SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016

Matches on TV Hiddink urges Chelsea to play for pride (Local Timings) BIRMINGHAM: While Chelsea are effectively mark- with the club having an outside chance of qualify- tains he would sell the club to the American again ing time until the end of the , their visit to ing for next season’s Europa League. But Hiddink even knowing what he knows now. “Yes, I would,” English Aston Villa today brings them into confrontation urged his players to show pride and ensure they the 92-year-old told BBC Radio 5 live. “When I did with a club that this week attempted to jolt life into don’t switch off in the closing weeks. the deal with Randy, he made it clear he wouldn’t Aston Villa v Chelsea 14:45 a disastrous campaign. Villa, rooted at the foot of “First of all we want to get the maximum out of be able to come to many matches and he certainly beIN SPORTS 2 HD the Premier League and 12 points adrift of safety, the team regarding the league table, to get the hasn’t. “I said I’d be there for him at any time Arsenal v Watford 17:00 dismissed boss Remi Garde just four months after best position possible,” Hiddink said. “But also we because I left £20 million in for new players. the Frenchman was installed in place of Tim appeal to the players to say hey, you are a big club Consequently he hasn’t asked.” Lerner has come beIN SPORTS 2 HD Sherwood. Both clubs are now looking for a new which has had a very difficult season and is recov- under fresh scrutiny for not providing funds for Sunderland v West Bromwich 17:00 manager, with Chelsea still to confirm whether ering step by step. “We are unbeaten in the Garde during the transfer window. beIN SPORTS 4 HD coach Antonio Conte will be the permanent league so far, and when you play as a big club in a And the owner has faced renewed criticism for successor to Jose Mourinho who was dismissed in difficult situation, you must have pride as well.” his handling of the club by the protest group ‘Out West Ham v Crystal Palace 17:00 December. The appointment of Guus Hiddink as The Door On 74’, who are behind the move by Villa beIN SPORTS 9 HD interim manager has brought stability and the CHAOTIC SEASON fans to protest against his regime by leaving the Norwich City v Newcastle 17:00 Blues will travel to Villa Park hoping to maintain Chelsea striker Diego Costa is suspended but last two home matches after 74 minutes - marking beIN SPORTS 11 HD their 14-game unbeaten league run since the Radamel Falcao will return to the squad for the first the club’s formation in 1874. The group said in a Dutchman took charge. At this stage of the sea- time in five months. Villa moved to sack Garde on statement: “He was hung out to dry by Mr Lerner. Stoke City v City 17:00 son, Chelsea would usually be embroiled in a fight Tuesday after just 147 days in charge, with first- “The January window slammed shut with zero beIN SPORTS 12 HD for silverware on several fronts. team coach Eric Black handed the reins on a tem- investment provided, not a single player joined a Bournemouth v Man City 17:00 However, their exit from the Champions porary basis. The chaotic season has turned the squad that had finally shown some mettle but was League and the FA Cup means there will be no sil- focus on owner Randy Lerner who is keen to sell still woefully short of both consistent quality and beIN SPORTS 4 HD verware coming to Stamford Bridge this season, the club, but Doug Ellis, the previous owner, main- numbers.” —AFP Liverpool v Tottenham 19:30 beIN SPORTS 2 HD

SPANISH LEAGUE Messi, Ronaldo battle Atletico v 17:00 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Las Palmas v Valencia 19:15 to be ’s top dog beIN SPORTS 3 HD Barcelona v Real 21:30 beIN SPORTS 1 HD MADRID: Today’s meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid pits the two beIN SPORTS 3 HD most expensive strike forces in history Celta de Vigo v Deportivo 23:05 against one another. Barca hold a big 10- beIN SPORTS 9 HD point advantage over Madrid in the La Liga title race, but the battle to be the league’s top scorer between Barca’s , ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE Luis Suarez and and Madrid’s Carpi v Sassuolo 19:00 , and is a lot tighter. beIN SPORTS 4 HD Here, AFP sports looks at the numbers Juventus FC v Empoli 21:45 behind the six men hoping to land Spain’s beIN SPORTS 4 HD Pichichi prize for La Liga’s top marksmen.

Cristiano Ronaldo (28 goals) GERMAN BUNDESLIGA Much criticised for not reaching his usual Bayern Munich v Eintracht 16:30 heights this season, Ronaldo is still La Liga’s beIN SPORTS 5 HD top scorer thanks in large part to having played every minute of the league season so Hannover v Hamburger 16:30 far. Ronaldo hasn’t scored against in four beIN SPORTS games against opponents in La Liga’s top Mainz 05 v Augsburg 16:30 four, but has looked back close to his best in recent weeks with seven goals in his last five beIN SPORTS games and is tied with Raul as the third Ingolstadt V Schalke 04 16:30 highest scorer in Clasico history with 15 beIN SPORTS 10 HD against Barca. Darmstadt V Stuttgart 16:30 Luis Suarez (26 goals) BARCELONA: Barcelona’s defender (2ndR) and Barcelona’s Brazilian defend- beIN SPORTS Finally free from suspension and contro- er (R) vie with a teammate for the ball during a training session at the Sports Borussia V Werder Bremen 10:30 versy to play a full season, Suarez has Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, near Barcelona yesterday on the beIN SPORTS 5 HD become Barca’s top scorer this season with eve their Spanish League Clasico football match FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid. —AFP 43 in 43 games in all competitions, 26 of which in La Liga. the turn of the year, 16 in La Liga, have Karim Benzema (20 goals) FRENCH LEAGUE Such is the ease with which Barca have Messi in the hunt for a fourth Pichichi. The The Frenchman has significantly the best five-time World Player of the Year is also minutes per goal ratio in La Liga with one every PSG V OGC 18:00 been winning, suspicions in Madrid have arisen that Messi’s decision to pass a penalty tantalisingly close to another significant 78 minutes he’s on the pitch. Staying there has beIN SPORTS 6 HD into Suarez’s path against Celta Vigo in milestone as he needs just one more to been Benzema’s trouble in a season disrupted Troyes AC V Angers 21:00 February and allow him to take spot-kicks reach 500 career goals after registering his by injury and off-field scandals, but he is 50th for Argentina as they saw off Bolivia in already just one off his best ever tally in a Liga beIN SPORTS against Sporting Gijon and were with the intention of aiding his chal- midweek. campaign. Rennes V Stade de Reims 21:00 lenge to Ronaldo to top the scoring charts. beIN SPORTS 6 HD Yet, the penalty spot is the one place Neymar (21 goals) Gareth Bale (15 goals) After a brief mid-season dip the Brazilian Injuries have also ravaged Bale’s season, but V Montpellier 21:00 from which the Uruguayan hasn’t been deadly as his efforts against Sporting and has come back into goalscoring form with the Welshman’s impressive strike rate of 15 in beIN SPORTS Rayo were both saved. four in three games before the recent inter- just 16 league starts also has him on course for Toulouse FC V Caen 21:00 national break. His best run came in Messi’s his best goalscoring season since arriving in beIN SPORTS 9 HD Lionel Messi (22 goals) absence earlier in the campaign with nine in Spain three years ago. Bale has just one El Despite missing two-months of the sea- six La Liga games in October and November, Clasico goal to his name, but it was his most Ajaccio V Saint Etienne 21:00 son due to knee ligament damage and play- culminating in a sensational performance as spectacular one in a Madrid shirt as he ran half beIN SPORTS ing a greater role as creator since Suarez’s Barca inflicted a humiliating 4-0 thrashing the length of the field before slotting home to arrival last season, a surge of 24 goals since on Madrid. win the Copa del Rey final in 2014. —AFP