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Tag: Brazil

  • Palmeiras return to Copa Libertadores final after almost 21 years

    Palmeiras return to Copa Libertadores final after almost 21 years

    Brazilian side Palmeiras have made it to the Copa Libertadores final for the first time in almost 21 years.

    Their qualification was in spite of a 0-2 home loss to 2019 runners-up River Plate on Tuesday at the Allianz Parque.

    Paraguayan defender Robert Rojas and striker Rafael Borre scored the goals for the Argentinian side, though the former was then sent off in the 73rd minute.

    Their efforts, however, were not enough as Palmeiras won the first leg in Buenos Aires 3-0 last week.

    River Plate had a third goal and also a penalty kick award overturned by the video assistant referee (VAR).

    The Libertadores final will be played on Jan. 30 in the legendary Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro without spectators, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    River Plate’s arch-rivals Boca Juniors and Palmeiras’ city opponents Santos fight for the second spot in the final.

    The first game between the two teams finished 0-0 in Buenos Aires and second leg is scheduled for Wednesday.

    After a six-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Copa Libertadores resumed play in September 2020.

  • Why I signed for Chelsea, Thiago Silva reveals

    Why I signed for Chelsea, Thiago Silva reveals

    Chelsea defender Thiago Silva admits the decision to move to the London giants was motivated by the 2022 World Cup.

    Silva, 36, intends to be fully fit and in shape for the Qatar tournament.

    He told the club’s website: “Yes. First, I have this ambition to continue producing good performances here at Chelsea. I chose this club to keep playing at a very, very high level. Of course my ambition is to keep working hard to play at the next World Cup. It will be a World Cup very special, different to all the others.

    “I hope to have the possibility of going there, but for now I have to keep working at this level and continue winning qualifying matches for the Selecao to even qualify for the World Cup! People talk about the World Cup this, the World Cup that, but first you have to qualify.

    “That’s my main ambition, to continue playing with my team-mates and winning matches to qualify and then, of course, prepare ourselves and try to bring back the big trophy to Brazil.”

  • I would never have rejected Real Madrid – Rivaldo

    I would never have rejected Real Madrid – Rivaldo

    World Cup winner Rivaldo admits he would’ve accepted an offer from Real Madrid.

    Rivaldo had a great relationship in attack for Brazil with Ronaldo Nazario, who he wanted to play alongside at club level.

    “If I had been up top with Ronaldo at Real Madrid, we would have been a fearsome duo,” Rivaldo told Betfair.

    “We already showed it when we played with Brazil. To have more time to develop that chemistry we had at club level would have made us even more lethal.

    “Defences would have feared us, no matter which team we played for. That summer [of 2002] Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid after Los Blancos took an interest in me, so if we had managed to join together, it would have been incredible.”

    Rivaldo admits that if he had crossed the divide though, he would have received criticism similar to what Luis Figo experienced two years prior.

    “I would never have turned down Real Madrid just because I played for Barcelona, even though I have a great relationship with Barcelona and they will always be my club in Europe,” Rivaldo said.

    “I know perfectly well that if I had signed for Real Madrid, it would have been a similar case to that of Figo, but in the end it didn’t happen.”

  • Brazilian President Bolsonaro dumps Trump, congratulates Biden

    Brazilian President Bolsonaro dumps Trump, congratulates Biden

    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday sent a belated congratulations to United States President-elect Joe Biden.

    Bolsonaro, along with Russian and Mexican Presidents notably declined to congratulate Biden after his victory was declared on 7 November.

    The Brazilian leader had hoped that Donald Trump, his political model, would upturn the verdict.

    But on Monday, the Electoral College affirmed Biden’s victory and sealed Trump’s unrealistsic hopes of retaining power.

    “Words of welcome to President Joe Biden, with my best wishes and hope that the United States will remain ‘the land of the free and the homeland of the brave’,” Bolsonaro wrote in a statement released by the Department of Business foreigners.

    “I will be ready to work with you and continue to build the alliance between Brazil and the United States, in defence of sovereignty, democracy and freedom around the world, as well as in matters of trade integration ”, he adds.

    Washington and Brasilia launched talks on a free trade agreement last year.

    But the political alternation in the White House could change the situation, Joe Biden seeming willing to take a harsher approach than Donald Trump vis-à-vis Brazil on issues such as Amazon deforestation, human rights or trade.

  • Ronaldinho tests positive for COVID-19

    Ronaldinho tests positive for COVID-19

    Former Brazil striker Ronaldinho Gaucho said on Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and was self-isolating.

    The ex-FC Barcelona and Paris St-Germain (PSG) player was in Belo Horizonte, where he played for local side Atletico Mineiro, when he got his diagnosis.

    “I arrived in BH (Belo Horizonte) yesterday (Saturday) and I took the COVID test, I tested positive, I am good, asymptomatic so far,” the two-times FIFA World Player of the year said in Sunday.

    The former AC Milan, Flamengo and Gremio player said he would remain in a hotel until his condition improved.

    The charismatic forward spent a month in a Paraguayan jail with his brother and business manager earlier this year, accused of entering country with a fake passport.

  • Everton sign Brazil midfielder from Napoli

    Everton sign Brazil midfielder from Napoli

    English Premier League (EPL) clubside Everton on Saturday said they have signed Brazil midfielder Allan from Italian side Napoli on a three-year deal.

    Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but British media reported Everton had paid a fee of around 25 million pounds to Napoli for the 29-year-old.

    Allan scored 11 goals and grabbed 16 assists in more than 200 appearances for Napoli across all competitions, helping them claim the Coppa Italia last season.

    “It is a real pleasure to sign for Everton. I am immensely happy to be here,” Allan said in a club statement.

    “I hope I will, like I have done in my entire career, contribute with my performances together with my teammates and that I put in some great games, great performances and win important things.”

  • Brazilian president vows to punch reporter in the mouth

    Brazilian president vows to punch reporter in the mouth

    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday threatened to punch a reporter continually in the mouth after being asked about his wife’s links to an alleged corruption scheme.

     

    “I so want to pound your mouth with punches,” the far-right president said when a reporter from O Globo, posed the question.

     

    The reporter was part of a group that met Bolsonaro after his regular Sunday visit to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Brasilia. The president ignored protests from other journalists after the remarks and left without making further comments.

     

     

     

    The O Globo reporter asked about a report in the magazine Crusoe linking First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro to Fabrício Queiroz, a retired police officer, friend of the president, and former adviser to her son Flavio Bolsonaro, who is now a senator.

     

    Queiroz and Flavio Bolsonaro are under investigation for a scheme that allegedly swindled pay from government employees when the younger Bolsonaro was a regional lawmaker in Rio de Janeiro, and before Jair Bolsonaro became president in January 2019.

     

    According to the magazine, Queiroz deposited funds in Michelle Bolsonaro’s bank account between 2011 and 2016.

     

    The first lady has said nothing about the case.

     

     

    Soon after the president’s outburst O Globo issued a statement repudiating his “aggression … towards a journalist from our newspaper that was carrying out his job in a professional manner.”

     

    Such intimidation “shows that Jair Bolsonaro does not acknowledge the duty of a public servant … to be accountable to the public.”

     

  • Coronavirus detected on surface of chicken wings from Brazil

    Coronavirus detected on surface of chicken wings from Brazil

    A sample of chicken wings imported to China from Brazil has tested positive for the coronavirus, Chinese authorities said Thursday.

    COVID-19 was detected on a surface sample taken from a batch of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Tuesday.

    The Office of the Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters immediately traced and tested people who may have come into contact with the contaminated food. All of the results have come back negative, a statement from the headquarters said.
    Additionally, all related products in stock have been removed and tested negative. Products from the same brand have been traced and the relevant agencies have been notified of the possible contamination.

    The packaging and storage areas of the COVID-positive chicken wings have been disinfected and the contaminated food has been discarded.

    Meanwhile, the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no evidence that COVID-19 is spread through food and “there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging,” but advises people to wash their hands before preparing and eating food.

    The World Health Organization has also said that it is unlikely that people can contract the coronavirus from food or food packaging.

  • Ronaldinho inches closer to release from Paraguayan ordeal

    Ronaldinho inches closer to release from Paraguayan ordeal

    Former World Cup winner Ronaldinho Gaucho moved a step closer to ending his Paraguayan ordeal on Friday.

    This came about when prosecutors said they would not oppose a “conditional suspension” of the case that would allow him to return to Brazil.

    The twice World Player of the Year was arrested on March 6 along with his brother and business manager Roberto Assis after they tried to enter Paraguay with adulterated Paraguayan passports.

    They were held in jail for 32 days before being conditionally released on April 7 after paying 1.6 million dollars in bail.

    Ronaldinho, the former FC Barcelona, Paris St-Germain (PSG) and Flamengo player who turned 40 while in jail, has been held under house arrest in a Paraguayan hotel for four months since.

    A document seen by Reuters on Friday, and also reported in Paraguayan and Brazilian media, seemed to exonerate both men.

    According to it, prosecutors in the case said they found “no elements to prove that Ronaldo de Assis Moreira had a direct participation in obtaining the irregular documents.”

    They have recommended that Ronaldinho be released after paying a 90,000 dollars fine and identifying a fixed abode in Brazil.

    He would also have to present himself to Brazilian authorities every three months.

    Officials asked for a two-year suspended sentence and a 110,000 dollars fine for his brother Roberto but agreed to let him leave Paraguay.

    They said that while Ronaldinho was unaware he was using an adulterated passport, Roberto knew.

    Both men have said they were innocent and their lawyer has always mantained their detention was “arbitrary, abusive and illegal.”

    The judge is expected to set a date for the hearing next week.

  • La Liga: Arthur refusing to play for Barca

    La Liga: Arthur refusing to play for Barca

    Barcelona midfielder Arthur has told the club he does not want to play for them anymore as the midfielder refuses to return from Brazil, Goal reports.

    The Brazil international will join Juventus this summer after a deal worth €72 million (£66m/$81m) plus up to €10m in bonuses was agreed in June, but his contract with Barcelona will run until the Champions League campaign is over.

    Coach Quique Setien gave his players a break after their second-place finish in La Liga and the 23-year-old took the opportunity to return to his homeland.