15 TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2020 sports

Villa boss Smith uncertain about Sarri savours ‘sweet’ first title with Grealish future Reuters |

ston Villa manager ADean Smith says he is Juve after difficult debut season unsure whether captain Jack Grealish will be at the for eight years and want to club next season but has Ronaldo and change everything. It wouldn’t warned potential suitors • be smart.” they will have to spend big Bernardeschi scored Sarri’s focus will now turn if they want to sign him. as Juventus beat to the Champions League last Grealish scored the open- Sampdoria 2-0 16 tie against Lyon on August 7, er in the 1-1 draw against where Juventus need to over- West Ham United on Sun- Juve moved seven turn a 1-0 deficit from the first day, a result that, combined • match in France. with Watford’s defeat at points ahead of second- Juventus have not won the Arsenal, kept Villa in the placed Inter and sealed European title since 1996. Premier League. a 36th ‘Scudetto’ with “The Champions League, I Grealish has been linked two games to spare don’t think about it yet. I want to to a host of English clubs take at least a night to enjoy this, and Smith said he had no the players too,” said the Italian. idea what the future holds AFP | Milan “What is happening is beauti- for the 24-year-old. ful and difficult. We will see how “I’m certainly hopeful he aurizio Sarri described we will approach this. We’re will play for Villa again. He his first league title coming off 14 games played in is contracted for another Mwith Juventus as “tast- 44 days. three years, I think,” Smith ing sweet” after a difficult debut “We left said. season for the veteran coach people be- “I have said many times overshadowed by a three-month hind and Cristiano before we have billionaire coronavirus lockdown. Juventus’ Italian coach Maurizio Sarri looks on during the match let’s hope Ronaldo owners. If people want to “I told the players ‘if you win we didn’t come and get our best play- with me who has never won ico Bernardeschi scored in ei- first and extends a record Ju- long, strange season. To succeed lose Paulo ers they will cost an awful anything, it is because you are ther half as Juventus beat Samp- ventus run which in being champions with two (Dybala) as lot of money.” really strong’,” Sarri told jour- doria 2-0 to move seven points started with three titles from rounds to go, is the great merit well. We’ll “It’s a magnificent nalists after the Turin giants ahead of second-placed Inter 2012 and of this group.” see,” he contin- achievement from every- sealed their ninth league title in Milan and seal a 36th ‘Scudetto’ continued with the following Sarri praised club president ued of the Argen- body. It’s a proud mo- a row on Sunday. with two games to spare. five. Andrea Agnelli and officials for tine who limped ment, and it actually and Feder- The title is 61-year-old Sarri’s “It has a sweet taste. Winning helping him find his feet during off the pitch against feels better than is hard and this club has been his first season at the 36-times Sampdoria. last year go - winning for so many years,” said Italian champions. “This is a tourna - ing up in the Maurizio Sarri has defied his scep- Sarri, whose only previous tro- “The president is a person ment that is difficult play-offs,” tics by winning the first league phy was the Europa League last who gives you energy, the lead- to predict because Smith title of his 30-year coaching career year with Chelsea. ers are always present,” he said. each team will said. as Juventus extended their record “Every year it is harder. There “When you arrive you have have its own story. KNOW WHAT run of title wins to nine in is nothing acquired in sport and to enter on tiptoe. Then it’s a “But I think this is a a row it is not easy to stay at this level. long journey. You can’t arrive year when anything “It has been a very hard, very at a club that has been winning can happen.”

Manchester United’s Solskjaer Mourinho vows to get Spurs back in top four next season says criticism made him stronger AFP | London League qualification, overturn- ing a seven-point gap to sixth ose Mourinho vowed to get place after a loss at Sheffield JTottenham back “where we United earlier this month. belong” next season after they While the Europa League settled for Europa League qual- doesn’t have the prestige of ification at the end of a troubled the Champions League -- in campaign. which Tottenham finished as Mourinho led Tottenham to a runners-up last year -- Mour- sixth-place finish in the Premier inho said they should focus on League after Sunday’s 1-1 draw winning the competition next at Crystal Palace. season. Tottenham were 14th when “Of course everybody that one Mourinho took charge in No- day plays Champions League vember following Mauricio doesn’t want to go back and play Pochettino’s sacking and he en- Tottenham Hotspur’s head coach Jose Mourinho (C) speaks to his players Europa League but it was the Manchester United’s manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2R) congratulates Paul dured a series of injuries to key improve. When all the players players. only thing possible after such Pogba (2L) and Anthony Martial (L) after the match players before the coronavirus are available we showed in this “Of course as a squad the main a difficult season for club,” he Reuters | London paign in 30 years but United hiatus. last period where we belong. I thing is to keep our very good said. finished the season strongly, So, while Mourinho was frus- don’t know, maybe in this peri- players and after that improve “Arriving 14th and handling anchester United man- sealing third place with Sun- trated to have missed out on od, after lockdown, we finished the squad. things is not bad at all. I am quite Mager Ole Gunnar Solsk- day’s 2-0 win at Leicester Champions League qualifica- third or fourth in the table,” “Are we going to buy 10 play- happy next season we play in jaer has said the criticism he City. tion, the Tottenham boss be - Mourinho said. ers? No. Are we going to buy Europa League and it’s just a faced at the start of the Pre- “I don’t think many were lieves the foundations have been “So that’s where we belong. I players for £100 million? No. We question to motivate ourselves mier League campaign only predicting it, the predictions laid for a return to the top four want to have my team, my play- are going to improve.” for that competition and try to made him more determined were for us to finish sixth or next season. ers, not a medical room full of Mourinho oversaw a six-game motivate the fans to support us to succeed. seventh,” Solskjaer, whose side “What we can do of course is players. I want a pitch full of unbeaten run to deliver Europa and do something beautiful.” Solskjaer oversaw the club’s went unbeaten in their last 14 worst start to a top-flight cam- league games, told reporters. “I’ve always been made that way. If I’m getting criticised Chelsea must now look to close gap to Liverpool, Man City, Lampard says that makes me stronger in what I’m doing. Reuters | London League place after securing a Lampard said. If I’m getting criticised “We all have different ideas 2-0 home win over Wolver - “We know where we are at, that makes me of management and I do it my helsea cannot get carried hampton Wanderers on Sunday it is a progress and can we get stronger in what I’m way.” Caway with a top-four finish in their final Premier League better and now we’ve secured doing. We all have Former United defender in the Premier League if they game of the season. top four can we look to improve different ideas of Gary Neville said the win to are to bridge the gap with Man- “I suppose at Chelsea we have to close that gap? management and I do take third spot demonstrat- chester City and Liverpool next to be careful getting excited by “The gap is there for a reason it my way ed progress but the club still season, manager Frank Lam- top-four finishes, but coming and there because Manchester needed to invest wisely in the pard has said. into the job, I don’t think a lot City and Liverpool have taken OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER Antonio Rudiger (C) and transfer market. Chelsea sealed a Champions (L) leave the field after the match of people put us in that bracket,” it to different levels.”