HATE THE HATERS
Arsenal have launched a new taskforce to help support their players as part of an initiative to combat online hate. The #StopOnlineAbuse action plan features a more formal process for players and staff to report incidents of discrimination and provide advice on specific issues including their social media channels and legal issues. The North London club will also increase the number of workshops for players which explain how to block offensive accounts and mute offensive words. The club’s all-time leading goalscorer Thierry Henry quit social media due to a lack of action from tech companies to tackle discriminatory behaviour while current boss Mikel Arteta revealed he and his family had been victims of online abuse.
TIKKED OFF
Barcelona have a bit of a TikTok problem. Many fans wait outside the club’s training ground to film and take photos of players, this is nothing new. However, some “fans” in search of clout have taken things a little too far. The players are constantly filmed up close and are often even insulted in search of a reaction. Lionel Messi alongside a number of his teammates were targeted by these TikTok users. Unfortunately for the players, the harassment doesn’t stop at the training ground. Samuel Umtiti was approached at a set of traffic lights by a group of youngsters shouting “Go to Barca B” at him, while Pedri has been sought out at his home. Many players even found people waiting for them at the airport as they departed for international duty. Barcelona have reportedly been in contact with the police about improving security around their training ground in an effort to stop this from happening.
ON THE HEAD, MALCOLM
The Premier League has commenced two studies looking into the forces involved in heading footballs. One study will involve players from Liverpool’s and Manchester City’s academies and women’s teams. The players taking part in the studies will be fitted PROTECHT mouth guards, which will collect data to show how the force and frequency of impacts affect the brain and body. The mouth guards will be fitted with sensors to provide precise measurements. New measures are expected to be introduced ahead of next season as the outcome of the studies will help form guidelines for training at professional levels.
YOU YOUTUBE TOO?
Liga MX side, Club Queretaro’s manager Hector Altamirano revealed that he learns new tactics to help his team by watching YouTube videos. Altamirano is a first-time manager in Liga MX and is looking to make the best of this opportunity. Among the videos he watches includes those from former Mexico national team boss Ricardo La Volpe, who posts videos of tactics he used for specific matches on YouTube.
DID YOU KNOW?
• According to Atletico Mineiro’s physio, Brazilian striker Hulk (shown right) can lose up to 11lbs of water• Nicolas Siri, the 16-year-old who plays for Danubio, has become the youngest player in the history of professional football to score a hat-trick, a record previously held by Pele.• Bayern Munich’s first leg loss to Paris Saint-Germain was their first loss in the Champions League since March 2019 against Liverpool.
