Atletico move into second with 3-0 win
MADRID: Atletico Madrid moved into provisional second place in La Liga with a 3-0 win over fourthplaced Alaves on Saturday to join leaders Barcelona on 28 points. Nikola Kalinic, Antoine Griezmann and Rodri struck for Atletico in a tight battle against the high-flying Basques, with Diego Simeone’s side simply more clinical in front of goal.
Croatian striker Kalinic opened the scoring in the 24th minute, bundling the ball home with his stomach from Santiago Arias’s cross for his first league goal since a close-season switch from AC Milan. Atletico suffered a blow when defender Lucas Hernandez had to go off with a knee injury but keeper Jan Oblak had little to do in the first half with Alaves struggling to create chances. Defender Jose Gimenez came close to doubling Atletico’s lead when he hit the post with a header from Thomas Lemar’s corner, while Alaves forward Jonathan Calleri nodded wide.
Griezmann wrapped up the points in the final stages when he broke through and tapped home after his first effort came back off the post, with Rodri slamming in a third to give Atletico an advantage which flattered them.
Later on Saturday Barcelona visit crosstown rivals Espanyol and third-placed Sevilla, who are a point off the pace, travel to Valencia. Alaves remain fourth on 24 points, a place and a point ahead of Real Madrid who are away at bottom club Huesca.
PSG DENY’
PARIS: French champions Paris Saint-Germain have quashed reports the club could be forced to sell either Kylian Mbappe or Neymar in a bid to circumvent eventual Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions. Qatar-owned PSG are one of a number of clubs under scrutiny from UEFA’s FFP regulations after splashing a combined total of more than 400 million euros in 2017 for Brazil star Neymar and World Cup winner Mbappe.
Rival clubs and even the president of Spain’s La Liga championship, Javier Tebas, bemoan the lack of sanctions for PSG, who according to recent leaked documents have violated the strict financial regulations put in place by European football’s ruling body. UEFA still have their eye on PSG and their finances and daily sports newspaper L’Equipe claimed late on Friday that any future sanctions could see the club sell one of their most coveted stars. But PSG were quick to shoot down the report.
“In an article published on their website on Friday night, L’Equipe dared to say that ‘PSG is ready to lose Kylian Mbappe or Neymar Jr to avoid (FFP) sanctions’,” said a statement issued by the club. PSG “vehemently denies these totally false and ridiculous allegations, which serve only to recreate a climate of tension between the club and this media outlet.” The front page of L’Equipe on Saturday carried pictures of both Mbappe, the 19-year-old who struck in a 4-2 World Cup final win over Croatia last summer, and Brazil star Neymar while page two claimed the club are “ready to lose a star”.