SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2016 PSG coach Blanc’s future in jeopardy

PARIS: Coach Laurent Blanc’s future at Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain looked in jeopardy when club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi described their season as a failure. PSG achieved their second successive domestic treble by winning Ligue 1, the French Cup and the League Cup, but Champions League progress stagnated as they lost in the quarter-finals for the fourth successive season. “Honestly, I think we failed this season despite winning domestic trophies,” Al-Khelaifi, in charge since Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011 and spent vast sums of money on new players, told daily Le Parisien. “We did not reach our goal so this is a bad season. I have been here for five years and it is the first time that we have this feeling of failure.” Al-Khelaifi pin-pointed the Champions League defeat by Manchester City as his worst moment since he became presi- dent. PSG had been favorites but lost 3-2 on aggregate. “It’s not just the fact that we lost in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, it’s the way it happened,” he said. “I am very disappointed. I did not feel there was pressure before the City games. This elimination is the worst moment since I have been in Paris. Two hours before the return leg I knew we were going to lose. I did not feel the players were ready... Whose fault is this?” Al-Khelaifi promised “big changes will come.” Asked if he still trusted Blanc, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti in 2013, Al-Khelaifi: “I have supported him for three years. Now we have to think about what we are going to do next season to build a group that will be stronger at European level. “I will not discuss individual cases. Big changes will come, a new cycle will start.” With talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic gone, Al- Striker Apostolos Giannou Khelaifi hinted at a change in the club’s recruitment policy. “We’re going to recruit players who will bring more to the team, he said. “At the beginning we needed players to devel- ‘Mixed emotions’ as striker op our image. Now we need players who are ready to die for the club and for that shirt.” - Reuters Giannou faces ex-country

SYDNEY: Striker Apostolos Giannou broadcaster ABC. “When Ange came to really like him as a player. He’s strong, said he expects “mixed emotions” if he to talk to me about playing for he’s tall, he’s fast. I believe he was one plays for Australia in today’s friendly Australia he didn’t want to force me to of the best strikers in the Greek against Greece-six months after briefly do anything. “I have a few friends in the league and (now) for China,” Samaris representing the Greek national team. Greek national team that’s for sure. It said yesterday. China-based Giannou, who was born in will be fun.” Giannou’s emergence comes at a Greece but grew up in Australia, played Giannou made his Australia debut time when Australia are searching for a for the former European champions in in March but his lone appearance for successor for their record goal-scorer November but was allowed to switch to Greece, a 0-0 draw with Turkey, was Tim Cahill, who is in the twilight of his the Socceroos because his appearance shrouded in controversy. The Greek career at 36. Postecoglou has forwards was in a friendly. FA was later fined and forfeited the Cahill, Nathan Burns, Matthew Leckie Giannou represented both Greece match 3-0 for not submitting the and Giannou available after they missed and Australia at youth level but he was required paperwork for Giannou, who the 2-1 loss to England in Sunderland persuaded to commit his future to the made his Australia debut in the 7-0 last month. Greece, who failed to quali- Asian title-holders by a visit from Greek- win over Tajikistan in March. Greece fy for Euro 2016, have no injury con- born Socceroos coach Ange captain Andreas Samaris, a former cerns but coach Michael Skibbe left Postecoglou. “I guess, it’s mixed emo- national youth team-mate of Giannou, Benfica striker out of tions for me,” the 26-year-old said he rated the striker highly from his squad. The two sides will also meet Laurent Blanc Guangzhou R&F forward told Australian his days in Greek domestic football. “I in on Tuesday.— AFP

Prosecutors want Messi to be ‘absolved’ in trial

BARCELONA: Spanish prosecutors called yester- closing argument, a day after the footballer took layperson, if they see so many lawyers signing it, day for Lionel Messi to be absolved and his the stand and said he trusted his father with his they must believe that it’s fine.” father found guilty on the final day of the pair’s finances and “knew nothing” about how his The companies in Uruguay-which much of high-profile tax fraud trial in Barcelona. The wealth was managed. “There is no evidence that the probe centers on-were created and man- Argentina star and his father Jorge Horacio Messi anyone explained anything to him.” But she aged by a Barcelona law firm with whom Messi’s have been accused of using companies in Belize maintained her accusation against his father, for dad communicated. “Mr Jorge Messi cannot and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes on 4.16 mil- whom she asked for a jail sentence of one-and-a- dodge his responsibility by accusing his advi- lion euros ($4.6 million) of Messi’s income half years. sors,” she said. “Fraud takes place because there earned from his image rights from 2007-09. Any such sentence would likely be suspended is a decision in that direction.” Messi and his Barcelona forward Messi’s defense lawyers want as is common in Spain for first offences carrying father did not attend the fourth and final day of both the five-time World Player of the Year and a sentence of less than two years. “It’s because the trial, in which defense lawyers and the state his father to be absolved. Jorge Messi accepted it that this happened,” she attorney have yet to make their closing argu- But the state attorney-who in Spain inter- said. The income related to Messi’s image rights ments. The player had been due to jet off to the venes in trials in parallel with prosecutors when that was allegedly hidden includes endorsement United States after his Thursday court appear- the interests of a public organization have been deals with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, ance for the Copa America where Argentina impacted, in this case the tax authorities-wants Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble and the take on defending champions Chile on Monday. both sentenced. “Lionel Andres Messi must be Food Company. “These contracts are in English, No date has been set for when the court will absolved,” Prosecutor Raquel Amado said in her most certainly bulky,” Amado argued. “For a issue its ruling.— AFP