• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 SPORTS PREVIEW Bale left out as Madrid aim to halt Maradona-backed Napoli MADRID: Real Madrid boss Zinedine long road and we are on that path. FIRST STEP home city of Cardiff. against the champions of the world and Zidane has resisted the temptation to “The good thing is that we are in “He is one of the most important “We are Real Madrid and it has never a really strong side,” Napoli boss Maurizio rush back a fit-again Gareth Bale for their good shape. We have everyone fit, that players in the history of football. It is nice happened, but we think we can be the Sarri told the club’s website. Champions League clash today against means it will be harder to pick the squad, he is here to see the game live.” Zidane, first team to defend the title,” added the “They are so strong that we don’t an on-form Napoli backed by Diego but I’m happy to see everyone ready and though, insisted he is more concerned Croatian. “Tomorrow is the first step even know if we will be able to stop Maradona. committed for the return of the by the likes of the on-fire Dries Mertens, against Napoli, that is the most impor- them. “I don’t know what to expect and Bale returned to training for the first Champions League.” who has scored 14 goals in his last 11 tant thing not looking further ahead. We what it will happen. I just want to say time since suffering ankle ligament dam- Napoli’s sensational free-scoring form outings, including three hat-tricks. want to be in Cardiff but we need to go that I want commitment, dedication and age in November on Sunday and has “He (Maradona) was one of the best game-by-game.” nerve in order to understand exactly that has seen them reel off an 18-game been left out of Zidane’s 19-man squad. players in the history of football, but I am Napoli have a returning star of their who we are and where we can get to.” unbeaten run has seen the Italians’ Cristiano Ronaldo has been passed fit, more worried about those that are on own as Arkadiusz Milik has made the Napoli will be forced to abandon one though, as the Portuguese has shrugged hopes of shocking the holders soar. the field.” No side has managed to retain bench for victories over Bologna and lucky charm, though, as Madrid will be off a knock picked up in Saturday’s 3-1 Among the expected 10,000 strong the competition in the Champions Genoa after suffering cruciate ligament the ones in their famous white jerseys win at Osasuna to keep Los Blancos top travelling support will be Napoli’s great- League era with AC Milan 27 years ago damage in October. today. The turnaround in Napoli’s for- of La Liga. “He has had nearly three est ever player as Maradona arrived in the last team to win back-to-back However, the Polish international will tunes in recent months coincided with months out and we have to go slowly Madrid on Monday. “Thankfully he is not European Cups. However, Modric start on the sidelines again with Mertens superstitious president Aurelio De with Gareth,” said Zidane on Tuesday. playing! We are happy about that,” said believes the 11-time winners are better partnered by Lorenzo Insigne and for- Laurentis’s decision to replace the club’s “Everyone wants to win the Madrid midfielder Luka Modric on the placed than anyone else to bring that mer Madrid winger Jose Maria Callejon. traditional sky blue colours for white Champions League, but it is a hard and presence of Maradona. streak to an end in June’s final in Bale’s “We are going to play an away match back in November. — AFP Sane, the flying winger finally shining at City MANCHESTER: Maybe it was the pressure “Sometimes you need a bit more time to of a $50 million price tag and being billed adapt,” the coach said, “to know the way as European soccer’s next big thing. Maybe that we play, to feel, ‘OK, I am here, I am it was the early injury setback. Or maybe it good enough to play.’” was adjusting to a new country and culture The turnaround came when Sane was at the age of 20. handed an unexpected start against Whatever the reason, it took Leroy Sane Arsenal on Dec. 18, a huge call by half a season to really stand out at Guardiola as City was struggling for form at Manchester City. Now, he’s proving unstop- that stage. He was excellent in the second pable. Sane is the lively winger with big half, scoring the equalizer as City recovered hair - and even bigger bunch of tricks - who to win 2-1. is proving to be a key factor behind City’s Sane then picked up a muscle injury but resurgence as a potential Premier League made a goal-scoring return against title contender with three months left of Tottenham on Jan. 21 and has started every the season. Starting for the fifth straight game since. game in City’s 2-0 win at Bournemouth on “Leroy came here a little bit scared but I Monday, the Germany international gave think after the game against Arsenal, some- his opponents a tough time, leaving one on thing clicked,” Guardiola said. “He has his backside with a darting run and the showed us a lot of things. He is so fast, his crossbar shaking with a fierce shot after intensity helped us a lot and he helped us another dribble. The son of Regina Weber, defensively, too. who won a bronze medal in the rhythmic “He is only 21 years old. I am so happy gymnastics all-around competition at the for Manchester City. We have a good player 1984 Olympics, the left-footed Sane was a for the next years.” joy to watch with his balance and graceful Sane is part of a new-generation front style. It was the latest impressive display three - also comprising Gabriel Jesus and from a player who has the qualities City Raheem Sterling - that is thrilling the manager Pep Guardiola wants in a winger - Premier League and has Guardiola’s seal of pace, strong work rate and the ability to approval, in terms of goal output, work rate stretch a defense. and intensity. Sergio Aguero, City’s star To Guardiola, Sane is like a new signing. striker since 2011, has been dropped as a “The people say in the winter transfer win- result and could end up leaving in the off- dow one guy arrived (in) Gabriel Jesus,” season. Guardiola said. “I think we had two arrive.” City is reported to have beaten Real ROME: Lazio’s Senad Lulic, left, and AC Milan’s Suso vie for the ball during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, at the That’s because Sane was barely a factor Madrid and Bayern Munich to Sane’s signa- Olympic stadium in Rome, Monday. — AP for City in the first months of the season ture, making him the club’s sixth most after his transfer from Schalke in August on expensive signing in its history. a five-year deal for an initial 37 million Now that he’s injury-free and in his best SOCCER pounds (then $50 million), a fee that could form this season, it’s easy to see why. — AP potentially rise by a quarter through per- formance-related add-ons. Upon joining, Sane said he would “need Suso sizzler salvages a bit of time” to get used to English soccer. Matches on TV A hamstring injury initially held him back, (Local Timings) causing him to miss the start of the season, and he was tentative in his early perform- ances following his debut against UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Milan draw at Lazio Manchester United at Old Trafford. Real Madrid v SSC Napoli 22:45 beIN SPORTS 1 HD LACKING SELF-BELIEF Bayern Munich v Arsenal 22:45 MILAN: A late equaliser from Suso secured a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Immobile in the sec- a Jose Sosa free-kick late one. Comments from Guardiola in November beIN SPORTS 1 HD share of the points as AC Milan relaunched their ond half and the hosts were eventually made to The ‘keeper was left clutching at thin air in suggested Sane was lacking self-belief. Europa League bid with a precious 1-1 draw at pay for their profligacy. the 85th minute when Suso collected inside the Lazio on Monday. Montella’s men began to find their stride and area, controlled and curled the ball into the far Lazio, fighting for a top three finish in a tight- Strakosha had to be at full stretch to palm away corner to secure a share of the points. — AFP ly-contested Serie A, looked to be heading for a Ronaldo to carry the load second successive win after their 6-2 romp at Pescara after Lucas Biglia put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time. for Madrid against Napoli But Simone Inzaghi’s men were stunned five Pressure on Wenger to minutes from the end at a near empty Stadio MADRID: With Gareth Bale not fully fit and Madrid will likely need Ronaldo to thrive Olimpico when Suso cut in from the right to curl break Bayern curse Karim Benzema still struggling, it will be again this time against Napoli, as Bale will not a superb shot past Tomas Strakosha in the Lazio Cristiano Ronaldo again carrying the load for play despite having recovered from right- net at the keeper’s far post.

Load more

  1

Copy Link