WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 10 Data-driven De Bruyne key to breaking Man City’s Champions League complex Manchester City travel to Borussia Dortmund holding a slender 2-1 lead and bearing plenty of scars from quarter-final ties over the past three years Yet, even replicating that incredible The Champions League is feat would now feel like a let down if • BETTER they crumble again under the pressure the one trophy to have so far when all of Europe is watching. eluded Kevin De Bruyne since Guardiola admitted his side did feel he arrived in England in 2015 KNOW the weight of expectancy in the first leg as they needed Phil Foden’s 90th-min- AFP | London ute winner to take even a one-goal lead to Germany. A determination to end But this is the first time City have had in everything,” said City’s wait to conquer a quarter-final, first leg lead to defend Kevin De Bruyne when Europe was key to both De under Guardiola. “Wasked of his ambitions Bruyne and the club’s moti- The former Barcelona and Bayern for Manchester City after signing a vations for agreeing a new Munich boss has managed the entire new four-year contract to reportedly season with this month in mind. become the Premier League’s highest contract worth a reported The base for City’s success has been paid player last week. £20 million ($27 million) a built on a solid defence rather than a With less than two months of the year prolific attack. Marco Reus’s away goal season to play, City are still on course at the Etihad was the first Guardiola’s for a historic quadruple of Champions Kevin De Bruyne (L) speaks to Pep Guardiola as he is substituted during a match to the club.” men had conceded in over 800 minutes League, Premier League, FA Cup and Among the data crunched was how in the Champions League. League Cup. out to Liverpool and Tottenham in ing a new contract worth a reported drastically City’s chances of winning Should they score today, Dortmund Just breaking through the barrier of contrasting fashion in 2018 and 2019. £20 million ($27 million) a year. the Champions League for the first time will need three to progress without the the Champions League quarter-finals Despite the explosive talent of Erling would be reduced should they lose De need for penalties, which no side has would be a landmark for Pep Guardiola Braut Haaland, a Dortmund side sitting No agent Bruyne. managed against City since Leicester as he tries to reach the last four for the fifth in the Bundesliga should not pose De Bruyne showed he is no ordinary Guardiola’s men got a sense of what tore a makeshift defence to shreds in first time in five years in Manchester a problem for the runaway Premier player off the pitch as well as on it dur- life without him might be like as they September. today. League leaders. ing the negotiations. slumped to just a fourth defeat in 49 Guardiola has also made the most City travel to Borussia Dortmund But De Bruyne has lived through too The 29-year-old did not use an agent games this season to Leeds on Saturday. of the vast resources at his disposal. holding a slender 2-1 lead and bearing many City horror shows in Europe’s and instead worked with analytics com- Even with City trailing against 10- For the first time in months, the seven plenty of scars from quarter-final ties premier club competition to take any- panies to show the data that backed up men, Guardiola kept his midfield maes- changes he made for the visit of Leeds over the past three years. thing for granted. his claim to be the key figure in City’s tro on the bench for the full 90 minutes backfired to delay City’s coronation as “Different year, same stuff,” was how The Champions League is the one success. in a clear signal of intent that his prior- English champions for a third time in a disappointed De Bruyne summed up a trophy to have so far eluded the Belgian CEO of Analytics FC, Jeremy Steele, ity lies in Dortmund this week. four seasons. 3-1 defeat by Lyon in Lisbon last season. since he arrived in England in 2015. told The Athletic: “After discussing the Two seasons ago, City became the But that will be a small price to pay if Defensive mistakes, missed chances A determination to end City’s wait scope of the work, De Bruyne commis- first side to ever win the English do- a refreshed De Bruyne inspires his side and VAR controversy also combined to to conquer Europe was key to both the sioned us to create a report studying mestic treble of Premier League, FA to take another big step to realising his deny Guardiola’s men as they bowed player and club’s motivations for agree- almost every aspect of his contribution Cup and League Cup. ambition of total domination. 15-year-old Eala rising up rapidly in pro ranks ‘Magnifico’ finally deserves world title shot TDT | Manila TDT | Manila here is no way but up for ilipino boxer Mark “Mag- TFilipino tennis ace Alex Fnifico” Magsayo has made Eala. the country proud again after Just 15-years-old, Eala is destroying American Pablo already being heralded as the Cruz in just four rounds in their Philippines’ brightest hope featherweight 10-rounder at in the sport after making her Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncas- presence felt in various interna- ville, Connecticut. tional tournaments, including In dominating his 34-year- Grand Slam events like the Aus- old Texan foe, the 25-year-old tralian Open, French Open and, from Tagbilaran City, Bohol re- most recently, the Miami Open. mains unbeaten. He secured his Now the promising lass is in 22nd victory and 14th knockout, 662nd place in the latest Wom- his first in three fights. en’s Tennis Association (WTA) But more importantly, Mag- Bigger fights await Magsayo rankings released this week, an sayo’s victory proved to be a tally surprised that the fighter Eala is now 662nd in the WTA rankings increase of 53 spots from her statement that he finally de- dominated the way he did. previous ranking. that if she keeps her focus on serves a world title shot. “For Magsayo, I already knew The ascent was boosted by her level of play, keeps her head Training under the tutelage BETTER the style of his opponent would Eala’s brilliant run in the recent down and works hard, the wins of Freddie Roach, Magsayo favor him in the fight. The re- W60 tournament in Bellinzona, She seems to be laser will eventually come,” he add- sent his victim to the mat three sult of the bout didn’t come as Switzerland where she reached focused on her tennis. ed. times. KNOW a surprise,” he said. the Round of 16. The event was She knows that if she He said there is no stopping Cruz first went down in the The analyst went on to un- her first-ever $60,000 tourna- keeps her focus on her Eala until she reaches her ulti- middle of the second round af- derscore that credit should also ment. level of play, keeps her mate dream of putting the Phil- ter absorbing a stiff jab from In dominating his be given for the fighter’s team A Rafa Nadal Academy schol- head down and works ippines in the world tennis map. Magsayo and he went down Texan foe, Magsayo for preparing him well amid ar, Eala opened her campaign hard, the wins will “Alex says that it is always again in the third round when remained unbeaten. He the prevailing conditions with in the W60 tournament with a heartwarming to know that Magsayo unleashed a flurry of secured his 22nd victo- the pandemic. hard-earned, three-set win over eventually come people get inspired by what hooks. After fighting last year, Mag- Margot Yerolymos of France MIKE EALA, ALEX’S FATHER she does,” said Mike, who Finally in the fourth round, ry and 14th knockout sayo stayed in the US to train before dominating Laura-Ioana sent his daughter to Mallorca, Magsayo finished off Cruz with under Roach and Justin For- Paar of Romania in the second. Bellinzona tournament but her Spain to undergo training at a devastating right straight nuel Navarrete (World Boxing tune. Her run would come to an parents insist “here is nothing the world-famous Rafael Nadal prompting referee John Callas Organization), Leo Sta. Cruz So what is next for Magsayo? end in the third round against to be discouraged about.” Tennis Academy. to stop the fight and claim his (World Boxing Association), “It most likely puts him in hometown bet Simona Waltert, Alex’s parents are even grate- Eala’s showing in Bellinzona, second straight victory in the and Gary Russel Jr (World Box- a title eliminator next. Mag- but not after making her oppo- ful that she is slowly inching where she was a junior exempt United States. ing Council). sayo is in the Top 10 of four nent sweat for three sets (5-7, closer to her dream of quali- as the world’s number three- It was also his second consec- The fight was an undercard governing bodies, but he ranks 6-3, 2-6), which lasted for more fying into the WTA grand slam ranked juniors player, was a utive win under Hall of Fame in the Jerwin Ancajas-Jonathan higher in the IBF.