Sports Hot News March 16 Morning: Tran Thi Thanh Thuy enters crucial phase in Japan

Sports Hot News March 16 Morning: Japan's National Volleyball Championship has determined 6 teams advancing to the finals; Messi disappointed as Finalissima match canceled...

Tran Thi Thanh Thuy enters crucial phase in Japan

According to the SV-League official website, Club Queenseis Kariya has officially secured qualification for the finals of Japan's National Volleyball Championship, as they are guaranteed to finish the regular season in the Top 8. Currently, this club ranks 6th on the standings, while Tran Thi Thanh Thuy's Club Gunma Green Wings ranks 7th.

At present, six teams have secured spots for the finals: NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki, SAGA Hisamitsu Springs, Osaka Marvelous, PFU Blue Cats Ishikawa Kahoku, Victorina Himeji, and Queenseis Kariya. Thus, only two final slots remain for the championship round.

Tran Thi Thanh Thuy's Gunma Green Wings have a chance to advance to the finals, and the two matches this weekend against Hisamitsu Springs will be crucial for Gunma. Thanh Thuy's team needs to maintain its current position to progress to the next round.

The format of the SV-League finals includes quarter-finals (April 10–14) and semi-finals (April 17–21). The championship match takes place at the end of April to determine the SV League champion for the 2025/26 season.

Messi disappointed as Finalissima match canceled

According to ESPN, Lionel Messi is reportedly disappointed that the 2026 Finalissima (Intercontinental Super Cup) between the Argentina national team and the Spain national team has been canceled. The match was scheduled for March 27 in Qatar, where the Copa América 2024 champion would meet the UEFA EURO 2024 champion. However, due to tense political conditions in the Middle East, UEFA and the organizers were forced to cancel the plan. Subsequently, CONMEBOL and the Argentine Football Association attempted to find an alternative venue in Italy, but disagreements over the match date led to the agreement failing.

Messi did not participate in the negotiations; he focused solely on playing and viewed the Finalissima as an opportunity to win another title. Currently, Messi has 48 career titles, the most recent being the MLS Cup championship with Inter Miami. If the match had occurred, he could have aimed for his 49th title, but this goal now must wait further.

Roy Keane believes MU should not appoint Carrick

Roy Keane believes Manchester United should not appoint Michael Carrick as the permanent head coach, though he acknowledges the interim manager has had an impressive start. Following the 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League, Keane stated Carrick has done a good job, simplifying the playstyle and utilizing the three-week preparation period.

"I think there are better options available elsewhere. In the matches Carrick has managed, considering the results, Carrick has performed very well. Clearly, he has simplified everything. But those matches also haven't truly involved much risk," Roy Keane commented.

Roy Keane emphasized: "Carrick had three weeks to prepare for the matches. The timing when Carrick took over the team was quite favorable, and he has done very well."

Keane added: "I tip my hat to Carrick. If Carrick is given the job this summer, I also wish him luck. But in my opinion, there are better choices for Manchester United's next manager position. If someone mentioned Carrick for this role three months ago, they might have been considered crazy. At that time, Carrick wasn't even on the candidate list. Carrick has done well, but I think there are still better options."

Malaysian Football Association will hold a press conference today

Malaysian football awaits a crucial decision from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regarding the status of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the Malaysian national team. The issue arose after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld part of FIFA's penalty against FAM and seven Malaysian players.

These seven players were previously used in two matches of Group H in the 2027 Asian Cup qualification round, casting doubt on the Malaysian national team's eligibility. Earlier, AFC announced the case would be transferred to the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee for review.

According to Astro Arena reporter Zulhelmi Zainal Azam, FAM will hold a press conference on Monday to update on the outcome of AFC's review. Here, it is likely the public will learn whether FAM faces suspension following the incident involving the seven players.

Determining the timing of Ronaldo's return to play

Coach Jorge Jesus stated that stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mané will return to play for Al-Nassr after the national team training camp. Both were absent from the 5-0 victory over Al Khaleej due to minor fitness issues, with Mané feeling pain a few days before the match.

Coach Jorge Jesus said: "Ronaldo and Mané will return after the national team training camp. Everyone knows they are excellent players, but they will need some rest. Mané felt pain a few days prior, so we decided not to use him. After this break, he will be in good physical condition."

Currently, Al-Nassr leads the Saudi Pro League with 67 points, three points ahead of Al Hilal. Jesus stated the team has eight "final" matches to aim for the championship, but it is unfortunate the league is paused while the team is in peak form.

Real Madrid receives good news from Mbappe

Real Madrid received positive news as Kylian Mbappé has returned to normal training with the full team after recovering from a knee injury. This return increases hopes he can play in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Manchester City. If no last-minute issues arise, the French forward is almost certain to travel with the team to Manchester.

Besides Mbappe, defender Álex Carreras is also nearing his return date, having participated partially in training and potentially being included in the match squad at Etihad.

However, Real Madrid's defense still faces difficulties as Raúl Asencio and Ferland Mendy are likely absent due to injuries.

Real Madrid holds a significant advantage after winning 3-0 in the first leg at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Coach Álvaro Arbeloa acknowledged the second leg will be challenging, but believes his team can complete the task of securing a quarter-final spot.