04022017

Aboubakar
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 4, 2017 — 47
Ronaldinho back
at Barca
It has been confirmed that
Barcelona legend Ronaldinho
will return to the club in an ambassadorial
role.
The Brazilian won two LaLiga
titles and the Champions League
during a distinguished five-year
spell at the Camp Nou.
Nine years after his departure
from Catalonia as a player, the
36-year-old’s new position will
see him perform such duties as
representing the club at official
events and functions and playing
for the Barcelona Legends
team in matches around the
world.
The deal will also see ‘soccer
schools’ currently run by
Ronaldinho brought into line
with those run by Barca.
“I have a lot of friends here,”
the World Cup winner told
Mundo Deportivo. “I have a history
and a big part of my life
here.
“I am very happy to have the
opportunity to come home.”
Egypt,
Cameroon set
for AFCON final
Egypt will attempt to win the
fourth consecutive Africa Cup
of Nations in which they have
competed when they face
Cameroon in tomorrow’s final.
The Pharaohs, among the
tournament favourites from the
outset in Gabon, were victorious
in 2006, 2008 and 2010 before
failing to qualify for the next three
editions in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Underdogs Cameroon have upset
the odds to reach the final,
beating much-fancied Ghana in
the last four.
The game is a repeat of the 2008
final.
Cameroon’s squad includes two
British-based players, Hearts
midfielder Arnaud Djoum and
Clinton N’Jie, although the latter
is on loan at Marseille from
Tottenham.
Egypt have three players from
England’s Premier League -
defender Ahmed Elmohamady
(Hull) and midfielders Mohamed
Elneny (Arsenal) and Ramadan
Sobhi (Stoke), as well as former
Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah.
Seven-time winners Egypt
earned their place in a
record-equalling ninth
Afcon final
b y
Kane
H
a r r y
Kane,
Dele Alli and
A l e x i s
Sanchez are
part of the
quintet of
nominees for
the Premier
League’s
Player of the
Month in
January.
Tottenham
beating
Burkina Sallah
Faso 4-
3 on
penalties
following a
1-1 semifinal
draw.
The Pharaohs’
hero in the semifinal
was 44-yearold
goalkeeper Essam
El Hadary, whose save in
the shootout means he now
has a chance to win a fifth
Afcon title, having won his first
in 1998.
El Hadary has been in fine
form in Gabon, the goal he
conceded in the semi-final
being the first he has let in
during the tournament.
The make-up of Cameroon’s
squad has changed
significantly since the
appointment of Hugo Broos as
manager in February 2016, but
he is confident his youthful
line-up can cause an upset.
“In the 29 years I’ve been a
coach I’ve never worked with
a group like this,” said the
Belgian, who is hoping to lead
the Indomitable Lions to a first
Afcon title since 2002 and fifth
overall.
Juve
battle
Inter on
StarTimes
Fans can enjoy all
Serie A football
games this weekend
live and exclusively on
StarTimes World football
(channel 254 or 245),
especially Juventus versus
Inter Milan cracker.
Games between tabletopping
Juventus and Inter
Milan are often explosive,
Kane, Sanchez, Alli battle for award
striker Kane has been in
electric form over recent
weeks, netting five goals in
five league games including a
hat-trick in the 4-0 win over
West Brom at White Hart
Lane.
However his achievements
have arguably been
overshadowed by his Spurs
team-mate Dele Alli. The
England international has
seven to his name this month,
none more important than the
brace that ended Chelsea’s 13
match winning run in the
Premier League at White Hart
Lane.
Arsenal star Sanchez has also
been weighing in with crucial
goals this month, finding the
net to inspire a revival from
three goals down at
Bournemouth and scoring an
impudent ‘Panenka’ penalty in
the 98th minute to secure a 2-
1 win for the ten men
Gunners against Burnley.
Fabregas vows to keep ‘taking risks’
Chelsea
midfielder
C e s c
Fabregas has
vowed to
continue
“taking risks”
with his passing
this season.
“When you look
at statistics, for example, you
see a midfielder that plays in
my position and you say he
has 95 per cent accuracy, he
didn’t lose the ball,”
Fabregas told Chelsea TV.
“[But] I will always lose more
balls because I take a lot of
risks. I like to play final balls,
Ronaldinho
I see the striker on the move
and I take the chance. I could
play a simple pass just five
yards away from me and keep
the ball and play it simple
but that’s not who I am. I
always like to feed the striker
to create chances and to
score goals,” he added.
engaging,
dramatic and
intriguing
Higuain and this
Sunday’s
encounter
promises to be
a cracker.
With Juve, Inter
face a pretty
daunting task, as
the Old Lady are
not known to be
losers in their home stadium
in Turin, making the clash all
the more worthwhile.
StarTimes plans to also beam
live on Sunday as AC Milan
battle Sampdoria, Chievo host
Udinese, Pescara confront
Lazio while on Saturday,
Napoli travel to face Bologna.
Head of Public Relations and
Communication, Israel Bolaji,
said All Serie A football games
in the European league fixture
this weekend will be screen
live on StarTimes sports
channels, including ST
World football, ST Sports
Arena, ST Sports Focus,
ST Sports Premium
etc.
He emphasized
the pay TV
company’s
commitment to
deliver a fine mix of
pulsating live sporting
matches to its customers
and football lovers.
Costa
rubbishes
Chinese
move
Diego Costa has responded
to reports that he has
agreed to a big money move
to China by posting a messge
on Instagram. The report
suggested that he had
agreed a deal to move to
China in the summer with
the rumour surfacing on
Cadena SER.
The 28-year-old fell out with
Antonio Conte earlier this
month when reports of a bid
from a Chinese club arrived
into Chelsea headquarters
and Costa asked to be told
the details of the deal. He
had been struggling with an
injury complaint that didn’t
help the brief feud with his
manager Conte and it caused
a strain between the former
Atletico striker and the
medical staff at the club.
It is not the first Instagram
post Costa has posted
recently. He took to the
social media site after he was
dropped by Conte for the
Leicester City game
following their spat with a
similar message. Whether
there is any meat to the
rumours
b u t
is one thing
Costa’s
contribution
t o Chelsea’s
cause this
season can
Costa
not
be
questioned
with 15
goals in
24 games.
According
t o
Costa,
“they talk too
m u c h
rubbish”.