Bayern Set up PSG Final
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SPORT SPORT | 18 SPORT | 19 Misbah has no Neymar and qualms over ‘stars’ align for fitness for title-chasing England finale Parisians THURSDAY 20 AUGUST 2020 Lyon’s Portuguese goalkeeper Anthony Lopes fails to stop a goal by Bayern Munich’s German midfielder Serge Koeman Gnabry during the UEFA Champions League semi-final Gnabry double played at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, yesterday. lifts Bavarians pledges to past Lyon into put Barca CL showdown ‘back on top’ AFP – MADRID Ronald Koeman said he will “fight to put Barcelona back on top” after he was officially appointed yesterday as the Spanish club’s new coach on a two-year deal. “It’s a happy day. Everyone knows that Barca was for me. It’s my home. It’s a challenge and it won’t be easy, it will demand the best of me and I like that,” Koeman said at his unveiling at the Camp Nou. “It was a dream and this dream became a reality. We’re going to fight to put Barca back on top.” The 57-year-old Koeman, who has been in charge of the Bayern set up PSG final Netherlands since 2018, replaces Quique Setien, who REUTERSREUTERS – LISBONLISBONBONO matches in all competitions and they over 20 metres out, into the top was sacked after the Catalans have not lost a Champions League corner. were humiliated 8-2 by Bayern BayernBayern MMunichunich popowered into game all season. Gnabry went close again with a Munich in the Champions the ChampionsChampion League But PSG will take hope from the snap-shot that Lyon keeper Anthony League quarter-finals on final,final, wherewheere theythhe will face early chances that Lyon created -- Lopes did well to keep out as Bayern Friday. ParisPaariris St Germain,Gerermma as two Memphis Depay found space behind pushed hard for a second. He becomes the fifth goalsgog als fromffrroom Serge the Bayern defence but, forced wide, It came in the 33rd minute - and Dutchman to coach Barcelona GnabryGnG ababrryy ledledd them to he could only shoot into the was started and finished by Gnabry. after Rinus Michels, Johan anan emphaticempm hha 3-0 side-netting. The former Arsenal midfielder fed Cruyff, Louis Van Gaal and winwwiin overover Olym- Lyon, who upset Juventus and Ivan Perisic on the left and the Frank Rijkaard. piqueppiiquq e LyonnaisLLyy Manchester City in the previous Croatian's low cross found Robert In his six seasons as a Barca yesterday.yyesterrd rounds, had warmed up on the field Lewandowski at the back post. player Koeman made 264 BayernBBaa before the game with rarely-seen His weak shot was saved by Lopes, official appearances, scoring 88 willwillll bbidi for intensity and it showed as they took only for the alert Gnabry to pounce goals as he shone in Cruyff’s theirthheeiir ssixth the game to Bayern and they went and convert his ninth goal in nine ‘Dream Team’, winning four EuropeanEuEurroop close again in the 17th minute. Champions League games. consecutive La Liga titles CupC u Powerful striker Karl Toko Ekambi Lewandowski, looking well below between 1991-94. He also struck triumphtrriiuump found space in the Bayern box and his usual levels of sharpness, had the winner in the 1992 European whenwhwhen theythe should have done better after his first another good chance after the interval, Cup final, the Catalan club’s first comecoome upup againstaggaainnst NeymarNNeeyymmara andan shot was blocked and his follow-up but he again made it too easy for ever success in Europe’s top KylianKylian MbappeMbaapppe onn SundaySunddaay andand afterafteer effort struck the post. Lopes, leaving Lyon still with hope. club competition. convincinglyconvincingn lyy beatingbeeaatingg CChelsea,helseaa, Bar-Bar- But moments later Bayern Bayern lacked the intensity of their Barca conceded eight goals celonacellona andand nownoww Lyon,Lyonn, HansiHansi Flick'sFlick's grabbed the lead - a clever ball from first-half display but they made sure in the Bayern capitulation for sideside willwill surelysurely startstart asas favourites.fa Joshua Kimmich found Gnabry who of the win in the 88th minute when the first time since losing to Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry TheTThe GermansGerm are unbeaten in danced in from the right and Lewandowski rose to head home a Sevilla 8-0 in the 1946 Spanish celebrates after scoring his first goal. 2020,202 winning 24 of their last 25 unleashed an unstoppable shot, from Kimmich cross from a free kick. Cup. Xavi rues ‘own mistakes’, unhappy with third spot FAWAD HUSSAIN for luck to be on their side to win the THE PENINSULA league. The best Al Sadd (44 points) can do WEEK 22 FIXTURES For most of the teams, finishing the is to finish the QSL on a winning note prestigious QNB Stars League (QSL) by beating Al Gharafa in their final game TODAY among the top-4 sides is a big at Al Janoub Stadium today. In 21 Al Sadd vs Al Gharafa (16:00, Al Janoub Stadium) achievement. But, for Al Sadd – who rounds, Al Sadd won 14 games and drew Al Khor vs Al Shahania (19:30, Al Janoub Stadium) will be dethroned this year – finishing 2 besides losing 5 games including a Al Sailiya vs Umm Salal (19:30, Al Sadd Stadium) as No.1 only brings them joy. couple of upsets. TOMORROW The Wolves are the most successful “It’s a pity that we couldn’t win this Al Arabi vs Qatar SC (16:00, Al Janoub Stadium) side in premier event’s history clinching title. I think we lost it due to our own Al Duhail vs Al Ahli (19:30, Al Janoub Stadium) the title 14 times including their pre- mistakes,” Al Sadd head coach Xavi Her- Al Wakrah vs Al Rayyan (19:30, Al Sadd Stadium) vious year’s triumph. However, they will nandez told reporters ahead of game finish third this year with Al Duhail and against Al Gharafa. Al Rayyan competing for the “We cannot be happy, Al crown in the last round Sadd is not to finish in third starting today. place. We are disappointed, We want to win the League. This is Al Sadd's coach Xavi, Ali Asad and the Club's General Manager Turki Nasser Al Al Duhail have 49 we didn’t compete well. So we Ali posing for a photograph after signing the contract. points and they will have to prepare well for the one of our main goals for the next seal the title if they next one and we have to season. I think we are a better defeat Al Ahli play much better.” team than before. We have more lot this season and they have good tomorrow, while Al “It was a pity, during options to play with, in all the players.” Al Sadd extend Rayyan (48 points) – that part of the season positions on the pitch: Xavi says Meanwhile, Al Gharafa coach who will take on Al after the Champions Slavisa Jokanovic, who side has 35 winning the QSL will be his team’s Wakrah – will be hoping League exit, when we lost points, said his team will still fight for Asad's contract main target next season. three games in a row. It the points against Al Sadd. THE PENINSULA _ DOHA was a really tough period “We are facing Al Sadd, one the best for us and that’s why we compete. Last season was good – not teams in the league. We look forward Al Sadd yesterday announced that their were not able to compete very good, not excellent, because we towards continuing our good run and star midfielder Ali Asad will play for the until the end in this com- could not win the league, but we won make further progress. It is an important Wolves until 2023 following a two-year petition,” he added. the Sheikh Jassim Cup, the Qatar Cup challenge and really an important test contract extension. Xavi said winning and we are in the semi-finals of the for my team because we have the Asad is a key player in the current Al the QSL will be his Ooredoo Cup and the Amir Cup. We have chance to know where we are when we Sadd outfit and has been playing for the team’s main target next to compete for all the competitions and face the strongest teams in the league.” Wolves since 2009. Following the season. we are ready for that,” he added. Four teams - Qatar SC (ninth with announcement, Asad said he is happy to “We want to win the Speaking on today’s game against 19 points), Umm Salal (17), Al Khor (16) stay with the Qatari football giants. League. This is one of our Al Gharafa, Xavi said his team want to and Al Shahania (15) – are involved in "I am very happy and very proud of main goals for the next sign off the league with victory. the fight to avoid either relegation or my new contract, I feel very happy, I will season. I think we are a “We won the last 4 games in a row, play-off in the final round. continue to work hard to always provide better team than before. and we want to continue like that, In today’s other games, Umm Salal the best and win championships in the We have more options to knowing the difficulty (of the game) will play against Al Sailiya (fifth with 28 future. Al Sadd is a big club and it is won- play with, in all the positions because it’s Al Gharafa, who are 4th in points) while Al Khor meet Al Shahania.