Sports

MUNICH –– Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola still believes in possession-based football and cannot alter his feelings about the way the game should be played, he said after the Champions League holders were hammered by Real Madrid on Tuesday.

The former Barcelona boss was forced to defend his philosophy, already under fire in Germany, after his side were outclassed in their semifinal, second leg, losing 4-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate.

“I know it’s a tough night for us, for me and for the players,” he told reporters, adding that Bayern lost because they had too little possession, not too much.

“The reason we did so badly in the first half is that we did not have possession. We didn’t play with the ball.

“Against Arsenal and against Manchester United [earlier in the competition] and in the first leg in Madrid, we played with the ball and we controlled the game.

“We did not do it in the first half and when you don’t have control against a great, great team like this, you don’t have a chance.”

“The argument about my ideas is not valid,” he added. “I can’t change what I feel and what I feel is that we must play with the ball and attack as much as possible.”

MADRID –– In mild-mannered Italian Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez may finally have found the man capable of sculpting his expensively assembled squad into a unit capable of delivering an elusive 10th European crown.

Ancelotti’s side produced a devastating performance at Bayern Munich on Tuesday to humble the holders 4-0 and advance 5-0 on aggregate to their first Champions League final since they won a record-extending ninth continental title in 2002.

During two stints at the helm of the world’s richest club by income since 2000, construction magnate Perez has been through eight coaches and the club have splurged more than 600 million euros ($829 million) on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale over the past five years.

However, not even Ancelotti’s immediate predecessor Jose Mourinho, who was sent packing after three divisive years in charge, could deliver what Perez so desperately wants — the 10th crown, known in Spain as the “decima”.

Tuesday’s stunning result at the Allianz Arena, Bayern’s heaviest home defeat in European competition, set up a trip to play Atletico Madrid or Mourinho’s Chelsea in the showpiece in Lisbon on May 24.

The victory was all the sweeter as Bayern, who knocked Real out at the same stage two years ago, are now coached by Pep Guardiola, who had four trophy-laden years in charge at Real’s bitter rivals Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.

“Florentino Perez was very happy and congratulated everyone, when he is happy he does not need to speak,” Ancelotti told a news conference after two goals apiece from Sergio Ramos and Ronaldo carried Real to victory.

“The club’s desire to reach the final after playing in three semifinals was huge,” added the 54-year-old, who won the Champions League twice with AC Milan as a player and twice as a coach.

“And also having the chance of winning the decima was an extra motivation,” he said.

“After a 12-year absence Madrid is back in a Champions League final and that’s good for everyone.

“Being in the final is the first objective, which is not easy. I am lucky to coach the most important club in the world and I have to do everything I can to get the best results.”

Shaky start 

Real began Ancelotti’s debut season in charge shakily but he has found what appears to be a winning formula with a mean defence and one of the most lethal attacks in football.

Tuesday’s match showcased the talents of the forward trio known collectively as “BBC” — Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo — as Real totally overwhelmed the Bundesliga champions.

Ancelotti has settled on a three-man midfield of Xabi Alonso, Luka Modric and Angel Di Maria, while at the back Ramos and Pepe provide solidity in the centre with the reliable Dani Carvajal and Fabio Coentrao on either flank.

Perhaps more importantly, Ancelotti has brought harmony back to the dressing room after the Mourinho years, when he sidelined captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas and fell out with key figures in the dressing room like Ronaldo and Ramos.

“We have achieved it through hard work and if you do it with quality players it’s much easier to win,” Ancelotti said.

“Football has given me so much and I have the desire and energy to work to take this club, its fans and its players to the top.

“When I arrived in Madrid I realised the importance of this competition and I could feel the dream of winning the decima in the air.”

“That is why we reached the final. We hope to have the same attitude in the final.”

The only negative for Real on one of the greatest nights in their glittering history was a yellow card for Alonso that ruled the Spain international out of the final.

His absence will be a big blow as he controls Real’s play from his deep-lying central position and is a consummate passer and highly effective ball winner.

“The Xabi thing was bad luck, we are sorry for him, he’s a little down,” Ancelotti said.

“The important thing is that we’re going to play in the final and we need to win for him too.”

AMMAN — The Jordan Football Association (JFA) has rescheduled matches for the rest of the season, which is now set to end May 31. Postponed matches of the 34th Jordan Cup quarter-finals will now be played on May 14 and 27, with the league set to end May 31. Only the Jordan Cup semis and finals are to be decided. In the Jordan Cup, Ramtha moved to the semis after eliminating Faisali. They lost 1-0 and won by the same score before advancing 5-4 on penalties. Baqaa beat Sheikh Hussein 5-2 and 2-0 to advance. That Ras held Wihdat 1-1 and have their return leg postponed while Shabab Urdun's two matches against Hussein Irbid were also postponed due to their participation in the AFC Cup.

BARCELONA –– Dani Alves has hit out at Spain for being “very backward” in its approach towards racism and believes the fan who hurled a banana on the pitch in Barcelona’s game away to Villarreal on Sunday should be publicly shamed.

Images of the Brazilian picking up the banana and taking a bite were beamed around the world and he was widely backed by the football community and celebrities.

Villarreal subsequently announced they had given the supporter a life ban but Alves, who has criticised the level of racism in Spain before, felt it was not enough.

“If I could, I would put a photo of the fan on the Internet so that he would be shamed,” Alves told Brazil’s Radio Globo.

“There is racism against foreigners. They sell the country as being first world but in certain things they are very backward.”

Dozens of footballers and Brazilian celebrities backed a campaign launched within moments of the incident by Alves’s Barcelona and Brazil teammate Neymar.

Neymar has also been the target of racists and had prepared an Internet campaign in anticipation of another incident.

He quickly pushed the button on the campaign using the hashtag #weareallmonkeys in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

He sent a picture of himself and his son eating bananas via Instagramm and Twitter and thousands of fans followed suit.

Brazil teammates David Luiz, Hulk and Oscar all posted pictures, as did Italian coach Cesare Prandelli and Claudia Leitte, the singer who will perform at the World Cup’s closing ceremony in July.

AC Milan’s Mario Ballotelli and English Player of the Year Luis Suarez, who was himself banned for eight games last year after an FA investigation found he used racist language against Patrice Evra, also participated.

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff backed Alves, tweeting that his response was “a bold and strong response to racism in sport” and several Brazilian newspapers put the campaign on their front pages on Tuesday.

Alves admitted he did not expect his actions to receive so much attention.

“I have been surprised by everyone’s support. I did it without thinking. The world has evolved and we must evolve with it.”

FIFA President Sepp Blatter was among those who backed the player and tweeted that racism cannot be tolerated.

Alves said that the world governing body should be more proactive.

“FIFA must concentrate on things more important than La Masia. They need to give their attention to more serious things,” he said, referring to the recent verdict that Barcelona were guilty of breaching regulations over the transfer of under-age players.

AMMAN –– HRH Princess Haya on Tuesday signalled her intention to stand for re-election as president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) after member countries voted 103-3 to abolish a two-term limit, a statement issued by FEI said. 

The overwhelming vote in favour of amending the FEI statutes to allow FEI presidents to serve three consecutive four-year terms in office clears the way for Princess Haya to serve three consecutive terms. 

The vote on amending the statutes to prolong the term of the FEI president took place at the FEI Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) in Lausanne, Switzerland, according to the statement posted on the website of FEI. 

Princess Haya had stated in September last year that she would not stand for re-election, despite an earlier move by FEI regional group chairpersons and the national federations to amend the FEI statutes at the 2013 general assembly.

Following Princess Haya’s statement, the amendment proposal was removed from the general assembly agenda, but a petition signed by 100 national federations during the meeting in Montreux called for an EGA. 

As a result, the EGA was included in the timetable for this week’s two-day sports forum, which got under way Monday at the International Management Development Institute in Lausanne.

Princess Haya excused herself from Tuesday’s pre-vote discussions and the vote itself, seeking delegates’ approval to allow FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos to chair the meeting. Following the vote in favour of amending the statutes, an emotional Princess Haya returned to a standing ovation, said the statement.

“I always felt that when people are given a responsibility, given faith and given belief they are given an opportunity to do well in their lives and that’s what you’ve always given to me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that, it’s a huge honour,” she said, prompting further prolonged applause from delegates at the meeting.

“I’m very honoured for the opportunity you’ve given me to be available as a future president of the FEI for a third term. I don’t want to go further than that today because I do believe there’s the possibility that there’ll be other candidates and I believe they should be given the opportunity to come forward. But at the same time you have my commitment to you,” the FEI statement quoted her. 

At her first FEI bureau meeting after her election in 2006, Princess Haya proposed limiting FEI presidents to two four-year terms, a reform which was later adopted as an FEI statute. 

Today’s vote reverses that decision, but still limits the presidential term. Previously the FEI presidential term of office was unlimited.

The FEI presidential election will take place at the general assembly in December this year and the FEI bureau will decide on the application period for presidential candidates during its in-person meeting on June 9 and 10. 

The Swiss National Federation has already announced its support for Swiss businessman Pierre Genecand, although his candidacy has yet to be officially declared.

The EGA also unanimously supported the creation of the FEI Olympic Council. The council, which was proposed by the FEI bureau in February of this year, will be a more permanent liaison between the FEI and the members of the Olympic family with an equestrian background in order to protect the place of equestrian sport in the Olympic programme.

The council, which will be chaired by the FEI president, will include all IOC members and honorary members with an equestrian background. 

MUNICH –– Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is counting on Frenchman Franck Ribery's anger to power them past Real Madrid in their Champions League semifinal second leg on Tuesday despite the winger's recent slump in form.

Ribery had a sparkling season until Bayern clinched the Bundesliga title with seven games to spare.

The team has since looked like a pale shadow of its former scintillating self that broke record after record en route to the league title with Ribery having lost his spark down the left wing as Bayern notched just two wins in their last five league games.

"Franck Ribery is extremely important for this club, for the team," Guardiola told reporters on Monday ahead of the second leg following their 1-0 defeat in Madrid last week.
"He was playing angry against Bremen [in Bayern's 5-2 win on Saturday]. Franck needs this aggression, he needs to play angry.

"He keeps fighting and that is why fans love him. He is one of the best players in Bayern history, he has always performed at the highest level and we need the best Ribery."

Bayern were again unconvincing for much of the game against Bremen before an explosive second half saw them charge past their opponents with Ribery also on target.

Guardiola, in his first season in charge, is looking to lead Bayern to an unprecedented back-to-back Champions League win and should they make the final they would equal Juventus' record of having reached three consecutive finals in this competition (1996-98).

They will, however, need to score against a team that last week successfully managed to keep the Bayern attack under complete control despite the Germans' overwhelming possession.

"I cannot imagine that [Real coach] Carlo Ancelotti will set up his team in such a way as to just keep the result," said the Spaniard. "That would be difficult to maintain. Obviously it is clear what we need to do. We need to score more than one goal."

"Real are a quick team so we always have to be positioned well when we lose possession. The best is to keep them a long way away from our goal."

Guardiola refused to speculate on the participation or not of Real's Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, with the former twice on target in Saturday's 4-0 win over Ossasuna following a minor knee injury and the Welshman missing that game with a flu.

"To me it makes no difference whether Real have Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale available," he said.

Ribery's teammate Arjen Robben said they would not be surprised again by a defensive Real formation.

"Real are coming here with a lot of confidence but they also know that nothing is for free here," Robben told reporters.

"It will not be easy for them. We have to play quickly forward and score but we have to be careful of their counterattacks. We were a bit surprised by how defensive they were in the first leg."

"We are still hungry and we want to make history and reach the final," he said.

AMMAN –– The Jordan Rally, the third round of the 2014 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), kicks off on Thursday with a spectator evening in Abdali, the new downtown of Amman. 

As 28 drivers –– including 10 Jordanians –– have started their final preparations, organisers hope the racing event would be one of the top sporting and social events of the year.

Considered as one of the most challenging rounds of MERC, the event will be held under the patronage of HRH Prince Feisal, president of Jordan Motorsport. Middle East driving champion Nasser Al Attiyah is currently leading the MERC standings with 50 points and is expected to see tough challenge from UAE's Khalid Al Qassimi, who is trailing with 33 points, and third-placed Yazeed Al Rajhi of Saudi Arabia (27 points). 

Al Attiyah returned recently from Qatar after winning the Sealine Cross-Country Rally Round 4 of the 2014 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies and Round 2 of the 2014 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with his French co-driver Matthieu Baumel.

Thursday’s launch will start at 4:00pm in Abdali as top drivers will be introduced to the public through a Q&A session that will broadcast live on both Radio Hala (Arabic) and Bliss 104.2 (English).

Cars will then go over the start ramp before tackling a challenging 1.6km course in the shadows of the impressive new development. The event is completely free for spectators to attend.

On Friday,  drivers will race at Mount Nebo, Maain, Suwayma, Yakrut and Bahath with a total distance of 391.64 kilometres, while Saturday's event will cover Shuna, Karama, Rawda, Turki and Baptism Site with a total distance of 394.24km. 

"We did all the necessary arrangement for both drivers and fans in order to have a really fun event," Jordan Motorsport CEO Othman Nassif told The Jordan Times.

Jordanian squad is labelled the strongest so far with Marouf Abu Samra, winner of the National Rally Championship in 2013, taking the lead with hopes to fly the Jordanian flag from the top of the podium just like what Jordan's Amjad Farrah did in 2004 when he made history by winning the rally.     

Hussam Salem will join the challenge as he teams up with co-driver Nanci Majali.

The event’s official partners are the Royal Automobile Club of Jordan, Jordan Olympic Committee, Greater Amman Municipality, Higher Council of Youth, Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Abdali Boulevard and the Special Communications Commission.

AMMAN –– The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has set the schedule for Round of 16 matches of the AFC Cup 2014.

Jordan’s That Ras will play holders Kuwait’s Qadissieh on May 13. The Jordan Cup holders moved to the Round of 16 after finishing second in Group A. They held Oman’s Suweiq 0-0 in their last match. 

In their Group A matches, That Ras held group leaders Lebanon’s Safaa 0-0 and lost 1-0, beat Tajikistan’s Ravshan 5-1 and 3-2, scored a 1-0 win over Oman’s Suweiq.

Jordan’s other representative, Shabab Urdun, bowed out of the first round after finishing third in Group D. The team’s inconsistent form in the league has reflected on matches in the Asian scene as well.

They lost 3-2 and 3-1 to group leaders Iraq’s Erbil. Their wins came over last-placed Kyrgyzstan’s Alay Osh, 1-0 and 2-1. They also lost 2-0 to Bahrain’s Rifaa and beat them 3-1 in the last match.

That Ras, a virtually unknown team to the sports scene in Jordan up till less than nine years ago, are now fighting for third place in the local league behind Wihdat and Faisali. 

That Ras beat Wihdat and Faisali 2-0 in the league, and Wihdat 1-0 in the Jordan Cup. 

Coach Ahmad Abdul Qader noted his team was aiming to advance further in the AFC Cup. 

“We have had a good season thanks to the club management, fans and the relentless efforts of the squad,” he said.

The 11th edition of the AFC Cup included 32 clubs from across the continent competing in eight groups with the top two in each group going on to the Round of 16 which will see Lebanon’s Safaa vs. Bahrain’s Al Hidd, Kuwait SC vs. Bahrain’s Al Riffa, Iraq’s Erbil vs. Lebanon’s Nijmeh, Indonesia’s Persipura Jayapura vs. Myanmar’s Yangon United, Vietnam’s The Vissai Ninh Binh  vs. India’s Churchill Brothers SC, Vietnam’s Ha Noi TT  vs. Myanmar’s Nay Pyi Taw and Hong Kong’s Kitchee vs.  Indonesia’s Arema ISL.

LIVERPOOL — Chelsea dented Liverpool's Premier League title hopes and maintained their own pursuit of the trophy with a 2-0 victory against the leaders on Sunday.

Resilient Chelsea successfully nullified a team on an 11-game winning streak, and Demba Ba seized on Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's slip in first-half stoppage time to score the opener at Anfield.

After Chelsea withstood a series of attacks, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge gave the ball away in the 90th minute to allow a rapid counterattack that Willian completed to inflict the Reds' first loss since their game at Chelsea four months ago.

Now the destination of the trophy is no longer in Liverpool's hands.

Chelsea are two points behind Liverpool with two games remaining.

It's a long time to dwell on a defeat that will suppress the fervour that had been growing at Liverpool that the club's 24-year league title drought was coming to an end. 

Even three hours before kickoff, thousands of Liverpool fans lined the streets, preparing for the team's arrival at Anfield. It had the air of a victory parade, but whether the real thing takes place next month is now a lot more uncertain.

Publicly, Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho had insisted that the Champions League is the club's priority, with key players rested ahead of Wednesday's semifinal second leg. 

Chelsea drew 0-0 at Atletico Madrid last week. Tomas Kalas, who had made just two appearances for Chelsea previously as an 89th-minute substitute, was handed his debut but was surprisingly assured alongside Branislav Ivanovic in central defence.

Mourinho's defensive tactics may be seen as anti-football by some, but also demonstrated his abilities to successfully set up a team to be well organised and frustrate opponents. 

The home fans felt too often, though, that Chelsea players were time wasting as they saw Liverpool's title momentum end.

While Chelsea defender Ashley Cole's curling effort forced the first save of the game from Simon Mignolet, there was little attacking ambition from the visitors. 

Liverpool controlled the game, but without the speed or fluency of recent weeks as the hosts couldn't find a route to goal.

In the opening 15 minutes, Phillippe Coutinho volleyed into the sidenetting and Mamadou Sakho's shot was cleared off the line by Cole before he misfired the follow-up from six yards.

Chelsea had a strong penalty claim dismissed when Mohammed Salah's shot was blocked by Jon Flanagan's hand before being gifted a breakthrough from the most unlikely of sources.

The last time Liverpool played here Gerrard was caught on camera telling the players: "This does not slip now".

But it was Gerrard, usually the reliable heartbeat of the team and inspirational one-club player, who slipped in possession near the halfway line in the third minute of stoppage time, giving away the ball to Ba. 

With Gerrard unable to chase him down, the Senegal striker charged through on goal and coolly placed the ball past Mignolet and into the net.

However much Liverpool tried to batter through towards the Chelsea goal in the second half, the defence held up well.

Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, a second-half substitute, are the leading scorers in the league with 50 goals between them, but they rarely came close to equalising.

Not even when facing 41-year-old goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, deputising for the injured Peter Cech, who repelled Joe Allen's first-time volley with a low diving save just before the hour.

A rasping strike from Gerrard was also thwarted and a downward header by the captain lacked power to trouble Schwarzer.

As the end neared, Suarez could not connect with Coutinho's cross, and the Uruguay striker saw a shot turned over in stoppage time before Chelsea stunned Anfield again.

Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres launched the breakaway, drawing Mignolet off his goal-line and then passing to Willian to slot the ball into the net — and sending Mourinho racing down the touch-line to celebrate with section of away fans.

BARCELONA –– Former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova has died aged 45 following a battle with cancer that forced him to stand down at the end of last season, the club announced on Friday.

He took over at the Nou Camp ahead of the 2012/13 season having been Pep Guardiola’s assistant during the most successful period in Barca’s history in which they won three out of four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues in 2009 and 2011.

Barcelona went on to make the best-ever start to a La Liga season with 18 wins from 19 games but, in December 2012, Vilanova was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.

It meant his assistant Jordi Roura had to take charge of the team on those occasions when he was undergoing treatment.

At the end of the season Vilanova announced he was resigning to concentrate on his recovery from the illness.

“Tito Vilanova has passed away today at the age of 45. It happened this afternoon as our former coach was not able to overcome a disease he has fought since 2011,” said Barcelona.

“The club wishes to express their deepest condolences to his family with whom it shares their pain in these moments as do fans, members of FC Barcelona and all the world of football and sport,” added a club statement.

Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi paid tribute to his former coach.

“Tito was the 1st person who had faith in me,” four-time World Player of the Year Messi said on his Twitter feed. “I was a substitute — then he started me for the Under 16s.”

Platini salute 

Michel Platini, president of European football’s ruling body UEFA, also hailed Vilanova’s contribution to his old club.

“I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Tito Vilanova’s passing,” the former France playmaker told www.uefa.com.

“He was a great person and a fantastic coach who will always be remembered for his work at FC Barcelona. I send my condolences to Tito’s family and to the club.”

Vilanova, a midfielder came through Barca’s youth system but was let go in 1990, played for several lower league teams before finally getting his chance in the Spanish top flight with Celta Vigo where he played for three season in the mid-1990s.

It was as a coach though that he made his mark and he began working with the Barcelona youth teams, training future first team players like Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas.

After several seasons away from the Catalan club he returned in 2007 as assistant to Guardiola with the Barca B team. The following season the pair took charge of the first team and Vilanova went on to play a key role in the club’s success.

Florentino Perez, president of Barca’s archrivals Real Madrid, also mourned Vilanova’s passing.

“I want to express my profound sorrow over the death of Tito Vilanova and pass on, in the name of Real Madrid, our condolences, support and love to his family, FC Barcelona and especially to his wife and children,” Perez told the Marca newspaper.

“It is a day of considerable sadness for all fans of football and to recognise his personal and professional life.”

Barca sports director Andoni Zubizarreta said the club would offer their support to Vilanova’s family.

“A great man has left us, a loving husband, father and a total Barcelona member,” said Zubizarreta.

“We have to give our support to the family of Tito. Barca also is his family and we will remember him for ever.”