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Home , Casemiro, Marco Reus, Toni Kroos

14 Sports Wednesday, April 14, 2021 Ice cold Kroos keeps Real Madrid in the hunt for trophies again Madrid looks to reach Champions League semi-finals

MADRID: When arrived for his first train- ing session with Real Madrid in 2014, he went the wrong way. Walking out onto the pitch at the club’s News in brief sprawling Valdebebas training ground, Kroos saw two circles of players kicking the ball between them and Perez re-elected unopposed jogged over to the one on the left. In his mind, that circle had fewer players in it. It was MADRID: Florentino Perez has been re-elected logical to bolster the numbers. But generally, the left unopposed as president of Real Madrid for a sixth circle is for the club’s Spanish players, the right for for- term, the Spanish champions announced yesterday. eigners. Nobody minded, some thinking Kroos was The 74-year-old was the only name in the running looking to assert himself or perhaps just was not aware since the window for potential candidates to apply of the code. The truth was Kroos knew the code but in opened at the start of the month. A club statement that moment it made no sense to him. said: “A single candidate was validated by the elec- For a club like Madrid, arguably the biggest in the toral committee....and D. Florentino Perez Rodriguez world, where the fans are among the most demanding is proclaimed president”. Perez, the head of major and the attention and pressure on players is almost construction group ACS, has already twice been re- certainly the most heated, Kroos has continued to elected unopposed, in 2013 and 2017. He was the stand out as a figure of cold, clear thinking. The esteem man behind Madrid’s star-studded ‘Galacticos’ era in which he is now held at the Santiago Bernabeu, or in his first spell in charge of the club between 2000- more recently the Alfredo di Stefano, was certainly not 2006. His latest mandate will see him at the helm automatic. The same suspicions that hung over him at until 2025. — AFP Bayern endured, that here was a with no major flaws but no obvious strengths, neither destroyer nor creator, hard to define and, at first, diffi- cult to admire. In Germany, there had been a deeper Ramos tests positive mistrust of character too, that Kroos’ lack of outward MADRID: Real Madrid’s German midfielder Toni Kroos dives for the ball during the “El Clasico” Spanish League emotion stemmed from a lack of fortitude, an accusa- MADRID: Real Madrid captain , who football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Valdebebas, on was already out of this week’s Champions League tion regularly leveled at the generation that later went the outskirts of Madrid on Saturday. — AFP on to win the 2014 World Cup. meeting with Liverpool because of a calf injury, has It remains the case that while Kroos’ standing in the tested positive for COVID-19, the club announced on world’s most successful midfield trio is unquestioned, Tuesday. Ramos is the second case of coronavirus he rarely enjoys the kind of praise aimed at the likes of For coach , he is an instant pick winner against Barcelona, for Kroos’ talents to be detected in the Real Madrid squad in a week. French , Sergio Ramos, or Luka for the team’s biggest games. “He has this authori- thrust back into the limelight. Those assists in the 3-1 defender Raphael Varane tested positive last Tuesday. Modric. Modric and Casemiro have perhaps even ty,” Zidane said last year. “He doesn’t talk a lot, he’s win over the English club have put Madrid in sight of Varane has not yet been given the green light to contributed to Kroos’ devaluation, Modric the feather- a quiet and reserved guy. He expresses himself on the Champions League semi-finals, a job they hope to rejoin his teammates. Ramos injured his left calf while weight and Casemiro the Brazilian wreck- the pitch.” finish tonight in the second leg, against an unsure with Spain during the international window but he ing-ball, each of them easier to quantify than the sur- Madrid president Florentino Perez handed Kroos a opponent inside an empty Anfield. Kroos’ free-kick has been a vocal presence on the sidelines since. The gical German next to them. four-year deal in 2019, a show of faith given he had has made Madrid favorites to win too, even if positive test means he has to stay away from his just turned 29 and was at the end of what had been a the stumbling Atletico Madrid still have one point left teammates until he tests negative. — AFP ‘Toni decides’ disappointing year for the side. And while Manchester of what in February was a 10-point lead. Inside the club, attitudes are more emphatic. “Toni United almost signed him in 2014, Kroos now hopes to It raises the prospect of a Spanish-European dou- is incredible, a legend of the club. Whenever he goes retire where he is. “The idea is to end my career at ble, which seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago, but out on the pitch he goes out with class. Nobody can Real Madrid,” he said. suddenly feels possible given Madrid’s tendency to Huetter to coach Gladbach play like him,” said Vinicius Junior last week. “If Toni Yet externally there is still a sense that Germany’s accelerate down the final straight. As the season wants the team to slow down it slows down, if he most successful ever player flies under the radar. It reaches its climax, this is a team that has found a confi- : Austrian Adi Huetter will quit as Eintracht wants to speed it up it speeds up,” said Casemiro. took two lazer passes last week, that caused havoc in dence in adversity and a calmness under pressure. Frankfurt head coach at the end of the season to “Toni decides.” Liverpool’s defense, and a free-kick on Saturday, the They begin to think like Kroos. — AFP take charge of rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach, both clubs confirmed yester- day. After weeks of speculation, Huetter, 51, will sign League Cup successes despite a shock defeat against a three-year contract as head coach of Gladbach, skipper 10-man Leeds on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s City are replacing Marco Rose, 44, who is leaving to take desperate to reach the last four after exiting at the over at for the 2021/22 season. Reus revels alongside quarter-final stage in each of the last four seasons. With six games left, fourth-placed Frankfurt are on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League ‘He’s a legend here’ next season. They have a five-point lead over fifth- ‘unique’ Haaland With Reus in full flow and splitting defences with placed Dortmund. In contrast, Gladbach are eighth his smooth passes, Dortmund can throw off their errat- in Germany’s top flight, 13 points from a place in the ic Bundesliga form and play like one of Europe’s best Champions League. — AFP BERLIN: is set to rekindle his blossom- teams. “He is a big legend here and we need him at his ing partnership with Erling Braut Haaland tonight as best,” Haaland said of Reus in January. “He has a vision Borussia Dortmund bid to hand Manchester City that no one else has.” After converting Reus’ silky pass another Champions League quarter-final exit. to score at home to Sevilla in the last 16, Haaland cele- Sevilla keeps hopes Dortmund captain Reus, 31, is back to his best after brated by simply lifting his captain clean off his feet. struggling with poor form and injury this season, revel- The Norway attacker has not scored in his last five LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp MADRID: Sevilla gave themselves an outside ing alongside the 20-year-old Haaland. games for club and country after three blanks on inter- shouts instructions to his players from the touchline chance of rejoining La Liga’s title race on Monday Reus has scored in Dortmund’s last two games with national duty last month. during the English Premier League football match by winning a seven- thriller away at Celta Vigo. Haaland, their top scorer this season with 33 goals in Yet while defenses worry about containing Haaland, between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield in A second-half double from Ivan Rakitic and Papu 34 games, providing both assists. In nearly a decade at Reus has been revelling in the extra space Haaland’s Liverpool, north west England on Saturday. — AFP Gomez snatched a 4-3 victory for Sevilla, who twice Dortmund, Reus has played as an attacking midfielder runs often provide. “He’s become really good with the had to come from behind at Balaidos. The comeback behind talented strikers such as , ball at his feet and with a defender at his back,” said puts Sevilla six points behind Atletico Madrid, who Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Paco Alcacer. Reus. “That wasn’t the case when he first joined us, but drew away at on Sunday to give further Reus is full of praise for his team-mate, who his achievements and goals give him an unbelievable Liverpool need Klopp encouragement to Real Madrid and Barcelona. grabbed headlines earlier this season as the youngest power that helps us.” Zinedine Zidane’s side beat Barca 2-1 in Saturday’s player to score 20 Champions League goals. “I’ve nev- Reus picked up a knock following his goal in to rediscover magic Clasico at the Alfredo di Stefano. For weeks it has er seen anyone like Haaland at this club,” Reus told the Saturday’s 3-2 win at Stuttgart after Haaland stepped looked like only Real Madrid and Barcelona could ‘Kicker meets DAZN’ podcast. He’s unique and still over the ball and let it roll to his unmarked skipper. touch for rescue act overhaul struggling Atletico but 13 points from 15 very young. He’s developed massively over the past six After Reus limped off midway through the second-half has put Sevilla back in sight of the top three. Fourth to nine months.” in Stuttgart, Dortmund’s caretaker coach Edin Terzic place is all-but secure for Julen Lopetegui’s side, Reus scored what could prove to be a crucial away said he is “confident” his captain will face City. LIVERPOOL: In need of another famous Champions who have a 14-point advantage over fifth-placed goal in their 2-1 first-leg defeat in Manchester when Yet Reus is one of the most injury-prone players in League fightback, Liverpool cannot rely on awave of Real Sociedad, who they face next weekend. Celta his effort, from Haaland’s brilliant pass, curled past City Germany’s top-flight. Since 2010, Reus has suffered at passion, color and noise from the stands at Anfield to stay 10th. — AFP goalkeeper Ederson. A 1-0 home win, or victory by at least 21 injuries. Despite making his Germany debut a inspire a comeback from 3-1 down against Real Madrid least two clear goals, on Wednesday would send decade ago, fitness issues have limited Reus to just 44 tonight. If the English champions are to reach the semi- Dortmund into the semis to face either holders Bayern appearances for the national team. Heartbreakingly, finals for the third time in four years, they will instead Munich or Paris Saint-Germain. Reus missed Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph after need their manager Jurgen Klopp to conjure the moti- De Bruyne key City remain on course for a historic quadruple of tearing ankle ligaments in the final warm-up match vation and tactical masterplan to once again eliminate Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and before the team flew to Brazil. — AFP one of Spanish football’s giants. to breaking Man Klopp has earned near God-like status on Merseyside for delivering a sixth European Cup and a first league title for 30 years to Liverpool. But the City’s CL complex charismatic German has been unable to halt the Reds’ fall from grace this season. With seven games to play in LONDON: “Win everything,” said the Premier League, it is already mathematically impos- when asked of his ambitions for Manchester City after sible for Liverpool to retain their title as they lie 22 signing a new four-year contract to reportedly become points adrift of Manchester City in fifth. Hopes the the Premier League’s highest paid player last week. With Champions League could prove the salvation of a dis- less than two months of the season to play, City are still appointing season were also dashed as Real ran riot in on course for a historic quadruple of Champions the first 45 minutes in Madrid last week to open up a League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. commanding first-leg lead. Just breaking through the barrier of the Champions Liverpool’s deficit is not as steep as when Barcelona League quarter-finals would be a landmark for Pep visited two years ago in the semi-finals in what turned Guardiola as he tries to reach the last four for the first out to be arguably the greatest of all the memorable time in five years in Manchester tonight. City travel to European nights at Anfield. Depleted by injuries, Borussia Dortmund holding a slender 2-1 lead and bear- Klopp’s men still rolled over Barca’s stellar cast of star ing plenty of scars from quarter-final ties over the past names 4-0 on their way to winning the trophy. three years. “Different year, same stuff,” was how a dis- But Klopp hinted that the task may be even greater appointed De Bruyne summed up a 3-1 defeat by Lyon now in front of the sterile atmosphere of an empty sta- in Lisbon last season. Defensive mistakes, missed dium due to coronavirus restrictions. “If you want to chances and VAR controversy also combined to deny have some emotional memories, then you watch the Guardiola’s men as they bowed out to Liverpool and Barcelona game back and 80 percent of this game was Tottenham in contrasting fashion in 2018 and 2019. the atmosphere in the stadium, so yes, we have to do it Despite the explosive talent of Erling Braut Haaland, without that,” said Klopp after the first leg. a Dortmund side sitting fifth in the Bundesliga should Liverpool can claim to have suffered more than most not pose a problem for the runaway Premier League from an entire season behind closed doors. Prior to leaders. But De Bruyne has lived through too many City January, they were unbeaten in 68 home Premier horror shows in Europe’s premier club competition to League games. That club-record run was followed by a take anything for granted. less treasured one as for the first time Liverpool then The Champions League is the one trophy to have so lost six consecutive games at Anfield. A late winner to far eluded the Belgian since he arrived in England in MANCHESTER: In this file photo taken on April 06, 2021 Dortmund’s German forward Marco Reus (left) cele- beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Saturday snapped that streak, brates after scoring the equalizing goal with Dortmund’s Norwegian forward Erling Braut Haaland during the 2015. A determination to end City’s wait to conquer but only served to reinforce that Liverpool are not the Europe was key to both the player and club’s motiva- UEFA Champions League first leg quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund force of the past two seasons. On top of empty stadi- at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England. — AFP tions for agreeing a new contract worth a reported £20 ums, injuries have also played a major role. —AFP million ($27 million) a year.—AFP