ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 13-14, 2021 16

Chelsea’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga saves the fi nal shot during the penalty shootout of the UEFA Super Cup soccer match between Chelsea and Villarreal at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Kepa stars, Chelsea win Super Cup

Chelsea players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Super Cup soccer match against Villarreal at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (AP)

Blues edge Villarreal on penalties Opening round of EPL headlined by meeting between Spurs and City BELFAST, Northern Ireland, Aug 12, (AP): Thomas Tuchel made the Kane transfer saga could defi ne season bold call, and Kepa Ar- LONDON, Aug 12, (Agencies): The leave Guardiola’s team streets clear of rizabalaga made the big compact surroundings of the recently them all for a season which, in some built, 17,250-seat Brentford Commu- respects, will see normality resume. saves. nity Stadium will usher in another Pre- Lukaku ‘seals’ return to Capacity limits, enforced last season Brought on as a substitute mier League campaign on Friday. and at the end of the 2019-20 season with seconds remaining in extra In reality, though, a season that amid the coronavirus pandemic, were time, Kepa kept out two spot will be marked by the return of ca- Chelsea for $135 million lifted by the British government on pacity crowds for the first time in 17 July 19. Spectator-free stadiums will kicks as Chelsea beat Villarreal pandemic-blighted months will only LONDON, Aug 12, (AP): Romelu back with a lot of experience and be replaced by full-capacity crowds, 6-5 in a penalty shootout to win start in earnest once a summer-long, Lukaku sealed a return to Chelsea more mature. with fans at matches needing to be pre- the UEFA Super Cup on. potentially title-defining transfer on Thursday by moving from Inter “The relationship I have with pared to prove they are fully vaccinat- Tuchel, the Chelsea manager, saga is settled one way or the other. Milan for a reported $135 million, this club means so much to me, as ed or have recently tested negative for Harry Kane’s “will-he, won’t he?” a record transfer fee for the Euro- you know. I have supported Chel- the virus. Kickoff times will no longer has been informed by his team pean champions. sea as a kid and now to be back and of statisticians that Kepa has a move to Manchester City from Totten- be staggered, which had been the case ham remains in the balance and may The Belgium striker is back at try to help them win more titles is during the pandemic to allow soccer better record at saving penalties only be decided in the fi nal days, per- the London club where he spent an amazing feeling.” fans to see each match. than fi rst-choice goalkeeper Ed- haps even the fi nal hours, of a summer three seasons from 2011, though A striker was regarded as a pri- What won’t be changing is the sight ority this offseason for Chelsea, ouard Mendy, so the substitution transfer window that closes on Aug. he was out on loan for two of those of players taking a knee before games was made in the 119th minute of 31. years before being sold for 28 mil- which became European champi- ons without having a regular center as a protest against discrimination and a match that ended 1-1 after extra If City, the star-studded defending racial injustice. All 20 club captains champions, clinch a signing of the forward after Timo Werner under- time. Chelsea’s Timo Werner (right), SOCCER whelmed following his move from have unanimously committed to their challenges for the ball with Villar- England captain - for maybe as much teams continuing to perform the ges- Kepa had already saved a pen- as $200 million - many will view the Leipzig. real’s Juan Foyth during the UEFA Werner joined last year as part ture, which was booed by some fans at alty from Aissa Mandi when he Super Cup soccer match between title race as over before it barely start- Euro 2020. dived low to his right again and ed, such will be the depth and quality lion pounds (now $39 million) to of Chelsea’s biggest offseason Chelsea and Villarreal at Windsor Everton. Expect the use of video review to parried out Raul Albiol’s attempt Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. of resources available to City manager spending spree - nearly $300 Now, Lukaku is one of the million - since Russian owner carry on being divisive, too. Changes in what proved to be the fi nal (AP) Pep Guardiola. After all, City, which are being made to the way the VAR won the league by 12 points last sea- world’s best strikers, prompting Roman Abramovich took charge kick of the shootout at Windsor Chelsea to buy him back for more in 2003 and the club has spent interprets offside decisions, which - son, have already bought midfi elder according to referee chief Mike Riley Park in Northern Ireland. Super Cup as the Europa League Jack Grealish for a British-record fee than three times that fee to make big again to entice Lukaku, who As Chelsea’s players sprinted champions, a tournament it won him the second most expensive scored 47 goals in 72 appearances - has “reintroduced the benefi t of the of 100 million pounds ($139 million). doubt to the attacking player.” from the halfway line to cele- by beating Manchester United in If Kane stays at Tottenham? Well, player in Premier League history. in Serie A for Inter in his two sea- brate with Kepa, one of the fi rst a penalty shootout. On that oc- it’s game on, given how City’s rivals England midfi elder Jack Grealish sons in Italy. Inter won the league to reach him was Mendy. casion, every one of its players stack up this season. joined Manchester City from As- last season for the first time since converted their penalties in the Somewhat quirkily, the opening ton Villa last week for 100 million 2010. SOCCER round of the Premier League, which pounds ($139 million). Lukaku joined Inter in 2019 shootout before goalkeeper Ger- “I’m happy and blessed to be from Manchester United, having starts with Brentford - a unheralded Four teams will have new manag- SOCCER ónimo Rulli saved from opposite side playing top-fl ight football for the back at this wonderful club,” Lu- failed to settle at Old Trafford after number David De Gea to seal an kaku said. ”It’s been a long journey his move from Everton two years ers this season and some of them aren’t fi rst time in 74 years - hosting Arse- without controversy, either. Rafa Benitez “It’s fantastic how Edu accepts 11-10 win. nal, is headlined by Sunday’s meeting for me: I came here as a kid who earlier for 75 million pounds (then had a lot to learn, now I’m coming $97 million). has been hired by Everton, leaving some it,” Tuchel said. “ We needed to Rulli was on the bench , between Tottenham and Man City, fans unhappy because he was previously Kane’s current club and his suitor. do what’s best for the team. ... with Sergio Asenjo starting as in charge of local rivals Liverpool. Nuno Talk about an early-season narra- There is proof that Kepa is better goalkeeper and he saved the tive. be much stronger with the expected Raphael Varane, too, after spending Espirito Santo was hired by Tottenham in this discipline.” first kick of the shootout from Kane, who had the most goals and arrival of striker Romelu Lukaku for a combined $150 million. Liverpool, despite clearly being down the club’s Less than 10 weeks after Chel- Havertz. Chelsea scored its assists in the Premier League last sea- list of targets following something of a a reported $135 million. United have the 2019-20 champions, crucially have botched search. sea’s 1-0 win over Manchester next six, while Kepa saved Vil- son, hasn’t been seen since he trudged bought England winger Jadon San- star defender Virgil van Dijk back fi t. off the fi eld at Wembley Stadium fol- Former Arsenal and France star City in the Champions League larreal’s second - from Mandi cho and will add France center back City getting Kane, however, would Patrick Vieira will lead Crystal Pal- fi nal in Porto, Cesar Azpilicueta - and then Albiol, Villarreal’s lowing England’s penalty-shootout loss to Italy in the European Cham- ace in his fi rst senior role in the Pre- was again lifting a European tro- 35-year-old captain. pionship fi nal on July 11. He failed to mier League, while Bruno Lage has phy to the backdrop of fi reworks “I was ready, because I knew report for preseason fi tness checks at replaced Nuno at Wolverhampton, for and tickertape. this might happen,” Kepa said. Tottenham last week, angering fans whom Raúl Jiménez has returned after Among the players celebrating Kepa memorably refused to amid his apparent interest in joining recovering from a skull fracture suf- come off near the end of the Eng- City, and is currently observing a fi ve- fered in November. on the podium behind him was While Brentford will be largely un- Hakim Ziyech, who had his right lish League Cup fi nal in 2019, day quarantine at the club’s training ground. known to the Premier League’s vast arm in a sling after a suspected despite being called to the bench It makes it highly unlikely Kane will global fanbase, the two other promot- dislocated shoulder in the 40th by then-manager Maurizio Sarri. make what could be a divisive appear- ed teams - Norwich and Watford - are minute - 13 minutes after putting Backup keeper Willy Caballero, ance in Sunday’s game at Tottenham making immediate returns to the top Chelsea into the lead by convert- a penalty specialist, was ready to Hotspur Stadium. It’s the latest epi- division following relegation last year. ing a cross from Kai Havertz. come on as a replacement and it sode in what could be a seismic, game- They will come back into a league That was canceled out by led to Sarri almost storming off changing episode in English soccer. where money continues to fl ow freely Hoping Kane doesn’t make the despite the economic impact of the pan- Gerard Moreno in the 73rd for the down the tunnel at Wembley Sta- move north to Etihad Stadium - Tot- demic, at a time when big teams like Spain international’s record 83rd dium. tenham aside, obviously - will be Barcelona and Inter Milan are having to goal for Villarreal - breaking the The match – billed as the most Chelsea, Manchester United and Liv- offl oad stars and reduce their wage bill record he shared with U.S.-born prestigious ever to be staged in erpool, who are expected to be the because of fi nancial issues. There have former Italy striker Giuseppe Northern Ireland – was played main challengers to a City team aim- already been 10 offseason signings for Rossi. Moreno exchanged a one- in front of 13,000 people, with ing for a fourth title in six years under more than 20 million pounds ($27.6 two with Boulaye Dia before lift- Windsor Park at 70% capacity Guardiola and a sixth title in the past million) in the Premier League, with 11 seasons. In this Sunday, May 23, 2021 fi le photo, Tottenham’s Harry Kane runs for Lukaku and Varane still to be confi rmed. ing his shot over Mendy and into during the pandemic and spec- Chelsea, the European champions the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Leices- And then there’s Kane, whose potential the top corner. tators required to wear face after their win over City in last sea- ter City and Tottenham Hotspur at the King Power Stadium, in Leicester, transfer is overshadowing the start of a Villarreal were playing in the masks. son’s Champions League fi nal, will England. (AP) season already looking rich in plot lines.

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