GENEVA: Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain each faces a shocking early exit from the Champions League for ,the first time in more than a decade when the final round of games Wednesday decide the new 36-team standings.
When the 18 games kick off at the same time, 9 p.m. Central European Time (2000 GMT), to complete the inaugural league-phase format, Man City is outside the top-24 places that advance to the knockout stage and 22nd-place PSG risks dropping out.
Man City must beat Club Brugge at home to rise safely from 25th place. A draw for PSG at 24th-place Stuttgart should be enough for both teams — barring a freakish big win for Dinamo Zagreb over AC Milan to take the tiebreaker on goal difference among teams that end on 11 points.
A PSG loss in Germany risks ending a run of 12 straight years playing in the knockout stage.
The final-day jeopardy also was unexpected for Man City, the Champions League winner two years ago, which let a two-goal lead slip in a 4-2 loss at PSG last week.
The English Premier League champion advanced 11 years in a row from the old group stage since going winless in the 2012-13 edition.
It is the kind of scenario Champions League organizer UEFA hoped for when approving the new format under severe pressure from storied clubs who demanded more lucrative games and more of them against high-end opponents.
Those same influential clubs — including the super-wealthy state-backed pair of Man City and PSG — hardly imagined they would miss out on the knockout phase that brings global brand-building attention and tens of millions of euros in extra prize money from UEFA.
Real Madrid had to play just 13 games to win the Champions League last season, and now faces playing 17 to retain the title.
Madrid is 16th in the standings before going to play unheralded Brest after losing three of its seven games, including on its previous trip to France against Lille.
The record 15-time European champion can still rise to a top-8 finish — earning direct entry to the round of 16 in March — by beating 13th-place Brest, though needs other results to go its way.
Teams that finish from ninth to 24th enter Friday’s draw for the two-leg knockout playoffs played on back-to-back midweeks in February.
That shapes as an unwanted burden in the congested calendar for teams also chasing domestic titles, rather than bonus games to earn more revenue.
Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich is in 15th place, also on 12 points with Madrid, before hosting Slovan Bratislava, which has been overmatched losing seven straight games.
A 15-point tally, with a strong goal difference, could be enough to take eighth place currently held by Bayer Leverkusen, which heads a group of six teams on 13 points. Leverkusen hosts already eliminated Sparta Prague.
Bayern and Madrid can be helped by the tough schedule for teams ahead in the standings: Atalanta in seventh goes to Barcelona, 10th-place Monaco is at Inter Milan, while Lille and Feyenoord — 12th vs 11th — cannot both reach 15 points.
League-leading Liverpool has let most star players skip the trip to 19th-place PSV Eindhoven because it is one of the few teams with certainty.
Seven wins guaranteed Liverpool a top-two seeding in the tennis-like bracket for the knockout rounds. That draw will be made Feb. 21 after the playoffs round, setting up pairings through to the May 31 final in Munich.
Only Liverpool and Barcelona have already sealed their top-8 places, though Arsenal and Inter — both on 16 points — likely will join them. Atletico Madrid and Milan start Wednesday’s games on 15 points.
Man City and PSG face unexpected early exit from Champions League in dramatic round of 18 games
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Man City and PSG face unexpected early exit from Champions League in dramatic round of 18 games
- Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain each faces a shocking early exit from the Champions League for the first time in more than a decade
- Man City starts against Club Brugge outside the top-24 places that advance to the knockout stage
Sinner backed to hit top gear in time for French Open after doping ban
- “His physical preparation is focused on Roland Garros. It’s a gruelling event with long, best-of-five-set matches,” Volandri told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this week
World number one Jannik Sinner may take time to hit his stride on his return from a three-month doping ban next month but will be in top form when he heads to the French Open, Italy’s Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri said.
Sinner has not played since winning the Australian Open at the start of the season. He accepted a ban in February following a deal with the World Anti-Doping Agency, which had challenged a tribunal’s decision to clear him after two positive tests.
The 23-year-old’s ban will end on May 4 and he will make a return at the Rome Masters that begins three days later. His national team captain believes Sinner will hit top gear, though, only in time for the year’s second Grand Slam, which starts on May 25.
“His physical preparation is focused on Roland Garros. It’s a gruelling event with long, best-of-five-set matches,” Volandri told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this week.
“I’m convinced the preparation he’s had over the past three months will be beneficial in the long run. He has not been able to complete a proper winter pre-season in recent years and this break allows him to recharge for the next two to three seasons.”
Sinner, who was cleared to return to training from April 13, ramped up his preparations this week with a stint in Monte Carlo, and also practiced with Indian Wells champion Jack Draper of Britain at the Tennis Club de Beaulieu in France.
Volandri, who guided Italy to Davis Cup glory in the last two years, said he had spoken to Sinner’s coach Simone Vagnozzi and had no doubt about the player’s mindset before his comeback in Rome.
“He told me Jannik is extremely motivated, fully focused on upcoming tournaments and mentally calm,” Volandri said.
“Let’s not forget nothing replaces match adrenaline and that’s why I don’t expect a winning streak right away ... But the more matches he plays, the closer he’ll get to his ideal form for Paris.”
Nassr’s title hopes dented by Qadsiah
Al-Nassr lost 2-1 to Al-Qadsiah on Friday in what was a huge blow to their chances of winning the Saudi Pro League title.
The defeat means that while the Yellows stay in third, eight points behind leaders Al-Ittihad, with just six games to go, both time and matches are running out.
It was a hard-fought clash between two teams who may have to settle for a top three finish and a place in next year’s Asian Champions League. Both had chances, and both will feel they could have taken all three points. In the end, however, there was just one winner.
Ten minutes before the break and Al-Qadsiah drew first blood. Pierre-Emerick Abuameyang broke free down the right and while the Gabonese goal-getter’s shot was blocked, Turki Al-Ammar was on hand to open the scoring from close range.
It was a close run thing for much of the match, with Cristiano Ronaldo working hard to inspire Al-Nassr. Six minutes from time, they drew level thanks to Sadio Mane. The Senegalese forward timed his run perfectly, to control a long pass from Otavio and fire home past the goalkeeper in one quick motion.
It seemed Al-Nassr had earned a point at least, but with three minutes remaining, the hosts retook the lead and snatched the win. Nahitan Nandez hooked the ball into the six yard box and there was Aubameyang to head home.
Earlier in the day, Al-Ahli thrashed Al-Fayha 5-0. Brazilian defender Ibanez scored twice before England striker Ivan Toney also bagged a brace. Riyad Mahrez completed a five-star performance from the Jeddah giants.
“It was important to get the win but there is a long way to go until the end of this season,” said Al-Ahli coach Matthias Jaissle. “Let's see what happens.”
As things stand, Al-Ittihad remain in first place in the league, with Al-Hilal in second.
F1 title fight is increasingly focused on McLaren but Verstappen still hopeful
- Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes have all had their moments but none has been a consistent challenger, as McLaren’s 58-point constructors’ championship lead shows
- Jeddah hosts the fifth race in six weeks in a hectic start to the season, which stays at a record 24 races
JEDDAH: Ahead of Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, this Formula 1 season is looking like McLaren vs. McLaren. Still, defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull says he hasn’t lost hope.
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are the only ones to consistently have the pace through the first four rounds of the championship.
Norris has a three-point lead but admits he isn’t at his best — though he had the fastest time of the day in practice on Friday — while Piastri has momentum after winning in Bahrain last week.
Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes have all had their moments but none has been a consistent challenger, as McLaren’s 58-point constructors’ championship lead shows.
Friday practice
Norris went fastest in the second practice session, while Yuki Tsunoda crashed to continue his difficult start with Red Bull.
Norris was .163 seconds faster than Piastri in the second session, which was run under floodlights and more representative of race conditions than the hotter daytime session. Verstappen complained earlier in the day of his car feeling “very loose” in high-speed corners but ended Friday third fastest, .280 off Norris.
In his third race weekend with Red Bull since replacing Liam Lawson, Tsunoda clipped the wall on the inside of a corner and slid into the barrier on the other side, requiring a red flag.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was the surprise leader in the first session, just .007 of a second faster than Norris. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was .07 off Gasly in third and Piastri fourth, barely a tenth of a second off the pace. Lewis Hamilton was eighth in the other Ferrari. Verstappen was ninth.
Verstappen’s hope
Verstappen is the only non-McLaren driver to win a grand prix this season, but in Bahrain he was struggling so much that Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said he was concerned the Dutch star might reconsider his future.
Verstappen said this week he wasn’t considering the championship picture this early in the season.
“I’m not thinking about that. I just go race by race,” he said. “At the moment we are not the quickest. So then naturally it’s very tough to fight for a championship, but it’s still a very long road ... I’m hopeful that we can still improve things.”
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso dampened speculation Verstappen could seek to join his Aston Martin team after Red Bull car designer Adrian Newey made that move last year.
Asked if he’d welcome being Verstappen’s teammate, Alonso said Thursday: “Yes, but it’s unlikely to happen. Very unlikely.”
Alonso’s current teammate is Lance Stroll, son of team owner Lawrence Stroll.
Busy schedule
Jeddah hosts the fifth race in six weeks in a hectic start to the season, which stays at a record 24 races. There’s a little respite after Saudi Arabia, with two weeks till the next event in Miami.
“It’s on the upper end of the limit. It feels like race 10 already,” said Williams driver Alex Albon, adding it’s especially tough on mechanics and other crew members.
“As drivers, we travel better than everyone else in the paddock. We stay in better hotels than everyone else in the paddock — it’s just a function of being in a privileged position. With mechanics ... these are people with families. These are the people that really struggle.”
The rookies are still enjoying their first taste of F1, though.
“It’s just the beginning of my career, so I just want to keep racing and keep driving,” Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto said. “I’m learning new things every single weekend, so for me, if I could have another race next weekend, I would be very happy as well.”
Treble-chasing Inter sweat over Thuram’s fitness
- The Frenchman, Inter’s top scorer in Serie A with 14 goals, is likely to miss Sunday’s Serie A match
- “The tests revealed fatigue in the adductor muscles of his left thigh,” Inter said
MILANO: Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram has a thigh injury, the Serie A leaders said on Friday as they wait to see if he can recover in time for their Coppa Italia semifinal against AC Milan next week.
The Frenchman, Inter’s top scorer in Serie A with 14 goals, is likely to miss Sunday’s Serie A match at fifth-placed Bologna, Italian media reported as the club confirmed Thuram underwent medical tests this morning.
“The tests revealed fatigue in the adductor muscles of his left thigh. His condition will be assessed day by day,” Inter said in a statement.
Champions Inter lead the Italian top-flight standings on 71 points after 32 games, three ahead of Napoli.
They host Milan in the second leg of their Italian Cup semifinal on Wednesday, after the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw.
Inter, one of eight teams who have won a league, cup and European Cup treble, could repeat the feat this season.
They face Barcelona, another treble-winning side, in the Champions League semifinals after advancing to the last four of Europe’s elite club competition with a 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich.
Thuram, who has started 26 league games and missed only one this season, recently dropped out of the France squad due to an ankle injury.
Klopp ‘happy’ in new job despite Real Madrid rumors: agent
- Agent Marc Kosicke said 57-year-old Klopp was enjoying his new job
- RB Leipzig coach Zsolt Low said he “could not imagine” Klopp moving to Real Madrid
BERLIN: Jurgen Klopp is “very happy” in his current post at Red Bull despite rumors linking him to a return to management with Real Madrid, his agent said Friday.
The former Liverpool manager became Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer in January, taking care of a stable of clubs including RB Leipzig, the New York Red Bulls and Bragantino in Brazil.
Real Madrid’s quarter-final elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal this week has led to speculation manager Carlo Ancelotti is headed for the exit at the end of the season.
German media reported that Klopp was one of the names that the Spanish giants want to take over in the Bernabeu dugout.
Asked about the rumors, his agent Marc Kosicke said 57-year-old Klopp was enjoying his new job.
“Jurgen is very happy with his new role with Red Bull,” Kosicke told Sky Deutschland.
Also speaking on Friday, RB Leipzig coach Zsolt Low said he “could not imagine” Klopp moving to Real Madrid, adding the German was “very happy in the job.”
Low praised Klopp’s impact, saying “he’s shown that he can bring a club together, a group of 40, 50, 60 people, and take them with him.
“He adds incredible value with his experience, his human quality and his energy.”
In a 23-year career as a top-flight manager with Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz, Klopp left each club of his own accord, a rarity in coaching.
“No matter where he’s been, he’s given 100 percent,” Low said, adding “regardless of where he is he’s stayed and done the job. It’s important to him to make a clean exit.”
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is considered a leading candidate for the Real Madrid job. Alonso, a former Madrid player, said Friday it was “not the time” to discuss his future.
