SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2021 11 Juve not afraid of UEFA Klopp admits Liverpool don’t sanctions, says Pirlo ‘deserve’ top-four finish Newcastle’s Willock dents Liverpool’s Champions League hopes with last-kick leveller • Joe Willock equalised deep into BETTER injury time, edging Newcastle further away from trouble KNOW AFP | London Juventus’ coach Andrea Pirlo talks to Cristiano Ronaldo prior to a match Liverpool were one AFP | Milan urgen Klopp admitted of 12 clubs to initially Liverpool are not playing sign up to proposals uventus coach Andrea Pir- Jlike a side who “deserve” for a European Super Jlo insisted yesterday that We are not afraid of Champions League football League (ESL) last his team did not fear UEFA this, we are calm and next season after blowing the weekend, only to with- sanctions over the failed Su- focused on our work. chance to move into the Premier draw within 48 hours per League project, designed League’s top four with a 1-1 draw to supplant the Champions We are convinced against Newcastle yesterday. after a backlash from League. that we can finish the Mohamed Salah had opened their own players and “We are not afraid of this, season with our goals, the scoring after just three min- Joe Willock of Newcastle United scores a goal fans we are calm and focused on we are serene about utes, but Liverpool wasted a season without having to earn it and Arsenal’s home matches in our work,” Pirlo told a press what UEFA will decide host of chances to extend their on the field collapsed this week. recent days, but a number of The hosts could not have conference ahead of the ANDREA PIRLO lead and paid in stoppage time. Liverpool were one of 12 clubs flags and banners were attached made a better start as a brilliant team’s Serie A game against The Reds even had a reprieve to initially sign up to proposals to the gates around the ground touch and finish from Salah Fiorentina on Sunday. every day when he comes to when Callum Wilson’s equaliser for a European Super League calling out the “greed” of the opened the scoring after just “We are convinced that we the pitch. was ruled out after a VAR review (ESL) last weekend, only to club’s American owners Fenway three minutes. can finish the season with our “But our goal was and re - for handball, but still could not withdraw within 48 hours af- Sports Group (FSG). Salah should have had a sec- goals, we are serene about mains to qualify for the Cham- hold on as Willock’s deflected ter a backlash from their own John Henry’s FSG helped de- ond but fired too close to Martin what UEFA will decide.” pions League, that’s all we strike secured a vital point in players and fans. liver Liverpool’s first Premier Dubravka when clean through Juventus president Andrea have in mind.” the Magpies’ bid for top flight “If you deserve it, you deserve League title for 30 years last on goal, while Sadio Mane also Agnelli was among the leaders Pirlo continued: “In the survival. it,” said Klopp, echoing the crit- season. failed to round the Slovaki - of the 12-team Super League locker room there is a posi- Liverpool move up to sixth ics of the ESL as a closed shop But many of the problems an goalkeeper with a glorious which collapsed in 48 hours tive atmosphere of a team who but are a point behind fourth- for Europe’s big clubs. Klopp’s men have encountered chance. amid pressure from fans and wants to finish well, they have placed Chelsea and West Ham, “I didn’t see us today play- in defending their title were in Dubravka then made a string politicians. in their heads an important ob- who face off later yesterday at ing like we deserve Champions evidence again as they failed to of fine saves after the break to “Agnelli? I saw him calm,” jective, it is a sort of obligation the London Stadium. League next year. We have an- see off Newcastle long before a deny Roberto Firmino, Mane continued the Juve coach. to qualify for the Champions Two more dropped points is a other five games and we will nervy finale. and James Milner. “It is normal that there has League.” blow to Liverpool’s chances of a see. We learn or we don’t play “I don’t think you can cre - The tension in the Liverpool been a lot of talk about him Juventus travel to Fiorenti- place in next season’s Champi- Champions League, that’s it.” ate much more chances, better players was clear late in the in this period and he will talk na as they fight for Champi- ons League after their owners’ A protest outside Anfield yes- chances than we did today and game and Newcastle capitalised about it again. ons League football with their plans for ensuring they have top terday was more muted than we don’t finish the game off,” after manager Steve Bruce sent “He knows what he has to nine-year Serie A reign looking level European football every the ones seen ahead of Chelsea added Klopp. on Wilson and Willock. do, he brings great enthusiasm set to end. Watford join Norwich back in the Premier League Mbappe double sends PSG top of Ligue 1 AFP | London TDT | Manama atford bounced back to Wthe Premier League at ylian Mbappe scored twice the first time of asking after yes- Kfor the second game in a terday’s 1-0 win over Millwall row but picked up a thigh injury sealed promotion. as Paris Saint-Germain climbed Brentford’s win at Bourne- top of Ligue 1 yesterday with a mouth earlier in the day meant 3-1 victory at Metz. that only three points would be The France striker was rested good enough for Xisco Munoz’s for the midweek cup rout of men to be promoted alongside Angers and returned to bolster Norwich, who came down with PSG’s title hopes as he netted them last season. either side of Fabien Centonze’s Ismaila Sarr’s early penalty equaliser to send the defending gave Watford the perfect start, champions above Lille. but they had to withstand a However, Mbappe was sub- Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe (C) fights for the ball nervy finale to guarantee their stituted in the closing minutes minutes as he ran onto Ander place back in the prestige and Watford players celebrate their promotion to the Premier League after the with a heavily strapped thigh, Herrera’s chipped pass and riches of the English top-flight. final whistle a worrying sign for PSG ahead fired in via the post. Prior to Munoz’s appoint- Rangers to maintain their five- of Wednesday’s Champions BETTER Centonze tested Keylor Na- ment on December 20, auto- point lead over Watford with League semi-final first leg at vas as Metz sought to snap a run matic promotion looked un- two games to go. home to Manchester City. of nine successive league de- likely after dip in form under Everyone helped me, Xavi Quintilla, Max Aarons Mauro Icardi sealed the vic- KNOW feats by PSG, and the full-back Vladimir Ivic. I have a big group and Emiliano Buendia were on tory with a penalty a minute levelled early in the second half However, 17 wins in just 24 behind me and it was target for Daniel Farke’s men at from time. by heading in Farid Boulaya’s league games under the Span- Loftus Road. “He took a knock to his quad, cross. an excellent run in PSG are now two iard helped amass a 10-point the to the season. I At the other end of the table, it’s a dead leg. We don’t think Pape Matar Sarr was then de- lead over Brentford, who have all of the bottom three lost to it’s anything serious,” Pochet- points clear of Lille, nied by Navas before PSG pun- just three games left to play. have been lucky with give Wayne Rooney’s Derby a tino told Canal Plus, playing who visit fourth- ished Metz for losing the ball “Everyone helped me, I have the players, we have a reprieve despite the Rams los- down concerns Mbappe could placed Lyon on Sunday deep in their half, as Mbappe a big group behind me and it great connection, when ing 2-1 at home to Birmingham. miss the City game. while Monaco, the drilled in with the aid of a de- was an excellent run in the to everyone works with Rotherham and Sheffield “Kylian was calm and relaxed. form side in the sec- flection from 20 yards. the season,” said Munoz. the same ideas and Wednesday, who lost 3-1 at We hope it’s just soreness.” ond half of the season, Metz goalkeeper Alexandre “I have been lucky with the passion Middlesbrough, are still four PSG are now two points clear Oukidja made a fantastic reflex players, we have a great con- points behind Derby, although of Lille, who visit fourth-placed are four points back stop to thwart Leandro Paredes nection, when everyone works XISCO MUNOZ Rotherham have two games in Lyon on Sunday while Monaco, ahead of their trip to and Herrera rattled the wood- with the same ideas and pas- hand to try and overturn that the form side in the second half Angers work, with Boulaya then racing sion.” clear of seventh-placed Reading gap.