Saudi Arabia continued their preparations for the World Cup. (@SaudiNT) Short Url https://arab.news/r8vnk Updated 10 sec ago John Duerden June 10, 2022 11:23 Topics: sports Saudi Arabia football Related Sport Saudi football squad in Spain for 1st training camp ahead of 2022 World Cup Sport Saudi football chief praises ‘intelligent leader’ Renard, promises Jeddah party after World Cup qualification Updated 10 June 2022 AP June 10, 2022 07:53 Topics: Boston Celtics Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors Related Sport Celtics pound Warriors 116-100, take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals World Co-owner of Golden State Warriors comes under fire for comments on Uyghur Muslims Updated 10 June 2022 AFP June 10, 2022 04:44 Topics: Criterium du Dauphine Wout Van Aert Jumbo-Visma cycling Related Sport ‘Top Ganna’ beats Van Aert in Dauphine time trial Sport Vuillermoz caps comeback with Dauphine stage and race lead Updated 10 June 2022 AFP June 10, 2022 04:46 Topics: Shericka Jackson Diamond League Related Sport Bromell, Thompson-Herah bag 100-meter wins at Prefontaine Classic Sport Djokovic, Jabeur progress in Rome but back injury stops Raducanu Updated 10 June 2022 AFP June 10, 2022 02:36 Topics: Afcon Egypt 2023 AFCON qualifying match Mohamed Salah Related Sport Senegal coach wants AFCON games delayed to boost World Cup buildup Sport Mane and Senegal break Burkina Faso hearts to reach AFCON final Updated 10 June 2022 AP June 10, 2022 01:44 Topics: Nations League Related Sport Portugal earn draw at Spain, Haaland scores for Norway in Nations League Sport Titleholder France held by Croatia to 1-1 in Nations League

Curry said he got plenty of sleep — 10 1/2 hours — and spent some time with his foot in an ice bucket Updated 10 June 2022 AP June 10, 2022 07:53 BOSTON: Even as he lay on the court, with 240-pound Celtics center Al Horford on top of his recently recovered left ankle, Stephen Curry knew what was wrong. And as soon as he stood up and took a few steps, he knew he would be OK. “I’m going to play. That’s all I know right now,” the Warriors star said on Thursday, a day before Golden State will face Boston in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. “I know exactly what it is,” said Curry, who hurt the same ankle on a similar play in a late-season game against Boston. “I guess (there’s) comfort knowing I’ve been through it before, but also you would rather not have to deal with something like that at this point in the season.” Curry wound up at the bottom of a pile Wednesday night as players from both teams dove for a loose ball late in the fourth quarter. Teammate Draymond Green said he heard Curry scream in pain, but the Warriors star remained in the game until coach Steve Kerr sent in the bench trailing by 14 with two minutes left. The Celtics held on to win 116-100 and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Golden State need a win on Friday night to avoid falling behind 3-1 before the series shifts back to San Francisco. A key to them avoiding the brink of elimination: Curry not just remaining healthy, but playing like a two-time NBA MVP. The Warriors guard scored 31 points in Game 3, but just two of them came in the fourth quarter as the league-leading Celtics defense chased him around the court. Golden State held a film session Thursday, but the team’s regulars did not practice. Curry appeared to walk without a limp when he entered the media room to talk to reporters, and he took the steps to the podium three at a time. He had no bandage or brace on his leg. Curry said he got plenty of sleep — 10 1/2 hours — and spent some time with his foot in an ice bucket. But he said he did not need an MRI because the injury was the same as the one he sustained when Celtics guard Marcus Smart landed on his foot in a March 16 game in San Francisco. “This one just wasn’t as bad as that one,” said Curry, who missed the last 12 games of the regular season. “As soon as you started to take a couple of steps, you kind of know whether you can run normal, cut normal or not. Back then, I couldn’t. Yesterday, I could. That gave me a little bit of confidence knowing it wasn’t as bad.” Asked Thursday if he would be sitting out if it were a regular-season game, Curry said he couldn’t say for sure. But for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, there’s no question. “I know I’m going to play,” he said. The Celtics listed center Robert Williams III as questionable on Thursday with the left knee injury that required late-season surgery and kept him out for seven of the team’s first 14 playoff games. Boston coach Ime Udoka said forward Jayson Tatum is dealing with a right shoulder stinger. “That’s going to flare up whenever he gets hit the wrong way,” Udoka said. “(He) had to shoot some free throws after, might be a little numb there. He is shooting threes right after, so I’m not sure it hampers his ability to finish at all.” Golden State have outscored Boston in the third quarter of all three games so far, so a reporter asked Kerr why they can’t start the game the same way. “I ask myself that question very often,” he said, “and I don’t have an answer.” The Warriors have outscored the Celtics by a combined score of 106-63 in the finals. Golden State had a 33-25 edge on Wednesday night, eliminating a 12-point halftime deficit and briefly taking the lead. Kerr joked that he has a book of “incredibly inspiring quotes” he calls on. “I just try to pull out the right one,” he said. “And if I get them fired up and they’re excited, then they seem to play better.” The third quarter struggles are a recurring problem for the Celtics, who had similar lapses against Miami and Milwaukee. “It’s just one of those things where it’s a mystery,” Smart said. “We’re definitely trying to not keep that pattern going.”

Bernardo Silva relishing chase for trophies as Manchester City eye another shot at Champions League LONDON: Even Pep Guardiola admitted last season that Manchester City needed to be crowned European champions to gain acceptance among football’s royalty. Real Madrid have 13 European Cup or Champions League titles to their name, AC Milan seven and both Liverpool and Bayern Munich have six. Despite City’s remarkable success in England over the past decade, this prize is the “big gap to fill” says midfielder Bernardo Silva, 27, as they prepare for a titanic semifinal encounter with Real Madrid. He labels the Spanish side the “kings of the Champions League,” but feels City are now ready to sit on the throne, especially after their disappointing 1-0 loss in last season’s showpiece to Chelsea. In their first final in the competition, Guardiola’s team were strangely below par — and defeat only fueled their motivation to succeed. “You learn with the mistakes, you learn with the experiences and it was still a very good experience for us in the Champions League last season,” said Silva. “Unfortunately the final did not go the way we expected. But we will try to get there again this season — and this time win it. “We saw the games Real played against PSG and Chelsea, so if they are able to beat both of those teams it means they are one of the best teams in the world and we are going to have to fight to beat them. “But there is no fear. We beat them two seasons ago in the last 16 and we will try to beat them again, knowing they are the kings of the Champions League as they say. But we want to be kings and we believe in our team.” That belief has increased further following the return of Ruben Dias after a seven-week absence with injury, and Bernardo has no doubt City’s defense can handle the threat of the in-form Karim Benzema. The French forward, 34, will make his 600th appearance for Los Blancos in Tuesday’s first leg at Etihad Stadium, and seek a 40th goal of an outstanding campaign that saw him score hattricks to help knock out Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the previous two rounds. “Karim has been having a great season and he’s a great player,” said Silva, who joined City from Monaco in 2017 for £43.5 million ($55.4 million).” “But when you play Real, PSG, Chelsea, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, you play against some of the best players in the world. We are used to it, used to playing against the best, and I think our defenders will do the job. “We saw the impact Ruben had last season, how important he is for us. Unfortunately he was injured these last seven weeks, but we are so happy to have him back with us. “His leadership, the concentration, the ambition, the focus and overall, in my opinion, he’s one of the best defenders in the world, if not the best.” Having compatriots Dias and Joao Cancelo at City has helped Silva, who almost left the club last summer as the Covid-19 pandemic took its toll and he wanted to be closer to his family in Portugal. He admitted to being “lonely” and told Arab News: “Look, I had a conversation with the club because I made a decision for my life. “We will see what happens in the future, but I am very happy right now. I have always said until the last day I’m here, whatever happens, I will do my best for this club, for these fans. I love it, I love the fans, I love the club. “They have been fantastic since day one for me so I will try to do my best for them as long as I stay here,” he said. “And I look around the world and I don’t see a better project than Manchester City. It’s probably the best project that you see in football teams.” “So, in terms of winning titles, in terms of the ambition this club has got for the future, it’s probably the best in the world.” Silva’s impressive displays have reflected his current mood and he has become integral to Guardiola’s team in their pursuit of more honors. But he said: “Nothing changed for me on the pitch. I’ve tried to do my best since I arrived here, but sometimes you do a little bit better than other times. “This season, not only me, but the whole team has been very good. Last season we were fantastic as well. I think in these past five years the only season where we didn’t play as well was in my third season. “Apart from that we have been quite unbelievable and, although it was disappointing not to reach our goal in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, we are still fighting this season for the Premier League and the Champions League, the most important trophies. “I’ve never experienced anything like what we have with this team, definitely not. “I’ve won 10 trophies with Man City since I came almost five years ago. That means even after a season where you win a lot, you are still hungry for more and you want to win again. “We are still hungry and we want to beat Liverpool to the Premier League, we want to try to reach the final of the Champions League and go after our dream of winning it. “I like this pressure. Look, it’s better to be here than to be fighting against relegation or for fourth place or the Europa Conference League. We are fighting for titles and that means we are a very good team.” Bernardo certainly typifies that fighting spirit in his princely performances on the pitch. Combining tenacity with a sublime touch, he relishes a challenge, and especially the one currently posed by Liverpool. The Reds face Villarreal in the other last-four tie on Wednesday and, having won the Carabao Cup, reached the FA Cup final and standing just one point behind leaders City in the Premier League with five games left, Jurgen Klopp’s men are targeting four trophies in one season. Bernardo added: “We have had this fight with them for the past five seasons, but we still have a big gap to fill, and that is the Champions League. “Liverpool are an amazing team and this season will be in the fight again, and we will try to beat them,” he added. “When you play against the best teams you fight and you have to be good. If they are good, you have to be better than them.” “We are still top of the league, just one point ahead and we cannot slip. We are going to be there, we are going to fight in all of the games to win them.”