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. Whether left-back Kieran Tierney have been ruled Sergio will play or not, I will decide tomor- out due to hamstring and ankle injuries row.” Fernandinho received a three-game respectively. But manager Brendan domestic ban for manhandling Chelsea’s Rodgers said centre-back Erik Sviatchenko Cesc Fabregas and will not feature against and striker Leigh Griffiths “should be fine” Celtic due to a one-game European sus- after they sat out the trip to Motherwell pension. due to illness. —AFP Klopp defends Liverpool after Bournemouth shocker

BOURNEMOUTH: Jurgen Klopp has been certain aspects of Liverpool’s performance, MEXICO CITY: Alex Mina Ibarra (R) of America vies for the ball with Jairo Gonzalez of Necaxa during their Mexican Apertura 2016 tournament forced to defend Liverpool’s character and however - accusing his team of ‘opening the second leg semifinal football match at Azteca stadium in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sunday. — AFP title credentials after their incredible melt- door for Bournemouth’ in the latter stages of down in a stunning 4-3 defeat at a match in which Liverpool scored excellent Bournemouth. Liverpool’s shock loss on goals through Sadio Mane, Divock Origi and Sunday came at a time when they looked set Emre Can. But Klopp refused to place any to move to within a point of leaders Chelsea blame at the door of goalkeeper Loris Karius, United victims of double and go into the Christmas period as one of who spiled Steve Cook’s stoppage-time shot the favourites to finish as champions for the to gift Nathan Ake the winner - and was then first time since 1990. However, the nervous heavily criticised by television pundit and standards, says Mourinho manner of the team’s late collapse against a former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher for Bournemouth team who had never won his mistake. “No, I have no concern,” Klopp against Liverpool in their history, has opened insisted. “No problem. If you make mistakes LIVERPOOL: Jose Mourinho claimed he is being But, in any case, United had only themselves ting the results we deserve.” United defender up a debate over whether Klopp’s squad is you get criticised. That’s what happens in life. judged unfairly by critics after Manchester to blame for their latest disappointment as late Phil Jones, who continued his impressive recent ready for such pressure. Next weekend sees “I’m sure people criticised Jamie Carragher in United conceded a late Leighton Baines penalty substitute Marouane Fellaini tripped Idrissa form after returning from injury problems, artic- Liverpool face lowly West Ham at Anfield, but his career. It has no influence on what I do to in a damaging 1-1 draw at Everton. Gueye and Baines struck the equalising penalty. ulated the frustration in the visitors’ camp. “It’s the Christmas fixture list also throws up far my team. It says nothing about him as a goal- Mourinho’s team have won just twice in the Mourinho, whose side are 13 points behind happened too many times, we’ve dropped too tougher games against Merseyside rivals keeper. It happens. We go on.” league since the end of August, a run which has leaders Chelsea, did not take kindly to questions many points,” said Jones. “That’s four or five Everton and title rivals Manchester City, with In contrast, Bournemouth players are cel- featured numerous draws and has derailed about his decision to bring on the Belgian and games I can think of where we have completely star player Philippe Coutinho missing all of ebrating a famous victory, having never pre- United’s hopes of winning a title in their manag- said: “I thought you would know more about dominated and didn’t win. It’s happened again.” them because of an ankle injury. Klopp, viously beaten Liverpool in nine fixtures er’s debut season at Old Trafford. football than you do. “It is obvious. Everton is not United might have had greater problems had however, sees no reason for panic despite his going all the way back to 1927. However, Mourinho, who earned a reputation a passing team. They play direct. Everything is defender Marcos Rojo been dismissed in the first team conceding three goals in the last 14 The result takes them up to 10th, with for not always winning in the most attractive direct. “When a team is losing it plays direct, half, instead of earning a yellow card, for a horrif- minutes to turn a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 loss. “We matches against struggling Burnley and style when in charge of Chelsea, insists his side is when you have a player on the bench with two ic lunge at Gueye, although Everton manager have no attitude or character problem,” he Leicester next on the agenda. Their come- playing well and that he is being held to a dou- metres (height) you play that player in front of Ronald Koeman refused to criticise the said. “No-one is born a winner. Not in the first back was inspired by a match-winning per- ble standard. “You have to make a decision the defensive line to win the match.” Argentinian. two or three months. You have to learn it. “It formance from 22-year-old substitute Fraser, because when my teams are playing pragmatic “It’s difficult,” said Koeman who made three doesn’t feel too good right now but some- who only came on because of an injury to football and winning matches and winning EMOTIONAL excellent substitutions to rescue the point. times we need it. So I’m not angry. These teammate Junior Stanislas in the second half titles, you say it is not right and nice,” Mourinho Baines’s penalty cancelled out the opening “Maybe if the referee could watch it back, things happen and you cannot be champi- with his team trailing 2-0. The Scottish said. “When my teams play very, very well, there goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a strong spell maybe it would be a red card. We always have ons in December. “I would say we were 100 winger won a penalty with his first touch, is a huge change in relation to the past two or from United who also saw Ander Herrera hit a discussions about red or yellow, if it’s a penalty, percent before now. Now we are 99 percent. scored Bournemouth’s second at 3-1 and set three years. Now you say what matters is to get post. “It was another game with a very good per- but finally it’s a fair result. Both teams didn’t But it’s quite simple to go back to 100 per- up his team’s equaliser as the game was result, no matter what. formance in a very difficult place to play,” said deserve to lose. “We can fight back, we showed cent. turned on its head. “At the moment teams are getting results, Mourinho. “A very emotional stadium against a that today. It was disappointing to go 1-0 down “Nothing happened today apart from los- Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, defending with 11 players, keeping the ball and team with very good players. but we didn’t deserve to lose the match. ing three points. Everything else is ok.” whose team were playing in England’s fourth playing on the counter-attack. You have to make “We are playing very well at home, being “We showed that commitment and qualities tier as recently as six years ago, said: “I don’t a decision.” The last comment may have been a super dominant. We are playing very well away and the three subs had a big impact on the NO CONCERN think I’ll ever forget this game. It was a right thinly-disguised reference to Chelsea and their controlling matches and performing really well game. We deserved it because we were danger- Klopp did admit he wasn’t happy with contrast of emotions. —AFP current style of play. with some amazing performance but not get- ous in the second half.” —AFP