THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 SPORTS ‘Fat’ Inter chief Thohir faces fresh provocation

MILAN: president Erick The blog appeared to take on an Thohir was subjected to a fresh attack overtly offensive tone when she referred after an Italian columnist with the to Thohir as a ‘cicciobello a mandorla’ - Huffington Post labelled him a “a fat little which loosely translates as a ‘slant-eyed Indonesian”, reports said yesterday. baby doll’. Thohir, who owns DC United in Major ‘Ciccio’, in Italian, means chubby or League Soccer, took over the plump. A ‘cicciobello’ is an Italian make of giants last year after acquiring a 70 per- doll while ‘occhi a mandorla’ (almond- cent share from former president shaped eyes) is a widely-used term to Massimo Moratti. describe someone of Asian appearance, Moratti recently gave up his post as although it can have racist undertones. honorary president, prompting an out- She added: “The slant-eyed baby doll pouring of tributes for his contribution can do what he wants, he (Moratti) is no during 18 memorable years at the club. longer there.” Italian society in general Simultaneously, Thohir, the first Asian to has often been accused of being inher- effectively own an Italian club, has faced ently racist. scrutiny after a little less than a year at In 2008 comments by then president the helm. The president of Serie A high- of Silvio Berlusconi hit the headlines flyers Sampdoria, Massimo Ferrero, was worldwide when he called the president forced to issue an apology to Thohir last of the United States, Barack Obama, week after hitting out: “It’s not right that “young, handsome and tanned.” Moratti was treated like this. I am very Several black footballers who played sad for him. I told him: kick out that in Italy’s top flight, including Mario Filipino....” Balotelli and Kevin Prince Boateng, have Evelina Christillin, the former presi- been subjected to overtly racist insults in dent of the organising committee for the recent seasons. Film producer Ferrero, 2006 Torino Olympics, appeared to pro- who took over Genoa-based club voke Thohir in a column for the Sampdoria at the end of last season, Huffington Post earlier this week which made his gaffe Sunday in an interview questioned the Indonesian’s true finan- with Rai Sport after being asked about cial power. Moratti’s recent decision to resign as “What is there left at Inter without honorary president. Moratti?” Christillin wrote in her blog, Sampdoria later released a statement LONDON: Swansea City’s Welsh defender Neil Taylor (center) vies for the ball with Liverpool’s Italian striker Fabio Borini (left) in the League Cup reproduced in several media reports which cited Ferrero as saying: “I would fourth round football match. —AFP throughout Italy including Wednesday’s like to sincerely underline I did not mean La Gazzetta dello Sport. any disrespect to Thohir, the directors of “A fat little Indonesian who, at the end Inter or the people of the Philippines, of the day, has taken over from Moratti who I have always had a great relation- giants and has the majority of the shares but no ship with. “I was trying to praise Moratti one knows if he has the financial clout or and all he has contributed to Inter and not.” Italian football for 20 years.” — AFP squeeze into q-finals League Cup

MANCHESTER: sparked a dra- matic fightback by Liverpool and Chelsea need- ed a late own goal to edge past plucky fourth- tier opposition as the two Premier League giants squeezed into the League Cup quarterfinals. Late goals settled four of the five last-16 matches on Tuesday — and two were scored at as Liverpool came from behind to beat Swansea 2-1. Balotelli, criticized in recent weeks for a string of below-par displays, inspired the comeback by coming off the bench to score an 86th-minute equalizer before Dejan Lovren headed in the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time. “Finally!” Balotelli said on after scoring his first goal in six weeks and only his second for Liverpool since joining from AC Milan in August. A patched-up Chelsea lineup looked like being taken to extra time by Shrewsbury, a team 71 places below it in English football’s pyramid, only for Jermaine Grandison to head into his own net after 81 minutes to seal a 2-1 win for the Premier League leaders. had given Chelsea the lead in the 48th, with the 36-year-old striker scoring for the third straight game and just two days after netting at Manchester United in the Premier League. “It was a difficult pitch and difficult weather,” said Drogba, one of four Chelsea starters who also began the 1-1 draw against United. “They were a fantastic team and oppo- SHREWSBURY: Shrewsbury’s Scottish Jack Grimmer (right) vies with Chelsea’s nent — they showed why they deserve to be Brazilian defender Filipe Luis during the English League Cup round four football match. —AFP here tonight.” West Bromwich Albion’s decision shown a red card in the second minute of injury Shrewsbury equalized in the 77th minute to field a virtual reserve team against second-tier time for a foul on Philippe Coutinho, who pro- through Andy Mangan but was on level terms Bournemouth backfired in a 2-1 loss for the vided the cross from a free kick that Lovren for just four minutes, as substitute Willian’s teas- upset of the round. headed in at the back post for a last-gasp win- ing cross was diverted in by Grandison. Derby and Sheffield United, who play in the ner. Chelsea remained unbeaten in all competi- “I was ready for extra time,” Chelsea manager second and third tiers respectively, also tions this season — and reached the last eight of Jose Mourinho said. There was late drama, too, advanced on Tuesday. Manchester City and the League Cup for the fourth straight season — at Bournemouth, which reached the quarterfi- Tottenham are among those looking to reach but only after surviving a scare against the low- nals for the first time thanks to Callum Wilson’s the last eight yesterday. Balotelli started on the est-ranked team left in the competition. 86th-minute strike. West Brom had equalized bench against Swansea but was thrown on by Drogba has starred in the absence of injured just a minute earlier from an own goal. By scor- Liverpool manager in the 79th fellow strikers Loic Remy and Diego Costa, scor- ing five times in 20 minutes, Derby came from 2- minute after Marvin Emnes volleyed the visitors ing against Maribor in the Champions League 0 down to beat Fulham 5-2 away in a match into the lead. Within seven minutes, Balotelli last week, at Old Trafford on Sunday and again between two League Championship teams. guided home a cross from Fabio Borini to equal- against Shrewsbury when he swept home a left- Sheffield United beat fellow third-tier side MK ize. Swansea defender Federico Fernandez was footed finish from Mohamed Salah’s pass. Dons 2-1. —AP Mourinho: Drogba is proving why he is the Special One

LONDON: Some Chelsea fans thought man- Maribor in the Champions League last week ager Jose Mourinho had taken leave of his and also struck with a trademark header in senses when he decided to bring the age- the 1-1 draw at Manchester United in the ing Didier Drogba back to the club in the Premier League on Sunday. HAMBURG: St.Pauli’s Marc Rzatkowski (left) and Dortmund’s midfielder Kevin close season. Grosskreutz vie for the ball during the German Cup. — AFP There was a feeling that the 36-year-old SENIOR SERVICE Ivorian was well past his best and that Premier League leaders Chelsea rested returning to Stamford Bridge might tarnish several first-choice players at fourth tier Dortmund cruise the legacy he left after a dazzling first spell Shrewsbury and Mourinho said it was the with the Londoners. senior professionals who carried his team Drogba has, however, well and truly through to the quarter-finals. silenced the doubters in the last week, scor- “The message I want is the message in German Cup ing three goals in three games and proving Didier, Filipe Luis, Oscar and Gary Cahill a more than capable understudy for the gave-doing something they shouldn’t be BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund bounced back matter of confidence for us but we can get injured Diego Costa and Loic Remy. allowed to do but they did, which is play after slumping to their fourth straight it back.” “His character is bigger than his body,” two football matches in 48 hours,” said the Bundesliga defeat against Hanover 96 at Dortmund, last season’s Bundesliga and Mourinho told reporters after the centre manager. “They were fantastic. I had people the weekend, cruising past second tier St German Cup runners-up, have suffered six forward grabbed the opening goal in like Petr Cech and John Obi Mikel, people Pauli 3-0 on Tuesday to reach the German defeats in nine games to slide to fourth Tuesday’s 2-1 League Cup fourth-round vic- with lots of years at the club, who would Cup third round. from bottom in the table. tory at Shrewsbury Town. prefer to start the game at Old Trafford. Ciro Immobile, under-fire for his lack of Werder Bremen coach Viktor Skripnik “What he did today maybe was because They didn’t and they came here today and goals this season, tapped the visitors in made a winning start as his new club eased of his character and not because of his gave a fantastic example. front after 33 minutes before Marco Reus past third tier Chemnitz 2-0. Ukrainian body. Let’s see the reaction after this but “After that there are the young boys and rifled in the second goal after a cut-back by Skripnik replaced the sacked Robin Dutt on this is what makes players special. they have to follow the spirit and the pro- the Italian a minute before the break. Apart Saturday, with the former champions “If I was a kid player and I played with fessionalism of the others,” added from two early chances for the hosts, the anchored in last place in the league. this guy on my side, what more could I wish Mourinho. second half was a subdued affair with Fin Bartels put them ahead in the first for? For the kids it must be a privilege and The Portuguese seemed to indicate he Dortmund focused on holding on to their half and Franco Di Santo drilled in the sec- they have to learn by example-the example was less than satisfied with the perform- lead rather than adding to their goal tally. ond goal after a fine through ball from the older guys gave today.” ance of his younger players at Shrewsbury. They made it 3-0 when a bad clearance Clemens Fritz after the interval. Drogba left Chelsea two and a half years “I expect people that have not been playing by keeper Philipp Tschauner fell straight to Hanover were handed a surprise 2-0 ago after helping them win the Champions a lot to raise their level and create prob- Shinji Kagawa and the Japanese made no defeat at relegation-threatened second League for the first time. He joined the lems,” said Mourinho. “I love problems of mistake as he gave his side a boost of self division club Aalen and Hertha Berlin Blues from Olympique Marseille in 2004 and choice but it’s easy to choose my team for belief ahead of Saturday’s league game fared even worse, crashing out to third scored 157 goals in 342 appearances in his Saturday.” Next up for Chelsea, who have a with Bayern Munich. tier Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 on penalties first spell, hoovering up three Premier four-point lead at the top of the Premier “It was important to advance after the after a goalless 120 minutes. Holders League titles, four FA Cups and two League League, is a home derby against second few weeks we have had,” Dortmund captain Bayern are in action late yesterday against Cups. Drogba was on target from the penal- from bottom Queens Park Rangers at the Mats Hummels told ARD television. “It is a Hamburg SV. — Reuters ty spot in the 6-0 romp against Slovenians weekend. — Reuters Chelsea’s Ivorian striker Didier Drogba —AFP