MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017 SPORTS

PREVIEW Conte wary of Carroll on return to West Ham

LONDON: Chelsea manager Antonio know the difficulty of derbies, but we are while Angelo Ogbonna (knee) and Diafra over Chelsea and failed to find the target West Ham manager Bilic, meanwhile, Conte expects a searching examination preparing very well for this game, in the Sakho (back) remain out. when West Ham lost 2-1 at Stamford believes the title race is far from over. “It when his side return to West Ham right way with great commitment and Andy Carroll returns after two games Bridge in August, but Conte remains is still very open. There are many, many United’s London Stadium today, scene of focus. “For sure it will be a tough game out with a groin injury, however, and mindful of the threat he poses. points available,” said the Croatian. one of their four defeats this season. and also we will know the results of the captain Mark Noble believes the tower- “Andy Carroll is a really good player, “Like the clubs below us. Let’s say we Only Liverpool, Arsenal and other teams, so there will be positive or ing striker could make the difference for very strong physically and we must pay are in the position of Chelsea, or even Tottenham Hotspur have bested leaders negative pressure. But we are ready to Slaven Bilic’s men. “Andy is massive for us great attention,” he said. “But we must better, regarding the clubs in the relega- Chelsea in the Premier League, but play this game and try to do better than whenever he is fit and everyone knows pay attention to the whole West Ham tion zone. Conte’s men were knocked out of the last time.” it,” Noble told the club website. team because in the League Cup they “We are not afraid of our position, but League Cup by West Ham following a 2-1 Chelsea’s defeat at West Ham “He was fit for 11 (league) matches beat us. “We are preparing different solu- you know that you need points to stay loss in October. occurred amid a run of 13 straight wins over Christmas and New Year and scored tions to limit the strengths of our oppo- up and improve. Chelsea’s 10-point lead is likely to in the league and came after Conte six goals, so we need to keep him avail- nent, but it’s important for us to play our “Those teams who are down there, have been eroded by the time they take made a number of changes to his start- able. “Andy knows how important he is idea of football, bring our philosophy, try like Sunderland, Hull, they are hoping to the field at the former Olympic ing XI. But with in-form winger Eden to our team and he hates not being to play, score, defend very well and play and planning to get the points. They Stadium and Conte says they will have to Hazard expected to shrug off a knock involved with the lads on the training with high intensity.” know if they get the points they have a produce a much sharper display than on received in training, Chelsea will be at pitch. Having a fit Andy Carroll is a mas- While Chelsea continue to carry the chance. “It is the same with Chelsea and their last visit. “I hope so because the full strength for Monday’s derby. sive boost for us.” air of champions-elect, their momentum the five teams chasing them. They still result wasn’t good for us and we want to West Ham will be without winger has slowed since their autumn surge and think they have a chance to catch try to take three points,” said the Italian. Michail Antonio following his dismissal ‘CHELSEA CAN SLIP’ they have won just one of their last four Chelsea if Chelsea slip, and they can slip “It will be a difficult game. We all in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Watford, Carroll missed the League Cup win away games in the league. in every game.” — AFP

SOCCER STANDINGS

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

P W D L F A Pts Roma 27 19 2 6 58 25 59 Chelsea 26 20 3 3 55 19 63 Napoli 27 17 6 4 62 30 57 Tottenham 27 16 8 3 53 20 56 Atalanta 27 16 4 7 42 26 52 Man City 26 17 4 5 53 29 55 27 16 3 8 46 28 51 Liverpool 27 15 7 5 58 34 52 Arsenal 26 15 5 6 55 31 50 Lazio 26 15 5 6 45 29 50 Man United 26 13 10 3 39 22 49 AC Milan 27 15 5 7 40 30 50 Everton 27 12 8 7 44 30 44 Fiorentina 27 11 9 7 44 37 42 West Bromwich 27 11 7 9 36 34 40 Torino 27 10 9 8 51 43 39 Stoke City 27 9 8 10 32 40 35 Sampdoria 27 10 8 9 33 33 38 Southampton 26 9 6 11 32 34 33 West Ham United26 9 6 11 35 44 33 Chievo 27 10 5 12 29 37 35 Burnley 27 9 4 14 30 40 31 Sassuolo 27 9 4 14 35 42 31 Watford 27 8 7 12 33 47 31 Cagliari 27 9 5 13 36 57 31 Bournemouth 27 7 6 14 37 52 27 Udinese 27 8 7 12 29 36 30 Leicester City 27 7 6 14 30 45 27 Genoa 27 7 8 12 30 41 29 Swansea City 27 8 3 16 35 59 27 Crystal Palace 27 7 4 16 35 46 25 Bologna 26 7 7 12 24 39 28 Middlesbrough 27 4 10 13 19 30 22 Empoli 27 5 7 15 15 39 22 Hull City 27 5 6 16 24 53 21 Palermo 27 3 6 18 23 53 15 Sunderland 27 5 4 18 24 50 19 Crotone 27 3 5 19 21 45 14 Pescara 27 2 6 19 28 59 12 SPANISH TABLE Spanish La Liga table after yesterday’s early match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, FRENCH LIGUE 1 TABLE points): French Ligue 1 table after yesterday’s 1400 GMT Barcelona 26 18 6 2 76 21 60 match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals Real Madrid 25 18 5 2 67 26 59 against, points): Sevilla 25 17 4 4 49 29 55 Monaco 27 19 5 3 78 25 62 Atletico Madrid 26 14 7 5 48 22 49 26 15 3 8 42 36 48 Paris SG 28 19 5 4 56 19 62 Villarreal 26 12 9 5 38 19 45 Nice 28 18 8 2 45 21 62 Eibar 26 11 6 9 42 37 39 Lyon 27 15 2 10 55 32 47 Athletic Bilbao 25 11 5 9 31 30 38 Bordeaux 28 11 10 7 36 34 43 Espanyol 26 9 9 8 35 35 36 Marseille 28 12 6 10 40 37 42 Celta Vigo 25 10 5 10 39 44 35 Alaves 25 8 9 8 25 31 33 Saint-Etienne 28 10 10 8 31 22 40 Las Palmas 25 7 8 10 35 39 29 Rennes 28 9 10 9 27 32 37 Valencia 26 8 5 13 35 46 29 Angers 28 10 6 12 28 35 36 MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s Argentinian midfielder Angel Correa (L) controls a ball beside Valencia’s Argentinian defender Ezequiel Garay during the Spanish league football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs Valencia CF at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid yesterday. — AFP Real Betis 25 7 6 12 27 41 27 Toulouse 27 9 8 10 31 28 35 Malaga 25 6 8 11 32 42 26 Guingamp 28 9 8 11 32 36 35 Leganes 26 6 6 14 21 40 24 SOCCER Deportivo 25 5 8 12 28 40 23 Nantes 27 9 7 11 24 37 34 Granada 26 4 7 15 24 54 19 Montpellier 28 8 9 11 40 46 33 Sporting Gijon 26 4 5 17 27 55 17 Caen 28 9 4 15 29 46 31 Osasuna 25 1 7 17 25 59 10 Metz 27 8 7 12 26 51 31 With Torres watching, Atletico Lille 27 8 5 14 26 35 29 ITALIAN SERIE A TABLE Nancy 28 7 7 14 18 35 28 MILAN: Italian Serie A table ahead of yesterday’s Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 late game (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, Dijon 28 6 9 13 37 45 27 goals against, points): Bastia 28 5 10 13 24 38 25 Juventus 27 22 1 4 56 18 67 Lorient 28 6 4 18 28 57 22 MADRID: With veteran striker Fernando Torres four-point gap on the first team in the relegation was the first win for new Deportivo coach Pepe watching his team play just three days after col- zone, Granada. Sporting, winless in four games, Mel, who made his debut in the team’s 1-1 home lapsing on the field, Atletico Madrid comfortably dropped to 19th - two points behind Granada. It draw against Atletico last week. — AP defeated Valencia 3-0 to regain fourth place in Juventus draws for the first the Spanish league yesterday. Antoine Griezmann scored a goal in each half time in league this season and Kevin Gameiro added another as Atletico Barca target PSG ‘miracle’ rebounded from two winless games and again moved into position to fight for a Champions after Messi-inspired rout MILAN: There is still a glimmer of hope for tion of wayward finishing and excellent League spot. It was Atletico’s first game since Roma and Napoli. Juventus was prevented saves by Tatarusanu. He also somehow Torres dropped to the ground unconscious after BARCELONA: Ivan Rakitic believes “a miracle” which would be good enough when PSG visit from going 10 points clear in Serie A as a managed to claw Andrea Petagna’s effort going up for a challenge and then hitting his is possible when Barcelona attempt to over- in midweek. And Enrique said he couldn’t have lethargic performance saw it held 1-1 at off the line and out off the upright late on. head on the ground late in the match at turn a 4-0 first leg deficit against Paris Saint- wished for a better build-up to the ultimate Udinese yesterday. It was Juve’s first draw Lazio can move a point above Atalanta Deportivo La Coruna on Thursday. Germain in their Champions League last 16 tie challenge. “That it is one of our best perform- in the league this season. Leonardo with a win at Bologna later. Torres was motionless for several moments at on Wednesday. No side in Champions League ances in the last few months is without doubt,” Bonucci was both hero and villain as he the Riazor Stadium in La Coruna. The 32-year-old history has ever come back from four goals he said. “If I had to choose the way in which we was outmuscled for Duvan Zapata’s opener CAGLIARI 1, INTER MILAN 5 forward was immediately hospitalized, but down, but Barca hopes were raised by the sen- would go into the Champions League game but leveled on the hour. Ever Banega made the most of a rare escaped any serious head or spine injuries and sational form of in Saturday’s 5-0 against PSG it would be very similar to these Juventus moved eight points clear of start as he scored one and set up another was released a day later. rout of Celta Vigo. last two games: scoring lots of goals, the team Roma and 10 ahead of Napoli. There are 11 to help Inter Milan comfortably beat “We are happy that he was here with us,” rounds remaining. “We gained a point on Cagliari. Inter is fifth and remains six points Griezmann said. “Hopefully he will be playing “We will give everything from the first gaining confidence and the players getting Roma,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri behind third-placed Napoli. again as soon as possible, because we need him.” minute to the last,” the Croatian international stronger. “I think we are in great form for a very said. “We were coming from a very hard Ivan Perisic scored twice as Inter Torres stood up and applauded the crowd after told Spanish TV station Movistar. “We will try difficult tie, that is not lost yet. and hopefully we can produce a miracle.” “I am sure we are going to have opportuni- period, where we played very important bounced back from last week’s 3-1 defeat it loudly chanted his name at the Vicente Messi scored two incredible individual goals to ties to get ourselves back in it and we will try matches and today we faced a Udinese side at home to Roma. “We got what we want- Calderon Stadium. Torres, who won two which deserved to draw. European Championships and one World Cup open and close the scoring as Barca remained until the death.” Enrique’s name was chanted ed, to react at the right moment and in the one point clear of Real Madrid at the top of La by an enthralled crowd at the Camp Nou on “When you can’t win certain matches, best way possible after the defeat to with Spain, is expected to be cleared to return to you mustn’t lose them ... it’s an important Liga. The five-time World Player of the Year had Saturday. Banners were also raised towards Roma,” Perisic said. “We still believe in third training this week. Griezmann scored in the 10th point. And even with a win, the title race a hand in all three other goals too as he teed the end of the match willing Barca’s players to place. “Today we showed we are on the and 83rd minutes, while Gameiro got on the wouldn’t have been over.” board in the 48th. up Neymar for a sensational chip and crossed believe in the most unlikely of comebacks After Napoli won 2-1 at Roma on right path. We will give our utmost until the for Samuel Umtiti to score his first Barca goal, against PSG. “The fans value a lot what these end.” Cagliari gave Inter Milan an early scare “We got off to a bad start in the first half and Saturday, Juventus knew it could take a that cost us a goal, and then we got off to a bad whilst Rakitic was also on the scoresheet. players have won, the hunger they have and as Joao Pedro lobbed Samir Handanovic decisive step toward an unprecedented start again in the second half and it cost us In their first outing since coach Luis Enrique what they show in every game,” added and Gary Medel had to acrobatically clear sixth successive title. another goal,” Valencia defender Ezequiel Garay announced he will step down at the end of the Enrique. “In my time here I have never once Udinese had picked up only one point off the line. Inter broke the deadlock in the said. “We knew we were playing against a very season, Barca produced arguably their best seen a poor attitude in any of my players. from its previous four matches, scoring just 36th when Ivan Perisic controlled Banega’s difficult opponent.” Atletico was coming off a 2-1 performance of the campaign. “Barca fans should be loyal and, above all, one goal. But it took the lead eight min- chipped pass with his right foot and hit it home loss to Barcelona and a 1-1 draw at The Catalans also smashed Sporting Gijon have confidence that the team can come utes from halftime as Zapata held off past Gabriel with his left. Deportivo, results that virtually ended the team’s 6-1 in their previous outing-both scorelines back.” —AFP Bonucci and beat Gianluigi Buffon at the Banega doubled Inter’s lead three min- title chances. It trails leader Barcelona by 11 near post. Juventus struggled to create real utes later with a free kick into the top left points after 26 matches, but it cut the gap to opportunities but leveled when Bonucci corner. Cagliari got back into it shortly after. third-placed Sevilla to six points. Sevilla plays at headed in Paulo Dybala’s free kick. Udinese Handanovic did well to keep out David Di Alaves on Monday. coach Luigi Delneri was dismissed immedi- Gennaro’s free kick but the ball was crossed The top three teams automatically qualify for ately after for dissent. back in for Marco Borriello to head the Champions League next season, while the The home side almost restored its lead home.—AP fourth-placed club has to go through a playoff. two minutes later but Danilo’s header came Diego Simeone’s team has a 4-2 first-leg lead off the base of the left post, although it over Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16 of this looked as if Buffon had it covered. year’s Champions League. Matches on TV Barcelona and second-placed Madrid won ATALANTA 0, FIORENTINA 0 their league matches on Saturday. Madrid is one Atalanta failed to keep up the pressure (Local Timings) point behind the Catalan club but has a game in in the race for a Champions League spot as hand at Celta Vigo. Valencia is 13th, safely away it was kept at bay by Fiorentina goalkeeper ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE from the relegation zone. Ciprian Tatarusanu. West Ham United v Chelsea 23:00 Gian Piero Gasperini’s side had emerged beIN SPORTS 2 HD SPORTING GIJON 0, as surprise contenders for a top-three finish DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA 1 after beating Napoli last weekend but it SPANISH LEAGUE Deportivo La Coruna defeated Sporting Gijon slipped five points below the Champions in a game between relegation-threatened BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, center, runs with the ball past Celta’s defenders Deportivo Alaves v Sevilla 22:45 League qualifying spots. teams. Pedro Mosquera scored the winner with a during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Celta at the Camp Nou sta- Atalanta laid siege to the goal but could beIN SPORTS 3 HD header just before halftime, helping Deportivo dium in Barcelona, Saturday. Messi scored twice in Barcelona’s 5-0 victory. —AP not find a way through due to a combina- snap an eight-game winless streak and open a