FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018 18

Kaka back in Italy to discuss AC Milan role Man United to face AFP | Milan, Italy

ormer AC Milan and FBrazil star Kaka has re- Juventus in UCL turned to Italy amid reports Wednesday he is set for a AFP | Monaco, Principality of at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum, in seven seasons. They were in backroom role with the fall- Monaco a stone’s throw from the Med- the same group as Tottenham en giants. iterranean Sea, threw up sev- in 2010/11, with the Italian side The 2007 Ballon d’Or ristiano Ronaldo can look eral other fascinating groups, memorably winning 4-3 at San winner is reported to be Cforward to a return to Old with last season’s beaten final- Siro despite Gareth Bale scoring looking at the possibility Trafford in the Champions ists Liverpool set to have their a hat-trick. of joining the club’s board League this season after his work cut out alongside the Paris The draw looks kind to Pep along with fellow AC Milan new team Juventus came out in Saint-Germain of and Guardiola’s Manchester City as icons Leonardo and Paolo the same group as Manchester Kylian Mbappe, as well as Na- they look to win the trophy for Maldini. United in yesterday’s draw in poli, in Group C. the first time. Another ex-Milan team- Monaco. Carlo Ancelotti, who be - They will face group-stage mate Gennaro Gattuso has Ronaldo spent six years at came coach of Napoli in the debutants Hoffenheim as well coached the seven-time Eu- United, winning the Champions close season, will return to the as Lyon and Shakhtar Donetsk, ropean champions since last League in 2008, before moving French capital, where he led coming up against the latter for season. to Real in 2009. He will PSG to the title in 2013. That the second year running. “I often talk with Leonar- come up against his compatriot group is completed by a fa - The draw was also kind on do, we are friends, but the Jose Mourinho, under whom he mous old name in 1991 Euro - German champions Bayern role that I will have at Milan played during his time at Real, pean Cup winners Red Star Munich, although they we have not yet discussed,” while United midfielder Paul Belgrade. will meet two great Kaka told journalists after Pogba can also look forward to Holders Madrid begin their European names in his arrival in Italy. facing his old team. bid to win a fourth consecutive Benfica and Ajax. stadium on June 1, Kaka spent six seasons While those sides will be fa- Champions League crown in a But it was less so 2019. with Milan before joining vourites to progress to the last kind-looking Group G, featuring for another Ger- Changes brought Real Madrid in 2009 but re- 16 from Group H, they will have Roma, CSKA Moscow and the man club, with in for this season turned for a season on loan to be wary of Valencia, with the Czech side Viktoria Plzen. Borussia Dort- mean half of the in 2013. He won one Serie Spaniards returning to the group mund coming up clubs in the group A title and the Champions stage for the first time in three Spurs, Inter meet again against Monaco and stage were allocat- League with Milan. years. In contrast, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Group A, ed to the top four The 36-year-old will at- Swiss champions Young Boys, Tottenham Hotspur will play along with Club Brugge. sides in the four best- tend AC Milan’s first home group-stage debutants, look to each other in a testing Group B Having won the Europa ranked leagues: , game of the season at the be the makeweights in the sec- along with Inter Milan and PSV League last year, three-time fi- England, Germany and San Siro against Roma on tion. Eindhoven, the 1988 European nalists Atletico are hoping to go Italy. Cristiano Friday, after the club lost Cup winners. all the way in this competition, The first round of group Ronaldo their opener 3-2 in Napoli. Tough for Liverpool Inter are returning to the with the final to be played at games will be played on Yesterday’s draw ceremony competition for the first time their own Wanda Metropolitano September 18 and 19.

Bale can fill Champions League Ronaldo boots at Luka Modric named UEFA Group Stage draw GROUP A GROUP B Real: Giggs Atletico Madrid ESP Barcelona ESP Dortmund GER Tottenham ENG player of the year Monaco FRA PSV Eindhoven NED AFP | London Club Brugge BEL Internazionale ITA areth Bale can cope AFP | Monaco, Principality of GROUP C GROUP D with the pressure of Monaco Paris St-Germain FRA Lokomotiv RUS G Napoli ITA Porto POR replacing Cristiano Ronal- Liverpool ENG Schalke GER Marcelo do as the star man at Real uka Modric of Real Madrid Red Star Belgrade SRB Galatasaray TUR Real Madrid Madrid, says his Wales boss Land Croatia yesterday re- GROUP E GROUP F Ryan Giggs. ceived the accolade of UEFA Bayern Munich GER Manchester City ENG Bale has become the Player of the Year in Monaco Benfica POR Shakhtar UKR main forward at Real since after his Champions League Ajax NED Olympique Lyon FRA AEK Athens GRE Hoffenheim GER Ronaldo’s summer depar- exploits. ture to Juventus, scoring in “My father always pushed GROUP G GROUP H their opening wins me to fight for my dreams, I Real Madrid ESP Juventus ITA AS Roma ITA Manchester Utd ENG against Getafe and Girona. owe him a lot for everything,” CSKA Moscow RUS Valencia ESP “When someone like said Modric, whose silky mid- Viktoria Plzen CZE Young Boys SUI Cristiano leaves there is al- field skills helped Real to a third MATCH DATES ways going to be a spotlight straight European crown and Sep 18 / 19, Oct 2 / 3, Oct 23 / 24, on who is going to replace then propelled Croatia to the Nov 6 / 7, Nov 27 / 28, Dec 11 / 12 him goal-wise and threat- World Cup final. Source: UEFA Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS wise,” said Giggs. “It’s an incredible moment Giggs said Ronaldo’s de- for me, I feel really excited and parture meant there will be proud of this great award,” said more focus on players who the 32-year-old, who started are going to score the goals. out at Dinamo Zagreb and then Deschamps backs had four years with Tottenham before Real prised him away six years ago. Lloris in French squad Egypt’s Shikabala Modric, whose success sets him up as a favourite to win the AFP | Paris magistrates’ court hearing on loaned to Greek Ballon d’Or world player of the September 11 -- they will be side Apollon Smyrni year accolade, saw off former rance coach Didier De- disappointed. Real teammate Cristiano Ron- schamps gave his firm Deschamps gave the 31-year- AFP | Athens, Greece aldo and Liverpool’s Egyptian Fbacking to Tottenham old World Cup winner his full striker Mohamed Salah for the goalkeeper and backing after naming a largely gyptian international overall award. recalled “retired” defender unchanged squad from the one Emidfielder Mahmoud Real Madrid’s achievement Adil Rami as he named his that triumphed 4-2 over Croa- Shikabala has been loaned in winning the Champions first post-World Cup squad tia in Moscow on July 8. by Zamalek to Apollon League for the third season ahead of two Nations League “I’ve spoken with him, he Smyrni for this season, the running was further recognised matches. realises his mistake and he’s Greek Super League club as Modric also won the UEFA Luka Modric Barely six weeks after their sorry for it,” Deschamps said. announced Wednesday. award for the best midfielder triumphant World Cup cam- “He knows only too well No financial details of the of last season. best players, irrespective of Wolfsburg lost to domi - paign in Russia, France face that it shouldn’t happen, but loan were announced by the His clubmate nationality, playing for a club nant French outfit Lyon in the Germany on September 6 and it happened and it’s not going Athens side. was named best defender while within the territory of a UEFA Champions League final in Kiev Netherlands three days later as to change what I think about Shikabala, 32, has made Real shot stopper Keylor Navas member association during the in May. part of Nations League compe- him and the Hugo Lloris that 32 appearances for the won the best goalkeeper prize. past season. Players are judged There was also an award for tition which has replaced the I’ve always known.” Egyptian national team Ronaldo, who did not appear on their performances in all , the former traditional friendlies. A bigger surprise was Mar- scoring two goals. at the ceremony, was awarded competitions – domestic, con- Manchester United, Real Ma- If fans expected Deschamps seille defender Rami, who On a club level, besides the award for best striker cho- tinental and international”. drid and England star collecting to punish Lloris over a recent announced -- “with a certain Zamalek, he has played for sen by Champions League and Danish international Pernille the UEFA President’s Award for drink driving charge -- he was degree of euphoria”, said De- Al-Raed, Ismaily, Sporting Europa League coaches from Harder, of German club Wolfs- his achievements in the game arrested on Friday morning schamps -- his internation- CP, Al Wasl and PAOK Thes- last season and journalists. burg, won the UEFA women’s and his work since retiring as in London before being re - al retirement on the night of saloniki. The award “recognises the player of the year prize. a player. leased on bail and will face a France’s World Cup victory.