SONIA BOMPASTOR says Chelsea were “disappointed” to have their top-flight clash with Manchester United postponed.
The Blues boss also reckons the move to put their Women’s Super League duel on hold, was not good.
Bompastor, whose team hosts Real Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow, was reflecting on the decision that resulted in Chelsea missing out on WSL action at the weekend.
Their duel with the Red Devils was scheduled to take place on Sunday – just two days before their group stage opener against Madrid at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea chief, 44, said: “Of course, we were disappointed, players and staff.
“I think everyone has to understand we were supposed to play.
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“We were in a very, very good team dynamic, and not having the opportunity to play this weekend changed everything in preparation for the game against Real Madrid.
“When you have the opportunity to play one game a week, and with this decision being made and postponing the game, now we have been out of competition for 10 days, which is completely different.
“If you look at the situation, the decision is not good.
“It’s not good for all the English clubs who are in the Champions League competition.”
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Chelsea’s title win last term saw them automatically reach the tournament’s group stages this season.
And last month Arsenal and Manchester City joined them after battling through competition’s qualifiers.
On September 29 the Women’s Professional League Limited, who this term took over the running of the WSL, announced the postponement of the Blues’ clash with United.
They cited player welfare as the reason given the tight turnaround between domestic and European games for the WSL title-holders.
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The organisation has come in for criticism concerning its decision, with Uefa having published its Champions League match calendar more than a year ago.
And Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall described the handling of the situation as “amateurish”.
On if better communication is needed between Uefa and federations and authorities like the WPLL, Bompastor added: “The league is a professional league.
“They need to know about the rules. I just said to the league my thoughts on the situation, I think that’s good enough for me.
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“I don’t want to share more here in a press conference.
“For them, it’s good to have our feedback and as I always said to the league, we should be proud to have three English clubs in the Champions League this year.
“All the decisions in this league through the season have to be made in order to help the English clubs to compete in the Champions League.”
Tomorrow night at Stamford Bridge Chelsea will begin their quest to win a Women’s Champions League for the first time in their history.
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Their game against Madrid, who are second in Spain’s top-flight and currently level on points with leaders Barcelona, will be Bompastor’s first in Europe as the Blues’ gaffer.
The last time Bompastor oversaw side competing in contest at the stadium was when her old club Lyon faced Chelsea in a second-leg semi-final game
In March last year they were beaten by the Blues, then managed Emma Hayes, via a dramatic penalty shootout.
Bompastor, who has won the tournament as a player and coach, also played for a Lyon team that reached the contest final at Stamford Bridge in 2013.
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Back then they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to German giants Wolfsburg.
The Blues manager adds: “I played in a Champions League final at Stamford Bridge in 2013 and I’ve been here as a manager of Lyon.
“Now I’m really excited because now I’m in the dugout for Chelsea and I’m the Chelsea manager.
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“I can’t wait to be in that position, enjoy the game and enjoy to be out there with the players and the fans.”
Last year, Cool Hand beat Gerwyn Price 5-2 in the final to claim his first major TV title.
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12 months later, Humphries goes into the World Grand Prix as world champion and one of the sport’s standout players.
Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen will be eyeing a seventh tournament win as he looks to chase down 11-time winner Phil Taylor’s record for most triumphs.
This week’s 32-player also included Luke Littler as he made his debut in the World Grand Prix – but the teenager lost in the first round to Rob Cross.
When is the World Grand Prix Darts 2024?
The World Grand Prix Darts 2024 will begin on Monday, October 7.
The tournament will run until Sunday, October 13.
The Mattioli Arena in Leicester will host.
What TV channel is the World Grand Prix Darts 2024 on and can it be live streamed?
The World Grand Prix Darts will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Sky Sports customers can live stream all the action on the Sky Sports/NOW app.
Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.
What is the World Grand Prix Darts 2024 format?
The World Grand Prix is the only double-start tournament in the PDC calendar.
This means that players must begin and finish on either a double or the bull.
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A player will only start scoring points in a leg once they hit a double, with the points value of their opening double counting as their first scoring dart.
Matches are played to set format, with each set being the best of five legs.
“I don’t think that he’s really good and the best striker because to have just one good punch, it doesn’t mean you’re a really good striker,” Vakhitov told Submission Radio.
“A real striker is someone who has a lot of combinations, very different opportunities. He’s just taught well: one punch and deliver in it. But it doesn’t mean having good distance and timing and other stuff. So I think he’s not a really good striker because of it.”
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Vakhitov and Pereira fought twice in Glory Kickboxing in back-to-back bouts. Pereria won their first meeting by split decision at Glory 77 in January 2021. Vakhitov avenged that loss eight months later by majority decision at Glory 78.
Pereira said he doubts Vakhitov can recreate their kickboxing history in the UFC, but Vakhitov thinks otherwise. The 33-year-old will look to earn a UFC contract Tuesday when he meets Islem Masraf (3-0) at Dana White’s Contender Series 75 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
“Yes, for sure I saw it, and he could say now whatever he wants. But the time will come, and he will change his opinion, I’m sure,” Vakhitov said. “Fighting in small gloves is a different sport. We have a very good and experienced team. For sure in the future, if the fight would happen, we would do everything to be ready for it.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.
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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah has signed a new long-term contract at the club.
The 21-year-old has been at the Reds since he was five and made 33 appearances in all competitions in his debut season last term.
He has played twice in the current campaign under head coach Arne Slot – the 2-0 win against Ipswich in Liverpool’s Premier League opener and the 5-1 victory over West Ham in the League Cup.
Pre-tournament favourite Luke Littler fell to a 2-1 defeat by Rob Cross on his debut in the World Grand Prix in Leicester.
Teenage star Littler made six maximums in the match but at times struggled to get going in the double-start format despite levelling at 1-1 after losing the first set.
Cross impressively held his nerve against the 17-year-old, finishing with a bullseye in the fourth set to claim only his third victory in the tournament.
Englishman Cross, who won the World Championship on his debut in 2018, will now face Germany’s Martin Schindler in the second round on Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, reigning champion Luke Humphries fought back from a set and two legs down to beat Masters winner Stephen Bunting 2-1.
Bunting won the first five legs against the world number one but missed a double 16 to win the match and watched on as Humphries took the next three legs to level, before pulling clear.
Humphries, who celebrated his maiden TV ranking title with victory over Gerwyn Price 12 months ago, is aiming to bidding to become the third player to retain it after Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
He now plays Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko, who defeated Dutch five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld 2-1.
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In Monday’s other results, Nathan Aspinall defeated Ryan Searle 2-1, Schindler beat Brendan Dolan 2-0 and Ryan Joyce, Jonny Clayton and Ross Smith triumphed by the same scoreline against Josh Rock, Ritchie Edhouse and Gian van Veen, respectively.
“The Lioness”, who retired from the sport after defending her UFC bantamweight title against Irene Aldana in June of 2023, posted a video singing “Outdoor”, of Brazilian samba group Só Pra Contrariar.
Nunes changed the lyrics to ask White to “call me, please,” adding that “I miss you so much.”
The original lyrics are as follows.
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I can’t believe you won’t look for me
I’ve suffered too much beyond what I deserve
Oh, please call
I miss you so much
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Nunes left the UFC as a two-division champion, winning 14 of her past 15 fights. Julianna Peña — the lone loss for Nunes during that stretch, who beat “The Lioness” for the 135-pound belt before losing their rematch — called for a trilogy bout after defeating Raquel Pennington in the co-main event of UFC 307 this past Saturday in Salt Lake City.
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