World Sports News in Brief

La Liga posts record financial figures

Spain's football league, La Liga, announced on Thursday (May 9) that their clubs had posted a record revenue of 4.479 billion euros (3.86 billion pounds) for the 2017-18 season. The number marks a 20.6 per cent growth from the previous campaign (3.6 billion euros) and therefore becomes the best in the competition's history.

La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona v Real Betis - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - November 11, 2018 The match ball on display before the match. (Reuters)
La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona v Real Betis - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - November 11, 2018 The match ball on display before the match. (Reuters)

* Schalke have appointed former Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner as their new manager on a three-year contract, the Bundesliga club said on Thursday.

* Barcelona striker Luis Suarez underwent surgery on a knee injury on Thursday (May 9) and could be a doubt for their Copa del Rey final against Valencia later this month.

* The first tickets for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics went on sale on Thursday (May 9), with Japanese residents able to enter a lottery to watch the sport of their choice. Tickets for the 33 sports range from the cheapest general tickets at ¥2,500 (US$23) to an eye-watering ¥300,000 (US$2,730) for the best seats at the opening ceremony.

* Bayern Munich are 90 minutes away from securing a record-extending seventh straight Bundesliga crown on Saturday (May 11), snatching the title away from Borussia Dortmund with a game to spare.

* Crystal Palace's veteran Argentine goalkeeper Julian Speroni will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires, the Premier League side said on Thursday (May 9). Speroni, 39, joined Palace from Scottish side Dundee in 2004 and played 405 games for the Selhurst Park club, the most by any goalkeeper in their history.

* Formula Two, the feeder series for Formula One, will switch to lower-profile tyres and 18-inch wheels next year to prepare young drivers for grand prix racing, which is due to make the change in 2021.

* Former England footballer David Beckham was on Thursday (May 9) disqualified from driving for six months after using his phone while behind the wheel.

Reuters, CNA