David Warner dazzles on his birthday to help Sunrisers stay alive in the IPL WEDNESday, OCTOBER 28, 2020 page 14 Juve await Ronaldo’s test results ahead of Barcelona clash AFP Turin Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar at the team’s hotel Cristiano Ronaldo remains in Istanbul on Tuesday, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League uncertain to take on Lionel Group H first-leg match against Instanbul Basaksehir FK. (AFP) Messi’s Barcelona on Wednes- day as he recovers from coro- navirus, Juventus coach An- Istanbul Basaksehir drea Pirlo said on the eve of the match in Turin. Ronaldo tested positive aim to unsettle PSG for Covid-19 two weeks ago while playing with Portugal, AFP For their detractors, Ba- and has been in self-isolation Istanbul saksehir owe their success to since returning to Italy. the support of the government “Ronaldo had a test like Newcomers Istanbul Ba- and Turkey President Recep everyone else, this evening saksehir face a tough baptism Tayyip Erdogan. (Tuesday) we will have the in the Champions League after Created in the 1990s by the definitive result,” Pirlo told a shaking up the Turkish foot- municipality of Istanbul, the press conference in Turin be- ball hierarchy. club was sold in 2014 to a con- fore the Champions League Basaksehir earned their sortium of businessmen. The Group G game. place in Europe’s elite club club is based in the district of “For now it’s all on the competition by pipping Tur- Basaksehir in the European high seas, when the final re- key’s traditional giants to win part of Istanbul, far from the sult comes everything will be the title for the first time. heart of the sprawling city. clearer.” According to UEFA They could scarcely have Following the 2014 takeo- rules the 35-year-old Ronaldo asked for a harder draw as a ver a 17,000-capacity stadium will need to test negative late reward. They host Paris Saint- was built, named after the on Tuesday, 24 hours before Germain on Wednesday after legendary former player and being allowed to feature. losing 2-0 to RB Leipzig last manager Fatih Terim, who “Tomorrow (Wednesday) week. After that they play Man- manages Galatasaray. morning we will count the chester United home and away. Erdogan blessed the club’s number of players available,” A win against PSG, last new look when in July 2014 he continued Pirlo. season’s runners-up, would be donned Basaksehir colours to “Depending on the result, Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo attends a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League Group G match against Barcelona on symbolic beyond the pitch at a play in a charity game at the new we’ll see what we do. It’s not Tuesday at the Juventus Training Center in Turin. (AFP) time when Ankara and Paris stadium and scored an improb- easy to play an entire game are locked in a diplomatic able three goals in 15 minutes. after 15 days of inactivity.” Juventus Pirlo. However Ronaldo has 130 ing nine ending in draws. we can’t wait to test ourselves stand-off. While Fenerbahce, Gal- Ronaldo, who has no symp- “For the first time, I’ll be Champions league goals to The pair have only met five against Barcelona,” said Pirlo. Basaksehir’s title triumph atasaray and Besiktas have toms, has missed three games taking on Messi as a coach, I’ll Messi’s 116. times in Champions League “It’s not a decisive game, was coming after they finished splashed the cash to sign foreign including his side’s 2-0 Cham- treat him with the enormous “It’s clear that any team games, most recently in the but we still want to see what second in 2017 and 2019. Yet stars who are past their peak, pions League win at Dynamo respect that he deserves.” - would miss a player like Cris- semi-final in 2011. our value is.” Argentina for- their rise has been remarkable. Basaksehir’s squad is a mix of Kiev last week. ‘Not a decisive game’ -Messi, tiano,” said Brazil defender Pirlo has defensive worries ward Paulo Dybala remains “a The achievement stands out local talent, like Irfan Can Kah- The clash would be the first 33, has featured in four victo- Danilo at the pre-match press with captain Giorgio Chiellini, bit tired” after playing for 90 given the traditional dominance veci, and unearthed treasures between Ronaldo and Messi rious campaigns for Barcelo- conference. “But we have faith and Matthijs De Ligt out but minutes in his first match in of Turkey’s Super Lig by Istan- like the Bosnian Edin Visca. since the Portugal forward left na, while Ronaldo has won the in every player on the team. fellow centreback Leonardo Bo- over three months last Sunday bul’s big three of Fenerbahce, There are some foreign Real Madrid for Juventus in Champions League five times, We have people who want nucci’s thigh strain will be evalu- against Verona. Galatasaray and Besiktas. veterans, though, with the 2018. four with Real Madrid and to do well and help us have a ated on Wednesday morning. “It’s normal after the first Between them, that trio Brazilian ex-Manchester Unit- “For 15 years, Messi and once with Manchester United. great match.” Messi has won “These are the matches that game as a starter. He’ll have had won all bar one of the pre- ed full-back Rafael recently ar- Ronaldo have done great Messi has six Ballon d’Or ti- 16 of their 35 encounters to everyone would like to play. time to recover and play to- vious 35 titles, with the excep- riving from Lyon to join Dem- things,” said former Italy and tles with Ronaldo claiming five. Ronaldo’s 10, with the remain- We have this opportunity and morrow night.” tion being Bursaspor in 2010. ba Ba and Nacer Chadli. Nagelsmann confident Leipzig can triumph vs Man Utd at Old Trafford

AFP Group G pre-match press conference London Wednesday Fixtures ahead of the group game at Group E • At Budapest • At Krasnodar Ferencvaros (HUN) v Dynamo Kiev home to Germany’s RB Leip- Leipzig boss Julian Nagels- Krasnodar (RUS) v Chelsea (ENG) (UKR) zig. “When Donny has played, The Qatar national football team. mann is confident last year’s (1955) • At Turin he’s played really well.” Champions League semi- • At Seville Juventus (ITA) v Barcelona (ESP) United have failed to win finalists can triumph at Old Sevilla (ESP) v Rennes (FRA) Group H any of their opening three Qatar to meet Costa Rica Trafford on Wednesday even Group F • At Istanbul home match- • At Bruges Istanbul Basaksehir (TUR) v Paris Saint- though he admits Manchester Germain (FRA) (1955) es this season but a 4-1 vic- United are back on track after Club Brugge (BEL) v Lazio (ITA) tory at Newcastle followed by in friendly in Austraia ahead • At Dortmund • At Manchester a poor start to the season. Borussia Dortmund (GER) v Zenit Saint- Manchester United (ENG) v RB Leipzig an impressive 2-1 away win Fresh from the most suc- Petersburg (RUS) (GER) against Paris Saint-Germain of South Korea fixture cessful European campaign in a European opener eased QFA playing schedule was halted in the club’s short history, the pressure on Norwegian Doha because of the COVID-19 pan- Leipzig have kicked off the talk about the forwards or the “At the moment my per- van de Beek will play a “big, boss Solskjaer. demic sweeping the globe. 2020/21 campaign in con- offensive .” sonal career and my plans for big part this year” despite a A goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar will The Asian champions will vincing fashion, topping the He added: “We are self- the future doesn’t count,” said restricted role since his pre- Chelsea last weekend meant take on Costa Rica in an in- make their first appearance at Bundesliga. confident enough – our start in the boyhood Bayern Munich season arrival at Old Traf- United, now in a lowly 15th ternational friendly match on next year’s CONCACAF Gold They opened their Cham- the league was very good, start fan, whose heart was broken ford. place in the Premier League, November 13 in Austria. Cup where they will compete pions League campaign with in the cup and also the Cham- by Solskjaer’s late winner in The 23-year-old mid- had still to win a home league Earlier this month, it was along with 16 of the world’s a 2-0 victory against Istan- pions League – to talk about the 1999 Champions League fielder, who joined from match this season. revealed that the Felix Sanchez best teams from July 10 and bul Basaksehir thanks to two winning the game tomorrow.” final. Dutch giants Ajax for an ini- Solskjaer reckoned talk led squad will take on fellow are pitted in Group D with goals from on-loan Manches- The highly rated Nagels- “It’s important to prepare tial 39-million-euro (£34.1 about Van de Beek’s relative Asian powerhouse South Korea Honduras, Panama and Gre- ter City left-back Angelino. mann, 33, said he had pre- the team for tomorrow, to million) fee, has started lack of game time was just in Austria on November 17. nada for the first round. Now they head to Old pared for different chal- win the game tomorrow, to be more matches for the Neth- another chance for pundits to The matches comes within Just before the North, Trafford looking to win their lenges, pointing out that Ole successful in the Bundesliga,” erlands than United since criticise United. the framework of the team’s Central and Caribbean region first meeting with three-time Gunnar Solskjaer’s team had he said. his transfer, making just five “At the moment, I real- preparations for the upcom- tournament, Qatar will travel European champions United, played different formations “I think it’s normal if appearances off the bench ise the topic is Donny van de ing events and within the to Colombia and Argentina for whom Nagelsmann believes in wins against Paris Saint- you are a young guy, you al- as well as two starts in the Beek and it’s nice for some program of preparing the na- their second appearance at the are on the right track after a Germain and Newcastle. ways think about your future. League Cup. players or commentators to tional squad for the 2022 FIFA Copa America, where they will shoddy start to the season. Leipzig beat Tottenham That’s normal and also part But Solskjaer, himself a have a little go,” he said. World Cup Qatar. compete against Colombia, “I think the start of Man- home and away in their of the job, but at the moment former United striker, said “I know that you (the me- The clash against Costa Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador chester United’s season Champions League last-16 I’m happy in Leipzig.” Tuesday that Van de Beek dia) are short for time when Rica will be the second major and Peru, from June 11 wasn’t that good but the last meeting last season. would become more involved you’re on telly (television) and friendly this year after Qatar Qatar, the Asian champi- games I think went in the Nagelsmann spoke openly Solskjaer adamant Van as the season went on. you have to put your points played a match against Ghana ons, are in 57th spot on the right direction,” the Leipzig about going for another vic- de Beek has ‘big part’ to “When players come into across very quickly, but you in the Turkish city of Antalya FIFA rankings for September boss said on Tuesday. tory against English opposi- play at Man Utd a new league, a new team, have to know that you don’t earlier this month. and fifth in Asia while Costa “We know that they are tion, but was coy when asked Meanwhile, Manchester it’s always going to be a time have to start the first three These matches have been Rica ara 50th on the FIFA very good and very tough to if he wanted to manage in the United manager Ole Gunnar of (transition),” Solskjaer games to be a very important listed after the national team’s monthly rankings. defeat, especially when you Premier League. Solskjaer is confident Donny said on Tuesday during his player in the squad.”