• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Sports FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016 Guardiola ‘happy’ to avoid Bayern in the last 16 MONCHENGLADBACH: Pep Guardiola admits he is glad his Manchester City will avoid his ex-club Bayern Munich in the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League. City booked their place in the knock-out phase on Wednesday with a sluggish 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach as both teams finished with ten men. The point confirms City will finish second in their group with one game left to play. Gladbach are con- firmed in third-which means the last 32 of the Europa League-after bottom side Celtic lost 2-0 at home to Barcelona, who win Group C. Bayern will join City in the same pot when the draw for the last 16 is made on Monday December 12 in Nyon. The German giants will also finish second in their group after their shock 3-2 defeat at Rostov with Atletico Madrid pro- gressing as winners. Guardiola says he is delighted to have steered City to the last 16, even more so to have avoided Bayern, who he took to the semi-finals in each of the last three seasons. “In the last 16, all the teams will be tough,” said Guardiola. “Bayern Munich, for example, are also second. “The team who gets them is going to suffer and I’m glad we won’t play them.” Raffael’s goal for Moenchengladbach midway through the first half was cancelled out by City’s David Silva on the stroke of half-time at Borussia Park. PARIS: The ball slams into the back of the net after Barcelona’s Argentinean striker Lionel Messi (2nd right) Gladbach then had captain Lars Stindl sent off on 50 scored a penalty for Barcelona’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League group C football match minutes for a second yellow card and subsequent red. between Celtic and Barcelona on November 23, 2016. —AFP But both sides were left with ten men for the final half an hour when City had Fernandinho dismissed for his second yellow after pulling back Raffael. This was not a Barca, City cruise into last 16 convincing display from City, who looked a shadow of the side which stunned Barcelona 3-1 in Manchester three weeks ago. Messi bags double as Barca see off Celtic They looked vulnerable in defense in the first half and have now conceded nine goals on the road, failing PARIS: Lionel Messi fired Barcelona into in pole position to finish top of the before going ahead courtesy of a Dmitri to win any of their three away matches in Europe. For the last 16 of the Champions League on group when an attempted clearance Poloz penalty. all their possession in the second half, their star-stud- Wednesday after a 2-0 win at Celtic as from Marquinhos ricocheted off an Juan Bernat swiftly levelled for the ded attack failed to convert their chances. But City are they were joined in the knockout rounds unfortunate Marco Verratti and Germans, but Ecuador international in last 16 for the fourth straight year and Guardiola was by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. The squirmed past Alphonse Areola for a Christian Noboa fired competition debu- Argentine star returned from illness to fluke own goal.But Lucas ensured Unai tants Rostov to a first group stage victory delighted to have progressed. score both goals at Celtic Park the sec- Emery’s side departed with a point as his with the winner on 67 minutes. In ond from the penalty spot-to send the header from Hatem Ben Arfa’s corner Madrid, French duo Kevin Gameiro and ‘So happy’ five-time European champions through flicked off Alex Iwobi and flashed past Antoine Griezmann netted second-half “I know how hard it is to win away from home, we as winners of Group C. City recovered David Ospina 13 minutes from the end. goals as Atletico-runners-up twice in the have to be so, so happy because some big teams will from a goal down in Germany to earn a “We had good spells in the game but past three seasons-registered their fifth not be in the second round,” said Guardiola. “Hopefully 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach we could not dominate. Tonight my con- win in as many matches in the we can do well and qualify for the quarter-finals. “Four as both sides finished with 10 men. cern is that we were 2-1 up and allowed Champions League. Besiktas launched a years ago, the second stage was a bit easier, but now all Raffael grabbed the opening goal for them to come back at us. It’s difficult to remarkable second-half recovery as they the teams are so strong and anything can happen.” Gladbach on 23 minutes, but David Silva understand how easy we gave away a fought back from three goals down Guardiola said the Premier League will be their focus poked in Kevin De Bruyne’s cross just pri- goal at a corner,” said Arsenal coach against Benfica to draw 3-3 in Istanbul. until their European campaign resumes in February or to the break before Lars Stindl and Arsene Wenger. Both PSG and Arsenal Benfica, champions of Europe in 1961 with their final match at Celtic now a dead rubber. Fernandinho saw red in the second half. have 11 points with one match to play, and 1962, appeared to be sailing “We will prioritize our games in the Premier “We controlled the game but it wasn’t but the French outfit own the head-to- through to the last 16 after cruising 3-0 League,” he said. “We have Burnley and Chelsea enough to win. We’re just happy that head edge on away goals after the ahead inside barely half an hour before we have to think about Celtic in ten days time. we’re through to the last 16,” said reverse fixture at the Parc des Princes in through goals from Goncalo Guedes, “We have qualification in the bag, so that’s decided Belgian international De Bruyne. French September finished 1-1. Nelson Semedo and Ljubomir Fejsa. But until February and we can focus on other things.” champions Paris Saint-Germain seized the Turks pulled one back on the hour Gladbach are winless in their last six games, but control of their own destiny in Group A Bayern stunned in Russia courtesy of Cenk Tosun before two punched above their weight to hold City at home, with a 2-2 draw away to Arsenal. Edinson Bayern Munich crashed to a shock 3-2 goals in the final seven minutes from especially having been routed by Guardiola’s side 4-0 Cavani turned in Blaise Matuidi’s cross at defeat in Rostov and could face a daunt- Ricardo Quaresma and Vincent in the away fixture last September. The result relieves the far post to hand PSG an 18th-minute ing draw in the next round after Atletico Aboubakar revived their qualification some of the pressure on coach Andre Schubert, whose lead at the Emirates Stadium. Madrid’s 2-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven hopes. Napoli were held 0-0 at home by team is mid-table in Germany’s top flight. “Overall, we But the Gunners hit back on the guaranteed Diego Simeone’s men first Dynamo Kiev and must take at least a are very happy with the third place,” said Schubert. “In stroke of half-time as Alexis Sanchez was place in Group D. Douglas Costa rifled point from their trip to Benfica in a fort- the first half we played an outstanding game and brought down by Grzegorz Krychowiak Bayern ahead on 35 minutes in Russia, night, while Besiktas will punch their could have scored a second goal.” —AFP and Olivier Giroud rolled home the but Rostov equalised through Sardar ticket to the knockout stages if they win resulting spot-kick. Arsenal looked to be Azmoun on the stroke of half-time in Ukraine. —AFP FIFA faces lawsuit over rules banning transfer of minors ZURICH: FIFA is facing a lawsuit in a Zurich court over regula- Union because of the rules. or European Economic Area (EEA), where the minimum age is tions that ban the transfer of players under the age of 18. The “Thereby, he and his family miss the probably unique 16. In those cases, clubs must still ensure that the player contin- case was been filed at the Zurich Commercial Court on chance of a professional and social advancement,” said the ues his education and studies for an alternative career, as well as Wednesday on behalf of a 17-year-old African player and his statement issued yesterday. FIFA bans the international trans- making sure he has a high living standard. “FIFA implemented parents, who say that the rules make FIFA’s transfer regula- fers of players under the age of 18 unless their parents have these regulations on the pretext that young football players tions unlawful. A spokesman for Zurich law firm Nater Dallafior emigrated for reasons not connected to football or both the such as the claimant must be protected,” said the statement. “In Rechtsanwaelte, which has brought the case, said in a state- player and club are based within 50 kilometers of a national reality, however, these regulations lead to a discrimination of ment that the player, who had represented his country at border. football players from third countries outside the European youth level, was unable to move to a club in the European The only other exception is for transfers within either the EU Union.” This, it said, made them unlawful.

Load more

  1

Copy Link