AFP'First woman physio' breaks down barriers in China football
Erica Hernandez calls herself the first woman physio in Chinese professional football -- but the Spaniard is certain that she will not be the last. Together with husband Jordi Escura, a former Andorra defender, they head up medical services at Chinese Super League side Qingdao Huanghai. "I wish that we will all just be treated as professionals, without taking into account our gender," added the 40-year-old, who believes that she is the only woman physio in the top two divisions of Chinese football.
The Associated PressKathryn Nesbitt breaks ground as MLS is Back final referee
When the Portland Timbers play Orlando City in the MLS is Back tournament championship on Tuesday night, assistant referee Kathryn Nesbitt will become the first woman to work a Major League Soccer title game. Nesbitt and Felisha Mariscal are the only two women among more than 40 officials that have been sequestered - just like the teams - in Florida for the monthlong tournament. ''We all came into this tournament under really unusual circumstances,'' Nesbitt said.
AFPIs this Neymar's time in the Champions League? Injury-hit PSG hope so
Paris Saint-Germain have once again been hit by a flood of injuries going into a crunch Champions League knockout tie, but this time Neymar is fit and seemingly ready to live up to his status as the world's most expensive player. PSG face Atalanta in Lisbon on Wednesday in the first quarter-final of the 'Final Eight', after UEFA turned the latter stages of Europe's elite club competition into something akin to a World Cup after the long coronavirus shutdown. There will be no fans in the Estadio da Luz, but the French champions coped just fine behind closed doors when they beat Borussia Dortmund in their last 16, second leg in March.
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