Barcelona's GERARD PIQUÉ is reportedly "moving heaven and earth" to convince LIONEL MESSI to accompany him in his new project leading Catalan club Andorra. A source said that the talks "are advanced" an an announcement could be made this week (EL PERIÓDICO, 1/7). ... Former NBA player HEDO TURKOGLU, now a chief adviser to Turkish President RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, said that comments by the N.Y. Knicks' ENES KANTER about the country are nothing more than an ongoing "political smear campaign." Turkoglu said, "Such remarks constitute another example of the political smear campaign Kanter has been conducting against Turkey as well as his efforts to attribute importance to himself by covering up the contradictions in his sports career" (ESPN.com, 1/7). ... Tennis player Nick Kyrgios said that he was "joking with a since-deleted post on social media that sparked suggestions of a rift" with Davis Cup captain LLEYTON HEWITT. The "enigmatic Australian raised eyebrows last week" with a tweet claiming Hewitt "had abandoned him" and countryman THANASI KOKKINAKIS. Kyrgios: "It was a bit of a joke" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/7). ... Former Barcelona player SAMUEL ETO'O said that black coaches are seen as "second-class citizens" around the sport and do not "get the trust they deserve." Eto'o: "Many black former players don't get the coaching license, but there are also many who do have this. There is a lack of trust" (BLEACHER REPORT, 1/7).
