25/09/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | SEPT 25, 2025

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‘Kane welcome to make Spurs return’

state. He was getting consistency and flow and was looking like a big threat.” City have ‘recovered many things’: Guardiola PEP GUARDIOLA said yesterday that Manchester City had “recovered many things” after last season’s trophyless campaign, pledging there was more to come from his team. The City boss has rebuilt his squad over the past two transfer windows, with a clutch of long serving players exiting the club, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Ederson. He was asked about the reaction to his tactics against the Gunners yesterday. “I’m really proud of this fight,” he said. “We recovered many, many things that last season we missed. We have an incredible spirit. Of course we cannot sustain for all the season to play in the way we played, and we don’t want it. But I give incredible power and credit to the opponents, Arsenal.”

Ange Postecoglou. But the Dane is a confirmed admirer of the 32-year-old, who is also England’s record scorer with 74 goals. Madueke sidelined for ‘a few weeks’ ARSENAL winger Noni Madueke will be out for a few weeks after suffering a knee injury in Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City, manager Mikel Arteta has said. England international Madueke, who moved from Chelsea in the close season, was substituted at halftime after picking up the injury. British media said the 23-year-old could miss six to eight weeks. “It looks like he will be out for a few weeks … we will have to scan him again next week. He felt something in the beginning of the match, at halftime it was too sore,” Arteta told reporters at Port Vale. “It doesn’t look too bad. He was gutted, disappointed because he was in such a good

SHORTS

Frank unfazed by trophy expectations

TOTTENHAM manager Thomas Frank says England captain Harry Kane is welcome to return to the north London club if he ever leaves Bayern Munich. German publication Bild on Monday reported that Kane has a £56.7 million (RM322m) release clause which could be activated at the end of this season. It has also been reported that Tottenham have a buy-back option on the Bayern striker, sparking speculation that he could make an emotional return to north London. Asked if he would be interested in signing Kane, Tottenham boss Frank said: “I didn’t know there was a clause. He is an unbelievable player who did fantastic for Spurs and is doing fantastic for Bayern. Top player.” Frank has not worked with Kane, having only taken charge of Tottenham this summer following his move from Brentford to replace

THOMAS FRANK said he can handle the pressure to win trophies with Tottenham. Frank is well aware that Tottenham’s Europa League triumph under his predecessor Ange Postecoglou last season has raised expectations among fans. Postecoglou was axed despite ending Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought because he presided over the club’s worst top-flight finish since 1976/77. “I’m very aware of the expectation,” said Frank. “I think it’s that balance. I would like us to get there where we can compete in all four tournaments throughout the year. “If you want to compete in all four tournaments, you need to be good enough to pick the right team every single time.”

Mbappe hits brace

TRAMLINES

… as Los Blancos thrash Levante to extend winning start

Djokovic. – REUTERSPIC

R EAL MADRID extended their winning start to La Liga with a comfortable 4-1 tri umph at Levante yesterday. Kylian Mbappe scored twice to reach seven league goals in six matches as Xabi Alonso’s side main tained their 100% record. Vinicius Junior opened the scoring with a superb finish and Franco Mastantuono was also on target for the league leaders. Second-placed Barcelona visit Real Oviedo tomorrow (3.30am trailing Madrid by five points. “It was a very good game, from the start, we were really committed in defence and the first goal was fundamental, to go ahead and give us confidence,” said Alonso. Malaysian time), with the Spanish champions

Since to Manchester City’s Rodri in last year’s Ballon d’Or rankings Vinicius has struggled for consistency. However, he found his rhythm at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium and opened the scoring after 28 minutes, following a bright start to the game. “Vini had a very complete, very good game and I am very happy for him,” said Alonso. Mbappe struggled in his first few months at Madrid after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024, but hit top form in the second half of the season. The striker has carried that into the new campaign and has nine goals in seven games across all competitions, helping Madrid start the campaign in ideal fashion. “There are still things we can do better, but we’re on a good path and we have to continue along it,” said Alonso, with Los Blancos facing city rivals Atletico on Saturday (10.15pm). “We’re in a construction phase … there’s still a lot we have to do. “We’re building a solid base, and in the team many players feel connected and important.” Villarreal earned a late 2-1 win at Sevilla to rise to third in the table, above fourth-placed Espanyol who drew 2-2 with Valencia. Bottom side Girona earned a creditable 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao, fifth. – AFP coming second

Joker to return to Shanghai

NOVAK DJOKOVIC will return to action in Shanghai next month in his first tournament since his US Open semifinal defeat by Carlos Alcaraz, organisers of the Masters tournament said. The Serb has won the event four times and will be making his 14th main-draw appearance as he looks to finish the season strong after being shut out of the Grand Slams by world number one Alcaraz and number two Jannik Sinner. “He’s back. Our four-time champ, @DjokerNole will return to Shanghai this year,” the tournament posted on social media. The 38-year-old reached the final in Shanghai last year, losing to Sinner in straight sets. This year’s tournament runs from Oct 1-12. ‘Heal and recharge’ FORMER world No. 3 Elina Svitolina has ended her season early to focus on her mental health, with the Ukrainian saying she is not in the “right emotional space” to continue. Svitolina, who returned to the circuit in 2023 following maternity leave, reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and French Open this year but lost in the third round of Wimbledon and went out at the first hurdle at Flushing Meadows. The world No. 13 helped Ukraine reach the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals, where she was beaten in three sets by Jasmine Paolini last week. “I haven’t been feeling like myself lately. I’m not in the right emotional space, and I don’t feel ready to play, so I am therefore ending the season here,” Svitolina said on Instagram . “I’m giving myself the space I need to heal and recharge, instead of forcing it and when I step back on the court.”

Vinicius was unhappy to be taken off by Alonso during the win over Espanyol

Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe fights for the ball with Levante’s Unai Elgezabal. – AFPPIC

l a s t week but the Brazilian winger started on the left flank and delivered.

Alcaraz expects Sinner to come back stronger

WORLD NO. 1 Carlos Alcaraz said yesterday that he will have to prepare for a new and improved Jannik Sinner after beating his great rival in the US Open final. Italy’s Sinner admitted he needed to overhaul his “predictable” game after losing to Alcaraz in New York earlier this month in the latest of a string of recent defeats to his Spanish nemesis. Alcaraz is playing at the Japan Open in Tokyo this week, while Sinner will compete at the China Open in Beijing in his first appearance since the US Open. Alcaraz said he would need to be ready for a different Sinner next time he faces the world No. 2 on the court. “I know he’s going to change something from the last match,” said Alcaraz. “It’s the same thing that I did when I lost to him a couple of times, I tried to be a better player the next

Fritz is the number two seed in Tokyo, where Denmark’s Holger Rune, Norway’s Casper Ruud and the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac will also compete. Alcaraz has won the French Open as well as the US Open this year and he said it had been “the best season that I’ve ever done”. “I’ve seen myself that I’ve grown up a lot as a player on the court,” he said. “For me, it could be better, of course it could be better, but I can’t complain about the season I’m having so far.” Alcaraz is playing at the Japan Open for the first time in his career. He said he wanted to play in Tokyo to “see the culture and see everything here”. “I’m really excited about playing in different places, in different stadiums, and feel the energy from the Japanese people,” he said. – AFP

time I was going to face him. “I have to be focused and I have to be ready for that change,” he added. Alcaraz and Sinner have dominated men’s tennis this season, with the pair contesting all four Grand Slam finals, winning two each. Alcaraz is only 22 and Sinner is just two years older, and the two look set to monopolise the sport’s top titles for years to come. “Our rivalry is getting better, which for me and for tennis I would say is great,” said Alcaraz. “We will see in the future how many times I’m going to play against him and which circumstances we will play. “Right now, it’s going great.” Alcaraz heads to Tokyo coming off a surprise loss to American world No. 5 Taylor Fritz at the Laver Cup in San Francisco last week.