Formel 1, Lewis Hamilton: The new Formula 1 managing director Stefano Domenicali has congratulated record world champion Lewis Hamilton on his accolade on behalf of the entire motorsport premier class. “Lewis is a real giant in our sport and his influence is great inside and outside the car,” said the Italian, who will take over at the helm of Formula 1 from the new year as the successor to Chase Carey. What Hamilton has achieved is phenomenal – “and there’s more to come,” predicted the 55-year-old former Ferrari team boss from Italy. Hamilton was digitally knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2008, after the first of his seven world championship titles, he was awarded the British Order of Knight.
The accolade is now the highest honor that can be bestowed on an athlete in Great Britain. “Great Britain can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the caliber of Sir Lewis Hamilton,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff on Thursday. Hamilton got into Formula 1 in 2007 and switched from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 season. With his seventh World Cup triumph, he tied Michael Schumacher’s record in 2020. In addition to his sporting successes, the almost 36-year-old Hamilton – his birthday was on January 7th – has also made a name for himself in the fight against racism and for equality. At first he did not comment on his accolade.
Premier League, Liverpool: The lead is melting, but Jürgen Klopp looks confidently into the new year. “The boys are rightly frustrated, but not because of their performance,” said the team manager of English champions Liverpool FC at the BBC. His team had again left points at Newcastle United (0-0), but the performance was “a basis on which we can build in the coming days, weeks and months,” said Klopp.
The world coach of the year counted four big chances. “We won against Newcastle with fewer chances,” he said. But this time his offensive against the trio Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah went without a hit, Manchester United as the first pursuer is only three points behind the leaders in a game less. Liverpool had stumbled against relegation candidate West Bromwich Albion (1: 1) three days earlier. The Reds will continue on Monday (January 4th) with the game at Southampton FC, where it is important to improve their away record: After eight games abroad, Liverpool have only two wins on their books.
La Liga, Barcelona: Without Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona have suffered the next setback in the Spanish football championship. The Catalans, with the German national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen between the posts, did not get beyond a 1-1 (0-0) against SD Eibar on Tuesday. With that, Barca missed getting a little closer to the top flight. The former Dortmund Ousmane Dembelé saved the ex-champions with his equalizing goal at least one point (67th) after Eibar had taken the lead through Kike Garcia (58th). Six-time world footballer Messi was absent with an ankle injury.
Real Madrid have meanwhile blundered against relegation candidate FC Elche and lost ground to Atlético. The team of DFB national player Toni Kroos did not get beyond a 1: 1 (1: 0) at the outsider on Wednesday evening. Luca Modric put Los Blancos in the lead in the 20th minute: After a 22-meter crossbar hit from Marco Asensio, the Croatian was quick to react with his head. Fidel Chaves saved the hosts with a penalty kick (52nd) but an unexpected point. Previously, Atlético had defended the top of the table with a work victory against outsider Getafe FC. The eighth goal of the season by striker Luis Suarez (20th minute) after a free-kick combination was enough for Diego Simeone’s team, who played his 500th game as Atlético coach, to a narrow 1-0 (1-0) success. After their eleventh win of the season, Atlético now has 35 points and two games less; Real, second in the table, has 33 counters.
Basketball, Euroleague: Bayern have clearly won the top game in the Euroleague. After a strong second half, the southern Germans won against FC Barcelona on Wednesday 90:77 (43:45) and had eleven wins and six defeats at the end of the first half of the season. Coach Andrea Trinchieri’s team has a good chance of reaching the knockout round for the first time. In the final game of the year in front of empty ranks in Munich, Bayern were clearly inferior in the first quarter. The hosts were behind 16:26 (8th minute), but fought their way back in the second round. At the break, Munich was able to shorten the gap to two points. After the break, the Trinchieri team played itself into a frenzy. Led by the towering Wade Baldwin, the third quarter went to Bayern with 27:10 – 70:55 after 30 minutes. They defended their lead until the end and had the best player in their ranks with Baldwin (29 points). National player Paul Zipser was also able to convince with 16 points. For Munich, the Euroleague will not continue until January 8th. Then Bayern will be a guest at Olympiacos in Greece.
Winter sports, Ski alpin: The Swiss Michelle Gisin has won the alpine ski racer slalom in Semmering, Austria. The 27-year-old won on Tuesday evening 0.11 seconds ahead of second-placed Austrian Katharina Liensberger and celebrated her first World Cup victory. Third was the exceptional American athlete Mikaela Shiffrin (+0.57), who was still in the lead after the first round.
Lena Dürr from Munich (+3.30) missed a possible top ten placement and fell from 8th to 13th in the second run. Teammate Andrea Filser was eliminated after 15th place in the first round, Jessica Hilzinger and Marina Wallner had missed the final.
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