THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016 SPORTS O’Donovan banned eight Madrid mad to Liverpool sign weeks for head-butt appoint Zidane Serbian Grujic SYDNEY: Irish striker Roy O’Donovan was slapped with an eight-week ban yes- BERLIN: Real Madrid’s decision to appoint Zinedine Zidane as their terday for head-butting, one of the longest suspensions ever handed out by LIVERPOOL: Liverpool completed a deal for Red Star Belgrade’s 19- new coach has been described as “madness” by former Bayern Munich year-old Serbian midfielder Marko Grujic yesterday in Juergen Klopp’s Australia’s A-League. The 30-year-old, who plays for Central Coast boss Ottmar Hitzfeld in an interview with Swiss daily Blick. “For him Mariners, was cited for his attack on Wellington Phoenix player first signing since he took over as manager in October. Grujic, who has (Zidane) it is like winning the lottery jackpot. It is madness,” said the played for Serbia at under-21 level and was a member of Manny Muscat over the New Year period. Only former 66-year-old Hitzfeld, who ended a stellar coaching career after taking Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic has received a bigger sus- the under-20 squad that won the World Cup in 2015, Switzerland to the 2014 World Cup. Hitzfeld added that the former will return to Red Star on loan to the end of the pension in the A-League with a nine-month ban for striking a France great “is only living off his illustrious name as a player.” Zidane’s referee in 2008. O’Donovan pleaded guilty to violent conduct. season. The Premier League club did not disclose only previous experience as a coach is his 18 months at the helm of a transfer fee but British media reported it to be Muscat was earlier banned for two matches for his part in the Real Madrid’s second team, Castilla, in the regional third tier of confrontation. The Mariners said they were “extremely disap- about 5.1 million pounds ($7.5 million) with the Spanish football. “Zidane has proved nothing as a coach and he is player said to be contracted to the club until pointed” and may appeal against the decision. “The dispari- now in charge of the biggest stars in the world. It is an incredibly diffi- ty in sanctions issued for this match highlights the 2020. He has scored five goals in 21 league cult task although I hope it goes well for him,” said Hitzfeld. Pep appearances for Red Star this season. “We’re very flaws in the system,” club chief executive Shaun Guardiola was appointed Barcelona coach despite his only prior expe- Mielekamp said. “The media circus around the inci- pleased because Marko is a big talent and we’ve rience being leading Barca’s B team to promotion from the Spanish seen him a lot of times,” Klopp told the club’s web- dent has a high impact on the result and we will look fourth tier. For Hitzfeld, who won the Champions League as coach of at our avenues for appeal.” O’Donovan is in his first site (www.liverpoolfc.com). “When I came here, both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern, a great player does not always our scouts showed me some footage of a season with the Mariners after stints with make a great coach because “it also depends on his natural authority Sunderland, Coventry City, Blackpool and very skilled player from Red Star as the boss.” Zidane, 43, was appointed Madrid coach on Monday Belgrade. — Reuters Northampton Town in England. —AFP night after the sacking of Rafael Benitez. —AFP TERMAS DE RIO HONDO AND JUJUY: Peugeot’s French driver Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena from Monaco, compete in the Stage 3 of the 2016 Dakar Rally between Termas de Rio Hondo and Jujuy, Argentina, on Tuesday. — AFP Loeb fires broadside with second stage win SAN SALVADOR DE JUJUY: Sebastien Loeb’s ings. Mini-driving defending champion Nasser Loeb, who has been racing in the World Touring career at the wheel of a Citroen. “At the moment Elena. Argentina’s Kevin Benavides, on a Honda, sensational Dakar Rally debut continued on al-Attiyah of Qatar sits in fifth place overall, 6min Car Championship since effectively retiring from we are on tracks... so I’ve got a good feeling on won the motorcycle section of the stage, short- Tuesday when he topped the podium for the 50sec adrift of Loeb, and just behind the Mini of WRC rallying after the last of his nine consecu- this type of road. But when we go to the desert ened because of bad weather, after the initial second time in two days with victory in the third Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen, Loeb’s former WRC tive world titles in 2012, added: “For the it will be different, with long and hot stages. winner Joan Barreda Bort was handed a one- stage of the gruelling two-week rally-raid. rival who is also making his race debut. moment, for sure, I’m enjoying it. It has been That is something that I don’t know very well, so minute penalty for speeding. France’s nine-time world rally champion, “It seems that the times will be very close two good days for me. we will see. That bumped the Spanish Honda rider down driving a Peugeot, clocked 2hr 9min 39sec over between the drivers,” said the 41-year-old Loeb, “The car is going very well. I have a good “We will continue for the moment and I’ll try to fifth on the stage, with Portugal’s Paulo 190km between the Argentinian towns of adding that the desert stages would be a real feeling with the car. It’s performing well so at to do my best and we’ll see where we are in a Goncalves (Honda) and Frenchman Antoine Termas de Rio Hondo and San Salvador de Jujuy test. “I pushed hard and I had a good stage with the moment I’m enjoying it,” said the few days,” said Loeb, accompanied by long-time Meo (KTM) moving up to second and third to consolidate his place atop the overall stand- no mistakes. Everything is ok at the moment.” Frenchman, who spent his illustrious WRC co-driver and fellow rally-raid novice Daniel respectively. —AFP Hirscher beats Kristoffersen to win World Cup slalom SANTA CATERINA VALFURVA: Marcel ish to win the men’s 15-kilometer race. incredibly fast in the lower section.” Hirscher earned his 36th career win on the Poltoranin finished in 35 minutes, 35.9 sec- Kristoffersen was reluctant to speculate World Cup circuit yesterday, edging onds, one-tenth of a second ahead of about a duel with Hirscher for this year’s Norwegian rival Henrik Kristoffersen by 0.21 Cologna, who was 0.6 seconds ahead of World Cup slalom title, which the Austrian seconds in a men’s slalom. The four-time Italy’s Francesco de Fabiani. won the past three seasons. “It’s still a long overall champion from Austria was third After five of eight races in the Tour de Ski, way until (the final races in) St. Moritz,” he after the opening leg but posted the fastest Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby still leads said. “Now I think Marcel is the best, and I second-run time to finish in 1 minute, 54.54 compatriot Petter Northug Jr. am close behind him.” seconds. It was the third time in three slaloms this Kristoffersen remained in the lead of the Meanwhile, Therese Johaug beat Ingvild season that Hirscher and Kristoffersen discipline standings with 280 points, 20 Flugstad Oestberg in the women’s 10-kilo- shared the top-two spots - though the first clear of Hirscher. Aleksander Khoroshilov of meter mass start to cut her Norwegian time with the Austrian on top. “It’s super Russia is third with 114 points. Eyeing his teammate’s lead in the Tour de Ski to just cool,” Hirscher said about his rivalry with the second victory after winning in Schladming 12.2 seconds yesterday. 21-year-old Norwegian. “It gives me new a year ago, Khoroshilov led Hirscher by 0.10 Norwegians completed the top four, with motivation, new strength. Also in training I after the opening run. Johaug winning in 26 minutes, 37.6 seconds try to make another step forward.” - 9.9 seconds ahead of Oestberg. Heidi Kristoffersen still led Hirscher by 0.07 AMAZING JOB Weng was 19.7 behind in third. Weng is toward the end of his final run but had a However, he was already half a second 2:33.1 behind Oestberg in the Tour de Ski costly mistake in the last few gates before behind the Austrian at the first split of his standings. the finish. “That is ski racing. But one mis- second run and finally came third, 0.32 off Alexey Poltoranin of Kazakhstan edged take is OK,” the Norwegian said. “I am satis- the winning time. Dario Cologna of Switzerland in a photo fin- fied. It was a good run. I heard Marcel was “The feeling was pretty good, especially OBERSTDORF: Norwegian Therese Johaug celebrates during the winner ceremony of the ladies 10 kilometer classic competition of the “Tour de Ski” Cross Country World Cup yes- terday in Oberstdorf, southern Germany. — AFP in the second run,” Hirscher said. “Henrik Hirscher went top of the overall stand- and Aleksander did an amazing job as well ings again, leading Aksel Lund Svindal of so it was pretty close as it’s been all season Norway by 85 points.