Soccer Digest

AUSTRALIA

Melbourne to host Brazil-Argentina game

Argentina and Brazil will play a June 11 friendly in Australia, and officials from both teams will be hoping there is a proper conclusion this time.

The last time the teams met－in a World Cup qualifying match last September in Sao Paulo－the game was halted after only a few minutes after Brazilian health authorities walked onto the field during play as part of an effort to deport four Argentine players accused of violating coronavirus quarantine rules.

Both teams have qualified for the World Cup in Qatar, and the suspended match has not been replayed.

On Wednesday, the Victoria state government confirmed the 'Superclasico' will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The match could provide Argentina captain Lionel Messi and Brazil superstar Neymar with an opportunity for pre-World Cup action, although there is no guarantee those players will be on the rosters.

BRAZIL

Pele hospitalized again for cancer treatment

Brazilian great Pele has been hospitalized in Sao Paulo since Monday as part of his treatment for colon cancer, the medical center that treats him said.

The clinical condition of Edson Arantes do Nascimento is "good and stable, and he should be discharged from hospital in the next few days," the Albert Einstein Hospital said Tuesday in a statement.

Considered by many the greatest soccer player of all time, Pele is the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).

Known in Brazil as "O Rei", or "The King", the 81-year-old must go to the hospital at least once a month to undergo check-ups and continue chemotherapy against the colon tumor that was detected last September, according to his family.

Before his diagnosis of colon cancer, which led to Pele being hospitalized for a month last year, the former star of Santos and the Brazil team was hospitalized in Paris in 2019 and transferred to Sao Paulo to have a kidney stone removed.

ENGLAND

40-goal Mitrovic leads Fulham back to EPL

Fulham was promoted back to the English Premier League on Tuesday with four games to spare as Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice in a 3-0 win over Preston at Craven Cottage.

It is the fifth consecutive season the Cottagers have changed divisions as they were also promoted in 2018 and 2020 before being relegated in their first season back in the top flight.

However, in contrast to their route through the playoffs two years ago, Marco Silva's men have been the best side in the Championship by a distance this season.

Mitrovic has been the major reason why and the Serb took his tally to an incredible 40 goals in 40 league games this season with a first-half double. Liverpool-bound Fabio Carvalho was also on target as Fulham also closed in on sealing the Championship title.

Fulham leads Bournemouth by nine points with five games left for the Cherries to catch the west London side.

Arteta urges unsettled Lacazette to focus

Mikel Arteta has urged Alexandre Lacazette to keep his focus on Arsenal's bid for a top-four finish after the French striker revealed he is in talks about a move away from the Emirates Stadium.

Lacazette's contract expires at the end of this season and he told Canal Plus this week that his agents have held discussions with "lots of clubs "about a potential free transfer.

The 30-year-old said he was "missing" playing in the Champions League and that he had "never cut contact" with Lyon, which he left to join Arsenal five years ago.

But Arteta said of the situation: "We have expressed clearly what our intention is, to speak in the summer once we know where we are, about what we are going to do in the future together.

"And for the rest, I just want him fully focused on his duty, which is now defend Arsenal in the best possible way, like he has done all the time he has been with us."

ITALY

Inter wins Milan derby to reach Cup final

Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter Milan beat city rival AC Milan 3-0 on Tuesday to reach the Italian Cup final, where it will face either Juventus or Fiorentina.

The semifinal second leg was closer than the scoreline suggested, but Inter ultimately was a comfortable winner on aggregate after a goalless draw in the first fixture.

Simone Inzaghi's men will take on the winner of Wednesday's other semifinal, which Juventus led 1-0 after the first leg, at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on May 11.

"I am happy because we are playing another final, we work to bring Inter to the top and tonight we proved it again," said Martinez. "The fans are pleased and so are we."

AC Milan remains without a major trophy since winning the 2011 Serie A title, but the Scudetto is still up for grabs this season.

Stefano Pioli's men lead Inter by two points in the table, although the reigning champion has a game in hand.

MOROCCO

Eight fans jailed for involvement in riot

A Moroccan court on Tuesday sentenced eight soccer fans to jail for their involvement in a riot last month that injured more than 150 people, a lawyer said.

They received sentences ranging from four months to one year for offenses including participation in violent acts and against public property, defense lawyer Mohamed Almou told AFP.

The defense intends to appeal.

The court in Rabat found two others innocent, Almou added.

The 10 were among 70, including 18 minors, detained after violence at the end of the March 13 match between AS FAR, the Rabat-based Moroccan Armed Forces club, and away side Maghreb de Fez (MAS).

When the host lost 2-0, Morocco's ultras invaded the pitch to take on rival supporters, according to local media.

Officers were bombarded with projectiles in violence that injured 103 police officers and 57 supporters, the DGSN security service said at the time.

Agencies