e_Paper, Friday, August 18, 2017

20
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2017
DT
Sports
Barca problems
mount with
Suarez and
Pique injuries
• Reuters, Barcelona
Barcelona have been dealt another
blow after their crushing 5-1
aggregate defeat to Real Madrid
in the Spanish Super Cup with the
news that Luis Suarez will be out
for around four weeks with a knee
injury.
A statement from the Uruguay
national team yesterday said that
the striker had suffered trauma in
his right knee during Barca’s 2-0
defeat to Real the previous day and
would be out for between four and
five weeks. The Liga side said in a
later statement he would be out
for four weeks (www.fcbarcelona.
com).
Suarez was seen limping towards
the end of the game but remained
on the pitch, as coach Ernesto
Valverde had used his three
substitutes.
The 30-year-old will miss Barca’s
opening league game at home
against Real Betis on Sunday, as
well as matches against Alaves, Espanyol
and Getafe.
Barca also said that defender
Gerard Pique sustained a groin
strain during the 2-0 defeat to Madrid
and was a doubt for the game
against Betis. •
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema scores their second goal during their second leg of the Spanish Supercup at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Wednesday
Real complete Super Cup rout of Barcelona
• AFP, Madrid
Real Madrid shrugged off the absence
of the suspended Cristiano
Ronaldo to cruise past rival Barcelona
2-0 in the second leg of the
Spanish Super Cup to cap a 5-1 aggregate
win.
Ronaldo’s replacement Marco
Asensio enhanced his reputation as
one of world football’s rising stars
as he smashed Real into the lead
after just four minutes.
Karim Benzema then deservedly
doubled Real’s lead before halftime.
Barca responded with a more
spirited second-half showing and
were unfortunate not to at least
pull a goal back as Lionel Messi and
Luis Suarez hit the woodwork.
Victory continues Real’s run
of success under Zinedine Zidane
with the European champion now
having lifted seven trophies in the
20 months since he took charge.
“We played a great match tonight,”
said Zidane.
Zidane even had the luxury of
leaving first-team regulars Gareth
Bale, Isco and Casemiro on the
bench as Real’s strength in depth
Napoli win with disputed penalty
• Reuters, Berne
RESULTS, 1ST LEG
Napoli 2-0 Nice
Mertens 13, Jorginho 70-P
Basaksehir 1-2 Sevilla
Elia 64 Escudero 16, Ben Yedder 84
Beer-Sheva 2-1 Maribor
Nwakaeme 12, Tavares 10
Tzedek 45+2-P
Celtic 5-0 Astana
Postnikov 32-og, Sinclair 42, 60,
Forrest 79, Shitov 88-og
Olympiacos 2-1 Rijeka
Odjidja 66, Romao 90+3 Heber 42
Napoli scored from a disputed penalty
to beat Nice 2-0 in the first leg
of their Champions League playoff
on Wednesday as the French side
had two players sent off in quick
succession late on.
Former European champion
Celtic were helped by two own
goals as they thumped Astana 5-0
at home and a late goal from Wissam
den Yedder gave Sevilla a 2-1
win at Istanbul Basaksehir in torrential
rain.
Olympiakos came from behind
to beat Rijeka 2-1 at home with
a last-minute goal from Jacques
Alaixys Romao in another of the
ties.
Italian sides have been beaten
in the playoff ties for the last
three seasons, but Napoli are wellplaced
to end that run after their
win against Nice, who have never
played in the group stage.
Dries Mertens put Napoli ahead
in the 13th minute when he raced
onto Marek Hamsik’s chipped pass
and thumped the ball into the far
corner.
Jorginho converted a penalty
in the 70th after Christophe Jallet
tripped Mertens, although replays
suggested it happened just outside
the penalty area.
Nice were reduced to nine men
in the 79th minute when Vincent
Koziello was given a straight red
card for a studs-up challenge on Piotr
Zielinski and Alassane Plea was
given a yellow card for protesting -
his second of the game.
Nigerian Anthony Nwakaeme
volleyed a spectacular goal from
outside the area as Israeli champion
Hapoel Beer Sheva, also looking
for a first group stage appearance,
beat Maribor 2-1.
Shir Tzedek converted a penalty
in first-half stoppage time to give
his side a slender lead to take to
Slovenia next week. •
RESULT
Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona
Asensio 4, Benzema 39
Real Madrid won 5-1 on aggregate
was demonstrated in a dominant
first 45 minutes.
“This team has hunger and
every time we play it shows,” added
Zidane.
“We have to try to continue like
this. To start the season like this is
very good, but we know a long season
is just starting.”
Barca boss Ernesto Valverde has
AFP
suffered the worst possible start to
his reign with back-to-back defeats
against the Catalans fiercest rival
and the visitor never threatened to
mount a comeback after conceding.
“We have to recover quickly,
the league is on the horizon,” said
Valverde, ahead of Barca’s La Liga
opener against Real Betis on Sunday.
The visitor’s night was summed
up when Suarez headed against the
post with the goal gaping after Navas
had parried Messi’s driven shot
into his path. •
Segura: Barca close to
Coutinho, Dembele deals
• Reuters, Madrid
Barcelona sporting manager Pep
Segura has said the club are close
to signing Liverpool’s Philippe
Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele
from Borussia Dortmund.
“We are close to Coutinho and
Dembele, we are discussing their
conditions but we do not know
when they will be sealed,” Segura
told Spanish television station
TV3.
“We hope they will be Barca
players this season.”
According to reports in British
media, Coutinho has submitted
a transfer request after Liverpool
rejected a second bid worth 100m
euros from the La Liga club.
Barca’s other reported target,
Dembele, has been suspended by
Dortmund after the 20-year-old
France international skipped training
amid speculation of a possible
move to Spain.
An initial Barca offer was rejected
by Dortmund, with club bosses
saying it was too low.
German media have estimated
the price of a move at more than
100m euros.
Barca are clearly in need of reinforcements
after being outclassed
in the Super Cup.
After losing 3-1 at home on Sunday,
Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat came
at the hands of a Madrid side minus
Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and
Isco. •