Sports45 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 Inter emerging as dark horse for title MILAN: Inter Milan is emerging as a dark behind and for this reason there is still a lot looks at every little detail so you know “In general we are on the right path. We horse for the Serie A title. Napoli, Roma and of work to do. “We must not let our guard exactly what to do when you go out onto are working hard because, going forward, perhaps AC Milan were expected to pres- down and we need to keep working the pitch.” the hope is to become even stronger.” ent the toughest challenges to Juventus’ because the season is long. The objective Spalletti, a former Roma coach, has Inter has scored eight goals and conceded bid for a seventh straight league title. But is to win all of our matches up until the seemingly provided some much-needed only one, which doesn’t bode well for its after beating Roma comprehensively in the next break.” stability to Inter after a tumultuous cam- next opponent as Crotone is the only Italian capital as well as collecting victories And Vecino, who joined from Fiorentina paign last season that included four coach- Serie A side yet to score in its its three over Fiorentina and Spal, Inter could pose a in the offseason, said much of the credit is ing changes. opening matches. Inter will be expected serious threat. due to Luciano Spalletti, the team’s new “My job has been easier, because hav- to pick up all three points at Crotone and “We know that despite our three victo- coach. “Spalletti has given me confidence, ing talented material I just needed to put it continue its unbeaten run into October, as ries we still have not achieved anything,” which is fundamental for a player when in order,” Spalletti said. “(Mauro) Icardi and it next faces Bologna, Genoa and Inter midfielder Matias Vecino said. “To fin- arriving at a new team,” said Vecino, who (Ivan) Perisic are talented players and Benevento before two much sterner tests ish at the top you have to leave no point also plays for Uruguay’s national team. “He exceptional professionals. against Milan and Napoli. — AP

Bayern live up to FC Hollywood tag

BERLIN: Bayern Munich are again living up to their FC Hollywood tag, as a combination of lack- lustre performances, public disagreements and talk of a successor to coach Carlo Ancelotti has provided an abundance of early-season drama. Bayern’s start to the season has not been particu- larly bad with two wins and a defeat in the Bundesliga, and a 3-0 win over Anderlecht in the Champions League on Tuesday. But expectations are so high at the Bavarian club that even a minor slip-up, or failure to score five or six goals against supposedly inferior opponents, causes headlines. Forward Thomas Mueller was the first to wash his laundry in public when he complained about being left out of the starting line-up for the match against Werder Bremen three weeks ago. Then it was Robert Lewandowski’s turn. In a magazine interview, the Polish forward criticized Bayern’s refusal to match the huge transfer fees splashed out by the likes of Paris St Germain and Barcelona. “If you want to compete at the top, you need to have these quality players,” he said. Lewandowski was criticized by Bayern’s chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge who in turn was questioned by the club president Uli Hoeness. Rummenigge, like Hoeness a former Bayern player, said the club had a “serious and successful philoso- phy that has brought us big success.” He regretted Lewandowski’s comments. But Hoeness felt that players should be able to think for themselves and suggested that Rummenigge had over-reacted. BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, left, and Jordi Alba, right, celebrate with Lionel Messi who scored 3-0 during a Champions In the midst of all that, Bayern were hum- League group D soccer match between FC Barcelona and Juventus at the Camp Nou stadium. — AP bled 2-0 by Hoffenheim last Saturday, increas- ing the pressure on former Real Madrid and Chelsea coach Ancelotti whose first season was Barca emerge from gloom regarded as underwhelming despite retaining the Bundesliga. Former Bayern Munich mid- fielder Mario Basler said in a television inter- view that his sources had told him that to set the pace in La Liga Ancelotti would cut short his contract in January and go to work in China - something the Italian quickly brushed aside. MADRID: Barcelona have emerged from a cloud of pessimism to two league results have brought them down to earth. They travel to “I prefer to speak about serious things, but make a perfect start to their La Liga campaign and travel to Getafe high-flying Real Sociedad in Sunday’s late kickoff without the sus- that’s a joke,” he said. The win over Anderlecht, on Saturday looking to stretch their advantage over Real Madrid, pended duo of left back Marcelo and Ronaldo, who serves the final although comfortable, failed to ease the pressure whose early optimism has been dampened. A pall of gloom hung match of a five-game domestic ban for pushing a referee. as Bayern’s performance was considered insuffi- over the Catalans in the close season following the departure of Real, who are also without injured French striker Karim Benzema, cient against opponents who had Sven Kums sent Neymar to Paris St Germain and other failures in the transfer market, are desperately missing Ronaldo’s goalscoring instinct. The off after 10 minutes. Forward Arjen Robben admit- leading club members to sign a petition of no confidence against the Portuguese’s importance was further illustrated as he scored twice in ted it was not good enough. “We have to question club president. Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory over APOEL Nicosia. ourselves. We have to talk about this and we have Yet their off the pitch problems have seemingly had no effect on Sociedad sit alongside Barcelona at the top with nine points from to improve it,” he said. their performances. Three wins from three has put them top of the their first three games and Real coach Zinedine Zidane said his side Hoffenheim’s coach Julian Nagelsmann inad- table and with a four-point advantage over rivals Real, who have will need to improve this weekend as he looks to compensate for vertently stirred things up further by giving a tele- stumbled with two draws in their last two games in the absence of attacking absentees. vision interview where he said that coaching the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo. “Ronaldo is a key player for us, he’s always there and always Bayern would make him even happier than he was Barca, fresh from Tuesday’s emphatic 3-0 Champions League vic- scores,” Zidane said. “I hope it’s the last game of the season that now and that his wife and children were planning tory over Juventus, will have the chance provisionally to move seven we’re without him. We’ve not got Cristiano nor Benzema, but we will to move to Munich. As German media talked of flir- points clear of Real and Atletico Madrid and coach Ernesto Valverde have other players and we’ll do well. “We’ve won two trophies in tation, Nagelsmann said in a subsequent state- has indicated he will give game time to fringe players. “Up to now spectacular fashion already and we played well (in the 2-2 draw) ment that he had been misinterpreted and was not some players have played more than others but everyone will get against Valencia. Against Levante (1-1) we weren’t good and we after Ancelotti’s job. He said he had merely been their chance,” he said. “I picked the best set of lads to get the job weren’t against APOEL in the first half either. Against Real Sociedad talking about a lifelong ambition. In the midst of done against Juve and I’ll see who I think the best are for Getafe.” this weekend we need to start in a different manner.” Atletico the intrigue, the home match with Mainz 05 on Spanish and European champions Real Madrid began the cam- Madrid will play their first game at their new Wanda Metropolitano Saturday seems almost incidental. — Reuters paign by winning the continental and Spanish Super Cups to firmly stadium as they host pointless Malaga while Levante host Valencia in establish themselves as the country’s dominant force, but their last the Valencian derby. — Reuters