ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5-6, 2021 SPORTS 14

Real Madrid visit last-place Huesca Atlético sticking to match-by-match approach to stay ahead MADRID, Feb 4, (AP): Match-by- match. That longstanding mentality at Atlé- tico Madrid under coach Diego Sime- one is being put to the test more than ever. Atlético has built a big lead in the Spanish league entering the halfway point of the season but Simeone and his players know nothing has been won yet, especially in an atypical year in which the coronavirus can still play a big role. “Every match is an important step to- ward reaching our goal,” Simeone said. “To stay on this path we need to hold on to the match-by-match mentality.”

SOCCER

Seeking its fi rst league title since In this, Oct 26, 2020, file photo, Atleti- 2014, Atlético has a 10-point lead over co Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone both Barcelona and Real Madrid with plays with the ball during a training a game in hand. The team has won session in Majadahonda, outskirts of eight straight league matches and is on Madrid, Spain. (AP) pace for a 100-point season. “These are important numbers that Champions League again soon and we put us at the top,” said Luis Suárez, will need everyone,” Simeone said. Atlético’s surprise signing after being “We have to live with this situation. let go by Barcelona. “It means that the It will be like this the entire season.” team is doing a great job and has the Suárez struggled after returning right mentality to reach its goals. We to the team and only recently began have to stay on this path.” thriving again. The Uruguay striker Atlético’s next game is on Monday has become key for Atlético, scoring at Celta Vigo, which in winless in six nine goals in the last eight matches, matches in all competitions. Atlético including fi ve in the last three. hosts Chelsea in the round of 16 of the Atlético has a reasonably comfort- Champions League on Feb 23. able lead but Barcelona has been mak- The match-by-match approach has ing a strong move toward the top re- been a trademark of Simeone since cently, having won fi ve straight league he arrived in late 2011, becoming an games and unbeaten in its last 10. The intrinsic part of his highly competitive Catalan club, which on Wednesday squads. To this day he and his play- qualifi ed for the semifi nals of the ers always refer to it whenever asked Copa del Rey, visits Real Betis on about the team’s chances of winning a Sunday. competition. Real Madrid, meanwhile, continues The mentality has gained extra im- to struggle. It visits last-place Huesca portance this season because of the on Saturday having won only one of coronavirus pandemic. Atlético al- its last fi ve matches in all competi- Brighton’s Steven Alzate (left), challenges for the ball with Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips during the English Premier League soccer match between Liver- ready saw Simeone and Suárez side- tions. Madrid lost at home to Levante lined because of COVID-19, and pool and Brighton at Anfi eld stadium, in Liverpool, England, on Feb 3. (AP) in the previous round, and also lost currently it’s without some of its top Eden Hazard this week because of a players because of the virus – João muscle injury. Like Atlético, Madrid Félix, Moussa Dembélé, Yannick Car- has already been eliminated from the rasco and Mario Hermoso. Copa del Rey. They are expected to be back soon Fourth-place Sevilla, which has Liverpool lose again at home but it’s unknown how long it will take won six in a row in all competitions, for them to regain their best form. including three straight in the league, “We will be back playing in the hosts Getafe on Saturday. as EPL title defense collapse ‘We are playing well’ Ballardini back in a familiar Man City blank Burnley; Leicester down Fulham position as coach at Genoa LONDON, Feb 4, (AP): Af- The Reds are in fourth place but and third goals to build on the opener only two points ahead of fifth-place by Tomas Soucek. Ollie Watkins MILAN, Feb 4, (AP): Genoa coach “When you play well, when you ter going 68 Premier League West Ham, which won 3-1 at Aston replied for Villa. games unbeaten at Anfi eld, Davide Ballardini was in a familiar deservedly win, it gives you strength, Villa. Everton is two points further England manager Gareth position when he took over at the club gives you encouragement to do al- Liverpool has slumped to back in sixth after beating Leeds 2-1. Southgate attended the match at Villa in December, and he’s in a much bet- ways better,” Ballardini said after the back-to-back losses at the Leicester moved above Liverpool Park and West Ham manager David ter familiar position now. team’s latest victory, a 3-0 win over stadium that was its im- into third place with a 2-0 win at Moyes was delighted with his new The 57-year-old Ballardini was Crotone. Fulham thanks to goal by Kelechi signing who was a regular for hired by Genoa for the fourth time Since Ballardini returned to the job, penetrable stronghold for Iheanacho and James Justin. England at the 2018 World Cup. midway through a season with the Genoa has won four of seven league From seemingly nowhere, “If he keeps up the form he showed nearly four years. task of helping the team out of the matches, drawing two and losing only The latest defeat - to lowly Brighton has turned into one of the tonight - and he is not completely relegation zone. He succeeded on match fit - and is scoring the goals, one. The club has also not conceded a Brighton - left the champions’ title each of the three previous occa- goal in its past four matches - some- defense on the brink of collapse. he will not be far away from Gareth sions. SOCCER Southgate’s England squad (for the thing that hasn’t happened since Bal- Just like against Burnley two When Ballardini replaced Rolando lardini’s previous spell in charge. weeks ago, Liverpool was beaten 1-0 European Championship) in the Maran just over form teams of the league, with the summer,” Moyes said. “And he will “That’s down to the whole team, by a team battling to avoid relega- a month ago, starting from the pressing from the tion. Jurgen Klopp’s team dropped win at Anfield coming three days help us no end before the summer. Genoa was in after a victory over Tottenham by the All round, a really great perfor- forwards who prevent the opponents seven points behind leader Burnley’s Jay Rodriguez, (left), and 19th place, four from getting to the ball easily,” Bal- Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte same score. mance.” points below Manchester City, which has a game Steven Alzate scored the winner in Everton has won four straight in hand and is on a nine-match win- challenge for the ball during the safety and with English Premier League soccer the 56th minute for his first Premier away games in the league for the first only one victo- ning streak. League goal, and Brighton held on time since the club’s glory years in SOCCER City is the next visitor to Anfield, match between Burnley and Man- ry in 13 league chester City at Turf Moor Stadium relatively comfortably to make it the mid-1980s. on Sunday. A win for Pep Guardiola’s matches. The lardini said. “That simplifi es the work in Burnley, England, on Feb 3. (AP) four league matches without conced- And it’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s team has now team may effectively knock ing since running Man City close in goals which are leading Carlo of the defenders.” Liverpool out of the title race - with too. won three of One of the players fl ourishing un- a 1-0 loss at Etihad Stadium on Jan. Ancelotti’s team toward a finish in its last four more than three months of the season Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling der Ballardini is Mattia Destro. The 13. the European places. league matches Ballardini remaining. scored first-half goals as City won a By taking 10 points from a possi- Calvert-Lewin struck his first goal 29-year-old forward has scored six “The only explanation now is that 13th straight game in all competi- - drawing the ble 12, Brighton climbed two places in eight league games and is now on other - to rise to 14th, six points above goals in the six matches he has played we are a fatigued team,” said Klopp, tions - a run of victories stretching to 15th and is 10 points clear of the 12 for the campaign, making him the in under Ballardini and was voted back to Dec. 15. the relegation zone. whose squad has been badly hit by relegation zone. second highest-scoring striker after “Our current position in the stand- Player of the Month for January by injuries this season, especially in While City has conceded just two “Brighton deserved to win, they Harry Kane. ings became possible thanks to the the Italian Players’ Association. defense. “City are flying and we goals in 13 league games, Liverpool’s played well,” Klopp said. “They are Gylfi Sigurdsson opened the scor- players, thanks to their focus on their Destro has scored nine league goals have to find solutions.” issues in defense continue as it strug- a good football side.” ing for Everton before Calvert- talent,” Ballardini said. “Genoa has so far this season and one more would Seeking to regain the title it relin- gles to overcome the likely season- Jesse Lingard is looking to resur- Lewin’s ninth headed goal of the players of great substance and great put him in double fi gures for the fi rst quished to Liverpool last season, long absence of Virgil van Dijk. rect his Premier League career at season made it 2-0 before the break. experience. time since the 2016-17 season, when City produced another dominant dis- They weren’t helped by goalkeeper West Ham. After scoring two goals Raphinha reduced the deficit soon “On the fi eld we have forwards who he played for Bologna. play in overwhelming Burnley in a Alisson Becker missing out against in West Ham’s win at Villa, the on- after halftime. complement each other. I think it’s a “Genoa has to fi ght weekend after 2-0 victory at Turf Moor. Brighton because of an illness and a loan Manchester United midfielder “This is a result of this season,” team that puts others in diffi culty.” weekend. We are having great perfor- That restored City’s three-point muscle problem keeping Sadio Mane might not be too far from a return to Ancelotti said, explaining why his Next up for Genoa is a match mances and the results are arriving,” advantage over second-place out for a second straight game. the England squad, either. team has won seven times on the against fi fth-place Napoli at home on Destro said. “I feel well now ... and Manchester United, which won 9-0 The title might soon be gone for Lingard made a stunning debut for road. “All the teams have more pos- Saturday. Napoli is unbeaten in its everything is going well. With the re- over Southampton on Tuesday. City Liverpool, and a place in the top four the Hammers on his first league sibility to win away because there is last 17 matches against Genoa, with sults you also get enthusiasm. We are has played a game less than United, is hardly guaranteed. game since July, scoring their second no crowd there in the stand.” 12 victories. playing well.” Sporting KC sign Isimat-Mirin Hertha host defending champion Bayern Admin error sidelines Ajax’s Khedira a reluctant savior for his new Bundesliga club DÜSSELDORF, Germany, Feb 4, minutes as a substitute in an Italian to qualifying for European competi- a year ago but with only fi ve goals Haller from Europa League (AP): Buckle up, Sami. Cup game in June against AC Milan. tion. this season. In the midfi eld is Mat- After playing only 28 minutes The main positive for Khedira Khedira’s new teammates include téo Guendouzi, still looking to fi nd AMSTERDAM, Feb 4, (AP): Ajax coach at FC Utrecht. The Ivory Coast in all of 2020, Sami Khedira could and Dardai is that expectations are Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek, his best form since arriving on loan coach Erik ten Hag concedes an ad- striker moved to Eintracht Frankfurt take part in his fi rst game since June low. Bayern has won four straight signed from Milan for a reported fee from Arsenal, and the 25 million ministrative error has led to the Am- before joining West Ham for a club- on Friday when Hertha Berlin hosts games following a blip in mid-Jan- of 24 million euros ($28.8 million) euro ($30 million) former Lyon mid- sterdam club’s record signing, Sébast- record fee of $55 million in July 2019, defending champion Bayern Mu- uary, while Hertha hasn’t won any fi elder Lucas Tousart. ien Haller, being omitted from the but scored only 14 goals. nich. of its last fi ve games and is hovering Hertha spent even more money squad to play in the Europa League. In the Europa League, Ajax next It will be like going “from zero to above the relegation zone. on Monday. The club got Serbian “It’s a mis- goes to Lille on Feb. 18 in the round 100,” Hertha coach Pal Dardai said. “I want to play. I want to take on winger Nemanja Radonjić on loan take that should of 32. The challenge for Khedira, who responsibility and to achieve some- with an option to buy from Mar- not have hap- ❑ ❑ ❑ previously played for Real Madrid seille, one of the few clubs in the pened,” Ten thing,” Khedira said Tuesday. “I’m Hag said on Sporting Kansas City signed vet- and Juventus, is balancing the urgent not the big boss, not the great savior. major European leagues in greater Thursday. eran French defender Nicolas Isimat- need for game time against the risk Instead, just see me as part of the turmoil than Hertha. Haller joined of injury. team.” Dardai was reappointed as Hertha Ajax from West SOCCER Although struggling Hertha coach last week, a year and a half Ham over the needs a spark in its midfi eld, Dar- SOCCER after his fi rst tenure ended, follow- winter transfer dai warned that Khedira could “get ing the fi ring of Bruno Labbadia. In period for 22.5 Mirin to a two-year contract that in- muscular problems or overload” his fi rst match, Piatek briefl y gave million euros cludes an option for the 2023 season. with a sudden return to competitive Khedira may not want to be the Hertha a glimpse of victory with the ($26.7 million). Haller Isimat-Mirin has played more than action. At the same time, the coach boss, but as a Champions League opening goal, but Eintracht Frank- Ten Hag said 250 professional matches since 2010, said he had weighed up “throw(ing) and World Cup winner he is the furt leveled almost immediately and Haller’s name was on a computer- most of them in the top divisions in him in there because game time is most recognizable name in a squad went on to win 3-1. ized list of players but a box next to France, the Netherlands and Turkey. important” even if Khedira takes already packed with expensive, un- Hertha is in 15th place and could his name was not checked when it was He won three league titles as a mem- time to get up to speed. derachieving talent. Flush with cash fi nish the weekend in the relegation sent to UEFA. ber of PSV Eindhoven and gained Khedira, who joined Hertha on from investor Lars Windhorst at a Soccer player Sami Khedira at- playoff place if it loses to Bayern. “Never a dull moment in Amster- experience in the Champions League Monday, wasn’t part of the fi rst- time when other clubs are cutting tends his fi rst training session with Dardai, of course, is looking to win. dam,” Ten Hag said. “Of course, he is and Europa League before spending team picture at all for Juventus this back, Hertha has been among the German Bundesliga soccer club “We’re not going out onto the unbelievably disappointed.” a stint with Turkish powerhouse Be- season. Following knee surgery in biggest spenders in Europe over the Hertha BSC Berlin in Berlin, Ger- fi eld,” he said, “just to somehow sur- Ten Hag previously was Haller’s siktas. December 2019, he played only 28 last two years. It hasn’t come close many, on Feb 2. (AP) vive for 90 minutes.”