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Home , Ademola Lookman, Blaise Matuidi, Didier Deschamps, Japanese Super Cup, Vissel Kobe

Established 1961 15 Sports Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Deschamps warns against complacency as target World Cup and Euro double

PARIS: captained France to a the final in Rotterdam. He has gone on to enjoy a World Cup and European Championship double as remarkable coaching career, having success at a player and is now hoping to repeat the feat as Monaco, Juventus and Marseille before accepting coach when the delayed Euro 2020 finally goes the France job in 2012 and reviving the fortunes of ahead in June and July. However, in an exclusive the national team in stunning fashion. interview with AFP, the 52-year-old warned against any complacency from the defending world champi- Tough at the top ons, saying major international tournaments are not A side containing the likes of Kylian Mbappe, won “just by clicking your fingers”. and beat Croatia 4- After lifting the World Cup in in 2018, a 2 in the Moscow final three years ago and is now, gifted France squad is inevitably among the Deschamps hopes, hungry for more. “Nobody can favorites to win the European Championship which take away what we have done. It will always be concludes in London on July 11. However they could there, but we need to tell ourselves that we can’t not have asked for a harder group in the first Euro just stop here, we need to go and try to win more to be held - despite the pandemic - in multiple titles,” he said before warning of the looming threat countries all across the continent. France play from the likes of England, Spain, Belgium and sever- Germany in Munich and Hungary in Budapest, as al other sides at the Euro which kicks off in a well as facing the reigning European champions month’s time. Portugal. “You don’t just win by clicking your fingers. The “Two years at the highest level is a long time, other nations are progressing, working hard, not even if it is not a lot in life in general. There are sitting still. We need to have that ambition. When a obviously big expectations after the success we tournament starts we want to go as far as possible.” have had and that is the aim of this squad, of this France’s first game will be on June 15 against PARIS: In this file photo taken on Sept 6, 2020 France’s coach Didier Deschamps attends a team training generation,” Deschamps told AFP in Monaco as he Germany, who had been as close to a sure bet as session at the in Saint-Denis. —AFP pondered the chances of doing the double. West there is in international football before unravelling Germany held both trophies when they won the at the last World Cup, going out in the group stage. yourself. We can’t go higher, but sometimes there had to mix things up. It is not just about surprising 1974 World Cup on home soil after winning the Since then they have suffered an embarrassing is not much in it to prevent you from dropping the opposition but also about surprising yourself European Championship when it was just a four- 6-0 defeat by Spain in the Nations League and away,” Deschamps added. sometimes,” he said. nation event in Belgium in 1972. lost at home to North Macedonia in World Cup France have lost just three times in 28 games Deschamps will name his 26-man squad for the Spain then pulled off the remarkable feat of win- qualifying. Coach Joachim Loew will stand down since the World Cup, despite Deschamps making Euro next week. His squad will get together on May ning back to back Euros in 2008 and 2012, either after the Euro, and their slide is perhaps a warning regular changes in personnel and in playing style. 26 and will play friendly matches against Wales in side of their 2010 World Cup triumph. Before that to the French of what can happen. “It is very, very That has included sometimes abandoning the 4-4-2 Nice on June 2 and Bulgaria in Paris on June 8 Deschamps skippered France to glory in 1998 and difficult to get to the very top, but it is even hard- formation that was the foundation of their success before that mouthwatering opening game against at Euro 2000 as they defeated Italy in extra time in er to stay there. You always need to challenge in Russia for a back three, for example. “I felt that I Germany. —AFP

larity in Japan with analysts estimat- News in brief Iniesta to stay ing he has generated more than $100 million in ticket sales and merchandis- ing revenue. He has appeared in TV Germany adds Mueller with for commercials for Japanese sake and mobile phone services. BERLIN: Germany coach Joachim Loew has reportedly 2 more years Named Kobe’s captain in April contacted Thomas Muller and is poised to reverse the 2019 after a shake-up at the club, forward’s 2019 exile by naming the Bayern Munich player : Spanish football legend Iniesta was sidelined for several in his Euro 2020 squad. According to daily Bild yester- Andres Iniesta celebrated his 37th months after he suffered a ruptured day, Loew has phoned Mueller and “told him he wants to birthday yesterday by signing a con- tendon in his right thigh last recall him” when the 26-man Germany squad for the tract extension that will keep him at J- December. Following surgery in European Championship is named on May 19. Mueller, 31, League side for two more Barcelona, he was back training in has been in outstanding form for Bayern, who were con- years. The former Barcelona midfield April before returning to action in the firmed Saturday as champions for the ninth maestro joined Kobe in 2018 in a deal J-League this month. straight season. Mueller has made 100 appearances for worth a reported $30 million a year Widely considered one of the most Germany since 2010 and was a key part of the squad and recently recovered from a serious gifted of all time, he scored which won the 2014 World Cup. —AFP thigh injury. the winning goal as Spain won the “I will continue on my quest to 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and TOKYO: Vissel Kobe player Andres Iniesta poses with , make Vissel Kobe a stronger club,” he was a key member of the European Chairman and CEO of and club chairman, as they display a cake said the World Cup-winning midfield- Championship-winning side’s of 2008 to celebrate Iniesta’s birthday at a press conference. —AFP Flick agrees to deal: Report er, speaking through a Japanese and 2012. Iniesta was the driving force translator. “I am determined to con- behind four Champions League wins BERLIN: , who is stepping down as Bayern tribute as much as possible to bring with Barcelona and helped the Catalan Kobe after 22 years at Barcelona, 16 of while elevating the standard of foot- Munich coach at the end of this season, will take over the this team to a higher level,” he added club secure domestic trebles in 2009 them as a first team player, was seen as ball in Japan. Iniesta “has not just German national team after this summer’s Euro, a German sitting alongside Kobe’s tech-billion- and 2015. a coup for Japanese football, which improved Vissel’s status, but he has newspaper reported on Monday. Flick is expected to sign aire owner Hiroshi Mikitani. He also won nine titles, two had been struggling to attract big improved the global recognition of the for three years, according to the Abendzeitung, a Munich Iniesta’s debut at Kobe in July 2018 European Super Cups and three FIFA names tempted by cash-rich Chinese J-League,” Mikitani said. Iniesta said newspaper, allowing him to lead the national team at the ended with an embarrassing home Club World Cups, leaving Barcelona as clubs in the twilight of their careers. he wanted to stay engaged with Vissel 2022 World Cup in Qatar and Euro 2024, which is sched- defeat, but he helped lead the team to the most decorated Spanish player of Kobe owner Mikitani said Iniesta’s Kobe once his playing days were over, uled to take place in Germany. Flick, 56, has long been their first Japanese title in all time, with more than 30 trophies for decision to stay will help the team’s although he did not say in what considered the preferred candidate for the post of 2020. Iniesta has enjoyed huge popu- club and country. His decision to join ambition to be the top club in Asia capacity. —AFP national coach by the German Football Association (DFB). He was assistant to Joachim Loew, who is standing down after 15 years, between 2006 and 2014, when Germany won the world title. —AFP here - that’s always been the case,” Parker willing to said Parker, who signed an improved three-year contract last September to lead Fulham’s keep him at the club until the summer Ibra misses two games of 2023. Fulham’s season only got going following the loan signings of ROME: Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be out for at least two promotion bid Ademola Lookman and England mid- matches with a knee injury, just a month before the start fielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, after the of Euro 2020, AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli said yester- LONDON: Fulham manager Scott first four games yielded no points. day. The Swede, who returned to international football in Parker has been linked with the mana- Those two though could well March after a five-year absence, suffered the injury dur- gerial vacancy at Tottenham but says return to their respective clubs - ing Milan’s 3-0 victory over top-four rivals Juventus at his priority is to try and help his cur- Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and the weekend. He could be back for Milan’s potentially rent club make an immediate return to crucial final match at second-placed Atalanta on the . Fulham joined Chelsea. However, Fulham will have May 23. Sweden open their Euro 2020 campaign against West Brom and Sheffield United in funds to spend as they will receive Spain in Seville on June 14, before further Group E games being relegated from the Premier £42 million ($60 million) in parachute against Slovakia and Poland in Saint-Petersburg. —AFP League following a 2-0 loss to payments for being relegated. Parker Burnley on Monday. It is the first time can take encouragement that two of that relegation from the division has the three teams relegated last season have made immediate returns - been resolved with three games LONDON: Burnley’s Czech striker Matej Vydra collides with Fulham’s Norwich and Watford - with the third Injured McLean ‘devastated’ remaining. French goalkeeper during the English Premier League Parker has been linked with Spurs - team, Bournemouth, in the playoffs. football match at Craven Cottage on Monday. —AFP “What’s key for me is we sit down, LONDON: Norwich Kenny McLean says he is who he played for from 2011-13 - due “devastated” to be missing Euro 2020 due to a knee injury, analyze and learn, are brave enough to the crowd-pleasing style Fulham in what is Scotland’s first appearance at a major tourna- to see where we’ve gone wrong and have played since he took over, initial- as well as draws at Spurs and Arsenal. “We have failed this season,” he ment since the 1998 World Cup. The 29-year-old midfield- not go through the same cycle,” said ly in a caretaker capacity, in 2019. However, they only won five league said. “It was not good enough. We did er played in all three of Scotland’s recent 2022 World Cup Parker. “I’ll be the first to put my point However, the 40-year-old former matches all season and have the sec- not deserve to stay up. Overall, we qualifiers, while he also played a key role in Norwich mak- England midfielder said he was across along with all the others to ond-worst goalscoring record with 25 have finished where we deserve to be. ing an immediate return to the Premier League. Scotland focused on having his say on where bring this club back into this league goals from 35 matches. Serbia striker We did not show the big character, begin their campaign at the delayed European things went wrong and how Fulham and hopefully stay here.” Parker can Aleksandar Mitrovic, one of those big mentality and we cracked under Championship against the Czech Republic on June 14 in can bounce straight back and avoid point to impressive results against who failed to find his form by scoring the pressure. We tried, we fought, we Glasgow. They then play old rivals England on June 18 at continuing the “rollercoaster” of rele- some of the heavyweights. just three league goals compared to worked hard but we needed more Wembley and face 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia on gation, promotion and relegation. They recorded away wins at 26 in the promotion season, did not quality on the ball. We got punished June 22 in Glasgow in their final group game. —AFP “I’ve been committed since I came Leicester City, Liverpool and Everton mince his words. today and this season.” —AFP

a penalty call they didn’t get. “That was 100 percent a against Nashville after the death of their mother. Miami rally for penalty,” Inter Miami coach fumed. “Poor But Inter were without injured starters Nico Figal refereeing. “It got reviewed, so whoever reviewed it and and midfielder has let the referee down. We’ll put that in the report.” exited in the 14th minute after colliding with Atlanta’s draw, decry lack Inter had trailed much of the match after Atlanta’s Santiago Sosa. The match marked a reunion of sorts Josef Martinez fired a left-footed shot from the center for Neville and . The two were team- of penalty call of the area into the bottom corner to open the scoring mates for one season at Manchester United and in the ninth minute. Scotland’s Morgan finally got the Heinze was named head coach of Atlanta shortly LOS ANGELES: Lewis Morgan’s late equalizer gave equalizer with a left-footed blast that marked the before Neville was tapped to lead ’s Inter Miami a 1-1 draw against 2020 Most Valuable Player’s first goal of the season. Inter Miami. Atlanta United on Sunday, but inter were incensed at Neville had challenged Morgan to step things up on Elsewhere the Seattle Sounders rode second half being denied a chance at a stoppage time penalty for attack, and he kept Morgan even though he was goals from Raul Ruidiza and super-sub Fredy the victory. Gonzalo Higuain fired a perfect cross in cramping late in the second half. Moreno to a 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers in from the left to Victor Ulloa, who appeared to be “I didn’t want to take him off because I knew you a Cascadia regional clash. Bill Tuiloma fired in a fouled by Brad Guzan when after the Atlanta goal- need to keep your match winners, your players on the stunning free kick for the Timbers just before the keeper blocked his shot and Ulloa raced up to try pitch that can produce moments of brilliance, and he final whistle, but it was the Sounders who came FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida: Erick Torres #31 of Atlanta again with the rebound. did that,” Neville said. Higuain was back in the lineup away with their third victory in four matches this United and Leandro Gonzalez #6 of Inter Miami CF bat- Guzan, still on the ground, appeared to trip Ulloa and his brother Federico came off the bench in the season. With 10 points they top the Western tle for a header during the second half at DRV PNK with his arms, prompting Miami players to appeal for second half after they missed last week’s match Conference standings. —AFP Stadium on May 9, 2021. —AFP