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SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Juve host Milan, Napoli pile pressure on Roma MILAN: Champions Juventus host ailing yet to throw in the towel. Cagliari, has been sidelined after making a run of results that has seen the Nerazzurri AC Milan looking to extend their seven- Napoli were the only top five team to late substitute’s appearance in Roma’s Cup drop to 13th, 24 points behind Juventus. point lead over title-chasers Roma, and the claim all three points, thanks to a 2-1 win defeat on Tuesday. Inter had only two shots on goal against Giallorossi’s woes could deepen with away to Chievo when new signing Manolo The pressure is growing on Garcia and Napoli on Wednesday and Mancini, who Gonzalo Higuain-inspired Napoli now tar- Gabbiadini hit a 62nd minute winner. the Frenchman admitted: “We need a won two trophies from four consecutive geting second place. It was a huge win for Rafael Benitez’s result at Cagliari to get luck back on our Cup finals in his previous spell in charge in Juventus spurned the chance to extend men, and its significance did not escape side.” A Roma slip-up would be welcomed 2004-2008, did not spare his misfiring play- their Serie A lead to nine points last week the attention of Roma either. Napoli, who by a Napoli side that has lost only twice in ers. “They were like chickens,” said Mancini, following an unexpected scoreless draw sit 11 points adrift of Juventus, are now 18 games ahead of hosting Udinese at the whose side have lost their past two league away to Udinese. But with Roma conceding only four behind second-placed Roma. If San Paolo, which is still ringing from the outings at home to Torino and away to a fourth draw on the trot, Massimiliano the injury-hit Giallorossi lose away to sound of Wednesday’s 1-0 Italian Cup win Sassuolo. Allegri’s league leaders look to be cruising Cagliari and Napoli beat Udinese at home, over Inter. Higuain, whose 93rd minute “I don’t even remember the last time I towards a fourth consecutive league title. the gap will be reduced to just a point. strike secured the win for the Cup holders, lost three consecutive games.” Thanks to “Winning four titles in succession is not Roma striker Gervinho, along with new is in fine scoring form having hit the net results elsewhere last week, and a 3-1 win an easy feat, especially in such a tactical signing Seydou Doumbia, is still at the five times in their past five league games. over Parma that ended a five-game win- and physical league,” striker Carlos Tevez, Africa Cup of Nations having scored once Rafael Benitez was quick to hail less streak, city rivals AC Milan moved up who celebrated his 31st birthday on in a 3-1 win over DR Congo which qualified Higauin’s performance, but despite his to ninth at 21 points adrift of Juventus Thursday, told Jtv. the Ivory Coast for Sunday’s final. ambitions in the the Cup, Europa League and 10 behind Napoli in third place. “Winning a fourth consecutive champi- Kevin Strootman (knee) is facing a and Serie A the Spanish coach remains coy. Embattled Milan unveiled several new onship would see us make even more his- lengthy spell on the sidelines and fellow “It’s a bit like asking whether you prefer players on Thursday including Mattia tory.” Nevertheless, Italy’s top flight pro- midfielders Daniele De Rossi and Juan your Mum or your Dad,” Benitez said after Destro (Roma), Gabriel Paletta (Parma) duced several shock results last weekend Iturbe are also out with injury knocks. Wednesday’s win. “All I focus on is our next and Luca Antonelli (Cagliari) - although and Roma, dumped out of the Italian Cup Even forward Victor Ibarbo, who arrived game.” Inter, meanwhile, host in-form Juve have yet to concede defeat in the after a 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina, have on a six-month loan deal last week from Palermo on Sunday looking to end a sorry league this season. — AFP PSG face tough Ronaldo returns for test at Lyon Real in Madrid derby PARIS: Champions Paris Saint-Germain can reclaim the top spot in Ligue 1 tomorrow, but they need to beat current lead- ers Lyon away from home to do so. MADRID: World Player of the Year It’s a tough assignment for Laurent Blanc’s men, but they Cristiano Ronaldo returns for a Real were boosted by a 1-0 win over Lille in midweek that took Madrid side otherwise stricken by them into the French League Cup final. injuries and suspensions as they look to With the Cup behind them and the Champions League beat Atletico Madrid for the first time in clash against Chelsea coming up, the Ligue 1 giants need to six meetings this season today. Ronaldo focus on improving their league ranking. completed his two-game ban for kicking “It’s not a final but it could be the turning point of the sea- out at Cordoba defender Edimar as the son”, admitted Blaise Matuidi. “We’ve got a lot of avenues European champions sneaked past open to us and we want to do well in all the different compe- Sevilla to open up a four-point lead over titions.”With 15 games to go, PSG have little margin for error. Barcelona at the top of the table on The defending champions have yet to hit their stride during a Wednesday. However, victory came at a mediocre campaign but maximum points at Gerland would cost as World Cup star James Rodriguez take PSG ahead of their rivals in the table. The Ligue 1 title broke a bone in his right foot that will race has effectively become a three-way tussle between cur- keep him out for two months, whilst rent leaders Lyon on 49 points with Marseille and PSG hot on centre-back Sergio Ramos will also be their heels on 47. sidelined due to a hamstring problem in And PSG have no choice in Lyon, as Thiago Motta the coming weeks. explained. “If we lose on Sunday in Lyon, people will talk Left-back Marcelo misses out at the about a crisis at PSG. Our aim is to win and reclaim the top Calderon too after his appeal against his spot”, said the Italian midfielder. fifth yellow card of the Liga campaign The pressure is thus on Laurent Blanc and his men. was dismissed on Thursday. Bernard Lacombe, special advisor to Lyon president Jean- Real boss Carlo Ancelotti is short of Michel Aulas, knows that and cunningly added to their bur- defensive options with Pepe also out SPAIN: Real Madrid Karim Benzema (center right) duels with Sevillaís Daniel Carrico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match in this file photo. — AP den. “PSG will be champions. At one point, the Parisian play- with a rib injury, but he insisted he has ers are going to rebel. Let’s hope it’ll be as late as possible”, confidence in the inexperienced pairing good, so we have to change this bad Barcelona will be eager to capitalise Lacombe told Radio Scoop. of Raphael Varane and Nacho in central run,” added Ancelotti. “It will be a very should Real slip up when they travel to Lyon, who are surprise leaders at this point in the season, defence. “What we lose above all is difficult game, but we want to do some- face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. The are on eight-match unbeaten run, having only dropped experience, but sometimes enthusiasm thing different. Catalans have been in scintillating form points at Monaco. But, just as they did in the Principality, is a good thing,” said Ancelotti. “The two “The motivation is so big for this since their last visit to the Basque coun- Lyon will have to do without their number one striker of them (Varane and Nacho) give me a game being a Madrid derby we don’t try ended in defeat to Real Sociedad at Alexandre Lacazette (21 league goals). lot of confidence. Ramos and Pepe are need the motivation of leaving Atletico the beginning of January, winning eight Second place Marseille could also take the reins, should 10 points behind.” games in a row and scoring 29 goals in they manage to win their first away game since October at among the best defenders in the world, Brittany outfit Rennes, who are winless in five Ligue 1 out- but I am not worried.” In contrast to the visitors, Diego the process. ings. Marcelo Bielsa squad was boosted with the arrival of Atletico have bounced back from Simeone has a fully-fit squad to choose However, they have failed to win in Lucas Ocampos from Monaco this week while their target their heartbreaking Champions League from for the first time since November any of their previous three trips to man Pierre Andre Gignac is on clinical form in front of goal final defeat at the hands of Real last sea- and defender Diego Godin insisted their Bilbao, including a 1-0 defeat on their with a league tally of 14. At the bottom of the table, Metz face son to beat them in the Spanish Super desire to beat their cross-city rivals first visit to the new San Mames last sea- a tough battle against Bastia whose confidence has been giv- Cup and Copa del Rey over two legs this hasn’t been diminished by recent suc- son. Elsewhere, Sevilla, Valencia and en a massive boost with their reaching the League Cup final.

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