TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016 SPORTS Veteran Patrice Evra back for France PARIS: France coach Didier two Italian league titles, helped but above all he’s a highly experienced stopper Alphonse Areola was also Madrid/ESP) Deschamps has recalled Juventus left Manchester United to five Premier footballer worthy of his place in the injured at the weekend. Midfield: N’Golo Kante back Patrice Evra for the World Cup League triumphs and is an old team,” Deschamps said. France squad (Chelsea/ENG), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), qualifier against Sweden after Paris favourite of Deschamps. A key member of the Euro 2016 Goalkeepers: BenoÓt Costil Dimitri Payet (West Ham/ENG), Paul Saint-Germain star Layvin Kurzawa’s “He’s a top level player, and he squad Evra also played at AS Monaco (Rennes), Hugo Lloris Pogba (Manchester United/ENG), weekend injury. maintains his level by playing for under Deschamps as they made a run (Tottenham/ENG), Steve Mandanda Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Moussa Sissoko Evra was captain of France at the Juventus,” said Deschamps. “I never to the 2004 Champions League final. (Crystal Palace/ENG) (Tottenham/ENG) South Africa World Cup in 2010 but at said it was over for him. I always main- With seven points from three games Defenders: SÈbastien Corchia (Lille), Strikers: Kingsley Coman (Bayern 35 years of age has finally fallen down tained that from time to time if needed France are level top of Group A with Lucas Digne (Barcelona/ESP), Laurent Munich/GER), Ousmane Dembele the pecking order to the extent he was he’d be called upon.” “He really loves Sweden, who they host at the Stade de Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG), Patrice Evra (Dortmund/GER), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), excluded from recent squads. the France national team. “And he’s a France on Friday. (Juventus/ITA), Adil Rami (Seville/ESP), Kevin Gameiro (Atletico Madrid/ESP), With 80 previous France internation- smiley, good humoured person who Rennes ‘keeper Benoit Costil was Djibril SidibÈ (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG), Antoine als under his belt Evra has won the last cheers things up in the dressing room, also called into the squad after PSG (Barcelona/ESP), Raphael Varane (Real Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP). —AFP Messi hailed as ‘extraterrestrial’ after Barca victory SEVILLE: The day before his side hosted home record in La Liga and the Champions Barcelona, Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli League was broken. joked that Lionel Messi’s supremacy neces- “Messi is a world class player and when sitated two Ballon d’Or competitions, “one the game opens up there’s little you can do for Messi and one for everyone else”. to stop him, nor his team mates because The Argentine’s words rang true as his they can really punish you if you give them compatriot turned Sunday’s thrilling any space.” Barca coach Luis Enrique encounter with the high-flying Andalusians praised the little magician for yet another on its head, engineering a 2-1 comeback match-winning display. victory for his side despite a breathtaking “Messi’s capacity to interpret any situa- display from Sevilla. tion is remarkable. There’s no-one like him. Barca looked there for the taking after Our aim is to look to give the ball to him as Vitolo’s 15th minute goal and were drown- often as we can,” he said. Sevilla’s Vitolo ing in the home side’s unrelenting pressure, added: “I’m not going to tell you anything only spared by some wayward finishing. new about Messi, for me he’s the best of all But as halftime approached, Messi time. “He only appeared in the first half to sparked a surge forward, combining with score the goal but in the second he VERONA: Miralem Pjanic scores during the Serie A soccer match between Chievo Verona and Juventus at the Bentegodi stadium in Verona, Italy, Denis Suarez and Neymar to equalise with improved his whole team. We were on top Sunday. — AP Barca’s first clear effort on goal. in the first half but Barca’s front three can The 29-year-old took hold of proceed- score at any moment and their first goal ings in the second half, crafting two unful- got them back into the game.” filled chances for himself before teeing up Sevilla president Pepe Castro lamented Juventus grinds out 2-1 Luis Suarez to secure Barca the winner. his side’s inability to finish Barcelona off but Sevilla, for all their early confidence, had was also in thrall to Messi. “We couldn’t no response. take our chances in the first half. They have “When a player like him takes a game Messi, we do not,” he said. win at Chievo in Serie A seriously it’s very difficult for his oppo- “He is an extraterrestrial. The first time nents,” said Sampaoli, whose side’s perfect he touches the ball, it’s a goal.” —Reuters MILAN: Title-winning teams often grind out ROMA 3, BOLOGNA 0 against Zimbabwe in 2013. results despite not playing well - and that is pre- After Icardi moved level with Edin Dzeko at cisely what Juventus is doing. Chievo Verona had the top of the scoring charts, all eyes were on OTHER MATCHES won just one of its last six matches but Juventus the Roma forward to see if he would strike again. Empoli ended its goal drought in spectacular struggled to break it down before eventually Instead of Dzeko, it was Mohamed Salah who fashion, scoring double the number of goals it winning 2-1 on Sunday. stole the headlines with his first hat trick in club had netted all season, in a 4-0 win at fellow Juventus remained four points clear of sec- football. Roma went ahead in the 13th minute as struggler Pescara. Massimo Maccarone netted ond-placed Roma and five above AC Milan. Adam Masina attempted to clear Salah’s effort twice for Empoli, which hadn’t found the back of Miralem Pjanic had struggled to fit in since but only succeeded in prodding it past his own the net in the last eight rounds, and also provid- transferring from Roma in the offseason but he goalkeeper. The league credited the goal to ed the assist for Manuel Pucciarelli. Riccardo scored what was to prove the winner for Salah and the former Chelsea midfielder went Saponara added a fourth in the final minute. Juventus in the 75th minute with a trademark on to score a second-half brace, taking his tally Atalanta won 3-0 at Sassuolo to continue its free kick into the top right corner from just out- to eight for the season - one behind Ciro impressive run of form and move level on points side the area. Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Immobile and two below Dzeko and Icardi. with fourth-placed Lazio after a sixth win in sev- Sorrentino barely moved. “I won the free kick The only other time Salah has netted three in en matches. Elsewhere, Fiorentina vs. Sampdoria and I put it in. I’m happy, but what’s important, a match was in a World Cup qualifier for Egypt and Genoa vs. Udinese both ended 1-1. — AP above all, is the three points,” Pjanic said. “I always do my utmost to fit in as best as possible, it’s obvious that I want to do more, but it’s a new system, it’s a different kind of football to where I Ronaldo’s top 5 was before, but I’m adapting. “I’m not worried, I know that there are always great expectations in a great club, that doesn’t Madrid moments worry me, I’m staying calm, I do my work as best as possible. So slowly but surely I’ll get there, I’m MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo signed a new thanks to a spectacular 66 goals in 56 games a new footballer here, but I’m happy to be here.” Real Madrid deal yesterday, tying him to the for club and country. Ronaldo’s delight was Mario Mandzukic broke the deadlock in the Spanish giants until 2021. AFP Sports looks at evident as he cried tears of joy at the award 53rd, controlling Juan Cuadrado’s through ball some of Ronaldo’s finest moments since join- ceremony in Zurich. before driving across into the bottom left corner. ing Madrid from Manchester United in 2009: Mandzukic almost scored a stunning goal in the DELIVERS ‘LA DECIMA’ first half, nodding on a long ball and flicking it PEP’S BARCA BEATEN Madrid president Florentino Perez splurged over Nicolas Spolli before firing over the bar Amidst a run of four heated El Clasico clash- a then-world record 94 million euros ($104 from six yards. es between Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering million at current rates) on Ronaldo with one Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was Barcelona and Jose Mourinho’s Madrid in the principal aim: “La Decima”-Madrid’s 10th making his 600th Serie A appearance, becoming spring of 2011, Madrid struck first blood. European Cup. After four years of heartache, only the fourth player to reach that mark after Ronaldo’s towering extra-time header was the including three consecutive semi-final exits, Paolo Maldini (647), Javier Zanetti (615) - who first goal he had scored from open play Ronaldo and Real delivered by downing cross- are both retired - and Roma captain Francesco against Barcelona in eight matches and pre- city rivals Atletico Madrid on Ronaldo’s return Totti (607). Buffon was decisive in the 64th to vented Guardiola’s Barca from doing the treble to Lisbon, where he started his career at deny Lucas Castro from point-blank range, but of La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Sporting.