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FOOTBALL

Hertha sign Funkel as new coach

The Bundesliga's bottom side Hertha Berlin on Saturday confirmed Friedhelm Funkel as their new coach following the sacking of Swiss Lucien Favre.

Hertha sign Funkel as new coach
Photo: DPA

The 55-year-old Funkel, who has coached Eintracht Frankfurt for the last five years, takes over with immediate effect and will be on the bench for Sunday’s match against Bundesliga leaders Hamburg.

He will take over from caretaker coach Karsten Heine and with just three points from their first seven games of the season, Hertha are struggling for both confidence and form.

Hertha, who sacked Favre last Monday, will be the sixth Bundesliga team Funkel has coached after working previously with Duisburg, Hansa Rostock, Cologne and Frankfurt.

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

https://twitter.com/GravesenFumado/status/1764242481984491822

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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