THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016 SPORTS Someday soccer will return to Chapecoense, as at Man Utd LONDON: Someday, somehow, soccer club tournament - when the charter air- Chapecoense disaster. “We are with you squad had been destined for greatness. later. “Munich killed not only a lot of the will likely return at Chapecoense. line carrying the players, staff and media fraternally.” The Chapecoense administra- The team was flying back from Belgrade players who were on that flight but some Through the grieving and after the crashed into a Colombian mountainside, tors who survived or didn’t travel with after securing a place in the European of the survivors, too, and all the young funerals of the 19 team members who killing 71 on board. the team have to balance the responsi- Cup semifinals. Two months later, a players who had to come in a year or two died in a plane crash, soccer will proba- Three players survived, but all suf- bility of caring for the families in mourn- reassembled United team lost to AC early. They were never the same.” A bly be played again, just as it was at fered serious injuries. In 1958, eight ing and the players still alive. Matheus Milan. “I played my heart out on the decade later, United won European soc- Manchester United and Torino following Manchester United players died on a Saroli, the coach’s son, forgot his pass- night and I was man of the match cer’s top prize for the first time. Charlton, similar tragedies. snowy Munich runway. Led on the field port so he couldn’t travel. An injury pre- against Milan,” forward Kenny fittingly, scored twice in a 4-1 victory “For so many years I was at the heart by the 20-year-old Charlton, the English vented Alejandro Martinuccio from join- Morgans, who died in 2012, recalled over Benfica in the European Cup final, of Manchester United’s effort to maintain team soon set about ensuring the soul of ing his team in Colombia for the first leg in 2008 ahead of 50th anniversary of the capping the recovery of a club that has its place in football,” England great “Busby Babes” was not extinguished. of the Copa Sudamericana final against disaster. “Then I just sort of packed my gone on to become the most successful Bobby Charlton wrote in his 2007 autobi- Torino was the dominant force in Atletico Nacional - the biggest match in career in. I didn’t want to play in the first in the English game. ography. “There was always one great Italian soccer before the 1949 Superga the club’s history. team because I missed the boys that had “(Munich) brought a great deal of hope: the return to greatness of my air disaster killed 18 players. The team Since the crash, Chapecoense has died.” After Munich, some United players sympathy at the time and, from then on, beloved club.” had won the previous four Serie A titles, been offered players on loan by rival felt abandoned by the club. “Jackie the romance was built purely because of Chapecoense, a team from the small but it took until 1976 for the team to win clubs Flamengo, Palmeiras and Sao Paulo Blanchflower and Johnny Berry found life the way Matt rebuilt the team and won Brazilian town of Chapeco, was on its the league again - its last league title. in order to keep going, just like very hard after Munich,” teammate Albert the European Cup in ‘68,” former United way to play in the Copa Sudamericana “It’s a destiny that binds us inextrica- Manchester United was 58 years ago. Scanlon recalled in the 2007 book “The manager Alex Ferguson said, “and did it final - South America’s second biggest bly,” Torino wrote on Twitter after the Matt Busby’s talented 1958 United Lost Babes” before his death two years the right way.” —AP Agent provocateur Pique leads Barca into fresh Clasico battle MADRID: Among the stalwarts of alongside Lionel Messi before returning to Barcelona’s near decade of dominance of Barca in 2008 after a brief spell in England. Spanish football there is no one that stokes “He expresses himself wonderfully. He the ire of Real Madrid like Gerard Pique. has a great ability to communicate,” was Pique is Barca’s best defender, leader, Barca boss Luis Enrique’s reaction to Pique’s possible future president and principal recent admission that he sees himself as a provocateur to the Madrid fans and media. future Barca president rather than coach. Yet, ahead of the latest meeting “I would vote for him,” added between the Spanish giants on Saturday, Manchester City boss and still Barca mem- Barcelona, who trail Madrid by six points at ber Pep Guardiola. the top of La Liga, need the positive side of Pique is far from all talk. Current Barca Pique’s game and character more than ever. president Josep Maria Bartomeu admitted “With you it all began” are words the for- the club’s 220 million euro ($236 million) mer Manchester United man has become shirt sponsorship with Japanese online synonomous with in Spain. retailer Rakuten was initiated by a dinner His thanks to Colombian musician Kevin set up by Pique and his world famous Roldan at Barca’s treble celebrations in Colombian pop star partner Shakira. 2015 for performing at Cristiano Ronaldo’s However, his outspoken nature has 30th birthday party that precipitated a often caused a backlash. Madrid collapse in La Liga sparked a Pique has openly supported a campaign wicked backlash. for Catalonia to be given a referendum on Pique was booed for months after even independence. when playing for Spain. However, the roles In October he announced his decision may now be reversed. Madrid’s revival to retire from international football after under coach Zinedine Zidane in 2016 the 2018 World Cup after being falsely began when Pique opened the scoring the accused of cutting the colours of the last time the sides met in April. Spanish flag off his shirt in the latest of When Pique nodded Barca in front, the series of spurious controversies question- Catalans were set to move a mammoth 13 ing his commitment to play for Spain. points clear in the title race. In a match always charged with political Instead, Real battled back to win 2-1, as well as sporting tension, Spanish eyes LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Welsh striker Ben Woodburn scores his team’s second goal during the English League Cup quarter-final football match missed out on the title to Barca by just one will be peeled on Pique’s performance as between Liverpool and Leeds United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on Tuesday.—AFP point on the final day of the season and much as Messi and Ronaldo. — AFP haven’t lost in La Liga since. LEADER Woodburn helps Liverpool Whilst the captaincy at the Camp Nou is awarded based on longevity, Pique is Matches on TV undoubtedly the leader of this Barca team (Local Timings) now shorn of the likes Carles Puyol and reach League Cup semis Xavi Hernandez. Spain Copa del Rey “On Saturday we have more to play for LONDON: Liverpool reached the League Cup than Madrid, they can lose, we can’t,” he semi-finals after 17-year-old Ben Woodburn Hercules v Barcelona 0:00 said on Monday. “We always need to enjoyed a night to remember by becoming the Football mourns Brazilian believe in this team.” beIN SPORTS 3 HD club’s youngest ever goalscorer when he beIN SPORTS MAX 4 FR wrapped up a 2-0 victory over Leeds United on players killed in air crash FUTURE PRESIDENT? beIN SPORTS 17 HD ES Tuesday. Often chosen to face the media in the The youngster volleyed powerfully into the MEDELLON: Emotional tributes were paid The plane went down about 50 kilometers most difficult times, Pique also sets the Valladolid v Sociedad 22:00 net from close range in front of the Kop in the yesterday to the Brazilian football team (30 miles) from Medellin, in a remote moun- tone on and off the field for a Barca side beIN SPORTS 81st minute to double Liverpool’s lead and Chapecoense Real that was virtually wiped out tain area called Cerro Gordo. that has lost some of its identity this sea- simultaneously erase former England striker in a plane crash in the Colombian mountains Chapecoense were on their way to play son. The champions had less possession in Gimnastica v Deportivo Alaves 23:00 Michael Owen from the club’s record books. that killed 71 people. The charter plane, a Atletico Nacional of Medellin in the first leg of a match they didn’t win for the first time At 17 years and 45 days, Woodburn was 98 British Aerospace 146, reported electrical the Copa Sudamericana final. The two black beIN SPORTS since 2008 in being thoroughly outplayed days younger than Owen, when he found the problems just before the crash as it arrived in box recorders have been found but no imme- by Real Sociedad in a 1-1 draw on Sunday. net for the first time in 1997. Medellin where Chapecoense were to play in diate details were given. The dead included “The performance at Anoeta was a dis- Huesca v Las Palmas 23:00 It had been a testing evening for Liverpool, the Copa Sudamericana final. most of the team and 20 Brazilian journalists aster,” said Pique, who was brought beIN SPORTS who were frustrated for the majority of the tie at But a Colombian military source said the traveling to cover the match.