C4
Football
MONDAY May 27, 2019
˜ The Manila Times
w w w.manilatimes.net
S
%6),,% 3PAIN "ARCELONA WANT ED A TROPHY TO EASE THEIR #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE HEARTACHE BUT INSTEAD FELL TO ANOTHER SHOCK DEFEAT AS 6ALEN CIA PULLED OFF A THRILLING VICTORY ON 3ATURDAY 3UNDAY IN -ANILA TO WIN THE #OPA DEL 2EY #HASING A RECORD kFTH CONSECUtive triumph, Barca was undone by a relentless and gutsy Valencia side, which hung on after Lionel Messi pulled a goal back to set up A DRAMATIC kNISH IN 3EVILLE By then, Valencia were already two up, Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo scoring twice in 13 frantic kRST HALF MINUTES AFTER THE LATTER spurned a golden early chance that could have spared them a nerveshredding last 17 minutes. Messi drove the comeback effort and Goncalo Guedes twice should have wrapped it up for Valencia, missing a one-on-one and then an OPEN GOAL BEFORE THE kNAL WHISTLE sparked pandemonium. Valencia’s coach Marcelino, who might have been sacked when his team was four points off relegation in January, raced around the pitch in a frenzy. Barcelona’s players sank to their knees. “We always had faith,� said Marcelino. “Beating Barcelona to win the cup is very special. We deserved to win.� Messi admitted on Friday his team had still not recovered from the “hard blow� suffered against Liverpool and certainly they seemed too easily disheartENED HERE kNDING THEIR kGHT ONLY once it was too late. Messi also threw his support
Kaya blanks Green Archers in PFL KAYA FC-Iloilo routed Green !RCHERS 5NITED &# WHILE 3TALlion Laguna FC held champion #ERES .EGROS &# TO A DRAW IN THE OPENING MATCH DAY OF THE Philippines Football League (PFL) on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila. Jordan Mintah hit a hat trick and Jason Panhay scored the last goal, powering the Lions to a triumphant season debut and an early lead in the seven-team table. “If we keep playing this way, we can go far,â€? said Kaya Iloilo head coach Noel Marcaida. “I’m happy with the three points to start the league.â€? “It’s a great result and a clean sheet. Moving forward, we need TO LOOK AND TRY TO kNISH GAMES THE way we started,â€? he added. Mintah gave league newcomer Green Archers United a rude welcome as he buried the season’s kRST GOAL JUST TWO MINUTES INTO the match. The Ghanian striker completed his three-goal feat with a volley off Tyler Matas’ throw-in in the 18th minute and a penalty kick conversion in the 44th. Substitute midfielder Panhay closed out the romp in the 58th, tapping in Masanari Omura’s pass. Meanwhile, Stallion Laguna elicited a stalemate with two-time PFL titlist Ceres Negros in the SECOND kXTURE Abou Sy netted the opener for the Stallions with a brilliant solo effort in the sixth minute before Martin Steuble pulled the Yellow "USMEN LEVEL IN THE TH The BiĂąan-based booters regained the lead as Carli De Murga commitTED AN OWN GOAL IN THE TH BUT -ARAĂąon headed home the Bacolod-based club’s equalizer off Stephan Shrock’s cross in the 53rd. Ceres head coach Risto Vidakovic admonished his players for their lackluster performance at the start of their title-retention campaign. “They (Stallion Laguna) deserved to win. I think we played our worst game this year,â€? said Vidakovic. “Maybe we underestimated Stallion. Some of the players didn’t give their all.â€? JEREMIAH M. SEVILLAÂ
Q Valencia players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Copa del Rey football match final between Valencia CF and FC Barcelona at the Benito Villamarin stadium in Seville, Spain. AP PHOTO
Valencia shocks deflated Barcelona to win Copa del Rey behind Barcelona’s coach Ernesto Valverde but it remains to be seen whether the backing of the board remains after two dreadful defeats have now spoiled such a brilliant La Liga success. g) M kNE u 6ALVERDE SAID g7HEN A coach loses you want to go again, to kGHT TO OVERCOME THE NEXT CHALLENGE
I know losing for this club is hard.� “I do not think it’s the coach’s fault,� said president Josep Maria Bartomeu. “I think he has done a great job,� added Gerard Pique. “But it does not depend on us.� They came here as favorites, but only just, their 1,457 consecutive days as Copa del Rey champions
under threat, from their own SENSE OF DElATION KEY PLAYERS OUT injured and Valencia’s recent surge. If Barca’s season all but ended three weeks ago, Valencia’s arguably found life a few days later, as they moved into the top four for THE kRST TIME AND THEN HELD ON TO qualify for the Champions League.
THE DIFkCULT MOMENTS WE STAYED CLOSE I don’t have the words to describe it.� Some saw a metaphor in Barce7INNING THEIR kRST TROPHY SINCE lona’s pre-match tifo, spelling out ‘All IN THE CLUB S CENTENARY YEAR Together’ splitting down the middle, completes a remarkable comeback while there were key absentees from campaign that, after 15 games, had their starting line-up too, Marc-Andre them languishing in 15th. ter Stegen, Luis Suarez and Ousmane “We have made history,� said capDembele all injured. AFP tain Dani Parejo. Gameiro added: “In
History made
Neymar arrives at Brazil camp ahead of Copa America TERESĂ“POLIS, Brazil: Neymar arrived at Brazil’s national team headquarters near Rio de Janeiro on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) as the country begins its preparations for next month’s Copa America tournament. The Paris Saint-Germain forward touched down in a helicopter at the training complex in Teresopolis, three days ahead of schedule. “There’s a lot of pressure but when our team gets on the same page, with the help of the supporters, we’re unstoppable,â€? Neymar said in a video posted by the Brazilian FA on social media. “I’ve already played two competitions here. I’ve known the bad side but also the good side,â€? he said. .EYMAR MISSED THE HUMILIATING 7ORLD #UP SEMI kNAL DEFEAT BY 'ERMANY IN DUE TO injury after fracturing his back in the previous round. A year earlier he was named player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup as Brazil
won the competition for a record fourth time. Neymar sat out PSG’s last two games of this season due to suspension after being handed a three-match ban for lashing out at a spectator following his side’s shock defeat by Rennes in the &RENCH #UP kNAL LAST MONTH Reporters were tipped off to Neymar’s early arrival after he failed to show up to a PSG training session open to the media. His teammates Marquinhos and Thiago Silva, who are also part of the Brazilian squad, were there. When asked if Neymar had been released from training, coach Thomas Tuchel said “not by me.� The forward is expected to sit down with Brazil boss Tite in the coming days as the latter ponders whether to strip Neymar of the captaincy following his fan altercation. “He made a
mistake but I want to talk to him face to face,� Tite said last week as he named his squad. Eight-time winners Brazil face Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru in the group stage, which starts on June 14, after two friendlies against Qatar and Honduras. AFP Q Neymar AFP PHOTO
Real Madrid PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH TUCHEL EXTENDS DEAL TO 2021 targets Jovic PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel has extended his deal with the French Ligue 1 champions through to June 2021, the club announced on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). The 45-year-old German took over in June 2018 and despite winning Ligue 1 has come under scrutiny after the Parisian club’s defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League last 16. The news cuts short speculation that PSG’s Qatari owners would fire Tuchel and hire out-
going Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri. “I’m delighted to extend my contract and commitment to Paris Saint-Germain,� Tuchel said. “I’d like to thank the chairman and the whole club for their trust in me and my staff. This only reinforces my ambition to bring this team to the very top through hard work,� he told the club website “I’m also very touched by the backing of our supporters, and I’m sure that the best is yet to come for our club.� Q Thomas Tuchel AP PHOTO
Nasser al-Khelaifi, Paris Saint-Germain chairman and CEO, praised Tuchel’s energy and modus operandi. “For a year now, Thomas has been bringing fantastic energy to the daily life of the club, not only for the players, but for the whole of Paris Saint-Germain,� the Qatari said. “We are delighted to be able to rely on his qualities on a long-term basis.� Tuchel was appointed last year on a two-year deal to succeed Unai Emery. He had been widely praised for his work at the Parc des Princes, but another elimination from the Champions League in the first knockout round had raised questions. PSG had been desperate to make progress in Europe after being knocked out of the Champions League last 16 in back-to-back seasons under Emery. They looked on course to reach the quarterfinals after a 2-0 win away to United in the first leg, but a 3-1 home loss at the Parc des Princes knocked them out on away goals. The nature of their defeat, especially coming two years after their capitulation against Barcelona at the same stage, has seen PSG widely labelled as bottlers, incapable of dealing with the tension on the big stage. AFP
BERLIN: Eintracht Frankfurt striker and Real Madrid transfer target Luka Jovic has said that he would like to play in a different league, fuelling speculation that he may leave the Bundesliga club at the end of the season. In an interview with Die Welt newspaper to be published on Sunday, Jovic said that he was close to making a decision about his future, and that he did not think the Bundesliga suited his style of play. “Teams press high and run a lot in the Bundesliga,� SAID THE YEAR OLD 3ERBIAN INTERNATIONAL “After my experiences in the Europa League this season, I would say that other leagues in Europe suit me better.� “I have the feeling that I would be more comfortable in the Premier League or Serie A.� *OVIC SCORED GOALS IN ALL COMPETITIONS THIS SEASON HELPING &RANKFURT TO THE %UROPA ,EAGUE SEMI kNALS AND seventh place in the Bundesliga. His dazzling form has put him on the radar of Europe’s top clubs, and Spanish media have linked HIM WITH A MILLION EURO MILLION MOVE TO Real Madrid. 4HE 3ERBIAN DID NOT CONkRM OR DENY THE RUMOR saying he did not want to appear distracted. “I haven’t bothered with the speculation. Believe me, it was important for me to be there for Eintracht. I didn’t want people to say that my head was somewhere else,� he told Welt. AFP