SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2016 Matches on TV Vardy absence ‘won’t stop (Local Timings) Leicester title coronation’ ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Everton v Bournemouth 17:00 beIN SPORTS 4 HD LONDON: Leicester City defender Danny last six visits have ended in defeat and they take Bromwich Albion. Newcastle v Crystal Palace 17:00 Simpson insists the prolonged absence of star on a United outfit who are chasing a top-four With England midfielder Dele Alli now ruled beIN SPORTS 2 HD striker Jamie Vardy won’t stop the Premier berth with their spirits lifted by reaching the FA out for the rest of the season following his Watford v Aston Villa 17:00 beIN SPORTS 9 HD League leaders clinching the most incredible Cup final. three-match suspension for punching Albion’s West Brom v West Ham 17:00 title triumph in English football history at However, few teams epitomise against-the- Claudio Yacob, even Tottenham striker Harry beIN SPORTS 6 HD Manchester United tomorrow. Claudio Ranieri’s odds success better than Ranieri’s men and, Kane concedes Leicester look out of reach. “It Stoke City v Sunderland 17:00 side have the eyes of the world on them as they with Vardy’s replacement Leonardo Ulloa hav- makes it a lot, lot harder now we haven’t won. beIN SPORTS 11 HD EN head to Old Trafford knowing a victory against ing scored twice against Swansea, Simpson sees It’s not in our hands, it’s in Leicester’s hands,” Arsenal v Norwich City 19:30 United would see the 5,000-1 outsiders no reason why Leicester’s coronation can’t Kane said. “They’d have to lose two and draw beIN SPORTS 2 HD crowned champions for the first time in their come this weekend. “I think we have just sent a one and we’d have to win all three. It’s not SPANISH LEAGUE 132-year history. message to everyone who has been a bit nega- impossible but it looks unlikely the way their Real Sociedad v Real Madrid 17:00 In an era where the greed is good mantra of tive about us,” said Simpson, whose side have season has gone so far.” Tottenham can at least beIN SPORTS 3 HD the Premier League’s big spenders has proved a won seven and drawn two of their last nine take encouragement from the fact United need Atletico v Rayo Vallecano 19:15 turn-off for many, Ranieri’s collection of unsung matches. “We have players who can come in the win almost as much as the north Londoners. beIN SPORTS 3 HD heroes have captured the imagination of fans and do well. Leo (Ulloa) was man of the match Louis van Gaal’s side are five points behind Real Betis v Barcelona 21:30 beIN SPORTS 3 HD across the globe by making the seemingly and Jeff (Schlupp) has come in and was excel- fourth-placed Arsenal and third-placed Granada v Las Palmas 23:05 impossible into a reality. Completing their lent. “Yeah, we have had a settled team but we Manchester City but have a game in hand in the beIN SPORTS 2 HD astonishing charge to the title at the home of have always known the players who are trying race for Champions League qualification. the 20-time English champions would be a fit- to get in the team can do well.” Slumping Arsenal, with just one win in their last GERMAN LEAGUE ting final chapter in the Leicester fairytale. four matches, host third-bottom Norwich City, Borussia v Wolfsburg 16:30 beIN SPORTS 1 HD But the Foxes’ first shot at sporting immortal- Fallen short who are in the relegation zone on goal differ- Bayern v Monchengladbach 16:30 ity comes with leading scorer Vardy banished to Even if Leicester only draw tomorrow, they ence below Sunderland. City travel to beIN SPORTS 5 HD the stands after the England international was would take the title if second-placed Tottenham Southampton before focusing on next week’s Hannover v Schalke 16:30 this week handed an additional one-game ban Hotspur, seven points adrift with three games second leg of their Champions League semi- beIN SPORTS 8 HD for angrily confronting referee Jonathan Moss remaining, fail to win at Chelsea on Monday. final against Real Madrid. Sunderland aim to Mainz v Hamburger 16:30 following his dismissal for diving against West Defeats for both Leicester and Tottenham, who maintain their climb to safety when they visit beIN SPORTS Hoffenheim v Ingolstadt 16:30 Ham United earlier this month. Although haven’t won at Chelsea since 1990, would also Stoke City. Newcastle United, second from bot- beIN SPORTS Vardy’s presence wasn’t missed as Leicester mean Ranieri’s team are confirmed as champi- tom and one point from safety, host FA Cup Darmstadt v Eintracht 16:30 crushed lowly Swansea City 4-0 in the first ons. Having harbored genuine hopes of a first finalists Crystal Palace as Eagles boss Alan beIN SPORTS match of his ban last weekend, the trip to title since 1961, Tottenham appear to have fall- Pardew, an unpopular figure on Tyneside, Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Hertha 19:30 United could be a trickier proposition. Leicester en short after a lacklustre second half led to makes his first return to St James’ Park since beIN SPORTS 5 HD last won at Old Trafford in 1998, each of their Monday’s damaging 1-1 draw against West quitting in 2014. — AFP ITALIAN LEAGUE Udinese Calcio v Torino 19:00 beIN SPORTS 4 HD Chievo Verona v Fiorentina 21:45 beIN SPORTS 4 HD It’s red Leicester thanks FRENCH LEAGUE Nantes v Nice 15:00 to China’s Number 1 fan beIN SPORTS 6 HD Saint Etienne v Toulouse 18:00 beIN SPORTS 7 HD BEIJING: He has never seen a no reports on his favourite team, even I couldn’t watch it any more other. “It’s one thing to show up Monaco v Guingamp 20:00 Premier League match live or and China’s strict online censor- because it was so painful, I still and root for the teams who are beIN SPORTS 6 HD even set foot outside China, but ship regime, which blocks couldn’t avoid being a part of it, already big, but their success will Troyes AC v Girondins 20:00 Leicester City’s fairytale season numerous Western news sites and still hoped they’d win,” said always be a bit removed from beIN SPORTS has made Zhang Tianbo, 16, their and services such as Twitter, left Wang. He has met players and you, versus when the little team Lorient v Lille 20:00 beIN SPORTS 8 HD most high-profile fan in the coun- him devoid of information. The coaches, and collected signed that’s been scorned all along Caen v Bastia 20:00 try. For the last two years Zhang teenager bought software to cir- jerseys, and while he has sup- makes it to the position it is in beIN SPORTS 1 HD has run the most active Chinese cumvent the “Great Firewall” ported other teams his relation- today-that’s a whole different Stade de Reims v Montpellier 20:00 social media account devoted to and started to translate and ship with the Foxes is unlike any feeling,” he said. — AFP beIN SPORTS the Foxes, racking up more than share the information he was Lyon v Ajaccio 22:00 3,000 posts on the Twitter-like gathering online. “I’ve been feel- beIN SPORTS 6 HD Sina Weibo. ing great ever since this season English Premier League table When the season began with began,” he said. No hard feelings the team as 5,000-1 outsiders, he LONDON: English Premier League table ahead of this weekend’s had around 3,000 followers. As ‘Losing so embarrassingly’ matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): for Alan Pardew they stand poised to take the The world’s second-largest Leicester 35 22 10 3 63 33 76 championship, that has more economy is a crucial market for Tottenham 35 19 12 4 65 26 69 than doubled to over 7,000. “The many of football’s biggest teams, NEWCASTLE: Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew Man City 35 19 7 9 66 34 64 team’s performance has been who regularly play off-season insists he has no hard feelings towards Newcastle Arsenal 35 18 10 7 58 34 64 extraordinary,” Zhang said. friendly matches in China. But United as he prepares to return to his struggling for- Man Utd 34 17 8 9 42 30 59 “Everyone wants to witness this until now Leicester has had a mer club for the first time today. Pardew claims he West Ham 34 14 14 6 57 43 56 miracle.” It is a far cry from his decidedly muted presence in would love to see current Magpies boss Rafael Liverpool 34 15 10 9 58 45 55 solitary early days. “It was lonely. I China, and set up its own verified Benitez lead Newcastle to safety as they battle to Southampton 35 15 9 11 49 37 54 couldn’t find anyone to discuss Weibo account only two weeks avoid relegation from the Premier League. But he Chelsea 34 12 11 11 53 46 47 things with,” he lamented. The ago. It has posted fewer than 50 could still get a frosty reception from Magpies sup- Stoke 35 13 8 14 37 51 47 teenager happened upon times but has already attracted porters as he leads his side at St James’ Park for the Everton 34 9 14 11 53 48 41 Leicester City by chance in 2013 more than 10,000 followers-a tiny first time since leaving Newcastle to take charge at Watford 34 11 8 15 33 40 41 while picking a Premier League fraction of Manchester United’s Selhurst Park in December 2014.