SPORTS TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2014 Photo of the day Mertesacker on standby for Arsenal’s European qualifier LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene week preparation, but he’s willing to play, Wenger is considering bringing defender no problem. We are a bit short.” Per Mertesacker back from his post-World Frenchman Koscielny drew the Gunners Cup layoff early as injury cover for today’s level on the stroke of halftime on Champions League first leg playoff Saturday after Brede Hangeland’s glanc- against Besiktas. ing header gave Palace the lead at the Mertesacker and his Germany team Emirates Stadium. mates Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski The centreback played the full 90 min- were given the extended break by utes but suffered from pain in his foot, Wenger after the World Cup triumph in while Gibbs lasted little over an hour Brazil last month with the trio scheduled before succumbing to a hamstring injury. to miss the first few weeks of the cam- Arsenal are aiming to reach the paign. Champions League group stage for the However, defenders Laurent Koscielny 17th consecutive season. and Kieran Gibbs suffered knocks in After an impressive 3-0 Community Saturday’s last-gasp 2-1 win over Crystal Shield win over champions Manchester Palace in their English Premier League City and the victory over Palace, courtesy opener meaning Mertesacker, who last of Aaron Ramsey’s late winner, Wenger week announced his international retire- was confident of progressing past the ment, could be drafted in to play in Turkish side. Turkey. “We are desperate to do it because we “We will assess Koscielny on Monday,” want to play in the Champions League Wenger was quoted as saying by British and we know how big these games are,” media on Monday. Wenger added. “We had to give a lot, “If he’s fit and capable to play, we play hopefully we will recover and be ready for him. It was our plan to bring the Germans tonight. “We are desperate to go through, back in contention for Everton (on no matter what it costs we want to go Saturday). But in case of emergency I will through. We have always a difficult draw, take Mertesacker. Ken Roczen competes in the AMA Pro Motocross Championships at Unadilla we had Fenerbahce last year, this time we “Ideally he would need one more have Besiktas. It’s difficult.” — Reuters Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, New York, USA — www.redbull.com Monaco blown away by Bordeaux comeback PARIS: Monaco suffered a second Goalkeeper Danijel Subasic had Sane had headed on a free-kick. defeat in as many games this season to beat away a Khazri free-kick, but And there was worse to come as Bordeaux came from behind to Monaco took the lead in the final with quarter of an hour remaining beat the principality club 4-1 in minute of the opening period when as Khazri scored from the spot after Ligue 1 on Sunday. Dimitar Valere Germain’s right-wing cross drawing a foul from Subasic just Berbatov gave the visitors the lead was headed into the net at the far inside the box as the Monaco at the Stade Chaban-Delmas just post by Bulgarian striker Berbatov. defence imploded. before half-time, but having lost at Sagnol, who played in the last home to Lorient last weekend, Monaco side that won the title in Marseille beaten Leonardo Jardim’s side collapsed in 2000, reshuffled his tactical set-up Saint-Etienne are the only other the face of a brilliant Bordeaux sec- at the break and Bordeaux required side to have won their opening two ond-half performance. only three minutes to draw level, matches after they also came from behind to beat Reims 3-1 at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Loic Perrin deflected a Benjamin Moukandjo shot into his own net to give Reims-who held champions Paris Saint-Germain last week-an interval lead, but Max-Alain Gradel, Kevin Monnet-Paquet and Mevlut Erding all found the net in the sec- ond half for Les Verts. However, like Jardim, new Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa is MADRID: (L to R) Real Madrid’s Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, Real Madrid’s Portuguese defenders Fabio Coentrao, finding the adaptation to life in and Pepe and Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo take part in a training session at Valdebebas training Ligue 1 something of a challenge. ground in Madrid yesterday, on the eve of the Spanish Super Cup match Real Madrid CF vs Atletico de Madrid. — AFP After OM threw away a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 in Bastia last week, his first home game at the helm ended in a chorus of jeers after a Real even better than deflating 2-0 defeat to southern rivals Montpellier, whose goals came from Anthony Mounier and Morgan Sanson. last season: Ancelotti The Stade Velodrome was hold- ing its first game since work finished on a new main stand, completing MADRID: Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti believes his side er players. Tomorrow one team will play and on Friday a differ- will be even stronger this campaign than the one which won ent team will play. the refurbishment done for Euro the Champions League and Copa del Rey last season. “I don’t remember the Ozil situation and I am not going to 2016, which France will host, and Madrid have added World Cup stars James Rodriguez, Toni start talking about that topic because I will lose my concentra- the game was watched by a crowd Kroos and Keylor Navas at an expense of over 100 million tion on tomorrow’s game. “I don’t know what Di Maria has of more than 50,000. euros as they aim to lift a potential six trophies this season. decided. He is ready and it could be that he can help us. Until BORDEAUX: Monaco’s midfielder Joao Moutinho (R) vies with Bordeaux’s “I am not satisfied. One point out They already have one to their name after defeating Sevilla August 31 that is the line we will take. Whether he stays or defender Diego Contento (L) during the French L1 football match Bordeaux of six against opponents who are 2-0 to win the European Super Cup in Cardiff last week and goes, after that everything will return to normal.” (FCGB) vs Moncao (ASMFC) on Sunday at the Chaban Delmas Stadium in expected to finish in the bottom will face Atletico Madrid in a repeat of the Champions League Atletico have also been busy in the transfer market as they Bordeaux. Bordeaux won 4-1. — AFP half is not a very good outcome,” final over two legs on Tuesday and Friday in the Spanish Super have brought in nine players to help replace Thibaut Courtois, admitted Bielsa, although he added: Cup. “I think we have a better team than last season because Filipe Luis and Diego Costa who have all moved to Chelsea. Two goals from Uruguayan strik- Rolan turning the ball in after Julien “I think there were more things of we have signed three players that add quality to the team,” However, despite ending the dominance of Real and er Diego Rolan and penalties from Faubert’s cross had been headed value in the match than things that Ancelotti said yesterday. Barcelona to win La Liga last season, coach Diego Simeone Emiliano Sala and Wahbi Khazri back across goal by former Bayern we need to fix.” Whilst Rodriguez and Kroos went straight into the starting has played down expectations ahead of the new campaign. made it two wins out of two for Les Munich full-back Diego Contento. On Saturday, PSG brushed aside line-up for the victory over Sevilla, Navas has had to wait to “We need to look at Sevilla, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao. Girondins, who are top of the fledg- Argentine striker Sala, making his SC Bastia 2-0 with Lucas and make his competitive debut and Ancelotti confirmed that Iker We will try to fight with them for the Champions League ling table with a maximum six first Ligue 1 start, then scored from Edinson Cavani on target, but their Casillas will once again start in goal. Argentinean midfielder places,” said the Argentine. points after a fine start under their the penalty spot after Aymen win was overshadowed by the ear- Angel di Maria also didn’t feature in Cardiff amidst reports that “With 95 million euros we have signed nine players, Real new coach Willy Sagnol. Abdennour was harshly adjudged ly loss of Zlatan Ibrahimovic due he could be sold before the end of the transfer window with Madrid have signed two players for 95 million. That is the dif- Radamel Falcao was again left on to have fouled his fellow Tunisian to a side strain and an after-match Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly inter- ference.” Atletico will hand debuts to their star signings the bench at kick-off for Monaco, Khazri inside the area. incident in the tunnel which saw ested. However, Ancelotti dismissed comparisons with Mesut Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic in attack. although Jardim did make five Monaco sent on Falcao but they Bastia’s Brazilian striker Brandao Ozil this time last year before his deadline day move to However, Arda Tura misses out with a hamstring injury and Arsenal. “Di Maria is available like all the other players. It could new goalkeeper Jan Oblak will start on the bench as he lacks changes to his team, including fell further behind in the 65th headbutt Thiago Motta, leaving be that he starts and has his chance, but he is just like the oth- match fitness after suffering a hip injury in pre-season.