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2019 Copa Libertadores: Facebook To Broadcast Live Matches

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Facebook Partners Nigerian Firm To Intensify Fight against Fake News

Facebook said Friday it will broadcast live matches from the Copa Libertadores next year, after reaching a four-year deal to acquire part of the rights to the biggest club tournament in South America.

The deal with the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, is the latest bid by online platforms to tap into the lucrative live sports market.

Facebook, which recently launched its new video service, Watch, around the world, did not reveal the value of the contract.

The deal gives the social network exclusive rights to broadcast 27 games in the ten largest countries of South America on Thursdays, until the quarter-finals.

The California-based company will broadcast another 19 games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except in Brazil. These games, which will include the final, will also be broadcast by cable TV channels.

Dan Reed, Facebook’s Head of Global Sports Partnerships, told AFP that “Sports are important for us for two reasons. For one, our mission is to get people empowered in their community and bring them closer together, and sports does that, especially football across South America, and we have a large sports fans community in Facebook.

“Secondly as we grow Facebook Watch, video is a priority for us and particularly video experiences that are participatory and social.”

Facebook rolled out Watch globally in August, amid a shift in video viewing habits away from traditional television to online platforms including Netflix and Hulu, and with more people watching both professional and user content on services like YouTube.

The same month UEFA announced that Facebook will broadcast European Champions League matches in Latin America through 2021.

Credit: AFP

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Saka pens new long-term Arsenal deal

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Bukayo Saka has signed a new deal with Arsenal as he commits his future to the club.

As reported by The Athletic and The Standard, Saka has reportedly put pen to paper on his new Gunners contract that will make him Mikel Arteta’s highest-paid player by some distance.

The Hale End graduate’s five-year extension will see him earn a wage in excess of £300,000 a week, taking his association with Arsenal from boyhood to his late twenties in what is a huge move from the North London side.

The 24-year-old’s existing deal was set to expire at the end of next season, but there was no doubt that the winger would stay with the side he has been loyal to his whole career so far.

His decision would have been helped by the club’s impressive season so far as they compete in every competition available, with an EFL Cup final showdown against Manchester City awaiting them in March.

Saka will now leapfrog Viktor Gyokeres, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz to become the club’s highest paid player before he turns 25.

The England star has scored seven times in 33 appearances for the Gunners this season and will feature once more this week as his side aims to pick up 3 points against Wolves and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly all also agreed new long-term contracts last summer as the side look towards the future.

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‘There’s always a lot of noise’ – Enrique plays down Dembele’s recent criticism

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Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique on Monday brushed aside criticism from Ballon ⁠d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele over a lack of team spirit at the Champions League holders ahead of their ‌knockout-round playoff first leg at Monaco on Tuesday.

Dembele was critical of his ‌teammates after PSG lost 3-1 at Rennes, ‌calling for unity and for players to stop playing for themselves.

Friday’s ‌defeat came after a challenging few months in which ‌they failed to finish in the top eight of the Champions League and struggled to dominate Ligue 1 as they have in ‌the past.

“There’s always a lot of noise ⁠around PSG, and we ‌have to accept it. That’s it,” said Luis Enrique when asked ​again to respond to Dembele’s criticism at the pre-match press conference.

He had done much the same on ​Friday after Dembele’s feisty pitch-side television interview.

“The defeat (by Rennes) was cruel because if you consider what we created, it ⁠was similar to what ​we did against Marseille when we scored five goals. But we only got one against Rennes,” said the coach.

“We would have liked to come to Monaco with a victory, that’s ‌true, but it’s the Champions League and we’re motivated.”

PSG lost 1-0 at Monaco in November. “We can expect a match similar to the one we played. We’re not going to change anything because we’re going to try to win this match,” Luis Enrique added.

He also dismissed concerns about facing a domestic rival in the Champions League.

“It’s football, it’s the same thing, you have to try to do the ‌same thing to win the match. What I hope is ​to see the best version of PSG.

“We started the ‌Champions League last season with the same lack of efficiency, but when you look at the results we later had, it meant we were superior to our opponents, and that’s what we’re aiming for again. I’m ⁠sure we can get ⁠back to that very ‌quickly,” he added.

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Jose Mourinho sends incredible warning to Real Madrid

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Benfica boss Jose Mourinho has sent a message to Real Madrid ahead of the Champions League play-off.



Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored with almost the final kick of a 4-2 win over the Spanish giants to secure a play-off spot on goal difference for Mourinho’s side who will clash against the Spanish giants once more.

Having previously described Arbeloa as “his boy”, Mourinho did not hold back against a Madrid side who have struggled in the Champions League this season.

Speaking in his latest press conference ahead of the clash, Mourinho sent a warning to his former side who reports suggest he is desperate to get revenge against after falling out with the side.

“(I know it will be) Very demanding, without a doubt. We’ve only played the first leg of the tie.

“Trubin (the Benfica keeper who scored against Real Madrid last time out) won’t be in the attack at the Luz stadium. I’m very used to these kinds of ties.

“I’ve been doing it all my life. People often think you need a certain result in the first leg for this or that reason. I say there is no definitive result.

“We will play the first leg with our heads, ambition, and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League.

“They are wounded. And a wounded king is dangerous.”

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