WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 SPORTS Messi deal ‘signed’ by agent, claims Bartomeu BARCELONA: Barcelona’s under-fire with Barcelona-based daily Sport. “There We are calm,” he added. Bartomeu midfield rather than a superstar front However, Barca missed out on a host president Josep Maria Bartomeu are three contracts: one with Messi’s and his board have received fierce criti- three of Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez. of other targets, including Liverpool’s launched a counter-attack on his critics foundation, that is signed by the presi- cism for their handling of the recently “The trident was very good but it had Philippe Coutinho, blaming the rampant yesterday by insisting a four-year con- dent of the foundation and the player’s closed transfer window as Paris Saint- its consequences. It is an opportunity to inflation in the transfer market caused tract extension for Lionel Messi has brother; a contract with Leo Messi’s Germain enticed Neymar away from the return to the collective football in the by PSG and Abu Dhabi-backed been signed by the player’s agent and image rights, that his father and admin- Catalan giants for a world record 222 middle of the field, which traditionally Manchester City. father, Jorge Horacio Messi. istrator of his company have signed; and million euros ($263.7 million). was Barca’s strength. “It is an opportuni- La Liga has asked UEFA to investi- Barca announced an agreement with the work contract that Leo’s father has A vote of no confidence motion has ty, with a new coach, a new project. We gate both PSG and City for breaches of the five-time World Player of the Year in signed.” been launched by former Barca presi- need to stop being pessimistic!” financial fair play rules. “Qatar and Abu July, but Messi himself is yet to put pen When pressed on the delay in Messi dential candidate Agusti Benedito that Neymar’s departure sparked a hap- Dhabi are two countries that have two to paper amid rumours he is unhappy signing the deal, Bartomeu claimed could oust Bartomeu if it receives hazard shopping spree from Barca, who clubs,” added Bartomeu. “If Bayern with the running of the club. both the player and club’s hectic start to enough support from the club’s mem- landed 20-year-old French winger Munich, Manchester United, Real Messi’s current deal expires in 2018 the season was to blame and that it bers in the coming weeks. Ousmane Dembele for an initial 105 mil- Madrid or Arsenal buy a player from meaning he could leave Barca for free would be resolved within a month. However, Bartomeu described the lion euro fee from Borussia Dortmund you, you know (the money) comes next summer. “It is all agreed and “There are no problems. All that is left is loss of the Brazilian as an “opportunity” and Paulinho for 40 million from from football. “But these two clubs dis- signed,” said Bartomeu in an interview the protocol of the signature. for Barca to build their team around the Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande. tort the market.” — AFP Simeone to complete unfinished business at Atletico Madrid MADRID: Diego Simeone’s love affair with Wanda Metropolitano stadium. “The jour- Atletico Madrid is set to continue for anoth- nalists continually ask me if I am going to er three years after the Argentine renewed stay and yes I am going to stay,” Simeone his contract till 2020 yesterday. Since taking told his adoring public as Atletico bade an charge in 2011, Simeone, 47, has trans- emotional farewell to the Vicente Calderon formed the club’s fortunes, turning Atletico at the end of last season. from perennial underachievers to serial “And do you know why I am going to contenders both domestically and in the stay? Because this club has a future and Champions League. that future is all of us.” Although still unable However, having lost in agonising fash- to match the financial muscle of Real and ion twice to local rivals Real Madrid in two Barca, continued success on the field and Champions League finals, Simeone has the stadium move have allowed Atletico to turned his back on lucrative offers else- stop having to sell their best players as in where for the challenge of making Atletico the early years of Simeone’s reign. champions of Europe for the first time in Antoine Griezmann, Koke and Saul their history. Simeone has already delivered Niguez have all themselves recently signed five trophies, the highlight of which was new contracts. Despite a ban on registering ending Real and Barcelona’s hegemony of new players in the recently closed transfer Spanish football with a first La Liga title for window, Atletico have already completed a 18 years in 2013/14. deal for Spanish international Vitolo to Yet, the Champions League has contin- arrive in January. ued to allude Los Rojiblancos with Real Meanwhile, Spanish media have report- their conquerors in all four seasons since ed Diego Costa’s return to the club from Simeone led them back into European foot- Chelsea was one of Simeone’s demands ball’s premier competition. Atletico were when negotiating his new deal. Costa, who seconds away in the 2014 final before was Atletico’s top scorer when they won Sergio Ramos’s injury-time header forced the title in 2013/14, hasn’t played for the extra-time and Real ran out 4-1 winners. English champions this season due to a fall- Two years later, penalties were needed out with manager Antonio Conte and was to separate the two in Milan in a defeat so left out of the Chelsea’s Champions League painful Simeone described it as a “death”. squad on Monday. Simeone was tempted to walk away last That is doubly good news for Atletico as summer. Having initially agreed a contract they face Chelsea in a tough Champions STUTTGART: Germany’s Mario Gomez scores his side’s sixth goal during the World Cup Group C qualifying soccer match between Germany and to 2020 back in 2015, he asked for the deal League group also featuring Roma and a Norway in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday. — AP to be cut by two years till 2018. tricky trip to Azerbaijani champions That appeared to open the door for an Qarabag. Costa would also then be free to exit with another of his former clubs Inter play for Atletico in Europe should they SOCCER Milan, freshly flushed with cash thanks to a make it to the last 16 and the Spanish inter- Chinese takeover, among those interested. national complete his expected return in January. His extra firepower could be the NEW ERA final missing piece for Atletico and Germany thrash Norway, while Yet, Simeone now seems set to add sta- Simeone to end their long and arduous bility to a new era for Atletico as they move wait to lift the Champions League come this season to the new 68,000 capacity May in Kiev. —AFP England survive Slovakia scare CRICKET PARIS: Germany fired six past Norway while England fought back after an early scare to beat Slovakia in European World Cup qualifying on Warner and Handscomb Monday. Timo Werner scored a double in Draw moves Nigeria Germany’s 6-0 rout of the Norwegians in Stuttgart to leave Joachim Loew’s world champions with a give Australia momentum perfect eight out of eight record atop Group C. But closer to World Cup with second-placed Northern Ireland beating the CHITTAGONG: An unbeaten century stand said Lehmann. “So we had a couple of let- Czech Republic 2-0 in Belfast Germany will have to JOHANNESBURG: Nigeria survived a late from time with a double save, the second par- between David Warner and Peter offs which is handy for us but when we get wait until their next match, away to the Irish on Cameroon onslaught to draw 1-1 in Yaounde ticularly being brave as he dived at the feet of Handscomb led Australia’s strong reply our chance tomorrow we’ve got to keep October 5, to seal automatic qualification to Russia. Monday and move closer to qualifying for the Djoum and was injured. against Bangladesh on day two of the sec- making sure we’re scoring at a nice rate Werner, booed by his own fans in Germany’s 2-1 2018 World Cup in Russia. Moses Simon put But for much of the match it looked like the ond and final Test in Chittagong yesterday. and when you come to bowl again, make win in Prague against the Czechs last Friday, came Nigeria ahead on 30 minutes and substitute central Africans were going to suffer a first The visitors were 225-2 at stumps in their sure you take all those chances.” Warner’s off to a standing ovation this time after netting in Vincent Aboubakar equalised from a 75th- World Cup qualifying defeat at home since los- first innings, trailing by 80 runs after opening partner Matt Renshaw departed the 21st and 40th minutes. minute penalty at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo to ing to Congo Brazzaville in October 1976. The Bangladesh were bowled out for 305. early, dismissed by fast bowler Mustafizur After struggling to beat the Czechs, this was a spark a rally by the hosts. “Super Eagles” Nigeria were more threatening Warner was on 88 with Handscomb on Rahman for four before the lunch break. far more polished performance, with Arsenal mid- Unbeaten leaders Nigeria moved to 10 going forward, thanks to crisp passing, good 69 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury The left-hander tried to tickle a sliding fielder Mesut Ozil’s 10th minute opener sparking points from four matches in Group B and a off-the-ball movement and dazzling individual Stadium.