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SPORTS TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 Crisis? What crisis? PSG aim to bounce back PARIS: What a difference a week makes. Seven days Certainly, it would take a massive reversal of for- could not be said for some of his team-mates in the the Chelsea trip, with Uruguayan striker Edinson ago, Paris Saint-Germain were riding the crest of a tune for PSG to let slip their 10-point advantage in the lacklustre display at Lyon. Cavani voicing his frustration at having to live in the wave - 13 points clear at the top of the league and tak- league over the final five games of the season. Ironically, Lyon are next up on the radar for PSG shadow of Ibrahimovic. ing a two-goal cushion into the second leg of their But the manner of the latest two setbacks has when the two meet in the French League Cup final in A model recruit since his record 64 million-euro Champions League quarter-final. served to underline how vulnerable and average a side Paris on Saturday. ($88.5 million) move from Napoli. Cavani broke ranks Seven days on, and two defeats later, PSG are sud- they look without the redoubtable presence of leading As for Blanc’s future, Thiago Silva gave a rare insight in an interview with sports daily L’Equipe in which he denly being talked about as a club in crisis. Out of the scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic. into the mood within the camp, when he said after the complained it “isn’t easy” for a player who is “used to Champions League after a Jose Mourinho-master- Goalkepper Salvatore Sirgiu conceded: “He makes Champions League defeat: “Chelsea’s experience told finishing off the action but now being asked to play a minded 2-0 Chelsea victory and beaten again in the the difference. We’ve managed to replace him in the at the end of the game. They have a very experienced different role”. league, 1-0 away at Lyon on Sunday, the knives are past, but this time it’s different, because our style of coach and very experienced players. Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu said: “Without a doubt being sharpened ready for the ritual sacrifice of coach play is different with him in the side. “However, we Blanc has made it clear he will not make a decision we are still disappointed at being knocked out of the Laurent Blanc. have to put our faith in the players who replace him on his own future until after the League Cup final and Champions League, that’s only natural, but we have to Much is being made of the fact that Blanc’s one- because we’ve got some very good players in the he said: “We thought we had put the disappointment rebuild our confidence.” year contract expires at the end of next season and the squad. of being knocked out of the Champions League He added: “It hurts, especially when a team isn’t wealthy Qatari owners are said to be weighing their “The truth is Zlatan is out at the moment and we behind us, but apparently that’s not so given the used to losing. We have to face up to that, stay calm options on an extension . have to do the best we possibly can without him.” The match against Lyon.” and positive and look ahead as have an important cup All the more so as it is widely accepted that Blanc Chelsea defeat was certainly hard to stomach for many He added: “It’s true we’re going to have to motivate final as well as the rest of the league season in front of was not their first choice for the job in the first place, of the players. “It’s difficult to pick yourself up after the players again so that some of them regain their us.” “We have to transform the anger we felt at losing to once Carlo Ancelotti had decided to throw in his lot being eliminated like that,” said captain Thiago Silva. sharpness in attack.” Lyon into positive energy, staring with next Saturday’s with Real Madrid. But motivate himself Thiago did, even if the same The cracks were already beginning to show before final.”— AFP Immobile, Cerci lead charge of young Italian goal talent ROME: Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has a striker selection headache ahead of the World Cup in Brazil with Torino pair Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci leading a surge of young Italian attacking talent. The duo were the architects of Torino’s last gasp 2-1 come- back against Genoa during the weekend’s Serie A goalfest, scoring in the second and third minute of stoppage time to overturn Alberto Gilardino’s 85th minute opener and snatch a crucial three points for their Europa League charge. With Juventus playing Udinese late yesterday, 36 goals have so far been scored in this week’s Serie A fixtures. There was also a stellar display from Chievo Verona’s Alberto Paloschi, who scored two in a crucial 4-2 win at fellow relegation strugglers Livorno that left them five points clear of their hosts and the drop zone. The total is the second highest of the season so far, behind the 43 goals scored in the second week. Immobile’s equaliser was his 19th of the season and makes him the league’s current top goalscorer, one ahead of Carlos Tevez, who looks set to miss out on Juventus’s trip to Udinese after being troubled recently with a thigh problem. Immobile is also two ahead of Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain, who banged in a classy hat-trick in a 4-2 defeat of 10-man Lazio, and Hellas Verona’s veteran hitman Luca Toni, who although almost 37 is making an unlikely push for a place in SPAIN: Barcelona’s Neymar da Silva from Brazil pours water on his face during a Spanish La Liga soccer match in Brazil. this file photo. — AP IMPRESSIVE TOTAL Immobile’s total is impressive also because the 24-year-old Wounded Barca seek Cup does not take penalties. That duty is left to Cerci, who is level with Paloschi, Mario Balotelli and AS Roma’s Mattia Destro on Ciro Immobile 13 goals - one behind Gilardino - and is the creative heart of consolation against Real Giampiero Ventura’s side. “I feel great here. I have two years left on my contract. Let’s finish the season well and then I’ll speak with (Torino presi- Ranieri focussed MADRID: A week ago, Barcelona still had a chance of most, while Brazil forward Neymar has blown hot and cold dent Urbano) Cairo,” said Cerci following his dramatic winner, repeating the historic treble of 2009 but defeats in Europe since his high-profile move from Santos in the close sea- after which he was booked for ripping his shirt off with joy. and La Liga mean tomorrow’s King’s Cup final against Real son. “It’s clear that the Cup is fundamental for us,” sporting The wild celebrations at Turin’s Olympic Stadium also led to on semi-final, Madrid may be their only hope of major silverware this director Andoni Zubizarreta, who has been widely criti- goalkeeping coach Beppe Zinetti rupturing his Achilles ten- season. cised for not bringing in sufficient squad reinforcements, don. Immobile and Cerci have scored 32 of Torino’s 49 goals not on future A wounded Barca travel to Valencia to meet their arch said on Spanish radio on Sunday. between them, and are the most prolific strike partnership in rivals after crashing out of the Champions League to Zubizarreta defended Messi, who has been accused of the league, one ahead of Juve’s Tevez and Fernando Llorente. PARIS: Monaco coach Claudio Ranieri knows that Atletico Madrid tomorrow and suffering a shock 1-0 not putting in 100 percent effort for Barca so he is fresher Immobile is part-owned by Juve, though, and fans are wor- the best way to respond to ongoing speculation reverse at Granada in La Liga three days later that left them for the World Cup finals starting in June. ried their local rivals could call him back at the end of the sea- about his future is to finish the season by winning sil- four points behind leaders Atletico with five games to play. “There is nothing wrong with him (Messi),” Zubizarreta son. “I’ll do everything to keep this team together, keeping verware. Real, by contrast, are on a high after joining Atletico in said. “He is fine with the club and with his team mates. His hold of who we need and helping to improve them,” said The principality club travel to Ligue 1 strugglers the last four of Europe’s elite club competition and climb- problem is that he has set the bar so high for himself,” Cairo.With Giuseppe Rossi recovering from his latest injury Guingamp tomorrow in the semi-finals of the French ing above Barca into second in La Liga, three points off the added the former Barca and Spain goalkeeper. setback and a rejuvenated Antonio Cassano having a superb Cup and are huge favourites to lift the trophy at the top, thanks to Saturday’s 4-0 drubbing of Almeria. “He is happy, training well, in good physical shape. But season at Europa League-chasing Parma, Prandelli is going to Stade de France next month with Paris Saint- Barca coach Gerardo Martino needs to lift his battered he knows that football throws up challenges every week.” have a tough time picking his preferred front line.

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