Chelsea in a ‘good place’ ahead of Malmo clash, says Tuchel

London (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel has praised his Chelsea players for the way they have dispatched opponents in recent weeks, saying the team are in a “good place” ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Malmo.

The European champions are three points clear at the top of the Premier League and well-placed to progress from Group H of the Champions League.

Tuchel’s side are unbeaten in six matches since their loss in September to group leaders Juventus. During that run they hammered Malmo 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.

“We are in a good place,” Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Monday. “We know what it takes to have these kind of results, the effort we put into it. 

“At the same time, we set the standards that we set in every match so tomorrow we start again from scratch.”

The German said the match in Sweden would be the “fifth or sixth game in a row” in which his side had been considered to be favourites.

“I like a lot how my team approaches these matches because we put in a lot of effort and put in a lot of intensity and give not too much on the general view about it that we are the favourites but we proved our point on the pitch and that is absolutely necessary tomorrow.”

But Tuchel warned that winless Malmo could be dangerous as they would have nothing to lose and could play with freedom.

“Malmo maybe need an extraordinary performance and they will prepare for this,” he said. 

“Any team on this kind of level is able to create an extraordinary performance, so we should be prepared and we should be humble and respectful enough towards the game and towards the opponent and anything can happen.”

Chelsea’s defenders have been in outstanding goalscoring form this season, with wing-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell notching seven goals between them.

James is the club’s joint top-scorer this season — level on four goals for the season with injured striker Romelu Lukaku.

Tuchel said it was important not to rely on only one or two players to score goals but also stressed the importance of having consistent goalscorers.

“I’m happy when we create chances,” added the Chelsea boss, who said his wing-backs were often acting as midfielders because of his defensive back three . “I’m happy when we have in the end five, six players in the box to be dangerous.

“In the system that we play it’s crucial that the wing-backs are there and have the freedom to be dangerous and the second one is of course defenders need to be dangerous for set pieces.”

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Solskjaer relishes ‘criticism’ despite Man Utd pressure

London (AFP) – A defiant Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he relishes criticism as Manchester United prepare for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Atalanta following their vital Premier League victory at Tottenham.

The Norwegian faced intense speculation over his future after United’s 5-0 humiliation against arch-rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford last week left them well off the pace in the English top-flight.

But the Red Devils eased the pressure on their manager with Saturday’s 3-0 win in London and it was Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo who instead lost his job on Monday.

Former players, pundits and fans have questioned Solskjaer’s tactics, team selections and ability to succeed at the highest level, with the former United forward yet to win a trophy in nearly three years at the club.

But his decision at Spurs to pair Cristiano Ronaldo with Edinson Cavani up front and use a three-man central defence bore fruit as Ronaldo scored and provided an assist for the Uruguayan and the home side failed to register a shot on target.

“Criticism can make you doubt yourself, or you can stand up for yourself. I’ve always enjoyed criticism — just keep that coming,” Solskjaer said in his pre-match press conference on Monday.

“Journalists, pundits, experts — we’ve all got different jobs. I’m not here to fight with them, I don’t need a spat with anyone.”

The Red Devils top Group F with two wins and one defeat from three games but have not convinced in Europe.

They suffered a shock defeat at Swiss side Young Boys in their opening fixture and needed late goals from Ronaldo to take them to wins against Villarreal and Atalanta.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s team led 2-0 at Old Trafford and had chances to put the game beyond United in last month’s reverse fixture before the hosts launched their comeback.

Solskjaer admitted one good game would not silence United’s doubters and challenged his team to prove in Italy that they could perform consistently.

“We’ve been working to get that consistency,” he said.

“One swallow doesn’t make a summer. It’s a chance to prove we can go again.”

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African players in Europe: Proud Zaha, outrageous Khazri

Paris (AFP) – Ivorian Wilfried Zaha scored for Crystal Palace in a stunning 2-0 Premier League triumph over Manchester City at the weekend, then endured online racist abuse. 

“I do not mind abuse because nowadays it comes with doing the job, even though it is not an excuse. I will always be black and proud,” said Zaha. 

Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri claimed an amazing goal for French Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne in a 1-1 draw at Metz, finding the net with a 68-metre shot.

Here, AFP Sport highlights Africans who starred in the major European leagues at the weekend.

ENGLAND

WILFRIED ZAHA (Crystal Palace)

He was a key figure for Palace, firing his side in front after just six minutes at the Etihad Stadium. City defender Aymeric Laporte was dispossessed by Conor Gallagher, who sent his team-mate clear and Zaha beat Ederson with a well-struck shot into the corner. In first-half stoppage time, Laporte saw red for hauling down Zaha. 

ENOCK MWEPU (Brighton)

The 23-year-old Zambian’s first Premier League goal is destined to be enjoyed by generations of Brighton fans. Four minutes before half-time, with the visitors 2-0 down, his arcing shot from 25 yards went over Liverpool ‘keeper Alisson’s outstretched hand but under the crossbar. After a 2-2 draw, an elated Mwepu tweeted: “Am just a boy from Zambia who had a dream of playing and scoring at Anfield and today the dream has been fulfilled. Glad to get my first Premier League goal.”

SADIO MANE (Liverpool)

On a day when Egypt’s Mohamed Salah failed to score for the first time since August, it was Senegal star Mane who doubled Liverpool’s lead at home to Brighton when he headed in an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cross.

SPAIN

IDDRISU BABA (Real Mallorca)

The 25-year-old Ghana defensive midfielder has spent his entire club career in Spain. On Sunday, he gave Mallorca the lead at Cadiz after half an hour for his second goal this season in 12 appearances. But his team had to settle for a third successive draw when Alvaro Negredo converted a penalty in the third minute of stoppage time.

ITALY

FRANCK KESSIE (AC Milan)

The Ivory Coast midfielder sent Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio the wrong way from a 57th-minute penalty to double the lead of second-placed AC Milan in a 2-1 Serie A victory at Roma. Kessie scored his second goal of the season after VAR confirmed Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been fouled by Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez.

FRANCE

WAHBI KHAZRI (Saint-Etienne)

The Tunisian scored an outrageous goal from his own half in Saint-Etienne’s 1-1 draw at Metz. After picking the ball up in the penalty area, Khazri dribbled upfield and took aim from 68 metres, catching the goalkeeper well off his line as the ball sailed over the head of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner Alexandre Oukidja. 

ANDY DELORT (Nice)

The Algeria forward scored both goals as Nice came from behind to beat Angers 2-1 and go second in Ligue 1. Delort’s first came via a deflection that sent the ball looping over the goalkeeper, but his second was a brilliant 20-metre volley in added time. His international future is in question, however, after national team coach Djamel Belmadi said this month he is “no longer selectable” after prioritising club over country. 

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Retire? It has not crossed my mind, says Messi

Madrid (AFP) – Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi says he has not given any thought about retiring after next year’s World Cup adding he would love to be Barcelona sporting director when he does finally hang up his boots.

The six-time Ballon D’Or winner will be 35 by the time the World Cup — a trophy that has eluded him through his stellar career — comes round in Qatar next year.

Messi is tied to French Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint Germain till June 2023 — with the option of an extra year — after leaving his beloved Barcelona in August.

He told Monday’s edition of Catalan newspaper Sport retirement was not on his agenda.

“No, truthfully no,” he said regarding hanging up his boots.

“After all that has happened to me, I just live day to day, year after year.

“I do not know what is going to happen at the World Cup or after it.

“I am not thinking about it.

“What will be will be at that moment.”

Messi added that leaving Barcelona after almost two decades had been a huge wrench but he will return one day to live there and even perhaps be the sporting director of the club.

Xavi, his long-time team-mate during the glory years at Barca — winning amongst other silverware four Champions League trophies — is the favourite to return to the club as head coach following the sacking of Ronald Koeman last week. 

“We will return to live in Barcelona, our life will be there, that is for sure,” he said.

“It is what both my wife and I want.

“I do not know if it will be straight after the end of my contract with Paris, but we will return to live in Barcelona.

“I would love to be sporting director at some point.

“I do not know if it will be at Barcelona or not, or I will fill another role.

“But if there is a possibility, I would love to help the club.”

Messi has as of yet failed to sparkle at PSG and he told Sport his and his family’s greatest desire was to stay at Barca.

Messi joined PSG after Barca decided not to renew the Argentinian’s contract due to La Liga’s strict salary limits.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said in October he hoped Messi would change his mind and play for free.

Messi, though, said that had never been tabled as an option.

“I did everything I could to stay there,” he said.

“Never at any point did they ask me to play for free.

“They asked me to reduce my salary by 50 percent and I did that no problem.

“We were willing to help the club.

“My desire and that of my family was to stay in Barcelona.”

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Spurs sack manager Nuno after just four months in charge

London (AFP) – Tottenham announced on Monday they had sacked manager Nuno Espirito Santo after just four months in charge following their fifth defeat in 10 Premier League games.

Spurs gave an insipid display in their 3-0 defeat at home by Manchester United on Saturday, with fans booing and chanting “You don’t know what you’re doing” at the former Wolverhampton boss.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and managing director of football Fabio Paratici are understood to have met on Sunday to discuss the Portuguese manager’s fate.

A statement from the club on Monday said Nuno and his coaching staff had been “relieved of their duties”.

“I know how much Nuno and his coaching staff wanted to succeed and I regret that we have had to take this decision,” Paratici said in the statement.

“Nuno is a true gentleman and will always be welcome here. We should like to thank him and his coaching staff and wish them well for the future.”

Spurs said a further coaching update would follow in due course.

Tottenham have lost five of their past seven Premier League matches and are eighth in the table, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea.

Nuno, 47, was announced as the new boss of the north London club on June 30, replacing Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in April.

The ex-Valencia and Porto boss was appointed by Spurs after former manager Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Conte, Paulo Fonseca and Gennaro Gattuso were all inked with the job.

Tottenham’s 17 games in all competitions since his appointment have featured seven defeats.

They did not manage a single shot on target against United, with England captain Harry Kane largely anonymous.

Kane, denied a move to champions Manchester City in the transfer window, has only managed one Premier League goal so far this campaign after winning his third Golden Boot last season.

Nuno guided Wolves from the second-tier Championship into the Premier League in 2018 and secured consecutive seventh-place finishes in their first two seasons back in the top-flight before a 13th-place finish last term.

Spurs fans are desperate to challenge again for the Champions League places after missing out on European football’s premier competition for two consecutive seasons.

They were regular top-four finishers under Pochettino, reaching the Champions League final in 2019, but have not won silverware of any description since 2008.

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Tottenham sack manager Nuno Espirito Santo

London (AFP) – Tottenham announced on Monday they had sacked manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his coaching staff after a stuttering start to the Premier League season.

Spurs were defeated 3-0 at home by Manchester United on Saturday — their fifth league defeat in 10 matches — with fans booing and chanting “You don’t know what you’re doing”.

Fabio Paratici, managing director of football, said in a club statement: “I know how much Nuno and his coaching staff wanted to succeed and I regret that we have had to take this decision.

“Nuno is a true gentleman and will always be welcome here. We should like to thank him and his coaching staff and wish them well for the future.”

The statement said a further coaching update would follow in due course.

Former Wolves manager Nuno, 47, was announced as the new boss of the north London club in June, replacing Jose Mourinho.

Nuno guided Wolves from the second-tier Championship into the Premier League in 2018 and secured consecutive seventh-place finishes in their first two seasons back in the top-flight before a 13th-place finish last term.

Tottenham were regular top-four finishers under former boss Mauricio Pochettino, now manager of Paris Saint-German, reaching the Champions League final in 2019, but have not won silverware of any description since 2008.

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Football brings hope to Iraqi girls in ex-IS town

Bartalla (Iraq) (AFP) – Spurred on by their coach, Christian girls kick the ball around a field in Iraq’s Bartalla, a former jihadist stronghold where football is helping them dream of a better future.

In 2014, the Islamic State group seized control of the town in its sweep through the northern province of Nineveh, before subjecting women and girls to a harsh interpretation of Islam.

Four years on from IS’s defeat the roughly 1,500 families who returned have been trying to restore a semblance of normality to Bartalla, about 12 kilometres (seven miles) east of Mosul, once the jihadists’ de facto capital in Iraq.

A football academy opened its doors to girls six months ago equipped with artificial turf, thanks to funding from Lara, an Iraqi Christian non-governmental organisation.

“Here we do everything to teach young girls the basics of football,” said coach Joanne Yusef Chaba.

The coach, a 22-year-old physical education graduate, said her dream was “to start a women’s team that will compete in the future” in one of two already established women’s leagues in Iraq.

Dressed in brightly coloured bibs, the girls do stretching exercises on the freshly laid pitch before Yusef Chaba blows a whistle for the start of practice.

After an exchange of passes, one of the players brings a ball under control before dribbling the length of the 40-metre (yard) pitch and unleashing a shot that rattles the post.

– ‘Lack of support’ –

“Being here allows us to forget hard times,” said Yusef Chaba, who fled to Arbil with her family two hours before the jihadists arrived in her hometown.

“Today when people see us, it raises their hopes and gives them confidence,” added the recent graduate who is looking for a job. “Here we forget about our daily worries.”

About 50 girls aged between 10 and 15 are enrolled at the academy where they attend two-hour training sessions twice a week.

Miral Jamal was six years old when she fled Bartalla with her family to escape the jihadists. Now aged 13, she is passionate about football.

“The players here feel good,” said the schoolgirl.

“Football relieves us… there’s nothing else to do in the city. I look forward to the training sessions.”

The families’ modest monthly contributions — between 5,000 and 10,000 Iraqi dinars ($3 and $7) — go towards renting the field on land owned by a church.

For other expenses, the four founders from local families dip into their own pockets.

Hala Thomas, who helped to launch the academy, recently travelled to Baghdad to meet with government officials and seek funding.

She received promises, but nothing concrete.

“We don’t have enough money to buy more balls, outfits or what we need for training,” said the 55-year-old, who opted to stay in her hometown rather than join her sons in the Netherlands.

“Despite the lack of support from sports institutions, we are hopeful that we can have a women’s football team,” she added.

– ‘Breath of fresh air’ –

During its three-year rule over nearly a third of Iraq, IS subjected hundreds of thousands of women to its rigid interpretation of Islam, using beatings and executions as punishments. 

In Mosul and its surrounding province, jihadists raped, kidnapped and enslaved thousands of women and adolescent girls.

After the IS onslaught in 2014, tens of thousands of Christians fled northern Nineveh province, some escaping to nearby Iraqi Kurdistan and others going into exile.

That only worsened an exodus since the US-led 2003 invasion, which has seen Iraq’s Christian minority shrink from more than 1.5 million to only around 400,000.

Across the Nineveh plain, churches and monasteries destroyed and burned by the jihadists have been restored.

But the challenges of rebuilding remain daunting in the ravaged province. 

“Football is a breath of fresh air for any community,” said neighbourhood leader Bassem Metti.

“We needed something that would encourage stability in our daily lives and that would start to be tangible.”

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