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Home , Ezequiel Garay, Federico Fazio, Javier Mascherano, Marcos Rojo, Roberto Pereyra

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014 SPORTS Real seals deal with Abu Dhabi state fund

MADRID: Real Madrid have agreed a “long-term strategic partnership” with Abu Dhabi fund International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) that will strengthen the club’s status as the world’s richest, and help fund a planned stadium overhaul. The agreement includes setting up Real museums and expanding their soccer schools around the world, as well as creating content for digital media platforms, IPIC, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi government, said on their web- site (www.ipic.ae) yesterday. “The commercial arrangements will enable Real Madrid to meet one of its most fundamen- tal future challenges, to convert the (Bernabeu) stadium into the best sporting venue in the MEXICO: In this Aug. 28, 2013 file photo, ’s Carlos Vela of Mexico, cele- world,” they added. Both parties had agreed not brates after scoring. —AP to divulge the length or the value of the deal, IPIC said. Real became the first soccer club to amass Vela gets Mexico call-up annual revenues of more than 500 million euros (635 million US dollars) in the 2011-12 season MEXICO CITY: Real Sociedad under-17 champion with Mexico in 2005, a and president Florentino Perez announced last Carlos Vela was called up by Mexico for CONCACAF Gold Cup winner with the sen- month that income had surged to 604 million in November tour friendlies yesterday after ior team in 2009 and played at the 2010 2013-14. turning his back on his country since March World Cup finals in South Africa. The European champions last year agreed a 2011. Herrera, who steered Mexico to the last five-year shirt sponsorship deal with Dubai- Vela, one of the most gifted players of 16 where they lost to the in based airline Emirates that Spanish media his generation in Mexico, was named by this year’s World Cup in Brazil, has also giv- reported was worth 30 million euros a season. Miguel Herrera among 10 European- en a first call up to Twente Enschede mid- Real chose a design led by German architects based players for matches against the fielder Jesus Manuel Corona. GMP for the remodelling of the Bernabeu, which Netherlands on Nov. 12 and Belarus six The other eight on the list are goalkeep- was opened in the 1950s and holds just over days later, the Mexican federation said. er Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga), defender 80,000 spectators, at an estimated cost of 400 The 25-year-old has constantly turned Diego Reyes (Porto), Hector Herrera (Porto), million euros. down call-ups from a string of Mexico Andres Guardado (PSV Eindhoven) and The club hopes the work, which would see a coaches since winning his 35th cap in a Jonathan Dos Santos (Villarreal) and for- striking new roof and exterior added to the cur- March 2011 friendly against Venezuela wards Javier Hernandez (Real Madrid), Raul rent structure and include a hotel and a shop- claiming poor form but appears to have Jimenez (Atletico Madrid) and Giovani Dos ping centre, can be completed by 2017. been persuaded to return by World Cup Santos (Villarreal). Herrera is expected to However, a Madrid court has thrown the plans coach Herrera. complete the squad with home-based into doubt by ruling that a deal between Real The former Arsenal player was a world players next week. —Reuters and the Madrid council, which would allow land adjacent to the stadium to be incorporated into the project, should be suspended because the European Commission is examining it for possi- Germany dominate ble illegal state aid.

NAMING RIGHTS Ballon d’Or list Spanish media have speculated that IPIC could buy the naming rights for the revamped BERNE: Germany dominated the FIFA candidates for both awards, officially arena and Perez said the deal announced on MADRID: Real Madrid’s Pepe (left) celebrates his goal with teammates in this file photo. —AP Tuesday marked “the start of a long journey and Player of the Year shortlist, with six nomi- known as the Ballon d’Or, would be Meanwhile, Real Madrid will appeal a three- authorised by the French football federation nees among the 23 candidates announced announced on Dec 1 with the award cere- the beginning of a strong partnership”. It “will no doubt prove to be vital for meeting month suspension slapped on assistant B team (FFF) to work as a head coach in the category yesterday, while the 10-man coaching mony in Zurich on Jan 12. coach Zinedine Zidane for not having the cor- Real Madrid Castilla currently play in, as the cer- shortlist was full of anomalies and contro- “The list of 23 male candidates has been one of our biggest challenges: turning the Santiago Bernabeu stadium into one of the best rect licence, the club said on Monday. tificate issued by the federation from Oct. 2014 versy. drawn up by football experts from the FIFA The former Real and France midfielder was states,” they added. Juergen Klinsmann was included among Football Committee and by a group of stadiums in the world, into a unique architectur- al landmark for the city of Madrid and a symbol sanctioned by the Spanish football federation A World Cup winner with France in 1998, the coaches after leading United States to experts from France Football,” FIFA said. for allegedly acting as head coach of third tier when he scored two goals in the final against the last 16 of the World Cup but Jorge Luis “The list of ten coaches has been drawn up of innovation for our country,” the construction magnate told a news conference. “As of today, Real Madrid Castilla even while Santiago Brazil, Zidane played for Real from 2001 until his Pinto and Jose Pekerman, who took Costa by the committee for Women’s Football Sanchez, who was also banned for three months, retirement in 2006. Rica and Colombia respectively to the quar- and FIFA Women’s World Cup and by the IPIC will become a key partner that shares our values and will help us promote and strengthen nominally held the post. The 42-year-old also netted a spectacular vol- ter-finals, were overlooked. FIFA Football Committee, as well as by a In a statement on their website (www.real- ley for Real to win the 2002 Champions League , whose hugely enter- group of experts from France Football.” the Real Madrid brand throughout every conti- nent,” he added. madrid.com), Real expressed their “absolute dis- final against Bayer Leverkusen. Castilla were rele- taining Chile side knocked out defending agreement with the decision” and said they gated from the second division last season, champions Spain on their way to the last Player of the Year shortlist: “From now on, as one of our most important sponsors, they will be instrumental in carrying would “pursue every available legal avenue so before Zidane joined the coaching staff. They are sixteen, and Vahid Halilhodzic, who took an Mario Goetze (Germany) out a series of crucial projects for Real Madrid’s that this decision is overturned”. currently 14th in Group 2 of the regional four- inspirational Algeria to the knockout (Germany) “Not least because Zinedine Zidane has been group “Segunda B”, or third tier. —Reuters stages, were also ignored. future.” (Germany) On the other hand, there was room for Bayern Munich’s , even Thomas Mueller (Germany) though his team’s most important match of (Germany) the year, a Champions League semi-final at Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) Referees urged to get home to Real Madrid, ended in a 4-0 defeat. Angel Di Maria () Almost inevitably, Chelsea’s Jose (Argentina) Mourinho also sneaked in despite failing to (Argentina) land a trophy on his return to Stamford to grips with grapplers Bridge. The players’ list showed similar Andres Iniesta (Spain) anomalies and appeared to be based more (Spain) LONDON: Referees need to clamp down on seri- preventing goals from being scored. club before the start of the season to discuss the on European club football than FIFA’s flag- Diego Costa (Spain) al holders and grapplers who are getting away “Giving a penalty is a massive thing for a ref- interpretation of the laws of the game, neither ship tournament. Karim Benzema (France) with “cheating” according to former Premier eree, but interrupting the game before a corner the players nor the managers at each club saw Manuel Neuer, Thomas Mueller, Toni Paul Pogba (France) League official Graham Poll. or free kick can be taken to issue a yellow card to grappling in the box as a problem to be Kroos, Mario Goetze, Philipp Lahm and Manchester United players, defending a free culprits is easily enforceable. addressed. Gareth Bale (Wales) Bastian Schweinsteiger were six players kick, wrestled two Chelsea players to the ground If clubs did want officials to tackle the issue from world champions Germany to be Eden Hazard (Belgium) in the penalty box at on Sunday, the MODERN PHENOMENON they could raise it with the Referees’ Association included and beaten finalists Argentina Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) latest in a series of goalmouth grapples. “We already see referees prevent corners but until there is a groundswell of support for had three, Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Referee Phil Dowd was unmoved by protests being taken so they can verbally warn players tougher action from teams, the league will not Javier Mascherano. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden) from John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic and the about holding and grappling. It’s time for the change the way these incidents are handled. Last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo was (Brazil) fouls, by and , went talk to stop and the cards to come out,” Poll, who Former Chelsea captain Ron Harris, who duly named along with his Real Madrid unpunished. refereed at two World Cups, added. made a 795 appearances for the club and team mates Gareth Bale (Wales) and James (Netherlands) Chelsea captain Terry said he and Ivanovic Dowd may have failed to punish United’s was renowned for his tough approach to Rodriguez (Colombia). James Rodriguez (Colombia) were “double headlocked at every corner” during hands-on approach to defending at the week- defending, said wrestling was a modern phe- Manchester City and Ivory Coast mid- Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast) the league leaders’ 1-1 draw. end but his fellow referees have previously taken nomenon that could be stopped only if referees fielder Yaya Toure was the only African play- Coach of the Year Poll, who refereed in the for action against what many pundits are calling started awarding penalties. er short-listed, Neymar was Brazil’s sole rep- Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid) 14 years until retiring in 2007, said it was time for ‘the dark arts’. “It happens in every Premier League game resentative, and there were none at all from Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus FC) officials to be more pro-active and show a player Two weeks ago, a penalty was awarded when every week,” he told Reuters in an interview on CONCACAF region or Asia. a yellow card for holding an attacker before a Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross was Monday. “It’s a disease that has come into the Notable absentees included United Pep Guardiola (Bayern Munich) set-piece is taken, as a deterrent. penalised for holding Swansea City’s Wilfred game in the last few years and it’s getting worse States goalkeeper Tim Howard and Costa Juergen Klinsmann (United States) “It is time to now deal with grappling and Bony as a corner was taken, and the Ivorian strik- and worse. “If you did the same (grappling) out- Rica stopper Keylor Navas, both outstand- Joachim Loew (Germany) holding in the penalty area,” he wrote in his col- er duly dispatched the spot kick. Shawcross’s side of the box it would be given. Most referees ing in Brazil, and Costa Rica defender Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) umn for the Daily Mail on Monday. “Tackling this offence was less blatant than that at Old Trafford aren’t brave enough to give penalties but if they Giancarlo Gonzalez, who many critics saw Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City) issue is long overdue. It’s not about a change in but perhaps he was being watched more closely. did defenders would stop doing it. as one of the tournament’s most influential (Argentina) the law, it’s about the appropriate enforcement He holds the unenviable record of conceding “Most defenders don’t even look at the ball players. of the law. the most penalties in the league since the 2008- nowadays, they’re too busy manhandling their FIFA, who organise the award jointly (Argentina) “Grabbing, holding, grappling; however you 09 season with his tally at seven. opponent. It didn’t happen in my playing days, with France Football, said the final three (Netherlands). —Reuters describe it, is pure cheating. It’s an issue that is When referees met every Premier League you were too busy defending the ball.” —Reuters ‘People’s Player’ Tevez back in Argentina fold

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s forgotten man will get a chance to help Argentina win the also in the squad, having missed Martino’s first has been included in the squad for Copa America title held by Uruguay in Chile three matches in charge, a 4-2 win in Germany the first time in three years for next month’s next year. in September followed by a 2-0 defeat to Brazil friendlies in England against Croatia and The forward, capped 64 times, played at the and 7-0 rout of Hong Kong in two Asian tour Portugal. 2006 and 2010 World Cup but was overlooked matches this month. The 30-year-old striker, dubbed the ‘People’s by coach Alejandro Sabella for the tournament Player’ by former coach , last in Brazil this year when Argentina reached the Squad: played for his country at the 2011 Copa America final before losing to Germany. Goalkeepers: (Sampdoria), on home soil and missed this year’s World Cup Wilfredo Caballero (Manchester City), Nahuel in Brazil despite scintillating form for Juventus. SABELLA RESISTANCE Guzman (UANL Tigres) Tevez was among four forwards, the others Sabella resisted widespread calls to select Defenders: Nicolas Otamendi (Valencia), being captain Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Tevez who took by storm when he (Atletico Madrid), Facundo Gonzalo Higuain, named in the squad posted helped Juventus lift the title last season with 19 Roncaglia (Genoa), Marcos Rojo (Manchester on the Argentine FA’s website (www.afa.org.ar) goals. He has also notched six in eight league United), Martin Demichelis, on Monday. games this term. (both Manchester City), Coach ’s side play Croatia at Media reports in Argentina said there was (Tottenham Hotspur), Federico Fernandez West Ham United’s Upton Park ground in resistance to Tevez among the team captained (Swansea City), (Zenit St London on Nov. 12 and Portugal six days later at by Messi. Sabella said his selections were down Petersburg) Manchester United’s Old Trafford where Tevez to tactics and squad harmony. : Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), spent two years from 2007-09. His last action in Others argued against Tevez, regarded by Ever Banega (Sevilla), an Argentina shirt came when he missed the many as an individualist, and pointed to a (Juventus), (Lazio), Angel Di Maria penalty that sealed their elimination by mediocre international goal tally of 13. (Manchester United), (Tottenham Uruguay in a Copa America quarter-final Martino also called up uncapped Manchester Hotspur), (Paris St Germain), Enzo shootout after a 1-1 draw in July 2011. City goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero, understudy Perez, Nicolas Gaitan (both Benfica) Tevez’s recall could eventually mean the for- to England number one Joe Hart at the Premier Forwards: Carlos Tevez (Juventus), Lionel GREECE: Juventus’ Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez (left) vies for the ball in this file mer , Corinthians, West Ham, League champions, on Monday. Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), photo. —AFP Manchester United and Manchester City striker World Cup central defender Ezequiel Garay is Sergio Aguero (Manchester City). —Reuters