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Cop Set Ablaze, 3 Others Injured In Clash With Legia Fans

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A police officer was set ablaze by Legia football fans while three others were injured as they pelted them with flares before a game against Aston Villa.

Flares and missiles were thrown at police as the Legia fans were held in a coach park near Villa’s stadium.

The scheduled 2000 GMT match, resulting in a 2-1 win for Villa, proceeded without any Legia fans being granted entry into Villa Park prior to kick-off.

The officer who was engulfed by flames after being hit by a flare suffered burns and is now recovering in hospital.

Aston Villa strongly denounced the violence preceding Thursday’s Europa Conference League game, where three police officers sustained injuries due to confrontations involving Legia Warsaw fans.

A statement from Birmingham Police on X, previously known as Twitter, stated: “We are presently unable to permit away fans entry into Villa Park due to disturbances outside the stadium, involving the throwing of projectiles at officers.”

“Three officers have already been injured and a significant policing operation continues. Please avoid Witton Lane where possible.”

Concerns over potential crowd trouble led to the Polish club receiving a reduced ticket allocation, just under 1,000.

Despite the allocation cut, ticketless Legia fans remained determined to travel to Birmingham.

The Premier League club said in a statement “Aston Villa can confirm that no away fans were allowed into Villa Park for this evening’s UEFA Europa Conference League fixture with Legia Warsaw on the advice of West Midlands Police following large-scale disorder outside the stadium caused by visiting supporters,”

“The UK safety authorities, UEFA and Aston Villa, communicated on November 2 that the ticket allocation for away fans for this fixture would be reduced to 1,002 on the advice of safety authorities as a result of previous large-scale disorder caused by Legia fans last month at AZ Alkmaar.

“A number of Dutch police officers were injured during that disorder. As a consequence, UEFA banned Legia supporters from travelling to Mostar for their game against HSK Zrinjski.

“In spite of numerous requests for cooperation from Legia Warsaw concerning their travelling supporters, especially in the last two days, no assistance on the serious safety matter of away fans attending Villa Park was forthcoming from the visiting club.

“The club has repeatedly, including this morning, raised concerns in conjunction with UEFA and all the relevant authorities to Legia that ticketless away supporters were attempting to attend Villa Park.”

Legia supporters encountered a line of police officers, equipped with helmets and visors, as they approached Villa Park. The release of flares occurred while they were confined, initiating the incident that caused injuries to the police.

While the area of Villa Park typically designated for visiting fans remained entirely vacant during the match, additional crowd disturbances took place outside the stadium.

Videos circulating on social media depicted a gathering of Legia fans in a street, throwing bottles towards Villa supporters who were observing from inside the ground.

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Paul Pogba’s Suspension Reduced, Set To Return To Football In 2025

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Paul Pogba is set to return to professional football in March 2025 after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The Juventus midfielder’s suspension, which began on September 11, 2023, will now end in March 2025, allowing him to resume training as early as January.

The 31-year-old World Cup winner faced the prospect of a lengthy exile from the sport, with some fearing it could end his career.

Read Also: Pastors Brainwashed You To Forget Your Ancestors – Yul Edochie To Nigerians

However, CAS’s ruling offers Pogba a lifeline.

Originally banned for testing positive for DHEA, a substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list, Pogba’s appeal argued that he had unknowingly taken the substance, which primarily affects females.

This distinction played a key role in reducing the ban.

Pogba’s positive test came after Juventus’ Serie A opener against Udinese on August 20, 2023. Following the ruling, his €5,000 (£4,176) fine was also overturned.

The French international’s appeal, which took place in August 2024 at CAS headquarters in Switzerland, presented evidence linking an American wellness clinic, 10X Health Systems, to the incident.

Photographic proof of the clinic’s name on one of Pogba’s pill bottles was submitted as part of his defense.

Pogba can now begin preparations for his return to action, with Juventus expected to welcome him back into training at the start of 2025.

 

 

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Mbappe Excluded From France’s Upcoming UEFA Nations League Matches

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France captain Kylian Mbappe has been omitted from the national team for their UEFA Nations League fixtures this month, as confirmed by head coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday.

The decision comes after Mbappe made a brief return from a thigh injury, playing as a substitute in Paris Saint-Germain’s surprising 1-0 defeat to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Deschamps emphasized that the decision to rest the Real Madrid star was made with Mbappe’s long-term fitness in mind.

Read More: Messi Shines As Inter Miami Clinches MLS Supporters’ Shield

“I had an exchange with Kylian. He has a problem which is not serious. I am not going to take risks, which is why he is not in the squad,” the coach stated during a press conference in Paris.

France is set to face Israel in an away match on October 10, relocated to Budapest due to ongoing security concerns in the Middle East.

They will then compete against Belgium in Brussels on October 14. Currently, France sits third in Group A2 with three points after two matches, trailing Italy, who leads with six points.

This squad announcement marks the first since vice-captain Antoine Griezmann’s retirement from international football earlier this week.

Griezmann, who earned 137 caps for Les Bleus, had a significant impact on the team’s dynamics.

Deschamps remarked on his absence, stating, “He had such an impact that we can’t play in the same way. I am not necessarily going to change the system, but I am not going to look for an equivalent player.”

Notably, Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku returns to the squad after a year-long absence, while midfielder N’Golo Kante is also left out.

The full squad for the upcoming matches includes:

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)

Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa/ENG), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea/ENG), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)

Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Youssouf Fofana (AC Milan/ITA), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio/ITA), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)

Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani (all Paris Saint-Germain), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea/ENG), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA).

 

 

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Messi Shines As Inter Miami Clinches MLS Supporters’ Shield

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In a thrilling match, Lionel Messi delivered a stellar performance, scoring twice as Inter Miami secured a 3-2 victory over defending MLS champions Columbus Crew, clinching the coveted Supporters’ Shield for the best regular-season record.

Messi, who had been relatively quiet for much of the first half, sprang to life just before halftime.

In the 45th minute, he broke the deadlock, chesting down a long ball in the box and capitalizing on a deflection off Columbus defender Malte Amundsen to poke the ball into the net.

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Just minutes later, Messi doubled Miami’s lead with a masterful free-kick, curling the ball past Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, who remained rooted to the spot.

Messi’s two goals capped a remarkable return from a two-month injury, bringing his season tally to 17 goals and 15 assists in just 17 matches.

Columbus responded swiftly after the break, with Diego Rossi scoring just 20 seconds into the second half.

Rossi curled a clever shot into the far corner to make it 2-1, reigniting hopes for the reigning champions.

However, Columbus’ momentum was short-lived. Straight from the restart, Schulte’s miscommunication with defender Rudy Camacho allowed Luis Suarez to head into an empty net, giving Miami a 3-1 advantage.

The Crew fought back once more, with Cucho Hernandez converting a penalty after Noah Allen was penalized for handball in the box, cutting Miami’s lead to 3-2.

Columbus’ chances took a major hit, though, when Camacho was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a studs-up challenge.

Columbus had a final opportunity to level the score in the 83rd minute after a VAR review awarded them a second penalty.

However, Hernandez’s shot lacked power, and Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender made a crucial save, ensuring Miami’s victory and sealing the Supporters’ Shield.

“I’m happy to achieve the first goal and think about what’s coming. Today was a very tough opponent. We knew it, they are the last champion,” Messi told Apple TV after the match. “We suffered until the end, and that shows what this team is.”

With the Supporters’ Shield now in hand, Inter Miami’s focus will shift to the playoffs as they continue their impressive campaign led by Messi.

 

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