WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2014 SPORTS Barcelona entrusts Enrique Photo of the day with delivering change MADRID: Barcelona promised change, and team built around the “tiki-taka” - quick delivered it quickly. By bringing in Luis combinations based on keeping posses- Enrique as the team’s new coach, Barcelona sion - inspired by Xavi. This despite the 34- is returning to the philosophy of having a year-old Xavi having helped generate so former player in charge after the failed one- many successes for club and country. year tenure of Gerardo Martino. Against Sociedad, Xavi was on the sub- The 44-year-old Enrique, who was stitute’s bench alongside Cesc Fabregas as appointed Monday on a two-year contract, the Catalans crumbled with the little used will no doubt be expected to also return Alex Song in midfield. the team to its beloved “tiki-taka” style of Neymar’s arrival did not generate the football - which Martino decided to aban- excitement that Barcelona expected from don on Saturday when he opted to leave having two of the best players in the world Xavi Hernandez on the bench in the title- in the same team, with Gareth Bale and decider against Atletico Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo providing much more The Argentine coach opted to play excitement - and goals - at rival Real Atletico at its own game, which proved a Madrid. terrible mistake. A 1-1 draw gave Atletico Barcelona’s decision to live off the suc- its first league title in 18 years - and left cess of previous president Joan Laporta’s Barcelona without a major trophy for the transfers eventually caught up to it, with an first time in six years. already frail defense left without options as “The league ended and so did many Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba were sidelined other things,” Barcelona midfielder Andres more often than not. Iniesta said on Saturday. For Enrique, the While the off-field troubles certainly dis- biggest task will be to get Lionel Messi tracted the club - from president Sandro back to his best again. Rosell’s resignation over tax fraud charges With Messi having a below-par season, relating to the signing of Neymar to Messi’s Barcelona’s brand of football simply didn’t own problems with the tax authorities - work during the second half of the season, Martino’s swift change of tactics led to when the team took a nosedive. upheaval. Messi looked pedestrian on Saturday, a With Barcelona needing to score against day after becoming the highest paid player Atletico to retain the title, Martino intro- in the sport and with silverware on the line. duced Xavi instead of a forward late in the And the numbers don’t lie: Barcelona was game, another indication of how confusion better this season without Messi. Barcelona reigned. Mohammed Jaffar performs in Kuwait City.— www.redbull.com dropped just five of a possible 54 points With Fabregas reportedly set to be sold through the first 18 rounds of the season as in the summer, the DNA that personifies Martino became the first Barcelona coach Barca’s brand “More than a club” could be in to start a season unbeaten in his first 20 danger. “An era is over, whether we like it or games in all competitions. But Barcelona not. And that’s why it pains us so much, Ronaldo confident he’ll be fit won just 38 of a possible 60 points after because you never want nice things to Messi returned to play the last 20 games. come to an end,” defender Javier Messi wasn’t the only problem, though. Mascherano said. “This club brought a cer- for Champions League final The tide turned with a 3-1 loss at Real tain style of play to the world and it needs Sociedad in February, when Martino made to keep playing that way.” And now, it’s up it clear he no longer had confidence in a to Enrique to make it happen.—AP BARCELONA: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is confident he will have recovered from a persistent thigh injury in time for Saturday’s Champions League final. Alonso tips Red Bull to The FIFA Ballon d’Or winner, top scorer in La Liga this season with 31 goals, has been suffer- ing recurring thigh problems since early April challenge in Monaco and has spent the last two weeks concentrating on being ready for the Lisbon showdown MONTE CARLO: Fernando Alonso may mine their qualifying supremacy of against Atletico Madrid. hold few hopes of winning this week- recent years on the famous His last match was away to Valladolid on May end’s Monaco Grand Prix for Ferrari, but Mediterranean street circuit. 7 where a 1-1 draw practically ended Real’s La he does believe that champions Red Bull That was achieved, by Rosberg last Liga title hopes and Ronaldo lasted less than 10 can mount a challenge to runaway lead- year, and compatriot Michael minutes before limping off. ers Mercedes. Schumacher in 2012 (before he was “I feel good but still not 100 percent. I hope “This year,” he said, after the recent penalised for a misdemeanor at the pre- to be ready for Saturday,” the Portuguese told Spanish Grand Prix, “I think Monte Carlo vious race) thanks to their car’s character- Real Madrid TV yesterday. The Portuguese will be one of the few possibilities to istic of over-heating the tyres, a negative missed the last two games of the season and is challenge Mercedes-especially for Red issue for anywhere else, but perfect for still not back to full training. “It is my first day Bull. It is a chance, but not I think for us.” peak performance one-lap blasts in out on the pitch and I feel ok and happy,” he The 32-year-old Spaniard has not won Monaco. “In the past, on a low-grip cir- said. in the principality since the second of his cuit like Monaco, we have been able to “Playing during the week and weekends two successive victories in 2007, in a race keep the tyres alive easily, but over-work- means it is normal that the body has a negative that ended amid controversy as he led ing the tyres is not a problem for us any- response. Unfortunately I have had a few prob- his then-Mercedes team-mate Lewis more,” said Wolff. lems but if you look around Europe the same Hamilton home. Hamilton, then a rookie, And that, plus the tight, twisty and thing is happening and players are getting claimed he should have won because he punishing nature of the 3.34-km circuit injured. was faster than Alonso, but was told to means that Mercedes’ power advantage “Nobody wants to miss a final, a final we obey instructions and hold position. this year may also be reduced, according have been aiming for and it is obviously impor- A post-race inquiry vindicated the to Alonso, who believes Red Bull have tant. If the body can’t do it then it is not the end team’s position in controlling their driv- the performance characteristics to of the world but I will be there, I am confident.” ers as they claimed a crushing one-two mount a challenge. There is more concern over whether defend- victory. This time around, Hamilton “In the corners, they (Red Bull) are er Pepe and striker Karim Benzema, with calf arrives in Monaco not as a new boy, but very fast, but on the straights they seem and adductor injuries respectively, will be ready as the in-form championship leader fol- to lose a lot of lap time,” he explained. in time. Cristiano Ronaldo lowing four straight wins for the ‘silver “But in Monte Carlo, there are no “They are the only two players over whom arrows’-and intent on adding another tri- straights. So, Red Bull could challenge we have doubts,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told umph to that he claimed with McLaren, Mercedes there.” Hamilton, who gained a news conference. “I am not optimistic or pes- following Alonso’s abrupt departure, in the lead in the drivers’ title race by win- simistic. Right now they wouldn’t be able to Allardyce to stay 2008. ning in Spain, is also worried that he has play but we are not taking the decision now. If And, after clocking the fastest times in enjoyed a fat slice of luck in his four Pepe isn’t ready then Varane would take his qualifying for the last two years, straight wins and pointed out that place.” at West Ham Mercedes know they should be confi- Rosberg was the faster driver in two of Real have faced Atletico four times this sea- dent of securing another pole position, those races. son, losing to them and drawing in La Liga but LONDON: Sam Allardyce will remain as West Ham “We have a very clear vision of how we want perhaps a front-row lockout and turning “It’s still encouraging that I won,” he winning both legs of the King’s Cup semi-final. “I United manager next season, the Premier League West Ham United to operate under our joint own- the traditional 78-laps contest into a pri- said. “As in Bahrain, I felt massively good don’t think there is a favorite, it will be an even club said yesterday, although he will be expected ership,” joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David vate in-house duel. after that, but I know what I’ve got and I game,” Ancelotti said.