Al Sadd Take on Al Ahli As QSL Resumes
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Sport SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2021 DefendingD champion Djokovic unsure wwhether he will continue at Australian Open RightR now I’m - well, I know it’s a tear, definitely, of the muscle. SoS I don’t know if I’ll manage to recover from that in less than twot days. I don’t know I’m going to step out on to the court or not. Serbia'sS Novak Djokovic Sport | 15 NHL RESULTS: Pittsburgh 4-3 NY Islanders 3, Columbus 6-5 Chicago, Edmonton 3-0 Montreal, Nashville 3-2 Detroit, Carolina 5-3 Dallas Al Sadd take on Al Ahli as QSL resumes THE PENINSULA – DOHA a row, we will win the title. It’s Al Sadd players in action during a practice session as the most important title, in my coach Xavi Hernandez looks on. Table toppers Al Sadd resume opinion, because it means that their QNB Stars League (QSL) we have had a really great title hunt today following a brief season,” Xavi said ahead of the interval as they take on Al Ahli Round 16 clash. at Al Sadd Stadium. “Now it depends on Al Sadd The Round 16 fixture kicks to win this title. If we win nine off at 6:15pm. points, for sure we will com- Round 16 Favourites Al Sadd, coached plete the challenge. I am happy Today by Barca great Xavi Hernandez, for the players because I think Al Gharafa vs Al Sailiya are 13 points clear at the top of they deserve this. We worked Qatar SC Stadium the standings, having amassed really hard all season and now, At 3:45pm 41 points from 13 wins, the most it’s the most important part of Al Khor vs Al Kharaitiyat by any team this season. the season.” 6:15pm The only team to stay “We will play in the Qatar Qatar SC Stadium unbeaten this season, Al Sadd Cup also, but now we have to Al Sadd vs Al Ahli have drawn two matches. focus on the league and win this 6:15pm On the other hand, Al Ahli, title.” Al Sadd Stadium currently occupying the sixth Al Sadd had beaten Al Ahli Tomorrow spot with 23 points but the 7-1 in the first leg, but Xavi is Umm Salal vs Qatar SC Nebojsa Jovovic-coached side not ready to take any chances. Al Duhail Stadium is targeting a top four finish. “Our next game is against Al At 4:45pm They have seven wins under Ahli and you know we won the Al Duhail vs Al Rayyan their belt and two draws, but first game 7-1, but this is not Al Duhail Stadium have suffered six defeats. their reality.” At 7:15pm Although they have a clear “They are competing really Al Arabi vs Al Wakrah lead over second placed Al well, they have a good team and Al Arabi Stadium Duhail, the title holders, Xavi is a good coach, and they are relax. We have to continue; we Meanwhile, at Qatar SC Al Gharafa, under the At 7:15pm keen to collect full points in having a very good season. I still haven’t won anything in the Stadium, Al Gharafa face Al tutelage of Slavisa Jokanovic, today's match. think they are not in the best league yet. Sailiya. Later at the same venue, have registered eight wins, Speaking at a pre-match moment now, because they “Of course, we have a big Al Khor will meet Al Kharaitiyat. three draws and four defeats difference of -10 (17 goals for press conference, Xavi pointed started very well and then lost advantage, but we have to Al Gharafa are in a com- with a goal difference of +9 (31 and 27 against). Sami Trabelsi’s out that Al Sadd’s title dreams some games.” maintain it and win the title as fortable position, being placed goals for and 22 against). men played out a goalless draw rested in their own hands and He added: “Still, they have soon as we can.” third in the table with 27 points. Al Sailiya are eighth in the with Al Ahli in Week 15. that they couldn’t afford to lose a good team and good players, “We are favourites to win The Cheetahs beat Al table with 19 points. The Per- Al Sailiya had beaten Al focus at this stage. and they have a strong char- against everybody now, but we Kharaitiyat 2-1 in Week 15 egrines have five wins, four Gharafa 4-2 in the first leg of “Now, everything depends acter, especially the coach, who cannot relax. We still need to before the tournament took a draws and six defeats against 2020-21 season QNB Stars on us. If we win three games in is doing very well. So, we cannot win many matches,” Xavi said. break. their name with a goal League. Flick savours historic World Cup double Packed match schedule FIFA – DOHA responsible for Neymar's By winning the FIFA Club World Cup final, Hansi Flick not only injury: PSG's Pochettino made history with FC Bayern München by matching Barce- lona’s record of six titles. He also REUTERS – PARIS set an individual best-mark: the 55-year-old became the first Paris St Germain person to win both the Club forward Neymar’s World Cup (since 2000) and the latest injury can be FIFA World Cup as coach, blamed on a hectic having done so in 2014 as match schedule Joachim Low’s assistant. and the COVID-19 “Congratulations to my crisis, coach team,” Flick said after the final. Mauricio “They have completed a his- Pochettino said torical feat, they have won six yesterday. titles in one season. Even for the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar Neymar has successful club that is FC Bayern 2020 champions Bayern been ruled out for München, this was the most suc- Munich players on-board four weeks with a cessful season ever. The team their Qatar Airways flight groin injury, Paris St Germain’s Neymar reacts after played outstandingly. The win to Munich yesterday. meaning he will sustaining an injury during the French Cup - was never in danger, we domi- Pic: Bayern Munich miss the first leg of nated and deservedly won the PSG’s Champions Round of 64 match against Caen on Wednesday. final. League last-16 tie “It was very difficult for me especially at such an extreme UEFA Super Cup, DFL Supercup unbeatable,” said Joshua at his former club Barcelona on as well, we were all at the limit, tournament,” said Flick at the and now the FIFA Club World Kimmich. Tuesday. the same goes for me at the time, having sought advice from Cup. Brazil’s Tite won the Club “When you look at the way When you look at the way touchline. The match against dead-ball experts in the This success was no coinci- World Cup in 2002 with Corin- injuries have increased it is because injuries have increased it is Tigres was on eye-level, even Bundesliga. dence, with Flick radically thians and, as Brazil’s head of the huge workload and the though we dominated. They Low jokingly bet his assistant changing Bayern’s game after coach, could lift the World Cup number of competitive games,” because of the huge deserved to be in this final.” an evening meal that Germany taking over. He implemented far title in 2022. Pochettino told a news conference workload and the number Although Flick, a midfielder would not score any goals from greater intensity when pressing, Zinedine Zidane was trium- on the eve of PSG’s Ligue 1 game at of competitive games. We in his playing days, lifted the set-pieces at Brazil 2014. Yet en a higher defensive line and, phant at France 1998 as a player, home to Nice. have played nine Bundesliga title four times with route to the country’s fourth together with his staff, prepared and won the Club World Cup “We have played nine compet- competitive games in Bayern and represented world title, Low’s charges ulti- his team in the best possible way with Real Madrid in 2016 and itive games in about 40 days and of Germany at youth level, he mately scored four times from for the final phase of the Cham- 2017. It is by no means out of the course the circumstances are special about 40 days and of never earned a senior cap for his free-kicks or corners, including pions League during the sus- question that he could take due to COVID-19.” Pochettino added course the circumstances country. After the 2006 World the equalising goal at 2-2 in the pension of play caused by the charge of France that it had “not been contemplated” are special due to Cup he was recruited as assistant group game against Ghana, the pandemic. one day and steer that Neymar, 29, would return to COVID-19: Pochettino to Low, himself newly appointed only goal of the match in the In doing so, he was always them to another Brazil to nurse his injury. as head coach. The pair formed quarter-finals against France, mindful of the need for loyalty World Cup Neymar was injured in a 1-0 win a harmonious duo from the and the all-important opener in from his players, and proved triumph. at Caen in the French Cup on outset, and although Flick kept the semi-finals against Brazil. himself to be an empathetic and However, this Wednesday after a rough challenge by Steeve Yabo but the Ligue a low profile in public, within the Following that triumph, even-handed man-manager.