Star Sport – New noisy neighbour in town: Rats Yer Lot
The back page of the Daily Star reports on British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who’s bought a 25% stake in English football club Manchester United.
Elsewhere, the paper reports on the latest results from the Premier League and Champions League and there’s an injury update on Luke Shaw and what it means for England’s Euros.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe channels Sir Alex Ferguson with ‘off their perch’ warning to Liverpool
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is on a mission to help Manchester United knock bitter rivals City and Liverpool “off their perch”.
Ratcliffe has completed his deal to buy a 27.7% stake in United for £1.3billion – and has made it clear he wants the fallen giants to rule the roost once again. Now he has thrown down the gauntlet to City and Liverpool, by insisting their period of dominance must come to an end.
City and Liverpool have won the last six Premier League titles between them. Both have also won the Champions League in the last five years – and Ratcliffe has had enough of seeing United trail in their wake.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-jim-ratcliffe-ferguson-32180505
Arsenal dealt Champions League blow by Porto wonder goal as fans criticise Mikel Arteta
Arsenal were defeated 1-0 by Porto in the Champions League thanks to a last-second stunner from Galeno.
The Gunners made the trip to the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday (February 21) for the first leg of their last-16 clash. While Mikel Arteta’s side dominated possession throughout the game, they created very little in terms of opportunities as they looked set for a 0-0 draw in Portugal.
However, Galeno picked up the ball around 25 yards out in the 93rd minute and took a speculative shot that managed to beat David Raya, giving the Portuguese giants a huge win.
Arsenal now have a massive job on their hands when they take on Porto at the Emirates on March 12 to proceed to the quarter-finals of the competition. Upon their defeat, Gunners fans’ made sure to criticise Mikel Arteta for his lack of substitutions during the game.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-porto-champions-league-defeat-32183290
Ex-Everton star Gerard Deulofeu admits he could be forced to retire at 29 after injury
A former Everton and Barcelona star fears his career is over at the age of just 29.
Gerard Deulofeu initially joined Everton on loan from Barca in 2013/14 before hooking up with the club permanently. He played 75 games in two years for Toffees before spells at AC Milan, a return to Barcelona and then a stint at Watford.
He joined Udinese in 2021, only to suffer a devastating knee injury in January last year. Deulofeu hasn’t played since and is now coming to terms with the fact he may have to hang up his boots.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/gerard-deulofeu-injury-everton-barcelona-32185235
Ex-Barcelona star Dani Alves jailed after raping woman in nightclub toilet
Former Barcelona and Brazil star Dani Alves has today been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for raping a woman at a Spanish nightclub.
The 40-year-old defender, who denied any wrongdoing, was accused by a 23-year-old woman of attacking her in a toilet at Barcelona’s upmarket celebrity haunt Sutton. Alves was also ordered to pay £128,000 in compensation to the victim and to cover legal costs. Alves’ lawyer Ines Guardiola confirmed outside court they would be appealing the sentence.
Alves has been in pre-trial custody for more than a year since his arrest over the incident, on the night of December 30, 2022, and went on trial three weeks ago. State prosecutors said they were seeking a nine-year prison sentence if he was convicted, while lawyers representing his accuser said they wanted a 12-year term. His defence asked for an acquittal, or if he was found guilty a one-year prison sentence plus £42,000 compensation for the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/dani-alves-jailed-rape-barcelona-32178476