03/07/2025

THURSDAY | JULY 3, 2025

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SPORTS

S ERHOU GUIRASSY continued his superb form to fire Borussia Dortmund to a 2-1 win over Sergio Ramos’s Monterrey and into the Club World Cup quarterfinals yesterday. The striker scored twice in the first half and Bundesliga powerhouses Dortmund then held off the Mexican side in a battling second after German Berterame’s quick strike. Former Real Madrid great Ramos had a golden chance to equalise at the end but headed wide, meaning it is Dortmund who go on to face the Spanish giants in the last eight after they beat Juventus earlier on. “I think I could have scored at least three goals but I am happy to have helped the team win,” Guirassy told broadcaster DAZN . “I expect a very tough game. Real Madrid want

‘We will be prepared’ Guirassy ready for Real test after Dortmund down Monterrey

who held off a second half comeback from Monterrey. “We are happy. I think we overperformed. We passed the group stage. This is now on top. This is a bonus for us, and now playing against the biggest team and biggest club in the world is a good challenge,” he said. “I think that for us, Borussia Dortmund, and also for German football as a whole, this is a big, big deal.” Although Dortmund lost 2 0 to Real in the 2024 Champions League final, they have experienced something of a revival since Kovac took over from Nuri Sahin in February. Kovac came out on top in May when he pitted his wits against new Real coach Xabi Alonso when the Spaniard was Guirassy – AFPPIC

to go through so it will be a tough game but we will be prepared.” Monterrey coach Domenec Torrent warned his side they had to defend diligently to have a hope of beating Dortmund, but the Germans picked the locks too easily to open the scoring in the 14th minute. Guirassy exchanged quick passes with Karim Adeyemi on the edge of the box to confuse defender Jorge Rodriguez, and then tucked a slick finish home at the near post. The 29-year-old Guinea international, who finished as joint-top scorer in the Champions League this season, netted his second 10 minutes later. Jesus Corona came close to levelling by accident in between, but his cross bounced back off the post. Guirassy climbed to 37 goals for the season across all competitions as he was once more teed up by the darting Adeyemi, stroking home from the edge of the box. “Guirassy is one of the best strikers in the world,” Dortmund’s Yan Couto told reporters. “Today he scored two goals and he made the victory.” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said a last eight date with Spanish giants Madrid was just a bonus for his overperforming team,

“We know (Alonso) very well. So he worked two and a half years in Germany, and he did a fantastic job. “Now he’s implementing everything he had in Leverkusen at Real Madrid. So we’re expecting the same what we had in Leverkusen, only with different players.

“We’re looking forward to it but you have to play football for 90 minutes, and if we put everything onto the pitch, same performance as we saw today, I think that we will have a good chance.” – AFP/Reuters

02/07/2025 (WED)

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Draw Date: 02/07/25 (Wed)

Draw No: 5935/25 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

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in charge at Bayer Leverkusen.

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Wirtz at centre of Bayern spat BAYERN MUNICH have not taken kindly to losing out on Florian Wirtz to Liverpool after the golden boy of German football opted to join the Premier League champions. The Bundesliga behemoths are these so-called experts for some time. “With remarks like these, Matthaus is putting pressure, especially on Stuttgart. Ultimately, the club will look like the loser if the transfer fee comes in lower.”

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3607 4934 6968 SNAKE

Matthaus fired back at Hoeness, accusing him of “living in his own world” and arguing that the fee Liverpool shelled out for Wirtz validates his point about Bayern’s stance towards Woltemade. Speaking to Bild, he said: “First of all, I have to say that I’m used to Uli Hoeness’ insults and I don’t take them seriously anymore. “He’s been doing that for 20, 25 years. I don’t let it get to me; that makes you thick skinned. “Uli Hoeness still lives in his own world and still hasn’t understood that not only football, but also the business has evolved. “I’m aware of what’s going on in the market. I mentioned €80-100m (RM396m-RM495m) (as a possible price for Woltemade), but Uli Hoeness apparently didn’t read it up properly again. “He’s only interested in attacking other

accustomed to having their pick of the league’s top talent, such is their dominance. However, Wirtz was swayed by the vision laid out by Arne Slot and Richard Hughes, opting to sign for the English giants in a deal that could set a new British record at £116 million (RM673m). Since then, Bayern have turned their attention to 23-year-old Germany U-21 forward Nick Woltemade, with whispers of a verbal agreement with the Stuttgart player. But with a potential price tag ranging from £68-88m (RM394m-RM510m), Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl has conceded they must haggle with Stuttgart to reach a more palatable fee. This prompted Bayern legend

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Lothar Matthaus to argue Bayern’s £50m (RM290m) valuation of Woltemade was “too low”, a comment that led to Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness claiming the former Germany midfielder had “lost his mind”. He retorted: “Lothar Matthaus has clearly lost his mind. I’ve been fed up with

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people to distract from his own mistakes. I know the market, both domestically and internationally. And I still believe this assessment is correct.” – Express Newspapers

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1+3D Jackpot 2 RM481,984.90 won on 29/6/25!

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France’s Desire Doue (left) fighting for the ball with Germany’s Florian Wirtz – REUTERSPIC