27 Sports Thursday, September 27, 2018 Lahm-led Germany against Turkey in race to host Euro 2024 finals Germany has a clear advantage in terms of stadiums, transport NYON: Having lifted the World Cup in 2014, Philipp matter for concern” under their President Recep Tayyip Lahm now hopes to bring Euro 2024 finals to Germany Erdogan. There are no such concerns in Angela today when UEFA announce the hosts for the European Merkel’s Germany, but accusations of “racism and dis- Championships. After retiring last year, ex-national respect” by Mesut Ozil in July harmed the DFB’s team captain Lahm, 34, is head of Germany’s bid to host (German Football Association) image of harmonious Euro 2024 against rivals Turkey, the only other nation integration. Arsenal star Ozil, born in Germany to seeking to host the event in six years time. Turkish parents, specifically took aim at DFB president The announcement is expected to be made at UEFA Reinhard Grindel when he retired from international headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, around 1300 GMT duty after Germany’s disastrous World Cup perform- today. “We are a football nation and our fans always ance. Undeterred by the saga, Lahm wants to see want to show their passion for football,” declared Germany host a football carnival for the first time since Lahm. Germany want to stage their first Euro as a uni- the 2006 World Cup-which Germans affectionately fied country, West Germany having hosted the event in dubbed ‘the summer fairytale’. 1988. Turkey are hoping to be awarded their first major Football-mad Germany became a month-long party football tournament after missing out to France by one as rival fans soaked up the action under blue skies, vote for the right to host Euro 2016. toasting success or drowning their sorrows in the nation’s packed beer gardens. GERMAN ADVANTAGES Nevertheless, Germany has a clear advantage in TARNISHED FAIRYTALE terms of stadiums and transport. Their official bid sees 10 existing stadia ready to host the 2024 finals, while However, the fairytale became a tarnished nightmare Turkey will need to rebuild and renovate two of their for the German FA in October 2015 when magazine Der proposed stadiums. Spiegel revealed 10 million Swiss francs (6.7 million While 2.29 million fans could watch the Euro 2024 euros of the time) had been used to buy votes from games in Turkey, based on maximum capacities, the FIFA officials. German bid can offer seats for 2.78m supporters. Some FIFA delegations suddenly switched their vote, STUTTGART: Stuttgart’s supporters display a giant banner reading “united by money, corrupt in the heart of That means more revenue from ticket sales and the allowing Germany to beat the South African bid by 12 Europe” to protest against Germany’s candidacy for the UEFA Euro 2024 on September 21, 2018 during the Germans also steal a march in terms of transport. votes to 11, when the decision was made in 2000. German first division Bundesliga football match VfB Stuttgart vs Fortuna Duesseldorf in Stuttgart. — AFP Germany offers a reliable road, rail and air network After Spiegel uncovered the scandal, a criminal ready to whisk visiting fans between host cities. investigation followed into the senior organisers, However, as the UEFA reports notes, in Turkey, “travel including German legend Franz Beckenbauer, which is German football. On Friday, Stuttgart funs unfurled unfazed. “We are a country which is prepared to put on relies on air transport and the scale of works to be still ongoing. In 2016, an external report by the law firm giant banners, stating “United by money - corrupt in special events,” he said. undertaken in the given time frame constitutes a risk”. Freshfields, commissioned by the DFB, reinforced the the heart of Europe” and “Good chance to buy another “We have all the infrastructure, maybe with just a lit- Human rights issues present the widest chasm doubt by concluding: “we have not found evidence of tournament”, during a Bundesliga game. tle reworking, but everything is in place. between the rivals. UEFA is unequivocal in bluntly stat- vote buying but we cannot exclude it”. The messages will have caused embarrassed glances “We are an extremely hospitable nation as we ing Turkey’s “lack of an action plan in human rights is a The accusations of the corruption still rankle in in the corridors of the DFB. Nevertheless, Lahm is showed in hosting the World Cup in 2006.” — AFP second, along with partner Diego Costa. tier in Spain, beneath Fuenlabrada and Athletic Bilbao’s Griezmann on target Thomas Partey and Koke added numbers two and B team. Even when storming to the title, Simeone’s side three before the interval as Atleti climb to third. Huesca have hardly been famed for their style of play but their Match on TV drop to 18th. “The team is getting better with every opener here was a triumph for team fluidity. (Local Timings) as Atletico cruise game,” Simeone said. “Against Monaco was good, A sweeping spell of possession ended with Angel Getafe better, and today a strong first half allowed us to Correa slipping Costa through in the penalty area. He to victory over Huesca conserve energy.” pulled back for Griezmann to finish. If that was a goal SPANISH LEAGUE Griezmann and Costa jogging off with half an hour for precision, the next was about power. Partey collect- Deportivo Alaves v Getafe 21:00 to spare was the dream scenario for Simeone, particu- ed the ball 30 yards out and without a challenge, shuf- beIN SPORTS HD 3 MADRID: Atletico Madrid are finally finding their larly given Real Madrid already have one day less rest fled forward, before unleashing low into the bottom Real Valladolid v Levante 21:00 groove in La Liga and just in time for a city derby ahead of Saturday’s grudge match at the Santiago corner. Two minutes later, it was three. Koke’s clipped beIN SPORTS HD 5 against Real Madrid after they strolled to a 3-0 win Bernabeu. ball over the top evaded both Correa’s foot and the dis- Girona v Real Betis 23:00 over newly-promoted Huesca on Tuesday. One victory Real’s assignment against Sevilla at the Ramon tracted goalkeeper Axel Werner on its way into the net. beIN SPORTS HD 3 from their opening four league games left Atletico sev- Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday is likely to be far more Initially ruled out for offside, the Video Assistant en points adrift of Barcelona a fortnight ago but three demanding too. Huesca’s fate in their debut campaign Referee showed Correa was level and the goal stood. on the spin have now steered Diego Simeone’s side in the top flight, will be decided against worse teams Griezmann went off in the 54th minute and Costa in ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE back on track. than Atleti, and probably at home, where their Estadio the 65th. Huesca might have had a consolation but Spal v US Sassuolo Calcio 20:00 This was as routine a three points as they come at El Alcoraz holds just over 7,000. Ezequiel Avila diverted over and Juan Aguilera’s finish beIN SPORTS HD 6 the Wanda Metropolitano, where Antoine Griezmann When Atletico won La Liga four years ago, Huesca struck the body of Jan Oblak. Atleti can start looking Empoli v AC Milan 22:00 scored early in the first half before going off early in the finished seventh in Group Two of Segunda B, the third ahead to Real. —AFP beIN SPORTS HD 4 Lampard’s Derby Qatar World Athletics knock Man Utd out countdown begins of League Cup, as fears surface City into last 16 DOHA: In the controversy surrounding Qatar’s 2022 foot- ball World Cup, it’s almost forgotten that in exactly one year Doha will host its biggest sporting event to date, the LONDON: Derby County manager Frank Lampard piled World Athletics Championships. On September 27, 2019, more misery on his former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as the planet’s best athletes will congregate in Qatar’s capital the Rams beat 10-man Manchester United 8-7 on penal- ties, while Manchester City cruised into the last 16 of the for 10 days for the premier track and field competition of League Cup on Tuesday. the season. Mourinho paid the price for making nine changes in a It will be the first time the event is held in the Middle thrilling 2-2 draw at Old Trafford before spot-kicks with East. For the athletes it represents a golden chance of glo- Paul Pogba rested on another day dominated by the MANCHESTER: Derby’s English goalkeeper Scott Carson (L) dives to save a penalty from Manchester United’s ry; for Qatar the championships are an opportunity to Frenchman’s frosty relationship with his manager. Phil English defender Phil Jones during the English League Cup third round football match between Manchester directly address its many critics to show it deserves to Jones finally missed from the spot after 15 successful United and Derby County at Old Trafford in Manchester. — AFP host global sporting events. penalties in a high quality shootout. “All the big pieces are in place,” International “The penalties come, somebody has to miss. I knew we Association of Athletics Federation vice-president-and were going to be in trouble with Jones,” said Mourinho in Liverpool striker Harry Wilson. Moments later, United “You feel like you’ve done your work when you come Qatari-Dahlan Al Hamad assured reporters this week. a barb at one of his own players.