Hulk denies he’s a racist
Atletico Madrid and Monaco will attempt to overturn daunting first-leg deficits in the Champions League semifinals this week and publicly they insist they can pull off the improbable.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone went as far as to say that coming back from 3-0 down to holders Real Madrid in their derby at home would be “impossible” for other teams – but not his.
“I’ve told the players it is very difficult, that we are facing the best team in the world, who score goals in every game, but that it is possible,” the Argentine said after Atletico guaranteed a top-four finish in La Liga with a 1-0 win over Eibar on Saturday.
“I am convinced of it. If we understand that it is a semifinal at home, we have a chance.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, who was rested at the weekend, and his Real team-mates can expect a fiery reception at the Vicente Calderon.
Tomorrow’s clash will be the final European game at the Vicente Calderon because Atletico move to the new 67 000-capacity Wanda Metropolitano next season.
Atletico’s fans gave the team full-throated support at the weekend, staying on after the final whistle against Eibar, and the players responded by returning for a lap of honour.
Real have beaten Atletico twice in three years in the Champions League final and a Ronaldo hattrick – his second treble in as many matches in the competition – brushed aside Simeone’s men in the first leg.
It would take a staggering capitulation for Real to fail to reach the final in Cardiff on June 3.
Coach Zinedine Zidane made nine changes to his side but they still thrashed already relegated Granada 4-0 at the weekend with James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata each scoring twice.
The Frenchman warned his side they would need to produce the “perfect game” against Atletico but believes Real are in prime condition at a crucial juncture, having rested most of his starting XI.
“Over nine months if you play every game, sometimes you are empty by the end of the season. We are the opposite, physically we are very strong and that is good news for the end of the season,” he said ominously.
Like Real, Italian champions Juventus – on the verge of retaining their Serie A title – are strong favourites to dispatch Monaco and they hold a commanding 2-0 lead from the first leg in France.
Marshalled by veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus have conceded just two goals in the Champions League this season and hardly offered Monaco’s free-scoring attack a sniff last week.
It is unthinkable that a side that shut out Lionel Messi and Barcelona over two legs in the quarterfinals will concede three times tonight, especially with the game in Turin.
But Monaco are the leading scorers in Europe’s top leagues and in the 18-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe have the most wanted player in world football.
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim is not one to make sweeping statements, but he refuses to believe the tie is over and an early goal for his young side would put the home fans on edge.
“It is difficult but we need to keep believing. The best thing is to believe it is possible, even if we only have a five percent chance,” the Portuguese said. – AFP
Today: Tomorrow:
Juventus (2) v Monaco (0) Atletico Madrid (0) v Real Madrid (3)
– Shanghai SIPG’s Brazilian striker Hulk (above) insisted he likes and respects “all of the Chinese people” as he rejected claims of a racially motivated assault on an assistant coach in the Chinese Super League.
Guizhou Zhicheng’s head coach Li Bing has accused the muscular Brazilian of punching his assistant coach Yu Ming at half-time during SIPG’s 3-0 victory on Saturday.
But Hulk, one of a number of highly-paid foreign stars in the Super League, denied any violent behaviour. SIPG has also said the incident “did not occur”.
“Unfortunately they are trying to abuse my image,” Hulk wrote in English on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo on Sunday.
“The coach of the opposing team is accusing me of aggression. Where did he see it? I didn’t behave violently in any way!
“I have my conscience clear. God knows it. I just want to do what I love most – which is to play football! I’m very happy in China. I like and respect all of the Chinese people.”
Hulk, who signed from Zenit St Petersburg for €55 million last June, has been SIPG’s top-scorer this season with eight goals in all competitions for Andre Villas-Boas’ side.
Guizhou’s Li first raised the allegations of a racist attack on Yu at Saturday’s post-match press conference, and then made further claims on social media.
“Foreign players are here to improve our football level. Hulk has strong skills, but he cannot be here and despise Chinese people,” he told journalists.
Li later posted on social media that Hulk “suddenly brought his fist out at Yu Ming’s forehead and knocked him to the ground”.
But SIPG said there was no security camera footage of the altercation. – AFP