SPORTS Saturday, January 27, 2018 21 Neymar will become world’s Barcelona hold best player London been sanctioned after his red eymar will become the card for squaring up to referee best player in the world Clement Turpin in Sunday’s Nat Paris St Germain, boss Unai Ligue 1 defeat to Lyon. Emery has said. “Dani Alves has a winning off Espanyol The 25-year-old only joined mentality and brings a lot of the Ligue 1 side in the summer character to this team. I find Barcelona but has been linked with a his sanction of three uis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored the goals as Barcelona’s established stars kept move to Real Madrid at unjustified suspension new signing Philippe Coutinho out of the limelight in qualifying for the semifinals the end of the season matches. ofL the Copa del Rey with a 2-0 win over city rivals Espanyol. Madrid are said to “After, we have Barcelona were behind after the first leg but went through 2-1 on aggregate thanks to be planning a major confidence in Thomas first-half goals from Suarez and Messi. recruitment drive Meunier. He had a They join Valencia, Sevilla and Leganes in the last four, the latter after they had and want to great progression last dumped Real Madrid out of the competition on Wednesday evening. make the season, he also Barcelona, keen to reverse the 1-0 scoreline from the first leg, began the game with Brazilian their evolves a lot this intent, forcing a series of early corners. number one season alongside Suarez proved too keen and was shown the first yellow card of the game seven signing. Dani minutes in after a clash with Marc Navarro. But Emery Alves.” But a minute later the Uruguayan made amends as he gave the home insists Neymar’s (Eurosport) side the lead, drawing them level on aggregate in the tie. Aleix Vidal future remains at created the chance and his cross from the right was headed in by Parc des Princes. Suarez at the far post. “Neymar will Espanyol almost hit back straight away but Jasper Cillessen become the best was able to save a shot from Gerard Moreno, who had been player in the set up by Sergi Darder. world and Barcelona looked to press their advantage but Messi’s he will be shot from 40 yards, with 19 minutes on the clock, here at Paris was high and wide of the Espanyol goal. St Germain, I am The visitors’ Esteban Granero wasted a sure,” he said at a press chance, from Victor Sanchez’s cross, conference previewing the when he shot wide of the goal from game with Montpellier. inside the area four minutes later. Emery has also described And just a minute later Messi Dani Alves’ three-match extended Barcelona’s lead and suspension as unfair. put them ahead in the tie for The right-back has the first time when his shot from outside the area beat Pau Lopez in the Espanyol goal. The Argentinian’s goal was the 4,000th scored by Barcelona at the Nou Camp in official competitions. Suarez then had a shot blocked, again following good work by Vidal, as the home side looked for a third in an attempt to kill the game off before the break. Messi was denied the chance to add to his tally Neymar (file pic) when he was flagged offside when running on to a through ball from Sergio Busquets just before half-time. Espanyol made a change at the break with Leo Baptistao coming on for Darder and it Zidane still motivated to almost paid off at the start of the second half. manage crisis-hit Madrid The Brazilian striker’s shot was London The Frenchman was only heading for the bottom corner mbattled Real Madrid recently hailed as a master but was saved by Cillessen. coach Zinedine Zidane said manager of Madrid’s famously Moreno shot off target as yesterdayE that he would resign tempestuous dressing room for Espanyol tried to force their immediately if he felt he was no leading the team to historic way back into the game longer able to get through to back-to-back Champions with 66 minutes gone. his players at the crisis-hit club. League triumphs as well as (PA Sport) The stumbling European ending a five-year wait for a and Spanish champions were league title. sent packing from the King’s (Eurosport) Cup by Madrid minnows Leganes after losing 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. They sit fourth in the league standings, a remarkable 19 points adrift of runaway leaders Barcelona. “If I thought my message wasn’t getting through I would leave here tomorrow,” Zidane told a news conference ahead of Real’s game away to Valencia on Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates Saturday. Zinedine Zidane (file pic)