TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 SPORTS Marchisio wants new-look Juve to aim high in Europe MILAN: Juventus midfielder Claudio to start each game believing it’s a final,” former Milan handler Massimiliano three qualifying rounds, beating FK has injected some life into Allegri’s side. Marchisio has called for complete focus said Marchisio, who opened his account Allegri. With two wins out of two so far Ventspils, Sparta Prague and FC Juve looked solid throughout their 2- as the Italian champions prepare to host for the season with a superb strike in in Serie A, Allegri has taken a small step Salzburg over two-leg ties before being 0 win over Udinese at the weekend Malmo in the Champions League today Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Udinese. towards convincing the detractors he is drawn with Olympiakos, Atletico Madrid when Carlos Tevez claimed his opening with sights already set on winning “We’ve got even more quality in our the man to revitalise Juve’s bid to rejoin and Juventus. goal of the season before Marchisio’s Group A. The Bianconeri last reached the side compared to last year.” Although Europe’s elite. But that also means any- The Swedes, coached by Age second-half strike. latter stages of the competition in 2012 only a handful of changes have been thing less than a win for the former two- Hareide, are set to be without Brazilian Ahead of Tuesday’s challenge, the before being humbled by eventual made to the nucleus of the Juventus time champions on Tuesday would undo defender Ricardinho (knee) and mid- Italy midfielder warned: “We can’t afford champions Bayern Munich in the quar- squad assembled by Antonio Conte over his good work so far. fielder Simon Thern (calf). any slip-ups. In Europe when you lose ter-finals. And having dropped into the three success-laden years, there is a dis- Reigning Swedish champions, Juve will be missing midfielders points it’s hard to win them back.” Europa League last season, where the tinct air of change in the corridors of Malmo-who finished European Cup run- Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo (both Asked if Juventus could win the Italians were ousted by Benfica at the Juventus Stadium. ners-up to Nottingham Forest in 1979 — thigh) and defender Andrea Barzagli group, Marchisio added: “We have to semi-final stage, Marchisio believes Conte, who led Juve to three consec- are Sweden’s first group stage represen- (calf), although the recent signing of win the group. That’s our objective. We new-look Juve have to aim a lot higher. utive league titles, quit to become the tatives since Helsingborgs IF in 2000- wingback Patrice Evra and young strik- don’t just want to qualify, we want to go “In the Champions League we have Italy manager and has been replaced by 2001. Malmo also had to come through ers Kingsley Coman and Alvaro Morata as far as we can.” —AFP Bayern face injury problems ahead of Man City game MUNICH: Bayern Munich are struggling Their attacking game was far too static with fitness and injury problems ahead of for Guardiola’s taste ahead of the game their Champions League group opener against City who beat them at home in the against Manchester City tomorrow. same stage last season to end Bayern’s Dutchman Arjen Robben is doubtful record 10-game winning streak. after missing training on Sunday with a “We know we have to improve further knee problem and fellow winger Franck against Manchester City,” captain Philipp Ribery made his season debut on Saturday, Lahm said. “They are a top team, they are coming on as a substitute and scoring in English champions and we want to start the 2-0 win over VfB Stuttgart. the competition well. We are still missing a Coach Pep Guardiola, however, will need bit of rhythm.” to reshuffle his defence with Holger City have also not had an explosive start Badstuber tearing a thigh muscle tendon to their season with seven out of 12 possi- during the game and set to undergo sur- ble points and Martin Demichelis’s late gery. header rescued a 2-2 draw against Arsenal The 25-year-old, who had only recently in the Premier League on Saturday. won back his starting spot after a 20- Coach Manuel Pellegrini will not be on month absence following consecutive cru- the bench at the Allianz Arena as he serves ciate ligament tears, will be out for months. out a touchline suspension following an With the addition of Xabi Alonso, how- outburst at the referee in last season’s ever, Guardiola has one player who has defeat by Barcelona. seamlessly integrated into the Bayern The Chilean will also have to make do game. “With Xabi we had a lot of posses- without key defender Pablo Zabaleta who sion against Stuttgart,” Guardiola said of is suspended. the former Real Madrid midfielder. “Bayern are the most strong team but “He knows his job in this position. He my team has a great personality to try to has an eye for short and long passes but we win everywhere,” Pellegrini told reporters. have to help him because if he does every- “We showed that against Arsenal. Last thing then he will be dead.” season, we lost three early away games to Bayern, who won the Champions Cardiff, Aston Villa and Chelsea but we League in 2013, have yet to hit top form went on to beat Bayern in Munich. this season, with many players tired after “We have the personality to try to play the World Cup and others, including Thiago everywhere in the same way. If we contin- Alcantara, Bastian Schweinsteiger and ue like this, it will be a very close game Rafinha, out injured. against Bayern.” — Reuters Shinji-mania grips Dortmund ahead of Arsenal clash MADRID: Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) takes part in a training session at Valdebebas in Madrid yesterday on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match Real Madrid vs Basel. — AFP DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund are hop- Kagawa. “When we play well together then ing attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa, we are extremely strong.” who returned after two years at Arsenal’s own Manchester United sign- Manchester United, can help lift the ing Danny Welbeck failed to score on his Real out to break holders’ German team past Arsenal in the own league debut against Manchester City Champions League today despite a grow- on Saturday but Arsene Wenger’s team still ing injury list. snatched a 2-2 draw ahead of their game at jinx in 60th European Cup The 2013 Champions League runners- Dortmund. up host Arsenal today after the two sides A late Martin Demichelis header denied were drawn together in the group stage for Wenger’s team what could have been a the second season in a row. memorable win. LONDON: It was Alex Ferguson who once pressure is too much. You have to go back to Dortmund and Chelsea hosting Schalke 04 - Kagawa, a crowd favourite who won The French coach, however, has his own noted famously that watching the World Cup Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan in 1990, three years may be the pick of the other opening round back-to-back league titles in 2011 and 2012 injury concerns with Mathieu Debuchy was as excruciating as visiting the dentist before the inaugural Champions League final, games. before leaving for United, returned this sea- injured on Saturday and doubtful for the while offering the counterpoint that the to find the last back-to back European cham- For a bit of romance, though, look no fur- son and scored in his first match back, a 3-1 game. Champions League was much more fun, pions. ther than Anfield where the returning five- win over Freiburg on Saturday. “Debuchy has a bad ankle sprain. I don’t quite the best competition in football. More than that, no champions since then times champions Liverpool will play host to The 80,200 crowd, unfurling Japanese know how long he will be out for but it To be fair, the old Manchester United man- have ever been succeeded by a club from the unsung Bulgarian side Ludogorets and flags and banners, gave the 25-year-old, doesn’t look too good,” Wenger said. ager did make this observation long before their own country. their amazed new celebrity, Cosmin Moti. who failed to hold down a starting spot at “People told me they need a bit more time the exhilarating 2014 edition of the World So Barcelona, with their own set of striking Defender Moti was the unlikely hero who, United, a standing ovation and hope it will to assess how long he will be out but it’s a Cup restored most football folk’s faith in the Galacticos - Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez - pressed into emergency action as substitute not be the last one. bad ankle sprain.” sport’s premier event. and last year’s beaten finalists Atletico goalkeeper in Ludogorets’ qualifying playoff “Shinji is very good for us, very good On the positive side, Wenger enjoyed So now it is time for UEFA’s ever more Madrid, still hewn from Diego Simeone’s against Steaua Bucharest, scored one and indeed,” said midfielder Sebastian Kehl. watching creative midfielder Jack Wilshere unstoppable juggernaut of an event to re- inspirational one-for-all image, have their saved two in his side’s victorious shootout. “Especially given the current situation with hit top form. establish its bragging rights as the 60th edi- work cut out.