Established 1961 27 Sports Thursday, August 8, 2019 Manchestser City, Liverpool ready for heavyweight Premier League battle European champions Liverpool have more than a puncher’s chance of ending City’s reign

LONDON: Manchester City have Premier crowns clinched with unprecedented hauls by winning their sixth European Cup. No League immortality in their sights as they of 100 and then 98 points-City are the team has ever gathered more points with- start their title defence this weekend, but bookmakers’ favourites to become only the out winning the Premier League than sec- Liverpool’s burning desire to get their second club to win a hat-trick of English ond-placed Liverpool did last season with hands on the trophy will fuel a heavyweight titles in the past 35 years after United did it their tally of 97. battle for supremacy. twice. Jurgen Klopp’s side lost just once in their In the blue corner, treble winners City Guardiola is a keen student of football 38 league games-crucially that defeat came are at the peak of their powers and look history and has revelled in City’s record- against City-but their 2-0 Champions capable of enjoying a period of sustained breaking feats, so the opportunity to fur- League final win over Tottenham ensured dominance not seen since Manchester ther bolster his team’s credentials as one of there was no title hangover. Liverpool had United earned three successive Premier England’s all-time greats will not be lost on the Premier League’s meanest defence last League titles from 2007 to 2009. the Spaniard. season and boast an attack featuring two of But in the red corner, European champi- Although City have never won the the campaign’s three leading scorers in ons Liverpool, chasing a first English title Champions League and Guardiola last lifted Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. since 1990, have more than a puncher’s it back in 2011 with Barcelona, he said Despite that wealth of talent, Liverpool chance of ending City’s reign after pushing domestic bliss remains his preferred pas- midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum admits Pep Guardiola’s side all the way to the final sion. “To maintain the health and focus of making a fast start is essential to stop City day last season. the team, the most important thing is the establishing a stranglehold at the top. The first blows will be landed this week Premier League,” Guardiola said. “You just have to collect as many points as Liverpool kick off the new Premier “It is the standout competition because as possible, especially in the beginning, and League campaign against promoted it is every weekend. In the Champions try to build a team who will be even better Norwich at Anfield on Friday, before City League, many things can happen in one or at the end of the season,” Wijnaldum said. MUNICH: File pictures show Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp (L) celebrating head to West Ham on Saturday. Sunday’s two games. “We will be closer to achieving “We can try and do even better than last after his side scored the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League match against no-holds-barred Community Shield clash in Europe when we have more Premier season. Basically it starts now because now Bayern Munich on March 13, 2019 and Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola showed the growing rivalry between League titles. That is a nice process and the we have the whole team together.” gestures from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between England’s pre-eminent teams, with City right process to do at Manchester City. “If I Challengers to City and Liverpool are likely Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. —AFP beating Liverpool on penalties following a could have one thing this season, right now, to be thin on the ground. 1-1 draw that underlined how little there is it would definitely be the title.” Since winning the Europa League, to separate the sides. Chelsea have lost star playmaker Eden are contenders after making £80-million- bridging that gap this season. Arsenal have Adding Atletico Madrid’s Rodri for a NO HANGOVER Hazard to Real Madrid and hired an man Harry Maguire the world’s most the look of pretenders rather than con- club-record £63 million ($77 million) gives It would be a surprise if Liverpool do not idolised but inexperienced new manager in expensive defender and landing young tal- tenders, while Tottenham have not invested Guardiola an even greater embarrassment make City sweat right to the finish once Frank Lampard, who is working under the ents Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James. enough to satisfy boss Mauricio Pochettino of riches. With five major trophies over the again after bouncing back from last sea- club’s transfer ban. But it is hard to imagine United, who end- despite a paying a club record of around £54 past two seasons-including Premier League son’s agonising near-miss in the title race Guardiola suggests Manchester United ed 32 points adrift of City in sixth place, million for Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele. — AFP

Pochettino, however, will need to free Pique wants to up space in his own squad by ensuring Christian Eriksen, the Danish interna- tional, moves to Manchester United for a keep Coutinho fee believed to be in the region of $60 Schalke’s boss million. at Barcelona Coutinho’s $350,000 a week wages Toennies steps are also problematic when attempting to engineer a move away from the Camp down following MIAMI: Gerard Pique wants Brazilian Nou. Spanish international Pique told Philippe Coutinho to stay at Barcelona AFP: “I want him (Coutinho) to stay, but amid fevered interest from the Premier at the end of the day it’s what he wants ‘racist’ slur League. Coutinho arrived in Barcelona and I want him to be happy. from Liverpool for a record 160 million “Let’s see. Until the last day of the BERLIN: Clemens Toennies has stepped down for euros ($192 million) 18 months ago but transfer market we will not know if he three months as chairman of German Bundesliga club Schalke following widespread condemnation has fallen out of favour under manager stays or not. But it’s not my decision, it’s the club’s and Philippe’s.” Argentine of alleged ‘racist’ comments he made last week. The Ernesto Valverde who wants him out of superstar Lionel Messi has not travelled club’s five-strong ethics committee, in a statement the club before the start of the La Liga with the Barcelona squad for their mini- late Tuesday, said Toennies had “violated the ban season on August 16th. tour to the United States - they will play on discrimination contained in the club’s statutes” Barca are looking to offload the play- Napoli again in Michigan on Saturday - Gerard Pique after a lengthy meeting in which Toennies had to maker, 27, with sources telling AFP a because of a calf injury. explain himself. deal to return to the Premier League But new signings Antoine Griezmann The club said Toennies had decided to step remains a “strong possibility.” He trav- and Dutch sensation Frenkie De Jong are perspective,” he added. “We won La England captain at AC Milan and Paris St down as a member and chair of the supervisory elled to Miami ahead of yesterday’s both slated to appear. Barcelona won the Liga last season which was great, but we Germain and is open to the idea of a job board for three months. “He admitted the violation friendly match with Napoli at Hard Rock Spanish championship last season but should control expectations with the in the United States. Inter Miami will at the meeting on Tuesday and expressed his regret Stadium. were stung in the Champions League Champions League. Our main goal is La make their MLS debut next March but once again,” said the panel in a statement. And although Arsenal distanced after losing an epic semi-final to eventual Liga, the Champions League is like are yet to appoint a coach. However, the body dismissed the accusation of themselves from a transfer on Monday, winners Liverpool. Russian roulette.” “I heard something (about the possi- racism as “unfounded” and avoided the heavier North London rivals Tottenham have Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti, bility of moving to MLS),” said Ancelotti. sanction of firing him. The 63-year-old has been now been strongly linked with a move. MLS IN ANCELOTTI’S FUTURE? meanwhile, raised the possibility of “Beckham is my friend and I have a good sharply criticised for saying more power stations Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino “The arrival of players like Frenkie de returning to South Florida in the future relationship with him. “I have a three should be built in Africa, “then Africans would stop coached Coutinho at Espanyol for a Jong and Antoine Griezmann will cer- to take charge of David Beckham’s Inter year contract in Napoli but why not? felling trees and producing children when it gets short period and has retained a good tainly help us in all competitions,” Pique Miami MLS franchise. MLS is improving and in the future it dark”. relationship with the player. said. “We have to see the season with The Italian worked with the former could be a good experience.” — AFP The billionaire businessman, who employs 16,500 people and has assets estimated by Forbes at around 2.2 billion euros ($2.5 billion), made the Record-signing Hernandez remark at a forum in Paderborn last Thursday while Bale snubbed criticising tax increases to fight climate change. starts training at Bayern ‘DEVASTATING’ On social media, numerous Schalke fans again by Zidane demanded Toennies resignation, while senior fig- BERLIN: Bayern Munich’s record signing Lucas Hernandez took part ures in German football and politics have con- for Madrid in his first squad training session on Tuesday, four months after a seri- demned his comment. Some Schalke fans have ous knee operation, the Bundesliga champions reported on their web- handed back their membership cards in protest. site yesterday. “The decision brings clarity and some peace. But friendly The 23-year-old French World Cup winner has yet to feature for what will happen in the three months?” Susanne Bayern since his 80 million euro ($89 million) move from Atletico Madrid Franke, chair of a Schalke Fan Initiative, told Sky in March. His medical showed damage to the medial collateral ligament in Sports News. “There will be protests if things stay MADRID: Gareth Bale’s stand-off with his right knee that required an immediate operation. as they are.” Real Madrid continued yesterday after Hernandez is unlikely to be ready for the opening game of the season Politician Dagmar Freitag, chairwoman of the the forward was left out of Zinedine against Hertha Berlin on August 16 but it is good news for his new team- sports committee in Germany’s parliament, the Zidane’s squad to face Red Bull Salzburg mates and manager Niko Kovac. “I think the most important thing for the Bundestag, criticised the finding of Schalke’s ethics in a friendly. time being is that he’s properly fit and starts to settle in,” German interna- committee. “If I had pigeonholed an entire conti- Bale has only played in two of Real tional Leon Goretzka told the Bayern website. nent and its population, then it would be racism Madrid’s five pre-season games so far, The defender’s return coincides with a media broadside aimed at the rather than ‘just’ discrimination, as far as I am con- coming on as a substitute against club by striker Robert Lewandowski who has called on Bayern to bring in cerned,” she told broadcaster NRD yesterday. Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, and has at least three new players. “In attack we lost three players in the shape of “Such lapses are a break in what is taboo, with- now been left out completely for a third Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and James (Rodriguez),” Lewandowski told out scruples, and their effect on society is-especial- fixture in a row. Sport Bild yesterday. “And for the moment we have no new recruits for ly in these times-devastating.” Toennies had apolo- James Rodriguez and Mariano Diaz, these positions.” While Robben has retired, Frenchman Ribery is out of gised for his “inappropriate” words on Sunday, who are both expected to be sold, were contract and seems likely to be heading to Saudi Arabia while James has insisting he backs Schalke’s values against “racism, also not included for the match in come to the end of a two-year loan period and has returned, for the discrimination and exclusion”. Austria. Zidane has made clear that Bale moment at least, to Real Madrid. Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht had previ- is not in his plans as he looks to rejuve- Veteran defender Rafinha has also left in order to return to Brazil. So ously called on the German Football Association nate Real Madrid following their miser- far this summer, Bayern have only reinforced their defence with French (DFB) to “deal” with Toennies. “Racism must be able season last term. world champions Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard while promising 19- loudly and clearly contradicted” at every opportu- The club are keen to sign Manchester year-old striker Jann-Fiete Arp has arrived from Hamburg. nity, the politician told the Funke media group. United midfielder Paul Pogba, with The German champions have also been trying for weeks to attract “Nowhere is integration as successful and quick to Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen and Ajax Zinedine Zidane Leroy Sane from Manchester City but no announcement has yet been work as in sport - that must not be put at risk.” youngster Donny van de Beek potential made. “Even if Sane comes, we need another winger,” says Lewandowski The DFB confirmed to AFP subsidiary SID yes- alternatives. But Madrid first need to raise who also called for a defensive midfielder or offensive midfielder. terday that their ethics committee will meet to dis- 2022, worth around 18 million euros a funds, after already spending around 300 Bayern’s core team is made up of top-class internationals but, after the cuss the matter on August 15. Meanwhile, Cacau, year. He agreed terms with Chinese Super million euros ($336 million) this summer. summer movement, the bench is now very shallow. “Playing an entire the Brazil-born former Germany star who heads the League club Jiangsu Suning last month Zidane said last month that Bale being season with 13 or 14 experienced professionals, it’s going to be tough,” DFB’s integration committee, was also stunned by but the move was called off after Madrid sold would be “best for everyone”, while warns Lewandowski who has already discussed the matter with club Toennies’ comment. failed to agree a fee for the 30-year-old. Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett told AFP: president Uli Hoeness and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “The longer I think about it, the more unimagin- Bayern Munich retain an interest but “Zidane is a disgrace - he shows no “We have 50 or 60 games, so do not just think about next week but at able it becomes that a man of his position and any deal would be hugely expensive, mak- respect for a player that has done so much three, four, five or six months. And for that we do not have enough play- experience speaks so... disparagingly about the ing it increasingly likely Bale will remain at for Real Madrid.” ers. Hoeness and Rummenigge know my opinion.” Hoeness and population of an entire continent,” said the 38- Madrid for the start of the La Liga season Bale is in no rush to leave the Santiago Rummenigge have promised to reinforce the playing ranks as they set year-old. —AFP next weekend. —AFP Bernabeu, where he has a contract until their sights on the double of Bundesliga and Champions League. — AFP