Marc Marquez claims pole at Germany MotoGP

Hohenstein-Ernstthal: Marc Marquez secured pole position for the Germany MotoGP after the Spaniard set the fastest time on his Ducati in qualifying at the Sachsenring on Saturday. sports24.club

The reigning world champion will start from pole for the ninth time in the premier class at the German circuit, becoming the first rider in history to achieve this feat.

He booked his place at the front of the grid with a track record lap of 1min 19.041sec.

Nicknamed 'The King of the Ring', the 33-year-old Catalan will be aiming on Sunday for a 13th victory on the German circuit, his 10th in MotoGP.

"Front row was the target but pole position and especially the lap record here in Sachsenring... is something really good," Marc Marquez said.

Victory in the Grand Prix this weekend would see him equal two records held by Italian legend Giacomo Agostini: most wins at a single event (13) and most victories at the same circuit in the premier class (10).

Marc Marquez finished ahead of his brother Alex Marquez, riding for the Ducati satellite team Gresini, and Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio for the VR46 outfit owned by Italian MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi.

"I was upset in the moment to not get the pole," Alex Marquez said of his initial reaction to seeing he had come second in qualifying.

"But happy to see Marc and me again at the top," the 30-year-old added.

Spaniard Raul Fernandez of Aprilia-Trackhouse took fourth place, ahead of his Japanese team-mate Ai Ogura and France's Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha.

The session was marred by another heavy crash involving Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi.

Two weeks after crashing at nearly 200 km/h (120 mph) in the Netherlands without suffering any injuries, the Italian this time lost his back wheel at over 130 km/h and was thrown over his handlebars before bouncing several times in the gravel.

Second in the championship, Bezzecchi, who had set the eighth-fastest time before crashing, appeared to be suffering from an injury to his left wrist and was taken to the circuit's medical centre with his arm in a sling.

It was a morning to forget for Aprilia, with their championship leader, Spaniard Jorge Martin, only managing the ninth-fastest time in qualifying.

Doha, Qatar: For 78 unforgettable minutes in Houston, Egypt stood on the brink of history.

Two goals ahead against reigning champions Argentina, the Pharaohs were within touching distance of a first-ever FIFA World Cup quarter-final. Then came the response only champions could produce. Lionel Messi inspired a stunning late comeback as Argentina scored three times in the final 13 minutes to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory, bringing an end to Egypt’s fairytale run in North America.

The defeat was heartbreaking, but it should not overshadow what has been the greatest World Cup campaign in Egypt’s history.

Competing in only their fourth FIFA World Cup after appearances in 1934, 1990 and 2018, Egypt arrived in North America carrying an unwanted record: they had never won a World Cup match. They leave North America having rewritten almost every chapter of their World Cup history.

The seven-time African champions opened their campaign by holding Belgium to a 1-1 draw before recording the nation’s first-ever World Cup victory with a 3-1 win over New Zealand. A 1-1 draw against Iran then secured second place in the group, with the Pharaohs progressing to the knockout rounds unbeaten. It marked a remarkable turnaround from Russia 2018, where they exited after losing all three group-stage matches.

The Round of 32 clash against Australia was another historic moment for Egypt. Making their first appearance in the World Cup knockout rounds, the Pharaohs showed composure as well as character. After a 1-1 draw, they converted all four penalties in the shootout to secure a 4-2 victory, becoming the only team at World Cup 2026 so far to maintain a perfect record from the spot. It also sealed Egypt’s first-ever World Cup knockout victory.

Their reward was a meeting with defending champions Argentina and a showdown between Egypt’s greatest-ever footballer and one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

Days before the tournament, Mohamed Salah had been asked who he would choose for a “last dance” at the World Cup. Without hesitation, he named Lionel Messi. Fate delivered exactly that.

The embrace between the two captains before kick-off reflected the respect they have shared throughout their careers. For long periods, it was Salah who looked set to enjoy the perfect farewell, inspiring the Pharaohs into a two-goal lead and within minutes of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history before Argentina’s quality ultimately told.

Whether this proves to be Salah’s final World Cup remains unknown, but his place in Egyptian football history is beyond question. Already the nation’s leading World Cup goalscorer and record appearance-maker, the former Liverpool forward captained Egypt to their first World Cup victory, first unbeaten group stage, first knockout appearance and first knockout triumph.

“I don’t know whether this is the last dance, but it’s always been an honour to wear this shirt,” Salah said. “I hope I can inspire people, particularly children, to believe they can go far. I hope they see me as a source of inspiration. Success is not reserved for one person, and someone else’s success does not diminish my own.”

The quarter-finals may have slipped from their grasp, but Egypt leave World Cup 2026 with something far more valuable than a place in the last eight. After decades of waiting, the Pharaohs finally announced themselves on football’s biggest stage and gave the world a glimpse of what Egyptian football is capable of.

المهندس ثاني الزراع، المدير التنفيذي للاستدامة والإرث في اللجنة العليا للمشاريع والإرث، وأحد أعضاء فريق الخبراء القطريين المشاركين في برنامج نقل الخبرات والمعرفة ضمن بطولة كأس العالم 2026 .

يشغل الزراع حاليًا منصب مدير عمليات المنشأة في استاد بوسطن، حيث تتمحور مسؤولياته حول إدارة رحلة المشجعين، وضمان تقديم تجربة آمنة وسلسة للمشجعين منذ لحظة وصولهم إلى الاستاد وحتى مغادرتهم.

وقال الزراع: يقوم نجاح بطولة بهذا الحجم على منظومة تشغيلية متكاملة تمتلك فرقنا خبرة واسعة في إدارتها. وأشعر بالفخر بما بنيناه من قدرات، وبالدور الذي سنواصل القيام به في دعم وتنظيم كبرى الفعاليات داخل قطر وحول العالم.

وأضاف: تمتلك دولة قطر رصيدًا غنيًا من الخبرات المتراكمة بفضل استضافتها للعديد من الفعاليات الكبرى على مدار السنوات الماضية. ويُعد نقل هذا الإرث أحد أهم أوجه مساهمتنا في تطوير قطاع تنظيم الفعاليات على المدى الطويل، من خلال دعم استضافة الأحداث العالمية، مع مواصلة تطوير قدراتنا الوطنية في الوقت ذاته.

ويختتم الزراع حديثه قائلًا: تشهد الفعاليات الكبرى تطورًا مستمرًا، ولذلك فإن مواكبة أحدث أساليب تنظيمها وتشغيلها حول العالم تمثل جزءًا أساسيًا من نهج عملنا. وتتيح لنا مشاركتنا في هذه البطولة البقاء على اطلاع بأحدث التوجهات والممارسات في القطاع، بما يضمن استمرارنا في تقديم تجارب ترتقي إلى أعلى المعايير العالمية.

ويُعد الزراع واحدًا من مجموعة من كوادر اللجنة العليا للمشاريع والإرث الذين يساهمون في دعم بطولة كأس العالم 2026، وذلك في إطار اتفاقية لتبادل الخبرات والمعرفة بين اللجنة العليا والاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم (FIFA).

وبعد مساهمتهم في تنظيم العديد من البطولات الكبرى في قطر، وفي مقدمتها بطولة كأس العالم قطر2022، يعمل خبراء اللجنة جنبًا إلى جنب مع فرق المدن المستضيفة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا، لتقديم الدعم وتبادل الخبرات في مختلف الجوانب التشغيلية والتنظيمية.

Marseille have reportedly joined the race for Haissem Hassan, while Real Oviedo rejected an offer from Celtic.

Marseille have reportedly joined the race to sign Egypt winger Haissem Hassan after Real Oviedo rejected an opening offer from Celtic.

The Scottish giants submitted a bid worth about €4 million, or £3.4 million, for the 24-year-old following his performances at the World Cup.

Oviedo rejected the approach and are referring interested clubs to Hassan’s €12 million release clause. The clause had previously been set at €18 million, but fell in value after the Spanish club’s relegation from La Liga.

Oviedo sporting director David Fernandez said the club would retain control over any departure. Fernandez made the comments during his presentation as sporting director amid reports linking the Egyptian winger with Celtic and other European clubs.

Marseille are monitoring the winger’s position, according to French reports, while clubs in England and Saudi Arabia have also been linked with a move.

Hassan’s transfer value increased after Egypt’s run to the World Cup round of 16. He started the 3-2 defeat by Argentina and assisted Mostafa Zico’s second goal after a counterattack led by Mohamed Salah.

The France-born winger joined Oviedo from Villarreal in 2024 and is under contract until 2027. Villarreal are entitled to 40% of a future transfer, according to Spanish reports.

The post Marseille Join Race for Haissem Hassan as Celtic Bid Rejected appeared first on KingFut.

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