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FOOTBALL

Football phenom Guidetti set for Sweden debut

Sweden coach Erik Hamren has hinted that teenage hot-shot John Guidetti could be handed a start in Wednesday's friendly with Croatia as he bids to earn a place in the Swedish squad for Euro 2012.

Football phenom Guidetti set for Sweden debut

The 19-year-old Manchester City striker has been in scintillating form during his loan spell at Dutch side Feyenoord, racking up 18 goals in 17 matches, and Hamren says his recent performances have made him impossible to ignore.

“I think he clearly deserves it given the results he’s had with his club,” said the Sweden coach.

“I see John as the top forward, either alone in a 4-2-3-1 or as one of two.”

Guidetti’s blistering scoring streak with Feynoord has had much of the footballing world to take notice, especially after he netted his third hat-trick in a row earlier this month, making the first player to do so in the top Dutch league since 1963,

According to Hamren, Guidetti could find himself under “enormous pressure” ahead of his expected debut with Sweden’s national side.

Sweden’s coach said he may field Guidetti alongside Sweden’s talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Wednesday’s game in Zagreb, although there is a possibility that the Milan striker could make way for Guidetti by dropping to the bench.

“It’s going to be gold to play with Zlatan,” Guidetti told the Expressen daily, adding that he expected a “tough match” against Slaven Bilic’s Croatia.

Sweden have been paired alongside England, France and co-hosts Ukraine in Group D at Euro 2012, which runs from June 8 to July 1 in Poland and Ukraine.

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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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