World Sports News In Brief

Saka signs new long-term contact at Arsenal

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka has signed a new long-term deal at the club, the Premier League side said on Tuesday (May 23).
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion - Emirates Stadium, London, UK - May 14, 2023 Arsenal's Bukayo Saka during the warm up before the match. (Photo: Reuters)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion - Emirates Stadium, London, UK - May 14, 2023 Arsenal's Bukayo Saka during the warm up before the match. (Photo: Reuters)

The 21-year-old England international, who joined the north London side's academy as an eight-year-old, has been a key figure in the last two campaigns, having already made 178 first-team appearances. Saka scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions for Arsenal this season. He was also the club's top scorer in the previous campaign, netting 12 times.

* Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning winner on Tuesday as Al-Nassr came back to beat visitors Al-Shabab 3-2 and put Al-Ittihad's Saudi Pro League title celebrations on hold. Al-Ittihad remain favourites to clinch the title with two games remaining in the season after beating Al-Batin 1-0 through Romarinho's header in the ninth minute.

* Relegation-threatened Real Valladolid snatched a 3-1 win at home against champions Barcelona on Tuesday as the hosts secured a crucial victory in their battle to remain in LaLiga. The win moved Valladolid up one place to 17th and out of the relegation zone.

* Alianza FC have been handed a one-year stadium ban and fined US$30,000, the Salvadoran Football Federation said after at least 12 people died and an unspecified number were injured in a stampede during Saturday's (May 20) game against Club Deportivo FAS.

* Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, said the body wanted to host another World Cup, in 2030 or 2034, and that "Saudi Arabia is coming in force". Asia has staged the World Cup twice: in the Republic of Korea and Japan in 2002 and in 2022 in Qatar.

* Valencia's south stand will be partially closed for five matches and the club fined 45,000 euros ($49,536) after the racist abuse suffered by Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr in Sunday's LaLiga game, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday. Seven people were detained by Spanish police earlier on Tuesday, accused of different hate crimes against Vinicius Jr, including racist slurs allegedly hurled at the Brazilian during Sunday's match at Valencia's Mestalla stadium.

* Portuguese rider Joao Almeida saw off Geraint Thomas to win stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday with an impressive late sprint on the slopes of Monte Bondone, while the Welshman regained the leader's maglia rosa jersey. Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) launched his attack with around 5km remaining and beat Thomas in a two-man sprint to earn his first Giro stage win after a mountainous 203-km route that totalled over 5,000m of elevation gain.

* Reigning world champion Ding Liren and top-ranked Magnus Carlsen will participate in next month's inaugural franchise-based Global Chess League (GCL), organisers said on Tuesday. The tournament will run from June 21 to July 2 in Dubai and feature six teams of six players each, including a minimum of two female players and an "icon" player per team.

* United States attacking midfielder Catarina Macario will not take part in this year's Women's World Cup, the Lyon player said on Tuesday as she continues her recovery from a torn ACL.

* Britain's Stefan Wilson, younger brother of the late F1 and IndyCar driver Justin, will miss Sunday's Indianapolis 500 after injuring his back in a heavy crash on Monday. Wilson went into the barrier after his car was hit from behind in afternoon practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by compatriot Katherine Legge.

* Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will have a special 'Triple Crown' livery on their Formula One cars for this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix as part of McLaren's 60th anniversary celebrations. The Triple Crown refers to the Indianapolis 500, Monaco Grand Prix and Le Mans 24 Hours races that the British team have won over the years.

CNA/Reuters