50 Thursday, December 1, 2011 NNewew VVisionision SPORT Stage set for grudge fight

Sunday, 3am, SS2 WBA light-middleweight Barcelona fight on title fight BARCELONA campaign since 2002-03. The visitors from Madrid held their NEW YORK An Alexis Sanchez brace helped own in the opening stages and were Barcelona to a 4-0 victory over Rayo unlucky not to take the lead with Saturday’s big fight between Vallecano on Tuesday which re- Lass Bangoura shooting wide from Miguel Cotto and Antonio duced Real Madrid’s lead to three close range in only the third minute. Margarito will go ahead after points and showed they will not give Barcelona were tentative and Margarito was handed a li- up their title without a fight. struggling to find their rhythm, and cence this week to box in New Barca were given a quick chance to while Dani Alves had a shot well York. respond to their 1-0 away defeat to saved by keeper David Cobeno, at The bout, for Cotto’s WBA La Liga Getafe at the weekend as this fixture the other end keeper Victor Valdes light-middleweight title, will be Barca 4 Vallecano 0 was brought forward due to the Cat- tipped a free-kick, which had been broadcast live on SuperSport 2 alan side’s involvement in the Club crossed in by Michel Sanchez, onto on Sunday morning. World Cup next month in Japan, and the crossbar. An injury to Margarito’s eye they ran out resounding victors. A goal for the home side did not had earlier placed the fight While Real have been in ominous look on the cards but then a moment in doubt. The Mexican was form and recorded their 13th con- of magic from Sanchez put them in forced to have an operation on secutive victory by beating local ri- the driving seat. his damaged right eye follow- vals Atletico Madrid at the weekend, ing his last fight with Manny Barca have stuttered recently away. $ Real Madrid defender Ricardo Pacquiao and could not obtain At home though, they have been as Carvalho’s return to action has been a licence until he was passed impressive as ever and with their vic- delayed after he twisted a ligament fit to fight. tory over Rayo they have now scored in his right knee, the Spanish league Revenge will be in the air 34 goals without reply at the Camp leaders said on Wednesday. for Cotto, who in 2008 lost a Nou. The Portuguese international has brutal encounter to Margarito. Still they started nervously until been recovering from a back prob- In a subsequent bout with Sanchez gave them the lead after 28 lem and has not played for Real since Shane Mosley, Margarito was minutes and then before the break late September when he featured in found to have loaded gloves the Chilean struck again and David their 3-0 Champions League win and banned from the sport for Villa gave them a commanding ad- over Ajax. 16 months. Inevitably, there vantage. Lionel Messi made it 4-0 The club gave no indication of how are some who believe a simi- four minutes into the second half. long the 33-year-old former Chelsea lar issue was at play when he Andres Iniesta returned to Barca’s defender would be out of action. fought Cotto previously. starting line-up while Cesc Fabre- His Portuguese compatriot Cristia- “I’ve carried my loss like a gas, also fit again, was on the bench no Ronaldo missed his second train- man for the last three years,” along with the rested Sergio Bus- ing session of the week as he shakes said Cotto. “I didn’t ask for quets. off a sprained ankle picked up in the the people to erase the defeat. Promoted Rayo lost at home to derby win over Atletico Madrid last That’s not the issue. He has to Valencia on Saturday but they have weekend. accept what he used and what had a fairly good start to their first he did in 2008.” top-flight The only other blemish on Cotto’s record is a 2009 points loss to Manny Pacquiao. Margarito is a former WBA, WBO and IBF welterweight champion whose best win re- mains his defeat of then un- beaten Cotto.

$Former heavyweight world champion David Haye is in talks to fight WBC title holder Vitali Klitschko in March 2012. Haye, 31, who retired in October after losing to the Ukrainian’s brother Wladimir, told reporters in London on David Villa was on target as Barcelona hammered Rayo Vallecano on home Wednesday that he will lower turf . Real Madrid hitman Cristiano Ronaldo (inset) missed training his pay demands to make sure the fight happens. Kiwis target rare victory Argentina plot revenge over Nadal’s Spain BRISBANE Taylor senses that New Zealand, for so often second-best in the Trans-Tas- MADRID With clay king Nadal December 2-4 tie, say the Captain Ross Taylor said Wednesday man Trophy, have their chance to win inset only their eighth Test in 51 encounters ( ) leading the charge personality clashes that that New Zealand were confident of and the 2011 final to be ruined their 2008 bid are winning their first Test in Australia for going back to 1946. The last time Argentina met Spain “Every time you play against Austra- in the Davis Cup, in the 2008 final played on the red dust firmly behind them. 26 years against a weakened bowling indoors in Seville, the “That’s in the past, attack at the Gabba starting on Thurs- lia, you don’t need any more motiva- in Mar del Plata, the South Ameri- tion with the trans-Tasman rivalry,” cans were firm favourites to claim boot is very much on the completely in the past,” day. other foot and anything Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. The Black Caps, ranked a lowly Taylor said before Thursday’s first of their first title but their challenge two Tests. was wrecked by infighting within other than a Spanish Open champion, told eighth and winners of only three of victory –– giving them a a news conference on their past 22 Tests, take on Michael “We want to win every game. I the team. wouldn’t say we’ve got a better chance The Spanish, without talisman third title in four years and Tuesday. Clarke’s Australians in the throes of an fifth overall –– would be a “After that (2008) final, injury crisis that has hit their new-ball here. Rafa Nadal, pulled off a dramatic “We’re in a good space at the mo- victory on the indoor hard court major surprise. we grew up, I’ve improved attack. Argentina, who have Juan my game. The Australians have named three ment. We’re confident with the way for a third triumph in nine years, we’ve been playing. We need to do the Fernando Verdasco battling from Monaco, Juan Ignacio Chela and “Now we have another chance,” pace bowling newcomers with James Eduardo Schwank alongside Juan added the rangy 23-year-old, Ar- Pattinson, Ben Cutting and Mitchell basics well.” two sets to one down to beat Jose Taylor said he still expected a tough Acasuso and secure an unassail- Martin Del Potro and David Na- gentina’s top-ranked player at Starc in their most inexperienced Test lbandian in the squad for the world number 11. squad since 1985, when the Kiwis last examination from the Australia despite able 3-1 lead. won a Test across the Tasman. their inexperienced bowling line-up.