TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 SPORTS PSG hampered by injuries PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach against Metz. Laurent Blanc continues to struggle with The weekend win also saw talisman a raft of injury problems as his side pre- Zlatan Ibrahimovic start for his club for pare to entertain Ajax at the Parc des the first time in two months after a heel Princes in Champions League Group F on injury. today. The French champions are already Ibrahimovic, who spent three years through to the last 16 for the third sea- with Ajax before joining Juventus in son running after following up a 1-1 2004, will now be looking forward to fac- draw away to Ajax in September with ing his old club, while full-backs Gregory three consecutive wins. van der Wiel and Maxwell will also face They come into their penultimate their former side. “It is always special for group game a point clear of Barcelona, me to play against Ajax. I learnt so many who have also qualified, and their trip to things there. My time in Amsterdam the Camp Nou on December 10 is set to allowed me to become a man,” said decide who goes through to the knock- Maxwell, who made his name in Europe out stage as winners of the section. during a five-year spell with Ajax. However, in the seemingly unlikely event that Barcelona should lose to AJAX ALREADY OUT APOEL in Cyprus, PSG would be guaran- Ajax have lost only two of their last 15 teed top spot by beating already-elimi- games but both defeats came against nated Ajax in the French capital. Barcelona and their 2-0 home loss to the Few would bet against PSG, who are Catalans three weeks ago condemned unbeaten in 31 home games in Europe them to another premature exit from the and are still unbeaten in 19 games in all Champions League. competitions this season after a 3-2 win They have mustered just two points at Metz in Ligue 1 on Friday. from four games so far but remain a A late goal by Ezequiel Lavezzi against point clear of APOEL in the battle to Metz clinched a seventh straight win for claim the consolation of a place in the Laurent Blanc’s side, but the PSG coach Europa League, with a home encounter saw his injury worries increase in that against the Cypriots to come. match as midfield duo Yohan Cabaye and Ajax came from behind to beat LONDON: Manchester City’s Samir Nasri (centre right) trains with teammates, next to the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Manchester City will Thiago Motta both came off prematurely. Heerenveen 4-1 on Saturday and sit sec- play Bayern Munich today in a Champions League Group E soccer match. —AP “Motta came off at half-time with a ond in the Dutch Eredivisie, two points calf problem. Yohan Cabaye also had a behind leaders PSV. They have appeared calf problem. That is what happens to vulnerable defensively at times this sea- clubs who have a lot of international son but coach Frank de Boer, who is Pellegrini feeling pressure players. You need to be able to deal with without the banned Joel Veltman, hopes it,” conceded Blanc. his team can put up a good showing in David Luiz, Lucas and Marco Verratti France. “I am not worried about my ahead of stern Bayern test all missed that game and the latter is defence. Obviously, we cannot allow our- expected to be on the sidelines once selves any lapses in concentration more against Ajax, so young midfielder against a team like Paris,” he said. “But my LONDON: Manchester City are teetering on the Guardiola’s ruthless Bayern side will be a very ding to win his third Champions League title as a Adrien Rabiot could again feature after men will apply themselves in the right brink of a third Champions League group-phase different proposition. “We are really lucky to still coach after two previous successes with starting for the first time this season manner, I am convinced of that.” —AFP elimination in four seasons ahead of Bayern be in with a chance of qualifying because, with Barcelona. Munich’s visit to the Etihad Stadium today. two points and two games left, normally you are “With Philipp (Lahm), David (Alaba), (Javi) City’s dismal 2-1 loss at home to CSKA out,” said the former France international. “Now Martinez and Thiago (Alcantara) out, we now Moscow in their previous outing left them bot- is our chance. We have to take it and play with have a super midfielder back, but he has only tom of Group E with only two points and they nothing to lose. We can take a lot (from beating trained for a week with us. Di Matteo to use home will be knocked out if they fail to beat Bayern Swansea), but a game against Bayern Munich “He’s not ready for 90 minutes, but he has and there is a winner in the Russian champions’ will not be the same as a game against Swansea. huge amounts of experience. But for this period record to stop Chelsea home game with Roma. “No disrespect to Swansea, who are a great now until Christmas with the Bundesliga and Manuel Pellegrini’s side can draw some solace team, but Bayern Munich have world-class play- Champions League, he will of course be a big from the fact that Bayern, who shaded ers in every position.” help to us.” BERLIN: Schalke 04 coach Roberto Di tional window. September’s reverse fixture 1-0 thanks to a last- Schweinsteiger’s return will help to ease Matteo is banking on his team’s perfect To prove the point, the hitman con- minute goal by former City player Jerome IN CONTENTION Bayern’s problems in midfield, particularly in home record under his stewardship to tinued his prolific club form with his Boateng, are already guaranteed to qualify as Bayern have gone 18 games without defeat light of the fractured ankle that is expected to deny his former club Chelsea the group 11th goal in 10 league games in the 2-0 group winners. since losing to Borussia Dortmund in the keep Lahm out for three months. win in their Champions League game home win over West Bromwich Albion City will also take inspiration from their 3-2 German Super Cup on August 13, winning all With Toure and Fernandinho both unavail- today. on Saturday. win away to Bayern in the group phase of last four of their games to date in the Champions able for City, Fernando, James Milner and former Italian Di Matteo, who led Chelsea to That victory strengthened Chelsea’s season’s competition, although the circum- League. The 2013 European champions extend- Chelsea veteran Frank Lampard are all in con- the 2012 Champions League title as lead at the top of the Premier League stances then were quite different, with the visi- ed their lead at the Bundesliga summit to seven tention to start in central midfield. caretaker coach, took over at Schalke in table, with Mourinho’s men continuing tors having already secured a place in the last 16. points by crushing Hoffenheim 4-0 at the Allianz Captain Vincent Kompany made his return October and so far has seen them win their unbeaten start to the season in all City’s hand has been weakened by suspen- Arena on Saturday. from a calf complaint against Swansea, but each of their four matches at home in all competitions. sions to Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, both of Bastian Schweinsteiger made his first com- Spanish playmaker David Silva is not expected competitions. A nervous 3-2 win over Mourinho himself played down the whom were sent off-the former for a petulant petitive appearance since starring for Germany to feature after missing City’s last four games VfL Wolfsburg after an explosive start clash with Di Matteo saying: “It is shove-during the defeat by CSKA Moscow on in the World Cup final, coming on as a late sub- with a knee problem. Recent form does not that saw them lead 3-0 after only 25 Chelsea against Schalke, it is not me November 5. stitute, and Guardiola has hinted that he could favor City. The English champions have won only minutes confirmed Schalke’s good run at against Di Matteo. I don’t play against And although City came from behind to beat feature again at City. “It’s good news for him and two of their last nine Champions League home home under the Italian. him.” —Reuters Swansea City 2-1 in the Premier League on for us. I have seen how important Bastian is for matches, while Bayern have lost just one of their Saturday, midfielder Samir Nasri knows that Pep the club and the fans,” said Guardiola, who is bid- last 13 away games in the competition. —AFP “We are happy with our performance,” he said. “We scored three goals and con- tinue to have a great run at home.” “We have the Champions League Matches on TV game on Tuesday where everything is (Local Timings) More Messi history up for grabs open. But we want at least a point,” said Di Matteo, who is enjoying his first job UEFA Champions League NICOSIA: Fresh from becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in La Liga, Lionel Messi will since being sacked by Chelsea in late CSKA Moskva v AS Roma 20:00 2012. have his sights on more history as he looks to beIN SPORTS 3 HD With Chelsea top of Group G on eight repeat that feat in the Champions League when points with two games remaining, Borisov v Porto 20:00 Barcelona visit APOEL Nicosia today.