14 Thursday, January 30, 2020 Sports Bayern chief Important for Al Arabi to develop Rummenigge attacks plans a winning culture: Hallgrimsson to expand UCL AFP Munich

The Dream Team Bayern Munich chief Karl- Heinz Rummenigge has hit host Umm Salal out at proposals to expand the Champions League and today as Al Ahli, questioned the motives be- hind creating new and bigger Al Khor lock competitions at club and in- ternational level. horns in QSL “We have got to the point where we have to say stop. Ayeni Olusegun Players and coaches need to Doha Change needed! stand up and say enough is I have said so many times, enough,” Rummenigge said The culture at Al Arabi needs at a sports business confer- to change for the team to start it’s been so long since Al ence in the German city of winning trophies, the club’s Arabi won any trophy and Duesseldorf on Wednesday. coach Heimir Hallgrimsson it’s natural if the players feel His comments come said as the Dream Team pre- inferior to the big teams and amid talk of expanding the pare to host bottom side Umm Champions League to create Salal on Thursday in the QNB players who win trophies extra matchdays in the group Stars League. regularly. We have to stage, thereby further grow- The second oldest team change the mentality and it ing revenue for clubs. in Qatar last won a trophy in Al Arabi players during a training session ahead of their QNB Stars League match against Umm Salal. Meanwhile, FIFA’s new 2011 when they beat Umm is going to take time. The 24-team Club World Cup is Salal to clinch the Sheikh Jas- culture deteriorated over the play, train and even eat. May- tant for us, but I think we after going on a six-game los- for Umm Salal. set to start next year, while sim Cup. Prior to that victory, years and this why the club be we won’t achieve all that have made a big leap from our ing run. “We need to know the the World Cup is set to fea- the club had gone 14 years hasn’t won in a long time. while I am here, but I hope I previous matches, especially “It will be a difficult match importance of every ball and ture 48 teams from 2026. without a trophy. can be remembered as the guy in attitude and character. We because Al Arabi are a big every attack. We have to think Of the Champions League Al Arabi famously hired Gi- – Heimir Hallgrimsson who helped change the culture always try to be professional team and they are playing on that we have an opportunity proposals, he said: “We must anfranco Zola in 2015 but the here in Al Arabi.” in our preparation, it doesn’t their home turf. to stay in the first division and refuse that. There are not Italian lasted only one season mentality and it is going to take The Dream Team had a matter who we play. Umm “In the last round, we start- must fight to achieve this dif- enough dates in the calendar and since his departure, the time. The culture deteriorated good start to the 2019-20 sea- Salal started the season badly ed a new chapter and we have ficult target because football is for a competition where the club has had six coaches in- over the years and this why the son, but have since fallen short but they have changed the new players with high spirit. If very difficult,” Askar added. two finalists will have played cluding current manager Hall- club hasn’t won in a long time,” of the top four places, having team a lot. They have a new we want to keep winning, we Also on Thursday, eighth- 21 matches in total, and with grimsson who believes the cul- Hallgrimsson who took over as lost points from winning posi- coach and we saw in their last must keep our focus,” said Aziz placed Al Ahli host Al Khor at groups of eight teams there ture at the seven-time league coach in December 2018 said. tion and just last Friday, fell game against Al Khor that they Ben Askar who joined the club the Al Ahli Stadium. would be games with noth- champions need to change. “I know how the job of a 3-1 to league leaders Al Duhail. are improving. after The Orange Fortress fired The Brigadiers pipped Al ing to play for,” said the for- “I have said so many times, coach here is – winning games Against a struggling Umm “For us hopefully our mis- Spaniard Raul Caneda due to Sailiya last weekend by a lone mer Ballon d’Or winner, now it’s been so long since Al Arabi keeps you in and if not you get Salal however, Al Arabi have fortune is finished and we can the team’s poor performance. goal to end a miserable run of aged 64. won any trophy and it’s natu- fired. But I know what’s best a chance to return to winning score goals because we work “The team is working hard. three-straight defeats. “There is no reason ral if the players feel inferior to for Al Arabi, we need to change ways and Hallgrimsson knows really hard,” he added. The players know their task Al Khor on the other hand, to change the Champions the big teams and players who the culture and you cannot be how important three points Umm Salal managed only well and they must forget the are one point from the relega- League format, we’re trying win trophies regularly. a good club with a bad culture. means to the club. their second win of the sea- past in order to restore bal- tion playoff and last place, hav- to fix something that isn’t “We have to change the We need to change how we “Winning is very impor- son last weekend at Al Khor ance and get positive results ing managed just nine points. broken.” Man United agree deal to sign Fernandes

AFP London Bruno Fernandes Manchester United have celebrates scoring agreed a deal worth up to Euros for Sporting Clube 80 million to sign Portuguese of Portugal recently. international midfielder Bruno (AFP) Fernandes from Sporting Lis- bon, the club announced on Wednesday. “Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Sporting Clube de Portugal for the transfer of Bruno Fer- dividual awards. Italy. He was also part of the with flares and graffiti. Al Shaqab Racing’s Snan nandes. The deal is subject to “Some are born great, Portugal side that won the United lie fifth in the Pre- a medical and the agreement some achieve greatness, and inaugural Nations League in mier League, a massive 33 of personal terms,” United some have greatness thrust June and has scored twice in points behind runaway lead- makes winning debut said in a statement. upon them. Thanks captain,” 19 international caps. ers Liverpool and six points Fernandes, 25, has been Sporting tweeted alongside of There had been mounting adrift of the Champions Tribune News Network Julian Auge patiently waited for margin. I think he will improve linked with a move to Old video of some of Fernandes’s pressure on United’s executive League places. DOHA an opening, and once his part- a lot from this run and will be Trafford for many months, finest moments for the club. vice-chairman Ed Woodward Their chances of a top- ner settled in his stride, he un- better on a grass track. Once he but United were previously United are badly in need to land at least one marquee four finish will depend greatly Owned and bred by Al leashed him in the final furlong. has matured in his mentality, unwilling to meet Sporting’s of midfield reinforcements name in the remainder of the on how they fare in their next Shaqab Racing, Snan put in a Snan took the lead in a matter he could be a very good horse.” valuation. due to long-term injuries to transfer window. two league games at home to remarkable performance and of strides, winning by a short Snan is by the Al Shaqab Sporting confirmed the Paul Pogba and Scott McTo- Woodward, who has over- Wolves on Saturday and then won his first race in the Prix head in front of Zulfakkar, who stallion Al Mamun Monlau, as deal is worth an initial fee of minay, while a back injury to seen the club’s poor recruit- away to fourth-placed Chelsea Magicienne on the all-weather runs in the colours of Sheikh was the third-place finisher in 55 million euros with another Marcus Rashford has also left ment over the past seven years, on February 17. track at Pau in France. He also Mohammed bin Faleh al Thani. this race, Jugurtha De Monlau. 25 million euros in perfor- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer short of had been the target of the fans’ The Europa League offers did so despite the disadvan- Thomas Fourcy, who Snan is out of the Tornado De mance-related add-ons. options in attack. anger in a 2-0 home defeat to another potential route into next tage of facing more experi- trained the winner, comment- Syrah mare Nevada De Car- The add-ons include five Fernandes offers a goal Burnley last week. season’s Champions League enced opposition. ed, “He is quite an immature donne, who has already pro- million related to appear- threat, having scored 63 goals Police have launched an and Fernandes will be eligi- Travelling mid-division colt. It was a bit of a messy win. duced two winners. She is the ances, five million dependant in 137 appearances for Sport- investigation into an attack on ble to feature for United when throughout, the race was led at If the race had opened up for great-granddaughter of foun- on United qualifying for the ing since returning to his Woodward’s Cheshire home that competition returns next a decent pace by Al Mahbooba. him earlier, I think he would dation mare Nevada through Champions League and 15 mil- homeland after spells with on Tuesday night when a hood- month despite already playing Once in the final stages, jockey have won by a much greater the blue hen Nevadour. lion on Fernandes winning in- Udinese and Sampdoria in ed group targeted the property for Sporting in the group stages. beIN SPORTS to air new series ‘Behind the Scenes’ featuring Wenger and Desailly

Tribune News Network the interview he says: “I always better than the year before. Doha compare football and rugby “In 2002/03 season, I told because the mental prepara- the players that my dream is beIN SPORTS, the global tion is different. It’s individ- to be champion with no de- sports channel will broad- ual preparation. Look at the feat. And we didn’t achieve it. Aston Villa’s Trezeguet celebrates scoring the winner against Leicester cast the first episode of the national anthem and players The players blamed me at the City in the English League Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday.(afp) brand-new series “Behind the who are singing it, it’s because start of the 2003/04 season Scenes” with French football they are already thinking of and said “it was your fault” Trezeguet fires Villa into EFL Cup final legends Arsene Wenger and their match in their mind. It’s because I gave them a lot of Marcel Desailly January 30 a mental preparation”. pressure and when we lost the at 22:00 Mecca time on beIN Winning two Serie A titles, first game, we didn’t have any DPA on to ’s flicked SPORTS HD1. one UEFA Champions League, goals. So, I told them, ‘I am London pass to unleash an impressive During the episode, the FIFA World Cup and the convinced that now, you are half-volley from a tight angle. Wenger and Desailly will dis- Qatar Stars League, Marcel ready to do it.’” Egyptian striker Trezeguet Leicester striker Kelechi cuss matters related to player Desailly’s versatility was con- Arsene Wenger and Mar- scored a stoppage time win- Iheanacho was on hand to rituals, the spirit inside the sidered a great asset for the Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (left) and ex-Chelsea and cel Desailly are part of a long ner to send Aston Villa draw the sides level with a tap locker rooms, how football has teams he played with. France national team defender Marcel Desailly. list of names from the foot- through to the EFL Cup final in on 72 minutes. changed throughout the years Arsenal legend and for- balling hall of fame who have on Tuesday in a 2-1 (3-2 ag- With two of four minutes and much more. mer manager Arsene Wenger chitect. I asked for a huge locker Premier League title 3 times appeared on beIN SPORTS, gregate) semi-final second- stoppage time left, Trezeguet Former AC Milan, Chel- discussed how he influenced room, with big enough individ- with Arenal as well as 7 FA including Jose Mourinho, leg win over Leicester City at ran on to a long ball from fel- sea, Al Gharrafa and Qatar the design of Arsenal’s Emir- ual space and a close massage Cups, before leaving the North Zlatan Ibrahimović, Paul . low Ahmed Elmohamady to SC player Marcel Desailly also ates Stadium. room and doctor room. When London club in 2018. Scholes, Peter Schmeichel, Defender Matt Targett punch home the game winner discusses preparations for a In the interview he says: you go inside you will feel that On Arsenal’s Invincible Ruud Gullit, Yaya Touré, Ne- fired the hosts in front in the and send Villa to Wembley football player as being very “At the Emirates Stadium I de- it all works perfectly”. season, Wenger says that he manja Vidić, Wesley Sneijder, 12th minute when he latched Stadium. different to any other sport. In signed everything with the ar- Wenger won the English always wanted his team to do Graeme Souness and others.