ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5-6, 2021 SPORTS 14 Real Madrid visit last-place Huesca Atlético sticking to match-by-match approach to stay ahead MADRID, Feb 4, (AP): Match-by- match. That longstanding mentality at Atlé- tico Madrid under coach Diego Sime- one is being put to the test more than ever. Atlético has built a big lead in the Spanish league entering the halfway point of the season but Simeone and his players know nothing has been won yet, especially in an atypical year in which the coronavirus can still play a big role. “Every match is an important step to- ward reaching our goal,” Simeone said. “To stay on this path we need to hold on to the match-by-match mentality.” SOCCER Seeking its fi rst league title since In this, Oct 26, 2020, file photo, Atleti- 2014, Atlético has a 10-point lead over co Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone both Barcelona and Real Madrid with plays with the ball during a training a game in hand. The team has won session in Majadahonda, outskirts of eight straight league matches and is on Madrid, Spain. (AP) pace for a 100-point season. “These are important numbers that Champions League again soon and we put us at the top,” said Luis Suárez, will need everyone,” Simeone said. Atlético’s surprise signing after being “We have to live with this situation. let go by Barcelona. “It means that the It will be like this the entire season.” team is doing a great job and has the Suárez struggled after returning right mentality to reach its goals. We to the team and only recently began have to stay on this path.” thriving again. The Uruguay striker Atlético’s next game is on Monday has become key for Atlético, scoring at Celta Vigo, which in winless in six nine goals in the last eight matches, matches in all competitions. Atlético including fi ve in the last three. hosts Chelsea in the round of 16 of the Atlético has a reasonably comfort- Champions League on Feb 23. able lead but Barcelona has been mak- The match-by-match approach has ing a strong move toward the top re- been a trademark of Simeone since cently, having won fi ve straight league he arrived in late 2011, becoming an games and unbeaten in its last 10. The intrinsic part of his highly competitive Catalan club, which on Wednesday squads. To this day he and his play- qualifi ed for the semifi nals of the ers always refer to it whenever asked Copa del Rey, visits Real Betis on about the team’s chances of winning a Sunday. competition. Real Madrid, meanwhile, continues The mentality has gained extra im- to struggle. It visits last-place Huesca portance this season because of the on Saturday having won only one of coronavirus pandemic. Atlético al- its last fi ve matches in all competi- Brighton’s Steven Alzate (left), challenges for the ball with Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips during the English Premier League soccer match between Liver- ready saw Simeone and Suárez side- tions. Madrid lost at home to Levante lined because of COVID-19, and pool and Brighton at Anfi eld stadium, in Liverpool, England, on Feb 3. (AP) in the previous round, and also lost currently it’s without some of its top Eden Hazard this week because of a players because of the virus – João muscle injury. Like Atlético, Madrid Félix, Moussa Dembélé, Yannick Car- has already been eliminated from the rasco and Mario Hermoso. Copa del Rey. They are expected to be back soon Fourth-place Sevilla, which has Liverpool lose again at home but it’s unknown how long it will take won six in a row in all competitions, for them to regain their best form. including three straight in the league, “We will be back playing in the hosts Getafe on Saturday. as EPL title defense collapse ‘We are playing well’ Ballardini back in a familiar Man City blank Burnley; Leicester down Fulham position as coach at Genoa LONDON, Feb 4, (AP): Af- The Reds are in fourth place but and third goals to build on the opener only two points ahead of fifth-place by Tomas Soucek. Ollie Watkins MILAN, Feb 4, (AP): Genoa coach “When you play well, when you ter going 68 Premier League West Ham, which won 3-1 at Aston replied for Villa. games unbeaten at Anfi eld, Davide Ballardini was in a familiar deservedly win, it gives you strength, Villa. Everton is two points further England manager Gareth position when he took over at the club gives you encouragement to do al- Liverpool has slumped to back in sixth after beating Leeds 2-1. Southgate attended the match at Villa in December, and he’s in a much bet- ways better,” Ballardini said after the back-to-back losses at the Leicester moved above Liverpool Park and West Ham manager David ter familiar position now. team’s latest victory, a 3-0 win over stadium that was its im- into third place with a 2-0 win at Moyes was delighted with his new The 57-year-old Ballardini was Crotone. Fulham thanks to goal by Kelechi signing who was a regular for hired by Genoa for the fourth time Since Ballardini returned to the job, penetrable stronghold for Iheanacho and James Justin. England at the 2018 World Cup. midway through a season with the Genoa has won four of seven league From seemingly nowhere, “If he keeps up the form he showed nearly four years. task of helping the team out of the matches, drawing two and losing only The latest defeat - to lowly Brighton has turned into one of the tonight - and he is not completely relegation zone. He succeeded on match fit - and is scoring the goals, one. The club has also not conceded a Brighton - left the champions’ title each of the three previous occa- goal in its past four matches - some- defense on the brink of collapse. he will not be far away from Gareth sions. SOCCER Southgate’s England squad (for the thing that hasn’t happened since Bal- Just like against Burnley two When Ballardini replaced Rolando lardini’s previous spell in charge. weeks ago, Liverpool was beaten 1-0 European Championship) in the Maran just over form teams of the league, with the summer,” Moyes said. “And he will “That’s down to the whole team, by a team battling to avoid relega- a month ago, starting from the pressing from the tion. Jurgen Klopp’s team dropped win at Anfield coming three days help us no end before the summer. Genoa was in after a victory over Tottenham by the All round, a really great perfor- forwards who prevent the opponents seven points behind leader Burnley’s Jay Rodriguez, (left), and 19th place, four from getting to the ball easily,” Bal- Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte same score. mance.” points below Manchester City, which has a game Steven Alzate scored the winner in Everton has won four straight in hand and is on a nine-match win- challenge for the ball during the safety and with English Premier League soccer the 56th minute for his first Premier away games in the league for the first only one victo- ning streak. League goal, and Brighton held on time since the club’s glory years in SOCCER City is the next visitor to Anfield, match between Burnley and Man- ry in 13 league chester City at Turf Moor Stadium relatively comfortably to make it the mid-1980s. on Sunday. A win for Pep Guardiola’s matches. The lardini said. “That simplifi es the work in Burnley, England, on Feb 3. (AP) four league matches without conced- And it’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s team has now team may effectively knock ing since running Man City close in goals which are leading Carlo of the defenders.” Liverpool out of the title race - with too. won three of One of the players fl ourishing un- a 1-0 loss at Etihad Stadium on Jan. Ancelotti’s team toward a finish in its last four more than three months of the season Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling der Ballardini is Mattia Destro. The 13. the European places. league matches Ballardini remaining. scored first-half goals as City won a By taking 10 points from a possi- Calvert-Lewin struck his first goal 29-year-old forward has scored six “The only explanation now is that 13th straight game in all competi- - drawing the ble 12, Brighton climbed two places in eight league games and is now on other - to rise to 14th, six points above goals in the six matches he has played we are a fatigued team,” said Klopp, tions - a run of victories stretching to 15th and is 10 points clear of the 12 for the campaign, making him the in under Ballardini and was voted back to Dec. 15. the relegation zone. whose squad has been badly hit by relegation zone. second highest-scoring striker after “Our current position in the stand- Player of the Month for January by injuries this season, especially in While City has conceded just two “Brighton deserved to win, they Harry Kane. ings became possible thanks to the the Italian Players’ Association. defense. “City are flying and we goals in 13 league games, Liverpool’s played well,” Klopp said. “They are Gylfi Sigurdsson opened the scor- players, thanks to their focus on their Destro has scored nine league goals have to find solutions.” issues in defense continue as it strug- a good football side.” ing for Everton before Calvert- talent,” Ballardini said.