TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2019 16 Abdullatif likely out of Gulf Cup Ismaeel Abdullatif will likely miss Arabian Gulf Cup with injury but joins Bahrain team in Doha TDT | Manama

ahrain will likely miss the services of talented Bstriker Ismaeel Abdulla- tif in the 24th edition Arabian Gulf Cup due to injury, but na- tional team head coach Helio Sousa has opted to keep him on the squad for the competition, which kicks off today in Doha. Abdullatif suffered his inju- ry on Sunday night during club duty with Muharraq, and was originally ruled out for the re- gional tournament. But a nation- al team official confirmed last night that Sousa prefers to keep Abdullatif on Bahrain’s roster as a 24th man. Sousa also re-called Moham- med Adel of Manama, who was originally dropped for the Gulf Cup. The Bahrainis left yesterday for the Qatari capital ahead of the start of the Gulf Cup. The A Bahrain team official, left, with representatives from other Group B teams at the unveiling of team kits national delegation was headed by Bahrain Football Association with two games in Group A. In at 8pm. Both of Bahrain’s first The final will then be held on (BFA) president Shaikh Ali bin the opener, home side Qatar two fixtures will be held at Ab- the tournament’s concluding Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khali - take on Iraq in a contest sched- dullah bin Khalifa Stadium in day on December 8. fa and it included a number of uled for 7.30pm at Khalifa In- Doha. Bahrain have taken part in Bahrain players in action during training yesterday high-ranking BFA officials. ternational Stadium. It will be Bahrain’s final group fixture all but the 1972 edition of the The nationals went directly to followed at 9.30pm by the UAE will be against Kuwait on De- previous Gulf Cup competi - training upon their arrival. playing Yemen at Abdullah bin cember 2 at Khalifa Internation- tions. The Bahrainis have nev- BAHRAIN SQUAD Eight teams are participating Khalifa Stadium. al Stadium. er won the title, but finished in the tournament. They have Bahrain will be opening At the end of the prelimi - as runners-up four times while Roster: Jassim Al Shaikh, Mahdi Humaidan, Hamad Aldossa- been divided into two groups for their campaign against their nary round, the top two teams claiming the bronze medal ri, Ahmed Bugammar, Mohammed Abdulwahab, Abdulwahab the preliminary round. Group A Omani counterparts on the from each group move on to the thrice. Almalood, Rashed Alhooti, Sayed Mohammed Jaffar, Waleed features Iraq, Yemen, the UAE tournament’s second day on knockout semi-finals on De - The last tournament was held Alhayam, Mohammed Al Hardan, Mohammed Adel, Ali Madan, and hosts Qatar while Group B Wednesday. It is scheduled cember 5. There, the Group A in Kuwait in 2018. Oman de - Sayed Shubbar Alawi, Sayed Redha Isa, Sayed Mahdi Baqer, Ali consists of defending champions for a 5.30pm kick-off. Bah - winners take on the Group B feated the UAE in a tight penalty Haram, Komail Alaswad, Abdulla Alhazza, Mohammed Alromaihi, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and rain’s following game will be runners-up and the Group A shootout in the final. Bahrain Ahmed Nabeel, Sayed Dhiya Saeed, Mohammed Marhoon, Thiago Bahrain. against Saudi on November 30. runners-up face off with the finished fourth overall after los- Augusto. Matches kick off this evening That match will be kicking off Group B winners. ing in the semi-finals.

Ronaldo ‘improving’ but in doubt for Atletico clash has ‘matured’ as a person AFP | Turin, Italy Lokomotiv Moscow with a slight knee problem. and player, says Marquinhos ristiano Ronaldo remains The five-time Ballon d’Or Cin doubt for Tuesday’s winner and hit back with four AFP | Paris “Ney has always been thor- “I think we should put more Champions League clash goals to help Portugal qualify ough,” says the 25-year-old cen- emphasis on the good things he against Atletico Madrid in Tu- for Euro 2020. hen Paris Saint-Germain tral defender. does rather than the negative rin, Juventus coach Maurizio “My relationship with Cris- Wtravel to Spain on Tues- “He is someone who doesn’t things. Sarri said yesterday. tiano is good,” said Sarri, “if a day to face Real Madrid in the do things by halves. It shows on Neymar is someone “If you put all this in the bal- The 34-year-old Portuguese player who has won so much is Champions League it will be the field. When he takes the ball who doesn’t do things ance, the positive things that he international was rested for angry about being substituted, with a Neymar who has, accord- he wants to be decisive. by halves. It shows does (are superior) but there are Saturday’s game it means he still has a lot of mo- ing to his teammate Marquin- “Once he’s on the pitch, even on the field. When always some negative points against Atalanta which Juven- tivation, and this is something hos, grown up. after all that happened during he takes the ball he that people want to talk about tus won 2-1 thanks to a Gonza- positive.” “Neymar has lived things the transfer window and the wants to be decisive because it is Ney! And when you lo Higuain double to stay top Juventus are already that have matured him as a per- other stories, he’s back on the speak about Ney, it resonates MARQUINHOS of the Italian league. through to the last 16 and want son, and as a player,” the PSG pitch to win, to score, to make around the world.” “Cristiano trained with his to finish top of Group D with vice-captain told AFP. a difference. “As a friend, he always does teammates yesterday (Sun- second-placed Atletico need- There is no doubt that there “He’s not hiding. He proves down well with coach Thomas good things but we don’t talk day),” said Sarri. ing a win to guarantee their have been plenty of concerns that he is totally committed Tuchel but it marks just another about them.” “It seems that his condition place. for the French side over their alongside us.” blimp in the Brazilian’s sojourn Tuesday’s game against Real is improving but we still have “Atletico are a difficult side record 222 million euro signing Neymar’s re- in France, unfairly according to Madrid comes with PSG already to evaluate between today and to play against, we have to since he joined from Barcelona turn on Friday was Marquinhos. qualified for the last 16. But tomorrow. think we want to qualify being in 2017. his first appearance “There are other things to playing at the Santiago Berna- “The positive thing he was the leader of the group that is The 27-year-old forward has for PSG since October say as well. beu will serve as an indicator able to play throughout the our target for tomorrow,” said helped PSG to two titles in a 5, having suffered a He worked of whether PSG can finally be training session with his team- Sarri. weak but has failed to in- hamstring injury play- well during considered genuine Champions mates.” Sarri conceded he was spoilt spire them to the heights in the ing for against the week, League contenders. Defender Matthijs de Ligt, for choice up front between Champions League, the main Nigeria a week later. he did It may also offer a clue as who suffered a dislo- Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and reason for the Qatari-financed It was just the everything to whether Neymar is final - cated shoulder, and Higuain. club indulging in such a massive latest spell on the right,” says ly going to live up to the 222 forward Federico “We have three very outlay in the first place. Marquin- million price tag which has Bernardeschi, who strong strikers for just He is generally respected by hos. weighed heavily on him in bruised his chest, two roles, I think it is an the fans but not loved. Indeed big games over the last two also need to be eval- ideal situation, nobody there was some jeering when he side- years. uated, Sarri said. will be able to play 65 was substituted during Friday’s lines for the “I hope for that especially,” Ronaldo was sub- matches, including with win over Lille, his first game in world’s most ex- says Marquinhos. stituted in Juven- the national team,” con- six weeks following a hamstring pensive player, who has “He always wants to per- tus’s previous tinued the Juventus coach. injury. featured in barely half of form, to win. He’s a real com- two games “Playing Dybala, Higuain Part of the antipathy was his PSG’s matches since signing petitor, not just in football. includ- and Cristiano all togeth- exerted and ultimately failed ef- from Barcelona in 2017. In everything he does, he ing their er is difficult because of forts to secure a transfer back to wants to be the best, that is Cham- their characteristics, but Barcelona during the summer. Positive outweighs nega- always in his head. pions all three know how to Marquinhos, however, is in no tive “If he hasn’t been in re- League play really well and are doubt about the commitment His decision to fly to Ma- cent years, he is certainly game comfortable with each that his fellow Brazilian brings drid to take in the Davis Cup going to want to show it this a t other.” to the Parisian cause. tennis last week did not go season. Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar