THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 SPORTS Sevilla to face Zenit in Europa League q-finals

PARIS: Holders Sevilla host a Zenit Saint Petersburg side ripped apart by suspensions in the Europa League quarter-final first leg today. Andre Villas-Boas’s Russian league leaders travel to Spain missing no fewer than five first team regulars. Defenders Domenico Criscito and Igor Smolnikov, skipper Miguel Danny and Brazilian star striker Hulk are all banned after col- lecting third bookings in the last 16 return leg against Torino. Villas-Boas’s plight is compounded by the absence of Russian international midfielder Viktor Faizulin, recovering from knee surgery. “We have to think hard (about our line-up on Thursday) since we have four players that are suspended and we have to think about the objective (in that match),” the Zenit boss said. The 2008 winners face a stiff task against a Sevilla side fresh from holding Barcelona to a 2-2 draw in at the weekend. That fightback extended their unbeaten run at home to 33 games and ensured they remain just four points adrift of Atletico Madrid in the fight for a return to the Champions League next season. Sevilla, who claimed their third Europa League title when beating Benfica on penalties last year, will fancy their prospects of gaining an edge today ahead of next month’s return leg in Russia. They beat Zenit 5-2 at the same stage in 2006. “Winning the Europa League for the second successive year will be very complicated,” said Fernando Navarro, the Sevilla defender and Spanish Euro 2008 winner. Ukraine are doubly represented in the last eight by Dynamo Kiev, who ended club Everton’s ambitions in the last 16, and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. Dnipro are the surprise packages this season, stunning Dutch giants Ajax to set up a last eight clash with Club Brugge of Belgium. Dnipro owe their continued presence in the competition to the away goals rule after their last 16 tie with Ajax ended 2-2 on aggregate. Dnipro coach Myron Markevych insisted his SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Brazilian defender Marcelo trains at Valdebebas Sport City in team must show Brugge plenty of respect after this file photo. —AFP they were drawn against the Belgian outsiders. “It’s ridiculous to say that Brugge is a good SPAIN: Sevilla’s Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak (right) celebrates with Sevilla’s draw for us. This is a very strong, classy team that Portuguese defender Diogo Figueiras (left) in this file photo. —AFP plays great attacking football and got past Marcelo’s suspension Besiktas so easily, which says a lot,” said the The last eight line-up is completed by reached the quarter-finals, while Napoli memo- coach. Wolfsburg, who brushed aside Inter Milan last rably won the former UEFA Cup in 1989 when Dynamo Kiev have been ordered by UEFA to month to set up a meeting on Thursday with Diego Maradona inspired them to a 5-4 aggre- bad news for Real close part of their stadium for Fiorentina’s visit another outfit, Rafael Benitez’s Napoli. gate victory over Stuttgart. The quarter-final sec- after racist behaviour by their fans towards The 2009 German champions enjoyed their ond legs will be played on April 23, with the final MADRID: Holders Real Madrid and city Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak pulled off a Everton players last month. best run in the competition in 2010, when they in Warsaw on May 27.—AFP rivals Atletico emerged from Tuesday’s tem- string of brilliant saves. pestuous 0-0 Champions League quarter- “We come away with a bittersweet taste final draw knowing that Real left back in the mouth because we didn’t get a goal Marcelo and Atletico midfielder Mario to take a lead into the return,” Real centre Suarez are out of next week’s return leg. back Sergio Ramos told reporters. Each picked up a late booking in the “Madrid had control for practically the clash at Atletico’s Calderon stadium, a whole match, though the second half was repeat of last year’s final and the seventh trickier,” added the Spain international. time they have faced each other this term, “We have to draw positive conclusions. that means they will be suspended for the It was a really taxing, intense match against second leg at the Bernabeu on April 22. opponents who always make things very Atletico coach Diego Simeone has a difficult, and at a ground that’s always much easier task to replace Mario by bring- tough to go to.” ing in Tiago to play in the defensive mid- Real have not beaten Atletico for seven field role alongside captain Gabi. consecutive matches in all competitions, Marcelo’s absence, by contrast, will their worst run against their neighbors in deprive Real of one of their most effective the club’s history. —Reuters lines of attack and Simeone’s counterpart Carlo Ancelotti is likely to be forced to turn to the ageing Alvaro Arbeloa or the erratic Fabio Coentrao to fill in. Matches on TV Marcelo, a dressing-room heavyweight at the club and an inspirational presence (Local Timings) on the pitch, links up well with Cristiano Ronaldo down the left and can send over UEFA Europa League dangerous crosses for the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. He is also adept at dashing inside Sevilla V Zenit 22:05 towards the penalty area and slipping a beIN SPORTS killer pass through the defence to create a Brugge V Dnipro 22:05 scoring chance for his team mates. His defensive skills have improved in beIN SPORTS recent seasons, while Arbeloa and Wolfsburg V SSC Napoli 22:05 Coentrao are less likely to be able to thwart beIN SPORTS some of Atletico’s forward forays involving Dinamo Kiev V Fiorentina 22:05 playmaker Arda Turan and right back Juanfran. Real wasted a host of chances on beIN SPORTS Tuesday, especially in the first half when

GERMANY: Dortmund’s head coach Juergen Klopp attends a press conference to announce that he will step down as coach of German First Bournemouth keep Premier Division Bundesliga football club Borussia Dortmund. —AFP League dream very much alive Dortmund weigh options LONDON: Bournemouth kept their dream BRENTFORD DEFEATED of reaching English soccer’s top flight for Ipswich Town are a point behind Derby the first time firmly alive with a gritty 1-0 in sixth after beating Cardiff City 3-1 but as coach Klopp bows out win at FA Cup semi-finalists Reading on Brentford’s hopes of a second successive Tuesday. promotion took a hit when they lost 1-0 at The south-coast club took the lead Sheffield Wednesday. BERLIN: Jurgen Klopp will walk away from April 28 to bow out in style at the Berlin final on The charismatic Klopp, known for his trade- through Callum Wilson after four minutes The west London club are seventh, three Borussia Dortmund next month as one of the May 30. According to both German daily Bild and mark sideline-leaps of celebration after and hung on to stay ahead in the gripping points behind Ipswich and level with most successful coaches in the club’s history and book-makers Bwin Tuchel, one of Germany’s ris- Dortmund goals, was suddenly a forelorn figure race for promotion to the lucrative Premier Wolves. Bournemouth struck early through highly-regarded Thomas Tuchel widely tipped to ing star coaches, is favourite to succeed Klopp, this season as his team lost repeatedly and their League as the Championship pacesetters Wilson’s 22nd goal of the season at Reading take over. but Watzke says ‘certainty over speed’ is the priori- counter-pressing system failed to work. “But you all won. but the hosts tried to put Saturday’s Cup It took Klopp three attempts to get the words ty in finding the right man. can be sure that after all this great success and “It was a nervy ending with what’s at showdown against Arsenal at Wembley out out no Dortmund fan wanted to hear in A quick glance at the table, where Dortmund this incredibly good co-operation, you will always stake-we defended for our lives,” of their minds and battled hard to get back Wednesday’s press conference.The 47-year-old are tenth, shows how far Klopp’s side has have the eternal gratitude of Borussia Dortmund,” Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told into the game. confirmed he is leaving after two Bundesliga slumped since winning back-to-back league titles said an emotional Watzke before hugging Klopp. the BBC. “We showed incredible mental Reading pressed strongly for a late titles, a Champions League final appearance and in 2011 and 2012, then finishing as runners-up to As to his future, Klopp insists there has been strength to score so early and see the game equaliser and Bournemouth goalkeeper the first league and cup double in Borussia’s his- Bayern for the last two years. no contact with any club. “I’m not tired, I have not out the way we did. We are finding new Artur Boruc was booked for time-wasting tory during his seven years in charge. “This is the Borussia were a mid-table side when Klopp planned anything in the background, there will ways to win and I’ll take that at this stage.” before his side held on for another vital vic- right time for a change at Borussia Dortmund,” arrived in 2008 before briefly usurping Bayern as be no sabbatical, unless I am forced to take one, Norwich City remained a point behind tory. Norwich missed a golden chance to said an emotional Klopp. Germany’s top club in 2012, which was confirmed nothing is planned or calculated.” the leaders with a 2-0 victory at Leeds lead at Leeds when Graham Dorrans “A big head has to roll-and it’s mine.” Having when the Bavarians were humbled 5-2 in that The timing of his announcement is simply to United, Middlesbrough beat spurned a first-half penalty but the Scottish been granted an early release from his contract, May’s German Cup final. allow Dortmund to plan their future without him. Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 to stay a midfielder made amends by scoring a late which ran until 2018, Klopp’s last home match will Following defeat to Bayern in the 2013 “I chose this time to announce it, because in the point back in third and playoff contenders second to seal the win after Jonny Howson be against Werder Bremen on May 23. Champions League final, Dortmund finished sec- last few years, some player decisions were made Derby County crushed relegated Blackpool had put the East Anglia side ahead. “It took me a while before I could even say the ond in the league in 2013 and 2014 until this sea- late and there was no time to react,” he added in 4-0. Middlesbrough, who visit Norwich on words,” admitted Klopp, flanked by ashen-faced son’s drop off. reference to Mario Goetze’s shock departure to The Rams stayed fifth, four points Friday, roared out of the blocks with early Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke and equally Key injuries and a loss of form from their World Bayern in April 2013. German book-makers Bwin behind fourth-placed Watford who travel to goals by Jelle Vossen and Patrick Bamford glum director of sport Michael Zorc. Cup winners led to dire results which saw have Premier League clubs Manchester City, then Nottingham Forest late yesterday. With against Wolves but Bakary Sako pulled one “I wasn’t sure until I couldn’t answer the ques- Dortmund drop to 17th in December and then Arsenal, as his most likely future employers, espe- three games left the teams finishing first back soon after halftime to make the hosts tion whether I was still the perfect coach for last place in February. cially as Klopp speaks good English. “Jurgen Klopp and second will gain automatic promotion sweat for their win. League one (third tier) Borussia Dortmund with a clear ‘yes’. “The change Their Champions League exit after home and has a good reputation in England,” said ex- to the top flight and a potential cash boost leaders Bristol City thrashed Bradford City will be good for everyone. The club was great away defeats to Juventus in the last-16 signalled Liverpool and Germany midfielder Dietmar of more than 120 million pounds ($177.28 6-0 to guarantee their return to the second when I came and it’s still great.” how far they were from their incredible 4-1 rout of Hamann. “I think he would fit in well at million). The next four sides play off for the tier of English football after a two-year He admits he has “one last dream” of beating Real Madrid in Duortmund during the 2013 semi- Manchester City and they will certainly have final Premier League place. absence. —Reuters Bayern Munich in the German Cup semi-final on finals en route to facing Bayern at Wembley. talked about him.”—AFP