Digest

SOCCER

Recovering Maradona moved to private home

Diego Maradona was released from a Buenos Aires hospital on Wednesday, just over a week after undergoing brain surgery, and will continue his recovery in a private home.

Footage broadcast by local TV stations showed the former World Cup winner leaving the Olivos clinic in an ambulance. Maradona's doctor, Leopoldo Luque, told journalists that he had authorized the release.

Maradona's lawyer, Matias Morla, said the 60-year-old Argentine will continue to receive treatment for alcohol dependency. He is expected to stay in a house near his daughter Giannina's home.

The 1986 World Cup champion last week had an emergency operation for a subdural hematoma, which is an accumulation of blood between a membrane and his brain.

Maradona's personal doctor, neurologist Leopoldo Luque, said Tuesday that even small amounts of alcohol consumption could have negative effects in combination with the medication Maradona needs for his recovery. The former Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli star has had addiction problems in the past.

Barca to sue Neymar for 'overpaid wages'

Neymar

Barcelona will sue Neymar for 10.2 million euros ($12 million) that it believes it overpaid the Brazilian during his time at the club, according to a report in El Mundo on Wednesday.

Neymar enjoyed a successful spell at Barca between 2013 and 2017 before joining Paris Saint-Germain for 222 million euros, a world-record fee.

But according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, an inspection from the tax office in Spain showed Barcelona "did not make the appropriate reductions when paying Neymar's taxes, according to an inspection carried out on Barcelona which lasted until 2015".

The tax office in Spain calculates Neymar benefitted from "unfair enrichment", the report added. A Barcelona source confirmed to AFP the club will now seek to reclaim the amount it is owed.

Neymar has more unpaid tax with the Spanish authorities than any other person, with debts of 34.6 million euros, according to an official document released in September.

BASEBALL

Bieber, Bauer capture 2020 Cy Young awards

Shane Bieber

Cleveland Indians ace Shane Bieber was the unanimous winner of the American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday night, and Trevor Bauer became the first player to take home the National League honor for the Cincinnati Reds.

Using a versatile repertoire that includes a looping curveball and a wipeout slider, Bieber went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings during the pandemic-shortened season, leading the majors in ERA and strikeouts and tying Yu Darvish for the most wins.

Bieber became the second player in franchise history to win the pitching AL Triple Crown, joining Hall of Famer Bob Feller in 1940. He also was the first pitcher to lead the majors in all three categories since Johan Santana in 2006.

Bauer went 5-4 with an NL-best 1.73 ERA in 11 starts, helping the Reds reach the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The 29-year-old right-hander struck out 100 in 73 innings and led the majors with two shutouts, a pair of seven-inning performances on doubleheader days.

The brash Bauer is the first Cy Young winner for Cincinnati, the majors' oldest franchise. He became a free agent after the season and turned down the Reds' qualifying offer, but left the door open for a return.

BASKETBALL

Guangdong snaps Zhejiang win streak

Guangdong Southern Tigers avenged their earlier defeat this season to snap the Zhejiang Golden Bulls' 10-game CBA winning streak with a 133-125 victory in Zhuji, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday.

"Zhejiang is a tough team and they put a lot of pressure on us. We did not match their physical game in the first quarter and although we clinched the win, there's still much to improve on," said Guangdong assistant coach Wang Shiwei.

Marshon Brooks had a game-high 34 points for Guangdong while Sonny Weems added 22 points and six assists. Wu Qian led Zhejiang with 33 points and five assists and Sylven Landesberg contributed 28.

In their previous encounter in the season opener, Zhejiang stunned the defending champion 138-113 thanks to 39 points from star guard Wu.

Zhejiang will play its last match in the first phase of the season on Saturday against the winless Fujian Sturgeons.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qi returned from a short injury layoff to notch 30 points and 18 rebounds and help the Xinjiang Flying Tigers to a 109-97 win over the Jiangsu Dragons.

Legend Duncan set to quit San Antonio role

Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan will step down from his assistant coach's role on Gregg Popovich's San Antonio Spurs staff, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

According to the report, it was always the intention for Duncan to serve only one season as an assistant. Duncan is expected to return to the player-development role he held with the organization before joining the bench.

Duncan is one of the best players in NBA history, and played his entire 19-year career with the Spurs while earning All-Star honors 15 times. He helped lead San Antonio to five NBA titles (1999, 2003,2005, 2007 and 2014), earned league MVP honors in 2002 and 2003, was named Finals MVP three times, and landed on the All-NBA First Team 10 times.

Duncan was set to join the Basketball Hall of Fame, with Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, as part of the 2020 class before the coronavirus pandemic pushed the ceremony back until 2021.

San Antonio has not made an announcement about filling Duncan's absence on the coaching staff.

Xinhua - Agencies