SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016

SPANISH LEAGUE PREVIEW Messi fit for Barcelona return in Malaga

MADRID: is expected to be fit as Barcelona favorites to deliver another convincing win. Madrid have Atletico Madrid can return to the top of the table ahead of make the tricky trip to Malaga today looking to move back scored five times in disposing of Deportivo la Coruna and their trip to the next weekend when they host to the top of . Messi missed Wednesday’s 2-1 Copa Sporting Gijon at home in Zidane’s two games in charge Sevilla on Sunday. Atletico have won nine of their last 10 del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao due to a hamstring problem since replacing Rafael Benitez earlier this month. league games, but showed signs of fatigue in laboring to a that forced him off at half-time in a 6-0 rout of the same The Frenchman will be without Gareth Bale, who suf- 0-0 draw at Celta Vigo in the first-leg of their Copa del Rey opponents last weekend, but returned to training on fered the recurrence of a calf problem that will keep him quarter-final on Wednesday. “We knew that every game Thursday. Barca will also have Luis Suarez back after he out for up to three weeks against Sporting, but otherwise will demand more effort and work, but that is part of the completed a two-game Cup ban in midweek as they look has a fully-fit squad to choose from. In contrast to Real’s responsibility of dealing with the demands of every game. to exact revenge on the only side that stopped the free-scoring form, Betis haven’t scored in seven consecutive Now we need to rest, eat well and prepare for the upcom- European champions from scoring in their two meetings games as part of a 10-game winless run. However, they did ing games,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone. Valencia last season. pick up an impressive point away to high-flying Villarreal boss Gary Neville goes in search of his first La Liga win at Malaga took four points from a possible six against under new boss Juan Merino. “I am sure that if we continue the seventh attempt when Los Che visit Deportivo la Barca in La Liga last season and were only defeated 1-0 like we did against Villarreal we will have chances,” said Coruna. And Chinese magnate Chen Yansheng will oversee thanks to Thomas Vermaelen’s late strike when the two Merino. “I have said to the squad to not be anxious, the goal his new club after completing a takeover of Espanyol as sides met at the Camp Nou earlier this campaign. “We need will come.” Villarreal look to strengthen their position in fourth at to rest well because against Malaga we have had difficult Should they be deposed by Barcelona on Saturday, Cornella-El Prat. — AFP games,” said Barca Ivan Rakitic. “We need to have a lot of respect for them.” Malaga have already aided Barca’s title challenge this year by holding Real Madrid to a Spanish La Liga table 0-0 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu back in September and beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 last month. “We have played MADRID: Spanish La Liga table before this weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): great games against those high in the table this year and last season,” Malaga midfielder Ignacio Camacho told the Atletico Madrid 20 15 2 3 30 8 47 Valencia 20 5 9 6 25 21 24 Barcelona 19 14 3 2 50 15 45 Malaga 20 6 6 8 15 17 24 club’s website. “We need to play a very complete game to Real Madrid 20 13 4 3 57 19 43 Real Sociedad 20 5 6 9 23 28 21 take any points.” Villarreal 20 12 4 4 26 16 40 Espanyol 20 6 3 11 18 33 21 The hosts will be without Nordin Amrabat, though, after Celta Vigo 20 10 4 6 32 30 34 Real Betis 20 5 6 9 13 28 21 the Moroccan international completed his move to Eibar 20 9 6 5 32 21 33 Las Palmas 20 4 6 10 19 30 18 Watford on Monday. Barca will be debilitated by the Sevilla 20 9 5 6 28 22 32 Granada 20 4 5 11 21 41 17 absence of defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba through Deportivo La Coruna 20 6 10 4 27 24 28 Rayo Vallecano 20 4 4 12 23 45 16 suspension and injury respectively. Zinedine Zidane faces Athletic Bilbao 20 8 4 8 27 28 28 Sporting Gijon 19 4 3 12 17 34 15 his toughest test yet as Real Madrid boss when his side trav- Getafe 20 7 5 8 24 28 26 Levante 20 3 5 12 17 36 14 el to Real Betis on Sunday, but Los Blancos are still heavy

Striker Griffiths targets ITALIAN LEAGUE PREVIEW Celtic’s scoring record Juve target top spot, embattled

GLASGOW: Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has already set his sights on a new scoring target after notching up a half-centu- Sarri leads Napoli to Sampdoria ry of goals for the Scottish champions. It took the 25-year-old just two years and only 60 starts to reach 50 goals for the MILAN: Juventus host struggling Roma look- from Indonesia, was labelled a “slant-eyed Napoli’s off-field troubles could turn in Glasgow giants-the quickest any Celtic striker has reached ing to capitalize on a potential slip by embat- baby doll” and a “Filipino” by Ferrero, a film Juve’s favor, days after the league and Cup that total in the modern era. Griffiths’ feat is even more tled Napoli that could see the Old Lady snatch producer who never misses a chance to champions booked their place in the semi- remarkable considering he was out of favor with manager the lead of Serie A for the first time this sea- snatch his share of the spotlight. Speaking to finals of the Cup thanks to a 1-0 win over Ronny Deila for much of last season and was strongly linked son. Juve’s catastrophic start is well behind Sampdoria TV, Ferrero said: “It’s like my old Lazio. Massimiliano Allegri’s men will aim to with a loan exit. However, the former Wolves and Hibernian them and the champions moved up to sec- grandfather used to say: two weights, two make it 11 wins in succession at home to a striker’s hard work and perseverance in training has now paid ond at just two points behind Napoli after reg- measures. I made a geographical mistake and Roma side that was held to a 1-1 draw by still- off spectacularly with Griffiths’ hat-trick in Tuesday’s 8-1 istering their 10th consecutive league win in a I got a heavy sentence. “He (Sarri) said a lot winless basement side Verona in the capital thrashing of Hamilton taking him to 27 goals for the season. 4-0 rout of Udinese last weekend. more and got two games. What is happen- last week in Luciano Spalletti’s first game back Griffiths is now looking to surpass the 32 goals Kris And the Turin giants will be looking to ing?” in charge. “It will be a tough game,” said Commons scored in the 2013/14 season and in current form cash in on the hangover Napoli have suffered Ferrero added: “On Sunday, we’ll take the Allegri. “But we’re going through a positive this could spell bad news for today’s opponents St since their coach, Maurizio Sarri, was caught game to them because when the lads decide period, and we want to keep it going.” Roma Johnstone. “In the first half of last season I wasn’t playing and on camera in a homophobic rant at Inter they want to win a game, we can beat any- have slipped to fifth at nine points behind there was talk of me going on loan but it shows just how Milan counterpart Roberto Mancini following body.” Sampdoria have lost their last two out- Napoli, striker Edin Dzeko is struggling to hard I have worked to get back in the side,” Griffiths said. “I Inter’s Italian Cup quarter-final win in mid- ings, at home to Juventus and away to Carpi, score and fleet-footed Ivorian forward haven’t scored 50 goals wherever I have been. I finished top week. Sarri on Thursday was hit with a two- but the Genoa-based club fancy their chances. Gervinho is rumored to be on his way out. scorer last season and now I want to hit the 30-mark and try game Cup ban and a 20,000-euro fine, and Sarri has been through the ringer in the past Hardly the ideal situation ahead of a visit to and beat Kris’s record. although his players have rallied behind him, few days, prompting the league leaders’ Juventus. “Every time we play for Juventus we “It’s the players around me and huge credit to them for rivals teams will be all too ready to pounce. Brazilian midfielder Jorginho to stand up in should be prepared to spit blood to honor this putting the chances on a plate for me to put them away. It’s Sampdoria’s flamboyant president the 57-year-old Italian’s defense. “He (Sarri) is a jersey,” said Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci. testament to them. “I’m feeling confident, I’m playing well Massimo Ferrero, for one, has already fanned decent man and it’s not fair to hammer him Inter, four points adrift in third place, host and it’s down to my team-mates and the opportunities they the flames, hitting out at the leniency of Sarri’s relentlessly like this,” said Jorginho. “We’re all struggling Carpi at the San Siro looking for make for me. I just try and hit the target as much as I can.” sanction in comparison to his own punish- behind the coach. He apologized, and we’ve their first win in three games having suffered a More worrying for today’s opponents St Johnstone, who are ment for disparaging remarks aimed at Inter all moved on, the most important thing now shock defeat to Sassuolo and drawn at without a win in their past five matches, was the warning Milan chief Erick Thohir. In 2014, Thohir, who is is Sampdoria.” Atalanta in their past two outings. — AFP from Celtic winger Gary Mackay-Steven that the Hoops’ 8-1 humbling of Hamilton was a statement of intent from the Italian Serie A table Scottish champions. “We’ve all seen in the last few home games we haven’t scored too many goals. MILAN: Italian Serie A table ahead of weekend games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Teams have come and made it really hard for us so we were determined to get that early goal as the game might Napoli 20 13 5 2 41 16 44 Torino 20 7 5 8 27 26 26 open up after that,” Mackay-Steven said. “We just took confi- Juventus 20 13 3 4 37 15 42 Atalanta 20 7 4 9 21 24 25 dence from it and carried it on so it was really enjoyable. We Inter Milan 20 12 4 4 25 13 40 Udinese 20 7 3 10 18 31 24 feel we can go on a good run now and hopefully take teams Fiorentina 20 12 2 6 37 21 38 Sampdoria 20 6 5 9 29 32 23 apart like we did against Hamilton. We feel we can do that to Roma 20 9 8 3 37 23 35 Bologna 20 7 2 11 22 27 23 anyone on our day.” Celtic could find their six-point lead at AC Milan 20 9 5 6 27 23 32 Genoa 20 6 4 10 23 26 22 Sassuolo 20 8 8 4 25 21 32 Palermo 20 6 3 11 19 33 21 the top of the table reduced to just three points by the time Empoli 20 9 4 7 25 24 31 Carpi 20 4 5 11 19 35 17 they take to the pitch today if Aberdeen can win away to Lazio 20 8 4 8 25 29 28 Frosinone 20 4 3 13 22 45 15 Dundee. — AFP Chievo 20 7 6 7 26 22 27 Verona 20 0 9 11 13 32 9