Atalanta Lift Devastated Bergamo, Inter Stay in Title Hunt Champions Juventus Return at Bologna
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19 Sports Tuesday, June 23, 2020 ‘Reborn’ Atalanta lift devastated Bergamo, Inter stay in title hunt Champions Juventus return at Bologna MILAN: Atalanta, inspired by the message “I will be Some fans remained opposed to the restart, holding reborn, you will be reborn”, brought Serie A football up a banner which read: “Football without tifosi (fans) is back to Bergamo in style on Sunday following the coro- not football.” On the pitch, Atalanta consolidated their navirus lockdown with a 4-1 victory over Sassuolo as hold on the fourth and final Champions League spot, Inter Milan enjoyed a 2-1 victory against Sampdoria. moving six points ahead of fifth-placed Roma. “It’s a Bergamo was badly hit by the virus, with the city, sit- very important victory, when you resume after a long uated in the northern Lombardy region of which Milan time it is inevitable there will be doubts, but we put them is the capital, at the epicentre of Italy’s COVID-19 crisis. to one side by playing an excellent match that led to a Gian Piero Gasperini’s side hosted rivals Sassuolo be- great success which was also important for our position hind closed doors in their Gewiss Stadium in a match in the table,” said Gasperini. Atalanta, who are already played in memory of the city’s thousands of virus victims. through to the Champions League quarter-finals this Duvan Zapata scored a brace season, were three goals up at with Berat Djimsiti also on target the break. Mattia Caldara as Sassuolo’s Mehdi Bourabia knocked the ball down for Djim- turned into his own net, before siti who prodded in on 16 min- pulling a goal back deep into in- utes. jury time. The province of Berg- I will be Colombian Zapata got the amo suffered 6,000 more deaths second after half an hour, with than usual during the COVID-19 Reborn Bourabia bundling the ball into outbreak, including 670 in Berg- his own net minutes later, with amo city which has a population two goals ruled out by VAR, with of around 122,000. Gasperini banished to the stands During a minute’s silence before the game, players for protesting. formed a circle, with the backdrop of the music “Ri- Zapata nodded in his second after an hour with nascero, Rinascerai” (I will be reborn, you will be re- Bourabia scoring a consolation for midtable Sassuolo born), a song composed during lockdown by Roby with a perfect free-kick in the second minute of added Facchinetti, an Italian musician from Bergamo. time. “The players had a great attachment to the city, no- MILAN: Atalanta’s Colombian forward Duvan Zapata (C) heads the ball to score the second goal despite Sassuolo’s The club also broadcast on social media a video ac- body left Bergamo and there has always been the belief Italian goalkeeper Andrea Consigli (L) during the Italian Serie A football match Atalanta vs Sassuolo. — AFP companying the song, in which Atalanta players, that sooner or later we would return,” added Gasperini. Gasperini and doctors and nurses held up the same mes- Champions Juventus return at Bologna. Atalanta host the game,” said Inter coach Antonio Conte. “But we are sky in memory of George Floyd. Lukaku then powered sage: “Rinascero, Rinascerai.” Before the match, a few second-placed Lazio on Wednesday, with Inter hosting six points behind (Juventus) and there are 12 games left down the right, pulled the ball back for Antonio Can- supporters gathered around the stadium to welcome the Sassuolo. Atalanta are six points behind Inter Milan who in which we will have to give our life.” dreva, who crossed for Martinez to added a second after players as they arrived in the team coach. beat Sampdoria in the San Siro, with goals from Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring after ten minutes follow- half an hour. “We came to support the team, even if we know we Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, to close to within six ing good work from Martinez and Christian Eriksen. Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby finished off a can’t get in,” fan Giorgio Arboldi, 50, told AFP TV. “The points of leaders Juventus. The Belgian celebrated his 18th league goal this sea- rebound to get a goal back for Sampdoria who are hov- passion is so strong.” “When you have the opportunity, you have to kill off son by taking the knee, and raising his right fist to the ering above the relegation zone.—AFP Mediterranean resort of Saint-Tropez. Meanwhile, However, the prospects of either Mbappe or Neymar PSG re-emerge but Kylian Mbappe posted photos of himself on Instagram leaving appear less than slim, given the financial chal- along the coast in Monaco. They return this week to a lenges faced by PSG’s European rivals. club having to deal with the financial consequences of “He is the future of PSG. That is what everyone wants. with eyes fixed on the pandemic and the early end to the season, with the Ideally we would extend his contract,” Leonardo said of Dimitrov tests resulting losses of ticketing and broadcast revenue. Mbappe. What Mbappe and PSG want now is the Within PSG, it is estimated they stand to lose over Champions League, and after years of underachievement Champions League 200 million euros ($224m), an enormous hit even for a in Europe they are targeting glory when the competition positive for club ranked the fifth-richest in the world in the latest De- is played out in a “final eight” straight knockout format loitte Football Money League. in Lisbon. PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain are still optimistic they can coronavirus win the Champions League for the first time when the OLD HEADS MOVE ON ‘MORE DIFFICULT’ tournament is played out in Lisbon in August, even if the That will probably ensure there are no headline- However, between now and a quarter-final some- PARIS: Grigor Dimitrov said on Sunday he has coronavirus crisis has left the Qatar-owned club appar- grabbing transfers coming soon, although they recently where between August 12 and 15, Thomas Tuchel’s team tested positive for coronavirus after pulling out of ently weakened both on the field and off it. made Argentine striker Mauro Icardi’s loan move from will only have two competitive games, with the French an exhibition tournament which also featured world The decision to bring an early end to the French sea- Inter Milan permanent for a reported fee of up to 58 mil- Cup final against Saint-Etienne and League Cup final number one Novak Djokovic. son in late April, with more than a quarter of matches lion euros. The financial situation has also helped make against Lyon both set to go ahead in late July. “I want to reach out and let my fans and friends unplayed, did not prevent PSG from being crowned up the mind of sporting director Leonardo over the fu- “We have felt good ever since the season began. Un- know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Ligue 1 champions for the third year running, but it was tures of Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani, two of the fortunately, we know what happened with the coron- Covid-19,” world number 19 Dimitrov wrote on In- hardly how they wanted things to end. biggest figures of the Qatar era whose contracts expire avirus and everything had to stop,” Di Maria told sports stagram. “I am so sorry for any harm I might have Without having had the chance to celebrate, the this month and will not be retained. “Maybe we are mak- daily L’Equipe. “The other major leagues are restarting. caused. I am back home now and recovering.” Parisians return to training on Monday, over three ing a mistake, I don’t know, there is never a perfect mo- That must not be an excuse but it does make things more Last weekend, Dimitrov, 29, took part in the Adria months after their last game, the 2-0 defeat of Borussia ment,” Leonardo told Le Journal du Dimanche. difficult for us,” he added. Tour event in Belgrade with Djokovic, world number Dortmund in their Champions League last 16, second leg. It is hoped Brazilian defender Silva, the club captain, Like Lyon, PSG are therefore completely out of step three Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev, ranked Their players have since spent months confined at home can be persuaded to stay to feature in the Champions with their Champions League rivals, although that could seven. He also played in the second leg of the before having some time to take a holiday. League latter stages, but club record goal-scorer Cavani still work to their advantage. For example, Spanish and Balkans tournament in Zadar on Croatia’s Adriatic PSG’s rivals in England, Spain, Germany and Italy are has reportedly opted to walk away at the end of June. English clubs will have completed an exhausting dash to coast on Saturday. However, he withdrew after los- back playing again. In contrast, Neymar returned to The exodus will not stop there. Right-back Thomas get their seasons finished in late July. Perhaps Mbappe, ing to Borna Coric, complaining of feeling unwell. France last weekend after three months in Brazil and Meunier, reportedly bound for Dortmund, will not stick Neymar and their teammates will be fresher than ever Later on Sunday, the final between Djokovic and headed straight to join teammates Marco Verratti, Angel around. Highly talented 18-year-old defender Tanguy and therefore primed to go on and win the final in Lisbon Russia’s Andrey Rublev was immediately cancelled Di Maria, Leandro Paredes and Marquinhos in the glitzy Kouassi is expected to sign for Bayern Munich.