Cristiano Ronaldo has felt relaxed after joining Juventus. RADOMIR ANTIC FORMER COACH OF REAL MADRID, BARCELONA AND ATLETICO MADRID BHUBANESWAR, THURSDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2019 11 THUMBNAILS Ryder Cup: Steve Stricker will be named the captain When Barcelona drew blank of the US 2020 Ryder Cup team, according to multi- We played good football, but you have to hit the target as well, and we didn't: Valverde ple reports, becoming the first American in the role AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The visitors -- who started crowd of almost 58,000 with a a little bit of a disappointment, last 16 tie at Anfield. without a major title. LYON, 20 FEBRUARY: with Sergi Roberto in midfield thunderous strike from 20 yards but there is still the second leg Sadio Mane wasted the best Stricker would become rather than the out-of-form out in the ninth minute that was to come and we hope to do bet- chance for the hosts on Tues- the 29th US captain and arcelona coach Ernesto Philippe Coutinho -- had good tipped onto the bar by Marc- ter,” said defender Clement day, when the Senegalese for- be charged with reclaim- Valverde (in photo) reason to be wary of their hosts, Andre ter Stegen. The same play- Lenglet. At least they extend- ward fired wide during an open ing the trophy. shrugged off his team's who have excelled in big games er later shot over at the end of ed their unbeaten record against first 45 minutes, but a cagey sec- Bstruggles in front of this season. Bruno Genesio's a fantastic move, while Houssem Lyon to seven matches, but ond half left it all to be decid- goal after they were held to a team had taken four points Aouar had earlier been denied there remains hope for the ed when the sides meet again 0-0 draw away at Lyon in the from a possible six against by the goalkeeper, but it was French club ahead of the return. in Munich on March 13. first leg of their Champions Manchester City in the group Barcelona who enjoyed the Without the talismanic pres- League last-16 tie. stage and recently won at home longer spells of possession. Anfield stalemate ence of Virgil van Dijk through The Spanish side had most to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue Ousmane Dembele -- one Liverpool's undermanned suspension and the injured of the chances at the Groupa- 1. They are still unbeaten in of two Frenchmen in the away defence held out for a pre- Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren, ma Stadium on Tuesday, with Europe this season, although line-up -- came closest for cious clean sheet but Bayern Liverpool were forced to name Luis Suarez firing just wide in this was their sixth consecutive them in the first half, although Munich will also be confident a make-shift central defence the second half, although it draw. “It's a satisfying result their best chances came after of progress to the Champions with Brazilian midfielder Fabin- was Lyon who came the clos- because it leaves us with a he had been replaced by Coutin- League quarter-finals after a 0- ho moved back to partner Joel est when Martin Terrier hit the chance for the second leg, and ho midway through the second 0 draw in the first leg of their Matip. bar early on. Lionel Messi and we didn't concede. If we can period. Suarez came within inch- co. were once again left frustrated score at the Camp Nou we'll have es of breaking the deadlock 20 on the road at the business end a chance of going through,” said minutes from time, firing nar- of the competition, and have Genesio. rowly wide from Jordi Alba's cut- now gone six away matches with- He admitted that he had back. He has now gone 16 away Fognini upset: Canadian out winning in the Champions hoped for an even better per- matches without scoring in player Felix Auger-Alias- League knockout rounds, scor- formance, but Lyon were miss- the competition. sime advanced to the sec- ing just a single goal in that time. ing their World Cup-winning Coutinho had a powerful shot ond round of the Rio de It is a run that goes back three captain Nabil Fekir due to sus- beaten away by Anthony Lopes, Janeiro Open tennis tour- years. Desperate to end Real pension here. It was the 21-year- with the Lyon goalkeeper also nament after winning 6-2, Madrid's recent European dom- old Terrier who surprisingly frustrating Messi and Sergio Bus- 6-3 against second seed inance, Barca must now finish started in his place, and he quets as Barcelona dominated Fabio Fognini of Italy. The the job when the teams meet delivered the most exciting but departed without a poten- 18-year-old Canadian is again at the Camp Nou on moment of the first half for the tially precious away goal. “It is placed 104th in the world March 13, but Lyon remain rankings. in the tie. Barcelona's form needs to improve between now and Cheating alleged: An then, though -- they have organisation that cam- drawn four of their last five paigns for LGBT sportspeo- matches in all, and have ple has cut its links with scored just once, from a Martina Navratilova, who penalty, in their last three earlier reportedly said it outings. was "cheating" to allow “We played good foot- transgender women to ball, but you have to hit the compete in women's sport target as well, and we didn't,” as they had unfair physical Valverde said. advantages. “We are on the right road, though, and the tie is still up in the air. We will try to win it in front of our fans.” He added: “I am not happy with the result, but I am happy with the performance and with what we created. “We didn't score, but that is how it is. It is not easy to win away from home in the Cham- pions League.”.