Arteta hopes Aubameyang will stay at Arsenal
LONDON:ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta hopes to convince Pierreemerick Aubameyang to extend his stay beyond the end of his contract next year.
The 30-year-old scored twice in Arsenal’s 3-2 Premier League win over Everton on Sunday, lifting them to ninth and improving their chances of qualifying for Europe next season.
Reports in British media said Aubameyang, who took his tally to a league-high 17 goals alongside Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, was a target for Barcelona.
“They’re completely right to want him because he’s a superb player. It’s right that the big teams like him. Hopefully we can convince him this is right place to be,” Arteta told reporters.
“He is our most important player, no doubt the impact he has in this team. We will have to convince him to stay with us.”
NEYMAR SENT OFF IN PSG’S WIN
PARIS:PARIS St Germain extended their Ligue 1 lead to 13 points with a 4-3 home victory against Girondins de Bordeaux on Sunday but the French champions were again exposed at the back and had Neymar sent off.
A Marquinhos double, Edinson Cavani’s 200th PSG goal and a goal by Kylian Mbappe put the capital side on 65 points from 26 games but they lost captain Thiago Silva to a muscle injury and Neymar picked up a straight red card for a late challenge in stoppage time.
Bordeaux, who scored through Hwang Ui-jo, Pablo and Ruben Pardo, are 12th on 35 points.
KOREA POSTPONES FOOTBALL SEASON
SEOUL:SOUTH Korea’s K-league on Monday postponed the start of the new football season in the face of the growing novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.
“The K-league has decided to temporarily postpone the start of the 2020 K-league season until the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak eases,” it said in a statement.
This year’s edition of the 12-team competition—whose current champions are Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors—had been due to kick off this weekend.
REAL KASHMIR STAY IN TOP HALF
SRINAGAR:REAL Kashmir bounced back from two consecutive defeats as they beat Indian Arrows by a solitary goal to remain in the top half of the I-league points table on Monday.
Ivorian midfielder Bazie Armand scored the all-important goal in the 70th minute.
Real Kashmir, who lost to Punjab FC and Churchill in their previous two matches, now have 18 points from 12 games to occupy the fifth spot in the standings.