WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018 18 Bale can fill BETTER KNOW Ronaldo void many qualities. He can help fill Jose Mourinho consoles Andreas Pereira of Manchester United after his the void,” Lopetegui said. team lost to Liverpool Ronaldo joined Italian cham- pions Juventus on a four-year contract for 100 million euros ($117.37 million) earlier this Mourinho hopeful of is one of the main month, signalling the end of players in the nine years in . one more signing recent history of Lopetegui was keen to stress Real Madrid. He that the Portuguese’s departure Reuters | Manchester World Cup in Russia. Their Reuters | Madrid expressed a desire represented a “fantastic oppor- sole pre-season win came to leave and we tunity” for Bale, who has been anchester United man- against AC Milan last week. eal Madrid’s Gareth Bale allowed him to. linked by Spanish media with Mager Jose Mourinho says The club’s inconsistent per- has the qualities to fill a move away from the club, to he is confident that the club formances has led Mourin- Rthe void left by his fellow Gareth Bale is a stay and show his talent. will sign at least one more ho to express his frustration forward Cristiano Ronaldo’s magnificent player, “I don’t walk to talk about player before the Premier on multiple occasions move to Juventus, the Spanish with so many hypothetical situations,” Lo- League’s transfer window throughout the U.S. side’s new manager Julen Lo- qualities. He can petegui said, dismissing reports closes on Aug 9. tour, including criticis- petegui has said. help fill the void of Bale’s possible return to the The Portuguese boss ex- ing individual players Bale struggled to hold on with United pressed his hopes of signing and United’s lack of to his place in the starting and his former team Tottenham two new recruits after Unit- transfer activity. XI under previous manager Hotspur possible destinations. ed’s 4-1 defeat by Liverpool in Goalkeeper Lee and said “If this is the squad I have the pre-season International Grant, however, Gareth Bale after his match-winning at start of season I’ll be a hap- Champions Cup last weekend has dismissed the display in last season’s Manchester United in Miami py man... he (Bale) is with the in the United States but now notion that Mour- Champions League final on Tuesday, Lopetegui said the team. He’s happy and aligned says one addition seems more inho is unhappy with against Liverpool that 29-year-old Welshman’s im- with our goals. It is the start of probable. the squad. “From what we’re he craved regular first mediate future was with the an exciting path for us.” “I am confident I will get getting from the inside it (the team action. Spanish giants. Real begin their season with one, but I think two I am not atmosphere around the camp) Speaking ahead of “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of a UEFA Super Cup clash against going to get which is not a has been nothing but positive,” his team’s pre-sea- the main players in the recent Europa League winners and drama,” Mourinho told beIN Grant told Sky Sports. “The son encounter history of Real Madrid. He ex- city rivals Atletico Madrid on SPORTS. “In every pre-season messages we are getting from against pressed a desire to leave and we Aug. 15. They face Getafe in it happens the same with every the manager are positive ones allowed him to. Gareth Bale is their opening match club which is the manager and that is important for us a magnificent player, with so four days later. wants more. going forward. “It’s our nature, you always “His attitude and demean- want more for your team but our around the place is great then club decisions are dif- and that is helpful for us ferent and normally you don’t especially when we are un - get what you want which hap- der-manned and we are work- Bayern will not sell wantaway pened during all my career. ing our hardest.” “So if I get one player until United play Champions Robert the end of the market, that’s League holders Real Madrid Lewandowski striker Lewandowski - Kovac fine.” and German champions Bay- Reuters | Munich United have struggled to ern Munich in their next Kovac told Sky Sports. impress in pre-season with two friendlies before host- “It’s true that Robert is think- a patchy squad that has been ing Leicester City in the obert Le - BETTER ing about playing somewhere depleted through injuries and opening league fixture on Rwandowski else. Naturally, one thing is key players resting after the Aug 10. wants to leave what he wants, the other is Bayern Mu- KNOW what we want. nich but the “We are FC Bayern, we have Bundesliga a top striker. We certainly will champions not let ourselves be persuaded AC Milan’s Gattuso will not from the outside, that’s the way sell the has a great consist- to do it. Robert has a contract... counters Mourinho claim prolific ency in scoring goals he will certainly stay here as striker and proving to be long as possible.” in the the toughest hurdle Former Eintracht Frankfurt current and Croatia manager Kovac transfer in opponent’s way to also said that he does not expect window, manager Niko victory. He has, to his the transfer situation to hinder Kovac has said. name his club’s record Lewandowski in the upcoming Poland international of scoring continues campaign. Lewandowski has been goals in 12 consecutive “He is a professional and Bayern’s top scorer in league games. He knows that he also has some- three of the last four sea- broke the long stand- thing to prove to himself and sons since joining the club everyone else. He actually al- in 2014 and has reached ing record of Friedhelm ready knows this, but we will the 40-goal mark in each Konietzka way back say it again, that he will also of the last three cam- from 1964 – 65 have to step on the gas,” Kovac Gennaro Gattuso and Jose Mourinho watch the match between AC Milan and paigns. added. Manchester United His exploits have has been eager to find newer “He also wants to score goals helped the club extend pastures. and be successful. Robert Le- Reuters | Chicago the future. their domestic dominance, “There is nothing new with wandowski stands for success “This is a competition that winning four German Robert. The status is that he and goals and he will prove that nlike his Manchester gives the younger players the league titles in as many will not leave the club because in the future.” UUnited counterpart Jose opportunity to show their years but local media reports he’s our top striker. And cer- Bayern start their league Mourinho, AC Milan coach qualities and get some play- say Lewandowski, whose con- tainly we don’t want to give him campaign against Hoffenheim Gennaro Gattuso believes ing time,” he told reporters in tract at Bayern runs until 2021, away and won’t give him away,” on Aug 24. that fans at the International Minneapolis where his side Champions Cup pre-season face Tottenham Hotspur on tournament are getting their Tuesday. money’s worth. “But then you see boys (born An angry Mourinho said in) 2000 or 2001, or in 1997 Croatia’s Jozak named Kuwait head coach “I wouldn’t spend my money and 1998, who are great talents to see these teams” after his and they are given the oppor- Reuters | Hong Kong tract and will also take charge of Football Association’s affairs, was below-strength side lost 4-1 tunity to play, and show that the country’s Olympic team as the lifted in December. to Liverpool in the Michigan they can do so at a high level.” ormer Croatia technical Kuwaitis attempt to re-establish The sanction saw Kuwait kicked Stadium in Ann Arbor on Sat- “It’s not all negative. Of Fdirector Romeo Jozak has themselves after a two-year ab - out of qualifying for both the 2018 urday in front of a crowd of course, anyone who pays been appointed coach of the Ku- sence from the international foot- World Cup finals and the 2019 more than 100,000. wants to see the champions, wait national team, the former ball scene. Asian Cup, ensuring the Gulf state However, Gattuso suggest- but I think those who have Legia Warsaw boss has confirmed A FIFA-imposed ban, which was will not participate in the conti- ed that fans were getting a come to the matches have en- on social media. put in place in late 2015 due to po- nental championship in the United chance to watch the players of joyed themselves.” Jozak has signed a two-year con- litical interference in the Kuwait Arab Emirates in January next year.