TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015 SPORTS Real Madrid’s expulsion from King’s Cup confirmed MADRID: Real Madrid’s expulsion from the King’s Cup up in a last-32, first-leg game at third-tier Cadiz in early ed the appeal and that the decision was final. neither Cheryshev, who incurred the sanction playing for fielding an ineligible player was upheld yesterday by December when he should have been serving a one- Read said they respected but disagreed with the on loan at Villarreal last season, nor the club were noti- the Spanish government’s Disciplinary Committee for match ban. The Russia forward opened the scoring in a decision, adding in a statement that they would now fied that he was banned. As well as the disqualifying Sports (TAD) following an appeal by the 10-times 3-1 victory. The TAD, which had already turned down seek to appeal through the courts and were studying Real from the King’s Cup, the Spanish football federa- European champions. attempts by Real Madrid to get their expulsion tem- other legal options. Real president Florentino Perez had tion (RFEF) fined them 6,001 euros (£4334), saying they Real included Denis Cheryshev in their starting line- porarily suspended, said in a written ruling it had reject- previously said they did not break the rules and that should have been aware of the ban. — Reuters Matuidi: PSG have ‘high objectives’ for 2016 DOHA: Paris Saint-Germain’s Blaise PSG’s Qatari owners hope the summer Matuidi said yesterday the runaway signing of Argentina winger Angel Di French Ligue 1 leaders had set “high Maria from Manchester United can help objectives” for 2016 and aimed to go as propel them further in 2016, with presi- far as possible in the Champions League. dent Nasser Al-Khelaifi declaring: “We are Speaking in Doha at the club’s winter close to our dream.” tour in Qatar, Matuidi said PSG were also The matches take place in February looking to break more records in the sec- and March. In France, the league is all but ond half of the season. “We have high won. PSG sit a massive 19 points clear at objectives and we do want the second the top of Ligue 1 at the halfway mark of part of the season to be great,” he told the season with 51 points, a record for reporters after a 90-minute training ses- the French league. sion in the Qatari capital. They have won 16, drawn three and “We started really well, breaking a remain unbeaten. Among the records record but we want to break more with the Parisians have a chance of breaking is the league and, of course, with the for the most points in a Ligue 1 season- champions league our goal is to go as far the current high is 89 held by PSG-and as we can.” the most games unbeaten, which cur- However he added: “There’s a big rently stands at 32, set 20 years ago by game waiting for us.” PSG have drawn Nantes. English champions Chelsea for the third Midfielder Matuidi has just been season in a row in the Champions named French footballer of the year 2015 League. Chelsea triumphed in 2014 but by France Football magazine and said he PSG gained revenge in last season’s com- was “really happy” about the award. petition, before being knocked out by “It’s a real honour. I was voted in by eventual winners Barcelona. former award recipients so I’m really hap- This time PSG will start as clear py about that. I’m very proud,” said the favourites not only because of their irre- 28-year-old. PSG will play Italian league sistible form but because the English leaders Inter Milan in a friendly in Qatar champions have been dismal all season, on tomorrow before heading back to losing nine matches and currently sit France. CHICAGO: Marian Hossa #81 of the Chicago Blackhawks tries a wrap-around shot under pressure from Joakim Nordstrom #42 of the Carolina 15th in the English Premier League Training yesterday took place in tem- Hurricanes and Eddie Lack #31 at the United Center on Sunday. The Hurricanes defeated the Blackhawks 2-1. — AFP before the latest matches later on peratures of around 22 degrees Celsius Monday. (71 Fahrenheit). Barkov scores to lead Florida to win over Blue Jackets 3-2 SUNRISE: Aleksander Barkov had a pair of goals as the Florida Panthers took over the top spot in NHL results/standings the Atlantic Division with a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night. Aaron Ottawa 3, Boston 1; Florida 3, Columbus 2; Toronto 3, NY Islanders 1; Dallas 3, St. Louis 0; Carolina Ekblad also scored a goal for the Panthers. 2, Chicago 1; Winnipeg 1, Pittsburgh 0; Arizona 2, Colorado 1 (OT); Anaheim 4, Philadelphia 2; Jonathan Huberdeau had two assists. Brandon Calgary 5, Edmonton 3. Saad and Cam Atkinson scored for Columbus. Western Conference Detroit 18 10 7 92 91 43 Roberto Luongo made 15 saves for Florida. Central Division Columbus’s Curtis McElhinney had 29 saves. Montreal 20 14 3 106 92 43 W L OTL GF GA PTS Boston 19 12 4 108 94 42 Dallas 27 7 3 129 91 57 MAPLE LEAFS 3, ISLANDERS 1 Ottawa 18 12 6 108 105 42 St. Louis 22 12 4 95 90 48 Tyler Bozak and Michael Grabner scored 1:40 Tampa Bay 18 15 3 92 84 39 Chicago 20 13 4 97 89 44 apart in the second period to lead the Maple Buffalo 15 16 4 85 92 34 Minnesota 18 10 6 92 83 42 Leafs to a victory over the Islanders. After going Nashville 17 12 6 92 89 40 Toronto 13 14 7 89 94 33 1-7-2 in October, the Leafs are 12-7-5 in Colorado 17 17 2 100 99 36 Metropolitan Division November and December. Toronto has recorded Winnipeg 16 17 2 93 104 34 Washington 26 6 2 108 72 54 at least one point in seven of its last eight games Pacific Division NY Rangers 20 12 4 104 93 44 (5-1-2). Overall, the Leafs are 13-14-7. Jonathan Los Angeles 21 11 2 88 79 44 NY Islanders 19 12 5 97 85 43 Bernier stopped 25 shots and James van Arizona 17 15 3 95 109 37 Riemsdyk added an empty net goal. Thomas New Jersey 17 14 5 84 90 39 Vancouver 14 14 9 93 104 37 Greiss made 35 saves for New York, which has Pittsburgh 17 15 3 79 86 37 San Jose 17 15 2 93 94 36 lost four of five. Nikolay Kulemin scored New Philadelphia 15 13 7 76 96 37 Calgary 17 16 2 96 116 36 York’s goal. Carolina 15 16 5 85 103 35 Edmonton 15 19 3 95 113 33 Columbus 13 22 3 92 120 29 Anaheim 13 15 6 66 87 32 SENATORS 3, BRUINS 1 Eastern Conference Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Mark Stone scored twice, Craig Anderson Atlantic Division point in the standings and are not included in stopped 38 shots and the Senators beat the Florida 20 12 4 98 83 44 the loss column (L). Bruins. Mika Zibanejad had the other goal and the Senators snapped a two-game losing streak. Boston dropped its third straight. David Krejci scored twice and Matt Stajan had a goal for the his first career game against the Flyers. Jakub had the Bruins’ goal, and Tuukka Rask made 19 Flames. Karri Ramo stopped 28 shots. Benoit Voracek and Michael Raffl scored for the Flyers. DUBAI: Barcelona striker Lionel Messi receiving the trophy for best player of the year saves. Pouliot scored twice and Teddy Purcell added Steve Mason stopped 33 shots in his fourth during the Dubai Globe Soccer award at the end of the Dubai International Sports the other for Edmonton. The Oilers are 1-4-1 straight start. Conference on Sunday. — AFP STARS 3, BLUES 0 since a six-game winning streak ended. Kari Lehtonen made 22 saves in his 33rd COYOTES 2, AVALANCHE 1, OT career shutout, Jamie Benn scored his NHL-lead- HURRICANES 2, BLACKHAWKS 1 Mikkel Boedker scored at 4:17 of overtime Messi, Barcelona win ing 23rd goal and the Stars beat the Blues. Benn Justin Faulk and Victor Rask scored, backup and Anders Lindback stopped 38 shots, helping and Patrick Sharp each had a power-play goal Eddie Lack stopped 35 shots and the Hurricanes the Coyotes beat the Avalanche. Boedker cor- at Globe Soccer Awards and an assist. Cody Eakin scored into an empty beat the Blackhawks. Chicago’s Brent Seabrook ralled a loose puck at his own blue line and skat- net with 1:32 remaining. Lehtonen improved his spoiled Lack’s shutout bid with 3 seconds left ed in all alone on Semyon Varlamov, lifting a DUBAI: Barcelona and star player Lionel Spanish league title, the Copa del Rey, season record to 12-2-0. He is 13-6-2 in his career and Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford on the shot over the stick of the Colorado goalie. Messi triumphed at the seventh edition of Champions League, European Super Cup against the Blues. bench for an extra attacker. Lack wasn’t consis- Jarome Iginla scored his 599th career goal on a the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on and the World Club Cup. Only the Spanish tently tested until the Blackhawks outshot power play in the first period.