Japan’s Seiko Hashimoto, a woman who has competed in seven Olympics, said on Thursday she had been chosen as president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising committee, replacing a man who resigned after setting off a furore with sexist remarks.Yoshiro Mori, 83 and a former prime minister, resigned as Tokyo 2020 president last week after saying women talk too much, a fresh blow to an event already marred by an unprecedented delay of a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and strong public opposition.
Hashimoto announced her selection shortly after submitting her resignation as cabinet minister to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who encouraged her to make the Olympics successful.
-I, Seiko Hashimoto, was selected as head of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee- Hashimoto told a meeting in which she was chosen as the new chief.
-As I’m taking on such a grave responsibility... I feel I need to brace myself.-Hashimoto faces a raft of tough issues, including taking the helm of one of the world’s biggest sporting events with less than half a year left until its start as well as making sure athletes and officials are kept safe from the coronavirus.
Born days before Japan hosted the 1964 summer Games, Hashimoto took part in four Winter Olympics as a speed skater and three Summer Olympics as a cyclist.
Her name comes from a Chinese character used for the Olympic flame, and she lived up to it, ultimately took part in the most Olympics of any Japanese woman. The highest medal she received was a bronze in speed skating at the 1992 Albertville Winter Games.
A 56-year-old lawmaker in Japan’s ruling party, Hashimoto served as the Olympics minister, doubling as minister for women’s empowerment, since 2019 until resigning on Thursday.
Suga is likely to name Tamayo Marukawa, a former television announcer and ruling party lawmaker, to Hashimoto’s post, NHK public television said. Marukawa, 50, previously held the job for about a year.

<h2>International outcry, gender equality</h2>

Mori resigned last Friday after causing an international outcry by saying during a committee meeting that women talk too much, comments that a top Tokyo 2020 executive said on Thursday had caused “indescribable damage.”

He initially defied calls to step down, but growing anger at his remarks and a petition drive led by a 22-year-old student and activist, among others, helped seal his fate even in a nation still struggling with gender equality.Japan is ranked 121st out of 153 countries on the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Gender Gap Index - the worst ranking gap among advanced countries - scoring poorly on women’s economic participation and political empowerment.
Criteria for a new leader for the organising committee included a deep understanding of gender equality and diversity, and the ability to attain those values during the Games, organisers have said.
The Games are set to begin on July 23 despite repeated opinion polls showing that most citizens are opposed to holding them this year due to the pandemic.

She has competed in seven Olympics

Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Organising Committee, speaks during the Tokyo 2020 Executive Board meeting, in Tokyo, Japan February 18, 2021.

Former Olympic athlete Hashimoto chosen as head of Tokyo 2020 organisers

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said for the first time Thursday coronavirus containment measures could still be in place during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but he insisted stadiums would be full.

In an interview with AFP ahead of the Club World Cup final he also suggested FIFA could "concretely" help travelling fans from countries where vaccine rollout has been slow or had not yet begun.
-Maybe some precautionary measures have to be taken- he said in the Qatari capital Doha, where Bayern Munich face Mexican side Tigres on Thursday. 
-We need to see how the situation looks by then. It's very difficult to foresee now.--It will take a little bit of time, and we have two years of time to come back to some sort of normality.-Infantino backed the Qatari hosts who in recent days have insisted the 2022 spectacle would go ahead with stadiums at 100 percent capacity, and he raised the prospect of FIFA assisting fans with vaccine requirements.
-If certain countries have difficulties accessing vaccines, in spite of the efforts of the World Health Organization... then we could certainly envisage helping them concretely with some projects targeting World Cup situations- he said.
-But two years from now I believe that, and I hope sincerely, that everyone who would like to be vaccinated will be vaccinated.-Infantino, who was speaking before reports emerged that Bayern forward Thomas Mueller has tested positive for coronavirus, praised Qatar for its execution of a bio-bubble during the Club World Cup.
Mueller would be forced to miss the final if his infection is confirmed.
-Football has resumed after being stopped in almost all countries in the world- said Infantino.
-One hundred percent security never exists, but we can do whatever we can to go very close to this.--We are not the first organisation to organise an international tournament, after the outbreak of Covid-19, but it's a first World Cup that is taking place, because in 2020 unfortunately we were not able to organise anything.-He added that the pandemic had highlighted the challenges of a "congested" international match calendar.
-The real challenge for the future will be the international match calendar -- this balance between national team football and club football which is suffering even more now, during the Covid situation- he said.
Infantino also pledged further support for the global game which has lost more than $11 billion in revenue since the start of the pandemic according to FIFA estimates.

He also suggested that FIFA could "concretely" help travelling fans from countries where vaccine rollout has been slow or had not yet begun

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino gestures during an interview in the Qatari capital Doha

Infantino says Covid measures could still be in place for 2022 World Cup

No socialising, no handshakes and definitely no hugs -- that's what athletes at the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo Olympics can expect this summer, according to a virus rulebook released Tuesday by organisers.

The 33-page document -- the last in a series of "playbooks" drawn up in a bid to ensure the Games can go ahead safely -- also warns athletes they could be kicked out of their events if they break strict anti-virus rules.
Under the guidelines, athletes will be tested for the virus at least once every four days, and will be barred from competing if they return a confirmed positive test.
Their time in Japan will be "minimised to reduce the risk of infection," and those staying at the Olympic Village will be expected to "avoid unnecessary forms of physical contact."
Organisers told AFP on Tuesday that they still plan to hand out around 150,000 free condoms to athletes, but the new rulebook urges them to "limit your contact with other people as much as possible."
-If you have been to the Games before, we know this experience will be different in a number of ways- the guidebook warns.
-For all Games participants, there will be some conditions and constraints that will require your flexibility and understanding.-The guide for athletes and team officials is set to be revised in April and again in June, and follows the release of handbooks for sports officials, media and broadcasters last week.
The document lays out further detail on virus testing for athletes, with a negative test required within 72 hours of travelling to Japan and again immediately upon arrival.
There will be no quarantine for athletes, and they will still be allowed to attend training camps in Japan before the Games begin, but all movements must be rigorously logged and the use of public transport is subject to permission.
Athletes "must not visit gyms, tourist areas, shops, restaurants or bars" and can only go to "official Games venues and limited additional locations".
They are also advised to wear masks at all times except when they are competing, training, eating, sleeping or outside in open space.
The virus rulebooks are being released as organisers, Olympic officials and Japan's government works to build confidence that the Games can go ahead safely despite a surge in infections globally.
While vaccinations are recommended for athletes, they will not be a requirement to participate in the Games.
Support for hosting the virus-postponed event remains low in Japan, with around 80 percent of Japanese backing cancellation or further postponement -- something organisers have ruled out.
The rollout of the virus rules has been overshadowed by a row over sexist comments made by Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori, who faces calls to resign after claiming women speak too much in meetings.
So far, he has apologised but declined to step down.
The Games are due to open in Tokyo on July 23.

Under the guidelines, athletes will be tested for the virus at least once every four days, and will be barred from competing if they return a confirmed positive test

Athletes "must not visit gyms, tourist areas, shops, restaurants or bars" and can only go to "official Games venues and limited additional locations"

No hugs or high-fives: Olympic organisers unveil athlete rulebook

Premier League referee Mike Dean has alerted police after his family received death threats following two controversial red cards he issued over the past week.

Dean was criticised for sending off Southampton defender Jan Bednarek against Manchester United last Tuesday and West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek in Saturday's match at Fulham.
Both decisions have now been overturned on appeal.
Reports said Dean had asked to be excused from duty next weekend although it is understood he will referee Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round match between Leicester and Brighton. 
Mike Riley, managing director of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), supported Dean's decision to notify the police.
-Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully support Mike's decision to report these messages his family received to the police- he said.
-Nobody should be victim of abhorrent messages like this. Online abuse is unacceptable in any walk of life and more needs to be done to tackle the problem.-Bednarek was sent off for a challenge on Anthony Martial in Manchester United's 9-0 win over Saints, with Dean sticking with his initial decision after being invited to check the pitchside monitor at Old Trafford.
Dean sent off Czech midfielder Soucek for catching Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow by accident in Saturday's goalless draw.
Dean checked the replays on the pitchside monitor after consulting VAR and decided the incident merited a straight red.
West Ham boss David Moyes said he was "disappointed with football in general" after the incident involving Soucek.
Moyes was unimpressed by Mitrovic's reaction -- the Serbia striker went down clutching his face -- but said the referees needed to be stronger in their decision-making.
-Every footballer has a responsibility to do the correct thing but the officials are giving the players responsibility to gain success by their actions- he said on Monday.
-The only people who can stop it are the officials. No-one else can change it. If players are going to do this, it needs to change.-

Dean was criticised for sending off Southampton defender Jan Bednarek against Manchester United last Tuesday and West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek in Saturday's match at Fulham

Referee Mike Dean shows West Ham's Tomas Soucek a red card

Premier League referee contacts police after death threats

Olympics organisers unveiled the first of a series of "playbooks" aimed at holding the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo Games safely on Wednesday, warning that rule breakers could be kicked out.

Sports officials will be allowed to skip quarantine as long as they monitor their health for 14 days after arriving in Japan, according to the 32-page document.
During those 14 days, however, the officials will not be allowed to travel outside the Games bubble or watch events as a spectator.
The playbooks are aimed at building confidence that the Games can go ahead even if the pandemic is not under control by the opening ceremony on July 23. The rules are set to be updated in April and again in June.
The first of the guides is aimed at sports officials, with versions for athletes, fans, media and others to follow in the coming weeks.
-We have learned a lot from the best practices of other events- said Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi of the International Olympic Committee.
-It is the mantra of all of us -- the Games have to be safe, for each stakeholder group, for each participant. It's a question of responsibility.-Officials will be subject to a series of rules during their stay in Japan, including mask-wearing, complying with contact tracing and staying within designated areas.
They will have to present a detailed itinerary of their planned movements for their first 14 days in Japan and stick closely to it on arrival.
And they will have to monitor and record their health for two weeks before going to Tokyo.
Details on rules for athletes were still being finalised, but officials said they would be tested for Covid-19 at least every four days, and would be tested before leaving their country and again on arrival in Japan.
The guide released on Wednesday warns rule breakers will face "consequences that may have an impact on participation" at the Games, with "repeated or serious failures" potentially leading to offenders being kicked out.
-These Games in many respects will be different- said Olympic Games Operations Director Pierre Ducrey at the IOC.
-There will be a number of constraints and conditions that the participants will have to respect and follow, which will have an impact on their experience, particularly when it comes to social aspects- he told reporters at a press conference presenting the rule book.
Doubts about the Games have grown as countries have been forced to re-enter lockdowns, with large parts of Japan currently under a state of emergency.
Japan's government approved a month-long extension of its state of emergency on Tuesday, with measures now running through March 7 in parts of the country.
Tighter border restrictions imposed after infections surged have already forced the postponement of some sporting fixtures in Japan, including this year's first Olympic test event, an artistic swimming qualifier that was scheduled for March.
The nationwide Olympic torch relay is still due to begin on March 25.
Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said Tuesday that the Games would go ahead this summer "however the coronavirus evolves", brushing aside doubts about the event.

Sports officials will be allowed to skip quarantine as long as they monitor their health for 14 days after arriving in Japan

Olympics organisers unveiled the first of a series of "playbooks" aimed for holding the Tokyo Games safely this summer

Olympics organisers unveil virus rule book for Tokyo Games

Roger Federer is targeting the Doha Open in March for his comeback after over a year on the sidelines recovering from two knee operations, the 20-time Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old Swiss has been out of action since February 2020 and shelved plans in December to compete in the Australian Open, which makes a delayed start next week.
It will be the first time Federer has missed the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne.
In an interview with Swiss radio SRF he said he now felt ready to begin his season in the tournament in Qatar which begins on March 8.
-For the first time I've got the feeling that my knee is once again ready for competition- said Federer, who has set Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics as his main objectives for 2021.
Federer's last appearance was a year ago in the Australian Open semi-final to eventual winner Novak Djokovic.
-This is my first attempt to return to a tournament. So it's important for me, for my team, that it's a minor event, and not a major, with all the stress that involves.--I have to be ready, mentally and physically, to last five matches in five days- added the Swiss great.The current world number five is missing only one major trophy in his long and decorated career, the Olympic singles gold medal, having claimed doubles gold with Stan Wawrinka in Beijing in 2008, and singles silver at the 2012 London Games.
Since his 20th and last Grand Slam victory in Melbourne in 2018 he has only made it to win major final, at Wimbledon in 2019 where he succumbed to Djokovic despite having two match points.

This will be the first time Federer has missed the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne

Federer: I have to be ready, mentally and physically, to last five matches in five days

Federer targets comeback at Doha Open in March

Two of the candidates in Barcelona's presidential election, Joan Laporta and Victor Font, insisted on Monday that Lionel Messi "generates more" than he earns, after his "colossal" club contract was published in a Spanish newspaper. 

-Leo generates much more income than the money he costs- Joan Laporta, who is seeking to regain the presidency, told Rac1 radio. 
-We have done a study and he generates a third of Barca's total income.--It's not only the economic return- Laporta said. -But also the emotional and sporting return, and the vivid moments he gives us.-Messi is in the last year of his contract. 
On Sunday, under the headline "the colossal contract that ruins Barcelona", El Mundo published details of the current deal, signed in 2017. It said Messi could have earned 555 million euros ($674 million) by the time the deal expires.
Barcelona responded by saying it was not the source of the leak and it planned to sue El Mundo. The club did not, however, contradict the details.
Laporta is one of three candidates for the election on March 7. One of his rivals, Font, spoke on Onda Cero radio.
-To imply that Barca is ruined because of Messi is an absolutely erroneous conclusion- he said. 
Both candidates condemned the "leak" to the Madrid newspaper and both promised they would do everything to keep Messi at Barca. 
-We have to do everything possible to keep Messi, in 2017 and today too- said Font.
Laporta, the president when Messi first broke into the Barcelona team, agreed.
-I will do everything possible to keep Messi at Barca. I have had signals that he is happy in Barcelona, that he wants to stay.-

Laporta: We have done a study and he generates a third of Barca's total income

Messi is in the last year of his contract

Barcelona presidential rivals insist Messi is worth it

Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal said Sunday they remain keen to compete in the delayed Tokyo Olympics, and would be guided by what the health experts tell them.
Organisers are still adamant the Olympics can be held safely even if the coronavirus is not under control by the time the flame is lit on July 23.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Osaka dmitted being worried by a recent poll that found 80 percent of the Japanese public were opposed to Tokyo hosting the event this year because of the pandemic. 
Large parts of Japan are currently under a state of emergency to tackle a spike in coronavirus cases, with borders closed to almost all foreigners.
-My concern would be the general safety of everyone else because you're opening the country- Osaka said. -Everyone is flying in from different places. I would just want the public to feel safe.- 
The 23-year-old has been the poster girl of the 2020 Olympics and still hopes to represent Japan at her home Games. 
-I will stay in my room for two weeks to play the Olympics- said Osaka, who lives in Florida. 
-I missed out on the last one. Playing in Tokyo would be very special to me.- 
World number two Rafael Nadal echoed Osaka's sentiments and hoped to play, but said health experts should have the final say. 
-What we have to do is just follow the instructions of what the people who really have the right knowledge of all this stuff give to us- he told reporters on Sunday. 
The Spaniard said mandatory quarantine ahead of the Olympics would be hard to squeeze into the congested tour schedule. 
-Combining our tour with another 15 days of quarantine to play Olympics- he said. -It looks difficult to fix it in our calendar.- 
World number one Djokovic has played in three Olympics, winning a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, calling it "the greatest honour" to represent Serbia at "the oldest and most traditional event in the history of sport".
He too is keen to be in Tokyo.
-I am personally planning to go for the Olympic Games. I'm really hoping that the Olympics will happen- he said.
-It's going to be a lot of people obviously. Far more than a tennis tournament. It's obviously not up to me to talk about organisation or what can be done, should be done, what will be done.-
World number nine Petra Kvitova, who won bronze in the women's singles in Rio, described the Olympics as a "fifth Grand Slam". 
-I hope that the Olympics really will happen, for sure- she said. -For me, the Olympic Games is very important.- 
Second-ranked Simona Halep, who competed at the 2012 London Games but skipped Rio in 2016 due to concerns over the Zika virus, said vying for her first Olympic medal was her top priority this year. 
-The main goal is a medal at the Olympics, to go there and be able to compete at the highest level- she told the WTA website.&nbsp;

Organisers are still adamant the Olympics can be held safely even if the coronavirus is not under control

Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal said Sunday they remain keen to compete in the delayed Tokio Olympics, and would be guided by what the health experts tell them

Osaka, Djokovic, Nadal keen to be at Olympics but virus a big concern

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed Friday to hold the Olympics as a symbol of unity and hope, despite growing doubts over the virus-postponed event's fate.
-Japan will hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer- Suga said at the annual World Economic Forum, held online as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc worldwide.
-I'm determined to realise the Games that will bring hope and courage to the world, as proof of mankind's victory over the virus and as a symbol of global unity.-
His strident tone echoed that of Tokyo Olympics organisers and the International Olympic Committee, both of whom insisted this week that the Games will go ahead safely.
But with many countries still paralysed by Covid-19 and large parts of Japan -- including Tokyo -- under a state of emergency, concern is growing over pushing ahead with the huge international event, due to start on July 23.
Tokyo's first Olympic test event of 2021, an artistic swimming competition scheduled for March, was postponed on Thursday for two months because of travel restrictions.
In December, Tokyo 2020 chiefs unveiled a 53-page anti-virus rulebook that they say will allow the Games to be held safely even without a vaccine.
But public support in Japan for holding the Games this year is low.
A poll conducted last weekend by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper showed only 11 percent of the 1,647 respondents said the Olympics should go ahead this summer.
In the survey, 51 percent supported postponement and 35 percent said it should be cancelled.

In December, Tokyo 2020 chiefs unveiled a 53-page anti-virus rulebook that they say will allow the Games to be held safely even without a vaccine

Suga's strident tone echoed that of Tokyo Olympics organisers and the IOC, who insist the Games will go ahead this summer

Japan PM says Olympics will unite world in hope

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suggested that athletes and officials be vaccinated before they arrive in Japan for the summer games.
-The IOC will work with the NOCs (National Olympic Committees) to encourage and assist their athletes, officials and stakeholders to get vaccinated in their home countries, in line with national immunization guidelines, before they go to Japan- the IOC said in a statement late Tuesday.
-This is to contribute to the safe environment of the Games, but also out of respect for the Japanese people, who should be confident that everything is being done to protect not only the participants, but also the Japanese people themselves.-
IOC President Thomas Bach encouraged Olympic and Paralympic participants to get inoculated, but clarified it will not be obligatory.
Initially scheduled for last July, the 2020 Olympics were among a host of sports events postponed worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event is now due in the capital Tokyo from July 23 to Aug. 8, followed by the Paralympics from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.
The Japanese government has categorically denied reports on the potential cancellation of the Olympic Games.

Games scheduled in Tokyo from July 23 to Aug. 8

In this photo illustration taken in Ankara, Turkey on December 30, 2020 a vaccine syringe with a drop on the needle's end is seen in front of a computer screen showing the flag of International Olympic Committee (IOC)

IOC suggests vaccination for athletes ahead of Olympics

Ivaylo Petev is the new selector of the B&amp;H national football team, it was decided today by the Executive Board of the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As he emphasized in an exclusive statement for "Avaz", he refused invitations to over 15 journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina today.
- I have seen some texts in your media that are not very kind to me, but I manage to work professionally and have such cooperation with everyone - said Petev, and then added:
- You have no idea how much I know about the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have been following everything with great attention for seven or eight years. I also know what was going on in the barrage. I must say that I have great sympathy for Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have a lot of friends here which are not known to public.
As he says, he still does not have the authority to go into details about the national team, but he certainly has his own vision. The truth is Petev, he was not a favorite of the public.
- It smells to me that there was little politics in everything. I don’t care about it, nor have I ever been interested in it. I am only interested in the result and nothing else. Only the field, the players, the national team and the result - Petev emphasized.

The new selector spoke for our portal

Ivaylo Petev for "Avaz": I am not interested in politics, only the result

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 760th career goal in Juventus' 2-0 Italian Super Cup win over Napoli on Wednesday, prompting claims he is the top scorer of all time. However, doubts persist as to who actually holds the record.
With five goals for Sporting Lisbon, 118 for Manchester United, 450 for Real Madrid, 85 for Juventus and 102 for Portugal, there is little debate over Ronaldo's own tally.
The Portuguese forward, who turns 36 next month, is the undisputed holder of several records, easily the leading scorer for Real Madrid and his country, and above Lionel Messi in the Champions League goalscoring charts.
But uncertainty arises from the totals of his rivals from previous eras, with the likes of Brazilian duo Pele and Romario both claiming to have netted more than 1,000 goals.
Last month Barcelona's Messi surpassed Pele's recognised total of 643 goals for a single club, but Santos swiftly countered saying the three-time World Cup winner racked up 1,091 goals for them including those in friendlies.
Pele's own Instagram bio notes he is the "Leading Goal Scorer of All Time (1,283)". 
However, if just official matches are the measuring stick, the Brazilian is apparently still behind Josef Bican, who football historians calculated scored 805 goals between 1931 and 1955 playing for half a dozen clubs as well as Austria and Czechoslovakia.
-'Pepi', as he was known, is credited with scoring 805 goals in 530 games, giving him a career average of 1.52 goals per game- FIFA.com said in an article devoted to him last year. 
Included in that number though are 27 goals for Rapid Vienna's reserve and amateur sides, in addition to some that were scored not in official international matches.
Discounting those strikes puts Bican on 759 goals from just 495 games, although international football research website RSSSF (Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation) says data is partially missing from the 1952 season in the Czech second division.
Pele is credited with between 757 and 767 goals in competitive matches over his career, which included 92 Brazil internationals and two seasons with the New York Cosmos.
He is listed third (767) by RSSSF behind Romario, who helped Brazil to the 1994 World Cup and ended with 772 goals.
Romario celebrated reaching a "personal count" of 1,000 goals in 2007, a total comprising strikes at youth level and in friendlies and testimonials.
Other reports and statisticians suggest Romario's official haul is just under 750 following a globetrotting career that included spells at PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Flamengo, Miami FC and Adelaide United.
As for Messi, who at 33 is two years Ronaldo's junior, he is on 719 goals for Barcelona and Argentina and will undoubtedly factor into the equation before he is done. 
What is certain is that even if Ronaldo did not break the all-time record, the mark appears well within reach for a player who continues to score at a remarkable rate as he approaches his 36th birthday.

The Portuguese forward, who turns 36 next month, is the undisputed holder of several records

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 760th career goal in Juventus' 2-0 Italian Super Cup win over Napoli on Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021.

Ronaldo scores 760th career goal, but is it a world record?

Serie A leaders AC Milan announced on Tuesday the arrival of former Croatia striker Mario Mandžukić on a six-month contract.
Free agent Mandžukić, 34, who retired from international football after losing the 2018 World Cup final, returns to the Italian top-flight after four years with Juventus.
Mandžukić left Juve for Al-Duhail in 2019 but departed the Qatari side by mutual consent last July.
-The club and the striker have agreed on a deal until the end of the current season with an option to extend the contract for the next one- Milan said.
Coach Stefano Pioli said the transfer underlined the 18-time league champions' aspirations.
-I'm happy, he's an extra arm in attack. The club is ambitious again, the arrival of Mandžukić goes in that direction," Pioli said after Monday's win at Cagliari which allowed his outfit to retain top spot.
Ex-Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimović will compete with Mandžukić for a starting spot in the side.
-We will be two to scare the opposition. Now the most difficult matches start, with more players, the coach will be able to make changes- he said after the victory.
They have a three-point advantage over local rivals Inter Milan before hosting Atalanta this Saturday.

He signed a six-month contract

Mario Mandžukić won Serie A four times with Juventus

Mandžukić joins AC Milan on short-term deal

The assembly of the Željezničar Football Club will be held on January 23rd in Konjic, and the members of the Assembly have already received the materials. The club will need a new leadership at this session, but something will be discussed that, if all goes well, could determine the future of the popular B&amp;H club.

Namely, a letter of intent from Samir Cerić, as it was said, an entrepreneur from B&amp;H who has been living and working in London for thirty years, also arrived in the materials.
- As a businessman whose career so far has been related to investments in various fields, and in recent years to projects in the field of sports (among other things, he initiated Sarajevo's candidacy for the Formula E race), Mr. Cerić presented an ambitious strategic cooperation plan and help to FC Željezničar because together with his associates he recognized the sports, business and marketing potential that FC Željezničar Sarajevo brings with its history, tradition and number of fans. This initiative and Mr. Cerić's proposals will be discussed at the Assembly session - it was written from the club to the members of the Assembly.
"Avaz" exclusively publishes the plan that Cerić offered to the Assembly.

His letter of intent will be discussed at the upcoming Assembly

"Avaz" reveals: Who is the man who wants to invest in FC Željezničar and what does he offer

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been recalled to the AC Milan squad after seven weeks out injured for Saturday's Serie A match against Torino.
The 39-year-old, who has missed the Serie A leaders' last eight league games, had not been expected to return until next weekend against Cagliari.
Ibrahimovic scored 10 goals in six league games before picking up a thigh injury after scoring a double in a 3-1 win over Napoli on November 22, and later had problems with his calf.
Stefano Pioli's side have numerous injuries as they try and hold top spot against lowly Torino, with Inter Milan just one point behind in second.
Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has also been included despite hurting his ankle in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to champions Juventus.
But Matteo Gabbia, Ismael Bennacer and Alexis Saelemaekers remain out injured with midfielder Rade Krunic and forward Ante Rebic recovering from coronavirus.&nbsp;

The 39-year-old, who has missed the Serie A leaders' last eight league games, had not been expected to return until next weekend against Cagliari

Ibrahimovic scored 10 goals in six league games before picking up a thigh injury after scoring a double in a 3-1 win over Napoli on November 22nd

Ibrahimovic returns to AC Milan squad against Torino

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho -- one win away from a fifth League Cup win in his career -- says the recipe for his success is respect for the competition.
The 57-year-old could deliver Spurs' first piece of silverware since 2008 if they win the final in April at Wembley.
Mourinho became just the third manager to reach the final with three different clubs following the late Ron Saunders and Ron Atkinson after Spurs beat spirited Championship side Brentford 2-0 on Tuesday.
They will play the winners of Wednesday's semi-final between holders Manchester City and Manchester United, with whom Mourinho won the trophy in 2017.
Mourinho's first taste of success in English football came when Chelsea won the 2005 League Cup.
-I came to England in 2004 and I remember that in that period I had to learn the meaning of the cups here and I always took it seriously- he said.
-If there is any secret, it's to take it seriously.-
Mourinho has fielded strong sides in the League Cup this season even though many managers see it as a distraction from other challenges and put out weakened teams.
The Portuguese said it was important "to respect what English football is, what English clubs are, what English lower divisions are, and try to not be surprised in any of the games from smaller quality".
-When you have, like we had this season, a game against Chelsea (in the fourth round), (you have) to go seriously and with ambition- he said.
-What I sense in the team is exactly that desire. I'm not saying winning mentality, I'm not saying we are this or that.
--I just say we are honest people. The guys since the first game against Chelsea, then Stoke, and now the guys took it seriously.-
Mourinho said he was approaching Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash away at eighth-tier Marine in the same way.
-Try to be serious, respect the opponents, and try to progress- he said.
He said big clubs still wanted to win the League Cup even though they might have other priorities -- only City, United and Chelsea have won it in the past seven seasons.
-If you see the winners you realise the big clubs want to win it- he said.
-The big clubs care about it," he added. -The final says a lot. Tottenham against Manchester City or Tottenham against Manchester United.-

The 57-year-old could deliver Spurs' first piece of silverware since 2008 if they win the final in April at Wembley

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Mandžukić joins AC Milan on short-term deal

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Sports

Former Olympic athlete Hashimoto chosen as head of Tokyo 2020 organisers

Infantino says Covid measures could still be in place for 2022 World Cup

No hugs or high-fives: Olympic organisers unveil athlete rulebook

Premier League referee contacts police after death threats

Olympics organisers unveil virus rule book for Tokyo Games

Federer targets comeback at Doha Open in March

Barcelona presidential rivals insist Messi is worth it

Osaka, Djokovic, Nadal keen to be at Olympics but virus a big concern

Japan PM says Olympics will unite world in hope

IOC suggests vaccination for athletes ahead of Olympics

Ivaylo Petev for "Avaz": I am not interested in politics, only the result

Ronaldo scores 760th career goal, but is it a world record?

Mandžukić joins AC Milan on short-term deal

"Avaz" reveals: Who is the man who wants to invest in FC Željezničar and what does he offer

Ibrahimovic returns to AC Milan squad against Torino

Mourinho says 'respect' is key to League Cup success