SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 2013 Valdes content despite Matches on TV (Local Timings) English Premier League Barca’s stuttering form Man City v Hull City 14:45 MADRID: Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has said he is happy And a former Barca player Oriol Romeu is hoping his Valencia Aljazeera Sport +9 with his side’s start to the campaign despite the fact the Catalans side can follow Atletico’s lead. Romeu has joined Los Che on a sea- Aljazeera Sport 6 HD haven’t shone in any of their past three games. Valdes was the hero son-long loan deal from Chelsea and believes his new teammates as Barca lifted a record 11th Spanish Super Cup on away goals fol- are capable of at least repeating their 1-1 draw with Barca at the Cardiff City v Everton 17:00 lowing a 0-0 draw (1-1 on aggregate) with Atletico Madrid on Mestalla last season. “Barca are uncomfortable when they don’t Aljazeera Sport +10 Wednesday night as he made a string of fine saves. have the ball and, with the pressure that Atletico put on them, they Aljazeera Sport HD 6 And with three clean sheets from the first four games of the sea- managed to take the ball away from them for long spells,” he told son, the 31-year-old is pleased with how his final campaign at the the club’s website. “If we can do the same and be well-positioned at Newcastle v Fulham 17:00 Camp Nou has begun. “I am very happy both on a personal level the back then we have the team to be able to beat them.” Aljazeera Sport 1 HD with my performances and how the team has started the season,” Valencia boss Miroslav Djukic could hand a debut to Colombian Aljazeera Sport +9 he told Barca TV. “My role at Barca means I don’t have to intervene a striker Dorlan Pabon after his move from Monterrey was completed lot. I have to do so with my feet more often than with my hands and on Wednesday and the Serbian is expected to make a few changes Norwich v Southampton 17:00 now and again it is good to show that I can also do so with my after publicly criticising his side’s performance in the 3-1 defeat to Aljazeera Sport +8 hands.” However, after a 7-0 thrashing of Levante on the opening Espanyol last weekend. Earlier tomorrow, Real Madrid could move Aljazeera Sport 2 HD day, new Barca boss Gerardo Martino hasn’t had the most convinc- above Barca to the top of the table as they host Athletic Bilbao in ing of starts as, in between the two draws with Atleti, the Spanish the first midday kick-off of the season. West Ham v Stoke City 17:00 champions were also lucky to come away with a 1-0 win from their Madrid have won both their opening games by the odd goal Aljazeera Sport +6 trip to Malaga last weekend. and new boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted after Monday’s 1-0 win Aljazeera Sport 5 HD Valdes, though, is hoping that having clinched the first silver- over Granada that his side were still coming to terms with the ware of the season they can kick on when they face another stiff test change in philosophy he is looking to implement. The Italian is Crystal Palace v Sunderland 19:30 away to Valencia tomorrow. “There are always aspects you can likely to be forced into naming another very offenisve line-up Aljazeera Sport 1 HD improve. Something which you do well today, the next day you though as injuries to Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso and Asier Aljazeera Sport +0 might do badly. It will be a very tough season because Barca is Illarramendi mean all of Luka Modric, Isco, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di always the team to beat so we need to go game by game. “It is very Maria should start. Italian Calcio League important to start the season with this title. The players give it the And on a footballing feast tomorrow, the meat in the Real and value it deserves. “We knew Atletico are a very good team playing Barca sandwich is arguably the best match of the weekend as Chievo Verona v Napoli 19:00 on the counter-attack and taking advantage of the second ball. That Spain’s other two Champions League representatives, Real Sociedad Aljazeera Sport +7 is a style of play that is very uncomfortable for us.” and Atletico, square off at Anoeta. — AFP Aljazeera Sport +3 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD Victor Valdes Juventus v SS Lazio 21:45 Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport +3 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD Spanish League Celta de Vigo v Granada 20:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Real Valladolid v Getafe 22:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Osasuna v Villarreal 0:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD German Bundesliga Borussia v Werder Bremen 16:30 Dubai Sports Hannover v FSV Mainz 16:30 Transfer trials cloud Premier League derbies Dubai Sports LONDON: Tedious transfer sagas will make way for the fire and he wrote. “I really appreciate your support. It means a lot.” Wolfsburg v Hertha Berlin 16:30 commitment of a local derby match for four of the Premier Liverpool have enjoyed successive 1-0 wins over Stoke City and Dubai Sports League’s leading lights tomorrow. Aston Villa in the league, although they needed extra time to see Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham off third-tier Notts County in the League Cup on Wednesday. Nuremberg v Augsburg 16:30 Hotspur have had very different experiences over the past three Arsenal and Tottenham have had starkly contrasting experiences Dubai Sports months, but all will have reason to feel relieved when the transfer during the transfer window, which has witnessed Spurs doggedly window finally closes on Monday. clinging to their star player in a manner more typically associated Hamburger v Braunschweig 16:30 Liverpool and United resume one of the fiercest rivalries in with their north London rivals in recent times. Dubai Sports European football at Anfield, with both clubs hoping their battles Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas has since admitted defeat in to retain the services of unsettled strikers are at an end. the club’s attempts to fend off interest in Gareth Bale from Real Schalke v Leverkusen 19:30 Both Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney looked destined to leave Madrid, but they continue to invest money in their squad. Dubai Sports their respective clubs a few weeks ago, but the two giants from Argentine forward Erik Lamela and Romanian centre-back the English northwest girded their loins and refused to yield to Vlad Chiriches are both poised to arrive at White Hart Lane, fol- French League their demands. Having briefly been forced to train with the lowing the signings of Paulinho, Nacer Chadli, Roberto Soldado Liverpool reserves, Suarez has now been reintegrated into the and Etienne Capoue. Were it not for the enmity that exists Evian Thonon v Lyonnais 15:00 squad, while Rooney demonstrated his commitment to the between the teams, Arsenal’s fans might sympathise with their Aljazeera Sport +6 United cause with a determined display in Monday’s 0-0 draw Spurs counterparts over the Bale saga, but the days of their own Aljazeera Sport 5 HD with Chelsea. leading players being courted by Europe’s top clubs are fading. Suarez will not feature tomorrow due to his ongoing ban for Having lost Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie in Saint-Germain v Guingamp 18:00 biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, but he could yet make his recent years, Arsenal now find themselves struggling to attract Aljazeera Sport +4 return against United after the teams were drawn together in the new signings of their own, having missed out on both Suarez and third round of the League Cup. Rooney should play, however, Napoli new recruit Gonzalo Higuain. Stade Rennes v Lille OSC 21:00 having taken to Facebook to thanks United’s supporters for the Former midfielder Mathieu Flamini returned to the club on Aljazeera Sport +4 rousing reception he received against Chelsea. Thursday after being released by AC Milan and Wenger hopes the “It was an unbelievable reaction from the fans, so thank you,” 29-year-old will make an immediate impact.—AFP.