TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 SPORTS LA TURBIE: (Left to right) Monaco’s French forward Kylian Mbappe Lottin, Monaco’s French forward Valere Germain, Monaco’s Brazilian defender Fabinho, Monaco’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, Monaco’s Moroccan midfield- er Nabil Dirar and Monaco’s Argentinean forward Guido Carrillo take part in a training session yesterday. — AFP Mission improbable for Atletico and Monaco PARIS: Atletico Madrid and Monaco will understand that it is a semi-final at home, we of players lacks a big comeback and we hope it tion at a crucial juncture, having rested most of hardly a sniff last week.It is unthinkable that a attempt to overturn daunting first-leg deficits have a chance.” Cristiano Ronaldo, who was is on Wednesday.” Real have beaten Atletico his starting XI.”Over nine months if you play side that shut out Lionel Messi and Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals this week rested at the weekend, and his Real team- twice in three years in the Champions League every game, sometimes you are empty by the over two legs in the quarter-finals will concede and publicly they insist they can pull off the mates can expect a fiery reception at the final and a Ronaldo hat-trick-his second treble end of the season. We are the opposite, physi- three times on Tuesday, especially with the improbable. Atletico coach Diego Simeone Vicente Calderon on what promises to be an in as many matches in the competition- cally we are very strong and that is good news game in Turin. went as far as to say that coming back from 3-0 emotional occasion. brushed aside Simeone’s men in the first leg. for the end of the season,” he said ominously. But Monaco are the leading scorers in down to holders Real Madrid in their derby at Wednesday’s clash will be the final It would take a staggering capitulation for Europe’s top leagues and in the 18-year-old home would be “impossible” for other teams- European game at the Vicente Calderon Real to fail to reach the final in Cardiff on June ‘FIVE PERCENT CHANCE’ striker Kylian Mbappe have the most wanted but not his. because Atletico move to the new 67,000- 3 as they chase a league and European double. Like Real, Italian champions Juventus-on player in world football. Monaco coach “I’ve told the players it is very difficult, that capacity Wanda Metropolitano next season. Coach Zinedine Zidane made nine changes to the verge of retaining their Serie A title-are Leonardo Jardim is not one to make sweeping we are facing the best team in the world, who Atletico’s fans gave the team full-throated sup- his side but they still thrashed already relegat- strong favorites to dispatch Monaco and they statements, but he refuses to believe that the score goals in every game, but that it is possi- port at the weekend, staying on after the final ed Granada 4-0 at the weekend with James hold a commanding 2-0 lead from the first leg tie is over and an early goal for his young side ble,” the Argentine said after Atletico guaran- whistle against Eibar, and the players respond- Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata scoring doubles. in France. Marshaled by veteran goalkeeper would put the home fans on edge. “It is difficult teed a top-four finish in La Liga with a 1-0 win ed by returning for a lap of honor. Captain The Frenchman warned his side they would Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus have conceded just but we need to keep believing. The best thing is over Eibar on Saturday. “I am convinced of it. If I Gabi said they wanted to repay the fans: “Once need to produce the “perfect game” against two goals in the Champions League this sea- to believe it is possible, even if we only have a wasn’t I wouldn’t say it. If we are united and again they haven’t left us behind. “This group Atletico but believes Real are in prime condi- son and offered Monaco’s free-scoring attack five percent chance,” the Portuguese said.—AFP Extros Evra scores rare goal; Marseille beat Nice 2-1 Maradona to coach UAE second division PARIS: Patrice Evra scored his first goal for Marseille in FUJAIRAH: Football great Diego Maradona has been Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Nice to extinguish the visitors’ appointed as coach of second division side Al-Fujairah in hopes of claiming an automatic Champions League quali- the United Arab Emirates. The former Argentina star, fying spot. Ricardo Pereira and Dalbert both hit the post for now 56, has been out of management since being Nice inside the opening 15 minutes, but Marseille grabbed sacked by Dubai’s Al-Wasl in 2012 but has now found a the lead when Bafetimbi Gomis headed in his team-lead- new role in the UAE second tier. A statement on the ing 18th goal of the season. Mario Balotelli equalized club’s Twitter feed on Sunday read: “Officially: Maradona shortly after half-time, bundling in from close range to set as coach of Fujairah” Maradona himself wrote on his offi- a new career best with his 15th league goal of the cam- cial Facebook page: “I want to tell you that I’m the new paign. France international Evra popped up with the win- coach of Al-Fujairah SC, in the second division of the ner on 66 minutes with a diving header from a Maxime United Arab Emirates.” Attaching a picture of himself Lopez cross to nudge Marseille ahead of sixth-placed posing with an Al-Fujairah shirt with his name and his Bordeaux and into the final Europa League berth. famous number 10 on the back, he added: “Here are my “Evra? I’m happy for him, but aside from his decisive new colors!” Maradona won the 1986 World Cup with his goal the team performed well,” said Marseille coach Rudi country and reached the final four years later, and twice Garcia. Nice suffered just a third defeat of the season and won Italy’s Serie A with Napoli. His career also took in were officially eliminated from the title race. They will finish Barcelona, Sevilla and his beloved Boca Juniors and he is third with Paris Saint-Germain six points clear in second typically mentioned alongside ex-Brazil striker Pele in place and owning a far superior goal difference. Lyon face discussions about the best player of all time. a monumental challenge to turn around a 4-1 deficit in next Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg Borussia Dortmund against Ajax, but Bruno Genesio’s side are at least destined coach ‘nearing exit’ to return to the competition next term after a 3-2 home BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel is win over Nantes. Valentin Rongier gave Nantes a first-half likely to leave the club at the end of the season after lead at Parc OL, but Nabil Fekir equalised from the penalty public disagreements with the Bundesliga side’s bosses, before Maxwel Cornet’s brace either side of a Guillaume German media said yesterday. The latest sign of friction Gillet effort left Lyon five points clear of Marseille in came at the weekend when chief executive Hans-Joachim fourth. Monaco took another big stride towards securing Watzke admitted his relationship with Tuchel was strained their first Ligue 1 crown since 2000 with a 3-0 victory at over the decision to play their Champions League quar- Nancy on Saturday. Leonardo Jardim’s men lead PSG by ter-final first leg a day after a bomb attack on their team three points with a game in hand and need just one win bus last month. Tuchel, 43, complained in the aftermath from their final three matches to all but sew up a remark- of the 3-2 defeat by Monaco that he had not been able league triumph. PSG though retained an outside involved in the decision “at all”, but Watzke at the week- chance of denying Monaco with a 5-0 rout of bottom side end hit back and said that was not true. “Against Watzke, MARSEILLE: Olympique de Marseille French defender Patrice Evra (right) vies for the ball with Nice’s French Bastia as Edinson Cavani scored twice-but also missed a Tuchel can not win,” the tabloid newspaper Bild said yes- defender Arnaud Souquet (left) during the French Ligue 1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) penalty to climb up to 33 goals for the campaign. — AFP terday, while the local WAZ newspaper said that Watzke and Nice at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille on May 7, 2017.—AFP had the support of Dortmund chairman Reinhard Rauball in the row between the pair. “Hans-Joachim Watzke has shown for years that in difficult situations he does not think of himself, first of all he thinks of the club,” Rauball Dzeko shine; Roma rout beleaguered AC Milan told several media outlets. Tuchel’s contract expires in 2018 but he looks likely to be gone within weeks. MILAN: Edin Dzeko scored twice to help year and these results give me confidence. saves to tip strikes from Diego Perotti and penalty. Linetty got one back for Roma to a 4-1 victory at AC Milan on But first I look at the team’s results rather Radja Nainggolan onto his post. “Roma was Sampdoria in the 32nd but Wesley Hoedt Wallace, Villa fire Sunday and keep the capital side’s title than my personal ones.” Roma moved back superior to Milan, the players and the coach,” bundled in a corner three minutes later, NYCFC past Atlanta chances mathematically alive.