Sports
El Gran Derbi: The Earliest Seville Derby since 1987/88
- The 2018/19 season may only have reached Matchday 3 but it’s already time for one of the LaLiga Santander’s blockbuster fixtures
Real Betis and Sevilla FC will meet this Sunday evening (20:45 CEST) at Betis’ Benito Villamarín stadium for the first Seville derby of the new season.
This will be the earliest these two teams have met in a LaLiga Santander season since they faced off over 30 years ago on the opening weekend of the 1987/88 campaign.
This makes an already spicy derby even more mouth-watering, as the result could set the tone for the rest of the season. Both teams’ squads are still getting used to playing with each other, but there’s no such thing as a dress rehearsal when it comes to ‘El Gran Derbi.’ This derby match means everything to the fans, who’ll demand, as always, that their heroes approach it like a cup final.
Real Betis, nicknamed Los Verdiblancos (‘The Green and Whites’), finished above their city rivals last year in sixth while Sevilla, who also go by the name of Los Rojiblancos (‘The Red and Whites’), finished in seventh.
Sevilla will be desperate to earn a first derby victory since February 2017, especially after Betis’ stunning 5-3 away win at the Sanchez-Pizjuan in January.
El Gran Derbi sets to the tone for the season
At this early stage in the season, it’s too soon to know exactly what these clubs will be competing for come May. It is more than likely, though, that they’ll both be in the mix for European qualification. Both have had busy summers in terms of player acquisition and there is an expectation amongst fans of both sides that their teams are more than good enough to secure a European spot once again.
Betis will need a positive result to start their campaign off on the right foot. They’re yet to score this season despite racking up an average of 72.3% possession in their opening two games, and were punished on the counter attack in the home opener against Levante before picking up a goalless draw at Alaves on Matchday 2.
Sevilla’s start has been more positive, winning 4-1 away at LaLiga Santander new boys Rayo Vallecano before a playing out a goalless draw with fellow European contenders Villarreal.
Pablo Machin’s side have been in Europa League qualification action since late July and their fitness levels are at a mid-season level. That said, there’ll be no complacency ahead of a game as important as this one.
New faces, same old rivalry
One position to keep an eye on this Sunday is goalkeeper as both clubs signed new starting shot-stoppers over the summer.
Antonio Adan and Sergio Rico, last season’s first-choice keepers, have moved on. Betis now how have Pau Lopez between the sticks, while Sevilla brought in Czech international Tomáš Vaclík.
Betis’ summer signing Takashi Inui could also be important as the Japanese winger’s dribbling ability provides them with a more direct option in attack, while new Sevilla striker André Silva will surely trouble the Betis defence.
Silva scored a hat-trick on his LaLiga debut at Rayo Vallecano and he’ll be looking to make this a similarly happy away trip.
Seville, a city divided
El Gran Derbi is so important to Seville because the city is, curiously, split right down the middle. Unlike in many other cities in Spain and across Europe, the two clubs boast a similar sized support, something that only increases the stakes and, of course, the decibel levels!
Both clubs have been in existence for over a century, making this one of the longest-running rivalries in football. Officially the first derby took place in 1915, with Betis winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Alberto Henke.
The derby was already considered such a big deal that the victors paraded through the city centre with the trophy they’d been awarded.
Unofficially, though, these two clubs have been at loggerheads even longer and an earlier incarnation of Betis first took on Sevilla on Valentine’s Day, 1909. It may have been a day of love, but there has never been any love lost between these two clubs since then.
Though there is resentment between the two fanbases, there is also a good-natured and humorous side to this rivalry. Jokes, arguments and pranks have always been part of the derby and the moment two Betis-supporting builders emblazoned the Betis badge onto Sevilla’s stadium during construction works will live long in the memory of fans.
From Seville to the world
On an international level, the profile of the derby is growing day by day. Sevilla have won five Europa League titles since the turn of the century while Betis have rolled out an exciting possession-based style of football under coach Quique Setien, piquing the interests of football purists both at home and abroad. With official supporter groups stretching from Scotland to New York City, these clubs continue to grow in stature every day.
Sports
QNET and Man City Mark 10th Anniversary of their Partnership
Man City counts 28 trophies in the last 10 yearsQNET, an Asian direct selling giant and Manchester City, a top Football club in and outside England, are celebrating 10 years of partnership with great results.
The anniversary was part of the 26th V-Malaysia Conference (VCON) at Penang in Malaysia.
The long-standing partnership will see QNET continue as Official Direct Selling Partner for City’s men’s and women’s teams, according to Techeconomy report.
This partnership marked a significant milestone in May 2018 when City welcomed QNET as the first sleeve partner in the Women’s Super League.
Throughout the next phase of this partnership QNET will continue to provide City-led football clinics to communities around the world, as well as engaging with consumers and distributors through this relationship with City.
In a message to the leaders of QNET and the 8,000 VCON participants from over 30 countries, Ferran Soriano, the chief executive officer of Manchester City FC, said they are pleased to achieve great milestones that would not have been possible without the support and the commitment of everybody at QNET, “and every single one of you. I do remember back in 2014 when I met the leadership of QNET for the first time, and we discussed our plans, our ambitions, and we promised a lot.
“We promised that Manchester City would be a great football team, and that they would play beautiful football. Now, 10 years since then, we hold 28 trophies. I have to be honest and say that when we promised we were going to do well, we didn’t think we were going to win 28 trophies.
“We’re excited now we’re starting a new season, and guess what? We want to win again, and if we do, it would be another record. Maybe we can win the fifth Premier League in a row. Obviously, something that hasn’t happened before. I can promise that we will fight for all the trophies like you fight for all your objectives. Manchester City and QNET have the incredible power to engage people from every country, create a sense of community and empower individuals and teams to achieve their aspirations”.
He promised Manchester City’s support to the QNET brand to achieve even more successes in the coming years.
Trevor Kuna, the CEO of QNET said that the partnership with Manchester City has made positive impacts on the business.
QNET’s grass-roots business model enables ordinary people from all walks of life to start their own business with minimal overhead.
With hard work and dedication, QNET distributors, known as Independent Representatives (IRs) have the opportunity to become economically self-sufficient, raising the standard of life for their families and communities.
QNET is driven by two important philosophies: RYTHM (Raise Yourself to Help Mankind) and InService.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the QNET and Manchester City celebration was the presentation of a 10-year partnership anniversary plaque by John Kirton, senior partnership marketing manager, Manchester City Football Club to the QNET team.
Sports
Robinho To Serve A 9 Year Jail Term Over Gang Rape
Former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Robinho will reportedly serve a nine-year jail sentence for gang rape – Imposed on him by an Italian court — in Brazil, judges in Brasilia has ruled.
The 40-year-old was found guilty in Italy in 2017 and according to Globo, Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (BSCJ), made the ruling on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
The former Premier League player, whose real name is Robson De Souza, was one of six men who were found guilty of a§§aulting an Albanian woman in an Italian nightclub in January 2013.
In January 2022, the Supreme Court in Rome dismissed his final appeal against the conviction, according to the report.
Robinho claims he is innocent and has been living in Brazil for the past seven years. It came after nine of the court’s 15 ministers had voted in favour of the decision to incarcerate the footballer in Brazil.
Globo also claims that the ex-footballer, who also spent time at AC Milan and Real Madrid, will now be arrested in Santos, where he currently resides.
Robinho, who was 28 and was playing for AC Milan at the time, admitted during his appeal to having ‘contact’ with the woman, but the Brazilian insisted it was consensual.
The Milan Court of Appeals found Robinho had ‘belittled’ and ‘br¥tally h¥miliated’ the victim as it upheld his original sentence in December 2020.
Intercepted phone calls between the Brazilian and those allegedly involved in the assault were used as key evidence in his initial conviction.
Sports
Former Tennis Champion, Tania Okpala Returns To Tennis After Rehabilitation
Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, has revealed that former tennis champion, Tania Okpala, has resumed playing on the courts.
This development follows Soludo’s assurance that she would undergo rehabilitation after a video surfaced online showing her in distress on the streets of Awka, pleading for assistance.
In an update on his social media handle on Thursday, Soludo expressed his satisfaction with Okpala’s return, stating, “Tania Okpala is back on the courts!
“A few months ago, social media was flooded with a viral video showing Ms. Tania in a distressing state on the streets of Awka. I am pleased to report that we have successfully restored Tania to her winning ways.”
Okpala, who hails from Anambra and has a Belarusian mother, represented Nigeria in the 1990s.
Here are pictures of her in the tennis court.
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