Sports

MILAN — Juventus wasted the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A as the defending champions blew a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired AC Milan on Tuesday, after second-placed Lazio’s shock defeat at Lecce.

Maurizio Sarri’s men led through goals from Adrien Rabiot and Cristiano Ronaldo early in the second half, but were then blown away by a brilliant Milan display as Ibrahimovic scored and had an assist.

Milan coach Stefano Pioli, who could reportedly be sacked at the end of the season, saw his side boost their hopes of European qualification by moving above Roma and Napoli into fifth.

“I am not remotely thinking about August 3 or the future. I am thinking of the next game,” Pioli told DAZN. “There have been some tough moments, but I love what I do.”

Juventus remain on track for a ninth straight title, sitting seven points clear of Lazio with seven matches remaining, but could have rendered the race all but over with a victory.

The loss snapped the Turin giants’ seven-game winning run in the league.

Juventus dominated the first half without finding a breakthrough as the closest they came was when Leonardo Bonucci glanced Miralem Pjanic’s free-kick wide when unmarked only three yards from goal.

Ibrahimovic had a couple of speculative efforts easily held by Wojciech Szczesny at the other end and also saw a goal ruled out for offside.

The reigning champions burst into life after the interval though, as French international Adrien Rabiot drove forward and fired a fine left-footed shot from the edge of the area into the top corner to score his first Serie A goal.

Ronaldo doubled the advantage less than eight minutes into the second half, netting for the fifth consecutive game and for the 26th time in Serie A this term with a cool finish.

But Milan were handed a lifeline out of nowhere on the hour mark as Bonucci was penalised for handball, and Ibrahimovic stepped up to score his sixth goal since returning to the San Siro from LA Galaxy in January.

The 38-year-old made it back-to-back games with a goal and an assist in the 66th minute, teeing up Franck Kessie to score with a deflected strike.

Incredibly, Milan completed the turnaround with their third goal in five minutes as Rafael Leao beat Szczesny at his near post.

Ante Rebic had an excellent chance to make it 4-2 with 12 minutes remaining, but Szczesny did well to save with his boot, 

The Croatian international wrapped up the points two minutes later though with his 10th league goal of the season.

Lazio stumble again

Earlier, Lazio, who lost 3-0 to Milan at the weekend, slumped to a second straight loss, beaten 2-1 at relegation-threatened Lecce.

Defender Patric added to Lazio’s problems in injury time as he was dismissed for biting Lecce’s Giulio Donati and could face a lengthy ban, especially with the strict COVID-19 regulations in place.

“Our dream must continue, which is to qualify mathematically for the Champions League,” Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia.

“We hope to achieve it as soon as possible, but that is our only objective.”

Lecce ended a six-match losing streak in dramatic fashion to climb out of the relegation zone.

Lazio were without strikers Ciro Immobile and Felipe Caicedo through suspension against Milan, but both played a part as the latter gave the visitors a fifth minute lead, shortly after Lecce midfielder Marco Mancosu’s strike was ruled out by VAR for a handball in the build-up.

But the hosts grabbed a deserved equaliser on the half-hour mark when Senegalese forward Khouma Babacar nodded home Filippo Falco’s cross.

Lazio survived a massive scare on the stroke of half-time as Lecce were awarded a penalty for a controversial handball against Patric, but Mancosu spooned his spot-kick over the crossbar.

Lecce centre-back Fabio Lucioni headed in a corner to give the home team a shock lead early in the second half.

Patric’s moment of madness came in the third minute of added time when he bit Donati on the arm.

MADRID — Forever condemned to live in the shadow of Barcelona, Espanyol’s worst nightmare will come true on Wednesday if they are doomed to relegation from La Liga by their city neighbours.

It is a likely scenario. With four games remaining, Chinese-owned Espanyol are rock bottom, 11 points from safety. Even a win at the Camp Nou would therefore only delay the inevitable.

Los Periquitos (The Budgerigars) have not beaten Barcelona in La Liga since 2009, when Mauricio Pochettino was coach.

Wednesday therefore looks set to be the day of reckoning for a club who are one of the proudest names in Spanish football.

It is too much to bear for fans, with the Federation of Espanyol Supporters’ Clubs this week issuing a statement to express their dismay at what has happened under the current ownership.

China’s Rastar Group, which specialises in model cars, paid 60 million euros ($67.7m) for 54 per cent of the club’s shares in January 2016. They now own almost 100 per cent.

“We have been deeply angered by this shameful season, the worst in our history,” said the federation, which has called on President Chen Yansheng to hand over the reins to someone based locally.

“We want to express our indignation, our sadness, our disappointment, anger and feeling of helplessness at witnessing this pathetic relegation.”

Espanyol have spent the season chopping and changing coaches, with David Gallego, Pablo Machin and Abelardo Fernandez all being sacked before sporting director Francisco Rufete was put in charge last month. He has been unable to halt the slide.

“The whole team are fed up with the situation, but they can’t give up. We have to keep fighting until the end,” Rufete said after a 1-0 defeat by Leganes at the weekend. “We have to go to the Camp Nou and play for pride.”

Sorry season

Espanyol’s sorry season has been all the harder to take as it came off the back of a fine 2018-19 campaign under Rubi.

He led them to seventh place and Europa League qualification, only to depart for Real Betis, taking top scorer Borja Iglesias with him. Spanish international defender Mario Hermoso left for Atletico Madrid and those departures were not adequately replaced.

“I can’t understand how 80 million euros has been spent on transfers, and with the eighth-biggest budget in the league, the club has had the worst season in its history,” fumed former president Joan Collet.

They did make it to the Europa League knockout rounds, but lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There has been little else to cheer. Signed amid much excitement last year, Chinese striker Wu Lei has contributed just four league goals this season, including a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona in January.

Proud history

That would not be enough this time for a club who have won the Copa del Rey four times and twice reached the UEFA Cup final, most recently in 2007 when Ernesto Valverde’s team lost on penalties to Sevilla in Glasgow.

Only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao have spent more seasons in the top division than Espanyol — founded in 1900 and named not as a counter to the Catalanism of Barca, as is sometimes assumed, but as a reaction to a Barcelona team whose players were mostly foreigners.

Espanyol’s blue and white has graced the elite in 26 consecutive campaigns, playing in three different stadiums in that time.

They left their old home in Sarria in 1997 and spent a dozen years at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium before moving into a 40,000-seat home near the city’s airport in 2009.

That same year, club captain Dani Jarque died of a heart attack aged 26, and it was left to Pochettino to guide the team through the aftermath of that tragedy.

For all his efforts, Espanyol struggled to fill their new ground and continue to do so, despite trying to promote their own underdog identity.

Unlike their neighbours they have kept their distance from the Catalan independence movement, but Espanyol has a squad with a strong local core. That may not help them on Wednesday against Lionel Messi and co.

AMMAN — The Jordan Basketball Federation (JBF) has put into play a plan for the sport to return in a safe environment for all involved.

Following the COVID-19 enforced suspension in March, the JBF has created a plan for the league to start in the next four months along with a resumption of other activities, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

“Since March, we have been studying the choices that are available and we believe that the plan in place is the best way for the sport to proceed with the health and safety of all involved the priority,” said Nabeel Abu Atta, secretary general of JBF.

Abu Atta pointed out that the federation will be supporting the clubs financially with 50-70 per cent of their expenses to be covered, but he said that the backing of the private sector is critical to make it work.

The federation has proposed that the league will launch in October, with the federation working closely with the Asian and international federation to plan for the Asian Cup 2021 matches that are due against Palestine and Pakistan.

BERLIN — Robert Lewandowski passed the 50-goal mark this season as Bayern Munich completed the double with a 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen behind closed doors to win a 20th German Cup on Saturday.

Bundesliga champions Bayern dominated at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium as David Alaba smashed home an early free-kick before Serge Gnabry added the second goal in the first-half.

Lewandowski has 51 goals in total this season after scoring twice in the second-half either side of a Sven Bender header for Leverkusen.

Kai Havertz converted a penalty deep into added time for Leverkusen.

“In the second half we showed that we are the better team and wanted to be cup winners,” said man-of-the-match Lewandowski.

Bayern, crowned Bundesliga champions for the eighth straight year last Saturday, have won all of their 11 games since the season resumed in mid-May after a two-months hiatus due to the coronavirus.

They could finish the season winning the treble as they are among the favourites for the Champions League finals in Lisbon next month.

This was the 13th time in the club’s history they have won the double.

Lewandowski, crowned Bundesliga top-scorer for the fifth time last weekend, netted six times in the cup, has 34 league goals and 11 more in the Champions League this season.

Leverkusen completed a hat-trick of defeats after also losing the 2002 and 2009 cup finals in Berlin.

When Lewandowski was clattered by defender Edmond Tapsoba on 16 minutes, it was Alaba who swung the resulting free kick inside the post to give Bayern the opening goal.

They doubled their lead after Joshua Kimmich won the ball in midfield eight minutes later.

His pass split the defence, Gnabry sprinted onto the ball and fired past Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky to make it 2-0 at the break.

Under control

“We are so happy that we got the double. In the first half we had the game completely under control,” said Gnabry.

With players’ calls echoing around the near-empty terraces of the cavernous stadium, where Germany head coach Joachim Loew was one of a handful of guests, the game was played in an eerie atmosphere.

“It’s a bit of a sad moment,” admitted Bayern forward Thomas Mueller, who lamented the lack of fans, after winning the German Cup for the sixth time in his career.

“If the fans are missing at such a cup final, it’s not the same.

“We’ve done well this season over long stretches, but it also hurts a bit.”

Having skied a shot at goal moments earlier, Lewandowski made it 3-0 when he controlled a clearance kick by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and tried a long-range speculative shot at Hradecky.

The Leverkusen keeper parried the shot, but watched in horror as it rolled behind him and over the goal line on 59 minutes.

“I noticed that the goalkeeper was a bit off his line, so I thought I’d just give it a try,” revealed Lewandowski.

“It was a little surprise it went in, but you always have to try.”

It fired life into Leverkusen, whose centre-back Sven Bender slipped his marker Leon Goretzka and headed home on 64 minutes.

Leverkusen nearly got a second moments later when Kevin Volland and Havertz both failed to connect with a cross.

Lewandowski claimed his second when he fired home Ivan Perisic’s pass on 89 minutes.

Bayern defender Alphonso Davies conceded the penalty in the fourth minute of added time which Havertz converted just before the whistle.

SPIELBERG BEI KNITTELFELD, Austria — Valtteri Bottas upstaged his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton with a sizzling display to claim pole position ahead of the Briton for Sunday’s delayed season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

The Finnish driver outpaced the six-time champion with a best lap in qualifying in one minute and 2.939 seconds and then survived an ‘off’ into the gravel and a spin on his final lap to emerge 0.012 seconds clear of Hamilton.

It was Bottas’ third pole at the Austrian Grand Prix and the 12th of his career, a feat that followed Hamilton’s cleansweep of the three practice sessions on Friday and Saturday morning.

“It feels really good— I’ve missed this feeling,” said Bottas.

“The qualifying shakes! It’s something special when you push the car to the limit and I’ve been waiting for a long time— we seem to be in our own league.”

Hamilton added: “A great job by Valtteri and it’s a great start to the season and I’m happy to be here.

“I think we show year on year that we are the best team — because we are open-minded, keep with the times and nobody is too stubborn to admit they are wrong.”

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, half a second adrift of the two newly-painted ‘black arrows’ cars whose dominating performance delivered a 65th front row lock out for the team, equalling Ferrari’s record.

Lando Norris was an impressive fourth for McLaren ahead of Alex Albon in the second Red Bull and Sergio Perez, who was sixth in Racing Point’s ‘pink Mercedes’.

Charles Leclerc was a disappointed seventh for Ferrari ahead of his future teammate Carlos Sainz in the second McLaren, Lance Stroll in the second Racing Point and Daniel Ricciardo of Renault.

The Austrian race is the opening event of the 2020 season after the traditional season-opener in Australia was cancelled in March before the global lockdown over the COVID-19 crisis.

Max Verstappen admitted Mercedes are “on a different level” to his Red Bull team, but stressed he will race to complete a hat-trick of wins in Sunday’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman wound up third behind pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas and six-time champion Lewis Hamilton in Saturday’s (July 4) qualifying at his team’s Red Bull Ring home track.

But he hopes that his team’s decision to go for an alternative strategy by starting on harder tyres can give him a chance to add to his wins in 2018 and 2019.

Verstappen conceded his RB16 car could not match the pace of the ‘black arrows’.

But, he said, he hoped his decision to use the harder ‘medium’ compound tyres in Q2 — and therefore start the race on them — would give him a different strategy and a chance to take control.

“I am happy, first of all, to be P3, but also we’ve a different starting tyre. It’s going to be interesting...

“It’s going to be quite a bit warmer tomorrow so I hope it plays in our advantage. Today, Mercedes was on a different level unfortunately, but let’s see what we can do tomorrow.

“Last year, we were also a little bit off in qualifying so I expect we’re a bit better in the race. Now I am the only one on a different tyre in the top ten, so I am just looking forward to it.

“We have nothing to lose so I will try to make it as difficult as possible for them.”

His Red Bull teammate Alex Albon will start from fifth behind the McLaren of Lando Norris, but ahead of Sergio Perez in Racing Point’s fast ‘pink Mercedes’ and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.

Sebastian Vettel qualified in 11th sport and called Ferrari’s disappointing performance in qualifying for the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix “a surprise” after being eliminated in Q2.

MADRID — Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo will join Juventus at the end of the current season, with Miralem Pjanic moving in the opposite direction, the two clubs announced on Monday.

Barcelona said they had paid 60 million euros ($67.4m) plus a potential five million euros more in bonuses for Bosnian playmaker Pjanic after earlier confirming Juventus would pay 72 million euros plus 10 million in variables for Arthur.

The two deals have gone through separately, allowing both clubs to boost their profit figures ahead of the end of the financial year on June 30.

Pjanic’s four-year contract includes a release clause of 400 million euros while Juventus said Arthur’s contract will run for five years, until June 2025.

Arthur and Pjanic will remain with their current teams until the end of the 2019/20 campaign, which will include the latter stages of the Champions League in August.

It raises the possibility that Arthur and Pjanic could yet face each other, and their future clubs, in the Champions League final eight in Portugal, should both sides win their outstanding last 16, second leg matches.

In a statement, Juventus said they had signed Arthur for “72 million euros payable in four years. The purchase value may increase by a maximum of 10 million euros on the fulfilment of certain conditions during the contractual term”.

Arthur, a Brazilian international, only joined Barca from Gremio in 2018 and was hailed as a future star for the club, with many tipping him as the long-term successor to Xavi Hernandez in central midfield. 

After an encouraging start, the 23-year-old has been one of several players to stagnate this season but the primary motivation for his sale is thought to be financial. 

Arthur’s departure puts more scrutiny on Barcelona’s board and president Josep Maria Bartomeu. They have overseen a number of haphazard moves in the transfer market and have been accused of failing to implement any clear sense of direction for the club.

Barcelona have been hit hard by the three-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic and they needed to bring in around 70 million euros to satisfy their budget for the current season. 

By selling Arthur, the board can register the profits from the transfer immediately before spreading the payments for Pjanic over the length of the 30-year-old’s contract. 

Pjanic joined Juventus from Roma in 2016. He was brought up in Luxembourg and initially made his name in French football with Metz and then Lyon.

Last year, Barcelona carried out a similar transaction by exchanging goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen for Valencia’s Neto, in deals worth around 30 million euros each. 

While Pjanic will cost around 10 million euros less than the amount Juventus pay for Arthur, the Italians might feel they have the better deal given the Brazilian is seven years younger. 

Arthur had been reluctant to leave the Camp Nou, and even released a statement in April, insisting his “idea was clear” and that he wanted to play at Barcelona “for many years”. 

But he was persuaded to change his mind after being given limited game time under Quique Setien while Juve coach Maurizio Sarri had reportedly made it clear he would be a key figure in his side in Turin. 

Setien said in a press conference on Monday the playmaker had promised to give his all for the rest of the season as Barcelona look to make up a two-point gap on Real Madrid at the top of the table. 

“We expect the greatest commitment from him until the last day he is here,” Setien said. 

MADRID — Barcelona coach Quique Setien insists his relationship with the players is good, despite reports of unrest in the dressing room and tension between Lionel Messi and Setien’s assistant, Eder Sarabia. 

An angry exchange of views reportedly followed Barca’s 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Saturday, a result that allowed Real Madrid to go two points clear at the top of La Liga by beating Espanyol. 

Footage also appeared to show Messi pointedly ignoring Sarabia, with the Argentinian turning away from Setien’s number two as he tried to give him instructions during a cooling break. 

A lack of togetherness comes at a bad time given Barcelona host in-form Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, when another slip could effectively concede the title. 

“There are always controversies, like in life, because we all have our own way of seeing things and thinking,” said Setien in a press conference on Monday. 

“But this is normal. I was not an easy player to deal with either. You have your own vision and the important thing is to convince everyone to defend a common cause. 

“But I see it as something natural. I think the communication is good and I don’t attach importance to specific incidents.” 

Barcelona were leading 2-1 against Celta at Balaidos with two minutes left when Iago Aspas scored from a free-kick given away by Gerard Pique.

On the suggestion of arguments in the dressing room after the match, Setien said: “When you don’t win and when there is a one-off moment like that free-kick, everyone looks for something. This is the circus we’re involved in. 

“We are concerned with more general aspects. The relationship with the players is good. There are specific moments when there may be differences of opinion but I don’t perceive any problem that is worth mentioning, far from it.” 

Setien confirmed another meeting took place with the players on Sunday. “Yesterday we talked about many things but we focused on football, on doing things better, on this situation we are in where we are not converting superiority into goals, which then results in nervousness and frustration.” 

Barcelona have been accused in the past of pandering to senior players like Messi, Pique and Sergio Busquets, who have all achieved incredible success at the club. 

Arthur set for exit?

Asked if they have too much power, Setien said: “We all have to sacrifice a part of ourselves, including the players, for the good of the team. I cannot tell a winger who likes to attack to defend. 

“I have no problem admitting this is a new situation for me and I am in a period where you learn a lot and you go little by little doing the things you want to do. But that’s nothing to do with the players, it’s a process that needs time.” 

Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo came on as a substitute against Celta even as the 23-year-old is expected to join Juventus at the end of the season in a deal that will see Miralem Pjanic go the other way. 

The exchange will enable Barca to balance the books before the end of the financial year on June 30, by registering Arthur’s sale for around 70 million euros immediately while spreading the Pjanic payments over the length of his contract. 

“We expect maximum commitment from him until the last day he is here,” said Setien. “He is still a Barcelona player until the end of the season and has promised that he will give everything to achieve the goals we have set.” 

Arthur is in the squad to face Atletico, along with Busquets, who returns from suspension, and Sergi Roberto, who is fit again. Frenkie de Jong is out with a calf injury.

LIVERPOOL — Liverpool’s romp to a first league title in 30 years with a record seven games of the season remaining could herald a golden new era for the Reds with Jurgen Klopp at the helm.

Klopp has delivered the holy grail of a long-awaited league title to Anfield, a year after winning the club’s sixth European Cup.

Further records could yet tumble before the season is out, with Liverpool on course for an all-time high Premier League points tally and the biggest-ever margin of victory.

A 23-point gap to Manchester City is all the more remarkable given how Pep Guardiola’s men themselves have raised the bar in recent seasons.

“How is it possible anybody is 20 points ahead of this team?” Klopp himself said after watching City’s 5-0 demolition of Burnley on Monday.

City’s brilliance has pushed Liverpool to new heights.

Even during the trophy-laden 1970s and 80s at Anfield, Liverpool never amassed as many points as they have in losing just two of their past 70 league games.

A 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Wednesday was a 23rd consecutive Premier League win at home.

“It is not over yet, that’s the good thing,” said an emotional Klopp, who extended his contract until 2024 earlier this season. “The team all look like they have a good few years in their legs.”

The club have also tied down a core group of key players to long contracts over the past two years.

Legacy

Wayne Rooney helped win five of Alex Ferguson’s 13 league titles during the Scot’s spell as Manchester United manager, and believes Klopp could leave a similar legacy.

“They have huge potential to win more trophies,” Rooney, a former Everton and United captain, begrudgingly admitted in his Sunday Times column.

“Klopp says it’s impossible for any club to dominate like United once did but he is wrong,” added Rooney. “There’s a simple way for Liverpool: let Klopp go on and on.”

City boss Guardiola highlighted Liverpool’s “passion” as the key component his side could not match.

And Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson urged his teammates to remain “hungry” and “keep wanting more” next season.

More than a 

two-horse race

However, plenty of hurdles stand in Liverpool’s way if they are to establish such a spell of dominance, principally City’s reaction to losing their title.

“When we retained the title we were the first for 10 years so you know how difficult it is to do that,” Guardiola warned this week.

As it stands, City will also be banned from European competition for the next two seasons.

Should their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport next month fail it could be a fatal blow in the push to convince Guardiola to stay beyond the end of his contract in 2021, but would also allow City to concentrate their resources on toppling Liverpool domestically.

Unlike the past two seasons, the title race may be more than a two-horse race in 2020/21.

Chelsea’s 2-1 win over City on Thursday was the result that finally crowned Liverpool champions and the Blues have already stated their intention to challenge with the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.

Manchester United are unbeaten in 13 games, with the January signing of Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes transforming their fortunes.

Other factors such as the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, still scheduled to take place from January 10 to February 8, could also play a huge role in Liverpool’s title defence should Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane be absent for two months in the middle of the season.

The return of the AFCON to the European winter had seen Werner strongly linked with a move to Anfield.

However, the economic fallout from coronavirus meant Liverpool were not willing to commit to meeting the German international’s 60 million euro ($67 million) buyout clause from RB Leipzig.

The chemistry between Mane, Salah and Roberto Firmino has been key to Liverpool’s rise from struggling to qualify for the Champions League to the dizzy heights of European and English champions.

“The front three we know are as good as anything in Europe,” said former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher.

“They don’t miss too many games but when they do there is a massive drop-off and that’s why I feel Liverpool still need to strengthen.”

For the first time in three decades, though, Liverpool can build from a position of strength to tighten their grip on the Premier League rather than playing catch-up.