“Bundesliga”: Kovac to maintain Dortmund’s lead

Spanish Mikel Arteta, coach of Arsenal, said that the English Premier League is still the best in the world, despite the crisis surrounding Manchester City after he was convicted of some charges.

Arteta, who worked as an assistant to his compatriot Pep Guardiola for three years, spoke for the first time after an independent committee concluded that his former club violated more than 100 of the competition’s financial regulations.

The British News Agency reported that Manchester City filed an appeal against the decision, with Italian Enzo Maresca, the team's current coach, insisting that the club's success has not been negatively affected, calling on Arteta to respect the measures being taken at the present time.

In response to a question about the ruling that shocked the world of football, Arteta said: “I completely understand the question, but it is important to respect the procedures, of course, as well as the timetables, because the ongoing process has not yet been decided with the filing of the appeal.”

Arteta added: “My position, which I believe is the club’s position as well, is not to comment on this until the matter is completely resolved.”

The Spanish coach was asked if the English Premier League was still the best in the world, Arteta said: “Yes, 100 percent.”

Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola said on Friday that his team will play Sunday's decisive match against leaders Manchester City in the English Premier League at Anfield without Alexander Isak and Cody Khakpo.

The two players returned from the international break with injuries, after Khakpo suffered an ankle injury during his participation in the Netherlands match against Serbia, while Isaac suffered a thigh injury that Iraola described as “minor” while participating with Sweden against Romania.

Isaac's absence is a major blow to Liverpool, especially after the striker finally regained his level, scoring 4 goals in his first 5 league matches.

Iraola said: “Alex Isaac and Cody Khakpo will not participate in the match, as they are not ready, and both of them suffered injuries during the international break.”

It is not believed that either injury will be long-term, as Khakpo's readiness depends on his ability to tolerate pain, while the club monitors the players' condition day by day.

Their absence may open the door for Welsh striker Louis Comas (21 years old) to lead the attack against Manchester City.

“Comas has our trust,” Iraola said. “I don’t think this is a big surprise, as I have always admired him, and he has already shown in the crucial minutes that he is ready to play, and we have other players who can fill these positions.”

Iraola pointed out that the series of difficult matches awaiting the team before the next international break in November will constitute an important test of Liverpool’s capabilities.

The Spanish coach said: “I think that the series of matches that we are playing now (with the resumption of the league and Champions League competitions) requires a lot, and it is also very intense. “So I think it will reveal a lot about our capabilities.” He added: “I think that after this series of matches, we will really know our level.”

Manchester City leads the standings as the only team to have achieved a perfect record after 5 matches, while Liverpool trails them by 6 points in sixth place, with two wins and three draws.

The competition between the two teams alone is enough to make Sunday's match a huge event, but the spotlight will be more focused on Anfield. Where City is playing for the first time since an independent committee found it guilty of more than 100 violations of the English Premier League’s financial rules.

A social media post promoting a “bus salute” urged Liverpool fans to gather near the stadium several hours before kick-off, carrying flags, banners, fireworks and torches.

Iraola said about the case: “I think that the state of uncertainty is not in the interest of any party, nor of anyone involved in the matter, but the procedures are still underway, and we must be patient like everyone and wait for what will happen in the end.”

Manchester City denied any wrongdoing and is appealing the ruling.

Belgian Elise Mertens continued her remarkable career in the Beijing 1000 Points Tennis Tournament, by eliminating Polish Iga Swiwontek, formerly ranked first in the world and currently ninth, on Friday in the quarter-finals, two days after her victory over American Coco Gauff, fourth.

Mertens, ranked 19th in the world, decided the confrontation 7-6 (0-7) and 6-3 against Cheviontek, who won the 2023 edition title, and who wasted a valuable opportunity to close the gap with her competitors in the qualifying race for the season-ending Masters Championship (WTA), scheduled in Indian Wells between November 8 and 15.

The 30-year-old player, who is from the city of Leuven, will participate on Saturday in the semi-finals of the singles competition, where she will face the Chinese Geng Chenwen (54th in the world), and the doubles alongside the Russian Diana Schneider.

Mertens has not reached the semi-finals of one of the 1000 Points tournaments, the highest-ranking tournament on the WTA calendar after the four major tournaments, since the Dubai tournament in 2021.

The Belgian previously ranked 12th in the world in November 2018, and won ten singles titles in the WTA tournaments. She has now achieved three consecutive victories over players ranked in the top ten, after she ousted Kazakh Elena Rybakina, currently ranked first in the world, at Wimbledon, then Gauff in Beijing.

On the other hand, Shevuntek was unable to benefit from the exit of her Ukrainian rivals, seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina, and eighth-seeded Czech Karolina Muchova, from the quarter-finals.

The Polish woman occupies tenth place in the Rice classification, which determines the eight players who qualify for the final Masters tournament, and she will be required to score a large number of points in the Wuhan 1,000-point tournament between October 12 and 18, then the Ningbo 500-point tournament between October 19 and 25, and Tokyo between October 26 and November 1, to ensure participation in the tournament, which has not missed any of its last five editions.

The first semi-final match scheduled for Saturday will bring together Russian Mira Andreeva, ranked fifth in the world, with Czech Nikola Bartonkova, the surprise of the tournament and ranked 34th in the world.