Messi’s return makes task tougher for Inter Shaqiri to miss Reds’ trip to Belgrade
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE With the Argentine set for early return from injury, Inter are focusing on their own strengths MILAN:Lionel
Messi is the icing on Barcelona’s cake, Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti said on Monday on the eve of the Champions League Group B game between the two teams.
Messi could make an earlier return than expected against Inter Milan in the San Siro on Tuesday after breaking his arm on October 20, but the Catalans have shown some of their strongest form in his absence.
Four wins out of four, including a stroll past Inter and a hammering of Real Madrid so severe it cost their coach his job, mean Messi reunites with a team enjoying its strongest run of the season, ironically without its star striker. Barca will certainly be delighted, relieved even, when his recovery is complete.
“Messi is the icing on the cake. His is the shirt that children who dream of being footballers ask for,” said Spalletti, “but Barcelona have shown that even without him, they still have the mentality to develop their game, which is what makes the difference. It’s a worry for anyone if Messi plays, but the attitude doesn’t change.”
“We’re facing one of the strongest clubs in the world in any case. We need to be better in our reading of the game, but we’re going to mark space, not men.”
Barca have named Messi in their squad for the match at the San Siro, even if he is yet to be given the medical all-clear.
It could be his involvement is either as a substitute or even delayed until Sunday, when Barca host Real Betis in La Liga.
A draw against Inter would guarantee the Spaniards qualification to the last 16 while victory would secure top spot, with two games still to spare. Inter need a win to all but book their passage to the last 16.
“It’s the right time to show what we’re worth,” said Spalletti, whose side are coming off a seven-match winning streak in Serie A in which they are in second place behind Juventus. “The latest results reinforce that and this will be a good opportunity to see if we really can play on a par with Barca, who represent the highest level of difficulty in football.”
who are struggling to find their rhythm this season and were dismantled by the high-flying Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their meeting in Germany, will be looking for revenge at the Wanda Metropolitano.
— two time finalists in the last four years — also dropped to third in the league table after a draw against 18th placed Leganes this weekend while the Dortmund drubbing was Atletico's heaviest defeat since Diego Simeone took charge 392 matches ago.
who will win their group with a win on Tuesday and are unbeaten in 15 matches in all competitions this season, will act as a morale booster for the club led by Antoine Griezmann (right).
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Atletico won
of Group B with just one point from three matches, Tottenham are in a do-or-die situation and need to win against PSV Eindhoven to avoid another early exit from Europe.
and Inter Milan (6) occupying the top two spots and looking good to advance to next stage, Maurico Pochettino’s side would be eliminated at the group stage for the second time in three years if they lose or draw to PSV at Wembley and Inter beat Barca at home.
would be another setback for Harry Kane-led Spurs, who have prepared for European battles but have found the going tough in the Group of Death.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Spurs won Drawn Matches Drawn Matches Dortmund won PSV won against a struggling Rayo Vallecano, where the
Spanish champions won 3-2 at the death thanks to Luis Suarez, will be a positive for
Inter Milan as it shows that the Spanish champions are beginning to falter without their talisman Lionel Messi. a win for Inter — currently second in the Serie A — could establish their claim as one of the front-runners in the UCL this season, also signalling their return as one of Europe’s finest, having last won the UCL title in 2010.
Inter, for whom Mauro Icardi (left) is in great form, could also prevent the Catalans from winning the group with a good result. But they will have to be wary as the visitors could be boosted by Messi’s return from injury.
INTER AT HOME V SPANISH SIDES
won in the domestic circuit, where PSG won their first 12 games in Ligue 1, making it the best-ever start for a team in the top five European leagues, their UCL form has been a matter of concern with just one win in three games. won
European success has eluded the Parisians and their progression beyond the group stages this term, potentially hinges on their trip to Napoli. a
point behind their Italian opponent, who have five. Neymar and Kylian Mbappe (in pic) will have to step-up against bigger teams to live up to their billing, more so given PSG’s record in Italy. Drawn
Liverpool have left Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri out of the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League tie at Red Star Belgrade, saying they were uncertain over what sort of reception he would receive in the Serbian capital.
Shaqiri, an ethnic Albanian of Kosovar heritage, scored the winning goal for Switzerland when they beat Serbia 2-1 at the World Cup in June and celebrated with a gesture which appeared to imitate the eagle displayed on Albania’s flag.
Serbia refuses to recognise the independence of its former province Kosovo, whose 1.8 million people are mostly ethnic Albanians, which broke away 10 years ago.
“We have heard and read the speculation and talk about what kind of reception Shaq (Shaqiri) would receive,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp told the club website.
“Although we have no idea what would happen, we want to go there and be focused 100 percent on football and not have to think about anything else, that’s all.
“We have no political message, absolutely not. We want the focus to be on a great game of football, free from anything else.”
FIFA fined Shaqiri 10,000 Swiss francs (Rs 7.27 lakh) for the gesture, along with teammate Granit Xhaka, another ethnic Albanian of Kosovar heritage, who scored Switzerland’s equaliser in the same game and celebrated with a similar signal. Shaqiri denied his celebration had political overtones.
LONDON:
LLORIS URGES SPURS TO LEARN FROM MISTAKES
Captain Hugo Lloris has warned Tottenham they risk blowing their Premier League and Champions League hopes unless they cut out the errors after a nervy win against Wolves.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side, cruising at 3-0 midway through the second half, weathered a late
fightback from the home side to win 3-2 at Molineux on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Lloris warned that Spurs had to tighten up after losing leads against Inter Milan and PSV in Europe already this season. “We need to learn,” he said. “It is not the first time this has happened in the Champions League and in the league that the opponent created chances in the last minutes of the game. It is something we need to improve.
“If we have to play a different way, we have to play a different way. We could have managed the game in another way. At 3-0, you do not have to press. It is about communications, feelings and is more up to the players.”
Lloris is banned for Tuesday’s must-win Champions League visit of PSV while Mousa Dembele is an injury doubt after coming off at Molineux with an ankle problem.
LONDON: