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Home , Brian Clough, Mircea Lucescu, Unai Emery

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 SPORTS Europe resonates to Champions League anthem

LONDON: For fans of European football, it is a sound but also for lots of players who’ve never even played in He added: “It was not long after the Three Tenors it’s a hymn in the first sense of the term: there’s a war- that has become as synonymous with autumn’s arrival the competition.” thing at the (1990) World Cup and so suddenly ‘classi- rior-like, religious aspect. “Furthermore, musically, it’s as the turning of the leaves or the drawing in of the For Laurent Cochini, consulting director at Paris- cal music’ was a big deal. “So they wanted something not linked to the period in which it was composed. nights. Every autumn since November 1992 the based audio brand experts Sixieme Son, the like that, but they knew they didn’t want soloists. They Musical tastes change all the time, so it’s difficult to world’s leading players have assembled beneath the Champions League music is “THE reference in terms of wanted a choir. “We had to offer them something to have continuity. floodlights at the continent’s grandest stadiums and music in the world of sport”. narrow it down and they heard the beginning of “But this is classical music, so it’s neither in fashion the Champions League theme music has filled the The swelling crescendo and rousing melody are the ‘Zadok the Priest’ by George Frideric Handel and said, or out of fashion.” The music cannot be bought or evening air. The stirring, trilingual hymn, performed by creations of Briton Tony Britten, who composed the ‘That’s what we’d like.’ legally downloaded, according to UEFA, but the royal- London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the choir anthem in 1992 at the request of UEFA’s marketing “There’s a rising string phrase that you hear in the ties have enabled Britton to set up his own film pro- of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, has become department to mark the competition’s re-branding. Champions League anthem, which is taken from duction company, Capriol Films. irrevocably linked with the world’s premier club tour- “Football had a pretty tawdry name back in the late Handel. And then I wrote words and the music kind of Britten considered the brief to be “just one of those nament and has been taken to heart by fans and play- 80s, early 90s,” Britten told AFP in a telephone inter- in the style of Handel, although the chords are much jobs” at the time and admits that he was “more of a ers alike. Cristiano Ronaldo practically sang it, almost view. “There’d been Hillsborough, and that was just the more modern.” rugby fan than a football fan”. like a national anthem, before facing Atletico Madrid tip of the iceberg. There was a lot of terrible stuff going The lyrics, which Britten wrote in “a few days”, are in Hailing from Croydon in south London, he supports in the quarter-finals of last season’s tournament. on-inadequately equipped stadia, appalling hooligan- English, French and German, UEFA’s three official lan- Crystal Palace and with Alan Pardew’s side currently Mamadou Sakho, meanwhile, admitted to using it ism. It was horrible. “And UEFA, to their eternal credit, guages, and one of the quirks of the music’s popularity riding high in the , the thought of as his mobile ringtone to mark Paris Saint-Germain’s said that the Champions League needed to reflect all is that few people know what they are singing. “These hearing the Champions League music ring out at return to the competition in 2012. that was best in this wonderful game. “Part of the are the best teams / The big teams / The main event,” Selhurst Park has crossed his mind. “I hear the Champions League music on my phone music brief was that it needed to have gravitas. It go the words, before the unmistakeable, lingering “That would be the ultimate,” he says. “ and my friends wake me up with it,” said the France mustn’t feel like it was cheap pop music. It had to feel pay-off: “The chaaaampions!” took Forest from nowhere to win the international, now of Liverpool. “It’s magical for me, like it had substance.” Cochini says: “From a strictly musical point of view, European Cup. It can be done!” — AFP Man City target fast start against ailing Juventus

LONDON: Manchester City embark on a wore a frown after the 1-0 win at Palace, fifth Champions League campaign buoyant with striker Sergio Aguero having limped after a perfect start to their domestic sea- off. “It’s very difficult to answer now. It’s son but still searching for the secret formu- important to see how he recovers in the la against Europe’s top brass. next few hours,” Pellegrini, who is also ’s side have again been sweating on the fitness of Raheem Sterling handed a tough group and the visit of last and , said of his Argentine year’s runners-up Juventus to the Etihad goalscorer. With Spanish club Sevilla and today will provide an early Litmus test for Bundesliga side Borussia their hopes of going past the last 16 for the Moenchengladbach also in Group D, quali- first time. fication could be complicated for City, but Not that the form of the Italian champi- Aguero believes the way they have started ons should be causing Pellegrini and his the season augurs well. “We had an excel- players much loss of sleep. While City have lent pre-season and we have opened the 15 points from five Premier League games, Premier League with great momentum their latest win coming at Crystal Palace too,” he said. “I think you will see a very on Saturday, Juventus needed a late good season for Manchester City.” penalty from Paulo Dybala to draw 1-1 Juventus, who will be without injured draw with Chievo and avoid a third Claudio Marchisio for Tuesday’s straight Serie A defeat. clash after he sustained a muscle injury It should be the ideal time to play a Juve against Chievo, have yet to spark at all this side still coming to terms with the summer season, although coach Massimiliano exits of Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, but Allegri is not panicking. City will be wary of the kind of home slip- “We need to focus on the positives: this ups that have undermined their previous team has plenty of young players and these Champions League campaigns. things take time,” he said. “We knew that Their last three home games against this season would be a lot tougher. We Italian clubs, including last September’s need to keep working because we’ve got meeting with AS Roma, ended 1-1 while our first Champions League game today.” last season they won just one of their four Mario Mandzukic, a summer signing from SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (centre left) and Real Madrid’s Marcelo react during a training session in Madrid. Real Madrid will play home fixtures, a fortunate defeat of already Atletico Madrid, could return to the starting Shakhtar today in a Group A Champions League soccer match. —AP qualified Bayern Munich, as they scrambled lineup after being left on the bench against into the last 16 where Barcelona proved too Chievo when Dybala and Alvaro Morata good. Despite his side’s form Pellegrini formed a two-man attack. — Reuters Ronaldo takes aim at Shakhtar

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo has more goalscor- ers and I hope Cristiano continues adding to his Another flood of goals could be on the cards ing records in his sights when Real Madrid get tally for his good and the good of the team.” at the Bernabeu against a Shakhtar side weak- their Champions League campaign underway at The thrashing of Espanyol means Benitez’s ened by the ongoing unstable political situation home to Shakhtar Donetsk today. men have scored 11 times in their last two in Ukraine. Ronaldo became Los Blancos’ all-time top matches, dispelling pre-season fears that the for- ’s side have played their home goalscorer in on Saturday with five goals mer Liverpool and Chelsea manager would insist fixtures in Lviv, over 600 miles from Donetsk for in a 6-0 rout of Espanyol to move ahead of club on a more defensive approach this season. more than a season. A run to the last 16 of last legends Raul and Alfredo di Stefano. One of Benitez’s biggest tasks when he was season’s Champions League also provided a The World Player of the Year is now just five handed the job was to get the best out of Gareth shop window for many of their best players to adrift of also surpassing Raul’s record as Madrid’s Bale after a disappointing second season at the secure lucrative moves to top clubs around top scorer in all competitions having played Bernabeu. Europe as Douglas Costa joined Bayern Munich, more than 400 games fewer than the Spaniard in The Welshman has flourished in a more cen- whilst was snapped up by AC a Madrid shirt. Moreover, he has the chance to tral role so far this season and was involved in Milan. However, despite the difficulties faced by edge ahead of Lionel Messi as the top scorer in five of Madrid’s six goals at the weekend despite Shakhtar, midfielder Viktor Kovalenko believes the history of the Champions League with the failing to get on the scoresheet himself. they can cause a massive upset at the Bernabeu. world’s two best players currently locked on 77 “Now I feel involved in the play and I think “I think it is interesting for any player to play goals apiece. that is showing in the games that I am able to against the stars of this level,” he told the club’s “Someone who scores so many goals has assist goals and score goals,” said Bale. “We are website. “Shakhtar now have a chance not only their place in history forever like Raul or Di working hard on the training ground and on the to play but even beat them. We will try to show Stefano,” said Madrid boss Rafael Benitez. pitch and it’s coming together. We just want to our best, making every effort to achieve a victo- “I think we are speaking of three historic play- score as many goals as we can.” ry in this match-up.” — AFP MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne (centre) runs with teammates dur- ing a training session at the CFA Training Complex. Manchester City will play Juventus in a Group D Champions League soccer match today. — AP Winless Sevilla seek CL refuge Ibrahimovic in the MADRID: Confidence will be in short measure when Sevilla take on Borussia Moenchengladbach in their Champions limelight as PSG League opener today with both sides still searching for their first win of the season. Sevilla have taken just two points from their prepare for Malmo opening three La Liga fixtures as well as losing out to Barcelona 5-4 after extra time in a PARIS: All eyes will be on Zlatan Ibrahimovic For now, though, PSG coach Laurent remarkable UEFA Super Cup final last month. as Paris Saint-German get their Champions Blanc knows his side’s best hopes of a long However, the Spanish side could have a League Group A campaign underway run rest with Ibrahimovic being fit and firing, psychological edge after beating against his boyhood club Malmo in the the reason he sat out PSG’s last game against Moenchengladbach in both legs to win 4-2 on French capital yesterday. Bordeaux after picking up an abdominal aggregate on their way to winning the Europa Since leaving Sweden for Ajax in 2001 he strain on international duty. League last season. has become one of the most feared strikers In Zlatan’s absence PSG dropped their Another busy summer of comings and in world football, but time is running out for first two points of the season in a 2-2 draw the 33-year-old to add a Champions League with Bordeaux after a couple of goalkeeping goings at the Sanchez Pizjuan has been pin- winners’ medal to his collection despite howlers from , but the Parisians pointed as one of the reasons for a slow start domestic titles with Juventus, , AC remain top of with 13 points from a to the campaign by ’s men. Milan and Barcelona. possible 15. Malmo’s ambitions are more However, the Andalusians have also been His current deal with PSG runs out at the modest. They will arrive in Paris for their sec- hamstrung by a series of injuries. Goalkeeper end of the season and speculation is rife that ond consecutive Champions League season Beto became the latest player forced onto the he will move on, with the Sweden captain knowing already that there almost certainly sidelines as he suffered a sprained lateral liga- saying earlier this that while he was happy will not be a third. A 1-1 draw at home to title ment in his right knee that is expected to keep with the French champions he had been rivals Elfsborg on Saturday saw Malmo slip to him out for up to six weeks in a 1-1 draw at SPAIN: Monchengladbach’s players take part in a training session at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium. approached by former club AC Milan. fifth, seven points behind leaders AIK and Levante on Friday. Sevilla will play Monchengladbach today in a Champions League Group D soccer match. — AP Norrkoeping with seven games left to play. Defenders Adil Rami, Nico Pareja and Daniel Team captain Markus Rosenberg, whose Carrico will all miss out through injury. magnificent display against Celtic in the Moenchengladbach’s start to the Bundesliga Dutch links add familiar Matches on TV home leg of their playoff got his side into the season has been even more disastrous as they group stage, missed a penalty and saw two sit bottom of the table having lost all four flavor to Man Utd visit (Local Timings) overhead kicks come crashing back off the opening games for the first time in their histo- LONDON: An air of familiarity will pervade the you have players on the bench and you can improve crossbar on a frustrating afternoon against ry. “Our situation in the Bundesliga is unusual Champions League return of PSV Eindhoven and the play of your team so that’s why I changed. That UEFA Champions League Elfsborg. “It feels as if we lost the gold today,” and uncomfortable for us, so it’s hard to talk Manchester United when they open their Group B doesn’t mean he doesn’t play against PSV Eindhoven he glumly told reporters on Saturday after about Sevilla,” midfielder Andre Hahn said to campaign in the Netherlands today. but today he wasn’t what I expected,” Van Gaal said PSG v Malmo 21:45 the game. the Moenchengladbach website. There is a strong Dutch connection at the English after the game, where the debut goal of teenage sign- beIN SPORTS 3 HD With Rosenberg among just a handful of “I think the game could be a nice break club, back in the competition after missing out on ing Anthony Martial attracted the weekend headlines. Real Madrid v Shakhtar 21:45 players left from last season’s squad that lost from the league. It’s also perhaps an advan- continental football last season, and manager Louis The efficient win for the former Champions beIN SPORTS 2 HD five of their six Champions League group van Gaal will be up against one of his former players. League winners should put a lid on questions about tage for us that we don’t have too much time Any battle of wits between Van Gaal and , Van Gaal’s methods and reported unhappiness Wolfsburg v Moskva 21:45 stages, the Swedes will try to contain PSG in to dwell on the Hamburg game. beIN SPORTS 6 HD the hope of snatching a point as they aim for who played under him at Barcelona and with the among his players which dominated the build-up to “In any case, we’re going into it with a lot of Netherlands national team, is likely to be secondary the Liverpool match and which the manager swiftly Eindhoven v Man United 21:45 third spot in a tough group containing Real excitement. We worked hard last season to however to the quicker-than-expected return to the sought to rebuff. PSV are playing in the group beIN SPORTS 8 HD Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk. The club’s stated ambition is to qualify earn ourselves this chance, so we’re looking Philips Stadium of Memphis Depay. phase of the Champions League for the first time Galatasaray v Atletico 21:45 forward to finally getting to hear the The Dutch international scored 22 goals in 30 since the 2008-09 season. They are unbeaten this beIN SPORTS 7 HD for the Europa League and thus continue their European campaign after Christmas, Champions League anthem.” games for PSV in their title-winning run last season season, two points off the leadership of the league, Manchester City v Juventus 21:45 Swiss international is sus- before making a lucrative move, both for him and the and warmed up for today’s group tie with an beIN SPORTS with or without Norwegian coach Age pended for the visitors after being sent-off in Dutch champions, to the Premier League. emphatic 6-0 win at SC Cambuur. Sevilla v Monchengladbach 21:45 Hareide. Following Sweden’s crushing 4-1 the second-leg of last season’s tie against He was a fan favourite at PSV but played a poor Luuk de Jong’s first-half hat trick settled the out- beIN SPORTS 5 HD Euro 2016 qualifying defeat by Austria, Sevilla. Meanwhile, captain Martin Stranzl is first half for United in Saturday’s 3-1 home win over come early in a display of the dominance that PSV are Benfica v FC Astana 21:45 Hareide has once again been linked to the Liverpool before being taken off. “Memphis knows by expected to deliver in the Dutch championship again beIN SPORTS 8 HD national team job should Erik Hamren quit out after suffering a fractured cheekbone in himself that his final pass wasn’t good enough. Then this season. — Reuters or get fired. —Reuters Friday’s 3-0 home defeat to Hamburg. — AFP