P14 4 Layout 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
14 Established 1961 Sports Tuesday, April 17, 2018 PSG crush Monaco to reclaim fifth title in six seasons ‘It was important to win the Ligue 1 title at home’ PARIS: Angel Di Maria and Giovani Lo Celso scored twice tap in a Dani Alves cross. While Cavani’s second half of the as Paris Saint-Germain secured a fifth Ligue 1 title in six sea- campaign has proved less prolific than the blistering spell sons on Sunday with a 7-1 rout of last year’s champions that yielded 19 goals before Christmas, the Uruguayan Monaco. Unai Emery’s team blew Monaco away in a first- bagged his league-best 25th goal with a powerful header half blitz that saw PSG score four times in 14 minutes at the from a Yuri Berchiche cross. Parc des Princes with with Lo Celso striking either side of Cavani then released Di Maria with a superb hooked pass goals from Edinson Cavani and Di Maria. from inside his own half and the Argentine raced clear before Rony Lopes pulled a goal back for Monaco as he scored lifting an exquisite chip over the advancing Danijel Subasic. for the eighth game in a row, but Di Maria added a fifth Javier Pastore supplied Lo Celso to head in PSG’s fourth on before Radamel Falcao turned into his own net and Julian 28 minutes and Monaco suffered further misfortune when Draxler struck late on as PSG romped to the club’s seventh France international Djibril Sidibe was stretchered off with a championship. “It was important to win the title at home,” leg injury, a worrying sign for Didier Deschamps ahead of PSG coach Emery told the World Cup. Canal+. Monaco briefly held up “We were able to show the onslaught as Lopes the difference between us turned home an Almamy and Monaco. “We’ll have Toure cross seven minutes to wait a bit to analyse the Mbappe left before half-time for the in- season, we still have a tro- form Portugal internation- phy to play for. Other the bench al’s 13th goal this term. But teams have more titles than PSG continued to attack at us...but we must keep on after illness will and Pastore’s noncha- building.” With a fifth suc- lant assist for Di Maria cessive League Cup allowed the winger to grab already won, PSG complet- his second of the game on ed the second leg of a 59 minutes. The hosts domestic treble-they are were gifted another goal also through to the French Cup semi-finals — and could yet when Falcao’s attempt to clear a corner went horribly wrong, break their record 96-point haul from the 2015-16 campaign. summing up Monaco’s misery as the ball looped beyond PSG also became the first team in Europe’s top leagues this Subasic on 77 minutes. PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s players celebrate after winning the French L1 football match between Paris season to reach 100 goals on a night they were without the Germany international Draxler rounded out the demoli- Saint-Germain (PSG) and Monaco (ASM) on Sunday, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.— AFP injured Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the teenager left on the tion, firing home via a deflection as PSG clinched the title at bench after a bout of illness. Monaco arrived in Paris home for the first since 1994 while shattering Monaco’s 17- unbeaten on their last eight league visits to the capital but match unbeaten run. Earlier, Florian Thauvin struck a late any prospect of them prolonging PSG’s wait for the title winner as Marseille twice came from behind to beat strug- visitors level. The 41-year-old Benjamin Nivet fired Troyes Thauvin volleyed home his team-leading 17th league goal on quickly eroded. gling Troyes 3-2 and stay in the hunt for a Champions back in front just after half-time as the veteran skipper fol- 86 minutes to cap a dramatic victory. Rudi Garcia’s Kamil Glik’s absence in the heart of the visiting defence League place. Marseille were reeling after Samuel Grandsir lowed up a rebound after Yohann Pele had saved from Marseille remain level on points with third-placed Lyon, who was acutely felt as Lo Celso started the move that resulted in headed Troyes ahead with just 37 seconds gone at the Stade Grandsir. But a clinical finish from Greece striker Kostas occupy the final Champions League spot, while Monaco are the opening goal on 14 minutes, sauntering into the box to de l’Aube, but Clinton Njie’s scuffed effort soon pulled the Mitroglou made it 2-2 with quarter of an hour to play, and four points ahead of the chasing duo. —AFP Buffon should Barcelona closing watch his mouth: in on La Liga title Italian ref chief MADRID: Barcelona will have one eye on the Copa del Rey final while Europe is the main focus MILAN: Italian referees’ chief Marcello Nicchi said for Real and Atletico Madrid so what is left for La yesterday that Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon Liga? Barca are 11 points clear at the top of the should think before lashing out at officials as he did table but, with an overhaul of the squad expected during last week’s Champions League defeat by Real in the summer, few players can afford to ease off Madrid. during the run-in. Buffon was sent off for dissent by English referee Atletico will hope to beat rivals Real to second Michael Oliver after he awarded Real Madrid a stop- but both teams have their priorities now in page-time penalty which sent the Spaniards into the Europe, with Real facing Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. The 40-year-old Italian icon later called Champions League semi-finals and Atleti up Oliver “a murderer” with “a rubbish bin” in place of a against Arsenal in the last four of the Europa heart. League next week. “Buffon is a great champion who I hope will go on to Sevilla face a crucial few days in their chase for have a great managerial career,” Nicchi told Italian European football next season while at the bottom radio. “But at certain levels you have to be careful of the table, Levante can all but secure safety with about what you say. There are always kids listening. a win over Malaga. Barca squad playing for their “If it happened in Italy? I would have defended the futures. The league title may be all but sewn up referee. They can’t be threatened either before, during, and the treble dream extinguished but Barca’s or after the game. “After that, there are the appropriate players are now playing for places, both in the bodies which must judge the conduct of all players on short-term, for Saturday’s Copa del Rey final the pitch.” against Sevilla, and further ahead, to stay beyond Meanwhile, Nicchi warned of a repeat of the 2006 Gianluigi Buffon the summer. Andres Iniesta and Samuel Umtiti are Calciopoli match-fixing scandal if referees lose their both pondering their futures while successors, right to vote at the top of the game in Italy. The Italian even if not replacements, need to be found for Referees’ Association (AIA) could lose its two percent dling like during the Calciopoli scandal that rocked said Nicchi. “I’m doing everything to calm the referees, ageing stars like Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets voting allocation in the Italian Football Federation’s Serie A and Serie B in 2006. but if one day someone goes out on the pitch and does- and Luis Suarez. Ousmane Dembele and Andre Federal Council. And AIA president Nicchi believes “To undermine the independence and impartiality of n’t find the referee, I wouldn’t be surprised,” he added Gomes still have it all to prove. Fringe players are this could open the door to behind-the-scenes med- our referees could mean the start of a new Calciopoli,” of possible strike action. —AFP expected to be given a chance against ninth- placed Celta Vigo today. They need to impress. Isco has shown the way in how to regain Ferguson was. Guardiola has now won seven league Mansour’s takeover, but one glaring one is missing. favour under Zinedine Zidane, the Spaniard con- Manchester City titles in nine seasons as a senior coach in three coun- Even Guardiola’s record-breakers have fallen short tinuing his recent surge with a goal and an assist tries after conquering La Liga and the Bundesliga with again in the Champions League, losing 5-1 on aggre- against Malaga on Sunday. After scoring a hat- Barcelona and Bayern Munich on multiple occasions. gate in the quarter-finals to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. trick for Spain against Argentina, Zidane was target Premier The workaholic Catalan’s eye for detail in changing “Sooner or later it’s going to happen,” insisted impressed enough to start the midfielder against the culture at City has gone as far as dictating to the Guardiola, who has consistently stated City’s need to Juventus last week, and Gareth Bale might draw League dynasty millimetre how long the grass should be at the club’s grow gradually on the European stage, having made encouragement from Isco’s revival. Bale’s strained many training pitches and turning off the Wi-Fi at the Champions League semi-finals just once in their relationship with Zidane took another turn for the City’s Etihad campus to foster interaction between history. Guardiola has taken City back to the pinnacle worse after he was harshly hauled off at half-time LONDON: Manchester City are setting their sights on team-mates.