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SOCCER

Suning star Miranda eyeing Brazil return

Miranda

Jiangsu Suning defender Miranda has revealed he is keen on returning to Brazil when his contract expires with the Chinese Super League champion next June.

The 36-year-old said he would like to end his career with either his original club Coritiba or Sao Paulo, with whom he won three successive Brazilian Serie A titles in the 2000s.

"Football is a very dynamic thing, it can change a lot in six months, but my thinking is to return to Brazil," the former Atletico Madrid centerback said in an interview with Brazilian news outlet Uol.

"I've had a long period living abroad and now I want to demonstrate my qualities (in Brazil). I know that I can still contribute a lot to Brazilian football."

Miranda made 28 appearances for Suning in 2020 after joining the club from Inter Milan in July. Despite enjoying his stay in China, he says the time is right to return to his homeland."I will try to decide my future before ending my contract with Suning, out of respect for the club," he said.

Conte confounded as Inter crashes out of CL

Inter Milan crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage for the third consecutive season on Wednesday after a goalless draw against Shakhtar Donetsk at the San Siro.

Antonio Conte's side needed a win to advance to the last 16 along with Spanish giant Real Madrid.

But the Italians finished bottom of their group with just one win－last week's 3-2 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach－having also played out a goalless draw in Ukraine against Shakhtar.

Madrid advanced to the knockout phase as Group B winner after a 2-0 victory over Gladbach, with the Germans also qualifying in second place.

"It's unbelievable that in 180 minutes against Shakhtar, in two games dominated, we didn't manage to score," said Conte.

"Their goalkeeper was the best on the pitch in both games."

Jose: United's drop to Europa League unfair

Jose Mourinho

Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho says former club Manchester United will be among the favorites to win the Europa League, but questioned the way in which sides who fail to qualify for the Champions League's last 16 drop into the competition.

United will enter the second-tier European competition at the last-32 stage after losing 3-2 at RB Leipzig in its final Champions League group game on Tuesday.

United won the Europa League in 2017 under Mourinho, who was looking to guide Tottenham to the top of the competition's Group J standings in a decider against Belgium's Royal Antwerp.

"The teams that drop down are always strong teams, teams that normally don't belong to that level of the Europa League competition," said the Portuguese.

"No doubt the quality improves, the intensity improves and it's a good thing for the competition. But from the sports point of view is when I think it's not fair that a team that doesn't succeed in one competition drops to another."

Italian World Cup icon Rossi dies aged 64

Paolo Rossi

Paolo Rossi, the hero of Italy's 1982 World Cup-winning campaign, has died at the age of 64.

The news was announced on Thursday by Italian TV channel RAI Sport, for whom Rossi had been working as a pundit.

"Such terribly sad news: Paolo Rossi has left us," said RAI Sport presenter Enrico Varriale, who did not disclose the cause of death.

"Unforgettable Pablito, who made all of us fall in love in that summer of 1982 and who was a precious and competent work colleague in RAI over recent years."

Shortly after the announcement, Rossi's wife, Federica Cappelletti, posted a photo of herself and her husband on Instagram, accompanied by the words "per sempre", meaning "forever".

Rossi won a European Cup, two Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia during four years at Juventus. However, he is best remembered for starring in Italy's 1982 World Cup triumph in Spain, where Rossi won the Golden Boot with six goals, including one in the final against West Germany.

Xinhua - Agencies