Argentina at risk of missing World Cup, says Diego Maradona
BUENOS AIRES: Argentina face an uphill battle to qualify for next year’s World Cup without their suspended talisman Lionel Messi, according to Albiceleste legend Diego Maradona.
Messi has served one match of a four-game international ban for abusing an assistant referee in a World Cup qualifier last month, reports Xinhua news agency.
“With all due respect to the national team, I think that without Messi we are at risk of missing out on qualifying for the World Cup,” Maradona told Radio Rivadavia.
“I would accept a playoff spot now, but Argentina are always capable of finding something extra.”
Argentina are currently fifth in the South American zone World Cup qualifying standings with four matches remaining.
Only the top four teams will qualify automatically for the tournament in Russia while the fifth-ranked side will earn a playoff berth.
In Messi’s absence, Argentina will play Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru. The Barcelona forward will return for the team’s last qualifier against Ecuador on October 10.
Maradona, who almost single-handedly won the 1986 World Cup for Argentina, called for an end to comparisons between himself and Messi.
“I have finished my career. I enjoyed my time on the pitch. Now it’s Messi’s turn. There doesn’t have to be any comparisons between us,” the 56-year-old said. DORTMUND: German football club Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday extended midfielder Nuri Sahin’s contract, keeping the Turkey international until June 30, 2019.
“We’re all delighted Nuri’s staying with us. He grew up in the region, he’s a really good guy and Borussia Dortmund is deeply ingrained in him,” Dortmund CEO Hans-joachim Watzke said in a statement.
The 28-year-old, who has had dual German and Turkish nationality since 2011, joined the Borussia Dortmund youth academy in the summer of 2001. Aged 16 years and 355 days he became the youngest player to ever play in the Bundesliga, and is the topflight’s youngest-ever goalscorer too. Since making his debut in 2005, he has played for the club 203 times, scoring 19 goals. “Everyone knows how comfortable I feel in Dortmund - both in the city and in this stadium with our extraordinary fans. Borussia Dortmund is the club that belongs to my heart,” said the midfielder, who is now in his 12th season as a professional. WUHAN: All eyes will be on women’s singles specialists P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal as they carry India’s hopes in the Badminton Asia Championships, starting here at the Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium on Wednesday. While Saina has two bronze medals from the continent’s marquee event in the 2010 and 2016 editions, Sindhu has a bronze from the 2014 Gimcheon edition. Sindhu, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist, is currently ranked third in the world. The double World Championship bronze medallist has continued her good performance since the Rio Games. The 21-year-old showed that in the India Superseries final when she defeated Rio Games champion Carolina Marin. Going by the form she is in mentally and physically, this could be her best chance to add another trophy to her ever-increasing
Chhattisgarh Rural Development Agency, Civil Lines Raipur (CG) CV. The fourth seeded Indian will open her campaign against unseeded Indonesian Dinar Dyah Ayustine. Sindhu’s veteran Hyderabad citymate Saina will face a test of character and fitness as she will be eager to prove that she has overcome her stiffness after the knee surgery in August. World No.8 Saina will hope for a good start when she takes on Sayaka Sato of Japan.