Barca Put Faith in Setien After Sacking Valverde
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Sports Wednesday, January 15, 2020 13 beIN Media CEO Obaidly named Ro Ro extends Al Sadd stay until 2025 among top ten sports influencers TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK sport. I am particularly proud DOHA that beIN – as a Qatari group – is represented in this list, at a BEIN Media Group CEO time when our country is lead- Yousef al Obaidly has been ing on the world stage,” Obaidly named in SportsPro’s annual said in a statement. list of the top ten influencers The beIN CEO joins notable 2020 in sports. personalities from across world Obaidly was named as CEO sport executives. in 2018 and prior to that, he had The likes of MLS team FC began the expansion of beIN’s Cincinnati investor Meg Whit- international operations. man, Chairman of direct-to- In 2012, Yousef played a consumer and international, pivotal role in the group’s in- Disney Kevin Mayer, Call of ternational expansion of its Duty Esports Commissioner network, where he was respon- Johanna Faries, Juventus sible for the launch of beIN Chairman Andrea Agnelli, BBC SPORTS France, Americas and Sport director Barbara Slater Asia-Pacific. and Nike’s chief executive John He also in 2013, played a Donahoe. vital role in the launch of beIN Others who made the list SPORTS which was previously include Silver Lake managing Al Jazeera Sport. partner Egon Durban, IOC Tel- Al Sadd defender Pedro Miguel has extended his contract with the club until 2025. In a brief statement “I am honored to be recog- evision and Marketing Services on its Twitter handle, Al Sadd announced the deal which will keep the Portuguese-born Qatari interna- nised amongst such globally es- director, Timo Lumme, and tional with The Wolves until his 35th birthday. teemed executives across world beIN Media Group Chief Executive Officer Yousef al Obaidly. WADA president Witold Banka. Fury chasing knockout in Wilder rematch Barca put faith in Setien AFP Kronk gym legend Emanuel LAS VEGAS Steward – would help him score a knockout. TYSON Fury vowed Monday “I’m looking for a knock- after sacking Valverde to chase a knockout in next out,” he said. “That’s why I month’s eagerly anticipated re- hired Sugarhill. He gets you to match with WBC heavyweight sit down on that big right hand. champion Deontay Wilder, That’s what I’m looking for. The former Real insisting he believes he has no There’s the game plan.” chance of earning a victory on Fury said he expected the Betis and Racing points in Las Vegas. fight to flip expectations of -ei The charismatic undefeated ther a knockout for the hard- coach agrees deal British fighter faces the unbeat- hitting Wilder or a points win en Wilder at the MGM Grand for Fury. until 2022 on February 22, after the two “The consensus is either AFP men battled to a draw in Los he knocks me out, or I win on BARCELONA Angeles in December 2018. points,” Fury said. “Usually Fury (29-0-1, 20 knockouts) when people have that opinion, QUIQUE Setien began his first earned a share of the spoils in it goes the opposite way around. session as Barcelona coach on the first fight after frustrating Expect him to box and me to be Tuesday morning just as the Wilder with a superbly elusive looking for the knockout. He sacked Ernesto Valverde drove performance. thinks I’m going to come out out of the training ground for However the self-styled herky-jerky with my famous the last time. “Gypsy King” survived a 12th style, but I want him to meet Valverde had said good- round knockdown to cling on for me in the center of the ring and bye to the players, collected his the draw at the Staples Center. have a slugfest, best man wins.” things and left, closing the page At a press conference in Los Wilder (42-0-1, 41 knock- on a brutal few days that had fi- Angeles on Monday, Fury said outs) however was unim- nally seen him sacked on Mon- he plans to attack Wilder early pressed with Fury’s claims of a day night. on in next month’s bout, insist- tactical switch. After Barca’s public pur- ing he is targeting a second- “No, I don’t believe noth- suit of Xavi Hernandez ended round knockout. ing Fury says at this moment in in failure, they have turned to “Thinking ain’t enough,” the time,” Wilder said. “He’s very Setien, the 61-year-old who has 31-year-old Fury said. “I need to nervous as you can see. He can’t dedicated his coaching career to Barcelona’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu (left) and football director Eric Abidal (right) pose with new coach Quique Setien during his official know I’ve won the fight. I know even sit still. a belief in exciting, possession- presentation in Barcelona on Tuesday. (AFP) I need to get a knockout here. “The fight will be interest- based football. I’m going into this fight know- ing, he’s a great fighter. I’m Barcelona confirmedat his first press conference on we will die with them because home defeat – Sergio Busquets ing I can’t win a decision. I’ve looking forward to it. But I don’t Setien’s appointment follow- Tuesday. “The job he has done Barca has to follow its path.” presented Setien with a signed got to knock him out.” believe anything he says. ing a board meeting that lasted is something to be grateful for.” His first game in charge will shirt. Fury claimed his recent “He’s saying those things, more than four hours at the Off the pitch, the club also I don’t have a glittering be at home to Granada on Sun- “For Quique,” read the mes- change of trainer – he has dis- I don’t feel in his energy that Camp Nou on Monday after- came top of Deloitte’s annual CV or many titles but I have day and a tricky first six weeks sage. “With appreciation and pensed with the services of Ben he believes that. I feel like he’s noon. His contract runs until Football Money League table on demonstrated even before will include away games at Va- admiration for the way you see Davison in favour of Sugarhill nervous because of what hap- 2022 although there is a break Monday, after posting record being a coach that I love a lencia, Real Betis and then Real football.” Steward, the nephew of late pened the first time.” clause in 2021, to allow for earnings of 840.8 million euros certain philosophy. Madrid at the start of March. Previously, Setien had change after the club’s presi- for 2018/19. A former player at Atletico helped Lugo secure promotion dential elections. Some of that income might Quique Setien on his love for Madrid and Racing Santander to the second tier in 2012 and, Valverde is the first coach have to be channelled into sign- the Cruyff football philosophy who won three caps for Spain, in 2016, steered Las Palmas to be sacked by Barca mid- ing a new striker this month, Setien led Betis to a sixth-place clear of relegation from La Liga. season since Louis van Gaal in with Setien taking over a squad finish in 2018 and qualification He has also coached Racing, 2003 and if that points to cha- that will be without Luis Suarez cut off his little finger to play un- for the Europa League but, de- Poli Ejido, Logrones and, for os, Setien inherits a team in a for four months due to a knee der Johan Cruyff. spite overseeing a thrilling 4-3 one game, Equatorial Guinea. healthy position too. injury. More generally, he will After Valverde’s more func- victory at the Camp Nou early “I don’t have a glittering CV Barcelona sit top of La Liga, have to find a way to marry his tional approach, Barca will be- the following season, results or many titles but I have dem- albeit level on points with Real purist principles with results lieve Setien’s philosophy chimes tailed off. Betis finished 10th onstrated even before being a Madrid, and face a winnable at one of the most demanding better with the principles they and the club and coach parted coach that I love a certain phi- tie against Napoli next month clubs in the world. His critics see as part of their DNA. ways, even if there was recogni- losophy,” he said. in the last 16 of the Champions have suggested style can take “I am a person with clear tion for what had been achieved. Setien’s primary task will League. precedence over substance. convictions. I have very clear Setien had presided over be to hold off a resurgent Real “Normally you take over “Having the ball makes you ideas,” said Setien on Tuesday. the team winning twice in a row Madrid after Valverde managed Boxers Deontay Wilder (left) and Tyson Fury (right) during a press teams when they are in trouble a football player, not running “I listen to everyone but I am the at the Santiago Bernabeu and to sustain the domestic domi- conference in Los Angeles on Monday ahead of their rematch fight but Valverde has left us with a after it,” Setien said last year. He first to defend what I believe. If beating Atletico. After seeing nance enjoyed by Barcelona in Las Vegas on February 22. (AFP) team that is first,” Setien said once commented he would have we have to die with our ideas, off Barcelona – Valverde’s only over the last decade.