data-mm-id=”_nif76kq6p”>Before the final series of the last-ever homestand of the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum, the franchise's home since 1968, team owner John Fisher wrote a letter to A's fans in the Bay Area to say goodbye … and to apologize.Fisher began the letter, which was released to the local media on Monday, outlining the rich MLB history of the A's in Oakland. He then explained why the club's departure for a temporary home in Sacramento before an alleged permanent move to Las Vegas is "so very hard."RELATED: Green Day lead singer rips A's owner John Fisher during Bay Area concert"… I can tell you from the heart: We tried," Fisher wrote of the team's multiple stadium projects in the East Bay. "Staying in Oakland was our goal, it was our mission, and we failed to achieve it. And for that I am genuinely sorry."A letter from A's owner John Fisher to fans: pic.twitter.com/YwlLAuMQ4W— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) September 23, 2024An apology is the last thing A's fans wanted to hear from the Gap Inc. billionaire who abruptly ended negotiations on Howard Terminal, a waterfront stadium project that was stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic but was moved forward by Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao.The Howard Terminal plan grew into a $12 billion ballpark village at the behest of Fisher to give him additional revenue opportunities. Reportedly, the remaining $101 million in public funds was close to being secured when Fisher suddenly pulled out of the deal to pursue stadium land in Las Vegas.In his letter, Fisher revealed that he began considering Vegas in 2021 because the team faced "a binding MLB agreement to find a new home by 2024." However, The Athletic's Evan Dreilich called the agreement a "misdirection" that "didn't materialize out of thin air" because if the owners and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred "didn't want that clause in the CBA, it wouldn't exist."Fisher also recognized the "great disappointment, even bitterness" of the "millions of dedicated and passionate A's fans," which was a weird acknowledgement to make since it confirms the vast and loyal Oakland fan base and conflicts with ownership's narrative of poor local support having forced the team's need to relocate.The last purge of young All-Stars Marcus Semien, Matt Olson and Matt Chapman was the final straw for A's fans, who grew tired of Fisher's penny-pinching and stopped going to games out of protest. The "Sell the Team" movement only arose after Fisher announced he was moving the team to Vegas.Hey A's fans, sorry for gutting a good team while jacking up ticket prices, going through the motions with Howard Terminal and putting the goal of being a perpetual revenue-sharing check collector ahead of everything you cared about. Hope you like 110-degree heat and fake grass! https://t.co/CfN2wWMg33— Steve Berman (@BASportsGuy) September 23, 2024Fisher's last-minute attempt to save face with A's fans is, frankly, pathetic. While the local governments bear their share of the blame, the bulk of it falls on Fisher and team president Dave Kaval, who touted the franchise's "Rooted in Oakland" campaign for years.Also, one of the "five different locations in the Bay Area" Fisher mentioned was Laney College, where the team failed to lay the groundwork for its ballpark plans with community college district leaders.And Fisher is the reason why the Raiders left Oakland for Las Vegas, according to Raiders owner Mark Davis. “They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium (location)," Davis said."All they did was f— the Bay Area," he added.Thursday will be the final A's game at the Coliseum. It'll serve as a very sad farewell for a team that's brought so much joy to baseball fans in the East Bay.It'll be goodbye A's. But it'll also be good riddance John Fisher.MORE TOP STORIES FROM THE BIG LEADNFL: Should the “two-high” safety formation be banned?WNBA x MLB: Phillies invite Caitlin Clark to broadcast boothGOLF: There’s now a Ryder Cup path for LIV playersSPORTS MEDIA: Candidates to replace Woj as ESPN’s NBA Insider
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Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone is expecting a tough test against Barcelona on Saturday, even if he believes rivals Real Madrid are the better side.
Barca lead LaLiga by five points after just seven games, with champions Madrid trailing Atleti in fifth place.
But Simeone, while praising Barca s work in adapting to the loss of Neymar, still sees Zinedine Zidane s men as the best team in the world.
Barcelona are one of the best teams in the world, but Real Madrid are better now, he told a pre-match news conference.
[Barca] have reinvented themselves after the departure of Neymar. They do not stop wanting to win. They have a winning gene. They do not get tired.
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Amid increasing speculation over the future of Sergio Ramos, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed the defender wants to leave the club for Manchester United.
Spain international Ramos is a reported target for United boss Louis van Gaal, as rumours continue to link goalkeeper David de Gea with a move in the opposite direction to join Real.
And Calderon, president of Real between 2006 and 2009, says Ramos is keen on a switch to Old Trafford.
Calderon told BBC Sport: I know Sergio has told the general manager to listen to offers they get from Manchester United.
He only wants to go to United.
Reports have suggested Ramos is seeking to capitalise on the uncertainty over his future by securing an improved contract at Real.
…
Peter Luccin was thrilled with FC Dallas comeback against the Portland Timbers, but still sees plenty of ways they can improve.
Dallas came out on top from a topsy-turvy match in midweek, winning 3-2.
It saw Dallas bounce back from successive defeats, and they sit 11th in the Western Conference ahead of Sunday s clash with Sporting Kansas City, who are six points behind in 13th.
Asked what he liked about his team s performance against the Timbers, Dallas interim boss Luccin said: Resilience, resilience from the team. That was huge.
After the first half, we were very passive with nothing offensively. The only thing about the first half that I liked was the compactness of the team. We were compact, but no one making runs, no one even putting more pressure …
Celtic manager Ronny Deila has confirmed former England striker Carlton Cole is set to train with the Scottish Premiership side with a view to him signing a deal.
The Norwegian boss stressed the 31-year-old free agent was not on trial, but instead getting a feel for the club ahead of a potential move.
Cole spent the last nine seasons with West Ham eight of which were at Premier League level and played 23 times in the top flight last season.
We will have talks with him and see him in training as well this week, said Deila. We will see if it is something that will happen or not.
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Goals from Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos helped Paris Saint-Germain secure a much-needed 2-0 victory against Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Messi struck 26 minutes in at Allianz Riviera, before he supplied the cross from a corner for Ramos second-half header.
Victory was a first in three games for Christophe Galtier s side after back-to-back defeats, although they were indebted to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as much as Messi.
Nice peppered the PSG goal either side of half-time, only to come away empty-handed against their former coach, suffering their first defeat under Didier Digard.
LEO
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)
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Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde has no doubt that Xavi has the potential to take the top job at Camp Nou in the future.
Xavi confirmed on Thursday he will retire from playing at the end of the season and move into coaching, having left Barca at the end of the treble-winning 2014-15 campaign to join Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League.
One of the most decorated players in football history, Xavi won 19 major honours during a 17-year stay with Barca, including eight LaLiga crowns and a remarkable four Champions League titles.
And Valverde, who looks well placed to guide the club to the treble in only his second season in charge, paid tribute to the retiring great in a media conference on Friday.
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Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering a dislocated kneecap.
The 27-year-old was forced off in the first half of Inter’s 2-1 Serie A win at Atalanta on Saturday.
“Benjamin Pavard underwent a medical examination at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano this morning,” the Serie A leaders said in a statement on Monday.
Fitness update on Benjamin Pavard.
— Inter (@Inter_en)
“The tests ascertain that he has suffered a dislocated kneecap.
“The French defender will need to wear a knee brace for 3/4 weeks before starting his rehabilitation process.”
World Cup winner Pavard joined Inter from Bayern Munich at the end of August and has made nine appearances for the Nerazzurri.
…
Real Madrid cruised into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Braga.
After overcoming an early scare when Alvaro Djalo missed a penalty for the visitors, the 14-time European champions took the lead through Brahim Diaz in the 27th minute and then seized control early in the second half as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo added to the score line.
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Thomas Tuchel is hoping Marco Reus can build on his double against Tottenham when Borussia Dortmund welcome Mainz to Signal Iduna Park in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Reus was in impressive form as Dortmund dismantled Tottenham in the Europa League on Thursday, securing a 3-0 first-leg advantage in their last-16 tie and extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 matches.
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Barcelona, Manchester City and Bayern Munich were all big winners on matchday one of the Champions League.
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