MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2015 SPORTS Louis van Gaal confirms interest in Ronaldo return LONDON: Manchester United manager some people think our positional game Louis van Gaal confirmed yesterday that is boring but I think it is a way to disor- he would be interested in bringing ganise the opponent’s organisation. Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, “I was very satisfied about our defen- six years after the superstar left for Real sive organisation. We didn’t give more Madrid. than three chances away, one in the first Van Gaal, quoted by several British half and two in the second. “Memphis Sunday newspapers, said: “We are look- and Jesse Lingard played a very good ing at all players, not just Ronaldo. But game. We could have finished the game these players are mostly ungettable. much earlier. I have to say after the “With Ronaldo, let’s wait and hope. There penalty, I thought we gave it away but is no trainer in the world that doesn’t like then you see the spirit of the game. him. He plays on the wings and he is fast, “We created three chances in a row. It and scores goals.” was an injection, the equaliser. I am very Ronaldo cost Real Madrid a then proud I am the manager of that team.” world record fee of £80 million when he Van Gaal will now assess a depleted team left England in 2009 but he turns 31 in ahead of Wednesday’s home Champions February and was off the boil in League clash with PSV Eindhoven. Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona where Having been without a host of players he cut a frustrated figure. including forwards Wayne Rooney (ill- The Portuguese international is a ness), Anthony Martial (foot) and James three-time World Player of the Year and is Wilson (knee), United also lost Ander Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer. Herrera and Phil Jones at Vicarage Road. In Spain, he has won one league title as “We are in a lousy period because well as the 2014 Champions League. there are a lot of injuries,” said Van Gaal. During his time under Alex Ferguson “We had already injuries. Antonio at Old Trafford, he helped United win Valencia has been operated on. Luke three Premier League titles as well as the Shaw, you know. Jones and Herrera are 2008 Champions League. Meanwhile, not available for Wednesday. “The first Van Gaal conceded United are far from impression is they are not heavy injuries pretty to watch after they ground out a but we have to play Wednesday. 2-1 victory at Watford on Saturday thanks “Jones has a twisted ankle and Herrera to Troy Deeney’s late own goal. maybe a hamstring injury. Rooney is ill Van Gaal’s side have been criticised for and illness is a matter of days, not weeks. their conservative style of play under the “I do expect that he shall play Dutchman this season, but their latest Wednesday. He is at home. Tomorrow defensive display paid dividends at (Sunday) he comes and then I can say BERLIN: Hertha Berlin’s Ivorian striker Salomon Kalou (L) and Hoffenheim’s midfielder Nadiem Amiri vie for the ball during the rmanGe first divi- Vicarage Road. They had taken an 11th more. “Martial has a foot problem. It is sion Bundesliga football match Hertha BSC Berlin vs TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin yesterday. —AFP minute lead through Memphis Depay not so heavy but we have to wait and and, although Deeney’s 87th minute see. “Every position is double occupied. It penalty ended a run without conceding is only now that the striker position is not of 10 hours, United snatched the points occupied because Rooney, Martial and Hertha beat Hoffenheim at the death when Deeney turned Wilson are injured.” Watford manager Bastian Schweinsteiger’s effort into his Quique Flores was left to rue the own own net in stoppage-time. goal that cost his side a point. to reclaim fourth place “It was very harsh,” he said. “To lose Defensive the points is very tough. It was a pity for “I have changed the system,” Van Gaal Troy because he was only in that position BERLIN: Hertha Berlin held onto fourth spot in Martinez, then Thomas Mueller struck for ing Gladbach to seven wins and a draw in his said. “Our positional game was not so because he is so committed all over the the Bundesliga yesterday as an own-goal during Bayern. Germany striker Max Kruse netted twice eight league games. Ex-Manchester United star good and that was disappointing. I know pitch.” —AFP a freak blizzard in Germany’s capital sealed their in Wolfsburg’s 6-0 rout of Werder Bremen, who Javier Hernandez scored his first brace for Bayer 1-0 win over bottom side Hoffenheim. There gifted the opener when defender Alejandro Leverkusen in their 3-1 win at Eintracht was a minute’s silence out of respect for the vic- Galvez slid the ball into his own net on 11 min- Frankfurt. Christmas came early for Hernandez tims of the Paris terror attacks, but snow began utes. in Frankfurt when Eintracht centre-back David Marseillaise rings out to fall just after kick-off at Berlin’s Olympic Kruse put third-placed Wolfsburg 2-0 up at Abraham allowed a cross to roll between his legs Stadium and the referee soon had to call for an the break by heading home a free-kick then and the striker stabbed home on 11 minutes. orange ball. Hertha profited most from the win- Portugal international Vierinha netted on 56 The Mexico striker doubled his tally on 39 in Corsica as Caen held ter weather when Hoffenheim defender Eugen minutes. The floodgates opened when France minutes, but it finished 2-1 at the break when Polanski got a slight touch on the ball, which he midfielder Josuha Guilavogui, on for the injured Serbian midfielder Slobodan Medojevic headed BASTIA: ‘La Marseillaise’ rang out in Mediterranean island, Brandao opened headed into his own net on 30 minutes when Brazil star Luiz Gustavo, stabbed home his shot, home on the stroke of half-time before Hakan Bastia yesterday ahead of the much- for the hosts after five minutes following trying to clear a free-kick. Kruse then set up Netherlands striker Bas Dost Calhanoglu scored Leverkusen’s third goal on 72 anticipated Corsican Ligue 1 derby won good work by midfielder Julian Palmieri. The pitch was cleared of snow during the on 78 minutes. minutes. 2-1 by Gazelec-Ajaccio as Caen missed But 14 minutes later Cameroon inter- break and the result masked a poor result for He completed the scoring three minutes from Augsburg climbed off the bottom of the table the chance to go second behind Paris national striker Jacques Zoua got the vis- Berlin, who managed just a single shot all game, time by converting a cross and the result leaves with an emphatic 4-0 win at VfB Stuttgart as Saint-Germain following a goalless draw itors on level terms, slotting home a while the defeat leaves Hoffenheim at the foot Wolfsburg five points behind Dortmund. woeful defending by the hosts allowed the visi- of the table. tors to take an early 2-0 lead with both goals by against Angers. penalty awarded when Bastia goalkeeper On Saturday, Javi Martinez scored his first Gladbach extend run midfielder Alexander Esswein. Defender Jan- Tightened security checks were in Jean-Louis Leca fouled Khalid Boutaib in goal since August 2013 for Bayern Munich as Borussia Moenchengladbach are fifth as Ingwer Callsen-Bracker grabbed a third before place throughout France, just over a the box. their 3-1 win at Schalke 04 opened an eight- Andre Schubert celebrated his first match in former South Korea captain Koo Ja-Cheol scored week after terrorist attacks in Paris and Boutaib missed a golden chance to point lead in the table. charge as head coach with a 2-1 win at home to Augsburg’s fourth when he hit the top right- the Stade de France left 130 people dead put the visitors ahead with half an hour After second-placed Borussia Dortmund’s Hanover 96 thanks to goals by forwards hand corner from 10 metres out on 54 minutes. and more than 350 injured. to go but alone on front of goal it was shock 3-1 defeat at Hamburg on Friday, Pep Ibrahima Traore and Raffael. The Rhine derby finished goalless as Mainz And despite threats by Corsican Leca who won the duel. Ten minutes lat- Guardiola’s Bayern took their chance to extend Having taken over in September with drew at Cologne as the hosts abandoned plans nationalists to boo the French national er Boutaib made no mistake volleying in their lead. David Alaba’s early goal was can- Borussia bottom of the table, the 42-year-old has to play in a special-edition carnival-themed shirt anthem ‘La Marseillaise’ was sang with following a pinpoint David Ducourtioux celled out by Schalke’s Max Meyer before been promoted from a caretaker role after steer- out of respect for those who died in Paris. — AFP gusto at the Armand Cesari Stadium in headed cross. Bastia in tribute to the victims of the The win away lifts Ajaccio out of the Paris attacks. relegation zone with neighbours Bastia The club’s leading supporters group taking their place. In Normandy, Caen Wenger rocked by Bastia 1905 announced prior to the were down to ten men after half and game that they would not enter the sta- hour after Alaeddine Yahia was given a Arsenal nightmare dium until after the national anthem.