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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 SPORTS Qatar 2022 attacks ‘malicious’: Organiser DOHA: Qatar’s much-criticised 2022 country”. a barrage of international criticism. tions always denied in Doha. jobs and travel. World Cup has been the victim of “mali- “We’ve responded to our critics for a These have mostly focused on cor- It was also accused earlier this year by In addition, last month the Supreme cious and unwarranted attacks”, a senior very long time to the detriment of the ruption allegations to secure the tourna- Amnesty International of using “forced Committee announced that it would tournament official in the Gulf said yes- local people and local media,” he told a ment in the first place and its poor labour” at one World Cup site. allow international trade union inspec- terday. Soccerex Asia forum meeting in Doha. human rights record, in relation to the Qatar has tried to counter such claims tions of tournament stadium sites from Nasser Al-Khater, assistant secretary “We were under a lot of criticism we almost two million migrant workers in by saying it is in the process of bringing next year. general of the Supreme Committee for were under, I would say, malicious and the Gulf state. in significant labour reforms. Khater added that he thought critics Delivery and Legacy, the body oversee- unwarranted attacks.” Qatar is the subject of an ongoing Later this month, the gas-rich state is were being silenced. “I think it’s time crit- ing the organisation of the tournament Since being controversially chosen to Swiss Attorney General investigation expected to announce the end of its ics started to listen to us. I think they are in Qatar, also claimed that many of the host football’s biggest event almost into corruption claims over the bidding controversial “kafala” laws, which place coming round to the fact that Qatar is country’s critics had not “set foot in the exactly six years ago, Qatar has received process for the 2022 tournament, allega- restrictions on workers’ ability to change not a bad idea,” he said. — AFP Flawless Atletico hunt perfect six at Bayern BERLIN: Atletico Madrid can make club history at Bayern Munich today as the Spaniards look for a record sixth group stage win with both teams through to the last 16. Diego Simeone’s men arrive in Munich as the only side with a 100 percent record in Europe after five wins from five. The Group D leaders are six points clear of second-placed Bayern, who they beat 1-0 in Madrid in September, thanks to Yannick Carrasco’s first-half winner. Only five teams have achieved the feat of winning all six Champions League group stage games: Real Madrid (twice, 2011/12, 2014/15), AC Milan (1992/93), Paris Saint-Germain (1994/95), Spartak Moscow (1995/96) and MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho (L) and Barcelona (2002/03). Manchester City’s French defender Bacary Sagna attend a training session at the City Bayern have their own record run to maintain Football Academy in Manchester, northern England, yesterday. Manchester City are in Munich as their 4-1 victory over PSV in due to play Cetlic in UEFA Champions League Group C football match today. — AFP October was their 14th straight home win in the Champions League-a competition best. The match at Munich’s Allianz Arena is a dead rubber and regardless of the result Atletico will Unsettled Manchester City progress as group winners with Bayern second. Regardless, Bayern want a good performance target Celtic reaction after their 3-2 defeat at Rostov last time out. “We want to play at a high level,” insisted MUNICH: Bayern Munich’s Italian headcoach Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference in LONDON: Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City ROBERTS RETURNS Bayern midfielder Thiago Alcantara. “It’s not just Munich, southern Germany, yesterday, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League group D will look to turn the page on their turbulent Captain Vincent Kompany remains side- a matter of prestige, we want to decide the match between FC Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. — AFP weekend defeat by Chelsea when they lined with a knee problem and Raheem game for ourselves.” Bayern also have a score to home on Saturday. The result leaves them nine Friday’s 3-1 win at Mainz. He switched Thomas entertain Celtic in their final Champions Sterling is not expected to feature, having settle after September’s defeat in Madrid and points adrift of runaway Spanish league leaders Mueller from the wing to the attacking midfield League group game today. City’s 3-1 loss missed the Chelsea game after taking a semi-final exit last season at the hands of Real Madrid. and opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, rather than on Saturday left them four points below knock to his knee. Atletico and Antoine Griezmann. Atletico have at least recovered their defen- his prefered 4-3-3, which paid off as Robert Chelsea, who top the Premier League table, But midfielder Fabian Delph is thought Atletico lost last season’s final to neighbours sive solidity with four consecutive clean sheets Lewandowski netted either side of an Arjen and saw Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho to be close to a return to first-team action Real in Milan on penalties having squeezed past following a 3-0 reverse to Real two weeks ago. Robben goal. It was a return to winning ways dismissed for losing their heads in stop- after over three months out with a groin Bayern in the semis. Madrid beat Bayern 1-0 at Simeone has named a full strength 20-man after Ancelotti admitted his side made too many page time. injury. Guaranteed to finish bottom of home and although the Germans won the squad for the trip to Germany, but key players mistakes in the defeat to Rostov and 1-0 league Guardiola’s side are already assured of a Group C, Celtic have only pride to play for, return 2-1 in Munich last May, Griezmann’s cru- like Diego Godin, Carrasco and Griezmann could loss at Borussia Dortmund last month. place in the Champions League last 16, but they will hope to bow out with a per- cial away goal knocked the Bavarians out on a be rested for their crucial La Liga match at “When we look at the stats, we haven’t con- while Celtic cannot even reach the Europa formance akin to their fine showing in their night when Thomas Mueller and Fernando Villarreal next Monday. ceded many goals, but there were many individ- League, but goalkeeper Willy Caballero says 3-3 draw with City in September. Torres had penalties saved. Having won the Bundesliga title for each of ual mistakes we made and we’re working on the hosts still have a point to prove. “Just The Scottish champions have not won a “The semi-finals were painful, but it’s a thing the last four seasons-a German league record- that,” said Ancelotti. hearing the anthem of the Champions game in Europe’s top-level competition of the past. Now we want a good performance,” Bayern find themselves in the unusual position The Italian says centre-back Jerome Boateng League is a big motivation. It is the most proper since October 2013, while the last of said Thiago. Atletico’s contrasting domestic and of second in Germany’s top flight, three points is out with a shoulder injury, while Arturo Vidal important competition in the world,” the their three victories in England dates back European fortunes so far this season continued adrift of leaders RB Leipzig. will feature at some point after returning from a Argentine said during a pre-match press to 2003. But they have had a memorable 10 as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Espanyol at Head coach Carlo Ancelotti experimented for leg injury he picked up playing for Chile. —AFP conference yesterday. days, claiming the Scottish League Cup to “With this, it is enough. We have to bring up a century of trophies, and go into respect this kind of game. We are going to the game on the back of a last-gasp 4-3 win play against a champion team and be at Motherwell on Saturday. focused and play in the same way we did “It was definitely a day to remember,” against Borussia (Moenchengladbach) and said Australian midfielder Tom Rogic, who Barcelona. “We lost at home. We need to netted a 90th-minute winner at Fir Park. recover the feeling of a winning team and “We are certainly champions for a reason the only way to do that is to win tomorrow.” and it is days like those when you are up Caballero is expected to start in goal in against it, it tests your character as a group place of Claudio Bravo as Guardiola rotates and as a unit and when you come through his starting XI for the Etihad Stadium it, it is pretty pleasing. encounter. With Aguero banned from “It was a new challenge and it showed domestic football until New Year’s Eve, the strength of the team.” One visiting play- Guardiola must decide whether to hand him a last pre-Christmas run-out or give his er hoping to catch the eye will be 19-year- deputy, Kelechi Iheanacho, a chance to get old winger Patrick Roberts, who joined up to speed. “There will be changes tomor- Celtic from City last February on an 18- row, definitely,” Guardiola said. “I am so month loan deal. happy to give minutes to people who Former City winger Scott Sinclair and deserved to play the last games.