Historic Ronaldo Puts Juve on Brink of 9Th Straight Title
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14 Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Sports Quick Read Superstar & The Serie A Show Mbappe to stay at PSG next season ‘whatever happens’ PARIS: Kylian Mbappe said on Tuesday he would remain with French champions Paris Saint- Germain next season “whatever happens” despite repeated speculation over his future. “I’m here. I’m part of the project for a fourth year,” Mbappe, 21, told BeIN Sport during half-time of PSG’s friendly against Celtic at the Parc des Princes. “The club’s 50-year anniversary is an important one in the eyes of the club, the supporters, of everyone, so I will be here whatever happens. I’m going to try and bring back trophies with the team and give the best of myself,” added Mbappe, who arrived at PSG from Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth €180 million ($208 million). (AFP) New boss Kovac wants Monaco on top again MONACO: Newly-appointed Monaco coach Niko Kovac said on Tues- day he wants to guide the club back to the top table of European football. Former Bayern Munich and Croatia boss Kovac replaced the sacked Robert Moreno at the weekend. The principality side finished in ninth place after the Ligue 1 was campaign was declared over due to the coronavirus pandemic and will miss out on next term’s Champions League. “Monaco must play at the international level and get back to topping the bill. You know what that means,” the 48-year-old said as he was presented to the media. Kovac will work under vice-president Oleg Petrov and sporting director Paul Mitchell who arrived last month. The club have sold the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva for substantial fees since they last won the Ligue 1 title in 2017, and finished two points above the relegation zone last season. (AFP) Relegated Deportivo fume over decision to delay final game MADRID: Former Spanish champions Deportivo La Coruna were set Tuesday to contest the “botched” decision to postpone their final Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring one of his two goals against Lazio during their Serie A match at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Monday. (AFP) match of the second division season after players on the opposing team tested positive for coronavirus. Deportivo were relegated to the third tier on Monday as the rest of the division finished their campaigns while Deportivo were forced to sit out the final round of fixtures. “The last day’s matches must all be replayed,” claimed Historic Ronaldo puts Juve Deportivo president Fernando Vidal, who announced the club would be lodging appeals to the Spanish league and the Court of Arbitra- tion for Sport. Vidal had initially praised La Liga for “acting correctly with all the protocols assiduously applied” in calling off Monday’s game against Fuenlabrada. (AFP) on brink of 9th straight title AFP an impressive player because Lazio regrets chaos in front of goal. But the Serie A Standings TURIN (ItalY) he has the extraordinary abil- Lazio’s hopes of a first Serie A hosts got their chance when ity to complete a quick recov- title since 2000 are effective- a Bastos handball was con- Club MP W D L GF GA Pts CRISTIANO Ronaldo put Ju- ery between games. ly over as the defeat leaves firmed after a VAR review. 1 Juventus 34 25 5 4 72 36 80 Huge send-off for ventus on the brink of a ninth “Not only physically, but, them fourth, 11 points adrift Ronaldo stepped up to slot 2 Inter Milan 34 21 9 4 74 36 72 consecutive Italian league ti- above all, mentally: he is a of the leaders. in on 51 minutes and added 3 Atalanta 34 21 8 5 94 44 71 tle on Monday after he scored champion with his feet, but Just one point had separated a second after a Luiz Felipe English and Irish twice in a 2-1 win over Lazio also with his head.” Juventus from Lazio when Serie blunder allowed Dybala to 4 Lazio 34 21 6 7 69 37 69 to become the first player to Ronaldo grabbed the first A returned last month following gain possession with the Ar- 5 Roma 34 17 7 10 63 46 58 hit 50 goals in Serie A, La Liga goal from the penalty spot just the three-month coronavirus gentine powering up the pitch, 6 Napoli 34 16 8 10 55 45 56 hero Jack Charlton and the Premier League. after the break and was hand- lockdown. But Simone Inzaghi’s before teeing up the Portu- 7 AC Milan 34 16 8 10 53 43 56 Juventus ended a three- ed a tap-in three minutes later side have been hit by injuries guese to finish off. 8 Sassuolo 34 13 9 12 63 58 48 AFP partly masked crowd, with some match winless run thanks to by teammate Paulo Dybala. and poor form since the return, The five-time Ballon d’Or 9 Hellas Verona 34 11 12 11 42 42 45 ASHINGTON mourners wiping away tears. Ronaldo’s second-half brace The Portuguese has scored losing five of eight games, with winner missed the chance of a “The word legend can be that moves them eight points 30 goals this season, equal with four of those defeats coming in hat-trick when his header hit 10 Bologna 34 11 10 13 48 57 43 THOUSANDS lined the streets overused but certainly not in clear of second-placed Inter Lazio’s Ciro Immobile, who the last five matches. the crossbar after 66 minutes. 11 Cagliari 34 10 12 12 49 50 42 on Tuesday to pay their re- this case,” said an Ashington Milan with four games re- ended his three-match drought Both sides had early chanc- Lazio pulled a goal back 12 Fiorentina 34 10 12 12 43 45 42 spects to the late Jack Charl- Football Club spokesman. maining. with a late penalty. His second es with Felipe Caicedo coming with seven minutes to go after 13 Sampdoria 34 12 5 17 45 56 41 ton, who won the World Cup “Always happy to help in Maurizio Sarri’s side was his 50th goal in Serie A, af- close early for the visitors be- a Bonucci foul on Immobile, 14 Parma 34 11 7 16 47 50 40 with England in 1966 before the town, visit schools and could win the title on Thurs- ter also passing the landmark in hind closed doors at the Allianz who converted the resulting 15 Torino 34 11 4 19 41 62 37 becoming a national hero as a community events when day against lowly Udinese, or England and Spain. Stadium, and an Alex Sandro spot-kick. manager across the Irish Sea. asked. A giant who will be on Sunday at home against The 35-year-old is now header clipping the woodwork. “There is a bit of regret be- 16 Udinese 34 9 9 16 32 48 36 Crowds thronged the for- sorely missed.” Sampdoria, depending on looking to become the first Lazio goalkeeper Thomas cause after the lockdown we had 17 Genoa 34 8 9 17 42 64 33 mer mining town of Ashing- His coffin was draped with their rivals’ results this week. player to finish top scorer in Strakosha got his hand to push a lot of problems,” said Inzaghi, 18 Lecce 34 7 8 19 42 76 29 ton, in northeast England, three scarves – those of Eng- “We are missing four three of the top five European an angled Adrien Rabiot ef- whose side had beaten Juventus 19 Brescia C’io 34 6 6 22 32 71 24 where Charlton grew up and land, Ireland and Leeds United points, only after we have leagues after doing so England fort over the bar with Ronaldo twice this season, in the reverse 20 SPAL Ferrara 34 5 4 25 24 64 19 maintained strong ties until – the only club he played for. achieved them will we then and Spain. heading wide. league fixture in Rome and the Note: Top four qualify for Champions League; his death earlier this month at Peter Mather, a 68-year- be able to think about the goal “Records are always im- An Immobile rocket from Italian Super Cup final. the age of 85. old semi-retired bricklayer, achieved,” said Sarri. portant, but the team vic- the edge of the box hit the bot- “At the end of the game fifth and sixth qualify for Europa League; Well-wishers also gathered stood on the funeral route “All the games are diffi- tory is more important,” said tom of the post with goalkeep- I congratulated the lads be- bottom three relegated. in Ballina, in the west of Ire- with a sign saying “Howay cult now, and in the space of Ronaldo. er Wojciech Szczesny beaten. cause despite the problems we land, to bid farewell to the man Wor Jack”. six days, we play three games. “I’m helping the team to Lazio could thank defender showed character. The impor- pions League berth 11 points who transformed the national “I never normally wear a So, we must stay focused and win. It’s important to win the Manuel Lazzari for a goal-line tant thing is we want to cele- ahead of city rivals Roma. side’s fortunes, taking them to cap but I’ve got one on today think about securing the miss- title. There are four games left clearance just after the break brate a return to the Champi- SCORELINE: Juventus 2 (Cris- their first two World Cup finals.