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Atletico coach says Costa unlikely to play first leg vs Arsenal
Madrid, April 21 (IANS) Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone on Saturday said injured forward Diego Costa may not appear in the upcoming first leg of the Europa League semi-finals against Arsenal on Thursday at Emirates Stadium in London.
Simeone said he thinks Costa is likely to return in the second leg of Europa League semi-finals on May 3, but cautioned that he was still waiting for the doctors’ reports on his forward’s recovery, reports Efe.
Costa, 29, suffered a hamstring injury in the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinals against Sporting Lisbon on April 12.
Though he did not take part in group training on Saturday, Costa exercised on the sidelines as part of his recovery.
Costa has already missed two La Liga games against Levante and Real Sociedad, and is to be out for the third consecutive game against Real Betis on Sunday.
Simeone also stressed the need to keep his club’s grasp on second place in the La Liga standings, adding that all his focus is on the next league match against Real Betis.
The Rojiblancos currently have 71 points, 12 points behind leaders Barcelona, but are just three points ahead of their cross-town rivals Real Madrid.
“We have to keep fighting to improve ourselves and try to maintain our position in La Liga,” Simeone said at a press conference on the eve of the Betis clash.
“We’re going to face a team that’s playing very well. They’ve won six straight matches and they’ve been playing good football_ They’re having one of their best seasons in La Liga,” he added.
The Argentine coach was asked about the drop in Atletico’s performance, having earned just 10 points out of a possible 21 in their recent matches, with three wins, one draw and three losses.
Simeone admitted that Atletico had missed out on important away points it would not have lost in the first half of the La Liga season, but still believed that his side kept their balance through the second half.
He stressed that the Rojiblancos are seeking to correct their results in the remaining games – whether in La Liga or the Europa League – and that his players are always doing their best to achieve victory, but admitted that the 0-3 loss to Real Sociedad last week was their worst game.
“We hope to play an intense and important match tomorrow in front of our fans. We’ll have to seize control of the match,” he added.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.