NBA | Page 3 NFL | Page 4 Heat, Haslem Igbinoghene’s working towards story starts with something Olympic genes meaningful and hard work Tuesday, May 26, 2020 TENNIS Shawwal 3, 1441 AH World No 1 GULF TIMES Djokovic excited to host Adria Tour SPORT Page 5 FOOTBALL / BUNDESLIGA FOCUS Premier League to Dortmund host Bayern: vote on return of contact the duel that could end training AFP ‘I’m really looking forward London, United Kingdom to this match. And we’re in remier League clubs will vote on proposals for a return to contact really good form’ training tomorrow as the English or start title race Ptop-flight seeks to take another step DPA typically bullish Mueller after netting closer to resuming the season next month. Berlin, Germany in Saturday’s thrashing of Eintracht New UK government guidelines issued on Frankfurt. Sunday allow for the return of “close con- Coach Hansi Flick was more meas- tact” training, including tackling, to help orussia Dortmund vs Bay- ured, stressing “nothing will be de- players step up their match fitness ahead of ern Munich is always a clas- cided,” by the encounter, “no matter a return to competitive action. sic encounter but this year what the result”. “This type of training would start with Bthe circumstances could not Bayern will be without midfielder smaller ‘clusters’ of 2-3 athletes and even- be more different or the stakes much Thiago after the Spaniard did not tually progress to larger groups of 4-12 higher. train yesterday. He previously missed athletes, and ultimately full team training,” Without the loud backing of their the weekend 5-2 win over Eintracht added the government advice. ‘Yellow Wall’, second-place Dort- Frankfurt with an adductor problem. Premier League clubs returned to train- mund will attempt to move within Flick also confirmed defender Jer- ing in small and socially distanced groups one point of the Bundesliga leaders ome Boateng would be fit to play and last week. today with a home win. no one else would miss out. Players and managers are to be consulted Bayern know that a draw will keep “It is a very special game,” Flick in a meeting today before the proposals are them favourites and victory — even if said yesterday, with Bayern heading put to a vote of the 20 clubs. they do not admit it — will make them to Dortmund with a four-point lead. Results of the latest round of Covid-19 odds on for a record-extending eighth “As a coach, there is no question that testing will also be published tomorrow. title with a seven-point lead with the fans are a missing factor.” The small number of positive tests from only six further games to play. Ten of the 18 league games since the first two rounds of testing at Premier Behind them outside contend- the restart have been won by the away League clubs has raised hopes of a return ers RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen team. in June. Eight cases of coronavirus among have winnable home games in the “The atmosphere can inspire any players and staff have been detected from mid-week round and could see their team. It is about how you can cope 1,744 tests in the Premier League. slight chances improve should Dort- (without the support),” Flick added. In the Championship, just two positive mund do them a favour. “You have to accept the current situ- tests were registered from 1,014 tests. “We obviously have a lot of re- ation and can’t look for an excuse.” How to proceed in the event of a positive spect for Bayern,” said Dortmund The table-topper opens today’s fix- test once contact training has restarted is midfielder Thomas Delaney. “But I’m tures before Bayer Leverkusen wel- one of the topics that will be discussed by personally really looking forward to come Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt clubs later this week. this match. And we’re in really good host Freiburg and Werder Bremen take A targeted return date of June 12 was de- form.” on Borussia Moenchengladbach. scribed by Premier League chief executive Dortmund have won nine of their Richard Masters last week as a “staging post”. last 10 matches with that 27-point Bundesliga’s record-breaking strikers Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (left) and Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland FIXTURES Players and coaches have argued they will haul their second best start to the will go head to head today in Dortmund, Germany. (AFP) Today need until at least the end of June to miti- second half of a season. They man- n Borussia Dortmund v Bayern gate the risk of a spate of injuries after such aged 28 in 2011/12 as they streaked league and Super Cup. ever. Just three of 18 games played ing sensation Erling Braut Haaland Munich a long layoff. There has been no action in away to the title. “I hope that we can pick up our since the restart have been won by for their main threat while Bayern n Bayer Leverkusen v VfL Wolfsburg the Premier League since March 9. But that year Bayern could not keep next victory,” defender Manuel Akanji hosts, though one of those was Dort- have not only league top-scorer Rob- n Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg However, the biggest hurdle to a return pace, collecting 20 points, while this said after Saturday’s win at Wolfs- mund dismantling Schalke in the ert Lewandowski but Thomas Muel- n Werder Bremen v Bor. remains players’ fears over their safety and time the Munich side have been even burg. “Since I’ve been at BVB, we’ve Ruhr derby. ler in excellent form. Moenchengladbach that of their families due to the virus. better — gaining 28 to extend their lead. always lost to Bayern away but won at Dortmund hope explosive winger They will also be boosted by the re- Tomorrow Watford captain Troy Deeney has not re- In recent head-to-head encoun- home. I want to keep that run going Jadon Sancho could be fit to start af- turn of midfielder Axel Witsel. n RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin turned to training after three positive cases ters, Dortmund have not fared well by winning at home.” ter injury while Mats Hummels is a “We’re marching on. Dortmund are n Hoffenheim v Cologne were registered by the Hornets over concerns against Bayern with two wins from The coronavirus outbreak forcing doubt with an Achilles problem. marching on. We have reason to look n Fortuna Duesseldorf v Schalke 04 he could spread the virus to his five-month- the last 11. But those two wins have games behind closed doors seems to With captain Marco Reus injured, forward to Tuesday. We want the title n Augsburg v Paderborn old son. N’Golo Kante has also been given been their last home matches, in have diluted home advantage, how- Dortmund will rely on teenage scor- in Munich, where it belongs,” said a n Union Berlin v Mainz 05 permission by Chelsea to train at home. MOTORSPORT ‘Should I continue racing?’: Hamilton reveals lockdown low Agencies “Mentally it’s really about ultimately thing a bit leftfield. London/Berlin feeling good about yourself. It’s about “There’s so many interesting things that finding a way to make sure you love your- could come into play, and one of them could self,” added Hamilton, speaking ahead of well be: Lawrence Stroll’s got big designs of ix-time world champion Lewis Mental Health Awareness Week. future success for Aston Martin, and at this Hamilton admitted on Sunday “You have to really be able to love your- stage of his career [Vettel] could well be a that he questioned his future in self and be comfortable on your own.” brilliant asset in a team like that, in terms SFormula One during the corona- He added: “If we are not improving and of knowledge and experience of Red Bull, virus lockdown which left him struggling growing during these days then what are knowledge and experience of Ferrari.” for motivation. we doing? You’re obviously just wasting Vettel won four world titles at Red Bull “I have days when I wake up and feel your time sitting on your backside.” before joining Ferrari in 2015 where has groggy, I don’t feel motivated to work out. so far not won a trophy and his contract I feel, ‘Jeez, where are we going? What’s VETTEL TO ASTON MARTIN AN won’t be renewed at the end of the year. next? Should I continue racing?’,” the OPTION: COULTHARD His future is unclear and quitting the 35-year-old said in a video released by his Former Formula One driver David sport can’t be ruled out either. Mercedes team. Coulthard has suggested that four-time The only possible option to join a top “I think all these different things, and world champion Sebastian Vettel could team may be at world champions Mer- then I’m like ‘Damn it!’, and the next join the newly-formed Aston Martin cedes where champion Lewis Hamilton hour, or whatever, it passes, and I’m like works team next season. and Valtteri Bottas are the current drivers ‘Damn! I love what I do! Why would I ever Coulthard said in the F1 Nation podcast and have so far not seen their contracts consider not continuing?’” on the F1 website over the weekend that renewed beyond 2020. Hamilton is hoping to equal Michael Vettel could help Aston Martin — funded The Aston Martin team will be formed Schumacher’s record of seven world ti- by a consortium around Canadian billion- out of the Racing Point outfit where Ser- tles this season.