Sports45 FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015 Zamalek, Pirates and Messi at the centre of a Ahly chase semis slots JOHANNESBURG: Orlando Pirates of South Africa must win, Al Ahly headbutt controversy must win and get help, and fellow Egyptians Zamalek need a draw to secure CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals places this weekend. New Egyptian champions Zamalek are the second most successful Tempers flare in Barcelona win club behind Ahly in Confederation of African Football (CAF) compe- titions with nine titles, but the last came 13 years ago. That could be BARCELONA: Lionel Messi was at the about to change as the Cairo White Knights have taken control of centre of a headbutting controversy Group B with three consecutive victories, including an impressive on Wednesday as Barcelona cruised to come-from-behind triumph away to Pirates. Zamalek have nine a 3-0 victory over Serie A side Roma in points after three matchdays, Pirates six, and three-time title-holders a pre-season friendly at the Camp CS Sfaxien of Tunisia and shock 2012 Confederation Cup winners AC Nou. The Argentinian superstar, Leopards of Congo Brazzaville just one apiece. Experienced renowned for rarely losing his cool Portugal-born Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira has moulded young despite regularly being the target of and experienced footballers into a potent force that last week end- brutal tackling, reacted angrily during ed the 11-year domestic league dominance of Ahly. a confrontation with Roma’s French Now the Knights want to succeed Ahly as winners of the international Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. Confederation Cup, the second-tier CAF club competition that Footage of the first half incident offers a $660,000 (610,000 euros) first prize. “I greatly admire the showed Messi aiming a headbutt at fighting spirit of my players,” said former Porto boss Ferreira. “They Yanga-Mbiwa’s after the Roma play two matches most weeks, but are always competitive whether defender appeared to nod his head in it is a domestic or African game.” Having achieved a comfortable 2-0 the direction of the diminutive South win over Leopards in Cairo two weekends ago, they travel to Dolisie American star. A furious Messi to face the same opposition. It is likely to be tougher for Zamalek in grabbed Yanga-Mbiwa by the throat central Africa, not least because the Stade Denis Sassou Nguesso after clashing with the defender pitch is hard, bumpy and not conducive to the passing game the before other players rushed over to Cairo outfit favour. One starter in Egypt who will miss the return intervene. match is experienced Leopards African campaigner Rudy Guelord Messi escaped a red card for the Bhebey-Ndey. The Congolese striker suffered multiple serious incident however, receiving only a injuries after falling awkwardly early in the match and is recovering caution from referee Javier Estrada afer life-saving surgery in a Cairo military hospital. Pirates won in Fernandez. Yanga-Mbiwa was also Congo on matchday 1, so a Zamalek side boasting stars like goal- booked. The flashpoint represented a keeper Ahmed El Shenawy, leading scorer Bassem Morsy and rising rare loss of cool for Messi. The Nigerian star Maarouf Youssef will be confident. And so will Pirates, Argentine has never been sent off for the only South African club to be crowned African champions, who Barcelona and has only ever been red- are seeking another win over Sfaxien after a 1-0 victory in Tunisia via carded once-on his international an exquisite Thabo Rakhale goal. debut as a teenager in 2005. Messi’s However, the Soweto Buccaneers must be wary against desper- anger soon subsided however as ate opponents having developed a habit of home losses, with the moments after the incident, he dou- Zamalek reverse followed by a domestic cup defeat at Orlando bled Barcelona’s lead, making it 2-0 Stadium this week. “Sfaxien are a very good team and we expect following a superb flowing move them to come at us because their Confederation Cup survival hinges involving Luis Suarez, Dani Alves and on winning this game,” warned Pirates coach Eric Tinkler. Ahly, Neymar, who had scored Barca’s first. whose 97th-minute goal snatched the 2014 Confederation Cup from Ivan Rakitic made it 3-0 in the second Ivorians Sewe Sport, triumphed 1-0 at home to Etoile Sahel and an half with a long range strike as away victory over the Tunisians would lift them to 10 points. That Barcelona completed a routine win. BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (right) and Roma’s Mapou Yanga- would guarantee the Cairo Red Devils a top-two Group A finish pro- Barcelona kick off the defense of their Mbiwa get involved in a scuffle during the Joan Gamper trophy soccer vided Stade Malien of Mali do not win at home against Esperance of Spanish league crown against Athletic Tunisia, surprise losers when the sides met two Saturdays ago.— AFP match between FC Barcelona and AS Roma at the Camp Nou stadium on Bilbao on August 23.— AFP Wednesday, Aug 5, 2015. —AP French League Preview PSG set to dominate French league again PARIS: Despite its repeated failure to go beyond the week’s first round of matches. this year we will do less mistakes than what we did away but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas seems quarterfinals of the Champions League, Paris Saint- and normally we should win, without doubts,” said determined to keep him at least for one more year as Germain has not lost its power of attraction. PSG’S astute moves Ibrahimovic, who scored 75 league goals in three sea- his club returns to the Champions League and will Subsidized with nearly unlimited funds provided by Not only has PSG been able to keep his best play- sons. Ibrahimovic will miss today’s season opener move into a new stadium later this season. With Qatari investors and with their UEFA Financial Fair ers, it added stability and firepower to a lineup because of a knee injury. Lacazette, Fekir and new recruit Claudio Beauvue, Play restrictions eased, the French champions have already featuring some of football’s biggest names. Lyon coach Hubert Fournier has enough firepower to strengthened their squad with the recruitment of PSG, which starts the defense of its title today with a England exodus challenge domestically. But his team’s defensive frail- three new players, including the expected signing of trip to Lille, has made an astute buy with the transfer Year after year, the French league is bidding ties are a source of worries: Lyon has conceded 14 Argentine winger Angel Di Maria. The recruits add of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, who arrived from farewell to a large contingent of young players head- goals and scored only two during its preseason depth and skill to a squad that completed a domestic Eintracht Frankfurt and will likely get the No 1 spot ing to the Premier League. While highlighting the games, including a 6-0 hiding from Arsenal. “Letting treble last season and again looks set to continue its ahead of Salvatore Sirigu. The club also compensated quality of the training provided in France, the contin- aside our loss against Paris, which was a better team, domination on the national stage. The new season for Yohan Cabaye’s departure with the arrival of ver- uous exodus painfully underlines the lack of econom- what worries me the most is some players’ attitude,” has not even kicked off but PSG has already reassert- satile midfielder Benjamin Stambouli. Di Maria, whose ic power of French clubs. Among the dozen of play- Fournier said. “They are hindering our collective per- ed its sovereignty over Lyon - its closest rival last sea- signing was expected to completed on Wednesday, ers who already crossed the Channel during the formance and it serves them badly.” The arrival of son - with a 2-0 win in the Trophee des Champions. should bring pace on the left flank of the Parisian transfer window is promising Caen midfielder N’Golo Manchester United right-back Rafael da Silva on a Last season, Laurent Blanc’s team was in a class attack in an exciting partnership with Argentine Kante, who joined Leicester on a four-year deal. “I four-year deal should, however, bring some stability of its own domestically despite some hiccups at teammate Javier Pastore. would have been pleased to see him continue his to Lyon’s fragile back-four. the turn of the year. But the team showed its limits career in France,” said Caen president Jean-Francois in the Champions League, losing 5-1 on aggregate Ibrahimovic’s final year Fortin. “But for economic reasons it’s not possible. Monaco’s rebuilding continues to Barcelona in the quarterfinals. Being the best Deposed by Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette at French clubs obviously don’t have the same financial After changing its development strategy last sea- team in France this season won’t be enough as the top of the scoring chart last season, Zlatan means as their English counterparts.” Among other son, Monaco is sticking to its promotion of youth PSG now looks to dominate in Europe with its star- Ibrahimovic has just one year left on his contract with players who left the Ligue 1 this summer for England players. Although it lured Stephan El Shaarawy from studded team. “Of course (Di Maria) will help us in PSG. The league’s most colorful player, Ibrahimovic are Ghana striker Jordan Ayew and Saint-Etienne mid- AC Milan, Monaco is not interested in acquiring big the Champions League, it’s the title we want to has endured a difficult season marred by injuries and fielder Franck Tabanou.