THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017 SPORTS Atletico secure Vitolo Rider quits Tour, Sadio Mane to miss deal despite FIFA ban team makes him race Liverpool’s HK trip EYMET: Costa Rican Andrey Amador decided to quit the Tour de LONDON: Senegalese star Sadio Mane will miss Liverpool’s pre-season MADRID: Atletico Madrid said yesterday they had signed Spanish interna- France in the early hours of yesterday morning, only to be “con- tournament in Hong Kong as he continues his recovery from a knee tional Victor Machin Perez, known as ‘Vitolo’, from Sevilla but immediately vinced” hours later by his Movistar team to continue. The 30-year- injury, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp said yesterday. The 25-year-old for- loaned him to Las Palmas to comply with a FIFA recruitment ban. “Atletico old team-mate of Tour contender Nairo Quintana took to social ward, who scored 13 Premier League goals for Liverpool last season de Madrid has reached an agreement with VÌctor MachÌn Perez, Vitolo, for media in the night to announce he would be pulling out of the race, after joining from Southampton, is making good progress the next five years after the football player rescinded his con- but it seems his team hadn’t been consulted. “Tomorrow I’m putting but has yet to resume full training. Mane suffered the tract with Sevilla,” Atletico said on their website. The 27-year- an end to bearing this pain. Go on lads,” he wrote on Twitter, refer- knee injury in the Merseyside derby with Everton on old winner of three Europa Leagues and 11 international ring to the pain he’s been suffering in his knee since crashing on the April 1 and subsequently underwent surgery. “He is caps will initially join Las Palmas on loan until January 1, second stage more than a week ago. “It’s difficult but we’re leaving really, really good. He is close; he is closing on com- 2018, when Atletico’s recruitment ban expires. The ban was the Tour with a knee problem,” he’d added on Instagram. But he ing back to team training,” Klopp told imposed after the club had broken strict rules on the hadn’t told his team, who were stunned to discover the news, yet liverpoolfc.com. “In this moment we think it will be recruitment of youth players. Sevilla president Jose Castro little willing to accept it. “I was also surprised to learn he was quit- when we are in Asia, so then it makes no sense to had said on Monday he had offered the player a new five- ting,” Movistar’s sports director Jose Luis Arrieta told AFP. “Andrey take him to Asia because he needs to then do the year deal at the club as the struggle for the gifted mid- had said he was overcoming the pain, but he couldn’t and that he’d first steps in kind of team training. “We will see how fielder’s services heated up. But Spanish sports daily woken up due to the fierce pain in his knee. “It might have been bad we can do it; maybe the U23s will be here, so when he Marca reported that Atletico has now met the posture, but then with treatment from the physios and the can start (training) then we can use this opportunity, but Sevilla release clause for Vitolo of 37.5 million osteopath, he’s feeling better and is going to see if things return to we have to wait. “On Tuesday morning he was part euros ($43 million) and that the player passed normal during the stage.” Arriesta insisted that “it wasn’t difficult to of the running, so he is first-team training if you his medical yesterday. — AFP convince him” to carry on. —AFP want and that looked really good. —AFP RUGBY Record-breaker McGuire bids to leave Leeds on a high LEEDS: Danny McGuire is determined to Monday, but the biggest games are further leave Leeds Rhinos on a high after the down the table as Warrington look to stay Super League all-time leading try-scorer in the race for the Super 8s. They travel to announced he would be moving at the end Wigan on Thursday knowing only a win will of the season. The 34-year-old, who has keep them in the hunt, but even that will scored 233 tries in Super League, has been likely not be enough as Huddersfield can at Leeds since 2002 and was contracted book their place in the top eight with a win through to the 2018 season, but instead over bottom side Leigh tomorrw. The will call time on his association with the Wolves, who should have Ben Currie back club a year early. McGuire will not retire for the first time in ten months after he tore however, although his next destination is his ACL, will bid farewell to forward Andre not yet known. Savelio at the end of the season. For now his focus is on helping Leeds to Savelio is heading to the NRL to play for silverware in both Super League and the the Brisbane Broncos next season under Challenge Cup, with the Rhinos taking on England coach Wayne Bennett. “I have spo- Hull tomorrw in the former. “I am pleased ken to Brisbane a few times and thought to have made the decision now so I can now was the time as I feel ready to do it,” focus on the remainder of this season and Savelio said. “A lot of English forwards have finishing my time at the Rhinos in the best done well in the NRL, so it was always possible way,” said McGuire. something I had thought about.” “I will take time now to look at my Widnes, who host Wakefield on Friday, options moving forward. I am in no rush to have also enjoyed a good week, signing make definite plans about next season and Rangi Chase on a permanent deal while beyond. “I am not ready to say my good- also extending Chris Houston’s contract for byes just yet, we are currently second in the a further season. “I am pleased to have league and in the Challenge Cup semi-final renewed my contract with the Vikings for and that is where my attention is focused the third season,” said Houston. now.” The top four teams in Super League “Although we have had a tough year, I face off this weekend, with leaders am confident that we will be able to per- Castleford hosting Salford Red Devils-who form at a high standard for the remainder confirmed the signing of Manu Vatuvei on of season and finish the year well. — AFP LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather Jr (L) faces off for the first time with UFC fighter Conor McGregor during a press call at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday. The two will fight August 26th in Las Vegas, Nevada. — AFP Pacquiao ‘not surprised’ BOXING by fight review result MANILA: Manny Pacquiao is “not sur- man Abraham Kahlil Mitra. “The judges’ Mayweather to quit for prised” the World Boxing Organization scores would have greatly changed if the affirmed the loss of his welterweight title to referee did his job properly,” Mitra alleged. Australian Jeff Horn, but the Philippine ring “He (referee) didn’t give Senator Manny legend railed at large at judges who Pacquiao the respect and fair protection good after McGregor bout “manipulated results”. The WBO ordered a that is due to a people’s champ,” Mitra said, review of the scoring of the July 2 Brisbane referring to Pacquiao’s elected post as a Floyd Mayweather has vowed “I spoke to Al and told him. Today we had a professional fighter,” Mayweather said of his bout at the request of the Philippines’ Philippine senator. LOS ANGELES: to quit boxing once and for all after he emerges meeting,” Mayweather said. “I can’t push my lightly-regarded opponent. “He’s a stand-up Games and Amusements Board, which criti- Horn, a former schoolteacher written off from retirement for next month’s cross-combat body, it’s gruelling. Training camp is gruelling. I fighter. He never took a loss fighting straight cised the judges and the referee. before the bout by most observers, wel- showdown with Conor McGregor. The 40-year- can’t do it any more. Training camp is rough. It up. I can’t overlook that, because one shot can The WBO set up a panel of independent comed on Tuesday the ruling as “evidence” old former welterweight king, who retired with has to be my last one. “After taking a couple of end your whole career. He’s a tough competi- and anonymous judges to watch and score of his victory. “It’s definitely nice to have it a perfect 49-0 record in 2015, said Tuesday years off I was okay. But then we ended up tor but it is what it is.” Mayweather forged his a recording of the bout without sound. On finally put on paper,” said Horn, who had there was no chance of him fighting again after somehow making this fight happen. “Now I 49-0 record on the back of phenomenal speed Tuesday it said the judges found Horn won been keen for a rematch. he climbs into the ring with mixed martial arts really know that this is it. Deep in my heart I and defensive reflexes, often being criticised seven rounds to Pacquiao’s five. “We have In the twilight of a 22-year pro career, star McGregor.