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m Partners and a group including former NB

in Here is your first Forum Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:53 am
by sakura698 • 630 Posts

MONACO, Monaco - For Monaco, life without Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez has proved less difficult than expected. Vapormax Plus Sale . At least in the Champions League.Leonardo Jardims team has been struggling with consistency in the French league but lost only once on Europes biggest stage so far this season. Despite a poor offensive record, it only needs a draw at home against Zenit on Tuesday to qualify for the knockout phase.Monaco can even top Group C depending on Bayer Leverkusens result at last-placed Benfica.Here are some things to know ahead of Tuesdays matches:___BERBATOV HITTING FORMMonaco could qualify with a goalless draw and by doing so become the first team to have ever progressed from the group stage with only two goals scored — the side current tally.Monaco has been struggling for goals since the departures of Falcao and Rodriguez, but the good news for Jardim is that Dimitar Berbatov has finally returned to form.The former Manchester United striker has looked rejuvenated over the past week, finding the net three times, including a brace in a 2-0 win over Toulouse on Friday as Monaco posted consecutive wins only for the second time this season.___RACISM ALLEGATIONSZenits 4-0 thrashing of FC Krasnodar on Saturday sent the St. Petersburg side into the Russian leagues three-month winter break with a seven-point lead. It also restored confidence after some mixed recent form at home and in Europe, including three defeats in the preceding five games in all competitions. But theres a racism row brewing after striker Hulk accused Russian referee Alexei Matyunin of telling him that he did not like black people.That referee was previously found to have racially abused a player from Russias North Caucasus in 2011, but cleared on appeal. Zenit coach Andre Villas-Boas has said he believes Hulk and the Russian Football Union has yet to decide whether it will investigate.Zenits Alexander Kerzhakov and Javi Garcia are injured and have not flown out with the team to Monaco.___LEVERKUSENS POOR EFFICIENCYBayer Leverkusen is through but still hoping for first place in the group, although captain and midfielder Lars Bender is not travelling to Lisbon because of an abdominal muscle injury. Bender aggravated the injury in the 1-0 loss on Saturday at Bayern Munich.Director Rudi Voeller said Leverkusens goal in Lisbon is clear: We want to win the group.Leverkusen looked good against Bayern in the first half, but was outplayed in the second and was lucky to escape having conceded a solitary goal. Still, it is one of the few teams in the Bundesliga that has troubled Bayern. Had Karim Bellarabi converted his chance early in the match, the outcome might have been different.___BENFICAS WOEAlready out of the tournament, Benfica is trying to avoid another unhappy milestone. If the Lisbon club doesnt beat Bayer, it will have recorded its worst-ever group campaign.Benfica also went out at the group stage in the past two seasons, when it dropped into the Europa League.The second-tier competition also brought disappointment, though: Benfica reached the final in the last two seasons, but lost both times.___HOW THEY ADVANCELeverkusen will be guaranteed first place with a win at Benfica, or if it draws and Monaco fails to win.Monaco will progress with a draw, which will be enough to top the group if Bayer loses. Monaco will also finish first if it wins and Leverkusen fails to grab three points in Portugal.Zenit will qualify with a win and can seal the groups first place if Leverkusen loses. Benfica is condemned to fourth place whatever its result.___Nesha Stracevic in Frankfurt, Barry Hatton in Lisbon and James Ellingworth in Moscow contributed to this report. Air Max Plus 97 Cheap .J. - Trying to learn and absorb the new West Coast offence being installed by new offensive co-ordinator Ben McAdoo, the New York Giants wrapped their final organized team activity Thursday before a three-day mini-camp next week. Vapormax Plus Womens Cheap . The 10-horse field of 3-year-old pacers will leave the starting gate at approximately 10:14pm et. Co-owned and trained by David Menary, Hes Watching will be driven by Tim Tetrick and is the 5-1 fourth selection in the field. http://www.airmaxplusstoresale.com/ . The former world No. 1 Djokovic, who is the top seed here despite being ranked No. 2, snuck past 35-year-old Czech showman Radek Stepanek in four high- quality sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), on Centre Court. Djokovic appeared relieved when he converted on his first match point by swatting a cross-court forehand winner that just caught the line to end an affair that featured only two service breaks. LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling agreed Wednesday to sign off on selling the team he has owned for 33 years to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, bringing the possibility of a resolution to weeks of rumours, uncertainty and looming possibilities for legal action. The agreement hadnt been officially signed Wednesday afternoon, according to an individual with knowledge of the negotiations who wasnt authorized to discuss them publicly. But Donald Sterlings attorney, Maxwell Blecher, said he "has made an agreement with the NBA to resolve all their differences." Sterling gave his consent to a deal that was negotiated by his wife, Shelly Sterling, to sell the team, Blecher said. Representatives for Shelly Sterling and the NBA declined to comment. The agreement was an about face for Donald Sterling, who just last week filed a $1 billion suit against the NBA in federal court alleging the league violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend. It also said the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling $2.5 million and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale. Blecher said that as a result of the agreement, the federal suit will now be dismissed. Sterlings comments to V. Stiviano included telling her to not bring black people to Clippers games, specifically mentioning Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. They resulted in a storm of outrage from the public and players and even prompted President Barackk Obama to comment on what he called Sterlings "incredibly offensive racist statements. Vapormax Plus Wholesale. " NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ultimately decided to ban Donald Sterling for life and began efforts to force Sterling to sell the team. For weeks, Donald Sterling said through his attorneys that he would fight the NBAs decisions to try to force his ouster as a team owner. But last week Shelly Sterling utilized her authority as sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, to take bids for the team and ultimately negotiate a deal with Ballmer. Ballmer beat out bids by Guggenheim Partners and a group including former NBA All-Star Grant Hill. Ballmer made more than an hour-long personal visit to Shelly Sterlings Malibu home last week and laid out his plan. If the NBA owners approve the sale, it will be a record-high sum for a team that cost Donald Sterling about $12 million in 1981. Blechers co-counsel, Bobby Samini, said the vote by league owners is expected to take place in mid-July. This is not Ballmers first foray into potential NBA ownership. Ballmer and investor Chris Hansen headed a group that agreed to a deal to buy the Kings from the Maloof family in January 2013 with the intention of moving the team to Seattle, where the SuperSonics played until 2008. But Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson lobbied the NBA for time to put together a bid to keep the team in California, and though the Ballmer-Hansen group later increased its offer, owners voted to deny the bid for relocation and the Kings were sold to Vivek Ranadive. ' ' '

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