Sports
Marathon, Italy celebrating at European Championships with Iliass Aouani

Fantastic Sunday for Italy at the European Road Running Championships. Blue gold also in the marathon in Leuven, Belgium, with the victory of Iliass Aouani after a magnificent sprint. It is the big day of the Milanese engineer, author of a star race, always in the leading positions before the decisive action to close in 2h09:05 beating three Israelis: Gashau Ayale (2h09:08), overcome in the final duel, then the vice world champion Maru Teferi, bronze in 2h09:17, and Haimro Alame, fourth with 2h09:27.
The Italian team’s second blue marathon runner was the first to win the marathon.
Second Italian ever with 2h06:06 last December in Valencia and already the national record holder (2h07:16 in 2023 in Barcelona), the 29-year-old coached in Ferrara by Massimo Magnani seizes the most important result of his career. In the men’s marathon for Italy it is the sixth European gold in history, following those of Gelindo Bordin (1986 and 1990), Stefano Baldini (1998 and 2006) and Daniele Meucci (2014). In the women’s, Giovanna Epis was fifth in 2h29:14. Two Spaniards in the top two places with Fatima Ouhaddou (2h27:14) ahead of Majida Maayouf (2h27:41), bronze to Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (2h28:01) in a sprint over compatriot Maor Tiyouri (2h28:01). For the first time, the title is awarded in a dedicated event that becomes packed with blue medals: 6 in total with three golds (also Nadia Battocletti and the women’s team in the 10 km), one silver and two bronzes (in Saturday’s half marathon).
The race was run in a straight line, from Brussels to Leuven, on an undulating and treacherous course with light rain. Among the men just before the 20th km stretches Israeli Bukayawe Malede (1h03:52 at the half) who is caught and overtaken about ten kilometers ahead. Italy’s Iliass Aouani, wearing a black bandana to cover his head, travels in the group that also includes Turkey’s Ilham Tanui Ozbilen, Israelis Gashau Ayale, Haimro Alame and Yitayew Abuhay, in a challenge that becomes tactical, and so Malede falls back on the leading pack. After 30 km (1h30:55) in the lead are Aouani, Ozbilen and four athletes in Israeli jerseys: vice world champion Maru Teferi, Alame, Ayale and Malede, who then loses ground again. Five remain in front: Alame’s forcing is answered by Aouani, then Teferi takes the lead and the Azzurri seems to control with confidence (1h46:51 at 35 km). Four kilometers to go, the race turns into a challenge of Aouani against the three Israelis Teferi, Ayale and Alame: 2h02:26 at 40th km with Ozbilen at 22 seconds. In the final Teferi gets into trouble, when the sprint starts Alame also breaks away and then Aouani triumphs.
Sports
Premier League 2024-2025: Bournemouth-Fulham, the likely lineups
The match between Bournemouth and Fulham, to be staged Monday night at 9 p.m. at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, will close the 32nd day of the Premier League. The hosts have not won in the league since Feb. 15, against Southampton. In the last three Premier League matches the Cherries have had one draw and two defeats. Currently, the Iraola-coached team is 10th in the Premier League, but with one game less, and 45 points to their credit from 31 games played.
Fulham, on the other hand, comes the challenge against Bournemouth after a resounding 3-2 home win against Liverpool. The London team is currently in eighth place in the standings, and it too has one game less. The team coached by Marco Silva has scored 48 points in 31 matches played.
The bosses should reconfirm the same formation that took the field in the 2-2 draw in the last league game against West Ham. So a 4-2-3-1 with Kepa in goal. The two center backs should be Huijsen and Zabarnyi. As right-back Smith should act, while on the left Kerkez. The two midfielders in all likelihood should be Cook and Adams. Behind the only forward who will be Evanilson, Ouattara on the left and Semenyo on the right will act on the flanks. The trequartista could be Scott.
The London team, on the other hand, is expected to line up with the same form adopted in the 3-2 victory over Liverpool. So, too, Fulham with the 4-2-3-1. Defending the goal will be Leno, with the two center-backs in front of him being Andersen and Ughelumna. On the right will be Castagne, and on the left Robinson. The two midfielders in front of the defense will be, Lukic and Berge. Sessegnon, Pereira and Iwobi to support the only forward who should be Cavalho.
Probable lineups
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Cook, Adams; Semenyo, Scott, Ouattara; Evanilson. Coach: Iraola.
Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Andersen; Ughelumna; Castagne; Lukic; Berge; Sessegnon; Pereira;Iwobi; Cavalho.Coach: Da Silva.
Sports
Serie A 2024-2025: Napoli-Empoli, the likely lineups
Napoli and Empoli will close the 32nd day of Serie A. The challenge will be the Monday night postponement at 8:45 p.m. at the Stadio Maradona. Napoli is still in full fight with Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan for the Scudetto, while Empoli absolutely must find salvation points to avoid relegation to Serie B. The Conte-coached lineup in the last round against Bologna had a chance to shorten in the standings on the Nerazzurri stopped by Parma. But the Rossoblù stopped the Azzurri, not changing the distance between the two clubs.
D’Aversa’s Empoli, on the other hand, is living a completely opposite situation from Napoli. The Tuscans are in the midst of the struggle not to relegate. The distance from the fourth last place, useful for salvation, is occupied by Lecce is only 2 points away. The Azzurri come from only 3 points in the last five. Victory since the start of the new year in Serie A, has yet to come with success missing for D’Aversa’s men even since the 15th day of Serie A.
For the postponement against Empoli, Antonio Conte will be without two important players, Di Lorenzo and Anguissa, both absent due to disqualification. In the Azzurri’s 4-3-3, Mazzocchi is in pole to replace Di Lorenzo on the right flank, with Rrahmani, Juan Jesus (given Buongiorno’s injury) and Olivera completing the defense in front of the usual Meret. In midfield the number one suspect to replace Anguissa, should be Gilmour with Lobotka and McTominay completing the department. Up front, a possible start from the bench once again for Raspadori, with Conte intent on confirming the trident Neres, Lukaku and Politano.
Empoli in goal, given Silvestri’s stoppage, will most likely field Vazquez again as a starter, with the defensive trio of Goglichidze, Marianucci and Viti in front of him. On the outsides, Gyasi could return from 1′ on the right with Pezzella ready to act on the left. In the middle Grassi and Henderson should be reconfirmed. Finally, the two trequartisti behind the only point Colombo will probably be Cacace and Esposito.
Probable lineups
Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Mazzocchi, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Gilmour, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Neres. Coach: Antonio Conte.
Empoli (3-4-2-1): Vasquez; Goglichidze, Marianucci, De Sciglio; Gyasi, Grassi, Henderson, Pezzella; Esposito, Fazzini; Colombo. Coach: Roberto D’Aversa.
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Sports
Luka Modric looks to the future: he will be minority owner of Swansea
Luka Modric has no intention of hanging up his boots, but at the same time he is starting to chart his own path for the post-career. Real Madrid’s Croatian star player, at almost 40 years of age, is ready to sign a new contract with the Blancos, confirming his desire to remain a key player next season. However, like more and more active soccer players, Modric has also decided to face the managerial world, laying the groundwork for a future off the field.
The midfielder will in fact be one of the minority owners of Swansea City, a Welsh club that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English soccer. The agreement with the club has already been reached, and Modric thus joins the growing list of players who are investing in football clubs while they are still active. A strategic choice, which testifies to foresight and passion for the game in another respect as well.
The best-known examples include Kylian Mbappé, who bought 80 percent of Caen (a Ligue 2 club), and Sadio Mané, who took over Bourges Foot 18, a team in the French fourth division. Modric, for his part, has chosen to start on tiptoe, as a minority partner, but it is clear that his connection with soccer will continue well beyond his extraordinary playing career.
The club’s relationship with the club will continue well beyond his extraordinary playing career.
For now, however, Luka remains focused on Real Madrid and his upcoming La Liga and Champions League commitments. The future can wait, but the vision is already clear: Modric will continue to be a protagonist, on and off the field.
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