THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 SPORTS Form not reputation the key for England’s Southgate

LONDON: England manager Gareth after a disastrous Euro 2016 campaign. “I’m “We have players of great potential but at unprecedented run of success. deliver? Because that’s what we are trying to Southgate has vowed to select players based very conscious I’ve got to get the balance the moment we’re 13th in the world. We’ve “It’s clear they don’t believe they can be take into the England team: how do we cre- on form not reputation while admitting that right because ultimately my responsibility got to be better, everything we do has got to beaten. That plays a huge role,” Southgate ate an environment that will bring the best the team’s current world ranking of 13th is is to produce a winning England team,” the be better. Even being second in the world said after Jones’ side scored a late converted out of the players? just not good enough. 46-year-old told the Daily Telegraph in an isn’t good enough, we have to be the best try to beat Wales 21-16 in Cardiff last “Confidence plays a part. As a coach, Southgate, who replaced Sam Allardyce interview. we can be, and that’s the best.” Saturday to extend their winning streak to you’re working out how to challenge at on an interim basis in September and was “I never pick on reputation-form has to Southgate also said his side needed to 16 games. “You get a sense of the culture every moment. That said, the challenge named full-time manager in November come into it. You have to look at the opposi- develop the same ruthless winning mentali- that’s there. One of the things I was interest- should also come from the players them- after four matches in charge, has been tion and the type of game you’re expecting ty that Eddie Jones has instilled in the coun- ed in was that culture. selves. Ownership of what they are doing is tasked with reviving England’s fortunes and select the players best suited to that. try’s rugby team, which has led to their “How are they working? How do they really important.” — Reuters The Pogbas, brothers turned sibling rivals

LONDON: A family football story born on ing in central midfield, their paths may not the pitches of Paris’s eastern suburbs cross too often, but with both players com- arrives at Old Trafford today as brothers fortably over six feet tall (183 centimetres), Paul and Florentin Pogba face off in the any clashes could be seismic. Europa League. “The day has come,” says elder brother ‘HE GOES MAD’ Florentin, a defender with Saint-Etienne. “If he arrives at full pelt and I have to “We’re going to face each other on the tackle him, I will,” Florentin told French tele- pitch, rather than on our neighbourhood vision show Telefoot. mini-pitch.” The two Pogbas’ lives have “I’m not going to knock him out-he’s my veered in different directions since their brother-but if I have to commit a foul, I’ll do childhood scraps on a synthetic pitch in it.” For Pogba Jnr., the game represents Roissy-en-Brie, 24 kilometres (15 miles) another opportunity to prove himself as a from the centre of the French capital. big-game player. Paul, 23 and capped 44 times by France, A guaranteed starter, he has played a is the world’s most expensive footballer fol- leading role in United’s current resurgence, lowing his return to Manchester United but remains without a league goal or assist from Juventus for a fee of £89.3 million in 2017. “In terms of being the world’s most ($111 million, 105.2 million euros). expensive player, I think he has put that to Florentin, 26, opted to represent Guinea one side because it’s more an issue for the at international level and has an estimated media,” says Florentin, whose twin brother, transfer value of three million euros accord- Mathias, plays for Sparta Rotterdam. ing to the respected Transfermarkt website. “He’s just playing his football, even ISTANBUL: Turkey announced yesterday an ambitious bid to host the Euro 2024 football tournament yesterday. United are the richest club in the world. though everything he does gets three or Saint-Etienne are not even the richest club four times more attention, good or bad. He in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, can handle all of that because of the men- SOCCER where Lyon are the local powerhouse. tal strength he has had since his youth. “Even if United are a great club, anything “He is quite irritable though. He doesn’t is possible in football,” Florentin told the like to lose. His head starts buzzing when UEFA website this week. he loses. I learnt to lose and I would say Turkey seeks to “The fact they’re better than us on paper that you’re not losing, but learning. But for doesn’t matter.” Florentin has become him, when he loses, he goes mad.” accustomed to watching his little brother United’s other France international, win from afar and the chances are he will Anthony Martial, knows defeat will be hard have an opportunity to do so up close in to take for whichever brother ends up on Thursday’s last 32 first leg. Saint-Etienne the losing side. “They are well known for host Euro 2024 may be fifth in Ligue 1 and United sixth in being big jokers and mickey-takers, but the Premier League, but Jose Mourinho’s once they are on the field, it will be like two star-studded team have gone 16 league warriors who are going all-out to win the ISTANBUL: Turkey announced yesterday an built venues was the United States. European cities. Kilic did not rule out another games without defeat. game,” Martial told the United website. ambitious bid backed by President Recep Tayyip “In the last years, Turkey has made a great bid in the future to host the Olympics, saying the It will be up to Florentin and his team- “If one beats the other, he’ll immediately Erdogan to host the Euro 2024 football tourna- step forward in terms of stadiums,” he added. failed 2020 candidacy “taught us a lot” and mates to try to prevent United settling into start giving out loads of stick so they’ll be ment, brushing off concerns over security and “Turkey is able to organise anything on a world helped “increase our capabilities”. a rhythm that is often set by Paul’s driving desperate to do all they can to win!” infrastructure. The football authorities hope it sporting level.” Turkey has in the last years In the 2024 race, Turkey will face competition runs and passes to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Florentin adds: “My parents will have mixed will be second time lucky for the bid after losing embarked on a massive spree of stadium build- from 2006 World Cup hosts Germany-which has Florentin has not been a regular starter feelings because whatever happens there out to France to host the 2016 event by one ing, opening a new 42,000 seat venue in Konya already confirmed its interest-as well as possibly this season, but in recent weeks Saint- will be one winner and one loser. However, vote, but Turkey is likely to face strong competi- in 2014, a similar size venue for Istanbul side a joint bid from Scandinavian nations. Etienne coach Christophe Galtier has found there are two winners because this game tion from Germany. Turkey in 2014 withdrew its Besiktas last year and most recently a new stadi- But the bid may be shadowed by concerns a place for him at left-back. With Paul play- will be an unforgettable occasion.” — AFP bid to host final stage matches of Euro 2020 — um for Trabzonspor by the Black Sea. over security after the July 15 failed coup and a which uniquely will be held across Europe-in slew of terror attacks in 2016 that left hundreds favour of focusing on a one country bid for 2024. ‘OLYMPICS BID TAUGHT US’ dead, as well as whether Turkey’s transport infra- Turkish Football Federation (TFF) chief The Turkish authorities were bitterly disap- structure is up to hosting a nationwide tourna- Yildirim Demiroren said the bid would be for- pointed that Istanbul lost out to Tokyo in the ment. “I don’t think there will be any problems mally presented to UEFA on March 2, just before race to host the 2020 Olympics and believe the with transport,” said Kilic. the March 3 deadline for candidates. country now has the infrastructure in place to He compared the rapid construction of “This time it is our right to host the champi- host a global sports event. Turkey had also in Istanbul’s third airport-due to open next year- onships,” he told reporters at TFF headquarters. 2010 lost out narrowly by one vote-and in con- with the repeated delays in opening Berlin He thanked Erdogan for the support, adding: troversial circumstances-to France in the bidding Brandenburg airport in Germany. “I believe we are moving together on this path.” to host the 2016 Euro competition. The country has seen in the last years a mas- Sports Minister Akif Cagatay Kilic said that It had also been keen to host Euro 2020 and sive overhaul of its infrastructure in projects Turkey now had the best stadium infrastructure the Turkish authorities were angered by UEFA’s spearheaded by Erdogan as he seeks to make in Europe and its only rival in terms of recently decision to hold the competition across Turkey a top 10 global economy. — AFP Angel reborn in Champions League thrashing of Barca

PARIS: One month ago, Angel di Maria was an outcast on the Paris Saint-Germain substitutes’ bench, but the striker was reborn in the Champions League demolition of Barcelona. Two goals in the 4-0 thrashing of Argentina teammate Lionel Messi’s Barca saw birthday boy di Maria hit near perfection in a way that he rarely managed at Manchester United or Real Madrid. Superstar Messi has rarely looked so poor. Long-suffering PSG players and fans, so often at the receiving end against the Spanish Paul Pogba giants, still could not believe the scoreline when they woke up yesterday. “You saw 14 warriors out there, people who Busquets blames wanted to help each other. And when you play like that you have nights like that. It was fabu- lous,” said midfielder Blaise Matuidi. fitness and tactics Di Maria hit a goal in each half on his 29th birthday and each time gave his traditional cele- bration, forming a heart with his hands. for Paris nightmare But di Maria’s heart has not really been in the MADRID: Barcelona midfielder Sergio Luis Enrique said his side were utterly PSG game this season. Last month, coach Unai Busquets has criticised their tactical and outplayed although he rejected sugges- Emery banished the second most expensive physical frailties after a 4-0 thrashing at tions he had not prepared his players import into the French league — 63 million Paris St Germain in the last 16 left them properly for the high pressing game PSG euros paid to United in 2015 — to the substi- on the brink of their earliest Champions carried out to perfection. tutes’ bench. Julian Draxler had arrived from League exit in a decade. “We weren’t surprised at all, we had Germany and Lucas was playing well. Being out The five-times European champions spoken about their pressing before the in the January cold jolted di Maria into action. were crushed in every aspect of the first- game but that doesn’t mean you can leg clash by Unai Emery’s side, suffering overcome it. We lost so many individual DI MARIA’S METAMORPHOSIS their heaviest defeat in Europe since duels. PSG played as we expected and Already against Bordeaux last Friday, he 2013 and under coach Luis Enrique, who played at their best and we did not,” he scored one in the 3-0 win that kept PSG in the appeared ruffled in front of the media. said. “It’s pretty simple. Our opponents French title race against Monaco. “They (PSG) played much better than were better than us with and without the PSG back Thomas Meunier said di Maria hat- us and they overwhelmed us physically,” ball. They won battles, they were more ed being on the bench and hailed di Maria’s game against Bordeaux as “an Angel who has Busquets told Catalan television network effective and the result clearly reflects PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring a TV3. “They pressed us harder, they were what happened. I don’t think I have to gone through a metamorphosis.” Di Maria said he had problems with the tac- goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Paris much better tactically than us, they had a give a huge explanation to Barca fans.” Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. — AFP plan and executed it how they wanted to Luis Enrique gave midfielder Andres tics brought in by Emery last year. “Those who and they were the better team”. Iniesta his first start for a month after his know me know that I like to run everywhere, a tacular finale. “It was a very special day. It’s of at least reaching the Champions League semi- The midfielder also appeared to criti- recovery from an ankle injury alongside bit haphazard. He wants every player to take impossible to have a better performance and finals. The Spaniard has now had a lot of pres- cise the team’s preparation for the game, Busquets who had also only recently care of his own space and press from that posi- birthday. It was a wonderful display and fully sure taken off his shoulders. But he warned that adding: “We expected something else returned from a layoff while Gerard Pique tion. It was a problem at the start, but I under- deserved,” he said on BeIn TV after the match. the players must make sure they finish the job in but that’s what can happen. We hope to had just come back after a muscle injury. stood and now I like it,” di Maria told the Spanish “We controlled the game for 90 minutes. It the second leg in Barcelona and reach the quar- be able to turn things around at the Nou “We had players that had just recov- sports daily Marca after the Bordeaux game. was hard to control Neymar, Luis Suarez and ter-finals. “The only feeling I have is that the Camp but I can’t lie, it’s very difficult.” ered but I don’t want to individualise, Di Maria forced Lucas out of the starting line Lionel Messi but we managed it in the end.” team produced a massive effort against the Luis Enrique cut an uneasy figure in an now is not the time. I have every confi- up for the Barcelona game and received a stand- PSG had twice been eliminated from the great Barca,” Emery said after the triumph. interview with TV3 which he cut short, dence in my players, it’s time to talk ing ovation from the Parc des Princes crowd Champions League at the hands of Barcelona in “I respect Barca and the message was clear in saying: “Stop looking for more reasons. about coaches and I assume full respon- when he left in the 61st minute. the previous four seasons. Barca also had a fear- the dressing room: there is still 90 minutes to go This is my responsibility and I hope you sibility for this as always,” added Luis He scored with a curling free kick and a sec- some record in games against sides coached by and we are going to suffer there in Barcelona. use the same tone now we have lost as Enrique. “The players are the same ones ond half shot, both attempts from outside the Emery, losing just one of 23 games before being “So, prudence, satisfaction, concentration on when we win.” In his news conference, that have won on other days.” — Reuters penalty area. Di Maria now has nine goals for the put to the sword yesterday. the second match and respect for the great season and hopes it will set him up for a spec- PSG’s Qatari owners have set Emery the task opposing team and its players.” — AFP