14 Monday, August 17, 2020 Sports

UEFA Champions League Lyon surprise means new format leaves major powers locked out AFP Lisbon

Al Markhiya beat Al Kharaitiyat 2-1 at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium. Lyon were not supposed to make it to Lisbon at all for the Champions League ‘Fi- nal Eight’, but now they are Al Markhiya post win through to one of two Franco- German semi-finals against in second division Bayern Munich while the gi- ants of England, Spain and Tribune News Network card in the 15th minute. Italy watch from the sidelines. DOHA With the victory achieved, It is an unlikely last-four Al Markhiya continues to com- line-up in this unprecedented The 19th week of the Second pete with Mesaimeer for sec- finale to the competition, re- Division witnessed a change ond place in the league. duced to a straight knockout in the league’s standings af- If Mesaimeer lose the fi- tournament from the quarter- ter wins by Al Markhiya and nal round clash, Al Markhiya finals onwards after the long Al Shamal. could grab the second spot. Al delay to the season caused by Al Markhiya beat Al Khuraitiyat have an unbeat- the coronavirus pandemic. Kharaitiyat 2-1 and Al Shamal able tally of 36 points. Among those celebrating edged Muaither 1-0. Al Markhiya opened the this shared Franco-German Al Markhiya go top of scoring in the 10th minute success on Saturday night was the standings with a tally of through Ali Al Mohannadi the French president, Emma- 27 points after handing Al but Al Khuraitiyat managed nuel Macron. Khuraitiyat their first loss of to equalize in the 51st minute “In Brussels and on the the season. through Abdul Hadi Noman. football field, France and Ger- Al Kharaitiyat have al- Al Markhiya managed to many are the driving forces ready secured promotion for score the second goal in the in Europe,” wrote Macron, a the QNB Stars League next 61st minute through Claudio Marseille fan, on Twitter. season. Vazquez. France may be the Al Shamal, meanwhile, In the first match, Al Sha- world champions but their advanced to fourth place (24 mal succeeded in winning over best players usually move points) with a convincing Muaither after a goal by Talal abroad. Ligue 1 is often de- performance following the re- Munir in the 17th minute at rided by outside observers. Lyon’s French forward Moussa Dembele celebrates with teammates after scoring his first goal, Lyon’s second, during the UEFA Champions sumption of play. Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium. Now, for the first time it has League quarter-final against Manchester City at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday. Lyon won 3-1.( AFP) Muaither had to finish the Al Shamal now have a tally two clubs in the Champions game with 10 men after Fred of 24 points while Muaither’s League semi-finals in the Better rested? the shortened French season between mid-June and mid- Red Star Belgrade defeated Dabenka was shown the red tally stands at 21 points. same season. Those in France who feared promptly ousted Manchester July. Lyon’s players ran a com- Bayern and then won the final “FARMERS LEAGUE” the decision to end their sea- City. “It is incredible because bined nine kilometres more against Marseille, who had wrote PSG’s Kylian Mbappe son early in April due to the we are the surprise team now. than City on Saturday. More overcome Spartak Moscow in in a tweet on Saturday as he health crisis would prove a I don’t think many people ex- importantly, those players will the semis. congratulated Lyon, in an major handicap for their clubs pected us to get here,” said have come into the ‘Final Eight’ That was also the last year ironic reference to an oft- in Europe are being forced to Lyon goalkeeper Anthony better rested mentally. to feature no English teams used insult towards Ligue 1 revise their thinking. Lopes. UEFA president Aleksander after their long ban from Eu- on social media. At the time, a front-page PSG and Lyon now face RB Ceferin this week told AFP that rope following the 1985 Heysel The two French clubs headline in sports daily Leipzig and Bayern respectively, the ‘Final Eight’ format would be disaster. could still meet in the final, a L’Equipe summed up the with the two German clubs hav- a one-off, saying it was “impos- The next season, 1991/92, year after Liverpool beat Tot- mood. “Like idiots”, it said. ing come into the ‘Final Eight’ sible” in a normal year because was the first with a group tenham Hotspur in an all-Eng- Paris Saint-Germain rested and raring to go, the Bun- of the crowded match calendar. stage, and the Champions lish final and Europe appeared had played two competitive desliga season having restarted League was born. to accept once and for all that matches in five months before before ending in late June. Not since 1991 Only clubs from Spain, Qatar Airways announces the Premier League was an un- defeating Atalanta in their In contrast, City played The ‘Final Eight’ has thrown England and Italy have fea- stoppable force. quarter-final. Lyon managed 12 matches in 40 days after up something not seen since tured in the last six finals. Now But aside from the more just one competitive outing the Premier League resumed 1991 and the end of the old it is the chance for Germany partnership with Club unpredictable nature of one- in the same period before go- in mid-June, before beating European Cup. and France – the political gi- off matches behind closed ing to Turin and eliminating Real Madrid in their last 16, That is the last year in which ants of the EU – and if Bayern Africain of Tunisia doors on neutral territory Juventus on away goals last second leg. none of the semi-finalists came do not live up to their favour- compared to the usual home weekend. Atalanta played 13 games in from Spain, England or Italy, ites’ tag by winning a sixth Tribune News Network development here in Qatar and away ties, maybe there is a Buoyed by that triumph, a six weeks, while Spain’s repre- the most successful nations in European Cup, there will be a DOHA and around the world.” more obvious explanation. team that finished seventh in sentatives played twice a week the tournament’s history. new name on the trophy. Club African Chairman, Qatar Airways has an- Abdulessalem Al Younsi, said, nounced that it has signed a “Upon celebrating the cen- multi-year sponsorship agree- tenary anniversary of Club ment with Club Africain of Africain, we are delighted to Ruthless Bayern must build on Barca rout: Boateng Tunisia, further growing its announce that the club has global sporting partnerships reached a four-year partner- AFP but it doesn’t count for any- Canadian teenager. portfolio. ship with Qatar Airways. Club Lisbon thing from now on,” he added. “I am happy for him be- This agreement will see the Africain is elated to be a part “Now we really want to reach cause he is a nice, down-to- airline’s logo proudly placed of the major group of inter- Jerome Boateng on Sunday the final.” earth lad off the field. There is on the club’s football, handball national teams that are part- praised the form of “world- Thomas Mueller and sub- still a lot of potential in there, and basketball teams’ play- nered with and sponsored by class” Alphonso Davies and said stitute Philippe Coutinho both he will get a lot better.” ing jerseys from the 2020/21 Qatar Airways. Club Africain treble-chasing Bayern Munich scored two goals each as Bay- In Wednesday’s semi-final, season until the end of the is widely known as the club of must stay focused in the wake of ern crushed Barcelona, mark- Bayern face a Lyon side which 2023/24 season. Club Afric- the people and the most popu- their Champions League demo- ing the Germans as favourites shocked Pep Guardiola’s Man- ain competes in the Tunisian lar club in Tunisia, and was lition of Barcelona when they to win next Sunday’s final. chester City in the last eight. Ligue Professionnelle 1 and the first to achieve an inter- play Lyon in the semi-finals. As Bayern sent records “Of course we were sur- has established national tro- “I don’t know whether the tumbling, Boateng singled out prised, but Lyon had al- itself as one of Airline will be the main phy amongst others read the papers, I cer- the dazzling run of left-back ready beaten Juventus,” said the most pop- its local com- tainly don’t much, but we know Davies, who sliced through the Boateng. “It was a somewhat ular football shirt sponsor of Club petitors. The that it is already behind us,” defence to set up Joshua Kim- strange game, because Man- clubs in Tuni- Africain’s football, hand- partnership Boateng said of Bayern’s stun- mich to score Bayern’s fifth chester had a lot of possession. sia. ball and basketball teams between Club ning 8-2 hammering of Barce- goal against Barcelona. “But it really doesn’t matter Club Af- until 2023/24 season Africain and lona in Friday’s quarter-final. “Wow! It was world-class. to us who we play, we just want ricain’s foot- Qatar Air- “It’s clear that a result like You don’t often see such a tal- build on the positive game we People walk past a giant inflatable replica of the UEFA Champions League ball team has won 13 Tunisian ways is beneficial to the club, that doesn’t happen every day, ented boy,” Boateng said of the had against Barcelona.” trophy displayed at Rossio square in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday. (AFP) League titles, 13 Tunisian Cups administration, players, and and three Tunisian Super Cups most importantly the fans; and is famous for being the first as it motivates and generates Tunisian Club to win an inter- an opportunity for the club to national trophy, when they won compete at a higher level. This the Maghreb Cup in 1971. four-year partnership is a key Shakhtar’s European dream lives on far from Qatar Airways Senior Vice component in Club Africain’s President, Marketing and Cor- progression.” host a Euro 2012 semi-final mance of all European clubs The current squad boasts porate Communications, Ms. Qatar Airways has strong Europa League and was meant to be a home over the past 10 years, they sit 12 Brazilians, including nation- Salam Al Shawa, said, “We are ties with Tunisia, having oper- fit for an emerging power in 16th ahead of the likes of Tot- alised forwards Junior Moraes excited to announce this new ated flights to the capital Tunis AFP European football. tenham, Ajax and Monday’s and Marlos. Yevhen Konoply- partnership, which will see Qa- since 2005. While COVID-19 Düsseldorf (Germany) Shakhtar became just the Europa League semi-final op- anka has returned to his home- tar Airways become the main forced the airline to temporar- second Ukranian club to win a ponents, Inter Milan. land after spells with Sevilla and shirt sponsor of Club Afric- ily suspend services, Tunis was Shakhtar Donetsk are bet- European trophy by lifting the Bankrolled by billion- Schalke and is one of a number ain from the 2020/21season. one of the airline’s firstA frican ter suited than most to deal UEFA Cup just months ear- aire owner , of Ukrainian internationals. We are continually striving destinations to resume flights with the eery surroundings of lier and have deposed rivals Shakhtar’s success is rooted Portuguese coach Luis to boost our global sporting with the national carrier of the a Europa League semi-final Dynamo Kiev as the country’s in a long-term transfer policy Castro has picked up where sponsorship portfolio, and State of Qatar currently oper- behind closed doors as the dominant force with 10 league that buys up and coming Bra- his compatriot Paulo Fonseca this partnership, the first with ating three weekly flights. Ukrainian champions contin- titles in the past 13 years. zilian talent low and sells high, left off when he moved to take any African sporting team, is Club Africain joins Paris ue to thrive despite not playing Instead the Dombass now while simultaneously sweep- charge of Roma at the start of just one more example of our St. Germain, AS Roma, Boca in their home city in six years. lies deserted and damaged by ing up the best players from the season. After narrowly miss- dedication to the sports sector Juniors, FC Bayern München, Uprooted by a war in east- shelling during the conflict. their rivals in . ing out on a place in the Cham- and our belief in the power of K.A.S. Eupen and Al Sadd SC ern Ukraine between govern- Yet, despite the upheaval Fernandinho, Willian, pions League last 16, Benfica, sport to bring people together. in Qatar Airways’ global foot- ment forces and Russian- and a dwindling fanbase in and Fred are Wolfsburg and Basel have all We look forward to working ball sponsorship portfolio. In backed separatists, Shakhtar Donetsk as many feel left be- among those to have made been blown away by Shakhtar’s and engaging with the club addition, Qatar Airways is also have been forced to relocate. hind by the club that once was their name in European foot- free-scoring attack since drop- and its fans to help make a real the Official Airline Partner of Firstly to , 1,200 kilo- a source of great local pride, ball in Ukraine before being ping into the Europa League. difference through this excit- FIFA and participated in the metres from home, and for the Shakhtar Donetsk’s Brazilian on the field Shakhtar have sold for an estimated $200 “Since the very beginning ing new partnership. Sport is a sponsorship of the 2018 FIFA past three years in , a forward Marquinhos Cipriano continued to flourish. million across Europe. of the season, we haven’t suf- key pillar of the long-term vi- World Cup Russia™, the 2019 mere 300 kilometres from their and other players take part in a Next season will be the Akhmetov’s mining busi- fered a single defeat outside sion of the State of Qatar, and FIFA Club World Cup™ Qatar, Donbass Arena in Donetsk. training session on the eve of the 14th time in 17 years they will nesses have been hit by the Ukraine – neither in the Cham- as Qatar’s national carrier, we the 2019 FIFA Women’s World The state-of-the-art UEFA Europa League semi-final be in the Champions League war, which has scaled back pions League nor in the Europa welcome the opportunity to Cup™ and the upcoming 2022 52,000 capacity stadium when against Inter Milan in Duessel- group stages, while in UEFA’s investment, but the formula League,” said Castro of a squad use sport as a means for youth FIFA World Cup Qatar™. it opened in 2009 went onto dorf, Germany, on Sunday. (AFP) coefficient rankings for perfor- remains the same. used to life on the road.