14 Wednesday, July 8, 2020 Sports is the best place Clubs continue with for football, says Umm their preparations Salal’s Enes Sipovic nes Sipovic from Bosnia and Herzego- vina has already made an impact with QNB When I compare QSL TO RESUME EStars League side (Romanian, Belgian FROM JULY 24 ever since he joined them in this year’s January transfer and Bosnian) leagues window from his native club with the QNB Stars Zeljeznicar Sarajevo. Enes, League, none of them a strong presence in Umm has the infrastructure Salal’s defence, speaks to qsl. like that in Qatar. This qa in an exclusive Interview, is the best place for as The Orange Fortress are trying hard to keep their po- football. Organisation sition in the top flight with in Qatar is at the top only five matches remaining level. I’m looking in the 2019-20 league that is forward to extend set to resume on July 24 fol- my career here. lowing a long break forced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) Enes Sipovic, Umm pandemic. Salal player Excerpts: players during a practice session on Tuesday. Al Rayyan will play a friendly with Umm Salal on July 17 as part of their preparations prior to the resumption Qatar Stars League on July 24 after a forced break since March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. How do you rate Umm Even players with big names How do you look forward Salal’s performance so far must work hard to stay afloat. to the times ahead? QNA safety of all, as all the clubs were cal teams. The kick-off timings Al Markhiya on July 17. in the QNB Stars League? We avoid close contacts in subjected to the necessary med- and venues of matches in the Al Sadd announced that I’ve been following the How’s your training going all sorts of training, especially ical tests in the midst of strict last two weeks (21 and 22) will Mexican player Marco Fabian QNB Stars League even before on now in the wake of the while stretching. We don’t stay Qatari clubs have contin- health procedures by the QSL, be finalised later based on the will leave the club as his con- I arrived here and I think this coronavirus? in the gym together either. At ued their ongoing prepara- the Qatar Football Associa- results and standings of teams tract expired on June 30. isn’t the position (11th with Coronavirus has disturbed a time, it’ll be a maximum of tions with the start of the tion and the Ministry of Public in the table, as the QSL is keen Also, Spanish midfielder 14 points) in the table, where us a little bit. This is the first only four or five players in the countdown for the return of Health. With all the clubs com- to provide all clubs with equal Gabi left the team following the Umm Salal should be. experience with online train- gym. We come for training ful- the Qatar Stars League (QSL) pleting their quarantine period, opportunities. end of his contract. Gabi played ing sessions and devices, and ly equipped from home. How- competitions on July 24, after more preparations began for In the meantime, Umm two seasons with Al Sadd, Don’t you think that Umm it’s not easy especially for ever, I hope we’ll soon come a long period of interruption the return of the league and its Salal will play a friendly match where he won the league, Super Salal have performed be- coaches, but we’ve no choice. back to normal life. that lasted for more than three remaining five rounds, as com- against Al Rayyan on July 17 Cup, and titles. low expectations? We’re now moving forward months due to the novel coro- petitions will be tough for all ahead of resumption of the Al Club recently I arrived here in Decem- with our restricted training. You have experience play- navirus (COVID-19) crisis. who are seeking to win points league. Al Rayyan is preparing announced that it had reached ber and I can’t review the work ing in the Romanian, Bel- The Qatari league compe- and make more gains. to face Qatar club on July 24 in an agreement with the Croa- people had done before. From What’s your training gian and Bosnian leagues. titions have been suspended The QSL had made an round 18 at Jassim bin Hamad tian star Mario Mandzukic to the moment coach Aziz Ben schedule like? How do you How do you view it? since last March due to the amendment to the schedule of Stadium, while Umm Salal are end a contract by mutual con- Askar and the club adminis- stay fit and get ready for All of those leagues are Coronavirus, which led to the matches in Weeks 18, 19 and scheduled to meet Al Duhail on sent, while Moroccan Mbark tration started rebuilding the the action? special in their own ways. I suspension of sporting activities 20 of 2019-20 season QNB July 25. Qatar Club decided to Boussoufa refused to renew side, we’ve been putting up nice After the vacation and came to professional football in all countries of the world and Stars League after reviewing cancel the friendly scheduled with Al Sailiya. performances. In a short period Covid-19 test, we stayed for at a very young age. When I canceled many major global the latest developments and against Al Shamal on July 10 as Al Arabi Club announced of time, we regained the club’s two weeks in the team hotel. compare all those leagues with competitions, especially in light recommendations, and in co- part of its preparations to play the renewal of the contract of reputation to some extent. During that time, we trained the QNB Stars League, none of the high number of infections ordination with the authori- against Al Rayyan. the team player individually and focused on of them has the infrastruc- and the high number of deaths ties concerned. Club announced for two seasons, to continue You’re new to Qatar. What improving our physique. Now, ture like that in Qatar. This as well, a matter which forced It had been decided to that the team will play two with the club until the end of the do you think of the level of the training is more about is the best place for football. most countries to announce the hold matches in each round friendly matches during the season (2021-2022). QNB Stars League? technique even though we ad- Organisation at the federation suspension of all sports activi- over three days and reduce the current camp period with the Al Arabi had previously re- The QNB Stars League is here to precautions. We hope and clubs in Qatar is at the top ties to uphold the safety of all. number of stadiums to be used teams of Al Shahaniya and Al newed contracts of a number of tough and whoever thinks it’s to be match-ready after play- level. I’m looking forward to The clubs’ preparations be- to two (Al Janoub and Al Sadd) Markhiya. Its first match will be players, including Jasser Yahya, easy to play here, he’s wrong. ing some friendly games. extend my career here. gan a long time ago and in many in order to minimise the pres- against Al Shahaniya on July 10, Khalifa Al Maliki, Jassim Jaber, phases in order to preserve the sure on operations and medi- while the second will be against and Mohamed Saad Al Badr. We have obligation to re-sign Son-Lloris clash as Spurs beat Everton

tunnel at half-time, France Son and Lloris looked to Messi: Barcelona president goalkeeper Lloris confronted have buried the hatchet when the South Korea forward, they hugged at the final whistle AFP League second leg against shouting at him and shoving in north London after Totten- Barcelona Napoli played at the Camp Nou his shoulder. ham secured their second win instead of at a neutral venue. The usually placid Son re- since the coronavirus hiatus. Barcelona president Josep sponded angrily and the pair “It just belongs to the chang- Maria Bartomeu responded to ‘Setien will stay’ had to be kept apart by team- ing room. Outside you can say a storm of speculation by say- “Setien will continue, of mates Harry Winks and Mous- whatever you want. What hap- ing on Tuesday that the club course,” said Bartomeu. “I am sa Sissoko as the altercation pened is just part of football had “an obligation to re-sign” quite happy with the develop- threatened to boil over. sometimes,” Lloris said. Lionel Messi, calling him “the ment we are showing in the Lloris was irked by Son’s “Let’s be honest, we are in best player in history”. games despite the draws. failure to close down a loose a situation we are not happy “Normally we do not ex- “I do not regret the change ball in midfield moments with so we have to fight, to plain the discussions with of Valverde. The team needed a before Everton threatened make sure we all go in the players but it is evident that we Barcelona president Josep Maria boost. Setien knows our DNA, through Richarlison. same direction. have the obligation to re-sign Bartomeu with Lionel Messi. the model and he has brought “I think to concede a chance “Most important is to stay him”, Bartomeu told Catalan fresh air and new ideas and is Tottenham Hotspur’s French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Tottenham Hot- a few seconds before half-time focused on the team. We can radio station Rac1. “He is the spot to Real Madrid. working hard,” said Bartomeu spur’s South Korean striker Son Heung-Min arrive on the pitch for the second because we didn’t make a press only do it as a team. best player in history. He has The president said he was before adding that “coaches, half during their English Premier League match in London on Monday. (AFP) annoyed me. But yeah, that’s “When you play a season many years of football left.” happy with the direction of the evidently, need results.” football,” Lloris said. like this one it’s very easy to Bartomeu also said Barca club and maintained he had “If , which will AFP min after the Tottenham stars Neither of the feuding fall apart but we showed we coach Quique Setien would been right to replace Ernesto be difficult, is not won then London were involved in a furious row players was hauled off at the are still together. keep his job despite a run of Valverde in January. comes the Champions League during their side’s 1-0 win break as Tottenham manager “There is no problem at all. unconvincing form since La Bartomeu also said Bar- in August. We have to try to Hugo Lloris insisted he had against Everton late on Monday. Jose Mourinho tried to keep You could see after the game Liga’s restart that has seen the celona are trying to have the win one and then the other,” made peace with Son Heung- As Son walked towards the the peace. we were fine.” reigning champions lose top second leg of the Champions said Bartomeu. On the brink – Chinese-owned Espanyol set to drop out of La Liga

AFP this week issuing a statement There has been little else has graced the elite in 26 con- Madrid to express their dismay at to cheer. Signed amid much secutive campaigns, playing what has happened under the excitement last year, Chinese in three different stadiums in Forever condemned to live current ownership. striker Wu Lei has contributed that time. in the shadow of Barcelona, China’s Rastar Group, just four league goals this sea- They left their old home Espanyol’s worst nightmare which specialises in model cars, son, including a late equaliser in Sarria in 1997 and spent a will come true on Wednes- paid 60 million euros ($67.7m) in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona dozen years at the Montjuic day if they are doomed to rel- for 54 per cent of the club’s in January. Olympic Stadium before egation from La Liga by their shares in January 2016. They moving into a 40,000-seat city neighbours. now own almost 100 per cent. Proud history home near the city’s airport It is a likely scenario. “We have been deeply an- That would not be enough this in 2009. With four games remaining, gered by this shameful sea- time for a club who have won That same year, club cap- Chinese-owned Espanyol are son, the worst in our history,” the Copa del Rey four times tain Dani Jarque died of a rock bottom, 11 points from said the federation, which has and twice reached the UEFA heart attack aged 26, and it safety. Even a win at the called on president Chen Yan- Cup final, most recently in was left to Pochettino to guide Camp Nou would therefore sheng to hand over the reins to Espanyol’s worst nightmare will come true on Wednesday if they are doomed to relegation from La Liga by 2007 when ’s the team through the after- only delay the inevitable. someone based locally. their city neighbours Barcelona. team lost on penalties to Se- math of that tragedy. Los Periquitos (The Budg- “We want to express our in- villa in Glasgow. For all his efforts, Espan- erigars) have not beaten Bar- dignation, our sadness, our dis- able to halt the slide. been all the harder to take as “I can’t understand how Only Barcelona, Real yol struggled to fill their new celona in La Liga since 2009, appointment, anger and feeling “The whole team are fed it came off the back of a fine 80 million euros has been Madrid and Athletic Bilbao ground and continue to do so, when of helplessness at witnessing up with the situation, but they 2018-19 campaign under . spent on transfers, and with have spent more seasons in despite trying to promote their was coach. this pathetic relegation.” can’t give up. We have to keep He led them to seventh the eighth-biggest budget in the top division than Espa- own underdog identity. Wednesday therefore Espanyol have spent the fighting until the end,” Rufete place and Europa League quali- the league, the club has had nyol -- founded in 1900 and Unlike their neighbours looks set to be the day of reck- season chopping and changing said after a 1-0 defeat by Le- fication, only to depart for Real the worst season in its his- named not as a counter to they have kept their distance oning for a club who are one of coaches, with David Gallego, ganes at the weekend. “We Betis, taking top scorer Borja tory,” fumed former president the Catalanism of Barca, as from the Catalan independ- the proudest names in Span- Pablo Machin and Abelardo have to go to the Camp Nou Iglesias with him. Spanish in- Joan Collet. is sometimes assumed, but ence movement, but Espanyol ish football. Fernandez all being sacked and play for pride.” ternational defender Mario They did make it to the Eu- as a reaction to a Barcelona has a squad with a strong local It is too much to bear for before sporting director Fran- Hermoso left for Atletico Ma- ropa League knockout rounds, team whose players were core. That may not help them fans, with the Federation of cisco Rufete was put in charge Sorry season drid and those departures were but lost to Wolverhampton mostly foreigners. on Wednesday against Lionel Espanyol Supporters’ Clubs last month. He has been un- Espanyol’s sorry season has not adequately replaced. Wanderers. Espanyol’s blue and white Messi and co.