Sport SUNDAY 18 APRIL 2021 Tsitsipas, Rublev reach Monte Carlo final I’m feeling good. I’m feeling energized. I still have plenty of gas and energy left in me. I was able to have all of my matches done in two sets, so that is a big plus. I’m really focused for tomorrow. Stefanos Tsitsipas Sport |07 INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE: Mumbai Indians: 150/5 (Q de Kock 40) beat SunRisers Hyderabad: 137 in 19.4 overs ( R Chahar 3/19) FA Cup: Chelsea end City’s Ronaldo to miss game due to muscle issue quadruple bid, reach final AP – TURIN A muscle issue will keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of a key Serie A match at Atalanta today. AP – LONDON “Cristiano will not play,” Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo said yesterday. “He could not recover from a flexor issue. Manchester City’s quadruple So with the medical staff we decided that tomorrow’s match dream has been extinguished by was too risky for him.” Chelsea. Even more concerning Pirlo added that “after so many matches, he could have could be the injury to Kevin De suffered a serious injury. Bruyne for the ongoing pursuit of “He was not feeling able to push like he had been doing a treble. recently, so we decided to give him some rest to allow him Chelsea will be back at to recover for Wednesday’s match (against Parma).” Wembley Stadium next month for Third-place Juventus are one point ahead of Atalanta the FA Cup final after a 1-0 victory and one point behind second-place AC Milan amid a tight over City was clinched by Hakim race for the Champions League places. Ziyech yesterday. Pep Guardiola will return even sooner next Sunday with City for the League Cup final but Bayern closer with doubts over whether De Bruyne will be fit to face to title but Flick Tottenham. “It doesn’t look quite good,” Guardiola said. “But we will see says he’s leaving tomorrow.” The influential Belgian play- REUTERS – WOLFSBURG maker hobbled off with an apparent ankle injury just as City Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech scores Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick said yesterday he had is entering a crunch period of the against Manchester City during told the team and club bosses that he wanted to leave the season. A 11-point Premier League their FA Cup semi-final played German champions at the end of the season despite his lead makes collecting that trophy at Wembley Stadium yesterday. contract running until 2023. a near-certainty but there is also The former Germany assistant coach, who initially took a first Champions League semi- over on an interim basis in November 2019, led the club to final with City for Guardiola shot at a trophy in the FA Cup final goalkeeper Zack Steffen was left Newcastle moved nine points a spectacular winning run that earned them six domestic against Paris Saint-Germain in against Leicester or Southampton stranded. clear of the relegation zone with and international titles in the following months, including what remains the priority title for next month. And like City, Chelsea There were no Chelsea fans a 3-2 victory over West Ham. the Champions League and the club World Cup crown. the club. remains in Champions League to witness the goal in person. But Newcastle led through Issa "The situation is I told the team today that I informed “We started the game a little contention with Real Madrid they should be allowed back into Diop’s own-goal and Craig the club during the week that I wanted to get out of my con- bit slow and struggled a bit in the awaiting in the last four. Wembley for the May 15 final as Dawson was sent off for receiving tract at the end of the season," Flick said after his team's first half,” City midfielder Fern- The performance against City coronavirus restrictions are a second booking in the buildup. 3-2 victory over VfL Wolfsburg. andinho said. will offer Tuchel encouragement eased. How to get safely back into Joelinton’s tap-in extended New- The 56-year-old had been at odds with sports director While Guardiola has been in of silverware. While Timo Werner venues will be assessed at castle’s lead before halftime but it Hasan Salihamdizic in recent months with the coach charge almost five years at City, struggles for goals, assists are less Wembley on Sunday when up to was wiped out by Diop’s header reportedly wanting a greater say in the club's transfer policy. Thomas Tuchel has only been at of a problem. It was his 12th of his 4,000 locals from the north in the 73rd and Jesse Lingard’s The Bavarians, who were eliminated by Paris St Germain Chelsea three months. first season at Chelsea, setting up London district are allowed in to penalty after Ciaran Clark handled. last week in the Champions League quarter-finals, are seven After picking up the pieces Ziyech for the close-range finish see Leicester take on South- Newcastle recovered its lead points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with five games following the firing of Frank in the 55th minute in an ampton if they can produce a neg- through substitute Joe Willock’s remaining, on course for a record-extending ninth consec- Lampard, the German now has a unguarded net after American ative coronavirus test result. powerful header. utive league crown. Persepolis stay unbeaten; Al Nassr bag full points AFC.COM – GOA Al Nassr's response was almost AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE immediate as a speedy exchange of Persepolis FC flexed their credentials GROUP STAGE: passes saw Nordin Amrabat releasing as favourites as they came from behind YESTERDAY'S RESULTS the ball to Sami Al Najei on the right. to defeat Al Rayyan SC 3-1 in Group E GROUP E Najei's cross hit Al Sadd captain of the 2021 AFC Champions League at Al Wahda (UAE) 0-0 FC Goa (IND) Abdelkarim Hassan on the left hand, the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Al Rayyan (QAT) 1-3 Persepolis (IRN) prompting the referee to point to the in Goa, yesterday. GROUP B penalty spot, with 2020 AFC Champions The Iranian side turned on the Air Force Club (IRQ) 0-0 Pakhtakor (UZB) League topscorer Abderazzak Ham- power in the second half as they added Tractor (IRN) 0-0 Sharjah (UAE) dallah rifling the ball home in the 37th to the 1-0 opening day win against GROUP D minute to give Al Nassr the lead going UAE’s Al Wahda FSCC while Al Rayyan Al Nassr (KSA) 3-1 Al Sadd (QAT) into the break. were left in search of their first victory, Foolad Khouzestan (IRN) 1-0 Al Sadd started the second half on having been held 0-0 by FC Goa on Al Wehdat (JOR) the front foot and their perseverance Matchday One. TODAY'S FIXTURES was rewarded in the 59th minute when Persepolis conceded against the Group A Santi Cazorla was brought down by Ali run of play in the 19th minute when Shabab Al Ahli Dubai (UAE) vs Al Hilal SFC (KSA) Al Hassan five yards outside the box. Naif Al Hadhrami rose highest to head AGMK (UZB) vs FC Istiklol (TJK) The Spaniard lined up for the free- home Abdelaziz Hatim’s free-kick into GROUP C kick and his sublime effort sailed over the bottom right of the net. Al Ahli Saudi (KSA) vs Al Duhail (QAT) the Al Nassr wall, dipped and settled in An undaunted Persepolis pushed Al Shorta (IRQ) vs Esteghlal FC (IRN) Al Rayyan and Persepolis players vie for the ball possession during yesterday's the net past the despairing Brad Jones for the equaliser but Al Rayyan goal- Kick off at 8:45pm AFC Champions League Group E match played in Goa, India. Pic: AFC in goal. keeper Younis was at the top of his Al Nassr, however, upped their tempo game, first saving Mahdi Torabi’s effort and Hamdallah should have done better from inside the area on 24 minutes and Al Rayyan found themselves 2-1 ball into an unguarded goalmouth. Islamic Republic of Iran's Foolad Khouz- with his header in the 77th minute but then denying Moghanlou’s drive in the down two minutes later as Siamak Elsewhere, in Riyadh, Saudi Ara- estan FC while Al Nassr couldn't find a the Saudi Arabian side were not to be 39th minute. Nemati weaved his way down the right bia's Al Nassr were in fine form as they way past the resolute defence of Jor- denied two minutes later with Abdulma- Persepolis started the second half flank before finding Moghanlou, who secured a 3-1 win over Al Sadd SC in dan's Al Wehdat. jeed Al Sulayhim finishing a fine team by with heightened intensity and their volleyed past Younis. Group D. The win boosts 2020 AFC Cham- slotting the ball past Meshaal Barsham. determination paid off two minutes Moghanlou scored his second in Both sides went into the tie needing pions League semi-finalists Al Nassr's There was to be a third as Khalid into the restart when Kamal Kamya- the 57th minute, finding space inside the three points after having opened their hopes of advancing to the Round of 16 Al Ghannam finished a counter-attack binia headed home the equaliser off the six yard box to collect Omid campaigns with draws, with Al Sadd while Al Sadd have it all to do if they are in the fourth minute of added time to Torabi’s corner.