SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2014

French League Table French League Preview

French Ligue 1 table ahead of this week- end’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, Marseille bid to extend winning run goals for, goals against, points): PARIS: Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa may not enjoy an easy relation- “He is an introverted personality but I will be pleased to see him again,” Lille 5 3 2 0 6 1 11 ship with his president, but he has got his team performing on the field said Montanier. “He did a good job in Bilbao.” Bordeaux, who are also a Marseille 5 3 1 1 11 6 10 as they prepare to host Rennes in Ligue 1 today. OM beat bottom club point behind leaders Lille, play host to Evian on Friday aiming to bounce Bordeaux 5 3 1 1 10 5 10 Evian 3-1 away last weekend, their third consecutive victory leaving back from their first defeat of the season at Guingamp last weekend. Les Saint-Etienne 5 3 1 1 6 6 10 them just a point behind early leaders Lille. That win eased the tension Girondins were the surprise package of the opening weeks of the season Paris SG 5 2 3 0 10 3 9 around the club after Bielsa criticized president Vincent Labrune for but coach Willy Sagnol has tried to play down expectations ahead of the Montpellier 5 3 0 2 5 2 9 failing to sign any of the players he had targeted over the summer and clash with the division’s bottom side. “First place does not reflect the true Rennes 5 2 2 1 8 5 8 for recruiting Brazilian defender Doria against his wishes. However, level of our team,” said the former Bayern full-back. “There are bet- Lorient 5 2 1 2 6 4 7 Labrune insisted on Monday that the two had held talks and that the ter teams than us. We know we can get close to them by working hard and Lens 5 2 1 2 6 5 7 incident was now behind them. “We had a frank, in-depth and respect- it is easier when we are in the shadows.” Nantes 5 2 1 2 3 4 7 ful discussion,” he said. “I understood that Marcelo did not wish to Nice 5 2 1 2 5 9 7 cause controversy. No place like home Caen 5 2 0 3 5 3 6 “The incident is now over. The interest of the club must come first and None of France’s European representatives are in action until tomorrow, Lyon 5 2 0 3 6 6 6 everyone is working together towards achieving success this season.” when champions PSG entertain Lyon at the Parc des Princes. Laurent SC Bastia 5 1 3 1 6 7 6 Marseille are not distracted by European competition this season, and their Blanc’s side were held to a 1-1 draw at Ajax in their Champions League Toulouse 5 2 0 3 5 7 6 prospects of challenging at the top of the Ligue 1 table may be helped as a opener on Wednesday, a result that left them with only one win from eight Guingamp 5 2 0 3 3 8 6 result. However, Rennes, who won in Marseille last season and are fresh away outings since April. “I don’t know why we are struggling to win away Metz 5 1 2 2 3 5 5 from holding champions Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw, are unlikely to from home. I can’t explain it. It is not a catastrophe to draw here but we Reims 5 1 1 3 7 11 4 provide easy opposition. Rennes coach Philippe Montanier will get the wanted to win,” said Dutch defender Gregory Van der Wiel after the game Monaco 5 1 1 3 5 9 4 chance to renew acquaintances with Bielsa after the two came up against in Amsterdam. Paris have drawn all three away games in Ligue 1 so far this Evian 5 0 1 4 3 13 1 each other when in charge of Basque rivals Real Sociedad and Athletic season but at home they are a different proposition, as their 5-0 hammer- Bilbao respectively between 2011 and 2013. ing of Saint-Etienne recently suggests.—AFP

German League Preview Italian League Preview Bayern Munich face new-look Hamburg Milan can’t wait BERLIN: Bayern Munich travel to a Hamburg one point and in the relegation spots with for Juve: Menez side under new management this weekend still Hamburg. “We have to stop giving up so many finding their way after changing tactics mid-way goals. It’s about time. It’s getting on my nerves,” through their midweek Champions League win said Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of the MILAN: AC Milan host Juventus in a top-of-the- but said he, for one, will not shy away from the over Manchester City. Munich boss Pep team’s 3-7 goal differential. have table clash today that could add impetus to challenge. “It’s a difficult game, but I can’t wait Guardiola switched from a 3-4-1-2 system to a 4- scored just one goal up to now and the team’s their bid to erase two nightmare seasons-if the to play,” Evra told www.juventus.com. “This was 1-2-3 in the middle of their victory over City, and top players are starting to be called into ques- Rossoneri can plug the holes at the back. Under exactly the type of match I wanted to be the moved paid off as Bayern played one of tion, including striker Vedad Ibisevic, who hasn’t new coach Filippo Inzaghi, Milan have enjoyed a involved in when I signed for Juventus. They their strongest matches of the season, culminat- scored in his last nine matches dating back to flying start to the season following two horren- have home advantage but it’s down to us to ing in Jerome Boateng’s winner in the 90th last season. dous campaigns under Massimiliano Allegri and, show that we’re the champions and want to minute. “We presented ourselves as a unit,” said According to the early season table, the best latterly, Clarence Seedorf. An opening day win win.” A draw would help propel free-scoring sports director Matthias Sammer. match-up will be promoted side SC Paderborn over Lazio (3-1) was followed by a 5-4 win at Roma, who sit third but are also on six points Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added: hosting Hanover in today’s battle of fifth v third. Parma last weekend. Although the latter victory after two games, to the top of the table if Rudi “That was the best match we have played so far Paderborn haven’t lost this season and have put Milan’s attacking talents on display, it also Garcia’s men account for Cagliari at the Olympic this season.” “We had problems controlling the kept a clean sheet the last two matches. The exposed their frailties at the back. Juventus, Stadium tomorrow. Roma, last season’s runners- ball, that’s why we changed from a three-man other promoted side Cologne haven’t conceded unbeaten at home all of last season on their way up, were in fine form on their way to a 5-1 rout backline to a four-man,” said Guardiola, who a goal and host Borussia Moenchengladbach as to a third consecutive title, have yet to concede of CSKA Moscow on Wednesday that left them would not say which system he would use the historical local rivalry is renewed tomorrow a goal in their two wins over Chievo and top of Champions League Group E.—AFP against Hamburg today. Missing from the City evening. —AFP Udinese and have scored three times. game was Franck Ribery, who will sit out the Milan Jeremy Menez, however, Italian League Table Hamburg contest as well. “I don’t know how said he expects plenty of fireworks at the San long I will miss,” said the Frenchman, who is German League Table Siro today. “It will be a big show. Plenty of goals Italian table ahead of weekend dealing with a knee issue. Last-placed Hamburg and emotion, almost like it was at Parma,” the games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, Frenchman told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Juve may have their own issues, though the northern German table ahead of the week- goals against, points): Germans hope to have resolved some of them still be ahead of us, but today we’ll be playing on end’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, level terms and we could achieve something with the sacking of Mirko Slomka after one point goals for, goals against, points): AC Milan 2 2 0 0 8 5 6 and zero goals scored through three matches. special. “There’s a lot riding on this game... we just have to concentrate on ourselves and stick Juventus 2 2 0 0 3 0 6 The new man is former Hamburg Under-23 Roma 2 2 0 0 3 0 6 team boss Josef Zinnbauer. Things don’t start 3 2 1 0 9 5 7 to our gameplan.”Milan host Juve only four days 2 1 1 0 7 0 4 too easily for Zinnbauer with Bayern, who he Bayern Munich 3 2 1 0 5 2 7 after the Bianconeri’s dominant 2-0 win over calls “the best team in the world”. But Hamburg Hanover 3 2 1 0 4 1 7 Malmo in their opening Champions League Sampdoria 2 1 1 0 3 1 4 also have nothing to lose. “The result is irrele- Dortmund 3 2 0 1 6 5 6 Group A match. Atalanta 2 1 1 0 2 1 4 vant. There is no other team who can dominate Borussia M 3 1 2 0 5 2 5 But a visit to what should be a packed-out Verona 2 1 1 0 2 1 4 like Bayern. What is important to me is that we SC Paderborn 3 1 2 0 5 2 5 San Siro will be a different prospect, especially as Lazio 2 1 0 1 4 3 3 the home support could offer a hostile recep- give a good account of ourselves and play as a Mainz 05 3 1 2 0 5 3 5 Napoli 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 unit,” said Zinnbauer. Leaders Bayer Leverkusen tion to former coach Allegri. Despite failing to Udinese 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 Hoffenheim 3 1 2 0 4 2 5 repeat his exploit of leading Milan to the 2011 look to continue their roll as they travel Sunday FC Cologne 3 1 2 0 2 0 5 Chievo 2 1 0 1 1 1 3 to VfL Wolfsburg, who haven’t won this season league title in his three subsequent seasons with E Frankfurt 3 1 1 1 3 3 4 the club, Allegri was appointed to succeed Cesena 2 1 0 1 1 3 3 and have conceded at least one goal in their last Cagliari 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 17 matches. Werder Bremen3 0 3 0 6 6 3 Antonio Conte when the former Juve handler Palermo 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 Leverkusen are the top scoring team in the FC Augsburg 3 1 0 2 3 5 3 quit to become Italy coach. Allegri will still be league with nine goals in three games - and VfL Wolfsburg 3 0 2 1 4 5 2 without midfielder Andrea Pirlo and defender Genoa 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 they will be intent on bouncing back after a 1-0 SC Freiburg 3 0 1 2 1 4 1 Andrea Barzagli, both of whom are recovering Fiorentina 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 Champions League loss in Monaco. Two teams Hertha Berlin 3 0 1 2 5 9 1 from injury, but could welcome Chilean mid- Torino 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 hoping their home fans can help them finally Schalke 04 3 0 1 2 3 7 1 fielder Arturo Vidal back to the squad as he con- Sassuolo 2 0 1 1 1 8 1 tinues to battle a persistent knee problem. get a victory this season are Schalke 04 and VfB VfB Stuttgart 3 0 1 2 1 5 1 Parma 2 0 0 2 4 6 0 Former Manchester United defender Patrice Stuttgart, who host today Eintracht Frankfurt Hamburg 3 0 1 2 0 5 1 Empoli 2 0 0 2 0 3 0 and Hoffenheim, respectively, both with just Evra admitted Milan may have home advantage