WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 SPORTS Captain Neymar sees Brazil as best team in the world SAO PAULO: In his first press conference told journalists before the South “We only learn when we get hurt or do Beyond troubles on the pitch, Neymar team’s 4-1 victory at Uruguay on as a Brazil player in more than 240 days, American zone leader’s World Cup quali- something wrong. I already argued also faces legal challenges in Spain due Thursday to show how much Neymar, striker Neymar was not shy on Monday: fying match against seventh-place unnecessarily. I got yellow and red cards, to suspicions of irregularities in his trans- who was often accused by rivals of div- he believes he is in the top moment of Paraguay on Tuesday. “We know this, we harmed myself, harmed my teammates. fer from Santos to Barcelona. Tax authori- ing and simulating injuries, had his career and plays for the best national are humble enough to respect our But time makes us more mature. ties in Brazil are also investigating and changed. team in the world. adversaries, we have to play. Sometimes Nowadays I only think about playing have fined the striker, over which he is “In the last three games he was fouled The 25-year-old star also admitted he one part or the other didn’t fit. But coach football, I am better in every aspect,” appealing. But that didn’t stop the coach more than 50 times and still remained had to mature after a series of controver- Tite arrived and made adjustments. We Neymar said in a press conference, from giving the star the captaincy band focused on his game. Before he scored sies on and off the pitch and promised are playing football. The players are not alongside Tite. for the game, a position Tite usually the third goal in the previous match, he Brazil would be one of the favorites in so different - it is the way of playing. “Everyone needs time to get their rotates. “Neymar deserves the band, he is knew (Uruguayan defender) Coates had the next World Cup in Russia. “There was Now everyone turns up.” heads straight so things calm down. I a skill leader and he is maturing despite already been booked and would be sent never a dependency on Neymar. This is But Neymar also accepted he had to had my moment of being a little more unhuman pressure,” Tite said. Brazil’s off if he had fallen. But he stood on his Brazil. If focused, our team is the best,” he change to get to the current level of play. silent, but now I am speaking again.” coach singled out a moment in his feet and scored,” Tite said.—AP SOCCER Top Europe clubs drop Super League proposal Rummenigge wants fewer international matches ATHENS: The decision-making process that led FIFA to increase the number of teams at the World Cup to 48 starting with the 2026 tourna- ment is unacceptable, European Club Association (ECA) chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said yesterday. The ECA, an organisation representing 220 soccer clubs, opposes the world governing body’s decision which Rummenigge, the former Germany international who is also Bayern Munich’s chief executive, has previously dis- missed as “nonsense”. Rummenigge said yesterday there were also issues with transparency in that specific FIFA process, without elaborating. “I believe it is quite clear FIFA knows we are unhappy that they increased the number of (World Cup) participants by 50 percent,” Rummenigge told reporters after the ECA gener- al assembly. PARIS: Ivory Coast’s midfielder Zoro Cyriac Gohibi scores a goal during the friendly foot- “This is a fact. The way of the decision-making ball match Ivory Coast vs Senegal, on Monday, at the Charlety Stadium in Paris. — AFP and the transparency was not acceptable from our point of view. “They are using our players, our employees in favour of the World Cup,” he Southgate irked by Palace said. “We have every right to find a solution.” FIFA voted in January to increase the size of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 from 2026, ATHENS: European Club Association Chairman (ECA) Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (R) gives a press chief’s Zaha remark fulfilling a campaign promise of its president conference next to Juventus football club president Andrea Agnelli after the ECA general Gianni Infantino, who was elected last year. assembly in Athens, yesterday. — AFP LONDON: England manager Gareth nent manager last November, but by then FIFA says the tournament will not last longer Southgate has taken issue with Crystal it was too late. than it does at present but big clubs in particular reduce the number (of international matches). leagues-Spain, England, Germany and Italy-by Palace chairman Steve Parish’s views on the “I didn’t really appreciate there was this are angry at the prospect of losing even more We (have) arrived at a point where players have guaranteeing them four places each among oth- international tug-of-war involving Ivory disappearing egg timer on him going to players to their national teams. to play too many games,” Rummenigge said. er changes. “The club competition reform is Coast winger Wilfried Zaha. the Ivory Coast,” Southgate admitted. These organisations should “think more without a single doubt very good news for all Zaha was capped twice by England, in “I didn’t want to just pick him because CROWDED CALENDAR about football and not financial and political clubs in Europe,” Rummenigge, whose associa- 2012 and 2013, but switched allegiances to there was a chance that that might happen. Clubs have already complained about what issues,” he added. tion has threatened to set up a pan-European Ivory Coast, the country of his birth, late The first opportunity I had as permanent they say is a crowded calendar of international Last year the ECA supported controversial league of its own in the past. last year and has since made six appear- manager, I did go and speak to him.” matches for which they must release their play- changes to the Champions League club compe- “Everyone in European club football... will ances for them. Despite his disappointment at missing ers on a regular basis. tition, which critics said put finance before foot- benefit from this reform. The reform will make He scored a fine solo goal in Ivory out on Zaha, Southgate says he is only “I would call now especially on FIFA and ball. European body UEFA rearranged the group the Champions League more emotional and Coast’s 2-0 friendly win over Russia last interested in players who have a burning (European soccer’s governing body) UEFA to stage slots in favour of its four top-ranked stronger than ever before.” —Reuters week, prompting Parish to tweet: “Never desire to play for England. wavered in my belief of @wilfriedzaha, why “Any time you leave a player out of is this goal not for @England?” squads, you run the risk of them going “I’m not sure it’s helpful as a comment. I across to another country,” he said. “But in wouldn’t comment on his decisions,” the end I have to focus on the players that Messi banned for four Southgate told reporters after England’s 2- are desperate to play for England. 0 World Cup qualifying win over Lithuania “If you don’t feel that internal, 100 per- at Wembley on Sunday. cent passion for playing for England, I’m “I know the chairman’s got quite a vocif- not sure it’s for me to sell that to you. It international matches erous view on it. Steve’s an intelligent guy should be your desire to do it. who’s done a great job for that football “The inherent desire to play for your club.” Southgate, a former Palace captain, country is the most important thing if we’re ZURICH: Argentina forward Lionel Messi has Television pictures showed him swearing at 22 points from 13 games but have only a two- previously coached Zaha during his time as going to be successful. “Part of your identi- been banned from their next four competitive Brazilian linesman Emerson Augusto do Carvalho point cushion over sixth-placed Chile, with England Under-21s manager. The Palace ty as a national team has got to be pride in internationals, starting with Tuesday’s World at the end of the match after being harried and Colombia (21) and Ecuador (20) sandwiched in winger, 24, was the first player he watched the shirt. So for me the commitment has to Cup qualifier in Bolivia, for swearing at a match fouled by Chilean player Jean Beausejour. The between. The top four qualify directly for the after being confirmed as England’s perma- come from the player.” —AFP official, FIFA said yesterday. The decision was official patted him on the head and tried to calm tournament in Russia and the fifth side play off announced less than six hours before kickoff of him down but Messi kept ranting. FIFA said in a against a team from a different confederation for the match in La Paz and means that the five- letter to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), another place. “This decision is in line with the Euro heartache and vegan times world player of the year will play in only published by Argentine media, that the incident FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s previous rulings in one of Argentina’s remaining five World Cup was not detailed in the referee’s report at the similar cases,” FIFA said. qualifiers. time and was brought to their attention by the Messi has not enjoyed the same success with lifestyle fuel Defoe His absence will be a severe blow to the two- media.