01/07/2025

TUESDAY | JULY 1, 2025

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SPORTS

O NE of the factors behind Real Madrid finishing the season without a major trophy was key attacker Vinicius Junior’s drastic dip in form. From competing for the Ballon d’Or as Los Blancos won the Champions League and La Liga in the 2023-24 campaign, the Brazilian played well within himself as Madrid ended Carlo Ancelotti’s reign second best to Catalan rivals Barcelona. New coach Xabi Alonso was delighted to see the Brazilian winger shine brightly as Real Madrid set up tomorrow’s Club World Cup last 16 clash against Juventus (9am Malaysian time). If the 24-year-old is at his devastating best, along with Kylian Mbappe’s impending return following a stomach bug, Madrid have the firepower they need to win the competition. Vinicius struck and created a goal for Fede Valverde with a backheel assist in the 3-0 win over Salzburg which helped Madrid seal top spot in Group H and avoid Manchester City, who have been the strongest side thus far in the United States. City boss ‘understands’ Klopp Club World Cup critique MANCHESTER CITY coach Pep Guardiola said yesterday he can see Jurgen Klopp’s point after the former Liverpool coach labelled the Club World Cup “the worst idea ever implemented in football”. However the Catalan also said he wants his team to win Fifa’s heavily criticised newly expanded competition this summer in the United States, noting many of the complaints have come from teams which did not reach the tournament. Klopp, currently Red Bull’s “head of global football”, told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag the crowded calendar meant there was no time for players to recover mentally or physically and he had serious concern over possible injuries. “Jurgen – we fought together many, many times, I know where the idea comes from, we fought a lot in England, when we went to Uefa meetings, especially on the Premier League, (about) the calendar, to try to (increase the) quality,” Guardiola told reporters. “So the players rest, and the managers rest, (then) you have more quality, so it didn’t surprise me, I understand him, I respect him. “I have an incredible relationship with Jurgen, when we were rivals… I understand his argument, because his argument I would defend as well.” The coach said despite the criticism the tournament has received, he is “proud” to be competing to win it. “At the same time we’re in a job, we follow Fifa, Uefa, Premier League, Serie A… the managers are not going to organise the competitions, everyone has their own role, they organise the competitions,”continued Guardiola. “I have said many times, I am so proud to be here, because in the end many, many teams complain about the competitions, because they are not here, otherwise they would love maybe to be there. “Their media will be here, their supporters will be here, there will be their income in terms of money to be here, and they will be happy to be there.” – AFP

Vinicius rallying … as Mbappe eyes Real Madrid return

explained Alonso. Alonso has explained that no player in the Real Madrid starting line-up is free of defensive duties. “What I am certain of is that we need and want everyone to defend – the 11 players on the pitch have to be involved defensively,” said Alonso before the Salzburg game. The coach was impressed with Vinicius’ work ethic against the Austrians. “Aside from the goals, I was also really happy with the work he put in,” added Alonso. “He helped to defend, he made sacrifices, he stayed connected with the team, didn’t switch off, and that’s very important to me.” Alonso will hope Vinicius continues in that vein as Mbappe prepares to make his return, possibly from the bench against Juventus. Even though the Alonso era is just beginning, the Juve clash and potential quarterfinal tie against Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey will be an early test for how the coach can handle utilising both star names together. – AFP

by the return of superstar striker Mbappe, who could link up with Vinicius for the first time under Alonso. Mbappe missed all three group games and also had to go to hospital after suffering acute gastroenteritis, but has been training normally for several days. The Spanish coach believes the duo can play together, even though they had teething problems after the French forward arrived, occupying similar spaces. “They can do it, Vini from the outside, Kylian from the inside … it’s not mutually exclusive, things can work, there’s individual quality, but we need the team to function,”

“I’m very happy because Vini, like any forward, needed that goal,” said Alonso. Vinicius is in a contract tussle with Real Madrid over a new deal, with the Brazilian currently on the books until 2027. “I hope I can stay here for many years. I’ve always said it’s the club of my life,” said Vinicius earlier this week. “I’m very happy with the coach and all the staff, and I hope I can stay here.” Madrid need the forward to click with last summer’s marquee arrival Mbappe, without sacrificing the team’s defensive stability. Los Blancos face Juventus in Orlando hoping to reach the quarterfinals and may be boosted

Kompany praises Bayern’s constant threat

Flamengo’s Erick Pulgar (3rd right) scores Bayern Munich first with an own goal. – REUTERSPIC

BAYERN MUNICH coach Vincent Kompany praised his team’s relentless attacking threat despite the ebbs and flows of their 4-2 Club World Cup win over Flamengo yesterday. The German side led 2-0 and

momentum, is an element of the game that is tough to teach. “It’s the hardest thing to coach, it really is. I’ve been a player myself. In these moments you take responsibility. It doesn’t matter how good your coach is, it doesn’t matter anything, you have to. “And the main thing is you have to stay calm. It’s something that the players did, it’s the experience as well, but it’s also something we talk about. “We can’t lose the game in five minutes because we had a bad period or because we considered it was a silly penalty.” Flamengo coach Filipe Luis agreed that his team were given no respite by Bayern. “The pressure they put on you is immense. They come at you with eight, 10 players. They deserved to win,” he said. “Our plan did work and we were able to apply pressure and create goal scoring opportunities but they were better than us, we’re playing against the football elite,” he said. – AFP “But six, seven games suspended? It’s not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem. “The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It’s not the same game because you break the tempo,” Maresca said. – The Independent

always stayed dangerous,” he told reporters. “It didn’t matter if we were defending or if we had the ball. I think if we had the ball we were always dangerous. But even when we defended, then on the counter in the moments we looked like a team that could score at any time,” he added. “I thought we stayed calm and then we scored the goals at the right time just to take the pressure off a little bit. Playing against these teams, the fans are a big part of the game. The Boca game is very similar. They feel like away games for us. And we have to adapt and find a way to win,” he said.

again had a two-goal advantage at 3-1 but on both occasions the Brazilian club found a way to keep the contest alive. While pleased with that resilience from his team, former Manchester City captain Kompany was particularly impressed with the way his team never drifted out of the game. “I think the key

Kompany said that ability to regain control of a game when an

part of the game for me, which a l w a y s remains a

Kompany. – REUTERSPIC

key part of the game, is we

opponent is building

‘It’s a joke’: Maresca rages at CWC weather delay

Ű BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

North Carolina. Chelsea were leading 1-0 when players were asked to leave the pitch. Both teams were taken back inside and were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the interruption. It was the sixth time at the Club World Cup that a game had been stopped because of a storm or lightning warning and Maresca went as far to suggest the United States was not a

suitable host. “For me personally, it’s not football,” Maresca told a press conference in Charlotte. “I think it’s a joke. It’s not football. “I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition. “It’s a fantastic competition. It’s the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here,” he added.

CHELSEA manager Enzo Maresca called the two hour weather delay that disrupted his team’s Club World Cup win over Benfica as a “joke” and “not football”. The Blues eventually defeated Benfica 4-1 in extratime to reach the quarterfinals but the match took four hours and 39 minutes to complete after a storm warning in Charlotte,