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Pep Guardiola
Football

“I was there when we did 100 points” : Mikel Arteta reveals the only thing that can stop Manchester City

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“I was there when we did 100 points” : Mikel Arteta reveals the only thing that can stop Manchester City Manchester City claimed their fourth successive Premier League title on Sunday, edging out Arsenal by just two points. In this process, Pep Guardiola’s side became the first team to win four successive English top flight title. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stated that the only thing that could stop Manchester City was to breach the 100 point mark. Arsenal have barely put a foot wrong in the second half of the season, losing just one game in 2024. Their loss against Aston Villa at home last month proved to be decisive, as it costed them the league title. However, Manchester City deserve all the credit for stepping up their game in the final few matches of the season. This is the second consecutive when Arsenal have finished runners-up to Manchester City. The Gunners fought right until the end this time around, as Manchester City claimed their sixth league title in seven years. “I was there when we did 100 points so I know what it takes. I know what happened and this is the level, nobody has to explain to me what the level is, because I’ve been there four years, everyday so I know what we have to do if we’re going to reach there, not only for one season but for the rest. We are on the right path, in the right journey. To see the evolution so quickly happening, I haven’t seen it before, we are on the right trajectory, now we need to put the teeth and bite into it because we really want more,” said Arteta in his presser. “We are not champions, that is the reality” : Mikel Arteta Mikel Arteta also stated that Manchester City have really raised the bar of the Premier League over the past couple of years. He believes that his side need to do more in order to win the league title, as even 90 points have not been enough to win the title nowadays. “When you look in the last 15, 20 years of this league and the competition wasn’t like it is today, for sure, you are the champion. But this is not enough, but this is as well, probably we are getting better and better and better and faster because someone is so good you have to chase it, and that’s what makes you good as well. We cannot feel sorry for ourselves, we tried, we are improving. It was an unbelievable season again but we are not champions, that is the reality,” said Arteta. Arsenal defeated Everton 2-1 at home on Sunday, as Kai Havertz slotted in a late winner. Manchester City also secured a comfortable victory over West Ham United, winning by a score-line of 3-1. Mikel Arteta remains confident in his team’s ability, and believes that they would eventually lift the league title. The Spaniard is expected to have a busy transfer window, making some final additions in the backline and in the attacking areas. Also Read: “We are gonna get it!” Mikel Arteta asks fans to not get satisfied after falling short of Premier League title

Charles Leclerc Imola GP
Formula 1

“I think we’ve got a real shot of going back on the top step of the podium” : Charles Leclerc optimistic after P3 finish in Imola

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“I think we’ve got a real shot of going back on the top step of the podium” : Charles Leclerc optimistic after P3 finish in Imola Charles Leclerc had a pretty decent outing in Imola, as he managed to bag his second consecutive podium finish. The 26-year-old finished P3, when his teammate Carlos Sainz struggled for most of the race, managing a P5 finish. Charles Leclerc offered words of optimism after securing a podium in front of his home fans in Imola. The Ferrari driver stated that he remains hopeful of getting back to the top of the podium if the team can work on the straight line speed. He believes that Red Bull and McLaren have been doing something weird on the straights, which has helped them establish their superiority over the rest of the teams. However, Charles Leclerc remains optimistic about the rest of the season, and a shot at winning races in the coming weeks. “We lost everything in the straights and they are doing something weird with the energy engine wise, McLaren and Red Bull. We’ll look into that. And once we fix that, I think we’ve got a real shot of going back on the top step of the podium,” said Leclerc. “I think today’s race was also a very good advert for Formula 1” : Fred Vasseur Ferrari’s team principal Fred Vasseur was encouraged with what he saw at the Imola GP on Sunday. He believes that three teams were separated by just over 7 seconds towards the end of the race which is a really positive sign for the sport and the viewers in general. “I think today’s race was also a very good advert for Formula 1 as we saw three teams in seven seconds after more than 60 laps, which means the gaps are less than one tenth per lap,” said Vasseur. In terms of Ferrari’s race pace, Fred Vasseur believes that they are almost on par with the likes of Red Bull and McLaren now. He believes that the team is ready to fight for race wins in the coming weeks, and this week was just a small step forward in the right direction. The next race of the season will take place next weekend in Monaco, which is also a home race for Charles Leclerc. “We are definitely on the pace now and we can fight for the top spot, even if we still need to make a small step forward,” Vasseur observed.

Mikel Arteta
Football

“We are gonna get it!” Mikel Arteta asks fans to not get satisfied after falling short of Premier League title

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“We are gonna get it!” Mikel Arteta asks fans to not get satisfied after falling short of Premier League title Arsenal failed to lift the Premier League title on Sunday, as they ended second on the table, two points behind eventual champions Manchester City. The Gunners did their part, beating Everton 2-1 at home. However, Pep Guardiola’s team also secured all three points at home, getting the better of West Ham United by a score-line of 3-1. For the second consecutive season, Arsenal have finished as the runners-up in the Premier League to Manchester City. This time Mikel Arteta and his side fought right until the final matchday, falling short of the title by just two points. Mikel Arteta had a strong message for Arsenal fans after ending the season with a victory over the Toffees. The Spanish boss urged the Gunners to not stop believing, and they would eventually win the title in the coming seasons. “All this is happening because you started believing. You were patient”. All the credit has to go to the players and the staff. They are unbelievable. But don’t be satisfied. We want much more than that – and we are gonna get it!,” said Arteta. Arsenal fall just short of the title as Mikel Arteta urges fans to not lose hope Arsenal hardly put a foot wrong in the second half of the season. The Gunners suffered just one defeat in 2024, coming at home to Aston Villa which proved to be a real setback. They secured victories over Manchester United and Spurs away from home, and defeated title rivals Liverpool at home as well. Manchester City proved their mettle once again in the title race, as they held their nerves to get over the finish line. Pep Guardiola’s side have now become the first team to win the Premier League in four consecutive seasons, as their dominance in English football continues. However, as for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, it is back to the drawing board after a couple of months of rest. The Gunners are expected to make a couple of key reinforcements to their squad this summer. Despite the fact that Arsenal could not lay their hands on the title this season, one must credit Mikel Arteta’s side for the incredible effort and character they have displayed in the final half of the season

Rohit Sharma
Cricket

“Everything is fake” : Rohit Sharma rubbishes talks of meeting with Ajit Agarkar and Rahul Dravid ahead of T20I World Cup

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“Everything is fake” : Rohit Sharma rubbishes talks of meeting with Ajit Agarkar and Rahul Dravid ahead of T20I World Cup Rohit Sharma has issued a staunch clarification in regards to team India’s selection ahead of the T20I World Cup in June. There were rumors circulating last week that the Indian skipper, alongside the chief selector and the coach met to discuss about India’s probable squad for the event. According to the news in the media, it was claimed that Hardik Pandya would be only selected in the lineup if he bowls more often in the IPL. As for Virat Kohli, he would open the batting for the side, alongside Rohit Sharma. This would mean that Yashasvi Jaiswal would be dropped from the side following his poor start to the IPL campaign. However, Rohit Sharma has asked fans not to believe such rumors, and labelled it as ‘totally’ fake news. In his recent podcast with Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, the Indian captain denied meeting Ajit Agarkar and Rahul Dravid. Rohit Sharma labels recent rumors as ‘fake’ news Rohit Sharma further explained that Ajit Agarkar is currently on his vacation in Dubai, whereas, Rahul Dravid is enjoying his time off with his family. He stated that the Indian coach was in Mumbai in the previous week, however, he was watching his son play club cricket. “I haven’t met anyone. Ajit Agarkar is somewhere in Dubai playing golf and Rahul Dravid is actually watching his kids play in Bengaluru,” Rohit told Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist on the Club Prairie Fire podcast. “He [Dravid] was in Mumbai but he got him [the son] to play on a red-soil wicket at CCI. That’s about it. We haven’t met, to be honest. I think in today’s day and age, unless you hear it from either myself or Rahul himself or Ajit himself or someone from BCCI coming and talking in front of the camera, everything is fake.” The Indian team for the upcoming World Cup is expected to be announced by the end of the month. There are several question marks over the final squad, with Rishabh Pant regaining his full fitness. Dinesh Karthik has been in sublime form this IPL season, whereas, Rinku Singh has been a consistent performer over the past year. Also Read: “It’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity” : Glenn Maxwell selflessly asks himself to be dropped after poor start to IPL

Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Football

“I would worry for Arsenal at that point” : Rio Ferdinand believes Bayern start as favorites in the second leg of UCL quarterfinals

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“I would worry for Arsenal at that point” : Rio Ferdinand believes Bayern start as favorites in the second leg of UCL quarterfinals Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has made a big claim ahead of Arsenal’s second leg clash against Bayern Munich in the UCL quarterfinals. He believes that the German side holds the advantage, despite their poor home in the past couple of months. Arsenal succumbed to a home defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday, which put a major dent to their title aspirations. Rio Ferdinand believes that the fixture against Bayern Munich is the biggest match of the Gunners’ season, as losing in the Premier League and Champions League in the same week could halt their progress. The first leg at the Emirates ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, as Bukayo Saka was denied a last minute penalty. However, Rio Ferdinand believes that Bayern Munich have all the experience it takes to see of Arsenal on home soil on Wednesday night. “I think it’s advantage Bayern Munich. Bayern are at home and have all that experience in Europe. Arsenal could win but it’s advantage Bayern for me. Can you imagine if [ex-Tottenham captain] Harry Kane knocks them out of Europe? The biggest game of Arsenal’s season is on Wednesday night. If they lose that game, this team will never have been that low under Mikel Arteta,” said Ferdinand. Rio Ferdinand believes it is a massive opportunity for Arsenal to reach UCL semifinals Arsenal have failed to reach the semifinals of the Champions League since 2009. Hence, Rio Ferdinand believes that this is a massive opportunity for the Gunners to prove themselves on the European stage. However, he believes that a defeat would just compound the misery on Mikel Arteta and his players. “To have a week like this, where you were in control, to then lose control in the league and then you’re out of the Champions League… I would worry for Arsenal at that point. But as I said, we have a beautiful opportunity, an opportunity that hasn’t happened at this club for 14 years to get to the semi-finals of the Champions League, so it cannot come in a better moment,” Ferdinand added. Arsenal faced their first defeat of the season in the Premier League on Sunday, after losing 2-0 to Aston Villa at home. This comes after their spell of 11 unbeaten matches, where they won 10 matches, and drew one game. This run included a home win over Liverpool, and a stalemate with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. With just six games remaining in the season, and impending visits to Old Trafford and Spurs, the Gunners will need to win all their remaining games, and hope that their rivals drop a couple of points. Also Read: “I forgot already” – Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s title collapse last season

Glenn Maxwell RCB
Cricket, IPL

“It’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity” : Glenn Maxwell selflessly asks himself to be dropped after poor start to IPL

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“It’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity” : Glenn Maxwell selflessly asks himself to be dropped after poor start to IPL Glenn Maxwell has had a horrid start to the 2024 IPL season. The Australian batter has managed to score just 32 runs in his six innings so far, with a top score of 28. He has been dismissed for a duck on three occasions, as his batting woes has been a real blow for his franchise. Glenn Maxwell asked the team management to drop him for the fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday. The Australian all-rounder is well-aware of his current form, and wants some one else to get an opportunity to prove himself. He also stated that it would be a good physical and mental break for him amidst his poor form. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s campaign hangs on a knife edge after they succumbed to their sixth defeat this season on Monday. The hosts lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad, who posted a record total of 287 runs in their first innings, breaking their own record against the Mumbai Indians. “For me, personally, it was a pretty easy decision. I went to Faf [du Plessis] and the coaches after the last game and said I felt it was probably time we tried someone else. I have been in this situation in the past where you can keep playing and get yourself deeper into a hole,” Maxwell said in the post-match press conference. “I felt like I wasn’t contributing in a positive way with the bat” : Glenn Maxwell Glenn Maxwell stated that he had been in such situations in the past, where trying to get over the lean patch only gets you in a bit of more trouble. As a result, he decided to step aside and allow an opportunity to other players. However, Glenn Maxwell made it clear that he would be available for the rest of the tournament if his franchise requires his services. His fellow Australian teammate Cameron Green was also benched for the fixture against Hyderabad, as Will Jacks got the nod ahead of the duo. “I think now is actually a good time for me to give myself a bit of a mental and physical break, get my body right. If I’m required to get in during the tournament, I can hopefully get back into a really solid mental and physical space where I can still have an impact,” Maxwell said. “We have had a pretty big deficiency straight after the powerplay, which has been my area of strength over the last couple of seasons. I felt like I wasn’t contributing in a positive way with the bat, and with the results and the position we find ourselves on the table, I think it’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity to show their wares, and hopefully, someone can make that spot their own,” Maxwell added. Also Read: “The worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long time” : Sunil Gavaskar slams Hardik Pandya for ordinary death over bowling

Hardik Pandya IPL
Cricket, IPL

“The worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long time” : Sunil Gavaskar slams Hardik Pandya for ordinary death over bowling

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“The worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long time” : Sunil Gavaskar slams Hardik Pandya for ordinary death over bowling Sunil Gavaskar has slammed Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya for his ordinary death over bowling, which potentially costed the match to his side. The all-rounder conceded 26 runs in the final over, which helped Chennai Super Kings cross the 200-run mark. MS Dhoni smashed three consecutive sixes, scoring 20 runs off just 4 deliveries, which proved to be the difference maker in the end. Sunil Gavaskar stated that the MI skipper made things easier for MS Dhoni by bowling right in the slot. Hardik Pandya bowled a tidy 16th over, where he got the crucial wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad, conceding just 2 runs. He returned with the ball in the final over, where he was taken to the cleaners by MS Dhoni. “Probably the worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I’ve had this embrace with my hero. I’ve got a bowling kind of deliveries that he’s gonna hit for sixes. One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit. The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he’s looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy,” Gavaskar said. Mumbai Indians face their fourth defeat of the season Mumbai Indians faced their fourth defeat of the season, as they fell short of 20 runs while chasing a target of 207 runs. The likes of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma got off to a flying start, scoring 70 runs in just 7 overs. However, Matheesha Pathirana struck twice in his first over, dismissing Suryakumar Yadav for a duck. Rohit Sharma ended his innings with an unbeaten knock of 105 runs off just 63 deliveries. The Indian batter smashed 11 boundaries, and five maximums during his stay on the crease. However, he did not receive much support from his partners on the other end, which meant the Mumbai faced their fourth defeat of the season. As for Mumbai Indians, they will now face Punjab Kings on Thursday, as they are slated to play four consecutive away games. The five-time champions gathered a bit of momentum last week, winning against the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, their winning streak was halted by Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, who have now beaten their arch rivals in five of their last six meetings. Also Read: “I think he Rohit will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai” : Michael Vaughan makes bold IPL prediction

Novak Djokovic
Tennis

“I’m used to a really high standard in terms of expectations,” Novak Djokovic ‘disappointed’ after Monte Carlo exit

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“I’m used to a really high standard in terms of expectations,” Novak Djokovic ‘disappointed’ after Monte Carlo exit Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters. The top seed was defeated by Casper Ruud in three sets, who will now face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the finals. Novak Djokovic continues to search for his first title of the season, however he leaves Monte Carlo with plenty of positives. The Serbian has gotten off to a sluggish start in 2024, losing in the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open, and the third round of the Indian Wells Masters as well. The 24-time Grand Slam champion credited Casper Ruud for playing a disciplined match, and keep his nerve when it mattered the most. Novak Djokovic recovered well from a break down in the final set, however, a couple of unforced errors in his final service game handed his opponent a place in the finals. “Of course I’m disappointed to lose a match like this. It was close one. Congratulations to Casper. He played really good, especially in the beginning of the first and third, as well. I had my chances, but the last game was not great. Unforced errors and just he was solid I think until the last shot and deserved to win,” said Djokovic. “The positive thing is that I kind of managed to come back after losing the first set and really find the strength in the game,” he assessed. “So there are positives to take away from this tournament, for sure, but of course disappointed with the loss,” the Serbian said in his press conference. Novak Djokovic remains in hunt for his first title of the season Novak Djokovic admitted that by his usual lofty standards, his start to the 2024 season has not been great. However, he pointed out to the fact that he has played just three tournaments this year, which includes the Monte Carlo Masters. The Serbian hopes to build on his performance here in Monte Carlo, as he returned to the tour after almost a month. “I’m used to a really high standard in terms of expectations of the results, so not having a title is, maybe comparing to the last 15 years, not a great season at all,” he said. “But I had semis of Australia, semis here. I only played three tournaments this year [also Indian Wells], so of course it’s normal to expect that you have some seasons where you don’t start well, and this is the one,” said Djokovic. “Hopefully I can pick up, in terms of results, I can build from here, because I played some good tennis. Hopefully in the next tournaments I’ll be able to play even better,” he added. Novak Djokovic will next compete at the Madrid Masters, which commences at the end of the month. He is also expected to play the Italian Open, before he moves onto the all-important French Open. The Serbian lifted his third French Open title last time around, as he defeated Casper Ruud in the finals. Also Read: “I don’t think I am still at my top level” : Novak Djokovic gives honest verdict after storming into Monte Carlo quarterfinals

Hardik Pandya IPL
Cricket, IPL

“I think he Rohit will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai” : Michael Vaughan makes bold IPL prediction

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“I think he Rohit will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai” : Michael Vaughan makes bold IPL prediction Former England captain Michael Vaughan has made a bold prediction on the Indian Premier League next season. He believes that Rohit Sharma will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings in 2025, and take over the captaincy from Ruturaj Gaikwad. MS Dhoni is almost certain to announce his retirement at the end of the current IPL season, given that he passed the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad even before the season began. There have been several rumors of Rohit Sharma being unhappy at Mumbai Indians after Hardik Pandya replaced him as the skipper. Hardik Pandya has been facing the heat from fans across India due to his new role as the skipper of Mumbai Indians, which comes at the expense of Rohit Sharma. Michael Vaughan also stated that it would be interesting to see if Rohit Sharma would be booed in a similar fashion if he makes his switch to Chennai Super Kings. “I think he (Rohit) will go to Chennai, replace MS Dhoni. Gaikwad is doing it this year. Do you think it’s just a holding job? May be Rohit next year?,” Vaughan was quoted saying to YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia in a podcast show. “I see him in Chennai. I see him there. If he were to captain Chennai and came to Mumbai, will he get booed?” he asked. “It’s not his fault” : Michael Vaughan on Hardik Pandya taking over the captaincy Michael Vaughan believes that Hardik Pandya should not be blamed for hurting the sentiments of fans across India. He believes that any player in the all-rounder’s shoes would be tempted to captain Mumbai Indians if given an opportunity. “Hardik is going through a difficult time and it’s not his fault. He has been asked to come back to the Mumbai Indians. He has been asked to be the captain. Who is going to say no that? He has just been given a job that pretty much every single cricketer in India would like to do, captain the MI,” Vaughan added. However, Michael Vaughan stated that it would have been prudent for Mumbai Indians to stick with Rohit Sharma as the skipper for at least this season. The Indian batter is all set to lead Team India in the upcoming T20I World Cup in West Indies and USA. And as such, it makes no sense for the MI management to name Hardik Pandya as the captain ahead of him. “I personally would have kept Rohit. Hardik coming back to Mumbai is big enough pressure in itself. Rohit, once he had a good World Cup, he is obviously going to captain India in the T20 World Cup. The sensible move would have been Rohit captaining MI and Hardik, in mind, for the next year or year after,” he added.

Rohit Sharma
Cricket, IPL

“I really want to win the World Cup and the WTC final in 2025” : Rohit Sharma shuns away retirement talks ahead of T20I World Cup

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“I really want to win the World Cup and the WTC final in 2025” : Rohit Sharma shuns away retirement talks ahead of T20I World Cup Rohit Sharma has dismissed rumors about his retirement in a recent interview. The Indian batter believes that he is still capable of playing at the top level, and is not thinking about retirement in the near future. In fact, the Indian skipper hopes to play the 50-over World Cup in South Africa in 2027, and the WTC Final at Lord’s in 2025. Rohit Sharma led India to a remarkable ICC World Cup campaign on home soil last year. However, after securing 10 consecutive victories, Team India succumbed at the final hurdle, losing to Australia in the finals. In an interview on ‘Breakfast with Champions,’ Rohit Sharma clarified his stance on retirement, and has set his sights on the upcoming World Cup events. “I haven’t really thought about retirement. But, I don’t know where life takes you. I am still playing well at this point in time – so I am thinking I am going to continue for a few more years and then, I don’t know. I really want to win the World Cup and there is a WTC final in 2025, hopefully India makes it,” said Rohit on the show. “Australia were slightly better than us” : Rohit Sharma on World Cup final loss Rohit Sharma admitted that Australia were slightly the better side in the finals, as they held their nerve to chase down a tricky target of 240 runs. The Indian captain believes that his side ticked all boxes on their way to the finals. He narrowed down the defeat to one bad day, which happens to the best of the teams in sports. “50-over World Cup for me is the actual World Cup. We’ve grown up watching that World Cup. More importantly, it was happening in India in front of our home crowd. We played so well up until that final. When we won the semi-finals, I thought, now we’re just a step away. We’re doing all the things right,” said Rohit. “What’s the one thing that can make us lose the World Cup? Not a single thing came to my mind. Because I thought we ticked all the boxes, we were playing good cricket. Confidence was there.” We were all supposed to have one bad day and that I guess that was our bad day. Don’t think we played bad cricket in that final, certain things didn’t go our way. But Australia were slightly better than us,” he added. Rohit Sharma is all set to lead Team India once again at the T20I World Cup in June. The right-handed batter is currently representing Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. The Hitman has delivered a couple of useful cameos for his side, as the five-time champions have recouped from a poor start to the season. Unlike the previous 11 seasons, Rohit Sharma is no longer the captain of the Mumbai Indians, as he has been replaced by all-rounder Hardik Pandya at the helm. Also Read: “Blessed to have Bumrah in my side” : Hardik Pandya heaps praise on MI pacer after five-wicket haul against RCB

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