Friday 47 Sports Friday, August 17, 2018 Atletico come back to beat Lopetegui’s Real 4-2 to win UEFA Super Cup ‘To win this trophy is something great’ TALLINN: Saul Niguez and Koke scored in ment signed for Ronaldo after his move to Ju- extra time as Atletico Madrid fought back to ventus. Griezmann starts, Modric on bench - beat city rivals Real Madrid 4-2 and win the Griezmann started for Atletico at the com- UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn on Wednesday, as pact Lillekula Stadium, fresh from helping France Julen Lopetegui got off to a losing start with the to World Cup glory last month. European champions. In contrast, former Spain coach Lopetegui Real had earlier looked set to win the trophy left Luka Modric on the Real bench at kick-off, in their first competitive game since the depar- seeking to ease the Croatian playmaker back tures of and coach Zinedine after he led his country to the World Cup final. Zidane when a penalty put them Goalkeeper did not feature 2-1 up in the second half. at all following his recent arrival from Chelsea, That came after cancelled while nine of Real’s starting line-up also started out ’s first-minute opener in the Es- May’s Champions League final win over Liver- tonian capital, but Costa hauled ’s pool in Kiev. side level again late on to force extra time. Atletico also had France winger Thomas Simeone’s men then looked stronger in the Lemar making his competitive debut following extra period as they won this competition, the his 72 million-euro ($84 million) move from annual meeting of the Champions League and Monaco, and they took the lead after just 49 Europa League winners, for the third time in seconds. With Simeone watching from the nine seasons. “I stayed at Atletico because the stands as he serves a touchline ban, Costa met project is a good one. I have confidence in this Diego Godin’s long ball forward with his back to club, in the coach and I saw tonight that I was and nodded it over Ramos before turning not mistaken,” said Atletico striker Antoine to burst through and rifle a shot home from a Griezmann who was linked with a move to tight angle. It was a superb finish, but Real were Barcelona in the summer. level just before the half-hour via a combination TALLINN: Atletico Madrid’s players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Super Cup Atletico defender added: of the two men expected to step up following football match Atletico de Madrid vs Real Madrid CF at the Lillekula Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia, “To win this trophy is something great but to do Ronaldo’s departure. on Wednesday. — AFP it against our eternal rival is even better.” delivered a cross from the right Real had won the trophy under Zidane in and Benzema headed past at the far the 79th minute as Juanfran and substitute Angel The powerful Costa and substitute Vitolo then each of the last two years, and emerged victori- post. Lopetegui sent on Modric for Marco Correa combined to set up Costa to stab home. set up Koke to make it 4-2, securing victory and ous against their neighbours in the Champions Asensio just before the hour mark and Real took Into extra time they went, and Atletico went giving Atletico their seventh trophy since Simeone League finals of 2014 and 2016. the lead shortly after, Ramos scoring a 63rd- ahead again in the 98th minute, Thomas Partey took charge in late 2011. Now they will hope to But this result comes after a close season in minute penalty awarded for a Juanfran handball. pressing to win back possession before holding push Barcelona and Real all the way in , with which Atletico have strengthened while Real It looked like that would win it, yet Atletico up a cross for Saul to thump a superb left-foot their opening game at on Monday, after look to have gone backwards, with no replace- showed great resolve to level the scores again in volley past from 17 yards. Lopetegui’s side host Getafe on Sunday. — AFP

for Malcom after giving up their pursuit of Chelsea winger Willian. New signings to Adept at coming in from the right wing onto his left foot, Malcom IOC provisionally lifts scored 12 goals in last season. The player who began his watch in La Liga career at Corinthians offers coach Ernesto Valverde a valuable Kuwait ban two days extra option in attack. MADRID: Spanish football heads into the post-Cristiano Ronaldo ARTURO VIDAL (BARCELONA) ahead of Asian Games and Andres Iniesta era as the 2018-19 La Liga season begins this Age: 31 weekend. With these two greats of the modern age having moved Position: Midfielder on, AFP Sport picks out six new signings to watch in the coming Previous club: Bayern Munich (GER) BERLIN: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) campaign. Barcelona’s summer has also been notable for their failure to yesterday provisionally lifted a ban on Kuwait two days complete the signing of Griezmann, and for Paulinho’s return to before the start of the Asian Games, allowing the country (ATLETICO MADRID) China. The decision to bring in Chilean midfielder Vidal gives to participate under its own flag. Age: 22 Valverde another experienced option in midfield as the Catalans Position: Attacking midfielder/winger Kuwait’s national Olympic committee (NOC) seek to retain the title and end Madrid’s hegemony in the Cham- Previous club: Monaco (FRA) has been banned since October, 2015 after the pions League. Vidal, 31, has won league titles in each of the last It is Atletico Madrid who have made the biggest signing of the seven seasons over spells with Juventus and Bayern, and he also government was accused of interference with a summer in Spain, spending 72 million euros ($84 million) on new sports law. As a result, Kuwaiti athletes had played in the Juve team that lost to Barcelona in the 2015 Cham- Lemar. The left-footed 22-year-old, who hails from the Caribbean pions League final. — AFP to compete under the Olympic flag at the Rio de island of Guadeloupe, is the latest member of Monaco’s brilliant Janeiro Games in 2016 and they have no access to 2017 French title-winning side to move on. He comes fresh from IOC funds. winning the World Cup with France, although his involvement on MATCHES ON TV “In the interest of Kuwaiti athletes and as a gesture the field in Russia was limited. Lemar’s association with national LOCAL TIMING of goodwill to recognise the progress accomplished, the team colleague will be particularly interesting IOC Executive Board has decided to provisionally lift to watch. SPANISH LEAGUE the suspension of the KOC with immediate effect,” the IOC said in a statement. MALCOM (BARCELONA) Girona v 21:15 Age: 21 The IOC said the reasons for the suspension re- beIN SPORTS HD 3 Position: Winger mained valid, “in particular the need to protect the v Levante 23:15 Previous club: Bordeaux (FRA) beIN SPORTS HD 3 Olympic movement in Kuwait from undue govern- Iniesta has gone to Japan and the biggest signing coming into ment interference”. But it noted progress in the dis- the Camp Nou is the young Brazilian winger Malcom. The 21- FRENCH LEAGUE cussions with Kuwait. The Asian Games in Indonesia year-old was a surprise arrival from French side Bordeaux, with Stade Reims v Olympique Lyonnais 21:45 start tomorrow. — Barca agreeing to pay 41 million euros to sign him on a five-year beIN SPORTS HD 6 deal from right under the noses of Roma. The champions moved