'Ronaldo Or Messi? We Have Lewangoalski!'
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20 | Friday, June 5, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS SOCCER ‘Ronaldo or Messi? We have Lewan-goal-ski!’ Robert Lewandowski savors the moment after Bayern Munich’s 10 Bundesliga win over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany, on May 26. Lewandowski has 29 league goal this term to top Europe’s Golden Shoe standings. REUTERS Mueller praises Polish hotshot as ideal strike revitalized under new boss Hansi Flick, who has adopted a more direct style since partner and key to Bayern’s treble challenge being installed last November. “We right away attack the opponent,” “Servus!” (“I’m at your service!”) Elaborating on his metamorphosis in said Mueller. “Most opponents aren’t Thomas Mueller affably greeted Xinhua the No 10 role, Mueller told Goal.com: well organized in these moments. It’s a ahead of a recent interview. It was hardly “Maybe in my past years I would like to game of high intensity.” surprising to see the Bayern Munich and play with Leo Messi, because in the first Speaking of Flick’s tenure, Mueller Germany great in such good spirits. six or seven years of my career, I was said: “I am very impressed with how he Mueller is on the cusp of a ninth Bun- more the receiving striker. I got the ball in manages things.” desliga title following his team’s perfect the box and tried to score. Despite having spent his entire profes- start to the league’s resumption, and, “In the moment right now, in my very sional career at Bayern, Mueller admits with Robert Lewandowski firing on all good shape at the moment, I assist many he still feels the pressure of the intense cylinders, is confident Bayern can add goals. Maybe now I need more a Cristi- media glare at the club. Champions League and German Cup glo- ano Ronaldo to score the goals, but we at “Not all media are your friend. You ry to its trophy cabinet in a repeat of the Bayern have Robert Lewan-goal-ski. I have to face the pressure, always having Bavarian giant’s 2013 treble. think maybe right now he is the better to deliver,” he said. “Only when you deliv- Polish striker Lewandowski has hit the option than Cristiano.” er you have a nice time, especially with a ground running following the Bundesli- big club like Bayern.” ga’s restart last month, with his brace in Euro quest Mueller’s longevity at Bayern, where he last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing of Fortuna With a seven-point lead over nearest made his first-team debut in 2008, is all Dusseldorf taking his tally to 29 in 27 rival Borussia Dortmund with five games the more remarkable considering we live league appearances to top Europe’s Gold- remaining, only a spectacular collapse Thomas Mueller celebrates with Robert Lewandowski after Bayern Munich’s in an era when one-club players are en Shoe standings. would deny Bayern a record-extending 1-0 victory over nearest title rival Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on becoming rarer by the season. Asked about who he would most like to 30th German top-flight title. May 26. REUTERS “You have to convince the club that you play alongside — Lionel Messi or Cristi- However, the team’s potential route to can help reach the goals,” he said of his ano Ronaldo? — Mueller plumped for a sixth European Cup/Champions continuing importance to the team. someone closer to home: “If you ask me League crown is more daunting. there is no time to complain. We have to on. “You don’t get emotional reactions Meanwhile, Mueller says sports can be about the ideal partner, I tell you — we UEFA is reportedly mulling an August take things as they come as we still from the stands, and you have to change a force to unite people amid the protests have got Robert Lewan-goal-ski! He is resumption for Europe’s premier club intend to win the thing.” your celebrations after a goal,” he said. against the alleged murder by Minneapo- the best striker I could think of.” competition, so with the Bundesliga due Assuming Bayern finishes off Frank “This is not the situation we want, but lis police of unarmed black man George The move which ended in Lewandow- to finish on June 27, that would leave Bay- Lampard’s Blues in Munich, tougher we are happy to play again. I hope that we Floyd. ski’s first strike at Fortuna on Saturday ern facing another break in action which tests could await against Spanish or Ital- can return to games with fans as soon as A number of Bundesliga players dis- was a masterclass in fluid one-touch soc- could potentially disrupt the team’s ian opposition, and Mueller admits he is possible.” played their support for the Black Lives cer and perfectly highlighted his under- momentum. interested to see how the likes of Real Mueller likens the atmosphere at Ger- Matter movement during games, with standing with Mueller — Bayern’s self- In contrast, Bayern’s last-16 opponent Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus per- many’s spectator-less stadiums these Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho unveiling a anointed “Raumdeuter” (space Chelsea would still be competing domes- form when La Liga and Serie A resume days to amateur soccer. “They come to ‘Justice for George Floyd’ message on his interpreter). tically, at least according to the English later this month. “First of all, we have to the pitch and start right away without shirt as he celebrated a goal. “I am more efficient in the middle,” Premier League’s provisional June 17 see how the teams come out of the corona much around,” he said. “The signal must be: It doesn’t matter Mueller said of his unselfish work as an restart date. break,” he said. how you look like or how you speak,” said expert assist provider behind target man “Having to deal with a break is far from Just like current Bundesliga matches, Hailing Hansi Mueller. “Respect for others must be a Lewandowski. “The distance to the goal ideal, and I am a little skeptical,” said the Chelsea game would almost certainly Having often found himself benched vital message of all kinds of sports.” is much shorter as I am always on the Mueller, whose team leads Chelsea 3-0 be played behind closed doors — a con- during the ill-fated reign of former Bay- hunt.” from February’s first-leg match. “But cept Mueller admits he is not overly keen ern coach Niko Kovac, Mueller has been XINHUA — CHINA DAILY TABLE TENNIS Liu’s foresight fortifying China’s challenge, says Japan The head of development at the of emergency. He admitted he was a little sur- Japan Table Tennis Association At the height of the outbreak in prised to hear chants of “Come on!” (JTTA), Yoshihito Miyazaki, has March, the Tokyo Olympics were in Chinese at tournaments in Japan, hailed Liu Guoliang’s efforts to nur- postponed until next summer, and which is often the case in other ture preteen talent in the sport. Miyazaki reckons the Japanese countries and regions. Since being elected president of table tennis team can benefit from “I’m glad to see that Chinese fans the Chinese Table Tennis Associa- the delay. can bring atmosphere to other pla- tion (CTTA) in December 2018, leg- “For Harimoto, Ito and Miu Hira- ces and form a larger group globally, endary player and coach Liu has no, who are less than 20 years old, which contributes to the develop- paid particular attention to develop- they have one more year to improve ment of table tennis,” Miyazaki said. ing under-12 players. their mentality and technique. So I Although Miyazaki is eager to see Liu, a career Grand Slam champion think the postponement of the the sport back in the spotlight, he during his playing days, visited Japan Tokyo Olympics will be positive to admitted it’s “too early” to bring last year when both nations’ govern- them,” Miyazaki said. international tournaments back in ing bodies conducted in-depth coop- “Come to Japan, and play excel- the context of the COVID-19 pan- eration on youth development. lent matches at the Tokyo Olympics demic. However, he has suggested “Chinese table tennis rarely paid in 2021! China, please leave one gold staging competitions between Chi- attention to the development of medal for us. We cannot ask for na, Japan and South Korea, where under-12 players, but Liu noted the more,” he added with a smile. the disease has generally been importance of that after he took brought under control. office, and he advised me to pro- Youngsters work on their returns at an elementary school in Shuangpai county in Hunan province. Chi- Crucial role “We cannot just organize games, mote it together. Then we launched nese table tennis chief Liu Guoliang is spearheading an under-12 development drive in the sport. XINHUA Miyazaki, meanwhile, expects we also need to broadcast them live. it in the Chinese city of Wenzhou China to help further promote table The broadcast revenue can be given (Zhejiang province),” said Miyazaki. tennis around the globe. back to the players. Fans will also “It derived from Liu’s determina- Tomokazu Harimoto and Mima Ito. with them, we initiated a youth larger again? We certainly do feel Citing the feel-good factor gener- have the opportunity to watch high- tion. It’s so great.” Miyazaki admitted that he feared development project in 2001 and the challenge.” ated in China by the four gold med- level matches.