Tel: 86-10-63373598 Fax: 86-10-63373599 www.chinaitc.com.cn www.chinaitc.cn F9, 10, 11, Genertec Plaza, No. 90, Xisanhuan Zhonglu SPORTS Fengtai District, Beijing 100055, China 24 TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2007 1997 Tour Man United are lucky: Mourinho champion Boss of big-spending Chelsea Jan Ullrich bemoans rival’s good fortune retires despite dramatic League Cup win CYCLING CARDIFF: Jose Mourinho go away and score in the fi rst BERLIN: Former Tour de believes Chelsea will struggle minute in four or fi ve successive France champion Jan Ullrich to overhaul Manchester United matches.” announced his retirement in the race for the Premiership Mourinho refuses to accept from competitive cycling on title unless they start to get United will take Chelsea’s title Monday, eight months after as much luck as the league and he said: “In the Premier- his career was put on hold by leaders. ship what we have to do is keep a doping investigation. Mourinho celebrated his winning and see if the next step The 33-year-old German, who fourth major trophy in two is to close the gap. won the sport’s most prestigious and a half years with Chelsea “If we let the gap get bigger it race in 1997, said at a presenta- on Sunday as his side beat Ar- will be very diffi cult, but if we tion in Hamburg he would work senal 2-1 in a dramatic League close it everything is open.” as an adviser to the small Aus- Cup fi nal. Mourinho denied his gesture trian Volksbank team. But the Portuguese coach, “I will continue my involve- who has also won the Commu- ment in cycling but I’m ending nity Shield with the Blues, has Sometimes you my active career as a profes- already turned his attention to don’t deserve it and sional cyclist,” said Ullrich, the struggle for supremacy in who has strongly denied any the Premiership and is convinced you win. It is a game involvement in doping. United have had more than their they could lose but “I couldn’t live without cycling. fair share of good fortune. It’s my passion and my life.” United moved nine points they won. This is a Ullrich was withdrawn from clear of second-placed Chelsea season when they Chelsea’s Didier Drogba celebrates after the English League Cup Final football match against Arsenal at The Millennium Stadium, the T-Mobile team before last as Cristiano Ronaldo’s late goal have no injuries and in Cardiff, Wales on Sunday. Chelsea won 2-1. AFP year’s Tour de France after be- clinched a fortunate win at ing linked with the Operation Fulham on Saturday. every player is fi ne to celebrate with his team- park in an outstanding way Puerta doping investigation In contrast, Chelsea have to play. mates. against world-class players. in Spain. been dogged by problems this Arsenal had taken the lead in “Since the beginning of the FA set to act against He was suspended and then season, with injuries robbing JOSE MOURINHO Cardiff through Theo Walcott’s season there has been a great dropped by his team despite his Mourinho of several players. Chelsea manager early goal but Didier Drogba team spirit in this squad. Eve- insistence he was not involved. Mourinho said: “I didn’t see equalised soon afterwards and rytime the young players have cup fi nal brawlers Since then Ullrich has been their game at Fulham but the the Ivory Coast striker headed responded and that is why I LONDON: Chelsea and Ar- Since Wenger became without a professional team, al- information I have is it was of waving fi ve fi ngers towards the winner with seven minutes have regrets because I felt if we senal were waiting to hear manager in 1996, Arsenal though he has not been charged completely undeserved. But the crowd, to signal the trophies left. kept our calm, we had enough from the Football Asso- have had 68 players sent with a doping offence. football is like this. he has won, was a message That sparked a remark- energy and mental resources to ciation on Monday after the off, fi ve this season. He also won the 1999 Tour “Sometimes you don’t de- to the club’s owner Roman able finish as Arsenal duo comeback. shameful brawl that blighted Referee Howard Webb of Spain and two medals at the serve it and you win. It is a Abrmovich, who he has argued Kolo Toure and Emmanuel “Until now we were more the League Cup fi nal. also handed out seven yel- 2000 Sydney Olympics, gold in game they could lose but they with over transfer policy. Adebayor, as well as Chelsea’s lambs than wolves. It is part of Arsenal became the fi rst low cards in the match, the road race and silver in the won. This is a season when “I was not waving,” he said. John Obi Mikel, were sent off a big team to have a high ag- team in the history of Eng- with the front pages of time trial. they have no injuries and every “I was just saying in two and following a mass brawl in stop- gression level in a positive way. lish soccer to have two play- several of Monday’s news- Ullrich was 23 when he player is fi ne to play. a half years in Chelsea I have page time. It is good to have aggression but ers sent off in a major fi nal, papers showing a shock- won the 1997 Tour and many “They go to the Champions won fi ve trophies. Mourinho and Arsenal boss we have to keep it in a positive with red cards for captain ing close-up photograph of predicted he would go on to League and they have a disal- “The fans are fantastic to me, Arsene Wenger both came way and not lose our nerve. We Kolo Toure and substitute Chelsea skipper John Terry dominate the sport in the man- lowed goal for their opponents they know the happy moments onto the pitch to restrain their will learn from it. Emmanuel Adebayor while lying unconscious after an ner of five-times champion and then score a strange goal. we are living together, the players. But, despite defeat and “It is a trophy and of course Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel accidental kick in the head Miguel Indurain, whose reign Then they go to Fulham and it players are fantastic too and that ugly fi nale, Wenger is con- we wanted to win the game but was also sent off in Sunday’s from Abou Diaby. had ended the previous year. looks like they deserve to lose a club that gives me a contract vinved his young side showed we are full of hope with what stoppage time fracas. Terry received oxygen Ullrich was unfortunate and they win. until 2010 must also be happy they can play a big role in the we have produced. We still have Only three players had on the pitch before he was to spend most of his career “They play at Tottenham otherwise they wouldn’t have club’s future success. hopes in the Champions League ever been sent off in 46 treated for his injuries. He trying to catch seven-times and at 0-0, Cristiano Ronaldo given me it.” Wenger said: “It’s a learning and FA Cup. fi nals since the competition made a complete recovery winner Lance Armstrong. The goes down and it is a penalty. Mourinho was at least process. Today our midfi eld was “I had my vision of this began in 1960-61 and that and was able to join his vic- German fi nished second to the It looks like everything is on reassured when his captain Theo Walcott, who is 17, Denil- competition and I stuck to it number was doubled in two torious team on their fl ight American in 2000, 2001 and their side. John Terry, who was taken to son, who is 19, Cesc Fabregas, until the last minute. I do not minutes of madness which back to London later. 2003 and claimed third place “In previous seasons it hap- hospital after being knocked who is 19, and Abou Diaby, who regret it.” overshadowed the fi rst all- in 2005. pened to us. In my fi rst year we unconcious during the second is 20. That is fantastic and they London fi nal. Agencies had no injuries and we would half, returned to the stadium marshalled the middle of the AFP Agencies Eto’o shines as Barcelona open two-point lead SOCCER Ronaldinho hit the crossbar after 15 minutes required an twice. outstanding save from Sevilla BARCELONA: Samuel Eto’o The result will give Barca goalkeeper Andres Palop. made a goal-scoring return as coach Frank Rijkaard some At the other end it was Luis Barcelona put daylight between respite after a week of criti- Garcia, Getafe’s fi rst choice last themselves and their Spanish cism in the wake of losses to season but playing his first title rivals by thrashing Ath- Valencia and Liverpool as well game in this campaign, rather letic Bilbao 3-0 on Sunday. as reported team unrest. than the suspended ‘Pato’ Ab- The reigning Spanish cham- However, he may not have bondanzieri who was wearing pions got all their goals in the much time to breathe easily as the gloves for the hosts. first half before easing off, Barca have to travel to Sevilla “He (Garcia) stopped some which saved the hapless Basque next Saturday for a top of the important shots at the start of side from further humiliation, table clash for supremacy in the game and that put his in the and now have a two-point lead Spain.