27 Sports Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Lopetegui on the brink as Madrid seek morale-boosting win over Plzen Lopetegui has been charged with papering over the cracks

MADRID: Real Madrid’s players may have offered a scattering of swinging white handkerchiefs too. But the show of public support to but fail to win atmosphere was marked more by deflation than disgust. at home against Viktoria Plzen today and their words will At the end, as his players hunched on their knees, mean very little. “Julen has the backing of the entire Lopetegui stood on the touchline, staring into space. team,” Sergio Ramos said after Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Lopetegui is on the brink - he may well not make the Levante on Saturday, their fourth defeat in five games and Clasico on Sunday - but there is a sense this “mega cri- third in a row. “We are with him to the death,” said sis”, as termed by Barcelona’s Mundo Deportivo, has Marcelo. Three months into the season, there are few been a long-time coming. In July, days after Cristiano obvious alternatives if the club’s president Florentino Ronaldo had left for Juventus, Perez defended his recruit- Perez decides to wield the axe. , coach of ment strategy, saying: “Madrid is strengthening its search Castilla, Real Madrid’s B team, could take charge in the for young players that will become the next great players short-term but the troubled search for a suitable coach in of the sport.” the summer would not appear much smoother now. By the end of the summer, they had signed Vinicius, Mauricio Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp and Max Allegri the 18-year-old striker from Flamengo, Alvaro Odriozola, would all be near-impossible to sign mid-season, while a 22-year-old right back from Real Sociedad, and Joachim Low is still attached to Germany. Antonio Conte Mariano Diaz, who returned after a decent season with is out of work but there is an issue with the Italian’s style Lyon. Only Thibaut Courtois could be considered a star, of play, not to mention any legal wranglings around his and he was joining a club that already had UEFA’s goal- compensation package with Chelsea. Arsene Wenger keeper of the season. would be fascinating but high-risk. One theory goes that Perez is keeping the treasury full For Lopetegui to call off the search, victory is surely in preparation for a fresh tilt for Neymar next summer. It essential at the Santiago Bernabeu against Plzen, the might explain too why a move for Eden Hazard has never Czech team that have only won two Champions League been pushed through. matches in their history. In the meantime, and now, Lopetegui, Then avoiding defeat to Barcelona, who will be with- have been charged with papering over the cracks. Zidane out the injured , could buy him a trio of theo- managed it, spectacularly, by winning in Europe, although retically kinder fixtures against Melilla in the Copa del if Michael Oliver had not puffed his whistle for a border- Rey, Real Valladolid in the league and Plzen again in the line 98th-minute penalty against Juventus, Madrid would MADRID: Real Madrid’s Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui (C) attends a training session at the Valdebebas training Czech Republic. Win those, and the outlook might look have been out in the last 16. In , they finished 17 ground in Madrid yesterday on the eve of the UEFA Champions’ League football match Real Madrid CF against FC more rosy. points behind Barcelona. Viktoria Plzen. —AFP Amid the sprawl of disapproving headlines on Sunday, Three Champions League titles in a row is no fluke, Diario AS ran an online poll: who is more guilty, the club’s just as two interventions from the Video Assistant Referee coach or president? Just over 80,000 replies were cred- were not the sole reason Madrid lost at home to Levante Benzema on the bench. Both endured fitness issues over three consecutive defeats was not sacked afterwards. ited - almost 17,000 more than had attended the for the first time in 11 years. the international break but were excellent in the second That was Bernd Schuster, whose team had put their feet Santiago Bernabeu the day before - and 86 per cent of Defensive mistakes, panicky finishing and stodgy half. By then, it was too late. up after winning the title in 2008. Lopetegui has far less them answered Perez. build-up all reflected badly on Lopetegui, who made “I believe in this team more than ever,” Lopetegui said. credit in the bank. Perez’s period of austerity is coming There were whistles after the loss to Levante and a matters worse by leaving Gareth Bale and Karim Only one of the last six Madrid coaches to preside over home to roost. — AFP

English teen stars Matches on TV Sancho, Nelson (Local Timings) shine in Germany UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AEK Athens v Bayern Munich 19:55 BERLIN: They may be struggling with the language, beIN SPORTS HD 1 but when it comes to playing football in Germany, BSC Young Boys v Valencia 19:55 English teenagers and Reiss Nelson are beIN SPORTS HD 3 making themselves perfectly understood. Ajax Amsterdam v SL Benfica 22:00 The 18-year-olds have both seized their chances in the and are expected to play key roles in beIN SPORTS HD 6 the Champions League this week. Sancho joined Manchester United v Juventus FC 22:00 Borussia Dortmund in August 2017, rejecting a con- beIN SPORTS HD 1 tract extension at Manchester City, while Nelson is on Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City 22:00 loan at Hoffenheim from Arsenal. beIN SPORTS HD 2 Both admit playing in a foreign country presents AS Roma v SKA Moscow 22:00 particular challenges, not least the German language. beIN SPORTS HD 4 Sancho conducts his interviews in English but admits he’s “working on my German” while Nelson has the Real Madrid CF v FC Viktoria Plzen 22:00 advantage of having a German father. beIN SPORTS HD 3 “I’ve settled in well and I’m enjoying it. My dad is TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v Olympique Lyonnais 22:00 German too, from near Munich, so I knew what to beIN SPORTS HD 5 expect and I’m learning the language with an app-it’s DORTMUND: In this file photo taken on October 3, 2018 Dortmund’s English Jadon Sancho chases the ball going well,” explained Nelson. during the UEFA Champions League Group A football match BVB Borussia Dortmund v AS Monaco in Dortmund, He has plenty of family support in his new sur- western Germany. English teenagers Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson are set to showcase in Europe this week what roundings-his mother, sister and brother all temporari- the is missing after dazzling for their German clubs over the weekend. — AFP ly moved to Germany to help him settle in. “Sinsheim is Bolt ‘offered a little village where everyone loves football,” he told the Daily Mail recently. Under-21s against Scotland after netting as a sub in a Nelson told The FA’s website. “Julian’s a great manager Fresh from winning his first cap for England, Sancho 7-0 thrashing of Andorra. and he’s got belief in young players so it’s a good place cut-price deal’ opened the scoring for German league leaders The first-team exposure Sancho and Nelson are for me to go and play. “It was hard to leave my boy- Dortmund in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of Stuttgart. enjoying is payback for the gamble they took on the hood club Arsenal, but I know I have to put that on in Australia Sancho should keep his place against Atletico Madrid Bundesliga. Sancho recently extended his Dortmund hold and go and play abroad to get some experience in for Wednesday’s Group A showdown in the Champions contract until 2022, which has no release clause. Germany.” League, but was quick to acknowledge the first-team “It’s going to be a big game for us,” said Sancho Nelson’s arrival in Sinsheim coincided with the end SYDNEY: Australia’s Central Coast Mariners have offered opportunities Dortmund give him. before the Atletico clash with both Dortmund and of Germany winger Serge Gnabry’s loan from Bayern sprint superstar Usain Bolt a contract, reports said yester- “Honestly, them giving me opportunities at such a Madrid having won their first two games. “We’ll give it Munich. “What he (Nelson) brings with his tempo and day, but the club’s coach said he knows nothing about it. young age, I just have to thank the club and all my our best.” Nelson and Sancho are just the latest his one-on-one ability, we didn’t have so much of that The eight-time Olympic champion has been on trial with family that have been behind me from the start,” English imports to German football after Ademola in the squad,” said Nagelsmann. the A-League side since arriving in August to fulfil his Sancho told Sky. “I am really happy to be part of this Lookman, 21, spent last season at RB Leipzig and “Reiss is a player whose qualities can be compared dream of becoming a professional footballer. He scored two team and just have to keep working hard in training.” Reece Oxford, 19, was at Borussia Moenchengladbach. to those of Serge Gnabry, but just not so well devel- goals in a pre-season friendly last week and on Thursday Sancho has dazzled with six assists and two goals in In previous generations, the likes of Kevin Keegan, oped.” Nelson arrived in Hoffenheim with glowing ref- turned down a two-year, trial-free deal from cashed-up the Bundesliga, forging a potent partnership with Owen Hargreaves, Mark Hughes, Paul Lambert and erences. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown says Maltese champions Valletta. “I can confirm Usain has been offered a contract by Germany star Marco Reus. Tony Woodcock all enjoyed successful spells for Nelson has “the sort of touches you often see or asso- British players in Germany. Nelson has four goals in ciate with a Neymar or a real top player”. After Sancho Central Coast Mariners,” the Jamaican’s agent Ricky Simms told the BBC. The club had no immediate comment on ATLETICO TEST four Bundesliga appearances having signed a five-year made the step up to the senior English team, Nelson Monday, but Sydney’s Daily Telegraph said he had been Not to be outdone, Nelson netted with a volley, deal with Arsenal before heading on loan to hopes to follow as England manager Gareth Southgate offered only a fraction of the Aus$3 million (US$2.1 million) then claimed a superb second goal from a tight angle Hoffenheim. is clearly keeping an eye on Germany. that his management had discussed months ago when the in Hoffenheim’s 3-1 win at Nuremberg on Saturday. His “A loan wasn’t always my first option, but when I “Gareth has made it clear that the pathway is there prospect of a trial was first mooted. performance suggests he will also play against Lyon heard the Bundesliga and Hoffenheim was an option so if you’re young and you’re good, he’ll give you a The newspaper said the potential deal put together in today. His Bundesliga brace capped a brilliant week for for me and working with the manager (Julian chance,” said Nelson. “I’m trying to get in there and do May-on the premise of Bolt passing a trial first-was based Nelson, who also scored with a free-kick for England Nagelsmann) there, it was something I wanted to do,” my magic.” — AFP on Football Federation Australia contributing Aus$750,000 and other sponsors also topping it up. Real return would interest him at Old Trafford yesterday, years or so they’ve been real contenders to win the title. Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth had initially pledged highlighting that he signed an extended contract just this They’ve been to a couple of finals, they’ve won Scudetti on Aus$1.5 million, but the deal now offered to the sprinter Mourinho bats off was much less than this, it added. The 100m world-record year till 2020. “No, I’m happy here. I’m happy to see my the trot and they have a really special player, who makes a holder, who retired from athletics last year, has previously contract out to the very last day of that contract and I real difference as well. “As far as I’m concerned, Juventus Real return to focus tried out with clubs in Germany, South Africa and Norway. would like to stay after my contract ends,” said Mourinho. are more than just a contender this season to win the The 32-year-old’s form so far has been criticised by “All I’m thinking about is Manchester United.” Champions League.” several pundits, but his two goals captured the imagination on stopping Ronaldo Ronaldo is returning to Old Trafford for just the second Mourinho was encouraged by his side’s second-half of the sporting public. Club coach Mike Mulvey said he had time since he left United to join Madrid for a world record reaction in coming from behind in a 2-2 against Chelsea on heard nothing of an offer, and cast doubt on whether Bolt, fee in 2009. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made his Saturday, despite the disappointment of conceding a 96th- who likes to play up front, would make the grade given the MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Jose name in Manchester, but showed no mercy on his last visit minute equaliser. quality of players he already has at his disposal. Mourinho gave short shrift when quizzed on the possibility when he and Mourinho teamed up to dump United out of And Romelu Lukaku called on United to start games “You have a look at our front line today and you won- of a sensational return to Real Madrid as he prepares for a the Champions League in 2013. with the same intensity they have finished in recent weeks der whether he could get into any of those positions. reunion with one of his old pupils, , and And Mourinho is well aware of the challenge he faces in having also turned around a 2-0 deficit to beat Newcastle Wouldn’t you?” Mulvey said after the team drew their Juventus in the Champions League today. setting up a defence that has conceded 16 times in the 3-2 before the international break. opening A-League game of the season 1-1 away to A run of five games without a win has left Real boss Premier League already this season to stop the top scorer “The first half we just started slow. No initiative on the Brisbane Roar on Sunday. Julen Lopetegui on the brink of the sack just four months in the Champions League for the past six seasons. “He is ball and no movement,” said the Belgian striker. “Then in “I do appreciate how important this story is for the rest after accepting the thankless task of replacing Zinedine one of the best players of all time,” added Mourinho. “It’s the second half we did everything we said we wanted to of the world. You’re just talking about speculation. I don’t Zidane at the Bernabeu after three straight Champions as simple as that.” do in the first half. We do it always in the second half and know anything about what you’re talking about and that’s League titles. Mourinho’s future at United is also in doubt After winning seven straight Italian titles, Juventus that’s why we come back to get great results. God’s honest truth.” with the Red Devils languishing in 10th in the Premier splashed 112 million euros ($129 million) on a 33-year-old “But now the key is to start games how we start them in The Mariners boast Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack League, nine points off rivals Manchester City and Ronaldo to take them one step further in Europe and the second half, and maintain it as much as we can.” Both on their payroll, after the Scottish international agreed a Liverpool, just nine games into the new season. deliver a first Champions League title for 23 years. sides have been dealt injury blows with Alexis Sanchez season-long loan deal. They also have Tommy Oar, who has played 28 times for the Socceroos, along with Connor Pain, However, the Portuguese batted away a series of ques- And Mourinho believes Italian champions are the missing for United, while Juventus travelled without Sami who cleverly scored their goal on Sunday. — AFP tions from Spanish and Italian journalists on whether a favourites to win this year’s competition. “For the last five Khedira and Mario Mandzukic. — AFP