Sterling reborn under Guardiola
– Raheem Sterling (right) has hailed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola for helping him turn around his year, in particular for encouraging the winger to “enjoy scoring goals”.
Sterling found the back of the net only six times in 31 Premier League games last season and was vilified by a section of England’s fans after the country’s poor Euro 2016 campaign.
However, the 21-year-old has impressed under Guardiola, scoring four goals in six league games. He was also named the Player-ofthe-Month for August.
“The manager has told me to enjoy scoring goals and seeing the ball go into the back of the net. He gives everyone confidence,” Sterling told British media.
Sterling scored in City’s 3-1 win at Swansea City on Saturday, a victory that stretched their early lead at the top to four points.
“He gives everyone the belief and the motivation. His speech before (the game) was fantastic and it means that when you go out on to the pitch you are really fired up for the game,” he said.
Guardiola, who has guided the club to six straight league wins this season,
Disgruntled Cristiano Ronaldo could make more Champions League history tonight as his Real Madrid side look to end their losing streak at high-flying Borussia Dortmund.
A hat-trick for Ronaldo in Dortmund would see him become the first player to score a century of European goals.
Ahead of the flight to Dortmund, Real coach Zinedine Zidane subbed Ronaldo for the final 20 minutes of Saturday’s 2-2 Spanish league draw at Las Palmas.
The Portuguese superstar was furious with the decision and stormed off the field.
Madrid fans have backed Zidane said Sterling and the rest of the team needed to step up in the absence of midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who limped off with a hamstring problem at the Liberty Stadium.
“Kevin is not going to play the next few games and now we need to keep going and win the games without him. We have to do that,” Guardiola said.
“Raheem feels that. He feels that his team-mates appreciate his efforts – the staff, the coaches – we are so happy about what he has.
“But again this is only September. I would like to be in May with one game left but we are in September and we have only played six games. We have a lot of games to play.”
City travel to Tottenham, who are second in the table, on Sunday. – over his handling of the club’s all-time top scorer.
Ronaldo’s freekick equaliser in Real’s 2-1 comeback win against Sporting Lisbon in their first Group F, the same night Dortmund won 6-0 at Legia Warsaw, left him on 97 goals in European club competition.
His main rival in the race to 100 goals is Barcelona’s star Lionel Messi, who has 89.
But Borussia want to maintain their unbeaten home record against Real, who have won just four times in 29 away games against German clubs.
Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park stadium has particularly bad memories for Madrid, who have lost on their last three visits.
Their 2-0 defeat at Dortmund in the 2014 quarterfinals came a year after their 4-1 thumping in the 2013 semifinals when Robert Lewandowski scored all four goals for the home side.
They also lost a group stage game 2-1 at Dortmund in 2012.
Real’s serene run since Zidane took charge in January has hit a slump in the past week.
The European champions dropped points against Villarreal and Las Palmas to snap a 16-game winning streak in the Spanish league.
Confidence is high in the Dortmund camp.
After their shock 1-0 defeat at newly-promoted RB Leipzig a fortnight ago in the Bundesliga, Dortmund have netted 20 goals in the four games since. – AFP