MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013 SPORTS

Bayern head to Club World Cup with more records

BERLIN: Bayern Munich flew to Mandzukic and Mario Goetze before against Hamburg, Bayern jetted out of “We want to get the last title we’re ners Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out. Morocco to begin their assault on the Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri added Munich with Guardiola looking to lacking this season,” said Bayern chair- Brazil’s Corinthians and global Club World Cup title with coach Pep the third deep into added time. win the Club World Cup for the third man Karl-Heinz Rummenigge after the giants Barcelona have both won the Guardiola demanding improvements But Guardiola said the European time, having already lifted the title club broke or equalled 25 Bundesliga title twice, while Brazilian teams have from the European champions. And champions have weaknesses to work with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. records last season. “We want to win won four of the Club World Cup’s nine that despite the Bavarian giants on. “Perhaps the players already had China’s Asian champions Guangzhou the title, but it’s not automatic that we editions. Guardiola has taken a total of adding still more Bundesliga records their holidays and Morocco in their Evergrande set up a semi-final against will. 23 players to Morocco with only to their already impressive tally. heads,” said Guardiola. “We had prob- Bayern on Tuesday in Agadir after see- “It’s a title which certainly doesn’t injured stars Arjen Robben, Holger The 3-1 win over Hamburg at lems in the second half, just like ing off Egypt’s Al Ahly 2-0 in Saturday’s have such a high priority in Germany. Badstuber and Bastian Schweinsteiger Munich’s Allianz Arena left Guardiola’s against Manchester, we lost the ball quarter-final. “On the other continents, this title is of left behind. side with a new record of 93 points for too easily. “We have good players, but No German side has ever won the high value, so our team will certainly Local side Raja Casablanca will face the calendar year and they remain we have to cut those actions out. trophy, but having become the first throw everything into winning it.” As Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro in Wednesday’s unbeaten in the league in 2013. “2013 was an unbelievable year for Bundesliga side to win the treble of well as the treble, Bayern lifted the other semi-final after a 2-1 extra-time Bayern bounced back from the 3-2 FC Bayern. “Now we’re flying to league, cup and European titles last UEFA Super Cup title in August in win over Mexico’s CF Monterrey in their Champions League defeat at home to Morocco to try and win our next title.” season, Bayern want to add another Prague when the Champions League quarter-final, with the final in Manchester City with goals by Mario Four hours after the final whistle piece of silverware to their 2013 haul. winners beat Europa League title-win- Marrakech next Saturday. —AFP Klose relaunches Lazio, Fiorentina up to fourth

MILAN: A brace from Miroslav Klose in a 2-0 win over Livorno helped relaunch Lazio’s stuttering season as Fiorentina moved up to fourth in Serie A with a comprehensive 3-0 win at home to Bologna yesterday. Italian Cup champions Lazio had won only four times this season, their last victory, a 2-0 defeat of Cagliari at the end of October, heaping the pres- sure on coach Vladimir Petkovic. Petkovic on Saturday had admitted that this could be his last game in charge of the Biancocelesti in the event of defeat against league new boys Livorno. However the 50-year-old Bosnian’s nerves were settled before the half-hour of a one-sided affair with German veteran striker Klose hitting the net twice in the space of seven minutes. German international Klose, who made his return to the fray in the Europa League in midweek following a shoulder injury, hit the target at the second time of asking on 19 minutes after Bardi had run out and initially got a hand to his effort. Klose grabbed his second seven minutes later when he picked up the rebound from a Hernanes shot on the edge of the area and was given time to stride in unchallenged to drill past Bardi. Lazio’s fifth win of the campaign moved them up to provi- sional ninth place, albeit 20 points adrift of leaders Kuwaiti Powerboat racer Yousef Al-Rubaiaan at the F1H2O Grand Prix in Juventus ahead of the Old Lady’s later match at Sharjah — KUNA home to Sassuolo. Fiorentina, meanwhile, capitalised on Bologna’s poor form of late to move up to fourth at the Kuwaiti racer cruises expense of Inter, who travel to Napoli in Sunday’s late game. Fiorentina had won their home fixture against Bologna in the past two seasons and raced to 5th in World to a 13th minute lead when Josep Ilicic silenced the critics of his recent goal drought with a fine Powerboat Championship individual effort. The Slovenian had not scored since April but KUWAIT: Kuwaiti racer Yousef Al- ter results in the next tournaments. after collecting the ball in midfield he dribbled his Rubaiaan took the 5th position in World “We ended up in the ninth position in way through the Bologna defence before leaving Powerboat Championship that was held the previous tournament and now we ‘keeper Gianluca Curci rooted to the spot. Before ROME: Lazio’s Andre Dias, right, Lazio’s Lucas Biglia, center, and Livorno’s Leandro recently. Al-Rubaiaan said that he is “high- have advanced to fifth in this contest, claiming his 13th goal of the season, Rossi first Greco fight for the ball during their Serie A soccer match at Rome’s Olympic stadium, ly elated with this achievement, which is which signals great determination on part turned provider. yesterday. —AP the fruit of lengthy preparations and hard of all the team members,” Al-Rubaiaan Sighting Borja Valero running through unmarked, Rossi delivered a perfect square ball work”. He praised his fellow teammates added in his statement to Kuwait News ‘keeper from the edge of the area to take his his precious fourth win of the campaign, the second in allowing the Spaniard a clear run on goal to beat and members of his team who helped Agency (KUNA). league-leading tally to 13 in 16 games. succession under new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, with Curci with a curling shot inside the keeper’s far Fiorentina almost grabbed their fourth when a 1-0 win away to Chievo which moved the him to make the record score - one of the Italian racer Alex Carella, representing post. Juan Vargas ran through on goal but the Peruvian’s Genoese side up to 14th. top five in the race. the Qatari team won the contest. An Bologna had little in response and Fiorentina effort was blocked by Cesare Natali. Parma and Cagliari played out a scoreless draw He said that the “task was a hard one,” - American, also representing the Qataris, virtually sealed the points in the 64th minute when Elsewhere Udinese dropped several places while Genoa, who scored a 72nd minute opener facing 22 of the world top champions, came second. A Chinese and French rac- Rossi added a third. This time, Valero returned the down the table, to 15th, after being stunned 2-0 at through Andrea Bertolacci, were stunned in the adding that the record would encourage er came third while a Finnish came favour with a chipped pass into the path of the home with the goals coming from Alexander fourth minute of injury time by a Giuseppe De him and his team to work harder for bet- fourth. —KUNA Italy striker, who coolly lobbed the advancing Farnerud and Ciro Immobile. Sampdoria secured a Luca leveller. —AFP Ronaldo museum opens with space for another ‘Ballon d’Or’

English Premier League results/standings

P W D L F A Pts Aston Villa 16 5 4 7 16 21 19 Arsenal 16 11 2 3 33 17 35 Hull City 16 5 4 7 13 19 19 Liverpool 16 10 3 3 39 18 33 Stoke City 16 4 6 6 15 20 18 Chelsea 16 10 3 3 32 18 33 Norwich 16 5 3 8 15 29 18 Man City 16 10 2 4 47 18 32 Cardiff 16 4 5 7 12 22 17 Everton 16 8 7 1 27 15 31 West Brom 16 3 6 7 17 22 15 Newcastle 16 8 3 5 21 22 27 Tottenham 16 8 3 5 15 21 27 West Ham 16 3 5 8 13 19 14 Man United 16 7 4 5 25 19 25 Crys Palace 16 4 1 11 11 24 13 Southampton 16 6 6 4 20 15 24 Fulham 16 4 1 11 15 30 13 Swansea 16 5 5 6 22 21 20 Sunderland 16 2 3 11 12 30 9 Mourinho plays down Chelsea trophy chances

LONDON: Jose Mourinho has million) striker Fernando Torres their lack of finish. played down Chelsea’s chances of scored his second league goal of “The number of goals is quite winning silverware this season, the season on Saturday. He and fel- frustrating not just for me but also because they lack a killer “selfish” low strikers Demba Ba and Samuel for them,” he had said after training. striker. The London side missed a Eto’o have contributed only five of “Do I expect a little bit more? Yes. series of scoring chances in their 2- Chelsea’s 32 Premier League goals Do we want them to do a little 1 win over strugglers Crystal Palace so far. more? Yes.” Mourinho repeated on Saturday but still moved within Belgian attacking midfielder after Saturday’s game that he did two points of Premier League lead- Eden Hazard is top league scorer not expect to buy a striker in the ers Arsenal, whom they meet on with six. “We don’t have that striker January transfer window as there December 23. we used to call the killer, the selfish were unlikely to be any good ones “I don’t think we are the big con- one, the one that gives the last available. tenders of any competition,” touch,” Mourinho said. On Friday “They are in the big clubs, they Mourinho told BBC radio. “We don’t Mourinho said his strikers’ hard are in the clubs with big ambitions have the striker who is going to work helped the attacking mid- and big clubs with big ambitions FUNCHAL: Cristiano Ronaldo looks at one of his trophies during a tour of his museum in Funchal, Portugal, score 30 goals in the league.” fielders to get on the scoresheet don’t sell their top selfish ones,” he yesterday. The museum opening yesterday displays 150 of the soccer player’s trophies and awards. —AP Chelsea’s 50 million pound ($81.39 but he and they were frustrated by said. —Reuters

FUNCHAL: Real Madrid and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo Soccer’s world governing body named him, Barcelona’s Despite the frenzy of reporters and fans at the open- to witness the ruckus, unusual on the quiet island with tournament with his first club Andorinha, Portuguese for opened a museum in his honour in his birthplace yester- Lionel Messi of Argentina and Bayern Munich’s French ing, the space is more humble than your average muse- 260,000 inhabitants, famous for its luxuriant biodiversity, swallow. The next youth trophy misspelled his first name, day, which he said had extra room for the Ballon d’Or and winger Franck Ribery as the three finalists for the 2013 um. It occupies the ground floor of a discreet five-storey strong-flavoured bananas and fortified wine. attributing it to ‘Christiano’, and was half broken, contrast- many other trophies to come. Ballon d’Or award, formerly known as FIFA World Player building, a few hundred metres from the Funchal city ing sharply with the two shiny Golden Boots - won as Standing next to his 2008 Ballon d’Or and 125 other of the Year. centre and with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. With an Chipped Trophy Europe’s top marksman - and a lifesize wax figure of him individual and team awards dating back to his Madeira Ronaldo, this year’s World Soccer magazine’s player of idyllic sunny day greeting him back, it is easy to under- It is not any 28-year-old that has the chance to cut the in a Portugal shirt dominating the main room. “Does the childhood, the 28-year-old told reporters the CR7 the year, said he was not desperate to win the most pres- stand why Ronaldo took the chance to remember that ribbons to a museum in their name but Ronaldo said his statue look the same or what?” he asked reporters. “No, I Museum was a gift to his fans. “Of course it’s a special tigious individual award in the sport. leaving this place remains his hardest moment as a foot- treasure cove deserved it. “Here is the evidence of what I think it looks more handsome (than me),” Ronaldo joked. day, it’s the opening of my museum and I am proud,” the “The World Soccer magazine’s player of the year baller. have won, no one will take it away from here and these Ronaldo paid tribute to Manchester United’s Sir Alex Portugal forward, who has scored 33 goals this season, award was another important trophy but it does not “You can’t win anything without sacrifice. Mine was were things I wanted to share with my fans, show them Ferguson, who oversaw his rise to stardom over a six-year said. “I have room for more trophies. I don’t really want to mean I will win the Ballon d’Or. I hope that happens but I to leave Madeira when I was 11 and try it out at Sporting. what I have already achieved,” Ronaldo said. spell at the English Premier League club, his family and mention specific ones. All I want is to win more awards am not obsessed about it.” The Ballon d’Or results will be To move out to the mainland was the hardest thing in The first piece on display, probably the smallest, dates agent Jorge Mendes as some of those who helped him and if the Ballon d’Or comes, there is extra room here.” announced on Jan. 13. my career”. Curious neighbours stood on their balconies back to when Ronaldo was eight and top-scored in a succeed. —Reuters