Sport SUNDAYS 9 MAY 2021 FormulaF One: Hamilton tops qualifying aat Spanish Grand Prix for 100th pole GreatG job! That was hard work. I can’t believe we're at 100. It is really down to the men and women at the factory who are continuouslyc raising the bar. LewisL Hamilton Sport |15 NBA: Bulls 121, Celtics 99; Heat 121, Timberwolves 112; Suns 128, Knicks 105; Trail Blazers 106, Lakers 101; 76ers 109, Pelicans 107 Al Sadd, Al Arabi ready for semi-final FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA There may be no fans at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium tonight but there will be no dearth of excitement when reigning champions Al Sadd will take on Al Arabi in the first semi-final of the Amir Cup. The match pitting the last edition’s finalists will kick off at 10pmpg tonight behind closed doorsdoors amidamid tthehe COVID-19 ppan-an- demic.demic. AlAl SaddSadd eedgeddged AlAl ArabiArabi 2-1 in the 2020 Amir Cup final lastlast DecemberDecember at thethe bbrandrand nnewew AhmedAAhmed Bin AliAli StadiumStadium – a FIFA WorldWorld CuCupp Qatar 2022 venue. TheThe recordrecord 17-time17-time Amir CupCup championschampions AlAl Sadd area re returningreturning to actionaction afterafter sufferingsuffering a setbacksetback at thethe AFCAFC Cham-Cham- pionspions LeagueLeague Al Arabi's players in action during a training session ahead of the first Amir Cup semi-final against where theythey Al Sadd. RIGHT: Al Sadd's players attend a training session. The match will kick off at 10pm tonight. missedm i ssed knockoutk nockout with other rivals. Their head tance ofof thisthis matchmatch against Al outstanding form this domestic the news of my exit from the tournament last season and we stagestage afterafter a coach Xavi Hernandez,Hernandez, who Arabi as we want to qualify for season winning the QNB Stars team is just rumours. I am very hope to repeat that achievement close fightfight rebuffedrebuffed reportsreports of his the final and win the AmirA Cup,” League (QSL) and Qatar Cup, happy to work with the players again,” said Hallgrímsson. He departure from Xavi saidsaid yesterday.yesterday. and Xavi said the team is aiming and the club.” stressed a smart plan needs to thethe clubclub aafterfter tthehe “The“The team is veryvery excited for to conclude the season with a Meanwhile, Al Arabi coach be implemented in a semi-final ongoingongoing season, the semi-final and thet players title-triumph. Heimir Hallgrímsson against tough Al Sadd. saidsaid yesterday are looking forward tot give their “Our aim now is to win the admittedadmitted hishis teamteam “For“For suchsuch matches,matches, moramoralele iiss thatthat hhisis team’s best.best. TheThe playersplayers haveha trained Amir Cup and conclude the facesfaces a tough chachal-l- veryvery important andand we must playplay completecomplete forfor thethe matchmatch withwith a lot of season with a major trophy no lengelenge aagainstgainst AAll SaSadddd smartlysmartly andand we knowknow theirtheir wayway focus isis nnowow passion,”passion,” he added. matter what happened at the butbut reposedreposed confi-confi- of playing. Al Sadd have elite on winning SpeakingSpeaking about his team’s AFC Champions League. But we ddenceence in hhisis playersplayers in allall positions – fromfrom thethe AmirAmir performanceperformance at thethe AFCA Cham- have a strong Al Arabi team plplayersayers goalkeepergoalkeeper to strikers.strikers. Therefore,Therefore, Cup,Cup, con-con- pionspions League,League, Xavi said yes- against us in the semi-final and aheadahead of we mustmust dealdeal themthem in a smartsmart sideredsidered as terday:terday: “We got outo of the we must put up a strong per- thet h e way.way. We relyrely on a goodgood tactic,” AlAl thethe mostmost Champions League becauseb of formance against them,” he semi-final.semi-final. ArabiArabi coachcoach added.added. prestigiousprestigious oneone goalgoal (difference).(difference We did added. “We TheThe seconsecondd semi-finalsemi-final ooff thethe footballf ootball not prpresentesent the bestbe but we The Barcelona legend said havehave a dif-dif- AmirAmir Cup willwill bbee playedplayed trophytrophy in werewere not veryvery bad.ba This is there is no truth about his ficultficult mmatchatch withwith AlAl between Al Rayyan and Al Qatar.Qatar. “We football.football. WeWe mustmust nowno focus on departure from the club saying: SaddSadd andand we havehave to DuhailDuhail tomorrowtomorrow at thethe samesame knowknow thethe thethe Amir Cup.”Cup.” “I am very close to signing a winwin thethe game.game. We qual-qual- venue whilewhile thethe finalfinal willwill bebe impor-impor- Al Sadd have been in new contract with Al Sadd and ifiedified forfo or the t e finalfin aal of o the t e playedplp ayed on on May 14.14 . Neymar extends PSG contract until 2025 REUTERS — PARIS “The truth is that I’m very happy Manchester Cityy 4-1 on aggregate.aggregate. to be a part of the club’s project, to try Neymar’s performancesperformances at PSG Brazil forward Neymar (pictured) has and win titles, to try and achieve our The core of our ambitious project to have been inconsistent,onsistent, treating the signed a new contract with Paris St biggest dream which is the Champions grow PSG is the heart, talent and fans to momentsnts ofof brilliancebrilliance but Germain that will keep him in the League.” dedication of our players. We are very failing to shine inin Champions LeagueLeague French capital until 2025, the Ligue 1 PSG have spent around €1.3bn on happy to see him continue as part of knockout games.es. club said yesterday. new players since being taken over by The Brazilianan has scored 85 goals The 29-year-old Neymar, who Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) before our project and to be alongside us for in 112 appearancesnces for PSG, winningwinning joined PSG in 2017 from Spanish club the 2011-12 season and they have won many years to come. a host of trophieshies includingincluding three Barcelona for a record transfer fee of seven of the last nine Ligue 1 titles. league titles. €222m ($270m), has agreed a deal “The core of our ambitious project Nasser Al Khelaifi PSG are alsoso looking to extend French media reported will earn him to grow PSG is the heart, talent and PSG President Kylian Mbappe’ss deal as the 22-year-22-year- an annual salary of €30m. dedication of our players,” PSG Pres- old France striker’sker’s contract expiresexpires Neymar said he wanted to leave ident Nasser Al Khelaifi said. at the end of nextxt season.season. PSG in 2019 amid media reports he “We are very happy to see him In his first PSG news conference PSG are secondecond in the Ligue 1 was keen on returning to Barcelona, continue as part of our project and to in two years last week, Neymar said standings, fourur points behindbehind but he stayed in Paris and helped PSG be alongside us for many years to was very happy at the club, hinting at leaders Lille aheadead of their ggameame reach the Champions League final last come.” a possible contract extension. in hand at Stade Rennais today. season. Coach Mauricio Pochettino added: He was, however, unable to help There will be twotwo matchesmatches “I’m very happy to be extending “I think that today the whole PSG the team reach a second successive remaining this seasonseason after my contract with Paris until 2025,” family is happy that Neymar has Champions League final as PSG were this weekend’se k e n d ’ s Neymar told the PSG website. extended his contract.” knocked out in the semi-finals by matches. Al Shaqab Racing’s Umran continues winning spree THE PENINSULA — DAX, Prix Du Petit Chantilly, a FRANCE maiden for three-year-olds over 1,800 metres. The Mat- Victorious at Mons on April 1, thieu Brasme-trained filly Umran (FR) again made the began her career with a Al Shaqab Racing colours second place at Montluçon on proud by winning the Prix April 18. The battle for the Djerba Oua at Dax, France lead was very competitive in yesterday. The Elisabeth the last strides between her Bernard runner, having bene- and Particuliere Dream, but fited from Gary Sanchez’s Nagano, with Tristan Baron claim, initially stalked the Riders in action at Prix Du Petit Chantilly. in the saddle, Tristan Baron leader Ainhoa Damili. managed to snatch victory by After taking the latter’s a nose. measure 400m from the post, year. Bred by Al Shaqab de Cardonne) and Grilla Bred by Al Shaqab Racing, he was not hard pressed to Racing, Umran is from the (Kong). NAGANO is a daughter of that contain the attack of His- first crop of Mister Ginoux. Al Shaqab Racing’s concern’s sire Olympic Glory pahan. Umran eventually won Dixie Darlene (Wiking), the Nagano wins Prix Du Petit and Barenia (Zamindar). The the 7f Class 3 run for 4YO+ dam, won a Gr PA 3 race in Chantilly latter has already produced a Purebred Arabians by a the US, and she has foaled no Al Shaqab Racing’s previous winner, Rosehill length. This marked the four- less than three Gr 1 PA homebred Nagano (FR) (Australia). Barenia is cur- Nagano in action yesterday. year-old colt’s third win as he winners, Dixies Delight (Sam opened her account at the rently plying her trade as a also shone in Toulouse last Tiki), Dixies Valentine (Nivour second attempt, winning the broodmare in Qatar. Sport SUNDAY 9 MAY 2021 15 Most All-time Formula One Hamilton tops qualifying at Pole Position Winners 100_x-Lewis Hamilton, Britain Spanish GP for 100th pole 68_Michael Schumacher, GermanyGermany 65_Ayrton Senna, Brazil 57_x-Sebastian Vettel, Germanymany AP - MONTMELÓ, SPAIN 33_Jim Clark, Britain 33_Alain Prost, France Lewis Hamilton reached 32_Nigel Mansell, Britain another Formula One milestone 30_Nico Rosberg, Germanyy yesterday when the British 29_Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentinagentina driver steered his way to a 26_Mika Hakkinen, Finlandd record-extending 100th pole 24_Niki Lauda, Austria position.