THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016 SPORTS Bayern’s Guardiola short at the back as Juve loom BERLIN: Pep Guardiola acknowledges for fun through two giants of the game. Bayern Munich has a height problem ahead Lewandowski has 21 goals in 20 league of their key Champions League clash at games with 31 in all competitions, while Juventus as an injury crisis has left them Thomas Mueller has also hit 15 league short at the back-literally. While striker goals in a total from 22. But Bayern’s boss- Robert Lewandowski is head and shoulders es are concerned about the height of Juve’s above his rivals, scoring twice in Sunday’s key forwards Mario Mandzukic (1.87m), 3-1 win at Augsburg, injuries meant Bayern Alvaro Morata (1.90m) and Paulo Dybala fielded a back four with an average height (1.77m), especially from corners and set of under five foot nine inches (1.75m). piece situations. “Every team in the world is stronger in the “Then we’ll just have to stop them jump- header than we are. It’s not an ideal situa- ing higher,” joked Bayern’s director of sport tion,” complained Guardiola ahead of next Matthias Sammer. “They’ll have to make Tuesday’s Champions League clash in Turin. their presence felt for crosses, but Philipp, Guardiola has been stripped of centre- Joshua or Juan are all incredibly savvy.” backs after Holger Badstuber fractured an Bayern are desperate to celebrate ankle in training last Saturday, while Javi Guardiola’s departure for Manchester City Martinez and Jerome Boateng are sidelined with silverware after exiting the Champions long-term by knee and groin injuries. League at the semi-finals stage for the last Boateng has said he is on target to meet his two seasons under the Spaniard’s steerage. goal of returning to training in April, “but I But their injury situation could be a bless- won’t set a date to put myself under pres- ing in disguise as Guardiola’s current back sure”, while Badstuber is now out of hospi- four are all fleet-footed and have their tal after surgery, but is not expected to play team-mates’ trust. Mueller needs no con- again this season. vincing. “It’s a big shock for me, but I can prom- “They are all strong in the tackle, dedi- ise everyone I will return,” said Badstuber cated, fast and have everything you need, after suffering his fourth serious injury maybe except the size of a classic central since December 2012. Medhi Benatia is defender,” added the Germany forward. returning from injury, while loan signing Bayern host mid-table Darmstadt on Serdar Tasci is lacking conditioning after Saturday, then Juventus on Tuesday, before joining from Spartak Moscow and was con- two key away German league matches as PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (C) celebrates scoring the 2-1 next to (LtoR) Paris Saint-Germain’s Italian mid- cussed in his first training session. they look to protect their eight-point lead fielder Marco Verratti and Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian defender Marquinhos during the Champions League round of 16 first legfootball Without a single fit centre-back, at Wolfsburg, on February 27, and second- match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea FC. — AFP Guardiola used Juan Bernat (1.72m) and placed Borussia Dortmund on March 5. Philipp Lahm (1.70m) as wing-backs “We need to show plenty of spirit,” said against Augsburg with left-back David Sammer. “We have to be able to prove we Alaba (1.80m) and defensive midfielder can live with playing there (at Wolfsburg Blanc praises match-winner Joshua Kimmich (1.74m) paired up at cen- and Dortmund). “I’m sure the team will tre-back. In attack, Bayern are scoring goals manage it.” — AFP Cavani, Chelsea retain hope Beckenbauer fined and PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc by the rarest of goals — a poacher’s finish by Guus Hiddink remains upbeat about their heaped praise on Edinson Cavani after the John Obi Mikel right on the stroke of half-time. chances in the return. Uruguayan played the role of super-sub to give Several fine saves by Courtois in the second “Of course a defeat is never a good or nice warned by FIFA judges his side a 2-1 win against Chelsea in their half thwarted PSG for long spells until Cavani’s feeling but you have to consider it’s a two-leg Champions League last 16, first leg. winner, and now Chelsea will need to score at game and scoring away is always important,” GENEVA: FIFA’s ethics committee yester- tance to cooperate with the Garcia probe, Cavani replaced Lucas in the 74th minute of Stamford Bridge in the return on March 9 if they said Hiddink, who came to Paris with a reorgan- day sanctioned German football legend but that suspension was lifted after two Tuesday’s game at the Parc des Princes and four are to stand a chance of going through. ised defence in the absence of injured captain Franz Beckenbauer with a warning and a weeks. minutes later beat Thibaut Courtois with a first- However, away goals have decided the meet- John Terry. “We emphasised the importance of light fine for failing to cooperate with a In October, FIFA judges opened an time finish from an Angel Di Maria assist to ings of these clubs in the last two seasons, with defensive organisation but we were dangerous probe into the bidding for the 2018 and investigation targeting Beckenbauer, a for- ensure the French champions will take a lead to Chelsea advancing in the 2014 quarter-finals too. Losing 2-1, of course we’re still in the race. 2022 World Cups. mer FIFA executive committee member, London for the second leg next month. and Paris going through in the last 16 a year ago “We could have been a little bit more lethal in The investigation into the controversial but did not disclose the nature of the It was just his second goal of 2016 after a dif- despite being held 1-1 at home in the first leg. the four or five counters we made but it is diffi- decisions to award the two tournaments to probe. ficult spell which has seen the player signed for a “The big regret for me is that we lost the goal cult to play them. I am never happy with a loss Russia (2018) and Qatar The German national led French record transfer fee of 64 million euros just before half-time,” said Blanc. “Maybe we but it’s not a dramatic loss.” (2022) culminated in the now his country’s successful bid ($71 million; £50 million) from Napoli lose his need to ask UEFA if it’s fair that away goals count The veteran Dutchman, who admitted Terry famous 2014 report authored for the 2006 World Cup, place as a regular starter. double, but tonight we can be happy because was a doubt for this weekend’s FA Cup fifth- by former US prosecutor which has been engulfed by “Whoever got the second goal I would have we played the way we want to play. round tie against Manchester City, said it was Michael Garcia, which FIFA claims that a $7.2 million pay- been happy and I am happy for Edi. He’s a boy “It is not a very big advantage but in terms of still impossible to name a favourite to go has so far not released, citing ment to FIFA was used to pur- who scores goals-we doubt his goal-scoring tal- the football we played it’s very satisfying.” through to the last eight. procedural reasons. chase the votes of four mem- ents often and then he pops up and shows he “I think it’s 50-50 still. Our opponents are a Beckenbauer “failed to bers of FIFA’s executive com- can put the ball in the net at any time,” said ‘NOT DRAMATIC’ very strong team and that’s why I think our per- cooperate” with the investi- mittee in 2000 — days before Blanc. PSG kept up their impressive record this sea- formance was very good. “Everyone could see gation, “despite repeated Germany’s bid was narrowly “He has gone through a very difficult time son, which now reads just one defeat in 40 this PSG likes to play football. They are very requests for his assistance,” an approved. but I hope the fact he got the goal will be good matches in all competitions, with that loss com- smart and you must be very alert. ethics committee statement The ethics committee, for him and the team.” ing away to Real Madrid. “If you have seen the second goal-this was a said. The information sought however, said its investiga- It looked like Chelsea would head back across In contrast, this was a first defeat for Chelsea typical example of how we prepared them but from Beckenbauer included tion of Beckenbauer “did not the Channel the happier after Zlatan in 13 matches since the sacking of Jose you cannot do everything well. They have a nose Franz Beckenbauer “requests to provide informa- look into the matters related Ibrahimovic’s free-kick opener was cancelled out Mourinho in December, but their interim coach for creating danger.” —AFP tion during an in-person to the awarding of the 2006 interview and in response to written ques- FIFA World Cup to Germany.” tions presented in both English and The statement from the tribunal noted German,” the statement added.