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Entire Athletic Bilbao team shaves heads for cancer-battling teammate

By Nicholas MendolaJul 7, 2017, 8:17 PM EDT
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Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez is battling cancer for a second time, and his whole crew’s behind him.

Marca reports that Alvarez is undergoing chemotherapy, and a common side effect is hair loss.

With Athletic back together for preseason, the team decided to show its solidarity with Alvarez by shaving their heads.

[ MORE: Chelsea matches Man Utd bid for Lukaku ]

The club also put together this video in tribute to Alvarez, who had previously reacted to the recurrence of cancer by sharing the following statement on Instagram (translated by Marca):

“When it seems that you have beaten [the tumour], it gets up and hits you again. Be sure that with everyone’s support I will win this fight and if I have to beat it, I’ll do it again and I’ll get up a thousand and one times.”

PHOTOS: New Chelsea away kit for 2020-21 unveiled

New Chelsea away kit
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By Joe Prince-WrightJul 7, 2020, 10:32 AM EDT
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The new Chelsea away kit for 2020-21 has been unveiled and the Blues will wear it for the first time against Crystal Palace on Tuesday (start time, 1pm ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com).

Chelsea have gone back to a sky blue away jersey and the design has a herringbone knit throughout, which is the same as their new home jersey for the 2020-21 season which debuted last week.

The west London club state that this away kit “adds an injection of millennial swagger – perfect for the confident, emerging talents lighting up Stamford Bridge under head coach Frank Lampard.”

When it comes to a a new Chelsea kit, or any new kit for that matter, there are always plenty of amateur fashion designers out there. But the response to this new away jersey has been largely positive.

They also have a new shirt sponsor in telecommunications company “Three UK” and you can’t really miss their sponsorship logo on the front of the shirt.

Check out the photos below to see what Christian Pulisic and Co. will be wearing in the Premier League next season, and Frank Lampard hopes it will be worn in the Champions League too as the Blues continue to push to seal a top four finish in his debut season in charge at Stamford Bridge.

This new Chelsea kit, like most kits, will divide opinion.

Prince-Wright’s Premier League picks

EPL betting odds
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By Joe Prince-WrightJul 7, 2020, 9:30 AM EDT
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EPL betting odds for the Premier League have been released but we know the bookies don’t always get it right.

Here are the latest Prince-Wright’s Premier League score predictions as the Premier League return has the EPL betting odds all over the place.

[ MORE: New PL TV schedule ] 

The Premier League score predictions below include the 10 midweek games of Matchweek 34 Here we go.

If you, like me, love to dissect all the games and predict what the score will be and which team will win, I encourage you to get involved in the comments section below. Let’s have a bit of fun with these Premier League games.

[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]

Okay, so I’ve consulted my crystal ball and here’s how we see things panning out. Listen carefully, because this is very specific.

While you can download the NBC Sports Predictor app (below) and play the Premier League Pick ‘Em game yourself to predict the scores and win the prizes.

DOWNLOAD NBC SPORTS PREDICTOR

With the first section labelled “basically, free money” for the picks I think are dead certs. The section labelled “don’t touch this” means if you’re betting I advise you to stay clear, while the “so you’re telling me there’s a chance” section are the long shots. If it is better odds you are after, those are the picks to go for.

Check out our Premier League score predictions below.

BASICALLY, FREE MONEY

Man City 3-1 Newcastle – (Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]

Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea – (Tuesday, 1 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM] 

Brighton 1-3 Liverpool – (Wednesday, 3:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM] 

Aston Villa 0-3 Man United – (Thursday, 3:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM] 

DON’T TOUCH THIS…

Arsenal 2-1 Leicester – (Tuesday, 3:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM] 

Bournemouth 1-2 Tottenham – (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM] 

West Ham 1-1 Burnley – (Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET, Gold/Peacock) – [STREAM] 

Everton 2-2 Southampton – (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET, Gold/Peacock) – [STREAM] 

“SO YOU’RE TELLING ME THERE’S A CHANCE…”

Watford 1-1 Norwich – (Tuesday, 1 p.m. ET, Gold/Peacock) – [STREAM]

Sheffield United 2-1 Wolves – (Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET, Gold/Peacock) – [STREAM]

Bartomeu vows Messi will finish career at Barcelona

Messi staying with Barcelona
Photo by Pablo Morano/MB Media/Getty Images
By Nicholas MendolaJul 6, 2020, 6:46 PM EDT
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Lionel Messi will finish his career at Barcelona, says embattled president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The exit clause in Messi’s latest Barcelona contract expired on June 1, putting a temporary end to worries that the world’s top player would leave a messy Barcelona season.

Messi, 33, is still near the top of his powers. He has 22 goals and 19 assists in 29 La Liga appearances this season, adding five goals and four assists in nine cup games.

[ MORE: Premier League standings ]

“(Messi) will end his working and footballing life at Barcelona”, said Bartomeu in a Monday radio interview. “We are negotiating with many players but Messi has explained to us he wants to stay. And so we’re going to enjoy him for much longer.”

Only four players in Europe’s top five leagues have scored more league goals than Messi and none of those players has more than eight assists. Messi’s 19 La Liga assists are two behind Thomas Muller in that same group.

It had been reported since November that Messi would not exercise his option to leave the club, but there were numerous reasons to think he might rethink things given problems at Barcelona.

There has been chaos in the board room and players including Messi were angry to be thrown under the proverbial bus when Ernesto Valverde was fired early this year.

Notably, he called Barcelona “home” but noted “weird things happening” at the Camp Nou. Fortunately, the club announced that an independent inspector cleared Barca’s hierarchy of wrongdoing after allegations that a third-party company contracted to the club tried to smear current and former club legends on social media.

Bartomeu needs Messi to stay as the club waits for Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati to come into the peaks of their powers. If the Argentine leaves Barca, who looks destined to finish second to Real Madrid despite leading the table for most of the year, the pressure on the president will reach an even higher level.

The president has overseen a mostly successful time at Barca during his tenure, winning four domestic titles and the 2014-15 Champions League.

FC Dallas withdrawn from MLS is Back tourney; Vela to sit out

FC Dallas withdraws from MLS is Back
Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By Nicholas MendolaJul 6, 2020, 6:09 PM EDT
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Carlos Vela’s decision to sit out the MLS is Back tournament has been one-upped by reports that MLS has pulled an entire team out of the fray in Florida.

Vela, considered by many to be the league’s top player, is opting out of representing LAFC and choosing to spend time with his pregnant wife and children.

The Mexican star, 31, said he would love to play but the coronavirus pandemic means missing out is in “the best interest of the health of my family to stay home and be with my wife during what is a risky pregnancy.”

[ MORE: Mourinho, Lloris react to Son spat ]

LAFC released a statement supporting Vela’s “difficult decision,” which will not help the West’s top side in its bid to outlast the Galaxy, Houston, and Portland in Group F, should the tournament go forward as planned.

Meanwhile, FC Dallas’ bad month has gotten much worse. Six players reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 last week and reports grew to include 10 players and one coach.

The side’s opening match against Vancouver was postponed on Saturday. Now FC Dallas says it is supporting an MLS decision to take the team out of the tournament. FC Dallas says it will take every precaution to make sure its return to Texas “minimizes risk of exposure to all parties involved.”

Dallas was drawn into Group B with Seattle, Vancouver, and San Jose. Two of the teams were set to advance to the knockout rounds.

Here is MLS’ statement on FC Dallas’ withdrawal:

“Major League Soccer announced today that FC Dallas have been withdrawn from the MLS is Back Tournament due to 10 players and one member of the technical staff confirmed positive for COVID-19. Each of these positive tests either occurred upon the club’s arrival or within a few days of arrival. The decision was made in the best interest of the health of all players and staff participating in the tournament, and in line with protocols created in conjunction with local and national health authorities and infectious disease experts.
“’Given the impact of the number of positive tests on the club’s ability to train and play competitive matches, we have made the decision to withdraw FC Dallas from the MLS is Back Tournament,’ said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. ‘The health of everyone involved in our return to play has always been our top priority, and we will continue to make decisions consistent with that priority.’
Of the 557 players currently in Orlando, Fla. 13 total players have been confirmed positive for COVID-19, 10 of those being FC Dallas players and the remaining three from two other clubs.”