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CGTN Sports TalkAC Milan, Newcastle make 'group of death' in UCLThe draw results for the group stage of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League are as follows:
Group A: Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Copenhagen, Galatasaray
Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Lens
Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, SC Braga, Union Berlin
Group D: Benfica, Inter Milan, Red Bull Salzburg, Real Sociedad
Group E: Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Celtic
Group F: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Newcastle United
Group G: Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys
Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Royal Antwerp
Like many had expected, AC Milan from Pot 3 and Newcastle from Pot 4 have...2023-09-0200 minCGTN Sports TalkAre these players really worth 100 million euros?Seven players have joined the 100-million-euro club in the sense of transfer fees in the past three years in Europe. They are:
Jack Grealish, 117.5 million euros (about $128.7 million), from Aston Villa to Manchester City;
Romelu Lukaku, 113 million euros (about 123.8 million), from Inter Milan to Chelsea;
Enzo Fernandez, 121 million euros (about $132.6 million), from Benfica to Chelsea;
Jude Bellingham, 103 million euros (about $112.8 million), from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid;
Declan Rice, 116.6 million euros (about $127.7 million), from West Ham United to Arsenal;
Harry Kane, 100 million euros (about $109.6 million), from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich;
Moises Caicedo, 133 million euros (about $145.7 million), from Brighton to...2023-08-1400 minCGTN Sports TalkAfter Messi and Mbappe, Neymar wants to leave PSG tooWhen Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) assembled the trio of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi in August 2021, they seemed closer than ever to taking the throne in Europe.
It cost PSG, 222 million euros (about $243.8 million) to acquire Neymar in 2017 and 180 million euros (about $197.7 million) to land Mbappe in 2018. Messi joined in 2021 as a free agent, but not for free.
The three seem to be leaving the Parc des Princes in reverse of that order. Messi already departed for Miami Inter, again as a free agent. It's only a matter of time for Mbappe to join another club after his fallout with...2023-08-0800 minCGTN Sports TalkShould UEFA worry about Saudi poaching?Portuguese star midfielder Bernardo Silva of Manchester City is close to joining the Saudi Pro League, according to Marca.
Multiple notable players have joined the Saudi league in the past six months, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante. The Middle Eastern clubs with deep pockets even targeted Lionel Messi and Luka Modric, who turned the juicy offers down in the end.
UEFA President Alexander Ceferin said last week that he is not worried about the massive poaching moves by the Saudi league because no top player in their prime has joined a Saudi club.
Silva, who has been...2023-06-2300 minCGTN Sports TalkWho is the NBA MVP now?Nikola Jokic just became the first second-round draftee to win the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) after leading the Denver Nuggets to defeat the Miami Heat 4-1 in the series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on Monday.
Jokic failed to win the regular season MVP three times in a row and was passed over for the All-NBA First team this season, but he made history for his team by taking them to the NBA Finals for the first time and winning for the first time.
By contrast, Joel Embiid won the regular season MVP award but failed to...2023-06-1400 minCGTN Sports TalkWinners and losers in UEFA Champions League finalIn a not very convincing 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, Manchester City took the throne of European club football competitions.
Man City's manager Pep Guardiola won his first Champions League trophy without Barcelona or Lionel Messi, setting a major milestone in his career. Erling Haaland stood next to him. Though the Norwegian superstar didn't score any goal in the game, the club wouldn't have done it without him distracting most of the opponents' defensive attention.
Inter Milan, which were seen as the underdog from the g...2023-06-1100 minCGTN Sports TalkSome UEFA top leagues face a new era, some don'tManchester City, which have won their third Premier League title in a row and are preparing for the UEFA Champions League final, are looking at a great opportunity to create their own era.
Barcelona, which clinched the La Liga championship trophy four games early, have not only a mount of debt, but also Real Madrid, who are ready to build the new Galacticos, to worry about.
Napoli won their first Serie A title in 33 years, but are not sure how many of their players will still be with the team next season. Meanwhile, which of the three traditional powerhouses, Inter...2023-06-0300 minCGTN Sports TalkAre Bayern Munich satisfied with the 2022-23 season?Jamal Musiala's goal for Bayern Munich in the 89th minute against Cologne at RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday saved the 2022-23 season for the club because at least they finished with one trophy.
But, just how happy will Bayern and their fans be at the Bundesliga title after winning it 11 times in row, especially after they were eliminated from both the UEFA Champions League and the DFB-Pokal?
Whatever target CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had when they decided to replace Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel in the manager position in the middle of the season, they failed to achieve...2023-05-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkDo Inter have a chance in the UEFA Champions League final?Manchester City and Inter Milan will play each other in this season's UEFA Champions League final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, on June 10.
Having been seeking a Champions League title for over a decade, Man City now have their second chance in three years. They have already beaten Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, two traditional European powerhouses that have left the English giants some really unpleasant memories before. Pep Guardiola and his players have to reason to repeat the failure this time.
The last time Inter appeared in the Champions League final was in 2010 and they w...2023-05-2000 minCGTN Sports TalkWho do you blame for 76ers' playoff elimination?If you ask the Milwaukee Bucks or the Phoenix Suns, they will probably say it's the 76ers' head coach Doc Rivers since the two teams just fired their coaches after playoffs exit.
Many blame James Harden for not doing enough even after he carried the 76ers to two key victories like a lone hero who scored 45 and 42 points in those competitions.
Joel Embiid, who beat Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets in this season's NBA Most Valuable Player race, played nothing like himself against the Celtics, or, perhaps too much like himself?
When a team's best player underperforms like Embiid...2023-05-1700 minCGTN Sports TalkHow do Nuggets, Heat, Lakers advance to Conference Finals?Three teams have advanced to the NBA Conference Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets will face each other in the West while the Heat wait to see who they will play in the East.
LeBron James won his second series against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in their fifth meeting, though not in the NBA Finals this time.
Nikola Jokic didn't win the NBA Most Valuable Player award for the third time in a row, but he is leading the Denver Nuggets over the Phoenix Suns and on the way to something bigger.
The Heat...2023-05-1300 minCGTN Sports TalkHow much gas do Curry, James still have?The last time Stephen Curry played LeBron James in the NBA postseason was in 2018 during the Finals. That was their fourth straight meeting since 2015. Now the two will face each other again, only this time, it's in the Western Conference semifinals and James is a Laker.
Both the Warriors and the Lakers were underdogs when they knocked out the Sacramento Kings and the Memphis Grizzlies respectively in the first round. It took the Warriors more effort to do it while the Lakers enjoyed a longer rest.
As defending champions, the Warriors will need to figure out how to contain James...2023-05-0300 minCGTN Sports TalkLakers have the heart of championsHow many were surprised at the Los Angeles Lakers' 4-2 series win over the Memphis Grizzlies in this year's NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs?
The purple and gold have completed a great upgrade after trading for Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and D'Angelo Russell in February. It took some time to put every piece in place, but they became a different before entering the playoffs.
The Lakers began their postseason competitions with a different LeBron James as well. In his 20th NBA season, 38-year-old James showed the rest of the league that he can still figure out a new way to...2023-04-2900 minCGTN Sports TalkWild Eastern Conference in NBA playoffsTwo of the top four teams in the NBA Eastern Conference, the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers, were upset by the No. 8 Miami Heat and the No. 5 New York Knicks, respectively, in the first-round playoffs.
Jimmy Butler cemented his reputation as "tough" with his epic performances for the Heat during their 4-1 series win against the Bucks.
The Knicks showed the rest of the league that, even in today's NBA which is about spacing, speed and efficiency, the slow, physical old-fashioned way of playing from the 1990s could also enable a team to win.
The Boston Celtics...2023-04-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkNuggets, Suns to meet again in West semifinalThe Phoenix Suns have eliminated the Los Angeles 4-1 in the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs after Devin Booker left two dominant games while the whole team was benefiting from the presence of Kevin Durant.
The Suns will face the Denver Nuggets in the semifinals after they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves with a gentleman's sweep too. Two years ago, the Nuggets and their ace Nikola Jokic had some really bad memories of being swept by the Suns in the West semifinals.
Both the Clippers and the Timberwolves will enter the offseason with a lot of problems to fix. The Clippers...2023-04-2600 minCGTN Sports Talk76ers in East semifinals, but maybe without EmbiidThe Philadelphia 76ers swept the Brooklyn Nets 4-0 in the NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoffs, though they faced certain level of resistance from the opponents that completed two blockbuster trades in February for a lineup reshuffle.
While the 76ers are waiting to find out who they will meet in the East semifinals, they may want to pray that Joel Embiid can recover quickly from his knee sprain. Not only did that injury cost him Game 4 against the Nets, according to coach Doc Rivers, Embiid may not be able to ready to start in the second round.
The Nets don't have...2023-04-2300 minCGTN Sports TalkHave Man City changed their aura by beating Bayern?Manchester City made a significant breakthrough in the UEFA Champions League with their 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the tournament's quarterfinals at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
Man City have gone further than the quarterfinals before in the Champions League, but securing such a big win over heavyweights like Bayern has been very rare for the English club despite their Europe-top lineup in the past decade.
The good news for Bayern is that, though they allowed three goals, the process of Tuesday’s game was not as bad as the result seemed. If they make th...2023-04-1300 minCGTN Sports TalkWhy are they not NBA championship contenders?The Cleveland Cavaliers, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers are three competitive teams in the 2022-23 NBA regular season, but none are serious title contenders.
The Cavaliers have been a solid defensive team during the campaign, but don't be surprised when you see four of their five starters become the attacking targets of the opponents in the playoffs.
The Grizzlies have been counting on Ja Morant as the team's leader and ace, but his weak individual defense, and the absence of Steven Adams may be lethal to the team in the postseason. Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr...2023-04-0500 minCGTN Sports TalkWho do you pick for NBA MVP, Jokic or Embiid?If you need to choose between the following two players for the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, who do you pick?
Nikola Jokic, who has averaged 24.9 points, 11. 9 rebounds and 9.9 assists in 67 games for the Western Conference leader Denver Nuggets;
Joel Embiid, who has averaged 33 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 63 games for the Eastern Conference No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers.
Jokic, who has won the MVP award twice in a row, led the race for most of the season, but Embiid caught up early in March. However, Embiid's recent interview comments and decision to skip the game against Jokic appear to...2023-04-0100 minCGTN Sports TalkWhat keeps NBA title contenders from winning the honor?Judging by the NBA teams' performances so far this season, six of them have the better chance of winning the championship in the end, but the race will be very close.
The Denver Nuggets have the unstoppable two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, but does he have enough trustworthy teammates?
The reigning champions Golden State Warriors know they can count on Stephen Curry, but who else can they go to for clutch plays?
The Phoenix Suns may have the best offensive combination after Kevin Durant's arrival, but can they stay healthy till the end?
The Boston Celtics appeared in...2023-03-2700 minCGTN Sports TalkWhy did Bayern Munich fire Julian Nagelsmann now?Julian Nagelsmann has been replaced by Thomas Tuchel as the manager of Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga powerhouse announced on Friday.
The direct trigger for this major personnel change is likely Bayern's loss to Bayer Leverkusen on March 19. They dropped to the second on the standings table below Borussia Dortmund because of that, but only by one point.
Bayern are currently at a very crucial stage of the 2022-23 campaign. They have nine games to play in Bundesliga and will face Dortmund on March 1; they have entered the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals where they will face the Premier League heavy weights...2023-03-2500 minCGTN Sports TalkHave Bayern Munich ended an era for PSG?Bayern Munich eliminated Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday with their eighth straight win in the tournament. The Bundesliga giants allowed no goal in seven of those games.
PSG performed in completely different ways in the first and second halves of Wednesday's competition. Instead of making adjustments for the club to win, their manager Christophe Galtier's decision of sending El Chadaille Bitshiabu to the field cost them this game.
As one of the biggest-spending clubs in Europe, PSG have reached the Champions League final only once in the past decade. No matter which and how many...2023-03-0900 minCGTN Sports TalkIs there suspense in the La Liga, Serie A title races?Barcelona currently enjoy a seven-point lead over Real Madrid in La Liga after both sides played 23 games. Judging by history, it won't be easy for the team behind to catch up.
First, the rest of the league is hardly able to slow Barca down, especially after they have no European competitions to worry about; second, Real's biggest target this season is likely the UEFA Champions League title.
By contrast, the race for the Serie A championship seems over since Napoli's 18-point lead is unshakable. The team has been so dominant that they have won 21 of their 24 games in the domestic...2023-03-0400 minCGTN Sports TalkOpen title races in Premier League, BundesligaWho would have thought that after nearly two-thirds of matches in the 2022-23 season, Arsenal are leading the Premier League over Manchester City, especially when "The Gunners" played one fewer game?
Meanwhile, just in case you haven't noticed, Manchester United, which have been seen as a bad example for heavyweights in recent years, are only six points behind Man City. The "Red Devils" do not pose an immediate threat yet to the top two teams, but they are capable of causing trouble for both.
Bundesliga is looking at a new scenario as well this season. Instead of Bayern Munich booking...2023-02-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkMan United beat Barca in 'rebuild' raceManchester United's 2-1 win over Barcelona in the second-leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 competitions became one of the most important victories for the "Red Devils" this season.
Erik ten Hag, who was appointed as Man United's manager after the 2021-22 campaign, has carved his team into an energetic and competitive group after the right players were brought in and underperformers were sent away.
By contrast, Xavi, in his second season as Barca's manager, watched his team struggle even more in the European competitions. Unlike Man United, they don't have enough funding to reshuffle their lineup dramatically.
Both...2023-02-2400 minCGTN Sports TalkKarius isn't here, but he's everywhereReal Madrid's 5-2 comeback win over Liverpool in the first-leg game of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 competitions at Anfield reminded both sides' fans of the final five years ago between the same two teams.
Back then, at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Liverpool's goalkeeper Loris Karius made two lethal mistakes that cost his team's game. Real's Thibaut Courtois and Liverpool's Alisson Becker repeated history on Tuesday night.
Of course, the two goals that resulted from the two goalies' turnovers didn't decide the result of the game like Karius' underperformance did. Liverpool's loss reflected the gap between them...2023-02-2300 minCGTN Sports TalkIt's not perfect, but Bayern Munich beat PSGBayern Munich's 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night was like déjà vu of many of their Bundesliga games this season. They had the apparent advantage, but shied away from finishing the final scoring move.
PSG did Bayern a favor by replacing Achraf Hakimi with Presnel Kimpembem and leaving 16-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery to guard Alphonso Davies alone.
PSG soon sent Kylian Mbappe to the field after allowing the goal by Kingsley Coman. Mbappe's speed plus the creativity of Lionel Messi and Neymar immediately took the club’s offense up a notch.
Unfortunately, both...2023-02-1500 minCGTN Sports TalkDurant in the center of a new era in the NBAThe four days before the 2022-23 NBA trade deadline were full of nothing but constant surprises. Some teams look completely different to how they did less than a week ago.
Among all of the game-changing deals, Kevin Durant's departure from the Brooklyn Nets for the Phoenix Suns definitely had the biggest impact.
Imagine that a team has two historic scorers, Durant and Devin Booker, an experienced playmaker in Chris Paul, as well as a young big man, Deandre Ayton, who averages a double-double since he entered the league.
The Suns on paper have grown as dominant as the Golden State...2023-02-1100 minCGTN Sports TalkWas Chelsea's 300+ million euro spend on transfers wise?Chelsea outspent another club during the European football winter transfer window that closed on Tuesday.
It cost "The Blues" as much as 329.5 million euros (about $358.6 million) to bring multiple players to Stamford Bridge. The transfer of Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica even set a new Premier League record fee of 121 million euros.
One of the major reasons behind Chelsea's struggling performance in the first half of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign is their poor offense, which produced only 22 goals in 20 games.
Have the club signed the right players to help them fix that problem and other shortcomings?
Host: Li...2023-02-0100 minCGTN Sports TalkWill Lakers trade create domino effect in NBA?The Los Angeles Lakers sent three future second-round draft picks and Kendrick Nunn to the Wizards for Rui Hachimura, who is in the final year of his rookie contract. The three picks are a 2023 second-rounder via the Chicago Bulls, their own pick for 2029 and the less favorable of the Washington Wizards' and Lakers' 2028 second-rounders.
On paper, Hachimura is exactly the kind of player the Lakers need with his 2.03-meter-height, 104-kilogram weight, power and 3-point shooting ability. The fact that the Wizards drafted him with the ninth pick in 2019 means he's at least promising.
However, landing Hachimura is hardly a game-changer...2023-01-2400 minCGTN Sports TalkMessi adds third star to Argentina's jerseyLionel Messi wrote likely the final, perfect chapter to his story as a member of the Argentine national team after they won the third FIFA World Cup title for "La albiceleste" at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Sunday night.
The victory belonged to everyone, including Messi and Angel Di Maria, who together scored Argentina's three goals, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez who blocked at least two key shots, and Gonzalo Montiel who made the decisive final penalty.
Kylian Mbappe won the World Cup Golden Boot award as the second player in history to score a hat trick in the tournament's final. He...2022-12-1900 minCGTN Sports TalkAre Croatia the new 'king without the crown?'The goals of Josko Gvardiol and Mislav Orsic helped Croatia defeat Morocco at the Khalifa International Stadium and pocket their second bronze medal in the FIFA World Cup.
Croatia have appeared in six editions of the tournament since the first time there in 1998. As long as they made it out of their group, their worst record was advancing to the semifinals, not to mention that the team reached the final in 2018.
As for Morocco, their performance in Qatar was more than impressive. They made history not just for the team, but also for the whole continent of Africa.
Despite the...2022-12-1800 minCGTN Sports TalkLet the battle begin for the football throneEither Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe will be recognized by many as the "king of football" after the FIFA World Cup final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Sunday night.
Messi is a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, a top two player in Argentine national team history and just won his first major international championship last year at Copa America. He needs a World Cup title to complete his career.
Mbappe has won the World Cup, but he is on the way to repeating Pele's legendary accomplishment of defending the championship. He still has a lot to earn at the club...2022-12-1700 minCGTN Sports TalkCroatia, Morocco to fight for 'immortality'Croatia and Morocco will play each other in the FIFA World Cup third-place game at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.
Croatia's forward Andrej Kramaric said both sides will play their best in this competition because victory will make them immortal heroes of their country.
Both teams have been known for their resilience and defense so far in the tournament. Now that they are relieved of painfully heavy pressure, will Croatia and Morocco play an open game?
What performance will Luka Modric make in probably his final World Cup competition?
Host: Li Xiang
Guest: Josh McNally
Cover designer: Feng Yuan
Chief...2022-12-1600 minCGTN Sports TalkFrance end Morocco's World Cup miracleMorocco's history-making journey in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar ended against France at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday night.
Theo Hernandez's early goal forced Morocco to come out of the fortress and attack. They created a series of threats against the French goal, but just couldn't seize the decisive opportunity.
France continued to move closer toward defending the World Cup championship. So far, no team is able to beat their combination of solid defense and sharp counterstrike.
Will Argentina be able to do so at Lusail Stadium on Sunday?
Host: Li Xiang
Guest: Josh McNally
Cover designer: Feng Yuan
...2022-12-1500 minCGTN Sports TalkMessi and Argentina finally fit each otherArgentina defeated Croatia to reach the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar after Lionel Messi scored one goal and one assist at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night.
But the credit is not Messi's alone. Some of it goes to Julian Alvarez, who earned the penalty kick that Messi made. He added the second goal for Argentina with relentless running and then turned Messi's pass into a 3-0 lead.
The rest of the Argentina team also made valuable contributions to the victory by switching to four backs, freezing Croatia's midfield and shutting them down in the two wings.
After eight...2022-12-1400 minCGTN Sports TalkCan Morocco stop the French golden triangle?France probably have the most unstoppable offense of all teams in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, not only because they have Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud, but also Antoine Griezmann.
Despite such an excellent attacking combination, manager Didier Deschamps prefers to hold back and allow the opponents to attack first before maximizing the power of Mbappe's speed in counterstrike.
This is the opponent Morocco will face in the semifinal on Wednesday, but keep in mind, they have only allowed one goal so far in the tournament, and it's an own goal.
It's not the first time for "The Atlas...2022-12-1300 minCGTN Sports TalkWho will exit World Cup first, Messi or Modric?Lionel Messi and Luka Modric have won a lot of honors in common – La Liga championships, UEFA Champions League titles and the Balon d'Or Award. Neither is likely to appear in the FIFA World Cup again in four years, but both need that trophy to lift their career to the new level.
Messi has aged, but he is still one of the top playmakers in the world. He has always set up more opportunities for his teammates than they actually seized to score.
Modric may not be as creative as Messi, but he has Marcelo Brozovic and others to share hi...2022-12-1200 minCGTN Sports TalkMaking history is not a movie, but a TV seriesBefore playing Portugal, Morocco's manager Walid Regragui said they had the backing of an entire African continent. The team responded to that support by becoming the first African team to reach the FIFA World Cup semifinals.
Though Morocco will face the reigning champions France later, there is no reason to stop believing in themselves because "The Atlas Lions" proved that anything is possible in football.
If there is one connection that is so tight and tragic in football, the relationship between England and penalty shooting must be it. Harry Kane made the first penalty against France to give the "Three...2022-12-1100 minCGTN Sports TalkResilience is what it takes to win at Qatar 2022You can never exaggerate what a big heart Croatian players have. It doesn't matter if they concede a goal first in the extra time or have to go through a penalty shoot-out in two straight games. They just go to the field, defend, attack and then win.
After Brazil lost, Neymar was sitting on the ground with tears in his eyes. It was simply too much for him to exit the World Cup like this. His form was growing better and better. The game ended even before it was his turn to shoot a penalty.
Lionel Messi and Argentina almost...2022-12-1000 minCGTN Sports TalkEngland, France play rehearsal for World Cup finalWhen the UEFA Euros runners-up and the reigning FIFA World Cup champions meet each other, it's fair to call it a rehearsal of the World Cup final.
Having mashed Poland 3-1 in the Round of 16, France and Kylian Mbappe have no intention to stop at the quarterfinals. England, which also had a dominant win over Senegal in the last game, want nothing but advancing to the semifinals.
By eliminating Spain on penalties, Morocco made all the other teams think again before looking down on them. They have already made history by entering the quarterfinals. What's keeping them from achieving more?
...2022-12-0900 minCGTN Sports TalkWill history repeat itself at Qatar 2022?The quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar will kick off on Friday between Croatia and Brazil as well as Argentina and the Netherlands.
Croatia are definitely the underdog against Brazil, but they have the richest experience of hanging there in tough competitions and then beating their opponents.
Brazil must be happy to watch Neymar play like a part of the team, but when they have to wrestle with Croatia in the mud, they may need Neymar and his sparkle on the field.
Both Argentina and the Netherlands knocked each other out in the World Cup before. When Argentina...2022-12-0800 minCGTN Sports TalkSpain lose to Morocco because they don't learnSpain's manager Luis Enrique previously said each of their players practiced at least 1,000 penalties. If that's true, it only makes their loss to Morocco more ironic because Spain missed all of their first three attempts during the final penalty shoot-out.
Spain didn't win any of their three games following the 7-0 victory over Costa Rica in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. All three competitions shared one thing in common: Spain controlled the field, but too much of their ball movement was meaningless.
Portugal didn't start Cristiano Rolando against Switzerland and they were right not to. The combination of Bruno...2022-12-0700 minCGTN Sports TalkJapan exit Qatar 2022 with pride and lessonsJapan lost to Croatia after missing three of their four penalties in shootout. There are lessons for the Samurai Blue to learn, but other than that, the team has good reasons to be proud of themselves for holding the FIFA World Cup runs-up at 1-1 in 120 minutes.
Like four years ago in Russia, Croatia began their knockout stage competitions with an extra time win. The last time they did so, the team reached the World Cup final.
Whatever expectations South Korea had before Monday's game, Brazil spent 35 minutes convincing them to think again, with four goals and a lot of...2022-12-0600 minCGTN Sports TalkHow close is Mbappe to Messi, Ronaldo?Kylian Mbappe scored two goals to help France beat Poland 3-1 in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 game in Qatar on Sunday. The second was his ninth goal in two editions of the World Cup. By contrast, it took Lionel Messi five tournaments to get to nine goals. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal has played five World Cups and scored eight goals.
The last time the reigning World Cup champions, France, reached the final game in the following edition of the tournament was Argentina in 1986 and 1990. France are on the way to repeat that.
England defeated Senegal 3-0 in the...2022-12-0500 minCGTN Sports TalkThe Netherlands, Argentina win like WC favoritesThe Netherlands trailed the USA in ball possession, total shots and shots on goal, among other stats, but the "Clockwork Orange" secured a 3-1 victory on Saturday. They first led 2-0 and then quickly scored the third goal after the USA made it 2-1.
Fans of Argentina had every reason to chant Lionel Messi's name after he scored to help his team lead 1-0 against Australia. It's his ninth goal in the five editions of the World Cup he has played and the first during the knockout stage.
The Netherlands and Argentina will face each other in the quarterfinals. They...2022-12-0400 minCGTN Sports TalkOne goal can make such a big differenceSouth Korea managed to qualify for the knockout stage in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, not only because they came back to defeat Portugal 2-1, but also because Uruguay failed to score their third goal against Ghana.
Brazil lost to Cameroon 1-0 and almost lost the leading position of Group G if Switzerland had beaten Serbia by more than one goal.
The matchups for the Round of 16 have been confirmed and the competitions will begin on Saturday night. Unlike playing in the group games, teams now don't have much to calculate, but to focus on winning.
However, that doesn't...2022-12-0300 minCGTN Sports TalkBelgium, Germany say goodbye to QatarDespite their 4-2 win over Costa Rica, Germany were eliminated from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the group stage.
Spain seemed to be pulling their punches against Japan, but they must have felt a chill run down their spine when Costa Rica scored to lead 2-1 over Germany.
Belgium exited the tournament, waived goodbye to manager Roberto Martinez, and are looking at a difficult start-over. They have only themselves to blame.
Though Morocco topped Group F, they will play Spain in the knockout stage. It has been 36 years since the last time "the Atlas Lions" went so far...2022-12-0200 minCGTN Sports TalkYoung men stand out to save Argentina at Qatar 2022When Lionel Messi missed that penalty kick in the first half against Poland, Argentina were only two steps away from being knocked out from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Fortunately for them, Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez stood out to save the day.
In the other game of Group C, though Mexico beat Saudi Arabia, the one goal they conceded during the stoppage time ended their knockout qualification streak in the tournament.
France, which already booked their spot in the Round of 16, were not motivated to play Tunisia with full lineup or strength, which partly explained the result...2022-12-0100 minCGTN Sports TalkHave the better teams advanced to knockout stage?England defeated Wales with a dominant 3-0 win in their final game in Group B, advancing to the Round of 16 in the FIFA World in Qatar.
So did the Netherlands, which beat Qatar 2-0 in Group A. Cody Gakpo, who scored the first goal for "Clockwork Orange" in each of the three games, is already on the transfer list of a lot of powerhouse clubs.
The USA also made it out of Group B after defeating Iran 1-0 on Tuesday night. Their victory wasn't dominant, but it was convincing enough.
Ecuador's 2-1 loss to Senegal was perhaps the most surprising...2022-11-3000 minCGTN Sports TalkBrazil, Portugal qualify for knockout stageWithout star forward Neymar, Brazil went through a lot of work against Switzerland in both setting up and implementing scoring opportunities, but Casemiro's goal and the team's ball movement reminded you how Canarinho used to make football fun to watch.
Portugal booked an early spot in the Round of 16 competition thanks to their 2-0 win over Uruguay. Bruno Fernandes could have scored a hat trick if he had done better in seizing opportunities.
Ghana showed how unreliable defense is but also how confident they are in their offense. They almost tore South Korea apart with two goals in the first...2022-11-2900 minCGTN Sports TalkShould Germany, Spain really abandon big center?The most eye-catching game between Germany and Spain in Group E ended as 1-1 draw. Both goals were scored by big, traditional centers who had to come off the bench because their managers preferred the squad with no traditional striker.
Japan blew the favorable situation they were in after losing to Costa Rica 1-0. Instead of securing early qualification for the knockout stage, they will have to try to beat Spain in their final game to be the master of their own destiny.
Denmark sent Canada out of the World Cup with a big 4-1 win. Conceding a goal at...2022-11-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkMessi, Lewandowski know when to play heroLionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski led their teams to triumphant and long-awaited victories at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Argentina found it difficult to run the game like they used to against Mexico's aggressive defense. That's why Messi had to stand out, first scoring an icebreaker and then assisting Enzo Fernandez to seal the deal.
Lewandowski had a similar experience with Poland against Iran. As one of the world's top strikers, he knew when to pass to teammates for a better chance and when to seize it to score by himself.
In Group D, France secured a close win...2022-11-2700 minCGTN Sports TalkIran, Qatar on different routes after 2nd group gameTwo Asian teams, Iran and Qatar stepped onto different paths after Friday's group games in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Iran improved their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage thanks to the two goals during stoppage time that enabled them to beat Wales.
Qatar finally scored their first goal at the World Cup, but that didn't keep them from losing to Senegal. After the Netherlands and Ecuador held each other at 1-1, the host had to accept an early exit from the tournament.
England had their 12th scoreless draw in the World Cup, the most in history. Believe...2022-11-2600 minCGTN Sports TalkRonaldo's goal is great, but Fernandes is the heroPortugal's 3-2 win over Ghana was almost blown due to the mistakes their defenders kept making. Offensively, Cristiano Ronaldo gave the team a good start, but it was Bruno Fernandes that made the decisive plays for Portugal.
Brazil's dominance of Serbia was bigger than the 2-0 score showed. Richarlison's second goal made a good contender for goal of the tournament. However, when Neymar exited the game for injury at the end of the game, the whole country felt a chill down their spines.
Switzerland's 1-0 win over Cameroon gave them an obvious advantage in the qualification race in Group G.
...2022-11-2500 minCGTN Sports TalkHow many more surprises will Qatar 2022 generate?Japan secured a second valuable win for an Asian team over a traditional footballing powerhouse at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar after defeating Germany 2-1 in Group E.
As Spain dominated Costa Rica 7-0 in the other game in the group, Germany are now in a very unfavorable situation in the race for Round of 16 qualification.
In Group F, Belgium struggled against Canada. The Canadians wasted 21 shots and one penalty, but Belgium won 1-0 thanks to Michy Batshuayi's volley in the box.
The victory put the European "Red Devils" at the top of the group after Croatia and Morocco...2022-11-2400 minCGTN Sports TalkSaudi Arabia make Asia proud by upsetting ArgentinaThe 2-1 loss against Saudi Arabia nearly exposed all of the problems Argentina have: their defensive line is unstable; they lack control in the midfield; their attackers are clueless about how to beat the blanket defense.
By contrast, Saudi Arabia have every reason to celebrate: it's the first time for the team to win their first group game at the World Cup; they beat the two-time World Cup champions; they now lead Group C.
France almost suffered the same misfortune as Argentina did after Australia scored first, but Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Adrien Rabiot and Antonio Griezmann stood out to...2022-11-2300 minCGTN Sports TalkEngland begin Qatar 2022 with full powerEngland, which usually began slow at the FIFA World Cup, began the 2022 tournament in Qatar with a 6-2 win over Iran on Monday. The bus Iran parked in front of their goal didn't stop the "Three Lions" which exploited well their free kicks and had more players than expected involved in the scoring feast.
The Netherlands, in a fast and physical contest against Senegal, claimed a valuable 2-0 win thanks to two sharp counterattacks. In many possessions, Senegal even outmatched the Netherlands, but they just couldn't put the ball into the net without Sadio Mane.
Wales almost became the only...2022-11-2200 minCGTN Sports TalkAwkward World Cup opener for host QatarIn their World Cup debut, at the first edition of the tournament in either the Middle East or winter, Qatar became the first host team to lose the opening game.
If the defeat was not disappointing enough, Qatar failed to enter Ecuador's box in the first half and had no shots on goal for the whole game. It took the team about an hour to finally snap out of it and begin to move like professional players.
By contrast, Ecuador gained an advantage in the race for knockout qualification with an easy 2-0 win.
Their mature and calm mindset, skillful...2022-11-2000 minCGTN Sports TalkWho'll be champion, dark horse or bust at Qatar 2022?The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off between the host Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20.
In the previous five editions of the tournament, only one reigning champions team was not eliminated in the group stage. France won the title in 1998 and then failed to reach the Round of 16 in 2002. Now that they won it again in 2018, will they repeat history?
Qatar 2022 will be the last World Cup for a series of star players, but most attention will go to Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. How will the long-time rivals do in their "...2022-11-1900 minCGTN Sports TalkWhat is Cristiano Ronaldo thinking?Cristiano Ronaldo's interview with Piers Morgan became one of the ugliest and most shocking pieces of football news this week.
Ronaldo is not the first star player to criticize the club he plays for, his manager or his former teammate, but it's very rare for an active player to do all those together in one interview.
It has been no secret that the relations between Ronaldo and Manchester United broke up, but at least the club had been trying to make it look professional and hurt the two sides' image as little as possible, until this week.
Ronaldo made his...2022-11-1500 minCGTN Sports TalkThe LA Lakers made a change, but there's more to doThe Los Angeles Lakers won two of the past four games and then lost the other two after starting the 2022-23 NBA regular season with a 0-5 record.
Having Russell Westbrook begin off the bench enabled him to play more comfortably and more efficiently. That was one of the major reasons behind the team's two straight wins.
However, that solution didn't fix all of the purple and gold's problems, which include a lack of 3-point shooters, centers and health, especially in Anthony Davis.
If the Lakers want to trade their way out of the current difficulties, they will have to...2022-11-0700 minCGTN Sports TalkWill the Europa League get even tougher this season?It's rare to see the following names – Juventus, Barcelona and Manchester United – all in the UEFA Europa Champions League together, but times have changed.
The arrivals of the traditional powerhouses from the top five leagues will definitely make things interesting, but they won't necessarily win the title like going to a picnic.
For starters, anything can happen in a two-legged contest. Second, top teams are usually more distracted by domestic competition, which often come before the Europa League for them.
Moreover, since the knockout playoff games will begin in February 2023, after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this November and Dece...2022-11-0400 minCGTN Sports TalkThe 76ers are winning, now what?The Philadelphia 76ers now have a .500 record after beating the Washington Wizards on Monday. It is inspiring considering that they began the 2022-23 NBA regular season with three straight losses.
Joel Embiid has faced criticism for his underperformance in the first two losses. He scored 40 points in the third game against the San Antonio Spurs but they still lost. Embiid's numbers looked more "normal" in the three games he played in the following days and the 76ers won two of them.
As for the two wins without Embiid, the 76ers counted on Tyrese Maxey as their first offensive choice. Maxey...2022-11-0100 minCGTN Sports TalkHow are the new kids in school doing?Donovan Mitchell, Dejounte Murray and Rudy Gobert were traded this offseason to new teams by the franchises they had been playing for since they were drafted into the NBA.
Mitchell leads the Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring with 31 points per game in five games, which is exactly what the team needs from him to make a deep playoff run.
Murray became the Atlanta Hawks' best backcourt defender and second playmaker, sharing some of the scoring burden with Trae Young.
Gobert immediately became Minnesota's leader in rebounds and blocks. The team needs his presence in the paint to avoid fighting until the...2022-10-3000 minCGTN Sports TalkFour knockout stage berths left in UCLTwelve clubs have qualified for the Round of 16 in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League after Group Stage games. Only three groups still have any suspense over which teams will advance to the next stage.
Group D has the most complicated situation because the leader Tottenham Hotspur are only two points above the bottom Olympique de Marseille while the two in between, Sporting CP and Eintracht Frankfurt, both have seven points. In the last round on November 1, Hotspur will challenge Marseille at Stade Velodrome while Sporting CP will host Frankfurt at Estadio Jose Alvalade. Nothing will be confirmed until both games...2022-10-2900 minCGTN Sports Talk2022-23 NBA regular season beginsTwo games on Tuesday night raised the curtain for the 2022-23 NBA regular season.
The Golden State Warriors had nothing but joy as they received the championship rings for the last season, gave their young players enough time to refine themselves and smashed the opponents at Chase Center.
While the Los Angeles Lakers review their loss against the Warriors, they may also want to ask their front office what exactly their signings during the offseason do to help the franchise.
The Philadelphia 76ers had both good news and bad news in their season opener against the Boston Celtics at TD...2022-10-2000 minCGTN Sports TalkWhy is Kylian Mbappe such a diva?When Kylian Mbappe inked a three-year contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in May, he became reportedly one of the most powerful players in any football powerhouse in Europe because the new deal gave him a say in how the club is run, according to The Guardian.
However, that hasn't seemed liked it has made the 23-year-old French genius happy enough to stay at the Parc des Princes, because a series of sports media outlets revealed this week that Mbappe wants to leave PSG in January 2023.
It cost PSG as much as 180 million euros (about $175.4 million) in 2018 to land him...2022-10-1500 minCGTN Sports TalkUEFA Champions League Group of death? Not so muchWhen Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan were put in Group C at the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, this group was considered by many as the "Group of Death." Back then, more expected to see Bayern and Barca to qualify for the next stage than those who believed in Inter.
After four games, Bayern are the group leader with four straight wins; Inter are second after a win and a draw against Barca; Barca are on a quick path to the UEFA Europa League.
There wasn't much criticism against Barca for losing to Bayern. Injuries understandably played their role in...2022-10-1500 minCGTN Sports TalkCan Ben Simmons find his redemption in the Nets?When Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets appeared in the NBA pre-season game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 3, he played his first formal game since June 20, 2021.
Judging by his performance against the 76ers, his defense, agility, athleticism and orchestrating were all still there. So were his problems of lacking shooting ability outside the paint.
As a 2.11-meter-tall point guard and a two-time All-Defensive First Team selection, Simmons is capable of playing a key role in the Nets where he has two top scorers Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as teammates.
As a professional player, Simmons' reputation couldn't get any...2022-10-1200 minCGTN Sports TalkShould the Warriors get rid of Draymond Green?Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors punched his teammate Jordan Poole during team practice on Wednesday - and himself out of the team for at least days.
The 32-year-old veteran said the clash was not about contract extensions, which both he and Poole have been negotiating over with the team. But after his behavior and the release of the related video, Green is unlikely to get the salary he wants.
It's not the first time Green has found himself at the center of domestic turmoil. The last time he was in a similar situation, Kevin Durant, who helped the...2022-10-1000 minCGTN Sports TalkAre Barcelona in trouble in the UEFA Champions League?Inter Milan shoved Barcelona into third place in Group C after defeating them 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League game at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday. The Nerazzurris" (Inter's nickname, which means The Black and Blue) exploited the Italian signature "Catenaccio" (an Italian word that means "door-bolt" and implies a major focus on defense) well to ruin Barca's efforts to control the game in the way they have been used to.
Napoli crashed Ajax 6-1 at Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday to get their third straight win in the Champions League and continue to top Group A over last...2022-10-0900 minCGTN Sports TalkTeams should watch out for the Pistons in new NBA seasonThe Detroit Pistons were the NBA's third-worst performing team during the 2021-22 regular season with a 23-59 record. The good news was that their young men, Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey, both grew well.
So did Marvin Bagley III, who seemed to have found a way to save his career after he was traded to the Pistons in the second half of last season.
The poor record from the 2021-22 campaign enabled the Pistons to draft Jaden Ivey and trade for Jalen Duren, two promising rookies as enhancements in the back and front court.
Moreover, the arrivals of a series...2022-10-0500 minCGTN Sports TalkHave Arsenal been reborn as a new powerhouse?Arsenal remained the leading club of Premier League after defeating Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at home on Saturday. Though it was only the first win of "The Gunners" over one of the Big Six teams, Arsenal still showed a lot of surprising improvement.
In the years when Arsene Wenger was their manager, Arsenal often had a great start of the season but habitually crumbled in February or March. Wenger left in 2018. The club remained mediocre after that, before Mikel Arteta took over in 2019 and spent three years getting Arsenal back on their feet again. Can he help Arsenal avoid repeating history...2022-10-0300 minCGTN Sports TalkWhat sets the Heat apart from title contenders?The Miami Heat, which made the NBA Finals once and the Eastern Conference Finals once in the past three season, have never been a serious title contender in many discussions.
They had first-class defense and the ability to drag any opponent to six or even seven games in a series, but when the game reached the point of win or go home, the Heat lacked the ability to wrap it up.
Jimmy Butler was able to play that role occasionally, but he was held back by his age, injuries and the heavy load on his shoulders.
As the team's second...2022-09-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkHow much does Nations League relegation matter to England?Gareth Southgate, manager of England, said he was ready for criticism after his team lost to Italy 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League game on Friday and, as a result were relegated from the top tier.
The Nations League, since it was created in 2018, has not been the most favorable event of both national teams and star players. That's why there were often a lot of unexpected results in its games, like England's recent underperformances as well as Germany's loss to Hungary this week.
England, which were the runner-up in the UEFA European Championships in 2021, understandably have a high aim...2022-09-2600 minCGTN Sports TalkWill the Pelicans become a dark horse in the NBA?The New Orleans Pelicans have good reasons to eye for something bigger than an NBA playoffs berth as Zion Williamson is coming back in likely good health for the 2022-23 regular season.
Last season, they beat the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament and then almost forced the Phoenix Suns into a corner in the first round of the playoffs.
The Pelicans have astonishing offensive aggressiveness and offensive rebounding ability, to both of which Williamson can add even more. However, the team was also one of the worst in spacing. The arrival of Williamson, who...2022-09-2100 minCGTN Sports TalkWhen you meet old teammates in the Champions LeagueWhen Robert Lewandowski returned to the Allianz Arena on behalf of Barcelona to play against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League game on Tuesday, Bayern fans greeted him in a surprisingly warm way. So did his former teammates, except that they beat him and his new team 2-0.
Manchester City hosted Borussia Dortmund at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Erling Haaland met his old teammates as well, just like Lewandowski did. The difference was, City won 2-1 and Haaland scored the game-winning goal for City.
Liverpool secured a valuable victory as well after defeating Ajax 2-1 at Anfield on Tuesday...2022-09-1900 minCGTN Sports TalkWeek 1 of NFL is full of surprisesAll 16 games of Week 1 of the 2022 NFL regular season have come to an end.
On Monday, Russell Wilson led the Denver Broncos to Lumen Field, where he played 10 seasons, and lost to the Seattle Seahawks 17-16. Not only did Wilson have to endure the ear-splitting boos from home fans, he was outperformed by Geno Smith, who was his backup the previous two seasons.
On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins, who acquired super wide receiver Tyreek Hill during the offseason, beat the New England Patriots 20-7 at Hard Rock Stadium. The pairing of three-time First-Team All-Pro selection Hill and third-year quarterback Tua...2022-09-1400 minCGTN Sports TalkWill NBA teams squander their new salary cap again?NBA teams will be able to spend much more money signing players soon as the salary cap is expected to reach $134 million for summer 2023-24. Furthermore, when the new nine-year, $75 billion TV deal begins to take effect in summer 2025, the salary cap is likely to reach an even more lucrative number.
If history is any reference, dramatic salary cap growth means a lot of big contracts will be signed, like what the NBA teams did in summer 2016.
However, things are much more complicated than that. There are always more maximum deals than players who deserve them waiting to be signed...2022-09-1200 minCGTN Sports TalkHow much faith do you have left in the Clippers?It has been three seasons since Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joined the Los Angeles Clippers in the summer of 2019. Instead of dominating the NBA like many had expected, the two haven't taken the team to the Finals even once.
There were, of course, various reasons behind that, including injuries, lack of a solid orchestrator or chemistry, among other things. The Clippers have been trying to fix their problems and their latest effort was signing former All-Star point guard John Wall.
Will the team surpass 50 wins, reach the Finals or win the title in the 2022-23 season?
Host: Li Xiang
...2022-09-0600 minCGTN Sports TalkAre the Cavs a title contender with Mitchell?The Cleveland Cavaliers have assembled a very competitive as well as promising squad with the arrival of Donovan Mitchell. He will join Darius Garland to make an All-Star back-court pair with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley dominating the paint.
More importantly, all of the four have at least three years left of their current contracts with the Cavaliers, not to mention that Garland and Mobley are in the fourth and second year respectively of their rookie deals.
Of course, it's still too early to put them on the top stage in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks...2022-09-0500 minCGTN Sports TalkWhat did Premier League clubs buy with their record transfer investments?Premier League clubs have spent around 2.237 billion euros (about $2.238 million) during the summer transfer window, almost the same as the total number (2.297 billion euros, about $2.298 billion) of all clubs in La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1.
Chelsea contributed 278.99 million euros (about $279.13 million) to that number, more than any other Premier League club. Most of their investments were in the backs and the club landed Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the last minute.
Manchester United were also a big spender who paid over 223 million euros (about $223.1 million) for Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro. When Erik ten Hag agreed to take...2022-09-0400 minCGTN Sports TalkWho is the best point guard of the young generation?Though basketball has been known as a "big man's game," point guards, who are usually the smallest guys on the court, began to play the same important, or even more significant role since the late 2010s.
CGTN has picked six young orchestrators who are still under their rookie contracts and have been selected for either the All-NBA Teams, All-Star Game or All-Rookie Teams: Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets, Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons and Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City...2022-08-3100 minCGTN Sports TalkWho is better after his 4th year, Doncic or James?Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Western Conference Finals in the final year of his rookie contract. 15 years ago, LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in the fourth year of his rookie deal in 2007.
The two are very different in terms of athleticism and defense, among other things, but both Doncic and James were carrying most of the offensive duties, which were much more than what their teammates did, even though they were still under rookie contracts.
Though James has a glorious career, he has gone through a lot of ups, downs and...2022-08-2900 minCGTN Sports TalkMeet your 'ex' in 2022-23 UEFA Champions LeagueThree star players will meet the clubs they departed from during the summer transfer window in the group stage of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
What awaits Robert Lewandowski at the Allianz Arena after he left Bayern Munich on very unpleasant terms to join Barcelona?
Do Manchester City know better than Borussia Dortmund how to use Erling Haaland after spending £51.2 million (about $60.6 million) to introduce the 22-year-old Norwegian striker?
Angel Di Maria has given his best time to Paris Saint-Germain and this time he will play against his old teammates as a member of Juventus.
Host: Li Xiang
Guest: Josh M...2022-08-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkWho are more disappointing, United or Liverpool?Liverpool and Manchester United, which have been long-time rivals in the Premier League, both had a frustrating start in the 2022-23 season with no wins in the first two games.
United broke that awkward situation first by defeating Liverpool 2-1 at home on Monday, but that didn't hide the fact that the "Red Devils" lost to two mediocre teams.
Liverpool already trailed Manchester City by five points after three games. Though it's still early in the season, that deficit could be lethal because "The Reds" lost in the Premier League championship contest last season by one point in the end.
...2022-08-2300 minCGTN Sports TalkHow competitive are Nuggets with full roster?The Denver Nuggets will have two star players, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., back for the 2022-23 season. Murray missed the whole 2022-21 campaign during which Porter Jr. only played nine games, both because of injuries.
Murray was able to score 50+ points in multiple games in one playoff series when he was healthy. Porter Jr. is a 2.08-meter-tall athletic forward who can drain 2.8 triples at 44.5 percent of 3-point rate per game.
They can ease the burden on the shoulders of Nikola Jokic, who was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) for both of the past two seasons, and...2022-08-1600 minCGTN Sports TalkHow much better have the Celtics grown?The Boston Celtics brought in Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari during the offseason after losing to the Golden State Warriors 4-2 in the NBA Finals last season.
Brogdon is a solid defender and a trustworthy orchestrator, the lack of which partly cost the Celtics the Finals.
Gallinari, though 34 already and went through a lot of injuries in his career, can still provide efficient firepower off the bench as a big man shooter with underestimated isolation skills.
However, these two are no greater than premium pieces for a franchise instead of game-changing stars. That role belongs to Jayson Tatum, who, was...2022-08-1300 minCGTN Sports TalkShould LeBron James sign extension with Lakers?Every time LeBron James is up for a contract extension, he grabs tremendous attention from both media and fans. The fact that he is turning 38 years old in four months, and the Lakers are in a difficult situation, doesn't change this.
The biggest deal the Lakers can offer will be a two-year, $97.1 million contract, and they have no reason to hesitate to either offer or ink it if James nods his head to the deal.
However, no deal has been reached yet despite the "productive" discussions between the two sides. Apparently, it will take more than money to convince James...2022-08-0800 minCGTN Sports TalkNBA teams always find their way around restrictionsMore and more NBA teams are willing to put more first-round draft picks in trade packages for star players in recent years. Less than 10 years ago, most of them preferred to save the picks, which equaled future hopes of drafting their own stars, for their own use and traded players.
The league has presented and implemented various rules to keep super teams from being assembled, including the salary cap and the luxury tax among other restrictions. The effects are debatable because powerhouses with deep pockets always found their way around the rules.
For example, the luxury tax didn't stop the...2022-08-0400 minCGTN Sports TalkIn memory of the immortal Bill RussellBill Russell, one of the greatest legends in NBA history, passed way in peace on July 31, at the age of 88 years old.
Having played 13 seasons in the league, he led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals 12 times and won 11 titles, including eight in a row. The NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was named after him, and he was the one delivering the trophy on most occasions.
Russell was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player, four-time rebounding champion, 12-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA First Team selection and an eight-time Second Team member. He was named to the All-Defensive First Team...2022-08-0200 minCGTN Sports TalkWhat are Suns, Ayton getting from his extension?The Phoenix Suns and their starting center, Deandre Ayton, put an end to their yearlong contract extension soap opera after the franchise decided to match the four-year, $133 million deal offered to Ayton by the Indiana Pacers.
The Suns managed to save money because they avoided giving Ayton a five-year, $173 million contract. However, they will have to deal with his frustration at least for the first few months of the 2022-23 season.
Ayton will still be paid a lot of money for only four years, instead of the usual five. He will also hit the free agency market earlier than others...2022-07-2800 minCGTN Sports TalkHow much will Harden's $14m pay cut help the 76ers?James Harden displayed a clear will to fight for an NBA Championship ring by taking a $14-million pay cut when he agreed to a new two-year, $68.6 million extension with the Philadelphia 76ers.
His sacrifice enabled the team to sign P.J. Tucker, a tough defender, and Danuel House, an energetic wing option. Meanwhile, the 76ers acquired De'Anthony Melton, a sharp dagger off the bench, via trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The new arrivals will surely make Philly a better franchise. If Tyrese Maxey continues to grow, the 76ers can become even better on the offensive end.
Of course, as the...2022-07-2400 minCGTN Sports TalkHow promising are Banchero, Holmgren, Smith Jr.?The top three selections of the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr., made their appearances in the NBA Summer League, both making highlights and showing shortcomings.
Banchero displayed great ability to launch offense by himself in the Orlando Magic. By exploiting his solid skills, size, power and athleticism, he can drop good numbers in his rookie season.
Holmgren was considered to be a future Defensive Player of the Year and he was performing excellently denying shots for the Oklahoma City Thunder in some of the games. However, he was also dominated by undrafted Kenneth Lofton Jr...2022-07-2100 min
The HeatA brand new podcast from CGTN AmericaCGTN America has launched a brand new podcast called "Americas Now" hosted by Elaine Reyes. We're taking a closer look at the most fascinating and critical stories from across the Americas, told through the experiences of our reporters on the ground. Here is a sneak peak of Season 1. On this episode we look at why this ground-breaking scientist is cloning horses in Argentina.
To listen to all of Season 1 subscribe to the Americas Now Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or anywhere else you get your podcasts.2021-07-2713 minPodcasts – CGTN AmericaA brand new podcast from CGTN AmericaCGTN America has launched a brand new podcast called “Americas Now” hosted by Elaine Reyes. We’re taking a closer look at the most fascinating and critical stories from across the Americas, told through the experiences of our reporters on the ground. Here is a sneak […]2021-07-2713 minThe Heat Podcast – CGTN AmericaA brand new podcast from CGTN AmericaCGTN America has launched a brand new podcast called “Americas Now” hosted by Elaine Reyes. We’re taking a closer look at the most fascinating and critical stories from across the Americas, told through the experiences of our reporters on the ground. Here is a sneak […]2021-07-2713 min
This Way ForwardNotes on a Pandemic - The Great CollaborationAs Europe slowly emerges from lockdown it’s becoming clear the pandemic has left a legacy that will mean long-term changes to business, the world of work and the global environment. But despite the devastating toll COVID-19 has taken, might it also have handed us the opportunity to build a fairer, more sustainable future, based on innovation, cooperation and technological progress?In the second of CGTN's new podcast series Notes on a Pandemic we look at how businesses large and small, and individuals from an array of backgrounds have come together to create a collective response to th...2020-07-1616 minThis Way ForwardNotes on a Pandemic - Science RulesCGTN's new podcast series "Notes on a Pandemic" looks at how business, science and people have risen to the challenges of COVID-19, bringing us solutions which will change all our futures.Science rules - Since the first cases of COVID-19 were reported, the world has looked to the scientific community to find an effective treatment. The top minds in the pharmaceutical industry have been working at full speed on possible medical solutions - and the hunt for a vaccine that would normally take years has been fast-tracked to a matter of months. I...2020-07-0116 min