15 TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019 sports

Sharma fined for hitting stumps after IPL dismissal Zidane apologises after AFP | Kolkata, India umbai Indians skip- Mper Rohit Sharma was yesterday docked 15 percent of his match fee Madrid lose to Rayo for hitting the stumps with his bat following his dis - missal in a highly charged Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale failed to impress against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday Indian Premier League game. The India batsman AFP | Madrid Courtois made his first start un- smashed three bounda - der the Frenchman, in ahead of ries before being adjudged inedine Zidane apolo - Keylor Navas. lbw in Mumbai’s mam - gised and said he wished Rayo won their penalty in moth chase of 233 against Real Madrid’s miserable We must be very the 23rd minue as referee Pablo Kolkata Knight Riders, Z angry. I am angry, season would end now after Gonzalez took advice from VAR and vented his frustra - they were beaten by 19th-placed because the image before judging Jesus Vallejo to tion on the stumps at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. we gave off today have hauled down Javi Guerra the non-striker’s end on Madrid’s response to Barcelo- was bad. I am in the box. Embarba made no Sunday. na winning the title on Saturday responsible for this mistake. night was to slip to a 1-0 defeat as well, not just Madrid wanted their own at Vallecas and fall 18 points be- the players. But we spot-kick when Mariano Diaz hind La Liga’s newly-crowned took a tumble from a corner but Ferrari form is not champions. have to apologise Gonzalez was unmoved, and Zidane took over knowing for our performance the second half was surprisingly as bad as it looks, Madrid’s title challenge was all- today, all of us comfortable for Rayo. says team boss but extinguished but the differ- ZINEDINE ZIDANE Bale’s free-kick was palmed ence on Barca then was 12 points away by Garcia while Zidane Reuters | Baku while catching Atletico Madrid, threw on Brahim Diaz, Lucas now nine ahead, seemed achiev- one except Karim Benzema, out Vazquez and Isco in search of errari are still hunting able. with a hamstring injury, scored some inspiration. It never came. Ffor their first win of the Adri Embarba’s penalty, given for Madrid, who created pre- Beneath Madrid, La Liga’s last Formula One season after after consultation with VAR, was cious few chances against a Rayo Champions League spot remains rivals Mercedes chalked up enough for Rayo, who move to side that have conceded 62 goals up for grabs after Valencia, Se- four straight one-two fin- within six points of survival, this term. No side in the division villa and Getafe all endured sur- ishes, but team boss Mat- with three games left to play. has shipped more. prise defeats earlier on Sunday. tia Binotto was adamant “Today we did nothing,” Zi- Zidane said last week that the Valencia lost 1-0 at home to things are not as bad as they dane said. “From minute one league would be the club’s first Eibar while Sevilla were beaten look. until the end, at all levels. Some- priority from August but, even by the same scoreline away to The Italian team started times you cannot score but today with new signings and fresh struggling Girona, whose victory the year as favourites on the we did not even create chances, motivation, it could prove diffi- could prove crucial in their fight back of strong testing form did not play at all. cult to flick the switch. Madrid’s against relegation. yet all they have to show “We must be very angry. I am winning habit has long-been Both slips gave Getafe the op- for their speed so far is a angry, because the image we lost. portunity to pull clear in the pole position, two fastest gave off today was bad. I am Real Madrid’s German midfielder Toni Kroos (R) challenges Rayo Vallecano’s Rayo’s last victory over Real at three-way race for fourth but laps and three third-place responsible for this as well, not Spanish forward Adrian Embarba Blazquez Vallecas was in 1997, by the same they stumbled too, edged out 2-1 finishes. just the players. But we have to scoreline, and this time they away to Real Sociedad. “I think that obviously apologise for our performance children after wrapping up a this. were without their top scorer Getafe stay ahead of Sevil - four races into the season, today, all of us.” fourth La Liga title in five years. “It is about me as well, today too, Raul de Tomas, who is on la only on head-to-head, with no win for Ferrari, four wins The gap widens between them Asked if he would like the sea- what I did in the shape of the loan from Madrid and ineligible Valencia three points behind for Mercedes, no doubt they and Barcelona, whose players son to end now, Zidane said: team, it didn’t work at all. We to face his parent club. and perhaps looking to the Eu- are very strong,” Binotto had been dancing on the pitch “Yes, but we have to play these must respect football and what Zidane handed Gareth Bale ropa League as their best hope told reporters after Sun- at Camp Nou the night before three games and do something this club represents.” another chance but he strug- of Champions League football day’s Azerbaijan Grand and posing for photos with their different. We cannot end like Not since March 31 has any- gled to impress while Thibaut next season. Prix.

De Gea deserves David Torino beat Milan for first time since 2001 de Gea Reuters | Milan result, but now something keeps support, insists happening and the team strug- C Milan’s hopes of qualifying gles to react.” Solskjaer Afor next season’s Champions Roma currently occupy the League suffered a setback after fourth and final Champions AFP | Manchester they were beaten 2-0 by Torino League spot on 58 points, but on Sunday, their first Atalanta (56) have the chance anchester United manager Ole defeat to the Turin club since to overtake them by beating MGunnar Solskjaer insisted he November 2001. Udinese. had no regrets over his decision to An Andrea Belotti penalty and Gattuso is facing increasing keep faith with David de Gea af - Alex Berenguer strike in the pressure to keep his job after ter another costly error from the second half put Walter Maz- his side picked up just one win Spaniard helped Chelsea claim a zarri’s side in charge before Mi- in their last eight games in all 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. lan captain Alessio Romagnoli competitions. De Gea had been in the spot- was sent off late on for dissent. In contrast, Torino are now light for his poor performanc- The win lifted Torino to 56 unbeaten in six games, confirm- es as Solskjaer’s men had lost points, level with Milan, but ing their status as the surprise heavily to Barcelona, Everton the Turin club moved ahead of package in this season’s race for and Manchester City in their Gennaro Gattuso’s side and Ata- a top four finish in Serie A. previous three games. lanta into fifth place due to their “We are having less fun than Torino’s Spanish forward Alejandro Berenguer (C) vies for the ball with AC And after a bright start from superior head-to-head record two months ago and that takes Milan’s defender Alessio Romagnoli (R) the hosts was rewarded by Juan over both sides. a toll. We’re not sharp, we think Mata’s 11th-minute opener, De Gea “Things aren’t going our way, too much and that saps your en- our team, we’re embarrassing an header struck the crossbar, cost the Red Devils again when he spilled we are struggling, but I saw the thusiasm,” Gattuso added. historic club.” but Torino soon doubled their Antonio Rudiger’s long-range effort to allow performance we needed,” Gat- “This is why I say that I can’t Mazzarri was sent to the lead when Berenguer gathered Marcos Alonso to equalise just before half-time. tuso told Sky Sport Italia. get in the heads of the players, stands for protests early in the a poor headed clearance from Yet, as De Gea headed for the dressing room “Torino force you to play as I want them to have the eye second half but his side took before firing at the break, his name was chanted by the home badly, we created chances, but of the tiger, a constant grit and the lead soon after when Franck a volley into the roof of the net. support in recognition of his brilliant perfor- when you give away a penalty determination, but it’s not hap- Kessie pushed Armando Izzo in Things went from bad to mances over a number of seasons prior to his in such a naive manner, you’re pening. the back to concede a penalty, worse for the visitors when Ro- recent loss of form. going to lose your temper. “I am tied to results, I am which Belotti converted calmly. magnoli was shown a red card “David has been unbelievable for this club. “For a while we were used responsible. We are not only Milan came close to an equal- for sarcastically applauding a That just says everything about the supporters,” to knowing how to suffer for a having embarrassing results for iser as Tiemoue Bakayoko’s refereeing decision. said Solskjaer.