18 Thursday, May 16, 2019 Sports Belgium’s Azerbaijan invites Wilmots fans to experience appointed Iran coach UEFA Europa League final in Baku SCO- protected Old City, mud The 68,700-seater volcanoes and timeless rural villages, there’s something for Baku Olympic everyone in Azerbaijan. Baku’s buzzing streets and Stadium will bazaars make it an ideal des- host the final tination for fans to enjoy both before and after the match. between Arsenal The country’s unique geogra- and Chelsea later phy and location have resulted in a cuisine infused with the A handout picture made available this month flavours of the Caucasus, the by the Football Federation of Iran Caspian and the Great Silk (FFIRI) shows Belgian Marc Wil- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Road. From traditional bis- mots inspecting Iran’s National DOHA tros serving local delicacies to soccer team camp in Tehran on Spectators sit under umbrellas as all the matches were suspended due to rain at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome on Wednesday. (EPA-EFE) chic international restaurants, Wednesday. (EPA-EFE) AZERBAIJAN is excited to tourists can revel in a vibrant welcome global football fans and affordable culinary scene. AFP to enjoy the final of Europe’s What’s more, visitors to TEHRAN Federer’s return delayed second biggest club football Baku can still find a wide tournament, the UEFA Eu- range of affordable accom- FORMER Ivory Coast and Bel- ropa League, at the Baku modation options, with an gium manager Marc Wilmots Olympic Stadium on 29 th of abundance of luxury and mid- has arrived in Tehran and is May 2019. The match will see range hotels near the stadium set to sign a three-year deal as rain ruins play in Rome two English teams – Arsenal and across the city, as well as as national coach, state news and Chelsea – battling it out plenty of well-priced hostels agency IRNA reported. AFP matches including oine fea- They brought in a “no re- hear,” the 20-time Grand Slam for European glory, attract- and Airbnbs rentals. The official agency said ROME turing men’s top seed Novak fund” policy after doubling champion said. ing excitement from their fans “We are excited to wel- Iran football federation presi- Djokovic playing Canadian ticket prices for Wednesday “I just really hope it doesn’t around Europe and the world. come European and global dent Kami Rita Sherpa had ROGER Federer’s return to the Denis Shapovalov. to reap the financial benefits take away the fact I’m really After hosting a series of fans to visit Azerbaijan, with confirmed the deal and the for- Italian Open was scuppered However the dual ATP- of Federer’s return to the happy to be here.” successful high-profile sport- two powerhouses of global mer Belgian striker would sign by rain on Wednesday as of- WTA clay showpiece now faces venue -- only confirmed after Due to the poor condi- ing events over the last few sport competing for victory a contract later on Wednesday. ficials were forced to cancel a double-up day on Thursday he lost in the quarter finals tions, the order of play was years, including the European here in Baku. After an inten- It said the 50-year-old who all day matches after waiting in order to try and get back in Madrid last week -- gen- re-arranged and reduced, with Games, the Islamic Games sive planning phase for the was capped 70 times for his more than seven hours for the onto schedule for a pair of Sun- erating ill-will for the event starting times regularly de- and the Formula 1 Azerbaijan highly anticipated event, all country was expected to sign weather to clear. day finals. among the local public. layed as the day dragged on. Grand Prix this April, stakeholders including the on until the end of the 2022 Federer last appeared at Federer, a four-time final- The Italian Tennis Fed- Finally, hopes were aban- Baku, the capital of Azer- State Tourism Agency, gov- World Cup for a fee of $1.2 mil- Rome’s Foro Italico in the 2016 ist in Rome, returns to Italy eration justified the decision to doned after 6pm (1600 GMT). baijan, is well placed to accom- ernment bodies and private lion (1 million euros) a year. third round, losing to Dominic after skipping the clay season raise prices by saying that they Besides Federer, Djokovic modate a large influx of visi- businesses are prepped and He replaces Portuguese Thiem, but he was kept wait- for the last two years as he con- wanted “to reward fans” who and Rafael Nadal were also tors for this important game. equipped to welcome visitors coach Carlos Queiroz who ing to begin his tournament centrated on his grass game. had bought tickets before they caught by the weather, with de- Besides watching the and fans for a celebration of stepped down after eight years against Portugal’s Joao Sousa The Swiss was originally knew Federer would play. fending champion Nadal set to game, Azerbaijan hopes to football,” commented Florian in charge in January follow- thanks to rain and wintery scheduled to play at 11am When informed of the de- play France’s Jeremy Chardy. tempt spectators to explore Sengstschmid, CEO of Azer- ing Iran’s semi-final exit in temperatures in what is nor- (0900 GMT) but was among cision on Tuesday during a Among the women, world the country’s many offer- baijan Tourism Board. the Asian Cup when they went mally a warm and pleasant dozens of players kept wait- media event, Federer did not number one Naomi Osaka ings of outdoor pursuits and To meet the increased de- down 3-0 to Japan. period of the year in the Italian ing in crowded locker rooms seem particularly impressed. was waiting for a start against high-energy activities to ‘Take mand for flights, Azerbaijan He led Iran to two World capital. and lounges, as organisers in- “I heard some fans clearly Dominika Cibulkova after Another Look’ at all it has to Airlines (AZAL) and others Cup finals and extended his Against the odds, officials advertently created a perfect were not happy about it. That’s beating the Slovak in the Ma- offer. As one of the safest fam- have organised more than 40 contract to 2019 after the 2018 kept four scheduled night storm of damaging PR. obviously disappointing to drid first round last week. ily-friendly destinations in the charter flights to accommodate tournament in Russia. region, the country is blessed fans for the match. All services Wilmots guided Belgium with endless natural beauty, of Baku’s Heydar Aliyev Inter- into the 2014 World Cup dur- modern architectural wonders national Airport will function ing his stint as coach with and remnants of rich medieval at full capacity to ensure the them between 2012-2016. German, French leagues reject proposal to create closed UCL history. From Baku’s modern smooth operation of the flights He took charge of Ivory Flame Towers, to the UNE- and flow of passengers. Coast in 2017 but parted com- REUTERS tional leagues around Europe. a proposal on the table which damaged in their attractiveness pany after failing to qualify BERLIN The French league (LFP), would involve drastic changes. for millions of people across the the west Africans for the 2018 meanwhile, said it would pro- Several league representa- continent.” World Cup. THE German and French foot- pose an alternative in the next tives who were present have “Changes to these must not ball leagues have both rejected few days. said that the proposal included jeopardise the relevance and a proposal to create a near- The region’s governing body a three-tier European league future of the national leagues in closed Champions League UEFA is working with the Euro- with promotion and relegation Europe. This would... damage from 2024 onward, adding to pean Club Association (ECA), between each division. the whole of European football Croatia’s widespread opposition to the whose members include all of “The presently discussed - and that can never be in the plan. the continent’s biggest clubs, to concept... would have unac- interest of the UEFA.” The LFP Stimac The German Football re-design European competi- ceptable consequences for the said that 32 of its members have League (DFL), which runs the tion after the current interna- national leagues in Europe and voted against the proposal with named India top two divisions of the Football tional calendar ends in 2024. should therefore not be imple- three abstentions. League system -- known as the According to reports of a mented in this form,” said the “French football is worried football coach Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 -- meeting held between UEFA DFL’s chief executive Christian about the sporting and econom- said in a statement that such a and representatives of the Eu- Seifert. ic consequences of the current competition would have “unac- ropean Leagues last week, the “We must not allow the tra- project for the national champi- ceptable consequences” for na- governing body has already put ditional national leagues to be onships,” it said in a statement. The Baku Olympic Stadium which will play host to Europa League final. Education City Stadium: Jewel of the Desert HE Education City ability Assessment System He noted that work has already Stadium is labeled the FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022 program (GSAS), thanks to the begun on the two roof covers, A file photo of former Croatia Jewel of the Desert. It strategy employed in its design the first is circular for the pitch, coach Igor Stimac.