pereira’s loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March, it looked as if the Brazilian knockout artist had given in to the temptations that come with being the sport’s most marketable fighter. At times, it became a common joke among fans and fighters about how visible Pereira was during his camp. At UFC 320 on Saturday, Pereira will get what could very well be the final chance in his storied career to reclaim the light heavyweight title belt. Since Ankalaev (20-1-1, 1 no contest) beat Pereira (12-3-0) earlier this year, some visible bad blood has festered between the fighters in their interactions. With his reputation at risk and with a fighter who clearly irritates him holding the title he recently elevated to prominence, Pereira steps into the Saturday fight with a hunger that was missing in March.

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice

LOMBOK: Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez fell twice on Friday in a crash-filled practice for the Indonesia MotoGP as Marco Bezzecchi clocked a blistering fastest time. Spanish great Marquez took a spill early on in the afternoon session, sliding off the track, before returning only to suffer a heavier crash after a wobble threw him off his Ducati. The 32-year-old was able to recover but could only set the 11th-fastest time, leaving him out of the top 10 and dropping into the first round of qualifying on Saturday for the first time this season. It was instead Aprilia’s Bezzecchi who set the standard in humid conditions at the Mandalika track on the resort island of Lombok. The Italian, fourth in the overall standings, recorded a best time of 1min 29.24sec, 0.408sec ahead of Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer and 0.424sec faster than KTM’s Pedro Acosta. Marquez will be joined in Q1 by two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia, third in the championship standings, who struggled to a 17th-fastest time. Marquez, who has already set a single-season points record for a MotoGP rider, can still reach the second qualifying round if he finishes fastest or second-fastest in the first qualifying session. His brother Alex, second in the overall standings, also went down in a painful crash but his bike bore the brunt of the damage.

Max Verstappen has the momentum in the F1 title fight in Singapore as McLaren stumbles

It’s the one race on this year’s Formula 1 calendar that Max Verstappen has never won. It could be crucial to his chances of a series comeback. Verstappen heads into this week’s Singapore Grand Prix with back-to-back wins which have made a fifth consecutive title go from near-impossible to merely unlikely. Meanwhile, standings leader Oscar Piastri had an awful weekend at the last race in Azerbaijan, title rival Lando Norris couldn’t capitalize, and their McLaren team has started making mistakes at pit stops. Verstappen is “genuinely a challenger,” Norris said Thursday.

‘Secret weapon’: PFL MENA champion Omar El-Dafrawy credits daily discipline for success

DUBAI: What does it take to succeed in MMA? If you ask PFL MENA Welterweight Champion Omar “God First” El-Dafrawy, it is all about commitment.

Record-breaking Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ‘continues to raise the bar,’ says Ethara CEO Saif Al-Noaimi

ABU DHABI: Ethara, the organizers of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, have revealed that 2024 was their biggest year yet, with $340 million in visitor spend from 192,000 fans over the four days.

UCI chief says Israeli athletes are welcome amid boycott calls

Lappartient said: “We are not a tool for sanctions, we are a tool in the service of an ideal of bringing people together with the unifying power of sport”He dismissed questions about double standards despite the UCI’s ban on Russian and Belarusian teams from events over Russia’s war in UkraineKIGALI: The world cycling governing body (UCI) will continue to welcome Israeli athletes at its competitions despite calls for sporting boycotts, UCI president David Lappartient declared on Friday, saying sport should unite rather than punish.Lappartient, who was re-elected the body’s president for a third four-year term at the UCI Congress on Thursday, was speaking on the sidelines of the World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.Earlier this week, a UN Commission of Inquiry said in a report that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza — an accusation that Israel has dismissed — and called for Israel’s suspension from international football, but Lappartient said the UCI would not go down that path.“It is perfectly normal for them to be here, because we believe — and I am speaking on behalf of the UCI but I could almost say that these are also Olympic values — that sport is not a tool for punishment,” he told reporters.’NOT A TOOL FOR SANCTIONS’Lappartient, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), added: “The IOC has confirmed our position.“We are not a tool for sanctions, we are a tool in the service of an ideal of bringing people together with the unifying power of sport, with the aim of promoting peace.

Barcelona lose Raphinha and goalie García to injuries for several weeks

BARCELONA: Barcelona will be without Raphinha and new goalkeeper Joan García for weeks due to injuries. García has started every game since transferring from Espanyol this summer but has hurt the meniscus in his left knee and will require arthroscopic surgery, the defending La Liga champion said on Friday. Barcelona expect García to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Spanish media reports said he was injured while training on Friday. Raphinha will be out for an estimated three weeks after hurting his right hamstring, according to the club. The Brazil forward, who was key to Barcelona winning the league and Copa del Rey last season, appeared to be hurt on Thursday in their 3-1 win at Oviedo. Barcelona visit Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday, three days before they host European champion Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League’s second matchday. They visit Real Madrid for the season’s first clasico on Oct.

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ABU DHABI Sport News

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break

Alex Pereira attempts to retake title from Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice

Max Verstappen has the momentum in the F1 title fight in Singapore as McLaren stumbles

‘Secret weapon’: PFL MENA champion Omar El-Dafrawy credits daily discipline for success

Record-breaking Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ‘continues to raise the bar,’ says Ethara CEO Saif Al-Noaimi

UCI chief says Israeli athletes are welcome amid boycott calls

Barcelona lose Raphinha and goalie García to injuries for several weeks