DT
Sport 31
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015
Pedro transfer won’t influence me: Enrique n Reuters, Barcelona Barcelona coach Luis Enrique refused to disclose whether Pedro will start the Spanish Super Cup first-leg away to Athletic Bilbao on Friday and said that he would not be influenced by any transfer deal. The Catalan side have only three days to recover from Tuesday’s thrilling 5-4 European Super Cup win in extra time over Sevilla which was decided by substitute Pedro in Tbilisi. The home-grown player has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United while neighbours Manchester City are also now reportedly in the frame. Pedro is unhappy at a lack of playing time and even now with
Neymar ill with mumps he is still not assured of a place in attack. “Nobody knows at the moment if he will start. I won’t make my decision based on the market,” Luis Enrique told a news conference on Thursday. “He didn’t play in Tbilisi because a few days before he had to stop training (with an injury) and it is an unusual and difficult situation. “It is a contradiction. He wants to stay but he also wants to have more minutes. I will continue to play those that I think are best for each match. What I am looking forward to though is the end of the transfer window so that everything will then be clear.”
FC Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic embraces teammate Javier Mascherano during a training session yesterday ahead of their Spanish Super Cup first-leg match against Athletic Bilbao tonight AP
Goalkeeper doubts dog United as Villa await n AFP, London A question mark continues to sit at the top of Manchester United’s team-sheet as Louis van Gaal’s side prepare for their second Premier League fixture at Aston Villa on Friday. With David de Gea’s mooted move to Real Madrid locked in an impasse over the Spanish club’s refusal to meet United’s valuation for the player or include centre-back Sergio Ramos as part of the deal, British media reports suggest that United now expect the Spaniard to remain at the club this season. De Gea, 24, sat in the stands during United’s 1-0 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend after van Gaal said the link to Madrid had affected his “focus”. Apart from some wayward passes, De Gea’s deputy Sergio Romero performed well enough against Spurs and with Victor Valdes and Anders Lindegaard having been frozen out. l
After the Sevilla win Pedro reacted angrily to comments from the club’s technical secretary Robert Fernandez that he wanted to leave but was unclear about his future describing it as “complicated”. Pedro has always been praised for his attitude and this was one of the rare occasions that he has spoken out strongly to the media. “I will not get involved in any more controversy. He is a player that is loved by everyone,” responded Luis Enrique, when asked if Pedro was unhappy by his treatment at the club. “I think he is showing the same spirit he has demonstrated during all the preseason. We all know that this is a difficult and unusual situation.” l
Stoke’s Shaqiri targets debut against Spurs n Reuters Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri, who joined Stoke City for a club record fee this week, said he is fully fit and ready to make his Premier League debut against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend if manager Mark Hughes gave him the nod. Shaqiri signed a five-term deal at the Britannia Stadium on Tuesday after the Potters agreed a 12 million pounds ($18.75 million) fee with Serie A giants Inter Milan. “I can’t wait to play my first game here because I am feeling really fit,” the 23-year-old, who has also played for Bayern Munich, told the club’s website. l