QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Joe Root QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune guides England to slender lead with unbeaten 180 SUnday, AUGUST 15, 2021 page 14

Al Annabi to leave for Austria to resume European qualifying campaign

Tribune News Network Doha

FIFA World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar will fly out on Friday to Austria to participate in the European Qualifying which will help them prepare for the FIFA World Cup to be held next year. In the European quali- fying games, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup champions will take on , and Luxembourg. Team Qatar will lock horns against Serbia on the first of September, then take on Portugal in tough en- counter on September 4 and play against Luxembourg on September 7. Team Qatar have began their European qualifying campaign in March, where they secured two consecutives victories , beating Luxem- bourg 1-0 and Azerbaijan 2-1 and shared points with Ire- land after 1-1 draw to collect seven points and topping their Qatar will fly out on Friday to Austria to participate in the European Qualifying which will help them prepare for the FIFA World Cup to be held next year. Qatar had recently reached the semis of CONCACAF Gold Cup in US. respective group.

Real slam ‘absurd’ PSG present Messi on pitch rumours of plans to join Premier prior to defeating Strasbourg Agencies League Paris

DPA Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) presented on the Real Madrid have responded pitch before scoring a 4-2 win to a report that they are explor- over Strasbourg after leading ing the possibility of joining 3-0 at half time in the French the , branding at the at the Parc des it “absurd” and “impossible.” Princes stadium in Paris on Catalan newspaper Mundo Saturday. Deportivo claimed on Saturday scored the that Madrid president Floren- opening for PSG in the tino Perez is looking at taking third minute before Kylian the club out of . Mbappe struck in the 25th The report said the Pre- minute. mier League was the preferred Julian Draxier scored two choice of Perez, who is at log- minutes later to make 3-0 for gerheads with LaLiga presi- PSG before half time. dent Javier Tebas. The fourth goal for the Madrid staunchly opposed winner came from Pablo Sara- the new deal between La Liga bia in the 86th minute. and CVC, which was voted in For Strasbourg, Kevin by the majority of clubs and Gameiro and Ludovic Ajorque will see around 2.1 billion eu- scored in the 53rd and 64th ros invested into the competi- minutes. Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (left) speaks to fans during a presentation ceremony prior to the French L1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Racing tion in return for a percentage At the start, Messi was Club Strasbourg at the stadium in Paris on Saturday. (Right) Messi enters the pitch at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AFP) of television revenue. introduced to the Paris St- Tebas, meanwhile, is a Germain fans before the home firm opponent of the proposed game. European Super League, the He was presented with breakaway competition still fellow signings Sergio Ra- being pursued by Madrid, mos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Barcelona and Juventus de- and spite the other 13 prospective Achraf Hakimi. founding members withdraw- The 34-year-old joined ing from the plans. PSG on a two-year deal earlier said this week after leaving Barce- Perez’s patience had run out lona. and that he was seriously con- The Argentina interna- sidering taking Madrid to the tional has not played since the Premier League, or the Copa America final on July 10. . Coach Mauricio Pochet- However, the club reacted tino suggested on the eve of with a statement saying: “Giv- the game with Strasbourg that en the information published he would not take any risks re- today by the newspaper Mun- garding Messi’s fitness. do Deportivo, in which it says was also not in- that our club studied the pos- cluded in the squad as he sibility of moving from La- builds up his fitness following Liga to the Premier, Real Ma- his own participation at the drid wants to assert that this Copa America. information is completely Meanwhile, it was an- false, absurd and impossible nounced on Friday that Ser- and it only intends to disturb, gio Ramos, signed on a free once more, the day to day of transfer from Real Madrid last our club.” month, will be out of action Tebas also moved to laugh until after September’s inter- off the report, sharing the story national break through injury. on and adding: “What PSG kicked off their Ligue a load of nonsense we’re hear- 1 campaign with a 2-1 come- ing right now.” back win at Troyes last week Regardless of their off- and are seeking back-to-back field troubles, Madrid will wins to begin a new league look to keep matters firmly fo- season for the first time in cused on the pitch when they three years. get their new domestic cam- Scoreline: Paris Saint-Germain paign underway in La Liga this 4 (Mauro Icardi 3’, Kylian weekend. Mbappe 25’, Julian Draxier 27’, Madrid begin their 2021- 86’) bt Stras- (From L) Paris Saint-Germain’s Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain’s Dutch mifielider Georginio Wijnaldum, Paris Saint-Germain’s Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi 22 campaign against Depor- bourg 2 (Kevin Gameiro 53’, Donnarumma, Paris Saint-Germain’s Spanish defender Sergio Ramos and Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi pose during a presentation ceremony at the Parc tivo Alaves on Saturday. Ludovic Ajorque 64’). des Princes stadium in Paris on Saturday. (AFP)