Sport WEDNESDAY 5 MAY 2021 ChelseaChels belong among Europe’s elite: Tuchel It’sIt the second leg, the decisive one, so to arrive with a cecertain level of belief and self-confidence is absolutely nnecessary.e Otherwise we have no chance against a teteam like Real Madrid. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel Sport | 19 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: SEMI-FINAL - SECOND LEG: Chelsea vs Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge (Kick off at 10:00pm Qatar time) Mahrez shines as City reach final Zidane in awe of his players MANCHESTER AP – Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez scores their first goal against PSG during yesterday's semi-final second as they target Riyad Mahrez scored twice to leg match played in Manchester, yesterday. complete Manchester City’s journey to a first Champions another final League final with a 2-0 victory eliminating Paris REUTERS – LONDON Saint-Germain 4-1 on aggregate yesterday. Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane After beginning City’s said he is constantly surprised by his fightback in Paris last week, players’ capacity to overcome diffi- Mahrez took only 11 minutes culties as they set their sights on a to score in the semifinal fourth Champions League final in second leg when he put the six years in today's semi-final second ball through the legs of goal- leg away to Chelsea. keeper Keylor Navas on a field Real have had the most injuries covered in the remnants of a in La Liga this season but have pulled spring hailstorm. themselves back into the title race The Paris-born forward while they have also had to contend completed a counterattack in without a number of influential the 63rd that began with a players in their run to the last four surging run with Phil Foden of Europe’s top competition. and combination with Kevin “We’ve had a lot of difficulties De Bruyne. but you have to take your hat off to PSG lost its cool and com- this team,” Zidane told a virtual news posure, finishing the game conference ahead of Wednesday’s with 10 men just like in the decider at Stamford Bridge, where first leg after Angel Di Maria the tie is delicately balanced at 1-1 was sent off with 20 minutes from the first leg. to go for kicking at “More than anything else, this Fernandinho. team has character. And when the PSG missed out on a going gets tough they always dig in. second shot at lifting a first In my eyes, they are the best. We are European Cup after losing last exactly where we want to be and it’s season’s final to Bayern fully deserved.” Munich. Real suffered the latest in a slew City could contest an all- of recent injury setbacks when English final if Chelsea over- centre back Raphael Varane was comes Real Madrid today after ruled out with a thigh problem, drawing the first leg 1-1. adding to a list of stricken defenders It’s not just City that’s League winner as Barcelona Munich and has taken until his investment, is now accus- League Cup last month. But including Dani Carvajal and Lucas endured frustration in its coach in 2009 and 2011, has fifth season at City to even tomed to glory - sitting on its only continental title Vazquez. quest to win the biggest prize been waiting a decade to reach the semifinals. the brink of its third Premier came in 1970 with the now- But Zidane has been boosted by in European football. Pep return to the final. He fell City, transformed since League title in four seasons defunct European Cup the return of captain Sergio Ramos, Guardiola, a Champions short three times with Bayern 2008 by Abu Dhabi after already collecting the Winners’ Cup. who is set to play his ninth Cham- pions League semi-final tie after recovering from injury, plus French left back Ferland Mendy and Uru- Al Khor stay in QSL with 3-1 win over Al Shahania guayan midfielder Federico Valverde. He can also finally count on a fully fit Eden Hazard, who was in lively form in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Osasuna and is in line to start at the ground which he called home for seven years before switching from Chelsea to Real in 2019. “It’s a very good moment for him and I’m certain he’ll help us a lot. He’ll be able to show us his skill and quality,”, said Zidane of the Belgian,Belgian, whose twotwo seasonss at Real haveve beenn stuntedd by a series ofof long-termrm injuries.s. Al Khor players celebrate after scoring against Al Shahania in the QNB Stars League play-off match played at the Qatar SC Stadium yesterday. Goals from Ioannis Fetfatzidid (2), Yuki Kobayashi (19) and Saeed Brahmi (77) helped Al Khor beat Al Shahania 3-1 as the 11th-ranked team in the previous QNB Stars League season secured their place in the top League for another year. Abdulaziz Al Yahri scored the only goal for the Qatari Second Divition runners-up in the 86th minute. Javi to leave Chelsea board meetings to Bayern Munich Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to have supporter presence after 9 years host African Super Cup final REUTERS – LONDON AP – MUNICH Chelsea will have a supporter presence at their board meetings starting from July 1, the Premier League club Javi Martinez will leave Bayern announced yesterday. Munich at the end of the The decision comes after Chelsea faced intense criticism season after nine years and from its supporters for their involvement in the attempt to almost certainly nine create a breakaway European Super League last month. The Bundesliga titles, the German club withdrew from the project within 48 hours of the initial club said yesterday. launch. The Spanish defensive Chelsea said three supporter advisors, picked through midfielder joined Bayern in an election and selection process, will attend the meetings 2012 from Athletic Bilbao for to ensure “general supporter sentiment” is taken into account what was then the German as part of the club’s decision-making process. club’s record fee of €40m QNA – CAIRO of Al Sadd, where the two teams will enter a “The club will now consult with the Fans’ Forum and ($48m). His contract is due to safety bubble on May 25, with a Coronavirus several non-official supporter groups to discuss the club’s expire June 30 and Bayern said The Confederation of African Football (CAF) (COVID-19) swabs conducted 48 hours before proposed process for picking the three supporter advisors,” “the club and player have yesterday announced that Jassim Bin Hamad the match. Chelsea said in a statement. mutually agreed not to extend Stadium in Al Sadd will host the final match of Al Ahly are in the final after being crowned Chelsea, however, confirmed supporter advisors will his contract.” The 32-year-old the African Super Cup between Al Ahly of Egypt winners of the African Champions League, and not have any voting rights and will not participate in any Spaniard has been more of a and Moroccan RS Berkane, on May 28. RS Berkane as champion of the CAF Confeder- meeting relating to “players, staff, the academy and related fringe player for Bayern in CAF decided to hold the match at the home ation Cup. matters”. The club said a new selection of supporter advisors recent seasons. will be made before the start of each season. WEDNESDAY 5 MAY 2021 SPORT 19 Madrid Open: Obiri, Gidey set for Nadal to face promising Doha showdown Spanish WWW.DOHA.DIAMONDLEAGUE.COM – DOHA Ethiopia’s Letesenbet teenager Gidey World 5000m champion Hellen AP – MADRID Obiri and world record holder Letesenbet Gidey will resume their It wasn’t too long ago that Rafael rivalry as they line up over 3000m Nadal was handing Carlos Alcaraz at the Wanda Doha Diamond League a PlayStation as the boy’s prize at a on May 28. local tennis tournament in Spain. Obiri, 31, Olympic 5000m silver Now the Spanish great is about medallist in Rio 2016, is an experi- to play against the promising enced competitor with three world youngster in the second round of track titles dating back to 2012 (two the Madrid Open. outdoor, one indoor). The 17-year-old Alcaraz She is also the reigning World defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-4, Cross Country champion and Com- 6-0 on Monday to set up the monwealth Games champion over “dream” matchup against the 5000m. stone towards the Olympic Games the only majormajorr goldgold medalmem dad l thatthatat I’mI’mm 20-time grand slam champion. Gidey, silver medallist over later in the season.” missing andand I’mI’’m workingworkinng hardhah rd toto Alcaraz will face his idol on the 10,000m at the 2019 World Athletics Obiri - who defeated Gidey in change thathat thisthisis year.yeaar.r TheThe 3000m3000m Magic Box center court on Championships, is a prodigious their most recent clash (over and 5000m0m rraracesces areare vevveryery ccompet-ommpeet- Wednesday, his birthday. young talent. 5000m) at the 2020 Monaco itive at thehee momentmomomennt andanand I expectexe peectt wewe “It will be a dream come A former world under-20 cross Diamond League in a time of will see somesomo e fastfastst timestimmess inin thethhe nextnextx through to play against Rafa here,” country champion (2015 and 2017), 14:22.12 - said: “After my half mar- few monthsthsh andandnd inin ToTokyo.”kyk oo.” Alcaraz said. she finished third behind Obiri in the athon debut in April (she ran 1:04:51 The 20210212 WandaWanndad DiamondDiamom nd LeagueLeae gue “I’ve wanted to play against him senior race at the 2019 World Cross in Istanbul) I’m looking forward to comprisess 144 meetingsmeee tit nggs - startingststartiingg withwitith since I was a kid.