City Struggling to Find UCL Magic
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 15 Belgium join France atop FIFA rankings City struggling to find UCL magic AFP | Lausanne, Switzerland elgium have joined AFP | Manchester, United King- to win the game.” Bworld champions dom In Arteta’s words, City are France as joint leaders of now used to the problem. the FIFA world rankings re- anchester City’s fourth However, it remains a signif- leased Thursday, the first consecutive UEFA icant handicap to their chanc- time in the table’s 25-year MChampions League es of winning the competition, history that top spot has defeat is a stark reminder of the even if they should still have the been shared. size of the challenge facing the time and quality to recover from Belgium have notched Premier League champions as Wednesday’s uncharacteristi- up a pair of wins, including they seek to replicate their do- cally error-strewn display and victory over Iceland in the mestic dominance on the Euro- progress from the group. inaugural Nations League pean stage. Champions League success competition to bring them Pep Guardiola’s richly tal - remains the holy grail for the level with the French, the ented team are among the fa- club’s Abu Dhabi owners a dec- team who beat them in the vourites to be crowned kings ade after their transformation of World Cup semi-finals. of Europe after racking up 100 the club’s fortunes. The only other change in points in the Premier League City have never won Europe’s the top 10 sees Denmark last season. premier club competition -- (10th, down one place) Yet their limp 2-1 loss to Lyon their semi-final against Real slip below Spain (9th, un- on Wednesday, played out in Madrid in 2015-16 is the furthest changed). front of swathes of empty seats they have gone. Outside of the top ten, in Manchester, prompts the Last year they lost both legs two Nations League wins nagging question of when the of their quarter-final to eventual for Ukraine (29th, up six) fans and the players will come finalists Liverpool, crashing out over Czech Republic (47th, Lyon’s Nabil Fekir scores their second goal to terms with the demands of 5-1 on aggregate. down three) and Slovakia the Champions League. Among the theories as to why (26th, unchanged) means Guardiola’s absence from the Juventus can count on the home night and the way Liverpool City fans are not captivated by that they are the month’s touchline and dressing room at advantage of a fervent atmos- swept Paris Saint-Germain ‘Crazy’ support the Champions League is a lack biggest movers, while Ger- half-time due to suspension was phere on a European night, the aside, one cannot help but com- “Obviously, the ideal scenario is of history in the competition many (12th, up three) have highlighted as one of the factors competition still does not ap- pare it to City’s own European to have a full stadium every time before the Abu Dhabi takeover, started to edge back towards for City’s loss. pear to have captured the imag- experience,” wrote Martin Sam- and to have people supporting meaning there are few memo- a single-figure ranking after But whatever excuses are ination of the club’s fans, with uel in the Daily Mail. and getting behind the team like ries of great European nights. their World Cup debacle. made, the stark reality is that 15,000 empty seats at the Etihad “While Anfield’s sound and crazy,” said assistant manager Another reason given is UE- they are the first English club for Lyon’s visit. fury inspired an almighty level Mikel Arteta, who took charge FA’s sanctioning of the club over to lose four straight games in “It is not the fault of an empty of resistance against PSG and in Guardiola’s absence. the breaching of Financial Fair the competition -- three of them seat that Fabian Delph misses propelled Liverpool to a late “I wouldn’t like to use that Play regulations in 2014, which Tunisia top Africa at home. his kick at a vital moment, yet victory, City played like their as an excuse because we had has seen the Champions League While other contenders such when one recalls the atmos - ground looked: underwhelming this type of crowd in Champions anthem before the game booed rankings as Liverpool, Real Madrid or phere at Anfield the previous and slightly absent.” League before and we were able ever since. AFP | Johannesburg unisia became the out- Tright top-ranked Afri- ‘Like Lothar Matthaeus’ - can football nation again Mourinho upbeat as Pogba when FIFA released the Sep- Sanches’ star on the rise tember listings yesterday. The north Africans shared points way for Man Utd AFP | Lisbon, Portugal first place with Senegal last month, but a 2-0 Africa Cup AFP | Bern, Switzerland ayern Munich coach Niko of Nations qualifying win in BKovac believes the German eSwatini (formerly Swazi- ith Paul Pogba putting champions have unearthed land) lifted them one place Whis stamp on games and the next Lothar Matthaeus in the world to 23rd. Jose Mourinho in an upbeat as Renato Sanches continues Senegal dropped one po- mood, the atmosphere around to resurrect his career with a sition to second in Africa Manchester United is markedly stunning display at Benfica. and 25th in the world after more relaxed than it was just a The 21-year-old sealed Bay- twice surrendering the lead few weeks ago. ern’s 2-0 win at Benfica on in a 2-2 away draw against United’s 3-0 win over Young Wednesday as the Bavarian gi- Madagascar in the same Boys in the Champions League ants won their opening Cham- competition. in Bern on Wednesday was not pions League group game. Among the African top 10, completely straightforward, After Robert Lewandowski four-time Cup of Nations with the visitors on the back gave Bayern an early lead, Renato Sanches in action title-holders Ghana were foot before Pogba emerged to Sanches finished a move he the biggest losers, slipping score twice in the final 10 min- started after a powerful burst So masterful was Sanches’ three places to seventh after utes of the first half. Anthony Martial scores Manchester United’s third goal on his return to the through midfield, by tapping midfield performance at the a 1-0 away defeat by Kenya. But Mourinho’s side ended starting lineup home a cross early in the sec- Estadio da Luz that he was up thoroughly deserving their ond half. treated to a standing ovation victory against a team that had last Saturday’s 2-1 victory at goals in total this season, three His goal capped an outstand- by the home crowd and Bayern won nine out of 10 games this Watford. from the spot. ing display and completes coach Niko Kovac was remind- German league season and were determined “If someone asks me to do The 25-year-old has not al- Sanches resurrection after two ed of Bayern and Germany leg- to impress on their Champions that again, I don’t think it’ll go ways enjoyed a harmonious torrid seasons since joining end Matthaeus. launches eSports League group-stage debut. where it did,” admitted Pogba relationship with Mourinho, Bayern as an 18-year-old from “Renato has an exceptional- tournament Pogba’s decisive contribu- of his terrific opening goal at being routinely dropped last Benfica in the summer of 2016 ly good technique, very good tion while wearing the captain’s the Stade de Suisse, which he season. for 35 million euros ($40.1m). speed and a great body,” said AFP | Berlin armband also stretched to an followed by scoring a penalty In recent weeks, doubts have “It’s so special for me, I’ve Kovac of the Euro 2016 winner assist for Anthony Martial’s before half-time. been raised about what his played for Benfica for ten with Portugal. undesliga teams will third goal in the second half, “I’m very, very happy to have agent Mino Raiola might have years, it’s where I learnt to play “It’s true that people fly off Bbattle it out on-line this and his performance came af- scored two goals and to have in mind for Pogba’s future. Yet football and has a special place him left and right -- just like season with the German ter he stood out on his 100th helped decide the game,” said in Bern, Pogba delivered for his in my heart, I’m very happy,” they used to do with Lothar Football League (DFL) an- appearance for the club in the France star, who has four manager. he beamed. Matthaeus. nouncing plans for an eS- ports competition for the clubs in Germany’s top two leagues. The DFL say top 36 clubs in Germany’s first and sec- Liverpool ready to compete for every trophy, says Van Dijk ond Bundesliga divisions have the chance to play Reuters | London League opener. season, nothing has been won off to be the German club Van Dijk, who arrived at An- yet, we need to show it every champion in eFootball. irgil van Dijk expects Liv- field from Southampton in Janu- week, every three days now. The initiative is in col - Verpool to be a threat for any ary, insists their faultless start to “Everyone is excited, every- laboration with Electronic opposition in four competitions the campaign is just a small step one is feeling good, everyone Arts, who publish the high- this season but said the players on a journey the club hopes will wanted to be part of this.